No Other Boast

There is one amongst us that does a blasphemous thing and she must be exposed.  She is guilty of watering down juice (somewhat tolerable) and sweat tea (an unjustifiable crime).  I hereby publicly rebuke thee Michelle.

How much can you water down sweet tea so that it is no longer sweat tea?   What about Kool-Aid?  Kool-Aid is a vile substance when properly made, but water down, it is the Satan of beverages.  One might be technical and say that is no longer kool-aid when the additional water molecules outnumber the proper Kool-Aid/sugar/water mixture; I don’t think any such technical definition will pass upon a taste test.

I think there has been a watering down of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.  This can be seen in the terminology prominently used to designate the doctrine.  We degenerated from talking about the final perseverance of the saints, to preservation of the saints to security of the believer to the cliché “once saved always saved”.  It’s not that there is untruth in the latter terminology, just less truth.  It is perfectly fine to talk about the security of the believer, but if this is all that is strictly discussed, the truth has been greatly watered-down, and like Kool-Aid, it should cause the true Christian to retch.

What is the difference?  When “once saved always saved”, absent the idea of perseverance is applauded one may come to Christ only for fire insurance.  “I did what was required and no more,” if not a blatant declaration is the functional proclamation of many lives that recite this cliché.  The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints has as its corollary that the saints are the ones that persevere.   True saints indicate that they are saints, and they take no comfort in having done certain actions such as saying a specific prayer.  Rather they find their comfort in fruit that can only be a result of God’s saving and sanctifying grace.  One does not work to finally achieve salvation, rather true salvation is a salvation that works, a salvation that bears fruit.

The question is not one of the retention of salvation based upon the persistence of faith, but possession of salvation as evidenced by a continuation of faith.  – Alistair Begg

No cute analogies, no geeky illustrations, and no powerful quotes; I am at a loss for words. It’s been a draining week. Part of the writer’s block is I’m sure due to the fact that I just want to go home right now. I just want some rest. I don’t want to put out the mental exertion to write. I am tired. I am weak. I am inadequate. I am insufficient. I am sinful. Perhaps I have been looking at the text only to see how I can use it to feed you. I need this text. I stand with you under the text while I preach it.

His suffering brings me to glory. He sanctifies me. He has one origin with me. He is not ashamed to call me brother. He defeated death. He delivers me from the fear of death. He helps me. He is a merciful and faithful high priest. He made propitiation for my sins.

I’m going to go home now, reflect on these truths, and rest in the perfect work and sacrifice of my Great High Priest.

Before I do, here is another Hymn I am angry I didn’t learn:

Before the Throne of God Above
By Charitie L. Bancroft

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

I think the highest pitches achievable by female vocal cords are struck at the loudest volume when the estrogen dominated live audience of a certain TV show (a TV show humbly self-titled by the host) announces that this specific episode will be dubbed her “favorite things”.  Who else upon announcing some of their favorite things causes such hysteria?  Oprah , she’s got nothing.  I’m sure most of the companies give her the goods, its great advertising.  I’m sure she forks out some of her own dough as well, still its small cookies.

I once heard that Mr. Braum gives away an orange or an apple every year for a Christmas bonus to his employees.  Lucky employees, they get to choose between two sweet bonuses.  Can you imagine the deliberation that must be theirs every year as that grand moment approaches?  “Oh which one will I choose!  The orange was so great last year but…”  Clearly Oprah has Mr. Braum beat.  I watched this bit one monring of the place Fortune magazine named the greatest place to work… Google.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6h-gm01Fb0]

The wealth of a person or company is flaunted by what they give away.  The giving away of stuff when it fails to dent the wealth of the owner does not diminish his glory it adds to it.  If I give away iPods I must be doing quite well, but if Cameron comes along and is giving away flat screens as easily as I do iPods, He has a greater glory concerning materialistic wealth.   Both our gifts would be dwarfed by Mr. X (Graham contended for this position, ultimatly I considered this too unrealistic) who is giving away Ferraris.  The greater the gift and the less the diminishing effect upon the wealth of the giver the greater their glory.

God gives away and suffers no lack.  It is not as if he is so wealthy that hundreds become tens and dollars pennies; no, He gives and no deduction is made from his account at all. He gives without suffering any loss.  He does not acquire, He is the fountain.  He does not give away trite little trinkets, others may give electronics and cars – God gives the earth.  Better yet, He gives His Son to redeem the earth and bring many sons to glory.  In bringing many sons to glory and giving them dominion over the earth He does not diminish His own glory, rather He flaunts it.

There are some authors that I love and appreciate so much that I try to read nearly everything they write.  I rarely hesitate to buy a book by Piper, Carson, Mahaney, Driscoll, or Lewis.  It’s like walking by an appetizer tray, you just gotta.

Commenting on this passage Calvin wrote, “The import of the whole is this, that the higher the dignity of Christ is than that of angels, the more reverence is due the gospel than to the law.  Thus he commends the doctrine by mentioning the author.”  The law is precious, it is the word of God, it is holy and too often neglected.  We should not demean or make little of the law in any way.  Seek to put it upon the highest shelf of your heart.  It reveals Christ to us in shadows and shows us our deep need for Him.  So place it high as the Holy Word of God and then realize that the gospel is its fulfillment and climax, thereby placing it on top.  If the word of God delivered through angels (Psalm 68:15-17; Acts 7:38, 53; Galatians 3:19) is so precious, what of His supreme Word Jesus?

When it comes to the message of Jesus Christ, you just gotta.

Some things don’t compare.  A lot of friends and family are getting nice flat screens, our little ol’ TV – it doesn’t compare.  I pulled up to a Porsche yesterday, yep, I was in the Taurus – didn’t compare.  We spent the weekend at my brother and sister in law’s house in McKinney, TX; as we drove through down town many of the houses… well let’s just say our house can’t begin to compare with them.

When is contentment with lesser things not a virtue?  It would be foolish of me to buy a Porsche, it would strain our finances and cause my wife to throw incredibly large heavy objects at my face (if you know Bethany this is a ridiculous for two reasons:  1. she uses silence not violence, 2. if she were to throw something it could not be large and heavy.  The muscles in those skinny little arms though defines are alas attached to skinny little arms, skinny little arms that I love and adore mind you.  I will now cease this impertinent deviation).  But say both, the Taurus and the Porsche, are available at the same price while retaining their respective quality level, then I would be a fool to keep the Taurus.  Sorry Birnies, we love the car but…

What a fool I must look as I am enamored with things so much lesser than Christ.  Spiritually I am often caught driving a lemon, living in a shack, and watching black and white.