Yearly Archives: 2011

A Christian in the Digital Age

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“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion…” – Genesis 1:28

The world has changed and there’s no going back. How are we to think as Christians as we adapt to this new technological advanced digital age? Is there a Christian way to think?

At the recent Ligonier Ministries National Conference, Tim Challies was asked to speak on his new book “The Next Story.” Instead of speaking about the book or offering up a summary of it, he took a look at 3 vignettes that help us understand what’s going on in the world around us.

It’s a short but excellent presentation lasting around 25 minutes which I highly recommend:

Soul of my soul

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when has a Christian written a classic romantic song? I dont know of any. Perhaps they have, but I am not aware of it.

I urge Christian song writers to read their Bibles, and specifically, the Song of Solomon, and get inspired, and may the world learn the value of true love.

In the meantime, here’s a song by Michael Bolton called “soul of my soul.”

Concerning Division in the Church

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“I appeal to you, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.” – 1 Cor 1:10-15 (ESV)

As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church there were many issues that were of concern to him, one of which he outlines in this passage, namely division in the Church. He wished to see harmony and unity and was alarmed to hear reports that there were four factions amongst the Church members. The King James Bible states the problem this way, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.” In considering the four groups a few things come to mind.

The first group he mentions were followers of Paul. Now lets remember who is writing this. It’s Paul! Yet Paul seems just as much concerned that people would follow him blindly as they would anyone else. Paul saw his ministry as a gift to the whole body of Christ, and he was not in this to gain a following, but to point people to Christ. He looks back at his time of ministry in the city and now knowing of these factions is happy when he remembers he did not baptize them, except for the two people he names, Crispus and Gaius. If he had baptized most of the Christian Corinthians (even though doing so would not have violated any Scriptural principle at all) then it might have added fuel to the fire, so to speak, further cementing the ridiculous idea that these Christians are unified by their love for Paul, rather than another prominent Christian leader. Paul wanted the Church to look to Christ alone as the Head and that there be no divisions amongst them, united in the same mind and the same judgment (v. 10). Continue reading →

Luther’s Gate to Paradise

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In the last 1,000 years, what came to be known as “The Tower Experience” of Martin Luther might well be the most significant historical event in the Western world for all the ramifications which ensued. Here are Luther’s own words as he describes what happened as he was studying Romans 1:17 (and reading the insights of Augustine on this verse from a fairly obscure article he had written centuries before):

“For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” – Romans 1:17

“I greatly longed to understand Paul’s epistle to the Romans and nothing stood in the way but that one expression “the righteousness of God,” because I took it to mean that righteousness whereby God is just and deals justly in punishing the unjust.

My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner troubled in conscience, and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage Him. Therefore I did not love a just angry God, but rather hated and murmured against Him. Yet I clung to the dear Paul and had a great yearning to know what he meant.

Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the righteousness of God and the statement that “the just shall live by faith.” Then I grasped that the righteousness of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before “the righteousness of God” had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gate to heaven…”

Look where 5 years of German gets ya…

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TRUE STORY: One Sunday morning, a distinguished looking couple from Germany came to our Church. In greeting and chatting with them after the service I made a very big mistake. I told them that I studied German for five years in High School.

In their lovely thick German accents they said, “oh how nice. Please tell us something in our German language.”

I said, “oh no, its been so many years since I studied German and I have forgotten most of what I have learnt. All I can remember now are little phrases that are quite useless.”

“No, please, Pastor John,” the lady said with an eager smile, “we have been away from Germany for 3 weeks and have not heard any German at all – please, Pastor John, tell us – please tell us something in German.”

I was more than a little suprised with their insistence. They seemed very determined for me to say something in their language.

“O.K., here’s something I remember” I said, “but I do warn you, it is not a very useful phrase.”

“We don’t mind,” the husband said, “just tell us something in German.”

O.K., I said, “Ich kannst nicht ins kino gehen aber ich bin nur dreizein jahre alt.”

The German couple looked completely stunned for a brief moment. Then they looked at each other. One started smiling, the other started laughing, and then they both started laughing in unison, to such an extent that their laughter became loud.

Others in the room stopped their own conversations and began turning around to find out where the big noise was coming from.. and as they looked, they saw this visiting German couple holding each other up as they were almost falling down because their laughter was so pronounced.

Amidst their gasping for air, the husband said, “You are right, that is totally .. ridiculous..” as he tried to breathe through the laugher again… “We thought you would quote a Scripture or have at least something profound to say, but that was one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard…”

Why would they be laughing so much?

Well, in their imagination, they could see me in Germany, perhaps in one of the big cities.. perhaps I was driving a car and it broke down and I needed help.. finding someone on the sidewalk I rush up to them and say:

“I CANNOT GO TO THE MOVIES BECAUSE I AM ONLY THIRTEEN YEARS OLD!”

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

This is absolutely breathtaking, no matter what they might be selling:

The Omission of “Sanctified” in the Golden Chain

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Pastor John, I have so enjoyed reading your teaching this week on the Golden Chain of Redemption from Romans 8:28-30. Because I can see myself in the chain in the word “justified” (in that I know He has declared me just or right in His sight through faith in Christ – Romans 5:1), I can now look both forwards and backwards in the chain, and understand that all the other things God says are also true of me. How amazing this is! Looking forward in the chain, in spite of my on-going struggles, He will bring me to full glorification (what comfort it is to know this); and looking backwards, He called me, predestined me, and foreknew me (set His love on me in eternity past). That’s so assuring to me!

I do have a question for you though. Why do you think the idea of sanctification is not included in the Golden Chain?

I am so glad to hear that the articles were a blessing. Isn’t God amazing! I believe that is the whole point of the text in Romans 8 – to bring a deep settled assurance to God’s people, even under the most intense pressure situations. The eighth chapter of Romans starts with the concept of “No Condemnation” and ends with the idea of “No Separation” for the people of God. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. That is where the truths of the chapter are all taking us, but sandwiched between those two thoughts of no condemnation and no separation is the statement of the Golden Chain of Redemption (v. 28-30), which is the foundational basis for this assurance.

Regarding your question, on the blog at desiring God, Dr. John Piper wrote of a reason for the omission of the word “sanctified” in the golden chain of redemption found in Romans 8:28-30. I agree with him completely but would like to add a second reason for the omission. Dr. Piper writes:

Have you ever wondered why “sanctification” is missing from this golden chain in Romans 8:29-30?

Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Continue reading →

Romans 8:28 – 9:24 (Part 4)

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How exactly does God ‘harden’ a human heart?

Well there two possible answers. One is to actively put evil into the heart of man – which I do not believe to be true of God biblically. The second, and I believe scriptural view is that in some people’s cases, God withholds mercy, (let’s always remember mercy by definition can never be demanded) and leaves them to the stubbornness of their own (hostile to God) nature. God doesn’t need to actively put evil in a human heart, to harden it – He can just withold mercy and leave us to our own evil desires. The worst thing God can do for us while we are in a state of spiritual deadness is to leave us in the hands of our boasted free will.

God holds people responsible for something they cannot do, which is to come to a saving knowledge of Christ by their own power and will! (v. 16) In this case, they cannot resist His will, but yet they are still at fault. Still the pot screams, “THAT’S NOT FAIR, GOD!”

Today, the vast majority of Christians hold the unbiblical belief that God does not hold us responsible for things we cannot do. Why do they hold to this idea? Because they believe the alternative is not fair.

What is Paul’s answer to this? Well lets read it in the next verse:

20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?

Paul’s answer is to point out that God is God, and man is man, and man has no business telling God what to do with His creation.

21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?

The implication in Paul’s question here is that yes, indeed, God as the Potter has every right to make what He likes from the clay. Though man will shout loud and long about what seems to be man’s lack of freedom in all this, God’s answer is to shout back, “What about My freedom as the Potter?” In Romans 9, Paul contends for the Potter’s freedom to have mercy on whom He will.

22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?

Though these words are phrased as a question, it is obvious that these words are indeed Paul’s continued answer to the claim that this idea of election is unfair.

Paul refers to “vessels of wrath” which were created for the purpose of destruction!

When seeing these words we immediately think that we have misunderstood them, for surely they can’t mean what they appear to say…. or can they? Continue reading →

Romans from 30,000 Feet

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“The problem that all of humanity faces is the wrath of God, which is entirely justified because the Gentiles know God according to general revelation and the Jews know God according to special revelation. Yet both have failed to truly acknowledge God since they have violated His law. Since everyone is under sin and God’s wrath the only way out is the Gospel, the announcement that in Christ, God has provided a righteousness that satisfies his holy requirements. Christ has absorbed God’s wrath in His death and justifies the wicked in his resurrection. All of this is received by faith alone apart from works as the examples of Abraham and David demonstrate. Yet God has not only secured our life from the condemnation of the law, but also from the dominion of sin and death.

Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection we are made new creatures and yet we continue to struggle throughout our lives with indwelling sin and the only hope we have is to look outside of ourselves to Christ, with the indwelling Spirit testifying in our hearts to our free adoption and keeping alive within us the hope that not only we but the whole creation will share in the final redemption.

In the light of all this, nothing can separate us from God’s love. But how then can we trust this gospel if God has been unfaithful to his early promises to Israel? Well, God has always maintained his prerogative of Election, even among the physical descendents of Abraham. So salvation isn’t a matter of physical decent or of human decision or effort, but of God’s mercy alone. God has been faithful to His promises, because even now an elect remnant is being saved from among Jews and Gentiles and after God adds alien Gentile branches to the tree of Israel he will finally bring in the fullness of the Jews as well. In view of all these mercies that stagger our imagination, we can now offer, not the dead sacrifices of animals for atonement, but our own bodies as living sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. In that light, stop judging each other about things indifferent and get on with the business of loving and serving each other.” – Michael Horton, from an Overview of the Book of Romans, WHI 2006

Miscellaneous Quotes (12)

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“Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and He volunteered.” – R.C. Sproul, Jr.

“A man may study because his brain is hungry for knowledge, even Bible knowledge. But he prays because his soul is hungry for God.” – Leonard Ravenhill

“Do not then spend the strength of your zeal for your religion in censuring others. The man that is most busy in censuring others is always least employed in examining himself.” – Thomas Lye

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: “Mine!” – Abraham Kuyper

“No one can sum up all God is able to accomplish through one solitary life, wholly yielded, adjusted, and obedient to Him.” – D.L. Moody

“While the Law defines righteousness, only grace delivers it. The Law was never intended to be a means of obtaining grace; it was given to demonstrate to men that grace was desperately needed.” – Bob Deffinbaugh

“He is much happier that is always content, though he has ever so little, than he that is always coveting, though he has ever so much.” – Matthew Henry

“As base a thing as money often is, yet it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure… It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.” – A. W. Tozer

“The Christian who has stopped repenting has stopped growing.” – A.W. Pink

Dane Ortland: This side of several months pondering Bavinck’s writings on justification, here’s my best attempt at a single (run-on) sentence articulating his view: “Justification, the outstanding blessing of salvation, is the Triune God’s counterintuitive gift of forensic acquittal and right status, an end-time decision announced now in the middle of history, consisting of Christ’s own righteous obedience freely imputed to sinners united to Christ through self-divesting and Christ-riveted faith.”

“Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.” – Augustine

Hudson Taylor was a British missionary to China. When he died in 1905, his Bible was found with a slip of paper as a bookmark. On that paper was written a prayer that Hudson prayed every day. It read:

Lord Jesus make Thyself to me
A living bright reality
More present to faith’s vision keen
Than any outward object seen
More near, more intimately nigh
Than e’en the sweetest earthly tie
Continue reading →

Romans 8:28 – 9:24 (Part 3)

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Part 1 found is there? May it never be!

Regarding this issue of election, the Apostle denies in very clear and emphatic language that there is unrighteousness or unfairness in God. There is no injustice in God, and lets remember, there was no righteousness in us, which would require God to be gracious to us. As Paul writes elsewhere, predestination and election occurs “according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.” (Eph. 1:5, 6) Mercy is always given at the discretion of the one showing mercy. God reserves the right to dispense His mercy as He sees fit, to the person or persons He chooses.

15 For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”

Then notice verse 16, where Paul starts with the words, “So then…” These are key words to help us as readers to know that Paul is summing up his teaching here, and saying, in so many words, “on the basis of what I have made clear, I am now giving you my conclusion.” What is Paul’s conclusion? Continue reading →