Knowing God in 2008: The Only True God

When we hear the word idolatry, what often comes to mind are thoughts of statues or anything we place before God, like money. But in chapter four of Knowing God, Packer instead addresses inadequate or even blatantly wrong views of God as idolatrous. As Packer quotes Hodge, "idolatry consists not only in the worship of false gods, but also in the worship of the true God by images." In other words, visual or pictorial images of any member of the Trinity is a violation of the second commandment. Packer says that "the commandment thus deals, not with the object of our worship, but with the manner of it; what it tells us is that statues and pictures of the One whom we worship are not to be used as an aid to worshiping Him."

What were most convicting and helpful to me were two reasons why the second commandment is so important: first, images dishonor God because they obscure His glory, and second, images mislead man. For example, when Aaron fashioned a golden calf for the Israelites, it was not a new god, but it was an attempt to visibly symbolize the God of the Israelites. Regardless of Aaron's intent to fashion a fitting symbol of Jehovah for the people, it was a gross violation of the second commandment, "for what idea of His moral character, His righteousness, goodness, and patience, could one gather from looking at a statue of Him as a bull?" Similarly, "the pathos of the crucifix obscures the glory of Christ, for it hides the fact of His deity, His victory on the cross, and His present kingdom..."

Additionally, images can mislead man because they convey false ideas about God - the second commandment also prohibits wrong mental images of Him. "Those who hold themselves free to think of God as they like are breaking the second commandment...To follow the imagination of one's heart in the realm of theology is the way to remain ignorant of God, and to become an idol worshiper - the idol in this case being a false mental image of God." In other words, as sinful creatures, apart from His word, we cannot rightly conjure up images of God as we should, or as He truly is. Who are we to claim to have the accurate image of God? This leads to the positive aspect of the second commandment.

The positive side is that we are to "recognize that God the Creator is transcendent, mysterious, and inscrutable, beyond the range of any imagining or philosophical guesswork of which we are capable; and hence a summons to us to humble ourselves, to listen and learn of Him, and to let Him teach us what He is like and what we should think of Him." As Isaiah 55 says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways."

God is so above us, Packer writes, that we cannot know of Him unless He speaks and tells us about Himself. Thankfully, Jehovah has revealed Himself to us in His word, the Scriptures, and through His Son, Jesus Christ. Without such Words, we cannot have an accurate view of God. Are we keeping the second commandment? Is the God whom we worship the God of the Bible? I know I am guilty of breaking this commandment over and again with imbalanced mental images or overlooking certain attributes of God, but I pray for forgiveness and grace through Christ, through whom God has spoken.

We'll cover such a topic next week in chapter five, "God Incarnate."

Knowing God in 2008: Knowing and Being Known

We're looking at J.I. Packer's Knowing God, and now we're at chapter three: "Knowing and Being Known."

WARNING: This post will not do this chapter justice. There's a lot here, and it's very worthwhile reading. Grab the book, read chapters one through three at least. Maybe next week we'll tell you chapter four is also indispensable!

What stands out to me in this chapter is a contrast: God is highly exalted; God is personal.

Packer reminds us, "The more complex the object, the more complex the knowing of it." He points out that of course this is true of God, and we should expect the study of God to be...well, actually impossible. Unless he makes himself known to us.

But God is not just a complex object of inquiry. God, who has revealed himself to us in His word and in His Son, is personal. For this reason, it is better to compare God to an exalted person whom we would not be able to know unless they chose to make themselves known to us -- like a president or world leader. Actually, as Packer reminds us, this is true of anyone -- we do not know anyone unless they choose to share their "real" self with us.

It's amazing that we have such a God who does choose to make Himself known. And if we find ourselves in the process of knowing God, we can be sure that it's because He knew us first!


"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God..." (Galatians 4:9)

"And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

Knowing God in 2008: The People Who Know Their God

We're going through J.I. Packer's modern classic Knowing God, and have just finished the second chapter. We will try to cover one chapter per week, and you are invited to join in the reading or simply "overhear" the discussions here and at the New Covenant blog.

In the second chapter of Knowing God, Packer once again stresses the difference between knowing about God and knowing God. Knowing God is not just knowing the facts, but radically applying such knowledge to our lives. Those who know God "count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus...and do count them but dung, that I may gain Christ and be found in him...that I may know him" (Philippians 3:7). Counting things as loss or dung, Packer says, means that one "does not live with them constantly in his mind: what normal person spends his time nostalgically dreaming of manure? Yet this, in effect, is what many of us do. It shows how little we have in the way of true knowledge of God."

That statement reminded me of the sexual purity conference at church several months ago at which the speaker likened wallowing in sin to going back to a dead skunk. How much more should we yearn to have joyous thoughts of God than thoughts turned to a dead skunk? This knowledge of God and not merely about God is evident in the book of Daniel and summarized by Packer in four points. As I read through each of these four, I realized how much I fall short of truly knowing God though I know about God.

1. Those who know God have great energy for God: They react to the anti-God culture around them. This reaction is not only through public actions, but it starts with fervent prayer. "Men who know their God are before anything else men who pray, and the first point where their zeal and energy for God's glory come to expression is in their prayers...If, however, there is in us little energy for such prayer, and little consequent practice of it, this is a sure sign that as yet we scarcely know our God."

2. Those who know God have great thoughts of God: The central truth proclaimed by Daniel is that "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men." Packer asks if this is how we think of God. Do our prayers reflect this perspective? "Does this tremendous sense of His holy majesty, His moral perfection, and His gracious faithfulness keep us humble and dependent, awed and obedient, as it did Daniel?"

3. Those who know God show great boldness for God: "They may find the determination of the right course to take agonisingly difficult, but once they are clear on it, they embrace it boldly without hesitation. It does not worry them that others of God's people see the matter differently, and do not stand with them."

4. Those who know God have great contentment in God: This is reflected throughout the book of Daniel, as well as in Paul's epistles: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ" (Romans 8:38-39).

So if we desire such knowledge of God, two things must follow: we must recognize how much knowledge we lack of God, and we must seek Christ. The next chapter focuses on "Knowing and Being Known."

photo source: Erwin C. Nielsen/Painet Inc., Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Struggle

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. (Colossians 4:12)

This verse speaks of "struggling in prayer."

Have you (or I) done that lately? Do you (or I) understand what it means?

A related question is, should I be on the computer right now - or learning the answer to these questions?

Knowing God in 2008: The Study of God

"As it would be cruel to an Amazonian tribesman to fly him to London, drop him down without explanation in Trafalgar Square and leave him, as one who knew nothing of English or England, to fend for himself, so we are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it."

So notes J.I. Packer in ch.1 of Knowing God, entitled “The Study of God.”

The message: Don’t be cruel.

We should not be cruel to ourselves, or to others, by seeking to live in this world while disregarding God. This disregard may be out of malice or ignorance; but once we realize there is an opportunity to know God, we should seize it. We will not only come to know Him (what a privilege!) but also best know ourselves and our world.

Packer notes that entering into the study of God is to seemingly enter a battlefield; so many claim God cannot be known. Packer was writing in 1973, but clearly in this regard his book remains quite contemporary! Let me just say that between 1973 and today, I have come to know God – as have countless others around the globe. Don’t believe those who say it cannot be done: it is a falsehood and a cruelty.

Yet to know God is not an achievement that we can boast about. It is a relationship initiated by God, who gave His Son to provide the way. In knowing God, we know God's grace.

* * *

Note: This is our first week of reflecting on Packer's book. We will try to cover one chapter per week, and you are invited to join in the reading or simply overhear these discussions.

Do Hard Things

Have you heard about the youth retreat?

Twenty-one of us drove to the D.C. area on Friday night, where we enjoyed a hotel stay and played "Marco Polo" and "Sharks and Minnows" in the pool. Ani, Noelle, and Ben were almost impossible to capture, so if you're a shark you might as well just give up.

Although "giving up" isn't much in the spirit of the conference we attended on Saturday...

The battle cry of the Rebelution conference was "Do Hard Things." The rebellion in mind is against low expectations for teens. It was a conference led by teens, for teens, though the actual message ultimately centered around the entire family.

But why try to describe it when you can see for yourself? Visit www.therebelution.com and check it out. There's a blog and a variety of resources there to help you learn about something wonderful God is doing in the lives of youth around the nation. And in God's grace He has allowed our youth to take a part as well.

Knowing God in 2008: Introduction

** Details on a new book reading project. You can join by following the weekly posts, or by reading along! **


One of the books that most helpfully shaped my understanding of God and the Christian faith, when I was a young believer, was J.I. Packer's modern classic Knowing God.

The concept of knowing God, however, is continually under attack. In the late 1700's, Immanuel Kant posited that we can know nothing of God -- whatever is "up there" is utterly unknowable to us, he claimed. This philosophy has been with us, not least of all in the sciences, ever since. Very ironic given that Immanuel Kant's first name points to God, who became intensely knowable by taking on human flesh!


But it's not just philosophers like Kant. Many in our day, including some hip young pastors, treat true knowledge of God as elusive at best. You may have faith, you may have spirituality, but you can't claim to actually know -- really, truly know -- the truth about God.

Certainly this much is true: Left to myself, who am I to say that I know something about an invisible God? That a mere mortal could speak of knowing God, let alone write a whole book about it, is possible only because of verses such as these:

"And God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:1-3

"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." John 17:3

Other passages remind us that knowing God's love requires a divine work within us, it's not something we can attain to. This is true of Ephesians 3:14-19 and certainly John 3:3.

Starting next week, we will base weekly blogs on the theme Knowing God in 2008, based around the chapters of J.I. Packer's book. You are welcome to read along, or to simply follow the posts each week. (Note: We will post on other stuff too, but this will be a staple.)

I believe this will stimulate us to think about God more deeply and more clearly. We will cover some material that's neglected quite a bit in our day. We'll also pave the way for a class beginning in the Fall on the character of God -- details on that soon!

Lest We Drift

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?
-Hebrews 2:1-3

Pretty powerful exhortation, eh? We are to pay "much closer attention" to the wonderful salvation found in the gospel of Jesus Christ - the Son of God who died to atone for sinners so that they would be considered righteous in God's sight. It is a "great salvation" because Christ, the "radiance of the glory of God," "the exact imprint of his nature," who "upholds the universe by the word of his power" made purification for the sins of sinners such as me! (Hebrews 1:3).

Thus, the gospel is not to be a one-time message to be forgotten after conversion, but it is to flavor every aspect of our lives. As Jerry Bridges has said, we are to preach the gospel to ourselves everyday, continually facing up to our own sin, confessing and repenting of it, and looking only to Christ and claiming his blood and righteousness only.

The author of Hebrews seems to be writing directly to me in warning us to not neglect the transforming power of the gospel. It must be at the center of everything. It must be clung to above all other idols or images in our lives. The sermon this past week on the second commandment included an exhortation to not have anything less or else than God in our hearts, minds, and lives.

But here I am, just a few days later, drifting and neglecting this already. I've again elevated myself above God; I've again been unfaithful to him; the "screensaver" of my mind has again turned away from his Word and his Truth and his Gospel. How much do I need to ask God for his grace and strength to pay much closer attention to the gospel and to not neglect the great message of Christ.

It reminds me of a sincere, convicting song: "Jealous Kind" by Jars of Clay:

I built another temple to a stranger,
I gave away my heart to the rushing wind.
I set my course to run right into danger,
Sought the company of fools instead of friends.

You know I've been unfaithful
With lovers in lines
While you're turning over tables
With the rage of a jealous kind.

Surpassing Worth

Often when we see something of value, we want to obtain it. Usually, we want to obtain it - whatever it may be - to add it to our treasures. Big companies want to obtain the smaller ones, so their resources can grow bigger. Children want the newest toy to add to their already vast collection. Pastors want the next book to set on the shelf alongside the other gently used (meaning "partially read") books.

But there is such a thing as a treasure that we obtain that cannot be added to our already overflowing collection:

"But whatever gain I had, I counted loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish..." Philippians 3:7-8a

Paul realized that gaining Christ meant losing everything else. In context, Paul is saying that he once based his worth on a host of accomplishments; but these were a bad joke in light of Christ's accomplishments, and he had to choose one or the other. With eyes wide open to the value of Jesus Christ in the eyes of God the Father, he wisely chose Christ - so that in the final day he would be prepared to stand before God.

To paraphrase a friend, Jesus cannot have a place among our pantheon of gods. He cannot even have prominence, as chief among our gods. He must have preeminence: this means that he must be, as Paul said above, Lord.

Paul does not say "the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Savior," although that would be absolutely true also. He certainly does not say "Christ Jesus my ticket to heaven." He says that knowing Jesus as Lord is the surpassing worth. In other words, I would rather follow and obey Jesus than follow myself and obey my own appetites.

Can I say the same thing?

Prayer for the Fatigued

Perhaps you feel fatigued because you have served the Lord with your whole being, prayerfully and joyfully, and now it's time to rest in Him for a while. Or perhaps, like me, you find yourself fatigued because your service to Him has been too often accompanied by prayer but has not actually been the result of prayer. If you fall into this later camp, perhaps the following prayer may help you as it helped me:

Lord Jesus, whom I follow --
I am sorry, and I repent of my ways,
Which obscure your ways.
I repent of the self-sufficiency so embedded within me -
And of the prayerlessness, restlessness, busyness, and fatigue
That are its consequence.

I repent because I have not honored Your ways by drawing from Your strength.
I repent because I want Your ways to be known in the earth, not my own ways.
And in honesty I acknowledge that I repent because I know that I desperately need the fruits of this repentance.

Please receive me back as Your follower,
Though I have sought to lead the way.
Please deliver me from self-sufficiency and its fruit,
And cause me to know the gladness of service once again.
Whatever I have built with my own hands --
Tear down in Your jealousy
Or redeem in Your mercy
Either way, I praise You, O Lord,
For your gracious forgiveness and cleansing
Because of the shed blood of Calvary.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Weighs In

And now Dietrich Bonhoeffer weighs in, not only on the Ten Commandments (see previous posts) but on prompt obedience to Jesus Christ. He is commenting on this passage:

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:61-62)

Bonhoeffer:

The problem with this third would-be disciple is that at the very moment he expresses his willingness to follow, he ceases to want to follow at all. By making his offer on his own terms, he alters the whole position, for discipleship can tolerate no conditions which might come between Jesus and our obedience to him.

Furthermore:

Hence the third disciple finds himself at loggerheads not only with Jesus, but also with himself. His desires conflict not only with what Jesus wants, but also with what he wants himself.

How true!

This is from The Cost of Discipleship, a classic book written by this Christian martyr who lived during Nazi Germany. Since being in Reformed circles, I don't hear much about Bonhoeffer. Perhaps his theology is too mystical, or perhaps too neo-orthodox? But as I review my underlinings in my decades-old copy of this book, I find Bonhoeffer worth revisiting.

Two pithy sentences sum up the section of the book I've quoted from:

Discipleship is not an offer man makes to Christ.

And,

Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.

Doctrine and Hymns

Sometimes a hymn can explain difficult but beautiful doctrines of grace easier than any scholarly book. Take Isaac Watts' stirring hymn "How Sweet and Awful is the Place," written in 1707 and reminiscent of the parable in Luke 14 of the wedding banquet. It is a beautiful picture of God's sovereign election. This is fast becoming one of my favourite hymns, and moves me to tears nearly every time I sing it. I am jealous (not in a covetous way) of hymn writers like Watts who can so succinctly yet beautifully capture such glorious truths in rhyme and music.

How sweet and awful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
"Lord, why was I a guest?"

"Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?"

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O, our God,
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May, with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

Ten Commandments: The Discussion Continues

I don't know if it's because I quoted Tim Keller at length in my last post or what, but now there are others who are eager to voice their comments on The Ten Commandments.

First up is Clive Staples Lewis, who wishes to comment on why the psalmists do something extraordinary--not only submit to, but actually delight in the law of God. Perhaps he has in mind that phrase in Psalm 1, "His delight is in the law of the Lord":

"Their delight in the Law, is a delight in having touched firmness; like the pedestrian's delight in feeling the hard road beneath his feet after a false short cut has long entangled him in muddy fields."

(C.S. Lewis, quoted in Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be, namely DeYoung and Kluck, p.85)




Professor John Frame comments on the first commandment, no other gods:

In many ways, Christians have an easy time in the modern West. For the most part, we aren't asked to die or to suffer physically for our faith. But God does call us, on occasion, to hold unpopular beliefs. Can we not do even this much for Jesus? And if not, can we really claim to love God with all our heart? At this point, theology becomes a first commandment issue. It is a question of whether we value cultural trends more highly than God.

(John Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life, p.424)


We accept comments from all kinds around here.

Ten Reflections of God's Image

This past week we began a series on the Ten Commandments. Understanding the Ten Commandment (or "Ten Words") is enriching, because there is more here than meets the eye - not surprising given the pervasive influence of these commands for thousands of years.

Here's what Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, has to say about the connection between God's Law and human nature.

The law of God is an expression of His actual nature. When God says, "Don't lie" or "bear false witness," he says that because He doesn't lie; because He is a God of integrity; because He is a God of truth and He is utterly consistent.

But, since you and I are made in His image, you know what that means: the Law of God therefore reflects our nature.

We were made in His image and if the Law expresses His nature, it actually expresses what we need to be to be fully who we are. To violate the Law of God violates you.

If your doctor says, "Don't eat x, y, and z" -- if you eat x, y, and z, no one is going to give you a fine, no one is going to give you a ticket, no one is going to come and put you in jail. They won't have to. Because the consequences are natural. If you violate your doctor's order you are violating your own nature and you are unraveling your own fabric. And God is saying that here.

Don't think of the Law of God as arbitrary decrees. The Law of God outlines who you are. To violate the law of God sets up strains in the fabric of reality that only lead to breakdown.

* * *

NOTE: This is from a sermon available at www.redeemer.com entitled "God's Law" from the series "Deuteronomy: Doing Justice, Preaching Grace." I'd encourage you to download this sermon and listen to it frequently.

Charles Spurgeon Weighs In

Kindled Fire by Zack Eswine examines the life & times of Charles Spurgeon, and what lessons on preaching can be learned from this towering figure from the 19th century. Charles Spurgeon has been called the "Prince of Preachers," and his sermons were printed and distributed far and wide -- prior to radio, CDs, or iPods. His sermons are still read today, and will be for quite some time.

I think what I read today relates to the Saturday evening post:

It turns out that Spurgeon was criticized for speaking frequently from his own experience. One critic said the printer of Spurgeon's sermons must "run out of capital I's" because Spurgeon spoke so often in the first person. But Spurgeon believed firmly that a preacher must speak from his own experience, and thus from the heart - that he is called upon to give personal testimony to the truth he speaks.

Zack Eswine summarizes: "The preacher is a man who has has personally encountered God and from these personal dealings and God's personal call, the preacher speaks to people about this God with whom he has had first-hand experience."

Preaching isn't only oratory, Spurgeon would say. It is testimony.

* * *

NOTE: I had Zack as a preaching professor at Covenant Seminary, by the way, and he is a thoughtful, kind person. So far, his book is very helpful.

God's Word...in My Words?

Preaching has been described as "God's truth, filtered through personality." This is an inadequate definition, but it captures at least one reality: as preachers we are called to speak God's word...in our words.

Tonight I was reflecting on what a challenge this is. Sure, anyone can talk about the Bible - for good or ill. But to speak from the heart, and have what comes out of the heart be God's truth - that's a high calling! If we only read the Bible aloud, there would be no major problem; but instead we are called to clarify it with our own words, which can so easily divulge our fallen, sinful, or simply shallow hearts.

In seminary we were taught that the easiest part of preaching is exposition - studying the text and deciding what it means. You see, this can be turned into a routine: read the passage over and over, look at the original languages, determine the historical and literary context, compare the passage with other biblical themes, read some commentaries... Of course, this is a rewarding process for both preacher and hearer. I don't intend to downplay the absolute necessity of serious study. But: there's a method. I know when I'm done.

But what method do you use to insure that what you speak, after all that study, is from your heart? What method can insure that what you proclaim from the pulpit has been proclaimed to yourself, and that you will find yourself heeding your own warnings on Tuesday morning?

Fortunately, we have these promises: "When we are faithless, he remains faithfulness." And, "The word of the Lord endures forever." Ultimately, we trust God's word to do its work inside the preached-at and the preacher.

Nevertheless, what a high and holy calling to prepare not only our heads, but our hearts, to properly speak God's word to others.

You Should Know About GAFCON

This week, a conference has been taking place in Jerusalem called the Global Anglican Future Conference. Here are five big reasons you should know about it.

1. This is an outgrowth of the "culture wars" in the United States. Because of the actions of the Episcopal Church, specifically in their appointment of an openly gay bishop (Gene Robinson), conservatives in the worldwide Anglican communion have sought to find direction, to find a voice, and to find shelter. The ecclesiastical deck seems stacked against them.

2. This is an example of the changing face of world Christianity. If you still think the U.S. or the West provide worldwide evangelical leadership, it's time to catch up. Things have changed. Instead, evangelical Episcopalians (Anglicans) in America have sought shelter under the jurisdiction of like-minded, Bible-believing, gospel-preaching leaders in Africa.

3. These brothers in the Lord are suffering for their faith. Because they oppose the progressive agenda so prevalent in the U.S. and elsewhere, these Christian brothers are being sidelined, shoved around, defrocked, etc., by the powers that be (not counting the heavenly powers). Hebrews 13:3 commands us to "remember...those who are mistreated as if you yourself were suffering."

4. We have a lot to learn about repentance. One address, by the Rt Revd Robert Duncan, included statements such as these: "Over the last five decades we have made more than our share of compromises when issues of Scriptural truth were debated or challenged. There were countless times when we kept silence when we should have spoken. Moreover, the witness of our personal lives has been scarcely better than the record of those whom we now forthrightly confront... Further to our shame, we have sometimes as orthodox battled one another..." (Read entire speech here.)

5. We have a lot to learn about faithfulness to God's word and counting the cost. In that same speech, Rev. Duncan asked, "What will it take to restore the Holy Scripture as 'ultimate rule and standard' among us?" That is what is at issue, and is a concern every generation of church leaders must ask and answer. The speech mentioned above is powerful in that there is a desire to be faithful to God and also to His church.

Okay, those are five reasons to visit http://www.gafcon.org/ or http://www.virtueonline.org/. Go to it!

Blogging Bridges: Where Do We Go From Here?

Are our sins as small to God as they are to us?


We've been blogging our way through Jerry Bridges' Respectable Sins for several months. We now reach the end, the final chapter, entitled "Where Do We Go From Here?"

Bridges' primary suggestion is challenging: find a friend, ask them what sins they see in your life, and work on them! Blogging seems so much easier, though...

I believe that this book is not something that is to be closed and forgotten. This book is a valuable resource, one of the best contemporary books on the subject of sin. It does two things at once:

1. It focuses on seemingly "small" sins that we take lightly, which we are therefore a little more open to talk about. It's easier to admit you have a problem with overeating than with, say, covetous or idolatry.

But because of that...

2. It oh so subtly, yet effectively, makes us realize just how deeply rooted sin is! Because when we see these "small" sins for what they are, we are all the more able to recognize the "big" sins for what they are.

I have only one "small" critique, namely, that it takes a number of chapters before getting into the so-called respectable sins. First there are a variety of chapters concerning how to deal with sin generally; these might have been better left for the end of the book, after the different subtle sins had been exposed. They are helpful chapters, I would just place them differently.

It's been a great read.

And so the question is, indeed, what next? We have some ideas... and will be back soon to tell you about them.

Forsaking Independence

Last week I attended the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). This is our church's yearly denominational meeting, attended by church leaders - and some families - from all over the country.

One of the values of historic Presbyterianism is "connectualism." Remaining connected to other ministers, and remaining accountable, is not only our value but a biblical one. This takes place at local, regional, national, and even international church levels.

Hebrews 13 reminds us to "remember your leaders," plural. Acts 15 and Galatians 2 speak about church leaders gathering together to address concerns that crossed geographical boundaries. 2 Corinthians 8-9 speaks of a collection taken for needy Christians in another part of the globe. Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world" (Acts 1) -- and so we are united, whether we know it or not, to believers across all times and places. The body of Christ spans the globe, and our attitudes and priorities should reflect this.

At the General Assembly, I had the opportunity to hear reports from all different ministries - for example, Covenant Seminary, various church plants, and military ministries. I had the opportunity to hear a some matters of concern debated, and to vote on the outcome. But best of all, I was able to encourage and pray with fellow ministers who are facing challenging times. Sensing God's leading in this was the best part of General Assembly, and perhaps the most profound part as well.

It occurred to me today that pastors desire church members to be committed and accountable to the local church. (Revisit Hebrews 13 for the reasons why.) But it might be helpful to know that church leaders are likewise called to remain committed and accountable as well; we are not called to independence! God's too smart to let us get away with that.

* * *

NOTE: To read more about this year's General Assembly, you can visit Pastor Adam's blog here. He details the major issues and provides further links as well.

Prudent or Shameful?

Have you ever put these two verses together?

Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. John 4:35

He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. Proverbs 10:5

This hit me hard on the airplane yesterday. There is a spiritual harvest: Opportunity all around us to share our faith and lives with others, in a way that draws others to Jesus Christ. Proverbs 10:5 says some recognize this and "gather," while others choose to sleep.

What would make us sleep? Well, what makes a shameful son sleep while the rest of the family goes out to work? Thoughts such as, "I have all I need" or "The work is too hard." Let the work be done for us, but please don't make me work!

Proverbs calls this line of reasoning shameful. I pray that the Lord will help me to labor hard for the gospel. Though the work is the Lord's in one sense, we are called to it - like sons working alongside their father. Will we be shameful sons, or prudent sons?

* * *

NOTE: Having been away during the week at the PCA's General Assembly, I'll post on our Jerry Bridges book next week. We'll be wrapping it up next week and then... well, we'll see.

Blogging Bridges: Worldliness

We've come to the second-to-last chapter (and last sin-specific chapter) in Respectable Sins, and Bridges saves one of the best (and most convicting) for last. True to the purpose of the book, Bridges doesn't discuss overt worldliness, but focuses on subtle aspects of worldliness. He points to 1 Corinthians 7:31 to define this subtle aspect as using the things of the world "as if not engrossed by them." We are to use the legitimate things of the world carefully in case they become too important to us. Thus, Bridges defines worldliness as "being attached to, engrossed in, or preoccupied with the things of this temporal life." These things may not be sinful in and of themselves, but sinful worldliness occurs when we put too high a value on them.

Bridges unhesitatingly compares Christians to our unbelieving neighbors - our lives do not look much different than theirs - we mow the lawn, we pay our taxes, we avoid scandals. This is why living among them makes worldliness look acceptable. Thus, another definition cuts right to my heart: "Worldliness means accepting the values, mores, and practices of the nice, but unbelieving society around us without discerning whether or not they are biblical." Worldliness, then, is just going along with the culture around us as long as it is not obviously or explicitly sinful. What struck me is that discernment is not only necessary with doctrinal and theological issues, but a lack of it also contributes to worldliness.

Bridges focuses on three aspects of worldliness: money, immorality, and idolatry. I can't go into all three here, so I'll discuss the latter two (Ken or others: feel free to weigh in on the chapter at large, or on the money section as you see fit).

The primary form of subtle immorality is "vicarious immorality:" reading about other people's immorality or knowingly watching movies in which sexually explicit sins will be shown. When was the last time you declined to watch a film you knew portrayed sinful acts? Further, indulging in vicarious immorality never satisfies. Proverbs 27:20 says that "Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied." Indulging in immorality just whets the appetite for more.

In today's modern age, idolatry can refer to "anything that we place such a high value on that it tends to absorb our emotional and mental energy, or our time and resources." Examples are career vocations, hobbies, sports, computer games, and even political and cultural issues. For example, Christians can make idols out of cultural issues like abortion, which I do not deny is a heinous sin. But Bridges calls us out when saying that the first priority of the church is to proclaim the gospel:

Unborn babies do need to be protected, and the biblical standard of marriage does need to be preserved. But above all, people need to be rescued from the power of Satan and brought into the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. If we lose sight of the church's primary calling, then we are in danger of making an idol out of our cultural and political initiatives.

The final thought I'll bring up is that to combat worldliness, it is not enough to just resolve to not be worldly anymore. But we need to commit ourselves, by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, to become more godly. In admonishing the early church, Paul never just says to stop sinning, but he uses a "put off/put on" model. Take Ephesians 5:17-18 for example:

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.

As we ask God to increase our knowledge, faith, and desire for him, he will answer us, and our affections for worldly things will decrease and pass away.

Blogging Bridges: The Tongue

In ch.19 of Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges discusses "sins of the tongue." This is a short chapter, and I'd like to complement it with a short post.

Like Bridges, I have found that Ephesians 4:29 is the "go to" passage for thinking about how we use our words. Few Christians fail to be convicted when they consider the weight of these words:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

I would encourage you (and myself) to spend a day with Ephesians 4:29. Through the whole day, examine your words and conversations according to this principle: Did my words build others up, or tear them down?

If you give serious thought to this, you may just see your need for Christ - and his forgiveness - like never before!

* * *

Two more chapters to go!

Blogging Bridges: Envy, Jealousy, and Related Sins

Bridges offers a somewhat narrow definition of both envy and jealousy - envy is "the painful and oftentimes resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by someone else." Two usual conditions tempt us to envy: envy of those close to us and envy in the areas we value most. Jealousy is intolerance of rivalry, or a fear of someone becoming equal to or superior to us. I thought it was curious that Bridges leaves out covetousness in this chapter and instead focuses on the interpersonal aspects of these types of sin.

Three important reminders can help us in the fight against envy and jealousy: turning to the sovereignty of God (which Bridges understandably turns to as an important theme in dealing with many subtle sins); remembering we who are in Christ form one body, and each member belongs to the others (Romans 12:5, NIV); and finally, realizing that if we spend emotional energy on these sins, we "lose sight of what God might do uniquely in our lives."

Bridges also discusses competitiveness and controlling in this chapter as sins related to rivalry. The competitiveness section especially convicted me - the Pearces like to brag about our competitive genes (Killer Uno anyone?). Not that competitiveness in all forms is sinful, but Bridges says that it is basically an expression of selfishness. I don't think Bridges is advocating a fluffy anti-competition lifestyle (in fact, he encourages healthy competition especially among children and teens), but believes that the Scriptures emphasize doing one's best, working heartily, and seeking to bring glory to God in everything. Competition is good, but only in the context of glorifying God in doing our best. It might be easy to get sucked into bantering over semantics here - but Bridges is using "competition" in its sinful context - not in its gaming context. But competition in games can become sinful if we are ruthless or self-seeking for example.

Sometimes it seems like American culture is ultra-competitive, ultra-self-serving. Other times, it seems feminine (not in a sexist way, but in a cultural-studies/sociological way) and anti-competition. The former reminds me of a jungle mentality, the latter of a flaky one. But there is a balance, Bridges claims. I know too often I fall into the uber-competitive category and give in to the temptation to selfishness and self-edification. But Paul says in Romans 12:10 that we are to "outdo one another in showing honor" (ESV). This verse drips with love and bringing glory to God, and leaves no room for selfishness, rivalry, or competitiveness.

Blogging Bridges: Judgmentalism

At one point in ch.17 of Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges defines judgmentalism quite simply as playing God.

This is an excellent definition. When we so elevate our opinions or preferences above the word of God, and pass judgment on others based on rules we have established, we are no longer allowing God's word to be supreme. "We are arrogating to ourselves a role God has reserved for himself" (p.144).

In Christian circles, as Bridges points out, this comes out frequently in areas such as...
- Worship music preference: hymns or contemporary?
- Church dress code: coat & tie or polo?
- Views concerning alcohol: abstinence or temperance?
- Doctrine: hypercritical, hypertolerant, or "just right"?

Because the Bible allows for different views, or different emphases, concerning these and other issues, it is sinful to judge others based on their choices.

Example #1: It is sinful to judge another for preferring hymns over newer music.
Example #2: It is sinful to judge another for preferring newer music over hymns.

How can both be true? Because in this area God has not mandated a preference. He has plenty to say about attitude, however, and that's where we tend to blow it when we begin to judge others. But worse - we play God. We decide that we can judge their hearts when only God can do this. We do this when we say, "If they loved the Lord they would...well, ultimately, they'd be like me!"

God has indeed spoken, however. This entire book - Respectable Sins - is premised on the idea that there is such a thing as sin, after all! Yet even when we are correct on an issue, we can be judgmental, says Bridges. We can "demonize" the one with the aberrant view. Their view may be unbiblical, in some cases heretical, but we can still play God in a subtle way - by passing a judgment on the person above and beyond what we really know about them.

This is why this simple definition works so well. Whether in areas of preference, or areas where God has clearly spoken, there is a tendency to elevate ourselves above our proper place. To assume more authority and knowledge and certainty than we really have, as we presume to know the hearts and motives of others.

Oh boy. There's not much chance of avoiding the sin of judgmentalism, is there?

All the more reason to remain humble...

Blogging Bridges: The Weeds of Anger

Combined with the previous chapter, anger is the topic of which Bridges devotes the most space. After reading the chapter, it's no surprise - anger is a serious, oft-overlooked sin. In many places, Paul includes anger with other "ugly" sins like bitterness, slander, obscene talk, conceit, and hostility.

This chapter is devoted to nipping anger in the bud. If we let our sinful, malignant anger fester, it can lead to "noxious weeds" of anger, which include resentment, bitterness, enmity, and grudges. Bridges offers three basic directions for nipping anger in the bud: always looking to the sovereignty of God, praying that God will enable us to grow in love, and learning to forgive as God has forgiven us.

The story of Joseph in Genesis is a great example of trusting in the sovereignty of God in all circumstances. When he was sinned against, he guarded against the temptation to become angry by firmly believing in the sovereignty of God. Romans 8 promises that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him. This good doesn't always mean that we will be elevated to second in command like Joseph, but it means that in every circumstance, God has our greater good in mind - becoming more like Christ.

In every circumstance in which we are tempted to be angry we are to pray that God will enable us to grow in love. This love, Briges says, doesn't just magically appear, but comes as "we pursue it diligently in dependence on the Holy Spirit."

We must also forgive as God has forgiven us. One of my favourite parables is when the king forgives an astronomical debt a servant owes him. This forgiven servant then throws another servant in jail who owes him a decent amount of money - but nothing close to the amount the first servant was forgiven. We are like the first forgiven servant - forgiven of a debt of sin so great that we can never pay it back. This debt is determined not by the severity of our sin, but by the value of God's glory and holiness. "Every sin we commit, regardless of how insignificant it seems to us, is an assault on his infinite glory."

It cost God to forgive us - the death of his son, Jesus. God paid our debt through Christ to forgive us of the enormous spiritual debt we owed. Because of this truth, we must forgive as we have been forgiven. "Until we acknowledge that we are the ten-thousand talent debtor to God, we will struggle with forgiving people who have wronged us in significant was or people who continue to wrong us." Overlooking someone else's sin does not minimize their sin, but their sin does not make our sin of anger right or justified. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven, and elsewhere we are charged to have a love that overlooks a multitude of sin.

My anger often comes when I have been sinned against. But it is not a righteous anger - it is an anger that comes from my pride and selfishness. I was convicted by Bridges' words that "while there is plenty of injustice that deserves a response of righteous anger, we should not use that as an excuse to evade the reality of the sinful anger that so often arises in our hearts."

Blogging Bridges: Anger

Jerry Bridges has some helpful things to say about anger in ch.15 of Respectable Sins:

Some people justify their anger as righteous anger. They feel they have a right to be angry, given a certain situation. ... Though the Bible does give some examples of righteous anger, such as Jesus' cleansing of the temple, they are few. The main focus of the Bible's teaching on anger deals with our sinful anger, our sinful reactions to other people's actions or words. The fact that we may be reacting to another person's real sin does not necessarily make our anger righteous. (p.122)

As Christians, we can be angry at the sin we see around us - in others or in society. In fact, Christians have become known for this! We've also become demonized for our "intolerance." Though to a degree these charges are false or misleading, there is truth to the fact that we can think our anger is "righteous" when really it's just self-protecting and self-focused.

We should ask ourselves: Am I angry at the ungodly attitudes, images, and legislation in this society because I so want God glorified and his word upheld? Or am I angry at these things because I want a comfortable life for myself and my kids?

There's a reason why we are so frequently cautioned against anger in Scripture. Anger is a God-given emotion, and reaction, to evil; and anger is meant to move us toward productive solutions to that evil. Yet it's as if we are swinging a sword around without the proper training - and it's cutting down everything in its path! That's why James says:

"The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:20).

I encourage you to read this chapter by Bridges. He also addresses anger toward God, which has become increasingly "respectable."

Rest

And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.Genesis 2:2-3

I was thinking today. We are often diligent to insure that those we are caring for receive the rest they need - our children especially. As soon as my son rubs his eyes, to bed he goes. Of course, we benefit from his naptimes, but more importantly we know he needs rest. Even concerning my wife, I'm very quick to encourage her to rest - to not try to overdo it.

And yet, we often fail to rest ourselves.

We are privileged to serve a God who commands us to rest. It's right there in Genesis, in the Ten Commandments, and throughout Scripture. Yet we often forget this, and think that God has called us to far more work than we are able to accomplish in a healthy manner.

Let's reevaluate how we perceive God's will for us. If it doesn't include rest, we're not in his will - we're out of it.

Don't rest until you understand this principle!

Blogging Bridges: Impatience and Irritability

The next chapter in Respectable Sins deals with an area of my life that is been a troublesome one - impatience and irritability. Bridges distinguishes between the two by defining impatience (at least in this context) as "a strong sense of annoyance at the (usually) unintentional faults and failures of others." Irritability refers to the degree or frequency of impatience, or "the ease with which a person can become impatient over the slightest provocation."

I freely admit, and Bridges wisely writes, that we tend to sin in these ways more readily in familial contexts - our true character often comes out around family. Though as a sinner, I have the ability to be impatient at any time, I tend to become more irritable and impatient when I am tired. In fact, I must be pretty hard to live with when I haven't slept in a while (right, Elizabeth?). In fact, as I write this, we are up in Pennsylvania for my sister-in-law's graduation, and arrived at 5:30 a.m. yesterday - so sleep has been scarce for us - which means impatience and irritability are right around the corner!

But Bridges did a great job in this chapter of calling me out on a tactic I use when I'm tired and irritable - he points out that context is no excuse for sin. Context, Bridges writes, "merely provide an opportunity for the flesh to assert itself." In fact, the actual cause of impatience and irritability lies within our hearts, not in my lack of sleep. I am just more prone to sin in those situations - I need to ask the Holy Spirit for even more grace and strength in those situations.

I am grateful that I have been made aware of this area of sin in my life, and like Bridges recommends, I have asked Elizabeth to help. More importantly, though, I need to acknowledge and repent of my impatience as sin - and not as excusable behavior based on the context. Moreover, I need to apply many exhortations of Paul in being patient: 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:1-2, Colossians 3:12, etc.

There was a lot more in this chapter that is worth writing about and reflecting on, including overlooking unintentional actions, love covering a multitude of sins, and even how to not respond sinfully to others who are impatient. But I don't want this to become burdensome or too long.

Blogging Bridges: Self-Control

This is one of the best chapters in Jerry Bridges' Respectable Sins - ch.13, "Self-Control." That's true of most chapters, actually.

Bridges first points out that this is a significant biblical teaching: as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5), its absence in one's life is deemed a serious defect (2 Timothy 3:3). Then Bridges convincingly illustrates how, as Christians, we often lack this important virtue:

Despite the scriptural teaching on self-control, I suspect this is one virtue that receives little conscious attention from most Christians. We have boundaries from our Christian culture that tend to restrain us from obvious sins, but within those boundaries we pretty much live as we please. ... And because we tolerate this, we become more vulnerable to other "respectable" sins. (p.110)

Bridges later speaks of a few specific areas where we "pretty much live as we please": food, temper, and personal finances. Ouch.

Bridges then makes this important note:

Biblical self-control is not a product of one's own natural will-power. We know there are plenty of unbelievers who exercise self-control in specific areas of life for the purpose of achieving some goal. But in other areas, they may live with little or no self-control. An athlete may be strict in his diet while totally lacking in control of his temper. (p.110)

In other words, the Christian's self-control needs to be generated by the Holy Spirit and a heart committed to godliness. It will manifest itself in multiple areas; it cannot be faked or "worked up."

Yet if we pinpoint in our lives one of the three areas Bridges mentioned - how we eat, our temper, or how we spend our money - I think we'll find that self-control becomes contagious. As we eat more selectively, we'll likely use our money more selectively. As Jesus said, "He who is faithful in little is also faithful in much."

And ultimately that's what this book is all about!

Good Pastors Die Young

This is a response to the last post (below), concerning Jerry Bridges' discussion of selfishness in Respectable Sins. I wanted to highlight something Bridges brought up at the end of the chapter.

During the time of the boubonic plague, in the mid-1300s, thirty to forty percent of Europe's population died. This is a staggering figure. Bridges notes that at this time, "Many priests cared for the sick and dying, and as a result, they too died. Other priests refused to help. It was said at that time that the best of the priests died and the worst of them lived."

I'd like to paraphrase that: The best pastors die and the worst ones live.

I think we can say that with confidence because Jesus said this:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24).

And the apostle Paul wrote: I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls (2 Corinthians 12:15).

Also from Paul: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

Good pastors die and bad pastors live.

Blogging Bridges: Selfishness

The next sin that Bridges tackles is that of selfishness, which Bridges acknowledges is often much easier to spot in others than in ourselves. As such, our own selfishness is often more refined than the overt selfishness we dislike in others. Bridges addresses four areas of respectable selfishness - selfishness with our interests, our time, our money, and inconsiderateness. My subtle selfishness often shows up in two ways - one at home and one at work.

At home, I love to read during any spare time I have. Often, I sinfully put reading ahead of even spending quality time with my wife. This is selfish of me, and is a sin! At work, I am very protective of my lunch hour, and often I turn down offers to go to lunch with coworkers to have some relaxing time to myself (usually reading). But lately, thanks to a friend's subtle challenge, I'm wondering if this is a good use of my time. Turning down lunch offers every time, though it is beneficial and enjoyable for me, is selfish. After all, I could use that time not to build myself up, but to be an ambassador for Christ to my coworkers. When it's framed around the kingdom of God and the necessity to share my faith, hoarding my lunch time is selfish.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:4 "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Someone who is unselfish is balancing his needs, interests, and concerns with those of others. On the other hand, the selfish person is "not only indifferent to the needs of others, but actually expects them to meet his needs and desires."

Jesus was the perfect example of unselfishness, as he became poor for our sake so that we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). He performed the ultimate act of unselfishness in taking on the wrath of God on the cross to make atonement for our sins. That's the ultimate example of unselfishness for me to follow.

Blogging Bridges: Moral High Ground?

In ch.11 of Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges discusses pride.

While some kinds of pride are far from respectable, there are a variety of subtle forms. Bridges discusses pride of correct doctrine, pride of achievement, pride of an independent spirit, and one that I'd like to discuss here - pride of moral superiority.

This is an election year. In fact, we've already had over a year of election coverage and by the time November rolls around the election cycle will have been nearly two years long. That's a lot of political news, and that's a lot of division between red and blue, Republican and Democrat, conservative and progressive. As "values voters" are courted by politicians, religious divisions are also exploited.

This is the perfect environment to grow pride. Especially the pride of moral superiority.

To understand how blinding pride can be, I point you to this earlier post. Here, I'd like to instead just paint an "election year picture" of someone who remarkably avoided the pride of moral superiority. That person is the prophet Daniel -- someone who was, in fact, morally superior to those around him! And yet this did not produce pride, but grace.

I've always been amazed by Daniel. In Daniel chapter 2, you'll see that Nebuchadnezzar was on the verge of killing all the magicians, enchanters, and sorcerers of the land. They could not solve the puzzle of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. However, Daniel was given the interpretation by God.

Think about it: To have all these pagans executed by the king would have been a tremendous boon to the "religious right." And their hands were clean - it was the king's decision, not theirs. Daniel and his friends would have complete hegemony in all things religious.

And yet...

Here's what Daniel says: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation" (Daniel 2:24).

What was he thinking? Why didn't he let them go down in flames so that the truth could march on, unhindered?

Well, that's a good question, so let me ask you: what do you think gave Daniel this attitude? Why didn't he let the "wise men" (a technical term for these soothsayers) be killed, given that they were the religious opponents of the day?

If we can answer these questions, we'll be on our way to being positive representatives for the gospel during this election season. Our mindset should be one of love toward those with whom we disagree, and a desire to witness to the truth through lives marked by mercy.

Sober Joy

I seem to be thinking a lot about current Christian music and the attitudes it contains. My wife gave me Indelible Grace III (For All The Saints) for my birthday, and it's my third IG album (of their five). Indelible Grace's goal is to "help the church recover the tradition of putting old hymns to new music for each generation, and to enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace." In the liner notes of For All the Saints, writer and producer Kevin Twit notes this big-picture mentality that they try to accomplish through their music:

This [album] has a mood of sober joy. I think reality is just sinking in a little more. The Christian life is not about closing our eyes and pretending Jesus turns all of our lemons into lemonade, and worship music should never be about helping us live out of touch with reality. Rather, worship music should deepen our gaze of Jesus and his beauty and at the same time, open our eyes to the brokenness in ourselves and our world. It should compel us to take up our cross and follow Him. We have been "ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven" - and that changes everything!

I think there seems to be a spectrum in the evangelical Protestant world related to sin and the gospel, especially as it manifests itself in "worship music." On one end, there are those who are so focused on and torn up about their own sin that they may seem to engage in self-inflicted punishment and also lose sight of the joy that bounds forth from the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ. The other end seems to have no concern for or realization of their own sin, and live as if their sin doesn't really matter ("happy-clappy" worship). When I'm "out of balance" on the spectrum, I typically fall toward the former, and focus on my own sin sometimes to a fault. I believe the right balance is the "sober joy" found somewhere in the middle, which Twit notes should be evident in our worship. Our worship (not only singing, but praying, studying, etc.) should make us more aware of our sin, more reliant on the Holy Spirit for sanctification, all the while focusing our eyes and our joy ever more on Christ. Yes, I am a great sinner, and a solemn realization of sin is of utmost importance in the Christian life (David's Psalm 51 for example), but without going to Christ for assurance of forgiveness, this mindset can be mundane or depressing.

But on the other hand, there are some songs that totally miss the picture - I'm thinking of the "I will" songs that Michael Horton often uses as examples of the watered-down, individual-focused worship songs so popular in the Christian sphere today. Songs that just proclaim the singer's intentions of "I will worship...I will bow...I will praise....I will sing...I will I will I will" without any context of why or without the focus on God totally miss the point by putting the attention on the singer ("look at me, here's what I'm doing"). We aren't doing God a favor by going to church once a week and worshiping on our own terms. On the contrary, we can only worship because through His infinite grace and mercy, God allows us to approach His holy throne in worship - worship isn't our right, it is our privilege. One popular worship song that is a prime example of this "I will" attitude doesn't even mention God by name - only by second person personal pronoun. I wonder what an unbelieving visitor would think if he heard that song being sung?. "Who are these people saying they will bow to? The pastor? The song leader?"

As a stark contrast, Indelible Grace's music has the sincere, deep texts of older hymns (often taken right from Scripture), but set to quality (and original) modern music. Examples on this album in particular include "Not What My Hands Have Done" and"Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven." The first track, "Jesus, I Come" might hint at the "I will" attitude through its title, but its lyrics are an example of coming to Christ out of our bondage and sin, recognizing that it's only through Christ that we have hope:

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee. [verse 1]

I freely admit that there are many great modern worship songs that are Christ-centered. There are also some hymns that are of the "I will" variety. I also know that music often seems to be a polarizing, emotionally-charged topic. But my point is that there is a balance to be found in our worship between increasing our awareness of our own sin and the sin in the world (Twit uses the euphemism "brokenness"), while deepening our faith and love in Christ for His work for us. I still have much to learn about exactly what this means and looks like in a worship context, and I don't think I'll ever fully know until I worship perfectly in glory.

Blogging Bridges: Unthankfulness (or Giving Thanks in Everything)

The next "respectable" or "subtle" or "acceptable" sin Bridges deals with is unthankfulness. Bridges focuses on three main areas that we are commanded to cultivate as gratitude toward God. Each one was challenging and convicting to me, and I wish I had the room to write on each one. The first area is a thankfulness for salvation, which Bridges compares to the healed leper in Luke 17. Spiritually, our condition was much worse than the leper - we were dead in our sins and God gave us a new spiritual life. How much more thankful we should be for our salvation everyday! A second area we need to be continually grateful for is the abundance of blessings God has bestowed upon us.

The third area was probably the most challenging for me, as I realized that it is a serious "respectable" sin in my life (though I was also convicted by the first two as well). This area is in giving thanks to God in everything - including when circumstances "go awry and do not turn out the way we had hoped." In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul says to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

So often I engage in the sin of ingratitude during difficult circumstances. My (sinful) tendency is to be blind to the blessings of God in that circumstance, and to not give thanks to God until after the situation has past. Then I look back and specifically give thanks to God for getting me through and working through me (hindsight it 20/20, right?). I was using Romans 8:28 (...all things work together for good...) out of context and thinking that the situation would work out in the end.

But that's not the entire meaning of that passage, as Bridges points out. Instead, verse 29 goes on to explain that the "good" in verse 28 refers to us being conformed to the image of Christ. In other words, God intends all our circumstance - good and bad - to be instruments of sanctification, of growing us more and more like Christ. We are to give thanks in faith during every difficult circumstance, trusting God's promise to conform us to the image of Christ and to develop our Christian character through the situation. Romans 8 goes on to exclaim the promise we should cling to during every circumstance: Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Bridges writes this helpful prayer for giving thanks during those difficult times:
"Father, the circumstance I am in now is difficult and painful. I would not have chosen it, but You in Your love and wisdom chose it for me. You intend it for my good, and so by faith I thank You for the good You are going to do in my life through it. Help me to genuinely believe this and be able to thank You from my heart."

Blogging Bridges: Destroying Discontentment

Jerry Bridges, "Respectable Sins" ch. 9 - Discontentment.

"Respectable sins" are those sins that we take lightly, but God does not. The next one Bridges covers is discontentment.

I just read the other day that people will spend more (and save less) depending on how much television they watch. The same holds true for time spent in shopping malls. This shouldn't surprise us, but it does point out that we live in a culture that is constantly stoking the flames of discontentment. Madison Avenue wants us (needs us?) to be discontent. That way, we will release hold of our dollars and sense.

In such an environment, contentment is rare. Yet God wants us to learn contentment. Some of us may be in God's school of contentment even now: When we are tempted to be disappointed with our possessions, circumstances, or relationships, God simultaneously urges us to exercise the muscles of contentment. These muscles may not get much use, but as we exercise them they will provide us with needed strength.

What most helped me in this chapter was this sentence:

"But as Amy Carmichael so helpfully brought out, it is neither in resignation nor submission but only in acceptance that we find peace."

There are many ways to deal with discontentment. We can resign ourselves to God's will, we can submit obediently to God, but that doesn't change anything but our outward response. To truly destroy discontentment we must accept what God has given. This distinction was very helpful to me, and provided a clear path for prayer.

A friend of Bridges provides us with this prayer, which you can make your own:

Lord, I am willing to --
Receive what you give,
Lack what you withhold,
Relinquish what you take.

And Scripture provides us with Psalm 139, also a prayer. Click here to read Psalm 139, or better yet, open the Bible in a quiet place and read through it. This psalm leads does not directly address discontentment, but it is a potent force toward contentment!

One final thought: Bridges wisely reminded us at the beginning of the chapter that there is a holy discontentment. This is a discontentment with our spiritual growth; we should always long for more of God and His Spirit. See Psalm 42. If we desire discontentment, let's at least be discontent about the right things!

An Appeal to the Working Class

The Christian life consists of worship and work. If you read through the book of Ephesians, you'll see that it divides fairly evenly between what God has done for us (resulting in praise) and how we should therefore live.

If you've been a Christian for a while, perhaps you have grown increasingly mindful of your responsibilities before God. Or perhaps you are what used to be called a "Christian worker" - someone engaged in formal or informal ministry, seeking to help others with the gospel. If so, perhaps you have noticed how easy it is for work to squeeze out worship.

I thought about this on Saturday, as I prepared to preach the following day. In fact, I can be more honest than that. I thought about this on Saturday, as I lost all energy to prepare my sermon for the following day because I was burned out! I didn't want to study and I didn't want to pray. And the reason, I am convinced, is that Christ work had squeezed out worship.

When I realized this, I stopped feeling guilty that I had no desire to prepare my sermon and I simply allowed myself some spiritual breathing space. As I was able to set my mind on God in quiet worship - as I mowed the lawn, dug out some tree stumps, played with my son, and walked the dogs - I was gradually refreshed and energized.

This train of thought led me to remember how, in the Old Testament, the worship leaders went out in front of the army:

[The king] appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 20:21)

It seems quite odd to put the worship leaders in front of the army (unless you really, really don't like the direction of the music at your church!). You would think the swordsmen or calvary would be up front, and perhaps some praise might waft in from the rear. But no, God put the priority on worship.

Our walk with God involves worship and work. We'll never work well, or battle well, if we don't worship well.

Blogging Bridges: Anxiety and Frustration

The opposite of trust in God is anxiety or frustration. When we say to someone "don't worry" or "don't be afraid," we are trying to speak encouragement to that person, Bridges says. But when Jesus, Paul or Peter say "don't be anxious," it's a moral command - in other words, anxiety is sin. Bridges says that it is sin for two reasons - first, because it is a distrust of God and second, because it is a lack of acceptance of God's sovereign will or providence in our lives.

I know that often I focus on the here-and-now when I get anxious or worrisome or restless when instead I need to turn to God's promises that speak to his sovereignty and power over every circumstance. So often do I lose sight of the fact that God's will is infinitely better than my plans or my desires. John Newton wrote that "whatever befalls us is according to his purpose, and therefore must be right and seasonable in itself, and shall in the issue be productive of good." In other words, a lack of conscious reflection on this truth results in impatience, stress, worry, complaints, and even resentment and bitterness - all forms of sin.

How much do I need God to give me a submissive heart and will when it comes to the plans for my life, and even in day-to-day circumstances. In those situations, Bridges says to bring to mind scripture that speaks to these situations (Philippians 4:6, Matthew 10:31, Matthew 6:25-34), and to pray - not only for a godly response and wisdom in dealing with the situation, but also asking God to show me what I need to learn from the situation.

An example of this from my family is forever etched in my memory. When my mom was giving birth to my older brother (I obviously wasn't there), it was a bad situation, and their health and life was "up in the air" so to speak. But instead of being scared or anxious, my mom took my dad's hand, looked him in the eye, and quoted Psalm 139:16 - "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Though the outlook was in question by human standards, God proved sovereign, and he brought my mom and brother through.

Blogging Bridges: (un)Godliness

According to Jerry Bridges, ungodliness is the root system beneath our other sins. He defines ungodliness in ch.7 as failing to keep God in our thoughts, failing to live before Him. I think the Greek word implies a worshipless life. Thus, you can be an upright citizen, a seemingly moral person, perhaps win or even host a reality show, and yet be ungodly.

And no one would care.

Just the other day I heard a Christian college professor remark how easily a diploma may be placed in a student's hands, and perhaps additional awards, marking that student as intelligent, promising, a high achiever. Yet at the very same moment, he lamented, a divine stamp might be applied: "No fear of God."

His point: that there is a human verdict and a divine verdict. We are not too bothered if God is not in someone's thoughts. Yet God finds this highly offensive.

What about you, and what about me? Are we conscious that we live before God? Do we act as if his opinion matters most, or are we content with the award ceremonies we've developed?

For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
and he ponders all his paths. (Proverbs 5:21)

In him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:17)

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)