Blessed Assurance

Sometimes my assurance needs reassuring.

I reckon I speak for the majority of Christians when I admit that, at times, it’s hard for me to believe I’m saved because I repeatedly fail to meet the standards Jesus set for His followers. He said, “If you love me, you’ll obey my commandments“ (John 14:15). The first part isn’t the problem. I sincerely love and adore my Savior. It’s the second half that haunts my conscience. I let Him down by disobeying His commandments too often.

R.C. Sproul wrote, “Assurance can be easily disrupted and rudely shaken. It can be intermittent. It’s particularly vulnerable to sin… We’re faced daily with manifold temptations, some of them grievous in nature and intensity, and we all too often succumb to them. Sin is the great enemy of assurance. When we commit it, we ask ourselves, ‘How can a true Christian do such things?'”

Yet the Bible implies the Reformers’ creed of “once saved, always saved” is true. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption“ (Ephesians 4:30). That’s just one of many reassuring passages for sinners like me to bank on.

The Westminster Confession of Faith declares: “Hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God… Yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in good conscience before Him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they’re in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God…”

How do we accurately gauge our affection for Jesus? Ian Hamilton commented, “The depth of our love for the Savior is in direct proportion to the depth of our experience of and appreciation for His forgiving grace.”

The trouble is, we live in a fallen world hellbent on crushing hope. That’s why Christians must stay focused on God’s Word. There we find other God-fearing people who harbored doubts like King David who sang to God, “Your lovingkindness is before my eyes“ (Psalm 26:3), then later cried, “Lord, where are your former lovingkindnesses?“ (89:49). Thus, doubt’s nothing new.

The confession I cited includes the word presumption. How can we distinguish between what’s assurance and what’s merely “wishful thinking”? Again, the Scriptures clarify. Producing good spiritual fruit and exhibiting a humble demeanor is evidence of our salvation. “The effect of righteousness will be quietness and assurance forever“ (Isaiah 32:17).

Thomas Watson wrote, “The more love a Christian receives from God, the more he sees himself a debtor to free grace, and the sense of his debt keeps his heart humble; but presumption is bred of pride. He who presumes disdains; he thinks himself better than others.”

Nevertheless, it’s hard for me to fathom why a perfectly holy God would love, much less adopt, a remarkably unholy sinner like me. The Bible teaches the key to obtaining assurance is what so many of us lack – patience. “The one who maintains his faith will not panic“ (Isaiah 28:16). Can I, who for decades was guilty of withholding my love from God, not wait patiently for His blessed assurance?

The worst presumption a believer can make is that God has broken His promise and disowned them. David confessed to God, “I jumped to conclusions and said, ‘I’m cut off from your presence!’ But you heard my plea for mercy when I cried out to you for help“ (Psalm 31:22). Watson wrote, “If we pour out our sighs to heaven, God will hear every groan; and though He doesn’t show us His face, He will lend us His ear.”

God gave every Christian the gift of faith. He never takes it back.

Calvin wrote, “Though we’re distracted by various thoughts, it doesn’t follow that we’re immediately divested of faith. Though we’re agitated and carried to and fro by distrust, we’re not immediately plunged into the abyss; though we’re shaken, we’re not therefore driven from our place. The invariable issue of the contest is, that faith in the long run surmounts the difficulties by which it was beset and seemed to be endangered.”

Some Christians think it’s possible for a person to get genuinely saved and then, due to committing a particularly egregious or horrific sin, they not only forfeit their salvation but are abandoned with no possibility of redemption. In other words, God’s choosing them before time began came with conditions. Nonsense. Remember, the father welcomed his filthy prodigal son back home.

Reformers have another saying: “If we have it, we never lose it. If we lose it, we never had it.” About backsliding prodigals Spurgeon preached, “He’d been once saved, yet it’s supposed that he’s lost. How then can he now be saved? Is there a supplementary salvation? Is there something that will overtop Christ and be a Christ where Jesus is defeated?” Of course not.

Conversely, be aware of the danger in becoming overly assured. It can lead to presumption and being less wary of our sinful nature. We can never allow ourselves to cease being humbled by God’s incalculable mercy and forgiveness that sent His Son to the cross for our sake. When we sin, we must always repent. Immediately.

Christians should be immensely thankful for the assurances of eternal life God provides. How can we not feel gratitude for being rescued from the punishment our sins deserve? How can we not join with David in obeying the Holy Spirit’s instructions to “Love the LORD, all you faithful followers of His!“ (Psalm 31:23).

Sproul wrote, “The certainty of our assurance rests on an infallible basis. This basis isn’t our infallibility, but that of the One who grants it… Together the promises of God, the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit, the earnest of the Spirit, and the sealing of the Spirit comprise a solid ground for the believer’s full assurance of salvation.” I must not only bear God’s promises in mind but depend on them 24/7.

Serving God Humbly

Humility is a rare commodity these days. Too many people insist their personal view about everything must be seen and heard by everyone. They believe humility is a sign of weakness and/or cowardice; that meek folks don’t get noticed and are, therefore, insignificant.

However, the greatest, most influential person who ever walked the earth self-identified as being “gentle and humble in heart“ (Matthew 11:29). Yet those traits never once lessened the authority and power He displayed in His words and actions. Therefore, every Christian should strive to serve God and our neighbors gently and humbly.

Jesus was transparent about His mission – to faithfully serve His Heavenly Father. He publicly acknowledged, “I’ve come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the One who sent Me. Now this is the will of the One who sent Me – that I should not lose one person of every one He’s given Me, but raise them all up at the last day“ (John 6:38-39).

He also openly preached that the sovereign Father has preordained everything that occurs. “Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will“ (Matthew 10:29). Ian Hamilton wrote, “Did this knowledge leave our blessed Savior proud, distant, clinically distant of unenlightened sinners? Did He parade His ‘Calvinism’ for all to see? The very reverse was true. He was God’s chosen Servant, His own dearly beloved Son.”

Christ’s demeanor showed His followers how they’re to conduct themselves. As Isaiah had prophesized about Him centuries earlier, “He’ll not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. He’ll not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick…” (Matthew 12:19-20). Nevertheless, our gentle and humble Lord permanently altered the course of human history.

Jesus never said His gentle and humble countenance was different from His Father’s. On the contrary, He proclaimed, “The Father and I are one“ (John 10:30), confirming that our Father God is loving and merciful, too. Dane Ortlund wrote, “The sins of those who belong to God open the floodgates of His heart of compassion for us. The dam breaks. It’s not our loveliness that wins His love. It’s our unloveliness. Our hearts gasp to catch up with this. It’s not how the world around us works. It’s not how our own hearts work.”

Will serving God humbly make our lives run smoother? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But humbling ourselves before our Lord isn’t optional. Humility is the key to sincere and acceptable worship. Hamilton wrote, “Whatever else marks Christian worship, a deep sense of the greatness and glory of God, and the littleness of man, will be a compelling note in our church gatherings.”

“Since we’re receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. For our God is indeed a devouring fire“ (Hebrews 12:28-29). Sadly, many modern-day churches have turned their services into “extravaganzas” wherein the preacher and/or the musicians involved become the focus of the congregation’s attention, not the soul-saving gospel. That’s a shame. They’re robbing themselves of the joy found in being reverent before God.

A truly gentle and humble pastor relies only on the power and grace that flows from the Holy Word for expanding God’s kingdom. Some of the most effective preachers have been soft-spoken orators (Martyn Lloyd-Jones comes to mind.) God doesn’t need us to be charismatic or instantly likeable in order for the gospel message we share to transform hearts from stone to flesh. Simply telling somebody Christ died on a cross to atone for their sins is all that’s required. The Holy Spirit does the rest.

Often my “cleverness” gets in the way of delivering the “Good News” efficiently. At our local Celebrate Recovery ministry I sometimes emcee the large group session. What I often find myself doing, though, is racking my brain to come up with something “thought-provoking” to end with when the fundamental gospel truth is more than enough. God doesn’t need my help. He just wants me to tell the truth about Jesus.

In my previous blog, I wrote about misconceptions surrounding Calvinism. One is that Calvinists deem themselves “privileged characters” because they know they’re among the elect. Wrong. Calvinism, by its very nature, dissolves any trace of pride a person like me might harbor. When I contemplate that despite being an unholy and unrighteous sinner God has adopted me as an heir to all He’s created, it drives me to my knees in gratitude.

I have nothing to be proud of. I’m literally “like a burning stick snatched from the fire“ (Zechariah 3:2). I believe with all my heart what Christ told His disciples about Himself: “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing“ (John 15:5). The only pride I have lies is in knowing Jesus as my friend and redeemer.

I agree with Paul, who said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world“ (Galatians 6:14).

John Calvin wrote, “When viewing our miserable condition since Adam’s fall, all confidence and boasting are overthrown, we blush for shame… It’s impossible to think of our primeval dignity without being immediately reminded of the sad spectacle of our ignominy and corruption, ever since we fell from our original in the person of our first parent. In this way we feel dissatisfied with ourselves, and become truly humble, while we’re inflamed with new desires to seek after God.”

Defending Calvinism, Hamilton opined, “Calvinism is proud, but only of the Savior; proud of His glory and of His grace; proud that, though He was rich, yet for our poor, judgment-deserving sakes, He became poor, so that by His poverty we might become rich.” He rightly concluded, “Proud Calvinism is the ultimate oxymoron.”

The One About Calvinism

I’m not a Calvinist. I’m a Christian; a grateful disciple of Jesus. While I do agree with Calvin’s theological viewpoint, I follow my Savior only. Paul wrote, “Whenever someone says, ‘I’m with Paul,’ or ‘I’m with Apollos,’ are you not merely human? What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us“ (1 Corinthians 3:4-5).

Raised in an Arminian-leaning church, I avoided for decades anything associated with John Calvin and his ilk. It was God’s servant R.C. Sproul’s writings and online classes that led me to actually read for myself Calvin’s remarkable Institutes of the Christian Religion. I couldn’t have been more wrong about Calvinism.

Over the last decade or so I’ve delved into books by Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Sproul, etc., as well as a host of Puritan writers. They all base their opinions and teachings exclusively on the Holy Word of God. I’m not saying Arminian authors don’t. I just find those of the Calvinistic persuasion more persuasive.

Sadly, there’s an ugly and very undeserved stigma surrounding Calvinism. Many believers, because of its doctrines of election and predestination, assume it presents God as being anything but loving, merciful and patient. That’s truly an example of unsubstantiated “misinformation.”

Truth is John Calvin was humble. So is his theology. Commenting on James 4:10, he wrote, “As a tree must strike deep roots downwards, that it may grow upwards, so everyone who doesn’t have his soul fixed deep in humility, exalts himself to his own ruin.”

Calvinism’s unwarranted reputation isn’t Calvin’s fault. Ian Hamilton wrote, “It can hardly be denied that men claiming to be Calvinists have behaved arrogantly and censoriously, coldly and clinically. The problem is, in behaving like this they expose themselves as men who have no notion at all as to the true nature of what’s called Calvinism.”

Bear in mind that prior to the mid 15th century invention of the printing press the Bible was pretty much unavailable, even to scholars. Thus, when monks like Luther finally discovered what it actually taught it was, for them, akin to literally encountering God. They realized Scriptural truths had been kept from becoming widely known because the religious hierarchy wanted to maintain power over Christians.

Beholding God Almighty is a humbling experience. When Isaiah “saw the sovereign master seated on a high elevated throne“ it didn’t inflate his pride. Rather, he exclaimed, “Too bad for me! I’m destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the LORD who commands armies“ (Isaiah 6:1,5).

Calvinism reveals our sinful nature boldly without distillation, confirming what God’s Word proclaims – that unless we belong to Christ, we’ll spend eternity in hell. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that a human being will become aware of that fact and then boast that they’ve earned God’s grace.

Calvinism is a “religious consciousness” more than a “theological system.” It’s an attitude, if you will, centered on God’s unfathomable love for His adopted children. To think it’s all about “free will” is to miss the point. It’s about acknowledging God’s absolute sovereignty concerning our eternal destination.

Benjamin Warfield wrote, “He who knows it’s God who’s chosen him and not he who’s chosen God, and that he owes his entire salvation in all its processes and in every one of its stages to this choice of God, would be an ingrate indeed if he gave not the glory of his salvation solely to the inexplicable elective love of God.”

Understand, non-elect people possess no longing to know the God of the Bible. They feel no need for Him or His commandments. Their idea of torture would be to serve and worship the Trinity Godhead forevermore. Thus, their Creator grants their wish and leaves them be. They condemn themselves to endless separation from the source of all goodness.

One foundational creed of Calvinism is “Blessed are the meek“ (Matthew 5:5). Calvin believed that “He who is deeply abased and alarmed by the consciousness of his disgrace, nakedness, want, and misery, has made the greatest progress in the knowledge of himself. Man is in no danger of taking too much from himself, provided he learns that whatever he wants is to be recovered in God.”

Abraham Kuyper wrote, “Calvinism doesn’t seek God in the creature, as Paganism; it doesn’t isolate God from the creature, as Islamism; it posits no mediate communion between God and the creature, as does Romanism; but proclaims the exalted thought that, although standing in high majesty above the creature, God enters into immediate fellowship with the creature, as God the Holy Spirit.” As to its relevance, Kuyper added, “Calvinism still carries in itself a wondrous power for the future of the nations.”

Don’t get me wrong. Calvinism doesn’t try to answer every question about God. It wisely recognizes humankind’s inherent limitations. Martin Luther wrote, “A distinction must be observed when the knowledge or, more precisely speaking, the subject of the Divine Being is under discussion. The dispute must be about either the hidden God or the revealed God. No faith in, no knowledge and no understanding of, God, insofar as He isn’t revealed, are possible… What’s above us is none of our business… Let God rather keep HIs decrees and mysteries in hiding.”

Calvinism and the Reformed Theology movement in general has never claimed to be a “new revelation.” God’s Holy Word is sufficient. God has merely called some to preach the gospel and to encourage Christians to love, praise and worship God foremost.

Sproul wrote, “Running through the works of the great theologians – like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Owen, and Jonathan Edwards – is the grand theme of the majesty of God. These men stood in awe before His holiness.”

Calvin said it best: “Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance until they’ve contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.”

Wisdom vs. Sin

“The LORD says, ‘Wise people shouldn’t boast that they’re wise… If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know Me‘” (Jeremiah 9:22,23). In other words, if our wisdom isn’t conjoined with adherence to God’s commandments and guidance our pride will distort our thinking and lead us astray.

Most know of King Solomon, “the wisest man who ever lived.” He may be. But his life proved gaining human wisdom isn’t enough.

According to 1 Kings, after he became Israel’s king God spoke to him and said, “Tell me what I should give you” (3:5). Solomon replied, “Give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish between right and wrong” (3:9). God, pleased he didn’t ask for a trillion dollars, said, “I grant your request and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who’s preceded or will succeed you” (3:12). So far, so good.

However, Solomon’s wisdom and discernment were no match for his uncontrollable lust. He “fell in love with many women” that “came from nations about which the LORD had warned the Israelites, ‘You mustn’t establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they’ll surely shift your alliance to their gods.’ But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him” (1 Kings 11:1-3).

Obviously, self-restraint wasn’t Solomon’s forte. He failed miserably to wisely utilize his God-given intelligence. Ironically, the same man who penned most of the life-enriching Proverbs later wrote the profoundly solemn Ecclesiastes wherein he groans, “For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache” (1:18).

Does this mean we shouldn’t broaden our mind’s capabilities to its fullest extent? Of course not. The story of Solomon shows that even the wisest man or woman can foolishly succumb to the allure of sin. Why? “The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It’s incurably bad. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Solomon’s underlying sin was the same as everyone’s – he ignored God’s mandates. Our hubris barges in and convinces us we know better. And every time we go that route Satan sees it as another opportunity to dominate/control our life. We’re all guilty of vastly underestimating the destructive power of sin. (That’s why Christian ministries like Celebrate Recovery exist.)

But we wonder: Why did Solomon end up behaving like an idol-worshiping pagan? Why’d Adam & Eve, who were created sinless, embrace iniquity at the drop of a hat? The answer is sin can wipe out both wisdom and common sense in a nanosecond. Ian Hamilton wrote, “There’s no rationality to sin. It’s the ultimate absurdity.” Yet we regularly fall victim to it.

We kid ourselves. We think if we had everything we desire (wealth, looks, notoriety, etc.) we’d be satisfied and less likely to sin. The Bible presents wise guy Solomon as proof that’s not the case. What the world has to offer is never enough to fulfill the longing for contentment only knowing God can relieve. We also assume that, unlike Solomon, we’d never misbehave like he did. Wrong. Sin is in our genes.

Thomas Watson wrote, “The sea may be calm, and look clear; but when the wind blows how it rages and foams! So, though now your heart seems good, when temptation blows, how may original sin discover itself, making you foam with lust and passion. Who would’ve thought to have found adultery in David, drunkenness in Noah, and cursing in Job? If God leaves a man to himself, how suddenly and scandalously may original sin break forth in the holiest men on the earth!”

I’m sure millions envied Solomon. Yet it was he who cried, “Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Godless wisdom is of no lasting spiritual value whatsoever. Paul wrote, “Where is the wise man? …Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? …For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:20,25).

What every believer should strive to obtain is the kind of wisdom Jesus had – holy and righteous wisdom that reveals itself most effectively through gentleness, compassion, humility and unwavering fealty to God the Father.

Most Christians know they’re sinners saved by grace. That fact alone should make us want to know our merciful Creator more intimately every day.

John Calvin wrote, “If part of the true knowledge of God consists in being oppressed by a consciousness of our own iniquity, and in recognizing Him as to doing good to those who are unworthy of it, why do we attempt, to our great injury, to steal from the Lord even one particle of the praise of unmerited kindness?”

Bible-based knowledge is the key to obtaining genuine, good fruit-bearing wisdom. Charles Spurgeon preached, “When you believe in what God reveals and come to walk by faith, how your information expands! Now riddles are all solved, and the inexplicable is understood! Now you begin to comprehend things in a way you never could’ve done had you walked only by sight.

Now you can understand those trials and troubles that come to you! Now you can understand the complexity of your nature and the conflicts you feel within you. You never could’ve done this on the principle of sight, but believing what God says, you’ve gotten into a state in which you’ll be educated and taught till you become wise and able to have fellowship with the only wise God!”

For decades I thought I was wise. In reality I was a damned fool. Then the Holy Spirit resurrected my dead heart and opened my eyes to the truth. Zach Williams sings, “Why’d it take so long for me to know it?/Why’d it take so long for me to see?/I took You for granted but You took me as I am/You’re far too good to a man like me.” That’s my testimony, too.

Just If I’d…

…never sinned.  I’m not keen on clichés but this one fits.  Knowing I’m justified is a blessing beyond measure. It’s a designation I can’t earn and don’t deserve.  The theological definition is “the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God.”  It’s only due to Jesus’ merciful sacrifice that every believer is justified. 

However, the sin-loving culture surrounding us says only fools believe that.  Ian Hamilton wrote, “The Christian life’s a constant battle against the world, the flesh and the devil.  If this unholy trinity had its way, it’d destroy every single one of God’s blood-bought and dearly loved children.  But as our Lord assures us, not one of those for whom He shed His precious blood will be lost.  Nothing and no one can snatch a Christian, even the weakest, from the strong hands of our omnipotent Heavenly Father.  Our eternal security is guaranteed by our union with Christ.” 

There’s no better gift to receive.  Simply by sincerely believing in Him, Jesus turns filthy sinners into righteous saints!  One of the most comforting verses in the Bible is “Therefore, since we’ve been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… (Romans 5:1). 

The doctrine of justification is fundamental.  R.C. Sproul wrote, “It deals with what may be the deepest existential problem a human being can ever face: How can a sinner, an unjust person, ever withstand the judgement of a holy and just God?  The Psalmist agrees: “If you, LORD, should mark iniquities, …who could stand? (130:3).  No one. Because no one’s righteous.  For an unjust person to stand in the presence of a just God, they must first be justified.” 

I’ve declared many times before that I’m positive I’m saved “because the Bible tells me so.”  Yet some Christians become skeptical and conclude their many sins can’t possibly have been forgiven.  Why?  Because “the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16) never stop assailing their faith in the promises of our Savior.  How does one overcome spirit-distressing doubts? 

One way is to pause and take a good look at the condition of our heart.  “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD” (Lamentations 3:40).  That means honestly questioning our willingness to confess, repent, and obey.  It also entails praying for God to help us “clean house.”  “Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there are any grievous ways in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). 

We must regularly evaluate how much time and effort we spend reading and studying God’s Holy Word.  This fallen world can so distract us we cease paying attention to what’ll benefit us most – the gospel.  Even worse, as Hamilton wrote, “The devil will use every strategy he can devise to rob us of our gospel comforts, turn us in upon ourselves, and so overwhelm us with our circumstances that God seems far off and even heartlessly unconcerned about our sad spiritual state.” 

Being a Christ-follower isn’t easy.  The Scriptures make it clear that faithful discipleship is, more often than not, challenging. The darkness that accompanies suffering closes in at times.  That’s when we must remind ourselves we’ll never be abandoned.  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” (Psalm 23:4).  If we don’t let God speak encouragement to us through His Word daily, we’re a boat without an anchor.  We drift. 

We must avoid looking in all the wrong places for assurance.  Our confidence is in Christ.  Nobody else.  Our all-too-human emotions, feelings, preferences and our own understanding are unreliable sources of comfort.  When Christians begin to rely on anyone other than Jesus for guidance, they become vulnerable to following false teachers who’ll lead them astray. 

Because I find most of the programs on network and cable TV insipid, I regularly watch (probably more than I should) YouTube videos.  I’ve found some quality Reformed Theology-based channels that aren’t afraid to expose the shamelessly brazen sinful acts of the ungodly that are corrupting the moral fabric of our nation.  I often feel like Lot, who “was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard” (2 Peter 2:8). 

For example, there are preachers insisting that, in the name of love, believers should never speak a cautionary word to people who openly indulge in despicable behaviors; that we shouldn’t warn them about the wages of sin.  The Scriptures have this to say about fake ministers who mislead Christians:

“By speaking high-sounding but empty words they’re able to entice, with fleshly desires and with debauchery, people who’ve just escaped from those who reside in error.  Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality.  For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he’s enslaved” (2 Peter 2:18-19). 

The greatest danger in believers thinking they’re not justified in the sight of God is they might give up “working out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).  Christians have been told if we retreat to being “worldly” the eternal consequences are dire.  “For it would’ve been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:21). 

This doesn’t mean battling brief seasons of doubt negate a disciple’s justification.  John Calvin commented, “Believers have a perpetual struggle with their own distrust.”  But the power of Christ to save His own is infinitely mightier than our anemic faith.  We must take that rock-solid truth to heart.  Hamilton wrote, “However we might feel, however desperately wretched we might be, if we’ve believed in God’s Son and are resting the whole weight of who we are on Him alone, we’re the most blessed and privileged of beings in the whole cosmos, whether we feel it to be so or not.” 

Searching for Assurance

I’m a sinner.  Although I study my Bible, volunteer at church, and tithe faithfully I remain a sinner.  Despite being a leader in our Celebrate Recovery ministry my lustful thoughts and ugly habits confirm I’m still a sinner.  I pray daily that God will grant me His power to fully repent yet I continually curse crooked politicians and bad drivers.  I’m a sinner.  And I hate being one.

Martin Luther struggled with the same frustration.  In hindsight, he wrote, “Though I lived as a monk without reproach, I felt I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience.  I couldn’t believe God was placated by my satisfaction.”  Then, while contemplating Romans 1:17, “The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it’s written, ‘The righteous by faith will live’”, Luther found assurance.  He later wrote, “Thus that place in Paul was for me truly the gate to paradise.”

Eric Metaxas commented, “Luther saw in this the very essence of Christian theology.  God reached down not halfway to meet us in our vileness but all the way down, to the foul dregs of our broken humanity.  And this holy and loving God dared to touch our lifeless and rotting essence and in doing so underscored the truth about us.  In fact, we’re not sick and in need of healing.  We’re dead and in need of resurrecting.”

For assurance, I foolishly focus on myself instead of Jesus.  Ian Hamilton wrote, “Looking inward to ourselves to find crumbs to encourage us that we’re in Christ is a fruitless, utterly dispiriting and futile exercise.”  Jesus paid it all. Thomas Goodwin wrote, “Surely that which long ago satisfied God for the sins of many thousand souls now in heaven, may very well serve to satisfy the heart and conscience of any sinner now on earth, in any doubts in respect to the guilt of any sins that can arise.”

Satan loves to make me doubt my justification by reminding me that, despite being a Christian, I still sin all the time; that if I honestly examine myself I’ll conclude I can’t possibly be one of God’s elect.  Paul cried out, “Wretched man that I am!  Who’ll rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).  He then affirmed that surety of salvation will never come from looking inward but only from looking outward to Christ.

What’s hard for me to get through my thick skull is that Jesus’ agonizing death on the cross satisfied God’s wrath against me.  The Heavenly Father accepted His Son’s atonement for every sin I’ve committed and have yet to commit.  Luther and the Reformers preached that our hope doesn’t lie in our shallow “goodness” but in what they called an “alien righteousness” that’s imputed only from Christ, “who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).  (Understand it’s nonsensical to assume believers can now sin without restraint.  Consult Romans 6.)

I frequently underestimate God’s mercy.  Thomas Watson said of it, “The Scripture represents God in white robes of mercy more often than with garments rolled in blood; with His golden scepter more often than His iron rod.  …Election is free.  ‘He has chosen us in Him, according to the good pleasure of His will’ (Ephesians 1:4).  Justification is free.  ‘According to His mercy He saved us’ (Romans 3:24).  Salvation is free.  ‘Say not then, “I’m unworthy”; for mercy is free’ (Titus 3:5).”

Watson added, “Oh pray for mercy!  God has treasures of mercy; prayer is the key that opens these treasures; and in prayer, be sure to carry Christ in your arms, for all the mercy comes through Christ.”

The Bible is the greatest source of blessed assurance in existence.  The book of 1 John alone is a great comfort to sinners like myself who adore Jesus.  “If we confess our sins, He’s faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness” (1:9).  “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins…” (2:1-2).

There’s more!  “I’m writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of His name” (2:12).  “In this is love: not that we’ve loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (4:10).  “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who doesn’t have the Son of God doesn’t have this eternal life” (5:11).

All believers must bear in mind we’re not saved because of anything we’ve done but only because of our faith in and love for Christ who did it all.  “There’s therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).

Hamilton wrote, “The doctrine of the gospel is itself, in all its multifacetedness, the balm, support and encouragement for which our hearts cry out.”

Charles Spurgeon preached, “And let it be remembered that this forgiveness God has given us for Christ’s sake is an eternal forgiveness.  He’ll never rake up our past offenses and impute them a second time.  He’ll not find us on an evil day and say, ‘I’ve had great patience with you, but now I’ll deal with you after your sins.’  Far from it!  He that believes in Jesus has everlasting life and will never come into condemnation!  Irreversible is the pardon of heaven.”

Because of my aggravatingly resilient sinful nature the way to possess the assurance I yearn for lies in “keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  Why’s that?  Christ told us: “I’m the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  Case closed.

Let Us Adore Him

In my youth, I couldn’t wait to play Christmas records every December.  One favorite carol is a traditional hymn, O Come All Ye Faithful. I love its simple melodies and profound message.  Being a songwriter, I always wanted to compose a Christmas tune of my own.  But there are so many it’s almost impossible to come up with anything original.

Then last Christmas I was thinking about the shepherds.  Luke 2:8-20 details their story. They were “living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified.”  Ya think?  The angel said, “Don’t be afraid!” and proceeded to tell them the “good news” about the birth of Israel’s long-promised Messiah and where to find Him.

As if that wasn’t mind-blowing enough, “Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and singing, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.’”  Stunned and amazed probably doesn’t come close to describing how the shepherds felt.  Understand, we’re not told they were particularly “righteous” fellows.  In fact, they were the last people you’d think likely to receive a visitation from a host of angels.  Nevertheless, they did.

At the time I jotted down some words describing their experience but I didn’t put them to music until recently.  Over the last few weeks, I recorded, mastered, and then released “Must Have Been Angels” on the streaming services as another “Rollie Tom” single (lyric video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDs8mLOd0Sc).  Thus, that “bucket list” item’s now marked off.  I attempted to express what I assumed those shepherds told their friends and families happened to them that night.

By now you’re probably wondering, “What’s your point?”  Well, it’s the line, “O, come let us adore Him,” repeated in the carol mentioned above.  Considering how they were supernaturally guided to Bethlehem, it’s no stretch to assume the shepherds (and the Magi mentioned in Matthew 2) worshiped the baby Jesus in a spirit of genuine spiritual affection for Him.  All believers should ask themselves if they do the same.

Ian Hamilton wrote, “True religion, that is, the religion revealed in the Bible, the religion that originates in the Holy Trinity and finds its center point and omega point in Jesus Christ, is natively experiential and affectional.  It could hardly be otherwise.  If the gospel, by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, unites us to Christ, we become, in some measure, partakers of His life.”  Our Savior informed all His followers, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5).  How can we not unreservedly adore and cherish the One who graciously sustains and nourishes our life?

Many have written about their deep affection for Jesus.  Peter and Paul did and often encouraged Christians to cultivate and openly display adoration for the Lord.  Augustine’s revered Confessions is basically a 300-page love letter to Christ.  Puritans like Samuel Rutherford and Jonathan Edwards literally gushed when expressing their emotional attachment to Jesus.

Having said that, expecting believers to float around in a state of spiritual ecstasy 24/7 is absurd.  In this fallen world Christians are more prone to becoming preoccupied with everything and everybody except Christ.  That’s why setting aside and spending “quiet time” with God daily is essential to spiritual growth and for efficiently spreading the truth concerning Jesus, as well.

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, mutual affection; to mutual affection, unselfish love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they’ll keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 5-8).

Principle 7 in the Celebrate Recovery ministry states, “Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.”  That means without asking Christ for His strength we’re powerless.

Private time is vital.  However, nothing tops gathering with other believers in church on the Lord’s Day – with genuine affection – to worship, praise, and sing to our precious Savior as one united body.  “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness” (Psalm 29:2). “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it’s fitting for the upright to praise Him” (Psalm 33:1).  It’s hard to joyfully worship if your heart’s not brimming with unconditional love for Jesus.

Regarding spiritual affection, Thomas Watson wrote: “This is the part of the glory we give to God, who counts Himself glorified when He is loved.  …Thus to love God is to glorify Him.  He who is the chief of our happiness has the chief of our affections.”

Charles Spurgeon preached, “Why do we love Jesus?  Because before this round earth was fashioned between the palms of the great Creator, before He’d painted the rainbow or hung out the lights of the sun and moon, Christ’s delights were with us.  He knew what we should be – looked into the book into which all His members were written when as yet there were none of them.  And as He looked upon us, the glance was love.  …Oh, could you know that Jesus has loved you from before all worlds, then you must love Him!  At least you’ll grant there cannot be a better reason for love than love.”

I’m honored to play bass in my church’s praise band every Sunday.  When I hear our congregation of Christian brothers and sisters loudly singing praises to Jesus, the merciful One who saved me from my wickedness and turned my heart from stone to flesh, I can’t help but feel overwhelming, unimpeded, sincere love for Christ.  “O, come let us adore Him”, indeed.  That’s a blessing I don’t have to wait till December to indulge in.

Calvinism on the Rebound

I was a “church kid” during the 50s and 60s because my parents made me go.  Kiestwood Baptist sat right around the corner.  I don’t remember hearing “Arminianism” or “Calvinism” ever being brought up there but, in hindsight, I do know the former viewpoint dominated.  Those terms may yet be foreign to many so, in brief, Arminians believe we choose God while Calvinists believe God chose us.

I must clarify that belonging to one camp or the other won’t keep a Christian from entering the Pearly Gates.  All that matters is belonging to Christ.  But Jesus did say, “Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I’ll never send away.  …Now this is the will of the one who sent me – that I should not lose one person of every one He has given me, but raise them all up at the last day” (John 6:37,39).

When I started hearing about Calvinism in college it usually got a bad rap.  Arminianism ruled the day.  The great Billy Graham always emphasized in his sermons that now was “the hour of decision” and that everybody must voluntarily choose to accept Jesus into their heart or wind up in hell.  Mom made sure I watched his televised crusades from beginning to end, even though I heard the same message in church every Sunday.

Until about a decade ago (a few years after this rebellious prodigal finally crawled back home) I wasn’t aware “Reformed Theology” existed.  Then I read a book called “Perspectives – On Election”.  It marked the first time I was exposed to a Calvinistic position and, while I initially rejected it out of hand, something about it intrigued me.  Later on, I came across R.C. Sproul and his Ligonier Ministries associates’ videos online, and what they taught made sense.

Ever since then it seems to me Calvinism is making a significant rebound because, instead of being characterized as stodgy, hard, or clinical, it’s now more accurately recognized as nothing of the sort.  Ian Hamilton opined it’s a “warm, evangelical, deeply affectional, and others-centered religion” and that “cold Calvinism is a theological oxymoron!”

Don’t worry.  I’m not going to expound on Reformed doctrines.  I penned a whole series of blogs about them in 2019 and they’re available on this site.  Plus, you can look up YouTube videos featuring Sproul, Voddie Baucham, Alistair Begg, John MacArthur, Paul Washer, and other Protestants who boldly “tell it like it is.”  They don’t withhold Biblically-sound truths.  Rather, I’ll outline what Calvinists believe a Scripture-led life is supposed to look like.

It’s the kind of life that’s centered exclusively on Christ.  Authentic born-again people try their best to imitate His godly countenance in every situation, conducting themselves meekly, humbly, and gently.  Dane Ortlund wrote, “Jesus is not trigger-happy.  Not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated.  He’s the most understanding person in the universe.  The posture most natural to Him is not a pointed finger but open arms.”

It’s a lifestyle saturated with a profound concern for the eternal souls of all men and women.  We can’t know whether somebody is or isn’t one of God’s chosen.  We’re to display compassion for everybody, telling them about the miraculous difference our Savior can make in their life.  Sadly, some “can’t handle the truth.” Jesus wept over the citizens of Jerusalem who’d rejected Him.  Paul grieved over folks not believing what he preached: “I’m telling the truth in Christ (I’m not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart” (Romans 9:1-2).

The Calvinistic mindset is also acutely aware of our inherent sinful nature.  However, we don’t let that fact discourage us from freely “participating in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).  Paul commented, “But this is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate His utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16).

A God-pleasing attitude towards fellow Christians consists of praying for, supporting, encouraging, and comforting them.  Especially when they’re struggling through difficult circumstances.  We’re to remind them – and ourselves – of what Peter taught: “Dear friends, don’t be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice in the degree that you’ve shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when His glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

It’s also a life filled with a longing for heaven.  Paul wrote, “Now if I’m to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it’s more vital for your sake that I remain in the body” (Philippians 1:22-24).

John Calvin himself stated, “Wherefore, if it becomes us to live and die to the Lord, let us leave the period of our life and death at His disposal.  Still, let us ardently long for death, and constantly meditate upon it, and in comparison with future immortality, let us despise life, and, on account of the bondage of sin, long to renounce it whenever it shall so please the Lord.”

I think the resurgence of Calvin’s influence in modern-day evangelical churches indicates there’s a widespread yearning among Christians to hear the honest-to-God truth being openly preached in this fallen world that’s so infested with lies.  Everything Reformed ministers espouse is verified in the Bible.  When folks talk about witnessing something extraordinary they claim they “can never unsee it.”  That’s how I feel about mankind’s radical corruption, God’s sovereign election, Christ’s limited atonement, the Holy Spirit’s effectual grace, and the preservation of the saints.  I “see” one or more of those tenets on every page of the Scriptures.

And, indeed, the truth has set me free.

That “Useless” Feeling

One of my cousins died recently.  She was 94.  Because of the gap in our ages, we weren’t close but her passing has caused me to look back on my Christian life.  In the superb film, Schindler’s List, the heroic protagonist, standing among the people he protected from the holocaust, tearfully says, “I didn’t do enough.”  I can relate.

I often wonder if I’ve been of any use to my Savior.  I entertain doubts my fickle behavior has promoted His kingdom at all.  But that mindset seriously underestimates the power of the gospel to overcome my human limitations.  God can use anyone.  Paul wrote, “To me – less than the least of all the saints – this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ…” (Ephesians 3:8).

It’s obvious Paul was keenly aware of his own limitations to complete the job Jesus personally assigned him.  Ian Hamilton wrote, “Paul is a man deeply humbled by the astonishing privilege God had given to him.  He calls himself ‘less than the least’.  But usefulness to God grows in the soil of self-effacing humility.”

Are you as amazed as I am that the Creator of the infinite universe not only saved our souls through the suffering and shed blood of Christ but has also appointed us to be His heralds of the Good News?  We all should be.  Paul certainly was.

“God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.  God chose what’s low and despised in the world, what’s regarded as nothing, to set aside what’s regarded as something, so that no one can boast in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).  Evidently, unremarkable people like myself are precisely the type God uses most.

One of my favorite theologians is the late James S. Stewart.  His book, A Man in Christ – The Vital Elements of St. Paul’s Religion, is a must-read.  About Paul’s humility, he commented, “He never took it for granted, nor lost the sense of overwhelming amazement that he, of all people in the world, should have been called to proclaim God’s Christ.  Why should the choice have fallen on the chief of sinners?  That was the thought which, right to the end of his life, filled his soul with breathless wonder.”

Stewart added that Paul understood “that God in grace should have looked upon the sons of men at all was a thing to bring any man to his feet with shouts of joy.  But that God should have looked upon him, the persecutor of God’s cause, the man who more than any other had crucified God’s Christ afresh, was a thing to bow him to the ground in amazed, adoring gratitude.”

It’s important to note that Paul wasn’t a highly-respected philosopher who went around issuing sage advice. Instead, he boldly preached to the lost “the unfathomable riches of Christ.”  Nowhere in the New Testament are we given the slightest inkling he ever grew weary of talking about Jesus to anyone within earshot.  Yet Paul knew he was no great orator and said so:

“When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I didn’t come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony of God.  For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling.  My conversation and my preaching weren’t with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith wouldn’t be based on human wisdom but on the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

Herman Bavinck wrote, “The fundamental idea in Christian theology is the incomprehensibility of God.”  By that, he meant the most vital aspect of our mission isn’t to exhaustingly “explain everything” to unbelievers, but to encourage them to read and study the Bible for themselves.  Why?  Because there’s supernatural power in the Word that can change lives.

We’re to tell them, “Don’t be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what’s good and well-pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).  If the Holy Spirit has regenerated their formerly dead heart and bestowed to them the gift of faith, their minds will literally be transformed because “Consequently, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

Peter reminds all Christians it was “the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ…” (1 Peter 5:10).  God only calls those whom He elected before time began.  And, as James Moffatt wrote, “God never goes back upon His call.”  Predestination is foundationally sound and was at the core of Paul’s evangelism.  Stewart wrote, “We’ll never understand this doctrine as it appears in the epistles until we realize that it runs back to the personal experience of a man who, by the fact of his conversion, discovered himself to be elected by God, marked out by divine decree for service and ambassadorship.”

We Christians, as God’s chosen, can learn much from Paul about trusting God’s plan for us. Stewart wrote, “Paul’s own moods might change, feelings might come and go, difficulties that he’d never bargained for might suddenly crowd in upon his path, but behind all that stood God, and God’s Word was rock, and he could no more question the validity of his apostleship than he could doubt the truth of God Himself.”

I’m tempted to ask God “why me?” when I’m going through hard times.  But in actuality I should be asking Him why He chose a filthy sinner like me not only to be His mouthpiece but to be a permanent member of His “Holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5).  So, whether I’m aware of it or not, I’m of use to God.  That’s not just mind-boggling, it’s a genuine miracle!

Sundays

God’s fourth commandment is, “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy” (Exodus 20:8).  For the most part Americans stopped doing that long ago and we’re paying a steep price for our collective negligence.

When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s the majority of family units in my neighborhood belonged to and regularly attended a church.  Those that didn’t were the exception, not the rule.  I’m not saying they all sincerely desired to worship God.  Some went solely to impress.  Others, like myself, went because their parents made them go.  Nevertheless, the Sabbath was a uniquely different day.

So much that, due to Texas’ “blue laws”, only certain essential items could be purchased on the Sabbath.  Therefore, most businesses took a “day off.”  Of course, there were sports events and other non-religious activities held on Sundays but they weren’t the population’s main focus.  Whether one was a Christian or not, Sundays were a “day of rest” for most folks.  It was special. Nowadays the Sabbath is anything but.

However, too many of those who do get up and go to church on Sunday morning do so only out of a sense of legalistic obligation or as a means of presenting a false front of righteousness they count on to hide their sinful ways and lack of repentance.  Jesus confronted the two-faced Pharisees thusly: “Isaiah prophesized correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men’” (Mark 7:6-7).

For the faithful, God-fearing believer “attitude speaks volumes.” One of the core functions of the church is to help its members maintain a loving, positive, spiritually-centered mindset 24/7.  Sermons should also serve as a reality check.  Ian Hamilton opined conscientious preachers will “…remind us that in the beginning, God made all things ‘very good’.  The world we see and are part of is not the world God made; it has gone bad.”  No kidding.  Christians desperately need the refuge that is the church.

Some label Sabbath-keeping an outdated ritual.  That’s a cop-out.  The original “day of rest” marked the end of God’s creation, whereas the new covenantal Sabbath commemorates the beginning of God’s work of redeeming His elect.  Therefore every Sunday Christians should gather to remind ourselves of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice and that without Him we’re lost.

Inside our church’s sanctuary, we can get a brief glimpse of our future life and of the magnificent One who’s coming back for us soon.  “Our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who’ll transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of His glorious body by means of that power by which He’s able to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

Every sinner who’s been graciously saved from eternal damnation should consider Sunday the best day of their week and honor it accordingly.  We should be eager to “Shout out praises to the LORD, all the earth!  Worship the LORD with joy!  Enter His presence with joyful singing!  Acknowledge that the LORD is God!  He made us and we belong to Him; we’re His people, the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:1-3).

Don’t misunderstand.  I’m not implying we’re to spend the entire Sabbath inert or groveling in prayer.  It should also be a time for interacting with family members and friends.  God wants us to celebrate and cherish our relationships via engaging in healthy, invigorating activities together.  He’s not anti-pleasure.  But God does want us to act wisely, discretely, and to “take every thought captive to make it obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

What Christians must never do is think attending church every Sunday makes us superior to those who don’t.  Hamilton wrote, “Where it’s the product of legal obedience, Sabbath-keeping will be joyless, routine, formal, and self-congratulatory.  But where Sabbath-keeping is the fruit of evangelical obedience, it’ll be deeply refreshing, invigorating, and self-humbling.”

Sadly, statistics show that only 30% of Christians regularly went to church services in 2020.  Admittedly, the Covid-19 pandemic frightened many away.  However, a large number of the backsliding 70% haven’t gone back even once.  In my own church the empty pews still far outnumber the filled ones, our pastor has to plead for volunteers to help out in various areas, and our once-flourishing youth ministries have but a fraction of the participants they had just three years ago.

Michael Horton commented, “Instead of churching the unchurched, we’re well on our way to even unchurching the churched.  A church that isn’t outward-looking, eager to bring the Good News to the ends of the earth, isn’t really bringing it to those already gathered into Christ’s flock.”  Christians of all denominations need to make the Sabbath special again.

While I’m convinced what our beleaguered, divided nation is experiencing is the justified wrath of God, it’s no excuse for believers to desert the bride of Christ.  “Let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).  Fervent praying for unity, healing, and revival is needed now more than ever and there’s no better place to do that than inside our Father’s house.

I’ll close by quoting from the renowned theologian Charles Spurgeon.  About his church, he preached, “Since we’re nothing without God, let us cry mightily to Him for help in this, our holy service!  Let both sower and reaper pray together, or they’ll never rejoice together.  As a church, God has blessed us so richly that in generations to come it’ll be spoken of as a wonder that God should so greatly favor a congregation for so many years – but it’s been wholly and only in answer to prayer.”

Go to church. Fellowship. Worship. Pray. Show others Sundays are still special.