Monday, September 26, 2011

Right With God

We will be welcoming Bishops Larry Robertson and Terry Buckle (retired) later this month for Bishop Buckle’s episcopal visitation and also to meet the new bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Yukon (Church of Canada), Bishop Robertson.

They will participate in a Revival on October 21-22 at All Saints and then will lead the Confirmation Service on Sunday, October 23 at the 10.45 service.

The Revival Theme will be: Right With God. J.I. Packer has called the teaching of Justification by Faith (Right With God) the central teaching of the church. He said it is like Atlas. “It bears a whole world on its shoulders, the entire evangelical knowledge of God the Savior.” When Atlas “loses his footing, everything that rested on his shoulders collapses too.”

Justification by works – that is the belief that we can in some way contribute to our being Right With God, is, according to Packer, “the natural religion of mankind, and has been since the Fall.” Further, to believe that we can contribute in even some small way to our salvation is to be an enemy of the gospel of grace.

We will meet on Thursday and Friday evenings (October 20 and 21) at 5.30 for dinner, then from 7-8.30 for a teaching, testimony and hymn singing. It should be a great time – and I hope many of will come and bring a friend.

Last year I attended a Revival held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Point Hope, AK. It was a great time, and so we are modeling our 2 gatherings after that time of teaching, testimony and hymn singing.