Pleasure and Duty

Our pleasure and our duty,
Though opposite before;
Since we have seen his beauty,
Are joined to part no more:

It is our highest pleasure,
No less than duty’s call;
To love him beyond measure,
And serve him with our all.

-John Newton

God's Kingdom of Grace

'Nothing matters in the Kingdom [of God] but the grace of God... God has a different way of looking at things. He does not see as men do; He does not compute as they do; it is all grace from beginning to end... He impresses the truth upon us by saying: 'That many that are last shall be first and the first last'. We have to cease thinking in a carnal fleshly manner. In the Kingdom of God and of Christ the standpoint is that of grace, and of grace alone; and it cuts across all other regulations. It is His grace that matters- 'by the grace of God I am what I am'. So stop looking at what you have not done and the years you have missed and realise that in His Kingdom it is His grace alone that matters.'

-Martyn Lloyd Jones, Spiritual Depression, pg 89

Race, gender, ethnicity, IQ, EQ, introvert, extrovert, rich, poor, labour, conservative, lib dem- none of this matters in God's Kingdom. Everyone and anyone who wants to enter God's spiritual society is welcome. Receiving grace makes everyone equal.

Jesus and the Old Testament

Have a read through this quote by Tim Keller on how the Old Testament relates to Jesus....

• Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.


• Jesus is the true and better Abel, who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal.


• Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar, and go out into the void, not knowing whither he went, to create a new people of God.


• Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who was not just offered up by his Father on the mount,but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “now I know you love me, because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me, now we can look at God, taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing Him, and say,” now we know that you love us, because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from us.”


• Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.


• Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold Him, and uses His new power to save them.


• Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.


• Jesus is the true and better rock of Moses who was struck with the rod of God’s justice, and now gives us water in the desert.


• Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.


• Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes his people’s victory though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.


• Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace, but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.


• Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast out into the storm so we could be brought in.


• Jesus is the real passover lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so that the angel of death would pass over us.
  

Amazing! The whole of the Old Testament works to point us to Jesus...

'[The scriptures] testify to me' John 5:39

HT: Ed Goode

How Precious is the Gospel?

This precious:

'But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.'

Galatians 1:8

The gospel is the most precious message in existence because it is guarded by the greatest consequence. It is is more wonderful than anyone has ever imagined, prayed, or thought. In Paul's mind getting the gospel wrong- preaching a false gospel- tarnishes its treasure, reducing it to insignificance in the eyes of others. The consequence of doing this is anathema.

'The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.'

Matthew 13:44

5 Rational Beliefs Unproven by Science

William Lane Craig explains:

1) Logic and Mathematics
2) Metaphysical truths
3) Ethical beliefs
4) Aesthetic judgments
5) Science itself

Update: I don't like the title of this video. The purpose of apologetics is not to 'humiliate' people or even show them that they have a wrong worldview. Apologetics should be used to break down the barriers that keep people from the gospel. This is to be done with respect and love.

HT: Between Two Worlds

Free Tim Keller Sermons

Until recently Redeemer Presbyterian Church charged for most of their sermons. Now they have a released 150 of Tim Keller's sermons for free! Download them here.

God's Will for your Life...

Lots of people talk about God's will. It seems that much of the time we think of God's will as a maze. We become scared of making a wrong decision- moving to the wrong location, studying at the wrong university, marrying the wrong person- just in case we fall out of 'God's perfect will for our lives' lost in the maze, displeasing God...

If you're like me and tend to think in this way, Kevin DeYoung's book Just Do Something will refresh you. The subtitle is true, doing something is a 'liberating approach to finding God's will'. I'm not going to say too much now as I hope to blog a book review when I've finished it. Here's a quote to give you a taste of DeYoung's point:

'Here's the real heart of the matter: Does God have a secret will of direction that He expects us to figure out before we do anything? And the answer is no. Yes, God has a specific plan for our lives. And yes, we can be assured that He works things for our good in Christ Jesus. And yes, looking back we will often be able to trace God's hand in bringing us to where we are. But while we are free to ask God for wisdom, He does not burden us with the task of divining His will of direction for our lives ahead of time... God does have a specific plan for our lives, but it is not one that He expects us to figure out before we make a decision... we should stop thinking of God's will like a corn maze, or a tight-rope, or a bull's-eye, or a choose your own adventure novel.'- Page 24.

Tozer on Textualism

'The error of textualism is not doctrinal. It is far more subtle than that and more difficult to discover, but its effects are just as deadly. Not its theological beliefs are at fault, but its assumptions.

It assumes, for instance, that if we have the word for a thing we have the thing itself. If it is in the Bible, it is in us. If we have the doctrine, we have the experience. If something was true of Paul it is of necessity true of us because we accept Paul's epistles as divinely inspired. The Bible tells us how to be saved, but textualism goes on to make it tells us that we are saved, something which in the very nature of things it cannot do. Assurance of individual salvation is thus no more than a logical conclusion drawn from doctrinal premises, and the experience wholly mental.'

-A. W. Tozer, Leaning into the Wind, pages 20-21

TV: Servant or Master?

'A good test of whether television is servant or master is, when your children have watched something, do they then go out and do something related to what they have seen? Is their imagination stimulated? Television is a servant when your children can watch a program then say, “Well that was fascinating. Let's go and play Robin Hood," or “Let's go and do this thing."- Jerram Barrs

I presume that most people reading this post haven't got any children. The principle still applies: Do we watch TV to stimulate us and serve us? Or are we allowing it to master us?

TV as a master

Culture wants us to watch telly passively, allowing every idea change our thinking. Jesus wants us to be transformed by having our minds renewed with scripture (Rom 12:2, John 17:17). Active watchers of TV think critically: 'What is this programme telling me about God, myself and the world?' The problem is that television hasn't been designed to be engaged with actively. Most programmes exist to be accepted and enjoyed without hesitation. Passive viewers of TV are likely to let the telly become a master. It can become a God: whenever the television speaks we listen, the television commands we obey.

TV as a slave

I believe television is a redeemable gift from God. Largely the TV has become a master, it rules and reigns in many homes, but by God's grace Christians have the power to use television in a sinless way for good. Here are a few ways I think this can be done:

1) Watch TV and praise God for His creation- watch nature programmes that cause you to thank God for what He has made

2) Watch TV and praise God for narratives - God made us to be story lovers, hence scripture is written mainly in narrative. Through grace God has given many non-Christians with gifts in story writing. Praise God for those gifts by enjoying their work.

3) Watch TV and fear hell- the wrath of God is worse than any calamity ever captured in a disaster movie

4) Watch TV to understand the world- TV represents the worlds views and opinions. Watch the TV to understand culture and reason against it with non-Christian friends/family

5) Watch TV to learn contextualisation- watch TV looking for the gospel. Many programmes contain themes of redemption, atonement and reconciliation. TV can be an evangelistic tool in being a bridge to the gospel .

6) Watch TV to care about the world- God cares about our fallen world. Watch the news and grieve over sin and its effects.

7) Watch TV to provoke prayer- as you see and grieve over the effects of sin in the world pray for spiritual and physical restoration.

8) Watch TV to show self-control- Christians should be examples to the world of how to enjoy TV righteously. Christian lives should make the gospel attractive.

The TV can be a good slave or a terrible master.

More Musings

It's been a while since I've blogged. It seems the bug left me for a while, but now I think it's back. I like to use my blog as a place where I can accurately express my thoughts and theology in words. I often have lots of different ideas floating around in my head that I feel will benefit me (and maybe others) more if I choose to write them down. Here are a few things that God has been teaching/re-affirming in me recently.

1) God loves to use weak people

Time and time again, over the last few months, I've found that my natural instinct, to depend on myself doesn't really help anyone I believe God has been bringing me to a place where He's been showing me how my own skills and abilities have failed to attain the calling that He has placed on my life. It's only when He does this that we really see, in a crystal clear way, how much we need Him every day. In the times when I've felt useless, confessing this uselessness has glorified the power of God in ways I haven't seen before. Depending on God is the opposite of pride, relying on Him contradicts the desires of the flesh, acknowledging our weakness displays His strength.

2) The pursuit of my own happiness is essential to glorify God

Credit goes to Piper for expressing this truth in Desiring God. I was on holiday in Greece when I read this book from cover-to-cover, it blew me away. When I first read that God commands my happiness (Psalm 37:4), I thought 'Really? Does He actually want me to be satisfied? Isn't this self-centred? I mean, aren't I stealing the attention away from God's glory and towards my own satisfaction?' After wrestling with questions like these individually and with friends, I'm now sure that Christan Hedonism is a God-centered principle to live by.

Some disagree with Piper's articulation of Christian Hedonism. I was talking to a Pastor the other day who rejects Christian Hedonism because, in his eyes, it seems to make man's own desires god. Christian Hedonism does not make the chief end of man the fulfillment of man's desires. Christian Hedonism answers the question: how can God be most glorified in me? To say it another way: How should I live, in order to magnify the worth of God? Both questions are individual. Both questions are looking for a way of life for man to live. How can God be most glorified in me? Christian Hedonism says: 'God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him' and 'God's worth and splendour will be most manifested in your life when you are completely overwhelmed with His goodness. Christian Hedonism doesn't make human desires a god. Christian hedonism makes the fulfillment of our Spirit-filled desires (satisfaction/ happiness) the only way to glorify God individually.

I was reminded again about this truth as I spoke about the parable of the hidden treasure (Matthew 13:44), to a group of international students. A man goes out into a field, sees the treasure, sells all he has and buys that field. Why does he buy the field? He buys the field for the sake of his happiness. 'For joy' he sells all he has. The man in the parable is not stupid like an investor who puts money into dodgy stocks. The man is in touch with reality. He looks at the worth of all he has and compares it with the worth of the treasure. The treasure out-weighs all he has. So from a heart that sincerely desires his own benefit, he buys that field. We must come to Christ for our own pleasure. The pursuit of my own joy in God massively glorifies Him!

3) Everything Christian is about Faith and Love

I preached in January on Deuteronomy 8:1 'Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers'. It was my first sermon, I loved preaching every minute of it (mp3 is available here). The sermon became an expression of most of my theology. Despite this I tried to centre the sermon around our obligations to obey God as Christians. Why should we obey God? What's in it for us? How does God motivate us to obey Him? are all questions I tried to answer in the sermon.

In preparing I was able to spend time thinking about Galatians 5:6 'In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.' Paul is making the point that anything we do (however Christian we may think it is) is absolutely worthless without faith working through love. That's powerful and shocking to the ego. What even reading a Christan book or fasting? Yup. Everything is nothing without faith and love. Faith being a continual trust in the reality that the gospel pronounces over every believers life. Love being a continual outpouring of desire fixed in the beauty of God.

Without faith and love I am sinning and my obedience is counted as nothing. 'Whatever is not of faith is sin' according to Romans 14:23. Sin is not necessarily an action that is wrong in God eyes, rather it is a God-debasing mindset that trusts in everything outside of Him.

'Without love I am nothing' is Paul's message to the Corinthians (1 Cor 13:1-3). Isn't God always pleased with martyrs? No, 'though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing' (v3). Actions that are void of faith and love are sinful and empty in God's eyes. The whole Christian life is about faith and love- it's so simple and profound! the greatest Christians are those who love the hardest and believe the most.

That's enough for tonight. More thoughts to follow.