Evangeliku

Why Suffering, Lord?

2009-07-01T06:02:00.000+02:00

(Gospel e-Letter - July 2009)

Why is there sickness, suffering and death? You are all-powerful and merciful, why then do you withhold healing, Lord? Could it be that you don’t hear our groans or you don’t notice the tears upon our cheeks?

In the beginning you created everything good and perfect. You formed us in your own image and called us to enjoy your fellowship and sweet love. You also warned us that sin brings forth death. But our first parents disobeyed and rebelled against your rule, and we too, by our sins, persist in that rebellion against our Maker.

Consequently, today we do not see a beautiful garden, but thorns and briars, drought and corruption. Enough beauty remains that we may be reminded of your goodness. But now our joy is mixed with sorrow, health is endangered by sickness, and life is threatened by death, so that we may never forget how hideous is our sin in your holy eyes, and how bitter is its fruit.

You had warned us in the beginning, and you warn us again and again. If we remain obstinate and unrepentant, there will be far worse sufferings in the unquenchable fire of hell. Teach me, O Lord, to walk in your fear, to despise what you despise, to hate sin which has brought such widespread destruction and misery. Grant me a repentant heart, to shy away from every form of evil, and take up the narrow road that leads to everlasting life.

When you visit me with sickness, Lord, grant me faith that I may trust in you, because you have ever been and remain in perfect control of everything. A sparrow will not fall to the ground unless you will it, even so my life is in your hands, Lord. If you desire, you can heal me; if not, may your will be done. You do not capriciously put me to the test, but in wisdom you are able to overrule my sufferings to accomplish you good purpose for my welfare and for your own glory.

When I lack understanding and my sight is blurred by tears, teach me to remain silent and to refrain from uttering a single word of protest against you. When you will have me pass through the valley of the shadow of death, you will surely remember your promise. You will not leave me alone in the darkness of the night. Be close to me, O Lord; you are my help and my only comfort. I kiss your invisible hand that guides me, and wholeheartedly worship you, the only blessed God.

Draw me closer to the cross, o Lord, for you are not a stranger to suffering and pain. Lord, you left heaven’s glory, and willingly chose to serve rather than be served. You were crowned with a crown of thorns, O my King; they stripped you and nailed you to the accursed tree. You, the holy and pure, did not deserve to suffer and die; but you took upon yourself my sickness and my sin. You accepted the punishment that was due to me. Your cross, O Lord, is my healing; your blood cleanses me from all my blemishes and shame.

So I look forward with hope; the grave isn’t the final stop of this short journey. Just as you conquered death and arose victoriously from the grave, O Lord, I will live again when, by your powerful word, you will call me back to life. You will clothe me with an incorruptible body, wipe away every tear from my eyes, heal me from every disease and make me completely whole. On that day, O Lord, I will ask no more about suffering.

Poll - June 2009

2009-06-29T22:41:00.002+02:00

Did Christ redeem the whole world?

Yes 36 (62%)
No 21 (36%)
Don't know 1 (1%)

Total votes: 58. Poll closed.

Comment

The Bible defines 'redemption' as the 'forgiveness of sins'. Now if Christ redeemed the whole world, the sins of every single person who ever lived or ever will live, are forgiven. Which is clearly not the case. Therefore Christ did not redeem the whole world. Christ redeemed his people, his church, and nobody else.

Carmen Christi

2009-06-01T16:00:00.000+02:00

(Gospel e-Letter - June 09)

‘Carmen Christi’ (or ‘Hymn of Christ’) is the traditional title of a wonderful passage of Scripture, Philippians 2:6-11, which speaks of the humility of Christ and his subsequent glorification. We are exhorted to have the same attitude of Christ...

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Before his conception in the womb of the virgin Mary, the Son existed eternally in the form of God, ‘being in very nature God.’ We exist in human form because we are human; Christ exists in the form of God because he is truly God.

His divine glory was manifest in heaven and he was served and worshipped by all the angels. Yet he made an incredible choice. He ‘did not consider equality with God something to be grasped’ even though he fully deserved such honour. He set aside his divine rights and privileges in order to serve us and accomplish our redemption. The Maker and Master of creation ‘made himself nothing’! Deity was veiled in humanity. ‘He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.’

The Lord took the form of a servant; he came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Moreover, the Law-giver ‘became obedient’ and was born under the Law. Finally, he lowered himself to the very bottom by submitting himself to crucifixion, the most degrading form of execution known to the ancient world reserved for the worst criminals. Even more, the cross is the symbol of divine judgement for the Scriptures say, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’

Behold Christ in his humiliation -- from the divine glory of heaven, coming down to earth as a man, a servant and sin-bearer. Life was killed; the Blessed was cursed; the Holy One was made sin for us!

But the story of Christ does not end with his burial. Indeed if Christ was not raised, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. Praise God, the final act of the drama of redemption takes us to the highest heaven.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Previously, ‘it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer’, but now, ‘God exalted him to the highest place.’ Previously ‘he was despised and we esteemed him not’, now God ‘gave him the name that is above every name’.

As Christians we rejoice to see our Saviour so exalted above the heavens because we know who Jesus is – God incarnate – and what sufferings and humiliation he had to go through for our salvation. But the Father insists that every rational creature shall recognize and confess that he who once was nailed to the cross is the Lord of lords, ‘that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow’. Every man and woman, whether saved or lost, all the angels and even the demons, must give divine worship to Jesus Christ. For the Lord God had said,

By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
(Isaiah 45:23).

Do you acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and your God? Have you turned to him for salvation? Are you living in obedience to him? Do you gladly bow your knees before Christ in adoration? I sincerely hope that you do so with exceedingly great joy.

Poll - May 2009

2009-05-30T15:55:00.002+02:00

Do you think that the Second Coming of Christ will happen in our generation?

Yes 20 (40%)
No 12 (24%)
Don't know 18 (36%)

Total votes: 50. Poll closed.

Comment

I pray that the Lord will come soon, but I don't know when he is coming back - the Bible simply does not tell us. In the meantime, today is our opportunity to be holy and work for Christ and the gospel. That is the best preparation before we meet with him in the air.

Poll - April 2009

2009-04-29T19:21:00.003+02:00

Can anyone see the Lord without holiness?

Yes 11 (23%)
No 33 (70%)
Don't know 3 (6%)

Total votes: 47. Poll closed.

Comment

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).

The Blood of His Cross

2009-04-20T07:42:00.002+02:00

(Gospel e-Letter - May 2009)

On Good Friday several parishes in my country hold processions to mark the passion and death of Christ. As part of this religious pageant, men carry heavy wooden crosses on their shoulders or drag heavy iron chains fastened to their ankles. They do so to fulfill a vow and as a form of penance, that is, to make satisfaction for their sins.

Their zeal and religious devotion is evident, and we should not doubt their seriousness and sincerity. Conscious of their failures, they are making a heroic effort to cleanse their souls and please God.

Sadly their zeal is not according to the knowledge of the gospel. The apostle Paul addresses a similar situation in his letter to the Colossians. Some Christians in that church had taken it upon themselves to follow certain ascetic practices which were not commanded by Christ or the apostles. But Paul denounced them as mere “commandments and doctrines of man”; he declares that, “these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”

God is not impressed by our religious creativity nor is the harsh treatment of the body of any spiritual value. On the contrary human traditions distract our attention from the one and only remedy for sin. God has exhibited his Son, nailed on the cross, as the all-sufficient font where sinners can be thoroughly washed from their sins.

On the eve of his passion, the Lord Jesus declared that the new covenant is sealed with his blood “which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). God set forth his Son “as a propitiation by His blood, through faith” (Romans 3:25); the faithful are assured that we are now “justified by His blood” (Romans 5:9); “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7); and that we are at peace with God “through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20).

Furthermore the Bible teaches that the blood of Christ, who offered himself without spot to God, cleanses the conscience; and that his people have boldness to enter heaven by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:14; 10:19). The apostle John puts it beautifully: “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is no wonder that the saints in heaven will forever sing in praise of Christ’s sacrifice, saying, you “have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

This then is our choice; we can either listen to the Word of God or approach him through our own religious inventions. We may have never carried a cross on our shoulder or dragged a chain for long, painful hours to make satisfaction for sins. But the concept of penance is an integral part of the Catholic religion; if you are a Catholic, your confessor must have told you, as he told me so many times, to say prayers, fast, or do some other religious act, as a form of penance.

But the Bible tells us to look away from ourselves and fix our gaze on the sinless Man that was nailed between heaven and earth. Let us cease from our puny efforts to justify ourselves; let us call on the name of Christ and trust in Him alone for salvation. Truly the blood of Jesus cleanses our soul from every trace of sin.

They Shall Never Perish

2009-03-27T21:03:00.001+01:00

(Gospel e-Letter - April 2009)

The Lord Jesus tells us, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” He goes on to give us this wonderful promise, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28). More blessed words of comfort and reassurance have never been uttered!

The security of the sheep is guaranteed by the faithfulness and omnipotence of our Good Shepherd. Since he promised that they shall never perish, we can be sure that not even one of his sheep will ever be lost. There is no stronger creature in the universe that is able to open the protecting hand of the Lord and steal away one of his own.

However some Christians think that a true believer can end up in hell for one reason or another. They reject the assurance of eternal life because they fear that it will encourage presumption and reckless living.

Such fears are not groundless. There are indeed many nominal Christians that shamefully abuse the promise of Christ. They imagine that they will go to heaven even though they live like the devil, because, they say, ‘Once saved, always saved’. On the Day of Judgement, they will discover their delusion and folly when it is too late.

The Lord’s speech is clear and we have no excuse to misunderstand him. He said clearly who are they that will never perish. The Lord does not give assurance on the basis of church affiliation, baptism or some other religious act.

Some members of the Catholic Church will be lost, just as some members in evangelical and Protestant churches. There will be many baptized people in hell, whether they had been baptised as infants or adults, by pouring or immersion. Many who made “a decision for Christ” and prayed “the sinners’ prayer” will never make it to heaven. And many who call themselves “Christians” will be disowned by Christ on that Day.

The sheep that belong to Christ’s flock are characterized by two marks, one on their ears and another on their feet. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” These then are the characteristics of Christ’s sheep, they hear and follow the Shepherd. They heard his call to repentance and his invitation to come to him for spiritual rest. They continue to hear his Word every day, and consistently walk in obedience to his commandments in holiness and love.

We should not ask whether his sheep can ever be lost; that is an insult to the Shepherd, and a disbelief in his faithfulness and power. We should rather ask whether we are truly his sheep, that is, if we sincerely love him with all our heart. Only then we can be confident that we belong to Christ and that we have life everlasting.

Poll - March 2009

2009-03-05T05:25:00.007+01:00

Does the Catholic Church teach that fasting is a way to make satisfaction for sin?

Yes 46 (50%)
No 38 (41%)
Don't know 7 (7%)

Total votes: 91. Poll closed.

Comment

The Catechism of the Catholic Church includes fasting as one form of penance (paragraph 1434). The same catechism defines penance thus:

"Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin; he must 'make satisfaction for' or 'expiate' his sins. This satisfaction is also called 'penance'." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph. 1459).

Therefore the Catholic Church definitely teaches that fasting is a way to make satisfaction for sin. It does not teach that satisfaction is the only purpose -- for instnace, in the Cathecism of Pius X, three reasons are given: "Fasting serves to dispose us better to prayer; to do penance for past sins; and to preserve us from sinning again." Still, one of the purposes, is to do penance or satisfaction for past sins.

This is contrary to the Bible; the Word of God does not teach that our fasting, or anything we do, makes reparation to the justice of God for our sins. The Bible teaches that their is only one way of reconciliation and propitiation: the cross of Jesus!

Today in Paradise

2009-03-01T13:00:00.001+01:00

(Gospel e-Letter - March 2009)

One of the two men that were crucified with Jesus is now in heaven. His relatives and friends did not need to offer prayers and sacrifices in suffrage for his soul after his death. There was no need because he was with the Lord on the same day he left this world. We know this because the promise of Christ cannot fail. Since Jesus told him, ‘Today you shall be with me in paradise’ (Luke 23:42, 43), we can be certain that ‘today’- the day of his death – he was with Christ in heaven.

But why did he go to heaven? Was he without sin? Was he a righteous man who had lived a good and holy life?

Whether or not he was without sin, the Bible tells us plainly that he was a criminal; he was a thief! He openly admitted his sinfulness and that he deserved the death penalty. He rebuked the other thief, ‘We are punished justly,' he told him, 'for we are getting what our deeds deserve.’ So he did not enter the glory of heaven because he was without sin; on the contrary he is in paradise despite his many sins!

Can we say, perhaps, that after his conversion, he lived such a godly life that he deserved eternal life? No, by no means, for this man repented on the very last day of his life. He did not have the opportunity to dedicate his life in obedience to God. If he had the opportunity, undoubtedly, his lifestyle would have radically changed because God gives a new heart to those he forgives and empowers them to walk in holiness. But in the particular circumstances of this man, it is clear that he had few good works to take with him. He is in heaven despite the lack of personal merit.

Here then is a man burdened with guilt and devoid of any merits, and yet he is in heaven. Where can we find the reason for his salvation? He did not find it in himself, or in anything he did, but in the Man crucified in the middle, in Jesus Christ! The sinner appealed to the sinless one, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He found pardon and merit in the Lord, and we, if we do likewise, we will find our redemption in Christ too. For he bore our sins in his body on the tree; he who is just, died for us the unjust to reconcile us to God.

Ask yourself about your hope of salvation. ‘Will my hope stand fast on my deathbed?’ Maybe I will be able to say, ‘I merit heaven because I’m not a sinner,’ or perhaps, ‘I merit heaven because I’m a righteous person’? No, most definitely no! Like the thief on the cross, I confess, and will continue to confess to my last breath, I am a sinner, I’m guilty, I deserve condemnation and hell; and with the apostle Paul, and with all those who had the privilege to live many years in the service of the Lord, I will confess, ‘he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy' (Titus 3:5).

What will my confidence be as I walk the dark valley of death? My confidence is Jesus, the Lord Jesus is my only hope! I have called on his name, ‘Jesus remember me’, and I am convinced that on that day the Lord will not forget me; he will remember me; he will take me with him to heaven. For glorious and true is his promise, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’

Poll - February 2009

2009-02-28T12:15:00.007+01:00

Are all Christians saints?

Yes 57 (76%)
No 18 (24%)

Total votes: 75. Poll Closed.

Comment

To most Roman Catholics, the Saints are the comparatively few departed Catholics who had been canonized by the Vatican. But the Bible says that all true believers are saints. For example, the apostle Paul writes, “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse.” He addresses Christians by the titles “saints,” “faithful” (believers), and “brethren.” Clearly he considered all believers in Christ as saints.

When are they called saints? Rome says, only after their death, when their case is studied and an official proclamation is made by the Pope. The Bible says, all Christians are saints during their lifetime. On innumerable occasions the living Christians are called “saints” in the New Testament, even though they were subject to error and sin.

Why are they saints? Rome says, because they practiced heroic virtue. They attained their own salvation by their prayers and good works. The Bible says, all Christians are “sanctified (made saints) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). They are saints because of the work of Christ for them, not because of their religious efforts. Christians are called to live holy lives not to become saints but because they are saints already.

How are the saints recognized? Rome says, you need an infallible magisterium to identify true saints, and that only after a complicated and lengthy procedure is followed which includes the proof of miracles. In the Bible the disciples of Christ freely call each other “saints.” They are not recognized by some supernatural power but by their faith in Christ, godliness and love for one another.

Dear reader, I ask you in all seriousness, “Are you a saint?” I hope you can answer with confidence, “Yes, I am a saint, by the grace of Christ.”

Faith and Grace

2009-02-01T07:36:00.000+01:00

(Gospel e-Letter - February 2009)

Why is it that in God’s plan, salvation is by faith and not in any other way? Why not include our good works and our obedience to his law, in addition to faith?

The Bible gives us a clear and direct answer. In Romans 4, the apostle Paul shows how Abraham was justified by faith when he believed God’s promise. The same applies to all believers, all are justified by faith, and not on account of obedience to the law. Paul concludes that, ‘Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring’ (Romans 4:16).

This then is the reason: it is ‘by faith, so that it may be by grace’!

If God had conditioned justification on our obedience, his justice could not accept anything less than perfect and complete obedience to his law. That would have meant our doom and damnation, for no-one, except Jesus Christ, has ever kept the law perfectly. Elsewhere the same apostle reasons this way:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

Do you want your works to count for justification? Make sure that you ‘continue to do everything’ the law demands - otherwise you are cursed. But if you honestly look at yourself in the law of God and realize that you are a law-breaker and guilty before him, then you must seek salvation in an altogether different way, through God’s determined means, namely by faith.

God justifies the ungodly by faith so that it may be by grace. God gives salvation as a free gift. Not that salvation is cheap! Our redemption is infinitely valuable for it was purchased by the precious blood of his Son. Yet God gives it to the undeserving freely. ‘Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.’ (Isaiah 55:1).

But why is it that faith corresponds to grace? It is because faith says,

I am unworthy sinner;
I am helpless and powerless;
I plead guilty and I have no defence;
My righteousness are filthy rags;
I merit God’s wrath, condemnation, hell!

Faith despairs of self, but faith does not despair of God! Faith fixes its gaze confidently upon the Lord Jesus Christ, saying,

You are worthy, for you shed your precious blood on the cross;
You are powerful, for you arose victorious from the grave;
You are gracious, kind and compassionate;
You promised rest to all who come to you;
So Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.
I am your sin, you are my righteousness.
May I never boast save in the cross of Christ my Lord;
And forever glory in the grace of God.

My Father Passed Away

2009-01-31T22:26:00.006+01:00

Today my Father, Joseph, passed away aged 82, on the last day of January 2009. I was beside him at the hospital just before he lost consciousness. He asked me to tell my Mum to pray for him. Then we said the Lord's Prayer together, just as he did every night with my Mum before they went to sleep. 'Our Father in heaven ... forgive us our trespasses...' I am certain that God heard his prayer and that right now he is in heaven with the Lord in whom he entrusted his soul.

I thank God for giving me such a Dad. He taught me the value of hard work, and what it means to be a faithful husband and a dedicated father. But most importantly he taught me from my infancy to fear the Lord.

I will miss him sorely, but I am comforted knowing that he is at home with his Saviour.

Please remember my family, especially my Mum, in your prayers.

Poll - January 2009

2009-01-30T09:09:00.003+01:00

What does God do in justifying the ungodly?

He makes them inwardly righteous 7 (18%)
He declares them righteous for Christ's sake 24 (63%)
Other 7 (18%)

Total votes: 38. Poll closed.

Comment

To word 'justification' means a legal declaration acquitting the person and setting him free from all condemnation. The judge does not 'make righteous' the person he justify but pronounces a sentence on his state.

As for us, sinners, God can only delcare us just on account of Christ; he paid our legal debt, and his righteousness is imputed to believers.

Christ was made Sin

2008-12-31T05:49:00.001+01:00

(Gospel e-Letter - January 2009)

As responsible creatures we are under obligation to keep the Law of God - but we did not; as law-breakers we are under the condemnation of the same law. We have no title to eternal life, but rather we are in danger of death in hell forever.

Thanks be to God for he did not leave us in our helpless state. 2 Corinthians 5:21 is a profound statement on the gospel message: God justifies the ungodly through his Son Jesus Christ because he fulfilled the Law for us by obeying all its precepts perfectly and endured its awful penalty. “For He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” May the Spirit of God help us understand and appreciate God’s work of reconciliation through his Son.

Made Sin for Us

The Lord Jesus is able to free us from sin because he himself was sinless. The Bible is emphatic on this point. Jesus was tempted in all points yet “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15); in him “there is no sin” (1 John 3:5); he “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22); Jesus is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26).

The apostle Paul declares that he “knew no sin”, but what he says next is truly astonishing. God made his sinless Son “to be sin for us”. The Righteous was made sin for us!

In what sense was Jesus made sin? We can be sure that this does not mean that God made Jesus a sinner, for Christ never committed the least sin in word, thought or deed. He lived a perfect life.

But what does that mean – made “sin” for us? The prophet Isaiah says that “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”; he was stricken “for the transgressions” of God’s people; his soul was made “an offering for sin” (Isaiah 53). The New Testament similarly teaches that Christ “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24)

Our spiritual debt was transferred to Christ; he became legally responsible for our guilt – in this sense he was “made sin”. Christ did not suffer and die on the cross for any sin of his own, but to pay the full penalty for the sins of his people, as the prophet had foretold: “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.”

The Righteousness of God

God did not only free us from guilt and punishment; he also gave us the title and right to heaven. God gave his Son “that we might become the righteousness of God in him” – that we, sinners and enemies of God, might become righteous and just in his sight.

But what is this righteousness which gives us the right legal standing before the Divine Judge? The Bible tells us that it is not our own righteousness produced by our obedience to the law or by our works. It is the righteousness “of God” provided for us in Christ, wrought for us by Christ’s obedience (Romans 5:18, 19), and received by faith. Elsewhere the apostle Paul explains how he counted his own merits as rubbish in order to be found in Christ “not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is
from God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).

Just as Jesus was not made “sin” on account of his personal sins, but because of our sins, even so believers are made “righteosness” on account of Christ’s perfect obedience and not our own. What a wonderful exchange: he took our sin; we share his perfect righteousness.

Righteous In Christ

But who is actually reconciled to God? They are at peace with God whose sins are not counted against them and who had been given the gift of righteousness. This grace is bestowed to those who are “in him” – in Christ Jesus. Please note the last two words of the phrase, “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” We must be united to Christ by faith to be freed from sin and made right with God. Those who remain outside of Christ can expect nothing but wrath, condemnation and hell.

This, then, is the gospel. God treated Christ as if he had committed all the sins of all his people and punished him on the cross instead of punishing us in hell forever. Moreover God now reckons us who are united with Christ as if we had lived his perfect obedience, declaring us righteous and fit for heaven for his sake.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Poll - December 2008

2008-12-19T07:01:00.007+01:00

Is the modern Catholic Church still teaching indulgences?

Yes 66 (79%)
No 13 (15%)
Don't Know 4 (4%)

Total votes: 83. Poll closed.

The modern Roman Catholic Church still holds on to its doctrine on indulgences; the Vatican, as well as local dioceses, continue to grant indulgences to the faithful Catholics under certain ‘defined conditions.’ (See for instance a recent example - click here).

An ‘indulgence’ is ‘the remission before God of temporal punishment for sins whose guilt is already forgiven’ - which is rather confusing! In Catholicism, God forgives and yet he punishes the forgiven in this world and in purgatory. With the help of the Catholic Church, it is claimed, one may avoid that punishment by means of an indulgence.

See Catechism of the Catholic Church 1471-1479 and Code of Canon Law 992-997.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

2008-12-14T05:31:00.003+01:00

Jesus Christ came down from the glories of heaven to perform a work that no one else could do; the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us to accomplish our salvation. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Please note, first of all, that Christ came to save sinners. Sin is our problem, and salvation is our greatest need. You may ask, "Am I also a sinner?" Yes, we are sinners because we have broken God's Law by our disobedience and sins. God’s verdict on us is terrible: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Romans 3:10-12).

Do not fool yourself, saying: "I'm a respectable person; I am good at heart." You are not. You are guilty before God and unless something is done about your sin, one day you'll suffer the terrible consequences. Jesus warned us about the coming judgement and the eternal fire of Hell.

It is humbling to admit your sin and guilt; but if you do, you will be well on your way to freedom because Christ came to save sinners!

Note, secondly, who is the One who came to our rescue. "Christ Jesus came to save sinners." The Savior is Jesus, the eternal Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is the Savior, and there is none other. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

The saints, Mary or the church cannot save you. Only Christ saves, because He is the Savior appointed by God. The Bible says that Jesus came "to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45) – he shed his blood on Calvary’s cross to secure the freedom and forgiveness for his people. No one else did.

And finally, please note Christ's mission: he came to save sinners. The work of salvation is performed by Christ, not by the sinner. Don't think that you can contribute anything to your salvation such as doing good deeds, praying, attending church, giving to the poor, and generally trying to live a moral life. The Bible clearly states that salvation is by grace - an undeserved favour, a free gift. Salvation is not earned by good works or our efforts, but received by faith in Christ. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).

You cannot boast because you cannot do the least thing to save yourself. Salvation is of the Lord and therefore Christians give all the glory to Him. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14).

Are you burdened by sin and guilt? Do you feel helpless? There is forgiveness and hope for you! Believe in Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died and rose again on the third day. Come by faith to the living, reigning and merciful Christ. May God grant you an obedient heart, that you may repent and trust in the Son for your salvation. For Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Pope Benedict on Justification

2008-12-01T00:28:00.001+01:00

(Gospel e-Letter - December 2008)

Pope Benedict said that Martin Luther’s doctrine of justification by faith alone is correct if ‘faith is not opposed to charity.’ The Pope said this during a general audience in a speech on St Paul’s teaching on justification. (November 2008 link)

I am glad that the Pope corrected the false idea popularized by some irresponsible apologists that ‘sola fide’ (faith alone) implies freedom from doing good and license to sin (‘antinomianism’). The Reformers vehemently resisted and opposed the antinomian heresy. The Protestant concept of justification by faith alone never excluded good works in the life of the believer. On the character of genuine faith, Luther wrote: ‘Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever.’

Moreover the Pope also said that faith means to trust in Christ. ‘Faith is to look at Christ, to entrust oneself to Christ…’. In traditional Catholic theology, faith is defined as the assent of the intellect to divine truth. Protestants emphasized trust (‘fiducia’), in addition to knowledge and assent, as the essential element of saving faith. It is not enough to know God’s Word, or even to be convinced that it is factually true – to be saved, one must entrust himself to Christ, resting on him alone for salvation.

The Pope noted that the apostle Paul ‘places at the center of his Gospel an irreducible opposition between two alternative paths to justice: one based on the works of the law, the other founded on the grace of faith in Christ.’ In other words, one cannot be saved by faith in Christ if he also attempts to be saved by ‘works of the law’. This is exactly what Protestants mean when we speak of ‘sola fide’ – we are justified by trusting in Christ and not on account of our works.

By Faith and Works

Does this mean that Catholics and Protestants are now in agreement on the doctrine of justification? Unfortunately this is not the case. The Pope’s speech highlights the sad reality that the modern Catholic Church is still insisting on the Council of Trent’s doctrine on justification by faith and works. The divide between the two religions remains as wide today as it was in the 16th century.

On one hand the Pope endorses Paul’s teaching of justification by faith, apart from works of the law; on the other, he insists that we can really be just in the eyes of God on account of our love for God and neighbor. That is justification by love, or, justification by human works, for how can we express love apart from doing good works?

The Pope argues that faith unites us with Christ, enabling us to love God and others, and in so doing, we fulfill the law and become really righteous. He said that ‘the double love of God and neighbor the whole law is fulfilled. Thus the whole law is observed in communion with Christ, in faith that creates charity.’ He concluded his speech by saying that ‘transformed by his love, by love of God and neighbor, we can really be just in the eyes of God.’

To be sure such works of love are not done by our natural abilities; we must have faith, we must be united with Christ to really love. But ultimately, it is on account of these personal works that we are justified by God, according to Catholicism.

Works of the Law

How does the Pope resolve the contradiction between Paul’s teaching and Catholic doctrine? Didn’t Paul clearly state that ‘we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law’? (Romans 3:28).

In effect the Pope says that Paul was only referring to the Torah, the first five books of Moses. The Torah included rituals and cultural observances, in addition to ethical and moral principles, which distinguished and guarded Israel from the false religions of the pagans. But since the coming of Christ, those observances are no longer necessary. Thus when Paul says that we are not justified by the works of the Law, he was really saying that we are not justified by the Law of Moses, but he does not exclude that we are justified by the works of love. That’s the Pope’s argument in a nutshell.

The Pope rightly points out that in his epistles Paul discusses the division between Jews and Gentiles, and that now all believers are united in Christ irrespective of the ethnic background. But that was not his only concern. Paul also addresses the universal human tendency to self-righteousness, that is, our attempts to gain favour with God on account of personal works and merits.

We agree that when Paul spoke about the Law, he was thinking particularly of the Torah, the Law of Moses, and not of the law in general. But that does not mean that we can dismiss his argument as irrelevant since we are no longer required to obey to Jewish ceremonies and rituals. The Torah did indeed include ceremonial and civil precepts, but it also included moral laws. Jesus summarized the Law of Moses as the supreme love for God and love for our neighbor, and said that ‘on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’ (Matthew 22:37-40).

What then, if the Mosaic Law - with its ceremonial, civil and moral laws – could not justify, how can we now become just in God’s eyes if we take away the ceremonial and focus on the law’s moral teaching, namely love? Can we obey the law perfectly?
The problem is not with the Law of Moses; Paul declares that ‘the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good’ (Romans 7:12). The problem is with us, sinners by nature, and even after regeneration, the remaining corruption prevents the most mature Christians from reaching moral perfection on this side of eternity. If the Jew could not be justified by the works of the perfect Law, no-one could be justified by the works of any law. After all did not the Gentiles, though ignorant of Moses, also have ‘the law written in their hearts’ (Romans 2:14)? Yet they too were unable to be justified by works.

The Law of Moses served the purpose of keeping God’s covenant people, Israel, distinct from pagan idolatry, as the Pope said. But the moral aspects of the law, whether written on tablets of stone or on the human conscience, also served to expose our depravity, guilt and helplessness. ‘Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin’ (Romans 3:20).

By Faith, Not Works

Moreover Paul could not have limited the concept of ‘works of the Law’ to the Torah. He presented the Patriarch Abraham as the primary witness to his doctrine. He wrote:

'What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness' (Romans 4:1-5).

In this context ‘works’ could not refer exclusively to obedience of the Torah, for Abraham lived many centuries before Moses. It is therefore wrong to force Paul’s concept of ‘works of the Law’ exclusively to the Law of Moses. Clearly Paul applies the same principle to works in general. Abraham could not boast before God because he was justified faith and not by works. The same applies to us all.

Paul then gives an example from ordinary life – when a worker receives his payment at the end of the month, could it be considered as grace, a free gift, a favour? Certainly not! The worker has every right for the money he earned by his labour.
But justification is not based on the principle of merit. The very opposite is true. Justification is by grace, pure and underserved grace. Only he is counted as righteous by the divine Judge who ‘does not work’ but ‘believes’ God. That is grace!

Faith Working Through Love

Once more it must pointed out that the question is not about the propriety and necessity of good works in the life of believers. On this point, Paul, Luther and the Pope are in agreement. The question, though, has to do with the purpose of such works.

In Catholicism, the faithful are urged to do works in the hope that they will eventually become ‘really’ just in the eyes of God on account of their ‘love to God and neighbour’. In Paul’s teaching, we are not justified on account of any personal works, but by faith; good works follow after faith and justification. In Catholicism faith is insufficient; it must be supplemented by works to really justify. In biblical Christianity, faith is sufficient, faith truly justifies the beliver on account of Christ’s blood and righteousness, and having justified the sinner, faith then works by love (Galatians 5:6) to the glory of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. In Catholicism justification is by faith and works – therefore it cannot be of grace (Romans 11:6); in biblical Christianity justification is by faith, that it might be of grace (Romans 4:16).

Here then is the dividing line between Luther and Trent, Protestantism and Catholicism, the true gospel and its counterfeit. May God give us the grace to believe in Jesus his Son, and being justified by faith alone, to give ourselves to love God and our neighbour from our hearts.

Poll - November 2008

2008-11-27T06:53:00.004+01:00

Does the Bible allow Christians to divorce and re-marry?

Yes 33 (28%)
No 76 (64%)
Don't know 8 (6%)

Total votes: 117. Poll closed.

Most – but definitely not all Protestants – hold that Christ permitted divorce in the case of adultery. Evidence for this is sought from Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:1-12. The argument hangs on the meaning of the Gk word ‘porneia’ – usually translated fornication.

What did Jesus mean when he said, “Except for fornication?” Did he mean “Except for adultery”? That view is certainly not the only possible interpretation. He could simply be referring to unlawful marriage (on account of consanguinity, for instance) or to the breach of the marriage contract during the engagement (Joseph wanted to divorce Mary when he found out that she was pregnant). The idea of divorce on account of adultery was developed by Erasmus in the 16th century and it was accepted in some Protestant traditions. The early patristic testimony is almost unanimous that re-marriage is not permitted after divorce.

Humanly speaking, I wish that God allowed divorce and remarriage, for the sake of those who are suffering after their marriage failed. But I can’t convince myself that the Bible permits re-marriage after divorce. When I study the following passages, God’s ideal is absolutely clear to me.

The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him. And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:2-12).

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.” (Luke 16: 18).

For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. (Romans 7:2, 3).

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.” (I Corinthians 7:10, 11).

My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord

2008-10-30T15:00:00.001+01:00

(Gospel e-Letter November 2008)

God has shown great favour to the virgin of Nazareth. Through her the eternal Son of God became human and came to the world for our salvation. The church rightly calls her the “Mother of God according to the manhood”. It is no wonder that wherever the gospel is proclaimed, God’s people call her blessed.

To keep her from vainglory and pride, the Lord adorned Mary with a wise and humble character. To the greetings of Elizabeth, Mary answered, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” As for herself, she was amazed that God would look favourably upon “his handmaid’s lowliness”. Her only desire was to glorify and praise the Lord God Almighty, and certainly not herself.

Sadly, throughout church history specious titles were attributed to Mary, totally ignoring her own desire. Some call her ‘the gate of heaven’ and even ‘our life’ and ‘our hope’. But the Bible calls Jesus alone our door, our life and our hope.

In 1854 and 1950 the Roman Catholic Church proclaimed the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption even though the Bible is silent about these doctrines. The Bible explicitly teaches that Jesus was conceived without sin (Hebrews 7:26); and being perfectly holy, just and undefiled, he was qualified to die for us, the unjust, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

Moreover, after the shame of the cross, God the Father raised up Jesus and received him into the glory of heaven. God demands that every knee should bend at the name of Jesus. At this very moment, along with all the saints and angels, Mary is praising and worshipping the Lord Jesus. We too ought to join with the mother of our Lord and the heavenly hosts to give Christ the Lord our undivided devotion, for he is worthy to receive thanks, honour and praise forevermore.

His Mercy is from Age to Age

In my childhood days, my religion teachers presented a distorted image of God. They told us that the Lord is a stern Judge and we should not dare approach him directly. We were advised to pray to Mary, the kind-hearted mother, so that she will intercede for us before her Son. Surely Jesus would not refuse anything his mother asks him, we were told.

Mary refutes such foolish arguments. Mary gloried in the goodness of the Lord, insisting that “his mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.” After all who made mothers sweet and kind? Should we then doubt the kindness of the Creator, the font of all blessings?

Mary experienced the kindness of the Lord. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, even a short time before his death, he was concerned about her well-being after his departure. He commanded his close friend and disciple John to take care of her. “Woman, behold, your son,” he told her, and to John he said, “Behold, your mother,” implying that it was his responsibility to care for her as a son cares for an aging widow. We are told that from that hour the disciple took her into his home (John 19:26, 27).

Mary wants us to appeal to him in our needs. At the wedding in Cana, when Mary noticed the problem, she prayed to Jesus for help, and she told the servants to do whatever he tells them. We ought to do the same. We ought to pray to the Lord for our needs and intercede for others too. After the Lord returned to heaven, Mary prayed with the disciples to the Lord. Nowhere in Scripture do we find an example, permission or commandment to pray to Mary or the departed saints after their death. If you truly respect Mary, follow her example and always seek the Lord in your prayers.

The Lord Jesus himself invites us to go directly to him. He promised, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus never turned back anyone who came to him. His disciples tried to keep away the kids, but he said, “Let the little children come to me.” The people tried to silence the blind man, but Jesus heard his cry and restored his eyesight. Jesus reached out to the lepers, the outcasts of society, touched and healed them. With stones in their hands, the mob was about to stone the adulterer, but Jesus -- the only one who could have condemned her -- forgave her. Even at his very last hour, he promised a place in heaven to the repentant thief.

Friend, do you suppose that the Lord will not keep his promise, or that his heart has become hard? Do you think he will not receive you if you sincerely turn to him? Come then, come to Jesus today.

Come to Jesus for he alone is the bridge that spans the infinite gap between the holy God and sinful man. “For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5, 6). Mary gained heaven by his power and merit, and so will you if you believe Mary's testimony about the mercy of God, and by faith rely on him for forgiveness.

Poll - October 2008

2008-10-30T09:15:00.003+01:00

Is Mary the Mother of God?

Yes 83 (61%)

No 52 (38%)

Total votes: 135. Poll closed.

Comments: Mary is the Theotokos (lit 'God-bearer', or loosely translated, 'The Mother of God') because her Son, Jesus, is one Person, and his divine and human natures cannot be divided. The Council of Ephesus (431) rightly affirmed this truth against the Nestorian heresy. The Definition of Chalcedon (451) states: "as regards his manhood [he was] begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer."

My Spirit Rejoices in God My Saviour

2008-09-26T23:27:00.002+02:00

(Gospel e-Letter October 2008)

In my childhood I used to call on the name of Mary every night and commit my soul to her care. I also remember praying, “Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls.” I was mistaken. Today I am concerned for the millions of Catholics who continue to call on the name of Mary for salvation.

A popular Catholic devotional says, “Let us then, 0 devout reader, beg God to grant us, that at death the name of Mary may be the last word on our lips.” It concludes with a prayer to Mary, “I ask thee, 0 Mary, for the glory of thy name, to come and meet my soul when it is departing from this world, and to take it in thine arms.”

In Scripture, Mary never invited sinners to come to her for salvation. On the contrary, Mary recognized God as her saviour. “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” she said. Should we then dishonour the blessed Mother of our Lord by calling on her name to save us? Or should we rather follow her godly example and turn to the Lord for our salvation?

No one can save except Jesus. The apostle Peter declared that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

There is one name, and that name is not the name of Mary. The only name by which we can escape the fire of Hell is the precious Name of Jesus. For he alone is God and man. He alone is the Christ, appointed by God the Father to rescue his people. He alone shed his immaculate blood to free his people from their sin and the wrath to come. Mary did not die in our place. Mary cannot save, but she needed to be saved. Nonetheless if you trust yourself in the hands of the Lord, just as Mary did, then you can share Mary’s joy, and sing with all the redeemed, “My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”

God promises salvation to all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Many people simply ignore the promise of the gospel because they would rather continue to indulge in sin. Others reject God’s promise because don’t really believe him or his Word - that we are saved by his mercy and not on account of our righteous deeds (Titus 3:5). They expect to merit heaven by their righteousness and religion. God will have nothing to do with them.

I beg you, come to God. Come, even though you are helpless and burdened with sins and guilt. Come with full confidence in his goodness and kindness; the cross of Jesus is the proof of God’s love for undeserving sinners. Don’t attempt to approach God on account of your personal merit or through Mary or anybody else. Come to God by faith, through the one and only mediator, Jesus Christ. “He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

The Catholic devotional tells you to call on the name of Mary even with your last breath. But that is not what the Bible tells us. When the first Christian martyr, Stephen, was about to die, he called on the name of Jesus. “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59).

What, then, is your decision? Would you follow the Catholic teaching or the Bible? What would you say?

I trust in the Name of Jesus and the name of Mary for my salvation, even though the Bible warns us that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

or

Like Mary and all Christians, I trust in the Name of the Lord Jesus alone, for it is written in the Scripture that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Along with Mary and all the redeemed, I rejoice in God my Saviour.

Poll - September 2008

2008-09-26T23:14:00.006+02:00

Can we call on the name of Mary for salvation?

Yes 18 (14%)

No 108 (85%)

Total votes: 126. Poll closed.

Comments: The Catholic Church encourages the faithful to call on Mary for salvation. Here's a few quotes from a popular Catholic devotional:

"We often obtain more promptly what we ask by calling on the name of Mary than by invoking that of Jesus."

"Glorious indeed, and admirable, exclaims St. Bonaventure, "is thy name, O Mary; for those who pronounce it at death need not fear all the powers of hell." [Link]

"There is not such powerful help in any name, nor is there any other name given to men, after that of Jesus, from which so much salvation is poured forth upon men as from the name of Mary."

"The name of Mary is the key of the gates of heaven in the hands of those who devoutly invoke it."

"I ask thee, O Mary, for the glory of thy name, to come and meet my soul when it is departing from this world, and to take it in thine arms" [Link]

The Bible teaches otherwise:

Christians are distinguished as those who in "every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 1:2).

They call on his name for salvation for God promises: "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom 10:13).

The do not call upon any other name because the apostle Peter declared, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

The Twenty-Third Channel

2008-09-03T08:21:00.001+02:00

The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It makes me to lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the Scriptures.
It destroys my soul.
It leads me in the paths of sex and violence for the sponsor's sake.

Yea, though I walk in the shadow of my Christian responsibilities There will be no interruption; For the TV is with me.
Its cable and its remote control they comfort me.

It prepares a commercial before me
In the presence of my worldliness.
It anoints my head with humanism.
My coveting runneth over.

Surely laziness and ignorance shall
Follow me all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.

[Author unknown]

Faith and Repentance are Gifts of God

2008-09-01T16:49:00.000+02:00

(Gospel e-Letter September 2008)

The gospel calls everyone to repentance and faith, promising salvation to those who convert to Jesus Christ. It is our duty and privilege to turn away from sin and trust in the Name of Jesus. Yet we, being sinners by nature, would rather continue to wallow in sin and spurn the gracious promises of God.

We should turn to God but we simply won’t - unless God changes our hearts. The Lord Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”, and again, “no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him” (John 6:44, 65). “No one can come” and yet some do come to Christ but only because of God work in them. God enables sinners to come to Christ for salvation by giving them repentance and faith.

Repentance is a gift of God. The apostle Paul said that the Lord’s servant should gently instruct unbelievers “in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 2:25). Similarly, the Apostle Peter declared that God exalted Jesus to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour “that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel” (Acts 5:31). Both forgiveness and repentance is given by God. In another occasion when the Jewish believers heard about the conversion of the Gentiles, they “praised God, saying, ‘So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life’” (Acts 11:18). All people who turn to the Lord, whether Jews or Gentiles, do so because God gives them repentance.

Faith too is a gift of God. The apostle Paul reminded Christians that they have been saved "by grace through faith" as a gift of God and not of ourselves; he insisted that faith comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8,9; 6:23).The apostle Peter also said that Christians have received faith through Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1). Elsewhere, Christians are described as those "who by grace have believed" (Acts 18:27) and that they have been "granted" to believe in Christ (Philippians 1:29).

We must therefore acknowledge that the Bible teaches plainly that repentance and faith do not originate in us; rather they are given to us by God. This does not mean however that we are not responsible to repent and believe. On the contrary we are commanded to repent and believe in Christ, and we cannot be saved unless we do both. God does not repent for us, nor does he believe on our behalf. We must repent; we must believe!

On the other hand, we should be greatly humbled when we consider our utter spiritual helplessness. Let us realize that by ourselves we cannot seek God or come to Christ. We are completely dependent on the God whom we offended and despised by our sins. Unless he chooses to be merciful to us, we are eternally damned. He must heal and strengthen our paralazed arms before we can take hold of the gift of salvation.

Are you a believer in Christ? Praise him with all your heart! I can never cease for praising God for his amazing love, turning me from sin and giving me a new heart to trust in his Son.

But perhaps you are not yet saved. May the Lord grant you the gift of repentance and faith in Christ for your salvation. May God place in your heart and on your lips an honest and earnest prayer, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned."

Poll - August 2008

2008-08-31T13:30:00.000+02:00

Where does saving faith come from?

Ourselves 4 (8%)

God 43 (91%)

Total votes: 47. Poll closed.

Comments: The Bible teaches that faith is a gift of God. In the Sept Gospel e-Letter, I wrote: The apostle Paul reminded Christians that they have been saved 'by grace through faith' as a gift of God and not of ourselves; he insisted that faith comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8,9; 6:23). The apostle Peter also said that Christians have received faith through Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1). Elsewhere, Christians are described as those 'who by grace have believed' (Acts 18:27) and that they have been 'granted' to believe in Christ (Philippians 1:29).