Various Thoughts on the Election from Around the Web

Some encouraging, some not so much, but all challenging thoughts given to us concerning this historic election:

James White posted a video with a sharp but biblically discerning view of society, and a challenge for Christians, including the exhortation to pray for Obama’s conversion.

Al Mohler writes that this election is indeed a hallmark for America, but reminds us of some of the issues as stake.

Dan Burrell gives us two lists: Ten Things to Expect from an Obama Administration and Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

Bob Bixby’s post about why Evangelicals trust in Obama is worth a read.

Voddie Bachman says of the racial issues involved – It’s not over.

Ligon Duncan offers suggestions about praying for Obama.

Between Two Worlds has an incredible guest post by Eric Redmond, “Living Soli Deo Gloria Under Obama” in which he describes his struggle to choose between voting Christocentrically or Afrocentrically.

Finally, the first hour transcript of Rush Limbaugh’s program is available, and he rightfully criticizes the Republican party and beckons them back to true conservatism.

The Holy Spirit of Promise: God’s Down Payment

Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

In our struggling economy, there’s little doubt that the housing market has been hit the hardest. Families across the nation are being forced to sell their houses at half the purchase price. Often, the financial stability of the family depends on whether or not a house will sell. In such a situation nothing is more comforting than a buyer’s promise of earnest money. This initial down payment stands as a guarantee that the deal will go through. As an added benefit, the money is given and is immediately available for the family to use.

The Christian life is often more volatile than any economic crisis. Fightings without and fears within as Paul would say. But, there is nothing more comforting than the presence of the Holy Spirit of Promise, the earnest of our inheritance, God’s down payment.

Dealing with Discouragement

“How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.” (Psalms 13:1-4)

It would be hard for us to honestly say that we have been through things equal to what David went through to bring him to this point. However, if we are honest we have to admit that we have all felt at least somewhat this level of discouragement. I have not been in the ministry very long, but I have already experienced the times of discouragement that I so often heard about. It gets to the point where discouragement is almost a practical matter, simply because it can so greatly affect our daily responsibilities in our respective ministries. So, the question is, How do we deal with discouragement?

Double Standards in Fundamentalism Today, #5: Me

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Galatians 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

True friends tell you what you need to hear. As much as I covet those comments in which people say, “great website!”, I need much more to hear about the things I need to change. Those things have been brought to my attention, and it seems like I’ve been one of the biggest Double Standards all along. I hope now to articulate some of the problems, and offer some possible solutions.

(No, that’s not really me in the picture.)

God’s All-Conquering Love (Romans 8:31-39)

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

These closing verses of Romans chapter 8 provide the pinnacle of Paul’s defense of the Gospel. He has powerfully contested every argument that could have been brought against the concept of justification by faith alone. The fact that he answers every seemingly imaginable objection to the Gospel is a mark of divine inspiration in itself. And now that the case has been presented, defended, and exhausted, the Apostle Paul, through the inspiration of the Spirit of God, asks this important question, “What shall we then say to these things?” And then he answers with a rhetorical question, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Look at how amazing the love of God is! Look at what He has done for us in the Gospel! With all the was against us, look at how He saved us! Not only that look at what He gave us! He gave us everything – His own Son! And if He didn’t spare Jesus, but delivered Him up for us, then how can He not give us all things freely? The point is very clear and has been all along. The summation here is that God is in control, He loves us, and because of that, nothing can separate us from His love. His love conquers all.

One Way

People love having their options. It’s not so much that we love choosing; we just have to have the ability to choose. Be it buying a house, car, tool, or whatever, there is nothing quite as satisfying as knowing that you have searched every possible avenue and have chosen the very best option. It seems as though it isn’t truly a choice if we do not have plenty of options.

Perhaps that is why some have such a problem when they come to a religion that is centered on the phrase, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) There are no options here. There is only an ultimatum: the way or no way; the truth or no truth; the life or no life. Jesus laid it all out. It’s either Him or nothing.

Enamored with Christ (Philippians 3:4-10)

Passion fills Paul’s epistle to the Philippians. That passion, however, is not sourced in his success as a missionary. Nor is it founded upon his calling as an apostle. Every ounce of joy and rejoicing of which (and with which) Paul writes springs from his infatuation with his Lord. Philippians 3:4-10 explains how this came to be.

The Biblical Concept of Justification (part 3)

The Importance of Justification

 

It could be said that the importance of the doctrine of justification is twofold: it is important as a doctrinal foundation and it is important as a personal distinction.

The Biblical Concept of the Triune God, Part IV: The Trinity in Scripture

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26,27)

The Hebrew word for “God” explains why the startling phrase “Let us make” is discovered here. “Elohim” is a plural noun. The ancient Israelites knew this, and always translated the word singular, knowing the plural adds intensity. God, then, is a singular plurality – the very essence of Trinitarian teaching. Furthermore, the pronoun used in God’s quote is “our”, another plural term. Yet true to the consistency of this concept, the verse narrates the result of God’s decision in saying “so God created man in his own image” and uses the singular pronoun “he” two more times. So a plural word is rendered singular, and a plural pronoun is transmitted singularly. This truth, incomprehensible as it may seem, testifies of the unity of thee Persons of the triune Godhead.

The Biblical Concept of the Triune God, Part III: The Holy Spirit is God

The nature of the Holy Spirit has been a controversial subject throughout history. Unfortunately, the controversies have diluted the understanding of Who the Holy Spirit is. However, understanding the Person and work of the Holy Spirit has a tremendous significance to the Christian life.  

The Biblical Concept of the Triune God, Part II: Jesus is God

This is the longest and possibly most significant part of this series. True Christianity hinges on what we believe about Jesus Christ. Amazingly, the Word of God declares Him to be God.

1. Explicit verses from Scripture stating the Deity of the Lord Jesus:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

This verse of scripture is undoubtedly speaking of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We know this because of the context. The following verses speak of the kingdom which is to come, over which Christ will reign as King. In this verse, He is given many names, one of which is The mighty God. The name alone tells us that Christ is God, for there can be no other God save God Himself (Isaiah 45:6).

Another name given here revealing Christ’s Deity is “everlasting Father.” According to the doctrine of the Trinity, the person of Christ is distinguished from the person of the Father, however, they are one (John 10:30; I John 5:7).

No scriptural distinction is ever provided between “mighty God” and “Almighty God.” They are synonymous. Jehovah is called the Mighty God in Genesis 49:24; Deuteronomy 7:21; Psalm 50:1; 132:2,5; Isaiah 10:21; Jeremiah 32:18; Habbakkuk 1:12 and the Almighty God in Genesis 17:1; Ruth 1:21; and Joel 1:15; In this verse, Jesus Christ is called the Mighty God. In Revelation 1:8 and 19:15, Jesus Christ is called the Almighty God. Does the Bible contradict itself? No, this clearly tells us that Jesus is God!

The Biblical Concept of the Triune God, Part I: The Father is God

Last year, I was having a conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness family member. Of course, the Trinity was the main topic of our discussion. This sparked me to do the following research.

This is not a techincal dissertation. This is the result of my findings as I looked through the Bible to see where I can find passages relating to the Trinity or to the Deity of the Three Persons. What resulted strengthened my faith in a tremendous way. I come from this study now more than ever convinced that the Bible doesn’t just imply a Triune God, but the Word of God overwhelmingly declares the concept of the Trinity!