Walking Through Westminster, WCF 10.1-4 "Of Effectual Calling"

Westminster Confession of Faith 10.1-4

I. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.

II. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.

III. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit, who works when, and where, and how He pleases: so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

IV. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of that religion they do profess. And to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.

Summary

All of God's chosen people, whom He has predestined to life from before the foundation of the world, are called by God to Jesus Christ. He effects this call through His Word and Spirit. This calling is a translation from sin and death, which is man's natural state, into a state of grace and salvation. This calling and translation are holistic, no part of the human person being left out. The mind is enlightened by the Spirit to understand the things of God. The heart of stone is taken away and replaced with a heart of flesh. The will is renewed by the power of God so that, whereas we once only desired to do evil, God now gives us the desire to do good, and to come to Christ. 

Even though it is God who works all of these things in the regenerated soul, yet He does it in such a way that we come freely, not compulsively, because He makes us able and willing by His grace. He does this great work, not because of anything He foresees in us, but only because of His free grace. We passively receive this grace, which then quickens us so that we can respond to the call and embrace the grace. 

Because this work is done entirely by God, and in no way depends on the will of man, even elect infants who die in their infancy are regenerated, saved by Christ through the Spirit. The fact that God's work is done entirely independent of our own will is the only way we can actually have hope for infants and the unborn. Consider that, if salvation in any way depended on the will of man or the ability of man to comprehend and respond to the gospel (in his own power), then the unborn who die or infants who die in their infancy would have no hope. The same would also be true of those with intellectual disabilities. Because salvation is entirely dependent on God's gracious election, and not on man's will, elect infants who die in infancy and intellectually disabled people can still have the sure hope of salvation through Christ.

There are others, not elect of God, but who still hear the outward call of the ministry of the Word, and experience some of the operations of the Spirit common to men. However, if they never truly come to Christ, they cannot be saved. It is not enough to profess Christ only with the mouth; one must also believe on Him in the heart. If those who only profess Christ with their mouths, not believing on Him in their heart, will not be saved, how much less will those who do not even profess Him with their mouth be saved! There is no doubt that sinful men may attempt to outwardly order their lives according to God's naturally revealed Law. They may even be diligent in keeping the laws of their professed religion. However, if a man does not have Christ, then all of his good deeds are tainted by his own sins and he is incapable of standing justified before God. 

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF. 9.1-5 "Of Free Will"

Westminster Confession of Faith 9.1-5

I. God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined good, or evil.

II. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God; but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.

III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.

IV. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He frees him from his natural bondage under sin; and, by His grace alone, enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so, as that by reason of his remaining corruption, he does not perfectly, or only, will that which is good, but does also will that which is evil.

V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to do good alone in the state of glory only.

Summary

The human will was created by God and given a natural liberty of will in itself. God, in creation, did not determine the will of man towards either good or evil by absolute necessity. This means that He did not force us one way or the other, nor did He create our will to be predisposed one way or the other. When God created man in Adam, He created him in a state of innocence. Man was created with the ability to do good and to live in a way that pleased God. Yet, man's will was also changeable, such that he might fall from this state of ability to do good.

When God created Adam, He put him into a temporary state of testing. If Adam obeyed God, he would have been confirmed in his state of righteousness and lived in peace with God. However, Adam did not obey God, but fell when Eve offered him the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Sin entered the world when Adam disobeyed God. By way of speculation, we can assume that, had Adam not eaten the fruit when Eve offered it to him, sin still would not have entered the world. Adam, not Eve, is the one held responsible for the fall. If he had reminded Eve of God's commandment and led her away from listening to Satan, we can assume that man would not have fallen into sin, even if Eve had still eaten her portion of the fruit. This is why the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11) is so fundamental to the Christian faith. Jesus passes the test which Adam failed. When Jesus successfully resists Satan's temptation, He does what no human being has ever done. He restores what it meant to be human; being in a state of peace and love with God, which we enter into only by faith in Jesus.

When mankind in Adam fell into a state of sin, our original state of innocence and ability to do good was totally lost. When Adam disobeyed God, we all fell with him into a state of spiritual death, in which man is now totally unable to do anything good or truly pleasing to God. As Paul says in Romans 3:10-12, "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." Even though we can look around and distinguish between what we would call "good people" and "bad people", we are judging with our own fallen judgment. God is all-knowing, seeing into the deepest darkness of the human heart. While certain people might conform more or less to our external, arbitrary standards of "goodness", God is not fooled by pretense or appearances. His judgment on the human soul is that we are all gone astray and that not one of us is truly good.

When the Holy Spirit makes a person born-again, He frees the sinner from his bondage to sin. He graciously enables the Christian to do that which is good. Yet, a Christian in this world still has remaining corruption of sin, so that the good he does is not perfectly done. Even the good things that Christians do are often tainted by sins. So, we might help the old lady cross the street, and we might do it because we love the old lady and want her to be safe, but we also have a certain pride in our good deeds being seen by others. Even if no one is there to see us, we might take pride in our hearts, that, if only someone had been there to see us, they would think what a good person we are. The Christian is also not wholly inclined to do good, and will sometimes willingly do that which is evil (c.f. Romans 7:13-24).

In the eternal state of glory, the Christian's soul will be totally free from the corruption of sin and will be made perfectly able to do only good and no evil. We will then be unable to sin anymore and free to serve God with our whole hearts, made perfectly into the image of Jesus Christ. A helpful way to approach this issue is to break it into phrases and sections:

Before the Fall: Man is able to do good or evil

After the Fall, without the Holy Spirit: Man is unable to do good, only evil

After the Fall, with the Holy Spirit: Man is able to do good or evil

The eternal state of glory: Man is unable to do evil, only good

+ Blessings in Christ +

What's in a Name?

Friends,

This update is just to clarify a small change that is coming to this blog and to our future updates. For a while now, I have referred to our ministry as the O.K. Ginn Corral, an attempted play on the shootout at the OK Corral. It was fun. Olivia never got it, but I nerded out over it and giggled. However, given our current transition into full-time ministry, I think it's time to retire the Old West word play and start using something a little more ministry-focused. 

For this reason, I am changing the title of our letters and blog updates to "The Leaven and the Mustard Seed". I take the title from Matthew 13: 

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

My reason for choosing this title is that I think it fits well with our ministry focus. Jesus tells a number of parables about God's kingdom, but these two particularly focus on how God's kingdom will grow: both in the world and in the believer's heart. 

He says that God's kingdom is like a mustard seed: small and apparently insignificant when compared with other seeds. But when it is sown and grows, it becomes the greatest of all the trees, and the birds come and nest in its branches. The kingdom of God had small beginnings; about 120 disciples hiding in an upper room, afraid for their lives (Acts 1:15). But its destiny is to grow and grow until Christ's dominion stretches from one end of the earth to another; until every little speck of an island is filled with voices praising Jesus (Psalm 72:8). So, too, the ministry we will be working in will not be flashy. It will have small beginnings. It may not appear to be significant at all. But we trust that God will care for it, watering the seed with His Spirit, and will use us to grow His kingdom in East Charlotte.

Jesus says that God's kingdom is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all leavened. Leaven works silently. It also works totally: once it's in, there's no getting it out. This is how the gospel works in the Christian's heart. Most Christians do not have an immediate turn-around in every area of their life when God makes them born again. Rather, He puts the leaven in their soul and it slowly works to make the believer more like Christ, giving them an ever-increasing desire for God's presence and word. So, too, our ministry will have much work done that is unseen. But we trust that God will work through us, causing behind-the-scenes changes in peoples' lives and in our East Charlotte community. 

As stated, future updates and letters will carry this new title. We are grateful for your continued prayers as we transition into this new ministry. We love y'all!

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 8.5-8

Westminster Confession of Faith 8.5-8

V. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, has fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for those whom the Father has given unto Him.

VI. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated unto the elect, in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which should bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and today the same, and forever.

VII. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.

VIII. To all those for whom Christ has purchased redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same; making intercession for them, and revealing unto them, in and by the word, the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by His word and Spirit; overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in such manner, and ways, as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.

Summary

Christ's work as Mediator between God and men was twofold, consisting of perfect obedience, and offering Himself as a sacrifice for sins. This He did through the Holy Spirit, offering to God a sacrifice which perfectly satisfied God's justice. No other sacrifice remains for sinners to be reconciled to God. This sacrifice He offered to the Father once on the cross. Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." This sacrifice is never repeated, nor is it repeatable. The Roman doctrine of the Mass being a perpetual sacrificing of Christ at best introduces confusion; at worst, it denies the once-for-all nature of Christ's perfect sacrifice. The sacrifice of Christ perfectly satisfies the justice of God, and so Christians need no repeated sacrifice, even with their repeated sins. 

Even though the sacrifice of Christ was once-for-all, never to be repeated, the virtues, effects, and benefits of His sacrifice were given to the elect, even before Christ's incarnation, through the types and signs God gave under the old covenant. The Bible makes two seemingly contradictory statements: the first is represented by Leviticus 4:20, "And he shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them." The second statement is from Hebrews 10:4, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." 

God promises time-and-again in the Old Testament, that when the priests sacrificed the various sacrifices, atonement was made and the peoples' sins were forgiven. Yet, in the New Testament, we read that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The resolution is explained in section 8.6 of the confession. Although Christ had not yet entered the world as a man, nor offered the perfect sacrifice to the Father, God worked through the Old Testament sacrifices to give grace and forgiveness. While the blood of bulls and goats never took away sin, God accepted these sacrifices in light of Christ's sacrifice which was coming. Even though Jesus became man at a particular point in time and offered the perfect sacrifice at a particular time, the Father saw His work as eternally present. God could forgive sinners before Christ's sacrifice, because He saw the sacrifice which was coming as present. Some have described this reality using the imagery of money. God forgave the OT believers on credit, foreseeing the payment that would be made by Christ; God forgives the NT believers on debit, seeing the payment that Christ has already made for them. 

Christ applies the benefits of redemption to all of His elect people, of whom not one will ever be lost (John 10:28-29). He intercedes for them in heaven, always praying for them. He reveals salvation and its mysteries to them through His word. He effectually persuades them (meaning that His persuasion is always successful); He governs them in their hearts by His Spirit, according to His word; and He overcomes all of their enemies in His good time and in the way He pleases. This is what is always best for God's people, even when we do not understand His ways.

+ Blessings in Christ + 

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 8.2-4

Westminster Confession of Faith 8.2-4

II. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

III. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety. Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father, who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.

IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; which that He might discharge, He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it; endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body; was crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead, with the same body in which He suffered, with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.

Summary

Jesus has always been God. As the 2nd person of the Trinity, He is truly God and has been God eternally. He is of one substance with the Father and equal to Him. According to the plan of redemption, when the Father's timing had come, the Word of God took on flesh, becoming a man. He took upon Himself human nature in all of its reality, only without sin. He lived as a true man. We often have the wrong image of Jesus in our minds, as if He was always in a glorified body; as if He spent His time on earth hovering a few inches off the ground, always with a radiant glow and an ethereal quality to Him. To think this way is to deny His humanity. He sweated; He got dirty; He probably got sick as a child; He got tired and worn out in His adult ministry. He experienced everything there is in the human experience, except for the experience of actually committing sin. And yet, He still experienced what it felt like to have sinned, as He took our sins upon Himself at the cross. 

In the power of God, the Lord's deity was united to His human nature in the incarnation. In the one person Jesus were two natures: divine and human; yet these natures were united whole, perfect, and unmixed. He did not transform His Godhood into humanness, nor was His humanness of a different sort than ours. His natures were united in such a way that we confess Him to be 100% God and 100% Man, without dividing His natures into multiple personalities, nor mixing His natures into a supernatural humanity. 

The Lord Jesus was filled with and anointed by the Holy Spirit, that He might be holy, harmless, separate from sinners, full of grace and truth. He needed to be set apart in this way so that He might be a Mediator between God and Man. That He might fulfill His office of Mediator, Christ was born under the law and perfectly kept it; Jesus was the perfect Man, the man Adam was originally supposed to be. He went to the cross and gave Himself up to the power of death, taking our sins upon Himself and becoming accursed in our place. He was buried, but His body saw no corruption in the grave. On the third day He rose from the dead in the same body in which He had suffered and died. Jesus did not rise again as a spirit or a phantom, but as a man. He rose in a physical body that could be touched and that could eat. In that same body, now glorified, He ascended into heaven to sit at the Father's right hand. Herein is a great mystery, the profound truth of the incarnation: a man sits on God's throne and it is perfectly right for Him to be there. The dust of the earth sits on the throne of the universe. The God-Man Jesus takes humanity back into heaven with Him, where He now intercedes for His people, ever praying for them and ruling the universe for their benefit. He will return from heaven at the Last Day to judge all men and angels and to bring about the full restoration and glorification of all things.

+ Blessings in Christ +

On Divine Appointments and Human Shortcomings

So I'm in Highlands, NC for work this week. I'm done with work for the day and sitting in a nice cafe courtyard downtown, enjoying an ice cream and coffee while I work on some church stuff. It's an absurdly nice town, the courtyard dominated by high-end boutiques with clever names like "Spoiled Rotten" or "Colonel Mustard's" (which looked to have nothing but over-priced mustard in expensive little jars lining the walls). As I'm sitting, enjoying my treats with Bible and notebook open, an older couple comes into the area looking for a place to sit. Seeing as I am a lone man sitting at a table that easily seats four, I offer them the other chairs at my table. In their response there is a thick accent, which I ask them about. Turns out, they are Jews originally from Israel, and the accent has stuck in spite of 48 years living in Canada and the US, the last 40 years spent in Atlanta. 

Our conversation is friendly and enjoyable. I mention that I studied biblical Hebrew in seminary and we discuss that for some time. We talk about the businesses the husband has started, grown, and sold for hefty profits. We talk about Christian pastoral ministry. We talk about the Old Testament, particularly David. We talk about the insanity of Atlanta traffic. Anything and everything. 

As we continue discussing the Bible, they mention that they are Hasidic Jews, though of a more moderate stripe than the ones I am familiar with. We talk about Hasidism for a few minutes, after which the husband mentions the Hasidic prohibition on reading the New Testament. I mentioned that I have heard that Hasidic Jews are not only forbidden from reading the New Testament, but also Isaiah 53. They never stated whether or not this was true, but neither of them seemed to know it, and asked what it said that might be forbidden. I proceeded to open my Bible and read Isaiah 53:1-6, which reads,

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and  the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

I explained that I thought Jews were forbidden from reading this, because it seems to point so clearly to Jesus Christ and His suffering and death on the cross. They seemed moved on some level by this passage, but to what extent, I cannot say. We continued talking for a few more minutes before they had to leave for a dinner reservation. We shook hands, exchanged names, and parted ways. I told them I was in town for a few more days and to say hello if they saw me around. 

As so often happens after I experience a divine appointment, I walked away from the situation going over all the things I could have said. I could have talked about the free grace of the gospel vs. the merit-focused, man-centered ideology of rabbinical Judaism. I could have taken them to the gospel accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and shown them all the ways He fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy. I could have done a lot of things. But I didn't. They had already stayed and talked with me past the time they should have left for their dinner. 

I might be up tonight in bed, tossing and turning and replaying the conversation in my head, going over all the "could've, should've, would've". But I hope not. God gave me an opportunity to meet two strangers, have a very enjoyable conversation, and read Scripture to them and point them to Jesus, even in the most basic way. For that, I am thankful, and I rejoice that our God is in the heavens, and He does whatever He pleases. My trust is put in God's promise from just two chapters after what I shared, Isaiah 55, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Join me in praying for the souls of Ami (husband) and Micky (wife), that they would both come to know the Suffering Christ and eternal life in Him.

+ In Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 8.1

 Westminster Confession of Faith 8.1

It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man, the Prophet, Priest, and King, the Head and Savior of His Church, the Heir of all things, and Judge of the world: unto whom He did from all eternity give a people, to be His seed, and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.

Summary

Before the foundation of the world; before anything was created; when there was nothing but the eternal, Triune God, the Father made a covenant with the Son, to give Him a people as His seed and bride. The Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, was chosen by the Father and ordained to procure this people for Himself. He did this by becoming a number of things for them. 

First, the Son became their Mediator. A mediator is a legal position, someone appointed to reconcile two conflicting parties. By our sins, we have driven a wedge between us and God; we have ruined the relationship. The Son becomes the Mediator between God and man by taking human nature on Himself in His divinity. He can reconcile God and man because He is God and man. 

He became our Prophet, Priest, and King. A prophet is one who speaks forth the word of the Lord. Jesus is the Word of God, so He is the perfect One to speak God's Word (John 1:1-5, 14). A priest makes sacrifices to atone for sins (Hebrews 8:3). Christ was not only the perfect High Priest, but He was also the perfect sacrifice: the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (John 1:29). He is both Priest and Sacrifice, making a perfect sacrifice for sins which never needs repeating or modification (Hebrews 10:14). A king rules and governs a people. Christ is the King of the world, having ascended to sit in glory at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33-36). It is His right to receive heartfelt, joyful obedience from all the world, and anyone who would not render it to Him is a rebel and worthy of judgment. 

Christ is the Head of the Church, and there is no other. There is no way in which the bishop of Rome is head of the Church, and any claim as such is blasphemy. He is the Savior of the Church, the only one who can redeem them from sin. He is the Heir of all things; Jesus will, in the Last Day, inherit all things as His rightful possession. He has de jure rights to all obedience and worship, meaning that they are His right in theory, and in the Last Day He will receive them de facto, meaning in reality. 

He is the Judge of the world, and all who try to maintain their independence and rebellion from Him will be crushed in the Judgment. All of His enemies will be trampled under His feet (c.f. Psalm 110) and any who attempt to oppose Him will not escape. There is a common saying, often tattooed on people or emblazoned on clothing, "Only God can judge me". While this is a true saying, the reality is that God's judgment will be infinitely worse than any unkind word of a fellow sinner. Christ's judgment will be perfect, unflinching, unerring. Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 1, "it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble [the Church], and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ". Yet, the grace of God is manifested in that He has made a way to escape this fierce judgment. The only way of salvation is to believe on the Lord Jesus; to put your faith in Him, to depend on Him alone for salvation, to repent from sins and to turn exclusively to the work of Jesus Christ in the cross. That is the only way of salvation.

+ Blessings in Christ +

Late Summer Update and Request 2017

Friends,

We are one month in! It's been an outstanding first month and we are loving the apartment ministry. We've met a bunch of our neighbors, had great conversations in English and Spanish, played soccer with some ninos, and had our first community event (pool party with ice cream for all!) So far, the Liv Apartment ministry seems to be a hit. We have plans to start English and Spanish Bible studies soon, so we can translate some of these great neighborly interactions into spiritual outreach and development. We are humbled, nervous, and excited about what God plans to do through us here! For those who don't know, this step into apartment ministry was well outside our comfort zone, but God is faithful, and we thank Him that He knows better than us when to tear down the walls of our comfort!

On another exciting note, East Charlotte PCA, the church where Olivia and I have been members for about a year-and-a-half, has offered me a position as a pastoral apprentice. The primary emphasis of this position will be on outreach and evangelism. This will be more serious than the internship I had at New Covenant ARP, and will look much more like full-time pastoral ministry. I am thrilled about this development and am looking forward to going deeper into the calling God has on my life! The church does not have funds to pay me at this point, so I will need to start raising financial support at some point in the future. However, I am still gainfully employed and can continue to work as we get support in place, until the point where I can focus on the Liv Apartment ministry and the apprenticeship full-time. 

What we really need at this point is your prayers. I plan to start sending out newsletters as a more official way of updating people about our ministry, now and into the future. If you enjoy hearing about our work and would commit to praying for us, I would love to put you down and send you our updates! Feel free to email me (keithginn08@gmail.com) or respond with a comment if interested.

In the midst of the stress and excitement of this new ministry, I consider Colossians 4:2-3, "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ". If you desire to pray alongside of and for us, we would love to have you as a prayer partner! We look forward to sharing this great adventure with you!

We love y'all!

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 7.4-6

Westminster Confession of Faith 7.4-6

IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.

V. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the Gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come; which were, for that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament.

VI. Under the Gospel, when Christ, the substance, was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper: which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles; and is called the New Testament. There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.

Summary

The covenant of grace which God made with His people through Christ is frequently called a "testament" in Scripture, with the same usage as "last will and testament". It is called a "testament" because it requires the death of the Testator before it comes into effect. Jesus Christ, by His death and resurrection, procured all the benefits of the covenant of grace for His elect people. This is a good reminder that the covenant of grace is much more personal than a covenant of business or a national treaty. The covenant of grace exists only inasmuch as Jesus Christ agreed with God the Father, before all worlds began, that He would die for sinners yet to be created and that He would reconcile them to God in Himself. The covenant of grace is not like an inanimate document, but is comprehended in a person, the Lord Jesus.

The covenant of grace was administered in the Old Testament through all the types and foreshadowings of Christ: the sacraments, sacrifices, patriarchal promises, and all other such ordinances. For that time, they were acceptable to God as obedience and the demonstration of faith. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, these types and shadows trained the Old Testament Church to look forward to Christ, the promised One.However, while these things were accepted by God under the Old Testament, with the inauguration of the New Covenant, they have ceased to be acceptable, at least in the same manner. For example, to reintroduce animal sacrifices into a worship service would be blasphemous, denying the finished work of Jesus. But the animal sacrifices still teach us something about the work of Christ, and our sacrificial worship as the Church. Paul says, for instance, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1) 

With the coming of the New Covenant we receive the substance, rather than the shadows, of the covenant of grace. The signs of this New Covenant are the preaching of the Word, the administration of baptism, and the Lord's supper. These sacraments and signs are fewer than under the Old Covenant, but they hold forth with greater clarity the fullness of Christ, freely offered to all nations under the Gospel. These sacraments and signs fulfill and supersede the old signs, making any notion of bringing them back unworthy of thought. Not only is their efficacy gone under the New covenant, but it would be to trample upon the cross of Christ as insufficient. The one covenant of grace has new signs and sacraments, revealing greater amounts of God's glory, under the New covenant in Christ.

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 7.1-3

Westminster Confession of Faith 7.1-3

I. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He has been pleased to express by way of covenant.

II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

III. Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein He freely offers unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.

Summary

The fall of mankind into sin created a great divide between God and man. The divide is so great that the only way we are able to have a restored relationship with God is if God willingly condescends to us, that is, if He stoops down to our level, as a rich man to a beggar. Since He is the offended party in this relationship, and we the offenders, it falls on Him whether to restore the relationship, or not. By His grace, He does condescend to meet with us and be our God, and He expresses His condescension by way of covenant. 

A "covenant" is defined in various ways, but the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible defines it as an "Arrangement between two parties involving mutual obligations". Manser's Dictionary of Bible Themes defines it, "God’s commitment to, and requirement of, his people expressed in promise, law, judgment, faithfulness and mercy." A covenant is many things, but it is primarily about relationship. It can refer to contracts and political agreements, but it is more often used in Scripture with the idea of marriage, especially regarding the covenant between God and His people. For God to covenant with His people means that He initiates an intimate relationship with them, both parties being subject to stipulations and duties.

God's first covenant with mankind was a covenant of life made with Adam, in which life was promised to Adam, and all his descendants, upon the conditions of "perfect and personal obedience", meaning total and heartfelt obedience. (Genesis 2:8-17) Because Adam fell in the original sin, and all mankind fell with him and in him, all mankind is now incapable of receiving life through that covenant. In other words, you and I are in no way capable of meriting life through any of our own works. We are dead in Adam and unable to live again. (Romans 5:12-21)

If God did not act, we would remain dead in Adam and come under the judgment of God's wrath in the Last Day. But God is gracious, loving, and good to sinners, and so made a second covenant with mankind: the covenant of grace. Whereas the first covenant of life is made with all mankind through Adam, the covenant of grace is made with elect mankind through Christ. Whereas the covenant of works extended an offer of life with a requirement attached, the covenant of grace extends a free offer of life with all the requirements being fulfilled through the work of Jesus. The only requirement on the part of the elect is to have faith in Jesus Christ. Even that faith is a gift from God, as it is the Holy Spirit who makes the elect willing and able to believe in Jesus. Therefore, the covenant of grace is gracious from top to bottom. All the work required is accomplished by Christ and given as a free gift to the elect, and even the faith required on our part is given as a free gift by the Holy Spirit.

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 6.3-6

Westminster Confession of Faith 6.3-6

III. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.

IV. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.

V. This corruption of nature, during this life, does remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be, through Christ, pardoned, and mortified; yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.

VI. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, does in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal.

Summary

Since Adam and Eve are the root of all mankind, their corruption and sinful nature extends to all their descendants by ordinary generation (sexual reproduction). Just as surely as you can't make a good omelette with bad eggs, so we cannot expect Adam's descendants to be anything but sinful. All mankind descending from Adam by ordinary generation has entered the same fallen condition in him. As an aside, this is one reason why the virgin conception and birth of Jesus Christ is so fundamental to the gospel. If Christ was descended from Adam via ordinary generation (whether by Joseph impregnating Mary or any other man violating her), then Christ could not be without sin, and He would therefore be unable to reconcile us to God by taking sin upon Himself and giving His people His own sinlessness. Some false teachers have tried to lay aside the virgin birth of Jesus as not necessary for the gospel, but these people are ignorant or foolish and don't even understand the gospel as given to them. 

This sinful nature that all mankind has through Adam means that we are completely incapable of doing good, and only and entirely inclined to do evil. There may be people who appear better or more moral or more good than another, but the human soul is totally corrupted by sin, so that even the good we may do is still tainted with evil. When we define good as God defines it, we are wholly inclined against it unless God changes our hearts. From this original sin nature comes all actual sins which we commit. We sin, because we are sinful. We do not become sinful when we sin, but we are sinful and therefore commit sins. Jesus said in the gospel, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed all evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:20-23) We covet, because we are covetous. We commit adultery, because we are adulterous. We murder, because we are murderous. While some men express their sinfulness more openly than others, we all have the root of it in our souls. We are all just as capable of any of these wicked acts, and often commit them ourselves.

The corruption of sin remains, even when a sinner is converted and born again of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, the believer's sin is pardoned, and by the working of the Holy Spirit, is mortified, but it still remains until death and unification with Christ. Further, it still remains sinful, even when present in the believer. The doctrine of perfectionism which teaches that believers are capable of achieving such a level of holiness that they cease to sin is despicable, repugnant to the word of God, and worthy of trampling under foot. Paul did not say, "I was the chief of sinners", but "I am the chief of sinners." The corruption of sin still warrants physical death, even for believers (with the biblical exceptions of those translated straight to heaven). We are still subject to death, but we are no longer subject to the miseries of death, both temporal and eternal. We will die physically, but Christ has died for our souls. The believer is granted eternal life through Christ such that they will never experience the spiritual death of eternal damnation in hell. Christ will also finally conquer death for good in the Resurrection, when He will raise all the elect believers from the dead, freeing them eternally from the bonds of physical death; a full reversal of the curse Adam brought upon us. This is our chief hope in God, and, without it, we are most pitiable. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

+Blessings in Christ +

 

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 6.1-2

Westminster Confession of Faith 6.1-2

I. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtilty and temptations of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin, God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.

II. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion, with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.

Summary

Mankind, in Adam and Eve, was originally created with the ability to truly obey or disobey God, being left by God to the freedom of their own will. However, being seduced and tempted by Satan in the garden of Eden, our first parents ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and thereby fell from this state of original righteousness and communion with God. God had warned them in the beginning "in the day you eat of [the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] you shall surely die." (Gen 2:17). While Adam and Eve's physical life did not end the moment they ate the forbidden fruit, they did die spiritually. The spiritual death which they endured would bring physical death with it, as well. Part of being dead in sin also meant that mankind became wholly, or completely, defiled in every part of our soul and body. There was no part of the human person that was left unstained by sin's corruption. 

Discussed in a previous entry was the mistaken belief of dualism, common in many false religions, whereby the soul of a person is said to be pure, but the body defiled. This has been dealt with before and is obviously false, as it contradicts the Bible. Something more insidious, however, is a teaching that arose out of the "Enlightenment" of the 18th century. The main tenet of this philosophical movement, which is still embraced as inerrant truth by many today, is the idea that human reason is the supreme authority in all matters. While there were some aspects of the Enlightenment which were admirable and helpful, this teaching in particular has caused much trouble. The main problem with this belief (that human reason is the supreme authority in all things) is that it flies in the face of what God says and who God is. The Bible clearly teaches that all aspects of the human (mind, will, body, soul, etc.) have become corrupted by sin. (Rom 1:18-21) The Bible does not teach that human reason is worthless or unimportant (contra what many foolish people claim), but it does teach that human reason cannot be the supreme authority on any matter, because our ability to reason has been clouded by sin. The Enlightenment wanted to believe that, while sin may have had an effect on certain aspects of the world, the human ability to reason was left untainted and was still capable of objective assessment of reality. But the Bible clearly teaches that even our thinking has become corrupted by sin, so that we do not accurately perceive reality in ourselves. If human reason were a pair of glasses, then sin has smudged them to the point that we can no longer trust them to accurately reflect reality. We must have Someone outside of ourselves come and clean our glasses for us, before we can clearly see the world as it actually is. The Bible calls this "regeneration" or being "born again" and it is an act of God the Holy Spirit alone. (c.f. John 3:1-21)

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 5.4-7

Westminster Confession of Faith 5.4-7

IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, but such as has joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering, and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceeds only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.

V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God does oftentimes leave, for a season, His own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and, to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon Himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.

VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge, for former sins, does blind and harden, from them He not only withholds His grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraws the gifts which they had, and exposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin; and, withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God uses for the softening of others.

VII. As the providence of God does, in general, reach to all creatures; so, after a most special manner, it takes care of His Church, and disposes all things to the good thereof.

Summary

God's providence is so all-encompassing over every event that takes place that it even extends to the fall of man, and all subsequent sins of men and angels. He is sovereign evens over these wicked actions, and not just in that He allows them to happen, but in such a way that He can rightly be said to "order" them to His own holy ends. However, He orders these events in perfect holiness and righteousness, such that He can never be said to be the cause of sin, nor approving of sin. He did not create sin, nor does He force ungodliness upon men, as if we were helpless victims. Yet, He is sovereign, even over the sins of men, and uses sin (without ever sinning Himself) to accomplish His good purposes. 

The best place we see this reality in the Bible is in the crucifixion of Jesus. During his sermon in Acts 2, the apostle Peter says to the Jews, "Him [Christ], being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death". Note the two things we have in that verse: we have the "determined purpose and foreknowledge of God" and we have the sins of the people in putting Christ to death by lawless hands. Christ was crucified because of the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, and the instrument God used to accomplish His purpose was the sinful actions of the Jews, and He used the sinfulness of the Jews in such manner that they retain all culpability for their sins and He in no way is unrighteous. 

In His sovereignty, God sometimes gives men over to sins and temptations. He does not tempt men, nor cause anyone to sin, but He may, for a time, remove His hand from holding the sinner back from their sins. A parent's desire is to never see their child hurt, and so will often prevent a child from a foolish action that would hurt them. But there are times when a parent must step back and allow the child to do that foolish thing and hurt themselves. In order to learn the dangers and grow as a child, they must be allowed to experience some pain as a consequence of their folly.

In the same way, God sometimes gives His children over to their temptations. He never sends temptations, but may remove His hand from restraining us. When He does this, His aim is not to hurt, but to heal. He desires that we would see the true nature of our sin and all of its wickedness; that we would see its ugliness and not be deceived. Through this He humbles His children, revealing our own weakness in ourselves and showing our need for His grace and strength. 

God also gives ungodly men over to their sins. Like Pharaoh in the Exodus, God does not force these people into ungodliness, but removes His restraint from them. When God removes His restraining hand, the wicked rush headlong into destruction and sin, because that is what our sinful souls desire most. He never forces anyone to sin, but may give the ungodly over to sin that He might demonstrate His justice in their destruction. For more on that, see Romans 9:14-24.

This is, admittedly, a difficult issue. The most important things to remember when we consider the sovereignty of God over sin are: that He Himself is perfect, righteous, and holy, and completely without sin; that He never forces anyone to sin against their will; that He uses sin to accomplish His own purposes, which must be holy, righteous, and good for His Church. God is good and all things are disposed for the good of His beloved bride, the Church. Whatever else we might say, we must say that, if you are a living member of Christ's Church through faith, then God works all things together for your good, even the most wicked thing ever done: the crucifixion of Jesus.

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 5.1-3

Westminster Confession of Faith 5.1-3

I. God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.

II. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, He orders them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.

III. God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure.

Summary

God is in control of all things. He is the sovereign Creator of the world and all things in the world, and He sovereignly governs all His creatures and all their actions. Nothing, whether the greatest or smallest, is outside of His control. Often, as an unbeliever, I mocked athletes for praying before games or events, and I mocked them for giving credit to God after the game. What would God care about your silly football game? Does God control the football? Does God propel your legs to move? I mocked because I was stupid, and did not understand the distinction between controlling all things through primary causes and secondary causes. God is in control of all things, including the outcome of a high school football game. While we might not understand why God would care about the outcome, it's not for us to doubt or question. God brings all things to pass according to His holiness and wisdom, for the praise of His own glory, and it is enough for us to receive and believe it.

He is the first Cause of all things and, in His own mind, all things which He ordains come to pass without variation or failure. Yet, as He has ordered all things to fall out in space and time, He makes use of secondary causes. So, while He controls the outcome of a high school football game, that doesn't negate the reality of secondary causes; in this case, the skill of individual players, the weather, the coaching decisions, etc. God uses these means to bring about His desired ends. 

To reference another example: some have tried to give a naturalistic explanation for something like the parting of the Red Sea during the Exodus. They might try to argue that what actually happened was a great windstorm suddenly coming and, in a freak occurrence, splitting the Sea enough for the Israelites to walk through. The Israelites, seeing this happen, ignorantly interpret it as divine intervention, leading to our story in Exodus 14. What these people typically don't consider is that the Bible already says that the Sea's parting was the result of a natural occurrence! "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided." The Bible records that the parting of the Red Sea was the result of a strong wind, but it further records that God was using the strong wind to part the Sea. The primary cause of the Red Sea parting was God, and the secondary cause that He used was the strong east wind. The Bible sees no conflict between what we call "natural occurrence" and God's supernatural use of such seemingly natural things. 

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 4.1-2

Westminster Confession of Faith, 4.1-2

I. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.

II. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image;having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.

Summary 

The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the Creator of all things, none of the Divine Persons ever being created, formed, nor beginning to exist. God created all things out of nothing, ex nihilo. This means that material existence is not eternal, but had a beginning. Before creation, there was nothing but God, who is spirit. God's first act of creation was to speak matter into existence and then begin His creative work of shaping it. He did not stumble upon preexisting matter and then shape what He had found. God is an Artist who first speaks His paints into existence, and then paints with them. 

He did this to manifest, or demonstrate, the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness. Some false religions throughout history, and even today, teach that matter is inherently evil and wicked; that the goal of humanity is to escape material existence, which is seen as the cruel prison for our true selves, longing to get out. Some have even gone so far as to say that this world must have been created by an evil god, who trapped our formerly free spirits in material bodies to torment us. The confession, following the teaching of Scripture, rejects that idea entirely. The Creator God did not create the world to entrap us or torment us, but to show forth His goodness, love, and power. Further, the material existence He created is not evil, but all "very good." All this He created in the space of six days by the word of His power, not, as some suppose, in the space of billions of years by the use of "natural" processes. 

As His crowning achievement, God created man in His own image, male and female. One part of being made in God's image is that God created humans with "reasonable and immortal souls". We as humans are both immortal and capable of reasoning; both of which distinguish us from other creatures of God. As well, God endues mankind with "knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness". God did not create man sinful; man became sinful after the fall, which will be dealt with in chapter 6. When God first created man, He created them holy, righteous, with His law written in their hearts, with "power to fulfil it". As an aside, this means that the Ten Commandments, the summation of God's Law, are eternal. While they were officially spelled out through the Mosaic covenant (c.f. Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5) the Ten Commandments have always been around and always will be, since they are the self-expression of God moral character. Adam and Eve were created with the ability to obey these commandments, but they were also created with the possibility of transgression, since God created them with liberty of will. Besides this moral law, written on their hearts, Adam and Eve also received the explicit verbal command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So long as they kept this commandment, they were happily in fellowship with God, and rightly exercised dominion over creation. We don't know how long they maintained this status, but it suffices to say that it did not remain forever.

It's important to see the goodness of God in His commands. Consider that God created an entire world for Adam and Eve to explore, to maintain, to rule over in His name, and to enjoy as His image-bearers. Of the thousands, even millions of trees which He created, including the tree of life, God made no negative command; Adam and Eve were free to partake of them and enjoy them to the fullest. God only said "No" regarding one tree; that of the knowledge of good and evil. (C.f. Genesis 2:16-17) Any notion that God is a stingy nay-sayer; a cosmic tyrant in the sky, must be dispelled by this truth. God gives humanity a world full of "Yes" and in only one instance says "No". From the beginning, His desire was to do good for men; to see them flourish. And even when man fell, God still pursues them through the law, the prophets, and ultimately, Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says that "all the promises of God in Him [Christ] are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God". God has an abundance of blessings, both temporal and eternal, ready for the human soul, but there is one requirement: man must come humbly, repentant, only through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)

+ Blessings in Christ +