God is love

Posted on by kevinjandt

bw-cross

Recently I wrote a post about the wrath of God.  Scripture has clearly defined that God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11).  Understand if you have not been morally perfect your entire life, you are wicked.   If you have not been redeemed by the blood of Christ and turned from your sin, you are wicked.  Wicked is not only Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Dr. Evil, or your favorite villain.

This is not an easy concept for the unregenerate to grasp.  “What wicked… evil… That’s not me… “

In order to be saved you must first understand this is you or it’s impossible to be saved.  Us reformed types are most often accused of being unloving and too dogmatic, too harsh about the things of God.

“Where’s the love man… “

I am as dogmatic about God’s love as I’m dogmatic about His wrath, about His wisdom, about His sovereignty or any of His attributes.  I want you to know that I believe with all my heart God is all these things wrapped into such an incredible being that we can’t even begin to comprehend His majesty.

God has given us the gift of His word to show us who He is.  So to deny any of these attributes or put more emphasis on one than the other is not presenting the full counsel of God.  The difference in emphasizing the wrath of God in preaching over the love of God is simply that sinful man cannot grasp love until he grasps his dire situation.

There is no doubt God is love, you can’t miss this if you tried.

Wayne Grudem – Systematic Theology [1994] Love.  God’s love means that God eternally gives of himself to others.  This definition understands love as self-giving for the benefit of others.  This attribute of God shows that it is part of his nature to give of himself in order to bring about blessing or good for others.

How does God give of Himself for others?

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.    

There’s a catch to this verse.  Who is the “us”?  Many want to claim this verse and verses like John 3:16 or Jeremiah 29:11 that God loves you and has a plan for you.  There are whole radio stations dedicated to this concept.  But to gain the benefit of the love you must know God.   Not a “god” of your own design but the One True God as defined by the Holy Scriptures.

You must understand you are helpless to save yourself.  Ephesians 2:1

You must believe in Jesus Christ.  Acts 16:31

You must be born again.  John 3:3

You must repent and turn from your sin.  Repentance is an ongoing act of turning away from your former life and embracing your new life in Christ.  Matthew 4:17

You must seek holiness.  1 Peter 1:16

You will then seek fellowship, growth and protection from the church.  Ephesians 4:11, Hebrews 13:17

That’s the “Gospel”, the “Good News”

Some may consider it unloving to tell someone they are separated from God because of their sin.  That separation will condemn them to hell upon their death if they don’t turn to Christ in faith.  That seems judgmental and unloving.

I couldn’t think of anything more unloving than to not tell them.

1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Kevin

A Sure Guide to Heaven – Part 6 – Directions to the unconverted

Posted on by kevinjandt

compass

I finished my prep work this afternoon before starting to write and I sent my cousin a text message “A Sure Guide to Heaven should be required reading for anyone that thinks they know Christ.”  What else could I say, why won’t the places that call themselves churches preach like this anymore?

Do they teach like this?

Do people understand their wretchedness to a Holy God?  Would they require this book in the newcomer orientation classes?  I almost laugh myself silly when I think about the pizza, Pepsi and “oh here you go, we want you to read this book…”  “Say what?”

As I was reading the sixth chapter and attempting to digest the truth pouring off the pages my head was swimming, am I really saved?  And I believe that I’m saved…  I can still remember how I felt when I came to the realization I’d been a false convert my whole adult life.  What should I do?  Can it be true, have I really just been saved?  Did God really show me my sin?  What else could I do, but fall to my knees and praise Him for His grace and mercy.

To my dear friends and readers, if this study has not made an impact on you, there is something wrong and I hope you will examine yourself in that light.

You’ve either taken my admonishment to read this book or you haven’t and I’ve either inspired you to want to read it or I’ve lost you by now, so if you have stuck with me, I praise God for your diligence and I trust you have been blessed.

Directions to the unconverted

Before you read these directions, I advise you, yea, I charge you before God and His holy angels, that you resolve to follow them, as far as conscience shall be convinced of their agreeableness to God’s Word and your state; and call in  His assistance and blessing that they may succeed. Page 100

Again Ailleen appeals to God’s Word as the source of truth as he lays out sixteen directives for the unconverted.

1: Set it down with yourself as an undoubted truth, that it is impossible for you ever to get to heaven in this your unconverted state

Can any other but Christ save you? And He tells you He will never do it except you be regenerated and converted. Page 101

2: Labour to get a thorough sight and lively sense and feeling of your sins

Till men are weary and heavy laden, and pricked at the heart, and quite sick of sin, they will not come to Christ for cure, nor sincerely enquire, ‘What shall we do?’ Page 101

The loathsome carcase does not more hatefully swarm with crawling maggots, than an unsanctified soul with filthy lusts.  They fill the head, the heart, the eyes and mouth of him.  Look backward; where was ever the place, what was ever the time, in which you did not sin? Page 102

The least sinful word or thought lays you under the infinite wrath of God. Page 103

3: Strive to affect your heart with a deep sense of your present misery

Read over the previous chapter again and again, and get it out of the book into your heart. [emphasis mine]  Remember when you lie down, that for all you know, you may awake in flames; and when you rise up, that by the next night you may make your bed in hell. Page 105

4: Settle it in your heart that you must look out of yourself and away from your own doings for help

Do not think your praying, reading, hearing, confessing, or amending, will effect the cure.  These must be attended to, but you are undone if you rest in them.  You are a lost man if you hope to escape drowning on any other plank but Jesus Christ. Page 106

5: Henceforth renounce all your sins

If you yield yourself to the practice of any sin, you are undone.  In vain do you hope for life by Christ, except you depart from iniquity.  Forsake your sins, or you cannot find mercy.  You cannot be married to Christ except you be divorced from sin.

Your sins must die, or you must die for them. Page 107

6: Make a solemn choice of God for your portion and blessedness

Take up your rest in God.   Sit down under His shadow.  Let His promises and perfections turn the scale against all the world.

Poor sinner, you have fallen off from God, and have engaged His power and wrath against you; yet know, that of His abundant grace He offers to be your God again in Christ. Page 108 & 109

7: Accept the Lord Jesus in all His offices as yours

Sinner, you have undone yourself, and are plunged into the ditch of most deplorable misery, out of which you are never able to escape; but Jesus Christ is able and ready to help you, and He freely tenders Himself to you.

The Lord Jesus calls you to look to Him and be saved.

I tell you, nothing can undo you but your own unwillingness.  Speak, man; will you give your consent? Page 113

8: Resign all your powers and faculties, and your whole interest to be His

In a word, you must give Him yourself, and all that you have without reservation, or else you can have no part in Him. Page 115

9: Choose the laws of Christ as the rule of your words, thoughts and actions

This is the true convert’s choice.  …there is no getting to heaven by a partial obedience.  It is not enough to take up the cheap and easy part of religion, and let alone the duties that are costly and self-denying, and oppose the interests of the flesh; you must take all or none. Page 115

10: Let all this be completed in a solemn covenant between God and your soul

Set apart some time, more than once, to be spent in secret before the Lord – in seeking earnestly His special assistance and gracious acceptance of you – in searching your heart, whether you are sincerely willing to forsake all your sins, and to resign yourself, body and soul, unto God and His service; to serve Him in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life. Page 117

11: Take heed of delaying your conversion, but make a speedy, an immediate surrender of your heart to God

Remember and tremble at the sad instance of the foolish virgins who did not come till the door of mercy was shut, and of a convinced Felix who put off Paul to another season, but we do not find that he had another season. Page 120

12: Attend conscientiously upon the Word, as the means appointed for your conversion

Come to every sermon you hear with this thought: ‘O I hope God will now come in; I hope this day may be the time this may be the man by whom God will bring me home.’ Page 121

13: Strike in with the Spirit when He begins to work upon your heart

When He works convictions, O do not stifle them, but join in with Him, and beg the Lord to give you saving conversion.  ‘Quench not the Spirit.’  Do not reject Him, do not resist Him. Page 121

14: Set upon the constant and diligent use of serious and fervent prayer

He that neglects prayer is a profane and unsanctified sinner. Page 122

15: Forsake your evil company, and forbear the occasions of sin

You will never be turned from sin till you decline and forego the temptations of sin.

And, of all temptations, one of the most fatal and pernicious is evil companions. Page 122 & 123

16: Set apart a day to humble your soul in secret by fasting and prayer, to work a sense of your sins and miseries upon your heart

…so make a catalogue of your sins, and with shame and sorrow spread them before the Lord.

Thus, I have told you what you must do to be saved.  Will you now obey the voice of the Lord?  Will you arise and set to the work?  O man, what answer will you make, what excuse will you have, if you perish at last through very willfulness, when you have known the way of life? Page 124

A SHORT SOLILOQUY FOR AN UNREGENERATE SINNER

Ah! Wretched man that I am! What a condition have I brought myself into by sin! Oh! I see my heart has deceived me all this while, in flattering me that my condition was good.  I see, I see, I am but a lost and undone man, for ever undone, unless the Lord help me out of this condition.  My sins! My sins! Lord, what an unclean, polluted wretch I am! More loathsome and odious to Thee than the most hateful venom or noisome carcase can be to me.  Oh! What a hell of sin is in this heart of mine, which I have flattered myself to be a good heart!  Lord, how universally am I corrupted, in all my parts, powers, and performances!  All the imaginations of my heart are only evil continually. Page 125

I can’t imagine most evangelical pastors standing up and giving this type of a message today.  Can you just see the place emptying before your eyes?  It would have the same effect as Jesus when he preached His sermon from John 6:32-68.  Then Peter said “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”

Do you understand these are the words of eternal life?

Kevin

God’s Wrath

Posted on by kevinjandt

The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions. It hushes their fears and allows them to practice all pleasant forms of iniquity while death draws every day nearer and the command to repent goes unheeded.   A. W. Tozer

wrath

For some this article may appear harsh and unloving.  I want you to know that I write these words with all the love and humility that resides within my feeble mind and body.  It’s vitally important to have an understanding of this subject.  It is important to test and examine your life by the truth of God’s Word.

It is unpopular to talk about God’s wrath.  Most “churches” and church people would rather discuss God’s love, God’s mercy, God’s forgiveness and any attribute of God that does not involve condemnation or justice.  The problem is you can’t have any of these other attributes without first understanding God’s wrath.

That is a bold statement how can I say that?  What is God’s wrath?

Wrath – God intensely hates all sin.  This is the definition of God’s wrath according to Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology [1994].  The biggest question for you today is do you believe this?  Do you believe that God intensely hates sin?

God so intensely hates sin and so intensely loves His elect that He poured out His wrath on His Son to reconcile them to Him.   This is hard to comprehend.

Ephesians 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

How many people sitting in “churches” today are being deceived by empty words?  Empty words that WILL NOT preach the full counsel of God, because this wrath thing is just not popular, it’s too controversial and it upsets people.  It’s foolishness to most.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

Colossians 3:6, Romans 2:8, Ephesians 2:3, Romans 9:22, Revelation 6:16, 11:18 and this only a brief survey of what scripture tell us.  Before you think that God’s mercy will save you from His wrath ask yourself can God still be righteous if He overlooks and pardons sin?  Can one of His attributes override any of His other attributes?  He is the sum total of all His attributes and He must, to be righteous, be wrathful.

Do you think your sin is no big deal to God?  Will He be merciful?  Will He offer grace?  Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!  How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ you will NOT live in consistent sin.  You will be sanctified and increase in holiness and Christ-likeness.  If you are a non-believer you have only the wrath of God to come upon you.  Your throat is an open tomb, your tongue practices deceit, you have the poison of asps under your lips, you are full of bitterness and cursing, you only know destruction and misery, you DO NOT fear God (Romans 3:13-18).

I plead with you today, if you do not know Christ and His beauty, to fall on your face and place your trust in Him.  This is your only hope.

I will leave you with this analogy from Paul Washer and his sermon from the G3 Conference in Atlanta.

Imagine a dam one thousand feet high, with water a thousand miles long and a thousand miles wide and you live in a village just below the dam.  You look out your window one day and you see the dam give way.  There is nothing you can do to survive.  There is no possible way to avoid death, there is no swim stroke that can save you, and there is no hope…  Then all of a sudden the earth opens up just before the water consumes you and the massive wall of water disappears right in front of you and not a drop of water so much as even touches you.  This is God’s wrath coming upon the sons of disobedience.  And this is Christ’s redemption for those that know Him and have fully placed their trust in Him.  But you must show that your life is different.  That you are a new creation, the old is gone the new has come.

Are you radically different?  Not just outwardly moral, but so completely different you can’t stand who you once were?  If you’ve only cleaned yourself up a little bit and attempted to do better, you are not changed.  If you think yourself “good enough” I assure you, you are not.  If you read this today and have no clue what I’m talking about or you dismiss this, please examine your life by the truth of God’s Word, and beg Him for mercy.

For those that are saved and know Jesus Christ as their Lord be in awe of Him today.  God poured out His wrath on His Son to pay your penalty, if you don’t know Christ; the wrath will be poured out upon you unless you turn to Him, repent of your sins and come under His divine authority.  Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Here is the Paul Washer sermon that I would encourage everyone to watch:

Paul Washer G3 Conference

Kevin

A Sure Guide to Heaven – Part 5 – The miseries of the unconverted

Posted on by kevinjandt

misery

As I continue to study this book by Joseph Alleine, I stand in awe of the power of this man’s words.  These are not the powerful words of a man that talks because he loves the sound of his own voice.  You know the type don’t you?

This is a man that is passionate for unbelievers to see their misery.  I think of the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us:  we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

He is pleading and begging for them to see their state of unbelief.  Do we do this with the one’s we love?  Do we do this with anyone?  If you are a believer, unbeliever, unsure or unwittingly deceived, I hope you will spend some time and contemplate these words.  Alleine does not rely on his own strength, but the power of God’s Word to convince, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering those in opposition. (2 Timothy 4:2)

So unspeakably dreadful is the case of every unconverted soul, that I have sometimes thought if I could only convince men that they are still unregenerate, the work were more than half done.  But I find by sad experienced that such a spirit of sloth and slumber possesses the sanctified that, though they are convinced that they are yet unconverted, often they carelessly sit still.  Through the love of sensual pleasure, or the hurry of worldly business, or the noise and clamour of earthly cares and lusts and affections, the voice of conscience is drowned, and men go no farther than some cold wishes and general purposes of repenting and amending.

It is therefore of high necessity that I not only convince men that they are unconverted, but that I also endeavour to bring them to a sense of the fearful misery of this state.  Page 80

But I must proceed, as I am amble, to unfold that misery which, I confess, no tongue can unfold, no heart can sufficiently comprehend.  Know therefore that while you are unconverted: Page 83

1: the infinite God is engaged against you

As much as heaven is above the earth, omnipotence above impotence, so much more terrible is it to fall into the hands of the living God, than into the paws of bears and lions, yea, furies or devils.  God Himself will be your tormentor; your destruction shall come from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess i 9). Page 84

                [1] His face is against you.  ‘The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them’ (Ps xxxiv 16)).

                [2] His heart is against you.  He hates all the workers of iniquity.  Man, does not your heart tremble to think of your being an object of God’s hatred?

                [3] All His attributes are against you.  His justice is like a flaming sword unsheathed against you.  ‘If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine adversaries, and will reward them that hate me;  I will make mine arrows drunk with blood’  (Deut xxxii 41-42).

So exact is justice that it will by no means clear the guilty.  God will not discharge you, He will not hold you guiltless, but will require the whole debt in person from ou, unless you can make a Scripture claim to Christ and His satisfaction.  When the enlightened sinner looks on justice, and sees the balance in which he must be weighed and the sowrd by which he must be executed, he feels an earthquake in his breast; but Satan keeps this out of sight and persuades the soul, while he can, that the Lord is all made upo of mercy, and so lulls it asleep in sin.  Divine justice is exact; it must have satisfaction to the utmost farthing.  It denounces ‘indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish to every soul that doeth evil’ (Rom ii 8-9). Page 85

The holiness of God is against you.  He is not only angry with you – so He may be with His children – but He has a fixed habitual displeasure against you.  God’s nature is infinitely contrary to sin, and so He cannot delight in a sinner out of Christ.  Page 86

He sees how you will come down mightily in a moment, how you will wring your hands, and tear your hair, and eat your flesh, and gnash your teeth for anguish and astonishment of heart, when you see you are fallen irremediably into the pit of destruction. Page 87

2: The whole creation of God is against you.

The very air would say, ‘Lord, must I give this man breath, to set his tongue against heaven, and scorn Thy people, and vent his pride and wrath, and filthy talk, and belch out oaths and blasphemy against Thee? Page 89

3: Satan has his full power over you.

Not that you intend to do him homage.  They will be ready to defy him, and him that should say so of them; but all this while they serve him, and live under his government.  ‘His servants ye are to whom ye obey’ (Rom vi 16).  O how many then will be found to be the real servants of the devil, who take themselves for no other than the children of God!

If he forbids you to read or pray, you hearken to him, and therefore his servants you are. Page 90

Do you live in the willful practice of any known sin?  Know that you are of the devil.  Do you live in strife, or envy, or malice?  Verily he is your father.  O dreadful case! Page 91

4: The guilt of all your sins lies like a mountain upon you.

However you may make light of it now, you will one day find the guilt of unpardoned sin to be a heavy burden. Page 92

5: Your raging lusts miserably enslave you.

Who would serve such a master, who work is drudgery, whose wages are death? Page 93

6: The furnace of eternal vengeance is heated ready for you.

If the burning furnace heated in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery rage, when he commanded it to be made seven times hotter, was so fierce as to burn up even those that drew near to throw the three children in, how hot is that burning of the Almighty’s fury!  Surely this is seventy times seven more fierce.

In a word, when the smoke of your torment shall ascend for ever and ever, and you shall have no rest day and night, no rest in your conscience, no ease in your bones; but you shall be an execration and astonishment, and a curse and a reproach, for evermore (Jer xliii 18)? Page 94

7: The law discharges all its threats and curses at you.

Its words are as drawn swords, and as the sharp arrows of the mighty.  It demands satisfaction to the utmost, and cries, Justice! Justice!  It speaks blood, and war, and wounds, and death, against you.

8: The gospel itself binds the sentence of eternal damnation upon you.

Hear the terror of the Lord. ‘He that believeth not shall be damned.’ ‘Except ye repent, ye shall all perish.’  ‘This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.’ (MK xvi 16; Lk xiii 3, Jn iii 19). Page 95 & 96

O sinners, do you make light of the wrath to come?  I am sure there is a time coming when you will not make light of it.  Why! The very devils believe and tremble.  What! are you more hardened than they?

Awake! Awake!  O sinner, arise and take your flight.  There is but one door that you may flee by, and that is the narrow door of conversion and the new birth. Page 97

If the Lord has not spoken by me, regard me not; but if it is the very word of God that all this misery lies upon you, what a state you are in! Page 98

Oh, do not then contend with God.  Repent and be converted, so none of this shall come upon you.  ‘Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon’ (Is lv 6-7). Page 99

Friends if God does not punish unrighteousness then He is not righteous.  I find much hope in these words and I hope you do as well.  You will either be affirmed or convicted.  Humble yourself today under His mighty hand.

Kevin

Peace with God?

Posted on by kevinjandt

Uplifted-Hand-Custom-300x199

In 2012 1.5 million people made professions for Christ according to a recent news bulletin I heard recently on WDLM.  This is according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and it was stated that their new website peace with God.net has convinced this many people to pray a prayer of salvation.

This is a staggering number of people that have been saved.  I couldn’t help but wonder if it’s true.

What I mean is I’m sure the statistics are true, that 1.5 million people actually made this profession but the bottom line is will these 1.5 million people now spend eternity in heaven?  This is what I really wonder.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

I don’t want to be misunderstood.  If this is true it’s incredible, amazing, and God glorifying news but Jesus teaches us it’s just not that easy.

How many of these will count the cost?  Luke 14:28

How many of these will deny themselves and pick up their cross daily? Luke 9:23

How many of these understood their sin was an offense to God and He poured out His wrath on the Son to pay their penalty?  Matthew 26:42

How many of these understood they need to repent of their sin or that wrath will be poured out on them?  Matthew 4:17

How many of these understood they will suffer persecution for Christ’s sake and they will rejoice in that?  Matthew 5:11-12

How many of these understood they might be separated from their families because of Christ?  Matthew 10:34-39

How many of these understood they WILL lose their life as they know it?  Matthew 10:39

How many of these understand they will be called Satan?  Matthew 10:25

How many of these understand they must be willing to forsake all they have?  Luke 14:33

How many of these understand they must be willing to give away all their worldly possessions?  Luke 18:22

And I just started to talk about what it means to be a true follower of Jesus Christ.  If they desire Christ to make their life easier, or to scratch some itch they have, they’ve come to the wrong place.  I hope I’m wrong about all these people, but experience and more importantly God’s Word tells me I’m not.  Following Christ will cost you everything and those that are truly redeemed willingly and joyfully do so.

Believer I urge you to pray for those today that think they’ve come to know Christ.  I urge you to pray that the Billy Graham Association declares to them the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).  God requires His church is pure.  God requires His church is without spot or wrinkle.  God requires that His church is washed through the sanctifying word of truth.  Ephesians 5:25-27

Kevin

I encourage you to watch this short video by Brother Paul Washer as he shares with us the truth of God’s redeeming work.