All Things Seen & Unseen

Introduction Last time we examined Free Grace Theology (FGT) and how, according to this theology, we receive salvation . FGT maintains that we receive it on the basis of belief-in-Christ alone. Significantly, FGT distinguishes be tween the 'call to believe' and the 'call to follow' (see Free Grace Theology ) arguing that for salvation it is only necessary to believe on the Lord Jesus (e.g., Acts 16.31), that is, to answer the 'call to believe'. Lordship Salvation In opposition to FGT is Lordship Salvation (LS) 1 which believes that the 'call to follow' Jesus Christ is part and parcel of the 'call to believe' (Matt 28.19-20; Rom 1.5, 16.26; etc). LS is convinced that discipleship is an inherent part of true belief in Christ as Lo rd . Hence, o ne of the major teachings of LS is that being saved-by-grace-through-faith is always followed by works (Eph 2.8-10; Jas 2.17-20). The two (belief, a nd good works) will inevitably go together b...

To introduce this topic I mention again that idolatry is part of every person's life, every community's life and every nation's life. In fact, the whole human race is involved in a struggle between worship of the living God and worship of dead idols. Worship is natural to the human condition. In the beginning man turned his worship away from God to a god-substitute by changing the truth about God into a lie and resorting to the worship of the creaturely.  Christians cannot imagine that they are exempt from the ravages of idolatry (see 1 Cor 7.14; Col 3.5; 1 John 5.21).  Idolatry involves putting our TRUST in something that is created which can never bear the load of our full trust.  Only the Creator of all things seen and unseen is worthy of our trust.

The Lord challenged me recently about my idolatry with regard to money. A word about Martin Luther (see The Melbourne Anglican ) about money and how we so easily make it an idol was the stimulus for this challenge. What stabbed me in the heart was a reference in the article to the issue of trust. Why do we find it hard to trust our Lord Jesus? The answer to that question is easy but the remedy is not. The answer is that our hearts are conflicted by the competition among good things that have become our IDOLS. If you ever want to know what God thinks about idols read the devastating attack on God's people found in the first 35 chapters of the prophet Ezekiel . No one can come from that book with anything but a clear picture of why God was angry and ashamed of his people who had forsaken him for idols and detestable practices that went with idol worship.

It's more likely today that newsreaders will intone the sad news that 'mother nature unleashed her power' again in the latest tornado or cyclone or earthquake. This language fits exactly with living in a post-Christian society of course but perhaps even some Christians are chary of suggesting that an earthquake is a God's demonstration of his power. And yet the Old Testament is full of such witness (e.g., Ps 60.2; Isa 2.19, 21) and the New Testament too (Matt 28.2; Acts 16.26). 'Mother nature' which is creation, does not operate autonomously but is under the hand of God the creator. How could it be otherwise since creation is His creation? But then what of the devastation that such acts of God bring about? Deaths, injuries, damage to property, dislocation of populations! No small consequences! Whatever we come to conclude about the problem of evil we have to reckon with Jesus' words in Luke (13.1-5) who commented that those caught up in two c...