Be Patient

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

James 5 (NRSV)

Today’s advent words are ‘patiently waiting’.  It’s hard for any of us at any age to be patient. It’s especially hard at Christmas. Remember how difficult it was when you were small to wait to see what wonderful gifts Santa would bring? Did you peek in closets trying to get an advanced view?

James used the Old Testament prophets as an example of patience. “Brothers and sisters,” he writes, “as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”  One of the prophets he surely had in mind was the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah refused to give in to the despair of his time. Isaiah still managed to hope in God. And under the leadership of God’s Holy Spirit Isaiah was able to write, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

“He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth . . .”   He may not say it, but in there you can still hear “BE PATIENT.”

No matter what else you think Christmas is about, it is also about patiently waiting. It is not just  about a house so lit up you can see it from space, or about giving or receiving the biggest and best gift money can buy.  It isn’t about eating ham or turkey.  It’s not simply about spending time with family-- as precious as that may be.  It isn’t even about celebrating an infant’s birth in a manger.

Did you catch that? Christmas isn’t even ultimately about celebrating an infant’s birth in a manger. Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan of salvation. IOW;

            God has a plan for our world.

                        A plan that extends from creation

                                    Through the manger

                                                through the cross

                                                            and the empty tomb

                                                                        to eternity. 

           

God is at work bringing in a perfect world a world where all people will live in harmony and dignity together as children of God a world where that which is broken will be made whole a world of peace, joy and love. Sure, the babe in the manger is an important part of that plan, and it is right and good that we celebrate his birth. But Christmas is only a part of the entire Christ event. It is not only about the coming of Christ, but it is also about the coming of God’s Kingdom when Christ shall reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords forever and ever.

Pastor Jim

Happy Reformation Day

PJ’s Blog

In honor of the 499th reformation Sunday (just past) and looking forward to the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation (October 31, 2017), I am turning over this space today to one of my colleagues and most respected reformed scholars, Pul Tambrino, Ed.D, Ph.D.  This is from a column he writes entitled “Ask Augustine”.

Pastor Jim


October 31, 2017 will mark it’s 500th. Anniversary.  Is that because today there is very little difference between Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism?  But if not, what are the major differences between Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism?

While it is true in recent years we have rightly seen evangelicals and Catholics come together on an unprecedented scale in common opposition to abortion and issues of moral relativism and theological pluralism as well as, in defense of our love and worship of the same Lord.  In this regard evangelicals and Catholics are bound together contending against all that opposes Christ and His cause.  Still, theologically what divided Protestants from Rome on October 31, 1517 still divides us today.

As to what it is that still divides us, most people would point to the different views Roman Catholics and Protestants have concerning the papacy, Mary, the saints, purgatory or the sacraments.  However, these distinctive differences all stem from the doctrinal dispute over justification.  At the time of the Reformation, Luther maintained that the Reformed doctrine of justification was the article upon which the church stands or falls and Calvin held that it was the hinge of salvation.  This was countered by Rome's Tridentine conclusion that the Reformation doctrine of justification was worthy of the anathema of the church.

Admittedly the debate over justification suffers from a crass caricature by which the Protestant position is incompletely characterized only as “justification by faith” and the Roman Catholic position is incompletely characterized as only “justification by works.”  Popular sentiment falsely concludes that Protestants are not concerned about works and that Rome is not concerned with faith.

Roman Catholicism has always given an important and necessary place to faith in so far as justification is concerned.  Moreover, Protestantism has always held that saving faith necessarily, inevitably and immediately yields the fruit of works.  The difference in the two views is that in Roman Catholicism, “Faith plus Works yields Justification” while in Protestantism, “Faith yields Justification plus Works.”   That is, in Roman Catholicism “Works” is a necessary precondition for justification.  In Protestantism, “Works” is a necessary fruit or result of justification.

Protestantism holds to the vicarious atonement of Christ.  It is vicarious because it is accomplished by imputation (transfer), actually a double imputation (transfer).  Christ willingly bore for His people their sins that are imputed or transferred to Him.  Christ is the sin-bearer for His people (the Lamb of God) who takes away (expiates) their sin and satisfies (propitiates) the demands of God’s justice.

The cross alone, however, does not justify.  There is also a need for positive righteousness. Protestantism maintains that one is not justified only by the death of Christ but also by the life of Christ. His perfect righteousness is also imputed to those whom He redeems.  Hence there is a double imputation.   The sins of the redeemed are imputed to Christ on the cross, and Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to the redeemed.  Evidence of such imputed justification is then seen in the works performed by those justified.

Roman Catholicism rejects this concept of imputation and maintains that God does not consider someone righteous on the basis of some alien (Christ’s) righteousness (a righteousness outside of oneself).  Rome’s view presupposes that the only true justness or righteousness is inherent righteousness.  Hence, there is a need for a person to become righteous in him or herself first before God declares one righteous.  Although Rome teaches that a person cannot become righteous without infused grace, a person is deemed righteous only when he or she has become (through works and the sacraments) righteous.

Given the Protestant doctrine of justification, it would be impossible to ascribe to the Roman Catholic doctrines the papacy, Mary, the saints, purgatory or the sacraments.  Only under a system of justification whereby righteousness was something that was initially infused by God into the believer and then increased when the believer cooperated by specific works could such doctrines exist.

Clearly a vast theological gulf separates Roman Catholic and Protestant theology on the doctrine of justification.  Unless Protestant theology rejects the principles of the Reformation, or Roman Catholic theology abandons much of the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent (especially canons 9, 10, and 11), the doctrine of justification will remain a fundamental source of division between Roman Catholicism and the Evangelical Protestant faith.

No Matter who is President, Jesus is King

As this is the last post before the election, I thought it would be a good time to get down to basics. At this point we are 12 days away from seeing who are new president will be. This has been a brutal race, that has poured over from the political into the personal. Friendships have been impacted and even ended by who one supports. At the end of the day though, November 9th will come. The rhetoric will change and this election will move into the background. So as we ride through this last two weeks, let us turn our eyes to the future. Let us remember what we love about those who think differently than us, and when we can't understand their point of view let us cling to grace. Because in the times that matter, the times of great joy or great sorrow, we won't see one's political affiliation we will just want our friend.

We are also a people who are set apart. We have a higher calling than civic duty or American patriotism, we belong to the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Our duty is do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Our calling is to love the Lord our God with our whole hearts, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. So let us join together and pray for each other, pray for our country, pray for our president and pray for peace.

Rev. Michelle

What about my non-believer friends?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (NRSV)

One of the great problems people have with reformed doctrine is our adherence to particular (or limited) Atonement.  This is the doctrine of the faith which says that Jesus died only for the elect. Though Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for all, it was not efficacious for all in that Jesus only bore the sins of the elect.

Support for this position is drawn from such scriptures as Matt. 26:28 (where Jesus died for ‘many'); John 10:11, 15 (which says that Jesus died for the sheep -- not the goats, cf Matt. 25:32-33); John 17:9 (where Jesus in prayer interceded for the ones given Him, not those of the entire world); Acts 20:28 and Eph. 5:25-27  (which state that the Church was purchased by Christ, not all people); and Isaiah 53:12 (which is a prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion where he would bore the sins of many- not all).

The problem that many people have is their deep and honest concern about sincere adherents of non-Christian faiths.  At a time when Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, as well as other non-Christian friends work and live beside us each day, something would be very wrong with us if we did not feel such concern.

However, the Word, exegeted rationally (without reading into it) tells us that the Christian faith is true for everybody, and that all need God’s forgiveness and rescue from the power of sin and Satan.  In the New Testament all are called to turn to Jesus Christ and become God’s adopted children.  Eternal life comes only to those who do this.

A common argument is: “what if?” What if God, in His infinite mercy, does allow for other ways to come to salvation?  The answer to that is simply, He certainly does not reveal that to us in Scripture.  This matters because we hold Scripture to be the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God.  If that “what if” was operant, we would read it in His Word.

Despite that truth, some insist on pursuing unbiblical lines of speculation.  Two primary lines come to mind.

First is “universalism.”  This is a not uncommon belief that -- regardless of the New Testament witness to the contrary -- God will somehow bring all, even those who die as nonbelievers -- to share the inheritance of those who die living in Christ.  Adherents of Universalism  cannot explain how this will happen and there is no scriptural support for such a contention.  Therefore, universalism raises at least two questions.

Q1: When Jesus and the apostles warned people of eternal loss if they did not repent (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 26:16-20), were they bluffing?

Q2:  Do we know more about God’s purpose of grace than He and they knew?

The second speculation is called “inclusivism.” This position argues the possibility of salvation for sincere devotees of other faiths in which Jesus Christ is either unknown or is rejected as divine Savior simply on the basis of their sincerity.  I would remind you that it is quite common to be “sincerely mistaken.”   Again, on what biblical basis might this possibility stand?  Definitely not on sincerity, or devotion or personal merit. Nor can it be based on any intrinsic effectiveness of unchristian rituals.  On what then would such an “inclusive” belief be based?  

Some say that if non-Christians come to know their guilt and sinfulness and then confess, renounce their sins and ask for mercy from whatever gods there may be, they will receive the forgiveness they seek from the Jesus and then they will know Him.  Again there is no scriptural support for this false hope.

The Gospel speaks only of penitents being saved through the grace of God by knowing and coming to trust, the crucified and risen Lord.  Scripture nowhere offers hope that sincere worshippers of other religions will be saved by faith in false gods.

So, if you struggle with this, what is YOUR role?  That is simple.  You and I aree not in the salvation business.  That is God in Christ’s role.  Your job and my job is the proclamation of Gospel truth by word and deed.  We sow the seeds, God brings them to harvest – as He has already determined.

Pastor Jim

How You Can Help Haiti

Update:

Friends, as you know Haiti was once again hit with a devastating act of nature with Hurricane Matthew. Over 800 people were killed by the storm and countless citizens impacted severely. If you are able and willing to help, please consider one of these charities below:

Compassion International

World Vision

Upstream International

Paulos Group

Thank you and God bless,
Rev. Michelle

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18

The Coming Storm

Fall is so not here yet. Most times as I lament about the never-ending Florida heat when I leave my air conditioned house, I never think about anywhere else. I move along my day. Today is different. While it is still hot, the weather is gorgeous. The sun is out, the sky is blue, and work proceeds as normal. Things are not like this everywhere in the world. Today in Haiti, people are bracing for the worst. Hurricane Matthew, a category 5 storm, will be barreling through their towns and homes by the time this blog posts. They have been decimated by storms and an earthquake over the past few years and here comes one more. As I sit looking outside at the beautiful Florida day, I can’t help but think, and pray, and lament for those who look out their window and fear fills their soul. And as a Christian, I know I must do more. We are called to go, and serve, to pray, to provide financial, physical and spiritual help to those who are consumed within the raging storm. And for those who stand broken afterwards. So please join with me in prayer, and come back to this blog for ways that you can help. Our Haitian and Jamaican brothers and sisters need us. May we go where He has called us.

Rev. Michelle

Got Heaven?

One of the frequent questions that pastors get asked is this:  “Pastor, Can I know if I’ll go to heaven?”

Allow me to be clear; Yes.  You can know if you are going to live eternally with God in heaven.  I would add, that the only person you can definitively answer this question for – is yourself.

The mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg was interviewed not long ago.  At the time he sat down for the interview, it was a few days before his 50th college reunion. His mortality has started dawning on him, at age 72 because he noticed how many of his former classmates had shown up on the “in memoriam” pages of the school newsletter rather than with an RSVP.

It became clear, however, that  he has little doubt about his salvation prospects. Pointing to his crusading work on gun safety, obesity and smoking cessation, he said: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.”

Perhaps the saddest conversation I have ever had with a congregant is this one I have had at the bedside of a terminal patient: “John, are you at peace?”   “Well Reverend, I just hope that I have done enough good in my life to get in the gate.”  This made me sad because I, and every other pastor in his life, had failed to equip him with the assurance of salvation in faith alone.
 
Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Justification (salvation) is an act of God’s free grace. He pardons all of the believer’s sins and counts them righteous not for anything they have done but by the perfect obedience and full atonement of Christ. That atonement is imputed to you and I as a result of faith alone.

“…he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3: 5).

Please realize that the “world” agrees with Mr. Bloomberg who thinks that if you do more good than bad in this life, you can “earn” your place in Heaven.  Please understand that this is NOT what the Bible teaches.

So, what do you believe? That Jesus is the only way or that your good deeds can earn you a place in Heaven?

Salvation begins and ends with Jesus. Nothing more is necessary.  Whoever has faith in Christ needs nothing more.

I am the way - Because Christ is the way, no one has any excuse at all.  Those who confess faith in God, but not in Christ, are wrong.  We do not get to define God as we would like Him to be; Christ is the way.  There is no other.  No other paths lead to God.

the truth - “You Christians think no one else has access to truth.”   Yep, that’s right.  Any other religious discipline that seeks to enable people to draw near to God is false.  God has provided one means for our salvation:  Christ.  If you believe in Him and confess Him as Lord, you know the truth and your salvation is assured.

and the life - Jesus is saying: ‘you will never know what life is until you see it in My eyes.’

No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

--Pastor Jim