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701-213-6099 |
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Calendar Notes
Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30 pm there will be a baby blessings for Joanna Rogers and baby Niamh at Hyley’s home (1298 Burbank Circle) Bring a song, poem, or verse to share with Joanna that will be an encouragement to her. Gifts are also appropriate.
Sunday, May 23rd potluck fellowship following worship along with a shower for Alan and Loralie’s baby who is due to arrive on June 3rd. We would like to help them prepare for their first baby, by offering them prayers and gifts. Everyone is welcome!
Starting May 30th We will meet through June during the Sunday school hour, at 9:30 a.m. to watch a series on evangelism. There will NOT be separate classes for children.
Sunday, June 6th NO WORSHIP SERVICE at Faith Presbyterian Church due to the absence of both church elders. We encourage you to worship at another Bible believing church and join us again on June 13th at Faith Presbyterian.
Sunday morning Worship Service 10:30 am Sunday school 9:30am Grand Cities Mall, Grand Forks, ND
Pastor: Rev. Luke Herche |
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Volume 4, Number 5 May 2010 |
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The Saving Faith of the Gospel or Just a Private Inner Experience?
It may sound strange, but there appears to be a lack of interest in Christian things within American Christianity. Even though the Bible regularly tops the world’s best-seller list, our lack of Biblical knowledge is apparent. A bible seems to be the type of thing one should have in the home, but more often than not it only winds up collecting a layer of dust on the shelf. It is this decisive lack of interest in the Word that also leads to empty church pews and a refusal for Americans to affiliate themselves with any particular church.
Jay Lemke wrote an article in the May/June 2008 issue of Modern Reformation on this subject. He writes: “[American Christianity] is bored by the Bible and we are bored by the church. So what does the church do to combat this pathetic reality? The modern church in all its human wisdom, has decided to be something it is not. For example, to show men that the church is masculine and cool, we plan things like rock climbing adventures and paint ball excursions; and we have conferences that teach men how to be better fathers and husbands. For women, it is much the same: Christianity is there to help you be a better wife, raise better kids, and have a more contented life. Not that there is anything wrong with these things per se, but it misses the main point by a mile.
“The Bible is not about improving ourselves, but about how Jesus—and Jesus alone—sets us right before a Holy God who is angry with sin. It is about how we did nothing to deserve any of this love from God. In short, it is the most amazing and beautiful story ever told.” So how is it that we have become bored with the gospel? Perhaps it is because Christianity remains an ideology for many people. A nice idea about life and death, but nothing that really makes a difference. Ideas have no power to transform. Our experiences do not regenerate us. There is no hope to be found in you, but there is hope with God. Read through the Bible, you might be surprised by what you find there.
Everything in man is contrary to the perfection of God. Salvation does not consist in steps we might follow or how vulnerable we become. Another word for being born again is regeneration. Regeneration is essential. Regeneration is communion with God, it is the fulfillment of the covenant, it is why Jesus suffered and died. Those who are regenerate are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (Jn.1:13). If you have been regenerated, rejoice in it, do not deny it or belittle it with a show of humility, as if you had accomplished it and are downplaying your own work. For it is not your work, but rather the work of an omnipotent God. Rejoice in this like the Ethiopian, the jailer and Lydia, so that you may derive assurance from it.
In his book, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Vol. II, Wilhelmus a Brakel says, To be saved means to know, honor and serve the living God. If you are born again, separate yourself from all who are dead, that is, the unconverted, for they stink as badly as rotting corpses. Instead join yourself to the living, and be “a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts.” (Ps. 119:63) Neither isolate nor separate yourself from the church, for otherwise your light will grow dim and your walk will be contrary to the nature of regeneration. (Acts 2:47)
If you are truly regenerated, it cannot stay a private inner experience. You will not remain satisfied with simply knowing that you live spiritually. You must strive for growth and increase, because this is what all living things do (1 Pet. 2:2). There must be evidence of your new life. Demonstrate virtuous deeds, so that the difference between the living and the dead is apparent (Rom. 6:13). Do not seek church programs, rather continually seek to know and fear God through the preaching of the word. Attentively read the Bible and give in to the desire to pray and be godly.
“Raise your thoughts to the fountain from which regeneration has proceeded: the eternal love and election of God. You are a child of God, for God has of His own will begotten you with the Word of truth. God is thus your Father and will deal with you as a loving Father, and as a child you may request all things from Him and trust Him. Your spiritual state is certain and unchangeable, therefore rejoice and do not fear that this good work will be repealed. By way of your salvation focus upon eternal joy as being your certain inheritance and endeavor to live and rejoice in this expectation and hope.” (Wilhelmus a Brakel) --K. Waldorf And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. Heb. 10:24-25
Honor thy father and mother. . . Quilted by Kathy Waldorf
There is much confusion in our society today about how children should be taught to treat their parents and other authorities. I cannot think this a new development, however, since in 431 AD the church proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus that human beings are totally depraved from birth. This declaration was a response to the false teaching of a British monk who denied that the human race fell into original sin with Adam. Pelagius said that babies are born innocent (not corrupt) and that they become bad through the bad examples of others. He thought that environment made people bad, not original sin. The church (at the council of Ephesus) declared this teaching (called Palagianism) to be heresy.
At another council, nearly 100 years later, the teaching called Semi-Pelagianism was condemned by the church as well. This heretical doctrinal system taught that man is able to take the first steps toward conversion with his own powers, that God’s saving grace is available to all men and salvation ultimately depends upon each man’s exercise of his free will. Heresies like these have totally or partially taken over the doctrinal statements of most of our Protestant churches today. They are the prevalent “wisdom” of our entire child-rearing and educational system as well.
How does this effect our child training methods of today? Simply put, if a child is born “good” the parents do not need to teach that child honor and respect, they only need to control the circumstances and allow the child to do what comes naturally, which they erroneously presume will be good and right. Contrary to this, the Bible teaches that children are born with a sinful (depraved) nature and need to be trained in the way they should go. Obedience is taught, it is not innate to human nature. Thus, the commandments become our guide as to what behavior is required by God.
The fifth commandment teaches that children are to show inward honor and reverence to their parents and are to hold both father and mother in high esteem (Mal. 1:6; Lev. 19:3). Children are also required to practice an outward reverent demeanor and behavior to their parents (Prov. 31:28; 1 Kings 2:19), diligently taking to heart their instructions (Prov. 4:1; 5:1). Ephesians 4:1 teaches that children should be willingly obedient to their parents’ commands. Children should bear correction and reproof with meekness and patience, working to amend the faults for which they are admonished.
The obligation of children does not end when they become adults. It is also the duty of children to seek and be ready to follow their parent’s reasonable counsel, “in reference to their calling, station, marriage and any great affairs of their lives”(Thomas Vincent). Children are to be grateful and kind to their parents and as their parents age, children are to nourish, provide and bear with their infirmities, caring for them if they fall into want or poverty.
What is required in the fifth commandment encompasses more than children obeying parents and other authority positions, it also includes preserving the honor of our inferiors and our equals. It is concerned about all our relationships. It includes the Biblical mandates for the duties of parents, husbands and wives, those of inferior position and those of superior position along with treatment of the aged. In addition, it guides us to the respect and honor due to those who are our equals as well.
What duties do parents have to their children? The duties of parents are to tenderly love and care for their children, especially when they are infants and helpless. Parents are to train their children as early as possible to know the Scriptures, giving them good instruction in the laws and ways of the Lord. They are to pray for their children and give them superior examples of holiness, temperance and righteousness, keeping them under subjection while they are young, yet requiring nothing of them that disagrees with the law of the Lord (Thomas Vincent).
Parents are to encourage their children by kind looks and words, they are to reward them in well-doing and also rebuke and correct in love (and in due season) the evil deeds of their children (1 Chron. 28:20; Prov. 19:18; Prov. 29:15,17). It is the parents’ duty to provide what is needful for the present and also to lay up for them, in accord to the proportion of what they have, for the future (1 Tim. 5:8; 2 Cor. 12:14). Parents, consulting and considering each child’s ability and inclination, should arrange opportunities for trades, callings and marriage, when their children are grown up.
This commandment also allows for the duties of wives to their husbands—to love them above all other persons, to be loyal, faithful and reverent, fearing to offend them, subject to them, taking care to please them, helping to bear their burdens, hearing and complying with their husband’s counsels. And the duties of husbands to their wives—to love them most endearingly as Christ loves the Church, dwelling with them according to knowledge, honoring them, delighting in their company, showing tenderness towards them and carefully providing for their needs as for their own bodies, practicing fidelity, protection, taking care to please them and to praise them when they do well, praying for them, counseling, admonishing and helping them, especially in reference to their souls, walking with them in the ways and ordinances of the Lord.
Another aspect of this commandment is the duties of the people to their ministers. We are to hold them in high estimation and love them, for their work’s sake. We must diligently attend upon the preaching and other ordinances administered, ready to obey the word of command and patiently suffering the word of reproof. We should provide for them the necessities of this world, pray for them, and refuse to listen to reproaches or slanders against them, believe nothing without proof, and stand up in their defense against an ungodly world and false brethren. Ministers in turn have this duty to their people, a dear and tender love for their souls, diligent, sincere, and frequent preaching of the word with administration of all ordinances, a willing and cheerful vigilance, prayer, and an example of holiness and good works.
The fifth commandment would also speak, according to scripture, to the duties of masters and magistrates as well as to the duties of those under them, but most interesting to me was the thought expressed by the Puritans of the “duties of the younger and of the inferior in the gifts and graces, to the elder and superior.” Somehow, we do not like to think of people as inferior and superior even in the areas of gifts and graces, but throughout our lifetime, we should experience both positions. What then, are the duties of the younger and the inferior in gifts and graces? It is their duty to rise up before the elder and superior and give place to them, with reverence and respect, humbly submitting to them so as to follow their wise counsels. The inferior are to imitate the superior in their graces and holy conversation. Obviously this calls for the aged and the superior in gifts and graces to adorn their old age and show forth the power of their grace in a holy and exemplary conversation. (Thomas Vincent)
What are the duties of equals one to another? It must be no less than to live in peace and with sincere love to one another, preferring each other in honor. Also, to be courteous and friendly, ready to promote one another’s good, and to rejoice therein. This is to be learned and practiced first at home and then with others.
As I contemplate these Biblical mandates expressed in the commandment Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, I cannot help but think how different the church would look from the world if diligently applied. I imagine that people would either be drawn towards or repelled by what they saw, as they were with Christ when he walked the earth. No one saw Jesus and was apathetic towards Him. It sets a much-needed standard for us to attain. Of course, only Christ fully kept this and all the commandments. And that is the beauty of the truth and grace that we as the church must grow in and share with others, that it is not we ourselves, but Christ alone who saves us from our wretched, sinful selves and transforms us. When we are new creatures in Christ, we have the freedom to choose obedience or not, and when we fail, we have an advocate. . .King Jesus himself.
And what about the promise connected to this commandment? Do all those who honor their parents live long on the earth and prosper? Thomas Vincent writes this, “we may observe that temporal promises and judgments were fulfilled more in the letter formerly in the Old Testament times, than in the latter gospel-days, wherein they are often exchanged into spiritual. This promise is to be understood with this exception—so far as it may serve for God’s glory and the real good of all those that keep this commandment; and oftentimes God is glorified and they are benefited, when they are exercised with affliction, and God sees it best to take some of them home in their youth, or strength of their years, to himself, to hide them from the miseries that befall them that survive, and, instead of long life on the earth, he giveth them eternal life in heaven” (Ps 119:71; Isa. 55:1; 1 Jn 2:25).
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Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before, let the Christian live like the rest of the world. Let him not attempt to erect a new religion of the letter by endeavoring to live a life of obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ! The world has been justified by grace.
Instead of following Christ, let the Christian enjoy the consolations of his grace! That is what we mean by cheap grace. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow; it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life; it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin; and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son; and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.
The price we are having to pay today in the shape of the collapse of the organized Church is only the inevitable consequence of our policy of making grace available to all at too low a cost. Our humanitarian sentiment made us give that which was holy to the scornful and unbelieving. We poured forth unending streams of grace. But the call to follow Jesus in the narrow way was hardly ever heard. Cheap grace has turned out to be utterly merciless to our Evangelical Church. --The Cost of Discipleship; Dietrich Bonhoeffer |