Grace Revealed

Various Readings on Christian Ethics

2011-03-24T07:58:00.001-07:00

Recently I have done the majority of my reading on books on Christian Ethics. I have completed the following three:

Responsible Conduct: Principles of Christian Ethics
by J. Douma, Translated by Nelson Kloosterman
Douma was a professor of Christian ethics at the Theological University in Kampen, and he is a member of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands.
This book is a basic introduction to Christian Ethics, but from a non-American point of view. Many aspects of morality which we assume or fail to consider as Americans, he ponders and brings biblical wisdom to.

Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance

by Albert Mohler Jr.

In this book, Mohler lifts the curtain on the sex-saturated and confused culture Christians find themselves in. He gives warning to the easily enticed Christian community and lifts up a the noble role of sex and sexuality inside a biblical framework.

Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God
by Paul Copan
Copan is the Chair of the Philosophy and Ethics Departments at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Copan answers some of the hardest questions in the Old Testament. He stands strong against the Neo-Atheist's criticisms against the practices of OT Israel that seem to be condoned and encouraged by God, Himself. He doesn't avoid the problems and remains faithful to the text of Scripture and the goodness of God.

My final read on Christian ethics that I am soon to begin is Generous Justice, by Timothy Keller. This is the book that I am probably looking forward to the most of this small selection on Christian ethics.

"Dogmatics without ethics is empty; ethics without dogmatics is blind. Dogmatics becomes arid scholasticism if its significance for living is not made clear. But ethics slides into moralism when it views our conduct apart from the work that Christ and His Spirit perform in our lives" (Douma, Responsible Conduct 41).

Kevin DeYoung on being "Missional"

2010-10-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

I thought this response by Kevin DeYoung on the "Missional" movement was great:

On Tuesday I read Zach Nielsen’s comments on the Ryan Kelly-Greg Gilbert-Kevin DeYoung TGC roundtable on the mission of the church. Zach offered several gracious critiques. The same morning I got a long email from an Acts 29 church planter concerned about the same panel discussion. In both cases these brothers were trying to politely and thoughtfully disagree with me. And in both cases, after reading both Zach’s blog and this unsolicited email, I thought “I don’t disagree with you!” I may have wanted to ask one or two questions but overwhelmingly my internal response was: “I really think we are on the same page.”

Whenever this happens I figure one of three things is going on: 1) I’m not being understood correctly. 2) I’m not communicating clearly. 3) Some combination of 1 and 2. In this case, I’m sure there is some of 2 so let me try to clarify.

Here’s what I said about “missional” at last week’s Desiring God National Conference.

Let me say something at this point about the relatively new term “missional.” I do not have a problem with people putting “al” at the end of “mission.” More and more the word simply means “being involved in mission.” Or it is shorthand for “get out of your holy huddle and go engage your community with the gospel.” And I’m all for that. Every Christian should be. So I am not on a crusade to make people stop using the word missional, nor do I want you to be suspicious of everyone who does.

Nevertheless, I have a few concerns with what I sometimes see in the missional mood. And let me just make clear: these are concerns I see in some of the missional advocates, certainly not all. In fact, I would guess, though I don’t want to speak for anyone else, that Mark Driscoll, Darrin Patrick, Tim Keller and their networks would share many of these same concerns [note: in my talk I think I said "most or all" but "many" is probably safer]. And I know for a fact that these men give priority to discipleship and evangelism.

(1) I am concerned that good behaviors are sometimes commended using the wrong categories. For example, many good deeds are promoted under the term “social justice” when I think “love your neighbor” is often a better category. Or, folks will talk about transforming the world, when I think being “a faithful presence in the world” is a better way to describe what we are trying to do and actually can do. Or, sometimes well meaning Christians talk about “building the kingdom” when actually the verbs associated with the kingdom are almost always passive (enter, receive, inherit). We’d do better to speak of living as citizens of the kingdom, rather than telling our people they build the kingdom.

(2) I am concerned that in our new found missional zeal we sometimes put hard “oughts” on Christians where there should be inviting “cans.” You ought to do something about human trafficking. You ought to do something about AIDS. You ought to do something about lack of good public education. When you say “ought” you imply that if the church does not tackle these problems we are being disobedient. It would be better to invite individual Christians in keeping with their gifts and calling to try to solve these problems rather than indicting the church for “not caring.”

(3) I am concerned that in all our passion for renewing the city or tackling social problems we run the risk of marginalizing the one thing that makes Christian mission Christian: namely, making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Now, having raised those concerns, I need to make sure you know what I am not saying. I do not want:

Christians to be indifferent toward the suffering around them and around the world.
Christians to think evangelism is the only thing in life that really counts or that helping the poor really only matters if it results in conversions.
Christians to stop dreaming of creative, courageous ways to love their neighbors and impact their cities.
But here’s some of what I do want:

I want the gospel—the good news of Christ’s death for sin and subsequent resurrection—to be of first importance in our churches.
I want Christians freed from false guilt, freed from thinking the church is either responsible for most of problems in the world or responsible to fix all of these problems.
I want the utterly unique task of the church—making disciples of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit to the glory of God the Father—put front and center, not lost in a flurry of humanitarian good deeds or environmental concerns.
Let me add a few other clarifying comments.

I affirm that faith without works is dead. I agree that the gospel should be adorned with good works. I agree that those saved by the gospel will live lives of compassion, justice, and love. I applaud and pray for more churches that do orphan care, address hunger issues, and tackle community problems with the aim of meeting human need and “putting in a good word for Jesus.”

I should also add that the book Greg Gilbert and I are writing is not really about “missional.” It’s about the mission of the church, a broader discussion that is not aimed at the missional movement per se, even less with the expressions of it in the Reformed community.

So what then is my point in arguing, as I did last Friday, that the mission of the church is the Great Commission? This is what I said in conclusion to my talk.

So what is the mission of the church? The mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and gathering these disciples into churches, that they might worship and obey Jesus Christ now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father. In other words, the mission of the church is not equal to everything God is doing in the world, nor is it everything we do in obedience to Christ. The mission of the church is the Great Commission. As Kostenberger says, “the church ought to be focused in the understanding of its mission. Its activities should be constrained by what helps others to come to believe that the Messiah, the Son of God, is Jesus.”

But to say disciple-making is the “central” aim or our “priority,” or our “focus” is not to say that everything else is suspect. Galatians 6:10 says, “Do good to all people, especially to the household of faith.” I should also add that the language of “priority” does not mean evangelism or discipleship must happen temporally prior to any other kind of ministry. “Priority” doesn’t mean you do items 1-10 on your list and then you can tackle 11-15.

It does mean, however, that priorities ought to take, well, priority. We live in a world of finite time, finite people, and finite resources. Therefore, the church cannot do everything noble there is to do. If our mission is discipleship this will mean something for the church’s allocation of time, talents, and treasure. What that something looks like depends on the wisdom of the leadership of the local church. I don’t have a formula for what keeps disciple-making properly in the focus. Except to say this: if the church as a body tackles few community problems, but it is making disciples, and those disciples are individually living as disciples, the church is being faithful. Conversely, if we do everything else—serve, bless, renew the city, create culture, transform our schools—but do not make disciples, we are failing in our mission.

Are we on the same page? I hope so.

The Church: The Context for Gospel Love

2010-09-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

Recently I read What is the Gospel by Greg Gilbert of 9 marks ministries. As I gazed upon the cross of Christ through the pages of this book, I asked the question, “As Christians what is our response to God’s demonstration of love for us in the gospel”? How does God’s love in Christ inform our love for the body of Christ? Gilbert answers those questions on pages 117 and 118:

“Christian, the gospel should drive you to a deeper and livelier love for God’s people, the church. Not one of us Christians has earned his or her way into the inheritance God has stored up for us. We are not “self-made” citizens of the kingdom. We are included in God’s promises only because we know that we are dependent on Jesus Christ to save us, and we are united to him by faith.

But here’s the kicker. Do you realize that the same thing is true of that brother or sister in your church who annoys you? He or she believes in and love the same Lord Jesus that you do, and even more, he or she has been saved and forgiven by the same Lord who saved and forgave you. Think about that brother or sister you’ve not really taken the time to get to know because you just don’t think you’d click. Think about that person with whom you have a broken relationship that you’ve refused to repair. Now consider that he or she loves and trusts in the same Lord you do. Consider that same Lord who died for you, also died for him, for her.

I wonder if your understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news that Jesus saved you even though you didn’t deserve it—is deep enough to swallow up the little criticisms you have of your brothers and sisters. I wonder if it’s deep enough to sink the offenses they’ve committed against you, even the most painful ones, and lead you to forgive them and love them just as Jesus himself has done for both of you.

I wonder if the vastness of God’s love for you has increased your love for others”.

-soli deo gloria

Book Review: The Trellis and the Vine

2010-08-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Synopsis

Collin Marshall and Tony Payne address current trends in evangelical churches that have given up gospel growth for church growth in The Trellis and the Vine. Marshall and Payne use the metaphor of a trellis to indicate Church infrastructure and program growth, and the vine to indicate gospel growth through people. The authors assume their readers believe that “The basic work of any Christian ministry is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of God’s Spirit, and to see people converted, changed and grow to maturity in that gospel” (Marshall and Payne 8). So the admonitions of the text are set in light of an evangelical audience.

In chapters 1-3, the authors give us a definition for true gospel growth. They believe the modern evangelical church has given into pseudo growth models which sound appealing and might even look successful. The problem with most church growth models is that they fail to grow the part of the church that actually makes it the church. For the evangelical church, the focus can easily become management growth, infrastructure growth, and program growth and certainly many programs bring in some people who hear the gospel. But the authors call us to a radical ministry mind shift away from programs and towards gospel growth in people. They want us to be worried about advancing the kingdom by making our focus be on the gospel manifested in people.

In Chapters 4-6, the authors have two primary purposes: to dismember the popular notion that Christian ministry is primarily the work of pastor/elders, and to show that discipleship (along with sound preaching) is the primary means of gospel growth. The distinction between clergy and laity has become far greater than Paul ever intended. Obviously, if true gospel growth happens through disciple making, than the pastor or even elders cannot personally disciple every member in a large congregation. The congregation has the responsibility of discipleship just as the church leadership does. This is not to say that there exists no distinction between congregation and leadership. The authors take us here by way of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and Corinthians, where he calls them to be imitators of him (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1). Paul pleads for ever member to find gospel partnership with him. This means that every person shares the gospel by contributing to gospel growth in the church, and this happens through disciple-making discipleship. The authors exhort every believer to take responsibility for entrusting the good deposit given to them in the gospel. This happens through prayerful community in the gospel at individual, small group, and large group levels.

In Chapters 7-12, the authors teach us practical ways to make disciple-making discipleship growth possible. They start with the premise that “the gospel by its very nature produces growth” (82). The authors give three profound principles when considering how to practice vine work instead of trellis work. (1) Growth of the gospel happens in the lives of people, not in the structures of my church (82). (2) We must be willing to lose people from our own congregation if that is better for the growth of the gospel (83). (3) [Our] understanding of ‘gospel growth’ lies in the way we think about people. We see people not as cogs in our wheel or as resources for our projects, but as individuals each at their own stage of gospel growth (83). These principles lay the foundation for the remaining chapters. Marshall and Payne give warnings to the pastor who sees himself as a “CEO” or a “service-provider.” The pastor exhibits discipleship by becoming a gospel trainer. Training gives responsibility of gospel growth to more than just the pastor, and thus training happens by more than the Sunday morning sermon. The finals chapters answer the true meaning of what “the call” to the ministry truly is. They reconfigure many false perceptions of the call to ministry and give practical resources for the ministry of the gospel.

Reflection

The Trellis and the Vine served me as a member of the body of Christ. Though this book might be addressed to pastors or church leaders, it contains incite and exhortation for those in the pew. I am thankful for the appreciation the authors gave to certain church growth models without following the church growth trends that so easily miss the gospel. My understanding of true gospel growth has morphed. I often fall into thinking that success must be tangible, meaning growth must mean numbers, and structures, and programs. This view of success is no where seen in the New Testament. True success is gospel growth in people. Gospel growth can mean a number of things in different people. Gospel growth means new life, growing in godliness, growing in discipleship, and growing in shepherding. So, no matter “where we are” in the faith, we are in need of gospel growth.

Marshall and Payne gave some needed support for the idea that all believers are ministers of the gospel in a sense. They brought us to Philippians 1 where Paul thanks them for being with them in partnership of the gospel. This was not a passive partnership but an active one, a partnership that included sharing their faith, and thus being ridiculed or beaten for their faith. So often church leaders are seen as first class citizens in Christendom, but no such distinction occurs in the New Testament. Leaders and laity alike are full time ministers of the gospel. We are all called to be ministers, but minister in different venues. Also, the authors gave a profound section on the meaning of “calling” in the Scriptures.

In the final chapters, the authors gave scriptural warrant for their call to disciple-making discipleship. They showed that this can only happen through training in godliness as Paul himself exemplified. Being a trainer is far more exhaustive then simply being a preacher (proclaimer). The authors say in Chapter 6, “It was not only the good deposit of the gospel that Paul passed on to Timothy, but a way of life” (72). They are getting this directly from Paul in 2 Timothy 3:10-11 when he says, “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured, yet from them all the Lord rescued me”. Paul is showing us through his words what true discipleship is, gospel imitation. Paul uses this idea of imitation as the means for discipleship in numerous passages including Philippians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, 1 Corinthians 10, and 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7. We can conclude that gospel growth cannot happen without discipleship, which is training in the gospel, and discipleship cannot happen without relationships with people (not programs) because biblical discipleship means imitation. This book has encouraged me to make my fellowship with people, fellowship in the gospel. This has increased my realization that I am in need of discipleship and I am called to be a disciple.

Theology for Life

2010-07-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

I recently walked through the biblical passages supporting the doctrines of grace for my spiritual edification. I was able to stand in awe of God because of his grace and glory in the gospel. At the conclusion of my study, Pastor Sinclair Ferguson appropriately reminded me of the purpose of theology:

"The goal of theology is the worship of God. The posture of theology is one's knees. The mode of theology is repentance."

Soli deo Gloria

Book Review: Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church

2010-07-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

Synopsis

Michael Lawrence, in Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church, desires for every pastor, teacher, or Christian disciple to think biblically. He exhorts one’s theology to be both biblical in the sense that it is fully rooted in Scripture and biblical in the sense that it considers the entire metanarrative of Scripture. He acknowledges the tendency for every theologian (which includes every Christian) is to grasp onto either biblical theology or systematic theology and reject usefulness of the other. Lawrence tells his readers that “Biblical theology is how we read the Bible. Systematic Theology is how the story of the Bible is shown to be normative in our lives. To say you want one but not the other simply shows that you understand neither” (92). Michael Lawrence divides this book into three sections. In the first five chapters he gives his readers the tools for proper exegesis in light of biblical theology. In chapters six through ten, he demonstrates biblical theology at work as he takes his readers through the story of Scripture considering five different themes. In the final two chapters, he presents pastors and teachers with application and various “case studies” for preaching while using biblical theology.
In the first section Lawrence gives various tools that every Christian must use to understand the meaning of Scripture. He applies the grammatical historical method to the seven literary genres found in Scripture: narrative, parable, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, epistles, and apocalyptic. He continues by giving the teacher three “horizons” of scriptural meaning: the textual horizon, the epochal horizon, and the canonical horizon (55). In order for his readers to understand these horizons, he explains the covenantal structure of the Bible, epochal structure, and canonical structure. He continues to show how prophecy, typology, and continuity function in the Old Testament.

After giving a method and structure for biblical theology, Lawrence demonstrates biblical theology in light of five different themes. In the story of creation, he shows how God always “creates from nothing” (122), “creates by his word” (123), and “creates for His glory” (124). Ultimately, God will recreate everything when His Church will display the unhindered glory of God in the new heavens and new earth. In the story of the fall, Lawrence gives divine patterns of promise and fulfillment, and cause and effects. The causes are twofold. The fall “was instigated by Satan” and “freely chosen by [man]” (133). The effects are [banishment] from divine presence, total corruption of man’s nature, and sinful progression (133). In the story of love, God always demonstrates his love toward a rebellious people whether it is Adam and Eve in the garden, Noah and his family, the idolater Abram, the nation of Israel, or all Jews and Gentiles who would believe in Son of God. In the story of Sacrifice, Lawrence demonstrates the progression of sacrifices in the Old Testament which would point to the ultimate sacrifice, the lamb of God, who would effectually take away the sins of the world. And finally Lawrence guides his readers through the story of promise. In this story God is always seen as a promise making and promise keeping God. He made a promise with Adam and Eve, and fulfilled it through the cross. He made a promise with Abraham, and fulfilled it in the nation of Israel, and ultimately in the Church. He made a promise with David, and fulfilled it with Jesus as he stands at the right hand of God as King over the world.

In the final section, Lawrence reaches the purpose of his book. He desires for men and woman to know biblical theology so that it will impact preaching, teaching, counseling, and discipling. The relevance of systematic theology is for people who want to know how the biblical story relates to their life now. Therefore, Lawrence takes several case studies including the Levitical laws in Leviticus 11, the book of Joshua, Psalms 1-2, and Mark 1:14-15, and demonstrates how proper use of biblical theology and systematic theology builds theologically rich and applicatory sermons. He demonstrates how biblical theology gives a Christian framework for counseling, missions, caring for the poor, and church/state relations.

Reflections

Biblical Theology in the life of the Church is a treasured possession on my bookshelf. As a young Christian who has never had extensive seminary training, this book gave me many tools interpreting scripture that will aid me in teaching and personal Bible study. This book enlivened the stories of Scripture by putting them in the context of the grand narrative of God’s redeeming work throughout history. It gave theological weight to stories that I have considered merely moralistic. It helped me understand the continuity and discontinuity between the Old Testament and New Testament. It gave me reason to love both biblical theology and systematic theology. It helped me use the story of Scripture to discern practical issues in my life that are not explicitly addressed in Scripture.

Michael Lawrence has given a precious tool to anyone who desires to know and love God through the pages of Scripture. Throughout the pages of this book, I sensed his pastoral heart and his vision for practical theology. This work is not primarily academic, though you will need to put your brain into gear. It is primarily for our sanctification and joy. You must prepare your heart to fall in love with God in Christ through the story of Scripture.

Pursuing Joy at 5 Points!

2010-07-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

This summer I have been given the opportunity minister at Five Points Community Church in Auburn Hills, Mi. I am the summer intern, which means I read and write a lot, teach the college class on Sunday mornings, and simply observe the lives of pastors ministering the gospel every day. The pastors at Five Points contribute to a church blog, Pursuing Joy, and being the intern, they let me contribute as well. So here is a link to my first post on Pursuing Joy, "True Fellowship in the Gospel."

The Church: A Dangerous Place?

2010-06-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

A Christian mentor often reminds me not come to scripture with the attitude, "This is not talking about me," but instead constantly asking, "Is this passage, even though it may be describing an unbeliever, talking about me?" I realize far to often that I come to a passage and begin taking out the hammer and chisel of pious exegesis and sculpting a passage to fit perfectly within my lifestyle. I believe this attitude affects preachers and teachers which, in turn, shapes preaching and then ultimately has a callousing affect on the hearts of Church members. Finally, the attitude leaves people in the pews every week never challenged with the gospel. I am thankful for the attitude among preachers who say, "We need the gospel every day and thus, we need the gospel every Sunday in our Pulpit". This did not originate recently. Martyn Loyd-Jones told us this many years ago and he gives a stark warning to comfy church goers.

"The difficulty with the man who follows Christ for a wrong or false reason is that he not only deludes himself, but he also deludes the church. When you are confronted by one who says he does not believe in Christ, then you know exactly what to say and what to do with him. When a man presents himself as a religious person, the church tends to take him for granted. To question him would be considered an insult. The church assumes that because he acknowledges himself to be a religious man, therefore, he is a Christian. One of the most dangerous places for such a man to be in is the church of the living God.

I am not at all sure but that one explanation for the present state of the church is to be found at just that point: she has been far too ready to associate church membership with true discipleship, and to assume that all who join the church are really following Christ. I know the church may have a very good motive for doing so. She has felt it a very good thing for people to be within the home of the church so that she may protect them from the temptations of the world. Taking it for granted that these people are truly Christians. The church addresses to them messages that are not of much value to those lacking the essence of the faith.

Thus I say that the church can be a very dangerous place. Because these people are in the church it may be that they will never be directly addressed by some of the fundamental questions that all true Christians must be able to answer. There is a real danger of assuming that we are Christians for wrong reasons.

Following Christ means ostracism; it means giving up the things that you may value most in life. Make certain you know exactly what Christian discipleship means. As you read the Gospels you will find that our Lord is constantly careful to warn people of the possibility of going after him for the wrong reasons. Those who wrote the epistles reiterated the same message in their instructions to the early Christians".

-M. Loyd-Jones

These staggering words remind me of the "Many" referred to by Jesus in Matthew 7 and incite me to ask, "Am I one described in the many?" Then I can turn my gaze on the finished work of Christ, and find complete dependence outside of my self. We need the gospel every day, especially every Sunday.

Luke

Thoughts at 21. . . I have a long way to go.

2010-01-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

Today I turned 21 years old. I like to joke around with my friends about how "counter-cultural" our 21st birthdays are. The majority of 21 year olds are having a long sought after legal drinking bash for the first time in their life. And if you are really a freakishly obedient child, it might be your first drinking bash. Nonetheless, I quickly begin to feel very saintly and spiritual because God has brought me from the foolishness of my sin and showed me the deep satisfaction I can have in him without some worldly pleasure. And don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for that. Only God could have done it. But I want to share with you the thoughts of a man who was a plodder, sinner, and saint on his last birthday here on earth. As I read this I realized I am celebrating my birthday much different than he. He shares a humble, sincere, Christ-like dependence in his heart that comes only from sweet communion with God and many bruising experiences that allowed him to savor Jesus above all. So at 21, and feeling extra spiritual because I'm having root beer and not "a cold one", I humbly sit and read the musings of Dan Cummings, plodder, sinner, and saint, who contemplates life in Jesus Christ at his 48th and final birthday on earth. Needless to say, I have a long way to go. But by the grace of God at 48 I won't be as prideful and selfish as I am at 21. Read this for your Joy, it is worth the five minutes. Trust me.

Where Is Our Citizenship?

2009-10-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

My college group leader shared this article with us in church a while back. I picked it up and reread it this morning. This article "Our Citizenship in Heaven", by Rev. Carl Haak is insightful and shows how our desires for the glory of Christ should be at war with the fleeting desires of the world.

Where is your citizenship? According to the Bible, there are only two citizenships: that of the world, and that of heaven; the kingdom of darkness, and the kingdom of light. In which of these do you hold citizenship? To which one of these do you belong?

If you are of the world, the Bible says that you mind earthly things. That is, your life revolves around, and your heart seeks the things, the pleasures, the riches, the honors of this present world. Maybe there is an outward show of religious belief and confession. Yet your heart seeks the earthly. The goals of the world are yours. How much money? What kind of pleasures? The amount of honor and power? You live, then, to gratify your own lusts. You speak your own language. You worry about losing what you have. Your god really is your belly, your own appetites. That is what you serve. Life to you, then is how much money you have, the good times you experience, the things you possess, the satisfying of your cravings: that is your life.

But if, by the living and powerful grace of God, your are a citizen of heaven, then although you live in this world, your heart revolves around and your love centers in Jesus Christ. You feel out of place here below. As you grow and as you move about in this world you feel that this world cannot satisfy you, cannot be your home. You speak a different, spiritual language. And there is a tension in your life to be with the Lord. Behind all of your planning, all of your building of a home, your working, your training for a job, behind all of your life is the eager expectation of the coming of Jesus Christ, the day of glory, the day when you will be with Him. You feel as if you are an alien on the earth. You do not fit spiritually. A different spirit dwells in you. Where is your citizenship? Here below? Or in Heaven?

THE REFORMED WITNESS HOUR

Our Citizenship in Heaven

Rev. Carl Haak

A Dying Pastor's Lord's Day Prayer

2009-09-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

Now that school has started up again, I haven't had much time to read, write, or blog. So, this is my first time posting in a while. I could have shared my notes from the various math books I have been reading, but for obvious reasons I decided not to.

I had the opportunity of learning about a man who was dearly loved by God. His name is Dan Cummings, and he served as the Preaching/Teaching Pastor at Five Points Community Church in Auburn Hills, Mi. Before Dan reached "the City" on February 5, 2009, he posted his thoughts and reflections on the glory and grace of God in his blog, The Shadowlands. I find myself entranced with his words as I hear the grace of God flowing from his life and death. He wrote these words in the midst of his battle with cancer. I came across his post on 9/15/08 entitled "A Lord's Day Prayer". The love and grace with which he approaches the throne of grace as he leads his congregation in Worship is convicting. I wish I would approach Jesus with this kind of passion and urgency. Take your time, soak yourself into every word, maybe twice, and love grace, which comes from God alone, for your Joy.

O Holy & Merciful Father :

We come to you in Jesus’ name because His name is above all names. We come to you in His righteousness because our own is nothing but filthy rags covered with the stench of our sin. We come to you because the blood of Jesus ever pleads mercy for us who deserve nothing but hell. We come to you because you love us with an everlasting love and you find great joy in our coming…you rejoice in our coming and love loving us. We come to you because—whether we acknowledge it or not, live in the reality of it or not—you are the only one who can help us, the only one who will always love us to yourself, the only one who never fails.

We come to confess that we all too often find Egypt more satisfying than the pilgrim journey to Zion. We confess that we want the securities of this world—money & health & jobs & good grades & fulfilling relationships & circumstance that go our way & people who like us—and really small problems & minimal suffering & little cost and inconvenience in following you. We love so much of what everyone else in this world loves…and I don’t know if we make Jesus look great, show that he’s our greatest treasure. Sometimes I wonder if the spirit of Esau is in us…that is a fearful thing…I pray that we are not Esaus…have mercy on us. And sometimes it’s hard to know if we’re real…if our faith is the saving kind. Come, Spirit, and help us.

Words fail miserably to express our thanks for your mercies that are new everyday—and your love that doesn’t fail and your forgiveness that knows no end and your joy over us that defies any human reason.

So we come today, like we do almost every Lord’s Day…knowing it’s you we need. Will you come to us? Please don’t leave us off or keep your Spirit from us. Our greater fear is that you would not visit us and we not know it. We know our lives need transforming and reforming so that we see and love Christ above everything else. For some of us that’s going to mean salvation—be merciful to those who are still dead in their sin. For others it’s going to mean leaving a lot of self-centered, self-protecting, self-made ideas of what Christianity is. For others it will mean losing something or leaving something or confessing something they’re scared to death to lose or leave or confess. And then there are all the things that we don’t even know to pray for if we are going to come to love you above all.

But this is what we know: you are our God and only Savior. There is none like you and no other that we want. We don’t always know what that looks like or means, but we know it’s true. You are life and love and joy and peace and contentment and health and happiness and rest and forgiveness and mercy and righteousness and the greatest pleasure we could ever know. Our minds deceive us, our bodies are traitors, our hearts wander, the world is set against us, Satan is our merciless enemy, and many of us are weary…finding it hard to leave the rival loves and throw off the clinging sins and fix our gaze on Jesus. So we come…just as we are, having no where else to go and wanting no where else to go…you and you alone have the words of eternal life. For your name’s sake, so Jesus is exalted, for your pleasure…we plead that you will visit us by Word, Spirit an Sacrament this Lord’s Day. May it be a happy and holy day because you have come to commune with your people. Hear our prayer and say “Yes” to everything that glorifies your name and cause us to find our greatest joy there. Grant us the gift of repentance and the desire of confession…may we humbly, freely, happily come to you knowing you are our God and we will always be met with mercy so that we may receive grace to help in our time of need. And we need you.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!

O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD!

For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.

And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. [Psalm 130]

Thank you God, for your work in Dan.

Amen

Why discuss theology? Why blog about it?

2009-07-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

I have recently joined five other young evangelical guys in a community blog. Our blog name comes from Matthew 28:20 when Jesus exhorts the disciples to go and make disciples in all nations and teach them to "observe all things". I was able to write the first post explaining the reason we discuss theology and the reason we put our thoughts on a blog for everyone to read! I hope you enjoy reading my post and all the future posts by my friends who are much smarter than I.

The writers on this blog, of which I am a contributor, are all good friends and have a theological range within historic orthodoxy. Paul Conrad, Aaron Hanbury, and Sean Stewart have all recently graduated from college, and Chris Brantley and myself are still finishing up are undergrad. Two of the five are Reformed Baptist, One is reformed non-denominational, one is a PCA brother, and one a non-denominational, non reformed brother. So there is enough to be together on and enough to disagree on so that we may have productive discussion. Give it a look!

Review of "Worship in Song" by Scott Aniol

2009-06-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

Review of “Worship in Song”
By Scott Aniol

Synopis

Scott Aniol attempts a defense of biblical worship in “Worship in Song.” Scott claims that “confusion about the music issue is primarily theological, rising out of a misunderstanding of several important doctrines” such as the meaning of Sola Scriptura, sanctification, essence of worship, and the relationship between the glory and beauty of God. Aniol divides his book into three sections: the foundation and essence of biblical worship, personal or lifestyle worship, and corporate worship.

Aniol begins by picking apart misunderstandings of biblical applications. He denies the “encyclopedic” approach to applying scripture by stating that it is a misunderstanding of Sola Scriptura. Aniol then describes what he calls a proper response to God in worship as “affections”. He suggests that our current culture has blended the lines between “passions” and “affections” and he attempts to distinguish them again. Aniol ends the first section by giving examples of men from the past like Edwards and Luther who had become weary (even in their day) of emotionalism in worship.
In the section on personal worship, Aniol focuses on the meaning of music and different responses that all music yields. He suggests that music has textual meaning, associative meaning, and intrinsic meaning. Aniol reasons that there is a strict relationship between beauty in music and the glory of God. Yet, he quickly warns us that beauty in music can become dangerous when the music becomes the idol we are worshipping. He concludes his second section by exhorting Christians to “sanctify” their emotions with godly music.

The area of worship which Aniol is probably most concerned about is his last section on corporate worship. He confirms from scripture that true worship is a response to God, therefore, should be primarily directed to God. He does explain that worship has horizontal affects but only as a secondary purpose. He claims much of the “worship music” used in the evangelical church is shallow and appealing more to our emotions than to God’s glory. Aniol makes a plea to pastors and churches not to focus on performance in worship but on congregational participation. He makes a final plea to worship leaders to seriously consider their worship service and take time to think through the importance of leading a congregation in response to the glory of God.

Critique

I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Worship in Song”. Aniol’s words and Scripture helped me once again carefully evaluate my motives concerning worship. His book was highly academic, well thought-out, and carefully constructed. Aniol’s discussion on the “essence of worship” was superb. He rightly explained God’s thoughts on worship using the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. Aniol writes, “[Jesus] emphasized the two essential elements of worship, namely spiritual response (spirit) and understanding of truth.”

I want to expound on three important disagreements I have with Aniol. First, in chapter 4 he states, “I love my wife, I love pizza, I love soccer, and I love God. But I do not love each of these in the same way”. I mostly agree with that statement. He continues, “Likewise, if I express love to God in the same way I express love to my wife, He would be very displeased.” Of course our love for pizza or sports should be completely different than our love for God. But God set up the illustration of a bride and bridegroom relationship to mimic the relationship of Christ and His church. So we would vehemently reject any form of erotic or sensual desire for Christ, but we would agree that the affection you have for your wife should mimic the affection Christ has for you and vice versa. In a sense, the affection I have for my wife should replicate my affection for Jesus Christ in an infinitely deeper way.

Second, in chapter 6, Aniol claims music carries intrinsic meaning as its deepest level of meaning. I have no problem with that assumption. He argues that music can aurally represent certain good and bad emotions. Aniol attempts to show this relationship by saying music that is “loud, fast, and intense usually mimics anger.” As Aniol continues, he admits that these characteristics do not present absolutes in music. Not all music that is loud, fast, and intense mimic anger. Also, Aniol seems to think that different styles of music cannot legitimately produce similar characteristics or emotions. I assume this because his list of music in the appendix, which can “sanctify” our emotions, is all from one particular style of music. I would contend that music can produce meaning and many different styles of music can produce similar meaning. A song can sound somber or majestic with a string orchestra or with a guitar and drums. So to give a list of classical music as the only style of music which can properly display the characteristics of God drastically falls short of the plethora of God honoring music available today.

Interestingly enough, I strongly agree with Aniol’s thoughts in chapter 14 which is my final critique. Many evangelical churches today have a steady diet of sentimental or surface level songs in their corporate worship. This is one of the reasons why many evangelicals would rather not think deeply about God and his attributes. If worship is a response to the truth about God, our worship songs should be saturated with truth about God! My concern is not that Aniol would rather use doctrinally rich songs in worship but that he opposes the use of sentimental songs at any time in worship. He says, “In addition to shallowness, sentimentalism in modern texts does not foster deep affections for God, but rather surface emotionalism.” I am not convinced that a sentimental song only produces surface emotionalism in mature believers. I believe that a simple text can produce dependence and adoration for God (Psalm 42:1-2). If Aniol is referring to songs which appear to be speaking about our girlfriend or simply not speaking of the same characteristics that God possesses, than I whole heartily agree that music of that kind has no place in worship. I am in complete agreement that a steady diet of sentimental music can produce surface emotionalism. We should strive to sing songs about God that are filled with God and the person and work of Jesus Christ. This will aid the church in their sanctification.

In conclusion, I found myself agreeing with the vast majority of Aniol’s thoughts. I find that ironic because I have been educated on worship primarily by Bob Kauflin’s sermons and articles. Kauflin and Aniol agree on most aspects of Worship yet they come to very different applications. I think this dichotomy can be explained because much is said on worship in the Bible but never does the Bible mention style. We can correctly apply all principles in scripture concerning worship and still appear far from each other stylistically.

Luke

A new song (for me)

2009-06-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share the lyrics of a song I sang for the first time at the NEXT conference. The song is entitled "All I Have Is Christ", and it is written by Jordan Kauflin (Bob Kauflin's son). You can find the recording on the Sovereign Grace website but personally I don't like that particular version of the song. SG is coming out with a live recording of the conference and it should be on the NEXT website shortly.

The second verse is very special to me. I was running my hell bound race and Christ found me.

ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my placeYou bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

Lyrics: Jordan Kauflin

Luke

Belated Reflections from NEXT 09

2009-06-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending the 2009 Sovereign Grace NEXT conference May 23-26 in Baltimore, Md. The conference theme this year dealt with the person and work of Jesus Christ. The goal was to know him better, develop a greater image of Him, and love Him more.

We were led through Scripture by brilliant men. Joshua Harris kicked off the conference with a message on the Preeminence of Christ. D.A. Carson followed Harris by speaking on "The Word Became Flesh." Kevin DeYoung, a young pastor of University Reformed Church (I was able to visit there in the winter!) in East Lansing, Michigan, spoke on the life of Jesus Christ. C.J. Mahaney spoke on the death of Jesus Christ. Sinclair Ferguson, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, SC. capped off the conference by speaking on the Resurrection, Ascension, and Return of Christ.

We had a panel discussion on one of the nights of the conference held by Mark Dever. The panel consisted of Dever, DeYoung, Ferguson, Justin Taylor, Harris, and Mahaney. Of course, the worship was led by Bob Kauflin and accompanied by three different bands (NA Band, Reilly, Zelos) as well as a string orchestra.

My vision of Christ became so much bigger as a result of every message. I was particularly impacted by D.A. Carson's message and C.J. Mahaney's message.So, here are a few of the truths that were made alive to me at NEXT.

The first verse Josh opened with to start of the weekend was Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you." What a way to start off my weekend. I am sitting cozy in my seat with my starbucks by my side and......... whack! Josh isn't worried about immediate encouragement. He wants us to be confronted by Scripture that is going to penetrate our thinking and actions. Josh exhorted us to be built on a firm foundation, a rock, who is Jesus Christ. He said, "If you want to feel deeply, you must think deeply." "Emotion is a good thing. But it needs to be built on something. Something solid". He didn't want all this teaching and doctrine to go straight to our head and never penetrate our lives. Josh ended his message with this exhortation:

Christian doctrine is for living. It comes to us in words on a page, but it was
never meant to stay on a page, it was meant to be lived in our lives. It’s not
enough to have your life in close proximity to the rock. It’s not enough to be
near people who are dug down deep into the rock. You have to build your house on
the rock. And that’s expressed in doing what he says.

Carson, tackled John 1 the next day with his message, "The Word Became Flesh." I am still going back to my notes from this message and recovering some aspect of truth that passed over my mind. Carson notes that "the Word" which is the "self expression of God" miraculously does four things for us: (these are his 4 points)

1. The Word creates us.
2. The Word gives us light and life.
3. The Word confronts us and divides us.
In John 3:16 the “world” is the human created order and their rebellion against
God. God’s love is not awesome because the world is not so big, it is because
the object of his love is so bad. The world did not recognize him – the world he
had made – and this is unthinkably bad. The most heinous thing we do is not
rape, or genocide, or lying…it is ignoring our maker.

4. The Word incarnates God to us.

Carson concludes his message by telling us how to know our God better.

Do you want to see what God looks like? Study Jesus. We can see Jesus, the Word
made flesh. The Word did not become a junior God, or “hide out” in Jesus. The
Word became the flesh. He was God and human being at the same time.

I am greatly indebted to the teaching and example of these men. I hope to say more about the other speakers later.

Luke

JUSTIFIED?

2009-06-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

I have recently been thinking through the difference between the gospel and the implications of the gospel. They are different. If you try to make implications of the gospel the gospel then you have lost the gospel. Mark Dever has an excellent message on this from the 2008 t4g conference. This has also brought me to a very serious view of conversion. As I read about the nature of conversion in the epistles, it seems to be different than the simple "come down the isle, say the sinners prayer, and wala" you are a Christian. Now it can be that simple, but if that is true conversion, there is much more going on than a magical phrase. Some have proposed that repentance is not needed for justification and certainly seeing Jesus Christ as Lord over your life is not essential for the gospel. If this is the case, we have no gospel. I just stumbled across this verse in Romans about five minutes ago in my devotions.

Romans 2: 12-13
12For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

If are faith in Jesus Christ never penetrates our life it is dead faith.
Thank God for his grace to us daily.

Luke

Thoughtful Words from Calvin

2009-05-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

I heard a very inciteful quote today from John Calvin. I thought I would share it.

"Men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God."

The doctrine of our total depravity and God's majestic sovereignty should be so precious to us as Christians. I hope to praise him for his character every day.

Luke

The Wrath of God and the Death of Christ

2009-04-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

Tim Keller, in The Reason for God, lays out an incredible picture of the spiritual suffering that Christ had to endure on the cross for our redemption. This excerpt is from the third chapter on how a good God could allow suffering and evil.

"The Son of God was not created but took part in creation and has lived throughout all eternity 'in the bosom of the father' (John 1:18)-- that is, in a relationship of absolute intimacy and love. But at the end of his life he was cut off from the Father.

There may be no great inner agony than the loss of a relationship we desperately want. If a mild acquaintance turns on you, condemns and criticizes you, and says she never wants to see you again, it is painful. If someone you're dating does the same thing, it is qualitatively more painful. But if your spouse does this to you, or if one of your parents does this to you when you're still a child, the psychological damage is infinitely worse.

We cannot fathom, however, what it would be like to lose not just a spousal love or parental love that has lasted several years, but the infinite love of teh Father that Jesus had from all eternity. Jesus's sufferings would have been eternally unbearable. Christian theology has always recongized that Jesus bore, as the subsitute in our place, the endless exclusion from God that he human race has merited. . . . The death of Jesus was qualititatively different form any other death. The physical pain was nothing comared to the spiritual experience of cosmin abandonment. . . . On the Cross he went beyond even the worst human suffering and experienced cosmic rejection and pain that exceeds ours as infintely as his knowledge and power exceeds ours. . . . The Bible says that Jesus came on a rescue mission for creation. He has to pay for our sins so taht someday he can end evil suffering without ending us" (Keller 29-30).

Approaching Easter with a renewed passion

2009-04-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

As I approach this easter, God has graciously given me a refreshed vision for the importance of the passion week. Easter has been a time to look forward to the newest church production, dress up in your best spring outfit, or gather with extended family after a bi-annual church visit. As the gospel becomes sweeter to me through reading of the Word of God, the remembrance of the atoning death of Christ on the cross becomes a fresh renewing of my purpose in life.

"[He] was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sins of many, and makes intercessions for the intercessors" Isaiah 53:12.

2,000 years ago our Saviour became our sacrifice and took on the Father's wrath. The weight of the whole world's sin on a sinless Christ was much worse than the brutal and bloody death on the cross. We know that the pain that Christ endured is abundantly worse than any pain that we will face because we are not holy and we have never felt the entire sin of the whole world.

When we approach Easter, are we reflecting on the wrath Jesus Christ absorbed for us? Are we reflecting on the selfless act of love Christ exhibited while enduring physical abuse? Are we reflecting on God's holiness and our unworthiness? Are we reflecting on a Jesus Christ who is alive and interceding for us today?

Thank you Jesus.