In our Sunday school class at our local church (no links nor identification of our local church have been made in this blog nor the TruthISLove.org site), we have recently confronted with a full frontal attack on the system of theology known most popularly as “Calvinism.” Since this is a school of doctrine that we have begun to embrace — due to our having exposed ourselves to a great variety of biblical teachers and compared the scriptural evidence for the differing standpoints — I have now found myself listening to a number of challenging expositions of the doctrines of grace (aka “Calvinism”), including two series at the website of Riverbend Church in Ormond Beach, Florida. While I am otherwise unfamiliar with Dr. Hargrave and his ministry, and am therefore unable to vouch for his character or the veracity of the totality of his teachings, these two particular series have been greatly encouraging and challenging to me thus far — and having explored the website, I also thought it would be edifying to share Pastor Roy Hargrave’s presentation of the gospel of salvation by God’s grace. I am looking greatly forward to looking up and meditating upon the Scripture texts presented as evidence for the statements being defended… because frankly, if it ain’t in line with the Truth, it ain’t the truth.
“The GOSPEL TRUTH: God’s own sacrifice provides eternal life to repentant, undeserving, trusting hearts.”
What event is the most significant happening in all of history? Unequivocally, it has to be the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing like it ever happened before … or since. And no event in the history of the world has ever been more celebrated.
The Bible says that Jesus was God Himself. His perfect life on the earth, His substitutionary death and His resurrection from the grave carry meaning almost beyond description. Realize these points:
1. God is the holy, dynamic, wrathful, personal, loving Creator of the universe. He is all the Bible says—plus. He is perfect in all His characteristics; His greatness is unimaginable to the human mind. (Genesis 1; Psalm 8:4-6, 19:1; Isaiah 6:3, 40:1-31).
2. God made us to glorify Him by keeping His standards for living our lives, and, thus, to glorify and enjoy Him (Leviticus 19:2; Isaiah 43:6-7; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 4:10, 22:37; Mark 12:28-30; Revelation 4:11).
3. God will not, however, relate to us as long as our lives are characterized by sin—something He hates and judges harshly (1 Kings 8:46; Ephesians 2:3; Isaiah 59:2; Jeremiah 2:12-13, 13:23; Romans 3:23, 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). We were born sinners and are therefore under God’s judgment. (Romans 5:12). It is our nature to sin, which gives us an automatic sentence to hell and the accompanying wrath of God. Committing even just one sin, the Bible says, makes us sinners against all of God’s law. (Ezekiel 18:4; Matthew 25:46; Hebrews 9:27; James 2:10; 1 John 1:8,10).
4. God made only one way for us to escape this deserved fate and come to Him—through the shed blood and barbaric death of sinless Jesus, who was God Himself come down to earth as a man (John 1:14, 10:30; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 4:15). The resurrection of Jesus from the dead validated His deity (Acts 17:31). Through this great historical event, which was planned by God before Creation, God provided Himself (the only holy and just Sovereign in existence), as the only means of acquitting guilty sinners and providing Eternal Life (John 3:16; Romans 3:25-26, 5:1; 1 Corinthians 15:2; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18).
5. God provides this free, un-buyable gift of Eternal Life—and escape from His righteous judgment—to all who repent and trust Him (John 1:12, 3:36, 5:24; Acts 3:19; Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Repentance is brokenly regretting your sin against God in the past and turning away from those sinful ways to a conscious, Holy Spirit-led lifestyle of seeking to please God in every thought, word and deed (Isaiah 55:7; Luke 13:3; John 14:15; Acts 17:30). Trusting Him means placing ALL hope for Eternal Life with God ONLY on the blood of Christ (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 16:31; Romans 1:16, 10:9-10, 13; 1 John 5:12-13).
Call upon Jesus to save you from the bondage, the guilt and the punishment of sin. All who repent and call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13) will be saved from God’s wrathful judgment.
…For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14)
“Open your mouth wide and I will fill it… O that my people would listen to me… I would feed you with the finest of the wheat; and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Psalm 81:10,13,16)
Somebody help me here — I am in a quandary, in that I can’t decide which aspect of this roadside sign is most responsible for this irresistable desire within me, to attend the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish festival. Before I knew the Lord, I was drawn to Catholic church festivals due to the countless opportunities throughout the summer months, to publicly (and relatively cheaply) get drunk, get roudy and shake my booty to my favorite local bands, all for a good cause — but now, in Christ — wherein does this irresistible temptation lie – the Food-Beer, the Games-Rides, or the alarmingly creepy clown?
After [”Easter”] worship this past Sunday morning, whereat we celebrated in a particular way the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who humbled Himself by becoming obedient unto a gruesome, torturous death on a cross, according to the sovereign plan and foreknowledge of God the Father. This substitutionary death, according to the Bible, would effectively pay the sin debt of all those who had transgressed His Holy Law – and who, by His grace and according to His sovereign election, or choice – would repent, believe and be released from the curse of the Law, which otherwise would condemn them eternally.
My husband and I were making our way to a family member’s home when we passed a church sign advertising that JESUS CROSSED OUT YOUR SIN. Perhaps the sign was this church body’s sincere attempt to evangelize by means of a catchy pun — (Ha!!! Get it?!?) — rather than taking the chance of offending anyone by actually preaching the gospel of repentance from dead works and faith toward God.
I’ll give these folks the benefit of the doubt… that they were at least trying to do a good thing — after all, this message clearly DOES apply to me, as well as all who have had their sin forgiven by God’s grace. In stark contrast, however, I would shamelessly argue that openly advertising in such a way – to any given passerby, that is – that Jesus has “crossed out your sin,” is a dreadful misrepresentation of the truth laid out for us in the Scripture. After all, if I were an unrepentant sinner under the curse of the Law of God due to my transgression — as I once was — I can’t help but be concerned that such a message may merely serve to salve my conscience and further harden my heart against repentance, rather than striking fear in the depths of my soul so I would turn and cry out to God for mercy and have my sins forgiven.
The gospel that Jesus, and all the prophets and apostles of the one true and living God preached was, in one way, shape or form, “REPENT FROM YOUR SIN AND PLACE YOUR TRUST IN THE ONE GOD SENT TO PAY YOUR SIN DEBT,” and your sin will be forgiven. The message couldn’t be more clear — you have volitionally failed to adhere to the standard of absolute sinlessness set forth by the infinitely holy God Who created you to display His glory. Therefore, according to the Scripture, you are guilty of transgressing the entirety of God’s Law, and you stand condemned by said same Law, and its Lawgiver.
Jesus has only “crossed out” the sin of those the Father has given to Him in this world — those who are IN CHRIST, whom God has made alive and allowed to repent and believe the gospel. Only these have had the debt of their sin “canceled out” by means of payment by the precious blood of the Lord Christ, and these alone have God’s gift of eternal life. Those who are not in Christ remain dead in their transgressions, bound under condemnation by the curse of the Law, referred to as the “Certificate of Debt” that each sinner owns as the wages of his sin.
I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:4-14)
For further consideration, I’d like to offer the following brief quotations by two reformed theologians, which I stumbled upon on at the very helpful “Definite Atonement” multimedia resources page at Monergism.com.
“…If Christ died for all of the sins of all people, that must include the sin of unbelief. If God’s justice is totally satisfied by Christ’s work on the cross, then it would follow that God would be unjust in punishing the unrepentant sinner for his unbelief and impenitence because those sins were already paid for by Christ.” – R.C. Sproul
“[If Jesus died for all men]…why then, are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins? You will say, “Because of their unbelief; they will not believe.” But his unbelief, it is sin, or not? If not, why should they be punished for it? If it be, then Christ underwent the punishment due to it. If so, then why must than hinder them more than their other sins for which he died from partaking of the fruit of his death? If he did not, then he did not die for all their sins.” -- John Owen
Although my husband and I now live in New Berlin, Wisconsin, I have worked in downtown Milwaukee since 1986, the year after I graduated from St. Mary’s Academy, a formerly thriving local young ladies’college preparatory high school, which has since gone bankrupt and become home home to a number of non-profit organizations. Following graduation, I participated in the associate degree program for commercial art at Milwaukee Area Technical College in downtown Milwaukee for a year, and have also lived in the downtown area on and off since the age of nineteen.
I acquired an excellent academic education at St. Mary’s – and at MATC, an understanding (after having rubbed shoulders with a handful of transfer students from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design) that I was clearly out of my league with respect to my dreams for a successful career in the graphic arts field. However, as far as coming to a knowledge of eternal truth, neither of these escapades in higher education proved fruitful. On the spiritual front, they served only to provide a venue for confusion, false hope, and opportunities to stir up and cater to the wanton desires of my fallen flesh.
And so I brushed up on my typing skills and began pursuing secretarial work – making my way through various office jobs from receptionist to secretary, to legal process server, to administrative assistant (where I have remained since 1998), and have found it to be a most enjoyable career path. First and foremost, however, I am a floundering disciple of Jesus Christ. Next, I am a wife and homemaker. I am also an amateur student of God’s Word, a servant to our hairless cats, and in my sporadic spare time, I have a little fun with such hobbies as gardening, website building, writing, graphic art and photography.
For perhaps the past ten years I’ve parked in the structure at 1000 North Water Street, two city blocks from my office, located on Wisconsin Avenue at Water Street. Every weekday on my way to work, I walk southbound through the County Park’s ice rink at Red Arrow Park, past Starbucks, and alongside the Milwaukee City Hall.
The initial stages of a peer review report on what has since been established as a 42-month restoration project on Milwaukee’s historic City Hall were nearing completion at the time of the September 11, 2001 Islamic attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City — the very cataclysmic event that the one true God finally used to utterly rock my fallen world when He finally called my name and converted me to faith in Christ in early 2002. My husband and I had recently moved out of our tiny downtown apartment on Mason Street at Van Buren, in April of 2001, to our present home in New Berlin.
At that very time, local architectural firm Engberg Anderson, along with national preservation experts and technical experts, were surveying this national landmark’s structure in view of an “exploration and remedial stabilization project [i],” which is intended to not only protect the citizens and automobiles of Milwaukee from falling structural debris but also, restore Milwaukee’s City Hall, originally constructed from 1893-1896, to a semblance of its original glory. While the projected completion is December of this year, 2008, the project’s general contractor, J.P. Cullen & Sons, said of the project, at its beginning:
“Granite, sandstone, brick, concrete, terra cotta, ornamental metal and copper are the key materials used in the massive renovation and repair project for one of Milwaukee’s oldest historical sites, City Hall. This enormous undertaking may be the largest renovation project the country has seen in the last five years and the largest terra cotta project in the last 20 years … In 2002, Cullen netted the entire building to prevent falling debris from hitting pedestrians and cars … With the project officially beginning the project on July 28, 2005, the first undertaking involved scaffolding the entire building, an eight-month process, now complete. With the scaffolding in place, removing the terra cotta samples and the ornamental copper is next on the list. The clock tower will be striped down to steel. Everything visible now—copper, terra cotta, book tile, brick— will come down. Once the tower is stripped, the walls will be rebuilt. One thousand nine hundred windows will be replaced. Thirteen thousand pieces of terra cotta are set to be replaced. This includes the simple patch to the intricate detail of recomposing a dragon’s head or cherub’s body part that has deteriorated and fallen off over time. Final tasks involve filling holes and replacing cracked brick while running a fine-tooth comb over the entire building. [ii]”
I have been fascinated with this project ever since I can remember the first number of days cautiously making my way through the new and unfamiliar tunnel of scaffolding. I wish I could say that my fascination was due to a deep-seated respect for the preservation of historical landmarks… but would you think me utterly strange if I were to say I am fascinated with the scaffolding? Probably not if you knew me.
My first twinges of wonder came as I mused as to why there had now been constructed steel pipe walls and a wooden ceiling over the sidewalk on which I had so confidently walked for so long. 
Then, as the weeks and months passed, the ceiling of plywood and metal slowly began being woven into a complex cocoon that eventually encased the entire building, sans the north (rear) tower, from the ground to the flagpole on its south tower, 390 feet above the sidewalk. Until spring of 2008, the building’s north tower had remained exposed, but in recent deliberations with the City of Milwaukee, the conclusion was drawn that this structure would be less expensive to renovate while the present system of scaffolding is already in place, rather than in ten years, when studies have concluded the tower would likely begin to leak. As such, the north spire is now also surrounded by steel beams and platforms.
As the project progressed, I would glance out the bleary trading desk window of my workplace, on the 22nd floor of the building on the corner of Water and Wisconsin, which is directly in line with the giant concrete cavity (a reconstruction of that which once held the infamous City Hall clock) marveling at the brave men climbing around, super Spider-Men apparently undaunted by the height, on the tiny metal pipes surrounding the tower.
Late in 2007, I really became fascinated with the whys and whens of the project, since it seemed to have been going on and on forever. I was able to locate an August/September, 2005, Insight Milwaukee program [iii] from the City of Milwaukee’s City Hall Restoration web page [iv], which features video footage of the extensive structural damage and deterioration that is to be repaired, and the initial stages of the scaffolding construction. 
I downloaded and saved the video at that time; however, as of this writing, it no longer appears to be available for download. My mind was baffled at the terribly deteriorated condition of the structure of this massive building, as well as its foundation.
A little earlier in 2007, we became convicted that we needed to better prepare ourselves for the work of evangelism, and we began a book study with a tiny group at our home, of an evangelism course that seeks to direct disciples of Christ to obey the command of Christ to go and make disciples of all the nations, by using the evangelistic methods that Christ Himself employed — entering into the lives of those whose paths He crossed, and presenting the Law to the proud, and grace to the humble. He also began laying on our hearts those with whom we should share the glorious gospel of salvation through repentance toward God and faith in Christ Jesus, a number of whom were those with whom we rubbed shoulders amidst the comings and goings of our daily lives.
Around the same time, the Lord also presented us with a “ministry of compassion” assignment that I was, under no uncertain terms, willing to accept. In fact, His hand upon me through His Spirit, and His command through His Word faced hand-to-hand combat with my stubborn, self-centered will for a number of months as I journeyed through transmutations between self-pity, hatred of God’s will for me, threatenings, curses and pleadings for Him to just kill me rather than force me to perform the task He had prepared for me, brought me to a point where I was utterly useless to Him in the realm of evangelism.
Admittedly, musing at the City Hall scaffolding wonder was a daily diversion from my quagmire of morbid self-introspection and running from God and His will for me. Eventually, in mid-January of this year, His hand was so heavy upon me, and my emotional and mental state so hopeless, I finally began to succumb to His will, since despite my pleading, it had become obvious that He wasn’t about to extinguish my life as a means of rescue from the perceived misery held in store with respect to the task He had assigned to me.
However, He has begun to allow this [otherwise eternally insignificant] construction project to show me so many things of faith, of Himself, of the deterioration of all created things due to sin, and of His restoration of all things in Christ Jesus… and I’m hopeful that, if it be His will, I’ll be granted the time, grace and strength to share some of my observances in this forum in the days to come.
http://www.engberganderson.com/#/portfolio/projecttype/14/87/; accessed 04/10/2008.
http://www.jpcullen.com/page.aspx?page_id=72; accessed 04/10/2008.
http://helix.milwaukee.gov/ramgen/ctyclkvi/tv25-home-pg/programs/cityhallconstr.rm?usehostname; accessed 12/11/2007.
http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/router.asp?docid=12618; accessed 04/10/2008.
Oh, this blog post by Pastor Tom Chantry at Christ Reformed Baptist in Milwaukee is hysterical to my puny brain. I trust this is exactly the frustrating process my beloved Paul would go through, if he hadn’t given up trying years ago – and didn’t know just to get me the silliest, most ridiculous card possible, with the cutest cartoon cat on the front.
http://crbcviews.blogspot.com/2008/02/reformed-valentine.html
For the past several months, I have found myself in the midst of multiple weighty testings at the providential hand of God, to include His permitting the enemy to test me and tempt me in the depths of my discontent. It would be a grave understatement to say that it has not been a pretty sight.
This morning, my husband Paul sent me a word of encouragement, out of the First Letter of Peter, that those of us who belong to God can rejoice in our trials and testings because, as we continue to stand upon the Word of God and His faithfulness (even amidst our own fleshly failings, minor setbacks, stumblings, shaking hands and wobbling knees), we will demonstrate that our faith is genuine in its saving and transforming power. Because of the proven nature of our faith, we will have the divine assurance of His eternal protection, unto the saving of our souls.
Through our responses to each and every trial, while tainted with sin that continually besets us, we can see that we truly do love God — a wonder only possible, we are told, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) — although our arguments with Him and His Word would more often than not seem to demonstrate our outright hatred of Him. I can rejoice with joy inexpressable and full of glory when I witness that one morning I can wake up, after having been told by God directly through His Word that I am to do something, and having wrestled, kicked, cursed, screamed and cried out with tears to God and with my flesh, I find abundant, supernatural grace to perform a task that I would, before Christ, never, ever, find acceptable… Or, conversely, after having been told by God directly through His Word NOT to do something, and having wrestled, kicked, cursed, screamed and cried out with tears to God and at my flesh… I find abundant, supernatural grace to resist the very temptation that I would, before Christ, never, ever, have resisted.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undeflied and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, even though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9)
As I was posting this, the Lord also brought to mind the great and precious promises in Romans Chapter 5, which gives us further confirmation of the same truth:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11)
A Postcard: How NOT to establish credibility in Christian ministry:
In a catalog: Celebrate Easter with Christian Family Stores!
Crown of thorns fifty bucks…
There was a report posted in Britain’s Telegraph on March 11, entitled, Dozens Blinded in India Looking for Virgin Mary, wherein we read, “At least 50 people have lost their sight after staring at the sun hoping to see an image of the Virgin Mary. Alarmed health authorities in India’s Kottayam district have set up a sign dispelling rumours of a miraculous image in the sky and warning of the dangers of looking into direct sunlight.” A noble gesture. The article continues that evidently, the leadership of local Catholic churches have “disowned the miracle” after having learned that dozens among the faithful have received photochemical burns to the retina. However, that does not keep those desperate for a glimpse of a vision of Mary from “flocking” to the home of a hotelier in Erumeli in hopes that the vision will appear to them, no doubt fueled by the claims that a statue of Mary in said hotelier’s home (from which he has since moved away) had “been crying honey and bleeding oils and perfumes.”
Now, one who is familiar with the Word of God would know that God doesn’t hold the leadership of the local church responsible to determine whether that which its faithful are seeking after is “of God” by whether it either, a.) makes them more zealous for spiritual things, or, b.) causes them irreparable physical harm. All of this confusion could have been avoided if these poor, deceived folks had simply been commanded by their spiritual leaders to embrace the Word of God, which strictly warns us once through the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 4:6, “not to go beyond what has been written.” In Proverbs 30:6, the Lord had long before laid out one of the consequences of going beyond the Scripture, warning, “Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”
These poor blinded folks were obviously sincere in their desperate desire to gain for themselves a glimpse of Mary, the one their hearts were longing for — as clearly demonstrated by their determination to stare at the sun until their eyes were destroyed. But were their motives honorable? Was God pleased with them for their zealous devotion to their “heavenly mother,” even to the point of losing their sight?
As for whether God’s people are even to be seeking after Mary, or miraculous manifestations of Mary (or Jesus, or anyone else for that matter) in the sun or the sky, in statues or images, or in anything that has been shaped and formed by human hands or the corrupt human imagination, one needs only to seek the truth of God’s Word, as the LORD Himself has not left us guessing. The will of God for such things was given, in another instance, in Deuteronomy Chapter 4 (read it for yourself here), in which we are given clear commands; reasons for and benefits of following His commands; warnings against altering the commands; and the consequences of seeking spiritual satisfaction in anyone or anything but the LORD God — by any means other than what He has set forth in His Word. Here’s a brief overview:
Commands to God’s people regarding the Words of God: To listen to the statutes and rules Moses was teaching them, in the name of the LORD God, and to do them, and to refrain from adding to the Word commanded, or taking from it.
Benefits to God’s people who adhere to the Words of God: They would keep the commandments of the LORD their God. Those who held fast to the LORD their God kept their lives. Holding fast to the statutes and rules commanded by the LORD would be the wisdom and understanding for the people of God. God would be near to those who were wise and understanding, those who held fast to His commands.
Commands regarding the Words of God: God’s people were commanded to take care and be very diligent not to forget God’s terrifying visible manifestation of Himself to them at Mount Sinai (preserved by God for us to behold in the Bible), when He gathered His people together to declare to them His Words.
Benefits of adhering to the Words of God: So that they would learn to fear God all the days they would live on the earth, and teach their children to do likewise.
Consequences of not adhering to the Words of God: God’s people would forget His terrifying visible manifestation of Himself at Mount Sinai, when He gathered His people together to declare to them His Words. They would not fear Him, and they would not teach their children to do likewise.
What naturally followed the consequences of forsaking the Words of God: God declared that, in forgetting His Word, the people would begin to act corruptly, making carved images, in the form of figures of man, either male or female, or creatures of the land, air, ground, or the water. They would begin to raise their eyes toward heaven, and seeing the sun, moon and stars, they would be drawn away, bowing down and worshipping things that had been created by God, rather than God Himself.
A further consequence: God was angry and severely punished the man who had been assigned to lead and guide His people in the way of God’s commands — in this case, Moses.
Further command: God’s people were not to forget the covenant they made with Him [to obey His commands], making carved images in the form of anything the LORD God has forbidden.
A GOOD reason for obedience: “The LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (v.24)
Reiteration of the command: If those who were called by God’s name acted corruptly by worshipping false gods [i.e. anyone but HIM], doing what is evil in the sight of the LORD, so as to provoke Him to anger — heaven and earth were witnesses against them that they would all perish and be utterly destroyed.
Further consequences of forsaking the Word of God: The people would be scattered, left few in number, and would be given over by God to serve gods created by their own hands, their own imaginations.
God’s glorious promise, revealed in Verses 29 through 40, is that all who repent of their own way, turning back to the LORD, seeking them with all their heart and all their soul, will return to the LORD their God and obey His voice, because the LORD is a merciful God, and His covenant with His people is sure.
“know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.” (vv.39,40)
When it gets right down to it, those who are true undershepherds to the Lord Jesus would not warn their followers against seeking blessings from Mary by staring into the sun by telling them that doing so will make them go blind. True undershepherds to the Lord Jesus would urgently warn followers of Christ not to seek blessings from Mary because the LORD God commands us not to look to anyone but Himself, and warns of horrific consequences when we seek anyone but Him, as He has revealed Himself in His Word. And His great and merciful promise is that those who seek Him alone, will find what they are seeking.
Thank you our Heavenly Father, for your gracious, perfect Word, which is a “lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path,” (Psalm 119:105), so that we can know we are walking in your ways, and not according to our own imaginations, or to the perverse imaginations of wicked men. Thank you for making it clear, the vanity of, your hatred of, and the consequences of our following after anyone but you.
A concept that I never quite grasped throughout all the years I slaved to perform well and punish myself for my sins in order for God to be happy with me (and practice religion for the forgiveness of those sins), was that good works and religion performed in order to satisfy God’s wrath would never appease God. The reality put forth in the Bible is actually quite to the contrary. I never realized what an offense it is to God, that we humans feel that acts of religious and moral piety could qualify us to be forgiven by, and stand in the presense of, an infinitely holy God — nor did I have any idea what holy hatred He clearly verbalizes in the Bible, over such futile attempts to ward off His righteous indignation against our sins.
On my way to work, I was listening to a music CD my husband bought me for Christmas (”Depths of Mercy,” produced by the Soundforth Singers & Orchestra — the last track, “This is My Word” is now one of my very favorite songs), I was thrilled and humbled at the simple, Biblical message another song conveys in so few words, “The punishment of God, on God, has brought me peace.” Peace with God, when we repent from our own works and place our faith completely in God’s having poured out His infinitely righteous wrath upon His infinitely holy Son, our God and Savior Jesus Christ. What an unimaginable plan. What an utter offense to our self-righteousness and love for religion.
When Love Came Down, by Stuart Townend
When love came down to earth and made his home with men, the hopeless found a hope, the sinner found a friend. Not to the powerful but to the poor he came. And humble hungry hearts were satisfied again.
What joy, what peace, has come to us! What hope, what help, what love!
When every unclean thought, and every sinful deed was scourged upon his back and hammered through his feet, the innocent is cursed, the guilty are released; the punishment of God, on God, has brought me peace.
What joy, what peace, has come to us! What hope, what help, what love!
Come lay your heavy load down at the Master’s feet; your shame will be removed. Your joy will be complete. Come crucify your pride, and enter as a child; for those who bow down low he’ll lift up to his side.
What joy, what peace, has come to us! What hope, what help, what love!
As a young child, in honor of “Lent” - the period of time between “Ash Wednesday” and Easter, we, as Roman Catholic children were encouraged to “give something up for God” - such as bubble gum, candy, or watching a favorite television program. As I grew older we were also encouraged to choose to not only give something up for Lent, but to also consider commiting to perform a “positive action” - such as visiting an elderly person, doing extra chores without being asked, and the like.
We were also forbidden from eating meat (that of the winged and four-footed variety) on Wednesdays and Fridays; creatures of the sea, however, were somehow excluded from this restriction, for some reason unbeknownst to us. The “no meat” restriction was an official declaration of the church; I never knew, nor cared, why this restriction had been placed upon the faithful — but I knew that I dare not question it! It was my clear understanding that, by no uncertain terms, was a good Catholic to indulge in a cheeseburger on any Wednesday or Friday during Lent — it was practically a “mortal sin” if you were to find yourself doing so.
The population throughout the metropolitan Milwaukee area seems to be predominantly Catholic (years ago, my friends and I used to joke that there are as many taverns as there are Catholic churches in Milwaukee - and there’s a tavern on nearly every corner!). Due to the Lenten restrictions, Friday Fish Frys have become a tradition that transcends cultural barriers… a custom which my family enjoyed thoroughly throughout the years — many times in Catholic church halls, restaurants, taverns, or other public facilities.
After I reached the legal drinking age, Lent was always always a great excuse to get together with my buddies at a favorite corner tavern, and absolutely gorge ourselves on all-you-can-eat beer battered cod and French fries, washing it all down with a pitcher of frosty cold beer — complimentary with each dinner purchased, at one particular establishment – and sharing a pack of smokes as our tummies settled. All this in the name of fasting for Lent.
I now shudder when I think of not only my behavior for all those years, but above all, the very motives of my heart, given God’s harsh rebuke of His people for their false motives in fasting, and His correction of their methods of “fasting,” recorded plainly in His Word, the Bible:
“Cry loudly, do not hold back;
Raise your voice like a trumpet,
And declare to My people their transgression
And to the house of Jacob their sins.Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways,
As a nation that has done righteousness
And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God
They ask Me for just decisions,
They delight in the nearness of God.‘Why have we fasted and You do not see?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’
Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire,
And drive hard all your workers.Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist
You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed
And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?
Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?Is this not the fast which I choose,
To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the bands of the yoke,
And to let the oppressed go free
And break every yoke?Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, to cover him;
And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am ‘
If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.And the LORD will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot
From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,
And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable,
And honor it, desisting from your own ways,
From seeking your own pleasure
And speaking your own word,Then you will take delight in the LORD,
And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”Isaiah 58 (NASB)
O LORD, rebuke me not in Your wrath, And chasten me not in Your burning anger. For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, And Your hand has pressed down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities are gone over my head; As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.
My wounds grow foul and fester Because of my folly. I am bent over and greatly bowed down; I go mourning all day long. For my loins are filled with burning, And there is no soundness in my flesh. I am benumbed and badly crushed; I groan because of the agitation of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.
My heart throbs, my strength fails me; And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; And my kinsmen stand afar off. Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, And they devise treachery all day long.
But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth. Yes, I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth are no arguments. For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God. For I said, “May they not rejoice over me, Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me.” For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. For I confess my iniquity; I am full of anxiety because of my sin.
But my enemies are vigorous and strong, And many are those who hate me wrongfully. And those who repay evil for good, They oppose me, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, do not be far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
– Psalm 38 (NASB)
I thank God for faithful preachers of His Word. Amidst my recent darkness of soul, by God’s providence, I came accross a sermon by a certain Don Fortner, who preached, “The Lord Has Put Away Your Sin.” This servant of God, who has been walking by faith in the grace of God for more than forty years, began his sermon with the words that I, merely six years old in the Lord, so desperately needed to hear at this time:
“I suspect that you, like myself, struggle more than anything else, before God, with your own sin… the evil that’s within you. And sometimes, God leaves us to ourselves, for a little while, and lets the evil within break out. And then, we have to struggle not only because of the evil that’s within us, but the shame and reproach we bring upon our Redeemer.”
Brother Fortner comments that Psalm 51 was written by King David, a man in whom “God typified His Son,” and,
“God called him, ‘A man after my own heart’ … who was just like us by nature, a depraved, vile, fallen son of Adam. But he was chosen, and beloved of God, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, born again, and called by the Spirit of God.”
Psalm 51, it is told us by the translators, was written by King David after the prophet Nathan confronted him with his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba, and then murdering her husband to hide his tracks. We who are chosen in Christ can rejoice when we pray a prayer of repentance such as that which was prayed by David, and utter such truths about the character of God, because we know that He will meet our supplications and confessions with resounding affirmation and grace.
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
I have been having such a difficult time once again this first truly bone-chilling month of the year. It has taken me a long, painful, ugly road to come to this understanding (once again), believe me, but I am having such a difficult time because our loving Father has been disciplining me. And discipline that brings forth the fruit of righteousness is painful when it is being inflicted. But it is one of the greatest ways (I am being reminded) that I can know that I am adopted into the family of God.
If He hated me (like I often sinfully accuse Him of doing, when I am being lovingly, painfully crushed by Him), He would leave me as I was and would never inflict pain upon my flesh due to my rebellious heart, which manifests in my evil thoughts and disobedience. Consider the Proverbs… He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. Proverbs 13:24; Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. Proverbs 22:15; Do not hold back discipline from the child; although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol. Proverbs 23:13-14. The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. Proverbs 29:15
Every so often, and especially right before the year-end holidays, the Lord uses circumstances in our life to lift the curtain so that I can see more clearly my utter depravity and bring me to further brokenness and humility before Him, and such is the case once again. Ever since I have been saved I have gone into intense depression for about a month before Christmas and I have shared with a few, the year before last was when I finally went to the doctor due to those terrible anxiety attacks. There is clearly a direct correlation with the holidays and I am coming to see, with the fact that I am repeatedly being thrust into situations that are absolutely unnatural for me, and in which I must completely trust in His grace. And I fight like a mad dog in my soul, every inch of the way.
Also, a very challenging trial has beset our family which has me in a bit of a tailspin, and God is graciously and painfully revealing (once again) my uncompassionate heart — some people, by God’s grace alone, whether they acknowledge it or not — are in their nature so compassionate and merciful in spirit, truly finding fulfillment in laying down one’s life for his friend. I, however, seem to have been granted absolutely no natural sense of compassion for my fellow man. I am so judgmental, and so hard-hearted, and self-centered in every respect. I plan to share the lessons the Lord is teaching me through this, but to go into it now would take hours, which I don’t presently have. In any event, with respect to removing myself from any responsibility for any member of mankind, I am finding that all my arguments are dung, when one considers and deeply meditates upon the Gospel of Christ,
Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)
And also, I know that due to my faithlessness, I have failed God in so many ways, in appointments He has placed before me where I have denied Him by failing to speak of Him, and by failing to pray for such appointments, because I’m certain that He’ll answer in the affirmative and I’m so terrified to speak. Because I’m trusting in me of course, and not in Christ.
And my heart is overwhelmed with sorrow for those who do not know Christ, and for those like myself who do know Christ but who have lost their zeal. And for those who have professed faith in Christ but who do not demonstrate a passioinate love for His Word. And those professing faith, whose lives do not demonstrate any true repentance, new life or confident assurance in His faithfulness, forsaking confidence in flesh and the sacrificial offerings of the works of man. And those aligning themselves with the name of Christ who joyously practice things in the name of God that He has declared are abominable to Him. And for those like myself who have, for a time, taken their eyes off of Him and lost their hunger to know more of Him, and who have not tasted the greatness of setting aside the sundry things for true fellowship with Him and complete surrender to Him, this glorious God whom our hearts reject so vehemently and whose correction our flesh despises and curses at.
And I have not been appropriating His grace, and so I have been buried under the weight and guilt of my sins and shortcomings, which have been multiplying rapidly as I continually hide from Him Who can so easily lift the burden with a word from His mouth. He does not delight in our guilt sacrifices of suffering and self-flaggelation, but that is what comes so naturally for us. What He desires is humility, helplessness before Him, a broken heart and contrite spirit, and for us to confess our sins to Him — sins which are already forgiven in Christ, for those who are in Christ — so that He may cleanse us from the crushing burden of guilt… We who have been chosen by God to be placed in Christ are so blessed, that He will never count our sins against us — all has been fully punished in Christ. And now He deals with us as His children, not His enemies. And He loves us His children enough to drive our foolishness out with the painful rod of correction, so that He can bind up our wounds and pour out His abundant blessing when the discipline has done its work.
But suffice it to say, it is so hard to pray for God to change my heart, when it means that I will be forced to deal with things that my sinful heart absolutely refuses to deal with. In fact I can freely say that my heart is angry, even resentful toward God for even bringing these things out into the open and forcing me to deal with the sin buried so deeply in my heart.
But to pray for Him to change my heart is exactly what I must do. I’m just so terrified of the consequences of such prayer. But that is sin, because I am not trusting in a God Who has promised that because I have been chosen by Him, everything He brings across my path is another opportunity for Him to work out good in me, conform me to the image of His Son, humble me, thereby bringing me the deepest, greatest, most satisfying life of joy and peace… amidst all the heartache this world affords.
Oh glory to God, my beloved husband Paul has truly loved me as Christ has loved the Church over the past two months as I behold, with horror and amazement, my unveiled wickedness and rottenness of heart; he has loved me lavishly and sacrificially despite my deathly pallor and the grimace of disgust that seems to have been carved upon my countenance.
He shared with me the other day, 1 Peter 4:12-19:
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
I am above all, truly blessed among women.
The Lord Jesus Christ, through His life lived in human flesh in perfect obedience, faith and submission to God the Father, has, through the sacrifice of His own body on the cross, purchased the souls of all mankind, whosoever will believe (trust and submit) to this truth, and repent (turn and change) in their heart toward Him, and with respect to their attitude toward sin.
God’s eternal Law states that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, and it is due to our sin that we are eternally separated from God — because in Him, and in His presence, there is, nor can there be, no darkness, no rebellion, no wickedness, no sin. Only perfect and absolute love, light, truth, justice, mercy, and grace.
The precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the eternal beloved Word, the eternal Son of God — and He Himself, IS eternal life, through Whom and for Whom all things were created — is sufficient to provide atonement (satisfaction and remission) of sin and eternal life for every son of man.
With regard to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God declares that He is presently the Ruler, Lord and King over all of creation — whether it be things in Heaven, on Earth or under the Earth — with all things submitted by God the Father unto His Supreme Authority (except for God the Father Himself):
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, (Psalm 8:6)
All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27)
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18)
For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. (1 Corinthians 15:27)
And the Lord Jesus Christ is the sole head, or authority over the true, spiritual Israel of God — those who have repented placed their trust in Him — whether they be Jew or non-Jew, because in Christ God has brought all things together under one Head, who is Christ.
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (Ephesians 4:15)
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:3)
“YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. (Hebrews 2:8)
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Chief Ruler and Authority over the Kingdom of God, which is the present Kingdom of Heaven! Jesus told those to whom He preached face-to-face that they would not die before the Kingdom of God was revealed and established, and that the Kingdom of God would be taken from them (Israel according to fleshly descendence) and given to whosoever would submit to having Christ as Messiah-Savior-King over them — those who have continued on throughout history as the true, spiritual Israel of God. The people to whom Jesus was speaking were the Jews of Jesus’ day - the House of Israel, the descendants of Israel according to the flesh only — who rejected Him as their Messiah-Savior-King, but upon whom the Kingdom of God was being made manifest.
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
(Matthew 12:28)“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.” (Matthew 21:43)
And Jesus was saying to them, ” Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21)
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ–this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:35-37)
Awesome… the account out of Exodus 34, wherein God presents Moses with the second set of tablets holding the Commands of God, Moses having broken the first set in anger, when he saw the Israelites had formed a golden calf to worship since it was taking too long for him to come down the mountain with the first set.
In the incredible Exodus Chapter 33, in response to Moses’ plea that God would show him His glory, the Lord tells Moses that He will reveal to him His Name (His divine nature) so that Moses could know Him in truth, witness His glory and trust Him to lead Moses as he led the people of God. Chapter 34, Verses 1-9, conclude with Moses exercising the only appropriate response, and praying the only appropriate prayer:
Now the LORD said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain.”
So he cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand.
The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”
Peace to all who are in Christ Jesus. Bow down low before Him and worship Him. For He alone is our peace.
Okay, okay, “mortal sins” are really only a figment of Roman Catholicism, a religion we had to leave behind when, by God’s grace, we embraced faith in Christ through the gospel… but there does seem to be a universal concept that most people apply to their own understanding of sin — i.e., the “mortal” sins are the really bad ones — especially like murder — and the “venial” sins are, well, not so bad. (As reality would have it, God’s Word, the Bible, in Ezekiel 18:20, says that God is completely holy and that every sin is contemptible to Him, and worthy of eternal condemnation — “The soul that sins shall die.”)
After my childhood, I struggled with the concept of Christmas for many, many years, but even more so since, by God’s grace alone, I was converted by God to faith in Christ in January 2002. When I was a child growing up for eighteen years in a Roman Catholic household, Christmas was always a very exciting time of the year, as were the weeks preceding the holiday. One day, Mom would solemnly drag the stepladder up from the basement, positioning it carefully beneath the attic door at the end of the hallway, next to my bedroom. With great anticipation, I watched as she slowly climbed the ladder, and reaching the top, raised her arms to lift the door and move it to the side. What followed was a thrilling process of her handing down to me countless crumbly cardboard boxes smelling distinctly of Christmas - evergreen and coldness and attic dust — which were filled with mounds of decrepit packing material and all sorts of Christmas goodies. I would excitedly climb two steps of the ladder, grasp each box and run it down to the end of the hallway, where I began a pile. The most favored box, of course, was the one that housed the Nativity Scene, the handing off of which I always relished.
By that time, the tree had already been erected (we always had a natural tree, which needed to be watered daily), and the trimming of the tree was the overture to the “great event.” There was always a wondrous day of decorating the tree while listening to the Bing Crosby Christmas album, and the Barbara Streisand one of course… and there were a few more albums that I recall vaguely, one being that of the St. Mary’s Academy Singers (the high school which was one day to be my alma mater). And then, finally, the piece de resistance — the day when the Nativity Scene would be erected beneath the tree, and this was always my job. This was no small matter, and I always performed it with the utmost of reverence. This is what Christmas was all about, after all! Jesus in the manger! As a child, I had an inherent knowledge of this.
Then there were the family gatherings, abundant in food and great times with my cousins — year after year, when we were really little (probably up to about age eight or so) we’d put together a little skit with each of us playing a role of one of the characters in the Christmas story: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and a doll (and eventually our newborn cousin) for Baby Jesus. When it was at our house, we typically tried to force our Yorkshire Terrier, Winston, to play the part of the sheep, which was always a futile gesture. Then, for a few years, the cousins and I would gather together to sing a Polish Christmas song our Grandma taught us, the name of which now escapes me. In English it began, “In the stable… [something, something]… to behold this holy wonder…” and in Polish it sounded like, “Pooshmee jee-say doh-sty-en-kay, do yay zoo-sah, eee-pon-yen-kay… poy-vee-ty-may, mollenkaygo, eeee-mah-ree-ay, mot-kay-yeh-go, poy-vee-ty-may, mollenkaygo, eeee-mah-ree-ay, mot-kay-yeh-go.” It would always bring Grandma to tears, and she would sing along and silently clap her hands slowly as we sang.
As we grew older and less concerned with that corny religious stuff, I recall that when I was perhaps twelve we determined in our hearts that it would really jazz things up if we were to make for ourselves silly duck bills out of paper and string, tied around our heads, and then sing the Pooshmee jee-say song for Grandma, just to make her holiday complete. The following year, it’s likely we didn’t do a single thing to bring the incarnation of the eternal Christ into the festivities… Year after year, however, as far back as I can remember — no matter what our efforts were to manifest a spirit of Christmas — our main focus was to brazenly cast aside our piety and vault into the bedroom to make our “WE WANT SANTA!!!” signs.
Santa (our uncle, our neighbor, or my dad – dressed in full Santa Claus regalia) would always appear after we marched about the house for what seemed to be at least an hour with our loud, boisterous demands for his arrival, complete with signs of protest fashioned out of paper, crayons and pens taped on the paper for handles. One of the adults would always run to the window, “I think I see Rudolf’s nose!” We’d all run to the window screaming with excitement. False alarm. The protests would begin again, until one of the adults heard sleighbells. We’d all run to the window shreaking with joy. Another false alarm. After we exhausted ourselves with demanding that Santa arrive, all of a sudden, the doorbell would ring, and we would all exclaim, “SANTA SANTA SANTA” as the door was opened, jingle bells chimed, and the great man in the red suit with five Hefty bags of presents made his way into the living room, and was seated in the chair of prominence. We would sing for him several Christmas songs — Jingle Bells, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Here Comes Santa Claus… Then, once he was satisfied with our offering of praise, we really got down to business. Presents, presents… everyhere. It was a veritable feast of presents for all of us children.
Then came the day when I learned that the Santa Claus in whom my parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts had gone to great lengths to to lead me to believe was a BIG FAT LIE.
It’s so clear now that my elders — the very ones who were commissioned by God with the responsibility of teaching me everything I needed to know about truth, the fear and knowledge of God, and the salvation of my soul — were willing to go to greater extents by far to cause me to believe in a big fat obnoxious noisy old man in a crazy red suit (the present-day actual physical manifestation of a once-dead, but now evidently reincarnated fourth-century Catholic “saint”) who, it was told, knew my every thought, word and deed, and the very desires of my heart. This jolly old elf would reward me, year after year, with exactly what I wanted at Christmas — because evidently I was mostly good all year around. (If I had been mostly bad, after all, I would have gotten a lump of coal!)
But I have now come to know, through the Bible, that for all those years, while I was under the impression that I was “not so bad,” I was under God’s just condemnation for my sin. Considering that fact, one might wonder why my parents and nearest relatives (who loved me so much as to make quite a big deal about the man-made traditions of the Christmas holiday) never bothered to expend nearly as much energy telling me that in all actuality, I was horribly wicked, an enemy of God because of my sin, and in desperate need of forgiveness through God’s merciful salvation. I now know that it is because my parents never knew the way of salvation, never having understood or believed for themselves the Gospel of God. For if they had, would their focus at Christmastime not have been on vigorously encouraging their little one to believe on the Lord Jesus for salvation — rather than believing on Santa Claus for volumes of presents beyond my wildest imagination?
I, in fact, never understood nor received the truth of God, until I was 34 years of age. Throughout my first 33 years of life, the Gospel of God’s salvation had never been clearly explained to me — and I never really gave enough thought to its importance to explore what the Bible says about it myself– until January of 2002 when God used the Twin Towers tragedy to turn my life upside down. When those towers fell, everything in which I had ever placed my trust, or hope, or faith — or whatever you want to call it — utterly fell flat along with them.
Sadly, my immediate family, rooted in the Roman Catholic religion, is riddled with rifts, divorces, unforgiveness, a widespread ignorance of the true God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible. In most most cases, there is now contempt for any form of organized religion. Am I surprised at this? At one time I was; in fact, in many ways all these circumstances among those who, at least at one point in time, considered themselves Catholic, made me very comfortable with the godless choices I was content to make in my life. I am not surprised any longer, now that God has had mercy upon me and granted me eyes to see that peace with God is not found in any religion, but only through the cleansing and forgiveness of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and that I never had salvation through Roman Catholicism… because Roman Catholicism is by no means how God grants eternal life.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost, who would worship God in spirit and in truth. He came to proclaim the gospel of salvation and reveal God the Father to all of mankind, and to seal all who would repent and believe the gospel with the Holy Spirit, Who would help them to obey His Word. And one day, He will come again to create a new Heavens and a New Earth to be populated with all these who have believed.
But I digress… back to this annual worldwide house-decorating, gift-giving bonanza known as “the Christmas holiday.” I have found that I am almost terrified among those I know and love, to even hint that I truly can’t stand all this stuff that has dressed itself up and aligned itself with the miraculous incarnation of the Holy God… even though throughout my life in the traditionalistic midwest United States — and especially with my Roman Catholic upbringing — lofty expectations for this festive and nominally religious season of the year have always been deeply engrained into the fabric of my existence.
I’m left with an odd sense of shame that quite honestly, my personal pendulum for that which the world knows as Christmas actually swings farther into the realm of disdain than it does into mere indifference. I never imagined that it would be almost as difficult to whisper, “You know, I really don’t look forward to Christmas in any way, shape or form,” as it is to look someone in the eye and tell them that, other than through faith in Jesus Christ, “There is no other name under Heaven, given unto men, by which men must be saved,” (Acts 4:12) or how Jesus meant it when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes unto the Father except by me,” (John 14:6) or, “He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life,” (1 John 5:12), or, the biggie, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
As for the conspicuous absence of a Christmas tree in our home, I have not left our trees up in the attic in protest by any means. It’s just that the presenceof a Christmas tree in our living room simply doesn’t have any significance to me, one way or the other. CHRISTMAS TREES ARE PRETTY! I just don’t need one. Once I’ve made this known to someone, I have now found that it is easier to simply guiltily cast the blame upon the cats — those rebellious, destructive, tree-pulling-down, cord-chewing, tinsel-eating, ornament-bashing beasts that dwell within our four walls. Even last night, I found myself doing just that as I chatted with my mother on the phone as she shared the details of the Christmas home-decorating process which is presently underway thereabouts. All of a sudden, I found myself wanting to blurt out, “Well, to be perfectly honest, I hate Christmas,” but instead, I heard myself justifying my way out of bedecking our home with gay holiday fare by explaining that we don’t have children, and that we simply don’t find ourselves entertaining over Christmas… “All of our friends and family are so busy with other things, and all of our Christmas celebrations tend to be at other people’s homes, so why go through all the trouble of dragging everything down, when no one who would really enjoy all of it would ultimately see it?”
It seems that I’ve managed to deeply offend most every individual to whom I have ever expressed my apathy toward the trappings of the Christmas holiday (or even worse, my personal contempt for the lie of Jolly Old Saint Nick!) Some have reacted quite defensively, as a matter of fact, as if they believe I am passing some sort of judgment upon them for their generous implementation of holiday trimmings, embellishments and traditional activities intended to fan the flames of the “holiday spirit.” That’s just simply not the case. From people’s reactions to my feelings, you’d think I could be condemned for the fact that each ensuing December since God converted me to faith in Christ in January of 2002, I have found myself dutifully dragging our arsenal of Christmas paraphernalia down from the attic — and rather than joyously decking the halls with boughs of holly, I’ve merely found myself, time and time again, systematically weeding through and effortlessly casting into the Goodwill box, an increasingly broader spectrum of distractions comprising our fomerly impressive repository of Christmas ornaments, wreaths, banners, figurines, garland, tinsel, and trinkets in every conceivable notion of Santa Claus, snowmen, angels, elves, bells and reindeer.
Here we are, four Chrismases after my conversion, and left with a large popcorn tin stuffed with an enviable collection of holiday ornaments and treasures that my mother lovingly hand-crafted; an old liquor box full of antique ornaments entrusted to our care by my mother-in-law; and a few small boxes packed with strings of indoor-outdoor tree lights, labeled and packaged neatly in Ziploc bags. As I mentioned before, somewhere amidst the snowy yellow blanket of fiberglass insulation lies a 3-foot artificial tabletop Christmas tree, and if I recall correctly, a 5-footer we picked up at some cost at the local Stein’s along the way, perhaps in 2001, the first year we owned our home. I believe the last of the cardboard boxes is the one in which is stored the manger my grandpa Sobczyk formed out of planks of antique barn wood, stuffed carefully with a full set of nativity figurines I painstakingly hand-painted back in mid-’90’s. But the only item likely to make its way down the ladder this year is “Big Blue,” the 40-gallon Rubbermaid trunk full of Christmas cards and gift wrapping supplies – a veritable rainbow of bows and ribbons, vibrant paper rolls and packages of wrapping paper and tissue, gift boxes and bags, stockings and tags…
December 24 and 25 are the two days of the year when people throughout the world, whether or not they designate themselves as “Christian,” are expected to be at their merriest, and most joyful and full of glee. The first of December typically brings on the anticipation of the holiday season, with all its demands for shopping and merry-making, with the hopeful expectation that all of this madness will culminate in the most festive of days, on which we are all expected to be the very most loving and charitable. So why am I so miserable every time I consider the approach of this magnanimous holiday?
Is it because throughout my entire life, I’d adopted my mother’s Christmas tradition that everything absolutely must to be just so, and according to her minute specifications — including the painstaking calling out of the million-man army of Santa Claus figurines — in order for it to be considered a successful Christmas? I was trained early on to be a complete control freak, and because I am also one by nature, I bucked at my mother’s holiday goads with everything in me for years and years, to the point where two years ago I actually found myself suffering full-blown anxiety attacks, which sent me crawling off to the doctor, for fear of my life. But as I submitted to my physician’s godly counsel to spend time in meditation and prayer over the letter of James in the New Testament, and “humble myself and consider others better than myself.” God has honored my obedience to His Word (He always does!). When I stopped fighting my mother for control of Christmas, she began to back down in a way I never imagined possible. Oh, there’s still a little bit of that self-preserving pride left in me with respect to her expectations, but it’s slowly fading away.
Is it because there is a blatant denial of all things pertaining to the truth of Christ in all that the world has made of this thing it calls Christmas? Well, the world certainly has hijacked Christmas; but to be perfectly honest, once I was a grown up and all of my social anxieties had fully matured, Christmas had pretty much become just a big, horrifying stressful thing to avoid at all costs anyway. I guess by my late twenties I had pretty much given up my claim on Christmas, so I don’t feel like anything has been stolen from me simply because (outside of church) Christ is conspicuously, for the most part, left out of Christmas. And I’d really show my hypocrisy if I would claim that my perfect Christmas would be sitting at home reverently worshipping. On the contrary, my Lord has dramatically dealt with my social anxieties since He converted me — so now I’m actually looking forward to spending time catching up with friends and family as we all get together during the days of Christmas… stressful as it may be for me (because I’m still a bit uncomfortable in loud, crowded situations). But the impending sense of doom is altogether gone, and we are actually starting to get to know our family again, in a way we never had before. And for that I am eternally grateful.
What I do know is that other than vomiting in the middle of a roomful of Christmas merrymakers, one surefire way to bring a perfectly decent Christmas party to a screeching halt is to verbally call to everyone’s attention the Name of the [incarnate on the first Christmas] Lord Jesus Christ — by Whom, and for Whom and through Whom everything has its existence (try that at your next corporate shindig!). In any event, as sure as the Eternal Son of God didn’t come to this earth to set up a universal religious system, He sure as heck didn’t come to set up a Christmas holiday.
But I digress. Let us forget about December 24 and 25 for a moment, if we may… Am I not to be pitied the most among all humankind if even one day should pass wherein I have not meditated meaningfully upon the Lord Jesus Christ and…
His inconceivable incarnation;
His perfect, sinless life;
His torturous substitutionary, atoning death to free His children from the bondage to and eternal penalty of sin;
His resurrection and glorification to the right hand of the Father in Heaven;
His absolute authority over everything in Heaven and on Earth; and
His magnificent Gospel of Salvation, by which He has granted me the promise of eternal life, through faith alone.
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) Am I a Scrooge? Oh Lord, let it not be said of me — I’m certainly not on a tirade to single-handedly wipe Christmas off the face of the earth. I am hoping beyond hope that I have merely been set free from the “holiday spirit,” to relish the depths of the importance of the incarnate Christ. May it affect every moment of my life both now and forever, by His grace and to the praise of His glory alone.
My husband and I have faced no small amount of hostility from those nearest to us since our conversions to Christ and the ensuing zeal we exhuberantly poured forth, offending many, sadly enough. We have at times been perceived to be self-righteous jerks (and indeed, that is putting it mildly). The fact of the matter is that calling us “jerks” lets us off easy. However, we must absolutely that we are NOT self-righteous. In fact, we have come to be fully convinced that we are so completely unrighteous and defiled that our only hope is to be clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ Jesus. And in this cloak of Christ’s righteousness we stand before God confessing ourselves to be something akin to “snow-covered dung,” as the great reformer and theologian Martin Luther once so eloquently said. We are fully deserving of nothing short of eternal condemnation and misery.
The fact of the matter is that by God’s enabling power of grace, we have seen and heard what God has said in His Word about us as members of the human race, and through trials and testings, God has personally proven His judgement upon us to be perfect and precisely correct.
Let us put the microscope on ME for a moment, shall we? Let us see all that God Himself has said proceeds forth from MY HEART — the “heart” is God’s term for “everything that is uniquely me” — that is, the sum of my thoughts, desires, intents, wisdom, etc. This is the “human nature,” also referred to in the Scriptures as “the flesh.”
I am utterly defiled because of what naturally flows out of my heart, to include evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness and slanders. The only thing that restrains me from acting upon all these impulses is the grace of God. Matthew 15:18-19
My heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. In the shallowness of my understanding, I can’t even come close to fully comprehending the depth of my depravity. Jeremiah 17:9
Not even one good thing dwells within my flesh — nothing good comes from what I am. Romans 7:8
Even when I want to do what is right, the overpowering inclination within me is to evil instead. But for the grace of God, it would be impossible for me to do anything that is pleasing to Him. Romans 7:21
Everything in my flesh rebels against the Spirit of God, and is at constant war against God. Galatians 5:16-17
My flesh continually only wants to please itself; it wants nothing to do with the things of Christ Jesus. Philipians 2:10
The sinful desires of my flesh are in a continual battle against my eternal soul. 1 Peter 2:11
My own heart is so wicked that I am a complete idiot if I listen to its counsel. Proverbs 28:26
The thoughts and ideas that my heart contrives are mutually exclusive of God’s thoughts and ideas. My thoughts are low and dark and wicked, and God’s thoughts are high and perfect and righteous. Isaiah 55:6-9
I love myself above all things, and I don’t truly love others. I trust in my own resources, and those of the world around me, rather than on God; I am boastful and proud, arrogant, disobedient and disrespectful. I am ungrateful. I am unholy. I am cold-hearted, argumentative, and would prefer to hold a grudge rather than make peace with others. I am a malicious gossip. I lack self-control. I am brutal and I hate what is good. I am unfaithful, reckless and conceited. I love tending to the comfort and satisfaction of my own flesh rather than submitting to the commands of God and choosing to desire the things that He desires. I am a hypocrite. 2 Timothy 3:2-5
In my flesh (when I choose to live according to my human nature, “following my heart,” or so to speak), I am completely unrighteous. I have no understanding. I do not naturally seek God, but rather, turn aside and prove myself to be useless to God and His purposes. I can do nothing good. I am deceitful, and the intents of my heart rise up out of me like a putrid stench. Out of the overflow of my nature, my mouth speaks forth lies, poison, cursing and bitterness. My thoughts are murderous and bring forth destruction and misery. I do not desire the ways of peace, and I boldly rebel against God continually, thinking my ways are out of His sight. Romans 3:10-13
Even though I know God, I do not honor Him as God nor give to Him the reverent honor for which He is worthy. I am ungrateful for all that He is, and for all that He has provided. The theories I contrive are useless, and my heart is foolish. Because I disregard the counsel of God in my decisions, my heart wanders further from Him and I become increasingly unwise in my judgements. I create for myself a God that is an image that is acceptable to me, that is like me, that approves of the things that I approve, and the more I continue to do so, the more God gives me over to my sinful ideas and desires. If I determine to walk in this path, God will eventually completely release me unto complete wickedness and rebellion, the end thereof is my own destruction, which is the consequence of my sin and what I fully deserve, for it is the path that I myself have chosen. I am filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed and evil. My heart is full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. I am a gossip, a slanderer, a hater of God. I am rude, disrespectful, contemptuous, insulting, arrogant and boastful. I skillfully invent ways to do evil. I am rebellious to those in authority over me. I am without understanding. I am untrustworthy, unloving and unmerciful. Although I know the commands of God, and that those who practice the things that break His commands are worthy of death, I not only do them, but in order to justify my actions, I also tend give hearty approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:21-32
On each and every one of these charges that God makes against me, I stand guilty as charged before the perfect and holy Judge. God Himself has shown me that these things are all true, and that His condemnation of me is just and fair. Therefore, I must cast myself at the foot of the cross of the Lord Jesus and enter my guilty plea, confessing His righteous am in hopeless, desperate need of a perfect Savior if I am ever to be made clean. And glory be to His holy name alone, my Redeemer is faithful. He has paid my ransom, and made me clean before a God whose eyes cannot behold even a whisper of impurity.
What joy and peace and thankfulness there is in knowing that Jesus did not come to save the righteous, but sinners like me.
The Lord expects those who are under His faithful hand of protection to renew our minds with the truths about His cha