the day the doctrine of justification punched my guilt in the gut.

there was a day when i understood the doctrine of justification through a very systematic lense. i, no doubt, believed in it and was most certainly justified (and still am) but the way i see it now, the potency of God's justification didn't have the fragrance it now has. i'd listen to men i look up to talk about it (older men) and it seemed that they were overwhelmed with it in a different way than i was. granite these men have had more time to look into this mystery than i have at twenty-three years of age. nonetheless, i saw it and said, "man LORD, i want to see it like that. i want to read romans 8:30 and Ephesians 2 and see the freedom in it. i want to read those passages and know that my unnecessary guilt doesn't have to be because i am justified and i do good works for God without feeling as though i have something to prove to the God who already knows i'm dust." i prayed this and continue to pray it.

i read an article in "modern reformation" magazine titled "does justification still matter". the article dealt with the fact that the true doctrine of justification has taken a back seat in american "evangelicalism" and been replaced by this mixture of, sanctification by works + ten steps to. . . + pull yourself up by your own christian boot straps + emotional experiences and urges overriding the guidance and certainties provided in the Bible + my personal relationship with Jesus + "yes we're justified but. . ." now i knew, prior to reading the article that america has been plagued by this strange equation so that wasn't what "punched me". i have this thing in my brain that often plagues me (as i'm sure many do) that because i've sinned and because i'm a sinner, i can't do anything for God because it's not "holy enough" and it's done with mixed motives or something stupid like that. you follow? now, systematically i knew this was wrong, but experientially i couldn't get it past me. it was what i read in this magazine that "punched me" in a way that was freeing. almost like the wind of my disabling guilt was knocked free from my stomach. the expert of the article read as follows:

According to the account thus far, justification is not the first stage of the Christian life, but the constant wellspring of sanctification and good works. Luther summarizes, "'Because you believe in me,' God says, 'and your faith takes hold of Christ, whom I have freely given to you as your Justifier and Savior, therefore be righteous.' Thus God accepts you or accounts you righteous only on account of Christ, in whom you believe." (38) Whatever other piece of good news (concerning the new birth, Christ's conquest of sin's tyranny and promise to renew us throughout our life, the resurrection of our body and freedom from the presence of sin), much less the useful exhortations that we may offer, the announcement that Luther here summarizes alone creates and sustains the faith that not only justifies but sanctifies as well.

Good works now may be freely performed for God and neighbors without any fear of punishment or agony over the mixed motives of each act. Because of justification in Christ, even our good works can be "saved," not in order to improve either God's lot or our own, but our neighbor's. As Calvin explains,

But if, freed from this severe requirement of the law, or rather from the entire rigor of the law, they hear themselves called with fatherly gentleness by God, they will cheerfully and with great eagerness answer, and follow his leading. To sum up: Those bound by the yoke of the law are like servants assigned certain tasks for each day by their masters. These servants think they have accomplished nothing and dare not appear before their masters unless they have fulfilled the exact measure of their tasks. But sons, who are more generously and candidly treated by their fathers, do not hesitate to offer them incomplete and half-done and even defective works, trusting that their obedience and readiness of mind will be accepted by their fathers, even though they have not quite achieved what their fathers intended. Such children ought we to be, firmly trusting that our services will be approved by our most merciful Father, however small, rude, and imperfect these may be. . . . And we need this assurance in no slight degree, for without it we attempt everything in vain. (39)
"Because of justification," adds Ames, "the defilement of good works does not prevent their being accepted and rewarded by God." (40)
Not only does such a view properly ground works in faith, it also frees believers to love and serve their neighbors apart from the motive of gaining or fear of losing divine favor. It liberates us for a world-embracing activism that is deeply conscious that although our love and service contribute nothing to God and his evaluation of our persons, they are, however feebly, half-heartedly, and imperfectly performed, means through which God cares for creation.

after reading that i turned to Rom 5 and Rom 8:30 and Eph 2 and read it with a feeling of liberation. i felt freed up to do good works for God's glory without guilt and joyous because i've been justified by Christ. yes, there is still guilt and guilt is not all together bad, in fact i've heard it quoted from (i think jonathan edwards) "let your guilt be much". if it weren't for guilt i wouldn't know i was guilty and i wouldn't know i've sinned against God. but i think this kind of guilt is better known as conviction and so it leads believers to repentance. so yes, i am still guilty but the beauty is God says i'm forgiven. AMAZING! CONFOUNDING! because i'm forgiven and loved by God i'm free to ask for more grace and do good works for God and others without fear that He will or will not love me any less or any more. i'm free to live for God, as broken and as imperfect as i may be, i'm free! i took a deep breath as the Cross gave a blow to the self-condemning knot in my stomach and praised God for the Gospel! in the words of a dear and beloved brother of mine, "it feels so good to be justified". and it does.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him form the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have new received reconciliation. (Rom 5:6-11)

I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God. (Ezekial 16:62-63)

Here's a link to the online line issue of "Modern Reformaiton" where the article came from: "The Art of Self-Justificaiton"

Christian Conduct

this is a short topical study/discussion i wrote while in college. these things have been on my heart recently and i feel this still pin points my thoughts concerning christian conduct.


Christian Conduct
“There is a way that all believers should live.”

Rom 1:16-17
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."
2 Tim 2:1-13
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.


Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
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Holiness

Holiness is the standard which Christians are commanded and instructed to live by. Scripture makes this clear; and it’s our standard as believers because the Father is completely holy and Christ is bar that we’re reaching for. The bar’s never moved (Mal 3:6) so we as believers need to strive to be unstained with the worlds views (2 Tim 2:4) and even the leniency on Christian conduct in many Christian circles and the emerging seeker friendly movement (2 Tim 4:3). Submitting to the Word of God with humility should be the focus of the believer; God’s Word is where the standard for righteous behavior is found. And that standard of holy living is there for an extremely important reason—that others might see your life and see Christ in you and because of that and hearing the gospel, come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:1-4).

Lev 11:44
“For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.”

“His holy character has something to say about economics, politics, athletics, romance—everything with which we are involved…We dare not seek to avoid it. There can be no worship, no spiritual growth, no true obedience without it. It defines our goal as Christians…To reach that goal, we must understand what holiness is”

(R.C. Sproul –The Holiness of God)

holy is “separate”, “a cut apart”. The dictionaries definition doesn’t do God’s holiness justice because His holiness stands alone, it’s transcendent. In short, He is an infinite cut above everything and everyone else.
“He is so far above and beyond us that He seems almost totally foreign to us. To be holy is to be “other”, to be different in a special way.” (Sproul)

1 Peter 1: 13-25
Called to Be Holy
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

"All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever."
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
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Traditions

1 Cor 11:1-2
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

Jude 1:3
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (The entire book of Jude would be good to pull things from)

- Don’t throw out all tradition simply because the Christian faith is an ancient faith. (ex: communion, fellowship, procedures for disputes in the body, etc…)
- So, there are good traditions to hold to.

There are also bad and unbiblical traditions:

- Novelty, which says that all tradition is bad and everything has to be new. Ex: The modern seeker friendly movement which seeks to make everybody happy. As a result does things like, changing scripture so that everyone can relate, doing away with good traditions in order to conform to the times. Scripture makes this clear:
2 Timothy 4:1-5
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Jesus himself rebukes the Pharisees for embracing tradition instead of the word of God:

Matt 15:1-9
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, 6he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

"'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

- So to embrace tradition over the Word of God is legalistic. It shows a misunderstanding of grace. God will not love you more because you’re disciplined in your practice of traditions; He already loves you with infinite measure because of the Cross of Christ. You can’t make Him like you more, love you more and you can’t add anything to salvation; your salvation is complete in Jesus Christ. We as imperfect sinners and failures bring nothing to the table but our failure and sin and God does the saving and the sanctifying.
- The Christian life is a heart issue, the externality of traditions is hypocrisy if your heart is not right. How does your heart look? Are you praying and striving to live a holy life when nobody is looking? Do you do things out of a love for God or out of a desire to be disciplined for the sake of tradition?

goin' on a prayer drive.

wow! my last blog had a lot of typo's. i was going to repost it but i figured it didn't matter. big day on saturday; a friend and i (and maybe another friend) are going to drive through the illadelph. normally they call them prayer walks but we're driving so it's a prayer drive. looking forward to praying for the city in which we're on mission.
makes me think (again) that the illadelph is really ill and since i can't think of anything deep and insightful to say i'm postin' two verses from a jam i wrote about two years ago called "sinsill". i'd post the actual song but i can't upload audio on here...at least i don't know how. you're thoughts and biblical criticism is welcome.

This sickness/ called sin looks satisfying but it’s never gratifying is it?/ for intense/ my own kinship/ thinks pills and dollar bills will satisfy the itches/ and sin is the reason why this persons outta riches/ forgiveness is witnessed/ but they’d rather have prescriptions/ I pray/ prostrate everyday that God’s grace will embrace my family’s lost faith/ even Christians/ think prayin’ isn’t remedy for worryin’ or burryin’ their scitzin’/ cause sin smells so good like Stetson/ it doesn’t disagree with reasoning or even eve-enings/ with counseling/ it seems to answer all your questions/ for how to stop stressin’/ suggestin’/ drink this/ eat this/ see this?/ you need this/ it’s offering is awfully awesome/ it’ll offer you lots more/ as long as your not talkin’ to Jesus/ it’ll offer you self-help/ and books for health, wealth/ but these are hell’s helpers idols/ man please!/ I can see right through it/ sin just doesn’t want you readin’ the BIBLE!/ CHRISTIANS WE GOTTA FIGHT IT!/ man’s dyin’/ the answer to this fire is the blood of the Messiah/ salt and light should be applied cause many got their eyes on us/ with their eyes on us/ we wanna show em’ who to trust/ Jesus/ for survival/sin is virus/inside em’/ IT’S

KILLIN’ MANY BODY’S/ SIN IS BLINDIN’ MANY/ WHILE IT’S POLITICIN’ POLICIES AND HYPIN’ UP THE KAMAKAZI’S/ IT’S LEADING FOR WORLD GREATEST DISEASES/ IT’S EVIL AND REAKING/ THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS!/ HE’S THE NEEDLE/ FOR THIS SICKNESS INFECTION INFLICTED ADDICTION/ THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS/ HE’S THE NEEDLE/ FOR THIS SICKNESS INFECTION INFLICTED ADDICTION/ THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS/

The world’s confused so I’m vocal/ amused in a choke hold/ but loco/ look what they put their hope in/ yoga/ buddah/ allah/ muhammed/ moguls with money/ hip-hop/ ghandi/ popes/ princes/ all of em’ sinful/ yet their convinced that forgiveness is in them/ books on chakra’s/ finite conquerors/ sins on they conscious/ so everything is conscious/ deep nonsense/ sins slime is inside men’s minds and infiltrating conduct/ sin’s lying/ with dime bags to price tags on many things cause anything is everything we’re buyin’/ sin tricks us/ from mixtures/ perdictions/ addictions and wish-ful thinking to lost scriptures/ all missing the picture/ that Jesus is simple/ but scholars perplexed don’t get this/ how a God can just wash away sin and forgiveness comes in at the price of repentance/ Grace is something philosophy won’t get you/ sins hits you with things that can cloud up your mental/ but God’s sentiment sent us his Son stricken/ for drug lords, thugs, whores, muslims and wickens/ nobody’s good cause

listening to love with the best seat in the house...

my wife and i went to "first friday fundamentals" last night, a gathering at epiphany fellowship. the topic was love. a weighty topic to say the least and the man about to preach admitted that he felt three years of research were needed to preach on the topic aright, he was given three weeks.
the room was packed, packed tighter than usual and maybe because of who was speaking but i like to think it's because Christ would the topic of conversation and proclamation. my line of sight was obstructed by two gigantic speakers and a pillar so seeing the brother up front was impossible. normally i like to see whoever talking; to see their facial expressions, their joy, their sadness, they boldness, their own amazement as their ministered to from God's word while ministering to others. but, thanks to the speaker and the pillar that was out of the question (i was glad for the pillar thought because it held the ceiling up). then i realized the visual congestion was good. even though the past few years have left me less and less "star struck" to the "who's who's" in the micro-fibers and subcultures of christianity (a whole separate blog in itself) my heart still wouldn't have the chance to be distracted by the man preaching or the very vibrant, very unique and creative hoodie he was wearing. so, i settled in to hear the love of God exposited (is that a word?).
he hit on three points and i hope i remember them correctly. i list them and then share how the convicted me, challenged me and encouraged me.

1) God's love is effectual and affectionate
2) God's love is carried out in community
3) God's love assumes detestation

God's love most certainly is effectual. it never misses and it always accomplishes what it sets out to do(Is. 46:8-10, 55:11, Rom 8:30). that wasn't the part that struck, i knew that and know that. i see that in scripture. that's a doctrine i get and believe with all my heart. what got me was that His love was affectionate. His effectualness and his affection go together. and his affection is obscure. obscure because He chooses to love sinners. isn't there a song that talks about "strange grace"? if there isn't there should be because a holy God's love and grace towards wicked, detestable, God-hating men and women most certainly is obscure, and this love and grace are received in the moment that a sinner trusts in Christ and all that He accomplished in His life, death, burial and resurrection.
so i thought of God's affection and my affection for God and then my affection for my neighbor (Lev. 19:18; Lk 10:25-37). i thought of how my affection and charity for others is a reflection of my love for God. i thought of my affection and love for people while i'm around them and my love and affection for those same people when i'm home alone with time to think of them and intercede for them. i was convicted and asked God to illuminate His word, as He illuminates my eyes and my heart so that my love for others in community and in private will be true and right and pleasing to Him. if you were there maybe you had some of the same things go on inside of your heart and mind.
we live in an individual, "ten-personal step" american society. it's a selfish society because naturally we're selfish people. consequently we have to be redeemed and changed in order to see God,things and people the way we out. God in His trinity is a perfect community so it's only fitting and biblical that we operate in close, intimate community ( i won't site any scripture here, just read the whole old testament, the book of acts, and paul's letters...the importance of community should punch you right in the face).
i thought of my experience with community, my sinful inclination to avoid some of the harder things that come with community (challenge, accountability) and i thought of my current situation concerning community. i'm a part of a fairly green church plant and the congregation is mostly made up of green believers who are brand new to the things of God. this is new and it's difficult at times so i prayed and asked God to guide me and show me how i ought to operate in it. i asked Him to give me a greater passion for His people and a passion to see more people who aren't His people become His people, and a passion to pour into and have my wife and i poured into by His people. if you were there maybe you had some of those same thoughts in your heart and your mind.
God's love assumes detestation. this was a big one for me. love for God assumes hatred for everything that is not God. maybe i said that wrong; true love for God means that you love nothing and no one more than God. my jumps as i'm writing this because i can remember when i was six years old (and i think unsaved) and my mother was holding me in her arms and she said, "anthony, sometimes i think i love you more than God." and at six years old i got angry with her, from what i can remember i was livid. "NEVER!!!", i said "NEVER MOM! NEVER! NEVER, EVER, EVER love anything more than God mom. EVER!" i will never forget that moment because at six years old i don't think i was saved but for some reason i got what Jesus was saying when he said, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." i got, at six! and i recognized the danger in putting mere people before the God, the people creator and at six i warned my mother never to do that.
i thought of how i'm prone to and do that now. especially being newly married. i prayed that Christ's supremacy would be supreme in my heart and reflect in my life. i prayed that those whom i love and those things that i enjoy would have their place in place and their place would never supersede the place that Christ commands to have in my heart. when my love for God does not assume detestation and hatred for things and people other than Him i become an idolator, a bad leader and a fluffy, people pleasing social activist, humanitartian who's witness loses it's power because it's more focused on only loving people instead of loving God and His gospel and having my love of people flow from Him. maybe if you were there you thought and felt the same kinds of things in your heart and in your mind.
i need to go. my wife and i are having some people over the crib and we need to start cooking. pray that God would be glorified in our time spent with others. so glad i could finally blog something for real for real. jason will probably be the first to read this...love you bro. praise God for the new baby comin'!

grace and peace

ant

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!

"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
"Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"

For from his and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.