Keep that Kid Quiet...

A friend on Facebook posted a link to an article and a quote that I found thought-provoking. Couldn't agree with the following sentiments more:

"Usually disruptions in services are regarded as coming from children. I really appreciate churches that regard the typical children noise as holy noise. One church I visited has taken cries of a child and said to the congregation, 'Turn that cry into a prayer that you're praying for the underserved people of the world whose needs are not being met.' But if a disturbance comes from someone in a tantrum, a child is having a tantrum, then I think that child needs to be removed from the service so that child is not embarrassed by their out-of-control behavior. So it depends on the nature of the disturbance, but to say there should be no disturbances in a worship service creates a very Western, cognitive-oriented worship service. Holy noise that is even sometimes distracting can be a great, beautiful sound to our God." Scottie May, associate professor, Wheaton College

Parents need to be sensitive to address unruliness. However, a coo or momentary cry should not be cause for panic, nor should it draw dirty looks from those around them. Rather than a hindrance to worship, these coos and cries should be aids to thanksgiving for the gift and prospect of glory that this little life represents.

Grace & Peace,

J

Ever Growing

Karen and I are thankful to the Lord for the growth he is giving both our daughters. Both girls seems to be growing at exponential rates. The other day we noted how Emma has nearly outgrown her high chair. When we first put her in it she could barely see over the tray. Now her head from the neck up rises above the back of the chair and the foot rest has been lowered to the lowest setting. Abby has literally doubled her birthweight in two months and seems to have grown a few inches as well. We know this growth is a gift and a blessing. Tonight I am reminded that if they were to stop growing it would be a significant cause for concern.

In similar fashion, our spiritual growth should be viewed in the same way. Calvin makes the following statement on the progressive growth that should be characteristic of the believer:

An eminent man boasted that he grew old, learning. We are therefore thrice miserable Christians if we grow old without advancement, for our faith ought to progress through all stages of our life until it grows to full [maturity]"--Calvin, Institutes, 4.14.8

Such a thought is in line with what Paul says to the Ephesian church:

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,* 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,* to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16 ESV)

Here are some questions through which I am working and commend to you for consideration:
-Are we desirous of good spiritual food? Do we strive for growth in godliness?
-Do we view the loss of appetite for God's Word and righteousness as serious a sickness as if we were not interested in eating physical food?
-Is He, as the Psalmist says, our portion forever?
-Do we live by bread alone to the neglect of the very Word of God?
-Do we understand that our spiritual health or lack thereof is interconnected with that of those around us, because God has ordained that we "build them up in love" (see verse 16 above)?

I pray that we will become ever hungrier for knowledge, communion, and conformity to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May He be formed in us and may we glorify Him now and forever.

Grace & Peace,

Jonathan

Worship & Theology

I am preparing to teach my first course in Systematic Theology this fall. One of the charges against such a study is that it is "too heady, too theoretical, and simply impractical." Certainly, the subject of theology can be pursued in such a way that it is all of these things. However, it need not be; in fact, it must not be if the church is to maintain her worship and witness within the world.

I found the following quote helpful for considering the proper relationship between theology and worship:

Worship is ritualized theology; theology is reflective worship. The quality of our worship is therefore an index of the quality of our theology (and vice versa). . . . Dogmatics [the formal study of theology] both begins in and leads to doxology (Vanhoozer, Drama of Doctrine, 410).

What do you think about when you worship God? When the songs are being sung, does the truth of their content evoke emotions of sorrow, joy, repentance, etc.? Theology aids worshipers by connecting the truths/themes of Scripture, bringing them into sharper focus, drawing out their implications for daily living, and much more. At its most basic level theology is the study of God's person and works. How can one look into these things and not be inspired to worship this God? If we find ourselves doing "theology" and not worshiping God more deeply and loving others more fervently than before, we are not doing theology well. At the same time, if we find ourselves "worshiping" and not reflecting upon the person and works of God deeply, we are not worshiping well either. May God grant us grace to worship Him in Spirit and truth with our entire being: heart, soul, mind, and strength.

J

Our Sin and God's Mercy

"All sin at bottom is a sin against God. 'Against thee, thee only have I sinned' is the cry of a true penitent. How terrible is the sin against God! Who can recall the wasted moments and years? Gone they are, never to return; gone the little allotted span of life; gone the little day in which a man must work. Who can measure the irrevocable guilt of a wasted life? Yet even for such guilt God has provided a fountain of cleansing in the precious blood of Christ. God has clothed us with Christ's Righteousness as with a garment; in Christ we stand spotless before the judgment throne" (Machan, Christianity and Liberalism, 130–31).

This quote by J. Gresham Machen gives a great summary of repentance and faith. Billy Marsh's sermon yesterday at Redeemer Church, he mentioned that there is really only one work to be done once we hear the word of the Lord proclaimed: repent and believe. As I reflect on the numerous ways I've sinned against the God of heaven, I am brought low. He has given me life and all I need to sustain it, a wonderful wife and family, encouraging relationships, and most importantly He has accomplished my salvation in Christ through faith and sealed me with His Spirit. Yet I live in my own strength and wisdom. I am reminded that the good news of the Gospel, however, is that God is gracious and merciful to those who come to Him by the blood of Jesus Christ their Lord. There is now no condemnation, Paul tells us, for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8).

I pray that this day is marked by an intense awareness of God's grace in Christ. May He stir in us an attitude of faith and repentance and may He grant that every day is lived in this manner.

Grace & Peace,

J

Who's on Top?

Within believers, a struggle often occurs between our own preconceived ideas and the truth of God's Word. A classic game of who's on top. Ulrich Zwingli, a sixteenth century reformer, summarizes this struggle well,

"Alas! Here we come upon the canker at the heart of all human systems. And it is this: we want to find support in Scripture for our own view, and so we take that view to Scripture, and if we find a text which, however artificially, we can relate to it, we do so, and in that way we wrest Scripture in order to make it say what we want it to say" (Zwingli, "On the Clarity and Certainty of the Word of God").

May God grant us His grace to be submitted to and changed by His Word and not to reverse this relationship.

J

False Gospel

For those of you not familiar with the uproar surrounding the new release of Rob Bell's book Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every One Whose Ever Lived, a good analysis is provided by Al Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, here.

Recently Rob Bell was taken to task on MSNBC. Worth a look if you have a couple of minutes.

Rob Bell on MSNBC

I sent this to a few folks today and received an insightful response from my friend Matt Millsap worth repeating here:

"What I find particularly striking about the whole controversy surrounding Bell's book is that even (presumable) unbelievers such as Martin Bashir quickly realize the inherent contradiction present in Bell's assertions while he apparently does not. Even casual observers who don't have any vested interest in the Christian message whatsoever can see that Bell is trying to have it both ways with his Christianity. But what is especially sad is the level of influence Bell has on younger believers (with Nooma videos, etc.) who tend to hang on his every word. He is leading them down the path of a contemporarily repackaged liberalism; they don't realize it, and neither do they care to do so."

Bell's false doctrine demands a public and vigorous refutation. He is actively subverting the truth of the Gospel and doing so in a very public way. Such responses are readily found and I recommend that you familiarize yourself with them (see Mohler's Blog). At the same time, we also need to recognize the opportunity that this controversy and debate provide for sharing the true Gospel.

Here are some Scriptures that speak to the central claim of Bell's book:

Jesus is the only way of salvation: "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 ESV).

Unfortunately Bell wants to say that those in other religions who are calling on the name of different gods and divine teachers are actually crying out for Jesus. But the Scriptures teach us differently: "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:11-12 ESV).

Bell's doctrine undermines any motivation for evangelism and missions by saying that all people will go to heaven regardless of their decision for or against Christ in this life. This is addressed in the following: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?' So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:9-17 ESV).

Other short summaries of the Gospel in the New Testament to keep in mind include Romans 3 (entire chapter); 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Titus 2:11–3:7)

The temptation will be to gloat when Bell is made to look silly or to squirm in the incoherence of his position. While we should be thankful that the falsehood of his theology is being exposed, let’s pray for the following: (a) that he will repent, (b) that his congregation and those exposed to his ministry will not be led into error, and (c) that the Gospel will not be maligned as a result of this situation. May we watch our own lives and doctrine closely and be mindful of the sin that lies creeping at the door of our own hearts.

Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

J

Great Audiobook for Free

This month at ChristianAudio.com they are offering Russell Moore's Adopted for Life for free! This is a great book that tells Moore's own experience of adopting two boys from Russia. Moore sets forth a solid biblical and theological foundation for understanding adoption through the lens of the Gospel. Hope you take advantage of this opportunity.

J

A Thought for Worship

Clement of Rome wrote the following in a conclusion to one of his works (Paidagogos). A wonderful thought as we go to worship our risen and soon returning Lord:

King of Saints, almighty Word
of the Father, highest Lord;
Wisdom's head and chief;
Assuagement of all grief;
Lord of all time and space,
Jesus, Saviour of our race.

Similarly, Paul writes, "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Tim 1:17).

May His name be praised and honored in us both today and forever.

J