holiness

The Brightest Light & the Darkest Night

August 4, 2017 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Introduction

In Adam the human race declared war with God. We became a rebel kingdom; sunk in the darkness of the blackest night of hatred toward God. We want to rule ourselves, to determine good and evil by our own reckoning, and worship at the altar of self-glory. Our position before God is that of traitors and rebels. Left to our own devices we will not seek God, nor reconciliation with Him. Yet, we were made to enjoy the fellowship of His glorious presence. We hate this darkness, but we hate the light of God’s holiness more. The good news is that the Son has risen; and His light brings life.

The Text

1 John 1:5-10

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Summary of the Text

John’s introduction (vs.1-4) is no innocuous greeting. It is laden with theological and philosophical claims regarding Jesus Christ, concluding with the crescendo that this is all written that our joy may be full. The message which John heard from Jesus and declares unto us is that God is light, and there is not a shred of darkness in him (v5). This is followed by five “if/then” statements; these are foundational to John’s later discussion of antichrists (1 Jn. 2:18, 4:1-3) and assurance (1 Jn. 2:3).

First, claiming to have fellowship with God, yet continuing in the darkness of error, is evidence that you are a liar like your father Satan (v6, cf. Jn. 8:44). Second, walking in the light results in fellowship with God and His people, and being cleansed from sin through the blood of Jesus (v7). Third, claiming to be without sin is self-deception and is a tell-tale sign of the absence of truth (v8). Fourth, confessing our sins brings the assurance that Christ is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse from unrighteousness (v9). Finally, claims to sinlessness blaspheme God’s holiness, and prove that His word (by which we are born again, cf. 1 Pt. 1:23) is not in the one who claims to be without sin (v10).

God is Light

This is Jesus’ message, not John’s. John has simply been sent to proclaim. While later on John teaches that “God is love (1 Jn. 4:8),” he doesn’t lead with that. Rather, Jesus’ message is: “God is light!” Light here encompasses all of God’s perfections: His white hot purity of being. All of His divine attributes in perfect concord, no disharmony, no external source. As the hymn states: “Self-fed, self-kindled like the light, changeless, eternal, infinite.” His holiness, wisdom, understanding, and power. All without mixture, defect, or deficiency.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ declared: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (Jn. 8:12).” Following Jesus is man’s only path out of the darkness of sin and into the glorious light of God’s favor in which is found abundant, eternal life.Following Jesus is man’s only path out of the darkness of sin and into the glorious light of God’s favor in which is found abundant, eternal life. Jesus’ Gospel is quite simple: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (Jn. 3:36).” This is why we confess our belief that Jesus is “God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made.”

Light for the Greek mind would signify knowledge, wisdom, understanding; for the Jew, it would be understood in the context of God’s creating power and thus His holiness as the Almighty God. The Jews’ longing for the promised Messiah who would restore holiness to the people of God, and the Greek longing for true wisdom are found in the light of Jesus Christ: God in the flesh, the eternal Word of Life, and the lone Mediator between God and Man, our only way to fellowship with God (Jn 14:6). The pathway to life was not through the dark promises of the gnostic’s hidden knowledge, nor in the shadowy figures of the Old Testament. The life-giving light of God’s holiness and wisdom shine in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

However, “What communion hath light with darkness (2 Cor. 6:14)?” How can God’s holiness and our sinfulness be reconciled? By a Mediator of the covenant: the man Jesus Christ. While many attempt to exalt the love of God to a place of supremacy within God’s attributes, and while it is a glorious reality that God is love, we must remember God is light and God is love. Light before love. Holiness which endures no sin subsisting with affectionate charity which grants mercy. John lays the foundation of God’s holiness, in order to reveal His lovingkindness.

If Then

These if/thens are promise language. You experience the light of God’s holiness, wisdom, and power as either wrath and justice or love and mercy. In order to be saved from God’s wrath we must be convinced of our positional guilt in Adam, and receive the positional righteousness of Christ. False Christology always leads to man’s sin not being dealt with or forgiven. These false gospels explain away sin. Covenant breakers insist on finding in themselves, or in some antichrist, a savior. They always run to one extreme or the other: hedonism or asceticism; intellectualism or sentimentalism; traditionalism or spontaneity; legalism or licentiousness. So they remain under the wrath of God.

New Covenant Saints walk in the light–which is the Lord Jesus Christ–for in His light is the only hope for propitiation of our sins (1 Jn. 2:2) and eternal life (1 Jn. 2:25). Tozer once said: “We must hide our unholiness in the wounds of Christ as Moses hid himself in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God passed by. We must take refuge from God in God.” Matthew Henry put it wonderfully: “[Jesus Christ’s] blood applied to us discharges us from the guilt of all sin, both original and actual, inherent and committed: and so far we stand righteous in his sight; and not only so, but his blood procures for us those sacred influences by which sin is to be subdued more and more, till it is quite abolished.”

Do The Truth

False saviors can only offer false righteousness. Jesus Christ offers cleansing from our unrighteousness. Antichrists command us to do; Christ commands us to rest in His doing. Claiming to have fellowship with God, while walking in the darkness of a false gospel, is the vanity of “doing not the truth (v.6).” They remain blind corpses.

By contrast, if you are to “do the truth,” you must believe in Jesus and all that He claimed to be: the one mediator between God and man. By faith you are united with Him in His righteousness. The light of Christ pierces through the darkness of unbelief, and by grace opens the eyes of your faith to behold in Him your only salvation from sin and means of fellowship with Almighty God (cf. Ps. 36:9 & Is. 45:22). Christ is the only channel whereby eternal life is extended to you, along with the fullness of enjoying the Father’s love. So as you walk in the light of Jesus Christ, you are reckoned righteous and may say with John, “what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God (1 Jn. 3:1).”

Headlong Into Worse Sin

September 6, 2016 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

The Text

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:4-7)

Samuel’s Ministry

Samuel began his ministry with a denunciation of the sinfulness of the sons of the High Priest, Eli. Amongst the many transgressions of these wicked sons, perhaps the most poignant one was bringing the ark of covenant into battle with the Philistines (1 Sam. 4-6). Essentially, they wanted to pretend at piety, but their prior lifestyle showed them to be apostates of the worst kind.

Skipping forward, Samuel’s position as the highest leader of Israel is capped off in 1 Samuel 7 when it tells us of another battle with the Philistines: “And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel (1Sa 7:10).” This is followed by the intimation that Samuel’s sons were exhibiting corrupt behavior; and the people of Israel, not wanting a repeat of the defeat brought about by the wickedness of the sons of Eli, insist on having a visible King lead them in battle.

God the Warrior

Here’s the important thing to remember. From the conquering of Canaan under Joshua & Caleb, to the deliverances recorded in Judges, down to the account of this victory over the Philistines in 1 Samuel 7, God is presented as fighting for His people. Despite their idolatry, God would always raise up a deliverer; but it was God who was viewed as the Warrior on behalf of His people (Deu. 1:30, 3:22, Ex. 14:14).

It strikes me that part of the Israelites desire for a king was in one sense a reaction to the immediate failures of Eli’s wicked sons, and the prospect of a seemingly similar failure on the part of Samuel’s sons. Either way, their response was not to turn to God in faith, entrusting themselves to His care. Rather, we are told–from the Lord Himself–that this act was an act of rejecting His reign (1 Sam. 8:7).

The Narrow Way

In an attempt to avoid a known evil (corrupt leaders, i.e. Eli’s sons & Samuel’s sons), they chose the unspeakably worse evil of rejecting God’s reign over them, choosing rather to place themselves entirely in the hands of fallen men. So, do not flee in fear from one temptation into the arms of another one; the most secure path is the narrow way of holiness and faith in Christ alone.

Baptize the Nations

August 1, 2016 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Hellenists vs. Hebrews

The Jerusalem decree of Acts 15 is perhaps one of the most important moments of the New Testament. But we obviously need to look at the history leading up to it in the book of Acts, and the surrounding cultural environment. The early Jerusalem church was largely comprised of three groups: the born & bred ‘Hebrews’ (those raised in Palestine with deeply Jewish cultural moorings), the Hellenistic Jews (those who had been brought up in Greek thought & culture), and a smaller group of Gentile “God-fearers”. At Pentecost we see all three groups coming to faith in Christ (Acts 2:5).

The predominant group was heavily Hebrew. With the Jewish tendency to look down upon Hellenistic Jews and especially Gentiles as inferior, a great issue was inevitably to be decided. One thing that brought some friction between these different Christian groups was when the widows of the Grecian/Hellenist Christians were being overlooked in the mercy ministry. There was murmuring (Acts 6:1), and from this issue arose the order of deacons (which interestingly were comprised entirely of Hellenistic Jews). This was the first attempt to maintain unity amongst the early Christians; but this “cultural friction” was to come to a head a few years later.

To Circumcise or Not?

Fast forward several years, and you have very successful evangelization of Hellenist Jews of the diaspora (those Jews living outside of Palestine), as well as many Gentile believers, and these were forming the early churches whose names are now so well known (Galatia, Colosse, and some others). The Hebrew faction was zealous to ensure that the Gospel of Christ be not compromised, and the Hellenists & Gentile believers were equally zealous for the purity of the Gospel.

However, a vital question arose: “what must a Gentile do to be a Christian?” Which is itself the larger question: “What is it to be a Christian?” The Hebrew Party, understandably, did not want to see the rich and ancient legacy of the Jewish culture to be lost; the ultimate symbol of that culture being the sign of the Covenant: circumcision. This proved to be a real divisive point as it placed a great hurdle before Hellenistic Jews and especially the God-fearing Gentiles who were coming into the New Covenant of Christ.

So What’ll It Be?

This is what led up to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15. The ruling which James–Jesus’ brother–gives, is quite remarkable. That they believe Jesus was Lord and Christ, were Baptized and thus could eat of the Lord’s Supper was assumed. The real question was would they demand Jewish cultural practice be placed upon the Hellenist and Gentile Christians? Or, would they acknowledge that Christ was Lord over those cultures too, and would sanctify them by His Spirit? Here is James’ summary:

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Acts 15:19-20

The Apostles concluded that the Hebrew culture (though the Gospel was deeply seated in Israel’s history and Scriptures, Laws and Prophets) was not to be enforced upon the Hellenists and Gentiles. This meant that baptism, not Hebrew culture as signified and summed up by circumcision, bound believers in covenant to Christ. All this in accordance with the Great Commission (Mat. 28:18-20).

This decree though not disparaging Hebrew culture, summarizes it by drawing out three principle ways in Hebrew law was to bear upon Gentile believers.

Repudiation of Idolatry – This is obviously a teaching which is thoroughly Christian, and which Christ Himself taught (Lk. 4:8).
Abstaining from fornication – The pagan/gentile world was notably sexually licentious, and this being in clear opposition to OT sexual laws (Lev. 18:6-18), as well as Christ’s affirmation of those regulations (Mt. 5:27-28), it was needful that sexual fornication was not something envisioned by the Gospel’s liberty. In our modern gender-bending culture, it is important for Christians to note that one of the earliest of Christian decrees doubled down on what God intended for human sexuality: fidelity within monogamy or else abstinence.
Things strangled and from blood – This prohibition is likely tied up with the cruel practices associated with idolatry.

So, this decree essentially summed up Jewish culture; to put it another way, it decreed that Jewish culture was: worship the One True God in Jesus Christ (i.e. no idolatry), and honor Him with your body (i.e. the no fornication). This is really a reiteration of “Love God and love thy neighbor”.

Now What

All this is instructive to us modern believers. Our forefathers of the faith obeyed the Great Commission, and went out to baptize and disciple the nations, and the Jerusalem Council’s decree made it plain that they (at least in part) envisaged the Gospel permeating and then sanctifying ALL cultures. The Hebrew Christians were humble enough “to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things” (Acts 15:28-29); the Gentile believers were expected to respond in love by repudiating the grosser & obscene vestiges of their respective pagan cultures.

We are still under the same Lordship as they, and our commission is no less: go make disciples, teach them to obey, baptize them, and watch the nations stream into the Mountain of our Lord (Is. 2:2).

Please share & join the conversation by commenting down below!

The Rebellion of Trailblazing

August 5, 2015 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

These verses from Matthew’s gospel ought to remain ever fresh in the believer’s mind and heart: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Mat 7:13-14).” In each generation, Christians must determine to enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way; however, our Enemy is quite cunning and though the Word makes clear what his craftiness looks like, we are still often duped.

Think of it this way, as history rolls along, and God continues to build and grow His kingdom and as His purposes ripen, we are also sure to be tempted by Satan with old lies in seemingly new packages. Two hundred years ago for instance, fornication looked very different in one sense, and very similar in another sense; it still looked like improper use of one’s sexuality, but today it looks more like a smutty website, and perhaps less like a brothel in London’s East End. The sin and temptation are much the same, the package is different. [Read more…] about The Rebellion of Trailblazing

Sinking like a Stone

October 15, 2014 By Ben Zornes

When a nation, church, family or individual forsake God’s holy commandments there are only two options: continue in rebellion or repent. Rebellion is a whole lot easier, just like it is easier for a stone to sink into water. Repentance, on the other hand, runs contrary to our sinful nature and we’d much rather keep sinking like a stone, because it is all we’ve ever known. However, the only rescue from the calamity that is sure to come when either an individual or organization is walking in rebellion to God’s law is repentance.

Repentance, we must understand, is not a “once-off” thing. It is a discipline of soul. Further, we must remember that it is a proof of God’s goodness and kindness towards us (Rom. 2:4). We, as Christians, often think that we repent once (at some alter, with tears streaming down our cheeks) and then we are handy-dandy from then on out. However, God, in sanctifying you, will lovingly bring you to a deeper understanding of Himself, and in coming to understand Him we come to understand how far we’ve fallen from His likeness. When we realize how out of whack we are, the godly response is repentance. [Read more…] about Sinking like a Stone

Improving Your Church

June 21, 2014 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Having grown up in the church (at times almost literally), and now having served as a worship leader for a few different churches over the last decade or so, I have witnessed my own and others’ propensity to form unhealthy habits and patterns before, during and after the weekly worship service. Whatever church you attend, you need to have a sort of double vision. On one hand, remember that this is the spotless bride of Christ and thus treat the church with reverence, respect and honor in the way you speak about her. On the other hand, the smaller bodies of believers which make up the global church obviously have faults and issues (some big and some small). As Christians, we ought to desire to be used of God in improving and sanctifying our local body of saints, and remember that Christ, and Christ alone, can make his Bride holy, perfect, and blameless.

I see two baits for those who attend church regularly; one, treating a weekly service like something to be checked off a list, and two, treating it superstitiously. We can easily form a rut, and the most common rut is that we attend merely out of some form of obligation. God ought never be treated like an obligation. My wife and I have set aside Wednesday nights as our date night; I must never begin to treat it like just something to be crossed off of a list. The other bait though, is to treat church as if it is a superstitious potion that cures all ills. If your spiritual life is dependent on an hour or two on Sunday morning, your hope is in the wrong thing. It is imperative to remember that the gathering together of saints on a regular basis is an incredibly significant statement to the world, incredibly necessary for the believer’s health, and incredibly vital in raising our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Do not take it lightly. However, do not take it superstitiously. Our lives should revolve around Christ daily and Sunday morning ought to be an additional catalyst to your pursuit of our Lord the other six days of the week. Here are five suggestions which I believe will assist in both strengthening our overall spiritual life, and also our weekly times of fellowship and worship.

Athirst for God: A Tribute to A.W. Tozer

May 12, 2014 By Ben Zornes

A year ago today, marked the 50 year anniversary of death of the man who has most profoundly impacted my spiritual life. Sadly, I was ill-prepared to give a proper tribute unto the man to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. However, better late than never . . . so, let me pay tribute to this mighty man of God: A.W. Tozer.

He had his flaws, as all saints do, but he also had profound virtues. Among them was an ability to sharply state what the soul so desperately needs to hear; that is, the majesty and holiness of God! It was at my high school graduation, someone gave me one of the best gifts of my life, although I didn’t know it at the time and thought the gift rather “cheap.” They gave me an old, tacky copy of “The Knowledge of the Holy.” By God’s grace I read the preface, and in reading that preface it was as if someone had opened a window of heaven, and I smelled for the first time, the pure “light and loveliness” of that place. He spoke of his generation losing “the concept of majesty from the popular religious mind.” He declared that, “the Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshipping men.” [Read more…] about Athirst for God: A Tribute to A.W. Tozer

Think About Porn

March 18, 2014 By Ben Zornes

I have sat on the front row of ministry to young men for many years now. One recurring issue, which likely won’t surprise anyone, is the issue of addiction to pornography. In fact, I have dealt with so many men (both young and old) who have expressed a struggle with lust and porn. Two things ought to be said on this head; first, a man struggling with controlling sexual desire is not abnormal and ought not to surprise us. Secondly, however, the Gospel brings a man’s appetites into subordination to a higher law than the law of testosterone; this law is called the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1-3). Yes, naturally speaking a man will be controlled by his raging hormones; however, the Christian man is born again, has a new nature, has new affections, and thus his natural cravings are submitted to the clear command of God’s Word and to the empowering grace of God’s Spirit. [Read more…] about Think About Porn