The heading of this blog is not intended to be repetitive for repetitions sake. I have just read a helpful book review by Craig French on the chapter in the book "Engaging with Keller" which I have written. The link is: http://baylyblog.com/blog/2013/11/tim-kellers-divine-dance-trinitarian-twist
Craig has obviously taken his time to think through the issues and his conclusion is that a "divine dance" metaphor for the Trinity is unbiblical, anti-confessional, and that it contradicts the Nicene Creed. I agree! This metaphor is plain wrong. I have commented to him in response on this blog, and I have explained that my primary aim is to see a recovery of the doctrine of the Trinity for the church, especially in the West.
Enjoy his review and read it critically because in everything Paul taught the church: "but test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21). We must always keep our wits about us because we read in Acts 17 about the Berean Christians who "received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so" Acts 17:11.
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Antinomianism is Rife Today
Antinomianism means to be against the law (nomos is law in Greek and "anti" is against). The definition is: Those who are antinomian, believe that as Christians, that they are released from the obligation of observing the moral law due to God's grace in the gospel. As you read this definition you will realise that this is probably the majority view in the Western church at the moment. But, it is not a biblical view, even though the majority may hold to such a view.
I am currently reading the Minutes of the Westminster Assembly and I am struck by the pastoral concern of the Westminster divines regarding this ancient heresy, antinomianism. Perhaps you are reading this blog and you hold to such a definition of the law of God and I would then urge you to rethink your position.
As reformed presbyterians, or indeed any form of reformed doctrine holders, we do not hold to a low view of the law of God. As G. I. Williamson explains in his commentary on Chapter 19 (Of the Law of God) of the Westminster Confession of Faith, "the law of God is central to the message of the Bible". Therefore, to fail to understand the role of the law for the church today is to miss a central thread of the whole Bible. This post is not handling the implications of anti-nomianism, but I am simply sounding a warning that it is a wrong teaching which is replete today.
Listen to Paul in Romans 7:22 "For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being". Does this describe your attitude to the law of God? Listen to the Westminster Confession of Faith 19:5: "the moral law does forever bind all … neither does Christ, in the gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation".
This blog is a personal spiritual hobby of mine; my desire is to simply write bite-sized posts to "fan the flames" of thinking towards a reformed pattern for doctrine, the church, worship and church government. I hope this has been a helpful post.
I am currently reading the Minutes of the Westminster Assembly and I am struck by the pastoral concern of the Westminster divines regarding this ancient heresy, antinomianism. Perhaps you are reading this blog and you hold to such a definition of the law of God and I would then urge you to rethink your position.
As reformed presbyterians, or indeed any form of reformed doctrine holders, we do not hold to a low view of the law of God. As G. I. Williamson explains in his commentary on Chapter 19 (Of the Law of God) of the Westminster Confession of Faith, "the law of God is central to the message of the Bible". Therefore, to fail to understand the role of the law for the church today is to miss a central thread of the whole Bible. This post is not handling the implications of anti-nomianism, but I am simply sounding a warning that it is a wrong teaching which is replete today.
Listen to Paul in Romans 7:22 "For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being". Does this describe your attitude to the law of God? Listen to the Westminster Confession of Faith 19:5: "the moral law does forever bind all … neither does Christ, in the gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation".
This blog is a personal spiritual hobby of mine; my desire is to simply write bite-sized posts to "fan the flames" of thinking towards a reformed pattern for doctrine, the church, worship and church government. I hope this has been a helpful post.
Monday, 4 November 2013
Two Surprises Regarding a Christian's Response to Evolution
Recently, I have read the book of Hebrews. The eleventh chapter is the great faith chapter, and the third verse "leapt off the page". It reads: "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible". Also, I have begun reading a book by John C. Lennox called "God and Stephen Hawking: Whose design is it anyway?". Lennox demolishes the atheistic assertions by the brilliant professor of Physics at Cambridge University, Stephen Hawking. One wonders how could such a brilliant scientist be so blinded regarding the God of the Bible creating the world?
Hebrews 11:3 has the answers for us and it unwraps two common surprises that reveal that Christians need to be better grounded in biblical truth. Hebrews 11:3 teaches that it is "by faith we understand the universe was created by the word of God". Therefore should we be surprised when people without a true Christian faith, do not believe in Creation?
Surprise Number 1: Many Christians seem to show a complete surprise that non-Christians do not believe in Creation and therefore choose all kinds of theories such as evolution. Does our surprise reveal our lack of biblical understanding? If it is "by faith that we understand" these things, then we should not be surprised when people in the world do not understand this; also we should display greater humility as well at their ignorance. The only reason we believe in Creation is because God has made us alive in Christ and given us "faith as a gift" (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Surprise Number 2: This is when Christians or Christian ministers try to fuse two mutually incompatible ideas in a theological compromise: that is Creation by God and evolution. These are two opposing world views that cannot co-exist in the same house. It takes faith from God to believe in the Creation account, however the current predominant worldview to explain the origin of things is evolution, which does not require faith from God or faith in any god. It is utterly surprising when Christians try to explain away what is simply required to be accepted "by faith". It is a rational faith, and one that makes complete sense of this world, the reason for death, as well as life.
One final comment is that it is unwise and incompatible for Christians to try to fuse Creation and evolution. Evolution just happens to be the contemporary atheistic answer for the origin of things at the moment. This changes over time, for example in the world of Greek mythology Zeus or the goddess Oceanus may have been included in an account of the beginning of things. It would be unthinkable that a First-century Christian pastor would include Zeus or Oceanus to explain the Creation account. Likewise such cultural accommodation to include aspects of evolution with biblical Creation is untenable, unbiblical and very surprising.
Hebrews 4:14 "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession".
Hebrews 11:3 has the answers for us and it unwraps two common surprises that reveal that Christians need to be better grounded in biblical truth. Hebrews 11:3 teaches that it is "by faith we understand the universe was created by the word of God". Therefore should we be surprised when people without a true Christian faith, do not believe in Creation?
Surprise Number 1: Many Christians seem to show a complete surprise that non-Christians do not believe in Creation and therefore choose all kinds of theories such as evolution. Does our surprise reveal our lack of biblical understanding? If it is "by faith that we understand" these things, then we should not be surprised when people in the world do not understand this; also we should display greater humility as well at their ignorance. The only reason we believe in Creation is because God has made us alive in Christ and given us "faith as a gift" (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Surprise Number 2: This is when Christians or Christian ministers try to fuse two mutually incompatible ideas in a theological compromise: that is Creation by God and evolution. These are two opposing world views that cannot co-exist in the same house. It takes faith from God to believe in the Creation account, however the current predominant worldview to explain the origin of things is evolution, which does not require faith from God or faith in any god. It is utterly surprising when Christians try to explain away what is simply required to be accepted "by faith". It is a rational faith, and one that makes complete sense of this world, the reason for death, as well as life.
One final comment is that it is unwise and incompatible for Christians to try to fuse Creation and evolution. Evolution just happens to be the contemporary atheistic answer for the origin of things at the moment. This changes over time, for example in the world of Greek mythology Zeus or the goddess Oceanus may have been included in an account of the beginning of things. It would be unthinkable that a First-century Christian pastor would include Zeus or Oceanus to explain the Creation account. Likewise such cultural accommodation to include aspects of evolution with biblical Creation is untenable, unbiblical and very surprising.
Hebrews 4:14 "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession".
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Delighting in the Christian Sabbath
Listen to Isaiah 58: 13-14
“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
This teaching is so alien to many Christians and churches. The Westminster Confession in its 21st Chapter on worship establishes two main points.
1. That there is a Christian Sabbath, which is the Lord's Day, and that is to be observed until the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. That the whole of the Lord's Day is to be a delight, to Christians and the church.
However, is this taught and practiced by Christian's today, especially in the West? The Christian Sabbath is a gift from God and a doctrine of the church cannot be fully operational without the Christian sabbath being a guiding principle to the outworking of church life. R. Scott Clark has made the point that the abandonment of the Lord's Day evening service has promoted the so-called Lord's half day, which actually is not taught in Scripture.
Notice that in Isaiah 58:13 that the people of God are to firstly "call the sabbath a delight". Secondly, by practicing the Sabbath rightly then "you shall take delight in the Lord". This is far from an individualistic "me and my Jesus" mentality. The practice of the whole of the Lord's Day is in urgent need of being rightly taught, practiced and loved. This is central to delighting in the Lord and substitutes to this command cannot replace God's pattern for delighting in Him. Perhaps the starting point is to pray for ourselves, and to seek forgiveness from the Lord where there has been wilful disobedience and neglect of God's command at this point.
May we learn to take the "yoke of Christ" and delight in the Lord's Day each week.
“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
This teaching is so alien to many Christians and churches. The Westminster Confession in its 21st Chapter on worship establishes two main points.
1. That there is a Christian Sabbath, which is the Lord's Day, and that is to be observed until the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. That the whole of the Lord's Day is to be a delight, to Christians and the church.
However, is this taught and practiced by Christian's today, especially in the West? The Christian Sabbath is a gift from God and a doctrine of the church cannot be fully operational without the Christian sabbath being a guiding principle to the outworking of church life. R. Scott Clark has made the point that the abandonment of the Lord's Day evening service has promoted the so-called Lord's half day, which actually is not taught in Scripture.
Notice that in Isaiah 58:13 that the people of God are to firstly "call the sabbath a delight". Secondly, by practicing the Sabbath rightly then "you shall take delight in the Lord". This is far from an individualistic "me and my Jesus" mentality. The practice of the whole of the Lord's Day is in urgent need of being rightly taught, practiced and loved. This is central to delighting in the Lord and substitutes to this command cannot replace God's pattern for delighting in Him. Perhaps the starting point is to pray for ourselves, and to seek forgiveness from the Lord where there has been wilful disobedience and neglect of God's command at this point.
May we learn to take the "yoke of Christ" and delight in the Lord's Day each week.
Thursday, 24 October 2013
The Christian's greatest spiritual danger
In a recent conference I attended, there was a panel of godly and seasoned ministers who were asked various questions. One of the questioners inquired "which are the three greatest spiritual dangers of Christian ministry?". Ian Hamilton, the minister of Cambridge Presbyterian Church answered "pride, pride and pride". What is true for Christian ministers is equally true of Christians also and we must always be on our guard against this slippery enemy of our souls.
John Calvin emphasises in a number of places in his Institutes of the Christian Religion the need for true humility. In Book 2:11 he explains that “True humility gives God alone the honour”. He then quotes Augustine of Hippo who taught that "when a certain rhetorician was asked what was the chief rule in eloquence, he replied, 'Delivery'; what was the second rule 'Delivery'; what was the third rule, 'Delivery'. So if you ask me concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, first, second and third and always I would answer, 'Humility' ".
The teaching of holy Scripture is abundantly clear concerning the spiritual danger of pride and the need for true humility. Listen to three passages.
The Lord Jesus Christ said: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). This is as sure as the law of gravity. Those who exalt themselves will be abased and similarly the humble will be exalted.
James understood this truth as he teaches that "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). Therefore, we must seek the Lord to grow in humility and seek the Lord in prayer for pride to rooted out of our souls.
Finally, listen to Peter, the apostle who learned that pride is a real enemy of the soul when he boasted that he would never fall away from Christ and then he denied his master three times. Peter exhorts: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you" (1 Peter 5:6)
May we all be aware of the danger of pride because some Christians do not realise that this is even a problem. Then once we acknowledge this spiritual danger, may we pursue three things: Humility, humility and humility!
John Calvin emphasises in a number of places in his Institutes of the Christian Religion the need for true humility. In Book 2:11 he explains that “True humility gives God alone the honour”. He then quotes Augustine of Hippo who taught that "when a certain rhetorician was asked what was the chief rule in eloquence, he replied, 'Delivery'; what was the second rule 'Delivery'; what was the third rule, 'Delivery'. So if you ask me concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, first, second and third and always I would answer, 'Humility' ".
The teaching of holy Scripture is abundantly clear concerning the spiritual danger of pride and the need for true humility. Listen to three passages.
The Lord Jesus Christ said: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). This is as sure as the law of gravity. Those who exalt themselves will be abased and similarly the humble will be exalted.
James understood this truth as he teaches that "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). Therefore, we must seek the Lord to grow in humility and seek the Lord in prayer for pride to rooted out of our souls.
Finally, listen to Peter, the apostle who learned that pride is a real enemy of the soul when he boasted that he would never fall away from Christ and then he denied his master three times. Peter exhorts: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you" (1 Peter 5:6)
May we all be aware of the danger of pride because some Christians do not realise that this is even a problem. Then once we acknowledge this spiritual danger, may we pursue three things: Humility, humility and humility!
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Frederick Leahy, "The Cross He Bore"
This is my favourite book that I have read so far in 2013. It is a short book of just 13 chapters of devotional thoughts regarding the Sufferings of Christ which was for our sakes and our salvation. It is theologically rich, yet it is written in such a way, that the person and work of Christ may well move you to tears.
Ted Donnelly writes in the foreword: "We are too apt to hurry past the cross, to undervalue, in spite of ourselves, the supreme mystery of the ages by a shallow assumption that we know it all". Donnelly continues "We need to 'behold', to 'survey', to 'stand and stare'.
Let me give you one more taster from the first chapter called "Man of Sorrows" which expounds Jesus Christ in Gethsemane. The seasoned pastor Frederick Leahy closes this chapter with these words: "Lord, forgive us for the times we have read about Gethsemane with dry eyes". If you do get hold of this book published by the Banner of Truth, may it soften your heart and moisten your eyes.
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). May the soft words and humility of the Lord Jesus Christ, as displayed in this precious book, cause our own hearts to be softened with godly devotion to the Triune God.
Ted Donnelly writes in the foreword: "We are too apt to hurry past the cross, to undervalue, in spite of ourselves, the supreme mystery of the ages by a shallow assumption that we know it all". Donnelly continues "We need to 'behold', to 'survey', to 'stand and stare'.
Let me give you one more taster from the first chapter called "Man of Sorrows" which expounds Jesus Christ in Gethsemane. The seasoned pastor Frederick Leahy closes this chapter with these words: "Lord, forgive us for the times we have read about Gethsemane with dry eyes". If you do get hold of this book published by the Banner of Truth, may it soften your heart and moisten your eyes.
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). May the soft words and humility of the Lord Jesus Christ, as displayed in this precious book, cause our own hearts to be softened with godly devotion to the Triune God.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Radio Interview on "Engaging with Keller"
Yesterday (1st October 2013), I was interviewed live by a radio station about the book "Engaging with Keller". While I think my answers could have been better, I was impressed with the interviewer Kevin Boling.
The website link is: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=10113125283
I hope that you find this helpful because the interviewer had really done his research and he brought out a range of very valuable points.
Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end, Psalm 119:33.
The website link is: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=10113125283
I hope that you find this helpful because the interviewer had really done his research and he brought out a range of very valuable points.
Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end, Psalm 119:33.
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