Archive for the Clarus 17 Category


Feb 25

Session 6 Recap: Mark Dever, “Election”

2017 | by Ethan Hester | Category: Clarus 17

Editor’s Note: Ethan Hester is the Preaching Pastor at Grace Bible Church, Las Cruces, NM. He is a member of the Albuquerque Chapter of The Gospel Coalition. This post is a summary of Mark Dever’s message from Saturday afternoon at Clarus, February 25, “Election,” from Romans 9.

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In Session 6 this afternoon Pastor Mark Dever preached on election as presented in Romans 9.  He recognized the fact that while there is no subject as controversial as election, this chapter and the doctrine of election specifically have been the greatest agent of change for how many believers think about God.  

After coming to the climax of his gospel presentation in Chapter 8, Paul’s mind is moved to the truth that not all will take part in God’s glorious salvation.  In his mind the possibility of an objection arises.  He is struck with the question of whether Israel’s rejection of Jesus means that God’s word has failed.  It could easily seem that way, given that Israel has received so many blessings in being God’s chosen people, and yet they have not believed in Christ as the Messiah.

What is the answer to this problem?  It is to remember that God’s word hasn’t failed and that Israel’s response to Christ as the Messiah is due to God’s electing purpose of choosing some for belief and salvation and some for unbelief.  There are seven things that we should remember about God’s election.

  • God’s election is not simply physical (vv. 6-7). Election doesn’t extend to all of Abraham’s physical descendants. God’s election is not the same as an outward calling. The Israelites had an outward calling, but many did not receive the promised Messiah in faith. You cannot inherit a good relationship with God.
  • God’s election is based on himself (vv.8-13). God’s choice of some for salvation has nothing to do with any man’s foreseen works or faith, but rather on God and his love.
  • God’s election is just (vv. 14-18). Paul anticipates that a human may be tempted to question whether or not God is just. But we are reminded that God told Moses that He has the right to show mercy and compassion on whomever he chooses (Exodus 33:19) and that He hardens whomever He will. He ironically gives the example of Pharaoh’s heart being hardened in comparison with unbelieving Jews.
  • God’s election is not relieving humans of our responsibility (v. 19) Just because God chooses some, it does not mean that those who don’t believe are off the hook for their sin.  On the contrary, because we sin we are all guilty before God and rightly deserve hell, though some of us are saved in spite of that fact.
  • God’s election is revealing (vv.20-23) God’s election reveals God and His place as Creator, who has the right to make vessels for honorable and dishonorable uses as He sees fit.
  • God’s election is international (vv.24-29) God’s election isn’t just tribal, but it is for some inside of Israel and for some outside of Israel, the Gentiles.
  • God’s election was predicted (vv.30-33) God doesn’t elect those in and out of Israel because he needed a new plan after his original one failed.  Instead it was always his plan that Christ, the “stumbling block”, would come and cause many inside of Israel to stumble by lacking faith in Him as the Messiah.

Conclusion

For those of us who may struggle with the doctrine of election, we should aim to lay down our judgment of God and His choice, and remember that He is the one who will be judging us.  For those who are convinced, remember that the doctrine of election shouldn’t bring an air of superiority because of our knowledge, but instead it should lead to a heart of love for the lost as we remember that we too were once slaves to sin and that we did nothing to earn our place in God’s family.

Feb 25

Session 5 Recap: Greg Gilbert, “Salvation”

2017 | by Mike McDonald | Category: Clarus 17

Editor’s Note: Mike McDonald is the Lead Pastor at Faith Church, Rio Rancho, NM. He is a member of the Albuquerque Chapter of The Gospel Coalition. This post is a summary of Greg Gilbert’s message from Saturday afternoon at Clarus, February 25, “Salvation,” from Romans 8:31–39.

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Greg Gilbert moved us into this next session on salvation through the study of Romans 8:31-39. Gilbert describes these verses as the crowning moment of Chapters 5-8. If you are trusting in Jesus for salvation, then you can ultimately know three things: God loves you, is for you, and nothing in the universe will ever change that. If your faith is in Jesus, then you can have rock solid confidence that you will be saved.

Because of Jesus, God is forever on your side. (v. 31-34)

Gilbert argued that since the beginning of Chapter 5, the question that Paul has been attempting to answer is this: can God save people solely through Jesus? The answer to this is a resounding yes! These verses function as the legal claim that God has upon us through the work of Christ. Gilbert continued by stating that this is not just a logical truism, but by reaching back to Chapter 5, he reminded us that those who are justified by faith have peace with God. This gives the believer confidence that our faith in Jesus causes God to be for us. Further, we are united with Jesus and like Jesus, raised to a newness of life. Gilbert argued that, “our salvation as Christians will fail only if our union to Jesus can be broken. Jesus says with fire in His eyes, that will never happen.” Gilbert concluded this argument by reminding the listener that in Romans 8 we are adopted as His children, ultimately for the glory of God. Therefore, to the degree that God is for Jesus, He is for us. Given this, no one can bring a charge against us or condemn the one that God declares to be righteous. Because of Jesus, God is forever on your side.  

Because of Jesus, nothing will ever separate you from His love. (v. 35-39)

Gilbert then argued that God’s affection was not set upon His people because of their power or standing, but because of who God is. Because His love for us is rooted in His character, it can never be lost or shaken. There is nothing so special about us that should make Him love us. He loves us for His own name’s sake. Paul describes a list of legitimate trials that could cause our faith in His love to falter, and yet, these trials do the opposite. They confirm God’s love for us because we know that He is using all these things for our good. If your trust is in Jesus, those things won’t be enough to make you forsake Him. Because you are deeply and dearly loved, you are secure, no matter what trials you face.

Feb 25

Session 4 Recap: Mark Dever, “Conflict”

2017 | by Aaron Colyer | Category: Clarus 17

Editor’s Note: Aaron Colyer is the Lead Pastor at First Baptist Church, Roswell, NM. He is a member of the Albuquerque Chapter of The Gospel Coalition. This post is a summary of Mark Dever’s message from Saturday morning at Clarus, February 25, “Conflict,” from Romans 7.

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Dever begins by giving us some big picture ideas in the chapters leading up to Chapter 7. Gilbert previously described to us the great faith explained in Chapter 4, in which we also see our own connection to Adam in his sin. In Chapter 5 Paul discusses the peace we have by faith in Christ, and Chapter 6 reveals the newness of life every believer experiences. However Chapter 7 takes us back to the conflict we have with the law of God, revealing our sin in spite of the fact that every genuine believer is reborn. The encouragement for the Christian reading Romans 7 is found in that while sin and death continue in this life, so do grace and victory over sin through Christ!

Dever contends that Paul’s argument follows three questions: 

  1. What is our relationship to God’s rules? The law is no longer our master, as “the law is only binding on a person as long as he lives.” As in marriage, the covenant is only broken through death, and the covenant of the law has no power in the life of a Christian because we have “died to the law through the body of Christ.” As believers we are to recognize that we are dead to the law and Christ is our new master. It is a joyous message to know that because of the death of Christ, we are freed from the threat of God’s wrath hanging over our heads. Because of His power setting us free from sin, we are free to now bear fruit for God!
  1. Are God’s rules good? Though we are dead to the law now, it is still good. The law made us aware of our sin, but sin is the culprit- not the law. Our ambusher, betrayer, assassin, and murderer is sin, not the law! Each person has rejected God’s truth, and in so doing we have been mortally wounded- not by the law, but by our own sin. Thus, Dever encourages us to take heed of Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed is the man that takes refuge in him.” While it is good that the law expose our sin, we should also resist the temptation to find our identity in our sinfulness, lest we forget the Imago Dei by which we have been created. This honesty about sin only helps the Christian to celebrate the victory that is found in Christ!
  1. Do God’s rules kill us? Paul emphatically answers his own question quite strongly, “By No Means!” Paul’s problem was not that he was bound to the law, but that even in his vindicated, new life, he is still bound to sin. If Paul should “delight in God’s law” and yet struggle through sin, we too must be prepared to endure that same civil war in our own hearts. This war only leads us to rely on the victory that comes through Christ alone. Our triumph is in Jesus and the gospel. We don’t need more rules, we need rescue! And thanks be to God- Christ Jesus has provided that for us!

Feb 25

Session 3 Recap: Greg Gilbert, “Faith”

2017 | by Spencer Brown | Category: Clarus 17

Editor’s Note:  Spencer Brown is the Lead Pastor at Center City Church, Albuquerque, NM. He is a member of the Albuquerque Chapter of The Gospel Coalition. This post is a summary of Greg Gilbert’s message from Saturday morning at Clarus, February 25, “Faith,” from Romans 4:18–22.

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In Session 3, Gilbert explored the source of our faith as found in Romans 4. While our culture may see faith as being weak and childish- an empty belief in the ridiculous—our faith is a strong, confident, trust in God to do everything that He has promised. A strong, confident trust in God does not mean that faith comes easy. God may promise what seems impossible, but our trust must be grounded in the God who makes the promise, not the believability of the promise.

3 Questions About Faith

  • Faith is what? Paul raises the stakes as he adds components to the definition of faith in Romans 4:18-21. The final definition of faith comes at the end of the progression: Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised. Paul defines faith as believing in God’s promise in three ways: trusting when everything else around seems impossible, trusting and waiting in that promise for a long time, and believing without wavering.
  • Faith in what? Abraham grounded his faith, not only in the promise of God, but in the kind of God who made that promise. The promise was made by the one God “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” What a Christian needs is not more faith, but stronger faith. It comes through increasing your understanding of who God really is, and ultimately making a decision to rest on that.
  • Faith does what? The faith described in Romans 4 should affect change in our lives. Faith increases our love for God and our desire to obey Him. Our view of God is in direct proportion to our love and corresponding obedience to Him. If we see Him as small, we will have small love and small obedience. If we seem Him as great, then we will have great love and great obedience. Faith also gives us courage to defy the world, it produces joyful endurance, and it unites us to Christ- pointing us to eternity.

Conclusion: Greg concluded by reminding us of the hymn, Abide with Me, that reflects on God’s promise that we will abide with Christ in heaven for eternity. When our eyes our finally closed on this earth, they will be opened in heaven. We will watch as dawn breaks, and God fills all the universe with the knowledge of His Glory.

Feb 25

Clarus ’17 Photo Roundup, Friday, February 24

2017 | by Ben Moore | Category: Clarus 17

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Carissa & Ben Photography

Conference Photography by Ben Moore. Contact Ben at info@CarissaAndBen.com.