Keeping Christ Central

Voddie Baucham: The Elephant in the Room

2012-01-31T14:07:00.002-05:00

Voddie's word is excellent. Here are the first two paragraphs:

This past week a firestorm erupted over the recent “Elephant Room 2.” The controversy centers around the decision to invite Bishop T.D. Jakes to participate in the event. The central questions in the debate are 1) whether or not Bishop Jakes holds to the historic, orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, 2) whether it was appropriate to invite (and feature) him without first having clarified his position on this cardinal doctrine, and 3) whether he cleared up the matter.
I was scheduled to speak at Harvest Bible Chapel on the weekend following ER2 which raised significant questions about my stance on the matter. While I do not consider it my responsibility to comment on every controversy, I do recognize my duty to clarify matters with which I am involved directly, and/or those that impact the congregation I am called to shepherd. Hence, my explanation now.

I strongly encourage you to read the whole thing here.

HT: Challies

The Other Elephant in the Room

2012-01-28T15:05:00.003-05:00

HT: Challies

For my little article on the first elephant in the room, go here.

Why would a person resign from a committee of faithful gospel preachers in order to 'unite' with a man who is heretical on at least two fronts (and I do use the word 'heresy' with its full force). This is ridiculous!

2012-01-21T12:36:00.004-05:00

How Did the Apostle Paul Understand Leviticus 18:5?

2012-01-21T10:17:00.000-05:00

Justin Taylor's post is about the best little summary/explanation I've read on this important topic. I think this kind of thing is the key to understanding how to read/apply both the Old Testament and the New Testament in the life of the Christian. Here is his post in its entirety:

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The Apostle Paul twice cites Leviticus 18:5 in the midst of important arguments about justification.

In Galatians 3:12 he says, “But the law is not of faith, rather ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’”

And in Romans 10:5 he says, “For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.”

One of the more common recent readings is that Paul is not talking about the actual Mosaic law, but rather about a legalistic misuse or misunderstanding of it. In part this is because we know that salvation has always been by faith, even under the Mosaic covenant, and yet Paul appears to be contrasting the law with faith (see Gal. 3:11 and Rom. 10:6 for the contrasts).

However, this “misuse of the law” interpretation simply can’t account for Paul’s actual flow of thought and argument. Tom Schreiner points out one of the reasons in 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law: “the misinterpretation view suffers from a major defect. Elsewhere Paul always cites an Old Testament text positively to advance his own argument, and we are lacking any clear evidence that he responds to a wrong understanding here. It is most likely, then, that Paul cites the Old Testament to advance his argument.”

So what is Paul really doing? I think Schreiner’s understanding is exactly right, and if you don’t see Paul’s strategy here, you’ll misread a good chunk of Paul’s contrast between the old and new covenants.

Paul reads Leviticus 18:5 redemptive-historically.
Perfect obedience is demanded from those who place themselves under the law, for the atonement provided by Old Testament sacrifices no longer avails with the coming of Christ.
Perfect obedience was not demanded in one sense under the Sinai covenant, for the law provided forgiveness via sacrifices for those who transgressed.
In Paul’s view, however (see Gal. 3:15-4:7), the Sinai covenant is no longer in force. Hence, those who observe circumcision and the law to obtain justification (Gal. 5:2-4) are turning back the clock in salvation history. The coming of Christ spells the end of the Sinai covenant (Gal. 3:15-4:7). Hence, those who live under the law must keep it perfectly to be saved, for in returning to the law they are forsaking the atonement provided by Christ (Gal. 2:21; 5:3). Returning to the law is futile, however, for the sacrifices of atonement under the Sinai covenant pointed ahead to the sacrifice of Christ. Therefore animal sacrifices no longer provide forgiveness now that the definitive sacrifice of Christ has been offered (Gal. 3:13).

In the chapter on this verse in his book, Dr. Schreiner also explains what Leviticus 18:5meant in its original context, how it was interpreted in the rest of the OT, and why we should reject the reading that sees Romans 10:5 and 10:6-8 as both describing the life of faith.

Light Before The Sun

2012-01-16T19:37:00.004-05:00

"Let there be light". The first recorded command in history rang out across a dark, formless void, and instantly the dark gloom was replaced by blazing light. The Creator-God stepped back and admired what he had made and he concluded, "this is good". Twelve hours later, the light faded and was replaced, not with never-ending darkness, but twelve hours of darkness before the light blazed forth again. The first recorded day in all of history was complete. On the next day, sky, and the next, land and vegetation with seed-bearing fruit came into existence through the creative command of God. The succession of evening and morning that had begun a few days previously continued and would continue. And then on the fourth day, God spoke again: "Let there be...lights".

It is well documented that the Genesis creation account records the creation of light first, but the creation of lights, of planets to emanate light, on the fourth day. The question begs to be asked, 'how could God create light on the first, and planets on the fourth day'? Some claim that this is a Hebrew poetic device, and that the days of creation are not meant to be interpreted as a creative succession, but rather, as a poetic re-telling of what must have happened, somewhere between history and myth. Some mock, and cite this as the first error in the Bible, the first authorial slip, the first sign that the Bible is not trustworthy. From human experience it is certainly impossible to have light, to have earth at all, without light-emanating planets.

Indeed, there are many proposed explanations for the creation of light before the creation of planets to emanate light, and I have yet to read all the various views on this important topic...but I do have a theory as to what was going on. I think that the second-to-last chapter of the Bible sheds incredible 'light' on Genesis 1. Revelation 21:23 says this about the New Jerusalem:

"And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." (ESV).

What do we learn here? In the very least, we learn that God has no need of planets in order to emanate light, that all he needs is, well, himself. "God is light" (1 John 1:5). And the New Heavens and the New Earth will have no need of planets because all that separates men and women from God will be gone. Jesus, who is The Light of the World (John 8:12), has already paid for sin and redeemed his people. In the New Heavens and New Earth, the full-inheritance will be given, and the God who is Light will provide all the glory that the Christian's eternal home will need.

Could it be that in that first act of creation, God spoke and simply revealed his glory, allowed his own radiance to emanate forth? Could it be that he hung light into place on that day, and that he himself was the source of that light? This certainly makes sense.

Could it be that on the fourth day of creation, God was making provision for sin, for the day when the crowning climax of God's creation, men and women made in his image, would rebel against their creator, and would be separated from God's perfect presence, for the time when the God who is Light would be unbearable to be around, because he is so perfectly pure, and we are so utterly sinful? Could it be that the all-knowing Creator was already thinking of mercy, was already thinking of how to preserve a people who would rebel, so they would be ready for the gospel, even before they were created?

These are some of my own exegetical wrestlings with God's Word. I do not share these things as the final word, or even a great word that I've read in a book somewhere. I share them as the thoughts of a student of the Bible who is in process, but who loves to dig more deeply in the Word of God, so that the God who has revealed himself would be closer to his heart.

I'm so glad that I wrestle with the Bible deeply, long before commentaries on the Bible ever enter my hands. I'm so glad for the privilege of having daily, even constant, first-hand access to the very words of God.

And I'm also glad for community, even cyber-community. Can you share any thoughts that shed light on, or disproves what I've written? I would love to learn from my readers, and to have my gaze at God be brought into greater focus. Leave a comment and give some thoughts!

What Is "Theological Interpretation of Scripture"?

2012-01-09T20:35:00.002-05:00

My buddy Uche answers that question in this very brief, very simple, very helpful introduction to a movement in scholarship that I like (and that he embodies).

Read his answer here.

2011-12-12T19:15:00.002-05:00

Back in 2002 I was blessed to take a course in Early Christian Spirituality with Michael A.G. Haykin, now of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Of the many benefits from that course, one was learning about the Greek Fathers. Here is one sampling, an insight about the Trinity, that shows why being introduced to those writers was a particular blessing:

Gregory Nazianzen:

No sooner do I conceive of the One than I am illumined by the Splendour of the Three; no sooner do I distinguish Them than I am carried back to the One.
When I think of any One of the Three I think of Him as the Whole, and my eyes are filled, and the greater part of what I am thinking of escapes me.
I cannot grasp the greatness of That One so as to attribute a greater greatness to the Rest.
When I contemplate the Three together, I see but one torch, and cannot divide or measure out the Undivided Light.

—Gregory of Nazianzen, Orationes, 40:41

HT: JT

Free Martyn Lloyd-Jones MP3 Round-Up, Again!

2011-11-30T20:49:00.006-05:00

A while back I posted a round-up of free and not free Martyn Lloyd-Jones MP3's available around the web. In response to that post, the people at the ML-J recording trust recently sent me the following e-mail and link:

Dear Ian,

For your Keeping Christ Central blog, I thought that you might like to know that we plan to make another 5 MLJ sermons available to download free of charge over the next 5 weeks. They are all based on the Letter to the Hebrews.

The first one is already available at: www.mlj-usa.com/pages/hebrews

Download and be blessed! If you want to re-read the whole round-up of sermons I posted a while back, here it is. The free section of my earlier post is as follows:

There is a free weekly radio program for streaming (and I think for download as well). If I remember correctly, each week features half of a sermon, bracketed by the comments of a guy with a British accent. It is found here.

Finally, five of his regular sermons are available for free download here. The first one, entitled 'Mind, Heart, Will' is especially good. Start there!

I'll leave this with you: do you know of any free Martyn Lloyd-Jones audio download sites? Am I missing anything? Leave a comment and let me know! Or, do you want to donate large amounts of money to the Martyn Lloyd-Jones recording trust, to set up a free download extravaganza? Contact them and let them know!

Update: 3 more free downloads can be found: here.

Yet another update: 9 more free ones can be found here.

Still yet another update: 2 more free ones can be found here (one is not yet working, though).

In addition to this, someone commented the following:

The best way to get free sermons from Dr. Lloyd-Jones is through OnePlace, which will give you the url for the podcast. Then just manually add that to itunes for automatic updates.

In response to my last post, a number of people pointed out that most of ML-J's sermons are not free because it costs money to run a web site and pay a staff. Great point! I thank God for the hard work of the people at the Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recording Trust, and for this new five sermon Christmas gift!

Update: I just received the following note from the good people at the ML-J recording trust:

I see from your blog entry that you still refer to the 9 Pensacola sermons that we posted free back in 2010.
We had to take those down for reasons that I don’t fully understand, and therefore can’t explain.

In their place we posted a set of 8 sermons that MLJ preached at Hawthorne Gospel Church, New Jersey, USA.

The address of their page is: www.mlj.org.uk/pages/hawthorne

Kind regards
Robin

So, I erased the relevant sermons from earlier in this post, but encourage you to download the new ones available. Happy listening!

Paul Washer Says it Straight

2011-11-22T16:01:00.001-05:00

This is the first time I've ever heard any Paul Washer (even though tons of people have recommended him to me). This is right on, though, and totally worth 5 mins of your time.

HT: Challies

How Do Committees Work Together to Translate the Bible?

2011-11-15T23:06:00.002-05:00

To my knowledge, the King James Version was the first bible to be translated by a committee, that is, a number of scholars who worked together, debated, voted, etc, and produced a great translation of the Bible that was unparalleled in the English language for well over 300 years, and still, is used after 400 years. The clip that follows is more recent, and captures the translation committee of the English Standard Version presenting, debating, and then voting, on how to translate the word for slave into English. It's well worth the four minutes of your time.

HT: JT

G.K. Beale: New Testament Theology is an Unfolding of the Old Testament

2011-11-14T11:28:00.002-05:00

In the following helpful video, author G.K. Beale explains the outline to his magnum opus, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New. In doing so, he explains why I want to buy and devour the book, and also why I have a growing desire to do doctoral work in Old Testament. Watch and be blessed:

Justin Taylor has also posted Beale's full chapter on “The Eschatological Storyline of the Old Testament: The Old Testament Focus on the Latter Days” in PDF format.

Hansen on Keller on Marriage

2011-11-01T09:37:00.006-04:00

I appreciated this review of Tim and Kathy Keller's new book on marriage. Collin Hansen points out what is unique about this book in particular (i.e. why do we need another book on marriage?) and made me want to buy the book to read out loud with my amazing wife.

Here is a brief interview with the authors about the book:

Mr. Bean Playing the Invisible Drums

2011-10-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

HT: challies.com

Children and Screen Time

2011-10-22T13:17:00.003-04:00

I first heard the term 'screen time' when my buddy Tim Challies spoke about technology at the church I was then pastoring. Is thoughts were very helpful and they can be found in his book on the subject.

Today I read an article by Al Mohler (no doubt linked by Justin Taylor or Tim Challies, then tabbed by me a few days ago). Two paragraphs were especially horrifying (and helpful to know about):

The number of American homes with television outnumbers the number of homes with indoor plumbing. The average American home with children has four televisions, one DVR, up to three DVD players, two CD players, two radios, two computers, and two video game units.
If almost one third of three-year-olds have a television in their bedrooms, 70 percent of American teenagers do. At least one third of the nation’s teenagers have a computer with internet access in their bedroom.

Read the whole thing here.

Phil Kessel's Pace (after game 3)

2011-10-16T15:24:00.002-04:00

Will he beat Wayne Gretzky's goal and point records? No. But it's fun to see the projections...

	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PPG	PPA	SHG	SHA	GWG	PIM	Shots	PCT	Hits
Year to date	3	5	3	8	7	0	1	0	0	2	2	11	45.45	0
On Pace	81	136	81	217	7	0	27	0	0	54	54	300	45.33	0

Phil Kessel's Amazing Pace (after two games)

2011-10-13T09:16:00.000-04:00

	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PPG	PPA	SHG	SHA	GWG	PIM	Shots	PCT	Hits
Year to date	2	3	2	5	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	6	50.00	0
On Pace	82	123	82	205	4	0	41	0	0	41	0	246	50.00	0

The Elephant in the Room (and some better options for teaching on the Trinity)

2011-10-12T11:05:00.006-04:00

The Elephant Room 2 has caused quite a stir in the circles associated with the Gospel Coalition. Billed as a conversation between Christian brothers about secondary matters, the blogosphere erupted when it was announced that T.D. Jakes was asked to join in. The original write up on the ER2 web site praised Jakes' preaching and leadership abilities, and reported that the organizers were 'totally fired up' (or something to that effect) that Jakes would be there. But for most associated with the Gospel Coalition, the real elephant in the room was plainly evident: T.D. Jakes is a modalist, and as such, does not hold to an orthodox doctrine of the Trinity; therefore, James MacDonald had invited a heretic into a discussion intended to be between Christian brothers. I have not followed the entire debate, but I have appreciated reading a few articles on the issue. Thankfully, since the originial explosion, MacDonald has broadened the scope of ER2 to include non-evangelicals and has self-confessedly eaten humble pie. But of the handful of articles I've read on this whole fiasco, two stand out as most helpful.

The first comes courtesy of D.A. Carson over at the Gospel Coalition blog. Besides explaining the nature of Gospel Coalition associations, and the difference between the Gospel Coalition and a denomination, Carson also explains why an orthodox, Biblical view of the Trinity is a part of the fabric of the gospel itself. He notes that a new Christian or a child could indeed be authentically saved without being able to articulate this doctrine (because of immaturity), he expresses concern when a mature Christian has a developed view that is contrary to the three-in-one Godhead (e.g. modalism), and then he gets to the Trinity and the gospel:

To say that the doctrine of the Trinity is tied up with the gospel is to make a claim about the structure of the gospel, about what the gospel is, about its content. The doctrine of the Trinity helps to establish the oneness of the purposes of God in the mission of the Son, to demonstrate the intra-Trinitarian love of God that bears so much on what the Son achieves in his death and resurrection (see John 17!), that differentiates the roles of the persons of the Godhead in the plan of redemption, and so forth: without the doctrine of the Trinity, the entire schema of the gospel would be transmuted into something unrecognizable. A modalist God, then, cannot save---at least not in any NT understanding of salvation.

I highly recommend that you read the whole thing here.

The second is a satirical piece by (who else) Carl Trueman over at the Reformation21 blog. I believe he hits the nail on the head, making us all laugh in the process. I reprint both paragraphs because they are worth reading:

As for me, I'm still trying to work out why a conversation between a few well-known guys, a couple of whom at least seem rather confused about the Trinity, is going to be a great conversation about the.... Trinity.

Meanwhile, for anyone interested, Paul Levy, Derek Thomas, Gabe Fluhrer and myself are planning a live podcast on the impact of developments in quantum theory since 1980 on the design of sub atomic accelerators. To be honest, we know little about the topic and, frankly, find it all a bit perplexing; but it should be a great and insightful conversation for you to listen to -- you know, four regular guys just hanging out, having a laugh, sharing the occasional inside joke, breaking down boundaries etc. Cheques should be made payable to the `Derek Thomas Holiday in Bayreuth Ministries International' No credit cards accepted.

In light of all this I'm left asking a question: why would anyone pay $99 for a simulcast of this event? I do not doubt that the ER2 will be profitable (no pun intended). I do, however, doubt whether it will be the most profitable way for most Christians to spend their time. I suspect that other venues would be better equipped to teach on this doctrine, which is essential to orthodox Christianity and a part of the fabric of the gospel itself. First, read the Gospel of John with a pencil in hand, marking up all references to intra-Trinitarian relationship (and do the same with Ephesians 1:3-14). Then, download and listen! A quick search over at desiringGod.org turned up 179 free resources with the word 'Trinity' in their content, and Sovereign Grace Ministries have a bunch of great teaching on the Trinity for free download by a bunch of great speakers (again, all for free). Since the ER2 is bound to focus on the Trinity for a good chunk of its time, why not spend your time most profitably, and save your money at the same time!

C.S. Lewis on Hell

2011-10-11T13:46:00.000-04:00

From Justin Taylor's Blog....

C. S. Lewis:

I spoke just now of fiddling while Rome burns. But to a Christian the true tragedy of Nero must be not that he fiddled while the city was on fire but that he fiddled on the brink of hell.

You must forgive me for the crude monosyllable. I know that many wiser and better Christians than I in these days do not like to mention heaven and hell even in the pulpit. I know, too, that nearly all the references to this subject in the New Testament come from a single source. But then that source is Our Lord himself. People will tell you it is St. Paul, but that is untrue. These overwhelming doctrines are dominical. They are not really removable from the teaching of Christ or of His Church.

If we do not believe them, our presence in this church is great tomfoolery.

If we do, we must overcome our spiritual prudery and mention them.

—C. S. Lewis, “Learning in War-Time” (1939)

Courageous

2011-09-29T20:08:00.003-04:00

This trailer made me really want to see the movie. My wife and I really appreciated 'Fireproof', and the same group made 'Courageous'.

HT: JT

Chisso is a Friend of Mine

2011-09-29T13:19:00.002-04:00

Here is a little snippet from our church's fellowship lunch this past Sunday. You may have seen the 'Jesus is a Friend of Mine' YouTube video. Well, in honour of our friend Chisso's birthday, our worship team did a little remix. Enjoy!

THABITI ANYABWILE: Multi-Site Churches are From Satan

2011-09-29T13:09:00.003-04:00

I really appreciate Thabiti. Some adjectives that come to mind are: normal, authentic, humble, unassuming, gifted, homey, happy. He and his family have sat at my table and shared lunch. Our sons have played together, when they were both in diapers. As we sat and talked, he was as interested in my little ministry as I was of his broader influence. We talked evangelistic strategy and preaching, mentoring and being mentored. So when I saw the provocative title to his essay on multi-site churches, I laughed, then I wanted to read. And it didn't disappoint. As I struggle to come to convictions on this important ecclesiastical phenomenon, as I really wrestle with the desire to see lots and lots of souls saved, but also with the desire for Biblical ministries without pragmatism trumping faithfulness, his article was a great help to me. It begins this way:

Okay, that title is homage to James MacDonald, who says congregationalism is from Satan and whom I had the privilege of spending a couple days with at the recent 9marks @ Southeastern Conference. During the Baptist21 Panel, our moderator stirred up a bit of a hornet’s nest by asking me what I thought about multi-site churches. Why me? I thought. Mark Dever is sitting right there. He loves talking about this stuff. Aww… man. Ask me about basketball.

So, after I finished my pity party, I answered my brother’s question, stated something like: “Thabiti, what arguments for multi-site have you found persuasive?” My articulate response: “Uh, none.”

Okay, this should be the end of the post. But because I’m in the Miami airport and the people-watching has become a bit weird, I think I’d rather invite you all to my misery and discovery.

His points are as follows:

Idolatry

Competition and Pride

Removes “Local” from “Local Churches”

Idolatry… Again

Pragmatism

Cultural Captivity

I strongly encourage you to read the whole thing here.

Steve Lawson: Notes Used in the Pulpit

2011-09-29T12:47:00.002-04:00

I once heard Steve Lawson refer to the notes he uses in the pulpit as a mix of photocopied/cut/pasted Scripture (with literal scissors and tape) and then handwriting for all of his comments. Thanks to Josh Harris, a copy of one of those sermon notes are available for us all to view (in PDF format) here. When I first heard of this method, I naturally thought him a dinosaur. I mean, who uses scissors and tape in the sermon writing process? But now that I've seen it in PDF (ironically), I'm intrigued. As a Luddite at heart, who is equally an expositor at heart, I can now see the benefits of this. Take a look and learn from one man's model.

Paul Tripp: God’s Will for Your Wait

2011-09-27T20:46:00.003-04:00

I'm glad a good friend sent me the following article by Paul Tripp. It begins this way:

In ministry there are often moments when you are propelled by a biblical vision but called by God to wait. Waiting can be discouraging and hard. So what does it look like to wait in a way that makes you a participant in what God is doing rather than someone who struggles against the wait? Let me suggest several things.

His points are as follows:

Remind Yourself You Are Not Alone

Realize That Waiting Is Active

Celebrate How Little Control You Have

Celebrate God’s Commitment to His Work of Grace

Let Your Waiting Strengthen Your Faith

Count Your Blessings

Long for Eternity

Read the whole thing here.

HT: JT

Luther on Pastoral Pride

2011-09-26T19:28:00.001-04:00

I had the following quote above my desk in my study for the first number of years of my pastorate in Binbrook. I saw Justin Taylor posted it today, so I thought I'd pass it on via a copy/paste. Take heed!

Martin Luther:

If, however, you feel and are inclined to think you have made it, flattering yourself with your own little books, teaching, or writing, because you have done it beautifully and preached excellently; if you are highly pleased when someone praises you in the presence of others; if you perhaps look for praise, and would sulk or quit what you are doing if you did not get it—if you are of that stripe, dear friend, then take yourself by the ears, and if you do this in the right way you will find a beautiful pair of big, long, shaggy donkey ears.

Then do not spare any expense! Decorate them with golden bells, so that people will be able to hear you wherever you go, point their fingers at you, and say, “See, see! There goes that clever beast, who can write such exquisite books and preach so remarkably well.” That very moment you will be blessed and blessed beyond measure in the kingdom of heaven. Yes, in that heaven where hellfire is ready for the devil and his angels.

—Martin Luther, LW 34:287-288.

MacArthur's Advice to Young Reformed Evangelicals

2011-09-21T20:55:00.003-04:00

If I were to hand pick a few personal mentors from the crop of reformed influences today, it is likely that I'd begin with the Pipers and Kellers and Carsons of the world. John MacArthur has an awesome ministry, but I've never quite gelled with it for whatever reason. I have appreciated, though, sitting at his feet from time to time, and his article series to the Young, Reformed evangelicals of today was no different. What follows are the links the the articles, and then a few choice quotes:

1. Grow Up. Settle Down. Keep Reforming. Advice for the Young, Restless, Reformed

2. Grow Up

3. Beer, Bohemianism, and True Christian Liberty

4. Keep Reforming

Some favourite quotes:

I sometimes think no group is more fashion-conscious than the current crop of hipster church planters—except perhaps teenage girls.

Charles Spurgeon understood the principle. He became pastor of London's largest and most famous Baptist congregation at the age of 20, less than five years after his conversion. But he consciously and diligently sought to display maturity beyond his years—especially in his manners and his approach to ministry. At age 40, he reflected on the brevity of his own adolescence: "I might have been a young man at twelve, but at sixteen I was a sober, respectable Baptist parson, sitting in the chair and ruling and governing the church. At that period of my life, when I ought perhaps to have been in the playground . . . I spent my time at my books, studying and working hard, sticking to it."

If everything you know about Christian living came from blogs and websites in the young-and-restless district of the Reformed community, you might have the impression that beer is the principal symbol of Christian liberty.

God’s Word is the only true standard we have a divine mandate to conform to, and it is the ultimate standard by which we will be judged. Success or failure in ministry therefore cannot be evaluated by numerical statistics, financial figures, popularity polls, public opinion, or any of the other factors the world typically associates with “success.” The only real triumph in ministry is to hear Christ say, “Well done.”

Now let’s be completely candid: Many (perhaps most) evangelical celebrities from the past half-century or so will never be remembered like the Reformers, because they will pass away with their own self-styled faddishness.

Where Have All The (Canadian) Pastoral Training Schools Gone?

2011-09-20T16:38:00.003-04:00

So, where have they gone? I'm not condemning the Bible Colleges for broadening their purpose and then reinventing themselves as liberal arts training institutes. But the sad reality is, the school that specializes in training pastors seems to have gone the way of the Dodo bird, especially in Canada. Such a school that is also committed to the complementarian position is even more rare. That is why my recent conversation with the academic dean of Heritage College and Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario (D.A. Carson's alma mater, by the way), was so encouraging. Their identity as a school is encapsulated by the following (taken from their web site):

1. Our Mandate
We are committed to the integration of faith and learning for the purpose of preparing our students to serve the church locally and globally, fulfilling the Great Commission. To that end, our programs provide for curricula focused on spiritual formation, a biblical foundation, theological integration, ministry and leadership preparation, critical evaluation, and effective communication.

2. Our Denominational Affiliation
Heritage College and Seminary is an agency of The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches (Central Region), whose churches we serve along with other like-minded evangelical churches, organizations, and denominations.

3. Our Epistemology
We are committed to the absolute, propositional truth of God that exists and can be known objectively. We are committed to the pursuit of sound doctrine, not simply through the transfer of knowledge from professor to student, but also through Christian life experience and spiritual growth which occur in the context of community.

4. Our Hermeneutic
We are committed to the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Bible as God’s inerrant, infallible Word as the basis for all we do and teach, our interpretation and understanding of which is rooted in discovering the original author’s intended meaning, taking into account the grammatical structure of the text, the historical and cultural meaning of the words at the time they were written, and their literary genre and context, all with a view to ascertaining the theological truth of the passage.

5. Our Ecclesiology
We are committed to the headship of the church under Jesus Christ and the mandate of the church to make disciples, equipping them for ministry and growing them spiritually. We are committed to developing men and women to their full potential to serve Christ in the various ministries of the church. We affirm that the distinctive leadership role assigned to elders (which includes any pastor serving as an elder)is reserved for biblically qualified men on the basis of creation, the fall, and redemption.

6. Our Cultural Relevance
We are committed to being a community of faith that is relevant to our culture but not so affected by it that it compromises our Christian behaviour, beliefs, or message. In our culture we are committed to the accurate, relevant proclamation of the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ and to the practical expression of Christian love, justice, and mercy.

James Hamilton: How the Lord Provided For Me in Seminary

2011-09-19T10:09:00.002-04:00

Many of my friends know that I have been prayerfully considering more schooling for the purpose of more ministry equipping. Now, I recognize that the stakes are extremely high in such a consideration, because I have a family and I am committed to leading and providing for that family. The discernment process needs to involve church leaders, one's desires, one's abilities, one's wife's support, and whether there the decision is a responsible one financially. But I have been shocked by the sheer volume of Christians who have accused me of being irresponsible for thinking of a) spending all of my savings for the purpose of school; b) entering a program when I don't have all of the funds needed to graduate. Some have even implied that the apex of Biblical faithfulness as a husband involves developing equity and padding my family's security. Sad. In my case, some financial factors fell through this past summer and we decided to defer my acceptance and continue to pray about this whole ordeal. It may be that God leads us into these studies or away from them. We are taking this time to reevaluate. Whether God uses me in the church or the classroom (or both) in the future is yet to be seen. Whether I have the privilege of studies, vocational ministry, or simply working while serving my family and church family for a while, is also yet to be seen. But as I think and pray and talk, James Hamilton's testimony of the way God provided for him to complete his two advanced degrees, was really encouraging. The simple fact is that when God's man steps out in faith, and when that man is both truly called by God and also willing to work hard, God provides. This has been the testimony of every PhD graduate I have ever talked to, and this is Hamilton's testimony as well. His article begins this way:

A friend asked me this morning how I arranged to pay for my seminary studies. I am grateful for this question because it gave me an opportunity to reflect on the steadfast faithfulness of the Lord. The truth is that I didn’t arrange anything, but God did. I moved to Dallas in August of 1996 to attend Dallas Theological Seminary, trusting that God would bring me through, and he did just that. Perhaps I was young and naïve, but God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness are bigger than the foolishness of those who trust him. The Lord provided, and he provided through people like my friend who asked me the question this morning—that friend bought me my first computer and printer when I started at at DTS.

Read the whole thing here.

What Do PhD Students Do For Fun?

2011-09-14T12:58:00.003-04:00

This is an actual copy/paste of an actual e-mail to actual PhD students at an actual Theological Institution:

Starting this Friday we are going to have our first of our weekly scrabble/hang out times in the (blank) Reading Room. We will have Greek, Hebrew, Latin, French, and English available to play. Feel free to invite your friends. We hope this can both sharpen our language skills and help us get to know one another.

My favourite line: "Feel free to invite your friends".

Michael Landsberg on Depression

2011-09-13T14:36:00.003-04:00

I found Michael Landsberg of TSN's article on his own depression, his friendship with Wade Belak, and the wider issue of depression in Sports, really interesting. Landsberg does not write as a Christian, but his candid article is well worth the read. It begins this way:

E-mail, texting and instant messaging all have places in our lives. But I believe I have relied too much on them, often replacing personal contact with letters and words and symbols that are like the Buckingham Palace Grenadier Guards - conveying no emotion, revealing no subtlety. They are zombies devoid of anything meaningful outside of the obvious.

How many times have you wondered while reading a text whether someone was serious or joking, sarcastic or straight? Have you ever wondered when you ask someone how they are, whether fine really means fine?

Fine written in text always looks the same, but in person, on the phone, fine can reveal so much more. I am having a tough time forgiving myself for texting Wade Belak seven days before he died and accepting his fine.

Wade was my buddy. That didn't make me unique. Wade was everyone's buddy. Even guys he fought with on the ice liked him. Even guys he scored on liked him, even if that list is pretty short. He was the definition of the big fat jolly guy without the fat. Honestly, I don't know a soul who met Wade who didn't immediately like him. He made friends the way most people pick up germs -- gathering more every time he touched someone.

I knew Wade walked with a limp. I knew it because he spoke to me about it. I have the same limp. It's how I refer to depression that doesn't disable us – even though we feel it every step of our lives.

Wade's limp, however, was worse than I knew. Seven days before he died, we chatted on e-mail. He had heard an interview I did for TSN Radio about my own depression and he had written, It was good.

Read the rest here.

Parenting by Grace

2011-09-06T10:10:00.002-04:00

I really appreciated this post from the Give Them Grace blog:

It wasn’t long ago that I treated my wife harshly in front of my kids and said some things I shouldn’t have said. And it wasn’t long after that, that I was impatient and unkind with my kids and spoke to them out of frustration. So there I was, the supposed exemplary husband and father whom they looked up to and wanted to be like, completely letting them down.

One of the biggest struggles I have as a father to three boys and a girl is fighting the urge to pretend that I have it all together. To reduce what it means to lead my children and be their example to merely keeping all the rules myself. Of course, the reason why it’s a struggle is because I don’t have it all together and I don’t keep all the rules. I don’t obey God perfectly like I want my children to. In my pride I want to prop myself up as a living example of what I desire them to be. Essentially I am communicating the message that they don’t need grace at all. Instead of my children learning and receiving the grace of God they are looking to this false example of someone who doesn’t need to receive grace because if they try hard enough they can have it all together too.

That isn’t giving them grace. That is giving them law rather than grace. That is giving them a lie and a false hope in something they will never be able to attain to. This confuses and frustrates them because they feel the disconnect between what they know to be true in their own heart (dad fails) and what they see is their dad's goal (someone who never blows it and when he does he acts as though he is right anyway).

One very real way you can give your kids grace is to be an example of a recipient of grace. Show them that you need to rely on grace because you actually sin too. You don’t need to hide it. You don’t need to justify it. You need to confess it to them and repent of it because God gives grace. Show them that you need the Savior. Stop pretending that you are the best example of Him and that you don’t really need what He accomplished on the cross. Lead your kids by the example you live as one who is being changed by the gospel of grace. Give them grace by demonstrating your own need for it. Free them from the bonds of thinking that the parents are good and the kids are bad. Remind them that you are partners in grace, both needing the forgiveness the Savior offers.

The Life of Keith Green

2011-09-01T21:42:00.003-04:00

Watching this video on Keith Green radically fuelled my wife's and my passion to serve Jesus with reckless abandon.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24).

HT: JT

C.S. Lewis Roundup

2011-08-24T22:17:00.004-04:00

I have been immersed in C.S. Lewis lately. Many of his writings have been invaluable to me in recent days. George Sayer's 'Jack' is a bit too adoring, but has proved to be an excellent introduction to his life in which both the romantic and rationalistic sides of Lewis are drawn out, and in which the real man and his environment are well portrayed.

I have also recently found re-listening to John Piper's biographical message on Lewis very helpful. His introduction, with which I agree with every word, sets the stage for a very helpful biography:

My approach in this talk is personal. I am going to talk about what has meant the most to me in C. S. Lewis—how he has helped me the most. And as I raise this question, as I have many times over the years, the backdrop of the question becomes increasingly urgent: Why has he been so significant for me, even though he is not Reformed in his doctrine, and could barely be called an evangelical by typical American uses of that word?

He doesn’t believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, 1 and defaults to logical arguments more naturally than to biblical exegesis. He doesn’t treat the Reformation with respect, but thinks it could have been avoided, and calls aspects of if farcical. 2 He steadfastly refused in public or in letters to explain why he was not a Roman Catholic but remained in the Church of England. 3 He makes room for at least some people to be saved through imperfect representations of Christ in other religions. 4 He made a strong logical, but I think unbiblical, case for free will to explain why there is suffering in the world. 5 He speaks of the atonement with reverence, but puts little significance on any of the explanations for how it actually saves sinners. 6

In other words, Lewis is not a writer to which we should turn for growth in a careful biblical understanding of Christian doctrine. There is almost no passage of Scripture on which I would turn to Lewis for exegetical illumination. A few, but not many. He doesn’t deal with many. If we follow him in the kinds of mistakes that he made (the ones listed above), it will hurt the church and dishonor Christ. His value is not in his biblical exegesis. Lewis is not the kind of writer who provides substance for a pastor’s sermons. If a pastor treats Lewis as a resource for doctrinal substance, he will find his messages growing thin, interesting perhaps, but not with much rich biblical content.

I have also been listening to Dr. Knox Chamblin's class on C.S. Lewis, taught at Reformed Theological Seminary. While Chamblin is not as in touch with the 'Romantic' side of Lewis 'The Romantic Rationalist' as would seem warranted, and while his lecture style suggests that he was reading from a manuscript, his content is still excellent.

And then tonight I listened to the following two YouTube clips of the radio addresses behind 'Mere Christianity'. Most of those addresses were lost when, in a war-starved country, the tapes were re-used for other purposes. But these survive, and it was amazing to get to hear his actual voice, not to mention the truth he relates:

How Books Are Made

2011-08-24T18:54:00.000-04:00

My kids love this video...

HT: JT

Russell Moore on "Hurt", by Johnny Cash

2011-08-20T19:26:00.002-04:00

I appreciated the following from Russel Moore:

Cash’s haunting music video for the song features faded film shots of his youthful glory days—complete with the images of friends and colleagues, once at the height of their fame, who are now dead. As the camera pans Cash’s wizened, wrinkled face, he sings about the awful reality of death and the vanity of fame: “What have I become? My sweetest friend / Everyone I know goes away in the end / You could have it all / My empire of dirt / I will let you down, I will make you hurt.”

Whereas, the Nine Inch Nails delivered “Hurt” as straight nihilism, Cash gives it a twist—ending the video with the scenes of crucifixion, which, for Cash, was (and still is) the only answer to the inevitability of suffering and pain.

The video of “Hurt” communicated exactly what the dying Cash seemed to understand, echoing Solomon of old: wealth, celebrity, fame, all of it is vanity in the maw of the grave. By contrasting images of the young celebrated Cash with images of the old, gasping, arthritic Cash, his “House of Cash” closed down and boarded over, the video turned then to what Cash saw as the only real alternative to his empire of dirt: the cross of Christ Jesus.

HT: JT

Clint Humfrey - Freezing in the Dark: First World Debt & The New Mega-Church Experience

2011-08-19T16:33:00.003-04:00

My multi-talented buddy Clint can talk Bible, Church, evangelistic strategy, and politics, and in this article, he does it all at the same time. If times get lean, what will happen to slick church-planting movements? Will the face of evangelicalism change? Clint's case for the future of locality and the necessity of other-worldly self-denial is well worth the read.

Tim Keller: Four Kinds of People in the World

2011-08-15T16:39:00.002-04:00

From Vitamin Z....

Tim Keller:
...There are four kinds of persons in the world:
#1 Law-obeying, Law-relying: These people are under the law, and are usually very smug, self-righteous and pharisaical. Externally, they are very sure they are right with God, but deep down, they have a lot of insecurity, since no one can truly be assured they are living up to standards. This makes them touchy, sensitive to criticism and devastated when their prayers aren’t answered. [This includes members of other religions but here I am thinking mainly of people who go to church.]

#2 Law-disobeying, Law-relying: These people have a religious conscience of strong works-righteousness, but they are not living consistently with it. As a result, they are more humble and more tolerant of others than the Pharisees above, but they are also much more guilt-ridden, subject to mood swings and sometimes very afraid of religious topics. [Some of these people may go to church but stay on the periphery because of their low spiritual self-esteem.]

#3 Law-disobeying, Not Law-relying: These are the people who have thrown off the concept of the Law of God. They are intellectually secular or rather relativistic, or have a very vague spirituality. They largely choose their own moral standards and insist they are meeting them. But Paul in Romans 1 says that at a sub-conscious level, they know there is a God who they should be obeying. [Such people are usually happier and more tolerant than either of the above groups. But usually there is a strong liberal self-righteousness They are definitely earning their own salvation by feeling superior to others. It is usually a less overt kind of self-righteousness.]

#4 Law-obeying, Not Law-relying: These are Christians who understand the gospel and are living out of the freedom of it. They obey the law of God out of grateful joy that comes from the knowledge of their sonship and out of the freedom from the fear and selfishness that false idols had generated. They are more tolerant than #3, more sympathetic than #2, and more confident than #1. [Most real Christians tend toward the errors of #1, #2, and even #3. But to the degree that they do, they are impoverished spiritually.]

HT: Challies

Bill Hybels Speaks About Homosexuality with Grace and Truth

2011-08-12T15:35:00.003-04:00

I have learned a lot from Bill Hybels over the years. He is a man with home I disagree about many things, and he is a man from whom I can (and have) learned many things. He is a brother in Christ and I thank God for him. Both in Bible College and as a pastor, his 'Reading Your Gauges' article was extremely helpful to me. A few years ago, his 'Courageous Leadership' book was very helpful too. And just now, I watched the following seven minute YouTube clip of him speaking about Homosexuality, and I learned again. My heart was warmed as I heard words spoken with gospel-gracious open-arms, while at the same time being gospel-faithful without-compromise. Watch and learn how to speak on this very sensitive topic; watch and fall in love with this gospel all over again!

HT: JT

Greidanus: Six Ways to See Christ in the Old Testament

2011-08-09T12:23:00.002-04:00

Over at Justin Taylor's blog, guest blogger Dane Ortland has pointed us to a book that I've long been saying has been the most helpful to me on the topic of preaching Christ from every page of the Bible. Ortland puts it well, and I can't improve on it, so here is a copy/paste of his excellent post:

Today there is a blessed proliferation of books and articles, blogs and conferences exploring what Jesus meant when he said that “everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). Not so a generation ago, when Edmund Clowney and Sidney Greidanus, with one or two others, were more isolated voices advocating a Christ-as-the-key hermeneutic.

Greidanus’ main book is Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method (Eerdmans, 1999), the rich fruit of many years’ teaching at Calvin Seminary. It is a bit quote-heavy, and at times the structure is not easy to follow. But the book is a real gift to the church. It is well worth a slow, careful read for those who want not only to preach but also to read the Bible as Christ encourages us in Luke 24.

The heart of the book, and its most significant contribution, is six ways in which the New Testament writers see Christ in the Old Testament (pp. 203-77). These are overlapping and interconnected, but it is helpful nevertheless to see how Greidanus treats each distinctly. They are:

1. The Way of Redemptive-Historical Progression. This interpretive strategy connects Christ to events of redemptive significance in the OT which now find their true home in Jesus–Adam’s garden testing, exodus, return from exile, and so on. Luke is perhaps the NT writer who emphasizes this the most, though it is present throughout the NT. Greidanus says this first way is “the bedrock which supports all the other ways that lead to Christ in the New Testament” (234).

2. The Way of Promise-Fulfillment. The promises of the OT, according to the NT writers, all find satisfying fulfillment only in Jesus. This includes, but is far broader than, mere one-to-one identity correspondence (Micah 5:2 speaks of a coming ruler to be born in Bethlehem; Jesus fulfills the promise of Micah 5:2). When Matt. 13:35 quotes Ps. 78:2, for example, there is seemingly no “promise” in this OT text, yet Matthew tells us that Jesus is “fulfilling” it.

3. The Way of Typology. God sovereignly acts in observable, historically-embedded patterns. For this reason the NT writers see Jesus as the final and ultimate instance (antitype) of earlier repeated patterns (types). For example, the sacrificial system anticipates a final sacrifice (cf. 1 Cor. 5:7). Hebrews is perhaps the most typologically-loaded book in the NT.

4. The Way of Analogy. By this Greidanus means the application of OT categories to describe NT realities. The main example here is the way the NT speaks of the church using language that applies to Israel in the OT. (Dispensational readers will understand the use of such language differently from Greidanus.) For example, OT Israel is called the bride of Yahweh (Jer. 2:2; Hos. 2:14-20), and this language is picked up by the NT to speak of Christ’s relationship to the church.

5. The Way of Longitudinal Themes. By “longitudinal themes” Greidanus means motifs that develop as God gradually reveals more of himself and his ways over the course of history. Big ones include covenant, God’s kingdom, law, mediation, or the presence of God. This is the strategy most closely bound up with the discipline of biblical theology.

6. The Way of Contrast. This final strategy for seeing Christ in the OT, unlike the previous five, focuses on how Christ is different from what has come before. Greidanus suggests as an example the way God called Israel out in the OT as a single nation, destroying other nations, whereas Jesus sends out his disciples to all the nations, to win them (Matt. 28:19-20).

Greidanus’s good work is not the final word on how a Christ-illuminated hermeneutic works, but for those wishing to grow in their understanding of how the OT finds its climactic Yes in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20) Greidanus’ sixfold framework is a good place to start.

See also Collin Hansen’s good interview with Greidanus this past February.

The Hardest Sermons

2011-08-09T12:17:00.004-04:00

Speaking of J.I. Packer's 'easy' task of preaching for his godly friend's funeral, I saw last week that a book about hard sermons is coming out soon. The following is Dane Ortland's overview of the book, followed by my thoughts on both its potential usefulness and possible dangers:

Ortland:
This looks like a very helpful resource for pastors: The Hardest Sermons You’ll Ever Have to Preach: Help from Trusted Preachers for Tragic Times, edited by Bryan Chapell, out from Zondervan later this month.

Part of the publisher’s description reads:

Cancer. Suicide. The death of a child. As much as we wish we could avoid tragedies like these, eventually they will strike your church community. When they do, pastors must be ready to offer help by communicating the life-changing message of the gospel in a way that offers hope, truth, and encouragement during these difficult circumstances. Those asked to preach in the midst of tragedy know the anxiety of trying to say appropriate things from God’s Word that will comfort and strengthen God’s people when emotions and faith are stretched thin. This indispensable resource helps pastors prepare sermons in the face of tragedies by providing suggestions for how to approach different kinds of tragedy, as well as insight into how to handle the theological challenges of human suffering.

Contributors include Jerram Barrs, Wilson Benton, Jack Collins, Dan Doriani, Bob Flayhart, Michael Horton, Tim Keller, Mike Khandjian, John Piper, Robert Rayburn, and George Robertson.

Vaillancourt:
I think this book is great…and dangerous. Great because it gives (especially young) pastors an idea of what other men in other contexts have said when their people were grieving. Great if it is read before the tragedy, as a tool that shapes the pastor and gives him an idea of what might happen and what he might say. But it is dangerous too. As a young solo pastor of a small church, tragedy drove me to my knees. In my brokenness and weakness as a pastor in the face of the suicide of an unbeliever related to people in our church, and in the face of the sudden death of the most beloved church member, I was more needy than ever. I prayed through those sermons more than any others, and God provided a particular message for the particular hurting people in my particular context each time. If this book is used as a general model, to add to the pastor’s wisdom before the tragedy, it might be awesome. It’s contributors certainly are! But if this book is overly leaned-on in the moment of tragedy, it might be too much of a crutch. I’ve heard Keller say that the problem with radio preaching is that its application is too general because the preachers are speaking to a general audience. I think that the same applies to books of sermons. They can be great wisdom-inducing tools, but they should not be one’s only resource, and in this case, not the primary one at the moment of tragedy.

J.I. Packer's Funeral Sermon For John Stott

2011-08-09T12:07:00.002-04:00

Over lunch today I listened to/watched J.I. Packer preach for/eulogize his friend, John Stott. Both the Biblical exposition and the eulogy were very edifying. What a joy it must have been to serve his friend in this way. Watch and be encouraged to live for Christ!

HT: JT

John Stott: When Do You Feel Most Alive?

2011-08-06T11:23:00.002-04:00

Depression and The Ministry

2011-07-22T09:49:00.003-04:00

I found the following Gospel Coalition Blog series on depression and the ministry EXTREMELY helpful, particularly Garrett Higbee's article (#2) on diagnosing depression in one's self as a pastor, and Bob Kellemen's article (#5) on facing depression with Christ. Here are all the titles, authors, and links:

Paul Tripp, Part 1: The Setup

Garrett Higbee, Part 2: Occupational Hazards

Steve Viars, Part 3: A Ministry Sabbatical

Jeremy Lelek, Part 4: The Need for Wise Disclosure

Bob Kellemen, Part 5: Facing Depression with Christ

And here is a very helpful quote from Dr. Kellemen's article, just to convince you to read the whole series:

Victory Over or Struggling With?
Whatever Paul’s thorn in the flesh was, even after pleading with God three times, God chose not to remove it. Consider how common it was for Paul to “struggle with” rather than to experience “victory over.”
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death” (2 Cor. 1:8-9a).
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).
“. . . in great endurance; in troubles; in hardships and distresses . . . sorrowful, yet always rejoicing . . . ” (2 Corinthians 6:4b, 10a).
Rare is the person who experiences miraculous, instantaneous, and ongoing victory overdepression. Rather than being discouraging, the candid message of daily courageousstruggles against depression is encouraging because it’s true to life as we live it in a fallen world in fallen bodies.
Pastor—in all integrity I have to share with you that God does not guarantee “victory over.” God does not promise “cure” or “recovery” if by that we mean the guaranteed removal of all symptoms of depression. However, God does promise to comfort and care (2 Cor. 1:3-5). He does promise that what cannot be cured can be endured (1 Cor. 10:13)

And one more by the same author:

Pastor—how will you know when you’re “cured”? When finding God is more important than finding relief. When knowing Christ and being like Christ is more important than finding a cure. When you’re facing your depression face to face with Christ so you’re increasingly reflecting the face of Christ.

Church-Rents and Schismes, by George Herbert: A Novice's Commentary

2011-07-18T23:49:00.007-04:00

As is probably obvious to the readers of this blog, of late I've been really enjoying the poetry of George Herbert (1593-1633). I love the hymns of Newton and Wesley and Watts and Cowper, with their theological depth and immediate accessibility. But for poetry's sake, I like George Herbert even more. Most of his poems (or all of them?) would make poor hymns. The imagery bears much more reflection to tease out the meaning, than a hymn would warrant. But through reading and re-reading, and marking it up, and wrestling, a beauty and profundity emerges. Such was the case as I read and re-read his poem on fights and splits within churches, this past week. What follows will be a breakdown of the poem, with each verse followed by a few of my own observations...

Church-rents and schismes.

Brave rose, (alas!) where art thou? in the chair
Where thou didst lately so triumph and shine,
A worm doth sit, whose many feet and hair
Are the more foul, the more thou wert divine.
This, this hath done it, this did bite the root
And bottome of the leaves: which when the winde
Did once perceive, it blew them under foot,
Where rude unhallow’d steps do crush and grinde
Their beauteous glories. Onely shreds of thee,
And those all bitten, in thy chair I see.

Herbert images the local church as a rose. But this rose, once brave, has lately been half-eaten by a worm, and then its petals have been torn off and blown underfoot and trampled. Only half-eaten, trampled, petals remain of what was once beautiful. The former beauty of the rose, makes the worm that ate it more all the more hideous.

Why doth my Mother blush? is she the rose,
And shows it so? Indeed Christs precious bloud
Gave you a colour once; which when your foes
Thought to let out, the bleeding did you good,
And made you look much fresher then before.
But when debates and fretting jealousies
Did worm and work within you more and more,
Your colour faded, and calamities
Turned your ruddie into pale and bleak:
Your health and beautie both began to break.

I believe that 'my Mother' refers to either Herbert's denomination (The Church of England), or the church universal. In response to the current state of the rose, her mother blushes. Then Herbert begins to reflect on that rose's past. In the beginning, the blood of Christ gave it colour. Then, enemies persecuted the church, but that bleeding did it good, and made the rose look even fresher than before. Is it not the case that red blood would add to the vivacity of any read rose's colour? So it is with churches that bleed because the world hates the gospel: they only get stronger (cf. the entire book of Acts). But then when fighting began within the church, her colour faded, her ruddie turned pale and bleak, and her health and beauty both began to break. I think that this is the most profound verse in the poem. Whereas persecution from without only makes a church stronger in Christ, persecution from within only serves to weaken and destroy it.

Then did your sev’rall parts unloose and start:
Which when your neighbours saw, like a north-winde,
They rushed in, and cast them in the dirt
Where Pagans tread. O Mother deare and kinde,
Where shall I get me eyes enough to weep,
As many eyes as starres? since it is night,
And much of Asia and Europe fast asleep,
And ev’n all Africk; would at least I might
With these two poore ones lick up all the dew,
Which falls by night, and poure it out for you!

The splintering of the church made the persecutors from without come back for more assaults, this time on a weakened church. Enemies of Christ use the momentum from inner-fighting, to deal it a crushing blow from without. This reminds me, for example, of the media coverage surrounding Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida, when a number of members tried to oust their new pastor, who was a very faithful man and the Grandson of Billy Graham. I'm very thankful that Tullian continues as pastor of that church today, and that the media coverage did not result in a crushing blow to the church! But I digress, and our poem continues. Herbert again refers to his Mother (the larger body of churches?), and then reflects on all the countries of his day (17th century) that had not yet been impacted with the gospel, and through beautiful imagery, says that it would be impossible to cry enough tears for these lost souls. Tragically, whereas in England Christians were fighting and being rendered harmful to each other, they were also being rendered useless to the global cause of missions, because all of their energy was being taken up in harming one another.

Behind the beauty and profundity of this poem, there is great tragedy. Is Herbert not right, and is it not true that fights and quarrels among Christians are all too commonplace, not to mention the most harmful assault a Christian could ever endure? Lord, grant your people humility, and a great passion for your glory, and protect us from being stirred up to harm each other and render each other useless instruments of your fame in a world that desperately needs to see the beauty of Christ!

If you have any other insights into the poem, or if you have any corrections with regard to my very novice interpretation of it, please do leave a comment. My only real exposure to poetry, aside from learning to write limericks in grade school, was a course on Milton, and another on Charles Wesley, both at Tyndale University College and Seminary, during my school days. I am by no means an expert, but I love to read it anyway!

The poem again, in its entirety is as follows:

Church-rents and schismes.
Brave rose, (alas!) where art thou? in the chair
Where thou didst lately so triumph and shine,
A worm doth sit, whose many feet and hair
Are the more foul, the more thou wert divine.
This, this hath done it, this did bite the root
And bottome of the leaves: which when the winde
Did once perceive, it blew them under foot,
Where rude unhallow’d steps do crush and grinde
Their beauteous glories. Onely shreds of thee,
And those all bitten, in thy chair I see.
Why doth my Mother blush? is she the rose,
And shows it so? Indeed Christs precious bloud
Gave you a colour once; which when your foes
Thought to let out, the bleeding did you good,
And made you look much fresher then before.
But when debates and fretting jealousies
Did worm and work within you more and more,
Your colour faded, and calamities
Turned your ruddie into pale and bleak:
Your health and beautie both began to break.

Then did your sev’rall parts unloose and start:
Which when your neighbours saw, like a north-winde,
They rushed in, and cast them in the dirt
Where Pagans tread. O Mother deare and kinde,
Where shall I get me eyes enough to weep,
As many eyes as starres? since it is night,
And much of Asia and Europe fast asleep,
And ev’n all Africk; would at least I might
With these two poore ones lick up all the dew,
Which falls by night, and poure it out for you!

Does the Apostle Peter Misuse the Old Testament?

2011-07-14T01:34:00.004-04:00

A writer sent along this question to the Gospel Coalition:

I’m reading through Acts this month. In Acts 1:20, Peter’s talking about Judas and quotes Psalm 69, “May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it.” But Psalm 69 doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Judas. In fact, that psalm seems somewhat anti-gospel. It’s all about David wanting God to smite his enemies, but Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they’re doing.” Did Peter have a bad hermeneutic? If someone tried to quote a psalm like this without apostolic authority, would you call them crazy?

D.A. Carson very helpfully answers the question(s) here. Whereas many Christians view the Old Testament as a set of predictions about Christ and the gospel event, Carson helpfully points to it as partly this, but more often a set of trajectories, or types, that lead us to Christ. His full explanation is well worth the read. In fact, reading essays like this one help a believer to better develop their instinct to find Christ in their own reading of the Old Testament. I believe that this evangelical Biblical Theology is the key that unlocks Scripture's own hermeneutic. Read and be blessed!

C.S. Lewis on the Best Heart-Stirring Devotional Literature

2011-07-13T08:47:00.002-04:00

I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that “nothing happens” when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand. C.S. Lewis

HT: Challies

Peace, by George Herbert

2011-07-11T19:34:00.004-04:00

PEACE.

SWEET PEACE, where dost thou dwell ? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And ask’d, if Peace were there.
A hollow winde did seem to answer, No :
Go seek elsewhere.

I did ; and going did a rainbow note :
Surely, thought I,
This is the lace of Peaces coat :
I will search out the matter.
But while I lookt, the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.

Then went I to a garden, and did spy
A gallant flower,
The crown Imperiall : Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell.
But when I digg’d, I saw a worm devoure
What show’d so well.

At length I met a rev’rend good old man :
Whom when of Peace
I did demand, he thus began ;
There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who liv’d with good increase
Of flock and fold.

He sweetly liv’d ; yet sweetnesse did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat :
Which many wondring at, got some of those
To plant and set.

It prosper’d strangely, and did soon disperse
Through all the earth :
For they that taste it do rehearse,
That vertue lies therein ;
A secret vertue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sinne.

Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you ;
Make bread of it : and that repose
And peace, which ev’ry where
With so much earnestnesse you do pursue
Is onely there.

Gratefulness, by George Herbert

2011-07-11T16:30:00.002-04:00

This amazing poem complemented my weekend study of 1 Thess 5:18 very well (give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you).

Gratefulness

You that have giv'n so much to me,

Give one thing more, a grateful heart.

See how your beggar works on thee

By art.

He makes your gifts occasion more,

And says, If he in this be crossed,

All you have giv'n him heretofore

Is lost.

But you did reckon, when at first

Your word our hearts and hands did crave,

What it would come to at the worst

To save.

Perpetual knockings at your door,

Tears sullying your transparent rooms,

Gift upon gift, much would have more,

And comes.

This notwithstanding, you still went on,

And did allow us all our noise:

Nay, you have made a sigh and groan

Your joys.

Not that you have not still above

Much better tunes, than groans can make;

But that these country-airs your love

Did take.

Wherefore I cry, and cry again;

And in no quiet can you be,

Till I a thankful heart obtain

Of thee:

Not thankful, when it pleases me;

As if your blessings had spare days:

But such a heart, whose pulse may be

Your praise.

Funny and Insightful

2011-07-01T08:11:00.000-04:00

HT: Challies

Should Congregations Vote, or Should Elders Rule?...Part II

2011-06-29T09:00:00.002-04:00

Even before the articles by James MacDonald, and the various web responses, I had been thinking through issues of church polity. Although blogs tend to be more brief and less thought out than books, the few articles I've read on the blogosphere have helped me as I continue to wrestle with these issues. In my last post, I recommended that everyone read James MacDonald's two posts that argue for elder rule and against congregationalism (with links provided). Now I want to recommend that you all read a very thoughtful response by Jonathan Leeman of 9 Marks (i.e. Mark Dever's group). He is respectful of James MacDonald (as James is respectful of 9 Marks), and he interacts especially with Matthew 16 and 18 as key passages which he argues, mandate that the congregation is the final authority and not just the elders. Whether you agree or disagree with him, you should read his post (found here). I think that even more important than where one lands on this issue (although that is enormously important), is the nuanced way they will practically apply their position. I heartily agree with Leeman's final paragraph, but I'm afraid that many (or most?) congregational churches would strongly disagree. If you are going to argue for congregational church government, I believe you must follow this counsel or you are surely being unbiblical, and in turn, are heading towards being a nightmare church. Leeman writes:

Finally, one more word about the nature of congregational authority: it’s a passive and narrow authority. It’s not the authority to lead, per se, it’s the authority to VETO bad leadership. If the elders compromise the gospel, the congregation should VETO the compromise. If a member’s life becomes compromised, the congregation should VETO (metaphorically speaking) that person’s profession of faith through excommunication. By implication, yes, I think that means the congregation also has authority to choose leaders and affirm members. But still, the mantel of day-to-day leadership and oversight falls to the elders (e.g., the congregation should seek out the elders’ leadership when it comes to new members and new leaders). The abuse of congregationalism to which MacDonald objects occurs whenever congregations try to lead: “Pastor, you need to listen to us, and do what we say!”

Remember, if God has mandated that a Kingdom of Priests be the final authority in all church matters, then he has certainly not ordained that a Kingdom of Kings operate with no leadership but their own. Within the kindom of priests there are leaders, kings if you like, who must lead, initiate, and be trusted. The question MacDonald and Leeman are asking is not whether this is the case, but rather, within an elder-led church, whether congregations should vote. In both models, congregations may interact and be brought into the decision-making process, but in Leeman's model alone, do congregations vote. I'm afraid that most of MacDonald's first post deals with congregationalism gone horribly wrong, and not with Leeman's position at all.

But again, read, think, and wrestle to be Biblical in all things!

Should Congregations Vote, or Should Elders Rule?

2011-06-22T11:17:00.000-04:00

I dare say that most Christians have never even considered this question. Christians tend to assume that the tradition they were raised with is Biblical, and may not even know that the other position exists. But it is a fact that many churches believe that the final locus of authority in a church rests with the congregation, and many others believe that the final locus of authority in a church rests with the elders. Now, there are extremes in both instances. On the one extreme is the congregational church with a consensus mentality, that functionally holds that no member should ever disagree with any decision made by the church; if one member disagrees, then the decision will be made to do nothing (effectively offending many others, who supported this direction, but I digress). On the other extreme is the elder's board that operates alone, without ever consulting the congregation, stomps around showing displays of power, and is not afraid to offend the most wise church member. Somewhere in the middle are elder-led congregationally ruled churches (e.g. Mark Dever), and elder-ruled, congregationally loving/listening/caring churches (e.g. James MacDonald). Ignoring the presence of a continuum, here are some denominations that hold to one or the other position:

Congregational Rule:

- Baptists

- Associated Gospel Churches

- Pentecostal Churches

- Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches

- Many others

Elder Rule:

- Brethren Churches (various streams)

- Harvest Churches (think, James MacDonald)

- Sovereign Grace Ministries Churches (think, C.J. Mahaney)

- Many others

Whatever your position, it is useful to think through the issue, especially if you have never considered other sides, or if you have never thought through your own position through a biblical lens (but rather, your traditional lens/cultural assumptions). Love him or hate him, James MacDonald has recently provided two blog posts that seek to refute congregationalism and argue for elder-rule.

In his first post, he uses hyperbole and anecdote to show how congregational church government can hold churches captive (i.e. when it goes bad).

In his second post, he interacts with various Biblical passages, arguing that elder-rule is the Biblical model, and also fills out what elder-rule practically looks like in the Harvest family of churches (i.e. they seek to be balanced in their use of authority and he gives many examples of how this plays out).

Again, whatever your position, you would probably benefit from thinking through MacDonald's articles. (And please, do not leave a comment attacking me for supporting MacDonald. I'm supporting thinking through this issue, and I'm not necessarily supporting even the titles he gave to his articles. But they have helpful content to those who want to think critically through this issue, so I commend them to you!) Here they are again:

1. Congregational Government is From Satan

2. Responding to Satanic Attacks On My Post About Satanic Congregationalism

2011-06-14T12:45:00.002-04:00

What should John MacArthur do, now that he has preached microscopically on every single verse of the New Testament. I like the advice of this admiring blogger (note: no, I'm not dispensational, but I do like the rhyme at the end):

If I were John MacArthur, I’d keep doing the only thing I know how: dream big and preach the word. And I would start in the Old Testament. I’m not kidding. I don’t mean I’d ask God for 130 more years of life to go wormy again. I’d go bird’s-eye-view, chapter by chapter til the Rapture.

HT: Challies.com

Ministry and Tears

2011-06-08T16:05:00.000-04:00

From Justin Taylor:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews. . . . Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears” (Acts 20:18-19, 31).

“For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you” (2 Cor. 2:4).

“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil. 3:18).

Rethinking Seminary, Especially For Canadians

2011-06-08T09:53:00.002-04:00

I really enjoyed my buddy Clint's thoughts on Canadians, Seminary, and Pastoral Training in the following two articles:

Should a Seminary Be a Pastor Factory?

Where Should I Go to Bible College or Seminary: The Canadian Question

Clint seems to be hinting that like-minded local churches need to band together in the practical training of men for pastoral ministry, even as they piggy-back on some of the academic resources that Seminaries and Universities have to offer (e.g. if the group of pastors in a given context don't know Hebrew well enough to teach it to future pastors, send the man away for that aspect of his training). I agree with this analysis, and would add that a more grass roots movement needs to rise up where PhD graduates with a heart for the church need to forgo glory in the academic guild, and focus their efforts on small-scale training and mentoring in the context of a local church. Their scholarly output may not end up being cutting edge, but the fruit of their labours will be greatly multiplied through trained pastors who can handle the Word of God correctly, apply it penetratingly, and lead congregations practically.

Do such movements exist in Canada today? Or, who will be the first to begin such a work?

Contending (for the Faith) and Communing (with God)

2011-06-06T13:41:00.001-04:00

Two quotes from John Owen’s preface to Vindiciae Evangelicae ["Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated"] (1655), Works vol. 12:

“When the heart is cast indeed into the mould of the doctrine that the mind embraceth,
—when the evidence and necessity of the truth abides in us,
—when not the sense of the words only is in our heads, but the sense of the thing abides in our hearts
—when we have communion with God in the doctrine we contend for
—then shall we be garrisoned by the grace of God against all the assaults of men.”

“Let us . . . not think that we are anything the better for our conviction of the truths of the great doctrines of the gospel, for which we contend with these men, unless we find the power of the truths abiding in our own hearts, and have a continual experience of their necessity and excellency in our standing before God and our communion with him.”

HT: Dane Ortlund, via Justin Taylor

Best Parenting Resources (from my limited perspective)

2011-05-20T13:38:00.003-04:00

Speaking of parenting, a friend recently asked me the best books or resources I've encountered on this subject. DeYoung's little article is really helpful. But here are the best books I've read and other resources I've encountered:

1. Gospel-Powered Parenting, by William P. Farley
This book is the most foundational practical theology of parenting I've come across. It addresses the issue of needing Dads as leaders, and that the most significant thing a parent can do for their kids is to cultivate a great, Christ-centered marriage. I would want any parent to read this one first!

2. Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Ted Tripp
Yes, I do realize that most young reformed people put this in first place, second place, third place, and every place after that. But I still maintain that Farley's book is more foundational, and a better place to start. Having said that, Tripp offers a great framework for parenting and it is very practical. As soon as you are feeling dejected, though, read and re-read DeYoung's article!

3. Don't Make Me Count to Three, by Ginger Plowman
Admittedly, I'm not quite finished this book. But it is amazing. My wife and I love the way it works out many of the nuts and bolts of Tripp's theories into every day life. It's anecdotal content is very welcome to us. I'd be tempted to put it at #2, because I find it a bit more down to earth than Tripp, but I put it here because it is so dependent on his methods. Read them both!

4. God, Marriage, and Family, by Andreas Kostenberger
This is about the opposite of Plowman's book, but that doesn't make it unhelpful. In this book a New Testament scholar outlines a biblical theology of marriage and family through the Old and New Testaments. Like with Plowman, I have not read every word, but I've been helped by all the sections I have read!

5. Watching My Pastors
I've been blessed with great friends and great pastors at my church and elsewhere. I can say that the three pastors of my church are especially worth watching and listening to on this subject. I don't say this to brag about my church (I don't even name it here), but I simply say this to underline a reality: sometimes parenting is more caught than taught. Watching godly examples is invaluable in learning to parent well! Are you at a church whose elders are worth emulating? May their tribe increase!!!

6. Sermons and Messages
Find messages on-line by C.J. Mahaney, Carolyn Mahaney, Kenneth Maresco, John Piper, Tim Keller, etc and devour them.

Now, I know that this is not a complete list. It is a personal list of resources that have most helped me. I'm yet to read Instructing a Child's Heart, but I'm sure it will make the list when I do. But these are a few places that I've been helped as I seek to faithfully shepherd in my own home!

Encouragement to Parents Via Kevin DeYoung

2011-05-20T13:31:00.004-04:00

I was extremely encouraged by this Kevin DeYoung article for parents. If you are a non-parent who tisks at all of the imperfect parents you see at church, maybe you should read it and be rebuked. If you are a normal parent who struggles along to be faithful, but who feels dejected at times, you should definitely read and be encouraged. Here is one section to get you wanting more:

There are already scores of books on parenting, many of them quite good. I’ve read several of them and have learned much. I really do believe in gospel-powered parenting and shepherding my child’s heart. I want conversations like this:

Me: What’s the matter son?
Child: I want that toy and he won’t give it to me!
Me: Why do you want the toy?
Child: Because it will be fun to play with.
Me: Do you think he is having fun playing with the toy right now?
Child: Yes.
Me: Would it make him sad to take the toy away?
Child: I guess so.
Me: And do you like to make your brother sad?
Child: No.
Me: You know, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. That means loving your brother the way he would want to be loved. Since Jesus loves us so much, we have every reason to love others–even your brother. Would you like to love him by letting him play with the toy for awhile?
Child: Yes I would daddy.

I try that. Really I do. But here’s what actually happens:

Me: What’s the matter son?
Child: I want that toy and he won’t give it to me!
Me: Why do you want the toy?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: What’s going on in your heart when you desire that toy?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: Think about it son. Use your brain. Don’t you know something?
Child: I guess I just want the toy.
Me: Obviously. But why?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: Fine. [Mental note: abandon "why" questions and skip straight to leading questions.] Do you think he is having fun playing with the toy right now?
Child: No.
Me: Really?! He’s not having fun? Then why does he want that toy in the first place?
Child: Because he’s mean.
Me: Have you ever considered that maybe you are being mean by trying to rip the toy from his quivering little hands?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: What do you know?
Child: I don’t know!
Me: Nevermind. [I wonder how my brilliant child can know absolutely nothing at this moment.] Well, I think taking the toy from him will make your brother sad. Do you like to make him sad?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: [Audible sigh.]
Child: He makes me sad all the time!
Me: Well, I’m getting sad right now with your attitude! [Pause, think, what would Paul Tripp do? Thinking . . . .thinking . . . .man, I can't stop thinking of that mustache. This isn't working. Let's just go right to the Jesus part.] You know, Jesus wants us to love each other.
Child: I don’t know.
Me: I didn’t ask you a question!
Child: [Pause.] Can I have some fruit snacks?
Me: No, you can’t have fruit snacks. We are talking about the gospel. Jesus loves us and died for us. He wants you to love your brother too.
Child: So?
Me: So give him the toy back!

Then I lunge for the toy and the child runs away. I tell him to come back here this instant and threaten to throw the toy in the trash. I recommit myself to turning down speaking engagements on parenting.

Access the whole thing here.

HT: Justin Taylor

Government as Avenger on the Wrongdoer

2011-05-02T18:43:00.001-04:00

I appreciated Justin Taylor reminding me of this verse, on this particular day:

“[A governing authority] not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”

—Romans 13:4

Last Night's Joint Good Friday Service

2011-04-23T09:17:00.007-04:00

Last night about a thousand people from five different churches gathered for a joint Good Friday Service in downtown Toronto. The night was hosted by the Senior Pastors of each of the five churches, who took turns reading the seven from the cross throughout the service.

Worship was led by Grace Toronto Church, and my old friend, Ian Cusson, arranged it wonderfully. The night began with a drama, followed by readings intermingled with cross-centered songs with old and new lyrics. Then Joe Boot preached a culturally engaging message on all people's liability before God, and the discovery of life and liberty in the cross of Jesus Christ.

In all, it was a great time of seeing old friends, meeting new friends, worshiping King Jesus for his cross, and making a statement to the city of Toronto that the church of Jesus Christ is united, vibrant, and present. The presence factor was greatly helped by the fact that we met at the Winter Garden Theater at Yonge and Queen, a house that is used most evenings to entertain the masses, was used last night to worship the crucified King Jesus, who died for our sins. Praise God!

One thing that struck me about the evening was the cost of Christian unity. In this internet age, and the age of rapid transportation, I'm taught that I can find a perfect fit for all of my preferences, all the time. I don't download sermons by preachers who almost connect with my personality, and I drive a long distance to get to the church of my choice. Last night's service was awesome, but it also featured some small things that I would have done just a little bit differently if I were in charge. As I walked away from the evening, I found myself wishing those few features were different, and then I caught myself: was I there as a servant or as a consumer? Was I loving the statement that unity in Christ made, or was I selfishly wishing that my preferences were all met? Especially in a gathering that happens infrequently, should not Christians delight to do things a bit differently in order to unite with brothers and sisters from different traditions, who use different methodologies and who come from slightly different cultural backgrounds? The answer to all of these is a resounding 'yes'. This of course is not to mention the fact that I can probably learn a lot from those very people with whom I differ on these fronts. I thank God for the Toronto Gospel Alliance and I hope that many such events are held in the future.

Note: Thanks to Darryl Dash for taking the great pictures!

John Wesley on How to Improve Your Preaching

2011-04-18T19:14:00.001-04:00

Justin Taylor records the excellent counsel here.

Tim Keller On Why We Love Fairie Stories

2011-04-15T16:03:00.000-04:00

HT: JT

The Relationship Between Exodus and Leviticus in the Biblical Storyline

2011-04-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

From Justin Taylor's Blog...
------------

Jay Sklar, professor of Old Testament at Covenant Seminary, a contributor to the ESV Study Bible, and author of a forthcoming Tyndale commentary on Leviticus, has a very helpful explanation here about the place of Leviticus as the storyline of Scripture unfolds:

. . . [I]t is vital to remember that Leviticus is part of a much larger story, especially the one told in Exodus.

You could tell that story like this:

In Exodus the Lord delivers his people from slavery with mighty signs and wonders (1-15) and brings them to Sinai (16-19), telling them there that they are to be his “kingdom of priests and holy nation.”

He confirms their kingdom status by entering into a covenant with them as their king and giving them kingdom laws to follow (20-24).

But that is not all! He is going to be a king who is near to them, dwelling in their very midst, and this is why he proceeds to give them directions for his tabernacle, his earthly palace (25-31, 35-40).

And all of this leads to a very burning question if you’re an Israelite:

How in the world can the holy and pure king of the universe dwell among his sinful and impure people? How can he live here—in our very midst—without his holiness melting us in our sin and impurity?!

Answer: Leviticus, which begins by explaining the sacrifices that address sin and enable them to worship this king rightly (Leviticus 1-7).

Answer: Leviticus, which provides them with priests to intercede on their behalf and lead them in worship before the king (Leviticus 8-10).

Answer: Leviticus, which gives them laws to teach them how to deal properly with impurity (Leviticus 11-15).

Answer: Leviticus, which provides a yearly ceremony to remove every last ounce of sin and impurity from the kingdom (Leviticus 16).

Answer, Leviticus, which provides a whole series of laws in other areas to direct them in living like a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Leviticus 17-27).

George Herbert on Affliction

2011-04-13T00:16:00.007-04:00

George Herbert (1593-1633) wrote five poems on affliction. As I read and re-read and contemplated those poems this week, two stuck out as most powerful and profound. I copy/paste them here at great risk, because the medium of the blog is not conducive to thought, reflection, reading, re-reading, and contemplation. A blog is a cotton candy medium that encourages quick tastes (glances at pixels), rather than chewing the cud (deep thought and reflection). However, I post these in hopes that some of you will print this post out, stick it in your pocket, mark it up with a pencil and benefit greatly from it. Upon first reading these two poems, certain lines stuck out to me, but I did not understand everything Herbert was saying. But meditation has been very fruitful for my soul. This is iron for the soul for the person who is willing to spend the time to extract it. So, here you go:

Affliction. (III)

MY heart did heave, and there came forth, “O God !”
By that I knew that Thou wast in the grief,
To guide and govern it to my relief,
            Making a sceptre of the rod :
                Hadst Thou not had Thy part,
Sure the unruly sigh had broke my heart.


But since Thy breath gave me both life and shape,
Thou know'st my tallies ;* and when there’s assigned
So much breath to a sigh, what’s then behind?
      Or if some years with it escape,
          The sigh then only is
A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss.


Thy life on earth was grief, and Thou art still
Constant unto it, making it to be
A point of honour, now to grieve in me,
      And in Thy members suffer ill.
          They who lament one cross,
Thou dying daily, praise Thee to Thy loss.

-----------------------------------

Affliction. (V)

MY God, I read this day,
That planted Paradise was not so firm, 
As was and is thy floting Ark; whose stay 
And anchor thou art onely, to confirm        
And strengthen it in ev’ry age,        
When waves do rise, and tempests rage.             


At first we liv’d in pleasure;
Thine own delights thou didst to us impart; 
When we grew wanton, thou didst use displeasure 
To make us thine: yet that we might not part,        
As we at first did board with thee,        
Now thou wouldst taste our miserie.


There is but joy and grief;
If either will convert us, we are thine: 
Some Angels us’d the first; if our relief 
Take up the second, then thy double line        
And sev’rall baits in either kinde        
Furnish thy table to thy minde.         


Affliction then is ours; 
We are the trees, whom shaking fastens more, 
While blustring winds destroy the wanton bowres, 
And ruffle all their curious knots and store.        
My God, so temper joy and wo,    
That thy bright beams may tame thy bow.

More George Herbert

2011-04-11T01:12:00.000-04:00

THE GLANCE.
by George Herbert

When first thy sweet and gracious eye
Vouchsaf'd ev'n in the midst of youth and night
To look upon me, who before did lie
Weltring in sinne ;
I felt a sugred strange delight,
Passing all cordials made by any art,
Bedew, embalme, and overrunne my heart,
And take it in.

Since that time many a bitter storm
My soul hath felt, ev'n able to destroy,
Had the malicious and ill-meaning harm
His swing and sway :
But still thy sweet originall joy
Sprung from thine eye, did work within my soul,
And surging griefs, when they grew bold, controll,
And got the day.

If thy first glance so powerfull be,
A mirth but open'd and seal'd up again ;
What wonders shall we feel, when we shall see
Thy full-ey'd love!
When thou shalt look us out of pain,
And one aspect of thine spend in delight
More then a thousand sunnes disburse in light,
In heav'n above.

George Herbert

2011-04-05T21:16:00.003-04:00

George Herbert has instantly become my favourite poet. I'm so thankful that a friend pointed me to him this week; I'd never read anything by him until now. This one, among many, stood out to me tonight...

COLOSSIANS III. 3.

OUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD.

MY words and thoughts do both express this notion,
That LIFE hath with the sun a double motion.
The first IS straight, and our diurnal friend :
The other HID, and doth obliquely bend.
One life is wrapt IN flesh, and tends to earth ;
The other winds t'wards HIM whose happy birth
Taught me to live here so THAT still one eye
Should aim and shoot at that which IS on high—
Quitting with daily labour all MY pleasure,
To gain at harvest an eternal TREASURE.

Source:
Herbert, George. The Works of George Herbert in Prose and Verse.
New York: John Wurtele Lovell, 1881. 172.