It is hard for me to put something like this out into the open, but here is my first attempt. I am unsure of what to call it, but it was a journal entry I had about 4 weeks ago when preparing a sermon. I hope it is intelligible even thought it is rough. I know that there are theological gaps, but this is not a theological treatise. Short and abbreviated it is just me writing.
Hammered with hard truths, realty strikes a fierce blow. The pains of labor are upon them, like a woman giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when delivered anguish will be forgotten and their sorrow will turn to joy. An unprecedented week of popularity and success, the culmination of years of ministry; common place being healing and the miraculous. The teachings of their Lord are hard yet sweet, bitter pills of truth becoming easier to swallow. Heading into the most sacred feast of Unleavened bread with great anticipation, they argue who is the greatest, who gets the right and the left of their most beloved Jesus. News of a traitor amongst them, tumult of past battles rage in their minds, the Savior's words have the aroma of suffering and death, their countenance fails, growing weary with memory of former scars; the flesh is weak. The the death knell rings loudly, stubbornly standing in pride unable to see their weakness one boasts, 'even if all the rest of these deny you Lord I will not deny you, even if I must die with you.' Jesus sorrowfully takes the cup He must take from the Father, from this cup you cannot drink, for alone the Son of Man must carry our burdens, yet He is not alone. He and the Father are one, He shall prevail mightily, He has prevailed mightily preaching and teaching, so that we might have peace and joy in Him. Amidst the world we must suffer, take heart brothers Jesus has overcome. What is lacking in Christ's sufferings? Nothing. He came and with victory was carried on high! Affliction must come as we in His body fill up what is lacking in those sufferings. So, rejoice brothers and sisters, for the genuineness of our faith is to be tested by the fires of the Refiner, rejoice and joyfully drink this cup. Our joy is in Him, not joy itself, our pleasure forevermore at his right hand, beholden to Him and none other. We believe in Him rejoicing with joy inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls. They meet Him in Galilee being strengthened in His might, eventually drinking from the cup as the Master had. We are to live as they did, "sorrowful , yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:10)."
3 comments:
Great stuff. My post will now have nothing to do with it.
So, last night I got into a discussion of Calvinism with a guy in our church who is a "Biblicist." Evidently such people don't like being called an Arminian or Pelagian or Wesleyan or whatever.
So a few questions, do you still call yourself a Calvinist? What do you say when people respond to your arguments with "strawman" tactics? and Were there any Arminians at Together for the Gospel?
Fantastic advice, wish I had that 3 days ago. I had no idea about the John 3:16 conference untill I googled that, and yes that is disturbing. Also very interesting about the Piper 9 years deal. I will probably stop using the label Calvinist in church.
I am a full blown Calvinist in my own estimation but even more so a biblicist. I am not sure on a few things that other Calvinists might consider necessary to being a Calvinist tho.
For example: I am not sure whether I am a single or double predestinarian. I have not really spent alot of time thinking about that and two favorite preachers of mine (Piper and MacArthur) hold opposing views on that. I also don't think I understand this idea of "order of the decrees". I also am not sure about dispensational or covenant theology and consequently eschatology. I do lean in a certain direction however. I am trying to learn more and more about these subjects especially because I think it relates to how I view baptism.
So, I guess I am somewhat fluid in my convictions regarding some points of theology, but I can very definately say that I affirm the 5 solas. And in my view man is woefully unable to do anything regarding his own salvation, election, and preservation. I also believe that God is sovereign over all things not merely because he foreknew them, but because he foreordained them including election. And that is to me Calvinism. I could be wrong.
So, I just read a few interesting things. Unless what I read about Dispensationalism was a caricature then I cant accept that as reasonable theology. I also learned that it is possible to be pre- post- or a- millenial within the reformed tradition. But I still dont know which I am. I still have credo- and paedo- baptism to solve tho. Could take awhile on those issues.
Preach as one having authority!!
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