That is a good question.
That is the most recent post over at Tim Challies blog, ‘Informing the Reforming’
http://www.challies.com/reading-classics-together/if-we-have-died-to-sin-why-do-we-still-sin
I think the book of Romans answers the question quite well. Start with chapter 6.
What do you think?
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Filed under: Baptism, Death, Sin, Tim Challies blog | 4 Comments »
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
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The sign that stood in front of a church building carried the name of the congregation and this slogan: ‘A Church for Families‘. I took it to mean that families are welcome there. That appeared to be the target market, as we say. But are families more welcome than say, the elderly or single people? Or maybe the slogan was referring to a kind of familial closeness that exists there. That might be OK but if a certain level of intimacy is expected of church members, what about those for whom familial intimacy and affection are problematic for a host of understandable reasons?
Close, interpersonal relationships are among the highest values in any society. Human affection is capable of monumental things, to be sure. Direct affection can be powerful and the basis for real friendship, care, even a certain degree of healing. At the same time being a ‘family church’ may mean nothing more than a bunch of friendly folks have settled on a comfortable status quo and are happy to leave it at that. Human affection is a lousy basis for Christian community. In fact, it is no basis at all.
Let me suggest an alternative slogan. How about this; ‘A Church for Enemies‘. ‘Gasp! You can’t be serious!’ Well, actually I’m not and neither are you…when it comes to loving enemies that is. And neither are churches whose deepest roots are family values and deep, human intimacy and relationships. That’s why it’s such an awesome slogan. It points beyond us to a love greater and more enduring than ours. It points to the love of Jesus who gave His life on the cross for people who through their sinfulness reveal themselves to be enemies of innocence, righteousness and holiness, unworthy of being a part of God’s family, people who apart from Him are do nothings – people like you and me.
“May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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From Pastor Mark Anderson’s Daily Devotional blog site
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Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson's blog | 2 Comments »
Not primarily.
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The Lord does comfort us in the battles of life, but He has bigger fish to fry as His primary mission.
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Listen to Pastor Mark’s sermon for Sunday, August 16th, 2012:
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thanks to flickr and davewebster14, for the photo.
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Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon, to whom shall we go?" | 3 Comments »
I found many things in this class that were helpful to me in being able to properly distinguish the law from the gospel.
And it quite often isn’t all that easy to do. But listen in and see if there’s something in here for you:
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thanks to flickr and Original Sin, for the photo.
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Filed under: Law and Gospel, Pastor Mark Anderson, Pastor's class | 3 Comments »
What?
Jesus spoke to Nicodemus and laid some heavy ideas on him. Actually these “new” ideas weren’t heavy at all, but they were light…and freeing. But they were radically different and frightening to people stuck in the self-justification/sanctification, living by the law (for righteousness) game.
The sanctification of the righteous, the religion project, the improving yourself in the eyes of God project are all things that work against what Jesus brought to this world, and to you, via His cross and resurrection.
Give this one 10 minutes of your time. It may be the most productive 10 minutes you’ve spent in a long time.
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thanks to flickr and IPS Inter Press Service, for the photo.
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Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, Sanctification, Sermon | 2 Comments »
Self-centeredness is a big problem in the church.
What should you do about it?
What has God done about it?
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thank you to flickr and hoyasmeg, for the photo.
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Filed under: Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon, The Sacrament of Holy Communion | Leave a comment »
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“If you begin with the assumption of freedom, the preoccupation is always how to keep freedom in check, how to bind; But if you begin with the assumption of bondage, the preoccupation is always how to set out the word that frees.”
– Gerhard Forde.
The Captivation of the Will. p.21
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Filed under: Free will, Gerhard Forde | Leave a comment »
These classes and sermon expand on the “free-will” topic, and how an improper understanding brings the believer to the wrong focus:
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I did post these several months ago, but I’m having some discussions with the good folks over at SBC Voices, and I think they might hear some things here they haven’t heard before.
Then, at least they can have a better idea of why we believe the way we do, even if they don’t happen to agree with it.
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Filed under: Free will, Pastor Mark Anderson, Pastor's class | 2 Comments »
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What does this mean?
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Pastor Mark unpacks this verse and quite a bit comes out of it.
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thanks to flickr and returntogodsgarden, for the photo.
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…in spite of what the Old Testament carrying gurus might tell you.
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We all derive life from many sources, but the True Life, the True Bread that we need only comes from Him.
And when we take our last breath in this world, He will be there to give us the new life that ONLY comes from Himself…The Lord of Life, Christ Jesus.
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Pastor Mark’s sermon for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost:
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Thank you, Pastor Mark.
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And thanks to flickr and petitchouchou, for the photo.
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Filed under: Authentic Life, Pastor Mark Anderson, Sermon | 1 Comment »
The Old Adam Lives! 