(2 Corinthians 5:21) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (ESV)
The background for this verse is from Isaiah 53, an Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah. This one verse offers an excellent summary of the gospel. It tells us how to be reconciled to God. It also provides us with understanding of the atonement and justification.
God the Father made Jesus to be sin, that is he was treated as sin. Jesus of course was without sin. He did not actually become sinful but took the sin of all believers on himself. It became as if our sin belonged to Christ an not to us. And this was done for our sake. Christ became our substitute, taking the punishment we deserved on himself. He endured the wrath of God for us. Through Christ the just requirements of God's law were met. This is known as substitutionary atonement. Jesus made atonement for all those who believe in him.
In the second part of the verse we read that we become the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is the same as the righteousness of Christ. Just as our sin is imputed to Christ, his righteousness is imputed to all who believe in him. The word imputed means counted as ours or credited to us. We receive what theologians sometimes refer to as an alien righteousness. A righteousness that is not our own. Contrary to popular opinion we cannot get to heaven by our own righteousness. We fall short of God's standard and are not truly righteous. But Jesus lived a perfect life without sin allowing him to become our perfect substitute. We receive Christ's righteousness and he takes our sin. Believers stand before God as righteous and forgiven. This is known as justification, which means to declare righteous. This is the heart of the gospel.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
After Easter
Many people attended church on Easter Sunday. For many of those it will be the only time of the year that they actually attend church services. Do those people think they can earn God's favor by making an appearance at church? Maybe they heard the gospel and realize that they cannot earn God's favor. Maybe they came to see that salvation is by God's grace.
Hopefully at least a large portion of the people actually heard the true gospel and Biblical teaching. Unfortunately in the modern church Biblical teaching is in short supply. And in many cases we are ashamed of the gospel.
Also the lives of many professing Christians do not match what they profess to believe. There life and thought are no different from than that of unbelievers. Studies show that most professing Christians have little knowledge and understanding of the Bible. What a sad state the modern church is in!
Oh that we would recover a love for the Word of God. If we could only recover true devotion to Christ. The name Christian needs to have its true meaning restored. If only the world could see Christians who are true followers of Jesus. Biblical Christianity must be restored. This is what unbelievers need to see and hear.
Hopefully at least a large portion of the people actually heard the true gospel and Biblical teaching. Unfortunately in the modern church Biblical teaching is in short supply. And in many cases we are ashamed of the gospel.
Also the lives of many professing Christians do not match what they profess to believe. There life and thought are no different from than that of unbelievers. Studies show that most professing Christians have little knowledge and understanding of the Bible. What a sad state the modern church is in!
Oh that we would recover a love for the Word of God. If we could only recover true devotion to Christ. The name Christian needs to have its true meaning restored. If only the world could see Christians who are true followers of Jesus. Biblical Christianity must be restored. This is what unbelievers need to see and hear.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Resurrection Day
Our modern Easter celebration includes things such as the Easter Bunny, egg hunts, and chocolate candy, even chocolate crosses. A chocolate cross seems to be a gross trivialization of the cross of Christ. After all the cross was an instrument of torture and execution. It also takes away the profound theological implications of the cross of Christ.
Many churches will have egg hunts and many Christians will focus on the Easter Bunny and the secular celebration. This focus is all wrong because it takes the focus off of Christ. We must move away from the Easter celebration and move to the celebration of Resurrection Day.
After all Christianity hinges on the resurrection of Christ. If there is no resurrection then there is no Christianity (1 Corinthians 15). The problem we all have is sin. Because we have sinned against a holy God by breaking his law we now face his wrath and eternity in hell. We have no true righteousness of our own. But Jesus lived a perfect life without sin in order to be our perfect substitute. He died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people. His death was a propitiation for our sins. In other words Christ's work on the cross turns away the wrath of God from us. Jesus was then raised bodily from the dead, not just spiritually as some liberal scholars would have us believe. But Jesus was raised from the dead bodily, victorious over sin, death, and the devil. The resurrection is also proof that Jesus is God.
All people must repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation. Jesus is the only way to heaven. The sins of believers are placed on Jesus, while his righteousness is counted as ours.
So is it reasonable to believe in the resurrection of Christ? The evidence for the existence of God is overwhelming. So if God exists and he can create out of nothing, surely he could raise his Son from the dead. Also there were over 500 witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. It is not likely all these people would be delusional. The opponents of Christianity only had to produce the body of Jesus to disprove it. But they never did because they could not produce it. The disciples were changed by the resurrection of Christ and they proclaimed it boldly. Many of them even died for their faith in Jesus. People don't usually die for something they know not to be true. The logical conclusion is that Jesus was raised from the dead. Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.
Many churches will have egg hunts and many Christians will focus on the Easter Bunny and the secular celebration. This focus is all wrong because it takes the focus off of Christ. We must move away from the Easter celebration and move to the celebration of Resurrection Day.
After all Christianity hinges on the resurrection of Christ. If there is no resurrection then there is no Christianity (1 Corinthians 15). The problem we all have is sin. Because we have sinned against a holy God by breaking his law we now face his wrath and eternity in hell. We have no true righteousness of our own. But Jesus lived a perfect life without sin in order to be our perfect substitute. He died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people. His death was a propitiation for our sins. In other words Christ's work on the cross turns away the wrath of God from us. Jesus was then raised bodily from the dead, not just spiritually as some liberal scholars would have us believe. But Jesus was raised from the dead bodily, victorious over sin, death, and the devil. The resurrection is also proof that Jesus is God.
All people must repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation. Jesus is the only way to heaven. The sins of believers are placed on Jesus, while his righteousness is counted as ours.
So is it reasonable to believe in the resurrection of Christ? The evidence for the existence of God is overwhelming. So if God exists and he can create out of nothing, surely he could raise his Son from the dead. Also there were over 500 witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. It is not likely all these people would be delusional. The opponents of Christianity only had to produce the body of Jesus to disprove it. But they never did because they could not produce it. The disciples were changed by the resurrection of Christ and they proclaimed it boldly. Many of them even died for their faith in Jesus. People don't usually die for something they know not to be true. The logical conclusion is that Jesus was raised from the dead. Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.
Monday, April 7, 2014
No God, No Evil
Atheists often bring up the problem of evil for Christians. They ask how can God be good and omnipotent (all powerful) and still allow evil? Have atheists struck a fatal blow against Christianity? Or do atheists have their own problem of evil?
The atheist actually finds himself in a quandary. He says there is no God and then proceeds to talk about evil. But if there is evil, there must also be good. If there is good and evil then we have a moral framework. For a moral framework to exist there must be an absolute authority who is outside of us and greater than us.
An atheist has no basis on which to categorize or define evil. Without God as a transcendent authority there is no good or evil. It has been said that if God does not exist then all things are permissible.
Atheism has no basis for morality and cannot consistently speak of good and evil. Atheists cannot even call murder or child abuse wrong and be consistent. Atheists must borrow from the Christian worldview in order to have the concepts of good and evil. Atheism simply cannot be consistently lived. Good is what is in line with God's law and character. Evil is whatever violates his law and character.
The atheist defeats his own argument and refutes himself. If there is no God then there can be no evil. In order to speak of evil, God must exist. The existence of evil does not disprove the existence of God. To the contrary, the existence of evil is proof for the existence of God.
The atheist actually finds himself in a quandary. He says there is no God and then proceeds to talk about evil. But if there is evil, there must also be good. If there is good and evil then we have a moral framework. For a moral framework to exist there must be an absolute authority who is outside of us and greater than us.
An atheist has no basis on which to categorize or define evil. Without God as a transcendent authority there is no good or evil. It has been said that if God does not exist then all things are permissible.
Atheism has no basis for morality and cannot consistently speak of good and evil. Atheists cannot even call murder or child abuse wrong and be consistent. Atheists must borrow from the Christian worldview in order to have the concepts of good and evil. Atheism simply cannot be consistently lived. Good is what is in line with God's law and character. Evil is whatever violates his law and character.
The atheist defeats his own argument and refutes himself. If there is no God then there can be no evil. In order to speak of evil, God must exist. The existence of evil does not disprove the existence of God. To the contrary, the existence of evil is proof for the existence of God.
Monday, March 31, 2014
The Gospel According To Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen is a very popular preacher. He has a large church and millions of television viewers. But what kind of message do all these people get from him? What is the gospel according to Joel Osteen?
Osteen preaches a form of the prosperity gospel, though he doesn't focus on money like many of the prosperity preachers. The focus is on your happiness, fulfilling your dreams, having good self esteem, and thinking positive. In Osteen's teaching God exists to make you happy. Things are turned upside down, the focus is on the person instead of God. God is presented as your therapist, adviser, and cheerleader. God is just trying to give you your best life now. There is little focus on eternity with Osteen, his focus is on this present world.
One reason Joel Osteen is so popular is because he tells people what they want to hear. His message fits perfectly with our modern culture.
In the gospel according to Joel Osteen, sin is really no big deal, it is not focused on. God's holiness, judgment, and wrath are rarely mentioned. In the teaching of Osteen the problem is not that we have offended a holy God because of our sin against him. The real problem is that we are not thinking positive, being happy, and just feeling good about ourselves. After all in Osteen's gospel God exists to make you happy. Joel Osteen uses Christian language but there is little Christian content to it.
At the end of his broadcasts, Osteen ask people to make Jesus their Lord and Savior. One might wonder after listening to Osteen what there is to be saved from. Apparently you need to be saved from not thinking positive, and having low self esteem. Osteen presents Christianity without a cross. And that is not Christianity at all. In reality the problem is that we have sinned against a holy God and we face his wrath because of it. Jesus paid for the sins of those who believe in him on the cross. He turns away the wrath of God from all who believe in him. Christ was raised from the dead victorious over sin and death. People must repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
Ironically Osteen advises his television audience to find a Bible teaching church. If they follow his advise they will have to avoid Osteen's own church. Joel Osteen may use Christian language but his message has little Christian content. Osteen preaches a false gospel that leads people astray. People without Christ are on the road to hell. But if they listen to Osteen preach they will conclude that there is really nothing to worry about. Joel Osteen is a false teacher who does not teach the Bible.
Osteen preaches a form of the prosperity gospel, though he doesn't focus on money like many of the prosperity preachers. The focus is on your happiness, fulfilling your dreams, having good self esteem, and thinking positive. In Osteen's teaching God exists to make you happy. Things are turned upside down, the focus is on the person instead of God. God is presented as your therapist, adviser, and cheerleader. God is just trying to give you your best life now. There is little focus on eternity with Osteen, his focus is on this present world.
One reason Joel Osteen is so popular is because he tells people what they want to hear. His message fits perfectly with our modern culture.
In the gospel according to Joel Osteen, sin is really no big deal, it is not focused on. God's holiness, judgment, and wrath are rarely mentioned. In the teaching of Osteen the problem is not that we have offended a holy God because of our sin against him. The real problem is that we are not thinking positive, being happy, and just feeling good about ourselves. After all in Osteen's gospel God exists to make you happy. Joel Osteen uses Christian language but there is little Christian content to it.
At the end of his broadcasts, Osteen ask people to make Jesus their Lord and Savior. One might wonder after listening to Osteen what there is to be saved from. Apparently you need to be saved from not thinking positive, and having low self esteem. Osteen presents Christianity without a cross. And that is not Christianity at all. In reality the problem is that we have sinned against a holy God and we face his wrath because of it. Jesus paid for the sins of those who believe in him on the cross. He turns away the wrath of God from all who believe in him. Christ was raised from the dead victorious over sin and death. People must repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
Ironically Osteen advises his television audience to find a Bible teaching church. If they follow his advise they will have to avoid Osteen's own church. Joel Osteen may use Christian language but his message has little Christian content. Osteen preaches a false gospel that leads people astray. People without Christ are on the road to hell. But if they listen to Osteen preach they will conclude that there is really nothing to worry about. Joel Osteen is a false teacher who does not teach the Bible.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Evidence For Jesus, Outside The Bible
Many people may not realize it but there is evidence of Jesus outside of the Bible in non-Christian sources. Few scholars would suggest that Jesus never existed because the evidence is too great that he did exist. Three of the most important non-Christian sources are Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger.
Josephus was a first century Jewish historian. His writings actually mention John the Baptist and the fact that he was killed by Herod Antipas. Josephus also identifies James as the brother of Jesus. He mentions that Jesus was called Christ. He is described as a wise man and a teacher. Josephus states that Jesus won over many Jews and Greeks. He also reports that Jesus was condemned to be crucified by Pilate. He says Christians were named after Christ and they were still present when he wrote.
Another important source is Tacitus, the Roman historian. He wrote around A.D. 115. He records that the Emperor Nero (54-68) blamed Christians for the fire in Rome in A.D. 64. Nero tried to shift the blame from himself onto the Christians. He mentions that Christians get their name from Christus, that is Christ. Tacitus says that Jesus was crucified during the reign of Tiberius (14-37) by Pontius Pilate (26-36). He informs us that Christianity had spread to Rome by the 60's.
A third source is Pliny the Younger. He was the nephew of Pliny the Elder. He was governor of Bithynia and wrote to the Emperor Trajan around A.D. 111. In his letter he mentions that Christians regularly meet together on a fixed day. He also reports that they worship Christ as God.
So from non-Christian sources outside of the Bible we have much information about Jesus and his followers. We know that Jesus was a Jewish teacher and a wise man. He had a brother named James and he had many followers. We know he was crucified under Pontius Pilate during the reign of the emperor, Tiberius. We know that his followers had spread to Rome by A.D. 64, despite his death by crucifixion. And we know that Jesus was worshiped as God by his followers.
Josephus was a first century Jewish historian. His writings actually mention John the Baptist and the fact that he was killed by Herod Antipas. Josephus also identifies James as the brother of Jesus. He mentions that Jesus was called Christ. He is described as a wise man and a teacher. Josephus states that Jesus won over many Jews and Greeks. He also reports that Jesus was condemned to be crucified by Pilate. He says Christians were named after Christ and they were still present when he wrote.
Another important source is Tacitus, the Roman historian. He wrote around A.D. 115. He records that the Emperor Nero (54-68) blamed Christians for the fire in Rome in A.D. 64. Nero tried to shift the blame from himself onto the Christians. He mentions that Christians get their name from Christus, that is Christ. Tacitus says that Jesus was crucified during the reign of Tiberius (14-37) by Pontius Pilate (26-36). He informs us that Christianity had spread to Rome by the 60's.
A third source is Pliny the Younger. He was the nephew of Pliny the Elder. He was governor of Bithynia and wrote to the Emperor Trajan around A.D. 111. In his letter he mentions that Christians regularly meet together on a fixed day. He also reports that they worship Christ as God.
So from non-Christian sources outside of the Bible we have much information about Jesus and his followers. We know that Jesus was a Jewish teacher and a wise man. He had a brother named James and he had many followers. We know he was crucified under Pontius Pilate during the reign of the emperor, Tiberius. We know that his followers had spread to Rome by A.D. 64, despite his death by crucifixion. And we know that Jesus was worshiped as God by his followers.
Monday, March 17, 2014
The Bible, Rock n' Roll And Your Soul
Some Key Bible Passages
Exodus 20:3
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Ephesians 4:17-5:21
John 3:16-21
John 8:12
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Philippians 4:8-9
Romans 12:1-2
Rock n' roll music has been very popular and influential in our modern culture. But all be not well in the world of Rock. To many of the fans it is like a religion. Rock stars are often treated like gods. Many fans are absolute devotees and some girls even offer their bodies to their gods. There is definitely a dark side to Rock music.
AC/DC sang "Hell's Bells" and "Highway to Hell", while Angus Young ran around with devil horns on his head. Van Halen sang about "Running With The Devil". Motley Crue had "Shout at the Devil", along with the Satanic symbol on the cover of their album. The Grateful Dead sang "A Friend of the Devil is a Friend of Mine". Guns n' Roses gave us excessive profanity while Aerosmith gave us excessive immorality. Marilyn Manson had an album titled "Antichrist Superstar". Manson even claimed to be a Satanist. At concerts he would tear pages out of the Bible and say he would not be ruled by Christianity any longer.
The band Kiss had the song "God of Thunder". In the song we hear these words, "I command you to kneel before the god of thunder and rock n' roll, the spell your under will slowly rob you of your virgin soul". In the song "Great Expectations", Gene Simmons sings "you'll even sell me your soul". Later Kiss would sing the song "Unholy". Of course the sexual immorality of Kiss is well known. Kiss member, Paul Stanley has said that he feels like an evangelical preacher spreading the message of rock n' roll.
The Rolling Stones entitled an album, "Their Satanic Majesties Request". On the cover Mick Jagger is pictured as a warlock. Jagger's girlfriend at the time, Marianne Faithful practiced witchcraft (by the way the Hollies song "Carrie Anne" was about her). John Lennon sang "Imagine", where he imagined there was no heaven, hell, or God. In his song "God", he states I don't believe in God, I just believe in me. George Harrison sang "My Sweet Lord", a song not about Jesus but about the false Hindu god Krishna. Unfortunately the later Beatles work was greatly influenced by drugs and Eastern religion.
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin has been known to practice black magic (the occult). In fact the symbols from the "Led Zeppelin IV" album come from black magic. Black Sabbath had, "We Sold Our Souls For Rock n' Roll". They too have been involved in black magic. Even the music of Black Sabbath seems dark. Band member Ozzy Osbourne has said he hopes he is not inspired by who he thinks he is inspired by (he meant the devil). Osbourne also sang a song called "Mr. Crowley", it was about Aleister Crowley, a Satanist.
Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and others have all admitted to being influenced by Aleister Crowley. In fact he even appears on the cover of the Beatles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" album (he is the bald guy in the upper left).
Aleister Crowley was a Satanist/occultist who promoted drug use, sexual perversion, and a new age. Crowley wanted to see the destruction of the family and Christianity. Timothy Leary, the influential drug guru of the 1960's was a disciple of Aleister Crowley. Leary encouraged young people to "turn on, tune in, and drop out". He encouraged people to find spiritual experience through drug use. Interestingly the Beatles song "Come Together" started as a campaign song for Leary's bid to become governor of California. The campaign never happened because Leary got arrested. Timothy Leary also referred to the Beatles as the four evangelists.
There are many other groups and artists who are just as bad or worse. And it does not just apply to Rock music. Pop music has much immorality and debauchery. Country music has it's share of immorality, adultery, and drunkenness. Hip Hop/Rap is full of immorality, profanity, violence, and hatred of women.
So is all secular music bad? I do not think that it is all bad, but much of it is. There is definitely a dark side and it has much evil in it. It calls for discernment (the ability to distinguish between good and evil). We must take sin and evil seriously. We must surrender to Jesus who is Lord of all. If the music dishonors God, why are we listening to it?
(Psalm 97:10) "O you who love the LORD, hate evil." (ESV)
Exodus 20:3
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Ephesians 4:17-5:21
John 3:16-21
John 8:12
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Philippians 4:8-9
Romans 12:1-2
Rock n' roll music has been very popular and influential in our modern culture. But all be not well in the world of Rock. To many of the fans it is like a religion. Rock stars are often treated like gods. Many fans are absolute devotees and some girls even offer their bodies to their gods. There is definitely a dark side to Rock music.
AC/DC sang "Hell's Bells" and "Highway to Hell", while Angus Young ran around with devil horns on his head. Van Halen sang about "Running With The Devil". Motley Crue had "Shout at the Devil", along with the Satanic symbol on the cover of their album. The Grateful Dead sang "A Friend of the Devil is a Friend of Mine". Guns n' Roses gave us excessive profanity while Aerosmith gave us excessive immorality. Marilyn Manson had an album titled "Antichrist Superstar". Manson even claimed to be a Satanist. At concerts he would tear pages out of the Bible and say he would not be ruled by Christianity any longer.
The band Kiss had the song "God of Thunder". In the song we hear these words, "I command you to kneel before the god of thunder and rock n' roll, the spell your under will slowly rob you of your virgin soul". In the song "Great Expectations", Gene Simmons sings "you'll even sell me your soul". Later Kiss would sing the song "Unholy". Of course the sexual immorality of Kiss is well known. Kiss member, Paul Stanley has said that he feels like an evangelical preacher spreading the message of rock n' roll.
The Rolling Stones entitled an album, "Their Satanic Majesties Request". On the cover Mick Jagger is pictured as a warlock. Jagger's girlfriend at the time, Marianne Faithful practiced witchcraft (by the way the Hollies song "Carrie Anne" was about her). John Lennon sang "Imagine", where he imagined there was no heaven, hell, or God. In his song "God", he states I don't believe in God, I just believe in me. George Harrison sang "My Sweet Lord", a song not about Jesus but about the false Hindu god Krishna. Unfortunately the later Beatles work was greatly influenced by drugs and Eastern religion.
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin has been known to practice black magic (the occult). In fact the symbols from the "Led Zeppelin IV" album come from black magic. Black Sabbath had, "We Sold Our Souls For Rock n' Roll". They too have been involved in black magic. Even the music of Black Sabbath seems dark. Band member Ozzy Osbourne has said he hopes he is not inspired by who he thinks he is inspired by (he meant the devil). Osbourne also sang a song called "Mr. Crowley", it was about Aleister Crowley, a Satanist.
Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and others have all admitted to being influenced by Aleister Crowley. In fact he even appears on the cover of the Beatles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" album (he is the bald guy in the upper left).
Aleister Crowley was a Satanist/occultist who promoted drug use, sexual perversion, and a new age. Crowley wanted to see the destruction of the family and Christianity. Timothy Leary, the influential drug guru of the 1960's was a disciple of Aleister Crowley. Leary encouraged young people to "turn on, tune in, and drop out". He encouraged people to find spiritual experience through drug use. Interestingly the Beatles song "Come Together" started as a campaign song for Leary's bid to become governor of California. The campaign never happened because Leary got arrested. Timothy Leary also referred to the Beatles as the four evangelists.
There are many other groups and artists who are just as bad or worse. And it does not just apply to Rock music. Pop music has much immorality and debauchery. Country music has it's share of immorality, adultery, and drunkenness. Hip Hop/Rap is full of immorality, profanity, violence, and hatred of women.
So is all secular music bad? I do not think that it is all bad, but much of it is. There is definitely a dark side and it has much evil in it. It calls for discernment (the ability to distinguish between good and evil). We must take sin and evil seriously. We must surrender to Jesus who is Lord of all. If the music dishonors God, why are we listening to it?
(Psalm 97:10) "O you who love the LORD, hate evil." (ESV)
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