http://www.newreformationministries.org/ en Copyright 2009 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:01:00 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification No doctrine is more despised by the natural mind than the truth that God is absolutely sovereign. Human pride loathes the suggestion that God orders everything, controls everything, rules over everything. T he carnal mind, burning with enmity against God, abhors the biblical teaching that nothing comes to pass except according to His eternal decrees. Most of all, the flesh hates the notion that salvation is entirely God's work. If God chose who would be saved, and if His choice was settled before the foundation of the world, then believers deserve no credit for their salvation. But that is, after all, precisely what Scripture teaches. Even faith is God's gracious gift to His elect. Jesus said, "No one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father" (John 6:65). "Nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matt. 11:27). Therefore no one who is saved has anything to boast about (cf Eph. 2:8, 9). "Salvation is from the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). The doctrine of divine election is explicitly taught throughout Scripture. For example, in the New Testament epistles alone, we learn that all believers are "chosen of God" (Titus 1:1). We were "predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11, emphasis added). "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world . . . He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" (vv. 4, 5). We "are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son . . . and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Rom. 8:28-30). When Peter wrote that we are "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" (1 Peter 1:1, 2), he was not using the word "foreknowledge" to mean that God was aware beforehand who would believe and therefore chose them because of their foreseen faith. Rather, Peter meant that God determined before time began to know and love and save them; and He chose them without regard to anything good or bad they might do. We'll return to this point again, but for now, note that those verses explicitly state that God's sovereign choice is made "according to the kind intention of His will" and "according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will"--that is, not for any reason external to Himself. Certainly He did not choose certain sinners to be saved because of something praiseworthy in them, or because He foresaw that they would choose Him. He chose them solely because it pleased Him to do so. God declares "the end from the beginning . . . saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure'" (Isa. 46:10). He is not subject to others' decisions. His purposes for choosing some and rejecting others are hidden in the secret counsels of His own will. Moreover, everything that exists in the universe exists because God allowed it, decreed it, and called it into existence. "Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Ps. 115:3). "Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps" (Ps. 135:6). He "works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11). "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom. 11:36). "For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him" (1 Cor. 8:6). What about sin? God is not the author of sin, but He certainly allowed it; it is integral to His eternal decree. God has a purpose for allowing it. He cannot be blamed for evil or tainted by its existence (1 Sam. 2:2: "There is no one holy like the Lord"). But He certainly wasn't caught off-guard or standing helpless to stop it when sin entered the universe. We do not know His purposes for allowing sin. If nothing else, He permitted it in order to destroy evil forever. And God sometimes uses evil to accomplish good (Gen. 45:7, 8; 50:20; Rom. 8:28). How can these things be? Scripture does not answer all the questions for us. But we know from His Word that God is utterly sovereign, He is perfectly holy, and He is absolutely just. Admittedly, those truths are hard for the human mind to embrace, but Scripture is unequivocal. God controls all things, right down to choosing who will be saved. Paul states the doctrine in inescapable terms in the ninth chapter of Romans, by showing that God chose Jacob and rejected his twin brother Esau "though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls" (v. 11). A few verses later, Paul adds this: "He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy" (vv. 15, 16). Paul anticipated the argument against divine sovereignty: "You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?'" (v. 19). In other words, doesn't God's sovereignty cancel out human responsibility? But rather than offering a philosophical answer or a deep metaphysical argument, Paul simply reprimanded the skeptic: "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this,' will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?" (vv. 20, 21). Scripture affirms both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. We must accept both sides of the truth, though we may not understand how they correspond to one another. People are responsible for what they do with the gospel--or with whatever light they have (Rom. 2:19, 20), so that punishment is just if they reject the light. And those who reject do so voluntarily. Jesus lamented, "You are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life" (John 5:40). He told unbelievers, "Unless you believe that I am [God], you shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). In John chapter 6, our Lord combined both divine sovereignty and human responsibility when He said, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (v. 37); "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life" (v. 40); "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (v. 44); "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life" (v. 47); and, "No one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father" (v. 65). How both of those two realities can be true simultaneously cannot be understood by the human mind--only by God. Above all, we must not conclude that God is unjust because He chooses to bestow grace on some but not to everyone. God is never to be measured by what seems fair to human judgment. Are we so foolish as to assume that we who are fallen, sinful creatures have a higher standard of what is right than an unfallen and infinitely, eternally holy God? What kind of pride is that? In Psalm 50:21 God says, "You thought that I was just like you." But God is not like us, nor can He be held to human standards. "'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa. 55:8, 9). We step out of bounds when we conclude that anything God does isn't fair. In Romans 11:33 the apostle writes, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" (Rom. 11:33, 34). By John MacArthur. Resource can be found at www.gty.org http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/gods-absolute-sovereignty.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/gods-absolute-sovereignty.php News & Updates Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:01:00 -0600 Nehemiah is often regarded as an ideal role model for spiritual leadership--and he certainly is that. He had all the strengths of good leadership: he was decisive, well-organized, a wise overseer of other people, a good administrator, and a skilled project manager who knew how to get things done. He likewise had all the biblical qualifications for spiritual leadership: godly character, a consistent testimony, a burning zeal for the Lord, a desire to serve, and a commitment to honor God in all that he did. Above all, his prayer life was exemplary. (Perhaps more than any other single character in the OT, Nehemiah teaches us what a vibrant prayer life ought to be like.) Nehemiah also had all the masculine traits Scripture associates with men who are called to be shepherds and overseers among the people of God. He was passionate but not driven by his emotions; he was a hard-working man himself, but he also understood the importance of delegating tasks; and he loved people, but never compromised on matters of principle. What's often missed about Nehemiah is that he is primarily a model for lay leadership. Some of the key lessons of his life and work are as immediately applicable to laymen as they are to pastors and teachers in the church. Nehemiah himself was not a priest, a scribe, an expert in the law, a theologian, or a teacher. As far as we can tell from Scripture, when Nehemiah began his ministry in Jerusalem, he had never been a leader of any kind. He apparently had no special training to do what he ultimately did. He was simply a model of hard work, practical ministry, and principled living. He is the epitome of what every lay person in the church should aspire to be. And his leadership shows us what all spiritual leadership should be like. When we meet Nehemiah on the pages of Scripture, he was a servant in the king's palace in Shushan, in Persia--far from his homeland, which he had never even seen. As servants go, he was an important one. But this special status among servants certainly gave him no particular renown in Jerusalem. He was still a servant, not anyone's boss. In fact, as far as the people of God in Jerusalem were concerned, Nehemiah was an outsider and a latecomer with direct ties to the ruling echelon of their former captors. That probably even made him somewhat suspect at first. So he labored among them as a layman and a fellow-worker. And he earned their respect as a leader solely by serving them, and by being a flesh-and-blood example of what all the people of Israel ought to be. So, as it turned out, his work as a servant was his training for his life's work. After all, servitude is the best kind of training for spiritual leadership, because a servant is exactly what Jesus said every true leader ought to be (Mark 10:44). Nehemiah is thus a reminder to us of how God uses the weak things of the world to accomplish His work (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). Next time you read Nehemiah, bear that in mind: this book is full of rich lessons for lay people who want their lives to count for the Lord. As someone who has technically been a layman for most of my ministry, I love this aspect of Nehemiah's life-message. He teaches us that whoever we are, whatever our background or training, and whatever our position in life--God has gifted us and called us to use our gifts as servants. If we're willing to serve, He can use us in a mighty way. © 2008 by Phil Johnson Executive Director Grace to You Resource can be found at www.gty.org http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/a-biblical-model-of-lay-ministry.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/a-biblical-model-of-lay-ministry.php News & Updates Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:51:01 -0600 Each local church is imperfectly a manifestation of the truth, purity and unity of the body of Christ. Persistent non-attendance for unjustifiable reasons is calculated to destroy the credibility of the church. But discipline needs to be introduced with much wisdom and with the support of the oversight of the congregation. It needs: 1. Insuring that on becoming communicant member every professing Christian understands what he or she is being committed to in the local church. 2. The Presbyterian former practice of insisting on a rule of "adherents" (prior to membership) and the Methodist trial-period prior to membership were expressions of a concern for high standards for members. 3. If discipline is necessary it should be exercised in stages: ==>Personal admonition/counsel from elders. ==>With-holding attendance at the Lord's Supper (impossible in churches where no supervision exists over who partakes of bread and wine) ==>Removal from membership role. Two extremes to be avoided: severe, authoritarian standards of discipline, and laxity which ignores unfaithful behavior. The devil's quest strategy is to blur the line between church and world. Additional Reading: R.B. Kuiper. The Glorious Body of Christ By Iain Murray. Resource can be found on www.9marks.org Ian Murray entered the Christian ministry in 1955 where he served as assistant to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel as well as several other ministry positions. He is a co-founder of Banner of Truth Trust and now is retired and living in Great Britian. http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/should-a-church-discipline-a-member-for.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/should-a-church-discipline-a-member-for.php News & Updates Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:46:42 -0600 What does the blood of the eternal covenant secure for us? It secures both God's equipping of us and the successful use of that equipment to make our lives pleasing to God. Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21) Christ shed the blood of the eternal covenant. By this successful redemption, he obtained the blessing of resurrection from the dead. He is now our living Lord and Shepherd. And because of all that, God does two things: He equips us with everything good that we may do his will. He works in us that which is pleasing in his sight. The "eternal covenant," secured by the blood of Christ, is the new covenant. And the new covenant promise is this: "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts" (Jeremiah 31:33-34). Therefore, the blood of this covenant not only secures God's equipping us to do his will, but also secures God working in us to make that equipment successful. The will of God is not just written on stone or paper as a means of grace. It is worked in us. And the effect is: We feel and think and act in ways more pleasing to God. We are still commanded to use the equipment he gives: "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." But more importantly we are told why: "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). If we are able to please God--if we do his good pleasure--it is because the blood-bought grace of God has moved from mere equipping, to omnipotent transforming. By John Piper - October 12, 2009. Resource can be found at www.desiriggod.org http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/god-gives-the-equipment-and-makes-it-suc.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/10/god-gives-the-equipment-and-makes-it-suc.php News & Updates Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:20:06 -0600 July 7th - Faith's Check Book by C. H. Spurgeon A Mountain Choir Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. (Isaiah 49:13) So sweet are the comforts of the Lord, that not only the saints themselves may sing of them, but even the heavens and the earth may take up the song. It takes something to make a mountain sing; and yet the prophet summons quite a choir of them. Lebanon, and Sirion, and the high hills of Bashan and Moab, He would set them all singing because of Jehovah's grace to His own Zion. May we not also make mountains of difficulty, and trial, and mystery, and labor become occasions for praise unto our God? "Break forth into singing, O mountains!" This word of promise, that our God will have mercy upon His afflicted, has a whole peal of bells connected with it. Hear their music--"Sing!" "Be joyful!" "Break forth into singing." The Lord would have His people happy because of His unfailing love. He would not have us sad and doubtful; He claims from us the worship of believing hearts. He cannot fail us: why should we sigh or sulk as if He would do so? Oh, for a well-tuned harp! Oh, for voices like those of the cherubim before the throne! http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/july-7th-faiths-check.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/july-7th-faiths-check.php News & Updates Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:26:57 -0600 July 2nd - Faith's Check Book by C. H. Spurgeon Refreshing Sleep So he giveth his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2) Ours is not a life of anxious care but of happy faith. Our heavenly Father will supply the wants of His own children, and He knoweth what we have need of before we ask Him. We may therefore go to our beds at the proper hour and not wear ourselves out by sitting up late to plot, and plan, and contrive. If we have learned to rely upon our God, we shall not lie awake with fear gnawing at our hearts; but we shall leave our care with the Lord, our meditation of Him shall be sweet, and He will give us refreshing sleep. To be the Lord's beloved is the highest possible honor, and he who has it may feel that ambition itself could desire no more, and therefore every selfish wish may go to sleep. What more is there even in heaven than the love of God? Rest, then, O soul, for thou hast all things. Yet we toss to and fro unless the Lord Himself gives us not only the reasons for rest but rest itself. Yea, He doth this. Jesus Himself is our peace, our rest, our all, On His bosom we sleep in perfect security, both in life and in death. Sprinkled afresh with pardoning blood, I lay me down to rest As in the embraces of my God, Or on my Saviour's breast. http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/refreshing-sleep.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/refreshing-sleep.php News & Updates Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:33:47 -0600 July 1st - Faith's Check Book by C. H. Spurgeon God with Us God shall be with ye. (Genesis 48:21) Good old Jacob could no more be with Joseph, for his hour had come to die: but he left his son without anxiety, for he said with confidence, "God shall be with you." When our dearest relations or our most helpful friends are called home by death, we must console ourselves with the reflection that the Lord is not departed from us but lives for us and abides with us forever. If God be with us, we are in ennobling company, even though we are poor and despised. If God be with us, we have all-sufficient strength, for nothing can be too hard for the Lord. If God be with us, we are always safe, for none can harm those who walk under His shadow. Oh, what a joy we have here! Not only is God with us, but He will be with us. With us as individuals; with us as families; with us as churches. Is not the very name of Jesus, Immanuel--God with us? Is not this the best of all, that God is with us? Let us be bravely diligent and joyously hopeful. Our cause must prosper, the truth must win, for the Lord is with those who are with Him. All this day may this sweet word be enjoyed by every believer who turns to "faith's checkbook." No greater happiness is possible. http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/july-1st-faiths-check-book-by-c-h-spurge.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/july-1st-faiths-check-book-by-c-h-spurge.php News & Updates Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:26:10 -0600 June 30th - Faith's Check Book by C. H. Spurgeon Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. (Ezekiel 16:60) Notwithstanding our sins, the Lord is still faithful in His love to us. He looks back. See how He remembers those early days of ours when He took us into covenant with Himself, and we gave ourselves over to Him. Happy days those! The Lord does not twit us with them and charge us with being insincere. No, He looks rather to His covenant with us than to our covenant with Him. There was no hypocrisy in that sacred compact, on His part, at any rate. How gracious is the Lord thus to look back in love! He looks forward also. He is resolved that the covenant shall not fail. If me do not stand to it, He does. He solemnly declares, "I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant." He has no mind to draw back from His promises. Blessed be His name, He sees the sacred seal, "the blood of the everlasting covenant," and He remembers our Surety, in whom He ratified that covenant, even His own dear Son; and therefore He rests in His covenant engagements. "He abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself." O Lord, lay this precious word upon my heart and help me to feed upon it all this day! http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/june-30th-faiths-checkbook-by-c-h-spurge.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/07/june-30th-faiths-checkbook-by-c-h-spurge.php News & Updates Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:08:46 -0600 The Calvin Quincentenary is an international, interdenominational, and interdisciplinary commemoration of the life and work of John Calvin (b. 1509), which left such an indelible impression on the modern world. Climaxing with conferences in multiple locations in 2009, this celebration combines history, spirituality, and culture to recall appropriately the life and work of the Genevan Reformer. Esteemed leaders, scholars, and ministers will serve as your guides to learning about this influential man, his vibrant city, and the cultural, religious, political, and economic impact flowing from a movement. This multi-faceted approach seeks to introduce many people to one of the most important thinkers in history. Visit the website and [Click Here](http://www.calvin500.org) http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/calvin-500-the-calvin-quincentenary-3.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/calvin-500-the-calvin-quincentenary-3.php News & Updates Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:54:53 -0600 Question: Where do you place the importance of preaching in the grand scheme of church life? > I place the preaching of the Word of God in the very center place in the life of the church. To be sure, the Scripture certainly assigns the pulpit this primary role. Preaching is what was primary in the public ministry of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:14-15, 38-39). Contained in the Great Commission is the primacy of preaching, specifically, preaching repentance (Luke 24:47) and teaching all that Christ taught (Matthew 28:20). When the church was birthed on the day of Pentecost, it was the result of the preaching of Peter (Acts 2:14-40). Further, preaching and teaching the Word immediately became the primary ministry in the first church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42). "The apostles' teaching" is listed first for a reason. In addition, the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul reveal that preaching was central in his extended ministry (Acts 13-19). Moreover, the pastoral epistles assign preaching the place of first importance (1 Timothy 4:13), and it was Paul's dying charge to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2). Finally, ministering the Word is what Christ assigned to the pastors of the seven churches of Asia Minor (Revelation 2-3). They were messengers of the divine revelation entrusted to them to those congregations. From all these passages, it is clear that the primary responsibility of the church is to minister this Word, for it is "the pillar and support of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). ]]> http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/q-a-with-dr-lawson-1.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/q-a-with-dr-lawson-1.php News & Updates q&a Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:06:28 -0600 the Resolved Conference Youtube Channel, you'll find some video already up from Resolved. One thing that may be of particular interest would be a very brief, informal conversation between Dr. Lawson and Rick Holland, one of the pastors at Grace Community Church and the organizer of the Resolved Conference. In their conversation, Rick asks Steve about the importance of studying church history, as well as what theologians of days gone by have had the biggest impact on him. Be sure to check it out on Youtube.]]> http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/resolved-video-on-youtube.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/resolved-video-on-youtube.php News & Updates church history Resolved Conference Rick Holland Steve Lawson Youtube Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:28:52 -0600 Resolved.org. The schedule of speakers is below. All times are West Coast. Be sure to hop online and check out the sessions! Friday, June 12 8pm - Session 1, Rick Holland Saturday, June 13 11am - Session 2, Steve Lawson 5pm - Session 3, C.J. Mahaney 7pm - Session 4, Enfield Concert Sunday, June 14 11am - Session 5, Steve Lawson 5pm - Session 6, John MacArthur 7pm - Session 7, John Piper Monday, June 15 9am - Session 8, Rick Holland 11am - Session 9, John MacArthur 5pm - Session 10, C.J. Mahaney 7pm - Session 11, John Piper ]]> http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/resolved-conference-live-feed.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/resolved-conference-live-feed.php News & Updates live feed Resolved Conference Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:06:06 -0600 "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place," This means God was, and is, very intentional about our lives. He placed us where we are. He placed us in our jobs, neighborhoods, schools, community groups, and coffee shops on purpose. Our lives are not random accidents, but rather, are purposely designed by a sovereign God. That said, we need to be living gospel-centered lives in front of the audience that God has given us. We want to interact with those that God has "determined" we be around in hopes that they will see Christ in our lives, hear us speak of what He has done, and be drawn to Him. So we need to introduce ourselves and our Savior to those around us. And then we must continue to reintroduce them to Jesus and His gospel. Our adherence to this command boils down to simple obedience. Matthew 28:18-20 says: > "18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Living in obedience to the Lord will require us to live our lives as if on a mission, because, well, we're on one. Or at least we're supposed to be. The Great Commission is the foundation of the mission, and as believers, we're called to obey His command and live accordingly. John 14 tells us that those who truly love God will obey Him. They'll keep His commandments. There's not much wiggle room here. If you love the Lord--if you truly love the Lord--you'll obey Him. Thankfully, God graciously provided His Spirit to us so that we can become more and more like Christ. It's this sanctification, this progressive work of the Spirit, that enables us to obey Him appropriately. So as we seek to honor God and become more like Jesus, we need to see the importance of obeying His simple commands. Taking the gospel to the world is one of those commands. Consider the words of Richard Baxter, as cited by I.D.E. Thomas's A Puritan Golden Treasury: > "Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor ignorant, ungodly neighbours. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. > Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir yourself to the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned, so you be saved? If so, you have sufficient cause to pity yourselves, for it is a frame of spirit utterly inconsistent with grace. . . . > Dost thou live close by them, or meet them in the streets, or labour with them, or travel with them, or sit and talk with them, and say nothing to them of their souls, or the life to come? If their houses were on fire, thou wouldst run and help them; and wilt thou not help them when their souls are almost at the fire of hell?" ******* By Matt Monge ]]> http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/the-great-omission.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/the-great-omission.php News & Updates Christ evangelism God gospel Great Commission Jesus Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:30:19 -0600 perfect--perfect in His character, words, and deeds. Of all His divine attributes, holiness is the one that most uniquely describes Him. In reality, it summarizes all His other attributes. So, no matter how other people may characterize Him, let us affirm His utter, absolute, perfect, infinite holiness. To perceive Him in any other way is to take the first step toward idolatry and worshiping a god of our own making. And a man-centered god, created in our own image and less than absolutely holy, is no god at all. God is wholly, wholly holy! ******* Excerpt taken from Made in Our Image, by Steven Lawson.]]> http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/first-impression-lasting-impression.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/first-impression-lasting-impression.php News & Updates First Impression God holy Lasting Impression Made in Our Image Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:05:05 -0600 By Matt Monge ]]> http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/sanctification-the-gospel-and-change.php http://www.newreformationministries.org/2009/06/sanctification-the-gospel-and-change.php News & Updates change Christ church Cross gospel Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:14:31 -0600