Yearly Archives: 2011

Calvin Quotes

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“I offer thee my heart, Lord, promptly and sincerely.”

“Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty.”

“The blindness of unbelievers in no way detracts from the clarity of the gospel; the sun is no less bright because blind men do not perceive its light.”

“The Word is the instrument by which the illumination of the Spirit is dispensed.”

“Since the church is Christ’s Kingdom, and he reigns by his Word alone, will it not be clear to any man that those are lying words by which the Kingdom of Christ is imagined to exist apart from his scepter (that is, his most holy Word)?”

“True piety consists in a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences God as Lord, embraces His righteousness in Christ, and dreads offending Him worse than death.”

“Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.”

“Let the pastors boldly dare all things by the word of God… Let them constrain all the power, glory, and excellence of the world to give place to and to obey the divine majesty of this word. Let them enjoin everyone by it, from the highest to the lowest. Let them edify the body of Christ. Let them devastate Satan’s reign. Let them pasture the sheep, kill the wolves, instruct and exhort the rebellious. Let them bind and loose thunder and lightning, if necessary, but let them do all according to the word of God.” – John Calvin, Sermons on the Epistle to the Ephesians, p. xii

The world says, the gospel says…

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“Most Americans believe that their major problem is something that has happened to them, and that their solution is to be found within. In other words, they believe that they have an alien problem that is to be resolved with an inner solution. What they gospel says, however, is that we have an inner problem that demands an alien solution – a righteousness that is not our own.” – Al Mohler, ‘Preaching with the Culture in View,’ in Preaching the Cross (Crossway 2007), p. 81

That’s very clarifying.

The world says: the problem is outside you, the solution inside you.

The gospel says: the problem is inside you, the solution outside you.

The Danger of Over-Interpreting the Bible

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A classic illustration from Moisés Silva:

It is approximately the year 2790. The most powerful nation on earth occupies a large territory in Central Africa, and its citizens speak Swahili. The United States and other English-speaking countries have long ceased to exist, and much of the literature prior to 2012 (the year of the Great Conflagration) is not extant. Some archaeologists digging in the western regions of North America discover a short but well-preserved text that can confidently be dated to the last quarter of the twentieth century. It reads thus:

Marilyn, tired of her glamorous image, embarked on a new project. She would now cultivate her mind, sharpen her verbal skills, pay attention to standards of etiquette. Most important of all, she would devote herself to charitable causes. Accordingly, she offered her services at the local hospital, which needed volunteers to cheer up terminal patients, many of whom had been in considerable pain for a long time. The weeks flew by. One day she was sitting at the cafeteria when her supervisor approached her and said, “I didn’t see you yesterday. What were you doing?” “I painted my apartment; it was my day off,” she responded.

The archaeologists know just enough English to realize that this fragment is a major literary find that deserves closer inspection, so they rush the piece to one of the finest philologists in their home country. This scholar dedicates his next sabbatical to a thorough study of the text and decides to publish an exegetical commentary on it, as follows:

We are unable to determine whether this text is an excerpt from a novel or from a historical biography. Almost surely, however, it was produced in a religious context, as is evident from the use of such words as “devoted,” “offered,” “charitable.” In any case, this passage illustrates the literary power of twentieth-century English, a language full of metaphors. The verb “embarked” calls to mind an ocean liner leaving for an adventuresome cruise, while “cultivate” possibly alerts the reader to Marilyn’s botanical interests. In those days North Americans compared time to a bird—probably the eagle—that flies.

The author of this piece, moreover, makes clever use of word associations. For example, the term “glamorous” is etymologically related to “grammar,” a concept no doubt reflected in the comment about Marilyn’s “verbal skills.” Consider also the subtleties implied by the statement that “her supervisor approached her.” The verb “approach” has a rich usage. It may indicate similar appearance or condition (this painting approaches the quality of a Picasso); it may have a sexual innuendo (the rapist approached his victim); it may reflect subservience (he approached his boss for a raise). The cognate noun can be used in contexts of engineering (e.g. access to a bridge), sports (of a golf stroke following the drive from the tee), and even war (a trench that protects troops besieging a fortress).

Society in the twentieth century is greatly illuminated by this text. The word “patient” (from patience, meaning “endurance”) indicates that sick people then underwent a great deal of suffering: they endured not only the affliction of their physical illness, but also the mediocre skills of their medical doctors, and even (to judge from other contemporary documents) the burden of increasing financial costs.

A few syntactical notes may be of interest to language students. The preposition “of” had different uses: casual (tired of), superlative (most important of all), and partitive (many of whom). The simple past tense had several aoristic functions: “embarked” clearly implies determination, while “offered” suggests Marilyn’s once-for-all, definitive intention. Quite noticeable is the tense variation at the end of the text. The supervisor in his question uses the imperfect tense, “were doing,” perhaps suggesting monotony, slowness, or even laziness. Offended, Marilyn retorts with a punctiliar and emphatic aorist, “I painted.”

Readers of Bible commentaries, as well as listeners of sermons, will recognize that my caricature is only mildly outrageous. . . .

Silva goes on to point out the obvious: not only does is the exegesis “overinterpretation,” but “it contributes virtually nothing to the reader’s understanding of what the passage actually says!”

He goes on:

Preachers who make appeals to “the original” may in some cases help their readers obtain a better insight into Scripture. More often than not, however such appeals serve one of two functions: (1) they merely furnish illustrations to heighten interest to that hearers think they have a better understanding of the passage (cf. the comment on embark above); (2) they provide the occasion to make a point that has little do to with the passage (cf. the comment on patient).

The parody is found in Silva’s excellent book, God, Language, and Scripture: Reading the Bible in the Light of General Linguistics, reprinted in the volume Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation (Zondervan, 1990), pp. 199-201. This book is profitably read in conjunction with D. A. Carson’s Exegetical Fallacies (2d ed., Baker Academic, 1996).

My comment: I think the application of this parody is obvious. We have excellent translations of the Bible available to us in our day. When an interpreter comes up with something so wild that it makes the text look like a 5 year old’s attempt at quantom physics, it is probably just wild speculation under the guise of scholarship.

HT: Justin Taylor, Rodney Decker

Luther on the “Five Solas”

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THE NECESSITY v. THE SUFFICIENCY OF GRACE

Martin Luther and his Reformers had 5 main slogans, all using the word “Sola,” which is the Latin word for “alone.” It was this word “alone” that designated the true biblical Gospel and set it apart from all other pretenders.

Rome believed (then as it does now) that justification is by grace, through faith and because of Christ. What Rome does not believe is that justification is by faith alone, or by grace alone, or by Christ alone. For Rome, justification is by grace plus merit, through faith plus works; by Christ plus the sinner’s contribution of inherent righteousness. In contrast, the Reformers called the Church back to the one true Biblical Gospel: based on the assured foundation of Scripture alone, God declares a person “just” or right in His sight, by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, to the Glory of God alone.

I would like to recommend some resources regarding the Five Solas. I do not believe I am over-stating the situation when I say that nothing is more vital to the health of today’s Church than a widespread return to these biblical doctrines.

(1) This excellent short article here discusses Luther’s own embracing and proclamation of the solas.

(2) I cannot speak more highly of Dr. James Montgomery Boice’s book “Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace?” It continues to have a profound effect on my life and ministry. If you do not have it yet, I would encourage you to do all you can to get it. You can do so here.

(3) Dr. Sproul’s series “God Alone” is an outstanding historical and biblical study of the five solas. For the next few days, Ligonier Ministries is making the entire 10 message series on CD available for any size gift here.

(4) I personally love to preach and teach on this theme. It is central in all I seek to communicate. You can hear my sermon on “The Five Solas of the Gospel” here.

(5) You can also read a short series of articles I wrote on this theme here, and about how it is entirely possible for five things to stand together alone here.

What do you think about this?

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Its interesting to note the content of the apostle’s preaching in the New Testament. They did not preach “divine healing” as such, though they certainly were used mightily by God in healing. They preached Christ as the crucified and risen Lord and Savior and summoned people to turn to God in repentance and faith. Having said this, I believe healing can certainly be a means whereby God opens people’s hearts bringing attention to His reality, in order to draw people to Himself.

Signs are meant to point to something. A road sign is put up to point people in a certain direction. The sign is not something to be wondered at or marvelled at. Its whole purpose is to point people to something other than itself.

Not all signs should be followed. If someone in Dallas, Texas (in central southern USA) wishes to get to Los Angeles (to the west), he should avoid signs that point to Florida (to the east). There are false signs and lying wonders just as there are true signs that are ordained by God. Peter spoke of “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38) God has often used signs, both in the Old Testament and the New, to point people to Himself as the one true God and to the Lord Jesus Christ, and especially to Christ’s substitutionary work on the cross for sinners.

The sign is never meant to take the place of the cross; just the opposite; its whole purpose is to point people to it. In the same way, Divine healing is a sign of God’s great heart of compassion for sinners and is meant to point people to the cross, where Christ crushed the powers of sin, death, hell and the grave.

Healing is not the gospel, but is meant to point people to it. The gospel is Christ Himself, His Person and His work, which includes His virgin birth, His sinless life pleasing the Father, fulfilling every requirement of the law of God in thought, word and deed, as well as His substitutionary death on behalf of sinners on the cross, as well as His triumphant resurrection. The Gospel includes all that He achieved because of this, and especially that although all of us have commited high and cosmic treason against God because of our sin, He has shown His great love for the world. Based on the God breathed Scriptures alone, sinners are brought into right standing with Himself (justified) by grace alone, through faith alone, in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, all to the glory of God alone. All those who put their trust in Christ as Lord will find Him to be the perfect Savior; He will save them completely for they will in no way perish but instead have everlasting life.

As wonderful as any testimony of healing is, unless it is accompanied by the gospel, it is like a sign without information; utterly useless. Jesus said, “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?” I would also ask, “What does it profit a man if he gains healing for his entire body, if he then loses his soul? and what does it profit a man should he see even the dead raised to life, if he does not hear the only gospel that saves?”

Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Though I do not doubt God’s ability to raise even the dead, I do wish the Church at large would herald the one true biblical gospel and I very much wish it was present in this video clip (below).

After a massive heart attack took this man’s life, the cardiologist felt an overwhelming urge to pray over his body.

This man, rather than the other…

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Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18: 9-14).

It is an unfair, gross distortion to hold that Rome teaches justification by works, while we Protestants teach justification by faith. The more accurate distinction recognizes on both sides the necessity of the work of Christ. Rome affirms that His righteousness is necessary for our salvation, that without it we are without hope. That righteousness, however, becomes ours through infusion. Protestants affirm also that His righteousness is necessary for salvation, that we have no hope without it. It, however, becomes ours through imputation.

Some here are quick to affirm that our differences now amount to nothing more than a tempest in a teapot. We are arguing over two, thick, theological terms that are not a part of our ordinary language. Surely such a nuance must be insignificant. But it’s not, as Jesus’ parable illustrates. Let’s look at these two men, what they have in common and what separates them.

First, it is an unfair, gross distortion to hold that the Pharisee believes he justifies himself. How quickly we pass over the one good part of his prayer, “Lord, I thank you…” The Pharisee knows from whence came the power to make him righteous. He knows that he needed the grace of God, that God had to work in him, that God is due all the glory for his obedience. The publican likewise looks to God and His grace as His only hope. He knows where to turn, even as the Pharisee knows whom to thank.

The difference, however, is here. The Pharisee believes that God’s grace has made him whole, that he is now, albeit by the grace of God, just in himself. God helped him out. God stood him up. But now he is standing on his own two feet. He gives thanks to God that he is better than other men, that he doesn’t commit this sin and that, that he performs this duty and that. God has poured righteousness into him, and there he stands.

The publican, on the other hand, knows what he still is, a sinner. The mercy he cries out for isn’t that he would be made a saint, but that he would be a forgiven sinner. He cannot cooperate. He cannot stand. He can only, and even this is the grace of God, cry out for the mercy of God, which is found in Christ alone.

The bigger difference than the differing approaches of these two men, however, is what it meant for their eternities. Only one of these two men went home justified. Only one of these men was an adopted son of the living God. Only one of these two men will spend eternity walking with God in paradise. The other will spend eternity weeping and gnashing teeth. Teapot tempests have no such eternal consequences.

– Dr. R. C. Sproul, Jr.

Outreach to India (Update)

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Its taken three weeks for my good friend, Indian Pastor Pappy Daniel to find the best possible deal, but as promised, here’s an update on the Gospel tract printing costs.

You may remember we provided 10,000 copies of the Gospel tract I wrote “The Thief on the Cross” in the Malayalam language which were handed out to people in the state of Kerala at Easter time. The response and feedback to this very clear gospel presentation has been so encouraging that we made a tentative inquiry to find out how much it would cost for 100,000 tracts to be printed.

Whereas the cost for 10,000 tracts was approximately $400 USA Dollars, the cost for 100,000 tracts will be $2,600.00. This is the full cost, which includes paper, printing, shipping and distribution handling costs. As you can see, there is a substantial savings (per tract) when there is a larger quantity being printed.

Perhaps this Gospel outreach is something you or your church might like to get behind and support. If so, just write to me and I will give you further details. I will keep this article updated to show the amount that has come in for this specific venture (below).

Goal: $2,600.00

Amount received (as of 6/8/11): $200.00

Dr. James Montgomery Boice on Election and Justification

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Dr. James Montgomery Boice spoke at two sessions of the “Essential Truths of the Christian Faith: 1997 National Ligonier Conference.” I have heard his messages many times over and each time I have done so they have always blessed and refreshed my soul immensely. I am delighted to recommend them to you.

(1) With an introduction from Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, here is Dr. Boice on the theme of Divine election. Dr. R. C. Sproul referred to this session as the clearest teaching on Election he had ever heard – found here.

(2) Dr. James Montgomery Boice on “Justification by Faith Alone.” Found here. Outstanding!

Democracy

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Sir Winston Churchill is something of a hero of mine. In general, I think it would be true to say that the western world has failed to truly appreciate Churchill’s immense significance in stemming the tide of Nazi Germany. World War II would not have been won by Britian and its allies without the USA becoming involved; but equally true is the fact that there may not have been a Britain to save without the leadership of Churchill. His speeches roused a nation looking defeat firmly in the face. His words put courage and backbone into a people who were heartbroken and disillusioned by the long, arduous, unrelating effects of war.

Words are containers of faith, hope and love, and of fear, disillusion or courage. Even as Hitler’s bombs caused broad devastation as they dropped on the major cities of England, desperate for some positive news, families huddled together in living rooms and basements and turned on their wireless radios to hear their leader Churchill. What they heard were the words of a man who was born for such a time as this. Singlehandedly, he brought calm and unwavering courage to the British people at the bleakest and most desperate of times.

I love something he said about democracy. In a speech made just over two years after he had been instrumental in helping Britain and the allied forces win the Second World War, in the House of Commons on November 11, 1947, Churchill said:

“No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Outside of the kingdom of God, with Christ ruling and reigning, there is no “perfect” political system. Yet at least in a democracy, when the man at the top goes wrong, the people can vote him out. The nation does not have to wait until the death of the leader for the man to be removed from power. There are terms of office. In the USA, a person can only serve as President for two terms of four years at the very most. In this way, no leader in a democratic system can bring such ruin to a country, all by himself, that the nation cannot ever recover from the fierce consequences of his rule. Thank God for that!

My feet have walked in the former USSR and in China. These countries were two test case systems where Communism ruled supreme and no other philosophy was even tolerated. The fact that in both places, tens of millions of my Christian brothers and sisters have been imprisoned, tortured and killed, reveals the true face of atheistic communism. It is no friend but instead, a deadly brutal enemy of humanity.

Communism and its near relative of socialism can never succeed in bringing about prosperity amongst the people. The concept may have had noble intentions but it does not factor in the desperate condition of the human heart. The heart is deceitful above all things and that is why communism is morally, spiritually and physically bankrupt. It cannot deliver on its many promises because it fails to deal with the reality of man’s fallen selfish nature.

Communism used to say it could put a new suit on every man. Christianity says “Christ can put a new man in every suit.” Communism was never able to put new suits on the people for the simple reason that man’s nature, without the intervention of God is totally corrupt at heart. The men at the top of the ladder creamed all the wealth for themselves, living in luxury, while the masses starved. Much of the starvation was intentional policy, so that the common man might become so utterly and hopelessly dependent on the leader, that they would worship and serve him, in hopes that some small scrap of food might fall from his table. When the scraps were handed out, and when the only news people could hear was the leader’s own propaganda, the masses remained in oppressive subjugation to the few. To serve such a master was a hardship beyond compare, as each citizen came under the weight of tyranny.

Hear in contrast the words of the Savior, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy leaden and I will give you rest. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light, and you shall find rest for your souls.”

I am a U.S. citizen not by birth, but my choice. It was a very proud moment for me when I became a citizen of this great nation in February, 2003. I love the United States of America. I love democracy. Yet, I am under no illusion that by itself, democracy can relieve all the problems in this world. If the children of Israel were led by a popular majority, they would still be in the desert, searching for the promised land. People do not always want the righteous thing; the thing God wants. The Book of Judges teaches us this principle clearly, when there was no good King ruling in Israel, the people did what was right in their own eyes. Society often makes choices that defy the Lord and His revealed word. Just because 51% or more of the people desire to do a thing, it does not mean the thing is right or pleasing to the Lord. Right is right, no matter how unpopular it may be; wrong is wrong, no matter how popular it may be, and blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12).

As we live the life of a good citizen here, our prayer is not for a temporal fix to come, but that the ultimate and permanent answer to all our woes comes in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as He invades this world with power and great glory. Our prayer is “Even so come Lord Jesus.”

We pray this prayer because as Christians, we long for much more than good democracy. Our citizenship is in heaven. Though we love our country, we recognize it is one nation “under God.” We are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Our hearts pine for the Kingdom rule of God; a theocracy, where His kingdom comes and His will is done on earth, just as it is in heaven; where the Sovereign rule of King Jesus is seen; where the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Until that time, when the King returns to claim what is rightfully His, and when our faith shall be made sight, I believe Churchill got it right – “democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms.” We pray for God to raise up leaders amongst us who will want what God wants and who will serve His purposes for their generation.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior…” – 1 Tim 2:1-3

Friday Round Up

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(1) Thank you to all of you who have been praying for my mother (after reading last evening’s post here on the blog). I am just back from my second visit to see her at the hospital. My mother seems to be stable but the medical staff are concerned that her heart rate is very erratic and sometimes very low. She is now fully admitted and so might be there a while, but she has not heard anything at all about what they think is the root cause of her alarming symptoms. I didn’t get too much sleep last night so will try to get a couple of hours now. Thanks once again for your prayers. They are appreciated far more than you know.

(2) I have received amazingly positive feedback from the two radio shows I did this week (including the emotionally tough to do one last night). You can hear both programs (for the next month or so) by going to the link the shows are not titled but can be heard by clicking on the links for the May 24 and May 26 programs.

(3) Ligonier has some great deals today on some excellent material in this week’s $5 Friday sale here. The book “What’s So Great About the Doctrines of Grace?” by Rev. Richard Phillips is especially recommended. Remember, if you decide to purchase material, you can claim a further 10% discount on these and on ALL Ligonier products as a reader of this blog by using the coupon code: EGRACE10