I thought this was a pretty good....
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/MediaPlayer/4660/Video/#ooid=ppanFhMTpAgKtH2aRjiBgooc42wY9Cmd
His Grace
Matt
Friday, June 18, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
How then should we live?
"Among those who approach me I WILL show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I WILL be honored" -- Leviticus 10:3
The context of this verse is the story of Nadab and Abihu. They were two of Aaron's sons that presented unauthorized fire before the Lord when bringing the sacrifice. God consumed them with fire and then made the statement above. I understand the context of this verse, but I could not help read it and think about my own life and the implications to my life in serving a Holy God.
What is the call/command on my life to live holy / sanctified / set apart? As a believer, does reading my Bible, going to church, serving the poor, etc., really set me apart as a child of God? While these things are needed, my answer is "no", for the most part these things do not set us apart as true followers of our Master Jesus Christ. If we truly stop and think about the way we live, through the lens of the Bible, we are kidding ourselves if we think that these things make us look different than the depraved world around us. We may not curse, smoke, or drink, do drugs, or party, but the pattern of this world has so infiltrated the way we think, on a foundational level, that it governs the way we live in this culture. So many times how we live looks like this: We have a paradigm of how we believe we should be allowed to live or do certain things. Most times this paradigm has been shaped by much of cultural evangelicalism instead of the Word of God. For the most part, this paradigm is a very comfortable place to be. If fits with what we view as "christian living". There is not much about it which is contrary to someone in an unregenerate state, we have just sprinkled it with Jesus, but not enough that people revile us, rather we seek friendship with the world. We seek to make sure we are not too eccentric in following Christ that it pushes people away. No, we need to live a life that is attractive to the world so they will come and "want what we have", whatever that means.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (paradigm), then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good pleasing and perfect will." -- Romans 12:2
"After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree...." -- Romans 11:24
If you are a believer, you were grafted in to Christ CONTRARY, to your fallen nature. Contrary to the very paradigm that shaped much of who we were. The gospel does not mean, that after we are saved, we then take the Bible and look up verses to see what can and cannot stay as part of our life (Legalism). No rather it means that you have a completely different nature and we basically start over with our lifestyle and paradigm. We now have a new Master. A benevolent Master. One who commands obedience of His slaves, but one who also draws us near Himself and calls us His children and friend. We are to take the Bible and our Masters commands and seek to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ more deeply. The more we understand the gospel the more the Word of God begins to shape our obedience to His commands. The Bible's commands for living are abbrasive, controversial, and all together counter cultural. We ourselves do not seek to simply be these things, b/c we are to show the love of Christ to all, but they are characteristic of a disciple of Christ. Need an example? Examine the life of Paul, Peter, and the rest of the NT saints/disciples. Jesus meant you die! Not enjoy your best life now ;-)
"Pursue peace with all men, AND the sanctification without which NO ONE will see the Lord" -- Hebrews 12:14
There is a practical way of living, obedience to the Word of God, without which we will not see the Lord. Understanding that this has nothing to do with our righteousness or salvation, rather it is the evidence of the work of the triune God in our lives.
I know I have been all over the place here, this conversation is much more than a blog post. I leave you with this: If what you believe about the Gospel and how it shapes our living does not translate into any other part of the world except America than we are not living the true gospel of Christ. There is a reason so many people flock to many of the popular churches in our city and country. It is fun, applicable to their unregenerate paradigm, and comfortable. Friends, if we believe, live, and passionately pursue the true and biblical gospel of Jesus Christ, we will NOT fit in so easily with those around us. I leave you with a few words from the Word:
"...No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" -- 1 Corinthians 9:27
"Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and STRAINING toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" -- Philippians 3:12-14
"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." -- Hebrews 12:1
"To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd" -- Psalm 18:25-26
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is gate and broad the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But SMALL is the gate and NARROW the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." -- Matthew 7:13-14
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith: test yourselves. Do you not realze that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail that test?" -- 2 Corinthians 13:5
May the Lord continue to humble and mold me as He reveals the ever glorious beauty of His gospel!
Matt
The context of this verse is the story of Nadab and Abihu. They were two of Aaron's sons that presented unauthorized fire before the Lord when bringing the sacrifice. God consumed them with fire and then made the statement above. I understand the context of this verse, but I could not help read it and think about my own life and the implications to my life in serving a Holy God.
What is the call/command on my life to live holy / sanctified / set apart? As a believer, does reading my Bible, going to church, serving the poor, etc., really set me apart as a child of God? While these things are needed, my answer is "no", for the most part these things do not set us apart as true followers of our Master Jesus Christ. If we truly stop and think about the way we live, through the lens of the Bible, we are kidding ourselves if we think that these things make us look different than the depraved world around us. We may not curse, smoke, or drink, do drugs, or party, but the pattern of this world has so infiltrated the way we think, on a foundational level, that it governs the way we live in this culture. So many times how we live looks like this: We have a paradigm of how we believe we should be allowed to live or do certain things. Most times this paradigm has been shaped by much of cultural evangelicalism instead of the Word of God. For the most part, this paradigm is a very comfortable place to be. If fits with what we view as "christian living". There is not much about it which is contrary to someone in an unregenerate state, we have just sprinkled it with Jesus, but not enough that people revile us, rather we seek friendship with the world. We seek to make sure we are not too eccentric in following Christ that it pushes people away. No, we need to live a life that is attractive to the world so they will come and "want what we have", whatever that means.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (paradigm), then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good pleasing and perfect will." -- Romans 12:2
"After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree...." -- Romans 11:24
If you are a believer, you were grafted in to Christ CONTRARY, to your fallen nature. Contrary to the very paradigm that shaped much of who we were. The gospel does not mean, that after we are saved, we then take the Bible and look up verses to see what can and cannot stay as part of our life (Legalism). No rather it means that you have a completely different nature and we basically start over with our lifestyle and paradigm. We now have a new Master. A benevolent Master. One who commands obedience of His slaves, but one who also draws us near Himself and calls us His children and friend. We are to take the Bible and our Masters commands and seek to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ more deeply. The more we understand the gospel the more the Word of God begins to shape our obedience to His commands. The Bible's commands for living are abbrasive, controversial, and all together counter cultural. We ourselves do not seek to simply be these things, b/c we are to show the love of Christ to all, but they are characteristic of a disciple of Christ. Need an example? Examine the life of Paul, Peter, and the rest of the NT saints/disciples. Jesus meant you die! Not enjoy your best life now ;-)
"Pursue peace with all men, AND the sanctification without which NO ONE will see the Lord" -- Hebrews 12:14
There is a practical way of living, obedience to the Word of God, without which we will not see the Lord. Understanding that this has nothing to do with our righteousness or salvation, rather it is the evidence of the work of the triune God in our lives.
I know I have been all over the place here, this conversation is much more than a blog post. I leave you with this: If what you believe about the Gospel and how it shapes our living does not translate into any other part of the world except America than we are not living the true gospel of Christ. There is a reason so many people flock to many of the popular churches in our city and country. It is fun, applicable to their unregenerate paradigm, and comfortable. Friends, if we believe, live, and passionately pursue the true and biblical gospel of Jesus Christ, we will NOT fit in so easily with those around us. I leave you with a few words from the Word:
"...No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" -- 1 Corinthians 9:27
"Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and STRAINING toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" -- Philippians 3:12-14
"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." -- Hebrews 12:1
"To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd" -- Psalm 18:25-26
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is gate and broad the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But SMALL is the gate and NARROW the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." -- Matthew 7:13-14
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith: test yourselves. Do you not realze that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail that test?" -- 2 Corinthians 13:5
May the Lord continue to humble and mold me as He reveals the ever glorious beauty of His gospel!
Matt
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Saved by Grace
I thought this video was good!
Check it out
http://www.crosstalkblog.com/2010/06/four-false-converts-and-their-testimonies/
His Grace
Matt
Check it out
http://www.crosstalkblog.com/2010/06/four-false-converts-and-their-testimonies/
His Grace
Matt
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