Matthew Henry on Matthew 12:31-32 and the Unpardonable Sin

"None are excepted (from salvation) by name, nor any by description, but those only that blaspheme the Holy Ghost. This blasphemy is excepted, not for any defect of the mercy in God, or merit in Christ, but because it inevitably leaves the sinner in infidelity and impenitency. Those who fear they have committed this sin, give a good sign that they have not. Those therefore who blaspheme this dispensation of the Spirit, cannot possibly be brought to believe in Christ. This is such a stronghold of infidelity as a man can never be beaten out of, and is therefore unpardonable, because hereby repentance is hid from the sinner’s eyes. There is no cure for a sin so directly against the remedy."

I wish I could write like those guys used to.

Oxymoron of the Week

"Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe." -Governor Bill Richardson (NM)

Click here for more details on this story.

Catching Wild Pigs

A friend of mine sent me a great email.  It read as follows...

A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt. 

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The  student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. 

In the midst of his story he looked at th e professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?' 

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to

that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. 

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity. 

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America . The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time. 

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself. 
Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut! 

Keep your eyes on the newly elected politicians who are about to slam the gate on America . 

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"

Thomas Jefferson

Mayor, Mayor

Sam Adams, the new mayor of Portland, broke a major barrier when he took office.  He become the first openly gay mayor of  a major US city.

He recently held a press conference where he finally told the truth about a sexual relationship he had with a teenage ex-intern.  This was a relationship he blatantly lied about  a few months ago.  You can catch up on this story by clicking here.

The sexual orientation of Mayor Adams doesn't really interest me.  What bothers me about this situation is that anyone would even consider giving the mayor a pass on this issue.  He should resign immediately.  He shouldn't resign because he's gay.  He should resign because he had sex with an 18 year old and lied about it.

Consider this: What if a 40-something single male mayor of another major city had a sexual relationship with an 18 year old girl and lied about it.  If the truth about that relationship came out, people would be demanding his resignation...and rightly so.

Sam Adams has to go.

Liberals and Their Bumper Stickers

I live in the Portland area.  The picture of this car resonates with me.  In fact, I've probably seen this car.  If not, I've seen dozens like it.  The typical liberal who just has to get their point across.

As I was driving down the road today, I got behind a car that had two bumper stickers on it.  When I read them, I realized I had found the perfect example of someone who follows liberal logic and can't see the stupidity right before their eyes.  I'm just going to tell you what the stickers said.  You tell me if you see the oxymoron...and I can't emphasize "moron" enough.

One sticker said: "Respect humanity, vote progressive."

The sticker right above that said: "Keep abortion legal."

I'm speechless.

My Night as a Game Show Host

That's me.  As Jeff Unworthy...the host of Are You Smarter Than a Junior Church Kid.  I even worked the southern accent the entire time.  We played this Bible trivia game with our congregation in between preachers at our Watchnight Service.  The game went great and it was a ton of fun.

Here are the panel of Junior Church kids the contestants could choose as partners.  If you know the show, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, then you basically know how we ran the game.

Here I am pestering one of the contestants.  I also found some "You Might be a Baptist" jokes online that I used during the game.  The whole thing was way too much fun.

My favorite joke: If you think the presence of God is strongest on the back three pews...you might be a Baptist!

My New Favorite Hymn

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

How deep the fathers love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give his only son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Filtering Theology?

I was over at a church members house yesterday and we started talking about a co-worker of theirs who was a Calvinist. Without getting in to the whole theological discussion here, I do not believe in the predestination that a Calvinist believes in.

Over the course of the conversation, Reformed Theology was mentioned. I've had quite a few conversations and read a lot of material from people who have made Reformed Theology a major part of their beliefs. If my perception of RT is correct, the main tenet is the Glory of God. I say Amen to that!

The Glory of God is the whole purpose of His entire Creation. He has and will be glorified in and through everything that has and will happen throughout all of time. He is glorified in the justification and sanctification of His people. He will be glorified in the final damnation of those who refuse His gift of eternal life. God is glorified in all whether we perceive it as good or bad.

As I said a moment ago, I do not believe in Calvinism...which is also a tenet of RT. A common thread I get while reading RT writers is that God receives more glory based on the Calvinist view of salvation rather than the Biblical doctrine of salvation. Let me stop here and explain that I believe the work of salvation has been entirely completed by God through His Son, Jesus. However, I don't believe that faith is a work. Faith is a gift from God that is imparted to us through exposure to His Word. It is a gift He desires to give to all.

Now, to the point of this post: I believe that many have used the tenet of glorifying God, rather than the Bible, as the filter for their doctrine. Since a Calvinist believes that God gets "more" glory under their theological system, that is what they believe. I do not filter my theology through my belief that the chief end of man is to bring glory to God. My theology comes from the Bible.

Biblical doctrine does not contradict the purpose of God's Creation. I believe strongly that God gets more glory when His Holy Spirit convicts a person of their sin and they choose out of their free will to receive His gift of eternal life. God doesn't get glory from robots who have no choice. He gets glory when people choose to worship Him. Like I said earlier, He even gets glory when people don't.

PS This post is not an invitation for debate on this subject...I've done enough of that with enough people. If you believe differently than I do, you won't convince me and I won't convince you. This is simply an observation of a thinking preacher.

Merry Christmas!

I just want to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas.  Thank God for the awesome gift He gave us in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  I love the proclamation of the angels in Luke 2: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Tundra Ministry Commercial

This video is a spoof commercial we created based on the big storm we just had in the Portland area.  We're going to show it during our Watchnight Service on New Year's Eve.  Enjoy!