If you were the only person on the earth......then that would make God a liar.

I like to think. And I especially like music that makes me think. This past Saturday, while in the midst of cleaning the house and washing five :( loads of laundry, I found Derek Webb's cd, "She Must and Shall go Free." I had heard a few songs on there before, but not all of it, and let me just say - INCREDIBLE! Like seriously, go get it.

During the song,"The Church" was playing (which lyrics I have posted below), I realized how false that ol' familiar saying is that everyone uses while sharing the Gospel - "If you were the only person, Christ would still have come to die for you." First of all, where in the Bible does it say anything remotely like that? Secondly, that could only be true if basically everything in the Bible was wrong and God was lying. From before the beginning of time it has been God's plan to redeem a people - His chosen people, His bride. All of Scripture points to that fact. So if you were going to suppose that you were the only person to be saved, then you would also have to suppose that God had an entirely different plan going on and do away with the entire Bible. But then, if you suppose that God had a different plan, then who knows if He would really die for you? It would be an entirely different plan so who knows what He would do.

When Chad came back from studying, I had to rush to tell him my discovery and he told me that several years ago he had gone to a youth winter conference and the speakers were Josh McDowell and Voddie Baucham (absolutely amazing, I heard him preach last year). Anyway, Josh preaches this long moving sermon basically based on that saying, "if you were the only person...". So Voddie gets up to speak next (this was unplanned by the way) and his talk is on Christians' arrogance (very fitting). And he tell this story:

He and a guy were out witnessing and the guy is sharing the Gospel to this person and uses that saying, "if you were the only person..." etc. Voddie lets him finish talking and once they're leaving says to him, "I want you to do me a favor."

Friend:"Sure what?"

Voddie: "Do you remember while you were sharing the Gospel you said 'if you were the only person, Christ would still die for you?"

Friend:"Oh yeah! Isn't that great?!"

Voddie: "Well, the favor is that you never say that again." End of story.

So Voddie tells that story after McDowell's whole sermon on that. Pretty funny is you ask me. So when Josh was asked about it later, his excuse was "Well I was emphasing God's love and Voddie was emphasing something else." Whatev'. So now the Word of God contradicts itself? Stop preaching a warm and fuzzy man centered Gospel and give me a Christ centered Gospel.

I have come with one purpose
to capture for myself a bride
by my life she is lovely
by my death she’s justified

i have always been her husband
though many lovers she has known
so with water i will wash her
and by my word alone

so when you hear the sound of the water
you will know you’re not alone

(chorus)
‘cause i haven’t come for only you
but for my people to pursue
you cannot care for me with no regard for her
if you love me you will love the church

i have long pursued her
as a harlot and a whore
but she will feast upon me
she will drink and thirst no more

so when you taste my flesh and my blood
you will know you’re not alone

(chorus)

there is none that can replace her
though there are many who will try
and though some may be her bridesmaids
they can never be my bride

(chorus)