Developing a Trinitarian Perspective

As one who grew up within the evangelical tribe of Southern Baptists I readily admit that we are guilty of not thinking often enough or deeply enough about the doctrine of the Trinity. One of my Ph.D. professors, Dr. Malcolm Yarnell, and his wife Karen have posted a five-part response to the recent debate among evangelicals on the Trinity (see below for links to each). For those following or interested in following that debate, these posts are both economically (after all they are free =) and immanently helpful for understanding its basic contours and for the analysis of the positions taken.

While those outside the theological ranks will likely find their discussion too academic, their concluding paragraphs offer a presentation of the gospel that demonstrates the relevance of the doctrine of the Trinity to our faith and practice:

So, here is the main thing to see: The eternal Father sent his only begotten Son into this world in order to unite with our humanity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on a cross for our sins and rose from the dead for our justification. The Father and the Son sent the eternally proceeding Holy Spirit into the world in order to convict us of sin and judgment and the righteousness available through faith in the Son. And through regeneration, the Spirit unites us with the Son of God, allowing us to approach the Father in the service of worship.
    And that is what we, his redeemed slaves, will be doing for eternity: Worshiping the one enthroned Lord God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three persons yet one in essence, eternally sharing the divine perfections in the beautiful order of relations without division, without diminution, without composition.

As one who grew up within the evangelical tribe of Southern Baptists I readily admit that we are guilty of not thinking often enough or deeply enough about the doctrine of the Trinity. My prayer is that this recent debate and its produce will awaken us to this rich and beautiful doctrine, a doctrine central to our confession and the baptism we administer on the basis of personal faith. After all, to receive baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19) is to join the church throughout the ages in its Trinitarian faith. Hopefully this recent debate will lead to a greater appreciation and development of a Trinitarian perspective among evangelicals of every stripe.

Here are the links to each of their posts:

• Post 1
• Post 2
• Post 3
• Post 4
• Post 5

Four Ways to Overcome the Disappointment of New Beginnings

On Saturday, May 7, 2016 I had the privilege of watching 520+ graduates walk the stage in Charleston Southern University’s commencement ceremony. This ceremony was an important marker in the development of each of these students, a stone of remembrance of what each has accomplished in there time at CSU. In another sense a ceremony like this also marks the beginning of a new chapter of vocation, life, and ministry. The end is also the beginning.

When we think of new beginnings, we typically think of words like “energy,” “excitement,” and “optimism.” Each of these words seem to resonate well with the emotions that accompany a new endeavor. However, it is also the case that disappointment can be associated with new beginnings as well. 

In his work The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis records the fictitious correspondence between an elder demon (Screwtape) and his understudy nephew (Wormwood). In his third letter, Screwtape draws Wormwood’s attention to the difficult season of new beginnings (esp. following conversion) as a time in which to water seeds of disappointment. He writes,

Work hard, then, on the disappointment or anticlimax which is certainly coming to the patient during his first few weeks as a churchman. The Enemy allows this disappointment to occur on the threshold of every human endeavour. It occurs when the boy who has been enchanted in the nursery by Stories from the Odyssey buckles down to really learning Greek. It occurs when lovers have got married and begin the real task of learning to live together. In every department of life it marks the transition from dreaming aspiration to laborious doing.[1]

As our newly minted CSU graduates begin their next chapter of life and vocation they are likely to face the “disappointment or anticlimax” of new beginnings noted by Lewis.

It is not easy to begin; beginning is hard work. It takes a great deal of effort and energy to begin. So how can we renew our thinking about the difficulty and anti-climatic disappointment of new beginnings according to God’s word and his kingdom? While there is much more to say than will be said below, I would like to offer four ways in which to renew our thinking when faced with the difficulty of a new beginning.

Recognize the Inevitability of Disappointment

First, a major key to overcoming disappointment or anticlimax of a new beginning is to recognize that it is inevitable. Difficulty is endemic to life in a fallen world. Things are not the way that they are supposed to be, and this applies as much to us as persons as it does the world around us. The world a difficult place, and it is a place made difficult by the sin of our first father and mother (Gen 3). Further, we must recognize that we have and continue to contribute to the problem through our own sin. So we need not fret as though the difficulty is unexpected.

Embrace the Difficulty with Joy

Second, we should rejoice and embrace the difficulty! We need to let the difficulty of the trial of a new beginning have its work in us. James 1:2–4 states, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam 1:2–4).

Of course the “various trials” spoken of here extends the deepest and darkest moments of our lives. This is especially true of those facing social ostracism, economic censure, and bodily harm for the sake of bearing witness to Christ. Nonetheless, the phrase “various trials” encompasses ALL trials and difficulties we face, even the small ones . . . even the difficulty that accompanies a new beginning. As such, we must allow ALL trials to have their full effect in producing “endurance” (or “perseverance” [NIV]; “steadfastness” [ESV]; “patience” [KJV]) in us. The end result, we are told by James, is that we will be “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (v. 4). In short, God is always working to conform us to his character, and this is especially true in our “various trials.”

Fix Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Third, we must fix our eyes upon Jesus. The author of Hebrews writes,

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Heb 12:1–3)

How does the Christian endure hardship and difficulty? By looking to Jesus and considering his endurance in the most difficult of work, his work on the cross. Once again, this applies both to the martyr who is walking toward the arena as well as to the first-time, mother whose husband is out at sea. For both extremes and all in between endurance is found by looking to Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith.”

Wait Even as You Begin

Finally, we must wait even as we begin. This may sound contradictory. How does one both wait and begin at the same time? Writing to his apostolic representative Titus whom he had tasked with a new mission on the Isle of Crete, Paul writes,

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:11–14).

Paul encourages Titus to reflect upon the grace of God and its implications as well as to teach and exhort others with these truths (Titus 2:15). Not only does God’s grace “train” us “to deny ungodliness and worldly desires” it also teaches us “to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.” This distinctive, godly living is characterized by anticipation, a waiting for Christ’s return. These believers join all believers in “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus . . .” (v. 13). They are to wait upon the return of the Lord even as they live godly lives in the present age.

In the same way, we must wait even as we take up the challenge of a new beginning. Looking to Jesus doesn’t simply mean considering his example of endurance and imitating it; it also means recognizing the cosmic and final implications of his work. He is bringing our sin-sick world and this life with all its difficulties (big and small) to his own good ends. He is working all things together for our good and his glory!

Are you or someone you know facing the disappointment or anticlimax of a new beginning? Are you overwhelmed by the energy and effort that you know will be required to take on the mountain in front of you? If so, may your mind and heart be renewed according to the truth and reality of the gospel.

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Note: 

• This post originally appeared at www.churchandgospel.com - http://www.churchandgospel.com/2016/05/30/four-ways-to-overcome-the-disappointments-of-new-beginnings/

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[1]C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1942), 7.

Review: Understanding Baptism by Bobby Jamieson

Title: Understanding Baptism
Author: Bobby Jamieson
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Price: $7.99
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 80

In 1523 Martin Luther wrote a baptismal booklet that would later be attached to his Small Catechism (1529). He wrote this booklet because he perceived “that those present understand nothing of what is being said and done.”[1] Though her erred on the issue of infant baptism, Luther was right to address the ignorance he detected among those receiving and witnessing baptism. A similar and equally admirable pastoral impulse has led Bobby Jamieson, a PhD candidate in New Testament studies at the University of Cambridge and former assistant editor for 9Marks ministries, to write Understanding Baptism.

Understanding Baptism is a practical book (better: booklet) in ecclesiology aimed at a popular, non-academic audience. As a member of the Church Basics series, editor Jonathan Leeman explains, the work is “written for the average church member” (v). Within this booklet, Jamieson distills content from his recent work Going Public: Why Baptism is Required for Church Membership (B&H Academic, 2015) and expands its scope to include other basic issues.

Three audiences are targeted by Jamieson throughout the volume: (1) unbaptized persons who are considering baptism, (2) baptized persons who want to reflect more deeply upon their baptism, and (3) pastors and other church leaders who want to equip their people to think biblically about baptism (1–3). Jamieson has differing goals for each audience. For the unbaptized, he hopes that they will be convinced “to take the plunge” (2). For the baptized he hopes to “provide biblical answers to questions [they]’re asking—and even questions [they]’re not asking but maybe should be” (2). For the pastor and church leader, he hopes to provide a “useful resource for . . . members” (2).

Chapter 1, “What is Baptism?” examines the nature of baptism, providing and expounding upon an extended definition of baptism. Chapter 2, “Who Should be Baptized?” considers the mandate, benefits, and potential objections to believer’s baptism. Here Jamieson provides a credobaptist (believer’s baptist) answer to the question “Why should all believer’s be baptized as believers?” Chapter 3, “What about Infant Baptism?” extends the question of “who should be baptized?” (ch 2). This is the booklet’s longest chapter. Here Jamieson introduces major lines of paedobaptist (infant baptism) argumentation and his counter-arguments in favor of credobaptism. He also anticipates five paedobaptist objections to his arguments, concluding that  “infant baptism isn’t baptism” (41). Chapter 4, “Why is baptism required for church membership?” summarizes arguments for requiring baptism for church membership, arguments Jamison develops with greater detail in his larger work Going Public. Chapter 5 “When is ‘Baptism’ Not Baptism?” considers the line between valid and invalid “baptism” via several theoretical scenarios. The practical aim of this chapter is to help individuals who were baptized under questionable circumstances or in questionable ways to think through the validity of that “baptism” as a sign of their personal faith in Christ. Finally, Chapter 6, “How Should Churches Practice Baptism?” briefly addresses the mode, administrator, result, context, and timing of baptism.

Understanding Baptism achieves the author’s goal of practicality and accessibility across the wide range of topics it addresses (e.g., nature, recipients, mode, connection to church membership, validity, etc. of baptism). Key to this achievement is Jamieson’s creation of a dialogue with his reader, in which he frequently frames an issue in the form of a question and then responds. This rhythm of question and answer appears at the high level of chapter titles, but it also extends to the sub-section and paragraph levels as well. The result is that the logic governing frequent topic shifts within a chapter remains clear to the reader. The practicality and accessibility of the work are important given its non-academic target audience.

Another strength of this booklet is Jamieson’s acknowledgement that credobaptism is more than mere personal profession. Recognizing that personal profession is a central feature of believer’s baptism, Jamieson also emphasizes the role of the local church. This emphasis is carried throughout the work (e.g.,7–8, 13–14, 46–47, 65–66), but it features prominently in his definition of baptism. Jamieson defines baptism as both “a church’s act of affirming and portraying a believer’s union with Christ . . .” and “a believer’s act of publicly committing him or herself to Christ and his people” (6; cf. 15; emphasis added). This dual aspect simply recognizes, “You don’t baptize yourself; there are always two parties involved. And both parties say something to each other and to the world” (6; cf. 8). The recognized place and role of the local church in this definition is an important corrective to an underappreciated aspect of believer’s baptism.

Given the volume’s economy of space (66, 4 x 7 in pgs), imbalances in presentation are more apparent. The positive development of what baptism is (chs. 1 and 4; 20 pgs) receives less development and emphasis than the polemical issues of what baptism is not (chs. 3 and 5; 30 pgs). On one hand, Jamieson’s attention to the baptismal debate is necessary given the contentious history between paedobaptist and credobaptist traditions and the pastoral problems that result. Consequently, Understanding Baptism will prove most helpful in counseling persons who have previously been baptized as infants to see the deficiency of such a baptism and aid them toward being baptized as a believer.

On the other hand, Jamieson’s emphasis upon the debate over baptismal validity (i.e., paedobaptism vs credobaptism) means that he spends less time developing what baptism is. This is observed primarily at points where Jamieson makes a poignant observation about the meaning of baptism but does not develop it in full. For example, though Jamieson rightly notes that baptism “dramatically depicts [a believer’s] union [with Christ] and all its benefits” (9), including the new way of life it inaugurates (cf. Rom 6:4; Col 2:11–12), he does not give the ethical aspect of this “new life” much development. Further, no attention is given to the eschatological reality of bodily resurrection to which baptism points. A discussion of how baptism emblemizes the Christian hope of resurrection would strengthen development of what baptism is both for those looking toward believer’s baptism (audience 1) as well as those looking back at believer’s baptism seeking greater understanding (audience 2). Though this reviewer would like to have seen more positive development at points, the imbalance of emphasis does not negate the booklet’s value or achievement of the author’s purpose.

In providing this “brief book on baptism” (1) Jamieson has produced an introduction to believer’s baptism that will benefit each of his three target audiences. As Jamison notes, “Baptism pictures and promotes the gospel” (71). Understanding Baptism provides light to those considering believer’s baptism, those who have already received it, and those who will administer it both to see and paint this gospel picture more clearly. For both Southern Baptists as well as those within the broader credobaptist tradition, Understanding Baptism is a helpful resource for leading unbaptized persons thoughtfully and biblically toward obedience to Christ’s Great Commission command.

Notes

• Jamieson's longer work, Going Public, is an important work that deserves the attention of pastors and church leaders. There Jamieson develops a strong, biblical-theological case for connecting believer's baptism and church membership. 
• This review is forthcoming in JBTM (2016).

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[1]Martin Luther, The Baptismal Booklet: Translated into German and Newly Revised, in The Book of Concord, eds. Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert, 371–75 (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2000), 371.