You were made to live forever.

I don’t think that our innate foreverness changed when sin changed us. I think it is one of the communicable attributes of God that we share with Him, being created imago dei.

We see two trees mentioned in the early chapters of Genesis. We see the warning by God for Adam not to take and eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:17) and after the Fall and resultant curse, we see God protect and hide another tree, the tree of life (3:22-24).

If you notice, there was only one tree that Adam and Eve were not to eat from, and that is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were intended and allowed to eat of the tree of life. God had told Adam, though, that if he ate of the forbidden tree, “you shall surely die.” So, death, and a taking away of the tree of life, is a direct result of the curse of sin. That is why the Bible can say things like, “Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:15), and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Non-life is a result of sin.

But, it is interesting to note our intended design. We were designed to live forever. God never said to Adam, ““You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of life…” What came, as a result of eating from the forbidden tree, is physical death. We see uncountable inferences in the Bible that though we physically die, we live on. We are still designed and intended for eternity.

Who we really are is not what our physical body is. You are you apart from your body. Your body will die, but you – the real you - will live forever. We were made to live forever.

We see this no clearer than the clearest glimpse we get of forever – Revelation 22. Throughout the Bible, in times of hardship or destruction, we see what is called decreation language (Jeremiah 4). What is present in Revelation 22 is not decreation language, and it’s not even recreation language. The grandeur of what is presented in this last page of the revealed Word is decurse language.

Revelation 22:1-5

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

What we have in heaven, awaiting us, is a complete reversal of the curse – the tree that was once guarded is free for all – eternity is not just something that we long for and get glimpses of, but it’s something we taste and behold. The curse is broken. Sin is a long-lost memory. And tears, and death, and mourning, and pain are no more. They are the “former things.” They have been crucified. To the thirsty God will give from the spring of the water of life without payment (Revelation 21:6).

We were made to live forever. What the curse brought, the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus has put to death. As He is alive forever, so will we be. And to those who trust in Him, the reward, forever, is not just all bad things undone, but all good things made new. We will take of the tree and eat - and live.

The Story

Salvation, Theology

This is the greatest story ever told. It is the most true story ever told, of which all other stories are but dim copies. This story is about God, and this story is for you.

Please share this story. The world needs to know this good news.

Salvation

Salvation, Theology

What is salvation?

Salvation refers to the act of God's grace in delivering his people from bondage to sin and condemnation, transferring them to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Col. 1:13), and giving them eternal life (Rom. 6:23)—all on the basis of what Christ accomplished in his atoning sacrifice. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8).

Why do I need to be saved?

I am a sinner. All people have sinned, or fallen short of God’s design.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

I deserve God’s judgment. Because of my sin, I deserve the wrath of God.

“For the wages of sin is death...” Romans 6:23a

“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

Apart from Christ we are…“by nature children of wrath.” Ephesians 2:3

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way…” Isaiah 53:6a

How is it possible for me to be saved?

Jesus took the punishment that I deserve. He died in my place, taking on the full wrath of God.

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“…the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6b

Jesus is God. The infinite God is the only One who could pay the penalty of sin. We have sinned against the infinite God, therefore the trespass is infinite.

Jesus, “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

What must I do to be saved?

Repent of your sin and turn in faith to Jesus as Lord and Savior.

“…the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23b

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

What now, since I have been saved?

Tell someone. Rejoice and let others rejoice by telling them of your new life!

Be baptized. Baptism is an outward expression of your inward faith and symbolizes what has just happened to you inwardly, dying to your old self and being born to walk in newness of life.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Other passages about my salvation:

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:3-10

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18

Let me know if you have given your life to Jesus!

Crucifixion: In the Fullness of Time

Theology

Galatians 4:4 begins with, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son..." On many occasions I have contemplated and marveled at this verse. I have taught on this verse and heard this verse taught on more than one occasion. But, all of the contemplation and teaching surrounding this has happened around only one occasion — Christmas — celebrating the incarnation of Jesus, the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us.

It's March, not December, yet I find myself contemplating this verse once again.

I don't know if it is type-casting because I am near my early 30s and have Jewish features, or because someone has a false perception of holiness about me, or because I am a pastor and must be available for church productions...or if it's simply by the will of God...but, I have the wonderful, scary, solemn, joyful privilege of playing Jesus in our church's Good Friday dramatic production. I will seek to portray the sufferings and final sayings of Jesus while He is hanging on the cross. This responsibility will force anyone to take a deep, long look at their life and dwell on the incredible price Jesus paid.

This has led me to Galatians 4:4. I no longer see it as simply a Christmas passage. It is an Easter passage, too.

I have always taught and heard it taught that by God's divine sovereignty and omniscience, He chose to come during the Pax Romana, a relative time of peace the world has never seen before. The Romans developed an intricate road system during this time that essentially connected the known ancient world. The gospel could spread to all peoples, as we see happening in Acts. It is no wonder "the fullness of time" was during the Pax Romana. The gospel could get to the ends of the earth. God knows what He is doing!

The next verse is essential in seeing that Galatians 4:4 is not only a Christmas passage though. It says that God sent forth His son in the fullness of time, "to redeem those who were under the law..." How is it that Jesus redeems those who are under the law? It's by his vicarious atonement. By His sufferings. By His death. By His resurrection. Jesus became the once-for-all sacrifice that the law required for sin. It's Good Friday. It's the cross. The nails. The blood. Jesus was born to die.

Not only did the Romans bring a time of peace and intricate road systems...they brought crucifixion. Of all the times in history, "the fullness of time" that God chose to come was when the death sentence was the most gruesome, torturous, and bloody. When He would feel the most pain. When He would suffer to the greatest extent. If Jesus came today in America and was sentenced to die, He would get lethal injection. No pain. No suffering.

Jesus came to be crucified.

For you.

In your place.

So you don't have to.

This means that you can be saved if you believe in Him. He paid the penalty of every one of your sins. This also means that there is not a single thing that you are going through of which God can't say, "I know exactly how you feel." Every pain. Every heartache. Every loss. Every temptation. Every ounce of suffering. Every tear. You are not alone. You are loved. That love led Him to suffer and die for you. It's the reason that He came.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." -Galatians 4:4-5

You can be forgiven and made right with God. He loves you and gave Himself for you.

Let me know how I can pray for you!

Family Faith – A Family Ministry Curriculum

Family, Theology

Parents, if you don't know where to begin in becoming the primary disciple-makers of your kids, start here. Work through these six sessions, and not only will you have a more firm grasp of your own faith, but you will have clear direction in how to steer your children toward Jesus.

Family Faith Curriculum [click to view]

You can be forgiven and made right with God. He loves you and gave Himself for you.

Let me know how I can pray for you!

Building a Theological Library for Kids

Books, Family, Theology

It is the biblical mandate for parents to be the primary disciple makers of their kids (Deut. 6; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4). The testimony of history until very modern times is that parents have been the primary teachers and instructors of their children. It is a fairly modern norm that parents are to send their children away every day for eight hours so someone else can teach and instruct them. What has developed as a side effect of this new norm is that parents do the same thing not only intellectually, but spiritually. Since parents trust professionals to teach their children what they need to know, they just as well trust the professionals to guide their children's spiritual lives. But the thing is, the church was never intended to be the primary disciple maker of your kids. Pastors and teachers exist to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4). So, as a pastor, that's what I want to seek to do. I want to equip you, the parent, to be the primary disciple maker of your kid.

Children love books, and parents love to read books to their children. Bed time is the perfect time to sit down and read together before you tuck your little one in. We can read "Goodnight Moon" or "Is Your Momma a Llama?" or we can utilize that God-given opportunity to disciple our children and start to create in them a yearning for Truth. All stories of love and redemption are but dim copies of the true story of love and redemption - the story of Jesus.

Now, I'm not saying that we ditch all secular children's books. I am saying that we need to be strategic with the time and tools that God has gifted us with. Now is the optimal time for you to have your child. God has been working through so many of His followers to create beautiful, child-captivating, Jesus-exalting, Truth-proclaiming, creative works of art for you to use to draw your child to Jesus. Each of these that I will recommend for you to start your child's theology library are not only edifying for your child, but they are powerfully meaningful to every adult that reads them. So, let's start to build a library.

STORYBOOK BIBLES

There are primarily two Storybook Bibles that I recommend for you to use with your children. And I HIGHLY recommend these Bibles. When your child is small, these Storybook Bibles are the perfect tool to create in them a yearning for the Word of God and to come to know the redemptive framework of the entirety of Scripture. If you are not using these, you are missing out.

1. The Jesus Storybook Bible

This is written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and is a favorite to all who have ever heard even one story from it. Her creativity in expressing the stories of the Bible are both beautiful and make the truths come alive. The writing is knowledgeable, not taking too much creative liberty in speaking where the Bible doesn't speak, but rather fills the story line as a master expositor would. The best part of this book is the end of every story. It's all about Jesus. "Every story whispers His name." You will be left in tears while reading these stories to your children, thinking on the redemption that Jesus has brought to you and offers to your child. Tim Keller says, “I would urge not just families with young children to get this book, but every Christian—from pew warmers, to ministry leaders, seminarians and even theologians!"

2. The Gospel Story Bible

Marty Machowski is solid. Any children's material that he develops, whether a book, a storybook Bible, a devotional, or entire curriculum, is among the absolute best of discipleship materials for children. This Bible is similar to the Jesus Storybook Bible in that its goal is that "you and your family will meet Jesus and learn a new, life-changing way of recognizing Christ as the hero of every story." A brilliant feature that sets this apart from other sources is its discussion questions and Scripture references at the end of every story. This Bible facilitates family devotional time so well. Randy Stinson, Dean of the School of Church Ministries at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has this to say about Machowski's work: "Reaching the generations with the gospel requires an enormous amount of parental wisdom and intentionality. Marty Machowski has provided a great tool to aid parents in their primary task of discipling their children. Not only that but The Gospel Story Bible presents the grand story line of Christ in all of Scripture. Every parent should have a copy."

BOOKS

This is just a starter list. I will add more as I review them. Some are longer than others and are suited for different ages. I am presenting them in the order of my personal favorites.

1. The Ology

This is THE BEST family discipleship resource that I have ever seen. It is yet another masterful work by Marty Machowski. "The Ology is a beautifully illustrated storybook that clearly explains transformative truths from the Bible. Within a traditional systematic theological framework, each truth is connected to the larger redemptive story of Scripture. The doctrine of God, for example, is presented in the larger framework of creation, where the attributes of God are on display and easier to understand. The addition of Bible references that support the truths in each spread and questions for further discussion make this a resource that families can use with all of their children. Families who read this book will be giving their children a gift that will last a lifetime—a solid foundation of biblical truth that will point them to the God who loves them and gave himself for them."

As with other projects of Machowski, Sovereign Grace Music has teamed up with The Ology to produce a brilliant musical album for children. It is beyond worth listening to (for adults too)!

2. Miracle Man

John Hendrix is an artist. He is a brilliant artist. He is also a Christian. The wonder and brilliance with which Hendrix animates these stories of Jesus is what makes this book so wonderful. When flipping to a page of all white, with Jesus carrying His cross across the page, my heart dropped to my stomach and tears welled in my eyes. There was no text on this page. It was simply Jesus, suffering for me. This is what Hendrix's art in Miracle Man does. It brings the stories of Jesus to life. While there is brevity of text and little theology (only covering some of Jesus' miracles), the phenomenal artwork is what put Miracle Man so high on my list.

3. The Biggest Story

Kevin DeYoung is among the most brilliant of theologians and pastors. Once I found out that he had a children's book, I knew it would be theologically robust yet appealing to the intended audience. It is amazing! The artist has accompanied his words with bright, beautiful images that really bring the story to life. "In this book, he gives children an overview of the Bible’s entire redemptive storyline—beginning with creation, ending with new creation, and centering on Jesus, the “Snake Crusher."" This book also has a short film that brings the book animations to life and is read by Kevin DeYoung.

Matt and Lauren Chandler have this to say about the book: “The Biggest Story is a delight to the eyes, ears, and hearts of its readers. With rich illustrations and even richer text, the biggest and best story is presented in all of its vivid colors—every dark shade and every bright tone. Parent and child alike will feel the ache of the fallenness of human nature and the comfort of an always-faithful God. From our family to yours, we wholeheartedly commend this book!”

4. The Garden, The Curtain and the Cross

Carl Laferton has produced a brilliant and beautiful work of theology. The approach he takes is a systematic one, looking at the redemptive narrative of the Bible, yet it is also a pointed and specific approach, masterfully showing why we are separated from God yet how God has brought us back in relationship with Him through Jesus. It is an easy and short read yet rich in theology and beautiful to the eyes. You can watch the story read before you purchase it or simply to play it for your child!

Here is what Albert Mohler, President of the The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has to say about this book: “Faithful, theologically rich children's books are a rare treat in Christian publishing. Laferton has provided us one of the best little treatments of biblical theology available for parents to read to their children. The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross not only teaches children stories in the Bible but the story of the Bible - one that culminates in the atoning work of Jesus Christ who gives broken sinners access to God. This book is a tremendous resource for parents and children who want to better understand the grand storyline of Scripture.”

You can be forgiven and made right with God. He loves you and gave Himself for you.

Let me know how I can pray for you!