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 +