Christian Holiness Journal | Page 16 | a record of struggle and victory to know the mind of Christ

What We Believe – We are Born with a Fallen Nature

September 10, 2018 by ChristianHolinessDaily

We have been looking at our core beliefs. What is it that we believe at Christian Holiness Daily? We have given a broad overview. We proclaimed that we believe in one God it the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Last week we spoke of our belief in the divine inspiration of Scripture. Today, in part 4, we look at mankind’s sinful nature.

Early one morning, Jesus walked from the Mount of Olives to the Temple where He began teaching. He was interrupted by a group of Pharisees who presented to Him a conundrum: a woman caught in the act of adultery. What should be her punishment, they asked Him. You know the story.

It was a trick question, designed to discredit Jesus, whose popularity scared the Jewish leaders. According to the Law, she should be stoned until dead. According to Jesus’s own words, He did not come to condemn. If He commanded she be set free, He would break the Law. If He commanded that she be stoned, He would not be true to His teachings.

Jesus ignored their question, stooped to the ground and began to write in the dirt. After a few minutes, He rose to His feet and addressed the men. “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone.”

He knelt and again wrote on the ground. One by one, the Pharisees and scribes left. When Jesus looked up, He asked the woman, “Where did everyone go? Is no one left to condemn you?”

She was, perhaps, afraid to look up, and, when she did, she was astonished. Only Jesus remained. “No one, my Lord,” she said, voice quivering.

“Neither do I condemn you,” He said with the faintest of smiles. “Go and sin no more.”

How could Jesus know that not a man there would be without sin? Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. You see, we were all born into sin. We are a fallen people living in a fallen world.

It all goes back to the beginning. Adam and Eve were created with free will. They were made innocent, free of sin, a part of God’s family. It seems that Yahweh visited with them daily in the Garden of Eden, His earthly home. They lacked nothing, and were able to eat of any and all of the fruit-bearing trees and plants in the garden. All but one. Their needs were fully provided. They had been given jobs. They were to rule over the world with their Creator.

Then the Tempter approached them, twisting and turning through the garden, just as he twisted and turned the truth. He convinced Adam and Eve to sin. When Adam sinned, all humanity was cursed.

There is no lack of evidence of man’s fallen nature. Everyone I know has sinned. My mother is a saint, but she sinned. My sister is the most holy woman I know, yet she sins. No one had to teach my children to lie; rather, they had to be taught not to lie. David says in Psalm 51:5 that he entered this world as a sinner, as do we all. Paul says in Ephesians 2:3 that we are “by nature children of wrath.” Genesis 8:21 finds God declaring that it is a human inclination to be evil, even from childhood.

Romans 5:12 tells us that both sin and death came into this world because of Adam. That is why we are unable to steer clear of sin. We are cursed.

You may be thinking, “That seems mighty unfair.” And you are right, but for three things. First, you and I would have sinned just like Adam and Eve had we been created first. In fact, I have no doubt that my sin would have been much greater than Adam’s. Second, to curse the human race because our progenitor committed a sin, seems unusually harsh, even cruel. It would be cruel had God not already provided for redemption, even from the foundation of the universe (Revelation 13:8). Last, we do not have to continue to live in sin. Just as Adam brought sin into the world, and as a result, caused all mankind to be condemned, so one man – Jesus, the Son of God – brought redemption into the world.

One righteous act, the crucifixion of Jesus, has made those who trust in him justified and made righteous. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God washes our sins away with His grace so that we may reign with Him in righteousness eternally (cf. Romans 5:17-20).
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Holiness is, perhaps, the most misunderstood concept in Christianity. Anyone who has striven to follow the life of Christ can likely tell you that it is impossible to do. No one can match His love, His grace, or His compassion. For no one but Jesus is perfect. Once the believer is filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit, though, he or she is filled to the brim with the love of Christ, and desires nothing more than to please God and follow in Christ’s steps. The love of sin is gone. In its place is a love and passion for others. That is Christian Holiness. This is Christian Holiness Daily.

Christian Holiness Sunday – George Whitefield pt.3

September 8, 2018 by ChristianHolinessDaily

Every Sunday, we post classic holiness sermons and essays from preachers from days gone by. Today, part 2 of a message from George Whitefield called, The Marks of a True Conversion.

Having premised these two particulars,

I now proceed to show in what sense we are really to understand the words, that we must be converted and become like little children. The Evangelist tell us, “that the disciples at this time came unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” These disciples had imbibed the common prevailing notion, that the Lord Jesus Christ was to be a temporal prince; they dreamed of nothing but being ministers of state, of sitting on Christ’ right hand in his kingdom, and lording it over God’s people; they thought themselves qualified for state offices, as generally ignorant people are apt to conceive of themselves. Well, say they, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Which of us shall have the chief management of public affairs? A pretty question for a few poor fishermen, who scarcely knew how to drag their nets to shore, much less how to govern a kingdom. Our Lord, therefore, in the 2nd verse, to mortify them, calls a little child, and sets him in the midst of them. This action was as much as if our Lord had said, “Poor creatures! Your imaginations are very towering; you dispute who shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven; I will make this little child preach to you, or I will preach to you by him. Verily I say unto you, (I who am truth itself, I know in what manner my subjects are to enter into my kingdom; I say unto you, ye are so far from being in a right temper for my kingdom, that) except ye be converted, and become as this little child, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, (unless ye are, comparatively speaking, as loose to the world, as loose to crowns, scepters, and kingdoms, and earthly things, as this poor little child I have in my hand) ye shall not enter into my kingdom.” So that what our Lord is speaking of, is not the innocency of little children, if you consider the relation they stand in to God, and as they are in themselves, when brought into the world; but what our Lord means is, that as to ambition and lust after the world, we must in this sense become as little children. Is there never a little boy or girl in this congregation? Ask a poor little child, that can just speak, about a crown, scepter, or kingdom, the poor creature has no notion about it: give a little boy or girl a small thing to play with, it will leave the world to other people. Now in this sense we must be converted, and become as little children; that is, we must be as loose to the world, comparatively speaking, as a little child.

Do not mistake me, I am not going to persuade you to shut up your shops, or leave your business; I am not going to persuade you, that if ye will be Christians, ye must turn hermits, and retire out of the world; ye cannot leave your wicked hearts behind you, when you leave the world; for I find when I am alone, my wicked heart has followed me, go where I will. No, the religion of Jesus is a social religion. But though Jesus Christ does not call us to go out of the world, shut up our shops, and leave our children to be provided for by miracles; yet this must be said to the honor Christianity, if we are really converted, we shall be loose from the world.

Though we are engaged in it, and are obliged to work for our children; though we are obliged to follow trades and merchandise, and to be serviceable to the commonwealth, yet if we are real Christians, we shall be loose to the world; though I will not pretend to say that all real Christians have attained to the same degree of spiritual-mindedness. This is the primary meaning of these words, that we must be converted and become as little children; nevertheless, I suppose the words are to be understood in other senses.

When our Lord says, we must be converted and become as little children, I suppose he means also, that we must be sensible of our weakness, comparatively speaking, as a little child. Every one looks upon a little child, as a poor weak creature; as one that ought to go to school and learn some new lesson every day; and as simple and artless; one without guile, having not learned the abominable art, called dissimulation. Now in all these senses, I believe we are to understand the words of the text. ÷ Are little children sensible of their weakness? Must they be led by the hand? Must we take hold of them or they will fall? So, if we are converted, if the grace of God be really in our hearts, my dear friends, however we may have thought of ourselves once, whatever were our former high exalted imaginations; yet we shall now be sensible of our weakness; we shall no more say, “We are rich and increased with goods, and lack nothing;” we shall be inwardly poor; we shall feel “that we are poor, miserable, blind, and naked.” And as a little child gives up its hand to be guided by a parent or a nurse, so those who are truly converted, and are real Christians, will give up the heart, their understandings, their wills, their affections, to be guided by the word, providence, and the Spirit of the Lord. Hence it is, that the Apostle, speaking of the sons of God, says, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are (and to be sure he means they only are) the sons of God.”

And as little children look upon themselves to be ignorant creatures, so those that are converted, do look upon themselves as ignorant too. Hence it is, that John, speaking to Christians, calls them little children; “I have written unto you, little children.” And Christ’s flock is called a little flock, not only because little in number, but also because those who are members of his flock, are indeed little in their own eyes. Hence that great man, that great apostle of the Gentiles, that spiritual father of so many thousands of souls, that man, who in the opinion of Dr. Goodwin, “fits nearest the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, in glory,” that chosen vessel, the Apostle Paul, when he speaks of himself, says, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Perhaps some of you, when you read these words, will be apt to think that Paul did not speak true, that he did not really feel what he said; because you judge Paul’s heart by your own proud hearts: but the more ye get of the grace of God, and the more ye are partakers of the divine life, the more will ye see your own meanness and vileness, and be less in your own eyes. Hence it is, that Mr. Flavel, in his book called, HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED, compares young Christians to green corn; which before it is ripe, shoots up very high, but there is little solidity in it: whereas, an old Christian is like ripe corn; it doth not lift up its head so much, but then it is more weighty, and fit to be cut down, and put into the farmer’s barn. Young Christians are also like little rivulets; ye know rivulets are shallow, yet make great noise; but an old Christian, he makes not much noise, he goes on sweetly, like a deep river sliding into the ocean.
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What We Believe – Divine Inspiration of Scripture

September 8, 2018 by ChristianHolinessDaily

We have been talking about our core believes. What do we, at Christian Holiness Daily, believe? In part one, we gave an overview of our beliefs. In part two, we talked about our belief in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today we look at the inspiration of Scripture. Today on Christian Holiness Daily.

We believe in the divine inspiration of Scripture in its original form, as found in the Old and New Testaments, and that they contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.

So, yes we do believe that all Scripture is God-breathed. Though some of the writers of the 66 various books that comprise our Bible lived as much as hundreds of years apart, they had one thing in common. They were all inspired by the Holy Spirit. I believe that the transcripts, in their original languages, every jot and tittle of every letter of every word of the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

That is not to say that the Holy Spirit dictated to the writers, nor does it mean that the writers did nothing more than transcribe. It means that the writers drew inspiration from the still small voice of God. Yet, each book is distinct and told in the unique voice of its author, its human author, the writer, prophet, or apostle who wrote it at the urging of God. Because it was penned by humans, each with their own perspective and each with their own human flaws, we receive 66 very different books. We have histories, biographies, poetry, prose, letters, each one written for a different purpose, and each one serving its own purpose today. As example, we have four very different views of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Different because each were written by a different person, and each from different perspectives, and each with a different audience in mind, and each with a different purpose. Each book was written by mere humans, but because the Scriptures were inspired by God, we find no contradictions in the Bible when taken in context.

Now, by in context, I mean a few different things. First, it doesn’t due to take a passage that is not meant to stand on its own two feet, pull it from the Bible and teach on it. As example, one shouldn’t teach parts of the book of Job, for not all of Job is representative of God’s word, for parts of it express the doubts, fear and frustration of Job’s friends, and their words may not necessarily reflect God’s heart. But, that is not all I mean when I say that the Bible should be read in context. It means that we should do our best to figure out the times in which the writer lived. What was his social context? Was he a slave or a servant of the King? Was he a prophet or a doctor? Was he a national leader or an outcast? The answers may lend insight to his words. We should also bear in mind the audience to which he wrote. Let’s take another look at the Gospels: one of the writers wrote for a primarily Jewish audience while another wrote for a primarily Greek audience. Still another wrote for posterity. With what purpose did the writer pen his book. Was it to make a point or to teach a lesson? If so, then don’t expect events told in the book to necessarily be in chronological order. That book, though, that wondrous book, is full of the power of God to the one who studies it carefully and prayerfully.

We believe that God has preserved his Holy Word So that modern translations. Some translations attempt to be more literal than others, like the NASB, and so are more difficult to read. Some strive only to be easy-to-read and are not so concerned with accurate translations, like the New Living Translation. Others strive to find the middle ground, fairly reliable translations that read smoothly when read aloud, like the NIV or the NKJV. Others attempt to bear in mind the contexts that we discussed and come up with an accurate translation and one that takes into account the original recipient of the texts. Such is the ESV and Lexham English Bible. So which ones reflect the Holy Word of God as written thousands of years ago? That would be the NASB, the ESV, and the Lexham. The latter two use the most recently discovered, older textual fragments, including parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, along with the texts that Bible publishers have relied on for years and they consider the times and cultures of the writers and recipient to translate the original language into appropriate English words and phrases.

The remarkable thing is that after thousands of years, we have – by the power of God – the unblemished Word of God through which we may find salvation and live like Christ.
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