I will ask this in the outset, and then again at the end of this short blog: Do you have pleasure in unrighteousness? Honestly? I bet, like me, you said, “No way!”
Music videos, Hollywood films, graphic novels, soaps and sitcoms all abound with adultery, fornication, murders and the like. When we feast upon those and relish the scenes before us, how can we say we are “like Christ?”
Is our soul “vexed” like righteous lot, or is our passion stirred? When a man’s soul is vexed he is sickened, tormented, troubled with what he sees, and does not like it. Yet we go back to the trough of the world waiting for more slop to be poured in so we can indulge our passions like hungry animals. Waiting for the next episode, the next new song, the next release of the sensual movie. What has happened to our senses, we who say we are of Christ?
Listen to Paul as he warns about those who are lost; the sign of it is certain: (2Th 2:12)That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Now, I ask again, “Do you have pleasure in unrighteousness?” In other words, does it please you to hear the next episode is coming up that is filled with sensual pleasures, the new music video with words that dishonor Christ and His church? Do you want to stand in line to get the first seat at the theater, or purchase that first release CD?
Gen. 19:1 "and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom" There are so many thoughts that come to my mind as I consider Lot sitting at the gate of Sodom:
I wonder how he ended up there.
I wonder how he felt the first time he walked through the gate he was sitting at that day.
I wonder how he could have left the comfort of the country side, the fresh smells, the clean air and what lie he told himself that convinced him he needed to move into the city of Sodom itself.
I am of the opinion that it was not overnight.
In fact, for me the progression into sin is not that one day I am fine and the next I am sitting in the gate of Sodom wondering how I got there. Rather, it is slow, calculated, laden with excuses and reasons that all seem harmless and innocuous at first.
A man in our family Sunday school class pointed out that when we sin we have made provisions for it. Like a man getting ready for a trip, he packs all the things he needs, all the things he will want, and all the things for a "just in case" emergency. In other words, he "provides" all the things he might have occasion to use.
Making provision for the flesh is no different, only dangerous. Instead of providing for good and for right, we start putting things into our nap-sack that will hinder us, and cause us to stumble, and then occasion our fall.
He went on to say, we subscribe to things that do not direct our passion toward Christ but toward the flesh.
I think Lot hardly ever expected to lose his family as a result of moving to Sodom. I don't think that the day he pitched his tent "toward" Sodom that he thought, "Hey, this is great, soon my wife will fall in love with the wicked generation of Sodom, and my daughters will want to commit incest!"
That is hardly the way we find ourselves sitting in the gate. Rather it is so subtle, so slow and progressive that we actually think good is coming from it.
Pointing our tent toward Sodom gives us the opportunity to see the trade routes in and out of the town. We can see how often the flow of wool and produce move in and out as well. That will help us to know when to better time our deliveries.
We don't know the progression that Lot took to get to Sodom, but we know in Genesis 13 he pitched his tent toward it. Then just a couple of chapters later, with no word as to what happened, we see him living in Sodom, and the next time he is apparently an Elder, sitting in the Gates of the City.
Often I ask people when they are in counsel with me, "What happened?" Wanting to know how they came to the sad position they were in. Their answer many time is, "I don't know what happened, just all of a sudden..." And they are right. We don't plan for our marriages to fail, we just don't plan for them to succeed. We don't plan for our lives to become absorbed with sports, hobbies, excess, but then, we don't plan to avoid the snares that those things by nature are prone toward.
The afternoon sermon was from 2 Chronicles and Brother Joshua Miller pointed out that several people purposed in their heart to follow the Lord. But there were many who did not. The result of each persons decision was directly related to what they purposed to do, what they set their heart to do.
Let us plan NOT to sin. Let us plan to obey the Word of God and be found somewhere other than the gates of Sodom, unless it is to rescue the perishing.
The fact that our back porch is covered did little to prevent almost 8 inches of snow from blanketing the entire area. Rarely, and thankfully, do we ever get such snow falls here in the south. Some of our neighbors live on dirt roads and were snow-locked for a week. With only a handful of snowplows in our town there was no way they could cover all the back roads in our rather large county. With all that said, in spite of the inconvenience, fender benders and missed days of work, it was a most dazzling display of God's power. While man had all his plans laid out for the week, 8 inches of billowy white stopped him dead in his tracks! It brought to mind a quote from Martin Luther I heard once, and don't have any real validation for its authenticity, but went something like this, "Our sins are like dung piles, and God's justification is like the first snow that blankets the land. The dung pile is still there, but it is hidden under the snow. It no longer is even noticed." Thus the declaration that we are forgiven covers our sins and brings great peace.
Someone made argument that if I could not cite the quote he made, I should not make it. One writer went on to say, "Funny thing about that quote—despite years of Lutheran seminary education, and experience as a pastor, and the reading of umpteen volumes of Luther's Works, I have never come across that quote in print, nor have I ever heard it from the mouth of a Lutheran. Yet it is a favorite of Luther's critics. I asked renowned Luther scholar Eric Gritsch about this, and he replied that it does exist somewhere in one of the "Table Talks" (after dinner ramblings written down by Luther's students—not reliable sources for Luther's thought), but even he couldn't give me a reference.
I guess that makes for a good point, but honestly, the truth of the quote is what I am after. When I looked across our yard and into the woods, it looked like a completely different place, one I hardly knew. Isn't that what we hope fore when our sins are forgiven and washed away? That all those who look upon the landscape of our life might say, "That is not the same man I once knew."
Mal 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Shock Society. That is where we live. We love to shock people. We love to be shocked. We need a jolt to keep us focused. In fact, some energy drinks have played on those names to let people know what they are in for if they drink one. The radio hosts "shock jocks" that tell dangerously profane stories that cause the FCC to study close what they have said to insure it can be broadcast for the public ear. The host's know, it sells. People clamor for it. The pulpit, I am afraid is not immune to this type of marketing. Preachers all over this country are adopting a "shock jock" mentality and it draws crowds. I don't know if it draws more sheep or goats. But it draws a crowd. Many have lost the ability to blush because they have become so innundated with worldliness and crudeness. So, preachers move to more "shocking" words and statements to titillate the crowd. Jer 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: A.W. Tozer said “We should and must learn that we cannot handle holy things carelessly without suffering serious consequences.” The text from Malachi declares that if God is a father, then where is the honor due fathers? That falls limp on our modern ears, because fatherhood is not honored as it should be. Mocking dad, ignoring his counsel, and pretty much relegating him to just another voice in the crowd is the common thing in society. He is just another person you can choose to agree with or disagree with and do so without any honor. God teaches us that it will NOT be well with the person who does this. Deu 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. But Malachi even draws the illustration further by God comparing himself to a master, that deserves fear. Again, modern society cringes at the term of "fear" equating it to some poor oppressed person, groveling before a task master bent on whipping the person into obedience. This is far from the biblical picture of godly fear toward those in authority over us, but we know when something is said long enough and loud enough, it is believed. May the preachers that mount the pulpit remember, the holy thing that we deal with is to be taken with sobriety: not a comedy night production attitude. The holy thing we do is godly edification and instruction: not a whipping post for my latest soapbox. The holy thing we do is for the glory of God: not the promotion of ourselves, our ministries, or favor of men. May I remember this when I preach this Lord's day. To God alone be glory.
"To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it."
G.K. Chesterton
I suppose for most of us, we view everything we do through the lens of "freedom." As Americans we hold to our "rights" very tightly. While we enjoy liberty and freedom, often times we forget that we are not free to abuse liberty, or to use our liberty to injure others. Chesterton spoke rightly to the idea of proper liberty.
To have a right to do a thing is fundamental in our thinking. As long as it is legal, we rally to the call of freedom and demand the right to do it. For example, we recoil at the thought of not being allowed to vote, but many American's simply don't vote. According to the Census Bureau, in 2008, 64% of Americans that were voting age actually went to the polls. Now, it is their right to vote, but not all did it; it is also their right NOT to vote. Whether that bothers you or not, is really not the issue.
What bothers me is the fact that we have liberty for so many good things that we do not do, that would only aid in helping others. Yet the liberties that we have that are an aid to no one but ourselves is often times used to the damage of others. That is a challenge for me almost daily.
In an attempt to "not offend" often times we should put legal liberties to the side. All too often, we think because it is our "right" to do something, others should understand our "liberty" and "get over it." When in actuality we should get over our demand to exercise a right, that will injure a brother in the process.
Yes, no matter how hard we try, we shall offend. Jesus reminded us of that. Surely offenses shall come He said. So we say, "see, there is just nothing we can do, we are going to offend no matter what!" But we forget that He went on to say, "Woe to him that causes the offense." (Matt. 18:7)
Discernment in our actions, coupled with genuine love for our brethren will cause us to make careful decisions about our liberty. What ever liberty you are certain is lawful, remember there are times for all things. ( Ecc. 3:1) And there are times that restraint is best. Discretion, it is said, is the better part of valor. Often, valor is lost in the midst of our practice of lawful liberty.
I don't suppose the word resolution is found anywhere in the bible. At least I cannot find it. Resolve is used in one parable in Luke, where an unfaithful steward is striving to correct his wrongs. But to suggest that making a resolution is wrong would be quite incorrect. The word itself is an encouraging word. It simply means, "determininguponanactionorcourseofaction,method,procedure." We should all make resolutions. Every time we sin, it should already be resolved that we will repent and correct the errors of our way. Each time we have opportunity to do our neighbor good, it should already be resolved that we will not try to take honor to ourselves, but that we will give glory to God, from whom all good things flow. I think also, it is good to set personal resolutions, and work toward them. A man never hits a target unless he aims at it. A resolution is like a fellow taking aim at a bulls eye and pulling the trigger on his gun. He may miss the bulls eye, but now he can see where his correction needs to be, and he can take aim again, and again until he finally achieves his goal. Be careful that foolish resolutions do not make you look foolish. If you resolve to go to the moon this year, I am afraid you may be sorely displeased at the end of the year. Set realistic, God honoring goals that will not just help you, but be a blessing to all those around you as well. I know one person resolved to lose 25 pounds. That is good not only for him, but for his family, who will benefit by having a healthy husband and father, his company will benefit, by not having a sluggish employee. So even small resolutions have big implications. Think through today, what you can resolve to do that will better aid you in achieving godly goals for the future, and push toward them with fervor. Remember, if you never aim at the target, don't expect to hit the bulls eye...ever!
It is not every day that a fisherman brings home the BIG one. In fact, if my own experience means anything, it is rare that the big one is EVER brought home. I call myself a fisherman, because I fish: not because I catch fish, but rather put forth the effort to catch fish. It is not inconsistent that I say "I am a fisherman" as long as the understanding is: my goal is to catch fish and not just fish for fish. (is this sounding fishy?)
At any rate, I say "I am a Christian" and many times I act like I am not. Either in my words, or my deeds, and secretly, in my thoughts I reveal that I am not all that I say that I am.
If there is anything I want to be "consistent" about, it is my faith. Not just my inward faith, but the walking out of my faith. What I am called to do, to be, to embody as a believer is more than meets the eye. Jesus said something to his disciples that should make us consider:
Mar 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
It is not until we follow after Him that we will be made fishers of men. The times I find myself most inconsistent, is when I am following hard after ME. When my flesh is being satisfied, I am being most inconsistent with the faith I say I embrace.
A call to repentance is before me as I examine my own following of the Lord that saved me. Am I inconsistent in the consistency I am called to? Or am I consistently being inconsistent? If the latter is the case, I must ask am I truly following after Christ?
Let the life of a believer be such that no one doubts that he is consistent in his faith, even though from time to time he may appear to be inconsistent. Let him fall, but let him get up seven times. Just because he loads the boat, and spends hours on the lake, and returns with no fish today, is no reason to say he is no fisherman.
But let not his life be one of consistently failing to load the boat and head to the lake. If this is the case, his constant failing to do the work of a fisherman reveals, "He is no fisherman at all."
Lord, make us fishers of men, as we follow hard after you.
Sometimes, when tribulations are pressing in on every side, it can become difficult to believe that the Lord knows exactly what he is doing. Our sight is so limited, that often we only see despair, believing that God has abandoned us and He will not keep his promise to work all things out for our good, (Rom. 8:28-29). Let us not forget, in spite of what we can see, or even reason, that our Creator, our Father, is sovereign, and while working for the advancement of His kingdom, even when things seem darkest, he is working for our ultimate good.
When I meet someone who seems to have lost hope, it is evident physically and verbally. You can take away a man's job, and he will do what he must to survive. Let a husband abandon a wife, and she will pull herself closer to her children and parents, but destroy the hope of either one of these people and you will watch them move toward despair.
We as a people of God have no reason to despair, even in the midst of tribulations. Once we have landed on the unchanging word of God, and determined to believe it, above our subjective experiences, we can with great hope and confidence face the most confusing circumstances.
Rom 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Again, R.C. Jr. has waxed eloquent as he calls us away from the modern view that we must "immerse ourselves in the culture" if we ever think we can win them. This one hits home with some clarity and conviction. I myself have often times toyed with the latest sports score, or movie interest in hopes that I could sound more "hip" or "up-to-date" as I talked with those outside the church. I mean, who wants to sound "disconnected" from society and culture! I didn't want to sound like I was Amish or something! How dreadful (do you sense sarcasm? If so, you have passed the first part of the test. Next, read what Sproul says about this...)
We must stop confusing worldliness with pre-evangelism.
The devil has perfected any number of ways to profane the holy. Worse still, he has perfected any number of ways of encouraging us to do the same. Our worldliness is problem enough. The devil scores the most style points, however, when he persuades us to baptize our worldliness by thinking it somehow holy. So he has done with our wholesale immersion in the culture. He has led us from the observation that Paul quoted an unbelieving poet into believing that our mass consumption of mass quantities of mass culture is a sacrifice the pious ought to be ready to make for the sake of those outside the faith.
How, we wonder, will we ever get the chance to speak with our unbelieving neighbors unless we too get lost in the matrix of Hollywood's latest hits? How can we direct our unbelieving neighbors away from American idols, unless we too learn to sing their songs? And so we spend our time and treasure down at Vanity Fair, never realizing, to mix a metaphor, that we are growing donkey ears. Worse still, we are growing coarse tongues, and numb consciences.
First century Rome was a sports crazed culture. Sundry stadia still dot their ancient cities, all across their empire. As Christianity spread as well, but before Christians would be dragged to these sites to become sport themselves, the Christians did not attend the Roman games. No, they did not organize a boycott in order to protest the skimpy clothing of the combatants. Nor did they carry signs outside the gatherings prophetically denouncing the violence of the games. Their reason for not attending was far more spiritual—they just didn't care. Their lives were focused on better things. This doesn't mean, of course, that the first century Christians were too austere to go to the games. The point isn't that godliness is next to crankiness. Instead, their joys were too grand to be compared to having your favorite athlete win the laurel.
Christ has given us life, and life abundant. And we fill our lives with petty trifles. We think we're doing it for the lost, but are instead showing how lost we are. What the lost need from us is not that we would live lives like theirs, not that we would be consumed with the petty and insignificant. They do not need one more conversation around the water cooler about last night's episode. What they need is to see lives lived for something more important than "Must see TV." We do not need to learn the jargon of this subculture or that. Instead we need to live lives that speak plainly, and we need to speak plainly about our life in Christ. "Repent and believe the good news" is understandable in any language. Better still, when we are speaking our language, at least we will hear it. If the lost are not found through our faithful lives, we are still blessed with faithful lives. Worldliness is no virtue, no matter what end we say it serves. If we were honest, we would admit that it serves our flesh. But, not only are Cretans liars, but Christians are too.
R.C. Sproul Jr. , An excerpt from his book "Believing God"
While reading some excerpts from an upcoming book, was impressed with the strength of a couple of articles dealt with. While I don't agree with everything the author espouses, there are certain points he hits "dead on." Just to be clear, this is not my work, though I agree with this thought and enjoy how it was written...
We must stop the psychological equivalent of selling indulgences.
Tetzel, the seller of indulgences that first got Dr. Luther's goat, was known for a rather crass sales pitch. "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from Purgatory springs." This practice is what sparked the Reformation. Intent on raising funds for refurbishing the church at Rome, the Pontiff offered to use his powers to hasten the day that people could be set free from purgatory. All it took was a sufficiently sizable donation. Write a check, and grandma can skip the torment of having her sins purged, and skip right to heaven itself.
We, of course, because we are moderns, believe ourselves to be past all that. The Reformation happened, and now even Rome wouldn't practice such flim-flammery. And we, because we are moderns, are hopeless fools that just fell off the turnip truck. The devil doesn't give up easily on successful stratagems. On those rare occasions that we figure him out, he simply repackages the same old snake-oil, and we rush to buy it.
Here is how it works in our day. First, we buy into the world's therapeutic revolution. We believe, like our unbelieving neighbors, that the good life is one of psychological wholeness. We believe, like our unbelieving neighbors, that the purpose in life is self-actualization. We believe, unlike our unbelieving neighbors, that the right church, or church program, or church guru, will get us there. We believe that the church will give us our best life now.
The church offers to help us feel better about ourselves. It promises programs and premium coffee. It presents feel good talks delivered by some charming guy in a sweater, the Christian equivalent of Dr. Feel-Good. And all it asks in return is that we drop a check in the plate, that we purchase the program, that we donate to the guru. These will drive our guilt far from us, and we will be purged of all that makes us feel utterly unlovely. That is how the program is supposed to work, and now we, heirs of the Reformation, build cathedrals to our own glory.
Luther did not have as his goal psychological wholeness. His beef wasn't that indulgences didn't deliver the emotional goods. Neither was his goal the recovery of an abstract doctrine. He wanted instead to recover the very work of Christ. He wanted people to not jettison their feelings of guilt, but to have their guilt taken away.
The church is that place where we must be told the truth. We must be told the ugly truth that we are in ourselves nothing but ugly, a poisonous blending of dust and rebellion. We must be told the ugly truth that our sins drove Christ to the cross, that we crucified Him. We must be told the shocking truth that because God brought this to pass, we now, if we are His, have peace with God, that we have been adopted into His family.
Here we stand. We can do no other. God help us.
R.C. Sproul Jr., excerpt from his upcoming book "Believing God."
I met a friend over the Internet named Kevin Williams. He has a great blog that I follow and enjoy reading. He did an extensive review on Dave Hunt's book on Calvinism. Hunt is anti-Calvinistic to say the least. Kevin does a great job dissecting this book. His review is worth the read if you have ever been tempted to read Hunt's book. I have read Hunt's book and for the "uninformed" it would be a great tool to "whip those nasty Calvinists" with, but it fails terribly in accuracy. I have taken the liberty to LINK to Kevin's article....read on with enjoyment! Thanks.
The new year is upon us and a hope that we ill live more holy this year than we did last. At least that is the hope I have for myself and my family. In England, it is not uncommon to see "mind the gap" at bus and rail stations if there is a gap between the sidewalk and your mode of transportation. It is a subtle reminder, that if you are not careful, you will fall. God tells us that clearly in His Word that we should "Take Heed" lest we fall.
When a person embraces the fact that we are to strive for the holiness of God more so than for our personal happiness, he will discover the meaning of "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done" as well as the phrase, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..."
May we in this upcoming year strive to be faithful in all things concerning the Word. One way to aid in this is to faithfully read the Word. If you do not have a reading schedule I will mail you one for free. Simply contact me on our Church Web site listed on this Blog Spot. Just include your name and ask for "Bible Reading Schedule" and I will ship it out as soon as possible. I will not include a request for donations, or any other form of solicitations. I will just sent the schedule and nothing more. This will be as long as my supplies last of course.
If you are in need of Bible Counsel, you may contact us in the same way. Topics like Marriage, Parenting, Work related issues, Addictions, Depression, and a host of other issues can be overcome through obedience to Scriptures. In fact, we believe 2Pe 1:3 is true as it states, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:"
Our counseling is really Bible Discipleship, as opposed to "problem centered" counseling. We believe that God's word has an answer to all our needs, and it is our goal to train and encourage others in godly living. We are able to meet face to face if you are local, or we can speak via email or phone if it is possible. Again, we offer this help free, and believe that God will care for our needs as He sees fitting. Our only restriction is time. We will schedule you as there is space available.
It is my hope that the New year is a great blessing to you as you seek to follow the Lord.
Often times we believe lies. We enjoy believing them becasue they allow us to act in a manner that is pleasing to our flesh, and contrary to revealed truth from God's Word. Jay Adams has a helpful message on the topic of Depression that can help each of us who want to help others. Take some time to listen to this full length message delivered some time ago by Jay Adams. http://www.eternallifeministries.org/messages/ja_depression.mp3
In our congregation we have more than one elder, and yesterday, as in typical fashion, Elder Joshua Miller spoke from Galatians 4:11. " I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."
By the time he was finished with the message, I was convinced I needed to re-examine my calling in the ministry. I was challenged to examine aspects of my shepherding that I had not considered in some time.
I consider myself very careful in my watch-care over the flock that God has entrusted in my care, however, I came to see myself as full of fault, and was convicted over various areas of service.
When I stand before the Lord, I want to hear the words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant..." I must always remember that I am dealing with the Bride of my Saviour Jesus Christ when I deal with each person in the congregation.
I have always said, "I could preach to 10,000, but I could only properly pastor about 200..." After yesterdays message, let us make that 100...To truly feed, to truly care, to truly watch must take my whole being. I don't want a soul to fall through the proverbial cracks at Emmanuel. We do not labor as ministers of the Gospel to see the work be in vain. Let us labor for the Glory of God, the good of the saints and the future reward that awaits the faithful minister of God. Live Simply. Live Godly
I know the Apostle Paul uses sarcasm often in his writings. I know that humor is appropriate in the right place and in the right amount. I also know this is about the funniest, and saddest post I have ever read. The last paragraph sums up the total picture perfectly, when the Dragon winks at the camera. Watch out for rising, emergent church superstars, as they say so many good things, that are not the best. Check out the post from Doug Wilson for further explanation:
Okay, I know that the title threw you a curve ball. I am not a proponent of adding programs. However, I am quite amazed how complicated our brethren in other congregations are making the biblical mandates.
Instead of having an Accountability group, what happened to having godly friends? You see, God already gave us an accountability group. He simply calls them brothers and sisters in Christ. We assemble with them each week. We don’t have to meet on every 1st and 3rd Thursday in order to be held accountable, but rather, we meet weekly, on the Lord’s Day, and rejoice to see one another there. We check on each other during the week. We email, tweet, (if you tweet), call, write, (I still use envelopes and stamps, yes I am a dinosaur) and hopefully visit, every week. Something “holy” has been attached to various programs as simple, godly principles are renamed into complicated programs that require a director with a spreadsheet to keep everyone in their places. One writer stated, “What we have is a joyful commitment to the practice of hospitality. We invite folks into our homes, and we visit the homes of others. There are no rules for this. We don’t have a dinner coordinator that makes each family play musical chairs with each other family, all while carrying around a casserole if your last name begins with A through G, and a dessert if R through Z. Instead we share table fellowship freely and happily.” I hope that describes us at Emmanuel.
Certainly, we have organized monthly family fun events…but then again, that is merely my attempt to rename organized communion among believers. It is simply a “get-together” where your children play with my children, and I get to visit with some godly dad’s and my wife visits with your wives. As well, Young men aspiring to be husbands, all the while, watching godly husbands lead their wives in a public setting and learning. Young women, busy with the married ladies, learning what a Titus 2 woman is really all about.
A dear brother and close friend called me the other day explaining that he thought I needed to counsel someone, and that he was no counselor. I reminded him that every time we open our mouths, we become counselors. We become agents for good or evil. We become the minions of hell, or the messengers of heaven. No one is immune to the title of “counselor” because that is what we do. Others watch, or listen to our conversations and become recipients of our information. Then they make decisions based on that information. Every time we have a get-together, we are further embracing the truth that iron sharpens iron. Or we are tearing down lives.
Let us live more simply. Let our fellowships be more spontaneous. Let our organized times be more glorifying to God.
Much has been said about the Lord's day, or Sunday. Many argue for, or against it. Many simply react traditionally to it. (What ever mom did, that is what I will do.) Throughout the years, Baptist have re-established their position on where they stand on the Lord's day as to its observation. Two that are notable, are worthy of mention here, but unfortunately are rarely practiced. We are a nation bent on entertainment, pleasure and self-seeking satisfaction. Listen to these documents of the past and notice the grave differences we see today:
Concerning the Lords day
When the original charter of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was adopted in 1858 it contained the following statement which continues as a part of the "fundamental laws." "Every professor of the institution shall be a member of a regular Baptist Church; and all persons accepting professorships in this Seminary shall be considered, by such acceptance, as engaging to teach in accordance with, and not contrary to, the Abstract of Principles hereinafter laid down, a departure from which principles on his part shall be grounds for his resignation or removal by the Trustees."
Here is what it says concerning the Lord's day:
XVII. The Lord's Day.
The Lord's Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, resting from worldly employments and amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted.
Then, we move to an even older document, one accepted by Baptist and held to today by many (including myself) Spurgeon made it his churches official position on each item it addresses as he felt it best reflected a summary of his views. It was called the London Baptist Confession of 1689. It is in Chapter 22 that the issue of the Lord's day is addressed. Here is a portion of it.
7. As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's day: and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.
( Exodus 20:8; 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10 )
8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations, but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
( Isaiah 58:13; Nehemiah 13:15-22; Matthew 12:1-13 )
Nowhere in either of these documents can we find listed the myriad of distractions that are available to us today. But none of us are blind to all that is offered on the Lord's day as a means to pull us away from our first duty. In fact, we see a sober approach to the Lord's day that should not be translated as cultural, or otherwise. These men of old had their reasons for what they stated, and I am of the opinion that their reasons warrant our careful consideration.
I don't think we are to be solemn, frowning, sad, depressed individuals on the Lord's day, and that is not even what is being suggested in either of the documents. Rather, This day is different, to be set aside for something better than the rest of the week. Common affairs are put away, recreations that might fall on another day must be examined under the light of what the day is all about.
We are a different generation to be sure, but have we improved our holy walk? We need to be removing excuses from the lips of men who can't make it to church on Sunday rather than participating ourselves in the very things that keep them away. Our godly walk should convict, or convince men that the Lord's day is in fact a special day, given to us by our gracious Lord.
It is not unusual that those who say much, will be more likely to be misunderstood more. The more miles a person drives the more likely he will be involved in an accident. A man who never goes fishing, will never catch fish. Often, when speaking to others, or preaching from the pulpit, I say things that are grossly misinterpreted from what my original intention was. Listening to myself on recordings convinces me that at times I am not accurate with my presentation of even simple truths. Carefulness with my words is something that I must concern myself with if I ever expect to effectively communicate the truths of the gospel.
But it does not stop with the gospel.
Simple daily facts and stories can take on a life all of their own if I am not careful to speak each word with decided intentions. One may say, "This is too much trouble, I cannot worry about every word I say!" I would agree, there is MUCH trouble with this. The problem is REAL trouble comes from not weighing all our words in the balance.
How often have we hurt those we love by thoughtless words? How often have we deceived others simply by not including all the pertinent facts? I am guilty on all points.
Many times, it is senseless on our part and even unintentional, but it happens none the less. Jesus encourages us to a careful watch over our mouths by reminding us in Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Well, that settles it for me. I am sunk unless I repent. And thus I do. Daily. Sometimes hourly due to my failings.
Thus, with the psalmist I cry to God "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." Ps. 141:3
One would think this gets easier as you get older...hardly. Our minds not only fill up with more information, but we forget what we have committed to others and promised as well. So with the influx of information, we continue to falter in this area. But with all excuses aside, I must strive for perfection!
The mercy of those that say they love us must be relied upon in this instance. Forgiveness must be ready to be meted out to those who trespass against us in this area as well.
Let us think before we speak, and thus fulfill the scriptures: "Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"
Amazing how we spend hours in a day on wasted things. If I could recapture all my wasted minutes and hours over the past year, what might I have accomplished for Christ? Since I cannot go back and recapture those minutes, let me live each minute today for the Glory of God. I pray that each reading this will own up to the fact we play too much. We are too concerned with popularity, too concerned with acceptance, too concerned with pleasures. When will the Bible become a passion? When we are too old to play? When our friends have gone on to other ventures? May God forgive us for foolishness. The other night at church a gentleman asked me, "Why do you seem so sober?" Oh, how that broke my heart. Have I been so trite, so lighthearted that I appear to never seem sober? Has my lifestyle been such that there are no sober moments that men have seen? I was about to step into the pulpit and preach, I should have been sober. Men's souls were hanging in the balance, believers were about to hear from the Word of God, soberness must be my condition. Paul Washer must be commended on this video, as he calls us to quit being little girls, and become men. Watch the video and ask, "Am I a man concerning the things of the Lord?"
Dwight Moody believed a college dedicated to teaching Bible truth was critical. It was D.L. Moody who realized the importance of raising up the next generation to carry the gospel and thus founded this school. Moody chose his friend and co-worker, Dr. R.A. Torrey to be the first president of the Institute. In 1905, Dr. Torrey shared a story about a rebellious teenager who eventually became the inspiration for the writing of that grand old hymn, At Calvary. The story goes like this:
When I was president of the Moody Bible Institute, I received a letter from a very concerned pastor who told me of a son who was causing himself and his family a great deal of trouble. His life was really mixed
And the father felt that attendance at Moody would help. I advised the father that even though I sympathized with him, for I was a father; yet, because I was running a Bible school and not a reform school, I had to deny his request. After many letters of pleading his cause, I finally gave in with the stipulation that the rebellious teen must see me each day and make every effort to abide by the rules and requirements of the Institute.
Torrey went on to say that the boy faithfully visited his office each day; and with wisdom from God’s word, he answered the questions that had been keeping the boy from God. Finally, after many months of counseling, the prayers of the boy’s father were answered when young William R. Newell received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.
Thirty years later, as a teacher at Moody, Mr. Newell was recounting those turbulent years as a rebellious teen; and as he was rejoicing in his salvation, the words of a poem flooded his mind. His mind was filled with a word picture of what had happened in his life and also in the lives of all those who surrender to Christ. The new man in Christ could now write:
This article below is from the Dean of Reformed Baptist Seminary, who is defending an article he wrote previously. I would like any comments on this and what your understanding really is concerning this! No feelings please, but sound opinions and historical and biblical proofs are expected. Thanks for your participation.
Does God wish or desire that lost men repent?
I recently posted a brief exposition of Deuteronomy 5:29, which depicts God expressing a wish for the good of sinners who in fact never experienced that good (“God Makes a Wish”). The study indirectly supports the doctrine of the well-meant offer of the gospel. Some Reformed folk, however, don’t think the idea of a well-meant offer is biblical. They agree that God commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. But they don’t believe that God desires those whom he obligates (i.e., all men) to comply. In other words, they object to the idea that divine commands or precepts can be understood in any sense as God’s desires or wishes. Below I’d like to provide a string of citations from Reformed and Puritan authors who do in fact construe God’s preceptive will in terms of “desire” or “wish.”
John Calvin (1509-1564):
What I have said of the precepts, abundantly suffices to confound your blasphemies. For though God gives no pretended commands, but seriously declares what he wishes and approves [Latin: vult et probat.]; yet it is in one way, that he wills the obedience of his elect whom he efficaciously bends to compliance; and in another that of the reprobate whom he warns by the external word, but does not see good to draw to himself. Contumacy and depravity are equally natural to all, so that none is ready and willing to assume the yoke (emphasis added). John Calvin, Secret Providence, trans., by James Lillie, Article 7, John Calvin’s reply.
Zacharias Ursinus (1534-1583):
There are four classes of things concerning which men give commandment. These are, first, divine precepts, which God desires, that men should propose unto themselves for their observance, not, however, in their own name, but by the authority of God himself, as being the ministers and messengers, and not the authors of these precepts (emphasis added). Zacharias Ursinus, The Commentary of Dr. Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism, trans., G. W. Willard (Phillpsburg N.J.: P&R, 1994), 519-520.
Amandus Polandus (1561-1610):
“It is called voluntas signi, because it signifies what is pleasing to God, what belongs to our duty, what He wishes to be done or omitted by us, etc.” These “signa voluntatis, from which it is known what God wills”, are “precept, prohibition, permission, counsel, and the fulfilment of predictions” (emphasis added). Cited in Heinrich Heppe, Reformed Dogmatics, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978), 85.
Abrahamus Heidanus (1597-1678):
Strictly speaking there is but a single will of God called beneplaciti, whereby God determines by Himself what He wills to do in and concerning the creature. The second is but the sign and indication by which He shows what He wishes creatures to do. But He does not wish them to make His beneplacitum universal; but only the things which He reveals to them, Dt. 29. 29 (emphasis added). Cited in Heirnich Heppe, Reformed Dogmatics, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978), 87.
François Turretini (1623-1687):
It is one thing to will reprobates to come (i.e., to command them to come and to desire it); another to will they should not come (i.e., to nill the giving them the power to come). God can in calling them will the former and yet not the latter without any contrariety because the former respects only the will of precept, while the latter respects the will of decree…. The invitation to the wedding proposed in the parable (Mt. 22:1-14) teaches that the king wills (i.e., commands and desires) the invited to come and that this is their duty; but not that the king intends or has decreed that they should really come. (emphasis added). Turretin, Francis, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1994) 2:507-509.
Hermann Venema (1697-1787):
God wishes his laws to be obeyed, and therefore wishes also his creatures to be incited in every way to the keeping of them. This purpose is greatly served by the prospect of rewards. But justice loves and demands these rewards. Hermann Venema, Institutes of Theology, trans., by Alex W. Brown, (Andover: W.F. Draper Brothers, 1853), 172.
William Cunningham (1805-1861):
Many of the events that take place,–such as the sinful actions of men,–are opposed to, or inconsistent with, His will as revealed in His law, which is an undoubted indication of what He wished or desired that men should do. William Cunningham, Historical Theology (Banner of Truth, 1994), 2:452.
John L. Dagg (1794–1884):
Closely allied to the last signification, and perhaps included in it, is that use of the term will, in which it denotes command, requirement. When the person, whose desire or pleasure it is that an action should be performed by another, has authority over that other, the desire expressed assumes the character of precept. The expressed will of a suppliant, is petition; the expressed will of a ruler, is command. What we know that it is the pleasure of God we should do, it is our duty to do, and his pleasure made known to us becomes a law (emphasis added). John L. Dagg, Manual of Theology and Church Order, (Harrisonburg, VA: Gano Books, 1982), 100.
Herman Bavinck (1854-1921):
The term “expressed or signified will” owes its origin to the fact that this will “expresses” or “signifies” what is pleasing to God and is our duty. It is made known to us by means of the five “signs” or “marks”: “precept, prohibition, counsel, permission, and operation.” (emphasis added). The Doctrine of God, trans. William Hendricksen (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1955), 237.
John M. Frame (1939- ):
The decretive will is sometimes called “the will of God’s good pleasure” (beneplacitum). This is somewhat misleading, because Scripture speaks of God’s “pleasure” in both decretive and preceptive senses: for example, decretive in Psalm 51:18 and Isaiah 46:10, and preceptive in Psalms 5:4 and 103:21. Some have also called the decretive will God’s hidden or secret will, but that too is misleading, since God reveales some of his decrees through his Word.
For that reason, I hestitate also to call the preceptive will the revealed will (signum, “signified will”), though that language has often been used for this concept. Preceptive is also somewhat misleading, for it does not always have to do with literal precepts (God’s laws, commandments). Sometimes God’s preceptive will refers not to precepts, but to states of affairs that God sees as desireable, but which he chooses not to bring about (as in Ezek. 18:23; 2 Peter 3:9). The Doctrine of God (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2002), 531.
