Aim lower, think smaller, give up, go have a cup of coffee ... I'm not completely aligned with this but it's thought provoking nonetheless.
HT: MMI
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
the expositor ... really?
Either I screwed up (highly probable) and didn't submit my comment properly or the folks at the expositor didn't want it entered for some reason(s) - regardless, my comment didn't get posted and I would like it to go "on record" - so I'll record it here.
On 5 June, Michael Corley posted How do you make a heretic whine?...., a post I found consistent the with MacArthur/Pyro crowd. The post contained a video of Brian Mclaren at a press conference along with this commentary.
My comment was that I didn't find any heresy in the remarks nor did I find any whining in the remarks. I found that McLaren makes several fair statements that lead me to the right conclusion that we should stop considering our faith equal to the Republican party. As a side note, I'm not changing my political position but I am willing to say that being a Republican does not equal being a Christian and visa-versa.
I further commented that the remarks made in this post say much more about Corley (and those that applaud this kind of expositing) than it does about McLaren - and it is not positive.
Coincidently, Pulpit Magazine (which I generally find good because of Nathan Busenitz) just posted Scripture and Plain Reason. This is yet another deceptive attack on the true Gospel. While the thesis seems right, pay attention to the details.
"Authentic spiritual discernment must begin with Scripture-revealed truth." This sounds correct in the context it is written but if you have read MacArthur, you know it is written exactly as he means. But the truth is not quite as MacArthur wrote. To rightly understand the Scripture, the truth contained in the Scripture must be revealed by the Holy Spirit, i.e., spiritual discernment or better, Spirit-revealed truth. This may sound like the same thing but in the world of MacArthurism, beware.
He also writes, "Contrary to what a lot of people these days assume, discernment is not a mystical or intuitive ability to know the truth as if by magic." Again, in context this sounds correct but given the author's body of work, it is clear he also refers to the Holy Spirit's ability to speak today in his reference to magic and mystical. The gist of Scripture is that God has and continues to interact with creation. That's not magic nor mystical, it's the nature of God revealed by Him through Scripture.
I have several friends who continue to think they can "dabble" in reading these blogs, books, etc. and somehow glean some truth. I find that ironic because one of the many charges against Charismatics, Emergents, etc. is our willingness to dabble in resources lacking credibility or a Biblical base. Reading these authors I guess proves the point.
On 5 June, Michael Corley posted How do you make a heretic whine?...., a post I found consistent the with MacArthur/Pyro crowd. The post contained a video of Brian Mclaren at a press conference along with this commentary.
The answer….you give him a mic at a press conference. I have been critcized many times for the use of the term heretic, but in the case of Brian McLaren, it certainly applies. To describe McLaren as a liberal is being unkind to liberals. In this YouTube, McLaren, along with other free-swinging “progressive Christians” such as Jim Forbes, speak at a press conference to whine about how they are not getting their fair share of attention. Boo-hoo!
My comment was that I didn't find any heresy in the remarks nor did I find any whining in the remarks. I found that McLaren makes several fair statements that lead me to the right conclusion that we should stop considering our faith equal to the Republican party. As a side note, I'm not changing my political position but I am willing to say that being a Republican does not equal being a Christian and visa-versa.
I further commented that the remarks made in this post say much more about Corley (and those that applaud this kind of expositing) than it does about McLaren - and it is not positive.
Coincidently, Pulpit Magazine (which I generally find good because of Nathan Busenitz) just posted Scripture and Plain Reason. This is yet another deceptive attack on the true Gospel. While the thesis seems right, pay attention to the details.
"Authentic spiritual discernment must begin with Scripture-revealed truth." This sounds correct in the context it is written but if you have read MacArthur, you know it is written exactly as he means. But the truth is not quite as MacArthur wrote. To rightly understand the Scripture, the truth contained in the Scripture must be revealed by the Holy Spirit, i.e., spiritual discernment or better, Spirit-revealed truth. This may sound like the same thing but in the world of MacArthurism, beware.
He also writes, "Contrary to what a lot of people these days assume, discernment is not a mystical or intuitive ability to know the truth as if by magic." Again, in context this sounds correct but given the author's body of work, it is clear he also refers to the Holy Spirit's ability to speak today in his reference to magic and mystical. The gist of Scripture is that God has and continues to interact with creation. That's not magic nor mystical, it's the nature of God revealed by Him through Scripture.
I have several friends who continue to think they can "dabble" in reading these blogs, books, etc. and somehow glean some truth. I find that ironic because one of the many charges against Charismatics, Emergents, etc. is our willingness to dabble in resources lacking credibility or a Biblical base. Reading these authors I guess proves the point.
Technorati Tags: Emerging Church, Scripture
literate or obedient?
"It's not enough to be biblically literate, we must be biblically obedient also." - John WimberTechnorati Tags: discipleship, Scripture
can god use you?
By Jim Burns
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. - Mark 5:18-20
If you want to read a great Bible story, take a moment to read Mark 5:1-20. It is about how Jesus used a crazy person to spread the word of God.
Imagine with me for a moment that this conversation took place on the boat between Jesus and the disciples:
One day Jesus and his disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee. They were headed in a southeasterly direction out of Capernaum. The disciples asked Jesus where they were heading and for what purpose. Jesus said to them, "Oh, we're heading over towards the area of the ten Greek cities, the Decapolis."
They asked, "What for?" He replied, "We're going to get the message of the kingdom out throughout that entire region."
"My," Peter said. "That's quite a task. How many weeks will we be there? I didn't really come prepared." "You don't understand," said Jesus. "We'll just be there a few hours, maybe the better part of the day."
"Well, frankly, Lord, I'm totally confused. How in the world can we get the message out in such a short time?" "Oh, I've got it all figured out," said Jesus. "I've got a man picked out over there that we'll be meeting a bit after we land. He's going to spread the word."
"Well," said Peter, "now I understand. Is it anyone we know?" "No, you've never met this fellow before."
"He must be quite a guy if he's going to take on this territory all by himself. He must have some charisma or training. I'll bet he's one of those sharp, well-educated young Pharisees who were converted down at the seminary in Jerusalem during our last visit there! Right?"
"No," Jesus said. "Actually, he hasn't had any training at all. And frankly, he hasn't gone to school much either. As a matter of fact, mostly he has just been hanging around the cemetery lately." "The cemetery? What is he, a funeral director? Or a grave digger? What does he do at the cemetery?"
"Well, mainly he runs around, breaking chains, cutting himself, banging his head on the stone markers. As a matter of fact, right now he's full of the devil and running around half nuts."
Do you get the idea? If God can use a demoniac to spread the word (Mark 5:20), then he can surely use us as well.
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. - Mark 5:18-20
If you want to read a great Bible story, take a moment to read Mark 5:1-20. It is about how Jesus used a crazy person to spread the word of God.
Imagine with me for a moment that this conversation took place on the boat between Jesus and the disciples:
One day Jesus and his disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee. They were headed in a southeasterly direction out of Capernaum. The disciples asked Jesus where they were heading and for what purpose. Jesus said to them, "Oh, we're heading over towards the area of the ten Greek cities, the Decapolis."
They asked, "What for?" He replied, "We're going to get the message of the kingdom out throughout that entire region."
"My," Peter said. "That's quite a task. How many weeks will we be there? I didn't really come prepared." "You don't understand," said Jesus. "We'll just be there a few hours, maybe the better part of the day."
"Well, frankly, Lord, I'm totally confused. How in the world can we get the message out in such a short time?" "Oh, I've got it all figured out," said Jesus. "I've got a man picked out over there that we'll be meeting a bit after we land. He's going to spread the word."
"Well," said Peter, "now I understand. Is it anyone we know?" "No, you've never met this fellow before."
"He must be quite a guy if he's going to take on this territory all by himself. He must have some charisma or training. I'll bet he's one of those sharp, well-educated young Pharisees who were converted down at the seminary in Jerusalem during our last visit there! Right?"
"No," Jesus said. "Actually, he hasn't had any training at all. And frankly, he hasn't gone to school much either. As a matter of fact, mostly he has just been hanging around the cemetery lately." "The cemetery? What is he, a funeral director? Or a grave digger? What does he do at the cemetery?"
"Well, mainly he runs around, breaking chains, cutting himself, banging his head on the stone markers. As a matter of fact, right now he's full of the devil and running around half nuts."
Do you get the idea? If God can use a demoniac to spread the word (Mark 5:20), then he can surely use us as well.
Technorati Tags: discipleship, Kingdom of God
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
you are what you eat
Time has a very interesting photo essay of what the world eats. Which family looks like yours?
Technorati Tags: current events
Monday, June 04, 2007
quotes on stewardship
Here are a few quotes on stewardship. See Making Disciples Of All Nations for more.
- Jesus didn't tell us not to store up treasures. On the contrary, he commanded us to. He simply said, "Stop storing them up in the wrong place, and start storing them up in the right place." -Randy Alcorn
- I value all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity. -John Wesley
- Christ offers us the incredible opportunity to trade temporary goods and currency for eternal rewards. -Randy Alcorn
- When our eyes are set on eternity, the news that someone has come to know the Savior means a great deal more than the news of a salary raise or the prospect of getting the latest high-tech gadget. -Randy Alcorn
- It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our last day. -Matthew Henry
- Stewardship isn't a subcategory of the Christian life. Stewardship is the Christian life. After all, what is stewardship except that God has entrusted to us life, time, talents, money, possessions, family, and his grace? In each case, he evaluates how we regard what he has entrusted to us -and what we do with it. -Randy Alcorn
- Let temporal things serve your use, but the eternal be the object of your desire. -Thomas A Kempis
- Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. -Helen H. Lemmel
- God doesn't prosper us to increase our standard of living, but to increase our standard of giving. -Randy Alcorn
- God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. -Hudson Taylor
- Can a man be poor if he is free from want, if he does not covet the belongings of others, if he is rich in the possession of God? Rather, he is poor who possesses much but still craves for more. -Tertullian
- How different our standard is from Christ's. We ask how much a man gives. Christ asks how much he keeps. -Andrew Murray
- Giving produces freedom 100% of the time - freedom from the bondage of things, freedom to receive more from God, and freedom to be a conduit of blessing to others. -Tricia Mayer
- Giving is the safety valve that releases the excess pressure of wealth. -Randy Alcorn
- Their property held them in chains … chains which shackled their courage and choked their faith and hampered their judgment and throttled their souls. They think of themselves as owners, whereas it is they rather who are owned: enslaved as they are to their own property, they are not the masters of their money but its slaves. -Saint Cyprian
- Make as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can. -John Wesley
- Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. Hoarding is idolatry. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- Five minutes after we die, we'll know exactly how much we should have given rather than kept. -Randy Alcorn
- The less I spent on myself and the more I gave to others, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become. -Hudson Taylor
- Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last. -C.T. Studd
- I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess. -Martin Luther
- For many wealthy people, giving a tenth is a way of robbing God. Their tithe becomes a tip. -Haddon Robinson
- I am afraid the only safe rule [about how much to give] is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc. is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures exclude them. -C. S. Lewis
- We're most like God when we're giving. -Dixie Fraley
- The lust for affluence in contemporary society has become psychotic; it has completely lost touch with reality. -Richard Foster
- Where riches hold the dominion of the heart, God has lost His authority. -John Calvin
- God created us to love people and use things, but materialists love things and use people. -Randy Alcorn
- Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man, but for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity. -Thomas Carlyle
- God is not glorified when we keep for ourselves (no matter how thankfully) what we ought to be using to alleviate the misery of unevangelized, uneducated, unmedicated, and unfed millions. The evidence that many professing Christians have been deceived by this doctrine is how little they give and how much they own. God has prospered them. And by an almost irresistible law of consumer culture (baptized by a doctrine of health, wealth, and prosperity) they have bought bigger (and more) houses, newer (and more) cars, fancier (and more) clothes, better (and more) meat, and all manner of trinkets and gadgets and containers and devices and equipment to make life more fun. They will object: Does not the Old Testament promise that God will prosper his people? Indeed! God increases our yield, so that by giving we can prove our yield is not our god. God does not prosper a man's business so he can move from a Ford to a Cadillac. God prospers a business so that 17,000 unreached peoples can be reached with the gospel. He prospers the business so that 12% of the world's population can move a step back from the precipice of starvation. -John Piper
- "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot -- He wasn't saying he didn't want treasure, just that he didn't want the kind you lose! -Randy Alcorn
- What do we value most? What would we most hate to lose? What do our thoughts turn to most frequently when we are free to think of what we will? And finally, what affords us the greatest pleasure? -A.W. Tozer
Technorati Tags: giving
i hate abortion
Here's a great article by John Piper on abortion.
“equal rights for women” — equal with whom? Equal with the irresponsible dad. Dad has sex and bears no responsibility for the baby. Mom should be equally able to have sex and bear no responsibility for the baby. Young people are looking at this and saying: Something is wrong with this picture. Maybe our lives are as broken as they are because our parents have twisted their hearts and minds so deeply to justify equality in irresponsibility.
Technorati Tags: abortion
formal dress in worship
Formal Dress In Worship Causes Stir
The stir began five minutes into the worship time when a new young couple entered the church's worship center. The man was wearing a suit and tie and the woman a very formal dress. After walking down the main aisle they sat on the second to front row of the church and proceeded to join in the worship with the rest of the congregation. But not everyone was excited to see them there.
Part of me wondered what they were doing here" said Mary Joseph, a church member. "I thought they were just trying to make a point or cause trouble or something."
"I just don't think it's appropriate to get all dolled up like that for church" said Nathan Callaghan, another member. "It's like they made this point to get all dressed up just to come to church and show off their clothes to everybody. I was kind of embarrassed for them because everyone was staring at them and giving them weird looks."
[full story here]
The stir began five minutes into the worship time when a new young couple entered the church's worship center. The man was wearing a suit and tie and the woman a very formal dress. After walking down the main aisle they sat on the second to front row of the church and proceeded to join in the worship with the rest of the congregation. But not everyone was excited to see them there.
Part of me wondered what they were doing here" said Mary Joseph, a church member. "I thought they were just trying to make a point or cause trouble or something."
"I just don't think it's appropriate to get all dolled up like that for church" said Nathan Callaghan, another member. "It's like they made this point to get all dressed up just to come to church and show off their clothes to everybody. I was kind of embarrassed for them because everyone was staring at them and giving them weird looks."
[full story here]
liberation of the poor
More from Herman Hendrickx ...
Let me repeat ...
miracles ... provoke a movement much deeper, much more radical than just physical healing: they insist on the conversion of being. Through faith they call people to follow Jesus. And yet the fact should still be stressed that redemption for Jesus was much more than something merely internal, something infinitely greater than a theological proposition limited to the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins is a narrower, concentric circle within the wider reality of cosmic redemption, of the transformation of the world.
To the two disciples sent by John the Baptist Jesus said: 'go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them' (Mt 11.4-5). What the prophets had promised is now being fulfilled (Isa 29.18-19; 35.5-6; 61.1). Even the dead are being raised to life. But even that is not the greatest miracle. The most important stands at the end: 'and the poor have good news preached to them'. The poor are the first beneficiaries of the proclamation and the inchoative realization of the kingdom.
Jesus did not just promulgate theories about liberation. He brought concrete salvation reaching the most fundamental needs of people. Jesus proclaimed the good news to the poor not only in words but also in mighty deed, in healings and exorcisms. The latter indicated the end of Satan's rule. Explaining their significance, Jesus said: 'How can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? then indeed he may plunder his house' (Mt 12.29). The exorcisms Jesus performed were signs that Jesus was binding the power, the stronghold of Satan and all evil powers and establishing God's rule among people. He was liberating the poor who were under the tyranny of evil. His miracles announced the dawning of God's rule when the poor would be liberated from their poverty. ...
Jesus' miracles are in the first place a sign of the dawning of the eschaton, the kingdom of God in our world of misery and injustice, and its immediate radiation on people, in particular, in favor of the poor of all kinds.
This message of salvation is addressed first of all to the poorest, to those who cannot wait because their needs concern their very lives. If people are in a desperate situation, they ask for a 'miracle', and nobody has the right to disapprove of this request. Paralytics and lepers lived in such a situation: no medical hope, no social security to assure them a minimum of livelihood. Moreover, they were in total religious insecurity because they were considered sinners. Physically, morally, socially, they were outcasts. Jesus came to restore their taste of life. ...
Salvation which starts from the elementary needs of people moves towards deeper liberation from sin, offered to everyone personally. This is the irruption in people's life of the unexpected, which opens up for them a new possibility of existence, and invites them to a life which makes them come out of their closed world of sin, law and death. Thus the miracles reported in the synoptic gospels provoke a movement much deeper, much more radical than just physical healing: they insist on the conversion of being. Through faith they call people to follow Jesus. And yet the fact should still be stressed that redemption for Jesus was much more than something merely internal, something infinitely greater than a theological proposition limited to the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins is a narrower, concentric circle within the wider reality of cosmic redemption, of the transformation of the world.
Let me repeat ...
miracles ... provoke a movement much deeper, much more radical than just physical healing: they insist on the conversion of being. Through faith they call people to follow Jesus. And yet the fact should still be stressed that redemption for Jesus was much more than something merely internal, something infinitely greater than a theological proposition limited to the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins is a narrower, concentric circle within the wider reality of cosmic redemption, of the transformation of the world.
Technorati Tags: healing, Kingdom of God, Signs & Wonders
soli deo gloria: the erosion of god-centered worship
From the Cambridge Declaration:
Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: our interests have displaced God's and we are doing his work in our way. The loss of God's centrality in the life of today's church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and rest too inconsequentially upon us.
God does not exist to satisfy human ambitions, cravings, the appetite for consumption, or our own private spiritual interests. We must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God's kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.
Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria
We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone. We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self- fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.
Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: our interests have displaced God's and we are doing his work in our way. The loss of God's centrality in the life of today's church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and rest too inconsequentially upon us.
God does not exist to satisfy human ambitions, cravings, the appetite for consumption, or our own private spiritual interests. We must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God's kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.
Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria
We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone. We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self- fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.
Technorati Tags: Reformed Theology
sola fida: the erosion of the chief article
From the Cambridge Declaration:
Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. This is the article by which the church stands or falls. Today this article is often ignored, distorted or sometimes even denied by leaders, scholars and pastors who claim to be evangelical. Although fallen human nature has always recoiled from recognizing its need for Christ's imputed righteousness, modernity greatly fuels the fires of this discontent with the biblical Gospel. We have allowed this discontent to dictate the nature of our ministry and what it is we are preaching.
Many in the church growth movement believe that sociological understanding of those in the pew is as important to the success of the gospel as is the biblical truth which is proclaimed. As a result, theological convictions are frequently divorced from the work of the ministry. The marketing orientation in many churches takes this even further, erasing the distinction between the biblical Word and the world, robbing Christ's cross of its offense, and reducing Christian faith to the principles and methods which bring success to secular corporations.
While the theology of the cross may be believed, these movements are actually emptying it of its meaning. There is no gospel except that of Christ's substitution in our place whereby God imputed to him our sin and imputed to us his righteousness. Because he bore our judgment, we now walk in his grace as those who are forever pardoned, accepted and adopted as God's children. There is no basis for our acceptance before God except in Christ's saving work, not in our patriotism, churchly devotion or moral decency. The gospel declares what God has done for us in Christ. It is not about what we can do to reach him.
Thesis Four: Sola Fide
We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.
We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.
Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. This is the article by which the church stands or falls. Today this article is often ignored, distorted or sometimes even denied by leaders, scholars and pastors who claim to be evangelical. Although fallen human nature has always recoiled from recognizing its need for Christ's imputed righteousness, modernity greatly fuels the fires of this discontent with the biblical Gospel. We have allowed this discontent to dictate the nature of our ministry and what it is we are preaching.
Many in the church growth movement believe that sociological understanding of those in the pew is as important to the success of the gospel as is the biblical truth which is proclaimed. As a result, theological convictions are frequently divorced from the work of the ministry. The marketing orientation in many churches takes this even further, erasing the distinction between the biblical Word and the world, robbing Christ's cross of its offense, and reducing Christian faith to the principles and methods which bring success to secular corporations.
While the theology of the cross may be believed, these movements are actually emptying it of its meaning. There is no gospel except that of Christ's substitution in our place whereby God imputed to him our sin and imputed to us his righteousness. Because he bore our judgment, we now walk in his grace as those who are forever pardoned, accepted and adopted as God's children. There is no basis for our acceptance before God except in Christ's saving work, not in our patriotism, churchly devotion or moral decency. The gospel declares what God has done for us in Christ. It is not about what we can do to reach him.
Thesis Four: Sola Fide
We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.
We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.
Technorati Tags: Reformed Theology
ping pong kung fu
We have a ping pong table but I lack the skills that these guys have.
Perhaps the real problem is that it would take six people to lift me like that?
Perhaps the real problem is that it would take six people to lift me like that?
Technorati Tags: humor
sola gratia: the erosion of the gospel
From the Cambridge Declaration:
Unwarranted confidence in human ability is a product of fallen human nature. This false confidence now fills the evangelical world; from the self-esteem gospel, to the health and wealth gospel, from those who have transformed the gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy, to others who treat Christian faith as being true simply because it works. This silences the doctrine of justification regardless of the official commitments of our churches.
God's grace in Christ is not merely necessary but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. We confess that human beings are born spiritually dead and are incapable even of cooperating with regenerating grace.
Thesis Three: Sola Gratia
We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.
We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.
Unwarranted confidence in human ability is a product of fallen human nature. This false confidence now fills the evangelical world; from the self-esteem gospel, to the health and wealth gospel, from those who have transformed the gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy, to others who treat Christian faith as being true simply because it works. This silences the doctrine of justification regardless of the official commitments of our churches.
God's grace in Christ is not merely necessary but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. We confess that human beings are born spiritually dead and are incapable even of cooperating with regenerating grace.
Thesis Three: Sola Gratia
We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.
We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.
Technorati Tags: Reformed Theology
Sunday, June 03, 2007
solus christus: the erosion of christ-centered faith
From the Cambridge Declaration:
As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the center of our vision.
Thesis Two: Solus Christus
We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.
We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.
As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the center of our vision.
Thesis Two: Solus Christus
We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.
We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.
Technorati Tags: Reformed Theology
sola scriptura: the erosion of authority
From the Cambridge Declaration:
Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the church's life, but the evangelical church today has separated Scripture from its authoritative function. In practice, the church is guided, far too often, by the culture. Therapeutic technique, marketing strategies, and the beat of the entertainment world often have far more to say about what the church wants, how it functions and what it offers, than does the Word of God. Pastors have neglected their rightful oversight of worship, including the doctrinal content of the music. As biblical authority has been abandoned in practice, as its truths have faded from Christian consciousness, and as its doctrines have lost their saliency, the church has been increasingly emptied of its integrity, moral authority and direction.
Rather than adapting Christian faith to satisfy the felt needs of consumers, we must proclaim the law as the only measure of true righteousness and the gospel as the only announcement of saving truth. Biblical truth is indispensable to the church's understanding, nurture and discipline.
Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliche's, promises. and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God's truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God's provision for our need. The Bible, therefore, must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preachers opinions or the ideas of the age. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.
The work of the Holy Spirit in personal experience cannot be disengaged from Scripture. The Spirit does not speak in ways that are independent of Scripture. Apart from Scripture we would never have known of God's grace in Christ. The biblical Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth.
Thesis One: Sola Scriptura
We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.
Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the church's life, but the evangelical church today has separated Scripture from its authoritative function. In practice, the church is guided, far too often, by the culture. Therapeutic technique, marketing strategies, and the beat of the entertainment world often have far more to say about what the church wants, how it functions and what it offers, than does the Word of God. Pastors have neglected their rightful oversight of worship, including the doctrinal content of the music. As biblical authority has been abandoned in practice, as its truths have faded from Christian consciousness, and as its doctrines have lost their saliency, the church has been increasingly emptied of its integrity, moral authority and direction.
Rather than adapting Christian faith to satisfy the felt needs of consumers, we must proclaim the law as the only measure of true righteousness and the gospel as the only announcement of saving truth. Biblical truth is indispensable to the church's understanding, nurture and discipline.
Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliche's, promises. and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God's truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God's provision for our need. The Bible, therefore, must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preachers opinions or the ideas of the age. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.
The work of the Holy Spirit in personal experience cannot be disengaged from Scripture. The Spirit does not speak in ways that are independent of Scripture. Apart from Scripture we would never have known of God's grace in Christ. The biblical Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth.
Thesis One: Sola Scriptura
We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.
Technorati Tags: Reformed Theology
basics are important
By Jim Liebelt ...
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. — 2 Peter 1:12
The story has been told (source unknown) of an old ship captain. Every morning the captain would walk into his office, approach a locked desk drawer, take a key out of his pocket, unlock the drawer, take out a book, read and then replace the book and re-lock it in the drawer. He would then go about his duties for the day. For years, the captain’s lieutenant watched him go through this daily ritual.
Upon the captain’s retirement, the lieutenant was promoted to become the new captain. As part of the changing of the ship’s command, the old captain handed over the key to the desk drawer and said, “Guard your ways well, sir, that you follow the advice given in the book. If you do so, you will succeed.”
The new captain couldn’t wait to see what the book contained that had so inspired the old captain and provided so much wisdom all of those years. He anticipated finding the words of another great sea captain, perhaps those of a great philosopher or even the wisdom of the Scriptures. So he rushed right away to the office, unlocked the drawer, pulled out the book and opened it. In the book he found only one page with writing upon it. On that page were two sentences:
“Port is left.”
“Starboard is right.”
This story is a simple reminder of how some of the basic things in life cannot be overlooked. Living as a Christ-follower is no different. While the Scriptures do challenge us to move towards maturity in our faith, the call to remember the basics is also found. There are some very basic components of the Christian life that we should remind ourselves of repeatedly in order to make sure that we don’t forget and move away from important areas like simple, loving devotion to Christ.
Today, reflect for a moment on how your life might be different if every day when you wake up you remind yourself of the basic truth that you are dead to sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. This kind of daily reminder might just make a world of difference!
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. — 2 Peter 1:12
The story has been told (source unknown) of an old ship captain. Every morning the captain would walk into his office, approach a locked desk drawer, take a key out of his pocket, unlock the drawer, take out a book, read and then replace the book and re-lock it in the drawer. He would then go about his duties for the day. For years, the captain’s lieutenant watched him go through this daily ritual.
Upon the captain’s retirement, the lieutenant was promoted to become the new captain. As part of the changing of the ship’s command, the old captain handed over the key to the desk drawer and said, “Guard your ways well, sir, that you follow the advice given in the book. If you do so, you will succeed.”
The new captain couldn’t wait to see what the book contained that had so inspired the old captain and provided so much wisdom all of those years. He anticipated finding the words of another great sea captain, perhaps those of a great philosopher or even the wisdom of the Scriptures. So he rushed right away to the office, unlocked the drawer, pulled out the book and opened it. In the book he found only one page with writing upon it. On that page were two sentences:
“Port is left.”
“Starboard is right.”
This story is a simple reminder of how some of the basic things in life cannot be overlooked. Living as a Christ-follower is no different. While the Scriptures do challenge us to move towards maturity in our faith, the call to remember the basics is also found. There are some very basic components of the Christian life that we should remind ourselves of repeatedly in order to make sure that we don’t forget and move away from important areas like simple, loving devotion to Christ.
Today, reflect for a moment on how your life might be different if every day when you wake up you remind yourself of the basic truth that you are dead to sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. This kind of daily reminder might just make a world of difference!
Technorati Tags: Christian living
Saturday, June 02, 2007
ministry presuppositions
1) The term “discipleship” appropriately applies to any and all phases of the process of taking a person from being a nonbeliever to the place of becoming an effective leader within God‘s Kingdom.
2) Every Christian is called by God to be a leader.
4) Developing leaders is about creating environments in which “called people” realize their God-given potential and maximize their impact with that potential.
5) The “ideal way” to raise up leaders is to begin with a clean slate (called a “non believer”) and working with them until they become mature and equipped followers of Christ.
6) A believer is not successful in training a disciple unless that disciple is effective at both making and training disciples. (Read that as, success is when you birth something that can give birth – same principle in small group or church multiplication).
7) Both making disciples and training disciples become far less effective without “life-on-life” laboring in other‘s lives.
8) Churches will not be highly effective at making and training disciples until existing leaders become faithful in commitment to both.
9) A church can not become effective at training disciples without being effective at making disciples.
10) A church will not become highly effective at making disciples who make disciples without:
2) Every Christian is called by God to be a leader.
- Informal, non-public leader => call & character
- Formal, non-public leader => call, character, & competencies
- Formal, public leader => call, character, competencies, & charisma
4) Developing leaders is about creating environments in which “called people” realize their God-given potential and maximize their impact with that potential.
5) The “ideal way” to raise up leaders is to begin with a clean slate (called a “non believer”) and working with them until they become mature and equipped followers of Christ.
6) A believer is not successful in training a disciple unless that disciple is effective at both making and training disciples. (Read that as, success is when you birth something that can give birth – same principle in small group or church multiplication).
7) Both making disciples and training disciples become far less effective without “life-on-life” laboring in other‘s lives.
8) Churches will not be highly effective at making and training disciples until existing leaders become faithful in commitment to both.
9) A church can not become effective at training disciples without being effective at making disciples.
10) A church will not become highly effective at making disciples who make disciples without:
- A church culture of disciple making
- A specific and effective plan for training people to make disciples
- Accountable structures to encourage believers to identify and build relationships with non-believing people
- A shift from “success” thinking to “influence” thinking
Technorati Tags: discipleship, leadership
who found whom?
Jonathan Moorhead noticed the following from Jn 1.35-51:
I agree with him.
V. 45: “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
BUT, two verses earlier John says of Jesus:
V. 43 “The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”
I think it is a natural reaction for all of us to think WE have found Jesus, whereas in reality, it is He that has found us.
I agree with him.
Technorati Tags: Calvinism
theses on worship
Martin Luther had his 95 theses posted on the doors of Wittenberg and Steve Camp had his 107 theses posted on his blog. In 2005, Gary Parret, wrote his 9.5 theses on worship. This is a must read. Below is a summary. The entire article can be found here.
1) Our heavenly Father wills that the whole life of believers should be worship.
2) The word worship, when applied to public gatherings of the saints, must not be reduced to a synonym for singing praises to God.
3) Worship involves a rhythm of revelation and response: God graciously reveals himself to us, and we faithfully respond—all the elements must help worshipers participate in this rhythm.
4) Those who lead the congregation in song must be theologically equipped for this important task.
5) Faithful response to God involves more than praise—we need a much broader range of songs available for congregations.
6) The body of Christ in worship is more than an assembly of individual worshipers—we need more we songs.
7) The body of Christ is far bigger than what we see in the gathered community—and our songs should reflect this.
8) Those who lead the church in song are called to assist the congregation in its singing, not to replace it—technologies such as amplification must be used with theological and pastoral sensitivity.
9) The Seeker that we must serve in our worship services is, first and foremost, God himself.
9.5) In its services of public worship, the church must obey such Scriptures as Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Of course much of this is geared for "that Sunday morning thing we do". It's still good stuff but we need to press on to true community where each one brings a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, ... (Eph 5.17-21; Col 3.14-17).
1) Our heavenly Father wills that the whole life of believers should be worship.
2) The word worship, when applied to public gatherings of the saints, must not be reduced to a synonym for singing praises to God.
3) Worship involves a rhythm of revelation and response: God graciously reveals himself to us, and we faithfully respond—all the elements must help worshipers participate in this rhythm.
4) Those who lead the congregation in song must be theologically equipped for this important task.
5) Faithful response to God involves more than praise—we need a much broader range of songs available for congregations.
6) The body of Christ in worship is more than an assembly of individual worshipers—we need more we songs.
7) The body of Christ is far bigger than what we see in the gathered community—and our songs should reflect this.
8) Those who lead the church in song are called to assist the congregation in its singing, not to replace it—technologies such as amplification must be used with theological and pastoral sensitivity.
9) The Seeker that we must serve in our worship services is, first and foremost, God himself.
9.5) In its services of public worship, the church must obey such Scriptures as Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Of course much of this is geared for "that Sunday morning thing we do". It's still good stuff but we need to press on to true community where each one brings a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, ... (Eph 5.17-21; Col 3.14-17).
Technorati Tags: worship
7 things the lord hates
From Dan Greene Randy No-blog of Cape Bible Chapel and beyond fame, circa 1999.
1) Haughty eyes (proud look--KJV)--the opposite of humbleness. Jesus had every right to be proud, but was the epitome of humbleness. He often criticized the Pharisees for their attitude of being better than "the sinners" or "Gentiles". see Prov. 8:13.Nothing is crueler than making someone else feel worthless; ridiculing someone.
2) A lying tongue (9th Commandment)--is often the method of #1--tell a lie about someone to bring them down. Again, Christ is the opposite of lying because he is truth. Lying is the supreme sin because it is at the root of all sin, and is used to cover up all sin. Compare with 6:12b and possibly 6:13
3) Hands that shed innocent blood (6th Commandment)--the ultimate in taking advantage of someone.
4) A heart that devises wicked plans--We see here that pre-meditation is more serious than so-called crimes of passion.
5) Feet that run rapidly to evil--God hates the person who seeks out evil and quickly goes to it. We should be rapidly running from evil, not to it. Of course you can't run to evil if you don't know where it is. It's always best to be innocent of evil. Also the farther away evil is, the more difficult it is to run to it.
6) A false witness who utters lies--This one is only slightly different than #2, a lying tongue. The sense here is of a courtroom witness. The Jewish legal system was totally dependent on good witnesses. There was no such thing as evidence other than the spoken word of witnesses. A false witness could easily have someone put to death. The Jews put up false witnesses against Jesus.
7) One who spreads strife among brothers--(he that soweth discord among brethren--KJV). Compare 6:14b. God is a God of peace, not strife. He desires that we live in harmony with one another. He hates anyone who stirs up trouble among people. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of God. Rom 12:18, If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Heb 12:14, Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
1) Haughty eyes (proud look--KJV)--the opposite of humbleness. Jesus had every right to be proud, but was the epitome of humbleness. He often criticized the Pharisees for their attitude of being better than "the sinners" or "Gentiles". see Prov. 8:13.Nothing is crueler than making someone else feel worthless; ridiculing someone.
2) A lying tongue (9th Commandment)--is often the method of #1--tell a lie about someone to bring them down. Again, Christ is the opposite of lying because he is truth. Lying is the supreme sin because it is at the root of all sin, and is used to cover up all sin. Compare with 6:12b and possibly 6:13
3) Hands that shed innocent blood (6th Commandment)--the ultimate in taking advantage of someone.
4) A heart that devises wicked plans--We see here that pre-meditation is more serious than so-called crimes of passion.
5) Feet that run rapidly to evil--God hates the person who seeks out evil and quickly goes to it. We should be rapidly running from evil, not to it. Of course you can't run to evil if you don't know where it is. It's always best to be innocent of evil. Also the farther away evil is, the more difficult it is to run to it.
6) A false witness who utters lies--This one is only slightly different than #2, a lying tongue. The sense here is of a courtroom witness. The Jewish legal system was totally dependent on good witnesses. There was no such thing as evidence other than the spoken word of witnesses. A false witness could easily have someone put to death. The Jews put up false witnesses against Jesus.
7) One who spreads strife among brothers--(he that soweth discord among brethren--KJV). Compare 6:14b. God is a God of peace, not strife. He desires that we live in harmony with one another. He hates anyone who stirs up trouble among people. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of God. Rom 12:18, If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Heb 12:14, Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
Technorati Tags: Christian living
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