God Forgives
The Good News

Brief Thoughts
Thoughts on God and Man

Stories for Children (and Adults!)
Little Cheese and Little Mouse
The Silver Dragon

Poetry
A Heavenly Problem
Bright Morning Star
Divine Calling
Driven!
I Need A Prophet
Laboring With God
Lightening, Thunder, and Rain
Lord of This Sabbath
Morbid No More
Reality
Rejection
Seed Life
Spiritual Ecstasy
The Book I Avoid
There Is No King Like Jesus
To Be and To Be Becoming
Treasure to Him

Prayers and Meditations
A Return to Workday Bliss
Children: Arrows of Love
Depressed
For Spirual Sustenance
Influence
Last on My List
Prayer of a Little Man
The Book I Avoid
Who God Is

Short Writings
Are They in Heaven?
First, Explain the Gospel
Leaving "Me" Behind
Seeing the Invisible
True Christianity

Reformed Q & A
Why Listen To Christians?
I'm Happy. Why Bother Me?
Can You Prove God Exists?
Is God Nature?
A New Creation? Really?
How Loved Are Christians?
I Can't Find My Work Passion!

Quotes from the Great Jonathan Edwards
On Justification

Misc.
Some Wisdom from Family

Without going into any history, what is called the Five Points of Calvinism refers to Biblical doctrines which are taught using the acrostic TULIP. These points describe a significant and faithful perspective on how Christians are saved from their sins and hell. In short order, they are:

T- Total Depravity.Total Depravity means that we are born spiritually dead, having no true love for God in our hearts and unable to will it. By "Total" we should not surmise that we are as depraved or bad as we could possibly be. In mercy God restrains us from acting out on our core principle of (usually psychologically suppressed) hatred towards Him. Thus, we still have things like our consciences, the beauty of this world, and even public opinion to help reign in the various expressions of our depraved nature. "I would feel so guilty, therefore I will not do it." Yet we are still radically sinful and evil: we lack a Spirit-given love for God. Even things which we consider good works are ultimately evil unless we are Christians and we do them with the power and love of God in our hearts. Only acts done out of supernatural love to God can glorify God. Until then we are spirtitual dead, and like a corpse we are unable to make ourselves live.

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." (Ephesians 2:1-3, NASB)

"...because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:7-8, NASB)

U- Unconditional Election. God has chosen who He is going to save. He did this not after watching us for a while, but before He even made the world and universe. In fact, He has eternally predetermined who He was going to save. This choice of His, this election, is unconditional. That is, it is not based on foreseeing anything we would be or do, or not be or do. There was nothing in the elect people to induce God to choose them. His choice, because He alone is God and Maker of all, was according to the council of His own will, according to His own good pleasure. Is this fair? Fair means getting what one deserves. Everyone, including the elect, deserves Hell. We have all offended the holy God and King. We have harshly dashed to pieces His beautiful image in us. Hell is fair for everyone. What the elect people get is grace, which means they get better than they deserve to get. He has the right to do as He wants with His own creations, and has chosen to save some out of the goodness of His heart and for His own infinitely deserved glorification.

"...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will..." (Ephesians 1:4-5, NASB)

"And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." (Romans 9:10-16, NASB)

L- Limited Atonement. This refers to the work Jesus, the Son of God, did for the elect- and only the elect- on the cross. Evil must be punished, so Jesus humbled Himself to take a legal attribution of the elect's sins to Himself, and then suffer the consequences for their sins. In obedience to His Father, Jesus sacrificed His perfect Self on a Roman cross for those God unconditionally elected. The "Limited" refers to the fact that the purpose and therefore efficacy of Jesus's death was to save the elect, and no one else. That death was not, however, limited with respect to how fully it atoned for the elect's sins. The sins of the elect were fully paid for, once and for all, by Jesus giving Himself for them as a substitute. He did not die for all people provisionally (providing they eventually believe), but for the elect conclusively: He purchased them, and thus they will, in God's time, become believers.

"...for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (Revelations 5:9, NASD)

"I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours..." (John 17:9, NASB)

"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep ...I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me ...and I lay down My life for the sheep. (John 10:11, 14, 15, NASB)

I- Irresistible Calling. When in the course of their lives the elect are finally called by God to turn from their sin and instead embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior, the elect will have no success in thwarting God's call. Though they are born spiritually dead and their sin nature makes them run from God the Holy One, God nevertheless graciously invades their hearts by His Word and Holy Spirit and they are become spiritually alive. They begin to have their first true affections for Him, whereas previously they had been unable to love Him. They receive, by God's action alone, and not by any cooperation from themselves, a new core nature which disposes them to love God. God does it all. The elect's belief, trust, and love for Christ is their own, but it was enabled by God first changing their hearts unilaterally, without their cooperation. At that point they can not help but to see the goodness, grace, and beauty of God, and so, they trust in Him with joy.

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:44, NASB)

"When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48, NASB)

P- Perseverance of the Saints. Once called and converted to the love of God, the Christian will certainly continue to love and follow Him for the rest of their time here, and hereafter. They will come up against countless temptations from the world, their own residual sinfulness, and demonic enemies, but it is impossible that they would utterly fall away from God's love. They will persevere because God has promised to preserve them in His Fatherly love. False Christians and disobedient churches will give the appearance of falling away, but such never had been saved in the first place. One cannot fall away from what one never had. These can only fall away in the sense that they eventually reject the means of grace- the written Word, the church, the sacraments, prayer, fellowship, and worship. But true love never fails. God's love for the elect and the elects' love for God- such a tie can never be broken.

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40, NASB)

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 1:6, NASB)

"...and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:30, NASB)

"What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas." There is a herd mentality in America that thinks this is a good or at least useful rule to live by with regard to the Nevadan city. Why tell what happened and ruin everything back home? Why should indulgent times in Sin City ruin the more constrained lifestyle and comforts back home at Mundane City?

Sadly, it seems we think it is the modern American's right to get away from the rat race on occasion and sin it up, then not tell. But there are people who deserve to know what happened in Vegas, or at the workplace, or in the basement of our own homes- spouses, and perhaps others. If we don't think others deserve to know, then we are lying to ourselves, and not just others.

Perhaps this specific self-deception is rooted in a more general one: "What they don't know won't hurt them." Or, "If I tell them, the only 'good' it will do is hurt them." These rules of thumb may rightly apply to the lesser unsavory thoughts, feelings, and minor actions we often have. But to use the rules as grounds for not confessing big sins is foolhardy. God's Word says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." (James 5:16, NASD)

We have become a nation of private indulgence. It is all about selfishness. Our children are no more selfish than we are, and they do much less harm by their childishness. We hide, and deal with our shame by a layer or rationalizations. But we will eventually be publicly ashamed. We will eventually pay the price both in our personal lives and as a nation. We will pay the price in this life- cold relationships, haunted consciences, depression, addiction, and so forth. But the ultimate Pay Day, a day of perfect justice, is still to come upon our heads- unless, of course, we go and tell Jesus what happened, and ask His forgiveness. And then, out of thankfulness for His forgiveness, resolve whole-heartedly never to live that way again. We still must tell others who we have sinned against, and suffer the consequences. King David of the Old Testament brought hard times on his family by his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah. But there will be no Hell to fear for those who go to Christ now and ask His merciful pardon.

Our consciences give us a clue that retributive justice is coming for those who do not know Christ and will never turn to Him. The apostle Paul wrote: "They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my Gospel, God judges the secrets of men in Christ Jesus." (Romans 2: 15- 16). The Bible is always reminding the world that all mankind will one day stand before the judgement seat of God- His great, white, omnipotent Throne. There we will have all our secrets exposed in front of the whole creation- everybody and everything. Our little sins- not to mention the ones that are more prone to occur in Vegas- will not stay hidden.

Nothing that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We can kid ourselves, but then we will be denying biblical reality. May we not keep pushing out of our minds that which we know deep inside: we will have to give an account to the Lord for every secret thought, word, deed, and feeling. Our only hope is that we confess our sins to God now- all of them- and plead for the blood of Jesus, Who died in the place of sinners, to wash us clean. Then, in the courage of God's sure forgiveness, we can confess our greater sins to those who have a right to know of them. There may be great turmoil upon confession, and perhaps for months and years to come, but at least we will be living honestly in the truth of God, with a good conscience, and eventually our days will flow into eternity with peace like a river.

"Rooted in grace for a lifetime of ministry." This is the stated goal Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis has for each of its' students. Having seen this phrase on a business card recently, I was nailed between the eyes: GRACE is the foundational and overarching answer to all my problems. I'm still learning the basics! I need to love others with the grace with which I have received from Christ and even from other people. In a sense, grace in Christ is the only thing I should be focused on.

It's not like grace is the only thing in the Bible (there is law, for example), or that it is the only perspective on the whole of the Bible, but what is important to regrasp is that I have only received the grace, not the law or its' condemnation. I can read the Bible for all that is in there, but in that true story, that history, I play the part of a recipient of grace, and so I should always "let it" feed me its' grace, even in reading about God's glorious judgment.

God has related to me and other Christians in a special way, absorbing on the cross- in Christ His beloved Son- all the law, with its wrath, leaving no other way to relate to me but gracious, overflowing, endless love! The law is now a guidepost for me, showing me what righteousness looks like, nothing more or less. The law cannot "get" me now- I've already been set free and escaped into Heaven! In Christ, I'm already seated above all condemnation, legalism, moralism, snobbery, and judgmentalism. It is finished in Him!

And so, what have I to express to others but grace? Grace, Grace, Grace. This is my aim and my joy. If there is anything lacking in other people, it deserves my wholehearted grace. The Lord knows that many have been very abundant to me in my innumerable sins and deficiencies. In their grace they have literally been little saviors to me, saints sent from God to love this child that He has loved despite his countless demerits.

God has rooted me in grace and I, in turn, want to make my life one of abundant grace, through ministry to others.