Declaration of Dependence

Irish Calvinist ^ | 3 July 2008 | Erik Raymond

[Gamecock]

The 4th of July is a great American celebration. It is always enjoyable to watch fireworks, eat a lot of barbecue, spend time with family and enjoy a mid-summer relaxation. Our country is truly a great place to live and it is active and merciful grace that we are enabled to enjoy such freedom as we do.

However, when I hear the word Independence Day and its celebration I think of my daily celebration of just the opposite, namely my dependence. For instead of my pride and value coming from a nation and our independence from another nation, it is good to use this holiday to recall, reflect, and marvel at the reality of Christian dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a believer I realize that I am depending on Christ for:

* his perfect obedience to the Father…for I did not obey

* his sinless perfection…for I am sinful

* his wrath satisfying death…for I am unable to satisfy eternal wrath

* his perfect righteousness before the judgment bar…for I have deficient righteousness

* his ability to keep me saved…for I cannot keep myself from wandering away

* his sovereign ability to rule this world…for I struggle with organizing my days

* his unfading love….for I trip on myself daily

* his ultimate motivation for life and ministry…for I have nothing in myself that trumps this

* his priceless blood that will never depreciate…for I have no means to pay

It is good therefore to declare dependence upon the Savior; knowing that there is a day coming when those who are gathered together in his kingdom will unite in numbers that will dwarf the fireworks crowds, to declare dependence upon King Jesus, the Lamb who was slain.

[Gamecock]

Great Reformed Ping List Ping

[ohhhh]

[As a believer I realize that I am depending on Christ for: * his perfect obedience to the Father…for I did not obey
* his sinless perfection…for I am sinful]

Hence, the state of mankind without the grace of God by Jesus Christ alone is depraved from birth and marked by such things as,

Romans 1:

24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

The only cure for sinners is believing the testimony of the God of Israel and His only begotten Son, the Holy Bible which begins at the cross of Christ and ressurection, hence;

1 Corinthians 15

1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Thereby appeasing the wrath of God on all sinners who believe Him, hence,

Ephesians 2

1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.