All Blogs Lead to Rome

Motivation

2015-04-29T22:56:00.001-04:00

One of the struggles every church leader faces is how to cut through the apathy demonstrated by so

many professing Christians. How do we motivate people to evangelize, to make costly personal sacrifices for the sake of their families? In short, how can we motivate them to be disciples who follow Christ with everything they have?
Of course, in one sense we can't make people decide to do these things because these are decisions that require the heart to change and only God can change the heart. However, we do have access to the instrument that God has left us to be His change agent: the scriptures. And the scriptures do give us some insight into what can help motivate people (including ourselves) to live a life devoted to Christ.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us -- Romans 8:18

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. -- 1 Peter 1:3-7

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. -- Colossians 1:3-5

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began -- Titus 1:1-2

The first thing to notice here is that none of these passages reference worldly things as motivation for following Jesus wholeheartedly. None of these writers mentions physical health, material wealth, worldly success, or the respect and admiration of your peers. (That is part of what makes the prosperity non-gospel so heinous. God never intended any of these things as rewards for exemplary faith. When He does grant them they are meant to bring Him glory by being used as means of gospel proclamation.) Instead, the scriptures point us to look ahead to the world to come.
We are reminded that in Christ we have been granted an inheritance.
What motivates us to abandon everything in the pursuit of Christ is the understanding that in Christ we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, including a glorious inheritance as a co-heir with Christ. This world truly is not our home.
So remind your people and remind yourself of this glorious truth. Because of Christ and the gospel, we are freed up to completely abandon the things of this world because our hope is in the world to come.

We are reminded that our inheritance is undefileable, unfading, and imperishable.
We are reminded that the Holy Spirit is given to us as a sign that our inheritance is guaranteed us.
We are reminded that our inheritance is promised us by an eternally faithful God.
We are reminded that nothing we give up or suffer through in this world can compare to the glory waiting us in the next.

If that doesn't motivate us....nothing will.

Yeah, But Syndrome

2015-02-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

My pastor posted this on Facebook today:

One of the most important sermons I've preached. Genesis 3:1-13 The big idea of today’s passage is If we do not trust in God’s word it will lead to death. Our aim is to found our lives on Jesus and His words so that we don’t make shipwreck of our faith as well as present the real Jesus to a broken world. ‪#‎share‬ 5th Avenue Baptist Church - Rome, GA

His post remined me of this tweet by Dan Phillips (@bibchr) of Pyromaniacs and Biblical Christianity:

If you are ever tempted to think the professing evangelical church is fundamentally healthy, just say publicly that the Bible is sufficient and watch what happens. That'll cure you. Seriously.

As I thought about the sad truth Dan is speaking to, the phrase that continued to bounce around in my head was "Yeah, but...." I am sure you have heard it before (and if you are like me, at some point uttered it yourself).
Usually it emerges during a conversation about life and the difficulties associated with it.
Someone mentions a struggle or problem they are dealing with or wondering about.
Usually someone else mentions what the bible has to say about that struggle of problem.
And then that is (way too often) followed with "Yeah, but....".

Let me give you a few examples......

A wife is struggling in her marriage and her friend points her to Ephesians 5 and councils her to respect her husband even if he doesn't seem to deserve it. Her response? "Yeah, but....you don't understand my husband and the things he has done."

Or the flip side of that equation where the husband is encouraged to love his wife as Christ loved the church even if she doesn't seem to respond. His response? "Yeah...but some of the things she does...."

Or the pastor trying to figure out how to reach the people in his church and see them become excited about the mission God has called them to. Another pastor recommends preaching exegetically through the bible. His response? "Yeah...but they have so many issues that I need to address first."

Or the new church plant that wants to reach the community for Jesus. It is suggested that they simply and clearly proclaim the gospel in their services. Their response? "Yeah...but we have to compete with this entertainment focused culture and people with short attention spans and......"

Or take the church that has to make difficult decisions about a sticky situation like church discipline. The bible says that if a member will not repent of sin then they should be placed outside the fellowship of the body of Christ. The response when asked to follow through with biblical church discipline is, " Yeah, but I just think there must be a better way to restore this person."

What all these people think they are saying is "I know that is what the bible says about my situation but my circumstances are unique and have dictated a different course of action for me". What they are actually saying is that the bible doesn't really have the answer to my problem and I can and need to find an answer that will actually work.

We parents know the truth of this. When my kids respond to a directive I have given them with "Yeah, but..." I stop them and say "No buts about it....go do it." When we are in the position of authority we recognize "Yeah, but Syndrome" for what it is....an attempt to usurp and undermine our authority.

The truth is that when it comes to what God has revealed to us in scripture, "Yeah, but..." is just a subtle substitute for "I do not believe that the bible is the perfect, sufficient, revealed will of the sovereign God of the universe." When our response to God's word is "Yeah, but..." we are usurping God's authority over us

We may say we believe the bible.

We may say the bible is important to us and to the life of our church.

We may say we believe that the bible is the infallible Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and sufficient for faith and practice.

But talk is cheap and our actions all too often say, when it comes to the sufficiency of God' word:

"Yeah, but....."

Without Excuse

2014-06-06T00:01:00.002-04:00

I watched part of a debate this morning between a Christian apologist and a "former" Christian turned atheist
apologist. When it was over both sides, as is often the case, thought they had prevailed. Certainly neither of the two men debating had changed their stance at the conclusion of the verbal sparring. Not that I was surprised; that seems to be the case in most every debate I have ever seen or even heard of. It did get me thinking, however.

What would it take to change the mind of a professed atheist? What type of evidence would one have to produce to convince someone who has invested so much time and effort into disbelieving God that God, in fact, does exist? I couldn't think of any evidence or proof that I hadn't heard from people much smarter than myself that hadn't already been shot down or mocked in a debate somewhere.

As I thought about the seeming paradox of those asking for proof of God's existence refusing to believe every proof given, I couldn't help but also think of Paul's words in Romans chapter 1:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

The reason it is so hard to convince atheists, agnostics, and skeptics of the existence of God is because they are suppressing their knowledge of Him. They know He exists, but in their unrighteousness they suppress that knowledge. So the problem is not one of a lack of evidence. It is the lack of righteousness that is the problem. Scripture says they are "without excuse". God is not hiding from these people. He has revealed Himself sufficiently to be known.

This is why the Bible never commands the believer to prove God exists or to even give evidence supporting His existence. We are commanded to proclaim the Gospel to the unbeliever because it is only the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Gospel that the true problem of the unbeliever can be solved. Only the power of the Gospel can produce righteousness.

So don't despair when the world mocks your faith or calls it unreasonable. Remember that no amount of logic or evidence will change their minds and it isn't their minds that need changed anyway.

It is their hearts.

So pray for them, share the gospel with them, and wait for the God they don't believe to change their hearts with the power of His grace.

The True Meaning of Christmas

2014-05-28T23:26:00.000-04:00

What is the true meaning of Christmas?

This is a question one hears a great deal this time of year. Usually it is asked as some form of rebuttal to the idea that Christmas is all about getting newer, bigger, better, faster stuff. Of course, there are almost as many answers to the question as there are people asking it.

One of the most given answers is that Christmas isn't about getting but about giving, especially to those less fortunate than ourselves. Generosity is the true meaning of Christmas.

Another very popular idea is that Christmas is all about family. We should forget all the petty squabbles and disagreements and come together to celebrate and be thankful for one another.

One might also hear that Christmas is all about putting other ahead of yourself. Selflessness is the true meaning of Christmas.

All those ideas, generosity, family, and selflessness, are worthy things to pursue. Certainly we could all stand to demonstrate these traits in our lives more consistently and not just during the Christmas season.

But none of those things are the true meaning of Christmas.

No, the true meaning of Christmas is much greater than all those things. The true meaning of Christmas can be found in Philippians 2:6-8.

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Christmas is about celebrating the mind blowing grace and mercy of our God who would leave His glorious throne in heaven to become human, die a criminal's death on a cross so that He might redeem all who believe on Him. The true meaning of Christmas has very little, if anything at all, to do with us and everything to do with Jesus.

Remember that Jesus wasn't obligated to come, wasn't obligated to save any of us. As a matter of fact, had He chosen instead to condemn us all for our wicked rebellion against His holiness He would have been just in doing so. However, in His great mercy condescends to put on the very flesh of the creatures who spurned His goodness and to set about rescuing all the Father had given to Him (John 6:37-39).

So, this Chrismas season as you gather with your family and experience the joys of giving generously to others, remember the true meaning of Christmas: that Jesus left glory and became a man to seek and save that which was lost.

Don't let the Christmas tree obscure your view of the Calvary tree.

Just Do It

2013-03-05T12:48:00.001-05:00

Evangelism is one of those areas of the Christian faith that nearly everyone affirms as vitally important. For those of us holding to a reformed view of scripture it is especially central to our lives as disciples. We believe that God has elected His church from before the foundation of the world and that He has called us to be the means by which He calls and redeems His church from the world. The method we use to accomplish that task is the proclamation of the gospel. It is evangelism.

And yet despite that nearly everyone also affirms they aren't nearly as faithful as they should be when it comes to the mission of evangelism. We know the Great Commission and many can quote Matthew 28:19-20 from memory. But actually putting feet to our knowledge seems to be very difficult. The move from knowing the Great Commission to carrying out the Great Commission causes many a Christian to falter.

As someone who fits into both the category of reformed believer and faltering evangelist, I have begun to feel the Holy Spirit convict me quite plainly lately. I have tried to pinpoint why I have fallen when I has come to sharing my faith more regularly to those around me. I came up with a list of things that might look familiar to many of you:

1. I am really more of an introvert so evangelism doesn’t come naturally to me.

2. I spend most of my time at work, at home, and at church and almost all those people are already believers.

3. I think God has gifted me in other ways besides evangelism.

4. I just don’t have much time in this season of my life with work, church, kids, school, etc.

I could probably add to this list but I think you get the idea. As I looked over the list I realized something: this isn't so much a list of reasons as it is a list of excuses. Whether I am introverted or extroverted, gifted or not, God has commanded me to be a witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. If my schedule or lifestyle don’t allow for that then I need to change my schedule or my lifestyle.

At the end of day, evangelism really does come down to one simple thought: Just do it!

So in the hopes of spurring on those of you who are like me I am going to share one of my ideas for just doing some evangelism. I hope to also use this public forum as some accountability to actually seeing this idea progress to real action.

I meet with 2 groups of men during the week for bible study: one group meets with the pastor of my church on Saturday mornings and the other group is made up of the men in the small group I lead on Sunday evenings. I have mentioned the idea to both of those groups of men of gathering together one morning or afternoon and going out specifically to do evangelism. So we might go to the local park and find people there to share our faith with. The point isn't so much where or even how as it is just to be about the business of sharing our faith. It is about setting out intentionally and with accountability to do evangelism.

I am looking forward to see what God does through me and in me as I commit to being more faithful in sharing my faith with those around me.

What about you?

How are you sharing your faith?

How could you share your faith more?

Remember: techniques, methods, places, etc. are not nearly as important as just doing it.

Important.....Or Maybe Not So Much

2012-09-03T10:54:00.001-04:00

I had an interesting conversation with a friend this weekend about importance. More specifically how you can tell what is really important to a person.

Because, let's face it, we all say things are "important" to us that really aren't so much. What we really mean is "I prefer that thing, but really only if the getting of it is fairly convenient for me". The way we can tell if something is actually important to a person is the lengths to which they are willing to go to obtain that thing.

So I may say that it is important for me to exercise more. But if I don't exercise because in order to do so I would have to get up much earlier in the morning than I am accustomed to and drive to the gym or run in sometimes inclement weather....then getting more exercise isn't really that important to me. And it is certainly less important than the things keeping me from exercise.

I am afraid this is an all too often occurrence among Christians. We say things are important to us but our actions tell a different story of different priorities. I think this is partly because we know the things we are saying are important to us as followers of Christ should be actually important to us.

So.......

We say sharing our faith is important......but we rarely do it.

We say spending time reading the Bible and praying is important......but we don't get up early enough or set aside time to make it happen.

We say fellowship with our church family is important........but we only go on Sunday mornings and sometimes we sleep in and miss that.

We say this is important........but we do that instead.

The very simple (and very convicting) truth is that we are already doing the things that are important to us. So if we want to know what is really important to ourselves or others, all we have to do is look to see what we spend our time doing. This truth is what spawned sayings like "Talk is cheap" and "Put your money where your mouth is". We know that we can say anything, but our actions prove what we say to be either true or false.

We can see this truth illustrated very clearly in the life of Jesus. What He said was important to Him was the same as what He did. Here are a few verses where Jesus explains what is most important to Him.

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." - John 4:34

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. - John 6:38

but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. - John 14:31

Jesus makes it very clear that He has come to do the will of His Father who sent Him. And if we keep following the story we will see Jesus in Gethsemane on His face before His father pleading for another way to accomplish the Father's will if it is possible. Jesus knows the pain and agony that awaits Him if He continues to do the will of His Father. He knows that at the end of that road is a cross and His death. And yet we know that Jesus tells His father "Not My will be done, but Yours" and that ultimately He faces the torture and humiliation of death on the cross. Despite knowing the pain, the agony that was coming Jesus proved that obeying His father was the most important thing to Him by doing it, by actually obeying the Father's will. His actions proved His words to be true.

So......

If sharing our faith is important.....we will build relationships with lost friends, family, and coworkers and share the gospel with them.

If spending time reading the Bible and praying is important.......we will find the time to do it even if it means getting up early or staying up late.

If fellowship with our church family is important.......we will spend time with our church family when the church has events to encourage that (even if they are not on Sunday mornings) and we will invite our church family to spend time with us in our homes.

If we say this is important.....we will find a way to do this, not that.

Please, Go Make Disciples

2012-08-12T15:18:00.002-04:00

While perusing the interwebs Saturday morning I came upon this post by David Mathis over at The Gospel Coalition website. David references a quote from Robert E. Coleman's book The Master Plan of Evangelism that he says changed his life. Having read Coleman's book (and been challenged and impacted by it myself) I got out my copy and discovered that I had highlighted the very same section that David quoted.

Here is where we must begin like Jesus. It will be slow, tedious, painful, and probably unnoticed by people at first, but the end result will be glorious, even if we don't live to see it. Seen this way, though, it becomes a big decision in the ministry. We must decide where we want our ministry to count---in the momentary applause of popular recognition or in the reproduction of our lives in a few chosen people who will carry on our work after we have gone. Really it is a question of which generation we are living for. (The Master Plan of Evangelism, p.38)

My fear is that too many churches and Christians have made that big ministry decision without the next generation in mind, choosing instead the momentary satisfaction of recognition and applause. And in one sense, I get it, I really do. Making disciples is hard work. It involves one imperfect person trying to help another imperfect person learn how to completely surrender their lives to Christ. It is filled with frustrations, failures, and fatigue. And even when things are going fairly well, it is an extremely slow process. (Let me say here that I realize there are churches out there who are devoted to the gospel and to disciple making. But there are way to many who aren't.)

So I get why churches end up abandoning this process or never give it a chance at all. It is not likely to rapidly grow your church or get you invited to speak at the latest and greatest conferences. Pastors from around the country won't seek you out to learn your secrets to success. So I get it......

Except I don't get it at all. This is the mission Jesus Christ has called us to fulfill. This is the Great Commission. This is the reason we are still here on this Earth. We have been called to pour out our lives in pursuit of this call. So you will understand, perhaps, if I am not impressed with your fancy signs, your slick website, your state-of-the art facility, and your edgy worship. Or if your relevant messages don't ring true to me. I understand why you do these things. I know you want to entice the lost into your facility and you think this is the way to do it.

But you are wrong. The best way to entice non-believers into your church is to make disciples that love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and then unleash them back into their homes, communities, workplaces, and schools. Let those Christians be the ambassadors for Christ they are called to be. Our job as pastors and teachers is to equip them to do the work of spreading the gospel (Ephesians 4:11-12). I know this is the best way because this is what Jesus calls us to do. This is what the Bible teaches.

So stop reading all the latest books on how to be a great leader. Stop spending so much time worrying about achieving just the right environment k for the next Sunday morning "experience".

Preach the whole council of God to your people.
Equip them to be ministers of reconciliation.

Please, go make disciples.

Bonhoeffer on Discipleship

2012-04-11T18:01:00.004-04:00

I ran across this paragraph as I was studying today to teach. So convicting......

If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly demands and which fails to distinguish between natural and Christian existence, then we cannot help regarding the cross as an ordinary everyday calamity, as on of the trials and tribulations of life. We have then forgotten that the cross means rejection and shame as well as suffering. The Psalmist was lamenting that he was despised and rejected of men, and that is an essential quality of the suffering of the cross. But this notion has ceased to be intelligible to a Christianity which can no longer see any difference between an ordinary life and a life committed to Christ. -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship, p. 88-89

The Day God Died

2012-04-06T10:49:00.000-04:00

Good Friday.

The day that God died for me.

Think about that for a moment. The only reason you and I can stand here on this day and thank God for redeeming us is that Jesus Christ, the perfect, spotless, holy, Son of God, died.

The bible says that in our sin we were storing up wrath for ourselves (Romans 2:5). One way or another that wrath had to be poured out. As sinners we blasphemed God by worshiping His creation instead of Him as Creator. We did not love Him and honor Him as God. We deserved to be condemned and punished for our sin.

Instead of consigning us to our deserved fate, God, in His infinite mercy, sent His very own Son to stand in our place.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved. -- Ephesians 2:4-5

Jesus Christ came to this earth and in His perfect innocence willingly gave up His life and absorbed the wrath of God that we had been storing up. Every drop was poured out on Christ on our behalf. Because of that we will never know God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Instead we get salvation.

Not because we deserve it.
Not because we earn it.
Not because we choose it.

Only because on this day centuries ago, God died.

Whom Have I In Heaven But You?

2012-04-03T09:47:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but David is one of my favorite people in all of scripture. Besides being a remarkable testament to the grace of God (what besides God's grace could turn an adulterous murderer into a man after God's own heart?) David never shies away from letting God know exactly what he is feeling. If he is overwhelmed by God's goodness and mercy he tells God. If he is frustrated and confused by God's seeming reluctance to punish evil then he tells God that as well.

In Psalm 73 David's frustration is one that too often I call my own. David looked around him and saw those who did not love God and did not obey Him seeming to prosper and find success in all they did.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. -- Psalm 73:2-3

David found himself being envious of the wicked and their lifestyle. It appeared to him that they were actually prospering and making their life easier by ignoring God and His commands. David felt like he was diligently pursuing righteousness for nothing. What was the point? These other men cared nothing for God or His ways and they were living the good life while David devoted his life to his God and his life was difficult. He says as much in verses 13-14:

All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.

David could not understand what God was doing (or not doing). He says in verse 16 that trying to understand these things seemed to be "a wearisome task". When did David get a glimpse into what God was doing? When he "went into the sanctuary of God". Then and only then was he able to perceive what the end would be for these seemingly successful wicked people.

What God reminded David of in His sanctuary was that everyone far from God will ultimately perish and only those who are near to God will live. David forgot that the greatest blessing that God bestows on His children is Himself.

I needed to be reminded of this today. The events of the last 18 months have sometimes left me right beside David in wondering "Why do the wicked prosper?". I have even found myself sympathizing with David's lament of feeling like all his efforts to please God have been in vain.

If we are honest with ourselves and with God I think we will admit that we feel like this sometimes. Why are people around us who ignore or mock God succeeding while we are struggling so much? For those of us in positions of leadership in the church the question even follows us there. Why are churches who place such a low priority on God's word growing while our church struggles as it faithfully preaches the word? I find, like David, understanding these things to be a wearisome task.

And then God, in His word, reminds me, just as He did David, that I already have all that I need or could ever desire. I have Him. Because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus I am now a child of God and my Father has promised to never leave me or forsake me. No amount of worldly or ministerial success could ever equal that. Sometimes our heart and flesh fail us and we envy the wicked around us. Thankfully for us God is our strength and portion when that happens.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -- Psalm 73:25-26

All too often my heart and strength fail me. Praise God that when that happens He is my strength and my portion forever.

Is This Success?

2012-03-23T12:01:00.000-04:00

Consider the story of this hypothetical Christian leader:

At a fairly young age he begins to serve an immensely large congregation. When he accepts leadership of this congregation, he knows that there is a specific goal that God desires him to lead the people to accomplish and that the accomplishment of this goal will take much time. His decades of leadership are marked equally by the faithfulness of God proving Himself to the leader and the congregation as well as the repeated failure of the congregation to faithfully follow God. The stubbornness of the congregation results in a decades long delay in the reaching of the God given goal for the people. As the leader ages he appoints a Godly man whom he has mentored as his successor. As the last days of his time leading arrive, he turns the ministry over to his successor knowing that this young man will lead the congregation to the completion of the goal that they have pursued for so long. Once the now former leader is gone, the people reach their goal under the guidance of their new leader. Almost immediately upon reaching this goal, they turn from God and begin to follow the teachings of false religions and cults.

Now answer this question: Was this hypothetical leader successful?

Inigo Montoya and Christian Liberty

2012-03-22T10:01:00.002-04:00

One of the marks of the young, restless, and reformed movement has been a renewed emphasis on Christian liberty. Now let me say right from the start that I am a big fan of Christian liberty and the freedom we have in Christ. After all, it was the apostle Paul who, in his letter to the Galatians, told us that it was "for freedom Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1). But I think there is a misunderstanding of what liberty and freedom mean in the context of following Christ. Or as the great philosopher Inigo Montoya once said, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Listening to some evangelical leaders speak of their freedom in Christ will quickly lead you to the conclusion that what they mean by "freedom" and "liberty" is that they are able to partake in any behavior or speech that is not forbidden by scripture. So since the bible does not forbid the drinking of wine, it is ok for me to drink wine. Since the scripture does not forbid me speaking or teaching explicitly about sex within the context of marriage then I am free to do so. And so one and so forth.....

The problem, as I see it, with this view of Christian liberty is that it isn't what the scriptures describe as our liberty as believers. The apostle Paul is very clear, both in Romans and 1 Corinthians, that our freedoms are bound both by our conscience and our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. So even if scripture does not forbid us from doing, going, or partaking, it is still sin for us if our conscience condemns us.

Even is scripture is silent or approving and our conscience is clear, it is still sin for us to exercise our liberty if it causes our fellow believers to stumble or to grieve. So we must curtail our freedom in some cases for the sake of weaker brothers so that their faith will not be hindered by our actions.

Ahh....but what about when we are trying to win the lost? Even if our exercising of our freedom is somewhat troubling to some weaker believers, surely that is a small price to pay for the chance to proclaim the gospel to someone who is lost. According to Paul the offense you give to your brother is more troubling than potentially missing a chance to proclaim the gospel to a lost soul. How does that make sense? There is no better evangelical tool than to demonstrate to the lost the great love that we have in Christ for our fellow believers.

Christ did indeed come to give us freedom. But it is not a freedom to do and say anything we please at anytime. We are not free in Him to cause harm to His church, His bride.

In Him we are free from our bondage to sin.

In Him we are free from the condemnation we deserve for our sin.

In Him we are free to delight in the triune God.

In Him we are free to live a life devoted to His glory.

So go live in the freedom that Christ purchased for you on the cross. Only remember the words of the apostles:

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. -- 1 Peter 2:16

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. -- Galatians 5:13

Use your freedom to glorify Jesus Christ by loving and serving your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Who Can Ascend God's Holy Hill?

2012-02-02T07:54:00.000-05:00

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

The selection of scripture above is what I read yesterday in Psalm 24:3-6. As I read it, a sinking feeling began to form deep in my heart. You see, I want to ascend the hill of the Lord and I long to stand in His holy place. Only as I read this Psalm I knew that I could not.

I did not have clean hands.
I did not have a pure heart.
I do sometimes lift up my soul to what is false.
I swear deceitfully.

I am not worthy to ascend the hill or stand in the holy place and no amount of effort or work on my part will ever change that.

What hope is there for a sinner like me?

There is hope only in the cross........
There is hope only in a God who became flesh.......
There is hope only in a High Priest who bore the wrath of God for me.......
There is hope only in a perfect Savior who gives me His righteousness.......

I am not worthy to ascend the hill or stand in the holy place and no amount of effort or work on my part will ever change that.

Praise God that Jesus Christ is worthy!
In Christ I can ascend the hill.
In Christ I stand in the holy place.

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 5:21

Elephant Room, Unity, and Race

2012-01-31T17:43:00.002-05:00

The fallout from the round two of the Elephant Room continues to rain down. The latest salvo in the back and forth between James MacDonald and his critics is fired by MacDonald himself in the form of this video. Go watch and then hurry back.

Let me very honest and plain spoken about this. Watching this video made me alternately want to scream in frustration and then cry with heartbreak. I am completely taken aback by the things said and the accusation leveled in this video by all involved.

To begin with, MacDonald states that he has been humbled and wants to let these three pastors who attended the Elephant Room conference speak to its success or failure rather than declaring it a success himself. That sounds like a noble gesture but a couple of issues seem to undermine the MacDonald's credibility from the start.
First, are we supposed to believe it is just some coincidence that all three of these pastors are African-american? Considering the rather lengthy discussion on race that concludes the discussion, obviously these pastors were chosen intentionally, at least in part, for their race.
Second, if MacDonald is serious about hearing legitimate criticism about the Elephant Room or from hearing from African-american pastors, why not interview someone like Voddie Baucham who has already gone on record with his concerns about ER. (As an aside, if you are looking for an example of how to voice serious concerns with other believers doctrine or practices in a way that is firm, gracious, and loving.....you can't do much better than Baucham did.)

Leaving these initial concerns, let me move to the actual content of the video. Not surprisingly, all three of these pastors gave glowing reviews of ER2 and of all that took place there including the rubber stamping of T.D. Jakes as orthodox. Going by recent events, one might conclude that unequivocal agreement with MacDonald on these topics was the prerequisite of being interviewed in the first place. The idea that anyone who criticizes or disagrees with any aspect of the ER, and especially the session dealing with T.D. Jakes, is an uninformed, unbiblical, love abandoning pseudo-Christian was clearly implied throughout the video. As arrogant and distasteful as that implication is, I found what was actually stated by one of the interviewed pastor to be worse by far.

Bryan Lorrits accused some black pastors who criticized the Elephant Room and its handling of T.D. Jakes of doing so in order to gain access into the "middle-aged, white reformed world". (You can find this beginning at the 4:25 mark of the video.) I have no idea what this accusation is based upon and suspect it isn't based on much of anything. And the fact that MacDonald just accepted the accusation at face value without any clarification I find just as appalling as the accusation itself. This reeks of playing the "race card" so that no one can disagree with what you have said without being labeled a racist. (And how ironic is it that T.D. Jakes has somehow escaped this charge despite the fact he is at a conference basically asking for acceptance from MacDonald who is a white, middle-aged, (semi) reformed pastor?)

What I find so disturbing about all of this (at least in part) is that MacDonald and company are doing the very same thing in this video they are accusing their critics of doing. See, they accuse their critics of being unloving, uncharitable, and unwilling to accept the possibility of being wrong. And yet nothing put out by the ER2 crew in response to their critic has given any indication that they themselves are willing to loving, charitable, or receptive to the possibility of error. They assume they are right and if anyone needs to change their minds it is necessarily those who disagree with them. It is the saddest of ironies.

The other great irony in all of this is that Voddie Baucham spoke warned against and denounced these type of racist tactics we see used by the pastors in MacDonald's video in his blog post where he graciously disagrees with MacDonald about T.D. Jakes. The quote below is from Baucham's blog.

You see, some of this boils down to what has sometimes been called, “the soft bigotry of lowered expectations.” Asking black people to adopt orthodox theology (when Lord knows they don’t have access to the same schools, books, opportunities, and, in the minds of some... lack sufficient intelligence) is asking them to negate their blackness. While, on the other hand, the solid, Reformed, well-educated black pastor is NOT REALLY BLACK. Therefore, he’s fair game. Irony of Ironies... that is racist! And that’s what has to be dragged out of the shadows.

Of course, according to the logic of MacDonald, Baucham and all he says can be written off completely because he is only saying these things in order to gain admission to the white, reformed theological world.

All this just highlight the inherent problem with abandoning truth and sound doctrine for the appearance of unity. You take a man, Voddie Baucham, who is know for his biblical faithfulness in the pulpit, and you make him an outcast because he won't toe the line when it comes to the agenda of "unity and charity" you have established as being of first importance. Meanwhile, you take a man who is, at best, on the very edge of orthodoxy when it comes to the crucial doctrine of the trinity and you elevate him as being untouchable by any criticism. Biblically faithful men are shunned and biblically suspect men are welcomed with open arms. (The maddening thing about all this is that even if Jakes had publicly and convincingly repented of modalism and embraced the historical, biblical view of the trinity, he would still be a false teacher peddling a heretical and dangerous false gospel. Meaning he still would not be deserving biblically of being fellowshipped with and endorsed as a brother in the ministry.) This man made attempt at unity is just creating greater disunity in the body. As Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson) so aptly tweeted:

The inevitable fruit of any fleshly attempt to engineer unity apart from truth will be worse division than ever.

We are seeing firsthand what Johnson is speaking to. True biblical unity cannot be separated from the truth and the solution to reconciling racial divides in the church is not to force feed T.D. Jakes into mainstream "white" evangelicalism. Nor is it to accuse those who oppose Jakes of being racist themselves. It is to confront racist attitudes, along with every other sin, with the power of the biblical gospel.

Fighting For The Gospel

2012-01-27T12:43:00.000-05:00

In the past couple of weeks there have been two events in the evangelical world that have been the objects of much attention and controversy. The first of those events was the Code Orange Revival held by Elevation Church pastored by Steven Furtick. The second event was the Elephant Room 2 created and hosted by James MacDonald. Furtick, MacDonald, and T.D. Jakes were all participants in both events and were the lightning rods for the majority of the controversy as well. Many at these events have said, insinuated, and implied that those who have serious concerns over what took place at both Code Orange and Elephant Room are simply jealous (of the numerical success of the participants mostly), haters, or misinformed. While these labels certainly apply to some, I think there is a legitimate reason for some serious concern.

That concern is for fidelity and faithfulness to the biblical gospel.

"But wait a minute...all those men would confirm the gospel wouldn't they?" you might be saying.

I think they would all agree to the ideas of the gospel as Paul lays them out in 1 Corinthians 15:3-6. We have sinned, Christ died for our sin, Christ was buried and raised again. I also think they would agree that faith in Christ is the only way to God the Father.

"If that is true, then what exactly is your concern?" Glad you asked.

My biggest concern is that these three pastors (perhaps MacDonald less so than Furtick and Jakes) seem to disregard many of the biblical underpinnings of the gospel even as they affirm the facts of it. Let me try to explain.

In order to understand the gospel rightly, we must first approach it with the right perspective. That perspective is that everything about the gospel is to be defined and understood from what the bible says about it and that the gospel cannot be isolated from the entirety of the biblical story. Our own ideas about its content, purpose, or method of delivery are useless. We are fallen people with deceitful hearts (Jeremiah 17:9) and our own ideas about the things of God are not to be trusted. We must obediently submit to God's definition of the gospel, His declaration of its purpose, and His means of communicating it.

So what does the bible teach about these things?

The first (and most important) concept we must believe in order to remain faithful to the gospel is that all things exist ultimately for the glory of God (Romans 11:36, Colossians 1:16) This means that more than anything else, including the salvation of sinners, His own glory is God's highest priority. What this does is place salvation in its proper context. Ephesians 1:3-6 tells us that our adoption as sons is for the "praise of His glorious grace". When we understand that even the salvation of sinners is a means to the end of God's glory then we have a much better chance of remaining faithful to the biblical gospel.

That is because when we elevate the salvation of sinners to the ultimate end of God, we then begin to justify any means to that end. After all, nothing is more important than converting sinners so nothing is off the table when it comes to methodology. This misunderstanding has led to the epidemic of pragmatism in today's churches. Whatever works is exalted and fruitfulness as defined by numbers is the measure of a ministry's success.

When we understand that the purpose of everything in the universe is to glorify God then we can release ourselves from the un-biblical idea that God wants us to use whatever means necessary to reach lost people. What God wants from us is humble obedience to His word and a faith that our humble obedience is what it takes to reach lost people for the glory of God. We are commanded by God to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17, 2 Timothy 4:2), trust in the power of the Holy Spirit in the gospel, and let God reach who He intends to reach. Ultimately our job is not to reach people; it is to obediently proclaim the excellencies of the One who called us so that He might draw men unto Himself.

I don't dislike James MacDonald, Steven Furtick, or T.D. Jakes personally nor do I believe what they have done or said recently means they are not believers. I do believe that in their efforts to have fruitful, successful ministries they have compromised the very gospel they say the believe and cherish and I believe that they need to repent where that has happened. In Galatians 1:8-9 Paul says those that preach a false gospel are to be accursed. It is imperative that we get the gospel right, for our hearers as well as for ourselves.

I will defend the gospel and call to accounts those, and especially those who wield such great influence, who by their words or actions defame or degrade that gospel.

If that makes me a jealous hater then so be it.

Elephant Room, Unity, and the Gospel

2012-01-26T09:51:00.000-05:00

The latest brouhaha in evangelicalism centers around the issues of unity and doctrine. Specifically, what doctrines and beliefs are worth dis-unity with other professing Christians and which beliefs should unity take precedence over. This has been thrust into the spotlight recently because of the Elephant Room conference created and run by James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Fellowship.
A brief recap of recent events:

MacDonald announces that T.D. Jakes will be a participant at Elephant Room 2
Controversy ensues dues to Jakes fuzzy definition of the trinity due to his background with Oneness Pentecostals (who hold a heretical view of the trinity) and his word of faith prosperity message.
MacDonald defends his choice of Jakes and even goes so far to change the purpose of the Elephant Room.
Jakes and MacDonald participate in Code Orange Revival at Elevation Church. Elevation is pastored by Steven Furtick who is also a participant at Elephant Room 2.
Code Orange is blasted by many, including Chris Rosebrough, for its man centered, prosperity messages (with the one notable exception of Matt Chandler's sermon).
MacDonald resigns from his position with The Gospel Coalition stating that God has called him to different methods of ministry that TGC may not agree with.
Chris Rosebrough is asked to leave an Elephant Room 2 satellite site and threatened with arrest if he does not do so.
Elephant Room Session 4 takes place with all the participants seeming to believe that it has settled the issue of Jakes' orthodoxy and many others believing it has only perpetuated the belief that Jakes sidesteps the issue of orthodox trinitarianism and receives a pass for his teaching of the prosperity gospel.

The question that naturally arises out of all this is "Who is right?" because in this case "right" matters. MacDonald, Driscoll, et al will tell you that as long as people are being reached for Jesus with the gospel then most other considerations can be overlooked and we can embrace each other despite our differences. They also strongly implied that if you disagree with that position then you are a bible beating, divisive person who only wants to tear down other believers. These men wield a great deal of influence in evangelicalism so what they say matters. Whether they are right or wrong here matters because they have been given/created a large platform from which to influence the church.

I have a couple of observations I would like to offer here.

First, the quote below is taken straight from the Elephant Room purpose statement:

The Elephant Room is more than an event. It is the outgrowth of an idea. The idea that the best way forward for the followers of Jesus lies not in crouching behind walls of disagreement but in conversation among all kinds of leaders about what the scriptures actually teach. We must insist on the biblical Gospel, right doctrine and practice but not isolate ourselves from relationship even with those who believe much differently.These are conversations about the most Christ honoring ways of building a church. Our goal is unity, however a true unity cannot be fashioned in pretense or denial of truth nor can it be won among those who prefer sectarianism to the unity Jesus prayed for. To advance Christ’s call to unity we must do what men have always done, we must push and prod and challenge and sharpen each other’s beliefs and methods. Fidelity and fruitfulness, both matter. No one has a corner on the truth and methods must do more than ‘work.’

I find it indefensible and comically hypocritical that an event whose purpose "lies not in crouching behind walls of disagreement but in conversation among all kinds of leaders about what the scriptures actually teach" would begin by revoking the registration of one of their most outspoken critics. I fail to see how this is anything other than the very sectarianism they rail against here. How are they going to "push and prod and challenge and sharpen each other's beliefs and methods" if they don't allow those with significant disagreements to even attend a video simulcast of their event?

The whole thing smacks of the big evangelical superstars telling the rest of us peons to just let them take care of this one. They know what is best for us and if we will just get out of their way and stop criticizing them, then they will be able to inform and instruct us on how to handle these types of situations.

The actual Elephant Room session with Jakes seemed to bear very little resemblance to a group of men trying to discern biblical truth. It seemed that everyone there already decided they agreed (enough) on the doctrinal issues and their point was now to demonstrate that we can all just get along.

The bigger issue here, I believe, is a gospel issue. The truth is that I agree in principle with what MacDonald and company are trying to say. If the biblical gospel is being proclaimed and taught then that is something to be rejoiced in. If another truly believes and proclaims the gospel of the bible then I think we can disagree on some other issues and still fellowship and labor alongside one another. But where there is no gospel agreement, there is no unity. Scripture is clear that what unites us is the work of Christ on the cross and our new identity as children of God. The gospel unites us and the lack of gospel divides us.

The Elephant Room wants me to believe that Jakes and those like him are reaching people with the gospel and that should trump all other concerns. The question is which gospel are they reaching people with? Is it the gospel of the bible? Is Jakes' gospel the gospel of Jesus, Paul, Peter, and the rest of the biblical authors?

Let's look in His word and see, shall we? I know it isn't as controversial and exciting as The Elephant Room or a book on sex and marriage but it is the most important question to be answered if we want to see the name of Christ exalted among all the nations.

Notes from 1 Peter 1:13-21

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Review

In verses 1-12, Peter lays the groundwork for the rest of the letter. He reminds the churches he is writing to that their salvation and its benefits have been purchased and secured by the very power of God. Because God Himself is making their salvation sure, they can look beyond the suffering and trials of this world to the world to come and stand firm in their faith.

1 Peter 1:13-21

In verses 13-21 Peter gives the believers 3 commands on how to conduct themselves as exiles.

Three Commands

1. Live in Hope - Set your hope fully on the grace to be brought to you at revelation of Jesus. (v.13)

a. Preparing your minds for action (girding the loins of your mind)

b. Being sober minded

2. Live in Holiness - Be holy in all your conduct. (v.15)

a. As obedient children

b. Do not be conformed to passions of former ignorance

c. As He is holy

3. Live in Fear - Conduct yourselves with fear. (v.17)

a. You were ransomed with the blood of Christ

b. Christ was the plan of God from before time

c. Manifest now for the sake of believers

d. So that our faith and hope would be in God

Notes from 1 Peter 1:1-12

2012-01-10T11:18:00.000-05:00

I have been teaching through the book of First Peter in our Sunday school class the past few weeks and decided it might be helpful to post my notes here for anyone who is interested. This set of notes is from 1 Peter 1:1-12.

If you see anything I have missed or gotten wrong, leave me a comment. The goal is to "rightly divide the word of truth" above all so I welcome corrections where I have gotten off track.

Background
• Written by the apostle Peter.
• Probably written in early 60’s AD.
• Written to Christians living in what is modern day Turkey (possibly the descendants of Jews who settled there after the Babylonian captivity – as the diaspora (dispersion) was the term used to speak of their state.
• The recipients were being persecuted for their faith (possibly the persecution instituted by Nero)
• Not written to one specific church.

Major themes
• Salvation and how it affects:
• Holiness / Conduct
• Suffering
• Submission

1 Peter 1:1-12

The reality of our salvation is our anchor as we live holy lives in the world in the face of suffering.

Knowing that these believers are facing persecution, Peter begins by reminding them of the magnificent realities of their salvation (election).

Salvation

· A product of all three members of the Trinity - election is ascribed to the Father, reconciliation to the Son, and sanctification to the Spirit.

o Father – elect according to His foreknowledge (v.1) and mercy (v.3)

o Spirit – sanctified (set apart as His) for obedience (the end in mind) to Christ.

§ 2 Thessalonians 2:13 -- But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruitsto be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

§ Hebrews 10:10 -- And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

§ Ephesians 1:4 -- even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

§ Acts 20:32, Romans 15:16, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:11

o Son – “for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood”

§ Obedience to Christ in saving faith

· Romans 1:5-- through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

· Faith is a gift – Philippians 1:29

§ justifies believers with His blood.

· Hebrews 11:19-22 -- For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.”21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

· A living hope – Christ’s resurrection assures us that our hope is not in vain, but alive and sure in the person of Jesus Christ.

· Inheritance– Salvation attains an imperishable, undefiled, unfading inheritance for us in heaven as children of the Father and co-heirs with the Son.

· Protection– We “through God’s power are being guarded through faith”. (Matthew 10:28)

· The prophets longed to know of it – the prophets of the Old Testament wanted to know more about the messiah they prophesied of.

Suffering/Trials

· Test the genuineness of faith

· Genuine faith results in the praise of Jesus Christ.

Suffering and trials are for the purpose of refining and testing our faith so that it will bring honor and glory to Christ when He returns.

The Offense and Beauty of the Gospel

2012-01-04T10:34:00.002-05:00

The gospel of the bible is offensive.

I don't know any other way to put it. It is offensive.

It is offensive to most everything we sinful humans value. It doesn't care how rich you are or aren't. It doesn't care if you are a PhD or a high school dropout. It doesn't care if you have spent your life in service to the poor and destitute or in service to yourself. The gospel has no regard for your need for control or your need to fit everything in a neat, easy to understand format. The gospel crushes our warped ideas of justice, fairness, and how the world should work.

For those who have been saved by it, however, the gospel is beautiful beyond words.

Why is it so beautiful to the redeemed children of God?

Because....It is offensive to most everything we sinful humans value. It doesn't care how rich you are or aren't. It doesn't care if you are a PhD or a high school dropout. It doesn't care if you have spent your life in service to the poor and destitute or in service to yourself. The gospel has no regard for your need for control or your need to fit everything in a neat, easy to understand format. The gospel crushes our warped ideas of justice, fairness, and how the world should work.

The offense and the beauty of the gospel come from the nature of the gospel itself. This is why the same gospel, when proclaimed faithfully, will result in derision, scorn, and scoffing along with repentance, faith, and salvation.

It is offensive to those whose hearts are stone and beautiful to those to whom God has given a heart of flesh.

Praise God for the beautiful, offensive gospel that has saved us!

The Hobbit

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am really looking forward to this....

Christopher Hitchens and the Gospel

2011-12-16T11:05:00.001-05:00

Noted atheist Christopher Hitchens passed away Thursday night at the age of 62 from pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer. So what do we as Christians take away from this? What should our reaction be to the news that a staunch opponent of our faith is now gone?

There are several options available to us.

1. We can take the route that Russell Moore took here and remind ourselves that the Gospel can save even men as opposed to the gospel as Hitchens. We can say that we don't know his eternal fate but know that redemption is possible even for men like him.

2. We can exult in his death and say that because he denied and repudiated the gospel message his entire life, Hitchens is now reaping the fruits his life of sin here on earth. If Hitchens remained opposed to the gospel to the end then he is indeed reaping what he sowed, but as believers we should not exult in the eternal punishment of any man.

3. We can use Hitchens' death as a stark reminder of the truths of Romans 2:4-5 as Dan Phillips suggests here. We can warn unbelievers that to pursue a life course along the lines of Hitchens is to presume on the kindness of God and to store up wrath for the day of His returning.

So what is the answer? I don't know that there is one right answer (although option 2 is definitely the wrong one).

I suggest a response in line with the Scottish preacher Thomas Guthrie said.

It cannot be too often, or too loudly, or too solemnly repeated, that the Bible, which ranges over a period of four thousand years, records but one instance of a death-bed conversion—one that none may despair, and but one that none may presume. (via: JT)

So, for me the answer is to remember that, yes and amen, God can save men like Christopher Hitchens who reject, ridicule, and rebuff Him their entire lives to the very end. The reality, however, is that Hitchens probably went into eternity having stored up wrath for himself by continually taking advantage of the kindness of a holy God.

Above all, I am reminded that if it were not for the great mercy and grace of God, I would be no better off than Christopher Hitchens. The ultimate takeaway for those of us who call Him Father should be to bring much praise to the throne of grace on which sits the only God of the universe who has called us to be His own possession. We deserve the same fate as an unrepentant atheist and yet God has spared us by not sparing His only Son.

So mourn the fate of a man who rejected God his whole life, rejoice that because of the grace of God, his fate is no longer ours, and go forth and proclaim this gospel that can even save people like Christopher Hitchens, you, and me.

The World-Tilting Gospel

2011-12-13T08:41:00.000-05:00

The World Tilting-Gospel was written by Dan Phillips. Phillips is the writer of the Biblical Christianity blog and also writes at Pyromaniacs (I recommend you read and follow both of those blogs if at all possible.) The idea behind The World Tilting Gospel (or TWTG) was born when Dan heard a sermon by David Wells in 2007. The though that sparked TWTG was later expressed by Wells in his book Courage to Be Protestant.

Christianity is not just an experience, we need to remember, it is about truth. The experience of being reconciled to the Father, through the Son, by the work of the Holy Spirit all happens within a worldview. This worldview is the way God has taught us in his Word to view the world. That is why the Bible begins with Genesis 1:1 and not John 3:16. (Wells, Courage to Be Protestant, 45)

The World Tilting Gospel is at its core a book about the full truth of the gospel in its purpose, its content, and its implications. Through the course of TWTG Phillips shines a biblical light on:

who we really are
what kind of world we are really living in
how the world really operates and where it is really going
who God really is
what His eternal plan really was
why we really needed Him and His plan so desperately
what His terms - the Gospel - really were
what difference the Gospel will really make on every day of our lives

Without getting into too much detail and spoiling the read for you, let me just say this: You need to read this book.

It will either introduce you to the true biblical gospel and the God who designed it or it will reconfirm for you the beauty, wonder, and majesty of the gospel and the God who designed it. Either way, you win.

I believe TWTG addresses the single biggest need in evangelicalism today. Most major ills of the church (rampant pragmatism, shallow worship, seeker sensitive gatherings, emergent/ing/etc. nonsense) can be traced back to a lack of faith in the biblical God of the bible and of the gospel He designed. This book will show you that God and His gospel clearly, sufficiently, and eloquently.

You will encounter through thorough biblical exegesis and engaging writing a holy, awesome, merciful God who hates sin and makes a way to love and redeem His church.

You will see that the true gospel of the scriptures needs no help from man, but is wholly sufficient in its own power to redeem the souls of sinful people.

You will learn that the gospel was never intended to do anything less than turn the world upside down for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ.

Go buy or borrow the book, read it, share it, use it for a bible study. Study the scriptures that Phillips lays out in the book. Discover (or rediscover) the world-tilting nature of our God and His gospel for yourself.

How Great a Salvation!

2011-12-12T09:11:00.000-05:00

I began teaching through the book of First Peter yesterday in Sunday school. First Peter is probably most well known as a book exhorting and encouraging believers in the midst of persecution and suffering and there is no doubt that Peter intended to do those things. What I think is missing from so many discussions on this book is the foundation Peter lays in the first 12 verses that allows the suffering Christian to stand strong and live a God honoring life in this world even when in the midst of fiery trials.

That foundation is nothing other than the gospel.

In the first 12 verses, before Peter gives these elect exiles any instructions concerning how to live a midst persecution and suffering, he reminds them of the gospel and it's promises.

In verse 2 he reminds them that all 3 members of the Godhead played a part in their redemption: the father chose them as His own, the Spirit sanctified and regenerated them, and the Son justified them with His blood. In verses 3-12 Peter reminds them of the benefits of their salvation that were purchased and secured by God. You will notice that in each case Peter mentions that it is God who is doing and acting, not the believers. In verse 3 it is God who has caused them to be born again to a living hope and an inheritance that is imperishable. In verse 5 it is God's power that keeps them through faith as His own possession.

What Peter is doing is reminding them that because of God's great work in their salvation, they can look beyond this world to the one to come, where they will spend eternity with God. This reality is assured, not because of their will or their works, but because it is God Himself who is working in them to make it so. He has chosen them, He has sanctified them, He has justified them, and He is keeping them. Their salvation is assured because God is faithful. This assurance of what God has done, is doing, and will do is the rock on which they are to stand as they live their lives in a fallen world. Nothing else will do.

We must remember what God has done for us. We must learn to meditate on and rejoice in the gospel. We must learn to look beyond our circumstance to the reality of an eternal inheritance secured and kept for us by our God. Only as we do this will we be able to live a holy life in this world that will honor God and result in His praise and glory when He returns to judge the world and take us home.

John Calvin to Pastors

2011-12-05T15:55:00.001-05:00

Let the pastors boldly dare all things by the word of God. . . .

Let them constrain all the power, glory, and excellence of the world to give place to and to obey the divine majesty of this word.

Let them enjoin everyone by it, from the highest to the lowest.

Let them edify the body of Christ.

Let them devastate Satan’s reign.

Let them pasture the sheep, kill the wolves, instruct and exhort the rebellious.

Let them bind and loose thunder and lightning, if necessary, but let them do all according to the word of God.

(via Justin Taylor)

What Does This Have To Do With Jesus?

2011-12-01T09:22:00.001-05:00

Our Jesse tree

We are 4 days into our first year doing the Jesse tree as a family for the advent season. For those of you unfamiliar with the Jesse tree it is a devotional plan that teaches of God's plan of salvation beginning with Creation. It takes it name from Isaiah 11:1.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

For each day the family looks at a passage of scripture and there is an ornament that corresponds to the passage that is put on the Jesse tree. There are usually between 25 and 30 passages depending on whose version you use.

Last night we read about Noah and the ark. As we read the scripture passages about the sinfulness of the people of the earth and God's reaction to their sin, my 10 year old daughter asked the question that became the title of this post.

"What does this have to do with Jesus?"

See, she knows what Christmas is about and she knows that the point of our devotions is to point to and lead up to His birth. What she didn't understand is how this Old Testament story related to Him. So we talked about sin and God's abhorrence towards it. We talked about how God hates sin so much that he decided to destroy the people of the earth in response to their sin and that He was perfectly just in doing so. We talked about how God cannot just overlook and ignore our sin and that because of that we desperately needed Jesus to come and die on the cross to pay the price for our sin.

Noah's Ark - felt style

I admit that as a father I was thrilled to hear that question come out of my daughter's mouth. We need to be constantly asking "What does this have to do with Jesus?" as we read the scriptures. Jesus condemned the pharisees in large part because they failed to do this and in so doing missed the entire point of the Old Testament (John 5:39-40). The roughly 33 years of Jesus life were the focal point of the entire history of our universe. All of history either anticipates those years finds it meaning by looking back at them.

As we read our bibles, as we listen to sermons and songs, as we interact with the world around us we should constantly be asking one question.

"What does this have to do with Jesus?"