Who is this amazing spectacle of woe and torture?

This is from a e-mail I get daily called Grace Gems. It features quotes from old died guys whose theology can not change. This quote is by Samuel Davies.

"Christ died for the ungodly!" Romans 5:6

In the cross of Christ--God's hatred to sin is manifested in the most striking light! The evil of sin is exposed in the most dreadful colors! Now it appears, that such is the divine hatred against all sin, that God can by no means forgive sin, without punishment; and that all the infinite benevolence of His nature towards His creatures cannot prevail upon Him to pardon the least sin--without an adequate satisfaction.

Nay, now it appears that when so malignant and abominable a thing is but imputed to His dear Son, His co-equal, His darling, His favorite--that even He could not escape unpunished--but was made a monument of vindictive justice, to all worlds!

What can more strongly expose the evil of sin--than the cross of Christ? Sin is such an intolerably malignant and abominable thing, that even a God of infinite mercy and grace--cannot let the least instance of it pass unpunished!

It was not a small thing that could arm God's justice against the Son of His love. Though He was perfectly innocent in Himself--yet when He was made sin for us--God spared not His own Son--but delivered Him up unto death--the shameful, tormenting, and accursed death of the cross!

Go, you fools, who make a mock at sin! Go and learn its malignity and demerit--at the cross of Jesus!

WHO is it that hangs there writhing in the agonies of death--His hands and feet pierced with nails, His side with a spear, His face bruised with blows, and drenched with tears and blood, His heart melting like wax, His whole frame racked and disjointed; forsaken by His friends, and even by His Father; tempted by devils, and insulted by men? Who is this amazing spectacle of woe and torture? It is Jesus, the eternal Word of God; His Elect, in whom His soul delights; His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased!

And WHAT has He done? He did no wickedness; He knew no sin--but was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. And WHY then, all these dreadful sufferings from heaven, earth, and hell? Why, He only stood in the law-place of sinners; He only received their sin by imputation. And you see what it has brought upon Him! You see how low it has reduced Him! What a horrid evil must that be--which has such tremendous consequences, even upon the Darling of heaven!

Oh! what still more dreadful havoc would SIN have made, if it had been punished upon the sinner himself in his own person! Surely all the various miseries which have been inflicted upon our guilty world in all ages, and even all the punishments of hell--do not so loudly proclaim the terrible desert and malignity of sin--as the cross of Christ!

The infinite malignity of sin, and God's hatred to it, appear nowhere in so striking and dreadful a light--as in the cross of Christ! Let a reasonable creature take but one serious view of that cross, and surely he must ever after tremble at the thought of the least sin!

I Sometimes Wonder if I am Called to be Single

This thought just drop into my head while at work today. I had a guy ask me if I had a girlfriend, obvious answer was no. (I guess the answer is obvious if you know me but my lack of social skills proves very well that answer.) He asked me if I like girls. That the question if I am a homosexual or not. I answered yes but I have not desire at this time for a wife. That had me thinking while chilaxing in the pool here in the waterless beach. I am called to remain single or will I be someone who marries late. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul gives us his take on the issue. If you desire to be married, then get married but you have not the desire, then remain single as I am single ( a Mike paraphrase). I often think about it would be nice to have a wife but that it is not something I desire. I guess there are times that I feel the desire more, but that is usually when I am around people that seem to be happy with others, i.e. weddings and family gatherings. I am sure that something might happen but that is not my desire but it does get me thinking. If I do not get married, that throws me out of any pastoral leadership roles according to scripture. That might even include leading a college ministry. I am just really confessed about what I need to be working towards or where is God leading me. That is probably sin in my life that I need to mortify. I guess that makes me lean more on God to show me the little but of path that He allows me to see. I actually feel like I need to just repent til the cows come home.

I guess pray is in need for this. I guess prayer to mortify the sin in my life and to seek God's counsel in the Bible. I do know that God wants me to be obedient to His word, and that is where I will start.

This is not how the post was going to go but this is where God lead it.

I'm hot 'cause I deployed, you ain't cause your not!

Just some thoughts as I take some time off from work. I am not allowed to disclose where I am at but it is hot. I am thinking about going to do some swimming today to tan my white legs a little. The base is not all bad. There is a lot of sand and rocks. Most things are open 24/7 so it helps to pass time. I am actually sitting outside of a coffee shop right now. (that brings to the point that I have not had any caffeine while here) Work is okay. I feel a little like an outcast because I just do not care to talk about what others want to talk about. I have no desire to talk about women (as an object) and movies that show softcore porn. There are videos on the intranet that show the disgrace that I have been dealing with myself. I have not watched and actually get discussed.

The actually work is not all bad. I work a couple of jets a night and have a bit of down time. It has not all been a grand I as like but hey I work on airplanes.

Spiritual has been hard. I have been typing a 14pg outline of the Gospel of John. I would like to have more time to read and mediate on the book. I just did not have the time while at Liberty and even less time here in the Middle East. I have a commentary to write on 2 Timothy 3 and 4 that I get all summer to write. I am also going to read some books also during the remaining time. I might try to attend some Bible Study at the Chapel and also start attending Chapel. There is only one service that I am able to attend. It happens to be a Saturday night.

Thanks for reading and take care

"We are Surrounded by so Great a Cloud of Witnesses"

As I was doing my Bible reading today, I read Exodus 27 and Hebrews 12. The title is from Hebrews 12:1. This chapter starts with a therefore. In the proceeding chapter, is the commonly known as the "Faith Chapter" or chapter 11. The writer of Hebrews is making a point about the major characters of the Old Testament. Here is 12:1 & 2.

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

There is something to be learned from these two verses. These people are the crowd of witnesses. They ran the race of faith and completed it. The writer wants us to learn from these people and what their goal was. That comes in verse 2. They were looking at Jesus. John tells us that both Abraham was glad to see the day of Jesus in John 8:56. I think it would be wise to understand how strong men and women of the faith endured this life to please God because of their love of him. We have plenty of examples in the Bible.