QueerAmericaBlog

A thought by A.W. Tozer on evangelicals.

Glenn — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 13:38:15 -0500

"There's an awful lot we don't know. The problem with

us evangelicals is we 'know' too much. And we're too

slick. And we have too many 'answers.' I'm lookin' for the fella' who will say: "I don't know. O Lord God, Thou

knowest!' There's your man who's spiritually wise."

A.W. Tozer

IMAG-INATION The Doctrine of Biblical Self-Love

Glenn — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:40:16 -0500

IMAG-INATION The Doctrine of Biblical Self-Love. Miles J. Stanford

Introduction

Believers today are being challenged and exhorted to develop a better self-image, and to exercise more self-love. It is our intent to present both the unscriptural, and the scriptural aspects of this important facet of the Christian life.

If I have anything prominently before me except the Lord Jesus, that thing, however good it is, becomes a screen for something of myself, and where there is any self- consideration, the region of spirituality is lost. It may be an amiable thing, but because it is of man and not of God, it is not spirituality. --J. B. Stoney

Fall Of The Fall

There is a growing number of Christians for whom the fall has fallen. To the degree that the believer weakens his concept of the fall, he weakens his Christian life and service. Error concerning the fall results in error concerning the two Adams; and error concerning the two Adams results in error concerning one’s spiritual growth and outreach.

Totality Of The Fall

Scripture leaves no doubt as to the totality of the fall. It was utter, and irrevocable. God made it very clear to Adam that if and when he should sin, he would surely die. And the day that Adam disobeyed God’s single stipulation, he died spiritually--he died unto God. And all the race of mankind died unto God in Adam that day.

"For as in Adam all die" (1 Cor. 15:22). As a result, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." "Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation" (Heb. 9:27; Rom. 5:18). "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:10, 23).

Without question Adam was originally created in the image of God. "And God said, Let us create man in our image, after our likeness...."So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him" (Gen. 1:26, 27).

But when Adam died to God, his God-like image perished with him. "And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh" (Gen. 6:3). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). "Among whom also we all had our manner of life in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others" (Eph. 2:3). "For to be carnally (fleshly) minded is death....Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither, indeed, can be. So, then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:6–8).

The extent of the apprehension of the depth and utter ruin of the first Adam nature caused by the fall, determines the extent to which the new life in Christ can be brought to full growth in the believer; for just so far as man clings to one supposed "good thing" in him, so for the power of the Cross is nullified in his life, and so far the growth of the new life is constricted in him.

Freedom from the dominion of sin is the message of the Cross, but it can only be realized in experience up to the extent of the believer’s recognition of the fall, and a consequent offcasting of the fallen life of the first Adam at the place called Calvary.

Anomaly

Those who slight the fall refer consistently to the image of fallen Adam as "marred," or "blurred," or "in need of restoration." They dare not consider Adam’s image a total ruin because they are seeking its restoration, its reformation. For them it is back to the unfallen Adam, via Christ!

There is a strange anomaly at the core of the Reformation realm. On the one hand they go to the extreme of teaching that the fall was not beyond recovery of the original; while on the other hand they go so far as to insist that man is so dead in sin that it is impossible for him to believe--"total depravity."

These Calvinists insist that the Spirit must first regenerate the dead-unto-God individual, thereby giving him life in order that he may believe unto life. This the Covenant theologians refer to as "monergistic regeneration: the faith which receives Christ for justification is itself the free gift of a sovereign God, bestowed by spiritual regeneration in the act of effectual calling." --J.I. Packer

"Faith Cometh By Hearing"

The Scriptures present the reverse of this theory. "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43). First believe, then receive. John writes, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life" (5:24). First hear, then believe, then receive. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live" (John 5:25). As a result of hearing, the dead are given life.

James, Peter, and John all clearly testify to the fact that life is entered into by believing, by faith. James: "Of his own will begot he us with the word of truth (1:18). Peter, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God" (1 Pet. 1:23). John: "But these are written, that ye might have life through his name" (20:31).

God commanded Israel to choose life. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live" (Deut. 30:19). Concerning this plea to choose life, Dr. L.S. Chafer wrote:

God having designed that man as creature ...

THE ADAMIC NATURES

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:43:16 -0500

THE ADAMIC NATURES

Miles J. Stanford

Spiritual Sharing Service (Tri-S-Series) Number 15b of 19

The question we are dealing with is,

Does the Christian have one, or two natures*; has the old man been eradicated, or not?

I believe there are two keys that unlock the scriptural answer. The one is the doctrine of the two men, and the other is the doctrine of position. First we will consider the two representative men--the First Adam and the Last Adam who constitute the foundation of all God's dealings with humanity.

[* nature - an inherent propensity, inclination, bent, or disposition.]

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TWO MEN

"THE FIRST MAN" -- When "the first man, Adam," sinned, he died positionally--totally dead to God: spirit, soul, and body. Thereafter his position was manifested in his condition; he began to die experientially. In God's mercy, it was some 930 years before Adam fully experienced the inevitable outcome of his position of death.

Adam, as head of the human race, took all of humanity into that position of death. "In Adam all die" (1 Cor. 15:22). All in Adam have his life and therefore are "by nature the children of wrath" (Eph. 2:3). The Adamic life is the source of sin in everyone, whether unsaved or saved (Rom. 5:12).

Due to the Fall, Adam became "flesh"--not only his body, but his soul and spirit as well. "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh" (Gen. 6:3). Hence the race spawned by Adam and Eve is "flesh." "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). It is not that the natural man has flesh, or is in the condition of flesh; he is flesh.

Paul wrote, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Rom. 7:18). Note well that he said "my" flesh. As a believer Paul was indwelt by his Adamic life, the old man, and he assumed full responsibility for his sinful actions.

In his position Paul was not "in the flesh," but "in Christ Jesus." Still, in his condition his Adamic life was present with him, and he owned full responsibility for its sinfulness. He said, "Whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption" (Gal. 6:7,8). He also said that the believer will, at the Bema, suffer loss for the fleshly deeds done in the body.

Because the first Adam sinned and became mortal flesh, he was superseded by the spiritual Last Adam, the "new Man." This constituted condemned Adam the "old man." The fallen Adam is the old man, he is the flesh; he possesses a sinful nature. One complete man.

The Word speaks of the activities of the old man, both in the unsaved and the saved, as "the wills of the flesh, the desires of the flesh, the workings of the flesh, the wisdom of the flesh, the purposes of the flesh, the warring of the flesh, the glorying of the flesh." It also refers to those who "walk according to the flesh, after the flesh, and make a fair show of the flesh." Here we have the personification of the old man--identically manifested before and after one's salvation.

A man is a substantive entity, a person. The traits, or characteristics, of a man are non-substantive, and comprise his nature. A nature is a composition of attributes, and is not to be considered a substantive entity. Some of the positive characteristics of the old man, aspects of the old nature, are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. However lovely, these are but fleshly facsimiles of the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5.

On the other hand, some of the negative fleshly characteristics of the old man, aspects of that same old nature indwelling every man are, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, hatred, strife, jealousy, wrath, factions, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and the like."

Beautiful and beneficial as the positive characteristics of the flesh may be, all, including both the positive and the negative, are rejected of God. Why? Because their source is the condemned Adamic life. For "in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing."

"THE SECOND MAN" (the Last Adam) -- Who can deny that the Lord Jesus has two natures? And if two natures, two lives: He is the Son of God, and He is the Son of Man. He is perfect God and Perfect Man in hypostatic union--the oneness of the God-Man.

The blessed aspects of the Lord Jesus' divine-human life and nature are His love, His joy, His peace, His longsuffering, His gentleness, His goodness, His faithfulness, His meekness, and His self-control. All positive--no negative. He was and is, and ever shall be, impeccable.

THE DOCTRINE OF POSITION

THE POSITION FACTOR -- Consider the believer's positional history. Before anything was brought into being--the universe, the world, Adam--I, a chosen, elect, and called person was conceived in my Father's heart and purpose. (See Eph. 1: 4, 5; 2 Tim. 1: 9; Ps. 139:16).

My Father called the world into being, and created Adam to be head of the human race for that world. I was identified positionally with the source of humanity. When Adam sinned and thereby positionally died to God, I died in him. When he became flesh, I became flesh in him. When he was condemned, I was condemned in him.

The rejected old Adam was replaced by the accepted new Man, the Last Adam. When the Father sent His only begotten Son into the world, He subjected Him to the death of the Cross in order to rescue me from my Adamic death, because He loved me as His chosen one from all eternity.

While the Lamb of God was on the Cross, my Father laid all my as-yet-uncommitted sins upon Him, and ...

ONE NATURISM Part II

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:21:59 -0500

Miles J. Stanford

I Know You’re In There!
-- Every honest believer who knows anything at all about the extensive and all-important Romans Seven experience, realizes that the sins in his Christian life are identical in character to those he experienced prior to salvation. They are "the works of the flesh," the same all-too-familiar traits of the person of the first Adam.

They are not the manifestation of some residual sinful habits, left behind by a long-gone, eradicated, Adamic source. And they certainly aren’t countered and replaced by the development of "good" new habits. Imagine the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our indwelling Christian life, having to develop habits!

Every believer who knows the liberating Romans Eight life, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (v. 2), realizes that the righteousness manifested in his Christian life has its source in the indwelling life of the Last Adam, "the fruit of the Spirit." "That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:11).

The nature is the essential character of a person, a life, the quality or qualities that characterize a person. The traits, the attributes, comprise the nature of a man—whether it be the first Adam man, or the Last Adam Man. We have the life of Adam, hence his sinful nature; we have the Life of the Last Adam, hence His new and divine nature. The Christian has two (2) life sources within, and the manifestation of their natures is the undeniable evidence thereof—"the works of the flesh," and "the fruit of the Spirit."

To mention but a few of the more prominent present-day eradicationists—the late Martyn Lloyd-Jones (via his voluminous writings), John MacArthur, David Needham, Charles Solomon, John Stott, Charles Stanley, Bill Gillham, and Bob George.

Further Personal History
-- Positionally free from the Adamic life through my death unto sin in the Lord Jesus, the Father was at liberty to identify the essential me with His Son; and in His resurrection I was recreated "alive unto God" in Him. When He arose, as the beginning of the (new) creation of God (Rev. 3:14), I arose with Him in "newness of life"—a totally new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).

When the Lord Jesus, now Head of the new heavenly creation (the Church), ascended to the right hand of His Father, He took me with Him. The Father, having re-created me in His Son, raised me up and made me to sit together in heavenly places in Him. "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). Abide Above!

I was positionally separated by death via the Cross from the first Adam, to be recreated in union with the Last Adam in His resurrection and ascension. Old Adamic things positionally passed away in the death of Calvary. In my condition, they are (slowly) passing away as I grow spiritually. Actually, finally, they will totally and eternally pass away at my death or at the Rapture--whichever comes first. "Even so, come Lord Jesus."

There I am in my glorious position, "hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). In the Lord Jesus I am a new creation, I am accepted in the Beloved, complete in Him, sanctified in Him, perfect in Him. With that position, who can question his unconditional eternal security?!

All of that, and much more, has been held in spiritual escrow for me ever since the One who is my life ascended to the right hand of the Father. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3).

All had to be completed positionally before a single Christian and the Church could be brought into being, because Christianity is founded upon and springs from the finished work of Christ. "And ye are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:10).

The Condition Factor
-- Born into the world in the life and image of the first Adam, I grew up a condemned sinner, "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). In His foreordained time and purpose the Father called me, and by His grace and the Spirit-caused conviction of sin, I responded in unconditional faith—responsibly accepting the Lord Jesus as my own Saviour.

At that moment the Holy Spirit, by His indwelling, brought me the life of the ascended Lord to be my Christian life. Then and there I was placed in my position as a new creation in the Last Adam. Nevertheless, the old Adam life continues to indwell my body of mortal flesh.

In the Spirit’s time I came to know of the positional truths of the Word concerning me—from Romans 5:12 on throughout Paul’s Church Epistles. I saw that I had judicially died to sin on the Cross, crucified with the Lord Jesus (Gal. 2:20).

In time, and years of that, I learned via Romans Seven not to struggle against the fleshly life of Adam within, but to count by faith upon the positional truth of the finished work of the Cross. "For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to have died indeed unto sin, but to be alive unto God in Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Rom. 6:11).

Likewise reckoning upon my position—"alive unto God in Christ Jesus"—the Holy Spirit centers my heart and mind upon the One who is my Christian life. As I behold Him by means of the Word, in personal fellowship and worship, the Spirit of Christ causes that completed life to manifest the "fruit of the Spirit." With ever increasing growth I am conformed to the image of the Son. "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, ...

ONE NATURISM Part I

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:14:46 -0500

Miles J. Stanford

We will briefly consider the "one-nature" error.

1)
Wesleyan One-Naturism

This is the traditional Pentecostal aberration: "Total Depravity does not mean that human nature is essentially and completely evil, but that every part of it is damaged and infected by inherited Adamic sin. "It is insisted that there is no new nature involved at conversion, but rather the impartation of spiritual life that regenerates the old Adamic nature.

Eradication: This is the teaching that all sin is eradicated from the sinful Adamic nature. The Wesleyan "pure heart," is attained when the "second blessing" experience of the "Pentecostal flame" consumes the sinful propensities of the old Adamic nature. Presto, new divine nature!

2)
Arminian One-Naturism

Another type of "one-naturism" is set forth by J. Sidlow Baxter in his book, A New Call to Holiness. This holiness theory is that of amelioration of the sinful Adamic nature. Dr. Baxter writes:

"Sin is a diffused infection of thought, desire, motive, impulse, inclination, and even of instinct, right through the moral nature. From the moment the Holy Ghost fully possesses us, He begins to correct, purify, refine, inbreathe and renovate all the qualities, tempers, urges, propensities, and functions of the mind, the sensations, and the will. This is how holiness begins and continues to be inwrought" (p. 116).

This is the humanistic theory of change in contradiction to the spiritual principle of exchange; "Not I, but Christ."

3) Covenant One-Naturism

The most prevalent and insidious type of "one-naturism" today is that of Covenant Theology. Through the error of considering Romans 6:6 to be actual (condition), rather than positional, it is claimed that the old Adamic man is actually crucified, dead, and gone--eradicated. Those holding this view are forced, however, to admit to indwelling sin in the Christian. Some teach that it is simply a residual influence left over from pre-salvation days.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Dr. Jay Adams refer to indwelling sin as "old habits." Dr. John MacArthur terms it the "old coat of humanness." Dr. Charles Solomon says it is the "energy of residual sin." Another erroneous term for the indwelling old man is "condition of flesh." The one-nature proponents separate the alleged eradication of the old man from the indwelling "flesh."

However, the Word teaches that "flesh" is a person, as well as a condition. "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh" (Gen. 6:3). "Fathers of our flesh" (Heb. 12:9) sire progeny of flesh. Belief in the eradication of the old man tends to relieve the Christian of much of his responsibility concerning the activity of his indwelling Adamic life and nature. He is wont to place the blame for his sinning upon Satan, and upon "residual tendencies" and "habits" developed prior to salvation.

But here is the crux of the matter: it is not possible for the source of indwelling sin to be eradicated, while retaining sin, the product of that sinful source. Effect must have a cause! If you sin, you have its source, i.e., Adam.

Dr. Lloyd-Jones taught that "The old man is non-existent. Your old self is gone" (Romans Six, p. 65). Dr. MacArthur: "The old man is dead, destroyed, removed…it isn’t around" (Tape GC 2147). Dr. Solomon: "The old man and sin nature no longer exist in the Christian" (Rejection Syndrome, p. 106). Dr. Bob George: "That old man is dead and gone; he will never exist again" (Classic Christianity, p. 90). Dr. Bill Gillham: "I claim by faith that the old man is extinct" (Lifetime Guarantee, p. 187).

What the one-nature eradicationist fails to understand is that death ever means separation! Separation from God is living death. I, as a new creation in the Last Adam, was positionally separated from the first Adam at the Cross (Gal. 2:20). Hence I reckon myself dead (separated) from sin and its source, the sinful indwelling old Adamic man. This is the meaning of Romans Six.

PAULINE DISPENSATIONALISM

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:50:13 -0500

PAULINE DISPENSATIONALISM

Miles J. Stanford

PAULINE DISPENSATIONALISM

Miles J. Stanford

Breached Bulwarks-- There are three great fissures in the Dispensational dike, through which doctrinally contaminated Covenant theology is pouring. These inundating law-streams arise from three sources: (1) Israel’s New Covenant, (2) Israel’s Sermon on the Mount, and (3) Israel’s Millennial Kingdom.

These rifts are not only caused by Covenant-engineers from the outside, but also Dispensational-sappers from the inside. Unless these torrents are terminated, the Church will suffer greater devastation in the grip of Covenant Theology than she has from the turmoil and personal wreckage caused by the Arminian Charismatic chaos.

Pauline Dispensationalism -- Our theme is as follows: The Church is to be kept separate from all else, including Israel and her Law, via clear-cut Pauline Dispensationalism.

The Lord Jesus Christ loves His Church, for whom He gave Himself on the Cross. He did so that He might cleanse and sanctify her with the washing of water by the (rightly divided) Word of truth. He would present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having Charismatic spot, nor Covenant wrinkle, nor any such thing, but that she should be holy and without earthly Jewish blemish (Eph. 5:25–27).

The glorified Lord delivered His sanctifying and glorifying message exclusively to His Bride through Paul—a life-giving Word infinitely higher than His earthly message to the nation of Israel. The Pauline Gospel, governed by Pauline Dispensationalism, belongs to the Church.

Dual Gospels--Most dispensationalists and all Covenant theologians fail to realize that there are two Gospels, each dependent upon the Blood of the Cross. The one Gospel is earthly (Kingdom), the other is heavenly (Grace). Both Gospels are “according to Jesus,” and present only one way: by faith.

One Gospel was ministered by Christ on earth, during His pre-Cross humiliation, and was exclusively addressed to Israel regarding her Millennial Kingdom. The other—altogether “new creation” other—was ministered to Paul by the glorified Lord Jesus Christ; after Calvary, from heaven, exclusively to and for His chosen heavenly Body.

John the Baptist’s, Jesus’, and the Apostles’ Gospel concerned the Messiah and His Kingdom-specifically and repeatedly referred to as “the Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14; Luke 9:2, 6). The other, “the Gospel of the Grace of God, “was neither preached nor mentioned until Paul went forth to declare it (Acts 20:24; Rom. 3:21–28; Eph. 3:1–3).

Heaven-based Church -- The Church’s Source is in heaven; as a unique body she was brought into being on earth at Pentecost. She will return to her eternal Source and abode in heaven at the Rapture—not partially, but each and every member of His completed Body. The glorious heavenly Church has no relationship, no continuity, with anything prior to the Cross, nor after the Rapture. His Body will be completed; His spotless Bride presented to Himself in heaven.

Paul’s heavenly Gospel is exclusively for the Church. One need not go down to earthly Israel for anything! Why should a heavenly citizen, “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, stoop to purloin some “spiritual” blessing from comparatively poor Israel? Like the wealthy shoplifter, in the 5 & 10! The Bride shares the throne with her Bridegroom, whether in heaven, or on earth.

Anti-“Ultra”-- Before going further, be assured that the dispensational aspects of the Word presented here are simply normal, clear-cut, Pauline teaching. We have always been opposed to all so-called “ultra,” “extreme,” [or post-Acts2] Dispensationalism. We insist that the Church was born on the day of Pentecost; we insist upon the privilege and responsibility of the Lord’s Supper; we insist upon believers’ baptism by immersion. We have been associated with the Bible Church movement for over half a century; we are just seeking to give God’s revelation to Paul its proper place and nothing more—there is no more!

Heavenly Gospel-- The Gospel for the Church, the Gospel of the Grace of God, Paul’s Gospel, is not mentioned in the Scriptures until 1 Corinthians 15:3–5. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received [from Christ in glory], that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures; and that He was seen…”

“But I make known to you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11, 12). “For I [the glorified Lord] have appeared unto thee [Saul] for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee” (Acts 26:16).

“All the Apostles (except Paul) accompanied the Lord and followed Him to the cloud (Acts 1:9). Paul sees Him the other side of the cloud, and it is this which characterizes his entire ministry.”

The glorified Lord directly communicated to Paul not only the great fundamentals of the heavenly Church Gospel, but totally new revelation concerning His Body—truths that He never shared with the nation Israel. These truths concerned our identification with Christ crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended; our heavenly position; our co-heirship and co-reign with our Beloved Bridegroom, and much more.

Dr. Chafer wrote, “The current neglect of the extensive doctrine of the Church is not only blameworthy, but has led to a considerable array of baneful errors. The Church is the purpose of the Father in the present dispensation, and His supreme purpose in the universe” (Systematic Theology IV: 54).

Infinitely Above-- All the while the Lord Jesus’ heavenly Gospel in content and position is infinitely above the Kingdom Gospel that He shared with earthly Israel—which they rejected.

Those who do not center in the truths which the ascended Lord communicated directly to Paul will not know who and where they are in ...

What does it mean to pray in Jesus' name?

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:21:22 -0500
Question: "What does it mean to pray in Jesus' name?"

Answer: Prayer in Jesus’ name is taught in John 14:13-14, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Some misapply this verse, thinking that saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer results in God’s always granting what is asked for. This is essentially treating the words “in Jesus’ name” as a magic formula. This is absolutely unbiblical.

Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with His authority and asking God the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name means the same thing as praying according to the will of God, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Praying in Jesus’ name is praying for things that will honor and glorify Jesus.

Saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer is not a magic formula. If what we ask for or say in prayer is not for God’s glory and according to His will, saying “in Jesus’ name” is meaningless. Genuinely praying in Jesus' name and for His glory is what is important, not attaching certain words to the end of a prayer. It is not the words in the prayer that matter, but the purpose behind the prayer. Praying for things that are in agreement with God’s will is the essence of praying in Jesus’ name.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT GRACE

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:27:00 -0500
The Nature of Grace:

1. Grace is God acting freely, according to His own nature -- as Love; with no promises or obligations to fulfill; and acting of course, righteously -- in view of the cross.
2. Grace, therefore, is uncaused in the recipient: its cause lies wholly in the GIVER, in GOD.
3. Grace, also is sovereign. Not having debts to pay, or fulfilled conditions on man's part to wait for, it can act toward whom, and how, it pleases. It can, and does, often, place the worst deservers in the highest favors.
4. Grace cannot act where there is either desert or ability: Grace does not help -- it is absolute, it does all.
5. There being no cause in the creature why Grace should be shown, the creature must be brought off from trying to give cause to God for His Grace.
6. The discovery by the creature that he is truly the object of Divine grace, works the utmost humility: for the receiver of grace is brought to know his own absolute unworthiness, and his complete inability to attain worthiness: yet he finds himself blessed -- on another principle, outside of himself!
7. Therefore, flesh has no place in the plan of Grace. This is the great reason why Grace is hated by the proud natural mind of man. But for this very reason, the true believer rejoices! For he knows that "in him, that is, in his flesh, is no good thing"; and yet he finds God glad to bless him, just as he is!

The Place of Man under Grace:

1. He has been accepted in Christ, who is his standing!
2. He is not "on probation."
3. As to his life past, it does not exist before God: he died at the Cross, and Christ is his life.
4. Grace, once bestowed, is not withdrawn: for God knew all the human exigencies (needs) beforehand: His action was independent of them, not dependent upon them.
5. The failure of devotion does not cause the withdrawal of bestowed grace (as it would under law). For example: the man in I Cor. 5.1-5; and also those in 11.30-32, who did not "judge" themselves, and so were "judged by the Lord, -- that they might not be condemned with the world"!

The Proper Attitude of Man under Grace:

1. To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
2. To refuse to make "resolutions" and "vows"; for that, is to trust in the flesh.
3. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
4. To testify of God's goodness, at all times.
5. To be certain of God's future favor; yet to be ever more tender in conscience toward Him.
6. To rely on God's chastening hand as a mark of His kindness.
7. A man under grace, if like Paul, has no burden regarding himself; but many about others.

Things Which Gracious Souls Discover:

1. To "hope to be better" is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
2. To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
3. To be discouraged is unbelief, -- as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
4. To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
5. The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
6. Real devotion to God arises, not from man's will to show it; but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and undevoted.
7. To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so, -- in proper measure.

Studies in Deuteronomy

by William R. Newell

Instead of blessing the people altogether on the ground of promise, that is altogether in view of Christ's coming work, He says "If you obey My law, I will bless you." Obedience first, then blessing, is the order under the law. There is nothing for the people to fall back on, except their own obedience now. They may indeed remember that they are God's chosen people, according to His covenant with the fathers: but the law has come in since those days, and they are under it. So Moses insists, in Deuteronomy, on their obedience as the condition of everything, as they are about to enter their inheritance.

Now the position of the Christian is entirely different. It is of absolute importance that we understand this. Thousands upon thousands of Christians today are in bondage because they do not see the essential difference between our position and that of Israel under the law. Now, Israel depended upon their own obedience to get their blessings in the land. Christians get their blessings because Christ obeyed in their stead. This gives them rest of heart, so that they have leisure to love God for His own sake, and learn to delight in His will.

But there are hardly any Christians who dare believe this. That is, they cannot apprehend such grace as this. They think, of course, that their blessings depend upon their faithfulness, their earnestness, their consecration, etc. But, this is not to be under grace (where God says we are Rom. 4:14) but under law; that is, under responsibility to do, in order to have, which is the order of the law, not that of grace.

Grace says, "You have been blessed already, in Christ Jesus, with all spiritual blessings." Eph. 1:3 The only obedience that pleases God now, is the obedience of FAITH, which enters boldly in, and appropriates these things that Christ's obedience unto death has secured for us.
Now I know someone will read these words who will say: ''Yes 'but we must do our part', ere we ...

None But the Hungry Heart #5

Glenn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:06:37 -0500

None But the Hungry Heart #5

What is shared herein is designed to further your acquaintance with the Lord Jesus on high, and to enrich your fellowship with Him and with the Father. Through prayerful meditation in None But the Hungry Heart #5, we trust the Holy Spirit will bring about a strengthening of faith and an upward drawing of heart.

Furthermore, it is hoped that these thoughts may provide you an opportunity to try your "faith wings"--to learn more fully the need to abide above, and thereby walk here below in the "Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:2).

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment (discernment); that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9-11).
-Miles J. Stanford; Sept. 1973
Go to frames set

5-1. THE GREATEST

"We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

We first come to know something of the Lord Jesus' love by what He did for us; but that is only the basis for coming to know His love in what He is to us. The first is known at the Cross, the latter is entered into through personal fellowship with the risen Lord.

"There are three steps in appreciation of His love for us. First, I learn that He loves me so much that He saved me. He is our treasure 'My Beloved is mine' (Song of Solomon 6:3). The second step of affection is the consciousness that He loves me so much that He has a right to me. He would have me for Himself. 'I am my Beloved's' (Song of Solomon 6:3).

"The third step is the consciousness that He loves me so much that He wants my company 'His desire is toward me' (Song of Solomon 7:10). Love's delight is found in the company of its object. May we know in a deeper way, and in a fuller measure, the sweetness of personal intimacy with 'the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me' (Galatians 2:20).

"Much ministry is lost upon us as to any practical result, because we are not prepared to be detached from things here, so as to be simply here for Christ. And the preparation for this is to come personally under the influence of the blessed attractiveness of the Lord Jesus. When we sit under His shadow with great delight, everything else becomes so small, and loses its hold upon our hearts." -C.A.C.

"But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

5-2. INITIAL PREPARATION

"Saul armed David with his armor.... And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not tested them" (1 Samuel 17:38, 39).

Years of preparation are worth a moment of truth! Rest assured that once we are developed and trained by the Holy Spirit, the work whereunto He has called us will be ready and waiting (Acts 13:2). "Our Lord must have an instrument which He has formed in the fire and to which He has given peculiar knowledge of Himself."

"The greater the knowledge committed to a servant, the more necessary and important it is that he should be much alone with God about it, in order that he may realize the nature and effect of it on himself before he undertakes to make it known to others.

"It rebukes the haste and readiness with which many now enter the ministry, attempting to impress others with a measure of the truth which they have not proved for themselves. Surely the servant should ever be able to say: 'I believed, and therefore have I spoken' (2 Corinthians 4:13). It is better to lose time as to work in preparation for service than to lose time in repairing one's mistakes in undertaking a work for which one is not yet qualified."

"A servant's discipline must always be in advance of the service prepared for him. He cannot lead beyond the point to which he himself has been led. But when the depth and reality of the truth has been established in his own soul, he is made the channel of it."

"I have found that many a thing which I had presented in an extreme way because I was sure of it, I put forth in a simpler and a more real way when I had touched it in my own experience." -J.B.S.

"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" (1 John 1:3).

5-3. APPREHENDED TO APPREHEND

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord" (Philippians 3:8).

Positionally, our Father subjected our old nature to the Cross and its resultant death. Experientially, He applies the work of the Cross to our old life, thereby progressively holding it in the grip of that death. He is "unforming" the old nature in death, and conforming the new nature in life.

"Life more abundant requires that what He did for us shall be made good in us. In His Cross He dealt with our sins, and He also dealt with ourselves; but that is something which has to be made good progressively. It is as we ourselves are dealt with in the power of the Cross that the way is made for His life to express itself in ever deepening fullness.

"The fact is that it is the old life which is in the way of the new life and its full expression. It is the natural life which obstructs the course of the divine life. Thus what has been done for us has ...

Should Christians Judge?

Glenn — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:19:49 -0500

Should Christians Judge?

Occasionally, we receive correspondence from individuals (liberal, progressive, postmodern, moral relativist, monist, etc.) being judgmental and seeking to censor our liberty in Christ and our obligation to exercise discernment. Curiously, these individuals fail to see the hypocrisy of their own position--that of engaging in the very behavior which they CLAIM is religiously, philosophically or politically unacceptable. Typically, they quote Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." as a 'proof text' to the exclusion of what the rest of Scripture has to say on the subject. Of course, their motive is often that of intimidating anyone who would seek to discern error/falsehood from truth, immorality from virtue. Consider the following thoughts written by Miles J. Stanford.

The terms "judge," or "judgment," are used in different ways in the Word of God; their meanings and usage are mainly governed by the context in which they are found.

When they mean to condemn, to sentence, or to punish, man [individually] is to leave that prerogative with God. "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19). [During "the times of the Gentiles," God has established government--civil authority--as His earthly delegated representative/agent to administer justice upon evildoers. See Romans 13:1-7.]

At other times the words mean to distinguish, to decide, to determine, to conclude, to try, to think, and to call into question. This is what God would have believers do in love, especially as to whether or not preaching and teaching is true or false to His Word. Paul wrote, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent" (Philippians 1:9,10).

The Lord Jesus both warns and commands to "Beware of false prophets" (Matthew 7:15). We could not "beware," or know a false prophet unless we exercised true judgment. For that we are given the correct standard: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20).

There are realms in which the believer is generally not to judge. In most instances he is not to judge whether or not a person is saved, if he professes to be scripturally* born again. "The Lord knoweth them that are his" (2 Timothy 2:19).

Nor are we to judge another's motives. Only God can see into the heart and know the motives that underlie actions. (1 Corinthians 4:1-5) [However, Scripture does allow for some exceptions--e.g. Philippians 1:15-18].

And we are not to judge believers concerning the eating of certain kinds of foods or drink, or keeping certain days, etc. (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 10:23-33; and Colossians 2:16,17)

All too many believers remain immature or are actually drawn into error because they seek to exercise love apart from Scripture-guided discernment and judgment. Christians who are mature, of "full age," are "those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).

One of the reasons for the Church being in such a sickly condition today is that believers have not obeyed the commands of God's Word to judge error. "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them" (Romans 16:17). The false teachers make the "divisions," and not those who protest against their errors.

An often misapplied Scripture is "Judge not" (Matthew 7:1). This is a command against hypocritical judgment, and is not directed to those who in love and sincerity discern whether a teacher or teaching is true or false to the Word. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considereth not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5).

Actually, the last statement of this Scripture commands sincere judgment: "then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." We are not to forget nor seek to avoid the fact that our Lord Jesus commanded us to "judge righteous judgment." He commended one, "Thou hast rightly judged." He asked others, "Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?" (John 7:24; Luke 7:43; 12:57). Paul wrote, "I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say." Again, "He that is spiritual judgeth all things" (1 Corinthians 10:15; 2:15).

It is all too common and easy for Christians to assume a critical and censorious attitude toward those who do not share their opinions about matters other than those which have to do with Bible doctrine and moral practice. But it is our privilege and duty to do all we can to encourage their spiritual growth. We are to love and pray for one another, and to consider ourselves lest we be tempted. The safest and most profitable thing to do is to judge ourselves. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened (child trained) of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:31,32).

It will make all the difference if we judge our own faults as uncharitably as we do the faults of others; and judge the failings of others as charitably as we do our own!

* Mr. Stanford's statement was written several decades ago, ...

Holiness, Tradition and Pharisees

Glenn — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:33:12 -0500

Mark 7
Holiness is one of those words that means different things to different people, isn't it? What associations does it conjure up in your mind? For some of us I suspect holiness has decidedly unattractive connotations. A "holy joe" is one of those religious fanatics who embarrasses you by his antisocial killjoy attitude to life. "Holier than thou" is the way we describe pompous prigs who reckon themselves morally superior to everyone else. Even at its most positive, the word "holy" I guess conveys rather austere if nostalgic memories of the hymns we used to sing in school chapel... "Holy, holy,holy" - intoned to a ponderous organ amid hushed whispers, stained-glass windows, gothic architecture and acute physical discomfort. No, holiness is not a quality to which the majority of people feel attracted.
But then it would rather defeat the object of the exercise if they did. For the whole point of holiness is to be different, separate, clearly distinguished from everything that is profane and ordinary. In Old Testament times the pots and pans they used in the sacrifical ritual of the Temple were "holy"...because they were kept especially for that "sacred" purpose. The priests were "holy" too, because of their special role in offering the sacrifices. Defining such objects and persons as "holy" was a way of making clear to the Jewish people that in a very real sense God didn't belong to this world. He was different and therefore those who wanted to have dealings with him had to be different too.
The holiness code that comprises a substantial part of the Book of Leviticus generated a sacred-secular divide in ancient Israel for precisely this reason. To embed in every Jewish mind an awareness of the mystery and transcendence of God... what biblical scholars have sometimes called his "otherness".
The trouble was, some of them took it too far. The idea of holiness always has this risk attached to it. In the wrong hands instead of being a vehicle of witness to the sublime uniqueness of God's person, holiness can all too easily be perverted into mere religious eccentricity...a pious theatrical that awakens at best the amusement of the watching world, and at worst its contempt. The boundary between being sanctified and being sanctimonious, between being pious and being downright peculiar, is a frighteningly narrow one. The risk of the former degenerating into the latter is always greatest when the people of God feel threatened.
Take the period, for instance, five centuries before Christ, when the Jews were taken into Babylonian exile. It was a devastating experience for them. Suddenly they found themselves surrounded by a totally pagan society. Everything familiar had been snatched away from them. The instinctive response of any ethnic or religious minority in such a hostile environment is to become culturally defensive; to guard with jealous pride every cultural distinctive it is possible to preserve. And that is exactly how the exilic Jews reacted. They may not have had the Temple any longer, but they could still circumcise their children and observe the Sabbath. The might have to speak Aramaic in the market-place, but they could still use Hebrew in their synagogues. These cultural markers thus became more important than they had ever been before. For they were the only way the they could retain their identity as Jews in the cosmopolitan melting-pot of Babylon where they were now forced to live.
In many respects it was a perfectly understandable, even laudable development. We observe exactly the same kind of thing in many countries today where minority groups strive to preserve their local dialect or their national dress against a cultural tide that would homogenize the entire world if it could. But the trouble was that in the case of the Jews, because of their special self-consciousness as the chosen people of God, this need for the maintenance of their cultural distinctiveness got tangled up with their ideas of holiness. They turned their traditions into a system of regulations and defined holiness as obedience to these rules.
Take for example the issue of ceremonial washing. The Book of Leviticus certainly laid down certain regulations regarding ritual ablutions in its holiness code. But the scribes of post-exilic Judaism amplified these regulations to such an extent it was considered improper to eat a single mouthful of food if the appropriate handwashing procedure had not been observed. Mark, you may have noticed, draws our attention to this practice with what I sense may be a slightly sarcastic edge to his tone. (Mark 7:3-4)
Now as I say, this kind of legalistic attitude towards things like ritual washing became increasingly influential in the post-exilic period. The original biblical idea of holiness was being subtlely subverted by the need of Jews to defend their sense of cultural superiority in a world where they were now politically and economically powerless. The rabbis vied with one another to pile more and more regulation on top of the ancient law of Moses. They were convinced that only by the painstaking observance of such rules could the Jewish people maintain their cultural distance from the Gentiles and thus preserve their unique privilege as God's "holy" people.And in the first century no group was more zealous in its conformity to those rabbinical rules than the Pharisees.
Now in some respects the Pharisees have had a bit of a raw deal at the hands of Christian commentators over the years. The very word "Pharisee" has a pejorative, almost villainous overtone to it, which is really unfair. For there was much about the Pharisees that was admirable. (i) this was a group who believed passionately in the inspiration of scripture and devoted themselves to the rigorous exposition of the biblical text. (ii) this was a group who zealously pursued personal holiness (iii) this was group who scrupulously tithed their income. (iv) this was group who enthusiastically sought to win new converts to their faith.
Who does that remind you of? I have to say ...

"Words are worse than Sticks and Stones". - alye

Glenn — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:56:08 -0400

symbols, media & self...

Glenn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:44:54 -0400

symbols, media & self...

blackstreet- finally

Glenn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:02:17 -0400

blackstreet- finally

Boyz II Men A Song For Mama Lyrics

Glenn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 04:48:34 -0400

Boyz II Men A Song For Mama Lyrics

In Memorium:

How Great Is Our God

Glenn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 04:28:38 -0400

How Great Is Our God

This is the day that the lord has made

Glenn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 02:57:00 -0400

This is the day that the lord has made.

wikileaks/video of Civilians killed in Baghdad/Collateral Murder part1 &2

Glenn — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:13:14 -0400

wikileaks/video of Civilians killed in Baghdad/Collateral Murder part1 & 2

wikileaks/video of Civilians killed in Baghdad/Collateral Murder part 2

A Tangent About Ambitions

Glenn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:13:36 -0400

A Tangent About Ambitions

What Would It Be Like To Meet Yourself?

Glenn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:58:17 -0400

What Would It Be Like To Meet Yourself?

WTF Do I look like?? The Looking Glass Self/Mirror Stage and 50 Subscribers!

Glenn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:40:08 -0400

WTF Do I look like?? The Looking Glass Self/Mirror Stage and 50 Subscribers!

Noam Chomsky - The Political system in the USA.

Glenn — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:40:03 -0400

Noam Chomsky - The Political system in the USA.

open the eyes of my heart lord

Glenn — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:18:41 -0400

open the eyes of my heart lord - Hillsong

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS by CECE WINANS with lyrics

Glenn — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:02:05 -0400

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS by CECE WINANS with lyrics

How Great Thou Art

Glenn — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 09:38:02 -0400

by THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE CHOIR With Lyrics

In Me

Glenn — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:59:07 -0400

Casting Crowns

Love Is Here-

Glenn — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:50:32 -0400

LOVE IS HERE

No More Drama -

Glenn — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:29:13 -0400

Mary J. Blige

Take Me As I Am

Glenn — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:57:21 -0400

Mary J. Blige

Pentagon Sees a Threat From Online Muckrakers

Glenn — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:06:51 -0400

By Stephane Strom

NY. Times

To the list of the enemies threatening the security of the United States, the Pentagon has added WikiLeaks.org, a tiny online source of information and documents that governments and corporations around the world would prefer to keep secret.

The Pentagon assessed the danger WikiLeaks.org posed to the Army in a report marked “unauthorized disclosure subject to criminal sanctions.” It concluded that “WikiLeaks.org represents a potential force protection, counterintelligence, OPSEC and INFOSEC threat to the U.S. Army” — or, in plain English, a threat to Army operations and information.

WikiLeaks, true to its mission to publish materials that expose secrets of all kinds, published the 2008 Pentagon report about itself on Monday.

Lt. Col. Lee Packnett, an Army spokesman, confirmed that the report was real. Julian Assange, the editor of WikiLeaks, said the concerns the report raised were hypothetical.