L, a guy who came to a Bible Study for the first time in week 1 this year, who got saved that week and has been regular at church ever since,
 
we got a box of Essential Jesus books from Barney’s church
this week we’ve door knocked nearly every door in college
anyway
i asked him this morning if he wanted to help
he said, sure
 which is cool
so we’ve handed out these books
hundreds of them
very positive responses
its such good evangelism
God’s word (powerful) in a gift (friendly)

additionally, next week we’re starting Simply Christianity course
on Tuesday nights
1 girl who came to college this year and who, in her words, ‘wants to become a born again Christian’
looked me up on facebook to tell me she was keen
another girl, who says she is christian, and might be, but doesn’t have much knowledge at all; she is coming
another girl, who isn’t Christian but has a desire to understand and who, once after coming to a Bible Study on John, went back to her room and read the whole book
she’s coming

just had inter-college prayer with
people from
my college
a boys college
a girls college
the uni village
arundel house
glebe
moore college residence
and the newtown terraces
about 40 people praying, sharing what God’s doing at each college, singing

I don’t know that there has been an intercollegiate fellowship like it in a very, very long time
but i’m stoked for what it means for mutual encouragement

but
craziest thing just happened
door knocking to give an essential jesus
door opens
i do my spiel

he says
“oh, I’m already reading the gospel of luke”
me: “really? sweet, how come?”
him: “well I actually became a Christian 2 weeks ago”
(this is a guy who has only just moved in this semester)
apparently he was reading about one of his favourite guitarists (he’s a muso), who is a christian, and it just hit him
how cool is that
 

earlier this week i was a bit bummed out
felt like as a group the Christians were wearing out
there was a bit of tension
i think general discouragement
but right now I’m so encouraged
one of my friends, a Christian at college
was really down on Tuesday
we spent a few hours chatting, just unloading
then on Wednesday she and D did ‘Essential Jesus’ handing out together

i asked her today how it was
face lit up
GREAT!
apparently she got into a 45 minute chat with someone
I feel like all this is such a case of Galatians 6:9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Loved it. Definitely going to lead to some interesting conversations next week.

But, one of the brochures used proved God with this sort of argument:

All we perceive depends for its existence on something else, which in turn depends on still another thing, ad infinitum, or else derives its existence from something that exists uncaused. The first alternative is false because it implies what is referred to as an infinite regression, which is impossible.

Which renewed my interest again in this question:
“Could the state of the world as we know it have arisen by an infinite chain of causes?”

Discuss.

Phillip Jensen and Kel Richards - Reformed charismatics? from Audio Advice on Vimeo.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Confused Redefinitions

Jensen’s basic thesis is that you can put any two words together, that’s easy, but the two words reformed charismatic can’t be combined without confusion - the two systems are incompatible - much like Catholic Evangelical.

The only way to combine them, says Jensen, is to redefine them. But is that correct? Well, what is meant by Charismatic? Let’s take Phillip’s own definition - it takes him more than 3 minutes to explain it (start at 10:50), during which time he covers 3 separate ‘waves’, so diverse as to cause the interviewer, Kel Richards, to search for ’something common to put under that label of Charismatic’:

“It’s to do with gifts of the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders… by and large the people who see that as the work that the Holy Spirit does”

Phillip agrees, its the emphasis on the gifts. And that’s their definition.

Already we learn two things. Firstly, we see that the definition of charismatic is broad and difficult to pin down. So, far from having two clearly defined and demarcated nouns, we actually have two, slightly blurry adjectives. Very little, if any, redefining is needed when definitions are so slippery in the first place.

But the second lesson is more important: even as given, the definition is not incompatible with reformed theology.

Emphasis on gifts

Well, it is if such an emphasis is exclusive, taking the Holy Spirit’s role to be exclusively signs and wonders, then of course it is impossible to be both reformed and charismatic. The Bible’s clear and indisputable teaching is that the Holy Spirit’s crucial work is inspiration, illumination, regeneration, and sanctification (to list a few).

Yet is the emphasis exclusive? Not at all! No charismatic denies any one of the above works. I think this is where Phillip goes wrong - he incorrectly assumes that Charismatics limit their understanding of the Spirit’s work to His extraordinary work. It may be that some charismatics err in practice and limit their focus to these, but that is a fault of fact rather than a fault of principle - one can be Charismatic without committing any such error.

Everything reformed theology teaches to be the work of the Spirit, a Charismatic can affirm without becoming one whit less Charismatic, for the emphasis is not exclusive of these teachings.

Moreover, the emphasis need not even steal the limelight from any important doctrine or practice. The emphasis does not challenge a single one of the five solas, nor any of the TULIP.

Christ is supreme, the cross is central, you must be born again by the Spirit, salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as revealed in the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone. Humans are totally depraved and elected unconditionally, the atonement is limited, grace is irresistible, the saints perservere. And God gives gifts to His church.

No emphasis on gifts need detract from any of these doctrines. Charismatics restore the gifts from the position of neglect they were given by our functionally-atheist tradtions and rationalisations of the Bible’s harder teachings. They are returned to where they should be, and no higher. That is the emphasis.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Are there incompatibilities?

When you really listen hard, what does Phillip Jensen actually offer as incompatibilities?

As hard as I tried, I could only find two: Second Baptism, and the Authority of the Scriptures.

Baptism of the Spirit

On this issue, I’m with D. A. Carson, who says “Although I find no biblical support for a second-blessing theology. I do find support for a second-, third-, fourth-, fifth-blessing theology.” (Also on this team: Stott, Piper, Lloyd-Jones, D. L. Moody, Jonathan Edwards and so on)

Phillip Jensen asserts that there are 7 references to baptism of the Spirit in the Bible and that all refer to regeneration, so any second (third, fourth) blessing theology is fundamentally at odds with reformed views on regeneration.

Here are all 7. I’d argue, actually, that only one refers to regeneration.

Jesus says in Acts 1:5, “for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” What event happened just days after Jesus said this? Pentecost, where the already regenerate disciples (see John 15:3-4) who already had the Spirit (see John 20:21-22), were filled, baptised in the Spirit. And this is something subsequent, quite apart from the work the Holy Spirit has already done in regenerating them.

The first 6 references clearly all refer to that baptism. The 7th, 1 Corinthians 12:13, is not concerned with the Baptism of the Spirit at all, but rather with regeneration. I’ve argued this elsewhere.

So the charismatic position is that the Holy Spirit is essential in regeneration (and is thus compatible with reformed theology) and also that the baptism of the Spirit is subsequent to that regenerating act. There is no incompatibility.

Authority of the Scriptures

This is a tired argument: the work of the Spirit is preaching the gospel, teaching about Jesus through the inspired Word. Any charismatic idea of prophecy being God speaking today tends to push us away from the Scriptures.

Well, that is certainly a temptation… which is why the Bible clearly instructs us to test prophecies and only hold on to what is good (1 Thes 5:19-21). Of course the work of the Spirit is preaching the gospel, teaching about Jesus through the inspired Word. No charismatic gift can replace that; nor is any necessary. And that perfect, inspired Word is precisely the means by which all prophecy is tested.

Yet God still blesses the church with prophets in grace that goes beyond what is merely necessary, whose authority is less than the Bible. And we are told not to despise them (1 Thes 5:20).

What Phillip is identifying here is not a disagreement, but rather a danger. The danger is that we might forget that Scriptures are the highest authority. Yes, it is a danger, but it is not a disagreement.

(Just like non-Charismatics face the same danger from reason and experience.
The topic of prophecy is a good example. Even though Paul talks about prophetic powers of understanding all mysteries (1 Cor 13:2) and lists it with healings, miracles, tongues, and distinguishing Spirits (1 Cor 12:9-10),  Phillip has no experience in such extraordinary prophecies. Therefore, he interprets Scripture under the authority of his experience and so redefines prophecy to mean the preaching of Christ. So we’re all prophets, we all teach about Christ. He justifies this with Revelation 19:10, arguing it equates testimony about Jesus with prophecy. It doesn’t, it merely says that prophecy is to testify to Jesus, and so John is a fool to worship the angel.)

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

We Believe the Bible

We’re sick of ‘explaining away’ the Bible’s incredible promises to make a more ‘rational’ faith We’re sick of reading down Scripture to fit our experiences.

Oh yes, I meant that.

Want an example? Watch the video from 5:20. To illustrate the difference between reformed and charismatic theology, Kel Richards and Phillip Jensen discuss John 14:12:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

And they say, good grief, look at the things Jesus did! He walked on water and rose the dead! And then Phillip says, “If you’re going to say that you’re going to do greater works than they, well, frankly, no-one is… the cemetaries are full.” Even the apostles did not do greater works. So it must refer to some other kind of work than miracles: preaching the gospel.

Do you see? Jesus says something, and we say “That does not fit my experience, I must be reading it wrong” rather than “That does not fit my experience. Perhaps my experience is wrong.” There are many people today who claim to be healing the sick and raising the dead. Maybe this scripture refers to their experience.

Now, to be fair, they then go on to justify another interpretation from the Scriptures itself. They say, these greater works will be done because Jesus is going to the Father. What can we do now because Jesus went to the Father that he couldn’t do? Preach the gospel of His death and resurrection.

(Well, that’s slightly fallicious - he preached that gospel before he went to the Father. I wonder whether the reason Jesus needed to go to the Father was “for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16:7) - the greater works are dependent on the Spirit, who would not come unless Jesus went away. Incidentally, the apostles did do some pretty amazing stuff. Is it significant that the very next verse after that one is “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”?)

But regardless of which interpretation is correct, the process is flawed. We must not interpret Scripture by our experiences. If the Scriptures say we should desire to prophesy, we will desire to prophesy.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Conclusion
Jensen and Richards conclude their interview by discussing the difference between what God can do, and what God does do. They say He can speak however He wants, but He promises to speak through His word.

I agree whole heartedly with that.

But He also promises to speak through prophecy. “even on my male servants and female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:18)

Therefore, the difference is not between what God can do and what He promises to do. The difference is between what God promises to do usually and what God promises to do occasionally.

Reformed Charismatics are sick of these promises of God being neglected. We don’t want to detract from the five solas and the TULIP. We love them. We love and expect and pray for the usual work of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives as they come to Christ and grow in him. And we also love the extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit as He enables us to love one another and glorify Him.

We Want It All

What is causing young reformed Christians to flock to charismaticism? It is not that it differs theologically from so-called ‘reformed non-cessationists’. The difference is that the theology makes its way into practice. Both believe in the one all-powerful God who promises to give gifts to the church for it’s building up, but only one actively seeks and expects those gifts - so that they might better love one another and glorify Christ. We don’t want to have to choose between these, we want it all.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Flew begins with the story of ‘the creation of an atheist’, the success of his papers and the influence of his fresh and stinging critique of theism and theology. Along the way he admits to being wrong in a number of areas – something that struck me as a very humble thing to do. The emerging picture is one of a man who is not prepared to adjust his views when they are shown to be wrong – he identifies with Socrates’ mantra of following the evidence where-ever it leads. (There’s a lesson there for all of us.) And then Flew spends the rest of the book telling of how this mantra took him to the divine.
His ‘discovery’ hinges on four key areas of science: the laws of nature, the fine-tuning of the universe (It’s almost like it knew we were coming), the existence of life, and the existence of the universe. Notably, though, Flew doesn’t rely on any God-of-the-gaps argument (‘Science doesn’t know, so it must be God’.) Instead, he finds these four areas conceptually incompatible with materialism.
For example, he doesn’t say “Science doesn’t know what caused the Big Bang, therefore God did it.” Instead, he shows that conceptually something cannot come from nothing, so you are forced to choose between God and an alternative cause. Whatever the alternative is, it cannot be dependent on a prior cause because an infinite series of dependent causes cannot produce an effect. So you end up believing in an un-caused causer. The question then becomes, why does this thing exist – why is there something rather than nothing? Flew thinks it more likely that a God would exist uncaused than that a universe would exist uncaused.

This is something I particularly enjoyed about the book – the subjects (life, fine-tuning etc) were familiar but the treatment was new. Unfortunately this also meant that the book was deeply philosophical (I’d call it ‘philosophy informed by science’), and I had a hard time keeping up. It’s a worthwhile read even if you (like me) miss the main point a lot of the time – interesting arguments, facts and parables are scattered throughout – but sadly only someone well-read in philosophy would really get the full force of the book, I think.
But if you’re up for a challenge, I recommend it.
One unexpected highlight is Appendix B – a dialogue (to use the term loosely) between Flew and leading New-Testament scholar Bishop N. T. Wright. In it, Wright makes the case for “The Self Revelation of God in Human History”, focussing on Jesus’ deity and resurrection. The case presented, a summary of his very long book “The Resurrection of the Son of God”, was completely new to me, and very powerful. Flew agrees, saying “Bishop Wright presents by far the best case for accepting Christian belief that I have ever seen.” Now I’m keen to read that book!

“Giving up on moral realism does not mean giving up on moral values. It is one thing to care about the plight of the poor, and another to think that one’s caring is objectively correct.”

Translation: Care for the poor if you want. It makes no difference either way, though.

“A world full of people who regard their moral convictions as reflections of personal values rather than reflections of ‘the objective moral truth’ might be a happier and more peaceful place than the world we currently inhabit.”

The last 100 years has certainly borne that out, hasn’t it. Give thanks for post-modern permissiveness and the peace tyranny it has brought!

You may not consider a fetus a “human life” in early pregnancy, though it has its own DNA and medical science continues to find ways to keep the fetus viable outside the womb earlier and earlier.

But it’s difficult to understand how those who harp about the importance of “science” in public policy can draw an arbitrary timeline in the pregnancy, defining when human life is worth saving and when it can be terminated.

And

Recently, Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare ruled that women are permitted to abort their children based on the sex of the fetus. In the United States, a woman can have an abortion for nearly any reason she chooses. In fact, a health exemption for the mother allows abortions to be performed virtually on demand.

If you oppose selective abortions, but not abortion overall, I wonder why? How is terminating the fetus because it’s the wrong sex any worse than terminating the fetus for convenience’s sake?

The Christianity I grew up with was so confusing to me even as a child. People said one thing but did another. They appeared very spiritual in public but were abusive in private. What they said and what they did never fit. There was such a discrepancy that I came to hate Christianity, and I did not want to be associated with a church.

Can you see how cosmetic Christians had derailed her journey toward God? But she went on to explain that she had met some Christians at our church and even got involved in a small group of seekers that was led by a Christian couple. She wrote,

So when I came to Willow Creek and to my small group,

I needed gentleness. I needed to be able to ask any question.

I needed to have my questions taken seriously. I needed to be treated with respect and validated.

Most of all, I needed to see people whose actions match what they say. I am not looking for perfect, but I am looking for real. Integrity is the word that comes to mind. I need to hear real people talk about real life; and I need to know if God is—or can be—a part of real life.

Does he care about the wounds I have? Does he care that I need a place to live? Can I ever be a whole and healthy person? I have asked questions like these. And I have not been laughed at or ignored or invalidated. I have not been pushed or pressured in any way.

Then she added this:

I don’t understand the caring I’ve received. I don’t understand that the leaders don’t seem afraid of questions. They don’t say things like, “You just have to have faith” or “You need to pray more.” They don’t seem to be afraid to tell who they are. They seem genuine.

This young woman ended her letter with a beautiful poem she had written. It contains the heartfelt sentiments of a spiritual seeker toward those of us who are Christians. Read these words carefully, and as you do, imagine that this precious person is speaking directly to you. Because she is.

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Do you know
do you understand
that when you treat me with gentleness,
it raises the question in my mind
that maybe He is gentle, too.
Maybe He isn’t someone
who laughs when I am hurt.

Do you know
do you understand
that when you listen to my questions
and you don’t laugh,
I think, “What if Jesus is interested in me, too?”

Do you know
do you understand
that when I hear you talk about arguments
and conflict and scars from your past,
I think, “Maybe I am just a regular person
instead of a bad, no-good little girl
who deserves abuse.”

If you care,
I think maybe He cares—
and then there’s this flame of hope
that burns inside of me
and for a while
I am afraid to breathe
because it might go out.

Do you know
do you understand
that your words are His words?
Your face, His face
to someone like me?

Please, be who you say you are.
Please, God, don’t let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please.

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Tears pooled in my eyes as I read that poem for the first time. I felt the sting of regret over times when I know spiritual seekers have looked at my life and not seen Jesus. I grieved for the times when my callousness or smugness or indifference may have slowed someone in their spiritual journey. And I resolved once more just to be genuine—with God and with others.

I felt that Maggie’s words were so powerful that I wanted to read them to our entire congregation. So I called her one evening to get her permission.

“Maggie, I loved your poem,” I told her. “Would it be all right if I read it at the services this weekend?”

“Oh, Lee,” she said, “haven’t you heard?”

My heart sank. What had happened now? Had she encountered someone who had been like salt that stung or light that glared? Had someone’s hypocrisy chased this young woman away from God once again?

“No, Maggie,” I replied with trepidation in my voice. “I haven’t heard. Tell me what happened.”

“No, you don’t understand—it’s good news,” she said. “A few nights ago I gave my life to Jesus!”

I almost jumped out of my chair. “Maggie, that’s terrific!” I exclaimed. “That’s the best news I’ve had in a long time. Tell me—what piece of evidence convinced you that the Bible is true? What fact did you uncover that finally established for you that the Resurrection was real?” After all, those were the kind of intellectual issues that played a big role in leading me to faith.

“No, it wasn’t like that for me,” she replied. “You see, I just met a whole bunch of people who were like Jesus to me.” She paused as if to shrug. “That’s all it took,” she said.

(Lee Strobel, “God’s Outrageous Claims,” (1997) Zondervan.)

It’s very good. And yet…
I can’t help but think his second ‘error’ is actually the plain teaching of Scripture. Of course, you cannot be Christian without the Spirit, what we are talking about here is whether you can have the Spirit - be Christian -  without being Spirit-baptised.

I’ll explain this more below.

The disciples were Christian before they were Spirit-baptised:

“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:3-4)

They are regenerate, they believe, Jesus has breathed on them and told them “Recieve the Holy Spirit”. Yet at Pentecost they are baptised in the Spirit.

Then we may come to Acts 8:

“12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”

And note that the coming of the Spirit was so visibly evident that Simon SAW it and asked for the same power.

Or take Apollos (Acts 19):

He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately…”

And then as though to explain the difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’, the very next paragraph goes like this:

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

They were disciples. Where else in the New Testament are disciples not Christian? Yet these Christians were subsequently baptised in the Spirit.
What’s more, Paul’s very question, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”, shows you can believe without being Spirit-baptised.

Another approach is to ask whether having the Spirit should give us assurance. Of course it should (Romans 8:15,16; Ephesians 1:13,14). But how many Christians today know the assurance of Romans 8:15,16? Very few. Are we then to conclude that they do not have the Spirit? Well, that seems to be the conclusion you would be forced to take if you do not distinguish between the Spirit’s work in regeneration and Jesus Christ’s work in Spirit Baptism.

Look closely at Ephesians 1:13: “Having believed (aorist participle), you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance”.

Maybe you say that Acts is very exceptional… the norm is what you get in the teaching of the epistles. “We are sometimes told, ‘You never find the epistles exhorting people to be baptised with the Spirit.’ That is perfectly right, bu the answer is obvious. They are not exhorted to be baptized with the Spirit because they were already baptized with the Spirit!…
How many churches do you know at the present time to which it is necessary to write such a letter as the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians?”

Or maybe you would rely on a single verse to refute all this. In that case, you would want it to be a very clear verse, wouldn’t you? It had better be clearly addressing this issue. Well, the verse is often quoted: “For in [or by] one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Now I ask you: is this verse talking about Spirit-baptism?
In the video, Philip says “all the Christians in Corinth are all baptised into the one body by the one Spirit.” And this is precisely the point of the passage! The point is that there is only one body, not many, because there’s only one Spirit, not many. But what does it say about people who may be in this single body having different measures of experience/blessing from that single Spirit?

Nothing. It’s not the concern of the passage, nor does it speak one way or the other on the issue. It doesn’t say there is only one baptism, or anything else of that kind.

Now, Philip is much wiser than I and has been a Christian much, much, much longer. But I can’t help but wonder whether this doctrine might deserve another look. A generation or two ago Cessationism was all the rage…  it’s on its last legs now. I wonder where else we might have gone wrong.
For more on this, see John Piper - for instance, this sermon and the rest of that series; and Martin Lloyd-Jones, especially his book Joy Unspeakable.