Warning: This Is Something Everyone Does
This statement should be as no surprise to anyone. Everyone knows that “nobody’s perfect”. The Bible has a specific term for imperfection, impurity, or missing the mark: sin. So when Christians talk about sin really they are talking about being imperfect. Of course we have to measure against a standard to determine what’s perfect and what’s not and for the Christian the Bible is the standard for which everything in the world is judged. It tells us what is perfect and not so much including our thoughts, behavior, actions, and motives.
When looking at the world and ourselves through the lens of the Bible, we can quickly see the errors of our ways whether we are Christians or not. Suddenly we can agree with the Bible when it claims, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 ESV) or “for there is no one who does not sin” (2 Chronicles 6:36).
This sin is the very thing that keeps us from entering into the presence of God for He demands perfection (see linked post on this.) and is foundational for understanding the need for the Gospel. If you do not believe that this is foundational to the Gospel, you will not see the need, nor will you have the desire to understand it.
And if you believe that you’re a good person who makes a few mistakes every now and then and this rigid standard may not apply to you consider what James writes to the church, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” (James 2:10 ESV)
All the more reason of our need of a mediator to become a bridge between God’s perfection and our imperfection.
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By David Zook, Pastor Morningside Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, AZ.
Discover God’s Sole Reason for Forgiving Man.
One of the most astounding things the Bible claims is the fact that there is nothing of merit that man can do to get to heaven. Man can only enter heaven claiming Jesus’ record as his own.
Now, for many this sounds very extreme and narrow minded. After all, people are generally good and do good things, I mean they are not child molesters or axe murderers. God should be pleased with them for their good works and allow them into heaven.
That sounds good until you read the Bible and discover what it claims. The Bible claims that you have to be perfect, that is to say that you never ever make a mistake in thought, action, or motive. (read more here)
If man can’t make it to heaven on his own, then how will he make it to heaven?
Through the perfect life and the conquering of death by Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus was perfect in His life on earth and through this perfect obedience to His Father “many are made righteous” (Romans 5:19 ESV)
Through His death “he bore our sins in the his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)
Through His resurrection he conquered death which is the ultimate payment for our imperfection (sin). (Romans 3:23) The Bible says that Christ was put to death “for our trespasses (sin) and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)
These are very tough words for many in this world, yet rightly understood they ought to be the most comforting.
Knowing that there is nothing you can do merit wise to gain entrance into heaven ought to take a tremedous pressure off your back.
Knowing for certainty that there is a plan to get you to heaven without you trying to figure it out through trial and error ought to give you assurance and peace.
Knowing that someone has already done what you could never do, then give it to you freely, without demanding money or work for it, is absolutely amazing. It’s amazing grace.
And it is available to those who seek it today.
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By David Zook, Pastor Morningside Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, AZ.
Can Anyone Be Absolutely Perfect All of the Time?
There is universal consensus that “nobody is perfect”, yet there was a person that roamed the earth about 2000 years ago that was perfect. Stunningly, the Bible proclaims that Jesus was tempted in every way that each of us is tempted, yet He never, ever made a mistake.
Could this really be? If this is true, it means that He never made a wrong decision, never behaved badly, never had to apologize because he never hurt anyone, nor did he ever have a bad thought or motive. Admittedly, this sounds impossible unless you consider this angle: Jesus was God. The Bible proclaims that Jesus was the “exact imprint of the nature of God.” (Hebrews 1:3) That means that everything God was so was Jesus. We know that God is perfect and pure (here), so that means that Jesus must be perfect and pure. The implications of Jesus being perfect and pure is the basis of our acceptance before God. (here)
Scripture for this post as quoted by the ESV:
Hebrews 4:15 – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 7:26 – For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
1 Peter 1:19 – but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1 Peter 2:22 – He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
1 John 3:5 – You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
By David Zook , Pastor Morningside Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, AZ.
What Everyone Ought to Know about God. (Part 1)
In today’s “relative” world, “absolute” words often assault and offend. Yet as we begin to mine Scripture absolute words litter the landscape. Words like righteous, pure, true, right, and holy are used to describe the God of the Bible. As we examine Scripture, God’s own testimony of absoluteness emerges. We see that through his gracious and merciful acts he is morally perfect and pure. Psalm 145:17 reveals to us that “The LORD is righteous in all his ways…”
That is to say that in everything He does, from speaking the universe into existence (Gen. 1), bringing about the flood (Gen. 6), sacrificing His only Son, to creating and giving you life with all of its ups and downs is right. He did not make any mistakes, nor will He ever.
Moreover, his laws, commands, and percepts that he instructs us to obey are true and pure. When we obey them our hearts are filled with joy, our minds are renewed and peace reigns in our lives. (Psalm 19:8). His actions and words are not wrong, nor are they sometimes wrong, but they always right and standard to which He uses to judge our lives.
This absoluteness sets Him apart from us. “Holy” is the word to convey the idea of being “set apart” and Psalm 89:35, Isaiah 43:15, and 1 Peter 1:15 all speak to God’s holiness. He is set apart from the moral imperfections and impurities of his creation. Being set apart and perfect, he can never be imperfect or impure. He is crystal clear on this point as He says that He is not man, but God, the Holy One. (Hosea 11:9)
Because God is perfect in all His ways, we have someone that we can trust with every once of our being. We can trust His promises because He has never broken one nor is He capable of breaking one; we know that He will never do the wrong thing because He is perfect; and know that His Word is always truthful, even when it is difficult to believe.
He will not abandon us or forsake, nor will he ever lie to us. As we come up against difficult circumstances in our life, we know that He will be there for us in our time of need. We also know that His judgments are equitable and there will come a day when everything that is wrong with the world will be made right.
Most importantly, because He is morally pure and perfect He is the only one who can solve man’s most basic problem: being separated from Him.
Scripture for this post as quoted by the ESV:
Psalm 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
Psalm 89:35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.
Peter 1:15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Psalm 19:8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
Isaiah 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King
Hosea 11:9 ….for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst…
By David Zook, Pastor of Morningside Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, AZ.
Physical for the Christian Soul 