Thanks for the news on the ESV study Bible coming out, I’ll be on the lookout for it. BTW, I do know the TULIP (not by heart but pretty close). And Eph 3:20 is one of my favorite verses!

Bless you man!
Dennis

Be careful reading Sproul, Piper and other reformed authors, before you know it, you will be going around quoting TULIP.

FYI, I use the Reformed Study Bible but a new ESV study bible is coming out this fall and everyone is really prasiing it.

God bless you

In Him, who can do more than we even can dream about,

Kern

Thanks for the warning, I definitely have to watch out for you reformed guys…..

I’m teasing you. My brother is staunchly reform. God has blessed him in the business realm. Though not perfect, he is faithful, has integrity and God has blessed him for that. He’s also given me a book by Richard Baxter, “The Religious Tradesman” which is a book about the Christian workman. From what I’ve read of it, it’s very good. Also, the Lord used the Dutch Christian Reformed Church to bring me to Himself. And those folks are hard workers and because of that, successful in business. Finally, one of my high school friends is a missionary in West Africa, and the Dutch Christian Reformed church is one of his main supporters. I like a lot of the Reformed stuff. John Piper is one of my favorites, I like Spurgeon (is he reformed?). Don’t know if you’ve ready any of RT Kendall, he is reformed and very good.

That being said, I like things about both Arminian/Wesleyan and Reformed camps. I do not see myself as one or the other. I’m sure I don’t know everything about either camp, nor do I want to. I dislike things about both as well. I’ve got some books by R.C. Sproul, and I like the Reformed Study Bible, am considering getting one at some point.

I will check out his site. I’ve seen some of his books over the years but have not read any of them.

Bless you man!

Love in Christ,
Dennis

Thanks. I think where we disagree, but still discuss in love, is that I believe Christians should give because of our love for God and what he did for us and not expect any reward. Now I know, most of the time we will receive a reward but it will be because of God’s grace not because of what we did. I base this on what Paul said in Romans that even my most righteous deed is dung to God.

Thanks for Willard articles and if I might be so bold to give you one. It is Randy Alcorn’s web site www.epm.org. His book Money, Possessions and Eternity is a great read. I might warn you he is reformed in his theology, as I am.

In Him,

Kern

www.dwillard.org.

Not to wear you out, but could I recommend you look at Dallas Willard’s “Divine Conspiracy?” It is a remarkable book and he addresses much better some of what I’ve written.

Blessings,
Dennis

Two other points.

First, many of us live here as Christians not understanding that our life we live as Christians will be judged and will determine our reward. I count myself in that group. We will suffer loss. Many of us seem to have a mentality of the world being so evil, I’m just going to hang on until Jesus comes back. I equate that mentality to some who have the mentality where I grew up to where, I’m just looking to get a job with the state (nothing wrong with that) as a toll collector (again, nothing wrong with that at all) just so that when I retire I get a good pension. Yet these folks have many gifts and talents given to them by God Himself that could have been employed in the service of others for their betterment and the expansion of the kingdom. Many Christians have that mentality.

Second, we will be living on the earth, a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus will come back to reign here for 1,000 years. And then there will be a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. The garden of Eden type life will be restored, which was God’s intention for man from the beginning. Heaven as we know it today - where people are now who died in Christ - I believe is a holding place. That is not their final destination from my perspective. What this view does is to again call what is material, good, as God did originally in Genesis. And what man was to do in that environment, which is to work, also as good. Again, many of us seek to live non-materialistically because of not wanting to conform to a consumer culture (right intent) but we end up going to the extreme of saying that what is material is bad. In fact, we really don’t accomplish what we are looking to do when we take that tack, which is to live non-materialistically. We actually end up with a Gnostic viewpoint. And with the Gnostics (see 1 John), since spirit was good and matter was bad, they didn’t really think that it mattered that they actually sinned. And though I’m not overweight, I do have issues with food (self-control, addiction, etc), and the sin of gluttony in the church is really never addressed. So the view that matter (materialism) is bad really does not address a materialistic concern (overeating, for example). If instead an opposite view was taken, that it matters how I live my life here and what I do with my body does matter (a materialistic view - again, not a consumer mentality) then folks would deal with their bodily issues, food, etc.

Bless you Kern. You are a true brother in the Lord!

Dennis

Great posts. I do believe many Christians live as if this were the only life. And I do believe a sacrificial spirit is much needed in the Body of Christ. As David Johnson mentioned on the Sunday Adelaja call, many Christians give, expecting a return, which I think is Biblical, but then do nothing, instead of doing their part. God does encourage us to give so that we can receive so that we can give so that we can receive so that we can give, and on and on. I believe we are to be conduits of His blessing.

Might I add another perspective? I am becoming enamored more and more with Dallas Willard’s perspective on the kingdom of God. He interprets Jesus’ statements as one losing their life for the sake of the kingdom, hating one’s own life, etc. as not so much being a negative. He sees it more as because the offer of kingdom living that God has given us in Christ is so great, that a merchant would sell his most prized possession and give that for the treasure of the kingdom.

As well, I believe when Jesus says that one who seeks to save his soul will lose it, but the one who loses his soul for Jesus sake will find it, we have to really understand what He is saying. Our life comes to our primarily through our soul, historically understood as our mind, our emotions and our will. Peter talks about receiving the goal of our faith, which is the salvation of our souls. I believe in large part this is conformity to the character of Christ, to where we think as He thinks, we feel as He feels, and we will what He wills. As well, when Jesus says that the kingdom of God has come, repent and believe the good news, He really means that this is good news! He in essence is saying, change your plans for living because of what is available to you, namely, the dynamic rule and reign of God in your life, or the presence of God.

I believe from my own study and background (undergrad in Psychology) as well as Willard’s, that the church has not understood the place of the soul, and because of that, has put burdens on people’s backs that God never intended. “For the letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.” My one man’s perspective (my own), I see a lot of good done by many different evangelical and charismatic denominations. But I also see a lot of “white-knuckling” in trying to overcome issues. As well, I see at times (myself included) where we have outward conformity, e.g., we don’t get drunk on wine, but inwardly, we have many of the same issues as alcoholics do, bitterness, rage, anger, jumping on our kids’ backs, etc. All in the guise of being a good Christian. Jesus calls that religion of the Pharisee, outward conformity. Instead, He says, learn of Him (directly from Him) and we will find interior rest. He is not the harsh taskmaster (I’m preaching to myself here) of demanding outward conformity. Rather, He would have us become in our character, which would then flow out to our actions, the kind of people who it is natural for not to lust, not to condemn, not to murder in our hearts, etc. Jesus attacked the outward conformity of the law in the Sermon on the Mount, and instead focused in the attention on the inward person, the heart.

Anyway, I’m rambling on. I do believe we need to live kingdom-oriented lives. As Jesus said, if we do that, we will have all that we need. For some this will be much, for others, not so much. But it will be what we need.

Blessings,
Dennis

One other thing, too many Christians live as if this was their home and not heaven. We stockpile stuff as if we were going to live here forever. Our home is not here, our final destination is heaven.