USA - Kingdom Principles and Authority in Jesus

USA - Kingdom Principles and Authority in Jesus

God's plan for the USA. What is happening in Europe with multiculturalism and Islam.

The USA & Kingdom Principles of Authority in Jesus

The USA & Kingdom Principles of Authority in Jesus

Listen to my new blogtalk radio show. (first 2-3 minutes my cohost, Ed, lost connection. So, prepare for quiet space then show begins.)

Endtime Prophecy ~ Part III Rise of the 666 Beast 1/20/2009 (or 1/21/2009) in Obama (aka Sotero) "Inauguration"??

Rise of the 666 Beast:

The scripture says, 1 Thessalonians 5:¹⁹Quench not the Spirit. ²⁰Despise not prophesyings. So in reverence for the Word of God, let's examine scripture and current events.

On January 20, 2009, Barry Sotero (also known as "Barack Hussein Obama") was "inaugurated" as President of the United States of America. However, the oath was not legally stated with the words in proper order on January 20, 2009. Therefore, the oath was repeated on January 21, 2009. Justice John Roberts repeated the swearing in of Barry Sotero into office. "One legal expert said an oath administered incorrectly is not the oath. "It's just 35 words, but they have to be said; they have to be said in that order," said George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley (from article)."

So, it is "debatable" on which date Sotero was officially sworn into office. I personally would select the January 21, 2009 date.

(Click here to read more of article why the inauguration of Sotero lines up with scripture to initiate the 7 year apocalypse.)

Endtimes Prophecy ~ Part II: Cycles in Scripture

I would like to discuss Revelation 12 and cycles in scripture. Throughout scripture, God is repeating cycles.

Hebrews 10:¹For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

The law is seen as a “shadow” of “good things to come”. The tabernacle on earth as well as persons in the Old Testament are also considered “shadows”, “examples”, or “types” of Christ. These show us the pattern of Jesus Christ who was to come.

Hebrews 8:⁴For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: ⁵Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. ⁶But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Jesus Christ is the very image of the Heavenly. We are changed from glory to glory as Jesus Christ is revealed to us from Heaven.

Hebrews 1:¹God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; ³Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

2 Corinthians 3:¹⁷Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

One day, Jesus Christ will be clearly revealed at His return. God will take vengeance on those who do not know God with flaming fire. (Let’s recall from the last blog post that vial #7 at Final Armageddon is fire of wrath. Vial #7 of wrath will burn and destroy the enemies of God who attack the saints.) They will be punished with everlasting destruction. Yet, God will be glorified in His saints who seem so clearly and fully to reflect His glory by revelation of Him. God will be admired in all who believe.

2 Thessalonians 1:⁶Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; ⁷And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, ⁸In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: ⁹Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; ¹⁰When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

In scripture, we see “shadows”, “examples”, “types”, and “patterns” of God revealing Jesus Christ to His chosen people. These “shadows”, “examples”, “types”, and “patterns” of God revealing Jesus to the overcoming bride of Christ ~~ the church ~~ will continue in ever-increasing cycles of increasing glory. Finally, Jesus Christ will be fully revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels.

Regarding Revelation 12, this scripture specifically describes a people and an event that occurs during the 7 year period of the apocalypse.

Revelation 12:⁶The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

This statement of timing, as well as the description of the kingdom of darkness arising on the earth during the last days, shows that this particular nation rises during the 7 year period of the end days.

Revelation 12:³Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.

Daniel 7:²⁰And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.²¹I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; ²²Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. ²³Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. ²⁴And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ²⁵And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

I am going to “review” Revelation 12 within the 7 year period of the apocalypse. I will compare and contrast with Revelation 18 and other scripture. I clearly grant that the overcoming bride of Christ in Revelation 12 is a “type”, “pattern”, “example” of Mary (Matthew 1:18), Joseph (who had the dream of the sun, moon, and and eleven stars, Gen. 37:9), etc.

As stated previously, the same picture of the overcoming bride of Christ in Revelation 12 is “patterned” and “exemplified” throughout scripture as well as in the elect on earth. My position is that this same “pattern” exemplified of the overcoming covenant people of God in Revelation 12 will also be even repeated in a different manner “later”. For example, a time will come when the Lord Jesus Christ fully returns. At that time, believers will arise in bodily resurrection into new spiritual bodies (1 Cor. 15:48-57).

What we see in Revelation 12 takes place during the 7 year period of the apocalypse. This is a pattern of the revelation of Jesus Christ that has occurred prior to this event and shall later occur in greater power of revelation of Jesus at His return. Yet, the pattern is the same pattern “cycling” in increasing glory.

I will write about this people group as I perceive them in Revelation 12 and 18.

It is quite possible that the 7 year period of the apocalypse has already begun. I will detail that more in future posts. Events in Revelation 18 and 12 appear to happen as the abomination of desolation occurs in the middle of the 7 year period of the apocalypse (middle of the week Daniel 9:27).

Let’s continue to explore the Word of God regarding current events with a vision of the larger plan of God working throughout all time.

Grace.

Laura

Endtimes Prophecy ~ Part I: Signs of the Times

As we begin this exploration of current events, Revelation 18, Revelation 12, and related scripture, it would seem prudent to set forth the signs of the times.

Matthew 24:³And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? ⁴And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. ⁵For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows. ⁹Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

I personally tend to like to “go slow”. I want to avoid false assumptions that cause people to “blur things together”. False assumptions cause people to rush to false conclusions. For example, I find it interesting that Jesus was asked three questions:

1. When shall these things be?

2. What shall be the sign of thy coming?

3. What shall be the sign of the end of the world?

I stop and consider: this world will “end as we know it” at the marriage supper of the Lamb. That is when the 666 beast kingdom is destroyed.

Revelation 19:¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ¹³And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ¹⁷And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; ¹⁸That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. ¹⁹And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. ²⁰And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. ²¹And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Yet the world will not truly “end”. Because after the 666 beast system is destroyed, then shall commence the 1000 year reign of Christ. After the end of the 1000 years is Final Armageddon.

Revelation 20¹And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ²And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, ³And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season…. ⁷And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, ⁸And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. ⁹And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Revelation 16:¹⁵Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. ¹⁶And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. ¹⁷And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

We see from scripture that the final “end of the world” occurs at the end of the 1000 year period. After the 1000 years, Satan is loosed “for a little season”. How long is a “little season” to God? To God, a 1000 years is as a day. “How long” is the “little season” after the end of the 1000 years? No man knows.

It occurs to me that as human beings living in this present time before the marriage supper of the Lamb, before the 1000 year reign of Christ, we don’t have a human understanding of those 1000 years. We don’t have a comprehension of Satan being cast into the abyss for a 1000 years then loosed for a little season. We don’t have a comprehension of Satan gathering all of his forces at that time to attack the holy people.

Most of us aren’t considering the 1000 year reign of Christ as we consider “the end of the world”.

It would seem to me that Christians are more prone to think only of the “here and now”. The “here and now” for Christians is the time and season before the 1000 years.

Naturally, we tend to believe that the “here and now” closing of this period of time (preceding the 1000 year reign of Christ) is “the end”. Well, it is “the end of the world” as we know it according to this present season. But, it’s not really “the end”. Many events occur during and after the 1000 year reign of Christ.

Therefore, I would ask Christians to “slow down”. Please let’s consider that the world does not end when the 666 beast and his kingdom is destroyed. The world “goes on” during the 1000 year reign of Christ. People live on earth during that time.

Revelation 20:⁴And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

It appears Christians martyred for the faith, especially during the reign of the 666 beast system, are all resurrected. It appears they live on earth for 1000 years after Satan is bound.

Then, after Satan is released after those thousand years, those saints face a “final conflict” with Satan. This “final conflict” is Final Armageddon. In this Final Armageddon, the 7th vial of wrath is poured out. Only when final wrath is poured out at final conflict in Final Armageddon, “It is done”.

Revelation 16:¹⁵Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. ¹⁶And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. ¹⁷And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Even as we consider “the end of the world”, we must expand the horizon of the eyes of our faith. We must see beyond this current time before the 1000 year reign of Christ. To see “the end of the world”, we must let the eyes of our faith stretch past the end of the 7 year period, straight through the 1000 year reign of Christ, past Satan being released from the abyss “for a little season”, past Satan then gathering a great number of people against the camp of the saints, and straight into the outpouring of the 7th vial of wrath upon them burning and destroying that army so that the great voice out of the temple from Heaven and the throne says, “It is done.”

It’s not over until it’s over. And it’s not over until God says, “It is done”. God says “It is done” after the end of the 1000 years when the 7th vial of wrath is poured out upon the armies of the devil at Final Armageddon.

So, as we examine “the end”, please let’s consider that there is a “closing” to this present season of time. The 666 beast’s kingdom is destroyed at the end of the 7 year period. We can examine the present time. We can examine all the scripture states regarding this present time up to the destruction of the 666 beast’s kingdom.

Yet, that is not “the end of the world”. Rather, it is the beginning of the 1000 year reign of Christ.

Grace.

Laura

Endtimes Prophecy ~ Introduction

Revelation 1:3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

The scripture advises us to read and hear of the prophecy of the Bible and the Book of Revelation. The Word of God is manifold in it’s application and power to our daily lives.

1 Corinthians 14:3But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

The Word of God in the Book of Revelation is a word of prophecy. As we speak of the Book of Revelation and the times of the end, we speak unto the body of Christ to edification, exhortation, and comfort. Today I will be speaking of the initiation of the 7 year period of the apocalypse and what occurs at the beginning of the Great Tribulation in the Books of Revelation 18 and 12. Before beginning that discussion, I would like to address the biblical view of a “pre-tribulation rapture” as well as the “days” stated in scripture in the Book of Daniel.

In order to discuss when a “pre-tribulation rapture” (or an event which may be called, even erroneously, a “pre-trib rapture”), it behooves us to study “when” the tribulation period of scripture begins.

Matthew 24:15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

According to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the tribulation period begins when the 666 beast commits the abomination of desolation. The abomination of desolation occurs in the midst of the 7 year period thereby commencing great tribulation.

Daniel 9:27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Therefore, an event initiates a 7 year period of the Book of Revelation (also stated in the Book of Daniel). Three and one half years pass marking the midst of that week (or 7 year period). At this midpoint, the 666 beast causes sacrifice and oblation to cease. This causes desolation(s) in the earth and the initiation of the great tribulation period. The great tribulation period goes on for 3-1/2 years further (or 1260 days) with “certain events” occurring during that time-frame.

I submit that any view of “pre-trib rapture” would be a view of a rapture preceding the great tribulation period. This great tribulation period begins with the abomination of desolation. Therefore, the “midpoint” of the 7 year period is “pre-tribulation”. The entire 7 year period is not “tribulation period”.

A view of a “pre-trib rapture” that assumes that a “pre-trib rapture” must occur prior to the entire 7 year period is not, as I see it, what Jesus taught. Jesus taught that the tribulation period of the Book of Revelation begins when the abomination of desolation occurs at the midpoint of the 7 year period.

In brief, those who hold to a “pre-trib rapture” position can “adjust their view” to see that a “rapture-like event” could occur at the time of the abomination of desolation and still hold to their “pre-trib rapture” biblical view. Therefore, I would not debate with anyone that a “pre-trib” rapture position is incorrect. Rather, I would say, “Please look at the abomination of desolation as initiating the tribulation period and see that a “rapture-like event” at that time can biblically be defined as a “pre-trib rapture”.”

But, as we look at the days and timelines stated in scripture related to time after the abomination of desolation, there is more time stated than solely the 1260 days of a latter 3-1/2 years of a total 7 year period. The scripture states that the “sanctuary” will be cleansed. The time from the time of the abomination of desolation(s) to the cleansing of the temple will be 2,300 days:

Daniel 8:13Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Also, the scripture states in Daniel 12, that the “daily sacrifice shall be taken away” and 1290 days later the abomination that maketh desolate is “set up”. There are those who will “wait” and come to the 1335 days.

Daniel 12:8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

We do not actually “have” in scripture an extremely “clear cut” exclusive 7 year period with two 1260 day marking points: 3-1/2 years beginning half (1260 days) and 3-1/2 years latter half (1260 days).

We also have a 1290 day period “thrown into the mix”. Additionally, another “time sequence” of 1335 “fits somewhere”. Plus, a statement of 2300 days “must be accounted for”. We must correctly identify and align all of these timelines to say that we “understand the scripture” with perfect clarity revealed by the Holy Spirit.

The scripture states that we will not have this scripture revealed to us by the Holy Spirit with great clarity of understanding, actually, until these things begin to come to pass:

Daniel 12:8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Therefore, with all realistic honesty, I cannot state that the Holy Spirit has “at this time” revealed to me the “whole” of this scripture. Rather, as a Christian I would state that I am exploring these scriptures and the unfolding of scripture with current events. The Bible tells us that as we study the Word of God, more will be given to us. God will clarify our understanding in His time by His will and power.

Matthew 13:11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

In the series as I continue, I am going to set forth a potential view of scripture as related to Revelation 18, Revelation 12, with the whole of scripture, aligning same with current events in a seeking manner. I do not state that my view is “the” absolutely correct view of scripture. Rather, I set forth what I presently see as I seek the Lord. Only God can reveal scripture. In humility we must confess that certain areas of scripture we see through the glass darkly. Yet, we trust God to reveal more and more as we search the scriptures and the scriptures come to pass.

Please feel welcome to explore the Word of God, watch, pray, and align current events with the unfolding of biblical prophecy with me.

Grace.

Laura

Pietistic Vs. Biblical Sanctification by J.W. Hendryx

Here is an article by J.W. Hendryx:

Pietistic Vs. Biblical Sanctification

How many of us try to clean ourselves up before approaching the Lord’s Table, as if there were some degree or level of purity that we could reach that would make us acceptable to God? The command to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself should be sufficient to make you recognize your utter inability to do so. In all likelihood, the thinking that we have to make ourselves right and acceptable before God before he will accept us probably derives its origin from the influential but flawed theology of Pietism. For what man could ever clean himself up enough to make himself acceptable to God? And if he could clean himself up to that degree, then what further need would he have of a Savior or the nourishment of the Lord’s Supper? He would be self-sufficient. The whole point of both the gospel and the Lord’s Supper for Christians is to continually recognize our own spiritual bankruptcy and dependency on the grace and promises of Christ.

In his letter to the Galatians Paul asks Christians who were in danger of thinking they could add to Christ’s work or make themselves acceptable by some other way, “Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal 3:3). No, this is folly, because what God still wants from us as Christians is a broken Spirit, one which still recognizes its own moral and spiritual inability and complete need of God’s grace to move on. One that says, “have mercy on me, I am insufficient for the task.”. Anyone who thinks, therefore, that they can approach the Lord’s table with a pure undefiled heart are really missing the point of the gospel.

This erroneous concept of post-Christian self-sufficiency, I believe, comes from the mentality that we were saved at some point of time in the past, when we prayed or confessed our faith, but now since we are already a Christian it is our job to keep ourselves 100% pure. If not 100%, what will God accept? 99%? We don’t even approach that. We start by grace but think the Christian life is maintained by self-effort and that Christ blesses us in accord with how well we are doing. We believe we got into the kingdom without works but now think that to maintain good standing before God we must personally maintain our justification before God. Now we must scale the mountain of the Christian life by making ourselves good enough for God.

We think this way because the covenant of works is etched on our conscience since creation. It is unnatural to think that someone else has accomplished our standing before God and it still offends our pride, even as Christians. But I believe the Scriptures affirm that the more we grow in grace, the more we despair of ourselves and recognize our need for Jesus Christ. At the time of salvation the Holy Spirit made us lose all self-confidence so we might trust in Christ alone. So I would argue that the first principle of our growth in grace is likewise, to dispair of all hope in self and, as Paul said, to have “no confidence in the flesh”.

Our sanctification is a fruit of the Spirit as we lose ourselves in the wonder of Christ and His work for us. We can never separate the spiritual benefit of sanctification from Christ Himself, the Benefactor. So true Christianity is not a religion about focusing on our own spirituality but rather a focus on our union with Christ, apart from whom, the Scriptures declare, we can do nothing. The degree that we focus on our own spirituality and spiritual ability to please God is the degree that we exhaust ourselves by trying to draw from our own natural resources.

The obsession we have with inner piety is evident in many of our approaches to the Lord’s Table. This, believe it or not, is actually counter-productive to the Christian life for it focuses on us rather than what Christ has accomplished for us. The Gospel as represented in the elements of the Lord’s Table is about God remembering not to treat us as our sins deserve because of Christ. It is God’s covenant promise toward us … but we approach it as if it were Law rather than gospel, for we spend most of it reflecting on how good we have been, rather than the goodness and all-sufficiency of Christ toward us. But that is what the bread and wine point to. The Table should be a celebration and a time of awe and thankfulness for what Christ has done for us in reconciling us to God, not a glum time to navel gaze and obsess on our own perfectionism. This would be to misapprehend its very purpose.

This constant self-focus in our worship is probably one of the main reasons for a lack of interest in frequent communion. Thinking that our morality is what God is after, we resist the idea of coming to Him often in this way. The feast becomes something about us rather than God’s promises to us in Christ. Pietism, therefore, actually militates against the gospel for Christians by making us, perhaps unconsciously, believe that as Christians our performance is what we bring before God, to make us acceptable at the Eucharist. But the preached gospel and the visible gospel (the Table) are both given, not because we are equal to the task but given to remind us that God’s favor is on us because of Christ and that in nourishing ourselves on Christ and the word, we might have strength, trust and delight in Christ to do what He commands. Christ is risen for us. It is about what God has done, not what we do. How is it that we so quickly forget the gospel as Christians?

Grace is not something we can muster up ourselves. We approach the Lord’s Table because we need grace. If we were not dependent and needy then we would not need the gospel or the elements of the Lord’s Supper. Only Christ can give us such grace — this is what Christ wants us to recognize and a recognition of our own spiritual bankruptcy and His all-sufficiency is how we actually grow in grace. The gospel is about the promises of God, and our pietism does nothing to change His promise one way or another. We exhibit true piety only out of the overflow of the new life that is in us, not out of some hope that God will find us pleasing in ourselves. No, God is already fully pleased with us in Christ. There is nothing we can add to what Christ has done. The gospel in the elements is a seal of God’s promise to us and we should therefore rejoice and rest in it.

The reason He instituted the gospel and the Lord’s Supper for us is precisely because grace depends on Him. Our failure to recognize this is one of the greatest reasons, I believe, for a weak church. Pietism is actually counter-productive toward sanctification when it tells us that we must be perfect to approach the Table. Rather, it is the Spirit who works through the gospel and the sacraments that cries out to God through us …only He brings us into communion with Christ, not our piety. The Gospel and the sacraments are God’s seal to his unswerving promise toward us. The covenant is ratified as we listen and partake. While we must approach the table ourselves, the stress of its purpose is ALWAYS on the faithfulness of God toward us.

As Christians, God indeed gives us demands to obey His law, but He works through us via the gospel to sanctify us that we might love His Law. If one reads the Sermon on the Mount we recognize that the law’s demands on all of us are more difficult than imagined, not less than the Old Testament. But as a result, many think that we begin in the Spirit and are perfected by the flesh, as if the Law could give us the power to sanctify ourselves. Our sanctification, rather, is no more grounded on our ability than justification. The law commands us to live a certain way, but does not give us the power to do it. The fault is not with the law but with us. But thanks be to God, this obedience that is required of us by the Law has already been rendered by Christ. Because of what Christ has accomplished, the Spirit now works in us the life that the Law was unable to accomplish.

The ideas of the world about piety have seeped into the church and it teaches us that that the purpose of Christianity is simply to make us better people. But I would argue that Chrisitianity is not about us but about Christ and what He has accomplished. This breaks our pride for it breaks our autonomy and discounts the very possibility of human contribution. Christ has accomplished what the law in us never gave us the power to do. Apart from this Christocentric understanding, the law can only lead us to either hopelessness or self-righteous pride. Let us then remember the gospel way of Christ and feed on Him alone for our sustenance. The error of Pietism is that it is not Christocentric enough.

May the Holy Spirit be pleased to unite us continually to Christ that we may abide in Him and bear much fruit to His glory.

-J.W. Hendryx

Christian Ministry of 12 Star Truth

This first blog post will introduce 12 Star Truth in accordance with Matthew 28:

Matthew 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Grace and greetings to Christians and Christian seekers.