A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. – John Calvin
“What we suffer from … is humility in the wrong place. Modesty has moved from the organ of ambition. Modesty has settled upon the organ of conviction; where it was never meant to be. A man was meant to be doubtful of himself, but undoubting of the truth; this has been exactly reversed. Nowadays, the part of a man that a man does assert is exactly the part he ought not assert – himself. The part he doubts is exactly the part he ought not doubt – the truth.” G.K. Chesterson
We live in a time where men are quick to have a kind of false humility about what the truth is. Our post-modern (the only absolute is no absolutes) society has killed the conviction of truth. It is common to hear about how nobody can be sure of truth and uncommon to hear confidence in the truth. I recently read an essay from John MacArthur in which he describes the most important reason to be discerning when it comes to doctrine. I was deeply convicted when I read it. I, to my own dismay, was not prepared to think the way MacArthur thought. His reason for discernment - the glory of God.
We are bombarded with consumerism at every turn. Pay attention to how many times the television or radio tells you to think about yourself. Flip through a magazine and count how many times there is an ad telling you to put yourself first. There is advertisement after advertisement where celebrities are telling insignificant people like you and me what we need. It is all about us. Sadly, this type of thought has invaded the church. I talked to a friend tonight about elders of a church leaving because the high school ministry didn’t have a big enough building. We have become consumers. The modern church has turned the gospel into a product. Choosing a church has become like a stroll down the cereal aisle, if you don’t like Frosted Flakes, just switch to Lucky Charms.
Yesterday I read a post on a website that basically said doctrine doesn’t matter. What matters is loving God and your neighbor. This is such a deceptive debate strategy. Of course no sane Christian would say loving God and our fellow man isn’t important, but loving God and men must be defined. Are we truly loving God if we allow him to be nothing more than a product? Does my wife want me to know her for who she is or to merely make her what I want her to be on any given day? Every relationship has finalities to accept about the other person. There are finalities to accept about God. He is who he says he is in his word. Any humility which denies biblical truth about God is false.
The bible is full of scriptures of God’s salvation being for his name’s sake. We must repent of our consumer mentality and return to a God - centered approach to scripture. The church is not ours. The church belongs to Christ. May we be diligent in pursuing true humility. May all of our efforts and passions be to the glory of God.
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Words: Reginald Heber. Music: John Dykes.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who wert and art and ever more shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
8/13/06
Some Random Thoughts - and a hymn of the day
Coming off a week's vacation that was coming off a week of a funeral, two baptisms, guests in our home has made me very tired, but also very thankful. Last night Rebecca and I were talking as we were driving home from a friend's baby shower. As we talked we focused in on a few lessons we have learned recently. I thought I would share them.
I don't know what else to call this except for random thoughts. I called them the three keys (maybe secrets or lessons) that I have learned over and over in the past few years.
Number one, God is sovereign. This is his creation and he will do with it as he pleases. He has the right to do whatever he wills and I have no right to complain or make any demands. He is completely just and holy in every decision he makes. There is no "plan b" and no mistakes in his will.
Two, the gospel is the key to growth as a Christian. So often we think of the gospel as something we learn when we are unbelievers. We think of it as something that we need to preach to others, and we forget that the gospel is the power and wisdom of God. Paul claimed to know nothing but Christ and him crucified. He preached the gospel to himself daily. The simple gospel, which tells us that Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, is what God is saying to us today. We are accepted, adopted, and loved in the sacrifice of Christ. We need no other acceptance when we believe the gospel. The gospel has turned the power system of the world on its head. Rich is poor. Great is small. Leading is serving. All of our disobedience is rooted in not believing we are who God has said we are in his beloved son.
Three, we are going to suffer and the sooner we learn to be thankful for it the closer we will be to God. Going back to point one, God is sovereign. He will accomplish his will. Thankfully, he is a loving shepherd. I listened to a sermon last week about Jacob calling God a shepherd in Genesis. We think of a sweet little lamby climbing into its shepherd's arms and baaing thanksgivings as he is carried back to the flock. In reality, the sheep runs from the shepherd out of fear and has no chance of coming home unless the shepherd's dog scares the sheep back toward the shepherd. Once the sheep runs toward the shepherd, the shepherd has to tie its legs and carry it back home. If your feet are tied and you are scared, there is a good chance the shepherd is coming after you. God allows us to suffer in order to show us that he is all we need. Everything - even the good - on earth is fleeting. There is nothing here that can handle our trust and worship, yet we place our trust in temporal things every day. John Calvin said that we are all master idol builders from the moment we are born. God allows us to suffer to show us the futility of our idols and the safety we have in him.
Earlier I mentioned the three keys we talked about. As I have been typing, I have thought of one more. So, fourthly (and lastly) we are pilgrims on this earth. Oh, how sweet it is to know this isn't home. The sweetest of life's pleasures are so temporal. When I play with my nine month old son I find myself thinking, "I wish he didn't have to grow up so fast. I already miss how he was a month ago." I am reminded over and over as I think about the fleeting pleasures of life, that there is a kingdom coming where joy will reign eternally. There is a kingdom coming where none of us get older and there is no sadness. The joys of that eternal city will cosmically outshine the sweetest of life's present joys. I would keep typing, but there is a song that says is better than I can, so here is the hymn of the day - No Abiding City by Sandra McCracken.
Oh, sweet home of love and peace
Where pilgrims tired and troubled rest
Into the hope of Zion lean
Where in Jesus’ arms we will fall at last
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
Addictions empty promises
This broken world cannot satisfy
A sweeter song redemptions bliss
Is sealed for us in paradise
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
Sprit heal our neighborhood
Until your kingdom work is done
Teach us what is just and good
As we look for the city which is yet to come
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
A city filled with and light
God the builder and the architect
When our faith is turned to sight
Oh, I cannot imagine it
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
I don't know what else to call this except for random thoughts. I called them the three keys (maybe secrets or lessons) that I have learned over and over in the past few years.
Number one, God is sovereign. This is his creation and he will do with it as he pleases. He has the right to do whatever he wills and I have no right to complain or make any demands. He is completely just and holy in every decision he makes. There is no "plan b" and no mistakes in his will.
Two, the gospel is the key to growth as a Christian. So often we think of the gospel as something we learn when we are unbelievers. We think of it as something that we need to preach to others, and we forget that the gospel is the power and wisdom of God. Paul claimed to know nothing but Christ and him crucified. He preached the gospel to himself daily. The simple gospel, which tells us that Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, is what God is saying to us today. We are accepted, adopted, and loved in the sacrifice of Christ. We need no other acceptance when we believe the gospel. The gospel has turned the power system of the world on its head. Rich is poor. Great is small. Leading is serving. All of our disobedience is rooted in not believing we are who God has said we are in his beloved son.
Three, we are going to suffer and the sooner we learn to be thankful for it the closer we will be to God. Going back to point one, God is sovereign. He will accomplish his will. Thankfully, he is a loving shepherd. I listened to a sermon last week about Jacob calling God a shepherd in Genesis. We think of a sweet little lamby climbing into its shepherd's arms and baaing thanksgivings as he is carried back to the flock. In reality, the sheep runs from the shepherd out of fear and has no chance of coming home unless the shepherd's dog scares the sheep back toward the shepherd. Once the sheep runs toward the shepherd, the shepherd has to tie its legs and carry it back home. If your feet are tied and you are scared, there is a good chance the shepherd is coming after you. God allows us to suffer in order to show us that he is all we need. Everything - even the good - on earth is fleeting. There is nothing here that can handle our trust and worship, yet we place our trust in temporal things every day. John Calvin said that we are all master idol builders from the moment we are born. God allows us to suffer to show us the futility of our idols and the safety we have in him.
Earlier I mentioned the three keys we talked about. As I have been typing, I have thought of one more. So, fourthly (and lastly) we are pilgrims on this earth. Oh, how sweet it is to know this isn't home. The sweetest of life's pleasures are so temporal. When I play with my nine month old son I find myself thinking, "I wish he didn't have to grow up so fast. I already miss how he was a month ago." I am reminded over and over as I think about the fleeting pleasures of life, that there is a kingdom coming where joy will reign eternally. There is a kingdom coming where none of us get older and there is no sadness. The joys of that eternal city will cosmically outshine the sweetest of life's present joys. I would keep typing, but there is a song that says is better than I can, so here is the hymn of the day - No Abiding City by Sandra McCracken.
Oh, sweet home of love and peace
Where pilgrims tired and troubled rest
Into the hope of Zion lean
Where in Jesus’ arms we will fall at last
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
Addictions empty promises
This broken world cannot satisfy
A sweeter song redemptions bliss
Is sealed for us in paradise
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
Sprit heal our neighborhood
Until your kingdom work is done
Teach us what is just and good
As we look for the city which is yet to come
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
A city filled with and light
God the builder and the architect
When our faith is turned to sight
Oh, I cannot imagine it
Oh, lift up your head
For the day is near
And we have no abiding city here
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