How Readest Thou

J.C. Ryle wrote a little book entitled, How Readest Thou. In it he wrote of the greatness and importance of the Bible and the sad neglect of so many in reading it. He wrote, "No gift of God to man is so awfully neglected and misused as the Bible. One sweeping charge may be brought against the whole of Christendom, and that charge is the neglect and abuse of the Bible." In his final summation he challenged his readers to examine themselves regarding their reading of the Bible. His words are as follows (I've abridged his word for brevity):

This paper may fall into the hands of someone who is willing to begin reading the Bible, but wants advice on the subject. Are you that man? Listen to me, and I will give a few short hints.

(a) For one thing, begin reading your Bible this very day. The way to do a thing is to do it, and the way to read the Bible is actually to read it. It is not meaning, or wishing, or resolving, or intending, or thinking about it, which will advance you one step. You must positively read.

(b) For another thing, read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it. Think not for a moment that the great object is to turn over a certain quantity of printed paper, and that it matters nothing whether you understand it or not. Some ignorant people seem to fancy that all is done if they clear off so many chapters every day, though they may not have a notion what they are all about, and only know that they have pushed on their mark so many leaves. This is turning Bible reading into a mere form. Work hard, and do not give up the work in a hurry.

(c) For another thing, read the Bible with child-like faith and humility. Open your heart as you open your book, and say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." Resolve to believe implicitly whatever you find there, however much it may run counter to your own prejudices. Resolve to receive heartily every statement of truth, whether you like it or not.

(d) For another thing, read the Bible in a spirit of obedience and self-application. Sit down to the study of it with a daily determination that you will live by its rules, rest on its statements, and act on its commands. Consider, as you travel through every chapter, "How does this affect my position and course of conduct? What does this teach me?

(e) For another thing, read the Bible daily. Make it a part of every day's business to read and meditate on some portion of God's Word. Private means of grace are just as needful every day for our souls as food and clothing are for our bodies. Yesterday's bread will not feed the labourer today, and today's bread will not feed the labourer tomorrow.

(f) For another thing, read all the Bible, and read it in an orderly way. I fear there are many parts of the Word which some people never read at all. This is to say the least, a very presumptuous habit. "All Scripture is profitable." (2 Tim. 3:16) To this habit maybe traced that want of broad, well-proportioned views of truth, which is so common in this day. Some people's Bible-reading is a system of perpetual dipping and picking. They do not seem to have an idea of regularly going through the whole book..

(g) For another thing, read the Bible fairly and honestly. Determine to take everything in its plain, obvious meaning, and regard all forced interpretations with great suspicion. As a general rule, whatever a verse of the Bible seems to mean, it does mean.

(h) In the last place, read the Bible with Christ continually in view. The grand primary object of all Scripture is to testify of Jesus. Keep fast hold on this clue, if you would read the Bible aright.

This paper may fall into the hands of someone who loves and believes the Bible, and yet reads it but little.

 

I fear there are many such in this day. It is a day of bustle and hurry. It is a day of talking, and committee meetings, and public work. These things are all very well in their way, but I fear that they sometimes clip and cut short the private reading of the Bible. Does your conscience tell you that you are one of the persons I speak of?

Listen to me, and I will say a few things which deserve your serious attention.

You are the man that is likely to get little comfort from the Bible in time of need. Trial is a sifting season. Affliction is a searching wind, which strips the leaves off the trees, and brings to light the birds' nests. Now I fear that your stores of Bible consolations may one day run very low. I fear lest you should find yourself at last on very short allowance, and come into harbour weak, worn and thin.

You are the man that is likely never to be established in the truth. I shall not be surprised to hear that you are troubled with doubts and questionings about assurance, grace, faith, perseverance, and the like. The devil is an old and cunning enemy. He can quote Scripture readily enough when he pleases. Now you are not sufficiently ready with your weapons to be able to fight a good fight with him. Your armour does not fit you well. Your sword sits loosely in your hand.

You are the man that is likely to make mistakes in life. I shall not wonder if I am told that you have erred about your own marriage,—erred about your children's education,-erred about the conduct of your household, erred about the company you keep. The world you steer through is full of rocks, and shoals, and sandbanks. You are not sufficiently familiar either with the lights or charts.

This paper may fall into the hands of some who really love the Bible, live upon the Bible, and read it much.

 

Are you one of these? Give me your attention, and I will mention a few things which we shall do well to lay to heart for time to come.

Let us resolve to read the Bible more and more every year we live. Let us try to get it rooted in our memories, and engrafted into our hearts. Let us be thoroughly well provisioned with it against the voyage of death. Who knows but we may have a very stormy passage?

Let us resolve to be more watchful over our Bible reading every year that we live. Let us be jealously careful about the time we give to it, and the manner that time is spent. Let us beware of omitting our daily reading without sufficient cause.

Let us resolve to honour the Bible more in our families. Let us read it morning and evening to our children and households, and not be ashamed to let men see that we do so. Let us not be discouraged by seeing no good arise from it.

Let us resolve to meditate more on the Bible. It is good to take with us two or three texts when we go out into the world, and to turn them over and over in our minds whenever we have a little leisure. It keeps out many vain thoughts.

Let us resolve to talk more to believers about the Bible when we meet them. Alas, the conversation of Christians, when they do meet, is often sadly unprofitable! How many frivolous, and trifling, and uncharitable things are said! Let us bring out the Bible more, and it will help to drive the devil away, and keep our hearts in tune.

Last of all, let us resolve to live by the Bible more and more every year we live.

I commend all these things to the serious and prayerful attention of every one into whose hands this paper may fall.

MacArthur's Dispensationalism

Every year I attend the Expositors' Conference hosted by Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile. The members of their congregation have always demonstrated a wonderful spirit of service and hospitality and this year was no different. They go out of their way make the conference a time of respite for the attendees and their wives.

 

The preaching of Steve Lawson was powerful as he took his text from Romans 1. It is always a blessing to hear preaching delivered with such passion.

 

The keynote speaker this year was John MacArthur. It is at this point that I must voice great disappointment. Before I continue, I feel compelled to give honor to whom honor is due. This man has been used greatly in our generation for the advancement of Reformed Theology. He has stood firmly in his defense of the Gospel, even in the midst of those who despise it. His stance against the "easy believism" of today and the "Carnal Christian" theory is to be applauded, as well as his books in critique of the Charismatic movement. I see him worthy of respect and honor, not that I'd stand in line to get his autograph, but I'll leave that subject for another day. I am humbled as I write this.

 

That said, MacArthur's eschatology of Dispensationalism stood as a cloud over his handling of the Biblical text. His topic for the Conference was "The Gospel Preaching of Isaiah" with his text taken from Isaiah 53. It was divided over three sermons. His verse by verse exposition was stirring as we were reminded once again of the atonement of Christ. Sadly, faithful to his Dispensationalism, he relegated the text to Israel speaking during the millennium of their rejection of Christ. It robbed the text of its power, which must be applied to every generation. Although verse 1 can be applied to Isaiah standing as the spokesman for the believing remnant of Jews in every generation, more distinctly it applies to Gospel preaching of all ages and the rejection by sinful men. Jesus applied this verse to the unbelief of His generation: "But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: 'LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM WAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED'" (John 12:37-38). The point is, no one will believe apart from the strong "arm of the LORD" working mightily in the sinner. To relegate this to some distant point in the future does disservice to the text and strips the power from the text in Gospel preaching.  

 

I realize my stance against Dispensationalism is in the minority in many circles today. It was truly evident at this year's Expositors' Conference. But Dispensationalism is surely the minority position historically, particularly among reformed theologians, both past and present.

 

Allow me to pass along several points for consideration:

1.  The Dispensational position of the rebuilding of the Temple and a return to the sacrifical system at some point in the future is abominable. The Temple was destroyed in 70 ad forever ending the Old Covenant sacrificial system. The blood of Christ effectively and forever ended the shedding of the blood of bulls and goats. Hebrews 9-10 will not allow for any possible return to any type of sacrificial system. "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).
2.  MacArthur also applied Jeremiah 31 to physical Israel. While looking at Hebrews 10 we might note that Jeremiah 31clearly points to the New Covenant; the New Covenant sealed with the blood of Christ and applied to all who are His--not just Israel.
3.  God has but one people--the elect who are redeemed by Christ and called by the Gospel, both Jews and Gentiles together. The New Testament declares that every distinction and every wall of division between the two has been removed. "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in the ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity" (Ephesians 2:14-16). Surely Peter makes it clear that the church today is the true representation of God's people. "For you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
4.   The Dispensationalists insist that the Kingdom is largely relegated to the thousand year millennial reign of Christ upon the earth. Isn't is facinating that apostolic preaching had a great focus upon the Kingdom of God? "When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening" (Acts 28:23). It would seem amazing that they would spend so much time preaching about something that was over 2000 years (and counting) in the future.

Approaching the Bible with presuppositions is always dangerous for all of us. This is why sound hermeneutical principles are essential. MacArthur's presupposition that God's Old Covenant promises to Israel must be literally fulfilled is, in my opinion, a poor hermeneutic. The promises of God find their fulfillment in Christ in the New Covenant. MacArthur said during the Conference that so called "replacement theology" finds its roots in the anti-semetism of the past. It would seem rather, that the teaching that God has one united people in Christ comes straight from Scripture. SDG

Robert Shelby

"Behind every frowning providence He hides a smiling face." For those of us who know God's absolute sovereignty over every detail of His creation and every moment of time we know these words to be true, but actually embracing them when God's providence has darkened and the fiery trials seem to consume takes much grace. On July 3 Pastor Rob awakened to face what he thought would be just another day. He'd taken the day off to prepare for our annual July 4 picnic the next day and decided to take the kids to a neighbor's house for an early morning swim. What happened next was a moment in time that would change the entire course of his life. Demonstrating how to dive, he misjudged the depth of the water, hit his head on the bottom, and broke his neck leaving him paralyzed from mid-chest down. He has no use of his hands or legs.

This is one of those frowning providences that seems to hide any possibility of a smiling face. Yet, Rob has demonstrated to the world that his contentment is not grounded upon the conditions of this life and his hope is not dependent upon things we can immediately see. What a blessing has already been realized in this affliction. His nine children are seeing that the God their daddy has taught them about their entire lives is real; He is sufficient through every trial. What a smiling face will be manifested if this will lead to their salvation as they embrace this God as their God. And to see the community of faith rallying around the Shelby family has been a wonderful picture of our union with Christ. When one suffers we all suffer. What a testimony to the world as they witness the reality of Christianity.

We are praying for Rob's healing and restoration, knowing that our God is mighty and He so often demonstrates His power before His people. But, at the same time, we know that if this is not God's ultimate purpose, He will use Rob in ways unimaginable. What a mighty God we serve.

In the words of Sir William Cowper:
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footprints in the sea,
and rides upon the storm.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning Providence
He hides a smiling face.

Is the "Statement on the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation" Semi-Pelagian?

There seems to be much debate regarding the "Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation" and the charge of semi-Pelagianism. Albert Mohler wrote on his website, "I fully understand the intention of the drafters to oppose several Calvinist renderings of doctrine, but some of the language employed in the statement goes far beyond this intention. Some portions of the statement actually go beyond Arminianism and appear to affirm semi-Pelagian understandings of sin, human nature, and the human will." Of course, Mohler's comments have been met with strong denials. Jerry Vines wrote, "I strongly disagree with Dr. Mohler's assertion that 'some of the statements appear to affirm semi-Pelagian understandings.' I wonder if Dr. Mohler thinks some of us aren't theologically astute enough to recognize semi-Pelagianism when we see it!"

So is it semi-Pelagian? Herman Bavinck writes in his Reformed Dogmatics (Vol. 3, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2006, page 486), ". . . the teaching of Pelagius, who did not deny grace but understood it as a universal gift to all people enabling them to choose the good and refuse evil. Grace is emptied of its real meaning since our appropriation of grace depends on our own will: God helps those who help themselves. The great gift of Augustine to the church was his definitive repudiation of all forms of Pelagianism. According to Augustine, our wills are bound, from beginning to end being redirected to God's good and preserving in it; it is a matter of gift not of merit, of grace not of works. Objectively and subjectively, from beginning to end, the work of salvation is a work of God's grace and of his grace alone." Pelagius rejected the doctrine of original sin and the concept of "inherited sin." Since human beings are not corrupted by original sin we are capable of choosing good without any special Divine aid.

While Pelagianism rejected any idea of original sin, semi-pelagianism softened the Pelagian position by asserting that human beings are affected by sin but can still choose the good apart from Divine grace. Arminians have further softened it by adding the concept of universal prevenient grace; a grace given to all men thus making faith possible in all--the determining factor being the act of the will. Arminius rejected the semi-Pelagian position stating that while salvation is a cooperation between God and man, grace is essential.

So does the "Statement" border on semi-Pelagianism? I think it comes right up to the brink of the precipice. Article 2 states, "We deny that Adam's sin resulted in the incapacitation of any person's free will. . ." In other words, they are saying that the human will may be affected by sin but not incapacitated by sin. Perhaps the Article is just poorly written, but this is clearly the semi-Pelagian position; that Adam's sin did not result in the incapacitation of any person's free will. Dr. Mohler's statement is simply stating the grave concern over the wording of their statement.

By the way, Roger Olsen, author of "Against Calvinism," a book criticizing Calvinism, wrote on his blog, "It may very well be that the majority of Southern Baptists have believed and do believe that Adam's fall did not result in the incapacitation of anyone's will to respond to the gospel apart from supernatural grace. I have argued for a long time that semi-Pelagianism is the default theology of most American Christians of most denominations." Regarding the "SBC Statement" he writes, "I am not accusing the authors or signers of semi-Pelagianism. But, as it stands, the statement affirms it, whether intentionally, or unintentionally."

Just as we are offended at the "Statement's" misrepresentation of Calvinist soteriology, we must be careful not to misrepresent their position. Reformed theology has been written on voluminously and is clearly defined so that there should be no misunderstanding if one takes the time to read and study our position. If they are to deny the charge of semi-Pelagianism, they too need to do a better job of clearly defining their position.

SBC Statement Against Calvinism

As I read the recent "Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation" I was filled with both disappointment and dismay; disappointment because these brothers feel the need to go on the attack, dismay because of their misrepresentation of Calvinistic soteriology. Either they don't understand the Calvinistic position or they are purposely and dishonestly seeking to malign a large segment of Southern Baptists. I hope and trust it is the former. As a Southern Baptist and a Calvinist I want to address some of the elements in this statement.

From the very beginning, with the preamble, the misrepresentations begin with the suggestion that traditional Calvinism is plagued by "anti-missionism" and "hyper-Calvinism." They also downplay the Calvinistic roots of the SBC. A look to history reveals a substantial influence of Calvinism. The first president of the Convention, W.B. Johnson, was a Calvinist. Basil Manly, Patrick H. Mell (who held the office of SBC president longer than any other man), John Broadus, William Williams, etc. etc. -- all Calvinists. James Petigrue Boyce, SBC president and founder and first president of Southern Seminary drafted the Abstract of Systematic Theology, a solidly Calvinistic statement. While the majority of Southern Baptists today may hold to Arminian soteriolgy, it would not be accurate to declare this to be the "traditional" position when even our first seminary was solidly Calvinistic. In addition, B.H. Carroll, founder and president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was a Calvinist. And while they stress that their "traditional" view of salvation is stated clearly in the Baptist Faith and Message, "Article IV," the truth is Calvinists also agree with this statement. And while, as I will point out below, they claim to hold to this statement, they in fact do not. Allow me to make some comments on the articles of their statement. Again, the Calvinistic view is often misrepresented. There is so much to be said, but I'll try to keep my comments brief.

Article One - Calvinists also affirm that "God has made a way of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for any person." There is a genuine offer of grace to all who will turn from their sin and trust Christ as Savior. We also affirm, however, that no man "can come" unless it has been granted to him from the Father (John 6:65), and that "all that the Father gives" to Christ will come to Him (John 6:37).

Article Two - They grossly contradict themselves. On one hand they declare the depravity of man as rendering him unable not to sin, "that every person who is capable of moral action will sin."  But then they declare, "We deny that Adam's sin resulted in the incapacitation of any person's free will." Why doesn't the lost man simply "will" not to sin? The Calvinist also agrees with them that no sinner "is saved apart from a free response to the Holy Spirit's drawing through the Gospel." One other comment: if no man suffers the guilt of sin until he actually sins why do innocent children die? "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--" (Romans 5:12).

Article Three - We also affirm the "penal substitution of Christ." And we also deny that this atonement results in salvation apart from faith and repentance. But then they add: "We deny that Christ died only for the sins of those who will be saved." Once again, they are demonstrating an inconsistent position. Did Christ really die as a "substitute" for all of the sins of those suffering in hell? Why is it that they are in hell?

Article Four - Calvinists also believe in God's free offer of grace to all men. We also affirm that the grace of God can be and often is resisted. Jesus told Paul, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 26:14). While the Gospel can be resisted, the Bible teaches that ultimately saving grace will be efficacious - "All that the Father gives me will come to me" (John 6:37).

Article Five - This is where everyone who signs this document needs to make an honest declaration that they reject the "Baptist Faith and Message." They state, "We deny that any person is regenerated prior to or apart from hearing and responding to the Gospel."
The BFM, Article IV: "Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." They cannot honestly claim to hold to the BFM statement on salvation and then reject this clear statement that regeneration precedes faith and repentance.

Article Six - I don't even know what they mean here. Do they really believe that election is only a plan? Is that really what the Bible teaches about election? That election is only God's selection of a plan? What about the boundless passages that speak of God's election of individuals. And they seem to ignore the very passages they reference.
Ephesians 14-6 - Paul writing to the "saints" at Rome declares in Verse 3, "who blessed us," then in Verse 4, "Just as He chose us," then in Verse 5, "having predestined us," and finally Verse 6, "which He freely bestowed on us." Will a sound exposition of the text allow you to conclude that Paul is speaking of just a "plan" or that he is speaking of all men in general?
Romans 8:29-30 - Again, what about the context? In Verse 28 speaks of God working all things for the good of those called according to His purpose. Not to all men in general but to those He has called. Then, as he continues in Verses 29-30, he speaks of God's foreknowledge and predestination of these called ones. Foreknowledge implies events fixed in time. Events are fixed in time because God fixes them - "having predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:11).
OK, I promised to be brief.

Article Seven - Again, a contradiction. "We affirm God's knowledge of and sovereignty over every person's salvation." "We deny that God's sovereignty and knowledge require Him to cause . . ." Sovereignty refers to God's absolute, independent, reign and governing of all things. Nothing is left outside of His sovereign reign. God is the first cause of all things. You really cannot claim to believe in the sovereignty of God while denying that He is sovereign over all things, including the hearts of men. Pharaoh can testify to this. So can Solomon, "The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes" (Proverbs 21:1).

Article Eight - This would take much space to debunk. Did Lydia open her own heart or did God open it? "And the Lord opened her heart to respond . . ." (Acts 16:14). Ephesians 2:8 can be debated endlessly as to whether "grace" or "faith" is the gift from God. Either way, we have to agree that it is "not of yourselves." Salvation is God's work. If the ultimate difference between heaven and hell is my act of faith, then salvation is an act of human effort, a work. Yet Paul continues, "Not as the result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:9).

Article Nine - The Calvinist also denies the remote possibility of apostasy for those who are in Christ. But our belief rests in the full work of God in His redemptive purpose. Once again, they are inconsistent here. If  salvation is based upon the exercise of our free will in coming to Christ, then reason would demand that a person also has the free will to turn from Christ to his former way of life. Would God violate our free will by keeping us in the faith?

Article Ten - To this every Calvinist would also say Amen. And multitudes of Calvinist missionaries, both in the past and in the present, testify to God's saving grace and the power of the Gospel unto salvation. Are they honestly accusing us of believing that a person can be saved apart from faith and repentance? This is the maligning of Calvinists that is both unfair, and perhaps even dishonest.

If their misrepresentation of Calvinist doctrine is sincerely due to a lack of understanding, then there needs to be more serious dialogue between the two sides. I find this of particular concern since there are so many seminary professors and seminary presidents who are signing the document. Surely, they understand the doctrines and beliefs of historical Calvinism. If, on the other hand, this is a purposed effort to malign a group that disagrees with them by misrepresenting the Calvinist position, shame on them. This can only cause further division, particularly among the rank and file in the pews who read and listen to these leaders and conclude that all Calvinists are heretics who are anti-missions and who deny that the Gospel must be brought to all men.

The Church, Why Bother - Book Review

In the past several years there have been many books published on the subject of the local church, some of which are very good. It is very encouraging to see a heightened interest in this important and long-neglected subject. But one book that stands apart is a new book entitled, The Church, Why Bother by Jeffrey D. Johnson, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Conway, AR. It is a very brief book, weighing in at only 155 pages, but each page is full of rich and refreshing truths regarding the importance of the local church. It is such a concise and relevant book I've chosen it as the next book for our monthly Men's Study. Let me share some of the highlights of the book.

A quick perusal of the table of contents reveals the catalogue of important topics covered in this book. In the introduction Johnson begins with a contrast between "easy-believism" and "Lordship salvation." It is a low view of God that results in "easy-believism" and it has a direct impact on how a person views the local church. Johnson writes, "What we believe about God, salvation and man will consequently influence the way we do church." This provides the framework for the remainder of the book.

Chapter 1 - The Nature of the Church - Johnson defines the local church as "a fellowship of believers, who by the Holy Spirit, have been called out of this world of darkness and have been spiritually united together into one body in Christ Jesus." He emphasises the church as the truth bearer, the pillar and ground to protect and proclaim truth. It is comprised of God's sanctified people.

Chapter 2 - The Purpose of the Church - The purpose of the church is to glorify God, proclaim the gospel to the world, and serve as the means of sanctification of the saints through the propagation of God's Word.

Chapter 3 - The Culture and the Local Church - In this chapter Johnson weeds through the thorny subject of the church in the context of modern culture. There has been a tendency today for some to seek to redefine the church in an effort to increase its influence and acceptability in the world. Johnson's thesis for this chapter is, "The church is not to be influenced and shaped by the culture, but be a sanctifying influence upon the culture."

Chapter 4 - The Activities of the Local Church - If the purpose of the church is to promote and mature in unity, truth, and purity, then the activities of the church should focus on achieving these objectives. Johnson stresses the great danger in placing to much importance on the numerical growth of the church, which leads to a pragmatic, consumer driven philosophy in church programs.

Chapter 5 - The Worship of the Local Church - The main feature that shapes the worship of a church is its theology. Johnson states, "The creativity in worship, which is emphasized by the Emergent Church, is based upon an ever-changing theology that contains no absolutes." He goes on to describe the fundamentals of Biblical worship.

Chapter 6 - The Membership of the Local Church - In this chapter the author gives a refreshing overview of the importance and necessity of church membership. He writes, "Going to church is not to be squeezed into the Christian's weekly schedule, but rather it is to be the principle activity and focal point of the Christian life." He outlines the sad result of our culture of individualism. Most Christians view the church as something to meet their particular needs with membership being optional. There is little commitment and church hopping is common. Johnson describes church membership as being both a privilege and a responsibility.

Chapter 7 - The Discipline of the Local Church - As an excellent followup of the previous chapter, this chapter covers the important topic of church discipline. When a member persists in continual, unrepentant sin, the church must deal with it in order to maintain the spiritual integrity of the church. Johnson outlines the procedure of church discipline.

Chapter 8 - The Authority of the Local Church - When the primary emphasis of the church becomes adding to the membership the church loses its authority. Johnson describes it as "putting the potential visitor in charge." In this chapter he describes the government of the church and the leadership of the elders within the congregation.

Chapter 9 - The Doctrinal Standards of the Church - In this final chapter the author stresses the importance of confessional statements in the local church. He warns against the danger of mysticism, which he defines as an subjective experience void of objective Biblical truth--where the experience is sought out more than God Himself. Johnson writes, "There is no personal encounter with God apart from the truth." The church needs to clearly define what it believes. Every church member or potential church member has a right to know how the church interprets the Scriptures.

According to the Barna Research Group, 10 million self-proclaimed, born again Christians have not been to church in the last six months. Even many sincere believers fail to recognize the importance of the local church. Job and family are the priority. While they may see the church as important, their life's decisions demonstrate that they see the church as something that fills in the periphery of their life. The Church, Why Bother is a wonderful reminder of the importance and necessity of the local church in the life of every Christian. In our hyper-individualistic society, the truths of this book need to be taught over and over.

Here is a video by the author describing his book.

Tattoos For the Glory of God - or Not

I posted a blog back in 2009 titled, "Should Christians Get Tattoos?" It continues to be a question of interest. Body "art" and piercings seem to be more and more a part of our culture. Let me comment on this subject once again.

Surely Christians do not live in a cultural vacuum. We wear nice clothes that are consistent with the current style, while maintaining the Biblical command of modesty. We are mindful of hairstyles consistent with those of our present generation. Christian women wear modest makeup with a desire to accent their God given beauty. But the purpose of all things for the Christian is the glory of God. Our purpose is not to draw attention to ourselves but to ascribe all glory to God. We are never to emulate the practices of the wicked (those who do not love and follow Christ). This is the spirit behind Paul's admonition for ladies to avoid displays of expensive clothing or hairstyles inconsistent with that of a Godly woman (1 Timothy 2:9). Christians do not spend their energy seeking to draw attention to themselves but their greatest desire is to point all attention to Christ. John the Baptist declared what should be the heart of all of us, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 30:30). This takes great wisdom and discernment as we examine our heart. A lady that refuses to cut her hair, wearing it in a huge bun on the top of her head, and wearing dresses that are 30 years out of style, actually draws more attention to herself. I'm not questioning the motives of those who do this. It just stresses the importance of discernment.

As Christians, we enjoy great liberty. God has given us wonderful things to enjoy. We receive His blessings with thanksgiving and rejoice in His goodness. By refusing tattoos, we are not talking about some vain asceticism. And refusing tattoos is in no way an indication of "legalism." Legalism is seeking to gain God's favor through our actions. We can do nothing to earn God's favor. Our motivation for living a Godly life is not to earn God's favor but to exalt Him. On a recent comment on my previous post a young lady wrote, "God will love me not (sic) matter if I have tattoos or not." This misses the point. We aren't seeking to earn God's love but to display Him gloriously before others.

Again, it demands a careful examination of our motives. It demands great wisdom and discernment (Romans 12:1-2). All of us are quite skillful in justifying what we want to do. It is not my responsibility to examine your motives, but it would seem to me, if we honestly examine the motive for tattoos we can only conclude that it stems from a desire to draw attention to ourselves. Look at me. Look at my tattoo. Isn't my tattoo special? I can't imagine someone honestly saying that their motive for getting the tattoo was, look at Christ. Isn't He glorious!

Resurrection Glory

One of the greatest events in the history of the world is one largely ignored by the world. On April 8 we will celebrate Easter Sunday. When I say "ignored by the world" I don't mean the world ignores it completely. As you attach Good Friday to the weekend it provides three days of vacation. In addition, Easter has become a major holiday of decorating, with all the colorful eggs and bunnies surrounded by the beautiful hues of pastels. Children shout with glee as they search and find the Easter eggs, and they find great joy in Easter baskets filled with marshmallow bunnies and chocolate eggs. When I say "ignored by the world" I mean there will be little attention given to the glorious reality of the day.

Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. When Jesus was crucified there was great joy among many. The Jewish leaders were finally rid of this one who challenged their authority and customs, and Pilate was able to wash his hands clean of the whole affair. The crowds mocked and cursed with an air of celebration. Surely, as Jesus was pierced and finally placed in the tomb, Satan and all his demonic hordes must have lifted their fiendish voices in victory. But little did they know that this was all unfolding according to the predeterminate counsel of God (Acts 4:27-28). On the third day Jesus was gloriously raised with all power and majesty.

The resurrection is an indispensable part of the Gospel. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15 that the resurrection was at the very heart of his Gospel preaching and he declared that it must be believed. The resurrection is the glorious declaration of "mission accomplished" and "payment received." The sacrifice of Christ was well-pleasing and received by God to fully atone for the sins of His people. Jesus was able to enter into the very throne room of God to offer up His own blood. This day was so significant that the Sabbath Day was moved to the first day of the week.

In addition, the resurrection has changed everything in our life. We are living the resurrected life. By virtue of our union with Christ, His life has become our life. We have been raised to new life (Romans 6:4-5). May we rejoice on this glorious resurrection Sunday as we celebrate our risen Savior. And may our lives testify to the reality of the resurrection.

The Speed of Light

An event happened several weeks ago that I can't get off my mind. Researchers at the CERN lab near Geneva claimed to have recorded neutrinos travelling faster than the speed of light. That may not seem important to the average person, but for the scientific world it was huge; huge because according to Einstein's theory of relativity nothing in the universe can travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum (186,282 miles per second). This has been a standard in the world of physics for over one hundred years. This has left the scientific world in a state of shock. In an article in the British paper, The Telegraph, Professor Jenny Thomas, of University College London, says the claims if proven true would call into question our very understanding of physics and the universe. She said, "It would turn everything on its head. It is too awful to think about."

Wait a minute. Isn't every declaration from the scientific community unassailable truth? Are they not as gods who have infinite knowledge and wisdom? And don't they look upon those who question their infinite wisdom as poor unintelligent fools?

So, let me see if I've got this straight. Could it be that they don't possess all of the knowledge of the universe after all? Perhaps they don't have as much knowledge as they thought. Could it be the theory of evolution will also soon be proven wrong? Will they soon discover that the age of the universe isn't thirteen billion years old after all? Will they soon discover that global warming isn't man-made after all? Will they soon discover that life begins at conception after all? Will they soon discover that homosexuality is a chosen lifestyle after all? Could it be that there is actually a God who created this world and rules over it with absolute sovereign power? Could it be that all will stand before Him to give account--and all will be found wanting; all have broken His law. Could it be that our only hope is to trust in the Gospel of Christ--that He died on the cross to bear the penalty that we deserved? Could it be?

Oh, the foolishness of man. How hard it is to humble ourselves before the absolute wisdom of God. He alone is the source of all truth, absolute unassailable truth.

What's in a Life?

What's in a life? A man is born and he lives out his days, and then he dies. Solomon pondered such things. "What advantage does a man have in all his work which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever" (Ecclesiastes 1:4-5). With a cynical heart he concludes: "I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

As I consider the life of Steve Jobs I'm not quite so cynical. Born February 24, 1955, he died on October 5, 2011. What can be said of his 56 years? Surely under his oversight Apple Inc. developed technologies that have transformed the world. Besides the Apple/Mac Computer, the iPod and iTunes changed the way we listen to music, and in 2007 the iPhone swept onto the scene with technology that changed the way we connect with the world. In addition, his involvement with Pixar changed the way we view animation. The effect a single life can have upon the world can be enormous.

But we must never forget the source of all things. God raises up and brings down. Every invention, every idea is governed by His infinite wisdom and sovereign reign. All wealth is distributed by God. Steve Jobs was what he was by the sovereign hand of God. Every dollar of his $8.3 billion in net worth was by God's design. "The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts" (1 Samuel 2:6-7). In the end every man will stand before God to give account. At that time things become very simple. We will either stand before Him in our sin and declared guilty and condemned or will we stand before Him in Christ with our sins forgiven and covered by a righteousness not our own. Most know Steve Jobs was a Buddhist. Perhaps a devout Buddhist. Perhaps a sincere Buddhist. But without Christ there is no way to deal with the issue of his sin. In the end no amount of wealth will serve as a substitute for Christ. "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matthew 16:26). Perhaps Solomon was not so cynical after all.

The first evening of the Expositor's Conference was great. Once again the hospitality of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church overflowed as their membership labored with joyous service.

After a savory supper of fried fish we gathered in the Sanctuary for the beginning of the Conference. Steven Lawson preached from Colossians 1 and Al Mohler's sermon focused on the first four verses of Hebrews 1. This year's theme is the "Preeminence of Christ in Preaching" and both of these men lifted Christ high as they took their texts and exposed all of the choice savor of Christ in the Scriptures. We were richly reminded once again that true preaching keeps Christ as the focus; not just saying nice things about Jesus or even right things about Jesus, but declaring plainly that all of Scripture is a declaration of Christ. We know when Christ has been properly exalted in preaching when the hearts of God's people burn within them as they hear of His excellence.

The Fruit of the Spirit - Book Review

This book by J.V. Fesko is small in size (only 80 pages) but large in food for thought. Dr. Fesko is the Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary, California. His writing style is clear and simple, yet meaty. The book deals chiefly with the subject of sanctification; that the Christian has been saved not only from the penalty of sin but also from its power. "God breaks the power of Satan, sin and death by redeeming us from the kingdom of darkness, the fallen reign of Adam. He indwells us with his Holy Spirit and produces this fruit of righteousness in us" (p. 64).

Fesco does a wonderful job of drawing from the Old Testament in describing the work of the Holy Spirit in the sanctification of the believer. He makes the connection of Israel's exodus with the Christian's journey in grace. Israel suffered under the cruel bondage of the Egyptians until God freed them by His mighty power. He sent forth Moses to lead them out of their bondage and then manifested His presence as He led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This redemption event served as a foreshadow of God's greater redemption of His people from their sin. He sent forth a greater Deliverer than Moses in the person of Christ and then leads us by the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Haggai writes, "Work for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not" (Haggai 2:4b-5 ESV). In describing the work of the Holy Spirit Fesco writes, "we must follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, and if we do so, then we will not desire to satisfy and gratify the wicked desires of the flesh" (pp 33-34).

Fesco, however, goes beyond the Exodus account to demonstrate that the "fruit of the Spirit" so familiar to us in Galatians 5 is actually the ongoing fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. For example, in Isaiah 5 the prophet likens Israel to a vineyard which God carefully nurtures and cultivates with expectation of fruitfulness. Instead of a rich crop of grapes suitable for fine wine the vineyard yielded wild grapes. What would be done with such a vineyard but destruction. "I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but their shall come forth briars and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it" (Isaiah 5:1-7). Israel was fruitless and suffered God's judgment but God promised to rebuild His vineyard through His fruitful Servant (Isaiah 11:1-5). Fesko writes of the fruitfulness of God promised in Isaiah 27:6, "The fruit of which Isaiah writes is not literal -- Isaiah is not referring to bananas and mangos! Rather, he is referring to the fruit of righteousness and justice" (p 46).

Following the methodology of John Owen, this book is not only rich in laying the theological foundations, it is also rich in application. For example Fesko writes, "When you respond to your children in patience, even though they have tested you and you have every right to be angry, the long-promised Spirit is producing his fruit in you. You resign your desire to respond in anger and instead rely upon the power of the Spirit to respond in patience. To act in such a manner is to walk in the Spirit; it is to pursue righteousness--to deny ourselves and follow Christ" (p. 52).

In Chapter 6 Fesko gets to the heart of the Galatians 5:22 text, examining the "fruit of the Spirit." He is wonderfully Christological in his analysis of the text. He writes, "We must not idealize these moral qualities in an abstract manner but rather define them in terms of God's revelation in Christ. By so doing, we hopefully realize that God is forming Christ in us, as we begin to see our need to reflect Christ's righteousness in every word, thought, and deed" (p. 57).

The whole of the book flows powerfully to the final chapter which asks the question, "How do I obtain this fruit?" This is the million dollar question that Fesko answers well, "We must never forget that godliness and the fruit of the Spirit cannot be found within ourselves. Rather, we must look to Christ by faith alone, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and trust in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension on our behalf to save us from our sins. Only Christ's life of perfect obedience can fulfil the law's demands for sinless perfection" (p. 67). He then skillfully describes the importance of the use of means in bringing about our sanctification. These include God's Word, the sacraments, and prayer. "One day, all of God's people will cross the threshold of the celestial city, the New Jerusalem, and never struggle with the desire to return to Egypt, to the bondage of the law. Until that day, seek Christ in the visible word and invisible word, Word and sacrament, and cry out in prayer that Christ would conform us to his holy and righteous image" (p. 80).

Women Teaching Men

We sometimes meet people who struggle with the question of whether Paul's charge for women to "be silent" in 1 Timothy 2 is still relevant for today. The contention seems to be that Paul was speaking only to a situation facing the first century church. Allow me to reiterate some of the reasons why Paul's charge to the women is, without question, universal in scope.

First, Paul's instruction is in the context of his charge to the local church in general. In Chapter 3 Paul states that his reason for writing this epistle was to give instruction regarding the order of every church (1 Timothy 3:14-15). At the beginning of this section in 1 Timothy 2 Paul gives instruction for prayer in the church. He charges the men using a word that speaks of men in contrast to boys and in contrast to women. He charges them to pray "in every place," implying that the women were not to speak "in every place," that is, in the assembly of the local church. There is nothing in this that appears to address a particular local situation. Rather, Paul is giving instruction that applies to every church.

Second, Paul addresses the besetting sins that are particular to men and women of all ages. For the men, they are to guard against strife, quarrels, and aggression (verse 8). This is universal in scope. Men are naturally more aggressive than women. It was Cain who killed Abel. The number of men incarcerated for violent crimes far exceeds that of women. For the women, they are to guard against inordinate attention to personal appearance (verse 9). This is also universal in scope. The fashion, cosmetic, and jewelry industries are primarily supported by women. Obviously, Paul wasn't speaking of a particular, local situation here. Rather he was speaking of something that applies universally to man and women.

Third, Paul recognizes the consistent principle of masculine headship that God established at creation. Adam was created first from the dust of the ground. Eve was formed from Adam as his helper and she was named "woman" in relationship to the man (Genesis 2:22). God gave his covenant to Adam and held Adam accountable for its breach (original sin coming through him). Paul links this passage in 1 Timothy 2 to Eve's sin in Genesis 3. In 1 Timothy 2:11 he charges women to a place of submission. In verse 12 he forbids them from the exercise of teaching men in the church. Then in verses 13-14 he connects it to Eve's sin. What exactly was the nature of Eve's sin? She rejected Adam's role as her head and leader. Instead she took charge of the situation. She examined the fruit and found it good; she made the decision to partake of the fruit; and she took the position as the leader in her home by giving the fruit to her husband. In essence Paul is saying, I do not allow a woman to teach or assume authority over the man because this is exactly what Even did.

In other words, Paul was not addressing a particular, localized situation. Rather, he is speaking of a principle going back to creation, one that applies to men and women for all generations.

2011 Trinity Baptist Church VBS

Our 2011 VBS was blessed of the Lord. The children were very attentive to the teaching as the Gospel was carefully applied to their hearts. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will work effectually in each of them.

Special thanks to all of our workers who served diligently in order to make this event a success. God has blessed Trinity with so many who have a mind to work and a heart to do it to the glory of Christ.

Can Christians Practice Yoga?

I was recently asked the question, "Should Christians practice yoga?" Let me say a few things in preface to my answer. First, I've never practiced yoga, which for some would disqualify me from answering the question. As a pastor, however, I often address issues of which I have no personal experience. I've never been divorced or committed adultery. I'm not an alcoholic or addicted to drugs, gambling, or pornography, but as a pastor I feel qualified to speak on all these and many other subjects from a Biblical prospective. Second, the Bible says nothing explicitly against yoga, which requires great caution on my part. I never want to bind the consciences of others with my ideas or opinions. I think the Bible, however, gives us sufficient implicit teaching to cause us to question the validity of yoga for Christians. Third, I recognize that there are some who are greatly invested in the practice of yoga and so my words will seem inflammatory and they will find many ways to dismiss them. To them I must raise this caution. We must always pay great attention to those things that we are passionate about. As Christians, our great passion must always be Christ and we must always be willing to bring all things under His dominion. Fourth, there are men who are much more able than I who have already dealt with this subject in the past. For example, Albert Mohler posted a blog on the subject in September, 2010. I surely don't claim as much knowledge as some of my colleagues in the ministry. With that said, let me say a few things about Christians practicing yoga.

Yoga has always been associated with the Eastern religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, both of which are in distinct contrast with Christianity. The Eastern religions look to the divine within; the idea that we ARE God, and if you are quiet enough and still enough (or hold a pose long enough) you can discover it. The goal of yoga is the attaining of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. Christianity, on the other hand, looks for God outside of ourselves. Although we believe the Holy Spirit resides within us, we see God as transcendent, greater than us and above us. We seek God outside of ourselves through His Word and through His appointed means of grace. This means the concept of yoga and Christianity are diametrically opposed to one another.

An important element in yoga is meditation. Meditation in yoga, however, is an emptying of the mind, often including the chanting of the same word, phrase, or sound over and over in order to direct the attention inward. Meditation in Christianity is not the clearing of the mind but the filling of the mind and directing our thoughts outward. "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

So can a Christian practice yoga? Certainly it is permissible for Christians to do various stretching exercises, but yoga is more than stretching. Yoga is inseparably connected to religion which is contrary to our life in Christ. One must question why a Christian would want to be involved in anything that might in any way direct himself away from the centrality of Christ. As Christians we give ourselves completely over to His lordship. "I urge you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2). Notice, the Christian is renewed through the transforming of the mind, not the emptying of the mind.

God gives us the rule of life in His Word. The Bible never prescribes for us to empty or clear our minds and then focus all of our attention inwardly upon ourselves. Instead, we are commanded to focus on God and His Word.
"When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches" (Psalm 63:6).
"I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways" (Psalm 119:15).
"And I shall life up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes" (Psalm 119:48).

Again, yoga is inseparably connected to the Eastern religions. You can no more have Christian yoga than you can have Christian Buddhism. Knowing the dangers of yoga, sound counsel for the Christian would be to avoid it. There are so many other ways to exercise and stay in shape.