Happy (early) Reformation Day!

Happy Reformation Day!

October 31st is the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing up his 95 Thesis. Here they are if you would like to read them in Latin: Amore et studio elucidande veritas hec subscripta disputabuntur Wittenberge, Presidente R.P. Martino Lutter, Artium et S. Theologie Magistro eiusdemque ibidem lectore Ordinario. Quare petit, ut qui non possunt verbis presentes nobiscum disceptare agant id literis absentes. In nomine domini nostri Hiesu Christi. Amen.

Read more: http://www.luther.de/en/95th-lat.html

or in English: Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Read more: http://www.luther.de/en/95thesen.html

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The Almost Christian (Part 3)

B. What is implied by being altogether a Christian?

“What more than this, can be implied in the being a Christian altogether?” Three things: the love of God, the love of one’s neighbour, and faith. One has to love God with every ounce of emotion and action. One must “love the Lord your God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” One must love all people, friends and enemies, and we must do so with such sincerity that we love them as much as we do ourselves. We must have faith in God. We must have more than a belief in God. We must have a faith in Christ that even ‘purifies the heart’. Only then according to Wesley are we altogether a Christian.

This second list is not disconnected from the first. The attributes of the ‘almost a Christian’ are a subset of the ‘altogether a Christian’. Wesley acknowledges that even in his less affluent and less self-focussed times, that this is a difficult teaching. He lets us know as well that it is not enough that we have good designs desires to be a good Christian. He reminds us that indeed the road to hell is paved with such good intentions. We must truly have faith and a genuine for love God and our neighbour.

Is Wesley right and true? I believe so. Does this sermon preach today? Yes. Does it preach in North America today? I am not sure. I believe that this message is a holiness message that should encourage all the saints to persevere and not grow faint. I think that so many in our pews may not be included even in the ‘almost a Christian’ category of Wesley’s. I think that maybe this good and strong teaching is solid food for the soul but I think that maybe, in our society, we are not ready yet to be weaned of the spiritual milk. I think this is all true but that maybe we need to first encourage our people to wear the white milk moustaches of prayer and Bible study and as we continue to seek His Kingdom in that way, we will eventually be ready for Wesley’s meat and potatoes.

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The Almost Christian (Part 2)

A. What is implied by being almost a Christian?

Wesley’s description of the ‘almost Christian’ includes three traits, the first of which is ‘heathen honesty’. Immediately one is drawn into his discussion, for one does not necessarily in our contemporary society equate heathens and honesty whereas Wesley describes them as more honest than many people even in the churches these days. Heathen honesty encompasses refraining from the following acts: being unjust, taking from one’s neighbour, oppressing the poor or the rich, defrauding anyone at all and – insofar as possible – owing anyone anything. The common heathen also acknowledges truth and justice and does not think highly of liars. They can also expect love and assistance from each other: they will feed the hungry and clothe the naked and give away all that they don’t need. One may engage in all these elements of ‘heathen honesty’ and still be only ‘almost a Christian’.

The second trait that defines the ‘almost Christian’ is a form of godliness. One displays this by doing nothing that the gospel forbids. Wesley presents a long list of sins that will be avoided including, among the obvious, those which one would not necessarily attribute to the heathen such as refraining from taking the Lord’s name in vain. The heathen ‘almost Christian’, Wesley claims, not only does not profane the day of the Lord but even does not allow strangers to profane it. How many in our churches fail to live up to the heathen standard here by causing others to work on the Lord’s Day as we have lunch at a restaurant after the service? Wesley explains further that the ‘almost Christian’ will refrain from excesses, revelling and gluttony. How many in our own ranks of TSA Officers have the waistline or knowledge of TV shows that can only be gained by being less than the ‘almost Christian’? Wesley does not stop here. He continues in defining the ‘almost Christian’ as one who “whatsoever his hand findeth to do, he doeth it with his might”: one is not slothful. The ‘almost Christian’ also leads people to Christ and encourages them towards holiness and yet is still only ‘almost Christian’. One goes to church and one leads one’s family in prayer and still one is not even achieved ‘almost a Christian’ status (Outler & Heitzenrater 1991, 66). There is more.

To be ‘almost a Christian’ one still needs a third trait: sincere faith. It is only when one has this “real inward principal of religion, from whence these outward actions flow” that we may indeed obtain the status of ‘almost a Christian.’ Quoting a heathen Epicurean poet: “Good men avoid sin from the love of virtue. Wicked men avoid sin from a fear of punishment.” According to Wesley, one can – on top of all that has already been discussed “have a sincere view of pleasing God in all things” and still only be ‘almost a Christian.’ Wesley then asks the question that most of us, I’m sure, would ask at this point and that is: “Is it possible that any man living should go so far as this, and, nevertheless, be only almost a Christian?” (Outler & Heitzenrater 1991,67).

'The Almost Christian' by John Wesley (Part 1)

Preached at St. Mary’s Oxford, before the University, on July 25, 1741.

Presented to William and Catherine Booth College (2008) by Captain Michael Ramsay

Sermon 2 by John Wesley launches into his discussion of what defines a Christian from the base of Acts 26:28 : 'Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian'

The primary metaphor that Wesley uses to unite the discussion is a description of one whom he defines as the ‘almost Christian’. This is a wonderful vehicle for the discussion; as he compares her/him to the ‘altogether Christian,’ it demands that the hearer/reader pay more attention than if Wesley had merely launched into a discourse of faith versus works. Most readers/listeners, I would imagine, at some point during the description of the ‘almost Christian’ would have cause to ask, as Wesley articulates “Is it possible that any man living should go so far as this, and, nevertheless, be only almost a Christian? What more than this, can be implied in the being a Christian altogether? ” (Outler & Heitzenrater 1991, 65).

Wesley divided this sermon into two major sections, each of which attempts to answer questions he raises from Acts 26:28:

A. What is implied by being almost a Christian?

B. What is implied by being altogether a Christian?

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Are you a Christian? (Armybarmy rerun)

from http://www.armybarmy.com/

I stumbled upon this old article recently:----I am a Christian. No big deal, you say? Isn’t everyone? Well, no. In fact, it’s a relatively small group. I know we’ve stretched the meaning of the word so that it includes everyone who goes to church, everyone who’s been baptized, everyone who votes a certain way, everyone born in certain western countries. But it’s nothing like that at all. There are specific fundamentals to which someone who is a Christian commits. These fundamentals distinguish such a person from these other bloated groups. Let’s see if we can narrow down the collection of “Christians” to those who really are.

The first fundamental is the infallibility of Scripture. The Bible is true. It is the inspired Word of God. In its original manuscripts there are no errors at all. And the Bible is the only divine rule of Christian faith and practice. That will exclude heaps of people. Don’t buy any arguments you hear about the Bible changing over the centuries. Those are the statements of the ignorant. And don’t buy that the Bible’s teachings are out of date, that they are no longer valid because they failed to keep up with changes in culture. The Bible was affirming that the earth is a sphere even when, in the day of Columbus, the culture was claiming that it was flat. Truth is not determined by consensus.

The second fundamental is the Deity of Christ. That means Jesus is God. As the prophet Isaiah says, He is the mighty God, the everlasting Father. I know, I know; that excludes all the cults that claim Him variously as angel, prophet, enlightened one, or other such created being. It’s a radical thing to say, certainly not politically correct. But I’m afraid that’s it. Christians believe that Jesus is God.

The third fundamental is the Virgin Birth and the miracles of Christ. Now if you buy into the first two fundamentals this one is no big deal, since the Bible explains the virgin birth and Jesus as God can obviously pull off miracles. As you might imagine though, this is a big stretch for our ‘educated’ society. I mean, how can a virgin have a baby? But we’re dealing with God here, not your experience. The Former is a bit larger than the latter.

The fourth is Christ’s propitiatory death. Wow! Jesus didn’t die just as an example for us. He didn’t die by mistake. He didn’t die as a martyr to a cause. He didn’t die for political reasons. He died just because you and I - and everyone else - bear a MUCH closer resemblance to Adolph Hitler than we do to Jesus Christ, and He wants to change that. You see, we’re all in our natural state chock full of sin. Our sin separates us from God. Jesus died in our place so that our sins can be forgiven and we can be reconciled with God through repentance and faith.

The last fundamental is Christ’s physical resurrection and eventual return. Jesus actually came back to life, nail puncture holes and everything! It was a huge miracle. There were 500 eye witnesses. And He’s coming back like He promised. In the meantime we needn’t complain about who is not included, even if you are in that number. Instead, I invite you to consider these fundamentals of orthodox Christian belief. I invite you to submit to the living God, Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, described in the infallible Scriptures, who died so that you may be saved, came physically back to life, and who is coming back. Ask Him to forgive you and change you, today.

----Who put the fun back into fundamentalism! :-)

from Armybarmy

previously run on this blog Saturday October 18, 2008

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We'll be away for a while

Here's some reading for you (if you like) while we're gone:

Articles and Papers:
www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
Sermons:
http://www.sheepspeak.com/sermons.htm
More Sermons:
http://www.sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/
Comics and Rations:
http://www.drwas.blogspot.com/
Everything:
http://www.sheepspeak.com/

Enjoy!

Why do I turn to substances for Help

The Nipawin Journal, December 2007.
By Captain Michael Ramsay

Why do I turn to substances for help?

This is a question that I have actually heard quite a bit in my life. I was privileged to be invited to a birthday party at AA recently and at these celebrations one hears, among other things, the remarkable stories of success as the Lord delivers people from our addictions.

Prior to coming here we served in Winnipeg’s North End, Stony Mountain Penitentiary, and Vancouver’s downtown eastside with The Salvation Army. There are many stories. Some are of wonderful successes as the Lord transforms lives and some are of daily struggles that continue for a lifetime.

I think of friends from our time on Vancouver Island. The day she and her husband accepted the Lord she stood up sober and never turned back. He has fought almost everyday to defend his sobriety: It is a struggle.

To some of us, substances possess a Siren-like song: this song has such a powerful draw. In Greek mythology, the Sirens are creatures with the head of a woman and the body of a bird. They live on islands and with their irresistible song lure mariners to their destruction as they crash on the rocks near their island.

We have seen people as young as elementary school age who have been tempted by this Siren song to a slow (or quick) slide into ‘skid row’ and many of my friends from prison wound up there, in part, because they succumbed to substance’s Siren song; for them the Siren’s song ended in the song of sirens coming to take them away.

Myself even, I confess, there are days when a part of me would really like the temporary release that substances seem to offer but, with the Lord’s help, I will continue to persevere and I will finish the race – clean.

I have a friend who continuously asks me if it ever gets easy; I have another friend who reminds me that it is just one day at a time. One thing that I have noticed about substances and other struggles in our lives is that the more we turn to the Lord, the easier it becomes to resist temptation and on the days when we lose the battle with temptation, it is very important that we don’t surrender the war. With the Lord, our walk truly is one day at a time.

www.sheepspeak.com

Hebrews 8: Covenant, Milkshakes and the New World Order (PART 7)

What is this new covenant?

Since this old covenant did not give us the Heavenly milkshake, what about the new covenant? What is it? Can God use the new covenant as a way to share the milkshake of eternal life with us? What is this new covenant that is God’s seemingly new idea? Firstly we should note that it’s not really a new idea at all.[15] God knew all along that He would eventually implement this new covenant. He knew this even before He put the old one in place but this new one comes into place with Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection (cf. Genesis 15:7-21; Jeremiah 34:18-20; Romans 7:1-7).[16] Jesus’ death fulfils the old covenant: it is finished (John 19:30). The old one – as bad as we were at living up to it - was not thrown out before it was finished; it was only discarded after it was completed on the cross.

It is like with our children. Our girls are only 7 and 8 right now but we know that someday there will be curfews and guidelines for using the car but there is no need for those to come into place just yet. We know this new order will eventually be coming to our home; it is not here yet but it is inevitable. Likewise, God knew that this new covenant was inevitable even before He made the old one.[17]

As far as my children are concerned, even further down the road (and probably an even better analogy to God’s new covenant), relating to these curfews and guidelines for driving the car that we will eventually have for our girls: there will come a time when even these rules will no longer be needed. Our children will grow up and be ready to have a relationship with us, and the world, as responsible adults. If we do our job as parents, then our children will grow up to love God, read their Bibles, love their neighbour and clean up after themselves – all on their own, without our rules to make them do it. They will do their chores and assignments as adults living and working in the world without us needing us to enforce our old house rules. (If we try to enforce our old house rules after our children have moved out, it will not work: our whole relationship with our children will inevitably fail.) This is what the Law and the old covenant is like; it was only good until the enactment of the new covenant at the advent of Christ (Galatians 3:24-25). The advent of Christ is like humanity’s coming of age – it is our growing up, our leaving home for the final time (Galatians 4:4).[18]

Paul tells us in Galatians 3:23-25 that the old covenant and the Law was needed but that the people were being imprisoned and guarded by the Law. He says that the Law –depending upon your translation -was our guard, our disciplinarian, our custodian, or some translations even say our schoolteacher. In Galatians 4, the Apostle Paul goes on to explain the Law as if it were this guardian servant who is the tutor of a small child. The guardian servant only has any authority until the child is grown, then the child has authority over her servant. And now we are here today; we are like the twenty-something year-old son or daughter who is making her way in the world today without our tutor, without our teacher, without our parents’ house rules but still with our Heavenly Father’s very real love. This is what the new covenant is. We no longer have the house rules to follow but because God raised us well, we can read our family history (the Bible) and because we are His children we can live the way He would have us live and this is good (1 Thessalonians 5:12-24). And the really good thing too is that – just like a Christian parent of an adult child – if for some reason we do become confused in life, we can always come to God. God is even closer than a phone call away; God is as close as a prayer.

Let us call upon Him now.

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