July 31, 2007
Women in Ministry and the Home
I did a series of posts on Calvinism - Arminianism last week. I thought I'd proceed to the topic of my more recent (and final) TBI paper: the complementarian - egalitarian debate. This time, Wayne Grudem gave the five-hour seminar (as he was in town visiting, normally John Piper teaches it following these notes). Grudem unpacked the main points in his book Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An Analysis of More Than 100 Disputed Questions
For my paper I decided to interact with the views of William Webb, who wrote a very interesting book entitled Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis
William Webb argues that the Bible prescribes the continuance of slavery and the subjugation of women to male leadership in marriage and the church. On both issues, the Bible, while more progressive than the culture of its day, only points to God’s “ultimate ethic” on these matters. Consequently, modern-day Christians have recognized the “redemptive spirit” in the biblical texts and (appropriately) emancipated slaves. By the same logic, Webb argues, women should be viewed as functional equals in marriage and the church, such that gender-based leadership restrictions are completely lifted.Webb’s hermeneutic is severely flawed by a failure to apply biblical theology. The New Testament is the final revelation of God (Heb. 1:1-2) and, as such, possesses final moral authority for Christians today. Though it regulates slavery, the New Testament never commands Christians to own slaves and actually implies that freedom is preferable (I Cor. 7:21; Philemon). Marriage (unlike slavery) is a creation ordinance, and the apostles root their instruction on gender-based roles in marriage and the church on the order of creation and the Christ-church dynamic, both of which are transcultural.
In subsequent posts I will (as last time) provide a (hopefully) fair and succinct representation of Webb's view, and then my response. The page limit on this paper was twice as long as for my Calvinism - Arminianism paper.
July 30, 2007
John Piper on "Future Justification"
John Piper will be "weighing in" on the important, controversial topic of justification and the works of believers with a significant book called The Future of Justification: A Response to N. T. Wright
Our only hope for living the radical demands of the Christian life is that God is totally for us now and forever. Therefore, God has not ordained that living the Christian life should be the basis of our hope that God is for us. That basis is the death and righteousness of Christ, counted as ours through faith alone. All the punishment required of us because of our sin, Christ endured for us on the cross. And all the obedience that God required of us, that he, as our Father, might be completely for us and not against us forever, Christ has performed for us in his perfect obedience to God.This punishment and this obedience (not all obedience) is completed and past. It can never change. Our union with Christ and the enjoyment of these benefits is secure forever. Through faith alone, God establishes our union with Christ. This union will never fail, because in Christ, God is for us as an omnipotent Father who sustains our faith and works all things together for our everlasting good. The one and only instrument through which God preserves our union with Christ is faith in Christ—the purely receiving act of the soul.
I was blessed to have been able to read an early version of the manuscript. This book is a tour de force that will make a substantial impact on this crucial issue.
Mohler on Homosexuality
Dr. Mohler explains that even though our society is increasingly accepting of homosexuals, we nevertheless have a deep-rooted, intuitive understanding that intimate same-sex relationships are neither natural or normal.
Global Church Advancement (GCA) Conference
In the midst of getting ready to move to Riverside, CA, my wife allowed me to sneak out of the house on Friday to catch the last two sessions of The Global Church Advancement conference (geared for church planters) was held at the north campus of Bethlehem Baptist Church. The long list of speakers included John Piper, Ed Stetzer, Randy Pope, and Steve Childers, and there were both large-group sessions as well as many advanced training workshops.
The banner over the entire conference was that the advancement of the church is the hope of the world. The leadership held out a beautiful, robust vision of church planting in America with a view to the nations both in our midst and beyond our borders--all undergirded and motivated by the supremacy of God's glory in Christ, the One who is building His church. The importance of church planting today is clear: Even the USA, once assumed Christianized by many, has now become one of the largest, most fertile mission fields in the world. Since 1990, when there were 27 churches for every 10,000 people in the U.S., the spread of churches has fallen behind demographic growth so that there are now only 12 churches for every 10,000 people (Ref: Lost in America, T. Clegg).
The last session, entitled "The Main Thing," featured Steve Childers walking us through the eight things that every church planter should know before planting a church. The following is not an authoritative blog by any means; just my scribblings as best as I can now read them. I thought I'd pass them along for whatever it may be worth.
1. A biblical view of success
Childers defined success as "faithfully pleasing God with all the resources and responsibilities He has given you." Leave the results up to God, and find joy in who you are in Him, not in what they do for Him. Don't sacrifice others on the altar of success. The book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome
2. Managing Your Time vs. Managing Your Life
The key is not to prioritize your schedule but to schedule your priorities. The urgent easily crowds out the important. An exalted sense of self-importance (a.k.a., pride) drives workaholicism. The root of anxiety and fear is likewise pride.
Steve recounted that he was personally advised to have one hour a day with his family, totally unplugged (no media). In addition, one day/week. And once a month, two days in a row (with intentional inclusion of his wife). And a minimum of two weeks/year. It takes at least three days away from the stress of a job to really be on vacation.
3. Understand the difference between goals and desires.
Goals are things that are in your control. Desires are things that are outside your control. Work hard on your goals. Pray for your desires. Examples of goals include daily Bible reading and prayer for one's self, wife/kids, and church. Examples of desires include things like "ten conversions over the upcoming year."
4. God is a Father, not just a General and a Master.
5. The way up is the way down.
God is opposed to the proud. God shows strength primarily via human weakness (I Cor 1). God can glorify Himself by your lack of resources or by your renouncing your dependence upon those resources.
6. People or programs
It is hard to lead (programs), but it is harder to love (people). The latter is more vital.
7. Process living vs. product living
Discontentment is sometimes cast in the form of objectives (we can't be happy until we accomplish X). Joy in process lasts longer than joy in the product. Most of life is process. Enjoy the process.
8. Make the main thing the main thing.
Behold the beauty of God. Keep the Great Commandment central.
July 27, 2007
SBJT on the Atonement
From a Southern Seminary press release:
Essayists in the Summer 2007 edition of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (SBJT) interact with both evangelical and non-evangelical scholars who reject the penal substitutionary view of the cross, and contributors defend the historic orthodox view of Christ’s atoning death in the place of wrath-deserving sinners.
Another excerpt:
“Sadly, some of the standard objections to penal substitution outside of evangelical theology are creeping their way into evangelical treatments of the cross,” Wellum writes.“[Some evangelicals] are embracing a typical, yet awful caricature of penal substitution, by arguing that a substitutionary view of the cross does not present us with a loving God but a sadistic one who delights in the abuse of his Son—a kind of divine child abuse. All of these criticisms are groundless and usually reflect a caricature of substitutionary atonement as well as the impoverishment of the critic’s own theology and understanding of Scripture.”
The Atonement in Focus
Vol. 11, No. 2, Summer 2007
Editorial: Stephen J. Wellum "Articulating, Defending, and Proclaiming Christ our Substitute"
Gregg Allison "A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement"
Peter J. Gentry "The Atonement in Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song" (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)
Derek Tidball "Songs of the Crucified One: The Psalms and the Crucifixion"
Simon Gathercole "The Cross and Substitutionary Atonement"
Barry C. Joslin "Christ Bore the Sins of Many: Substitution and the Atonement in Hebrews"
The SBJT Forum "The Atonement under Fire"
Only limited articles are available online. For the complete journal, please order the print copy from the office of The Southern Baptist Theological Journal (journaloffice@sbts.edu).
July 26, 2007
Albert Mohler on Mormonism
Dr. Mohler has been debating with Orson Scott Card on the question "Are Mormons 'Christians?'" His concluding post includes this excerpt:
The debate is not over the right of Mormons to hold their faith, promote their faith, and spread their faith. That, too, is a constitutional right – the same right that protects the religious liberty of all persons of all faiths and no faith.For me, and as the question was posed to me, the issue is theological. That is why I cannot answer the question except as I have from the start.
Here is the bottom line. As an Evangelical Christian – a Christian who holds to the "traditional Christian orthodoxy" of the Church – I do not believe that Mormonism leads to salvation. To the contrary, I believe that it is a false gospel that, however sincere and kind its adherents may be, leads to eternal death rather than to eternal life.
Read the whole thing.
Related: Important new book on the humanity and deity of Christ.
Calvinism vs. Arminianism - IV
I previously summarized the position of Walls and Dongell.
Response to Walls and Dongell
Walls and Dongell make three unwarranted assumptions: (1) that God cannot love people whom He allows to remain in sin; (2) that God cannot have two levels of “wishing,” whereby He simultaneously desires that all be saved (I Tim. 2:4), but decrees that not all receive electing love (Rom. 9:20-24); and (3) that God is obligated by His character to show saving mercy to everyone. They distort the Scriptures by reading these philosophical commitments into the biblical texts. In short, they reject Calvinism because they cannot understand why, given compatibilism and electing love, God would not save everyone. But our discomfort ought not to be mistaken for inconsistency within Calvinism. On the contrary, the doctrine of election, properly understood, is a comfort to Christians (Rom. 8:28-30), a reason to praise God (Eph. 1:5-6), and a motivation for evangelism (since God guarantees some will be saved, II Tim. 2:10). It is by God’s wisdom that the elect do not differ from the non-elect, except that He chooses them (Deut. 7:7). God is glorified by our total dependence upon Him for salvation (I Cor. 1:21-31). The elect receive mercy, and the non-elect receive justice. None receive injustice. Biblically, it is incorrect to conclude that God is obligated by His character to show saving mercy to all (Ezek 36:22-32). As sinners we are not in a position to presume upon grace.
Electing grace is explicitly taught in the Bible (Acts 13:48; 16:14; Eph. 1:12; I Thes. 1:4-5; II Thes. 2:13; II Tim. 1:9; I Pet. 2:9; Rev. 13:7-8). Predestination is in love toward the elect (Eph. 1:3-12). John 6:37 speaks both of our coming to Christ, and of our being given to Christ by the Father (cf. John 17:2, 6, 9, 24). This is compatibilism, just like the account of Joseph, whom God “sent” to Egypt (Ps. 105:17) by the means of his wicked brothers, who meant evil in the same act in which God intended good (Gen. 50:19-20). On the one hand, humans act freely (i.e., according to their desires). On the other hand, God sovereignly accomplishes His objectives through these very same acts (cf. Acts 2:23). In salvation, God causes us to be born again (I Pet. 1:3), so that we are made alive spiritually (Eph. 2:1-4), and therefore freely choose to embrace Christ as our indescribably beautiful Savior, Lord, and Treasure (Mat. 13:44).
Indeed, nothing ultimately stops God from saving everyone, except for His divine prerogative, by which not all are the recipients of His electing love. But God nevertheless loves the non-elect, for God is love (I John 4:8). This does not mean that love is God or that God is nothing but love, but rather that love is central to God’s being and therefore present in all His attributes and dealings with man, including His anger toward sin and sinners (Ps. 7:11; 11:5; 78:62). Christ’s death on the cross flowed from a salvific, loving posture toward a wicked world in full, open rebellion against Him. Out of this love, God showers undeserved blessings upon everyone—blessings which are meant to encourage repentance (Matt. 5:44-45; Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4). And out of this love, God has chosen an innumerable array of people from every nation and tribe to be adopted into His family (Rev. 5:9). In terms of God’s intention, Christ died effectively for the elect—in the same way the Bible consistently speaks of God’s saving love for the elect only (Deut. 7:7-8; 10:14-15; Mal. 1:2-3; Eph. 5:25).
It is not contradictory for the world to be under both God’s condemnation and love. For example, Moab is so wicked that God says: “Make her drunk, for she has defied the Lord. Let Moab wallow in her vomit…” (Jer. 48:26), but for this same Moab God also “wails” and “cries out” and “moans like a flute” (Jer. 48:31-36). In His sovereign will, He approves of her judgment; as a loving Creator, He grieves that it must be so.
It is not contradictory to speak of God desiring that all men repent and be saved, while only willing that this occur for the elect. Consider Pharaoh, whose heart was hardened by God, such that he disobeyed God’s wish (expressed via Moses) that he let Israel go to worship. Or Eli’s sons, who lay with the women serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting and when warned that their wickedness would have consequences, “would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death (I Sam. 2:22-25).” So while God surely did not condone their sexual immorality, it was (in another sense) His will that it persist. Moreover, the same Hebrew word for “willed” (haphez) used in I Sam. 2:25 is used in Ezek. 18:23,32 and 33:11 where God asserts he has no “pleasure” in the death of the wicked. So while God may not desire (in one sense) that wicked people die, He may (justly) deem that it be so. The biblical witness is that it is sensible to speak of God having a sovereign will (which always comes to pass) and a moral will (which reflects those things which accord with His character).
By analogy, it is reasonable to make a genuine gospel offer to everyone. Not all will respond and be saved. The offer is legitimate in that all who respond affirmatively will be received. Statements such as, “Christ died so that everyone who trusts in Him will escape the wrath of God, have their sins forgiven, and enjoy everlasting life” are biblically accurate and not disingenuous: God generally longs for everyone to be saved (I Tim. 2:4, II Pet. 3:9, Ezek. 18:23). Further, these statements express not just what God has done, but what man must do to receive the benefits: man (not God) does the repenting and believing. God ordains not only the salvation of the elect, but that their saving faith be awakened by the means of faithful gospel proclamation to all (Acts 16:14; Rom. 10:14). Since only God knows who will be saved, we are prohibited from discriminating.
Finally, Walls’ and Dongell’s view leads to justifiable boasting, since the elect differs from the non-elect only due to the prudent choice of the former, God having provided them both with an identical measure of graceful wooing to Himself. This directly contradicts God’s plan to retain all the glory in salvation (I Cor. 1:28-31; Isa. 48:11; Eph. 2:8-9).
By either view, God allows many to suffer eternal torment. For Walls and Dongell, God’s will to save all is restrained by the higher good of relationships with God only possible via human self-determination. For Calvinists, the greater value is the manifestation of the full range of God’s glory in both mercy and wrath, so that the saints’ rejoicing is intensified by the exhibition of wrath that they, too, deserved (Rom. 9:22-24). The latter is both biblically defensible and not contrary to God’s genuine love and saving posture toward every person.
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Read the entire paper in PDF format (five pages; includes some foot notes).
Resources Consulted
1. D.A. Carson, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God
2. Wayne Grudem, SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
3. Hywel R. Jones, “Is God Love?” Banner of Truth Magazine 412 (Jan 1998), 10-16.
4. John MacArthur, The Love of God: He Will Do Whatever It Takes to Make Us Holy
5. John Piper, “Are There Two Wills in God?” Pages 107-131 in Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace
6. Jerry Walls and Joe Dongell, Why I Am Not A Calvinist, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
2004.
July 25, 2007
Online ESV Bible Launches iPhone Site
From a Crossway press release:
Crossway Celebrates 5 Years of Online ESV Bible by Launching iPhone Site
Crossway Bibles celebrated the fifth anniversary of its dedicated ESV Bible web site on July 22 with the launch of a free web site optimized for the new Apple iPhone. The web site offers the complete, searchable text of the ESV Bible plus a variety of daily Bible readings.
A Crossway partner has also developed an ESV iPhone application. AcroDesign Technologies last week launched iBibleSpace, which offers the complete ESV Bible text plus a daily Bible verse, several podcasts, and other features. "At the present time, iBibleSpace is far and away the best Bible app available for the iPhone," wrote Rick Mansfield of the blog "This Lamp" in a review just after the launch of iBibleSpace.
Geoffrey Dennis, Crossway Vice President of Sales and Marketing, says, "Apple's iPhone revolutionizes the mobile phone market, and we want the ESV to be at the forefront of that revolution. Crossway and our partners are committed to providing the ESV Bible in many formats on many devices—we want people to be able to access the ESV wherever, whenever, and however they want to."
"Apple has made developing iPhone web applications easy by integrating a full-fledged web browser into the device: Apple instantly turned every web developer into an iPhone developer," says Crossway Webmaster Stephen Smith. "Visits by mobile devices to Crossway's family of web sites have grown significantly over the past few months, and we expect iPhones and other next-generation devices to further popularize mobile web browsing."
Calvinism vs. Arminianism - III
The Central Message of Why I Am Not a Calvinist
Note: Jerry Walls was kind enough to read and approve this summary of their book's message.
Jerry Walls (a philosopher) and Joe Dongell (a biblical scholar) of Asbury Seminary have teamed up to write a provocative book entitled Why I Am Not a Calvinist. Their central message is:
The character of the Calvinistic God is severely maligned by the fact that His need to glorify Himself comes at the expense of the damnation of a significant percentage of His sinful human population throughout history, whom He could save (with their compatibilist freedom intact) with the same relative ease that He exercises in the saving of other sinners, from whom they differ in no significant way. Such a God, who arbitrarily subjects endless misery on creatures for failing to love Him when they could not possibly do otherwise, cannot be worthy of our reverence, awe, and adoration.
Four key aspects of this message:
I. Compatibilism makes the general offer of salvation insincere, since (a) the non-elect are unable to affirmatively respond; (b) it cannot genuinely be said that Christ died for everyone; and (c) God is unwilling to save all. Given these difficulties, Calvinists are (unconsciously) inconsistent in their message, suggesting that the gospel offer can be responded to by all (when it cannot), and that God truly wants everyone to be saved (which apparently He does not). The pervasive acceptance of such inconsistencies makes Calvinism’s credibility unwarranted.
II. Calvinism argues that God must display wrath in order to show forth the full spectrum of His attributes, and so God, though able to save all, has ordained some to experience wrath (Rom. 9:20-24). But this makes God (ironically) dependent upon man; He needs evil creatures to be the just recipients of wrath in order to glorify His Name. By implication, God cannot be said to love the non-elect in any meaningful way. The Arminian God truly does not want to display wrath on any of His creatures; He is doing everything He can to see them repent and be saved (short of coercing their will, which would render a genuine relationship impossible).
III. Accountability and responsibility only extend as far as human ability. Since God is love, He is obligated (not by man’s merit, but by His own internal nature) to try to do all He can to help humans flourish. If hell is a consequence of rejecting God, then He must enable man to at least have the ability to accept Him. But Calvinism’s view that electing grace is withheld from the non-elect makes God cruel and arbitrary when He later condemns them.
IV. Scriptural passages that assert the universal saving will of God (I Tim. 2:4, II Pet. 3:9, Ezek. 18:23) and the general love of God (John 3:16, I John 2:2, Luke 15:1-7) imply that God must be making genuine efforts to save everyone from everlasting wrath (rather than helping just a select few with electing grace, and leaving the rest to persist in their sins).
Note: Compatibilism is the view that God’s sovereignty and man’s free agency are not contradictory, but compatible. God’s sovereign will is accomplished by the means of humans acting according to their desires. Effectual grace means that God woos sinners to Himself in such a way that they freely come. God does not reject people who come to Him (John 6:37). Nor does He drag people into heaven against their will.
In my next post, I'll give my response to Walls and Dongell.
Related: Previous posts on Calvinism vs. Arminianism (Part 1, Part 2)
Mark Dever on Calvinism and Arminianism
Speaking of the Calvinism - Arminianism debate, Mark Dever offers this important reminder:
The real front line is not between Calvinist evangelicals and Arminian evangelicals. It is between those who are lost in their sins and those who have been saved by God's sheer grace in Christ.
Read the whole post, in which Dever discusses his church background and involvement in Together For the Gospel. BTW, why is Dever the only one blogging over at the T4G blog?
Interracial Marriage and Emergent Truth
While guest-hosting the Albert Mohler radio program a few weeks ago, Russ Moore interacted with Tony Jones over Jones' view that "all hermeneutics is local." In support of his view (which originates in postmodern epistemologies being exposed by various religious and non-religious writers), Jones (rightly) observed that Moore's great-grandfather would not have performed an interracial marriage while Moore would. Was "local hermeneutics" what led to a more redemptive view of racial matters? Moore recounts:
What changed all of this was not the evolution of the community toward something else. It was repentance. From anti-slavery activists such as William Wilberforce through civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. right on down to the local pastor standing up to the chairman of deacons in order to baptize an African-American teenager, the issue is biblical authority. White supremacist communities were challenged by a truth system outside of themselves, an objective verbal authority from God. Billy Graham integrated his crusades, despite community standards of truth, because the Bible teaches that the gospel is for all men. Churches opened the doors to people of all races because they were shown in the face of clear biblical teaching that they were hypocrites for sending money to convert African nations while refusing to welcome African-Americans as brothers and sisters in Christ.It is not that the culture moved toward accepting racial diversity through some social evolution. Religious people challenged Christian churches and an allegedly Christianized nation using Christian rhetoric that white supremacy is, and always has been, contrary to the Word of God. It has always been false, community or no community.
Read the whole thing. An excellent example of how objective truth and biblical authority relate to practical ministry in communities of Christian faith.
Calvinism vs. Arminianism - II
Following up on my previous post, here is the executive summary of my response to Jerry Walls and Joe Dongell:
Walls and Dongell believe that Calvinism portrays a tyrannical God who arbitrarily selects some for salvation and others for damnation, even though the latter are powerless to repent and believe in Christ. They maintain that the biblical passages expressing God’s general love for all mankind (John 3:16) and His desire that all be saved (I Tim. 2:4) suggest the Calvinist exegesis regarding effectual grace (for some) and definite atonement (for some) is severely misguided. In response, I argue that God’s electing love is a biblical concept, and does not negate God’s love for the non-elect, nor His genuine desire that all be saved. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 33:11), but He deems it best that not all receive saving mercy. His higher goal is the manifestation of the full range of His glory in both mercy and just wrath, to the everlasting enjoyment of His saints.
A couple key verses:
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” – I Cor. 1:26-31
“What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?” – Rom. 9:22-24
Related: Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate between Jerry Walls/Joe Dongell and Tom Schreiner/Bruce Ware, Book by Sam Storms on Unconditional Election
July 24, 2007
A Piety Above The Common Standard
Jim Hamilton reviews A Piety above the Common Standard: Jesse Mercer and Evangelistic Calvinism by Anthony L. Chute. This book sounds like an outstanding volume on baptist church history. Dr. Chute is on the faculty of California Baptist University (which yours truly will be joining on August 1, 2007).
From the publisher:
Jesse Mercer (1769–1841) was a Baptist pastor, editor, and denominational statesman who figured prominently in the debates over Calvinism among Southern clergymen. Most studies of Calvinism in America have focused on Jonathan Edwards, the New Divinity Movement, and the Princeton theologians. Calvinism, however, played a key role in shaping the religious mind of the South, particularly among Baptists who debated the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility as it related to missions, education, and social reform. These debates led to the formation of two Baptist groups, Primitive and Missionary, the latter of which ultimately became Southern Baptists.
Calvinism vs. Arminianism
This is perhaps the all-time classic debate among Christians. Who does what in salvation? Are Christians elect because God foresaw that they would put their faith in Christ, are did we put our faith in Christ because we are elect?
Well, I completed another paper in my Practical Theology course. This one had to do with the TULIP acrostic. We attended a seminar from Pastor John Piper on the topic (available on CD) and then read the following works (all by Piper):
T.U.L.I.P-- What We Believe About the Five Points of Calvinism
Chapters 2 and 5 of The Pleasures of God
Chapters 3, 10, 11 of The Justification of God
Then we wrote a paper responding to an Arminian book of our choice. I chose Why I Am Not a Calvinist
In subsequent posts, I'll provide a brief summary of their book's central arguments, followed by my response.
July 20, 2007
Our Daughter - Walking
Things are really crazy right now as we're getting ready to move in a couple of weeks (which is why this blog has gone dark over the last few days). For now I'll just post some videos of our cute baby girl walking (videos which cannot be hotlinked). These videos are about a month old.
July 13, 2007
A Blog Dedicated to The Great Commission
My friend Bob Hayton has organized a blog that is totally focused on issues related to facilitating and finishing the Great Commission. The authors of Kingdom Surge "share an independent fundamental Baptist past, a conversion to Reformed theology, and an appreciation for the writings of John Piper. We also share a burden for world missions, specifically the unreached people groups of Central Asia." Three of the authors are employing pseudonyms for security reasons, as they are advancing the gospel in sensitive parts of the world.
They have already written a series of posts explaining the name of their blog as well as defining the task of the Great Commission.
2007 Peacemaker Conference: Sept 20-22
The 2007 Peacemaker Conference, That We May Be One, will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 20-22.
Speakers include:
Randy Alcorn - Founder and President of Eternal Perspectives Ministries. Mr. Alcorn is also the author of 25 books including the bestsellers Heaven and The Grace and Truth Paradox. Randy and his wife, Nanci, have two married daughters, Karina and Angela, and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons. They reside in Gresham, Oregon.
Edward Gilbreath - Editor of Today's Christian and an editor at large for Christianity Today. He is a co-author of Gospel Trailblazer (Moody, 2003) and, my recently, Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical's Inside View of White Christianity (IVP). Mr. Gilbreath lives in the Chicago area with his wife, Dana, and their two children.
Tim Lane - Faculty member at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation and co-author of How People Change and Relationships: A Mess Worth Making.
Victor Nakah - born and raised in Zimbabwe, he is the president of the Theological College of Zimbabwe and one of the pastors at the City Presbyterian Church. Victor has a passion for promoting peace through the gospel among Africa and its peoples. He is married to Nosizo, and they have two daughters.
Ken Sande - President of Peacemaker Ministries. Ken is the author of The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict (Baker, 2004) and Peacemaking for Families (Tyndale/Focus on the Family, 2002). His wife, Corlette, is the author of The Young Peacemaker. Ken and Corlette have two children, Megan and Jeff.
In addition to the plenary sessions, there will be a number of workshops offered for individuals, families, churches, and cross-cultural issues. There are also several Pre-Conference training events.
The lowest conference registration fee is available through July 15. Discounts available for groups of 4 or more.
July 12, 2007
New R.C. Sproul Book on the Cross
The doctrine of penal substitution is under attack in our day, as I've mentioned before. This new book by R.C. Sproul looks like yet another helpful response. If you are looking for a primer on the doctrine of the atonement--a helpful presentation of its importance, without getting lost in theological jargon--this sounds like the book.
"The Truth of the Cross is the best book on the cross I have read. It is a 'must' for every church library and a book that I will give away many times to friends. This is so because it is sober (i.e., it contains historically informed reflections on salient biblical texts), sensible (i.e., it is well-argued), simple (i.e., it holds the reader's attention through grabbing illustrations and even a seventh-grader can its substance), and spiritual (i.e., it comes from a heart set ablaze by the Spirit)."
— Dr. Bruce K. Waltke, Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary
"The cross stands at the very center of our Christian lives. Still, many Christians are confused about the heart of the gospel, for many deviant views are in the air. R.C. Sproul blows the fog away in this wonderfully clear, theologically profound, and pastorally rich work. Learn afresh or anew what God has accomplished in the cross, so that you will boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ."
— Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner, Professor, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"The gospel is a message of good news that something extraordinary has happened. At the heart of that message is that Jesus, God the Son incarnate, has atoned for the sins of all His people, turning away the righteous wrath of God. The gospel is a cross-shaped message. Sadly, in our day, this message is being re-shaped into other forms, and the results are not happy. We can give thanks for this volume by R.C. Sproul, however, because in it he steps into the breach once more to provide a clear, concise, and thoughtful case for the biblical and historic Christian gospel of the cross."
— Dr. R. Scott Clark, Associate Professor, Westminster Seminary California
(HT: JT)
Sermon Manuscript on Titus 2:11-14
One of our assignments in Preaching Class (with Pastor John Piper) this past year was to write a sermon. Interestingly, we each preached a message from both the Old Testament and New Testament, but this was to be a different sermon. I chose Titus 2:11-14, in part because I had preached through the book of Titus in the summer of 2004 at Grace Community Church, and I wanted to improve upon a previous message. Here is an executive summary of my message:
In this season between justification and our future glorification with Christ, God’s grace instructs us to progressively “put off” all that we once were when God reached down and saved us, and progressively “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ, so that our lives increasingly look like His. Titus 2:11-14 explains that transformation in God’s people has been made possible (and inevitable) by the inbreaking of God’s kingdom in the person and work of His Son, whose incarnation, death, and resurrection bring salvation from both the penalty and the power of sin. The confident expectation of Christ’s return characterizes Christians and fills them with hope because the glory of His grace-communicating first appearance will pale in comparison to that of His second. Though we are His people now, we long for our redemption and purification to be fully consummated. Titus 2:11-14 thus grounds the practical instructions given in Titus 2:1-10.
If interested, here's the entire sermon.
Related: Review of Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture by Graeme Goldsworthy
Men and Women Are Different
Mark Galli, managing editor of Christianity Today, pens a humorous and illuminating article on male-female differences as they relate to parenting. Commenting on the tendency of couples to announce, "We're pregnant," Galli notes:
"This phrase is most unfortunate after conception because it is an inadvertent co-opting of women by men—men using language to suggest that they share equally in the burdens and joys of pregnancy. Instead, pregnancy is one time women should flaunt their womanhood, and one time men should acknowledge the superiority of women. Men may be able to run the mile in less than four minutes and open stuck pickle jars with a twist of the wrist, but for all our physical prowess, we cannot carry new life within us and bring it into the world. To suggest that we do is a slap in the face of women."
(HT: JT)
July 11, 2007
Free Resource on Church Leadership - Mark Dever
Mark Dever's 76-page booklet, A Display of His Glory, is an excellent, succinct overview of the qualifications and duties of deacons and elders, with some discussion on the relationship between elders and "the pastor." It is available as a free PDF.
Related: My three-page paper on eldership.
(HT: Nick Nowalk)
Chalmers Center Senior Director Opening
The Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College is seeking qualified candidates for a Senior Director. The Chalmers Center, a research and training initiative of Covenant College, equips churches and missionaries to declare the Kingdom of God in word and in deed by bringing economic development and spiritual transformation in the context of poor communities around the globe. The Senior Director reports to the Executive Director and is the primary person responsible for managing the Chalmers Center's human and financial resources. Duties include: a) leading staff through the design and implementation of an operations plan to achieve the Center's objectives, b) hiring and managing all international and domestic personnel, c) designing and implementing the budget, d) directly managing the Director of Training and the Director of Marketing and Strategic Relations, and e) acting as Interim Director of International Programs.
See the job description.
Send a resume and a testimony of Christian faith and experience to: Director of Human Resources, Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Georgia 30750; 706-820-1560; E-mail: employment@covenant.edu. Application deadline is August 15, 2007.
Covenant College is associated with the Presbyterian Church of America.
July 10, 2007
Harold O.J. Brown (1933–2007)
John D. Woodbridge, research professor of church history and the history of Christian thought at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, provides an overview of the professional life of his friend the late Professor Harold O.J. Brown, who passed away on Sunday, July 8, 2007. Over the years Dr. Brown held faculty positions at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois; Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina; and the Summer Institute in Human Rights, Strasbourg, France, as well as a variety of pastoral positions both in the U.S. and abroad. He authored Death Before Birth, The Reconstruction of the Republic, and Heresies. Excerpt:
"With former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, Brown founded the Christian Action Council, one of the prominent evangelical pro-life action groups. Dr. Koop, Dr. Francis Schaeffer, and Brown took the lead in helping many evangelicals understand the high Christian stakes in protecting the lives of the unborn. Often working behind the scenes, Professor Brown did yeoman service in encouraging many evangelical Protestants to re-enter the public life of the nation as Christian activists."
Dr. Brown was the founder of CareNet, a pro-life group supporting a network of 1,090 pregnancy centers in North America. CareNet issued this statement on their founder.
(HT: JT)
ESV Sees Explosive Growth
I've been using the ESV Bible for about three and a half years now. I love the fact that it combines the word-for-word accuracy I've always loved about the New American Standard Version with the readability of the NIV. As a result, the ESV is a highly accurate rendering of the original Greek and Hebrew as well as an accessible, fun-to-read, memorizable translation. I also really like their advanced search feature which allows me to quickly find verses to cite in personal study or when I'm working on a paper.
It appears others are enjoying the ESV also. Hats off to Good News Christian Publishers and Crossway at the recent news:
Growth of the ESV Bible continues to accelerate, as worldwide sales and distribution increased more than four-fold over the past two years and the ESV moved up to the number three position on the CBA bestseller list in June. To meet the rapidly growing demand for both the ESV Bible and for Crossway books, Crossway Books and Bibles is pleased to announce its new organizational structure, which focuses on two new publishing divisions and on a new strategic plan and leadership in Sales and Marketing. As of this July, Crossway will be organized into two major publishing divisions, one for books and the other for Bibles.
July 09, 2007
Jesus Christ -- Fully God, Fully Man
To set the back drop for why I think this book is important, I want to highlight some of Albert Mohler's recent commentary. Today, Mohler provides a follow-up on Rev. Ann Holmes Redding of Seattle, an Episcopalian priest who claims to be both a Muslim and a Christian. She notes:
"I believe that Jesus is divine in the same way in which all humans are related to God as children of God. Jesus is different in degree, not kind; that means that he shows me most fully what it means to be in total submission to and identification with God. The significance of his crucifixion is that it is the ultimate surrender, and the resurrection--both his and as it is revealed in the lives of his disciples--shows us that God makes life out of death. That is the good news to me and it is salvation. I don't think God said, "Let me send this special person so that I can kill him for the benefit of the rest of humanity." That's not the kind of sacrifice I think that God desires."
Meanwhile, Dr. Mohler has been participating in a debate with Orson Scott Card on whether Mormons are in fact true Christians. If you've ever interacted with Mormons, you probably recall that they emphatically claim to be genuine, evangelical Christians. Moreover, they often outstrip Protestants in a total lifestyle commitment to their faith, which in turn makes their arguments seem all the more plausible.
What do the Mormon debate and Rev. Redding's statement have in common? They represent widespread confusion on Christian essentials, particularly with regard to who Jesus Christ was and what He accomplished. Enter Stephen Nichols with a fresh, compelling treatment on the deity of Christ. The belief that Christ is the God-man is definitive for Christian orthodoxy and imperative to a right understanding of the gospel. John MacArthur has called this book, available in August, a "tremendous defense of orthodox Christian belief" and "a recommended read for anyone who wants a clear picture of the Savior." I've seen the uncorrected proofs, and can attest that Nichols has provided a helpful, careful overview.
If you ever wanted a primer on how the early church perceived Jesus Christ, and how the consensus of His being fully God and fully man developed, this is the book. Chapter 1 starts from the days of Peter and Paul and stretches forward to 300 A.D., tracing the church's perception of Jesus. Chapter 3 tells the story of Athanasius and his combatant Arius, the two main figures behind the Nicene Council in 325 and the Council of Constantinople in 381. Chapter 5 walks through the 400s, looking at Leo I and the Chalcedonian Council in 451. The intervening chapters 2,4, and 6 provide key statements directly from major figures in the early church. The glossary at the back with clear, concise definitions of numerous early church views and sects related to Christ's identity, as well as biographical sketches of significant leaders, is itself worth the price of the book.
Stephen Nichols is a professor at Lancaster Bible College and Graduate School, having earned a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary.
July 08, 2007
Galatians Paper
Finally finished my Galatians exegesis paper! Thanks for the useful comments (Dan, Matt, and others). I ended up just covering Gal. 3:10-12.
Here is my abstract:
Galatians 3:10-12 is at the heart of Paul’s message to the Galatian believers: salvation is unattainable by obedience to the law’s commands, because nobody is able to continually remain in steadfast obedience to them. The “implied premise” of Gal. 3:10 is stated in Gal. 2:16, which alludes to Ps. 143:2: nobody living is righteous before God. Since all are constituted sinners, nobody can be justified before God by the law, and eschatological life (salvation) is only available by the instrumentality of faith. Those, and only those, who possess faith will receive eternal life (Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11). The law embodies, naturally, the principle that obedience confers blessing. Hence, the law does not operate on the principle of believing, but on the principle of doing (Gal. 3:12). The law (both before and after the Christ event) has a twofold relation to justification: it does not confer righteousness (since nobody is able to keep it), but it shares in the prophetic witness to righteousness. It reveals and exacerbates sin, and drives penitent (regenerate) persons to repentance and faith.
A juicy Luther quote:
“Let the law have its glory…I will grant that it can teach me that I should love God and my neighbor, and live in chastity, patience, etc.; but it is in no position to show me how to be delivered from sin, the devil, death, and hell.” -- Martin Luther
Got it from Westerholm.
And my conclusion:
Those who look to their obedience to God’s commandments for gaining a right standing with God are under the curse of the law, because any righteousness they have is filthy rags in comparison to the perfect obedience which God required and which Christ has now furnished (Isa. 64:6; Gal. 3:10; II Cor. 5:21). The law in its commanding aspect does not function on the principle of faith. Rather, it was a temporary administration that revealed sin and thus witnessed to the righteousness that could only be obtained by faith. The Abrahamic promise of the Holy Spirit and eternal life among God’s covenant people has been given to Jews and Gentiles alike on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:16; 3:10-14).
If there is interest, I'll try to figure out a useful way to post more.
On Babies and Stealing Bandwidth
Everyone thinks they've got the cutest kid, right? Have you ever thought your 1-2 year old was cute enough to be a model? Well, ours is -- and we've got proof. About 45 days ago I noticed that the bandwidth on my website began to increase dramatically -- by 400% in two months. I thought, wow, people must really be enjoying the handful of sermons and interviews that I've posted. But then I also noticed an extremely large number of searches for things like baby, baby girl, new born girl, laughing girl, etc. And then, voila, in my list of "links from an external page," I found that a certain website had a picture of my daughter. And, what d'ya know, it was being served right from my website. Which means they were "stealing" my bandwidth. They must have a lot of traffic because I almost had to get a new service plan from my web hosting company (Codex -- they do a great job, by the way).
So we decided to play a joke on them (I learned this one from Joe Carter -- apparently this is called hotlinking), and do a little evangelism to boot. If you check out the image (the font isn't great, but the words are discernible) you'll see that it relates a very important message (given that the website apparently services Hindu people). I wonder how long they will leave it up there.
I hope to eventually re-post the pictures of our daughter in a way that will disallow this sort of abuse (you might notice--I'm sure the baby-searchers have--that I unpublished all blog posts that include her picture). Indeed, Karis Joy is beautiful......
Update: I have now posted some videos of our daughter.
July 05, 2007
Signs of the Spirit - Sam Storms
Have you ever wondered: What is the essence of true Christianity? What constitutes the essence of a life that is pleasing to God? Are there criteria by which we can distinguish between true Christians and those who only seem to be? Have you ever known someone who seemed so godly, but later abandoned everything they once held dear? Have you ever had the fearful thought that such a thing could happen to a loved one (or even you)? Have you ever struggled with assurance of salvation, or are you dealing with a friend who is?
Jonathan Edwards, perhaps the greatest theologian in American history, wrote a book called Religious Affections
That is why, sadly, many have tried to read Religious Affections, only to put it down in frustration and confusion. Others fear picking it up. Still others have never heard of it, but if they tried to read it, might soon give up.
But Jonathan Edwards is too important to miss out on! And the questions Edwards tackles in this book are as important in our day as they were in his. That's why I am very excited about Sam Storms' new translation of this classic work entitled Signs of the Spirit: An Interpretation of Jonathan Edwards's "Religious Affections"
Some people look down on translations, as if the book must have been "dumbed down." That is not the case here. Signs of the Spirit is the ideal place to start for any who want to catch the vision of God that Edwards loved and proclaimed. It is will enlighten your mind and warm your heart. Dr. Storms (a former visiting associate professor of theology at Wheaton College) is clear, articulate, and very readable. I pray this book will deepen and expand the influence of Jonathan Edwards in our day. I highly recommend it to you.
Endorsements
“Jonathan Edwards’ Religious Affections remains one of the most discerning works of spiritual psychology published in the last several centuries. Dr. Samuel Storms’ unpacking of this significant work reveals once again for a new generation why the old Puritan so much deserves the most careful study today.”
Mark A. Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame
“Storms’ repackaging of this spiritual classic meets a serious need. His essay on Edwards’ personal spirituality, introducing the Personal Narrative, is almost worth the price of the book. Then his running commentary, interspersed with direct selections from the Narrative, are exceedingly helpful.”
Gerald R. McDermott, Professor of Religion, Roanoke College
“After nearly 300 years, these gems of Edwards’ continue to sparkle. Sam Storms has done a superb job interpreting them for twenty-first-century followers of Jesus. His vivid paraphrases are easy to read and always edifying.”
Douglas A. Sweeney, Associate Professor of Church History, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“These texts of Jonathan Edwards have nourished the church for nearly three centuries. In Sam Storms’ capable hands they’ll now speak clearly, plainly, and powerfully to the church today and for generations to come. If you’ve ever wanted to tackle Edwards but have shied away, you no longer have an excuse.”
Stephen J. Nichols, author of Heaven on Earth: Capturing Jonathan Edwards’s Vision of Living in Between
Check out the Table of Contents and browse the book for free.
July 03, 2007
The Spiritual Struggles of Pastors
To aspire to the pastoral ministry is a noble thing (I Tim. 3:1), but not many should pursue it (Jas. 3:1). Mark Driscoll shares some sobering statistics on pastors and depression.
Heb. 13:17
"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."
The list begins with:
1. Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
2. Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.
3. Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
4. Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
(HT: Justin Buzzard)
July 02, 2007
Free Audio Book - E. M. Bounds - Power Through Prayer
Christian Audio is offering an unabridged audio version of this classic resource on the importance of prayer for free during the month of July. I confess I've not read Power Through Prayer
Use coupon code: JULY2007 to redeem the download format of E. M. Bounds' Power Through Prayer for free.
Bob Hayton on With One Voice
Bob Hayton graciously provides a helpful (and humbling) summary of With One Voice.
Related: More Reviews
(Bob's will be added soon.)
Psychologists Report: Babies Naturally Tell Lies
If you were looking for more scientific data to support the belief that humans are sinful by nature, today is your day. The Telegraph of London announces the (surprising?) result that "babies are not as innocent as they pretend." They report:
"Behavioural experts have found that infants begin to lie from as young as six months. Simple fibs help to train them for more complex deceptions in later life."
More snippets:
"Infants quickly learned that using tactics such as fake crying and pretend laughing could win them attention. By eight months, more difficult deceptions became apparent, such as concealing forbidden activities or trying to distract parents’ attention. By the age of two, toddlers could use far more devious techniques, such as bluffing when threatened with a punishment."Read the whole thing.
Time to polish off that rod of discipline.
(HT: Current Christian via Abraham Piper)
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