Some of you have heard that several years ago I lost my precious Aggie Ring. Every time I share this in public, I receive gasps and looks of disapproval, as if a person who would misplace such an important item can barely be classified as human. I know it's shameful, but I really did not lose it on purpose; it just vanished one weekend while I was on a retreat.
Yesterday I got a call that somebody had found it! Somehow it made its way to the parking lot of a restaurant many miles away from where I lost. A man picked it up three years ago (!) and had not been able to track me down until yesterday. I received a call from his daughter, and she is going to get it back to me.
What was interesting to me was the rush of joy that I experienced upon receiving back an item that I had given up for lost. I actually envisioned myself placing it back on my finger in a sort of triumphal ceremony of recovery. I spread the word among my colleagues. My lost ring is found! I know it sounds strange, but it would be hard to describe my joy.
It gave me a little taste of what Jesus was expressing in Luke 15:
"What woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!' In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Have you ever thought about God's joy when you and I trusted in Christ and were saved? Have you ever imagined how precious you and I are to Him, and how overwhelmed with joy He was when we were saved from eternal death through Jesus?
The God of heaven and earth gave His Son so we could have life despite our sin. So that the lost could be found. Let's rejoice that He loves us that much, a million times more than I could love any little ring of gold. Let's move out into our world, filled with those who are lost, and be a part of God's plan to recover those who are lost, so that men and women from every tribe and tongue and people and nation will one day bow before Him.
Our God delights in finding those who are lost. Do we rejoice with Him?
Lost and Found
Raising Up Leaders
When I graduated college, I had a sense that I wanted to enter vocational ministry, but I had little direction with regard to where or in what role. Shortly before graduation, my college pastor bought me lunch and asked me to stay at Grace Bible Church for a year or two as an intern with the college ministry.
For the next two years I had unbelievable opportunities to serve, teach, lead, and learn. By the time I finished my internship I had a much clearer sense of the Lord's calling on my life and what the next steps were in pursuing that calling.
Since I finished my internship, the program has expanded to include eight to ten people each year, all of whom are interested in vocational ministry. Over the past 13 years we have had the privilege of seeing about forty young men and women enter vocational ministry in some capacity. Some are pastors, others are missionaries, one is a Bible college professor, and many are pursuing seminary training.
Leading our internship program is one of the greatest joys of my job here at Grace. It is where much of the greatest potential for impact occurs in this ministry.
In order to fund the internship program, each intern raises support for his or her salary. In addition, the church raises support to cover other expenses related to the internship.
If you are interested in partnering with us to raise up these leaders, please contact me at mattmorton@grace-bible.org. You can also give on the Grace website at http://http//www.grace-bible.org/Giving.aspx.
Would you be willing to consider such a partnership for the sake of raising up leaders to bring the message of Christ around the world?
True Community in a Virtual World
When I began college, email was a relatively new concept. I actually remember sitting down and writing letters to friends with pen and paper! My personal computer had no access to the internet, so sending and receiving email required waiting in a long line at the computer lab.
By the time I graduated college, we used email for nearly every correspondence! I stopped writing letters on paper, and my emails became shorter and shorter because of the number I was required to read and answer.
Now people do not even read their email anymore! Texting and Twitter are quickly replacing email as the preferred mode of communication. Why use a whole paragraph when you can say everything in 140 characters or less?
For that matter, why have dinner with old friends when I catch up with everybody on Facebook (or MySpace or LinkedIn or Classmates....or....or....?)
So here's my question for readers of this blog: How does all this technological efficiency affect the process of discipleship?
Clearly, the Christian walk requires community with one another (Hebrews 10:23-25). How can we have true community in a world that values quick exchanges of information and "virtual" friendships over real ones?
On the whole, do you feel like technological advances in communication (texting, Twitter, Facebook, email) are GOOD for Christian community or HARMFUL? Why? What will be the legacy of so much virtual community?
Do you think true depth of relationship and community can be accomplished in today's cultural climate? If so, how?
I would be very curious to hear your thoughts, especially if you are a college student.
Blessings,
Matt Morton
College Pastor
Thriller Theology
I confess that the death of Michael Jackson last week left me feeling a bit nostalgic and philosophical. For many of this blog's readers, Jackson was primarily known as a bizarre and ghoulish figure who inhabited the tabloids more than he did the pop charts.
For many in my generation, though, he was our first major exposure to pop culture, a larger-than-life persona who shaped our musical consciousness. My parents had Elvis and the Beatles; my peers and I had Michael Jackson and U2.
The enormity of his success only served to make his subsequent deterioration all the sadder. The strange changes in his appearance, the diminishing of his musical talent, and the accusations of child abuse drove home to me the perilous nature of worldly success, and the foolishness holding other humans on a pedestal.
At any rate, here are some theological musings on the life and death of Michael Jackson:
We have a God-given desire to imitate somebody. As silly as it sounds, I remember practicing the moonwalk -- unsuccessfully, by the way -- in my kitchen as a kid (that was a dance move, for those who might not know). It wasn't just me; everybody wanted to breakdance after Jackson made it popular. We all want a hero, somebody to model our lives after.
The Scripture affirms this desire, and gives us a particular object to imitate: Jesus Christ. Peter writes that Christ is "an example for you to follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Paul tells us to "be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1). Imitation can be a good thing, IF we imitate the right person.
We are made in God's image yet sadly broken by sin. The news coverage on Jackson presents him as two different people -- the brilliant musician gifted by God and the tragic celebrity haunted by his demons. Which is the "real" Michael Jackson? Or did the "real" Michael vanish at some point, to be replaced by the imposter?
The truth is that both were the "real" Michael. You and I are all presented in Scripture as divided people, made in the image of God and capable of great glory (Gen 1:26; Ps 8:5), but also deeply marred and twisted by sin (Rom 3:10-18). Only through redemption in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit can my malady be healed. As it is, I am still waiting for the destruction of the sin that lives in me. Meanwhile we "groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of the body" (Rom 8:23).
We are more tragic than we would like to believe, but for those who trust in Christ we will be more glorious than we dare to hope.
Significance is only found in Jesus Christ. The saddest part of Michael Jackson's story is that he always seemed to be searching for a purpose and meaning that he never found. He never found it in fame, music, or even the childhood religion that he professed. Even at the pinnacle of human success, he was unhappy and self-destructive.
Paul writes, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ."
After seeking significance in himself, Paul found it in Christ. Where do you and I find it? Are we trying to find significance in worldly pursuits, or only in the One who died and rose again to give us True Life?
If nothing else, one person's death reminds us that one day we all face death unless Jesus comes first. Let's pray that when we lie in the ground, we will NOT be remembered our popularity or talent or wealth or accomplishments. If we are remembered at all, let it be because we simply reflect and imitate our Savior.
Matt Morton, College Pastor
Your Role is Critical!
This past weekend was the annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser for Youth Impact, our urban ministry to Bryan kids, to help send them to Kids Across America camp. It was amazing to see the significant roles each person played in making this fundraiser possible. We had stellar leaders who helped set up on Friday afternoon, worked all morning, and then helped clean up after the event. The kids served with amazing attitudes, being attentive to the needs of the guests, willing to do whatever job we asked with excitement and joy. The families, friends and church body who came were a pleasure to serve and to give a glimpse of what our ministry is all about. At one point I took a moment and stepped back to watch as the crowded room buzzed with talking and laughter and I enjoyed the beauty God has created within the body of Christ. I was in awe and reminded by God that He designs each of us with unique gifts to be able to serve one another.
When looking at the church I see so many different individuals who attend and it amazes to me to see how God has pieced all of these people together to make one functioning body. No matter what your gifting is there is a place for each person to serve! We have Sunday school teachers who have been teaching for seventeen years, we have members who have been contributing faithfully for decades and we have college students leading for the first time. God uses each one in an intricate way to glorify Himself.
We are commanded to serve one another by using the spiritual gifts God has given each one of us. If you don’t know what your spiritual gifts are I would strongly encourage you to find out so you can learn to use them! Your gifting is unique and as important as any other. So whether you are serving behind the scenes, teaching in a classroom, helping prepare a meal for a family, bringing non-believers to church, praying for missionaries, leading a home church, or volunteering for a special event you play a vital role in the body! If you are not sure where to serve or need help finding your place please feel free to ask any of the staff here at Grace; we would love to help you find out!
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Renee Nelson, college intern
Easter All the Time
As I went to the Easter service yesterday morning, I walked in to the sanctuary focusing on my strong hope of eternal life through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we began to worship together, singing songs that celebrated Christ’s victory over death and offering praises to God for His accomplishment on the Cross, the significance of Easter was at the forefront of my mind. My expectation for this Easter Sunday morning was a sermon on the topic of this special day: the physical resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ which ushered in a new hope and the security of physical resurrection and promise of eternal life for those who have believed in Him. But as I opened the bulletin, I found a continuation of the current sermon series on one of Paul’s epistles. I was confused. I thought Easter Sunday was to be the pinnacle of the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Did I miss something?
The Lord quietly reminded but also boldly convicted me that the resurrection of Christ is not something only to be celebrated on one special day of the year. The power of the resurrection is such that it is the reason we can and should celebrate on the other 364 days of the year! As the sermon was preached, it was made apparent that the resurrection is the hinge of all Christian life because it reflects God’s power and faithfulness, and provides hope to those who believe. So whether we are talking about God’s grace, living the Christian life, or endurance in the faith, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ—the complete message—are the foundation upon which these other truths stand.
As I continued to think about this after the service, the Lord brought some questions to my mind to evaluate my own life. Am I worshipping and praising the Lord for the resurrection and how it affects my life on a consistent basis, not just at Easter? Am I walking in the reality that Christ conquered death? Do my words, actions, and thoughts reflect the power of this truth?
In the aftermath of Easter, I am praying that the Lord would bring these questions to my mind often and that I would not lose sight of the fullness of His accomplishments year-round. In other words, that in my heart and in my life it would be Easter all the time!
Holly Brown, college intern
Finding Truth in the Theatre
One thing that you will learn about me if you are around me for long is that I love art. I like to think of myself as having an appreciation for the finer things in life. Although I have not initiated a “Finer Things Club” in my workplace, I feel very certain that I would be privy to that inner circle in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
One of my favorite “finer things” is the theatre. I had the privilege of going to see the musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic, Les Miserables, in Houston yesterday afternoon. Art which has the ability to be not only beautiful and inspiring but also to point indirectly to theological themes always impresses me. I can think of no other musical that does this as well as Les Mis.
The central character of the story is Jean Valjean, who has been in prison for nineteen years for stealing bread for his starving family. After his release, he quickly returns to his former ways—bitter, unchanged, and still ravaged by his devastated life. Soon Valjean is caught in the act of robbing a local bishop, and the police bring him before the bishop. It is a stunning visual contrast to observe the bishop, dressed all in white, standing before a humble and ragged Jean Valjean. The bishop reports to the police that what they had assumed Valjean had stolen was actually a gift and that Valjean left before he was able to give him more. One act of grace and a life is transformed. Because the bishop gave Valjean what he did not deserve, Valjean is saved—not only from the punishment of prison but he is given the opportunity to begin a new life, one revolutionized by the grace freely lavished on by another. From this moment on, he knows that he has a soul, and now he can never be the same. He describes his transformation by asking: “What spirit came to move my life? I stare into the void, to the whirlpool of my sin…Jean Valjean is nothing now, another story must begin!”
Throughout the rest of the story, Valjean commits his life to granting mercy to those in need. In the midst of his reformed life, he is constantly being hunted by the police inspector Javert. Javert was the prison guard in which Valjean was held captive and later becomes a police inspector, hungry to indict Valjean for past wrongs in the name of justice and righteousness. Javert serves as a foil for Valjean. Javert is ensnared in the bondage of legalism, whereas Valjean’s life is dramatically altered by the freedom of grace.
Grace, redemption, and forgiveness are not the only religious themes woven throughout the story. Love overrides the whole play. The characters are constantly sacrificing for one another out of a “heart full of love.” One young girl, Eponine, exhibits great depths of love for Marius, for she knew that her sacrificial death was the only way to be near to him.
It is easy to recognize messages of truth in this play, but I urge you to seek out truth in modern-day art. Look for mediums that express and communicate scriptural certainties—man’s depravity, the presence of evil in the world, hopelessness apart from Christ, and other spiritual themes. Even in the absence of truth, we can still show ourselves to be approved by bringing light to the darkness, pointing to the ultimate redemption that is only found in Jesus Christ.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 3:23-24
Amanda Brundrett, College Intern
Missions Through Prayer
The greatest thing we possess as believers is the truth of the Gospel. Have you ever truly thought about how you have a powerful weapon to defeat the forces of darkness? Jesus is the Light of the world and is drawing men and women to Himself daily. What part can we take in His Kingdom’s work? I have begun to think about this question more regularly – how can I be effective for God’s kingdom?
We all can take part daily in His work and in fact we are commanded to take part. With the summer quickly approaching, I have been thinking often about our summer trips to Greece, East Asia and North Africa. These three teams are preparing themselves for several weeks in a foreign country to share the truth about the Light of Jesus Christ. Committing half of your summer to sharing the Gospel in places where they do not regularly hear it is one big way to take part in God’s work. However, going to another country is not the only way to be used by God.
among all the peoples." Psalm 96:3
The Blessing of Uncertainty
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God…”
1 John 3:21
I remember vividly the pressure of wondering what I would do after I graduated college. After all, this was the big question I was spending four or more years of my life trying to figure out, right? One of the toughest things about deciding on a career path or a place to live or any other is that there is no definite answer from the Scripture for where we should go or what we should do. These types of decisions are what I call non-ethical decisions. They are choices that do not violate God’s moral law, nor are their answers found written in a book. An example of clear direction in the Bible would be, “Do not get drunk on wine.” We know with certainty that we should not get drunk. In a few cases, God gives us a clear leading in a particular direction, and we know that we should pray for a particular person or take a particular course of action. Most of the time, however, our decisions seem more subjective. It is in the midst of these times when God teaches us vital lessons about building character and trusting in Him.
The quote above from 1 John can help us during times of non-ethical decisions. If we are pursuing God’s will in areas of clearly revealed truth, he will help us have confidence in more subjective matters. I am becoming more convinced that times in which we lack clear direction can actually be times of blessing. How? It is because in these times God teaches us to depend on him. He might want us to learn to cling more to His promises or to straighten out some part of our character that needs straightening. While we are wondering what we are to do, God is focused on who we should be or the strength of our trust in Him. Whatever the case may be, we can lean on His promise that He works ALL THINGS, every large or small situation, for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).
Having laid this foundation, I want to pose a question that addresses the second part of 1 John 3:21: Do we have confidence that we are being obedient to God? If so, God will listen and answer our prayers because we are obedient to the Lord and are doing what pleases Him. We can then have confidence to walk through a door that He opens. What if we still lack confidence? It is one thing to know about God’s promises; it is another thing to truly lean on them. During times when I don’t sense clear direction from the Lord, He is giving me an opportunity to exercise faith. He is also giving me the opportunity to experience the victory and rest that comes from having faith in Him even when circumstances are uncertain. It is tempting to immediately ask God for clarity when sometimes we should be asking to have our faith strengthened or to endure the present trial rejoicing! Such a reaction to difficult times is a testimony to God’s grace in our lives. Moreover, it is a testament to the hope we have not in building the home of the American Dream, but living for the dwelling we will have for all eternity.
In retrospect, I think it is funny that I thought I had to have my whole life planned out after I graduated. Coming from someone who has passed through to the other side, I can say that I still don’t have my life completely figured out! (Nor does anyone else I know). Oswald Chambers, author of the beloved devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, says in one of his talks, “One of the difficulties in Christian work is this question—‘What do you expect to do?’ You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing.” As this quote illustrates, it is okay for me to not know because the Lord is behind me, working every detail of my life for my good and His glory. I still have “big” decisions to make about my future and am not completely certain at this point of which road to take. I would like to extend a personal invitation to those of you facing similar decisions: Would you join me in trusting and rejoicing in the Lord as He leads us step by step?
Robbie Hooper, College Intern
Preaching the Gospel...to Yourself!
Have you ever shared the gospel with yourself? When you are struggling with a specific sin as a Christian, what words help you out of it the most? 2 Timothy 1:9 says “[God] saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” We contributed nothing to our own salvation. God called us and God saved us. Why then do we still, after coming to know the truth of our wonderful salvation “granted us from all eternity,” still try to rely on ourselves to overcome sin?
In Titus 3:5, Paul reiterates again that God saved us “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” Paul urges Titus a few verses later to speak these truths with confidence “so that those who have believed will be careful to engage in good deeds.” Paul shares the gospel with Christians all the time. Why? Because the gospel, through the power of the Spirit, is mighty enough to enable us to overcome our flesh.
If you have studied the history of the Christian church you might have noticed that when any reformation happened, whether with Augustine or Luther or somebody else, there was always a return to the simple truths of the gospel. Sola fide (faith alone) was the cry of Luther. When the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church were mired in severe sin and corruption, Luther simply shared the gospel with them. This brought about the greatest Reformation that the Church had ever or has ever seen.
How does this apply to us? When you are overwhelmed by temptation or have fallen prey to sin, share the gospel with yourself, remembering that Christ has forgiven your sins and praising God like Paul when he said in Romans 7:24-25, “Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Let the gospel set you free.
Danny Stimson, College Intern
Leaning On God's Sovereignty
“I am God and there is no other…my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose.”
Isaiah 46:9-10.
“He works all things after the counsel of His will.”
Ephesians 1:11.
Have you ever meditated on the sovereignty of God? The sovereignty of God should not be a doctrine that strikes fear (other than a reverent fear) into us, but instead should be a doctrine that calms our fears. Too often this doctrine is simply fiercely debated without practical application. So I want to ask all of us a question to think about: What are the practical implications of God’s sovereignty in our daily lives?
For most of my college years at Texas A&M, I did not know what I wanted to do with my life after college. I feared the future and what it would bring. Once I started thinking about vocational ministry this fear actually increased! I decided to start my journey by becoming a college intern at Grace Bible Church. The thought of raising support, while being newly married and having the new responsibility as “the provider”, drove me to lean on God to be my True Provider. I began to understand that He alone is in control of my life. This was a wonderfully liberating concept for me.
For those of us who love God and are in Christ, nothing can ultimately come in the way of Him doing the deepest and highest good for us. His sovereignty tells us that He will provide for what He has already planned. If His plans are different from our plans, we can trust in His ways, because He is good and is seeking our highest good.
Whether you are thinking about life after college and how you will find a job in this rough economy, or struggling through a rough and dark time in life, or raising support for a summer project mission trip, or even worried about what’s for dinner, you can lean on God’s sovereignty. Why? Because He is good, kind, merciful, and gracious.
Let us “commit our ways to the Lord; trusting in Him, and He will act” (Psalm 37:5).
Jon Yeager, College Intern
Learning to Love God's Word
“How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Ps. 119:103
It took me a long time to enjoy Bible study. As a matter of fact, I had been a leader at Grace for two and a half years before I ever really got into studying the Scriptures on my own and enjoying it. But now, I love it. If I could, I would spend all of my mornings just sitting and pouring through the Scriptures, memorizing, translating, interpreting, or just reading them. I feel toward them as David did when he said that God’s words “are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine fold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb” (Ps. 19:10). That is some pretty strong imagery there, but how did I come to love the Word that much?
Like I said, I was a leader for a long time before I really got into studying the Scriptures on my own. I had gone through Inductive Bible Study as a leader a few times, and had certainly learned a lot from it, but it was not something I was about to do in my spare time. Then, my senior year, as a Servant Team leader, I was challenged by my leader to begin to pour through each weeks lesson. To not just do what it took each week to get by, but to really spend time doing each part of the inductive process. This meant I would do word studies, do mechanical layouts, read some online commentaries, write out a bunch of observations, and even memorize the book. At first, this was difficult, but as time passed I began to enjoy the challenge of it, as well as all that God was revealing to me that I had never seen before. It helped that each week after our Bible study on Sunday nights, my friend Steven and I would get together at a coffee shop and discuss in more depth what we had learned. As he and I discussed the passages, we realized that the way we were understanding 1 Peter was different than what our leader was teaching us each week, so we told him as much. We thought we were right, and Jerry, our leader, let us think that we weren’t completely wrong, and so all of a sudden, Steven and I began to develop an ownership of the Word. Not only were we studying it, but we were developing our own beliefs from it instead of being spoon-fed everything, and it was great! I grew so much through studying 1 Peter, because for the first time in my life I was studying the Scriptures on my own, seeking the Lord in them, and letting Him speak to me through them.
This is why we do Inductive Bible study at Grace. Of course, we desire for you to know what the books of Titus and 1 Peter are about, but more than that, our desire is for believers to have a passion for the Scriptures and to know how to study them on their own. If you find your time in the Word to be dry or boring, let me offer up a suggestion: spend even more time in it. The more you spend in there, the more it will become like “the drippings of the honeycomb.”
Marty Scott
Responding to Brother Jed
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9.
For the past couple of weeks, “Brother Jed” has been preaching to students near the MSC on the Texas A&M campus. Most days he has spoken to crowds of forty or fifty at a time, some of whom listen quietly and others who argue and debate theology with him.
When I heard him last Wednesday, I was struck by some odd comments he was making regarding the nature of mankind, particular man’s sinfulness (or lack thereof). I took it upon myself to visit his website -- yes, this open-air preacher has a well-developed website -- to learn a bit more about his theology. While scrolling through the FAQ’s, I ran across the following statement: “I consider it an honor to be considered a modern day Pelagius.” Suddenly I understood the theological background of his preaching about sin and salvation. Allow me to explain.
Pelagius (c. 354 – 420 A.D.) was a British monk who came to Rome in 380 A.D. preaching a brand of theology that quickly attracted a following. Most notably, Pelagius denied that mankind was inherently sinful; he instead insisted that humanity was born with the innate capacity in his unredeemed state to please God through acts of righteousness. Consequently, the “grace of God,” according to Pelagius was nothing more than God’s assistance of men and women to earn his approval through good works. In a very real sense, he believed that we could earn our salvation if we tried hard enough.
Needless to say, this casts doubt on the absolute necessity of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation. Most Pelagians believe that the death of Christ was simply an example for us to follow, and not a substitution of God’s Son on our behalf to satisfy the Father’s wrath for our sin. Some, however, hold that the atonement removes our individual acts of sin, but that our works cooperate with the cross of Christ to provide salvation. Christian perfection is possible and expected in their system because we are inherently righteous; sin is generally redefined to mean only voluntary or willful transgressions against the revealed Law.
The problem, of course, with Pelagius’s system is that it is incompatible with numerous passages of Scripture. Romans 5:12-17 makes it clear that we are inherently sinful as a result of the sin of Adam; he represented us in his sin, and because of it we are condemned. Ephesians 2:1-3 states that we are “by nature children of wrath,” not merely as a result of evil deeds but as a consequence of a broken and sinful nature. The ONLY solution is complete reliance on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works will never be meritorius, because they cannot overcome our inherent sinfulness (Romans 3:9-20).
Ultimately, the Church rejected the views of Pelagius at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. and embraced the views of Augustine, who held a more biblical position on grace and original sin.
As you walk by and hear Brother Jed this week, I would encourage you not to engage him in debates or arguments about his theology. Instead, use his presence as an opportunity to share with your friends the true message of Jesus Christ: Sinful and depraved men and women have the opportunity for salvation only because of what He has done on our behalf. He transforms broken men and women into conformity with Christ, rather than expecting that we transform ourselves for sake of earning salvation. Hallelujah, what a Savior indeed!
Matt Morton
Fortify the Walls
-Proverbs 25:28
What exactly are the consequences faced by a city whose walls are broken down? The answer is vital to understanding the pitfalls of a life that lacks self-control. In OT times, the walls were the most important feature of a city or town. Without the fortification provided by walls, a city was defenseless. The walls were the primary means by which a people maintained possession and control of a city. They were the chief defense system against enemy attacks. In fact, King David’s initial objective upon seizing the city of Jerusalem was to construct a surrounding wall (2 Sam 5:9).
Therefore, a city whose walls are broken down was a city ready to be captured, a city left undefended, and a city whose people were primed to be enslaved. Likewise, a man who lacks self-control is defenseless and ready to be mastered by whatever attack may come his way. One man phrased the coming assaults in this way: “such things as selfishness, lack of discipline, procrastination, immorality, no time for God, compromise, and rebellion”. The defenseless man becomes enslaved to these things.
It is for this reason that the building up of self-control is imperative in a man or woman who desires to follow after Christ and daily live in the freedom that He offers. To be free from the enslavement of things contrary to God requires this discipline. The apostle Paul likewise expounds upon the importance of self-control as he describes the criteria of character that God desires from His church elders in the book of Titus. It becomes necessary for these leaders to possess self-control in order to represent the church of God the way He intended.
As we follow men who follow God, we must follow their example of self-control. For us to live a life chasing wholly after Christ, we must uphold the city walls that defend us from our common enemy’s attacks. We must sustain our self-control.
Did Jesus Really Exist?
Hello friend! My name is Matt Spinelli. I’m a college intern here at Grace and have been given the privilege to write the next blog entry on the Grace blog! For those of you who don’t know me I’m kind of a New Testament research junkie. I visit a New Testament blog everyday to see what developments are happening in the New Testament research world. This January I learned of the formation of "The Jesus Project". This is a collection of Biblical Scholars, mostly from the more liberal side of scholarship, that will debate at seminars during the year whether Jesus actually existed or not. This follows on the heels of the highly publicized Jesus Seminar. So in light of this I thought it would be good to answer the question, "Can we be sure that Jesus really existed?"
One way to investigate this question is to search for sources that are outside of the New Testament and do not have a Christian bias to them. The reason we look for sources like this is that we can be fairly confident that the evidence they present for the existence of Jesus is sound and not merely trying to bolster the Christian movement. An example of such a source comes from the Roman historian Tacitus.
Tacitus lived from 56 AD to 117 AD and wrote a history examining the reigns of several Roman emperors. The text that we are going to focus on for our purposes is in his Annals 15.44: "Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular."
One of the first things that we need to notice is that Tacitus was not a Christian. So we can be pretty sure that whatever he said about Jesus was not slanted toward the Christian movement. So what does he say about Jesus? Notice the line where he mentions "Christus" who "suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius". The overwhelming majority of scholars think that this is one of the few secular references to Jesus. From this we can learn that Jesus was crucified during the reign of Tiberius by Pontius Pilate. This information, while brief, does help to answer the question of the existence of Jesus, as well as the historical validity of his crucifixion. Would a Roman Historian who has no interest in promoting Christianity comment on an individual who didn’t exist? I don’t think so.
This means that there is good evidence for the existence of Jesus outside of the New Testament. This should help bolster our confidence in the Gospels and in the one whose "word is truth" (John 17:17.)
Matt Spinelli
Whose Kingdom?
It has been nearly a week now since our country inaugurated a new President in a historic ceremony on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Regardless of each citizen's personal feelings about the man or his politics, most of us were probably somewhat captivated by witnessing the peaceful transfer of power from one chief executive to another, an open demonstration of the democratic process which our country holds so dear.
Most people with whom I have discussed the recent election and inauguration have strong opinions about President Obama, and perhaps with good cause. For some, his Presidency is greeted with a level of enthusiasm that is only matched by their corresponding disdain for our previous President. For others, he is viewed with suspicion, fear, and extreme dislike because of his liberal economic and social policies. Depending upon where you fall on the political spectrum, you might view President Obama as either a modern-day Moses or a dangerous socialist.
A recent study suggests that college students have become more interested in politics during this election than at any other time in the past forty years. Perhaps the range of challenges affecting the United States contributes to the increased level of campus discussion and activism that has emerged in the past year.
So how do we, as followers of Jesus Christ, respond in such a politically charged atmosphere?
First, we each have a responsibility in our representative form of government to vote and to participate appropriately and respectfully. Part of our responsibility as Christians is to "proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). While the Gospel is certainly our priority, we can "proclaim" Jesus to the world by speaking up for biblical priorities in political situations. God values human life; He values justice and righteousness and truth; He values holiness. Does the candidate I support intend to reflect such values or to undermine them?
Second, we each are to remember that our true citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20-21). Kings and Presidents will come and go; Jesus Christ and His kingdom will last forever. If our hope is here, then we are bound to be disappointed. But we have a "living hope," one that is "imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4).
This means that our primary responsibility in LIFE is NOT to engage in politics, but to engage in discipleship (Mt 28:18-20). Jesus' ultimate plan is to begin a new kingdom, not rooted in the systems of this earth. He desires men and women from all nations to come to Him, and He has commissioned us with the task of sharing His message with those around us.
So this week as you go to class, or to work, or to the store, or to your dorm, as yourself this question: Into which kingdom am I investing my time and money and resources, the one that will fade away or the one that will last forever?
Matt Morton
Welcome
Welcome to our first blog ever! We are hip now.