Closing out the first year of Marc5Solas, I posted what I thought was simply my 53rd article. I expected it would be read by the same few hundred folks who had read the others. And then.. Wow. More than half a million views, interviews, quotes in sermons, newsletters and bible studies… here we are.
A dear friend asked me two very poignant questions:
“What do you do to follow THAT?” and “What would you have written if you knew hundreds of thousands of people were going to read it?”
These questions really bothered me. I literally tossed and turned and lost sleep over them. I wish I could say that there wasn’t some pragmatic, prideful temptation to DO something to keep the large crowd, but that would be untrue. (And isn’t that the very problem I wrote about in the Top10 article anyway?)
I know, in fact, that there is only one way to answer those questions:
I may write this article to the same few hundred folks that read my blog before, or it may be read by a million… but I can’t let that be my focus. I’ve got to imagine that I have the same opportunity I have every time I sit down to write.. and all I have worth passing on to you is the “foolish”, “simple” gospel of faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
We assume we know the gospel, and we assume our kids do as well. Yet, I see so many folks get it wrong that I can’t help but think we need to have it spelled out; Simply. Daily. Repeatedly.
So, with the help of Sister-in-Christ (and epic artist) Di Wages, here is a primer on the basics of the Christian faith.
CREATION:
Genesis 1 teaches us that God created man, and the world, pure and without sin. (Gen 1:31)
In the illustration above, we see the following:
1. The world, signified by the blue background, is pure and without sin.
2. God and Man commune openly.
It is important to understand that this is NOT the world we live in today, as we see the pain and suffering which surround us.
FALL:
Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, the first man, Adam, willingly broke this law.
Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and through them, we inherit this fallen nature; We are all born dead in sin, totally defiled in soul and body, and by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, and the subjects of death. We are broken and are unable by nature to have true fear of God and true faith in God.
Since all men are born in sin, their relationship to God is not like the first illustration, our relationship by nature is that of fear and despair, and because of that, hatred toward God.
Get that. While the decisional theology of “altar calls” in America has taught that fallen man can, of his own accord, “choose God” it is absolutely a false teaching called Pelagianism. It doesn’t matter if you are Baptist, Assemblies of God, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc. This is NOT the belief of the church or of your denomination!
In the illustration above, we see the following:
1. The world, signified by black, is fallen. We see the effects of this every day as men die, sin, and are involved in all manner of evil.
2. Man’s nature, signified by the red shading of the man, is fallen.
3. Man’s is unable on his own to “choose God”.
There are 2 common errors I want to point out here:
Man is unable to seek God in this, his natural state. The view that man is not fallen and can choose God of his own will is an error (heresy) called Pelagianism.
While some denominations believe we are sinners because we sin, while others believe that we are born in sin, there is no denying that we all hold to the view that we are *unable* to “choose God” of our own will.
REGENERATION:
God changes the “heart of stone” to a “heart of flesh” and through this regeneration man is able to “choose God”.
This may come us a surprise to you, as you may well believe that the order is:
Faith (I believe), Rebirth (I am born again), Justification (I am saved).
However, the Bible teaches:
Rebirth, Faith, Justification
Wait, you may be thinking, that’s not what my denomination believes. While it may not be what is articulated from the pulpit much these days as “Altar calls” and decisional theology have crept in to the American church, this is what both orthodox Christianity and your denomination believe. There may be differences in *how* this happens (extent and means), but that it happens is unquestionable.
This is an amazing source of comfort to all who believe in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It means that if you have repented and in faith believed, that God was at work in you to do this very thing! So not only is salvation through faith in Christ a tremendous gift of grace, the faith *itself* is a gift!
In the illustration above, we see the following:
1. The arrow moves in one direction, from God to man.
2. Man’s heart is changed from a heart of stone (previously red) to a heart of flesh (now green).
3. Notice that we still live in a fallen world (black background).
FAITH:
As God has given us faith to believe, we respond to the call of gospel.
In the illustration above, we see the following:
1. Man has a heart of flesh (green)
2. Man responds to the gospel (green arrow)
3. Man is saved though the atoning work of Christ (green arrow)
There are some subtleties in verbiage regarding Christ’s saving work (extent, efficacy) that are certainly important, but this illustration will suffice to illustrate justification by faith in Christ.
4. Although we are now “saved”, we *still* live in a fallen world. The fallen nature of the world still remains during this life even for those who are regenerated. And though you are forgiven, you will still sin during this life and you will still ultimately die.
REDEMPTION:
Remember the first illustration? It will return. God is in the process of redeeming creation. The sickness, pain, evil, and death we see in this world will end. And for those who are in Christ will one day experience the reality of the beauty that this illustration can only hint at.
So, I’ll leave you with what I would have written had I known more than half a million people would read this blog:
THE GOSPEL:
We are born in sin, fallen and just objects of God’s wrath. We have sinned against a Holy God and against our fellow man in thought, word, and deed by loving things more than God and by not loving our neighbor as ourself. We were doomed.
But God, the very creator of heaven and earth in his unfathomable mercy sent Jesus, His only Son, our Lord, to be the atonement for our sin and to reconcile us to Himself. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, died, and was buried.
Get that. Fully God (God’s only Son), and Fully Man (born of the Virgin Mary). He really lived (suffered under Pontius Pilot), and really died (was dead and buried).
But that’s not where it ends:
The third day he rose again from the dead. He was seen by hundreds of witnesses. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. He will return to judge the living and the dead.
Get that. Judgement is coming for all men. It’s not a popular message, but I plead with you to let the weight of that rest on you today.
The good news? The Gospel? That Christ has paid the price for that sin. To all who would repent and in faith believe in Christ as the only means for the forgiveness of sin, their sins will be forgiven. And grace added onto absurd grace, we will not only be forgiven, but adopted. Think about that; Not only not condemned, but viewed as righteous and adopted as joint heirs with Christ Himself. Incredible!
So, in response to “what now”, “what next”? That’s it. To the question of “How do we fix the problems you listed in the Top 10 article?” That’s it. I don’t have another methodology for you. I don’t have a program. I don’t have a style. Just a charge:
Preach the Gospel.
We will no doubt lose kids from the church, but let it be a rejection of the gospel we are called to proclaim and not a counterfeit message we have substituted in an effort “keep” them.
Preach the Gospel.
In season, and out of season. Preach it in hoodies, and in suits. Preach it to all men everywhere.
Preach it.
Marc
Marc5Solas 
Amen!
Good stuff, but not so sure I agree with everything. Do you really mean to say, “… there is no denying that we all hold to the view that we are *unable* to “choose God” of our own will….” I grew up in the “Free Will Baptist” tradition. Decision theology and choosing to follow God, usually through an alter call and that leading to salvation is what I recall to be their teaching. False teaching that we exercise our free will in choosing God.
I do, in fact, mean to say that we are *unable* to “choose God” of our own will (more specifically, we are unable to do so without the Holy Spirit). To claim otherwise would be Pelagian.
I think it is the “…we all hold the view….” thing that is throwing me off. I agree we are unable to choose, but not so sure “we all hold the view.” Some don’t hold that view. Am I missing something? Or, are you saying all Christians hold that view?
I would define “we” as all orthodox Christians. I would view Pelagians as outside of orthodoxy in the same way that we could find Christians (oneness Pentecostals) who would deny the trinity.
Thanks, Marc. I think I understand now that I know who the collective “we” actually are.
I can’t think of a truly Pelagian denomination off the top of my head. While there is a full spectrum of monergism/synergism/Arminian/Calvinistic thought (as well as differing views on prevenient/effectual grace) everyone from Roman Catholics to Methodists/Baptists/Lutherans/Presbyterians/Assemblies of God all reject Pelagianism. You may, however see very semi-Pelagian views preached from pulpits when the work of grace in our regeneration isn’t explicitly taught.
Beautiful confession of the historic faith through a “modernized” Apostle’s Creed. Thank you for a great follow up to your previous blog post.
Thanks Marc and I couldn’t agree with you more. Specifically relating to your comments with Chuck. I was having the same thoughts along the lines about “making a decision for Christ” as Chuck did. I agree with your answers, but my concern is just how blurry the lines are now within American Evangelicalism. You may not find a true Pelagian denomination at it’s roots, but what is being professed in teaching and in the pulpit is completely Pelagian and synergistic in approach to scripture. And then when you talk to Christians that makeup these congregations/denominations what is actually professed is, in fact, Pelagian in nature. As lazy Americanized Christians we just don’t really know what we believe and why we believe it anymore. It’s all, very much, taken for granted. I would appreciate your thoughts on this and maybe a blog post or two. Thanks again for posting the Truth!
Excellent. Love the paintings, too–sometimes a visual really focuses. (Obviously the church down through the centuries of pre-printing press oral tradition understood that!). Nicely done.
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing the Gospel.
I’m a new reader, thanks to Pinterest. Thank you so much for writing these articles. I love your writing style and I hope you reach as many people as God is willing.
Marc, I really like what you pull from scripture here. But can you talk more about the “Rebirth, Faith, Justification?” You imply that God saves who he pleases and that it is not dependent on if we “choose/accept/believe” him (as in those whose hearts he changes will then by nature “choose/accept/believe” and not the other way around). And that is what I believe. I think that it actually means that more people will go to heaven because it allows salvation those that have never heard the gospel (not to discredit the blessings of reading God’s word in this day). It is also completely dependent on the work of Jesus Christ and not of ourselves. I just wanted to be sure I understood you correctly. As you have stated this idea is completely contradictory to what is preached in most Christian churches today. I don’t mean to stir up trouble. I’ve been thinking about my religion lately in light of the plethora of “Christian” denominations. I’m one of those young people and want to be solid on the church as Christ originally intended. If there is only one way and one truth then why is the Christian church so divided….
This Rebirth -> Faith -> Justification process is throwing me for a bit of a loop as well. Is the line of thinking that all mankind is “Reborn” due to Christ’s atoning sacrificial death, thus all are given the opportunity to profess “Faith” in Christ, and those that do are “Justified,” thus saved? Corb, it sounds like your argument is that “Rebirth” is a gift only given to a select group whom God chooses (I assume the predestined/elect mentioned in scripture). I don’t have a strong opinion on the matter, but I am deeply curious. I am also a “younger” Christian who is passionate about clearly and accurately sharing the Gospel with my friends, family, the youth of my church, and anyone else who will listen.
The view for all orthodox christians (i.e. those who are not pelagian heretics) is that God turns the heart of stone into a heart of flesh through the holy spirit which allows a person to hear and respond in faith to the gospel.
There are, however, views on how this actually works out:
Some view that all men have the ability to respond to the gospel without this work of regeneration. This is the Pelagian heresy and is roundly rejected.
Some view that all men have been regenerated to a degree (enough to overcome their fallen condition) to respond by choice to the gospel. In other words, that all men have received “prevenient” grace which makes all me “savable”. In this case the limitation is not on the number of those atoned for, rather the efficacy of the atonement.
The third view is that all who have been regenerated are and will be “saved”. In this case the limitation is on those for whom the atonement was made (the elect) and not on the efficacy of the atonement. In other words, the atonement of Christ actually “saves” instead of merely making men “savable”.
Unfortunately, since this subject is rarely taught in most evangelical circles, coupled with the spread of Finneyist Revivalism and Church Growth Movements, we often default to the first (Pelagian) position.
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