Single people are not second class citizens but it is a reality that families constitute the glue of any society, not least the church.
There is a great need for teaching on family in churches.
Genesis 1:26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
· Representatives of all humanity
Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
16 ¶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."
18 ¶ Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought [them] to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
20 And the man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.
21 ¶ So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place.
22 And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
23 And the man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Overview of Genesis
Chapter 1: Creation...In the beginning God. The whole Bible is God-centred.
Chapter 2: Man, Woman and family life in the Garden of Eden
Chapter 3: The Fall and the consequences of the fall.
Jesus appeals to life before the fall as our model: Matthew 19:3-9 ¶ And [some] Pharisees came to Him, testing Him, and saying, "Is it lawful [for a man] to divorce his wife for any cause at all?"
4 And He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created [them] from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,
5 and said, 'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'?
6 "Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."
7 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND [her] AWAY?"
8 He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
9 "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
1. Exposition
V 15 Man is set in the garden to work= work is a blessing despite the curse. ‘Tend’ and ‘keep it’ speaks of order (remember the feeding of the 5000). Guards against laziness.
V16-17 He commanded the man with the Word of God = not speak of free will but that man cannot save himself by keeping the law. If innocent man without sin could not keep himself righteous by obeying one command, then how can we? Salvation and the doctrine of perseverance.
There is to be order in the family and the man is particularly responsible to ensure that the family, knows, reads, memorises and obeys God’s revelation in the Bible.
V18 It is not good that man should be alone= a rich verse relating also to marriage, friendship, social life, fellowship with Christians etc.
Illustration: Give illustration of preaching on a family/marriage conference on the Doulos: Ephesians chapter five and the 8 responsibilities for husbands and 4 for wives.
Helper= Man does not excel the woman, they have different roles, equality and order. There has been much discussion over the meaning of this word but it implies friendship, teamwork, love,
Ship: You cannot have two captains on a ship.
V19-20 Adam names the animals but no helper is found= God’s humour.
V20 seeking marriage = a suitable helper. How do you know who is the right man or woman? The 6 million dollar question.
Ask yourself “Do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person?” Are they a Christian? Are they suitable? If so what is holding you back?
V22 He fashioned a woman that he had taken from man= distinctions between men and women.
Illustration: Babies in church, crèche, children’s work etc. Practical work for a church’s new building =men.
V22 He brought her to man =the first wedding in the Bible. Marriage is a gift from God and must not be taken for granted.
V23 Adam said “Bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh”, his greatest gift from all creation
V24 leave and cleave (men and women, but especially men), Mother-in law’s. They shall become one flesh = a process.
V25 Naked and not ashamed = a no secret relationship.
2. Practical Application
· Men working: two problems are laziness and working too much. We need work-life balance.
· Daily Family time: Dutch tradition, 6pm Bible reading and prayer.
· Giving thanks for meals is a good time for prayer and to disciple children in hearing how to pray and being asked to pray themselves.
Paul writing to Timothy: 1Ti 4:3 [men] who forbid marriage [and advocate] abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude;
5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
· Developing family traditions
· Holidays without other people.
· Playing games together, chilling out, taking the children individually to do things...they open up.
· As a couple, always offer a united front to the children and discuss things away from them.
· Church is a must all the days of your lives, in season and out of season. We cannot have Christianity without church.
· Be thankful and encouraging in the home and try to avoid taking things for granted.
Calvin: ‘Every family of the pious ought to be a church’, commenting on Genesis.
Closing Song: Breathe on me breath of God
Benediction: 2Peter 3:18
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Can we Learn Anything from a Presbyterian Understanding of the Local Church?
There are perhaps four aspects of a Presbyterian pattern for a local church that comprise a compelling argument for this form of a church order. The headings chosen all begin with the letter ‘C’ and this is in some measure coincidental but it does however aid our remembrance. The headings that describe this suggested NT church model are confessional, connectional, church polity and covenantal theology. Let us begin by explaining these terms and their correspondence with the NT.
1. Confessional
The Presbyterian confession of faith for the English speaking world is the Westminster Confession along with the Larger and Shorter Catechism’s. These form a subordinate standard to the Bible but they give a summary of what is believed to be the Apostle’s doctrine (Acts 2:42). Obviously these documents were not known to the first century apostles and they are not infallible, however the doctrines they contain were known and written about by the early church elders and in a sense these doctrines are infallible. The nineteenth Century theologian Benjamin B. Warfield wrote about these three forms of unity and stated: ‘They are the richest and most precise and best guarded statement ever penned of all that enters into evangelical religion and of all that must be safeguarded if evangelical religion is to persist in the world’.[1]
To be reformed means holding to a reformed confession as a basis for church membership, preaching and as a means of interpreting Scripture. It is not uncommon to hear some Christians boldly assert that ‘all I need is the Bible’. It sounds right and yet it is profoundly mistaken because the real question centres on how we interpret the Bible. There are three options when it comes to church tradition. Tradition is something that is seen in a negative light, as if all tradition is ugly and something to be rejected as utterly false. According to Heiko Oberman there are two ways to understand the relation between Scripture and tradition, called Tradition I and Tradition II. [2]
Tradition I is the Reformed principle of Sola Scriptura which accepts the Scripture as the single and unique authority in the church while maintaining a high regard for tradition to learn from the past, so that we can more accurately interpret Scripture. Tradition II would represent the Roman Catholic Church that places church tradition on an equal footing with the Bible. Alistair McGrath observes a third category called Tradition 0 which is a ‘fundamentally individualistic approach to Scripture and tradition’.[3] McGrath explains that this places the ‘private judgement of the individual above the corporate judgment of the Christian church concerning the interpretation of Scripture’ and furthermore he believes it is ‘a recipe for anarchy’.[4]
This poses a searching question for anyone who would claim the name Christian. Which approach to tradition best represents your faith and your church? Presbyterian churches should hold to Tradition I but always need to be aware of the danger of allowing their confession to be exalted above Scripture. However, to live without any confession of faith at all, opens the door to rampant individualism that exalts human opinion above every form of authority.
2. Connectional
A second dynamic attribute of Presbyterianism is labelled as connectionalism. This means that local churches are in some measure inter-connected while maintaining their own identity and local church government. Thomas Witherow explains that there are three forms of church government and writes:
Prelacy is that form of church government which is administered by archbishops, bishops, deans, archdeacons, and other ecclesiastical office-bearers depending on that hierarchy; and is such as we see exemplified in the Greek Church, the Church of Rome, and the Church of England.
Independency is that form of church government whose distinctive principle is, that each separate congregation is under Christ subject to no external jurisdiction whatever, but has within itself—in its office-bearers and members—all the materials of government; and is such as it is present in practical operation among Congregationalists and Baptists.
Presbytery is that form of church government which is dispensed by presbyters or elders met in session, presbytery, synod or general assembly; and are such as presented in Presbyterian Churches.[5]
Undoubtedly God blesses different forms of church government but if we look at the NT it seems there was inter-church connection for ministry, accountability and support. For example the conference in Acts chapter fifteen that discussed doctrinal matters on behalf of local congregations and then Paul’s example in collecting diaconal aid for the saints in Jerusalem and Judea from many Gentile churches (1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2Cor. 8-9; Rom. 15: 22-9).
One pastor-theologian has commented that what led him from independency to Presbyterianism was the witnessing of gross injustices without any recourse alongside recognition of the interconnection of the one and many, the particular and universal. It is our contention that a Presbyterian form of church government principles, best represents the NT apostolic pattern.
3. Church Polity
In recent years there has been a lot of debate as to what are ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ doctrines for evangelical unity. While much of this discussion has been valuable it has sadly relegated the doctrine of the church to a position of secondary importance. This may have led some to altogether dismiss this crucial doctrine of which the NT has much to say.
The Presbyterian example that was modelled by the church in Geneva led by John Calvin and others has been replicated all over the world because men believed that a triform church office best represents the NT. This blueprint anticipates the offices of pastor (or minister), ruling elders and deacons. The pastor is primarily responsible as a man called, trained and equipped to lead the spiritual ministry of the church and most especially the preaching of pure doctrine. The elders are men who are to rule alongside the pastor and to oversee the church’s organisation, care and discipline (moral and doctrinal). The deacons do not constitute church rule but they are responsible for practical care and compassion. One of our aims must be faithfulness to Scripture, with an attitude that believes that we cannot improve on God’s plan. Obviously God’s plan will lead to the best care of the church and the best administration of the gospel. This three-fold pattern of church offices held by many Presbyterian Churches seems to faithfully describe the NT model for ministry.
4. Covenantal Theology
One of the exciting marks of Presbyterianism is its relentless pursuit for the accurate exegesis of Scripture and pure biblical theology—both are often sadly neglected in much of the modern church. Presbyterians emphasise a covenantal approach to theology which produces an important lens for biblical interpretation. This approach upholds continuity from Genesis to Revelation and the general view is that there was a covenant of works given to Adam before the fall and then the covenant of grace begins to unfold throughout the Bible, beginning from the first gospel statement in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15). J. V. Vesko explains that this covenant of grace is unfolded in four main covenants: Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic.[6] These covenants point the way to their climax which is the grace and redemption of the New Covenant purchased by Jesus’ own blood (Jer. 31:31-4; 1 Cor. 11:23-5; Heb. 8:1-13).
Four ways in which this covenantal continuity is manifested is in preaching, the law, baptism and the Lord’s Day. In preaching, sermons usually draw on the whole Bible and do not exclusively focus on passages from the NT and exposition should connect the Bible as a whole without apparent contradictions. This also means that the Law and especially the Ten Commandments have an important role for the church’s sanctification, even though we are saved by grace and never by the law. Baptism is administered to infants of believing parents as a connection to the OT covenant sign of circumcision but also to adult believers from non-Christian backgrounds. The Lord’s Day is seen to be a gift from God and this day (Sunday) is set aside for rest and the public worship of God. This is not a legalistic obligation but a joyful gift of the New Covenant that goes back to an ordinance given by God in Creation.
Summary
If this outline does not convince you fully, hopefully it will lead many to freshly investigate the importance of the local church to be organised in a way that is ‘decently and in order’ (1 Cor.14:40). Many significant theologians have unreservedly held to a Presbyterian pattern and these have included John Calvin, John Knox, Herman Bavinck, B. B. Warfield and William Hendriksen, to name a few. Presbyterianism is boldly proposed by Witherow who states: ‘Of all the churches now existing in the world, the Presbyterian Church comes nearest to the model of apostolic times’.[7]
However, it must also be stressed that though these principles are gleaned from Presbyterian theology, not all Presbyterian Churches put this into practice. Liberalism and other winds of doctrine have influenced many parts of Presbyterianism as it has many segments of the Christian Church. Additionally it must be pointed out that the Presbyterian Church does not hold the copyright to these ideas because they are believed to be drawn from the Scriptures. For example the concept of connectionalism is something that all churches should seek out to avoid the pitfalls of Independency. We need to be realistic in putting these lessons into practice as we minister in a world of diversity. May this brief paper, at the least, spur us on to place the doctrine of the church to the same place of priority that the NT writers gave it. It was not a secondary non-essential to them and it should not be to us.
[1] Benjamin B. Warfield, Selected Shorter Writings, Vol. II, ed. John E. Meeter, Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1973, 660.
[2] R. Scott Clark, Recovering the Reformed Confession: Our Theology, Piety and Practice, Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2008, 8-11.
[3] Ibid., 27.
[4] Alistair E, McGrath, Reformation Thought: An Introduction, 2nd ed., Oxford: Blackwell, 1993, 144-5.
[5] Thomas Witherow, The Apostolic Church: Which is it?, Edinburgh: Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, 1967, 14.
[6] J. V. Fesko, Last Things First: Unlocking Genesis 1-3 with the Christ of Eschatology, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2007, 79-81.
[7] Witherow, The Apostolic Church: Which is it?, 76.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
A Reformed Understanding of Pastor
The Reformed Understanding of Pastor
(This was delivered by Ed Collier at the conference called 'A Defence of Calvinism'.)
It’s important to see that historically the reformed understanding of the pastor flowed out of the reformed understanding of justification.
At the heart of the reformation in the 16th century was the rediscovery of the wonderful Biblical truth by Luther (and others) that salvation doesn’t come to us because of our righteousness or our works or our merits. But salvation comes to us because of what God has done for us in Christ, and us simply receiving that by faith alone.
And so Luther came to see that the true Church was that assembly of people who through faith were united to Jesus. And so he went on to ask the question, what was it that had brought these people to put their faith in Christ? What was the reason they believed? He saw the answer was that they’d heard the Word of God preached to them and had responded to that word with faith and repentance.
And so Luther concluded that if people were going to hear and believe then what the Church needed most of all was preachers and preaching. And of course that wasn’t his own logic. He got it from Paul in Romans 10. V 14 ‘how they shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard. And how shall they hear without a preacher?…v 17 So they faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
So Luther was saying if the gospel is justification by faith alone, and faith comes by hearing the word, and hearing the word comes through the preaching of the word, Luther concluded what we need is preachers and preaching. Preaching that would lead people to faith and nurture their faith.
And yet as Luther looked at the Catholic Church he saw that at preaching was inadequate and at worst it was non-existent.
He made this comment: ‘3 great abuses have befallen the service of God. First God’s word is not proclaimed: there is only reading and singing in Churches. Second, because God’s Word has been suppressed, many unchristian inventions and lies have sneaked into the services of reading, singing and preaching and they are horrible to see. Third, such service of God is being undertaken as a good work by which one hopes to obtain God’s grace and salvation. Thus faith has perished and everyone wishes to endow churches or to become a priest, monk, or nun’.
What Luther came to see then was that what was needed was a complete reformation of the ministry. The sacrificing priest of the Catholic Church needed to be replaced by the preaching minister. For Luther the pastoral ministry was fundamentally a preaching ministry. This was essential to the gospel and the life of the Church.
And what Luther emphasised was also emphasised by the other great reformers. Zwingli, Bucer, Calvin all put the highest priority on preaching in the life of the Church. This was seen to be the chief work of the pastor.
Calvin himself gave great emphasis in his own ministry to preaching the Word. Its estimated that each year he would preach 170 sermons with lecturing on top of that - so if you’re someone who complains a bit about having to preach twice on Sundays like I do, just think of Calvin preaching 170 times a year with lecturing on top!
Calvin gave that great emphasis to preaching because he saw that that was his main work as a Pastor. The Pastor, as the word also means, was a Shepherd. And as Calvin looked at the Bible he saw that the way he was to Shepherd God‘s flock, the way he would care for and guide and protect and feed the Sheep was ultimately through the preaching and teaching of God‘s Word.
And that emphasis has carried on to be at the heart of the reformed understanding of the pastor. Through the reformation period, through the Puritan period, down to the present day, reformed Churches put great emphasis on the fact that the role of the pastor is to preach and teach the word. Not just from the front on Sundays, but also in small groups, one on one, to families, in evangelistic efforts, in training up others - the key thing is preaching and teaching God‘s word.
Maybe its best summed up in the words of Paul to Timothy, (2 Timothy 4 v 2) “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching.”
But all this leads to the question, “in the Reformed view, what is the preaching and teaching of the pastor meant to be like? What should characterise the preaching and teaching that should be at the heart of the pastors work?”
The Reformers and Puritans brought out a number of main emphasises.
1) Preaching should be Biblical.
The job of the pastor is not just to feed the sheep with his own ideas and opinions and blessed thoughts. His job is not to lead them in his own ways. The job of the pastor is to bring God’s Word to the sheep.
See 2 Timothy 3:15-17 - Paul says to Timothy its God’s word that leads people to faith in Christ (v15), and its God’s word that enables people to grow in the faith so that they become complete and thoroughly equipped (v 16-17). The Bible contains everything we need. Which is why Paul goes straight on to say to Timothy - preach the word! (4:1-2)
That’s the job of the pastor. To preach the WORD. And that means explaining to people what Scripture means, and then applying it to their lives. Those are the 2 key words - explanation and application.
2) It should be doctrinal.
In other words in our preaching we shouldn’t simply be concerned to bring out the meaning of the text we’re actually preaching on, whether that’s John ch 1 or Exodus ch12, but we should be seeking to show how the truth of that text links in with the truth found in other texts.
So, for example, if we’re preaching on James 2 where it says we’re justified by works, we need to show how that links in with what Paul says about justification, and what Jesus says about justification.
So this is where Systematic Theology comes in. Showing how the different parts of the Bible connect together. Showing that ultimately it’s one mind behind the Bible.
3) It should be evangelistic/ gospel centred.
Paul tells Timothy in 2 Tim 4 v 5 to ‘do the work of an evangelist’. And that reminds us that our preaching and teaching always needs to have a double focus. It needs to focussed on nurturing and encouraging those who are already Christians. But it also needs to be focussed on encouraging and challenging those who aren’t Christians to become Christians.
And gospel-centred preaching is essential to both those aims.
It’s the wonderful message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that the lost need to hear so that they will become Christians. And its that same message that Christians continually need to hear to invigorate them, to encourage them, to excite them, to stir up love for God in them, so that the want to grow and serve God.
And so as preachers we need to continually keep a focus on gospel preaching. On bringing people to those fundamental truths of what God has done for us in Christ and how we need to respond to that.
4) It should be pastoral and practical.
In other words we need to be remember that there are real people out there, living real lives, facing real experiences, asking real questions, facing real difficulties and who need help to know how God’s word applies to their different circumstances.
So in our Churches we’ll have old people and young people, we’ll have single people and married people, we’ll have people trying to bring up children, and people who are grieving because they can’t have children. We’ll have people facing assurance problems, people with depression, people who are ill, people who are dying, people at work, people at university, people who are wondering how they should spend their leisure time, people who are wondering how they should use their money. All sorts of different people. All sorts of different circumstances.
And our job as Pastors then is not just to preach general truth to these people. But our job is to show how the truth of God’s word applies to these peoples different questions, problems and experiences. Whether that’s in our preaching or one-to-one etc.
The puritans were the masters at pastoral and practical preaching. So the first part of their sermons was spent explaining and unpacking the text of the Bible. And the second half was showing the “uses” of that passage. Showing how it could practically apply into peoples lives.
So there are some of the main things that the Reformed tradition has emphasised should characterise the preaching and teaching of the pastor.
But lastly I want to ask what is the aim of all this preaching and teaching. What is its main purpose?
Well the reformers and puritans emphasised that the main aim of preaching and teaching was what Paul says in Col 1 v 28 where he writes “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”
Maturity in Christ! That was the great aim of the preaching of Paul and of the Reformers and the Puritans and needs to be the aim of our preaching too. We need to be preaching in such a way that leads people to put their faith in Christ so that they’re joined to him. But we also need to be preaching and teaching in such a way so that people will grow in their faith. So that they won’t simply stay as babes but that they’ll become mature.
Mature in their understanding and knowledge of God. Mature in their lives of holiness. Mature in their service to God. Mature in the way that they look to please God and bring his word to bear on every part of their life whether its work, or family, or leisure, or finances or whatever.
Our aim should be to have Churches where people are coming in and getting converted, and then growing in faith to be strong men and women of God. And its our preaching that’s essential to that aim.
One of the missionaries that my Church supports was visiting last year from Peru. And he was saying that if you look at the Church scene in Peru “it’s a mile wide and an inch deep.” In other words there are a lot of people who call themselves Christian, but there’s very little maturity. And I guess that’s a challenge for us and our Churches.
We want wide Churches. We want lots of being saved. But we also want deep Churches. Mature Churches. And our leadership and Biblical Pastoring is key to that.
Also think about Prayer life. Personal life!
(This was delivered by Ed Collier at the conference called 'A Defence of Calvinism'.)
It’s important to see that historically the reformed understanding of the pastor flowed out of the reformed understanding of justification.
At the heart of the reformation in the 16th century was the rediscovery of the wonderful Biblical truth by Luther (and others) that salvation doesn’t come to us because of our righteousness or our works or our merits. But salvation comes to us because of what God has done for us in Christ, and us simply receiving that by faith alone.
And so Luther came to see that the true Church was that assembly of people who through faith were united to Jesus. And so he went on to ask the question, what was it that had brought these people to put their faith in Christ? What was the reason they believed? He saw the answer was that they’d heard the Word of God preached to them and had responded to that word with faith and repentance.
And so Luther concluded that if people were going to hear and believe then what the Church needed most of all was preachers and preaching. And of course that wasn’t his own logic. He got it from Paul in Romans 10. V 14 ‘how they shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard. And how shall they hear without a preacher?…v 17 So they faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
So Luther was saying if the gospel is justification by faith alone, and faith comes by hearing the word, and hearing the word comes through the preaching of the word, Luther concluded what we need is preachers and preaching. Preaching that would lead people to faith and nurture their faith.
And yet as Luther looked at the Catholic Church he saw that at preaching was inadequate and at worst it was non-existent.
He made this comment: ‘3 great abuses have befallen the service of God. First God’s word is not proclaimed: there is only reading and singing in Churches. Second, because God’s Word has been suppressed, many unchristian inventions and lies have sneaked into the services of reading, singing and preaching and they are horrible to see. Third, such service of God is being undertaken as a good work by which one hopes to obtain God’s grace and salvation. Thus faith has perished and everyone wishes to endow churches or to become a priest, monk, or nun’.
What Luther came to see then was that what was needed was a complete reformation of the ministry. The sacrificing priest of the Catholic Church needed to be replaced by the preaching minister. For Luther the pastoral ministry was fundamentally a preaching ministry. This was essential to the gospel and the life of the Church.
And what Luther emphasised was also emphasised by the other great reformers. Zwingli, Bucer, Calvin all put the highest priority on preaching in the life of the Church. This was seen to be the chief work of the pastor.
Calvin himself gave great emphasis in his own ministry to preaching the Word. Its estimated that each year he would preach 170 sermons with lecturing on top of that - so if you’re someone who complains a bit about having to preach twice on Sundays like I do, just think of Calvin preaching 170 times a year with lecturing on top!
Calvin gave that great emphasis to preaching because he saw that that was his main work as a Pastor. The Pastor, as the word also means, was a Shepherd. And as Calvin looked at the Bible he saw that the way he was to Shepherd God‘s flock, the way he would care for and guide and protect and feed the Sheep was ultimately through the preaching and teaching of God‘s Word.
And that emphasis has carried on to be at the heart of the reformed understanding of the pastor. Through the reformation period, through the Puritan period, down to the present day, reformed Churches put great emphasis on the fact that the role of the pastor is to preach and teach the word. Not just from the front on Sundays, but also in small groups, one on one, to families, in evangelistic efforts, in training up others - the key thing is preaching and teaching God‘s word.
Maybe its best summed up in the words of Paul to Timothy, (2 Timothy 4 v 2) “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching.”
But all this leads to the question, “in the Reformed view, what is the preaching and teaching of the pastor meant to be like? What should characterise the preaching and teaching that should be at the heart of the pastors work?”
The Reformers and Puritans brought out a number of main emphasises.
1) Preaching should be Biblical.
The job of the pastor is not just to feed the sheep with his own ideas and opinions and blessed thoughts. His job is not to lead them in his own ways. The job of the pastor is to bring God’s Word to the sheep.
See 2 Timothy 3:15-17 - Paul says to Timothy its God’s word that leads people to faith in Christ (v15), and its God’s word that enables people to grow in the faith so that they become complete and thoroughly equipped (v 16-17). The Bible contains everything we need. Which is why Paul goes straight on to say to Timothy - preach the word! (4:1-2)
That’s the job of the pastor. To preach the WORD. And that means explaining to people what Scripture means, and then applying it to their lives. Those are the 2 key words - explanation and application.
2) It should be doctrinal.
In other words in our preaching we shouldn’t simply be concerned to bring out the meaning of the text we’re actually preaching on, whether that’s John ch 1 or Exodus ch12, but we should be seeking to show how the truth of that text links in with the truth found in other texts.
So, for example, if we’re preaching on James 2 where it says we’re justified by works, we need to show how that links in with what Paul says about justification, and what Jesus says about justification.
So this is where Systematic Theology comes in. Showing how the different parts of the Bible connect together. Showing that ultimately it’s one mind behind the Bible.
3) It should be evangelistic/ gospel centred.
Paul tells Timothy in 2 Tim 4 v 5 to ‘do the work of an evangelist’. And that reminds us that our preaching and teaching always needs to have a double focus. It needs to focussed on nurturing and encouraging those who are already Christians. But it also needs to be focussed on encouraging and challenging those who aren’t Christians to become Christians.
And gospel-centred preaching is essential to both those aims.
It’s the wonderful message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that the lost need to hear so that they will become Christians. And its that same message that Christians continually need to hear to invigorate them, to encourage them, to excite them, to stir up love for God in them, so that the want to grow and serve God.
And so as preachers we need to continually keep a focus on gospel preaching. On bringing people to those fundamental truths of what God has done for us in Christ and how we need to respond to that.
4) It should be pastoral and practical.
In other words we need to be remember that there are real people out there, living real lives, facing real experiences, asking real questions, facing real difficulties and who need help to know how God’s word applies to their different circumstances.
So in our Churches we’ll have old people and young people, we’ll have single people and married people, we’ll have people trying to bring up children, and people who are grieving because they can’t have children. We’ll have people facing assurance problems, people with depression, people who are ill, people who are dying, people at work, people at university, people who are wondering how they should spend their leisure time, people who are wondering how they should use their money. All sorts of different people. All sorts of different circumstances.
And our job as Pastors then is not just to preach general truth to these people. But our job is to show how the truth of God’s word applies to these peoples different questions, problems and experiences. Whether that’s in our preaching or one-to-one etc.
The puritans were the masters at pastoral and practical preaching. So the first part of their sermons was spent explaining and unpacking the text of the Bible. And the second half was showing the “uses” of that passage. Showing how it could practically apply into peoples lives.
So there are some of the main things that the Reformed tradition has emphasised should characterise the preaching and teaching of the pastor.
But lastly I want to ask what is the aim of all this preaching and teaching. What is its main purpose?
Well the reformers and puritans emphasised that the main aim of preaching and teaching was what Paul says in Col 1 v 28 where he writes “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”
Maturity in Christ! That was the great aim of the preaching of Paul and of the Reformers and the Puritans and needs to be the aim of our preaching too. We need to be preaching in such a way that leads people to put their faith in Christ so that they’re joined to him. But we also need to be preaching and teaching in such a way so that people will grow in their faith. So that they won’t simply stay as babes but that they’ll become mature.
Mature in their understanding and knowledge of God. Mature in their lives of holiness. Mature in their service to God. Mature in the way that they look to please God and bring his word to bear on every part of their life whether its work, or family, or leisure, or finances or whatever.
Our aim should be to have Churches where people are coming in and getting converted, and then growing in faith to be strong men and women of God. And its our preaching that’s essential to that aim.
One of the missionaries that my Church supports was visiting last year from Peru. And he was saying that if you look at the Church scene in Peru “it’s a mile wide and an inch deep.” In other words there are a lot of people who call themselves Christian, but there’s very little maturity. And I guess that’s a challenge for us and our Churches.
We want wide Churches. We want lots of being saved. But we also want deep Churches. Mature Churches. And our leadership and Biblical Pastoring is key to that.
Also think about Prayer life. Personal life!
Thursday, 12 March 2009
A Reformed Understanding of Justification
This was delivered by Marius Wahrlich at the conference entitled 'A Defence of Calvinism'.
A Reformed Understanding of Justification
150 years ago, Spurgeon Intro to his sermon on Justification by Faith in April 1867:
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
“WE DESIRE this evening not to preach upon this text as a mere matter of doctrine. You all believe and understand the gospel of justification by faith, but we want to preach upon it tonight as a matter of experience, as a thing realized, felt, enjoyed, and understood in the soul.“
Romans 5:1
“therefore”
Paul talking in chapter 4 about Abraham… 4:20-25
Christ’s death and resurrection closely linked with our justification, with us being counted as righteous before God and therefore having peace with God.
Vers 23: how faith is the means of declaring us righteous
Wayne Grudem in ST:
“A right understanding of justification is absolutely crucial to the whole Christian faith.”
“If we are to safeguard the truth of the gospel for future generations, we must understand the truth of justification. Even today, a true view of justification is the dividing line between the biblical gospel of salvation by faith alone and all false gospels of salvation based on good works.”
(ST 722)
This talk serves to gives us at least three points for latter discussion:
1. use/meaning/content of word: justify
2. manner of justification: by grace through faith
3. implications of having peace with God (application)
1. use of the verb justify in the bible from the sphere of law ® indicates that justification is a legal declaration by God
justify in the NT: dikaioõ
common sense: “to declare righteous”
e.g. Luke 7: 29
did not make God just but declared Him to be just
(many other examples)
Important:
judge when declaring someone not guilty does not
necessarily make that person to be good
internally…
when God declares us to be righteous in his sight
he does that although we are guilty sinners,
having no rigtheousness of our own, actually deserving to be forever separated from His presence
1689 Babtist Confession states it very clearly:
1._____ Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.
In that view we can discern two parts of
justification:
1. forgiveness of sins
2. imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us
1. forgiveness
® because Christ was punished for our sins at the
Cross, our sins are completely forgiven
(bank account: you need a certain amount to be
allowed to be part of a golf club… from minus back
to 0)
Paul talks about that aspect in Romans 4 when he
quotes David in the OT
4: 6-8
2. become righteous in his sight because God
thinks now of Christ’s life of perfect obedience
as belonging to us
(bank account: you receive exactly the amount of
money on your account to become part of the club)
Pauls talks about that aspect when he calls Christ
our “righteousness” in 1. Cor 1:30
only through Christ can God declare us righteous
in His sight
2. manner of justification
Chapter on faith in Hebrews 11 makes it clear:
6._____ The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.
When it says: “justified by faith” in the NT and in the OT Abraham’s faith was “counted to him as righteousness”
® talks about faith as the means and not the cause of our justification.
We are justified by faith not because of faith.
Faith does not produce justification but it is the way in which we are justified.
Confession puts it best:
2._____ Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;
Continues:
yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
no dead faith,
this refers to the kind of faith we must have in order to be justified…
a faith that is followed by good works… true faith can later on be recognized by the fruit it produces…
connection to James 2:24, when he says:
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
Seems to contradict…
Grudem: actually the verb “justify” is here simply used in a different sense as in other places in the NT, meaning: “demonstrate or show to be righteous”
Luke 16: 15 (dikaioõ ¹ declaring so. righteous)
Pharisees did not go around making legal declarations that they were “not guilty” before God (ST 731)…
But to show others that they were righteous by their outward deeds…
Used in a positive sense in James:
“You see that a person is shown to be righteous by works and not by faith alone.”
Reformed view always emphasises:
Babtist Confession: Christ’s righteousness is given to us by God’s free grace…
Even our faith in Christ is a gift from God…
Romans 3:23-24
Summary:
“Justification is an act of God in which he declares sinners to be righteous by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.”
Finally, Justification is part of the whole process of salvation:
Romans 8:30
Predestination…:
4._____ God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rose again for their justification;
nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.
Effectual calling ® God calls his elect and has called everyone one of us at some stage to trust in Christ for salvation.
At this time we are regenerated that means God imparts new spiritual life to us, we are converted (that is when we respond to the gospel call in repentance for sin and faith in Christ for salvation)
And redemption is then applied to us in that legal act of justification.
Romans 8:30 goes on to say: “those whom he justified, he also glorified.”
That means God makes us his children (called adoption) works in us in such a way that we become more and more like Christ (which is called our sanctification).
We are finally glorified when Christ returns and when we receive a new perfect body and will enjoy God forever in His glorious presence.
3.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Application?
How do people live who have peace with God??
Have the answer already: No dead faith…
Fruit of the Spirit will be seen!
“Great sense of joy and confidence before God”…
Stand before him as “not guilty” and “righteous” forever! (ST 732)
1689 Baptist Confession
Chapter 11: Of Justification
1._____ Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God. ( Romans 3:24; Romans 8:30; Romans 4:5-8; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31; Romans 5:17-19; Philippians 3:8, 9; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; Romans 5:17 )
2._____ Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. ( Romans 3:28; Galatians 5:6; James 2:17, 22, 26 )
3._____ Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners. ( Hebrews 10:14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Isaiah 53:5, 6; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:6,7; Ephesians 2:7 )
4._____ God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification; nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.( Galatians 3:8; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Timothy 2:6; Romans 4:25; Colossians 1:21,22; Titus 3:4-7 )
5._____ God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified, and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure; and in that condition they have not usually the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. ( Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:7, 9; John 10:28; Psalms 89:31-33; Psalms 32:5; Psalms 51; Matthew 26:75 )
6._____ The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.( Galatians 3:9; Romans 4:22-24 )
A Reformed Understanding of Justification
150 years ago, Spurgeon Intro to his sermon on Justification by Faith in April 1867:
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
“WE DESIRE this evening not to preach upon this text as a mere matter of doctrine. You all believe and understand the gospel of justification by faith, but we want to preach upon it tonight as a matter of experience, as a thing realized, felt, enjoyed, and understood in the soul.“
Romans 5:1
“therefore”
Paul talking in chapter 4 about Abraham… 4:20-25
Christ’s death and resurrection closely linked with our justification, with us being counted as righteous before God and therefore having peace with God.
Vers 23: how faith is the means of declaring us righteous
Wayne Grudem in ST:
“A right understanding of justification is absolutely crucial to the whole Christian faith.”
“If we are to safeguard the truth of the gospel for future generations, we must understand the truth of justification. Even today, a true view of justification is the dividing line between the biblical gospel of salvation by faith alone and all false gospels of salvation based on good works.”
(ST 722)
This talk serves to gives us at least three points for latter discussion:
1. use/meaning/content of word: justify
2. manner of justification: by grace through faith
3. implications of having peace with God (application)
1. use of the verb justify in the bible from the sphere of law ® indicates that justification is a legal declaration by God
justify in the NT: dikaioõ
common sense: “to declare righteous”
e.g. Luke 7: 29
did not make God just but declared Him to be just
(many other examples)
Important:
judge when declaring someone not guilty does not
necessarily make that person to be good
internally…
when God declares us to be righteous in his sight
he does that although we are guilty sinners,
having no rigtheousness of our own, actually deserving to be forever separated from His presence
1689 Babtist Confession states it very clearly:
1._____ Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.
In that view we can discern two parts of
justification:
1. forgiveness of sins
2. imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us
1. forgiveness
® because Christ was punished for our sins at the
Cross, our sins are completely forgiven
(bank account: you need a certain amount to be
allowed to be part of a golf club… from minus back
to 0)
Paul talks about that aspect in Romans 4 when he
quotes David in the OT
4: 6-8
2. become righteous in his sight because God
thinks now of Christ’s life of perfect obedience
as belonging to us
(bank account: you receive exactly the amount of
money on your account to become part of the club)
Pauls talks about that aspect when he calls Christ
our “righteousness” in 1. Cor 1:30
only through Christ can God declare us righteous
in His sight
2. manner of justification
Chapter on faith in Hebrews 11 makes it clear:
6._____ The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.
When it says: “justified by faith” in the NT and in the OT Abraham’s faith was “counted to him as righteousness”
® talks about faith as the means and not the cause of our justification.
We are justified by faith not because of faith.
Faith does not produce justification but it is the way in which we are justified.
Confession puts it best:
2._____ Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;
Continues:
yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
no dead faith,
this refers to the kind of faith we must have in order to be justified…
a faith that is followed by good works… true faith can later on be recognized by the fruit it produces…
connection to James 2:24, when he says:
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
Seems to contradict…
Grudem: actually the verb “justify” is here simply used in a different sense as in other places in the NT, meaning: “demonstrate or show to be righteous”
Luke 16: 15 (dikaioõ ¹ declaring so. righteous)
Pharisees did not go around making legal declarations that they were “not guilty” before God (ST 731)…
But to show others that they were righteous by their outward deeds…
Used in a positive sense in James:
“You see that a person is shown to be righteous by works and not by faith alone.”
Reformed view always emphasises:
Babtist Confession: Christ’s righteousness is given to us by God’s free grace…
Even our faith in Christ is a gift from God…
Romans 3:23-24
Summary:
“Justification is an act of God in which he declares sinners to be righteous by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.”
Finally, Justification is part of the whole process of salvation:
Romans 8:30
Predestination…:
4._____ God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rose again for their justification;
nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.
Effectual calling ® God calls his elect and has called everyone one of us at some stage to trust in Christ for salvation.
At this time we are regenerated that means God imparts new spiritual life to us, we are converted (that is when we respond to the gospel call in repentance for sin and faith in Christ for salvation)
And redemption is then applied to us in that legal act of justification.
Romans 8:30 goes on to say: “those whom he justified, he also glorified.”
That means God makes us his children (called adoption) works in us in such a way that we become more and more like Christ (which is called our sanctification).
We are finally glorified when Christ returns and when we receive a new perfect body and will enjoy God forever in His glorious presence.
3.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Application?
How do people live who have peace with God??
Have the answer already: No dead faith…
Fruit of the Spirit will be seen!
“Great sense of joy and confidence before God”…
Stand before him as “not guilty” and “righteous” forever! (ST 732)
1689 Baptist Confession
Chapter 11: Of Justification
1._____ Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God. ( Romans 3:24; Romans 8:30; Romans 4:5-8; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31; Romans 5:17-19; Philippians 3:8, 9; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; Romans 5:17 )
2._____ Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. ( Romans 3:28; Galatians 5:6; James 2:17, 22, 26 )
3._____ Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners. ( Hebrews 10:14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Isaiah 53:5, 6; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:6,7; Ephesians 2:7 )
4._____ God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification; nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.( Galatians 3:8; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Timothy 2:6; Romans 4:25; Colossians 1:21,22; Titus 3:4-7 )
5._____ God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified, and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure; and in that condition they have not usually the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. ( Matthew 6:12; 1 John 1:7, 9; John 10:28; Psalms 89:31-33; Psalms 32:5; Psalms 51; Matthew 26:75 )
6._____ The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.( Galatians 3:9; Romans 4:22-24 )
Sunday, 22 February 2009
The Doctrines of Grace
THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE
These notes were prepared by Sergiy Kutovyy who is training at WEST and he delivered this at the 'Defence of Calvinism' conference in December 2008.
T - total depravity of man
As a consequence of the fall (Genesis 3), man is in a state of spiritual death and thus is unable naturally to appreciate or choose the things of God. Rom 3:9-11; 1 Cor 2:14; Ephes 2:1-3; 2 Tim 2:26; John 6:65.
U - unconditional election
God chose a particular people for Himself and destined them for glory. He chose them not according to their abilities or traits, but solely according to His sovereign will in grace. John 15:19; Acts 13:48; 1 Pet 2:9-10; Rom 9:10-16, 23; 11:2-5; 1 Cor 1:27-30a; Ephes 1:4-6, 11; 2 Thess 2:13.
L - limited atonement
The intention of the death of Christ was to redeem the genuine church of God, which consists of all His elect exclusively. So Jesus stood in their place, bearing the punishment and condemnation which they deserved. His blood atoned for their sins, securing their salvation once for all.
Matt 1:21b; John 10:14-15; Acts 20:28b; Ephes 5:25b; Heb 10:14; Rev 5:9.
I - irresistible grace
All God's elect are converted to Him through the ministry of His word and the inner calling of the Holy Spirit. So having been effectually drawn, they come to Christ for salvation.
John 6:37, 44; John 17:2; Acts 16:14; James 1:18; Gal 1:15; 2 Thess 2:14; 2 Tim 1:9.
P - perseverance of the saints
None whom God has accepted in Christ can either fully or finally fall from the state of grace, being faithfully preserved by His power. Still, they are exhorted to persevere in the faith, and work out their salvation, humbling themselves under the authority of Scripture, exercising the deeds of faith, and mortifying sin in body and spirit.
John 10:27-28; Rom 6:19b; 8:28-39; 1 Cor 10:12-13; Phil 1:6; 2:12-13; Col 2:8; 3:5; Jude 24.
"I have my own opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel if we do not preach justification by faith without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing unchangeable eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross." Charles H. Spurgeon
"I will go as far as Martin Luther, where he says, "If any man ascribes anything of salvation, even the very least thing, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learned Jesus Christ rightly." Charles H. Spurgeon
"All the passages in the Holy Scriptures that mention assistance are they that do away with "free-will", and these are countless... For grace is needed, and the help of grace is given, because "free-will" can do nothing." Martin Luther
"Let all the 'free-will' in the world do all it can with all its strength; it will never give rise to a single instance of ability to avoid being hardened if God does not give the Spirit, or of meriting mercy if it is left to its own strength." Martin Luther
"Rebellion against divine election is often founded on the idea that the sinner has a sort of right to be saved, and this is to deny the full desert of sin." Charles H. Spurgeon
"You must first deny the authenticity and full inspiration of the Holy Scripture before you can legitimately and truly deny election." Charles H. Spurgeon
"A redemption which pays a price, but does not ensure that which is purchased - a redemption which calls Christ a substitute for the sinner, but yet which allows the person to suffer - is altogether unworthy of our apprehensions of Almighty God. It offers no homage to his wisdom, and does despite to his covenant faithfulness. We could not and would not receive such a travesty of divine truth as that would be. There is no ground for any comfort whatever in it." Charles H. Spurgeon
"I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody, except the will of men be added to it." Charles H. Spurgeon
"If Christ on His cross intended to save every man, then He intended to save those who were lost before He died. If the doctrine be true, that He died for all men, then He died for some who were in Hell before He came into this world, for doubtless there were even then myriads there who had been cast away because of their sins... That seems to me a conception a thousand times more repulsive than any of those consequences which are said to be associated with the Calvinistic and Christian doctrine of special and particular redemption. To think that my Savior died for men who were or are in Hell, seems a supposition too horrible for me to entertain." Charles H. Spurgeon
"We are often told that we limit the atonement of Christ, because we say that Christ has not made satisfaction for all men, or all men would be saved. Now, our reply to this is that, on the other hand, our opponents limit it, we do not. The Arminians say, Christ died for all men. Ask them what they mean by it. Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of all men? They say, "No, certainly not." We ask them the next question - Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of any man in particular? They say, "No." They are obliged to admit this if they are consistent. They say, "No; Christ has died so that any man may be saved if"- and then follow certain conditions of salvation. We say then, we will just go back to the old statement - Christ did not die so as beyond a doubt to secure the salvation of anybody, did He? You must say "No;" you are obliged to say so, for you believe that even after a man has been pardoned, he may yet fall from grace and perish. Now, who is it that limits the death of Christ? Why you... We say Christ so died that He infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ's death not only may be saved, but are saved, must be saved, and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved. You are welcome to your atonement; you may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it." Charles H. Spurgeon
"When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul - when they were as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron; and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown all of a sudden from a babe into a man - that I had made progress in scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, the clue to the truth of God ... I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, I ascribe my change wholly to God." Charles H. Spurgeon
"Repentance is a part of salvation, and when Christ saves us, he saves us by making us repent. But repentance does not save. It is the work of God alone." Charles H. Spurgeon
A genuine desire for salvation in Christ is in fact a mark of election, and therefore none who truly come to Him will be turned away.
"I believe that Christ came into the world not to put men into a salvable state, but into a saved state. Not to put them where they could save themselves, but to do the work in them and for them, from first to last. If I did not believe that there was might going forth with the word of Jesus which makes men willing, and which turns them from the error of their ways by the mighty, overwhelming, constraining force of divine influence, I should cease to glory in the cross of Christ." Charles H. Spurgeon
"I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will." Charles H. Spurgeon
Rom 8:30. "Not others, therefore, but those whom He predestinated, them He also called; nor others, but those whom He so called, them He also justified; nor others, but those whom He predestinated, called, and justified, them He also glorified; assuredly to that end which has no end. Therefore God elected believers; but He chose them that they might be so, not because they were already so." St. Augustine, A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints, Ch. 34
"It is no novelty, then, that I am preaching; no new doctrine. I love to proclaim these strong old doctrines that are called by nickname Calvinism, but which are truly and verily the revealed truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus. By this truth I make my pilgrimage into the past, and as I go, I see father after father, confessor after confessor, martyr after martyr, standing up to shake hands with me . . . Taking these things to be the standard of my faith, I see the land of the ancients peopled with my brethren; I behold multitudes who confess the same as I do, and acknowledge that this is the religion of God's own church." Charles H. Spurgeon
These notes were prepared by Sergiy Kutovyy who is training at WEST and he delivered this at the 'Defence of Calvinism' conference in December 2008.
T - total depravity of man
As a consequence of the fall (Genesis 3), man is in a state of spiritual death and thus is unable naturally to appreciate or choose the things of God. Rom 3:9-11; 1 Cor 2:14; Ephes 2:1-3; 2 Tim 2:26; John 6:65.
U - unconditional election
God chose a particular people for Himself and destined them for glory. He chose them not according to their abilities or traits, but solely according to His sovereign will in grace. John 15:19; Acts 13:48; 1 Pet 2:9-10; Rom 9:10-16, 23; 11:2-5; 1 Cor 1:27-30a; Ephes 1:4-6, 11; 2 Thess 2:13.
L - limited atonement
The intention of the death of Christ was to redeem the genuine church of God, which consists of all His elect exclusively. So Jesus stood in their place, bearing the punishment and condemnation which they deserved. His blood atoned for their sins, securing their salvation once for all.
Matt 1:21b; John 10:14-15; Acts 20:28b; Ephes 5:25b; Heb 10:14; Rev 5:9.
I - irresistible grace
All God's elect are converted to Him through the ministry of His word and the inner calling of the Holy Spirit. So having been effectually drawn, they come to Christ for salvation.
John 6:37, 44; John 17:2; Acts 16:14; James 1:18; Gal 1:15; 2 Thess 2:14; 2 Tim 1:9.
P - perseverance of the saints
None whom God has accepted in Christ can either fully or finally fall from the state of grace, being faithfully preserved by His power. Still, they are exhorted to persevere in the faith, and work out their salvation, humbling themselves under the authority of Scripture, exercising the deeds of faith, and mortifying sin in body and spirit.
John 10:27-28; Rom 6:19b; 8:28-39; 1 Cor 10:12-13; Phil 1:6; 2:12-13; Col 2:8; 3:5; Jude 24.
"I have my own opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel if we do not preach justification by faith without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing unchangeable eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross." Charles H. Spurgeon
"I will go as far as Martin Luther, where he says, "If any man ascribes anything of salvation, even the very least thing, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learned Jesus Christ rightly." Charles H. Spurgeon
"All the passages in the Holy Scriptures that mention assistance are they that do away with "free-will", and these are countless... For grace is needed, and the help of grace is given, because "free-will" can do nothing." Martin Luther
"Let all the 'free-will' in the world do all it can with all its strength; it will never give rise to a single instance of ability to avoid being hardened if God does not give the Spirit, or of meriting mercy if it is left to its own strength." Martin Luther
"Rebellion against divine election is often founded on the idea that the sinner has a sort of right to be saved, and this is to deny the full desert of sin." Charles H. Spurgeon
"You must first deny the authenticity and full inspiration of the Holy Scripture before you can legitimately and truly deny election." Charles H. Spurgeon
"A redemption which pays a price, but does not ensure that which is purchased - a redemption which calls Christ a substitute for the sinner, but yet which allows the person to suffer - is altogether unworthy of our apprehensions of Almighty God. It offers no homage to his wisdom, and does despite to his covenant faithfulness. We could not and would not receive such a travesty of divine truth as that would be. There is no ground for any comfort whatever in it." Charles H. Spurgeon
"I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody, except the will of men be added to it." Charles H. Spurgeon
"If Christ on His cross intended to save every man, then He intended to save those who were lost before He died. If the doctrine be true, that He died for all men, then He died for some who were in Hell before He came into this world, for doubtless there were even then myriads there who had been cast away because of their sins... That seems to me a conception a thousand times more repulsive than any of those consequences which are said to be associated with the Calvinistic and Christian doctrine of special and particular redemption. To think that my Savior died for men who were or are in Hell, seems a supposition too horrible for me to entertain." Charles H. Spurgeon
"We are often told that we limit the atonement of Christ, because we say that Christ has not made satisfaction for all men, or all men would be saved. Now, our reply to this is that, on the other hand, our opponents limit it, we do not. The Arminians say, Christ died for all men. Ask them what they mean by it. Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of all men? They say, "No, certainly not." We ask them the next question - Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of any man in particular? They say, "No." They are obliged to admit this if they are consistent. They say, "No; Christ has died so that any man may be saved if"- and then follow certain conditions of salvation. We say then, we will just go back to the old statement - Christ did not die so as beyond a doubt to secure the salvation of anybody, did He? You must say "No;" you are obliged to say so, for you believe that even after a man has been pardoned, he may yet fall from grace and perish. Now, who is it that limits the death of Christ? Why you... We say Christ so died that He infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ's death not only may be saved, but are saved, must be saved, and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved. You are welcome to your atonement; you may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it." Charles H. Spurgeon
"When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul - when they were as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron; and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown all of a sudden from a babe into a man - that I had made progress in scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, the clue to the truth of God ... I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, I ascribe my change wholly to God." Charles H. Spurgeon
"Repentance is a part of salvation, and when Christ saves us, he saves us by making us repent. But repentance does not save. It is the work of God alone." Charles H. Spurgeon
A genuine desire for salvation in Christ is in fact a mark of election, and therefore none who truly come to Him will be turned away.
"I believe that Christ came into the world not to put men into a salvable state, but into a saved state. Not to put them where they could save themselves, but to do the work in them and for them, from first to last. If I did not believe that there was might going forth with the word of Jesus which makes men willing, and which turns them from the error of their ways by the mighty, overwhelming, constraining force of divine influence, I should cease to glory in the cross of Christ." Charles H. Spurgeon
"I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will." Charles H. Spurgeon
Rom 8:30. "Not others, therefore, but those whom He predestinated, them He also called; nor others, but those whom He so called, them He also justified; nor others, but those whom He predestinated, called, and justified, them He also glorified; assuredly to that end which has no end. Therefore God elected believers; but He chose them that they might be so, not because they were already so." St. Augustine, A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints, Ch. 34
"It is no novelty, then, that I am preaching; no new doctrine. I love to proclaim these strong old doctrines that are called by nickname Calvinism, but which are truly and verily the revealed truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus. By this truth I make my pilgrimage into the past, and as I go, I see father after father, confessor after confessor, martyr after martyr, standing up to shake hands with me . . . Taking these things to be the standard of my faith, I see the land of the ancients peopled with my brethren; I behold multitudes who confess the same as I do, and acknowledge that this is the religion of God's own church." Charles H. Spurgeon
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
What is Calvinism?
What is Calvinism?
Three sections:
An Explanation about this conference and its purpose
A Brief exposition of Romans 16: 17-27.
What is Calvinism?
How did this conference come about?
The conference has come together by God’s grace: Explain about the influence and initiative of Sandi Sonteya.
Where did the conference title come from?
Answer:The autobiography of Spurgeon, volume 1, The Early Years, chapter 13 ‘A Defence of Calvinism’.
“We only use the term ‘Calvinism’ for shortness. That doctrine which is called ‘Calvinism’ did not spring from Calvin; we believe that it sprang from the great founder of all truth. Perhaps Calvin himself derived it mainly from the writing of Augustine. Augustine obtained his views, without doubt, through the Spirit of God, from the diligent study of the writings of Paul, and Paul received them of the Holy Ghost, from Jesus Christ the great founder of the Christian dispensation. We use the term then, not because we impute any extraordinary importance to Calvin’s having taught these doctrines. We would be just as willing to call them by any other name, if we could find one which would be better understood, and which on the whole would be as consistent with fact”- C.H.S
“The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox’s gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again.” – C.H.S
‘The Reformed Church is Always Reforming’ Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676) from Utrecht and a delegate of the Synod of Dort (1618-19).
This is needed in every generation
It is difficult work
People do not like change, even though it means Sola Scriptura
A brief summary of church history from the Reformation, however church history spans 2000 years and the gospel springs from the heart of God the Father in eternity.
Martin Luther (1483-1546) and the 95 theses in Wittenberg on October 31st 1517. He was God’s vessel to begin the Reformation and to especially pioneer the recovery of the doctrine of justification by faith, total depravity and Augustine’s doctrine of salvation.
John Calvin (1509-64) and his reforming work in the city of Geneva. Calvin developed a full reformed systematic theology springing from biblical exposition. A pastor, theologian, church planter, reformer of the highest honour. Calvin’s model was a doctrine of the church and society that was replicated in Scotland, Holland, France, Hungary, England in part and later in the USA. Even today, Reformed churches are those who look to Calvin and Geneva in some measure as a prototype for reforming the church.
The second reformation in the seventeenth century. In the Netherlands there was the Synod of Dort to defend the gospel against Arminianism but there was also a need seen for further reformation. For example the Church of England was only half or partly reformed and the Puritans began to grow agitated and impatient.
The Reformed church is always reforming’ is a slogan very much needed in the 21st Century. We need a vibrant expression of Calvinism in our generation!!
Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17 ¶ Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.
20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 ¶ Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and [so do] Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.
24 [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]
25 ¶ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, [leading] to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
1. The danger of false gospel’s (v 17-20)
§ Dissensions contrary to the teaching which you learned and turn away from them. The issue is doctrine and this is not a secondary issue to love. To love pure doctrine is to love God purely.
§ V18 Paul’s calls them slaves. Why? Their message is a slavery to sin and leads to legalism rather than freedom. They use smooth and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting (naïve).
§ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The true gospel of God in our hands crushes Satan’s false gospels and the slavery that follows.
2. The Importance of Relationship’s in the Gospel (the whole chapter but note v21-24)
§ Note the list of names
§ Timothy and other gospel workers= we need teamwork!
3. The Glory of God is the heart of the Gospel
· The purpose of the book of Romans in 1: 1 is ‘the Gospel of God’.
· Key doctrinal theme’s of this book is the Apostles’ doctrine.
· Benediction (blessing):V25 we are strengthened according to A. the gospel (my gospel), do we hold Paul’s gospel? B. The Preaching of Jesus Christ. C. This revelation is rooted in the OT Scriptures. D. Now it is being made known to all nations (a missionary vision)
· The question in missions = What is the content of the message we are delivering?
· V 26. This is all happening according to the command of the eternal God to bring about the obedience of faith (election and the church).
· To the only wise God be glory forevermore! The glory of God runs through Romans.
·
3. What is Calvinism?
A Definition of Calvinism: Spurgeon’s autobiography
A Nickname for the Biblical Gospel
CHS wrote in The Defence of Calvinism:
I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of Hid elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus such a gospel I abhor.
1. Calvinism is the doctrine of the church.
Spurgeon wrote: Calvinism is the gospel and nothing else. Is this true? The answer is yes but it is incomplete because Calvinism is a world view consumed with a God centred approach, Calvinism is also a doctrine of the church.
There is no such thing as Calvinism that is not concerned with the Re-formation (to the biblical plan) of the church.
Look at Luther, Calvin, Knox, The Netherlands, the English Reformers etc.
2. Calvinism is confessional
Explain the three confessions of faith in the English language.
3. Calvinism and the five points
Summary: A definition of Calvinism.
Calvinism is a doctrine of the church that looks to Calvin and Geneva as a model for the reformation of the church that needs to be applied in all ages.
Reform = a dictionary definition,
To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition.
To abolish abuse or malpractice in: reform the government.
To put an end to (a wrong). See synonyms at correct.
To cause (a person) to give up harmful or immoral practices; persuade to adopt a better way of life.
A Reformed gospel affirms the five points of Calvinism as agreed at the Synod of Dort and this requires a commitment to educate and train men to preach this gospel. A Reformed church holds to one of the historic confessions of faith as a joyful safeguard of the gospel for the saints to propagate through a reformed church.
Is there the need for church reform in the twenty-first century?
Three sections:
An Explanation about this conference and its purpose
A Brief exposition of Romans 16: 17-27.
What is Calvinism?
How did this conference come about?
The conference has come together by God’s grace: Explain about the influence and initiative of Sandi Sonteya.
Where did the conference title come from?
Answer:The autobiography of Spurgeon, volume 1, The Early Years, chapter 13 ‘A Defence of Calvinism’.
“We only use the term ‘Calvinism’ for shortness. That doctrine which is called ‘Calvinism’ did not spring from Calvin; we believe that it sprang from the great founder of all truth. Perhaps Calvin himself derived it mainly from the writing of Augustine. Augustine obtained his views, without doubt, through the Spirit of God, from the diligent study of the writings of Paul, and Paul received them of the Holy Ghost, from Jesus Christ the great founder of the Christian dispensation. We use the term then, not because we impute any extraordinary importance to Calvin’s having taught these doctrines. We would be just as willing to call them by any other name, if we could find one which would be better understood, and which on the whole would be as consistent with fact”- C.H.S
“The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox’s gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again.” – C.H.S
‘The Reformed Church is Always Reforming’ Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676) from Utrecht and a delegate of the Synod of Dort (1618-19).
This is needed in every generation
It is difficult work
People do not like change, even though it means Sola Scriptura
A brief summary of church history from the Reformation, however church history spans 2000 years and the gospel springs from the heart of God the Father in eternity.
Martin Luther (1483-1546) and the 95 theses in Wittenberg on October 31st 1517. He was God’s vessel to begin the Reformation and to especially pioneer the recovery of the doctrine of justification by faith, total depravity and Augustine’s doctrine of salvation.
John Calvin (1509-64) and his reforming work in the city of Geneva. Calvin developed a full reformed systematic theology springing from biblical exposition. A pastor, theologian, church planter, reformer of the highest honour. Calvin’s model was a doctrine of the church and society that was replicated in Scotland, Holland, France, Hungary, England in part and later in the USA. Even today, Reformed churches are those who look to Calvin and Geneva in some measure as a prototype for reforming the church.
The second reformation in the seventeenth century. In the Netherlands there was the Synod of Dort to defend the gospel against Arminianism but there was also a need seen for further reformation. For example the Church of England was only half or partly reformed and the Puritans began to grow agitated and impatient.
The Reformed church is always reforming’ is a slogan very much needed in the 21st Century. We need a vibrant expression of Calvinism in our generation!!
Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17 ¶ Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.
20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 ¶ Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and [so do] Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.
24 [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]
25 ¶ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, [leading] to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
1. The danger of false gospel’s (v 17-20)
§ Dissensions contrary to the teaching which you learned and turn away from them. The issue is doctrine and this is not a secondary issue to love. To love pure doctrine is to love God purely.
§ V18 Paul’s calls them slaves. Why? Their message is a slavery to sin and leads to legalism rather than freedom. They use smooth and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting (naïve).
§ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The true gospel of God in our hands crushes Satan’s false gospels and the slavery that follows.
2. The Importance of Relationship’s in the Gospel (the whole chapter but note v21-24)
§ Note the list of names
§ Timothy and other gospel workers= we need teamwork!
3. The Glory of God is the heart of the Gospel
· The purpose of the book of Romans in 1: 1 is ‘the Gospel of God’.
· Key doctrinal theme’s of this book is the Apostles’ doctrine.
· Benediction (blessing):V25 we are strengthened according to A. the gospel (my gospel), do we hold Paul’s gospel? B. The Preaching of Jesus Christ. C. This revelation is rooted in the OT Scriptures. D. Now it is being made known to all nations (a missionary vision)
· The question in missions = What is the content of the message we are delivering?
· V 26. This is all happening according to the command of the eternal God to bring about the obedience of faith (election and the church).
· To the only wise God be glory forevermore! The glory of God runs through Romans.
·
3. What is Calvinism?
A Definition of Calvinism: Spurgeon’s autobiography
A Nickname for the Biblical Gospel
CHS wrote in The Defence of Calvinism:
I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of Hid elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus such a gospel I abhor.
1. Calvinism is the doctrine of the church.
Spurgeon wrote: Calvinism is the gospel and nothing else. Is this true? The answer is yes but it is incomplete because Calvinism is a world view consumed with a God centred approach, Calvinism is also a doctrine of the church.
There is no such thing as Calvinism that is not concerned with the Re-formation (to the biblical plan) of the church.
Look at Luther, Calvin, Knox, The Netherlands, the English Reformers etc.
2. Calvinism is confessional
Explain the three confessions of faith in the English language.
3. Calvinism and the five points
Summary: A definition of Calvinism.
Calvinism is a doctrine of the church that looks to Calvin and Geneva as a model for the reformation of the church that needs to be applied in all ages.
Reform = a dictionary definition,
To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition.
To abolish abuse or malpractice in: reform the government.
To put an end to (a wrong). See synonyms at correct.
To cause (a person) to give up harmful or immoral practices; persuade to adopt a better way of life.
A Reformed gospel affirms the five points of Calvinism as agreed at the Synod of Dort and this requires a commitment to educate and train men to preach this gospel. A Reformed church holds to one of the historic confessions of faith as a joyful safeguard of the gospel for the saints to propagate through a reformed church.
Is there the need for church reform in the twenty-first century?
Saturday, 10 January 2009
Lessons from Calvin and Spurgeon
Lessons from Calvin and Spurgeon
Personal testimony of the influence that they have had on me, also John Owen, Bob Letham, Iain Murray’s writings, Stuart Olyott on preaching and John Bunyan.
Calvin and Spurgeon compliment each and bring out significant lessons.
John Calvin
‘Few Christian leaders have suffered quite so much misunderstanding as John Calvin. He has often been dismissed as a theologian without humanity. In fact the very reverse is much nearer the truth…he was a man of deep and lasting affection, passionately concerned for the cause of Christ in the world; a man who burned himself out for the gospel.
Biographical Sketch
In French Jean Cauvin, a man who was born and bred in France; born in 1509 in Noyon which is about 50 miles North-East of Paris.
An exceptionally bright child who ‘outstripped the others, thanks to his quick intelligence and excellent memory’.
Went to the University of Paris where he studied Latin and other subjects. He wanted to be a priest but he abandoned the idea and went to Orleans to study law, which he did with marked success.
He was converted somewhere between the age 20-25, and in page 19-20, Letters of John Calvin.
He became inflamed with an intense desire to make spiritual progress and he went to Strasbourg to seek seclusion for study. He had already written his first edition of the Institutes of Christian Religion and William Farel the leader of the reformation in Geneva came to see him. Farel said: “If he did not stay in Geneva, God would curse his peace.’ From this he came to share the ministry with Farel in Geneva. The Institutes is one of the greatest works of theology ever written and Calvin was about 26 when he completed it. It was written as a defence of the faith of reformed Christians, especially of those who were being persecuted.
Calvin was thrown headlong into full pastoral ministry by 1536 in Geneva, where the reformers aimed at the reformation of the church according to the Word of God. They drew up a confession of faith to be subscribed by all members of the churches and they said that those who did not sign it could not come to the Lord’s table for communion. This led to a crisis and the city council fathers forbad them to preach and on April 23rd and was ordered to leave the city. Calvin made his way to Strassbourg.
In Strasbourg he enjoyed a happy ministry and fellowship with Martin Bucer. This was a formative time of thinking, a place where he got married and wrote his commentary on Romans.
In October 1540 he was invited back to Geneva. When he entered the pulpit he carried on preaching where he had left off and continued expounding for the next 25 years.
On 27th May 1564 he passed to his eternal reward and buried without ceremony in an unmarked grave in a cemetery.
Lessons
He was very able in the original languages of Greek and Hebrew and this sets a good example of the importance of contact with the Bible languages.
He preached on 56 books of the Bible, verse by verse. A first class model of a Bible expositor who preached ‘out of the Scriptures’.
He also was a confessional preacher with a commitment to the French Confession of faith of 1559 with 40 detailed articles of the faith.
He had a clear systematic approach to truth which the Institutes demonstrate.
There is a need to preach on whole books of the Bible and to marry systematic and biblical theology.
He suffered much ill-health all of his life and yet his labours were almost beyond our comprehension. Colossians 1:29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
His preaching was pointed, direct and without waffle.
Calvin was a genius and we cannot copy him in that respect but we can copy his vision for the church. The connection between theology and law must not be forgotten as with Luther.
He was a pastor with a great letter writing ministry with an international vision.
He trained up other preachers. Hear the testimony of John Knox of his time in Geneva: It was ‘the most perfect school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles. In other places, I confess Christ to be truly preached; but manners and religion to be so sincerely reformed, I have not yet seen in any other place.’[1]
He pressed on regardless of continuous opposition and misunderstanding.
He is unduly blamed for the Michael Servetus affair who was tried and found guilty of heresy and publicly burned. However there was a blurring of responsibility between church and state.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Known as the ‘Prince of preachers’ and he was the greatest English preacher of the 19th Century.
A Biographical Sketch
Born in Kelvedon, Essex in June 19th 1834 and he was greatly influenced by his puritan pastor, Grand father. His father also was a pastor.
Spurgeon proved to be a genius and we cannot copy him in this also. However the background with which he was raised was one of principle according to Arnold Dallimore and when it comes to standing for principle, we must do so whatever the cost!
In December 1849 he was converted: read Dallimore p 18-19 and was baptised by immersion.
After a successful country pastorate in Waterbeach at the age of 17,he was called to a dwindling Calvinistic congregation in London, New Park Street Baptist Church.
He had a great body of systematic doctrine that under-girded his ministry from the beginning. Few have defended the doctrines of grace so powerfully.
Spurgeon was a thorough-going Calvinist marked by great evangelistic success. In London a great door was opened by the Lord: 1 Corinthians 16:9.
In 1855 he reprinted the 1689 Baptist Confession of faith and he believed this summarised the ‘faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3)’.
When they built the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Spurgeon had become the pastor of the largest congregation in the world. By the time he was 26 the congregation had grown from the 80 he first addressed to 6000 or more. When the foundation stone was laid on August 16th 1859 Spurgeon placed five things under it; The Bible, The Baptist Confession of Faith, The churches declaration of the deacons, Dr Rippon’s Hymn Book and a copy of the days proceedings.
His one personal hobby was scouting, buying and collecting second hand books until his personal library had more than ten thousand books.
He defended the doctrines of grace such as particular redemption, election, total depravity etc.
Membership in the church was never allowed to become a mere formality and members were given tickets to attend the communion service… membership was seen as something active and it was rigidly maintained and many new members were added and infrequent members added to the list.
He established a pastor’s college for training pastors, an orphanage, great literary labours and many other such things.
One of the key battles of his life that had to withstand so much controversy was the Down grade controversy.
January 31st 1892 he passed into glory.
Lessons
He held a clear system of Calvinistic belief that he believed was summarised in the 1689 Baptist Confession of faith.
He preached often from a single bible verse with a clear title and three clear points. His use of vivid illustrations, humour and lively preaching is an example to us all.
In his exegesis he sometimes could have learned lessons from Calvin’s thoroughness.
He trained pastors and he raised up new preachers and he saw this as vital.
In many ways he emulated the ministry of Calvin and George Whitefield.
He did not seem to have a clear succession plan for his ministry to be put in place after he died.
He saw the power of the printed page.
Final Words by Spurgeon after the downgrade: “Believe for great things of a great God. Remember whether you do so or not, great are your responsibilities. There was never a more restless time than now. What is being done today will affect the next centuries, unless the Lord should should very speedily come. I believe that, if we walk uprightly and decidedly before God at this time, we shall make the future of England bright with the gospel; but trimming now, and debasing doctrine now, will affect children yet unborn, generation after generation. Posterity must be considered. I do not look so much as what is to happen today, for these things relate to eternity. For my part, I am quite willing to eaten of dogs for the next fifty years; but the more distant future shall vindicate me. I have dealt honestly before the living God. My brother, do the same (Spurgeon, Addresses at the Pastor’s Conference, ‘The Preachers Power and the Conditions of Obtaining It’ in All Round Ministry).
[1] Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House Company, 1931, repr. 1990), p 460n. 1. Knox cites this in a letter he wrote to his friend Locke, dated 9th December 1556.
Personal testimony of the influence that they have had on me, also John Owen, Bob Letham, Iain Murray’s writings, Stuart Olyott on preaching and John Bunyan.
Calvin and Spurgeon compliment each and bring out significant lessons.
John Calvin
‘Few Christian leaders have suffered quite so much misunderstanding as John Calvin. He has often been dismissed as a theologian without humanity. In fact the very reverse is much nearer the truth…he was a man of deep and lasting affection, passionately concerned for the cause of Christ in the world; a man who burned himself out for the gospel.
Biographical Sketch
In French Jean Cauvin, a man who was born and bred in France; born in 1509 in Noyon which is about 50 miles North-East of Paris.
An exceptionally bright child who ‘outstripped the others, thanks to his quick intelligence and excellent memory’.
Went to the University of Paris where he studied Latin and other subjects. He wanted to be a priest but he abandoned the idea and went to Orleans to study law, which he did with marked success.
He was converted somewhere between the age 20-25, and in page 19-20, Letters of John Calvin.
He became inflamed with an intense desire to make spiritual progress and he went to Strasbourg to seek seclusion for study. He had already written his first edition of the Institutes of Christian Religion and William Farel the leader of the reformation in Geneva came to see him. Farel said: “If he did not stay in Geneva, God would curse his peace.’ From this he came to share the ministry with Farel in Geneva. The Institutes is one of the greatest works of theology ever written and Calvin was about 26 when he completed it. It was written as a defence of the faith of reformed Christians, especially of those who were being persecuted.
Calvin was thrown headlong into full pastoral ministry by 1536 in Geneva, where the reformers aimed at the reformation of the church according to the Word of God. They drew up a confession of faith to be subscribed by all members of the churches and they said that those who did not sign it could not come to the Lord’s table for communion. This led to a crisis and the city council fathers forbad them to preach and on April 23rd and was ordered to leave the city. Calvin made his way to Strassbourg.
In Strasbourg he enjoyed a happy ministry and fellowship with Martin Bucer. This was a formative time of thinking, a place where he got married and wrote his commentary on Romans.
In October 1540 he was invited back to Geneva. When he entered the pulpit he carried on preaching where he had left off and continued expounding for the next 25 years.
On 27th May 1564 he passed to his eternal reward and buried without ceremony in an unmarked grave in a cemetery.
Lessons
He was very able in the original languages of Greek and Hebrew and this sets a good example of the importance of contact with the Bible languages.
He preached on 56 books of the Bible, verse by verse. A first class model of a Bible expositor who preached ‘out of the Scriptures’.
He also was a confessional preacher with a commitment to the French Confession of faith of 1559 with 40 detailed articles of the faith.
He had a clear systematic approach to truth which the Institutes demonstrate.
There is a need to preach on whole books of the Bible and to marry systematic and biblical theology.
He suffered much ill-health all of his life and yet his labours were almost beyond our comprehension. Colossians 1:29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
His preaching was pointed, direct and without waffle.
Calvin was a genius and we cannot copy him in that respect but we can copy his vision for the church. The connection between theology and law must not be forgotten as with Luther.
He was a pastor with a great letter writing ministry with an international vision.
He trained up other preachers. Hear the testimony of John Knox of his time in Geneva: It was ‘the most perfect school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles. In other places, I confess Christ to be truly preached; but manners and religion to be so sincerely reformed, I have not yet seen in any other place.’[1]
He pressed on regardless of continuous opposition and misunderstanding.
He is unduly blamed for the Michael Servetus affair who was tried and found guilty of heresy and publicly burned. However there was a blurring of responsibility between church and state.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Known as the ‘Prince of preachers’ and he was the greatest English preacher of the 19th Century.
A Biographical Sketch
Born in Kelvedon, Essex in June 19th 1834 and he was greatly influenced by his puritan pastor, Grand father. His father also was a pastor.
Spurgeon proved to be a genius and we cannot copy him in this also. However the background with which he was raised was one of principle according to Arnold Dallimore and when it comes to standing for principle, we must do so whatever the cost!
In December 1849 he was converted: read Dallimore p 18-19 and was baptised by immersion.
After a successful country pastorate in Waterbeach at the age of 17,he was called to a dwindling Calvinistic congregation in London, New Park Street Baptist Church.
He had a great body of systematic doctrine that under-girded his ministry from the beginning. Few have defended the doctrines of grace so powerfully.
Spurgeon was a thorough-going Calvinist marked by great evangelistic success. In London a great door was opened by the Lord: 1 Corinthians 16:9.
In 1855 he reprinted the 1689 Baptist Confession of faith and he believed this summarised the ‘faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3)’.
When they built the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Spurgeon had become the pastor of the largest congregation in the world. By the time he was 26 the congregation had grown from the 80 he first addressed to 6000 or more. When the foundation stone was laid on August 16th 1859 Spurgeon placed five things under it; The Bible, The Baptist Confession of Faith, The churches declaration of the deacons, Dr Rippon’s Hymn Book and a copy of the days proceedings.
His one personal hobby was scouting, buying and collecting second hand books until his personal library had more than ten thousand books.
He defended the doctrines of grace such as particular redemption, election, total depravity etc.
Membership in the church was never allowed to become a mere formality and members were given tickets to attend the communion service… membership was seen as something active and it was rigidly maintained and many new members were added and infrequent members added to the list.
He established a pastor’s college for training pastors, an orphanage, great literary labours and many other such things.
One of the key battles of his life that had to withstand so much controversy was the Down grade controversy.
January 31st 1892 he passed into glory.
Lessons
He held a clear system of Calvinistic belief that he believed was summarised in the 1689 Baptist Confession of faith.
He preached often from a single bible verse with a clear title and three clear points. His use of vivid illustrations, humour and lively preaching is an example to us all.
In his exegesis he sometimes could have learned lessons from Calvin’s thoroughness.
He trained pastors and he raised up new preachers and he saw this as vital.
In many ways he emulated the ministry of Calvin and George Whitefield.
He did not seem to have a clear succession plan for his ministry to be put in place after he died.
He saw the power of the printed page.
Final Words by Spurgeon after the downgrade: “Believe for great things of a great God. Remember whether you do so or not, great are your responsibilities. There was never a more restless time than now. What is being done today will affect the next centuries, unless the Lord should should very speedily come. I believe that, if we walk uprightly and decidedly before God at this time, we shall make the future of England bright with the gospel; but trimming now, and debasing doctrine now, will affect children yet unborn, generation after generation. Posterity must be considered. I do not look so much as what is to happen today, for these things relate to eternity. For my part, I am quite willing to eaten of dogs for the next fifty years; but the more distant future shall vindicate me. I have dealt honestly before the living God. My brother, do the same (Spurgeon, Addresses at the Pastor’s Conference, ‘The Preachers Power and the Conditions of Obtaining It’ in All Round Ministry).
[1] Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House Company, 1931, repr. 1990), p 460n. 1. Knox cites this in a letter he wrote to his friend Locke, dated 9th December 1556.
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