Podcasts about crossway books

jesus christ bible gospel scripture redemption old testament register hebrew dawning pentateuch crossway books

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 21:51

James and Jonathan sit down with Ian Vaillancourt, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Heritage Theological Seminary, to discuss his book, The Dawning of Redemption: The Story of the Pentateuch and the Hope of the Gospel. Why is reading and studying the Pentateuch essential as a foundation for understanding the story of redemption revealed in the rest of Scripture? Imagine arriving at a movie fifteen minutes late, and you're all excited to settle in to see the movie, and very quickly realize, "I don't get it." And that's a little bit of what reading the Bible is like without understanding these first five books. It's the first act in the Bible's grand story of redemption. – Ian Vaillancourt Ian talks about the books of Moses in an engaging, clear way. He systematically examines the themes of creation, the fall, the exodus, genealogies, and more and how they point to and culminate in Christ and his redemptive work for us. We're giving away two copies of The Dawning of Redemption by Ian Vaillancourt, courtesy of Crossway Books. Register here for an opportunity to win.

Crisis of Confidence

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2024 22:44

James and Jonathan are happy to welcome Carl Trueman back to the podcast to discuss his newly-released book, Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity. An updated version of The Creedal Imperative (2012), Carl's new edition analyzes how ancient creeds and confessions protect and promote biblical Christianity in a culture of expressive individualism. Listen to find out what has changed in the culture in the 11 years since he wrote the first book and why this updated version is so important. Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Crossway Books, we have a couple copies of Crisis of Confidence to give away. Register here for the opportunity to win.

crisis confidence identity christianity register individualism carl trueman crossway books creedal imperative

The Upside-Down Kingdom

god jesus christ register beatitudes upside down kingdom chris castaldo crossway books

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 17:13

James and Jonathan are joined by Chris Castaldo today to discuss his new book, The Upside Down Kingdom: Wisdom for Life from the Beatitudes. In our sinful world, we often struggle with anxiety, loneliness, and heartache. How can we cultivate God's kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven” in such a broken place? In the Beatitudes, Jesus urges us to set ourselves apart from the world, living in a counterculture with a new identity rooted in him. The Upside Down Kingdom examines this counterintuitive wisdom and explores its relevance for today. Register here for the opportunity to win a copy of The Upside Down Kingdom, thanks to our friends at Crossway Books.

Master Penman Jake Weidmann on Penmanship for 21st Century Students

Classical Education

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 50:44

About The GuestJake Weidmann is a professional artist and certified as one of nine Master Penman in the world. Certified through IAMPETH (International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting) in July 2011, Weidmann holds the title as the youngest Master Penman by three decades and the youngest to ever attain the title. Weidmann's peers (other Masters) are noted for working with the White House, Queen Elizabeth and the Pope. His journey into calligraphy has been the “special sauce” for everything he now creates, incorporating the traditional calligraphic flourishing into his fine art. Weidmann is self-taught in each of his disciplines (calligraphy, painting, drawing, woodworking, and engraving). Coined by 5280 Magazine as today's Renaissance Man, Weidmann's analog mediums defy the digital-centric age we live in as he employs old world tools and techniques to achieve his finished works. While he typically works with private clients, Weidmann has worked with Apple, Inc., Crossway Books, and Biola University and has spoken from countless stages including Tedx and Thinq and was featured on PBS Television.Website: jakeweidmann.comFacebook: facebook.com/jakeweidmannInstagram: @jakeweidmannShow NotesWhen deciding how to apply the art of penmanship for children in your schools, you will want to consider the evidence that supports handwriting as a foundation for literacy. Beyond the evidence that connects the hands in creativity and flourishing communication, you'll hear why, how, and what tools to use in applying the art of penmanship. Some topics and questions covered in this episode: Dependency on technology to the detriment of healthy child development Will you speak to cursive writing and learning to read? What is the history behind Spencerian Cursive and why is it important? What should educators look for in curriculum for penmanship? How is cursive tied to phonics? How do writing tools make a difference? What tips do you have for teachers? ResourcesCommercial about Jake that Adrienne uses at teacher trainings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvSyQDu49pIThe following are affiliate links for Jake Weidmann:https://www.amazon.com/shop/jakeweidmann1) link to Michal Sull's curriculum for kids --also here: https://spencerian.com/2) link to blackwing pencils3) link to pilot varsity pen4) link to Jake's pens that he sells or will sell.5) Brian Guelle's fountain pensMaster Penman Society: https://www.iampeth.com/master-penman-societyA book that Jake wishes he had read earlier in his life: A Joy For Ever by John Ruskin________________________________________________________Let us help you discover what a beautiful education should look like. Subscribe to this Podcast on your favorite podcast app! Meet our Team, Explore our Resources and Take advantage of our Services! This podcast is produced by Beautiful Teaching, LLC.Support this podcast: ★ Support this podcast ★ _________________________________________________________Credits:Sound Engineer: Andrew HelselLogo Art: Anastasiya CFMusic: Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins in B flat major, RV529 : Lana Trotovsek, violin Sreten Krstic, violin with Chamber Orchestra of Slovenian Philharmonic © 2023 Beautiful Teaching LLC. All Rights Reserved

Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age

god texas lies scripture anti christian clad rosaria butterfield rosaria crossway books our anti christian age

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2023 31:21

Clad in a Texas flag shirt, Carl and his button-down-wearing cohost Todd welcome their good friend Rosaria Butterfield back to the podcast to discuss her latest book, Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age. In this powerful book, Rosaria uses Scripture to confront cultural lies she once believed about sexuality, faith, feminism, gender roles, and modesty. Tune in to hear why Rosaria says it's more important than ever that women see the truth about who God created them to be. To sign up to win a copy of Rosaria's book, Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age, provided by Crossway Books, register here.

Walking with the One who Keeps, Secures, and Sustains

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2023

Who are you Christian? With a specific appeal to Christians threatened by the danger of an enemy who sought to use people in their lives to introduce what the Bible calls: doctrines of demons, intended to move those in the Church off course from the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3). The devil and his demons are not threatened by those who claim to be Christian with their lips but deny Jesus as Master and Lord with their lives; the devil and his demons are threatened by those who are so convinced of who Jesus is that they can live no other way but to follow Him. Jude is not the only place where we are warned of the dangers that threaten the Christian: Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12) You therefore, beloved take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. (2 Peter 3:17) Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Timothy 4:1) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19) In his parable of the four different ways people respond to the word of God as it relates to Jesus, only one type of person truly receives Jesus as Savior and Lord. Some will hear about Jesus, but the devil, comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved (Luke 8:12). Others hear about Jesus, but the cares and riches and pleasures of life choke out any faith they had in Jesus (Luke 8:14). The third group Jesus described in his parable is what I believe motivated Jude to write his epistle; these people hear the truth about Jesus and receive it with joy, but because the roots of their faith do not go deep enough, they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away (Luke 8:13). According to Jude, those who have crept into the Church unnoticed are false Christians who say they know Jesus but deny Him as Master and Lord. Jude describes these people as ungodly people who have the appearance of religion but are rotten to the core. They walk the way of Cain, abandon themselves for the sake of gain, and stand condemned before God. On the outside, false teachers seem harmless, but under the surface they are deadly. They present themselves as spiritual guides, but they are guided by their own greed. They present themselves as alive in Jesus, but they are twice dead. They posture themselves as holy, but they are stained by their own shame. They say they know where they are going, but their moral and spiritual compass is broken. Jude describes these people as grumblers, malcontents, loud-mouthed boasters who follow their own desires (v. 16). To add to this, the Church is surrounded by a culture that is anti-Christian because it is anti-Christ. Judes epistle is filled with examples of how the culture of a fallen world is antagonistic towards God and His people. To walk in such a world can be scary and intimidating, and we see this in the example Jude uses of the Hebrew people who were so intimidated by those who lived in the land God promised them, that they refused believe God and enter into the land because they bought into the lie that the threats that lived in Canaan were greater than the faithfulness of the God who promised that land to them. Leading up to the flood, Jude reminds us of the decline of human civilization into moral bankruptcy and unhinged violence from Cains murder of Abel to Lamechs polygamy and disregard of the sanctity of life, to the harems of powerful men and their link to demonic possession and sexual deviancy. Sometime before Noah and the catastrophic flood, we learn that Enoch walked with God. Sometime after Enoch, Noah was born and grew up in a world and culture described in Genesis 6 as follows: The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Yet we are told that Noah was a, a herald of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5). Gods people have been surrounded by cultures characterized by gross sexual immorality, violence, idolatry in the worst forms that often-involved child sacrifice, and the ridicule and mocking of anyone who stood apart from such evil since the days of Noah. Today, the world we find ourselves in is not all that dissimilar; the only difference is the dress being unique to the day, but underneath is the same evil. Today, in America, the Church finds Herself surrounded by a culture where sex is the primary god. According to the website SexualDiversity.org, there are now 107 gender identities as of 2023. In our world an estimated 27.6 million people are trafficked worldwide and the United States of America ranks the worst, with over half of the criminal trafficking cases in our country involving children, of whom many are sold as sex-slaves. One of the main aggravators for child trafficking is the 97 billion-dollar Porn industry. It is estimated that over 300,000 of Americas young population is considered at risk for sexual exploitation.[1]On top of the exploitation of Americas children is Planned Parenthoods 2-billion-dollar abortion industry, whose main mission serves the termination of unborn babies in the United States alone. People may not be placing their children in the red-hot arms of Molech over a fire to be sacrificed, but they are doing it in other ways! As we have been warned by Jude, the evils of the world have a way of creeping into the community of Gods people. Although statistically there is a difference between those who claim to be Christian and those who do not, more Christians divorce today than ever before, more approve of abortion, and more make life choices based on sexual preference then the prescription assigned by God Himself. The dangers that faced the church in Judes day are the same dangers we face today, just under a different dress. The message of Jude to the Christian is that although the dangers are real and great, the God who is greater: called us, loves us, keeps us, and protects us. God loves us because He is our Father, God keeps us because Jesus is our Redeemer, and God protects us because the Holy Spirit seals and secures us. God is Keeping You God is keeping you from something in your life, and that something is from stumbling after the false teachers. According to the first verse in this amazing epistle, we are both beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. There are many dangers around us, but God is infinitely bigger than those dangers. However, if you are honest with yourself, Judes warning to the Christians for whom his letter is addressed is frightening. I can still see the faces of those who have been a part of my life who have fallen from the faith because they have bought into the lies of the enemy. To think that you are immune is to demonstrate an ignorance of the examples provided to us in scripture, a foolishness that is blind to the reality of your own life. I read a story this week about the circus acrobat, Philippe Petit, who believed himself to be immune to failure and renowned for his walk on a tight rope between the two Word Trade Towers on August 7, 1974. Five months later, while rehearsing for his act in St. Petersburg, Florida, he fell about thirty feet. One witness who saw Petit fall, said that he rolled onto his stomach and began to bound the floor with his fists as he cried, I cant believe it! I cant believe it! I dont ever fall.[2] Petit suffered multiple broken bones and internal injuries that day. Petits story reminds me of the hymn, Come Thou Fount, penned by Robert Robinson: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;Prone to leave the God I love:Take my heart, oh, take and seal itWith Thy Spirit from above.Rescued thus from sin and danger,Purchased by the Saviors blood,May I walk on earth a stranger,As a son and heir of God. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all prone to fall, but there is one who will not allow us to fall to the point we are destroyed indefinitely. This is what Jesus prayed for: And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. (John 17:1115, ESV) God Will Finish His Work in You God is doing something in you Christian. He intends to present you blameless on that Day when you stand before Him. Think about the significance of what Jude is saying here! Job heard the voice of the Lord in response to all that he suffered, not understanding why he suffered so, we learn of his response in the final chapter of his story: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:2-3, 5-6). In response to the holiness of God, Habakkuk wrote: I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. (Hab. 3:16). On the day of judgement, we are given just a glimpse of the One who sits upon the throne recorded for us by the apostle John: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them (Rev. 20:11). According to Jude, there will be one type of creature besides the heavenly hosts that will not need to recoil at His presence, and that creature will be men, women, and children redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Not only will we stand before the Holy One as blameless, but we will be presented before the One of whom the angels cry: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory (Isa. 6:3)! Timothy Keller said, God invites us to come as we are, not to stay as we are. On that day we will stand before Him fully aware that it was not by any power of our own that resulted in our presentation as blameless, but of One outside of ourselves who kept us for and by Jesus. God is Delighting in You Christian, as you stand before the One before whom all of heaven and earth flee, not only will you stand before Him blameless, but you will do so knowing that He delights in you! The word that Jude chose to use to describe the joy that will be celebrated by the Almighty over every Christian literally means gladness, great joy, and exultation. Quite literally, what Jude is saying that we will experience on that great Day that will be terrible for many, but not for us, is that God will exult over the redeemed! The kind of rejoicing we will experience from Yahweh is what is described by the prophet Zephaniah: The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17). Christian, when you stand before God, he will not look upon you with disgust or disappointment! He will look upon you as a Father and will exult over you with loud singing! Do not miss the irony in these verses in light of all that we have learned from Jude so far! What is it that God will keep us from? He will keep the true Christian from stumbling and falling in the manner that the false Christian and false teachers have fallen. You will not fall because for you, Jesus is Master and Lord (v. 4). You are kept, and the evidence that you are kept by God is because you are standing and building your life upon the Word of God, you are dependent upon the Holy Spirit, and you are eagerly waiting, for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21). However, the one who rejects Jesus as Master and Lord, they have stumbled, and their fall has resulted in a condemnation that the prophet Daniel describes will stand before God on the day of judgment in, shame and everlasting contempt (Dan. 12:2). The true Christian will not only stand before God blameless, but God, will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. God is Doing All Things Through Jesus So, as an appropriate bookend to Judes epistle, he closes with verse 25. Notice how he does this in light of the first two verses of his epistle. Let me show what he does in these verses by contrasting Jude 2 with verse 24 and Jude 1 with verses 25: Jude 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy Here is what we glean from Jude 2 and 25: God is keeping you because of His mercy. God will present you blameless because you have been reconciled to Him and now have His shalom (peace). God exults over because he loves you. Now notice what he does in verse 1 and 25, Jude 1 To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ Jude 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. God called you, and because He called you, you are beloved in God the Father, and you are kept for and by Jesus Christ. God has saved you through Jesus Christ our Lord, and what that means is simply this: God is keeping you through Jesus, and for Jesus, and by Jesus Christ. God will finish His work in you through Jesus, for Jesus, and by Jesus Christ. God delights in you through Jesus, for Jesus, and by Jesus Christ This final verse is the equivalent to Jude performing a mic drop. He then closes with virtues that can only be true of Yahweh and applies them also to the Son: glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. The apostle John does the same thing in Revelation 5. If you ever question what it means to be beloved in God the Father you need not look any further than Revelation 5:9-13, And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! (Revelation 5:913) Jude ends with the only word that feels and seems appropriate to conclude his glorious doxology and sunning epistle with, and that word is simply: Amen. [1] Andrew Keiper, Perry Chiaramonte; Human trafficking in America among worst in world. The Shelter for Abused Women Children. [2] Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christs sufferings (p. 355). Crossway Books.

Walking with the One who Keeps, Secures, and Sustains

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2023

Who are you Christian? With a specific appeal to Christians threatened by the danger of an enemy who sought to use people in their lives to introduce what the Bible calls: doctrines of demons, intended to move those in the Church off course from the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3). The devil and his demons are not threatened by those who claim to be Christian with their lips but deny Jesus as Master and Lord with their lives; the devil and his demons are threatened by those who are so convinced of who Jesus is that they can live no other way but to follow Him. Jude is not the only place where we are warned of the dangers that threaten the Christian: Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12) You therefore, beloved take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. (2 Peter 3:17) Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Timothy 4:1) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19) In his parable of the four different ways people respond to the word of God as it relates to Jesus, only one type of person truly receives Jesus as Savior and Lord. Some will hear about Jesus, but the devil, comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved (Luke 8:12). Others hear about Jesus, but the cares and riches and pleasures of life choke out any faith they had in Jesus (Luke 8:14). The third group Jesus described in his parable is what I believe motivated Jude to write his epistle; these people hear the truth about Jesus and receive it with joy, but because the roots of their faith do not go deep enough, they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away (Luke 8:13). According to Jude, those who have crept into the Church unnoticed are false Christians who say they know Jesus but deny Him as Master and Lord. Jude describes these people as ungodly people who have the appearance of religion but are rotten to the core. They walk the way of Cain, abandon themselves for the sake of gain, and stand condemned before God. On the outside, false teachers seem harmless, but under the surface they are deadly. They present themselves as spiritual guides, but they are guided by their own greed. They present themselves as alive in Jesus, but they are twice dead. They posture themselves as holy, but they are stained by their own shame. They say they know where they are going, but their moral and spiritual compass is broken. Jude describes these people as grumblers, malcontents, loud-mouthed boasters who follow their own desires (v. 16). To add to this, the Church is surrounded by a culture that is anti-Christian because it is anti-Christ. Judes epistle is filled with examples of how the culture of a fallen world is antagonistic towards God and His people. To walk in such a world can be scary and intimidating, and we see this in the example Jude uses of the Hebrew people who were so intimidated by those who lived in the land God promised them, that they refused believe God and enter into the land because they bought into the lie that the threats that lived in Canaan were greater than the faithfulness of the God who promised that land to them. Leading up to the flood, Jude reminds us of the decline of human civilization into moral bankruptcy and unhinged violence from Cains murder of Abel to Lamechs polygamy and disregard of the sanctity of life, to the harems of powerful men and their link to demonic possession and sexual deviancy. Sometime before Noah and the catastrophic flood, we learn that Enoch walked with God. Sometime after Enoch, Noah was born and grew up in a world and culture described in Genesis 6 as follows: The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Yet we are told that Noah was a, a herald of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5). Gods people have been surrounded by cultures characterized by gross sexual immorality, violence, idolatry in the worst forms that often-involved child sacrifice, and the ridicule and mocking of anyone who stood apart from such evil since the days of Noah. Today, the world we find ourselves in is not all that dissimilar; the only difference is the dress being unique to the day, but underneath is the same evil. Today, in America, the Church finds Herself surrounded by a culture where sex is the primary god. According to the website SexualDiversity.org, there are now 107 gender identities as of 2023. In our world an estimated 27.6 million people are trafficked worldwide and the United States of America ranks the worst, with over half of the criminal trafficking cases in our country involving children, of whom many are sold as sex-slaves. One of the main aggravators for child trafficking is the 97 billion-dollar Porn industry. It is estimated that over 300,000 of Americas young population is considered at risk for sexual exploitation.[1]On top of the exploitation of Americas children is Planned Parenthoods 2-billion-dollar abortion industry, whose main mission serves the termination of unborn babies in the United States alone. People may not be placing their children in the red-hot arms of Molech over a fire to be sacrificed, but they are doing it in other ways! As we have been warned by Jude, the evils of the world have a way of creeping into the community of Gods people. Although statistically there is a difference between those who claim to be Christian and those who do not, more Christians divorce today than ever before, more approve of abortion, and more make life choices based on sexual preference then the prescription assigned by God Himself. The dangers that faced the church in Judes day are the same dangers we face today, just under a different dress. The message of Jude to the Christian is that although the dangers are real and great, the God who is greater: called us, loves us, keeps us, and protects us. God loves us because He is our Father, God keeps us because Jesus is our Redeemer, and God protects us because the Holy Spirit seals and secures us. God is Keeping You God is keeping you from something in your life, and that something is from stumbling after the false teachers. According to the first verse in this amazing epistle, we are both beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. There are many dangers around us, but God is infinitely bigger than those dangers. However, if you are honest with yourself, Judes warning to the Christians for whom his letter is addressed is frightening. I can still see the faces of those who have been a part of my life who have fallen from the faith because they have bought into the lies of the enemy. To think that you are immune is to demonstrate an ignorance of the examples provided to us in scripture, a foolishness that is blind to the reality of your own life. I read a story this week about the circus acrobat, Philippe Petit, who believed himself to be immune to failure and renowned for his walk on a tight rope between the two Word Trade Towers on August 7, 1974. Five months later, while rehearsing for his act in St. Petersburg, Florida, he fell about thirty feet. One witness who saw Petit fall, said that he rolled onto his stomach and began to bound the floor with his fists as he cried, I cant believe it! I cant believe it! I dont ever fall.[2] Petit suffered multiple broken bones and internal injuries that day. Petits story reminds me of the hymn, Come Thou Fount, penned by Robert Robinson: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;Prone to leave the God I love:Take my heart, oh, take and seal itWith Thy Spirit from above.Rescued thus from sin and danger,Purchased by the Saviors blood,May I walk on earth a stranger,As a son and heir of God. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all prone to fall, but there is one who will not allow us to fall to the point we are destroyed indefinitely. This is what Jesus prayed for: And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. (John 17:1115, ESV) God Will Finish His Work in You God is doing something in you Christian. He intends to present you blameless on that Day when you stand before Him. Think about the significance of what Jude is saying here! Job heard the voice of the Lord in response to all that he suffered, not understanding why he suffered so, we learn of his response in the final chapter of his story: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:2-3, 5-6). In response to the holiness of God, Habakkuk wrote: I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. (Hab. 3:16). On the day of judgement, we are given just a glimpse of the One who sits upon the throne recorded for us by the apostle John: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them (Rev. 20:11). According to Jude, there will be one type of creature besides the heavenly hosts that will not need to recoil at His presence, and that creature will be men, women, and children redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Not only will we stand before the Holy One as blameless, but we will be presented before the One of whom the angels cry: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory (Isa. 6:3)! Timothy Keller said, God invites us to come as we are, not to stay as we are. On that day we will stand before Him fully aware that it was not by any power of our own that resulted in our presentation as blameless, but of One outside of ourselves who kept us for and by Jesus. God is Delighting in You Christian, as you stand before the One before whom all of heaven and earth flee, not only will you stand before Him blameless, but you will do so knowing that He delights in you! The word that Jude chose to use to describe the joy that will be celebrated by the Almighty over every Christian literally means gladness, great joy, and exultation. Quite literally, what Jude is saying that we will experience on that great Day that will be terrible for many, but not for us, is that God will exult over the redeemed! The kind of rejoicing we will experience from Yahweh is what is described by the prophet Zephaniah: The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17). Christian, when you stand before God, he will not look upon you with disgust or disappointment! He will look upon you as a Father and will exult over you with loud singing! Do not miss the irony in these verses in light of all that we have learned from Jude so far! What is it that God will keep us from? He will keep the true Christian from stumbling and falling in the manner that the false Christian and false teachers have fallen. You will not fall because for you, Jesus is Master and Lord (v. 4). You are kept, and the evidence that you are kept by God is because you are standing and building your life upon the Word of God, you are dependent upon the Holy Spirit, and you are eagerly waiting, for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21). However, the one who rejects Jesus as Master and Lord, they have stumbled, and their fall has resulted in a condemnation that the prophet Daniel describes will stand before God on the day of judgment in, shame and everlasting contempt (Dan. 12:2). The true Christian will not only stand before God blameless, but God, will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. God is Doing All Things Through Jesus So, as an appropriate bookend to Judes epistle, he closes with verse 25. Notice how he does this in light of the first two verses of his epistle. Let me show what he does in these verses by contrasting Jude 2 with verse 24 and Jude 1 with verses 25: Jude 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Jude 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy Here is what we glean from Jude 2 and 25: God is keeping you because of His mercy. God will present you blameless because you have been reconciled to Him and now have His shalom (peace). God exults over because he loves you. Now notice what he does in verse 1 and 25, Jude 1 To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ Jude 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. God called you, and because He called you, you are beloved in God the Father, and you are kept for and by Jesus Christ. God has saved you through Jesus Christ our Lord, and what that means is simply this: God is keeping you through Jesus, and for Jesus, and by Jesus Christ. God will finish His work in you through Jesus, for Jesus, and by Jesus Christ. God delights in you through Jesus, for Jesus, and by Jesus Christ This final verse is the equivalent to Jude performing a mic drop. He then closes with virtues that can only be true of Yahweh and applies them also to the Son: glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. The apostle John does the same thing in Revelation 5. If you ever question what it means to be beloved in God the Father you need not look any further than Revelation 5:9-13, And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! (Revelation 5:913) Jude ends with the only word that feels and seems appropriate to conclude his glorious doxology and sunning epistle with, and that word is simply: Amen. [1] Andrew Keiper, Perry Chiaramonte; Human trafficking in America among worst in world. The Shelter for Abused Women Children. [2] Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christs sufferings (p. 355). Crossway Books.

Walking in Light of Your Calling

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2023

There is a museum by the Dachau Concentration Camp that serves to remind its visitors of the horrors suffered under Hitler and the Nazi party. There is a sign posted for all visitors to see as they leave with a quote by Winston Churchill that reads: Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat its mistakes.[1] Judes little epistle serves to remind us of a history, that if ignored, we too might be doomed to repeat. The people Jude warns us of remind me of the morning my brother and I were late to the bus stop for school, I believe we missed the bus that day. On our way to the bus stop, a nice stranger invited us to get into the car so that he could take us to wherever we needed to go. My brother was tempted, and I was afraid to get into the car, so when it became apparent that we would not get into the car, the stranger drove off. False teachers are like the nice stranger who offers a child candy to get that child to get into the car, to take that child to a place that will forever impact that childs future. The candy often comes in the form of something that sounds good, such as the offer to gain a better understanding of the Bible, to grow closer to the true God through some hidden secret knowledge, or the offer of some key to unlocking the secrets of the Bible and reality. Permit me to push the stranger illustration a bit further. The reason my brother and I were able to sense danger when we were offered a ride from the person in the car was because our parents warned us of such people and informed us of a history involving such people, and the best way to resist them. The reason Jude saturated his little letter with examples from Israels past is because there is nothing new under the sun; the only thing that has changed is the dress. Since the birth of the Church, many have snuck into churches to introduce false doctrines that are labeled in the Bible as, doctrines of demons. Listen to the warning the apostle Paul gave to a young pastor named Timothy: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Tim. 4:12). The reason Jude emphasizes the need to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3), and that the Christians everywhere must build on the, most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21) is because the Devil is really good at using the ignorance of Gods people to harm them. John Wycliff said it best when he wrote the following warning: To be ignorant of the Scripture is the same thing as to be ignorant of Christ.[2] Listen, if you are ignorant of the Great Shepherd, you will be gullible enough to buy into the lies of a stranger who seeks your harm and not your good. These are the people we are warned about in Jude: In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions (v. 18). Daniel Akin wrote concerning false teachers: Disciples of Jesus must never let their spiritual guard down. They must be spiritually discerning, testing every teaching by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Eloquent speech is not the issue. Faithfulness to the Bible is.[3] The Scoffers When will the scoffers come? Jude says, In the last time. What is the last time? It is the time between Jesus ascension into heaven and his return to earth; the last time is the time we find ourselves in today and it is the time Christians have found themselves in since the birth of the Church that we read about in the book of Acts during the first century. The scoffers are the same people who have crept into the church, but not only those who snuck in. To scoff is to mock, but it can also include an attitude that is dismissive due to a self-assured arrogance[4] that following their, own ungodly passions is the best way to walk. In fact, it is their arrogance and ungodly passions that serve as their moral and theological compass. In 2 Peter 3:4, these scoffers question the legitimacy of Jesus promised return to judge the living and the dead. In Jude, these scoffers do not revere or respect the holiness of God. In the wake of their walking these scoffers are divisive, worldly, and devoid of the Spirit (v. 19). Jude informs us that the reason these people teach the things that they teach and live the way that they live is because they are, devoid of the Spirit. What this means is that these scoffers are spiritually lost even though they say that they know Jesus, they really do not know Him. Paul wrote in Romans 8:9, Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. In Titus 1:16, we are told that such people, profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. Jesus said of such people: every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits (Matt. 7:1520). One of the many false teachings the Church encountered in the past confronted head on during the Protestant Reformation is what is known as Antinomianism. Antinomianism, which still exists today under a different dress, teaches that Christians are freed from all obligation to obey Gods Moral Law. There are dozens of examples from the Bible that such teaching does not represent the teachings of the Bible; what Jesus said in Matthew 7 and what Jude wrote in verse 19 is proof enough that true genuine faith in the resurrected Jesus as Master and Lord over your life does not give you a license to sin, but instead will affect you in such a way that you will want to live a life that falls in line with Gods Moral Law. The lifestyle of the false teachers, according to Jude, is proof enough that although they say that they belong to Jesus, they really do not and are in fact, devoid of the Spirit. What is possible to notice in these verses, is the way Jude contrasts the scoffers with the beloved. The Beloved So, who is the beloved? You remember from the very first verse in Jude that the beloved is the person who has been called by God, unconditionally loved by the Father, and kept for and by Jesus. According to the second verse in Jude, the one who is kept for Jesus because he is loved by the Father, will only know the mercy, peace, and love of the One who called him. Yet, in the first two verses, Jude gives us the reason why we must avoid the false teachers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord (v. 4), Jude offers us a strategy to not only avoid the trap of the scoffers, but a formula that will only deepen our relationship with the God who saved us. There is an imperative (command) that Jude anchors three participles to. The imperative is the word, keep. The three participles are found in verses 20-21 (the participles are italicized): Building yourselves in your most holy faith Praying in the Holy Spirit Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus The way the NIV translates the Greek I believe is helpful in seeing how these three participles are connected to the word, kept: But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in Gods love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 2021). How does one remain in Gods love? You do so by building your life upon His word, praying in the Holy Spirit, and waiting for Jesus Christ. Build yourselves upon the Word of God Another way you can say this is, Grow in your understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures. What he means by this is what he already admonished his readers to do in verse 3, contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. The apostle Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 2:20, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:1920). The Cornerstone of our faith is Jesus and the gospel, as it is fleshed out from Genesis through Revelation, is our foundation. Our understanding of Jesus, as our Cornerstone, will shape our understanding of who God is. If we get Jesus wrong, we will get God wrong; if we get Jesus right, we will get God right. This is why Jesus said to anyone who would follow Him: Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matt. 7:2427) In their commentary on Jude, Jim Shaddix and D.L. Akin observe: As we learn the Bible and understand its truth, we are strengthened, we grow, we mature, we are built up. Without the Scriptures there is no growth. Without the Word there is no maturity. Without the gospel nothing of eternal good will last. Like the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is vital that we daily ingest and digest Gods Word and its truth.[5] Pray in the Holy Spirit Praying in the Holy Spirit is the second participle anchored to the word kept. What Jude means here is not that we pray in some angelic or heavenly language, but that we depend upon the Holy Spirit. What kind of praying does Jude have in mind? It is the kind of praying described in Ephesians 6:18, where we are, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. It is the kind of praying that seeks Gods will for our lives above our own desires and dreams for life. The Holy Spirit is not some force or a type of impersonal power, the Holy Spirit is a He, and that He is a Person, and that Person is the Helper and Counselor promised to the Christian (see John 16:4-15), and the Helper is God the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who seals and secures all who belong to God: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:1314). It is the Holy Spirit that the false teachers are devoid of, and it is what sets the true Christian apart from those who do not have eternal life, so we depend upon Him in knowing and that helps us in our weakness: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26). Wait for the Savior As we build our lives in obedience upon the Word of God with Jesus as our Cornerstone, while we depend upon Gods Holy Spirit to help, lead, and direct we wait and long for our Redeemer: God the Son. Waiting is another way of saying, watching. Why are we waiting and watching for Jesus? Because we know that because the tomb is empty, his promise to return is imminently sure! It is Jesus who the Psalmist promised in Psalm 24:7-8, Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle (Psalm 24:78)! The mercy Jude says the true Christian is watching is the, blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) that every Christian anticipates. Or as Jim Shaddix so eloquently describes: The Christians heart and eyes are fixed heavenward, looking for a rider on a white horse whose name is Faithful and True, whose eyes are like a fiery flame, and on his head are many crowns. We are looking for one whose robe is dipped in blood, and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:1116). Until then we will grow in his Word, pray by his Spirit, and watch for his coming.[6] Oh, dont you see what Jude is doing in these verses? He is showing us that the key to keeping in the Love of God is found in a relationship with a God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We are to set our eyes heavenward on the God who called us. We are to watch for Jesus out of a longing for our Groom as His Bride. We are to desperately depend upon the Holy Spirit who has sealed us for the Day of our redemption and powerfully Helps us to persevere until the end. This is what the false teachers want to deconstruct and pervert, but it is the key to remaining in the love of God that is foreign to anyone who has not been called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ (v. 3). Conclusion (vv. 22-23) As men and women with our eyes set on God, our hearts fixed on Jesus, and our dependance resting in the Holy Spirit, how are we to respond to the those who have crept in? What is our posture to be towards those who deny Jesus as Master and Lord with their words and with their lives? Well, in verse 22, we are introduced to next the imperative, and that is: have mercy. We are to exercise the same mercy we have received in three different ways: We are to have mercy on those who doubt. We are to show mercy by seeking to rescue those caught up into false teaching from hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to have mercy on those who doubt. The Christian is a conduit of Gods mercy and grace. We must have mercy on those caught up in false teaching and responsible for the false teaching because the God who called the Christian is merciful (Psalm 116:5). There is no sin so great that Gods mercy and His grace cannot overcome; we Christians ought to be very aware of this because we have experienced it ourselves. We are to seek to rescue those caught up in false teaching from hell. God uses those He has redeemed through the blood of His Son to tell unredeemed sinners where to find redemption. As one commentator wrote: Too much is at stake for believers not to take decisive action to rescue others from the destruction awaiting the false teachers.[7] One of my favorite quotes is from a missionary by the name of C.T. Studd who said, Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to show the scoffers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord mercy, but a mercy laced with a fear of being drawn into the same kind of sinful deception. What is true of the one who has been called, beloved, and kept by God is a hatred of sin. This does not mean that we are free from sinning, but it does mean that our affections have changed and continue to change where we long more and more to please the One who rescued us from hell. We are a walking example of the kind of change God can bring upon a person; what is true of the Christian is offered even to the false teacher: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (Isaiah 1:18). [1] Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christs sufferings (p. 323). Crossway Books. [2] John Wycliffe (Source unknown) [3] Akin, Daniel L. (2019). Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (pp. 141-42). Holman Reference. [4] Matthew S. Harmon, ESV Expository Commentary: Jude (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018); p. 519. [5] Shaddix, J., Akin, D. L. (2018). Exalting jesus in 2 peter, jude (Jud 20). Holman Reference. [6] Ibid. [7] Matthew S. Harmon. ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018), P. 520

Walking in Light of Your Calling

Música Cristiana (Gratis)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2023

There is a museum by the Dachau Concentration Camp that serves to remind its visitors of the horrors suffered under Hitler and the Nazi party. There is a sign posted for all visitors to see as they leave with a quote by Winston Churchill that reads: Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat its mistakes.[1] Judes little epistle serves to remind us of a history, that if ignored, we too might be doomed to repeat. The people Jude warns us of remind me of the morning my brother and I were late to the bus stop for school, I believe we missed the bus that day. On our way to the bus stop, a nice stranger invited us to get into the car so that he could take us to wherever we needed to go. My brother was tempted, and I was afraid to get into the car, so when it became apparent that we would not get into the car, the stranger drove off. False teachers are like the nice stranger who offers a child candy to get that child to get into the car, to take that child to a place that will forever impact that childs future. The candy often comes in the form of something that sounds good, such as the offer to gain a better understanding of the Bible, to grow closer to the true God through some hidden secret knowledge, or the offer of some key to unlocking the secrets of the Bible and reality. Permit me to push the stranger illustration a bit further. The reason my brother and I were able to sense danger when we were offered a ride from the person in the car was because our parents warned us of such people and informed us of a history involving such people, and the best way to resist them. The reason Jude saturated his little letter with examples from Israels past is because there is nothing new under the sun; the only thing that has changed is the dress. Since the birth of the Church, many have snuck into churches to introduce false doctrines that are labeled in the Bible as, doctrines of demons. Listen to the warning the apostle Paul gave to a young pastor named Timothy: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1 Tim. 4:12). The reason Jude emphasizes the need to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3), and that the Christians everywhere must build on the, most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21) is because the Devil is really good at using the ignorance of Gods people to harm them. John Wycliff said it best when he wrote the following warning: To be ignorant of the Scripture is the same thing as to be ignorant of Christ.[2] Listen, if you are ignorant of the Great Shepherd, you will be gullible enough to buy into the lies of a stranger who seeks your harm and not your good. These are the people we are warned about in Jude: In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions (v. 18). Daniel Akin wrote concerning false teachers: Disciples of Jesus must never let their spiritual guard down. They must be spiritually discerning, testing every teaching by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Eloquent speech is not the issue. Faithfulness to the Bible is.[3] The Scoffers When will the scoffers come? Jude says, In the last time. What is the last time? It is the time between Jesus ascension into heaven and his return to earth; the last time is the time we find ourselves in today and it is the time Christians have found themselves in since the birth of the Church that we read about in the book of Acts during the first century. The scoffers are the same people who have crept into the church, but not only those who snuck in. To scoff is to mock, but it can also include an attitude that is dismissive due to a self-assured arrogance[4] that following their, own ungodly passions is the best way to walk. In fact, it is their arrogance and ungodly passions that serve as their moral and theological compass. In 2 Peter 3:4, these scoffers question the legitimacy of Jesus promised return to judge the living and the dead. In Jude, these scoffers do not revere or respect the holiness of God. In the wake of their walking these scoffers are divisive, worldly, and devoid of the Spirit (v. 19). Jude informs us that the reason these people teach the things that they teach and live the way that they live is because they are, devoid of the Spirit. What this means is that these scoffers are spiritually lost even though they say that they know Jesus, they really do not know Him. Paul wrote in Romans 8:9, Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. In Titus 1:16, we are told that such people, profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. Jesus said of such people: every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits (Matt. 7:1520). One of the many false teachings the Church encountered in the past confronted head on during the Protestant Reformation is what is known as Antinomianism. Antinomianism, which still exists today under a different dress, teaches that Christians are freed from all obligation to obey Gods Moral Law. There are dozens of examples from the Bible that such teaching does not represent the teachings of the Bible; what Jesus said in Matthew 7 and what Jude wrote in verse 19 is proof enough that true genuine faith in the resurrected Jesus as Master and Lord over your life does not give you a license to sin, but instead will affect you in such a way that you will want to live a life that falls in line with Gods Moral Law. The lifestyle of the false teachers, according to Jude, is proof enough that although they say that they belong to Jesus, they really do not and are in fact, devoid of the Spirit. What is possible to notice in these verses, is the way Jude contrasts the scoffers with the beloved. The Beloved So, who is the beloved? You remember from the very first verse in Jude that the beloved is the person who has been called by God, unconditionally loved by the Father, and kept for and by Jesus. According to the second verse in Jude, the one who is kept for Jesus because he is loved by the Father, will only know the mercy, peace, and love of the One who called him. Yet, in the first two verses, Jude gives us the reason why we must avoid the false teachers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord (v. 4), Jude offers us a strategy to not only avoid the trap of the scoffers, but a formula that will only deepen our relationship with the God who saved us. There is an imperative (command) that Jude anchors three participles to. The imperative is the word, keep. The three participles are found in verses 20-21 (the participles are italicized): Building yourselves in your most holy faith Praying in the Holy Spirit Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus The way the NIV translates the Greek I believe is helpful in seeing how these three participles are connected to the word, kept: But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in Gods love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life (Jude 2021). How does one remain in Gods love? You do so by building your life upon His word, praying in the Holy Spirit, and waiting for Jesus Christ. Build yourselves upon the Word of God Another way you can say this is, Grow in your understanding and knowledge of the Scriptures. What he means by this is what he already admonished his readers to do in verse 3, contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. The apostle Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 2:20, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:1920). The Cornerstone of our faith is Jesus and the gospel, as it is fleshed out from Genesis through Revelation, is our foundation. Our understanding of Jesus, as our Cornerstone, will shape our understanding of who God is. If we get Jesus wrong, we will get God wrong; if we get Jesus right, we will get God right. This is why Jesus said to anyone who would follow Him: Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. (Matt. 7:2427) In their commentary on Jude, Jim Shaddix and D.L. Akin observe: As we learn the Bible and understand its truth, we are strengthened, we grow, we mature, we are built up. Without the Scriptures there is no growth. Without the Word there is no maturity. Without the gospel nothing of eternal good will last. Like the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is vital that we daily ingest and digest Gods Word and its truth.[5] Pray in the Holy Spirit Praying in the Holy Spirit is the second participle anchored to the word kept. What Jude means here is not that we pray in some angelic or heavenly language, but that we depend upon the Holy Spirit. What kind of praying does Jude have in mind? It is the kind of praying described in Ephesians 6:18, where we are, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. It is the kind of praying that seeks Gods will for our lives above our own desires and dreams for life. The Holy Spirit is not some force or a type of impersonal power, the Holy Spirit is a He, and that He is a Person, and that Person is the Helper and Counselor promised to the Christian (see John 16:4-15), and the Helper is God the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who seals and secures all who belong to God: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:1314). It is the Holy Spirit that the false teachers are devoid of, and it is what sets the true Christian apart from those who do not have eternal life, so we depend upon Him in knowing and that helps us in our weakness: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26). Wait for the Savior As we build our lives in obedience upon the Word of God with Jesus as our Cornerstone, while we depend upon Gods Holy Spirit to help, lead, and direct we wait and long for our Redeemer: God the Son. Waiting is another way of saying, watching. Why are we waiting and watching for Jesus? Because we know that because the tomb is empty, his promise to return is imminently sure! It is Jesus who the Psalmist promised in Psalm 24:7-8, Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle (Psalm 24:78)! The mercy Jude says the true Christian is watching is the, blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) that every Christian anticipates. Or as Jim Shaddix so eloquently describes: The Christians heart and eyes are fixed heavenward, looking for a rider on a white horse whose name is Faithful and True, whose eyes are like a fiery flame, and on his head are many crowns. We are looking for one whose robe is dipped in blood, and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:1116). Until then we will grow in his Word, pray by his Spirit, and watch for his coming.[6] Oh, dont you see what Jude is doing in these verses? He is showing us that the key to keeping in the Love of God is found in a relationship with a God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We are to set our eyes heavenward on the God who called us. We are to watch for Jesus out of a longing for our Groom as His Bride. We are to desperately depend upon the Holy Spirit who has sealed us for the Day of our redemption and powerfully Helps us to persevere until the end. This is what the false teachers want to deconstruct and pervert, but it is the key to remaining in the love of God that is foreign to anyone who has not been called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ (v. 3). Conclusion (vv. 22-23) As men and women with our eyes set on God, our hearts fixed on Jesus, and our dependance resting in the Holy Spirit, how are we to respond to the those who have crept in? What is our posture to be towards those who deny Jesus as Master and Lord with their words and with their lives? Well, in verse 22, we are introduced to next the imperative, and that is: have mercy. We are to exercise the same mercy we have received in three different ways: We are to have mercy on those who doubt. We are to show mercy by seeking to rescue those caught up into false teaching from hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to have mercy on those who doubt. The Christian is a conduit of Gods mercy and grace. We must have mercy on those caught up in false teaching and responsible for the false teaching because the God who called the Christian is merciful (Psalm 116:5). There is no sin so great that Gods mercy and His grace cannot overcome; we Christians ought to be very aware of this because we have experienced it ourselves. We are to seek to rescue those caught up in false teaching from hell. God uses those He has redeemed through the blood of His Son to tell unredeemed sinners where to find redemption. As one commentator wrote: Too much is at stake for believers not to take decisive action to rescue others from the destruction awaiting the false teachers.[7] One of my favorite quotes is from a missionary by the name of C.T. Studd who said, Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell. We are to exercise mercy with the utmost caution and fear. We are to show the scoffers who deny Jesus as Master and Lord mercy, but a mercy laced with a fear of being drawn into the same kind of sinful deception. What is true of the one who has been called, beloved, and kept by God is a hatred of sin. This does not mean that we are free from sinning, but it does mean that our affections have changed and continue to change where we long more and more to please the One who rescued us from hell. We are a walking example of the kind of change God can bring upon a person; what is true of the Christian is offered even to the false teacher: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (Isaiah 1:18). [1] Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christs sufferings (p. 323). Crossway Books. [2] John Wycliffe (Source unknown) [3] Akin, Daniel L. (2019). Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (pp. 141-42). Holman Reference. [4] Matthew S. Harmon, ESV Expository Commentary: Jude (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018); p. 519. [5] Shaddix, J., Akin, D. L. (2018). Exalting jesus in 2 peter, jude (Jud 20). Holman Reference. [6] Ibid. [7] Matthew S. Harmon. ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2018), P. 520

God's Providence in the Ministry of Crossway Books

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 22:54

In 1938, a small publishing ministry began distributing gospel tracts. Today, that ministry has spread millions of tracts, books, and Bibles all over the world.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3279340/advertisement

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God's Providence in the Ministry of Crossway Books

Transformando la mente

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 22:54

In 1938, a small publishing ministry began distributing gospel tracts. Today, that ministry has spread millions of tracts, books, and Bibles all over the world.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3279343/advertisement

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God's Providence in the Ministry of Crossway Books

Tu Historia Preferida

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 22:54

In 1938, a small publishing ministry began distributing gospel tracts. Today, that ministry has spread millions of tracts, books, and Bibles all over the world.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4231678/advertisement

ministry providence bibles spreaker prime network crossway books

God's Providence in the Ministry of Crossway Books

95 Tesis - Dr. Miguel Núñez

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 22:54

In 1938, a small publishing ministry began distributing gospel tracts. Today, that ministry has spread millions of tracts, books, and Bibles all over the world.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3485657/advertisement

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The Ride Home - Monday, May 1, 2023

The Ride Home with John and Kathy

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 114:20

The Ride Home with John & Kathy! Buckle in for a Monday full! Like… This Week in the Nations' Capitol (Biden officially enters 20245 race ... + ... WH correspondent's dinner ... + ... Trump says he may skip GOP primary debates ... + ... another bank failure) ... GUEST Greg Clugston ... SRN News White House Mary Harrington takes on The Machine ... GUEST Dr Carl R Trueman ... Dept of Biblical & Religious Studies at Grove City College, where he teaches courses on the history of religious thought ... Dr Trueman is the author of the new book, “Strange New World: How Thinkers & Activists Redefined Identity & Sparked the Sexual Revolution, and “The Rise & Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, & the Road to Sexual Revolution" How J. K. Rowling Played, then Lost, the Polarization Game ... GUEST Samuel James ... associate acquisitions editor at Crossway Books and writes at Insights Plus Does This Make Sense? And more! Thanks for riding with us on The Ride Home with John & Kathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Ride Home - Monday, May 1, 2023

The Ride Home with John and Kathy

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 114:20

The Ride Home with John & Kathy! Buckle in for a Monday full! Like… This Week in the Nations' Capitol (Biden officially enters 20245 race ... + ... WH correspondent's dinner ... + ... Trump says he may skip GOP primary debates ... + ... another bank failure) ... GUEST Greg Clugston ... SRN News White House Mary Harrington takes on The Machine ... GUEST Dr Carl R Trueman ... Dept of Biblical & Religious Studies at Grove City College, where he teaches courses on the history of religious thought ... Dr Trueman is the author of the new book, “Strange New World: How Thinkers & Activists Redefined Identity & Sparked the Sexual Revolution, and “The Rise & Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, & the Road to Sexual Revolution" How J. K. Rowling Played, then Lost, the Polarization Game ... GUEST Samuel James ... associate acquisitions editor at Crossway Books and writes at Insights Plus Does This Make Sense? And more! Thanks for riding with us on The Ride Home with John & Kathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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In the Fullness of Time Podcast

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Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2022

In the Fullness of Time Many Christians believe that eschatology is simply a matter of understanding a future event—what will happen when Christ returns. Over the years, students of today's guest have observed that eschatology is defined by two points—past and future—Christ's death, resurrection, and Pentecost in the past; and continuing through the ongoing fulfillment of Christ's promises to the end of the age. Richard Gaffin is professor emeritus of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. His seminal courses on Paul and the book of Acts have deeply influenced many, including Jonathan and James. Dr. Gaffin offers a clear perspective on Paul's ministry and redemptive history in his book, In the Fullness of Time: An Introduction to the Biblical History of Acts and Paul. Crossway Books has provided a limited number of copies of In the Fullness of Time for giveaway. For an opportunity to receive one, enter here.

Reasons to Believe – Fri – 22-10-07

Sparking Faith Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2022 2:00

Many years ago, I was astounded by what my preschool child said. No, this is not a story of a precocious child uttering a statement beyond his years. Nor is it the story of an innocent, but humorous, conversation. I was astounded because I caught my son in a lie. So began my learning curve as a parent. I had to learn the signs that my children were truthful, or not. Have you been there? We face a similar problem when we come to the bible. What are the signs it is true? How do we know Matthew, Mark, Luke and John didn't exaggerate or fabricate things in their accounts? Thankfully, there are multiple signs showing they told the truth. Several are listed in the book I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. Here are three: First, the writers include embarrassing details from their lives. For example, they show they were too dull to understand Jesus. They include times Jesus rebuked them. And they tell of their own cowardice.Second, they included embarrassing details about Jesus. His mother and brothers thought him crazy. He was called a drunkard and demon-possessed. In addition, a prostitute wiped his feet with her hair. Imagine a politician today found in a similar setting!Third, their accounts vary in details. They don't all include the same things. This matches what you'd expect from eyewitnesses.* These signs and others show the writers of the New Testament told the truth. *Norman L. Geisler, Frank Turek, I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL, 2004, pp. 275-286. How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/ Visit Elmer Fuller's author website at: https://www.elmerfuller.com/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

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Why Believe?

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Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022

Carl and Todd are, for the first time in quite a while, recording their podcast face-to-face within the Alliance compound. Careful to remain socially distanced—not because of COVID, but to prevent any regrettable chance of human contact whatsoever—the pair welcomes Dr. Neil Shenvi to the mix. He's a former Yale and Duke University researcher turned homeschooling father with a passion for Christian apologetics. Of course, every new generation brings with it a fresh set of challenges for the apologist. The “new atheist” may find Christianity to be, for example, oppressive of women or impossibly judgmental. Is the Bible true, or even morally good? Our guest engages with the best contemporary arguments against the faith and provides a clear and compelling case to embrace Christ and Christianity. Crossway Books has provided a few copies of Shenvi's Why Believe? A Reasoned Approach to Christianity for giveaway. Register here to get in the running.

Unpuzzling Hebrews with Tom Sims

Diligent Pastors

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2022 44:53

"The world has changed. The cost to follow Jesus is going up. Are you prepared to pay?" Though written in the 1st Century, the letter to the Hebrews recorded in the New Testament has much to say to us in the 21st Century about persevering in the cause of Christ.Tom Sims is a graduate of the World of Life Bible Institute and has served various churches as youth pastor and teacher. He is the author of the newly published Unpuzzling Hebrews: A New Translation and Commentary. He has been married to his wife Janine since 2008, and the Lord has blessed them with two daughters.Recommended ResourceSermon Audio: Share your sermons online with Sermon Audio. Join a library of 2.3 million sermons from theologically conservative churches and other ministries from around the world. Embed your audio on your site, submit your sermons to podcast directories like iTunes, and list your church on the Local Church Finder.Resources Mentionedunpuzzlinghebrews.comDavid M. Allen. “Deuteronomy and Exhortation in Hebrews: A Study in Narrative Re-Presentation." Mohr Siebeck, 2008.Dwight Pryor, Center for Judaic-Christian Studies.William Lane's two volume commentary on Hebrews in the Word Biblical Commentary series.Edward William Fudge, Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today, Leafwood Publishers, 2009.Madison N. Pierce, Divine Discourse in the Epistle to the Hebrews: The Recontextualization of Spoken Quotations of Scripture, Cambridge University Press, 2020.Matthew W. Bates, The Birth of the Trinity: Jesus, God, and Spirit in the New Testament and Early Christian Interpretations of the Old Testament, Oxford University Press, 2016.Jason A. Whitlark, Resisting Empire: Rethinking the Purpose of the Letter to “the Hebrews.”, T&T Clark, 2016.Michael Wade Martin and Jason A. Whitlark, Inventing Hebrews: Design and Purpose in Ancient Rhetoric. Cambridge University Press, 2018.John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life, Crossway Books, 2003.

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Situating Our Suffering

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Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2022

After a few moments of whining about their generous Alliance salaries, our pouty podcasters welcome a return guest—a "repeat offender," as Carl sees it—to the Spin. In the second installment from his series Suffering and the Christian Life, Mark Talbot encourages readers to place their suffering within the arc of the entire biblical story. In doing so, we better understand our suffering and can take courage and find comfort in God as we walk through it. We'll understand why Christians suffer and how we can rest in knowing that our suffering will someday come to an end. Crossway Books is offering for giveaway a few copies of Talbot's Give Me Understanding That I May Live: Situating Our Suffering within God's Redemptive Plan. Here's where you can register to win!

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