New Blog...don't need to come here anymore

Hi everyone.

I have launched a new blog called ressurrectionjoy over here.

http://resurrectionjoy.wordpress.com/

From now on I am not using this cite anymore.  Hope resurrectionjoy will be a blessing.

God's glorious Justice affects everyone

"God's justice is...inexorable: no sinners can escape being punished; the sins of the godly are punished in their surety Christ, and they are afflicted in this life.  God is justice itself, justice is essential to him, his will is the rule of justice, a things is just because he wills it, and he does not will [something] because it is just.  He will right the wrongs of his children, 2 Thess 1:6-8.  He cannot be corrupted or bribed."  Leigh.  Treatise.

This is truly good news.  Of course we fear God.  Just think he cannot be bought off and he will judge us through and through.

A good piece on Reformed ecumenicity

Great piece by Kevin DeYoung.  

Is John Piper Really Reformed?

The answer to the question is obvious to most people, but often in two different directions. For many people, John Piper is the most well known and most vigorous proponent of Reformed theology in the evangelical world today. He’s the guy who calls himself a seven point Calvinist. He exults in the sovereignty of God at every turn. He is, according to Mark Dever, “the single most potent factor in the recent rise of Reformed theology.” Of course, John Piper is Reformed.

But for others, it’s just as obvious that John Piper is not really Reformed. Reformed theology is defined by the Reformed confessions and finds its expression in Reformed and Presbyterian ecclesiastical structures, so clearly John Piper—as a credobapstist from the Baptist General Conference—is not Reformed. Why should “Reformed Baptist” sound any less strange than “Lutheran Baptist”?

I understand the point that those in the second category are trying to make. There is a real danger we equate Reformed theology with John Calvin and then equate John Calvin with TULIP, so that “Reformed” ends up meaning nothing more than a belief in predestination. Scholars like Richard Muller have worked hard to remind us that both equations are terribly reductionistic. Reformed churches existed before John Calvin, and Calvin’s thought was but one stream (a very important stream) flowing into and out of the Reformed tradition.

Likewise, anyone who has a deep appreciation for the Reformed confessions and has studied the development of Reformed theology will be understandably jealous to help people see that there is much more to being Reformed than a predestinarian soteriology. As one who subscribes to a historic Reformed denomination and has written a book on the Heidelberg Catechism, I am enthusiastic about all that the Reformed tradition has to offer, from ecclesiology, to worship, to our understanding of the law, to our understanding of the sacraments, to a dozen other things. I sympathize with those who are quick to point out that a college freshman who believes in a big God is not exactly plumbing the depths of what it means to be Reformed.

But on the other hand, it doesn’t bother me when John Piper is called Reformed. Besides the fact that he could likely affirm 95% of what is in the Three Forms and in the Westminster Standards—and I’m not suggesting the other 5% is inconsequential, I’m just making a point that the differences are not as great as one might think—I can readily acknowledge that the word “Reformed” is used in different ways. “Reformed” can refer to a confessional system or an ecclesiastical body. But “Reformed” or “Calvinist” can also be used more broadly as an adjective to describe a theology that owes much of its vigor and substance to Reformed theologians and classic Reformed theology.

Herman Bavinck’s chapter on the history of “Reformed Dogmatics” provides a good example. For starters, Bavinck notes how different Reformed theology is from Lutheran theology, the former being less tied to one country, less tied to one man, and less tied down in a single confession (Reformed Dogmatics, 1.177). Doctrinal development, Bavinck argues, has been richer and more multifaceted in Reformed theology (which may be one of the reasons you don’t hear of Lutheran Baptists).

In particular, Bavinck claims, “From the outset Reformed theology in North America displayed a variety of diverse forms.” He then goes on to mention the arrivals of the Episcopal Church (1607), the Dutch Reformed (1609), the Congregationalists (1620), the Quakers (1680), the Baptists (1639), the Methodists (1735 with Wesley and 1738 with Whitefield), and finally the German churches. “Almost all of these churches and currents in these churches,” Bavinck observes, “were of Calvinistic origin. Of all religious movements in America, Calvinism has been the most vigorous. It is not limited to one church or other, but—in a variety of modifications—constitutes the animating element in Congregational, Baptist, Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed, and German Reformed churches, and so forth” (1.201). In other words, not only is Bavinck comfortable using Calvinism has a synonym for Reformed theology (in this instance at least), he also has no problem affirming that Calvinism was not limited to one tradition alone but constituted the “animating element” in a variety of churches. Calvinism, as opposed to Lutheranism, flourished in colonial America as the typical orthodox, Reformational, sola scriptura-sola fide alternative to the various forms of comprised Arminianism and heterodox Socinianism.

The reason “Reformed” has not been confined in this country to those, and only those, who subscribe to the Three Forms or the Westminster Standards, is because from the beginning the basic contours of Calvinist theology pulsed through the veins of a variety of church bodies. Does this mean nothing but “the basic contours of Calvinist theology” matter for life and godliness? Certainly not—why else would Herman Bavinck go on to carefully delineate the intricacies of Reformed dogmatics for 2500 more pages. I am gladly Reformed, with a capital R as big as you can find.

Which is why my first reaction to the proliferation of even some of Reformed theology is profound gratitude. Do I think TULIP is the essence of Calvinism? No. Do I wish many who think of themselves as “Reformed” would go a lot farther back and dig a lot deeper down? Yes. But does it bother me that people think of Piper, Mohler, and Dever as Reformed? Not at all. They are celebrating and promoting Calvin and Hodge and Warfield and Bavinck and Berkhof—not to mention almost all of the rich Scriptural theology they expound—in ways that should make even the most truly Reformed truly happy.

What is the armour of God described in Ephesians 6?

By armour is meant Christ.  We read of putting on the ‘Lord Jesus,’ Rom. 13:14, where Christ is set forth under the notion of armour.  The apostle doth not exhort them for rioting and drunkenness to put on sobriety and temperance, for chambering and wantonness [to] put on chastity, as the philosopher would have done, but bids, ‘put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ;’ implying thus much [that] till Christ be put on, the creature is unarmed.  It is not a man's morality and philosophical virtues that will repel a temptation, sent with a full charge from Satan's cannon, though possibly it may the pistol-shot of some less solicitation; so that he is the man in armour, that is in Christ. 

Prayer, a gift from God.

If prayer is God’s great gift, it is one inseparable from the giver; who, after all, is His own great gift, since revelation is His Self-donation.

More on the family. Marraige is honorable.

Marriage is instituted by God, and biblically understood it is one of the most glorious pictures of the gospel given to us; the picture of Christ being married to us. Of course if marriage is abused, as it often is, it presents a false gospel to us and our children.  So…are you happy and thankful in your marriage?!  We are glad that Christ is happy and thankful to have us as his wife  

        

Notice Hebrews 13:4.  First, this verse is in the context of the gospel. Because we who have come to Mt. Zion, and to Jesus, and the New Covenant, and to the Kingdom of God (Heb 12:22-28), we have our thinking set straight…including how we look at marriage, including specifically our marriage.  Scripture says let marriage be held in high honour, as precious, as greatly prized. 

Marriage is an honorable state before God, and as we honour it in faith even the marriage bed does not make it dishonorable!

I am thankful for the sacraments

Christ Jesus instituted two sacraments for his church, baptism and the Lord's Supper.  Obviously, these sacraments are good, wise, and enriching for the church; Christ instituted them after all.  They are also good because they reveal to us God's will.  The Reformer  Musculus said, "First, baptism assures us that it is God's will to accept us as his people consecrated and consigned to his name.  Secondly, the Lord's Supper assures us of our continuing membership in the company of the redeemed."  Praise God every Sunday we receive the sacrament we are reminded that God keeps us because he gave his life for us, and praise God at every baptism we are reminded the Lord's name is upon us.

In your family life, remember who you are in Christ Jesus.

Family life comes to us everyday.  As believers we are to live life remembering we are in Christ, well in your family life and activities remember who you are in Christ.  Doug Wilson wrote: “All Christian living, including what we call family is based on being before doing…grace.   The perennial temptation is to try to scrap our way into being in Christ by doing (works).  But grace in the Spirit reverses this order.  Grace makes us Christians, and grace gets more doing done than doing does.  In the gospel God works in us both to will and do for his good pleasure ^{(Phil 2:12-13)}.  The gracious Spirit filled Christian does not refuse to do family, he just doesn’t try to work it in for self-righteousness or self-comforts sake. We don’t earn reflecting Christ’s relationship in our marriages, we don’t earn the salvation of our kids, or good behaved children…God gives them to us by grace. 

So fear the Lord and ask him what is needed in your family.  Pray. Ask him for the gift of a good marriage, for the grace to be a godly dad & mom, and for the grace to love your particular family with all its warts!

Preaching: Co-Working with God

"The eternal salvation of the human soul, through the presentation of divine truth, is the end of preaching.  The created mind is never employed so loftily and so worthily, as when it is bending all its powers, and co-working with God himself, to the attainment of this great purpose.  -WDT. Shedd.  Homeletics & Pastoral Theology.

Now is not the time for Christian preachers to stay quiet

Christianity is the true religion because it is from God.  Her message is from God.  Her word, the Scriptures is from God.  Her God is for the world (Jn 3:16).  The church preaches Christ and him crucified which is the wisdom and power of God.  Sure, the world says its foolishness, but when were Christian preachers told listen to the world and keep quiet about God's truth.  Never.

Christian preachers you must not keep silent today.  WGT. Shedd gives us good advice.

"It is no time for Christianity - the only system that has the right to say to the world, 'Thou shalt,' and 'Thou shalt not'; the only system that has a right to utter its high and authoritative, 'He that believeth [in Christ] shall be saved, and he that beleiveth not shall be damned', - it is no time for that absolute and ultimate religion, in and by which this miserable and ruined race must live or bear no life, to be  deprecatory, and 'borrow leave to be.'" -WGT. Shedd

Jesus went his own way...for us

Look at the story of Jesus' boyhood trip to the Temple in Luke 2:41-51.
 
Notice what Jesus said in v.49. “I must be in my Father’s house.”  Sometimes you read this verse this way, “I must do my Father’s business.”  “I must;” Jesus said this often. “I must preach the good news of the gospel.”  “I must go on my way to be the prophet.”  “I the Son of Man must suffer many things.”  “I must go to your house to day Zacchaeus.”  “I must go to Jerusalem.”  God the Father, Jesus knew, was calling him.  He knew he was on a mission from the Father, and he was beginning to learn that he was the Messiah, the Savior of the world.  Here Jesus as a boy really went his own way…for you and me.  Here we learn that he would have to obey God rather than man, even his parents, and serve God his Father…all the way to the cross so you and I could be saved.

The centre of the family is Christ Jesus

If we study the Bible rightly, every subject in it has as its centre Christ and his glory.   The centre of the family, and God’s Word about it, is Jesus Christ.  Marriage is a picture of Christ and his church.  Fatherhood brings children to Christ.  Think of God our Father who is the father of all good things; he brought us Christ.  Motherhood is a picture of the love of Christ for us.  As a hen gathers her chicks, so Christ gathers us to himself.  Children are part of the kingdom of God.  No one is to forbid them from coming to the Lord Jesus; so we are to have a Christ centred focus regarding children.  In some way they are holy when a parent has faith in Jesus. When we talk about family from God’s Word, Jesus is central.

Praise God for the truth of the person of Christ: the Caledonian Creed

We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the unity, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.

The All-Mighty God

God is infinitely powerful, or almighty. The power of God is that perfection whereby he is able to effect all things that do not imply a contradiction, either to his own perfections, or to the nature of things themselves. "With God nothing shall be impossible," said the angel to the Virgin Mary. "With God all things are possible," said Jesus to his disciples. How great must be that power which produced the beautiful fabric of the universe out of nothing! "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" "For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast."–Ps. xxxiii. 6, 9. His power is still exerted in the preservation of the world; for he upholds all creatures in their being and operations by the word of his power.  - Robert Shaw.  Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith. 

Funny puns for a Saturday.

Here are some great puns to make you laugh.

The Westminister Confession on the gifts of the Spirit

Check out Kevin DeYoung's comments on cessationism and the Westminster Confession of Faith.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/ …

A gospel centred preacher

A gospel-centered teacher isn’t satisfied to see his people learn truths about God. A gospel-centered leader wants them to feel those truths. To feel the full weight of God’s provision for us in Christ. To have the heart’s affections stirred to worship the loving God who has saved us by his grace and incorporated us into his family.  - John Piper

Union with Christ

Great description of union with Christ.

In preaching God must give us what we want to give to others.

"Oh Lord my God, hear my prayer, and let Thy mercy regard my longing, since it burns not for myself alone, but because it desires to benefit brotherly charity; and Thou seest into my heart that so it is.  I would sacrifice to Thee the service of my thought and tongue; and do Thou give what I may offer to Thee."  - Augustine, Confessions.

The church has climate

An ethos is a tone, sentiment, or climate of a people or community.  I like the word climate the best. Denominations and individual churches throughout history have had a myriad of climates; from war to greed, from gospel to legalism, from fundamentalism to 19^th century Victorian acceptability etc.   The question is not whether we should have an ethos; the question is which one, and who or what will give us this ethos. 

When Dietrich Bonhoeffer traveled in America in 1930-31 he said this about the American church ethos.  "The church is really no longer the place where the congregation hears and preaches God's word, but rather the place where one acquires secondary significance as a social entity for this or that purpose."  Imagine coming to church only to hear about ourselves and our reason for having church! 

No wonder people left the church from the 1950’s on.  Why go when the climate is so bad or boring.  Praise the Lord this is slowly changing.  God in Jesus Christ is true, challenging, divine, judging, holy, and world-changing.  This is not bad or boring.  To be in Christ and have him proclaimed in church is to be in an exciting environment, in a good climate.