Ephesians 4.22

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People

2011-09-24T14:23:00.001-05:00

"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day." so begin the tribulations of the children’s classic hero, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?

The book has a positively puritan title (check out the length and descriptive nature in all its glory!). But it also captures a great truth. This little boys struggles have enchanted generations of readers, because every one of us has terrible, horible, bad days. The 19^thCentury American Poet H. W. Longfellow who has penned: “Into each life some rain must fall, / Some days must be dark and dreary.” Someone has said, their are three states people are in in life. They are either in the midst of troubles, just emerging from troubles, or about to enter into trouble. But beyond this common place there is something more.

“There comes into all souls, at least once in life, a severe test. It is known as the Dark Night of the Soul. It is when we are beleaguered by darkness: spiritual and mental and where no hope seems to be near and everything we try to do it thwarted. It is where the soul is forced to persist and enter into the glorious Golden Dawn of Illumination and kinship with God, or relax into the dull slumber of a mediocre physical existence. You cannot avoid it. If this test has not already come into your life-it will. How you deal with it is as important as life itself.” (From the preface to the poem The Dark Night of the Soul by 16^th century theologian John Cross).

The Biblical Book of Job sets out to answer the often difficult quandary: "Is God Good?". But it answers it from the classic question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?". The Author of the Biblical book notes of the story's central character, “that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Notice that this description identifies four things about Job:

* blameless: This word in Hebrew, the language Job was written in, speaks of perfection in the sense of wholeness or integrity. It means simplicity of morality, what you see is what you get. Job was a “good old boy”. You could trust Job with any secret. He would always be on your side.

* upright: This word means, that as a reflection of his integrity, Job was a “straight arrow”. His integrity was an integrity of moral goodness. He was one of those people you could just count on to do the right thing. He helped the orphan and the widow. He upheld justice.

* fearing God: This idea means he was a man of faith. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It is also a great measure of morality. Even in secret Job would maintain his integrity and uprightness, because he knew that God saw even in the secret place. Job followed God’s commandments, and was a great person to be around. He gave practical counsel to everyone leading to their success in life.

*Turning away from evil: This means when temptation came Job’s way, he went in the other direction. Sometimes a person is afraid to do evil themselves. But they will watch evil. Vicarious evil is the fundamental principle of the Hollywood industry. Job would not even consider evil, but turned wholly from it. He would never cheat, or hurt you.

Why did bad things happen to Job? Why did he enter a "dark night of the soul"? Is there injustice with God?

Is God Good?

2011-09-23T16:19:00.001-05:00

I recently posted this on my team blog with my brother Wyatt.

Is God good? For the New Atheists, like Christopher Hitchens, the answer is a decided “no”. For billions of believers the answer is a resounding “yes”. One would assume, that those who are Biblical Theists, would have very little trouble joining the faithful throng. In the view of many, the Bible presents a safe and benevolent deity, who responds so positively that a bumper sticker reading, “God Bless America” is at once a both a prayer that one assumes will be answered and a statement of the perceived message of the Bible. It may surprise the reader of this blog, then, to hear that the Bible’s perspective if far less clear cut.

God is Great and Awesome

The Bible presents God, not as a simple safe and benevolent old man longing for the company of his creation, but rather as the awesome and unparalleled power behind all that is great: “What is man,” the Psalmist asks, “that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4).

This reflection follows the statement: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,” (Psalm 8:3). The question asked in verse four brings to mind the insignificance of a mere man, when compared to the awesome majesty of the Cosmos, and the Ultimate reality that lies behind it. The Sun, a single star puts forth every minute about 10,000 times the energy the whole of the human race has ever produced, and it is but one of trillions. The beauty of the cosmos, with its nebula and sparkling orbs, puts to shame every speck of human art. How could He who made those stars even notice, let alone care about you or me?

Great minds in philosophy have grappled with this perspective, as have many ordinary folks who have a moment to behold at a spectacular range of mountains, or peer over the precipice of the grand canyon, or gaze upon the Milky Way on a clear winters night. Does the Creator notice the Creature? Is the Unmoved mover affected by man’s acts? A mere glance at the universe tells us he is both great and awesome. Careful reflection should bring a tremor to the human heart and a reverence that is shocked when we read, “because of the great love with which he loved us”, God visited humanity with mercy and gave us life immortal with which to enjoy all of his blessings (Ephesians 2:4-7). But that is not the total picture.

God is Great and Awful

The simple awe of the Psalmist, at the realization that God has spoken in mercy and cares for His people is contrasted by the darker tones of a much more sober work. Patient Job, who beholds not mountains and canyons and cosmic displays, is confronted instead with the trauma of psychological, emotional and physical suffering the likes of which few have ever conceived, let alone seen. In that day, God was not "awesome", but "awful".

His beloved children, all dead, have left this father in mourning. Job's life’s work, all gone, has left this proud man in poverty. His beloved companion and partner in life, his wife, has asked him to go to a quiet place and end his misery. His closest friends have assailed him with the un-compassionate refrain, that he brought all this upon his own head, “I have seen” one noted, “those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same” (Job 4:8).

In the “bitterness of [his] soul” (Job 7:11), the sufferer reflects in the Creator, “What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning and test him every moment?” (Job 7:17-18). While Psalm 8 has been the beloved memorized refrain of generations of believers, Job seven reads like a dark mirror, reflecting the joy of the Psalmist into darkened tones. Rather than a cause for praise, Job sees a cause for fear. Rather than care, Job sees trouble. For the Psalmist the visit of God is a cause for rejoicing, for Job it is a cause for grief.

This book, described by some as the ultimate expression of Biblical Humanism, demonstrates the balance and brilliance of the Bible. It is not a “pie in the sky” document for dreamers dis-associated with the pain of life. It is a book for the psychologically complex, intellectual agile and pragmatically surviving people who inhabit this world. Job deals very specifically with the question, “Is God good”, not from the perspective of quiet reflection, or from theological academia, but from the perspective of a man in a crises. From the depths of despair it presents both a sufferer reaching out and a Creator reaching down to deal with this really important question.

If God is not good, then it would be right and even heroic when facing such a Being to cry out in the words Milton put in the fallen angel’s mouth, “better to rule in hell then to serve in heaven”. Yet, if God is good, then only a fool would say in his heart through day to day life, “there is no God” (Psalm 51:1). As I reflect on the book of Job myself in the coming weeks, I would invite you to join me in reading this book, and follow along as I share my own reflections in this blog.

A New Alliance!

2011-09-22T11:37:00.003-05:00

If you have enjoyed any of the posts on this site, or if you link to it from your blog or website, please consider updating your link. Recently, my brother asked me to join him in a blogging venture: The Graham's of Montrose (link). For those with a knowledge of Scottish heritage, this name will be recognized. It is a historic designation for my family. Our Tartan, and Crest regularly displayed in family homes reminded us of the passed, as does the family logo: ne oublie, Latin for "never forget".

We have set our goal to remember the Creator, and our family heritage of faith. My blogging energies will be regularly engaged on that site. I have been posting Tuesday's and Thursdays, and my Brother Wednesdays and Fridays. Weekends through Monday, we hope to post our Dad's thoughts.

Some of my recent entries include:

The Highest Form of Worship (link).
Is God Good? (link).
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? (part one).
(part two).

Don't miss Wyatt's exciting content either as he is discussing a balanced Christian life with work, and leisure (sample).

When Giants Clash

2011-06-15T15:47:00.005-05:00

What do you do, when two respected and faithful Christian leaders teach different interpretations of Scripture? Be a Berean. In Acts 17:11 we are told of their nobility, because on hearing Paul’s message, “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

I am thinking about Church government, because of a recent series of blogs by James MacDonald of Harvest Fellowship and Jonathan Leeman of 9Mark sparred over Church leadership. Both men seem to genuinely respect each other, and the debate was in internal and friendly one. But who is right?

MacDonald argued here, that Congregationalism, as known in America, is Satanic, and used by the Devil to divide Churches. He clarifies that he meant the “Roberts Rules Democracy” type of congregationalism in a follow up post.

9Marks authors responded reaffirming a moderate and limited congregationalism here, which attempted to address MacDonald’s legitimate concerns. And it is also, BTW, quite the model of how a Christian responds when a fellow Christian appears to say his position is "satanic"!

MacDonald responded here, and 9Marks had a final follow up here. In essence each of them appear to agree that government by the people of the congregation is unbiblical. This of course seems shocking to an American (and we Canadians share this) liberal democracy mindset, where the “right to vote” is ingrained in our collective psyche. We argue that governments exist “for the people” and so should be governed “by the people”.

Who is the Ruler of the Church?

The problem with the western democratic assumption is this: The Church is not a human, but divine institution. It operates on Divine instructions, from King Jesus. He came, sent from God with a message, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). By this he means “good news”. God’s good rule was returning with blessing and eternal life, for all who embrace the King. It also implied bad news for rebels, who refused to submit. The King didn’t come with a referendum question: “would you prefer to stay in the Domain of Darkness, or be transformed into the glorious Kingdom of God’s beloved Son?” (Cf. Colossians 1:13).

The Domain of Darkness was in essence the establishment of human democracy in Divine things. Eve considered the proposals of the candidates stump speeches: God said “ You shall not eat, or you shall die” and the Serpent argued from the other end of the spectrum, “God’s holding out on you, you will not die, but you will be like God”. Adam and Eve induced the Republic of Sin, by voting for the Devil in landslide victory. As we have become accustomed to, this politician failed to deliver on his promises, and in hindsight, appears to have mislead his voters.

When Christ came in the incarnation, he in essence, “Crossed the Rubicon” into the Republic of Sin. He came to overthrow sin and Satan, and to restore the rule of God, reforming the entire order of Creation.

Crossing the Rubicon

In 49 BC Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River. This was significant, because the Rubicon marked the boarder between the provinces of Cisapline Gaul and Italy proper. Italy was governed by, as the Legion Banners declared by the letters SPQR, standing for a phrase translated, “the senate and the People of Rome”.

Caesar was a governor in Gaul, and by Roman law, commanded the armies their. However, only the elected officials could control Italy. Upon crossing the boarder into the province, all Governors, lost their commissions over their troops (this ensured security from insurrections). Thus when Caesar crossed the River, he was committing treason, and invading Rome.

Of course he had his reasons. Rome was corrupt and decaying. After his victory, he was declared “Dictator for Life”. The people actually adored him, as he reformed the judicial system, restructured the government and secured Rome for its glorious future as the greatest Empire in history. Naturally enough the people did not “vote”, because Caesar was King, not elected official (Historical note, Caesar was never officially a King, but was granted all the trappings of such by the Senate, including having his statue placed in the procession of Kings in the government palaces of Rome).

Now, the republicans, Pompey and Marc Anthony, assassinated the King, with the help of one of his most trusted friends and subordinates, Brutus. This promped Shakespeare to write Caesar’s last words, in his play on this event, “Et tu Brutus?” (You too Brutus?). Caesar’s son Octavius mopped the floor with the rebels and fully established the Roman Empire, never again to have a Republican threat. Now, this is not to speak of human governance systems, but of the Divine regulation of Creation.

Christ, then, crossed the Rubicon, when he “took on flesh” and dwelled amongst us. He came to bring light and life to men. But, this is the condemnation, “men loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19), and “His own people did not receive him” (John 1:11). He was assassinated and even betrayed by one of his closest companions, Judas (Rhymes with Brutus?). But rather than his adoptive son, Christ Himself was raised form the dead, and as the creed says, “will return to judge the living and the dead” and we are told “of his kingdom their shall be no end” (Revelation ).

The Church in Christ’s Kingdom

Christ is the “Head of the Body”, “Head over the Church”, “Husband of the Bride”, “King of the New Jerusalem”, reigns, “On the throne of David”, sits, “On the throne of God”, and is “Lord of Lords” and “King of Kings”, according to the Bible. In his Kingdom he “rules with an iron rod” (Rev. 2:27, 12:5, 19:15).

Now the Church, is the beachhead as it were, of his final kingdom. We are his ambassadors pleading with the world to embrace Jesus message and his Kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20). We pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

The Church’s Government is Christ’s Government

The Church’s Ruler is exclusively the prerogative of Jesus Christ, her King.

1. He is the only one building the Church (Matthew 16:18). Yes, we participate, but only upon his pattern (cf. 1 Cor. 3:10, an ancient way of saying, ‘according to blueprint’).

2. Jesus owns the Church, having purchased her with his own blood (Acts 20:28). The Church is his slave and he is the Master.

3. The Divine decree has made him “Head of the body” (Col. 1:18).

4. He alone is described as the “Pastor and Overseer” of souls (1 Peter 2:25).

Therefore to Him alone belongs all the prerogatives of leadership and full obedience in the Church. There are no rights, and no votes (John 14:15, 15:10).

The Church’s Rule in practice is a rule delegated to the Apostles.

1. During his earthly ministry, Jesus delegated to them his earthly authority (Matt. 10:1-4, 11-15).

2. Envisioning the Church, he gave them Heavenly authority (Matthew 16:18-19, John 20:21-23).

3. As Paul notes, as an Apostle he shares a special “Authority, which the Lord gave” (2 Cor. 10:8) and that through the Apostles the voice of “Christ is speaking” (2 Cor. 13:3). Therefore the Apostles may command all Christians (cf. Phmn 9).

4. The very Church Christ is building, is built, “upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets” and only upon this pattern of authoritative direction can any today minister (Eph. 2:20, 1 Cor 3:10ff).

This rule is exercised through the living and abiding word of God, written by the Apostles and prophets so one may know “how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church” (1 Tim 3:15).

The Church’s Leadership is a function of interpreting and following the Apostolic instructions.

1. Christ as part of his ministry of building his Church gives gifts to that church, including leaders (Ephesians 4:11). These ensure the unity of the Church, by instructing the people into mature following of Christ (Ephesians 4:3-6, 12ff).

2. These leaders, known interchangeably in Scripture as Pastors, Elders, or Overseers (Bishops), are directed to “Shepherd the flock of God” by the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:2), no doubt in an echo of his own commission from Christ “Feed my sheep” (John ). Paul states that these leaders can summarise their commission as “Preach the word” (2 Tim 4:2).

3. Further, these leaders, “exercise oversight” (1 Peter 5:2), or in the words of Paul, “rule” in the Church (1 Timothy 5:17). This especially involves overseeing sound doctrine, both instructing believers and refuting false teachers (Titus 1:9). They also, in following the Apostolic Pattern, oversee others in ensuring the practical needs of the Church are met (Acts 6:2-6).

4. These leaders will answer to God for their faithfulness (1 Peter 5:4, 2 Tim 4:1, esp Hebrews 14:17b). In light of this heavy responsibility, believers are instructed to “remember” them and “imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7), and to “obey” and “Submit” to them (Hebrews 13:17) as they “teach the word of God to [them]” (Hebrews 13:7). On the flip side, the leaders are to “command and teach” (1 Tim 4:11) the apostolic trust (1 Tim 6:20, Titus 1:9). They are even forbidden to allow anyone to “despise” literally “get around” their instruction because of perceived personal weakness, such as age, because this is not their word, but God’s.

5. Finally, Christ has provided, by a command, that those who minster the gospel should “live by it”, thus paving the way for staff elder/pastors . Though they are permitted to pass over this right, as Paul did, for the furtherance of the gospel (1 Timothy 5:17, 18, 1 Cor 9:9ff).

This establishes a very clear order, which sounds very much like the conclusions of James MacDonald. Christ is King, ruling through his Apostles, mediated by the interpretive authority of the pastor/overseer/elders. There is no democracy in these passages. The Church is the Embassy of a Theocracy. The Ambassadorial party does not decide policy, but explains and proclaims it. What role does the congregation have in leadership? As best I can find, the congregation has no role in leadership of any kind. They have a different role.

The Church’s Accountability is the responsibility of every believer.

1. Following what we have seen above, there is an obligation on all believers to encourage their fellows to love and good works, including loving and obeying their leaders to preserve unity (Hebrews 10:24, 1 Peter 5:5, Eph. 4:3) This suggests, that with the exceptions listed below, the saints should be obedient in all the decisions of leadership indifferent or otherwise, provided they are not in conflict with Scripture, just as with other authorities such as Government (Romans 13:1, Hebrews 13:17, with Acts 4:19).

2. All Christians, Elders and Saints alike, are responsible to maintain moral purity in the body (Galatians 6:1, Matthew 18:16-18). Jonathan Leeman at 9marks has argued that this should extend to the approval of members, as guarding the door to the church, is the best way to ensure purity. The right to discipline out, he argues, implies the right to accept in. James MacDonald on the other hand, argues that this is a role that the Elder’s fulfill, as a function of leading the congregation. Obviously, as they are given to be the interpreters of the biblical instructions for Christian living and are selected for their role, because they are living examples of such (), the Elders should take the primary lead in this role. It is important to notice that in the case a charge comes against an elder, it is the other elders, not the body, who determine whether to “admit” or “reject” a charge (1 Timothy 5:19). As this aspect of universal responsibility is not clearly defined by Scripture, as far as practice, it may be a matter of prudence and local exigencies, rather than Biblical faithfulness (in other words, both men may be right, practically).

3. All Christians, Elders and Saints are responsible to maintain doctrinal purity in the body (Romans 16:17, Galatians 1:6-9). Again, for Leeman, this implies the responsibility to participate in the selection of those who will teach the doctrine. This is a very reasonable extension. When Paul and Barnabus were commissioned from Antioch, we are told of their appointment: “it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church” (Acts 15:22). Should this seeming good to the whole church be determined by means of a vote? Should it be the affirmation of the elders leading in this matter? Again, the obvious leaders in this process are the ones charges to safeguard doctrine, not the ones being safeguarded. Perhaps again, this is a matter of prudence.

4. We notice that there are no instructions in Scripture for the congregation to influence such things as the distribution of finds, the administrative direction of the church, or its mission. These are all entrusted directly to the leadership, whether the oversight of the financial administration (Acts 4:35, 1 timothy 5:1-7), general management (1 Tim 3:5), conduct in worship (1 Tim3:15), and generally (Hebrews 13:17).

Conclusions

We must conclude then, that the Church, ruled by Christ, and Christ alone, through his Apostles, as interpreted by his appointed leaders, is not by any stretch a liberal democracy. Ideas that come from that cultural practice must be rejected. At the same time, there does seem to be a warrant for some kind of universal responsibility within the body for all the saints to have a sort of “passive veto” in Jonathan Leeman’s words, in regard to the purity of morals and doctrine in the church. This does seem by reasonable inference to include both input into membership and into selecting leaders. How this is practically done, appears to be a matter of local prudence, under the leadership of the elders in any given congregation.

If it seems prudent in a small group to solicit the wisdom of all, then I see no reason why the leaders should not be able to ask for a general conversation/vote. If it seems prudent in other situations to move forward directly, then that seems to be an elder prerogative. Saints ought to be humble followers of Christ, through their leadership, granting them the benefit of the doubt, and making themselves a “joy to lead” (Hebrews 13:17). Leaders are to be Christ to the people, loving them as Christ would. Being patient (2 Tim. 2:24), respecting them, and guiding them with compassion (1 Peter 5:1-4).

I Believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life

2011-06-10T13:35:00.004-05:00

Imagine that it is the Feast of Tabernacles (described in John 7 and 8) and you are approaching Jerusalem, and seeing the mighty pyres burning on the corners of the Temple Mount. All that glitters in the gilding of that magnificent building sparkling with the flickering of the flames. You enter the courtyard and see a crowd, a massive confluence of peoples is flowing through the busy courtyard, taking, laughing. All through the court are massive seven pronged torches making it seem as bright as day, and echoing the thoughts of many hearts embracing the hope of Israel, that the God who said, “let their be light” will bring light into these dark days and deliver Israel once again.

Suddenly, an enigmatic Rabbi steps up on a low stone beside a fully lit Menorah and yells out in a voice that stops the crowd in their tracks: “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). Suddenly, pandemonium; Jesus had already made quite a stir with regards to the ultimate speech on a renewable source for water, surely a valuable idea in a desert surrounded city. Just what was going on?

The Significance of the Feast of Tabernacles is highlighted by Josephus who states that this feast was “especially sacred and important” (Antiquities viii:100 quoted in Carson, 305). As the last of the great season of feasts, and celebrating the richest harvest of “grapes and olives” (Carson, 305), it became know as “the Feast” (Kostenberger, 108). In each of the three great feasts, “Passover”, “Pentecost” and “Booths”, all Adult males were expected to make every effort to get to Jerusalem (Kostenberger, 77). Thus we can imagine, that at this, the most popular of all the “required” feasts, Jesus would have the broadest and most significant audience of faithful Jews at any point in his ministry. As Jesus now approaches the final months of his life and ministry, he begins to fully unburden his mission: “to bear witness to the Truth” (John 18:37).

Jesus fulfills the spiritual realities symbolized by the ceremonies of the Feast. Tabernacles was known for its “water-drawing rite and a lamp-lighting rite to which Jesus quite clearly refers (cf. 7:37ff.; 8:12, Carson, 305). It is critical to realize that Jesus does not fulfill this in any act, or any statement, but rather, in himself. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) and “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37). The explicit statement of John (from his perspective as omnipotent narrator) clarifies that "this he said about the Spirit" (v. 39). It is of course, the spirit who gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6 and Job 33:4). In a few lines we will come back to this, but first we need a stronger picture of the feast in mind.

Water is especially significant to this Feast, as it was “owing to the daily solemn outpouring of water… [that] the Feast of Tabernacles came to be associated with eschatological hope” (Kostenberger, 109). The ceremonies also brought the people to a dramatic climax, ready to hear Jesus speak: “for six consecutive days a procession of priests carried water in golden vessels into the temple area. This pouring was thought to have physical and spiritual significance.” Now sense the anticipation of this pageantry, when “on the seventh day, the ‘great day’ (v. 37), no water was carried. It was then that Jesus stood and taught of the ‘rivers of living waters’[1]”.

Now, this statement, of living waters for: “whoever believes in me” (John 7:38), is backed up a summary statement of the Old Testaments teaching, “as the Scripture has said”. This is so stunning that it sets off a maelstrom of speculation regarding the identity of Jesus once again.

The potential Old Testament background is complicated by the fact that Jesus words do not seem to be a direct quote, but a theological summary. This is not uncommon in many references to the Old Testament (see Paul’s gospel summaries in 1 Cor. 15:3-4). It may perhaps be referencing Isaiah 12:3 and 58:11.However one passage stands out to the present author, Ezekiel 47 which describes the living waters flowing from the temple in the Millennial Eden.

Jesus is of course in the temple court here. According to John, Jesus is a physical manifestation of the “tabernacle” (John 1:14), and has spoken of “the temple of his body” (2:21). It certainly fits the flow of John’s theology and depiction of Christ, to have him once again claim to be the temple. Thus we read in Ezekiel 47 of a purifying stream of water (v. 8), which specifically gives life (v. 9), and which nourishes an orchard of trees whose leaves are “for healing” (v 12).

This theme seems to be taken up by John once again in Revelation 22, where he speaks of the “water of life” flowing from “the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1), which echoing Ezekiel produces an orchard of “the tree of life” whose leaves “were for the healing of the nations” (v. 2). It is by the Spirit that Jesus will provide all these things for his people: and so the final climax of his ministry is: "receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22), who is called in the creed, "the Lord, the giver of life".

And so the water of life and the light of the world, make for startling claims of eschatological fulfillment, from the one who preached, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). What tragedy, that at the end of these speeches, the account ends, not with healing waters of salvation, but with the statement: “they picked up stones to throw at him” (John 8:59).

[1] The Liberty Annotated Study Bible notes (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 1988), John 7:2

Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John. Eerdman's Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-8028-3683-6.

Köstenberger, Andreas J. Encountering John. Baker Books, 1999. ISBN0-8010-2603-2.

Reflecting on Jesus and the Twelve

2011-05-23T13:45:00.002-05:00

This reflection is not intended to be a definitive statement about Discipleship, but just some thoughts that occurred incidentally, while studying the Gospels. It is “off the cuff” as it were, and so should be meditated on, before conclusions are too strongly drawn.

As we think about church leadership, what do we tend to think of? Pastor’s from seminary? Rev’d Doctor’s from the Universities? Should we look for imports from another place, or the most successful business people in the congregation? What did Jesus do?

1) Multiplication of Ministry

Jesus knew that it was important to multiply his ministry quickly. He needed more leaders.

Jesus chose the twelve, “so that they could be with him and that he could send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14).

After some time with him, he sent them out into the towns and villages that he would visit as forerunners.

Who were they? They were, as one book labels them Twelve Ordinary Men. But they were also a pretty diverse crowd. Matthew was a Tax Collector (Roman puppet and extorter of Jews), Simon was a Zealot (radical anti Roman Jewish political movement). Other’s were fishermen, and so on.

Peter and John seemed to have some wealth and standing. Peter’s ‘home’ in Capernaum is a significant one. John was able to have communications with the High Priest’s court, during the trial of Jesus.

In fact, despite popular thought, they were a fairly competent lot. The Tax Collector would be educated in business, multi-lingual (Arabic, Greek and smattering of Latin, and probably some Hebrew), the Business owners similarly, so.

They were also all Galileans. Galilee was kind of the working man’s area. The rough and tumble, Alberta, or Texas of ancient Israel. The intellectual elite in Jerusalem certainly looked down on them, as unlettered men. But that did not mean they were “uneducated” in the real world.

2) Specification of Ministry

Despite the fact that there were 12, Jesus really focused in on a smaller group. Peter, James and John (not Peter, Paul and Mary as some are want to think today!).

This intimate group saw far more than the others, including the transfiguration. They alone advanced with him to pray in the Gardene of Gethsemene. Special tests (Peter’s Denial, James the 1^st Martyr etc) and special commissions (Feed My sheep-Peter, Care for my Mother-John etc) are focused on these men.

We see this imitated by Paul, who by some estimates had 35 people he labeled “Fellow workers” in his letters. Yet we chiefly associate him with his close companions, Timothy, Luke, Barnabus etc. He didn’t give special tasks to Priscilla ands Aquilla, but he did to Timothy and Titus.

3) Intimacy of Ministry

One more step is intriguing. It was actually a surprising recognition (which I know I have heard before, but never gave much thought) to consider the relationships between the core disciples.

James and John, where the Sons of Salome, whom most scholars believe to be Mary (the mother of Jesus) sister. In other words, Jesus was cousins with two of his inner circle. This makes sense, when at the cross, Jesus asks John to take care of his aunt.

Further, Peter was a business partner with James and John in the fishing industry. Probably this implies another familial relationship, or at least a close intimacy.

Jesus simply didn’t tenure for resumes, no he went with those he trusted! Interestingly, we all know Peter as Mr. impulsive/aggressive, (think of the sword at the Garden), but James and John were labeled by Jesus, “the sons of thunder”. He picked the aggressive and hardnosed, loyal relatives to surround him in his trusted inner circle. Remember the his forerunner John the Baptist, was also a cousin, and amongst the other disciples a number were related.

Andrew, for example was the brother of Peter (cf. Matt 10:2). Further, According to John 1:44, “Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.” They must have known each other. Philip immediately went out and recruited Nathaniel ““Nathanael” may be the personal name of Bartholomew (Bar-Tholomaios, “son of Tholomaios”), who is linked with Philip in all three Synoptic lists of apostles” (ESV study Bible). The parallel to Andrew and Peter, and this link, likely implies that they were brothers, or cousins.

So we basically have the cousins and business partners from Western Galilee, getting organized around Jesus.

We often see that families and friends for the nucleus of significant movements. Think of Franklin and Billy Graham, or Charles Spurgeon, his Uncle, and sons all pasturing at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, or Jonathan Edwards, who served as assistant pastor to his maternal grandfather, before taking over in Northampton.

Propaganda, or Truth: Rehabilitating John's Gospel

2011-05-18T17:36:00.002-05:00

History or Propaganda? These stark options and much in between have caught believers in a milieu of confusion with regards to the reliability and usefulness of John’s gospel over the last 150 years. While the Betty Ford clinic has often struggled to successfully rehabilitate high profile young Hollywood stars, developments of 21^st century scholarship have succeeded in breathing new life into Johannine studies.

BACKGROUND

During the heyday of Liberal Theology, and especially through the influence of Strauss and Bultmann (Burge’s p. 18, Carson p 30-32), John came to be seen as the “gospel outsider”. The Gospel was thought to primarily reflect a Greek worldview, to be influenced by Gnosticism or Christian myth making, and to have been written very late. In sum, it was thought by general consensus to be “the least historically credible of all the canonical gospels” (Carson, 30).

While earlier writers, even from amongst the modernist German’s had maintained support for the gospel (see Schleiermacher’s position in Burge, 17), it was primarily three dramatic movements that brought credibility back into the discussion.

THREE TURNING POINTS

First, archeological evidence surfaced, knocking most of the presuppositions of the Liberal construction out from beneath their theories. The Dead Sea Scrolls provided a framework for the sociological and theological milieu of John, which moved it away from a Greco-Roman and back into a Palestinian context (Carson 32-33). Coupled with this, discoveries of manuscripts, best represented in the John Ryland’s Papyrus, dated to ca 125AD conclusively pushed the Gospel’s dating back into the Apostolic era (Kostenberger, 211).

Secondly, the “new look” movement re-evaluated John in light of its internal witness and these archeological developments, and argued persuasively that John represented an independent historical witness to the life and teachings of Jesus; “from the same wellspring as that of the Synoptics” (Burge, 25). One critical writer of this movement is Gardner-Smith, whom Carson notes, “has taken hold of much of Johannine scholarship” with this thesis (32). Accounts from the history must no longer be viewed as “fictional” but have “historical worth” (Burge, 27).

Third, the evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls and new analysis (tied to this ‘new look’ school with J. A. T. Robertson leading the way), has really placed emphasis on the Palestinian/Jewish context of the book. Moving the theology away from a Grecian context, has led to significant re-interpretation of the meaning of the “signs” and re-interpreted the purpose and meaning of the main plot. (Kostenberger, 212).

CONCLUSIONS

Bringing up images of adventure and discovery, a la Indiana Jones, the Archeological discoveries of the last century revolutionized much of biblical scholarship. The confidence that it grants and the context it provides to a Biblical book is invaluable to the preacher and the apologist. If one includes the theological and sociological insights provided by the manuscripts of the Dead Sea, the message of John is dramatically enhanced, making this perhaps the most valuable foundational aspect of these movements.

It is important to note, however that despite the encouraging direction of much of this rehabilitation, like the restructuring of Tiger Woods moral compass around Buddhism, it has not necessarily led to Christian orthodoxy in modern scholarship. This is seen in the Johannine School hypothesis of Robertson, which argues that a separatist movement of John’s disciples was responsible for the final draft (see Kostenberger, 212-13), and various other new theories. The cautiously identified ‘cutting edge’ of modern thinking on this Gospel, Carson notes is “literary criticism” (38). This school of thought often assumes the final form of the gospel, as is, without getting too deeply into questions of authorship thus leading to textual analysis that can be helpful, but also tends to look to identify ‘sources’ within the text, or political agendas. Thus this “rehabilitation” has both gifts to offer and minefields to avoid (38-40).

-----

Burge, Gary M. Interpreting the Gospel of John. Baker Books, 1992.

ISBN 0-8010-1021-7.

Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John. Eerdman's Publishing, 1991.

ISBN 0-8028-3683-6.

Köstenberger, Andreas J. Encountering John. Baker Books, 1999. ISBN0-8010-2603-2.

Creation, Faith and Science

2011-03-13T18:11:00.002-05:00

One of the toughest things Christian's face in sharing their faith today, is the objection that modern science (usually meaning the Big Bang and the Theory of Evolution) have made faith in God, at least the Biblical view of God, obsolete.

But is this objection really true? Do these "origins theories" really reflect scientific certainty, over and against biblical theology?

Consider the faith building encouragement of this message from Genesis 1:1.

Creation's Story from Chad Graham on Vimeo.

Is Missional the New Traditional?

2011-01-26T12:03:00.005-05:00

Every successful revolutionary movement, becomes the new establishment. It may have a new face, but it becomes the same great power, "the tradition", which they themselves had once sought to overcome. The new leaders find themselves repeating much of the defences that the previous generation used against them.

Anthony Bradley has written an article concerning the "missional" movement, within evangelicalism. Referencing yesterdays revolutionaries, he writes:

So I'm beginning to wonder if it's "a wrap" on this whole "missional" movement splash, especially in terms of church planting? I can definitely see the wind being taken out of the sails for some. I've been particularly curious about crickets I hear when bringing up a few issues among missional Christians (link to article.)

Now, as a church planter and having attended countless hours of church plant training and read many church planting books, i am of a very similar opinion.

It seems like these certain fads come up, and become "the thing" and then like the seed planted in shallow soil, they suddenly wither. Individuals within the movements either mature back to historic Christian roots (Mark Driscoll), or go on to further and further extremes (Clark Pinnock).

The richest irony is how heavily the fads of just a few years ago are mocked by the newest establishment. For example, a decade or so ago, all one heard about was "purpose driven ministry". Then 5 years ago, the Missional leaders derided this "attraction" model as so much huffing and puffing.

In each popular movement that arises, there may be value, and their may be danger. But one thing remains certain, the Word of God still stands, and a very simple ministry philosophy is already provided for us, that will never go out of style, because unlike all the movements of men, God's supernatural power accomplishes his purposes.

We are told that pastoral ministry is a shepherding function.

"Feed My Sheep" Jesus told Peter. To Pastor Timothy, Paul wrote, "Preach the world, in season and out of season" (2 Tim 4:1). An elder, by basic definition is a believer whose life is an example and one who is, as is repeated three times in Paul's letters to Timothy as a necessity: "able to teach" (1 Tim 3:2, 2 Tim 2:2, 2 Tim 2:24).

We are told that pastoral ministry is an equipping function.

"He {jesus} gave some... as pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:12).

We are told that body ministry is the mutual shepherding and equipping of one another after the example of the pastoral ministry.

"...speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is athe head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, cwhen each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love" (Ephesians 4:15-16).

We are told that the purpose of Assembling together is to minster encouragement to fellow believers.

"consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

The error of going beyond the Scripture.

The list I gave was meant to be illustrative, not exhaustive. There is much more. Paul warns, in regard to following the ministry directions of certain men, even the best of men, that we must, "learn by us not to go beyond what is written" (1 Cor. 4:6).

Now I would never say that we cannot model off of and learn from other leaders. There is certainly value presented in each of these various church fads that come up. I and many others have been blessed by some of the opportunities they opened and some of the biblical content they refreshed for us. However, within every wilting movement there is a sense that a significant part of the model itself has gone beyond what is written. There are other more biblically centered movements, that have proved to be more enduring.

You can see the difference in comparing, for example, the "Prayer Book" movement. The Book of Common Prayer, is a manual for scheduling and organizing church services for every day and each Sunday, and holidays. In the 1500's Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote this book when he sought to conform the English Church to a biblical form of worship. Certainly not everything in that volume is perfect. However in the main, it focused on 1) helping pastors to feed the sheep a well rounded diet, 2) helping ministers to equip their flock with prayers and doctrine, 3) helping the people participate in activities that encouraged one another. At its heart 4) it was a systematic approach to preaching the word. As a result, 500 years later, it is still a living force within the church life of millions of believers, and a template for millions more.

On the other hand, no one is using the the old "walk across the room", seeker techniques anymore. Fewer and fewer are using the "purpose driven model" and now "missional" model churches seem to be slowly dying.

So how should we frame our ministries?

First, I believe it is the the obligation of every believer, and the urgent necessity of every leader to carefully study the New Testament and come to a thoroughly biblical and complete Ministry Philosophy and Practice. Note philosophy AND practice. Many miss the fact that the Scriptures give us the "how to" as well as the "what to".

"I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church" (1 Tim. 3:15, emphasis added).

Paul warned the leaders of the Church in Corinth regarding the biblical foundations of church ministry, "each man must be careful how he builds on it" (1 Cor. 3:10, emphasis added).

Secondly, as we model off of those who have gone before (after having a biblical foundation established for ourselves), then we are to compare each of their ideas and "be careful how" we adapt it to our foundation. After all the Scriptures according to the Statement of Faith of my denomination are, "the complete revelation of [God's] will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged".

Speaking of the potential collapse of the fad now called missional. There is one surefire way to be ahead of the curve and not caught in the collapse... If we will get in our Bible's and build a biblical philosophy and practice, then we will be free to pick and choose creative approaches to those practices, without the danger of being sucked into the "movement". When the movement flourishes, we will rise with its best features. If the movement withers, we will have no formal part with it, and continue as if it never existed, the solid foundation of God still standing.

Growing Spiritually

2011-01-20T12:04:00.004-05:00

What is the key to spiritual growth? I get asked this a lot and really my own life experience has focused much on this question. According to Psalm 119 and especially noting verses 9 and 11, the answer to the question of purity is ultimately "heeding", reading, memorizing, yielding to and obeying the word of God. So obviously that can be called a summary of the answer. However, there are many passages of Scripture that tell us more about "how to" do this. For example, Hebrews 13:7 commands us to "imitate" the faith of those who have taught the word of God to us.

Evidently a part of "heeding" the word of God is heeding to the word of God preached, and the word of God lived out in leaders examples. We might find other examples such as "prayer" and "spiritual disciplines" and "fellowship" and so forth. I decided in this post, just to talk in brief and general terms about what became most important to me in a certain period of my own wrestling with sin, as their was really one key thing that in my life, really jump started my spiritual growth.

The Reaction Trap

We all have a tendency to react to our circumstances. The baby cries, so you pick her up and sooth her with one of a handful solutions, perhaps touch, perhaps a bottle, perhaps a burping, or a changed diaper. The phone rings, so you answer it. A client gives an order, so we fill it. Facebook updates us, so we check our news feed. The common experiences of life have a very simple rhythm. We just fall into them, and go about our business.

When that pattern is disturbed it stresses us out. We are certainly capable of being flexible. But this introduction of new circumstances can be troubling. If we cannot comfort, the baby, we worry she is sick. We eventually may go to the doctor. We are worried. When a client is unsatisfied, it is stressful to try and come up with a solution that satisfies them, and protects the company.

The same kind of thing so often happens in our spiritual lives. We get into certain patterns, of going to church, praying here and there and so forth. When something difficult comes into our lives, it throws us for a loop. Suddenly we begin to doubt God, or to doubt our faith.
It is an issue of preparedness. The well-trained employee is much less stressed when a dissatisfied client calls, and knows what to offer and how to offer it in such a way as to come to a mutually successful conclusion to the conflict. An experienced parent no longer freaks out when little changes happen with their child.

At the back of all this is the assumption that people should indeed, be both knowledgeable and experienced in handling challenges. Every believer must expect to face faith and life challenges. It is critical that we be prepared. We are unprepared so often, because we have fallen into these patterns, these ruts.

A Life in Review

I have been in various roles of pastoral ministry now for around 7 years. I have around 8 years of ministry training, plus almost three years in which I had active mentorship in ministry (a part of that total of 7). In my experiences I have made many mistakes. I wish I could say I had not. My life would have been far less painful if I had avoided certain mistakes.

I have also succeed, sometimes through circumstances that seemed very difficult. I have grown. Again, I could say that I wished I had grown more. Who couldn’t say that? But there are particular areas, I believe could have been significantly more successful, if I have been quicker to learn.

My Key Lesson

Without a shadow of a doubt, the number one lesson of my failures and of my successes has been never to let myself live, according to natural rhythms. Whenever I begin to float along through life, I seem to be shook out of it by providential circumstances. Every sin I have grown casual too, has suddenly been exposed by a timely sermon, or embarrassing circumstance. When I have lacked knowledge in some area of knowledge, my growth has been forced by circumstance. For instance, I once had no idea had to change a diaper. I also once would have not had the foggiest idea of what to do when someone came to me and said, “I am struggling with a pornography addiction”. As live has happened, I have gained more and more knowledge in things like this. But, not everyone takes the opportunity to learn. One woman I know and respect, has had the life circumstance of needing gas in her car many times over. In her younger years, her father filled it. In her later years, her husband. Over decades of driving, she has yet to fill her car, and has told me that she still hasn’t any idea how one would do so.

Now there are places in life where this is no big deal. But what if we begin to slide into this trap in our spiritual lives? What if we get use to our father, and then our husband perhaps, or pastor just giving us the answers to the spiritual questions we have? What happens to our spiritual lives in a crises, when none of the above are available?

As an athlete, I learned that if you just do the required practices, and play your sport, you can easily fall in a rhythm that prevent you from moving forward. One of the early lessons of my life, was to learn of the real commitment physically and mentally it takes to succeed in sports. There are a lot of “good” hockey players in the world. There are very few “outstanding” ones.
Of course this is sometimes the lottery of genetics, sometimes the luck of circumstances, to a certain extent. But I have never studied the career of a great athlete without being impressed with their drive. Wayne Gretzky reportedly practiced more than any of his teammates. Of anyone couldn’t he rest on his laurels? But through his career he was the first one on and the last one off the ice. Sydney Crosby sets training goals for himself. He’s done okay for himself with MVP trophies and a Stanley Cup under his belt already. But after all that, he spent an entire summer with special training in faceoffs and then last season became one of the NHL’s leading faceoff men. Great athletes are perhaps great because they are always challenging themselves to improve and change and learn and to be better.

I don’t believe that our spiritual lives are any different. How many Christians are there in the world, which just go through the motions. D.L. Moody, the famous evangelist, was as “ordinary” as any other Christian. He made a commitment however to see “What God could do through one man wholly committed to him”. The answer was world shaking.

We must be fully committed, and we must fully prepare. The primary way we prepare is through the study of God’s word, along side a study of the best interpreters of that word. John Wesley instructed his Methodist ministers to spend “at least five hours per day reading the best books”. He often provided them, from Calvin’s Institutes, (yes Wesley recommended Calvin… hmmm, food for thought) to John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. The reason is, as John MacArthur has said, “If a Christian does not read, he will not grow”.

Now, not all of us have the opportunity, nor the faculty to read five hours of the best books each day. But let no one say he hasn’t the taste. Taste can be developed.

In my own life, years ago now, I used to rely often on my father. He always had a reasonable answer to every bible and spiritual question I had. Then I went to College. I faced all sorts of challenges. Eventually, I came to see my need to do more of the research and discover satisfying answers for myself. (Though I used my father and others as resources to point me in the right direction). At the same time, though, I was busy. How was I to read? How was I to read on everything that was coming up in my spiritual life, while being a full time student, working part-time, playing on a school sports team, having an active social life and of course the relentless pursuit of impressing the young ladies that went along with being a healthy young male.

I came up with a solution. I generally watched an hour of TV, or a movie in the dorms with my friends 3 or four nights a week. I made a plan to cut out a single television episode, in favour of studying my bible. That gave me ½ hour, three or four days a week, which I did not have before, and which did not effect my social life, my work life, or family life. The more I read the more I wanted to read, until, I simply skipped the next show, from time to time, because I was too interested in what I was reading. I began to read as a went to bed, and first thing as I got up... sometimes, for a while there was very little time between the two. I still have the bible I used in that time. It is a hard cover NKJV bible. It was brand new at the start of that year. I filled it with highlights, notes and book summaries. The pages are worn and tattered, tape is holding the spine together. It takes a lot of reading to wreck your bible. A good sign of spiritual life, is to look at the condition of a man's bible. Unless he just bought a new one, you should expect to see some wear and tear.

A few years ago, an older man I respected for his consistent walk, came to church with one of those high quality leather bibles. The ones that "last a lifetime". His was toast. It was literally held together by a rubber band, which her removed during sermon and study!

I began to read other books along side my bible, to answer the biblical questions I was beginning to have. Was the Bible reliable? I read McDowell. Was the Bible a unified message? I read Wilmington. Did I have the gospel right? I read MacArthur's Gospel According to Jesus. What is Reformed theology? I read R.C. Sproul. What was this Dispensational stuff? I read Ryrie.

It took time to read all these books. Some I looked at and couldn't figure out, and then found another one I understood. But later, when I picked it up again, I had read about the theologies they referenced, and I had studied the bible passages they asked questions about. The more difficult book suddenly made sense. I graduated from novels to simple devotional books and author’s who usually wrote on a popular level (Church Swindoll, Ken Ham, Charles Ryrie, etc.) to a more in depth study level (John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Harold Wilmington, etc.). Then I made an academic jump (Josh MacDowell, and Commentaries on the Bible, Systematic Theologies, etc.), to a class of ‘difficult’ writers, (Cornelius Van Til, Jonathan Edwards, etc.). If I had tried to read Van Til during my freshman year at college, I would have given up. But after years of training, my tastes, and my faculties grew and grew. It took hard work and persistence sometimes. It still takes those things when I read Jonathan Edwards, but persistence has constantly paid off.

And I grew. I grew to understand how to ask the question "What is the Will of God". I grew to then actually ask, "What is the will of God, for me?" I changed my life direction. In many ways, I grew more in that year than I ever would in a short period again, though I believe I may have "learned more" in later years.

This last week, after a friend in our church began to read Edwards "On the Freedom of the Will", I thought to myself, hmm, I should read that too. I am now being reminded again of the awesome mind straining, and soul stretching power of careful thinking about God, myself and faith. Growth must never stop. Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy must hand in hand be found to be ever increasing, if we are to be found pleasing to God. We must labour, by faith, in the power of the Spirit, to rightly understand the word (2 Timothy 2:15) and then labour to live it out "so that in everything [we] may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior" (Titus 2:10b).

Faith in Action (pt. 2)

2010-09-02T23:23:00.005-05:00

Have you ever noticed that no matter how much you desire to be free of it, sins tentacles have a lock tight hold in all kinds of areas of your life? It has been my desire, and is still my desire to be totally free from sin. Sin is insidious. It entices and toys with you, and then when you give into temptation, becomes a sticky, stinking cesspool, from which you cannot seem to fully escape. It's mire of guilt clings to every pour of your flesh.

After a while, you grow to hate your sin. You detest it. But you can't escape it. Paul called it "this body of death" in Romans 7. The illusion seems to be to a particular practice of justice, once done. Where a murderer, once convicted was bound naked, back to back with the victim, by tight binding arm to arm, leg to leg. Then the murder was sent out into the countryside, where he would search in vein for relief. After a while the corruption of the rotting dead corpse would spread into his flesh, and after a while of living rot, he would die a painful death.

Paul, looking at his own reality stated: "I am of the flesh, sold under sin. [15] For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. [16] Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. [17] So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. [18] For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. " (7:14-18).

It seems that saints throughout all history have felt this way. In Psalm 38, David recorded his expereince, "there is no health in my bones because of my sin.[4] For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. [5] My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, [6] I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. [7] For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. [8] I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart." (Psalm 38:3-8).

And here is the power of faith. As I argued in part one, faith is not an external airy fairy thing, but rather, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. "(Heb 11:1).

When my wife says she loves me, I can't see yer love. But I know my wife, so I have a confident assurance, that she is telling me the truth. I have a conviction based on who she is.

God is trustworthy. I know him. He keeps the stars in their course faithfully. He brings the seasons, faithfully. He promised freedom from sin. He promises redemption, "we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears1 we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2). This is a restoration to the way we were creates, "In the image of God" (Gen 1:27).

I trust God
I trust his promises
made through Christ
and in the Scriptures.

Christ promised: "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).
The Scriptures make plain: "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. [7] For one who has died has been set free from sin." (Rom 6:6-7).

In Paul's words, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).

Now the obvious question is, "who cares?" Faith in Action, is the confidence that you will overcome sin? What about practical things? For every person who has ever suffered the guilt of the enslavement of sin, no other deliverance can be preferred. If death or poverty was the price for overcoming sin, I would gladly submit.

But there is no price. There is only promise. God promises, for all those who put their hope and trust in Christ, that we shall be free of sin. Thank Christ.

Faith in action

2010-07-07T12:43:00.008-05:00

FAITH: WHAT IS IT?
Thinking about "faith" today. I've heard it before, but in conversations about the gospel, which we as Christians express, (eg. "faith in the work of Christ, to reconcile us to God"). We are often confronted with what we now assume to be a fairly standard response.

Faith has been seen as a nebulous quality that some seem to possess. "I don't have the kind of "faith" you have", one might hear in a daily conversation. But of course, that is a nonsensical statement.

Faith is not a think to be possessed, but an action of trust one takes. In fact, we might say that faith is a synonym for "trust" or "reliance". Dictionary.com gives the basic definition of faith as, "confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability". Interestingly, it goes on to give some further definitions, including this one, "Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved." (reference).

So what exactly does it mean to have "faith" in this Christian Theology sense? The Dictionary definition informs, that it is by such faith "humans are justified or saved". Look at the parts of this admirable definition:
1) Trust in God...
2) ...and in His promises...
3) ...as made through Christ...
4) ...and the Scriptures...

FAITH: WHY IS IT NEEDED?
What a great definition. The reason man needs to be saved, in the first place, is because of sin. Our first parents (as Genesis 1-3 records), were created by God to live as regents of the earth, ruling creation in obedient fellowship with their loving creator. God's adversary, the Devil, determined to etch out a kingdom for himself, and so swayed Adam and Eve, through half truths and false promises. They rejected God, and joined the Devil's rebellion. As a result, God judged the race guilty, and condemned humanity to death, placed a curse on the universe, and gave people over to the domination of sin. In essence, God said, "you want to live rebellion against me? That is called sin. You will now learn what that truly means, by being given over to sin. Sin will rule you and dominate you, until you die. You will see that Master sin is a harsh enslaver, who cares nothing for his victims." So as man awaited the final judgement, he was committed over to sin, the flesh and the devil. The Bible articulates it this way, "in Adam all sinned" (Romans 5:12), God thus considers all people, "under sin" (Romans 3:9). As a result of this nature (called a "law" or "principle" living in our flesh in Romans chapters 8 and 9), "all have sinned [personally] and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Now this explains what is going on in this world. Even when people determine to do good, to make a clean break from "bad habits", they find it an enduring trial, and often fall into a depressive spiral of being trapped all their lives. Jesus said, "everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin" (John 8:34).

The only way to be set free, is by the power of God. Only, we have made God our enemy, in our rebellion. The bible tells us that we are by nature, God's "enemies" (Romans 5:10) since, "a mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God" (Romans 8:7). What is a mind set on he flesh? The Bible describes the "deeds of the flesh" this way:

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21).

So, when we set our minds on these things, we are demonstrating that we are, and are behaving as, the enemies of God. It also these things, that we willingly embrace, that we soon find are our true enemies. Like "Golem's Ring", our "precious" sins, begin to twist and destroy us, enslaving us to their service. "The wages of sin [paid out daily in increments] is death" (Romans 6:23). We are being killed, but we are also being made less and less human.

Humanity was created glorious, "in the image of God" (Gen 1:27), destined to "rule" (Gen 1:28-29), "crowned with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5-8). But in become enslaved to sin and the devil, we lose that glory, we corrupt that image, and we become, "like brute beasts, creatures of instinct" (2 Peter 2:12). In fact Peter goes on, these brute beasts who live by animal instinct "food for the belly and the belly for food", are "born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish" (2 Peter 2:12b).

So we are, in a proverbial pickle.

FAITH: WHAT IS ITS PROMISE?

To be continued...

What If?

2010-04-30T13:45:00.002-05:00

What if Jesus saw the church he wanted to build (Matt. 16:18), before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4)? What if Jesus was God? As far as the heavens are about the earth, so far are God’s ways and God’s thoughts above our thoughts (Is. 55:9).

What if we stopped following men, and started following Jesus? Jesus paints a picture of what his church will accomplish. Jesus church will:

1) display his wisdom before the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10).

2) consist of a people which would be “a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes” (Revelation 7:9).

3) grow one disciple at a time (Matthew 28:19-20).

The church exists, for one purpose only: “to glorify God” (Eph. 3:21), and is left on earth for one mission: “to make disciples” (Matt. 28:20).

What if we joined Jesus in this goal, and on this mission, and saw God’s wisdom displayed in Calgary, by the shocking transformation of sinners into saints, the hurting into the helping, people from every cultural background, every age group and every socio-economic condition all joined together on a single mission? What if we were the ones through whom Christ accomplished his purpose, to glorify God, one disciple at a time?

What if Jesus told us how to do this? The Bible seems to suggest that he did. 1 Corinthians 3: 10 warns, “Let each one take care how he builds…”. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15).

What if we asked, “am I doing God’s work God’s way?”

Isn't Preaching Passe?

2010-02-10T19:54:00.003-05:00

In the post modern world, many suggest that we are facing something entirely new, in the opposition to preaching that is faced by the church today. A cursory reading of history however, shows us this is an ages old problem faced generation after generation.

How should we respond? Does Jesus ministry have anything to teach us? The following message looks to answer that question: "Preaching: The King's Ministry"

Preaching: Isn't that Passe? from Chad Graham on Vimeo.

For other sermon resources, visit GraceCalgary.ca

Video Podcasting at Grace

2009-12-21T20:33:00.003-05:00

Well, we have been experimenting with Video at Grace, why not check one out. Here is "the Virgin Birth", addressing the critical issue of the importance of Doctrine to today's Christian.

The Virgin Birth from Chad Graham on Vimeo.

For move videos visit our Vimeo video archive.

After Everything, To Stand

2009-11-25T13:26:00.007-05:00

Christians are warned in the 6th chapter of Ephesians, that the Christian life is a Spiritual Battlefield. They are told to "Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes". They are even reminded that this battle will be long and hard fought, "so that after you have done everything, you may be able to stand" (see Ephesians 6:12-18).

The Bible describes the nature of this warfare, not as physical, but as a warfare of ideas. 2 Cor 10:5 describes it: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ".

THE BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS

The first decade of the 21st Century has seen a great deal of change in Western Culture. The "cold war" of cultures between the culture of death, and the culture of life has broken forth on two fronts.

1) September 11th: Islamo-Fascism (The active, terror side of the Muslim world) opened up a full scale war with the west. While there is a great deal of debate regarding the effectiveness of the West's response, we are in an active war today --a war for the existence of our culture of life and freedom.
2) January 20th 2009: The inauguration of a new administration in the US overturned a political culture of life, and was quickly followed by an overturning of presidential directives against certain forms of abortion, embryo-destructive research, and other life issues.

3) Against this background, is a third cultural movement, the disintegration of the self. "integration" is unity and integrity. "Disintegration", therefore refers to disunity and confusion. This is seen in many places, but comes to root in two key things:

A) The "blur of gender identity" (see Ruth La Ferla, "It's All a Blur to Them," The New York Times, Thursday, November 19, 2009). This issue comes through strikingly in the controversy over the AMA music awards and the performance of American Idol runner up Adam Lambert. The arrangement is that sexuality is not an integrated part of who a person is, but rather a fashion or entertainment issue.
B) The "mechanical worldview". This worldview treats the human being as a mechanical organism consisting only of the body. The body, is ours, it is argued, and we can do with it whatever we want. The Christian worldview, once default in western society has always treated the human person as both body and soul, and thus linked to and belonging to God.

Well, how are these linked? As the West has lost its sense of "self", and come to see individual humans as "entertainments" or as "fashion statements", we have subtly dismissed their inherent worth as those made in the image of God. In other words, if I look on another person as a "disgusting fashion statement", why should I not expose them to my contempt, or worse, harm them?

The West, has therefore lost its will to stand for life, as life has become mere"entertainment". When therefore, mechanical "medical ethics" call for the destruction of the weak and vulnerable, for the convenience of the strong, who will stop them? When the Islamo-fascists care nothing for whether they, or we, live or die, as long as they succeed in their long term goal, who will have the will to halt them?

TWO RESPONSES

In response to this Chuck Colson, has led the way in signing a joint declaration "the Manhattan Declaration", arguing that all "Christians" Catholic Orthodox, or Evangelical must immediately stand together, or fall alone, as the one source that can see cultural renewal, in the cause of life and the dignity of the whole human person. While an evangelical and catholic, could certainly appeal to their culture or government today on these issues, the Declaration contains many affirmations of agreement on the gospel solution, "as Christians we" must work together to reinvigorate "our Christian heritage" in the culture of life. It argues that Christians of every stripe are writing together and consider that, "It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season”". A great statement of truth.

Conservative evangelicals such as Al Mohler, feel this is a critical statement to sign today, saying: "I want my name on that list. I surrendered no conviction or confessional integrity to sign that statement" (see "Why I signed").

Others wonder if that is the answer? A personal friend of Mohler, John MacArthur, another conservative evangelical, argues that while he would "obviously agree" with the positions of the statement on social issues, it lacks the one true solution to them. The gospel alone is the final answer, the ultimate means of changing peoples thoughts, feelings and worldview, it creates a culture of life, yet, "This is precisely where the document fails most egregiously", MacArthur argues (see "Why I did not sign").

It should be obvious to the careful student that the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical tradition do not share uniformity on the gospel itself. Rome argues that human sacramental works, done many times throughout the life of faith are both necessary, and the only means of salvation (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church art. 1129, 1252, 1262, 1263). Evangelicals argue that works cannot be a part of the process, but justification before God is recieved by faith in the atoning work of Christ completed once for all in the past. (see Calvin's Instituted Book 3, sections 16-17).

THE BIG QUESTION
The question must be, "what effect then can a joint effort, of the Catholic and Evangelicals to reform the culture through 'our duty to proclaim the Gospel', if we proclaim a different gospel?". It seems to be a wasted effort, with the troops firing at two different objectives. On the other hand, should a lack of agreement there, keep us from joining hands with anyone who wants to do what is right?

Allistair Begg, who also will not sign, writes, "Ultimately, the Gospel is the issue and it needs to govern issues of lesser or secondary importance, including those mentioned in this document. It is my prayer that the truth of God’s Word will bring the Gospel to bear on these important issues that are affecting our culture today." (see "Questions").

Which approach is right at this time? The question is urgent, for with tripartite alliance of Islamo-fascism, Secular Mechanicalism, and the dissolution of the Human Self and dignity striking all at once with arguments and pretensions against the true knowledge of God, we cannot "sit this one out", as one believer reminded another many years ago, in another urgent circumstance: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance ... will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to ...[your current]... position for such a time as this?"" (Esther 4:14).

***

For More Info on significant non-signatories see Tim Challies: "The Manhattan Declaration".

Any Questions?

2009-08-24T13:26:00.003-05:00

John Piper has written an excellent article on the recent Tornado in Minneapolis, which occurred providentially at the very time in which a Church group was considering the ordination of homosexuals to their leadership.

Piper's Blog comments are food for thought for all people, especially believers.

The Temple of God-My Body

2009-04-02T11:56:00.005-05:00

Whenever any person comes to see God as God, his life must change. David has affirmed this reality about God: "You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar" (Ps. 139:2). Turning from his own thoughts and ways he declared, How precious to me are your thoughts, o God! How vast are the sum of them!" (v. 17).

THE CHALLENGE
I wrote in the preceding post: The Temple of God, how little we tend to think of the temple of God in his church, as a general rule in North American evangelicalism. I have begun to see that there is a boulder, fashioned over decades, tied to our culture and perpetuated by massive inside evangelicalism organizations that has, in its attempt to make the church "user friendly", succeeded in making it an "assembly of the onlooker". And so God is not present in any power at our services. Those who are trying to stop this boulder can't simply swat it aside, but must begin to lay the groundwork of a barrier, they must begin to through down pebbles. that can slow the boulder a little. And many are doing so.

MY BODY
The place to start is in each one of us. God wants holy vessels. Paul warns Timothy, "Guard your LIFE and your doctrine closely" (1 Tim 4:16). That is the theology of the church as the temple of God, the very body of Christ on earth, the expression of God's glory to the world in the salvation of sinners, must go hand in hand with a lifestyle that matches that belief.

I think this is why the Bible, while emphasizing the corporate nature of the assembled church as the temple in which God's Spirit dwells, also refers to each believer's body as such. "do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Cor 6:19-20).

This individual temple, seems to echo the priesthood of believers and leaves us with a tension between recognizing the individual's standing before God on the one hand, as priest, and the Church's standing on the other as bride and body. To view it only from the side of the church, risks a sacramental view of the church's worship, to view it only from the individual side is to reject the headship of Christ. So both must be preserved.

The context of 1 Corinthians is sexual purity. You don't join the temple of God to fornication! This is why 1 Thessalonians 4 is so forceful, "this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality". (1 Thes 4:3).

Sexual immorality particularity defiles the temple, but to a lesser extent, so does any lesser form of non-sanctification. However, drawing on the thems of sexual purity, as temples of God, what lusts do we indulge? Prostitution? No, of course not. Monogamous premarital sex? Well... ? How about, "loving" homosexual unions? Vicarious lusts through television and movies?

I think when we start asking these questions we are doing the wrong thing entirely. Why ask, just what is the line that defiles the temple? Why not ask, "how can I sanctify to the utmost, how can I honour the Spirit of Christ in my body? Then, Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also, and live in light of the words of Paul, "to live is Christ".

MOTIVATION
Yet once again, we cannot legalistically set benchmarks and rules for ourselves, the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life (Rom 8:6). Only God can sanctify, through our hope and faith in Him, by the spirit. We must begin to see
1) God, as God. If ever any person begins to see God, as God, according to the Scripture they are devastated. And this devestation produces godly sorrow, which leads to repentence, for the Lord, "exults teh humble".
2) Our Bodies as Indwelled by God. He is not a passive observer in our sins or sanctification, he is an active participant, "do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?" (I cor 6:15). Having seen God, as God, and been humbled, we begin to see ourselves in God, as part of Christ's body, as representatives of Christ, as having Christ live within us, then we will finally see
3) The Church as the temple and glory of the living God, and we will cry "better is one day in your church, than thousands elsewhere".

The Temple of God

2009-03-30T13:47:00.007-05:00

God, as God

If ever any person begins to see God, as God, according to the Scripture they are devastated. God is not like us. God is Holy, God has infinite power, "who can endure the heat of his anger" Naham asks (Na 1:8). Yet we treat God, as less than God in our culture, in our lives and most devastatingly in our churches, yet: "This is what he LORD has said, 'Among those who are near me I must be regarded as holy, and before all the people I will be glorified" (Lev. 10:3). Does this mean anything?

Isaiah sees God, as God

Isaiah, for example entered the temple to pray, with ordinary, low expectation. He came to the temple, to the place where the glory of the Lord dwelt, without really knowing what the glory of the Lord was, or what the temple was... But suddenly all that changed as the earthy temple began to take on its heavenly reality. The robe of God's glory filled the temple in what must have been a light of glory, (cf. Is 6:2), the temple's foundations "shook at the voice of the one who called, and the house filled with smoke" (Is. 6:4). This is reflected in the book of revelation: "and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary" (rev 15:8).

Looking at Revelation we clearly see that this is the fierceness of God's glory coming to judge sin. Is it any different in Isaiah? The prophet seemed to think not. The smoke, the wrath, the glory of God is summed up in his nature, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is filled with his glory" (6:3). God is Holy, he is set apart, he is sinless and hates sin. He is perfect, he is just, and "He repays those who hate him" (Deut 32:43).

Isaiah suddenly saw God, as God and cried out: "Woe is me" (6:5), a prophetic curse against himself!

Israel sees God, as God

When Israel stood at the foot of mount Sinai: "there were thunders and lightenings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God" (Ex 19:16-17). And this God they met, what was he like? "Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln and the whoe mountain trembled greatly." (19:18). Now how did they respond?

"‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live. Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it." (Lev 19:24-27).

God told Moses, "they are right in all they have spoken" (28).

The Disciples see God, as God

Now in the New Testament, we find the presence of God in the Temple of Christ's body, "the word became flesh and tabernacled amongst us" the same word in the OT LXX used of the Tabernacle built by Moses, "and we beheld his glory" (John 1:14). The disciples responded each time they saw God's glory in Christ, the same way, when he demonstrated his power to calm the storm, "they were filled with great fear and said to one another, 'Who then is this?'" (Mk. 10:40). Then on the mount of Transfiguration, a greater glory was seen by the inner three, just as in Isaiah's vision, the earthly temple began to take on its heavenly reality. Peter it is noted, "did not know what to say, for they were terrified" (Mk. 9:6).

The Church sees God, as...

John Prophecied concerning Jesus, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire" (Matt. 3:11). As I studied this verse today I began to meditate on the Scripture, and tried to seek an answer as to what exactly this means. He will baptize his followers with the HS and fire. We have seen that the presence of God has been the presence of God, who is Spirit, and exemplified by fire. To this we could add the burning bush of Moses, and the words, "Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29). It seems John is prophecying the presence of God, through the Holy Spirit will be given. Now John 15-17 seems to bear this out, Jesus will not leave us as orphans, but will come to us, by sending his spirit and then dwell in us forever.

In Acts 2, we read that the disciples where praying and seeking the Lord, when suddenly, "there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house" again the presence of heaven appears on earth, and "divided tongues as of fire" appeared (v. 2-3). This event speaks of the Disciples, "being filled with the Holy Spirit" (v. 3).

Many people witnessed their preaching and "all were amazed and perplexed" (v. 12). God was in their midst. Now the rest of the NT Epistles clarify that the church, as an assembly of believers, "grow into a holy temple in the Lord" and is "being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" (Eph 2:21-22). 1 Cor. carries this on as well warning that there is a consequence, the church is "God's temple" in which "God's Spirit dwells".

And we show up, if we bother to show up at church at all, with a sense of ... nothing. We are not devastated. We expect nothing, we fear nothing, and we wonder why are churches accomplish nothing! When God's glory appears, what terror will fill the world, "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengence..." (2 Thes 1:7-8). To paraphrase Jesus, "when he comes will he find faith in his church?"

TOMMORROW

I need to think through the implications of this more, but I need a break till tomorrow.

Grace EFC Podcasts

2009-01-21T03:49:00.003-05:00

I am excited to announce the launch of the GEFC podcast ministry.
As our podcast ministry has finally got up to a quality that I am pleased to "own", this new feature will be available here in the sidebar of my blog and on GraceCalgary.ca.

I hope that these expository messages, currently studying the book of Philippians will be used by God to bless you in some way.

Whose Rights and whose wrongs?

2009-01-02T22:16:00.005-05:00

I read an interesting quote from Matthew Staver, Dean of the Liberty University Law School: "Whenever a right is granted to same-sex unions, then a right is taken from religious liberty and freedom of speech. Same-sex unions pose a serious threat to freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion."

One person's rights end up trampling another. After all, if it is a "right" for same sex couples to be married in the same way it is the "right" of all people to ride the public bus, then contradicting that right must not be tolerated. Just as we would stop a business from being "White only", we will have to go after a church for being "Straight only".

As this begins to happen, especially with the Canadian "Human Rights Tribunals" we are going to see the "Right" to freedom of religion curtailed quickly. Society's dominant template will not tolerate the Christian church in the very near future.

Christians must be prepared to be hated, as Jesus said, "You are not of the world, therefore the world hates you". It is a sad thing to find the champions of tolerance becoming the most intolerant as the battle for "Rights" becomes more convoluted.

We must pray for the peace of Canada (or the US if you live there), and be sure to speak out for the truth, no matter what the consequence to ourselves. Love for all men, including the gay community compels us.

Uncommon Ministry for an Uncommon Time

2008-12-04T13:32:00.003-05:00

All things change, it is said. It seems that there is no stability economically, environmentally, politically, socially or spiritually in Canada. It is time for new solutions, or so it seems, for all these things. If the Church is to survive, a new purpose and a new method is required, for this new generation.

But, what a surprise when a new Church and a young pastor argues that that is exactly the opposite of what the Church should do. The Church is not a cultural expression. It is the Body of Christ. It has zero flexibility in its purposes and methods: “I will build my Church” Jesus says (Matt. 16:18) and “no one can build on any foundation, other than that which is already laid” (1 Cor 3:11).

Christ calls the church to be countercultural. This cultural order is in rebellious opposition to God and Christ, therefore, “Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4). Thousands of people, all around the world are looking for an alternative to the culture which surounds them. They are desperate for truth.

Grace Evangelical Free Church is a response to that mandate. Through biblical and theological expository preaching this Church plant glorifies God and proclaims Christ. By aggressive missional evangelism, it glorifies God by proclaiming Christ, and with a focus on spiritual leadership and acceptability, Grace glorifies God through living Christ. For more information on this new work, visit GraceCalary.ca

The Grace Appeal November 2008 "Our Membership"

2008-11-11T19:54:00.001-05:00

The Ethos of Membership
Membership Matters
At Grace we have a high view of committed community. The Church can only fulfill the mission Christ has for it, when “each member does its part” (Eph. 4:16).
Our membership is not about “society membership”. Our membership is not about “voting”. We are not yet organized independently, and so cannot have these things. So if it is not about government recognized membership, what is it about?
Our membership is about “following Christ”. The Bible says we are to “assemble together” (Heb 10:25), in Churches over which Christ appoints leaders to “equip” us all “for the work of ministry”, (Eph.4:11-12).
Our membership is about “encouraging one another” especially through the difficult times, to “stir one another up to love and good works” (Heb 10:24). How have you encouraged a fellow member this week?
Our membership is about organizing to fulfill the great commission: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

The Ethos of Discipleship
Discipleship Matters
Through each other we are growing up into our goal of being the body of Christ, making disciples in south Calgary.
Being a disciple is not a program. It does not mean being in small groups, or following any particular pattern, necessarily. But here is the question, what are you doing in your life to be discipled and to disciple another?

What does active discipleship look like?
1) Discipleship simply means building friendships for the purpose of doing one another spiritual good. What relationship are you currently building at Grace, to achieve this? This can be in small groups, or in one on one relationships.
2) Accountability partnerships can work excellently for this. Agree to read a book of the Bible, or a good Christian book with a friend from the church, and meet once a week to talk about what you have learned and how you have applied it. This is ideal for busy people who need to work at their own pace and who have a hard time meeting with a larger group.
3) Small groups are ideal for this purpose, as they allow you to work through bible teaching, and to encourage and be encouraged by a tight knit group that grows to be great spiritual friends together for the cause of the gospel.

The Ethos of Encouragement
Encouragement Matters
One of our most important roles as a Church is to “encourage one another”. The world, the flesh and the devil all conspire together to discourage us.
Jesus faced his greatest challenge, going to the garden of Gethsemane the night he would be betrayed: “taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”” (Matt 26:37-38). Jesus told the disciples that they should “Watch and Pray” together, “that you may not enter temptation” (v. 41).
Even in the mundane of life, Christians need to be the last to look for praise and the first to give it. Paul said to the Philippians, “I thank my God fin all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy” (Phil 1:3-4). Who do you thank God for? Why not encourage someone this week?

The Grace Appeal October 2008 "Our Ethos"

2008-10-07T10:33:00.004-05:00

Membership Matters (The Ethos of Bodylife)

At Grace we have a high view of committed community. The Church can only fulfill the mission Christ has for it, when “each member does its part” (Eph. 4:16).
We are celebrating membership this month, starting with a communion service symbolizing our unity on September the 28th, we move out to act together as the hands and feet of Christ in October and November. It is encouraging that we have experienced such a great response. Our people want to belong, and they want to serve.
Through each other we are growing up into our goal of being the body of Christ, making disciples in south Calgary.

Discipleship Matters (The Ethos of Faithfulness)

Christianity is a cyclical disciple making worldview. All those who are Christ’s obey his command in Matt. 28:16-20, in His power.
The command: “Make Disciples” is qualified by three participles:
1. go 2. baptize 3. teach
The most effective way to reach the world for Christ, is not the fastest way, its not the flashiest way, it is the simple, long term, personally demanding vision of 1-1 discipleship. Most conversion happen through long term personal contact with a Christian, whose life “adorns the doctrines of God” (Tit. 2:10) and whose “good works” cause others to recognize their source, “and glorify your Father who is in Heaven” (Mat. 5:16).

We want to be the kind of Church that is always engaged in discipling, and being discipled.

Participation Matters (The Ethos of Citizenship)

We need to remember as citizens of two kingdoms, the heavenly, but also this earthly one, to participate in the upcoming Canadian elections; “the only thing necessary” it is said, “for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. Christians should be careful to vote for those candidates, regardless of party affiliation, who most closely resemble Biblical ethics and morals. Vote:
1. As if totally disinterested in the outcome, vote for the good of others (Phil 2:3). Think about the safety and well being of our fellow Canadian citizens, knowing that they only have this realm to call on for justice.
2. As in “whatever you do” vote “for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). God is glorified when his principles are recognized, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).
3. Find out what your candidates believe on moral issues, especially in the promotion of life, family and religious freedom, God’s top priorities for any peoples (Gen. 1:27, 2:24 and Gal. 5:1).

The Humility of Faith

2008-06-01T00:25:00.003-05:00

What makes Christianity unique, amongst all the other religions that are in the world?

We believe that we are saved by grace through faith alone. As Romans says, "all have sinned and are falling short of the glory, which is God" (Rom 3:23), "and are made right with God by his grace as a gift through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus... to be received through faith" (Rom 3:24-25).

If we understand that it is a gift, that we can contribute nothing to that gift, then we come to the conclusion: "what then becomes of our boasting? It is excluded" (Rom 3:27).

Every other faith teaches our cooperation, in some way, with God for our salvation, whether the pillars of Islam or the scales of karma.

The Christian faith teaches the absolute dependance of people on God for all aspects of salvation. Therefore a Christian cannot feel that he is better than his unbelieving friend, relative or neighbor, because any righteousness, or goodness in a Christian is "God's righteousness" (3:21) working within, "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

Christians then out to be the most humble people alive. But then, who would want to be a Christian? No one likes t be humbled.

But there is one more reality, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). That Grace grants sonship (John 1:12), and the inheritance of heaven (Gal 3:29). The humble shall truly "inherit the earth" (Matt 5:5).

Not only that, but at the present we have the power of God to aid us a mere prayer away. We know the truth, have certainty about the future, and absolute invincibility to any deadly assault or illness, until God decides its time for us to come home.

And not only that, but we are experiencing the absolute joy, the gratification and satisfaction of being in our glory, that is in THE glory, the presence of God, in whose presence "there is fullness of joy" and at his right hand "pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).

The cost... giving up our pride, confessing our poverty and lostness, and accepting by faith that Christ died for our sins, as the Scripture says, that he was raised for our justification (that we would be right with God), as the Scripture says.

And in humility recognize that our ability to realize the truth of the gospel is a gift of God, and so we have absolutely nothing in which to take pride, save that we know him.

GEFC Worship Services

2008-05-14T17:01:00.007-05:00

As I have written before, as we pursue the church plant, we seek to glorify God and exult His Son, by "being the body of Christ in South Calgary, making disciples".

This is an exciting time, because we have made a very practical step in that direction by beginning to worship together and to built a corporate identity, understanding what exactly it means, to be the body of Christ together.

In Scripture reading, music, prayer and the preaching of the word, we are building an intentional example of means to worship together. But we are also building a means of evangelism and discipleship, by trying to teach the rational for everything done in the service. For the last few services I have written a simple program, explaining the elements of the service. The inside read as follows:

Scripture Reading

Daniel 9:1-14

In Paul's instruction on how to conduct ourselves in the Church, he instructs Timothy: "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture" (1 Tim 4:13).

In the Synagogue, the Jewish people would read through the Old Testament in a repeating selection of readings to familiarize everyone with all aspects of the word.

The Early Church followed this, adding a read and repeat pattern of Scripture memorization. We follow intentionally in this 2000 year old practice, because at GEFC "God's Word is Central".

Corporate Prayer of Repentance and Preparation

Although we fall easily into a pattern of being individualistic in our thinking, the church is to be a collection of individuals who "present" their "bodies [plural] as a living sacrifice [singular]" (Romans 12:1). Daniel, although faithful illustrated this group identity on behalf of those God called him to minister to and Jeremiah the faithful shepherd of Israel embodied it saying: "We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you" (Jer. 14:20).

FCC Statement of Faith

We are clearly instructed, "Give attention to …doctrine" (1 Tim 4:13) and commanded --"Pay attention to yourself and to your doctrine; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you" (v. 16).

Further as an EFCC Church we want to understand what it means to unite around God's evangel, to God's glory for our total satisfaction and joy in fulfilling our created purpose.

Preamble: The Evangelical Free Church of Canada is an association of autonomous churches united in a common commitment to God’s evangel--the gospel of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to give us eternal life. To God's glory, the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Our essential theological convictions are vitally connected to this gospel.

God’s gospel originates in and expresses
the wondrous perfections of the eternal, triune God.

1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

Therefore, we understand that the object of our existence is to glorify God and to enjoy His wondrous perfection forever!

Worship in Music

A believing person responds to being Spirit-filled, "with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph 5:19).

We are commanded: "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness." (Psalm 29:2).

Worship in Word

Martin Luther said actively listening to preaching "is the highest form of worship". This is so, because in preaching, God by His Spirit speaks directly to you; "It pleased God by… the message preached to save those who believe" (1 Cor. 1:21) and therefore we continue in it: "like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation," (1 Peter 2:2).

Reflecting on T4G

2008-04-18T15:25:00.003-05:00

This last week was a great encouragement and an enjoyable one for me. Together 4 the Gospel 08 was everything I had hoped... and more.

The Fellowship of fellow attenders and the challenge of the speakers has made me very excited to return home to my ministry. As I prepare to preach on Mark 16 this weekend, I am bringing forward with me the call to clarity and to place the passage in its theological context.

As I worked on translating the passage this week, I found a quiet nook in the Southern Baptist Seminary Library. There I sat successful working through the text when suddenly voices got animated and people crowded around me. Since I was pretty sure it was not to check out my parsing, I wondered what it could be.

Looking up, I beheld, the big guys had walked in, and about 5 feet from me Mark Dever, CJ and Ligon Duncan were trying to look at some books surrounded by a crowd of admirers!

Well, that ended the study session for me, as I of course joined the crowd of admirers :)

And now back to work deciding on how much to speak about the drinking of poison, handling snakes and textual criticism...

T4G 2008!

2008-04-13T17:35:00.003-05:00

This is a conference that brings together a Southern Baptist (Dever), a Presbyterian (Duncan) and an Independent (MacArthur) along with several other leaders, on the issue that matters.

While many issues of polity and practice are important, it is encouraging to see the Christian church unite on what really matters. Too often, we unite on being united and decide that everything has to go (including a clear understanding of the gospel) or divide on something that is at best secondary (views on polity) and leave off cooperating with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today we face a similar situation in our Canadian context, that Lloyd-Jones faced with the Evangelical Alliance in GB half a century ago, or which Spurgeon faced with the Baptist Union churches in London in the 1800's, or the Puritan's in the 17th century, or the reformers in the 16th, or even the situation of the Nicene clergy, especially Athanasius in the 4th century. It is this, that unity is on everyone's lips. And unity should be.

Unity is our goal, but how do we achieve it? Unity comes through the gospel. The gospel is a propositional understanding of doctrine regarding Christ, a historical fact of the death and resurrection of Christ and an experiential union with Christ through the Holy Spirit.

I'm glad the T4G organizers and attenders are together on this issue and sad, that so many others are not.

New Logo!

2008-04-01T09:51:00.003-05:00

Grace EFC announces this new logo this week. It will soon grace all our media. The Beautiful imaging was done by Han, a member of Okotoks Evangelical Free Church. The elements of the name demonstrate the commitments we have as a church.

1st and foremost to the Free Grace of God, dispensed by His Holy Spirit (represented by the dove). This Grace is found only in the Evangel (the gospel, or good news) which we express as evangelicals.

2nd that we are evangelical means that we are centred on that gospel, because we hold to the principles of the 16th century Reformation: a) Scripture Alone as our authority and sufficient source for ministry and Christian Growth, b) Grace Alone as the only means of Salvation. No works can contribute. and c) Faith Alone in Christ as the only expression of Grace received, which can result in Salvation.

3rd that we are a Free Church. Recognizing that the churches of the Scripture were not intended to be a part of a State organization we look to the local congregation as the final moral authority for all decisions regarding our ministry and doctrine, in friendly cooperation with other churches in the EFCC.

Finally, the logo speaks of our location "Calgary" the fastest growing city in the industrialized world, and the motto: Where God's Word is Central.

This motto speaks of the two aspects of God's word as His Son Jesus Christ (John 1:1) and the word of God which was inscripturated by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who in the Bible took the things of Christ and revealed them to us. It is thus called Christ's word (Col 3:16) and it is in them that the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ is made to shine forth in our hearts.

What do Christians Believe?

2008-02-21T12:59:00.000-05:00

I believe in Jesus as the self-attesting Christ of Scripture. Meaning he is the foundation of my beliefs and I believe what I believe because I am His follower.

Jesus teaches the Triune God, as the only God who is (Mark 12:29), and who created humanity (Mark 10:6). Having fallen, Jesus taught the human race descended into sin (eg. John 8:21), and needed redemption. Jesus declared Himself to be that redemption, who gave his "life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Jesus taught that he was the "only way" to Salvation unto eternal life and freedom from sin (John 14:6), and that this way was by faith in Him, "whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"(John 11:26).

God, Jesus taught is the standard of Good itself (Mark 10:18), and therefore all God does is good because he does it. Jesus taught that God has revealed himself in the Scripture, and Scripture cannot be changed or ignored (John 10:35).

Jesus taught that he would establish his church (Matt 16:18), and that the Apostles would have authority over it (Matt 18:19). To help them He would send the Holy Spirit, who would inspire them to write the Scriptures both calling to mind the teachings Jesus had already given and delivering new teachings as they were able to handle them (John 14-16).

The mission of the church as guided by these apostles is global discipleship, evangelizing and teaching them to obey all the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Apostles since clarified the content of the gospel of Christ "once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 4) and direct the church today through their authoritative record of Jesus and Epistles directing the church, in how we ought "to conduct [ourselves] in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

Since "His divine power has granted [past tense verb] us all things pertaining to life and godliness" (1 Peter 1:3) we now look to these teachings as our guide for life and conduct, and as "able to make you wise for salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15), "profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (v 16), with the purpose that the man of God be "complete, thoroughly equiped for every good work" (v. 17).

Jesus also gave the Holy Spirit as a gift to his church, who gives each person spiritual gifts (1 corinthians 12:7), for the good of all, and especially gives gifted leaders to equip the rest of the church (Eph 4:11ff).

Jesus promises to return with his reward, good for good, bad for bad (Revelation 22:12).

Prayer

2008-01-14T01:46:00.000-05:00

I am preparing to preach on prayer this coming Sunday. I am praying hard that God teach me to pray, so that I can share what I learn!

Thinking Compassionately about the Gay Agenda

2008-01-04T11:39:00.000-05:00

A Canadain pastor in Saskatchewan has posted a really helpful thought on the oft repeated mantra of the gay community that homosexuality is an "orientation some people are born with". This post was refreshing as it avoided the tired arguements and/or rants most commonly seen on both sides of the issue.

Whether or not one is born with an inclination, Pastor Al argues, is no foundation for morality. The Bible is clear that all of us are born "in sin" and that the intents of our hearts are "wicked continually". This being the case, no christian should be concerned with the claim that a penchant for any sin is one "natural" to the person.

This is the whole christian message. Sin, since the fall described in Genesis 3 is "natural". All theft, envy, jealousy, kidnapping, murder, blasphemy, sexual sin etc., all come from this route.

The gay community needs our compassion and care, becasue they are being cruelly decieved by other sinful people, and through the scemes of the evil one, to accept sin not just as "natural", but as "good".

May we as a church be caring enough to confront this evil (the practice of decieving sinners to make them comfortable in their sin). But at the same time, may we be consistent and recognize that there are usually a number of hypocracies in our own ranks, that may in fact be equal to the deception on the outside. We live in a worldly church (generally speaking) that tolerates all manner of sinful and worldly behaviour, as long as it doesn't go to far!

But that is a great deciet. Sin has gone to far when it is allowed to thrive and live in our hearts. The smallest sin can keep you out of heaven, as James wrote, "do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (Jms 4:4). The Apostle John warned, "Do not love athe world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 Jn 2:15).

3...2...1...Launch!

2008-01-02T15:39:00.000-05:00

The time has arrived and our new enterprise is off the ground... or at least on the lauching pad. This week I am investigating communities in the lower rim of Calgary, and preparing my orientation packet for potential partners.

It is critical at this time that the foundations are established properly to ensure the health of our new church plant.

The seed having been carefully selected is to be nurtured in the greenhouse, as it were. Christ declared, "I will build My church". While one plants and another waters, it is Christ who "causes the growth".

With this in mind, I am carefully crafting a mission statement, vision and plan that allows us, as a church to serve as Christ's hands and feet in this endeavor, and never to build our own ediface to our own image.

THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH

Acts chapters 4-6 show the earliest Church, what characterized it, and how it evangelized and grew. I want to establish the principles of this church in what we do. Of course in every generation this has been attampted. Calvin wanted to reform the church to its purest biblical form, Wesley desired to have a "primitive church in the methodist connexion", yet each had their foibles. So it is no surprise to us that we will err. However, we have the vast amount of Church history and especially post reformation history and theology to draw on. As each century has corrected the faults of the previous, and as each of the previos provides a defence against the errors that follow, our labours to study this history and to apply its lessons, should allow that a carfully developed work today, would be purer and more authentic then any before.

THE STORY OF CHURCH HISTORY

This is our task, and I have begun it in earnest. During the past months I have invested in reading "Calvin's Institutes", selections from Luther, The Savoy Declaration, 1689 LBC and Westminster standards. I have read Tertullian and Augustine, Ian Murrey's two volume biography of Lloyd Jones, His study of Wesley and the men who followed him, Two biographies of Charles Spurgeon, A study of the English Reformation and History of the Anglican Church, Two books on the origins of the EFCA and another on the EFCC and an article on the early influences from Scottish Puritans on the Free church in Sweden. Specifically targeted materials have been consulted including John MacArthur's "The Master's Plan for the Church", Mark Dever's 9 Marks of a healthy church, as well as a dozen contemporary church planting books including Ed Stitzer and Steve Sjogren's works.

But more importantly, I have fallen back on the book of Acts, the Pastoral Epistles and Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians along with the first three chapters of 1 Corinthians and the 5th chapter of 2 Corinthians, along with Matthew 16 and 18 (The two times Jesus taught on the Church specifically). Combining the lessons of the historical applications of these scriptures three things stand out.

THE THREEFOLD FOUNDATION

Prayer, Purity and Preaching. From Acts to Augustine, from Tertullian to the Metropolitan tabernacle, from the Methodist Revival, to the Mission field, these three thigs have always been both the producer and the product of true spiritual church expansion. Christ builds His church on these and so it is in these footsteps we must follow. Certainlly these are not to exhaust our efforts, they are rather the guiding principles and foundations, from which organization, and results flow.

Yet, there is a danger. When we move beyond these basics, the basics shared by every (without exception) revival and successful ministry, these same histories show a massive collision of ideas contradictory to one another. We are faced with a choice of where we will look to draw our principles today, for leadership, organization and form.

The wisdom of the world is made foolish by God and all the secular theories combined are but "empty" moronacies, in light of divine wisdom. We must therefore become foolish, in the eyes of the world, Paul directs in 1 corinthians 3, to absorb the wisdom of God, who has written to us and told us how we "ought to conduct ourselves in ... the church".

Consequently, those authors who agree in expositing Scripture for leadership, organization and form are to be considered as helpful witnesses and those that express opinion and tradition as secondary sources.

In all this, the Scripture's through firthand exegetical labours will be the one ultimate guide, all advisors of history being helpful as expressions or digressions from these truths. in all things, may Christ have the pre-eminance.

Streams of Reformed/Calvinistic Baptist Renewal

2007-12-07T11:21:00.000-05:00

Clint, of Cowboyology has been writing about the streams from which the new revival in RB distinctives have come out of. It has garnered some interesting discussion. But, what has really come to my attention has been the thinking back through church history, that it suggests.

Streaming History

Dallas Theological Seminary, for example, was founded by an ordained presbyterian. The presbyterian movement itself was an expression of puritanism, or the cause for semper reformanda in England and Scotland. The English reformation, in turn was a result of the great reformation of theology and church life instigated by John Calvin. Calvin himself was not a pure inovator, but learning from Jacques Lefavre d'Etaples and the french reformation wing, which was supremely influenced by Luther and Erasmus. These, although great thinkers who discovered things for themselves, where supremely influenced by their humanistic studies, (ie to study original languages and the Patristics. Luther was able to debate form the views of the Fathers effectively enough to silence his opponents, and admits (to his own political harm) his debt to the works of John Huss a martyr from a previous generation.

All these movements, reperesented a movement of theology, so that not all pre-Dallas where creadobaptists, not all reflected biblically discovered hierarchy before the westminster standards, Luther could harldy be considered a modern churchman. Yet in all these cases we have bretheren who we would not hesitate to learn from, and to cooperate with in gospel mission.

Common Themes

There were central themes that define them all and the so called "formal" and "material" casues of the reformation really do illustrate them. The Bible as the authority, and the gospel as described by the doctrines of Grace, have been consistant. So that while at times, we may feel that a period of Dallas era dispensationalism weakened the Five Responses of the Counsel of Dort to the Remonstrances of the Arminians. They did defend the key elements of Grace, and many Dallas Graduates, such as Robert Thomas are in fact calvinistic, and have been so all the way through.

Certainly my own expeeince at TMS, was that while there was diversity and discussion, the principles of the doctrines of grace were held and taught by the profs and most students. I never came accross any of the so called '3 point' calvinists in leadership there, in distinction from Clint's experience at TMC, but I did come to see that a distinctive dispensational hermeneutic (read as consistant historico-grammatical plain reading, different from a dispensational systematic theology) can and must lead to a reformed view of the doctrines of grace.

More to Being Reformed

There must be however a recognition that there is more to being reformed then the mere affirmations of scripture alone and grace alone. These principles are the core of evangelical committment. But the Reformed view compiles these with the idea of reformed worship according to the regulative principle. (If the bible commands or by reasonable logic implies it, do it. If not it has no place in worship). It sees the world through the either the lense of covenant keepers or covenant breakers. It looks at the social, poilitical and educational activities of our world and seeks to conform those to the principle of covenant fidelity.

Luther in contrast held to a more inclusive normative principle of worship (if not forbidden leav it alone). Yet in view of seeking to bring the world in submission to Christ, socially (see his book On Chrsitian Freedom), politically, (Secular Authority and An Appeal to the Ruling Casses), educationally, (see the quote I deal with in my previous post), Luther is cleary "reformed".

To what do we seek renewal?

I commented on cowboyology:

I have been re-reading Luther lately, and being reminded from his early work, "On Christian Freedom" and his late work, "The Bondage of the Will" Luther could be drawn as a consistent Calvinist (if that weren't anachronistic). Perhaps rather then a reformed renewal (although that is certainly true), the movement we are encouraging and seeing may be broader and really we ought to be discussing a Sovereign Grace Renewal, which is a part of the reforming of Baptistic thinkers bringing them back to their biblical roots.Just a thought, as I looked at Luther's Gospel renewal.

Charles Spurgeon in discussing the gospel wrote "If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, 'He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord.'"

The Fundamental Question

Do we seek clarity on a label and form of christian expression, or on the faith itself? This is an interesting question, because our labels are not sinful, but helpful and communicative. But is this a question of mere labels? One thing must be kept in mind. Orthodox Christianity exaults the doctrines of grace, heresy corrupts them. True Arminianism is not a benign alternative label, it is the title of a condemned heresy that challenged the orthadox beliefs of the reformation church and was judged and publically refuted as heterodox. Spurgeon again notes:

And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we
do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach
the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I
abhor.

Now there are many modern arminians, who are really wesleyan. That is they are evangelical Christians who claim the label arminian, and yet still preach enough of the true gospel. But like the Puritans of England, we see a church with a pretty good gospel, and a pretty good practice, but we call for more.

Reforming Evangelicalism

We want the ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est secundu Verbum Dei --The Church reformed, always reforming according to the word of God. We do not want constant change and inovation, nor bare tradition. We want to be reformed, restructured, remolded to God's word personally and corporately.

This is the mission and call of the church. To call all people to reform their lives, worldview and practices to the word of God, to be covenant keepers in that they accurately represent the image of God in the world and interpret the world unde God's authority and glorify Him, enjoying Him forever.

But to do this in isolation would be foolish. Why reinvent the wheel? While we must study our languages (greek and hebrew) and return to the text of Scripture by ourselves, we need also to return to Clement, Tertullian, Augustine, Chrysostom, Anslem, Wycliffe, Tyndale, Huss, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Hubmier, Owen, Bunyan, Keetch, Spurgeon, Hodge, Warfield, Lloyd-Jones, MacArthur, Sproul and their ilk, who have proved to be faithful expositors, who have wrestled with culture, education, politics, church governance, soteriology, theology proper, counselling, spirtitual growth, and who have all conscienciously spoke to the church at large and asked them to abandon their current direction in favour of biblical reform.

The call to reform

Perhaps we will never escape fighting over the big "R" Reformed Label... Then so be it. Let's focus on small "r" reformation:

"The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox's gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England [and Canada] again."—C. H. Spurgeon

Thoughts From Martin Luther

2007-12-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

Recently I dusted off the old collection I gathered in a graduate seminar on Martin Luther, the Augustinian Monk, Doctor of the Church and Ordained Priest of the 15-16th Century who recovered the Doctrines of Grace from the cesspool of semi-palagian theology of the medieval Church. To Be Evangelical is to be Lutheran in this sense.

What does that paragraph actually mean?

To break this evangelical discovery down further into common language, I looked at Luther's work, the Freedom of a Christian and measured myself and my age against it.

Luther the Man

Luther was a thoroughgoing religious man of passion and zeal, well educated and respectable. Like Nicodemus, in John 3, he felt something was missing. Through his studies of Church doctrines, he practices all the means of salvation, from attending the mass, to fasting, to prayers, to good deeds. He went on pilgrimage to Rome and in his words, "excelled in monkery". All of that, was a system of bringing man to God, through cooperative efforts with the Divine Spirit.

The Righteousness of God Which is According to Faith

Luther came to realize that this view, that man could contribute anything whatsoever, was impossible. No matter how hard he strived to measure up to the righteousness of God, he found himself falling short. Eventually he came to hate the righteousness of God, as an enemy. Like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus in desperation, he asked every authority, "what thing do I still lack?". And hearing a response he tried to do it.

As a professor of sacred Scripture at Wittenburg, he made the stupendous discovery for himself, that the righteousness of God spoken of in Romans, was not the righteous standard of God we must strive for, but rather a righteousness granted to sinful man, by the imputation, or crediting of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, for our righteousness, by a gift of God received by faith.

This faith he understood was foolishness to the religious world, "as the things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned" and thus "foolishness to the natural man". And so there was no possibility for cooperation in grace. Only by the "new birth" which Jesus offered Nicodemus, could he, Luther, a modern Nicodemus be granted the nature that embraces the alien righteousness of Christ which Luther describes in his 1519 book, The Freedom of a Christian as a liberating righteousness. for "his righteousness is greater than the sins of all men, his life stronger than death, his salvation more invincible than hell". Joined to Christ, the Christian Church, as the bride of Christ has that victory in its own experience, becoming one flesh with Chris0t, so the Christian can cry, "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Co. 15:57).

Luther Diagnoses Our Heresies

In our day, now basically free from the once iron clad grip of Roman authority, and now for the most part even out of the grip of fellowship in a Christian church, our struggle toward salvation appears very different, but is it really?

It is obvious that we all excel in our own monkery, whether in pursuit of our careers or recreation, trying to achieve personally the salvation of heaven on earth, to reach that point where we can say as the beer slogan said, "It doesn't get any better than this".

Those in the church have forgotten what the struggle of the reformation really said, that man cannot cooperate in the work of grace, and thus my church attendance, my baptism, my moral religiosity, or even my profession of faith cannot be the foundation of my salvation. Only the Righteousness of Christ, which is mine by the gift of God's grace in faith can be the foundation.

While this Spirit of Faith makes the Christian "a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none" it also makes him or her, "a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all". The spirit of faith "with joyful zeal attempts to put the body under control and hold it in check: because, "the needs of his body drive him" to "do many good works to reduce it to subjection". These works do nothing to justify one before God, Luther warns, but the Christian does them, "out of spontaneous love and obedience to God".

This is the element of our own shift toward semi pelagianism in evangelicalism today. We rely on our profession of faith (our way of cooperating with God) and neglect to be obedient, out of faith. By faith Abraham obeyed God (Heb 11:8), and God in turn recognized his faithful submission as salvation.

A Jewish worldview, the worldview of the time of the bible, would not allow a mere acceptance of certain facts or a certain profession of certain facts to mean anything salvific. "Even the demons believe (certain facts) and tremble" (Jms 2:17 --although i recognize the irony of this quote when considering Luther's position). Rather faith means submission. Faith means committing oneself the Lord Jesus, and as Luther concludes: "Our faith in Christ does not free us from works, but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification is acquired by works".

Calgary E Free Plant

2007-12-05T13:06:00.001-05:00

In the word's of Genesis 24:27, I can say, "As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me". Karmyn and I began our odyssey of church planting almost two years ago in Seoul, Korea, as we prayed and sought God's direction for our lives. Through the intervening months, we have gone on a journey beginning in Lynchburg Virginia, and now terminating in the place my heart has been drawn to for the better part of a decade, but where for some time I had never thought to actually be back to, "cowtown" –Calgary Alberta.

My father was raised here, my mother spent high school here, they met and dated here. The city has grown and changed since we first moved back to the area in 1999. The population grew at 13 ½ % last year. On roughly a million people, that means growth of 130,000 people in a year! WOW.

Calgary may be one of the most exciting cities in the world today, with more potential to continue growing nearly indefinitely. With 23% of the population immigrants from "every tongue and tribe and nation", with the oil revenues set to reach a record high again this year, and with lives hopelessly confused and stressful. With more violence, more demands, more needs then ever before, Calgary is at once one of the most desperate cities in the world as well.

So it is that God has a work to do here. If small I pray he give me the grace to be faithful, if large I pray he grant me the ability to honour Him. But whatever we do, we do, soli Deo Gloria.

One Message to Speak

2007-10-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Over the course of the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of being invited to speak at various churches, in differing countries, differing cultures, and of differing ages.

As most of these where one time shots I was forced to consider what to speak on. This forced me to clarify what would be the central message of my life and ministry, as it reveals one's top priority. What topic would you choose?

Many would speak on the answer to the post-modern angst. Many would speak to the socio-political perspective of our day. Others would speak about having success, or experiencing a life worth living.

For others the message would aim at conversion with a simplistically constructed gospel message. At the same time others would assume that when you are speaking at a church, the bulk of the people, at any rate, are believers and want to hear something for their personal growth.

What troubled me the most, was how to be God honouring first and foremost, by being faithful to Scripture and to therefore experience the promised blessing of the Holy Spirit in the work, while at the same time doing my best to be interesting and relevant.

Now this leads one to the question of what is interesting and relevant and God honouring and relevant in rural Virginia, and what would qualify in Edmonton Urban culture, or Calgary suburban?

These questions are vital. I wrestled through this idea and came to a conclusion that can be discerned no doubt by listening to resent messages here. But what troubles me most, is that the bulk of ministers and Christian leaders and Sunday school teachers, seem never to have considered the central message of their ministry in depth, and thus suffer from a million different directions, some better then others.

What is the driving force? If you had one message to speak, what would it be?

Thanksgiving Sermon

2007-10-05T09:56:00.001-05:00

This Thanksgiving comes off one of the toughest couple of weeks for me and my family. Our baby girl spent some time in Alberta Children's Hospital, and although recovering well now, added a lot of stress to our last few weeks.

That wonderful facility is beautiful and the staff were gracious, caring and professional. No one wants to be in a Hospital, but if you are going to have a sick child ACH is the place to be!

While I am very thankful for ACH and the staff, I am far more grateful to God, in whose care we have been able to trust. The Bible promises that "All things work together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

The great issue is an the question, what is our good? For those without Christ, it is a relatively smooth life, a short term love, a temporary good time, or in the best 'a life well lived'. But is that enough? Our hospital time though ending in recovery, was neither smooth, nor enjoyable in itself.

The Bible tells us that the "good" God has in mind is that, "we be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). This is good because all sickness, suffering, conflict, and tribulation, war and famine, is the result of one root cause. And that root cause is sin.

God's promise of good is that all of these things are training to help us escape finally and completely all the sufferings of life, so that with Jesus as our example, "for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame" we can have great hope even in the worst suffering, and great joy because we know that God is in control.

This experience of God's truth has helped me immeasurably to prepare for my sermon this Sunday at the Okotoks Evangelical Free Church, on "God's Will for Your Thanksgiving".

What an awesome promise that Christ came to set us free from sin and death and to give us "life more abundantly"! We, like children have often to learn, that our Heavenly father knows what is best for our life, especially in the times when we are struggling and we can trust in Him completely.

Changing Times

2007-09-07T21:30:00.001-05:00

As the fall comes upon us here in Canada, the leaves are beginning to change from summer green to autumn splendor. Karmyn is just days away from her due date and we expect to have a great transition in our personal lives.

I have just finished my last full time week at the Town Pool, and am transitioning to an interim position as an adult education pastor at my families home church, the Okotoks Evangelical Free Church. This position is an excellent development ground for me, as I will be teaching a lot and preaching once or twice over the next 12 weeks of my 'contract' time. It feels exciting to be transitioning back in to full time ministry and obeying God's call on my life, as we pursue our church planting objectives in Vernon.

This weekend Sunday September 9th will be the last of my series of three "summer" messages at Edmonton's Grace Reformed Baptist Church, where I will be preaching on "The Message of Jesus According to Mark". I am going to explore this gospel of action, and see what key teachings are emphasized in this context.

Ultimately Jesus calls us to change. The Gospel tells us that, "He came... preaching" saying, "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14). The biblical word is "repent" from the Greek metanoia, which is a call to really change our worldview. To totally make over all our thoughts and ambitions. In other words of Jesus, " "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and ^atake up his cross and follow Me. ³⁵ "For ^awhoever wishes to save his ¹life will lose it, but whoever loses his ¹life for My sake and the gospel's will save it." (8:34,35).

This change is the foundation of the church, the spiritual kingdom of God.

Doing Church: Part Three --Focus on God

2007-08-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

We cannot truly be a church, unless we have the correct focuses. As I have thought about the centre of Church life, I have been driven by the central principle that God is our reward in salvation, our purpose in life. Our purpose is to glorify Him, enjoying Him for all eternity. As I have written before:

For this reason we are God centered. God is the origin of life, the highest good, the Creator, the sustainer of all things and the object of our greatest joy. Therefore, our churches must:

Recognize --The Meaning of Life through God

We were created to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. God is the ultimate object of all our desires, hopes and joys. The problem of "sin", is that "all have fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). God's glory is our prize, our object, and we have missed achieving it. So that the Bible says, "we are without God and without hope in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).

Realize –The Joy of Life through God

Jesus came to change this. He came so that we might have "life more abundantly" (John 10:10). He explains that those who pursue the life of true religion are "Happy". The Bible makes the bold statement, "He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Reform –The Worship of Life through God

Since we are all worshipers by nature, we must either "honour Him as God" and "give Him thanks" (Romans 1:21) or "worship and serve the creature rather than the creator" (Roman1:25). We do the second anytime we put anything before God, our ambitions, our thoughts of what God should be. We do the first when we look to God in the Bible and participate in His church, seeking to know Him, experience Him, and worship Him. When we do that our joy is made complete.

Hanging with Hunter

2007-06-09T11:10:00.000-05:00

My little nephew is pretty cute! I was babysitting today, and I got the crying baby to fall asleep with my cunning threefold attack. First, I read from Ephesians in Greek. He seemed to find that comforting. Then I wrapped him up nice and tight in his blanket, and rolled up to my chest on his side. In minutes he was out like a light.... and I had a new problem...

What on earth do you do with a sleeping baby? So I sat down on the couch and let him sleep. Job well done....whew!

Wisdom from Yesterday

2007-06-03T02:03:00.000-05:00

If there are no adversaries, you may fear that there will be no success. --CH Spurgeon

I was reading a Spurgeon sermon today, and struck by the fact that the battles he fought, are the battles of today. The long war against God waged by the world, the Devil, and our own flesh are the same yesterday, today, and until the day he returns. Let us never get comfortable with peace in these realms.

2007-05-30T20:13:00.000-05:00

Ekklesia Website

I have just completed a fairly significant overhaul of the Church website . Now its always hard to tell if you have done a good job in these things! As many of you know, over the last few months I have been experimenting with my web designer skills, and slowly designing a recruitment site for our upcoming church plant. As it turns out these skills sets are horribly inadequate!

It has however been fun! As God has sharpened my thinking about the church, I have incorporated it into what I have done there. As I have learned to present better, to write for the site better and to develop better content, I have become more and more excited!

There is so many more things to do, and more changes to make. But the site is now the most advanced it has ever been (that's like saying the second coming is closer now than it has ever been!).

I would appreciate any feedback you have on the site however www.ebf-vernon.com. I certainly cant promise to please everyone, but sometimes the advice you give becomes key to the next stage of development. I am fairly limited on the main scheme and appearance, but comments on formatting and content and ease of use are helpful.

Hopefully all three of my loyal readers will check it out and tell me how much they LOVE it as it is, after many many hours of work.... But I would still like any constructive criticism you have!

2007-05-21T15:56:00.000-05:00

Divine Depository

I saw this interview entitled "Divine Depository" on Fox and Friends today. Ken Ham is such an articulate and well spoken defender of the clearest of all natural laws. His Creation Museum however moves far beyond the 'mere' universal knowledge of the creator, but unveils the full spectrum of Special Revelation defining this natural knowledge.

"We have the same science, we study the same evidence" as the humanistic naturalist, but, the difference is in theories of origin, which are guesses and hypothesis to explain the past by what is seen in the present. We of course do this all the time, "Hmm, how did that get there?" But of course we know that we make mistakes, all the time as well. But the key is eyewitness. If I wonder how my keys got on the table and then think I must have forgotten putting them there last night, I change my theory when my wife informs me that she borrowed my keys and left them there.

In Creation we have the testimony of an eyewitness, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 40:28). Jesus said, ""Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' (Matthew 19:4). As believers, I wish we were all as confident, articulate and clear about the issue. Science is a friend, not an enemy. Secular Naturalistic Humanism, the established religion of the academic and left elite is the enemy, with their theory of origins apart from God.

The Church is this Divine Repository, "the pillar and grounds of the Truth" (I Timothy 4:19), charged to "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5). The science involved with putting a man on the moon is far removed, Ken Ham reminds us, from the guesses of scientists, or philosophers, or anyone else about the past. These arguments and pretensions must be contradicted by the faithful church. For more information visit www.answersingenesis.com

2007-05-16T14:59:00.000-05:00

Remembering a Spiritual Giant—and Father in the Faith

Larger than Life

It was the twentieth of August 2006. Karmyn and I sat three rows from the front, just to the (stage) right of the pulpit. The air felt cool, the environment overwhelming. The music was beautiful and then, Doc stepped up to the Pulpit to welcome us all to the worship service. The big baritone voice was incredible. It was larger then life, and one couldn't understand it from just watching him on TV. The voice penetrated you. I felt overwhelmed.

This man was larger than life. The first to be saved in my family was my mother, she was saved watching him preach while my dad was working the night shift. He was a mentor to my father who studied the Liberty Home Bible Institute Doc founded with Dr. Harold Wilmington.

As a child I had read his autobiography, "Strength for the Journey" and Jerry Falwell became a ministry ideal for me. He did all the things I thought the church should do, from the home for alcoholics, to the nationwide chain of Liberty Godparent Homes for unwed mothers, facilitating thousands adoptions. He founded Liberty University, to train up "young champions for Christ" a phrase my dad often quoted. The most memorable is, "A man's character is measured by what it takes to discourage him". When I played competitive sports, when I started a ministry project, this line often encouraged me to go foreword.

He was preaching in I Corinthians and his verse 26:

In verse 26, we see that God's purpose for each of us is to use us for His glory. We read the words, “For ye see your calling, brethren.” The word “calling” refers to the saving will of God; the effectual call; the call that results in redemption. The use of the word "brethren" makes that clear. He is speaking of believers. Saved people. What is it to which God saves us? He saves us to a life of usefulness and fruitfulness... a life of purpose and productivity. He does not call us to be spectators, but participants.

The very next week, I met David Wheeler who said "God wants you to be a church planter". He laughed disarmingly and then said, "Seriously, have you ever considered it?" It was the final human recognition that we needed to begin our pursuit of this challenging ministry.

Meeting the Man

But then I got to know this man, this icon of education, ministry, politics and so many other things. I was walking to class one morning, when I saw the big black suburban pass me by and I was shocked by the tremendously ridiculous train engine horn that blared just feet from me! Inside Doc was laughing like a maniac, waved and moved on. I shook his hand a week later as I joined Thomas Road Church, and he asked me about where I was from. I told him Alberta Canada, and he struck up a conversation about the oil industry and on how he had recently told the president to rely more on Canadian oil, if possible. "At least they won't try to kill us". He recalled saying.

He was never without his smile, the sparkle in his eye and the gracious nature that let any one of his 22,000+ students, 20,000 church members, or Old Time Gospel Hour listeners walk right up to him and earn a few moments of time.

Working for the University as a parking attendant for NCAA games, I was often in charge of the executive lot, where Doctor Falwell and his friends parked. This became a harrowing experience my first day, when I went to move the cones out of the way and he came straight at me accelerating. I stepped back, he kept coming, then when I realized he wouldn't lose this game of chicken, I leaped behind a parked car and he zoomed by with his and out the window waving back at me.

The next game he stopped and apologized that I had to stand outside in such cold weather, and promised to save a piece of pizza for me if I could make it in the building during the game.

That was Doctor Falwell a man of fun and compassion. A good guy, but most importantly a man committed to the gospel ministry of Jesus Christ.

Formed by Falwell

Humanly speaking, it was because of Doctor Falwell, my Mom, and eventually my whole family was saved. Because of his training program that my father developed into a spiritual leader who raised us conscientiously "in the discipline and admonition of the Lord" (Eph 6:3). Dr. Falwell's Liberty University was the place my Uncle Darren and Aunt Cheryl met, and they became a major part of my life as I went through college and started ministry. It was the care and concern for the Scripture and the ministry of the "message preached" that became a model for my grandfather, Dr. Lyle Richards. Grandpa was my ministry mentor and the man that encouraged me to read good theology and to aspire to great preaching.

Last Words

The Last sermon I heard from Doc, three weeks ago, was The Indestructibility of God's Servant. He said a phrase I immediately wrote down:

"God’s man/woman is indestructible until he has finished the work God has called him to do. Therefore, we have no reason to fear anyone or anything. God's Servant is bullet-proof, until God is finished with him".

While Doc has gone on to his reward, we left behind can still follow his example, learn from his mistakes and remember the last words he uttered in my hearing:
"God is faithful. He is never surprised. He is never perplexed. He is never out of control. Remember what He said."

2007-04-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

Doing Church: Part Two

There are a number of different movements in the church today,

and these are really epistemological, or theological positions, not

alternative practices.

These movements are explained by an old theologian who insisted "that the relationship between an individual’s theories of the church is directly related to his theology".[1] In the last century, Hodge argued that there are three competing views of theology, which led to differing views on the church:

(Evangelical, Ritual, Rationalistic), which have always striven to master the church and have manifested themselves in their respective ecclesiological tenets. For instance, the Ritual perspective sees the church as “the organized professors of the true religion subject to lawful pastors.” The Evangelical view stands in contrast to this as it recognizes the church to be only “true believers.”[2]

Following these, one might see the rationalistic theology of Schleiermacher, in modern liberalism as the attempt of church "to be successful in evangelism". To do so, they tried to "rethink the Gospel in contemporary terms"[3]. The seeker-model seems to follow the same ambition to reach the culture, they have tried to rethink the church with the goal of evangelism in mind—from the outside in, to make the gospel's relevance obvious to all. "The traditional" American church, again focused on the gospel again, sees the church as a stationary evangelistic rally, much like the seeker model, but for an older generation.

All these are rooted in the commercial pragmatism of modernity. "the social ministries of the liberal church, the music of the seeker-sensitive church, the programs of the traditional evangelical church all must be seen to be working well and working now to be considered relevant and successful"[4]. While ritual describes the anglo-catholic liturgy, rooted in ancient rite and tradition, it once again is based on an even older cultural paradigm. Regardless of what approach is taken, from both a biblical and historical standpoint, this cultural accommodation, seeing integration with worldly success as the direction of ministry seems incalculably dangerous.

The Bible is full of images and instructions regarding delayed blessings, and warns of animosity from the culture, forbidding the believer to be "of the world". So what is a Biblical picture of the churches goals? What is the foundation of practical ecclesiology? Do these rule, or do market statistics and cultural connectedness drive one's ministry?

[1] A. Craig Troxel, Charles Hodge on Church Boards: A Case Study in Ecclesiology Westminster Theological Journal, (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Theological Seminary) 1999.

[2] A. Craig Troxel, Charles Hodge on Church Boards: A Case Study in Ecclesiology Westminster Theological Journal, (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Theological Seminary) 1999.

[3] Dever, mark Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (Crossway Wheaton, Ill 2001), 26

[4] Dever, mark Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (Crossway Wheaton, Ill 2001), 27

2007-04-21T19:44:00.000-05:00

Doing Church; Part One

In his new book Revolution Barna is forced to ask: "...if the local church is God's answer to our spiritual needs, then why are most Christians so spiritually immature and desperate?" (Revolution, pg 30). In several posts I have asked such questions. From today I will begin a short series attempting to frame the answer.

What's Happening Today?

David Wells, describes, in God in the Wasteland, a cognitive dissidence, between the theology of the church and its practice. This has come about as a result of the world utterly infiltrating the church. Through a meticulous study he argues that the church, through a mixing with the present society's ambitions has seen an increase, "in religious sensibility" while seeing a decrease, "in divine significance" (92). This bizarre phenomenon of an evangelical church as powerful as any force has ever been, losing ground on the culture and seeing the God it cherishes sunk lower and lower.

The evangelical Church, through neglect of the church and worldly ambition, he argues has so become like this world it is denying itself, while believing it is victorious, it is laying the foundation for its own defeat. The thesis he argues is that while there is a increase in religious sensitivity, there is a decrease in divine significance, "stoked by a rearrangement… of what is immanent and what is transcendent in God's being" (92).

"The fact," he notes, "that [God] is holy" the orthodox profession of the faith, "means there is an otherness to Him". But "In the context of modernity, this moral otherness has been converted in to a relatedness that is wholly compatible with the morality of modernity" (121). The Church which has embraced this societal shift is tearing itself apart. As John MacArthur says, "the Liberal church couldn't sell us their theology, so they sold us their hermeneutics"[1].

One of the most poignant notes in this regard is the modern Christian's dogma "that God is love", which Wells reminds us, "He is". But the problem in modern Christianity is that the church "seems to think that this constitutes an adequate theology in itself" (135). This makes, "talk of divine holiness distracting or intrusive" (ibid). What is shocking, and in line with MacArthur's statement, is that, although "Protestant liberalism pioneered this… in the nineteenth century" is that, "in this century evangelicals have taken up with distressing carelessness the wholesale reordering of the Christian faith" (135-136).

Blindly the church is abandoning, "what has been most characteristic of Protestant thought since the earliest days of the reformation", the holiness of God, of which, "love in not an alternative to…but, rather and expression of it" (136).

There are fundamentally two competing views observable in the evangelical church today. The emergent church, a fluid position:

Emergents communicate and interact through fluid and open networks because the movement is decentralized with little institutional coordination. Participants avoid assumptions about the role and nature of the church, attempting to gather in ways specific to their local context. In this way emergents share with the house church movements a willingness to challenge traditional church structures/organizations though they also respect the different expressions of traditional Christian denominations^{[5]^[2]}.

The Church Growth View, a marketing position:

In spite of misunderstandings regarding the purpose of marketing and marketing techniques, marketing by churches is becoming more prevalent in the U.S. today. ….Findings show the clergy to be somewhat more positive than the general public toward church use of these techniques…… [including] sponsorship of sports teams[3].

Websites such as http://ministrymarketingcoach.com, have lists of books and conferences to help the church "market itself better". The term "marketing" … as applied to a church setting:

Can be viewed as those activities designed to achieve a mutually satisfying exchange of value between the church and the population it serves. That is, the goal of church marketing activities should be to facilitate and expedite the flow of value to people (in terms of meeting their spiritual, social, and other personal needs), while also facilitating and expediting the flow of value to the church itself (in terms of societal/congregational acceptance of Church teachings, participation in church functions, monetary contributions, etc.]. Both parties should benefit[4].

[1] John MacArthur "A Call for Discernment" Sermon Tape GC 52-33, Grace to You 1997

[2] Wikkipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerging_Church retrieved 9 april 2007

[3] Stephen W. McDaniel The Use of Marketing Techniques by Churches: A National Survey
Review of Religious Research, Vol. 31, No. 2, Special Issue: Methodological Issues in Congregational Studies (Dec., 1989), pp. 175-182

[4] Stephen W. McDaniel The Use of Marketing Techniques by Churches: A National Survey Review of Religious Research, Vol. 31, No. 2, Special Issue: Methodological Issues in Congregational Studies (Dec., 1989), pp. 175-182

2007-03-29T15:51:00.000-05:00

Staring at the Noose

Today I read a typical description of the evanglicical scene. It doesn't seem to matter what denomination or tradition one is in now, the church is dead set on conforming to our present cultural norms and expectations. The Church as a consequence, no longer sounds a clarion call of distinction, but has, like the world around it been carried on by the twin forces of modernity and modernization, buying wholesale the gospel offered therein, and now joins in the cacophany resultiung from the failure of that system. The narcissistic, deconstructionist stepchild of modernism, that is forced to deal with modernization, postmodernity.

The Questions Remaining

We are left to ask some uncomfortable questions. Is it possible, that post-modern culture has infiltrated the evangelical Church so deeply, that it has committed institutional suicide, and come to a crossroads, such as that faced by Judah in Jeremiah 18-19, where it has rejected the word of God, beyond the point of repentance? Can the pottery be remolded, or will God shatter it?

Whether its the churches that are now, or the churches that will be started in the future, the Bible's warning must be acknowledged; "do you not know that friendship with bthe world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

"The world", as David Wells describes in God in the Wasteland: Truth in a World of Fading Dreams, is the "collective expression of every society's refusal to bow before God" (p. 39).

In the Cross and Christian Ministry DA Carson explains how the wisdom of this world is exposed as foolishness by God, in that "the world through its wisdom did not know Him" (I Co. 1:21). He has confounded the wise, that is the worldview expert, and the scholar, the religious scribe, and the debater, the deconstructionist and thus "made foolish the wisdom of this world" (I Co 1:20 cf. Carson p. 18).

For those post-modern Christians, who claim orthodoxy in statement, but believe, along with their culture that truth is no longer the catalist for change, or the foundation for society, God answers, "It pleased God, through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe" (1 Cor. 1:21).

But God's wisdom accomplishes a lot in what that bare statment expresses. In the preaching of reconciliation, God has "destroyed the barrier wall of division" (Eph. 2:14) between Jew and gentile, by creating a holiness apart from the Law contained in commandments in ordinance, but through the cross to "reconcile them both in one body to God" (16).

Thus Christ's ministry of reconciliation brings humanity together and unites them "holy and without blame before God" (Eph 1:4). It is this ministry that is given to the Church, "so that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through this church" (Eph 3:10).

So, we are left with the question, do we demonstrate the manifold wisdom of God, or the wisdom of this world? Do we attract people with persuasive means of human reason, or with the foolishness of God's message?

The Dangerous Answer

Romans 8:5-7 recounts:

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on athe things of the
flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, bthe things of the Spirit. 6
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life
and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God.

In Jeremiah 18 the prophet pleads with Israel to be faithful. "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as the potter does?" (v. 6). The potter Jeremiah observed had a pot not pleasing to him and so he remade it into a more pleasing vessel. "Behold like the clay in the potters hand" God declares, "so are you in My hand" (6). If Israel repents, the judgement of the coming exile can be averted, God will "relent" and bless rather than curse them.

In Judah's history however, they continued to follow their wisdom and despise God's word and God's messenger. Jehoiachim burnt the Scroll of the prophecy, and So God hardened His position, in Chapter 19, Jeremiah is to smash a potter's jar, and declare tht the calamity is certain, Israel has been abandandoned to the consequences of their sin, and choice has changed from repent and be saved, to surrender to Babylon and avoid death.

The cultural monolith of Babylon is invading our church, and god calls us to "be seperate" from the practices of the pagans around us. If we are faithful, who knows what times of refreshing may come from the Lord, but consider the seven Churches of Revelation, who refused to hear His plea.

A Bold Conclusion

Are we staring at the noose? Does the Bible offer a compelling meta-narrative in contrast to the nada-narrative of our culture? Does theology matter in our "doing church"? Do the Scritures speak compellingly about the mystery of the Church, the purpose, plan and model for this organization?

I believe the answer to all those questions is "YES". The book of Ephesians is an exposition of the revelation of the mystery of the Church entrusted to Paul (3:1ff). It begins with God's eternal purpose in the Trinity to establish this church, demonstrates what has been accomplished by this plan, ethnically, sociologically, and salvifically in the next two chapters, and then moves into the practical living of the members of that body, so as to "display the manifold wisdom of God in the Church" (3:10).

Yet, shockingly, in the books we read and the classes we take on ecclesiology (study of the church) and church planting, these revelations, from God Himself are largely, if not totally ignored!

Like a condemned man the church stares at the noose, and the Judge offers reprive, if the church will repent and follow Him. But it is Christ, who is building his church, and he will not allow the gates of hell, to consume it, even from within:

Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and arepent and do the deeds
you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your clampstand out
of its place-- unless you repent (Revelation 2:5).

2007-03-08T16:53:00.000-05:00

The Church

What is your definition of the Church? When someone asks, "what is the church's role in…" what entity are they asking about?

What it is not

The Church, is not the building, of course. No one disagrees with that. But, neither is it a structure, such as the Presbyterian Church of Canada, or the Anglican Church. Their position is that the church is represented by an Archbishop, or President in Council, whether at a Synod, or Session.

What it is

But the Church in Scripture is defined organically. It is "the body of Christ" (Col 1:24), of which we are "members" (Eph. 5:30). It is the group over which he has been given, all authority, as "head" over her (Col 1:18 cf. Eph. 5:24). Generally speaking then, "the Church", can be referred to as that universal body of Christ, composed of all people everywhere, who are engrafted by the Spirit, into Him. Acts 9:21 implies this as it speaks of the "church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria".
The very word, church, is a translation of the Greek word for "assembly" (ekklesia). Thus, in a very real sense, the church is the body of Christ "assembled". So we read of Paul and his companions, that they "appointed elders for them in every church" (Acts 14:23), and "He met with the Church" in Antioch (11:26), but later in 15:4, "When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church". Thus in each place, Luke can speak of "the Church". The Epistles of the New Testament are written to specific churches, Paul writing, "to athe church of God which is at bCorinth" (I Cor. 1:2). This is the most common use of the word "church" in Scripture and the ordinary way in which one ought to think of "the Church."

Congregationalism

Recognizing this, Baptists, have been from the earliest days, Congregationalists. In 1644, seven Baptist Churches in London gathered together and wrote a confession, including the following teaching on the church. This:

Church is a company of visible saints, called and separated from the world by
the word and Spirit of God, to the visible profession of faith of the gospel,
being baptized into that faith, and joined to the Lord, and each other, by
mutual agreement in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances commanded by
Christ their head and king. (Article XXXIII)

And of this visible, local assembly, they professed:

BEING thus joined, every church hath power given them from Christ, for their
wellbeing, to choose among themselves meet persons for elders and deacons, being
qualified according to the word, as those which Christ hath appointed in His
testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of His Church;
and that none have any power to impose either these or any other (Article
XXXVI).

Under this biblical distinctive the congregation itself is finally accountable to God for endorsing leadership, doctrinal fidelity, gospel witness, and stewardship. This has a great effect on our view of "doing church". It is not a building program, or an activity, but an assembly of the living body of Christ, to do His will.

2007-02-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

The Purpose of the Church

As I continue to think of getting our church plant off to a solid start, I have wrestled with the Scriptural teachings on the church, the theological heritage, and traditions of the Reformed and Baptist history, and my own experience.

Our Authority

Scripture must be our final authority, and it regulates all that we do. We have no Pope, or magisterium, to explain the meaning of the Scriptural message. As evangelicals, as reformed Christians, we share no one structure or hierarchy. We simply share a hermeneutic, based on an understanding that Scripture is 1) perspicuous (sufficiently plain in its meaning), 2) inerrant (will not lead us into error), 3) infallible (trustworthy and without errors in the original manuscripts).

As a result, we interpret Scripture by studying its historical context and following the rules of grammar, the historical grammatical method. That is, we don't really interpret it all. We just read it, recognizing the figures of speech as common figures of speech, the symbols as symbols, narratives as narratives, instructions as instructions, etc.

The Gospel is Central

From this hermeneutical basis, I approach my study of the church, adding the insights of those who have gone before me and find that the Gospel, or good news of Jesus Christ, is central to everything we should hope to do at Ekklesia Baptist Fellowship.

The Church is the followers of Christ

Why is the Gospel central to everything we do? The answer is, that this is the central mandate for the God's people. Christians, as the name suggests are the followers of Christ. The Church is not a human organization or building, but an organism, composed of these individual Christians and known as the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:27), which exists to be a display of His glory (Ephesians 3:21). It meets in local assemblies (Philemon 2) and has regular meetings (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

The Lord Jesus Christ gave his followers a clear and simple mission, to gather the Church from every nation of the world, disciple and teach them the Truth Jesus revealed:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Church Gathered

We need to have a certainty about the Purpose of this gathered Church, based on Scripture. Why does the church gathered exist?

I) The church exists to worship and glorify God (John 4:23-24).

1 Cor. 10:31—“Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Heb. 13:15—“Through Him, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise.”

II) The church exists to be a repository of divine truth (Jude 3).

1 Tim. 3:15—“I write so you may know how to conduct yourselves in the church, which is the pillar and support of the truth.”

2 Tim. 1:13--"Hold to the standard of sound words that you heard from me and do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus".

III) The church exists to provide a context of loving fellowship with one another for the purpose of mutual edification (Ephesians 4:7, 16).

Heb 10:24,25 --"Stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together."
Acts 2:42 --"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

IV) The church exists as a training center whereby people can grow through the application of
teaching and the utilization of their spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8).

Eph 4:12-16—“for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, to the
building up of the body of Christ”
1 Pet 4:10—“As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another”

V) The church exists to be a light in this dark world, for the evangelization of the lost (Titus 2:11–15).

Matt 28:19-20—"Go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them…and teaching them to obey all things whatsoever I have commanded you"
Matt. 5:13–16—"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Building this Church

Building Christ's Church is not our job! Jesus said; "I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18). As his undershepherds, the church's leaders are more like waiters, serving what he has prepared, then managers scheming and organization.

From this central understanding, the organism of the church can be structured for effectiveness, as gathered in a local assembly. But in everything the Church does, this gospel purpose and this leadership of Christ must be kept central.

Evangelism and Missions exist, because Worship doesn't. Therefore, all our gospel efforts, should be aimed at facilitating the Father's mission, He "seeks [people] to be his worshipers" (John 4:23).

The Church which exists, as a gathered body, must be trained to pursue the Fathers purpose theologically and practically (Matthew 28:20). Therefore the regular teaching of the whole council of God is necessary.

The Church must mutually encourage one another and represent Christ to one another to keep up morale and support the members: "From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love" (Ephesians 4:16). Therefore assembling together for corporate meetings is necessary.

The Church must hold fast the truth (2 Timothy 1:13), and "earnestly content for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). We should aim therefore to speak publicly against falsehood and equip people with the truth so that they can detect forgeries.

Finally the Church must be trained to understand that each member exists, to worship and glorify God, understanding that "true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:22), that is with a right attitude and correct belief, "whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). We must learn that worship is a verb, that we must act for the glory of God, in the corporate service and redeeming our careers and families for His glory.

2007-01-28T20:44:00.000-05:00

Irrational Rationality

Why is it that the skeptics demand reason, while objecting a priori to any arguement they don't like? When the Christian refuses to scream and throw things, they seem to be at a loss.

We have been treated to an outstanding discussion concerning the existence of God, under the post Creation Explains the Origin of the Universe. It becomes obvious as we progress through the discussion that to deny God, through the use of strict rationalism (the demand for empirical demonstration), is ultimately irrationalism at its highest.

This is true because it demands rationalism, in a universe of chance and possibility. Anything is possible, and everything is the result of chance, they argue. But at the same time, evidence is demanded on the basis of faith in the ephemeral laws of logic –an absolute irrational and baseless faith, in a universe of chance and unlimited possibility.

One great illustration of irrationality and an example of the common assumption of the atheist is to try and "trap" the believer with a condemnation of "blind faith". They assume that the theist holds to the same principles of an irrational universe as they do, and consequently assume that faith is "baseless".

Selective Evidence

A related ploy, is the use of hyper-selective evidence. Usually relating to science and logic, the best illustration was a recent exchange between Armchair Theologian and the anonymous blogger --Hairless Chimp.
Hairless Chimp wrote:

Dictionary.com's definition of faith:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith. It appears you don't know what faith is. However, its possible that your church/religion (your particular flavor) has taught you this new definition. IF that is the case, then it is a trait very similar to cults - Creation of new definitions for existing words, whereby doing so helps to isolate the individule from the outside world...Faith is the context of relgion, is belief in the absence of proof.

Hairless Chimp demonstrates the commonly assumed arrogance of the skeptic, who assumes Christians don't have the ability to check their sources. In this particular instance, Chimp dishonestly demanded that Lyndon accept his selective definition of faith as THE definitive word. However, the article he referenced, gave 9 definitions, as follows:

--noun

1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.

2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.

3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.

4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.

5. a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.

6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.

7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.

8. Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

—Idiom

9. in faith, in truth; indeed: In faith, he is a fine lad."

Armchair Theologian rightly called him to task replying:

You select the 2nd meaning and apply it to my use of the word, which is actually the 8th meaning. You cannot select a meaning, of multiple various meanings, and apply it wherever you desire.

Armchair, and myself would be closest to either number 3, or 8 above, especuially with the definition of 8 credited with being the definition of Christian theology: "8. Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved". This kind of arguement can only be describes as duplicitous.

Sloppy scholarship, and demands that the Christian accept misunderstood and misquoted authority is common. Very often it is assumed that "science" authorities have "proved" facts concerning evolution. This is not true, but a random quote from the scoffer usually surfaces, demanding submission.

Arrogance

Armchair Theologian also points out the assumption of superiority, the third major issue that surfaces. Skeptics often come across with the sort of confidence one might expect in someone that holds a Biblical studies PhD's and throw out some pseudo-intellectual second hand argument concerning supposed Biblical contradictions or irrationalities. As Armchair writes:

Just because you cannot figure out some portions of the bible doesn't mean it doesn't make sense...

It is encouraging to see people react so violently against a God they profess to deny. As Shakespeare wrote, "Methinks thou dost protest too much". As Paul wrote, "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom 1:18). That is, they work hard to deny evidence and hold down under the surface of the water of irrationality, the balloon of evidence that is everywhere present.

In the end, the text proclaims, "Professing to be wise, they become fools". The irrationality of the rationalist destroys all his or her attempts to maintain the façade of denial.
Ultimately, this is a purely moral problem, as the skeptic, has no epistemological difficulty in discerning God. There is only a heart issue. And only God can change the heart.

2006-12-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

These puppies and I just wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

My wife is an avid Christmas fan, and it makes for a very exciting time around our place!

We have been listening to Christmas music and Christmas sermons by John MacArthur, Alistair Begg, and John Piper, all of which are highly recommended and very encouraging as we grow closer to God and each other in this most celebrated Christian Season.

2006-12-20T23:45:00.000-05:00

Where Did Jesus Specify....

That you must have an ugly website, if you are a church, or christian organisation? I spent some time surveying blogs and christian/church websites (from an unspecified region) today.

What I found was an inverted relationship. It seems the better theology the church had, the worse its website was. From colours that hurt the eyes, to broken links... why can't we have art and theology?

Oh well, I'll have to do something about it in my own case.

2006-12-14T10:57:00.000-05:00

Creation to the glory of Jesus Christ

The Universe, created by our Saviour and Lord, is one of the greatest edifices proclaiming His praise, “The Heaven’s declare the glory of God. And the firmament shows His handy work” (Psalm 19:1).

“In the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made” (Jn. 1:1-3).

Interpreting the Biblical Account of Creation

There is a popular illustration, “Back in my Father’s day, it took six days, driving during the day, to get to Toronto”. This serves to illustrate that in any language, any given work can have two or more meanings depending on context. In the case above, the word day, means, 1) a generation, 2) a literal 24 hour day, 3) the daylight portion of the day.

The illustration is not overly difficult for an English speaker to grasp, but it introduces the question, “What is interpretation?” In the movie, “The Interpreter,” Nicole Kidman works as a UN Interpreter and acknowledges the difficulty of her job, saying a misstep, a wrong word in translation, could lead to disaster. She was a translator, taking a foreign language, explaining the original meaning of the speaker by using an English word or phrase with the same concept.

Matthew 1:23 conveys the idea succinctly, as the Evangelist quotes Isaiah’s prophecy, “You shall call his name Immanuel” which is interpreted “God with us” (KJV). Some new translations, write, ‘translated’, in place of interpreted, to show the modern English idea, helping to better interpret the passage to modern ears.

The Science of Biblical Interpretation

The science of Biblical interpretation is called “hermeneutics”, named after Hermes, the messenger god of Zeus. The concept being that the interpreter of Scripture is not doing anything to introduce novelty, not to input anything, but simply proclaiming the Divine oracle to humanity.

The divine oracles clearly guide us into an account of how, Jesus Christ created the world. Beginning with the idea that, “by faith we understand that the worlds were formed by the word of God…” (Heb 11:3):

I. In the Beginning

The process was divine fiat:

“In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth. Now Earth was without form and void and darkness covered the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light (Gen. 1:1-3). “Then God said…. Then God said…. Then God said etc.,” (vv 6,9,11,14,20,24,16),” and it was so…. And it was so…. etc.,” (vv. 7, 9,11 et all).
“by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of water and in the water” (2 Peter 3:5). “He commanded and they were created” (Ps. 148:5).

God made the earth and everything in it by divine fiat. That is by His Word. He spoke and it was so; “Thus the Heavens and Earth were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work” (Gen 2:1). The process is complete. The mechanism for the origin of each aspect, from inanimate planets and processes, to fish and fowl, according to Scripture is direct command and response. No intermediate or proximate process is mentioned in Scripture.

The timetable for this creation is given as well, “God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. So there was evening and morning, the first day.” (Gen. 1:4,5). The Hebrew word for “day” can mean a number of different things, as does the English word, seen in the illustration above. In both languages, its meaning is determined by context.

The Hebrew word, 'day' is actually used 2000 times in the OT, giving a marvelous sample from which to determine Biblical context. The overwhelming majority of times it means a common ordinary ‘day’. Outside of Genesis one, we get this information to help us understand the context:
1) Whenever (ie. In all cases where) the word ‘day’ is used with a numerical adjective, some 400 times; it always means a literal day.
2) Whenever (ie. In all cases where) the phrase “evening and morning’ are used apart from day; they always mean a literal day (38 Times).
3) Whenever either ‘evening’ or ‘morning’ is used with ‘day’ some 23 times each; they always mean a literal day.
4) Whenever the word ‘Night’ is used in context with Day, 52 times, it always means a literal day.

Now not one, not two, not three, but all these are present in the Genesis account. There is a deliberate, calculated intentionality here, foreseeing any possible future arguments to the contrary.

In other words there is no additional way the author of Genesis could have possibly been any clearer in presenting six, regular, 24 hour days! But there is also a Biblical commentary to help clarify this further, as if to slam the door shut on debate. In the 10 Commandments, a rather literal text, we read the rational for the Sabbath, and the only rational for a seven day week, “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth” (Ex. 20:3).

II. Natural Factors

All is not accounted for by simple intellegent design however. There are factors such as appearent disteliology, suffereing, and brute ugliness, that make an edenic creation seem mythical. But the Bible, being true history and not a story, has accounted for these things and provides an adequate explanation for these things.

1) The Fall: “Cursed is the ground for your sake:... Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth” (Gen. 3:17,18). The NT reveals, “…the creation was subjected to futility” (Rom. 8:20).
2) The Flood: “All the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened…. the waters prevailed exceedingly on the whole earth, and all the high hills were covered…. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping things and birds of the air” (Gen. 7:11,19,23). “The world that then existed perished” (2 Pet. 3:6). This radically changes the interpretation of the observable facts, because the creation only dimly reveals it original order, and the geological and hydrological factors mentioned would have cataclysmic effects.

III. Ethical Factors

Not only is the creation so changed as to barely be recognizable for its origional intention, without the corrections of the natural factors, but there is an even more serious matter-the Human condition.

Man’s intellect rejects this interpretation of the facts in nature and himself: “For this they ‘willfully’ forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old,… by which the world that then existed perished being flooded by water.” (2 Peter 3:5-6). Romans one closes the door on hope for the natural intellect to accept the ethical implications of special creation, they, “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18).

This is purely ethical. There is no epistemelogical, or physical barrier to discovering this truth, but man needs to be shown his moral rebellion against it.

Summary and Conclusions

Therefore the Biblical doctrine of Creation, is: 1) that God created the Universe in six literal days, and all very good. 2) That sin entered and radically changed much of the good in creation physically; including an apparent dis-teleology (futility). 3) That the flood destroyed the world that then existed, radically and permanently changing the appearance and facts of the earth around us. 4) That sin also caused an ethical dilemma that ethically dissuades man from admitting the facts as God sees them. 5) that despite all this there are enough vestiges in creation, especially if interpreted in light of the above to show both the evident Intelligent Design of the Earth, and mark the Character of the Creator, and to reveal our duty to glorify Him.

The only solution for those who cannot grasp this, is salvation. They must become covenant keepers, as I noted in my last post.

The Church and Revelation

Here is the role of the church, which leads well back into the series I had begun to write. According to I Timothy 3:15, the Church is, "The pillar and grounds of the Truth". We are to proclaim, or "preach the Word, in season and out of season" (2 Ti. 4:1), because "it pleased God, by the foolish means of the message preached, to save those who believe" (I Co. 1:21).

Through this the ethical blinders can be removed and redeemed man can glorify God, as he was created to do.

Q: What is the Chief purpose of humanity? A: To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

2006-12-10T15:36:00.000-05:00

Chritianity Explains the Origin of the Universe

As I promised in the most recent of my replies in the comment dialogue of the previous post I am going to put up a short series of posts explaining the Biblical explanation of the origin of the Universe. Hopefully they will be of some help. If you missed it you can catch up here.

The Laws of Physics

Biblical creation is fundamentally in agreement with science. Science repeatedly affirms design. The fictional Star Trek character Scottie is famous for declaring in his lovable brogue, “Ye canna’ change the laws of physics!”

Astronomy, biology and archeology’s claims and recantations are in constant flux and theories leap from one extreme to another on a regular basis, but there are two scientific principles which have never been contradicted through centuries of experimentation and theorization.

1) The Conservation of Energy Principle

Sometimes expressed as the First Law of Thermodynamics, when speaking of energy:

The conservation of energy principle is one of the foundation principles of all science disciplines…. Energy can be defined as the capacity for doing work. It may exist in a variety of forms and may be transformed from one type of energy to another. However, these energy transformations are constrained by a fundamental principle, the Conservation of Energy principle. One way to state this principle is "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed". Another approach is to say that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant1.

We understand this as fundamental to Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, that energy and matter are in principle one (E=MC2).

Both the Steady State Theory, once popular (events occurring outside of space), and the ruling Big Bang Theory (events occurring outside of time), are in clear contradiction of this Law of Science. The Bible on the other hand says that God, after instituting Time, Matter and Space (Gen 1:1), “ended His work” (Gen. 2:1) and now conserves the system (Col. 1:17) in perfect harmony with the Laws its author Superintends.

2) The Law of Entropy

Sometimes expressed as the Second law of Thermodynamics, again when referring to energy:

A measure of the disorder of a system…Since entropy gives information about the evolution of an isolated system with time, it is said to give us the direction of "time's arrow" . If snapshots of a system at two different times shows one state which is more disordered, then it could be implied that this state came later in time. For an isolated system, the natural course of events takes the system to a more disordered (higher entropy) state2.

The evolution of any system is always downward. In harmony with the First Law, the second maintains all the Energy of any given system, but teaches that it always moves to disorder from order, without outside stimulus. The Universe as a whole is dying and has been since its origin. If it was eternal, it would now be dead. This proves the temporal origin of the Universe and the need for a source that is infinite in energy, infinite in information and a “sufficient” not just possible cause for the Universe.

The Bible of course affirms all of this, “In the beginning God” (Gen. 1:1). The God of the Bible is infinite, personal, creative and sufficient to be the cause of the Universe we experience. Additionally the Bible tells us “The heavens will vanish away like smoke and the earth will grow old like a garment” (Is. 51:6). Time’s arrow is indeed pointing down. Some outworkings of this principle of entropy are good and natural, (ie friction, digestion etc.) and some the result of sin: “The creation was subjected to futility… by Him who subjected it in hope” (Rom. 8:20). That is as a result of sin, this principle is fatal, so that even death is a part of its cycle, “to dust you shall return” (Ge. 3:19).

The Bible and Modern Scientific Observations in Harmony

As Creationists and interpreters of the Bible affirm the laws and observations of Science, there is much data in common with naturalistic and theistic evolutionary thinkers. 1) The apparent disteleology and yet ultimate order of the Universe, 2) the survival of the fittest preservation and mutation mechanism, 3) nature red in tooth and claw as the natural state, 4) similarities between all life, structural, DNA, etc., 5) geographical strata, 6) fossils, 7) Astronomical observations “redshift” etc.

The only difference is in interpreting the history of these observations. Does disteleology and order show that the universe, contra the Law of Entropy, is moving upward? Does the survival of the fittest through mutation, imply the entry of new development to higher and higher forms, or the sorting of existing information? Is the violence of nature, the way it has always been, or is this the result of a curse on a perfect creation? Do similarities point to a common ancestor, or a common designer/artist? Does the geological record point to billions of years or a global catastrophe? Do fossils indicate upward progression, or rapid burial of related species? And so on and so on. How can these types of questions be addressed? Not through observational science. We have a rock, or a bone, not a time stamped document.

The Ethical Lens of Perception and Interpretive Revelation

“All men” by nature “Suppress the knowledge of God”. They “exchange the truth of God for the lie”, and “profession to be wise,” or enlightened, “they become fools”. And as they reject God, so He rejects them, and “gave them over to a depraved mind” (Romans One).

All men are by nature covenant keepers, or covenant breakers. In Scripture God has given a clear testimony of Creation, “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day” (Ex. 20:11). The Evangelical church has always confessed something like this:

The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience (2 Timothy 3:15-17, Isaiah 8:20, Luke 16:29,31, Ephesians 2:20).
The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God (2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 5:9). --1689 LBC

In light of the authority of the source, namely God: the Bible is thought of as authoritative on everything of which it speaks. And frankly, it speaks of everything. Not of course that it speaks of hockey games, of atoms, etc., directly, but it speaks of everything either directly or indirectly.

It tells us not only of the Christ and his work, but it also tells us who God is and from where the universe has come. It gives us a philosophy of history as well as history. Moreover, the information on these subjects is woven inextricably into the whole. It is only if you reject the Bible as the Word of God, that you can separate its so-called religious and moral instruction from what it says, for example, about the physical universe.

This is where the question lays, both in the lab and in the Church. How do I live in obedience to God in everything? To say Scripture is unclear, or ambiguous in these matters is farcical as it speaks with the utmost clearness. As a consequence, it is an ethical decision, to believe in Biblical creation, not a mere debate about facts.

The Interrelatedness of Doctrine

Furthermore it must be understood that this Biblical doctrine of creation, as Romans One illustrates, that God is the author and sustainer of the universe, as well as the source of all good things, is the very foundation of all religious belief. It is this that is assaulted most fiercely by the kingdom of Satan, “which worship and serves the creature, rather than the Creator”.
The Bible is not a collection of loose doctrines for one to pick and choose from as one likes. The Account of Genesis one to eleven is no separated matter, cut off from the rest of Scripture. Rather every Christian doctrine, either explicitly, or implicitly finds its source in these chapters. If we take any view but that of a literal, plain rendering, then we risk many things:

1) Any other view denies the perspicuity and accuracy of Scripture, the sure foundation of our faith.
2) Any other views necessitate the denial of the doctrine of original sin, without which the entire doctrine of atonement, which the NT directly links to Genesis 3 is abolished (Cf. Rom. 6 and I Co. 15).
3) They necessitate the denial of the flood, which Peter calls a sign of apostasy, and specifically the denial of the doctrine of divine judgment “for this they willfully deny” (2 Pet. 3:5).
4) They necessitate the denial of the curse, as the present configuration is seen as the result of God’s intentional plan and not the corruption of the same into bondage (Rom. 8:20).
5) This in turn results in a denial of God’s attribute of goodness, because he is the God that designed cancer for little children, and bloodshed as the path to perfection “all very good” (Gen. 1:31). .
6) It denies a literal Adam and Eve, necessitating a denial of the foundation for the roles of men and women in marriage and the church and implies the denial of the second Adam and directly denies the resurrection (I Co. 15: 44-49).
7) It denies the testimony of Christ is true, as he testifies that mankind far from being the pinnacle of evolution, “Have you not read, that He who made them at the beginning, made them male and female” (Mt. 19:4). If Jesus was wrong here, what else was he wring on?

In essence, by embracing even theistic evolution, we have lost, the basic confession of even the Apostle’s creed. We have lost the knowablility of truth, sin, final judgment and thus morality, the atonement, redemption, the resurrection, the institution of marriage, the goodness of God and the truth of the words of Christ for starters. These doctrines cannot be held, without a literal Genesis 1-11. But that is not to say that those who deny the Genesis account do not personally hold to these. It merely means they have no valid foundation for them any more. By virtue of ignorance, or by blind faith, they cling to these unsupportable assumptions despite their view of origins.

2006-12-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

Vernon, British Columbia

Last week during the American Thanksgiving, we went to the Okanagan Valley to explore a Church Planting oportunity.

The Spiritual need is there, and the people we met in the area had a heart for a bible proclaiming, evangelical movment to begin afresh in the region.

We have determined to pursue this for the present and see God's leading as we continue on this path.

It is a good oportunity for us to spend time now formulating the most Biblical model of Church that we can determine, from a study of Scripture first, and foremost, and secondly the works of Christ centered, churches throughout history that have proved faithful.

As Baptists we believe in the autonomy of the local church. This is to safeguard the flock from catholic style hierarchy, which had often persecuted and usually dominated the local body of Christ. However, the opposite extreme of pure democracy, one member, one vote congragational governence, with no regard for any authority of any kind, has also destroyed any number of churches.

Any view of Church governance needs to be not only informed by Scripture, but rather imposed by Scripture. Balance needs to be found, I would suggest, in voluntary relationships among sister churches. In a future post I will attempt to illustrate my vision of modified congregational government, and model for interchurch cooperation.

2006-11-10T11:27:00.000-05:00

A Vision for Planting

I believe that the Church, as the Body of Christ, is the hope of the world (Eph 2:11; 4:4). I have a Biblical 1) purpose, 2) mission, 3) plan and 4) model to bring hope to the people God calls us to serve.

Purpose

A Great Commission Church (Mt. 28:19-20)
*Evangelistically Motivated (As you go make disciples, baptizing them)
*Discipleship Oriented (teaching them to obey all things)

A Worshiping Fellowship (Acts 2:42)
*Apostle's Doctrine and Prayer (Worshiping in Spirit and Truth)
*Fellowship and Breaking of Bread (Fellowshipping in Unity of Faith)

Mission

Training Ambassador's For Christ (Eph 4:11-13)
*Divinely Commissioned Work (He Himself gave some… pastor-teachers)
*Equipping the Ambassadors (for the work of ministry)

Plan

Communicate the Full Council of God (Acts 20:27, 2 Co. 5:14-21)
*Create Contagious Passion for Christ (2 Co. 5:14-15, 21)
*Instill Courageous Passion for the Lost (2 Co. 5:20)
*Establish a Cyclical Pattern of Discipleship (2 Co. 5:16-19)

Model

God has laid on my heart a picture of how to fulfill the purpose, mission and plan illustrated above. Fundamentally, I believe the twin epistles of Paul to Timothy lay out a very clear and practical model for my pastoral ministry. From these I draw my own ministry philosophy, my Biblical Mandate. Afterward, I will explain how I hope to put my mandate into practice.

The Timothy Model (The Biblical Mandate)

Prepare Leaders Carefully select spiritual leaders for the church on the basis of their giftedness, godliness, and virtue (I Ti. 3:1-13). Using great care and seeing they are both mature and proven (I Ti. 5:22).

Teach and Disciple Teach and preach principles of true godliness, to create discerning people (I Ti. 5:24-6:6). Portray the best model I can in my conduct and character (I Ti. 4:12), passing on apostolic truth in order to reproduce myself in faithful disciples (2 Ti. 2:2).

Preach and Evangelize Boldly command and teach the truth of God's word (I Ti. 4:12), through preaching to exhort, rebuke and reprove with great patience and instruction (2 Ti. 4:1, 2), understanding that Scripture is the basis and content of all legitimate ministry (2 Ti. 3:16-17). Do the work of an evangelist (2 Ti. 4:5), constantly praying for the lost and teaching the leaders of the church to do the same (I Ti. 2:1-8).

The Timothy Practice (The Mandate in Action)

Step one: Partner: Begin to build trust relationships with people in the community. Through evangelism and/or networking, establish a core of disciples to partner with me in the vision. Men and women, who are committed to evangelism and have their hearts broken for the community in which we live, to join me in praying and seeking God's direction in reaching the lost. Immediate goal of developing a small group of likeminded individuals to begin the project.

Step two: Prepare: Meet with these partners for practical training and encouragement, establishing basic doctrinal mission (as expressed above) regular times of prayer and concrete evangelistic objectives. (Grid out the community and strategize a campaign to proclaim God's love and truth to every household. Plan servant evangelism projects, gain practical tips on 'how to' appropriately and relevantly share the content of the faith etc.). Leaders for future ministry roles begin to be identified. Immediate- short term goal.

Step three: Practice: Capitalize on trust relationships. Evangelize the community; advertise our passion to unchurched Christians. Incorporating or reincorporating these two groups into reproducing units (ie. The prepare groups. Preferably under leaders who completed the first cycle). From this point, leaders who have been identified are discipled for their roles in corporate worship, evangelism leadership, etc. Short term goal.

Step four: Praise: As soon as sufficient numbers are available and a place can be arranged, gather to worship together in a corporate group; recognizing the principle that missions exist, because worship doesn't. (Prepare and practice groups continuing to operate). Leaders identified and trained, participate in worship and assume responsibility for aspects of prepare and practice group ministries. Medium-short term goal.

Step five: Produce: Successfully harvest a renewable crop of cyclical disciples who participate in praise worship, train and pray in prepare and serve in practice groups. We want to see ongoing new births and baptisms as a fundamental component of our existence. Medium term goal.

Step six: Plant: After being established as a body and establishing healthy growth and discipleship patterns, we need to move beyond our "Jerusalem" to our region… and the ends of the earth. Having met the goal of a healthy worshipping organism, being matured and nourished together, we want to reproduce ourselves corporately, as the leadership did personally, and see other Great Commission Churches planted, cooperating in local and foreign missions. This is a key component of our Great Commission purpose to be emphasized from day one. Long term goal.

2006-11-06T00:47:00.000-05:00

A Pilgrim's Praise

(Reflections on I Pt. 1:1-2)

We are pilgrims of Diaspora, of every tribe and tongue,
As the rejects of the world, we worship You in song.
Like Israel's seed long ago, scattered throughout the earth,
As Zerubbabel led them home, You lead us to new birth.

We yet rejected by the world, yet by Your grace chosen,
You foreloved us in ages past, for us sent Your only Son.
Still enemies despising you, you called us as Your heirs,
You justified our sinful past, set us apart by Spirit's pares.

From the hopeless darkness, brought into joyous light.
Once slaves to sin's requirement, you freed us to obey.
As Moses came to Israel, from Sinai's cloudy height,
You brought a new covenant, with your help we'll obey.

The congregation swore that day, to do and to observe,
But in the weakness of the flesh, they failed miserably.
In mere human strength, we too outside would swerve,
But future grace safeguarding, peace reins perpetually.

2006-10-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

A Vision for Excellence

Core Values

We need to have a certainty about the Purpose of the Church, based on Scripture. Why does the church exist?

a) The church exists to worship and glorify God.
1 Cor. 10:31—“Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Heb. 13:15—“Through Him, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise.”

b) The church exists to be a repository of divine truth.
1 Tim. 3:15—“I write so you may know how to conduct yourselves in the church, which is the pillar and support of the truth.”

c) The church exists to provide a context of loving fellowship with one another for the purpose of mutual edification (Eph. 3:16–19)
Eph 4:12-16—“for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, to the
building up of the body of Christ”

d) The church exists as a training center whereby people can grow through the application of
teaching and the utilization of their spiritual gifts (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12–14; Eph. 4).
1 Pet 4:10—“As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another”

e) The church exists to be a light in this dark world, for the evangelization of the lost (Matt.
5:13–16; 28:19–20; Titus 2:11–15).
Matt 28:19-20—"Go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them…and teaching them to obey all things whatsoever I have commanded you"

Core Practice

Knowing why the church exists, we need to ask what it consequently, ought to do? Can we set practical goals that relate to the above purposes?

I believe the Biblical goals of a healthy church are set to reflect the purposes above. They may be summarized as serving 1) worship, 2) fellowship, 3) spiritual growth 4) and evangelism.

All our goals must aim at one of these "Core Practices". All else is superfluous. But how can we know if we have done these in an excellent way? Does the Bible only speak in theory? What kind of benchmarks does one look for?

Core Efficiencies

I recently read a summary of Paul's instructions to Timothy in the twin epistles that bear his name, regarding his pastoral oversight of the church. Paul "was not advising Timothy to seek success; he was urging him to pursue excellence".

In other words, Timothy was to be all that God had gifted and called him to be, and leave the results to God. Therefore we will not do "what works", but rather "what is faithful to God's Word", with the highest level of discipline, devotion, planning, and skill.

The Biblical Benchmarks are as follows:

Godly Leadership, (Ti. 1:5-9, I Ti. 3:1-7),
Leaders who are above reproach, devoted to their wife, temperate, gentle, respectable, just, devout, hospitable, lovers of good, able to teach, not self-centered or self-willed, not quick tempered or pugnacious, not contentious, free from the love of money, good managers of their own household, men with a good reputation among unbelievers—and mature believers, not recent converts. From that platform of godly example, they teach the Scripture and lead their people to Christlikeness (Ti. 1:9).

Discipleship, (Eph. 4:11,12)
The ministry of developing deeply spiritual friendships focused on teaching biblical truth, applying Scripture to life, and consequently learning to solve problems biblically –reinforced by godly examples. This involves time and personal involvement. (Jesus ministry to His own disciples is the biblical model). It must also include restorative discipline (Mt. 18:15-20).

Outreach, (Acts 17:6, 5:28)
The church built by Christ will have a strong emphasis on evangelism, beginning with its own community and extending to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Concern For One Another, (Heb 10:24,25)
The "one another" passages (eg. Ro. 12:10, 16; 14:13; 15:5, 7, 14 to name only one epistle's list) put into practice will result in a caring, sensitive, and loving church. When spiritual gifts (cf. Ro. 12:3-8; I Co. 12:4-11; and I Peter 4:10,11) are properly exercised in that context, the members will produce a community conformed to the image of Christ.

A Commitment to the Family, (Mt. 19:4-6)
Helping our people to develop solid marriages and sturdy families by teaching husbands to love and lead their wives (Eph. 5:25), wives to submit to their husbands (5:22), children to obey their parents (6:1), and parents not to exasperate their children but to nurture them in the Lord (6:4).

Biblical Teaching and Preaching, (I Ti. 4:11, 2 Ti. 4:2)
D. Martin Lloyd-Jones once proclaimed: "…I would say without any hesitation that the most urgent need in the Christian church today is true preaching;…[and] obviously the greatest need of the world also." (Ro. 10:13,14,17).

A Willingness to Change, (I Co. 9:19-23)
Someone has said the last 7 words of a church are, "We've never done it that way before!" We must be willing to grow and adapt and try new things. Stagnation can be fatal to the church. However, we don't need to "abandon the centrality of the word of God, the primacy of preaching, and the fundamentals of biblical truth in order to be fresh and creative."

Worship, (Psalm 150)
This is the church's—and the individual Christian's—highest priority (I Co. 10:31). Worship is all of life, not just corporate services, but certainly including them (Heb. 10:25). Using the regulative principle (2 Timothy 3:16, 17), we need to worship God in Spirit and in Truth (Jn. 4:24, Deut. 4:2, 12:32, Rev. 22:18-19).

2006-10-16T23:03:00.000-05:00

Waking Up In Virginia

So Karmyn woke me up a couple of days ago and said, "There's a man outside the window with a gun."
"Well," I said, "We are in Virginia".
"Do you think I should call the police?"
"I think you should step away from the window"
So we are doing well, and the squirrels are bugging us less. So all and all a good day.

2006-09-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

The Inevitable Process of Aging—A Glorious Promise

I had the idea about how amazing our bodies are, in that we grow and develop until we are in our thirties, at which point, our muscular development is at its highest, our minds are matured and sharp, our cardiovascular system is strong, we are nearly immune to disease (ie. The flu will not harm us), and we are genetically at our peak. AS small children we were frail, breakable and susceptible to disease. But, we grow stronger and better. From that time onwards, our bodies stop growing and there is a turn about. We begin to decay, never will our strength and reflex be the same, our organs begin the slow inevitable process of slowdown. Our immunity system weakens day by day, our bones begin to decay and death is an inevitable process in the making. As humans, we are either growing, or dying genetically, physically with little concept of plateau.

Now we know of course that all of the decay is the result of sin and the curse, and in this verse we see a glorious parallel. From the moment of birth, we are under sin: "For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5 NLT). That means from the moment of conception we are "sold under sin" and we are corrupt in mind and body, we are "accustomed to doing evil" and on the inevitable decline to dissipation, depravity and damnation.

I have been reading in First John, and I was really struck by this particular idea from the third chapter:

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have
confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.29 If you know that He is
righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of
Him.

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that
we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us,
because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has
not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we
shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.3 And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 2:28-3:3 NKJV).

The miracle of Salvation is being "born again"; "whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (italics added I Jn. 5:1). From the moment of our "New Birth" we are no longer on the trajectory and inevitable, we will become "like Him". We are becoming, not dying, our spiritual muscles are strengthening, our consciences are being built into a nervous system that overcomes sin, minds being sharpened in the truth and spiritual life, the abundant life, the joyful life is more and more ours! Now "it has not yet being revealed" exactly what this will look like in the end, just as none of us knows how far we'll age, or whether we'll grow frail in this way, or that, we know it is inevitable that we will die. But in Christ, we have this hope, that although we don't know how exactly we'll look, or to what extent we shall see it in this life, but we will live eternally free from sin!

2006-09-28T22:17:00.000-05:00

The Bad News of the Sin Nature

I found this quote from Film maker Oliver stone insightful. While criticizing US foreign policy in Spain this week, he made this observation:

"You can't see that the United States is responsible for all the evil in the world because you can see so many dictators and so many bestial acts all over the world now. .... There is something in the human heart, the international human heart, that is evil," ( italics added: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060929/ap_en_ce/film_oliver_stone).

Sometimes the world seems to convey a message to the church, which we need to revive. The Scriptures are very clear:

[A]ll people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is good— not even one. 11 No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong. No one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their speech is filled with lies.” “The poison of a deadly snake drips from their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “They are quick to commit murder. 16 wherever they go, destruction and misery follow them. 17 They do not know what true peace is.” 18 “They have no fear of God to restrain them.” (Rom. 3:9-18 NLT).

It is neither Bush, nor the US, nor poverty, that is the "root" cause of evil, terrorism and suffering in the world. The root cause is sin, and while the symptoms may be treated by wise statecraft and charitable works, we must be cognizant of the desperate need to get the gospel to every creature, making disciples, teaching them to follow Christ in all things (Mt. 28:19-20).

2006-09-27T23:39:00.000-05:00

John Calvin: Arch Enemy of the Gospel?

Jerry Falwell, whom I respect greatly, is one of my spiritual heroes. He recently preached on Philipians chapter three. In it he warned of the dangers of the enemies of the gospel in Paul's day, the Judaizers. Then he said:

What are some modern ‘foes of our faith’ in our day? Let me list but a few:

Liberalism—which says not all the Bible is inspired and inerrant.
Relativism—which says there is no absolute truth.
Evolutionism—which denies the creative acts of God as Biblically recorded.
Radical feminism—which promotes political correctness and redefining of the family.
Universalism—which would say all religions are equally valid.
Legalism.
Extreme Calvinism (http://sermons.trbc.org/20060917_11AM.html).

Now we say Amen!

Liberalism has destroyed the church and with all of the mainline churches brazenly liberal, and former evangelical bastions falling toward that trajectory, it is a powerful statement. Relativism as well and the great ecumenical movement are eating away at our faith. Evolutionism is the destructive power that stole the faith of Charles Templeton the great preacher and friend of Billy Graham. Radical Feminisms and the ordination of Lesbian woman, the destruction of the family are plagues tearing across our nations, and we could name church after church, organization after organization. Universalism and Unitarian Churches, the new openness of God, movements, etc, are definitely a danger. Legalism always has been and remains a danger for many. And extreme Calvinism….

Um, can anyone name an extreme Calvinist in the evangelical church? Can we document a threat that is on par with Liberalism, Evolutionism, Universalism as a threat to the faith? I have, as a student at a SBC seminary and a member of an SBC church, heard these warnings over and over.

I join in the warning and I OPPOSE HYPER-CALVINISM. So I want to know where they are, I want to go to them and reason with them from the Scriptures on the necessity of the gospel call. I want to assure them that belief in the tenants of Calvinism are no where mentioned in Scripture as the prerequisites for salvation. So I began to research and to discover where this cancer lay. I found this link that intrigued me:

…every and any form of Calvinism is somehow dubbed as hypercalvinism in the SBC. The term is seldomly defined and ambiguously defended. Wise voices such as Adrian Rogers, Danny Akin, and Paige Patterson have warned about the dangers of unchecked hyper-Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. Now, where has it been documented and clearly noted where the “unchecked hyper-Calvinism is in the Southern Baptist Convention? With all the “white papers” being written by professors at seminaries and all the sermons being preached against hyper-calvinism in the SBC, one would think that they could provide the names of leaders or proponents of hypercalvinism in the SBC. But has one name been given? No. Not one (http://strangebaptistfire.com/2006/05/15/sbc-the-presidency-and-hypercalvinism/).

Having researched the issue, I believe that this is true. That these warnings are truly aimed at any and all forms of Calvinism, through lack of knowledge and historical misunderstanding. While it is not vital to me, whether one claims to be Calvinist, or Arminian, It is vital that our gospel message be Biblical.

I don't think that it is right to summarily dismiss a massive part of the evangelical church as a threat to the gospel, because of a name. To that end I have included an extent quote from a Calvinist website that lends clarity to the conversation:

Hyper-Calvinism

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most Calvinists reject as deplorable the following hyper-Calvinistic and destructive beliefs:

that God is the author of sin and of evil

that men have no will of their own, and secondary causes are of no effect

that the number of the elect at any time may be known by men

that it is wrong to evangelize

that assurance of election must be sought prior to repentance and faith

that men who have once sincerely professed belief are saved regardless of what they later do

that God has chosen some races of men and has rejected others

that the children of unbelievers dying in infancy are certainly damned

that God does not command everyone to repent

that the sacraments are not means of grace, but obstacles to salvation by faith alone.

that the true church is only invisible, and salvation is not connected with the visible church

that the Scriptures are intended to be interpreted by individuals only and not by the church.

that no government is to be obeyed which does not acknowledge that Jesus is the Lord, or that Biblical Law is its source of authority

that the grace of God does not work for the betterment of all men

that saving faith is equivalent to belief in the doctrine of predestination

that only Calvinists are Christians (Neo-gnostic Calvinism)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

(http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/hypercalvinism.html).

One of these "Calvinists", was also one of the greatest soul winners the world has ever known, Charles Hadden Spurgeon. He replies to these same accusations in this way:

This doctrine, stern as it may seem to be, does not oppose the consolation which may be rightly derived from any other truth of revelation. Those who hold the free-will theory, say that our doctrine, that salvation is of the Lord alone, and that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, takes away from man the comfort derivable from God's goodness. God is good, infinitely good in his nature. God is love; he willeth not the death of any, but had rather that all should come to repentance. "As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but had rather that he should turn unto me and live." Our friends very properly insist upon it that God is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works; that the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy; let me assure them that we shall never quarrel on these points, for we also rejoice in the same facts…. Do I not, again and again, assert the universal benevolence of God—the infinite and overflowing goodness of the heart of the Most High? ….There is not the slightest shadow of a conflict between God's sovereignty and God's goodness. He may be a sovereign, and yet it may be absolutely certain that he will always act in the way of goodness and love. It is true that he will do as he wills; and yet it is quite certain that he always wills to do that which, in the widest view of it, is good and gracious. If the sons of sorrow fetch any comfort from the goodness of God, the doctrine of election will never stand in their way ( Election, No Discouragement to Seeking Souls: http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0553.htm).

Whether you choose to identify with one camp or the other, let us focus on what is most important, being biblical. Preach the gospel. But please apply reason to this debate and lets be careful not to call our great Baptist missionaries (William Carey 5 point Calvinist), our modern evangelistic role models (Bill Bright 5 point Calvinist), and our Baptist heroes of the faith (C.H. Spurgeon 5 point Calvinist) enemies of the gospel.

Neither John Wesley, nor George Whitfield, were enemies of the gospel, though one was Arminian, and the later Calvinist. This is an important issue, that should be talked about, debated and settled in each of our minds, but lets do it based on the Bible, instead of on baseless accusations of ignorance.

2006-09-23T22:05:00.000-05:00

House of Prayer

This is a Hebrew Biblical passage.
When the Pharisees began to conduct business at the Temple, Jesus quoted this passage to justify his cleansing of the temple.

"For My House Shall Be Called a House of Prayer." (Isaiah 56:7). The Hebrew letters above the south entrance of Temple Israel's Riverbend synagogue spell out this message for all to see (http://www.tidayton.org/).

Wikipedia notes: "According to halakha Jews should—and men must—pray three times a day; ideally with a minyan. Although prayers can be recited anywhere (except in nonhygienic or immodest environments), the synagogue's primary purpose is to facilitate this communal prayer." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synagogue).

Jesus disciples received the Holy Ghost in the upper room where, "they all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication" (Acts 2:14). The early church regularly gathered, and "continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42).

Paul wrote 1 Timothy as a handbook on how we ought to "conduct [ourselves] in the house of god" (3:15), that is the church. In chapter 2 he writes, "I desire that men (plural) in every locality pray lifting up holy hands" (I Ti. 2:8). We are to make "supplications, prayers, intercession and giving of thanks" for all men (2:1).

I can't think of the last time I heard of a well attended prayer meeting of a local church anywhere. I wonder why this is so radically missing in our evangelical scene? I wonder if it is a sign of our spiritual depth (or lack thereof)?

I have become more and more convicted of the need to have a more regular and effective prayer life personally. As I have begun to put this principle into practice I have felt closer to God, sinned less and worshipped more. I wonder what would happen if our churches did this together in greater numbers?

2006-09-20T11:29:00.000-05:00

Created For Community?

Community exists everywhere in our culture, from the traditional sports and clubs to the new wave of web groups. It has been said that in the "post-modern", culture, community is paramount. If the church is to reach this generation for Christ, then she must become the community par excellence of our time.

Only through community, the argument runs, can the gospel be effectively shared. Only through community can discipleship advance. Is this true? Is this Biblical?

Certainly there is a great deal of truth in the claims of today's post-modern pundits. Christian post-moderns still believe in some absolutes, so we can say that. Facebook is the most talked about thing in the college generation. Belonging to the "cool" e-groups is all the rage. People do tend to be more effectively ministered to by those they trust and are in relationship with. Whether it is in trusting the messenger enough to listen intently to the gospel, or to let someone know our struggles and allow ourselves to be discipled.

Yes

Biblically, we see that the Church is a Community. We are the e!kklhsia, that is "the gathered. The Church is a "body" that functions together (I co. 12:12). It is a place that cares for the poor and orphan (Jms 1:27). So the church should excel in community.

Evangelistically, we know the culture is desperate for community, and they should see this in us, as Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Mt. 5:16).

No

Equal to this opportunity, is the great danger presented. An experienced and effective evangelist warned me, "What you draw people with, is what you draw them to". It is very possible to veil the gospel and create "community-Christians", as happened in the earliest church in Acts (More will be explained on this later).

Theologically, the danger of relational redemption is most concerning. The community theologians tend to emphasis the loss of relationship in the fall, and the fundamental need to be restored to "relationship" with God. But there is little to no mention of sin and atonement. Is a person saved, by joining the community, or by repentance and faith? That is not to say that all "community" efforts drop the gospel, but there is a tendency to minimize it.

Further, communities tend to gather around all sorts of things, imitating the world, instead of creating true biblical community. This leaves us with the fundamental challenge, "what does God teach about biblical community?"

Pursuing Liberty

2006-09-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

Pursuing Liberty
It is the sine qua non of Americana to enjoy, "Life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness". Liberty University, carries the motto: Knowledge Aflame.

Biblically I am struck by the passion of Paul, seen in his prayer on behalf of the Phillipian church, "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment….being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Jesus, to the glory and praise of God" (Phil 1:9,11). King David told his son Solomon, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding" (Prov. 4:7), and so "when you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and you will not stumble" (v.12).

The Christian life is vitally tied to knowledge. The type of knowledge Paul prays for is e=pivgnwsiV (epignosis), meaning "precise and accurate knowledge". It is this knowledge that allows us to be "filled with the fruits of righteousness".

Essential to Evangelism

The only evangelism that can succeed is an evangelism that gives the hearer precise and accurate knowledge of their condition, along with the atoning work of Christ the Creator. This is what God meant, when He inspired Paul to write that He "desires all men to be saved, even to come to the knowledge of the truth: (I Ti. 2:4). We are to come to –the—knowledge of –the—truth. Salvation is Truth oriented, not emotion, not work, not action, but faith from the knowledge (e=pivgnwsiV) of the truth. Jesus said, "You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you at liberty" (Jn. 8:32).

Essential to Sanctification

The Christian must rely on the Truth, to pursue his "liberty". Jesus prayed to the Father, "Sanctify them by Your Truth. Your word is Truth" (Jn. 17:17). For this reason, "study diligently to show your self approved unto God, a worker, who does not need to be ashamed, correctly dividing the word of truth" (II Ti. 2:15).

Pursue Liberty

Be free from slavery to sin, "since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in the knowledge according to Him who created him" (Col. 3:9b-10). If you want fruit, water the root.

Rooted In History; Real in the Present

2006-09-11T15:38:00.000-05:00

whykrbl Belonging to Baruch

whyrn /b Son of Nariah

rpsh The Scribe

I recently translated and researched this seal for a Paleo-Hebrew class assignment and I found it a real uplifting spiritual experience. "Ah!?" Says the reader, "you are crazy!" But give me a chance to explain. Sometimes it is easy to get into the habit of thinking of Biblical persons as characters from a story, or perhaps a television show. But we need to keep in mind, that they are real, living, breathing, historical personages, like Napoleon, or Charles Spurgeon. Here we have a concrete piece of evidence, helping us not only to understand the reality of this historical figure, but also to know him a little better and provide commentary to our understanding of Jeremiah's ministry.

Baruch, the Son of Neriah

As a student of the Bible this Seal is a really cool find. In 1975 some archeologist discovered about 200 clay pieces called "bullae":

Bullae are lumps of clay which were attached to documents and impressed with a seal. From the shape of its Hebrew characters (which vary throughout history) scholars date the collection to the 6th century BC, the time of Jeremiah. Within this collection are two bullae believed to have belonged to Baruch, and Jerahmeel (http://home.att.net/~kmpope/SealofBaruch.html).

In the Society of Biblical Literature Forum, Lawrence J. Mykytiuk writes:

The bullae made from Baruch's seal read, "Belonging to Berekyahu, the son of Neriyahu, the scribe." Jeremiah 36:32 almost exactly matches this identifying phrase with "Baruch, the son of Neriyahu, the scribe." (http://www.sbl-site.org/Article.aspx?ArticleId=292).

This means we are looking at a belonging, a tool of one of the Bible's most exciting prophetic periods. The book of Jeremiah gives a treasure trove of information regarding the owner of this 2700 year old artifact. Through the difficult years of Jeremiah's ministry God supplied Baruch as a faithful companion whom we see first appearing in Jeremiah chapter thirty-two (cf. 32:12).
Baruch served as Jeremiah's Personal Secretary, actually writing the words of what we know as the Biblical book of Jeremiah (Jer. 45:1).

He was more then a mere scribe, as we can see him oberating as an agent for Jermiah's business affairs (cf. 32:12-15).

Evidently he had a great deal of real, or perceived influence over the prophet as his enemies accuse him: "Baruch the son of Neriah is inciting you against us to give us over into the hand of the Chaldeans, so they will put us to death or exile us to Babylon (Jer. 43:3).
Baruch, was very important in Israel:

Here the title "scribe" does not just describe a general occupation. Especially on a personal seal or bulla, as in this instance, it is an official, governmental title granted to a very high official in the royal administration. Doubtless after his seal was made, Baruch fell out of royal favor; he allied himself with the prophet Jeremiah, perceived by some to be a pro-Babylonian traitor. Still, having borne such a title, Berekyahu/Baruch would have easy access to the official workspaces of his former colleagues, where Jeremiah 36:9-19 places him (http://www.sbl-site.org/Article.aspx?ArticleId=292).

This certainly leaves the reader with a greater appreciation of the ins and outs of Jeremiah's ministry, his methods and his contacts. Perhaps the son of a High priest and the son of a high official (cf. 51:59), had a childhood friendship.
Baruch's life ended, scholars believe, in Egypt, after we last hear of him in Jer 43:6-7, being carted off during the invasion if Jerusalem.

When we look at his seal, we are brought to "know" that Jeremiah and his companions were real, historical people. There message was presented in History, and we need to heed their words as real words, from the prophets and servants of God, coming to us almost 3000 years later:

Hear the word, which the Lord speaks to you… (Jer 10:1)

The Church's Hope

2006-09-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

It has been said that North America, and especially Western Europe is now living in a post-Christian culture. What does this mean to the mission of the Church? For many it means it is time to abandon the Kirk. It is time to have spiritual places that are pit stops on the journey. Places where people can define god in their own way.

Others say, we may keep the Church, but it must change its character. It has obviously failed. And it has failed because it is no longer relevant to the culture. We must change the church, to conform to the post Christian gestalt we find ourselves ministering in. No longer can we "preach" in the traditional sense. Oh, we can Narrate a story, as long as it is relatively short and incorporates video, music, drama. But, we must never "preach at" people.

There are other solutions, but in the end of the day, there is one foundation we must be bound to, Jesus Christ:

With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness—righteous, holy, and true (Eph. 4:17,18,20-24 NLT).

The solution for the church's woes, is to stop living as the "hopelessly confused". There "must be a spiritual renewal" in the "thoughts and attitudes" of ourselves and those we try to reach.