12 November 2010
Sovereignty
I find the sovereignty of God a warm blanket. That God is all powerful and eternally sovereign and all good at the same time is comforting to me. Recently Rebekah and I had a big decision before us. It was not a decision between a bad thing and a good thing but between two good things. However this decision was not solely dependent on us just choosing, there were other factors that went a long way towards determining what we would do. The outcome was disappointing and we felt a little bit of a letdown but just before all of this happened I was listening to a podcast of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. He was talking about God’s purposes and his sovereignty and he used as an example his trip to England and how they had a schedule and there were pretty tight on keeping up with it. He said that they seemed to just catch the last train right before it rolled out, or they arrived just minutes before they needed to at the restaurant to meet friends for dinner. His point was all of these little details fall under the jurisdiction of God’s sovereign purposes. He also coupled that with the great truth for believers that everything that happens is his grace. So even though Rebekah and I were disappointed by this situation we found ourselves in, we can rest in God’s purposes, knowing that he is working out his plan. This really frees us up to be obedient and not anxious about our lives as if they were totally dependent on us. I can avoid anxiety knowing that God is in complete control and never acts apart from his goodness. I can be thankful and praise him even in disappointment. He is still God even when I don’t get what I want and that is why I praise him, because of who he is, not what he gives me. I pray that you would find rest in and trust the all-good, sovereign creator of the universe to work out the details of your life and there find peace.
03 November 2010
Voting
Every two years around election time Christians stir up old debates about voting (except our Catholic brothers and sisters) and what requirements we should have for if we vote or not and who we vote for. It seems to me that there is an increasing view that has followed on the heels of this Reformed Theology resurgence we are going through in America that says God is sovereign and therefore I won’t worry about voting because He will establish the government of his choosing. This I find to be particularly dishonoring on a couple of levels.
1) It seems to me to be dishonoring to God and his glory. To say, “I will not vote because God is sovereign in setting up the government,” implies that you know how the sovereignty of God works. One of the biggest disagreements I have heard regarding Reformed Theology is that people think because one believes that God is sovereign over the salvation of sinners that evangelism will be neglected if not completely done away with. This is a false accusation against the Doctrines of Grace. In fact it is precisely because God is sovereign that one should engage in evangelism. A God who is in complete control can save anyone he wills, so why we would not bring the gospel to all we can? And we learn from Romans 10 that the primary means by which he rescues sinners from death is through preaching of men. It seems to me to follow that if God exercises his sovereignty over the salvation of sinners through human agents, why would something like the setting up of governments be any different? To assume we have no part in bringing the will of God to bear on earth is, in my mind arrogant and does harm to the glory of God.
2) Using God’s sovereignty as a reason to not act dishonors you. You are trying to excuse your own ignorance and laziness under to guise of depending wholly on the sovereignty of God. This is really the same point as above but from the other point of view. God’s sovereignty is not a means by which we can absolve ourselves of the responsibility of our actions or inactions. And to try and use God’s sovereignty in this manner does harm not only to God’s glory but to your honor in trying to follow him. To make my point, imagine there is a proposition on the ballot about Hate Speech (in the not too distant future we may see such a proposition and we have already seen such laws be created in the UK and be used to silence those who would proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ). So you don’t go vote against such a proposition and it passes. Did you do all you could for the glory of God, the body of believers in this country, or those who need to hear the message of repentance and forgiveness? And do you think your ignorance of such a proposition would excuse you? We have an obligation to seek the best for our country and the people who live there (Jer. 29).
Now all that being said, do I think not voting is a sin? Probably not; however the enemy does use many means to try and derail the advance of the Kingdom of God including plausible arguments. Watching TV is not sinful innately but how many of us have allowed too much TV inhibit our pursuit of God and holiness and justified it as not sinful? And when in the past has self-justification worked out well for us?
Think. That is my big point. Think about what God would have you to do. Pursue him and he will let you know what you should do. And please do not use God’s sovereignty to try and excuse your irresponsibility.
1) It seems to me to be dishonoring to God and his glory. To say, “I will not vote because God is sovereign in setting up the government,” implies that you know how the sovereignty of God works. One of the biggest disagreements I have heard regarding Reformed Theology is that people think because one believes that God is sovereign over the salvation of sinners that evangelism will be neglected if not completely done away with. This is a false accusation against the Doctrines of Grace. In fact it is precisely because God is sovereign that one should engage in evangelism. A God who is in complete control can save anyone he wills, so why we would not bring the gospel to all we can? And we learn from Romans 10 that the primary means by which he rescues sinners from death is through preaching of men. It seems to me to follow that if God exercises his sovereignty over the salvation of sinners through human agents, why would something like the setting up of governments be any different? To assume we have no part in bringing the will of God to bear on earth is, in my mind arrogant and does harm to the glory of God.
2) Using God’s sovereignty as a reason to not act dishonors you. You are trying to excuse your own ignorance and laziness under to guise of depending wholly on the sovereignty of God. This is really the same point as above but from the other point of view. God’s sovereignty is not a means by which we can absolve ourselves of the responsibility of our actions or inactions. And to try and use God’s sovereignty in this manner does harm not only to God’s glory but to your honor in trying to follow him. To make my point, imagine there is a proposition on the ballot about Hate Speech (in the not too distant future we may see such a proposition and we have already seen such laws be created in the UK and be used to silence those who would proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ). So you don’t go vote against such a proposition and it passes. Did you do all you could for the glory of God, the body of believers in this country, or those who need to hear the message of repentance and forgiveness? And do you think your ignorance of such a proposition would excuse you? We have an obligation to seek the best for our country and the people who live there (Jer. 29).
Now all that being said, do I think not voting is a sin? Probably not; however the enemy does use many means to try and derail the advance of the Kingdom of God including plausible arguments. Watching TV is not sinful innately but how many of us have allowed too much TV inhibit our pursuit of God and holiness and justified it as not sinful? And when in the past has self-justification worked out well for us?
Think. That is my big point. Think about what God would have you to do. Pursue him and he will let you know what you should do. And please do not use God’s sovereignty to try and excuse your irresponsibility.
01 November 2010
Hell
This morning I woke up thinking about Hell, it was Monday after all. But in all seriousness I was thinking about Hell this morning, and the occasion for my thoughts turning to that dreadful reality were two sermons I have listened to recently. One titled “Did Jesus believe in Hell?” by Kevin DeYoung, and the other this week’s (Oct.31st) sermon by the pastor at my home church. During the sermon at Providence this weekend Hell was referred to several times as separation from God. While I do not deny that in Hell there will be separation from God and this is punishment in itself, what I do doubt is that separation from God is the only or worst punishment in Hell. As I was thinking through this topic this morning my thoughts turned to people who have received 3+ degree burns on their bodies. Those people must be put into a coma basically to be able to withstand the pain and agony of their flesh being burned that badly. From scripture we can determine that Hell is place of consciousness and physical existence. That is how Jesus refers to Hell. And the word Jesus uses is gehenna referring to a valley to the south of Jerusalem that in Jesus’ day was basically a trash heap that burned continually. Before that this particular valley was the valley where the Israelites who were caught up in idol worship would sacrifice their babies by placing them in the hands of a giant idol to be burned alive. This is what is in the mind of our Lord when he speaks of “outer darkness” or Hell, this is where is saying are those where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. To be sure, as in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, separation from God is a huge part of the torment of Hell, I think it is insufficient. If separation from God were all the punishment man could expect from Hell then why did Jesus suffer so on the cross?
So why am I thinking about this? 1) If Hell is merely separation from God and not more, then what effect will it have on those Christians wish to see come the Christ? Plenty of people live perfectly normal, “happy” lives who are separated from God and they don’t feel any punishment. Granted separation from God will be different once people see him face to face and KNOW what they would be missing out on. However I think Christians do a disservice to the people they wish to see converted if they speak of Hell only as separation from God as this is the state they are in presently, most without any remorse. 2) That Hell is a place of everlasting, conscience torment in the form of burning, weeping, gnashing of teeth, should motivate the believer to be more urgently “preach” the gospel. One thing about living in America is that we are isolated from much suffering, and especially the type of suffering that most of the rest of world sees daily. As this is the case we often don’t know how to handle witnessing such suffering and in fact we avoid it as much as possible. This weakens our understanding of what those who don’t know Christ are headed for. Knowing then what Hell will be like should stir the believer’s compassion for the lost in such a way that we are compelled to share the gospel. 3) Just because Hell is a reality doesn’t mean anyone should be resigned to going there. If Jesus is God, and is thus all-good, and all-powerful, who then is out of the reach of his grace? Jesus is a victorious Savior. He has overcome sin and death. Are you living in that victory, not your own victory over besetting sin, but the victory of Jesus? And are you speaking of Jesus in this way to those who are lost? Believer’s experience this victory through humility and helplessness. The refrain should be, “God did for me what I could not do for myself and he can do it for you too.” Do you care for the lost around you? Then why are you not telling them of the rescue they have from an eternity of torment? Why are you afraid to tell them of Jesus who is the only way to eternity with God? The loving thing to do would be to tell them of their fate as it stands apart from Jesus and then live out the fate of those who know and love this victorious Messiah.
I am done but I would encourage you to listen to the song I have linked here by Billy and Cindy Foote. Make it your prayer. And if you don’t know this victorious Jesus, ask me or someone you know who is a Christian if they will tell you the story of his victory over sin and death.
For our Joy
So why am I thinking about this? 1) If Hell is merely separation from God and not more, then what effect will it have on those Christians wish to see come the Christ? Plenty of people live perfectly normal, “happy” lives who are separated from God and they don’t feel any punishment. Granted separation from God will be different once people see him face to face and KNOW what they would be missing out on. However I think Christians do a disservice to the people they wish to see converted if they speak of Hell only as separation from God as this is the state they are in presently, most without any remorse. 2) That Hell is a place of everlasting, conscience torment in the form of burning, weeping, gnashing of teeth, should motivate the believer to be more urgently “preach” the gospel. One thing about living in America is that we are isolated from much suffering, and especially the type of suffering that most of the rest of world sees daily. As this is the case we often don’t know how to handle witnessing such suffering and in fact we avoid it as much as possible. This weakens our understanding of what those who don’t know Christ are headed for. Knowing then what Hell will be like should stir the believer’s compassion for the lost in such a way that we are compelled to share the gospel. 3) Just because Hell is a reality doesn’t mean anyone should be resigned to going there. If Jesus is God, and is thus all-good, and all-powerful, who then is out of the reach of his grace? Jesus is a victorious Savior. He has overcome sin and death. Are you living in that victory, not your own victory over besetting sin, but the victory of Jesus? And are you speaking of Jesus in this way to those who are lost? Believer’s experience this victory through humility and helplessness. The refrain should be, “God did for me what I could not do for myself and he can do it for you too.” Do you care for the lost around you? Then why are you not telling them of the rescue they have from an eternity of torment? Why are you afraid to tell them of Jesus who is the only way to eternity with God? The loving thing to do would be to tell them of their fate as it stands apart from Jesus and then live out the fate of those who know and love this victorious Messiah.
I am done but I would encourage you to listen to the song I have linked here by Billy and Cindy Foote. Make it your prayer. And if you don’t know this victorious Jesus, ask me or someone you know who is a Christian if they will tell you the story of his victory over sin and death.
For our Joy
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