Justification
Justify in the bible is the work “dikaio” – to make right our just; imputed righteousness; declare and treat as righteous
Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight.
1. Instantaneous legal act of God
When we are converted (faith and repentance) God instantly justifies us in the legal act of justification.
When one believes and turns there is no delay, we are “saved”. We are justified
Legal act of God: “dikaio” – to make right our just; imputed righteousness; declare righteous
Romans 3:20; 26; 28
Romans 5:1
Galatians 2:15-16
2. God thinks of our sins as forgiven
God think of our sin as forgiven
- We have no penalty to pay for sin (past, present, future)
- Romans 8:1
- Romans 4:4-8
- Palm 103:12
“Forgiveness of sin will get you out of hell, but it will not get you into heaven.” – R.C. Sproul
“We must rather move from a point of moral neutrality to a point of having positive righteousness before God, the righteousness of a life of perfect obedience to him.” – Wayne Grudem
3. God declares us to be righteous in his sight
How does God declare us to be righteous?
God imputes Christ’s righteousness to us
The word “impute” is a word chosen on purpose by the reformers partly to counter the Roman Catholic view of “infused” righteousness (See Grudem for further discussion p. 726-729) and to communicate what the biblical text is telling about how God declares us righteous.
There are three instances of imputing:
1. When Adam sinned, his guilt was imputed to us (Romans 5:12-21)
2. When Jesus suffered and died our sin was imputed to him (2 Corinthians 5:21)
3. Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to us
- Impute – to ascribe to someone something
- When it is said that God imputes Christ’s righteousness to us it means
that God thinks of Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us. Or God counts
Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us.
- Romans 4:1-3; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 3:9
1. We do not act righteous, but God counts us as though we are and declares that we are guiltless
- Watch out for the demonic attack of unhealthy guilt (guilt that feels like God is
condemning you)
- Romans 8:1
- Be thankful for the gracious gift of healthy guilt (the feeling one gets when we
sin and realized God not only loves me but still likes me so I know I must and want to
repent)
- Romans 2:4
- It is God’s kindness to us and his love of his and his acceptance of us that
causes us to desire repentance.
- Be humbled and worship in response to God’s grace to us
2. We are accepted
- God not only forgives us, he reckons, counts, imputes Christ Jesus’ righteousness to us
and calls us “sons” and “daughters” and “children” and “heirs”
- Watch out for anyone or place who makes your acceptance by God
“conditional” based upon what you do or do not do (legalism)
- Watch out for anyone or place who allows you unfettered access to
blatantly wrong behavior and says that it’s ok because you are
forgiven (antinomian = lawless)
- Forgiven and accepted does not equal lawless
- We have the law of our conscience informed by the Holy Spirit
who inspired the Scriptures to apply to us, and we must listen and
obey
3. We enjoy the peaceful fruit of certainty that God loves and accepts us
- Do not put your hope in uncertain investments (Luke 12:13-21)
4. Preach this message
- Believe that this message communicates in an increasingly diverse background of
spirituality and religions
- This message can speak to suffering and evil and its cure
- This message has divine power to transform a lost hear without our manipulation
- This message provides a lens / framework through which the Christian must learn
to engage its world
- It was certainly noticeable that, following September 11, the church was mostly unable to offer any public reading on the tragedy that did anything more than commiserate with those who had lost loved ones. There was virtually no Christian interpretation, no wrestling with the meaning of evil, little thought about the cross where Christians contend its back was broken. –David Wells
5. Use your God ordained vocation as a means of propagating this message
- Don’t forget your vocation is where God has put you and there is where you preach from
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Vocation
Question: How do I know my vocation / calling and why does my job matter if I’m not in the ministry?
Vocation
1 Corinthians 7:17-24
The doctrine of vocation has its root in Latin(voca) and means “calling”.
The Latin comes from the Greek “klesis” which means “one's temporal status and position in life, social role, vocation, situation, station”
The word vocation came to be used of the ministry and religious order in the Catholic Church.
However Luther, in the Reformation, was the first to apply that word to the occupations and offices of the regular lay person.
Today the word “vocation” as become common place and is a synonym for a profession or job.
But behind the term and its root (klesis in Greek or voca in Latin) is the notion that every legitimate kind of work (plumber) or social function (mommy) is a distinct "calling" or “vocation” from God, requiring unique God-given gifts, skills, and talents.
Moreover, the Reformation doctrine of vocation teaches that God himself is active in everyday human labor, family responsibilities, and social interactions to display his love and care for creation and particularly his people.
That is to say that God uses means to interact with his creation and his people.
Examples: Medical profession as a means of healing;
Farming as a means of feeding people as a common grace;
teachers who teach people to read that will end up reading the Scriptures and being saved or held accountable for the information they rejected in sin and rebellion;
welders or machinists that produce parts that make life easier as a means of God’s kindness to us to allow us to do more and serve more and give more;
mothers who nurture and train as a means of grace in equipping the next generation to be good citizens;
fathers who set an example of hard work and trust in God, etc…
It’s hard to have a discussion about vocation apart from the doctrine of God’s providence.
God’s providence: God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes.
Question: How do I know my vocation / calling and why does my job matter if I’m not in the ministry?
1. Your vocation is to be found in the place you currently occupy
1 Corinthians 7:17-24
Context of the passage: stay in your God-ordained relationships; do not seek to abandon them or destroy them
V. 17 (perfect tense) (remain ethnically unique)
V. 20 (each one is to remain in the call {station} to which he is called)
V. 24
In verse 17-24 the first context is regarding one’s ethnic uniqueness when they are converted.
The next context is regarding one’s station / vocation in life v. 20, 21, 22, 24
1. Where one is, is just right
2. Where one is, is God’s work not one’s self determining power
- Be content with who you are
- Be content with what you are doing (as long as it’s legitimate)
- Be humbled
- Be submissive
- Do your absolute best where you are as your worship
2. Your vocation is a “means” of showing God’s love to his creation
Isaiah 45:1-7
- This is why your vocation / calling matters among the nations
- This is why your vocation / calling matters among the hurting in Floyd County
- God is at work in your daily work to grace mankind and particularly his church
- God uses even the unsaved to show his kindness to man and even the church
- We can remember that God is working for our good
3. God is concerned with how you execute your vocation not whether you are “doing ministry”
Colossians 3:23
* It does not matter what you do (as long as it is legitimate), your work is holy 1 Peter 2:9
* Keep your heart in check while you work
- If you are whining, then repent
- If you are learning, growing, supplying, productive, then keep worshipping
4. Focus on abiding in Christ not changing vocations unless a better job is offered or you have the opportunity to seek a better vocation, and then do that with integrity
* Focus on longevity not instant gratification
* Give above and beyond the typical notice if allowed
* Make sure you employer is better off for having you as an employee
5. You may have more than one vocation
* Married and employed
* Mother / Father and employed
* Employed and Civil Servant / Volunteer
6. Being a Parent is a vocation and is as important as being a King
* Mothers need not let feminism rob them of a high calling
* Fathers need not let playing rob them of a high calling
7. Wherever you are currently is where God has you 1 Corinthians 7:17, 20, 21, 22, 24
(# 1 repeated in different words for effect because I believe many have sought ministry for fulfillment because they were dissatisfied with their jobs and gone to ministry with the wrong intention of fulfilling themselves and not to serve Christ and his church)
- We do not end up anywhere because we are self-determining beings.
- We are where we are because our loving Father has put us there.
* We are placed rightly (indicated by the perfect tense)
* God has placed us where we are (indicated by the passive voice)
Vocation
1 Corinthians 7:17-24
The doctrine of vocation has its root in Latin(voca) and means “calling”.
The Latin comes from the Greek “klesis” which means “one's temporal status and position in life, social role, vocation, situation, station”
The word vocation came to be used of the ministry and religious order in the Catholic Church.
However Luther, in the Reformation, was the first to apply that word to the occupations and offices of the regular lay person.
Today the word “vocation” as become common place and is a synonym for a profession or job.
But behind the term and its root (klesis in Greek or voca in Latin) is the notion that every legitimate kind of work (plumber) or social function (mommy) is a distinct "calling" or “vocation” from God, requiring unique God-given gifts, skills, and talents.
Moreover, the Reformation doctrine of vocation teaches that God himself is active in everyday human labor, family responsibilities, and social interactions to display his love and care for creation and particularly his people.
That is to say that God uses means to interact with his creation and his people.
Examples: Medical profession as a means of healing;
Farming as a means of feeding people as a common grace;
teachers who teach people to read that will end up reading the Scriptures and being saved or held accountable for the information they rejected in sin and rebellion;
welders or machinists that produce parts that make life easier as a means of God’s kindness to us to allow us to do more and serve more and give more;
mothers who nurture and train as a means of grace in equipping the next generation to be good citizens;
fathers who set an example of hard work and trust in God, etc…
It’s hard to have a discussion about vocation apart from the doctrine of God’s providence.
God’s providence: God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes.
Question: How do I know my vocation / calling and why does my job matter if I’m not in the ministry?
1. Your vocation is to be found in the place you currently occupy
1 Corinthians 7:17-24
Context of the passage: stay in your God-ordained relationships; do not seek to abandon them or destroy them
V. 17 (perfect tense) (remain ethnically unique)
V. 20 (each one is to remain in the call {station} to which he is called)
V. 24
In verse 17-24 the first context is regarding one’s ethnic uniqueness when they are converted.
The next context is regarding one’s station / vocation in life v. 20, 21, 22, 24
1. Where one is, is just right
2. Where one is, is God’s work not one’s self determining power
- Be content with who you are
- Be content with what you are doing (as long as it’s legitimate)
- Be humbled
- Be submissive
- Do your absolute best where you are as your worship
2. Your vocation is a “means” of showing God’s love to his creation
Isaiah 45:1-7
- This is why your vocation / calling matters among the nations
- This is why your vocation / calling matters among the hurting in Floyd County
- God is at work in your daily work to grace mankind and particularly his church
- God uses even the unsaved to show his kindness to man and even the church
- We can remember that God is working for our good
3. God is concerned with how you execute your vocation not whether you are “doing ministry”
Colossians 3:23
* It does not matter what you do (as long as it is legitimate), your work is holy 1 Peter 2:9
* Keep your heart in check while you work
- If you are whining, then repent
- If you are learning, growing, supplying, productive, then keep worshipping
4. Focus on abiding in Christ not changing vocations unless a better job is offered or you have the opportunity to seek a better vocation, and then do that with integrity
* Focus on longevity not instant gratification
* Give above and beyond the typical notice if allowed
* Make sure you employer is better off for having you as an employee
5. You may have more than one vocation
* Married and employed
* Mother / Father and employed
* Employed and Civil Servant / Volunteer
6. Being a Parent is a vocation and is as important as being a King
* Mothers need not let feminism rob them of a high calling
* Fathers need not let playing rob them of a high calling
7. Wherever you are currently is where God has you 1 Corinthians 7:17, 20, 21, 22, 24
(# 1 repeated in different words for effect because I believe many have sought ministry for fulfillment because they were dissatisfied with their jobs and gone to ministry with the wrong intention of fulfilling themselves and not to serve Christ and his church)
- We do not end up anywhere because we are self-determining beings.
- We are where we are because our loving Father has put us there.
* We are placed rightly (indicated by the perfect tense)
* God has placed us where we are (indicated by the passive voice)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Will of God
In answering questions about the will of God there are generally at least four kinds of misunderstanding:
1. God’s will is lost and they have to find it
2. God is a kill joy and doing God’s will is no fun
3. God’s will is like a lottery ticket (only a few find it and are happy)
4. God’s will is a dot I have to get on in order to be blessed (one man, one woman, one job)
Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do your will O God.”
God’s will is not a matter of information but of obedience.
There are two ways to talk about the will of God.
1) The will of God that God himself does, God himself fulfills, God himself accomplishes
2) God’s will for man
The Sovereign will of God
Psalm 33
Isaiah 46:9
Daniel 4:34-35
Ephesians 1:11
God’s Will for Man
Saved
1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is not a statement of God’s sovereign will but his benevolence to man in taking no delight in the death of the wicked and displaying his great desire that all types of people be saved.
2 Peter 3:9 God has provided salvation for anyone who will believe. God has willed salvation for man to receive by faith
Mark 3:32
1 John 2:17
Spirit-filled
Ephesians 5:17-18
Colossians 3:16
Sanctified
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
Submissive
1 Peter 2:13-15
Suffering (from doing right not from doing wrong, that is discipline)
Philippians 1:29
2 Timothy 3:12
1 Peter 2:20; 4:19; 5:10
Conclusion
Psalm 37:4
1. God’s will is lost and they have to find it
2. God is a kill joy and doing God’s will is no fun
3. God’s will is like a lottery ticket (only a few find it and are happy)
4. God’s will is a dot I have to get on in order to be blessed (one man, one woman, one job)
Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do your will O God.”
God’s will is not a matter of information but of obedience.
There are two ways to talk about the will of God.
1) The will of God that God himself does, God himself fulfills, God himself accomplishes
2) God’s will for man
The Sovereign will of God
Psalm 33
Isaiah 46:9
Daniel 4:34-35
Ephesians 1:11
God’s Will for Man
Saved
1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is not a statement of God’s sovereign will but his benevolence to man in taking no delight in the death of the wicked and displaying his great desire that all types of people be saved.
2 Peter 3:9 God has provided salvation for anyone who will believe. God has willed salvation for man to receive by faith
Mark 3:32
1 John 2:17
Spirit-filled
Ephesians 5:17-18
Colossians 3:16
Sanctified
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
Submissive
1 Peter 2:13-15
Suffering (from doing right not from doing wrong, that is discipline)
Philippians 1:29
2 Timothy 3:12
1 Peter 2:20; 4:19; 5:10
Conclusion
Psalm 37:4
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