On the Exclusivity of Christ

Dr. Alistair Begg, senior pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland Ohio, presents a message at the 2010 Ligonier National Conference on the Bible's presentation of the exclusivity of Christ. The message is 50 minutes long and is well worth your time.

The Evangelical Mind, Heart, and Mouth

Winds of change are blowing across America. Yesterday we might have been able to convince one another in the evangelical subculture that biblical convictions informed, influenced, and intersected with much of American cultural conviction. Today, the picture is changing rapidly. Evangelical convictions concerning societal norms are being crushed, pushed from the public square by the steamroller of "progress", specifically under the guise of accused bigotry from the highest levels of national public life down to state and local dialogues.

Yes, I do fear that our 'niceness' has possibly broken our spines and snuffed out our willingness to live as lights in a dark world. I am no alarmist shouting for the evangelical bunker-builders to set up shop in my back yard. I do think we need to take courage from our Lord, from the Scriptures, and from one another as we consider how best to maintain our fidelity to biblical conviction in and through our active obedience to the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

To spur our awareness and stimulate our response, please take the time to read Dr. Owen Strachan's open letter to evangelicals. He writes, "Do you realize that if you define marriage as the exclusive union of a man and a woman, you are already, even if you speak in the gentlest, softest, most nuanced, most hyper-qualified terms, considered a bigot by a vocal and highly influential contingent today?"

Read what Dr. Strachan has written here.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News Indeed

Good news! Good news!

Dave Sherrill

---

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.' (Jeremiah 23:5-6, NASB)

"Anyone who is acquainted with the nature of mankind in general, or his own heart in particular, must acknowledge that self-righteousness is the last idol that is rooted out of the heart: " (George Whitefield, The Lord our Righteousness, p.9)

How can a sinner stand before a righteous and holy God and receive the verdict "Justified. Righteous in the eyes of God." God is a righteous God. He is also the just judge. He does not judge with partiality nor can he overlook any sin. His knowledge about us is perfect and complete. He has known us and everything about us from eternity past. Nothing is hidden from Him. He executes perfect justice from perfect knowledge.  


So how can a sinner stand before God, guilty in himself, and receive God's pronouncement of justification? As the creator of heaven and earth and everything that exists, including us, God has decreed that there is only one way of peace with Him. That way is perfect righteousness. Not merely to be without sin, in a sort of neutral state before God. No, not merely without sin, we must possess a perfect righteousness, obeying God perfectly and doing all His will, perfectly.  


God's law is his own holy standard. It flows from him and reveals His holy and perfect nature. It is the standard God has established that, by it, true justice will be rendered. It is the keeping of that law perfectly that justifies someone in the sight of our perfect God.  

'You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the Lord your God. 'So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:4-5, NASB)

"Perform My judgments and keep My statutes, by which a man may live if he does them." There is an explicit blessing here. Keep My law and you will live. But the law is a double-edged knife. It cuts both directions. It holds not only a blessing but also a curse. "Obey this law and live. Break this law and die."


So how can you stand justified before God? Simply knowing that the law exists is not enough. (for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. Romans 2:13, NASB )   No one reading this meets these qualifications which God requires. No one (except Jesus Christ) has perfectly obeyed God in avoiding sin and in performing righteousness perfectly. All of us have broken God's law. We have sinned against our creator and have violated his holiness by our rebellion against His law. We are at war with God, albeit impotently, but at war nonetheless. In our very natures we have inherited a fatal curse from our fleshly father Adam. We hate God's good commandments and we love sin. We run from the light and leap headlong into darkness.  

This is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (John 3:19-20, NASB)

So how can you, a sinner, stand justified before God?  

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered and said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." (Luke 10:25-28, NASB)

"Do this and you will live." Keep God's law perfectly, never sin, and always obey Him in everything with all of yourself. Your heart, soul, strength, and mind must be perfectly expended in obedient love to God and to your neighbor. No losing heart in time of trial. No weakness in work. No wandering thoughts leading to sin. Every fiber of your being expended in love for God and this perfectly. "Do this and you will live." This is the perfect and holy law of the perfect and holy God. But is this good news? Did the lawyer who answered the Lord rejoice in this? Did he go away feeling self-righteous, thinking that he certainly had a good standing before God? After all, he was trying his very best to obey these two great commandments.  


Note the next verse. (But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "and who is my neighbor?" John 10:29, NASB) Self-righteousness raises it's ugly head here. "Wishing to justify himself." But note, God's law is not based on "our best efforts" or "our good intentions" to keep it. You really, truly have to keep it! Perfectly! "Do this, and you will live." Not "Try to do this." Not "Give it your best shot." No, one single failure, one disobedient act, one sinful thought, one omission of any kind, one failure is fatal. Yet this expert in the law was "wishing to justify himself."  


In case you remain unconvinced let's look at another man "wishing to justify himself" in his own self-righteousness.  

And as He [Jesus] was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. "You know the commandments, 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up." And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But at these words his face fell, and he went away grieved, for he was one who owned much property. (Mark 10:17-22, NASB)

The Lord of the universe rehearsed with this man the requirements of the Law. What is his answer? "I have kept all these things from my youth up." Wrong! He missed it. He didn't get it. His eyes were blind, his heart was cold. He did not hear the Lord that day, but wishing to justify himself, he condemned himself by his own words.  


Now I wonder, do you hear the Lord right now? "Do not murder (or be angry with your brother without cause). Do not commit adultery (or look lustfully on another). Do not steal (or envy another). Do not bear false witness (or lie)." Can you even meet the first requirement of the law mentioned here, let alone law upon law upon law?  


Don't think that Jesus was giving the man an opportunity to justify himself before God through obeying these laws. The Lord here was not implying that the man had actually followed these nor could he follow them. Jesus was using the law to demonstrate to the rich man his utter sinfulness; his total, complete poverty of any righteousness, and thus His need of a savior. He had broken every one of these commandments (as we all have - either in thought or in deed). But did the man hear? Did he really hear what the Lord said? No, even though he had physical ears and heard Jesus' words, God had not yet given him "eyes to see and ears to hear". No, he thought he had kept these commandments of God. He remained in darkness. Instead of answering "I have broken each of these countless times. How can I find righteousness before God? God, be merciful to me the sinner!" Instead of that kind of answer, he broadcasts his spiritual blindness. "Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth up."  


I expect that some of the people reading this are like these men. You wish to justify yourself in the sight of God. Your answer to the Lord would run along the same lines and that answer would miss the mark of God's righteousness to your damnation. Instead of justifying yourself, you condemn yourself by your own words.  


If the Lord were to question you now, "Why should I let you into heaven?" Will you venture your answer by starting your sentence with "I...". Or perhaps you would even be bold enough to say, "Lord, I...". You are seeking to justify yourself. You are standing on your own righteousness. To do so, even in part, even in small part, is to be self-righteous and self- condemning. The road to hell starts in your own heart with that one little word "I". I hope and pray that this tiny word leading to an eternity of separation from God would not be found on any of your lips. Oh that the Lord would open your eyes and ears today that you would hear His words and see your condition as it is.  

Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20, NASB)

Are the requirements of God's perfect law good news? To know that perfection is the required standard? Is that the gospel, the "good news"? No it is terrible news. It is the worst news possible for our pride for there is no way that we ourselves can attain to it. No, it is not good news but it leads us to the good news. It is our schoolmaster teaching us, revealing our complete and total lack of hope in saving ourselves. But if perfect righteousness is the requirement, where will we find it? How can you, a sinner, stand justified before a holy and just God?  


"What good does it do to me to tell me that the type of religion presented in the Bible is a very fine type of religion and that the thing for me to do is just to start practicing that type of religion now? ... I will tell you, my friend. It does me not one tiniest little bit of good. ... What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news? That is the question that I ask of you. I know your exhortations will not help me. But if anything has been done to save me, will you not tell me the facts?" (Machen cited in Horton, Trust and Obey, p.40)  

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.' (Jeremiah 23:5-6, NASB)

The Lord our Righteousness!  

Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. (Romans 10:1-3, NASB)

God's righteousness! Not ours, God's!  

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; (Romans 3:21-24, NASB)

The righteousness of God! How? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Why? It is a gift by God's grace! Good news! Good news! The demand of God's law for perfect righteousness has been met in Jesus Christ, the Lord our Righteousness!  

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4, NASB)

What the Law could not do, God did! What we cannot do for ourselves, God has done for us. "The Lord our Righteousness." The Lord himself has undertaken to provide the qualifications necessary to meet His own just judgment.  

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4, NASB)

 

"Justification means more than mere pardon for sin; it means that the justified person is regarded as having kept all God's laws perfectly." (James Buchanan, Not Guilty, p.25)

The Lord our righteousness. Who is this Lord and what does it mean to say he is our righteousness? The Lord is clearly Jesus Christ. How does His righteousness become ours? By God's grace through faith.

But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, (Romans 4:5, NASB)

We must be careful here in what we understand about this "faith".

"Yet, as we have seen, this obedience of faith is not the righteousness by means of which we are accepted by God. Obedient faith is the means by which we receive Christ's righteousness. Faith is the instrument by which righteousness is procured. Eating is necessary for the nourishment of our bodies, but it is the food we eat that actually nourishes us. Likewise, faith is necessary to receive righteousness but it is the righteousness of Christ which actually justifies us. Faith is the only means for the receiving of justification. Justification is not by faith plus the knowledge that one is among the elect of God. Justification is not by faith plus a certain amount of conviction of sin. True, none will believe unless they are the elect of God and are convicted of their sin and need of a Savior. But it is primarily our faith in God's promise of salvation in Christ for sinners which brings justification, not anything else we may know or feel. The reason why faith alone is the instrument by which we receive justification is that it is by believing -- and in no other way -- that we can rely on Christ's saving work. It is not sorrow for sin that unites us with Christ. It is not the spiritual graces of love and hope which make us partakers of Christ's righteousness. It is by the use of faith that sinners rely on Christ for salvation." (James Buchanan, Not Guilty, p.88)

Or said another way,

"Our faith, however, is not the reason for our justification. Believers are said to be justified by faith, not because of faith. No man has perfect faith. If faith were the reason for justification, them some believers might be justified by a more perfect faith; others by a less perfect faith. Or else, some are more justified than others! All this is absurd. And it makes faith into a way of earning justification. No! The righteousness of God is said to be "revealed ... to faith" (Rom 1:17). Faith therefore cannot be what makes us righteous." (Abraham Booth, By God's Grace Alone, p.39)

What makes us righteous is Christ's righteousness imputed to us, received by faith.  

All of life is designed by God for the purpose of glorifying God, including our salvation. "God is the only hero of these stories." (Michael Horton, Trust and Obey, p.20)

 

"My soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10, NASB)

 

"Perhaps the greatest evidence of our sinful nature is not found in the horrible acts of immorality, violence, or selfish ambition, but in the fact that even when God offers us in the wedding garment of perfect righteousness we persist in our self-vindication! Whatever the fig leaves, whether made of self-esteem therapy or of energetic moralism, we refuse to see our filthy rags as insufficient to appear in the presence of a holy God. As one grand old Puritan said, "We attempt to cover filth with filth." (Michael Horton, Trust and Obey, p.24)

God imputes [or counts toward us] righteousness apart from works. (Romans 4:6) God's reckoning of righteousness to us is not a matter of him searching out our hearts and finding righteousness within us. That is not imputation. If he were to investigate our "righteousnesses" He would not find 'righteousness'. He would find only filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Note that it is not merely our acts of disobedience, but "our righteous acts" that are so described.  

Imputation is a reckoning or a putting to the account of. The idea is one of an accounting of righteousness from one who is truly righteous to one who is bankrupt of all righteousness. So if God is imputing righteousness to us, it is not our own but another's. But whose? Christ's! God does not whip up righteousness out of thin air. It is Christ's real righteousness that is imputed to us by faith.  


Some dare to call this a "legal fiction". They accuse us of making God a liar by calling one "righteous" who is not righteous in themselves. But this is no "legal fiction". This is our life! (For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16, NASB) It is the true, real, existing righteousness of Christ and not a lie! This is the gospel, the good news!  


For what does God's word say? (But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, Romans 4:5, NASB) Him who justifies the ungodly! Are you ungodly today? Then this is your good news, that God in Christ has done for you what you cannot do yourself. He can make you stand justified before Him today, and that by the perfect righteousness of Christ which is counted to you by faith.  


How can you, a sinner, stand justified before a righteous and holy God? By God's grace, Christ's righteousness is accounted to you through faith. Your sin is reckoned to Christ and was punished in Him on the cross. You then stand before God clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ and God's pronouncement over you is "Justified". Christ's righteousness is reckoned to you, and you stand in Christ, justified before God.  


The cross of Christ simultaneously presents both the justice and mercy of God. Justice in that the sins of those who Christ died for were punished in Christ on the cross. Mercy in that those same ones who Christ died for may now be reckoned as fully righteous, fully obedient, perfect in respect to God's holy law, because Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to them, reckoned to their account by faith. May today be the day when you hear and believe this glorious gospel, the good news of God's salvation in Christ.  

'Behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 'In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. 'In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she shall be called: the Lord is our righteousness.' (Jeremiah 33:14-16, NASB)

Fighting the Good Fight: The Life and Legacy of J. Gresham Machen.

Bethlehem Bible Church, Conference Series 2012, Dr. Stephen J Nichols, Research Professor of Christianity and Culture - Lancaster Bible College (PA).


Dr. Stephen J. Nichols is a professor and Bible and Theology department chair at Lancaster Bible College (PA) and Graduate School. This message is Session 7 of 7 from Bethlehem Bible Church's Conference Series held on March 30 – April 1, 2012 at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, MA.

Jesus Christ / Jehovah's Witnesses Q&A, part 1

Jesus Christ - The Answers to Our Questions

An Evangelical Response to the April 1, 2012 Watchtower

As an evangelical Christian, I count it a precious biblical truth that Jesus Christ is the Savior sent by the Father.  Jesus is a life-changer in the most profound sense. As a Christian, one of the deep impacts Jesus has had on my life is to give me a desire to speak truthfully about him. And so we arrive at the reason for this series of blog posts - a heartfelt desire to portray Jesus in the awesome light of truth contrasted with the tiny, confused, inaccurate picture of Jesus presented by the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The April 1, 2012 edition of the Watchtower magazine focuses on Jesus Christ and presents the unique understanding of the Jehovah's Witnesses concerning who he is.  Or as they have named the edition, "Jesus Christ - The Answers to Our Questions".

The answers given in the Watchtower magazine are very condensed, too brief to be truly helpful.  God willing, I will seek to provide responses that are full enough to be helpful in seeing the truth about Jesus Christ. Rather than create an overly lengthy blog post, I will be breaking my response up into a series of shorter posts. I hope the format proves to be helpful to you, dear readers.

Before Getting To The Questions

In the introduction of their magazine, the editors of the magaine spell out their method for answering the questions that will follow.

"The truth about Jesus can be discerned in his

words and actions, which are recorded in the four

Biblical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

That inspired record is the basis for answering our

questions about Jesus."  (Watchtower, 4/1/2012, p.4)

Before we get to the questions, let's spend a little energy considering the impact this method could have. The Watchtower has effectively truncated the full testimony of Scripture by exclusively focusing on the four Gospels.  Is this a wise approach?  Are there important truths about Jesus Christ presented throughout the Bible?  The Watchtower leads the reader to believe that their answers to the questions are well-grounded and fully-formed.  Later in the publication, they emphasize that what we believe about Jesus really does matter (and I wholeheaertedly agree with them on that point - it truly does matter what we believe about Jesus).

Has the Watchtower decision to restrict the source material to the Gospels short-changed their answers in this issue of their magazine?  Yes.  Yes.  A thousand times, yes!  When we dive into the Biblical record, we find a rich palette painted across the canvas of the Old Testament concerning his unique sonship (Proverbs 30, Psalm 2, Isaiah 7 & 9); his unique Messiahship (Genesis 3, 9, 12, 49; Deut 18; and many others); many types and figures foreshadowing his multi-faceted uniqueness (Melchizedek, Abraham & Isaac, Boaz, Jonah, Moses, David, the entire Jewish priestly and sacrificial system, the Day of Atonement) and the list goes on.

In the New Testament we find the length and breadth revolving around Jesus Christ, bringing forth treasured view after view of his person, ministry, kingship, and Deity. It would not be unfair to describe the entire Bible as the book of Jesus Christ; for it either prefigures, predicts, or proclaims his greatness.

The Watchtower's approach in this issue of their magazine is overly-restrictive.  The truth about Jesus reaches far beyond the four Gospels, beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation.  The Watchtower limits its investigation unwisely and, in so doing, creates an incorrect caricature of Jesus Christ. 

We will see where the Watchtower misses the mark in subsequent posts in this series.  Stay tuned.

Truth Rings Out

Truth Rings Out

A man, reckoned as dead
in Jerusalem’s grip.
Led by his Lord
on a very long trip.

Governors. Kings. Rulers. Guards.
He holds nothing back;
bloodied,  beaten, scarred.
Truth rings out.

In Herod’s palace,

the accused brings peace.

Speaking truth,

testifying of one

who is truly great.

Purchased by Christ.
Chained for Christ.
Sent by Christ.
Truth rings out.

Book Impressions: Come to Me! by Tom Wells

Come to Me! - An Urgent Invitation to Turn to Christ, Tom Wells, Banner of Truth, 113 pages.

This short book is packed with good news! Sometimes we get too wrapped up in intellectual theology to the neglect of the great truths of the gospel stated in everyday language. Wells glorifies Christ in the simplicity and clarity of the gospel he presents. Particularly beneficial are the three chapters: Come to Me as King, Come to Me Exclusively, and Come to Me Immediately.

The entire book is helpful for those who are not yet Christians and these three chapters are especially helpful to those who are already Christians. They are a great reminder of the glory, beauty, and uniqueness of Christ and His claim on every sinner.

Book Impressions: Today's Evangelism - Its Message and Methods, Ernest C. Reisinger

Today's Evangelism - Its Message and Methods, Ernest C. Reisinger, Craig Press, 163 pages.

This book lives up to its title. It is a good examination of the foundation of evangelism and the outworking of that foundation in our methods of evangelism. The late pastor Ernest Reisinger writes to the layman at his level and not to the academy. He utilizes a three-point evaluation: a right rule (the Word of God), a right end (the glory of God), and a right motive (love to God and love to man).

Why should we examine our methods of evangelism?  Reisinger writes, "The question is not going to be 'Does it work?' but 'Is it true?' - 'Is it biblical?' The Jehovah's Witnesses' system works because they get converts, but is it true?" This book is a relatively quick read and it has lasting value. It's a good dose of 'true truth' for all the Lord's evangelists.

Words of Wisdom

"Oh! Reader, beware of self-righteousness. Open sin kills its thousands of souls. Self-righteousness kills its tens of thousands. "
   --J. C. Ryle, The Cross

Resting in Jesus or Justification by Faith Illustrated

Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." (Romans 4:4-8, NASB)

One of the great truths of the Gospel that was recaptured and rightly emphasized through the Reformation was the Biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone. Justification by faith alone was so foundational to the work of reformation that it became embodied in one of the slogans of the Reformation--Sola Fide (Faith Alone). It is not the only "sola" of the Reformation and there is a need to see it in combination with the other solas to understand the full picture. But such an examination is outside the scope of this little note. We are going to focus our attention on sola fide and will leave the broader examination for another time.


During the Reformation, "Faith Alone" was set in contrast to the Roman Catholic concept of works of merit done in a state of grace for which it was fitting (in the Catholic view) for God to judge them as worthy of reward. But the Reformers uncomprisingly held to the Biblical witness that our salvation is based SOLELY on the person and work of Jesus Christ, and not on anything done in us or by us. The Reformers held that God's judicial verdict of "righteous" in favor of us could be based solely on our sin being counted to Christ and correspondingly Christ's perfect righteousness being counted towards us. How can our sin be laid upon Jesus and His righteousness made ours? By placing our faith in Jesus as Savior, trusting Him to save us. This faith in Jesus has, at times, been described as "resting in Jesus".


"Faith Alone", like all Biblical doctrines, can be misunderstood. One way it is misunderstood is when people hear "faith alone" and think it means the following:

God does not justify us because of our good works. He justifies us because of our faith. Our faith stands in the place of good works. Our faith is what deserves our justification before God. In other words, faith becomes the one good work which we must do so that we deserve to be saved.

In such a view, faith itself is seen as being our righteousness, not as the means of connecting us with the righteousness of Christ. In this view, faith replaces the work of Christ and becomes the basis upon which God gives salvation to us. Repeatedly throughout the years, as I have discussed "faith alone" with people, I have been conscious of the danger of misunderstanding "faith alone" in such a way. As I was thinking about "faith alone" and how to overcome this misunderstanding, the imagery of resting in Jesus came to mind. Let me describe what unfolded in my mind's eye.


As I thought on the phrase "resting in Jesus", an illustration came to mind which might help us see why faith itself is not why God will justify us. Now, this is an illustration, and no illustration is perfect. Think of your bedtime. At the end of a long, wearying day you look forward to a night of restful sleep. When bedtime arrives, you sit on the edge of the bed, turn off the light, pick your feet up off the floor, and rest on your bed. When you pick your feet up and lay down, your full weight is carried by the bed beneath you. You are "resting in bed". It is the bed which is holding you up. It is bearing the burden of all your weight. You cannot lay on it harder or softer. Your entire weight is all you have and no amount of "laying down harder" will put any additional load on the bed. We don't speak of laying down hard or soft. It's not a matter of degree. Laying down is not done in parts. It's all of you. When we speak of "resting in Jesus", it is this kind of resting that is being described. This kind of "full weight laid upon another to bear the load" is what I have in mind for "resting in Jesus".


Well, if you misunderstand "faith alone" to mean that you are saved by your work of faith instead of by Jesus' righteousness, how would that change the illustration? You would probably want to do the best job you could of laying in bed. So once you pick your feet up off the floor, you may think this way, "I must lay down as good as I possibly can. I am doing such a good job of laying here. I'm certain that this bed is going to recognize the quality of my laying here and reward me for it. Others can see that I am doing my best at laying here. I will continue to do my best at laying here." Perhaps you will think you should lay down harder, bearing down on the bed with all of your might (which really accomplishes nothing and certainly does not contribute to your rest). Or maybe you become convinced that you should lay lighter, but how would that be done? Perhaps you should stand and merely lean on the bed? Once again, you will not find true rest in such a posture. Are you really contributing anything to the bed's ability to hold you up as you lay there? Of course not! It is the bed that is upholding you and not anything to do with your laying will make you to be held up any better or more than you already are.


You see, "faith alone" is "resting in Jesus". This resting is a placing of all your weight on Jesus for HIM to bear you up. This resting, like physical resting, is not something which can be done more fully through exertion. It is a trust in HIM to uphold your full weight. It is a resting in HIM from the weariness of sin. Who does the work? Jesus does the work in holding you up, just as the bed alone holds you up and you contribute nothing to it without ruining your rest. And when people look to your resting in Him, what will they see? Not the fact that you are resting so well that God should forgive you, but that Jesus is holding you up entirely and perfectly. When you look to your own resting, what will you see? Not your resting, but the Beloved One who holds you up.


Do you see that faith alone does not point to your resting, to your faith, but to the one upholding you. He is the one bearing you up fully and completely. This is "faith alone". This is for His praise and glory. Amen.

Words of Wisdom

"We have in many areas blindly and unknowingly embraced values and ideas that are common in our culture but are antithetical to the gospel [Jesus] taught. Here we stand amid an American dream dominated by self-advancement, self-esteem, self-sufficiency, by individualism, materialism, and universalism."
-- David Platt, Radical.

Book Review: The Life of God in the Soul of the Church by Thabiti Anyabwile

The full title of the work is The Life of God in the Soul of the Church: The Root and Fruit of Spiritual Fellowship. It is published by Christian Focus under the 9 Marks imprint.

Henry Scougal was a 17th century Scottish pastor who wrote a small book for a friend entitled The Life of God in the Soul of Man.  Although the book was small, it has proven to possess enduring quality and powerful insights even to this day.

Enter Thabiti Anyabwile, a 21st century pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman.  Pastor Anyabwile, inspired by Scougal's original work has written a book designed to extend our understanding of the Life of God beyond the individual soul, to encompass the overall fellowship of the local church. 

Pastor Anyabwile's book is offered as a corrective to over-emphasized individualism found in many evangelical churches. He seeks throughout the book to highlight discipleship pursued intentionally through relationships in the the local church, using the rich tapestry of fellowship found throughout the New Testament as the basis for this course correction.

The book is essentially a lightly edited sermon series that Pastor Anyabwile preached in his home church in 2008.  As expected from a sermon series, the book is not written in a heavily academic tone but rather carries a pastoral feel, with strong contextualization within the body of his local church.  Publishing a collection of thematic sermons has both strengths and weaknesses.  It is written at a very understandable level, avoiding unnecessary theological jargon. This makes it accessible to nearly every adult Christian. As expected of sermons, many illustrations and most applications are chosen and emphasized from within the congregational life of a pastor's local church. Since this work is a collection of sermons, this means it requires some re-interpretation for your own local church context, with little instruction within the text itself in how to do this.

This book is a hard read.  Not hard to read.  Anyabwile challenges us across the spectrum of church life. There is a mix of ideas presented, from strongly exegetical to less binding personal preference. This is one of the reasons it is a hard read. A variety of Anyabwile's examples could be directly applicable to your church.  Others may need to be applied as a concept and not necessarily using the explicit example offered in the book.  It takes effort to grasp these differences and thoughtfully mingle them with the character of your own individual local church.

The book has two major divisions. Part 1 builds the foundation for Christian fellowship as union with Christ.  Part 2 has specific examples of union with Christ expressed through fellowship in the local church.  The specific examples cover a broad range of fellowship, including: loving one another, spiritual gifts, restoration, suffering and comfort, giving, acceptance, and singing to one another among others.

A sample of quotations follows to whet your appetite.

"Membership in the local church is a biblical idea and an implicit requirement for the Christian life."

"I pray that you would see how indispensable you are to everyone in your church according to God’s design."

"There are not two classes of Christians— super-spiritual and ordinary. Because every Christian possesses the Spirit of God through faith, every Christian is spiritual. In that sense, the gospel flattens the world for us. We are all equal; we all live on the same plane."

"It’s really remarkable to see how Trinitarian the Christian life is from beginning to end."

"To see and experience this joy, we must commit to carrying ‘each other’s burdens’ (Gal. 6: 2). Restoration cannot be achieved a hundred yards away from the burdened. We cannot restore people by shouting across a football field, ‘Hey! Get it together! Get it right!’ The idea of carrying burdens requires proximity, intimacy, and teamwork."

"The Christian church is an astounding thing. It is the bodily presence of Christ in the world. Where is God in suffering? He’s in His people administering comfort. Christian, you’re not just you. You’re you— with God working and flowing through you! You’re an utterly strange being, and the only lasting source of compassion in a world gone mad with suffering."

"The stubborn pride of man that clings to self-reliance may be so strong God may sit death before us in order to shake us from it."

Finally, one quote surprised me quite a bit, considering it is coming from a baptist pastor.

"People often ask why the church is not flowing in the gifts the way the early church was in Acts— or like the church at Corinth which had every spiritual gift (1 Cor. 1: 7). They ask, ‘Why are we not seeing miracles and things like that?’ Just reading through 1 Corinthians 12– 14, I think the answer can be boiled down to this one problem— churches are not flowing in the miraculous because the commitment to love is so weak and partial in very many churches. Congregations are not bent on loving one another so that equal concern is shown for every member (12: 25) and so that the common good is the main goal (12: 7)."

In my thought, this is a less-than-helpful explanation why God does not move through miracles displayed commonly in the church today.  I fear that this statement could be taken to extremes by many readers, laying a deep burden of guilt on the church as a whole. Perhaps my fear is unfounded, but it is my conviction that there is danger lurking here.  It could easily cause burnout in most churches as the people attempt to love one another enough so that their church is flowing in the miraculous.  When the miraculous fails to materialize, where will the church turn?  Will they speed up the love treadmill and try even harder, or pull the ripcord and float away in exhaustion?

To summarize, I recommend that this book be read broadly but with care, as should be our approach with all theological writing.

Full disclosure: I received a free review ebook from Christian Focus to prepare this review.  This has not unduly influenced me and I offer this review with a clear conscience.

Words of Wisdom

"It was necessary Christ should be both God and man to work our redemption. As He was God, He was able; as He was man, He had aptness. No man nor angel could have effected it. Not man; for how could he, who was dead in sin, give life to others? Not the angels; for they had not sufficiency to stand upright themselves."  --Fulgentius, quoted in H. Bonar's Words Old and New.

Going to War(field)

That's it.  I'm going to jump in and do it. I have had 10+ volumes of Warfield on my shelf for many years now and it is time to dive in. I'm looking forward to learning much from the old Lion of Princeton. May God bless this for His glory and my good.

Thoughts on E-Reading

I have about six months with my Kindle at this point. Like anything, there is good and bad. I planned to use it primarily for light reading but have been lured in by super-low prices on a few academic titles. I thought it would be worth giving it a try with the longer works, to see how well it worked. So I purchased a few of them (usually $30 and upwards harcovers in print but $8 or less on Kindle). The longer books are proving to be a real challenge, even after adopting Douglas Wison's advice to read like someone who can afford to forget.

I am noticeably struggling with remembering what I have read. I consider myself a spatial learner.  I have always connected details about a page in my memory which has helped me recall it later (even if only a vague wisp of a memory). At least I realize now that I'm not alone in my learning/memory style, after reading the article do e-books impair memory? I think the development of e-readers will continue and will begin to tap into landmarks that will function similar to printed works.

Is it truly surprising that a technology (printing/publishing) which has been refined for hundreds of years has a few important things figured out that a fledgling technology has overlooked right out of the gate? Not really surprising at all. Even so, I would encourage you to consider an e-reader.  Here are some thoughts to consider.

How Jesus Patiently Loves, Conclusion

Part I here.
Part II here.


Someone is missing from the scene.  The disciple named Thomas is not with them here.  What nickname do we give Thomas?  “Doubting Thomas”.  I think we defame him with such a name. 

So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"...

"Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." (Joh 11:6-16, ESV)

Yet for all his faith and boldness, where is Thomas now?  Not with the disciples.  He is broken by the events.  Sound familiar?  Sound like some of the same struggles you have faced, where God's plan became a painful mystery too hard to accept?

How does Jesus demonstrate the gospel of God's grace to Thomas? How does He patiently love Thomas?

(John 20)
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."


Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.

 Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

The broken has been restored.  The unbelieving is now believing.  The one who said “unless I see ...” is confronted by the persistent and patient love of Jesus and now he says “My Lord and my God!”   I love Thomas for his proclamation of faith here. 

Jesus' patient love demonstrated in the passages we have briefly examined here gives me great hope.  Great hope for me and for you.  Hope for faith.  Hope for perseverance.  Hope for restoration.  Hope because of God's grace, not because of anything in us or done by us.  Our hope and boasting is in God, not in the strength of men.

In conclusion, John tells us why he wrote these things.  I have reflected on them with the same purpose and goal in mind.

“these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. “

I call you today; man, woman, girl and boy, Christian, and non-Christian alike, to believe that Jesus is the Savior of sinners, to believe he is the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

How Jesus Patiently Loves, Part II

Part I here.

Let's walk in the disciples' sandals for awhile...

... returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. (Luke 24:9-11)

... they (the two disciples on the road to Emmaus) rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:33-35)

The women visit the tomb, find it empty except for angels announcing the risen Christ. The women return to tell the apostles and other disciples, who do not believe it. He appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who then come back and tell the others. How patient He is. How He loves them. Appearing again and again, the patient love of Jesus is evidenced. He understands how hard it is for the disciples to believe He has risen, even though He told them about this before His crucifixion.

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. (Luke 24:36-43, ESV)

"He showed them His hands and His feet.” You are seeing the good news of the grace of God in Jesus' resurrection. Jesus condescends to show them His pierced hands and feet, to prove it is truly him standing alive before them. He is their risen Messiah and He will stop at no ends to ensure they believe in Him.

   

 

While their doubts continue, He says,“Have you anything here to eat?” Oh, the patient love He shows for His disciples here. He is not asking for something to eat because He is hungry. He is eating in front of them to destroy their unbelief and renew their faith in Him. Their doubt is like a great rock wall they cannot scale or break through. It even blocks out the light of the risen Son standing before them. He destroys the wall of unbelief with hammer-blow after hammer-blow as He presents himself alive to them.

  

 

He saw and exposed the doubts in their heart to the full light of reality.

• See! 
• hands 
• feet 
• touch me! 
• flesh and bone 
• eat 

   

They must know it is truly Him, truly alive, truly risen from the grave. See how the hammer falls again and again on the great rock wall, crushing their unbelief through his patient love.

 

   

To Be Continued...

How Jesus Patiently Loves, Part I

Many Convincing Proofs

Background:

Jesus' public ministry has been growing for about 3 years. The small band of disciples has grown to a large crowd that follows Jesus from place to place. He comes to Jerusalem, greeted by throngs of worshipers. Only a few days later, he is brought to trial and condemned to die the most cursed death in the Roman arsenal of punishment even though he is innocent of any and all wrong-doing. The disciples panic at his betrayal and arrest, scattering in all directions. He is crucified, dies, and is buried in a donated tomb under the guard of Roman soldiers and the seal of the government placed on the stone covering the doorway.

This is not what the disciples expected. Sound familiar? Have you ever had a clear vision where your path would lead as you followed the Lord and found yourself completely stunned when it took an unexpected, disastrous turn?

He rises on the third day. Jesus died and now lives, and that makes all the difference in the world and all of creation. But what about his disciples? They ran away at his arrest, stayed away from his trial, and were conspicuously absent during his crucifixion, death, and burial.

How is the gospel of God's grace in Christ demonstrated by Jesus following his resurrection?

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:1-3, ESV, emphasis added)

The disciples are trying to cope with the circumstances of Christ's death. His death was a tremendous blow to their faith. They did not expect the circumstances to play out as they did. Then, hearing of his resurrection and even seeing him alive was such a tremendous shock to their system that they could not believe it.

I see here... Jesus' patience with people. And this gives me great hope. Great hope for me and for you. Hope for faith. Hope for perseverance. Hope for restoration. Hope because of God's grace, not because of anything in us or done by us. Our hope and boasting is in God, not in the strength of men. (Hint: men and women, boys and girls have no strength.)

To be continued...

Words of Wisdom

"O glorious state! unspeakably desirable! No sin, no curse, no death, no sorrow, no pain, no temptation; God Himself with us for ever, and our God: all holiness, all blessing, all life, all joy, all bliss, all victory and triumph for evermore! What a scene of glory must this be! Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come!" - Edward Bickersteth   Excerpt from Words Old & New by H. Bonar

Philip's Successful Ministry?

Continuing in Acts chapter 8, we come to a series of events that directly challenge the modern idea of 'successful ministry'. Philip the Evangelist has been preaching and performing miracles in the city of Samaria. The people of the city are listening intently to the gospel and believing in Jesus the Messiah. News gets back to the apostles at Jerusalem that Samaria is receiving the word of God, so they send Peter and John to Samaria. This results in the apostles praying for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit, and their prayers are answered.  If ever Philip could have prayed for 'successful ministry', he is right smack dab in the middle of it. Philip's faithful preaching has been used by the Lord to bring a significant harvest of lost souls into the kingdom of God in Christ.  (Acts 8:5-25)

People are being saved. The message is being preached. Philip is told by an angel... to leave, to go somewhere else (Acts 8:26). What does Philip do? He is in an amazing series of events in Samaria, with the gospel bringing the blessings of life and joy to the people. What does he do? Without hesitation, he immediately rises and goes where the angel of the Lord directs him. (8:27) In the middle of what gives every appearance of 'being in the will of the Lord', the picture changes. Can the Lord be trusted to know what is best?

Oh, dear reader, eager obedience to your Master is successful ministry no matter the outward circumstances. (Sidebar: this is not an endorsement of Francis Chan bailing on his church.) Philip lives out his love for Christ through active obedience. How active? As the scene continues, the Spirit tells Philip to go up to the chariot waiting on the road. Philip runs to the chariot. I love that picture. Obedience. Eager obedience. Philip has traveled from the city of Samaria, to the south of Jerusalem and sprints the final stretch. He has moved from ministering to a city to preaching to a single person. Without hesitation. 


We are tempted, even counseled these days, to think 'successful ministry' is about numbers, new buildings, larger programs. Philip's ministry was successful in the truest sense of the word, whether he was ministering to a city or a single person, whether there were disciples made or only seed sown. Success was not the number of converts, or the harvesting, but rather his eager obedience to the Lord.

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15, ESV)