Posts Tagged ‘salvation’
Rich churches, camels and such (redux)
January 20, 2011 | 
Author I have been thinking a lot lately how grossly rich our churches are here in America – and how we are ok with that. We are driven to the next novelty and the next programmatic push, simply because we can. We have redeemed our tickets at Pleasure Island and we do not even know what we have made of ourselves – mainly because most everyone else looks just like us.
We want.
That is the nature of us – we want.
more lights
more electronics
more leather
more space
more numbers
more control
more praise
more me
I am reminded that Jesus said, “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Then, I wonder about a whole caravan of them . . . Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in "Ruminations", Paradigm Shift, Sovereign Christ Church | 
Tags: Chief End, Christianity, Churchianity, God, Humility, Pride, salvation, Worship | 
4 Comments »
When you have faith in Jesus – well, that means A LOT
2 Corinthians 1:24
Below is a good addition to the subject of how the Cross of Christ is to be, as Piper puts it, the Blazing Center of the life not wasted – a proper life, a life lived for the purpose for which it was given. This is what saddens me regarding those who get caught up in the Lordship/Free Grace debate who say something like, “all you have to do is ‘believe’ in Jesus – anything else is works.” As if believing is so shallow, so sterile. Believing in, or having faith in (Greek, pistis is the same root for both “believe” and “faith”) is profoundly exhaustive as a total-life change/revolution/redemption/directive. He is everything and to have faith in Him is to connect to the One who is the center of life. To believe is whole life – the means and the end.
Posted in "Ruminations" | Tags: Chief End, Jesus Christ, Joy, Life, Religious Affections, salvation, Worship | No Comments »
Atonement for SIN in the Millennial Kingdom?
In this slidepack, (Ezek 38-48) we covered a brief overview of Ezekiel 38-48, merely to hit the hot buttons of the passages. One of the most profound issues in this section of the Text is the prophecy of the “prince” who will make sin offerings in the temple during the millennial reign of Christ. This has brought up so many issues that a myriad of thoughts (well, maybe not a myriad) and conclusions have arisen:
1. Maybe this is not the Millennial Kingdom
2. The offering could only be memorial
3. It’s not really a sin offering
4. Etc.
The main path that one walks to understand this passage is to remember that what appears to be the problem – that there can be no atonement after Christ has made atonement, once for all. (Hebrews 7:17; 9:12, 25-28) It is of the utmost of importance to remember that the sacrifice of animals never atoned for sin. (Heb 10:3-4) They did not before Christ – they do not after.
Only the blood of Christ atoned for all before Him and all after Him – even for those who would believe.
So, why the sacrifice?
Posted in Lessons Repository | Tags: Atonement, Death, God, Jesus Christ, Old Testament, salvation, Sin | 1 Comment »
DailyTheocentrism: If we are [living] against God, who else is there to save us . . . from anything?
Thanks, Dim for sharing this verse with me tonight.
Hosea 13:4-11
13:4 But I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of Egypt.
Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me;
except me there is no Savior.
13:5 I cared for you in the wilderness,
in the dry desert where no water was.
13:6 When they were fed, they became satisfied;
when they were satisfied, they became proud;
as a result, they forgot me!
13:7 So I will pounce on them like a lion;
like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
13:8 I will attack them like a bear robbed of her cubs –
I will rip open their chests.
I will devour them there like a lion –
like a wild animal would tear them apart.
13:9 I will destroy you, O Israel!
Who is there to help you?
13:10 Where then is your king,
that he may save you in all your cities?
Where are your rulers for whom you asked, saying,
“Give me a king and princes”?
13:11 I granted you a king in my anger,
and I will take him away in my wrath!
– Lord, save us from ourselves!