Preceding the first chapter in the book Messy Spirituality (a book my girlfriend gave me over Easter), there is a quotation from Robert Coles of The Wittenburg Door.

“I go to church and everyone seems to feel so good about themselves. Everyone calls themselves a Christian nowadays. How dare we call ourselves Christians? It’s only for Jesus to decide whether we are Christians or not. I don’t think He’s made a decision in my case, and I’m afraid that when He does I am going to be sent straight to hell. I don’t feel I can call myself a Christian. I can’t be satisfied with myself. We all seem to be pretty contented with ourselves in church and that makes me sick. I think all this contentment makes Jesus nervous.

No, obviously, there’s a lot that’s theologically wrong with that quote. For example, eternal assurance is something we can enjoy—though it has to be discovered for ourselves. It can’t simply be learned or spoken. And, of course, God’s eternal nature would seem to negate the feeling of ‘nervousness’.

But, I think there’s also a healthy humility about these words.

If we are Christians, it’s not because of anything we’ve done or not done. It’s because of grace. In other words, it’s because God has said so. In this way, Jesus decides if we are Christians. And, I think we would do well to see our faith and salvation in that way. I am a Christian because Jesus has decided so.

The most recent chapter of The Pleasures of God by John Piper was seriously outstanding. The chapter dealt with “God’s Pleasure in Election”. As you can probably guess, Piper uses the chapter to show and defend God’s glory in the reformed understanding of election.

I really wish I could share the whole chapter with you, but unfortunately that would be a copyright violation—not to mention a whole lot of transcribing. So, instead, I’ll share just a short excerpt.

When expounding on Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Piper says this:

This passage teaches again the freedom of God’s grace in loving and choosing Israel. Notice the question that verse 7 raises: Why did God “ set his love upon you and choose you”? Moses answers that it was not because of their greatness. They were very small, unlikely candidates for being chosen by God. Why then did God delight in them and choose them?

Verse 8 gives [the answer:] “It is because the LORD loves you.”  Now remember what the question was from verse 7. The question was: Why did God set his love upon you? So the… answer Moses gives is: “Because he loves you.” He loves you because he loves you. That is what I mean by the freedom of God and the freedom of electing love. He doesn’t set his love upon them because they qualify fro his love. He loves them because he loves them.

Many have trouble with the question of why God chooses some and not others. Many grasp for reasons why some might be chosen and others not. There’s a sense of “fairness” that seems to be lost when people ponder the God’s freedom in election. That’s just what it is, freedom. He is free to choose who he will for whatever reason we cannot know.

We ought to be thankful that our wills are not as free as we would be led to believe they are. If they were, then God would not be free as free is he really is and if God were not free we would have already perished by now.

Reading in John Piper’s The Pleasures of God, Piper brings up a fantastic scripture reference that got me thinking tonight.

Joshua 24:2-3:

“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods…”

Essentially, what’s been said here is that Abraham, the father of the elected nation of the Jews, came directly from a family that “served other gods”. In the book of Romans, through chapter 9-11, Paul goes through pains to make it clear that God chose Israel, not because of anything they were or did or would do, but simply because he had chosen them.

But here, here’s the icing on the cake. God made Abraham the father of the nation of Israel, yet he came from a dark place—probably even a dark past himself.

What does this say about our own personal election. I think it serves as a reminder that our salvation is all of grace. While we may have come from and occupied a life of wickedness, that will have no bearing on our election. God’s grace is greater than our sin. It reminds me of this verse, Ephesians 3:14-21:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

That’s awesome. Love wider, love longer, love higher and love deeper than the vilest of our deeds. Just awesome.

Much like the Israelites crying for God to give them a king, the American people have spoken, and God has given them Obama. And, there seems little doubt in my mind that in the same way that the Israelites getting their king was a judgment from God, Obama is our judgement. Undoubtedly many unborn lives will be ended because of him. But, this is what the American people begged for, and this is what God has given them. So, I suppose I had a few thought that I wanted to share.

Wow…

This really is profound history—and we’re living to see it. The first black man in the history of our nation to be elected the President of the United States. That is awesome. I’m sure this will mean incredible things for the advancement of a group of people who, at large, have carried an victim-mentality (in many cases, justifiably so). With this historic event, there’s very real tangible hope that these people will be able to move foreword and prosper in very new and fresh ways.

That really is awesome; That is the silver lining of grace from God.

Personal Reform…

Over the past eight years, I quietly grumbled about Democrats complaining and condemning George bush—instead of simply disagreeing with him. Well, the tables have officially turned. It will be a big challenge for me (and most) to follow the biblical command and respect the new president, even in light of our many differences of opinion. However, over many issues, that’s exactly what we all need to do. There are some issues, though that our conscience will not allow us to accept—and if it does, we ought to pray that would be changed.

Abortion…

Many will certainly die because of Obama. Abortion is not a social issue for us to simply disagree about, it is a matter of life and death. It is a discussion of murder (about 4,000 murders every day). We have chosen a president who propones this practice. It is not the time to concede these issues, or move on from them. Perhaps the way we fight them must change, or how much we pray about them, but giving up is absolutely not an option.

Albert Mohler has written an insightful and important exhortation. I would suggest you read it.

Pray…

I must, we must:

… Pray for the lives of the unborn, in a culture that does not value them.
… Pray for the mothers who are taught not to love them.
… Pray for a culture and people who don’t believe in them.
… Pray for a president, indifferent to them.

… Pray for our own hearts, for honest compassion for them.

Remember…

We should remember, that we live under the only true sovereign. He gives and he takes away. He exalts and he humbles. All powers in heaven and on earth are chosen by him. If he has allowed to office a man who may “hurt” us, then perhaps we “ought to be hurt”.

Today is the day. I went and got my voting done first thing this morning. I walked to the polling place so that I could listen to my audio book version of Charles Spurgeon’s All of Grace. It was pretty sweet.

Of course, that’s not the point.

The point is, you need to go out and vote today. I’ll do a quick recap of yesterday’s post.

1. Obama is a good guy, with some good ideas. But,

2. Obama is also the most radical abortion proponent ever to run for the presidency. For anyone, but especially Christians, this ought to disqualify him as a viable option for the presidency; no matter how many other good ideas he might have.

3. Go vote.

I’m not a political guy, and I generally stay out of this realm. But today, I was struck with a feeling of guilt for not giving my attention in prayer and action to the issues at hand. Now, it’s too late. So, I will keep this brief in hopes that you, whoever you are, will read it and consider it.

1. It’s amazing that there is a black man in the running for president. It’s incredible to know that only 30 years ago there was still legislation for segregation, and look where we are today. Praise the Lord that racial equality has grown to this level.

2. Obama is the most radical proponent of abortion ever to run for the presidency. His views should cause anyone to shutter; especially Christians. This issue, regardless of 100 other good ideas, should disqualify him as a candidate in anyone’s mind (especially Christians).

Video…

Here is a short excerpt from one of Obama’s speeches:

There is a longer version of this video here.

Fuller perspectives…

Justin Taylor, blogger responsible for Between Two Worlds, has a good bit to say and his thoughts are more than worth reading. They should be thought about. Prayed about. Considered and taken into the booth tomorrow and used to keep Obama from being elected into the presidency.

Here are a few things worth reading:

Obama & the Freedom of Choice Act -  Senator Barbara Boxer, co-sponsor of the [the Freedom of Choice Act], has said: "The Freedom of Choice Act supercedes any law, regulation or local ordinance that impinges on a woman’s right to choose. That means a poor woman cannot be denied the use of Medicaid if she chooses to have an abortion." In other words, state governments and the federal government would be mandated to fund abortion with taxpayer money. This is what Obama has promised to sign “first thing” after his election.

Piper, Politics & Abortion – A discussion, clarification and conviction in response to one of John Piper’s recent videos and blogs.

John Piper on One Issue Politics – No one issue should qualify a candidate for office, but one issue should absolutely disqualify them. This should be read. “the endorsement of the right to kill unborn children disqualifies a person from any position of public office. It’s simply the same as saying that the endorsement of racism, fraud, or bribery would disqualify him—except that child-killing is more serious than those.”

In Conclusion…

I regret not speaking more on these issues. In many ways, Obama is a fantastic candidate. Unfortunately for millions of unborn children, there’s one issue that makes him fatal. Please, when you go to vote, consider the ears who will never hear the great gospel of Jesus Christ, because of Barack Obama’s convictions on abortion. No social reform  or political “change” is worth that.