The God-head of God

http://newdemonstration.com/reformed-theology/reformation-theology-an-introduction

Excerpt from excellent article:
That which was seen as generally crucial and core to the Christian faith generations ago, in the vast majority of what names itself evangelicalism today sees is as non-essentials and minor issues.

Why is this? Because a low view of God has been the main creed of postmodern Christian religion. A faith not grounded on the revealed Word and God-hood of God but faith grounded on faith itself that is grounded on what men perceive of what faith is. Whether or not it be drawn from emotion or a philosophical conception it does not matter as long as it feels Christian, filled with love and is intolerant.

In our world today full of widespread ignorance of the truths of Scripture we do not have the luxury that the Reformers had in their time. To discuss and present a Biblical case of the doctrines of the reformation will not and can not be understood with out a proper view of God.
When I talk about the God-hood of God, I mean God’s proper right of Kingship. God’s sovereign right over all His creation. The sovereignty of God.

Quite honestly this concept is difficult to understand in our day and age. Why? Because we don’t have anymore any real apprehension of what it means to be ruled by a king. Men love democracy and the freedoms that come from the Republic’s constitution and bill of rights. We want our freedom to choose and our freedom to pick those we want to ruler over us. To have a sovereign king over us is the last thing we as postmodern human beings would want.

This idea reverberates even in the Christian psyche. We see Christians all over affirming Christ as their personal Savior, some sort of Lord, but never would you openly hear a main stream evangelical say: “The Lord is my King and I am His servant, His slave.”

“Slave? Servant-hood? What are you talking about? Don’t you encroach on my rights and my ‘freedom’ in Christ!”

How willingly do people go to hell?

Does anyone stand by the lake of fire and jump in? http://ow.ly/xdKq

Talking Back To Your Self

The main art in the matter of spiriual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: 'Why are thou cast down' -- what business have you to be disquieted? You must turn on yourself, upbraid yourself, condemn yourself, exhort yourself, and say to yourself 'Hope thou in God' -- instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of what God has pledged Himself to do. Then having done that, end on this great note: defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world and say with this man: 'I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance, who is also the health of my countenance and my God.'

- Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Lessons from Psalm 42)

Worth quoting

Men will never worship God with a sincere heart or be roused to fear and obey him with sufficient fear until they properly understand how much they are indebted to his mercy.
- John Calvin

He is your friend who pushes you closer to God.
- Abraham Kuyper

A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience.
- Doug Larson

What to Do if Revivial Comes

http://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/carson/2003_what_to_do_if_revival_comes.pdf

The above link is an article by D.A. Carson printed in Modern Reformation in 2003. Another great resource on revival is Iain Murray's book, Revival and Revivalism, Banner of Truth, 1994

Prayer of an alien child

O, most merciful, holy Father --
my self. my real me is only before me when it is before You.
and i am always before You.

A self-confident religious world
tells me to pull off masks. to be authentic.
be real.

Before You, the only one who is True –
i have no mask. i have no authenticity.
realness for others is falseness before the Real.

The burning gaze of Your holy word
pays no heed to a shell. It sees me. me.
Exposing all. Missing nothing.

To call you my Father –
to call upon Your Name as progeny
calls into question the essence of fatherhood.

There are no identifying family characteristics
You of pure sight. i bored glance.
You of righteous right arm. i stealing hand.
You of merciful heart. i dead stone.
You of purposed mind. i distracted lust.
You of eternal holiness. i common death.

A True Son You have.
A True Son who is pure radiance of You.
A True Son in whom You are forever pleased.
A True Son in whom there is no need.
A True Son who speaks You. Who is You.
A True Son You have.

This alien calling you Father has no recognition.
i have Only a Mediator –
a bloody document of adoption.
Your True Son taking on what i am supposed to be.
Your True Son appeasing.
Your True Son made sin.

This alien calling you Father has no recognition.
i have Only a Mediator --
a bloody document of adoption.

Your True Son sent. By You.
Your True Son forsaken. By You.
Your True Son slaughtered. By You.
Your True Son raised. By You.

for me. me.

O, most merciful, holy Father --
My Mediator is only before me when I am before You.
and i am always before You.


Before You, the only one who is True –
Your alien child comes.
bringing My true sons.
Praying.
they will know.
You.
as alien children.



tedd mathis
october 2009