Why Do We Struggle With the Christian Life?

Question: I’m a 23 year old from South Africa, and I have a problem of messing up. I would be spirit filled and try do as Jesus says, but I would feel that I’m getting back to start and get demotivated because I’ve done something wrong against God. Because of this I get discouraged to do those things I’m suppose to be doing like praying, reading and studying the word, sharing the gospel with others. Now again I’m encouraged but now my problem is I fear of being back were I started. I need advice on how to be consistent.

Answer:  Dear brother in Christ, rest assured that your struggle is one that is shared with everyone who names the name of Christ as Lord and Savior.  I have been in discussions with many people regarding what are the authentic signs that give evidence that one is a Christian.  People like to look to sanctification — holy living — as a sign that one is in Christ.  As Christians, we definitely should be growing in sanctification.  Our lives ought to be growing in holiness as we ‘put off the old man’ and ‘put on the new man.’  However, how does one measure sanctification?  We can’t simply measure our sanctification by an outwardly moral life.  There are many people who lead outwardly moral lives who aren’t Christians.

“God’s Story vs. Our Stories”

“When sharing the faith with others, do you prefer to discuss the gospel of Christ and related doctrines, or your own personal testimony? That’s the question we recently asked at a convention for religious broadcasters, and you might be surprised by the answers we received.”

I wasn’t really surprised by the answers they received in their informal poll. Having been raised in conservative, evangelical churches the emphasis is on relational evangelism.  We need to love the people we’re trying to win, and we don’t want to overburden the unchurched with a lot of ‘churchy’ language about things like justification or sanctification.  We were encouraged to reach the lost with our personal stories — our testimonies.  We had to be able to give our testimony on a moment’s notice, so we had to have the essence of our conversion story and what Christ has done in our lives boiled down to a five minute presentation.

Does God ‘Create’ Evil?

Adam and Eve cast out of Eden

Question:  I had read an answer on another website to the question on Isaiah 45:7 (Did God create evil?).  I am following their thoughts, but I do not feel they are accurate in light of the verse that the sum of Gods word is Truth (Psalm 119:160 NASB).

Romans 8:20 tells us that God made his creation subject to vanity not willingly. Paul also tells us in his letter to the Romans that carnality brings death (Romans 8:6). In a paraphrase Romans 8:20 is telling us that God made his creation subject to death not willingly.

I feel their interpretation of Isaiah 45:7 is explaining away a very clear declaration of God. I would be very interested in your explanation of Romans 8:20.

Answer:  Let’s look at Romans 8:20 in its larger context:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 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. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:18-25)

This passage is referring to the future hope of the restoration of all things when Christ returns. Paul speaks of the “creation groaning” in anticipation of the redemption of Christ’s elect (“sons of God”) which occurs when Christ returns in glory to redeem all things. When that happens, not only will we (Christians) be glorified, but the whole of creation will be “set free from its bondage to corruption.”

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question #3

The Westminster Assembly

Q.  What do the Scriptures principally teach?

A.  The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

In our last look at the Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC), we learned that the Bible is the only rule that directs us in how we may (must) glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  So now the next logical question to ask is that which is next asked by the Catechism:  What do the Scriptures principally teach?

What is ‘Eros’ Love?

Cupid, son of Venus, god of erotic love

Question: What is ‘Eros’ love?

Answer: Unlike English, which uses the word “love” interchangeably to mean many different things, Greek uses three words to describe the range of meaning that our word “love” conveys. The first word is eros, from which we get the English word ‘erotic.’ Eros is the word used to express sexual love, or the feelings of arousal that are shared between people who are physically attracted to one another. By NT times, this word had become so debased by the culture, that it is not used even once in the entire NT.

The second Greek word for love is phileo, which forms part of the words ‘philosophy’ (love of wisdom) or philanthropy (love of fellow man). This word more speaks of the warm affection shared between family or friends. Where as eros is more closely associated with the libido, phileo can be more associated with the emotions, or the heart (metaphorically speaking). I feel love for my friends, or I feel love for my family. Obviously not in the eros sense, but this is a love that motivates me to want to treat them kindly and help them succeed. However, phileo is not felt between people who are at enmity with one another. I can feel phileo love toward my friends and family, but not towards people whom I dislike or hate.

“Why is Christianity True?”

In this provocatively titled broadcast (originally aired back on June 7, 2009), the White Horse Inn panel discusses why Christianity is true.  Suppose someone were to ask you the following question:  ”Why is Christianity true?” What would your answer be?  This question was posed by Shane Rosenthal, WHI producer, to random people at a recent Christian Broadcaster’s conference, and the answers were staggering.  The vast majority of the responses aired fell into two categories:  1) Christianity is true because of the change it’s wrought in my life; or 2) Christianity is true because the Bible says it’s true. Now suppose you’re an unbeliever and you ask your Christian friend why he believes Christianity is true, and he gave you one of those two responses. Would that satisfy you? It doesn’t satisfy me, and I’m a Christian!

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question #2

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy

him?

A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the

Old and New Testaments,c is the only rule to direct us how we may

glorify and enjoy him.d

The Westminster Assembly

Q:  What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

A:  The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

In our last look at the Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC), we asked and answered the question what is man’s chief end; or what is the purpose of our lives.  The answer was to glorify God and enjoy him forever.  This, of course, begs the question how we’re to glorify God and enjoy him forever. It’s not enough to tell us what our purpose toward God is in this life, we need to know how we’re to fulfill this purpose.  Lacking this knowledge, man will devise his own way to glorify God and enjoy him forever.  More accurately, man will devise his own God and develop his own religion in which he serves and obeys the god his hands have made.

What Was the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?

The Holy Spirit Descending as a Dove

Question: What was the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?

 

Answer: The role of the Holy Spirit in the OT is much like the role of the Holy Spirit in the NT. When we speak of the role of the Holy Spirit, we can discern four general areas in which the Holy Spirit works: 1) Regeneration; 2) Indwelling (or filling); 3) Restraint; and 4) Ability for service.

According to Louis Berkhof, regeneration is “that act of God by which the principle of new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy” (Berkhof, Systematic Theology p. 469). The classic proof text for this can be found in John’s gospel: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again [i.e., regenerated] he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This begs the question: How does this have anything to do with the Holy Spirit’s work in the OT? Later on in his dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus has this to say, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3:10). The point Jesus was making was that Nicodemus should have known this truth; they are revealed in the OT. Moses tells the Israelites prior to entering the Promised Land that “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). You also see the theme of regeneration in Jeremiah 23:7, Ezekiel 11:19-20 and Ezekiel 36:26-29.

“Creeds and Deeds”

In my journey toward Reformed Theology, I have been recognizing the lack of sound doctrinal preaching in American churches.  The emphasis in today’s American evangelical church is to stress duty over doctrine; or “deeds, not creeds.”  The thought is that doctrine divides, while service unites.  The typical church’s state of faith (SOF) could fit on a single sheet of paper, and that SOF would be similar to about 99% of other evangelical churches in the country.  There seems to be an almost obsessive concern to appear ‘ecumenical’ in the eyes of today’s church consumers.

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question #1

Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. (WSC, Question #1)

If you were to poll 100 people amongst your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers and ask them what the “chief end of man” is, I wonder what percentage of them would provide the above answer? I wonder how many people would ask you what was meant by the question? Another way to ask the question is “what is the meaning of life?” I wouldn’t be surprised if those 100 people you polled gave you 100 different answers to that question.