Clint's Contemplations

Impossibility

Clint — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:51:50 +0000

“I have been crucified with Christ.”(Gal. 2:20) “For the death he died he died to sin.” (Rom.6:10). “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:2)

If, united with Christ in the historical moment of His death, we have died to sin and it’s legal grip has withered from us…how is it possible to still live in it? How is it possible?

It’s not.

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. (1 Jn. 5:18)

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s1 seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (1 Jn. 3:19)

There is a clear spiritual ignorance of the Gospel in the life of one who is living in sin.

Sin–no penalty for it, no dominion of it

Filed under: Personal

Tears for Wolves

Clint — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:31:05 +0000

“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with TEARS, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Discernment is not a hobby. It is a gift of remorse for the protection of others.

Filed under: Personal

Haiti

Clint — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:34:46 +0000

There is an indifference that speaks more loudly than the sweat and tears of Christian missionaries in Haiti. A rash comment by a fool defines Christianity rather than the compassion of far greater men and women.

May God display the mercy and love of His Son through those who are His true representatives.

Posted in Personal

Clint — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:50:00 +0000

To adore Christ is the end of all doctrine.

Posted in Personal

Him We Proclaim

Clint — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:21:22 +0000

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. -Col. 1:28

The Christian–evangelize until maturity then start over.

Posted in Personal

Christ-Centeredness

Clint — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:09:11 +0000

It is difficult to maintain. Our inclinations draw us away from Cross-bought grace. The Gospel becomes some rite of passage or a Christian entry-level that loses its life-application once accepted. This was never the intention. The faith that saves is the exact same faith that sanctifies–the faith that is anchored securely to the finished work of Christ. The temptation every day is to drift into an obedience to God that is detached from Christ. The God that this obedience is directed towards is not the God of Scripture, it is Self. Self, in many cases, forgives the same way God forgives–by punishing sin. Yet, Self finds no substitute because there is none. Christ is the only objective Substitute for sin. He was substituted not only to justify–but also to sanctify. Spirit-wrought sanctification finds its source in the Cross…and that is accessed by faith.

Posted in Personal

Thoughts

Clint — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:57:57 +0000

The word “love” is an easy, one-syllable word that rolls off the tongue very well. But the essence of love is boiled down to sacrifice. Emotional affection is not love unless it is coupled with tangible selflessness. But, tangible selflessness without the emotional affection, in my opinion, is still considered love.
I don’t remember where I heard this from but it goes something like this, “Hell is not eternity away from the presence of God, it is an eternity in the presence of God without a mediator.” So Hell is being with God without someone to vouch for you and Heaven is being with God with someone to vouch for you.
The thought of eventually doing seminary has crossed my mind. I’m not excited about it.
God is my vindicator and the judge of my motives.
Every single day, I run away from grace and every night I have to walk back.

Posted in Personal

Ministry Success

Clint — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:40:15 +0000

A man who can’t start a revival in his home should not expect any success outside the home. A man who can’t find the grace in his wife will not find the grace in people who don’t love and respect him. A joyless wife is the fruit of a less than godly husband.

Posted in Personal

Tim Keller- Religious Idols

Clint — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:54:37 +0000

Truth can be made an idol. Are you resting in the rightness of your doctrine rather than the work of Jesus? If so, the Bible calls you a fool. In Proverbs, “the scoffer” is a person like this. The scoffer is always sure he is right, and always disrespectful, disdainful, and mocking toward his opponents. The internet breeds scoffers, because if you’re a scoffer you get more traffic to your blog.
Gifts can be an idol. You can mistake spiritual gifts for spiritual fruit. Especially if you are successful in ministry, you can begin believing in justification by ministry: “I know I’m in God’s will because my ministry is going well.” Many of us in the Reformed world make an idol out of being a great preacher: “If I could just be a great preacher, then my life would have significance.”
Morality is a religious idol. It’s typical for Christians to feel that God loves them and will bless them because of their moral record.

(HT: The Resurgence)

The first one really hit me because that is exactly where I’ve been convicted lately.

Posted in Personal

Learning

Clint — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:07:31 +0000

I’m coming to a point in my walk when I look back and see this pattern of sneering self-superiority. Many men can authoritatively attack inadequate doctrines or ideologies without developing this trait, but it seems that I have a difficult time doing so. Several things I’ve learned in the last few months:

Assumption is dangerous. To initially assume instead of trying to understand what someone is trying to communicate will invoke wrong responses. I have trigger words/phrases like feeling, experience, God loves ALL people, or free will. When I hear these words, I stop listening and formulate my strategy for defending the omnipotent God.
I miss opportunities to get to root issues with people by focusing on semantics and surface theological problems.
Sarcasm and humility don’t coexist well in my life. One always suffocates the other. I’m not ready to say that all sarcasm is bad (I see it in Scripture) but I can say that I haven’t found that I use much of the good kind.
I think calling myself Reformed or Calvinist is unhelpful. It can become a source of identity rather than a way to describe what I believe. I have always been annoyed when I would tell people that I’m Calvinist/Reformed and they would answer, “Well, I just believe the Bible” or “Well, I’m just a Christian.” There is an appropriate rebuke that can be gleaned from those responses.
If God karate-chopped every golden calf in my life in one conversation…I’d be a spiritual vegetable. In Jude, God says, “Have mercy on those who doubt.” If the Holy Spirit (the unveiler of Truth) directs us to have mercy then we should not be afraid of allowing some lesser idols to survive while we get closer to the idol Mothership.
Many (most) people do not receive truth in the same package I like to receive it.
Gentleness is a virtue that I have not even begun to tap into.

Posted in Personal