Calvary Hot Springs

Exalting Christ Through the Ministry of the Word

gospel

Double Visioned

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Thinking Out Loud

As people who are justified by faith, we see this present world with a double vision. On the one hand, we long and strive for a world where love and peace prevails and where injustices are few and far between. On the other hand, we know the world’s turmoil is sourced by sin and that the only eternal remedy is the gospel. So as Christians, we must be willing to apply a band-aid on the symptoms of sin while faithfully and diligently administering God’s remedy, the gospel. The gospel compels us to do so. It cannot be an either or. It must be both. But it must begin and end with the gospel.

When ministering in the world, having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel in mind lends to a proper perspective. It brings to the forefront God’s provision in Christ for the hurting. It gives greater meaning to meeting material needs than merely filling a belly or providing a warm bed. The gospel reminds us of God’s mercy toward us when we don’t deserve it. It reminds us of just how patient the Lord is with us in our numerous short comings. The gospel centers your focus on Christ and guards the motives of your heart. This is important because we are quick to take glory for what God has ultimately done. 

Above all, having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel in mind keeps before us what really matters. It keeps at the forefront man’s desperate need for a Savior, and it is from this position that true compassion flows within and through you. Having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel makes you aware of opportunities the Lord may give to plant the seed of the gospel, to articulate its truths in grace. 

We, the recipients of God’s mercy are compelled to view the world with different eyes than that of the world. We know experientially what God has provided for us in Christ and the work He so faithfully continues to carry out in our lives.

The world’s problem is sin. It’s remedy is the gospel!

In times of national turmoil (and at all times), here are a few things that we would do well to put to practice immediately…

  • Pray… for those who are hurting, that the church would behave in wisdom and grace, that in your own heart, you will think biblically (pray before you speak or post on social media)
  • Act… take any and every opportunity the Lord provides to help make a difference where you live. You may not be able to impact the lives that are at the epicenter of turmoil, but you can make a difference right where you are. There is nothing unbiblical about working to make this world a better place to live.
  • Speak… pray for and take opportunity to speak the truth about God’s divine justice, satisfied for our sins in Christ’s death, so that in turn, He might be merciful to those come to Him in faith.

Suggested Book of the Month, May

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Reviewed by Isaac Stanley

Our recommended book of the month for May is Can We Trust the Gospels? by Peter J. Williams.

The goal of this book is to make a compelling case that the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – bear strong marks of authenticity even though they make claims about Jesus Christ that are remarkable. Peter Williams approaches this task by arguing that when all the evidence is considered, it is far simpler to accept that Jesus truly did and said the things contained in the Gospels then to try to rationalize and explain away the content of the Gospels.

The chapters of the book deal with topics such as…

“What Do Non-Christian Sources Say?” Did you know that there are records from ancient, non-christian historians who speak about Jesus?  

“Did the Gospel Authors Know Their Stuff?” Did you know that the Gospels refer to 26 specific towns, while the false gospels (Thomas, Judas, etc) mention 3 or 4?

“What about Contradictions?” Did you know that some things with the appearance of contradiction in the Bible were actually deliberately written that way in order to make the reader think about the underlying truths?

For believers, a book like Can We Trust the Gospels? provides a refreshing reminder that the Book that we trust so much has unmistakable evidence of authenticity and reliability. Also, this book may be a useful resource to give to an unbeliever in order to make them reflect more seriously on the claims of the Bible. Evidence supporting the Bible is not a substitute for the message of Good News, but it might provoke someone to look again at the hope that is found in Jesus Christ.

February Suggested Book of the Month

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The following book review was provided by Angie Stanley. You can find more of Angie’s reviews and writings at In the Meantime.

Assured, by Greg Gilbert

Struggling with doubts about one’s salvation is quite commonplace among believers. Indeed, if we are honest, I think many of us would agree that we have asked ourselves the question: “Am I truly saved?” 

As a teenager, I had several conversations with my mom about my assurance of salvation. While I don’t remember all the details of those often-late-night conversations, I do remember my mom pointing me back to Scripture and reminding me of what God says. Even now as an adult, there are still occasional moments of doubt.  

Assured: Discover Grace, Let Go of Guilt, and Rest in Your Salvation by Greg Gilbert is a helpful little discussion about how to deal with these moments of doubt. Its goal is to drive us back to Scripture and remind us of what our salvation truly rests on.

Four Sources of Assurance

The majority of the book centers around a discussion of four sources for our assurance: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s promises, the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of obedience in our lives. It is important to note that these sources of assurance fit into different categories concerning how they function. Concerning the gospel and God’s promises, Gilbert categorizes them as driving sources of assurance, the Holy Spirit is a supernatural source of assurance, and the fruits of obedience are a confirming source of assurance. I found this categorization to be a very helpful evaluation.

The chapter covering the gospel of Christ and how that guarantees our assurance of salvation is perhaps the most powerful chapter of the book. Gilbert discusses passages of Scripture such as Hebrews 10:19-22 and Romans 5:1-2, 6-8 to address what exactly Christ’s death on the cross accomplished for us. 
In the same chapter, Gilbert also addresses the question of faith–what if our faith isn’t strong enough or the right kind of faith? This particular question is the very question that has nagged at my heart over the years. I found Gilbert’s practical response to these questions to be helpful in reminding me that my salvation does not depend on what I have done but on what Christ has done! 

If you don’t read anything else in the book, read at least the first two chapters! 

Considerations to keep in mind

After covering these difference sources for our assurance in the first part of the book, the last three chapters discuss some specific considerations to keep in mind: mistakes we make in evaluating our good works, a besetting sin that continues to plague us, and some of the “trees” of the forest that we tend to focus on when we should instead be focusing on the magnificent view of the “forest” of God’s promises and the gospel. 

Who might benefit from this book?I believe several different groups of people will find Assured to be helpful: 

  1. Maybe you’re constantly wondering if you are indeed a Christian. Assured will help you evaluate why you might be having these nagging doubts. 
  2. Perhaps you’re confident and resting in your salvation. Assured will renew your awe and wonder at the extent of what Christ has done to guarantee your salvation until the day you are face to face with Christ Himself!
  3. Perhaps you’re in a ministry where you teach, mentor, or even counsel other believers. I believe Assured could prove to be a helpful resource to have on hand as you serve other believers. 

Assured is a powerful little book that will lift your eyes to the Savior and cause you to rejoice in the marvelous gift of salvation that He has given us!