Hope of Righteousness

Ministry Update - July 2019

2019-07-02T14:19:00.000-05:00

Hello Ministry Partners!

We wanted to send a special update before we take off for Myanmar and Cambodia tomorrow morning! In Myanmar, we will be helping to facilitate an English Language Learning (ELL) workshop for national translators at a Bible College and also talking with faculty and staff about how they can take ownership of Bible translation for Myanmar, beginning with training all the way through to the final translation. We will also be taking a few days to travel to Cambodia, where we will meet with four ministries about scheduling a training event towards the end of 2019.

From Bethany:

Did you know that there are approximately 150 different languages spoken in Myanmar, and less than half of them have an adequate translation of the Bible? We are working to change that. By partnering with national Bible schools, we are training leaders to equip the local church to translate God's word into every language in Myanmar by the year 2025!

Please pray with us that God would:

Prepare the hearts of the people regarding Bible translation.
Prepare our hearts with a burden for the Burmese and Cambodians who do not know the Lord - these are mostly Buddhist nations and our hearts will surely break when we see such widespread idolatry.
Grant success to our efforts with the ELL workshop and Bible translation training.
Keep us strong for the task, both physically and spiritually.
Protect us from the schemes of the evil one and put a hedge of protection around us.
Watch over and protect Judson and Vivian while mommy and daddy are away. They will be staying with my mom and with Aaron’s sister.
Grow our hearts to love Him more.
Grow and strengthen His Church (both here and abroad)!!!
Be glorified in this work as we take His word to the nations.

Also, please pray for God's provision for our shortfall. We need to raise more support as we have been counting on my income to help support us. As I transition to my midwifery studies, we will need to make up that income. I will also be losing a month's worth of income while we are away. Just today, I was explaining to the kids again that daddy does not get any income for his job. We were thanking God together for a new partnership through which God is supplying our needs. Truly, we rely on your support and God's provision through you to keep us fed and sheltered. We appreciate the support of our partners more than you know. We know that God is faithful, and we are certainly counting on Him to provide in a way that we cannot foresee.

From Aaron:

In addition to our work in Bible translation, we are also praying about how the Lord would have us use Bethany’s calling in the mission field. For the past 5 years, she has been working as a doula, providing education, support, and coaching for women before, during, and after childbirth. Two months ago, she began training to become a midwife, which will take three to four years to complete.

In our early days with WA in 2015, Bethany and I attended a training workshop in Orlando. At that time, someone mentioned to her the great need for Christian midwives in the mission field. Through various conversations and information that we have been reading in recent months, we have learned that this is true. In Cambodia, for example, many pregnant women never see a doctor during pregnancy or childbirth. Even if there are doctors in their areas, they cannot afford to pay the doctor and the hospital. As a result, the mortality rate in birth is high, both for mothers and babies. In 2010, it was estimated that an average of 5 women died in childbirth every day. Similar statistics apply to other nations.

We don’t know if the Lord will call us to relocate internationally, but we are both open to the possibility and ready to say yes if he does. He has opened our eyes to the need, has shown us that there are opportunities for us to use the gifts and training that he has given, and has begun to cause our hearts to burn with passion to see his name glorified through us in places far from our home. But we know that great faith will be required of us should this be the direction that our lives and ministries take. It also means that we would need to raise a much larger partnership, both financially and prayerfully.

If you are currently partnering with us financially, would you prayerfully consider increasing your monthly support? If you are not currently partnering with us financially, would you pray about doing so? We know that this is His work and He has called people like you to send us.

Here is the link to our donation page to alter or begin financial support: https://give.wycliffeassociates.org/p-1489-aaron-bethany-fenlason.aspx
Here is the link to our Facebook group where you find more updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fenlasonsupport/

We thank God for each one of you in our prayers. While we know that finances are necessary to pursue the work to which God has called us, we are convinced that prayer is the greater need. This is our Savior’s work, and our Father is faithful both to provide and to prosper when his children are faithful to him. As George Müller once said, “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” Thank you so much for remembering us in your prayers. Much more is accomplished through your prayers than any of us may ever know. May he make your love abound more and more, your faith to grow more confident and steadfast, and your hope to become more vibrant and full of joy.

Ministry Update - May 2019

2019-05-24T17:31:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone!

The Lord has blessed Bethany and I with a tremendous opportunity to travel together to SE Asia in July. Most of our time will be spent in Yangon, Myanmar, where we will be helping to facilitate an English Language Learning workshop and also presenting a seminar on ways in which the school can assume ownership of the work remaining in translating the word of God into the languages of Myanmar. During our time in SE Asia, we will also be taking 4 days to travel down to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where I will be meeting with representatives from the Bible School, the Bible Society, the Institute of Church Planting of Cambodia, and Krousar Thmey (a ministry that focuses on reaching the deaf with the gospel). My goal for our time in Cambodia is to have a personal introduction to individuals in these organizations and to begin planning a seminar for later in the year that will, as in Myanmar, focus on equipping the local organizations to take ownership for Bible translation in Cambodia.

Bethany and I are especially excited about this trip because of the history that has led up to it. The easiest place to begin telling you of that history is with our reading of the biography of Adoniram Judson almost ten years ago. Adoniram Judson was a 19^th century American missionary who spent most of his life in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and who first translated the Bible into the Burmese language. When we read his biography, we were both so deeply moved by the story of his faith, his joy, his suffering, his perseverance, and of God’s goodness, and faithfulness, and mercy that we named our son, Judson, after him. And since that time, we have had a deep desire not only to see Myanmar, but to see Christ glorified in Myanmar. At the time, working in Bible translation was not on our radar, much less ever being able to travel to Myanmar. So to be able to make this the very first trip in my new position, and to make this trip with my bride, is an unspeakable blessing and testament to the kindness of our Lord.

As for traveling to Cambodia, that is also something that I can only attribute to the Lord’s doing, and deserves a word of its own history. My recent position as Church Involvement Coordinator came to an end with the end of last year. While I had made many contacts and visited dozens of churches, there were very few churches that responded positively to the invitation for partnership. Since Wycliffe Associates is wholeheartedly focused on accomplishing our goal of a Bible in every language by 2025, it was determined that my time would be better spent in another position. When given a choice of opportunities, Bethany and I felt the Lord’s leading for me to work with national seminaries and Bible schools in places where Bible translation most needs to happen. The goal is, in effect, to train national believers to train national translators, thereby giving full ownership of the work of Bible translation to the national church.

And here is where I back up to my previous statement that “very few churches…responded positively,” because a few churches did – and they were Cambodian churches. As I look back on my time as Church Involvement Coordinator, it is clear that the Lord opened door after door with this community. First, there was a small group of men from a church who partnered with us in translating some of our copyright-free translation resources into the Khmer language of Cambodia. The pastor of this congregation invited me to attend the national conference of the Cambodian Baptist churches in America last summer at the Blessing Field, where I met dozens of other Cambodian pastors from around the country. One of those pastors invited me to attend a conference for Cambodian believers in Dallas, TX, where I met believers from several states and several denominations, including pastor Barnabas Mam who was instrumental in the Lord’s hand in reviving the church in Cambodia after the time of the Killing Fields. When I drove to Dallas for this conference, I had the privilege of having Robert and his friend, who both work for the Gideons in Cambodia ride along with me. It was Robert who offered to introduce me to these ministries last summer, and when I moved to my current role, he was the first person that I contacted.

With all of this history, and with the way in which every step has led in this direction, Bethany and I are firmly convinced that this trip is of the Lord. We lack only one thing to make it a reality: we need people to partner with us financially. We are confident that the Lord will lead people to do so. Will you pray about coming alongside us in this opportunity, whether through a one-time gift specified for this trip (any amount is appreciated) or, if you aren’t already, by becoming a monthly partner? You can give at this link:

Click Here to Partner

In addition to financial need, here are some specific ways in which you can pray for us:

Pray for us as we prepare for this trip. We need to secure visas, arrange childcare for three weeks, keep up our own spiritual wellbeing and communion with Christ, etc.

Pray for the finances to come together and for us to continue to trust God for them.

Pray for our protection against the evil one as we enter a country that is predominantly Buddhist and often hostile towards other faiths.

Pray for our marriage and families to be protected from the enemy and from his devices. He has not been idle.

Pray for our hearts to be drawn to Christ and to the lost who need Him, and that He will be glorified both through us and through the work of Bible translation for His Church in SE Asia.

Blessings,
Aaron

The Things That Are Above - Meditations on Colossians 3

2011-07-29T15:45:00.001-05:00

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)

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Based on the fact that believers have been united with Christ, not only in his death, but more importantly in his resurrection and life, Paul commands them to “seek the things that are above” (Colossians 3:1) and to “set [their] minds on things that are above” (Colossians 3:2). There are two things that we need to understand here. The first is what the “things that are above” are; the second, what it means to “seek” and “set our minds on” them. This post will consider the first; the next post will consider the second.

The Things That Are Above

The first things that usually come to mind when we think about heaven are pearly gates, streets of gold, and reunion with friends and loved ones. Perhaps there are harps and chubby little angels in the mix, too. All of these are acceptable when we talk about heaven in our over-spiritualized, post-Christian American culture. But Paul doesn’t allow believers to think about heaven like that. He makes sure that there is no room for misunderstanding. The “things that are above” have nothing to do with heaven unless by heaven we mean “where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” All of the other benefits of that happy place are minimal in comparison to Christ who is the center and focus of every joy and blessing. So, when Paul says to seek or set our minds on the “things that are above,” he means for us to understand these things as the blessings that come from Christ, particularly, the blessings that come from His position at the right hand of God.

God’s Right Hand

The phrase “seated at the right hand of God” is a reference to Psalm 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord. ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” The New Testament takes up this refrain over and over again and attributes it to Jesus. What is its significance?

First, sitting at the right hand of God is a reference to Jesus’ power and authority. In Luke 22:69, Jesus calls it “the right hand of the power of God.” God has exalted Jesus “above every rule and authority and power and dominion” (Ephesians 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22). There is no power or authority, be it human or spiritual, that is exempt from Christ’s rule.

Second, the fact that Jesus is seated indicates that His work of salvation is accomplished, it is completely finished. That he is seated at God’s right hand indicates that God has approved of what he has done (Hebrews 1:3; 8:1). The priests of Old Testament times stood in the temple offering sacrifices over and over, sacrifices which could never really take away sins. Jesus, on the other hand, offered only one sacrifice, Himself, and then sat down at God’s right hand. By that one sacrifice, He has “perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:11-14).

Third, Jesus’ position at God’s right hand is a reference to His ongoing work of intercession for believers (Romans 8:34). It is there that he “lives to make intercession” for us by appearing “in the presence of God on our behalf” (Hebrews 7:25; 9:24). Nothing can separate us from God so long as the risen Christ, our Great High Priest, is there praying for us.

Our Blessings in Christ

So what, specifically, are the “things that are above?” Or, what are the blessings that we have as a result of being united with a Christ who has been exalted to the right hand of God? Paul calls these things “the unsearchable riches of Christ” in Ephesians 3:8. Or, in Colossians, he prays that his readers may “reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). More explicitly, he says that God has made known “how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

So, in a sense, the “things that are above” are so rich, so numerous, that we could not possibly articulate them all in this lifetime. It will take heaven to come to a full comprehension of all that he has given us in Christ. But there are some things that we can know for sure. Although we could scour the New Testament for these blessings, I will focus only on the things that Paul mentions in Colossians. Let’s consider them in light of what He has done for us, what He is doing for us, and what He will do for us – all guaranteed by Christ’s position at God’s right hand: His power, His completed work of redemption through His death and resurrection, and His continued intercession for believers.

What Christ Has Done

First, Christ has redeemed us, purchased forgiveness for our sins, and brought us into His kingdom. There is no longer any power or authority able to bring a charge against us (cf. Romans 8:33). He defeated them all and has taken away all of the ammunition that they used to accuse us.

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14)
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death.” (Colossians 1:21)
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to an open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:13-15)

What Christ is Doing

Second, Christ is now building, growing, and protecting His church. His power and continued intercession assures the growth of the church, as well as each individual believer, into maturity. He is the church’s head, and she His body (Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:19). As Paul says in Ephesians, Christ was exalted “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion…And [God] put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body” (Ephesians 1:21-22). So it is as head over all things that Christ relates to the church, not just as head of the church. There is no power that can keep the church from becoming what God has designed her to be. As Jesus himself said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). And that he “lives to make intercession” for us (Hebrews 7:25), means that there is never a moment when He is unconcerned about His body’s well-being. He purchased her with His blood; He prays for continually; and He sustains her with His unsurpassable power.

Related to this, is Paul’s repeated prayer that his readers be filled with the knowledge of God, His will, and His mystery, which is Christ (Colossians 1:9, 10, 2:2). This knowledge is directly related to the church’s sanctification and each believer’s growth in holiness. It enables us to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work (Colossians 1:10). It strengthens us “with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11). Knowing God encourages our hearts and knits each believer in the church together in love (Colossians 2:2).

What Christ Will Do

Third, we have a promise of what Christ will do for us. Paul points to this several times. He gives thanks that the Colossian believers have responded with faith and love “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven (Colossians 1:5). He encourages them not to shift “from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23). And he says that “the hope of glory” is, in fact, Christ in them (Colossians 1:27). Even in our passage, it is mentioned, although not by name. He says that “when Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).

The promise of the gospel is not only about the forgiveness of sins. It includes, also, a promise of eternal life, abundant satisfaction, and inexpressible joy in the presence of Jesus Christ and God our Father. This is what Paul means by hope. There will come a day when Christ returns, and in that day all of our hopes will be made reality. There will be no more suffering or death, no more sin or wickedness, no more sorrow, pain, or grief. Instead, there we will be made new. We will be made like Christ, because we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

To sum up, the “things that are above” are all of the blessings that we have as a result of having been united with Christ in His death, resurrection, life, exaltation, and future return in glory. In essence, Paul is joining his voice with the author of Hebrews and saying, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). He is the source and sustainer of our life. For believers, “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).

(Re-posted from the True Life Church blog.)

Owen's Day - Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 3.5

2011-07-28T00:50:00.003-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

Last week we saw that the spiritually minded person comes to prayer with genuine faith toward God, love for Him, and delight in Him. We also saw that this person finds a deep spiritual satisfaction in prayer; he prays, not because he must, but because he loves to pray. Before we look at a few more indications of spiritual mindedness, we need to consider a warning.

The Danger of Spiritual Pride

There is a danger that is always looming over the horizon of our best spiritual exercises. We are inclined to feel satisfied with ourselves for having prayed well. Instead of being steeped in humility, as all true grace is, there is a tendency toward spiritual pride. We are always ready to sacrifice to our net and make offerings to our dragnet (Habakkuk 1:16). We find it the easiest thing in the world to put confidence in our flesh. We like to feel that we have done well, and we like others to notice. We like to be recognized and complemented. This sense of satisfaction can, before we know it, turn into pride.

This self-satisfaction is a far cry from the spiritual satisfaction that we addressed in the last post. And it is easy to be deceived by it if we aren't careful to examine our hearts in the matter. The language of spiritual satisfaction is “With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone” (Psalm 71:16). That of spiritual pride is like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable, “God, I thank you that I have done such and such,” (cf., Luke 18:11-12). The one is all about God; the other all about self. The one fills the soul with humility; the other fills with conceit. The one casts out all remembrance of what we have done and retains only a sense of what we have received from God; the other disregards what God has done and remembers only what we have done ourselves.

Being aware of the danger of spiritual pride, let us diligently examine our hearts in the matter, and pray all the more that God would fill us with humility and genuine spiritual satisfaction in Christ alone.

Spiritually Minded Prayer Produces Fruit

The next indication of spiritual mindedness that we should consider is that thoughts about spiritual things, when they come from the work of grace in our hearts, produce fruit in our lives. In particular, they work to make us humble, move us forward in holiness, and keep us in a state of spiritual alertness.

There are innumerable benefits of prayer that we could point out. Growth in grace and spiritual comfort are the primary among them. As long as a person continues in prayer, there will be some degree of spiritual growth. What is more, the person who prays as he ought will strive to live as he prays. To pray earnestly and live carelessly is evidence that such a person is not spiritually minded. By this, we can know where our thoughts about spiritual things really come from. If they move us to a constant, daily watch over ourselves so that we might live out our prayers, they are the work of grace in our hearts. If, however, we leave our prayers and never come to think of how we are to live in light of them, grace is conspicuously absent. A man who is occasionally fervent in prayer may yet be very poor spiritually if, when he stops praying, he is not careful and diligent about what he has prayed.

Spiritual Affections Motivate Prayer

When spiritual affections excite and animate prayer, rather than the act of prayer stirring up the affections, then we are spiritually minded. Gifts are meant to be servants, not rulers, in the mind. They are meant to follow grace, not to lead it. For the most part, where they lead, they are all alone. This is the natural order of things: grace moves the heart to pray; circumstances, directed by God's providence, give us the occasion to pray; a sense of duty calls for preparation to pray. Grace is at the head, and motivates prayer; duty only assists in the performance. If duty leads, everything is out of order.

It may be otherwise sometimes. A person who struggles to pray and laments the absence of spiritual affections may pray because he wants to be obedient and fulfill his spiritual duty. In praying, his affections may be stirred up and he may be enabled to pray earnestly and sincerely. Again, this might sometimes be the case, but we must be careful. If this is the rule, rather than the exception, there may be little or nothing of true grace at work. We might be deceived by the fervor and commotion of our affections into thinking that there is life in our prayers simply because we have attained a certain measure of emotion or because we have done our duty. The proper order, the only order that we should be content with on a regular basis, is when genuine faith, love, and spiritual desire move us to pray.

There Must Be More than Prayer

A person is spiritually minded when other duties of religion are equally regarded and carried out along with prayer. The person whose religion consists only of prayer has no true religion at all. God considers other spiritual disciplines just as important, and so must we. For example, we see that God responded to Cornelius, not only because of his prayers, but also because of his alms (Acts 10:31). James says that pure and undefiled religion consists largely in visiting "orphans and widows in their affliction" (James 1:27). A person's prayers are worthless, no matter how earnest or frequent, if he doesn't take seriously his responsibility to care for those in need.

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

United with Christ - Meditations on Colossians 3

2011-07-25T23:21:00.002-05:00

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A New Standard for Relationships
Sunday morning, we continued the series The Gospel in Real Life by talking about how the gospel impacts our relationships. Pastor Norm walked us through Colossians 3:1-17 and showed us how the gospel doesn’t lower the bar of expectations here, but raises it. It gives us a new standard for relationships. Our affections, attitudes, and actions toward other people should be noticeably different because we know and trust Christ.

There are nine imperatives, or commands, in this section; they tell us either what we need to stop doing or, more importantly, what we must begin to do. These are more than the basic childhood instructions that we’re all familiar with (for example, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”). In fact, they go beyond the most profound moral or sociological teaching of every other religion or philosophy. Before we can understand what the apostle Paul is saying in the last seven imperatives, though, we must understand the first two.

Christ’s Fullness and Yours

Actually, we need to go back a little further still. The first two imperatives (seek and set your minds) are based on the fact that you have been raised with Christ. This is Paul’s habit. He never gives a command without first giving the basis for it. What is fact (what some have called the “indicative” of the Christian life) always serve as the motivation and reason for what must be done (the imperative of the Christian life).

The language that Paul uses in these verses is unique. “You have been raised with Christ” is actually only one word in Greek, and it is emphatic: “You have been co-raised with Christ.” The language carries over from Paul’s argument in chapter 2, where this kind of wording abounds.

He begins this section of his argument in Colossians 2:6, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.” In other words, the way that you continue life as a Christian is the same way that you began: by faith. This is why he wants the Colossians to be “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7).

In Colossians 2:9, Paul makes one of the clearest assertions to the deity of Christ: “For in him the whole fullness of the deity dwells bodily.” But, amazingly, Paul’s goal is not to teach doctrine, no matter how wonderful it may be. He is more concerned with how this beautiful truth impacts the lives of the Colossian believers. He goes on to say, “and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:10). So, God’s fullness is to be found in Christ, and you, because you also are in Christ, are full as well. God fills Christ, Christ fills you. This is the foundation of everything he says about living the Christian life.

United with Christ

Paul then explains how this fullness works: you have been made one with Christ. Everything that Christ has done has been done in you. Everything that Christ has earned has been graciously given to you. Everything that Christ is, everything that He has promised, belongs to you because you have received Christ Jesus the Lord by faith. In Him, you have been circumcised; not the removal of foreskin, but the removal of the “body of flesh” or corrupt sinful nature (Colossians 2:11). You have been co-buried with Him, as symbolized by baptism, and co-resurrected with Him by the power of God (Colossians 2:12). You used to be dead in sin, but have now been co-made-alive (awkward, I know, but it gets at what Paul is saying) with Christ and your sins have been forgiven (Colossians 2:13).

A New Way of Life

So how does this union with Christ affect the way that we live? How does it affect our relationships and our battle against sin? The basic principles that the world offers for self-improvement are really of no value here (Colossians 2:20-22). Self-imposed religious discipline won’t do you any good either (Colossians 2:23). Neither of these offers any effective or lasting results. What is needed is a complete overhaul, not a removal to the expectations of God’s law, but a new way of living, indeed, a new life.

This brings us to the point of our passage. Colossians 2:20-23 and Colossians 3:1-4 are parallel. Notice the way that Paul begins these sections: “If with Christ you died…” (2:20); “If then you have been raised with Christ…” (3:1). On the one hand, your union with Christ means that you have died to this world. You are no longer governed by its standards or rules or suggestions. To put it plainly, you need to stop trying to be a better Christian by watching Oprah or reading Dr. Phil; you’ve died to human teachings (Colossians 2:22). On the other hand, your union with Christ means that you have been made alive, really alive, to God. This new life requires a new life-goal and a new way of thinking. It is to be characterized by seeking “the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). And it matures by deliberately setting your mind on and thinking about “things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

In our next post, we will look at these two commands (seek and set your minds) in more detail.

(Re-posted from the True Life Church blog.)

Owen's Day - Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 3.4

2011-07-20T23:59:00.000-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

It’s natural that when you pray, you think about spiritual things. But that doesn’t mean that you are spiritually minded. As we have seen, your thoughts may be prompted by circumstances or religious obligation rather than by a heart in love with spiritual realities and animated by grace. So is there any way to know whether these thoughts come from being spiritually minded or from something else? Here are some suggestions.

Faith, Love, and Delight in God

I take it for granted that anyone who has been the recipient of grace will be able to examine his own heart and find genuine faith toward God, love for Him, and delight in Him. When the spiritually minded person prays, these are his primary motivations. Knowing this to be so is part of the inward testimony that John writes about and that Paul says is the ministry of the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:10; Romans 8:16). Sincere faith will be its own evidence; and when our actions are motivated by such faith, they, too, when judged in light of the word, will be their own evidence. But if you settle for mere performance of religious duty without examining your heart, you will not be able to tell whether you are spiritually minded.

Spiritual Satisfaction

When the soul finds a deep spiritual satisfaction in and after prayer, it is evidence that grace is at work and that the one praying is spiritually minded. Jeremiah 31 gives us an example of this kind of satisfaction. In this chapter, Jeremiah received a message from God that is filled with wonderful promises and encouragement for His people. The message is summed up in verse 25: “For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” Jeremiah then says, “At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me” (Jeremiah 31:26). God’s promises had touched him so deeply that he was like a man sleeping. But at the end of it, he stirred himself up to consider what he had heard: “I awoke and looked.” When he thought about it, his soul was refreshed and he found a deep satisfaction in the message: “my sleep was pleasant to me.” This is often the case with a soul that has had real communion with God in prayer. It finds itself, both during and after prayer, spiritually refreshed; it is pleasant to him.

This spiritual satisfaction is the foundation of the believer’s delight in prayer. He doesn’t pray only because it is his duty, nor does he pray merely because he can’t live without it. He prays because he delights in it. Not to pray is the same to him as not eating. He delights in prayer because he has found that is satisfies his soul. Without this satisfaction, he may pray, but he cannot do it with delight. So, where does this spiritual satisfaction come from?

First, satisfaction comes from drawing near to God in prayer. Prayer, by its very nature, is drawing near to God who sits on a throne of grace (Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 4:16). When grace is at work in your prayers, that nearness to God is experienced and known. Since God is the fountain of all spiritual refreshment and satisfaction, when you draw near to Him in prayer, you will taste this refreshment (Psalm 36:7-9).

Second, satisfaction comes from the exercise of faith in, love for, and delight in God. The spiritual life of the believer consists mainly in these things. There are certain things that your natural life requires: eating, sleeping, breathing, etc. Without these, you will not only be unhappy, your life will be in danger. But when you do these things, you are satisfying the needs of your natural life. The same is true for the spiritual life. When you do the things that will nurture and strengthen your spiritual life, you will be satisfied, as well. Prayer, as well as other spiritual disciplines, is to the spiritual life what air and food and sleep are to the natural. When grace is at work in prayer, your soul is refreshed and the things that trouble it are quieted. What is more, when you focus your faith and love on Christ, they prepare you to receive love and grace from Him. And receive them you will, even if you aren’t always aware of it.

Third, satisfaction comes from the testimony of conscience. When prayer is motivated by love for and delight in spiritual realities, your conscience will bear witness to your sincerity. A pure conscience with regard to your aim and motives will be a source of great delight.

If you have never experienced these things in prayer, then it is likely that you aren’t praying as you should, because these are among the principle things that you should be praying for. And if you never experience the effects of your prayers in your heart, if they never produce in you this deep spiritual satisfaction, you don’t gain anything by them or glorify God in them. If this is true in your case, don’t give up. Keep asking God to satisfy your soul in Him and He will.

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

I'm Sorry...Will You Forgive Me?

2011-07-18T17:45:00.001-05:00

Is There a Difference?

I have been pondering the issue of forgiveness a lot lately, partly because I still need to learn how to forgive, and partly because I need to learn how to be forgiven. I don’t mean being forgiven by God, but being forgiven by others and even by myself. It really is a hard thing to do sometimes.

I was challenged this afternoon by an incident with two of my sons. One of them had made some comments that were derogatory to a friend that was in our home. I called him out on it and told him to apologize. When he said, “I’m sorry” I told him that it might have been better for him to have asked forgiveness. At this point, my other son piped up. He insisted that there was no difference between saying “Will you forgive me?” and saying “I’m sorry.”

But there is a difference, isn’t there? We might not be able to articulate it very well, but we know it’s there. The simple fact that we don’t usually ask for forgiveness because it’s too awkward is enough to prove this. So what is the difference? Isn’t a genuine “I’m sorry” good enough?

I’m Sorry

An apology is an expression of one’s regret or sorrow for having wronged another person. To give an apology is a noble thing. It is recognition that you have violated the other person in some way and that your action was wrong. If it’s genuine, it even goes beyond a simple recognition of these facts and includes an appropriate sorrow for the wrongdoing - that’s why we say “I’m sorry.”

The problem is that genuine apologies are easy to counterfeit. We make it a habit in our household that if one of our children wrongs another, he or she must apologize. But usually this forced apology is not, in fact, an apology. The words are spoken to satisfy our expectations. There is no corresponding sorrow for actually doing anything wrong. “I’m sorry” is really “I’m sorry I got caught and have to tell you. Are you happy now?” There is no concern for the other person. There is no acknowledgement that the relationship has been compromised and no desire to be reconciled.

So, yes, a genuine, heart-felt “I’m sorry” is much better than a forced or insincere one. But if we are to be biblical, if we are to forgive as God in Christ forgave us (or allow the other person to forgive as God forgave him), then we must get past “I’m sorry.”

Will You Forgive Me?

“I’m sorry” never goes beyond the person saying the words. It is more about me than about the other person. It requires nothing and asks nothing. It doesn’t matter how the other person responds or whether the apology is accepted or not. It is just a statement of fact about what is going on in my heart.

On the other hand, forgiveness cannot stop with the offending party. When a person asks, “Will you forgive me?,” he is drawing the offended party into the matter. It is no longer just about one person’s change of heart. It seeks to involve both people in a reorientation towards one another. It is a request for reconciliation.

It is a huge risk to say, “Will you forgive me?” As was said before, “I’m sorry” requires absolutely nothing from the other person. I don’t have to open myself up to them and I don’t have to expect anything in return. I can be sorry with or without their acknowledgment or reconciliation. But forgiveness is another matter entirely. It is something that is entirely out of my control, something that I cannot create by myself. It cannot exist unless the other person grants it. To say, “Will you forgive me?” is to place myself in the hands and at the mercy of another person. It means that I make myself vulnerable to the one whom I have offended.

This is so much harder than simply saying, “I’m sorry.” It’s no wonder, then, that we don’t ask for forgiveness very often. It feels awkward to open ourselves up to another person in this way. We don’t like being vulnerable. The other person may refuse to forgive, they may use the moment of our vulnerability to retaliate. What happens then? We will be left looking weak, looking like a fool.

So how are we to overcome our reluctance to speak the words? How do we get over our fear of rejection and retaliation? The answer lies in our understanding of and motivation for forgiveness.

Biblical Forgiveness

Biblical forgiveness, the forgiveness that we have received from God through the death of Christ, is never simply about the removal of my subjective guilt. It was never intended merely as an anesthetic for remorse. Its goal has always been reconciliation. The removal of subjective guilt is a great benefit; as long as guilt remains, there will never be joy or confidence in the relationship. But that is the point. The guilt and shame of sin is removed so that we might have joy and confidence in our relationship with God. Forgiveness removes the barriers of sin and shame so that an honest, loving relationship can exist between two parties who were once at odds.

When we begin to view our relationships with other people the way that God views his relationship with us, we should able to approach forgiveness with the same design. My guilt is not merely a feeling of disgust for having screwed up again. It is a violation of a person with whom I am supposed to be in relationship. My offense has compromised that relationship, and it is that fact that should cause me pain. When I come to ask forgiveness, my goal is not to alleviate my emotions, but to restore what has been broken. It requires me to look the other person in the eye, say I love you, confess my guilt and shame, and then ask them to receive me back into fellowship.

This doesn’t completely remove the awkwardness of asking forgiveness, nor does it guarantee a positive response. What it does do, is to allow us to see the issue from a proper perspective. When the other person, and my relationship with him, is more important to me than the soothing of my own conscience, I am willing to bear whatever scorn might be given. Love for the one whom I have offended, a love that longs for reconciliation, is willing to take every blow.

Love Like Christ

Once again, I am brought back to the only place where a believer can find the strength to love, to forgive, and to be forgiven. My forgiveness came at the cost of the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). He was wounded for my transgressions, crushed for my iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). He willingly suffered every blow, every nail, all of the wrath of God on my account, because he loved me (Galatians 2:20). When I fix my eyes on him and set all of my heart to love and trust him, he gives me strength to love my neighbor, my now offended friend.

The One Sure Sign

2011-07-14T13:30:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

“But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

These words contain a serious warning to those who take it upon themselves to speak on God's behalf - and there is no shortage of people who do. It was only a few months ago when, according to Harold Camping, the Judgment Day was supposed to occur. Others might not be so bold as to make such an astounding claim. They may, instead, insist that natural disasters, such as the tornado that ravaged Joplin, Missouri on May 22, are the judgment of God.

Still others, and this perhaps proves to be the largest population of false prophets, deal with smaller, less significant, matters. Borrowing their theology from pop culture and bad tradition, they teach people a religion that has no foundation in the Bible. They create divisions within the church, cause believers to waver in their faith, and lead people away from the truth of the gospel. The New Testament writers are no less severe with their condemnation of such people (cf. Galatians 1:8-9; 1 Timothy 1:6-7, 6:3-5; 2 Peter 2:1, 12, 17).

This is not just a warning to would-be prophets, though. The concern is not so much about the consequence of speaking falsely on God's behalf. It is about preserving and protecting God's people. We know, from our own experience, that we can't simply take a man's word for it when he claims to be speaking for God. So God provides a litmus test, a way to know for sure whether the man in front of us is truly speaking God's word: if what he says comes to pass, he is genuine; if it does not, he is a liar.

But let's look a little deeper still. Are these verses, at bottom, really about the prophet at all? Aren't they really about God? Might not God be using this warning as a means to teach His people something about Himself? I think that just might be the case.

Read the verses that immediately precede the warning: "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him" (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).

The warning about false prophets sits in contrast to the promise of another prophet like Moses. By giving the litmus test, God is reinforcing the truth that the new prophet would, indeed, come. And come he did. His name was Jesus Christ (Acts 3:22; 7:37), the one in whom all of God's promises are guaranteed (1 Corinthians 1:20).

All of God's promises are marked by this proof: they come to pass. There is no way to conceive of a promise from God that would fail to come true. This is so certain that God says that the one evidence that a word is counterfeit is that it fails to happen. God gives no counterfeit promises.

Owen's Day - Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 3.3

2011-07-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

Circumstantial Prayers Don't Prove Spiritual Mindedness

Prayer, even if it produces spiritual thoughts, does not prove that a person is spiritually minded. If the only time, or even if most of the time, our thoughts are turned to spiritual things in prayer is when the events and circumstances of our lives push us in that direction, our prayers will not help us to grow spiritually. They will not help us to develop humility, holiness, and obedience. It is astonishing that we have the ability to pray much, and at times pray fervently, and yet be at a standstill in our spiritual growth. The problem is not that God has changed. "The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear" (Isa. 59:1). He is the same as when the saints of old cried out to Him and were delivered, when they trusted in Him and were not put to shame. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). Prayer, too, is the same today as it was then and will never lose its power as long as this world remains.

Why is it, then, that there is so much prayer among us with so little success? If our prayers were successful, we would be able to say with David, "On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased" (Ps. 138:3). But there are many who pray very consistently, and in a way that seems to be very spiritual, without ever receiving this strength in their souls. There is a defect somewhere because their prayers don't produce the spiritual vitality and growth in grace that should accompany them. Of course, if a person does not receive a specific answer to his sincere prayers, it is not an absolute indication that there is a defect in his praying. God may have other plans for him. But how a person should continue to pray in general according to the will of God and yet not thrive at all in spiritual strength is hard to conceive.

Is Sin Reconciled with Prayer?

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for this is that some men keep up a consistent discipline of prayer while they live in known sins. Whatever spiritual thoughts that such men have when they pray, they are not spiritually minded. It would be easy simply to dismiss all such men as hypocrites. They can't help but know that their prayers are mockeries of God. They don’t truly desire or aim for the things that they mention in their prayers. Instead, they pray either out of some corrupt desire or simply to satisfy their convictions. Such a "double-minded" man "must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:7-8). He never pursues his prayers correctly, never acts in faith with reference to the things he prays.

But there are some who live this spiritual double life who really do believe themselves to be sincere in their prayers. We should not immediately assume that Wisdom's rebuke is true of them: "Because I have called and you refused to listen…[you] will call upon me, but I will not answer" (Prov. 1:24, 28). While we might be inclined to say to them, "Either stop your sinning or stop your praying," it might be better to tell them not to stop praying until they have stopped sinning. Otherwise, we might be advising a sick man not to take his medicine until he was better. Who knows, but that the Holy Spirit may take hold of these prayers, breathe life into them, and use them as the means to deliver the person from the power of sin?

This does not excuse the sinner from responsibility. The person who has reconciled his life of sin with a life of prayer is still guilty before God. His problem is that he has never learned to pray as he ought. His requests are motivated by fear or conviction, instead of by grace. No one has ever been absolutely overcome by sin who prayed for deliverance according to the mind of God. If a praying man perishes, it is because he is a hypocrite. God's faithfulness to His promises will not allow us to come to any other conclusion. For this reason, any thoughts of spiritual things that such a person has, even if those thoughts come while praying, do not come from a heart filled with grace and affections properly fixed on God. If they did, his prayers would see very different results.

Earnestness Does Not Prove Spiritual Mindedness

A person may be very earnest in prayer, his delivery fervent and passionate, and yet his thoughts about spiritual matters not flow from an internal spring of grace. There is a fervency of spirit in prayer that comes from faith, hope, and love toward God. When prayer is attended by this kind of fervency, it is sweet and satisfying. But there is another kind of fervency that may affect prayer, a fervency that comes from other causes.

First, a person might pray earnestly because his affections are deeply engaged by the things he prays for. For example, a he might be very fervent when he prays for the health of a loved one or when he prays for deliverance from some impending danger. Yet this fervency may only be the result of the violent acting of his emotions. This is the kind of prayer that God speaks of in Hosea 7:14: "They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds." Theirs is not a fervent longing for God and for grace, but the ravenous cry of hungry animals longing to be satisfied.

Second, earnestness might come from sharp convictions. When a person is pressed down by the weight of his guilt, his heart might be so restless as to make him scream for peace. He doesn't need any saving grace to come to this point; conviction always precedes conversion. The conviction itself, especially if it is accompanied by pain and suffering, may be the only reason he turns his thoughts toward God in prayer (Psalm 78:34-37).

Third, and perhaps most deceptive, a person's mind or affections might not be involved in his earnestness much at all. He may simply work himself up emotionally by his own words. His fervency is a kind of side effect of his actions and expressions.

Spiritual gifts, certain circumstances that instigate prayer, and even earnestness in prayer may all be present where there is no fountain of grace giving life to a man's prayers. They may produce thoughts about spiritual matters without being clear proof that a man is spiritually minded. Something more is needed in order to know whether we are spiritually minded.

Next week, we will address the question: "How can we know for sure that the thoughts we have of spiritual things in prayer come from grace in our hearts, and so have evidence that we are spiritually minded?"

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

A Review of "Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus"

2011-07-09T15:03:00.001-05:00

Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus, by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson

If you are a parent; if you are a grandparent; if you think you might ever become a parent, buy and read this book. When I first received the book from Crossway, I thought that it would be another one of those “Here’s the five things that you need to do to be a successful parent” books. I was wrong.

This is no ordinary parenting book. In fact, I would argue that it isn’t even primarily about parenting. This book is about the gospel. The gospel is articulated so clearly and so powerfully, that you might take parenting out of the equation, plug in anything else, and still have a superb book. I suppose, then, that I should have added a phrase in my first sentence: “Even if you don’t plan on ever having any children, buy and read this book.”

I understand that these kinds of statements tend to make idols out of books and authors. That is not my intention. Give Them Grace is a unique book, but it’s not because of the eloquence and genius of Fitzpatrick and Thompson. It is by no means a perfect book. The examples of conversations with children are often unrealistic. None of my children are going to sit and listen to me talk about the gospel for four paragraphs when they are furious with me for grounding them from the Xbox. The language sounds more maternal and so some men may get weary with the book. Yet I speak so highly of Give Them Grace because it is built on the glorious and praiseworthy gospel.

There is no shortage of Christian books on parenting. Aren’t they all built on the gospel? Isn’t that why they’re called “Christian”? What sets this one apart?

Many books on parenting only give a part of the message; they fail to communicate the whole gospel. What they end up accomplishing is to obscure it. Here is how Fitzpatrick and Thompson diagnose the problem:

“How could a Christian book on parenting obscure the message of the gospel of grace? It could do so if it falsely claims that parents are able to manufacture their child’s ultimate success by a sheer force of will. Of course, in these books, this sheer force of will won’t be called “your force of will.” Rather, it will be called other, more spiritual-sounding names like ‘meeting their deepest needs’ or ‘consistent’ or ‘devoted’ parenting” (p.160).

These books send the message that the child’s success and happiness depends ultimately on the parents’ ability to use the correct methods.

“This is the message of every book about parenting that is not rooted in the grace of God demonstrated in the gospel. Just as a book on prayer would not be an essentially Christian book if it never mentioned Jesus’s high priestly mediation or the deep assurance that forgiveness of sins brings, so “Christian” parenting books are not Christian if their primary message is law. If their message isn’t rooted and grounded in the truth that you and your children are deeply sinful yet deeply loved, in reality it’s nothing more than a glorification of the will and work of the parent” (p. 161).

Although these paragraphs are near the end of Give Them Grace, they sum up the heart of its message. As Christian parents, our parenting must be essentially Christian; which means that it will be fundamentally different from the way Muslim or Jewish parents raise their children. It must be built on the gospel, reflect the gospel, and be a testimony to the gospel.

Give Them Grace is divided up into two parts (Foundations of Grace and Evidences of Grace) and ten chapters. Rather than reviewing each chapter, I will simply give a brief summary of each and then give a few excerpts (all italics are original). This will result in a somewhat longer than normal book review, but hopefully it will better serve to whet your appetite.

Part One: Foundations of Grace

Chapter 1: From Sinai to Calvary

The authors define four kinds of rules that we generally teach our children and what obedience to those rules look like: “basic instruction in hearing and obeying; social rules or manners; civic rules and submission to human authority; and, finally, religious training” (p. 33). All of these are good, but our children won’t earn anything from God by them.

“We are commanded to [teach our children God’s law] but not to make them good. We are commanded to give them the law so that they will be crushed by it and see their need for a Savior. The law won’t make them good. It will make them despair of ever being good enough, and in that way it will make them open to the love, sacrifice, and welcome of their Savior, Jesus Christ...Everything that isn’t gospel is law. Every way we try to make our kids good that isn’t rooted in the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is damnable, crushing, despair-breeding, Pharisee-producing law. We won’t get the results we want from the law. We’ll get either shallow self-righteousness or blazing rebellion or both” (p. 36).

Chapter 2: How to Raise Good Kids

People work for obedience, generally, for one of two reasons. Either they are trying to be good and earn favor from God, or they are trying to prove that they are good and don’t need God. Their understanding of their worth and importance is tied up in what they do. If you do good, you’re accepted; if you do bad; you’re not.

“If we persist in seeking to build our children’s self-esteem by praising them, we make them into our own image, boys and girls who idolize the benediction, adults who are enslaved to the opinions of others, and parents who pass on the lie to the next generation…Like us, our children crave the blessed benediction: ‘You are good!’ But the Bible says that because we are not good, those words no longer apply to us…We long to be told, ‘You are good!’ but only Jesus Christ and those clothed with his goodness deserve to hear it. And if we really embrace this truth, our parenting will be transformed from wishful deception to powerful grace. It will make our parenting Christian” (p. 43).

“Christian righteousness is that level of goodness that can withstand the scrutiny of a perfectly holy God and earn the benediction, ‘You are good!’ It is perfect obedience in both outward conformity and inward desire. It is goodness for the sake of God’s great glory motivated by a pure and zealous love for God and neighbor. It is the right action at the right time for the right reason. A record of this kind of goodness can never be earned; it can only be bestowed by grace through faith” (p. 45).

Chapter 3: This Is the Work of God

It can be very uncomfortable to change the way we parent. To incorporate the message of grace into the way we raise our kids may make us feel like we are in free fall. Can God really be trusted with our children’s futures? Your children’s salvation is not up to you; salvation belongs to the Lord.

“Works righteousness is a deadly and false variation of godly obedience. Godly obedience is motivated by love for God and trust in his gracious plan and power. Works righteousness is motivated by unbelief; it is a reliance on our abilities and a desire to control outcomes…In parenting, works righteousness will cause us to be fearful and demanding. When we see our failures, we will be overcome with fear: I really blew it with my kids today. I’m so afraid that I’m going to ruin them! When we see their failures, we’ll be overly demanding: I’ve already told you what I want you to do. Didn’t you hear me? I must have told you fifty times in the last five minutes. I’m sick to death of your terrible attitude. You need to listen to me and do what I say without any complaints or grunts or eye rolls. Just do it! …We are not nor can we be the saviors of our children. He is the Savior. When we forget this, our parenting will be pockmarked by fear, severity, and exhaustion” (p. 55).

“When we’re quietly resting in grace, we’ll have grace to give to our children, too. When we’re freed from the ultimate responsibility of being their savior, we’ll find our parenting burden becoming easy and light” (p. 55).

Chapter 4: Jesus Loves All His Little Prodigals and Pharisees

There are two kinds of people that need the gospel: lawbreakers and lawkeepers. Like the two sons in the parable, some children are rebellious and need grace; others believe that their own righteousness merits their father’s favor.

“There are those who love thinking that they keep the rules, and there are those who don’t care about the rules as much as they care about other things…The law doesn’t transform the heart of either [one]. It only hardens them in pride and despair” (p. 68).

“If your parenting is moralistic, like most of ours is, children [who break the rules] will break your heart, but children [who keep the rules] will make you proud. It is only when you parent with grace that the destitution of both children becomes apparent. Children who embarrass you and children who make you proud must both be taught the deeper truth of the welcoming father: mercy trumps law” (p. 69).

“What’s truly amazing is that Jesus Christ loves both rule breakers and rule keepers. And because of his Son’s perfect obedience, both of them can be called ‘beloved sons.’ When the believing rule breaker sins, he can look up and say, ‘Jesus is my righteousness.’ And when the believing rule keeper realizes her self-righteousness, she too can look up and say, ‘Jesus is my righteousness’” (p. 74).

“When God calls our children to come to him, even if we haven’t gotten it all right, even if we’ve trained little Pharisees or have a house full of prodigals, nothing is impossible for him. He can break through all our flawed methods and redeem all our frail errors. The world tells us that our children’s success depends upon our success. The world knows nothing of God’s ability to use our failures as means to bless” (p. 77).

Part Two: Evidences of Grace

Chapter 5: Grace That Trains

Giving our children grace does not mean that we ignore their faults and never discipline them. Grace is not averse to training.

“[In Ephesians 6:4] Paul is saying that the way Christian parents are to bring children up is by nurturing, correcting, and training them in the truth of or about Jesus Christ. Paul is telling parents to daily proclaim the message about Jesus Christ to their children and to warn or rebuke them when they forget to live in the light of what Jesus had already done. He was telling them to tether every respect of their parenting to the gospel message” (p. 85).

“What should be obvious by now is that even Old Testament parents didn’t discipline and instruct their children solely in the law. They, too, were to give them the promises of grace because they had been given grace, and only grace changes the heart. The law was always given subsequent to God’s initiating mercy and always in the context of relationship with his children, never as a way to earn his blessing” (p. 88).

“Distinctly Christian parenting must be accomplished in the environment of the good news about Jesus Christ or it is not Christian parenting” (p. 94).

Chapter 6: Wisdom Greater Than Solomon’s

All of the Bible is about Jesus. When we turn Proverbs to seek wise counsel for raising our children, we must remember this. The Proverbs, like every other part of the Bible, is ultimately about Jesus.

“If you want your parenting to be based on the Bible, this must be the ruling model for it. Remind your children who they are, of your love and welcome. Then remind them of God’s gracious offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Then command their obedience” (p. 106).

“Because both parents and children obstinately refuse to pull the cart of God’s glory down the road, the Father broke the stick of punishment on his obedient Son’s back. Rather than trying to entice us by dangling an unattainable carrot of perfect welcome and forgiveness incessantly in front of our faces, God the Father freely feeds the carrot to us, his enemies. He simply moves outside all our categories for reward and punishment, for human motivation, and gives us all the reward and takes upon himself all the punishment. He lavishes grace upon grace on us and bears in his own person all the wrath that we deserve. Then he tells us, in light of all that he’s done, ‘Obey’” (p. 108).

Chapter 7: The One Good Story

How should the gospel impact how we make decisions about our children’s activities? Should we let them watch certain movies, spend the night with non-believers? This chapter suggests some questions that might help guide us in these decisions. The authors then give examples of how these questions might work on in specific situations.

“If there were a place where a tidy list of do’s and don’ts would fit nicely, this would be it. It would be very easy for us to say, ‘Keep your children from every outside influence,’ and simply leave the matter there. But you know us well enough by now to know that isn’t what we’re going to do. We refuse to give you more law to impose on your children, because the law doesn’t breed obedience and love. It produces only pride and despair - for you and them - and it won’t ever produce the joy that is to be our strength” (p. 113).

“Here are a few questions to consider when you are faced with a decision that isn’t clearly spelled out in Scripture:

What does the gospel teach me about this choice?
Where do I see the great King in this situation?
What does the activity of the beloved Son teach me about this?
Is this a trick of the wicked Imposter?
What am I believing when I forbid or allow this?
Is my allowance of this choice a function of love for God or love for the world, or is it something else entirely?
Am I remembering the great commandment to love my neighbor and seeking to fulfill the Great Commission to share the gospel with him as part of a relationship?
Am I building a fortress of piety in an effort to keep the bad out and the good in? Or am I naively inviting the wicked Imposter into my family?

This isn’t a formula for you to memorize so that you don’t make any mistakes and so that your children turn out perfectly. Rather, it is simply a way to reframe your thinking; it’s a way to immerse yourself and your children in the good news” (pp. 113-114).

Chapter 8: Go and Tell Your Father

Giving grace to our children requires that we be praying parents. We must be convinced of our Father’s love for us, know the grace poured out on us in Christ, and be desperate for his help. We are missionaries in our own families, seeking to win our children to Christ.

“All Christian parents are missionaries. We are all on a mission from the Lord to announce the love of the Father to our children and to encourage them, as much as we can, to believe it. We’re to tell them of the law so that they know that they need rescue, and then we’re to tell them of the Rescuer who has freed them from the law’s curse. But this monumental task is utterly impossible for us to accomplish on our own. We need rescue; we need a Rescuer too. Se we need to pray for help” (pp. 135-136)

“We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us see our children like he does, with great hope and love. We can ask him to help us be ‘grace detectives,’ to be more aware of how the Lord is working in their life than in how they are failing” (p. 136).

“I (Jessica) admit that it times my prayer for my children is nothing more than vocalized unbelief aimed at God…I pray that way because I am angry and because I have forgotten who is at work here. I don’t believe that anything more than feigned repentance is happening. I doubt that [my son will] ever change. So, when he asks me to pray, I do, but I don’t have any thanksgiving or faith to see what the Lord is up to. I’m forgetting that it is not my feeble attempts at parenting that are going to change this child. I forget that it is God at work in him” (p. 138).

“We don’t need to pray to prove that we’re properly pious or really serious. Instead we pray because we are completely assured that the Father hears our prayers because they come to him through the lips of his dear Son” (p. 139).

Chapter 9: Weak Parents and Their Strong Savior

How should we respond when children are rebellious? How are we to live in grace and give them grace? God can use even difficult children to glorify himself.

“Nearly every parenting book you’ll read will tell you how to be a successful parent of successful, seemingly sinless children. Our modern worship of personal success stories is clearly seen in the number of books that outline the methods for producing spiritual giants...being a successful parent and raising successful kids is the only paradigm we seem to be willing to accept. But what if we’re measuring success in the wrong way? Could it be that our perception of success isn’t God’s plan for us or for our family? What if he’s going to use our failure and our children’s rebellion to make us humble comforters of other sufferers for his glory?” (p. 148).

“Is there room in your parenting paradigm for weakness and failure if weakness and failure glorify God?” (p. 149).

“We think that compliant children will best teach us about his grace and the gospel, and they can. Compliant, believing children are frequently reflections of his great kindness. But the Lord also teaches us of his grace and the gospel through difficult children. We learn what it is like to love like he loved. We learn how to walk in his footsteps, and it is there, in our personal ‘upper room,’ where we learn how to wash the feet of those who are betraying us...The compliant child’s life lies to us, assuring us that she is good because we’re such good parents. Difficult children tell us the truth: God loves his enemies, and he can infuse us with grace that will make us lay down our lives for them too. Their rebellion is a verification of the gospel: we produce sinful children because we are sinful, but God loves sinners” (p. 152-153).

Chapter 10: Resting in Grace

When we rest in the truths of the gospel, we can be free from the anxieties of parenting. The success of our children doesn’t depend on our performance; our acceptance with God doesn’t depend on our success as a parent. Both we and our children can be covered by grace.

“When we forget the gospel and then feel guilty about it, we are completely missing the point of the gospel. Our ultimate joy as parents is not dependent on our ability to parent well. God’s smile on us is not contingent upon anything other than the record of the beloved Son. It is based on our belief that Jesus has already done it all perfectly for us…Grace is God’s favor given to you because of Jesus Christ, not because of your consistent memory of it” (p. 162).

“Some parents may think that giving grace to their children equates to giving themselves a pass. Just the opposite is true. Giving grace to children is an exercise of faith, and faith is always more difficult than works. It flows out of humility, a character trait that none of us comes be naturally. That’s why most people miss it and why works, not faith, is the stumbling block of the cross. You are not slacking off when you tell them of his dazzling love. You are doing the hardest thing” (p. 166).

Appendices

Give Them Grace contains three appendices. The first, The One Good Story, is an allegory about a great king and his son meant to give expression to the gospel story. The third, The Best News Ever, includes Elyse Fitzpatrick’s testimony of how she was saved and includes an invitation for the reader to trust Christ.

It is the second appendix, Common Problems and the Gospel, that parents will find most helpful. Here, the authors address nine common problems that parents face: lying, blame shifting or making excuses, disobeying, provoking others, fighting/anger, complaining, talking back, and laziness. For each issue, the authors give suggestions for how to address the child according to the different biblical categories outlined in chapter five: management, gospel nurturing, gospel training, gospel correction, and rehearsing gospel promises. They also provide scripture passages for each.

You can also check out the Give Them Grace website and blog.

Answers to Some Practical Questions on Prayer

2011-06-21T22:39:00.002-05:00

I received an email a few days ago from a person who had some questions about prayer. My assumption is that these are questions that many people have but never bother asking. This post is my response to those questions. Please read and respond with your own comments or questions.

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I appreciate you for asking these questions. These are very practical questions! I’m sure that there are plenty of people who have the same questions but never bother to ask. I will answer them as best I can without muddying the waters any more for you.

How long should a prayer be?

There is no rule for how long a prayer should be. It is a common misconception that good prayer must be long prayer. The fact of the matter, however, is that sometimes long prayers are the worst kind. Jesus warned the Jews about the tendency to pray long, meaningless prayers: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7). So the sheer number of words does determine the quality of prayer. Prayers may be either long or short.

Can a short prayer do as much good as a long prayer?

Absolutely! Again, it is not the number of words used in prayer that matters, but the attitude of the heart in prayer. Think about how you talk with your wife. Sometimes, you might want to go on and on about how much you love her. Most of the time, though, it is enough simply to say, “I love you.” Healthy relationships, I believe, are characterized by both.

Nehemiah is a great example of a man who prayed both long and short prayers (kind of convenient, since we’ve been working through Nehemiah). In chapter one, we are told that he prayed day and night for many days (Nehemiah 1:4, 6). I believe that these were long prayers. But throughout the rest of the book, he gives us examples of prayer that are short and to the point. Consider these:

Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 2:4)·
Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. (Nehemiah 4:4-5)·
Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. (Nehemiah 5:19)·
For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands. (Nehemiah 6:9)
Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. (Nehemiah 6:14)
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service. (Nehemiah 13:14)

Having said all of this, I don’t think that our only prayers should be short prayers. Nehemiah’s short prayers were sincere and effective, but this was because he cultivated a more intimate life of prayer at other times (see Nehemiah 1). If you never held deep conversation with your wife, never spent time with her just for the sake of being with her, she would start to think that you didn’t care for her. She would probably ignore or disregard what you said when you did speak.

Why is that true about your relationship with your wife? It’s because your communication with her is more about the relationship than the communication itself. Underneath all of the talk is an understanding that you delight in her for who she is in herself. It’s not about what you can get from her or meeting some unspoken requirement about the amount of time you’re supposed to talk to her.

Can silent prayers be heard and met just as if they were spoken audibly?

Yes, they can. I think that when we are in a group, we should pray along silently while others are praying aloud. At other times, it might not be appropriate to speak our prayers. Look, again, at the first prayer of Nehemiah that I listed above. That was a prayer that must have been silent, or unspoken. He was standing in front of the king and needed to respond to his question. This was a quick, “God, help me!” that he spoke in his heart. Also, the Bible teaches that there are times when we don’t know how to pray or times when words aren’t adequate to express what needs to be said. At those times, the Spirit helps us and “intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” This is no problem for God because He knows both our hearts and the mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27).

I have found it to be the case, however, that there are definite advantages to praying aloud, especially when I’m sure that my motive is not to be admired by other for how well I pray. My mind tends to wander. If I try to pray silently, I often find myself thinking about what I need to do this afternoon or what I was doing last night. It is hard work to focus and keep myself centered on God. By praying out loud, it’s easier for me to stay on task. It is also easier for me to express myself emotionally to God when I actually speak what I am saying.

Two prayer items I sometimes struggle with are:

It seems really hard to speak to God through prayer for long stretches because, to me, it’s as if your conversing with someone and they just sit there, listening and caring but not saying a word in response – You know they are catching everything you’re saying but you start to run out of things to say since they are not adding anything to the conversation. I can only imagine what it must have been like to converse with God the way Adam did in the garden of Eden.

You have here hit on one of the biggest issues of how to pray. How in the world are we supposed to carry on a conversation with someone who never talks back? It’s exhausting and pretty soon I don’t want to talk any more. And what happens when I’ve said all I can think of to say? How do I know whether I’ve said the right things if He never responds?

These questions are answered when we realize that God does, in fact, speak to us when we pray. The problem is that He doesn’t speak in the way that we would expect. In normal human conversation, I say something and then, ideally, stop talking and listen to what the other person has to say. In prayer, the order is somewhat turned around. I first listen to what God has to say and then respond.

How am I to know what God has to say? I read the Bible. I know that this sounds like a trite answer, but it’s true; and when I learn to listen I find that it is better than if I had heard God speak audibly in my ear.

That’s what Peter says in his second letter. Read 2 Peter 1:17-19. Peter is talking about being on the top of the mountain with James and John when Jesus was transfigured (a fancy word that just means “changed appearance”) before them (see Matthew 17:1-8). They literally heard God speak from heaven and say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:17). It was an amazing experience. When they heard God’s voice, “they fell on their faces and were terrified” (Matthew 17:6).

Then Peter says something that sounds preposterous: “And we have something more sure” – What!? More sure than literally hearing God’s voice from heaven? What in the world can be more sure than that? – “the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention” (2 Peter 1:19). Peter is saying that the Bible, God’s inspired word, is more sure than hearing a voice from heaven. How can this be?

One of the issues, I think, is that audible voices can be subjectivized. We see it all the time. People are always claiming to have received some specific word from God. Just turn on the television and watch some of the network preachers. The problem is that the things that God supposedly tells them are often contrary to what He has supposedly told someone else, and usually contrary to what He has clearly said in the Bible. By recording His words in a book, God has managed to preserve what He has said for thousands of years. People can disagree with it or argue that it is not God’s word, but they cannot make it say anything that they want it to.

Another issue is that what God has said in the Bible is all that we need. He knows better than we what we need to hear from Him, and He has told us those things in the Bible. We don’t need anything else. Paul says it this way: “the sacred writings…are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

Peter agrees with this assessment when he says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:3-4). God has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. This includes prayer. And how has He given us these things? “Through the knowledge of him [God] who called us.” How do we know Him? By reading the Bible, where He makes Himself known. This is reinforced by his next words: “by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.” How are we to know His promises? Again, by the Bible.

I know that this answer is turning out to be rather long, but bear with me a little bit longer. I want to explain how the Bible is to inform our prayer, that is, how we are to pray in light of what God has said to us in the Bible.

First of all, it is good practice to pray a short prayer before you read your Bible; something like what David prayed in Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” This is simply asking God to help you hear what He is saying in His word. Then, as you read the Bible, you will be led to pray according to what you read.

One helpful acronym that I learned many years ago (you may have heard this, too) is ACTS, just like the book in the Bible. It stands for adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. I think it is a bit of an oversimplification, but here is how it works. When you read the Bible, you will learn something about God, about yourself, about what God has done for you, or what He has promised to do for you. You will then be led, respectively, to adore God for who He is, confess the sin in your life, thank God for what He has done for you in Christ, or ask God to do what He has promised to do for you or for someone else. This takes practice, but when you learn to do it, prayer becomes much easier because it really does become a dialogue: God speaking to you through His word and you speaking to God through prayer. And you don’t have to rack your brain to figure out what to say!

That is, in essence, what prayer is all about. God doesn’t expect us to be creative in our prayers. Rather, He expects us to dive into His word, claim it for ourselves, with regard to both the promises and the precepts, and then bring them back to Him in prayer. As we do this, we are using the means that God has appointed to draw near to Him. He uses what we are praying to make us more and more like Christ. And He answers our prayers because we are asking Him to glorify Himself by doing what He has promised to do.

Also, I have trouble with public speaking (always have) and with group prayer I always feel my words are inadequate and fall short so I rarely volunteer a public prayer.

You are not alone in this. Don’t feel too guilty. The worse condition is to love praying in public because you think that your words are always adequate and eloquent (see Matthew 6:5). I do understand, though, that you might feel like you should pray when everyone else is praying. Here are a few suggestions.

First, remember that you are talking to God, not to the other people in the room. Other people will hear you, of course, if you pray aloud. But that doesn’t mean that they need to be the judges of what you say. I like to think about my children when they first learned to talk – or of what Judson will sound like when he finally starts talking. I didn’t expect them to have a perfect grammar and vocabulary. I just delighted in the fact that they were learning and speaking. This may sound belittling for an adult, but I think that’s the way God hears us when we first begin to pray.

Second, cultivate your conversations with God in private. That’s immeasurably more important than public prayer (Matthew 6:6). The more time you spend with God alone, the more comfortable you will be talking with Him in public. You will get to know what He is like, how you are supposed to address Him, and what you should be asking Him. When talking to God becomes natural, it is not a hurdle to talk to Him in the presence of others.

Third, learn the value of corporate prayer. God places a special emphasis on our prayers when they are joined with the prayers of others. Jesus said that if two believers agree about anything in prayer, it will be done because where two or three are gathered together in His name, He is there among them (Matthew 18:19-20). Paul also recognized the power of united prayer. He regularly asked the churches to join together with him in praying for his ministry (see Romans 15:30; 2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 6:18-19; Philippians 1:19; Colossians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). He recognized that he was a member of a body, a group of people belonging to Christ, and that the success of his ministry depended on their cooperation in prayer. He counted on their prayers to accomplish what his alone might not accomplish. In the same way, we need the prayers of others if we are to grow up in the grace that God has given us and if we are to be successful in being the witnesses that He has called us to be.

I know that this reply is probably longer than you anticipate. I’m sorry about that. But I hope that these thoughts help to answer your questions. I thank God that He is working in your life, leading you to seek for truth.

My prayer for you is “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:17-20).

Indulge Yourself

2011-06-20T21:54:00.000-05:00

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16)

Like most teenage boys, I struggled with lust. I knew that God’s standard was absolute moral purity, complete abstinence. I had made a commitment to remain a virgin until I was married, and by the grace of God was able to keep that commitment. But I also knew that sexual purity meant more than just not sleeping with a girl. Jesus said that “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Defining the issue like this, I failed just about every day. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of girls. I couldn’t keep my mind from entertaining lustful thoughts. I couldn’t prevent myself from allowing in my heart what I determined never to carry out in my actions. I longed to be able to reach the kind of purity that Jesus talked about, but I couldn’t.

I remember reading these verses in Galatians 5 and thinking that they were the answer to my problem. Paul was just as clear as Jesus was. All I needed to do to stop gratifying my fleshly desires was to walk by the Spirit. It was right there in black and white, plain English. Now the only issue was, what does it mean to walk by the Spirit? And how do I do it?

I searched for an answer. I asked others what it meant to walk by the Spirit. I read books and commentaries on what it meant. The responses I got were all very similar. It meant that I had to surrender to the Spirit’s leading in my life. I had to give up the reins of my life and allow Him to control me. And so I prayed that God would take control of my life and free me from my lust. I prayed that He would teach me to surrender completely to Him and live entirely for Him. I took discipleship classes to learn how to be more holy.

My prayers and efforts met with some success. For a time, I would gain victory over my thoughts and succeed in my attempts to put down the first inclinations of lust in my heart. Eventually, however, the same temptations would return and I would collapse under their influence. I kept coming back to Paul’s words in Galatians and asking, “What do you mean? How do I live under His control? What must I do to submit?”

My struggles continued into my adult years, only now I was learning that my flesh produced a lot more sinful desires than just lust. I also struggled with anger, pride, bitterness, and a host of other evils. Still, these words echoed in my mind, “walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” I wanted to submit to the Spirit’s control. I wanted to have him as Lord of every part of me. But I still didn’t know exactly what that meant or looked like.

Over time, I became more and more convinced that I really didn’t grasp what it meant to walk by the Spirit. All of the advice that I had been given suggested that it was a passive resignation on my part; not something I did, but something that was done to me. I had to stop trying to do, and let Him do through me. But I noticed that the verbs that Paul used here were not passive verbs; they were active verbs. That meant that this was something that I had to do. It had to be more than just surrendering and allowing the Spirit to have His way.

My questions were answered when I finally paid attention to what Paul was saying. Look at the passage with me, and let me show you what I learned.

In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul gives a list of fifteen sins (the list is not exhaustive). It includes some of the sins that I struggled with and wanted to overcome: impurity, enmity, jealousy, fits of anger, envy. Paul says that these sins are “the works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19). In other words, they are produced by the flesh. The question is, how does the flesh produce these things? If we can answer that, then we have will have made the first step in knowing how to stop them.

Now look at Galatians 5:16. Paul says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” The “desires of the flesh,” sometimes translated “lusts of the flesh” are strong urges that seek gratification. The works of the flesh are simply the act or result of indulging these lusts. So, if we can stop gratifying the desires of the flesh, we can stop the flesh from producing its works. That’s another step closer.

Next, notice that Paul says that the only way to stop gratifying the desires of the flesh is walking by the Spirit: “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Here’s our sticking point. It sounds good. We certainly want to be spiritual. We want to experience more of the Spirit’s power in our lives. But we can’t simply adopt the phrase and hope that it will work magic on our behavior. Thankfully, Paul has given us more.

Read Galatians 5:17: “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” There are three things that I noticed about this verse that helped me grasp what Paul is saying.

First, both the flesh and the Spirit have desires. There are “desires of the flesh” and “desires of the Spirit.” These desires are contrary or opposed to one another. Like fire and ice, they are completely antithetical. The one fights to cancel out the other. Second, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit influence behavior. He says that, as a result of the antithesis between these two kinds of desire, we can’t do what we want to do. This doesn’t mean that we are completely paralyzed, but that we are always being pushed in two different directions by the desires at war within us.

The third thing I realized is a deduction from the first two. It may be pretty obvious to you, but to me, it was a liberating discovery. It is this: our behavior is determined by the lusts that we choose to gratify. I don’t know why I never saw this before. I had always grasped, at least as far as I can recall, that my sin was the result of gratifying sinful desires. Paul even says that our problem is gratifying the desires of the flesh. But he doesn’t say anything about gratifying spiritual desires. He just states the fact that the Spirit produces desires within us and assumes that we know what to do with them.

So what Paul is saying in verse 17 is that there are two kinds of desire that live in our hearts, one fleshly and the other spiritual. These are so opposed to each other that it is impossible that both of them can be gratified at the same time. If I choose to gratify the desires of my flesh, I am extinguishing the desires of the Spirit. Likewise, if I gratify the desires of the Spirit, I undermine and kill the desires of the flesh.

When I realized this, I realized, too, what Paul meant when he says, “walk by the Spirit.” If the way that I stop gratifying the desires of the flesh is to walk by the Spirit, and if by gratifying spiritual desires I make it impossible to gratify the desires of the flesh, then gratifying the desires of the Spirit must be what it means to walk by the Spirit.

This makes sense. After all, Paul is contrasting the flesh and Spirit by way of parallel. He says that when you gratify the desires of the flesh, you get the works of the flesh. What, then, happens when you gratify the desires of the Spirit? You “[crucify] the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24), but that's not all. Just like the flesh produces by gratification, so does the Spirit. Only Paul calls that product “fruit” (Galatians 5:22-23).

As I said, this discovery was liberating for me. Why? Primarily because I had finally seen a way to gain real victory over my sin. But there was another reason. All of my previous efforts that ended in failure and frustration instilled in me an unspoken, and largely unrecognized, belief that desires are bad. All they ever did was get me in trouble, so I tried to stifle them. I secretly thought that the answer was to kill all of my desires and label it “denying or crucifying myself.” I had a sneaking suspicion that even my spiritual desires weren’t to be trusted. I didn’t want to indulge any desire for fear that it might be perverted.

What this discovery showed me was that desires are not all bad. Only bad desires are bad. Strong desires, when fixed on the right object, are good and right. They are a gift from God. Desires were never meant to produce guilt and grief. They were meant to be celebrated and gratified.

That’s right. Good, godly desires were meant to be gratified. We were designed to indulge ourselves at the feast of spiritual desire. Now that is something I can relate to! I know how to gratify desires! That is something that I can do!

I have not figured everything out, nor have I managed to conquer all of my sins. But I have learned that the only way to do so is to drink deeply from the river of God's delights (Psalm 36:8). It is not about me surrendering and then waiting for the Spirit to fix me. It's not even really about stopping something as much as it is about beginning something new. It is actively feeding the hunger that the Holy Spirit produces in me (Psalm 42:1-2; 63:1). He didn't take away my doing. He gave me new desires. I can't create those desires. That’s His job. Indulging them is mine. Now the question is, “Which will I indulge?”

Hope, for Christ's Sake

2011-06-18T01:46:00.000-05:00

There are three points in my life that I can define as watershed moments, times when I learned something that completely changed the way I view life, myself, and God. One of those moments was when I learned what true Christian hope is. This discovery at first excited me, but the more I tried to reach the full assurance of hope that Hebrews talks about (Hebrews 6:11), the more depressed I got. It may sound strange that the truth about hope led me to despair, but that was my experience. I couldn’t understand why I struggled so much to hope in God.

I had learned that true faith meant taking God at His word. It meant believing that God was powerful enough to do what He had promised. And it meant believing that He was good enough to do what He had promised. As I read the Bible I saw over and over again that God had kept His promises to Abraham, David, Peter, Paul, and others. As I read the biographies of men like George Mueller and David Brainerd, I saw that God had been faithful to them as well. I also fully believed that God would do in the future what He has promised; I believed that He would raise me from the dead and allow me to live in His presence for all eternity. But as I examined myself, I came to the unsettling conviction that I did not believe that God would do for me what He promised today.

At first, I made all kinds of excuses for not believing that God would actually bless me. I was too much aware of my failures and the recurring sin in my life. I felt that I didn’t deserve for God to give me anything because I was not the person I was supposed to be. God’s promises in this life were for those Christians who had learned to surrender absolutely to Him. I had not been among those people. I was unworthy of, disqualified for, and exempt from the promises of God for my life today.

And then the blow was compounded. As I read an old book by Timothy Rogers called Trouble of Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, I came across this passage: "For, if I may judge others by myself, it is not so much His power that we then question as His goodness; not so much whether He can help, for that we well know, but whether He will give us help." Then, in a sermon by John Owen, I read this:

"We inquire whether it can be so to us as the word holds out; when the truth is, the question is not about the nature of the thing, but about the power of God. Place the doubt aright, and it is this: Is God able to accomplish what he hath spoken? - can he heal my backslidings? Can he pardon my sin? Can he save my soul?"

God used these words to peel back my self-deception and show me what my real problem was. My unbelief was not primarily about myself and my unworthiness. It was unbelief directed at God. It was as if God looked me straight in the face and said, “Do you really think that you are so bad that My grace is not enough for you? Do you really think that My Son’s death is not sufficient to cover your sins? Do you really think that you are worse than everyone else that I have poured My grace upon? You’re problem is not that you’re unworthy, it’s that you don’t believe that I’m good. You think that I’m a liar."

Still, I struggled to believe. I knew that the exposure of my unbelief was the first step to genuine faith, but I didn’t know how to move forward. I didn’t know how to muster the belief that I was supposed to have. Instead, I condemned myself more vigorously because I now knew that I didn’t even have as much faith as I thought I had. The promises lay before me. I could see them plainly. I knew the goodness and character of God. Yet, still, I hesitated to stretch out my hands and pick them up. Can these really be for me? Do I really have a right to claim them for myself?

The answer to my dilemma came some months later as I was talking with a couple of new believers. I explained to them that what the Bible says about their worth is very different from the self-esteem message that we all grew up hearing. Contrary to that doctrine, Scripture teaches that they don’t have any worth or value in themselves. Jesus did not die for them because they were worth it. Rather, their value is established by His death. I pointed them to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:7 and explained that they were the jars of clay, having no value of their own, but containing an infinitely valuable treasure. No one would be interested in purchasing the empty clay pots. But because of the contents of the pots, they were priceless.

The truth hit me like a bolt of lightning. God opened my eyes to see what I needed to see, what I should have seen, all along. He said, “That’s it! That’s what I’ve been leading you to. That’s what you need to grasp if you ever want to be able to hope in Me like you should.” I needed to understand my identity in Christ.

Rather than looking at myself and my unbelief, I must view myself in Christ. Only then will I be able to see myself in the promises. I cannot look at myself as valuable in myself. I know me too well. I’m too acquainted with my faults and failures. My mind continues to rebel against the idea that I hold some intrinsic value. Any value I have is owing merely to the inscrutable goodness of God.

I need to understand my value in light of who I am in Christ, and who He is in me. Like those clay pots, I contain a treasure that renders me infinitely valuable - Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27). I have been purchased by the blood of Christ, which is more valuable than anything (1 Peter 1:18-19). All of the promises of God are yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20); and I am in Christ (Galatians 3:27; Colossians 3:2).

As God looks at me through the work Christ accomplished on the cross, so I must look to Him and His promises as mine only in and through Christ. As long as I am looking to myself and not to Christ, God is out of reach and so are His promises. But when I understand that God has blessed me in Christ with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), then I am free to accept the fact that the promises of God are for me. God will certainly do what He has promised for me, because I belong to Christ, and He to me. For Christ's sake, God will fulfill His word. For Christ's sake, I can truly hope.

Praying Through: Don't Give Up Until God Answers

2011-06-17T15:51:00.004-05:00

Have you ever felt like your prayers didn’t go anywhere, that they just hit the ceiling and came bouncing back on your head? It’s a common complaint. I don’t know how many times my prayers have felt barren, empty, dead. Few things are more discouraging than wanting to come to close to God, wanting to long for His presence, and not being able to. It’s frustrating.

I suppose that only those people who have experienced deep intimacy with God in prayer will understand what I’m talking about. For many, prayer isn’t much more than speaking words in God’s direction. There is no expectation of knowing that God has drawn near and feeling His presence. There’s no thought of staying in prayer for a long time, simply for the purpose of communing with Christ and enjoying the presence of the Spirit. You just say what you have to say and be done with it.

But for those who have tasted and seen in times of prayer that the Lord is good, for those who have known times when God has drawn near, there can never be a deep satisfaction in prayer without knowing that you have been in the King’s presence. How do we get past this? How do we get over the prayer dry spell?

We need to learn to do what believers in former times called “praying through.” Or, as the contemporary acronym says, “P.U.S.H. - pray until something happens.” We need to keep on praying until we know and feel that God has answered with the presence of His Spirit. We must refuse to settle for any prayer that comes short of knowing that we have been in the presence of Christ.

Praying through requires much more than our brains and our voices. It requires that we enter upon the task with everything in us. It is often gut-wrenching and agonizing work. It is a pouring out of our hearts to God, pleading with Him to give us Himself. It is an open, honest cry of the soul, a confession of our barrenness, idleness, and pride. It is a desperate cry for God to overcome our apathy and numbness. It is a refusal to give up until He has done so.

This is one of the reasons it is so important for us to know what God has promised in the Bible. When we know what God has said about prayer, and about what He will do when we pray, we will be enabled to pray with the expectation that God will answer, even if it means we have to pray for a long time before He does. The way we pray through is to take those promises in hand and then put them before God, pleading for Him to do what He promised.

Father, Christ died to give me access to you and lives to make intercession for me (Hebrews 7:25). In Christ, draw me into Your presence!
The Bible says that if I draw near to You, You will draw near to me (James 4:8). Father, draw near!
Jesus said that You would give the Holy Spirit to all who ask You (Luke 11:13). Give me Your Spirit, Father!
Jesus, You said that You are with me everywhere (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). Let me know Your presence now.
Father, You put Your Spirit within me to cry out "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15). Let that cry resonate throughout my whole being and hear my cry!
You said that I could come boldly to You and receive grace and mercy (Hebrews 4:16).
You said that no one who comes to You will ever be cast out (John 6:37).
You said that if I confess my sin, You are faithful and just to forgive it and will cleanse me (1 John 1:9). Here are my sins, Father!

This means that the kind of praying that we do needs to be something other than what is usually passed off as prayer. It cannot be primarily about the things we want or need. Its first concern can't be finances, family, church, or missions. It must, more than anything else, be about God. Our focus must be to come into His presence, to commune with Him, to enjoy and worship Him.

Oh to learn the discipline of praying through! May we not be guilty of the verdict that "there is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you" (Isaiah 64:7). Rather, "let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3). Let us learn to pray through until God responds with the refreshing shower of His presence.

The Essential Owen

2011-06-16T01:33:00.003-05:00

If you're interested in reading a little more Owen, a little bit at a time, here is a good place to go.

What the author has to say about The Essential Owen:

John Owen was arguably the most brilliant theologian of the English language. While he was extraordinarily brilliant, his writings were not always extraordinarily accessible. It is the intention of this site and its author to glean from the good doctor, quotes and excerpts that show the Christ centered world view of this gifted Puritan divine.
We will be posting quotes by Owen here every week Monday through Saturday.

Owen's Day - Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 3.2

2011-06-15T23:59:00.000-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

Prayer is another spiritual exercise that produces spiritual thoughts but doesn't necessarily prove that a person is spiritually minded. Genuine prayer is meant to excite faith and lead the one praying to think about and meditate on spiritual matters. It's designed to stir up his affections towards those things. Not all who pray, pray like this. Many people pray frequently, at meals, at bedtime, in public worship on Sundays, because they feel it is their responsibility as Christians to do so. These people must have some spiritual thoughts. Unless they are reciting words on a page, they must think about the things they are praying. And, yet, just because a person prays and so thinks about spiritual things, it is not proof that he is spiritually minded. His thoughts could simply be the product of an outward discipline, rather than the product of a new nature in love with and satisfied by spiritual truth.

Spiritual Thoughts May Be the Product of Our Giftedness

Spiritual thoughts in prayer might be produced by the exercise of a person's spiritual gifts, when there is no acting of grace in them at all. The mind is led to the things that are the matter of prayer, that is, spiritual things. By spiritual gift we mean "a spiritual improvement of our natural faculties or abilities." Some people are naturally eloquent speakers and have a good mental recall. When a person with these abilities prays at a meal or is called on to pray in church, he only has to exercise his reason, judgment, and memory. He recalls words or phrases and puts them together and then thinks that he has prayed. There is no working of grace required. A person who is tolerably gifted might pray like this for years, being convinced that he is a spiritually minded person when he's not.

Since this is the case, it's important that we determine where we stand with regard to prayer, especially if we are among those who have the gifts of recall and eloquence. Many people think that they only need to speak the words of a prayer and they have done their duty. They are hypocrites, pretending to be something they are not. The fact that they pray easily and eloquently only makes them refined hypocrites. Others make a habit of indulging their lusts and then believe that, because they have prayed, they have done what is required of them. Both types of people profess a form of godliness and deny the power of it.

Even genuine believers face a danger at this point. Prayer is one of the most spiritual of spiritual exercises. It is easy to fall into the trap of separating the outward action from what is going on inside. We are prone to rest in a bare exercise of duty rather than doing the difficult work of examining our hearts to see whether there is any true spiritual grace at work. How, then, can we tell whether the thoughts we have of spiritual things when we pray come from grace at work in us or from our giftedness only? In order to answer this question, we need to understand something of the nature of spiritual things.

We Need the Holy Spirit to Help Us

We sometimes have trouble understanding spiritual matters. This isn't because they are in themselves difficult or obscure subjects. They all come from the Father of light, order, beauty, and wisdom and so themselves are characterized by these things. The problem lies with us. We can look at the moon and stars more easily than we can stare at the sun, not because the moon and stars are brighter than the sun, but because our eyes can't handle the sun's brightness. Likewise, we can more easily understand the truth of natural things than we can of spiritual things (cf. John 3:12), not because they are clearer than spiritual matters but because our natural understanding is more fit to receive them.

Add to this our sinfulness. Fear, self-interest, and our proneness to temptation cloud our ability to understand spiritual matters and judge ourselves by them. The deceitfulness of our hearts tends to make us think that we are spiritually okay when we may not be. Many people to speak "Peace" to themselves when God has not spoken peace (Jer. 8:11). Some children of light still walk in darkness.

This is the reason that Paul prays that the Ephesian Christians may have the eyes of their hearts enlightened (Ephesians 1:18). Without the help of the Spirit of God, no one can make an accurate judgment about his condition and actions. Without His assistance, there will be no stable foundation for giving glory to God and obtaining peace for one's soul.

So long as we are willing to deceive ourselves or hide from ourselves, we will never be able to answer the question about the nature of our thoughts. If we are comfortable with thinking that we can understand spiritual truth on our own and we never feel the need to examine ourselves, we will never be able to determine whether our prayers, and the thoughts that spring from them, come from grace or are only the result of performing a duty.

How to Examine Yourself

So how are we to examine ourselves? There are two things required:

First, we must examine and test our thoughts and frame of mind by the word of truth and not be afraid to speak plainly to ourselves what the Bible declares to be true about us. Our examination must include not only our spiritual disciplines, but our motivation for them; we must look at what we think and why we think what we think (2 Cor. 13:5). If we only consider the frequency and number of our thoughts and prayers, we might be deceived into believing that they are genuine. Spiritual disciplines might be multiplied without ever actually doing any discipline in a spiritual manner. The Israelites were guilty of this. They were busy practicing spiritual duties that were empty and meaningless. God called them to account and showed them the difference between what they had considered acceptable and what is really acceptable to Him (Isaiah 58:1-8).

Second, we must also pray earnestly that God would search us and try us as to our sincerity and show us the true condition of our hearts. David gives an example of this kind of prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24). This is the only way that we can have the Spirit of God show us whether our hearts are right in the things we do. We need to call in divine assistance in this matter, both because of its importance and because of its difficulty. God alone knows fully and perfectly what is in our hearts.

If we are diligent and serious in these two things, it is possible to know for sure whether our thoughts about spiritual matters come from grace in our hearts or from the things that we do.

Don't Trust in Spiritual Disciplines

This is an important task for us. No one is in greater danger of being mistaken about his relationship with God than the one who lives in the exercise of spiritual disciplines to their own satisfaction. He believes that everything is alright because he does everything that he is supposed to do as a Christian, but there is no real spiritual power in his duties. We have seen many people who at one time were very earnest in their spiritual disciplines but then gave them up entirely to live in open sin. Others have lived in sin for a long time while keeping up their reputation as a spiritual person because of all of the spiritual things they do (Isaiah 1:10-15). We’ve listened to people pray in church, prayers that are only the exercise of the brain in calling forth spiritual words, without ever producing any humility or reverence, faith or love. It is imperative, then, that we should test ourselves honestly about these things, or else we might also be found not to be spiritually minded in our spiritual disciplines.

Don't Replace Grace

Spiritual gifts are given to us by Christ in order to make grace useful to ourselves and to others. They are the means that God uses to stir up the grace that He has given us. If we don't remember this when we exercise our spiritual gifts, it would be better for us to be without them. If we start to use them in such a way that grace is not necessary, so that the only thing we need is a good memory and a proper theological understanding, our prayers will be useless. Wine, if drank in moderation, may assist the digestive system and help the stomach do what it is designed to do. But if it is drank in excess, if it is used to do what nature ought to be doing, it hurts instead of helps. So also, as long as spiritual gifts are used only to assist grace in its operations, they are immeasurably useful. But if they are used in place of grace and trusted to do what only grace was meant to do, they are dangerous and hurtful.

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

The Radical Nature of Forgiveness*

2011-06-09T16:17:00.001-05:00

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

Learning to Forgive

Forgiveness is something that I've struggled with most of my life. Having been abandoned by my father at an early age, I spent my teenage years fighting loneliness and depression, wondering why he didn't want me. The one short period of written correspondence with him when I was fourteen ended with a letter from him saying that he didn't think I was ready for a relationship and to call him when I was eighteen. It's hard to say what words like that do to a fourteen year old boy. One thing is sure, though: they are good fuel for bitterness.

In August, 2008 I got a phone call from one of my sisters informing me that my dad was in the hospital and would not live much longer. All of my siblings would be travelling to see him before he died and she wanted me to come, too. I knew that this day would arrive sooner or later, but I didn't know how hard it would be when it did.

I remember sitting on the living room couch, talking to another of my sisters. If I went to see him, I would have to address my bitterness and even the hate that had grown in my heart for this man. I could no longer pretend that he was a figment, a phantom from another life. It had been 24 years since I had seen him. If I saw him now, I would have to forgive him – but how? So I sat there, and I wept.

Bad Advice on Forgiveness

I've heard a lot of advice about forgiveness over the years. It generally goes something like this: "Christians are supposed to forgive because they have been forgiven," or, "You need to forgive them but you don't have to like them." To be honest, I've tried to implement these suggestions in trying to forgive but I've always found them to be lacking. They just don't do justice to the radical nature of forgiveness that the Bible talks about. I never experienced the freedom that I've heard about from others who have learned to forgive. The more I tried to do what I was told, and the more I considered what the Bible teaches, the more I found these expressions to be painfully insufficient.

The nature of biblical forgiveness is so radical that it requires something beyond me. If I am ever really to forgive, I will need some outside help. I simply don't have it in me to forgive the way that the Bible tells me to forgive. In my own strength, I will never be able to heal from the pain caused by the offense. And each time I am reminded of the offense, the pain comes along with it. I am caught in a cycle of hurt and bitterness with no opportunity for an exit. The suggestions that I can simply decide to forgive because I have been forgiven or that I may forgive while not addressing the broken relationship require no outside assistance. They appeal to a wrong motive and leave me with something less than genuine forgiveness.

Genuine Biblical Forgiveness

I am told to consider how much I've been forgiven and use that as the measure of how I forgive others. The problem with this is that when I look to myself, I'm not inclined to think about my own sin on the same scale as I measure the wrong done to me by others. My first reaction is not to consider the grace that I have received and see it as sufficient to allow me to forgive others. I am usually blinded by the wrong done to me and the pain that it has inflicted.

I am told that forgiveness requires only that I let go of my own hurt. This seems like a noble thing, but again, it doesn't measure up to biblical forgiveness. There are three Greek words that are translated "forgive." Two of them (apoluō and aphiēmi) speak of releasing, sending away, or cutting off. This seems to fit with the idea of "letting go of my hurt." But the object of these words is always the person who has offended, and not the feelings of the one who received the offense. It is not my feelings that need to be let go, but the one who wronged me. I need to release him from any obligation to repay or recompense for the wrong done.

The other Greek word translated "forgive" is charizomai. It shows what forgiveness is in more positive terms. It means to "show favor" or "give freely", as even our English translation implies. The kind of forgiveness that focuses only on letting go of bitterness is not biblical forgiveness because it doesn't give anything. It is not concerned about the well being of the one who offended me. It has no intention of giving grace. It is only concerned with freeing me from my own weight. Genuine forgiveness actually does something for the offender; and it does it freely without any expectation of return.

Forgive Like God

The Bible does not allow forgiveness to be self-centered, either in its motive or its aim. In Ephesians 4:32, Paul says that we are to forgive "as God in Christ forgave" us. Again, our first inclination is to hear Paul saying, "Forgive because God forgave you." But that is not what Paul is saying. The little word "as" (kathōs) carries tremendous meaning in the Greek. It means "to the degree that" or "in the manner that". So Paul is saying, "You must forgive one another to the same extent and in the same manner that God forgave you." This blows our petty understanding of forgiveness apart.

When God forgave us, He did not simply let go of the bitterness that He felt toward us. He also showed favor to us. He took those who had sinned against Him and brought them into relationship. He made them His children and promised to bless them in extraordinary ways. In doing so, God said "Not only do I forgive you, but I also like you." The goal of God's forgiveness is a restored relationship.

That is the extent of God's forgiveness; the extent to which Paul says we are to forgive. How are we to do this? We find it difficult enough to extend a defective form of forgiveness. How are we to forgive in this radical way? The answer lies in the manner in which God forgave us.

The Cross –the Key to Radical Forgiveness

How did God forgive us? Obviously, God could not use the forgiveness that He received as motivation for the forgiveness he offers. Nor was it simply that He decided to stop being angry with sinners. God forgave us in Christ. He crushed His own Son in our place. For God, Jesus Christ bleeding and dying on a cross is the reason, the motivation, and the power for forgiveness. When He considers my guilt, He looks to Christ, who took the punishment for my sin, and pardons me.

Here is the key to radical forgiveness. Paul says, "Forgive as God in Christ forgave you." If I am to pursue reconciliation with the one who has wronged me, the only place I can look to find my motivation is the cross of Jesus Christ. And when I look, I must ask: "Is Christ a sufficient Savior for this person? Is His death sufficient to cover over the guilt of his sin? Has this person's sin exhausted the grace that was purchased by His blood?" For those who have tasted the sweetness of being forgiven on the basis of a crucified Christ, the answer is always "Christ is enough."

The nature of forgiveness is so radical that it requires a radical motive. How can I forgive my father for abandoning me, for causing me not to know myself because I didn't know him? How can I let go of 24 years of hurt? I can't look to myself; I would only find bitterness. I can't look to my father; I would only see guilt. I must look to the cross and find satisfaction.

I don't know whether my father embraced Christ before he died, but I do know that if he did, he was completely forgiven, the penalty for his sins paid. The cross that was sufficient to cover his sins is still sufficient to heal the hurts that those sins cause me. That's the radical nature of forgiveness.

* (This article is a revision of one that I posted last year. I made this revision in order to submit the article for publication. I felt that it was worth a re-post since it is something that I need to be reminded of frequently.)

Owen’s Day – Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 3.1

2011-06-09T01:08:00.001-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

Last week we finished by noting that some people may at times think about spiritual matters, but this does not prove that they are spiritually minded. Such thoughts may be suggested to the mind by other things such as preaching or prayer. Now these things have been designed by God to stir up spiritual thoughts, but only when they are used properly and operate properly will they prove a person to be spiritually minded.

Preaching Produces Spiritual Thoughts

Consider, first, the preaching of the word. There are many who hear the gospel willingly, receive it with joy, and respond enthusiastically. We see this all the time at events like evangelism rallies and youth summer camps. No one responds like this without first having thought about the spiritual things that they heard. The behavior is the result of how they think about what was preached. Unfortunately, many of the decisions are short lived, proving that the people were never spiritually minded.

Jesus explains why preaching does not always produce the desired results: "As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away" (Matthew 13:20-21). The thoughts that they have are not the product of grace in them. Neither their thoughts nor their affections have taken root in their hearts to sustain growth. Many who hear the gospel have thoughts of spiritual things suggested to their minds when the things themselves don't find a home in their hearts.

We are not referring to people who are opposed to the word, nor to those who merely hear but do not understand, but to those who hear and receive it willingly. They grow in knowledge and understanding and so cannot help but think about spiritual matters. But they prove to be like water from a thunder storm. As long as the word is preached to them, their thoughts come like a rapid stream but when the preaching stops, the water dries up. Their thoughts are no longer about spiritual matters.

Don't misunderstand. Spiritually minded people ought to have their thoughts drawn to spiritual things by the preaching of the word. That is one of the reasons for preaching. It accomplished this in two ways. First, the word of God is the spiritual food of the soul. Spiritual life is maintained and strengthened by it. The more a person sits under the preaching of the word, the more spiritually minded he should be. Second, when the word is preached, it presents an opportunity for grace to be exercised in the soul. The aim of preaching should be to present the proper object for our faith, love, fear, trust, and reverence.

Because this is one of the primary goals of preaching, it is right that it should stir up spiritual thoughts in those who hear. It is right that a person should have more spiritual thoughts while listening to the word and after hearing the word. This is how God designed preaching to work. But when the only spiritual thoughts that a person has come as a result of hearing the word preached, there is no reason to suppose that such a person is spiritually minded.

People whose only spiritual thoughts come as a direct result of preaching are like a person dreaming. When they are stirred up, they fix their imagination on something that the either want to attain or to avoid. They strain with all their might to accomplish what they aim at but can never quit reach it. When they wake up, they forget what it was that had them so agitated. So such persons, when they are impressed by the word, seem to strive and fight in their thoughts to comply with what they hear. But their strength fails them and they can never do what they are attempting to do because there is no source of spiritual life in them. Eventually, they give up trying, until they hear another moving sermon.

How to Tell if Spiritual Thoughts Indicate Spiritual Mindedness

There is a difference between these kinds of thoughts and those of people who are truly spiritually minded. First of all, when the spiritually minded person hears the word preached, his thoughts are filled with faith and love towards the things that are declared. The thoughts arise from a love for the things presented, not merely because the propositions are true, but because the things themselves are good. The other kinds of thoughts only embrace the word as true without any love for the things themselves.

Second, the spiritually minded person finds satisfaction in the things that he hears. He loves them and has experienced their power in his own life. The spiritual things presented to him resonate with his soul. He accepts the word as an accurate depiction of what is in him, desires to be more conformed to it, and finds satisfaction in it. The other kinds of thoughts, which find expression only under the preaching of the word, don't share these affections.

Third, spiritual thoughts in the truly spiritually minded person are the means of spiritual growth. The preaching of the word moves the believer to think more on spiritual things and so to strive after them. His mind is renewed by the word and he is led to pursue holiness in the fear of God. People who are not spiritually minded may listen to the word, but there will be no growth in holiness evident in their lives.

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

God's Law and the Rules of My House

2011-06-04T00:55:00.001-05:00

For the last few weeks I have been reading a book on parenting called Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus, by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson. It is a book about how the gospel should impact how Christian parents raise their children. So far, I have found it to be very encouraging and very challenging. In addition to reading this book, we have been talking at church about how to live the gospel every day. Thinking about these things has caused me to reconsider an important aspect of how I run my household, particularly with regard to the house rules for the kids. I have come to the conclusion that the rules that I give my children have been misguided and need to change. They need to reflect the way that God's law is intended to work for me.

The Functions of God's Law

The law of God serves three functions. The first is to show us how we are to live (Leviticus 18:5; Ezekiel 20:11). It tells us what is expected of us and sets parameters around what we are to do and what we must not do. It also sets down the blessings for obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-2), as well as the consequences for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15).

The second function of the law is greater than the first; it was given to condemn. It is God's plumb line to show that our lives are not straight. Our disobedience of or disregard for the law demonstrate that we are lawbreakers and guilty before God. Even our attempts to keep the law show that we are incapable of fulfilling its demands. It strips away our delusions of goodness by making our sin undeniable. It is the means by which God shows us our sinfulness and undermines all our alibis (Romans 3:19-20).

The third function of the law is the primary function, and without it we would be left without hope. The law is designed to drive us to Christ by showing us our desperate need for a Savior (Galatians 3:22-24). By condemning all, the law has opened up a door for grace and mercy to given to those who trust in Christ (Romans 11:32). This is the gospel message. Christ perfectly obeyed God's law for us and then suffered the consequence for breaking the law as our substitute. When a person is united with Christ by faith, he is justified. It is "just as if" he had never sinned. What is more, it is "just as if" he had always obeyed.

The Rules of the House

By setting up rules in my house, I am showing that I believe that God's law is good. By placing expectations on my kids, I demonstrate that I believe that the expectations God places on me are justified. Any time I administer law in my own house, it is a reflection of the law that God has administered. As a Christian, then, I need to make sure that these household laws reflect the way that God's law works. They must be carried through all the way to the third function.

I must confess that this has not been my habit. The rules that I give my kids have only served the first two functions. I have made it very clear to them what I expect from them. When they obey, I am happy with them and their lives are easy. When they disobey, I punish them. I have failed to administer the rules in such a way that they lead to grace.

How, then, are we to make the rules of our homes reflect the ultimate function of the law? We must first remember that the law of God supersedes our rules. The issue of our children's obedience or disobedience runs deeper than just obeying the rules of the house. Even though they are kids, we parents are still dealing with sinners. We must come to grips with this reality and expect that our kids will fail to keep our rules. They are incapable of full compliance, just as they are incapable of perfectly obeying God's law. When they break the rules, they are guilty of breaking a higher, more significant law than ours.

Second, we must see their disobedience with a gospel perspective. When they break the rules, they are exposing their sinfulness and their need for a Savior. The promises of reward and the threats of punishment in God's law are not enough to produce true obedience. The law can do nothing to change a person's heart (Hebrews 9:9; 10:1). In the same way, though at times it is necessary to discipline our children, punishment will never give them a new heart. It may curb their outward rebellion for a while, but it will never make them want to obey the rules from a pure desire. We need to make room for giving grace and mercy to our children, giving what they don't deserve and withholding what they do.

Third, we must see their obedience with a gospel perspective. No one earns grace from God by their obedience (Romans 11:6). God gives grace freely to those who exercise faith in Christ. It is not merited or deserved (Ephesians 2:8-9). In the same way, our children must understand that their acceptance with us is not based on their performance, either good or bad. We must never withhold love from our children when they disobey and we must be very careful about being extra kind when they are obedient. Certainly, there are times when they deserve to be rewarded for doing good, but their relationship with us must never be called into question on the basis of their works. They must be made to understand that our acceptance of them is constant and unwavering, regardless of their performance.

Fourth, we must see disobedience as an opportunity to point them to Christ. In a sense, we should be thankful for the opportunity presented to us by our children's disobedience. When they break our rules, we have the chance to talk to them about their inability to keep God's rules and their desperate need for a Savior. We can tell them about the One who perfectly obeyed on their behalf and then took the punishment they deserve. If we see this as the ultimate function of our household rules and communicate it to our children, we will be giving them more than just a lecture on obedience. We will be giving them the gospel.

Read Your Bible and Hope

2011-06-03T00:22:00.000-05:00

"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.' For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:1-4)

In these verses, Paul is addressing the issue of unity within the church at Rome. He argues that Christians have a twofold obligation. They are, first, to "bear with the failings of the weak" and, second, to please their "neighbor for his good" in order to build him up rather than please themselves (vv1-2). Christ is the highest example for them – "For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me'" (v. 3). By quoting Psalm 69:9, Paul provides us with instruction on how to govern our relationships with others. His purpose here is clear. He has transferred the principle of Christ's self-emptying sacrifice, found in the fulfillment of a verse, and applied it to the church. Christ's actions should be the measure of our own.

What Paul does next is amazing. This passage would make perfect sense if he were to go directly into his benediction in verse 5 and skip over verse 4 all together. Instead, he takes an opportunity to make a comment about the nature of Scripture itself. The context does not require it, but Paul has just made use of a vital principle in quoting Scripture and he wants to make sure that the church understands its importance. Psalm 69:9 was not written for David's sake alone. It was not an isolated comment regarding his personal experience. No, it was written with a purpose. It was written for the church and for her instruction. The significance of the verse is easy to see because it foreshadows the substitutionary death of Christ, but Paul intends to make it clear that the principle is not only for this verse. He applies it to all of Scripture: "whatever was written…was written for our instruction" (v.4).

This is significant. When we realize that all of Scripture was written for our instruction, we will be more inclined to read, preach, teach, and live all of Scripture – as Paul says elsewhere, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul does not stop with our instruction, though. Yes, the purpose of Scripture is instruction, but that instruction has a purpose as well. Now, if the instruction that comes by the Scripture has a purpose, then we may assume that the purpose of the instruction is also the purpose of the Scripture. In fact, it is a greater purpose than the purpose of instruction. Let me illustrate.

In Genesis 42:2, Jacob says to his sons, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die." The famine was so severe in the land that there was no food. The resources were depleted and the family was in danger of starvation. In the middle of this crisis, Jacob learns that there is grain for sale in Egypt and sees an opportunity to provide for his family. He supplies his sons with money and tells them to travel to Egypt to buy food. Now, what was Jacob's purpose in sending his sons to Egypt? The immediate answer would be, "to buy grain," but that's incorrect. Why? Because no one buys grain just to buy grain. What is the purpose of buying grain? To eat. But is there a purpose in eating? Absolutely –"That we may live and not die" (v.2). So we can be precise in stating Jacob's purpose. He sends his sons to Egypt so that he and his family will live. So the buying of grain is one purpose of traveling to Egypt, but so is living, and living is a greater purpose.

We are presented with a chain of purpose here – each one higher and more important than the last, yet each one necessary for the next – until we get to the end. There is no further purpose in satisfying hunger. It is an end in itself. We would say that the satisfying of this desire is the ultimate purpose of Jacob sending his sons to Egypt.

So with reference to our verse, instruction is an essential purpose of Scripture, but instruction by itself is an insufficient purpose. It must lead on to a greater and higher purpose. And what is this purpose? It is that "we might have hope" (Romans 15:4). The aim and purpose of all Bible intake, whether it comes in the from of preaching, teaching, reading, or memorizing, is to instill hope in the hearts of those who receive it.

Owen’s Day – Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 2

2011-06-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

Having addressed some general principles, we must now consider more specifically what it means to be spiritually minded as well as how we are to tell whether we are or not. The first indication has to do with whether our thoughts come from spiritual affections or not.

Spring Blossoms and the Thoughts of Man

Our thoughts are like blossoms on a tree in the spring. At times, you may see a tree covered with them so that the branches are barely visible. Most of these blossoms will eventually fall off and not produce any fruit. Often, when a tree has too many blossoms, it bears little fruit. If the tree is to produce any fruit, however, it will come from these blossoms. So it is with our thoughts. The minds of men, just like those trees, are covered with thoughts. Most of them fall off and come to nothing, and sometimes, a person can have so many thoughts running through his mind that he is paralyzed, unable to bear any fruit. But there is no fruit, no action produced in a person's life, whether good or bad, but that comes from some of his thoughts.

These thoughts ordinarily give the best indication of whether a man is spiritually minded or not (Prov. 23:7, NASB). Sometimes a person's thoughts may be stirred up by what is going on around him. When a person is taking shelter from a tornado, his thoughts are very different than what they would be in any other situation. These are not the kinds of thoughts that we are talking about here, but the ordinary, voluntary thoughts that a person has in the normal situations of life.

Being Spiritually Minded is About How We Normally Think

Jesus referred to our hearts as treasuries, and the treasure that they contain may be either good or evil (Luke 6:45). This treasure is always being spent and is never exhausted. Instead, it is increased as it is used and grows by being spent. The more you spend of the treasure of your heart, the more you will gain in that treasure. The primary way that this treasure is spent is by the thoughts it produces. If the heart is corrupt, the thoughts will be corrupt. If the heart has been transformed by grace, it has a good treasure and spends itself by producing good and gracious thoughts.

Again, the thoughts that we are referring to are those that are voluntary and not produced by outward circumstances or duties. Some people get preoccupied with thoughts about their jobs or responsibilities. These are not sufficient to indicate the true condition of their hearts. For example, some people study the Bible and preach or teach it to others for a living. As a result, they can't help but have many thoughts about spiritual things. Yet these men may be very far from being spiritually minded. The same may be said of people who make it a habit to read the Bible every day. They may have many thoughts about spiritual matters while they read, but their normal thinking throughout the day is unaffected (Ezek. 33:31).

There is a normal way of thinking, or train of thought, that people ordinarily have when they are not being influenced by their present activities. If these thoughts are filled with pride, ambition, sensuality, or filth, then it should not be said that this person is spiritually minded. If, on the other hand, these thoughts are filled with things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable (Phil 4:8), then it is a good indication that the person is spiritually minded.

Thoughts Are a Product of the Heart

Genesis 6:5 describes what the minds of men are like before they are saved: "every intention of the thoughts of his heart [is] only evil continually." Their hearts are always stirring up evil thoughts. All other thoughts that may appear to be otherwise arise out of the present circumstances. These thoughts are the natural and genuine product of their heart. So the wicked are said to be "like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up dirt and mire" (Isa. 57:20). The fullness of evil in their hearts is stirred up by their lusts and desires so that the dirt and mire of evil thoughts are continually tossed to the surface. Sometimes a person comes to see just how wicked his heart is when he realizes that he cannot control the kinds of thoughts that flood his mind throughout the day.

To be spiritually minded works in much the same way. The person who is spiritually minded has a heart that has been renewed and filled with the treasures of grace. The desires stirred up within him by the Spirit cause spiritual thoughts to come to the surface. His normal, voluntary thoughts are about spiritual things.

Not All Spiritual Thoughts Indicate Spiritual Mindedness

It may be pointed out that all men occasionally have thoughts about spiritual things. How then do we know whether these thoughts indicate whether a man is spiritually minded or not? There are three things that are required. We will deal with the first today.

The First Indication is That These Thoughts Come from Within

These thoughts must be natural, arising from ourselves, and not from outward circumstances. David says in Psalm 64:6 that "the inward mind and heart of a man are deep." By "inward mind" he is referring to what causes the thoughts of a man. Inward thoughts are produced only by what is in a man, his principles, disposition, and inclinations. They are not produced by a concern for outward circumstances or excited by any outward objects. In a wicked person, these thoughts are stirred up by the lusts of his heart (James 1:14). These lusts lead him to think about how he can satisfy his flesh. In those who are spiritually minded, spiritual thoughts are the first natural outworking of their heart.

Take, for example, a person who is covetous. There are two sorts of thoughts that produce covetous behavior. The first are those that are caused by outward objects or opportunities. This was the case with Achan. He said, "when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them" (Joshua 7:21). When he saw these things and realized that he had an opportunity to have them, covetous thoughts and desires were stirred up within him. This is the case with many people every day who find themselves in positions to deal with the things they desire. Some may be surprised at the thoughts that come into their minds, thoughts that they normally would not have. Others may have these kinds of thoughts regularly and naturally as their normal disposition. This is the second kind of thought that produces covetous behavior. These people don't need the outward circumstance to lead them to such thoughts. Their thoughts lead them to look for the opportunity (Isa. 32:6-7).

Job gives us an example of the first kind of thoughts and how to deal with them. He said, "I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1, NIV). He knew that there were many opportunities to lead his mind in that direction and he took measure to guard against them. Peter tells us of men who are consumed with the second kind of thoughts: "They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin" (2 Peter 2:14). Their own affections make them restless in their thoughts and their planning for sin. It is this second category of thoughts that are men's inward thoughts. These must be filled with spiritual things if we are to be considered spiritually minded.

As Water from a Spring

David is a good example of one who was spiritually minded. He writes in Psalm 45:1, "My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe." He was meditating on spiritual things and his heart "bubbled up" (as it means in the original) "a pleasing theme." This is an allusion taken from a spring of fresh water: from its own fullness it bubbles up the water that runs and flows from it. So it is with the thoughts of those who are spiritually minded. There is a fullness of spiritual things in their minds and affections that spring up into spiritual thoughts about them.

Jesus gives us a similar description of spiritual life. It is "a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). The Spirit, living in the heart of a believer, is a well of living water. This is not a well that requires a rope and a bucket to get at its water, as may be seen by Jesus' answer when the Samaritan woman objected, "you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?" "True," he says, "This well is of no use unless we have a rope and a bucket. But the living water I will give comes from a different kind of well. This water lives inside of a person and continually wells up into a spring that will refresh those who have it." This is the case with the person who has been given a new nature, one who has the Spirit living in his heart. Without any external influence, his whole soul is moved to think about and act on spiritual things. The thoughts of those who are spiritually minded arise from something within; they are the bubblings of this well of living water.

Hearts and Treasures

Jesus says in Matthew 12:35 that "the good person out of his good treasure brings forth good." First, the person must be good, as he said before (Matt. 12:33). This only happens by a work of grace so that he is given a new nature. The good man has a good treasure in his heart. The person who has not been made good remains evil and has an evil treasure in his heart: "the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil" (Matt. 12:35). This is the great difference between men in this world. Every man has a treasure in his heart, an overriding, inexhaustible source of all of his behavior. In some this treasure is good, in others it is evil. The thoughts that arise out of the heart are of the same nature with the treasure that is in it. If the thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us are for the most part vain, foolish, sensual, earthly, and selfish, then such is the treasure in our hearts. If the thoughts that naturally proceed from the treasure in our hearts are spiritual and holy, it is a good indication that we are spiritually minded.

When our thoughts are not usually spiritual, we have no warrant to consider ourselves to be spiritually minded. Men may have thoughts about spiritual things, sometimes a lot and sometimes frequently, that do not come from a good treasure, but from one of two different causes.

Where Unspiritual Spiritual Thoughts Come From

First, they may arise from inward force. These have to do with convictions that press the mind to act in a way that is contrary to its normal disposition. Water generally runs downhill, but if you put a pump in the water, you can force it to run in the opposite direction. As soon as the pump is turned off, the water will resume its natural course. This is often the case with the thoughts of men. Their natural course is towards earthly, unspiritual things, but when the mind is pressed by conviction, the thoughts are forced toward spiritual things. It will think about them frequently as long as the conviction remains. As soon as the conviction subsides, however, the thoughts return to their old course.

This state of mind is graphically described in Psalm 78:34-37. Men who are in trouble, who are sick or afraid, men who are under conviction for their sin will begin to think and meditate on spiritual things. They may be greatly disturbed that they can't think of them more than they do or be frustrated that they think of anything else. When the trouble or conviction is over, though, so are the thoughts about spiritual things. They are like the Ethiopian who cannot change his skin or the leopard who cannot change his spots (Jer. 13:23). The habit of their minds is to think about other things so that they will only think about spiritual things as long as they are pressured by their convictions.

It is a sign of a weak spiritual condition when being spiritually minded rises and falls with our convictions. If we are under God's conviction for some reason, whether it be a sin we have committed or some good that we should have done but did not, and so attempt to be more spiritually minded and then give up the effort as soon as the conviction subsides, we have not learned very well what it means to be spiritually minded. In fact, it may be an indication that we have never been given a new nature to begin with. Water that comes from an active spring runs equally and constantly unless it is obstructed or diverted; water from a thunder storm runs furiously for a season and then dries up. The spiritual thoughts which come from grace in the heart of the believer are like the spring; they are even and constant, unless they are interrupted by temptation for a season. The spiritual thoughts that are produced by the thunder of convictions, no matter how many may be produced, quickly dry up and disappear.

Second, spiritual thoughts that may be produced in the minds of men who are not truly spiritually minded may come from outward means. These means may be useful and even appointed by God to produce spiritual thoughts, such as preaching or reading the Bible. But there is a difference in the way that these things are used and how they operate. In some they produce holy thoughts that agree with the new nature and affections of the believer. He understands them, loves them, meditates on them, and finds delight in them. In others, they only produce thoughts about the things as they are presented to them. They have an intellectual understanding of spiritual things but nothing more.

It is like when you till and fertilize your land. If it produces a large crop, it is evidence that the soil itself is good and fertile. The cultivation only helps the land to use its own fruit-bearing virtue. But if you till and fertilize the land and it only produces a meager crop, a sprig here and a sprout there, it is an indication that the soil itself is barren. The means that we will address in future articles are like the tilling of good, fertile soil. It helps it to produce its crop by exploiting its own power – they stir up holy affections to produce holy thoughts and desires. If your heart is barren, then they will only serve, here and there, to stir up spiritual thoughts that give no evidence of a gracious heart or spirit.

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

An Introduction to Adoniram Judson

2011-05-31T23:59:00.000-05:00

Judson Asher Fenlason was born on March 31, 2011. As you can imagine, Bethany and I deliberated for some time about what we were going to name him. I was in the process of reading The Life of Adoniram Judson and was struck by how this man's faith and hope drove him to give his life for the advancement of the gospel. As I shared the stories of Adoniram with Bethany, we both felt that this was a man that we could set forth as an example for our children, and for ourselves. We eventually decided that our son would bear his name. I voted for Adoniram, Bethany preferred Judson. Of course, what mama wants, mama gets.

Today I am beginning a series of articles to share Adoniram Judson's story with you. What follows is a short overview of his life and influence. Later posts will give more detailed accounts of his life. My prayer is that you will be encouraged, challenged, and inspired, as we continue to be.

Adoniram Judson, born in 1788, was the first American sent to be a missionary in a foreign country. He sailed for Burma (now known as Myanmar) at the age of 23, just two weeks after marrying Ann Hasseltine. He spent the rest of his life (38 years) in Burma, with the exception of a one year furlough after 33 years. He had no formal training in the language or culture of Burma and so spent the first four years learning the language and culture of the nation. It was more than seven years before he baptized his first convert. During this time, he wrote to Luther Rice, who was raising financial support for the Judsons in the States, that though the fruit of his labors were slow in coming, the results were guaranteed "as much as that there is an almighty and faithful God, who will perform his promises, and no more."

Adoniram's life was filled with suffering. After 12 years of preaching, he was accused of being an English spy and imprisoned in a Burmese death camp for a year and a half. He was tortured and near to death many times. Months after his release, his first wife died. He later married Sarah Boardman who also died from complications arising from the tropical climate of Burma. His third wife, Emily Chubbuck, survived him by four years, but died from tuberculosis, also brought on by the Burmese climate. Of Adoniram's 12 children, six died in infancy or early childhood. Adoniram died from a serious lung disease on April 12, 1861. He was 61 years old.

It is hard to calculate Adoniram Judson's influence on the Burmese and American churches. When he arrived in Burma, there were no Christians there. When he died, there were over 8,000 coverts, 100 churches, and 123 missionaries and pastors. Today, Myanmar has the third largest number of Baptists worldwide, after the United States and India. During his life, he had translated the entire Bible into Burmese and completed an English-Burmese dictionary. His Bible translation is still the primary Burmese Bible used today and his dictionary has been the basis of every dictionary and grammar written in Burma since his death.

Before Adoniram Judson, Baptists in America were a disconnected group. His influence led to the formation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1810. This was the first missions organization in America. After becoming a Baptist during his voyage to Burma, his appeal for support to the Baptist churches in America led to the formation of the Triennial Convention in 1814. In 1845, at the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention, Adoniram congratulated its leaders for their efforts to strengthen foreign missions. The Southern Baptist Convention would later become the largest Protestant denomination in the world.

The greatest contributions of Adoniram's life will remain unknown in this world. They will only be calculated in light of eternity. There is no way to know the number of people saved, directly or indirectly, because of his labors. The number of missionaries and ministers moved to give their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ as a result of this one man's testimony is incalculable. I, for one, am glad to add my name among the number.

Is God Judging Joplin? Thoughts About Natural Disaster and the Sovereignty of God (Part 3)

2011-05-26T15:40:00.002-05:00

(This is a 3 part article; see also Part 1 and Part 2)

To pronounce God's judgment is to judge

It should be apparent, in light of the previous points, that there is no basis to declare that the tornado that struck Joplin was the judgment of God. But there are some who will not be convinced and they will continue to insist that it was. They are intent on being God's spokesmen, decrying evil and pronouncing condemnation. Those who do so place themselves in a dangerous position.

Jesus taught that we are not to be quick to make judgments about other people's faults: "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). Contrary to what many have heard, this does not mean that we are never to judge between what is good and what is evil in a person's actions. Jesus is stressing that there is a correspondence between how we judge others and how we ourselves will be judged. This is clear from the context:

"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:2-5)

The only person in a position to address the sins of others is the one who has first dealt with the sin in his own life. Then, and only then, will he be able, with gentleness and love, to speak with his brother about sin. The people who are quickest to make a big deal out of the sins of others are those who have glaring faults of their own, faults that are usually ignored, minimized, or covered up. By pointing out the faults of others, such a person is attempting to divert attention from his own.

Paul addresses this same issue Romans 2. He gives a stern warning to any who would judge the sins of others while they, themselves do the same things.

"Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?" (Romans 2:3)

"You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law." (Romans 2:21-23)

If God's judgment has been poured out on Joplin for the sins that she committed, then rest assured that judgment will visit you for your sins, too. In fact, the greater crime belongs to the one who asserts that the tornado was God's judgment while at the same time indulging the same sins of pride, idolatry, and unbelief. That person is guilty of dishonoring God by treating his law with contempt while holding it over the heads of others.

Consider, also, this warning from James:

"Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:11-12)

By speaking against or judging your brother, James says, you are actually speaking evil against the law of God. How can this be? It is because that person presumes to be above the law. By taking the law into his own hands in order to indict and arraign another person, he makes himself the law's administer; he removes himself, or attempts to remove himself, from the law's authority over his own life. He places himself in a position above the law and, thus, outside of it. By pronouncing God's judgment, he declares himself to be judge. He has become guilty of usurping a position that belongs to God alone. We know of others who have attempted to do this, and we know the outcome of such pride (Gen 3:5; Isa. 14:13-15; Rom. 1:24-25).

How should we respond when disaster strikes?

Let me mention five ways that we should respond to disasters like the Joplin tornado.

First, take comfort in the goodness and sovereignty of God. God is holy, righteous, and passionately committed to his glory. He cannot help but deal harshly with sin because sin is a violation of the glory and righteousness of God. One of the ways that he does so is by allowing the effects of sin to run their course. This is the reason we have tornadoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis that destroy entire cities. But God is also patient, merciful, and loving, and he exercises these attributes no less than the others. In this life every act of judgment, every experience of suffering, and every disaster is accompanied by a measure of grace and mercy (Hab. 3:2).

Rather than running from or blaming God in times of tragedy, the believer ought to seek his refuge and comfort in God. Like Job or Habakkuk, we don't need to understand the reasons or the logic for everything that happens. We only need to know that everything that happens is governed by a God who is absolutely in control. He is the God "who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist" (Rom. 4:17). He is the God who has committed himself to the blessing and happiness of those who trust in him. In Christ, he has defeated sin and overthrown death. And this world that now writhes in the agonies of labor pains will one day be delivered itself.

"When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

Second, allow the disaster to produce in you humility. With an awareness that death comes to everyone is an awareness that death will come to us. We are no different than the citizens of Joplin. We are sinners as they are and need grace as they do. Disaster reminds me that I am not "the master of my fate"; I am not "the captain of my soul." It intrudes on my plans and forces me to admit that this life is only a vapor. It shows me that all of my boasting and confidence is worthless in the face of eternity.

"Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness…" (2 Peter 3:11)

Third, be led to self examination and repentance. Along with humility should be a measure of introspection that leads to repentance. While the tornado may not have been an act of judgment, those who died in it have been judged (Hebrews 9:27), some according to the righteousness of Christ, others according to their own unbelief. Our response is not to determine where each of these will spend eternity. It is to examine ourselves to determine what our eternity will be when we face the judgment seat. Instead of judging others, we are to judge ourselves in light of the law and then turn to Christ in faith and repentance.

"And he answered them, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'" (Luke 13:2-5)

Fourth, exercise love and compassion. Believers are to be God's agents of compassion in a suffering world. Jesus taught his disciples that the care and comfort that they extended to others was an act of compassion towards himself (Matt. 25:34-40). Never is there a time when people are in more need of food, water, clothing, and shelter than when they have lost everything in a tornado. Our love for Christ ought to compel us to show his love to those in need. We ought to sacrifice willingly for others because we have been the recipients of unspeakable blessing from One who sacrificed himself for us.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Fifth, give them the gospel. Finally, the issues that we have looked at in this article demonstrate that there is a far greater need for men and women than physical well being or material security. Every person is guilty of breaking God's law and therefore is liable to his judgment (Rom. 6:23, 3:23). But Christians are not agents of condemnation. We are ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19). The message that we must proclaim is not that God is punishing sinners by sending tornadoes, but that God has made reconciliation possible by providing a substitute to die in our place. If the message preached becomes one of judgment rather than an offer of grace through faith it is no longer the message of Christ.

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

Owen’s Day – Being Spiritually Minded: Part 1, Chapter 1

2011-05-26T02:22:00.007-05:00

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6, ESV)

In this verse, Paul describes two ways of life that are opposed to each other, and the respective outcomes of these conditions are as antithetical as anything can be. On the one hand, there is the mind that is set on the flesh. This condition leads irrevocably and unavoidably to death. On the other hand, there is the mind that is set on the Spirit, the result of which is life and peace. Every individual person belongs to one of these two categories, and since the consequences are of such significance, it is important to know which one you are in.

This is not to say that a person will ever reach the point where he will not struggle with sin. As long as the believer is in this life the flesh and the spirit will both be active (Gal. 5:17). Just because the flesh is or is not actively expressing itself does not indicate that a person is in one category or another. Where one or the other is predominating, however, this is a good sign as to which of the categories the person is in. Paul makes this clear. Some people are "in the flesh [and] cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8); they "walk…according to the flesh" (Rom. 8:4), and "live according to the flesh" (Rom. 8:13). Others are "in the Spirit" (Rom. 8:9); they "walk…according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:5) and are "led by the Spirit" (Rom. 8:14). There is no middle ground. Everyone is ruled either by the flesh or by the Spirit.

To set the mind on the flesh is death

Death, here, may refer to one of two things. First, it may be a formal spiritual death. Those who set their minds on the flesh are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1), for those who "carry out the desires of the body and the mind [are] by nature children of wrath" (Eph. 2:3) – they are under the power of spiritual death. They are "dead in [their] trespasses and the uncircumcision of [their] flesh" (Col. 2:13). Second, it may refer to the eternal death that sin earns: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die" (Rom. 8:13), and "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). The reason that Paul is so harsh in his judgment is because "the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:7-8). It is no surprise, then, that setting the mind on the flesh ends in death. It couldn't lead to anything else. That which is enmity against God is under God's curse.

To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace

The Spirit also has a double sense. First, it may refer to the Holy Spirit himself: "if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Rom. 8:9); "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you" (Rom. 8:11). The Holy Spirit is the primary worker of all the spiritual mercies and benefits that Paul mentions in this chapter. Second, it may refer to the principle of spiritual life, or the new spiritual nature given to those who are born again, for "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6).

It is most likely that the term "Spirit" is here used in the second sense, not for the Holy Spirit, but for "that which is born of the Spirit," the principle of spiritual life that exists in those who are born of God. It is this new spiritual nature that is opposed to the flesh, or sinful nature (Rom. 8:4-5; Gal. 5:17). Whereas the flesh is the old, corrupt nature and the source of all sinful actions, the spirit is the new nature produced by the Holy Spirit and the source of all holiness and obedience.

What does it mean "to set the mind on" something?

The word that Paul uses here (phronema) speaks of the principle power and act of the mind. It is not merely speculation or the process of logical reasoning. It indicates a habitual frame of mind or inclination that includes the affections or emotions. It refers to a way of thinking about things with delight. It sometimes refers to the act of conceiving or judging (Rom. 12:3), sometimes to setting the affections on something (Col. 3:2), and sometimes to being preoccupied with things (Phil. 3:19). It never refers merely to a notional understanding of things, but always includes some aspect of the affections being engaged with respect to what the mind thinks on.

"The 'minding of the Spirit' is the actual exercise of the mind as renewed by the Holy Ghost, as furnished with a principle of spiritual life and light, in its conception of spiritual things and the setting of its affections on them, as finding that relish and savour in them wherewith it is pleased and satisfied" (p. 270).

Paul's concern here is not just to give us a lecture on what setting the mind on the Spirit is. His concern is that this mindset prevails and exercises power in our lives. He wants our minds to be renewed continually by the Spirit so that we are repeatedly brought to think about and meditate on spiritual things, and he wants these thoughts to be driven by a love for and satisfaction in them.

Three aspects of being spiritually minded

There are three things that characterize this spiritual mindset:

1. The actual exercise of the mind, in its thoughts, meditations, and desires, about things spiritual and heavenly.

As "those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh" – they think about them, make their plans according to them, desire and long for them – so "those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit" – they fix their thoughts and desires on them (Rom. 8:5).

2. The inclination, disposition, and frame of the mind, in all its affections, whereby it adheres and cleaves unto spiritual things.

The act of setting the mind on the Spirit deals primarily with the affections. The mind that is renewed by the Spirit and motivated by the new spiritual nature exercises its thoughts, meditations, and desires on spiritual things because the believer loves them and delights in them.

3. A complacency [a feeling of quiet pleasure or security] of mind, from that gust, relish, and savour, which it finds in spiritual things, from their suitableness unto its constitution, inclinations, and desires.

The believer has acquired a new taste for spiritual things that the nonbeliever does not possess. To the nonbeliever, these things have no flavor, like egg whites.

"Speculative notions about spiritual things, when they are alone, are dry, sapless, and barren. In this gust we taste by experience that God is gracious, and that the love of Christ is better than wine, or whatever else hath the most grateful relish unto a sensual appetite" (pp. 270-271).

All of these things come together in being spiritually minded. The foundation lies in the affections: love for spiritual things and a satisfaction in them. The thoughts and meditations of the mind grow out of these affections.

Two important truths to grasp

1. To be spiritually minded is the great distinguishing character of true believers from all unregenerate persons.

2. Where any are spiritually minded, there, and there alone, is life and peace.

All who set their mind on the flesh, who are in the flesh, are not born of God. They do not please God and cannot please God. But those who are spiritually minded are born of God; they live for him and will one day enjoy his very presence. This is the criteria by which we must judge which of the two states that we are in. It is important that we examine ourselves to be sure of our position because, regardless of what we may think, if we are not of those who are spiritually minded, we will have neither life nor peace.

Many people deceive themselves into thinking that they are spiritually minded. They think that all that is required of them is to hear and understand the word of God. They may assent to it, or at least not contradict it, and they may even commend it to others. But they don't truly believe it or they would allow it to impact their consciences and judge themselves in light of it. Others, as James says, are "like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror [and then] goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (James 1:23-24). The word of God shows them their condition, they see it and conclude that it is the truth, but their minds are immediately filled with other thoughts and taken up with other occasions and they forget what they were shown. In order to gain anything from the word of God, we must be firmly persuaded of the truth that "to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."

The danger of being earthly minded

It should be noted that there may be degrees in a person's spiritual mindedness. One believer may be more spiritually minded than another, or the same person may be more spiritually minded at one time than another. When a believer exhibits only a small amount of spiritual mindedness, it is probably because he is earthly minded.

The difference between being earthly minded and setting the mind on the flesh (or being carnally minded) has to do with whether the thoughts are driven by something within the person or something outside of him. Earthly mindedness is a subcategory of carnal mindedness. It is the branch and is motivated by the things of the earth. Carnal mindedness is the root and is motivated by the sinful nature. Earthly mindedness is no less opposed to spiritual mindedness than is carnal mindedness. Where the preoccupation with earthly things is wholly predominate in the mind, spiritual mindedness is impossible. The person who is wholly earthly minded is one who sets his mind on the flesh.

There may be, however, an earthly mindedness that is not predominate, but only inordinate. This kind of earthly mindedness is the effect of the sin that still remains in the believer, the sin that is to be put to death by the Spirit (Rom. 8:13). It is not wholly inconsistent with being spiritually minded. Some who are really and truly spiritually minded may, at least for a time, be under such an inordinate affection for earthly things that they may be called earthly minded. When this is the case, there may be life, but peace will not flourish.

This is the condition of many who profess to be Christians. They would not think of being so earthly minded as to forsake all spiritual mindedness. They know that being completely consumed by earthly matters is inconsistent with their salvation. They shun "big sins," but they suppose that there are small sins that may be acceptable in the life of a believer. They justify a measure of earthly mindedness because their life demands it – they have a job, a family, and other responsibilities. They can be reconciled with a preoccupation with the world in some matters without compromising their profession. And the truth is that there are too many other Christians doing the same thing for them to ever consider that such attitudes are wrong. They see others who are more spiritually minded as being on a higher spiritual level than they are. But that higher level is for those who have the time to pursue it. As for themselves, their circumstances require that they be satisfied with a smaller measure of spiritual mindedness.

Paul's exhortation to be spiritually minded, however, is not for the elite. It is the obligation of all who believe. It should be the goal of every believer to grow more and more spiritually minded, to grow deeper and deeper in love with spiritual things. Those who satisfy themselves with the belief that they need not pursue spiritual mindedness, those who willingly neglect any effort to reach higher degrees of spiritual mindedness, must be careful lest they prove to be, in reality, carnally minded and on their way to death.

"Whoever he be who doth not sincerely aim at the highest degree of being spiritually minded which the means he enjoyeth would lead him unto, and which the light he hath received doth call for, - whoever judgeth it necessary unto his present advantages, occasions, and circumstances, to rest in such measures or degrees of it as he cannot but know come short of what he ought to aim at, and so doth not endeavour after completeness in the will of God herein, - can have no satisfaction in his own mind, hath no unfailing grounds whereon to believe that he hath any thing at all of the reality of this grace in him" (p. 274).

For other posts in this series, check the directory.

This post is adapted from John Owen, Works, vol. 7, The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded, 261-497.

Is God Judging Joplin? Thoughts About Natural Disaster and the Sovereignty of God (Part 2)

2011-05-25T15:26:00.006-05:00

(This is a 3 part article; see also Part 1 and Part 3)

Disaster is the result of Sin, not necessarily sins

Earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters are a product of the world as it is. They are not all the result of God's direct judgment. The fact of the matter is that the world is messed up. These are just symptoms of that fact. As such, they are the result of sin in general, not specific sins committed by an individual or community of individuals.

Sin is a destructive force. It is rebellion against the Creator, the Author and Sustainer of life. As a result, its natural consequence is death and destruction (Rom. 6:23). To forsake the God of life is to entertain life's antithesis. Adam died spiritually on the day that he disobeyed (Gen. 2:17) and every man born into his family has inherited his death (Rom. 5:12). Since man was appointed to be God's representative in the creation, the creation itself suffered the consequences of his rebellion as well.

Paul writes that "the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it" (Rom. 8:20). When God pronounced the curse upon Adam, he said that the ground was cursed because of him. The very earth would fight against Adam's efforts to harness it. This was not the way things were supposed to be. In fact, the earth's antagonism towards man was "not willingly." It was God who determined that this was the way things were to be in consequence of Adam's sin.

But Paul adds something else. He says that God subjected the earth "in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:20-21). The earth's struggle was not meant to last indefinitely. The creation itself was given hope. Someday it would be delivered from its corruption and proneness to devastation. Like the sinners responsible for its condition, the earth, too, will some day obtain freedom.

The reelings and rockings of the earth are not only reminders of the curse that sin has incurred, but also of the hope that is in store for those who have been adopted as God's children (Rom. 8:16). Just as those who have the Spirit of Christ within them groan inwardly as they "wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies," so also the creation "has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now" (Rom. 8:22-23; Matt. 24:7-8).

Tornadoes, such as the one that struck Joplin, are only one example of the kind of groaning that accompanies the earth's labor pains. These pains are at times excruciating, but they ought to serve as a reminder that something glorious is coming soon. This labor will not last forever and when it is over, it will pale in comparison to what it has borne.

An aerial view of 26th Street before Sunday's tornado

An aerial view of 26th Street after Sunday's tornado

Physical death is guaranteed, the time and circumstances are not

Although it may sound callous, this is an important point to make. Death comes to every person (we don't need a Bible verse to support this statement, but here's one anyway – Heb. 9:27). Death is the consequence of sin (Rom. 6:23). As such, the same argument that was applied to natural disasters in the last section can be applied to death as well. It may be said that the Joplin tornado was the judgment of God only in that it brought death, and death is God's judgment against sin.

However, we cannot argue that the Joplin tornado was God's specific judgment designed to wipe out a community because of its ungodliness. Death is God's judgment for sin against all people, not just the citizens of Joplin. The fact that a tornado was involved, and that that tornado caused massive destruction, does not indicate that these people were more wicked or that they deserved a harsher judgment.

We all know that death may come at any time. This is the only guarantee that we have. The time of our death, or the circumstances surrounding or causing death, cannot be known. For the person who loses a child in a car accident, the pain and loss is no less significant than for those who lost loved ones in Joplin. Those who lose everything in a house fire are no less bereaved than those whose homes were destroyed Sunday. The difference is in the magnitude - the sheer number of people affected. There is no warrant, biblical or otherwise, to suggest that magnitude is the criteria to determine whether something is an act of God's judgment.

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