Friday, January 7, 2011
The Gospel Is about God, Not Us
The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and trust in his power. In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from him. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Even more important is the subtly fatal goal we will achieve when we pursue the American dream. As long as we achieve our desires in our own power, we will always attribute it to our own glory. To use Adam's words, we will be "recognized by others for what [we] are." This, after all, is the goal of the American dream: to make much of ourselves. But here the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other. While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God."
...I have only read three chapters of the book written by David Platt titled Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream. It is wonderfully refreshing, and presents the life-giving truth of the gospel.
All Of Grace
Even more important is the subtly fatal goal we will achieve when we pursue the American dream. As long as we achieve our desires in our own power, we will always attribute it to our own glory. To use Adam's words, we will be "recognized by others for what [we] are." This, after all, is the goal of the American dream: to make much of ourselves. But here the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other. While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God."
...I have only read three chapters of the book written by David Platt titled Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream. It is wonderfully refreshing, and presents the life-giving truth of the gospel.
All Of Grace
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Are you Christian “Nice”?
I was in a strange situation the other day. I ran into a couple who had been part of a difficult situation in my past. For the wife’s part, she had been actively involved in slandering me.
So how would you respond? I am originally from Minnesota, and we have something called Minnesota Nice. Wikipedia hits the nail on the head.
“Minnesota nice is the stereotypical behavior of long-time Minnesota residents, to be courteous, reserved, and mild mannered. According to Annette Atkins, the cultural characteristics of Minnesota nice include a polite friendliness, an aversion to confrontation, a tendency toward understatement, a disinclination to make a fuss or stand out, emotional restraint, and self-deprecation.”
Sounds like a lot of churches to me. Aren’t we “Church Nice”? Isn’t our tendency to smile and pretend that all is okay, at least until the person is out of earshot, and then we say what we really think. We call it being “gracious.” Hmmm. I wonder.
Isn’t it interesting how explicit Scripture is? If you have something against someone, it is your responsibility to go to them (Matt 18:15). If you know your brother or sister has something against you, it is your responsibility to go to them (Matt 5:23-24). It is always your responsibility.
Yes, you can pursue peace only as far as it depends on you (Rom 12:18); some relationships will never be mended. But if you are offering your sacrifice — I have thought this included communion as a sacrifice of praise — you must leave it and be reconciled.
Maybe this is why Paul includes the sins that he does in 1 Cor 6:9-10. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers (λοιδοροι) nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (NIV).
λοιδορος refers to a person who is a “reviler, [an] abusive person” (BDAG). The cognate λοιδορια refers to speech that is highly insulting, abuse, reproach, reviling.” This person, Paul says, will never go to heaven. Many of us have reflected on these lists of sins, wondering how Paul could put sins like sexual immorality alongside people who say things that are hurtful, cruel, and damaging. And yet he does. I am convinced that the church needs to rethink its understanding of what it is to be a Christian, a rethinking that takes into account both the gate and the path, since true life lies not beyond the gate but beyond the path (Matt 7:14).
Until then, I suspect we will continue to treat people in the church who behave (at least) like they are going to hell (according to Paul) with a Church Nice that refuses to acknowledge that they have hurt us, and the wounding is so great that without repentance there can be no relationship.
Koinonia
So how would you respond? I am originally from Minnesota, and we have something called Minnesota Nice. Wikipedia hits the nail on the head.
“Minnesota nice is the stereotypical behavior of long-time Minnesota residents, to be courteous, reserved, and mild mannered. According to Annette Atkins, the cultural characteristics of Minnesota nice include a polite friendliness, an aversion to confrontation, a tendency toward understatement, a disinclination to make a fuss or stand out, emotional restraint, and self-deprecation.”
Sounds like a lot of churches to me. Aren’t we “Church Nice”? Isn’t our tendency to smile and pretend that all is okay, at least until the person is out of earshot, and then we say what we really think. We call it being “gracious.” Hmmm. I wonder.
Isn’t it interesting how explicit Scripture is? If you have something against someone, it is your responsibility to go to them (Matt 18:15). If you know your brother or sister has something against you, it is your responsibility to go to them (Matt 5:23-24). It is always your responsibility.
Yes, you can pursue peace only as far as it depends on you (Rom 12:18); some relationships will never be mended. But if you are offering your sacrifice — I have thought this included communion as a sacrifice of praise — you must leave it and be reconciled.
Maybe this is why Paul includes the sins that he does in 1 Cor 6:9-10. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers (λοιδοροι) nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (NIV).
λοιδορος refers to a person who is a “reviler, [an] abusive person” (BDAG). The cognate λοιδορια refers to speech that is highly insulting, abuse, reproach, reviling.” This person, Paul says, will never go to heaven. Many of us have reflected on these lists of sins, wondering how Paul could put sins like sexual immorality alongside people who say things that are hurtful, cruel, and damaging. And yet he does. I am convinced that the church needs to rethink its understanding of what it is to be a Christian, a rethinking that takes into account both the gate and the path, since true life lies not beyond the gate but beyond the path (Matt 7:14).
Until then, I suspect we will continue to treat people in the church who behave (at least) like they are going to hell (according to Paul) with a Church Nice that refuses to acknowledge that they have hurt us, and the wounding is so great that without repentance there can be no relationship.
Koinonia
The Altar Call's Greatest Hits
Conversion is not the smooth, easy-going process some men seem to think it; otherwise man’s heart would never have been compared to fallow ground and God’s Word to a plough. —John Bunyan
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Muddy Waters - Long Distance Call
The great Muddy Waters performing his song "Long Distance Call". I think this was Muddy Waters last great band.
This was around 1976/77 in Dortmund, Germany for television.
This was around 1976/77 in Dortmund, Germany for television.
Spiritual Warfare - by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
There are two mistakes we often make when it comes to the devil. One is the make too much of our foe and attribute almost deity status to him. The devil is not omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all wise, all knowing) or omnipresent (everywhere present); so if he is bothering you, he cannot possibly be bothering me at the same time (though he does have many agents under his rule who work on his behalf). The other mistake though is to make too little of him, and not take his schemes against us seriously.
In the famous passage in Ephesians 6 which portrays the saints' spiritual warfare, notice two things. Firstly, the Apostle Paul likens the conflict to wrestling, which is the closest form of fighting. The original words could be translated "our wrestling match is not against persons with bodies..."
Secondly, although Paul could have used the word "against" just once to have easily made his point, he uses it over and over again - five times in all - illustrating the immensity and intensity of the battle each of us are engaged in. Like it or not, we are in a war.
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Below is a short video of quotes by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones. Very sobering. - JS
Reformation Theology
In the famous passage in Ephesians 6 which portrays the saints' spiritual warfare, notice two things. Firstly, the Apostle Paul likens the conflict to wrestling, which is the closest form of fighting. The original words could be translated "our wrestling match is not against persons with bodies..."
Secondly, although Paul could have used the word "against" just once to have easily made his point, he uses it over and over again - five times in all - illustrating the immensity and intensity of the battle each of us are engaged in. Like it or not, we are in a war.
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Below is a short video of quotes by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones. Very sobering. - JS
Reformation Theology
The Greatest Snare in the Christian Life
If your knowledge of the Scriptures and of the doctrines of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has not brought you to this knowledge of the love of Christ, you should be profoundly dissatisfied and disturbed. All biblical doctrine is about this blessed Person; and there is no greater snare in the Christian life than to forget the Person Himself and to live simply on truths concerning Him. . . .
We should never study the Bible or anything concerning biblical truth without realizing that we are in His presence, and that it is truth about Him. And it should always be done in an atmosphere of worship. Biblical truth is not one subject among others; it is not something that belongs to a syllabus. It is living truth about a living Person. That is why a theological college should be different from every other kind of college; and that is why a religious service is essentially different from every kind of meeting the world can organize.--Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Unsearchable Riches of Christ: An Exposition of Ephesians 3 (Baker, 1998), 208
HT: Adrian Warnock
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Obstacles to Prayer
We are four days into the new year, and by now some of your are starting to feel resistance to your new commitments , disciplines, routines, and resolutions. For those who are seeking to pray more (more fervently, more consistently, more dependently on Jesus) you will do well to be aware of the hinderances to prayer that you either are facing, or will soon enough.
Brian Hedges book, Christ Formed in You is a great read that I highly recommend. In his chapter, “Training in the Spirit: Disciplines,” he talks about three common obstacles that we run up against when seeking to cultivate a vibrant prayer life: legalism, self-sufficiency, and unbelief.
The antidote to legalism is praying in Jesus’ name, resting in the reality that we have access to God in prayer only because of Jesus. “When we thoughtfully and intentionally pray in Jesus’ name, we undercut the legalism that so often drives prayer. We’re not praying in order to get God to accept us. We’re coming because we are already accepted in Christ!”
The anitdote to self-sufficiency is remembering our helplessness and coming to God as children approach a good father– messy, without pretense, helpless, and as we truly are. “Unfortunately, many of us have been taught to pray in very un-childlike ways. We change our tone. We use spiritual sounding words… we veil our hearts and pretend to be something we’re not. We try to act all grown up and in the process loose our sense of helplessness.”
The anitdote to unbelief is, Hedges points out, closely related to the antidote for self-sufficiency. “When we forget to come to God as children, we’re also forgetting that we come to him as our Father. And thus we distrust his heart. The anitdote is to remember his character as our kind and loving heavenly Father.”
Hedges has much more to say, so you should get his book to read it all. It’s been a real encouragement to me.
Joe Thorn
Brian Hedges book, Christ Formed in You is a great read that I highly recommend. In his chapter, “Training in the Spirit: Disciplines,” he talks about three common obstacles that we run up against when seeking to cultivate a vibrant prayer life: legalism, self-sufficiency, and unbelief.
Legalism: Sometimes I’m more motivated by a sense of obligation than privelage, and begin to thinkof prayer in terms of law rather than grace. After all, I’m a pastor. I’m supposed to be a mature Christian! Why then is prayer so difficult? As Paul Miller rightly says, “Private, personal prayeris one of the last great bastions of legalism.”He explains that the the only way to overcome these obstacles is to constantly apply the gospel to our praying.
Self-sufficiency: Often, I’m too self-sufficient to pray. I either let busyness crowd out time with God, or, when I actually start praying, I try to fix myself up to sound or feel more “spiritual” than I really am. But what’s missing in both cases is a clear sense of my helplessness– my need for God.
Unbelief: And sometimes the obstacle is a simply lack of faith. It’s not that I stop believing God altogether, but that I forget his character. When I imagine him looking at me, I see an angry judge or a disappointed authority figure, rather than the kindness and love of a father.
The antidote to legalism is praying in Jesus’ name, resting in the reality that we have access to God in prayer only because of Jesus. “When we thoughtfully and intentionally pray in Jesus’ name, we undercut the legalism that so often drives prayer. We’re not praying in order to get God to accept us. We’re coming because we are already accepted in Christ!”
The anitdote to self-sufficiency is remembering our helplessness and coming to God as children approach a good father– messy, without pretense, helpless, and as we truly are. “Unfortunately, many of us have been taught to pray in very un-childlike ways. We change our tone. We use spiritual sounding words… we veil our hearts and pretend to be something we’re not. We try to act all grown up and in the process loose our sense of helplessness.”
The anitdote to unbelief is, Hedges points out, closely related to the antidote for self-sufficiency. “When we forget to come to God as children, we’re also forgetting that we come to him as our Father. And thus we distrust his heart. The anitdote is to remember his character as our kind and loving heavenly Father.”
Hedges has much more to say, so you should get his book to read it all. It’s been a real encouragement to me.
Joe Thorn
The woman language translator - Get your Manslater today!!
If you don't understand women's emotions, you must be a man.
Love so real it can be seen
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:35
“. . . so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:23
Francis Schaeffer proposed two ways we Christians can display observable love for one another, love that goes beyond talk and theory, love so real it can be seen:
One, “When I have failed to love my Christian brother, I go to him and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ That is first. It may seem a letdown — that the first thing we speak of should be so simple. But if you think it is easy, you have never tried to practice it. . . .”
Two, “There must also be open forgiveness. And though it’s hard to say ‘I’m sorry,’ it’s even harder to forgive. The Bible, however, makes plain that the world must observe a forgiving spirit in the midst of God’s people. . . .”
“[Does the world] observe that we say ‘I’m sorry,’ and do they observe a forgiving heart? Let me repeat: Our love will not be perfect, but it must be substantial enough for the world to be able to observe it, or it does not fit into the structure of John 13 and 17. And if the world does not observe this among true Christians, the world has a right to make the two awful judgments which these verses indicate: that we are not Christians, and that Christ was not sent by the Father.”
Francis Schaeffer, “The Mark of the Christian,” in The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century
(Downers Grove, 1970), pages 143-146. Buy it on Amazon for $4.59
Ray Ortlund
“. . . so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:23
Francis Schaeffer proposed two ways we Christians can display observable love for one another, love that goes beyond talk and theory, love so real it can be seen:
One, “When I have failed to love my Christian brother, I go to him and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ That is first. It may seem a letdown — that the first thing we speak of should be so simple. But if you think it is easy, you have never tried to practice it. . . .”
Two, “There must also be open forgiveness. And though it’s hard to say ‘I’m sorry,’ it’s even harder to forgive. The Bible, however, makes plain that the world must observe a forgiving spirit in the midst of God’s people. . . .”
“[Does the world] observe that we say ‘I’m sorry,’ and do they observe a forgiving heart? Let me repeat: Our love will not be perfect, but it must be substantial enough for the world to be able to observe it, or it does not fit into the structure of John 13 and 17. And if the world does not observe this among true Christians, the world has a right to make the two awful judgments which these verses indicate: that we are not Christians, and that Christ was not sent by the Father.”
Francis Schaeffer, “The Mark of the Christian,” in The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century
(Downers Grove, 1970), pages 143-146. Buy it on Amazon for $4.59Ray Ortlund
Monday, January 3, 2011
Being a Christian Means Christ is All!
Iain Murray writes:
HT:Christ is all
Christianity means knowing and trusting Christ as a living Person; it is a relationship which so captures both the mind and the heart of the believer that henceforth to know Christ, to esteem Him and His words, becomes the very object of existence: “To you who believe He is precious” (1 Pet. 2:7) – more precious certainly than all earthly goods or even life (Luke 14:26). A Christian is someone who no longer lives for himself but understands, with Paul, why Christ is his righteousness, his life, his all . . . A Christian . . . is one who so knows Christ that all things are secondary to his Saviour . . . A Christian is one whose greatest pleasure is to see God magnified in Christ.Iain Murray, Evangelicalism Divided (Carlisle: Banner Of Truth, 2001), 152, 159, 166, 316.
HT:Christ is all
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Like a Message from Heaven to His Soul
From Charles Spurgeon's autobiography (Vol. 1):
Gospel Driven Church
It was arranged that I should use the Surrey Gardens pulpit, so, a day or two before preaching at the Palace, I went to decide where it should be fixed; and, in order to test the acoustic properties of the building, cried in a loud voice, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." In one of the galleries, a workman, who knew nothing of what was being done, heard the words, and they came like a message from Heaven to his soul. He was smitten with conviction on account of sin, put down his tools, went home, and there, after a season of spiritual struggling, found peace and life by beholding the Lamb of God. Years after, he told this story to one who visited him on his death-bed.Is the gospel power or what?
Gospel Driven Church
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Resolved To Know Nothing
1 Corinthians 2:2:
Happy New Year!
Miscellanies
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (NIV)Anthony C. Thiselton (First Corinthians, NIGTC, p. 211):
Did Paul steadily resolve to empty his mind of everything except the message of the cross? …David E. Garland (First Corinthians, BECNT, p. 84):
As the Greek stands, the act of resolution or of firm, considered decision is qualified by the negative. Paul’s firm, considered policy on which he committed himself was only that which concerned Christ crucified. Whether or not he spoke of anything else would be incidental; to proclaim the crucified Christ, and Christ alone, remains his settled policy. He did not take a vow of excluding everything else, whatever might happen, but he did make a commitment that nothing would compromise the central place of Christ crucified.
Paul is not anti-intellectual, but he does oppose intellectual vanity. He did not come to them as a know-it-all or compose speeches fishing for admiration. On the contrary, he was content to be identified as a know-nothing who preached foolishness: Jesus Christ crucified. But announcing the gospel was his sole focus, and the cross molded his entire message and his whole approach. … Jesus Christ can only be preached as the crucified one, and no one can preach Christ crucified to win personal renown.May each of us resolve to center our lives upon Jesus Christ and him crucified in 2011.
Happy New Year!
Miscellanies
Resolutions? No!
Reading Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ classic Spiritual Depression would be a strong way to start the new year.
The title can be a tad deceiving. It’s not merely a book for those with a pronounced sense of spiritual depression. It’s a book for all Christians—for the daily spiritual depressions we all face this side of heaven.
Lloyd-Jones ends his second chapter with these challenging and refreshing words:
The title can be a tad deceiving. It’s not merely a book for those with a pronounced sense of spiritual depression. It’s a book for all Christians—for the daily spiritual depressions we all face this side of heaven.
Lloyd-Jones ends his second chapter with these challenging and refreshing words:
Would you like to be rid of this spiritual depression? The first thing you have to do is to say farewell now once and forever to your past. Realize that it has been covered and blotted out in Christ. Never look back at your sins again. Say: ‘It is finished, it is covered by the Blood of Christ’. That is your first step. Take that and finish with yourself and all this talk about goodness, and look to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only then that true happiness and joy are possible for you. What you need is not to make resolutions to live a better life, to start fasting and sweating and praying. No! You just begin to say:Desiring God
I rest my faith on Him alone
Who died for my transgressions to atone. (35)
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