Friday, March 21, 2008

You're Asking For It!!

Here is a direct quote from Luis C. Rodriguez in the Foreword to Bro. Zane Hodges' book, Absolutely Free: "The gift of eternal life was received just by asking for it!" As far as I can remember, I never read anywhere in that entire book where bro. Hodges ever mentioned that one should be"asking for" eternal life in order to receive it. May I say right here & now that I do not have a problem with the phrase, or the concept for that matter. But I have heard from free grace people before that asking for eternal life can be dangerous since a person may not actually believe Jesus will give it to him, though he asks for it. I trust that I am not being nitpicky, I just wanted some feedback from you all about this. It seemed especially ironic that this phrase came in the foreword to this particular book! OK, I'll be looking forward to what you folks have to say regarding this! May the Lord bless you.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

In Christ!

News Flash! Colossians 2:9-10 comes immediately after Colossians 2:8! I never was very good at Math, but I figured that one out right away! Seriously, these verses just overflow with meaning today, as always, but seemingly it is more clearly seen at least to me to day than ever!
May I just post these tremendous verses for us here: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (NKJV)
WOW! Verse 8 is so indicative of the world today! There are so many false teachings & teachers who are actively seeking to take us captive that we just can't imagine! It reminds me of a Far Side cartoon I once saw where a camper lay sleeping in his sleeping bag with hundreds of rattlesnakes gathered all around him. One rattlesnake said to the rest, "OK, when I give the signal, let's all rattle!" The false teachers are like those rattlesnakes in more ways than one! The Holy Spirit through Paul wants to warn us of this far greater danger than even a pile of poisonous rattlers gathered all around us! But the Answer is infintely greater than the problem! Verses 9-10 gives us our hope!! Christ is God in bodily form, & we as believers are complete in HIM!! Check out how Dr. Ron Merryman translates this verse: "...and you keep on being having been completed in Him with abiding results." That makes me just want to shout! Who needs all this purpose drivel when we have the once-for-all truth?!! I hope being reminded of this truth makes your day just as much as it did mine today! May the Lord bless you as you serve Him this day!