Thursday, September 25, 2014

Mission Statement

(Courtesy of Patrick Madrid)
I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.
The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.
My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. 

Friday, September 5, 2014

What is the Gospel? What about Grace Alone? What about Faith Alone? The short answer.

     The Gospel, simply put is the story of Jesus. It is Not how we are justified. Justification is the effect of believing in the gospel and isn't something we even need to understand fully for eternal life. So when someone says you must believe we are saved by "faith alone", that is incorrect, and not even taught in the Bible. It is a false premise. We are saved by Grace Alone because it was God's Grace that He provided the free gift of  Himself for the whole world, Jesus, to pay the price for sin so that we could be forgiven. So why doesn't everyone have eternal life? The gift was free and for everyone, but  in order to receive that Grace we need to cooperate with it through Faith in Jesus.  The Gospel is the message that Jesus Christ  is the Son of God who came down from heaven, died for our sins and rose on the third day, so that we might attain eternal life and hence be saved. If we believe that and we trust that, then we  have faith in Christ, and if we have faith we will follow Christ, and if we follow and believe Christ we will obey his commands and do. However, our faith/trust isn't in what we do, but in Christ. So for that subset of Christians that say good works play absolutely no role whatsoever in salvation, they are incorrect. It is true that "Works of the Law" play no role in our salvation. "Works of the Law" in the New Testament  refers to the Old Testament Moasic ceremonial laws. Most Christians I know that claim "Faith Alone" don't actually believe that in practice.  When you ask them: "Well is belief necessary, is love necessary, is forgiveness necessary, is repentance necessary ?" they ultimately have to say "yes",  because the Bible says they are necessary and those are all things you do.