Can't remember if this is in my archives, but it's worth reposting if it is...Bret
The Four Spiritual Flaws?...is this what it means to be saved
In light of what many have posted recently on the theme of "the love of God" - its extent; to whom it applies; is it salvific only or does it have a general pedestrian meaning as well; is the love of God evidenced apart from the work of Christ on the cross or is it only demonstrated through the atoning work of Jesus at Calvary?, etc... I thought that this might spur on some profitable and necessary discussion on this important topic. There is probably no more widely known phrase on the love of God used today than , "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." The question I have for you today is simple: is it biblical? Does Scripture clearly support God's love for all people or is it reserved for the elect only? More significantly, how should this effect our presentation of the gospel in evangelistic crusades, settings or gospel appeals? I touch more on this in an article called Love the Lord Jesus Christ at AudienceONE. I hope you will read it as part of this discussion. Though God's love is not unconditional, it is undeserving; unmerited; unfailing; self-sacrificial; and unreciprocated. Grace and peace, Steve Millions of people around the world are familiar with this little witnessing booklet called, "The Four Spiritual Laws." Due to my Wheaton upbringing, I even used this tract early in my Christian journey. However, upon closer scrutiny we must rightly ask, are those four spiritual laws biblical? Do they play upon our sentimental view of God that He has but one essential attribute, love, forgetting that He is also a God of justice, holiness, grace, wrath, mercy, and sovereignty? (sorry McLaren). What if those "laws" were re-written from a truly biblical Reformed view--what would they look like? What would they say? Would millions use them... or shun them? Here is my attempt and offering to you. (Warning: some of the language used may sound shocking to our postmodern ears...if you are offended by any of the verbiage... it is purely intentional.)
LAW ONE: God hates you and has a terrible plan for your life. God "hates all who practice iniquity" (Psalm 5:5) and is "angry with the wicked everyday" (Psalm 7:11). "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one" (Romans 3:10-12). Who is God angry with? Who does God hate? Who are these "all" that these verses are talking about? It's you and me--everyone that's ever been born. You've heard it said, "Love the sinner; hate the sin." But God's holy anger not only burns against the sin, but the sinner too. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). How can we possibly satisfy God and be at peace with Him forever? (Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 7:12-29; John 3:36; Romans 5:12-18).
LAW TWO: There is nothing you can do about it. Man is sinful and utterly lost. He is totally depraved, conceived in sin, and is incapable of saving himself by his own merits or his own efforts of works righteousness. God's anger burns against us and our sin and there is nothing we can do in our own strength, goodness, acts of kindness to please Him and earn eternal life. (Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 16:17; Romans 3:10; Ephesians 2:1-3).
LAW THREE: But Christ came and died in our place and fulfilled God's law and all righteousness, took all of the sin, its guilt and penalty that would ever be committed by everyone that would ever believe; and all of the wrath of God that burns against our sin on the cross; so that by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, on the Word alone, to the glory of God alone, we would have the hope, surety and promise of eternal life. (Romans 3:21-26; Romans 5:1-2; Hebrews 2::9-18. 1 John 2:1-2).
LAW FOUR: May God grant you saving faith and the grace to repent of your sin and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior for eternal life so that you may have peace with Him forever! His love, mercy and grace no one can ever take away once your life is hid in Christ. (Matthew 16:24-26; John 10; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9).
This is God's loving plan of salvation!Or they could read like this (same Scripture passages apply):
LAW ONE: God is holy, loving and just and has a plan for your life that He predetermined in eternity past according to His sovereign purpose and pleasure before anything that was made, was made.
LAW TWO: Man is totally inable to save himself for he is totally depraved and thoroughly sinful due to Adam's original sin in disobedience to God's command in the garden; which has been imputed to all of Adam's posterity--encompassing fully the guilt and penalty of his sin. Therefore, man is incapable of pleasing and satisfying a holy God by his own good works, religious practice or ceremony; or by charitable, philanthropic acts of kindness toward God and His creatures. For our righteousness is like dirty filthy rags rendering to us condemnation under the wrath of God for all eternity.
LAW THREE: Christ alone is the way, the truth, the life. He lived the perfect, sinless life; He alone satisfied God and fulfilled all righteousness and the Law in His life, death and bodily resurrection so that that same righteousness, by faith, can be imputed to every believer in Him so that we might have peace with God forever. Christ, though being sinless, holy, and undefiled was treated on the cross as if He lived our life, so that we being sinful, unholy and completely defiled might be treated through grace as if we lived His life. He was the perfect, sinless High Priest; and He was the perfect sinless sacrificial Lamb given. He is both Savior and sacrifice; Priest and propitiation; Lord and Lamb.
LAW FOUR: Repent from your sin (deny yourself), turn to Christ (take up your cross) and take the gift of the Holy Spirit (and follow Him). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Submit to Him as Lord and receive Him as Savior.
posted by Campi at 7/14/2005 09:46:00 AM
The Four Spiritual Flaws?...is this what it means to be saved
In light of what many have posted recently on the theme of "the love of God" - its extent; to whom it applies; is it salvific only or does it have a general pedestrian meaning as well; is the love of God evidenced apart from the work of Christ on the cross or is it only demonstrated through the atoning work of Jesus at Calvary?, etc... I thought that this might spur on some profitable and necessary discussion on this important topic. There is probably no more widely known phrase on the love of God used today than , "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." The question I have for you today is simple: is it biblical? Does Scripture clearly support God's love for all people or is it reserved for the elect only? More significantly, how should this effect our presentation of the gospel in evangelistic crusades, settings or gospel appeals? I touch more on this in an article called Love the Lord Jesus Christ at AudienceONE. I hope you will read it as part of this discussion. Though God's love is not unconditional, it is undeserving; unmerited; unfailing; self-sacrificial; and unreciprocated. Grace and peace, Steve Millions of people around the world are familiar with this little witnessing booklet called, "The Four Spiritual Laws." Due to my Wheaton upbringing, I even used this tract early in my Christian journey. However, upon closer scrutiny we must rightly ask, are those four spiritual laws biblical? Do they play upon our sentimental view of God that He has but one essential attribute, love, forgetting that He is also a God of justice, holiness, grace, wrath, mercy, and sovereignty? (sorry McLaren). What if those "laws" were re-written from a truly biblical Reformed view--what would they look like? What would they say? Would millions use them... or shun them? Here is my attempt and offering to you. (Warning: some of the language used may sound shocking to our postmodern ears...if you are offended by any of the verbiage... it is purely intentional.)
LAW ONE: God hates you and has a terrible plan for your life. God "hates all who practice iniquity" (Psalm 5:5) and is "angry with the wicked everyday" (Psalm 7:11). "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one" (Romans 3:10-12). Who is God angry with? Who does God hate? Who are these "all" that these verses are talking about? It's you and me--everyone that's ever been born. You've heard it said, "Love the sinner; hate the sin." But God's holy anger not only burns against the sin, but the sinner too. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). How can we possibly satisfy God and be at peace with Him forever? (Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 7:12-29; John 3:36; Romans 5:12-18).
LAW TWO: There is nothing you can do about it. Man is sinful and utterly lost. He is totally depraved, conceived in sin, and is incapable of saving himself by his own merits or his own efforts of works righteousness. God's anger burns against us and our sin and there is nothing we can do in our own strength, goodness, acts of kindness to please Him and earn eternal life. (Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 16:17; Romans 3:10; Ephesians 2:1-3).
LAW THREE: But Christ came and died in our place and fulfilled God's law and all righteousness, took all of the sin, its guilt and penalty that would ever be committed by everyone that would ever believe; and all of the wrath of God that burns against our sin on the cross; so that by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, on the Word alone, to the glory of God alone, we would have the hope, surety and promise of eternal life. (Romans 3:21-26; Romans 5:1-2; Hebrews 2::9-18. 1 John 2:1-2).
LAW FOUR: May God grant you saving faith and the grace to repent of your sin and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior for eternal life so that you may have peace with Him forever! His love, mercy and grace no one can ever take away once your life is hid in Christ. (Matthew 16:24-26; John 10; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9).
This is God's loving plan of salvation!Or they could read like this (same Scripture passages apply):
LAW ONE: God is holy, loving and just and has a plan for your life that He predetermined in eternity past according to His sovereign purpose and pleasure before anything that was made, was made.
LAW TWO: Man is totally inable to save himself for he is totally depraved and thoroughly sinful due to Adam's original sin in disobedience to God's command in the garden; which has been imputed to all of Adam's posterity--encompassing fully the guilt and penalty of his sin. Therefore, man is incapable of pleasing and satisfying a holy God by his own good works, religious practice or ceremony; or by charitable, philanthropic acts of kindness toward God and His creatures. For our righteousness is like dirty filthy rags rendering to us condemnation under the wrath of God for all eternity.
LAW THREE: Christ alone is the way, the truth, the life. He lived the perfect, sinless life; He alone satisfied God and fulfilled all righteousness and the Law in His life, death and bodily resurrection so that that same righteousness, by faith, can be imputed to every believer in Him so that we might have peace with God forever. Christ, though being sinless, holy, and undefiled was treated on the cross as if He lived our life, so that we being sinful, unholy and completely defiled might be treated through grace as if we lived His life. He was the perfect, sinless High Priest; and He was the perfect sinless sacrificial Lamb given. He is both Savior and sacrifice; Priest and propitiation; Lord and Lamb.
LAW FOUR: Repent from your sin (deny yourself), turn to Christ (take up your cross) and take the gift of the Holy Spirit (and follow Him). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Submit to Him as Lord and receive Him as Savior.
posted by Campi at 7/14/2005 09:46:00 AM
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