What I'm reading...March 2010

Just finished this (thanks Adam):

From the library today:

What We Should Learn From the Mainline Denominations - Michael Horton

Go and watch this very good and thought-provoking short video from The Resurgence...

http://theresurgence.com/learn_from_mainline_denominations

It was my sin that held Him there...

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
_________________________________


Those lyrics come from the 1995 Stuart Townsend song "How Depp the Father's Love for Us"


We sang it in church this morning.


As we were singing I thought of Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ."  We have all seen that movie and I imagine that most of us watched the flogging and crucifixion scene and thought "...oh, thats so horrible that he had to go through all of that...those horrible Pharisees and Romans..."


Heres an idea...


What was really going on that day was far worse than the physical beating that Jesus took.  All of our sin was being placed on Christ's shoulders and he DIDN'T deserve any of it.


He took all of our sin and payed our penalty so that we could enter into eternity with the Father.


Yes, I said "our"...thats what hit me this morning because of the Townsend song...it wasn't the Pharisees and the Romans that I should be so angry at - its myself.  He suffered for me, for everytime I envy and lust, for every malicious word that comes from my mouth, for every failure of mine to uphold God's righteous law.


I put Jesus on that cross...


But then again, in a way I didn't...he submitted himself to that cross for me.  Thats the beauty of the cross - when I look at the events of Good Friday I see a God who loved me so much he died for MY sins...not just sin in the abstract.


When we think of it that way we can achieve a far greater appreciation for our Saviour and hopefully a greater sense of worship and relationship with Christ.

Double Whammy

I was driving home and a preacher was on 90.1

I tuned in because listening to the pop and rap stations is irritaing and I was all countried out today.

This guy starts preaching on the Mark of the Beast and alludes to the fact that his current sermon series is on Revelation.

Strike one.

Whenever guys start preaching on Revelation, especially in a very dogmatic premillenial Left Behind way - I get nervous for that congregation.

Then he starts talking about the question that he is most asked by his flock...

"Can I lose my salvation?"

As a Reformed guy I would have any easy answer to that - "uh, no...check out Romans 8"

This pastor starts going on and on about how the believers throughout time have all been saved by faith, but the Old Testament guys (Sampson and Saul in particular) didn't have their sins credited to Christ's account. He says they got saved in a different way than New Testament folks. Furthermore he claims...the people who get saved in the Tribulation (giving him this for the sake of arguement) will also be saved by faith but in a different way - they will be saved by deeds he says.

Seemed like strike 2 to me. I arrived home before he could strikeout...

I am no eschatological expert but I think this guy is way off and I am always outraged and saddened when preachers spend time on Revelation. Its the hardest book of the Bible to understand. Lets get through the first 65 books first.

I am also no super-theologian when it comes to soteriology but I was under the impression that we were all saved in the same way thru faith AND that faith was always in Gods Promise, which was Christ, regardless of whether people knew that or not.

Am I off or is that radio preacher confused?

Highway 20 Ride

This song by the Zac Brown Band has moved me deeply.  As a product of divorce myself, one in which my father was largely absent from my life, I often get choked up at songs like this.  That emotion is compounded by the fact that my wife and I had a rough time ourselves awhile back and (except for God's grace) the singer of this song could have been me.

These things highlight my growing concern that churches across America are not spending enough time on marital retreats and workshops.  It also brings to my mind the current situation in conservative faith-based politics...everyone wants to throw down the gauntlet on homosexuality and hardly anyone wants to address the massive divorce rate we have in the nation (and in the church).

I really hope that the importance of a biblical view of marriage will soon become a major topic within our churches and our activist organizations...not as a fad, not for profit, and not so that we can point out how others are undermining that institution. 

I want to see marriage take center-stage so that families can stay together and kids can grow up with both parents in a loving home, just as God has intended.  Its best for our society and it gives the Lord the most glory when we follow his blueprint for our lives.

It would also mean less sappy country songs about divorce and less Kleenex in my budget.

Reprobate

So my Muslim friend at work and I start having a conversation today.  It starts because he has a question regarding the term "reprobate."  He wants to know what that means in Christian theology.

I tell him that it means "foreordained to damnation."  Of course, I follow up by clarifying that the real question is WHO foreordains a reprobate person to hell.  Since I am not a hyper-calvinist I want to be clear with him that I don't think its God.

I tell him that we foreordain ourselves in light of the natural state of sin in which we come into this world.  I explained that we are all actively at odds with God, giving him the bird so to speak, in one way or another...from paganism to athieism.  Thus, I said, we are destined by who were are in our hearts for the pit of fire.

He jumped in to ask how that can be since we have free will.  I tried to use my ice cream illustration (actually Greg Koukl's illustration) about the interaction of our nature and our free-will.  In summary, our will can only act in accordance with our nature.  I told my friend that we will never freely choose God as long as our nature is set against him, in the same way a person who loves vanilla and hates chocolate will never choose chocolate if the choice is laid before them.

My friend didn't like the idea that we don't have libertarian free will.  I tried then to steer the conversation towards the idea that God is incredibly merciful to rescue any of us from ourselves given that all rebel aganist him and deserve eternal death.  My friend agreed with me and said that he could see how that was merciful indeed.

Then, he changed the subject and pondered why God wouldn't just create a world in which everyone was saved...why does anyone have to go to hell.  I told him that I didn't know the answer to that one.  God certainly COULD have done that - yet, he chose not to.  I don't know why, but I trust him in the way that a child must trust a parent even if they don't understand.

I did formulate one guess to that question.  I said that it could be argued from Scripture that God is both love and wrath.,,he is both merciful and righteous.  In that case he may have chosen to create this world because it is the best way to display both aspects of his character.

In any case, I suggested that we needed to throw away our modern and conventional ideas about "free-will" and "God is love" because the Bible doesn't explain those things the same way that our culture does.

At this point my friend had to head back to his task and we didn't get to talk anymore.  Bummer.  I used to get to interact with folks at work more often about these important topics.  My newest projects have largely kept me from those conversations.  Maybe opportunities will reopen soon.

Strengthening Our Brothers

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (ESV)

As I came across this passage in reading the Scriptures today, I had 4 quick points cross my mind.  I'm sharing them in case they prove valuable to you as well.

1)  Satan seeks to destroy all of us, not just Peter. (1 Peter 5:8)
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

2)  As believers we are kept safe from eternal death by the work of Christ on the cross and safe from a lifestyle of sin by the intercession of our great Saviour.  (Romans 8:33-34)
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

3)  Jesus knew that Peter would endure a season of doubt and questioned loyalty...we all do.  But those seasons are only temporary, nothing can seperate us from Christ if we are God's children - even ourselves.  (Romans 8:35 and 38)
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4)  In times of greatest distress and turmoil, when the whole world seems bent aganist us, we must remember that our destiny is secured.  Christ paid the ransom that we might be able to enter into the presence of God.  The seasons might be difficult at times, there may be dark days in the path, but the final destination is a place of unspeakable joy and beauty.  Until we reach that end we must persevere, with the help of the Spirit, in the same way that Jesus instructed Peter...
...strengthening our brothers.

I think that strengthening our brothers means many things.  It means encouragement and support when the friend in Christ is doing great and wonderful things...it also means accepting criticism with humility when you have to be told, by a brother that you love, that you are too academic in your approach to life and your faith.  That isn't easy to take but it is biblical and refreshing.

I am thankful to God that I have men around me who both encourage me and "shoot straight with me" when they see something off.  I am also glad that they can take it as well as they can give it. 

The Human Heart

FromJosh Gelatt - go HERE

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9)
Over the years we've tried our hand at raising a few backyard animals---(chickens, geese, etc). One of my customs is to save food scraps in a few 5-gallon buckets. I use these to feed the scraps to the animals, or to store them to eventually throw on the compost pile.
Yet for the past several months I've also been busy finishing off our basement. I've accumulated a lot more buckets---paint, drywall mud, primer. Somehow, in the confusion of all these projects, one of the food buckets ended up in the contstruction supplies. All was well and good--at least until I opened it in the house. The smell of that bucket--now containing several months worth of rotted food--immediately filled the house.
That food bucket is something like the human heart. All might look well and good on the outside, but on the inside it is horribly rotten. C.H. Spurgeon captured the true condition of our hearts when he wrote the following:

"There is nothing one half so worthy of abhorrence as the human heart. God spares all eyes but His own that awful sight, a human heart; and could you and I but see our heart, we should be driven mad, so horrible would be the sight."

Jeremiah 17:9 isn't just talking about our evil deeds. It is highlighting the general condition of our heart apart from Christ. Of course, this does mean that we are prone towards evil thoughts and deeds. But it also means that even the "good" things we do are considered evil in the eyes of the Lord. Isaiah 64:6 tells us "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags". Everything is rotten, down to our very core.
The Christian does not stand before God because he or she has achieved some degree of righteousness by having lived a good life. The true Christian, instead, is one who recognizes he or she is a rebel and villian--but one who has been redeemed and changed by Christ. With David, we cry out "create in me a pure heart, O God" (Psalm 51:10).

What happens to infants who die?

A tough question and a thoughtful answer by Piper.

12 Points to Ponder...

"I know that 12 points might seem like alot, but this is what has been on my mind the past few days and I need to jot it all down.  Thanks for reading, I hope that something in here proves to be helpful or at least thought-provoking."
-Jason

CATHOLICS ON JUSTIFICATION
I am still trying to figure out what I believe about the Roman Catholic view of justification and whether or not it can be considered Christian in view of the Scriptures.  If I understand the view correctly, Christ infuses his righteousness to us that we might have the ability to partake in it, however we only become righteous ourselves when we cooperate with that infusion through the sacraments and good works.  Am I confused on the stance of Rome?  If that is what they believe then they are in conflict with many biblical passages (including Romans 3:23-28) it seems.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THESE 5 STATEMENTS?
- Humans are born in sin, totally unable to please God on their own.
- Humans can do nothing (at all) to merit or earn their own salvation.
- Jesus died on the cross so that Christians (not everyone) can go to heaven.
- If God decides that he wants something, he gets it.
- Once God has what he wants, he never loses it.
(If you agreed with all those statements you may be Reformed.  Contact your local Presbytery for more info)

SPURGEON QUOTE
"I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will."

PRAY FOR CAMERON FORD
My wife's friend from college is looking to land a job with a local church as an associate pastor and urban ministry director.  Please pray that the Lord will work all things in this job hunt for both Cameron's benefit and His glory.  Check out Cam's blog HERE.

SPEAKING OF THAT...
It appears that certain folks (not affiliated with the SBC) in Tennessee are circulating a group of documents to try and "flush out" those pesky Calvinist preacher candidates in Baptist churches.  Go to Josh Gelatt's blog to read more - HERE.

BRUTHA RALPH
My mom of my wife's aunt by marriage posted something that her pastor (Brother Ralph) said this past Sunday.  He said "If we spent as much time praying as we do keeping up with everyone on facebook, texting, and e-mails we would sure have more power in our life and church."  Great quote, now back to blogging...lol.

POWERED BY 4
I joined a e-mail distribution group last night called Powered by 4.  It is a product of Woodrow Kroll's "Back to the Bible' ministry.  They are gonna send me an e-mail every day with some scripture and some insights.  I think that Kroll is pretty solid and I need to get back in the word.  I read through the whole Bible last year for the first time and it was great (and tedious).  I am hoping that this will get me back into some daily Scripture.  Go HERE for more info.

HOW LITERAL IS LITERAL?
Is is necessary to take the creation account literally to be a Christian?  Can we be theistic evolutionists who see the first chapters of Genesis as a metaphor describing a real event?  Was there really a talking snake and a tree with fruit that made us like God in our knowledge?  Since Genesis was written long after that point in history, could Moses be explaining the creation of man, his union with God, his rebellion, and his fall in a way that was easily received as a narrative by those Israelites he penned it to?  Whadda you think?

THE "FULL" GOSPEL
When neo-charismatics use the term "full-gospel" they mean that Jesus death was about more than eternal salvation - it was also a means for our earthly financial prosperity and health.  The term implies that the traditional and orthodox view of the gospel, as the penal substitutionary atonement that provided for the Great Exchange of our sin for Christ's righteousness, is an imcomplete gospel.  I have a suggestion for renaming the "full-gospel"...how about this, "the false-gospel."   Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

WHAT DO POEPLE NEED?
HERE is a good article about disaster relief in the wake of things like the Haitian earthquake.  Novel idea to actually ask people in affected areas what they need rather than assume that we civilized westerners will know best.

A CATEGORY ERROR
Sometimes homosexuals will say that their current fight for same-sex marriage is akin to the civil rights movement of the 60s for African-American equality.  This is a fatal logical fallacy called a category error.  Skin color is a 100% genetically inhereited trait.  There is no choice or behavior involved.  Thats why we were wrong to hold back rights from blacks, they didn't do anything (based on skin color alone) to warrant a refusal of any civil liberty.  Homosexuality however is a lifestyle choice.  It might have genetic predispositionalism as a component, but it is ultimately a choice - in the same way that hereditary alcoholics have to decide to pick up the bottle.  Unlike unchangeable physical characteristics, we do make distinctions regarding volitional behaviors when we deny certain civil rights.  Felons can't vote or carry guns because of choices they made for example.  Whatever your view on the issue it is improper to try and use the 'same as black civil rights' arguement for same-sex marriage.

HOWS YOUR GREAT COMMISSION COMING?
Most of us aren't vocational clergy.  Yet, we are all a priesthood of believers and we are all called at the end of Matthew 28 and in Acts 1:8 to spread the gospel to the whole world for the purpose of making disciples.  It obviously isn't practical for everyone to be an overseas missionary, but most of us neglect the mission field that we engage with every day.  Do you actively seek to engage people at work, at school, at the gym...for the sake of the gospel.  Do you feel the urgency which comes with a sincere care for those lost souls.  Do you show and tell those in your group of friends and accquiantces about God's great mercy, his grace, and the death of his only Son on a regular basis?  This applies to those who say they are Chrisitan also.  Many in the South wear the nominal title and actually practice moralistic deism.  We must all seek to be more proactive, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in reaching out to those immediately around us (whom we already have relationship with) for the purposes of their salvation and God's glory. 

"If you made it this far, thanks.  I feel better now."
-Jason

Are you Gospel Shaped or Just Religious?

From: http://gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com/2010/03/are-you-gospel-shaped-or-just-religious.html

3 ways to tell...

1. Your reaction when things fall apart.
Do you catch yourself saying, "God, why is this happening? I've done x, y, and z?" Do suffering, difficulty, and obstacles provoke "why?" questions predicated on your goodness or effort? You've been working so hard, reading your Bible, going to church, serving others . . . why would God let this happen to you now? If that's your line of thinking, it reveals you believe God owes you. And that's religion.

2. Your reaction to others.
Do you compare yourself, bad or good, against others? Do you belittle, mock, condescend, even if just internally? Do you resent others' successes? Do you celebrate others' failures? Do you really wish people would get their act together, or do you really wish people knew Jesus? Are you frequently annoyed, put out, irritated, embarrassed, or inconvenienced by others?

3. Your appraisal of Jesus.
Is he your greatest treasure? That's the number one indicator of gospel-conformity. You may know right off the bat if this is true or not. For some, it's true only sentimentally or religiously. You may think it's true ultimately, but your time, talents, words, emotions, and bank account testify differently.

These are all heart issues. Anybody can get the behavior right. The Pharisees certainly did, and most of them went to hell. But this isn't even about looking Pharisaical or legalistic or churchy. There's a lot of Christian hipsters out there in coffee shop churches who have no idea they're just religious.
_______________________________________________________________________________
# 2 challenges me deeply...

The LOST Last Supper

(warning - no redeeming theological material - just LOST speculation)

As a promo for the last season of LOST, ABC released the image I posted above a few months back.

After watching "Sundown' last night I think we know a few things that relate to the way characters are posed in the LOST Last Supper.

Locke (probably Flocke) is in the center spot.  This makes sense since he is the one who died and was ressurected (well, sorta)

On the right side appear to be the good guys...

On the left appear to be the dark side...

Of course, life isn't that clear cut and a few questions remain.  I think I have answers...

Q1)  Why are Richard and Illana on the left?
A1)  Look at their bodies positioning... From what we've seenm I don't think that they will side with Flocke.  Nevertheless they are important to the story, thus there was a need for them to be in the picture.  They were posed on the left side strictly for visual balance - but, the way that they are distinctly pulled away from Flocke and the core of his followers indicates that they are NOT on his side.  Incidently, look at Claire also.  She seems detached from Flocke also.  We might see that her "evilness" is more "craziness" and that her heart is still naturally good.  Maybe.

Q2)  What about Jin.  Hes on the right, but isn't he a criminal?
A2)  I think that the love Jin has for Sun will sway him to whatever side she is on.

Q3)  Kates on the left and she seemed to follow Flocke in "Sundown" but she won't really go bad will she?
Q3)  Love can mess us up.  If Sawyers chooses Flocke, Kate will follow.

Q4)  Ben is a good guy?
Q4)  He said so himself when he was speaking to Jack a few seasons back.  I believed him then and now.  Ben has done some crazy things but I never believed he was evil at his core...just easily manipulated.

Also, look at the eyes of each character:
-  Sawyer and Jack are both staring directly at their savior/ enemy. 
-  Kate and Jin staring at each other. 
-  Sayid and Ben locked in a death stare (could we see a fight between the two...remember Ben fighting in the desert, he has skills too). 
-  Claire and Hurley both look confused somewhat
-  Sun staring at Jin!
-  Frank and Miles looking at Richard and Illana (the non-main characters bookending)

Questions left...

Q1)  Wheres Daniel Faraday?
A1)  He'll be back.  Maybe not on the island however.  I think we'll see him in the Reset timeline.

Q2)  Wheres Desmond and Penny?
A2)  We'll see them in the Reset too.  We might even see Desmond in some other capacity back on the island.  He is of course "the Constant"

Q3)  Wheres Charles Widmore?
A3)  He is the person "coming to the island" that we keep hearing about.  Now that Jacob is dead the MIB has summoned Widmore back and there is nothing to prevent his return.  I firmly believe that there was a war in the past between Richard and Widmore (in the 50s or 60s)...Widmore sided with MIB and he was banished from the island.  We'll see Widmore in some pivotal scenes.

What do you all think?

Identity Theft

I was driving yesterday when I heard NPR commenting on the District of Columbia's decision to allow same-sex marriage.  A few thoughts ran through my head over the next few minutes.  One was "why are so many gay people so flamboyant and wildly vocal about their lifestyle?"...another thought was "why has it now become 'cool' in so many circles to be gay?"

I don't know if my next thoughts actually answered those questions, but they were interesting enough for me to write on today.

Its all about IDENTITY.  Human beings crave an identity.  We all seem to realize that there is a hole in our soul.  We know that we were made for something important, yet so many can't figure out what that is.

Thus, we try and fill the whole with different pursuits and passions, causes and movements, occupations and duties...

Some folks find their identity in military service, others in parenting, still more in music and movies.  The list goes on and on...jobs, ethnicities, sports, academics...and yes, some people looking for an identity will be drawn to a destructive path.  Sadly, the numbers are too great of those who identity is in promiscuity, alcohol, drugs, and partying. 

I came to think that this quest for identity might explain some of the fervor that homosexuals show for their lifestyle.  In the same way that Yankees fans can get very vocal about their loyalty or how Marines will fight to defend the honor of their Corps...some gays in America have embraced an unnatural union as who they are.

But all of these identities are illegitimate ones.  They are all false identities, none will grant the individual any trancendent purpose or eternal immortality.  The true identity that humans were made for has been ignored and discarded.  That old thief Satan has convinced us that our identity is best found in the things of this world.  He is a liar and a murderer...and we have been complicit with his suggestions.

The sad truth is, all of those individuals who find their primary identity in things outside of Christ are lost and in need of salvation.  Regeneration and righteousness comes to us only by way of our identity "in Him." 

1 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that "God made him who knew no sin to be sin, that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Our central identity must be in Christ.  It is a trait that I can see clearly in the godly people I admire.  Christ is the foundation of their life.  If they get vocal about anything, if they take up a cause, or begin a new pursuit - it is always done in subordination to their ultimate identity in Jesus.

Once we have had our eyes opened to the truth of the Gospel we will joyously embrace our identity in Christ and all other identities will fall in line, or fall away.

Just some thoughts from my car yesterday...

Packer Quote

 "[God] shows his freedom and lordship by discriminating between sinners, causing some to hear the gospel while others do not hear it, and moving some of those who hear it to repentance while leaving others in their unbelief, thus teaching his saints that he owes mercy to none and that it is entirely of his grace, not at all through their own effort, that they themselves have found life." 
- J.I. Packer, Knowing God

Neighbors

Another good documentary from Nathan Clarke...


Neighbors from Nathan Clarke on Vimeo.

Check out his Vimeo page HERE.

A few short Piper videos...

Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, and Jewish people?



Make War



God is dangerous apart from Jesus

Cool Wallpaper...from Driscoll

Christless Christianity

Picked up at the Library Today...

I'm off to begin reading this last one now!

What I just finished reading...

FBI Hostage Rescue Team Sniper Bio

Beautiful true story of chivalry and honor by British sailors as their ship sank.

A quite convincing take on the importance of classical homeschooling.

Thanks to Tutti for the last two.  I devoured them both in a span of hours. 

A Christian Sermon

“I am a Christian. Every sermon I preach should be a Christian sermon. If a Jewish person, a Muslim person or a Hindu person likes my sermon, I did something wrong. Christ is to be exalted in this church, all the time, and not ambiguously.”


- John Piper, Songs That Shape the Heart and Mind, podcast sermon 25/5/08. www.desiringgod.org

THE CAMBRIDGE DECLARATION

I just came across this.  I know I am about 15 years too late and all...Give me a break, God just saved me5 years ago and I had alot of catching up to do.  I thought this to be an awesome document for reflection and action.  I have learned to give much consideration to things that are endorsed by Mike Horton. 

I wonder if history will look back at this document as part of the inspiration for the resurgance of Reformed faith in America.  Although the movement back to orthodoxy has come along way since the 80s, we should still see the biblical truths of this document as necessary to carry on the good fight today.

Just as many have seen the pitfalls of other gospels and come home to a scriptural foundation...so too have many been beguiled by falsehood and deceit.  We must continue to inform and pray for those who we come into contact with on a regular basis that stand outside of the traditional definition of "evangelical." 

We must see this delaration as a sub-paragraph in the battle order known as the Great Commission and we take up our swords (which are the Word of God) and head forth into close combat with enemy beliefs.  I hope we will do so in love, recognizing that so many of our families, our friends, our church families, our co-workers, and our accquaintances are standing in false security under a gospel other than the true Gospel. 

Let this document be a battle cry to action!

THE CAMBRIDGE DECLARATION
of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals

April 20, 1996

Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith.

In the course of history words change. In our day this has happened to the word "evangelical." In the past it served as a bond of unity between Christians from a wide diversity of church traditions. Historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church. In addition, evangelicals also shared a common heritage in the "solas" of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation.

Today the light of the Reformation has been significantly dimmed. The consequence is that the word "evangelical" has become so inclusive as to have lost its meaning. We face the peril of losing the unity it has taken centuries to achieve. Because of this crisis and because of our love of Christ, his gospel and his church, we endeavor to assert anew our commitment to the central truths of the Reformation and of historic evangelicalism. These truths we affirm not because of their role in our traditions, but because we believe that they are central to the Bible.

Sola Scriptura: The Erosion Of Authority

Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the church's life, but the evangelical church today has separated Scripture from its authoritative function. In practice, the church is guided, far too often, by the culture. Therapeutic technique, marketing strategies, and the beat of the entertainment world often have far more to say about what the church wants, how it functions and what it offers, than does the Word of God. Pastors have neglected their rightful oversight of worship, including the doctrinal content of the music. As biblical authority has been abandoned in practice, as its truths have faded from Christian consciousness, and as its doctrines have lost their saliency, the church has been increasingly emptied of its integrity, moral authority and direction.

Rather than adapting Christian faith to satisfy the felt needs of consumers, we must proclaim the law as the only measure of true righteousness and the gospel as the only announcement of saving truth. Biblical truth is indispensable to the church's understanding, nurture and discipline.

Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliche's, promises. and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God's truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God's provision for our need. The Bible, therefore, must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preachers opinions or the ideas of the age. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.

The work of the Holy Spirit in personal experience cannot be disengaged from Scripture. The Spirit does not speak in ways that are independent of Scripture. Apart from Scripture we would never have known of God's grace in Christ. The biblical Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth.

Thesis One: Sola Scriptura

We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.

Solus Christus: The Erosion Of Christ-Centered Faith

As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the center of our vision.

Thesis Two: Solus Christus

We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.

We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.

Sola Gratia: The Erosion Of The Gospel

Unwarranted confidence in human ability is a product of fallen human nature. This false confidence now fills the evangelical world; from the self-esteem gospel, to the health and wealth gospel, from those who have transformed the gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy, to others who treat Christian faith as being true simply because it works. This silences the doctrine of justification regardless of the official commitments of our churches.

God's grace in Christ is not merely necessary but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. We confess that human beings are born spiritually dead and are incapable even of cooperating with regenerating grace.

Thesis Three: Sola Gratia

We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.

We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.

Sola Fide: The Erosion Of The Chief Article

Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. This is the article by which the church stands or falls. Today this article is often ignored, distorted or sometimes even denied by leaders, scholars and pastors who claim to be evangelical. Although fallen human nature has always recoiled from recognizing its need for Christ's imputed righteousness, modernity greatly fuels the fires of this discontent with the biblical Gospel. We have allowed this discontent to dictate the nature of our ministry and what it is we are preaching.

Many in the church growth movement believe that sociological understanding of those in the pew is as important to the success of the gospel as is the biblical truth which is proclaimed. As a result, theological convictions are frequently divorced from the work of the ministry. The marketing orientation in many churches takes this even further, erasing the distinction between the biblical Word and the world, robbing Christ's cross of its offense, and reducing Christian faith to the principles and methods which bring success to secular corporations.

While the theology of the cross may be believed, these movements are actually emptying it of its meaning. There is no gospel except that of Christ's substitution in our place whereby God imputed to him our sin and imputed to us his righteousness. Because he bore our judgment, we now walk in his grace as those who are forever pardoned, accepted and adopted as God's children. There is no basis for our acceptance before God except in Christ's saving work, not in our patriotism, churchly devotion or moral decency. The gospel declares what God has done for us in Christ. It is not about what we can do to reach him.

Thesis Four: Sola Fide

We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.

We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.

Soli Deo Gloria: The Erosion Of God-Centered Worship

Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: our interests have displaced God's and we are doing his work in our way. The loss of God's centrality in the life of today's church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and rest too inconsequentially upon us.

God does not exist to satisfy human ambitions, cravings, the appetite for consumption, or our own private spiritual interests. We must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God's kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.

Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria

We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone. We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self- fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.

Call To Repentance And Reformation

The faithfulness of the evangelical church in the past contrasts sharply with its unfaithfulness in the present. Earlier in this century, evangelical churches sustained a remarkable missionary endeavor, and built many religious institutions to serve the cause of biblical truth and Christ's kingdom. That was a time when Christian behavior and expectations were markedly different from those in the culture. Today they often are not. The evangelical world today is losing its biblical fidelity, moral compass and missionary zeal.

We repent of our worldliness. We have been influenced by the "gospels" of our secular culture, which are no gospels. We have weakened the church by our own lack of serious repentance, our blindness to the sins in ourselves which we see so clearly in others, and our inexcusable failure adequately to tell others about God's saving work in Jesus Christ.

We also earnestly call back erring professing evangelicals who have deviated from God's Word in the matters discussed in this Declaration. This includes those who declare that there is hope of eternal life apart from explicit faith in Jesus Christ, who claim that those who reject Christ in this life will be annihilated rather than endure the just judgment of God through eternal suffering, or who claim that evangelicals and Roman Catholics are one in Jesus Christ even where the biblical doctrine of justification is not believed.

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals asks all Christians to give consideration to implementing this Declaration in the church's worship, ministry, policies, life and evangelism. For Christ's sake. Amen.
________________________________________

ACE Council Members:
Dr. John Armstrong
Rev. Alistair Begg
Dr. James M. Boice
Dr. W. Robert Godfrey
Dr. John D. Hannah
Dr. Michael S. Horton
Mrs. Rosemary Jensen
Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Dr. Robert M. Norris
Dr. R. C. Sproul
Dr. G. Edward Veith
Dr. David Wells
Dr. Luder Whitlock
Dr. J. A. O. Preus, III

Fisher's Commentary

Go here and take a look at this gem that I just found...

Fisher's Commentary on the Shorter Catechism

Come into My Heart, Lord Jesus? (A Plea for Biblical Accuracy in Child Evangelism)

reposted from:

http://bowingdown.com/2006/05/05/come-into-my-heart-lord-jesus-a-plea-for-biblical-accuracy-in-child-evangelism/


by Brian McCrorie
(This article was originally published at www.sharperiron.org on May 1, 2006.)

Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come in today; come in to stay.
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Harry Clarke, Welsh song leader for Evangelist Billy Sunday, wrote these words in 1924. Who hasn’t heard these words sung at the end of an evangelistic challenge? I’m still amazed that many Christians still sing the lyrics after they already know the Lord.

The language of “asking Jesus into one’s heart” is part of a soul winner’s basic vocabulary, at least in my experience. It is firmly entrenched, it seems, especially in children’s ministries today. Consider this recommended prayer for children given by one church:

Dear God, Thank you for making a way for us to turn from the wrong things that we have done. I know I have done wrong things, but right now I want to look upon Jesus so that you will forgive me for the things I have done. Please let Jesus come into my heart, to live forever there. I want to live forever with God. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen

Now, to be fair, this prayer does deal with forgiveness of sin. It acknowledges the love of God. But what it fails to do is to lead a child to verbalize trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Isn’t that what the Gospel is all about?

Before I try to persuade you to stop using this terminology in your personal evangelism, let me assure you of two things:

1. Some people are genuinely saved when asking Jesus into their hearts.

2. There are many wonderful Christians who take the time to explain salvation clearly to children even if they use the “into my heart” phrasing.

Now, I know some of you are thinking right off the bat: this is just semantics. But is it? I was talking with a father in our church just last week, and he related to me how his young, preschool son firmly believes that Jesus lives in his real, physical heart. Just semantics? I don’t think so.

There are some legitimate concerns I have about the concept of “asking Jesus into our hearts.” Let me share them with you in the hope that, if nothing else, you will become even more committed to the precision we must have in communicating the Word of God.

CONCERN #1: IT TENDS TOWARD EASY-BELIEVISM.

There are Christians who are more interested in acquiring decisions for Christ than they are in making disciples of Christ. Often, “asking Jesus into your heart” becomes the magic formula for easy spiritual decision-making. Unfortunately, much of the time, these witnesses give an unclear and incomplete Gospel presentation. Consequently, many of the “decisions” made fall away in short order and were likely never genuine.

CONCERN #2: IT IS EXEGETICALLY UNFOUNDED.

Search the Scriptures. You will not find a passage through either precept or pattern where “asking Jesus into your heart” is employed in evangelism. Not once. Surely that must account for something. How can we be comfortable in using so consistently an expression that lacks ANY Scriptural support?

Some will ignore context and appeal to a passage like Revelation 3:20.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Although this verse is used heavily in evangelistic methodology, it is often taken out-of-context. In context, the Christian will find that Jesus is speaking to a church, a lukewarm church that has lost its fellowship with Christ. In John’s vision, Jesus tells this church He is knocking on their door and pleads with them to open the door and resume fellowship. It’s not about salvation.

Sometimes, instead of taking things out-of-context, we simply take them out-of-order. Such is the case for other New Testament verses where the result of salvation is turned to become the means of salvation. What about these verses?

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (John 1:12)

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col. 1:27)

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal. 2:20)

Another popular Gospel song exclaims: “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart!” Does Jesus really come in? The short answer is “Yes, He does.” We can’t dispute the clear teaching of these verses. But while Jesus’ indwelling is certainly a result of salvation, there is simply no biblical evidence that His spiritual entrance into our lives is part of the means of salvation.

CONCERN #3: IT EASILY CONFUSES CHILDREN.

Easy-believism angers me. Careless Bible study frustrates me. But taking the most important message in the entire world and making it confusing for little ones both angers and frustrates me.

Bob Wilkin in his book Don’t Ask testifies of the confusion this inaccuracy has wrought among children when he writes,

Years later I was teaching an evangelism course at a Bible College in East Texas. I had my students write out their testimonies after I had explained what I have recounted above. I found that quite a few of the students went through years of confusion because someone told them as children that if they asked Jesus into their hearts they would be saved. They wondered if they had done it right. They wondered if they had been sincere enough. So they asked Him in over and over again for years. They couldn’t gain assurance. Finally someone shared with them that to be saved they had to trust in Christ alone. Only then, by their own testimony, did they come to faith in Christ. Years of inviting Him into their lives had only confused and frustrated them.

Consider as well this personal testimony from Dr. John MacArthur:

And every time, as a little kid, that somebody said, “Ask Jesus in your heart,” I can remember saying, “Jesus, please come in my heart.” I can remember that over and over: “In case you’re not there, please come in today.” You know? I mean, I did that as a kid. I’d go to camp, the guy would give a message, and just to be sure, you know, I’d say, “Lord, if you’re not in my life, please…”

Then, of course, there is the problem that children are not generally able to think in the abstract until about age seven. So, we should not be surprised when children take “asking Jesus into their heart” in a literal way. We must be absolutely clear when dealing with children about their eternal souls. Remember, the Bible tells us that child-like faith is essential, but it does not say the same about child-like intellect. While many children are saved at a young age, they must understand the essential truths of salvation in order to properly direct that precious faith in trusting Christ.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

I would like to show you an excellent model for explaining salvation to children. It’s posted on the website of Kids4Truth. Bob Roberts and the other magnificent people who run this ministry have dedicated their lives to making sure children learn the doctrine of God’s Word. Allow me to condense his article to just the main points. You can read it in full at http://www.k4t.com/Questions/question13.htm.

1. God wants you to honor and serve Him.

2. Your sin (breaking God's rules) keeps you from pleasing God.

3. Sin is paid for by death and separation from God.

4. You cannot get to heaven by being good or doing lots of good works.

5. Here's the best part. Christ paid for your sins.

6. Accept Christ's payment for your sin.

7. Turn from your sin. Want something completely different than your sin.

8. God has made you a promise–eternal life.

Becoming a Christian is much like joining an army. It costs nothing to join but the good soldier is willing to obey and even lay down his life for the general. When somebody does join the army, their life is no longer their own. When somebody joins the army, they surrender their rights to their leader. That's what God expects of us. Look at what Jesus said about becoming a Christian (follower of Christ):


Matthew 16:24-25, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."


In order to become a Christian your will must be broken because it is naturally at war with God! In fact, the Bible says that our condition is pretty miserable, for we are born into this world:


1. An enemy of God — our will is against His will (Rom. 5:10)

2. Dead in sins (unable to anything that pleases God — Eph. 2:1)

3. Held captive by a foreign power greater than ourselves (Eph. 2:2)

4. A child of wrath (someone destined for eternal judgment — Eph. 2:3)

Have you ever seen a football game? There are two teams, each with different wills. One team desperately wants to run one way, and the other team wants to go the other way. They have opposing wills. We are born with a will that wants to do anything except turn from our sin and trust Christ for forgiveness! That's why becoming a Christian is primarily a surrender of your will!

This is an excellent example of communicating to children the truth about salvation. I truly believe that if we are more careful and clear in communicating these truths to the minds of children, we will be able to avoid long periods of time in people’s lives when they aren’t sure of their salvation or have to keep making professions of faith to be sure. Now, I do think it’s important that if a child wants to express faith in Christ, we should encourage it—each and every time that desire occurs. At some point along the way, true faith will likely be expressed and assurance will come. We cannot see their hearts and must not put any stumbling blocks in their spiritual journey.

Ironically, four years before penning Into My Heart, Harry Clarke had written the music to another song entitled “What Must I Do?” I like the message of this song much better:

“What must I do?” the trembling jailer cried,
When dazed by fear and wonder;
“Believe in Christ!” was all that Paul replied,
“And you shall be saved from sin.”


REFRAIN:


Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
And you shall be saved!


What must I do! O weary, trembling, soul,
Just turn today to Jesus;
He will receive, forgive and make you whole;
Christ alone can set you free.


His blood is all your plea for saving grace,
The precious fount of cleansing!
O come, accept His love, behold His face,
And be saved forevermore.

Love Constraining to Obedience

We sang this hymn in worship this morning.  I was incredibly moved by the truth and power present in the lyrics.  The last two lines are my favorite...

Love Constraining to Obedience


Chorus:
To see the Law by Christ fulfilled,
To hear His pardoning voice,
Changes a slave into a child
And duty into choice.

No strength of nature can suffice,
To serve the Lord aright
And what she has, she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.

How long beneath the Law I lay,
In bondage and distress
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.

Then to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do
Now if I feel its power within
I feel I hate it too.

Then all my servile works were done,
A righteousness to raise
Now, freely chosen in the Son,I freely choose His ways. 

Lyrics: William Cowper (1731-1800)

SMACK!

My wife took the boys out on a playdate yesterday with another mom who has two little girls.  We know these nice folks from storytime at the McDonough library.  The two girls are ages 4 and 18 months...just abit older than my boys in both cases.

Apparently, at one point in the playdate the 4 year old girl told my oldest (Everett), that she was "going to kill his brother."

Everett promptly slapped her across her face.

She told her mom and them the two ladies had to decipher what had happened.  When they figured it out both kids got a stern talking to.

I know the little girl had no idea what she was saying.  I know that my boy was wrong in smacking her...

Yet, something inside me is damn proud at his loyalty to his brother.  I bet its the last time she says that phrase.

Do I need help in shepherding my child's heart or what!

Far Away

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Quote - 2/8/2010

"Evangelical truth will not be honourably witnessed unto but by evangelical grace."


JOHN OWEN

Jesus and Mixed Martial Arts

The NYT recently ran an article titled "Flock is now a Fight Team in some Ministries."  The thrust of the article is to highlight the growing number of Christian ministries and churches that are jumping on the MMA (some call it Ultimate Fighting, thats actually a brand) bandwagon in order to draw in young men who would otherwise be turned off with the stereotype of a weak Christ.

Those of you who know me, you know that I am a MMA fanatic.  You can check out my MMA thoughts on one of my other blogs HERE.  You guys also know that I love the Gospel.  I feel that makes me uniquely qualified to give my own opinion on this article and the idea it reports on.

Let me keep it brief since its late, I'm tired, this isn't that complicated...

1)  There is a place for Christians to enjoy the pleasures of this world, provided that they aren't things specifically censured in Scripture, and that we do so responsibly.  I believe that recreation falls into this category.  TV, Movies, video games...we can have fun with such things as long as they don't become our idols.  Sports is another entry in that category.  We can watch and participate in all different kinds of sports, doing so with maturity and discernment.

2)  Just because MMA is seen by many as "a human cockfight" doesn't exclude it from sports that a believer can enjoy.  Most people know little about MMA.  They don't understand the extreme mental strategy involved, the top-notch conditioning of its top athletes, nor do they know that its safer than boxing.  At the core of MMA is a warrior ethos of respect.  Not all the fighters abide by this code, but it is central to the sport and I don't think that MMA can be set aside as one single sport that Christians should steer clear of.  In my opinion, MMA can't be thrown out as a viable sport for entertainment unless we are willing to throw out all contact sports.

3)  Its a real shame that so many people see Jesus as weak.  He certainly wasn't.  He wasn't a cocky jerk either.  I see Christ as symbolizing strength in meekness  That is, he wasn't a pansy in a robe, nor was he some overly macho redneck guy - but rather, he was a quietly strong and powerfully reserved man.  He held all the power of the universe in his fingertips and he chose to lay it aside and die to save his wretched and disobedient creation.  Thats the kind of strength that isn't seen in the feminized characterizations of Jesus AND the kind of love that is missing from MMA loving, gun-toting Jesus icons.

4)  Using anything, including MMA, to try and lure men into the faith will fail.  It will produce shallow belief and men who "fall-away" once the gimmick fades.  True conversion comes when we preach the true gospel message to men, the message that an all-powerful God laid himself low (not laid others low) in order to come into this world and die (an act of meekness that conquered all evil).  That same Christ was raised unto the right hand of the Father and he beckons us to die to ourselves (a war of spiritual self-flagellation, not triumph over others) that we might come to see and savor his grace and his mercy (a truth that will cause the hardest man to weep in wonder and joy).

5)  MMA has a place in the world for Christians.  We can watch it, train in it, enjoy it.  It should never be our idol however.  Jesus wasn't an MMA fighter.  He is more than that and less than that.  He is more powerful than Fedor could ever dream of and he is less macho than Chuck Liddell tries to be.  The power in Christ comes from his choice to put aside all his fighting power and be slain.  Jesus did tapout.  He did so on purpose and God used that perfect obedience to facilitate the conquest over sin and death that followed.  Jesus was resurrected and he will come again some day in power - until then however, we would be best suited to keep ourselves away marketing Christian MMA and alternatively focused on spreading the gospel in word and deed.