St. Clement Of Rome On Justification By Grace

In his first epistle to the Corinthians (which was written towards the end of the 1st century AD), St. Clement of Rome wrote:

...All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (cf. Rom. 4:1-6; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5; Heb. 11:11-33)

What shall we do, then, brethren? Shall we become slothful in well-doing, and cease from the practice of love? God forbid that any such course should be followed by us! (cf. Rom. 6:1-2). But rather let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work (cf. Eph. 2:10; Tit. 3:7-8)....

Exactly the evangelical position on Justification. While we are not saved by our works but by faith in Christ, we do not neglect the importance of good works as the necessary outward evidence of our saving faith. So after all it wasn't really Luther who invented the doctrine of Sola Gratia and Sola Fide. I believe it's not Clement either, nor Paul, nor any of the apostles, but Jesus Christ himself:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (Jn. 3:16-18, KJV)

-Jeph

Maliligtas Ba Ang Lahat Ng Tumatawag Sa Panginoon?

Ayon kay apostol San Pablo...

"Maliligtas ang lahat ng tumatawag sa pangalan ng Panginoon." (Roma 10:13, MBB)

Ngunit ayon naman sa Panginoong Jesu-Cristo...

"Hindi lahat ng tumatawag sa akin, 'Panginoon, Panginoon,' ay papasok sa kaharian ng langit, kundi yaon lamang sumusunod sa kalooban ng aking Amang nasa langit." (Mateo 7:21, Ibid.)

Sino ngayon ang nagsasabi ng totoo? Si Pablo ba na isang apostol ni Cristo? O si Jesu-Cristo na siyang Panginoon ni Pablo? Isa ang Mateo 7:21 sa mga talata ng Kasulatan na ginagamit ng ibang mga mangangaral upang pasubalian ang konsepto ng 'kaligtasan ayon sa biyaya.' Ayon sa kanila, hindi sapat ang 'pagsampalataya' lang, bagkus dapat mong sundin ang kautusan ng Diyos upang ika'y papasukin sa kaharian ng langit. Ayon sa sumunod na talata,

"Marami ang mangagsasabi sa akin sa araw na yaon, Panginoon, Panginoon, hindi baga nagsipanghula kami sa iyong pangalan, at sa pangalan mo'y nangagpalayas kami ng mga demonio, at sa pangalan mo'y nagsigawa kami ng maraming gawang makapangyarihan? At kung magkagayo'y ipahahayag ko sa kanila, Kailan ma'y hindi ko kayo nangakilala: magsilayo kayo sa akin, kayong manggagawa ng katampalasanan." (Mat. 7:22-23, TAB)

Dito ay makikita natin kung paano itinaboy ng Panginoon ang ilang mga taong 'kumikilala' sa kanya bilang Panginoon. Nagsipanghula sila sa pangalan ni Jesus, nagpalayas ng mga demonyo, at gumawa ng mga milagro, gayunpama'y itinaboy sila ni Jesus. "Magsilayo kayo sa akin, kayong manggagawa ng katampalasanan," sabi niya sa kanila.

Ngunit kung hindi maliligtas ang lahat ng 'tumatawag' sa pangalan ni Jesus, bakit tila sinalungat ito ni Pablo nang sabihin niyang "maliligtas ang lahat ng tumatawag sa pangalan ng Panginoon" (Roma 10:13)? Nagkaroon nga ba ng salungatan sa pagitan ng Panginoong Jesus at ni San Pablo na kanyang apostol (na kinakasihan din naman ng Banal na Espiritu)? Hindi. Ito ay sapagkat may magkaibang kuntekstong kinalalagyan ang pahayag ni Pablo sa Roma 10:13, at ang pangungusap ni Jesus sa Mateo 7:21.

Totoong ang lahat ng 'tumatawag' sa pangalan ng Panginoon ay maliligtas. Ngunit ang isyu dito ay kung anong uri ba ng 'pagtawag' ang tinutukoy sa talatang ito na magdadala sa tao sa tunay na kaligtasan. Kung susuriin natin ang kunteksto ng Roma 10:13, makikita nating ang pagtawag na ito ay naguugat sa buong pusong pananalig. Ayon sa talata 9-11,

"Kung ipapahayag ng iyong mga labi na si Jesus ay Panginoon at manalig ka nang buong puso na siya'y muling binuhay ng Diyos, maliligtas ka. Sapagkat nananalig ang tao sa pamamagitan ng kanyang puso at sa gayo'y napawawalang-sala; at nagpapayag sa pamamagitan ng kanyang labi at sa gayo'y naliligtas. Sinasabi ng Kasulatan, 'Hindi mabibigo ang sinumang nananalig sa kanya." (Roma 10:9-11, MBB)

Kung gayon, ang kalidad ng pagtawag na tinutukoy ni Pablo sa talata 13 ay ang pagtawag na mayroong buong pusong pananalig sa Panginoon. Hindi sila mabibigo, sapagkat sa Panginoon lamang sila nagtitiwala at umaasa. Ayon nga kay Jesus, "Sinasabi ko sa inyo: ang nananalig sa akin ay may buhay na walang hanggan" (Juan 6:47, Ibid.). Sila'y hindi na "hahatulan kundi inilipat na sa buhay mula sa kamatayan" (Juan 5:24, Ibid.). Bukod pa rito, sila'y binigyan na ng "karapatang maging anak ng Diyos" ayon sa Juan 1:12 (Ibid.).

Ngunit wala bang tunay at buong pusong pananalig ang mga taong tinutukoy ni Jesus sa Mateo 7:21-22? Ayon sa ibang mga mangangaral, mayroon naman daw, ngunit hindi sila gumagawa ng mabuti, kaya maiimpyerno parin sila. Ayon naman sa iba, minsan na silang nanalig, ngunit kalaunan ay natalikod at nahulog mula sa kaligtasang natamo na nila.

Ngunit ano ba ang wika ni Jesus sa mga taong 'tumatawag' sa kanya bilang Panginoon na itataboy niya sa huling araw?

"At kung magkagayo'y ipahahayag ko sa kanila, KAILAN MA'Y hindi ko kayo nangakilala: magsilayo kayo sa akin, kayong manggagawa ng katampalasanan." (Mateo 7:23, TAB)

"And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Mat. 7:23, KJV)

Isipin itong mabuti: kung tunay na nananalig ang mga taong ito, bakit sinabihan sila ni Jesus na "KAILAN MA'Y" hindi niya sila nakilala? Hindi ba't ang sinumang nananalig sa kanya ay pinagkalooban na ng Diyos ng karapatang maging anak niya (Juan 1:12)? Kung totoong sila'y minsan nang naging anak ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pananalig, bakit kailanma'y hindi sila nakilala ng Panginoon?

Isa pa, pansinin kung paano sinubukan ng mga taong ito na kumbinsihin si Jesus na iligtas sila ayon sa kanilang mga gawa (Mateo 7:22). Ito ay maliwanag na pagpapatunay na hindi sila talaga nagtitiwala kay Jesus bilang tanging Tagapagligtas ng kanilang mga kaluluwa. Sila ang kinatuparan ng isang talata sa Jeremias na ang sabi:

"Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon: Sumpain ang tao na tumitiwala sa tao, at ginagawang laman ang kaniyang bisig, at ang puso ay humihiwalay sa Panginoon." (Jeremias 17:5, TAB)

Dito natin makikita ang malaking pagkakaiba ng mga taong tumatawag sa pangalan ng Panginoon sa Roma 10:13, sa mga taong tumatawag kay Jesus sa Mateo 7:21-22. Lahat ng mga tumatawag sa pangalan ni Cristo sa pamamagitan ng buong pusong pananalig ay maliligtas ayon sa kunteksto ng Roma 10:13. Ngunit hindi lahat ng tumatawag kay Cristo sa pamamagitan lamang ng labi ay maliligtas ayon naman sa kunteksto ng Mateo 7:21. Bagamat sila'y gumagawa ng mga kamangha-manghang mga gawa sa pangalan ni Cristo, hindi sila maliligtas sapagkat hindi sila nananangan sa trabahong tinapos na ni Cristo sa pamamagitan ng kanyang kamatayan sa krus sa ikaliligtas ng kanilang kaluluwa.

 -Jeph

My Personal conviction on Tithing

It has always been my personal conviction that tithing (or the giving of the 10% of one's income) is not a command that Christians in the New Testament are obliged to keep. Just as we are not under any moral obligation to keep the Sabbath day (we are not Seventh-day in the first place)--as far as the abolishing of the "law of commandments contained in ordinances"  through Christ's death is concerned (cf. Ephesians. 2:15)--I believe the same must be true with tithing. There are many reasons why I believe so, some of which are the following:

1) Firstly, tithing is an Old Testament ordinance that was intended only for the Israelites. The command was originally given by God for the purpose of sustaining the needs of the Levites who minister in the temple, who, by the way, were not allowed to own property like the other tribes of Israel (Numbers 18:21-32). The question now is this: do Christians today tithe for the same purpose? Do they tithe to support church pastors who don't have their own properties like the Levites in the Old Testament? Obviously not! So who's command are they obeying? We can only guess.

2) We often hear preachers (*with all due respect to them) quote Malachi 3:8-10 to support their view on obligatory giving of tithes in the New Testament. But upon a close examination on the background and mechanics of the ordinance in question, one will discover that the admonition found in Mal. 3:8-10 was actually directed to the Levites who are supposed to "bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house" (Neh.  10:38), and not to the lay-people of Israel. In a nutshell, this is how tithing works in the OT:

a. First, the Israelites must give their tithes to the Levites in support to their needs as temple ministers (Numbers 18:21-32),

b. Next, the Levites must get the tenths of those collections into the treasure storehouse for the temple's maintenance (Neh. 10:38, cf. Mal. 3:8-10). 

It was the second step which concerned God's rage in Malachi 3:8-10, the passage that so many use to prove Christians are to tithe. Clearly, it's not actually rebuking the people (the Israelites in particular), but rebuking the Levites for keeping the tithe that went to them.

3) As I said at the onset, it is completely hypocritical to say that the OT law on Sabbath-keeping does not bind Christians today and yet insist that we are still under moral obligation to observe at all cost the OT law on tithing. After Jesus was crucified the New Covenant began and the Old was finished (Heb. 8:7, 13). "Christ," Paul wrote, "is the end of the law" (Rom. 10:4; see also Eph. 2:14-15). If it's true that we are obliged to tithe, why aren't we obliged to keep the Sabbath day as well? The same goes with the dietary laws of the Old Testament.

4) In the first Council of the Church held in Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-31), the apostles addressed the question of whether Gentile believers should obey the Mosaic law in order for them to be admitted into the Christian fellowship. The Judaizers of their time insisted that it is "necessary to circumcise [the Gentiles] and to order them to keep the law of Moses" (v. 5), and thus be saved (v. 1). After much debate, the apostle James, who acted as the chairman of the meeting, resolved to "not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood" (v. 19-20). The question now is this: If the OT law on tithing is one of great moral importance that binds all Christians, Jews and Gentiles alike, how come it is not included in the Council's resolution?

5) Others maintain that regular tithing of church members is the most effective way a church can prosper and maintain its function in the community. This may be true in some cases, but we should not limit God's power. Nowhere in the Bible can we see any indication that God blesses His church according to how much money His children will drop in the collection plate.

6)  And lastly, there is no specific amount or portion of income Christians are required to give under the New Covenant of Grace. Instead we are told to "give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). Notice there is no amount mentioned. If the amount is a fixed one, there will be no need to decide in one's heart anymore.

Conclusion: 

Now let me make some important clarifications. It's not the act of tithing itself that I abhor, but the compulsion or the idea that we are under moral obligation to pay our tithes to pastors, else we'd suffer the divine cursing. I believe love is to be our motivation for giving, not legalism or fear (Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:28-34; 1 Cor. 13:1-7). God loves a cheerful giver, and if someone has convinced you or forced you to give by making you feel guilty or promised you a greater return, then you are no longer a cheerful giver. Thus, if you are compelled to give, or give out of necessity and you have sorrow and annoyance in your heart, for honesty's sake, don't give! "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23).

With that being said, I believe everybody is free to give whatever amount they are willing to give. It could be tenths of one's income, provided that they he/she is not compelled by fear and that he/she doesn't impose that personal conviction/devotion to others. Anyone can even give 20%, or 50%, or even more! (*after all, God owns everything we have, not only our tithes!). But the important thing, mind you, is not whether you tithe or not, nor it is the amount you give that counts. It is the heart that seeks to glorify God which matters most, and that's what makes a church blessed and fruitful.

"I may give away everything I have. . . But I gain nothing if I do not have love."

(1 Cor. 13:3, NCV)

-Jeph

 

Walang magagawa ang Diyos!

Sa pag-iikot ko sa BARM ay nabasa ko ang paskil na ito ng isang Marian devotee na si Fred:

May magagawa ba ang Diyos kung tumanggi? ganito yan... May magagawa ba ang Diyos kung nais nating mapunta sa impierno? Walang magagawa si God dahil yan ang ginusto natin.

Ang paksa ng talakayan ay tungkol sa pag-Oo ni Maria (aka. Fiat of Mary) sa Lukas 1:38. Nang tanungin si Fred kung may magagawa ba ang Diyos kung tumanggi si Maria sa kagustuhan ng Diyos, iyan ang kanyang naging sagot. Ayon sa kanya, walang magagawa ang Diyos kung nais nating maimpyerno (ergo, wala ring magagawa ang Diyos kung sakaling tumanggi si Maria).

Grabe ano? Nakakakilabot. Sa kagustuhan nilang maitaas si Maria, ang kadakilaan naman ng Diyos ang kanilang hinahamak.

• Tanong: "May anomang bagay kayang napakahirap sa Panginoon?" (Gen. 18:14).

• Sagot ni Fred: May magagawa ba ang Diyos kung nais nating mapunta sa impierno? Walang magagawa si God dahil yan ang ginusto natin.

• Sagot ng Biblia: "Ah Panginoong Dios! narito, iyong nilikha ang langit at ang lupa sa pamamagitan ng iyong dakilang kapangyarihan ng iyong unat na kamay. Tunay ngang walang bagay na totoong napakahirap sa iyo" (Jer. 32:17). "Maraming pinapasya ang tao ayon sa nais ng kanyang puso, ngunit ang layunin ng Diyos ang siyang mananayo" (Prov. 19:21).

Hindi ba kayang iligtas ng Diyos ang sinumang naisin niyang iligtas? Aba, kayang-kaya! Hindi ba't tinawag ni Pablo ang kanyang sarili na "pinakapusakal sa mga makasalanan" (1 Tim. 1:15, SND) noong hindi pa siya nakakakilala kay Cristo? Ngunit dahil ang Diyos ay "makapangyarihang magligtas" (Isa. 63:1), si Pablo ay nabago nang lubusan dahil sa biyaya ng Diyos (1 Cor. 15:10). Iniisip ko tuloy: nananalangin kaya si Fred para sa kaligtasan ng ibang mg makasalanan? Malamang hindi, sapagkat para sa kanya, "walang magagawa si God" kung nais nilang maimpyerno.

Pero linawin ko lang: Hindi ko po sinasabing lahat ng tao ay lubusang maliligtas. Tanging ang mga hinirang lamang ang maliligtas (Apoc. 17:8, 21:27). Sila ay mga makasalanan din na "nagnanais" maimpyerno dahil sa kanilang mga pagsuway at di pagsampalataya, ngunit pinili sila ng Diyos noon pa mang una upang pagkalooban ng biyaya ng pananalig nang sa gayo'y lubusan silang maligtas (Rom. 8:29-30; Filip. 1:29).

* * * * *

Thank You For Loving Me

Hindi talaga ako nagsasawang pakinggan ang kantang "Thank You For Loving Me" ni Tommy Walker mula noong una ko itong marining hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Una ko itong napakinggan sa isang JIL church sa Calamba (noong bagong mananampalataya pa lang ako), at talaga namang tumagos sa puso ko ang bawat letra ng awiting ito.

Sino at ano lang ba ako sa paningin ng Diyos? Kung ibulid man ako ng Panginoon sa impyerno, makatarungan siyang gawin iyon sapagkat ako'y isang makasalanan. Wala naman siyang obligasyong iligtas ako eh. Gayunpaman, pinili niya ako't tinawag upang maging kanyang sariling anak, hindi dahil sa kung sino ako o anong magagawa ko, kundi ayon lamang sa kanyang habag at biyaya (Efeso 1:4-5, 10-11).

Ang galing diba? Yan ang pinaka nagbibigay sa akin ng dahilan upang patuloy na magpuri at maglingkod sa kanya. At sa tuwing naririnig ko ang awiting "Thank You For Loving Me", hindi ko mapigilang magpasalamat sa kanya nang taos puso. Maraming salamat sa Diyos sa napakagandang awiting ito.

Thank You For Loving Me
by: Tommy Walker

What love the Father has lavished on us
That we should be called His sons and daughters
Precious in His sight
Greater love this world had never seen
When He hung on that tree
O why would He do such a thing
For dirty sinners like you and me?

Chorus:
O God thank You for loving me
When on the cross You made history
Lord You died for me
Forever my praise will go to Thee
O God thank You for choosing me
To be Your child and bear Your name
O Jesus I will never cease to sing Your praise

Verse 2:
Your love is patient and humble and kind
It's greater than all my sin
It always protects and trusts and hopes
And will have no end
It's Your love that lifted me up from the depths
Set my feet on a solid rock
With a firm place to stand
Lord I always will trust in Your loving hand

Bridge:
How wide how long
How high how deep
How endless is Your love for me
How wide how long
How high how deep
How endless is Your love for me

Are Christians Sinners? (First Post)

Most people define the word "sinner" as to mean "one who sins." So if you have commited a sin, then you're a sinner. Christians sin, therefore Christians are sinners.

However, in the Bible Christians are never called as such. In fact, the Holy Scripture consistently identifies the redeemed as saints, not sinners. See for example Paul's introductory statement in his 1st epistle to the Corinthians:

"Paul, [a] called apostle of Jesus Christ, by God's will, and Sosthenes the brother, to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, to [those] sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours..." (1 Cor. 1:1-2, Darby)

It is interesting to note that Paul's primary purpose for writing this epistle was to rebuke the Christians in Corinth with regards to the negative reports he has been receiving concerning their spiritual/moral and ecclesiastical condition, and to exhort them to live God's love as they ought as God's children. In other words, First Corinthians reveals many of the problems that the Corinthian church faced. In fact, there is a problem in almost every chapter of the book!

1. The Problem of Divisions in the Church (1 Cor. 1:10-13)
2. The Problem of Worldly Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:17-2:16)
3. The Problem of Carnality (1 Cor. 3:1-4)
4. The Problem of Immorality in the Church (1 Cor. 5:1-13)
5. The Problem of Bringing a Fellow Believer to Court (1 Cor. 6:1-8)
6. The Problem of Fornication (1 Cor. 6:15-20)
7. The Problem of Marriage and Divorce (1 Cor. 7:1-40)
8. The Problem of Meats Offered to Idols (1 Cor. 8:1-13)
9. The Problem of the Role Men and Women Should Have in Christ's Church (1 Cor. 11:1-17)
10. The Problem of Abusing the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20-34)
11. The Problem of Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor. 12:1-31)
12. The Problem of a Lack of Love (1 Cor. 13:1-13)
13. The Problem of Speaking in Tongues (1 Cor. 14:1-40)
14. The Problem of Wrong Teaching About the Resurrection of the Dead (1 Cor. 15:1-58)
15. The Problem of Collecting for the Saints (1 Cor. 16:1-3)

The Corinthian church was plagued with problems! In Tagalog, pasaway talaga itong mga taong 'to! But you see, despite their being pasaway, Paul still called them saints!

Another instance of Christians not being identified as "sinners" is explicitly found in Romans 5:8. Paul wrote,

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, KJV)

Note that the past tense is used – while we were yet sinners – which implies a change of status.  While we “were” yet sinners is a prior status of being sinners, different from what the recipients of the letter were as Paul wrote them.  Who, then, were the recipients of the letter? How did the author describe them? Paul wrote:

"...to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and [our] Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 1:7, Darby)

Clearly, Paul was referring to saints, not sinners!

It is also an interesting fact that in the New Testament the word "sinner/s" is used 41 times, but none refer to people who are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

You might ask: how then can Christians be called saints if they still commit sins even after being saved? (1 Jn. 1:8). In what sense does the Bible call them saints? and in what sense aren't they called sinners? According to Paul:

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works..." (Rom. 4:5-6, KJV)

There you go. It is with regard to our judicial standing before God that the Bible calls us saints. Since Christ already fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf and died on the cross for our sins so that He may "present us holy in God's sight, without blemish, and free from accusation" (cf. Col. 1:22 / Rom. 3:24-25, 5:19 & Gal. 4:4-5; ), we are not seen by God as sinners. When God looks upon us, He sees not our uncleanliness but His Son's righteousness in virtue of our union with Him through faith.

Our sainthood doesn't pertain to our actual way of living, but to our judicial standing before God "who justifieth the ungodly" through faith. We are already sinless positionally, but not yet in practice, or in other words: Righteous... But Not Yet. 

Another reason why we are not called sinners anywhere in the Bible is that we are already free from the power of Sin and, by the grace of God, we do not and we cannot deliberately go back to our old sinful lifestyle:

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Rom. 6:1-2, NIV) 

"We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them." (1 Jn. 5:18, NLT)

Christians may fall into different temptations at varying degrees, but "God’s Son holds them securely." They are a new creature in Christ, and the Holy Spirit grieves in their heart whenever they transgress the law of God. It is not the believer's lifestyle to continue living in Sin, but to grow in love and holiness, being sanctified by the Spirit.

Now we turn once more to the original question of this article: Are Christians sinners?

The answer should depend on how the word "sinner" is defined. Technically if we follow the common definition of the word sinner as "anyone who commits sins," in this sense we can say that Christians are still sinners. Biblically speaking, however, Christians are no longer sinners but saints—in so far as they are already justified before God, and that they are no longer under Sin's dominion. In the Bible, the term "sinner" is applied only to unbelievers, not to God's children.

-Jeph