Seeing the difference of things
I went out yesterday again to speak to the people in the village where we have been having evangelistic Bible studies. The first man I spoke to gave me an answer to which I am becoming sadly accustomed: “No . . . no . . . that’s not for me.”
I hear this so often, usually the moment someone knows that I am speaking to them about Jesus Christ. It becomes increasingly distressing the more often I hear it, and calls for prayers like this from Thomas Watson:
Oh, that the eyes of sinners may be speedily opened—that they may see the difference of things, the beauty which is in holiness, and the astonishing madness that is in sin!
HT The Old Guys.
Theistic evolution and misplaced confidence
Michael Kruger gives us a dose of sense:
Theistic evolution is nothing new. For generations, Christians have attempted to import the evolutionary process into the early chapters of Genesis in hopes of finding a harmony between the two. The organization Biologos is devoted to this very task. According to its website, Biologos exists for the purpose of “exploring and celebrating the compatibility of evolutionary creation and biblical faith.”
Bearing fruit
From J. C. Ryle:
The Christianity which I call fruit-bearing, that which shows its Divine origin by its blessed effects on mankind – the Christianity which you may safely defy unbelievers to explain away – that Christianity is a very different thing. Let me show you some of its leading marks and features.
(1) Fruit-bearing Christianity has always taught the inspiration, sufficiency, and supremacy of Holy Scripture. It has told people that God’s Word written is the only trustworthy rule of faith and practice in religion, that God requires nothing to be believed that is not in this Word, and that nothing is right which contradicts it. It has never allowed reason, a person’s mind, or the voice of the Church, to be placed above, or on a level with Scripture. It has steadily maintained that, however imperfectly we may understand it, the Old Book is meant to be the only standard of life and doctrine.
(2) Fruit-bearing Christianity has always taught fully the sinfulness, guilt and corruption of human nature. It has told people that they are born in sin, deserve God’s wrath and condemnation, and are naturally inclined to do evil. It has never allowed that men and women are only weak and pitiable creatures, who can become good when they please, and make their own peace with God. On the contrary, it has steadily declared a person’s danger and vileness, and their pressing need of a Divine forgiveness and satisfaction for their sins, a new birth or conversion, and an entire change of heart.
(3) Fruit-bearing Christianity has always set before people the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief object of faith and hope in religion, as the Divine Mediator between God and humanity, the only source of peace of conscience, and the root of all spiritual life. It has never been content to teach that He is merely our Prophet, our Example, and our Judge. The main things it has ever insisted on about Christ are the atonement for sin He made by His death, His sacrifice on the cross, the complete redemption from guilt and condemnation by His blood, His victory over the grave by His resurrection, His active life of intercession at God’s right hand, and the absolute necessity of simple faith in Him. In short, it has made Christ the Alpha and the Omega in Christian theology.
(4) Fruit-bearing Christianity has always honored the Person of God the Holy Spirit, and magnified His work. It has never taught that all professing Christians have the grace of the Spirit in their hearts, as a matter of course, because they are baptized, or because they belong to the Church, or because they partake of Holy communion. It has steadily maintained that the fruits of the Spirit are the only evidence of having the Spirit, and that those fruits must be seen, – that we must be born of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, sanctified by the Spirit, and feel the operations of the Spirit, – and that a close walk with God in the path of His commandments, a life of holiness, charity, self-denial, purity, and zeal to do good, are the only satisfactory marks of the Holy Spirit.
Summary ► Such is true fruit-bearing Christianity. Well would it have been for the world if there had been more of it during the last nineteen centuries! Too often, and in too many parts of Christendom, there has been so little of it, that Christ’s religion has seemed extinct, and has fallen into utter contempt. But just in proportion as such Christianity as I have described has prevailed, the world has benefited, the unbeliever has been silenced, and the truth of Divine revelation been acknowledged. The tree has been known by its fruit.
via J.C. Ryle Quotes.
Do you “do praise”?
David Murray has an interesting Brit-looking-around-and-back-home post about the Scottish (British?) tendency to avoid praise and encouragement. My (American) wife has long suggested that this tendency exists in her husband and in the culture at large. David says:
Scots don’t do praise. Of God, yes (a little), but not praise of one another.
Instead, we specialize in pulling people down, thinking the worst of others, and puncturing anyone who achieves anything. We can’t let a compliment pass without balancing it out with a criticism, and woe betide anyone who makes anything of life: “They’re just full of themselves!”
Where did this come from? Well, there’s no question that the cynical “build ‘em up to pull ‘em down” media is partly to blame. The evil envy of rabid and rampant socialism has also eaten away at much goodwill and gratitude towards achievement and achievers. But I’m afraid that a distorted Calvinism has also contributed to this soul-shriveling cynicism.
See it all at HeadHeartHand Blog.
When “casting visions”
Many visions have led to the most disastrous results. When Napoleon had a vision of a universal monarchy over which he should preside, with the French eagle for his ensign, he drenched the lands in blood.
Many visions have been wretchedly delusive. Men have dreamed of finding the fairy pleasure in the dark forest of sin. Carnal joys have danced before their eyes as temptingly as the mirage in the desert, and they have pursued the phantom forms to their misery in this world, and to their eternal ruin in the next. Mistaking license for liberty, and madness for mirth, they have dreamed themselves into hell.
Many dreams have been enervating—sucking the life-blood out of men as vampires do. Men have passed from stern reality into dreamland, and while seemingly awakened, have continued like somnambulists to do all things in their sleep.
Many pass all their days in one perpetual daydream, speculating, building castles in the air, thinking of what they would do—if, and vowing how they would behave themselves—suppose. With fine capacities they have driveled away existence: as their theory of life was born of smoke, so the result of their lives has been a cloud. The luxurious indolence of mere resolve, the useless tossings of regret—these have been all their sluggard life.
Spurgeon via Pyromaniacs.
Wrong reckoning
My father, with whom I had been going over a fine point for tomorrow’s sermon, sent through this thought-provoking nugget from Benjamin Keach:
Wicked men are undone by reckoning wrong; they do not keep their accounts well; they put the evil day far off; they measure their days not by the king’s standard, or by just rules and measures. Perhaps they reckon by their present health, their present strength, or by the lives of their progenitors. Their father and mother lived to a great age, and so they measure their days accordingly, and conclude they shall live long. But none of these rules are allowed, they are false measures of our days. God sends us to the morning dew, the weaver’s shuttle, to the shadow, the vapour, a swift post, and to the flower of the field, that today is, and tomorrow is burned in the oven.
Benjamin Keach, Expositions of the Parables (Series One) (Kregel, 1991), 274.
Already decided
Many who profess faith leave things to the last minute. What will I do when I am tempted? Will I do what I already know to be my duty? Will I leave it to how I feel at the last moment? Will I attend church? Will I go to prayer meeting? Will I read the scriptures? Will I seek to bear witness? Will I watch this kind of thing on television? Will I turn it off or will I indulge? In a very real sense, we say that we decided when we began to follow Jesus. We vowed to take Him as our Lord and Master. We said to all the future questions of obedience, “I already decided.” Now we need to live like it.
Read it all at Main Things.
Writing tips
Says Nathan Bingham:
Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a short seminar on writing and editing. One of the sessions was from Greg Bailey, Director of Publications for Reformation Trust Publishing (yes, a real-life editor). During His session he offered the following 10 writing tips.
- Know what you’re trying to say.
- Never assume your audience knows what you’re trying to say.
- Find a creative way to approach / introduce what you’re trying to say.
- Write an initial draft quickly.
- Be a great revisor.
- Get rid of unnecessary words.
- Maintain an active voice.
- Use simple sentences. “Simple sentences are beautiful.”
- Let it rest. “Sleep on it.”
- Let it go. “Let it do its job, for good or bad.”
A couple of quick things
My children, despite a fairly ripe imagination, are not given to sentimental superstitions. For example, both boys refer to the modern incarnation of Nicholas of Smyrna as “the Christmas clown,” much to their father’s joy.
However, the pragmatic streak takes a different aspect now that Caleb has started losing his baby teeth and there is money on the line. The Tooth Fairy needs to be placated, whether or not real, given its habit of distributing the wonga. So Caleb, having lost his first tooth, was a bit disappointed to have lost it in another way – we don’t know whether it went in or out, but he’s fairly sure he swallowed it. And so, with 50p up for grabs, my son stuck this note under his pillow last night:
Yes, determined not to miss out, my son offered the tooth fairy the only option he could think of checking out the veracity of his claim: a quick visit to the “sooij treetment senter.” That’s my boy!
Posting has been slow here of late, I know. I have been extremely busy, and having to take into account a few health issues, hopefully to be resolved soon. Under the circumstances, I have sometimes had to accomplish the bare minimum, and things of the first importance have taken priority; blogging has not been making the cut. I hope to get a few more things up soon, though.
Feltham Bible Focus: “The battle for the heart”
For those interested, willing and able, you might consider joining the friends at Feltham Evangelical Church for their next Feltham Bible Focus this Saturday (12th May) when I hope to be preaching, God willing, on the battle for the heart.
Details are here.
Keach on church
Nice from Benjamin Keach (of whom more here), though the phrasing is of its time:
Before there can be any Orderly Discipline among a Christian Assembly, they must be orderly and regularly constituted into a Church-state, according to the Institution of Christ in the Gospel.
1. A Church of Christ, according to the Gospel-Institution, is a Congregation of Godly Christians, who as a Stated-Assembly (being first baptized upon the Profession of Faith) do by mutual agreement and consent give themselves up to the Lord, and one to another, according to the Will of God; and do ordinarily meet together in one Place, for the Public Service and Worship of God; among whom the Word of God and Sacraments are duly administered, according to Christ’s Institution.(1)
2. The Beauty and Glory of which Congregation doth consist in their being all Converted Persons, or Lively Stones; being by the Holy Spirit, united to Jesus Christ the Precious Corner-Stone, and only foundation of every Christian, as well as of every particular Congregation, and of the whole Catholick Church.(2)
3. That every Person before they are admitted Members, in such a Church so constituted, must declare to the Church (or to such with the Pastor, that they shall appoint) what God hath done for their Souls, or their Experiences of a Saving work of Grace upon their Hearts; and also the Church should enquire after, and take full satisfaction concerning their Holy Lives, or Good Conversations.(3)
And when admitted Members, before the Church they must solemnly enter into a Covenant, to walk in the Fellowship of that particular Congregation, and submit themselves to the Care and Discipline thereof,(4) and to walk faithfully with God in all his Holy Ordinances, and there to be fed and have Communion, and worship God there, when the Church meets (if possible) and give themselves up to the watch and charge of the Pastor and Ministry thereof:(5) the Pastor then also signifying in the name of the Church their acceptance of each Person, and endeavor to take the care of them, and to watch over them in the Lord, (the Members being first satisfied to receive them, and to have Communion with them.) And so the Pastor to give them the right Hand of Fellowship of a Church, or Church Organical.
A Church thus constituted ought forthwith to choose them a Pastor, Elder or Elders, and Deacons, (we reading of no other Officers, or Offices abiding in the Church) and what kind of Men they ought to be, and how qualified, is laid down by Paul to Timothy, and to Titus. Moreover, they are to take special care, that both Bishops, Overseers, or Elders, as well as the Deacons, have in some competent manner all those Qualifications; and after in a Day of solemn Prayer and Fasting, that they have elected them, (whether Pastor, &c., or Deacons) and they accepting the Office, must be ordained with Prayer, and laying on of Hands of the Eldership; being first prov’d, and found meet and fit Persons for so Sacred an Office: Therefore such are very disorderly Churches who have no Pastor or Pastors ordained, they acting not according to the Rule of the Gospel, having something wanting.(6)
(1) Act. 2.41, 42, 43, 44. Act. 8.14. Act. 19.4, 5, 6. Eph. 1.1, 2 and 2.12, 13, 19. Col. 1. 2, 4, 12. I Pet. 2.5. Act. 5.13, 14. Rom. 6.17. Heb. 6.1, 2.
(2) Rom. 6. 3, 4, 5. I Pet. 2.4, 5, 6. Eph. 2.20, 21. Col. 2.19.
(3) Psa. 66.16. Act. 11.4, 5, 6, &c., 23, 24. I Pet. 3.15. II Cor. 8.5. Jer. 50.5.
(4) Heb. 13.17.
(5) Pet. 5.1, 2.
(6) I Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Tit. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Tit. 1.7. Act. 6.6. I Tim. 5.22. I Cor. 9.16, 17.
Benjamin Keach, The Glory of a True Church, And its Discipline display’d
HT RBF.
The curious case of the unnamed prophet
Mike McKinley offers some telling counsel from the experience of the unnamed prophet:
What’s the moral of the story? Don’t judge your own spiritual health by the things that God says and does through you. It’s not enough to preach good sermons, we must obey the Lord.
The beauty of concealed scholarship
You may be interested in reading about the beauty of concealed scholarship over at Reformation21:
Let ministers be scholars indeed, and “use all [our] scholarship to formulate the matters to be presented,” but let us abandon any desire for a mere reputation for scholarship: the minster “must conceal his scholarship in the pulpit.” The food – though it might need to be gathered from the topmost branches of the trees – must be set at the level of the guests: Christ’s people are sheep, not giraffes, and the sheep must be fed as sheep, even if it means that the minister can no longer publicly display his ability to climb or demonstrate how high up he can get.
Of law and gospel
‘Do this and live’
Every gospel preacher, wanting to emphasise that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, will have contrasted this gospel with the attempt to gain salvation by works. It is worth reflecting, therefore, on the fact that when the Lord Jesus Christ is asked by a lawyer ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ he answers, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ When the lawyer repeats the two great commandments, concerning loving God and loving your neighbour, Jesus says, ‘You have answered correctly; do this and you will live’ (Luke 10: 25-28). When a rich young man asks him virtually the same question, Jesus tells him ‘If you would enter life, keep the commandments’ (Matt 19:17). He then, in the one case by a personal challenge and in the other by a parable, quickly reveals the spiritual bankruptcy of both men. However valid the principle, they cannot fulfil it.
Why does Jesus start here?
Mostyn Roberts offers an answer. It will get your brain working, but it’s stimulating stuff.
“I am not what I ought to be”
I am not what I ought to be. Ah! how imperfect and deficient. Not what I might be, considering my privileges and opportunities. Not what I wish to be. God, who knows my heart, knows I wish to be like him. I am not what I hope to be; ere long to drop this clay tabernacle, to be like him and see him as He is. Not what I once was, a child of sin, and slave of the devil. Thought not all these, not what I ought to be, not what I might be, not what I wish or hope to be, and not what once was, I think I can truly say with the apostle, “By the grace of God I am what I am.”
John Newton (1725-1807), cited in Letters of John Newton, 400.
via Justin Taylor.
The perceived weightlessness of the Weighty One
It is one of the defining marks of our time that God is now weightless. I do not mean by this that he is ethereal but rather that he has become unimportant. He rests upon the world so inconsequentially as not to be noticeable. He has lost his saliency for human life. Those who assure the pollsters of their belief in God’s existence may nonetheless consider him less interesting than television, his commands less authoritative than their appetites for affluence and influence, his judgment no more awe-inspiring than the evening news, and his truth less compelling than the advertisers’ sweet fog of flattery and lies. That is weightlessness. It is a condition we have assigned him after having nudged him out to the periphery of our secularized life.… Weightlessness tells us nothing about God but everything about ourselves, about our condition, about our psychological disposition to exclude God from our reality.
David Wells, God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1994), 88, 90.
via RBF.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones and prophecy
“Although charismatics and Pentecostals have both claimed him as an advocate of their views, a careful reading of ML-J establishes that they have misunderstood him.” So states Dr. Eryl Davies in his Themelios article entitled, Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: An Introduction.
So writes Nathan Busenitz at The Cripplegate. Read the original and the summary. Both are interesting. See also here.
Eric Alexander interview
Eric Alexander is interviewed at Ligonier. There’s lots of helpful straightforwardness.
Disabilities and doubts
It is not uncommon for parents dealing with the difficulties of disability to stop and wonder, “What went wrong?” And as the enemy would have it, with the wondering of the mind comes the questioning of the soul.
Greg Lucas suggests some answers to the questions.
Online life and church life
Michael Kruger offers some interesting thoughts on rescuing church from a facebook culture. He writes:
I have to ask the simple question: What affect does “social media” technology have on the way we view church? What affect does it have on the way we conceive of life in the body of Christ? Of course, much of social media is positive. And the church has used this technology to advance the cause of Christ. Moreover, I cannot miss the irony of writing about the affects of technological forms of communication on my own website! Nevertheless, I do have some concerns—and so should you. Here are a few characteristics of a “Facebook culture” that we certainly need to reckon with as believers:
1. Short attention span/limited learning style.
2. Low view of authority/over-focus on equality.
3. “Surfacey” interactions/artificial relationships.
4. Lack of Physical Presence.
5. Low Commitment/Accountability.
Do read his explanations and conclusions and recommendations in full. They are thoughtful and careful, and worth considering. As he says, the problem is not that technology creates such patterns of sin and ignorance, rather that it provides a ready channel for the sin and ignorance that already exists in our hearts (I cannot imagine many pastors saying, “Yup, everyone in the congregation had a monster attention span married to a right view of authority until Facebook came along!”).
The local church and evangelism
An early incarnation of Erroll Hulse urges us to be true evangelists, embedded in local churches:
There is surely no higher motive than that of the great commission. Our Lord commanded us to teach all nations and assured us that he was with us even to the end of time. If he has commanded evangelism and promised to be with us, then that ought to be enough to spur us on. However, there are many other motives to encourage us, including the promise that the Holy Spirit will convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. The doctrine of Election is also very heartening as we know that the Father has a people which he will give to his Son and that success must crown the right use of means. Compassion is a powerful motive for evangelism. The more we are conformed to Christ the more we will be like him in goodness, compassion and concern toward his enemies (Luke 23:24).
Pastoral supermodels
David Murray is good at this kind of thing. I don’t always like him for it. He makes me think; worse, when he makes me think he makes me change. It’s just not right, I tell you.
He’s also good at this kind of thing:
And here is some counsel on how to avoid burnout.
Thanks, David.
The centrality of preaching
A stimulating article on the centrality of preaching concludes:
The church today is beset with problems. It is continually stumbling upon new measure and approaches. The problem is these measures exacerbate rather than solve its problems. It dreams of answering felt-needs, building self-esteem, and motivation “purpose-driven” or “promise-keeping” lives. But amidst all these fads and inventions, the one thing, the only thing which will serve to overcome its distress is a return to God-honored and God-honoring preaching.
It is worth reading in full, not least for the bundle of good quotes.
