This Is Why I Blog

Absolute Dominion is a very small island in a vast ocean of digital information, however it has a very theologically solid group of "regulars" who often drop by to share encouragement, exhortation, or simply a personal anecdote, thought or insight. Perhaps more importantly it also has the usual trolls, drifters, and cultists who sometimes stop by to stir up a bit of stink. I particularly enjoy being given the opportunity to share the the truth in love about the REAL Jesus Christ with these drive-by types. Sometimes I never know if they've even come back to see my response, and yet on occasion they will return and there is a witnessing opportunity granted of the Lord.

It's simply stupefying to me that someone such as myself - a wretched lump of sin - could be used of the Lord in any way to proclaim His truth via the medium of the Internet, yet I know that it's only by His divine hand of sovereignty and providence that anything whatsoever happens in any realm, whether it be in heaven, in the earth, or within the virtual world of the blogosphere and so I steadfastly soldier onward toward the prize, the high calling of Christ Jesus and the eternal message of Him crucified, dead, buried and resurrected on the third day - the foolishness of preaching the offense of the cross - the truth of the ages, the hinge upon which all of human history turns.

I am a weak, small, sinful, trembling, unworthy man who is nevertheless devoted to the glory of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. By His power alone I shall continue earnestly preaching, teaching, and reaching with His Holy Word here in my dusty little corner of cyberspace and in those opportunities He may grant in my day to day life.

I am Coram Deo and this is Absolute Dominion!

The following exchange took place in the comments section of one of my posts:


Please preach/explain the gospel to me right now, if you would. I'm serious.
Mark Portman | 02.15.08 - 11:40 am | #

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Mark Portman,

I'm glad you asked and I'd be honored to proclaim the Gospel to you!

There is One True and Living God in all of existence Who created everything from nothing for His own purposes, by His own power, and for His own good pleasure.

This One True and Living God is totally self contained, completely self sufficient, and eternally existent without beginning or end and takes no counsel of anything or anyone outside of Himself since He is the embodiment of absolute perfection and is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent. He is the Ultimate Ultimate and there is none like Him, He is the great "I AM".

This Creator God doesn't change because by implication absolute perfection of knowledge, power, and holiness could not improve or become "more perfect" and to become less perfect would be an absurdity for an absolutely perfect and holy divine Being.

Furthermore this Creator God has revealed Himself to His creation, mankind, through natural revelation (His created order) and special verbal revelation (His Word). His Word in which He has revealed Himself is the Holy Bible which consists of the Old and New Testaments.

God originally created man perfect and in God's own image. Sadly man sinned against God by transgressing His commandment and fell into a state of spiritual death causing God's image in man to become badly marred and wholly corrupted by the taint of sin.

The One True and Living God's absolute holiness and perfection required divine justice against transgression of His commandment. Thus sinful man incurred physical death along with spiritual death.

Man has continued in his fallen, sinful state since all men are found guilty in their sins inherited by the original man, our standard bearer in the flesh, Adam. But out of His infinite mercy, love, compassion, and pity the One True and Living God decided not to leave man helpless and hopeless in his fallen state but chose instead to intervene directly in the affairs of men in order to bring about a Savior Who would deliver those who trusted in Him by faith alone from their inherited curse of sin.

The wages of sin is death, both spiritual and physical. Those who die apart from God are doomed to an unspeakably horrific eternity in a place commonly known as hell where they are tormented forever and ever without rest or relief. Men's souls are not annihilated in hell, because men's souls are eternal. Our flesh and bones are merely "tents" or "houses" for our spirits which exist eternally in one of two states, either they are forgiven by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, or they are damned to eternal hell for failing to repent of sin, and trust in, believe upon, and humbly obey the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Coram Deo | Homepage | 02.15.08 - 11:50 pm | #

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The One True and Living God brought the Savior Jesus Christ out of the people of Israel, the Jewish race who God Himself raised up to become a people specially chosen to bring forth salvation to all those who would be saved from their sins by repentance (a turning away from sin and a turning toward God) and faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior.

Jesus Christ was and is the Savior, the Anointed One; the Messiah Who alone lived an absolutely perfect and sinless life that fully pleased His Heavenly Father. God's standard for acceptance is absolute perfect sinlessness and no man has ever lived such a life apart from Jesus Christ.

Yet Jesus Christ was more than a mere man. Though he was 100% human he was simultaneously 100% God. Jesus Christ was and is the "God -man". We know this because according to the Bible He was miraculously conceived of the Holy Spirit of God in the womb of Mary, a virgin Jewish maiden.

Because Jesus Christ was and is both God and man and was without sin He was uniquely able to stand in the gap between God's divine fury and wrath against sin, which no mortal man could ever repay, and become the sin bearer for all those who believe on Him as their Savior.

Jesus Christ paid the sin debt by living a perfect, sinless life, and then by giving His own life as a ransom for many and dying a horrible, agonizing death upon a Roman cross, being humiliated, scourged, tortured, crucified, and murdered by His own creatures who knew Him not.

This is the greatest story ever told, and it's 100% true.

And the best part is yet to come! Jesus Christ didn't remain in the grave, three days after His death He was raised from the dead never to die again, gaining victory over death itself for both Himself, and all those who would be saved by Him.

Jesus Christ appeared to numerous witnesses proving His resurrection from the dead and sent his apostles out into the world to proclaim the "Good News", which is translated as "Gospel" that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.".

This doesn't mean that whoever believes in Jesus won't taste physical death, for we know Jesus Himself tasted physical death, but rather those who believe on Him and are miraculously "born-again" of the Spirit of God are translated from spiritual death (and damnation) unto spiritual life (and salvation) because they have been forgiven by the shedding of the perfect, sinless blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, Who takes away the sins of the world.

Coram Deo | Homepage | 02.15.08 - 11:53 pm | #

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Mark Portman, this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ as I understand it and I believe it with all of my heart. Now I'm not asking you to trust my heart, because I don't trust my own heart since the Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things and is desperately wicked. Yet the Bible also says that those who are born-again are given new hearts that their old hearts of unbelief are taken away and a new heart of belief, tenderness, love, humility, and submission to Jesus Christ and the will of God are given to those who believe.

I believe.

I'm a believer.

And it's not just because I had an emotional experience once, or because I need a "religious crutch" to lean on. It's because of the cross. It's because of the power of God. It's because of His Holy Spirit. It's because of His inspired Word. It's because of His sacrifice for me. It's because He has driven me to the very end of myself to the point that He opened my eyes to see myself as I truly am, wretched, wicked, helpless, sinful and vile.

Yet His grace is sufficient for one such as me. Not many wise are called, not many noble, but God has chosen those whom He will choose and we are the least of the least. The lowest of the low. The off scouring of polite society.

But it pleased God to make the wisdom of this world foolish by the preaching of the cross and to make the wise simple and the simple wise by His truth.

None of my words have any power Mark Portman; they're just the words of a man. But God's Word is truth and it is power and if this message were meant for you then by the regenerating power of His Holy Spirit you've already believed it by now. And if this message wasn't for you then you are still responsible before The One True and Living God, the Infinite Creator and Judge of the universe for the truth you've received and you will certainly give an account for it as you stand before Him in Holy Divine Judgment.
Coram Deo | Homepage | 02.15.08 - 11:55 pm | #

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I've prayed to my God that He would grant you repentance and salvation, Mark Portman.

Grace and peace to you!
In Christ,
CD
Coram Deo | Homepage | 02.15.08 - 11:58 pm | #

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Thank you. I want to be very honest, in that I am daily impressed by your blog, and I wanted to see how you explained the Gospel. I am consistently plagued by the Holy Spirit (for the better) to free myself from the Flesh. Being 20 years old, breaking from worldly desires has been very much like coming off an addiction to a drug. I'm going with my father to witness today, only, I will be listening to him as he does so and will be there for prayer and support. I very much appreciate that you shared this with me, as I am going to rededicate my life (which is a result of only a recent practice of true repentance on my part). I cannot undermine the Gospel, and I'm very thankful for the powerful stand you take for the Truth of God's Word. I have to pray to God and ask him to battle my unbelief every day. It's mostly doubt in myself, but I understand that my faith must rely on Christ alone. It's a difficult path, as I understand now more than ever, but God has blessed me with an eye of discernment, and your blog is certainly a sound representative of the Christian faith.
Mark Portman | 02.16.08 - 8:02 am | #

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Just to add, I certainly hope it's the Holy Spirit that is consistently pointing out even my most obscure of sins. I don't see how it could be anything else!
Mark Portman | 02.16.08 - 8:08 am | #

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Mark Portman,

Thank you for sharing and may the Lord be praised for your hearty encouragement!

God be with you, sir!
Coram Deo | Homepage | 02.20.08 - 10:26 pm | #