Daily Gatherings

Behold Our God

2012-01-05T20:21:00.001-05:00

Today Bob Kauflin at Worship Matters featured a video of the wonderful Sovereign Grace song, Behold Our God, performed with a full orchestra. At our church we sang this numerous times over the course of our Advent observation, but never did we come close to sounding like this.

I still loved the song while we were singing it, but this is a great version to listen to.

Best Blog-post Title Ever

2012-01-03T19:33:00.001-05:00

How do you top “The Next Billy Graham Might Be Drunk Right Now”?

Russell Moore, who is always worth reading, has crafted more than just a great title here. His post makes the great point that the ultimate success of the church is not dependent on what we can see, but rather on what God will do.

Here is some of Moore’s reasoning:

“The next Jonathan Edwards might be the man driving in front of you with the Darwin Fish bumper decal. The next Charles Wesley might be a misogynist, profanity-spewing hip-hop artist right now. The next Billy Graham might be passed out drunk in a fraternity house right now. The next Charles Spurgeon might be making posters for a Gay Pride March right now. The next Mother Teresa might be managing an abortion clinic right now.
But the Spirit of God can turn all that around. And seems to delight to do so. The new birth doesn’t just transform lives, creating repentance and faith; it also provides new leadership to the church, and fulfills Jesus’ promise to gift his church with everything needed for her onward march through space and time (Eph. 4:8-16).
After all, while Phillip was leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, Saul of Tarsus was still a murderer.”

Not only is this a great reminder of how God is able to superintend his church, it’s gives hope to those of us who worry about our ability to adequately carry out our Christian responsibilities. After all, if he could use murderous Saul of Tarsus, surely he can use Michael of Ashland, who’s already on his side. Reminds me of one of my favorite scripture passages: 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. (Romans 5:10; ESV)

New Year’s Resolutions

2012-01-01T22:23:00.001-05:00

Ok, so New Year’s resolutions seldom work, don’t last, and generally aren’t much worth the effort. But this list from John Piper’s beloved English Lit. Professor, Clyde Kilby, is a joy simply to read. Doing any one of them just once has got to make your year better.

Some samples:

At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me.
I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their “divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic” existence.
Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega.

Read the whole list here. It improved my already good day.

Great Help For The Battle Against Sin

2011-05-08T21:26:00.001-04:00

This is so good I had to awaken from my blog slumber to pass it along:

“To gain entire likeness to Christ, I ought to get a high esteem of the happiness of it. I am persuaded that God’s happiness is inseparably linked in with his holiness. Holiness and happiness are like light and heat. God never tasted one of the pleasures of sin.

Christ has a body such as I have, yet he never tasted one of the pleasures of sin. The redeemed, through all eternity, will never taste one of the pleasures of sin; yet their happiness is complete. . . . Every sin is something away from my greatest enjoyment. . . .

The devil strives night and day to make me forget this or disbelieve it. He says, Why should you not enjoy this pleasure as much as Solomon or David? You may go to heaven also. I am persuaded this is a lie – that my true happiness is to go and sin no more.”

Andrew A. Bonar, editor, Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne (Edinburgh, 1987), pages 154-155.

Thanks so much to Ray Ortlund for posting this originally here. If you don’t read Ray’s blog you’re missing consistently great thoughts and insights.

Things That Make You Say “Ouch”

2011-02-25T12:14:00.001-05:00

Kevin DeYoung is among the many young pastor/theologians whose writings give me great hope for the survival of passionate, orthodox Christianity in America. Below is an excerpt of observations he gleaned from studying what the book of Proverbs has to say on the topic of relational conflict. It’s good stuff. (Though painful to notice in yourself.)

So what does a quarrelsome person look like? What are his (or her) distinguishing marks?

1. You defend every conviction with the same degree of intensity. You don’t talk about secondary issues, because there are no secondary issues.

2. You are quick to speak and slow to listen. You rarely ask questions and when you do it is to accuse or to continue prosecuting your case. You are not looking to learn, you are looking to defend, dominate, and destroy.

3. Your only model for ministry and faithfulness is the showdown on Mount Carmel. There is a place for sarcasm, but when Elijah with the prophets of Baal is your spiritual hero you may end up mocking people instead of making arguments.

4. You are incapable of seeing nuances and you do not believe in qualifying statements.

5. You never give the benefit of the doubt. You do not try to read arguments in context. You put the worst possible construct on other’s motives and the meaning of their words.

6. You have no unarticulated opinions.

7. You are unable to sympathize with your opponents.

8. Your first instinct is to criticize. Your last is to encourage.

There are more. You can read the rest here.

Read Your Bible S-l-o-w-l-y In 2011

2011-01-01T20:55:00.001-05:00

Writing in his blog, Kaleidoscope, at the beginning of the Advent season my friend Bob Withers called attention to the genealogy in Matthew Chapter 1. He pointed out how unusual it was that four women are mentioned, who, from a Jewish perspective had major negatives associated with them. Ruth was a Gentile, and the other three, Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba (listed as “the wife of Uriah”) had serious moral defects.

With that tidbit tucked away in the back of my mind, today I renewed my annual habit of reading through the entire Bible in a year. With a little extra time on my hands because of taking a day off, I was able to read Matthew’s first chapter slowly, and reflect on that genealogy. Not only do the above mentioned women appear, but it dawned on me these were the only women mentioned in Matthew’s list. Think about it: each of the men listed had a wife who was in the line of the Messiah. Matthew, however, records only these four women. Four women who had what we would today call “issues”. Matthew, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is highlighting these four to those who would read carefully.

Reading this passage slowly allowed me to notice and rejoice in the awesome fact that God chooses and uses people who are from a human standpoint the least exemplary. And what a great hope this is for all those like me who wouldn’t make anyone else’s list of notable persons.

Prayer for 2011

2011-01-01T17:39:00.001-05:00

To start off the New Year I thought I’d begin with a helpful prayer from Ray Ortlund:

Lord Jesus, in this new year of grace, 2011, give us eyes to see where our churches need repair, hearts to desire the experience of your glory, and above all else, the sheer grace of your felt presence coming down on your imperfect but yearning churches!

His prayer results from solid reflection on the need of our churches to experience the active presence of Christ:

“Our aim as pastors is not only that our churches will be well assembled, thoughtfully and carefully and biblically obedient. That is important. But our desires don’t end there. We desire the dwelling of the risen Christ among us. We desire his felt presence. We desire him.

If we are not experiencing his glory coming down upon us, we need to ask if we have been disobedient in any aspect of what we have built or failed to build. Even if we have built well, we need to ask if we have settled for mere constructional obedience. The Lord has more for us than that. He has himself to give.”

The whole post is well worth reading.

The True Antidote for Worry

2010-10-26T21:06:00.001-04:00

Trevin Wax (who is always worth reading) eloquently makes the case that the real solution to worry is nothing less than the Gospel itself. Here’s a snippet that ought to make you read the rest:

So worry shows up whenever my view of God is diminished and my view of myself gets too big. I worry because my vision of God is skewed. I rest when my vision is fixed.

“Look at the birds of the air!” Jesus said. “God gives them food, even if they don’t work and earn their way.” There’s more to this parallel than a mere animal-to-human comparison about how much more God will care for us. There’s gospel here. God has given undeserved favor to the birds. He blesses them apart from their merits.

God’s grace and mercy is sustaining us too. Everything we have comes from God’s hand. Salvation belongs to the Lord. And the powerful God who saved us is the loving Father who sustains us.

Somebody say Amen.

Instant Classic

2010-10-04T22:10:00.001-04:00

Jared Wilson hits a home run with this little parable:

“In the 1982 film Annie, the titular orphan is swept out of the vile clutches of Miss Hannigan at the inner city orphanage, where she and her friends spent their “hard knock life” mired in menial tasks, and delivered into the gleaming mansion of the billionaire Mr. Warbucks. When she first arrives, she is mesmerized by its size and beauty, and by the scores of cheerful servants. Her hostess asks, “Well, Annie, what would you like to do first?” Annie misunderstands. She says she’d probably like to start by washing the windows, and then she'll move on to scrub the floors. She’s thinking she needs to get to work. The hostess just wants to know what fun thing she’d like to start her new life doing.

Annie has not realized she is not an orphan any more.

Christian, you are a Christian. You have a new identity. You are in Christ, and Christ is in you. Let your doing emerge from your being. It will not work the other way around.”

I’d tell you to read the whole thing, but that was the whole thing. If you want more, you'll need to check out his forthcoming book, Gospel Wakefulness: Treasuring Christ and Savoring His Power, coming 2011 from Crossway.

Blogging the 2010 Ocean City Bible Conference

2010-09-21T20:30:00.001-04:00

At last, I was finally able to post Phil Johnson’s closing session of the Ocean City Bible Conference. Phil’s talk was full of great content, and I wanted to get it right so I purchased the cd to make sure I captured his thoughts well. So much for the live aspect. Anyway, here are the links to all the plenary sessions:

Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Eight: Phil Johnson

Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Seven: Fred Zaspel

Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Six: Paul Tripp

Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Five: Thabiti Anyabwile

Ocean City Bible Conference Session Four: Phil Johnson

Ocean City Bible Conference Session Three: Thabiti Anyabwile

Ocean City Bible Conference Session Two: Kevin O’brien

Ocean City Bible Conference, Session One: Thabiti Anyabwile

Ocean City Bible Conference; Pre-conference Vernon Allen

These are well worth your time.

“Semi-Live” Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Eight

2010-09-21T20:11:00.001-04:00

Wednesday morning, September 15, 2010

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

Phil Johnson, Executive Director of Grace To You.

I loved what Fred Zaspel said this morning, “We’re in glory, but we’re not there yet.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (John MacArthur’s favorite verse. He once wrote a book about it.)

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (KJV)

As always the context of a verse is crucial. Notice that in the early part of Chapter 3, Paul has been contrasting the old covenant with the new covenant, showing why the new is better than the old. This is one of Paul’s favorite themes. Fred Zaspel would say Paul is a new covenant theologian, and he was.

This is also one of the themes also of the book of Hebrews. First comes to this topic back in verse 6, where he answers a question he raised back in Chapter 2:16 where he asks “who is sufficient for these things?” And he gives an explicit answer for these things in verses 5 and 6 of Chapter 3. “We, the apostles of Christ, are sufficient for these things. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves. But our sufficiency is of God.” Here it is the word “able”, same word as sufficient. God has made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant.

Now one of the distinctives of Paul’s writing style, is the way he often breaks off a main thought and follows with another theme suggested by a word or phrase, so we have to pay careful attention to the context.

Here he goes from the truth that God has made him adequate as a minister of the new covenant, immediately to a short discussion about the superiority of the new covenant. And he contrasts the two covenants by these words: “…we are ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

Now the letter is Paul’s expression for the Mosaic Law when it’s considered by itself without inherent efficacy or power to enable us to obey. The law alone apart from the Holy Spirit’s application is a dead letter. Since its dead it cannot be a source of life.

Here he says the letter kills, the spirit gives life. The letter is Paul’s expression for the Mosaic Law, when it’s considered by itself. The law alone apart from the Holy Spirit’s application is a dead letter. Only the Holy Spirit can give life. So the Spirit here means the Holy Spirit, the true giver of life and the administrator of the new covenant.

For example Romans 7:6, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (KJV)

In Romans 2:29, he says that true circumcision is that of the heat and of the spirit, and not in the letter. Here he says the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

Now Paul is not saying the law is bad, but is saying it can’t give life to sinners. It condemns those who sin. The problem is not the law, it is we who are bad. The law is our judge and executioner, it cannot be a source of life.

Throughout this letter Paul makes a contrast between letter and spirit. It cannot give life. It is the worst kind of heresy to think that by your own legal obedience that you can obtain eternal life.

But the spirit does what the law cannot do by granting life to sinners. In Romans 8:3, he said, “what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

And so as ministers of the new covenant, Paul says, we have a better message than the old, a message of life and salvation. The law was a message of death and condemnation.

Now, please understand, Paul was not teaching that people under the old covenant couldn’t be saved, nor that the way we were saved is different. Abraham, Moses David, saved by grace through faith. The whole point of Romans 4.

The new covenant makes clear what the old covenant kept veiled. The new covenant explained what was mysterious under the old covenant. That is why it was a better covenant. It brings people face to face with Christ.

In the old covenant law brought people face to face with their sin. In the new covenant, the veil is removed, that is the theme of this passage.

Look at this passage beginning in verse 7. Paul tells of Moses going on the mountain, when he went up to Mt. Sinai to receive the law, he asked to see God’s glory. In Exodus 33 describes what happened. “And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. “

One problem though, he said, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”

And so as an act of mercy, God hides Moses in a cave or a cleft of the rock where Moses was shielded.

And God said, “And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”

Remember what happened? Exodus 30:4 Moses’ face shone and the Israelites were afraid of him, so Moses face had to be veiled to hide the reflection of God’s divine glory until if finally faded away.

Paul uses that passage to teach us a great truth about sanctification here in 2 Corinthians 3:7-14.

2 Corinthians 3:7-14: “ But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. ” (KJV)

Here’s what he’s saying: the old covenant was glorious even though so much was kept behind a veil; the new covenant is much more glorious. It is explicit, nothing hidden. The glory of the new covenant is on display for everyone to see in Christ Jesus.

To see how glorious, look forward to 2 Corinthians 4:6: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Moses saw God’s back, we get to see Jesus’ face. We get to look at the glory of God in person face to face in Christ with unveiled faces and we are transformed into his likeness. Not like Moses who got to look one time, we get to look and look and the glory transforms us.

Let’s unpack this verse. I used to teach junior high students, taught them to diagram sentences. Part of what he does for a living today is as a book editor. Forces us to pay close attention to grammar. Secret vice, likes to diagram sentences. If you diagram this sentence you see the center, “we all are changed”.

The main sense of the passage is this: “We all, beholding the Lord, are changed from Glory to Glory.”

Let’s take that phrase and break it into its parts.

Four key elements, phrases:

1) We all (the subject); 2) Beholding the Lord (participial phrase); 3) Are changed (verb); 4) From Glory to Glory (describes how)

I) We all.

Paul is making a contrast between to old and new covenant. Moses alone got a partial glimpse of God’s glory, and the only one who saw. The new covenant a new principle is in force, the priesthood of the believer. We get to see the glory firsthand. All of us.

This is all very practical. Here’s what this is teaching: the process how Christians become like Christ. If you are seeking to grow, this is how it happens. You don’t need a priest. What you need to do is come face to face with the glory of Christ. The effect is inevitable, you will begin to reflect the light of Christ’s own glory. This is what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3:10, I want to know him and the power of his resurrection. This is a better privilege than what Moses had. We all with open face behold his glory and changed into his image. Moses was alone on the mountain, and the people were afraid. So much was left veiled in mystery, unexplained, symbols, with veiled in typology, rites and rituals; made the truth hard to comprehend. But the new covenant is different. “Christ has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”. (2 Timothy 1:10)

The truth we have now is so much more full and clear.

The full life of God’s glory is revealed for us in a new way in Christ Jesus. A manifestation of God that you can look at directly.

Even the apostles didn’t always understand this. Phillip asks to be shown the father, Jesus replies if you have seen me you have seen the father.

Hebrews 1:3, Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory.

Colossians 1:15, he is the image of the invisible God.

Colossians 2:9, in him dwells all the fullness of God bodily.

1 John 1:5, this is the true God and eternal life.

In Christ is revealed more glory than Christ ever saw. Every Christian has the privilege of seeing Christ face to face and close up.

II) Beholding the Lord

We all behold as in a glass the Lord’s glory. We get to look at the glory. It’s not a physical manifestation. But its something even better, it’s the glory of truth. It’s the same glory as Moses saw, but we actually see it in a better way.

In the OT always a physical light, but Christ, it is accommodated to the limitations of our humanness. One of the great benefits of the incarnation. We can look at the glory of God without a veil.

It’s the same glory John beheld in John 1:14, we beheld his glory, the glory of Jesus the one and only full of grace and truth. Now John had witnessed the physical glory as well, but notice how he describes Jesus in John 1:14, nothing about the physical radiance, but the glory of grace and truth. The glory we behold is not a physical perception, the same glory, visible only to those who have the eyes of faith. But its real glory and its effects are real. We behold it with an open face. We see it as in a glass, as in a mirror.

Paul uses a similar expression in 1 Corinthians 13. There, Paul’s emphasis is on the imperfect vision, but here the emphasis is on intimacy. It’s personal, unmediated, direct. The glory the Old Testament saints saw was indirect. By contrast, NT Christianity is open, explicit more intelligible. In the NT not overlaid by types, symbols, priests, rituals. It’s not mediated by priests. Under the new covenant it comes to us by words and deeds we can understand. It is made manifest for us to see and understand and study, just the way you look into a mirror. And the mirror, in which we see that glory reflected, is the scripture. Remember in James 1:23-25, it says, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

That’s where we see the glory of Christ. The clear vision of his glory transforms us.

The entire character of the New Testament is about contemplating and reflecting Christ. This is what sanctification is all about. Not by mechanical obedience, but what conforms us to the image of Christ is receiving him, see him as revealed in scripture.

III) We are changed

We all, beholding the Lord are utterly transformed. All of us individually as we behold the glory of the Lord by faith. Moses’ experience ultimately left him unchanged. It was a receding glory. Moses was unchanged, his was a receding glory, finally faded away. But the glory of the new covenant is a better glory because instead of receding it grows draws stronger and brighter. The luster of Moses was skin deep. The light we see in Christ is inward. It is permanent, ever increasing, changes us in the most complete way.

Look at this expression, we are changed. Paul uses the Greek word which is the same as metamorphosis, changed from the inside out. Same word used of physical appearance of Jesus at his transfiguration. Different from what happened to Moses at Sinai. Moses’ face though it shone, it was dim and fading. Christ’s was not skin deep, it came from within and was totally transforming.

In the same way we are completely transformed into a real and lasting glory. Same Greek word as in Romans 12, be transformed, by the renewing your mind. Contrasts conformed with the world with being transformed from the inside out. The word conformed there speaks of a cosmetic change. Transformed describes a transformation from the inside out.

Not a superficial or cosmetic change. A real change.

Two principles at work here. First you reflect what you see. That’s what happened to Moses Happens in physical realm. Look into your wife’s eyes, you’ll see your own reflection. Our wives reflect what they see. True physically, but also true spiritually as well. Your wife, your children will reflect what they see in you.

Second, more importantly, you become like what you worship. You take on the characteristics of what you worship. Presented clearly in Psalm 115:4-8 “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.”

They are lifeless. Look what he says in verse 8: “They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.” (KJV)

If you want to become spiritually deaf, dumb, blind and lifeless, there is no more efficient way than to worship a stone idol or any idol.

Worship money, you will become materialistic.

Worship entertainment you will become trivial and worldly.

Worship power and prestige you will become cold and callous

Worship yourself and you will become hopelessly selfish.

But if you truly worship Christ you will be transformed into his likeness. Study him intently and you will accelerate the process. In fact, the process of glorification will be finally and instantly complete the moment you come face to face with Jesus in heaven.

We see this in 1 John 3, “when he appears we will be like him for we shall see him as he is.”

Which is the same thing David wrote in Psalm 17:15; “As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.”

It’s not by might or by power. Its not through sheer force of human willpower, it’s through worshiping the glory of Christ. We are changed into the same image of the one we worship. That’s the only sanctification the scriptures know about.

IV) From Glory to Glory

We sing about it, several hymns have that expression. John MacArthur explains, it is from one level to another. From one level of glory to greater and greater glory.

Paul’s emphasis is on two things, it’s being ever increasing and its permanence.

Moses’ temporary radiance was skin deep and fading, ours keeps going and going lifting us to higher and higher levels. It may seem slow and halting, may take a lifetime.

It does progress, despite setbacks. God uses even those to conform us to the image of Christ. That is God’s eternal purpose for us, he is conforming us to the image of Christ.

According to Romans 8:29, that is the purpose and the ultimate end to which God has predestined those who believed. Back up just one verse, this is what the familiar promise of Romans 8:28 is about. The reason why all things work together. Even the trials and setbacks are used to this end. God uses even your sin to purge from your life whatever is not Christlike.

Hebrews 12:10, “he chastens us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness.”

Verse 12-13, Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, do not despise the chastening of the Lord.

And verse 5 and 6, “And despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” It’s all part of the process of conforming you to the image of Christ.

Submit to it by taking the opportunity to reflect more deeply on the glory of Christ, and you will be changed from glory into glory.

Nothing can stop the progress. Romans 8:30 goes on to say that all who are chosen by God are called and all who are called will be justified and all who are justified will be glorified. It’s an unstoppable process. God made us for that. Why he created Adam in the first place. Sin has marred the image of man, most people feel that deficiency, sense we have lost the glory feel the utter futility of trying to regain this glory for ourselves. This is why people are obsessed with self esteem.

He represents an even greater glory than the glory that was lost by Adam.

Paul in Romans 8:18 reckons that the sufferings of this world are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us.

That glory is my greatest desire.

I’m always conscious in crowd of this size that there may be those who don’t have a saving knowledge of Christ.

If you are here and if you have never embraced Christ as your Lord and Savior, notice the context of verse 14, their minds were blinded, which veil is removed in Christ. Which is true of every unbeliever. They can’t even comprehend the glory of Christ, much less be transformed by it. Look at Chapter 4, verses 3 and 4: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

So what is the solution? Look at 3:16, “Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” You must come to Christ in faith or you will never see his glory.

When you see it you will believe. You might think seeing is believing, but scripture says believe and you will see. We’re not talking about a glory we can see with our physical eyes.

Notice what Paul says in 4:18: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (KJV)

That’s why it is so important to see the glory of Christ with the eyes of faith. It is actually a more clear and more eternal vision of glory. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. If you have never trusted in Jesus, I urge you to turn to him in faith.

Christ himself makes this promise in John 6:37, “the one who comes to me I will in no means cast out.” And if you are weary from the weight of your sin, and sensing your spiritual poverty, call on the name of the Lord right now.

Romans 10:13 says, “whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

That process will begin by which you will be ultimately transformed into the perfect likeness of his great glory.

“Semi-Live” Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Seven

2010-09-16T10:56:00.001-04:00

Wednesday morning, September 15, 2010

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

Fred Zaspel: Pastor at Reformed Baptist Church in Franconia, PA and an instructor in Bible and theology at To Every Tribe Ministries in Brownsville, TX.

Turn to Colossians 3, let’s read the entire Chapter:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.” (NIV)

The great theme of the early Christian Church is the unrivaled Lordship of Jesus Christ. You see it in all of their activities. One of their favorite titles for Jesus was “Lord”. He is Lord in the sense of Yahweh, creator, and master. The center of their message was this announcement, “Jesus is Lord.”

They would say to the people of their day, “you may not have bowed the knee to him, but one day you will.” You see this pervading the entire New Testament.

We see it in this passage, “you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” This is what gives the cross its significance. When exhorting believers to virtuous behavior this is invoked.

Where did they learn this? From Jesus himself. Jesus taught that this is the question on which our eternal destiny turns.

Interesting, in the NT there is a dual sense in which Jesus is Lord. In the sense of his person, the eternal God. But in another sense, which pervades the NT, Lord by virtue of his work.

Scriptures describe it as an achieved lordship. An example is Matthew 28, where we see that all authority has been given to Jesus. As a reward for this work accomplished, Jesus has been given the universal right to judge. We see it in the Revelation, because he was the Lamb of God slain, he is worthy to be worshipped.

In John 17, God gives authority over all people.

In Daniel Chapter 7, the son of man is seen coming before the ancient of days, coming on clouds, receives a kingdom, an “everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

In Philippians 2, “ God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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.”

Peter declares in Acts 2, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

As a result of resurrection, he has entered into his glory and kingship.

There is a now and not yet. There awaits a consummation, we look forward to the day all his enemies will be placed under his feet. And yet, Christ has been installed as universal king.

This pervades the NT, and is here in Colossians. Our attention drawn to the exalted Christ at the father’s right hand. Theologians have long called this Jesus’ “session”, his being seated at the right hand of the Father, his station of honor.

What’s interesting is what Paul does with this truth. The focus is not simply Jesus seated, but our identification with him, Colossians 3:1, “you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”

The apostle Paul has as a signature phrase, “in Christ”.

Many preachers have a signature remarks. John Reisinger would frequently say, “One of the worst things in the world.” For Paul, his signature was the phrase, “in Christ”

He alludes to this in verse 3, “you died”. What’s that about? We rode piggyback with Jesus to the cross Christ and we were with him on the cross.

I remember an atheist one time pointing out to me discrepancies in the Bible. He was particularly upset that so many bad people in the Bible were considered friends of God. Well, I agreed with him. The glory of the gospel is that we are joined to Christ and our sin is dealt with. We die.

His point is not just our identification in his death, but also our identification with his exaltation. Verses 3 and 4, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

We receive this exaltation by participating in his resurrection. The hour has come when those who hear the voice of Christ will live. What is true of him becomes true of us also.

We have participated in his resurrection already. Now it’s not exactly the point he’s making that we are just joined with his death and resurrection, but that we are joined in his exaltation. We have been exalted with him to glory as well. What is true of him becomes true of us. This is what we call realized eschatology. We’ve been made part of the new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

This is not just abstract theology, this is practical as well. We march to the beat of another drum entirely. We have the first fruits of the spirit; we have the taste of glory. We have been raised into the heavenlies.

When preaching think of this, there are many times we come across passages with a rebuke. Stunned by the way people respond. For example, preaching 1 Corinthians 11, Paul tells the people, “You haven’t been observing communion.” Rebuked them. After the sermon, people thanked him for that. We who have been joined with Christ rejoice even in rebukes. This is why it is true we are not as distracted by the world. Well said in the hymn by John Peterson, “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”

The sad reality is, although we have been redeemed out of this present evil world, yet we still live in it. We’ve been exalted, but at the same time, though his law is written on our hearts, we still feel the tug of sin. There’s the “now and not yet”, the painful work of mortifying sin. We are not there yet in full, but we have been raised with Christ.

We must grasp this to get the full force of Paul’s exhortations in vs. 1-2. We have something of a summary of his theology here, we’re in Christ. Paul is asking, "Have you been raised in Christ, exalted?" Then live like it. If we’ve truly died with him this must be the shaping of our existence. Have you been bought by Christ? Then glorify him with your body. Is God at work in you to do his will? Then work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Be what you are.

Remember Copernicus? Discovered the earth revolved around the sun. What’s the big deal? It was a revolution. Paul is saying here, this is a revolution, when we see that we have been raised with Christ. Verse 3, your life is now hidden. Means a clean break with sin. A new existence entirely. It used to be my thoughts were self-centered sin-centered. Now, bound up with the triune Christ. Now Christ is our life.

We must adjust our thinking. Notice how he shapes the command in vs. 2, “set your minds”? The language of our thinking, our devotion, these things should shape our lives and our thinking. Risen with Christ, exalted, we no longer have lives of our own. We now seek first the kingdom of God. We live with new values. Set our hearts on things above.

There is a preacher I’ve heard of all my life, described as “so heavenly minded he’s no earthly good.” Never met this man. Met plenty of people the opposite, so earthly minded they are no heavenly good.

Paul pressing us to live heavenly lives, to cultivate a mind for heavenly things, dwell more and more on our heavenly rescue. A radical reorientation of our lives.

All of this works its way out in practical ways. Verses 3-5, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”

An outworking of this is a total reorientation of life. That is what it is to live with, and unto the exalted Christ.

Did you notice a second motivating factor in all this?

In vs. 4 he draws our attention to what we will be. Future eschatology—Paul envisions our final future glorification.

This has been the heartthrob of the church through the ages. Is there anything we want more than the fact that our great redeemer is coming again?

My father used to teach me to pray that Jesus would come soon. I’m thankful that he instilled in me a lively awareness that Jesus is coming. As in 2 Peter 3, hastening the day. How do you hurry it up? An eager anticipation, longing for Jesus to come.

Do you ever think what that day will be like? Try to imagine what the scriptures depict. Matthew 24, when it comes, you’ll know it. To see finally the one who gave himself for us, finally to be with the one we’ve kept ourselves pure for. To see the whole world come to him to confess that Jesus is Lord.

Try this. Not only in that day will we see him in his glory, we will share with him in his glory.

Romans 8, if we’re sons, we are heirs. Think about the he “no mores” of Revelation: no more pain, no more crying. We shall see his face, and we will share his glory. That age to come has been brought forward. There is still frustration, but one day we will be what we should be. Forever done with this life of sin, then we will know what it is to set our minds on things above.

What we wish life to be: with Christ in his glory.

Therefore, let’s live like it. Orient our entire lives around him.

“Semi-Live” Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Six

2010-09-16T08:55:00.001-04:00

“Semi-Live” Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Six

Tuesday evening, September 14, 2010

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

“I was a very angry man”; problem was, I didn’t know. Wife, children knew. I was a pastor. Known for skill in counseling angry men. Wife would try to help me see, but was unwilling to hear. Told wife her problem was discontent. Would defend my righteousness.

Was a man headed for destruction. In the midst of destroying my ministry and my marriage.

Was at a conference with brother, Ted, who said “we ought to make this practical for our own lives.” Began to consider questions, and saw things in the depths of my soul. I talked with my wife and said I wanted to listen. She talked for two hours, which was the undoing and rebuilding of my life. Began to see themes of anger in the word. Months later, I remember seeing my wife and thinking I couldn’t remember the last time I was angry with her.

Why tell this story? No one in this room needs to be tweaked by grace. You and I need to be fundamentally rebuilt by grace. Know why Jesus tells us not to parade our righteousness before men? You don’t have any.

Told this story around the world and have had men say, “I’m that angry man.”

Why do we deal with anger the way we do? You don’t have anger free days. Traffic makes us pound on the dash.

It takes very little. Why? Why is it no one in this room would be comfortable having their two months words played for the entire group?

Why do we struggle so?

Turn to 2 Corinthians 5. There is a stunning insight here. The Bible is the worlds best diagnostic. And because the Bible is the world’s best diagnostic, it affords the world’s best cure.

Two exegetical problems with this passage: 1) so brief and 2) so misunderstood.

Begin with verse 14: “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (ESV)

Have you look with me at vs. 15, you get a purpose clause, “that those who live may no longer live for themselves.” You will never understand sin unless you understand these brief words.

I was created to live for something much larger than self; sin shrinks my life down to the smallest focus. The DNA of sin is selfishness. Sin turns me in on myself. Sin makes me a vat of personal wants, a vat of personal needs.

You see it very young. I was a kindergarten teacher for four years. The very first day of kindergarten, the exciting thing was lunch. Portable cuisine in their special lunchboxes. I was dreaming of kindergarten lunch bliss. Billy opens his box, says to Susie, “my lunch is better than yours”. He holds up piece of fried chicken, points at her lunch, says, “peanut butter”, makes Susie cry.

He has to be the center of attention, the one place you must never be.

Husbands, wives, friends, you do this all the time.

Why is it harder to spend $1000 on vacation that $1000 on missions? Selfishness.

A child came to me said she lost her watch. I asked the class who had lost a watch. Six children had lost watches. Suspected one boy, asked him. He led me to bathroom, found six watches hidden there. Why did he do this? Envy, covetousness.

One time a parent wanted to have a birthday party for her child. At the end of a decorated table with birthday girl at the end, was an enormous pile of gifts. Johnny, at end of table, holds up his party favors, starts to harrumph. The mother has enough, waxes theological: “it’s not your party”.

You and I have been born into an eternal celebration of another. It’s not our party.

When is the last time our anger had anything to do with the Kingdom of God? We’re angry because we’re not getting what we want. No wonder we’re better at conflict than peace.

We would rather win an argument with our wife than glorify him by showing unity with her.

I want, I want, I want, I want, I want, I want. Welcome to your world.

If the DNA of sin is selfishness, then sin in its fundamental form is antisocial. It puts me in toward my self. I was meant to live an others-oriented life. Meant to love God, neighbor as self. Sin turns me in on my self. I’m often angry, living a jealous craving life, inserting self in the center of the universe.

Your problem is not horizontal, it’s vertical. My problem has never been that I didn’t love Luella enough; it’s that I have never loved God enough.

If people don’t serve you they will be cursed by you. Ever gotten the silent treatment? The silent treatment is deeply theological. You have violated not the laws of God’s kingdom, but the laws of your kingdom.

If the DNA of sin is selfishness, then sin in its fundamental form is antisocial. Sin will cause me to dehumanize the people in my life. They are reduced to being either vehicles or obstacles. If you stand in the way of what I want, I will say and do things to get you back in line.

Here’s what Paul is saying. The greatest danger in the universe is you. We don’t believe the worst evil is outside of us, the worst evil is inside of me. “To the pure all things are pure.”

What’s the problem of monasticism? They let people in them. People bring their dramatic me-ism with them.

If you have people living for their own kingdom you will have unending conflict.

Play this out a little bit. Let’s say you’re parent of young children. Put them in bed, they are not sleeping. You’re probably not praying to be an instrument of redemption in the life of your children. You burst in and say “do you know what my day has been like!” You assault them verbally. Do you think your children are saying, “What a joy to live with this person?” Why are you angry? It has nothing to do with the kingdom of God. You are angry your children have broken the law of your kingdom. It needs to be said, what you do in that room is neither Christian nor parenting. You are not representing Christ. You are upset because they are not indulging the life of your kingdom. Such behavior does not lead them to Christ.

How dare we point to the arrogance of culture when it exists centered in the self.

Jesus came so that we would live no longer for ourselves, but for others. So that you could be rescued from you. There is no more pervasive idolatry than your idolatry of you.

Once I was in India doing research, in a holy city of Hinduism. In a temple, supposed to be an image of Shiva. Was a twenty foot male organ. Watched poor people grab the base of that thing, watched it being kissed. An impoverished family had walked 400 miles to go to that temple. Walking away I was praying, “Thank you God that I am not like those people,” when it hit me. I am. My idols are not overt, but covert, despised by God. That moment I prayed the best prayer I’ve ever prayed: Lord help me.

There is no in between. You are bound to the throne of the most high or bound to the throne of self. We don’t live in big moments. We live in the utterly mundane. If God doesn’t rule the mundane he doesn’t rule you because that’s where you live.

If my problem is not external and horizontal, then it is internal and vertical.

Look at the second part of the passage, vs. 16: “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (ESV)

Paul says our position is to serve as ambassadors for God. All we do is represent another. You can not step in and out of ministry. That means your life is ministry. Life, marriage, work, entertainment is ministry. If you are an ambassador you are not at the center. Your glory isn’t the ultimate glory, God’s is. It also means you must represent the methods, the message, the character of the king. People don’t need your opinion.

Your job is not to turn you children into clones. They are not your servants. You must represent your Lord. He was a servant, you must be one to your family. You are to incarnate the methods, message and character of the King.

How do we work to get our children to get them to do what we want? First, we threaten. You just want your way. For a while threat works. But there comes a day when your children aren’t threatened. So we manipulate. Manipulation teaches them to love themselves. Children will do a cost-benefit analysis, asking is it worth it. How does that represent the king? Or guilt. We use guilt to motive behavior. This is not ambassadorial.

Now, this passage is most often viewed as evangelistic. But this is not an evangelistic passage. Verse 20: “therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Who is the “you”? Corinthian Christians. What does it mean for a believer to be reconciled to God? In every horizontal conflict there is a vertical element. We insert ourselves in the position of God.

His real intent is to talk about reconciliation through sanctification. You have been reconciled, but you are in need of reconciliation. What does it mean for a believer to be reconciled to God? Verse 15 is the clue. To the degree you are still in concrete specific places in your life, living for self, you need to be reconciled. Anywhere you are living for your kingdom you need to be reconciled to God.

This needs to be every ministry of the church. If it’s not, shut it down. Children’s ministry, women’s ministry, men’s ministry, your worship service. If reconciliation to God is not the goal, shut it down.

If the DNA of sin is selfishness then the only hope of civilization is grace.

Be reconciled to God.

I’m going to hurt your feelings now. There is not a person in this room that doesn’t need to be further reconciled to God. You know that by admitting what a poor ambassador you are. You want the throne instead of wishing to bow down before it.

Wish I could say it’s not my struggle, but it is. I see the pull toward the kingdom of self.

Three prayers:

First, Confession: I’m a man in deep need of help. The kingdom of self masquerades as the kingdom of God. A costume kingdom.

Second: I pray that in your grace you will send helpers my way.

Third: O Lord, please give me the humility to receive the help you send.

The main work of Jesus is targeting the kingdom of self.

Be reconciled to God.

This needs to be the work until the day that every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord.

“Semi-Live” Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference; Session Five

2010-09-14T20:58:00.001-04:00

Tuesday morning, September 14, 2010

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

Thabiti Anyabwile: Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

Centered on the New Covenant

Begin with a confession. I am a dinosaur, stuck in the tar pits of technology. Don’t even own a cell phone, never sent a text message. Choose not to be on that treadmill. Now people are challenging books, now have these evil things called readers. You know what’s underneath this? Planned obsolescence. But it also teaches us about the covenants in the scriptures; the scriptures tell us the old covenant planned some obsolescence, promising a new one with better features.

Will look at Hebrews 8.

Three points to consider.

I. We have a mediator

II. He mediates a better covenant

III. His covenant is built on better promises

Hebrews 8: The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

I. We have a mediator

Author summarizing here an argument he began in Chapter 4.

In Chapter 4 we meet a high priest who has been tempted in every way just as we are.

5:7-10 Jesus offers up petitions with loud cries and tears; became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

6:19-20 we have a sure and steadfast anchor for the soul.

7:24-25 those who draw near, he is able to save completely

7:26-28 such a high priest meets our need, one who is holy, blameless, and pure

The writer of Hebrews, in 8:1 we have such a high priest, a minister in the holy places

Who is this plural possessive pronoun? Who is this “we”? A reference to all who have trusted in Jesus. The “we” here is Christians.

The priest has been elevated to the majesty, to the presence of the Glorious One and Jesus participates in that honor. Like Daniel in Chapter 7 sees the Ancient of Days.

As in John 17:5, the great high priestly prayer.

As in Philippians 2 where Christ takes on the form of a servant, then gets a name above every other name.

For this is the high priest that has been unfolded and unveiled and set before us. He ministers before the throne of God and continues to intercede. He steps in for us, a go between, a perpetual ministry in the holy place itself.

Consider what it says in Hebrews 9:11, he goes through the more perfect tabernacle having made an appropriate sacrifice, offering himself unblemished to God.

The Lord Jesus’ most effective work didn’t occur on earth but in heaven before the father. It was done before the one who rules in heaven.

In 8:1 this is what is offered for us, “We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven..”

Where does the author put the emphasis? Is the emphasis on “have” or on “such”?

Is it on our possession or the quality of the priest? How about both?

What value is Jesus as a priest if he’s not our high priest?

What value is he to have if not “such” a high priest?

Consider Chapter 4:14, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”

6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.”

7:26, “Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.”

He is who he is for our possession and benefit; our possession is our benefit because of who he is.

We do have such a high priest. The wrtiter tells us that’s his main point.

Here’s a question, do you have him? Do you hold as your own the one who has earned honor and glory and majesty? Can you use the possesssive pronoun, “we”? The good news is, he offers himself to you this morning. To make you Gods own possession, by turning to him and trusting in him alone. Do you have him? Call upon him. We have such a high priest.

II. He mediates a better covenant

O. Palmer Robertson defines a covenant as “a bond in blood sovereignly administered by God.”

Pictured for us in the OT in the sacrificial system. You don’t just willy-nilly decide to enact a covenant on your own. This covenant is sovreignly administered.

Thabiti remembers the very first time he saw his wife, said he know he wanted to marry her. This woman stood him up six times. But soon she said yes. The covenant is not two people saying yes, but is sovreignly administered. For Christ to be our high priest, we must be party to the covenant that God administered.

In addition, we need to pay attention to types and shadows. The OT priests serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Striking that Jesus could not minister in the earthly tabernacle in the OT system. The old covenant priests did not recognize Jesus, because they were worshipping in a copy, a shadow.

Imagine going to the airport to pick up an old fried, you only have a picture. You wait there holding a photo and he comes out and greets you. Then you leave your friend there and go home with the picture. In Israel they loved the picture more than the person.

Consider 9:23, “It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

Here then is a mediator establishing a far better covenant.

vs. 6, “…the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.”

If Jesus ministry is better than the old, why settle for anything less? Why settle for the old covenant? Many false saviors today. Many that our hearts manufacture. Smash the idols, embrace the real.

The kingdom is like a merchant who found a great pearl and purchased it selling everything he had. When you see this new covenant, accept it, this Jesus, this high priest.

In Philippians 3 we have the great passage where Paul gives up everything, I counting it all rubbish for the surpassing value of knowing Chirst. Like a balance sheet where he adds it up, realizes one column is garbage, nothing.

This is a joy that we can have, We have such a high priest.

III. The new covenant built on better promises.

The scripture here, vs. 6, appeals to our basic sense of self interest, calling on us to choose the better. He makes the case by quoting from Jeremiah 31.

The people of the first covenant broke his laws. He points out the peoples’ inability to keep the covenant.

Here are four promises that make this better than all that came before.

1) The law is written “on” us.

End of vs. 10. In the O.T. the law was written on stone and placed in the ark. Now the heart replaces the stone, the body becomes the ark. He writes it on us. To break the law now is to break our own hearts, in a very real sense to do violence to ourselves. More than ever we are to live before God. To turn away is to break oursleves. Our hearts to be his heart, our minds to be his mind. We live to obey him in faith, our sins should grieve us, we should love our God. In the God centered life we empathize with God’s desires more than our own.

This is like the story of Phinehas, who follows sinners into the tent and pierces them with his spear. In our natural mind, we sympathize with the couple. We naturally empathize with the sinner in his sin. But to Phinehas, God says “he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them.”

We are transformed, but Israel never did this.

2) At the end of vs. 10 he says, “I will be their God and they will be my people.”

This is the promise of a loving relationship.

I will be their God and they will be my people. Read those like marriage vows. God says “I do take these people to be my bride”.

We have this union with Christ. The Christian is a unique creature. We belong to God and God belongs to us. Finally and forever we are together. We need to keep hearing him say you are mine and you are my beloved. We respond, we love you because you first loved us.

Not like the old story of the man who when asked by his wife if he loves her, tells her, “If I changed my mind I would let you know.” Don’t be like that. God always speaks to his son and to us, saying “I love you, you are mine and I am yours.”

Now he is not a shadow, but a real body.

Don’t you know that where God says “I do”, there is no force that can separate.

3) vs. 11 promises immediate fellowship with God.

In the new covenant, koinonia, mediation without a human teacher. We shall all know him from the least to the greatest. The least shall know him for themselves. No mediator saying, “Know God.”

Not setting aside pastors and teachers, but these are gifts, emphasising that God is speaking for himself.

This is far better than the old covenant.

4) vs. 12 tells us he will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more

How could we enjoy fellowship if our sins were still there? His wrath would still be on us.

His promise is to remember our sin no more. We deserve condemnation, but his grace does more abound.

He forgives, and doesn’t remember. Who could stand before God if he kept a record? We can’t stand in front of the mirror ourselves just with our record keeping. When he looks upon us, he sees Jesus the great high priest and we stand before him unashamed.

What mercy, what grace. He forgives our sin at the cost of the son’s life.

He is merciful to us because he was merciless to his son.

Like the hymn, Our sins have been nailed to the cross we bear them no more—praise the Lord.

Two more things to take away.

First, these promises may be summed up another way. In Galatians 3:8, and in Chapter 4, you have received the promise, you have received the Holy Spirit. God himself is the gift of the gospel. His presence is applied by the spirit. Our souls cry, “Abba, Father”. He does this regenerating, sanctifying work. God is our inheritance, never forsaking, never leaving, having this promise eternally worked in us by the Holy Spirit

Last thing, we should notice what is most important. We tend to think the removal of sin the ultimate. It is not. It is the penultimate thing. There is something greater. Ultimately, our sins are removed for us to enjoy God himself. Our duty is to enjoy him forever.

The exhortation is, enjoy God. The god centered life is a life tasting daily that God is good. Delight in him, come to him, draw near to him, give yourself to him fully.

Enjoy God and you will find that living the God centered life isn’t as difficult as it seems at first. We have a better covenant and we are going to see Jesus.

Semi-Live Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference Session 4

2010-09-13T22:06:00.001-04:00

Monday evening, September 13, 2010

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

Phil Johnson, Executive Director of Grace To You.

A Passion For God’s Glory

No shortage of passion in the world but most of it misplaced.

In politics, the passion you see the most is anger in a pursuit of power.

There is a worldwide glut of anger. The political process is divided. Anger has become the main driving passion in the affairs of men.

Good feelings are found mostly in the arena of the trivial, sports, entertainment. It’s an irony that devotion to God is seen as an imbalance. You can be obsessed about sports, entertainers, no one bats an eye. Dead celebrities have mythological status.

No shortage of passion in modern society, but reserved for all the wrong things.

Should be passionate for God’s Glory. This is the end for which we were created.

Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

God’s glory is one of the main themes of scripture: the Shekinah Glory, Moses’ face shining, divine glory in Ezekiel. The visible palpable manifestation of God’s glory.

Loves Ezekiel’s description, a stunning vision. Provoked terror, awe, great affection, deep humility.

In Ezekiel 1 the verbal description only gives us a sense of it. Inexpressible grandeur.

It’s clear from the OT that passion for God’s glory is a true expression of salvation, the deepest hope of every true believer, the best part of heaven.

Moses knew an unhindered look could be fatal. Only as the glory receded did he get a view. Israelites begged Moses to cover the reflected glory on his face.

David longed to see God’s glory—an unhindered vision of the glory of God.

We were designed to appreciate God’s glory.

Sin marred the image of God in man and left us with a deep longing for the things of God.

Ought to inflame our passions more than any other thing. What our passions were created for in the first place.

One of the central truths of the NT is that the glory of God has been revealed to us in a better way. Jesus is what Adam was designed to be.

Colossians 1:15, 16: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 4:6: “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.” (ESV)

Hebrews 1:3: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (ESV)

2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (ESV)

That is the Christian life, being transformed into the image of God by God’s glory.

In the Old Testament, God’s glory is veiled, cloudy. We should be more passionate because we can see Christ with unveiled faces. We ought to be most passionate about this instead of some mud spattered sports teams. When we consider the glory of God, when we consider Christ’s glory, it ought to put all other passions in their place.

We invent thins to stir our passions. Our passions should not need to be stirred up. We shouldn’t need to be stirred by entertainment.

Someone sent an article to him about a youth leader who likes to provoke people with gross out games. He said the punch line is, he does this to shock and astound, to create a buzz that will go viral, twitter about it. The idea is to get students here to show them that God is cooler.

This illustrates some of the foolishness of trying to stir artificial passions. As opposed to looking to the grandeur of God to stir genuine passion for his glory.

It’s no wonder the world is not being won to Christ.

It’s more likely the first time someone sees the glory of God the result is sheer terror.

God’s glory provokes wonder and amazement. Peter filled with wonder on the mount of transfiguration.

Artificial religious passion is the bane of our age.

If we would dwell on Christ we wouldn’t need gimmicks. Don’t need to do things to make people think that God is cooler than he is.

Tonight want to focus on a single passage, John 1:14: “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. (ESV)

Unlike Matthew and Luke’s beginnings, John goes further back, as far as can be gone, to the very beginning. John is giving us Jesus’ divine pedigree. The creator, by definition, cannot be a created thing. Foundation of Trinitarian doctrine. This is a clear and unambiguous declaration of the deity of Christ. This is an innate, intrinsic glory. Not bestowed. The logos must be God.

John 1:4: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

The eternal glory of God

In vs. 6-8 John the Baptist to declare the glory of God. In vs. 12 all who were his were reborn, saved.

Everything from 6-18 is a digression, but in verse 14 he comes to the point he started at, “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.” (ESV)

“Dwelt among” in Greek is a word that means he tabernacled with us. As in Exodus 40:34-35, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (ESV)

Likewise when Solomon completed the temple in 2 Chronicles 7:1-2, “As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house.” (ESV)

See the parallelism?

Likewise in Ezekiel 10:4, the inner court, and the Glory of the Lord, house filled with cloud.

Ezekiel 43:4, the glory of the Lord entered the temple.

At the end of the New Testament in Revelation 15:8, we see the same thing, “and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power…”

Whenever you have the presence of God in any tabernacle, you have the glory of God.

With Christ in the flesh we have God with us tabernacled in his body, full of glory.

John 1:14, “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. (ESV)

So far, all this has been introduction. Wish to concentrate on three words.

Glory, Grace and Truth

I) Glory

Haven’t even attempted to define it. Piper says impossible to define. Glory is like the word beauty. We know what it is by impossible to describe in words.

Glory is a bigger concept than beauty. Everything you can say about beauty is just one aspect of glory.

Though he says it can’t be defined, he does offer a definition that I think is pretty good: “God's glory is the infinite beauty and splendor of His perfect character. It is the radiance, or shining forth, of His amazing perfections.”

Scripture says glory is resplendent, exquisitely wonderful. Every perfection of God is included.

God’s glory is more moving, more exciting, than any other passion of the human heart.

God’s glory is everything we ought to love, everything that really matters. Glory is what makes this world with its evil worth enduring. It’s why everything was created in the first place.

We say “give God the glory.” It’s a biblical phrase. A common expression, doesn’t mean we add to God’s glory, but simply means to give him praise. We don’t make him more glorious than he already is.

Giving God glory has a necessary aspect of humility. In Acts 12, Herod dies because he did not give God the glory. Tried to claim for himself, consumed by worms.

The opposite is what it means to give God the glory, to fear and adore, to praise with our hearts, minds, lips. That is how Jesus manifested the glory of God in his flesh.

This glory is behind the impeccability of Christ, that he couldn’t sin. There was no evil motive, no wrong desire, no claim the devil could make against him.

In our fallen state we are devoid of grace and truth, dependent on God and Spirit to supply.

There are many differences between the OT and the NT depiction of God’s glory. In the OT, it is visible, bright, sparkly. In the OT we have the peculiar radiance of a cloud, the glow of Moses’ faces, the flashes in Ezekiel’s vision. The stress is on the visible radiance. When you think of OT glory you think of the physical luminescence, the same as in the NT, spoken of as light.

The stress here, though, is not any longer on the brilliance of physical light but on spiritual light.

On the mount of transfiguration, Jesus pulled back the veil. Matthew 17:2 tells us, “his face shown like sun.” When John says we have seen his glory, he is likely referencing the transfiguration.

This is an affirmation of the deity of Christ. The King’s son is always treated with the same respect as the King, has the same status. Jesus spoke of God as his own Father. An important part of theology, Jesus’ Glory is of the only begotten of the father. He’s not created or conceived. Eternally begotten, one of a kind son. The glory of Christ is the glory of God. He is saying, in John 14:9, “if you have seen me seen the father.”

Significant that what John describes is not the physical glow, but the moral dimension.

Full of grace and truth.

II. Grace

Hesitate to break up this pair of words, because they always go together. Truth is reality as seen from Gods perspective. John MacArthur defines truth as “that which is consistent with the mind and will of God.”

We think of truth as hard and unyielding, but grace as soft, but they are linked together.

Grace itself is an expression of God’s character, so it cannot be divorced from truth.

We treat them as competing values, but they are linked. There is a human tendency to split the two ideas as if they are incompatible. Defining characteristic of postmodernism is to split grace from truth. Some write of grace as having precedence over truth. People have lost their grip on a biblical definition of grace. Grace is not automatic or universal.

In Titus 2:12, grace teaches us that we should renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.

In 2:14, to purify for himself a people for his own possession.

Grace doesn’t mean always being nice and friendly to the enemies of truth. Jesus wasn’t always mild, but he was always full of grace. His words were liberating, even for his enemies.

In all of John’s gospel, only four occurrences of the word, and they are all in this pericope. Outside of these verses, John doesn’t use grace anywhere else. Truth, however, is everywhere in this Gospel and in John’s epistles. But grace is seen all through. Blind see, lame healed. You see it demonstrated throughout.

III. Truth

We beheld his glory.

One of the most appealing features of Jesus’ glory, is that his grace never interferes with the truth. John is implicitly saying using the word “logos” that Jesus is truth incarnate. Also Jesus was a proclaimer, and expositor of the truth.

The last words of Jesus in John 18, “I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.” Grace and truth defined his earthly mission.

Those who lack a passion for truth cannot claim a passion for God’s glory.

Notice those same twin concepts appear in John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (ESV) Not saying the mosaic covenant devoid of grace and truth, not saying nullified the moral principles. If anyone is saved they are saved by grace through faith. Faith by definition lays hold of the truth. The purpose was to leave sinners no hope except in grace.

The most prominent feature of the OT was law. Given for a good purpose, but grace and truth are not the dominant features.

By contrast, grace and truth are the whole substance of the new covenant.

The old covenant filled with types and figures, the new with grace and truth.

Jesus paid the price of sin.

God is glorified by making you and me joint heirs in Christ.

God has expressed his glory in Christ in a way that cleanses us from all sin.

The glory of God in Jesus should make us enthralled. If not, we need a new heart.

Semi-Live Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference Session 3

2010-09-13T22:05:00.001-04:00

Monday morning, September 13, 2010

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

Thabiti Anyabwile

Living the God Centered Life isn’t as simple as it sounds as we set out to do it.

Prayer, evangelism difficult; it also might be the case that when it comes to our own sanctification that we can shift from being God centered to being man centered. We can begin to think that our sanctification depends upon our performance.

Consider Hebrews Chapter 7, Jesus our great high priest. Why he is a superior priest to all other priests? This was written with a pastoral concern for believers who were tempted to turn back to following the law.

In Hebrews 1-7, the author is making his case, demonstrating that Jesus is better. Greater than angels, Moses, a better Sabbath rest. In Chapter 4:14 the writer introduces the idea that Jesus is a better priest. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-15, NIV)

Then in Chapter 5:5 we’re introduced to a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Just the name of Melchizedek makes me humble.

In 4:14 the believers are experiencing a crisis of confidence. Then in Chapter 6 he digresses about apostasy. Then in Chapter 7 he confronts questions about Jesus being a better priest. Namely, how can Jesus be our great high priest when he’s not descended from Levi? Why do we even need a better high priest when the law doesn’t mention one?

Why does this matter for us?

I. How can Jesus be our great high priest when he’s not descended from Levi?

Hebrews 7:1-10

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, ² and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." ³ Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.^7:4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! ⁵ Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. ⁹ One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor. (NIV)

This is an argument about how Jesus can be the high priest. The key principle is found in verses 6-7. In biblical times, the blessing was always passed from the greater to the lesser. The picture given of a shadowy figure Melchizedek.

In verse 3 you might think the Son of God resembles Melchizedek, but the truth is

not that the son of God resembles Melchizedek, but rather, Melchizedek resembles Christ. The author knows as in Luke 24, that all the Old Testament is about him. Melchizedek resembles Jesus in three ways. His name, his title, his genealogy.

1) His name means king of Righteousness, a King who is also righteous. As in Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (NIV)

2) Melchizedek’s title resembles the son of God—King of Salem, probably reference to Jerusalem. Priest of the Most High God.

3) By genealogy—without father or mother, beginning of days or end of life. Two ways to see this, a literal son of God or a Christophany. Both are problematic. The main idea is that Melchizedek has no genealogy. We have an example in Nehemiah, people had returned, had to demonstrate their descent from Levi. Jesus isn’t in the genealogy; he is excluded from the priesthood. But Melchizedek is a priest, and has no genealogy. He performs the function of priest, receiving tithes, giving blessing. Melchizedek even greater than Levites. Regular priests mortal, Melchizedek lives forever.

Reminds him of when young people interrupt, a mom would say “before you were even dreamed of” to put you in your place. Melchizedek is before the Levitical priesthood, Abraham pays tithes to.

OK, you admit he’s a priest, but how do you get from Melchizedek to Jesus being a better priest?

Hebrews 7:11-28: “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever.' “Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. (NIV)

How can Jesus’ priesthood be better?

Three contrasts: the potential, the power, and the pronouncement.

1) The potential.

v. 11 why was there need for another? If it was perfection you were looking for, why would you need another?

Compare this to the power of Jesus in verses 26-28: Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Here is a high priest who is perfect in every way. He was yet without sin. Here is a high priest who is not weak. He is for us, he supplies our need, gives us everything we need to stand before God.

This is why living a God centered life depends on looking at Jesus, to his continual intercession on our behalf. Easy to say, “OK Christ you have died for me, but now I’m going to serve as my own priest.” Offer our tithes, our quiet times, our prayers, thinking they will make God like us.

If we turn inward on ourselves we feel condemnation; if we have a good week, then pride sneaks up. We lay down at night and say, “Jesus, you are pleased on me.” We fall off the side of condemnation on one side, and pride on the other. The only way is complete dependence on the work of Christ.

Because of his grace and his mercy it is in Christ that we stand. Here is a high priest who is perfect in every way.

How do we please God? It is by presenting ourselves through Christ, realizing we no longer live but Christ. Constantly remembering this great high priesthood.

We dare not come in our own perfections. In Matthew 5, he says, “be perfect”; who can do that? Hebrews 12 without holiness no one can see God. How can we do that? The Good News is in Chapter 10: he has perfected for all time those who are in him. Abandon every other high priest and look to Christ.

2) The power.

The Levitical priesthood was powered by the law. Like putting kerosene in a rocket and trying to get to the moon. Tells the story when his son Titus was born. He was so happy that he had a boy. Went to a gas station, so excited, noticed something funny about the nozzle but kept putting in the fuel. When he left the station, noticed the car sounded funny. Then it stopped running all together. Then he realized what had happened. He had put diesel in the tank. His car wasn’t meant to run on diesel. Our lives are not made for running on inferior fuel. The law is like diesel in a minivan.

The Levites were depending on being born into the office. The word tells us the law was set aside. Paul tells us the law has no power in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Our lives read like Romans 7. Verses 12-17 tell us there has been a shift. Verse 14 tells us our Lord comes from a different place. Jesus assumes the office by the power of an indestructible life, vs. 16. So much glory and truth wrapped up in this phrase, “an indestructible life.”

Verses 23-24, give the implication, Jesus has a permanent priesthood.

John 1:4, “In him was light, and that life was the light of men.” (NIV)

John 5: 26, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.”

John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

1 John 5:11, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

Life is found only in Jesus, only in Christ.

If you are here and want to live, you must hear, be born again. Your life is ruined by sin. Implore you to save your self by turning to Christ. Christ dies in our place, he offers to you that same power to be at work in you. Turn from sin and trust in Jesus, rely upon him and him alone. He will give you life.

One last contrast:

3) The pronouncements made about this priesthood.

It is perfect, it comes with a better guarantee. God speaking himself in verses 20-22: “And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.' “Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.”

The author talks about a priesthood that opens a way to God, and says it is by an oath. God said, “The Lord has sworn.” Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee. As for the Levites, no one vouched, no one cosigned. Bu Jesus was sworn for by no less than God himself. You see this at his baptism, when he says, “This is my beloved son.” We hear that God will not change his mind. No election every year, he is king forever.

To have this priest is to have the only one you will ever need, God will not change his mind.

God never spoke an oath about the Levites. Remember Nadab and Abihu? Remember the sons of Eli; did not God put them to death?

This priest (Jesus) was put to death not because of what he had done, but his death is an atonement in payment for our debt. He rose because he offered himself in the power of an indestructible life.

III. We should consider how this matters for us.

Four things that have meaning for us every day.

1) Because Jesus is our great high priest, v.11, we have a better sacrifice, better than any we can make. The mercy of God comes to us in Christ. Any sacrifice we make must be grace motivated. We have a better sacrifice.

2) We possess a better hope and have better worship. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that we have a better way, nearness to God. Nearness to God is driven, fueled by, recognition of what Jesus has done for us. As we lean into the reality of what he has done, we grow nearer to God. The gospel brings us nearer to God. Better worship, a better hope. Don’t have to stand off at a distance. Enter into the holy of holies, that we might stand close, draw near and look into his face.

3) Because Jesus has come we are sure of a better relationship with God. We have a binding covenant with God. Now Jesus stands as the co-signer, we stand with the beloved.

Here is the ground of confidence.

Says that he loves the analogy he heard last week; gives credit to Matt Chandler: Babies born with big heads, first months of life can’t do much, first balancing on legs, then soon the head goes out of control, parents think he’s walking. When this happens, never seen a parent complain, rather they say, “He’s walking!” Get the camera, throw a party. As Christians we stumble and fall, and the devil says we’re idiots, but God says, “He’s my son.

This one’s mine, look at him learn to walk. Get the camera. This is going to be for my glory.”

4) Because we have a better intercessor, because Jesus has a permanent priesthood, he lives always to intercede. He doesn’t die, all others die. He lives to plead for us. We have an advocate. When we are fighting sin, blood better than Able pleads our cause. Christ pleads for us. Are we joyless, depressed, our strength exhausted? Who intercedes? Jesus, who always lives to make intercession.

The god centered life is a life that turns to Jesus. He is our sacrifice who opens the way.

Live the God centered life by meditating on the fact that Jesus is our great high priest.

Semi-Live Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference Session 2

2010-09-13T22:01:00.001-04:00

September 14, 2010

Kevin O’brien, Pastor, Ocean City Baptist Church

Living the God Centered Life

Began to think of an area where we leave God out. When a pastor applies his message, you often hear him say, don’t just live this on Sunday but throughout the week. Realized we need to keep God not only in the secular, but also in the religious part of our life.

Walking into some worship services these days you may not always see God in them. The same with our prayer lives—often me centered. We are often consumed with our desires instead of Gods desires.

Throughout history there are those who have not been doing God’s business God’s way. The Pharisees—Jesus said woe to them. They did all the right things for all the wrong reasons. Fasted so people would see, praise them. Did God centered things in man centered ways. We do the same, leave God out. We go to worship, but sing praise songs, only going through the motions. We give because of people seeing us do so.

Another of these religious activities that is prone to this, but often man centered is Evangelism.

Sadly we see these days God marginalized in sharing the gospel. Often we minimize the impact of God in the message of the gospel. Many of the approaches leave out God’s wrath, Jesus’ lordship. We put man at the center of the message—you must be special for God to send his son.

Also, there is a therapeutic method—the best life you can have, become all you were meant to be. Find your purpose in life. What’s at the heart of a message like that?

Evangelism is a personal thing, why do it at all? You would think people would stop rather than do it wrong.

What makes it so tempting to take God out, is the cross at the center. It’s intimidating.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (ESV)

The gospel is folly to man. It’s not what people want to hear. So we change the message just a little to make it palatable. Yes I evangelize, and at the same time I can save face. If we adjust it just a little, we’re giving the gospel and pleasing the world. We think they need the practical results of the gospel so it will make sense and then they will come to Christ. This comes from the fear of man. It’s huge in evangelism.

If you are like most people, the fear of man is always near in doing evangelism. We have a free country, can meet to talk about religious matters, but we fear what people will think of us. The last thing we want people to think is we’re a religious nut.

This morning I want to give us ammunition to fear God more than man.

Look to the apostle Peter to learn to put God in the center of every evangelistic opportunity.

Matthew 26:69-75: “Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. (ESV)

Peter had an opportunity to share his testimony, to say “I’ve seen the miracles”, yet before a couple of servant girls, denies Christ. Why would one of Jesus closest disciples deny Christ?

Away from the other disciples, Peter was alone, in fear of them discovering his true self. Perhaps afraid of what they would do to him, scourge, mock, put on trial. Interesting the way he contrasts the boldness of Jesus with the cowardice of Peter.

Jesus remains silent. Jesus responds in a god fearing way, we respond in a man centered way. We hear a message about the gospel, get an adrenaline rush, go into our week, but then an opportunity comes and then we go into evangelistic meltdown.

Thankfully there is grace, second chances.

We see this with Peter after the resurrection. “Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep.”

We may be weak and cowardly, but in Jesus there is unremitting grace.

The next time we see Peter, Acts 2:12-16: “And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel… (ESV)

Then he goes on, takes advantage of the second chance God has given him, boldly and in an uncompromising way. Look at verse 22-23, “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.” (ESV)

Here is boldness, a man who has learned from his mistakes.

Here are men who could stone him, mock him, put him on trial, but Peter preaches with boldness. What is the result? About 3000 souls added.

Do you believe that God can use you like this?

We often fear man not only because we fear, but also because we lack faith.

It would be nice to say this is where this ends—unfortunately, just like us, Peter goes back to his old ways.

In Acts 2 victory but in Galatians 2:11-14: “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (ESV)

What was the problem? All of sudden Peter is back in the courtyard. Here he is, confronted by men from Jerusalem. He backs down.

Again a question of justification—are we justified by men’s approval or by God?

We do the same, seek men’s approval.

Ever back down when people snicker or see a furrowed brow? When we fear man all it takes is a look to back down.

When asked, “Do you really believe creationism, Jonah swallowed by fish, believe the Bible literally true”? Questions like this enough to make us back down. We see men who look down on us, we back down.

The same happened to Peter in Galatians 2. Like Peter we are all too prone to back down to make the gospel palatable.

Peter does come around, though.

1Peter 3:13-15: “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…(ESV)

At this point Peter is able to see past fear of man. Peter had grown, now says, “Always be ready to give a defense.”

Maybe we think this means to have an answer ready, but perhaps Peter means to be courageous, to be ready to share boldly.

If we take the lessons from Peter’s life, we can learn to share the gospel today. Look at Peter in the courtyard, the heartache, the anguish, the backpedaling. Learn that the fear of man only brings tragic consequences. If we will put God in the middle of all things God can do great and amazing things. We need to have faith that God will give the increase.

Learn from Peter at Antioch as well, not to contextualize too much to avoid fear of men.

Stand up for the foolishness of Christ. We preach a stumbling block.

In spite of the past, God can use you from this day forward if you come in repentance and faith. Perhaps he will even use you one day like Peter.

May that be our goal, that young people would come along after us and say, “Wow there’s someone who is courageous.”

May we proclaim Christ in a God centered way.

Semi-Live Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference, Session 1

2010-09-12T22:08:00.001-04:00

Thabiti Anyabwile, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman Island

Greetings from Grand Cayman. Thabiti Anyabwile, loosely translated, actually means Kevin O’brien.

Remember tonight those who can’t freely meet to hear the Word of God

The theme for the conference is “Living the God Centered Life”. Question: what else should our life center on if not God? God is supreme in all things but easy for the world to encroach, easy for our eyes to wander to lesser things. Even ministry can compete, as can family, vacations, can intrude upon the place God alone should hold. We need to learn to resist that which clamors for our attention.

Meditate over three talks in the book of Hebrews. Would like to consider Chapter 1 tonight, then Chapter 7 & 8 following nights.

Hebrews 1:1-2:4, “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. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. 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. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God's angels worship him.” Of the angels he says,“He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 1:1-2:4 ESV)

Three points on which to hang our thoughts tonight:

I. God speaks. II. The Son is God. III. There is no salvation without the Son.

I. God Speaks

Hebrews 1:1,2, “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.” (ESV)

God is the first speaking being in all creation. When God first spoke there was nothing and it became something. Considering the awesomeness of his word and that we speak, how profound it is that we do this thing called talking. We are but a dim reflection of God with this capacity to speak to us and him. How important is every word God speaks. Thinks this is why the book James tells us about the importance of our words. Words are important. Perhaps this is why Jesus says we will be judged by every idle word.

Heb. 1: 2, “…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…” (ESV)

Something here of what we call progressive revelation. Progressively revealing more of himself in various ways. In the past, sometimes speaking through prophets, dreams, but in these last days God speaks to us through his Son, the final and climatic word, the last word on who He is and what is required of us. If we would hear God speak we must hear Jesus.

John 1:1 and 1:14 tell us of the incarnate word of God, the last days, final climatic revelation of who God is. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (ESV)

With Jesus we are not left to wonder. Recognizing where and in whom God speaks is the foundation and beginning of living a God centered life.

Not everyone understands this. A comment left on his blog not long ago demonstrates listening to God in all the wrong places. This person said he studied every world religion, and now doesn’t believe the Bible, because it is man’s words made up by his own free will. Person went on to say he can’t imagine any father who would forsake his own son. Thinks pagan religions have some merit. Has now started his own belief in a very spiritual, more loving God. Oddly, he doesn’t see a problem using his own free will to create a belief.

Whenever someone rejects the Bible they always end up worshipping a God of their own making.

Thabiti wonders aloud if there is anyone here tonight who has similar leanings. Perhaps you would prefer a softer, gentler, tailored God. How would you explain the creation of the universe? How man was created, given ability to speak in sometimes hurtful ways? Where does sin come from? Where does guilt come from? Why would you call anything wrong?

Christians are often mocked, maligned for believing an ancient book. What if we are right, if in fact in this book God is speaking, and in his son in these last days? Do you really want to think that you have a better idea? Thabiti notes that every time he tries to make something up it fails.

God speaks in the Bible, and speaks clearly and reliably through the Son.

II. The Son is God

Heb 1:2-3, “…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. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (ESV)

These two verses are simply amazing, they are so full.

Used to work at a non-profit in N.C. training disabled people to work in society. Was trying to help a man named Dexter, born mentally retarded. Dexter was so enthusiastic, his favorite word was Wow. But he was hard to employ, couldn’t keep a job and doesn’t interview well. After getting and losing many jobs, went with him on one last interview. He bombed. Went walking with Dexter trying to figure out what to do next. Dexter is constantly saying Wow at everything. After a while points to the ground and says “wow, did you see that?” Consumed in his thoughts, Thabiti says yes. Then noticed that all of a sudden Dexter got real quiet, looking puzzled. Thabiti turned around asked what was the matter. Dexter said, “If you saw that, why did you step in it?”

Notice what the word says about his Son, four things. Consider the person of the Son.

1) The Son is appointed heir of all things. The son has inherited all that is, and all that is, Christ declares, “Mine”, as Kuyper puts it.

2) In addition, he is the one who creates all things.

3) Look at Jesus, he is the radiance of God’s glory. Remember Moses beseeching God to see his glory. Remember Isaiah seeing God in heaven, the temple filled with glory. In the Old Testament, the highest blessedness is to look upon the face of God, the worst curse to have God turn his face away. Jesus is the reflection the Shekinah Glory. Remember when God departed, the glory departed, Ichabod?

4) He is the exact representation. Wonders if his blog commenter’s religion is the exact representation of God’s being? How do you exactly represent the essence of God? God did it by sending his Son. The God Man reveals his glory, the exact representation. In Philippians 2:6, “…who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped…” (ESV)

Col 1:15-19, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” (ESV)

Jesus is the only container that can hold the fullness of the godhead.

Have you every met anyone who created all things, radiated God’s glory, was the heir of all things, and was the exact representation of God? This is the person we would watch if we would live a God centered life.

Look what he goes on to say, three things that you can take away from this.

1) Jesus sustains all things by his powerful word. The universe hangs not by a thread, but by a word. Remember when your world is falling apart you are not hanging by a thread, you are held together by God’s powerful word.

2) Look what has done for us. He provided purification for sins. The reason men make their own God is because they don’t believe in the depth of their sin. When they invent gods they don’t have a problem with our sin. Sin is our problem. Sin blocks us from seeing the righteousness, the goodness of God. This is good news: God himself has purified us, his Son, the word, has come with a message, our sin is cleansed.

Not long ago was reading The Kite Runner. In it, the main character’s friend is abused, and he never deals with the abuse and never confronts the abuser, and as a result his conscience is troubled. One day he gets a phone call from the other side of the world: there’s a way to be clean again.

Jesus has come to us with a word—there is a way to be clean again. There is a fountain filled with blood, we sing. The sinless son of God has lived his perfect sinless life to satisfy the claims of God. Through faith we are united with God. When the father looks upon those who are in Christ he see their sins cleansed. Gods grace in Christ has freed us from our sins. There is a way to be clean again.

Tonight if you have never turned from your sin, to say “I believe you are the son of God, say I trust you I renounce you as my own”, if you have never done that, do it tonight. His wrath is infinite, flee from it and turn to him. Every promise is yes and amen in Christ. Call upon the name of the Lord. Talk to the person you came with tonight to help you find that life which is eternal. Talk to someone here. The son has come.

3) When he was finished and nothing else needed to be done, so he sat down. Do we know what riches we possess in him? How can you be declared righteous in him? By trusting in him, in what he has done, so that all that he is covers all who we are.

III. There is no salvation without Jesus.

Hebrews 1:4 and following, the author does this thing with name above angels. What is the meaning of this?

In Acts 7:53, Stephen describes his accusers as those who received law put into effect by angels. Even today some believe there are greater messengers, Islam, Jehovah’s Witness, Adventists. The argument in Hebrews is the angels cannot hold a candle to Jesus. The son is the Son, exalted to a higher position. The Son must be worshipped and served by the angels. How you considered how striking it is that God should command someone be worshipped?

Hebrews 1:8-9, The son will remain, sits at the father’s right hand. The son will be exalted.

This is why the writer of Hebrews gives one application: Chapter 2:1, “we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (ESV)

Failing to give careful attention to the son and all he provides risks losing all.

The Gospel needs to be preached daily. We don’t just begin with the gospel, we never move beyond the cross and the tomb…it is the center. Everything God has done is through Christ, so they will remain in this message and not depart.

Consider the great question in 2:3, if every transgression is punished, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? That phrase, such a great salvation, don’t know why but when he thinks of it he hears Johnny Carson. Remember he would say, “That was so great” and then he would ask, “How great was it?”

How great is this salvation?

It’s so great it takes ruined sinners and turns them into children of God.
It’s so great that all our sins past and future are nailed to the cross.
It’s so great it’s unending.
It’s so great it takes spiritual orphans and reconciles them, adopts them into God’s household.
It’s so great, while we were yet sinners, we were reconciled.
It’s so great it simultaneously justifies and sanctifies.
It’s so great it allows us to behold the face of God, Psalm 17:15.
It’s so great we are just pilgrims in this world headed to a world where there is no more death, where he will wipe away every tear.

How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?

Hebrews 12:25 gives a final warning—if they did not escape, how will we?

First part, see to it you do not refuse him who speaks. There is one tonight who speaks, who is faithful when we are faithless.

We remain centered in his love when we focus on Jesus.

Four things to take home tonight:

1) Dig, dig, dig into his word.

2) Study with others. What should we speak with others? His word, the encouragement that comes from the gospel.

3) Attend the public preaching of his word. What a privilege to meet in the middle of the week to hear God’s word proclaimed.

4) Take the word to others. Hebrews calls us to go outside the camp where others are, knowing him and making him known, that others might know the joy of his great salvation.

Live a life centered on his word in Jesus Christ.

Live Blogging the Ocean City Bible Conference; Pre-conference

2010-09-12T15:09:00.001-04:00

Sunday morning, September 12, 2010 at Ocean City Baptist Church, Ocean City, NJ.

(Disclaimer: These notes are an attempt to capture the main points of the speaker; mistakes are inevitable and I’m certain not every word and phrase was captured exactly.)

Speaker: Vernon Allen, Pastor of the Buff Bay Circuit of Independent Baptist Churches.

Text: Psalm 84:1-2, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

Three headings: A False and Unnatural and Cry; A Vague and Perverted Cry; and A True and Earnest Cry

I. A False and Unnatural Cry

People are now bold to decry their need for God. Because they are advanced in knowledge, don’t think they need God—yet cannot explain one star. Have arrived and don’t need a crutch.

Only foolish men would say such. Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” The fact that we can say there is no God is an affront because it is said with borrowed breath.

God has given us a sense of the divine. The soul instinctively cries out to God.

Example: A follower of Rasta, who does not believe in the God of the Bible, was trapped by an earthquake. He cried out to God to have mercy, saying, “I will go to church!”

To say there is no God is a false and unnatural cry.

Yesterday was September 11, and all of a sudden the scorn of the media changed and were willing to cover prayer services uninterrupted. In times of crisis we turn to God. God is the only one who can help.

II. A Vague and Perverted Cry

OK to talk about God, but not the Biblical God. They want to create God in their own image. To them, God is in everything, ocean and animals.

The true God is separate, transcendent, apart. Involved, but one and the same as creation.

There is a way that seems right to a man….but Jesus says the way is narrow. He is the One God, not who we make him to be.

God is still God in uncertain times.

Example: Jamaica feeling tough times. They have a saying, “when America sneezes, Jamaica catches a cold.” Will we not accept bad times as well as good? God is not like us—does not put up with sin, pours out wrath on his own Son.

Be careful when we make God in our own image. Important to know the only true God.

Some who want God without Jesus—want to go to heaven without Jesus.

Romans 1:18 and following: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them.”

III. A True and Earnest Cry

Psalm 84:2, “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

We can compare this with Psalm 42, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” His soul longs most intensely—pines, yearns, longs, for God.

Genesis 31:30, “And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?” Jacob yearns for his father’s house, uses the same word in Hebrew translated “longeth” in Psalm 84.

Psalm 17:2, “Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.” The word “greedy” there used of the lion for his prey is also the same Hebrew word translated “longeth” in Psalm 84. The Psalmist is greedy for God, has an internal hunger.

Do we pant after God like that? Is it a cry of our deepest consciousness?

Be careful that we are not just mouthing external words in our worship. King David had animals and wealth to give, but says God desires sacrifice of the heart.

A preacher needs to examine own heart, remind self of this.

How do you come before God? Not just with lips, but with a contrite heart. Like a child who is hungry and wants to be fed. We must cry to God until we are satisfied. A holy love-sickness.

Israel was hard-hearted, wanted to go back to Egypt. The object of this love is the living God. This long for God is the greatest longing we can have.

What does your soul long for? Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.

Philippians 3:4-11, “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

No one can take Christ from you.

What do we long for? Who do we long for?

If you are here and not saved, weep for Him. Ask Him to put this desire in your heart. Oh that you might know him—this God who delights in sinners to come to him, so we can become who we ought to be.

May the world see our great desire for him.

Ocean City Bible Conference; September 12-15

2010-09-10T22:44:00.002-04:00

Months ago when I began planning for a September vacation, I started nosing around the internets for news of one of my favorite pastimes: conferences featuring great Bible teaching. At the blog of a personal favorite pastor/speaker/author, Thabiti Anyabwile, I learned about a conference I had never before heard about, The Ocean City Bible Conference.

Turns out the reason I’d never heard of it is because last year was the first year. Anyway, their speaker line-up was a perfect fit for my tastes: Thabiti, Phil Johnson of Pyromaniac fame, Paul Tripp, whose books on Christian growth are some of my favorites, and Fred Zaspel, who’s writing on New Covenant Theology I greatly appreciated.

As soon as I could clear my schedule I signed up. If providence permits, I’ll try to blog a bit about the content. Meanwhile, below is the schedule and below that some biographical info. partly lifted from the conference site and augmented by some of my first hand experience of these men.

Schedule

Pre-Conference Vernon Allen
Session 1 – Thabiti Anyabwile
Session 2 – Kevin O’Brien
Session 3 – Thabiti Anyabwile
Session 4 – Phil Johnson (open to the public)
Session 5 – Thabiti Anyabwile
Session 6 – Breakout Seminars
Session 7 – Paul Tripp (open to the public)
Session 8 – Fred Zaspel
Session 9 – Phil Johnson

Speaker Bios

Thabiti Anyabwile: Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. I first heard him speak at the 2008 Together For The Gospel and was deeply appreciative of his presentation, Bearing the Image: Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church. (This talk explored a concept I’d never before heard, and yet the truth of it. I call this effect Déjà New.) Thabiti previously served as an Assistant Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. and is the author of several books, including The Faithful Preacher, The Decline of African-American Theology, What Is a Healthy Church Member?, and The Gospel for Muslims. Having spoken briefly with Thabiti a couple of times, I gleaned this deep insider info: he is quite tall, and affectionately calls his sweet wife, Shorty, though Kristie is quite normal in height when compared to most anyone else.

Phil Johnson: Not sure whether Phil is more well known as the Executive Director of Grace to You, (John MacArthur’s radio ministry), editor of MacArthur’s books, or as proprietor of Pyromaniacs. Years ago I first learned about Phil from his world class compendium of links to matters theological, Phil Johnson’s Bookmarks. Phil also maintains the premier internet collection of all things Spurgeon, The Spurgeon Archive. He used to maintain a web page describing peculiar foods he enjoys, but I can’t find a link. On top of all that he’s a trustee of the U.K.-based D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust. Phil and his wife, Darlene, have three sons, one of which has written the funniest single blog post I’ve ever read.

Paul Tripp: President of Paul Tripp Ministries, he is on the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Professor of Pastoral Life and Care at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas, as well as the Executive Director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Care in Fort Worth, Texas. He has written eleven books on Christian living including Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, How People Change, War of Words, and Age of Opportunity. He and his wife, Luella, have four grown children. I’ve used his book A Quest for More in two men’s groups so far, and it’s great, thought provoking material. Age Of Opportunity ought to be required reading for parents of adolescents.

Fred Zaspel: Pastor at Reformed Baptist Church in Franconia, PA and an instructor in Bible and theology at To Every Tribe Ministries in Brownsville, TX. A second-generation pastor, he is a graduate of Bob Jones University and Biblical Theological Seminary and has a Ph.D. from The Free University of Amsterdam. He is the author of numerous articles and booklets and is the author of a new work on B.B. Warfield, which is due to be released in September. Fred and his wife, Kim, have two children. As I mentioned above, I mostly know about Fred from his writing on New Covenant Theology.

Kevin O'Brien: Senior Pastor of the host church, Ocean City Baptist, where he has served since 2002. He is a graduate of Word of Life Bible Institute, Baptist Bible College (Penn.), and The Master's Seminary. Kevin and his wife, Beth, have two children. I don’t know much about Kevin, other than the fact he attended TMS with my good friend, Alex Crain, whom he asked to lead the worship singing at the conference.

Vernon Allen: Pastor of the Buff Bay Circuit of Independent Baptist Churches, a group of six churches in Portland, Jamaica. He has ministered there since graduating from Toronto Baptist Seminary in 1982. He also currently serves as the Vice-President of the Jamaica Fellowship of Independent Baptist Churches. Vernon and his wife, Cindy, have two sons. Vernon will be preaching Sunday morning at Ocean City Bible Church before the conference formally starts.

Lord willing, I’ll post some thoughts from these folks over the next few days.

The Mystery of Mystery

2010-07-02T18:42:00.001-04:00

For about as long as I can remember studying the Bible, I have heard it taught that the word “mystery” in the New Testament means “something hidden, now revealed”. Lately I’ve had reason to question that definition in light of Paul’s statement about marriage in Ephesians 5:32, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” (ESV) To be sure, some things are easily understood the moment one considers that a link exists between marriage and Christ’s relationship with the church; however, it is not hard to imagine that there are unfathomable depths to explore as well.

So along comes ubiquitous theological nugget-finder Justin Taylor with a helpful post quoting Graham Cole in his book He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, in which he quotes E.L. Mascall writing in Words and Images: A Study in Theological Discourse:

“In the first place, on being confronted with a mystery we are conscious that the small central area of which we have a relatively clear vision shades off into a vast background which is obscure and as yet unpenetrated.

Secondly, we find, as we attempt to penetrate this background . . . that the range and clarity of our vision progressively increase but at the same time the background which is obscure and unpenetrated is seen to be far greater than we had recognized before. . . . .

The third feature of a mystery . . . is the fact that a mystery, while it remains obscure in itself, has a remarkable capacity of illuminating other things.”

As a bonus, he throws in some thoughts from John Piper regarding limits (actually the lack thereof) to pondering a mystery.

I found the entire article especially helpful in thinking about the whole concept of mystery. You can read it all here.

Terrific Practical Assistance

2010-06-05T16:46:00.002-04:00

I love the saying I first learned from Tim Keller that the Gospel is not just the “ABC’s” of the Christian life, but the “A to Z” of the Christian life. In other words, the good news of Christ’s life, death and resurrection not only works to save me, but also to keep me saved, make my life pleasing to God and enables me to worship and serve Him.

A good question, though, is how does it do this in everyday life? If you’ve ever wondered about this, Elyse Fitzpatrick has crafted an outstanding essay describing the process. Here’s the final paragraph:

“It is the whole message of the gospel that has the power to transform impatient, guilty, selfish, despairing idolaters into free and joyful worshippers of the Living God. The whole message of the gospel includes His incarnation, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, reign and return. Seeing Jesus and His glorious work is the only power strong enough to transforms us from “one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18) or as John Owen wrote, “Here in this life, beholding the glory of the Lord [true believers] are changed into his likeness. Hereafter they will be like Him for they will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).”

Do yourself a huge favor and read the whole thing.

Thanks to Tullian Tchividjian for publicizing her article.

Three ways to live

2010-05-25T20:46:00.001-04:00

Just in case someone stumbles here by providence, I thought it might be a good idea to post something edifying lest said stumbler worry that the proprietor here has deserted the place.

A few weeks ago the preternaturally productive Justin Taylor posted an essay by C.S. Lewis which I had never before seen. I commend it to you as well worth reading. Lewis has one of his trademark insights about human nature that makes you feel bad because it describes some failing of yours to a “t”, but leaves you with hope because he also describes the remedy.

“There are three kinds of people in the world.

The first class is of those who live simply for their own sake and pleasure, regarding Man and Nature as so much raw material to be cut up into whatever shape may serve them.

In the second class are those who acknowledge some other claim upon them—the will of God, the categorical imperative, or the good of society—and honestly try to pursue their own interests no further than this claim will allow. They try to surrender to the higher claim as much as it demands, like men paying a tax, but hope, like other taxpayers, that what is left over will be enough for them to live on. Their life is divided, like a soldier’s or a schoolboy’s life, into time “on parade” and “off parade,” “in school” and “out of school.”

But the third class is of those who can say like St Paul that for them “to live is Christ.” These people have got rid of the tiresome business of adjusting the rival claims of Self and God by the simple expedient of rejecting the claims of Self altogether. The old egoistic will has been turned round, reconditioned, and made into a new thing. The will of Christ no longer limits theirs; it is theirs. All their time, in belonging to Him, belongs also to them, for they are His.”

You can read the rest here.

At Once Simple, True and Beautiful

2010-05-01T20:55:00.001-04:00

John Bunyan:

"Run, John, run
The law commands
But gives neither feet nor hands
Better news the gospel brings
It bids us fly and gives us wings."

Thanks, Jared Wilson, for finding and posting this gem. Made my day.

Together For The Gospel 2010

2010-04-19T13:10:00.001-04:00

Ask anyone who attended last weeks gathering in Louisville, and one of the first things you’ll hear is wonder at the sheer quantity of books given to each participant. One reasonable guess I heard was that nearly $2 million dollars worth of books were given away. Those who attended the Band of Bloggers pre-session received another 12 books, so I returned with a total of 33 free books. I’m amazed that you can go to a conference where you are given gifts worth more than the conference fee.

Thanks to Justin Taylor, here is a nicely formatted list of he books from T4G with links to where they can be purchased:

R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God
Michael Reeves, The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation
Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence, It Is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement
Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift that Changes Everything
The ESV Study Bible
Thabiti Anyabwile, The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence
Greg Gilbert, What Is the Gospel?
John MacArthur, The Jesus You Can’t Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ
Joshua Harris, Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters
John Piper, Finally Alive
Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeney, Jonathan Edwards on Beauty
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Plight of Man and the Power of God
Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeney, The Essential Jonathan Edwards Collection
Christopher Ash, The Priority of Preaching
Albert Mohler, He Is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World
Ligon Duncan, Fear Not! Death and the Afterlife from a Christian Perspective
T4G, Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology
D.A. Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus
J.I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God
Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline
J. Mack Stiles, Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living and Speaking the Gospel

And here is the list from Band of Bloggers:

1. Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals by Trevin Wax

2. Your Jesus Is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior by Jared Wilson

3. Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims by Daniel Hyde

4. When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus’ Vision for Authentic Christian Community by Joseph Hellerman

5. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt

6. Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience by M. David Sills

7. The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism by Kevin DeYoung

8. Entrusted with the Gospel: Paul’s Theology in the Pastoral Epistles edited by Andreas Köstenberger

9. Abide Practicing Kingdom Rhythms in a Consumer Culture (DVD + Book) by Jared Wilson

10. “A Habitual Sight of Him”: The Christ-centered Piety of Thomas Goodwin by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones

11. Stray Recollections, Short Articles and Public Orations of James P. Boyce by Thomas Nettles

12. A Call to Prayer by J.C. Ryle

You know you want to be there for T4G 2012.

Perilous Addiction

2010-03-13T15:39:00.001-05:00

My close friend, Bob Withers, writing at his new blog, Mind on Fire, has an insightful and convicting post that describes a serious obsession affecting many (most? all?) Christians living in the 21^st century developed world: Electronic Cocaine.

This drug is taken not by mouth or injection, but through the ears and eyes. Bob’s article begins,

“An article on msnbc.com titled, Blunt the Email Interruption Assault, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35689822/ns/business-small_business/, reminds me of a Saturday morning men’s Bible study in my church years ago. As we were discussing the challenge of mediating on Scripture and responding to God’s Word in obedience in a society with increasingly shortened attention spans, Kenny Brelsford said, “Pastor Bob, the way we live with all the noise and interruptions is like being on electronic cocaine.”

He goes on to note how the constant stimulus brought to us through our ever-present electronic devices competes against God himself for our attention:

“Short attention spans are incompatible with meditation on the Word of God, as they are incompatible with looking to the LORD our God. We cannot give God sustained attention if we are addicted to interruptions. We cannot give people humane attention if we are on electronic cocaine – we come to see people as just interruptions to be dispensed with so that we can move on to the next interruption – and of course we think nothing of interrupting others.”

The whole article is worth your consideration. If you are as convicted as I am you will read it and weep.

Breaking Blogger Design News

2010-03-12T23:07:00.001-05:00

I never have been thrilled with Blogger’s stock templates, but not having the time to master CSS and web design, I’ve stuck with it because it’s well, better than no blog at all.

Today, however, Blogger has made a number of new templates with easy customizations available. To experiment or implement a new design, simply go to Blogger in Draft, click on the “Layout Tab” and then “Template Designer” and you are ready to play around. You can see the changes as you make them. If you like what you see, click “Apply” and voila, you’ve got a new face for your blog.

The Dark Side of E-mail

2010-02-09T21:00:00.001-05:00

As the (tongue-in-cheek) “World’s Most Famous Christian Blogger”, Tim Challies doesn’t need any publicity from me, but an article he posted today demonstrates why reading him is so worthwhile. In his distinctive style of analyzing of both himself and the broader culture at the same time, Tim has some especially relevant thoughts on the power and effects of e-mail. He writes,

“I recently came to the realization that email owns me. A good technology that should be at my disposal has instead taken over and put me at its disposal. And if you’ve read Postman you’ll know that technology is very good at this. No sooner do we put a technology in our service than we find that it has so changed our lives that suddenly we have become enslaved to it.

When I find myself compulsively glancing at my screen every time I walk by, hoping to see an icon telling me I’ve got a new message, when I unthinkingly pull out my iPhone to check to see if I’ve got any new email, I realize I’ve got a problem. When I sit in meetings with email open, glancing as often to the screen as to the person speaking, I understand that something has gone wrong. Somehow I’ve given email more than it deserves. In my mind I’ve made it into something it is not and something it should never be. Email was never meant to be the first thing I look at in the morning or the last thing I look at before bed.

Hear me when I say that email is not a bad thing. It’s not a good thing either, really; it’s just a thing. I wouldn’t want to say that email is somehow innately destructive. It is an excellent medium for communication and one that serves many purposes very well. It is exceptionally efficient, at least when at its best, and gives us amazing levels of instantaneous access to one another. I wouldn’t want to cut it out of my life and certainly do not intend to.

But email is demanding, especially when given the reins. Recent scientific studies show that there may well be some kind of a correlation between the psychology of email and the psychology of slot machines. A variable interval schedule, as psychologists might know it, draws us back time and again, hoping for the occasional payout. Though most of the time there is no payout when checking email, just like there is usually all cost and no payout when playing slots, there is always the promise of something great. Occasionally we may win a jackpot and occasionally we may get a bit of very good news by email. But most of the time there is no payout at all. Yet our brains seem hard-wired to keep searching, to keep driving us back to the inbox, hoping against hope.”

If you’re one of those who can’t sit through a meeting without checking your in-box, you ought to read the rest here.

Rugged, but worthwhile reading

2010-02-06T21:17:00.001-05:00

Earlier this year, First Things, a Catholic publication founded by Richard John Neuhaus, began hosting a Protestant group blog, Evangel, featuring some of evangelical Christianity’s most influential writers. I’m almost always challenged and edified by the content there, though reading it can be pretty intense and time demanding. But I’m consistently the better for having read it.

On Friday, one of the regular contributors, Paul McCain, a Lutheran, posted this quote from Augustine:

“When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind. When your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate; but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune: shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten His presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him…A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: “Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”

St. Augustine; Sermons 63.1-3

What a great thought, to remember Christ’s presence within when tempted or tried.Or better yet, to not forget in the first place.

Great Conversations

2010-02-02T21:15:00.001-05:00

In his blog today, Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers offers a number of guidelines for great conversations. Read the whole thing, but here are some nuggets worth taking to heart:

Ask open-ended questions. As the hosts, Gail and I have a singular goal: we try to ask interesting questions. We try to make these questions open-ended, so that people must elaborate and give us some insight into them as a person. For example,

What is your idea of a perfect vacation?
If you could design your ideal job, what would it look like?
What is the best book you have read in the last 12 months and why?
What is the most important lesson you learned from your father?
When is your very favorite thing about your spouse?
If you were by yourself, and could listen to any music you want, what it be?
If you could spend a day with anyone on the planet, who would it be?
What it is like to be your friend? or to be married to you?
If you were suddenly the President of the U.S., what would you do first?
Looking back over your life, what would you describe as your proudest moment?

Ask a second question. The most interesting conversations come after the initial answer. It takes extraordinary discipline to refrain from answering your own question and, instead. answer a second question. Yet this is where the deepest conversations occur. I like to ask questions like these as follow-up questions:

How did it feel when that happened?
Can you elaborate on that?
Why do you think that is important to you?
Do you think you would have answered the same way five years ago?
What emotion do you feel when you describe that?

How to think about the healthcare debate?

2010-01-16T16:35:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I enjoyed a spirited discussion with three knowledgeable friends concerning the current debate over a national healthcare policy. Among other things, these friends pointed out the need for something to be done, and reflected on what a Christian obligation might be.

Shortly after this conversation took place, I listened to Ken Meyers, of Mars Hill Audio, interview Paul A. Rahe, author of Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and the Modern Prospect. While not specifically about the current healthcare legislation, the interview was one of the most helpful aids to framing the issue that I have yet come across. Rahe makes a number of observations that each bear heavily on how we ought to think about legislation such as is currently before congress.

He points out a number of realities that any form of government must deal with:

· What he calls the “tyrannical impulse”, that is, the tendency of those in authority to consolidate and increase their power.

· Challenges to governing presented by size and scale—the larger a territory and its population, the greater the number of decisions which must be made and actions undertaken.

· The necessity of morality on the part of the governed—he offers the hypothetical example of a nation composed entirely of substance abusers and asks if it is remotely possible that this group could successfully govern itself.

These three factors combine in numerous ways to complicate governance of any populous country with a large geographic area. In the interview Rahe frequently cites two of the authors mentioned in the subtitle of his book, Montesquieu and Tocqueville, who thought and wrote about these matters in the 18^th and 19^th centuries respectively. Perhaps the key insight relevant to the healthcare debate is this: when the executive branch consolidates for itself the power of the judicial and legislative functions (as is now the case with federal agencies) the effects of all other institutions are marginalized. When these other institutions are marginalized, what is lost are the sources of positive moral transformation. Thus proceeds a populace spiraling downward, less and less able to care for themselves, who then turn to government to solve their problems, while the head of the government utilizes the opportunity to become more powerful and entrenched in office.

In my opinion, this has already taken place to a considerable degree. An example in recent history is observable in national attempts to address poverty. As the federal government became the principal provider for the needs of the poor and needy, the influence of other institutions—such as the church—waned. Since the church is the institution foremost able to accomplish lasting moral transformation, a vicious cycle was initiated. The power and influence of centralized government grew through the votes of those seeking its care, while the morality of the voting public waned, which fostered irresponsibility, poverty and more need, causing more and more people to seek a government bailout from their troubles.

Nationalized healthcare appears to be the next logical step in this progression. It’s not impossible to envision a future when people check themselves into the hospital for the free room and board because they are too crippled morally to lift food from the plate into their mouths. (Proverbs 26:15)

The Mars Hill interview is long on diagnosis and short on prescription, but Rahe does point to one way forward—what Catholic thinkers term “subsidiarity”— what The Oxford English Dictionary defines as “the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.”

It makes sense to me that the closer a person or institution is to the problem or need, the better the chance that the need will be met properly and the likelihood diminished of power being unhealthily consolidated far from the point of need.

This hundred-year-plus trend towards centralized power in American governance has produced a state of affairs that cries out for the church to, as they say, “be the church”. No other entity has the capacity to respond as well on both the local and national levels, to effectively transform a people’s morality, and at the same time deliver the only known antidote for the tyrannical impulse—the self-denying, soul-satisfying Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Concluding a year with the Institutes

2009-12-29T19:46:00.001-05:00

I’m experiencing mixed feelings about coming to the end of a year of reading daily through Calvin’s Institutes. On one hand, it’s taken a lot of effort to avoid getting behind—some days required serious mental fortitude to get through. On the other had, it has been a marvelous learning experience, full of surprises and wonderfully edifying insights. Certainly, my appreciation for Calvin only increased as I read, due to his pastoral heart and his seemingly comprehensive grasp of the entire Bible’s contents. It never ceases to amaze me that such a work could be produced prior to the advent of computerized concordances and modern word processors.

Today’s reading, section 4.20.24-27, provides a great example. Contemplating the Christians duty to civil authority, he reasons from numerous scriptures that Christians are bound to obey even wicked magistrates, because their authority comes directly from God.

Here’s a sample of how he gets at this:

“When we hear that a king has been ordained by God, let us at once call to mind those heavenly edicts with regard to honoring and fearing a king; then we shall not hesitate to hold a most wicked tyrant in the place where the Lord has deigned to set him. Samuel, when he warned the people of Israel what sort of things they would suffer from their kings, said: "This shall be the right of the king that will reign over you: he will take your sons and put them to his chariot to make them his horsemen and to plow his fields and reap his harvest, and make his weapons. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. Finally, he will take your fields, your vineyards, and your best olive trees and will give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards, and will give it to his eunuchs and servants. He will take your menservants, maidservants, and asses and set them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks and you will be his servants" [1 Sam. 8:11—17, with omissions; cf. Hebrew]. Surely, the kings would not do this by legal right, since the law trained them to all restraint [Deut. 17:16 ff.]. But it was called a right in relation to the people, for they had to obey it and were not allowed to resist. It is as if Samuel had said: The willfulness of kings will run to excess, but it will not be your part to restrain it; you will have only this left to you: to obey their commands and hearken to their word.”

All in all, reading the entirety of the Institutes has been a demanding but satisfying journey.

Supernaturalfreakotechnological

2009-12-20T15:19:00.001-05:00

Because of the major snowfall we didn’t have church today, so I thought I would take the opportunity to listen to a sermon by one of my favorite teachers, R, C. Sproul. I have heard many of his lectures, but haven’t yet heard him preach since he became a pastor. So I went to his website, and chose to listen to his message on the prologue to John’s Gospel. I clicked the link, and began to hear a voice very unlike Dr. Sproul. It didn’t take long to recognize the voice of another of my teaching heroes, John Piper. I was hearing Piper preaching on Paul’s doxology at the end of Romans. The website says Ligonier, the window displays St. Andrew’s, the text reads The Prologue of John's Gospel, but out of the player comes Piper and Romans 16:25-27 from his message from November 26, 2006. I can only conclude that God really wants me to hear this message.

Update on Don Coleman—good news!

2009-12-11T15:31:00.001-05:00

Earlier today I received news of significant improvement in Don’s condition from our mutual friend, Dr. James Anderson. Here is the note from James:

Brethern,

I visited Don this morning (Thursday) and he had not needed the respirator during the night at all. This is a big step forward. He has no fever. The kidney dialysis is still needed and we'll have to trust the Lord for restoration of kidney function. This hopefully will show steady improvement. There has been no recurrence of the blood clots but this is a concern until he his physically active and up out of bed. He sat in a chair yesterday.

He is communicating by writing presently. He should be able to talk when the trach tube is plugged, hopefully soon.

The Lord be praised. Lord bless you. Thank you for sending this to folks who are eager to know Don's status. In Christ, James

James C. Anderson, MD

Update on Don Coleman

2009-12-04T12:58:00.001-05:00

I know thousands are praying for Don, but I discovered someone had come to this site by searching blogs for Don’s name, so I thought I would forward this update that I received moments ago.

A mutual friend, Dr, James Anderson, was able to visit with Don and the physician who is treating him, and gives this report:

1. Infection-----seems controlled and probably treated successfully with toe amputation and antibiotics.

2. Shock lungs----improving a little each day. He'll need the respirator for 1-3 more weeks but he is being slowly weaned off of it. He is tolerating the withdrawal of support.

3. Kidney failure----today his kidney function improved which gives hope that the kidney dialysis may not be permanent.

4. Blood clots----on Monday, Nov. 30, he survived a clot that went from his leg to his lung. This is God's mercy. He cannot tolerate the 2 main drugs used to treat this but the intenivist today said the 3rd drug they are using is working. This is the most fragile situation presently and makes the whole situation very unpredictable. The intenivist believes that this situation has definitely improved in the last 24 hours.

5. Nutrition---- Don will get a tube from outside his abdomen through the abdominal wall into his stomach. It is felt he will need this only for as long as he is on the respirator. Nutrition will be maintained very well with this.

May God hear our prayers.

Today’s Gleaning 12/1/09

2009-12-01T22:13:00.001-05:00

A friend and I commiserated today about the inordinate interest and passion that so many of our Christian friends devote to things political. He and I agreed that a person has but so much attention to spend, and if politics are taking up a disproportionate share, this is likely a sign that faith is being placed in solutions sought in that realm. He brought up the observation by Francis Schaeffer that one our most tempting idols is the God of personal peace and affluence. Could our infatuation with politics be a symptom of this particular idol’s sway?

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Justin Taylor quotes J. I. Packer in World Magazine pointing out that I spend too much time on the internet:

“I’m amazed at the amount of time people spend on the internet. I’m not against technology, but all tools should be used to their best advantage. We should be spending our time on things that have staying power, instead of on the latest thought of the latest blogger—and then moving on quickly to the next blogger. That makes us more superficial, not more thoughtful.”

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So now, doesn’t it make sense that I would commend an article about politics that I read on the internets? I couldn’t resist, though, because this essay by John Mark Reynolds (concluding a series on Sarah Palin’s new book) helpfully and excellently describes what we ought to look for in a president.

Today’s Gleanings 11/27/09

2009-11-27T15:35:00.001-05:00

Phil Johnson at Pyromaniacs completed today his excellent series on why gambling is sinful. If you have any doubts yourself, or you wish you could better articulate to someone why gambling is wrong, you need look no further than this series. It’s the most comprehensive treatment I’ve seen developing the biblical case for why gambling is sin. Here are the links to whole series:

Is Gambling OK? Don't Bet on It

Gambling: Some Definitions and Distinctions

Answering a couple of objections

Oh, and one more thing . . .

Gambling vs. Faithful Stewardship

Does 'Mutual Consent' Eliminate the Evil in Gambling?

A good question

The Sin of Putting God to the Test

Gambling: The Moral Antithesis of Charity

Today’s Gleaning 11/26/09

2009-11-26T15:08:00.001-05:00

For some reason I have great difficulty remembering the meaning of metonymy and today’s reading in the Institutes (Section: 4.17.21-23) should be helpful in that regard, because Calvin helpfully points out that this figure of speech is the explanation for what Jesus meant when he said of the bread at the Last Supper, “This is my body.” Calvin goes on to point out many other scriptural examples of this literary device:

“I say that this expression is a metonymy, a figure of speech commonly used in Scripture when mysteries are under discussion. For you could not otherwise understand such expressions as "circumcision is a covenant" [Gen. 17:13], "the lamb is the passover" [Ex. 12:11], "the sacrifices of the law are expiations" [Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22], and finally, "the rock from which water flowed in the desert" [Ex. 17:6], "was Christ" [I Cor. 10:4], unless you were to take them as spoken with meanings transferred. Not only is the name transferred from something higher to something lower, but, on the other hand, the name of the visible sign is also given to the thing signified: as when God is said to have appeared to Moses in the bush [Ex. 3:2]; the Ark of the Covenant is called God and God's face [Ps. 84:8; 42:3]; and the dove, the Holy Spirit [Matt. 3:16].”

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At the rate I’m referencing the daily Calvin reading, I may be approaching Blogging the Institutes, but more learned men, such as Sinclair Fergusson, Stephen Nichols and Derek Thomas are doing a great job at this eponymous site. Concerning today’s reading, Derek Thomas catalogs a long list of literary devices employed by the Bible’s authors:

“Paul says "so is Christ" in 1 Corinthians 12:12 having spoken of the church, Christ is to be equated with the church's members. This is to fail to see the literary nature of Scripture, bearing marks of human (as well as divine authorship): thus we find acrostics, alliteration, analogy, anthropomorphism, assonance, cadence, chiasm, consonance, dialogue, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, meter, onomatopoeia, paradox, parallelism, repetition, rhyme, satire, simile and more. So why should we stumble over the meaning of "is" as metonymy?”

Today’s Gleaning 11/25/09

2009-11-26T08:10:00.001-05:00

In today’s reading in the Institutes, (Section 4.17.18) Calvin offers a simple rubric for avoiding a wrong understanding of what takes place to the elements during communion:

“Let us never (I say) allow these two limitations to be taken away from us: (1) Let nothing be withdrawn from Christ's heavenly glory-as happens when he is brought under the corruptible elements of this world, or bound to any earthly creatures. (2) Let nothing inappropriate
to human nature be ascribed to his body, as happens when it is said either to be infinite or to be put in a number of places at once.”

Today’s Gleaning 11/24/09

2009-11-25T07:51:00.001-05:00

Matt Perman of the uber-helpful productivity site What’s Best Next, answers three questions in an interview by Josh Etter:

What’s the most common mistake people make when developing a system for productivity?
In the last three months, what is the most helpful insight that has helped you be more productive?
In a nutshell, what is the most important and fundamental principle for being productive?

Here’s a sample from the answer to question #3:

“The key denominator of effectiveness is not intelligence or even hard work, as important as those are. It is the discipline to put first things first. You need to operate from a center of sound principles and organize and execute around priorities. This means that instead of prioritizing your schedule, you schedule your priorities.”

Reading the whole thing would be a productive use of your time.

Today’s Gleaning 11/21/09

2009-11-21T21:36:00.001-05:00

For some time now I have avidly read Doug Wilson, Idaho pastor and Christian thinker extraordinaire. Now I have more reason for being quite the fan boy: his church sings the Psalms in a manner to die for. Do yourself a favor and click here to listen to their rendition of a portion of Psalm 119. Or, you can click here to find a collection. It’s enough to make you want to let goods and kindred go and move to Moscow, Idaho.

Today’s Gleaning 11/20/09

2009-11-20T22:29:00.001-05:00

Calvin (from today’s reading in the Institutes), Section 4.17.7, writing with great humility on the difficulty of fully grasping the significance of the Lord’s Table:

“Rather, I urge my readers not to confine their mental interest within these too narrow limits, but to strive to rise much higher than I can lead them. For, whenever this matter is discussed, when I have tried to say all, I feel that I have as yet said little in proportion to its worth. And although my mind can think beyond what my tongue can utter, yet even my mind is conquered and overwhelmed by the greatness of the thing. Therefore, nothing remains but to break forth in wonder at this mystery, which plainly neither the mind is able to conceive nor the tongue to express. Nevertheless, I shall in one way or another sum up my views; for, as I do not doubt them to be true, I am confident they will be approved in godly hearts.”

Today’s Gleanings 11/19/09

2009-11-19T17:48:00.001-05:00

Today’s Calvin reading, Section: 4.17.2 features a lovely description of the benefits mystically conferred to the saints through communion:

“Union with Christ as the special fruit of the Lord's Supper:

Godly souls can gather great assurance and delight from this Sacrament; in it they have a witness of our growth into one body with Christ such that whatever is his may be called ours. As a consequence, we may dare assure ourselves that eternal life, of which he is the heir, is ours; and that the Kingdom of Heaven, into which he has already entered, can no more be cut off from us than from him; again, that we cannot be condemned for our sins, from whose guilt he has absolved us, since he willed to take them upon himself as if they were his own. This is the wonderful exchange which, out of his measureless benevolence, he has made with us; that, becoming Son of man with us, he has made us sons of God with him; that, by his descent to earth, he has prepared an ascent to heaven for us; that, by taking on our mortality, he has conferred his immortality upon us; that, accepting our weakness, he has strengthened us by his power; that, receiving our poverty unto himself, he has transferred his wealth to us; that, taking the weight of our iniquity upon himself (which oppressed us), he has clothed us with his righteousness.”

The more I read of the Institutes, the more I wonder how the modern caricature of him came to be.

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Tim Challies let’s his hair down in major way today with a brilliant, hilarious parody of the state of Christian fiction. He manages to spear three genres at once: Amish Romance, End Time Action and Vampire Love Stories. Here’s an excerpt from his proposed back cover:

“Meanwhile, the strength of the Antichrist grows as he consolidates his power and seeks to destroy the peace-loving people of Pennsylvania. A blossoming romance unfolds between Cassidy and Slade as the world around them changes forever. They must fight to stay alive, they must fight to keep their forbidden love a secret, but, as Amish, they must not fight at all.”

Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing (and try not to snort toward your keyboard.)

Urgent prayer request

2009-11-19T14:25:00.001-05:00

A long-time personal friend and dear brother in Christ from Richmond, Don Coleman, is in ICU at a local hospital on a breathing machine due to severe blood infection. There are additional complications involving his diabetes impacting kidney function. Don has been a hard-worker and important force for Christ’s kingdom in the Richmond metropolitan area. I would very much appreciate your prayers.

Today’s Gleanings 11/18/09

2009-11-18T22:26:00.001-05:00

Somehow due a mysterious eddy in the Christian blogosphere—or could it be providence?—independently of one another Phil Johnson (here, here, here, and here) and Kevin DeYoung (here and here) are both making a case against gambling.

The best argument I’ve heard for Christians to be against gambling is the fact that in order to win, we have to hope for someone else to lose. Therefore, it is a strong violation of Christ’s command to do to others as you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12) as well as the multiple NT commands to love one another (i.e. John 13:34).

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In today’s reading from the Institutes, Section: 4.16.31-32, Calvin responds to numerous objections from Servetus regarding infant baptism. Calvin considers these objections “a heap of trifles.” I don’t have a fraction of Calvin’s theological and intellectual horsepower, but it seems to me many of Servetus arguments are valid. Calvin repeatedly appeals to Jesus’ statement “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (in all the synoptics), to make his case for infant baptism, which, in my opinion, is forcing the passage to carry way too much freight because baptism is nowhere in view.

Today’s Gleanings 11/17/09

2009-11-17T20:44:00.001-05:00

Over at the new evangelical Christian group blog, Evangel—hosted, by the way, by the Catholic website, First Things (confused yet?)—Joe Carter, John Mark Reynolds, and Frank Turk weigh in on the question of whether evangelicalism is experiencing growing pains, death throes, or a mid-life crisis.

If consensus can be found among these three it might be that the patient definitely has some symptoms, but it’s too early to tell what they mean.

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Dan Phillips posts some great thoughts on why we should be thankful for the fact that we live in a God-created and God-designed universe. Bonus: he includes a memorable example of a merism to help you learn what a merism is.

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Michael Patton channels Jon Acuff in a hilarious Beginner’s Guide to Christianity. Here’s item #23:

“Lord,” “Lord God,” “God,” and “Father God” references in prayer: This is related to the previous, but an important addition to your understanding of public prayer. While praying, Christians will continually repeat God’s name so as to remind you and themselves to whom they are praying. Therefore, do not be surprised to hear “Lord,” “Lord God,” ”Father,” or its popular variation, “Father God” at the beginning of every sentence. It sometimes will even occur multiple times in the same sentence such as the following: “Lord God, we just pray that you will be with us God during our trip God.” Pretty much, the more you say a variation of God’s name, the more spiritual you are.

Scary how spot-on these are.

Today’s Gleanings 11/16/09

2009-11-16T20:23:00.001-05:00

Does a word or phrase exists to describe the effect of instantly recognizing what someone proposes as being true, but knowing you never would have thought of it yourself. Déjà true, perhaps?

I felt this way after reading this essay from Michael Patton at Parchment and Pen. He describes how orthodox (little “o”) Christian belief grows over time. His premise is that ultimate truth never changes, but our understanding of it does. As God reveals truth to his people and the church wrestles with its implications, the church’s understanding grows over time.

Here’s an example:

“God gave man revelation in a progressive fashion. This is often referred to as “progressive revelation.” This simply means that when Adam and Eve were in the Garden, God did not give them a completed Scripture. For example, Abraham did not know as much as Moses about redemption. He had some basic components, but very few details. The same can be said of David. While he knew more than both Abraham and Moses, he did not know as much as Isaiah, and so on.”

He includes some nice charts that helps the reader visualize what he’s describing. Great food for thought.

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The New York Times notes that only 42 days remain in this first decade of the 21st century, and we really should have a name for it, as in the manner of the Roaring Twenties. I’m still fretting over how to pronounce the “00’s”. The oughts? The double zero’s? No sooner will we have taken care of that and we’ll have to worry over what to call the “10’s”. I have a serious need to know this for future sermon illustrations. How will I say, “Back in the “00’s”, an event took place which perfectly demonstrates the truth of this passage?.”

Today’s Gleaning 11/15/09

2009-11-15T18:07:00.001-05:00

Thabiti and Zach today both quote Ray Ortlund quoting Jonathan Edwards on pride:

"There is no sin so much like the devil as this for secrecy and subtlety and appearing in a great many shapes undiscerned and unsuspected, even appearing as an angel of light. It takes occasion to arise from everything, it perverts and abuses everything, even the exercises of real grace and real humility. It is a sin that has, as it were, many lives. If you kill it, it will live still. If you suppress it in one shape, it rises in another. If you think it is all gone, it is there still. Like the coats of an onion, if you pull one form of it off, there is another underneath. We need therefore to have the greatest watch imaginable over our hearts and to cry most earnestly to the great Searcher of hearts for his help. He that trusts his own heart is a fool."

- Jonathan Edwards, Thoughts on the New England Revival

To which I say, Amen.

Today’s Gleanings 11/14/09

2009-11-14T17:37:00.001-05:00

From Matt Perman, a great definition of virtue from Arthur Holmes:

“A virtue is a right inner disposition, and a disposition is a tendency to act in certain ways. Disposition is more basic, lasting and pervasive than the particular motive or intention behind a certain action. It differs from a sudden impulse in being a settled habit of mind, an internalized and often reflective trait. Virtues are general character traits that provide inner sanctions on our particular motives, intentions and outward conduct.

…virtue is the love of what is just and good.”

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Zach Nielsen quotes helpful advice on confronting legalism from Jerram Barr in Learning Evangelism from Jesus, p.177:

“… we still must sit at Jesus’ feet and recognize that legalism is an implacable enemy of the gospel of grace. And we need to be prepared to fight against it, rather than bow to it or allow it to govern the life and outreach of our churches. Indeed, we may regard it as a principle: the more legalistic a church is, the less genuine outreach there will be.

Attacking legalism is necessary to bring about the salvation of the legalists themselves by humbling them before the Lord, before his truth, and before his grace. Attacking legalism is also necessary in setting people free from the rules that the legalists impose upon them. We are to proclaim liberty: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). This proclamation of liberty from legalism is one of the great friends of true proclamation of the gospel, both to the church and to the world.“

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Today’s Gleanings 11/13/09

2009-11-13T22:14:00.001-05:00

Michigan is cold this time of year.

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Bible translation is more complicated than I imagined and I imagined it to be plenty complex. David Ker explains,

“The qualities of a good Bible translation form a four-sided triangle. The basic characteristics are accuracy, naturalness and clarity. This means accurately representing the meaning of the original text using natural language in a way that clearly communicates. The fourth side of the triangle is acceptability. If a translation is not acceptable then it doesn’t matter how accurate or natural it is”.

In other words, it doesn’t matter how faithful to the Greek, or how well-written it is, if no one will use it, it’s not effective. Scary thought, especially for those who spend a quarter century working on a single language.

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Justin Taylor via James Grant has an interesting quote from Ken Myers on “Two Kingdoms” thinking:

“So I would say that there ought to be a Christocentric politic and aesthetic. Christians will not be the only ones who can recognize properly human and hence Christocentric realities. I think that is what the Reformed idea of common grace means. That non-believers will have the capacity to see that because they perceive things that are built into the structure of creation, built in there by Christ. So there is no getting away from Christ.

I became excited by this when I read Colin Gunton, who points out that there has long been a tendency by Christians to view creation as Unitarians, in other words, an impersonal and non-Trinitarian view of creation. So we think that God the Father made everything, things got screwed up, God the Son came and paid the penalty, and God the Spirit comes along and affirms it. So there is a type of sequential Trinitarianism. But Scripture affirms over and over that creation is a Trinitarian act, and so we don’t separate Christ from the fact of creation and the ordering of creation. To do that too starkly is to make a mistake.”

As a pastor, I’m wrestling with this all the time. Precisely how and to what extent do individuals and churches engage the culture, particularly in the realms of art and politics?

Daily Gleanings 11/12/09

2009-11-12T22:27:00.001-05:00

In Section: 4.16.10 of the Institutes, Calvin considers those who “ceaselessly assail” the practice of infant baptism, “mad beasts”.

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A good definition of worship from Archbishop William Temple via Ravi Zacharias via Zach Nielsen:

“Years ago, I read a definition of worship that to this day rings with clear and magnificent terms.(1) The definition comes from the famed archbishop William Temple: "Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose—all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable."

Today’s Harvest 11/11/09

2009-11-11T22:07:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Kevin DeYoung, I learned that Guido de Bres, the author of the Belgic Confession, was publicly hanged for his beliefs on May 31, 1567, at the age of 47. Kevin points out how de Bres’ trust in God’s providence motivated him to be a faithful husband.

Today’s Harvest 11/10/09

2009-11-10T20:48:00.001-05:00

Timmy Brister posts this sobering thought from Jonathan Edwards’ The Religious Affections, p.51-53:

“If true religion lies much in the affections, hence we may learn what great cause we have to be ashamed and confounded before God, that we are no more affected with the great things of religion.”

Not sure why that didn’t jump out at me more when I read it the first time.

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From today’s Calvin reading, Section: 4.15.19-22:

Speaking of sacraments, he writes, “It is, therefore, much more holy to revere God's ordinance, namely, that we should seek the sacraments from those only to whom the Lord has committed them.”

I don’t recall where in the Bible that either Baptism or Communion are to be administered only by a church officer. Anyone out there know of such a passage?

Retaining Somehow What I Read

2009-11-09T21:09:00.001-05:00

I love to read. I monitor forty-one blogs via RSS feed, read a book or two per week, do research for my weekly sermons and Bible Study, and am using Princeton Theological’s nifty feed to read through Calvin’s Institutes in the course of a year. Sadly, the realization has sunk in that I retain only the tiniest fragment of what I read. My wife often asks what I’ve been reading, and while I can recall the sources for the most part, I struggle to retain the content.

Perhaps not surprisingly, though, I can remember what I actually use in my sermons and Bible studies.

So, in an attempt to actually hang on to some of what I’ve read, I’m going to attempt regularly posting interesting stuff here as a form of memory enhancement. (This was actually one of my reasons for blogging in the first place. I fell off the wagon. Here’s my attempt to drag myself back on.)

Recent nuggets:

John Calvin baptized by immersion—who knew? (Section: 4.15.13-18 of the Institutes—if you don’t believe me, you can read it here.)

David Ker, a field worker in Mozambique with Wycliffe Bible Translators writes sumptuous, evocative prose at his blog Lingamish, relating his path to Bible translatordom. (Obviously, I don’t write sumptuous prose.) Check out this paragraph about his learning Portuguese:

“After several months of battle, I successfully learned how to pronounce, eu the personal pronoun, “I.” It is not YO, like those crude Spaniards would have it. It’s not AY-YU like some robot might say it. Eu is in fact a four syllable word pronounced without either opening or closing your mouth. It is the sound of the tide among the rocks, and the sound of a seagull’s wings. Eu is a mixture of pain and delight and the sigh of isolation you can only feel among the ghosts of an old city.”

From Tim Chester and Steve Timmis’ book Total Church:

“The role of rational apologetics is to demonstrate that unbelief is a problem of the heart rather than a problem of the head. People may claim that the obstacle to faith is the problem of suffering or the implausibility of miracles or the existence of other religions. The role of rational apologetics is to show that these are not the real causes of unbelief. It is to strop away the excuses and expose rebellious hearts.”

Undone. All over again.

2009-05-09T15:05:00.004-04:00

Studying Tim Keller’s latest book, The Prodigal God and listening to his related sermons, I almost had cause to wonder if I was truly a born again Christian, so many were my identifications with the wrong attitudes of both sons in Luke’s parable.

Now Keller strikes again with a message on idolatry delivered at The Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference earlier this month. His talk was bracing enough to digest, but in it he referenced a sermon on the topic by a Puritan writer David Clarkson titled, Soul Idolatry Excludes Men Out of Heaven that disabused me of any remaining sense of wholesomeness.

Here's a sample:

"That which we most highly value, we make our God. For esteem is an act of soul worship. Worship is the mind’s esteem of a thing as most excellent. Now the Lord demands the highest esteem, as an act of honor and worship due only to Himself. Therefore, to have an high esteem of other things, when we have low thoughts of God, is idolatry. To have an high opinion—of ourselves—of our abilities and accomplishments—of our relations and enjoyments—of our riches and honors—or those that are rich and honorable—or anything of like nature, when we have low opinions of God, is to advance these things into the place of God—to make them idols and give them that honor and worship which is due only to the divine Majesty. What we most esteem—we make our god. If you hold other things in higher esteem than the true God, you are idolaters (Job 21:14)."

The entire thing’s a 37 page .pdf file that you can access either on Tony Reinke’s site, or at Google Books. If you prefer a light dismantling you can read a summary here at Grace Gems. Warning: not for the faint of heart.

Worried About Worry II (or IV depending on your reference point)

2009-04-16T19:16:00.002-04:00

Clicking here will take you to part four of David Powlison’s excellent series on worry, as well as provide links to Parts 1, 2 and 3.

He sums up by providing four pro-active steps:

First, name the pressures.

Second, identify how you express anxiety.

Third, ask yourself, “Why am I anxious”?

Fourth, what better reason does Jesus give you not to worry?

You know what the ubiquitous “they” say: Read the whole thing.

Worried About Worry

2009-03-28T16:28:00.003-04:00

CCEF (Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation) has begun posting a series by the always insightful David Powlison on the topic of worry. Sadly, this is a subject with which I struggle all too much.

Powlison brings up a point that convicts me every time I think about it: that by and large, the people to whom Jesus spoke about worry lived in a sustenance economy. This means, he points out, that

“…the people Jesus is talking to are poor people. They have primitive sanitation, no health care, and their lives immediately depend on whether it rains or not. When drought comes here in Glenside, it’s just an inconvenience. Your lawn gets brown. But when drought comes there, they die.”

My prayer is that the Lord would reveal to me the exact nature of my failure to trust in light of this era of incredible prosperity we now enjoy. I know right now I fall far short of the rest Jesus describes—the only question is how far.

You can read the whole article here.

Atheists and Christians Together?

2009-02-24T10:52:00.005-05:00

This article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on Trinity United Methodist Church in Minneapolis joining forces with an organization called Minnesota Atheists to host a Bible Study was enough to rouse me from blog hibernation.

On one hand, I’m hopeful anytime God’s word is read due to the power inherent in it. On the other, it’s hard to be optimistic about a study that will “focus on the Bible's historical and cultural context” as opposed to discerning its meaning and significance.

Thoughts anyone?

HT: Marc

Parable Challenge

2009-01-03T12:36:00.004-05:00

Two of my favorite bloggers are having somewhat of a feud. They sent out for friends to join the festivities, and this is how one replied:

Once there were two luthiers who had somewhat of a gentlemanly rivalry concerning their craft. One of the craftsmen, who lived in the north, misted the various parts of his instruments with oil and stain before assembling them. The other, who lived in the south, believed it better to apply the finish by dipping after all the parts were put together. Everyone agreed that both produced very fine-sounding instruments, though their tone differed. Both insisted that their instruments were constructed according to the Book.

And Now for Something Completely Different from Princeton Seminary

2009-01-01T20:06:00.005-05:00

From their website:

"Princeton Theological Seminary is inviting the church, the academy, and individual Christians around the world to celebrate the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth by participating in "A Year with the Institutes," a daily reading of Calvin's major work, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, during 2009."

To check it out, click here to go to today's reading. Once at the site you can sign up for an RSS feed, or even have it sent to you as audio via podcast.

The inimitable and preternaturally productive Doug Wilson pledges to write daily discussion questions.

I am sorely tempted to try this, if for no other reason than my not being able to imagine myself reading all the way through this important work any other way.

HT: Doug Wilson

Another Stellar Analysis by Tim Keller

2008-12-22T21:35:00.006-05:00

Ok, I admit it: I’m prepared to stand in front of group and say out loud, “Hello, my name is Michael and I’m a Tim Keller fan-boy.”

My latest excuse for imbibing? Check out this essay on the way the gospel should inform our thinking about the poor.

Here’s a taste (the article's conclusion):

“Proverbs tells us that God identifies with the poor. "If you do it to the poor, you do it to me." Matt 25 says the same thing. I showed above that this means that on judgment day God will be able to judge a person's heart attitude toward him by the person's heart-attitude toward the poor. It also means, however, something more profound.

In Proverbs and Matt 25, God identifies with the poor symbolically. But in the incarnation and death of Jesus, see God identifies with the poor and marginal literally. Jesus was born in a feeding trough. At his circumcision Jesus' family offered what was required of the poor (Luke 2:24). He said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Matt 8:20). At the end of his life, he rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, spent his last evening in a borrowed room, and when he died, he was laid in a borrowed tomb. They cast lots for his only possession, his robe, for there on the cross he was stripped of everything.

All this gives new meaning to the question: "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or naked or in prison?" The answer is—on the cross, where he died amidst the thieves, among the marginalized. No wonder Paul could say that once you see Jesus becoming poor for us, you will never look at the poor the same way again.”

In my opinion, convicting, enlightening, profound. Like they say, read the whole thing.

God's Nüvi

2008-10-18T15:07:00.003-04:00

Lately in one-on-one meetings with some men from church, our attention has been drawn to the topic of wisdom and the book of Proverbs. After discussing a number of passages, one of the men asked a great question, “What exactly is wisdom?”

A quick survey of the references in Proverbs turns up quite a few descriptions (wisdom is valuable, does this or that) but no precise definition. So I began to meditate on it, and here’s what I came up with: wisdom is God’s Nüvi.

Many people reading this will immediately say, “Hunh?”, and rightly so. So, here’s a little explanation. I had heard radio advertising for GPS systems for automobiles—“Turn left! In 200 feet, turn right! Destination on right!”—but didn’t really appreciate them until the day I traveled with a friend who had one (incidentally, the same one who asked the question about the meaning of wisdom), and discovered what a great help it was. We used it not only to get to and from where were going, but also to find a Panera with its wireless connection, as well as places to stop and eat along the way. Did I say what a great help it was? So much so, I ended up purchasing one for myself for a vacation to Cincinnati to see the Creation Museum there. And guess what? It was a great help!

Anyway, these things work by a combination of technologies. First, the device has stored in it a database of roads and points of interest. Secondly, a built-in receiver picks up signals from satellites orbiting the earth and then computes the angles between itself and the satellites. Next, it compares where you are with the roads and all the places it has loaded in its memory and displays it on a map. (The one I bought, a Garmin Nuvi 200, has in addition to its map of the entire continental U.S. over 600 million points of interest. And this is one of the cheapest, entry-level models.) Finally, speech technology enables it to verbalize where you should turn.

By now you're surely asking what this has to do with Proverbs and wisdom. Well, what led me down this track was the realization that wisdom describes the moral order of God’s creation. Wisdom classifies interactions between God and his creation and describes those which are beneficial. Proverbs 1:3, for example, says that to receive wisdom is… “to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity”… (ESV). Wisdom is an internal attribute of God by which he acts for the ultimate good of himself and his creation, as in Proverbs 3:19, 20… “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.” (ESV). Along this line, wisdom communicates what we should do according to God’s internal reasoning, as in Proverbs 4:11-13: “I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” (ESV)

So here’s what I mean by saying wisdom is God’s Nüvi: Wisdom is like a GPS device that contains a database of moral positions within God’s created order and which is able to describe the proper relations within that order and the creatures who inhabit it. Want to know where you should go, what you should do that is in the best interest of you and the rest of creation? Get out your Bible and get wisdom, which is catalogued there.

After hearing me explain the concept, the friend who asked about wisdom and who had exposed to me the wonders of the earthly Nüvi, came up with his own definition for wisdom. "Wisdom is GPS", he said. “God’s Positioning System.”

Super Commendable?

2008-08-14T17:12:00.003-04:00

Continuing in the vein of “whatever is commendable” from my last post, I was finally able to listen to the mp3 of Tim Keller preaching on Luke 15 and the parable of the Prodigal Sons. I had gotten a taste of this message when I first heard Keller when he spoke here in Richmond back in 2006. Somewhere I and had read about about this message, but was only recently able to access it. (Thanks, Steve McCoy for the great work cataloging Keller resources!)

At the risk of overstating, this is simply one of the most profound messages I have ever listened to. It seems like I’ve heard more sermons on this parable in my lifetime than any other single topic, and each time I recall learning something new. This one, however, is off the charts new and helpful for me. Maybe I’ve led a sheltered life, but this is the first time I have heard someone focus on the contrast between the elder and younger brothers. What Keller does with it gets to the heart of the good news as well as anything I’ve heard or read.

I know I’m guilty of frequently saying this or that is a must read or listen, but I wish someone had given me a link to this message before now.

Whatever is Commendable

2008-08-14T16:07:00.002-04:00

In Philippians 4:8 the Apostle Paul tells us

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (ESV)

Such is my main purpose for blogging: upon discovering that which is worth commending, writing with a mind to publicizing it helps me contemplate it more deeply. In addition, I imagine that through the marvel that is the internet, friends or others might benefit from my pointing them to things worthwhile by Paul’s criteria.

For that reason I’m adding to my blog roll, Enjoying Jesus, which just happens to be written by a longtime friend, Jamie Calabrese. I first met Jamie when I was director of our local pregnancy resource center and she came through the training program and eventually ended up serving on the board of directors. Last summer my wife, Carol, and I were blessed as we travelled down to the Billy Graham Training Center with Jamie and her husband, John, to hear John Piper speak. (I wrote about that here.) Recently, Jamie has acquired the blogging bug with wonderful result. Writing poignantly of everyday experience and how the gospel affects her thinking, her thoughts are uncomplicated yet frequently profound. For an example, check out Begging Earnestly where her thoughts on a friend’s fundraising plea challenged me to rethink the way I view similar requests from acquaintances.

See for yourself.

A Must Read Manifesto

2008-07-07T11:51:00.005-04:00

Russell D. Moore, Dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has written a stunning commentary on the values and beliefs that drive the behavior of Southern Baptists, particularly with regard to their actual versus stated views on sexuality and abortion. My only quibble with the article is his targeting of Southern Baptists, when I believe he is in fact describing just about all evangelical Christians in America.

He observes that while we conservative evangelicals talk loudly about particular immoralities, our behavior is instead guided more by affections for material comfort and economic status than by genuine adherence to Biblical principles.

Here are some quotes out of context, but I hope they serve to get you to read the whole thing.

“A biblically literate Southern Baptist church will be able to see that the demonic beings do not mind shifting tactics from generation to generation; wherever people are unsuspecting as to their own weakness, they will strike. If Bathsheba will not take down a son of Adam, then Babylon can; if not hedonism, then Pharisaism will do. It is at this point that Southern Baptists are especially vulnerable, because we fail to see how the family chaos around us is directly related to our captivity to our appetites.”

“We have become the people that Jesus warned us about. Southern Baptists more and more want to distance ourselves from our blue-collar, economically impoverished roots, and more and more wish to be seen as affluent, suburban, and politically influential. But this comes with a cost.”

“The reason we have made peace with the sexual revolution is because we are captive to the love of money. Southern Baptist men and women want to live with the same standard of living as the culture around them, and, as the Spirit warns, we will grind our churches and our families to pieces to get there (James 4:1-4).”

“Why does the seemingly godly deacon in a conservative Southern Baptist church in north Georgia drive his pregnant teenage daughter to Atlanta under cover of darkness to obtain an abortion? Because, however he votes his "values," when crisis hits, he wants his daughter to have a "normal" life. He is "pro-life" with, as one feminist leader put it three exceptions: rape, incest, and my situation.”

Hat Tip: Kyle Newcomer via Consumed’s blogroll.

This is your devotion time on Google

2008-07-03T20:46:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday I linked to Owen Strachan's article on the relationship between internet use and critical thinking; he's now done a follow-up post concerning how our devotional life might be affected by the internet.

Check it out.

What your brain looks like on Google

2008-07-01T21:27:00.003-04:00

Now I have an excuse for not having posted lately. Owen Strachan, author of the website Consumed, has written about and linked to some thought-provoking articles concerning possible negative effects on thinking ability as a consequence of regular surfing of the internets. Owen worries that we are gradually becoming information "skimmers" and losing the ability to process lengthy texts and follow complex reasoning.

As a side note, I first learned about Owen at the Band of Bloggers forum at Together for the Gospel. Because his posts are always interesting, well written and gospel-flavored, I’m adding Consumed to my blogroll.

The CIA and Bible Interpretation

2008-05-24T15:59:00.003-04:00

Some weeks ago I came across a humbling video over at Dan Phillips’ blog.

It stunningly demonstrates how a person can miss something in plain sight. Dan went on to apply the principle to pitfalls in Bible interpretation. Ever since, I have wondered about strategies to avoid missing what a particular passage of scripture is really about. I preach through books of the Bible passage by passage, and highly desire to communicate to my congregation the precise meaning and application of the text in view.

Well, along comes Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost with a link to a CIA publication, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis that I believe is helpful toward this end.

The helpful public servants over at the nation’s intelligence agency provide a number of helps to analytical thinking. The first few chapters describe the difficulties humans face in correctly interpreting data, while Chapter Four and onward provide methods for improving one’s ability to do good analysis.

Here are some examples:

Thinking Backwards: One technique for exploring new ground is thinking backwards. As an intellectual exercise, start with an assumption that some event you did not expect has actually occurred. Then, put yourself into the future, looking back to explain how this could have happened.

Crystal Ball: The crystal ball approach works in much the same way as thinking backwards. Imagine that a "perfect" intelligence source (such as a crystal ball) has told you a certain assumption is wrong. You must then develop a scenario to explain how this could be true.

Role playing: Role playing is commonly used to overcome constraints and inhibitions that limit the range of one's thinking. Playing a role changes "where you sit." It also gives one license to think and act differently. Simply trying to imagine how another leader or country will think and react, which analysts do frequently, is not role playing. One must actually act out the role and become, in a sense, the person whose role is assumed. It is only "living" the role that breaks an analyst's normal mental set and permits him or her to relate facts and ideas to each other in ways that differ from habitual patterns.

Devil's Advocate: A devil's advocate is someone who defends a minority point of view. He or she may not necessarily agree with that view, but may choose or be assigned to represent it as strenuously as possible. The goal is to expose conflicting interpretations and show how alternative assumptions and images make the world look different. It often requires time, energy, and commitment to see how the world looks from a different perspective

Decomposition: Breaking a problem down into its component parts. That is, indeed, the essence of analysis. Webster's Dictionary defines analysis as division of a complex whole into its parts or elements. The spirit of decision analysis is to divide and conquer: Decompose a complex problem into simpler problems, get one's thinking straight in these simpler problems, paste these analyses together with a logical glue

Externalization: Getting the decomposed problem out of one's head and down on paper or on a computer screen in some simplified form that shows the main variables, parameters, or elements of the problem and how they relate to each other. Writing down the multiplication problem, 46 times 78, is a very simple example of externalizing an analytical problem.

It's a long read, but fascinating in its own context for understanding the challenges faced by intelligence analysts. I'm looking forward to applying some of the techniques in the interest of becoming a more faithful preacher of God's word.

(Perhaps it is wise to note that I consider these methods only supplementary to careful, prayerful study into the contextual, grammatical, literary and historical understanding of the passage.)

Fun and thoughtful find

2008-05-02T21:45:00.002-04:00

I don’t know if this counts under Joe Carter’s encouragement to link to material that others haven’t, because a quick look at Technorati reveals that it has become quite popular, but this evening I stumbled on to some of the best writing I have come across in the Christian blogosphere. Not only does Prodigal Jon write beautifully, but his posts are a delightful blend of humor and serious reflection. The site is called Stuff Christians Like and the post below, “Church names that sound like clothing stores” made me laugh out loud. This is #24 out of 197 he’s written so far.

My cousin goes to church at a place called "Warehouse 242." There's another church in his area that recently started called, "Elevation." Across town from my dad's church is a place simply called "The Summit." I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point we started naming our churches after stores that sell designer jeans. And I'm cool with that. I don't think you have to name something the "Back to the Bible Holiness Church" which is outside of Atlanta in case you want to attend. And more than that, it opens up some good conversations with people. Imagine you're at work on Monday and someone says, "What'd you do this weekend?" You can reply "I hung out at Elevation." Your friend will then say, "Is that the new salsa/techno/hip hop/Southern Cambodian traditional dance club? I've heard the girls in that place are ridiculous." At which point you can then say, "No, it's a church" and then proceed to share the entire gospel with him. OK, maybe you shouldn't do that, but at the bare minimum, saying you went to "Elevation" is going to at least keep the conversation rolling where if you said, "I went to 'God is Awesome, Praise Sweet Baby Jesus Cathedral' over the weekend," your friend is going to throw an imaginary smoke bomb and climb out of a window to get out of the conversation. So maybe interesting names are a good thing.

Here’s another great one, #159 The Pray if You Feel Led Prayer. This one hit especially close to home because it’s a regular part of our worship service. Check Jon out.

Finding what others aren't reading

2008-04-28T11:45:00.002-04:00

Joe Carter points out that “linkers” (which describes mostly what I do on this blog) are valuable because they “provide the value-added services of sifting through dozens or even hundred of blog posts, news updates, and magazine articles and sharing the handful that are worthy of attention.” He then goes on to suggest ways linkers can increase the worth of what they do, one of which is to “Read outside the circle” and “find what other people aren’t reading.”

I think Joe’s points are well taken, and in the spirit of trying to be helpful, here’s information concerning material I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere else.

Previous to this week I had never heard of Norm Wakefield, or his ministry, Spirit of Elijah. A friend from church commented how much he had benefited from a series from Norm’s newsletter, titled Curse of the Standard Bearer.

I have to admit that at first I was thrown off by the series title, Curse of the Standard Bearer—it sounded like something from the more imaginative side of the charismatic movement. Not only that, but standard bearer sounds like such a positive concept—how could a curse be attached?

Following the link my friend sent me, I discovered, however, a fine series about what is more commonly called moralism, legalism or Pharisaism. None of those terms exactly describe, though, what Wakefield is getting at. His premise is that instead of relying on the grace of God to transform us, we let our identity be formed by the concept of being a “Standard Bearer”. The curse part of the title refers to the fallout created in our lives and the lives of our children.

To enrich your understanding of the all-too-human tendency to spurn grace for rule keeping, check out The Chariot. The five uppermost links on the page point to this series.

T4G and Radical Brain Reorientation

2008-04-23T18:08:00.002-04:00

Together for the Gospel was last week, but I still haven’t recovered. Not from jet-lag, travel, catching up with work or anything like that, but rather from brain detonation. The teaching was so powerful as to disallow normal thinking for some time to come.

Reflection on the conference is now everywhere on the Christian blogosphere. As Tim Challies helpfully suggests, check out what a Google Blogsearch reveals.

To save you some time wading through all the comments, however, allow me to recommend just one thing. Do yourself a huge favor and listen to R. C. Sproul’s message, The Curse Motif of the Atonement. Not one of the messages at the conference was anything less than stellar, but R. C.’s message was off the charts important, edifying, and transformative.

At the outset of his talk he notes that he has been reading and reflecting on the meaning of the cross for over 50 years without fully plumbing its depth of meaning. I think this talk represents a pinnacle of explanation and understanding from one our generation’s finest thinkers and explainers of theology. And not only is the content of the highest caliber, his delivery is as compelling as I've ever heard from him.

If listening to this doesn’t make you love Jesus more, check your pulse.

On the road to Together For The Gospel

2008-04-21T21:31:00.002-04:00

This past week I attended one of the best conferences I’ve ever experienced, Together For The Gospel. The Lord willing, I will post on it when I get another free moment.

Driving from Richmond, VA to Louisville, KY you experience what seems like endless views of spectacular scenery. I especially enjoyed the mountain cuts between Beckley and Charleston, WV, having never traveled that stretch of highway before. A close second in appeal were beautiful agrarian vistas consisting of everything from small farms nestled in mountain hollows to expansive fields of bluegrass around Lexington and toward Louisville proper. (Note to self: next time bring camera. Build in time to stop and wonder.)

Present in all the scenery was the constant juxtaposition of God’s handiwork and man’s. Undulating roadbeds dissected massive and lofty mountains. Bridges vaulted tumbling waters at strategic intervals. Marvels of ingenuity and engineering were somehow set in the midst the created beauty of the natural landscape without too much damage to either.

All of this caused me to glory in our creation in God’s image and our reception of the mandate to have dominion over the earth. Created, we are creators. I stand in awe of the creativity of God and its reflection in men.

So much web...

2008-04-05T19:10:00.002-04:00

In a comment to my last post, Boyd Moore wrote, “So much web...so little time....”

Somebody say Amen.

One of the purposes for this blog (as if the world needs another blog) is to help me focus on matters consistent with the apostle Paul's admonition in Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV)

One such commendable thing is from a series on C. J. Mahaney’s blog where he interviews Sinclair Ferguson. (Hat tip: Justin Childers)

In one exchange, C. J. Mahaney asks,

“So without in any way minimizing the doctrine of sin—because you opened by saying it’s only by seeing our sin we come to see the need and the wonder of grace—how can we effectively expose sin and yet ultimately unveil and apply grace?”

Sinclair Ferguson replies,

“At least for myself it’s returning to a principle with me: Make sure you have gone back to basics. Make sure that you think back from first principles.

Part of the first principles of the gospel are these categories, sin and grace. I think the thing that I am trying to get at here is the correlation between my ability to grasp the grace, grace of grace and my grasping the sin, sin of sin (what Ralph Venning calls the “exceeding sinfulness of sin”). The sin is mine and therefore natural for me to see. It’s grace that isn’t natural to me and therefore difficult to see. Therefore I am going to struggle to bring the sin I am so familiar with to the grace I am unfamiliar with. And therefore I need to find ways given to me in Scripture of discovering the graciousness of God.”

As they say, read the whole thing.

Ouch!

2008-03-29T21:49:00.003-04:00

Today I was rooting around Phil Johnson’s Bookmarks, a great resource for theological writings and came across this gem at DrBarrick.org:

Dr. Barrick cites 3 John:9: "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us" (NKJV).

Then he makes the following observations--

The Greek philoproteuo refers to love of being leader, dominant, preeminent, or first. Such an individual is self-absorbed, egocentric, and controlling--he loves to micromanage others. It is good to stop and examine oneself in this regard. Am I a Diotrephes? How do I come across to others? Do those with whom I serve in the church or with whom I work in my place of employment think of me as controlling? Through a grueling session of self-examination I asked the following questions about myself, in order to find out whether I sometimes behave like Diotrephes:

Do I dominate conversations? Do I make certain that at least my viewpoint is heard on every matter, even if others are not? Speaking out in every occasion could be a clue that I think pretty highly of my opinion and desire that others hear it--even if it means that others might not be given the opportunity to be heard. Do I especially bring attention to myself when a significant visitor has joined a meeting by asking questions of him/her and inserting myself into the conversation? If I do so, then I am a Diotrephes.
Do I dominate discussions at Bible studies? Do I help to promote myself as "the answer man" by making certain that I speak in every forum on every issue? If so, I am a Diotrephes.
Do I take over communicating with everyone else about an event? Do I take actions as though I am in charge of an event following a mere general announcement, just because I feel like someone needs to take charge, settle arrangements, and organize it "properly"? Such action might reveal that I think that no one else can do it the way I do and that no one else can really do it right. If so, I am a Diotrephes.

Here’s the link where you can read the whole thing: Am I a Diotrephes? Warning: conviction may follow. (Well it did for me. Maybe you’re not a Diotrephes.)

The Reason for God

2008-03-11T20:08:00.002-04:00

It has now been just one month since the Valentine's Day release of Tim Keller’s “The Reason for God”, and it is already #40 on Amazon’s list of most-sold books, and #6 in their Spirituality category—and this without an endorsement from Oprah. A Google search of the title this evening returns 202,000 results, with a blog search revealing 10,272 entries.

This demonstrates that the book hardly needs my help to publicize. On the off chance, however, that someone reads this obscure blog and hasn’t yet heard about it, or is on the fence about reading it, I want to say, “get thee to a bookstore.” In my opinion, this is one of the most significant books of our generation. Keller set out to produce something like C. S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity” for our age, with special consideration for the hip, skeptical New Yorker he regularly meets in Manhattan where his church is located. Though I’m in no position to fully understand that particular mindset, I think he has accomplished his goal and more.

In an interview in First Things, Keller tells of being hospitalized with thyroid cancer and having time to read all eight hundred pages of N.T. Wright’s The Resurrection of the Son of God. He remarks, "As I was reading it, I realized I was coming to greater certainty, and that when I closed the book, I said, at a time when it was very important to me to feel this way, I said, “He really really really did rise from the dead.” And I said, “Well, didn’t I believe that before?” Of course I believed it before—I defended it, and I think before I certainly would have died for that belief." Well, reading "The Reason for God" had that exact effect on me. I already believed, and passionately at that, but reading Keller's defense and explanation of the faith served to provide even more substance to my existing convictions.

Not only does he provide a lucid defense of the Christian faith, but in the Epilogue, titled, Where Do We Go From Here, he provides a winsome schematic by which the reader who has had his skepticism reduced can take actual steps toward becoming a Christian—something I don’t recall Lewis attempting.

If for some reason you need more prodding, or just don’t have time to read the book right this minute, an excellent summary can be found at Tony Stiff’s blog Sets ‘n’ Service. (Hat-tip: David Wayne the “Jolly Blogger”.) Don't stop there, though. Buy it and read it. I suspect you'll know more than one person you've been praying for to receive Christ who you'll want to give this book to.

A Sign Which Is, and One Which Is Not

2008-02-20T20:11:00.004-05:00

The further I get into The Religious Affections, the more it occurs to me that Jonathan Edwards must have personally known and been greatly concerned about individuals who claimed to be Christians but who gave him reason to doubt the genuineness of their conversion. My suspicions about this were first aroused by the sheer quantity of detail that Edwards puts into describing what are not in his opinion genuine marks of a true Christian experience. As I noted in my last post on the book, even when his section heading is titled “Showing What Are Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections”, he repeatedly dwells on those which are not. When midway through the book he finally does dig into the positive signs of a genuine conversion, the shadow of false signs doesn’t depart. In fact, when he moves on to describing a second affirmative sign, he immediately brings up its doubtful counterpart. This second genuine trait that he points out, is that the true Christian possesses a powerful love for God, a love that,

“…is seen intuitively: the saint sees and feels plainly the union between his soul and God; it is so strong and lively that he cannot doubt of it.” (p. 164; The Religious Affections; The Banner of Truth Trust, 2004.)

Then, on the following page, he makes this observation:

“Many have been the mischiefs that have arisen from that false and delusive notion of the witness of the Spirit, that it is a kind of inward voice, suggestion, or declaration from God to man that he is beloved of Him, and pardoned, elected, or the like, sometimes with and sometimes without a text of Scripture; and many have been the false and vain (though very high) affections that have arisen from hence. And it is to be feared that multitudes of souls have been eternally undone by it.”

Perhaps it was a feature of Edward’s time that being a Christian was so normative, with so much pressure to be considered one, that non-believers not only claimed to believe, but also felt it necessary to testify to the internal reasoning for their assertion. I’m not sure where else Edwards would have gotten his material (and concern) apart from people he actually had contact with.

To be sure, some of this goes on today among church folk, but in most circles there is so little upside to being considered a Christian that not much need exists to make up something in order to be thought one. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Religious Affections Entry #1
Religious Affections Entry #2
Religious Affections Entry #3
Religious Affections Entry #4
Religious Affections Entry #5
Religious Affections Entry #6

Great Resource

2008-02-09T16:02:00.000-05:00

Every time I visit Pure Church, the blog of Thabiti Anyabwile, I discover something thought provoking and encouraging. Not only are his personal writings exceptionally well thought out, his links to materials by others are stellar. One such example is this excerpt from Jerry Bridge’s book The Crisis of Caring. Great material on how we should approach the Christian life. If you aren’t familiar with Thabiti, you owe it to yourself to check him out.

At last! Sure evidence of God's saving work in a person's life.

2008-02-06T19:43:00.000-05:00

I was beginning to feel terrible about not having posted since Thanksgiving, until I realized that I have at least written more recently than the Blue Raja. And then I discovered that no less a personage than uberposter David Wayne, the JollyBlogger has also gotten bogged down when working through The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards. There now, having stood on the shoulders of two of my betters, I feel better. Well not really. It’s pretty sad seeking justification through comparisons with others.

Kvetching out of the way, I have finally reached the place in The Religious Affections where Edwards begins to describe those affections which are “truly gracious and holy.” Oddly, (to me at least) this unveiling of the book’s central premise doesn’t occur until the middle of the book, pg. 160 in the Banner of Truth paperback version I’m utilizing. And not only does this significant matter finally apppear in the middle of the book, it turns up in the middle of a section head. One never knows what to expect from those wild and crazy Puritan writers.

I will say, though, it is worth the work to get there, much like a view you achieve only when reaching a mountain peak after an arduous climb. In this case, the material that precedes supports the conclusions and makes the arguments all the more compelling. Edwards has gone to such great care to demonstrate what are not sure evidences of a genuine conversion, that when he moves into the positive territory of what are true marks of God’s presence in a believer’s life, you are well equipped to quickly grasp the differences.

He begins his treatment of these positive indications of God’s saving work in a person’s life with the observation that a truly regenerate believer has received the Holy Spirit into their life, and notes that the Bible describes this employing the separate metaphors of a seal and a deposit. With his typical incisive reasoning, Edwards demonstrates that these two metaphors are functionally equivalent in that they both depict the same phenomenon, the reception of the Holy Spirit of God by the believer. Here’s how Edwards puts it:

“When God sets his seal on a man’s heart by his Spirit, there is some holy stamp, some image impressed, and left upon the heart by the Spirit, as by the seal upon the wax. And this holy stamp, or impressed image, exhibiting clear evidence to the conscience, that the subject of it is the child of God, is the very thing which in Scripture is called the seal of the Spirit, and the witness or evidence of the Spirit. And this mark enstamped by the Spirit on God’s children, is his own image. That is the evidence by which they are known to be God’s children; they have the image of their Father stamped upon their hearts by the Spirit of adoption.” (pg. 160; The Religious Affections; The Banner of Truth Trust,2004.)

Thus, the person who has truly become a Christian will have present within them something of the very nature of God. This indwelling of the Spirit will reveal itself in ways that are exclusive of any other cause. He goes on to point out that because this deposit/seal of the Spirit is a conveyance of God’s own nature, it is therefore impossible to be counterfeited by either man or demon. In Edwards own words,

“This is truly an effect that is spiritual, supernatural, and divine. This is in itself of a holy nature, being a communication of the divine nature and beauty. That kind of influence of the Spirit which gives and leaves this stamp upon the heart, is such that no natural man can be the subject of anything of the like nature with it. This is the highest sort of witness of the Spirit which it is possible the soul should be the subject of: if there were any such thing as a witness of the Spirit by immediate suggestion or revelation, this would be vastly more noble and excellent, and much above it as the heaven is above the earth. This the devil cannot imitate.” (p. 161; The Religious Affections; The Banner of Truth Trust, 2004.)

Aside from the concern about how to determine who is a truly regenerate soul, this truth about the Holy Spirit transferring to the believer something of the creator’s divine essence is wonderful to contemplate on its own. To think that when I placed my faith in Jesus, the Spirit transmitted to me something of God’s own nature, is wonderfully comforting, humbling and encouraging. What an incredible thought—Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Religious Affections Entry #1
Religious Affections Entry #2
Religious Affections Entry #3
Religious Affections Entry #4
Religious Affections Entry #5

Thanksgiving in Romans 1:18-32

2007-11-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

The holiday known in America as Thanksgiving is in my opinion one of the most significant opportunities we have each year for getting ourselves right with God and for showing others the way.

In Romans 1 starting at verse 18, the apostle Paul explains that we are not naturally right with with God; in fact, we are facing his wrath because "... although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21, NIV) He then goes on to describe the downward spiral that results from this alienation from God.

I wondered what it would look like to express these ideas in the positive, that is, to show what would result if we were to properly thank and glorify God. With that in mind, here is my "positive paraphrase" of Romans 1:18-32:

"The blessing of God is being poured out upon all the righteous who exalt the truth by their obedience.

Because they truly know God they Glorify Him and give thanks to Him, their thinking becomes meaningful and their hearts filled with light. As a result of humbling themselves, they became wise, scorning dead and powerless idols and instead embracing and trusting in the immortal God.

Therefore, God increasingly filled them with desires for that which is noble and good, allowing them to experience pure and satisfying intimacy. They embraced the truth of God and rightly honored and served the Creator—who is forever praised.

As a result, God filled them even more with a hunger for righteousness. Men and women alike experienced such deep satisfaction from holy relationships that they became passionate for true spiritual intimacy, inviting Christ into all their relationships, and thereby receiving great blessing, honor and reward for their integrity.

On top of all this, because they so valued knowledge of God, he transformed their thinking so they could please God with their actions. They were then filled with every kind of goodness, decency, satisfaction and wholesomeness, overflowing with contentment, peacefulness, mercy and kindness. They are trustworthy— encouragers, God-lovers, teachable, modest, humble—always looking for new ways to do good. They even obey their parents! They are full of wisdom, faithfulness compassion and grace. Because they know God’s righteous character and his reward of eternal life for those who seek him, they not only strive to live righteously, they passionately encourage and applaud those who join with them in holy conduct.

Finally learning what are true signs of Holy Affections. Well, almost.

2007-11-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

Having arrived at Part III of The Religious Affections, I was anxious to hear Edward’s thoughts on what are indeed true evidences of God’s work in a person’s life.

Section I dealt with definitions and establishing his premises, Section II was filled with descriptions of things which may, but may not be, signs of God at work, so after 119 pages of Edwards’ weighty prose, the title of Section III “Showing What Are Distinguishing Signs Of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections” had me fully primed to learn what these certain signs were. Alas, after another 35 pages, such was not to be. (Now I know 35 pages doesn’t sound like much, but it took me less time to get through 1000 plus pages of Atlas Shrugged.)

Now this is not to say that this portion wasn’t helpful, it’s just not what I was expecting. Edwards begins this section by observing that while principles of discernment are found in the scripture, no absolutely certain techniques exist for distinguishing false characteristics of saving grace from true ones. He points out how difficult it is for an individual to be certain of God’s true working in his own life, and concludes that an outside observer has even less expectation for making a determination about that person’s spiritual state.

He then goes on to note, however, that the Bible does present a category for describing the state of person who is a true saint. These persons, he observes, are always described by the term spiritual, while those who are not are described by the terms natural, carnal or unspiritual. (I had to remember he’s citing King James language.) As evidence, he references numerous scriptures, such as 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 and Romans 7:14-8:13.

I have to confess I never would have noticed this classification in scripture, but now aware of it, I realize how wonderfully helpful it is to describe the differences between the person who is being sanctified and someone who isn’t.

Edwards goes on to make the conclusion that the effects of God’s working arise from the constitution of completely different nature, not simply the improvement or modification of the natural state. Thus, whenever evidences exist of a true work of grace, they are divine in origin, and do not arise from ordinary causes. He then uses this observation as a springboard to examine more of what are not sure evidences of “gracious affections.” For example, he points out that everyone apprehends ideas in the mind. This is an ordinary function of human experience. Thus, just because an idea suddenly appears in the mind, though it may even have a basis in Bible truth, it is no sign of a true work of God. Because Satan can create pictures or ideas that appear in the mind, there is no assurance that merely because an idea suddenly arises in a person’s thinking it therefore has its origin in God. Here’s how Edwards puts it:

"And there is not only nothing in the nature of external ideas or imaginations of outward appearances, from whence we can infer that they are above the power of the devil; but it is certain also that the devil can excite, and often hath excited, such ideas."

He then cites as illustration Satan’s ability to create impressions even in the mind of Jesus, as when he showed him “all the kingdoms of the world, with glory of them, when those kingdoms were not really in sight.”

He carries this basic idea further, noting that even Bible promises can be projected into the mind without guarantee that they have their origin from God. The practical upshot of all this? I’ll let Edwards speak directly:

"Many have been the mischiefs that have arisen from that false and delusive notion of the witness of the Spirit, that it is a kind of inward voice, suggestion, or declaration from God to man that he is beloved of Him, and pardoned, elected, or the like, sometimes with and sometimes without a text of Scripture; and many have been the false and vain (though very high) affections that have arisen from hence. And it is to be feared that multitudes of souls have been eternally undone by it."

Sober words indeed.

Religious Affections Entry #1
Religious Affections Entry #2
Religious Affections Entry #3
Religious Affections Entry #4

Edward's Religious Affections Entry 4: A Venti-sized catalog of what may or may not be God at work.

2007-10-15T12:34:00.001-04:00

Jonathan Edwards is nothing if not meticulous. Wrestling to define what true religious affections are, he first covers an enormous range of possibilities as to what may or may not be evidence of a genuine working of God in a person's life. He points out that the following may or may not be indications of true religious affections: voluminous display of physical and emotional phenomena; the fervor with which feelings are expressed; that such displays are accompanied by quoting of scripture; that they are accompanied by expressions of love; that they are varied in their presentation; that joy results; that religious experiences occur in a certain order; that religious experiences don’t occur in a certain order; zealous religious behavior; attention to religious duty; expression of praise; confidence; and finally, affecting testimonies.

Any of the above, he asserts, may accompany true religious affections, or they may not. In other words they are none of them determinative. I found this section tough going, because in each instance, as these markers were dismissed as being possibly, but not certainly indicative of a real work of God in a person’s life, I felt as if I was gaining no ground toward the understanding of what a true work of grace would look like. Looking back, however, I realize there is great practical benefit in knowing that these various manifestations are not conclusive evidence of God at work, but remain possible indicators. As a pastor working at helping people toward maturity in their Christian faith, I frequently find it necessary to first ascertain if the person I am dealing with is in fact a Christian in the first place. Though I don’t think it possible to make a certain determination, it is helpful to have a plausible assumption in order to fashion a place at which to begin. This is where Edward’s parsing should prove helpful. This section of The Religious Affections provides a matrix by which an initial evaluation of an individual’s spiritual standing can be formed. Though I may not achieve certainty in my assessment, getting within the ballpark is a step in the right direction toward becoming truly helpful.

Upon further reflection, I also realize Edward's observations have value as a checklist for the condition of my own heart. Am I considering some of the above mentioned behaviors as evidence for my own standing in Christ? As Edward's might say, these affections are no certain signs of having within me the nature of true religion.

Religious Affections Entry #1
Religious Affections Entry #2
Religious Affections Entry #3

Cleaning one another's feet

2007-10-03T12:09:00.000-04:00

This morning I was listening to a popular Bible teacher on the radio, and he used the story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet in John 13 as an illustration for a message on Christian service. Now I’ve heard this passage taught that way many times, and I have no desire to disparage the particular teacher I was listening to (lest someone Google the date and topic and somehow figure out who I’m talking about.) However, I wonder if we’re missing a very particular point Jesus was making in this passage. Was Jesus simply teaching his disciples the necessity of serving one another—which is certainly true—or was he teaching them a very specific act of service using the washing of feet as a metaphor?

To me, it’s almost certain his purpose was not merely teaching his disciples to clean each other’s feet. Throughout John’s gospel, when Jesus does a physical act, such as give sight to the blind, or raise someone from the dead, his material acts represent spiritual truths. Sight to the blind, for example, represents spiritual illumination (John 9:41) and raising the dead (John 11) represents Jesus’ power to give eternal life. So what does washing the feet represent?

I think the major clue is when Peter asks that Jesus go ahead and wash his head and hands as well, Jesus replies, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." (John 13:10, NASB) When Jesus says, “you are clean” is he referring to bodily hygiene? No, I think he’s referring to their spiritual state. Looking at it this way makes sense then of the comparison between Judas (“not every one of you”) and the others. Surely Judas wasn’t unique because he hadn’t bathed.

If he’s equating physical cleaning with spiritual cleansing, then what are we to make of washing the feet versus washing the entire body? I believe he’s teaching the need for his followers to cleanse the everyday spiritual dirt—sin, that is—which regularly occurs in the life of the disciple. Our “whole body is clean” in the sense that Jesus performed the sacrifice that once and for all makes our scarlet sins white as snow. But as 1 John 1:8 tells us, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” So then, even though we have been entirely cleansed, each day we pick up spiritual grime that needs removal.

I was helped to see this because this very morning in my daily Bible reading I came to this passage: “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1) I believe what Paul is teaching here is exactly what Jesus is illustrating by exhorting his disciples to wash each other’s feet.

Led by the Spirit

2007-10-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Smart Christian, I was led to this exceptional post by Eric Jones who wields a vivid metaphor to describe how to be led by the Spirit. Not only does Eric have a site name that generates a little covetousness on my part, but he possesses insights and writing skills I can only pray for. Check him out.

Jonathan Edwards and Benny Hinn

2007-09-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

Never thought you’d see those two names paired did you?

In The Religious Affections, Edwards anticipates by 250 years those like Hinn who emphasize display of physical phenomena as evidence of God’s working. Edwards reasons that such displays may or may not indicate a genuine work of God.

On the side of such things possibly indicating the presence of true grace, Edwards notes, “Some are ready to condemn all high affections: if persons appear to have their religious affections raised to an extraordinary pitch, they are prejudiced against them, and determine that they are delusions without further inquiry. But if it be, as has been proved, that true religion lies very much in religious affections, then it follows that, if there be a great deal of true religion, there will be great religious affections; if true religion in the hearts of men be raised to a great height, divine and holy affections will be raised to a great height.”* He then cites numerous passages from scripture that describe what he calls the “high exercises of affection”: “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” (Psalm 119:136); “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:2); and, “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself…” (Habbakuk 3:16)

He goes on to write, “Nor, on the other hand, do I know of any rule any have to determine that gracious and holy affections, when raised as high as any natural affections, and having equally strong and vigorous exercises, cannot have a great affect on the body.”** He even goes so far as to say he knows of no reason “why a being affected with a view of God’s glory should not cause the body to faint (!), as well as being affected with a view of Solomon’s glory.” *** (The exclamation point is mine. I’m wondering now, do those who experience being “slain in the spirit” appeal to Edwards for validation? (Bet you didn’t know that Hinn names Edwards and Whitfield as role models.)

On the other hand, Edwards argues that “great effects on the body certainly are no sure evidences that affections are spiritual; for we see that such effects oftentimes arise from great affections about temporal things, and when religion is no way concerned in them.” † He writes, “I cannot think God would commonly make use of things which are very alien from spiritual affections, and are shrewd marks of the hand of Satan, and smell strong of the bottomless pit, as beautiful figures to represent the high degree of holy affections.”†† And I appreciate this observation: “False affections, if they are equally strong, are much more forward to declare themselves than true: because it is the nature of false religion to affect show and observation, as it was with the Pharisees.”†††

So how can we discern when a public display is a work of God or not? I guess I’ll have to read on, because to this point, Edwards hasn’t yet tipped his hand as to what he will describe in part III of the book as “Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections”. In the meantime, I’ll have to draw my own conclusions about some of the things that happen at Benny Hinn events.

Note: To illustrate what I’m talking about, I was going to post the video clip, “Benny Hinn: Let the Bodies Hit the Floor”, but discovered this notice on YouTube: “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Pastor Benny Hinn and the World Healing Church d/b/a Benny Hinn Ministries.”

*Pg. 54, The Religious Affections; The Banner of Truth Trust,2004.
**Ibid. Pg. 60
*** Ibid. Pg. 60
† Ibid. Pg. 59
†† Ibid. Pg. 62
††† Ibid. Pg. 64

Blog Slacking

2007-09-10T12:09:00.000-04:00

I know I've done a sorry job of maintaining this blog, but my intention is still to post my progress through Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. It's been slow going not only due to the challenge of digesting Edward's weighty content and style, but in large part as a result of exceptional demands on my time from both pastoring and things personal.

Returning from hearing John Piper speak in Asheville in late July, I found myself immersed in Vacation Bible School, getting to know five families who have begun attending our church, planning two significant events, and moving out of and back into my house for the purpose of having our floors refinished. Oh, and this on top of my "normal" pastoral responsibilities.

Also, soon after returning home, I discovered that a staffer from Piper's ministry, Desiring God, had also taken notes for posting. Not only are the conference notes available online, you can listen as well. I don't at all regret the effort to capture the notes, but it did take the steam out of my desire to post them for the benefit of others. Perhaps I'll modify my goal to instead post some reflections on what was most significant for me. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and read or listen yourself.

John Piper at the Billy Graham Training Center

2007-07-30T15:47:00.000-04:00

No living author has been as instrumental in my personal Christian growth as has John Piper. Some years ago, a friend passed on a copy of Let the Nations Be Glad, and my whole understanding of worship and missions was transformed. Prior to that book, I had no theology for either—I simply believed in doing them because the Bible said so. That slim volume explained to me the Biblical “why” of both worship and missions and their relationship to each other, and my faith life hasn’t been the same since. Thinking there might be more where those insights came from, several years ago I went to hear Piper speak at the Jonathan Edwards Institute Summer Conference and was exposed to Edward’s thinking on God’s “ultimate ends.” Again, my thinking about the Bible was deepened and transformed. Since then, I have made it a point to listen regularly to what Dr. Piper has to say on matters of faith and practice. I seldom read or listen to him that I don’t learn some new principle or gain some new insight.

This past weekend was no exception. My wife and I traveled with some wonderful friends down to The Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove in Asheville, NC, to hear Piper speak on Romans 12 and 13 under the title, The Mercies of God and the Transformed Christian Mind.

What follows are my notes of Session 1, and the Lord willing, I hope to post sessions two through five as well.

Dr. Piper began the session by noting that the majority of conferees are in their 50’s and 60’s. With that in mind, he called attention to Psalm 71 which he said has meant a lot to him for some time now. In vs. 17-18, it says, “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all who come.”

He noted that at this stage in life, he has seen much of God’s power and grace, and he wants to finish like the Psalm, proclaiming God’s deeds. He expressed his desire that this time together to be surprising for those late in life’s journey for their remaining days. Some think these days might be the same and they won’t. He related that his mother was killed while on a trip to Israel, and his Father wounded. Everything changed for his father. The last years of his life were spent with a global ministry, ROGMA. He never knew such a thing would be. If you have a year left, it may be totally different than you think it may be.

We have before us Romans 12 and 13; preached 350 pages on these chapters—30 sermons; must condense into 5 hours. You will probably think I gave up because tonight we’ll cover ½ verse. Tonight will not get beyond verse 1, but will read verse 2. If you get verses 1 and 2, the rest will fall into place, so we will be heavy on verses one and two.

The most important word in this passage is therefore; what follows is built on something. If we don’t recognize this, we can become first class legalists.

Paul is moving from something to something. As an illustration, our church voted after years of praying and planning, to purchase a property and build an additional campus; after this, therefore, in a short time they purchased the property and began to build. But the action was built on years of prior work, prayer and consensus building.

Another illustration: a missionary in Brazil, Linda, gathered the women together and gave testimony that from the time she was a little girl she wanted to be a missionary. She married a man who didn’t, and ended up divorced, and at age 50 went on to doing street ministry in Rio de Janeiro. She told the story to the group, and the next morning the group gathered and the pastor’s wife explained that her husband always wanted to be a missionary and she resisted; after hearing the story, she therefore made the decision to no longer resist. And she and her husband became missionaries.

Everything in Chapter 12 and 13 built upon something. Paul is moving from doctrine to practice, from theology to ethics. It may seem obvious that Christian living grows out of something, but it is especially important to recognize this today. Quoted from an article by Herbert Hoefer on Hinduism: "The proper name of “Hinduism” is “Sanatana Dharma” or ‘the eternal way of life.’ You can have whatever beliefs you like, but you are expected to live out 'dharma'.” Paul’s worldview is totally different than this—his appeal is based upon something having happened. Why this kind of world? Why does God do it this way? Why does Paul say the universe exists in order to display God? To display the way he is, his attributes. Psalm 150 declares: “Praise God for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness.” The therefore is not there by accident, we live because God has designed the world in such a way that we are to live a certain way.

A practical word to parents: I’ve got kids from 36-11. At 61 never thought I would still be parenting. This therefore means that when you want your children to act a certain way, you have to give them something first. So many parents want their children to “just do it”; however, if that becomes the dominant motif, appealing only to authority, that child will not become a Christian. Their obedience is not built on anything. In parenting we live, sing, Romans 1-11. Didn’t sing together as a family for years, but began to sing—one of the reasons is wanting her life to flow out of worship.

An example from life—we were reading in Luke 11, it says "fear not". Wants his little girl to grow up being a fearless woman. Three times the text says “do not be afraid.” So we pray that God will take the fear out of life. Because of the therefore principle, I search the text for the reasons to not be afraid and found three. First, they can only kill you. (This didn’t really satisfy his daughter, so he explained further about God making all things right—if you belong to Jesus, they’ve done their worse.) Next, God knows the number of hairs on your head, and third, you are worth more than birds. I want this child to know therefore you can be fearless, the why.

Back to Romans 12, the next phrase, “by the mercies of God” is Paul’s shorthand summary of what came before in the book. Amazed at his choice—he’s talked about justification, sanctification, sovereignty, and election, and Paul chooses “the mercies of God”. Why would he choose to sum up using this phrase?

Three reasons:
1) The purpose of life is to glorify God for his mercy. Chapter 15:8-9, the purpose of God in sending his son is that the nations would be amazed at his mercy. The Gentiles are to live in such a way that people can only conclude that God’s mercy is glorious.

2) Mercy in your life towards the undeserving is the best way to make God’s mercy look great. Treating people better than they deserve is the best way to show that God’s mercy is great. Running through Chapter 12, this is repeated over and over. This chapter is saturated with mercy. Mercy flowing out from us must be rooted in mercy coming to us. The overarching theme is, God treats us better than we deserve. A lifestyle of mercy is the way to show God’s great mercy.

3) God’s mercy to us is the key to us living this way. Romans 11:36: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.” From him we received mercy.

We talk about what God did so that Paul could say, therefore, live this way. It isn’t that Christ was simply an example of giving mercy—he was—saving us when we didn’t deserve. We need to see the importance of what he did.

Mercy implies two things: grace is treating people better than they deserve. Mercy is helping someone who is in pain. We need both—we are guilty and miserable. Romans 5:6: while we were still weak, Christ died for us. The mercy we need is in response to our weak and rebellious condition. Romans 3:9 describes the condition: under the power of sin. None righteous, no one seeks, no one does good. Down to v.19, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.”

You will never meet anybody who is not accountable to God. You have never met anyone who had done enough good to deserve God’s goodness. If you don’t have a view of human depravity that includes nice people, you need to go to the Bible to see that depravity is ignoring God. Pharisees were squeaky clean and called vipers. If we don’t have a high view of sin, we won’t understand what Christ has done.

Romans 3:21, the best verse in the Bible perhaps, “But now the righteousness of God has been revealed.”

Romans 1:23 explains Romans 3:23, we’ve “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

By his grace, mercy, through Christ, we received justification, redemption propitiation. Three words; linger there, the center of the gospel, the center of the demonstration of his mercy.

Propitiation: to take away wrath. Our biggest problem is not bad people but a wrathful God. Galatians 3:13—God has cursed us, we’re under a curse, God’s wrath. No amount of doing good will help. And God puts forward Christ to absorb his wrath. Through Christ’s flesh, God condemned my sin. What’s the sin Christ was condemned for? Not his, ours. The gospel breaks pride. There will now never be a day from now on when God is wrathful towards us. He may spank, but it is in love.

Redemption: the word means deliverance at the cost of a price. Paul twice (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14) tells us what redemption is—the forgiveness of sin, the canceling of sin, guilt removed the weight removed, lifted.

Justification: to justify is to declare that you have fulfilled everything required of you. God the judge, contemplates you the sinner, you fly to Jesus, the righteousness provider, you embrace him and make your appeal to the judge to look at him and not me, and he counts us righteous. Romans 4:5,6: “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” God, because of our union with Christ, counts us righteous, as having fulfilled everything required. This is more than forgiveness.

How can this be? Look at Romans 5:19: “by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” By virtue of Christ having accomplishing everything, when we put our faith, trust in him, what he has done becomes ours.

What’s the implication of justification, redemption, and propitiation? Faith is a reaching out to receive what Christ has done. When that happens, we are secure, Romans 8:28, everything is then working for your good. Those whom he calls, he justifies. All the called are justified. The call creates belief. God spoke, when you thought Christianity was boring, God called. Because of wrath removed, sins forgiven, righteousness provided, therefore, live this way.

When did God become totally for me? You might answer, “in eternity past,” because he chose me before the foundation of the world. But Ephesians 2 says we were objects of wrath. When we believed God, he was from that moment for us. The obedience to the imperatives in Romans 12 and 13 does not make him more for us. It is not to get God on our side, but rather because he is already for us.

Jonathan Edwards is on to something

2007-07-21T17:17:00.000-04:00

Still in the infant stages of working my way through Jonathan Edward’s The Religious Affections, (click here for entry #1) I’m discovering matters of high relevance both to my role as pastor and as a simple follower of Christ. In 1746 Edwards was exploring a vexing issue of pressing importance for the church today—the tendency (which I find in my own heart) to have more passion, focus and energy directed toward making our way in this world than investment in matters concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. Here’s how Edwards put it:

"And yet how common is it among mankind, that their affections are much more exercised and engaged in other matters than in religion! In things which concern men’s worldly interests, their outward delights, their honour and reputation, and their natural relations, they have their desires eager, their appetites vehement, their love warm and affectionate, their zeal ardent; in these things their hearts are tender and sensible, easily moved, deeply impressed, much concerned, very sensibly affected, and greatly engaged; much depressed with grief at losses, and highly raised with joy at worldly successes and prosperity. But how insensible and unmoved are most men about the great things of another world. "

(Page 51-52; The Religious Affections; The Banner of Truth Trust, 2004.)

I’m only to page 53, but this line of thinking has already made the book worthwhile to have worked through. I’m hoping Edwards goes on to propose some remedy for this state of affairs. In the meantime, I’m finding it valuable to simply meditate on this question: Why are most of us less interested and excited about what Christ has done (and is doing) for us than we are concerning the things of this world, which at best, provide meaning and satisfaction for but a season?

Jonathan Edwards on the Religious Affections

2007-07-14T21:25:00.000-04:00

While at the annual Jonathan Edwards Institute Summer Conference, I decided to purchase and tackle one of Edward's most well-known and influential works, The Religious Affections. As everyone I'm aware of who has read Edwards will attest, his writing is at once challenging and rewarding. To put a little pressure on myself to understand and retain what I'm reading, I thought from time to time I'd post segments that jumped out to me. Here's the first of what I hope will become a series:

"The things of religion are so great, that there can be no suitableness in the exercises of our hearts to their nature and importance unless they be lively and powerful. In nothing is vigour in the actings of our inclinations so requisite as in religion; and in nothing is lukewarmness so odious."

(Page 28; The Religious Affections; The Banner of Truth Trust,2004.)

If you haven't already discovered it, Jonathan Edwards Online, sponsored by Yale University, is a treasure trove of access to Edwards' writings. And while I'm at it, thanks to Byron and Beth Borger for every year running such a great bookstore at the JEI conference and providing such helpful information and guidance for their customers.

D. A. Carson at the final plenary session of the Jonathan Edwards Institute Summer Conference

2007-07-10T20:41:00.000-04:00

This was my favorite session of the entire conference for two reasons: 1) Dr. Carson's explanation of a possible reason for God communicating to us by means of the genre we call apocalyptic was as helpful as anything I've heard on the subject and 2) his portrayal of God's majesty and the corresponding excellency of Christ was both instructive and moving. My notes don't do it justice.

The Lamb from the Throne
Dr. Carson began by asking why the Bible features apocalyptic literature, and answered with an illustration: imagine, he said, a modern person going to a remote tribe with a pre-iron age culture and trying to explain electricity. Since they have no concept of the physical objects used to either produce or utilize electricity, it would be advantageous to describe it by means of comparison with everyday objects and concepts with which they are familiar. For example, one might compare our power lines to their jungle vines, or our light bulbs to the sun. In other words, due to their lack of physical reference points, it would be necessary to use analogical, symbolic description. In a similar fashion, God may have thought it best to describe heavenly realities (for which no one has concrete reference points) by means of representations and comparison to objects which the recipients of the apocalyptic texts were familiar.

For the text, he read all of Chapters 4 and 5 of the Revelation.

John writes after his inaugural vision of Chapter 1, that a voice of the exalted Christ speaks to him and is shown what must take place. He is given an experience of the centrality and indescribable majesty of the Almighty. This demonstrates to the persecuted and oppressed, that God is above all and in control. But how do you describe a God purer than driven snow, more beautiful than any gem, more powerful than any storm?

John sees the divine throne enhanced by divine beings, elders. Two views on the elders: 1) rulers in an exalted state; 2) angelic beings. (Carson holds the latter.) In any case, the point is their function is to praise God and enhance the throne. In an earthly example, were we somehow able to visit the president we would be met by intermediaries. In the case of the 24 elders, these transcendent heavenly attendants point to God's position and authority.

Four quick takes on the holy separateness of God’s throne:
• Jewels, with their splendor and sparkle representing royalty.

• Lightning and thunder—Carson illustrates with a poetic description of an approaching thunderstorm from his time as youth growing up in the plains of Canada. The power and magnitude of a storm depicts an aspect of God’s rule.

• Seven spirits—a perfection of power and ability to observe.

• Sea of glass—glass from their time period not clear like ours, but rather colored and sparkling; also, for the Israelite, the sea is not a peaceful place but chaotic, even dangerous. So the sea of glass for them would be heaving, colored, awe inspiring.

The holiness of the place is represented by four living creatures, the highest order of beings, reminiscent of the beings in Ezekiel's vision. They are described using mixed metaphors that don’t make sense if you were to try to draw them. The lion, royal; the bullock, strength; the human, intelligence; the eagle, speed or compassion. These never stop praising. They quote Isaiah 6:3, Holy, holy, holy, said to be worthy because of creation.

In Chapter 5, we have a scene of a scroll with writing on two sides. Two reasons for doing so 1) if you’re cheap or 2)to maintain unity and demonstrate fullness. The first obviously does not apply to the God previously described, so the second must be the explanation. The number of seals an indication of importance of the author and purpose. In the symbolism of the day, the slitting of the seals represented the initiating of the action contained in the scroll.

Who then has the attributes to approach this exalted throne and perform this task?

In 5:4 John weeps for no one can be found to open the scroll, because the judgments and purposes contained will not be enacted. Justice not granted, hope not realized, sins not forgiven.

Then in v. 5, one of the divine beings reminds him of the promise of Isaiah 11, there is one who is able. Another mixed metaphor, lion and lamb together, not to be seen apart. Sevens mean perfections (horns, of kingdom authority).

The worthy one comes from the midst of the throne. The harp is not like ours, rather an instrument of joy. New song because of the uniqueness of the occasion.

Someone has said the best commentary on this passage is the hymn, Crown Him With Many Crowns, which he quotes at length.

This is an astonishingly broad atonement—every people nation tribe and tongue. Thousands upon ten thousands give a perfection of praise.

Unthinkable: if Christ had not died, we wouldn’t be here. All of God’s purposes would fall to the ground. When we speak of the sufficiency of Christ, we are saying that he and he only is able to open the scrolls because of his sacrifice and resurrection, and the whole universe rises in praise.

In our modern world, our deities must be tame. But not so this Christ. From the throne the lion roars.

When times are tough

2007-07-09T12:12:00.000-04:00

Phil Johnson over at Pyromaniacs has an exceptional post today on discerning God's purposes in the midst of difficulty. Just read it—anything I say will just detract from it.

D. A. Carson at the Jonathan Edwards Institute Summer Conference

2007-07-08T18:10:00.000-04:00

For the past six years my wife, Carol, and I have journeyed to Annapolis, MD, for the annual Jonathan Edwards Institute Summer Conference. This year’s theme was “The Sufficiency of Christ”, and the plenary speakers were D. A. Carson, Richard Pratt and Scott Haffeman.

This is my first attempt at “live blogging”. Given that the conference began on Wednesday, July 4, and it is now Sunday, July 8, the first thing to be noticed is my sorry use of the term “live”. I’ve heard of “dead blogging” but what to call this? Substantially Delayed Live Blogging? (Attempting this has given me the greatest respect for Tim Challies, Timmy Brister, and the afore-mentioned Pyro’s, who have pulled off true conference live-blogging with excellence.)

Anyway, here are my notes of D. A. Carson’s remarks at the opening plenary session. Warning: please do not give Dr. Carson grief for what may in all probability be a mis-typing or mis-hearing or omission on my part!

"A Living Branch in a Cursed Land"

Dr. Carson began by reading the entire sixth chapter of Isaiah, the one that begins, “In the year that King Uzziah died…”

He noted that when we come to the end of ourselves, we begin to think with eternity in view. Things become less or more important when things like cancer or tragedy strike. Isaiah experiences something similar. In Israel, things were beginning to look pretty bleak. (See Isaiah 2:6; 3:1; and 5:8-11.)

Assyria, a terrible enemy was pressing in. There was moral decay with one pillar, King Uzziah; but then he died in shame. It was in this context that Isaiah wrote, “Then I saw the Lord.”

It is helpful to break chapter into three parts: A Holy God, An Humble Servant, and A Hard Message.

A Holy God
In the heavenly vision, the “train of his robe” is simply the hem of God's garment, and it fills the temple. In Exodus 33:18-23, we note that no one is able to see God’s face and live; he is surrounded by heavenly beings, Seraphs, who despite their lofty status, still cannot look on God’s face.

What does that mean? Some have argued the heart of Holiness is separated. But none cry, “separate, separate, separate”. Some think moral--but none cry “moral, moral, moral”. Holy is synonymous for God—he himself, and him making things around him holy also. Holiness is communicable. The word extends further out to include the domain of the sacred. The word Holy has a rising boundary of concentric circles, with the use of the word depending on context.

We are terribly aware of the marring caused by sin—easy to see its ravages. Yet we’re surrounded by beauty, nature, birds for example. Ever looked at the tail of a woodpecker? (Describes several remarkable features of said tail.) We need to look at nature and think consciously in order to glimpse God’s holiness. The tragedy of naturalism is not giving credit where it belongs. We are wise to sing Immortal, Invisible, Almighty God.

An Humbled Servant
Isaiah experiences not existential angst, but, moral angst—we are ruined. When we glimpse the holiness of God we see our participation in the culture. The standards of holiness are so strong, ours are bound to the world.

Uzziah died, then Isaiah sees the true king. We are fallible, fallen—hopeless compared to his infallibility.

Sense of awe lacking today. Biblical illiteracy rampant—his students often unaware of basic doctrines—and so are not impressed when theological truths are expressed. Instant umbrage is taken, however, whenever he gets anywhere near sin.

Back to the heavenly vision, here also is God’s grace. God acts in response not to a plea, but to bless and redeem. An angel is sent with coals from the main altar, where the lamb is killed on the Day of Atonement. These sacrifices produce coals which take away Isaiah’s sins—he is cleansed. The only way you can be in contact with God is through these sacrifices, quoting Isaiah 33:14:

“The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: ‘Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?’”

God does not challenge Isaiah directly—he asks, “who can I send?” Isaiah volunteers, an humble abashed, seeking request. The heart of genuine call is humility. As soon as we think we’re offering a deal, not much grace is involved.

Carson at this point describes the work of a campus ministry he's involved with that prepares papers on Christian themes which are cast for 22 year-olds who are bright, but Biblically ignorant. They brought in 6 workers with theological degrees and got their input on which topics to address. One young woman who spent lot of time in one-on-one Bible studies at an Ivy League school described three things that drive these students:

• Pressure from parents to never get less than an A
• From parents and culture as well, the advice to be yourself, but reserve a little time for altruism. (Already in conflict with item one)
• From peers, the advice to be hot. (How you dress, establish relationships, involves competition.)

Thus, these students were expected to be Bright, Altruistic and Hot. Now when these students become Christians, they are still influenced by these values. So instead of doing things out of gratitude, they begin working to get God’s approval, practicing a self-righteous idealism where you can never do enough.
"The Gospel doesn’t say “do, do, do”; but rather we respond in joyful gratitude to grace."
Isaiah's call comes late in the book, after time in ministry and comes in the context of difficult times.

A Hard Message
God says, tell this people, "Keep on hearing, but do not understand." Isaiah 6:9-10.

This reminds of 2 Thessalonians; should remind us of John 8, because he speaks the truth they do not believe.

"This is precisely the problem of basing ministry upon observing the culture."

It is by preaching the word that men and women come to faith, but there are times when the declaration offends. The only alternative is to speak the truth.

How long (Isaiah 6:11) will this take? 30, 40 years? (Carson relates how his father planted churches in French Canada, which after 40 years grew from 30 to 500. When he set out did not take an attitude of expecting only a set time.) God warns that the word must be preached until things are ruined, the land forsaken—not until repentance—until a tenth remains which is itself laid waste.

At the end, the only whisper of hope in the chapter:

“And though a tenth remain in it, will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” Isaiah 6:13

The holy seed is a stump--a promise to be fulfilled 700 years later.

Two pastoral, theological implications:

1. God ordained quality of preaching:
We are told not to expect reformation and revival. Examples Japan and Korea. In Japan only 1% Christian; Korea quite Christianized. Were the Japan missionaries less sanctified? Successful preachers cannot be measured by converts. Some are called to preach in hard times.

What about our time? Could tell stories of blessing, but in Europe, due to the low birth rate, the population will be halved in two generations. Muslims however are immigrating with a growing birth rate. Many more Muslims are worshiping than Christians. Not Muslim-phobic—we have the Great Commission. But in light of Israel’s destruction, it is not impossible for Europe to be laid waste and another place, say China, raised up.

God uses the foolishness of what is preached to save, thus the centrality of the declaration of God’s word. Just as God has disclosed himself by his word when it is revealed, God re-reveals himself afresh. As the word is re-disclosed, God is re-revealed.

Another reason why God’s word is declared: if doing is the standard then instruction is required. However, due to the grace of what God has done, then announcement is called for.

Tolerance used to mean allowing different viewpoints; now, however, it means to insist that no one is wrong, therefore the Gospel offends.

2. The God-ordained Finality of Jesus
This promise of a branch makes sense only in the context of the whole Bible’s storyline. Until the storyline is in place, it can be difficult to explain why Jesus is the only way to salvation. The king sends his own son as the means by which he brings all things into submission, and remove sins. Jesus is the only one who can do all that.

Concluding Hymn: Immortal Invisible Almighty God

New Creation

2007-07-03T13:57:00.000-04:00

I used to call this blog "Manifest Uncertainty" because its purpose was to explore the meaning of Biblical passages about which I was less than certain. Discovering it much harder to get feedback than I anticipated, I gave up on the concept and became a gleaner from others. Additional impetus for the name and format change, came from the realization that wearing uncertainty on your sleeve communicates lack of confidence in what you're, well, confident about--such as faith in Christ's work being the basis for my sure hope of salvation.

So there.

Not as uncertain as I thought?

2006-09-09T20:40:00.000-04:00

One reason I haven't posted in awhile is my nearly complete lack of uncertainty over the past few weeks I have been preaching Romans 8. After the challenges of Romans 7, Chapter 8 has been for me relatively straightforward. I don't pretend to think I've got it all figured out, but I've experienced a remarkable degree of confidence as I've studied and preached through this chapter.

But here's a question that's come up: in verse 26, Paul says "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness." In the same way as what? John Piper thinks it refers to the help that Paul provides us with regard to the "why" of our suffering. My thought, and the way I'm intending to preach it, is that "the same way" refers to the description of hope and its work described in v. 24-25. In other words, just as God has ordained that you and I experience suffering firsthand as we await the fulfillment of His promise, the Spirit, "in the same way", walks through it with us.

I'm not certain, so I'll hold it, as a dear friend says, loosely. Your thoughts?

21st Century Question of the Ages

2006-08-03T20:18:00.000-04:00

Must make self blog. If I'm going to do this I have to do it every day, or so says Joe Carter over at The Evangelical Outpost. Ok does this count?

To blog or not to blog? So many possibilities, so many pitfalls.

I wish to be faithful to God, my wife, my congregation; how do others (who to my thinking have many more responsibilitiess than I) do it?

Ron Sider at JEI

2006-07-07T19:42:00.000-04:00

This week I attended the annual Jonathan Edwards Institute conference in Annapolis. One of the speakers was Ron Sider, author of The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience and Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. In one of his sessions, Dr. Sider addressed the question of how Christians can best interact with things political. He suggested the need to develop an "evangelical approach" to politics, which for him, consisted of four elements. (The following are my attempts at summarizing his thoughts, not his actual words.)

1) Put together a "normative framework" based upon biblical paradigms to guide thinking. For him, such a framework would include as basic: the Sanctity of Life; Freedom of Religious Thought; Necessity of Strong Families; Justice--fair courts and fair economic systems; Necessity of Work; Peacemaking; and Importance of both Individuality and Community.

2) Conduct a broad study of the world's systems and peoples in order to understand it's economy, environment and interactions.

3) Develop a guiding political philosophy in that it is impossible to formulate an immediate novel response to every new issue or candidate for office.

4) Perform a detailed social analysis of cardinal issues.

He noted the complexity of each component, but believed an attempt to be necessary if evangelicals are to influence the political realm for gospel purposes.

Your thoughts?

Who is this?

2006-06-29T16:05:00.003-04:00

In the latter part of Romans Chapter 7, Paul makes a number of "I" statements that many commentators attribute to Paul taking on a persona to flesh out his argument about the believer's relationship to the law. Suggestions to this persona's identity have included: Adam, Paul in his pre-Christian state, even an anonymous "carnal Christian", the general idea being that Paul, in his mature state, could not have such a difficult struggle with sin. Below are some characteristics I've noted about the figure, which lead me to think Paul is describing himself at the time of his writing. If you think differently, what leads you to that conclusion?

Characteristics of the figure in Romans 7:7—8:4
7:7 would not have known what sin was except through the law.
7b would not have know what coveting was if the law hadn’t said don’t.
8 experienced covetous desire as a result of sin taking opportunity of law
9 was once alive apart from the law
9b died when sin sprang to life
10 discovered that the law actually produced death
11 was deceived by sin (again taking advantage of the law) and died
13 wrestles with implications of the law
14 considers self unspiritual, sold to sin as a slave
15 can’t figure out why he does the things he does
15b hates the things he does
16 agrees the law is good, even when doing that which contrary to desires
17 believes that sin is living in him, making him do things contrary to his desires
18 believes that nothing good resides within him, that is within flesh/sin nature
18b desires to do good, but can’t
19 instead of doing what he believes to be good, instead discovers himself doing evil that he doesn’t like; indeed is unable to cease
20 realizes that if he is acting contrary to will, there must be an outside force at work
21 postulates conclusion that evil takes residence in the presence of a desire to do good
22 in his inner being, delights in God’s law
23 observes another law at work in his body, one at odds with his mind;
24 feels and expresses deep dissatisfaction with self
24b cries out for rescue from plight
25 realizes Jesus is the answer to his dilemma
25b concludes that an active dichotomy is at work in his inner being
8:2 believes that he has been freed from the law of sin and death
8:3 posits that this freeing couldn’t have been accomplished by the law, but was accomplished by God sending Jesus
8:3-4 posits that the substitutionary offering of Christ’s life coupled with living “according to the Spirit” satisfies the righteous requirements of the law in him and others (“might be fully met in us, who” Romans 8:4 NIV)

Manifest Uncertainty

2006-06-23T20:34:00.000-04:00

The idea for this blog is to explore ideas, concepts and statements found in the Bible that for whatever reason are not easily understood or whose meaning is not readily agreed upon.

For example, I'm currently preaching through Romans and am about to cover chapter 7. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul cites the death of a woman's husband as grounds for her freedom to marry another. Is Paul creating a) an illustration; b) an analogy; or c) an allegory? If you have this figured out, what is the connection between the modern believer, the woman and her dead husband?

Your thoughts?