The essentials of the Christian life must be kept in their proper order. Getting the order wrong is the difference between heaven and hell. Today, we saw how true faith keeps God's word. That you can't say you have faith in God and ignore what God says.
But you can't get the order mixed up. You can't say, "Because I keep God's word, he accepts me." If that statement is true than what's the basis of God's acceptance of me? My keeping God's word. Salvation then turns into product I have purchased by my ability to adhere to God's word. And that's completely opposite to what scripture teaches; that salvation is on the basis of faith.
So instead we say, "Because I believe in God, I keep his word." Now why do I keep his word? Not to be saved, but I keep his word because I am saved and I believe in God. This is the order we need to keep.
What do you think about this? And also, what are you feelings and questions? I'd love to hear them.
Pastor Brian
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Wait a minute?
Our passage this morning provided another one of those "wait a minute?" kinds of responses. We've seen them before; how could cattle be killed in by the hail when God wiped out the cattle in a previous wonder? A three days journey in the wilderness? I thought God was bringing his people out of Egypt permanently.
At the end of chapter 10, in the tense scene between Pharaoh and Moses, Pharaoh said that he would kill Moses the next time Moses showed his face in the palace again. Even Moses said, "As you say! I will not see your face again." But in chapter 11, Moses warns Pharaoh of the coming wonder. What does this mean?
There are a couple of ways to understand this: 1) While Moses and Pharaoh had a moment of anger saying they wouldn't see each other again, they really didn't mean it. Or the need to meet again because of the coming trouble super ceded their previous "threats." 2) Another explanation could be that Moses warned Pharaoh of this last wonder before he left in chapter 10; a kind of "oh, by the way, before I got know this...."
Clearly, the author of Exodus isn't concerned about this like we are so its something we have to live with. I like the 2nd option, but ultimately, it doesn't change the overall story; God's bringing deliverance through the execution of judgment.
What else are you picking up or seeing Chapter 11?
At the end of chapter 10, in the tense scene between Pharaoh and Moses, Pharaoh said that he would kill Moses the next time Moses showed his face in the palace again. Even Moses said, "As you say! I will not see your face again." But in chapter 11, Moses warns Pharaoh of the coming wonder. What does this mean?
There are a couple of ways to understand this: 1) While Moses and Pharaoh had a moment of anger saying they wouldn't see each other again, they really didn't mean it. Or the need to meet again because of the coming trouble super ceded their previous "threats." 2) Another explanation could be that Moses warned Pharaoh of this last wonder before he left in chapter 10; a kind of "oh, by the way, before I got know this...."
Clearly, the author of Exodus isn't concerned about this like we are so its something we have to live with. I like the 2nd option, but ultimately, it doesn't change the overall story; God's bringing deliverance through the execution of judgment.
What else are you picking up or seeing Chapter 11?
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