The Blessed Man [Romans]

Rm 4.6-8

The theme of our passage is blessedness. Justification by faith puts a man in the most blessed of conditions. David is called as a witness to the fact that righteousness is imputed to a man without works. The passage quoted, Ps 32.1-2, proclaims the blessing of a man to whom God does not impute sin. This is the opposite side of imputed righteousness, not imputed sin. Here is the great blessing of the saved man: the without-law righteousness from God imputed to him on the basis of faith AND the guilt and penalty of his sins imputed to Christ, ‘nailed to the cross’ with him, setting the believer free forever from death and hell.

The Facets of Man (2) [Basic Theology]

We continue to discuss the makeup of human nature, especially the spiritual aspect, by now considering in turn various terms that describe ‘facets’ of our nature. Today we consider the terms ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ and attempt to distinguish between them while noting there is an over-lap and something of an integration of terms here.

After the doings of the lands… [Communion, Leviticus]

Lev 18

We begin the Holiness Code section of Leviticus with a look at laws focused on preserving morality in and out of marriage. The bulk of the chapter consists of prohibitions against various forms of incest, but it also includes prohibitions of child sacrifice and perverse immorality. The redemptive message of these prohibitions is found in 1 Cor 6.9-11: ‘and such were some of you.’ No sin, no matter how distasteful and perverse, can bar the door to the washing, the sanctifying, or the justifying available by the death of Christ and the ministration of the Spirit.

Justifying the Ungodly [Romans]

Rm 4.5

A tremendous phrase is found in this text: ‘him who justifies the ungodly’. Justification by faith alone is the subject of Romans 4, but this phrase highlights the miracle of God’s grace in a magnificent way. It gives all the glory for justification to the one who justifies, because of who is justified (the ungodly!), because of how they are justified, and because of who is doing the justification. And the marvelous thing is that the one being justified cannot work because the work has been done. He just must believe in him who justifies the ungodly.

The Facets of Man (1) [Basic Theology]

In this lesson we discuss the spiritual nature of man. We discuss the basic difference between dichotomy and trichotomy and come out solidly in favour of the former. Man is both material and spiritual, but there is no real division in the spiritual realm between soul and spirit (or any other designations of the inner man).

Beloved Be Not Ignorant [Growth]

2 Pt 3.8-9

The word of God reveals the God of the word. He is unlike any god of men’s imagination. He is eternal. He is the creator. He is sovereign and supreme. He is the last judge. He is the one you must answer to. As such, your spiritual growth must begin in the word and must be toward the God of the word.

To Him that Worketh Not [Romans]

Rm 4.4-5

Proposition: Justification by faith is a ‘works-free’ zone.

We are still answering the question, “What then shall we say that Abraham has found?” (Rm 4.1). In our text today, we are expanding on the clinching Scripture (Gen 15.6) by examining two contrasts: the one who is working and the one who is not working. The one who is working is an illustration from life that explains why Abraham (and no one else) can be justified by works. The one who is not working explains what it means to not work and how that justifies.

Men Making a Difference [Christian Growth]

Philemon 1-25

This lesson was prepared for a separate men’s session at Family Camp last week. Since many of our people were unable to attend, we reprised it in our Bible Study session.

In the lesson, we look at the spiritual qualities of Philemon and consider how those qualities make him one whom the apostle is willing to make an amazing counter-cultural request. These qualities made Philemon a Christian of influence in his local church and are publicly demonstrated by the occasion of Onesimus’ conversion.

The Greatest Family of All Time [Christian Home]

This message also comes from our week at camp. Our theme at camp was “Families Making a Difference”. In this message we look at what I call ‘The Greatest Family of All Time,’ that is, the family of our Lord Jesus Christ. I propose that if we want our families to make a difference in this world, we need to emulate the mindset of the men from his physical family whose influence continues to this day.

What about Abraham? [Romans]

Rm 4.1-3

The great doctrine of Roman’s is justification by faith. Today, we see Abraham’s testimony proving Paul’s proposition: the just shall live by faith alone. Abraham is the key example because of his position in the Scriptures and in the minds of the Jews. We see his testimony, and it settles the question. There is only one means by which a man may be justified, through faith, not of works.

Evangelizing Children (4) [Christian Home]

For our Bible Study session, we begin a discussion on the subject of Evangelizing Children. We are basing it on an article published by Grace Community Church of Sun Valley, CA. We have certain distinct differences with this ministry, but nevertheless find the materials they produce and the preaching ministry of their pastor, John MacArthur to be very beneficial.

The third session of our study looks at the last three foundational keys for evangelizing children.

Beloved Be Mindful [Growth]

2 Pt 3.1-2

Beloved be mindful! Be mindful of the Word! That is the first foundation of Christian growth we see in 2 Pt 3. Peter is very anxious that his readers wake up to this truth and own it for themselves. His ongoing ministry to us is the Word of God he and the other apostles left behind.

~~~

A good day in the Lord’s house. Some young families, younger couples looking us over. They don’t want to get burned, good for them! They are looking for a faithful Bible preaching church and are interested in what we are doing. Our hope is that young people like this will embrace the vision of what we are trying to build here so that we can expand our efforts by someday sponsoring a sister church in a neighbouring town. But one step at a time! This step looks encouraging so far.

God’s Law Established [Romans]

Rm 3.31

Justification has this advantage, it establishes law. The great fear of Apostolic Age Judaizers was that Gentiles + justification by faith = chaos of people claiming to be believers but living lawless lives. Of course, by lawless, they meant ‘without the Mosaic law.’ The truth is that faith agrees with the Law’s demands, its verdict, and its penalty, but it sees the penalty met in the work of Christ on the cross. The law’s penalty thus met establishes the law as veritably true and valid. The difference is that the believer no longer need worry about failure in that the sentence for failure is met in Christ. The believer now has liberty to live up to the law, rather than fear failure of the law.

Evangelizing Children (3) [Christian Home]

For our Bible Study session, we begin a discussion on the subject of Evangelizing Children. We are basing it on an article published by Grace Community Church of Sun Valley, CA. We have certain distinct differences with this ministry, but nevertheless find the materials they produce and the preaching ministry of their pastor, John MacArthur to be very beneficial.

The third session of our study looks at two foundational keys for evangelizing children.

The Life is in the Blood [Leviticus, Communion]

Lev 17.1-16

We discover in this chapter, the Levitical laws of blood, a universal truth expressed in laws applied to several different dispensations – first under Noah, here in Leviticus under Moses, and last in the book of Acts under the Apostles. This universal truth is the notion of life being in the blood, which makes it possible for a bloody death to function as a substitute for a sinner in need of acceptance by God. We see it in the demand for bloody sacrifice and the prohibition against consuming blood in all dispensations. We see it in the pagan world, full of bloody sacrifice (though very corrupt in their practices). And we see it finally in the one bloody sacrifice of Christ for all people for all time.

All Nations Included [Romans]

Rm 3.29-30

The second ‘certain advantage’ of justification by faith is that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, no one has an advantage with God because of who his parents are. There is one God who justifies both Jew and Gentile the same way, by faith. We must therefore submit ourselves under the One God, and proclaim the One Message, to all the World, including the people on your own street, whom  you may or may not like.

Evangelizing Children (2)

For our Bible Study session, we begin a discussion on the subject of Evangelizing Children. We are basing it on an article published by Grace Community Church of Sun Valley, CA. We have certain distinct differences with this ministry, but nevertheless find the materials they produce and the preaching ministry of their pastor, John MacArthur to be very beneficial.

The second session of our study continues to look at three more pitfalls to watch out for in evangelizing children.

Walking by This Rule [Galatians]

Gal 5.15-6.16

With this message we conclude our look at the Christian and his relationship to the flesh and the world. The thrust of this message is to describe what the Spirit-walk looks like. Essentially, the life lived in the Spirit is a life lived in service to others and in submission to the Word through the teaching of godly teachers. This is contrary to the way the Judaizing false teachers lived, but exactly the way the apostle Paul lived. This rule, Paul’s rule, is our model for Spirit-filled living.

~~~

We had a great day today, more new visitors, with some hope that they will return, always a welcome prospect.

Boasting Excluded [Romans]

Rm 3.27-28 – Boasting is (and has always been) a symptom of the world we live in. Our culture even thinks pride is a good thing, as long as it isn’t ‘abused’. In the gospel, Paul finds one of its benefits is that all boasting is ‘shown the door’, excluded. The great blessing of the gospel is that no one has anything to boast of in their salvation – they simply believed God and God gets all the credit for all the changes that came as a result.

Evangelizing Children (1)

For our Bible Study session, we begin a discussion on the subject of Evangelizing Children. We are basing it on an article published by Grace Community Church of Sun Valley, CA. We have certain distinct differences with this ministry, but nevertheless find the materials they produce and the preaching ministry of their pastor, John MacArthur to be very beneficial.

The first session of our study begins with a look at some pitfalls to watch out for in evangelizing children.

How Crucifying the Flesh produces the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians]

Gal 5.19-23 – How do you produce the fruit of the Spirit? Can you produce it by disciplining yourself more in love? Or joy? Or self-control? We look today to see how it is that when we repent of sin and the works of the flesh and turn to God and submit to his will and ways, the result is joy and peace and all the manifold fruit of the Spirit. In other words, when we truly crucify the flesh, we find the fruit of the Spirit in the new walk of the Spirit. It is something that the Spirit produces in our lives by grace through faith.

~~~

The Righteousness of God in Forgiving Your Sins [Romans]

Is God right to forgive sins? We look to the public propitiation-in-his-blood on the cross of Calvary and find that it justifies God in two ways. First, it makes God’s long forbearance over sin righteous, because it is clear that God judges sin – he has done so in his Son and will do so one day against all who are not in his Son. Second, it makes God’s justification of sinners completely just, because he has judged their sins in his Son.

The Creation of Man (3) [Basic Theology]

We conclude our discussion of the Creation of man with a brief review of the characteristics of creation, the pattern for man’s creation and close with a look at the transmission of man’s being from generation to generation.

Deceitfulness of the Flesh [Galatians]

Our study brings us to Gal 5.19-21, the works of the flesh. The message today points out the deceptive character of the flesh. As we look at the sins listed as ‘works of the flesh’ are truly fleshly – the basest expressions of human lusts. Most Christians and professing Christians would agree that these are not something the Christian should pursue nor would they even admit to them. Their deceptive character, however, is seen when people who are commanded and exhorted to walk in the Spirit instead trifle with the ‘fringes’ of the works of the flesh. They are not yet full blown examples of the things on this list, but the desire for these things clearly come from the flesh, not the Spirit. The Christian is warned; the professing Christian is warned to see himself as he truly is, in need of salvation because of his delight in the flesh and its works.

~~~

An excellent day in the Lord’s house with good attendance,  just a few away with illness. Some new visitors, too.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Here are our summaries:

Not Provoking – the challenge of Christian parenting

Mother’s Day – Eph 6.4

For mother’s day, we decided to make the day an emphasis on the Christian Home. I recently preached on the subject of child training at the recent NW Regional FBF conference, so thought to combine that message with two others on the same subject for an all day emphasis.

The first message concentrated on the first half of Eph 6.4, ‘do not provoke your children to wrath’. We looked at what wrath is and then considered ways in which children are provoked to wrath, including abuse of hand or tongue, inappropriate overbearing leadership, and abdication or absence of leadership. The biblical alternative to this is found in the second half of the verse, which is the subject of our afternoon message. The decision we need to make in light of the possibility of provoking our children to wrath involves forgiveness and attitude adjustment if we are ‘children of wrath’, i.e., if we have been provoked by parents in one of the ways mentioned, repentance if we are currently provoking children to wrath and a replacement of our ways with the Lord’s ways, to be discussed in more detail in the afternoon message.

The Big Idea of the Christian Home

Mother’s Day – Bible Study

The Bible Study time involved a look at the foundational revelation from Genesis 1 and 2 on the Christian home and then tracing through some of the big implications of that revelation as it shows up in the New Testament regarding the idea of the Christian home. God’s intention in the Christian home is to reproduce what God intended at the initial creation. This becomes the foundation for all biblical teaching on the home.

Disciplined Admonition

Mother’s Day – Eph 6.4

Our second message of the day on the theme of the Christian Home completes our exposition of Eph 6.4. This is essentially the same message as I preached at the NW Regional FBF conference. The theme of the message is to show that the antidote to provoking children to wrath is disciplined admonition. Disicplined Admonition is establishing a disciplined environment in the home where salvation is taught and the life of Christ is ‘put in the mind’ of the child. The opportunity for parents to administer this kind of admonition continues throughout life, although the style of imparting it changes. It requires a certain courage and faithfulness on the part of Christian parents.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Posting once again from sunny Alberta, the land of my birth, the lone prairie, where my heart lives….

Here are our summaries from yesterday. A blessed day it was!

Day of Affliction

Lev 16.1-34

It so ‘happens’ that as we come to our communion Sunday, the chapter we are in for our Leviticus series is the very chapter needed for the background to our next verse in our Romans study. As a result, we made the Leviticus message our morning message and the Romans message our afternoon and communion message.

The Day of Atonement is the annual ritual whereby the Tabernacle was cleansed to allow Israel access to God for another year. In this cleansing, by ritual, the Israelite had to in faith believe that God indeed would accept the nation, hear their prayers and receive their offerings because the accumulated uncleanness of the year was removed and the sins of the year atoned for. The ceremony is a spectacular picture of the work of Christ on our behalf in many ways.

Creation of Man (2)

[Basic Theology]

Our lesson following Ryrie’s outline continues this week, where we discuss the idea of man created in the image of God.

The Public Propitiation

Rm 3.25

The first concept of this verse, and an exceedingly precious one, takes a new tack in understanding the great change now made available to sinners. Previously, we have considered the benefits that accrue to man from his justification by the ‘without-law’ kind of righteousness. In this message, we look at the change wrought in God.

God is propitiated by the work of Christ. That is, he is made propitious, favorable, disposed to receive us, the way is open, free and clear for anyone by faith to come into his presence. Unlike the weakness of the yearly day of atonement, the great atonement of the cross opens the door for men to worship God permanently and forever.

~~~

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3