Church Sign Theology

So, Megan and I were driving down the road ... well, perhaps we were driving up the road, it's always hard to tell .... when we passed the local Catholic Church. They have one of those signs with removable letters that sits perpendicular to the highway. It's a nicely constructed sign and they often post Bible verses for passers-by to read. I have often wished that the local Protestant Churches would follow suit and stop posting inane slogans like, "Come In, We're Prayer Conditioned" --- or my currrent favorite (if that's the right word) "Jesus is Like Bayer Aspirin; He Works Miracles!"

Anyway, when the local Catholics do wander away from plain Bible verses, they usually post something vaguely theological. This week the sign reads:

"GOD DID NOT CREATE YOU TO LOSE YOU."

Megan turned to me and said, "Something is very wrong with that statement." And she's right. Read it again and see if you can figure out what's wrong with it.

This statement assumes that God is a pitiful weakling who tried His best to hang on to His people, but simply couldn't. It also assumes that everyone is created essentially "saved." Everyone is good and was created by God with the intention that they would remain with HIm forever. However, through no apparent fault of His own, God was not able to secure everyone eternally. Their sin, their will, or their rebellious nature eventually caused God to say, "That's it, I'm through with you! I created you with the intention of keeping you, but I am simply unable or unwilling to continue my original course of action." In other words, God changes His mind.

Of course, this is in direct conflict with the Biblical statement, "For I am the LORD, I change not." (Mal. 3:6) Or, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Heb 13:8)

It's just bad theology. The simple reality is that God makes certain people for certain purposes and destinies. That is the whole point of the Potter/clay metaphor that shows up in Jeremiah, Isaiah and Romans. Paul writes:

" Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles." (Rom. 9:21-25)

The Biblical record clealy states that God creates, from one lump, two types of vessels; one for honor and one for common use. One type of pot is created for mercy, "prepared beforehand for glory," while the other type is "prepared for destruction." It is simply not true that God makes all people with the same purpose in mind.

Consequently, we can argue textually that God never loses anyone at all. Every person He designed for eternal life in glory will receive exactly that. Those who are lost were never intended for glory. God loses nothing.

I prefer the Pauline theology that says, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)

The Lord of glory speaks like this - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." (John 10:27-30)

That is the sort of strength, integrity and surety that genuine Christianity proclaims. To say anything less is to insult the majesty and sovereignty of God.

We need more church signs that say that.

J.C. Ryle and Bible Study

This quote was recently forwarded to me from one of our good friends in California (affectiontely known as "the left coast"). It has to do with the necessity of studying Scripture with diligence and commitment, a practice that appears to be lacking in so much of modern Christianity. Among the new breed of Evangelical gnositc mystics, the Word of God is secondary to personal revelation, regardless of how un-Biblical the supposed revelation is.

On the other hand, the church is populated with people who prefer their traditions over what the Bible plainly states. Such folk are absolute adamant in their convictions and refuse to even entertain anything from Scripture that rubs against what they suppose to be true.

Just last week I had a conversation with nice fellow who repeatedly called himself "a student of the Bible." He was an older gentleman, born and raised in the Southern Baptist Church. While he knew I was a pastor, and called me by that name, he obviously didn't know what I taught or believed. He commented on a mutual friend - a member of GCA - and said, "You know, he's really caught up in all the 'election' stuff. Of course, I know there are parts of the Bible that might seem to say that, but I just can't accept it. It doesn't make room for any man's free will."

And, that's pretty much where his Bible study stopped. As soon as Scripture appeared to disrupt the assumptions he held dear, he rejected it. I have had these sort of encounters more times than I can count and they always leave me scratching my head. I mean, if you call yourself Christian, then it's necessary to recognize that Christianity is defined by the Bible. And anywhere that you and the Bible disagree, one of you is wrong. And, it's always you.

Biblical ignorance is no hinderance to most churches. They simply plow forward, restating the same errors until the mere repitition makes them seem true. But, the failure to read, study, ingest and align ourselves with Scripture can only result in Biblical ignorance disguised as genuine love and affection for the Word.

Biblical ignorance is so widespread that people simply don't hold their preachers accountable to the Word. And that's tragic. I mean, if I went to a doctor and he said he thought I had a disease, but he wasn't sure because he hadn't finished reading his medical books, I would run for the door. Yet, millions of people leave their eternal well-being in the hands of men who are equally ignorant of the fundamental texts that define the true faith of Christ.

Anyway, J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) said it much better than I. Here is the conclusion of his exegesis of 2 Corinthians 11:3 - "I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

Apparently, very little has changed in 100 years.

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In the first place, if we would be kept from falling into false doctrine, "let us arm our minds with a thorough knowledge of God's Word." Let us read our Bibles from beginning to end with daily diligence, and constant prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and so strive to become thoroughly familiar with their contents. Ignorance of the Bible is the root of all error, and a superficial acquaintance with it accounts for many of the sad perversions and defections of the present day. In a hurrying age of travel and communication, I am firmly persuaded that many Christians do not give time enough to private reading of the Scriptures.

I believe seriously that English people knew their Bibles better two hundred years ago than they do now. The consequence is, that they are "tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching," and fall an easy prey to the first clever teacher of error who tries to influence their minds. I entreat my readers to remember this counsel, and take heed to their ways.

It is as true now as ever, that the person who is versed in, or adheres strictly to, the text of the Bible, is the only good theologian, and that a familiarity with great Scriptures, is, as our Lord proved in the temptation, one of the best safeguards against error. Arm yourself then
with the sword of the Spirit, and let your hand become used to it. I am well aware that there is no royal road to Bible-knowledge. Without diligence and pains no one ever becomes "mighty in the Scriptures."

"Justification," said Charles Simeon, with his characteristic quaintness, "is by faith, but knowledge of the Bible comes by works," But of one thing I am certain: there is no labor which will be so richly repaid as laborious regular daily study of God's Word.

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This quote was taken from: www.biblebb.com/files/ryle/WARN7.TXT