Tag: Faith (Page 3 of 4)

God Will Provide

And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. (Lk. 9:3)

And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” (Lk. 22:35)

These two verses, though chapters apart from each other are directly connected. They link two historical events and they illustrate the truth that God provides for His people.

In Luke 9 Jesus called the twelve apostles to Himself for the purposes of commissioning them, commanding them, and equipping them for the immediate task of reaching the lost sheep of Israel (Mt. 10:6). He gave them authority over evil spirits, power to heal diseases (Lk. 9:1) and He sent them out to preach the good news of the kingdom of God (vs.2). The subsequent instructions that He gave them appear to have a sense of urgency. The disciples were not to take anything with them. Jesus said, “Take nothing for your journey, neither staff nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece” (vs.3).

The question is: Why did Jesus say this?

Was it simply because the matter of preaching the good news of the kingdom was urgent? Was it because He did not want them encumbered and preoccupied with things that could slow down their mission or distract them from their primary objectives? Was it because Jesus had some measure of concern in relation to the appearance of the disciples, meaning – He did not want them to look like ‘profit seekers’ who were ministering in the hopes that people would drop money into their bags?

Those concerns might have, in some measure, been part-and-parcel of Jesus’ rationale, but I think a primary one can be seen in the question that Jesus asked chapters later: “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything” (22:35a)?

And the disciples responded, “Nothing” (22:35b).

This mission, with all of its other incredibly important, kingdom-centered objectives, had the purpose of teaching the disciples, experientially, that God will provide. They were to walk in faith, commit themselves to the tasks given to them, minister to those who needed to hear the good news and experience healing, and they were to find that God would come through with the provision they needed when they needed it.

Perhaps that is a lesson you need to be reminded of today. This lesson does not dismiss all of the Biblically-appointed means of attaining provision that God has set before us; rather, it undergirds it with a rock-solid Biblical truth that is exemplified and stated throughout the Old and New Testament – the God who numbers the hairs of His people’s heads is the same God who calls His people to seek Him and His kingdom first with the promise that everything they need will be given to them (Mt. 6:33).

By God’s grace, you too will get to the end of your journey, and if you were asked, “Did you lack anything you needed as you went about the mission?” you’d be able to respond, “No, Lord, you sustained me and you gave me everything I needed to complete the task and finish the race.”

May you be exhorted to know that what may look like a challenge of faith today will become a monument of God’s faithfulness later with the memorial ensign – God will provide.

 

Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?

A common question often asked among Christians is, “Do believe that once a person is saved they are always saved?” The question is in essence asking, “Is the state of being justified before God something that a person can have and then lose?” We’ll unpack the answer in the paragraphs that follow but, for an immediate response, and to help frame the discussion, let me say that from God’s perspective salvation is a concrete plan from all of eternity and executed in time; while, from man’s perspective, it can look as though a person once ‘had saving faith’ and then ‘lost saving faith.’ I think the key to understanding the answer to the question lies in first deciding which perspective will help you interpret the other. If you say, ‘I know brother so-in-so was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit’ you will probably come to the Scriptures with a presupposition geared towards that belief; however, if you look at the Scriptural teaching regarding predestination, election, salvation, and eternal security, your view of ‘brother so-in-so’ will most likely change and become less resolute.

What follows is an outline of some of the major points involved in coming to a Biblical conclusion to the aforementioned question.

1. Romans 8:30, Ephesians 1:4-6, and the Doctrine of Predestination.

Romans 8:30 reads, “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” From God’s perspective there is a ‘golden chain of salvation’ that is seen as complete and decided in eternity past. All whom God predestines end up being called, justified, and glorified.

Ephesians 1:4-6 is also helpful in this regard. There Paul wrote,

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

God chose the redeemed before the foundation of the world (vs.4a) and predestined His own to the adoption as sons by Jesus Christ (vs.5a) to the praise of the glory of His grace (vs.6a). So again, for reasons found in the good pleasure of God’s will (vs.5b), we see God has planned the salvation of the redeemed from eternity past to be definitely completed in time.

2. Connecting Point One with the New Birth.

If it is agreed that salvation is the plan of God from eternity past (Eph. 1:4), executed in time (Rom 8:30a), and that the inevitable end of predestination is glorification (Rom 8:30b), then it would not make sense that God would grant someone new birth from above if He knew that someone was going to be ‘un-regenerated’ at a future time. Remember, according to John 1:13 the new birth is not according to the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. Furthermore, and this is important, when the Scripture speaks of a person being ‘born of God’ the clear implication is that they will overcome and cross the finish line in faith. As it is written, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world” (1 Jn 5:4a); and again, “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning”, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him” (1 Jn 5:18 ESV); and again, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 Jn 3:9 ESV).

3. Understanding the Nature of Saving Faith.

One reason why many people hear the phrase ‘once saved always saved’ and shudder is because they have heard it referenced as an excuse, or license, for sin. That characterization is not an accurate one. Saving faith is of such a nature that the Christian begins to produce fruit (Gal 5:22-23; Mt 7:16), walks in the good deeds that accompany salvation (Jas 2:18; Eph 2:10), and does not live in a lifestyle of habitual sin (1 Jn 3:9; 5:18). The one who says, “I know Him” but does not do what God commands is a liar and the truth is not in him (1 Jn 2:4). Therefore, to say ‘once saved always saved means a person can live however they want and still be saved’ is a mischaracterization; a truly saved person is expected to walk in the light and bring forth evidence of salvation through a life of faith and obedience.

4. The Numerous Scriptures that Testify to the Believer’s Security.

Besides the previously mentioned points there are a number of Scriptures that unambiguously teach that a person who has been justified by faith in the person and work of Christ will be saved and not unjustified at a later point in time.

37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn. 6:37-40)

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. (Jn. 10:27-29)

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Eph. 1:13-14)

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Phil. 1:6)

who [speaking of the elect, cf. 1 Pet. 1:2] are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (Pet. 1:5)

19 They [speaking of former professing Christians] went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1 Jn. 2:19)

18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! (2 Tim. 4:18)

 

5. The Lack of Scriptural Evidence to the Contrary.

As you can see from the previous four points there is a tremendous amount of Biblical evidence, spread across various Christian doctrines, which support the reality of God keeping those whom He saves. Additionally, the texts that are often used to argue against eternal security either: (a) endorse eternal security (i.e. Hebrews 6:4-6, 6), or (b) do not contradict what the doctrine of eternal security teaches about the Christian life (see Point 3 again).

Closing Exhortation

With that being said, the exhortation to conclude this teaching is two-fold: (1) may you be exhorted to grow in your ability to articulate why you believe what you believe. Many people have misconceptions about Christian doctrines because they have heard them explained erroneously or inaccurately. Lord willing, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior we’ll become increasingly able to show how the doctrines of Scripture exist within a coherent system of God’s revelation. And (2), since many Christians struggle with this doctrine, may you be exhorted to lovingly and gently defend the doctrine of eternal security, pursuing love and peace among brethren to the glory of God. This doctrine is an important one; it glorifies God as the beginner and sustainer of salvation; but in contending for sound doctrine it is essential to, at the same time, pursue love among those brethren who are justified by faith alone in the person and work of Christ but struggle understanding a doctrine like this.

Saved by Faith and From Judgment (Jeremiah 39:11-18)

The day finally came. The prophecies of the Book of Jeremiah had been driving to this point. The year-and-a-half siege that began in the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah (Jer. 39:1; 52:4; 2 Ki. 25:1), yet had a brief intermission as Babylon temporarily withdrew to deal with an Egyptian threat, finally penetrated the city walls in the eleventh year and fourth month (Jer. 39:2; Jer. 52:6,7; 2 Ki. 25:3,4). It was the unthinkable; even though it should have been the foreseeable. Jeremiah predicted the coming of the Babylonian sword, starvation, and captivity (Jer. 15:2); he predicted that the siege would so disrupt the city’s food supply that cannibalism would occur (19:9); he predicted that staying in the city would lead to death but that surrendering would lead to life (21:9); and he predicted that the land would be a desolation and a horror, in servitude to Babylon for seventy years (25:11). And it all happened just as God had spoken through him.

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Great And Mighty Things (Jer. 33:1-3)

You’ve probably heard it said by someone in a prayer meeting at some point, “Lord, you said, ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” And it’s true, God did say that. What many may not know is – He said that to Jeremiah. And what is, perhaps, even less known is what exactly the great and mighty things that God desired to show Jeremiah were. Quoting Scripture is great, particularly in prayer. And making an appropriate application is, of course, fine and good; however, if the original meaning of a text is missed the application of that text can be misused. It’s always safest and hermeneutically appropriate to understand what a particular promise meant to its original recipient(s) before we try to figure out how it applies to us. So with that being said, let’s create some context and set the scene so as to discern what God was saying to Jeremiah and whether or not we have a similar invitation today.

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Practicing What You Preach (Jer. 32:6-15)

Perhaps to your surprise, Jeremiah 32, in large measure, concerns the real estate purchase of a prophet. Now, to be clear, you wouldn’t expect this chapter to show up on a must read list of books for any beginning real estate investor. In fact, on the surface, this acquisition had just about all the makings of a bad deal. First, consider where Jeremiah was – in prison (Jer. 32:2-3). Not exactly the place from whence you’d expect such transactions to occur. Second, as many investors will tell you, a primary mark of a good piece of land is location. As the saying goes, ‘Location, location, location.’ Well, Jeremiah was about to buy a plot of land that was likely already invaded and overrun by the Babylonians. After all, if the Babylonians had already surrounded Jerusalem (vs.2) they likely already subdued Anathoth, which was only a few miles away from Jerusalem (vs.7). But Jeremiah didn’t make this purchase because he lacked the savvy foresight of a prudent investor or the sense to understand that captured land does not hold much value, he did it because the God who spoke through him also spoke to him. Yahweh predicted that he would have this opportunity, and Jeremiah knew that God wanted him to buy the land to make a point. But before we see the point first we ought to hear the word of LORD that came to Jeremiah (vs.6),

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