From the Clouds of Common Grace

On occasion at my Twitter page, I have passed along articles or ideas using the phrase "From the Clouds of Common Grace". This comes from the verse in Holy Scripture, Matthew 5:45, part b- "For he [God] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." This verse shows God's goodness (or grace) indiscriminately poured out on his image-bearing people regardless of their personal relationship to him. This is a very simplistic if not incomplete description of the theological construct called "common grace." It is a concept which I wish to study further and will, d.v.

That being said, I hope to share things under this label that will benefit you regardless of your standing with the one I love and serve who is the Lord Jesus Christ. These posts may take from industries such as business, politics, art & media, etc. I confess that the God who is there has given us all things to enjoy. At the end of the day, I want all who I know to come to grips with the lordship of Jesus and his work on the cross.

Without further ado...
I commend the magazine FastCompany. While the American dream and microwave ideology of success are embedded in the name, this publication offers much. One of the most interesting articles in this last issue was a focus on the TED phenomenon. TED (for Technology, Entertainment and Design) talks are quickly becoming the new "Harvard Business School," argues the article. You can learn a lot from these 18-minute talks, and it is a good way to cross-pollinate outside the hive of your expertise. Check out the TED website.


*One small disclaimer: While God gives his creatures life, creativity, money, food--the list goes on!-- from the storehouse or clouds of his common grace, I fully acknowledge that his creatures tend to pervert or distort these gifts. This, of course, is the essence of idolatry and needs to be confronted. Therefore, I encourage all to use common sense and discernment while scooping up a cup of rain from these clouds.

What is the Gospel?

Recently, I was licensed by my church (Now, I can officially "marry and bury"). In the process, I had to think hard about and formulate in a paragraph an answer to the question: "What is the Gospel?" Greg Gilbert has even written a book on it.

My answer:
A happy God eternally existing in three persons out of his good pleasure creates time and space and fills both with created things. Man, his image-bearer and apex of his creation rebels against his Creator. In his good pleasure, God chooses to redeem his fallen creation. The Gospel particularly is the great news of God's coming promise in the form of Jesus, the Son of God to incarnate, obey the Law's demands perfectly, suffer for sinners to atone for their guilt and satisfy God's rightful wrath. Furthermore, it is the death, the burial and the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is further good news that this Jesus' death and life (his righteousness) are graciously "imputed" to a believer's account. It is good news that the Holy Spirit is given as a sign and seal of that redemption. The gospel at the end of the day is the hope and joy of eternal life. Amen!

Also, I got the chance to answer this question in a video format: