This is surely hard to believe

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

-William Cowper, 1774


O, that we would believe this!

Letters of Samuel Rutherford

I've come to love books of pastoral letters. It's a tradition that has been pretty much lost in our day (with the exception of the late Jack Miller), but I've come to see it's beauty and grace, the reality of pastoral counsel recorded to be milled over and chewed as cudd. Lately I have been reading the Letters of Samuel Rutherford, a Scottish, Puritan pastor who was exiled from his parish and forced to cease all preaching of God's word. Here is a passage from his letters that strikes me as particularly poignant and real. As you can see, Puritan pastors matched brokenness and truth in a way that bleeds humility.

"I see faith's necessity in a fair day is never known aright; but now I miss nothing so much as faith. Hunger in me runneth to fair and sweet promises; but when I come, I am like a hungry man that wanteth teeth, or a weak stomach having a sharp appetite that is filled with the very sight of meat, or like one stupified with cold under the water, that would fain come to land but cannot grip anything casten to him. I can let Christ grip me, but I cannot grip him. I love to be kissed, and to sit on Christ's knee; but I cannot set my feet to the ground, for afflictions bring the cramp upon my faith. All that I can do is to hold out a lame faith to Christ like a beggar holding out a stump, instead of an arm or leg, and cry, 'Lord Jesus, work a miracle!' O what would I give to have hands and arms to grip strongly and fold handsomely about Christ's neck and to have my claim made good with real possession! I think that my love to Christ hath feet in abundance, and runneth swiftly to be at him, but it wanteth hands and fingers to apprehend him. I think that I would give Christ every morning my blessing, to have as much faith as I have love and hunger; at least I miss faith more than love or hunger."

"Saved By His Precious Blood"

Recently, I had the great privilege and blessing of re-reading J.I. Packer's article entitled "Saved By His Precious Blood", which is an outlining of the Reformed faith. I believe this was the third time I had read the article, and I could not help but feeling inspired and, dare I say, further sanctified, as I was reading the article.

I doubt that any single article has ever affected my theology, and thus my life, in such a profound and drastic way (thus I exhort you to read this article!). When I first read the article, about 5 years ago, I was struggling with Reformed Theology (or Calvinism) and what the Bible really had to say about the manner in which God brings us to salvation and then to sanctification and glorification. This article was the resource that helped me most in my progression from being Arminian to being Reformed, as it displays a theology that is chiefly about glorifying God. While many Calvinistic arguments are based on arrogance and pride, this piece by Packer is humbly written and Christ-centered. He proposes that we should embrace the theology of God's sovereign grace, not because it communicates a high view of the gospel, but rather because (as Spurgeon once said), it is the gospel!

This essay is far superior to many other articles of a similar nature because it declares that Calvinism extends to far more than 5 points. In fact, Packer points out that the 5 points we commonly accept as Reformed Theology are actually just 1 point, that what Christ accomplished on the cross was completely effective in, not simply provided a way for sinners, but in actually effectually saving those who have been chosen by our sovereign, loving God. Packer cites the 5 points as falling far short of the glory of the Reformed faith, and expounds the wonders of the powerful, effective and saving God of the Reformed faith as compared to the puny, pleading, half-saving God of Arminianism.

If you are a Calvinist, I entreat you to read this article so that you will see the aim of our faith, to exalt God! If you are not a Calvinist, I hardly think you can reject the Reformed faith without reading this powerhouse of an article, which finds all of its potency in the voice of Scripture.

I pray that the Lord uses this article to bless others the way it has, and continues to, bless me.

Free Keller Resources

While browsing for theological resources on Monergism.com, I discovered that Tim Keller (one of my favorite preachers and pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC) is the highlighted "Monthly Focus." Now, this would be only slightly exciting except for the fact that they also offer an entire page of FREE sermons and papers by Dr. Keller! This includes Keller's "Defeater" sermons (complete with study guides), which are the basis for his new book The Reason for God, sermons on "The Cross of Christ," sermons on "Smashing False Idols," and a 12-semonn series entitled "Redeemer's Vision Campaign: A Season of Covenant Renewal."

This will keep me occupied and happy for a good, long while.

Putting Amazing Back into Grace

I've just finished reading, for the second time, a book that played a significant role in leading me to the beauty of the Bible's teaching on the principally important subject of salvation. The book is called Putting Amazing Back Into Grace by Michael Horton and it is a comprehensive introduction to what is known today as Reformed Theology. To be honest, my memory prior to this second read was only that the book had offended me with its teachings on the sovereignty of God and a completely God-centered salvation. On the first read-through I really had no categories for much of what the book was saying, but it served its purpose; it drove me to the Bible to see if all of this "election" and "priesthood of all believers" stuff was actually true. And it was.

Before continuing, I must plug this book and say that if you are contemplating such topics as "original sin" and "predestination," you will find here a kind, biblical-based approach to these questions. Not only was the book instrumental in my acceptance of the Reformed faith, it was a great aid in helping some of my college friends confront and think through some of these doctrines. If you are already Reformed, this book will make you proud of your history! Amongst the discouragements of church-life, I find the history referenced in this book encouraging and, I must say, it makes me proud of Reformed Christians in the past. Hearing about people who put the gospel, which emcompasses all of life, into action in order to love their neighbors better (and not to gain power!) spurs me on to dig deeper into these truths about God and what they mean for our society.

Some Highlights:

Hiding behind religion

"Religion is, for the most part, our way of covering ourselves, a means of sewing respectability, morality, and charity into a patchwork garment that can hide our nakedness."

This quote really hit home as I just recently read Larry Crabb's Inside Out which is basically a whole book dedicated to exposing this modern state of (much of) Christianity. Going past seeing this tragedy in churches and other Christians, I see it in myself. When was the last time you prayerfully examined what areas of your life, and especially your religion, were simply means to cover your blotches and hide your weakness? The truth, as Crabb and Horton both insist upon, is that the Christianity of Jesus exposes our weakness and inner-ugliness for everyone to see. If I'm not living in that, I'm not living in the gospel. I am also reminded of the Derek Webb song "I Repent" which is a wonderful example of what the Christian attitude should be like. On his record The House Show he gives a spoken introduction in which he preaches that we would all be better off if our deepest, darkest sins were exposed on the local news. So much of our lives are consumed with using things in our lives (especially our religion) to cover our deep crookedness. We confess that we are deeply sinful and only have hope in Christ, but our lives shout, "I'm not that bad! I couldn't be that bad! After all, how could Jesus love me if I was that bad? How could you love me if I was that bad?" And alas, if we would only confront that question, it would lead us to actually believing the good news of the gospel. Jesus insists on exposing our true nature, leaving us only to boast in his righteousness.


Christian Liberty--"an appendix to justification"

It was no surprise to me that this theme is covered in the book; however, the stress on its importance for the justified sinner was a welcomed surprise. To begin, John Calvin considered the doctrine "an appendix to justification." Calvin states:

"He who proposes to summarize gospel teaching ought by no means to omit an explanation of this topic. For it is a thing of prime necessity, and apart from a knowledge of it consciences dare undertake almost nothing without doubting; they hesitate and recoil from many things; they constantly waver and are afraid. But freedom is especially an appendage of justification and is of no little avail in understanding its power."

Wow! Now, I realize that there are many different ideas and levels of importance given to this topic in different regions and churches. To be certain, many Reformed Christians have given too great an importance to the matter. However, in many cultures (such as ::cough:: the Presbyterian church in Mexico ::cough::) the lack of the practice of Christian Liberty leaves a bite taken out of the doctrine of justification. John Calvin's quote hits home.

Horton adds to Calvin's thoughts:

"If one cannot experience and enjoy justification before God, the practical value of this amazing truth is lost even if it is given assent by those who deny Christian liberty."

"Calvin said we need to know our Christian liberty in order to 'recognize his [God's] liberality toward us.' In other words, when I enjoy a really fine meal and a bottle of superb wine with some freinds, I can say, 'Well, I hope God isn't looking. This is the last time I'll do this,' or, more likely, 'Who cares who's looking. I'm sick of those stupid rules. If God exists to tell me where to part my hair, I've had it with religion.' Or, on the other hand, I can silently thank God and think of him as the loving provider of this meal. As we laugh, tell stories, and catch up on old news, it is almost as if God is there at the table, just sitting there, laughing right along, like a father who takes pleasure in the delight of his children. In fact, this is not an image one has to conjure up; one may find it quite clearly in the life of our Lord. God incarnate, 'friend of sinners.'

To be sure, Horton (nor Calvin) do not merely leave the matter in positive light. Christian liberty can be used to sin against a weaker brother or sister. Both Horton and Calvin go into this matter, although they do clarify that the truth cuts both ways, both parties should stop passing judgement. What I want to highlight here is the Reformed stance that living in liberty is actually glorifying to God! We do not have to walk on egg shells as Christians. In fact, that is the antithesis of the Christian life. To explain Calvin with Calvin, "...we should use God's gifts for the purpose of which he gave them to us, with no scruple of conscience, no trouble of mind. With such confidence our minds will be at peace with him, and will recognize his liberality toward us...Its whole force consists in quieting frightened and disturbed consciences before God."

quote on justification by faith alone

This is an excerpt from Martin Luther's On Chrisitan Liberty, a fantastic little book explorating the doctrine of justification by faith alone that you should go buy if you don't already have it.

"The third incomparable benefit of faith is that it unites the soul with Christ as a bride is united with her bridegroom. By this mystery, as the Apostle teaches, Christ and the soul become one flesh [Eph. 5:31-32]. And if they are one flesh and there is between them a true marriage--indeed the most perfect of all marriages, since human marriages are but poor examples of this one true marriage--it follows that everything they have they hold in common, the good as well as the evil. Accordingly the believing soul can boast of and glorify in whatever Christ has as though it were its own, and whatever the soul has Christ claims as his own. Let us compare these and we shall see inestimable benefits. Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation. The soul is full of sins, death, and damnation. Now let faith come between them and sins, death, and damnation will be Christ's, while grace, life, and salvation will be the soul's; for if Christ is a bridegroom, he must take upon himself the things which are his bride's and bestow upon her the things that are his. If he gives her his body and very self, how shall he not give her all that is his? And if he takes the body of the bride, how shall he not take all that is hers?

If you don't know who this man is, you need to...

Francis Shaeffer is well-known for his philosophical and theological thought, his teachings on connecting faith and culture, and the establishment of L'Abri Fellowship, a welcoming retreat-type set-up where people can come to seek honest answers about faith and Christianity. This article is a great introduction to the strides of Shaeffer to spread a thinking, weeping Christianity.