Family Resemblance - an Examined Life

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.... Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

~ Matthew 7:13-14,21-27 niv ~

These are 'fly in your face' positively terrifying verses in the whole canon of Scripture! They 'fly in the face' of the popular notion that pretty much everybody - MANY - will go to heaven when they die. They are terrifying because Jesus refutes this notion by warning us there will be MANY who expect the comforts of heaven, but they will sent away. There will be MANY who think they are reconciled to God, who in fact are not.

I worry about the statistics in America. Barna Research Group reports that between 49% and 51% of professing 'born again' Christians are not, cannot be 'saved'. Mind you, it is the rare bird these days who dare to admit they are a born-again Christian. Most people in America will readily admit they are 'Christian', but will stop there. More often than not, the answer is: "Yes, I'm a Christian - but not that wacky born-again type!" So only a fraction of professing Christians identify themselves as 'born-again' and from this fraction, only a fraction could actually be saved from the wrath to come.

For the longest time, I was that person! I sincerely believed I was a Christian - a born-again Christian - because I had prayed the 'Sinner's Prayer' and knew the answers to some important questions about Jesus. I believed in Jesus and God and the cross and the resurrection. (I didn't know that even the demons believe - and tremble!)

It wasn't until I began to read the Bible FOR MYSELF that God was pleased to bring me face to face with things I had never heard before, like 1.) God equates loving Him with obeying His commands - "If you love me, you will obey what I command." John 14:15 and 2.) "You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:14. We can't even consider ourself in friendly relationship with God unless we obey Him. Later in John's letter to the church (letter as opposed to the Gospel of John), we are told "We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His Word, God's love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him: WHOEVER CLAIMS TO LIVE IN HIM MUST WALK AS JESUS DID." I John 2:3-6 That means obedience is not optional. For the longest time, I sincerely believed that obedience was optional. I had been 'saved' by GRACE and GRACE was apart and separate from WORKS. There were two types of Christians - 1.) Carnal Christians who accepted Jesus as their Savior, and 2.) Pious Christians who willingly bend knee to Him as LORD. It wasn't until I read through the Gospel of John - for myself - that I came to know the state of my captivity. Until this blessed reading, I thought Grace had nothing to do with Works and Works had nothing to do with Grace; when the 'Gospel Truth' is this: We are indeed saved by grace through faith, and this (faith) is not of ourselves, it is a gift from God - lest we should boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The truth is: SALVATION IS THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE THROUGH THE FREE GIFT OF FAITH. I can do nothing to earn a right standing with God. I can do nothing to purchase a right standing with God. I am unworthy of His favor and His mercy. He gives it to whomever He wills for His good pleasure. It is a mysterious and humbling thing. Saving Grace is free - but it is NOT CHEAP! One of my favorite Pastor-Teachers puts it this way, "Salvation is free, but the annual subscription will cost you everything you have." (Alistair Begg) You see, those who are truly saved will increase in Christ-likeness. They will be about the business of being salt and light and revealing truth in this world. They will be spending their time doing God's business and caring about God's people. They will be telling others - even skeptics and hostiles - of Him and pleading for them to repent of their sins and turn to our Holy God for divine mercy and walk with Him.

Sadly, many choose the broad road that passes through the wide gate that leads to destruction. This road and walk is easy, it is comfortable, it is popular. We should always be suspicious when our thoughts and our endeavors and our values are welcome among the masses. This is a call to examine ourself by the Light of Scripture and see what God has to say about us. Are we really His child? Do we show a family resemblance? Would anybody accuse us of being a 'wacky, zealot Christian fanatic?' I HOPE SO!

I came face to face with the realization I was a 'make-believer' a little over a decade ago, so I know first-hand how important it is to TEST OURSELVES and EXAMINE OURSELVES to see:

1.) Am I a genuine Christian?

and

2.) Why do I think this?

I know first-hand how crafty and sly Satan is in deceiving people into a false sense of assurance and security. I tell my boys I was like a happy frog splashing around in a pot of tepid water - - - a pot that, unbeknownst to me, was set upon a burner, a burner that at any moment could be ignited and heated up gradually enough I'd be unaware of my imminent, fatal condition. That's where Satan wants the professing Church. That's where he has many, many of us! That's where he had me....

You see, since the time I was six years old, I sincerely believed I was a genuine Christian. It wasn't until I came face to face with the truth in Scripture that Christianity has nothing to do with praying a sinners prayer (devoid of repentance, increasing fruit and progressive sanctification), that even the demons 'believe' - and tremble, and that if we love Jesus, we keep His commands. I thought obedience was optional - for the piously-goaled Christians. I thought - no, I sincerely believed that all becoming a Christian required was knowing the right answers to some key doctrinal questions, admitting I was a sinner, believing Jesus did for me what the Bible tells me He did, and making a public confession of faith - typically prior to baptism. Further, I needed to pray a prayer and 'ask Jesus into my heart'. I had 'done' all that, so I thought I was 'covered' - by the blood - safe from 'the wrath to come'.

After God, in His providential timing, brought me to a crisis with these New Testament passages in the Gospel of John and the book of James, I indeed tested and examined why it was I believed I was a Christian and Jesus Christ was my 'personal Savior'.

I came up short - to say the least! Indeed, I came up disqualified!

As hard and as uncomfortable and as lonely as it was to deconstruct some hardwired false teaching from my mind; this was a time of invigoration, exhilaration, and profound meaning...which has led to ministry for God's glory.

I now end all my 'Gospel Presentations' with II Corinthians 13: 5. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you are disqualified."

The command to 'examine yourself and test yourself' may sound ambiguous to some; examine and test- - - against what? Evidence that Jesus Christ is in you. Yes, yes, but how can we do that? What evidence should we be looking for?

Good question!

Last summer I was introduced to a wonderful, sound bible teaching produced by Cross TV. www.crosstv.com The teaching series is called Word Pictures. They have many different titles of study and one that the boys and I went through last summer is titled The Marks of New Birth.

Here is what we learned: (Examine yourself against these traits; not exhaustive I'm sure, but a good measure of New Testament marks or signs of regeneration.)

Can you see the following evidence - or fruit - in your profession:

1.) An insatiable consistent love for God's Word?

2.) Do you embrace God's Word as God's Word?

3.) Do you have new (and renewing) sensitivity towards sin?

4.) Have you had victory over sin?

5.) Has deliverance of sin been through focused disciplines of faith? (prayer, communion, the reading and study of God's Word)

- Is your faith more defined by a 'rest of faith' = peace and calm

or

- Is your faith more defined by a 'fight of faith = more oft taught in Scripture

- Eph.6:12 Do you wrestle in your prayers to God?

6.) Do you demonstrate the 'B-Attitudes' as listed in the Sermon on the Mount?

7.) Is Jesus increasingly always on your mind, and increasingly always on your tongue?

- Is He and His work your most enjoyable subject of thought and conversation?

8.) Do you constantly and fervently use the means of grace?

- prayer

- bible study

- communion

- scriptural fellowship

9.) Do you experience God?

- Do He talk to you?

- Do you recognize His voice?

- Do you hear Him as you read the Word in study?

10.) Does His Spirit testify with yours that you are His?

11.) Do you experience divine levels of God's Spirit in your life?

- the fruit of the Spirit is singular fruit, not plural 'fruits'. Like an orange with it's many segments. All orange, but segments of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. Not the apples of love, the pears of joy.....An all or nothing fruit. Some segments may be larger proportions than other, but they are all there.

12.) Further, do you bear the ability to improve, edify, and change the lives of those around you for the better?

- through use of supernatural spiritual gifts and God-ordained talent and ability, do you edify, uplift, help mature, and correct those in need?

- Do you walk the talk? Testify with mouth and life? Both required.

13.) Do you witness for Christ by your life, your conversations, and your actions?

- Are you aware of the horrors of hell and are compelled to tell others - both close to us and those we are merely acquainted with about Jesus and the cross?

14.) Do the 'best' things of the world pale in comparison to our future hope. Have the things and trappings of the world become dim and begin to lose its luster. Temporal riches become less satisfying compared to eternal-kingdom work?

- Are you more aware and more convicted about the inconsistency of a professing Christian and conspicuous consumption?

15.) Is Jesus Christ not only your Savior and LORD, but is He your Treasure?

- Are you more passionately and more deeply in love with Jesus?

Hope this tidbit of information helps those who are following through with your admonishment and encouragement to examine themselves and test whether they are truly in Christ and born again.

For Christ's Crown and Covenant and for the Kingdom Advanced!

What's In A Name - Meaning Behind My E-mail Name

Over the past several months, I've been asked by an extended family member what my e-mail name - SONORANMOM - means. I actually appreciate being asked this question. It gives me an opportunity to give an answer. However, I've been more hesitant about answering her - fearful, I suppose. She asked me again just yesterday, and I knew I could avoid it no longer. God wasn't being glorified in my negligence. Further, it would give me an opportunity to re-document the actual meaning since I've lost many of my journals and 'memorial stones' of God's faithfulness with my failed hard drive.

Here is what I wrote:

***********************************

Dear Aunt,

I apologize for not being prompt to answer your question about my e-mail name.

"Sonoranmom" is another 'memorial stone' in my life. Please allow me to explain.

I became a Christian while living in Phoenix - a part of the Sonoran Desert. A typical setting of sparse, desolation, and lack to most (geographically, topologically, etc.) but the setting of life and spiritual awakening and abundance to me. I had grown up in a professing Christian home. Went to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening and pretty much any other time the doors were open. My dad was a Deacon at Wichita Bible and was a minister within the Navigators and a Moody Bible Institute teacher here in Wichita. My parents both worked alongside Billy Graham Crusades when they would come to or near Wichita. I 'prayed' the 'Sinner's Prayer' when I was six and considered myself 'saved' (from Hell). My parents are convinced the following isn't so, but I grew up thinking that was all that was necessary - believing in the 'right things', sincerely praying the prayer. Obedience - optional; love for the Lord - not necessary. I spent my life between the 'sinner's prayer' to after Dakota and Dylan were born living by the lie of 'Easy Believism and Cheap Grace'. The heresy that one can 'decide' to become a Christian, or one can 'ask Jesus into her heart' and then continue to live like hell. That's what I believed. That's what I did.

That is UNTIL we were transferred to Phoenix and we found a church where the Bible was preached from the pulpit. By the time we landed at this particular church, they had spent almost a year in the Gospel of John. Going through the Word verse by verse and in an expositional/exegetical style.

I didn't like the church right away. Kurt did, but I was offended by the Preacher's style. He was bold. He was straightforward. He was not 'kind and gentle'. He did not dabble in self-improvement, how-to win friends and influence people, save your marriage, relate better, make the world a better place topical sermons.

I vividly remember the Sunday he preached on John 3. "The New Birth". The account of Nicodemus and Jesus. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Many so-called born-again Christians don't read this right. They read it as if the text says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he may not see the kingdom of God." There is a huge difference between cannot (refers to inability) and may not (refers to not having permission). New birth precedes sight of the kingdom - that is what Jesus is saying here in John 3:3. Jesus goes on in verse 5 to reiterate this point: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-8 New American Standard translation - nas)

Our Pastor - because he taught the Word in an expository/exegetical style - turned us back to John 1 where it says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13 nas)

I had thought (perhaps been taught) one could 'decide' to become a Christian. But Scripture declares being a child of God (obviously not every one is) is not because I will it or someone else wills it. I don't become a child of God because I'm born into a 'Christian' family or a 'Christian' country. I don't become a child of God because I 'decide' or 'will' to become one and pray a prayer. God's will makes me a child of God - if I am to become one. Radical. Shocking!

The Pastor went on to flip forward to John 6 where Jesus goes on to say "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." (John 6:65 nas) There was that 'can' again. No one is able to come to Jesus unless God has given them the ability to come. Ability vs inability. This was all radical to me....

The clincher was when he went on to demolish my strongholds of wrong thinking about 'what makes a Christian.' All my life I had thought the only requirement was to sincerely pray the 'Sinner's Prayer' - you know, the evangelical mantra proposed at every alter call:

"Dear God, I

a.) admit I am a sinner,

b.) believe You sent your Son to die on the cross and to pay the penalty for my sins,

and

c.) confess that I want to be a Christian and have You come into my heart and save me (from Hell)."

Being a Christian is something you can decide - and it was easy to do...or so I thought.

I had sincerely believed this was the ticket out of Hell and into the presence of God upon death. I had even imagined the scenario in my mind several times: prayed prayer as a child - meant it then...still don't want to go to Hell, so must mean it now...'knew' the right answers to choice questions - Jesus, Son of God; born of a virgin, died on the cross to pay for my sins, rose the third day triumphant over death, etc.... Because I prayed the prayer and knew the right answers to the key questions, I was self-assured I would 'go to Heaven' when I died. I would have passed the test.

Our Phoenix Pastor tore down my long-held belief; he exposed it for what it was. He stated being a Christian was not something you were born into. I wasn't a Christian because my parents were Christians. I wasn't a Christian because I was born in a 'Christian' country. Further, it was not something I could decide for myself. He went on to say it was not evidenced by knowing about or believing in God.

What came next struck me over the head like a sledge hammer. Our Pastor went on to read to us out of James 2. "You believe that God is One (right doctrine/right answers/head knowledge). You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." (James 2:19 nas) He went on to explain that Satan and the demons not only know God better than we will ever know Him this side of heaven, but they even obey Him.

This utterly shocked me. I was stricken. All along I had thought I was a Christian because I had wanted to be a Christian. Because I wanted to escape the 'wrath to come' or Hell, I wanted to be a Christian. All along, I had thought I was a Christian because I sincerely desired to go to Heaven instead of Hell and because I had prayed the 'Sinner's Prayer' and had known some answers to some doctrinal questions.

Now I knew I was in trouble. Deep trouble.

By the grace of God, I was motivated to use Kody and Dylan's nap time to read the Bible. You see, I had gone to church nearly all my childhood…nearly all my life, and I never remember being taught this. Obviously, I’d been rooked. Obviously, I needed to read the Bible for myself to see what it says. Since our church was learning the Gospel of John, I decided to start at John 1:1 and read it through. On one particular day, sitting at the kitchen table, I got to John 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep My commandments." This bothered me. Jesus was equating love with obedience to His commandments (more than the Exodus 10). I thought Jesus' death and resurrection did away with obedience and 'the commandments'. I thought we were living in the days of grace and law was obsolete. I thought obedience was optional...for those few who actually desired piety. Further, I never thought about actually loving God. But after reading this, I knew I didn’t love God – not by His standard – and doubted I loved Him by even my meager standard.

Then I worked my way to John 15:14 "You are My friends, if you do what I command you." I literally about fell out of the chair! Here was that 'command' and obedience implication again. I wanted to be considered Jesus' friend. But by this definition, I most certainly was not. I cared nothing about obedience to God's Word. I hadn't even thought it was important, let alone pivotal. If Jesus equated love with obedience and obedience with being His friend I was in serious trouble. How do you conjure up love for God? How is this all accomplished?

For the first time, I realized I was not a Christian. I was not 'right with God' because I knew some answers to some choice questions and because I had asked Jesus into my heart. The only thing I could do was cry out to God to have mercy on me. I was in trouble and I didn't have a clue how to get out of it. God would have to help me - or not.

Jesus tells of something like this when He told of the Pharisee and the Publican:

"And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 'Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 12:9-14 nas)

In theology, the word 'justified' means: to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.

So one cannot be considered a friend to Jesus/right with God if one isn't obedient to His Word, but by the account in Luke, mere obedience isn't the 'mark' of someone right with God either. Pharisee's were excellent at keeping the Law. They had a most high standard of living out Scriptural expectations. Jesus did not say the Pharisee was justified. He said the tax collector who was humble and knew he was in trouble before God was justified.

It became crystal clear that I couldn't consider myself a Christian just because I prayed a prayer and knew some correct answers. I couldn't consider myself a Christian if I wasn't obedient to His Word; yet mere obedience to the Word of God however, was not proof of justification in God's sight. Obedience is necessary in the life of the Christian, but it does not make you a Christian. So what was it? What was that element that set Believers and make-believers or even non-believers or even the deceived apart? What set the Christian apart from the rest? LOVE. Demons believe. Demons obey. Demons do not love God. They do not treasure Him. They do not adore Him. I knew I couldn't not 'decide to love' God. You can't work up true, abiding love. I needed help! I needed Divine mercy!

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that (even the faith/salvation we have) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works (praying a prayer - me, near-perfect obedience - Pharisee), that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10 NASA)

"That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

For this is a word of promise: ' AND THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.'

And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;

for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad,

in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls,

it was said to her,'THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.'

Just as it is written, 'JACOB I LOVED, BUT EASU I HATED.'

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there?

May it never be!

For He says to Moses, 'I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.'

So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy....So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires."

(Romans 9:8-16,18 nas)

God showed my need for His mercy in the Sonoran Desert. My e-mail name reminds me of that amazing, sovereign grace - and His continued grace and mercy in my life.

I pray you've been blessed by reading this account.

Merry CHRISTmas 2007

Merry CHRISTmas Message 2007

With all the focus on hype and trivia and gatherings with people who haven't a clue as to what Christmas is all about; I want to post something we put in our Christmas caroling bag to our neighbors in our new house. Oh, what a glorious season it would be if people truly focused on the real meaning of Christmas instead of using it for a time to get together and waste time on insignificant, shallow conversation, spend too much money on things people don't really need, and eat too much sugar.... As nice as it might be, Christmas is NOT about gathering with extended family and 'catching up'. It is NOT about gift exchanges and beneign parties. It is about God becoming man and in order to destroy the works of the devil and saving the elect from the just eternal wrath of God.

Understanding God’s Purpose in Sending His Son
By Daryl Wingerd

. . . and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins.

~ Matthew 1:21~

God the Father sent His Son into the world with a definite purpose. It was a purpose that can even be seen in His name.

When the angel spoke to Joseph, he told him to name the baby “Jesus” because He would save His people from their sins. The name Jesus is the Latin form of the Greek name Iesous, which is derived from the Hebrew Jeshua. Jeshua is a shortened form of Jehoshua, which means Jehovah is salvation. In the shorter form (Jeshua) the emphasis is on the action of saving. Therefore, the name Jesus means, The Lord Will Certainly Save.2 So when the angel spoke to Joseph, he was saying this: You shall call His name “The Lord Will Certainly Save,” because He is the one who will certainly save His people from their sins.

The world does not need to be further condemned by God. All people since Adam and Eve have been born in a state of condemnation (Rom. 5:12-19, cf. John 3:19-20). God sent His Son, therefore, not to condemn, but rather to save (cf. John 3:16-17). Also, the Father did not risk failure in sending the Son. Jesus came with a clear saving purpose and mission—one that would assuredly be fully accomplished.

To better understand God’s saving purpose in Christ, it will be helpful to look closely at the last eight words of Matthew 1:21, emphasizing each word or phrase individually.

He will save His people from their sins.

Jesus is the only Savior. As He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Peter also pointed men only to Christ for salvation, saying, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”


He will save His people from their sins.

Jesus did not leave the glories of heaven merely hoping that many would believe and be saved. He did not come to seek and perhaps save some who were lost. He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10, emphasis added). He was not sent merely to offer eternal life to all men, but rather to actually give eternal life to all whom the Father had given Him (John 6:37-39; 17:2).

He will save His people from their sins.

Jesus was sent to save completely. He did not come in order to show the way of salvation or open the door to heaven, making salvation ultimately dependant upon a human response. If salvation depended ultimately on the will of the natural man, a will that is hopelessly enslaved to sin, no one would be saved. As we said in the last issue, dead people (cf. Eph. 2:1) cannot follow someone to safety or walk through an open door, no matter how persuasive the invitation. A person who is enslaved to sin is “helpless” and “without strength” (cf. Rom. 5:8) and cannot assist in his own deliverance. He must be completely saved by another.

He will save His people from their sins.

There is often confusion regarding the intended objects of Jesus’ saving work. Was it His mission to try to save as many people as possible? Or was He sent to actually save many specific people? Another way to ask these two questions is like this: Was Jesus trying to save all people so that many would become His? Or was He saving the many because they were already His? Passages like Matthew 1:21, Matthew 11:25-27, John 5:21, John 6:37-39, John 10:14-16, John 17:1-3, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and many others, strongly affirm the latter. (We will address this in greater detail in the next issue of the Basic Truth series.)

He will save His people from their sins.

Was it unfair of God to send Christ into the world to intentionally and definitely save many undeserving sinners? Does He have any moral obligation to even try to save the rest? It is important to remember that no one deserves to be saved. We all deserve to die because of sin. If God had determined to save no one, but rather to punish every person eternally in hell, He would have been perfectly just. Therefore, in determining to save some people—His people—He cannot be accused of injustice. Instead of pouring out His wrath on every sinner who deserves to die, He lovingly and mercifully sent his Son into the world to save many. Anyone who would cry “unfair” should remember that it was the holy and blameless Son of God who left the glories of heaven to suffer and die as a man, all for the sake of unholy and undeserving people. If anything is “unfair,” (humanly speaking, of course) it is that.

Copyright © 2005 Daryl Wingerd.
Permission granted for electronic reproduction in exact form.
All other uses require written permission.

www.CCWonline.org
www.BulletinInserts.org