The Lonely Way

There is this peculiar phenomenon that happens to me on occasion.  I've mostly experienced it online, but last week or so have experienced it offline.  I am outcast, ignored, not included, avoided.

Other than my husband, parents, daughter, family, I am rejected.  It feels like a shunning.  It can be caused by sin on my part, or sin on the other person's part. It is the law I'm seeing, not the Gospel, not forgiveness, not Christ.

Sunday morning comes.  I remember my baptism.  Then in The Lord's Supper, I hear Jesus' voice.  I am purchased.  I am His and He is mine.

What is a Balanced Life?

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. ~Luke 2:52

As a child, Jesus had a balanced life.  He grew in his mind and in his body; he had favor with God and with us.  He did not neglect one aspect of life in order to achieve another.  He grew physically which requires exercise and healthy eating.  He grew in wisdom, which requires time to learn, reflect and apply that knowledge.  He grew in favor with God which means learning of God, gathering with people where God promises to meet us, in his church (Matthew 18:19-21-“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”).  He grew in favor with man, so Jesus was around people and in community with them.

There are many good things in life that are gifts from our Heavenly Father.  Our jobs, our families, our church family, physical activity, sports programs, gaining knowledge and wisdom.  All of these things can lead one into a ditch and throw us off balance.  When one gift is overemphasized at the expense of other gifts, we have lost balance.  Have you known someone who is a workaholic?  The gift of employment has been misused at the expense of family.  Do you know someone who chooses sports activities at the expense of Sunday morning worship?  How about someone who cannot exercise enough?  They also abandon other gifts from God to attain endorphins. 

Often these good gifts that can be mishandled try to lure us in with unsure promises.  With exercise comes the promise of youth and beauty never leaving you.  Employment holds the allure of earthly treasures and praises of men.  Sports activities, for families offers an often unfulfilled scholarship.  But we, the children of our Heavenly Father, have a sure promise from God that He will meet us where and when He says He will, in the gathering together of believerson Sunday mornings.  His Word never returns to Him without doing what He intends.  Sometimes the hard decisions look as if we are choosing the weakest and least wise, but being with God and his family is the wisest choice.

In our families, it is very challenging to find balance.  There are many good gifts that call us.  Some gifts beckon us away from other gifts when they are in conflict. “Welcome to the Lord’s Table” is for all of us.  My prayer for you and your family is for balance in your lives, and an ability to enjoy all the good things our heavenly Father has blessed us with: growth in wisdom and stature, and favor with God and man.

Living Picture

Every Sunday the scene is the same.  It is like clockwork.  This white-haired, humble couple walks up the center aisle and sits on the left hand pew.  It is always the same pew, the second one.  It is always the same spot, near the edge.  He leads her to their place, then takes her walker and places it where she can easily grasp it later.

Some Sundays she can stand up with the congregation, and other Sundays she cannot. He is always at her side, like a mirror.  Standing or remaining seated.  Holding hands. Encouraging. Never embarrassed by his bride.

Several Sundays, Pastor and the elders have had to come to them as they did not go forward for communion.  They could not.  She could barely lift her head.  He remained faithful by her side.  We all waited as they received from Jesus what we had already received, His Body and Blood.

Last Sunday, they were sitting in their pew, their place.  He placed her walker, as has become their custom, in an attainable place.  The time for communion came, and he helped her to her walker.  Together they approached the Lord's Table, together they received communion.  He helped her back to their pew, their place.  I watched with tears welling in my eyes.

What a beautiful picture of Jesus and His Bride is this couple.  They do not know how many people watch his tenderness to her, and see how she is so dependent upon him.  We, too, are dependent on our Savior, our true husband, for everything.

Thank you, Jesus, for this living picture of you.

String Communion

Have you heard people say that communion is only a remembrance?  I have heard that countless times.  For a long time, I believed it.  Then I was confronted with questions.  So I had to compare this notion of remembrance only to scripture, or read how others speak of the new covenant that Jesus brought to us.

When we see an image of a finger with a string tied around it, we know what it means.  It is a remembering device.  "Don't Forget!"  Once you have remembered your task, you take the string off your finger and go about your normal business. Much like an adulterer who takes the wedding ring off, to go about his or her forgetting of marriage vows.

 Is that what Jesus meant when He told us to "Do this in remembrance of me"?  In a culture where stories and words had preeminence, was it merely a visual so that we recall Him?   Is communion a blood soaked string attached to our finger?  Something that we can untie and discard once we are done remembering?  That string on your finger is not a part of you.  It is detachable.  You don't consume it; it remains under your control; it is separate.  You can keep that string away from you. It can be an arm's length away, you can toss it in the trashcan never to be seen again, leave it on the ball of string and forget about it, toss it in your toolbox.

The Lord's Supper is consumed.  It becomes part of you.  The body and blood of our Lord Jesus becomes a part of YOU in communion.  You are co-united with Jesus.  Jesus is present and He comes to you in a way you cannot discard, keep separate, remove, or leave untouched.  Is Communion a remembrance?  Yes!  Is Communion more than a remembrance?  Yes!  It is Christ's body and blood, a new testament, given for you!

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took break, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said:  "Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you.  This do in remembrance of Me."

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying:  "Drink of it,, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

Ex Fear Factor

"You can't believe that!  That is not true!  I thought you were smarter than that!"

Have you ever been afraid of telling others your beliefs?  Holding your tongue for fear of the reaction you will receive?  There was a time in my life when I would hold back on telling others what I believe about God.  My fear of their reaction kept my tongue paralyzed.  How did that change?  How did I get over the fear factor of what others will say?  Let me share with you what I have learned.

There is this call in protestantism of "Sola Scriptura!"  It's a famous call from a famous era in church history.  Some define sola scriptura thusly:  Scripture has the final say-so, over custom, tradition, opinions.  Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?   Here's the problem with it:  most who talk about it, do not do it.

There are descendants of the reformation that proclaim they are sola scriptura, yet they make requirements of scripture.  The demand placed upon the bible is logic.  It is a form of doubt.  It is humanism disguised as godly interpretation.  It is saying, in essence, our finite brains can understand the infinite wisdom of God.  It is not sola scriptura to require scripture to fit into our understanding.  It is prideful.

"Let God be true though every one were a liar."  Read that again and let it sink in.  It is from Romans 3.  That, in essence, is Sola Scriptura.  When the bible tells us baptism doth now save you, it does.  Shocking?  Read that bit from Romans 3 again.  When you come to a passage of scripture that someone has told you is not true, turn to Romans 3.  When you come to a passage of scripture that you find shocking, read Romans 3.

This is sola scriptura.  It does not take away God's word by tradition, opinion, custom, or logic.  It receives God's word by faith, even if it is not understood right now, today. It is true because God tells us it is true.  That is how I removed the fear factor when talking to others of shocking topics. It is shocking that I can believe that baptism saves because the God of the universe tells me it is true.

Training Soldiers

One's view of the sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper, shows itself in how one reads scripture. For instance, when one views baptism as merely an entrance into the covenant, all kinds of equivocation takes place surrounded verses that talk about the efficacy of baptism.

Abraham Kuyper is a name easily recognized among Calvinists. He is highly regarded and well-respected as a reformed theologian. Recently, I heard this quote from Abraham Kuyper, "The children of believers are to be considered as recipients of efficacious grace in whom the work of efficacious grace has already begun. And that when dying before having attained to years of discretion they can only be regarded as saved. Of course, Calvinists never declared that these things were necessarily so as they never permitted themselves to pronounce official judgment on the inward state of an adult but left the judgment to God. So they have never ususrped the right to pronounce on the presence or absence of spiritual life of infants."

Compare that quote against what scripture says about baptism, that it confers salvation, new life, makes disciples,forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the promise of resurrection, to name the promises.

I also found this catechism for Calvinists regarding infant baptism. It is full of equivocations. The very first question is about whether an infant is part of the covenant of grace.

Question 1. Are Infants of believers included in the Covenant of GraceAnswer: Yes, children are included in the Covenant of Grace, and the visible church."

What is the covenant of grace they are talking about? The catechism is stating that is it for entrance into the visible church. Did Jesus institute a covenant for entrance into the visible church?

This is the covenant Jesus instituted.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.

~Luke 22:19-21

Today in Sunday School we asked young children how one knows that Jesus loves them. One little boy said, "When the pastor puts water on our foreheads, we know we belong to Jesus."

Out of the mouths of babes comes the straightforward answer. There was no hedging the bet, there was no equivocation by adding "baptized into the covenant of the visible church". This little boy's yes was yes!

And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

~Matthew 5:36-37

The Reality

Types and shadows are in the Old Testament. They point to the promised Messiah. Then Jesus arrives on the scene. He brings the real deal. The shadows are brought into the light, no longer hidden.

Jesus would not institute a type or a shadow. He brings with him grace and truth. Jesus brings us gifts. The gift of salvation, the gift of baptism, the gift of new life, the gift of remission of sins, the gift of The Lord's Supper, and many more that I have not named. Dear reader, please remind me of the other gifts Jesus gives us in your comments!

These gifts are all grace. Jesus brings to us good things that we don't deserve. This is the reality. It is not a type or a shadow. Types and shadows are done away with because Jesus, our reality, is here.

I am baptized! Thank you Jesus for your grace and truth.

Baptism: The Great Exchange

On our way to church, Larry and I were discussing the Ark of the Covenant, or Ark of the Testimony, and Joshua 3-5. God parted the Jordan, just like the Red Sea; this time the Israelites were out to conquer, rather than fleeing. While talking about this, my thoughts jumped to Jesus' baptism.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1, ESV

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3, ESV

John the Baptizer was also puzzled as to why Jesus, the sinless One, was asking to be baptized. John baptized for repentance. We also wonder along with John. Jesus was baptized to identify with us; to take our sin. This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry for you and for me. He took our sin in His baptism. He took the sin of the whole world in His baptism. He became sin for us.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5, ESV

In our baptism, we put on Christ. Scripture is clear on this. We are told many times we put on Christ in baptism. The Great Exchange takes place, our sin for His righteousness.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3, ESV

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6, ESV

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me this. Praise God!

The Problem With Peter

1 Peter 3:20-22 ESV

because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

There are many promises attached with baptism.When one is baptized, it reminds us our sins are washed away, we are saved, we are in Christ, we have died with Christ, we are Christ's disciple. That list is not exhaustive. Baptism is a sacrament that Jesus instituted, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".

When theologies explain away verses such as this to say the passage doesn't mean baptism saves, they end up not knowing where to look for their assurance. Some, such as reformed theology and their step daughters, the Arminians, will place their faith in their faith. Looking within, they are assured by their faith. On days when doubts pursue us, faith in faith does not help us. Pentecostals and charismatics, tend to substitute speaking in tongues for the sacraments. When those gifts don't flow, the doubts creep in.

Father knows we are weak, so He helps us by giving us the visible sign of baptism to remind us to whom we belong. Peter tells us that baptism saves. Don't cry, "baptismal regeneration!" as if it is a nonbiblical thing. Peter tells us very plainly it saves.

Baptism does save, as scripture declares. We, too, are brought safely through water.

Passive Aggressive

Faith is passive in that we receive it from Father. He gives us faith. It is His gift to us, and with that faith we become His child. It is perfect faith when it is passive, and we are being done unto by God.

Baptism of an infant is a perfect picture of this. The infant is present, babbling and looking at Mom and Dad and Pastor. Water is applied to the infant, and the infant passively receives it.

Our faith is not aggressive. Unlike Augustine, who thought we are given faith, then we add to, and improve, and exercise our way to perfect faith. Scripture makes it plain that we are put to death as a sinner, and raised as a saint. That is perfect, passive faith.

Faith is aggressive on Father's part. He pursued us with great love, and we can see his aggressive love for us in Jesus. Jesus living in our stead, dying for our sins, resurrecting first, so that we may follow.

Face Your Doubts

God wants us to confront our doubts;He will answer them. He answered Thomas' doubt about Jesus' resurrection. Thomas' reply was, "My Lord and My God!" Thomas gained belief. Jesus was bigger than Thomas' doubt and more than able and willing to answer!

One of the biggest hurdles in approaching a sacramental view was the doubt that sacraments truly did anything. Most of us are taught that sacraments are just representative; no real presence is there.

From the Westminster Confession of faith: Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him: as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.

In Baptistic churches, which is the predominant view in the U.S.A., they are taught so well that instantly one will react to the real presence in Holy Communion with "It is only symbolic. The apostles weren't gnawing on Jesus' actual body."

Upon facing my own doubt about this, God answered me with scripture. Peter tells us that baptism washes away sin. Moses and the Israelites were saved by passing through the Red Sea, with Pharoah and his army drowned in the sea not to rise again. Naaman's leprosy was healed by passing through the water.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.