Another blessing in the opportunity to preach among Baptist brethren who love the Doctrines of Grace…
By Your Command (Outline Notes)
By Your Command, Lord
February 18th, 2010
Irritated by the Beloved
December 27th, 2009Assuming that you are are believer, then you are living in the Beloved – marked by God before creation, saved through Christ, changed, inhabited and directed by the Spirit, and His into eternity no matter what. More significantly for today’s post, you are in all of this with a lot of brothers and sisters in the faith.
This family of faith are, in the end, closer to you than any other earthy group of people. As a family apart from the creation, we are precisely that – apart. No bond of flesh within creation is as eternal nor significant. We are commanded to be loving and supportive within that family.
And there’s the rub (to abuse Shakespeare shamelessly)…
Why? Because our brothers and sisters in Christ, or at least some of them, can be very irritating! I would venture to say that within each local assembly there is at least one, and likely several, believers who really annoy you. If not, then I think you are either not involved or in denial…
That said, what do we do with these bozos who are part of us for all eternity?
First, let us remember that they will only bug you in the flesh. In the New Jerusalem, all the vestiges of the flesh which lead to the observations in this post will be gone, for “we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2
). As such, the conflict will be gone and forgotten. Thus we only have to consider now – now being the time until we either die or the Lord returns.
With that in mind, do we have to embrace every other believer as our long lost friend – approving and supporting all that they are in the flesh? Should we expect ourselves to interact with all of them well, and fit with them? Are we sinful if we don’t care for or feel comfortable in the company of some? Many pious Christians might seem to believe that this is the case and our obligation.
I would disagree. I think this is without biblical support. Further it leads to reactions and guilt that can in fact be sinful.
The confusion appears to be around the difference between acceptance and preference. That is, global acceptance within the family of believers is regarded as proper and pious, while preference is not. But because you accept an individual as a brother or sister does not imply that you ‘fit’ with them in the present flesh. I know of no biblical text that would propose this.
As long as we are in the flesh and all that it brings, we will be a better fit with some than others. This is where preference comes along. You have a preference for some over others – a natural resonance if you will. And there is nothing sinful in that.
Now, in the New Heaven and Earth, this will apparently not be the case because of our state (1 john 3:2 again), but even this is just an assumption.
We certainly are called to treat our brothers and sisters in the Lord with deference and general regard, since we are all strangers in the same strange land (to use a Robert Heinlein phrase), but our relationships can be at various levels and those levels can be determined but individual preference. There is nothing sinful in that, and I would go so far as to say that to believe otherwise is error.
Let us treat each other with the deference that our relationship in the Lord brings, but realize that having preferences in close relationships is quite acceptable and not sinful as long as it does not result in ill treatment of a brother or sister.
Soli Deo Gloria
Reformation Day or Halloween?
October 30th, 2009This time of year brings a strange situation that I have puzzled about for years – the non-starter of Reformation Day in almost all Protestant denominations and churches.
Fact -> If the pivotal event of Reformation Day had not occurred (by God’s grace, of course), then each and every single person in all Protestant denominational churches would today be a Roman Catholic or a non-believer, or both.
Fact -> Not only does Reformation Day and the events thereof go largely unnoticed and uncelebrated in most churches of 2009, but the church seems much more concerned with Halloween silliness than with any awareness of the events that shaped their church history (and still does).
What does this mean? What does it say about the church today?
I have, over the years, attended a number of churches – mostly Baptist and mostly Reformed to one degree or another. With one exception, they have proceeded to ignore the Reformation almost completely, as if the work of the Reformers of the 1500 and 1600s was largely unrelated to their freedom from Rome and their beliefs.
I have no explanation other than intellectual hubris and entitlement of the first order, and I just don’t understand it.
They look hither and yon for alternatives to Halloween, running about in many case with great anst over things are for the most part meaningless. At the same time, they ignore that which formed the foundation of their beliefs and which would provide something to celebrate in the Lord.
I can only attribute the phenomena to a subtle man centered philosophy that will concentrate on almost anything of flesh rather than celebrate the reality of spirit that has shaped the church.
Thessalonians – The start (v1-4)
October 17th, 2009Starting out under the umbrella of the Lord. What could be more appropriate!
When one hears the epistles read as a Scripture reading or as part of a message, the initial greeting preamble is often somewhat quickly glossed over, in order to get to the real meat of things. But the preamble sets the tone, without which the meat does not rest of the correct base.
Glossing over the preamble as just “culturally conditioned” greetings misses or can downplay the overarching nuance that applies to all interaction between believers, that the authorship of all interaction of value stems from our sovereign God as the overseer. The source or lynch pin is then missed. This is no small thing in terms of our attitude thereafter. The underlying lesson for us can be lost.
Remember how the disciples were described in fellowship in Acts 2:42-46
“And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common…continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship…Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple…together with gladness and sincerity of heart”
This was not just sometimes. It was a life model, carrying into everything. The focus on the Lord was not simply a small undercurrent, nor a bit of fluff which made up the greeting or signature. It was a continuous current energizing all interactions.
Paul starts the letter by placing the rest of the communication within the wrapper of being in God and in Christ (v1). This effectively commits the agenda to matters of the Lord and not the world. It is an echo of the fellowship just described from Acts.
If we were to rephrase the greeting, as one might hear in a more modern time, we might have “Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour” or similar. Once that sets the tone, subsequent exchanges should in effect rejoice in matters of the Lord, and not primarily the world. And this is true even in tone when worldly matter are discussed, for the love of the Brethren expressed in their interaction is because of the overarching presence of the Lord in the conversation, irrespective of the content.
Further, Paul’s wish here for the Thessalonians is primarily for grace from the Lord. He continues by thanking the Lord for these Thessalonian believers, offering them support (in assurance of his continued prayer). The subsequent reminder of their faith, hope and love are again tied directly the Christ, with no accolade whatsoever implying any personal strength outside of His grace.
Why is that? It is summed up in verse 4, and stems from the fact that they are in the Beloved because they are elect. There is no mention of any other reason whatsoever – nothing to do with themselves. This echos the first chapter of Ephesians, where their origin is more directly spelled out. It is significant, however, that Paul uses this occasion of greeting to remind them of the source of all that they have, now and in eternity.
He expands this idea in verse 5 by pointing out the effect of this – that all of their belief and conviction stems not from themselves but from the Spirit. He also points out that this is the case for both themselves, and for himself and his traveling companions. So we have the cause in election and the application wholly through the active grace of God in the Spirit. It is all of Him alone!
What a wonderful starting point for what later becomes, in places, a fairly stern letter of admonition. It set the real tone for the letter. They are remembered as, placed into, holding steadfastly to, and cherished for being, brethren in Christ, and this entirely by the grace of the Lord.
Is not this the starting point of all of our interactions as believers? And one that should remain close to surface?
Devotional Stream of Conciousness
October 17th, 2009While reading a book or books from the Word, it is often useful to note some thoughts as they come along. This will be the point of this topic series, as time permits.
As an initial caveat, the intent here is to work primarily without a net. That is, if a commentary or the like is used and cited after the fact of reading and initial comments. The main comments, for better or worse, are not knowing drawing from outside sources – similarities being purely co-incidental in nature or unconscious.
With that said, off we go – initially with 1st and 2nd Thessalonians…
Nothing but Christ, and Him Crucified
October 13th, 2009Paul said “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.
Where do you put your faith and testimony? Not on Sunday, while in the church, but in the ongoing moments of the day, walking in the world. And the underlying question is “What exactly saved you?”.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 20:2
One is saved by truly believing in the work of Christ on the cross and thereby being crucified in him.
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
That being so, our salvation is solely based in that and its implications alone. This is the root of the one true Gospel of Christ, which alone saves us in our true conviction in it. You are saved by true belief in the plain, simple Gospel message of who Jesus is, what He did and what that means (Philippians 2), and your subsequent calling upon the name of our Lord – nothing else.
That is very straight forward, but the problem is that fallen people line in total inability to truly believe because they are of the world and the Gospel message is an anathema to their basic nature. They can not do other than reject the Gospel message. They are unable to have faith or truly believe in anything except the world and serve the one of the world, Satan. Yes, it is that black and white.
To believe, one must be changed by the proactive action of the Holy Spirit, acting at the behest of the Father from before the foundation of the world, to change the people of the His choosing (Ephesians 1:4).
So, here we are as believers, sealed and delivered in Christ, once for all eternity. Yet I will ask again “What do we boast in and focus upon in the small moments of ongoing life? What is the testimony of who we are are and what we say and do?”
“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death” (Revelation 12:11).
Our boasting, our reason d’etre, must be only of “Christ and Him crucified”. That is our only source of life. Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is the only belief and testimony that matters – rejoicing in what it has made possible. Our fellowship as believers is at its root a celebration of that, all that it implies, and nothing else. And this should be clear in our meetings and our fellowship.
We have nothing else to boast about - not our faith, our decision, church, organization, programs, strengthened marriages, families and family values, entertainment, performance, good works or any other of the trappings of modern “Christian” life. Nothing at all – for to boast of those things is to quietly steal away some of the reality of the the accomplishment of Christ. It is to demean His work and ennoble ours as men.
When He said “It is finished” (John 19:30), what was finished had nothing to do with who we were, are or ever can be, or of what we might bring to Him as men (and that means you too, ladies). It was all about God and His plan.
And this will be harder, not easier, as time goes on “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires” 2 Timothy 4:3. This time is clearly evident even now.
All of this is not pie is the sky, some grand idealism. It is exactly and precisely what the Lord has called us to as True Believers – the literal translation of “Saints” in modern translations of Scripture.
“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.” Psalm 71:32
Let this be our attitude, our mantra so to speak, as we walk through life – all of it – and as we meet together. This alone, irrespective of the activity or place, brings glory to God and brings Him joy. In this we remember His precepts and commandments as He wishes.
Soli Deo Gloria
Regulative Principles
October 12th, 2009A couple of verses that we have discussed before to start…
“And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42.
“ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16.
And there are numerous others addressing the assembling of the beloved in Christ.
The question is, are these regulative for the gathering of believers now? And what precisely are they describing?
As I stated in a a previous article, my interest in this was initially focused by several articles in the Canons of Dordt. In those sections it is pointed out that the believer can draw great assurance in the fact that they are assured of there standing before God by the very beliefs that saved them – in Christ and Him crucified (in the words of Paul), and not necessarily in other outward signs. Further, it is pointed out that believers should continue to diligently avail themselves of the ‘Means of Grace” that were provided by the Lord in support of their justification, sanctification and assurance.
In the two verses quoted above we find a Scriptural proscription not only for the assembling of the Saints, but even more for their ongoing life in Christ. I am more and more convicted that these specifications from Scripture are both regulative in nature and exclusive in scope. Moreover, there are no alternatives specified in Scripture.
The obvious counter argument is that these were culturally based, for those times alone, and thereby can be redefined today for modern times. However, I do not see any specifics of times and culture in them that would indicate that. In fact, the terms used are sufficiently general to define a model for life as opposed to some specific actualization of that cultural venue. That said, I reject that argument.
Next, am I implying a narrow reading of the principles that would imply a specific instrumentation (a big issue today) or style of hymnody? Not at all. Though I think that there are some restrictions implied, we are not talking about an RPW (Regulative Principle of Worship) which demands the accapella singing of KJV-only Psalms. In its restrictiveness, I think that would defy the regulative principles implied here just as much as many emergent approaches most certainly do.
We are talking about an ‘attitude’ model as much as anything else, and the actualization falls naturally from that, not the other way around.
What is that model? Well, let me close this post by parsing the verses above for the implied components:
1. devoted to the Apostles’ teachings – for us, the Scriptures
2. fellowship – notice that is fellowship in the teachings
3. breaking of bread (communion, not dinner)
4. prayer
5. Word dwell richly within you, (the Word) teaching and admonishing in
5.1 songs
5.2 hymns
5.3 spiritual songs
all rejoicing in thankfulness to God.
There you have it – a gathering focused upon the Lord in every way, directly and primarily through the Scriptures and things drawn from them – always looking up so to speak. Not a single word about anything at all of man – no mention of programs, books about programs and self-actualization, etc., etc.
These plus a few others that expand upon them embody the sole regulative model in Scripture and thereby the regulative model for God’s people, the beloved in Christ – a model for all time.
Small Church Groups vs Biblical Gatherings
October 11th, 2009The contemporary church (mostly irrespective of denomination) has seen a legitimate need to minister to individuals outside of the usual Sunday Service and Sunday School. This comes from a realization that a mass gathering does not often reflect the mentoring requirements for individual Christian growth and accountability. This is valid realization since though the Bible makes clear that we are to study the scripture and be accountable in community, a large group generally stifles more intimate sharing and questioning.
In our time, however, this justification for mentoring and smaller group fellowship has often been combined with the theories and assumptions of both secular and New Age psychology surrounding personal growth, self esteem, group dynamics and the individual entitlement of man over the assembly. Not that these areas of study do not yield results for society, but they are frequently not based upon biblical principles and make very different assumptions about the status of man. They are at their root completely at odds with Biblical values.
Secular values are predominantly post-modern, with a relative value structure, an assumption that all truth is relative either societally or individually, and an entitle of the individual to self-drive actualization. Most congregants operate unconciously from a mindset which combines both these conflicting sets of values, with each set given almost equal weight or the post-modern more weight in actual life.
This is completely at odds with the Biblical truth of absolute universal laws and individual responsibility to precepts beyond individual entitlement of any sort.
Put more practically (and to use the biblical analogy of Isaiah 29:16 very loosely), society see the clay as entitled to a hearing and compliance from the potter, while the biblical truth of creation is precisely the opposite. with the potter is completely independent and sovereign over the clay, owing it nothing whatsoever (Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:4).
Why does this matter? It matters because the view point that current small group ministry grows from determines whether it can fill the need that the formal church does not, that of the smaller integrated fellowship described in the early church (see our previous post).
So, we have something of a quandary. Does the present small group structure in most churches address the Biblical proscription modeled in the early church gatherings – one based on wholly biblical precepts?
Let me also close this post by pointing out that this discussion does not discount the many wonderful benefits of fellowship in current groups. The question is whether they address the biblical model and any regulative principle that is implies, since all biblical principles are by definition important.
Gathering of believers
October 11th, 2009Let us start with a biblical prototype for believer interaction – “…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;” Ephesians 5:18-19.
Notice that there is no indication at all that this is culturally or time period relative. That is, it is time independent prototype.
Now, continuing, we also have method. As we gather – “ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16.
And motivation to gather regularly – “…let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25.
So prototypically, we have believers gather together regularly to study and speak of the Word and the Lord, thankfully (and by implication humbly) rejoicing in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Further, the disciples modeled this in their behaviour once they were on their own after Pentecost – ” They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42.
And again ” Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,” Acts 2:46. It is also significant to note the “Day by day continuing”. This was not something occurring only periodically, be that weekly or monthly. It was a daily mode of living the believing life.
Putting this all together, what do we have and what happens when we follow this paradigm? First we should take note that, though church is vitally important, this does not sound anything like a church service anywhere that I know – interesting in itself.
A key here is that the focus and feeling centered around a humble thankfulness in salvation, and the upon the Lord, through the primary means he specified, scripture. This may have taken several forms and expressions, but the focus was on Him and His Word.
It is useful to note what the focus was not on. It was not on ‘activities’ outside of praise, worship and directly associated fellowship. It was not on the work of the assembly in the community. Not that this work did not exist or was not important, but it played not part in the assembling. It was external to it. For example, there was no focus on the men who were helping the widows. In fact, it appears from their appointment elsewhere that they were appointed so that their work would not be disruptive to the gathering in the Lord’s name.
The sole reason for the beloved to gather was to fellowship in rejoicing in the Lord and His work. All the activities were an expression of that rejoicing. And this was a daily way of life, which would result in that mindset overshadowing all other activities.
Considering what the Lord has done, rejoicing in Him that eclipses all else would seem only appropriate, but we see it modeled here explicitly.
So, how about us in the 21st century? I don’t see that anything has changed at all. Yes, life has become cluttered with countless distractions of the world, and that same world would have us believe that this clutter is of over-riding importance. Remember who the world represent and to whose ends this worldly emphasis contributes – none other than the Prince of the Air (Ephesians 2:2). Further, the Scriptures have not changed. There has not been any new revelation that changes these prototypes as given in the existing canon.
The result is that we are to follow suit in our focus. And having said that, I would atest that the experience is wonderful, humbling and convicting even on a small tentative scale.
Our recent gatherings of this kind (at the White horse Inn North) have been so. The morning after the latest one I can only paraphrase David in Psalm 139:6 “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” The humble thankfulness and joy of gathering with other believers to give thanks and rejoice in the Lord in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is just too wonderful for us to fully take in.
If I sound like I am gushing, that would true and I am without apology. It is the only appropriate response.
Missing Church
October 11th, 2009Missing church is a strange sensation.
Having been grounded for a week or so by a temporary health problem, I find myself in the unusual situation of not attending church on Sunday morning.
For those that might miss now and then this might not seem like a big deal. However, I have always been one who strives for and puts stock in faithful attendance, and whether attending or preaching have always been in church virtually every Lord’s Day morning and often the evening as well.
I greatly enjoy the gathering of the Lord’s people in joyful celebration of His glory and the opening of the Word. Listening to messages online or reading the Word substitute, but is just isn’t the same.
Nonetheless, it is an interesting experience and one that has to a tiny degree given me an appreciation for the plight of those believers whose circumstances remove them from the fellowship of regular assembly for extended periods.
Blessings on this Lord’s Day…
From the DoctrinesOfGrace
October 11th, 2009From time to time there are articles or series that have been posted on our sister site (DoctrinesOfGrace.ca) that seem to fit well here on ThoughtPaths as well.
Rather than simply posting them in both places without acknowledgement, this post category has been created to contain them.
For other posts in these areas of interest, please refer to the DoctrinesOfGrace.ca site.
The Face Lift is complete
October 1st, 2009Well, after some familiar and unfamiliar pain and suffering, our site face lift and update seems to be complete.
This included upgrades to the latest version of all underlying software, add-ons, themes and the header image. Considering that it was WAY out of date it was overdue, which led to various problems along the way (see our other recent post). As this was occurring, I continued posting text and photos, complicating the time line.
Nonetheless, it is done and I am quite happy with the new clearer look, better apparent readability according to some of you, and the new header image.
I hope you enjoy it too…
It always comes back to technology
October 1st, 2009Oh what a difference a single space character can make!
A while back, just before our WP software upgrade and site face lift, one of the blog config files was inadvertently edited with an editor that stripped the C/Rs on exit. That caused momentary mayhem but was easy to fix. However! in fixing it, one extra space was added to the end of the last line of the file. Not even noticeable unless you were looking for it, and under normal circumstances completely meaningless.
The system returned to normal operation, I thought.
Just yesterday I discovered by chance that the RSS feed to Feedburner was inoperable due to non-compliant XML files. Namely, every single page had a blank line at the start- a Feedburner no-no.
Wonderful – not! Everything appeared normal, but an XML validation confirmed the stray line.
To make a long story short, the fact that this occurred in every post, even old ones, indicated after a little thought that the extra line was caused by a global file. And since it is suggested in support forums that an extra space at the beginning or end of any WP file can cause the problem, the trail lead to the global file in question.
Character deleted -> problem solved. It is always trivial in hind sight.
My apologies to my Feedburner subscribers for the inconvenience.
Beyond the Good-O-Meter
October 1st, 2009In the previous post containing the Good-O-Meter clip, I mentioned that the theology had some issues. What issues, you might ask?
Well, the meter implies in its evaluations that each of the lost individuals has some amount of good credited to them at judgment. It surges up to as much as the half way mark, then falls back to the level assigned by judgment – that of ‘bad’. Though this works well dramatically, it is very important to understand that this is not the case in reality. There is an implication that the ‘good’ parts of the individuals have some value before God. That is completely wrong.
Scripture is clear that all are tainted in every aspect, having no good at all unless they are regenerated in Christ. Works or virtues outside of Christ have no value whatsoever before God.
Isaiah 64:6a states it clearly “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment”
Even the finest virtues and character of the unregenerate are a ‘filthy garment’ before God. All of the virtues and any good that is done by the unregenerate is tainted by the imputed sin that is passed on to every one of Adam’s seed. That makes every human being (past, present and future) that has not been saved unacceptable before a righteous and holy God. Scripture is again clear that nothing of them is counted as of any value.
So, in this clip, the meter should not move at all from initial ‘bad’ position except in the case of the regenerated.
That said, however, the most important point is made very clearly – salvation is through Christ Alone.
The Good-O-Meter
September 17th, 2009The truth can be told in many ways. Though this clip does have some theology problems, it nonetheless gets the most important point across -- Christ Alone.
