Motives for obedience

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Wayne Grudem comments that Christians sometimes fail to appreciate the range of NT teaching regarding motives for obedience to God:-

  1. A desire to please God and express of love to him, Jn 14:15, 21; cf. 1 John 5:3.
  2. The need to keep a clear conscience before God Rom. 13:5; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 2 Tim. 1:3; 1 Peter 3:16.
  3. The desire to be effective in the work of God’s kingdom, 2 Tim. 2:20–21.
  4. The desire to see unbelievers come to faith in Christ through observing our lives, 1 Peter 3:1–2, 15–16).
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N.T. Wright on ‘dikaiosune theou’

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‘I became convinced many years ago, and time and exegesis have confirmed this again and again, that Paul always uses this phrase to denote, not the status which God’s people have from him or in his presence, but the righteousness of God himself. This is not to say that there is no such thing as a righteous status held by believers. There is. It is to deny that this is the referent of Paul’s phrase dikaiosune theou.main…

Adoption – questions for self-assessment

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To help us realize more adequately who and what, as children of God, we are and are called to be, here are some questions by which we do well to examine ourselves again and again.

Do I understand my adoption? Do I value it? Do I daily remind myself of my privilege as a child of God?

Have I sought full assurance of my adoption? Do I daily dwell on the love of God to me?…

The sanctifying work of the Spirit

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John Stott suggests a ‘5-D’ summary of the steps in the sanctifying activity of the Holy Spirit:-

1.  The Holy Spirit operates first in our mind, enabling us to discern the will of God;

2.  Then in our conscience, enablish us to distinguish between right and wrong;

3.  Next in our heart, enablish us to desire God’s way ardently;

4.  Then in our will, enablish us to determine resolutely to follow God’s will;

5.  Only then can we do his will.…

The kingdom of God in Acts

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Jesus ‘spoke about the kingdom of God’ throughout his post-resurrection ministry, Acts 1:3. The kingdom is the ‘good news’ which Philip proclaimed to the Samaritans, Acts 8:12.

God’s rule originates in past eternity, as the words ‘appointed’, ‘plan’, ‘purpose’, ‘ordained’, ‘predestined’, and ‘foreknowledge’ suggest. (Ac 2:23; 4:28; 3:20; 20:27; 21:14; 13:48-49 )

It extends to the control of nations, Acts 17:26-27; and to the providential support of all human life, Acts 14:17; 17:25-26. But it is especially apparent in God’s provision of salvation; for it is God who calls men, Acts 2:39; adds to the church, Acts 2:47; turns men from wickedness, Acts 3:26; grants repentance and forgiveness, Acts 5:31; 13:48.…

What do angels do?

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According to William Ames (1576–1633), the work of angels is “to celebrate the glory of God and execute his commandments (Ps. 103:20), especially for the heirs of eternal life” (Heb. 1:14; Pss. 91:11; 34:7). (A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life, p185)

Regarding angels’ specific function, there are at least four:

1) Angels continuously worship and praise the God they serve (Job 38:7; Psalm 103:20; Isaiah 6:1–3; Revelation 4:8; 5:9–12).

2) Angels communicate God’s message to man.…

The Day of the Lord

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It is called:-

  • “day of wrath” (Rom. 2:5).
  • “that day” (2 Tim. 1:12);
  • “the day” (1 Thess. 5:4);
  • “day of judgment” (1 John 4:17);
  • “day of Christ” (Phil. 2:16);
  • “day of the Lord” (1 Thess. 5:2);
  • “day of our Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:8; 5:5);
  • “day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6,10),

It will be a day of:-

  • Revelation, 1 Cor 1:7.
  • Arrival, 1 Thess 3:13.
  • Wonder, 2 Thess 1:10.
  • Resurrection, 1 Cor 15:52.
  • Salvation, Heb 9:28.
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Psalms of lament in the Gospels

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The function of the psalms of lament in the Gospels, especially in the passion narratives, reflects a righteous sufferer typology.

  1. Jesus is betrayed by his friends. (Mk 14:18; Ps 41:9; 55:12-14)
  2. He is sorrowful. (Mk 14:34; Ps 43:5)
  3. He is falsely accused (Mk 14:56 par.; Ps 27:12).
  4. Pilate washes his hands of Jesus’ death. (Mt 27:24; Ps 26:6)
  5. Jesus’ clothes are divided among his enemies. (Mk 15:24; Ps 22:18)
  6. He is mocked. (Mk 15:29-31; Ps 22:7-8; 109:25)
  7. He thirsts.
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What about those who have never heard?

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I believe that the most Christian stance is to remain agnostic on this question.  When somebody asked Jesus, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”, he refused to answer and instead urged them “to enter through the narrow door”.  The fact is that God, alongside the most solemn warnings about our responsibility to respond to the gospel, has not revealed how he will deal with those who have never heard it.  We have to leave them in the hands of the God of infinite mercy and justice, who manifested these qualities most fully in the cross. 
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