When Do Believers Belong to Christ?

Mike Leake

I have been asked a very interesting question, recently.  “When do believers belong to Christ?”

In one sense the answer is clearly, “before the foundation of the world”.  Revelation 13:8 speaks of those whose “names were written before the foundation of the world” in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.  Ephesians 1:4 says that we [believers] were chosen in him before the foundation of the world. 

Yet there is another sense in which we do not rightly belong to Christ until we believe.  It is clear from Scripture that before we come to Christ in repentance and faith we are children of wrath “like the rest of mankind”.  We are cut off from God’s people.  All of the benefits of union with Christ are not ours because we are not in union with Christ apart from faith in Christ. 

Comparing John 10:29 with John 6:37 is interesting.  In 10:29 Jesus refers to those that “have been given” to Jesus by the Father.  Notice the past tense.  Now consider the tense of 6:37 where Jesus refers to “all that the Father gives me”.  That is a present active indicative.  So which is it, John?  Are we “being given” to Jesus or have we already “been given”? 

The answer I believe is found in this illustration from John Bunyan:

A man gives his daughter to another man, first, in order to marriage, and this respects the time past, and he gives her again at the day appointed, in marriage.  And in this last sense, perhaps, the text may mean that all that the Father has, before the world was, given to Jesus Christ, he gives them again to him in the day of their espousals. (Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, 15)

In other words we aren’t in union with Christ until we are united to Him by faith and repentance.  But that day was long ago foreknown and made certain by the Father’s promise of gifting us to Christ.  So, if you are in Christ marvel at the fact that before the world was even created the Father held you in His hands and told His Son, Jesus, that one day you’d be His. 

How I Explained the God-centeredness of God to a Group of Teenagers

Mike Leake 1 Comment

All of the Sunday school classes in our church are going through The Gospel Project.  Last week we reflected on the statement, “In all God does, His first aim is to glorify himself”.  I asked the students whether they agreed with that or not. 

Some of them dutifully nodded their heads.  A few expressed consternation.  Something didn’t seem quite right about that statement.  So in an attempt to get everyone a little uncomfortable with this truth I shared with them a bogus reason for preaching the gospel. (Part of the illustration I tweaked from this Piper sermon)

I told them that my hopes in preaching that morning was that whenever I was finished everybody would give me a standing ovation and bask in my awesomeness.  I told them that every point that I made I expect worship for my artistry.  Whenever I make a point that is helpful to them it is my hope that they will continue to realize that I am a storehouse of helpfulness and that they will continue to come back to me for all their information.  My goal that morning in preaching is simply for their praise. 

They were, rightly, appalled. 

Then I shared with them a little from Ephesians 1.  I had them note that according to this text the fundamental reason why God does what He does in our redemption is “to the praise of his glorious grace”.  That means that God saves us and does us good ultimately so that we might give him a standing ovation when he is finished. 

Is that appalling? 

It seems that way at first doesn’t it?  Because when humans do things like that it seems off putting.  But it’s off-putting simply because we are not the most wonderful and precious being in the universe.  God is.  And to make anything else our hearts treasure and joy is fundamentally ripping ourselves off.  So, God is deeply loving to be God-centered and to transform our hearts in such a way that we are too. 

The Loveliness of the God-centeredness of God Illustrated

I feared they were a little confused still, so I tried sharing an illustration. 

Imagine that you and your family were going on a trip.  You pick the destination.  Pick something beautiful.  Something that would be breathtaking.  You can go to see the Grand Canyon.  Or a beautiful national park.  Or travelling in space.  Or seeing Niagra Falls.  Or the Rocky Mountains.  Or travelling overseas to see all of the awesome history, architecture, and things that you cannot see here in America.  Now imagine—which ever of these amazing places that you want to vacation–that your parents have one stipulation…

The entire time you have to stare at a mirror.  Everyone else in the family enjoys the beautiful sunset.  The glaciers.  The caves.  The mountain peaks.  But for the entire trip, except for driving through Kansas, you have to look at this mirror. 

You know that is a rip off because even though you are “the crown of creation” and uniquely made in the image of God it’s not your physical being that’s so awesome.  It’s that you are part of something bigger.  You weren’t made to spend your life looking in a mirror.  You were made to worship.  You were made to see these great and grand things, to marvel, and to see the beauty of the Creator.  It’s loving to let you enjoy the Grand Canyon and to be swept up by it’s magnificence. 

How much more, then, the Lord of glory who created the Grand Canyon? 

When We Need to Proclaim Instead of Plead

Mike Leake

There are some questions that I cannot imagine my son or daughter ever asking. 

“Daddy, will you please love me today?” 

“Daddy, can I be your son/daughter today?” 

There are days when they might think they need to ask questions like, “Daddy, will you protect me?  Daddy will you provide for me?”  But those are just as ludicrous as the first ones.  And I’m fallen.  I’m a pale reflection of our heavenly Father. 

Yet, why are our prayers sometimes consumed by pleading for things that we already have? 

“Jesus, be my hope”

“Jesus. be my guide”

“Jesus, be my strength”

“Jesus, be my comfort”

Those aren’t things that we need to plead for.  Those are things that we need to proclaim.  “Jesus, you ARE my hope”.  “Jesus you ARE my guide”.  “Jesus, you ARE my strength.”  “Jesus, you ARE my comfort”.  Perhaps, what needs to be pleaded is what Paul pleaded for in his letter to the Ephesians; namely, that the Lord would open our eyes to see His already given provision. 

My point is not to rebuke people for praying the wrong way.  That’d be silly.  My point is to encourage you to pray more boldly.  It effects my prayers if I think I have to plead for an audience when Christ has already secured my entrance.  This really is another form of proclaiming the gospel to yourself. 

Consider both of these prayers.  What do each of them do to your heart?

First: Lord, be my strength today.  I am so weak and frail.  I really need you to make me strong today.  Things seem so out of control and I’m not sure that I can handle it. So, I’m pleading with you for strength.  I need your strength and not my own.  I cannot do it without you Jesus. So I’m humbly asking Lord if you would be my strength in this day.

Second: Jesus, I know that you are my strength.  Yet, I feel so frail this morning.  Indeed I am frail.  But you are not.  And in you I have everything that I need for life and godliness.  I pray that you might open my eyes to your strength and your power and your provision for me.  You are mighty and you redeem your people with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  You have shown me your power and your strength in the past. You have created the heavens and you hold them in the palm of your hand.  Before you the nations and all their idols will melt like wax before the splendor of your glory.  You are very strong and none can pluck me from your powerful hand.

See the difference?

Today in Blogworld 9.28.12

Mike Leake

Does Your Church Have Policies and Practices to Protect Against Pastoral Failures?

This is a particularly relevant question for our church.  Not because of moral failure but because we are working on rewriting our church’s constitution and bylaws.  This is a great reminder to make sure to have things in place for such tragic actions.  These scandals are becoming increasingly more common (or more likely only increasingly more public) and the church needs to be prepared to respond as well as to take preventative measures.  This piece by Thabiti is very helpful in doing such a thing.

Leadership:Why Choosing Your Favorite Team Should Be Nothing Like Choosing a Church

I appreciated this article from Timothy Paul Jones.  Not only because he too is a Royals fan but because he makes a really solid point concerning how some choose a church. 

6 Practical Reasons to Study Eschatology

That doesn’t mean study rapture charts, but it does mean looking seriously at the end times.  (I think 1 Peter shows us the benefit of eschatology in the face of present suffering). 

Are You a Hypocritical Preacher?

I am.  If I wasn’t I’d probably have little to say.  Eric McKiddie helps us hypocritical preachers to be hypocrites in the right way. 

This inspires me to take up acting: