March 31, 2008
Book Review - A Bound Man - Shelby Steele - II
[This is the conclusion of a two-part review of Dr. Shelby Steele's latest book, A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win
Steele traces portions of Obama's history (as described in the latter's best-selling Dreams from My Father
Obama later recounts a more painful and more personal account. There is a one-year long romantic relationship with a white woman. Although there is clear marriage potential, Obama is afraid of losing his perceived black identity. While visiting her family's country house, Obama has an epiphany in her grandfather's study: she inhabits a different world then his. Obama reflects, "And I knew that if we stayed together I'd eventually live in her [world]. After all, I'd been doing it most of my life. Between the two of us, I was the one who knew how to live as an outsider."
If Steele is right, this need to be "black" (and reading Steele makes me want to read Dreams from My Father
So Obama walks a tightrope. On the one hand, he retains his "blackness" (his church affiliation, his liberal policy perspectives that imply (white) institutional responsibility to rectify achievement gaps along racial lines, his not letting whites "off the hook"). On the other hand, he mutes these themes as he appeals to whites as a symbol of redemption: a chance to finally move beyond our nation's racist past. Steele notes that Obama must win sufficient white support in order to be taken seriously by African Americans as a viable candidate, but yet if he wins too much white support, African Americans become suspicious. Hence his speech. He cannot repudiate Wright, lest he lose black support. Yet he must deplore the vacuous, inflammatory comments by Wright, lest he lose white support.
I think Steele's book helpfully explains why Obama is doing so well, even though he is only a few years out from being a mere state senator. Obama’s campaign began with a wonkish flavor; the constitutional law professor delving into details at town hall meetings. That didn’t engage voters, and Hillary stayed 20 points ahead. Then Obama changed his game: less focus on specifics and policy proposals and more on the “aura” or “mood” he elicits on the basis of who he is (coupled with a strong rhetorical eloquence and repeated, albeit content-less, calls for “change”). Obama’s support skyrocketed and remained strong as he dominated state after state (until recently). Steele’s argument is consistent with this observation. Obama is popular because of what he represents. His appeal is largely symbolic.
Much more can be said, but this shall have to suffice. All in all, an absolutely fantastic read. I find Steele engaging, clear-headed, and very compelling. If there is one weakness with this book, it is that I found it hard to see where Steele fits into all this. Like Obama, Steele is an African American with a white mother. Steele is clearly not a "challenger" (as he defines the term). But I could not help wondering as I read: "Is he a 'bargainer'?" After all, he assumes that whites are innocent. He gives them the benefit of the doubt. He gives whites moral authority. He doesn't forcefully remind whites of their racist past. In return, he receives ample generosity and goodwill.
In the final analysis, I do not think Steele is a bargainer. I would have loved for Steele to contrast himself more from Obama, particularly with regard to "the audacity of hope" for a post-racialist future. One might say that both Obama and Steele convey such "hope"--Obama because of his rhetorical style and politically correct ideology, and Steele because of the raw substance of his message: that our freedom and dignity is based on our universal humanity (I would add "under God"), not the color of our skin or our ancestry. You decide which hope is built on a more solid foundation.
Book Review - A Bound Man - Shelby Steele - I
In the wake of Pastor Jeremiah Wright's inflammatory sermons and Senator Obama electing to make a major speech on the topic of race, I read with great interest Shelby Steele's new book A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win
Steele classifies Jackson and Sharpton as "challengers." Challengers operate on the assumption that "whites are incorrigibly racist until they do something to prove otherwise." Their power in mainstream society comes from being able to absolve whites (and institutions primarily led by whites) of the (presumed) guilt of racism. Challengers put whites in the position of having to earn racial innocence by supporting certain public policies and adhering to politically correct language and customs. In essence, they employ white guilt in one of three forms:
(1) "white people did x and therefore black people should have y";Though perhaps able to secure some concessions for African Americans, challengers tend to fall short in national campaigns because they have no positive bridge to mainstream Americans.
(2) "white people are guilty of x and therefore they cannot say or do y"; or
(3) "white people bear ultimately responsibility for black uplift" (i.e. achievement gains).
By contrast, Steele classifies Senator Obama as a "bargainer." What bargainers do, says Steele, is offer whites immediate innocence and moral authority (which they naturally lack given the history of racism toward blacks) in return for goodwill and generosity. In Dreams from My Father, Obama recounts learning, as a teenager, that people were generally relieved "to find a well-mannered young black man who didn't seem angry all the time." Obama often reminds audiences that he has a white mother and grandmother. He represents for whites a chance to move forward -- beyond the painful reminders with which Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton regularly confront them (which, says Steele, makes them uncomfortable and detracts from the coalescence of political alliances).
Steele maintains (and I agree) that Obama has the temperament, intelligence, and background to guide America beyond the racial identity politics of the past. And yet -- Obama is "bound" by his need to "be black" in a racialist sense. This is the most fascinating part of the book, and I suspect the most controversial as well. I'll tackle this theme in part II of this review.
March 30, 2008
Proclaiming Christ, Not Ourselves
This great quote from James Denny (an old Scottish minister) is a particularly good word for pastors, but it applies to all of us to some degree:
"No man can bear witness to Christ and to himself at the same time. No man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save." (Quoted in John Stott, Between Two Worlds, 325)
(HT: John Piper)
March 29, 2008
Sixteen Lessons from David and Bathsheba
Pastor Mickey Connolly at CrossWay Community Church in Charlotte, NC gave a recent message on the fall of David with Bathsheba (II Sam 11-12). He lists 16 lessons from this God-breathed account which are quite relevant in our battle against sexual temptation:
1. Temptation can come when I least expect it. I must always be on my guard.
2. Sin often happens when I am not positively engaged in godly activities (when I'm not doing what I am supposed to be doing).
3. I usually have a chance to stop myself if I would only take it (1 Cor. 10:12).
4. Sin has a way of finding me out... it will be brought to the light.
5. Trying to cover up my sin only makes things worse.
6. One sin often leads to another.
7. Sin tends to harden my heart.
8. Even if no one else is aware, God is aware.
9. It is easier to be outraged at someone else's sin than my own.
10. To sin is to look for good outside of God's perfect provision.
11. Sin never satisfies.
12. Sin always has consequences.
13. Heartfelt repentance is the only appropriate response to sin.
14. While my sin has many manifestations it has only one root — a heart that craves something more than God.
15. Because of the cross, God does not treat me as my sins deserve.
16. While sin affects my life, it need not ruin my life.
(HT: CBMW via Lydia Brownback)
Do Hard Things - Chuch Norris Foreword
My copy arrived today, and boy did Multnomah do a great job with it. The cover art is outstanding. Crisp, clear, and catchy. The back cover reads:
"Most people don't expect you to understand what we're going to tell you in this book. And even if you understand, they don't expect you to care. And even if you care, they don't expect you to do anything about it. And even if you do something about it, they don't expect it to last. We do."The jacket includes a great photograph and overview of the book. On the inside, I was intrigued that the foreword was supplied by Chuck Norris. He writes:
"Today we live in a culture that promotes comfort, not challenges. Everything is about finding ways to escape hardship, avoid pain, and dodge duty. In the past, young people were expected to make significant contributions to society. Today, our culture expects very little from teens--not much more than staying in school and doing a few chores. A sad consequence of such low expectations is that life-changing lessons go unlearned.To whom can we turn to motivate a new generation of giants? I've found the answer. Alex and Brett Harris and their new book, Do Hard Things."
Update: Here's a link from which you can read the Table of Contents and Chapter 4.
Related: My endorsement; #6 on Amazon.
March 27, 2008
Interview of Tom Schreiner
Andy Cheung interviews Tom Schreiner about his forthcoming volume, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ, which will be released on June 1. For now, this 46-page excerpt (the table of contents, preface, the introduction, and chapter 9 on Jesus’ Saving Work in Acts) is available.
(HT: Jim Hamilton)
Simeon Trust Workshop on Preaching Christ from Exodus
The Simeon Trust, an organization dedicated to equipping pastors for biblically faithful, expository preaching, is hosting a workshop in Corona, CA on May 14-16. Speakers include David Short, Rector of St. John’s (Shaughnessy) Anglican Church in Vancouver, David Hegg, pastor of Northpoint Evangelical Free Church in Corona, and Paul Winters, Pastor of Spring Valley Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Roselle, Illinois.
The theme of the workshop is preaching Christ from the book of Exodus.
California Homeschooling Ruling to Be Reconsidered
The California Court of Appeal granted a motion on March 25 to re-hear the Rachel L. case. The granting of this motion means that the controversial February 28 ruling has been "vacated." In other words, it has been rendered no longer binding. In that ruling, Justice H. Walter Croskey had written:
“California courts have held that under provisions in the Education Code, parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children.”This resulted in widespread outrage in the homeschooling movement and assurances from Governor Schwarzenegger that homeschooling privileges would not be comprised. The re-hearing of the case will occur in June, and written arguments from state and local education officials as well as teachers' unions have been invited.
The news report from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Related: My previous post on this topic.
March 26, 2008
Assessing the Emerging Church
This looks like a great new book on the emergent church. In Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be
"This book is a pleasure to read, not least because it pricks so many pretensions. While it deals with an important subject, it manages to sustain a breezy style that draws you in. The subtitle tells you the stance of the authors: the emerging church movement, which taught an entire generation to rebel, is now old enough to find growing numbers of people learning to rebel against the rebellion."
~ D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
"Why We’re Not Emergent crashes into the emerging conversation in a voice which hears “them” and talks back! This is a book we’ve been waiting for. With careful observation, faithful handling of Scripture, and an eye for the ironic and absurd, DeYoung and Kluck have given us a feel for what attracts some to emerging churches and thoughts about why that’s sometimes a very bad thing. Buy and read this book. You’ll enjoy it. And it could help you and the people you’ll tell about it."
~Mark Dever, Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC
"Two thoughtful young guys with different styles, Kevin DeYoung (the pastor-theologian) and Ted Kluck (the journalist), have teamed up to write Why We’re Not Emergent. The result is a fair-minded, biblically grounded, insightful book. It’s clear that DeYoung and Kluck are not motivated by the desire to criticize, but rather by their love of the church as the body of Christ. This is now the first book I’d give someone who asks the question, “What is the emerging church?” Highly recommended!"
~Justin Taylor, Project Director, ESV Study Bible; blogger (Between Two Worlds)
Speaking of the emerging church, Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason interviews Dave Horner on the topic "Assessing the Emerging Church." Horner is the senior pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC.
Presidential Politics: Republicans Down But Not Out
John Mark Reynolds pens an insightful post on the state of the three-way race for the White House. Its entitled, "The Democrats are Blowing It: Three Reasons the Republican Party Might Survive November." In this lengthy post, Reynolds makes several excellent points. In short: odds favor a Democratic victory in November, but the negativity in the Democratic primary will leave their winner crippled, and a short two-way race diminishes the Dems' financial advantage. Furthermore, McCain currently leads both Clinton and Obama in most polls, and his competitiveness will increase his ability to raise money.
Along the way, Reynolds makes a number of astute observations about all three candidates. I agree with him that Obama has by no means wrapped up his party's nomination.
March 25, 2008
Do Hard Things - #6 on Amazon
I previously mentioned that Alex and Brett Harris initiated an Amazon Book Bomb. Their offer:
Whatever number of books are purchased for the Amazon.com Book Bomb on March 25th, Alex and Brett will set aside that same number of books to give away to anyone who cannot afford one. They will also make them available to other ministries and organizations for free distribution.Currently -- get this -- their book is #6 on Amazon! As I mentioned, this book is outstanding. I read a pre-publication copy and added this endorsement:
"In a culture of low expectations, non-stop entertainment and short attention spans, teenagers Alex and Brett Harris provide a voice of reason and a stirring exhortation to productive action in the name of Christ. As a university professor, I am not unaware of the Gen Y propensity to demand more recognition for less effort and to associate self-esteem with mere being rather than for actual accomplishment. Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations is a clarion call to teenagers everywhere to put away childishness and the fruit of immaturity and channel the energy of youth, in small ways and big ways, into world-changing activity with eternal significance. I highly recommend it."See other endorsements. Buy this book.
Related: My endorsement.
(HT: JT)
Albert Mohler on the USA Today Article About Sin
Dr. Albert Mohler chimes in on the recent USA Today article on the supposed disappearance of the notion of sin. The article quotes Joel Osteen, Michael Horton, and Albert Mohler himself. Mohler's conclusion is spot-on:
Perhaps the most interesting angle on the story is the fact that the secular world seems to understand that something has changed when it comes to the preaching of many churches and the beliefs of many who call themselves Christians.We are reminded yet again that an understanding of sin is preliminary to understanding the Gospel. The magnitude of our sin explains the necessary magnitude of Christ's atonement.
March 23, 2008
Christ is Risen! C.J. Mahaney on I Cor 15:17
Last week I had the privilege (along with Tim Challies) of live-blogging the Ligonier Ministries National Conference, which included an outstanding message from Pastor C.J. Mahaney on I Cor. 15:17:
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."In recognition of Easter weekend, Chris Larson posted the video (note that Pastor Mahaney is preaching in a suit).
Did Christ Die For Us Or For God?
I've noticed that some of the Christian songs on the death of Christ seem to relate (supposed) human specialness to Christ's sacrificial death -- as if Christ died because we were so special. And from a human perspective, it is not hard to see why. If I were to give my life for someone, you would naturally suppose that this other person must be pretty special (at least to me). After all:
"For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die." - Rom. 5:7But Paul contrasts this mindset with God's.
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Rom. 5:8It is not our specialness but rather the immensity of God's love that produced Golgotha. This reminded me of a message John Piper gave at the 1998 Passion event called Did Christ Die For Us Or For God. His text was Romans 3:25-26:
"Whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."The audio is available and it appears that Pastor Piper wrote an article several years prior on the same theme. The upshot is that we tend to view the universe from a man-centered lens, so we fail to grasp the problem of sin from God's vantage point. He simply cannot let sinners off the hook without impugning his own Name. He must maintain His justice--hence the cross. The cross is not an echo of our excellence. Rather, Christ died to free us to make much of God forever. This is true love, and it is folly to the world.
Graeme Goldsworthy at Southern Seminary
Graeme Goldsworthy is one of the sharpest scholars today on the topic of biblical theology. Donald Hagner defines biblical theology this way:
"Biblical theology is that discipline which sets forth the message of the books of the Bible in their historical setting. Biblical theology is primarily a descriptive discipline. It is not initially concerned with the final meaning of the teachings of the Bible or their relevance for today. This is the task of systematic theology. Biblical theology has the task of expounding the theology found in the Bible in its own historical setting, and its own terms, categories, and thought forms. It is the obvious intent of the Bible to tell a story about God and his acts in history for humanity’s salvation."(-From George E. Ladd A Theology of the New Testament)
Dr. Goldsworthy recently gave three lectures on biblical theology at Southern Seminary.
1. The Necessity and Viability of Biblical Theology (MP3) (PDF)
2. Biblical Theology in the Seminary and Bible College (MP3) (PDF)
3. Biblical Theology and Its Pastoral Application (MP3) (PDF)
Related:
I was profoundly helped by Goldsworthy's masterful Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture.
(HT: Brent Parker)
March 22, 2008
Did Jesus Spend Saturday in Hell?
The Apostles Creed begins:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,Many of us were raised with the notion that Jesus went to hell on Friday after dying on the cross. For a day and a half, he preached in hell before his resurrection on Sunday. The Scriptural support given for this view primarily comes from a few passages in I Peter. Here's one:
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (19) in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, (20) because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. (1 Peter 3:18-20, italics added)However, it is more natural to read I Peter 3:18-20 as referring to the earthly ministry of Noah, through whom the Holy Spirit preached. We see Peter refer to the Holy Spirit's ministry through Old Testament men earlier in I Peter: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories." (I Peter 1:10-11, italics added) Peter is telling us that the "Spirit of Christ" spoke through the prophets and also through Noah (cf. II Peter 2:5, where Noah is called a herald (or a preacher) of righteousness). Of course, Noah's contemporaries ignored the warning to repent and are now "in prison" (i.e., hell).
Here's a related text in I Peter that is likewise challenging.
They are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; (5) but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (6) For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. (1 Peter 4:4-6, italics added)The simplest translation here is that Peter is referring to those who responded affirmatively to the gospel preaching, but had since died by the time of this letter. They are (presently) dead, and they were (recently) "judged in the flesh the way people are" (i.e., they died, cf. Rom 3:23), and are now alive in the spiritual realm (i.e., they are with God in heaven). Peter is encouraging his readers that those currently maligning Christians will likewise stand before God's judgment soon enough.
It should be noted that this interpretation is consistent with Jesus' promise to the repentant thief on the cross: "Today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43, italics added)
For more, see John Piper, who beat me to the punch, by posting on this topic a few hours ago.
Jim Hamilton - J.B. Gay Lecture at Southern Seminary
On March 13, Dr. Jim Hamilton (Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Houston Park Place Campus) delivered the 2008 J.B. Gay lecture at Southern Seminary. The title was The Typology of David’s Rise to Power: Messianic Patterns in the Book of Samuel. The audio and the manuscript are both available. Previous J.B. Gay lectures by Gordon Wenham, D.A. Carson, and Ben Witherington are also available.
(HT: Brent Parker)
Penal Substitution and Union with Christ
Steve Jeffrey, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach write:
"Union with Christ explains how the innocent could be justly punished - he is judged for others' sins, which, by virtue of their union with him, become his. Conversely, it explains also how the guilty can be justly acquitted - believers are one with the innocent Lord Jesus Christ, and so his life of perfect righteousness is rightly imputed to us. The apostle Paul captures both sides of the exchange in a single verse: 'God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God' (II Cor 5:21; italics added)."-From Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution
March 21, 2008
Thabiti Anyabwile on Black Liberation Theology
Thabiti Anyabwile, author of The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity
(HT: JT)
March 20, 2008
Tim Keller at Google
Pastor Keller discusses the rationale for belief in God. His book The Reason For God, was #7 on the NYT Best Seller list awhile ago.
(HT: Justin Buzzard via Tullian Tchividjian)
Instructing a Child's Heart - Tedd Tripp
For all of us who found Shepherding a Child's Heart a helpful treatment on raising Christian children who live coram deo rather than as man-pleasers, Instructing a Child's Heart is the natural (and long-awaited) follow-up. Pastor Tripp and his wife Margy wrote this book to help parents spend time giving formative instruction to their children.
It is crucial that parents impart a robust, biblical worldview to their children--a worldview large enough to meet the challenges of life and a worldview that convincingly speaks to the head and the heart. Children seek answers to the big questions: Who am I? What do I exist for? Where can I find joy? As parents, we need to provide our children with a consistent, persuasive, biblical framework for understanding the world God has made and their place in it.
In addition to forming our children's minds, we need to direct their hearts. They need to be personally convinced that their greatest joy lies in knowing God and being known by Him. As parents, we serve as examples and guides, not for controlling our children, but for passing on the Faith so that our kids own it for themselves.
Tedd Tripp is the senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church. He and his wife Margy have three adult children and seven grand-children. Tedd and Margy founded Immanuel Christian School in 1979 where Tedd has served as a teacher and administrator. Tedd and Margy still serve on the board of ICS.
"The Tripp's have once again written a book that will shape our children's parenting style and will have direct impact on our grandchildren. Instructing a Child's Heart will help them avoid all the behavioristic manipulation and threatenings that sadly marked our parenting and is seen so frequently in our churches. I heartily recommend it. "
- Elyse Fitzpatrick, author of Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone
"If you are (as I am) one of the hundreds of thousands who have found Shepherding a Child's Heart helpful and insightful, then you will likewise profit from Instructing a Child's Heart. The Tripps have a gift for presenting biblical truth about parenting in ways that are practical, God-centered, Gospel-driven, and compassionate. If you need help and hope in the raising of your children—and what parent doesn't—read this book. "
- Donald S. Whitney, author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, professor of Biblical Spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"Biblical. Practical. Pastoral. This insightful book on godly childrearing is everything we would expect from the author who brought us Shepherding a Child's Heart. Its tremendous value comes from the fact that it centers on the essential but oft neglected heart of biblical parenting: the Gospel of grace. I am glad to recommend it."
- John MacArthur, Pastor-Teacher, Grace Community Church
Do Hard Things - Amazon Book Bomb
Alex and Brett Harris have initiated an Amazon Book Bomb. Here's how it works, if you were planning to buy Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations
Whatever number of books are purchased for the Amazon.com Book Bomb on March 25th, Alex and Brett will set aside that same number of books to give away to anyone who cannot afford one. They will also make them available to other ministries and organizations for free distribution.As I previously mentioned, I had the opportunity to read this book in manuscript form. Finding it outstanding, I gave it this endorsement:
"In a culture of low expectations, non-stop entertainment and short attention spans, teenagers Alex and Brett Harris provide a voice of reason and a stirring exhortation to productive action in the name of Christ. As a university professor, I am not unaware of the Gen Y propensity to demand more recognition for less effort and to associate self-esteem with mere being rather than for actual accomplishment. Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations is a clarion call to teenagers everywhere to put away childishness and the fruit of immaturity and channel the energy of youth, in small ways and big ways, into world-changing activity with eternal significance. I highly recommend it."
March 15, 2008
Tim Keller at U.C. Berkeley
(HT: Steve McCoy via Justin Taylor)
Ligonier Conference - Steve Lawson - (VIII)
Dr. Steven J. Lawson gave his second and final message entitled “The Saving Power of God.” Noting that this is the central theme of Romans, Lawson took his text from Rom. 1:1-18.
INTRODUCTION
That all power belongs to God is clearly taught in the Bible. We call this the doctrine of divine omnipotence. Lawson quoted numerous passages which describe the boundless power of God. All creation is under the sway of God’s power. But greater than God’s work in physical creation is His redeeming work in spiritual re-creation. Greater than God’s moving mountains is God’s moving the stone of sin from human hearts. The cross is the pinnacle of God’s saving, redeeming work. Only a God who is All-Powerful can accomplish such a great salvation.
THE SOURCE OF THE GOSPEL
In verse 1, we see this phrase “gospel of God." The term "gospel" is a subjective genitive; it refers to a gospel that is generated by God. The gospel contains God's authority and it flows out of God's gracious disposition. As stewards we are to share it with others exactly as God has entrusted it to us.
THE STABILITY OF THE GOSPEL
We can trace the gospel back through the Old Testament, from its earliest root in Gen. 3:15 (a passage many call the protoevangelion, the first declaration of the good news). Later in Moses, in the prophets, and in Psalms, we see passage after passage that points to the coming of Christ, whom God would set forth to save His people from their sins.
THE SUBJECT OF THE GOSPEL
The content of the gospel is the message of God’s own Son, His person and His work. You cannot preach the gospel without speaking of Christ and His death, burial and resurrection. Notice the reference to his humanity in verse 3. In his humanity he lived a life of perfect, active obedience. Jesus needed to be fully man and fully God in order to represent both parties. But then we see a reference to His deity in verse 4. Jesus was declared to be 100% God via the resurrection from the dead.
We read of His mediatorial work in verse 5. Christ is the mediator whereby God's saving grace flows to us. The perfect sacrifice was a once-for-all sacrifice.
THE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL
The gospel will triumph in the lives of people. We saw this in Dr. Lawson's previous message, and we see it here again in verse 6. The term called in this verse refers to God's effectual call. This is the call that arrests human hearts. It is our job to go and proclaim. As we do so, God will draw to Himself those whom he has chosen for Himself.
THE SERVICE OF THE GOSPEL
The gospel call demands and secures unwavering allegiance and loyalty. We see in verse 8 that the saints in Rome were so transformed by the gospel that reports had spread throughout the civilized world. Consequently, Paul is eager to promote the gospel among the pantheon of religious views in Rome. Paul's eagerness is rooted in his commitment to the gospel, and his recognition of what it is able to accomplish in the lives of men and women.
THE STRENGTH OF THE GOSPEL
Paul is not ashamed of the gospel. Why not? Because it is a message that is so powerful that even the chief of sinners melts in its sway. Paul is saying that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. God Himself is accomplishing salvation via the proclamation of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Paul need neither be ashamed nor afraid, since God's authority stands behind the message.
Note in verse 17 that the righteousness of God is revealed. It is neither earned nor deserved. It belongs to God and is given by God. The perfect obedience of Christ's life is reckoned to us as if we ourselves had lived it.
The phrase "from faith to faith" in verse 17 has been variously interpreted. Lawson thinks a contrast is intended between "faith + something" and "faith + faith" (the latter meaning "faith and faith alone").
SAVED FROM WHAT?
What does the gospel save us from? The answer in verse 18 and following is clear: we are saved from the wrath of Almighty God, not loneliness, or even a misspent life. Neither loneliness nor a lack of direction in life represent our chief problem. Our true dilemma is the fact that God is angry with the wicked every day. Our actions are storing up wrath against the Day of Wrath, when God will render to each person according to His deeds.
CONCLUSION
The power of God is that he can take wicked sinners and save them. There is only one path through which to enter into salvation. Namely, repentance of sin and belief in Jesus Christ, whereby we receive His free gift of righteousness.
Ligonier Conference - Sinclair Ferguson - (VII)
In his second and final conference message, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson spoke on the theme “The Nature of Saving Faith.” Dr. Ferguson took his text from Romans 3:19-4:2, but also read several verses on the results of saving faith from Romans 5.
INTRODUCTION
Towards the beginning of the third book of his great work, Institutes of the Christian Religion
“First, we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us."In Romans 3, Paul is giving us a commentary on Isaiah 52-53. And Paul's aim is to exhort us to be joined to Jesus Christ.
Ferguson noted that although we are unconditionally elect of God from eternity past, and although Jesus Christ has suffered and died in our place, we remain under God's wrath until we take hold of Christ with saving faith. Every blessing of the gospel pours down upon us through Christ.
JUSTIFICATION COMES VIA FAITH IN CHRIST
A sinner must direct his faith in the person of Jesus Christ. Only Jesus Christ is qualified to save those who come to Him. The Greek used in the New Testament implies that we believe "into" Christ. In other words, we obtain union with Jesus Christ by faith--by trusting Him and Him alone we gain all the blessings of salvation. Strictly speaking, faith does not save. Christ saves. And Christ saves by the means of faith. Faith is the instrument by which we lay hold of salvation in Christ.
SAVING FAITH IS ACTIVE
Although we come to Christ with an empty hand, it is we that come to Christ. God does not believe for us. We must believe. The genius of God's plan of salvation is that our saving faith is both an activity involving human volition and yet it is wholly passive in that it makes no material contribution. It simply receives.
SAVING FAITH MAGNIFIES THE ABSOLUTENESS OF GOD'S GRACE
In Paul's rhetorical questions at the end of Romans 3, we see the beauty of how saving faith magnifies God's grace. Saving faith totally excludes human boasting, and not just because we have insufficient works to merit God's favor. Rather, human boasting is excluded because it is replaced with boasting in Christ and His accomplishment on our behalf.
So what about circumcision? Saving faith is never directed toward the sacraments. Nor does it depend upon the sacraments. Nevertheless, we can and should see more of Christ through the sacraments, and thereby grow in grace.
Lastly, do we overthrow the law since justification occurs by faith apart from the law? No. Although it does not contribute to our justification, our obedience is important for our sanctification. This severs the root of legalism and antinominanism.
CONCLUSION
Saving faith leads me to boast in Christ, not works. It receives the kiss of Christ in the sacraments, but avoids sacerdotalism. Obedience is the hallmark of the Spirit-filled person, but is never the grounds of his or her justification.
Ligonier Conference - R.C. Sproul - (VI)
Dr. R.C. Sproul's second and final conference message was entitled "Counted Righteous in Christ (Imputation)." He began by reading Genesis 15:1-6, where we learn that Abraham believed God, and God "counted it to him as righteousness." Dr. Sproul then read from Romans 4:1-8, where we see Paul hearkening back to Abraham as "Exhibit A" of how righteousness is obtained before God.
IMPUTATION AND JUSTIFICATION
As the previous texts showed, imputation is closely related to justification (our being declared righteous before God). Dr. Sproul noted that the word "imputation" can be defined in various ways. It can mean to ascribe or to attribute something to someone. It can also mean to reckon or even to transfer something to someone. When the Bible speaks of God's work of justification, it uses imputation in a legal or forensic manner. Forensic evidence is that which would be presented in a law court to determine the guilt or innocence of a defendant.
ROMAN CATHOLICS ALSO BELIEVE IN FORENSIC JUSTIFICATION
Several years ago, an effort known as Evangelicals and Catholics Together sought to bring Protestants and Roman Catholics together on this issue of justification. They argued that both Protestants and Roman Catholics had "a unity of faith in the gospel."
But what many may not recognize is that the Roman Catholic church has always taught forensic justification. The dividing question has been: On what grounds will God declare anyone just in His sight? For Protestants, the only ground whereby God will grant righteousness to anyone is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. God in His mercy attributes the righteousness of Christ to our account. We are simultaneously righteous and sinners (simul iustus et peccator). For Roman Catholics, this constitutes a legal fiction. How can God declare someone to be righteous until or unless they actually are righteous?
IMPUTATION: REAL OR "LEGAL FICTION"?
But imputation is not a legal fiction. If it were, Jesus could not die for my sin. If it were, Adam could not sin as a representative of the human race. Without imputation, neither original sin nor justification is sensible. It is important to understand that when God imputes the sin of Adam to me, this reckoning is real. When God imputes my sin to Jesus the sin-bearer, that too is real. And when He transfers Christ's righteousness to me, that too is real. This is the basis whereby we can stand before a Holy God.
The key to grasping this is to recognize that the only way to be saved is by works. Only a perfect life saves. Justification by faith alone ultimately means justification by Christ alone. This is why Christ could not just arrive on the scene and immediately go to Golgotha. He had to enter humanity as a baby and to live under the law. Not only did he have to die for our sin, he had to life a perfect life of active obedience on our behalf.
CLOTHED IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST
The metaphor of clothing is helpful in understanding the doctrine of imputation. When Adam and Eve sinned, a realization of nakedness and shame following. Graciously, God provided clothing--a covering of their shame. Wearing clothes allows us to not pervade our shame openly before the whole world. Likewise, we stand before God, "dressed in His righteousness." His perfect life and death on our behalf is our righteousness before God. Therefore, imputation is not a legal fiction.
JESUS CHRIST - THE PRIEST WITH DIRTY CLOTHES
Another metaphor we have is in the Old Testament sacrificial system. We see the shedding of blood and the blood being poured all over the mercy seat. But then we also read of another goat which is not killed. Rather, the priest transfers (imputes) the sin of the people onto this goat and sends it far away into the wilderness. The book of Hebrews tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could never ultimately address the sin problem. Rather, these were only shadows and types which pointed to Christ.
Christ is the ultimate sacrificial Lamb of God. But Christ is also the scapegoat who carries away our sins. And Christ also fulfilled the law of God on our behalf and is our righteousness.
In closing, Dr. Sproul reminded us of his book The Priest With Dirty Clothes
March 14, 2008
Ligonier Conference - C.J. Mahaney - (V)
C.J. Mahaney is president of Sovereign Grace Ministries, which is devoted to the establishment and support of local churches. Formerly the pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md. for 27 years, Pastor Mahaney also currently serves on the council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and on the board of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. He has also written several books including Humility: True Greatness
C.J. Mahaney began with a brief amount of the self-deprecating humor for which he is known. He joked that being asked to speak between Sinclair Ferguson and R.C. Sproul was a possible result of writing a book on humility. He also noted that his formal education significantly lagged behind that of the others. With a brief expression of appreciation for R.C. Sproul’s ministry, C.J. took to his message in earnest.
INTRODUCTION
C.J.’s topic was “The Resurrection of Jesus” and his text was I Corinthians 15:17.
C.J. noted that although we will soon celebrate Easter, as a people we tend to keep the topic of death as far away from us as possible. Yet we must remember that our hope as Christians is not in the avoidance of death, but in the triumph of Christ over death. C.J.'s purpose today was pastoral and personal. He wanted to apply the doctrine of the resurrection to our souls – and specifically as it relates to death.
He confessed that each day he tries to avoid making eye-contact with death. For example, he carefully avoids the obituary section while reading the newspaper. However, Spurgeon said,
“We know that we will die. But we tend to imagine that it will be far off somewhere in the distance. But death will not spare us because we avoid him.”
THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON DEATH
Unlike us, the Bible does not avoid the topic of death. It hits it head on. The Bible tells us that death is God’s just punishment for and against our sin. Adam and Eve were given tremendous freedom, with one mere prohibition. They used the gift of life to rebel against Him. They experienced immediate spiritual death and eventual physical death. Recall the monotonous repetitions of “and he died” in the Old Testament genealogies. And someday that will be said of me – and of you. “And he (or she) died.”
Each of us is born with a sin nature. And each of us is guilty of actual sins against God. But why death? Why death as God’s just judgment against sin? Death is God’s limit on creatures whose sin is that they want to be God. Death represents God’s determination to limit our arrogance. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Heb. 9:27) Spiritual death leads to physical death which (in due time) ushers in eternal death.
"Why am I belaboring the point of death?" C.J. asked rhetorically. Because we must not approach the resurrection as a mere point of doctrine. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most gracious provision for sin, death, and judgment. It proclaims that sin, death and judgment do not have the final word.
TWO THINGS THE RESURRECTION ANNOUNCES
1. Forgiveness of sin. Divine provision has been provided to those who merit divine punishment.
Every blessing of God hangs on forgiveness. Without forgiveness, we cannot receive God’s blessings, since His wrath is justly upon us. And the blessing of forgiveness is totally hinged on the resurrection of Christ. (I Cor. 15:16-17)
Without the resurrection, “we are still in our sins” awaiting only eternal condemnation and wrath. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is his public vindication. It represented God’s decisive demonstration that Jesus had not died in vain, that salvation had truly been secured on our behalf.
However, it is easier to affirm this doctrine than it is to apply it. Sadly, it is possible to affirm the resurrection and yet live as if still under sin.
A) Are you certain of the forgiveness of your sins? Or do you think that you need to add your obedience to that of Christ? If you do, you will be more familiar with sin than with grace and more familiar with sorrow than joy. Because Jesus was raised, you are free from the penalty and power of sin – and one day will be free from the presence of sin.
B) How grateful are you for the forgiveness of sin? We must never mature beyond gratefulness for the forgiveness of sins. Not in this lifetime, and not in the next. The effect of this knowledge of our forgiveness ought to be our continual amazement at the grace of God.
2. Freedom from the fear of death and future wrath.
If Jesus wasn’t resurrected, only death and condemnation would await us. But now death has a new meaning for us. Assurance of the resurrection sustains us with hope in the midst of grief over the recent death of a loved one (or in the midst of the fear of the inevitable process of our own dying).
C.J. then told a gripping story of an emergency landing into Orlando International Airport several years ago. The pilot had told the passengers that the airplane had experienced "hydraulic failure." The pilot did not guarantee a safe landing. While thinking and praying about how to best lead his family into possible death, a thought snuck up on him: He was afraid, but not terrified. The hope of the resurrection gave him relative calm in the storm.
C.J. then recounted the story of the untimely death of Martin Luther's daughter Magdalena at the age of 13. As she lay dying, Luther said to her, "Magdalena, my little daughter, would you like to stay with your father here, or would you willingly go to your Father in heaven?" Luther mused, "I love her very much, but, dear God, if it be thy will to take her, I submit to thee." After she died, Luther said, "Beloved Lena, you will rise and shine like a star, yea, like the sun." Luther was assured of the resurrection, and it made all the difference in the midst of His grief. We grieve not as the world grieves. (I Thes. 4:13)
DYING WELL
Whether or not we are dying, we ought to be preparing to die. George Marsden in his magnificient biography
Dr. R.C. Sproul's father showed him how to die well. Though a non-Christian teenager at the time, the future Dr. Sproul was present as his father died uttering the words, “I have kept the faith, I have finished the race.” The resurrection taught Dr. Sproul's father how to die well. (I am told that Dr. Sproul recounts this story in Surprised by Suffering
Ligonier Conference - Sinclair Ferguson - (IV)
Dr. Sinclair Ferguson is senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C., and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary. One of the most renowned Reformed theologians in our day, Dr. Ferguson is also a member of the Council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He is a prolific author whose many books include The Holy Spirit
Dr. Ferguson read from Isaiah 53:1- 12. He noted that Isaiah 53 rivals Psalm 110 for maximum New Testament citations, and surpasses Psalm 110 with respect to allusions. Isaiah 53 is the passage that Christ must have turned to again and again. We can hear him saying, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:26)
CONTEXT
Isaiah conducted his ministry during the exile. They had been carried off to Babylon because of the Deuteronomic curses. Isaiah recognizes that what God’s people need is a new exodus – not from Babylon per se, but from sin itself (true bondage). In Isaiah 53, the prophet is given illumination into the suffering of the Son of God.
I. THE SERVANT’S TRIUMPH IS WHOLLY UNEXPECTED (vs. 1)
In order to repair the disfigured people of God, the suffering servant will Himself be disfigured. He “descended into hell.” He was deserted by God. So it was utterly astonishing for Isaiah that He ultimately triumphs. We need to see and feel the tension in the gospel. There is so much in the gospel that ought not to be for sinners! We need to grasp this in order to maintain amazement.
II. THE SERVANT’S HUMILIATION IS DESCRIBED (vs. 2-3)
In the conclusion of Isaiah’s call, in Isaiah 6:13, we see this reference to a stump that remains. And then a root rises out of that stump. And as Jesus grew, he would experience ongoing rejection. He would be despised. His dignity and reputation would be tarnished unjustly.
III. THE SERVANT’S SUFFERING IS EXPLAINED (vs. 4-6)
He took on amazing suffering – and why? Because of our sins. He was inwardly crushed because of the perversity of our hearts. And he was externally (physically) brutalized. Note the use of both familial and judicial punishment. The “chastisement” in verse 5 is family language – the servant undergoes chastisement “within the family” to bring us “into the family.” And the “stripes” in verse 6 refer to the judicial punishment due to a guilty lawbreaker.
There are four things that Isaiah is trying to teach us about the nature of Christ’s atonement.
1. Imputation – Our sins were imputed to the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ’s righteousness was imputed to us.
Our sin and its consequence – they became His. He takes it. And when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we are not just declared forgiven. No, the righteous One makes many to be accounted righteous (see verse 11). Jesus obeyed the Father in our place. As we trust in Him, we stand before the infinitely holy God as righteous as the Lord Jesus Christ, because that is the only righteousness with which we can stand before God.
2. Substitution - Jesus took our place in receiving condemnation from God.
Not only is Jesus our substitute, He is also our representative before God. We have political representatives, but they don’t come and take our suffering for us. Jesus comes and stands where we ought to stand and takes our place. It is like someone giving their spot to another person on a lifeboat when the Titanic is going down. But to what end was Christ our substitute? He was our substitute in order to bear the just penalty of God.
3. Penalty – Jesus fully experienced the wrath of God that was justly due to sinners.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he bore it silently and patiently. He was led to the slaughter as the Old Testament sacrificial lambs prefigured.
4. The hand of deity – it is God’s hand that has laid upon Christ our iniquity.
Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Is that divine child abuse? No. Jesus could say that "for this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again." (John 10:17) On the one hand, God unleashed His wrath upon Jesus. On the other hand, God the Father must have been so proud of the immense obedience of His son.
IV. THE SERVANT’S OBEDIENCE IS UNDERLINED (vs. 7 – 8)
He did not open his mouth when he was slandered. He was accused of blasphemy and he did not become defensive. In silence, he stood condemned for sins which we have committed (like blasphemy). In obedience, he bore our punishment. On the one hand, Jesus is rightly humiliated because He takes my place. But on the other hand, Jesus is wrongly accused since He was innocent.
Yet Christ was later vindicated (vs. 10b). God gave him the nations as his offspring (Psalm 2).
Ligonier Conference - Joni Eareckson-Tada - (III)
Mrs. Joni Eareckson Tada has for many decades traveled the world to remind people of the practical applications of the Gospel. She is the founder of Joni and Friends, an organization designed to evangelize and disciple in the disability community. She currently holds an appointment to the Disability Advisory Committee of the U.S. State Department and has served in past years on the National Council on Disability. Mrs. Tada is also a highly sought-after conference speaker and author whose many works include When God Weeps
INTRODUCTION
Mrs. Eareckson Tada was asked to speak on the subject "Good News in a Fallen World." She noted that evidence of a fallen world is abundant: Governor Spitzer's resignation, shootings on college campuses, a decade of war in the Congo leaving four million dead. About 97% of disabled children in the world are abandoned, starved to death, or maimed to facilitate begging. Dutch doctors sometimes euthanize children for "incurable" diseases such as spinal bifida or Down Syndrome. Sixty years ago we hanged German doctors for such things, and today they are done in the name of mercy.
From her work for the Disability Advisory Committee, Eareckson Tada is aware that many children and even young adults with cerebral palsy are tied to their cribs and never taken outside. A fallen world should break our hearts. Yet while we recognize (and feel) that the curse is heavy, we should never forget that the curse is just.
PAIN POINTS TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF SIN
Pain and suffering ought to awaken us to the moral outrage of sin. One look at this fallen world should give us a sense of how serious our sin is. We ought not to assume that those who experience natural disasters are "innocent." None of us (including children) are innocent. (cf. Luke 13:2-5)
Joni was once told, “If you were the only person in the world, Jesus would have died for you.” But a statement like this should speak more of God’s graciousness than our specialness. What is really meant is: my sin was enough to merit the wrath of God.
Suffering is a wake-up call. The alarm sounds louder for those who experience more of it. Man is like a breath, his days are like a fleeting shadow. Only a rugged and rigorously biblical gospel is sufficient. Only the death of Christ is sufficient for people’s souls.
THE RIGOROUS GOSPEL
We must not introduce people to a false Jesus. We must not say that forgiveness is easy. We must not pass on trite lines, like Jesus is your best friend. We ought to bring the rigorous gospel to bear on people's lives. Sin kills. Hell is real. Judgment is coming. God is merciful. And Jesus is the way. Our Savior came to proclaim good news to the poor and liberty to the oppressed.
We don’t teach a half-baked gospel that turns BAD men into GOOD men but DEAD men into LIVE men. Jesus did this, and we adorn the undying gospel when we follow his example by relieving suffering and promoting justice in the name of God. Jesus wants the captives set free. We are to be lights shining in the world. We cannot shrink from the battlefields that are ugly.
True, the gospel is off-putting to those who think they have everything. But the gospel is everything to those who have nothing. They are desperate for something that this world cannot give. Affliction is a physical symbol of the powerful spiritual reality that without Christ we cannot do anything. Blessed are the pure in spirit. The price of salvation is high. The poor more readily see that Jesus is everything. They are already dead to the world in a way that the privileged are not.
SUFFERING AN ADVANTAGE?
Joni shared that when people offer to pray for her healing, she always accepts, but informs them that she would rather have prayer for her selfishness and other shortcomings. Fighting sin, not physically walking, is Joni's #1 priority. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 14:17)
So then, we who have disabilities have an advantage! Were it not for suffering, we might not learn who we truly are – and how sinful our remaining corruptions are. "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God." (I Peter 4:1-2)
Although those who suffer do not necessarily become more holy, Eareckson Tada noted, saints who suffer the most often experience God’s deepest streams of joy. She closed her message by recounting the joyful worship of her friend Magdalin and others she met in Thailand at a conference on evangelism and relieving suffering for people in disadvantaged nations. Magdalin was abandoned as a young child and later came to Christ. She now rescues abandoned kids from gutters and alleys, feeds them, clothes them, and helps them acquire basic life skills.
Ligonier Conference - R.C. Sproul Jr. - (II)
R.C. Sproul Jr. followed Dr. Lawson with a message entitled "Evangelizing Your Children." R.C. Sproul Jr. is the founder of the Highlands Study Center in Mendota, Va., which seeks to help Christians live more simple, separate, and deliberate lives to the glory of God and for the building of His kingdom. He travels extensively as a conference speaker and has written several books including Tearing Down Strongholds: And Defending the Truth
INTRODUCTION
R. C. Sproul Jr. took a poll of how many Episcopalians, Anglicans, and Lutherans were present. (There weren't many.) He then queried as to how many Presbyterians were present. (Roughly 50%.) Lastly, he asked about the Baptist contingency. (Again, roughly 50%.) He noted that the first group tends to view children as already being "inside" the Kingdom, Presbyterians view children as sort-of "half-way in, half-way out", and Baptists view them as "fully out."
However, regardless of which group we find ourselves in, our obligations to our own children (and those who gather with us on the Lord’s Day) are the same: We need to preach the gospel to them and call them to repent and believe. The gospel is not something we master once and then move on. Repenting and believing the gospel is the answer to every problem there is. Our children need to hear it every day, and we need to be saying it every day.
APOLOGETICS & GENUINE CHRISTIAN LOVE
Yet Christians often fail to recognize this. Consider, for example, our enthusiasm for apologetics (which R.C. Sproul Jr. shares -- he recently pointed out Ravi Zacharias to his children as one of his heroes). Yet in the Bible we’re never told that giving a clear apologetic argument for Christianity will be the means by which “all men will know that we are His disciples.” Rather, Jesus said that would take place in and through the saints love for each other. And what better place for that to happen than in the home? Francis of Assisi famously quipped, "Preach the gospel, and use words when necessary." Our lives need to be so shaped by the gospel that our behavior and comportment shine brightly as lights set on a hill, for others to see and believe in our Father in heaven.
MODEL REPENTANCE
But the reality is that in our homes, we often do not bear the fruit that we should. So what do we do? We repent and believe the gospel. Our children need to see us modeling repentance for our own sinfulness within the home. Regular repentance will help ward off hypocrisy, which strongly militates against passing on the Faith to our children.
MODEL FORGIVENESS
And just as we should model repentance for our children, we should also model forgiveness. When you forgive your kids during the discipline process, do they know that you love them? Do you take the time to preach the gospel to your children? Do you tell them the truth – about God’s feelings toward sin, and about God’s forgiveness? R.C. Sproul Jr. noted that Jr. after he disciplines his children he gives them a big hug, a kiss on the check, and then tells them that he loves them, loved them while discipling them, and will always love them.
A GOSPEL-SATURATED HOME
So when does this start? In the very beginning. Deuteronomy 6 tells us that our homes should be infused with a gospel culture from Day 1. God can cause children to believe the good news even before they are able to communicate it with full articulation. (Later, during a Q&A session, R.C. Sproul Jr. offered several measures for determining the legitimacy of a child's profession of faith.)
Finally, Sproul Jr. exhorted us to pray for our kids. Saint Augustine's mother Monica prayed daily and fervently for her son while he lived a licentious life well into his adulthood. Our prayers for our children change the world. We rightly pray that God would prosper our work, our health, and our marriages. But isn’t the superlative language that John uses rather striking: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (III John 4)
Worship Matters - Bob Kauflin
Bob Kauflin's contagious love for God and musical ability is one of the reasons I've enjoyed Sovereign Grace Music over the years. I'm glad that Bob has taken the time to write a book to guide other worship leaders into bringing God's people into His presence in a way that is consistent with timeless biblical principles. Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God
“Bob loves God, values theology, and cares about people. This mix is found throughout this wonderful and helpful book. Worship Matters will inspire you as a worshiper and spur you on as a leader of worship.”
Matt Redman, lead worshiper and song-writer, Brighton, UK
“Bob Kauflin is teaching a new generation to take corporate worship seriously in a fashion that is simultaneously biblically faithful and addressing today’s culture.”
D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“This book is thoroughly biblical, comprehensive, balanced, clear, and engaging. Worship leaders must read it, and it will be a great help to anyone interested in finding out what biblical worship is about and how to worship from the heart.”
John Frame, Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary
“Bob’s approach is humble, yet authoritative; comprehensive, yet inspirational. And if you take his gentle but clear teaching onboard, it will help make you fully equipped in mind, heart, and spirit to lead others in worship. I wholeheartedly recommend it.”
Stuart Townsend, Christian song-writer
“An outstanding book both for those who lead worship and also for every Christian who wants to worship God more fully. The book is biblical, practical, interesting, wise, and thorough in its treatment of the topic. The next time I teach on worship, I plan to make this the required text.”
Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Bible and Theology, Phoenix Seminary
“Humility. Self-deprecating humor. Practical wisdom. And not just for music leaders. What a refreshing read! I’ve gained from Bob Kauflin, and if you read this, you will too.”
Mark Dever, Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church; Executive Director, 9Marks Ministries
“Bob is a pastor, a teacher, and a skilled musician. And this book captures his heart, his zealous pursuit of God, and his many years of real-life experience leading worship. That’s why his book deserves the careful study of pastors and worship leaders alike.”
Joshua Harris, Senior Pastor, Covenant Life Church, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Read a few sample chapters or browse the book.
March 13, 2008
Justin Reimer - The Elisha Foundation - Part II
This is part II of an interview with Mr. Justin Reimer about a ministry he and his wife launched called The Elisha Foundation. Part I of the interview can be found here.
Describe your ministry a bit. What is your vision? Scope? Mission?
Our overriding mission is to encourage families of people with special needs (kids and adults) to a more intimate faith in Christ, lived out with passion and love. In our experience we have seen that relational intimacy, faith, passion and real love all commonly suffer in the lives of those affected by a disability or other complication. As the focus shifts from a mate or child to a disability, so goes the intimacy of those relationships. Focus goes from Christ for strength, to self. Focus goes from love to duty and passion for life can be lost altogether. We want to encourage that those focuses be redirected so that much is made of Christ in all things.
Our primary vehicle for this, at this point, is through hosting Family Retreats for these special families. We are also working on developing more of a community presence as it relates to providing child care once a month for families so they can go out, plug families in with churches in their area, provide counseling resources,etc. Working with the local churches to help meet the needs of these families is our immediate concern and is beginning to take shape.
Our vision is to provide resources for the local churches to build awareness of the special needs community and to be a supporting organization to that. Never far from our hearts is providing some international outreach opportunities as well, be that through orphan ministries or family ministries but all orchestrated through indigenous churches.
Our Board and counsel ultimately want to keep the brevity of life in mind (Eccles. 12), making much of Christ through all things (John 9) while being faithful to and purposed for and by the Gospel (1 Cor 9).
What forms does The Elisha Foundation's partnership with local churches take? Do you partner with ministries like Joni and Friends, or do you see your venture as somewhat different?
Our goal is to simply have a point of contact at the local churches so that we can reference them specifically if we have a family that is seeking a fellowship or is in the area of that church. We want to know that a person will be enfolded when they walk in the door of the church; whatever we can do to facilitate a church in doing that, we will.
Prior to our first couple of Retreats the director of our region for JAF stayed in touch with me about what we are doing and was very helpful in providing resources and encouragement. The small and intimate environment is different than the conferences they hold and JAF appreciated and encouraged the differences. Joni and Friends is an excellent ministry and Joni has impacted our lives greatly - we would love to partner with them!
What suggestions might you have for how Christians could assist your ministry and/or people in their midst who have special needs, particularly children? What mistakes do Christians commonly make in this regard?
The most common mistake Christians make is that since they don’t know what to say or are uncomfortable upon seeing someone with special needs they chose to do nothing at all. These days we do this with “normal” people and pass on opportunities to share the gospel even. I would challenge Christians, even urge them, to simply approach that child or adult or their parents and ask what they can do to help. That’s it, just ask! They may or may not tell you but it means a lot to them to even be asked.
As for how Christians can assist us, the best and most affective assistance for our ministry is prayer. We are in the midst of some very important steps for the ministry and could use some prayers concentrated on our behalf.
Describe for us a typical Family Retreat. Where do these retreats occur?
A typical Family Retreat consists of a balanced schedule of teaching/worship, resources and free time for the families running over three days and three nights. We aim for a small intimate environment where we serve 6-8 families at a time with around 20+ full time volunteers tending to their needs - each family has at least one volunteer completely designated to them.
Each evening and morning we have a time of teaching and worship along with a program for the kids. The teaching at our last Retreat was on the book of Job and was excellent. The kids had an international missions theme.
Some of the resources we have had are educational consultants, music therapy and round table discussions for parents. We also arrange for a tea for the moms, we have the kids and dads do flower arrangements for the moms, a candle light dinner for the parents, a treasure hunt for the kids and other enjoyable activities. In an effort to keep the family focus going we allow for a lot of free time with nothing on the “schedule” to encourage the families to interact with each other or grow in that regard.
We utilize a corporate guest ranch here in Central Oregon for our Retreats. The ranch has private cabins for each family and sits on 40 acres of beautiful country with the Cascade mountains as a backdrop. A full complement of chef prepared meals each day and snacks in between is a favorite of the kids - and adults. On the grounds of the ranch you can fish, hike, play tennis, volleyball, basketball, ping-pong, etc.
Does your ministry currently serve primarily Christian families? Is there an explicit evangelistic component to your ministry, and if so, what does it look like?
Christian families are definitely more drawn to what we provide but we do not want to be exclusively Christian in our servicing these families. This is a major challenge to achieve balance on. At each of our Retreats we have had at least one family of non-Christians. We put up flyers in varying locations in our area and we are clear that we are “faith-based” but that we encourage anyone to come and be a part of what we are doing.
The teaching times are an obvious evangelistic component but we feel that our staff of volunteers are a very strong “component” as well. Our volunteers that are assigned to specific families are in a unique position to really bond with these families and it has been very rewarding to hear of the conversations that have taken place or to hear non-Christian families comment on the unity of our team. Or even hear things like “I don’t know about all this Jesus stuff?” I love to hear that as they are encountered with the Gospel.
Looking at the broader culture for a moment, many of us are concerned at indications that unborn children diagnosed with Down Syndrome are more likely to be aborted. What do you think is happening here, and is this a specific concern for your ministry?
Al Mohler covered this topic well as did Joni Erickson Tada last year. I don’t fully have the capacity to restrain emotive discussion on these developments but will try.
It is a concern of ours to understand what we can do to be used to counter this type of “medicine” and be used more directly. We have had discussions about how we could help the local Crisis Pregnancy Centers or even on how we could be an influence in the local/state medical community. Our local health care professionals have very little experience with pediatric or neonatal disabilities, as experienced by our friends recently. Could that be because the latest tests are being utilized more frequently in our state to prevent these births? I don’t know but it does concern me deeply.
Spend just 5 minutes with Elisha and you will wonder why they don’t have children like him part of their genetic counseling teams in the medical community. He lights up the room and is full of love for most anyone he meets, especially an uncanny and deep love for Jesus. A love that now, unfortunately, many parents will never experience from their own child with special needs because of the advice of these professionals.
Ligonier Conference - Steve Lawson - (I)
Dr. Steven J. Lawson opened the conference with a dynamic message entitled "The Foolishness of Preaching" from the text I Cor. 1:18-25. Lawson is the senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. He serves on the board of directors of The Master's College and Seminary and the ministerial board for Reformed Theological Seminary and teaches with Dr. John MacArthur at the Expositor's Institute. In addition to his pulpit ministry, Dr. Lawson has written more than ten books, including Foundations of Grace
INTRODUCTION
The city of Corinth was fully immersed in the Greek culture. The "golden-tongued" orator was the celebrity of that day - above athletes and other accomplished individuals. Public speech was regarded as the highest form of entertainment. The orator was always trying to win the audience with his way of words.
So when Paul came to Corinth, they were sizing him up based on his abilities, eloquence, and even his size/physique. By Paul's own admission, he was lacking in these regards. With regard to diction and sophistication, Paul simply did not meet their expectations.
But Paul saw himself in a different light. Paul saw himself as a herald, not a "golden-tongued orator." Heralds were regularly commissioned by the Roman Empire to go into a marketplace and deliver messages assigned by public officials. Heralds were obedience oriented, not results oriented. A herald simply needed to be a faithful steward. The success of the herald was determined by substance and faithfulness, not through winning style points with his audience.
Rather than relying upon technique and theatrics, Paul relied on the Holy Spirit. His duty was to bring the word of the cross to listeners. Today, exposition has given way to entertainment. Doctrine has been replaced with drama; profundity with popularity. Many are more eager to fill buildings than pulpits.
A STRAIGHTFORWARD MESSAGE
The herald is marked by a straightforward message. The success of the herald required a clear articulation of the message, regardless of the audience's response. The faithful herald views humanity with God's lens: Everyone in the world is either being saved, or is perishing. But this perspective is neither shared nor respected by those in the world. Note I Cor. 2:14, "the natural man does not accept the things of God."
The herald's message is clear: Christ was the God-man, who died on the cross. One's eternal destiny depends on what they do with the cross: It will either be the power and wisdom of God, or a stumbling block and folly. Those who repent and believe in Christ receive salvation from the consequence of sin (justification), are being saved from the power of sin (sanctification), and will be saved from the presence of sin (glorification).
SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT
Paul grounds his argument in the Old Testament (cf. Isaiah 29:14): "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise..." Paul then challenges the wise of his day to stand forward and present their wisdom to try to match the wisdom of God in the cross. All that the world would put forward is utterly mindless, Paul suggests. There is only one solution to the dilemma of our estrangement to God: the word of the cross. There is but one way of wisdom - the word of the cross.
GOD'S WISDOM AND THE WORLD'S WISDOM ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED
Paul shows that the wisdom of the world and God's wisdom are headed in opposite directions. The world through its wisdom did not come to know God. The only way to know the God of the universe is through His son. It pleased God that it should be this way. God's heart was delighted to save those who believe.
Even the manner in which the message was brought was designed to be apparently foolish. God did not want man's cleverness to eclipse His glory. Paul was exemplary in leaning upon the sufficiency of the Scripture and the sufficiency of the Spirit. God delights in taking what is foolish in the eyes of the world to save lost sinners--what is ridiculed by mankind in order to redeem them. That way, God's wisdom is maximally displayed.
Those in Corinth wanted the wow-factor; they wanted to be entertained. The Jews in Paul's day were looking for Messianic power. Yet Christ and His apostles came in weakness. For the Greeks, the cross was too simple. They enjoyed and valued sophistication and complex learning.
People are differentiated by what they do with the cross. They are either perishing because the cross is foolishness to them, or they are being saved because Christ is the wisdom of God to them. We need preachers who proclaim the cross coram deo--seeking only God's approbation.
HOW, THEN, IS ANYONE SAVED?
The cross was an absolute scandal to Jews, and utter foolishness to Gentiles. How, then, can anyone ever see through it to find the wisdom of God? If the message of Christ crucified is so repugnant, how does anyone ever come to Christ?
God makes His word effective by irresistibly calling men and women out of the world - they are summoned and drawn to faith by the message preached. The herald does not accomplish this. He merely speaks the truth. He then trusts in the Spirit of God to bring to Christ those who are appointed to believe. "The called" in verse 24 refers to all the elect of God.
Lawson pointed out the double-use of "called" in I Cor 1:2. All who call upon the name of the Lord for salvation are those who have already been called by God the Holy Spirit into fellowship with Christ Jesus.
It is the effectual call of God that determines those who are saved. And this is precisely the foolishness of preaching--the fact that it does not depend upon the preacher to eloquently persuade people into conversions. This reliance upon God is what makes it simultaneously foolishness to the world and the very wisdom of God.
APPLICATION
All of us are the heralds. We are set apart - some to preach, others to teach. And we know that God the Holy Spirit always goes before us. When the elect hear, they will believe. God himself will guarantee the success of the preaching -- so that no man may boast before the Lord, and so that no flesh may glory in His presence (as if they themselves contributed).
March 12, 2008
Live Webcast of Ligonier National Conference
Chris Larson passes on the good news that Ligonier Ministries will be offering a free, live webcast of their national conference -- along with a simulcast in Spanish!
Get the details.
Justin Reimer - Elisha Foundation - Part I
I previously mentioned that I'd be posting an interview with Justin Reimer, who with his wife Tamara established The Elisha Foundation in December 2005. Here is part I of our interview.
Can you please tell us how the Lord called you to Himself?
I grew up in a Christian home with two parents who love the Lord and raised us in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We were immersed in Christianity. I remember kneeling next to my bed at the age of 4 full of fear that hell was real and asking Jesus to save me. At the age of 16 I found myself really challenged to evaluate what exactly I believed and why. My oldest brother, Matt, would have me visit him while he attended The Master’s College and inevitably I would end up cornered by 4 or 5 youth ministry majors “encouraging” me to read the Word and know Jesus more intimately. By the age of 18, through much time in the Word, there was a turning point in my life of going from some form of uninformed yet convicted obedience to a joyful, Christ-enamored intimate obedience as an act of worship and delight.
To answer your question, I don’t have a specific event/experience to look back to but a present and supremely sweet reality of Christ in my life moved by the Holy Spirit.
How did you come to meet your wife?
Here is the short version...
Although I never officially attended The Master’s College I spent enough time there to apparently warrant being afforded the opportunity to be part of a summer missions trip to Provideniya, Russia. My bride to be attended Master’s and was on that trip but I hadn’t met her prior to the trip. We met in Alaska on the way to Russia and 14 months and one more trip to Russia later we were married and moved to Alaska.
Before your son Elisha was born, did you ever think you would work with a ministry for special needs children?
I didn’t but Tamara had an “inkling” we would as she was a special education major in college and worked in the special needs Sunday school program at Grace Community Church in California. I grew up as a missionary kid in Africa and always thought I would end up back on the mission field. Tamara and I had our sights set on going back to Russia as missionaries in some capacity.
What work were you pursuing when Elisha was born? Talk to us a bit about any redirecting God did in your lives.
We were living in a remote Alaskan village where I was working as an apprentice aircraft mechanic and we helped with the ministry that took us to Russia as opportunities presented themselves.
About 45 minutes after Elisha was born he was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and a couple hours later he was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to medical complications. During the early hours of this new and blessed addition to our family we were overcome with the moment. God saw fit to make us stewards of such a wondrous and enigmatic blessing of a special needs child.