I have found that many well meaning Christians improperly use 1 John 5:13 to assure people of their salvation. John wrote, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." It is a common practice to use this verse when a person makes a profession of faith. We tell them, that since they believe in the Son of God, they have eternal life. That is what the verse says, right? Yes! However, how can one be assured that they have truly believed in the Son of God? You can't know with this one isolated verse. It is possible to have the same type of belief that the demons have concerning the Son of God, and that is dangerous.
The key to being assured of your belief in the Son of God is found in these words, "These things I have written." You cannot be assured of your salvation without taking the whole letter into consideration and applying it. Then you can be assured that you have believed in the Son of God with a saving belief.
I believe that this verse is often used in a way that can possibly give false assurance to a person who is going to hell. When assuring someone of their salvation, don't use this isolated verse. Instead, use all the things John wrote in his letter. If they pass the series of test they can be assured that they have believed in the Son of God.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
5 Questions Concerning Your Prayer Life
Some of the most beautiful and convicting prayers in the Bible are the prayers of the apostle Paul. This particular one, from the book of Romans, really spoke to me, "I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen." (Romans 15:30-33). A few observations:
God speaks more about corporate prayer than private prayer. When Paul appeals to the Roman church he does so in the plural, not the singular. This means that the appeal to pray is for corporate prayer, not private prayer. You will see this truth in other commands as well. When Paul commands the Colossian church to "devote yourselves to prayer" (Col.4:2), it is for corporate, not private prayer. God's people need to heed the call for corporate prayer. May the church be called "a house of prayer"!
When we pray together we work together. Paul asked the Romans to "strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf." The word we translate "strive together" means to join with someone in a fight or a battle. When we pray for others, we enter the work of the gospel with them. Oh how we need this type of vision for our prayers. We need to see ourselves working with those to whom we are praying.
The spread of the gospel must be the passion of our prayers. We really can't understand Paul's request in these verses if we don't understand the larger context of the chapter. Paul said in an earlier verse, "I make my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ as already been named" (Romans 15:20). The place that he wanted to preach the gospel, according to Paul, "I will leave for Spain by way of you" (Romans 15:28). Paul wanted to go to Rome on his way to Spain. His passion was the spread of the gospel. Therefore, when Paul prays to be delivered from unbelievers and acceptable service with Jerusalem so that he can make it to Rome, the passion for these requests is the gospel spreading to people who have not heard the gospel.
Here are five questions I was confronted with as a made these observations:
How often does my church pray together? Do I participate?
Am I actively praying for others doing the work of the ministry?
Do my prayer requests have anything to do with the spread of the gospel?
Can I honestly say that the framework for all my requests is the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
I must confess, after answering these questions, the Lord has revealed changes that need to be made in my prayer life.
God speaks more about corporate prayer than private prayer. When Paul appeals to the Roman church he does so in the plural, not the singular. This means that the appeal to pray is for corporate prayer, not private prayer. You will see this truth in other commands as well. When Paul commands the Colossian church to "devote yourselves to prayer" (Col.4:2), it is for corporate, not private prayer. God's people need to heed the call for corporate prayer. May the church be called "a house of prayer"!
When we pray together we work together. Paul asked the Romans to "strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf." The word we translate "strive together" means to join with someone in a fight or a battle. When we pray for others, we enter the work of the gospel with them. Oh how we need this type of vision for our prayers. We need to see ourselves working with those to whom we are praying.
The spread of the gospel must be the passion of our prayers. We really can't understand Paul's request in these verses if we don't understand the larger context of the chapter. Paul said in an earlier verse, "I make my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ as already been named" (Romans 15:20). The place that he wanted to preach the gospel, according to Paul, "I will leave for Spain by way of you" (Romans 15:28). Paul wanted to go to Rome on his way to Spain. His passion was the spread of the gospel. Therefore, when Paul prays to be delivered from unbelievers and acceptable service with Jerusalem so that he can make it to Rome, the passion for these requests is the gospel spreading to people who have not heard the gospel.
Here are five questions I was confronted with as a made these observations:
How often does my church pray together? Do I participate?
Am I actively praying for others doing the work of the ministry?
Do my prayer requests have anything to do with the spread of the gospel?
Can I honestly say that the framework for all my requests is the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
I must confess, after answering these questions, the Lord has revealed changes that need to be made in my prayer life.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
My Confession To My Family
God has been breaking me. There is no other way of describing how I have felt the last three days at the pastors’ conference. I have met with God in a very special way, one that has been painful, yet, at the same time, very beneficial to the care of my soul.
The topic of the conference was “The Powerful Life of a Praying Pastor.” I have always been burdened with prayer; therefore, this was one conference I needed to attend. It is not just because of my burden, but also because of my struggle in the area of prayer. I needed a good kick in the pants to get me on track. I have been in a wilderness with my prayer and devotional life.
Where God started to break me was how I approach God. One speaker said that prayer is like crawling up in your father’s lap and whispering in his ears. I can’t fully communicate how that visual affected me, but with my limited abilities I will try.
The morning after hearing that visual, I woke up with great anticipation to spend some time with the Lord. I read the word and a started praying. I then tried to visual myself crawling up in my father’s lap and whispering in his ear. This is where a raw and deep pain came to the surface.
You see, I don’t know what it's like to have a father. My earthly father never showed me the love of a father. He didn't care for me, nor was he ever tender towards me. I just don’t know what a loving and caring father is like.
This pain is nothing new. About every two to four years it rises up and causes me to cry uncontrollable. Most of the pain comes from the fact that I, most likely, will never know what it likes to have a loving and caring earthly father. I envy sons and daughters who know that experience.
In spite of my experience, I do believe this pain has a divine purpose. God uses this pain to inspire me to be the kind of father I never had. I want my daughters to know that I love them, and that they can come to me at any time and sit in my lap and whisper in my ear. I so want to be that father for them, and for myself.
I want to be able to ask my daughters what it is like to have a loving and caring father. I want to hear their stories so that maybe, vicariously, I can experience what I never had. My greatest prayer is that God’s grace would spare them from any pain that may come from my imperfections.
As a husband and father, I want to start doing these things regularly. First, I want to pray more with my wife. I have struggled over the years in this area. It is time to get serious and pray with her, and to stop neglecting her spiritually. Second, though I pray for my daughters, I don’t pray with them. I need to start praying with them individually before they go to bed. I need to bless them with the blessings of the Lord so that they can know God is the only one who can help them. Third, I need to confess my humanness to them more often. My desire is for this letter to be a start.
The topic of the conference was “The Powerful Life of a Praying Pastor.” I have always been burdened with prayer; therefore, this was one conference I needed to attend. It is not just because of my burden, but also because of my struggle in the area of prayer. I needed a good kick in the pants to get me on track. I have been in a wilderness with my prayer and devotional life.
Where God started to break me was how I approach God. One speaker said that prayer is like crawling up in your father’s lap and whispering in his ears. I can’t fully communicate how that visual affected me, but with my limited abilities I will try.
The morning after hearing that visual, I woke up with great anticipation to spend some time with the Lord. I read the word and a started praying. I then tried to visual myself crawling up in my father’s lap and whispering in his ear. This is where a raw and deep pain came to the surface.
You see, I don’t know what it's like to have a father. My earthly father never showed me the love of a father. He didn't care for me, nor was he ever tender towards me. I just don’t know what a loving and caring father is like.
This pain is nothing new. About every two to four years it rises up and causes me to cry uncontrollable. Most of the pain comes from the fact that I, most likely, will never know what it likes to have a loving and caring earthly father. I envy sons and daughters who know that experience.
In spite of my experience, I do believe this pain has a divine purpose. God uses this pain to inspire me to be the kind of father I never had. I want my daughters to know that I love them, and that they can come to me at any time and sit in my lap and whisper in my ear. I so want to be that father for them, and for myself.
I want to be able to ask my daughters what it is like to have a loving and caring father. I want to hear their stories so that maybe, vicariously, I can experience what I never had. My greatest prayer is that God’s grace would spare them from any pain that may come from my imperfections.
As a husband and father, I want to start doing these things regularly. First, I want to pray more with my wife. I have struggled over the years in this area. It is time to get serious and pray with her, and to stop neglecting her spiritually. Second, though I pray for my daughters, I don’t pray with them. I need to start praying with them individually before they go to bed. I need to bless them with the blessings of the Lord so that they can know God is the only one who can help them. Third, I need to confess my humanness to them more often. My desire is for this letter to be a start.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Prayerless in Prayer
One of the most inspiring things for my Christian experience is to hear other Christians, especially those I admire and want to emulate, describe their struggle in the Christian life. This week, I have had the privilege attending the Desiring God Pastor's Conference. The topic of the week is prayer. Each speaker has described their struggle in their prayer life. I needed to hear those words for I have been struggling.
As one of the speakers said, I have been "prayer-less in my praying." God has dealt with me in the area of private prayer, family prayer, and corporate prayer. The area I was most convicted in was my family prayer. I need to be better and praying for my family and blessing them.
Joel Beeke gave some great advice to help us cultivate and maintain our prayer lives.
1. Remember the value of prayer.
2. Maintain the priority of prayer
3. Pray with sincerity
4. Cultivate a continual spirit of prayer
5. Work towards an organization in intercessory prayer
6. Read the Bible for prayer
7. Keep biblical balance in your prayers.
He concluded with these three exhortations: Plead the promises of God, cling to the Trinity in prayer, and believe that God answers prayer.
Faithless prayer is fruitless prayer.
These two days have been the kick in the pants I have needed in my prayer life.
As one of the speakers said, I have been "prayer-less in my praying." God has dealt with me in the area of private prayer, family prayer, and corporate prayer. The area I was most convicted in was my family prayer. I need to be better and praying for my family and blessing them.
Joel Beeke gave some great advice to help us cultivate and maintain our prayer lives.
1. Remember the value of prayer.
2. Maintain the priority of prayer
3. Pray with sincerity
4. Cultivate a continual spirit of prayer
5. Work towards an organization in intercessory prayer
6. Read the Bible for prayer
7. Keep biblical balance in your prayers.
He concluded with these three exhortations: Plead the promises of God, cling to the Trinity in prayer, and believe that God answers prayer.
Faithless prayer is fruitless prayer.
These two days have been the kick in the pants I have needed in my prayer life.
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