Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot?

In timing with the New Year I have decided to map out the calendar year by its months according to how my brain imagines them when i close my eyes. To begin, when I close my eyes and think of the year, I imagine each month like any wall calendar, except the pages run together and form a giant multi-colored abstract loop. The colors are sensitive to their location in the year and will often vary slightly, but stay generally the same. Below I will outline some basics about each month as I see them.

1. January
Color: Light Purple
Food: Leftovers
Beer: Samuel Adams Winter Lager
This isn't my favorite month of the year, but I must begin with it. Despite its significance of being at the beginning of the year, it really only fosters a sense of stale pleasure to me. It's always back to school and back to work and everyone's gotta diet and tell you about it and hold it over your head. I'm sure I'll be doing the same thing in some strange way, perhaps running more, or trying to wake up earlier. Especially as I start my year at CSULB, perhaps it will be a tad more enjoyable than most years, but I think, for some reason, it's still gonna be January.


"All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun."
 - Ecclesiastes 1:8-9


2. February
Color: Dark Blue
Food: Homemade Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable Soup.
Beer: Bitburger (Belgian White)
And then just before winter's end there's that month that is too short to often even be noticed. I always seem to be short of cash this month, and probably because my bills are still due on the same day of the next month, and yet there are quite a few days less. For someone who would prefer to have more days in the year, taking three out just isn't a good idea. Man this is more depressing than I thought it would be.


"He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever."
 - Psalm 111:5


3. March
Color: Turquoise
Food: Linguine al Arrabbiata
Beer: BJ's Jeremiah Red
By now the routines have set in and life gets a bit more interesting. The coolness of winter is starting to die and I'm beginning to notice the successes of that diet I started two months ago. I'm looking forward to Easter, and spring break, and mid-terms being over. Maybe I'll make ten lbs of pasta and invite my friends over.


"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."
 - Romans 8:19-21


4: April:
Color: Light, Forest Green
Food: Steak and Potatoes
Beer: Stone IPA
Finally some heat! I'll be looking forward to a couple of cold ones and a huge steak basking in the sun in my grandmother's garden at a family bbq after celebrating the resurrection of my Lord. Laughter, joy, friends and family as new meaning is given to the word communion every year.


“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."
 - Matthew 13:44


5. May
Color: Deep Green
Food: Grilled Chicken Salad
Beer: Stella Artois
Feeling the intensity of the school semester with finals soon, and the desire to be at the beach instead of in a library becomes all the more enticing. I'll push myself too hard this month, but it will feel good and you couldn't stop me if you tried.


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."
 - Hebrews 12:1


6. June
Color: Sky Blue
Food: Double Bacon Cheeseburger, xtra Pickles, Fries, Pop
Drink: Coca-Cola
Airplanes, beaches, waves, cold ones, anticipation for the fun of the summer months ahead, and the summer class that I surely signed up for...


"...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
 - Hebrews 12:2




7. July
Color: Bright Yellow
Food: Apocalypse Dog
Drink: Hen-Dubs Root Beer
Friends and worship nights, bike rides to long beach, long days, movie nights, stars, explosives, fires, and bbqs. In a word: SUMMER!


"Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day."
 - Psalm 96:1-2



8. August
Color: Yellow Orange
Food: Beer Roasted Chicken
Beer: Peroni
HOT!!! And by now, I'm darn tired of it. Long boring summer days start to drain my creativity and the depression sets in. The end of all summers is at hand, and as bad as my heart doesn't want it to leave, you'll finally hear me complaining about how much I can't wait to be back in school.


"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
 - Galatians 6:9


9. September
Color: Red
Food: Nachos
Beer: Killians Irish Red
Go! Go! Go! By far the busiest month of the year, and still hot to boot! At least it is in so-cal. With so many church activities, classes starting, and I can never seem to manage to stay on top of it all. Oh well, the good months are coming...


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
 - Ephesians 6:10-12


10. October
Color: Orange
Food: Pasta, Bread-sticks, n' Pizza!
Beer: BJ's Pumpkin Ale
You can smell it, and it smells amazing! There is nothing like the smell of October, it is my favorite month of the year, and not just cuz my birthday is in it. I love the shorter, cooler days, the midterms don't seem all that bad, and all my friends seem like they want to give one last hoorah to the world before being sucked into the joyful terrors of the holiday season.


"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
 - Ephesians 5:1-2


11. November
Color: Brown
Food: Turkey, stuffing, mashed taters!
Beer: Alaskan Amber
A good mix between October and December, except it seems like everyone's always sick and it isn't until Thanksgiving when we all realize that Christmas is coming soon.


"For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer."
 - 1 Timothy 4:4-5


12. December
Color: White
Food: Lamb, Carrots, Cookies n' stuff!
Beer: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (it tastes like Christmas!!!)
The year always ends with tons of rushing around and then Wham! It's Christmas! Turkey, cookies, lamb, cookies, potatoes, cookies... did I mention cookies? :) I'll probably spend the day after Christmas just lounging around the house being lazy and writing some silly blog...


"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."
 - Isaiah 9:6-7


Oh well, that's how I see it. Merry Christmas to all and to all a Happy New Year!!!

Growing Up

Have you ever watched Hook? Y'know the movie with the middle aged man playing kid? I would lie to you if that lifestyle didn't look somewhat attractive to me. The phrase "I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys-R-Us Kid" never affected me like it has since I am older and I can't just whine and get everything I want.

Nevertheless, I have a laundry list of wants. And I'd say most of these things are noble wants. For example, I want to get married to the right girl and move out of my parents house one day. I want to be a good provider for my future family. I want to be able to take care of my parents and distant relatives and even fellow church members. I want the ability to donate to charity. I want my nieces to get a good education and follow Jesus Christ in how they live their lives. I want my sister to know the Lord.

And most of my friends would say: "This is an admirable list of things to want." But if I look around, they don't seem to be happening as quickly as I would (yes that's right) WANT them to. Alas the concept of being satisfied in something other than my wants becomes immediately essential. But then I must be able to differentiate. See there are some things that I have absolutely no control over. Like my sister accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is something I have zero control over. Then there are things that I have less control over. Like my niece's education. But then there are some things that God has given to me so that I might prosper them.

What a strange concept huh? I mean here we have the God of the universe who made everything and is in control of everything, and yet He charges us saying that "...we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He has prepared beforehand that we might walk in them" (eph. 2:10). Well this is striking to me because according to this, God really does have an opinion of what I do with my life. Suddenly those things in life that I have some control over aren't optional, they are now ways in which I can worship, or deny worship to my Creator.

In the church we call this stewardship, and we often reference the parable of the talents (which is a great parable). But I have two rather depressing, yet eye-opening anecdotes to share that helped put this idea of making what God wants as most important in my life. The first example is analogous, and the second dealt directly with a certain issue.

First I was at work and the girls Mackenzie and Lacey (7 and 6 respectively) were there being 'watched' by those of us working, namely my aunt (their grandmother), my cousin (their mother), and me. Now I had already told them once to stop fighting, and I generally don't have to ask more than once, but sure enough about ten minutes later they were fighting again, and right in front of me. So I put them both on time out (btw, I've been instructed by one who shall remain nameless *cough*holly*cough* that time-out is not the best way to handle these situations, so I have a lot to learn, but I'm getting off topic) and they were none too happy about the whole thing. After time out was over I talked to them one at a time and had them tell me why they were on time out. Now Mackenzie was very good about the whole thing, telling me it was because they were fighting and that they're not supposed to fight, and she apologized to her sister. But when I went to talk to Lacey, she didn't want to discuss it (mind you Lacey is very shy). When I kept asking her she eventually told me that she can't stop fighting with her sister. I asked her why and she told me it's because she's been fighting with her sister all her life and there's no way that they'll ever stop. Well I told her how my sister and I don't fight any more and I said something very profound, yet very convicting. I said, "I know it's difficult and hard to see the end at times, but sooner or later you have to grow up."

As the last five words rolled off my tongue it hit me like a ton of bricks. I have to grow up. Ok, real deep, right? Well when you're 27, living at home, and struggling to make ends meet, something small like that can be pretty convicting. Especially when coupled with the second example which occurred only a few days earlier.

I was at dinner with my Aunt Charleen who is very old and has a difficult time moving around. She also has a hard time making friends so she is very lonely. On top of this, she's very emotional and is constantly having anxiety attacks about her "immanent" death. Well she was asking me about school and where I would transfer and the talk moved to me moving out of state to study (as this is something my dad has been encouraging me to look into). But as soon as I said that, she immediately said "No!" And proceeded to start crying saying "You can't leave me."

Now maybe I'm just a sap, maybe I feel bad because her husband died many years ago and she's been a widow for some time. Maybe I feel bad because her brother and best friend, my Uncle Bob, died only a year and a half ago. Or maybe, maybe I'm just growing up and starting to see what life is from God's perspective instead of my own. Whatever the reasoning, I think, unless something very drastic changes, I'd like to stay here and study if at all possible.

I think somewhere in the search for a great school I got caught up in the lie that I need to go to the best school possible or I won't be successful. But truthfully after I graduate, no matter where I go, I'm still only relying on the Lord to provide for me a job and a wife, and children, and the things that He wants me to have for His glory.

And praise the Lord, CSULB is a great school with a great ME program. I should have no shame of such a degree. But what if I leave and I miss seeing my sister start coming to church? What if I leave and i miss seeing a handful of my friends getting married. What if I leave and Mackenzie and Lacey don't have anyone to read them "Little House on the Prarie" anymore? What if I leave so that I can get what I want, and miss so many ways that God has given me to bless His kingdom right here in Long Beach? What if I leave and my Aunt Charleen passes away?

I love this city. I love Bethany. I love Pursuit. And I love my family. If I can study and live and love and continue to really grow in the Lord with all those things surrounding me, then I will. Not because I'm afraid or scared or timid, or worried; but because sooner or later I have to grow up and start living as a man who is not obsessed with his own glory, but as a man who is obsessed with the glory of God.

Satisfied in Christ

The term "satisfied" is used quite a bit in this day and age to indicate the gaining of pleasure. We please our mouths and stomachs with good food and we say we have been satisfied. We please our eyes and our wit by watching entertaining television and movies, and we say say we are satisfied. We even please our minds with good discussion and we once again claim satisfaction. The amount of things that we claim to be satisfied by these days appears to capture such a large spectrum of human life that I find it almost surprising that we are not constantly satisfied. For example: To think of walking anywhere is a thing of the past! We now find great comfort and satisfaction in our automobiles, trains and planes, and when we do walk, it is often with the most comfortable pair of shoes money can buy.

Now I am not interested in being caught up in an argument for the legality of asceticism, but when I see a society immersed in all the pleasure of the world, I often wonder why there is still depression, sorrow and loss. And I'm fully aware that there are some people who have very little and cannot experience all that most of us "suburbanites" can experience. But then what do we make of depression anxiety and sorrow? Are they then functions of how much pleasure one can purchase? Certainly not! For some who have nothing find great joy in their simple life, while some who have great fortunes are constantly depressed. Solomon writes of this sadness in Ecclesiastes when he speaks of how he had very much, yet all was "vanity":

"So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."

(Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 ESV)

But again does this point to some form of religious asceticism? The austere have often felt that the best way to live religiously is through "rigorous self-denial [and] extreme abstinence"(1). I do not doubt that such a lifestyle can cause someone greater care for the simpler things in life, certainly a more righteous way of living is to most anyones benefit. But does this solve the problem? Unfortunately even the extremely religious find that their desire for asceticism is often based on a greater desire for austerity or abstinence.

A pastor in Uganda once told me that he loved fasting to the point where it was addicting. I don't believe this pastor realized that he wasn't worshiping God through the fasting, but he was worshiping the fasting! And yet Jesus gives us specific ways in which we are to fast: “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:16-18 ESV) The point is not that my friend was in sin for fasting, it is that while he felt he was being good, he was relying on his religious practice to bring him closer to God rather than fasting out of a response of love towards God.

So I say these things to present the passage that I would like to discuss in some detail. It is a passage I have taught on once to the college group "Pursuit" that I attend, and i believe it has much to say regarding the issue of satisfaction, particularly where we need to find our satisfaction.

        "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 'Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch' (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

(Colossians 2:16-23 ESV)

In the interest of not pulling the text all the way out of context I will explain the "Therefore..." from vv 16 if you studious ones have not already read the previous verses for proper context. Firstly this is a letter from Paul "To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae" (ch 1:2), and we have to understand from reading the entire letter that one of the main themes in this book is showing how Christ has secured redemption for his people by his death and resurrection. Now Paul becomes very specific throughout the book, but especially in chapter one, on exactly what the work of Christ looked like. He paints this very theological picture because he recognizes that there is some sort of false teaching in the church and Paul addresses a good bulk of that false teaching in this passage. So the "Therefore..." is pointing directly to a type of causality that Paul often uses where he says because of "this," you should do "this." So as we read this passage, we must recognize that the false teaching he starts describing here is contrary to the teachings of the work of Christ. This seems an almost elementary observation, however I would like to make the point that the main reason that Paul addressed the issue here was to make it obvious that Christ has indeed triumphed greatly over these false teachings.

So Paul starts the rebuke with the command that one should not allow another to judge them in certain areas of the law. Specifically he speaks of food, drink, Jewish festivals, and Sabbaths, and I believe this tells us a bit of what the false teachers were emphasizing; most likely some form of religious asceticism. I find it amazing in todays culture how many people will seek to live their life with some sort of religious control. It is insane to me how many diet trends and fads there are in this world that focus on vanity and outward beauty. I always see about five or six signs per day just for the "Lap-band," which apparently is a "get-thin-quick" scheme. Now being someone who could stand to lose a few pounds, I won't lie that such an ad has stood out to me. However I'm reminded of this passage and I realize that I'm letting a billboard judge me!

See, the world says: "You need to be thin, you need a new diet, you need nicer clothes, you need to smell better, you need to be married. Do you have that great job yet? Are you making enough money? Don't you know that it's important to look good, fit in, and look as good as your favorite celebrity? If you don't then how will you be able to commit yourself to gossiping about others who are fatter than you, dumber than you, less successful than you?"

See Paul understands that when you let someone else judge you, your general response is to judge others accordingly. We mirror what we see in others as our examples for how we should live. If we look up to celebrities, we will model celebrities, if we look up to religion, we will model religiosity, if we look up to our parents, we will model our parents. So when we become judgmental, it's usually because we've allowed something "important" to enter into our minds and hearts that is judging us. Then in our despair to try to match the culture so that we are viewed by our "mentors" in a good light (though failing miserably at doing so) we turn on our fellow man and choose to judge him with the same severity with which we were judged. This becomes a vicious cycle whose utter end is despair and misery.

Judging others aside for a moment, Paul claims that these rules are "...a shadow of things to come..." and I believe that he is inferring what John will write in Revelation 21:4-5, which has the Lamb of God saying "behold I will make all things new." The idea here being that God will make everything perfect one day; hence, the whole of the law will be fulfilled. But how? And the answer is in the second half of ch. 2:17: "...but the substance belongs to Christ."

See doing these things is not bad. Far from it, otherwise the law and the prophets would not have been so strict about following very precisely God's perfect law. But if you follow God's law out of selfish ambition, you aren't following God's law! And this is what Paul is saying: Jesus is the substance of the law! And this changes everything. Suddenly we are no longer under condemnation as before (Rom. 8:1). And it's not that we should stop seeking righteousness, but we need to realize something: we cannot be righteous! "None is righteous, no not one!" (Romans 3:10). We are utterly, totally, and completely depraved, yet for some reason man has taken to the belief that he can earn his own salvation. THIS is a false gospel.

This is why Paul writes "Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God" (Col. 2:18-19). Paul insists that when you put something else above Christ, even if it is seemingly a good thing, that it is sin. The bottom line is that when you hold on to the world's ideas about what is the best way to fit in, or the best way to be good, you are essentially cutting Christ off at the head. Suddenly we are doing something that isn't just wrong, but it is endangering the very faith that we hold on to.

Now some of you may think that this is not that big of a deal. And perhaps not if you are doing this alone and outside of the body of Christ. But for those who are actively involved in the church, this form of false teaching, this "leaven of the pharisees" as Jesus puts it, is pervasive to the point of destroying not just your own relationship with Jesus, but others as well. What we have today is a Christian culture where after going into the church, we tend to look around and wonder what others think of us. Our hearts are so used to the way the world judges us that we view the church judging us in the same way.

At Pursuit recently Dave has been going over the concept of what people often call "being single for Christ." I suppose there is some good in that, but Dave was good to caution us that it's not about being married or single per-say, but that our hearts be devoted to Christ. See our culture can so worship the concept of marriage, that it has utterly raped its meaning. Why Christians will be so strongly polarized in opposition to just gay marriage is beyond me. I SAY BE OPPOSED TO MARRIAGE WITHOUT JESUS!!! There is enough pain, hurt, divorce, strife, and ruin on this earth built around a worldly view of love and marriage, that the same concepts as before concerning asceticism become exponential when talking about marriage: "Is she cute enough? Will it last? Can he provide? Where's his degree? Will she satisfy me? Will he hurt me? How many children should we have? Won't it be perfect when it finally happens?"

NO!!!

There is one question you should ask yourself before you get married, (or before you do anything really): "Is Jesus the center of everything in my life?" We have this fascination with finding something in this world to satisfy our woes, to make right our wrongs, to fill fully our despairs, to charge our passions, to change our situations so that we can be more satisfied in those things. But what happens? NOTHING SATISFIES!!! Solomon likens it to eating ash. It will give you no joy, it will not make right all the evil you've done, it will not fill you life with meaning of any substance, it will fail to inspire, and it will only change your situation enough so that you can wish that it was different again. Paul puts it this way (and I'll paraphrase) "[Why, if you're a Christian saved by the blood of Christ, do you still seek earthly things? Why are human teachings so important to you? Don't you know that all these things will perish? These things can have the appearance of making you look very attractive and very "righteous"] but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."

So then, what gives satisfaction? What gives joy? What makes the mortal sinner right before a holy God? What fills the soul of despair? What gives us passion? How do we change?

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

(Colossians 3:1-4 ESV)

Paul tells us to set our minds on the things that are above, particularly Jesus Christ. This is a call to action! For us to set aside our earthly desires and seek Christ above all things requires that we do not endure the judgmental ways of the world, but to look instead to Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith so that we can run the race with endurance looking to the prize as Christ.

So then we do not live for ourselves, but we live for Christ, to do His will so that He might be glorified in His bride the church! Is it bad to be married? Is it bad to be single? Is it bad to eat? Is it bad to not eat? Is it bad to honor the Sabbath, to not murder, to listen to your parents? No, on none of these things is it bad as long as everything we do is done with Christ in mind as the one who strengthens us to do them so that we do not receive the glory for our accomplishments, but when they are done for Christ, then it is Him who receives the glory.

The answer is that Christ is the only one that man can be eternally satisfied in. Christ will give you joy, and true joy at that. Christ died for you, so you now are dead to the world and your righteousness is hidden with Christ in God. He fills your dead soul with His Holy Spirit and gives you everlasting life. It is the Word of God on the life and work of Jesus that gives us the inspiration to live a life according to His grace, mercy and peace. Christ is the one who changes the heart, so that no matter what our circumstance, no matter how much doubt, no matter how long we are single, no matter how much we wish we could have it our way, the only way we are satisfied eternally is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen, Amen, Amen!!!


(1) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/asceticism

For God's Glory (read this first)

If anyone knows me, they know that I enjoy writing quite a bit. Myspace blogs never cut it and Facebook notes are just getting old. I find that this medium is superior for what I wish to talk about, that being theology. I do feel a great desire to write a book, and so most of the things that I will post will be central to that end. However, I do not feel that I yet have enough knowledge or free time available to pen all that I want to say into anything definitive. So I have chosen to write here in the time being, and I want to introduce this blog with a bit about the name of the blog: "Perseverance of the Saints."

First of all, let me say that it is not some witty phrase that I have invented. In fact it is the fifth point in the acronym TULIP, which altogether are: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. While I hold strongly to each of these points, I believe a great deal of what I see God trying to communicate to His people in the Bible to be found in the idea of the Perseverance of the Saints.

The basic concept (of these five points) is as follows: Man was dead in sin and indebted to God for our lack of ability to be rid of sin on our own. But God sent His Son to take the punishment in our place, on the cross, through the shedding of innocent blood. Jesus Christ gave up His life for His kingdom. He did this so that we now might have adoption as sons and become, by God's grace, fellow heirs of the kingdom of God. Now this is not based on anything we can do to earn it, but based purely on God's sovereign choice to have compassion on whom he will have compassion, and have mercy on whom he will have mercy. So that through God's grace, we have faith to believe, and furthermore, we become vessels of mercy so that God's glory might be seen by all the world. Now there are some who will not repent and of whom God will not extend grace, but rather justified wrath for their sinfulness and disobedience and it is not for man to test God on this matter: "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" (Romans 9:20-21 ESV). For Christ will come to judge both the living and the dead, and for those who do not repent and are not baptized, then they will be cast out of the kingdom of God. But for those whom God makes Holy, he will never forsake and will never leave them to despair.


For God makes many great promises to His chosen faithful. Promises that include filling us with His Holy Spirit, keeping us till the very end, and ultimately making us holy (or saints) as Christ is holy. And this God does not out of necessity, but out of his own great mercy and love. God's wrath was poured on His Son, so that we can worship Him forever in His holiness. God promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us, for His promises stand true forever. This is the Perseverance of the Saints.

You may say to me, Eddie, that just sounds like a bunch of bible stuff. And I'll say it is. The bible is the single most important book you'll ever read if you actually read it. And so I have chosen to write these things to give God glory, for he deserves all glory, and honor, and praise. I pray that you will read what I write, and that you will comment on these posts. My goal is not to argue with a bunch of people here. But if you wish to discuss something I say, then I promise to give you full voice to ask questions and express doubts, and I will do my best to be as loving as possible in the way I respond.

The following is one of my favorite authors, and I think he sums up greatly why I think this blog will be so important. 

"It is a great thing to begin the Christian life by believing good solid doctrine. Some people have received twenty different "gospels" in as many years; how many more they will accept before they get to their journey's end, it would be difficult to predict. I thank God that He early taught me the gospel, and I have been so perfectly satisfied with it, that I do not want to know any other. Constant change of creed is sure loss. If a tree has to be taken up two or three times a year, you will not need to build a very large loft in which to store the apples. When people are always shifting their doctrinal principles, they are not likely to bring forth much fruit to the glory of God. It is good for young believers to begin with a firm hold upon those great fundamental doctrines which the Lord has taught in His Word. Why, if I believed what some preach about the temporary, trumpery salvation which only lasts for a time, I would scarcely be at all grateful for it; but when I know that those whom God saves He saves with an everlasting salvation, when I know that He gives to them an everlasting righteousness, when I know that He settles them on an everlasting foundation of everlasting love, and that He will bring them to His everlasting kingdom, oh, then I do wonder, and I am astonished that such a blessing as this should ever have been given to me!

'Pause, my soul! adore, and wonder!

Ask, 'Oh, why such love to me?'

Grace hath put me in the number

Of the Saviour's family:

Hallelujah!

Thanks, eternal thanks, to Thee!'"

- Charles H. Spurgeon's opening paragraph in "A Defense of Calvinism"