J.A. Matteson
TRUTH 1:
THERE IS A GOD
“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God!’” (Psalm 14:1)
“A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil….” (Proverbs 14:16)
How do you think God might consider you, as a wise person or a fool?
TRUTH 2:
GOD IS HOLY AND JUST
As a righteous judge God weighs the intent and actions of people against the precepts of His Law. Wrong doing and wrong thinking violate His Law and are subject to the consequences set forth in the Law. If a human judge fails to enforce the Law he is an unrighteous judge and is corrupt. God is altogether righteous and perfectly enforces His Law. "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before your face" (Psalm 89:14).
In any decade within the United States there are acts of murder where the murderers are never caught and brought to justice. These are unsolved crimes. If God were to turn a blind eye to those murderers, then He would a corrupt judge. But being good and just, He is rightfully angry with those who have taken the lives of others, and He will punish murderers, rapists, etc., all who violate His Law.
This is the teaching or message of the Bible—that God will "by no means clear the guilty" (Numbers 14:18). He "will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14), "God is angry with the wicked every day" (Psalm 7:11). God is holy and just; sinners are guilty before Him of violating His Law.
TRUTH 3:
THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH
"...sin is transgression of the Law" (1 John 3:4) and “…the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)
Wages refer to what a person deserves, what they are entitled to, or what they have coming to them. According to God’s Law, sinners (Law breakers) are sentenced to death. God’s Law is summarized in the Ten Commandments; Have you kept His Law—perfectly? Before we look at God’s Law consider this: “For whoever keeps the whole Law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” (James 2:10). And ignorance of the Law is no defense.
“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Have you always loved God above all else?)
“You shall not make for yourself a graven image” (Have you made a god in your mind that you're more comfortable with, a god to suit yourself, rather than the one true living God revealed in the Bible?)
“You shall not take God's name in vain” (Have you ever used God's holy Name as a cuss word?)
“Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy” (Have you always observed a weekly day of rest to worship God and reflect on His goodness?)
“Honor your father and mother” (Have you ever disrespected your parents by speaking to them in anger?)
“You shall not murder” (God considers hatred to be as murder, have you ever hated someone?)
“You shall not commit adultery” ("Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart" Matthew 5:27-28; this also includes sex before marriage known as fornication)
“You shall not steal” (Have you ever stolen anything? the value of the item is irrelevant)
“You shall not lie” (Have you lied even once? Including answering these questions?)
“You shall not covet” (Have you ever jealously desired what belongs to others?)
Some people mistakenly think the Law deals only with actions. The reality is that the Law also deals with wrong thinking and motives, thoughts that are unrighteous according to the Law. And these God will punish accordingly.
“The Lord knows the thoughts of man….” (Psalm 94:11)
God says, "For I know their works and their thoughts….” (Isaiah 66:18)
What would a person look like who kept the Law as God requires? From birth they would have loved God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, glorifying Him supremely in every thought and action. They never would have given the allegiance of their heart to anything or anyone before God, all pursuits and relationships would always have been subordinate to Him. Not once would this person have ever used—or thought without speaking it aloud—the Lord’s name in a careless way or as a cuss word. This person would have never missed one week during their life of revering the Lord’s Sabbath day of rest for contemplating His goodness and provision. Not once during their life would this person use a word or commit an action or even entertain a thought that would dishonor their parents. Not once in their life would this person have ever hated another person or been angry at them for selfish reasons. This person would have never in their life entertained a lustful thought towards another person, or engaged in any illicit sexual relationship, including any form of intimate relations before marriage or outside of marriage. Not once in their life would this person have ever taken something not belonging to them, such as a paper clip from school or work, or penny candy from the corner grocery store, or even wasting another persons time, or accepting credit and praise for another persons achievement, or taking credit for another persons ideas or thoughts, or even thinking of doing these types of things but not actually doing them. Not once during their life would this person have ever told a lie or even slightly shaded the truth or even thought of doing so. Not once would this person have ever enviously desired something or someone belonging to another, such as a material possession, a relationship, vocational position, recognition, achievements, finances, social standing, education, or any similar thoughts. Let’s be honest—this does not describe any of us! However, there is one Person who actually did perform the Law of God perfectly, the Lord Jesus Christ. He lived a sinless life, unlike the rest of us.
We have all "sinned" repeatedly, and therefore we have stored up God's wrath, which will be revealed on Judgment Day, “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:5). The natural proof that we already stand guilty of violating God’s law is death which is the just punishment for breaking God’s Law; then after death comes the final judgment from God on our sin, “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17); and “…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Let this soak into your mind—because God knows our every thought, word and deed, all of these will be brought forth as evidence to convict us on Judgment Day, and we will be found guilty, convicted, and sentenced. And if we are honest with ourselves, even our conscience agrees with God that we are sinners (not perfect), having violated His Law. God will meter out to us what we deserve—Hell, the place of eternal punishment an anguish that never ends. "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known" (Luke 12:2). Jesus said, “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5). Is there any hope for us? Yes!
TRUTH 4:
GOD IS RICH IN MERCY TO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us..." (Ephesians 2:4).
The story is told of a righteous judge who had a son. One busy day during court hearings the judge’s son was brought in before him, having been arrested by the police for a serious offense. The judge was distraught to have his only son present before him, the son whom he loved. The charges were read aloud and the individual criminal counts were stated, bail was withheld due to the serious nature of the crime, and the Law prescribed the death penalty if he should be convicted. The evidence was overwhelming and the son would soon be convicted as guilty and sentenced to die. Justice had to be upheld and so all in the courtroom listened carefully to the judge, and father of the convicted, as he presented his ruling in the case. The loving father being also a righteous judge took pity on his only son whom he loved and did something extraordinary. Upholding the rule of law the father and judge stepped down from the bench and stood before his guilty son, making a motion to the court, “My son committed a serious crime, has been found guilty, and according to the Law his sentence is death. You all know me as a righteous judge, one who has performed the Law perfectly, never violating any part of it. As judge this is my verdict: in exchange for the life of my son, I offer up my own. I will die in his place to satisfy the righteous demands of the law, and my son whom I love, he will go free, and all charges against him will be dropped.”
That story is a general picture of what Jesus Christ did for sinners when He died on the cross.
“He [the Father] made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin [innocent] to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We have all broken the Law a multitude of times, but God came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and took our sentence of death upon Himself, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Jesus Christ is God in human flesh (the true meaning of Christmas); there is only one God and one way to escape an eternity in Hell and gain Heaven, and that is through God’s appointed mediator, Jesus Christ.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)—notice the word “all”, no one escapes.
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Some may consider God’s way of salvation to be too narrow, too restrictive, too exclusive. Yes, it is, and God intended it that way. Remember, He is God (holy) and we are sinners (Law breakers), and if we are to be saved from the judgment to come, we must come to Him on His terms, not our own. And His terms are by faith through His Son Jesus Christ, our sin bearer.
TRUTH 5:
ETERNAL LIFE IS IN JESUS CHRIST
"He who hears My word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).
The death sentence for sinners can be commuted by the One—Jesus Christ—who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). The Bible says, "He who has the Son, has life, and he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life." (1 John 5:12). But we must come to Him in faith.
By receiving (believing) His sacrifice on the cross on your behalf, and repenting of your sin (turning from your sinful ways to His righteous ways), you will pass from death to life, and from hell to heaven when this short life is over. By coming to Christ the circumstances of your life may not get easier, they may get more difficult. God does not save us from His wrath to come in order to eliminate hard times now, but His promise to you is that during hard times He will be with you, and that whatever happens to you in this life He will use it for your good. To receive God’s forgiveness offered in the Person of Jesus Christ you must accept Him as both your personal Savior and Lord (Master). You must seek to follow Him in obedience for the rest of your days. Is this your hearts desire? If so, you can talk to God directly using the model prayer below. Speaking the words themselves will not save you, God saves you, and He knows the sincerity of your heart as you speak them.
"Dear God, I understand and agree that I have broken Your Law, sinning against You. Please forgive my sins. Thank You that Jesus suffered and died on the cross in my place, taking the just punishment for my sin so that I might go free. I now repent (turn away) from my known patterns of sin and place my complete trust in Jesus Christ as My Savior and Lord of my life. Help me now, Lord, to live a holy life, pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
“…but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY’" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
“For this is the love of God [how we demonstrate love for God], that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)
If you have sincerely repented and trusted in Jesus Christ, then you are now a partaker of the blessings of "the New Covenant." Here are just a few of God's exceedingly great and precious promises:
You have now passed from a sentence of death to one of life. (1 John 3:14)
God promises to supply all of your needs (not necessarily your wants) according to His riches. (Philippians 4:19)
No matter how difficult life may get, Jesus promises to be with you and will never leave you. (Matthew 28:20)
God’s Holy Spirit now lives in you and He will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)
You now stand before God the righteous Judge as righteous because when He looks at you He sees the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ, covering your sin by His shed blood. (Isaiah 1:18; Psalm 103:12)
As you seek Jesus Christ each day through prayer and His Word (Bible), pursuing obedience, you will see your life begin to change by the power of God in you, becoming more and more like your Savior. (John 15:5)
By reading your Bible daily the things of God will become alive to you and your wisdom will increase. (2 Timothy 3:15)
When you pray according to His will, God will hear you and answer your prayers. (1 John 5:14)
The cross will be continual evidence of God's unending love for you. (Romans 5:8)
God will "keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy." (Jude 1:24)
Develop the habit of a daily quiet time with God through prayer and His Word (Bible reading); seek out a Christ-centered Bible believing and teaching church; then commit yourself to that fellowship as you grow in your new life.
“The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Lord's Wisdom
01.21.10
J.A. Matteson
“…And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” Luke 17:14
Two observations may be made with regard to this text; that the Lord tests the faith of His people, and that thankfulness for His grace revealed in response to obedience is pleasing to Him.
First, testing of the would-be follower of Jesus Christ unto obedience characterizes the Lord’s wisdom in strengthening their faith as well as ferreting out the sincere from the disingenuous, “Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Lk. 6:46). On pilgrimage saints repeatedly encounter stretches of difficulty where the path ahead is ominous, uncertain, confusing by means of natural reason. Herein is the crux of faith; the Lord has spoken, will the pilgrim believe Him or not?
Faith is active with her fruit known by deeds. The activity of faith to the natural man is an enigma and he does not understand or accept it, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). The Law of Moses required a man cleansed from leprosy to present himself to the priest so that his healing may be verified, thus enabling him to rejoin the community. The ten who called out to the Lord for mercy were instructed to commence their trek to visit the priest prior to being cleansed. By their departure they demonstrated that their faith in the word of the Lord, as spoken to them, was genuine. Their action demonstrated they were legitimate children of faith in the likeness of Abraham who, in the instance of having been instructed by the Lord to sacrifice Isaac, “reasoned that God could raise the dead” (Heb. 11:19). With certainty in their hearts they left the Lord’s presence as the perplexed crowd watched, and by their obedience received the promised blessing of healing.
To this supernatural infused faith the writer to the Hebrews by inspiration of the Holy Spirit states, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Oh Beloved, consider how many blessings are forfeited by pilgrims due to a lack of faith in the word of the Lord? Moses was denied access the Promised Land due to unbelief; Joshua burdened Israel for generations with the presence of idolatrous pagans among God’s by failing to obey the Lord in not making a covenant of peace with them; David brought misery to his family and Israel by failing to obey the Lord in the area of sexual fidelity, heaping sin upon sin; Solomon experienced the bitter fruit of intermarrying with the native women of the land who drew his heart away into idolatry; king Uzziah finished his course a disgraced leper by usurping the office of the priesthood; Demas abandoned the apostle Paul and became unfruitful having cast his gaze and attention upon that which is temporal rather than that which is eternal. All these, along with many others, forfeited blessings because during their pilgrimage they, at some level and some point failed, to believe the word of the Lord.
Second, the encounter further instructs the pilgrim to express gratefulness to the Lord for His blessings and answers to prayers and petitions. Of the ten cleansed only one, a Samaritan, returned to express thanks. Beloved, let us never take for granted the mercies of God, but day by day present an offering of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord through whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is pleasing to the Lord and the pilgrim owes Him nothing less. As the pilgrim sojourns, when the pathway becomes narrow and difficult, and his strength begins to wane, and the former times of ease seem as a distant memory, he need look no further than the present day, for in so doing, even in the midst of suffering, the goodness of the Lord will bring to mind His providential hand of grace in times past and present. And to this marvelous grace the pilgrim’s heart will sing with joy inexpressible.
Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
J.A. Matteson
“…And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” Luke 17:14
Two observations may be made with regard to this text; that the Lord tests the faith of His people, and that thankfulness for His grace revealed in response to obedience is pleasing to Him.
First, testing of the would-be follower of Jesus Christ unto obedience characterizes the Lord’s wisdom in strengthening their faith as well as ferreting out the sincere from the disingenuous, “Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Lk. 6:46). On pilgrimage saints repeatedly encounter stretches of difficulty where the path ahead is ominous, uncertain, confusing by means of natural reason. Herein is the crux of faith; the Lord has spoken, will the pilgrim believe Him or not?
Faith is active with her fruit known by deeds. The activity of faith to the natural man is an enigma and he does not understand or accept it, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). The Law of Moses required a man cleansed from leprosy to present himself to the priest so that his healing may be verified, thus enabling him to rejoin the community. The ten who called out to the Lord for mercy were instructed to commence their trek to visit the priest prior to being cleansed. By their departure they demonstrated that their faith in the word of the Lord, as spoken to them, was genuine. Their action demonstrated they were legitimate children of faith in the likeness of Abraham who, in the instance of having been instructed by the Lord to sacrifice Isaac, “reasoned that God could raise the dead” (Heb. 11:19). With certainty in their hearts they left the Lord’s presence as the perplexed crowd watched, and by their obedience received the promised blessing of healing.
To this supernatural infused faith the writer to the Hebrews by inspiration of the Holy Spirit states, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Oh Beloved, consider how many blessings are forfeited by pilgrims due to a lack of faith in the word of the Lord? Moses was denied access the Promised Land due to unbelief; Joshua burdened Israel for generations with the presence of idolatrous pagans among God’s by failing to obey the Lord in not making a covenant of peace with them; David brought misery to his family and Israel by failing to obey the Lord in the area of sexual fidelity, heaping sin upon sin; Solomon experienced the bitter fruit of intermarrying with the native women of the land who drew his heart away into idolatry; king Uzziah finished his course a disgraced leper by usurping the office of the priesthood; Demas abandoned the apostle Paul and became unfruitful having cast his gaze and attention upon that which is temporal rather than that which is eternal. All these, along with many others, forfeited blessings because during their pilgrimage they, at some level and some point failed, to believe the word of the Lord.
Second, the encounter further instructs the pilgrim to express gratefulness to the Lord for His blessings and answers to prayers and petitions. Of the ten cleansed only one, a Samaritan, returned to express thanks. Beloved, let us never take for granted the mercies of God, but day by day present an offering of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord through whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is pleasing to the Lord and the pilgrim owes Him nothing less. As the pilgrim sojourns, when the pathway becomes narrow and difficult, and his strength begins to wane, and the former times of ease seem as a distant memory, he need look no further than the present day, for in so doing, even in the midst of suffering, the goodness of the Lord will bring to mind His providential hand of grace in times past and present. And to this marvelous grace the pilgrim’s heart will sing with joy inexpressible.
Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Counsel of the Lord
01.14.10
J.A. Matteson
"Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD, “who take counsel, but not of Me, who devise plans, but not of My Spirit that they may add sin to sin.”
Isaiah 30:1
As the people of God we are spiritually distracted in our day and the consequence of our neglect of piety is evidenced by the dire state of spiritual apathy. Any desiring to be much like Him must by necessity tarry long with Him. On the mount the transformative nature of the Son of glory is revealed and too often the eyes of the curious become weak and heavy prior to His disclosure of Himself and the resultant miscalculation by the impatient as to His will predictably ends in many sorrows.
The distraction of busyness presented in the form of technological allurements has induced as state of disobedient slumber to many naming Christ as Lord. Agitated minds given to constant external stimulation risk the danger of losing the capacity to wait in quiet upon the mount of the Lord. A pseudo faith defines much of biblical faith in our day as those naming Christ attend manifold conferences, read an endless list of books rather than The Book, download endless mp3’s and engage in various activities in the fleeting hope of discovering the present reality of God, their minds have become numb and their hearing dull; their eyes do not perceive the providences of the Lord all around them. Seldom do they take counsel of the glorious beauty of Jehovah, constant noise and sights tickle the mind, giving expression to the delights and lusts of the old nature. Diligent study and meditation upon the Word of God is tragically ignored to the harm of those so malnourished.
Something is indeed horribly wrong in the church today. And when the Word is read or studied it is seldom done so with a view toward obedience and self-denial, whereas knowledge too often has become the end rather than the means to the end; namely, knowing the Word of God so as to know the God of the Word. There is so much noise today amplified in the minds of men and so few places where one can escape it and wait upon the Lord in solitude and silence. Technological advancements have become a curse to the Lord’s people, a source of stumbling, a source of false security, and certainly a diabolical substitute for His presence, these tend to lead the church away from those things that result in increased faith and dependence on the mercies of the Lord.
Blessed is the saint whose eyes have been opened by the Lord to the subtle dangers of technology that blinds the mind and dulls spiritual discernment. This is the age of microwave faith where instant results are expected by parishioners who have not sought the mind of God to their circumstances because they are too distracted by their technological allurements to seek His face or hear from Him. As the cycle intensifies more will seek solace and answers second hand from every source but the primary source, the Lord Himself. The Lord Jesus rightly asked if He would find faith upon the earth at His return.
O may the grace of the Lord be granted to this generation in repentance. May the Lord look upon His people with compassion and lead them in the paths of humility and righteousness. Let us lay aside the allurements of the world which so easily beckon to replace the sweet presence and counsel of the Lord. As the Apostle Paul was alone with the Lord in Arabia, let us seek Him in the desert places. As Jesus was alone with His Father on the mount when His disciples sailed upon the sea, let us seek Him on the mount during the early morning watches. As the Apostle John was alone in exile on Patmos due to the testimony of the Word of the Lord, let us seek Him while enduring isolation. When Stephen was alone in his stoning as result of bearing witness to the Truth, let us seek Him should the gate of hell be opened upon us, standing fast in the knowledge that it shall never prevail against the Rock and Fortress of our faith Who is the Chief Cornerstone of the Church, for our Redeemer lives and is ever with us.
Beloved, let us silence the technological noise of our day and seek the counsel of the Lord while He may be found, by His Spirit, through His immutable Word.
Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
J.A. Matteson
"Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD, “who take counsel, but not of Me, who devise plans, but not of My Spirit that they may add sin to sin.”
Isaiah 30:1
As the people of God we are spiritually distracted in our day and the consequence of our neglect of piety is evidenced by the dire state of spiritual apathy. Any desiring to be much like Him must by necessity tarry long with Him. On the mount the transformative nature of the Son of glory is revealed and too often the eyes of the curious become weak and heavy prior to His disclosure of Himself and the resultant miscalculation by the impatient as to His will predictably ends in many sorrows.
The distraction of busyness presented in the form of technological allurements has induced as state of disobedient slumber to many naming Christ as Lord. Agitated minds given to constant external stimulation risk the danger of losing the capacity to wait in quiet upon the mount of the Lord. A pseudo faith defines much of biblical faith in our day as those naming Christ attend manifold conferences, read an endless list of books rather than The Book, download endless mp3’s and engage in various activities in the fleeting hope of discovering the present reality of God, their minds have become numb and their hearing dull; their eyes do not perceive the providences of the Lord all around them. Seldom do they take counsel of the glorious beauty of Jehovah, constant noise and sights tickle the mind, giving expression to the delights and lusts of the old nature. Diligent study and meditation upon the Word of God is tragically ignored to the harm of those so malnourished.
Something is indeed horribly wrong in the church today. And when the Word is read or studied it is seldom done so with a view toward obedience and self-denial, whereas knowledge too often has become the end rather than the means to the end; namely, knowing the Word of God so as to know the God of the Word. There is so much noise today amplified in the minds of men and so few places where one can escape it and wait upon the Lord in solitude and silence. Technological advancements have become a curse to the Lord’s people, a source of stumbling, a source of false security, and certainly a diabolical substitute for His presence, these tend to lead the church away from those things that result in increased faith and dependence on the mercies of the Lord.
Blessed is the saint whose eyes have been opened by the Lord to the subtle dangers of technology that blinds the mind and dulls spiritual discernment. This is the age of microwave faith where instant results are expected by parishioners who have not sought the mind of God to their circumstances because they are too distracted by their technological allurements to seek His face or hear from Him. As the cycle intensifies more will seek solace and answers second hand from every source but the primary source, the Lord Himself. The Lord Jesus rightly asked if He would find faith upon the earth at His return.
O may the grace of the Lord be granted to this generation in repentance. May the Lord look upon His people with compassion and lead them in the paths of humility and righteousness. Let us lay aside the allurements of the world which so easily beckon to replace the sweet presence and counsel of the Lord. As the Apostle Paul was alone with the Lord in Arabia, let us seek Him in the desert places. As Jesus was alone with His Father on the mount when His disciples sailed upon the sea, let us seek Him on the mount during the early morning watches. As the Apostle John was alone in exile on Patmos due to the testimony of the Word of the Lord, let us seek Him while enduring isolation. When Stephen was alone in his stoning as result of bearing witness to the Truth, let us seek Him should the gate of hell be opened upon us, standing fast in the knowledge that it shall never prevail against the Rock and Fortress of our faith Who is the Chief Cornerstone of the Church, for our Redeemer lives and is ever with us.
Beloved, let us silence the technological noise of our day and seek the counsel of the Lord while He may be found, by His Spirit, through His immutable Word.
Copyright (c) 2010 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
What Are You Holding On To?
Philippians 3:7-11
J.A. Matteson
March 1998
A recent issue of The Baptist Standard included an article entitled, “U.S. Christians’ Influence Invisible.” After reviewing the polling data of a Christian pollster the author of the article concluded, “Christians don’t impact America because their lives don’t reflect their beliefs.” The author goes on to say, Christians aren’t sufficiently different from the people around them to make a difference in the lives of non-believers.” This man’s conclusion might strike a many of us as a bit strange. What’s even more interesting to me is the time in history in which this observation had been made. The church in the United States today is more organized than it has ever been. We have more technological machinery for doing church than our predecessors through the centuries ever dreamed possible. We have telephones, automobiles, fax machines, computers, copy machines, power point, with all of the bells and whistles to delight our senses. Gadgets and technology abound at our disposal to aid us in being the most effective and efficient ministering generation the world has ever witnessed. In addition to technology we have beautiful buildings, age graded ministry opportunities for children, adults, senior adults, singles, including divorce and addiction recovery. On and on goes the list of programs offered today by most churches. Yet in spite of the impressive programs and technological machinery approximately two thirds of all church across denominational lines are either plateaued or in decline. Something is tragically wrong. Sadly, the lives and character of many today who go by the name Christian bare virtually no resemblance to the Christians in the Bible. Rather than being transformers of the culture they have allowed themselves to be conformed to the culture. Many in the pews today have settled for mediocrity in their witness. To settle for mediocrity is to be the best of the worst or the worst of the best, how pitiful.
As we examine our text today let's first turn our attention to verse 7. In this verse the apostle Paul is addressing the Christians in Philippi from prison in Rome, imploring them to put no faith in the flesh in regards to their salvation, but to trust in Christ alone. There were Jewish Christians in Philippi who insisted that Gentiles had to first become Jews before they could become Christians. For men, this generally meant circumcision. To Paul a person’s correct understanding of salvation was foundation to their witness for Jesus Christ. A correct understanding ignited them for Christ and His kingdom, an incorrect understanding was the basis for every form of heresy and unrighteousness. Just like Paul, all of us prior to our conversion held a distorted perception of who God is. Upon coming to Christ our understanding was enlightened or transformed in the light of God’s marvelous grace. Yet some of us here today, like the Judaizers in Paul’s day, are holding to a subtle distortion of grace which is evidenced by the way in which we approach and practice Christian service. All of us, as children of God, know in our hearts that we are saved by grace alone, through faith, which is a gift of God. However, in our heads we too often abandon our first love—that which we first had for the Savior—by placing our service ahead of our worship and adoration of Him, and them we find ourselves amazed one day when we experience burnout. Today I want to amplify for you, dear beloved, four characteristics of Paul’s life that not only preserved him from burnout, allowing the fruit of his ministry to not simply persevere, but prosper. The resultant outcome of these characteristics in his life is a high impact Christian life, one you can have too, if you choose to. It is this type of life, the high impact Christian life, that when infused with the Word of God and the Spirit’s anointing compels sinners to come to the Savior.
The first characteristic to note is that Paul was born again (v. 7). Salvation forever changed Paul in observable ways. Others noticed that he was not the same person anymore. Something happened to Saul (Paul) that would forever alter the course of his life—he was encountered by the risen Lord, regenerated, and born again. At that encounter God opened his blind understanding to the true identity of Jesus as the Christ. To Paul, Jesus’ love and grace were intoxicating. From that moment on Paul lavished all of his affections upon the Lord Jesus, seeking desperately to know Him in a deeper way. It became his new quest in life. The Titanic was a cruise ship that was supposed to be impossible to sink, or so her designers bragged at the time. On a tragic night in 1912 the ship struck an iceberg and sank. Of the 2200 passengers and crew about 1500 went into the icy waters of the north Atlantic. Of the 20 or so lifeboats floating nearby, many only half full, only one returned to the scene in search of survivors. Six were pulled from the frigid waters and the rest died from hypothermia in a very short period of time. The scene outside the White Star Lines office in Liverpool defied description. A crowd of concerned relatives and friends of those who had taken passage on the ill-fated vessel thronged the street. On either side of the main entrance a large board had been placed. Above one board was printed, KNOWN TO BE SAVED. Above the other board was printed, KNOWN TO BE LOST. Every now and then a man would appear from the office bearing a large piece of cardboard on which was written the name of one of the passengers. As he held up the name, a deathly stillness swept over the crowd; they watched intently to see which of the boards he would pin the name. You see, beloved, there were only two categories—the saved and the lost, just as there are in the scriptures pertaining to forgiveness and eternal life. Having met Jesus, Paul stopped trying to save himself by keeping the Law. Paul could point back to a specific point in his life when he was confronted by the risen Lord of glory and it forever changed him. How about you? Has your life been changed in a significant way? Have you met Jesus? Jesus is in the business of changing lives. The marvelous thing about grace is that it not only saves from hell but it saves from perpetual sin, now, today. John in his first epistle put it this way, “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 Jn 3:9). Could it be that if your life has not been radically altered that you have not encountered Him? If that is so then seek Him now, today. For Paul knowing Jesus intimately was his life’s most prized possession. Having met Him Paul gladly suffered loss in exchange for fellowship with Christ. Every fiber of his being was dedicated to Christ and His kingdom. In short, Jesus Christ was Paul’s Master and Savior in word and deed.
The second characteristic to note is that Paul placed himself under the Lordship of Christ daily (v.8-9). When Jesus saved Paul He got all of him, not just part of him. Paul had been freed of his dependence upon the civic and ceremonial Law, things, and the opinions of others. By all accounts he had earned what we would recognize as two PhD’s—he was a learned man. By all earthy standards he had much to brag about—but not before God. Before his conversion he may have had several diplomas and certificates of recognition form admiring colleagues. Paul was a real somebody to the people in Jerusalem. He may have sat with the privileged in the temple and in synagogues, enjoying the public praise of his countrymen. Paul concluded that all of his accomplishments were one big loss, trying to keep the Law would not have saved his soul from hell. When held up against the surpassing greatness of knowing God through Christ, diplomas on the wall somehow seem a bit trifling. Paul burned the bridges to his pas and pressed on to lay hold of the prize found in Christ. When Julius Caesar landed on the shores of Briton with his Roman legions, he took a bold and decisive step to ensure the success of his military campaign. Ordering his men to march to the edge of the Cliffs of Dover he commanded them to look down at the water below. To their shot and utter amazement they saw every ship in which they had crossed the channel inflames. Caesar had deliberately cut off any possible retreat. Now that his soldiers were unable to return to the continent there was nothing left for them to do but to advance and conquer! And that is exactly what they did. Some of you did not burn the escape routes to your past when you came to Christ. When you came to Jesus He did not get all of you. You have accepted Him as Savior but chaffed at His Lordship over your life. I have startling news for you: the same Jesus who is Christ is also Lord and you cannot subdivide Him, you either know Him as Lord and Savior and you do not know Him at all and are horribly self deceived. His Lordship as you understand it is conditional. When your circumstances are good He is Lord, when they are bad you assume lordship over your life. You may claim to be engaged in the Christian battle, but your eye is on the boat in the harbor, a means of escape in case Jesus asks you to do something you are unwilling to do. My advice to you: burn the boat! The Christian life is an all or nothing proposition. If Christ is not Lord of every aspect of your life, He is not Lord at all in your heart. Lordship means complete authority, power, and control over your life. For Paul, to live was Christ, and to die was gain. His life was so in tune with the will of God he loved the things God loved, people. Therefore, he begged the lost to be reconciled to God.
The third characteristic to note is that Paul bore witness to the truth of the Gospel (v.10). Paul’s greatest witness was the essence of his life. He walked so close to Christ that his very life reflected the love of the Savior. Paul did not need to tell people that he was a disciple of Jesus Christ, they knew it by the way he lived. Can others say that about you? Knowing the truth of Scripture was not enough for Paul, it was something that had to be lived. In living for the truth of the Gospel Paul joined Christ in His sufferings. Are you motivated to live the truth you have learned and professed, to really apply it to your life? Paul’s faithfulness in his witness was blessed by God, people got saved. This is the crux of what the author of the article read at the beginning of my message was getting at, viz., “Christians aren’t sufficiently different from the people around them to make a difference in the lives of non-believers.” In other words, many Christians today are such in name only. The result is that the cutting edge of their witness has been dulled. For many the threat of rejection in presenting the Gospel is not a problem, because they never share it. Some probably do not even have a testimony to share. There are four categories of people on earth: those who are saved and know they are saved; those who are saved and fear they may be lost; those who are lost and know they are lost; and those who are lost and think they are saved. Friend, my fear is for any in that last category: those who are lost but think they are saved. Listen to me, to follow Christ in obedience will cost you everything. And if you are not willing to surrender everything to the Lord then you cannot be saved, remember the rich young ruler who approached the Lord. Pious and smug this young man felt that relative to the other rabble he was doing pretty good. Then the Lord Jesus pressed on a pressure point to reveal that the man balked at His Lordship and could not follow a simple command. And did the Lord run after him and beg him to reconsider? No. He walked away with his possessions and left behind his soul for the judgment. Now this is not to say that the Lord will literally command you to leave everything in following Him, but you must have a heart tender and ready to do so in a moments notice if the Lord requests it of you. And, dear friends, may I suggest to you that money and possessions are the most common area of stumbling for any who would set out on the pilgrim’s way. So guard your heart in this area lest the things you posses end up possessing you, resulting in the shipwreck of your faith! Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he was not able to but it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he retuned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to by the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and that he was unwilling to sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. “Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked. Permission was granted and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions ere deeply stirred. “I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.” The message of the Gospel is like a beautiful symphony to those with ears to hear, it carries with it for them the fragrance of life unto life. To those with closed ears, hardened to its plea, it takes on the putrid smell of death. Beloved, it is not your concern to attempt to determine how it will be received by whomever, but simply to fill the air and ears of all who will listen to it. Leave it to the Lord to sort out the rest. Have you consigned the beautiful melody of God’s message of salvation to silence? When was the last time you shared the Gospel with a lost person?
The fourth and final characteristic to note is that Paul maintained an eternal perspective (v. 11). Paul lived in the reality of the Son of God. For Paul to die was gain, to live was Christ. That’s simple to say but more difficult to perform. This was Paul’s personal life purpose statement, if he had such as thing. Paul’s life was not encumbered by the cares of the world. Because he know that his future resurrection was sure, and that the glory to come at Christ’s return would be far beyond earthly description, he willingly suffered the loss of all things to gain Christ. Do you maintain an eternal perspective or do you live for the here and now? If you live in the here and now you will be motivated by the here and now, you will be unfruitful for the kingdom of God. If you maintain an eternal perspective you will live above the circumstances of the here and now, and you will be fruitful for the King and His kingdom. Paul was certain that he same God who raised Jesus from the dead would one day raise him from the dead, for in Romans 8:11 he says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Death has been defeated and is not to be feared by those in Christ. Have you ever heard the unusual story of how the news of the battle of Waterloo reached England? The word was varied first by sailing ship to the southern coast. From there it was to be relayed by signal flags to London. When report was received at Winchester, the flags on the cathedral began to spell it out, “Wellington defeated….” Before the message could be completed, however, a heavy fog moved in. Gloom filled the hearts of the people as the fragmentary news spread throughout the surrounding countryside. But when the mists began to lift, it became evident that the signals of Winchester Cathedral had really spelled out this triumphant message, “Wellington defeated the enemy!” Jesus’ burial chamber was not the final word; the message was not complete until the stone was rolled away! Resurrection implies prior death. Paul could not be born until Saul was crucified. At his conversion Paul eagerly cast aside the things in his life that would hinder his witness and service to his new Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And all of this is a work of grace forged by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of God’s elect. It is not a natural thing to abandon the world system, it is supernatural.
What are you holding on to today? What is holding you back from being a warrior in God’s army? What is keeping you from being able to say, like Paul, “I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”? Whatever it is, is it not time to get rid of it? For many of you it is materialism. For some of you it is comfort. For other of you it is pleasure. Still others power or position. Regardless of what it is the underlying questions is the same, “Are you willing to rid yourself of it today?” There may be someone here today who knows in their heart that the gig is up, they have never met the risen Lord, but have led others to believe they have. Whatever your situation Jesus bids you come. What are you going to do?
J.A. Matteson
March 1998
A recent issue of The Baptist Standard included an article entitled, “U.S. Christians’ Influence Invisible.” After reviewing the polling data of a Christian pollster the author of the article concluded, “Christians don’t impact America because their lives don’t reflect their beliefs.” The author goes on to say, Christians aren’t sufficiently different from the people around them to make a difference in the lives of non-believers.” This man’s conclusion might strike a many of us as a bit strange. What’s even more interesting to me is the time in history in which this observation had been made. The church in the United States today is more organized than it has ever been. We have more technological machinery for doing church than our predecessors through the centuries ever dreamed possible. We have telephones, automobiles, fax machines, computers, copy machines, power point, with all of the bells and whistles to delight our senses. Gadgets and technology abound at our disposal to aid us in being the most effective and efficient ministering generation the world has ever witnessed. In addition to technology we have beautiful buildings, age graded ministry opportunities for children, adults, senior adults, singles, including divorce and addiction recovery. On and on goes the list of programs offered today by most churches. Yet in spite of the impressive programs and technological machinery approximately two thirds of all church across denominational lines are either plateaued or in decline. Something is tragically wrong. Sadly, the lives and character of many today who go by the name Christian bare virtually no resemblance to the Christians in the Bible. Rather than being transformers of the culture they have allowed themselves to be conformed to the culture. Many in the pews today have settled for mediocrity in their witness. To settle for mediocrity is to be the best of the worst or the worst of the best, how pitiful.
As we examine our text today let's first turn our attention to verse 7. In this verse the apostle Paul is addressing the Christians in Philippi from prison in Rome, imploring them to put no faith in the flesh in regards to their salvation, but to trust in Christ alone. There were Jewish Christians in Philippi who insisted that Gentiles had to first become Jews before they could become Christians. For men, this generally meant circumcision. To Paul a person’s correct understanding of salvation was foundation to their witness for Jesus Christ. A correct understanding ignited them for Christ and His kingdom, an incorrect understanding was the basis for every form of heresy and unrighteousness. Just like Paul, all of us prior to our conversion held a distorted perception of who God is. Upon coming to Christ our understanding was enlightened or transformed in the light of God’s marvelous grace. Yet some of us here today, like the Judaizers in Paul’s day, are holding to a subtle distortion of grace which is evidenced by the way in which we approach and practice Christian service. All of us, as children of God, know in our hearts that we are saved by grace alone, through faith, which is a gift of God. However, in our heads we too often abandon our first love—that which we first had for the Savior—by placing our service ahead of our worship and adoration of Him, and them we find ourselves amazed one day when we experience burnout. Today I want to amplify for you, dear beloved, four characteristics of Paul’s life that not only preserved him from burnout, allowing the fruit of his ministry to not simply persevere, but prosper. The resultant outcome of these characteristics in his life is a high impact Christian life, one you can have too, if you choose to. It is this type of life, the high impact Christian life, that when infused with the Word of God and the Spirit’s anointing compels sinners to come to the Savior.
The first characteristic to note is that Paul was born again (v. 7). Salvation forever changed Paul in observable ways. Others noticed that he was not the same person anymore. Something happened to Saul (Paul) that would forever alter the course of his life—he was encountered by the risen Lord, regenerated, and born again. At that encounter God opened his blind understanding to the true identity of Jesus as the Christ. To Paul, Jesus’ love and grace were intoxicating. From that moment on Paul lavished all of his affections upon the Lord Jesus, seeking desperately to know Him in a deeper way. It became his new quest in life. The Titanic was a cruise ship that was supposed to be impossible to sink, or so her designers bragged at the time. On a tragic night in 1912 the ship struck an iceberg and sank. Of the 2200 passengers and crew about 1500 went into the icy waters of the north Atlantic. Of the 20 or so lifeboats floating nearby, many only half full, only one returned to the scene in search of survivors. Six were pulled from the frigid waters and the rest died from hypothermia in a very short period of time. The scene outside the White Star Lines office in Liverpool defied description. A crowd of concerned relatives and friends of those who had taken passage on the ill-fated vessel thronged the street. On either side of the main entrance a large board had been placed. Above one board was printed, KNOWN TO BE SAVED. Above the other board was printed, KNOWN TO BE LOST. Every now and then a man would appear from the office bearing a large piece of cardboard on which was written the name of one of the passengers. As he held up the name, a deathly stillness swept over the crowd; they watched intently to see which of the boards he would pin the name. You see, beloved, there were only two categories—the saved and the lost, just as there are in the scriptures pertaining to forgiveness and eternal life. Having met Jesus, Paul stopped trying to save himself by keeping the Law. Paul could point back to a specific point in his life when he was confronted by the risen Lord of glory and it forever changed him. How about you? Has your life been changed in a significant way? Have you met Jesus? Jesus is in the business of changing lives. The marvelous thing about grace is that it not only saves from hell but it saves from perpetual sin, now, today. John in his first epistle put it this way, “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 Jn 3:9). Could it be that if your life has not been radically altered that you have not encountered Him? If that is so then seek Him now, today. For Paul knowing Jesus intimately was his life’s most prized possession. Having met Him Paul gladly suffered loss in exchange for fellowship with Christ. Every fiber of his being was dedicated to Christ and His kingdom. In short, Jesus Christ was Paul’s Master and Savior in word and deed.
The second characteristic to note is that Paul placed himself under the Lordship of Christ daily (v.8-9). When Jesus saved Paul He got all of him, not just part of him. Paul had been freed of his dependence upon the civic and ceremonial Law, things, and the opinions of others. By all accounts he had earned what we would recognize as two PhD’s—he was a learned man. By all earthy standards he had much to brag about—but not before God. Before his conversion he may have had several diplomas and certificates of recognition form admiring colleagues. Paul was a real somebody to the people in Jerusalem. He may have sat with the privileged in the temple and in synagogues, enjoying the public praise of his countrymen. Paul concluded that all of his accomplishments were one big loss, trying to keep the Law would not have saved his soul from hell. When held up against the surpassing greatness of knowing God through Christ, diplomas on the wall somehow seem a bit trifling. Paul burned the bridges to his pas and pressed on to lay hold of the prize found in Christ. When Julius Caesar landed on the shores of Briton with his Roman legions, he took a bold and decisive step to ensure the success of his military campaign. Ordering his men to march to the edge of the Cliffs of Dover he commanded them to look down at the water below. To their shot and utter amazement they saw every ship in which they had crossed the channel inflames. Caesar had deliberately cut off any possible retreat. Now that his soldiers were unable to return to the continent there was nothing left for them to do but to advance and conquer! And that is exactly what they did. Some of you did not burn the escape routes to your past when you came to Christ. When you came to Jesus He did not get all of you. You have accepted Him as Savior but chaffed at His Lordship over your life. I have startling news for you: the same Jesus who is Christ is also Lord and you cannot subdivide Him, you either know Him as Lord and Savior and you do not know Him at all and are horribly self deceived. His Lordship as you understand it is conditional. When your circumstances are good He is Lord, when they are bad you assume lordship over your life. You may claim to be engaged in the Christian battle, but your eye is on the boat in the harbor, a means of escape in case Jesus asks you to do something you are unwilling to do. My advice to you: burn the boat! The Christian life is an all or nothing proposition. If Christ is not Lord of every aspect of your life, He is not Lord at all in your heart. Lordship means complete authority, power, and control over your life. For Paul, to live was Christ, and to die was gain. His life was so in tune with the will of God he loved the things God loved, people. Therefore, he begged the lost to be reconciled to God.
The third characteristic to note is that Paul bore witness to the truth of the Gospel (v.10). Paul’s greatest witness was the essence of his life. He walked so close to Christ that his very life reflected the love of the Savior. Paul did not need to tell people that he was a disciple of Jesus Christ, they knew it by the way he lived. Can others say that about you? Knowing the truth of Scripture was not enough for Paul, it was something that had to be lived. In living for the truth of the Gospel Paul joined Christ in His sufferings. Are you motivated to live the truth you have learned and professed, to really apply it to your life? Paul’s faithfulness in his witness was blessed by God, people got saved. This is the crux of what the author of the article read at the beginning of my message was getting at, viz., “Christians aren’t sufficiently different from the people around them to make a difference in the lives of non-believers.” In other words, many Christians today are such in name only. The result is that the cutting edge of their witness has been dulled. For many the threat of rejection in presenting the Gospel is not a problem, because they never share it. Some probably do not even have a testimony to share. There are four categories of people on earth: those who are saved and know they are saved; those who are saved and fear they may be lost; those who are lost and know they are lost; and those who are lost and think they are saved. Friend, my fear is for any in that last category: those who are lost but think they are saved. Listen to me, to follow Christ in obedience will cost you everything. And if you are not willing to surrender everything to the Lord then you cannot be saved, remember the rich young ruler who approached the Lord. Pious and smug this young man felt that relative to the other rabble he was doing pretty good. Then the Lord Jesus pressed on a pressure point to reveal that the man balked at His Lordship and could not follow a simple command. And did the Lord run after him and beg him to reconsider? No. He walked away with his possessions and left behind his soul for the judgment. Now this is not to say that the Lord will literally command you to leave everything in following Him, but you must have a heart tender and ready to do so in a moments notice if the Lord requests it of you. And, dear friends, may I suggest to you that money and possessions are the most common area of stumbling for any who would set out on the pilgrim’s way. So guard your heart in this area lest the things you posses end up possessing you, resulting in the shipwreck of your faith! Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he was not able to but it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he retuned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to by the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and that he was unwilling to sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. “Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked. Permission was granted and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions ere deeply stirred. “I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.” The message of the Gospel is like a beautiful symphony to those with ears to hear, it carries with it for them the fragrance of life unto life. To those with closed ears, hardened to its plea, it takes on the putrid smell of death. Beloved, it is not your concern to attempt to determine how it will be received by whomever, but simply to fill the air and ears of all who will listen to it. Leave it to the Lord to sort out the rest. Have you consigned the beautiful melody of God’s message of salvation to silence? When was the last time you shared the Gospel with a lost person?
The fourth and final characteristic to note is that Paul maintained an eternal perspective (v. 11). Paul lived in the reality of the Son of God. For Paul to die was gain, to live was Christ. That’s simple to say but more difficult to perform. This was Paul’s personal life purpose statement, if he had such as thing. Paul’s life was not encumbered by the cares of the world. Because he know that his future resurrection was sure, and that the glory to come at Christ’s return would be far beyond earthly description, he willingly suffered the loss of all things to gain Christ. Do you maintain an eternal perspective or do you live for the here and now? If you live in the here and now you will be motivated by the here and now, you will be unfruitful for the kingdom of God. If you maintain an eternal perspective you will live above the circumstances of the here and now, and you will be fruitful for the King and His kingdom. Paul was certain that he same God who raised Jesus from the dead would one day raise him from the dead, for in Romans 8:11 he says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Death has been defeated and is not to be feared by those in Christ. Have you ever heard the unusual story of how the news of the battle of Waterloo reached England? The word was varied first by sailing ship to the southern coast. From there it was to be relayed by signal flags to London. When report was received at Winchester, the flags on the cathedral began to spell it out, “Wellington defeated….” Before the message could be completed, however, a heavy fog moved in. Gloom filled the hearts of the people as the fragmentary news spread throughout the surrounding countryside. But when the mists began to lift, it became evident that the signals of Winchester Cathedral had really spelled out this triumphant message, “Wellington defeated the enemy!” Jesus’ burial chamber was not the final word; the message was not complete until the stone was rolled away! Resurrection implies prior death. Paul could not be born until Saul was crucified. At his conversion Paul eagerly cast aside the things in his life that would hinder his witness and service to his new Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And all of this is a work of grace forged by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of God’s elect. It is not a natural thing to abandon the world system, it is supernatural.
What are you holding on to today? What is holding you back from being a warrior in God’s army? What is keeping you from being able to say, like Paul, “I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”? Whatever it is, is it not time to get rid of it? For many of you it is materialism. For some of you it is comfort. For other of you it is pleasure. Still others power or position. Regardless of what it is the underlying questions is the same, “Are you willing to rid yourself of it today?” There may be someone here today who knows in their heart that the gig is up, they have never met the risen Lord, but have led others to believe they have. Whatever your situation Jesus bids you come. What are you going to do?
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Shepherds Bore Witness
12.21.09
J.A. Matteson
"In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…." Luke 2:8-9
Israel had been anticipating with desperation the arrival of Messiah and by this time in her history the expectation of His advent had reached a fever pitch under the yoke of Roman occupation which was ruthless and unyielding. The writings by the ancients who prophesied of Messiah were studied endlessly by the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Even king Herod was familiar with their content and was consumed by a paranoia fixated on identifying and extinguishing the prophesized rival to his rule. The circumstances surrounding the announcement of Messiah’s birth was not arbitrary but divinely arranged, bearing witness to His person and mission. In this regard four key considerations are striking in Luke’s narrative regarding the angel’s announcement: the recipients of the message, the content of the message, the timing of the message, and the outcome of the message.
First, take note that the divine message was not delivered to the high priest or the Sanhedrin as human reasoning might expect, but to shepherds, those individuals who by vocation commonly endured low social, political, and economic status and were frequently accused of thievery due to their migratory lifestyle, being scorned by the religious elite. How fitting that the coming Good Shepherd purposed to announce in the open air His advent to those who were a portrait of His mission of mercy, “And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4). These were shabbily dressed men, smelling of livestock and campfires, and not at all like those freshly bathed, well dressed, and occupying fine quarters in Jerusalem. The angel’s appearing to the shepherds bore witness to the coming Great Shepherd who in like manor would also be despised by the religious elite, those who’s hearts were filled with hypocrisy and conceit, being consumed with self-glorification and not concerned with the interests of the Lord’s flock, “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes” (Isa. 40:11).
Second, the content of the message of great joy was intended for every nation, tongue and tribe on the earth, and not merely for the Jews—a shocking revelation to the misguided religious elite; the announcement fulfilled the Lord’s covenant to Abraham, "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 26:4).
Third, it was no mere coincidence that the angelic announcement took place in the dark of night as the physical darkness was symbolic of the spiritual darkness in which the fallen human race is held captive. And it was in the midst of this great darkness that the brilliant light of the glory of the Lord shown forth, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isa. 9:2). Note also the initiative of the Lord in manifesting His glory in the darkness also bares testimony to the Lord’s initiative in salvation, for unless the Lord intervenes in the darkened heart of sinners they will remain in spiritual darkness, blind to spiritual truth, “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' to a nation which did not call on My name” (Isa. 65:1). Salvation is dependant upon divine initiative for sinners do not seek after God on their own, “The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Ps. 14:2-3). In his gospel John speaks of the divine initiative of the light of the glory of the Lord reveled in Jesus Christ, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (Jn. 1:5).
Lastly, in verse 11 the angel announces that the substance of the good tidings of great joy is that in Christ a Savior was born and the outcome is salvation for whosoever shall call upon His name. In speaking to Nicodemus the Lord Jesus Christ later said of Himself, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life” (Jn. 3:14-15). Responding to the announcement the heavenly host began praising God, exclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men of His pleasure” (Lk. 2:14).
Beloved, let us in unison join the heavenly anthem and daily give thanks to our heavenly Father for the gift of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever..." Isa. 40:8).
J.A. Matteson
"In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…." Luke 2:8-9
Israel had been anticipating with desperation the arrival of Messiah and by this time in her history the expectation of His advent had reached a fever pitch under the yoke of Roman occupation which was ruthless and unyielding. The writings by the ancients who prophesied of Messiah were studied endlessly by the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. Even king Herod was familiar with their content and was consumed by a paranoia fixated on identifying and extinguishing the prophesized rival to his rule. The circumstances surrounding the announcement of Messiah’s birth was not arbitrary but divinely arranged, bearing witness to His person and mission. In this regard four key considerations are striking in Luke’s narrative regarding the angel’s announcement: the recipients of the message, the content of the message, the timing of the message, and the outcome of the message.
First, take note that the divine message was not delivered to the high priest or the Sanhedrin as human reasoning might expect, but to shepherds, those individuals who by vocation commonly endured low social, political, and economic status and were frequently accused of thievery due to their migratory lifestyle, being scorned by the religious elite. How fitting that the coming Good Shepherd purposed to announce in the open air His advent to those who were a portrait of His mission of mercy, “And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4). These were shabbily dressed men, smelling of livestock and campfires, and not at all like those freshly bathed, well dressed, and occupying fine quarters in Jerusalem. The angel’s appearing to the shepherds bore witness to the coming Great Shepherd who in like manor would also be despised by the religious elite, those who’s hearts were filled with hypocrisy and conceit, being consumed with self-glorification and not concerned with the interests of the Lord’s flock, “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes” (Isa. 40:11).
Second, the content of the message of great joy was intended for every nation, tongue and tribe on the earth, and not merely for the Jews—a shocking revelation to the misguided religious elite; the announcement fulfilled the Lord’s covenant to Abraham, "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 26:4).
Third, it was no mere coincidence that the angelic announcement took place in the dark of night as the physical darkness was symbolic of the spiritual darkness in which the fallen human race is held captive. And it was in the midst of this great darkness that the brilliant light of the glory of the Lord shown forth, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isa. 9:2). Note also the initiative of the Lord in manifesting His glory in the darkness also bares testimony to the Lord’s initiative in salvation, for unless the Lord intervenes in the darkened heart of sinners they will remain in spiritual darkness, blind to spiritual truth, “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' to a nation which did not call on My name” (Isa. 65:1). Salvation is dependant upon divine initiative for sinners do not seek after God on their own, “The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Ps. 14:2-3). In his gospel John speaks of the divine initiative of the light of the glory of the Lord reveled in Jesus Christ, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (Jn. 1:5).
Lastly, in verse 11 the angel announces that the substance of the good tidings of great joy is that in Christ a Savior was born and the outcome is salvation for whosoever shall call upon His name. In speaking to Nicodemus the Lord Jesus Christ later said of Himself, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life” (Jn. 3:14-15). Responding to the announcement the heavenly host began praising God, exclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men of His pleasure” (Lk. 2:14).
Beloved, let us in unison join the heavenly anthem and daily give thanks to our heavenly Father for the gift of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever..." Isa. 40:8).
Monday, December 14, 2009
The Babe in the Manger
12.14.09
J.A. Matteson
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
The symmetry of a Christmas time snow flake; the refraction of the suns rays off an ocean breaker at sunset; the orderliness of the seasons; the wonder of life; the nurturing bond between mother and child; the transcendent innate sense of morality within the human soul of right and wrong; the beauty of mathematics seen in the irreducible complexity of creation; the enduring ache within the human heart for significance and immortality; the inner awareness of sin; the inner witness of a Creator; the foreboding awareness of the passage of time and ones mortality.
To all of these things and countless others the Word speaks, the Word knows, the Word acts, the Word precedes, the Word follows. The Word transcends all things and is before all things, ordains all things and maintains all things. The Word to the Greek philosophers was the order and logic that held the universe together, and to that extent they were correct in their understanding although incomplete in their conclusion.
By divine revelation the Apostle John borrows from the opening passage of Genesis and introduces a literary paradigm shift of understanding—he personifies the Word, offering insight into the triune Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God comprised of three persons. In contrast to the Greek understanding of the Word as an impersonal abstract force—atheistic in essence—the Apostle raises the understanding of his readers that the Word is in fact order and logic and that these are reflective of the personal characteristics of their Author who is a Person—the one and only true God, Yahweh.
Christmas bares witness to and celebrates the incarnation of the Word in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus (Yahweh is salvation) Christ (the Anointed One/Messiah/Savior) is the second Person of the singular Godhead, fully God, fully man; born of a woman, Mary, by the incorruptible divine seed of His Father; sinless, performing the Law of God perfectly and as such worthy as the spotless Lamb of God to atone for the sins of the world, and as noted by the Apostle, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form…” and “For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him” (Col. 2:9; 1:19).
To this great mystery believers through the ages have marveled, pausing in awe at the miracle of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The babe in the manger being fully God while being fully human did not cease to exercise His divine prerogative as Creator for, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17). The condescension of Divinity into humanity has been and will continue to be the most marvelous and joyous event in human history for by it God supplied expression of His heart to redeem His people from their sin through the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of His Son.
In contrast to all other religious teachers Jesus Christ is unique, for He alone made claims to deity, validating them by the witness of prophetic Scripture, attesting miracles, and the resurrection; He alone is able to forgive sin as that is a divine prerogative; He alone has been appointed as Judge and will come again as He left—in bodily form. All other religious leaders were mere mortal men, sinners, and the scant remains of their bodies remain decayed in the ground. Buddha, Mohammad, Confucius, Lao Tsu, the Caesar’s, Joseph Smith (Mormons), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology), and Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science) are all dead. Only Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, came into the world by means of a miraculous virgin birth, was resurrected from the dead, and ascended out of the world, remaining seated at the right hand of the Father as a testimony that His atoning work is complete.
Let us therefore hold the significance of Christmas near and dear to our hearts throughout the year, giving thanks to the Father for sending His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And let us share the Father’s gift of His Son to all near and far as the Holy Spirit gives opportunity.
Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever...." Isa. 40:8).
J.A. Matteson
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
The symmetry of a Christmas time snow flake; the refraction of the suns rays off an ocean breaker at sunset; the orderliness of the seasons; the wonder of life; the nurturing bond between mother and child; the transcendent innate sense of morality within the human soul of right and wrong; the beauty of mathematics seen in the irreducible complexity of creation; the enduring ache within the human heart for significance and immortality; the inner awareness of sin; the inner witness of a Creator; the foreboding awareness of the passage of time and ones mortality.
To all of these things and countless others the Word speaks, the Word knows, the Word acts, the Word precedes, the Word follows. The Word transcends all things and is before all things, ordains all things and maintains all things. The Word to the Greek philosophers was the order and logic that held the universe together, and to that extent they were correct in their understanding although incomplete in their conclusion.
By divine revelation the Apostle John borrows from the opening passage of Genesis and introduces a literary paradigm shift of understanding—he personifies the Word, offering insight into the triune Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God comprised of three persons. In contrast to the Greek understanding of the Word as an impersonal abstract force—atheistic in essence—the Apostle raises the understanding of his readers that the Word is in fact order and logic and that these are reflective of the personal characteristics of their Author who is a Person—the one and only true God, Yahweh.
Christmas bares witness to and celebrates the incarnation of the Word in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus (Yahweh is salvation) Christ (the Anointed One/Messiah/Savior) is the second Person of the singular Godhead, fully God, fully man; born of a woman, Mary, by the incorruptible divine seed of His Father; sinless, performing the Law of God perfectly and as such worthy as the spotless Lamb of God to atone for the sins of the world, and as noted by the Apostle, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form…” and “For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him” (Col. 2:9; 1:19).
To this great mystery believers through the ages have marveled, pausing in awe at the miracle of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The babe in the manger being fully God while being fully human did not cease to exercise His divine prerogative as Creator for, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17). The condescension of Divinity into humanity has been and will continue to be the most marvelous and joyous event in human history for by it God supplied expression of His heart to redeem His people from their sin through the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of His Son.
In contrast to all other religious teachers Jesus Christ is unique, for He alone made claims to deity, validating them by the witness of prophetic Scripture, attesting miracles, and the resurrection; He alone is able to forgive sin as that is a divine prerogative; He alone has been appointed as Judge and will come again as He left—in bodily form. All other religious leaders were mere mortal men, sinners, and the scant remains of their bodies remain decayed in the ground. Buddha, Mohammad, Confucius, Lao Tsu, the Caesar’s, Joseph Smith (Mormons), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology), and Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science) are all dead. Only Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, came into the world by means of a miraculous virgin birth, was resurrected from the dead, and ascended out of the world, remaining seated at the right hand of the Father as a testimony that His atoning work is complete.
Let us therefore hold the significance of Christmas near and dear to our hearts throughout the year, giving thanks to the Father for sending His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And let us share the Father’s gift of His Son to all near and far as the Holy Spirit gives opportunity.
Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever...." Isa. 40:8).
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Child Mary Delivered
12.10.09
J.A. Matteson
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus." Luke 1:31
The earthy life and ministry of Jesus Christ was bookended by two remarkable pronouncements; the initial being to Mary, “And behold, you will conceive….” and the final being “It is finished!” The full weight of the first pronouncement was to give fulfillment to the last declaration uttered by our Lord as He hung on the cross. The miracle of the incarnation defies comprehension; not that it is unintelligible, but that understanding it escapes the human capacity to fully grasp its spender, for as the Apostle discloses, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16). And in regard to this statement consider this: the eternal God of glory condescend into the likeness man, walking among those He created, conversing, sleeping, and eating with them.
The Ancient of Days who set in the heavens the Pleiades, Orion’s Belt, and the Milky Way, and Who set the foundations of the earth, governing over all that dwell upon it and upholding it by the power of His Word, Who knows the essence and design of the subatomic molecule, Who drafted the chemist’s periodic table of natural elements, Who designed the laws of physics responsible for bringing to earth the leaf from an oak tree in Autumn, Who is the Author of light and life and all knowledge, things of the natural and spiritual order, He possess a perfect knowledge of all things past in what is called history, Who knows perfectly the present and is intimately acquainted with the heart of man, familiar with all his ways; Who knows the future plainly and His knowledge of all things exceeds merely what has been, is, or will be, but includes every possible combination of things that might have been, or could be in the present but will not be, and future things that could be but by His decree will not come to pass. He is also completely familiar with all secondary causes, maintaining governance over their effects to the satisfaction of His eternal decrees. And so as mother and father gazed into the face of the little babe lying in the feed trough intended for beasts they unwittingly peered directly into the eyes of the unfathomable depths of eternity Himself, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Ps. 90:2).
In our day some champion the naturalist position which rejects the virgin birth out of hand, suggesting it is a mere human contrivance, a biological impossibility and, thus, an absurdity. These voices of what is called “reason” deny the supernatural, eliminating the possibility of miracles. These same opponents, however, are often quick to acknowledge that science is correct in noting that the universe is not an eternal system, and in fact has been shown to have a beginning. The irony is that the opponents to the virgin birth appear to have no problem accepting the proposition that all the matter which makes up the universe came into being from a predicate state of nothingness, yet they insist on a natural first cause, denying a supernatural one, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). A state of nothing is impossible for the human mind to grasp because whenever our minds think of nothing we by nature think of something, such as an empty space of total blackness which is not nothing but something, because it has been described, for nothing to truly be nothing it must be indescribable, there being nothing to describe. There exists therefore an philosophical inconsistency by the opponents of the virgin birth who hold to the birth of the universe from nothing and who deny the birth of the Lord of glory in the womb of a virgin, to this end the Scripture is explicit, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk. 1:37).
And the angel announced to Mary that His name would be Jesus, which means Yahweh is salvation. The eternal plan of salvation initiated in the Garden of Eden through the declaration of the Lord to the serpent found its fulfillment on a roman cross when the Son of God declared emphatically to the whole of creation, “It is finished!”, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ bore witness to the Father’s acceptance of the atoning sacrifice of His only begotten Son. It was into this Face—the very face of God—that Mary and Joseph gazed. The child Mary delivered would not only deliver her from the bondage and penalty of sin, but also all who might call upon His name by faith.
Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
J.A. Matteson
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus." Luke 1:31
The earthy life and ministry of Jesus Christ was bookended by two remarkable pronouncements; the initial being to Mary, “And behold, you will conceive….” and the final being “It is finished!” The full weight of the first pronouncement was to give fulfillment to the last declaration uttered by our Lord as He hung on the cross. The miracle of the incarnation defies comprehension; not that it is unintelligible, but that understanding it escapes the human capacity to fully grasp its spender, for as the Apostle discloses, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16). And in regard to this statement consider this: the eternal God of glory condescend into the likeness man, walking among those He created, conversing, sleeping, and eating with them.
The Ancient of Days who set in the heavens the Pleiades, Orion’s Belt, and the Milky Way, and Who set the foundations of the earth, governing over all that dwell upon it and upholding it by the power of His Word, Who knows the essence and design of the subatomic molecule, Who drafted the chemist’s periodic table of natural elements, Who designed the laws of physics responsible for bringing to earth the leaf from an oak tree in Autumn, Who is the Author of light and life and all knowledge, things of the natural and spiritual order, He possess a perfect knowledge of all things past in what is called history, Who knows perfectly the present and is intimately acquainted with the heart of man, familiar with all his ways; Who knows the future plainly and His knowledge of all things exceeds merely what has been, is, or will be, but includes every possible combination of things that might have been, or could be in the present but will not be, and future things that could be but by His decree will not come to pass. He is also completely familiar with all secondary causes, maintaining governance over their effects to the satisfaction of His eternal decrees. And so as mother and father gazed into the face of the little babe lying in the feed trough intended for beasts they unwittingly peered directly into the eyes of the unfathomable depths of eternity Himself, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Ps. 90:2).
In our day some champion the naturalist position which rejects the virgin birth out of hand, suggesting it is a mere human contrivance, a biological impossibility and, thus, an absurdity. These voices of what is called “reason” deny the supernatural, eliminating the possibility of miracles. These same opponents, however, are often quick to acknowledge that science is correct in noting that the universe is not an eternal system, and in fact has been shown to have a beginning. The irony is that the opponents to the virgin birth appear to have no problem accepting the proposition that all the matter which makes up the universe came into being from a predicate state of nothingness, yet they insist on a natural first cause, denying a supernatural one, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). A state of nothing is impossible for the human mind to grasp because whenever our minds think of nothing we by nature think of something, such as an empty space of total blackness which is not nothing but something, because it has been described, for nothing to truly be nothing it must be indescribable, there being nothing to describe. There exists therefore an philosophical inconsistency by the opponents of the virgin birth who hold to the birth of the universe from nothing and who deny the birth of the Lord of glory in the womb of a virgin, to this end the Scripture is explicit, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk. 1:37).
And the angel announced to Mary that His name would be Jesus, which means Yahweh is salvation. The eternal plan of salvation initiated in the Garden of Eden through the declaration of the Lord to the serpent found its fulfillment on a roman cross when the Son of God declared emphatically to the whole of creation, “It is finished!”, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ bore witness to the Father’s acceptance of the atoning sacrifice of His only begotten Son. It was into this Face—the very face of God—that Mary and Joseph gazed. The child Mary delivered would not only deliver her from the bondage and penalty of sin, but also all who might call upon His name by faith.
Copyright (c) 2009 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever." Isa. 40:8).
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