July 17, 2008
Bob Kauflin on Truth and Music
(HT: DG Blog)
July 14, 2008
Keller/Piper on The Mysterious Distribution of Suffering
I previously mentioned Marvin Olasky's interview of Tim Keller in World Magazine. Here's one exchange:
WORLD: When logical arguments about the reason for suffering sound cold and irrelevant to real-life sufferers, what do you do?That brought a question to my mind, which I record below along with Keller's answer:KELLER: You shouldn't say a darn thing. If you're saying someone is right in the middle of it, then I think your job is to speak when spoken to. There is no decent thing to say other than your own presence, which mediates if you are a Christian.
The existential answer is that only Christianity believes that God has entered the suffering world. We don't know what the reason is that God allowed evil and suffering to continue, but we do know what the reason isn't: It's not that He doesn't love us, because if He didn't love us He wouldn't have gotten involved. Whatever the reason is it's mysterious but it's not indifference. The cross proves that.
CHEDIAK: With regard to our not knowing why God allows evil and suffering to continue: Do we not have some clue in passages such as the Luke 13 account of the Tower of Siloam? It seems that God visits us with suffering as a "megaphone" (CS Lewis) to awaken repentance. "Unless you repent, you shall likewise perish." And the persistence of evil, similarly, is due to God's kindness and patience, intended to engender repentance (Rom. 2:4-5, II Pet 3:9). I suppose there is some mystery in the "Why me?" question, if we suddenly get cancer in our later 40s or something. But isn't the question more like "Why not me?" Each new day is an experience of God's mercy.A most helpful distinction. See also John Piper's post today on the very same issue.KELLER: There are two ways to understand the question of the mystery of suffering - the 'why do we suffer?' question. There is an abstract theological version of it and a practical pastoral version of it. By looking to Luke 13 etc you are trying to answer the abstract theological version--which is, "why do human beings suffer in general?" Your answer is a good Reformed one, which I first heard John Gerstner give many years ago. He said, the real mystery is not why we suffer so much but why we suffer so little--the real mystery is why God is so merciful to us. OK. That is perfectly true. In general, our suffering is less than we deserve and in general the human race suffers so we can have the self-sufficiency knocked out of us.
But that's not the 'mystery of suffering' question for most people. They want to know why some people suffer so much more than others, why some relatively good people suffer horrendously and other relatively bad people get off the hook. Biblically, that is the more dominant question--see it in the book of Job, Habakkuk, and all through the Psalms. The real question is why there seems to be such huge unfairness in the distribution of evil and suffering.
I've noticed that young Reformed leaders prefer to look at the suffering issue from the abstract, theological point of view rather than the typical Biblical way or the way most people in suffering look at it. That's OK but you should know the limits of how much it can help people. It is of no use responding to a young husband with two young children who just lost his wife, who says, "why me?"--with the answer, "why not you?" Of course, I know you wouldn't do that (though I'm afraid I've seen it happen.) The strange distribution of evil and suffering is mysterious--God is all-wise and just and we know there is a reason for the distribution but we can't see it from where we stand. We have to trust him. Saying, 'we all deserve even more suffering' is true but not particularly helpful on the distribution issue.
So when in an interview I'm asked about the mystery of suffering, I usually answer the pastoral question, since that is where most inquirers are, or, as in my book Reason for God I separate the two questions and answer each.
Jonathan Edwards' Religious Affections Audio For Free
Christian Audio is offering a free download of the audio book of Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. Simply add it to your cart and use coupon code "challies08" to get it for free. (Challies will be hosting a discussion of this book, as he has previously done with other good books.)
(HT: Tim Challies)
Prodigal Love for the Prodigal Son (C.H. Spurgeon)
Speaking of Tim Keller, I was reminded of the discussion on his forthcoming book, entitled The Prodigal God (Dutton, October 2008). Many have taken issue with Keller's use of the word "prodigal" (see the comments). On the WTS site I saw a link to an old C.H. Spurgeon sermon on the Luke 15 account entitled "Prodigal Love for the Prodigal Son." In ascribing "prodigal" love to God the Father, Spurgeon apparently meant "overflowing" because he notes in the first paragraph that the subject of the sermon will be "the overflowing love of God toward the returning sinner." Excerpt:
See the contrast. There is the son, scarcely daring to think of embracing his father, yet his father has scarcely seen him before he has fallen on his neck. The condescension of God towards penitent sinners is very great. He seems to stoop from His throne of glory to fall upon the neck of a repentant sinner. God on the neck of a sinner! What a wonderful picture! Can you conceive it? I do not think you can; but if you cannot imagine it, I hope that you will realize it. When God's arm is about our neck, and His lips are on our cheek, kissing us much, then we understand more than preachers or books can ever tell us of His condescending love.
July 13, 2008
WORLD Magazine Book of the Year: The Reason For God
Marvin Olasky pens a great article and interview with Tim Keller, author of WORLD magazine's Book of The Year, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (Dutton, 2008). Excerpt:
WORLD: What's the difference between proofs of God's existence and "clues of God"—and why is the difference important?Read the whole thing (need to login to access the full text).KELLER: I can give you enough rational reasons to believe in God that fall short of demonstrable proof but that cumulatively give me warrant to say that Christianity makes more sense than alternate views of reality.
There are enough clues of God's existence that when you add them all up it makes more sense to believe in God than to not. That's short of proof. And if somebody says, you haven't proven it to me so I don't have to believe it, they're using a naïve rationality. The fact is, they believe all kinds of stuff they can't prove.
July 11, 2008
Church Reform When You're Not the Pastor
Greg Gilbert has three excellent posts so far on the topic.
1. Reform is easier in a small church than in a large one.
2. Do what Christians do---love.
3. Make yourself a help, not a problem, to your church's leaders.
Speaking of being a healthy church member, Thabiti Anyabwile has a new, short book out that spells out ten marks of one:
1. An expositional listener
2. A biblical theologian
3. Gospel-saturated
4. Genuinely converted
5. A biblical evangelist
6. A committed member
7. One who seeks discipline
8. A growing disciple
9. A humble follower
10. A prayer warrior
July 08, 2008
Tough Questions Christians Face - Ligonier Conference
Speaking of conferences, I'm looking forward to attending and live-blogging the Ligonier West Coast Conference entitled Tough Questions Christians Face. From Dr. Sproul's invitation:
Christ has redeemed us to be a light that directs others to Him. Fulfilling this call requires us to be able to deal with the most difficult questions asked about the Christian faith. If we are unprepared for the darkness around us, it will be harder to counter it with the truth of God’s Word.Those six tough questions are:On September 26–27, 2008, during Ligonier Ministries’ 2008 West Coast National Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., Ligon Duncan, John MacArthur, and I will look at six of the toughest questions Christians face. We will focus on the biblical approach to issues including science, the problem of evil, divine sovereignty, human responsibility, the exclusivity of Christ, postmodernism, and the Gospel.
1. Has Science Disproved the Existence of God? (Ligon Duncan)
2. Why Does God Allow so Much Suffering and Evil? (John MacArthur)
3. If God is Sovereign, How Can Man be Free? (R.C. Sproul)
4. Is Jesus the Only Way? (John MacArthur)
5. Should the Church Embrace Postmodernism? (Ligon Duncan)
6. What is the “Gospel”? (R.C. Sproul)
If you come, look for me typing away in the back of the room and say hi.
C.J. Mahaney on Gospel-Centered Discipline
A great word on how fathers should discipline their children while consistently reminding them of Dad's ongoing battle with sin and Dad's need for a Savior. (Listen to the audio clip.)
July 06, 2008
Whiter Than Snow - Meditations on Psalm 51
I just read the preface and meditations 1-4 of Paul Tripp's collection of fifty-two meditations on Psalm 51. I found them both encouraging and convicting. Entitled Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy, this book strikes me as a fantastic devotional aid for those (like me) who are regularly in need of grasping more of the depth of our sinfulness and the magnitude and constancy of God's grace. Tripp shows us that King David's struggles are our struggles as well. And the mercy David found is the same mercy that sustains us every day.
What others are saying:
"Whiter than Snow is music for the sinner's soul. In fifty-two personal, creative, and sometimes poetic devotionals, Paul Tripp responds to Psalm 51 the way a jazz musician improvises on a familiar tune. In making this sweet music, Dr. Tripp makes King David's confession our own, helping us get honest about our sin and opening our hearts to the mercy of Jesus."
- Philip Graham Ryken, Senior Minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church
"Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy is convicting and encouraging, cutting and healing. Paul Tripp delves into the misery of sin and the goodness of grace with insight and inspiration. This book wonderfully blessed me, and I pray for its widest possible reading.â€
-Daniel L. Akin, President; Professor of Preaching and Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Read a brief interview with Paul Tripp about Whiter Than Snow.
June 28, 2008
Interview With Tim Keller on The Prodigal God
Tim Keller's next book, The Prodigal God, is scheduled for an October 2008 release. Pastor Keller was kind enough to answer a few questions about the book. The exchange is posted below with his permission.
CHEDIAK: How did this book originate, and why the creative title?
KELLER: When speaking to a group, I can get the essentials of the gospel across better with this parable and text than with any other. (I'm not saying that it is objectively the most important text on the gospel, only that I it has been the one that I preach the best.) The message has been in some ways the very foundation of Redeemer. Quite a number of people have been converted by it.
I don't know that the title is all that creative. The reason it makes us think for a moment is that so many use the word 'prodigal' to mean 'wayward' when actually the word means to spend extravagantly. In the end, the father (who represents God) outspends his prodigal younger son, in order to bring him home.
By the way--the subtitle on the Amazon book-likeness ('Christianity Redefined') was a working subtitle that I didn't choose and that we are not going to use. It's triumphalistic. I hope no one is put off by it. The new subtitle will be something like 'recovering the heart of the Christian faith'.
CHEDIAK: Why do you think Luke 15:11-32 has come down to us as "The Parable of the Prodigal Son", and might you walk us through a little bit on how you came to see it as something more?
KELLER: I don't know why over the years our interpretation of the Luke 15:11ff parable has focused so much on the younger brother. Even if you just count the verses it is clear that his part is only about half the story. If you read the parable in its context--Luke 15:1-3--it is clear that Jesus was directing the parable at Pharisees, 'elder brothers', who hated Jesus warm reception of tax collectors and sinners, 'younger brothers.' So the fate and decision of the elder brother is the real climax of the story. (And it is a cliff-hanger--we never find out how the Pharisee/elder brother responds.) Dick Lucas once preached a sermon on this parable entitled 'Jesus Pleads with His Critics'! In this parable Jesus is speaking to the people who will eventually kill him, yet he, through the father in the story, comes out and beg the Pharisee/elder brothers to relent and come in to the feast of salvation. I find that so moving. Dick Lucas, Ed Clowney and others showed me that the parable is about both brothers and especially the elder.
CHEDIAK: Which type of error -- licentiousness or legalistic righteousness -- would you say is more common in our day? Or is more perhaps each more common in certain circles?
KELLER: I wouldn't venture to say which kind of sin is more prevalent. I wouldn't even want to try to characterize certain 'circles.' Yes, big cities have a lot of 'younger brothers' who have left traditional parts of the world and their families for a more liberal lifestyle. But cities are filled to the gills with 'elder brothers' too.
CHEDIAK: If you don't mind my asking, from which of these were you converted?
KELLER: I've done and been both.
CHEDIAK: Is The Prodigal God aimed at Christians or non-Christians?
KELLER: The 'Reason' book was aimed at non-believers, but with the expectation that Christians would learn a lot by reading it. This book is aimed at believers, but with the expectation that non-believers could read it and find it helpful and compelling.
Update: Keller chimes in on the controversy over his use of the word "prodigal" as a descriptor for God.
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