The hymn “Do No Sinful Action,” by Cecil Frances Alexander, was indeed intended as a children’s hymn, but it is suitable for us all. It certainly reflects a sterner time–perhaps to our discredit! The Bible commands, “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (I Pet. 1:15-16). God Himself is the standard by which we are to measure our conduct.

That this standard is impossible to meet is, in a sense, the point. We are immediately conscious of our own imperfections and impotence, and are reminded of the need for daily dependence on the grace of God. Awareness of our weakness should also engender in us a longing for Home, when “we shall be like Him” (I Jn. 3:2).

Going along with the recent direction of comments, it seems to me a rather odd generalization that these sorts of songs promote “closeness” to the Trinity. Certainly, they promote warm feelings within ourselves, but I don’t recall ever seeing a song that I would characterize as “pennetential,” nor is there any mention that we might have to “do” something to be close to Jesus: St. Peter states that we are participants in the Divine Nature, which implies activity rather than passive reception. To put it more blutly, Divine Grace is given to us undeservedly, but we still have to lay hold of it.

To be honest, my favorite “worship” song was written nearly 1600 years ago, is commonly sung only at Christmas, and is quite, contemplating the Father’s love rather than trying to show off mine.

Nice post!

I think that the website http://www.netzarim.co.il will be of interest to you and your readers. It contains research about Ribi Yehoshua (the Messiah) from Nazareth and what he taught.

Have a nice day!
Anders Branderud

GOD IS ENOUGH!!!!!

Tyler, I cried when I first saw it too.

Nate, like I said I had no idea who John Piper is. I certainly am not going to say that I agree with all (or even any) of his beliefs since I don’t even know what they are – but this video in and of itself I found very compelling.

I hope that if he is doing those things you have described that God would deal with him and work in him, and also to protect and heal those who are broken.

The only thing I want to suggest is that perhaps if a Christian finds that they are materially blessed to a point where they have more than they need it may be more Christ-like to give it away to those who are in need rather than to keep it for themselves?

We have to trust God and His spirit in our lives as to where he wants each one of and how he wants to use each one of us. I believe we aren’t to put any limitations on what God desires for us by following some rules about what He will or won’t provide. ( you see the wide spread of how He works in others lives in the Bible from Abraham to Paul – who are we to put limits on God) Because you never know how He is going to use it. We have to leave it up to Him to decide what and how much He desires for us. I often see Christians talking about what is appropriate and what isn’t for Christians to have – I don’t think it is for us to judge – what is to judge is when things become our god. And it isn’t just the ones that have that make them a god, but the ones that don’t and want them.

Anyway. I really appreciate your comments back to me. There are SO MANY ways God’s truth is misunderstood and misused. The devil is working overtime twisting in all kinds of ways. May we all hunger and have a burning passion for God’s Word and His truth in our lives.

Rachel

I guess this video may come across as exalting suffering. I certainly wouldn’t agree that suffering is better – only that when suffering does come in this life (which is unavoidable to most of us) that through it we cling to Jesus. I’m not a self-flaggelating type who foregoes all pleasure in a bid to share in suffering, and I’m sure John Piper isn’t either. He probably has a reasonable house, a car, plenty of clothes and food – all that stuff. As do I.

However, I do think our actual blessings are often overlooked among all our Western wealth, and blessings are usually interpreted as something more than the norm – something special and warm and fuzzy and possibly shiny. We tend to forget that all the stuff we already have are more than blessing enough, and it’s easy to overlook them. In comparison to 90% of the world’s population just having a house to live in and food to eat is more blessing than they could ever hope for.

I think this is where the video highlights the insidious nature of the prosperity gospel – the western world is trying to ship it to people who don’t have these things we call blessings – they are not blessed with even the necessities. We are promising the world and delivering nothing. We would be better to simply deliver a box of food and leave in silence than to peddle a gospel that is no gospel at all. God can provide, yes – but what happens when he doesn’t? Do we (and they) then doubt his faithfulness? Teaching people who need a miracle just to survive that if they follow God they will have all that they physically need is not just a little misinformation – it’s positively evil. Teaching them that God loves and cherishes them through any circumstance, and that if they just lean on him he will sustain them spiritually is much better. Accompanying that with the ‘cup of water in his name’ completes the gospel message.

In this world of materialism and quick fixes this all gets distorted. In a world, where most including many churches don’t truly trust the spirit’s work in people’s lives to guide them in the right direction, they disregard the good things God desires to give us because of how people have distorted. So, they make is all about suffering. But neglecting God’s goodness isn’t the answer either. Jesus came to heal sin and diease. God physically blessed many of His people. Jesus tells us if our earthly fathers desire to give us good things how much more our heavenly father – but the focus always has to be on God.

Like all things in life – there is a balance of suffering and blessing (physically and spiritually because they are connected)- which I really didn’t get in this message.

Bottom line is who do we trust and who we worship and that should be God alone and all that He is. We can’t neglect a part of Him because people have distorted it and we are fearful and non-trusting of the spirit’s work in people’s lives.

Rachel