Live in fear, but don't be afraid. Credit: Mike Measley, Evangelical Free Bible Church 1 Peter 1:13–21 (NET) CONTEXT: We read the passage that follows this one, which told us of the spiritual teflon that protects your soul from being stained by your ongoing sin, earlier this week. Our focus today is what it means to, as Paul writes in Philippians 2:12 , work out your salvation with fear and trembling . 13  Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14  Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance, 15  but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, 16  for it is written, “ You shall be holy, because I am holy .” 17  And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence [Literally: phobos (fear)]. 18  You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19  but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. 20  He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21  Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 7: Renewal to Repentance God preserves in His saints when they fall his imperishable seed from which they have been born again, lest it perish or be dislodged. Also, by His Word and Spirit he certainly and effectively renews them to repentance so that they have a heartfelt and godly sorrow for the sins they have committed; they seek and obtain, through faith and with a contrite heart, forgiveness in the blood of the Mediator; they experience again the grace of a reconciled God; they through faith adore his mercies; and that they from then on more eagerly work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Summary It seems like we always feel the need to explain that when the Bible calls God's people to live in fear , which it so often does, that it doesn't really mean what it says. After all, the whole idea of living in fear seems contrary to the Bible's message of confidence that comes from having peace with our Sovereign God and Father. So the Greek word phobos , which clearly means fear , often gets watered down in to words like awe, respect or reverence, as the editors of the NET Bible did here. But today's passage from Peter's first letter really explains well how it is that you're to, as the Canons put it echoing Philippians 2, more eagerly work out your own salvation with fear and trembling . And in general, the NET Bible translated the passage really well. This godly fear  certainly isn't a terror or dread, but rather an attitude of total focus and single minded devotion to God. It begins, as we've seen so often as we read the Bible together each day, with how you think. Peter implores you to get your mind ready for action! Christianity is not a passive, sit back and relax type of lifestyle! You're called to action by becoming holy in all of your conduct. And this action begins by dialing your mind in. To do this, writes Peter, set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. In other words, keep your eye on the prize. Stop complying with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance , and instead live out the time of your temporary residence here in fear!   Dig Deeper   Comfort breeds complacency. Most car wrecks occur very close to where the driver lives because the familiarity of the area makes it so much easier to be distracted. But when you're driving through an unfamiliar or more difficult area, you're driving with an increased sense of fear. This sort of fear doesn't paralyze you with a feeling of doom (if it does, maybe you better let somebody else drive!), but it heightens all of your senses and makes you a better driver. Think of the times where life seemed to be crashing in on you. Maybe it was an illness, injury or financial crisis. Remember how much more you prayed and relied on the Lord during that time of trial? And now that the Lord has delivered you from that season, you can see how He strengthened you through it as you fearfully relied on Him. That's what Peter has in mind here; live with this fear -filled intensity every day! But that's so hard to do so when life is, for the most part, so comfortable. This comfort so easily blinds you to the reality of this world, which Peter describes as ignorant; a temporary residence, an empty way of life, filled with perishable things. Remember that you were ransomed - bought at a tremendously high price - by the precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ . Battle those evil urges you used to follow when you lived in ignorance - those comfortable urges that lull you sleep and put you in grave danger - and live out the time of your temporary residence here in a healthy, godly fear . AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the desire to get your minds ready for action so that you live each day in godly fear; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Thessalonians 1

You need to care enough to hurt carefully. Paul was not Minnesota nice. Image credit 2 Corinthians 7:8–13 (NIV) 8  Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9   yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11  See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12  So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13  By all this we are encouraged. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 7: Renewal to Repentance God preserves in His saints when they fall his imperishable seed from which they have been born again, lest it perish or be dislodged. Also, by His Word and Spirit he certainly and effectively renews them to repentance so that they have a heartfelt and godly sorrow for the sins they have committed; they seek and obtain, through faith and with a contrite heart, forgiveness in the blood of the Mediator; they experience again the grace of a reconciled God; they through faith adore his mercies; and that they from then on more eagerly work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Summary I suppose there may be some people who don't care about the pain their critical words impart, but thankfully most people do. At least here in Minnesota they do, anyways. Here most of us are on the other extreme of this spectrum, mortified by the thought of causing offense and worldly sorrow , so too often we bite our lip when we ought to offer sound, albeit critical, advice. As it so often does, the narrow road of discipleship navigates right down the middle, directly between the poles. Certainly many people could learn from us Minnesotans and keep their critical comments to themselves. But on the other hand, we're designed to live in community as Christians, supporting each other, even as we hold one another accountable. Uncomfortable conversations occasionally are a key component in carrying this call out. This means that we need to care enough to hurt carefully . That's what Paul did with the Corinthians. He had taken them to task often in his first letter, which initially caused them sorrow. But although he did at first, Paul no longer regrets it; in fact, as he wrote this second letter, he was happy he'd done so! For although that first letter hurt them, it was only for a little while. For the sorrow he'd stirred up in them - the sorrow which God intended! - led them to repentance. Paul's seemingly offensive words, which inflicted this godly sorrow, ended up producing earnestness, eagerness to clear themselves, indignation [towards their sin], alarm, longing, concern and readiness to see justice done . In other words, Paul's carefully injurious words completely turned this community around. They had been heading towards death, but now once again they were being led to salvation.   Dig Deeper   We live in a society in which the words love and tolerance have become nearly synonymous. We're told that the best way to show love is to not just accept, but fully endorse any feelings, desires or actions another person might have. Even when their feelings, desires and actions conflict with God's commands, and even when such behavior will hurt them, both in this world, and especially in the world to come. Thankfully this hollow, dangerous expression of love which the world demands is not the way your Father loves you. As we read a few days ago in Psalm 23 , He shows His love by walking with you through the dark valley, comforting you with His rod and staff, which He occasionally uses to inflict temporary pain meant to steer you away from sinful feelings, desires and actions which would hurt you even more. Often God exercises this critical discipline through the Christian community He's placed you in. But understand that as you fulfill this mutual responsibility to others, you're not given blanket permission to impose your own ideas and opinions on those around you. The Canons remind us that God has designed this heartfelt and godly sorrow to be delivered by His Word and Spirit. When tough words are necessary, make sure they're God's Word, not your own. This is all the more reason for you, your family and your church community to be saturated in God's Word, which drives out our sinful, selfish opinions and keeps us continually experiencing the grace of a reconciled God, adoring His mercies, and causes us to more eagerly work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who loves us enough to cause godly sorrow when needed; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom and courage to care enough to hurt carefully; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 21

If it quacks, it's a duck. If you keep on sinning, what are you? Heartlight.org 1 John 3:7–10 (ESV) 7  Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8  Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9  No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10  By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 7: Renewal to Repentance God preserves in His saints when they fall his imperishable seed from which they have been born again, lest it perish or be dislodged. Also, by His Word and Spirit he certainly and effectively renews them to repentance so that they have a heartfelt and godly sorrow for the sins they have committed; they seek and obtain, through faith and with a contrite heart, forgiveness in the blood of the Mediator; they experience again the grace of a reconciled God; they through faith adore his mercies; and that they from then on more eagerly work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Summary John has one simple instruction for you in today's passage: do not let anyone deceive you. More literally rendered, he commands you to not allow anyone to pull you away from the truth. This imperative has massive implications once you begin to realize the deceptive nature of so much in this world. Nearly every aspect of it - both good and bad things -have the capacity and often the intention to pry you away from the truth you've been given. The primary truth that John wants you to cling to is that as a Christian, you've been born of God, and that since God's seed abides in you, so sin is incompatible with your new nature . Certainly John doesn't mean that true Christians never sin, for then there would be no true Christians. Rather, John's concern is those who makes a practice of sinning; that is, they let sin fester without fighting against it. John's point is simple. Behavior betrays being. A dog barks, a duck quacks. In the same way, people's actions make it evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: those who unrepentantly keep sinning are of the devil, while those who have been made righteous in Christ will practice righteousness.   Dig Deeper   As we read through our passage from 1 Peter yesterday , we learned that our souls were coated in a sort of spiritual teflon that keeps the sins we still commit as Christians from corrupting our nature, which has been born of God. It's this idea that the Canons summarize here in this week's article: that God preserves His imperishable seed in His saints when they fall into sin . John certainly endorses the doctrine Peter laid out that the Canons echo. So far this year we've read 38 passages written by John that have helped us understand that God's grace is stronger than we are, and that we're so firmly held in God's grip that nothing can pry us out. But John here issues a warning not to abuse this so-called spiritual teflon. You can't just keep on sinning without repentance and expect the teflon to keep sin's stain from sticking. Rather, John reminds you here that because God’s seed abides in you, your behavior must look different from the world. You cannot go on sinning, because you have been born of God . So stay on guard. The world will continually try to convince you that a little sin is just fine. It will even abuse the truth to make you think that since you're protected by spiritual teflon, it can't hurt you. But let no one deceive you. You're a child of God. So just like a duck can't help but quack, make sure you make every effort to always do what is right. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose seed abides in us, His childre n; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be kept from temptation and that you'll feel repentant when you get decieved; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 20

Your soul's been coated with spiritual teflon! Not even the filthiest of sins can stick to a soul coated with spiritual teflon! 1 Peter 1:22–25 (NIV) 22  Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24  For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25   but the word of the LORD endures forever.”  (Isaiah 40:6-8) And this is the word that was preached to you. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 7: Renewal to Repentance God preserves in His saints when they fall his imperishable seed from which they have been born again, lest it perish or be dislodged. Also, by His Word and Spirit he certainly and effectively renews them to repentance so that they have a heartfelt and godly sorrow for the sins they have committed; they seek and obtain, through faith and with a contrite heart, forgiveness in the blood of the Mediator; they experience again the grace of a reconciled God; they through faith adore his mercies; and that they from then on more eagerly work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Summary At first glance, Peter's opening statement here seems downright heretical: Now that you have purified yourselves... Literally translated, Peter writes, now that you have made your soul holy... . Taken by itself, this clause seems completely contradictory to the gospel, in that it makes it seem like it's up to you to make yourself holy, when all year long we've read about how incapable we are as sinners to accomplish this on our own. If it's up to you to purify yourself, then it's up to you keep yourself purified . That would mean that after each and every sin you commit - both the monstrous sins we've read about these last few weeks and even the 'peccadillos' (little sins, most of which don't even get noticed by anyone other than God) - you would need to begin the purification process all over again. Even if you could somehow accomplish this, you'd never be fully purified, for even the pride resulting from accomplishing that would be a stain. But the second half of the sentence makes sense of the first half. You've certainly have made your soul holy, but you've done so simply by obeying (literally: listening to ) the truth. In other words, you've heard the gospel's promise and put your faith in it. And because of this, as Peter wrote earlier in this opening chapter, you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls (v9). So the only action you've taken to purify yourself is to completely trust in the fully accomplished work of your Savior, Jesus Christ. He took your filthy sin and replaced it with His pure righteousness and holiness.   Dig Deeper   Peter's description of what it means to be born again is one of the key passages from which we build this comforting doctrine of the perseverance of the saints . Peter writes that your new birth doesn't stem from perishable seed, as did your first birth, but rather from imperishable seed. The Legacy Standard Bible's more literal translation helps make it clear why this verse is so foundational for the doctrine of perseverance: for you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible . It's as if your soul has been coated in spiritual Teflon; each time you sin, you drag your soul through the mud, but because it's been reborn from incorruptible seed, it remains pure! Peter also makes clear how it is that this spiritual teflon gets applied: it's through the living and enduring Word of God. There is power in God's Word! It literally changes the composition of a person's soul from corruptible to incorruptible. To support this, Peter quotes Isaiah's famous claim about the enduring power of God's Word, which forms the basis of the phrase that closes out each episode of the podcast version of these posts. Whatever glory we can muster quickly fades away, but the Word of the LORD endures forever! Nothing - not even all of your indwelling sin - can ever undo the soul purifying work that God's Word has done in you. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose powerful Word is living and enduring; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that, having been purified , you will love one another deeply, from the heart; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 17

The LORD is your Shepherd; you lack nothing. Psalm 23:4 inspired the imagery for our theme this year as we've been reminded that God's grace is stronger than we are. Psalm 23 A psalm of David. 1   The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3  he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4   Even though I walk through the darkest valley [under death's shadow],  I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6  Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 6: God’s Saving Intervention For God, who is rich in mercy, according to his unchangeable purpose of election does not take his Holy Spirit from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. Neither does he let them fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge themselves, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin. Summary Today's Summary section is a repost from April 10, 2024 Psalm 23 is certainly on any top 5 list of recognizable scriptures, maybe even in the top two. This Psalm has brought peace and comfort to scores of people throughout the generations, to both those who know God well and those who barely know His name. Often times people misunderstand theology to be dry and boring. Psalm 23 proves that quite the opposite is true: while it may be famous for its unsurpassed poetic beauty, Psalm 23 is pure theology, describing the relationship between you and your very personal Shepherd-King. Notice how David underscores just how personal this relationship is. He doesn't just write that God is our shepherd, although that would certainly be accurate as well, but he writes that the LORD is my shepherd. This is the relationship you must have with Him. For too many people, the LORD is just our  God. Make sure that you can say with David that He's my  shepherd. Your shepherd takes a very active role in your life. He makes you lie down, leads you, refreshes your soul, guides you, prepares a table before you, anoints your head with oil, as His goodness and love follows you all the days of your life. Surely you lack nothing.   Dig Deeper   Psalm 23 has been popular and endearing for so many generations, even amongst those who otherwise have little use for the Bible. But the reason why may be a bit surprising: it portrays a sovereign God whose care for His sheep never ceases. It's ironic, isn't it, that this attribute of God that gives us so much angst (after all, it was God's sovereignty that Adam rebelled against, and it's felt oppressive ever since) is what we cling to the most when we crave comfort and peace! It's here in the 23rd Psalm which we love so much that we read of a Divine Shepherd that makes me lie down, who leads, refreshes and guides, and who does all of this for His name's sake. This is the internal battle you fight every day: your flesh ( Sarx ) wants freedom and autonomy - the opposite of Psalm 23 - yet your soul deeply desires a sovereign Shepherd. Maybe you're used to reciting those menacingly mysterious words the valley of the shadow of death, and so the newer translations of it seem a bit jarring ( the darkest valley) . Although the deep canyon is darkened by death's shadow, it's not just a valley you pass through in the final chapters of your life. Rather, it represents your entire journey through life, continually walking under the shadow of your looming death , which comes as the result of our sin ( this dark valley serves as the inspiration for the imagery and theme on our home page this year ). But this is the comforting picture of God's sovereign salvation that Psalm 23 and the Canons of Dordt composes. In the midst of the dark valley we've plunged ourselves into, the LORD is with you, comforting you with His rod and staff. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for your shepherd to make, lead, guide, and comfort you as you walk through the dark valley under death's shadow; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 16

The One who calls you is faithful! Heartlight.org 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (NIV) 23   May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 6: God’s Saving Intervention For God, who is rich in mercy, according to his unchangeable purpose of election does not take his Holy Spirit from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. Neither does he let them fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge themselves, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin. Summary Today's passage is one that's often used for a benediction, the words ( diction ) of blessing ( bene ) that often close out our times of corporate worship. The Bible's most famous benediction comes from the Old Testament book of Numbers, where God commands Aaron to say to His people, May the LORD bless you and keep you... Benedictions pass on God's blessing to His people, in which He promises to guide, guard and keep them. Ironically, although today's passage gets pressed into service as a benediction, it technically isn't one. Paul's prayer here isn't so much for God to bless the Thessalonians (and by extension, us), rather it's that God would perform two key operations upon His people. First, Paul prays that God would sanctify us - that He would make us holy . Holiness is a Biblical concept that can be hard to pin down, because it has so many different aspects and senses. Most people simply assume holiness refers to a sinless state, in which one is free from defilement. But it means more than that. The Hebrew word translated 'holy' means 'cut apart.' So in that sense, a holy person is one who's been set aside from the rest. Finally, to be holy also means to be whole and complete, with all the attributes that one created in God's image ought to have. Paul here asks God to do all of these things by sanctifying you through and through (completely) in Christ. Secondly, Paul implores God to keep His people - a word that plays a key role in the famous Aaronic benediction we referenced earlier: May the LORD bless you and keep you... Specifically, Paul prays that God would keep your whole spirit, soul and body blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since you've been sanctified (made holy) in Christ, Paul prays that God would keep you - preserve you - free from any unholiness.   Dig Deeper   This prayer - let's just go ahead and call it a benediction - that Paul prays on your behalf that you would be sanctified and kept blameless, as amazing as it is, isn't even the most amazing part of today's passage. It's the theological aspects that grab our attention today. These two short verses provide tremendous insight as to who and what God is. He's the God of peace: John Stott notes here that God is both the author of harmony and that He's the only perfectly integrated personality who exists. In other words, God isn't just peaceful, He's the creator, designer, and perfect example of the very concept of peace , and as such, you are able to truly find peace in Him. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it: Paul's description of God here forms the very foundational principle of this wonderfully comforting doctrine we call the perseverance of the saints. Just as you didn't have to (nor could you) sanctify yourself, you can rely on your faithful Father to keep you blameless. This, of course, doesn't mean you don't need to exert any effort at all to keep yourself blameless, for the New Testament often implores you to make every effort to do exactly that! Rather, you can make such an effort only because your faithful Father is equipping you to do so by breathing into through the Holy Spirit, which He never takes from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of peace, who is faithful; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the Spirit fueled desire to be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 16

Confidence doesn't come from what you've done, but from what you have. Faithlife.com Hebrews 10:17–25 (NIV) 17  Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”  18  And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. 19  Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20  by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 6: God’s Saving Intervention For God, who is rich in mercy, according to his unchangeable purpose of election does not take his Holy Spirit from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. Neither does he let them fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge themselves, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin. Summary There's a lot riding on the phrase Therefore... since we have. First, it reinforces that you as the reader is included and participating right alongside the author. He isn't just telling us of some obscure feeling he discovered for himself, but rather what we have together. And what is it that we have? Nothing less than the confidence that comes from receiving our Father's full forgiveness of our sins and lawless acts . What a comfort this is after a couple of weeks reading about the moral failures every saint falls into! Secondly, this phrase makes clear that those who've experienced such salvation have an obligation. Since you have been forgiven, you must enter the Most Holy Place, draw near to God, hold unswervingly to the hope you profess, spur one another on, and not give up meeting together. In other words, since you have been forgiven, you must live a saintly life (notice the order there; you don't live a saintly life to be forgiven, but because you've been forgiven!). And don't miss how you've been equipped to meet this obligation we have: with the confidence that comes through the new and living way through... Christ's body. You have the full assurance that faith brings; your heart has been sprinkled to cleanse your guilty conscience. And most of all, you can have all of this confidence because you know that He who promised is faithful. His grace is stronger that you.   Dig Deeper   We've been unpacking this fifth and final doctrine of grace - the Perseverance of the Saints - for six weeks now. So far we haven't read much about our saintliness. Quite the opposite, in fact: the focus has been on our persistent sinfulness! As Martin Luther famously declared, Christians are simil justus et peccator - at the same time saints and sinners. So we've learned that although our continuing sins can cause us to lose sight of God's grace for a time, they can never pry us away from it. This week, article six informs you that despite your sins, your Father will never take his Holy Spirit from you completely, or let you fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification. So it is that the writer of Hebrews reminds you of what it is that we have because He who promised is faithful, not because we who followed are. You can be confident, bold, assured, and certain knowing that you are firmly held in your Fathers omnipotent hands. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the One who promised, is faithful; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live as the saint you are in the confidence that comes from confession and repentance; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 15

Your Father sovereignly has you in His grip, and nothing can pull you out. Are you, or is somebody you know, a "Cage-stage Calvinist"? 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 (NIV) 21  Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22  set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 6: God’s Saving Intervention For God, who is rich in mercy, according to his unchangeable purpose of election does not take his Holy Spirit from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. Neither does he let them fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge themselves, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin. Summary Maybe you know a 'cage-stage Calvinist.' Maybe you are one! A 'cage-stage Calvinist' is a Christian who's recently come to understand these Doctrines of Grace we've been learning about this year, and seeing for the first time the power of God's sovereignty over all that exists - especially our salvation. The beauty, wonder, peace and mystery that these doctrines evoke cause such people to want to talk about nothing but God's sovereignty at every juncture, prompting their friends to want to keep them in a cage somewhere. While God does have lots of other attributes we ought to dwell on and discuss, like His love, justice, mercy, and goodness, it's hard to overemphasize His sovereignty. Especially since the Bible emphasizes it so much, as we see once again in today's passage: it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. Or, as many of the other translations put it, God sovereignly established you in Christ. Other synonyms for what God sovereignly has done for you would include words like confirmed, sustains, and strengthens. No matter what word gets used, it evokes a picture of God's total control over your salvation: He chose you, called you, purified you, and keeps you. Or, as Paul puts it in our passage today, God in His sovereignty anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts. When you come to understand the the extent of God's sovereignty in your salvation, and just how utterly impossible it would be for you to save yourself, it's hard NOT to want to talk about it all the time!   Dig Deeper   Often times people don't like to talk about God's sovereignty because they don't really understand it. They might think it makes God seem arbitrary and capricious as He callously saves some and passes over others. Maybe it makes them feel like a helpless pawn, since it may seem to them that our choices and actions don't really matter in a world where God has predestined all that will take place. It's not that these aren't valid concerns, and there will always be a massive element of mystery remaining no matter how long you study these doctrines. But the Bible does give many insights to these difficulties; enough so that they shouldn't keep you from truly enjoying the benefits that come from having a solid grip on these doctrines. The Canons bring us to this short passage today, not because it was written by a bunch of cage-stage Calvinists, but so that you can bask in the most comforting aspect of God's sovereignty: that God will not let you fall down so far that you forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death. Your Father sovereignly has you in His grip, and nothing can pull you out. That's what Paul announces to you today in this short snippet from his second letter to the Corinthians: that God has sovereignly done so many things - He makes you stand firm, anointed you, set His seal upon you, and put His Spirit in your heart as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. This is why our theme this year has been to learn all about how it is that God's grace is stronger than you are. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sovereignly makes us stand firm; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will walk in step with the Spirit whom God has put in your heart as a deposit; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 14

God's grace is stronger than you are - especially in your weakest moments! Matthew 12:30–32 (NIV) 30  “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31  And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 6: God’s Saving Intervention For God, who is rich in mercy, according to his unchangeable purpose of election does not take his Holy Spirit from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. Neither does he let them fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge themselves, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin. Summary How often haven't we noticed as we've read the Bible together this year the stark contrasts that the Bible - and especially Jesus - so often draw. They stick out to us so much because we live in a world infatuated with nuancing nearly everything. But once again, Jesus eliminates the gray areas and makes clear that there are only two types of people in this world: You're either with Christ , or you're against Him. You're either gathering with Him or you're scattering. There's no middle ground or in between. Jesus goes on here to summarize the entire gospel: every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven! God teaches us all sorts of important things in His Word, some of which are really complicated and tough to wrap our heads around, so don't lose sight of just how profoundly simple the gospel is at its core: every sin you've ever committed can be forgiven! But there's a but . We're not used to reading about exclusions and disclaimers in the gospel! There is a sin, Jesus reports, that will not be forgiven: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. D.A. Carson helps unpack what Jesus means here: The first sin [ speaking against the Son of Man ] is rejection of the truth of the gospel, but there may be repentance and forgiveness for that [when one finally realizes the truth of the gospel]. The second sin [ blasphemy of the Holy Spirit ] is rejection of the gospel truth in full awareness that this is exactly what one is doing—thoughtfully, willfully, and self-consciously rejecting the work of the Spirit... For such a sin there is no forgiveness, either in this age or the age to come.   Dig Deeper   Think of how close so much of life is to the edge. A moment's distraction on the interstate could end in disaster. A flippant remark might cost you your job. A flash of anger can mortally wound a friendship that took years to build. After reading Jesus' warning here, it might seem paralyzingly scarry to think how easy it is to commit what's come to be known as the unforgiveable sin! Perhaps after a really bad day, or year, or decade, when the truth of the gospel seems distant and your faith is weak, you'll lose control and let fly with curses against the Spirit, and just like that lose the salvation and eternal life you once had. The Canons here seek to assure you that your Father will never let this happen! He will not let you commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge yourself, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin . This, in fact, is one of the key truths of the Canons that we've seen all year long: God's grace is stronger than you are - especially at your weakest moment! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who guides, guards and protects us with grace that's stronger than we are; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will trust God's protection over every aspect of your life so that you can live free from any sort of worry; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 13

Sin crushes you spiritually, physically & mentally. Confess it and find help in the Lord. Photo: Billy Leivon, Unsplash Psalm 38 A psalm of David. A petition. 1   Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2   Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me. 3   Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. 4   My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. 5   My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. 6   I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. 7  My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. 8   I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. 9  All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10  My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. 11  My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. 12  Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie. 13  I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; 14  I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. 15  Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God. 16  For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.” 17  For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. 18  I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. 19  Many have become my enemies without cause; those who hate me without reason are numerous. 20   Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good. 21  Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. 22  Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 5: The Effects of Serious Sins By such monstrous sins [that saints often fall into], however, they  greatly offend God,  deserve the sentence of death,  grieve the Holy Spirit,  suspend the exercise of faith,  severely wound the conscience,  and sometimes lose the awareness of grace for a time— until,  after they have returned to the right way by genuine repentance,  God’s fatherly face again shines upon them. Summary If you're looking for a quick pick-me-up as you page through the Psalms, or for a note of encouragement for yourself or to share with a friend, you'll probably skip over Psalm 38 for something like the 23rd or 46th psalms. Psalm 38 is heavy and gasping, both in it's poetic form and in its message, and the psalm ends with David's pain unresolved. David wrote this psalm in a time of deep turmoil, which affected every aspect of his being: spiritually, physically and emotionally. Spiritually, David recognizes that his troubles have come from the discipline of the LORD's hand, which has come down on him. David doesn't mention, and we don't know the particular sin(s) that precipitated his ordeal. All we know is how it affected his body - Because of Your wrath there is no health in my body, there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. David goes on to mention the specific parts of his body filled with searing pain: his back aches, his heart pounds, the light has gone from his eyes, he cannot hear or speak, And right alongside the physical pain came the mental anguish: David's guilt had overwhelmed him like a burden and he groans in anguish of heart. Even his friends and companions avoid him because of his wounds.   Dig Deeper   Even though Psalm 38 might not be anyone's first choice to read or dwell upon, perhaps we ought to become a little more familiar with it. What an excellent choice to share with those who are not well, for there's likely to be some, if not several, of the conditions David mentions here that they'll be able to readily identify with. David offers some lessons on how to endure suffering well in this psalm: v1-4 - As we've already noted, David realizes it was his own sin that's resulted in his pain. Even though we - and maybe not even he - could not identify a specific causal sin that led to the particular symptoms he experienced, all of life's suffering is the result of sin in one way or another. Our sin reminds us that things are not the way they're supposed to be, and as we learned last week from the Canons, give us continual cause to humble ourselves, flee to Christ and to battle indwelling sin. v18 - David confess his iniquity; and is troubled by his sin . Confession is the first step to experiencing healing through the blood of Christ. v15, 21-22 - David expresses his faith that God will provide salvation: he waits for the LORD's answer and prays that his Lord and Savior will not forsake him, but come quickly to help him. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who disciplines our sins and even pierces us with His arrows as His hand comes down on us; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Confess your iniquity, and pray for your Lord and Savior to come quickly to help you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 13