Mercy and Justice

"We all are hypocrites, We all want to recive mercy [from God] and give justice." - Mark Driscoll

I was stricken by the truth of this statement. When I sin, I only want God to deal with me via his loving kindness and mercy, but when someone sins against me - I am ready with the imprecatory Psalms on standby. I virtually scream out, "God Get them, Show your wrath and avenge me."

As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry its, no more to rise! (Psalms 140:9-10 ESV)

Yet I think that this is something that needs to be rehashed within myself, I need to have my spirit filled with compassion for the sin of others against me. I am actually reminded of a sermon preached by T.J. Southard at Mountain View Christian Church on forbearance. He was preaching from the text Mark 1:40-45.

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them." But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.(Mark 1:40-45 ESV)

The point that T.J. Made was that Jesus healed this Guy who came to him and basically asked for healing; Who if he was healed of his skin disease could get his life back. Jesus Healed him with the quasi condition of "See that you say nothing to anyone." Jesus basically says don't tell people that I healed you. But the Guy doesn't obey, instead he goes and tells people, and Jesus could "no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places." Jesus had to stay out of populated places because of this guy. If I was Jesus, I think I would have removed the healing from the guy. He didn't keep his part. Jesus could have rightly removed this man's healing, taken away his life and possibly family, but He didn't.

I think that is the attitude that I need to have. I think that is the attitude that we all need to have, after all we shouldn't be paying back those who mistreat us with anger, we should be praying that God effects them, changes them. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing (1 Peter 3:9 ESV). We are called to forgive, not be vengeful because vengeance belongs to God alone (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).

25 Questions to ask a Pastor, while looking for a Good Church

I will confess, I didn't come up with the questions myself, but I think that they are very Good. That Said, I e-mailed these questions to 3 pastors here in town, only one has responded. I will also put his response here. The only other information I have about this pastor is that, while at a local event, when asked what the gospel was, he danced around for about 3 min and never mentioned repentance in any form; nor was there any clearly defined answer.


1. What is man's biggest problem, sin or self esteem?



2. What must a man do to inherit eternal life?



3. How do you deliver the salvation message?



4. How hard is it to become a Christian?



5. How often do you talk about sin, righteousness and judgment?



6. How seeker sensitive is your church?



7. Who do you do church for?



8. Do you dumb down your sermons?



9. Can you explain the Doctrine of the Trinity?



10. Do your sermons emphasize theology or are they more relevant?



11. Describe your youth programs.



12. Describe your evangelism programs.



13. What church growth model do you follow?



14. How much do you give to missions and the hungry?



15. Do you believe the Bible contains no errors or contradictions?



16. Do you believe in a literal 6 day creation?



17. Do you believe in a literal hell and eternal punishment?



19. When you distribute the Lord's Supper, do you emphasize the need to exa! mine yourself?



20. Can a person who is living in a persistent lifestyle of sin inherit eternal life?



21. Does your church exercise church discipline?



22. Do Sunday school teachers, nursery, and youth volunteers fill out an application to answer questions about their core beliefs



23. What are the essentials of the faith?



24. Do you have a cross in your sanctuary?




25. What is the primary purpose of man?

Hi Ken,

In response to your email – Family Life Church is all about Encountering Jesus, Experiencing Life and Expecting Change. Our core values and beliefs are on our web site (listed below).

As to the answers to your list of questions I think you will find them on our web site, also. We endeavor to make it as informative as possible. However, I can tell by your questions that FLC may not be what you are looking for, but if not, I know there are many great, Bible – believing, Christ-centered churches here in Newberg.

God Bless,

Dave Benson

www.myflc.org

A new Series - Understanding Theological Terms

Today I have finally made a decision... I am going to start a series on Theological Terms. I will begin presently.


Harmartology - The term used to refer to the theological investigation of sin. Harmartology concerns itself with understanding the origin, nature, extent and consequences of sin. Furthermore, harmartology seeks to understand how sin is transmitted throughout the human race and how sin opposes God's purposes for creation.

These Definitions will be coming from several theological terms dictionaries I have.

Ceder Mills Bible Church - Statement of Faith

One thing I enjoy doing when I go to other churches is looking at the statements of faith. Yesterday I was at Ceder Mill Bible Church. So I picked up their statement of faith, read through it... thought this is pretty Good. I will give two example directly from the Statement of Faith, one good and one questionable.

We Believe in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired of God and inerrant in the original writing, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. (II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:21)

This is a Good example of a clear statement. It gets the the point, it is supported by Scripture and it oozes confidence. Well done.

This next example is from the same Church.

We Believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with sinful natures, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed. (Genesis 1:26,27; Psalms 14:1-3; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-19; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 John 3:8)

There is a lot to unpack here. I would put into the 5 statements I see.

1. We are made in the image of God
2. Adam sinned and Earned Physical and Spiritual Death
3. Spiritual Death is separation from God.
4. All men are Born with a sin nature.
5. We only become sinners once we reach 'moral responsibility.'

First, I want to say that the wording of this is somewhat unclear. It isn't simple, like there other statements. It lacks the clarity of the previous statement. In fact, when showing this statement to two pastors they both said they were unclear on the exact meaning, and timing of said moral responsibility.
Second, this is my major point of contention. I believe that they have failed to provide any clear reference from scripture to support statement 5. Not that I think it is wrong, per se, but I think it is unsupported. Perhaps the addition of a scripture like James 4:17 and 1 John 3:4 could clear up what sin is and when it is committed. I see No biblical warrant for statement 5. Sin is Breaking the Law of God at any age.


I think that if they support there statement that this could be a very good statement of faith.

Jan Hus Sermon.

Well, it has been a Very long time sense I have taken the Time to write a Blog. I apologize for that. I have been occupied with other things...

One of which I will be discussing and posting about here, in the post you are reading.

I have been preparing a message about Jan Hus (John Huss) the reformer. It was kind of like my first "adult" sermon... as I preached a couple of times in High School. So I addressed the Youth Group tonight and it was Great. I will Post the Outline here, for you to read, and Will soon post the full length Video.

Jan Hus Sermon Outline

• Who was Jan Hus? b.1369(1374)-July 6th 1415.

  • Rector of the University in Prague.

  • Follower of John Wycliffe

• What did He Teach?

  • Christ is the Head of the Church (Not the pope - Picture)

    • Christ Alone can forgive Sin.

    • Bible is the Authority ( Bible to be read by the People)

  • No Indulgences ( What is an Indulgence?)

    • Pay money or Do something to get forgiveness for sin

• What happened (The Story)?

  • Promise of Safty

  • Fake Trial

  • Burned (twice)

• How do this relate to us?

  • Living For Christ – ( You call yourself a radicle Christian??)

  • Are you really a Christian?

• Gospel Message.

  • Law – Ten Commandments

  • Grace – Jesus Died on the Cross for Sinners

Scriptures

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

Just Plain Sick

New Haven, CT (LifeNews.com) -- A Yale University art student is causing a national controversy with her senior art project that revolves around self-induced abortions. Aliza Shvarts says she artificially inseminated herself “as often as possible" in order to become pregnant and reportedly used herbs to cause abortions.

Shvarts, a senior art major, intentionally caused the death of the babies with the herbs.

Afterwards, she allegedly saved her blood and the blood from each of the babies she killed to create an art display.

The display consists of a cube with video footage she took of the miscarriages on either side and a canvas in the middle with paintings created from the blood.

Shvarts mixed Vaseline with the blood to prevent it from drying and placed the blood between sheets of plastic wrapped around the cube that hung from the ceiling.

In a statement, Shvarts wouldn't reveal how many abortions she had over the nine month period in order to create the art project but it appears at least two abortions were necessary to complete the art display.

Shvarts said she did not intend the project to have "shock value" or to generate controversy.

"I hope it inspires some sort of disclosure. Sure, some people will be upset with the message and will not agree with it, but it’s not the intention of the piece to scandalize anyone,” she said.

"It was a private and personal endeavor, but also a transparent one for the most part," Shvarts said. "This isn't something I've been hiding."

Laura Echevarria, an editorial columnist for LifeNews.com, says Yale University officials should have put a stop to the project or at least not display it.

"Yale should be ashamed that it is allowing an 'art' project that will offend millions of Americans," she said.

"Abortion is the deliberate destruction of human life. Putting that destruction on display as so-called art crosses a line and Yale should respond by pulling this project," Echevarria added.

Though Shvarts contends otherwise, Echevarria insists Shvarts likely created the project to receive attention.

"It is a gruesome and macabre display that, contrary to the 'artist's' assertion, was likely contrived because of its shock value," Echevarria said.

"This is just unbelievably macabre. I mean, how does someone do this not only to their own body but to the lives she kept creating and then aborting. How do you lose your sense of humanity to do such a thing?" Echevarria added.

She said Shvarts's project is also offensive to women who have had miscarriages and suffered the loss of a child they desperately wanted.

According to a Yale Daily News report, Shvarts won't reveal the names of the sperm donors and said they were checked for sexually transmitted diseases.

She said she wasn't concerned about the medical effect of the abortions -- even though the legal abortion drug RU 486 has killed 13 women worldwide and injured more than 1,200 in the United States alone.

Jonathan Serrato, a member of the campus pro-life group, told the Yale student newspaper he finds the concept disgusting.

"I feel that she's manipulating life for the benefit of her art, and I definitely don't support it," Serrato said. "I think it's morally wrong."

Yale University will have the project on public display from April 22 to May 1 and Shvarts' display will appear next to other senior art projects.

The Church Fathers of Mormonism

Orson Pratt said this :

there is no doubt that the holy ghost came upon mary to sanctify her and make her holy and prepare her to endure the glorious presence of the highest that when he should overshadow her she might conceive being filled with the holy ghost hence the angel said as recorded in matthew that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost that is the holy ghost gave her strength to abide the presence of the father without being consumed but it was the personage of the father who begat the body of jesus and for this reason jesus is called t the only begotten of the father that is the only one in this world whose fleshly body was begotten by the father there were millions of sons and daughters whom he begat before the foundation of this world but they were spirits and not bodies of flesh and bones whereas both the spirit and body of jesus were begotten by the father the spirit having been begotten in heaven many ages before the tabernacle was begotten upon the earth. The Seer Page 158.