Grudem’s “Christian Essentials” available

For the past five years Wayne Grudem has been teaching a “Christian Essentials” Sunday School class, which roughly corresponds to his bestselling Systematic Theology. You can listen online for free, as well as see his teaching outline (for most of the classes).

If you don’t own at least one of the following, I’d highly recommend them:

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• Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine ( Zondervan, 1995; 1291 pages). One of the best investments you can make for the money.
• Bible Doctrine (Zondervan, 1999; 528 pages). Jeff Purswell, now of Sovereign Grace Ministries, helped to edit this volume down to over half the size. A great addition in this volume is a glossary–not including in the big ST.
• Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know (Zondervan, 2005; 160 pages). Wayne’s son Elliot, a PCA pastor, edited this into a very simple handbook. It’s probably my first choice of a basic book to get into the hands of a new believer who wants a simple guide to Christianity 101.

(HT: Justin Taylor)

Filed under: Bible study, Church, Discipleship, Doctrine, Evangelical, The Bible, The Christian Life, The word of God, Wayne Grudem

The Studying Christian

An important and necessary challenge from from Mark Driscoll:

In following Jesus’ command to love God with “all our mind,” the Christian life is supposed to include regular times of study and learning. The goal of such study is to have what Paul called “the mind of Christ” so that we can live the life of Christ by the power of the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, this month we will examine the contemplative spiritual discipline of study and the correlating active spiritual discipline of obedience.

Study

In John 17:17, Jesus prayed that we would study our Bible. He said, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Therefore, to become more and more like Jesus we must have regular time in God’s Word. The Scriptures have much to say about the benefits of regular study.

Scripture regarding study

“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)

“Give me understanding to learn your commands.” (Psalm 119:73)

“Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” (Proverbs 9:9)

“Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.” (Proverbs 10:14)

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” (Proverbs 23:12)

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.” (1 Timothy 2:11)

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls [books], especially the parchments [Scriptures].” (2 Timothy 4:13)

To help us learn Scripture, we are told to:

Hear God’s Word (Luke 11:28; Romans 10:17), which means that listening to sermons, lectures, and audio Bibles is very beneficial.
Read God’s Word (e.g., Revelation 1:3) as Jesus often did.
Study God’s Word (e.g., Ezra 7:10; Acts 17:11) as Jesus often did, which caused people to be amazed at His insights (Matthew 7:28–29).
Memorize God’s Word (Psalm 119:11; Proverbs 22:17–19) as Jesus did, which enabled Him to freely quote Scripture as needed (e.g., Matthew 4:1–11).

Conclusion

Because Jesus humbly entered into history as a human being, He had to grow and learn just like we do (Luke 2:52). Subsequently, when we see Jesus frequently quoting Scripture from memory throughout His life, we must infer that He spent considerable amounts of time hearing Scripture, reading Scripture, studying Scripture, and memorizing Scripture.

Filed under: Bible study, Communion with God, Discipleship, Doctrine, Evangelical, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Mark Driscoll, Renewing the Mind, Sanctification, Spiritual Disciplines, The Bible, The Christian Life, The word of God

Interview with Sam Storms on Colossians

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Interviewed by Andy Naselli

C. Samuel Storms (b. 1951) is the founder of Enjoying God Ministries. He pastored for many years, and he was an associate professor of theology at Wheaton College from 2000 to 2004. He recently accepted the invitation to become Senior Pastor of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he will begin pastoring on September 14. He has earned degrees from the University of Oklahoma (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and the University of Texas at Dallas (Ph.D.). His website lists his voluminous publications, includes a blog, shares recommendations, and hosts articles on biblical, theological, and historical studies.

He recently authored The Hope of Glory: 100 Daily Meditations on Colossians (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007). More information about the book is available here.

1. You explain that you wrote this book “for the average, educated Christian believer” who is “passionate to know Christ better, hungry to be filled with the knowledge of the truth, and desperate to see him lifted high and holy in [his/her] life and in the experience of the church as a whole” (p. 12). How is your book different than a commentary?

Most commentaries focus almost entirely on exposition with little emphasis on application and contemporary relevance. Whereas I do provide careful exegetical analysis of the text, it is always with a view toward the concrete realities of everyday life and personal transformation. I’ve worked hard to pay careful attention to the context and flow of Paul’s argument while always asking questions of the text that will equip people to live in a way that magnifies the sufficiency of who Christ is for us. I suppose someone could use The Hope of Glory as a commentary, especially pastors who are preaching through Colossians, but it is primarily designed for average Christians who long to dig more deeply into God’s Word and to experience its life-changing power.

2. What is the story behind this book? What motivated you to write it?

I preached through Colossians twice in past years and have always loved the book. I was stirred to write this series of meditations (The Hope of Glory being the first of several) largely from the painful realization that many believers are frustrated in their efforts to read and understand God’s Word. They don’t know how to study it, they get overwhelmed and lost, they often confess boredom in their daily devotions. My aim was to unpack and apply the truth of Colossians in a way that would awaken people’s hearts to the glory of God in Christ as revealed in Scripture.

As you probably know, the church has gradually abandoned any sense of the functional authority of Scripture, by which I mean the role Scripture plays on a daily basis of shaping and fashioning how we think and choose and feel and live. Mere theological affirmations of the authority of Scripture aren’t enough. The church needs to experience again the practical, sin-killing, Christ-exalting, soul-satisfying power that is imparted to the heart through the inspired text.

3. One of the most challenging facets of sermon preparation is moving from exegesis to exposition to application. How might pastors use your book in conjunction with commentaries while preaching on Colossians?

“Moving from exegesis to application” is a great way of describing the essence of what this book is about. There is a sense in which these meditations are mini-sermons, not “mini” in substance but in size. I hope they demonstrate to pastors how the theological depth of God’s Word can bring life and joy and hope and change to individual lives. As for pastors preaching through Colossians, I suggest they use my book last of all. They need to engage in their own exegesis of the text before turning to The Hope of Glory for help with bringing the meaning of the ancient text into contemporary settings.

4. What have you found to be some of the most useful commentaries (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) on Colossians?

Sadly, Colossians has been somewhat neglected by scholars (in my opinion).

• The two best advanced commentaries are the ones by Peter O’Brien (Word Biblical Commentary) and Murray Harris (Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament). Harris isn’t technically a commentary but does provide the most detailed analysis of the Greek text. I can’t imagine anyone preaching through Colossians without using both Harris and O’Brien. James Dunn is also good.
• Intermediate level recommendations would include David Garland (NIVAC) and F. F. Bruce (Eerdmans).
• Beginner level books on Colossians are hard to find. May I suggest you start with the one by some fellow named Storms?

5. How would you concisely state the theme of Colossians?

The theme is largely tied up with the problem Paul was addressing in first century Colossae. The sufficiency of Christ was being undermined at every turn. That is why I would describe the theme in these words taken from the Introduction to my book (p. 12):

• “The truth that we gain from the Scriptures is wide-ranging, the treasure is multi-faceted, and the reward is incalculable. But in the book of Colossians it can be reduced to one glorious reality: Jesus Christ. This is the apostle’s point in Colossians 1:27, from which I’ve derived the title to the book. There he mentions the greatness of the riches of the glory of the mystery that God has made known to us: ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’”
• “We love the Scriptures because they lead us to Christ. We are assiduous in our reading of God’s Word because therein we see the beauty of God revealed in his Son; therein we taste the soul-satisfying sweetness of his redemptive blessings, therein we experience the sin-slaying power of his indwelling presence. In him, says Paul, ‘are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Col. 2:3). He is our exceeding great reward! Oh, what an excellent attainment there is in a thorough knowledge of divine truth!”

6. What advice would you give to people as they read The Hope of Glory?

Keep the biblical text in front of you at all times! Don’t become overly dependent on my book or any other. Read and re-read, then meditate on the inspired word. Memorize it. Write it down and carry it with you. Let the beauty of Scripture seep into your soul. Then turn to The Hope of Glory and pray that God would open your eyes to the glory of his Son.

7. What are some of your forthcoming writing projects (short-term and long-term)?

The Hope of Glory is the first in a series of biblical meditations that I’m writing. The second was just released by Crossway a couple of weeks ago. It is titled, To the One Who Conquers: 50 Daily Meditations on the Seven Letters of Revelation 2-3 (239 pp.). The third in this series is More Precious than Gold: 50 Daily Meditations on the Psalms and is due out from Crossway in February of 2009. I’m almost finished with A Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ: 100 Daily Meditations on 2 Corinthians, which I hope will be published sometime in late 2009.

8. Many thanks, Sam, for taking time to serve the readers of JT’s blog with such helpful comments!

You’re welcome. It was my pleasure. And many thanks to you and the others who are filling in for Justin while he languishes at a John Owen conference in England. Poor soul!

Filed under: Bible study, Communion with God, Discipleship, Doctrine, Evangelical, Jesus Christ, Sam Storms, Sanctification, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God

Interview with John Piper

Four videos of Adrian Warnock interviewing John Piper at the New Word Alive conference in April. Subjects range from preaching to prayer, and bible study to Piper’s testimony on becoming a pastor. Some great thoughts here.

Filed under: Bible study, Christian Ministry, Evangelical, John Piper, Prayer, Preaching, Substitutionary Atonement, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God

Studying the Bible

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God? Mark 12:24

J.C. Ryle commented on this passage (as relayed in a recent article in Banner of Truth magazine) that “We learn . . . from this passage, how much of religious error may be traced to ignorance of the Bible . . . The truth of the principle here laid down, is proved by facts in almost every age of church history. The reformation in Josiah’s day was closely connected with the discovery of the book of the law. The false doctrines of the Jews in our Lord’s time were the result of neglecting the Scriptures. The dark ages of Christendom were times when the Bible was kept back from the people. The Protestant Reformation was mainly effected by translating and circulating the Bible. The Churches which are most flourishing at this day are churches which honour the Bible. The nations which enjoy most moral light are nations in which the Bible is most known. The parishes in our land where there is most true religion are those in which the Bible is most studied. The godliest families are Bible-reading families. The holiest men and women are Bible-reading people. These are simple facts which cannot be denied.”

(HT: John Currid)

Filed under: Bible study, Christian Ministry, Discipleship, Evangelical, JC Ryle, Reformed, Sanctification, The Bible, The Christian Life, The word of God

Empty Tomb Theology

This is a great post from Derek Thomas:

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus (Lk. 24:1-3). It’s a familiar tale that Christians like us insist is true on the most literal sense. But what’s the big deal? Would the bottom fall out of Christianity if the tomb actually contained the body of Jesus? The answer that Scripture gives is “Yes!” Everything about Christianity would fall apart if the tomb had not been empty.

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Now, let’s be clear: we are talking about the resurrection of a dead body. That’s more than the resuscitation of a corpse. True, Jesus’ body did come to life again, but it then had abilities it did not possess before. For one thing, Jesus’ humanity after the resurrection was able to appear, vanish, and move unseen from one location to another (Luke 24:31, 36). And what’s more, we’re not talking about Jesus having been raised “in my heart” or in spirit so that I now can “feel” his presence with me wherever I go. When Bible writers describe the resurrection in physical terms first century readers would not think: “Cute! Do you mean you had a vision, or you feel him risen in your heart?” No, he would say, “Well, that’s all fine and dandy, I’m glad you had that experience. But why did you say he’s been raised from the dead?” Modern critics who dismiss first century readers in that way really are very silly indeed. It is always a mistake to think that the first readers of the new Testament were not as intelligent as we are! It didn’t take Einsteinian physics to conclude that dead people do not normally walk out of tombs three days after death!But let’s get back to the question: why is it essential that he be raised from the dead?

The answer to that is multidimensional, but let’s stick with this idea for now. Christianity promises me a new existence, one we generally, though, unspecifically call “heaven” but better termed “the new heavens and new earth” (Isa. 66:17, 22; 2 Pet. 3:13). The resurrection of Jesus introduces me to that world that he intends for us. It is a sign that death is not the end. Even though we die physically, we shall be raised again physically. Christianity is more than a good feeling here and now or a set of moral principles for this world’s existence. It is a promise of eternal life in a physical world.

This is Paul’s sustained argument in 1 Corinthians 15: death has been swallowed by the victory of the resurrection of Jesus. Some believe that Paul is arguing in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 that even before the Second Coming, those who die in Christ are given physical (though temporary) bodies in what is sometimes called the “intermediate state.” The point being that without the resurrection of Jesus, there is no basis for assurance that sins have been paid for. The resurrection of Jesus therefore informs us in about as dramatic a way possible that the penalty of sin (death) has been paid and that as our substitute and sin-bearer Jesus has received the Father’s “Well done, good and faithful servant!” His resurrection is a sign that the price he had paid on the cross for sin was enough. He had met the full demands of justice.

When Jesus walked out of the tomb by the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of his Father in heaven, he was signaling to us what we can expect in union with him: we too shall rise, in a new body as corporeal as his (remember, he ate fish for breakfast on the edge of the Sea of Galilee with some of the disciples and it doesn’t get more physical than that (Lk. 24:43)!

The resurrection of Jesus is the dawning of the new age, a glimpse of what it is not come in the here and now. A bit like a a trailer for a big forthcoming movie that ends in bold letters – COMING SOON!

Filed under: Bible study, Discipleship, Easter, Evangelical, Resurrection of Christ, Salvation, Sanctification, Second Coming, Sovereignty of God, Substitutionary Atonement, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Theology, Truth

The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses

Justin Taylor posts: Vern Poythress’s book, The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses, is now available online for free.

Here is the table of contents:

Part 1: Understanding the Different Aspects of the Law

1. The Challenge of the Law of Moses
2. The Tabernacle of Moses
3. The Sacrifices, Prefiguring the Final Sacrifice of Christ
4. The Priests and the People,
5. General Principles for God’s Dwelling with Human Beings Prefiguring Union with Christ
6. The Land of Palestine, the Promised Land
7. The Law and Its Order
8. The Purposes of the Tabernacle the Law, and the Promised Land: Pointing Forward to Christ
9. The Punishments and Penalties of the Law Prefiguring the Destruction of Sin and Guilt through Christ

Part 2: Understanding Specific Penalties of the Law

1. The Principle of Penal Substitution
2. Principles of Justice for the Modern State
3. Just Penalties for Many Crimes
4. Penalties for Sexual Crimes
5. Deterrence and Rehabilitation
6. A Critique of Prisons
7. Our Responsibilities Toward Imperfect States
8. Fulfillment of the Law in the Gospel According to Matthew

1. Appendix A: False Worship in the Modern State
   
2. Appendix B: Evaluating Theonomy
3. Appendix C: Does the Greek Word Πληρόω Sometimes Mean “Confirm”?

HT: Keith Plummer

Filed under: Attributes of God, Bible study, Evangelical, Hermeneutics, Jesus Christ, New Covenant, Old Testament, Substitutionary Atonement, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Union with Christ

Everyone Who Has Been Born of God Overcomes the World

Here’s the outline of  great sermon from John Piper on the signs of new life in Christ from 1 John. You can hear, watch or read the whole thing here.

The apostle John wrote his First Epistle to believers, with deceivers in their midst, to give them rock-solid confidence in their possession of eternal life as born-again children of God, so that they would not be drawn away after sin—all to the completion of his joy.

At the heart of John’s reason for writing was his desire to help his born-again readers know that they were born again—that they already had new, spiritual, eternal life.

In his letter, John gives eleven evidences of those who are born of God:
1. They keep God’s commandments (2:3-4; 3:24).
2. They walk as Christ walked (2:56).
3. They don’t hate others but love them (2:9; 3:14; 4:7-8, 20).
4. They don’t love the world (2:15).
5. They confess the Son and receive (have) him (2:23; 4:15; 5:12).
6. They practice righteousness (2:29).
7. They don’t make a practice of sinning (3:6, 9-10; 5:18).
8. They possess the Spirit of God (3:24; 4:13).
9. They listen submissively to the apostolic Word (4:6).
10. They believe that Jesus is the Christ (5:1).
11. They overcome the world (5:4).

These tests of the new birth are rigorous, but John does not mean for us to infer either that the born-again are perfect or that the born-again can loose their salvation. He affirms that “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1:8) that those who go out from us “were not of us” (2:19).

Those who are born again enjoy the dual comfort that they need not be perfect and that they will never ultimately fall away.

Filed under: Attributes of God, Bible study, Church, Conversion, Culture, Discipleship, Evangelical, God's Glory, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, John Piper, New Testament, Regeneration, Salvation, Sanctification, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Truth, Union with Christ

“Moralistic preaching assumes that we’re really not helpless sinners”

“We’ve all heard sermons, especially from the Old Testament, on the faithfulness of Abraham, David’s “heart for God”, Joshua’s leadership…and we were encouraged to “dare to be a Daniel”. But the Bible is nothing like Aesop’s fables… you know, a story to illustrate a moral point. Abraham was, in many ways, a moral failure. Even his willingness to sacrifice Isaac wasn’t an example for us, but was an occasion for God to foreshadow Christ as the ram caught in the thicket so that Isaac, and the rest of us, could go free. Moses was God’s man, but wavered under the burden and was barred from leading God’s people into Canaan. Joshua is not a source for leadership principles, unless we’re planning on leading a campaign of destruction against idolatrous nations in order to establish righteousness in God’s holy land. Yet read in the light of the history of redemption, Joshua and his ministry point forward to Jesus and his person and work. David can only ambiguously be held up as a heroic example because of his failures. In fact, God didn’t allow him to build the temple, but gave this honor to his son, Solomon. David’s main role in the story is to pre-sage his greater Son, who assumed the everlasting throne that God promised to David’s heir (…It’s really not about David…instead of Jesus playing a bit role in David’s life, David was playing a bit role in Jesus’ life).

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“Given the moralistic expectations often assumed, it’s no wonder that people find the Old Testament boring, and much of the New Testament incomprehensible… Instead of drawing a straight line of application from the narrative to us, which typically moralizes or allegorizes these stories, we’re taught by Jesus himself to understand these passages in light of their place in the unfolding drama of redemption that leads to Christ. Moralistic preaching, the bane of conservatives and liberals alike, assumes that we’re really not helpless sinners who need to be rescued, but decent folks who just need a few good examples, exhortations, and instructions.”

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– Michael Horton, What Would Moses Do?, White Horse Inn, 2-17-08

(HT: The Vossed Word)

Filed under: Bible study, Christian Ministry, Discipleship, Evangelical, Hermeneutics, Jesus Christ, New Covenant, Substitutionary Atonement, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God

Piper on relating to God

What does it mean to have a relationship with God?

O that all believers would make it a priority to grow in answering that question! That they would join those in church history who have gone deepest in their relationship with God! I’ll mention John Owen as one example. He has written a book called Communion with God, which is another old-fashioned way of saying “relationship with God.”

What a relationship with God means is that we are receiving communications from God about himself both through his word and through history. He comes to us in Jesus Christ, in his teaching, in his cross, in his apostles, through his word, and he is speaking to us. And his speaking is made vital to us by the present presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. That’s half the relationship. He takes the initiative.

We receive his communications and, by the Spirit, are made alive to them. We see them coming—his communications of himself, his character, and his work on our behalf—and we are awakened to them. We are made to admire them, to delight in them, and to be happy, hopeful, and encouraged. Then we return to him—likewise through the word, by the Spirit, and through the name of Jesus Christ—prayers, acts of gratitude, resolutions to fight the fight of faith, and acts of obedience. The result is that our lives are going Godward while his life toward us is coming manward. That’s the relationship.

A relationship with God happens most fundamentally by the Spirit through the word. Don’t try to run away from the Bible to find a relationship with God in the woods or in some kind of aesthetic encounter with nature or with a great piece of art. Those are all supplementary. Yes, the heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). God does use great art and great poetry to awaken us. But if we don’t center on the Bible where he is speaking authoritatively and infallibly, then our relationship will become distorted by error and sin.

So let the Bible be the place where God meets you and speaks to you, and let the Bible be the place where you speak back to him. The relationship is in this communion: him to us, and us to him.

And it happens all throughout the day. We remind ourselves when we get discouraged, “Don’t be discouraged, Don’t be dismayed, Fear not, I’ll be with you wherever you go” (Isaiah 41:10). You remember those words and call them to mind, because they are from a promise in the Bible. Then you say, “Thank you Lord. I will take this next step of obedience.” And at that moment a relationship has been enjoyed and a communion has been experienced. And that’s how you walk moment by moment with God through this life.

Filed under: Attributes of God, Bible study, Conversion, Discipleship, Evangelical, God the Father, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, John Owen, John Piper, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Truth, Union with Christ, Worship

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man / who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, / nor stands in the way of sinners, / nor sits in the seat of scoffers; / but his delight is in the law of the LORD, / and on his law he meditates day and night.He is like a tree / planted by streams of water / that yields its fruit in its season, / and its leaf does not wither. / In all that he does, he prospers. / The wicked are not so, / but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, / nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; / for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, / but the way of the wicked will perish. [Psalm 1]

Many preachers use Psalm 1 to try to get people to read their Bibles. “Be like the prosperous man who delights in the law of the LORD,” they say. “Don’t be like the wicked who will perish,” they say. But this Psalm uses no prescriptive language whatsoever. There are no imperatives, no commands. Psalm 1 is entirely descriptive. That fact alone ought to give us pause when we go to use it like a hammer and chisel to sculpt religious behavior.

What is being described here? The life of those called “righteous” in contrast with those called “wicked.” What is the main difference between the righteous and the wicked? Is it the object of their delight? Is it the fruit of their labors? Is it the eternal destiny of their souls? No, the first thing that makes the righteous differ from the wicked is that the righteous are “blessed.” The starting point of the “way of the righteous” is the blessing of God.

Literally speaking, there is only one person who thoroughly fulfills Psalm 1, whose delight is fully in the law of the LORD, who never walked in the counsel of the wicked, whose works always prosper, who is in himself “the way, the truth and the life” of the righteous. This is encouraging, because if I look at Psalm 1, then look just at myself, then look back and forth a few more times, I begin to wonder whether I can truly consider myself among the congregation of the righteous. But if I look to Jesus Christ with faith as the one who fulfilled Psalm 1 for me, then in him I have the full assurance of the benefits mentioned in the Psalm.

So Psalm 1 stands as a signpost at the beginning of “the little Bible” (Luther), the “epitome of the whole Scriptures” (Athanasius). The signpost reads, “All who enter here and delight have been made to do so by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.”

(HT: Reformation Theology)

Filed under: Bible study, Conversion, Discipleship, Evangelical, God's mercy, Grace, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Preaching, Reformed, Salvation, Sanctification, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Worship

Q & A with Piper, Carson, et al.

How do you sing about God’s sovereignty when his providence is sometimes so destructive, even of good things?

John, why did your dad only visit you twice while living in Minnesota? 

Crawford, could you tell us why it took your dad 40 years to tell you, “I love you”?

Greg, can you address your signing of A Common Word?

In regards to the Trinity, does the Father exalt the Father or is it just the Son who exalts him?

How can I discern between taking courageous action and waiting on the Lord?

How do I honor a father who is an unbeliever or spiritually less mature than me?

What determines which doctrines are fundamental and which ones are necessary?

How do you evangelize a Muslim friend?

How do you stay fresh spiritually?

Watch the video!

Filed under: Attributes of God, Bible study, Christian Ministry, Church, Culture, DA Carson, Discipleship, Evangelical, Evangelism, God's Glory, Grace, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, John Piper, Missions, News & Views, Preaching, Reformed, Salvation, Sanctification, Sovereignty of God, Suffering, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Worship

What’s the Big Idea?

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From John Fonville at Gospel Driven Blog: 

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The other night during family Bible study, my kids asked me, “Daddy, what’s the Bible about?” That is a great question and the answer to it is quite often missed.

In brief, the Bible is essentially a witness to a person, Jesus Christ. Christ stands at the center of the Scriptures.

To say that Scripture is essentially a witness to Christ is not to impose an a priori (formed or conceived beforehand) idea upon Scripture (deductive reasoning). Rather, it is an a posteriori (derived by reasoning from observed facts) conclusion that one comes to learn from an inductive study of the Scriptures. As Jesus walked and talked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Luke writes, “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures,” (Lk. 24:27).

Christ, as James Hog (one of the Marrow Men involved in the Marrow Controversy) stated, is “… the Marrow of the Word, the Substance of all that’s revealed in it, whether Doctrines, Types, Prophecies, or Promises.”

When we come to read and study the Scriptures, we must come with the express design of finding Christ. “Whoever,” John Calvin writes, “shall turn aside from this object, though he may weary himself throughout his whole life in learning, will never attain the knowledge of the truth…,” (Commentary on the Gospel According to John, p. 218).

With this in mind, Scott Clark’s article, What the Bible is all About, is now posted online. Be sure to check it out.

Filed under: Bible study, Discipleship, Evangelical, Jesus Christ, The Bible, The Christian Life, The Cross, The Gospel, The glory of Christ, The word of God, Truth, Union with Christ

More on Discernment

I’m enjoying Tim Challies’, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment.

Here’s a great quote:

We live in an age where too many who profess to be Christians rarely consider their spiritual maturity – an age when many consider spiritual immaturity a mark of authenticity, and when people associate doubt with humility and assurance with pride. Far too many people consider sound theology the mark of a person who is argumentative and proud. Far too many people are just like the audience to whom Hebrews is addressed. This letter draws a clear line connecting a lack of discernment with spiritual immaturity  so that those who lack discernment are those who are spiritually immature. Scripture makes it plain: if you are not a person who exhibits and exercises discernment you are not a mature Christian.

Challies is commenting on Heb.5:11-14   (Page 27)

Filed under: Bible study, Books, Church, Culture, Discipleship, Evangelical, Leadership, News & Views, Sanctification, The Bible, The Christian Life, The word of God, Truth

The Spirit of Holiness

I found this article by Michael Haykin helpful for some current research I’m doing into the understanding of the link between the Spirit and ethical transformation in the Old Testament.

One does not have to read far in Romans—the most systematic of all of Paul’s letters—to encounter a reference to the Spirit’s sanctifying work. In Romans 1:4 Paul describes the Spirit with a phrase that is unique in the New Testament—he is the “Spirit of holiness.”[1] What exactly does the Apostle mean by describing the Spirit thus? Why does he not use the more common term “Holy Spirit”? For some writers the terms “Holy Spirit” and “Spirit of holiness” are simply synonymous and they would understand the term “Spirit of holiness” to mean something like “the Spirit whose character is holiness.” There is another way, though, to understand this phrase and that is to see it as a description of the Spirit’s work: he is the giver of holiness, the One who supplies holiness to all who call upon the name of Jesus.[2] Given the Old Testament form of the phrase “Spirit of holiness,” the latter interpretation is probably the better of the two. It highlights the fact that central among the activities of the Spirit is the sanctification of the people of God. In fact, for Paul as for the other New Testament authors, the Holy Spirit is indispensable for living a life that pleases God.[3]

Another key text with regard to the Spirit’s sanctifying work is found in Romans 15:8-21. Here, the Apostle begins by indicating that one of the ultimate goals of Christ’s ministry was that Gentiles might come to glorify the God of Israel for being a God of mercy. The citation of four Old Testament texts, drawn from various parts of the Old Testament canon, supports this affirmation (Romans 15:8-12). Christ’s intentions with regard to the Gentiles is of central concern to the Apostle for he has been called by God to preach Christ among the Gentiles where the name of Jesus has never been heard (Romans 15:20), or, as he puts it, “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God” (Romans 15:16). Using imagery drawn from the Temple worship of Israel to describe his ministry, Paul argues that Gentiles—who were formerly ritually impure and thus utterly unacceptable to God—have now become acceptable to God. In the immediate context of these verses, what has made them acceptable is their embrace of the gospel, which, in turn, was made possible by the Holy Spirit’s power (Romans 15:19). In Paul’s words, they have been “sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16), that is, set apart to serve God and to fulfill his purposes, which, because of God’s holy character, inevitably involves leading lives of godliness.[4] It is on the basis of this sanctifying work of the Spirit that Paul, later in this chapter and in the one that follows, can call believers “saints” (Romans 15:25-26, 31; 16:1, 15).

Earlier in this letter, the sanctifying work of the Spirit had also been highlighted in Romans 8:1-4. Christ came into the world so that those who believe in him would be able to truly obey the essence of the Law (Romans 8:4). Central to Christ’s death is the liberation of men and women from the death-dealing bondage of sin. This obedience and freedom is made a reality in believers by the Spirit, who is none other than the “Spirit of life,” that is the Spirit of the living God, the source of all that is good. Thus, the liberating work of the Spirit is rooted in the saving work of Christ (Romans 8:2).[5]

Again in this chapter, Paul emphasizes that the Spirit’s indwelling presence in the life of the believer provides him or her with rich resources to fight sin: Romans 8:12-14. Although the believer has been radically delivered from sin’s tyranny, this does not mean—as so much of the teaching of the New Testament makes clear—that he or she now experientially enjoys perfect holiness. There is an ongoing battle with sin and thus the necessity of heeding the Apostle’s admonition to mortify sin (Romans 8:13).

This work of mortification—the “gradual annihilation of all the remainders of this cursed life of sin,” as the Puritan author John Owen (1616-1683) aptly puts it[6]—involves the believer’s complete involvement, though ultimately it is the Spirit’s work. Owen well sums up the Apostle’s thought in this regard when he states in his classic exposition of Romans 8:13, The Mortification of Sin in Believers (1656), that the Spirit

“doth not so work our mortification in us as not to keep it still an act of our obedience. The Holy Ghost works in us and upon us, as we are fit to be wrought in and upon; that is, so as to preserve our own liberty and free obedience. He works upon our understandings, wills, consciences, and affections, agreeably to their own natures; he works in us and with us, not against us or without us; so that his assistance is an encouragement as to the facilitating of the work, and no occasion of neglect as to the work itself.”[7]

In other words, this is a variation on one of the central ethical principles of the New Testament: be what you are. Because you are saints lead holy lives; live in holy conformity with the Spirit who indwells you. Since he is holy, be holy. Paul puts it this way at the close of another well-known passage that deals with the sanctifying work of the Spirit: “if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, ESV).

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[1] As James D.G. Dunn notes, the term “Spirit of holiness” would almost certainly be understood by Paul and the first Christians as denoting the Holy Spirit” [Romans 1-8 (Word Biblical Commentary, vol.38A; Dallas: Word, 1988), 14-15. See also Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998), 43. [2] C.E.B. Cranfield, Romans: A Shorter Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., 1985), 7; Gordon D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1994), 483.

[3] See Smith, “Pauline Studies: Pauline Pneumatology.”

[4] See the similar idea in 1 Corinthians 6:11. See also the comments of James D.G. Dunn, Romans 9-16 (Word Biblical Commentary, vol.38B; Dallas: Word, 1988), 860-861; Fee, God’s Empowering Presence, 626-627; David Peterson, Possessed by God. A New Testament Theology of Sanctification and Holiness (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., 1995), 58-59; Schreiner, Romans, 766-767.

[5] Cranfield, Romans, 174; Fee, God’s Empowering Presence, 519-538.

[6] A Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit [The Works of John Owen (1850-1853 ed., 16 volumes; repr. London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965-1968), III, 545].

[7] Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers (Works, VI, 20). See also the comments of J. I. Packer, “ “Keswick” and the Reformed Doctrine of Sanctification”, The Evangelical Quarterly, 27 (1955), 156.

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