I would be depressed if it weren't for the resurrection. Seriously.

"When a saint dies, he has no cause at all to grieve because he leaves his friends and relations whom he dearly loves; for he doth not properly leave them, he enjoys them still in Christ, because every thing that he loves in them, and loves them for, is in Christ in an infinite degree, whether it be in nearness of relation, or any perfection and good received, or love in us, or a likeness in disposition, or whatever is a rational ground of love." -Jonathan Edwards

For eternity, I will be able to enjoy and love my brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t have to worry about the little time on earth that I get with them.

Ministries vs Minstry

As I was clearing out my emails, I read a few of the ministry updates that also ask for money. Some of these emails are from legit missions organizations, and I am all about that. (Really, I would love to convince you to give your money away for missions.) And the other organizations I get emails from (Ligonier, White Horse Inn, etc.) are legit too (otherwise I wouldn’t let them email me). But the amount of these ministries seems to get overwhelming.
So, I’m not against any ministry; they are good and God uses them. But I wonder if we have let these para-church ministries become so predominant in our thinking that it detracts from the life of the church. This is a gut-feeling post, not an analytical fact-based post.
I feel I know lots of people (or maybe this is all just me in my head) that want to make ministries that do this and that cool thing for the Lord, for the Gospel. Great, let’s spread the Gospel and do these great things. As the number of ministries go up, so do the number of financial needs, the need for monthly donors. So yeah, maybe I just wish that I could somehow support all these legit ministries (in addition to the missions organizations and missionaries) myself every month, but I think there is something more.
What would happen if many of these full-time support-raising entrepreneurial ministry-minded people devoted their time to working a job that makes money, and then they gave their life and limb and soul to the people in their local church. Instead of trying to reach thousands, they invested themselves into a few (Jesus picked 12, with a focus on 3). #discipleship
Are these mutually exclusive? Obviously not.
But let’s get personal. I’m just using this to preach to myself. I would love to do full time ministry!!! I would love to devote my time to my church or to being part of a Christian organization/college. Any of these would be super exciting! I would love to drop my mundane engineering lab reports and go plan events to minister to people, and spend time listening and loving others, and lead people deeper into God’s word.
Instead, I have a pre-lab due tomorrow.
Is either option better? I hope not. I believe God has gifted me to be an engineer. And I pray God does great things through the money that will come through my hours of laboring down the road. Will I vocationally be only an engineer for the rest of my life? Only God knows. But for now, that is where he is working and it is good. And being an engineer does not mean that I have to opt-out of the Great Commission! In fact, I have a unique area of God’s creation to handle, and in this I can still be a part of “teaching them to observe all that [Jesus has] commanded.”
I want to see more people who are die-hard for ministering to the church, building it up (read Ephesians), and are fully committed blue and white collar workers. [And I have hardly even brought up the role of these occupations have in the kingdom of God, but that is for another time #culturalmandate.]
Instead of thinking about what kind of ministry you can be a part of, consider how you can best build up your brothers and sisters around you, who can disciple you, who you can disciple, who needs to know the love of Jesus. All these things that we are called to can (AND OUGHT) to be done in all vocational varieties. We are all called to lives full of ministry even if you are not called to full-time ministry.
Just to make it clear, there are not two types of people: ministry-people (missionaries, pastors, etc) and the lay-people. We are all part of the same body, and we all have different functions. But NONE of those functions is to work a job, give away all your money for ministry/missions, and then to sit around. We are all called to ministry (being a member of the body of Christ), we are all called to disciple-making (fulfilling the Great Commission).

Imitating God in Christ

Link: Imitating God in Christ

Dr. Jason B. Hood speaks about the imitation of Christ, based on the biblical theology. The teaching of imitation is sometimes clouded by a “gospel-centered” focus on justification that loses sight of the importance of sanctification in salvation. Dr. Hood clears away these misconceptions to show how the indicative of Christ’s person and work is consistent with the imperative of imitation of Christ, tracing it back to the image of God.

God designed us in his image so that we may be like him. It started in Genesis and it will continue for eternity. Even creation is waiting for humans to rule rightly as God designed! “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:19

Salvation and Christ-centered moral-living are not separate. As Christians, we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. By God’s grace, that starts upon initial repentance and faith in Christ.

Antinomianism and Reformed Theology

Link: Antinomianism and Reformed Theology

Antinomian (against all laws) thinking is rooted in a weak view of the person of Christ and leads to reducing sanctification to justification. Dr. Jones addresses Martin Luther’s relationship to antinomianism, the relationship between theology and practice, and the necessity of good works for salvation. …

This is such a good listen! Antinomianism has slipped into the gospel community, and this provides the right direction to understand faith, good works and the good sanctifying grace of Jesus.

Blessed

Oh how humbling that God would use a poor wretch like me, use me to be a vessel of mercy. That my life might be something good, but it isn’t because of me, but because God is gracious and has a plan for those who love him. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Romans 8:29

"Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? " Romans 8:34-35

Home is where the heart aches?

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us...

…cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. - 2 Cor. 7:1

And what exactly are these promises, these sweet promises that are yes and amen in Jesus?!

For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:16-18)