Awestruck by the Sovereign LORD

James and the Gift of Healing

2010-11-10T10:50:00.002-06:00

Recently, Tim Challies posted on Daniel Doriani’s commentary on James. I found it incredibly intriguing, and it was well worth the read. I wrestled with it for days. While I don’t want to dive into the deep end with regard to the continuationist vs. cessationist debate, I would like to examine further healing and the book of James.

In his post, Challies shares the following quote from Doriani’s commentary:

Sick men and women call the elders as a group. They do not call those with a gift for healing; rather they call all to pray for healing. James says the prayers of a righteous man are effective. Since the first qualification for an elder is holiness—not social standing or theological acumen—the prayers of elders are effective. The elders pray for healing, not for miracles. It doesn’t matter if a healing is quiet or splashy, True healings garner all the attention they need.

The reference from the book James is:

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:14-16)

I do believe that Doriani’s commentary has some great insight into the passage. It is particularly useful in understanding why the elders would be called to pray for the one who is sick. However, I believe Doriani’s implications against the gift of healing fail for a couple of reasons.

Most likely, the Epistle of James was the earliest of the New Testament books written, well before Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. Even cessationists would agree that the gift of healing would have been present at the time James wrote his letter. Thus, James could not be presenting an argument against the gift of healing grounded in the cessationist framework. Even if the gift of healing has ceased now, it had not yet ceased when James had written his letter.
It is an argument from silence. James’ position on the gift of healing could hardly be determined from this passage for the simple reason that he did not even mention the gift. We do not know why he did not mention it. Doriani’s statements are speculative. He is reading the continuationist-cessationist debate into the text.
Doriani appears to make some statements against a straw man continuationist. Why else would he say “The elders pray for healing, not for miracles” or “It doesn’t matter if a healing is quiet or splashy, True healings garner all the attention they need.”

Again, I still find this a profitable discourse. Doriani’s insight should not be shirked by the continuationist. Continuationists could be served from Doriani’s statements.

Follow-Up Questions:

When was the last time you saw the elders called to pray for healing?
Instead of placing James in opposition to the gift of healing, how would these work in tandem?
What could the elder do in the situation that the one gifted in healing could not?

Grandiloquence and Application: John Owen, a Master of Both

2010-10-13T12:47:00.001-05:00

I am currently reading some of John Owen’s commentary on Hebrews. I absolutely love John Owen. He was a great theologian, but he was mindful of the every-day battles.

In one place, he writes:

FIRST, The illative, “wherefore,” as was first observed, denotes both the deduction of the ensuing exhortation from the preceding discourse, and the application of it unto the particular duty which he enters upon, verse 12.

WOW! That is some academic stuff! However, only a few sentences later, we read from his pen and his heart:

Divine knowledge is like a practical science; the end of all whose principles and theorems is in their practice; take that away and it is of no use. It is our wisdom and understanding how to live unto God; to that purpose are all the principles, truths, and doctrines of it to be improved.If this be not done in the teaching and learning of it, we fight uncertainly, as men beating the air.

That is a gem!!! That is something you can take with you. Teachers and learners of the Word must both work on the application of the divine truth they know! If you want to get started in reading any of Owen’s work, here are some amazing ones that have been edited to be more readable:

Is the Lord Just a God of the Hills?

2010-06-10T09:25:00.001-05:00

One of the arguments used by some atheists is:

Can God, an omnipotent being, create a stone so large that he cannot lift it?

They argue that if he is omnipotent, then he will be able to do it. However, if he does create such a stone, then his omnipotence fails when he is unable to lift it. Clever, eh?

Well, there is a problem with this argument. It is logically absurd. Omnipotence is not thrown into question when we say that God cannot make a crayon so red that it is blue. By definition, this is absurd. In the end, the atheist is asking if, in God’s omnipotence, he can make himself not omnipotent. What looked clever becomes absurd because “omnipotence” actually has a meaning.

Syrian king Ben-hadad made some demands of Ahab, the king of Israel (1 Kings 20). When Ahab denied Ben-hadad his demands, the countries went to war. We read,

“And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, ‘Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” (1 Kings 20:23)

Syria lost. Ben-hadad was captured. But why?

“And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “Yahweh is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Yahweh.’ ” (1 Kings 20:28)

The Syrians said minimizing things about Yahweh. They called into question his sovereignty. He is sovereign in the hills, but he is not sovereign in the plains. For such a statement, they lost.

For many Christians, they would say that the Syrians had it coming. How dare they call into question the absoluteness of Yahweh’s power and authority! However, there are many Christians who do this very same thing. They speak of such things as the Sovereignty of God. “Oh, yes God is in control of all things.” However, ask if God is in control of a person’s salvation. “Well, no! God gives us free will.” This brings us back to the atheist at the beginning of the post. For this Christian, God has sovereignly chosen not to be sovereign over something – an individual’s salvation. Salvation is the stone that God created that is so heavy that he can’t lift it.

This post is not meant merely to illustrate the logical absurdity of these Christians. I want it to serve as a warning of saying or believing belittling things about God. Is Yahweh just a god of the hills?

The Lord’s Supper (part 4)

2010-03-05T12:59:00.003-06:00

A few points about the Lord’s supper:

The problem at Corinth with regard to the Lord’s supper was probably that one group ate before the other group (cf. 1 Cor. 11:21-22). However, the root problem was that of division. Moreover, Paul was not a moralist. In approaching the solution, he did not want people merely to change their behavior. He wanted the divisions to dissolve because of a deeper understanding of the work of Christ.

Communing with each other is not about getting a full belly. You can do that on your own (1 Cor. 11:34).
In communion, we are to serve each other as Christ has served us. (1 Cor. 11:33, cf. John 13)
In communion, we remember who we are in relation to each other. (1 Cor. 11:28-29)
The Lord’s supper is not about the bread and wine. The bread and wine serve as a vivid
reminder, an object lesson, directing our affections to God and to each other because of what Christ has accomplished. Thus, the Lord’s supper is the whole meal with the bread and wine as objects of reference.
In communion, we remember who we, as a gathered body, are in Christ. Christ is present in the Lord’s supper, not in the bread and wine, but in His church.
In communion, we look back to what Christ has done on the cross. (1 Cor. 11:24-25)
In communion, we look forward to drinking the wine new with Christ when we sit at the marriage supper of the Lamb (the church with her bridegroom). For this reason, the Lord’s supper cannot be divorced from Christ’s resurrection and ours. Nor can it be divorced from the judgment of unbelievers. (1 Cor. 11:26, Rev. 19)
The Lord’s supper is a Trinitarian experience. For example: We thank the Father for his giving of the Son. We thank the Son for his obedience. We thank the Holy Spirit for applying it to our lives. Without the work of the Trinity, we would be unable to communion with God or his people.

The Lord’s Supper (part 3)

2010-03-03T12:00:00.001-06:00

In part 1 and part 2 of this series, we saw that the church at Corinth was divided when it came together to observe the Lord’s supper. The very nature of the Lord’s supper as a remembrance of the sacrificial work of Christ is opposed to such division. In this post, we examine Paul’s warning for the church:

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another-- if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home--so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. (1Co 11:27-34)

This warning should neither be overlooked nor misunderstood. Let’s line up some key verses in this passage:

Whoever…eats…or drinks…in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. (v. 27)

[A]nyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. (v. 29)

What does it mean to eat and drink in an unworthy manner? It means to eat and drink without discerning the body. Well, what does that mean? As we saw in part 2, the Corinthian church was making a mockery of the work of Christ by being divided in their observance of the Lord’s supper. It makes sense to see that the “unworthy manner” of not “discerning the body” is coming together in a duplicitous manner, i.e. having a divided body. After all, Paul had established that Christ is not divided (1 Cor. 1:13). Indeed, he has even declared

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Cor. 10:16-17, emphasis mine)

It cannot be any clearer. Participating in the blood of Christ while being divided around the cup of blessing and participating in the body of Christ while being divided around the one bread make a mockery of the blood of Christ and the body of Christ. We can now see why Paul says that the one who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner is guilty concerning the body and the blood of the Lord, eating and drinking judgment on himself (1 Cor. 11:27, 29).

The Lord’s Supper (part 2)

2010-03-02T12:15:00.001-06:00

In the last post, we saw that the Corinthian church was coming together to eat the Lord’s upper with divisions among them. Because of this, they’re not actually partaking of the Lord’s supper. Their eating of the Lord’s supper is actually mocking Christ’s work. The work of Christ on the on the cross is about reconciliation. Think of it this way: How great is the divide between Jew and Gentile or a math nerd and police officer? Then how vast is the chasm between the sinner and God? If Christ cannot bring the Jew and Gentile together or the math nerd and police officer together, he cannot bridge the greater trench between the sinner and God. For there to be a division in the church of God slanders the work of Christ. He has bridged the smaller gaps and the largest chasm! Paul writes to them:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1Co 11:23-26)

Therefore, the Corinthian church was in grievous error. We are not heralding the good news of Christ when the church is divided. We must come together to eat. The Lord’s supper is about communion with each other in Christ.

The Lord’s Supper (part 1)

2010-02-25T12:24:00.002-06:00

Whatever was going on in Corinth during the Lord’s supper deserved a harsh apostolic rebuke. Paul begins his analysis of this specific situation with a stern reality check:

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. (1Co 11:17-22)

Paul will not commend them. He won’t even consider commending them. For Paul, just saying you were having the Lord’s supper didn’t mean anything. What did Paul see as the problem? Just listen to his indictment:

…when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. (v. 17)

…when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. (v. 18)

…when you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. (v. 20)

There is the problem. When the church gathers together, there is supposed to be something great happening. The people of God are always better together than apart. The Christian is not a hermit. The monastic life is severely unchristian. As Paul states later, we are one body. As he tells the Romans, we belong to one another (Rom 12:5). It is through the church (not the individual) that “the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph 3:10). What was occurring in Corinth happens too often in modern churches. Paul is arguing his case against the Corinthians on the basis that the Lord’s supper is not about the individual but rather the whole group. The statement in verse 18 displays the tension. That there are divisions among them means that there is something divisive, something keeping them apart. Thus, the paraphrase will show the tension:

…when you come together as a church, I hear that you don’t come together.

To highlight this heinous fact, Paul highlights that they are a church. The very fact that they are a church means that the work of Christ on the cross has brought them together. He has made those who were strangers and aliens,

“fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him, [they] also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph 2:19-22, emphasis mine)

God is Good...a Cliche?

2010-01-29T14:46:00.003-06:00

I have often heard the following said:

Pastor: God is good...
Congregation: ...All of the time!
Pastor: And all of the time...
Congregation: ...God is good!

While, I agree with that, it would behoove many of us to remember that because God is good, we must remember what we are. We are creatures made in the image of God who bring dishonor to that very image. It is sad. It is evil. It is the truth. God is good. We are not. Recall God's assessment of humanity:

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen. 6:5, cf. 8:21)

So we should not keep ourselves from praising God with such refrains as seen above, but we should marry our praise with repentance. How different would our response to God be if we would say such things as:

Pastor: God is holy...
Congregation: ...All of the time!
Pastor: And all of the time...
Congregation: ...God is holy!

Pastor: Man is evil...
Congregation: ...All of the time!
Pastor: And all of the time...
Congregation: ...Man is evil!

Then the fact that God chooses to save sinners through the sacrifice of his Son would be a worshipful thing and not a cliche!

Job's True Friend

2010-01-06T16:15:00.002-06:00

I'm currently reading through the book of Job. One thing that stands out is that Job's friends always are speaking to Job whereas Job addresses both his friends and God. Here, there was no need for someone to speak on behalf of God, prosecuting Job. A wise man of God wouldn't speak of Job's alleged sin in general terms. In fact, Job's friends cannot speak about his sin because Job is blamelesss (at least at the beginning of the book). What Job really needed was someone to come alongside of him, praying with him. Job's friends shouldn't have spoken on behalf of God to Job. They should have spoken to God on behalf of Job (cf. Job 9:33). Praise God for Christ Jesus who is the true friend who will speak to God for us in our trials:

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who is interceding for us. (Romans 8:33-34).

To Tithe or Not to Tithe…

2009-06-14T07:09:00.001-05:00

…that is the question. Andreas Kostengerger and David Croteau search the Scriptures to answer it. You may find their answer provocative. You can find links to their study (in two parts) below:

Thanks go out to a wiser brother for pointing this study out to me.

Something Satan Fears

2009-06-10T15:39:00.003-05:00

From Organic Church (p 211-212) by Neil Cole.

While doing some teaching in Japan, I had a dream that Heather, my daughter, started a church. In the dream, a room was full of young people who were all seriously worshiping God. When I returned from the trip, I mentioned it to her just to let her know that she was on my mind and in my dreams while I was away.
The next day she said, 'Dad, my friends all want to do it!' 'Do what?' I asked. 'Start a church.' I told her that she would have to do most of the work, and I would coach and lead only a little. She said that was fine. The next day she arranged a house to meet in, picked a night of the week, and found a worship leader; flyers were soon being passed out to friends on campus.

After the church had been meeting for several months, I met with these students and we all sang praises to the Lord. I felt the Lord's pleasure. I asked the students what was the biggest church they had ever been to. Living in Southern California there are many options of megachurches, and a number of churches were mentioned, ranging in size from two thousand attendees to more than fifteen thousand.

I then told them that I think Satan is more intimidated by this little church of fifteen high school kids than by any of those Godzilla-sized churches. They all sort of chuckled and looked around the room at one another with smiles.

I showed them why I thought this way: 'How many of you think you could start a church like one of those megachurches?' No one raised a hand. I asked, 'How many of you think you could start a church like this one?' and all raised their hands. I asked them to look around the room at all the raised hands, and I said with a new found soberness, 'I assure you, Satan is terrified by this.'

via: Crowded House

Pretty Words or Powerful Condemnation

2009-06-01T10:10:00.001-05:00

Here is a good article by Bill Mounce on 1 Corinthians 13. In the season of weddings, the question of reading 1 Cor. 13 may come up. What do you think?

Active Vs. Passive Hospitality

2009-04-20T12:40:00.001-05:00

Here is a good post on why we should seek to be hospitable rather than just falling into it.

Jesus: The Way, the Truth, the Life

2009-04-15T12:36:00.001-05:00

D.A. Carson, in his remarkable commentary on the Gospel according to John, shares a poem of his on

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6

I am the way to God: I did not come
To light a path, to blaze a trail, that you
May simply follow in my tracks, pursue
My shadow like a prize that's cheaply won.
My life reveals the life of God, the sum
Of all he is and does. So how can you,
The sons of night, look on me and construe
My way as just the road for you to run?
     My path takes in Gethsemane, the Cross,
     And stark rejection draped in agony.
     My way to God embraces utmost loss:
     Your way to God is not my way, but me.
Each other path is dismal swamp, or fraud.
I stand alone: I am the way to God.

I am the truth of God: I do not claim
I merely speak the truth, as though I were
A prophet (but no more), a channel, stirred
By Spirit power, of purely human frame.
Nor do I say that when I take his name
Upon my lips, my teaching cannot err
(Though that is true). A mere interpreter
I’m not, some prophet-voice of special fame.
     In timeless reaches of eternity
     The Triune God decided that the Word,
     The self-expression of the Deity,
     Would put on flesh and blood – and thus be heard.
The claim to speak the truth good men applaud.
I claim much more: I am the truth of God.

I am the resurrection life. It’s not
As though I merely bear life-giving drink,
A magic elixir which (men might think)
Is cheap because though lavish it’s not bought.
The price of life was fully paid: I fought
With death and black despair; for I’m the drink
Of life. The resurrection morn’s the link
Between my death and endless life long sought.
     I am the firstborn from the dead; and by
     My triumph, I deal death to lusts and hates.
     My life I now extend to men, and ply
     Them with the draught that ever satiates.
Religion’s page with empty boasts is rife:
But I’m the resurrection and the life.

D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, Pillar (Eerdmans, 1991), 492-93.

This poem alludes to many of the themes in John. When studying, it can be easy to let intellect rule and headiness prevail. It is the mark of a useful commentary to meld intellect and emotion. I recommend Carson’s commentary wholeheartedly.

The Horror of Holy Wrath

2009-04-10T14:56:00.001-05:00

There had never been a display like that before, and there never will be again. The whole of life is to be spent in understanding the truth displayed that day. The unparalleled mixture of grace and justice resonates throughout all eternity. It is the echoes of this divine display that is to fill the words and lives of Christians centuries later.

Here are resources that I have used to help me to dwell on what occurred on that Good Friday. I suggest that they be watched in this order.

The Other Cup – an excellent sermon by Ray Dillard
A shocking video of a sacrifice with this commentary on it.
“Well, I Wonder If You Know Him”

‘And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.” ‘ (Rev 5:9-14)

Gaffin on Justification

2009-04-01T08:58:00.001-05:00

“Late medieval Roman Catholicism left the future verdict at the final judgment the ever anxious and uncertain outcome of the Christian life. In contrast, the Reformers grasped that the verdict, belonging at the end of history, has been brought forward and already pronounced on believers in history, and so, constituting the certain stable basis for the Christian life, provides unshakeable confidence in the face of the final judgment.”

- Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. from “Justification and Eschatology” in Justified in Christ: God’s Plan for Us in Justification

Christ’s Command & the New Calvinism

2009-03-16T16:00:00.002-05:00

Recently, Time’s David Van Biema wrote an article highlighting the things we should be watching for in 2009. Many have already noted that it is quite interesting that the third item on this list is The New Calvinism. I am not sure why the author decided to dub this resurgence as “the new Calvinism.” I do not believe it to be anything different than has been taught before. Rather than critique the article’s portrayal of this resurgence, it would be of greater importance to highlight one sentence:

It will be interesting to see whether Calvin's latest legacy will be classic Protestant backbiting or whether, during these hard times, more Christians searching for security will submit their wills to the austerely demanding God of their country's infancy.

It is astonishing that there are some in the secular world watching us. What will they see? It is of paramount importance to heed the words of Christ:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-25 ESV)

For this reason, we should:

Stand for our biblical convictions on sovereign grace.
Love all of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Work to share an accurate vision of our Holy God and the saving work of Christ.

It should not escape our attention that in one of Christ’s last petitions for the Church we see him say

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (John 13:34-25 ESV)

I thank God for those who are displaying this love.

Who Defines the Relationship? DTR’s

2009-01-30T10:43:00.001-06:00

Many young people are searching frantically for dates and romance. In the process, they rarely guard their hearts and are devastated. God is not central to their search for their latest love interest, i.e. their crush. Of course, we don’t use the term “crush” once we leave junior high because it sounds childish. Well, “a rose by any other name…”.

There is a way to approach these things maturely, but it is counter-cultural. Requesting permission from the father to pursue a young woman is rarely admired. It is perceived as antediluvian. Even some Christian brothers scoffed at me when I pursued my wife this way. Notwithstanding, God blessed the pursuit, and I am still baffled at how he brought everything together.

My wife is my sister and my bride (cf. 1 Tim 5:1). She doesn’t have the same earthly parents. She has been adopted by God into the covenant family. God has done the same for me. Therefore, she is my sister. She was my sister before my wife. I had to account for that in my pursuit of her. She did not belong to me but God. I had to answer to him for my treatment of her. Then she became my bride. The relationship has been defined by God from start to finish.

Recently, I have heard the term “DTR”. This means “Define the Relationship”. This term is for little boys who want to play with girls without commitment. It is for unguarded girls who allow themselves to become attached to a little boy without thinking. After the little boy and the little girl have a friendship that is too close to be just friendship, one of them wants to have a DTR: “Are we just friends; what are we?” This is a mess. This little boy is not treating this woman like a sister. This little girl is not holding him responsible for being her brother. Instead, selfishness wins out. They want to define the relationship. However, God has defined it: brother & sister. Boys, quit test-driving your sisters. Girls, quit acting like the closest used-car dealership. Then you might one day be men and women. Until God defines the relationship as man and wife, you are siblings only.

God is not honored when Christians use each other. God is honored when they serve each other.

John Piper's Heart in the 2008 Election

2008-10-31T15:15:00.003-05:00

When the Narcissist will not Weep, Part 4

2008-10-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Cure: Seeking Sight

Here are some steps that you can take to see.

Realize the reality of suffering in the world. Take note of the current atrocities in the world. Suffering is global. This will aid in the dissolution of the narcissism. There is a whole world of suffering.
Cultivate relationships. Work to strengthen your friendships. Strive to know your friends better. Share your own suffering with them.
Repent and pray for sight. Ask God to open your eyes to the world of suffering and the suffering around you. Pray that he gives you compassion.
Be hospitable. Open your home to others to develop relationships. Invite them over for a meal. Spending time with them will cultivate a genuine and deep love for them. It may also be the best way to comfort the suffering.
Pray for the suffering and read your bible. Prayer and the reading of the Scriptures can unite our hearts to the purposes of God. We should pray and read strategically. As we communicate with God, he will soften you.
Think deeply about things. If you are weak in your understanding of God, then you will be useless in the war on suffering.

These are not exhaustive but are meant to be a start.

When the Narcissist will not Weep, Part 3

2008-10-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Arrogance of Blindness

We can look at the friends of Job. Notice that they are said to be his friends. This is meaningful to us because they have a past with Job. They know him well. We so often identify Job when it may behoove us to realize we could easily identify with his friends. When our brother is in pain, we are likely to break the silence with a word out of season (cf. Proverbs 15:23). Why would we do such a thing? We think our answers are the balm needed. We have the solution, and we know the right time to give it. We refuse to take time in the situation to learn from the one who is suffering. We arrogantly proclaim that we must know the situation better. We know the pain better. We presume to be wise. We are fools. It is as though a question is being asked in suffering that the one suffering needs to answer. However, unless we are astute in our listening to the question, we answer too quickly. We share the guilt of the one in the proverb who “gives an answer before he hears”; indeed, it becomes our “folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13). We need to be have the heart of the righteous who “ponders how to answer” and not have “the mouth of wicked [which] pours out evil things” (Proverbs 15:28).

Our quick answer shows that we are blind to the true nature of the suffering. We have not shared in the pain. We pour out abstract theology, but we fail to apply it appropriately. We make a mockery of the faith with our arrogant eloquence or quick cliché. We do not linger over love. We trivialize truth. We presume to bring peace and only exacerbate the situation. We are vinegar on the wound. The best thing Job’s friends did was showing up and shutting up. They went astray when they opened their mouths. A time for words will come, but knowing the time takes wisdom and prayer. Use the time to pray for the appropriate words. We need to discern the pain.

When the Narcissist will not Weep, Part 2

2008-10-24T07:07:00.000-05:00

The Nature of the Blindness

The clear teaching of Scripture is that we are to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15b). However, many of us have become blind to the pain of our fellow man. We must be able to perceive pain people before we weep with them. We are not to be superficial in our communion. We are to weep with them. We are to come alongside them, suffering with them. We are one in Christ, and the body should respond when part of it is hurting.

I have remarked that many of us have become blind to the pain of our fellow man. What has blinded us? What would make us unable to see others? We might say sin. What is the nature of that sin? Diagnosing something as sinful does not tell you how to defeat it. Be specific. When we are in a war, it is not enough to say, “These are the enemies!” We must know the enemy well. We must know the enemy’s location, its strongholds, and its weaknesses. Why are we blind? Why do we lack compassion? We are numb to each other because of our own narcissism. We have preempted the command of God to love Him and love others with an exclusive love for self.

When the Narcissist will not Weep, Part 1

2008-10-22T11:39:00.000-05:00

The Diagnosis: Blindness

Take a look around your group of friends. I think we can agree that most of us do not know what pains exist in each individual. Not only do we not know what pains exist, but we also do not know at what depths they reside. A clear illustration is the dim-sighted Eli’s encounter with Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:9b-16.

Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put away your wine from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”

Not only did Eli not notice Hannah’s suffering, but he also thought the worst of her. Hannah’s suffering was deepened by Eli’s response, feeling she was now considered by him “a worthless woman”.

Christ-centered Hip Hop

2008-05-08T21:11:00.001-05:00

Christ, the Only Way - R.C. Sproul

2008-05-08T00:18:00.001-05:00

Piper on taking the Lord's Supper

2008-05-02T07:39:00.001-05:00

I found this latest Ask Pastor John episode to be encouraging. One thing that struck me was:

Now, after you've appropriated afresh the work of Christ and are enjoying that forgiveness, you eat. And you eat worthily, not because you had a good week, but because you have a great Savior and are united with him by faith and are renouncing all those sins.

That is something worth carrying with you throughout the day: "[Y]ou eat worthily, not because you had a good week, but because you have a great savior...". That's wisdom.

The New Atheism - Mohler at DTS

2008-04-22T09:57:00.001-05:00

Here are some helpful videos to help understand the new breed of atheism, i.e. a militant atheism. As always, Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary provides a helpful analysis.

Session 1: The New Atheism and the Endgame of Secularism

Session 2: The New Atheism and the Assault on Theism

Session 3: The New Atheism and the Defense of Theism

Session 4: The New Atheism and the Future of Christianity

Song for the Suffering Sons

2008-04-21T21:09:00.001-05:00

All creation heaves and groans,
Travailing with no repose.
A single desire deeply moans
In these sons' turbid souls.

O, come forth, My faithful child,
And behold your great reward:
My Son, your Brother, mild—
A body like His—triumphant and scarred.

Joyfully bear the weight of glory whole!
A dangerous delight, in Me, to embrace—
Now! The absence of sinful flesh's control
For Terror turned to gladness by Holy grace.

Oh, what hope of blissful day
Upon our tired hearts descend.
Stand firm! bruised heels of clay
For soon He comes, the skies to rend.

Ignorance is the New Science: The Arrogance of Man in Contemplating Male Nipples

2008-04-20T10:16:00.001-05:00

I happened upon the article Top 10 Useless Body Parts. Fairly certain that I would disagree with it, I debated reading it. I read it and was annoyed. Now, I am a huge proponent of science. After all, I have a degree in mathematics, and my thesis was entitled Analysis of Optimal Controls for Single and Multiple Agent Models in Treatments of Leukemia. (In other words, I am not ignorant with regard to science.) Interestingly enough, the word "science" has its roots in "to know" (see here). Thus, when I got to this part of the article, I was indignant:

"When you're sick you may feel that certain body parts are more trouble than they're worth. And in some cases, you'd be right...[A] few biological traces of our prehistoric ancestors still remain with us in the form of freeloading body parts we lug around with us, but have no use for."

It seems that ignorance has become knowledge and speculation has become science. Let us look past the evolution issue that most of my friends would debate in the article. I am not saying that it is not an issue worthy of discussion, but it's expected and dismissed. Instead, let us look at a fundamental error in the logic. Suppose we examine a structure we know to exist, e.g a third eyelid, body hair, male nipples, etc. However, we do not know what beneficial function this structure performs. Therefore, it must be useless. It must serve no good purpose. It must be vestigial. Behold the new scientific method:

Define (beg) the question.
Gather information and resources from those who agree with you.
Speculate.
Pretend to collect data.
Analyze data.
Manipulate data and draw conclusions that justify your speculation.
State that you are correct to like-minded researchers.
Never question your conclusion again.

My God! O Let Me Call Thee Mine!

2008-04-20T01:53:00.001-05:00

a poem by Anne Brönte

My God! O let me call Thee mine!
Weak wretched sinner though I be,
My trembling soul would fain be Thine,
My feeble faith still clings to Thee,
My feeble faith still clings to Thee.

Not only for the past I grieve,
The future fills me with dismay;
Unless Thou hasten to relieve,
I know my heart will fall away,
I know my heart will fall away.

I cannot say my faith is strong,
I dare not hope my love is great;
But strength and love to Thee belong,
O, do not leave me desolate!
O, do not leave me desolate!

I know I owe my all to Thee,
O, take this heart I cannot give.
Do Thou my Strength my Saviour be;
And make me to Thy glory live!
And make me to Thy glory live!

Rejoice With Trembling: The Proper Response to the Anointed of the LORD

2008-04-13T20:29:00.001-05:00

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2:11-12

God has His people. In the Old Testament, He redeemed a people, bringing them out of bondage in Egypt. In doing so, He created a nation. This nation was to have a king. This was not to be a king like other nations, but a king of God’s appointing. The king of Israel is anointed of God. He is God’s representative, His servant. For someone to come against the king was, in essence, to oppose God. The king was not someone with whom to trifle. Israel longed for the Messiah. We sometimes forget that Messiah and Christ are interchangeable, both meaning “Anointed One”. Therefore, when we speak of Jesus Christ, we speak of the King. Jesus is the fulfillment of the longing of Israel for a proper king.

When we read this passage in Psalm 2, we read this as a characteristic of Jesus Himself. To oppose Jesus is to oppose God. Any ruler of the earth will reckon with their treatment of Jesus. Approaching King Jesus must be done fearfully. What a tension is held in that command: Rejoice with trembling. Knowing that the one you approach has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Paul writes,

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Concerning the consummation, John writes,

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.’ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:11-21)

We flee unto Christ, rejoicing with trembling. Our only hope is in the one who has the power to destroy us. Therefore, let us, who have been born again of God, sing the inspired words of Paul:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:31-34)

Does Genuine Love Mandate Free Will?

2008-04-01T06:42:00.000-05:00

An insightful and short commentary on free will and love. Here Greg Koukl from Stand to Reason probes the statement, "Free will must exist so that love may be genuine." How does our understanding of free will influence our understanding of God?

Pray for Zimbabwe: Election on March 29th

2008-03-28T14:19:00.001-05:00

In a previous post, I relayed the horrible situation dealing with Zimbabwe's economy. The presidential election will be held tomorrow, and anything could happen. The hope is that a civil war will not break out. We put our trust wholly in the Sovereignty of God, and we affirm the words of Daniel:

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding." (Dan 2:20b-21)

This recent article from the BBC may be helpful as you pray over the Sovereign Lord's appointment tomorrow. Yes, He is sovereign, yet we are still responsible for our action/non-action! It is a sad thing when the bride of Christ is numb to the suffering in the world. May she weep over the terror in the world, but may the tears shed not be shallow. They must be tears of action and compassion.

Interview with Tim Keller

2008-03-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

I came upon this interview that Monergism.com held with Tim Keller and felt it to be very interesting and useful. Tim Keller is author of The Reason for God: Belief in the Age of Skepticism. He is also pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. In the interview, he addresses:

His method of evangelism in preaching.

His view of sanctification

Books to help train people in apologetics.

How he approaches the skeptics questions.

Various ways to approach specific questions from skeptics. This one is particularly useful.

The interview can be found here.

"Good at Math": What Counts?

2008-03-23T17:02:00.001-05:00

Recently, I was asked “What does it mean to be ‘good at math’?” I thought it through, and here is an edited response. Even if you don't like mathematics, it is a good exercise to go through for anyone. What does it mean for someone to be good at what you do? There are a few points that I would address in being “good at math”:

The proficiency of the student in the narrowest sense of mathematics,
The student’s reasoning ability in dealing with philosophical arguments, and
The religious motivation behind the student’s study.

At the most superficial (disregard the negative connotation) level, being “good at math” is about knowing the language of mathematics. The student who is good at math will begin to have both a competency with the tools of mathematics and an intuitive understanding (a “gut feeling” if you prefer) of what will work. These appeal to those situations where the student sees a theoretical result developing from the material and where the student models mathematically a physical phenomenon. In other words, the student sees the ramifications of the learned theory with regard to (a) the broader scope of the theory and (b) is able, if it is possible, to handle the theories and applications in the physical sciences. I do believe that the second (b) is of lesser importance relative to the first (a). The student should be able to write clearly, concisely, and logically to express the theory.

Next, we deal with a philosophical understanding of the math. The student who is good at mathematics is able to see into the world of philosophy. The student, able to navigate through arguments, can think critically through the philosopher’s logic and develop an opinion (given an appropriate amount of time). This view comes from an understanding that philosophy and mathematics have been intertwined throughout history. In fact, Plato inscribed over the door of the Academy, “Let no one who is not a geometer enter.”

Finally, while the other two are based in skill and intellectual adeptness, this one is based on motivation. I mentor a mathematics student, and my focus in our meeting time is not ultimately on the mathematics; though, we both appreciate it. Instead, our shared passion for mathematics and the beauty of reason provide a springboard to worship God as revealed in the Bible. The following is a sampling of passages that deal with this particular topic:

a.) “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men...” (Colossians 3:23).

b.) “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

c.) “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4a).

d.) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

e.) “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3a, emphasis mine).

This is the ultimate reason why I study mathematics. This is the characteristic I want to see in myself when I desire to be “good at math”. If the student is to be good at mathematics, the student must understand from where math comes. Math is part of the way that God has revealed himself to creation, and students miss something crucial when they (a) ignore it and (b) do not use it to contemplate joyfully the manifold beauty of God as revealed in the complexity of his handiwork through the providence of Christ’s word of power. Because biblical Christianity teaches that there are no rogue molecules in all of existence, it is rebellion against the Creator not to consider the beauty of Christ when studying the laws, i.e. the mathematical principles, that govern creation which find their root in the Creator. Therefore, I do not encourage people to be good at math for math’s sake; that would be meaningless, absurd even. In the truest definition of good, it would not be good to deny the fundamental truth that undergirds all the truths you are analyzing. I would encourage them to see why there is meaning in studying math. There are two immediate quotes that come to my mind:

a.) “For he loves Thee too little who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.” – Augustine in his Confessions, writing to God

b.) “If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – CS Lewis in The Weight of Glory

Why the Father loves the Son: The Ground of Our Salvation

2008-03-22T23:47:00.001-05:00

"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

John 10:17-18
_____________________________________________________

We have approached Easter this year. We will gather in congregations to remember the ground of our salvation. The New Testament resounds with importance of the resurrection. It is unavoidable: if you want to understand the depth of your salvation, you must have a theology of the resurrection. Paul states,

"Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:34).
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:17-20).

I have been lingering over the above verses from the Gospel according to John, and I thought it would be edifying to share my thoughts.

A Charge Given

The Father commanded the Son to do something. What is it? A quick answer could be to sacrifice his life for the sheep. Expounding upon the exultation of the Father over his Son's sacrifice, Piper writes, "God deeply and joyfully approved of what the Son was doing in that hour of sacrifice. In fact, he had planned it all together with the Son. And his love for the God-Man, Jesus Christ, on earth was owing to the very obedience that took Jesus to the cross. The cross was Jesus’ crowning act of obedience and love. And this obedience and love the Father profoundly approved and enjoyed." Have you ever thought about the attitude of Christ as he carried the cross? Did he grumble the entire way? When he sent Judas, did he do so second-guessing himself? Would that have been pleased the Father? Does a grumbling son bring honor to a father's command? The Father commanded the Son to do something. Our quick answer that it was to sacrifice his life for the sheep is only part of the story; it's on the way to something deeper. Let's dig. Of course, the sacrifice does fit the context and is part of the answer. However, what else do we see?

Purposeful Obedience in Joy

We read in verse 17 that the Father loves the Son because

The Son lays down his life.
The Son does so purposefully.

What do we know about Jesus' attitude concerning the cross? Jesus knew the agony and ignominy of the cross. He was to be crushed by the Father for the sake of the lambs' sins. However, we see in Hebrews 12:2 that he despised the shame of the cross but endured it. Why did he endure the cross? It was for the joy that was set before him! What was the joy that was set before him? It was the glory in the resurrection. There, he inherited the name above all names:

"After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs" (Hebrews 1:3b-4).

In the sacrifice, Jesus purposefully and joyfully laid down his life. He declares that the reason the Father loves Him is because his sacrificial laying down his life is grounded in his purpose of taking it back up again. We read later that Jesus prays to the Father:

"Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed" (John 17:1-5, emphasis mine).

The Ground of God's Love for Us

It is Jesus' joyful, purposeful obedience to the Father's command that provides the basis for God's love for us. In our meditations on the cross and resurrection, our thoughts are often a repetitive, common phrases and stories. Paul states, "[Faith] will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:24b-25). It would be good to bring our hearts to linger over passages instead of just checking off a reading list. There are those little phrases that should bring us to are knees.

For this reason the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
John 10:17

Holiness and Incarnation

2008-03-22T13:18:00.000-05:00

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

John 1:1-5,14,17

The Holiness of God
Moses asks God for His name (Exodus 3:13). The name God gives Moses will speak to the very character of God. I am sure Moses was very curious as to what God would say. And what does God say? “I AM WHO I AM.” Well, that’s odd. You and I would never say that. And that is exactly right. God cannot say, “I am like ___________.” There is no point of reference outside of Himself to which God can point and say, “There, look at that, I’m like that.” He is. He is like none other. All of who He is is. We are to talk about the attributes of God, i.e. what He is like, we must understand that whatever we learn about God, we must learn this: He is other. We say that God is “holy,” or separate. RC Sproul writes,

There is a special kind of phobia from which we all suffer. It is called xenophobia. Xenophobia is a fear (and sometimes hatred) of strangers or foreigners or anything that is strange or foreign. God is the ultimate object of our xenophobia. He is the ultimate foreigner. He is holy, and we are not. (The Holiness of God, 45)

God does the defining. We are subject to His definitions. He is original. We are derivative. God is being. We are becoming. Hannah was right when she prayed,

My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:1,2).

We read in Isaiah 40:25:

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

And then in Hosea 11:9

…for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst…

Because of His holiness, God is unable to tolerate sin (Hab 1:13). He is pure, and we are impure.

Now you may ask me, “That is nice, but what does this have to do with the passage from John 1?” It is an act of gracious condescension for God to dwell among us. It has been rightly declared that God, in all of His holiness, has been made accessible through the finished work of Christ. Christ has made the holiness of God not merely tolerable; Christ has brought the impossible to reality by making the holiness of God enjoyable (cf. Psalm 2:11-12)!

Reason for God: Tim Keller addresses Google

2008-03-19T14:24:00.001-05:00

I have been waiting to watch this video! Thanks to Reformissionary for posting it.

Easter, Too Much for Children?

2008-03-16T21:48:00.001-05:00

Russell Moore draws our attention to a perplexing situation arising between a church and the publisher of the Sunday school curriculum. I encourage you to read the letter that the publisher sent to try to explain the removal of the crucifixion and the resurrection from their preschool lessons.

Feeling the Divine: Holy Jealousy

2008-03-12T15:16:00.000-05:00

“I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.”

2 Corinthians 11:2-6

Reading Too Quickly
The first thing we read here is that Paul feels a divine jealousy. We sometimes read too quickly through our Bibles and don’t linger. There is something mysterious in this first sentence. What does it mean to feel a divine jealousy? To know the answer to this question, we first must probe the concept of divine jealousy. Then we look to how the finite human can experience a divine emotion.

Divine Jealousy
Something that is missing from most Bible studies is an understanding that God is uppermost in His own affections. After all, God is righteous and must value something in proportion to its worth. That which is infinitely valuable must be esteemed as such. To do otherwise would be injustice--improper. When God sees that His worth is not being esteemed rightly by others, He sees an injustice. We encounter this often throughout the Scriptures:

“You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:3-6, emphasis mine)

“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.” (Exodus 34:11-16, emphasis mine)

“Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:23-24, emphasis mine)

In fact, the Lord says in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (emphasis mine). When we read of God’s jealousy, we must realize that it is an integral component of His righteousness.

A Human with Divine Jealousy
When Paul says, “I feel a divine jealousy for you,” what does he mean? Paul has been commissioned as an “apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13, cf. 1 Timothy 2:7). Paul was calling Gentiles to repentance. He was calling them out of polytheism—and more broadly, pluralism. In our day, we could easily see Paul as an apostle to the post-modern. He was calling people out of culture where many realities were affirmed to an objective reality. He was calling them out of happy ignorance (read agnosticism) to the plain truth of Christ. This was the whole point of his sermon in Athens:

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols…So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said ‘Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, “To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown [i.e., in ignorance], this I proclaim to you.”’” (Acts 17:16,22-23, emphasis mine)

Our post-modern society is no different. We laud ignorance by affirming all propositions as true. In so doing, we affirm nothing but our rebellion against truth (Romans 1:18). Paul is passionate to see plainly the truth of Christ. In this, God has allowed Paul to share in the divine passion for the exaltation of singular Truth. Many of these “super-apostles” with their brilliant speeches come saying, “Here is a Jesus to worship.” It doesn’t matter to these Corinthians if this Jesus that is proclaimed is the true Jesus; they affirm an idea without validating it. In this, they affirm too much. In fact, this is what happened to Eve. Eve was deceived because she affirmed the serpent’s statements as true without validating against what God had really said. Paul says the Corinthians are in danger of prostituting themselves out to many gods, to many christs. In the same way, the post-modern whores out themselves to many “truths” but will not stay sincerely and purely devoted to the truth, namely Jesus Christ. They may say that they serve Christ, but the question would then be, “How do you know that your christ is the true Christ?” Your understanding – your knowledge – must be based on the objective reality of Jesus Christ that is proclaimed plainly throughout Scripture. Propositions about Christ are not like springs on a trampoline that can be removed. Paul was not martyred for springs on a trampoline. No truth about Christ is optional, negotiable, or removable.

Do you, like Paul, have a divine jealousy for the church? Do you care if people are worshipping the true Jesus or a Jesus of their own construction? As RC Sproul said, “[I]f we are to desire God, it is imperative that we desire the God who is and not a god of our own imagination.” We are commanded by the true Christ that if we are to worship, we “must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

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Many thanks to Allison for encouraging those around her to be truth-centered!

Resurrection Realities

2008-03-12T15:12:00.000-05:00

For the Christian, a theology that exults over the resurrection of Christ is crucial. As we approach Easter, God has been building up my theology of the resurrection of Christ and its connection with the resurrection of the believer. It is with great joy that I can refer you to John Piper's newest Taste & See Article: Let These Results of the Resurrection of Jesus Revive Your Passion for His Supremacy Over All Things.

Zimbabwe & Prayer

2008-03-12T11:14:00.001-05:00

A BBC News article from July 2007 states,

"In Zimbabwe's case, the near-5,000% annual rate of inflation means that a loaf of bread bought today is about 50 times more expensive - in cash terms - than it was a year ago. And prices are continuing to accelerate, in some cases doubling in weeks - or even, on occasion, days. Wages, on the other hand, are nowhere near keeping up. One correspondent recently told the BBC News website that one candle can cost twice the daily official government wage for a farm worker, while the price tag for a single banana is 15 times what she paid seven years ago for a four-bedroom house. "

A more recent article from CNN from March 5, 2008 observes that

$1(US) = $25,000,000 (Zimbabwe).

That is absolute insanity. The article goes on to say,

"Currency dealers said uncertainties ahead of elections scheduled March 29 and the world's highest inflation of 100,500 percent led holders of hard currency to hang on to their money at the same time as the state central bank pumped more local cash into the market for election costs" (emphasis mine).

It is an interesting thing to juxtapose this situation with the all-too-common apathetic, naval-inspecting American, while thinking of the passage from Ezekiel 16:

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it." (Eze 16:49-50)

It would be a wonderful thing if we would get our heads out of our belly-buttons and do something. March 29th marks the presidential elections in Zimbabwe, and they could get out of control. John Simpson from the BBC says, "[T]he recent violence in Kenya over a disputed election worries many Zimbabweans" (hyperlink mine).

Please keep the people of Zimbabwe in your prayers. Pray for President Mugabe; he is not a just man. Pray that the Lord changes his heart or removes him from office.

The Consummation of All Things and a Memory

2008-03-10T00:57:00.000-05:00

There are those memories that you hope God allows you to keep. You hope that they are held by His sovereign will in your heart to be cherished. For me, there is a collection of some of my most treasured memories, namely evening conversations with my momma. God provided Lois and Eunice for Timothy, and He blessed me with Sadie and Kathy. Through many evening conversations in my childhood, my momma taught me the beauty of Christ, the majesty of God, and the suffiency of the Scriptures. Our conversations were not the typical ones that mothers and sons have. We talked theology over a glass of tea or a Coke. My earliest memory of these conversations is of momma "reading to me about heaven." -- or should I say "weadin' to me about heaven"? I couldn't say my r's (among other things). As far as I can tell, it was what my momma read to me at this request that has been the most foundational. My momma read to me out of Revelation 20-22 in these instances. These passages illustrated for a little boy the grandeur of God. I'll leave you with two things. The first is one of my favorite passages from what my mom read to me. The second is a poem by John Piper.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." (Rev 22:1-7)

The information for the poem can be found here.

"Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

By the Breath of God Ice is Given

2008-02-12T16:06:00.000-06:00

“At this also my heart trembles and leaps out of its place. Keep listening to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard. God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he made may know it. Then the beasts go into their lairs, and remain in their dens. From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.”

Job 37:1-13

Over the past few days, the college where I teach closed Monday afternoon, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Our region underwent a major ice storm. On my way home on Monday, I nearly lost control of my car. Vehicles were on the side of the road. The power went out for many people. My prayers were that my loved ones and I would be safe in the midst of the storm. The wintry mix of precipitation finally ceased. The ground was hard and slick. The trees and bushes were glassy sculptures. My car was encased in ice. I was not going anywhere soon.

I thought of Elihu’s words to Job about the providence of God. It is an amazing thing that snow and ice obey the command of God. We are kept in our places, trapped. Why? “[T]hat all men whom he made may know it.” It gives us pause. We have been given this day to think of the mighty hand of God, i.e. “his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20). These moments of pause are elements of “his kindness and forbearance and patience” that are intended “to lead us to repentance” (Romans 2:4). “Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen” (Job 37:13). May we linger over the manifold wonder of the power of God in ordering his creation!

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I am grateful to John D. Corson for letting me use these photographs. For more of John's work visit here.

Pray the Bible

2008-02-06T10:35:00.000-06:00

Greg Gilbert has posted an amazing blog entry on praying the Scriptures

Together for the Gospel 2006 Videos

2008-01-28T12:29:00.000-06:00

I had long thought that it would be wonderful if the videos from the Together for the Gospel conference held in 2006 could be obtained. The audio has been available by Sovereign Grace Ministries for free here. Ligonier Ministries has made the videos available for viewing here or for purchase here.

Can it be? A Simple, Challenging, and Comforting Read

2008-01-24T14:16:00.000-06:00

In an era in which false conversions are common and truth is obfuscated or denied, John Blanchard has provided an amazingly clear text to help you examine if you are truly a regenerate Christian. The Bible is often seen as an antiquated text of checklists of to-do’s. In Blessed: The Beatitudes for Today, Blanchard expounds the opening section (called the Beatitudes) of the Sermon on the Mount, showing that the character of a Christian flows from a relationship with the Sovereign Lord. He notes that the Beatitudes as a whole is an evidence (singular) of one’s right relationship with God and not a checklist of things to do to get right with God. I have been challenged by Blanchard to lean upon Christ, to desire to look more like Him, and to herald the glory of the gospel. May God grant me more books to read like this one! I doubt that I have read such a simple, yet deep, text.

One of the blurbs on the back of the book states, “John Blanchard’s fertile mined, wide reading and clarity of style are all apparent in this excellent volume.” I agree whole-heartedly. After you finishing this text, you feel as though you have spent time in conversation with some of the greatest minds of Christian thought over the last two millennia. You realize that you are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.

Page after page, the reader is presented with the gospel. There are no formulas; there is no exaltation of pragmatism. The weary sheep will be comforted and encouraged by such an exposition! They will not be pushed to-and-fro by speculation but shown rich theology in the clearest way I have ever seen!

One of the most telling paragraphs is:

This is why the critical questions for anyone to ask are not ‘Do I have enough religion?’, ‘Do I belong to the right church?’ or even ‘Am I doing the right kind of things?’, but ‘Has God changed my heart?’ Has he radically changed my motives and affections?’ ‘Do I love what I once loathed, and loathe what I once loved?’ ‘Are my moral and spiritual endeavours driven by a passionate love for God and his ways, or by a lingering belief that they contribute something to my salvation?’ Do I have a genuine longing to be obedient to God in every area of my life?’ Can I truthfully say with David, “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart”?’ (Psalm 40:8). Christian conversion is not an external rearrangement of certain actions, but a radical transformation of the heart which inevitably results in an equally radical transformation of life.

The chapters are:

Setting the Scene (Matthew 5:1-2)
The Congregation (Matthew 5:1-2)
Nothing to Do With Us? (Matthew 5:1-2)
The King’s Favour (Matthew 5:3)
Concepts of the Kingdom (Matthew 5:3)
The Wealthy Poor (Matthew 5:3)
The Joyful Mourners (Matthew 5:4)
Gentle Giants (Matthew 5:5)
Unsatisfied Satisfaction (Matthew 5:6)
God’s Overflow (Matthew 5:7)
Seeing In the Dark (Matthew 5:8)
God’s Peace Corps (Matthew 5:9)
Blessings Out of Buffetings (Matthew 5:10)

A Heart for Evangelism

2008-01-22T09:53:00.001-06:00

This coming weekend my church is holding a seminar to help people live with an evangelistic mindset. Evangelism is an amazing grace that God has given us. In it, we let the overflow of joy that we have for God extend outward to proclaim His goodness to others that they may know the same joy. It is a privelige!

I commend this sermon by John Blanchard to you for your encouragement. In it, he relays this humbling exhortation from Richard Baxter:

Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians, or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor, ignorant, ungodly neighbours. Alas! There is but a step betwixt them and death and hell….Have you hearts of rock, that you cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir you to the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned, so you be saved?

Can You Even Ask the Question, or Will You Get Expelled?

2008-01-11T10:27:00.000-06:00

“There are no stupid questions.” When teachers state this at the beginning of the semester, they are usually trying to create a certain type of learning environment. We want students to ask the hard questions. We want them to become passionate about learning. Asking questions is vital to learning! It is an exhilarating rush to ask a question, study diligently, and see the solution appear. It is like a boat on a voyage through uncharted waters. It crosses over the immeasurable distances, and through the fog, something happens: LAND! Here is an interesting thought: What if you were never allowed to get on the boat? Interestingly, a culture that purports free thought may have stifled it. Our academic institutions are to challenge us, but do they? Sure, they may say there are no stupid questions, but what happens when you ask it? Can you even ask the question? Expelled: No Intelligent Design Allowed features Ben Stein probing this question in the context of the Darwin vs. Intelligent Design debate.

The Believer's Good Portion

2008-01-10T13:31:00.000-06:00

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village.
And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary,
who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.
But Martha was distracted with much serving.
And she went up to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?
Tell her then to help me.”
But the Lord answered her,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
but one thing is necessary.
Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

When we sit down to eat (especially in America), we find ourselves at a table with large portions. We can go to a buffet style restaurant and choose from many different salad toppings, entrees, and side items. We can go up as often as we would like, eating much…too much. We can start out well, eating a small salad with a low-fat dressing. Then we get to the main course, and the options begin to weigh on us, and we gorge ourselves. So it is with the Christian life. We can start off well, but then be overcome by the distraction until we are anxious and troubled, losing focus on the chief goal.

Here we see Martha, welcoming Jesus and, by implication, his disciples into her house. There is her good start that day. She prepared for and welcomed for her guests. This is something we must also do. You may have done this today, as well. But we must also set aside the rest of our day. This is where we begin to see Martha’s unraveling. An illustration may help us see Martha’s sin (and our own).

Imagine a woman at the buffet with a few too many sides and entrees. She is desperately trying to eat all of her food. Her stomach is beginning to ache. She is getting bloated. She is contorting her body to try and find room for the food. Sweat is breaking on her forehead. Next to the woman struggling with the food, we see another woman. This other woman is savoring a nice 7 ounce steak with a small salad and a baked potato. She is enjoying her meal, slowly chewing each piece. The food is settling nicely in her stomach, and she is comfortably situated with a smile on her face. Finally, imagine the woman who is eating too much bursting into the kitchen, grabbing the chef, and telling him to make the other woman help her eat some of the food.

The Lord tells Martha that Mary chose a good portion. Martha chose too much. She lost focus of Christ and his instruction. Let the words of our Lord remind us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mat 6:33). Today, may we sit at Christ’s feet and focus our attention on him. In all that we do, may we seek that one good portion: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Co 10:31).

Powerful Prayers: Is there a secret?

2007-12-31T00:06:00.000-06:00

Let me encourage you to read the following blog on The Secret to a Better Prayer Life. I believe this to be an awesome example of the marriage between doctrine and application.

Here are just a few morsels that hopefully will lead you to read his whole entry:

The more we know God, the better equipped we are to praise him for who he is.
Good theological meditation of both the glory of God and the heinousness of our corruption will be of great assistance in both knowing and mortifying your sins.
Our thanksgiving will only be as weak as our theology....You should run out of time before you run out of reasons to thank God. Systematic theology is a great help here, because through it we can see much more of God’s giving, and our unworthiness.
Good theology can change our stale list of requests into a more meaningful interaction with God. How? At the very least, good theology teaches us to what we may appeal in God when making our requests. [For example:] Because God is righteous, we can appeal to him to vindicate the oppressed and persecuted.

Advent vs. Abortion

2007-12-18T15:09:00.000-06:00

I know of three children that are in the womb, and we are waiting patiently for their arrival:

Baby Abner
Baby Billingsly
Baby Davis

We watch the wives’ tummies grow, witnessing the work of God in the lives of these children. It is marvelous. These babies belong to dear friends of mine who have taught me much about Christ. Their theologies have mingled the academic and the affectionate in enviable proportions.

There are other children of families that have captured my heart, and I long to see them grow into God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Spirit-led men and women. That is why abortion is such a grief to me. I have heard so many arguments for the pro-choice agenda, but I have yet to hear one that grabs the discussion at the root. What does abortion say about the glory of God? Life is not expendable.

Have you ever asked yourself why babies are so frail? Babies are fragile because Christ was to be born a baby. God has knit babies together so that the following could be said of Christ:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(Php 2:5-11)

We begin this life in the womb as a fragile mass of cells because God ordained before the foundation of the world that His Son would take on a fragile form. From conception to cross, Christ was our example. These children are to learn from their fragile state that God is all-satisfying. Daddy and mommy are to care for them in such a way that they are to learn the sufficiency of Christ. Therefore, what do we teach the world about Christ when we say that the fragile life in a womb is a nuisance?

In this Advent season, we remember the wait of our fathers for the long-expected Messiah. Also, we are reminded of Christ’s Second Advent, the blessed hope for which we eagerly wait.

I leave you with this. For those of you interested in resources dealing with abortion, please visit Abort73.com.

How Do You Know that You Believe?

2007-11-27T16:26:00.000-06:00

We have lost the depth of Christianity in our age because we have failed to understand the work of Christ. We have minimized the holiness of the One True God. We have gripped tightly the notion that we are valuable, that we have an intrinsic worth, that we are noble. May God have mercy on us and correct our superstitions.

Is I Smart?

2007-11-21T19:46:00.000-06:00

Apparently, one can check the reading level of his/her blog:

Cash Advance Loans

Retirement

2007-10-23T12:30:00.000-05:00

Are you wasting your retirement? Are you planning on wasting your retirement? Maybe these short videos will help you decide what you should do with all that free time.

For more information on how not to waste your life, here is a wonderful website.

The Deadly the American Dream: A Warm Retirement

2007-10-23T11:55:00.000-05:00

If you are an American, then you have been sold a lie. You have been told from birth that your life should be one of accumulation of personal wealth, banking on portfolios and looking forward to the blessed hope of retirement.

But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" (Luke 14:16-24)

God has blessed our country with much wealth, but we have become worse than Sodom:

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. (Ezekiel 16:49-50)

We are devastatingly banal. We have settled for the mundane. We think that a field will fulfill. We think a new car will elevate our existence. Our socioeconomic status is our strength. We are at ease in our air-conditioned houses with space-age mattresses. We need desperately to be gripped by a reality that is bigger than a 401k.

We are so far removed from the New Testament's context of suffering that we miss the point of the hope of an eternal vision of Christ's glory. The infinite majesty that brought all things into existence has been exchanged by our society for a comfortable fifty-or-so years at the end of one's life. This is absolutely absurd. Either God satisfies or money satisfies. We are all guilty. We have bought the dream, and it has cost us our souls.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

God may give us what we want: a warm retirement....

John Piper's Response to N.T. Wright Due Out by Nov. 1

2007-10-19T13:18:00.000-05:00

John Piper’s response to N. T. Wright is due for release on November 1, 2007 ($5.00 + shipping if you pre-order here by Oct. 31). If you have no idea what N. T. Wright has said about justification and what all of this is about, then there are some resources available for you. First, Desiring God Ministries has a seven part Q&A with John Piper that they have been releasing on their blog. Here, Piper gives the background necessary to understand the controversy. The whole interview can be found here. However, you may want to select only those parts that you haven't heard.

Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.1: Who is this book for?
Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.2: Who is N. T. Wright?
Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.3: What do you believe about justification?
Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.4: How is Wright’s view of justification different than yours?
Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.5: What’s the problem with Wright’s view of imputation?
Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.6: What damage could Wright's view cause the church?
Interview with Piper on Wright, Pt.7: Where is it that you’re trying to preserve the doctrine of justification from moving?

On his remarkable blog, Justin Taylor has also been posting several things on the book. Included in his blogging are reviews of Piper’s book from notable theologians. I have tried to compile the resources in chronological order.

On 9Marks’ website, you can listen to an interview of John Piper conducted by Mark Dever dealing with the New Perspectives on Paul.

There are more resources out there, but this will help those who know nothing about the topic and those who want to know more. May we thank those who are concerned enough with the truth to contend for it.

If you want to understand the history of the doctrine, then I encourage you to listen to this.

For your enjoyment, here is an excerpt from a sermon, unpacking the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

Anybody Want to Dance?

2007-10-18T08:37:00.000-05:00

In honor of Reformation Day, please enjoy!

Semper Reformanda!

A Dead Man’s Bones

2007-10-15T10:46:00.000-05:00

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying,
“God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
Genesis 50:25

How does our faith impact the “little” decisions of our lives? Does our attitude in seemingly inconsequential events testify to a deeply rooted faith in God? For all those who want to combat their post-modern tendencies: Do we live in such a way that the small narratives of our lives testify to the meta-narrative?

Praying for Rain?
There was a town that was suffering from a horrendous drought. The crops were suffering, and many families were in financial peril. The church decided to come together and pray for rain. The night of the prayer meeting came, and the pastor stood up and looked out over his congregation. He did not have encouraging words for his flock. Apparently they did not think God was going to answer any prayers. How did the pastor know that the congregation suffered from unbelief? No one brought an umbrella.

The Suffering Saint
It is an amazing thing to trace out the life of Joseph in Genesis. The beloved son of Jacob and a favored child of God, Joseph was thrown into a well, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten. Then Joseph ascended into a place of high political office. He protected the people against famine, and certainly saw the faithfulness of God displayed in his life even working through the sinfulness of man; this finally culminates in the statement to his brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). This is a man who peered into the depths of the sovereignty of God and found solace there.

Two dreams of a great promise were given to Joseph (Genesis 37). At that time, Joseph was 17, and it was not until he was 30 years old when he rose to power in Egypt. Thirteen years of hard-knocks. Most of us would be disheartened, losing confidence in the promises of God. Unbelief would seize our hearts. We would shirk the promise. We would shun the God of that promise. How did Joseph handle it? Joseph took the time to learn the patience of waiting on God. For thirteen years, Joseph waited. Maybe sometimes God’s promise of his rise to power seemed vibrant; maybe, at times, it was a dim. Joseph saw God’s hand working through the sinfulness of man. The theme over this suffering was “God meant it for good”. In the end, God proved to be faithful to His promise to Joseph. No matter how long it took, Joseph finally saw the promise realized.

Joseph’s Umbrella
Joseph knew the promises of God to Abraham and his offspring: Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7a). What was to become of this promise? Is it as though the word of God had failed? They were not in the Promised Land. Could it be that in three generations God had faltered? Did the promise of God stumble? What can a dead man’s bones teach us about the deep things of Scripture? Joseph’s life of consistent disappointments and suffering brought him deeper in his faith in God’s promise to Abraham.

If God said something would happen, Joseph knew that God would do it. However, Joseph had learned that God would work in His time and His way. Joseph never saw the promise to Abraham fulfilled. But a lifetime of not seeing this promise realized would not stop Joseph from believing that God would be faithful. We read of Joseph at his death:

So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph's own. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:22-26).

Joseph saw the mist of the promise in Ephraim and Manasseh’s offspring. He pulled out his umbrella and said, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” He knew the sovereignty of God, and “died in faith” (Hebrews 11:13). The writer of the letter to the Hebrews uses Joseph as an example of faith: “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones” (Hebrews 11:22).

Whatever Happened to the Bones?
We know that this man’s faith did not fall on deaf ears. Another man of faith took heed. In going out from Egypt, “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.’” (Exodus 13:19). We finally find later:

As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph. (Joshua 24:32)

Is that the end? What are we to do with Joseph’s bones now?

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18).

Joseph was looking for much more than an earthly dwelling. He yearned for a “heavenly country” (Hebrews 11:16). He saw a city prepared by God. Let us do the same.

For All the Bibliophiles!

2007-10-09T16:34:00.001-05:00

The much-anticipated release of Monergism Books' updated website has now occurred! I love this website. On more than one occasion, its related website Monergism.com has been found open in my browser while I study a particular topic.

The End Does Not Justify the Means

2007-10-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,

to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Genesis 50:20

Many people are of the opinion that what they do is morally upright if it brings about something good. If people are benefited by an action, does that mean that the action was good? Suppose a person endeavors to satiate his own desires by an action. As a byproduct of his actions, people are aided—lives are even saved. Does this mean that the action was good? Is God pleased with the person’s actions? No, not necessarily!

As we read in this account of Joseph and his brothers, we notice that this particular paradigm is highlighted. What makes an action good is not the outcome. What makes an action morally upright is rooted in something that exists even before the action takes place: the motive. There are two wills involved within this action: Joseph’s brothers’ and God’s.

God had purposed this event to glorify Himself by the saving of His people. However, the brothers were selfish and evil, wanting to rid themselves of this favored brother, a motive that is far from glorifying God. The brothers were not aware of God’s plan when they were throwing their brother in the well or selling him into slavery. They were oblivious to the fact that God would save a people from famine by Joseph’s removal. It was not on their radar. But good things happened; doesn’t that make it okay? No, their intention was evil.

We may argue with this idea further, but let us look at one other example (but not the only one left). Jesus was an innocent man, yet He was crucified. No offense was ever present, yet He was tortured and killed unjustly. We can all agree that there were a host of people in the wrong for their actions in the death of Christ: Pilate, Judas, etc. Would we justify their actions by noticing that their actions were purposed by God to save His people? Would we dare applaud the actions of Judas? Would we thank Pilate? I doubt it.

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” (Act 2:22-23)

It is an awesome thing to know that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). He is good, and He protects His people through His acts: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

In the midst of all of this, may we praise God for His pure motive: to bring glory to His Name. We should be careful to seek that motive. Also, we should never justify our actions that have resulted from evil intentions just because God is gracious and had meant it for good. Ask this question, “How often are my motives as pure and unadulterated as God’s?” Our motives never a firmly pure. Even if you understand this, reflect on it. If you have difficulty with this, search out Scripture. A good passage to include in this study: Hebrews 4:11-4:16.

Implications
1. In fact, the unbeliever—a person without saving faith—will never do anything that pleases God. In other words, the unbeliever does nothing but sin because all things are done from an impure motive.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
“For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23b).

2. Because of remaining indwelling sin, even the believer must repent for impure motives in all things. Actions for the believer on this side of glorification (i.e. perfection) will always be mingled with faith and unbelief.

3. We should seek to have pure motives and not be quick to judge our actions as pure even when the outcome is good.

Why We Believe the Bible, Free Audio

2007-09-21T10:10:00.001-05:00

Desiring God Ministries has provided the audio for several of the seminars free of charge. In addition to great sermons, articles, books, and videos that are free online, these seminars will help the person wanting a doctrine centered on Christ.

Of particular interest, Why We Believe the Bible is a seminar that addresses the following topics:

Why are we concerned with the Bible?
Which books make up the Bible and why?
The New Testament Canon
Do we have the very words written by the biblical authors?
Does it matter whether we affirm the verbal inerrancy of the original manuscripts?
What does the Bible claim for itself?
The Old Testament claims for itself
The Truth and Authority of the Apostles
How can we justify the claim that the Bible is God's word?
The Meaning of the Bible's inerrancy

The notes to the seminar are provided with part 1 of the seminar. I hope you find this particular seminar a valuable resource!

Please note that the above listed topics (1-10) were taken from the seminar notes listing and that I have excluded from the list the eight appendices.

The Weeping Saint: A Meditation on Psalms 40 and 42

2007-09-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

Behold him there, the weeping saint,
Weary from life and ‘bout to faint.
He waits in hope for Him to hear
The tired words of his trembling prayer.

Behold the Sovereign Ear of Him
Who drawing close when all seems dim:
He lifts the face and wipes the tears,
Assuages all pain and calms all fears.

Oh Lord, be soon, for night draws nigh,
For tears with each deepening sigh
Are weights upon each reddened eye.
Oh Lord, be soon, for night draws nigh.

Feel the strong arm of God’s own Son,
Who long ago the vict’ry won.
His blood and tears poured out in prayer,
Releasing men from evil’s snare.

You will again praise Him in song,
Accompanied in joyous throng!
Oh weary saint you will delight
And sing with joy and ceaseless might.

A Great Little Book on the Gospel

2007-09-14T12:47:00.000-05:00

R. C. Sproul has said that the American Church is in Pelagian Captivity. Basically, this means that we have misunderstood the doctrines of that surround God's grace with regard to saving sinners. Our understanding of God's grace has such an influence over how we view the world, ourselves, and God. How do we become a holy people? Can we lose our salvation? These things must be understand, but they cannot be discussued without a proper biblical foundation. In addressing these questions, we find ourselves quickly at the point where we wonder, "How are we saved to begin with?"

James Montgomery Boice (now deceased) and Philip Graham Ryken wrote a wonderful book that addresses the work of God in salvation! This is an extremely readable book that will be encouraging to the believer. Hard passages from the Bible about these things are not ignored, and the the believer will be challenged to be biblical in their doctrine in spite of the worldly philosophies propagated in many of our churches!

Is Your Reading List Unruly?

2007-09-13T10:22:00.000-05:00

Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has a voracious appetite for books. He reads books from a variety of genres, and he reads almost incessantly. Therefore, when he wrote an article for Together for the Gospel on the reading of books, it was bound to be reprinted. Well, here it is. It is an encouraging article for the struggling bibliophile.

Attributes of God

2007-09-11T16:03:00.000-05:00

The following resources are exceptional tools in studying the attributes of God.

The HeartCry Missionary Conference, 2005 (mp3's are available for download).
The One True God by Paul Washer
(This is a workbook, and it is currently being revised; I will furnish a link once it is ready).
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Desiring God by John Piper
The Pleasures of God by John Piper
The Existence and Attributes of God by Steven Charnock
The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink
Of course there is always this awesome link.
But whatever you do, do NOT forget this resource.

Always read prayerfully and humbly. The goal of knowledge of the holy is not to bludgeon someone with whom you disagree. The goal of your studies should be to grow in your enjoyment of Christ who makes the holiness of God accessible. We exist in order to spread a passion for Christ that accords with knowledge.

More Resources on Adam vs. Christ and Romans 5:12-21

2007-08-28T13:52:00.001-05:00

If you have been following my series on Adam's Lie vs. Christ's Truth, you may want to read or listen to the sermons by Piper that helped shape my understanding of justification. They are much deeper than my meditations.

Adam's Lie vs. Christ's Truth, Part IV

2007-08-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

The infinite worth of Christ is of such sufficiency that when He became our sin and was crushed by Yahweh, His sacrifice was deemed acceptable (Galatians 3:13, cf. Isaiah 53). Those who are in Christ are thus saved from the coming wrath. Those who turn from Adam’s lie about God to the Christ’s truth are saved. Those who go from being in Adam to being in Christ are declared to be righteous and escape eternal wrath. Wrath will not be exacted twice. The omnipotent wrath of God was placed on Christ for those who flee to Him, and it will be poured out in hell on all those who remain in the lie about God. Thus, Paul says, “…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:8,9).

Adam failed in his charge and led a people to death because of his lie, but Christ will bring “many sons to glory,” delivering “those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (Hebrews 2:9,15). Those things which were to be true for man, as disclosed by the Psalmist and quoted by the writer to the Hebrews, namely:

“Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet…” (Psalm 8:5,6, cf. Hebrews 2:7,8)

are not true for those in Adam. However, they are true for Christ, and therefore, for all who are in Him, i.e. “His brethren.”

Paul summarizes this concept of Adam’s sin and Christ’s righteousness and their representative headship over mankind to explain the deep truth of justification:

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:12-21)

Adam's Lie vs. Christ's Truth, Part III

2007-08-22T10:17:00.000-05:00

Yes, they should have died the day on which they ate of the fruit of that tree. Also, we who are Adam’s seed deserve the same righteous wrath. However God withheld judgment. He waited. He waits. He forbears, showing countless hours of patience to a wicked people who lie about the glory of God (Romans 2:1-8) . Our words and deeds serve to propagate Adam’s lie, defaming God, misrepresenting His goodness. We deny that He is majestic, sufficient, and all-satisfying. Yet God waits. Our feet are swift to shed blood—remember Cain. The venom of asps is under our lips—remember Lamech, Cain’s descendent. As God waits, do we repent? Most of us store up wrath for ourselves! We should be consumed by the Holy hatred of God, brewing against the children of wrath every day (cf. Psalm 7:11). However, He waits. Why does He wait?

In Genesis 3, He discloses a small portion of a plan to rescue a people. A seed would be born unto Eve. This seed would destroy the curse. He would be the truth of God made manifest, intimating to all creation the perfection of God’s offerings. Ultimately, we see this seed realized in Christ, the Incarnate Word. When we understand this, coupled with Paul’s words,

“[F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded.” (Romans 3:23:27a)

The justice of God mandates punishment for sin. God passed over Adam's sin, but He cannot just do this. He is obligated by the constancy of His character to uphold the dignity of what is most valuable: His Name. But Adam has profaned God's Name, and so have we by being born in Adam. Forbearance must finally give way to justice. Today, God has been patient with us, but we should not presume upon theriches of His kindness and forbearance and patience. These are to lead us to repentance, to turn back to the truth of the all-satisfying God. Thus, punishment for Adam's sin and our sin must be exacted in one of two ways:

On Christ at the cross, or
In eternal hell.

Adam's Lie vs. Christ's Truth, Part II

2007-08-17T22:14:00.000-05:00

There are a few commands given to man, and each demonstrates the afore-mentioned truth.

“[F]rom any tree of the garden you may eat freely” displays God’s providence. In our enjoyment of what He has given to us, we display His goodness to creation. We show that He satisfies us and that He words for us and does need us. We show ourselves to be dependent upon His mercy. His words are to be kept for our own satisfaction. We see this in the penalty for not seeing God as sufficient provider: “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17).
We are to rule. In our ruling, we are to understand that God rules over us and all things. Moreover, we are to see what benevolence He exercises and imitate His care. Our ruling over things is charge to display the goodness of God in the previous command.
We are to be fruitful and multiply. In our procreation, we see the beginnings of life and display something of God’s creation of us. God’s joy yielded life, and our joy finds an outlet ordained by God to reflect this truth.

In creating man, God saw the complementary roles of man and woman to facilitate the keeping of the commands. “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18a). Man alone is incapable of fulfilling all that God has for him; he is inadequate. Again, we see that God provides. He creates for Adam a suitable helper. Eve is equal in value to Adam: bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.” Eve, however, has a different role: a helper to Adam. They need each other to fulfill the commands of God and thus glorify Him. They were to be one flesh. Indeed, it was “very good.”

Everything established, God has finished creating, so He sets an example for us and rests. However, a problem occurs, the ones who were to glorify God believed a lie about God. They bought into Satan’s lie, a philosophy of independence from God and self-exaltation. Man saw God’s provision as insufficient—even harmful—propagating a message that God is not good. What tasted satisfying for a moment brought shame. Sin was now manifest in those who were to represent Glory: marred mirrors, misrepresenting the majestic and manifold beauty of God’s light. All creation groaned, subjected to futility (Romans 8:20-22, cf. Jeremiah 2:11-12). Man was changed. All of us born of Adam are slaves to this. We are Adam’s lie. All of our actions perpetuate Adam’s abominable act. Our hearts are far from God; we seek to cover our lie by suppressing truth (Romans 1:18ff). Creation is aghast. The Almighty God’s eternal power and divine nature are evident.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. (Psalm 19:1-5)

We, who are Adam’s offspring, trivialize the majestic; we show ourselves to rebellious, robust haters of God. We are Adam’s lie.

Man was to be a statement about God: His dominion and His provision, all to be savored. Instead of ruling over the earth and its inhabitants, man was dominated by a piece of fruit from a tree he was to cultivate. He failed in charge to care for Eve, and he was dominated by the serpent’s lie—a serpent he was to rule over. Man sought satisfaction outside of God’s provision. The truth to be said about God in mankind was forsaken, exchanged for a lie. This demands condemnation. Holy justice cries out for the infinite, eternal wrath of an omnipotent Judge. Adam and Eve deserved the fierce the wrath of a righteous God. They, according to God’s own words, should have died the day on which they ate of that tree.

Adam's Lie vs. Christ's Truth, Part I

2007-08-17T22:05:00.000-05:00

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). God is the author of all things. There was a time when there was nothing except the eternal, self-existing One. Original and never-becoming, all that is needed to be abides in Him. He does not look outside of Himself for provision. He is uniquely other. All things that were to become were not yet. There will be for all things outside of Him flux. For God, there is unwavering constancy woven into His very being. He is the great “I am.” All meaning and purpose are bound up in His nature, a nature that is unlike any other; He is holy. Every thing to become has a meaning and purpose that is derivative; that which is created is “meant” or “purposed” by the Creator. All reality serves as a demonstration of eternal truth, chiefly in the display of God’s glory.

Carefully placed in the beginning chapter of Genesis, the book of beginnings, the term “good” is placed upon certain things. Well, what is “goodness”? What does it mean for something to be good? We flippantly throw around such a word without a thought of their substance, their point-of-reference. Whatever we understand “good” to be, we have just seen that its meaning must be derivative. This value must be assigned, based upon some eternal, infinite, perfect, and fixed reality, by the One who upholds all such reality.

Just as the moon, i.e. the lesser light, has no original light of its own and whose light is derivative, based upon what small amount of light it reflects from the sun, i.e. the greater light, how much more does creation derive its goodness from the greatest Good, the original Good. God’s glory spills forth from the goodness observed in Himself by Himself to create for Himself something to reflect Himself. To the degree which He sees Himself in this creation, He enjoys it. God’s providence in creation—creating filling, supplying, maintaining, etc.—display an eternal truth about God, something intrinsic to His nature. Creation is an overflow of, or outpouring of, something of Himself, some characteristic.

We see lights that govern over night and day. We observe vast creatures that could crush us with little effort. We search out the tiniest realities that we suppose are the glue of the universe. The continuum of size and variety display the eternal reality of the size of our God and the vast array over which He exercises authority. He is the Sovereign Lord over all things.

Until man was created, everything was good. God had evaluated those things He had created, and He was pleased. The eternal joy that God had in Himself then led Him to say,

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Gen 1:26)

Thus, we see a creature aware of its glorification of his Creator, illustrated in his fruitful multiplication and dominion over all other creation on earth. Man: Imago Dei, i.e. the image of God. God’s creation had reached a crescendo; God had established man as a representative for Himself unto creation, and seeing His glory bearers, “Very good.” What a divine pronouncement! After all, man did bear the image of God.

Good Blog Entries from 9 Marks

2007-08-01T12:33:00.000-05:00

A good blog entry on false teachers can be found on the 9 Marks blog: Church Matters. On another note, there is a series of ten entries being written on Where'd All These Calvinists Come From?.

Renewed Life

2007-07-26T13:56:00.001-05:00

All at once, I am set free.
Now able to view rightly
The Glory shining brightly:
Forever with Christ, I'll be.

Joy poured forth into my heart,
Not a trickle but a flood
Of hope, raining in the blood
Of Christ, never to depart.

Ever increasing love, He
Has granted this hateful wretch.
Replacing cold stone with flesh,
His Holy Fire indwelt me.

I wait for the bell's last toll,
For eternal rest and peace,
That vision that will ne'er cease:
Christ's glory gazed upon whole.

Now! Cast off death's damning chains!
Forever, His Name be sung
By every tribe and tongue!
Death in subjection, Christ reigns!

IT'S ON THE WAY!! Piper's Response to N.T. Wright

2007-06-12T14:10:00.000-05:00

John Piper's new book The Future of Justification: A Response to N.T. Wright will be published soon. Luther rightly stated that the doctrine of justification by faith alone is "the article by which the church stands or falls." The New Perspectives on Paul (NPP), made popular by N.T. Wright, has challenged this doctrine. Therefore, we thank those who have put pen to paper and responded to this doctrine.

If you are interested, this book will be published by Crossway. It will be interesting to see how Piper has written this book. He can write about very academic subjects at an approachable and enjoyable level, e.g. The Pleasures of God. However, The Justification of God shows his ability to write at a (necessarily) high level in order to refute bad theology.

Sermons on John 17

2007-05-27T22:14:00.000-05:00

Here are two sermons relevant to Christ as our high priest:

The Supremacy of Christ and Joy in a Postmodern World by John Piper

The Supremacy of Christ and Love in a Postmodern World by D. A. Carson

Preaching Christ from the Old Testament

2007-05-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

“…Luther does not wish to ignore the Old Testament in preaching. In fact, he vehemently opposes those who would reject the Old Testament. He scolds them: ‘What a fine lot of tender and pious children we are! In order that we might not have to study in the Scriptures and learn Christ there, we simply regard the entire Old Testament as of no account, as done for and no longer valid’” (Greidanus, 117-118).

Is the Old Testament a valuable resource for the pulpit? Does the one who takes the pulpit to preach only use the Old Testament as a database of quotes and stories? Can a sermon be crafted from the Old Testament to represent Christ using a responsible hermeneutic? For those of us who have heard sermons from the Old Testament (if there are any of us), we have probably heard wonderful sermons from the Old Testament and sermons that lead us down a path of speculation and bad proof-texts. For many of us, the pulpit is bereft of a sermon from the Old Testament, leaving us in ignorance with regard to a majority of God's Word.

Pastors everywhere need to bridge this gap for their flocks. Sidney Greidanus has provided a valuable resource for the pastor, teacher, and student: Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method. In this text, Greidanus gives us a solid, biblical rationale for the preaching of the Old Testament. Moreover, he gives an incredible lesson on the approaches different theologians have used throughout the history of the Church. He highlights the struggles and triumphs. Not afraid to be critical of certain techniques, Greidanus is quick to cite those with whom he disagrees, showing their strengths (if any) and weaknesses. After the history lesson, Greidanus takes the reader through his method for interpreting the Old Testament texts.

I think that this text would be of great value for anyone who will invest the mental energy! It is difficult at times, but the author provides example after example, holding the reader's hand (and attention) throughout the whole text.

An Unpublished Essay on the Trinity by Jonathan Edwards

2007-05-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

The doctrine of the Trinity is a difficult doctrine. In fact, it is so difficult that many of us have left it. If asked to explain the Trinity, a large portion of evangelicals would fall into heresy. A distinctive of Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity is a firm foundation for us. True, it is impossible to grasp the infinite nature of the Triune, but we should stretch ourselves. I encourage you to do so and read An Unpublished Essay on the Trinity by Jonathan Edwards.

The Glory of God Guards Against Apostasy, Part II

2007-05-14T15:23:00.000-05:00

GOD HAS SPOKEN

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.
Hebrews 1:1-2a

We hear much today about being in the last days. We hear preachers speak on the Middle East, neutron bombs, and countdowns to a late, great planet. They have large charts with illustrations that are to give us a time table for the end of time and how to understand the hidden meaning of certain biblical texts. It is PowerPoint Prophecy, and it is on every Sunday morning, urging us to hasten the return of the Lord by doing this or that. If they are not talking about the end-times prophecies, then they are urging you to do this and that to hear from God. Words-of-knowledge and individual prophecies are hot commodities in certain congregations. We want to hear something from God, and we will jump through all sorts of hoops to do so. What does Scripture say about this emphasis?

Hearing from God
For the early converts to Christianity from Judaism, the writings that we refer to as the Old Testament were the writings detailing their “adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises” (Romans 9:4). Therefore, they held these words in high regard, as they rightly should have! The prophets were remarkable messengers of God, detailing visions of God and his interactions with humanity. After all, there had been around 400 years of silence between the last prophet of the Old Testament and the coming of John the Baptist. That is a long time to wait. The message of the Old Testament was deeply important to them. These words were handed down to them by their ancestors who had actually heard the prophets.

Moreover, the recipients of this letter were probably second generation Christians, having never seen Christ in person. They are basing their faith on the testimony of other people. We are much like them. We have not seen Christ either. They are even suffering because of Christ. “We should go back to the message of the prophets,” they probably thought, “God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, so let’s forget this Christ. If only God would speak to us in the midst of this, confirming our faith, then we might believe in Jesus.” Does that sound like us? Do we think of the days before our conversion with fondness? How do we deal with this reminiscing? How did they?

This small group of Christians is sharing the painful experiences of suffering in its latest meeting. They may even complain about their aches and pains (much worse than ours). Then they receive a letter in their little house church. What do they read? “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son….” Now that is a difference. Notice the contrast:

The Time
The Recipients
The Messenger

The Time
When has God spoken? Many of us would say, long ago. We feel distant from the time of the Bible. But is that true? Is that the way the inspired Word of God says we should think about the nature of special revelation? The writer to the Hebrews says that God spoke long ago, but in these last days, he has spoken again. What a relief for the reader! The silence has been broken. The wait is over. The words of Isaiah ring in our ears, “Remember not the things former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18,19). These are the last days! The recipients of this letter were in the last days. We have been in the last days since then.

The Recipients
To whom has God spoken? Many of us would say that we have never heard from God. We may even view the last person to hear from God to be John, the writer of the book of Revelation. Therefore, this house church receives a letter saying, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.” The recipients of that letter must have felt those words deeply. “Not only was it long ago, but we didn’t even get to hear it. We only have what was given to us by our fathers.” But they read on, “but in these last days, he has spoken to us.” The writer of this letter does two things to the members of this church with these words:

He corrects their theology.
He provides comfort.

Make note of that! The comfort that the writer provides is based in correct theology. That is how the writer starts a letter to a suffering church. There are no computer games or cookies in this care package, just good theology.

The Messenger
The writer begins to make another distinction between the way God spoke in the past to our fathers and the way he does so in the present to us. At this point, the recipient may have been skeptical, noting that he has not heard of any prophets in their city. How does the writer address this skepticism? Again, he does so with good theology. “[B]ut in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son” (v.2a). Even today, God has spoken to us by his Son. We have a full understanding that the entire written Word of God testifies to the Incarnate Word of God. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Christ is the foundation of our hope as Christians. He is the anchor that we need so that we do not drift away from God.

The Supremacy of Christ

2007-05-11T10:34:00.000-05:00

In the light of the last post, I thought that it would be a great thing to meditate on the supremacy of Christ. I found the following video that will hopefully be a springboard into the text of Hebrews.

The Glory of God Guards Against Apostasy, Part I

2007-05-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

INTRODUCTION

Long ago, at many times and in many ways,
God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed the heir of all things

and through whom also he created the world.

Hebrews 1:1-2

In our culture of pragmatism and secular humanism, the shape of evangelicalism has morphed into a self-help, pop-psychology rather than standing strong for a passionate striving for holiness and reverencing of God. This has led to best-selling “Christian” books focused on the self, propagating the notion that faith is a means by which you can “name-and-claim” health, wealth, and prosperity or even speak things into existence. Is this new to the Church? Do we face a new dilemma? Will this super-market theology with its theme-park ecclesiology provide substance for a suffering a world? We can have thousands of purpose-driven, plastic smiles in our stadiums, but how would the Christians who were martyred in a stadium feel about our congregations? Would they find brothers and sisters with whom they would lock arms as they were shredded by the fierce jaws of lions?

The banner over the Church is crimson, mounted upon the cross of Christ and baptized in his blood. The blood of the martyrs echoes this theme, proclaiming the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 24:14). The message of the gospel in the New Testament is married to suffering. This should not be a surprise to us; Christ even declared, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20). In fact, watch the banner wave:

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matthew 5:11).
“[Y]ou will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Matthew 10:22b).
“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27).
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).
“In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33).
“Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41).
“…if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him” (Romans 8:17).
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Do we preach this to our people? Do we ignore these texts?

The Christian will be persecuted for his faith. It is not optional. The above texts make that clear. What do we do then? Well, Christ got us into this; maybe we would be better off if we left him and this world of Christianity. What do we think of this? Our congregations have seen those who have “tried Christ,” but when it became difficult they deserted him. This is what we call apostasy. How do we fight apostasy in our congregations and in our own lives?

In forgetting the context of the suffering Church in Scripture, we rob Christ of his glory (2 Corinthians 12:9,10). Many in our congregations are weary of the race and are ready to throw in the towel. Can we find an anchor that will hold us close to Christ, equipping us for suffering? The Epistle to the Hebrews is such an anchor.

The authorship of the letter is not exactly known, and we do not know much about the recipients. However, what we do find in the text is in a congregation many people were forsaking the name of Christ because of suffering for bearing his name (cf. Hebrews 10:25,34). Their dilemma is not too distant from ours. How does the writer begin to address their problem? Knowing this will provide a foundation by which we will battle our unbelief.

The author, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, begins, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1,2). There we have our foundation: Christ Jesus, the Incarnate Word (cf. John 1:1-3). If we know Jesus rightly and passionately, the one through whom the world was created, we may begin our battle with the proper footing (cf. Ephesians 6:15).

Because of our gross misunderstanding of Christ, we have no rock upon which to stand in times of persecution. A proper view of Christ will transform our congregations into people who will follow passionately after him, going into the hard places. We will become a people who are being conformed to the image of Christ, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2, cf. Romans 8:29).

Justice and Amazing Grace

2007-04-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

Wash yourselves;
make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil, learn to do good;
seek justice, correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow;
though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:16-18

Several weeks ago, I asked a friend of mine to write about an issue close to her heart and one that should close to ours, that is, social justice.

Dear friends,

A few weeks ago, I went to see the movie Amazing Grace, a movie about a man named William Wilberforce who helped bring an end to the slave trade in Great Britain. Wilberforce’s life inspires me, not only because of his passion to abolish slavery but also because this zeal came from his deep faith in God. In one of his addresses to Parliament, he said “Sir, when we think of eternity and the future consequence of all human conduct, what is there in this life that shall make any man contradict the dictates of his conscience, the principles of justice and the law of God!” We are to conduct ourselves so that people neither violate their consciences nor strive against the principles of justice and the law of God.

Throughout the movie, and especially after, I was upset because we have not eradicated slavery! We have a regular 800 to 900 thousand people forced into slavery every year; most of these people are women and children! It is so easy to be comfortable with our lives, wanting to live near our families in comfort when children all around the world do not even know who their families are. We want to live near our friends and support system, when women all over the world only know the friendship of the four walls that protect them from the cold but do not protect them from the harm of forced sex. Who is going to minister to the women who are forced into the sex trade? Who is going to cry when they cry for the thousandth time because their body is being made a source of pleasure for a man and a source of hell for them? Furthermore, who is going to look after the children that have been forced into prostitution at a young age of two?

Wilberforce saw that slavery profanes the very name of God. Letting it continue is not merely an easy way out; it is a disgrace against the Lord. But the good news is as Jesus brought us His righteousness through His obedience, He, in a similar way, is going to bring justice for those women and children by using us, His Church.

My life here in America is not enough! I cannot just stand by and pray a prayer for them and call it a job well done. When I went to Azerbaijan, the women there were the ones who first introduced me to human trafficking. There it was very real and was not just a story in a paper. These women were flesh and blood just like you, just like me. These children are real children that need the love and care that most of us had the privilege of knowing, but the only thing they receive are perverted men who seek to appease their radically depraved sexual appetite. We need to educate ourselves, find out what human trafficking is, why it occurs, and who is out there to help prohibit it. Then we need to step up and tell others, letting the world know. Do not just stand by; talk about it! If the only thing you can do is talk, then talk! Find organizations who seek ways to stop human trafficking; then find ways to help them. One such opportunity is Justice Week this week, April 16-20, hosted by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. We are going to spend the week bringing awareness of human trafficking to SIUC campus. Then at the end of the week, April 19 and 20, we are having a fundraiser by selling tickets to a conference. We are bringing in a speaker who will educate all of us and bring stories that will shock our comfortable existence. In addition to learning more about human trafficking, there will be a silent auction. All the proceeds from the auction and ticket sales will go to a human justice group; none of it will go to Intervarsity. If you would like more information or even like to talk more about human trafficking, I would be more then happy to talk with you.

For God’s Glory,

Marian

Amazing Grace (How sweet the sound)

That sav'd a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears reliev'd;

How precious did that grace appear,

The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snare,

I have already come;

'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease;

I shall profess, within the vail,

A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine;

But God, who call'd me here below,

Will be for ever mine

An Old Dead Guy Can Still Be Relevant

2007-04-09T14:55:00.000-05:00

Apparently, it does not take being pop-culturally savvy to be relevant to the perils of today. Three of John Owen’s works have been collected and edited by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor in Overcoming Sin and Temptation. They have made the texts more readable and have included some very useful appendices to aid your study.

Reading Owen is never easy, but these two have made it more accessible. Our generation is indebted to them. Owen’s treatment of sin and temptation is challenging and an essential tool in understanding how to fight sin. The battle against sin must be waged. If we are to make any progress in holiness, we should prepare ourselves to walk “over the bellies of [our] lusts.” We need to “be killing sin or it will be killing [us].”

Great Book on Being a Man

2007-03-28T11:42:00.000-05:00

Pastor Hughes has shown us what it means to be a man in Christianity. Whereas some modern texts with their supermarket theologies have divorced manhood from Scripture, Disciplines of a Godly Man hugs the Word of God tightly. This is a refreshing text, and it is needed in this age of nominal Christianity.

You may read more about this text at the publisher's website.

For the women, a similar text, written by Barbara Hughes, Disciplines of a Godly Woman is available as well.

For families, Kent and Barbara Hughes have written Disciplines of a Godly Family.

For those who are on the road, there are audio versions available.

Holy Speech: A Measure of Sanctification

2007-02-23T22:52:00.000-06:00

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness
must not even be named among you,
as is proper among saints.
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,
which are out of place,
but instead let there be thanksgiving.
For you may be sure of this, that
everyone
who is sexually immoral or impure,
or who is covetous (that is, an idolater),
has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesians 5:1-5

In the midst of our congregations, we have a cacophony drowning out the righteousness of Christ. Much to the relief of some readers (and this writer), I am not speaking of those who sing along in church poorly (and loudly). Instead, we have a tumor in our tongues. We are in great need of a spiritual biopsy of our tongues. We wonder why there are so many congregations splitting over the insignificant issues of carpet color and percussion, but we never pause to contemplate the spiritual health of those in debate. How can we gauge the progress of our sanctification? Let us look at several key points in this passage:

The Children of God,
Wielding our Tongues as an Instrument of Righteousness, and
Guarding against Legalism

The Children of God
At one time, it was understood that a son would do what his father does. If you were a carpenter, then you would teach your son the trade, and he would become a carpenter. Therefore, if we are to be called children of God, then it would be of grave importance to know what God does. We must make it our lifestyle to imitate God. The basis of our sanctification is an understanding of our adoption, i.e. being declared sons of God. For example, Romans 8 is a great exposition on sanctification, and it is saturated with the work of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:14-17, we see Paul give this encouragement:

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

We are children of God, and therefore we have been given the Spirit of adoption. However, this inheritance is contingent upon suffering, but we know that suffering is not relegated to just physical suffering. Suffering could also be the spiritual battles we face as Christians.[1] Noting this, we see that suffering, adoption, and sanctification are inseparable experiences of Christianity.

Wielding Your Tongue as an Instrument of Righteousness
In this passage from Ephesians, Paul states that there are three things that should not enter into our speech. Now let us note that the phrase "which are out of place" has a plural verb. Therefore, these elements of speech are each out of place. For the same reason, we see that

Filthiness,
Foolish talk, and
Crude joking

should have not residence in our conversations. What is this reason? It is because we should be “imitators of God, as beloved children.” What does this entail? We should look to the obedience of Christ, and we “ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6).

Understanding our union with Christ provides the lens through which we see that there is absolutely never a place for filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking. Indeed, to give place to these things would be to show Christ as filthy, foolish, and crude. Instead, we should “present our bodies [including tongues] as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). James exhorts us to bring our tongue under control:

“For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?” (James 3:7-11).

The difference between the righteous person’s mouth and the wicked person’s mouth is devastatingly apparent in Proverbs 10:11: “The mouth of the righteous man is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” One of the marks of a Christian is his ability to encourage wisely and exhort compassionately, bringing the living words of Christ in Scripture to a person. In fact, if a Christian uses his mouth in filthiness, foolish talking, and crude joking, then he profanes the Name of the Lord. In addition, we should not give approval to those who practice such things.[2] This has far reaching implications for what we watch on television or listen to on the radio.

Guarding against Legalism
To drive home the point even further, we see that thanksgiving is to replace these actions. To say that there is ever a time when place for filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking has a place is to say that there is a time when thanksgiving does not have a place. The exchange of thanksgiving for coarse language is not acceptable for the Christian and is on the pathway of sexual immorality and idolatry. When fighting sin, it can be dangerous to view the defeat of sin as a means of gaining favor before God. If we do this, we confuse our sanctification with our justification, and we become legalists. Woe to us if we view our spiritual battle as having any foundation other than the unmerited favor of God. We rob the cross of its glory, and we will never defeat any sin. We become no better than the Scribes and Pharisees that Jesus rebukes for their self-righteous behavior.[3]

How do we know if we are legalists?

We should see an attitude of thanksgiving radiating from our lives. Are we doing this to draw attention to our own efforts, or is our light shining “before men in such a way that they may see [our] good works, and glorify [our] Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We should be “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19). Our actions should be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Our fight must be fought with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).[4] Our putting “to death the deeds of the body” must be done “by the Spirit” (Romans 8:13).

Our Christian lives must be lived out in the fellowship of a local body of believers, so that we “stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). As believers, we should be accountable to one another, sharpening one another (Proverbs 27:17). Suffering with one another helps dispel our sinful pride. We must confess our sins to each other and travail in prayer for each other (James 5:16). We should “[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all [our] heart” and “[submit] to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:19,21).

These three are essential elements in the way of holiness for the believer. It provides the God-ordained matrix of sanctifying the bride of Christ. To neglect any of these three will produce failure in the battle of sin. However, we must always be aware of being overconfident in our battle; we must remember that “the victory belongs to the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31). We should be quick to repent of our failings—we will have many—but we hope in Christ who is the “founder and perfecter of our faith,”[5] knowing that “he who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion”[6].

Therefore, we must learn to control our tongues, examining our conversations to see if they are cross-centered, God-honoring, and Christ-exalting.

____________________________________________________
[1] Cf. Eph. 6:10ff, 1 Co. 9:27, Rom. 6:12-14
[2] Rom. 1:32, Is. 5:20
[3] Matt. 23
[4] For a greater understanding of the spiritual warfare of sanctification, the reader is advised to study in Ephesians 6:10ff. It would also be advantageous to spend a great deal of study in Job.
[5] Hebrews 12:2
[6] Philippians 1:6

Ignoring Sexual Sin Will Kill Us

2007-01-30T16:00:00.000-06:00

I have found that even with the Christian men with whom I associate and in whom I confide, we do not talk about the problem of sexual sin. I think part of the reason that many of us do not discuss it is because many of us are just hoping that it will go away. As I study the idea of fighting sin, I realize that sin just does not go away. Instead, we must “by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body” if we want to live (Romans 8:13b). Our congregations have produced a weak breed of boys (not men) who think that we can “continue in sin that grace may abound” (Romans 6:1). This shows a misunderstanding of God’s grace and a lack of zeal for the things of God. “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2). Since we have ignored the plague of sexual sin among us, we have become poor leaders, bad husbands, and disgusting brothers. We have devalued the grace of God, slandered the holiness of God, and mocked the cross of Christ. However, there is hope. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Remember: John Owen’s understanding of Romans 8:13 in Mortification of Sin led him to declare, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

The following resources may be found to be useful:

Avoiding Sexual Sin, Part 1
Avoiding Sexual Sin, Part 2
Avoiding Sexual Sin
Strategies for Fighting Sexual Sin
Missions & Masturbation
A N T H E M: Strategies for Fighting Lust
There are several more resources that can be found here.

Hymn on Romans 9:20-23

2006-12-30T15:29:00.000-06:00

Election sovereign and free.
Romans 9:20-23.

Isaac Watts

Behold the potter and the clay,
He forms his vessels as he please:
Such is our God, and such are we,
The subjects of his high decrees.

[Doth not the workman's power extend
O'er all the mass, which part to choose
And mold it for a nobler end,
And which to leave for viler use?]

May not the sovereign Lord on high
Dispense his favors as he will,
Choose some to life, while others die,
And yet be just and gracious still?

[What if, to make his terror known,
He lets his patience long endure,
Suff'ring vile rebels to go on,
And seal their own destruction sure?

What if he means to show his grace,
And his electing love employs
To mark out some of mortal race,
And form them fit for heav'nly joys?]

Shall man reply against the Lord,
And call his Maker's ways unjust,
The thunder of whose dreadful word
Can crush a thousand worlds to dust?

But, O my soul! if truths so bright
Should dazzle and confound thy sight,
Yet still his written will obey,
And wait the great decisive day.

Then shall he make his justice known,
And the whole world before his throne
With joy or terror shall confess
The glory of his righteousness.

A Vanishing Mist

2006-12-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

As I walk through my life, I find that self-sufficiency is like a tumor haunting me. I continually find myself fighting against the idea that I can do anything on my own power. It is easy for a Christian to give lip-service to grace, to talk highly of it. Oh, but to be consumed by it is rare. I spoke with someone recently over dinner, and I was astounded by how quickly I became a hypocrite. Passionately describing how fleeting life is and how precious grace is, I found such inconsistency in my own life. If I believed firmly in even what I understand of God’s sovereignty, I would be such a different Christian. Instead, I find myself often without the zeal for God that is so important to me. James 4 was a banner over that recent conversation, challenging my pride. “As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” Oh, is there ever a moment free from such boasting in arrogance? What will it take for me to boast in my weaknesses? The all-sufficiency of Christ is an awful thing for the ego, casting down every idol. To be blessed with more understanding of God and more joy in God, I must be a wise steward of the understanding and joy with which He has already supplied me. If I am not pressed to the end of myself, then I will not understand the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

“Resolved, to think much on all occasions
of my own dying, and of the
common circumstances which attend death.”
Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 9

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Be wretched and mourn and weep.

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you….

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

(James 4:8-10, 14b)

T-Shirt

2006-08-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

For those who are looking for the shirt similar to the one found the cover of Christianity Today (Jonathan Edwards is my Homeboy), try http://www.cafepress.com/computerate.71169512.

The Christian Experience of Faith, Hope, Love, and Joy Unspeakable

2006-08-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

Though you have not seen him, you love him.
Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that

is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:8-9

When those who claim Christ doubt their salvation today, the question often on the lips of the pastor is, “Have you ever prayed and asked Jesus into your heart?” or “Have you ever accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?” Is this the essence of your Christian experience? Is that the core of your salvation that will be your refuge in times of suffering? If you summarize your salvation with those statements, will it comfort you? Will that summary stimulate your faith and encourage you unto hope? In Matthew 7, Jesus says that the Christian experience is likened unto building a house on an unshakeable foundation, so that when (not if) the rain falls and the floods come and beat upon the house, your house will stand! As we look at this text, it is important to note that some of Peter’s chief concerns are the sufferings of the elect, assurance of their perseverance, and their holiness. Are these not concerns that face us today? When we face questions like “How do I know if I am saved?”, I believe that the Christian experience goes much deeper than is often discussed. It is the experience of faith, hope, love, and joy that brings deep assurance, whereby we can go beyond the changing tide of emotionalism and stand on the solid foundation of true salvation. Through this, we may know if our faith is genuine and saving faith.

Faith, Hope, Love, and Joy
The two negative phrases “Though you have not seen him” and “Though you do not now see him” leading these sentences are reminiscent of Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Connecting this definition of faith with the entire thought in 1 Peter 1:8, we see the interconnectedness of faith, hope, love, and joy. Moreover, it will be my attempt to show you that these four things cannot be divorced from each other and are essential to Christianity. Let us now look at

the foundation and orientation of the faith,
the focus of the hope,
the object of the love, and
the center of the joy.

The Foundation and Orientation of Our Faith
With these verses, I believe that the foundation of the faith is grounded at the cross but that it is future oriented. Saving faith is assured of “things hoped for.” How does this hope in future things have assurance in faith? Recall Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Again, the hope of future mercies—for example, the ability to face tomorrow’s evils, the fact that God will continue to speak through His Word to you, and knowing that one day you will be standing in the presence of God—is the essence of faithfulness, but how were these mercies made available? All mercies are purchased at the cross and imbued with power through the resurrection. I think this is the essence of 1 Peter 1:3, “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” From 1 Peter 1:9, the “things hoped for” can be summarized as the “salvation of your souls.” Therefore, saving faith hopes. In his book Future Grace, John Piper states, “Standing on the bygone grace of Christ’s death and resurrection, justifying faith is future-oriented trust in the promises of God” (p. 29). In 1 Peter 1:3-4, Peter calls this a “living hope,” and it is “to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

The Focus of Our Hope
From verse 4, our hope is in an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance. What is this inheritance? The inheritance is being kept in heaven for us. Since the inheritance is a mercy (the chief mercy), it had to have been purchased at the cross. We need to know the chief mercy that was purchased at the cross for us. Now, if we follow Peter through his letter, we approach a similar passage discussing suffering and the Christian. In 3:18b, Peter says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God….” Thus, our hope is in coming into the presence of God. For a moment, let us look at 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Notice that if we are Christians, then we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for his own possession. Do you see the assurance: we are called by God so that we may enter into His presence, a holy and acceptable people, and we are his, held by him forevermore, so that we may testify to his glorious saving power! The inheritance of the priest is God himself (Numbers 18:20).

The Object of Our Love
Now, why would we want to be in God’s presence forever? Eternity in heaven is not about pearly gates, streets of gold, freedom from sickness, or reunion with departed loved ones. Eternity in heaven is about abiding with God eternally because that fellowship is the hope of our faithful souls. According to Deuteronomy 30:6, the Lord our God has circumcised our hearts, so that we will love him with all our hearts and with all our souls, that we may live. The only hope you have for eternal life is if your heart is captivated with love for God, so how do you know if you genuinely love God? How do you know if your faith is real, your hope steadfast, and your love sincere? The clearest way to answer this question is to look at John 14:15. There, Jesus declares, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” You must walk in the way of the way of the righteous if you are a child of God. Obedience is the outpouring of your love for God because it is the evidence of possessing the Spirit of God. Ezekiel 36:26-28 gives an illustration of God circumcising your hearts and the effects. Look for the changed heart, the obedience wrought by the Spirit, and the inheritance that is promised.

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

God creates within you a love for himself, a heart that beats after Him. He births faith within you, calling you up to new life from the deadness of your sin. Then he pours his Spirit within you, bringing forth obedience, which is sanctification. Saving faith is not stagnant or hidden; it is living faith that works through love, according to Galatians 5:6. This explains why Peter so soon speaks on the holiness of his letter’s recipients, and by holiness, I mean a growing love for the things that God loves and a burning hate for the things He hates. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16). “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:22).

Joy Unspeakable
Let us summarize what we have seen up until now. Saving faith has as its foundation the cross. While grounded in this past event, the nature of faith is that it hopes for the time when we will be with God forevermore. Hope is the expression of our love for God because faith works through love with the expectation of our lives becoming living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. Hebrews 12:14 states that we strive for holiness because without it no one will see God. Here is an important question: Is it possible to have this type of faith, this type of hope, and this type of love without having joy? Let us look to Jonathan Edwards, who wrote this in his essay Religious Affections,

“And as it is with the love of the saints, so it is with their joy, and spiritual delight…. And this is…[the] difference between the joy of the hypocrite, and the joy of the true saint. The former rejoices in himself; self is the first foundation of his joy: the latter rejoices in God. The hypocrite has his mind pleased and delighted, in the first place, with his own privilege, and happiness…True saints have their minds, in the first place, inexpressibly pleased and delighted with the sweet ideas of the glorious and amiable nature of the things of God. This is the spring of all their delights…it is the joy of their joy.”

Because true salvation is based upon

believing in,
being assured of,
hoping for, and
loving of

Christ, it would be a great hypocrisy to say that such belief, assurance, hope, and love can be separated from joy. I do not think that the joy inexpressible mentioned in this verse is optional in your salvation. Believing and rejoicing are what obtain the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Delighting in God is the joy in salvation.

My understanding of the core of the Gospel is this: saving faith is a hope directed toward joyful delight in God which is the consummation of our love for him, founded upon the death and resurrection of Christ and upheld by the power of the Holy Spirit. Anything less than this is not genuine salvation and dangerous. A person that claims to possess all of these but has no joy is a legalist and will not obtain salvation. It is this distortion of Christianity that leads people to be givers but not “cheerful givers,” to suffer but not to “count it all joy.” True Christians rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let us try to understand what Peter means when he says this joy is unspeakable. Now, the only way for Christians to expound upon this joy would be to describe the center of their delight, namely God. However, how do you describe the God of your salvation? Well, you cannot fully describe your God because there is none holy like the LORD; he is incomprehensible. We can name attribute after attribute, but every attribute of God is holy. For example, when we say that God is wise, his wisdom is holy. His holy wisdom cannot be compared to the wisdom that we see expressed in the world. The wisdom in this world, even at its best, is fallen, skewed by sin. Therefore, you cannot put to words the joy by which you are captivated; it is a holy joy. In other words, there is nothing comparable to the joy of a Christian because there is nothing comparable to the God of a Christian. Moreover, the joy that we have in God is the joy that Christ has in the Father. This joy found between the Father and the Son is so powerful that, as it has proceeded from the Father and Son eternally, it has been eternally personified by the Holy Spirit. In John 15:9-11, Jesus declares,

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

I believe this to be what God means in Ezekiel 36:27 when he says that he will put his Spirit within us and cause you to walk in his statutes and be careful to obey his rules (cf. Romans 5:1-5). This is the foundation for unspeakable joy.

Joy Filled with Glory
This joy may be unspeakable, but it will find its outlet. I believe that is why Peter says that it is filled with glory. When we think of glory, it is helpful to think of the radiance of holiness. So, when we say that the joy is unspeakable, which we understand to be a holy joy, the joy must radiate its holiness. I think that this is what Peter means by joy unspeakable full of glory. This joy will go public. How? If you cannot explain it, then how does it go forth? Jesus said you are let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Peter says we are to regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is us (1 Peter 3:15). It is joy that is evangelical. This is a joy that converts people because it is the outworking of the Holy Spirit. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the joy that you have will overflow. This is why when Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest, he proclaims, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-21). If you are a Christian, people should be able to see your fruit, your good works, and then when they ask the reason for your hope, that is the intrinsic joy that accompanies the works, you point them to Christ who makes God’s holiness accessible.

Finding and Fighting for Joy
Some of you may be realizing that your experience with Christ has not been like this. God is not an object of exultation in your life. How do you come to grips with this text? I suggest two things that will transform your experience with God:

Systematically read through your Bible, praying as you go, so that your heart may be rent open and the joy of the Gospel shed abroad in your soul.
As you pray in other circumstances, lean on the promises of Scripture; your prayers should be saturated with Scripture.

It is my belief that joy is week in the congregations across this nation because prayer is minimal and study of the Word is a superficial search for feel-good quotes.

Let us close by looking at Hannah, a great woman of Scripture when her soul is downcast.

“After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.’ As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, ‘How long will you go on being drunk? Put away your wine from you.’ But Hannah answered, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.’” (1Samuel 1:9-15)

Here is a woman who has been pouring out her soul before God; she is fighting for joy. God answers her prayer, and what is her response? “And Hannah prayed and said, ‘My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God’” (1Samuel 2:1-2). Her faith, hope, and love, culminate in joyful praise. Indeed, these four things are inseparable!

_______________________________
This message was preached at Harrison Baptist Church on August 6, 2006 by Joseph Dethrow.

Be Appalled!

2006-07-06T13:11:00.000-05:00

Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 2:11-13

In looking at the astonishment called for in verses 12-13, we notice that it is based upon the idea of idolatry. Therefore, a correct concept of idolatry is paramount for our understanding of this text. Moreover, I hope that once we have covered this passage, we can state and understand the alternative.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23)

Clearly, Romans 1:21-23 parallels Jeremiah 2:11. It is in Paul’s letter to the Roman’s that we understand that such an exchange of glory is something that all men do, and ultimately it is from this that all men are under sin (Romans 3:23). When modern evangelicals witness, Romans 3:23 is the ubiquitous verse, but I dare say that many of them have very little understanding of what it means to fall short of the glory of God. But if this is our natural state and the basis of our indwelling sin, then we need to delve into the depths of diagnosis. When the darkness is at its deepest, we see the light of the gospel brightest.

If we are to commit idolatry, we would first need to create an idol. What would be the process of creation? A few things come to mind:

Designing the idol,
Obtaining supplies (contributions), and
Constructing the idol.

Imagine we have created the idol. If we focus on this idol, what are we honoring?

Our creative intellect in its design,
Our wealth in its valuable composition, and
Our dexterity and skill in its construction.

When we fashion images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles, what is the big deal? Let us look at Genesis 1, where God fashions something in his own image.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

When God fashions man his own image, what is God honoring? Is it man? If God designed man, made the dirt, breathed into him, and molded him, then what is God honoring? Himself! Understanding this, do we now look at each other and bow down in worship? Do we sing melodies of our greatness? What are we to do? Out of God’s overflow of joy and love that he has in himself in the Trinity, he created man to reflect that glory. The reflection of that glory is where we are allowed to share in the joy that God has for himself. In the garden, we fell. Paul describes our minds since the fall as natural: “To set the mind on the flesh is death…For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot” (Romans 8:6,7). What is on great display here is the fact that left to itself, the heart is in haughty rebellion against God. We love those things which God detests and loathe those things which God loves, chiefly God Himself.

What are the consequences of this sin? This tragic exchange is expounded upon in Jeremiah 2. We see our great error. We have committed two evils:

We have forsaken God, the fountain of living waters, and
We have hewed cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

We will first deal with the second evil. In our idolatry, we have hewed cisterns. Cisterns are reservoirs of stagnant water. Go home tonight and set out a glass of water on your counter for one week. I doubt that you would want to drink that water. It is not fresh or cool. Moreover, these cisterns leak. The water that they provide us is temporal. Those who enjoy the book of Ecclesiastes will understand this. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews speaks of “fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25). The practical example is to look at the difficult times in your lives. Remember the three little pigs? What happened to the house made of straw and the house made of sticks? The wolf was able to invade their houses. There is very little safety in a frail refuge. Now, imagine that you are one of the little pigs in the house of straw on the bad side of town. Moreover, imagine that you have a family with several little piglets. Will your family sit around playing board games and sharing in great conversation? I think the tendency would be to always be afraid of the wolves that want to and can to tear down your house and eat you and your family. There is no safety, no joy, and no hope. Whatever safety, joy, or hope that you seemingly have is only temporary.

Now, we will deal with the first evil. Forsaking God, the fountain of living waters, is directly related to our creation of cisterns. The cisterns that we have created, as horrible as they are, will look even worse in the light of what is freely available. What is the marketability of spring water today? If you tell people that the water is from a mountain stream, it is a selling point. Why? As the water flows, it stirs itself, bubbling. It is refreshing. Near flowing water, you see lush vegetation. How awful is it that this is available and wanting nothing to do with it, we create cisterns (poorly)? Additionally, it is not just that we want nothing to do with the stream, but it is the fact that we hate it.

Having somewhat diagnosed our condition, what is the hope? Let us end on two passages.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:1-6)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:1-12)

Abide in Christ. A good Christian man has said that whenever he prays, it is rare for him not to have a passage from Scripture in mind, and whenever he is reading the Scriptures, it is rare for him not to be praying.

Friendship with God

2006-06-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

“…and the Scripture was fulfilled that says,
‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’
—and he was called a friend of God.”
James 2:23

Let us first look at James 2:23. It states that Abraham was called a friend of God. It is at the core of salvation to be able to be called a friend of God. If we were to discuss the essence of salvation, we could entertain two questions:

From what are we saved?
To what are we saved?

If isolated from the other, each question leads us to something other than the gospel. Hopefully, the first question is answerable. If our response is hell, then we are again only partly right. The nature of hell is that the unrelenting wrath of an omnipotent and holy God is being poured out upon its inhabitants. The second question rarely receives proper address from the pulpit or any other venue. To what are we saved? Again the location is only indicative of something else. Therefore, heaven is only the beginning of the answer. If the wrath of God is being dispensed in hell, then that points us toward the mercy and love presented in heaven. What does the mercy and love of God obtain for us in heaven?

Psalm 42:1-8
(1)As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. (2) My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (3) My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?” (4) These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. (5) Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation (6) and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. (7) Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. (8) By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Salvation is being saved from God to God. We are saved from the wrath of God, so that we may enjoy the glory of God eternally. Eternal death will be replaced with being eternally satisfied by Him.

Therefore, I hope to show you how to determine if you are a friend of God, that you may enjoy God fully.

To deepen our understanding of what it means to be a friend of God, we will look first at four passages. There are some features that are shared by each of these accounts.

Genesis 22:11
But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.”

Genesis 46:3
And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.”

Exodus 3:4
When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

1 Samuel 3:10
And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

Possible Common Characteristic to Note:

God is calling someone to himself.
The one being called responds positively.
The name that God calls out is repeated twice.

Our main focus will be on the third characteristic. “It turns out, we find, that in Semitic culture when you say somebody's name twice it is a repetition of endearment, of deep, close friendliness” (Stuart).

This helps us understand how James (and the writer of Chronicles in 2 Chronicles 20:7) knows that Abraham is a friend of God. Let us inspect Genesis 22:11. What is the background of this passage? Why is this important?

Genesis 15:1-6
(1) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (2) But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” (3) And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” (4)And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” (5)And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (6)And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

This is what Paul is analyzing in Romans 4:3: “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’” Through this passage, Paul concludes that Abraham was justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Gen 17:1-5,15-19
(1)When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, (2) that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” (3)Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, (4)“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. (5)No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations….” (15)And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. (16)I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” (17)Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” (18)And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” (19)God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

Genesis 22:1-12
(1)After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, “Here am I.” (2) He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (3)So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. (4)On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. (5) Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (6) And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. (7) And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (8) Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (9) When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. (10) Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. (11) But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” (12)He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

This is what James is analyzing in James 2:20-24. Let us look specifically at these verses:
(20)Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (21)Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? (22)You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; (23)and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. (24)You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

As Chris discussed last week, we see that faith, saving (and therefore justifying) faith, is accompanied by works. We are justified by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone. Faith begets works. Now, in James 2:23, we see that Abraham was called a friend of God. Where would such a title ever be implied in Genesis? Look again at Genesis 22:11. “Abraham, Abraham!”

What James is warning of is a person who calls himself or herself a Christian, but their faith is not working through love (cf. Galatians 5:6). There are many preachers that discuss the ability of a person to be “born again.” However, after simplifying this doctrine of regeneration to a mere decision, they leave their “convert” with no discipleship. At the root of the word discipleship, we see discipline. This etymology is often mentioned, but it is rarely explained. What does it mean to be disciplined? In essence, it means that you have been taught something and are now subject to that instruction. That makes sense, right? No…not completely. It is an incomplete definition with regard to Christianity. As a Christian, to whom are you subject? Christ! Therefore, the commands of Christ are your passion, they govern your life.

Let us now look at Matthew 7:21-23:
(21)“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22)On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ (23) And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

There will be people that have been so deceived their whole lives that when before God, they will think themselves friends of the Lord. However, they have lived in such a way that they have no regard for the commands of the Lord. This Lord is no lord of them. The consequence is that He has no knowledge of them. They cannot be called friends of God, and that is damnable.

James 4:4
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Mark 15:33-34
(33)And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. (34)And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Do you want to be a friend of God? Being a disciple of Christ is a necessary condition for being a friend of God.

Matthew 16:24-25
(24)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (25) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Final Exams and the Spiritual Analogue

2006-05-16T09:04:00.000-05:00

I'm watching my students take final exams, and I am left wondering. Their greatest immediate concerns are their grades on this exam and this class. As a teacher, I want to make them understand the importance of being ready. This semester should have been one of preparation. This week should not have been one of cramming. Where is the joy in learning? This test should mark the end of a great semester of learning! Instead, I see misery and terror. Students hold the tests and are apoplectic. Several students will leave and be faced with failing grades in my class or other classes. I want to make something clear. I am their teacher. I love my students and would very much like for them to succeed. Where is their passion?

I am sure that many parallels can be drawn between this situation and people's spiritual lives. Since most of them are obvious, I will end with two quotes:

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." - C. S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory

"God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper in nearly every book he writes.

Let Us Go At Once

2006-03-28T20:24:00.000-06:00

A humble essay on corporate prayer, especially with regard to revival

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even inhabitants of many cities.The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and toseek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’”
Zechariah 8:20-22[1]

A Note from the Author:
Being impressed by great men of God who desire revival, I have been encouraged to write an appeal to some of the men of my church to come together in corporate prayer. It should be noted the mode of prayer discussed in a corporate sense is not of a modern evangelical slant, but a historical and Scriptural prostrating of one’s self before God. This is not an exhaustive treatise on prayer-based fellowship. This is a briefer look at Scripture and historical revival. I think it is important for me to say that corporate prayer is never to replace individual prayer; however in the right context, corporate prayer can buttress an already thriving individual prayer-life. Scripture is saturated with the prayers of the righteous. It is widely held that one of the greatest spiritual disciplines is fervent prayer. Exemplars of such white-hot, God-centered prayer fuel the passion of Psalms and of Christ’s own ministry. These things are not up for debate. A Christian’s spiritual development is based upon systematically praying through Scripture. There are two venues in which a person may pray. There is the devotional, closeted prayer, and there is the edifying, corporate prayer. The devotional prayer is clearly acceptable from Scripture, and there is little done by anyone to malign such a thing. However, it is imperative that we defend corporate prayer; such things as worship, revivals, and discipleship are at stake.

In humble submission to Christ,
Joseph Dethrow

A Brief Encounter with Scripture Regarding Corporate Prayer:

In the Sermon on the Mount, we come to a passage that seemingly could be used to assert that prayer should be taken out of gatherings:

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:1-8)

At first, Jesus appears to be condemning all public prayer. A closer examination, especially in the context of the whole passage, yields an alternate result. Moreover, I would say that a correct analysis of the whole passage develops a defense of public prayer based on a proper framework. Here, like elsewhere[2], Jesus cites specific behaviors of the Pharisees to elucidate a fallacy in their doctrinal framework. Many would argue from this passage that we are to pray only in closets, i.e. privately. If we read earlier in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:48, we see that we are called to perfection.[3] Then in 6:1, Jesus expounds upon the aspects of true holiness. He does this by contrasting righteousness (shown in obedience) from faith[4] and the apparent holiness of the Pharisee. Jesus makes clear the motives of the Pharisee do not flow from a pure heart[5], explaining that their “righteousness” issues from a wicked delight in the admiration of an audience rather than from a holy hunger for the honoring of God. Now we come to the difficult statement in verse 6, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Does Jesus truly mean that prayer should always be done in secret? He is not. Instead, to correct the blazing hypocritical notion of righteousness propagated by pharisaical exhibitions, Jesus shows that the motive for prayer should be diametrically opposed to that of the Pharisee’s.[6] Furthermore, the emphasis of the passage has less to do with praying with men and more to do with not praying before men. We are to pray before God.

Having had their idol of paraded righteousness for the joy of public adulation cast down, the disciples need new instruction on prayer. Therefore, Jesus shows them a model prayer built upon the rock of humble, God-exalting motives. Strikingly, Jesus gives them a corporate prayer:

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9-13)

John Piper devotes an entire sermon, “Sweet ‘Our’ of Prayer,” to the doctrine of corporate prayer, in which, he states,

When crafting a summary prayer for his disciples Jesus puts it in a form that will commend it for social or corporate use more than private use…You have to at least bring to your mind the truth that you are praying as part of a family of other believers. The prayer naturally lends itself to a group prayer because of its using “our” instead of “my” and “us” instead of “me” and “we” instead of “I”. So I see the Lord’s prayer as an invitation…to pray together with other believers. There is something self-contradictory about praying with the words “our,” “us” and “we,” but never experiencing the our, us and we in prayer.[7]

If this were the only argument to make for earnest, God-fearing, corporate prayer, I think it may be well received by most. However, it would be desirable and beneficial to view the purpose of such fellowship in prayer. We do know that God is present in a special way to answer the requests of His own, according to Matthew 18:19-20. The pressing question would then become, “How does God respond to the requests of His children?” The Scripture is replete with examples.

First, we will look at Acts 4 for one such example. Even though I will presuppose that being filled with the Holy Spirit is an experience distinct from regeneration,[8] you may differ with me on that point and still reach a similar conclusion. After Peter and John had been released by the council of rulers and elders and scribes, they met with their friends to relay the story. This gathering

…lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Act 4:24b-30)

Now, I believe that it is clear that these friends of Peter and John are believers, i.e. regenerate, before they start this God-exalting corporate prayer. Their supplication is saturated with a love for God’s sovereignty. This being the basis for their petition, they rightly view themselves as unable to speak the word of the Lord without a sustaining work of God. What is the result of this plea? “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (Act 4:31). In modernity, we invite men to our gatherings to speak an evangelical message, calling this scheduled event a “revival.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said of the Church of the last 100 years, “[W]hen things are not going too well, the church does not exhort people to pray for revival, but decides to have an evangelistic campaign; she organizes one and then, of course, asks God to bless that. That is her solution.”[9] That is nowhere to be found in Scripture. What we do find is that God’s people gather together in prayer and study of the Scripture. It is then up to the sovereign Holy Spirit to bring revival. Lest we think that that such an “earth-shaking” experience of God’s presence can only occur at conversion, we read about Paul and Silas’ imprisonment in Acts 16:25-26:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

It is important to note that the jailer was saved after this display of the glory of God. Such revivals may bring such miraculous signs as described here, but one of the necessary evidences of such a move of the Holy Spirit is always conviction. During such revivals, the Church grows and is edified, all by the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.

A Brief Encounter with History Regarding Corporate Prayer:

These citations from Scripture may squelch some resistance toward prayer-meetings, but some may relegate (wrongly) such experiences to the early Church. Of course, experiences are not enough to derive doctrine; that is the purpose of the prior study from Scripture. We can now look on recorded events from the history of our Church to see if such experiences persist beyond the early Church. Joyfully, we see such things are indeed recorded. To name just a few men: Jonathan Edwards, Blaise Pascal, Thomas Aquinas, George Whitefield, John Howe, the Wesleys, Daniel Rowlands, and John Livingstone.[10] Now, if all of these men were given to hysteria or sensationalism, then we could easily disregard their experiences. However, such a sampling of God-fearing men with this recorded in their lives needs to be examined.

Practical Applications of Hopeful Corporate Prayer:

Finally, if corporate prayer is wrong, then men stop praying with your families and pastors cease praying with the flocks you tend. However, if corporate prayer is a method by which we commune with God in fellowship with the entire body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, then we must cry out to God for a great movement lest the Church become half-hearted. When was the last time that place in which you were praying was shaken by God? It may take years of faithful, Christ-exalting, pleading with God in prayer, but you must believe that the Holy Spirit can fall upon a place.

Lloyd-Jones quotes an entry from George Whitefield’s journal for November 5, 1740, where Whitefield says:

Mr Gilbert Tennant preached first and I then began to pray and to give an exhortation. In about six minutes one cried out, “He is come! He is come!” and I could scarce sustain the manifestation of Jesus to his soul…But having heard the crying of others for the like of favour obliged me to stop, and I prayed over them as I saw their agonies and distress increase. At length we sang a hymn and then retired to the house, where the man that received Christ continued praising and speaking of Him until near midnight. My own soul was so full that I retired and wept before the Lord, and had a deep sense of my own vileness, and the sovereignty and greatness of God’s everlasting love. Most of the people spent the remainder of the night in prayer and praising God. It was a night much to be remembered. [11]

May we gather for prayer and plead with God to move; I myself am going!

____________________
[1]For an essay on this passage, see Edwards, Jonathan. “A Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God’s People, in Extraordinary Prayer, for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth.” The Works of Jonathan Edwards. Ed. Edward Hickman. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1995. A copy can be viewed at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library from Calvin College: <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works2.viii.html> Also, all Scripture is taken from the English Standard Version.

[2] Matthew 23:23ff
[3] When a Christian is called, he is called to a life of holiness. We fail in this, but God is conforming us to the image of His Son, Romans 8:29; cf. Romans 12:1ff. Also see n. 4.
[4] Cf. Romans 1:5, 2:13; Galatians 5:6,22-24 (see also n. 3)
[5] 1 Timothy 1:5
[6] Cf. Matthew 5:20
[7] <http://www.desiringGod.org/library/sermons/87/010487.html> Here John Piper also lists several verses where corporate prayer is exercised.
[8] For an intense treatment of this subject, see Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Joy Unspeakable. Kingsway Publications, Eastbourne. 2003..
[9] Joy Unspeakable, p.431.
[10] Since these things occur as the Spirit wills, some are not in a corporate setting and some are.
[11] Joy Unspeakable, p. 97

Our Weakness: Fearful and Fainthearted! Our Strength: The Sovereign Grace of God!

2006-02-21T15:43:00.000-06:00

And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say,“Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.”
Deuteronomy 20:8

I find it interesting that Moses, before sending the Israelites into the Promised Land, gives the exhortation, “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 20:1). Let us think about the great, peaceful rest we can have in this truth. From the moment we are redeemed from the slavery of our sin, we are promised residence in the presence of God Himself.

As we struggle in this life, we wander in the desert of our sinful flesh and fallen world. Where is our vision? I hope we can say along with Paul that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Philippians 1:21-23). We sit in Moab, pressing forward, preparing to cross the river Jordan. We are studying the Scripture, listening to the prophets and apostles echo the glorious revelation of Christ.

We must understand the basis of our redemption is the grace of the LORD. Our salvation is the work of God without any addition from us. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He did not just make me savable in the Egypt of my sin, he actually saved me. He made the waters part and slaughtered my enemies. He provided His Gospel as manna in the desert to sustain me, so that my soul would not be found emaciated. Oh, the glorious love of Christ shines forth from the Promise Land across the Jordan, entreating me to come. Do you really feel the struggle of Paul and understand that “to die is gain?” The long-awaited hope of our life is before us! Being with Christ is set before us as our greatest joy. The years of listening to the biographies of departed saints, sitting at the feet of Moses as he teaches us about the glory of God, waiting for the Promise Land…the wait is almost over. But the problem becomes evident, the last war. We must die to enter into the Promise Land.

Now, we have two options. One option is to devalue the work of God, saying that the work God does in saving someone is not enough to save that person to the uttermost. We could have a “God could do that but not this” mentality. There, we find ourselves in verse 8. We would be a dangerous, weak person. Our lukewarm attitude toward the sovereign, saving grace of God leaves us with no salvation at all. We are left hungering for Egypt, wondering why we had to journey. Does this sound familiar? I bet it does more than you think. How many of us find ourselves with disgust toward going to church, reading our Bibles, praying long prayers, or even volunteering to teach Sunday School? At the end of our lives, we may despise the “lost time,” believing it to be a waste. We wonder why we gave up our “fun” life. For us, the death will be the end. It is something to be feared and hated. If we hate the things of God, if we hate the grace of God, then we are haters of God Himself. There is a dangerous epidemic among church-goers to be half-hearted, plagued by doubt of their salvation. We have now become a church that bases the assurance of our salvation in a decision made at some revival, Vacation Bible School, or youth-camp and not the power of God’s grace.

The best option is given in the first verse of this chapter. We should not be afraid, knowing that God has already defeated the enemy. Our victory is in God. Paul encourages us with the same sentiment, “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to the God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:53-57). I do not think that it is coincidental that Paul makes this verse the foundation of the exhortation found in the next verse to be “steadfast” and “immovable.” We are called to be fixed, understanding the basis of our victory is Christ. Our hope is in Christ. This hope is so strong, so immovable that it will not waiver before the greatest threat we have, namely hell. We are to stand on the promises of God. We are to love God and all of His attributes. Our assurance should be found in the atoning work of Christ, knowing that we are to abound in the work of the Lord and that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (I Corinthians 15:58). We will be saved from the fierceness of the wrath of God the Almighty. Our hearts will not melt with fear. We will be carried into the Promise Land by the Holy Spirit with Christ glorified as the victor. We are to understand the grace that saved us is the grace that has been saving us, and it will ultimately be the grace that will save us. “And he [Joshua] said to the people of Israel, ‘When your children ask their fathers in times to come, “What do these stones mean?” then you shall let your children know, “Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.” For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever’” (Joshua 4:21-24).

Consequently, I implore the members of the Church to fight against a weak-kneed, pseudo-gospel. Christian men, stand firm and reclaim Biblical teaching, so that we may lead the Church across the Jordan.

“The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:21-22).

Amen! Soli Deo Gloria!

Army of Endeavor
by Fanny Crosby

Army of Endeavor, bear the trumpet call;
'Gainst the foe advancing, forward one and all!
Christ is our Commander; faithful let us be:
He will give to us the victory!

In His royal service, there's a work for all,
Cheering on the faint ones, lifting those that fall
Unto Him Who calls us ever faithful be:
He will give to us the victory!

Ever pressing onward in the cause of right,
Holding up the banner, walking in the light;
Keeping His commandments, great rewards have we!
He will give to us the victory!

Though the battle rages, what have we to fear?
In the wildest conflict, He is ever near.
Trusting in our Leader, faithful let us be:
He will give the victory!

The Love of God Revealed in the Cross

2006-02-21T15:19:00.000-06:00

Be Thou my Vision O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:1-11, ESV).

Within this article, it is important to not that to be justified is equivalent to be made righteous. It is important to note that foundation of this passage in Romans 5 is that we are justified by faith. It seems to me that one of Paul’s strongest openning statements of this letter to the faithful church of Rome is found in Romans 1:16, 17.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it
the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written,
'The righteous shall live by faith.' "

To save sinners, such as us, God requires righteousness, something that we do not have even the least particle. Therefore, the good news of Scripture, literally, the Gospel, is that the righteousness that God requires is the righteousness He provides through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus.

Notice that here in verse 17, the righteousness of God is REVEALED. It is something that is on display, much like we think of the cross on Calvary, on a hill, for the world to see. The world has been shaken by the love of God for His people, purchasing their salvation in great love. Behold, He loves believers because they are clothed in this marvelous display of righteousness, namely they are covered, dripping in the pure, scarlet, righteous blood of Christ. They look like His Son.

Where does this washing of blood originate for those of us who called children of God? Notice that the righteousness is revealed from FAITH to FAITH. Faith is the basis, the foundation that cradles our lives. Through God’s merciful grace, he births faith in us (James 1:18). This faith grows to deeper faith, reaching into our hearts till it springs forth from our mouths as a fountain of life (Proverbs 10:11). This abundant life, not a life the world enjoys but our life in Christ, rejoices in hope. This hope is the hope for the glorious righteousness of God to be revealed to its fullness in our lives! Behold, this hope springs forth, cascading over our lips into our hands, so that we may serve the masses (the very opposite of Romans 3:10-18), becoming little so that Christ’s glory may be shown to be strong (2 Corinthians 12:9,10) !

Now, we can begin to see the hard words of verses 3-5:

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

I beg you to look at verse 3, that we are to REJOICE in our sufferings. Why? Because through the suffering that we see, we are able to endure, to persevere. As God preserves us through our trials, character is produced in us. What type character is produced in us? Let’s hold off on answering that question until we see the result of this character.

This character yields our posture on grace, so that we may stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. This hope does not put us to shame; we are “not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation…for in it the righteousness of God is revealed.”

Now, I pose the question, “What is the character that is produced in endurance?” Chiefly, we are conformed to the character of Christ.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phi 2:5-11).

Again, we see that chief end of this character, then our hope, that is our salvation, is the glorification of God.
Clearly, we grasp more fully Ezekiel 36:25-27:

"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put [pour] my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Now, we get to the greatest issues of the Gospel. From where does our cleanness originate? Our unattractive, idol-worshipping corpses have hearts of stone, constantly hating God. The miracle of God is that the Word of God raises our dry bones to new life, giving us hearts that beat with love for Him. Under what power, does this occur? Verses 6-11 provide the basis of our hope. This is how our righteousness is obtained.

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:6-11).

The love of God is revealed in the cross. He brings us to new life, fashions us in the image of Christ, and says He loves us because we are covered in the glorious blood of His Son. Our salvation is created in us by the workings of the Holy Spirit, through the victory of Christ at the cross, all to the glory of the Father. The ultimate joy in our salvation is being reconciled to God. When we walk obediently in sweet fellowship with God, our joy is complete, perfected.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.