Lust of the flesh

Posted on by kevinjandt

rocks and waterWhat does it mean when the Bible talks about the lust of the flesh?  This seems pretty obvious to most Believers but I wonder just how seriously we take this in our everyday lives.

Galatians 5:16-18 I say then:  Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The word “walk” in Greek is peripateō – From G4012 and G3961; to tread all around, that is, walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary): – go, be occupied with, walk (about).

Our desire to “walk” in the Spirit is what a Believer should be occupied with, what are the affections of your heart and mind, do you desire the Spirit or your flesh?  When those moments of temptation creep in, how do you handle them?

Today I’m going to introduce a dear brother and friend to this blog.  I’ve wanted to post some of his writing for some time now.  He is an extraordinary thinker.

So welcome Tyler Bolkema to Uncommon Faith.  Recently Tyler wrote an email to some of the brothers in our assembly that have been struggling with the sin of idolatry in tobacco use.  I’m hopeful this will stir in each reader to look at sins they tolerate, we all have them don’t we, what’s yours?

Don’t you know that Christ lives in you?  How can you possibly walk according to the flesh if you are in the Spirit?

Only two options exist.  You are in rebellion, or you are NOT saved.  I trust you won’t fail the test.

Kevin

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God has put each of you on my heart these past few hours. I know each of you have struggled and our somewhat currently struggling with chewing tobacco/nicotine craving. As I have briefly discussed this with each of you and listened to you talk about it, I see how hard it is for you to completely put this out of your life because you so easily want to justify and rationalize this in your life. As I read God’s word, this became clearer to me and I hope that His word will deepen your repentance in this area and grant you a non-swaying opinion of this in your lives. 

Romans 13:11-14 “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” 

Verse 14 really stuck out in my mind, that we would make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. I thought the Wuest translation was also quite telling: “But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and stop making provision for the sinful nature with a view to a passionate craving.”

As you think about your chewing tobacco ask yourself one thing, “Is this a desire from God that He has given me to grow in my faith in holiness?” If yes, then I would expect each of you to put a big dip in next time you sit down on the Lord’s Day to prepare to worship God. I think you all see ridiculousness of that. If no, then ask yourself this question, “Is this a passionate craving of my flesh that I continue to want to make provision for?”

If your flesh still desires to make provision for this in your life and still tell yourself that this is not sin, then read further down in Romans.

Romans 14:23 “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

You would all attest that your chewing is not a result of your faith in Jesus Christ, but a habit of your old fleshly man. Again if your flesh desires to disagree here, then you ought to be able to bring this into the church of God and worship Him with it.

Paul is very clear, in this context he is talking about food and those things that are sacrificed to idols. I do not think that the food Paul discusses here is a parallel with your chewing, it is the last sentence that I desire you to meditate on – For whatever is not from faith is sin.

John Calvin explains this passage well,  “The reason for this condemnation is, that every work, however splendid and excellent in appearance, is counted as sin, except it be founded on a right conscience; for God regards not the outward display, but the inward obedience of the heart, by this alone is an estimate made of our works. Besides, how can that be obedience, when any one undertakes what he is not persuaded by is approved by God? Where then such a doubt exists, the individual is justly charged with prevarication; for he proceeds in opposition to the testimony of his, own conscience.”

Brothers, you gave testimony from your own conscience that you ought stop chewing in obedience to Christ, but then the more you continued to rationalize, justify, and make provision for the flesh you allowed your conscience to be seared. You have not cut this craving off as the craving for the immoral woman, but in your mind you continue to “walk by her house”, as Proverbs 6:5-8 warns, on this fleshly craving of yours. 

One of your consciences was so convicted that He had to hide this habit from those closest around Him in order to hang onto it.

I praise God that he is working brokenness over this in some of you, and yet as I talk with each of you, I see your flesh still want to justify, rationalize, and make provision for your fleshly desire. Brothers, let it not be so. Make no provision for your flesh and its lusts, but let us press on in fellowship with one another for the furtherance of the Gospel, that you would lay this off and put it away from you. That you would cut off that old man and live in the light of Christ at all times throughout each day. Please see how this affects your testimony, your wives, your children, and your church body. For the sake of them, cut off the old fleshly man, so the power of Christ might shine in your life.

Each morning I wake up and fight to get on my knees to put to death the Tyler that desires sexual immorality, laziness, and pride. And each morning I war against the desires of my flesh to put them to death. I do not do this perfectly, but by the grace of God I do not justify these things when they manifest in my life.

Use the tools God has given us to deny ourselves and our flesh. Fast until God has dealt true brokenness and repentance in this area of life, seek the Lord in prayer until He has changed your mind, preach the word to your wicked heart that so easily deceives you, and come humbly into the fellowship of God’s people to share and receive God’s grace in your life.

I love you each dearly, please turn from making provision for this fleshly craving and let us go forward together in ministering to the saints. And as you see my flesh rear up and make provision for it, may you help me put it to death with the same warlike attitude that we have done away with the other sin in our lives.

Love you all, 

Tyler

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How many times have you been saved?

Posted on by kevinjandt

the-doctrine-of-eternal-security-L-k8LI_N

Not long ago I had offered some friends a gospel message which included a list of scripture to support what I had been discussing with them.  I was encouraged by our initial conversation and was hopeful they would pursue things further.  I received back a very nice message from one of them mentioning she had been saved a couple times and had also been baptized as a child.  I don’t think she was telling me to buzz off, but I think she was telling me that she had this one covered.

So I was thinking how these pieces came together in my mind about what it means to truly be redeemed.  There are differing views on salvation and whether one can lose it once it’s been obtained.  This is not a quick little topic to discuss on a blog and requires a considerable amount of study, but I think most importantly it means understanding some basic items about Christianity and saving faith.

I don’t believe one can lose their salvation but there is a “but” that comes after that.

Ephesians 1:13-14 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Scripture is replete with support for what some refer to as eternal security but I really like this verse because this tells us so much about God’s working in the life of a believer.  Believers have been redeemed, they have been purchased for His glory and they have been sealed with a guarantee.

The Greek word translated “guarantee” is (arrhabōn) Of Hebrew origin [H6162]; a pledge, that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest: – earnest.

I am convinced that the confusion on this matter does not come from the scriptural support of the promise, but from a lack of understanding of what it really means to be saved.  That’s the “but”. When a false conversion occurs and then that person wanders from the truth or “backslides” they were never truly converted.

The problem is not with God’s work.  His work is sufficient to save and to sanctify; in fact it’s the only hope.  The problem is the weakness of the preaching and gospel clarity.  When someone comes to Christ cheaply they leave easily.  If they are moved emotionally by a sermon, a song or in a moment of weakness they won’t see their sin for what it really is.  When they don’t understand their sin is an abomination to God and they think they’re not “that bad”, they won’t understand their helpless state.  They won’t see what it cost Christ to bear the wrath of the Father.

This is the problem.

Of course you can lose your salvation when you’ve never been saved.  Paul tells us in Philippians 1:6 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.

He will complete what He started, but if he didn’t start it then it won’t be finished.

1 John 2:19 They 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. 

Doesn’t this describe people you know?  They seemed to be with us for a while then something became too challenging for them or too boring or too whatever…

Did not the Lord speak of these in the parable of the soils?  Can you see how this all fits nicely together, like a wonderful and beautiful jigsaw puzzle?  When we understand how salvation occurs and why people fall away it’s easy to see they were never saved.

Mark 4:13-20 And He said to them.  “Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the care of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

So here is a big question for you?  Are you producing fruit?  Are you growing in holiness, in knowledge of Christ, in desire for the things of God?  Are you preaching the gospel of peace to those at enmity with God?

Are you proving your salvation through your actions?

Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Here’s what it comes down to.

Many will show some evidence of salvation, but those that continue in the faith will prove their salvation over a lifetime.  Do you know when you were saved?  Consider this from Leonard Ravenhill –  I ask, “Are you really saved?” and you say, “I don’t really know.” Oh, supposing you carry a 100 lb sack on your back, and someone takes the sack off your back and you climb up to the top of the hill, and a man says, “Have you lost your sack?” And you say, “I don’t really know.” It seems that someone would know when someone else took 100 lbs off his back. said if you were climbing up a hill with a hundred pound sack and someone removed it, wouldn’t you know when that happened?

This is a great start to understanding you eternal security, “if” you’ve been saved.

Kevin

I would encourage you to watch this short video from Leonard Ravenhill.

A new birth

Posted on by kevinjandt

Last December our beautiful daughter Lydia was brought into the world.  It was a wonderful experience; almost too wonderful.  Jen labored at home for as long as possible and we cut it a little too close.  I wish someone had recorded us trying to get from our vehicle into the emergency room.  I think Jen stopped at least twice to get down on all fours in the parking lot to fight off contractions and I looked like a circus clown running back and forth trying to help her, carry in luggage, grab a wheel chair and whatever else I thought was helpful, thank the Lord, Brenda arrived just in time to help as she hollered across the parking lot “I’ve got it Kevin, get her inside”.

Jen was literally holding Lydia in as she sat in the emergency room entrance with the two young nurses who were in a panic hoping they wouldn’t have to try and deliver a baby.  It seemed like time was standing still as we waited for the nurse.

Once upstairs to the delivery room the doctor was scrambling to get ready as Jen literally jumped into the gown and onto the delivery table; simultaneously if memory serves me correctly.  Okay that’s an exaggeration but it was quick.  The doctor took one look and said “PUSH”.  30 seconds later out popped my third beautiful daughter.  What a rush…  All parents can relate to that amazing feeling and sense of relief and joy when a new life enters the world.  It’s so incredible to see God’s creation and the miracle of a brand new life.

Last Sunday I was able to experience a new birth that had the birth of all three of my girls pale in comparison.  We were able to see the amazing gift of the second birth and this happened to be my first daughter Grace.  Grace was received into membership at Grace Fellowship Church, made a public profession of the saving grace of God and was baptized as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Over the past couple months Jen and I have seen some remarkable changes in our oldest daughter.  Grace has always been a very compliant child.  Not outwardly rebellious, in most cases, very much a rule follower.  But things were different.  She was different.  The day we really saw her experience God’s grace was a couple Sunday’s earlier as our pastor preached on the crucifixion.  In her testimony Grace explained how the weight of her sin became real to her as God poured out His Spirit.  She knew her sin caused the Lord to suffer.  Her sin was real, even though she’s just a young girl.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief.  When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

Why did it please Yahweh to bruise Him?  The NIV says to crush Him.  Verse 11 tells us.

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.  By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.

He loved us and calls us children.  This is the hope we can have that Christ suffered the wrath of the Father to reconcile His children.  What an amazing gift, what an amazing God.

1 John 3:1-2 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God: and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

So now Grace must live as a child of the King.  Her life from here until her death will either prove her conversion is real or false.  She will not live a perfect life.  She will sin but affirmation will come in how she handles sin.  Will she have a Psalm 51 experience over her sin, or will it be no big deal.  She must desire to live a life of obedience to God’s word.  She must be in the world but not of the world.

Grace’s life will produce fruit to the glory of God.  I’ve already experienced how she desires to live differently.  She has a desire to pour truth into her sister’s life and to be the kind of a friend and a daughter the Lord wants her to be.

I don’t understand how God’s Sovereign election works.  But I believe it because the scripture tell us plainly that its Gods plan.  I also believe that as I’ve poured biblical truth into the lives of my children God has been merciful and has blessed my effort and that of the pastor and elders.

I must be faithful to my call as a father.  I must diligently teach as Deuteronomy 6 says and in that I can trust in the Lord’s wisdom and grace.

Exodus 20:5-6 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them, For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 

Kevin

How do you know if you are saved?

Posted on by kevinjandt

This is a meaningful question for professing believers to be able to answer for themselves.  Can we really know if we are saved?

I recently had a great conversation with a friend that claimed you can never know if you are the elect of God until you stand before God in judgment.  I disagree with him and did my best to present a biblical case for him to examine.

Since my salvation I’ve never doubted this and I wondered why he was struggling with this and I did not.  I spent time going through some scripture, that I believe, points to an obvious conclusion.

“You begin at the wrong end if you first dispute about your election. Prove your conversion, and then never doubt your election”.  Joseph Alleine

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

Paul certainly seems confident in his statement and I believe we can also be confident in our assurance.  I’ve come up with some items that I believe are crucial to understanding salvation and if we understand true salvation we can have full assurance of our election.

Testimony – do you have a testimony?  Can you articulate who you were before God saved you and who you are now?  Do you remember clearly when that happened and under what circumstances.  Is your life radically different and if it’s not why not? 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

Scripture – Did God’s word have anything to do with your salvation story?  God’s word reveals our sin and the need for a savior.  It is the means by which most are saved.  Do you have a life verse that is meaningful in your testimony? Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Broken – Were you broken over your sin?  Not sorrowful over getting caught or upset over the consequences of your sin but on your face broken that your sin has offended the one true God; knowing that your sin had you headed to hell and eternal separation from God.  2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.  For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.  For godly sorrow produces repentance, leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Hunger & Thirst – Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? (Matthew 5:6)  If God has redeemed your soul do you now seek after Him more than anything else? (Matthew 6:33)  Does He occupy much of your thought life? (Psalm 1:2) Do you desire to read His word and learn more about Him? Psalm 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Obedience – Does the sin you once enjoyed now repulse you?  Do you only desire to please God and do His will?  (Psalm 119:2) John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

Denial – Do you deny yourself? (Luke 9:23)  Do you deny yourself from the movies that cause you to think violently or lustfully?  Do you linger too long on a web image that scrolls across that news screen or the girl serving you coffee at Starbuck’s?  Do you continue in your same old patterns or do you actually hate your old life?  John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Fellowship – Do you love the fellowship of other believers; do you spend time with them and minister to them?  (Hebrews 6:10)  Are you committed to a local assembly and are you a member of that assembly?  Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Authority – Are you under church authority and the guidance of a pastor and elders?  Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who ruler over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.  Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Preach the word –Do you preach the word and share the gospel of salvation with other people; if not why not?  I would argue your either ignorant of God’s word, a self preservationist or not saved.  See my article called Ashamed of the Gospel from August 31.  It comes down to that ugly self denial again.  Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

I’ve only scratched the surface of scripture that I believe supports my statement and I’ve not included all I could say about a true believer.  We know the warnings in scripture are clear.  We know many think they are right with God and they are not.  The Lord himself teaches us this horrible truth in Matthew 7:21-23.

So how do you know for sure?  If you don’t know for sure I ask you today to examine yourself and see if you are in the faith?  Seek counsel from a faithful bible believing pastor or elder.  Don’t be put off by challenges to your faith but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Only then will you prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)  I certainly hope my friend will stay in the struggle.

Lastly here are some verses that give assurance of salvation.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13-16, 1 John 2:3, 1 John 4:13

I also strongly recommend “A Sure Guide to Heaven” by Joseph Alleine.  It’s a free download and worth your time.  http://www.redemptivehistory.org/sureguide.pdf

Kevin