Romans 8:3

“For God has done what the Law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his OWN SON in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he condemned sin in the flesh…” (Romans 8:3)

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commenting on the mystery of the Son being from the Father, yet not less than the Father, of the same essence of the Father, but yet another person from the Father. Still fully God. Mind boggling. (When dealing with these issues it can be very easy to sound like a heretic, because there are things we are trying to understand, but our human minds cannot fully understand. Basically, I’m not trying to sound like a heretic, just processing. The Nicene Creed puts more succinctly what I am trying to say.) All that, plus a disclaimer to say, “I like their concluding statement.”

“And this peculiar relationship is put forward here to enhance the greatness and define the nature of the relief provided, as coming from beyond the precincts of sinful humanity altogether, yea, immediately from the Godhead itself.” (JFB)

The point of Romans 8:3 isn’t to try and figure out how the Tri-unity of God works, but as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown points out, our salvation from sin has to come from someone outside of us, someone unstained by sin, but had to be like us, that is of the same flesh as we are, but could not succumb to the desires of the flesh or else he would need saved as well. Our salvation comes from the Godhead!

“He was made in the reality of our flesh, but only in the likeness of its sinful condition. He took our nature as it is in us, compassed with infirmities, with nothing to distinguish Him as man from sinful men, save that He was without sin.” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown)

Praise God!

What We’re Singing at Calvary, March 16, 2014

Spend some time preparing your heart and mind for the gathering together of God’s people. Listen to the the songs that will be sung and read and meditate on some of the scriptures that will be read.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! (Psalm 34:1-9 ESV)

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Be Thou My Vision

Come Ye Sinners

There is a fountain

Unbounded Grace

O Church Arise

What We’re Singing At Calvary, March 9, 2014

This Sunday we gather together to remind ourselves of the faithfulness of our God; what he has done in the past and what he will do in the future. We do this by singing songs and reading scriptures that move us through the Gospel, by listening to the preaching of God’s Word and partaking in communion together. Take time to listen to these songs and prepare your heart through prayer and study of the Word for our gathering together.

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:1-9, ESV)

Immortal Invisible

How Great is your love

Have mercy on me

Our great Savior

Behold the Lamb (communion)

Take my life

Need a good mind blowing?

If you’re like me at all, then you probably have a tendency to think to highly of yourself and not highly enough of God. We by nature are introspective, self-absorbed, navel gazers (that might be slightly redundant, but I wanted to say “navel gazer”). So what combats that? The Spirit of God using the Word of God. Here are a couple reminders from the apostle Paul in Ephesians 1.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING in the heavenly places…”

“He Chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world.”

This was for the purpose that we might be holy and blameless before him.

He predestined us to be adopted as his children, to the praise of His glorious grace!

We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, our trespasses having been forgiven.

The mystery of God’s will has been made known to US through Christ.

We have been predestined to an inheritance.

We have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance.

How much of this has to do with our ability? How much of this is focused on me? None.

One of my favorite songs, and a song we sing regularly at Calvary, that reminds us of these glorious truths.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us foradoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us inthe Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:1-14, ESV)

What We’re Singing at Calvary, March 2, 2014

Prepare yourself for our gathering together this Sunday by listening to the songs that we will be singing. We are introducing a new song from Sovereign Grace Music this week. Have Mercy On Me is a beautiful song of confession that acknowledges our sinful state before God, but rejoices in the mercy that has been provided in Jesus Christ.

A Psalm of David.

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29, ESV)

Our Song From Age To Age

Behold Our God

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm 51:1-4, ESV)

Have Mercy on Me

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:13-15, ESV)

I Stand Amazed

The Power of the Cross

Jesus Shall Reign

This post is part of Sunday Setlists at theworshipcommunity.com