Eternally Assured

"As pilgrim people, we constantly need to hear the assurance of the gospel." - Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored (Mike Brown and Zach Keele) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" - 1 Peter 1:3-5 This past Sunday at church we recited the Nicene Creed, although we usually recite the Apostle's Creed. I always enjoy reciting the Apostle's Creed together at church. There is a unifying aspect to it.  Despite all of our differences we can say with one voice affirmatively what we believe. I love hearing the voices next to me knowing that we all are united to each other in Christ. Yet this past Sunday hit differen...

  Disclaimer: It is  not the purpose of this post to elaborate on the teachings of Lordship Salvation and how it compares to Reformed Confessional Theology. At the end of this post I will provide resources that deal more deeply with the differences. This post is more to describe to the best of my ability what it was like for me to  believe that the tenets of Lordship Salvation were the only faithful expression of the Christian faith. If anyone reading identifies with what I am describing, this post is for you to show you that  your sentiments are valid.  I promise that there is a better, more restful, and comforting alternative that is both faithful to the Scriptures and faithful to maintain the necessity of repentance and obedience without compromising the comfort and rest that sinners can find in Christ.  undertone: an underlying quality or feeling If there is one word that I could use to describe what it was like being influenced by the teachings of Lord...

Question: What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?  Answer: He is our Mediator and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God my sin, in which I was conceived and born.  (Heidelberg Catechism Question & Answer 36) During this Holiday Season, I am reminded of one of my favorite Christmas Songs "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus".  I have been rehearsing this particular lyric in my heart on repeat:  "Come to Earth to taste our sadness, He whose glory knows no end. By His life He brings us gladness, Our Redeemer! Shepherd! Friend! Leaving riches without number, born within a cattle stall. This the everlasting wonder, Christ was born Lord of all"   "Come to Earth to taste our sadness, He whose glory knows no end." In times of deep distress the overarching theme for me has been the kindness and the humanity of Christ. He came to earth to taste our sadness. He left glory to become a baby who was born unde...

  So please dear Elizabeth, learn to understand God's Word better, so that you do not regard Jesus as another Moses. By this I mean, that you will not treat our Advocate and Savior as an accuser and condemner, which is the greatest dishonor with which people can dishonor Jesus"" -Petrus Dathenus (The Pearl of Christian Comfort)  " Elizabeth: But now dear brother, please tell me, what purpose would this ability to distinguish between Law & Gospel serve?  Dathenus: It will serve to comfort and strengthen you by faith in Jesus Christ, and by the aforementioned gospel promises, quiet and overcome the anxiety of your conscience which is troubled by the killing letter of the law" - Petrus Dathenus (The Pearl of Christian Comfort)  "Dear Christian, the Gospel is for you. The forgiveness of sins is for you. Jesus, and His death and resurrection, His mercy and grace, His undeserved kindness are still for you, today and always. Your life is hidden with Go...

    " When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the Just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me" - Charite Lees Bancroft "When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast. When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path. For my love is often cold. He must hold me fast" - Ada R Habershon      Another week has passed in this "vale of tears" called life.  Christians everywhere have physically and mentally experienced the consequences of "East of Eden" living while simultaneously plagued with the awareness of their own sin and misery. Monday started with bright eyes and a promise of "I will never do it again" and "I will spend more time in the Word this week". However, by Friday and Saturday the law...

" The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty." - Exodus 34:6-7a The word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen His glory,  glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth - John 1:14    "Jesus Christ is the fullest expression of God's steadfast love and faithfulness to save His people from their sins" - Rev. Brad Lenzner Being in a state of persistent discouragement during this time has a way of mercilessly taking an emotional toll on you. I am afraid to admit that I currently live under this heaviness. Throughout the past few weeks, I have been meditating on a Lord's Day sermon preached a few weeks ago based on John 1:14 (I will share the link at the end of this post).  There was one particular connection the pastor made between Exodus...

"This is not an artificial arrangement. Guilt, Grace Gratitude. This is what will set your life free in the joy of the comfort of the Gospel - both in life and in death. Know it well and live by it" - John Fonville  What is your only comfort in life and in death?  (Heidelberg Question and Answer 1) Answer: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way, that without the will of my Heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head. Indeed all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore by His Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him. How many things must you know to live and die in the joy of this comfort?  (Heidelberg Question and Answer 2) Answer: Three: Firs...