A Brief Commentary on II Corinthians 3-4

Introduction

This paper’s function is to give a brief thesis of Paul’s point concerning sanctification in chapters 3 and 4 of II Corinthians. I believe Paul’s thesis in chapter 3 and 4 is that “true ministers of the New Covenant edify and build the church by manifesting Jesus Christ glory through joy embraced suffering.” This point will be argued from the passage being studied.

Background

II Corinthians is an epistle to the church in Corinth from the Apostle Paul. Paul begins the letter with three major themes and those themes are carried throughout the entire epistle. Those three themes are: suffering/comfort, the centrality of Christ and the gospel, and false teachers (who Paul refers to as “super apostles). All three of these themes are masterfully weaved together in chapters 3 and 4. Therefore, we will see Paul addressing these themes and also be aware that these themes are influencing what Paul is saying.

Lastly, it would seem that the grand scheme of this letter is to see the church in Corinth conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Paul is writing this letter and ministering to Corinth for this purpose, “Not that we lord it over your faith, but that we work with you for you joy, for you to stand firm in your faith.” II Corinthians 1:24 (italics added for emphasis). Notice the parallel Paul makes with faith in this verse. He states that Paul’s ministry is not intended to “lord over” their “faith” but rather he works with them for their “joy.” Paul is seemingly putting at the beginning of this letter a formula for growing in faith in the gospel and Paul seems to be arguing that it is joy!

Because the Bible sees sanctification as a piece of the larger package of salvation, this will play a big role because salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. In other words, sanctification is a fight to grow in faith in the gospel. Or, sanctification is the process of a believer placing more and more faith in the gospel’s saving power. The result/fruit of sanctification is holiness in the believer or the believer becoming more like Jesus Christ.

Chapter 3

The chapter begins with Paul’s comparison of his credentials and those of the false teachers. Paul compares the visible temporal credentials the false teachers had offered to convince the Corinthian church that they were authentic teacher to his invisible eternal credentials written on their hearts.

Paul’s argument that he is a real apostle is two-fold here. First, his ability to be an apostle of Jesus is clear by the work that has already been done because of his faithfulness to Christ in serving the Corinthian church. The Corinthian church had much to be grateful of because of Paul’s ministry and this is Paul’s first appeal.

The second argument is even weightier. Paul states that the work that has been accomplished is not based upon Paul’s ability or skills but rather the Corinth church was benefiting from the power of God through the Apostle Paul. The false teachers Paul was dealing with had no such evidence of God working through them; they attested their authority from themselves.

This leads Paul into a comparison of Paul’s ministry of the “New Covenant” and the Mosaic Covenant. Why Paul chose to compare his ministry to Moses is unsure exactly. Perhaps the false teachers he was dealing with were some form of legalism or perhaps Paul was thinking of the greatest covenant he could compare his to to show the greatness of this New Covenant. Regardless, Paul places emphasis on importance and genuiness of a teacher by his message and ministry. And so, Paul appeals to the New Covenant.

Paul then argues the magnitude of the New Covenant (vs.5-18). He does this by comparing the two covenants by terms such as: letter, Spirit, kills, gives life, condemnation, righteousness, temporal glory, eternal glory, fear, confidence, hardened, transforming, veiled, and unveiled.

In this passage the writer refers his readers back to Exodus 34. Exodus 34 takes place just after the golden calf incident. Moses went up Mount Sinai and has received the law and covenant between the LORD and His people. When he came down he saw the people already breaking the Lord’s commands and out of anger broke the tablets on which the covenant rules were written. Moses rebukes the people and has them drink the golden calf after being melted and poured in a river and then has many of the people killed.

Moses then returns up the mountain in hopes of restoring the covenant that had been broken by the people. It is here where Moses pleads with God to see His glory. God reveals Himself to Moses by revelation and manifestation. Moses remains on the mountain for forty days and does not eat or drink. He spends his time in fellowship with God.

When Moses heads back down the mountain to return to his people, unbeknown to him, his face is shining with the glory of God. At first the people are afraid but then he sends out messenger’s to tell them it is safe. Moses shining face becomes a comfort and aid to the people to remind them that Israel had received God’s favor and that He was with them.

There was however a problem to this manifestation, and Moses knew it. The glory on his face was fading. Paul says in II Corinthians 3:13 that Moses put a veil over his face to cover this up. For he did not want his people to see the weakness of the covenant and how it was being “brought to an end.”

What we learn is that Moses then would go and speak to the people with his face shining; when he was done he would veil his face and return to the tent of meeting where he would remove his veil and fellowship with God. This was to recharge the fading glory on his face. Paul then argues (vs.7-13) that the covenant was fading because there was another covenant coming of such greater glory that the former would seem to have no glory. The apostle believes that the New Covenant is that covenant of greater glory.

Paul’s point is that the Old Covenant was powerful and glorious in that it revealed God and his standards by which he called us to live; however, it ended up only condemning because it did not enable fallen man to live out what they were called out to live but rather exposed man’s inability and depravity. The New Covenant comes with the power of the Holy Spirit which enables the formerly unable, fallen, depraved man to fulfill what was required of him.

There seems to be some parallel to idolatry and worship in verse 18 and its effect. In the Old Testament the prophets would often state that worshippers would become like their idol. We see this theme most clearly in the Psalms and Isaiah. Paul seems to be making a connection here in verse 18 stating the same is true concerning the worship of the one true God. When one beholds the glory of God, the worshiper/believer is transformed from “one degree of glory to another” into the image of Jesus Christ. Technically we do not find out that the specific person of the Godhead that Paul has in mind is Jesus till chapter four.

So Paul is arguing that seeing God’s glory is the means by which people are changed into the image of Christ. This is the Lord’s (Holy Spirit vs.18) work. The Old Covenant could never accomplish what God desired in His people then because that glory was fading under that covenant. However, this is not true concerning the New Covenant because its glory was permanent (vs.11).

Paul states the result three times in 3:12-13; 4:1, 16. The minister of the Old Covenant was afraid and lacked confidence but the ministers of the New Covenant were bold and did not lack confidence. The minister of the Old Covenant veiled the glory out of fear and the ministers of the new are very bold about the New Covenant.

Chapter 4

One could argue that the heart of the whole book of II Corinthians is chapter 4. And in this chapter the Apostle Paul repeats the phrase “we do not lose heart” twice, once in the beginning of stating his argument and once and the end of defending his argument. It would seem then that Paul wants his audience to know this point for it has crucial importance to accomplishing his desire and goal.

As stated earlier, Paul’s goal is to comfort the Corinthians by pointing them to the gospel and protecting them from false teachers. Paul states that his means of doing so is working with them for their joy making them steadfast in their faith. In chapter three we see their faith or confidence should be placed in the New Covenant. It would seem that Paul sees the New Covenant and the gospel as synonyms.

Paul states the power and source of the gospel is Jesus Christ in His glory (vs.4). Then he writes that the confidence of this gospel is giving by God the Father in the hearts of those whom He wills to give (vs.6).

So Paul thus far has argued that people come to faith and people are strengthened in their faith by beholding the glory of God ( 3:18). The power of the gospel is most clearly explained in Jesus Christ and His life, death, resurrection (vs.4). At this point Paul has not yet explained how this glory is manifested in the present as Moses face did in the analogy previously given.

Paul does this in verses 7-12. The glory of Christ is manifested in jars of clay by confidence in the midst of affliction:

“We are afflicted in everyway, but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always be given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

Paul’s point could not be any clearer.

Jesus’ sacrifice and power of resurrection is manifested to the lost and the church alike in the confident embracing suffering of the saint. The result is also clear (v.12). “So death is at work in us, but life in you.” Paul was so confident in the New Covenant that he knew that his confidence in the midst of suffering manifested Christ Jesus’ glory to the end that it produced life in the church.

So in verses 7-15 we see that this suffering produces life corporately, whereas in 16-18 we see it having effect on the individual sufferer as well. For Paul states, “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Paul believes that the suffering is actually producing something for the believer in the gospel. Something that is eternal and weighty in glory, something that cannot be compared to anything else. Paul is clearly speaking of the transforming process into the image of Christ back in 3:18.

Paul then concludes his point that this is done once again by fixing our eyes (faith/confidence) on things unseen (New Covenant). And it is not done by fixing our eyes (faith/confidence) on the things that are seen (temporal things).

Conclusion

Paul believes that suffering is a key ingredient to the sanctification of the corporate church and individually. This does not mean that suffering is good or that suffering will always have this effect. Rather, Paul’s point is that the Christian can have confidence in the gospel in the midst of suffering and that by doing so he is being sanctified.

It could be argued that Paul may be informing the church that by their lack of sacrifice and confidence in the gospel but in temporary things (as these false teachers were advocating) that they were veiling the glory of the New Covenant as Moses did with the Old Covenant. Perhaps Paul meant this as a corrective rebuke about discerning among good and bad teachers, as well as, a pointer to the centrality of the gospel in the believers life. That is my conviction and thesis for this paper.

How Do We KNOW What We Know? (A Biblical Examination of Faith)

Introduction

Perhaps the most important Christian characteristic on this side of heaven is faith. The Apostle Paul taught that any action with the negation of faith is displeasing to God. “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” Romans 14:23. Paul also teaches that we are “justified” by faith in Romans 5:1. We learn in the Holy Scriptures that it is by grace alone through faith alone that one is saved (Eph. 2:8-9). And the writer of Hebrews instructs the church that “without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]” Hebrew 11:6a. Needless to say, faith is not important for life, it is crucial.
However, some would argue that the Biblical view of faith has been hijacked by philosophers and is now being presented incorrectly all across the Western World. This paper is intended to serve in presenting a Biblical lifeview of faith in light of Kierkegaard’s presentation of what faith is. The thesis of this paper is, “Kierkegaard’s view of faith is deficient for the health of the church.”

A Biblical Lifeview of faith

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. Here is the most accurate definition of faith one can find for it is directly from the lips of God. This is God’s dictionary definition of the word faith. John Calvin working off of this definition takes it apart well and defines faith as,
“A firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us, founded upon the truth of the freely-given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”

The writer of Hebrews uses the word “assurance” first when defining faith. The word assurance has the same connotation or idea of certainty or knowledge accompanied by a deep affection that molds and shapes the man’s view of life and therefore his actions. What is this certainty in? It is in “things hoped for.” It is obvious that the hope here being talked about is significantly more than the wishful hope often spoken of today in contemporary speech. The hoping in this promise is certain! The one believing in this promise is assured at the deepest core of himself of what he is hoping for.
But an important question needs to be asked here, “what is the person’s hope based upon?” In Hebrews it is clear that the person’s hope is not based upon simply what that person desires or longs for, but rather the person’s longing and desires are shaped and magnified by the revelation of God speaking. In other words, God tells Abraham His plan for him and Abraham forms a deep conviction, longing, and hope in what is promised by God’s word. So faith is based upon propositional truths promised, “things hoped for,” from God. Faith is based upon evidences from God which are communicated to His audience two-fold. Externally in the objective truth (God’s word) man is convicted.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness. To bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (John 1:6-9)

Internally by the convicting of the Holy Spirit which is based upon the external, we are convinced. For it (God’s word) is what He (the Holy Spirit) is communicating internally. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness,” John 15:26-27 (italics added for emphasis). “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16 (italics added for emphasis).
So, although faith causes one to drastically change one’s lifestyle to crucify the now in assurance of the hope of tomorrow, it does not mean faith is irrational or merely subjective. For it is more proper to think of faith as the (spiritual) eyes of man that see life as God sees it. Man with faith, actually is seeing (faithing?) logically. We see this in numerous texts. Ephesians 1:17-19a states:
[T]hat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe… (italics added for emphasis).
In the Old Testament it states the LORD appeared to Samuel “by the Word of the LORD” (I Samuel 3:21). There seems to be a “seeing” done that is not done with our eyes! This is what faith is, Biblically speaking. This can also be proven when looking at the antithesis of faith. Paul equates unbelief as being “blinded”, not seeing, or in the dark, while the believer is equated as not blinded and in the light. Paul states in II Corinthians 4:3-4, 6:
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing (or believing) in the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (Italics added for emphasis and parenthesis added for argument).

Scripture is also clear that God thinks orderly, structurally, and logically. This can be most simply displayed in the law. Take for example the law to “not bear false witness” Exodus 20:16. This essentially is similar to rational laws. A is not non-A. Or stealing (Exodus 20:15), because God states that it is wrong for someone to take something that is not theirs. Essentially the person is saying this thing is not my thing and it is my thing. In fact, all of ethics and logic exist because those things flow from God’s nature and therefore, He demands that we act and think as He does.
One objection must be dealt with before moving forward. If faith comes from revelation (Romans 10:17) and all are given revelation from God (Romans 1:18-20) why do not all have faith (John 6:36)? One reason is that not all have been given enough revelation to save them but only to damn them (Romans 1:18-32).
Secondly, earlier it was stated that faith is based upon evidence from God that is revealed both externally and internally. In other words faith in the evidence/revelation from God must be granted to man from God. Faith is a gift of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV, italics added for emphasis). “…And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:18b, italics added for emphasis). “And when the Gentiles heard this (the Gospel), they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48, italics and parentheses added for emphasis). I Thessalonians 2:13 says, “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers.” As God (Jesus) had to open the eyes of the man born blind (John 9) due to the fall of man, so also it requires a miracle of God for one to believe.
Typically man thinks that there is evidence that is neutral and from that common ground man can build up enough arguments that will cause the evidence to way in his favor. However, this is contrary to what the Bible teaches. There is no such thing as neutral ground. The whole earth is the LORD’s and everything in it. All things exist and come from God (Romans 11:35-36; Colossians 1:16-17 ), so there is no such thing as neutral evidence. All evidence is arguing that God is and that He has spoken. The problem is not the evidence; the problem is the rebellious heart of man who is not willing to receive counsel from God. Romans 1:18b-20 states,
… who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Italics added for emphasis)

This is why the Bible calls this man a fool. “The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God.’” (Psalm 14:1; 53:1).
So faith though it is affectionate, it is not merely nor based upon emotions or deep convictions. But is based upon, and possesses, objective truth which stimulates the experience of deep conviction in what is promised by God in His word.

Kierkegaard’s view of faith

Soren Aaby Kierkegaard lived from 1813-1855. He was born in Copenhagen, and was the seventh child of his mother. Kierkegaard is difficult to understand when reading him. Many today disagree on what exactly he believed. For years many have thought him of being an existentialist. Some have gone so far as to refer to him as the Father of modern existentialism. Although this maybe controversial, this paper will take the traditional stance that Kierkegaard was indeed an existentialist. This being said, it is possible to have misunderstood Kierkegaard for Brown notes,
In its own way Kierkegaard’s writing is no less difficult to follow than Hegel’s, but for a different reason. Hegel just did not bother to express himself plainly. Kierkegaard deliberately sets out to be tortuous. For to him truth is not something objective that can be handed out on a plate. It is only discovered personally and subjectively in the course of long and sometimes painful self-analysis. And in order to bring his reader to the desired goal, Kierkegaard often found it necessary to be devious.

The idea that Kierkegaard made his writing difficult does make good sense with the idea of Him being an existentialist. Kierkegaard definitely had the ability to be clear, but he wasn’t. This is largely one of the reasons this paper is taking the stance that Kierkegaard was an existentialist. Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics also takes the viewpoint of Kierkegaard being an existentialist as well. This is not stated as an appeal to authority but rather to make the point that this seems to be the most common or normative understanding of Kierkegaard. Also, upon reading His journals it seems that this is indeed the stance he had of reality and truth. Kierkegaard writes, “It is perfectly true, isolated subjectivity is, in the opinion of the age, evil; but ‘objectivity’ as cure is not one whit better. The only salvation is subjectivity, i.e. God, as infinite compelling subjectivity.”
Again I could be misunderstanding him but I do not think I am. There are a number of quotes similar to this one which makes it too difficult to understand him any other way.
This is not to say Kierkegaard was all bad, but simply that he was an existentialist. Sproul when speaking of existentialism states, “In existentialism, becoming tends to swallow up being; the finite, the infinite; the temporal, the eternal; and secular, sacred.” In other words, stronger emphasis is placed upon becoming rather than essence or being.
Kierkegaard saw and taught that there were three stages to life. They were: Aesthetic Stage, pursuing sensuousness or in common vernacular “living life”; Ethical Stage, when that person experiences guilt and shame for moral principles broken; Religious Stage, where one gets there by leap of faith and so becomes passionate about obeying and loving him.
Here is where the question comes in, “what does Kierkegaard mean by leap of faith?” Perhaps the best book to understand what he meant is found in His book, Fear and Trembling.
In this book he deals with the account of Abraham being told by God to, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:2) Schaeffer commenting on this book and Kierkegaard stating, “Kierkegaard said this was an act of faith with nothing rational to base it on or to which to relate it. Out of this came the modern concept of a “leap of faith” and the total separation of the rational and faith.” Schaeffer attempts to explain this idea of faith and reason as dichotic. He explains,
Modern man is a dichotomy. By dichotomy we mean a total separation into two reciprocally exclusive orders, with no unity or relationship between them. The dichotomy here is the total separation between the area of meaning and values, and the area of reason. Reason leading to despair must be kept totally separate from the blind optimism of non-reason. This makes a lower and an upper story, with the lower story of reason leading to pessimism and men trying to find optimism in an upper story devoid of reason.

And here lies within the problem of Kierkegaard’s view of faith for the health of the church. It is not to say that Kierkegaard did not believe in reason or logic but rather there is no connection between the intellect and the faith of a man. This is what Schaeffer means by the “upper story” and “lower story.” Faith, in other words, is not reasonable. Faith is in its own category. Faith, although it may have ideas being trusted in, is foolish. And yet, faith is the more admirable attribute.

Problems with Kierkegaard’s view of faith

One may ask, “Well what is the problem with this view of faith, because one is still trusting in the promises of God?” There are three problems with this view which will hinder the health of the church.
First, this view of faith asks man to deny the very way God made him. God is a thinking being. And we see in Scripture that God has also made man a thinking being. This is shown in something as simple as Adam exorcising dominion over the earth by naming all the animals in the garden (Genesis 2:20). God also speaks to Adam and expects from him to be able to comprehend and obey what God commands him(Genesis 2:16-17). Man is a thinking, rational creature. This is the way God has made him. In fact this is largely how man relates to God.
The point being made is that Kierkegaardian faith is not allowing a harmony and functionality of man fully and completely relating to God. Rather the rational relation to God is only a stage of life (the second stage in Kierkegaard’s three) for the man and merely a stepping stone to leave the rational and to leap to the faith stage.
In other words, man is to relate to God on a rational basis but is truly called to leave the rational (pessimistic) and live truly in relating to God non-rationally (optimistic). Perhaps Kierkegaard is simply “fleshing out” the common idea that the “heart” and “mind” of man are distinct. That the two are not only ever meant to work together but are entirely separate (the upper = heart and lower story = mind).
However, this is not what Scripture teaches. Rather the heart and mind of man are seen as interchangeable. Scripture teaches that man: loves, speaks, understands, wishes, meditates, trusts, plans, imagines, grows in wisdom, devises, directs, and deceives all from the heart (Duet. 6:5; 7:17; Job 17:4, 11; Ps. 44; 28:7; 33:11; 73:7; Pr. 2:10; 6:18). All of these actions speak of a perfect harmony of the heart and mind of man. In fact, many of the Hebrew and Greek words are the same for “heart” and “mind.” The point is that Scripture seems to teach the affections and the rational of man work together and not independently. So Biblically man is never called to leave the rational to believe. This is not to say that rational and faith are mutually the same. One may have faith and not all his questions answered. But rather that rational and faith work cooperatively.
The second problem with Kierkegaard’s view of faith is that this idea calls faith to function in a way it was never called to function. Jerram Barrs states:
We do not need to say to the unbeliever, “Don’t ask questions – just believe!” We do not need to say when a Christian has struggles and doubts, “Just pray harder!” Francis Schaeffer would say, “If you try to load every doubt, objection, and question on the donkey of devotion – eventually the donkey will lay down and die, for it is being asked to bear a load God never intended it to bear.”

This analogy wonderfully communicates the real problem here with a dichotic view of faith and reason. It calls for faith to labor without its partner, reason. Eventually the faith of the person may grow weary and die.
This is exactly the opposite of Kierkegaard’s intention when he fought for this view of faith. In fact, he was fighting against the dead faith of many. However, in an age of modern philosophy and many question unanswered he turned to this response: “faith is optimistic while reason is pessimistic.” But by thinking this way Kierkegaard seems to be presupposing that all truth is not God’s truth. Or that truth cannot be known. The latter is what Kierkegaard seems to believe from his writings.
Perhaps Kierkegaard positioned too much weight in philosophy and less weight in the Scriptures. Colossians 2:8 warns Christians of this danger, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”(Italics added for emphasis).
If Kierkegaard did not place so much weight in philosophy maybe he would have realized that truth all though transcendent, has a voice. Truth speaks! The eternal Son of God is the truth in flesh. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1; 14. Italics added for emphasis). And this Son of God has spoken, “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and now is here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25 Italics added for emphasis). And this Son of God is truth with a capital “t.” “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” (John 14:6 italics added for emphasis). And finally, Jesus in His High Priestly prayer asks of the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth. Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17 italics added for emphasis). In other words this truth is to be known and understood and therefore changes us.
Again, the problem is not that there is not rational evidence for faith in God and His promises, but rather the rebellious heart that refuses to acknowledge the “clearly perceived” evidence given. Unbelief is not rooted in ignorance as much as it is in stubbornness. In other words, the problem is not as though it does not make sense to believe in God, but rather man is sinful and is unwilling to believe. Even the Christian has indwelling sin and so, has to fight and wage war with his flesh; that strives to make him unbelieving.
This leads into the third reason why Kierkegaardian faith is deficient for the health of the church. Practiced out, this view of faith will eventually call for the man to make one of two choices: live in a way that is completely irrational and mindless, or become a coward and reluctant to obey God.
The first is because of the separation made between faith and reason. The second because without reason one cannot possess faith with true deep conviction. Of these two options, the latter is more plausible. The first, although exist hypothetically, does not seem to be able to truly be real as a practical option. This does not mean that none will attempt this route. When considering faith Bahnsen states, “Some people have been so misled as to feel that Christians actually elevate the value of one’s personal faith in direct proportion to the degree that it must be dubious, blind, or mystical.” This kind of faith demands for man to step out of the reality God has placed him in.
The fruit of this vision of faith is apathy. This is fundamentally because passion is based upon understanding. Abraham was “fully convinced” of the promises of YAHWEH (Romans 4:21); this is what leads Abraham to do extraordinary sacrifices like the offering of his dearly loved son. Hodge comments on Romans 4:21 stating:
Giving glory to God; that is, the strength was manifested in his giving glory to God. To give glory to God, is to take him to be what he really is, almighty and faithful. It is to show by our conduct that we give him credit, (so to speak,) that he will and can do what he says. Therefore the apostle adds, and being fully persuaded; that is he gave glory to God by being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform.

Kierkegaard looks at this account and perceives the tossing and turning and fight to obey God as the coming to the truth. Rather the truth being the driving force that causes him to submit. He literally turns the episode on its head. Abraham already believed the promises (15:6). Waltke defined faith in this context as: “‘Believed’, the Hebrew is better translated ‘trusted.’ Abraham considers God true, reliable, and trustworthy.”
However, Abraham was fighting to grow in his faith for the commitment it demanded. This does not mean Abraham was irrationally obeying the call of God. Abraham was commanded by the God to sacrifice his son that God provided through a nearly dead wife (Genesis 18:11; Hebrews 11:12). Knowing what Scripture teaches Abraham had plenty of rational reasons to obey God and trust Him with the outcome. Indeed, in Hebrews we find that Abraham believed that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead. “He (Abraham) considered that God was able to even raise him from the dead,” Hebrews 11:19a (Italics added for emphasis). Again, this was not a foolish thing to think, Abraham had good reason to believe this. This is not to undermine the sacrifice Abraham made, but rather to demonstrate that faith works with reason.
This is the point of the book of Hebrews. The writer is given propositional statement after another concerning Jesus and His work. The point is to stimulate the listeners to live radical, risk-taking lives! Their recompense is not here on earth but after death, which they cannot make out with their physical eyes. So the author paints them a depiction with terminology that would communicate to the “eyes of their heart” that these things are true! “Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:13-14.

Where did Kierkegaard go wrong?

Kierkegaard lived in the time of the rise of modern man. This cannot be forgotten when reading and seeking to understand Kierkegaard. Since Kant, philosophers have strived to know how to interact with the “noumenal world.” The noumenal world for lack of better words is reality, as it truly is. The “phenomenal world” is the world one experiences. How does one interact truly with the noumenal, and if one does, how does he know he did? This is the foundation for Kierkegaard’s lower and upper floors. Kierkegaard agreed that there was no way of truly knowing how to get from the phenomenal to the noumenal. This is why one must take a “leap of faith.”
Faith in Kierkegaard’s mind was the way from traveling between the two worlds. This is where Kierkegaard makes another oversight. Kierkegaard seemingly confuses faith with its fruit. In other words, faith is faithfulness. This makes sense however, because, Kierkegaard was an existentialist. As quoted earlier by Sproul, the existentialist places a bigger or unhealthy emphasis on becoming over being. In this case, what faith is is swallowed up by what it does.
J. Gresham Machen comments on this topic in his book “What is Faith?” “We believe that Christianity flourishes not in the darkness, but in the light.” He also stated concerning revival that, “one of the means which the Spirit will use…is an awakening of the intellect.” Perhaps it is this confusion of what faith actually is that has lead to so many false doctrines such as: Liberal Theology, Emergent Theology, New Perspective on Paul, and others. As stated earlier in this paper, faith is crucial. So when faith is misunderstood, one can be sure that it will not be long before many other fundamentals of the faith begin to get tempered with.

What to take from Kierkegaard.

Kierkegaard was a brilliant man who struggled deeply with the contemporary thoughts of his day. He was an apologist seeking to defend the Christian faith. Men like Kant and Hegel had left devastating blows to the church and this perhaps left Kierkegaard a little dumbfounded. His response to these two skeptics was an intelligent system to abandon reason. Kierkegaard saw in his day perhaps only evil come from skepticism and reasoning. Kant had left man in the dark, with no door handle or light switch. The churches in Europe had become largely lethargic and unmoved and he desired to see the church rise up with passion and life.
His response to this was the upper floor. There was a better floor up and one had to take a leap to get there. This leap could not be done with reasoning or logical formulas.
Kierkegaard exhibited trust in God in a time when perhaps it was most difficult and for this he should be commended. He rose up and spoke like a prophet in many ways against the sins of his time. Sadly, he failed to see where his ideas would take the Western world. Today, many Christians are following in the same footsteps as Kierkegaard and sadly, not learning from his mistakes.

Conclusion

This paper has sought to present a research and presentation of the life and views of faith according to Soren Kierkegaard. This paper has also presented the Biblical lifeview of faith in response to the inadequacies of Kierkegaardian faith.
The truths learned and gathered from the examination of nature and life of faith cannot be overstressed. Martin Luther gave his life recover the meaning of one word that word was “repentance.” For after a long age of darkness, God was gracious to shine the light once more in the common language of the people. Perhaps God will allow for His light to shine brightly on the proper definition of the other side of the coin for that word, that is, “faith.”
May the LORD rise up men and women who hunger and thirst for righteousness and preach faithfully the Gospel of Jesus Christ! That salvation is: in Christ alone, through faith alone, by grace alone, revealed authoritatively through scripture alone, for the glory of God (the Father of faith, truth, and speech) alone! It is then, and only then, that light will, once more, break forth into yet another revival. This is my hearts desire, even so, “Come Lord Jesus, Come!” (Revelation 22:20b-21).

A Devotional on Exodus 32 (part 2)

(This post would serve you best if you first read Exodus 32 and part 1 of this devotional series.)

Are we to think of Moses as more loving and forgiving because he interceded for Israel to a ANGRY God?

NO!

First, Moses was not the one being sinned against, God was. Second, Moses did not yet know what God was angry about when He told him His plans.

However, I would argue that would God had not have been gracious to keep Moses from seeing what Israel had been doing, when relaying His plan, Moses would NOT have interceded!

Now that’s a thought!

I believe this can be argued by the response we see of Moses when he does see what Israel had been doing (Exodus 32:19b-20,26-27). Which is significantly different than what we see in Exodus 32:11-13.

One more thing should be commented about in this age in which we live in. What caused Moses to act so violently and angry for what Israel was doing? I believe it was born out of a zeal for the LORD!

Moses had removed himself from the sin of the world and had spent along time in the presence of God’s holiness. So when Moses returns to behold sin, we see the manifestation of how one should respond to sin. That is, out of a love for righteousness and hatred against unrighteousness.

This is the proper reaction against sin out of a zeal for the LORD and His HOLINESS!

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Whats does this inform me about the music I listen to?
2. What does this teach me about: God, my heart, and movies?
3. What does this call for with what we allow before our eyes?
4. Does my heart respond the same way as Moses does when I sin or am exposed to it?

A Devotional on Exodus 32 (part 1)

(For this devotional to be most effective read Exodus 32 first and perhaps even thumb through Exodus to get a general idea of the context.)

When God states to Moses that He would destroy Israel because He saw what they were doing Moses steps in and intercedes for the people.

Before diving in though, a few things must be pointed out.

It should be noted that Scripture is setting the stage with a shadow of the Christ. Moses is the shadow of Jesus. We see in the text a legitimate cause for the LORD to destroy His people. Moses steps in as a representative of Israel and pleads for MERCY.

His basis to see God relent is that God has made a promise that He must fulfill and God will be mocked if He lead a people out of Egypt only to destroy them in the wilderness because He couldn’t make them obey.

Because of this intercession of Moses, God “relented from the disaster that He had spoken of bringing on His people.”

However, this all being said it should be understood that what God stated He was going to do He could not have without lying and disgracing His name. Both of which are not possible for God. (II Tim. 2:13; Titus 1:2) Secondly, we already know from this point that YAHWEH is all knowing and doesn’t forget. So, the arguments that Moses brings to His attention, He already knew.

This makes the whole event seem pointless until you remember the point of the text is to point to Christ in which the real dilemma is solved.

How can a righteous God save a wicked people, for His name, when the very act of saving seems unjust?

Imagine a judge today pardoning a serial killer and letting him go free on the basis that he felt loving and forgiving that day, this would cause every man and woman to stand up and cry out against the injustice!

But in the Moses account no answer is given for how God can do this; because, he was the shadow, but in the Christ account it is.

Just as Moses presented himself as atonement for the people, so did Jesus Christ. However, Moses atonement offer was rejected, Jesus Christ’s atonement was not! He offered himself to appease the wrath of God and therefore became a public display of God’s justice (Romans 3:24-26) even in His justifying the ungodly (Romans 4:5).

This is Eternal Life!

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” -Jesus (recorded by the Apostle John in John 17:1-3)

Jesus defined “eternal life” as knowing God. This is the eternal life always offered in the Scriptures. If we are attempting to save anyone from or to anything else they are not getting saved.

So many today want to simply be saved from difficulties or simply saved to living forever with family and friends. Or a host of other reasons that are man-centered and have not to do with the Gospel or the Eternal Life Jesus Christ came to give.

Our churches are full of people who could care less about knowing God and yet are convinced they are saved because some pastor “Popeishly” told them they were saved. They want their worship style of music. They want their ears tickled from the pastor with whatever or they’ll take their business else where.

No wonder our churches are fighting. No wonder our churches are turning to other means for growth and success. Our churches are full of goats and wolves who think they are sheep. No wonder we have such trouble trying to get these people to behave like sheep. Because they’re NOT!

A goat is a goat. A wolf is a wolf! And a sheep is a sheep!!!

Oh LORD! Forgive us for teaching another gospel! Forgive us for idolatry! Forgive us for teaching people to worship the gift rather than the giver! We repent!!! Give us yourself! Help us to know you! Holy Spirit give us understanding of the Word. For you have spoken so clearly and revealed to us the Glory of the Son. Sanctify us in Thy Word! Thy Word is Truth!

The World HATES Christians.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you…if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.” Jesus (recorded by the Apostle John the one who our LORD loved, in John 15:19,22).

Jesus taught the reason the world would hate us is because when we fulfill the Great Commission we would command all men to repent from their sin or they will be guilty and judged for their sin.

In other words, the Gospel condemns all men in order to save men.

Now we are told by many influential Christians that we need to change the way we do church and teach the gospel because people are offended and feel condemned. “We sound judgmental.” “We sound too preachy.” etc.

Are you seeing what I am seeing. Leading Christians are telling Christians to stop condemning the unbelieving world, because the world doesn’t feel loved by it and is offended and turned off by us. And if we continue to do this the world will start hating Christians and the church.

Yeah, we already knew that. Jesus told us we would be 2,000 years ago! Now we are surprised by it?

P.S.
Check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHL9NZ1lQQ

A Humbling Thought from God's Word (John 8).

I was reading today in John 8. I recommend it to you :-) No but seriously, this is one powerful discourse that Jesus has with the Pharisees. It never ceases to amaze me how Jesus can say such harsh things so bluntly and honestly. And yet, I never doubt that He is love! For example, in John 8 Jesus tells the Pharisees:

They are ignorant (v. 14)
They judge wrongly (v.15)
They do not know God (v.19) and thus,
They are liars (v.55)
They will die in sin (v. 21)
They are slaves to sin (v. 34)
They do not believe nor love the Word of God (v.37)
They are not Jews (v.39)
They are murderers in their hearts (v. 40)
They do not love God nor His Messiah (v.42)
They deceive themselves and reject God’s Word (v.43)
They are children of the Devil (v.44)
They’re will (free-will?) is bound to do the Devil’s desire (.44)
They are not God’s children (v. 47)

When we think of Jesus does this list come to mind of things he said to people (mind you this is taken from just one chapter of one of the four Gospels). We often have a unbalanced view of Jesus going around only saying kind things and healing everybody and never judging anyone and telling everyone to not judge but just love, love, love. John speaks of Jesus as the Word in flesh who was full of “grace and truth.”

But here’s the interesting thing that stuck out to me this morning when reading John 7+8. Jesus throughout His ministry commands people to “hear” and “perceive” and understand. And yet here in John 8, Jesus makes it crystal clear that no one can: hear,see,understand, or believe unless the Father gives special grace. In fact, Jesus even tells the Pharisees that their will is bound by their father (the Devil) to do his desires (v.44). In other words Jesus gives commands to mankind that they cannot do! No wonder Jesus told them they were in slavery (v.34).

So, if you are a child of Satan, which everyone is born into this world as, then you are: blinded, deaf, deceived, and therefore unbelieving. Everyone needs to believe to see, hear, and understand. But only God’s children can do this.

So, salvation depends not on the man who runs nor the man who wills, but on God who chooses to show mercy. Salvation belongs to the LORD! In essence Jesus was telling the Pharisees, “you do not believe because you are not my children, and you are not my children because I have not made you my children!” (read John 3)

John 1:13 says, “who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh nor the will of man, but of God.”

So finally my point of humbling is this. I am saved simply because God showed me unique and peculiar mercy and grace, that He has not given to all. There is nothing I did to earn this favor from God! and yet I receive the blessings! And because of the magnitude of this salvation and the weightiness of judgment others will experience (that I deserve), I have an eternal reason to be infinitely humbled! Who would have thought that the gospel would be the source of our salvation from pride?!

A Brief Defense for Penal Substitutionary Atonement: A Commentary on Romans 3:24-26

In Romans 3, the Apostle Paul is demonstrating that all men, no matter their background, ethnicity, or knowledge, fall short of the standard by which God judges a man of being just. Therefore, in verse 23, Paul concludes that all “fall short of the glory of God.” Paul is also attempting to explain to the church in Rome why possessing the law does not make one righteous before God. But rather, the law acts more like a sign or pointer revealing to man how he does not measure up to God’s standards, and exposes the many transgressions of all men. Paul is building up the tension for his readers because up until this point he has clearly shown how all men, Jew and gentile alike, are under the wrath of God. The question then arises, “if no one is good, how can anyone get to heaven and God remain just?” For if all men are unworthy of heaven, and worthy only of hell, how can anyone receive this reward? Furthermore, how can God seemingly just drop the charges for the sins committed and remain a just judge? These are the questions Paul answers in Romans 3:24-26.

3:24. Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. This verse is picking up in mid-thought and is clearly connected to verse 23. The ESV translation of vs. 24 starts with the word and. So there is an obvious connection in Paul’s mind of the category of those who “sin and fall short” and those who are “justified.” In this verse, the author states that those who are in Christ Jesus are “justified” as a gift of grace through redemption. The word justified, used here, is used thirty-eight other times in the New Testament. Twenty-four of those times the word is translated exactly the same, the other fifteen times it is translated nearly the same only differentiated by tense of the word.

Throughout the New Testament justified is used to mean, “to show to be righteous or to declare righteous.” For example, if someone were to make the claim that they knew the president of the United States, that person and his claim would be justified if President Bush were to come over to his house and verify this person’s claim. However, this term is most often used with a courtroom motif. Schreiner states:
Justification is a legal or forensic term, belonging to the law courts. Its opposite is condemnation. Both are the pronouncements of a judge. In a Christian context they are the alternative eschatological verdicts which God the judge may pass on judgment day. So when God justifies sinners today, he anticipates his own final judgment by bringing into present what belongs properly to the last day (Schreiner 190).
So Paul argues that even though everyone sins against God and is therefore under His condemnation, those who are in Christ Jesus are no longer under that condemnation, but rather, seen as just before God and His law. Paul then goes on to explain through what means this is done.

Those who are justified are so on the basis that they have been redeemed. In the previous verse Paul stated that everyone has sinned against God. The idea could be understood that all men are therefore indebted to God. Therefore, for them to be free they must be redeemed. The word redemption is used only ten times in the New Testament. However, the word was very common to Paul’s contemporary audience. They would have most likely associated this word with the connotation of a slave being indebted and being set free due to a ransom being paid. In other words, the word redemption means, “to release on payment of ransom.” However, there has been debate on the intended meaning by Paul when he used this word. Some have argued that this word could be seen not as a ransom being paid, but rather, or simply the idea of “deliverance” or “emancipation” from slavery (Cranfield 206). That being said, the best understanding of the word is likely the idea of a ransom being paid. This can be seen for three reasons.

First, as stated before, the common understanding of this word is most commonly understood to have the imagery of a ransom being paid. There is no reason given for the reader to think otherwise.

Secondly, the immediate context is already carrying the imagery of an indebted group of people who have been ransomed. In verse 23 Paul states that all men have sinned against God. And in verse 24 Paul states that those who are in Christ Jesus have been redeemed “freely.” Why would Paul use terms such as this one if he did not intend for it to have a ransom understanding?

Lastly, looking at the Scriptures in a broader context by the same writer, Paul uses the imagery throughout his epistles with the idea of those in Jesus being there through means of a price or purchase (I Cor. 6:20). That being said, it does not mean that Paul does not have in mind the ideas of “deliverance” or “emancipation.” Rather, that is exactly what the ransomed experience on the basis of the purchase being made.

So in verse 24 Paul gives hope to the reader. This hope is found outside of the individual. It is found in Christ Jesus. However, at this point, though Paul has spoken of hope for those in Christ Jesus, he has not answered the dilemma at how a holy righteous judge can do so. Stott states it well:
Then how on earth can Paul affirm that God does what he forbids others to do; that he does what he says he will himself never do; that he does it habitually, and that he even designates himself ‘the God who justifies the wicked’ or (we might say) ‘who “righteousses” the unrighteous’? It is preposterous! How can the righteous God act unrighteously, and so overthrow the moral order, turning it upside down? It is unbelievable! (112)

Here is the point Stott is making: If God has clearly revealed that it is an abomination for a judge to condemn the righteous and justify the ungodly (Pro. 17:15), how can He then justify the ungodly? Paul goes on in verse 25 to explain.


3:25. Whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over sins previously committed. The “whom” in verse 25 refers back to Christ Jesus from the end of verse 24. Paul argues that God the Father appeals to Jesus, His Son, as a testimony to His righteousness. But how is Jesus a demonstration of God’s righteousness? In verse 23 Paul stated that all men have sinned against God and are therefore under God’s just wrath. In verse 24 Paul states that those who were under God’s just wrath have now been justified and redeemed. In other words, somehow God’s just wrath against sin has been placated, appeased, or dealt. This is what the word propitiation means.

However, all scholars do not accept this word here in Romans 3:25. Many scholars such as Dunn, Gundry, and Chalke would translate this word as expiation or as mercy seat (Dunn 180-181). There is good reason for this. For this word is used, by the translators of the Old Testament, for the LXX for the Hebrew word for mercy seat. This is the same reason why Calvin and Luther translated this word this way. Now Paul is dealing largely with the Law of Moses in the context and it is clear that the Old Testament is in mind here. However, to translate this word as expiation or mercy seat would not communicate the full meaning of the word here being used by Paul. One scholar states it best:

The main reason these options are not satisfactory, and a reference to propitiation seems necessary, is the context. In these verses Paul is describing God’s solution to the human predicament, which is not only sin but God’s wrath upon sin (1:18; 2:5; 3:5). And where there is divine wrath, there is need to avert it…In sum, it would be hard to exaggerate the differences between the pagan and the Christian views of propitiation. In the pagan perspective, human beings try to placate their bad-tempered deities with their own paltry offerings. According to the Christian revelation, God’s own great love propitiated his own holy wrath through the gift of his own dear Son, who took our place, bore our sin and died our death. Thus God himself gave himself to us to save us from himself (Stott 114-115).

As Stott and many others have stated the immediate context demands for a more full meaning that simply expiation. Seifrid states it wonderfully, saying:

According to Paul, our sins themselves are an expression of the wrath of God on idolatry, a wrath that therefore cannot legitimately be reduced to an impersonal effect or natural result of a deed (1:18-32). Humanity has been subjected by God to the power of sin (3:9). The righteousness of God effects deliverance from sin to which God’s wrath delivered us (3:24; cf. 6:1-23, esp. 6:7). Expiation is thus contingent on propitiation. Propitiation effects expiation. (620)

Finally it should be noted that to translate the word as expiation and not as propitiation would only speak of what has been done with sin and would do so at the neglect of what is done with God’s wrath (Jeffery, Ovey, and Sach 82).

This can be seen in the same verse where Paul uses the word forbearance. Forbearance means, “to bear with or endure.” In other words, because of the past sins prior to Jesus Christ not being dealt with, God was enduring something. What was God enduring? God was enduring the injustice of sins undealt with. In other words, it is God’s nature to be just! For Him to never deal with sin would be impossible. However, God did forbear the injustice for a time until Jesus Christ came. Then He sent forth His Son as the propitiation for sin “previously committed.” By doing so, God “publicly” demonstrates to the world that He is indeed just! As Clement of Rome has said, “His flesh for our flesh, and His soul, for our souls.” (Clement of Rome 1.18.) Or stated in a letter to Diognetus, “The father Himself placed upon Christ the burden of our iniquities. He gave His own Son as a ransom for us…” (Letter to Diognetus 1.28.) Jesus Christ took upon Himself the wrath against sins committed by others.
3:26. For the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. The word for at the beginning of verse 26 is connected to the last phrase in verse 25. It answers the question, “why did God pass over sins previously committed?” God passed over sins previously committed, so that, He could display His magnificent righteousness “at the present time.” Murray comments on this phrase saying,

The definite specification of time in the expression “at this present time” (vs. 26) is another example of the significance attached to the historical epoch in which God gave this demonstration of his justice. It is contrasted with the generations of the past when God’s forbearance was in exercise, and it shows that location in history belongs to those accomplishments which have a Godward reference at their centre. We are not to relegate to the realm of the superhistorical that which meets divine interest and exigencies. (121)
Paul uses the word demonstration, which means, “to prove.” This word is used three times and translated as: demonstration, proof, sign. In other words, Jesus Christ being a propitious sacrifice to God is a sign or a proof that God is indeed righteous.

What exactly is God seeking to prove by punishing sin? What is God demonstrating by giving sin its proper due? God is proving that He is indeed just. This word is used 79 times in the New Testament. It comes from a word, which means, “right.” In fact, this word is translated 48 times as righteous. So when Paul states that this is all done to display God being just, he means it shows and proves that God does indeed uphold what is right! He does not sweep the sins previously committed underneath some cosmic rug. Nor does He ignore it. He does not just “up and forgive it” either, but rather, he deals justly or rightly with sin. In this way God is not only just, but He is just in justifying the ungodly! What an awesome God. For here God clearly manifests not only that He is a just God, but that He is a loving God that would do so at the expense of His dearly loved and only Son. Only God can clearly manifest both perfect love and perfect justice in one event. One scholar writes:

Now the bearing of the cross on God’s dealings with men “at the present time” is unfolded. It amounts to a declaration that God is at once just in himself and justifying in his activity on behalf of mankind. (Harrison 45)

Or as another has said, “Christ was set forth as a sacrifice for the manifestation of the righteousness or justice of God, that is, that he might be just, although the justifier of the ungodly” (Hodge 98). The last phrase in verse 26 states the who God justifies, those who have “faith in Jesus.” In the opening of the epistle, Paul had quoted a prophet from the Old Testament stating, “The just shall live by faith.” It is here in these verses that Paul explains how that can be! One is not able to stand before God by keeping the Law of Moses or even the laws written on their own hearts. One must and can only stand before God by faith in Jesus Christ and His accomplished work on the cross.

Because of the clear argument being made here by the Apostle Paul, he closes the chapter with this being the reason God is not a respecter of persons or ethnicities. Nor will God justify anyone by works of the law. But rather, the law of faith alone will justify them. However, the question arises, “if men are justified before God apart from the law, is the law then overthrown?” Paul then begins to grapple with this question in the following chapter.

So, now that we have taken a brief examination of what Paul is talking about in Romans 3:24-26, how then should we live? It seems the best application of these truths is found in the following verse, where Paul asks a rhetorical question. “Where then is the boasting?” The answer, “It is excluded.” This is why getting Romans 3:24-26 is so crucial! Because God’s glory is at stake! And our sin is on the line! If we get these verses wrong, there will be room to boast. Perhaps this may be the biggest problem with all the other interpretations of this text. The application doesn’t fit their exegesis. But if we realize that we are all deserving of Hell. And the only reason we are not condemned, is because of the free gift of redemption “by His grace.” I cannot boast for being in Christ, or remaining there! I am there because it was given to me to be in Him. So here is how we can apply this verse specifically. The next time you encounter someone that you grow impatient with, or think less of than yourself, remember that all of us are just as lost and our only hope is Jesus. So patiently and lovingly, as a servant, point them to the only hope for mankind. That is Jesus! Boast in nothing, save the cross of Calvary! For it was there that the sinless, innocent, and just Son of God was punished with the full penalty of sin on the behalf of wicked, guilty, sinners like you and me. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b)

How BIG of a deal is Abortion in America anyways?

This spring semester I had a class called “Contemporary Issues in Science.” It was a really cool class! We had a lot of time designated to discussion in the class concerning major issues concerning ethics and contemporary science. Things like, genetic engineering, abortions, contraceptives, and tons of other issues. I had to write a paper on contraceptives and abortions. I had to develop a Biblical worldview and ethic and compare it with the science developments and explain how those issues should be seen by a Christian.

Upon doing my research I became sick with some of the information I was getting from the sources I used in my paper. Here’s the facts I came too. In 1973 America legalized abortions in every state. Since then there has been a continual increase in the amount of abortions each year when compared to the previous year. The book I was using was published in 2002. It stated that abortions were increasing by 1.6% each year. It also stated that in 2002 there was 1.4 MILLION abortions in the United States alone. I don’t know if that number registers for you but I did some more research to compare those numbers with other major events in history.

For example, since the war in Iraq has started (March 20, 2003) there has been 3,376 casualties in combat(That’s just over 5 years). Now that is a lot of people. And tied with each one of those people are loved ones and family members. However, there are 4,000 murders (abortions) of innocent children EVERYDAY in the U.S. alone! SHOCKING! I hope you are repulsed and disturbed, because you should be. This is a sad, sad, sad thing. But it get’s worse!

If I were to take ALL of the casualties of Americans in combat from the entire history of America. That is, if I were to add up all of the deaths from all of the wars in U.S history (including WWI & WWII) and then in addition to that add in all the deaths from the Holocaust it would add up to 13,760,572 deaths! That is a whole lot of people. What would you think if I told you that the amount of legalized murder of innocent children (abortions)that were done in the U.S. since 1973 more than doubles that amount? From 1973-2002 there have been over 40,000,000 ABORTIONS! However, today the death toll of innocent children in the U.S. is now over 50,000,000!!! This is genocide! Legalized genocide!

However, there is something you can do about this! This year you have the opportunity to vote. There are two candidates running. Barack H. Obama and John Mccain are the two candidates. Obama is arguably the biggest advocate for pro-choice to ever run for President. Mccain has a history and has promised to continue to be pro-life. Not only does Mccain have the ability to cut back the amount of abortions done in the United States, but also, he will have an opportunity to bring in another conservative (pro-life) supreme court judge (SCJ)! This is huge, because, we only need to have one more SCJ to have a majority of conservative SCJ. What this means is, if Mccain gets in office we could overturn the legalized abortions in the United States.

One major response I will likely get and so I thought it best to give it now is this, “Stephen, there are other important issues concerning this election other than this one topic.” I agree. However, can you think of a more pressing issue? 150 years ago there was a thing called legalized slavery. This slavery treated human beings who were less powerful as property. A man named William Wilberfore dedicated his life to stop this horrific affair. He died before seeing his dream come true. That is, to see all mankind treated equal. There were many in his time who agreed with him on his view of slavery. However, they thought it would be foolish to vote the overturn of slavery because it effected so many issues, thing like: the economy, power of the nation, the current war and other things! We look back at those people and think, “how foolish, selfish, and lost they must have been!” And yet, we are making the same mistake today! America has legalized slavery all over again. The human being in a mothers womb is not treated free! The child is not treated equal! The innocent dependent child is seen as property of the mother to “choose” whatever she wants to do with it! Please I beg you all! Do not make the same mistake our forefathers made!

A Brief Biography of the life and theology of John Calvin.

Introduction

John Calvin is arguably one of the most influential scholars in Christendom history. Calvin is largely responsible for the development of many doctrines including the system of Covenant Theology. Perhaps the greatest thinker from the Reformation is John Calvin. In the short 54 years lived (Piper 121) Calvin wrote tracts and books, preached thousands of sermons, established school known internationally, and trained many future pastors to send out into the world to spread the gospel to the four corners of the earth.

This paper will do a brief introduction to the life and doctrine of John Calvin. Due to many misconceptions and lack of research done by the common man, John Calvin has been largely misunderstood and sadly misrepresented by many. He is more often than not known for his forming of the doctrines of grace and the so-called killing of people in Geneva. Hopefully this paper will clarify some of those issues and act as a proper memorial to a man who dedicated his life to proclaiming the glory of God.

A brief background on the life of John Calvin

On July 10, 1509, Gerard Calvin and Jeanne Le Franc had a baby boy, their second. They were a middle class family in Noyon, a small city in the northern French province of Picardy…The baby boy, Jean, turned out to be smart, and when the time came, his father used his connections to get him a good education. (Elwood 1)

Calvin had just turned 8 years old when Martin Luther had nailed his famous 95 theses on the door of a church, which began the Reformation. Although John Calvin is recognized as one of the major reformers, he was one of untimely birth. Luther and Zwingli were already well-established reformers and known all across Europe, when Calvin was just beginning his education in (Roman Catholic) theology in Paris, France. His father had pulled some strings to get him into school there. Gerard had known the right people from his work place. Although, later John’s father fell out of good standing with the Catholic church, and so, Gerard sent him to study law (Piper 122).

Half a decade later Calvin went to study his passion at the time, the classics. His father had died and he felt free to chase after this love of his. He also took up Greek and wrote a book called Commentary on Seneca (Piper 122). Sometime in the early 1530’s Calvin had caught a glimpse of the glory of God and he was radically changed.

Many scholars have charged Calvin with being heartless and cruel to those who differed with him in doctrinal beliefs, claiming he would have people killed if they would dare to contradict anything he taught. This is simply not true. Calvin is not responsible for any mans’ death. However, what is often referred to for proof is the account of the individual Servetus who was beheaded in the town that John Calvin had much influence over as pastor. The man had attempted to have Calvin killed on a couple of occasions using deceit and hit men. Both times Calvin was preserved by what could best be called providence. Later this man had attempted to not only deny the doctrine of the Trinity but also espouse his view to many of the citizens of Geneva. He had warrants on him for death from the Roman Catholic Church as well. Calvin had met with him on a number of occasions to correct him of his doctrinal error but he refused to recant this heresy. The punishment in Geneva for holding to such a doctrine was death. Calvin likely could have talked the city council out of this, but after no change in Servetus, he approved of the decision made by the council on one condition, that they give him a quick and easy death. They agreed and had Servetus beheaded.

At the age of thirty-one Calvin was finally married. John Piper states that many women had made attempts at winning the heart of young and zealous Calvin (Piper 131). In fact some believe Calvin actually had some matchmakers working for him. However, it was a widower of an Anabaptist that caught the eye of John Calvin. When asked what Calvin was looking for in a wife he stated, “The only beauty which allures me is this—that she be chaste, not too nice or fastidious, economical, patient, likely to take care of my health” (Parker 70). Calvin’s new wife’s name was “Idelette” and she brought a son and a daughter with her.

Many have thought of Calvin as one who formed his doctrine and theology up in an “ivory tower”, and although this may have been Calvin’s desire, he never had that luxury. Instead, Calvin was familiar with much suffering and death. He lost all three of his children from his beloved wife at birth or soon after. And after only 9 years of marriage his wife also joined their children in the grave. After the death of his love he wrote:

You know well how tender, or rather soft, my mind is. Had not a powerful self-control been given to me, I could not have borne up so long. And truly, mine is no common source of grief. I have been bereaved of the best companion of my life, of one who, had it been so ordained, would have willingly shared not only my poverty but even my death. During her life she was the faithful helper of my ministry. From her I never experienced the slightest hindrance. She was never troublesome to me throughout the whole course of her illness, but was more anxious about her children than about herself. As I feared these private worries might upset her to no purpose, I took occasion three days before she died, to mention that I would not fail in discharging my duty towards her children (Parker 71).

Calvin also had a deep love and devotion to his sheep. He gave much time to study to protect them from many false teachers. The idea of Calvin living a life in an “ivory tower” is simply a lie. Contrary to popular belief Calvin’s doctrine of God’s sovereignty was formed in the midst of suffering and pain. In fact, it was the doctrine of God’s sovereignty that comforted him in these times of trials and testing.

After the death of his wife and children Calvin gave himself wholeheartedly to the local church. He often preached everyday and twice on Sundays, all the while giving three lectures in theology a week. He also gave countless hours in visiting the sick and counseling those in need.

However, this workload was done at the expense of his health. Calvin was given over to tremendous migraines and stomach pains. His poor health led eventually to colic and the spitting of blood, as well as, “the ‘excruciating sufferings’ from his hemorrhoids” (Piper 134). All of this took place while angry mobs fired large guns outside at his home. This sickness brought the death of John Calvin at a relatively young age of 54.

But Calvin’s legacy still goes on nearly 500 years after his death. Much of his writings are still influencing many men and woman in their understanding of the Scriptures. His books have also served many pastors in their endeavor to serve their sheep faithfully as Calvin did.

A brief look at John Calvin’s theology

Much of Calvin’s theology can be found his most famous work Institutes of Christian Religion. This work had a number of revisions but the purpose was the same from start to finish. Calvin sought to give an apology to the King for why the Protestants were true to the historic faith of Christianity. His hope was to stop the persecution of many Christians and establish the reputation of the Protestant’s young faith.

Perhaps there could have not been a better man for the job, for Calvin was well acquainted with the doctrines of not only the Roman Catholics but also was very well versed in the church fathers. In fact, Calvin often appealed to the church fathers to authenticate the doctrines that emerged from the Reformation.

This all being said, Calvin would have hardly thought of his Institutes of Christian Religion as exhaustive. He also had his sermons transcripted which later became a complete set commentary on the Bible.

It has often been said that Calvin’s theology ran on railroad tracks. Those tracks were the word of God and the Holy Spirit. To Calvin the two were inseparable and they ran parallel to each other. The Word of God was the objective truth revealed by God. The Holy Spirit would animate the Word of God and it worked on a subjective level at communicating to the reader through the objective word. He states:

The work of the Spirit, then, is joined to the word of God. But a distinction is made, that we may know that external word is of no avail by itself, unless animated by the power of the Spirit…All power of action, then, resides in the Spirit Himself (Azurdia III 97).

By doing this Calvin could have confidence and certainty in what the Word of God states. This thought process was way ahead of his time. Many scholars are still trying to pull apart and develop this idea that Calvin pioneered. Many today have fallen into a black hole of uncertainty and despair. Perhaps it would do contemporary Christian leaders some good to read more of John Calvin and a little less of these Emergent works.

The Institutes of Christian Religion was a 4-piece (book) set. The first book deals with knowing God as creator. He states, “For how can the thought of God penetrate your mind without your realizing immediately that, since you are his handiwork… you owe your life to him?” (Nichols 69). The second book deals with knowing God as redeemer. The third book dealt with how to apply the knowledge of God as creator and redeemer. The last book dealt with the church and things such as church government.

Calvin had a well-developed view of faith. This may be largely due to the new doctrine of sola fide or perhaps because of his development of the harmony between the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Whatever the motivation was, Calvin developed a well-rounded doctrine of faith. He describes faith as:

A firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Elwood 83).

He goes on to explain that faith has three aspects to it. It is personal, not mustered by man, and functions with knowledge.

Calvin had also been one who was fascinated by and consumed with a passion for God’s glory. He longed to behold it, understand it, and herald it to all. Calvin saw the glory of God most clearly displayed in the gospel. This drove Calvin to really develop a well-thought out study and examination of scripture concerning the gospel. With Calvin’s well-developed view of faith came a proper understanding of what that faith did. For Calvin, faith was the only means by which one could receive grace unto salvation. But how did this all work? What exactly took place when one believed in the work of Jesus Christ? Calvin writes:

We explain justification simply as the acceptance with which God receives us into his favor as righteous men. And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness… You see that our righteousness is not in us but in Christ, that we possess it only because we partakers in Christ; indeed, with him we possess all its riches… To declare that by him alone we are accounted righteous, what else is this but to lodge our righteousness in Christ’s obedience, because the obedience of Christ is reckoned to us as if it were our own? (Calvin 727, 753).

Calvin fought for this doctrine. And he suffered much for this doctrine of imputation of Christ’s righteousness. It is sad that so many are quick to drop this doctrine after 500 years because of some new wind of doctrine.

Perhaps the most misunderstood teaching of John Calvin is what is often called “Calvinism.” The most common understanding by both Calvinist and Arminians is the idea that the 5 points of Calvinism were written and structured by John Calvin. However, the 5 points were a response to a doctrinal statement written to a counsel in Holland.

In 1610, just one year after the death of James Arminius (a Dutch seminary professor), his followers drew up five articles of faith based upon his teachings. The Arminians, as his followers came to be called, presented these five doctrines to the State of Holland in the form of a “Remonstrance” (i.e., a protest). The Arminian party insisted that the Belgic Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg Catechism (the official expression of the doctrinal position of the Church of Holland) be changed to conform to the doctrinal views contained in the Scripture (Steele, Thomas, and Quinn 3-4).

A counsel met for the next 9 months and had 154 sessions. There were well over a hundred pastors from several different countries who met to examine this protest to see whether there be any truth in the 5 articles made. The response to the 5 points was another five points by the Great Synod. These five points became commonly known as the “five points of Calvinism.”

That being said, most would agree that those five points were not only and primarily in agreement with Scripture that they are also in agreement with John Calvin’s understanding of salvation (though some attempt to argue against this point).

The five points were: Total Depravity, Unconditional Elect, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the saints. It formed an acronym of a very common flower in Holland, that is, the TULIP.

The doctrine of total depravity was nothing new by Calvin. This doctrine had been formulated long before Calvin was even born. It was first developed as a response to a heretic known as Pelagius. Pelagius taught that man could work his way to heaven. Augustine was known for his well thought out response to Pelagius, the church soon after deemed Pelagius a heretic. Later, another false teaching arose that was called “Semi-Pelagian.” It was quite similar to what James Arminius’ followers wrote up as a protest (although hundreds of years before Arminius). Due to both of these false doctrines the doctrine of total depravity was well developed before Calvin. In addition, Luther had also developed the doctrine a bit more by stating, due to the fall of man, his will is bound to his nature, which is corrupted and therefore can choose nothing else but sin.

The doctrine of unconditional elect was well developed by Calvin. To Calvin this doctrine was closely linked to the very nature of God, that is, the Great I AM. God could not look outside Himself for decisions or plans for that would be contrary to the very essence of who God is and has revealed Himself to be. This doctrine was taught and preached to comfort his sheep. Because one who knew God was all good and all sovereign one could trust in Him no matter the suffering and pain. This idea had its overflow into how and whom God chose for salvation.

Limited atonement is likely the most misunderstood of the five points. Some have attempted to argue that Calvin never held to this particular doctrine. However, the majority of avid readers of Calvin believe he held to this doctrine. The idea is that there is a particular and unique atonement for those whom God had chosen to save, as opposed to those who would not believe.

Irresistible grace outflows from points 1-3, because, man is totally unable to choose God, so God predestines to save particular persons, by applying the unique atonement to those chosen with an effectual calling that enables the person to a saving faith that is sure. Some have argued that this doctrine is the crucial clinching point between the Roman Church and the Protestants.

Perseverance of the saints is the doctrine that has been “practically” dropped by many self-proclaiming Calvinists. Many have abandoned this doctrine for a doctrine called “once saved always saved.” That doctrine is perhaps one of the most dangerous doctrines within Orthodoxy. It is not only doctrinally deficient but has given many Christians over to licentiousness. It is perhaps more harmful than Arminianism in this respect. The warning passages in scripture no longer act as anything. For a person who makes a profession is encouraged to never doubt his salvation no matter how unrepentant he or she may be. This would be abominable in Calvin’s mindset of God’s work in man. Calvin invested much time in developing a doctrine we often take for granted, that is, sanctification.

Another doctrine that was fine-tuned by Calvin was the doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement. This idea of Jesus’ death on the cross actually having an effect on God was crucial. God must punish sin! He must be appeased! However, it pleased the Father to crush the Son in the place of sinners. Calvin wrote, “Not only was salvation given to us through the Christ, but, by his grace the Father is now favorable to us” (Quiggle 142).

In other words, something took place on the cross that caused the Father to now show favor to those who were once His enemies. This was the atoning work of Jesus Christ. In the last two decades this doctrine has also gotten a lot of disagreement from within even the evangelical camp.

Conclusion

John Calvin lived a short life but by the sovereign grace of God he accomplished much for His glory. He was well acquainted with sorrow and suffering. He lived much of his life fleeing from persecution. He lived longer than all of his children and had to bear the death of his beloved wife.

To this day, Calvin is misunderstood and sometimes even hated for his doctrines. But much of it was formed in a life of suffering and seeking the glory of God in all of it. He was not perfect. However, he is another example to us what God can do through the life of a man who surrenders his life to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

May God use this life to stir in the hearts of men and women all across the world to be convinced and propelled by a certainty in the promises of God. That God may raise up a generation of people of faith who believe that God is faithful and the rewarder of those who seek Him.

To a generation that has almost completely lost any sense of conviction, passion, and sense of purpose in life. To a generation that is highly skeptical of everything including God’s word, and doubts God’s ability to clearly communicate to us. To a generation that is man-centered and has lost the vision of the Glory of God! This would be John Calvin’s message to our generation!

No Heavenly Good!

This is a journal entry of mine from reading Philippians 3:19. The commentary is on Phil. 3:19d. Philippians 3:19-20 says, “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. . .”

“we are so earthly minded we are no heavenly good! Notice: Scripture never warns of being ‘too’ heavenly minded, for it is not the tendency of man to do so, but rather it is the tendency of man to set his mind (heart) on earthly things.

But, it is those who are most heavenly minded who are the most good for the world. Think of Abraham who lived in the land of promise, as though he were in a foreign land, because he was looking for a heavenly city, and was it not John, the apostle of love, who was given visions of things to come from heavens point of view, or the Apostle Paul, who set his mind on the heavenly mysteries and sought to reveal those things to the saints, was it not also Paul who was caught up to the third heaven, and finally look at our LORD Jesus Christ whose mind was only heavenly, and did only the will of His Father.

Did not the LORD Jesus accomplish all good things for all in His life, which was set only on the heavenly. I would submit to you that the saying, ‘he is so heavenly minded, that he is no heavenly good’ is what the Devil has whispered in our ears when we are walking in the flesh, and so, we accept it.

However, in a sense this statement is true. The earthly minded have never accepted the heavenly things. Look at: Cain, or Esau, or stiff-necked Israel to the heavenly oracles of God from the prophets, or finally the Pharisees. For it would seem that the most heavenly minded man (Jesus) was no earthly good to them. Perhaps the problem is not the heavenly minded, but rather, the earthly good.

And humbly I must accept, this is only a problem the Holy Spirit can solve and no man! This is what the Apostle Paul meant in I Corinthians 2:6-16″

which says,
“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’ these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” (italics added for emphasis)

"Legalism or Liberalism that is the question. . ." (Part 3)

Due to the “Introduction” blog for this third part we will just dive right in. So first let us examine the question asked from part 1,

“(H)ow would you counsel the person who says, ‘I am not burdened by the law…but by the battle that my sin nature fights against the law. I love the love, but I hate the sin which is in me…essentially, breaking the law.’ I think about this sometimes and [my spouse] and I have discussed it at length as well. Being that we are new creatures with a new heart…why does it seem so difficult at times to keep the law. And I don’t mean burdensome, but truly difficult b/c as you’ve pointed out even when we ‘keep the law’ outwardly, sometimes our heart’s motives are wicked (as Jesus showed in the Pharisees). This is the burden for me at least…my own wicked heart. It’s the constant examination of motives, having sorrow over sin, and of course (first and foremost) REFLECTING on what Christ has done for us which brings peace.”

I believe the question here is, “Why do we still have this struggle? How are Christians to properly deal with the internal and external struggle to do what is right? How may I find victory and counsel others in this venue?”

Part 1 of the question

Let’s first examine “Why do we still have this struggle?” The question is a good one. “If I am in the New Covenant and therefore have a “new heart” that loves and knows God, why do I still struggle with sin and often fail?” Biblically speaking, if the heart is the center of man and from his heart flow all things, how can sin still come from a man whose heart is good? Shouldn’t only good flow from a man that possesses a good heart?

Yes and No. I will deal with the “yes” first and then with the “no”.

Jesus spoke that good trees only produce good fruit. And that bad trees can only produce bad fruit. When scripture speaks concerning categories of man, more often than not it speaks of only two types. For example: Those who hear and those who don’t hear, those who see and those who don’t see, those who believe and those who don’t believe, those who love and those who hate, those who produce good fruit and those who produce bad fruit, those who are in the light and those who are in the darkness, those who are alive and those who are dead, etc. (you get the point). What I mean to say is that the Bible does not leave a third category very often. So you are either saved or you are not. In this sense, yes, only good flows from a good heart!

Throughout Paul’s epistles he is having to rebuke genuine believers for sinning though they are regenerate and have new hearts! Why is this? Paul states that the reason a Christian does sin is not because he wants to, but rather, because while Christians remain here on the earth they are still in bodies that are corrupt and are being more and more corrupt as time goes on (II Cor. 5:2; Eph. 4:22). This is commonly called “indwelling sin.”

In other words, the reason for the struggle is due to your flesh waging war against you (or your new heart). However, scripture speaks of the flesh that fights against the believer so distinctly that it is almost seen as no longer part of the believer’s personhood.( I Peter 2:11; Romans 7:20). Think of this indwelling sin as an active evil that labors to keep the eyes of your heart off of the solution to your problem, and therefore brings forth death.

The closest example I can think of for this “indwelling sin” might be cancer. The person’s desire is to live a full life, but there is an active evil disease that is seeking and laboring without rest to produce death continually in the cancer patient, to the point of ultimate death!

Part 2 of the question

“How are Christians to properly deal with the internal and external struggle to do what is right?”

Christians are to deal with this time of struggle with unexplainable hope and joy. This is what is commanded of us! Because death has been destroyed and our victory is sure, we are to live in such a way with such hope and joy that the world will be attracted to us (I Peter 1:13, 3:15) . Do not confuse this with the world being attracted to our source of hope and joy. Rather they will be attracted to the simple and clear display of the Christians’ hope and joy in the midst of this suffering life. For when told that our source of joy and hope is in “a hated, despised, crucified Messiah, who has risen and is now King over all things including them” the world’s only response can be HATRED apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:7; Ephesians 2:1-2; John 3; I Cor. 2:6-16).

But nevertheless this is what we are to do in the midst of this waiting period. Take note as well that this is the only period in the Christian’s life where he/she can hope. For we are told in Romans 8:24-25 that when our Hope is met it is no longer hope for it will have come!

An Example

In the time of Jesus it was a common event for a king, conquering new lands, to send out town-criers to proclaim the news to all the citizens and people. These town-criers were not predicting what was going to happen but rather proclaiming the facts, declarative statements to inform the people of what had happened. They would go about the land and herald the good news that there was a new king of the land. Now, though the King had won the war, it would take time to remove all the rebels and establish the fullness of the extension of that king’s kingdom. But the establishing and reality of this new kingdom was as good as a done deal. Imagine yourself a steward of that king (that had won), but who was currently imprisoned in the opposing armies camp. What hope and joy you will have even in the prison camp when you get word of the good news through the heralding of the town-crier. Those who are on the outside of the prison will be hopeless and joyless while appearing free while you will be full of joy and hope though you appear to be in prison! This is like the sure hope and joy we should have to the world.

Part 3 of the question

But you may be asking, “how can I find victory in this struggle, and how should I counsel others?” Do you remember how I stated that our “indwelling sin” is an “active evil that labors to keep the eyes of your heart off of the solution to your problem”? The victory we are to find is linked to the very thing our flesh strives to keep our eyes off of!

Examine II Corinthians 3:18. It states that we are sanctified as we are “beholding the glory of the LORD” In the context Paul is attempting to argue that he is a minster of a greater covenant than that even of Moses (I encourage you to read II Cor. 3-7:1 sometime after you finish this post)! So throughout the chapters Paul compares the two covenants and how the power and glory of the new surpasses that of the old so much that there is no longer any glory in the old.

The New Covenant brings in not just a new standard for people and God to relate, but rather, with the establishing of a New Covenant comes a whole new creation (i.e. new heavens and heaven, New Earth, new heart, new bodies, new temple, new law, new priesthood, new people, NEW EVERYTHING!). This was God’s intention from the very beginning and He sought the fulfillment of it, the moment Adam (the head of all creation) sinned and so all of creation fell with him. Thus, the need for a covenant that would restore all things!

But how was this covenant fulfilled? In JESUS! But when was this covenant fulfilled? At the cross! So the GOSPEL is the most clear revelation of the glory of God! By reflecting, studying, and savoring the gospel (which is the glory of Jesus Christ, who is God), we are sanctified (II Corinthians 3:18; 4:3-4)! In other words, when we strive to see Jesus in all His splendor (which is revealed in the gospel), and believe the truths revealed therein, we are victorious over our sin and will see a gradual growth into the image of God’s beloved Son! John Piper puts it this way, “God is the gospel!”

What I am saying is, the Bible declares that we become most like that which we set our eyes most upon! For examples of this look to Isaiah and the Psalms where God tells Israel that they are blind and deaf because they have worshiped (set their eyes on) false gods who cannot see nor hear! But when we set our eyes upon the “finished” work of Christ and “rest” in Him, it is there that we find our hope and our joy. It will be there that we find our strength and our peace. It is there that we discover our victory and our life. And it is there that we find our salvation!

John, the apostle of love put it like this, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (I John 3:2-3, bold italic was added for emphasis)

I remember my wife Ashley-Nicole relaying to me this account. “When I was a little girl I used to admire how my dad could walk so fast! So I would fix my eyes hard upon his steps and watch closely where his feet were stepping. As I intently looked at where my daddy had stepped I found that the natural inclination for me was to step where his feet had been stepping. And so, I learned to walk like my dad by fixing my eyes on him.”

This is what we are to do! Fix our eyes on Jesus! Treasure and admire the way Jesus walked! And as we behold the glory of Jesus, we will be transformed from one degree to the next. The end is sure for all those in Christ Jesus, for it depends solely on the accomplished work of Christ! And because He has fulfilled the law and lives, we know we have fulfilled the law and live in Him. He is the firstfruits and our victory is as sure as His resurrection. We may appear to be enslaved to the enemy but the true reality is we are free and the enemy is joyless and hopeless while we await sure victory!

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” -Paul in I Corinthians 15:58