Creation: like a beautiful book

(From the Belgic Confession)

Article 2: The Means by Which We Know God

First, by the creation, preservation, and government

of the universe,

since that universe is before our eyes

like a beautiful book

in which all creatures,

great and small,

are as letters

to make us ponder

the invisible things of God:

his eternal power

and his divinity,

as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20.

All these things are enough to convict men

and to leave them without excuse.

Second, he makes himself known to us more openly

by his holy and divine Word,

as much as we need in this life,

for his glory

and the salvation of his own.

My only comfort

(From the Heidelberg Catechism)

1 Q. What is your only comfort

in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own,

but belong -

body and soul,

in life and in death -

to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,

and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.

He also watches over me in such a way

that not a hair can fall from my head

without the will of my Father in heaven:

in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,

Christ, by his Holy Spirit,

assures me of eternal life

and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready

from now on to live for him.

Ahhh... it is so good.

(From the Heidelberg Catechism)

56 Q. What do you believe

concerning "the forgiveness of sins"?

A. I believe that God,

because of Christ's atonement,

will never hold against me,

any of my sins

nor my sinful nature

which I need to struggle against all my life.

Rather, in his grace

God grants me the righteousness of Christ

to free me forever from judgment.

6th century BC, 1st century AD, 21st century AD... let's keep preaching!

Six centuries before the revelation of God in the flesh, the Lord GOD spoke the following words to His prophet Ezekiel:

"And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."

Moreover, he said to me, "Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear or refuse to hear."

-Ezekiel 2:7-8,10-11

Seven centuries later, Paul, "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus", wrote the following to the evangelist Timothy:

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

-2 Timothy 4:2-4

And yet another two millennia later, I don't believe that anything has changed for the people of God, who are charged with proclaiming the glory of the LORD on His earth, and who will find true joy in nothing else.

There always have been, and always will be people who refuse to listen to the word of God. There always have been, and always will be people who will persecute those who bring that word. There always have been, and always will be seasons when the Gospel of Christ will be received, and others when it will be abhorred.

But we must not forget that there also always has been, and always will be a great and sovereign God whose ultimate ambition is to proclaim His great worth, drawing men and women to experience His everlasting glory. We must not forget that the Gospel of Christ has been sovereignly planned and executed by this glorious God. And we must not forget that the Gospel will go forth, because it is a manifestation of God's glory. The Gospel will not fail, because God cannot fail.

So let us preach the word of God, in season and out of season, whether they hear or refuse to hear. It is God's Gospel that we bring, not our own. He will ultimately sustain it, but He chooses us to be blessed by being the messengers.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

-Romans 1:16a

The Scripture testifies to Jesus

Genesis: He's the One who will crush the serpent's head. He's the Lamb that God provides in the place of Isaac. He's the Joseph who goes down into Egypt and suffers to save the world.

Exodus: He's the Passover Lamb.

Leviticus: He's the Scapegoat who carries away our sins on the Day of Atonement.

Numbers: He's the Star that shall come out of Jacob.

Deuteronomy: He's the Prophet who will arise like Moses.

Joshua: He's... Joshua! He's the second Joshua who will give His people rest.

Judges: He's the One who, like Sampson, will, in His death, deliver His people from their oppressors.

Samuel: He's the Son of David, who will reign forever.

Kings: He's foreshadowed by Elisha's healing ministry.

Isaiah: He's the suffering Servant.

Jeremiah: He's the Lord, Our Righteousness.

Ezekiel: He's the Prince, who inhabits a new temple.

Hosea: He's the Bridegroom.

Jonah: As Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish, so Jesus spent three days in the belly of the earth.

Micah: He's the King who will be born in Bethlehem.

Haggai: He's the Signet Ring.

Zechariah: He's the Priest-King, who builds the church.

Malachi: He's the Lord, who will suddenly come to His temple.

Psalms: He's the Anointed One, who is established on Zion.

Job: He's the Redeemer and the Intercessor.

Proverbs: He's Wisdom.

Ruth: He's the Kinsman Redeemer.

Daniel: He's the One like a Son of Man.

Chronicles: He's the Son of God, who will go up to the temple of the Lord and lead His people home from exile.

(Taken from Mike's sermon today on John 5:31-40)

A good name (or two!)

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.

-Proverbs 22:1

A friend asked me tonight what "M" stood for.

It took me a while to realize that she was referring to the "M." of "Christopher M. Carignan", in my email signature, which stands for "Michael". Christopher was the most popular name the year I was born and Michael was the second most popular. But the question itself got me thinking about how much I appreciate what my first and middle names actually mean...

Christopher: From the Late Greek name Χριστοφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing Christ", derived from Χριστος (Christos) combined with φερω (phero) "to bear, to carry".

Michael: From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "who is like God?" This name is commonly misunderstood as meaning "one who is like God". However, the name is actually a rhetorical question, implying that nobody is like God.

I like my names because they remind me of...

• Who I am: I am a redeemed sheep of Christ's flock, whom He has brought back to the fold by the effective call of His voice. The love of Christ shown to me in His atoning sacrifice creates a gratitude in me which is such a compelling force that I cannot help but preach the Gospel, in season and out of season. I am called to be a Christ bearer.

• Who I am not: I am not God. I cannot do the work that only God can do. I may be called to be a Christ bearer, but I recognize that none of my words, none of my logic, none of my convincing can ever turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. It is the Holy Spirit alone, regenerating a person to understand the oral or written proclamation of the Gospel, which can do this. When people believe on this message, they are saved, both instantly and eternally. I am nothing more than a redeemed sheep who is blessed to be a part of this work by bringing the message to those who will listen.

So, thanks, Nina, for the reminder. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving me these two awesome names. And thanks, God, for all You have done to give these names meaning!

The EFCA Statement of Faith has it goin' on!

Just got back from a very long, very difficult church meeting. We will be needing guidance from God on some key issues over the next few months, so please pray for our elders and for the rest of our congregation.

I was very encouraged tonight by our ratification of the CEFC church Constitution as per the recent changes to the Evangelical Free Church of America's statement of faith. I am constantly blessed and encouraged that I attend a church which is so biblical in its teaching, and believes whole-heartedly and openly, among other things, the following (taken from the EFCA Statement of Faith):

4.101 God: We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

4.103 The Human Condition: We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God's saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

4.105 The Work of Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

Amen, EFCA. Amen, CEFC. Amen!