I’ve moved my writing to a new site, with a new focus, a new interest and passion that God has awakened in me since I’ve started pursuing my Ph.D at Southern Seminary. That interest? Spiritual theology.

I’ll be writing over at SpiritualTheology.net.

Here’s a link to the first post, What is Spiritual Theology?

Come on by. Leave a comment. Hope to see you around.

Peace,

Jeff

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Creator of all things,
true Source of light and wisdom,
lofty origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of Your brilliance
penetrate into the darkness of my understanding
and take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born,
an obscurity of both sin and ignorance.
Give me a sharp sense of understanding,
a retentive memory,
and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.
Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations,
and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm.
Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in completion;
through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

—Saint Thomas Aquinas

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Maybe you’ve sent your pastor an email asking why they posted what they did about the killing of George Floyd, the protests, the riots, injustice, racism, our President, and more. Nothing wrong with that at all. As long as we are all seeking to learn together, be gracious with one another, not accuse each other, import motives, and dismiss one another, let’s talk. Let’s learn. Let’s get convicted by the Holy Ghost, ruffled by the word of God, and led to green pastures with the Good Shepherd even as we cross through these valleys that reek of death.

Discipleship Not Damage Control

I don’t mind answering these questions. Some people may view these moments as having to do damage control. Not me. This is part of discipleship. For all of us.

I’ve addressed all of the topics mentioned above. Not always with the skill and precision I’d like; emotions are high. My keyboard and post button need new brake pads. Gavin Ortlund shared wise words on addressing these issues on social media.

How I Responded To The Question

A visitor of our church kindly emailed and asked if I could give more clarity to my posts and views.

Here’s what I said, edited and amplified:

Hey, brother,

Thank you for your kind and gracious email. I’m glad that you felt compelled and comfortable to reach out. I’ll try and clarify here with two points, first, on the unjust killing of George Floyd and the events surrounding it. Second, on the seemingly political nature of my posts.

On Posting About The Unjust Killing of George Floyd

The killing of George Floyd was unjust. Flat out. Christians must speak out against injustice. We must seek justice. Our Scriptures are filled with calls to do that.

Now, some interpret me calling for justice as speaking out against the police. I think that’s an illogical and false conclusion. I’m grateful for our police officers. My uncle is retired HPD and SWAT. Our church has four wonderful officers. I wrote another post thanking the great work of HPD during the protest in downtown Houston that drew 60,000 people.

Additionally, I don’t think all police officers are bad or racists—which I’ve been asked and accused of. I don’t approve of the riots and looting—which I’ve been asked and accused of. I never thought I’d be accused of approving such things by publicly lamenting the death of a man made in God’s image.

No one should conflate calling for justice with approving of chaos. Just because we call attention to one thing, it doesn’t mean we are condemning other things. We understand this on Mother’s Day.

Every Mother’s Day, husbands and children post on social media about how their special lady is the best mom in the world, the greatest wife in the world. No one writes back, “So, you think my mom is trash?” We understand what each post means. We get it. But when it comes to racism, injustice, Christian ethics, or saying the lives of black people matter, people assume and import the worst worlds of meaning. And that’s something to examine in our hearts.

Am I Being Political?

In one sense, I’m not striving to be political. Ever. I’m not “into politics” like many are. As a pastor and a writer, it is part of the task of discipleship to speak to things in the culture around us and address them from what I think is a biblical worldview, so we can learn how to follow the way of Jesus in these moments.

By making a statement on President Trump’s, in my opinion and others, photo op with the Bible, I was illustrating how this is what it means to take God’s name in vain. The third commandment on those famous tablets is about more than God’s name attached to a cuss word’s hip. It’s using God as a prop for purposes that God doesn’t approve. I’d go as far to say the way some Christians say no to people—let me pray about it—is a version of using God’s name in vain. “I would have done what you are asking, but, God said no.”

Now, by commenting on our President, I’m not telling people how to vote. I’m not telling people to bend their conscience. I’m not even making a statement that I’m against him or his policies. We must pray for him. He needs it, and we are commanded to bring his name up to our Father (1 Timothy 2:1–3).

I think it’s important for Christians to see that the Kingdom of God isn’t red or blue. The Kingdom of God transcends American politics. I’m concerned that many Christians accidentally want American politics to inform Kingdom ethics. That’s not Christianity. I’m worried that some evangelical Christians have been more discipled in these cultural moments by Hannity, Shapiro, Cuomo, and Matt Walsh than they have been discipled by Moses, Isaiah, Paul, and our Jewish Lord of all. Listen to the outlets of your choosing. Listen to the wisdom of God above all. If our daily routine involves watching hours of news, with only 2-10 minutes in the word of God, we will not learn how to think, feel, and act in the way of Jesus.

The news of a crucified man coming back from the dead is a type of political message. That’s how citizens of the Roman Empire heard it. “They are saying there is another king—Jesus” (Acts 17:7). These Roman citizens understand what Christians were claiming: Caesar, Rome, and the world must follow Jesus. It won’t be the other way around. Jesus is King. Jesus is Lord. Not Caesar, not Rome, not America, not the President, no one. His name really is above every name.

Over the last ten years of preaching and ministering at Redeemer, I have consistently called our church to honor and pray for President Obama and President Trump. I have also pointed out areas where these leaders (and others) are out of step with God’s word, and we should not pretend that it’s okay because we want their policies.

Throughout my preaching ministry, I’ve addressed things from racism, injustice, coronavirus, abortion, terrorism, sex-trafficking, the opioid crisis, immigration, the sanctity of marriage, LGBTQ +, etc.—all from God’s word. Here is my goal: What does our prophetic word—Genesis to Revelation—teach us how to think, feel, and respond to all we see in this world so we can walk uprightly with Jesus.

I hope that helps some, brother. Grateful for your email. And I’m glad that you reached out. I know email can always be a challenge, so if a phone call or coffee would be better, I’m sure we can make that happen in the next couple of weeks.

God be with you,

Jeff

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While looking at our country, we should observe that uproar doesn’t happen in vacuum. There is a reason our nation is here. Centuries of reasons, beginning with the African slave trade. Violent riots are wrong. That’s obvious. But don’t let that keep you from seeing the why.

Why is this happening? Sin. Yes. But go deeper. While it seems some are protesting out of sheer wickedness and an opportunity to do evil, others are protesting from pain.

When an abused child acts out and attacks a classmate, should people just call the kid a thug and give up on him? No, a wise counselor recognizes what’s happening. Sees what’s fueling it all. Seeks justice and healing and vindication for the mistreated boy.

The question that’s before all of us: Do I see what’s happening? Will I seek the welfare of my neighbor? Will I be the same?

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They are bored by the true skandalon of the cross and the tomb. The shock of the gospel doesn’t quite pop the neurons and flame the heart like before. So they settle for digital, emotional, viral mud pies in the slums, yawning at the holiday at the beach.

Spreading theories, articles, and videos feels like they are a part of something BIG. Global. Hidden in plain sight. Powerful. Revealing. Eschatological even.

There’s a dopamine thrill to being an armchair whistleblower. Like video games for fake war, pornography for fake love. I’m showing people what’s real. What a thrill.

If only there was a Kingdom that was BIG. Global. Hidden in plain sight. Powerful. Revealing. And actually eschatological. A Kingdom of real love, blessedness, everlasting joys. Be witnesses of this Kingdom.

Christ be praised. Spread this skandalon far and wide. Hurry. Before YouTube takes it down.

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Now, if you didn’t know, my book, Humble Calvinism, rounds out with an afterword from the Prince of Preachers. I took a few different tidbits from Chuck on Calvinism, knit them together in the womb of Microsoft Word, and an afterward from Spurgeon was born. Kinda fun.

Now, when Kevin Halloran, the brother at Cross-Points Ebooks & Rich Theology Made Accessible, asked if I would write the foreword for a collection of Spurgeon sermons on the Holy Spirit, how could I not return the favor?

Here’s what I wrote:

When is the last time you thought about the Holy Spirit?

Asked the Spirit to help you? Contemplated the Spirit’s power in your prayers? Believed the Holy Spirit was enabling you to turn from sin? Discerned him prompting you to evangelize? Realized him quickening your heart for Christ? Noticed the Spirit of Christ illuminating your heart and mind as you sat with coffee at your side and a double-edged sword shimmering in your hands?

Dear Christian, the Spirit is at work in you. Don’t be discouraged. You may feel like God is sick and tired of waiting for you to get it together. Well, remember that the fruit of the Spirit is also a description of the Spirit himself. He is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and in control. You are in good hands. Patient and gentle hands. Keep up (Galatians 5:25). Like a kind older brother grinning and motioning to his slow-witted sibling, “Come on, bud, keep up.” That’s us. And that’s a safe place to be because it’s with God.

Charles Spurgeon understood the Spirit’s role in the Christian life. He was eager for the Spirit’s work in his life and ministry. “Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind or chariots without steeds. Like branches without sap, we are withered. Like coals without fire, we are useless.” O, how we need the Spirit! Just think: How will we turn from sin, love our brothers and sisters and Christ—and our enemies—serve the church, evangelize the lost, raise our children, pursue godliness, and lean into the glory to be revealed? By the indwelling, filling, and anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit prompts and empowers disciples of the risen Christ for our long pilgrimage toward glory. Every step of the way, he’s with us—ministering to us, encouraging us, correcting us, and transforming us more into the image of the Lord Jesus. As you read these sermons from Spurgeon, don’t settle for a meeting with the mind of Spurgeon. No, no—seek the Spirit. Seek the work of God in your life. That’s why Spurgeon preached these words, so sinners like you and me could rest and run in the high-voltage work of God. Keep up.

Get the book on Amazon.

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This I well know, that if it were Christ or his mother who were laid low by illness, everybody would be so solicitous and would gladly become a servant or helper. Everyone would want to be bold and fearless; nobody would flee but everyone would come running. And yet they don’t hear what Christ himself says, “As you did to one of the least, you did it to me” [Matt. 25:40]. When Jesus speaks of the greatest commandment he says, “The other commandment is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself” [Matt. 22:39]. There you hear that the command to love your neighbor is equal to the greatest commandment to love God, and that what you do or fail to do for your neighbor means doing the same to God. If you wish to serve Christ and to wait on him, very well, you have your sick neighbor close at hand. Go to him and serve him, and you will surely find Christ in him, not outwardly but in his word. If you do not wish or care to serve your neighbor you can be sure that if Christ lay there instead you would not do so either and would let him lie there. Those are nothing but illusions on your part which puff you up with vain pride, namely, that you would really serve Christ if he were there in person. Those are nothing but lies; whoever wants to serve Christ in person would surely serve his neighbor as well. This is said as an admonition and encouragement against fear and a disgraceful flight to which the devil would tempt us so that we would disregard God’s command in our dealings with our neighbor and so we would fall into sin on the left hand.

Others sin on the right hand. They are much too rash and reckless, tempting God and disregarding everything which might counteract death and the plague. They disdain the use of medicines; they do not avoid places and persons infected by the plague, but lightheartedly make sport of it and wish to prove how independent they are. They say that it is God’s punishment; if he wants to protect them he can do so without medicines or our carefulness. This is not trusting God but tempting him. God has created medicines and provided us with intelligence to guard and take good care of the body so that we can live in good health.

If one makes no use of intelligence or medicine when he could do so without detriment to his neighbor, such a person injures his body and must beware lest he become a suicide in God’s eyes. By the same reasoning a person might forego eating and drinking, clothing and shelter, and boldly proclaim his faith that if God wanted to preserve him from starvation and cold, he could do so without food and clothing. Actually that would be suicide. It is even more shameful for a person to pay no heed to his own body and to fail to protect it against the plague the best he is able, and then to infect and poison others who might have remained alive if he had taken care of his body as he should have. He is thus responsible before God for his neighbor’s death and is a murderer many times over. Indeed, such people behave as though a house were burning in the city and nobody were trying to put the fire out. Instead they give leeway to the flames so that the whole city is consumed, saying that if God so willed, he could save the city without water to quench the fire.

No, my dear friends, that is no good. Use medicine; take potions which can help you; fumigate house, yard, and street; shun persons and places wherever your neighbor does not need your presence or has recovered, and act like a man who wants to help put out the burning city. What else is the epidemic but a fire which instead of consuming wood and straw devours life and body? You ought to think this way: “Very well, by God’s decree the enemy has sent us poison and deadly offal. Therefore I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely, as stated above.” See, this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.

— Whether One May Flee From a Deadly Plague (1527)

Martin Luther, Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, ed. William R. Russell and Timothy F. Lull, Third Edition. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2012), 482–483.

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Call to Worship

To all who are weary and need rest;
to all who feel alone and want community;
to all who mourn and long for comfort;
to all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares;
to all who fail and desire strength;
to all who worry and want peace;
to all who sin and need a Savior;
to all who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
and to whoever will come—this church offers her welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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