GOSPEL THINKING

Last week we discussed writing out a paragraph or two in our own words describing "What is the Gospel." Click Here to see previous post This has resulted in a couple of good conversations and the following email from my good brother in Christ, Jim who expressing that "it was a joy thinking through the work of God from all creation" wrote the following:

My Short View of the Gospel

Before the foundation of the world (before creation) (Eph 1:4) it pleased God to choose/predestine/foreordain a people for himself from every tribe, tongue, people and every nation, (Rev 5:9) He wrote their names in a book called the Book of Life of the Lamb. (Rev 13:8) God then created the universe including the world and everything in it. He created man in his own image. Adam, the first man, disobeyed God’s command and his disobedience brought the penalty of death to him and all of his descendants. Out of Adam's fallen race would come God’s chosen people, who would be drawn to God by the hearing of His word and would believe and trust God. Trusting God was the evidence that they were His elect. To redeem His people required a payment or ransom for their sin. God gives His people the faith/belief needed for their salvation. (Eph 2:8-9) The evidence that it would require a blood sacrifice for payment of sin can be traced from God's covering Adam and Eve with skin (Gen 3:21) and his promise of a redeemer. (Gen 3:15) The history of God's salvation begins with His mercy shown to Adam and Eve all the way to the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who was fully God and fully man, who came to pay the ransom for God’s people. Jesus is the lamb who was slain in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:8) Jesus paid the ransom or penal substitutionary atonement by giving His own sinless body as a perfect sacrifice for sin. He died on a cross and His blood was adequate payment for the sin of God’s people.(1Cor 15:3-4) All those whom God has chosen will, by the gift of faith, come to Christ and will receive Him as their Savior and Lord.

Hoping soon to add my own summary I invite you also to email me your own attempts or you may use the comment section below.

I0224-Providence Applied

This post is part of our group read of the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin.

Jim makes the following application from our reading on Providence.

I am just amazed at Gods providence in having me read Calvin right now and especially now on reading the doctrine of Providence. I am overwhelmed by the needed confirmations we are receiving as I read everyday. Knowing that God is in control of all things gives us such great peace and rest. I have been reminded of the scripture in Hebrews four that says, "there is a rest for the people of God". Resting is certainly knowing Gods sovereignty in all things. How gracious our Father is to give us this wisdom to rest our thoughts and minds as we struggle with the enemy and with the flesh. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" while you rest in Him!

"But when once the light of Divine Providence has illumined the believer's soul, he is relieved and set free, not only from the extreme fear and anxiety which formerly oppressed him, but from all care. For as he justly shudders at the idea of chance, so he can confidently commit himself to God. This, I say, is his comfort, that his heavenly Father so embraces all things under his power--so governs them at will by his nod--so regulates them by his wisdom, that nothing takes place save according to his appointment; that received into his favour, and entrusted to the care of his angels neither fire, nor water, nor sword, can do him harm, except in so far as God their master is pleased to permit." 1.17.11 click here

I0124-Institutes Proper View of Holy Scripture

Jim provides us with the following observations:

When reading the institutes I am amazed at how Calvin speaks to his contemporaries. Especially to those who falsely imagine that there is some other way than the scriptures of reaching God. These same fellows are thriving well in our day and they have a very large following. Calvin in speaking about them says, "not so much gripped by error but carried away by frenzy". They seem to be frantically looking for some new thing that will draw unbelievers to their throne room. "Jump, roll, holler, laugh, we will do whatever we have to do to get your attention". Anything but the reading and teaching of the Word.

He goes on to say, "exalting the office of the Spirit". Like some today would say, "why do we need the word, we have the Spirit that guides us, we are looking for something NEW, something that will give us excitement here and now". As if to say that Word and doctrine are insignificant or must be put in subjection to their new ideas. In similar fashion other religions subject the word of God to the authority of their religion. They never go to the word seeking the truth but instead come to the word with a set of their own ideas and end up taking out of the word only those things which support their own thinking. "The blind leading the blind"! Thanks be to God for having revealed Himself to us in the Word.

Paul tells us that the scripture are "foolishness to those who are perishing,but to us who are being saved it is the power of God". Therefore Calvin says, " But those who wish to prove to unbelievers that the scripture is the Word of God are acting foolishly, for only by faith can this be known". So then, Word and Sacrament are foolish to all but God's elect who find life and peace in them. Praise be to God.


======================================================
I Would like to add to Jim's words above, what I read in J.C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Matthew 1.1-17 this afternon:

Let us thank God daily for giving us the Scriptures. The poorest Englishman who understands his Bible, knows more about religion than the wisest philosophers of Greece and Bome.

Let us remember our deep responsibility. We shall all be judged at the last day according to our light. To whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required.

Let us read our Bibles reverently and diligently, with an honest determination to believe and practise all we find in them. It is no light matter how we use this book. Eternal life or death depends on the spirit in which it is used.

Above all let us humbly pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. He alone can apply truth to our hearts, and make us profit by what we read.

The New Testament begins with the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. No part of the Bible is so important as this, and no part is so full and complete. Four distinct Gospels tell us the story of Christ's doing and dying. Four times over we read the precious account of His works and words. How thankful we ought to be for this ! To know Christ is life eternal. To believe in Christ is to have peace with God. To follow Christ is to be a true Christian. To be with

Christ will be heaven itself. We can never hear too much about Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of St. Matthew begins with a long list of names. Sixteen verses are taken up with tracing a pedigree from Abraham to David, and from David to the family in which Jesus was born. Let no one think that these verses are useless. Nothing is useless in creation. The least mosses, and the smallest insects, serve some good end. Nothing is useless in the Bible. Every word of it is inspired. The chapters and verses which seem at first sight unprofitable, are all given for some good purpose Look again at these sixteen verses, and you will see in them useful and instructive lessons.

I0121-Institutes Online Courses

Jim sent us the link to Covenant Seminary's Courses on Calvin's Institutes. I'm going to download the MP3's myself and see if they are helpful. With one year dedicated to reading the Institutes in addition to our reading together this could prove useful in gaining more insight. If any of you give these courses a try let me know how it goes and I'll do the same. Thanks Jim.

http://www.worldwide-classroom.com/courses/info/ch523/

I0116-Institutes and Pilgrims Progess

Jim sent the following, good application and also really enjoyed his bringing Pilgrim's Progress into the discussion:

I am hoping that all are enjoying their daily read of Calvin's Institutes. I am again finding great joy in reading his pronouncements. I love this one in Chapter 5 " In seeking God, miserable men do not rise above themselves as they should, but measure him by the yardstick of their own carnal stupidity, and neglect sound investigation; thus out of stupidity they fly off into empty speculations. (reminds me of some of my past and most likely some of my present presuppositions) They do not therefore apprehend God as he offers himself, but imagine him as they have fashioned him in their own presumption. When this gulf opens, in whatever direction they move their feet they cannot but plunge headlong into ruin ".

Missteps are very costly. I cannot but be reminded of poor Pilgrim who at first is so easily lead into places like Legalism and other presumptive places, but for the grace of God that comes through the word of God he would have perished there. I also think of those who have fallen into the "Prosperity gospels, emergent gospel or the clever packages that say " have your best life now, become a better you". There are so many that the natural man cannot help but fall into ruin. Only grace and the work of the Holy Spirit can lead anyone out of these dark holes. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit we who are his have been fashioned by God for a better destiny.

May God richly bless you,

Jim

I0108-Blogging the Institutes

Thanks Jim for some great encouragement as we are just beginning our own private "Blogging The Institutes." Following are Jim's remarks - hope to also follow up with another post by Kwame.

Back in the Institutes. What great teaching to bring glory to our God! I love Calvin's prefatory address to King Francis. I could use a number of quotes that tingle my spine and make a loud YES come from within. I especially like these three paragraphs on Miracles. Sound doctrine! I hope all of you are enjoying this as much as I am.

"As I remember from previously reading Institutes, I found the book to be very heart-inflaming and devotional" I agree that the reading of the Institutes about 7 years ago for me were like a breathe of fresh air to my Arminian delusional way of thinking. I am looking forward to all of your thoughts as we proceed. God's blessings to all!.........Jim

Miracles:

"In demanding miracles of us, they act dishonestly. For we are not forging some new gospel, but are retaining that very gospel whose truth all the miracles that Jesus Christ and his disciples ever wrought serve to confirm. But, compared with us, they have a strange power: even to this day they can confirm their faith by continual miracles! Instead they allege miracles which can disturb a mind otherwise at rest — they are so foolish and ridiculous, so vain and false! And yet, even if these were marvelous prodigies, they ought not to be of any moment against God’s truth, for God’s name ought to be always and everywhere hallowed, whether by Miracles or by the natural order of things."

Perhaps this false hue could have been more dazzling if Scripture had not warned us concerning the legitimate purpose and use of miracles. For Mark teaches that those signs which attended the apostles’ preaching were Set forth to confirm it [Mark 16:20]. In like manner, Luke relates that Our “Lord … bore witness to the word of his grace,” when these signs and wonders were done by the apostles’ hands [<441403>Acts 14:3 p.]. Very much like this is that word of the apostle: that the salvation proclaimed by the Gospel has been confirmed in the fact that “the Lord has attested it by signs and wonders and various mighty works [Hebrews 2:4 p.; cf. Romans 15:18-19]. When we hear that these are the seals of the Gospel, shall we turn them to the destruction of faith in the gospel? When we hear that they were appointed only to seal the truth, shall we employ them to confirm falsehoods?

Since Christ affirms this test of doctrine, miracles are wrongly valued that are applied to any other purpose than to glorify the name of the one God.

Deuteronomy 13:2 ff.]. And we may also fitly remember that Satan has his miracles, which, though they are deceitful tricks rather than true powers, are of such sort as to mislead the simple-minded and untutored [cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10]. Magicians and enchanters have always been noted for miracles. Idolatry has been nourished by wonderful Miracles, yet these are not sufficient to sanction for us the superstition either of magicians or of idolaters."