Reformation Day Reading - Luther's "Christian Liberty"

On this day, in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, an act which seemed inconsequential at the time but became the spark for the Protestant Reformation. For that reason, October 31st is not only Halloween, but more significantly for those of us who cherish the Protestant understanding of the Christian faith, it is "Reformation Day". With that in mind, I set out this week to re-read Christian Liberty, a little tract written by Martin Luther that I had first read in seminary. In it, Luther describes the Christian faith in a clear, powerful, and memorable way.

Luther sets out to explain the true freedom a person comes to possess and enjoy in Christ. As I read it, I thought about the very title of the booklet: "Christian Liberty". Many people would consider that an oxymoron, since by nature we are prone to view Christianity is anything but the way of true freedom. Christ is not the source of personal freedom, but a threat to it!

In any case, Luther begins the work with this seemingly paradoxical statement:

I shall set down the following two propositions concerning the freedom and the bondage of the spirit:

A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.

A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.

As he goes on to explain, a Christian is perfectly free in that he no longer pursues good works as a means of salvation. Moreover, he is a "lord" because God causes all things - even the cross and death - to serve his salvation. And a Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all in that he is called to serve his neighbor for the sake of Christ. Indeed, he is to be nothing less than a Christ to his neighbor.

The key to this paradox is understanding that a Christian, because he possesses all things in Christ through faith and faith alone, has no need to pursue works as a means of obtaining righteousness and eternal life. And because of his deliverance from works as a means of salvation, a Christian is now free to serve. Therefore, according to Luther, a Christian ought to think this way:

Although I am an unworthy and condemned man, my God has given me in Christ all the riches of righteousness and salvation without any merit on my part, out of pure, free mercy, so that from now on I need nothing except faith which believes this is true. Why should I not therefore freely, joyfully, with all my heart, and with an eager will do all things which I know are pleasing and acceptable to such a Father who has overwhelmed me with his inestimable riches? I will therefore give myself as a Christ to my neighbor, just as Christ offered himself to me; I will do nothing in this life except what I see is necessary, profitable, and salutary to my neighbor, since through faith I have an abundance of all good things in Christ.

Again, the freedom of the Christian consists in his full and free justification apart from works. But this freedom, which is through Christ, is a freedom to become like Christ - a humble servant of others:

Although the Christian is thus free from all works, he ought in his liberty to empty himself, take upon himself the form of a servant, be made in the likeness of men, be found in human form, and to serve, help, and in every way deal with his neighbor as he sees that God through Christ has dealt and still deals with him.

In this way, Luther in this tract draws out for the Christian the implications of that glorious Reformation truth which Luther championed, justification by faith alone.

I'm no scholar of Luther or Calvin, but my understanding is that while Luther emphasized the doctrine of justification by faith alone, Calvin gave far more stress in his theology to the believer's union with Christ. Which is why I found the following passage remarkable. In it Luther gives a thrilling description of our being united with Christ as a bride is with her bridegroom:

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?

Here is the "great exchange" - we give Christ our sin and death, he gives us his righteousness and life. And by faith in Christ we obtain eternal salvation and enjoy perfect freedom. Now there is something worth celebrating on October 31st!

Herman Bavinck on the Internet

Well, sort of. Herman Bavinck died in 1921, so technically he couldn't have written about the internet (but in one sense, he is "on" the internet - see the Bavinck blog). However, an article I came across today - on the internet! - reminded me of something I had read in Bavinck's Prolegomena.

According to the article, today is the 40th birthday of the internet. Way back in 1969, on October 29th, a team of computer engineers, led by a Professor Leonard Kleinrock, enabled two distant computers to "talk" to each other for the very first time. And the rest, as they say, is history.

This is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, I had no idea the internet is almost as old as me (I was born in August of that year). So, when I tell my children, "Listen, when I was your age, there was no such thing as the internet!", I now know that statement is technically incorrect. And this is good to know, because if there is a logical or factual flaw in anything I say, sooner or later my eldest daughter will discover it and try to use it to her advantage.

Second, it is interesting because of how much a part of peoples' lives the internet has become since its invention four decades ago. The internet is certainly a big part of my life. Whether that is a good thing or not is debatable, but the fact is I find it hard to imagine what life was ever like before e-mail, Facebook, online shopping, online news, Wikipedia, blogs, internet radio, Google maps, st.louis.cardinals.mlb.com, and so on.

The internet is a two-edged sword. Like any technology, it is morally neutral in itself but in our hands it becomes an instrument either for good or for ill. E-mail and Facebook is a wonderfully convenient way to communicate with others, and to stay in touch with friends. But is my life really enriched by knowing what 80's song my college buddy is most like?

And I'm not convinced the internet saves us much time. Sure, it is much faster to send pictures to relatives via e-mail or Facebook, compared with the old-fashioned method of developing film and using "snail-mail". But the internet could very well be the biggest time-wasting device ever created (it may be a toss-up between it and television). Who hasn't kicked himself after spending needless time on the computer, knowing there are far more pressing and important things to be done? When it's all said and done, the increasingly-rare person who avoids all things internet may prove to be the wisest among us.

I'm also struck by the strange way the internet distorts human relations and interpersonal communication. I've known of an online "dating" relationship that completed fizzled once the two people actually met in person. Typing words onto a screen is a wholly inadequate substitute for face-to-face interaction. And, the internet is probably the world's worst forum for engaging in theological (or political) debate. I can't believe some of things Christians will say online.

On an even more serious level, the internet has been the means for all sorts of wickedness. What immediately comes to mind is the pornography epidemic it has fostered. If the devil tried to create the perfect tool to make pornography as accessible as possible to as many people as possible, all as secretly as possible, he would have invented the internet. And this torrent of online pornography only spawns more depraved and dangerous sexual sin.

On the other hand, the internet can serve the interests of the Kingdom of God. Used rightly, it can be a great tool for the church (though it can never be a substitute for the church!). I personally benefit from various Christian websites, blogs, online books, articles, lectures, and sermons. And I'm sure many, many other believers profit as well from the all the good resources online.

What does Bavinck have to do with all this? In a section in which he discusses the necessity of written Scripture, Bavinck argues that the increasing complexity of the world demands a fixed and unchanging, and thus inscripturated, Word of God:

Scripture is the word of God that has completely entered into the world. It makes that word universal and everlasting, and rescues it from error and lies, from oblivion and transcience. To the degree that humankind becomes larger, life becomes shorter, the memory weaker, science more extensive, error more serious, and deception more brazen, the necessity of Holy Scripture increases. (472)

And then what he wrote next is extremely relevant for our information and internet age:

Print and the press are gaining in significance in every area of life. The invention of printing was a giant step to heaven and to hell.

If the printing press was a giant step to heaven and to hell, how much more so the internet?

Another word on memorizing scripture

I came across a passage today from Herman Bavinck's Prolegomena that also testifies to the value of memorizing Scripture. He isn't writing about that topic per se, but what he says is certainly relevant:

All believers have the experience that in the best moments of their life they are also most firm in their belief in Scripture. The believer's confidence in Christ increases along with their confidence in Scripture and, conversely, ignorance of the Scriptures is automatically and proportionately ignorance of Christ (Jerome). (pg. 440)

In other words, we cannot grow in the knowledge of Christ, unless we are growing in confidence in, and knowledge of, the Bible. So to memorize Scripture, as unexciting and mundane it may seem at times, is one sure path to growing in the grace and knowledge of the person of Christ. 

Memorizing Scripture

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11

I don't know the Bible as well as I ought. I'll be honest, as a pastor, there are times when I am embarrassed by my lack of mastery of the Scriptures. When speaking with others, relevant passages will come to mind, but I cannot recite them verbatim. So I'll say something like, "I'm paraphrasing here, but in some place Jesus said,..." Or every so often, someone will ask, "Where is the verse that says (such and such)?" And I'm a bit ashamed when I can't give a quick answer.

It's only a small consolation to know I'm not alone in this. We live in a day and age in which most people are biblically illiterate. I remember once, before I became a Christian, watching a football game on T.V. with a friend who grew up in a church-going home. After the screen flashed the ubiquitous "John 3:16" sign someone was holding up, I asked my friend, "I see that everywhere - what does that mean?" I had no idea, but even worse, my church-going friend didn't know either! So, both in and out of the church, people simply don't know the Bible.

And in case you're wondering, John 3:16 says - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." It's O.K., I didn't know it either!

While this ignorance is understandable, at least for Christians, it's inexcusable. Obviously the solution is to read and study the Bible more. But an indispensable part of that study is committing Scripture to memory. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." The way to store up God's Word in your heart is to memorize it.

Psalm 1 says the man is blessed who delights "in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night" (v.2). The word "meditate" in Hebrew means literally to "groan" or "utter". The idea is that of a person going over and over in his mind some portion of God's Word, muttering it to himself as he does. Here you see the close connection between meditation and memorization. Memorizing Scripture is really forced meditation. As you say the same words over and over, they become fixed both in your heart and mind.

This is one great value of a diligent and consistent effort to memorize Scripture - you are meditating on God's Word. And in the hustle and bustle and push and pull of our complicated, busy, distracted lives, if you don't plan to meditate on, and memorize, Scripture, it won't happen. In the parable of the sower, when Jesus spoke of the thorns that will choke the word that has been implanted in the heart, he said that they stand for, among other things, "the cares of the world" (Mark 4:19). As busy people taken up with all sorts of concerns and worries, we must take care lest the cares of the world leave no more room in our minds for thoughts of God. Thus, memorizing verses and passages will help you to ponder and meditate on God's Word. And, as Psalm 1 says, this is the way to be blessed.

Another benefit of memorizing Scripture is that once you commit a verse or passage to memory, it becomes yours; you own it. The Spirit will bring it to mind at just the right time to minister to you, or through you, to another. And that brings up another reason to commit Scripture to memory, especially for preachers. If you are a pastor, I am convinced that nothing will make your preaching and teaching ministry more effective over the long haul than a growing mastery of God's Word. When I preach or teach, or counsel, how I wish I knew the Bible better! Nothing lends weightiness to a minister's words than a well-chosen verse or passage that speaks right to the heart of a matter.

How do you go about memorizing Scripture? It helps if you are young! Children have an amazing capacity to memorize, and I am glad my kids are memorizing both Scripture and catechism (and, I have to give a hearty thanks to their Sunday School teachers, and to their mother, who regularly assign them Bible verses to memorize).

If you're not young, here is what works for me. I work on memorizing a larger passage at the same time as three or four different verses. Right now, I am trying to memorize Psalm 119 and at the same time various New Testament verses. I work on Bible memorization 15 minutes at a time, using 3 X 5 note cards. I don't get to it every day, and there will be stretches of days or even weeks at a time when I don't work on memorization (it's a lot like physical exercise that way). But the beautiful thing about memorizing Scripture is, it is always time well spent. And diligence and consistency will pay big dividends.

Now, I will say the following not in order to boast, but to show that it is possible even for someone with average intelligence to memorize a large portion of Scripture: while I was serving as a one-year pastoral intern, I memorized the entire book of Romans. All 16 chapters. I did it for one hour of seminary credit, but the real benefit was getting into Romans, and getting Romans into me. I couldn't recite it now, but the exercise was still worth every minute I put into it.

Paul says in Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." One sure way to have Christ's Word indwelling in you richly, is to commit it to memory. Memorizing is hard work - it is grunt work! - but it is never wasted time.

One Monday in the life of the Johnson family

Here's a photo tour of our day. Monday is my day off, and I usually spend it with Robyn and the kids.

On Mondays, just like on Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and Fridays, and Saturdays, and Sundays, I like to start off with a hot cup of coffee. Maggie was awake, and seem interested in the coffee-making process, so I taught her how to do it. I'm always looking to give my children new and exciting learning opportunities. What could be more exciting than learning how to make dad's morning coffee!

Here is our usual Monday breakfast - cinnamon rolls. Robyn makes these from whole-grain wheat, and so they are very healthy.

What every kid loves - a trip to the dentist! The three older kids had their teeth cleaned today. And, believe it or not, they were very excited to go. We'll see how long that lasts. Here's Sander, "laid-back" and ready to get those choppers cleaned.

In addition to the free toothbrush, floss, sticker, and toy each child received, they each also got to take home flavored chapstick. Moriah spent the rest of day applying it to her lips. Though Moriah gives us a lot to worry about, at least today we did NOT have to worry about her precious lips getting chapped. I told Robyn, trying to be witty, "We should start calling Moriah 'Suzy Chapstick'." Silence. I forgot my rule with Robyn - no references to pre-1985 popular culture (I'm a tad older than her, you see).

Here's Meredith waiting patiently for her turn in the dentist's chair. As you can see, she is a reader.

After the dentist, it was off to one of our favorite Monday destinations - Wal-Mart! Moriah took it upon herself to add one apple to our cart. Maybe licking her fruit-flavored lips all day gave her a hankering for the real thing.

 Monica is safely ensconced in her child-seat cocoon.

If you factor in Monica's car seat, we are a TWO cart Wal-Mart family. 

Our plan was to spend some time at another favorite local haunt, Wonderland Park. As you can see, the weather was less than "wonder"ful. So, instead....

...we to a new cafe in town, The Metro. Here the kids are enjoying a peach and cherry steamer. 

Meredith had her first swimming lesson today. I was proud of how hard she tried. 

There you go - a fairly typical Monday for the Johnsons.

Sunday night recap

First, baseball. I just read that Tony La Russa will very likely be returning as the Cardinals' skipper in 2010. I am glad to hear it. Like all Cards fans, I still have a very bitter taste in my mouth after the 2009 post season: three games, three losses. There is some unfinished work to be done, and who better to see to it than "TLR"?

Now, for the real business of the day - worship. Worship was the general theme of my morning sermon. I preached from Matthew 21:12-17, the account of Jesus cleansing the temple. Matthew includes the intriguing detail that Jesus, after wreaking havoc on the merchantmen and moneychangers, healed the blind and the lame. It is very likely that these people were limited in their access to the temple because of their physical defects (a supposition based on Leviticus 21:18 and 2 Samuel 5:8). For that reason, Jesus' healed them for the very purpose that they might draw near to the altar of God for worship. The lesson for us is that, in order to truly worship God, we must first be healed by Jesus. Christ must cleanse us from our sin and guilt, making us whole, so that we might draw near to God and worship him.

In the evening I preached from Romans 7:14-25. The great question interpreters have struggled to answer is, was Paul speaking of his pre-conversion state, or of his experience as a believer? Following John Murray, whose commentary I am using for my sermons, I based my sermon on the latter understanding. Paul was writing about his struggle with sin as a Christian. I said that, in this passage, the apostle comes within an inch of disowning his sin, i.e., blaming it on the sinful nature within him (v.20). But he says this not to evade responsibility for his sin, but in order to argue that, because he belongs to Jesus Christ, sin is a contradiction of his most basic identity. And as Christians in the heat of the battle against sin, we also must remember that before all else, we are those united to Christ. In a very real sense, our sin is a contradiction of who we are.

I talked with a member after the service about this passage. We both agreed that it is one which can easily be mis-applied, to make excuses for sinning. But, I believe this passage, properly understood, should be a great encouragement for us as we engage in the very difficult struggle with sin.

It was a good day at church. Like always, there were reasons to be encouraged, plus one or two things that were less than encouraging. But, if I believe the words I preached this morning, we were gathered before the presence of Christ to worship him. And that is always a good thing.      

Not glorious enough

About this time each year, I take our cars to a local tire shop to have studded tires put on for the winter. This is a ritual known up here as "change over". This morning, as I waited for the shop to open (it's a good idea to arrive early since everybody else is doing change over, too), I finished listening to a debate between Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson on the existence of God. I wrote earlier that this debate, and others between them, is the subject of Collision, a new movie soon to be released.

I also wrote that I was struck by Hitchens' worshipful tone as he spoke about the transcendent beauty of the universe. His point was that an atheist, though he denies the existence of God, is not unable to appreciate the numinous and awe-inspiring. In fact, according to Hitchens, only by jettisoning age-old religious superstitions has man been able to discover the beauty of our universe. He appealed to the stunning images of the far reaches of space taken by the Hubble Space Telescope (thus the starry picture above). How can anyone say that a burning bush in the wilderness is more glorious, or beautiful than that? Or how can the miracle of Jesus casting a legion of demons into a herd of swine be considered anything other than vulgar in comparison to the revelation of beauty found in nature?

I believe there are good answers to these questions. But, what I found fascinating in his argument was the explicit language of worship. He spoke of the "absolute magnificence," "underlying beauty," "majesty", and "awe" of nature. This is why I believe that Hitchens may be in fact closer to pantheism than atheism. Though he denies God, he transfers to nature the language of worship and awe that properly belongs to God.

What Hitchens implies by all of this, is that nature, or creation, is sufficient in itself to satisfy our innate longing to experience the transcendent, the glorious, the numinous. And there I believe he is wrong. As awe-inspiring as the Hubble images may be, they, or any wonder of creation, cannot in the end answer to our God-given longing for eternity. Nature is finite, but we are created in the image of an infinite and eternal God. And we were made to know him. "He...put eternity into man's heart" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Therefore, nothing less than God can satisfy our longing for the transcendent. Hitchens has replaced God with nature, and is in effect worshiping what John Calvin called a "shadow diety".

Ravi Zacharias said, somewhere, that the only thing that can sustain wonder in the human heart is another person. God has given us the creation, with all its beauty, so that we would be led by it to know the Creator who made it. Only when we look to God do we find the one source of beauty, majesty, and wonder that will fully satisfy our heart's longing for the eternal and transcendent.    

When Jesus prayed his high priestly prayer in John 17, he said, "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world" (v.24). Jesus knows what is the deepest longing of our hearts, and that is to see (and worship) that which is infinitely, eternally glorious. That glory is not found in nature, but in Christ.

Miscellaneous

Last night I took the lovely and talented Mrs. Johnson out for a long-overdue date night. The three of us - Monica goes wherever mom goes - had a relaxing time. First we enjoyed a delicious meal at a new tapas restaurant in Wasilla called The Grape Tap. We followed that with some coffee and checkers at Pandemonium, a favorite coffee shop of ours. With all humility, and all due respect for my worthy checkers opponent, I crushed her. Though it's probably not fair to play any game involving thought with someone who has spent all day at home with five young children. But, excuses aside, for now I am the reigning checkers champ in the Johnson home. 

While running today, I listened to an engaging debate between atheist Christopher Hitchens and Christian pastor Douglas Wilson. I didn't catch the title, but the subject was the existence of God. There are several reasons why this debate interests me, the first being simply the subject itself. I am also a bit familiar with both men. I love reading Hitchens - he's such a good writer. As for Wilson, he is well-known among evangelicals, especially Reformed Christians. I'm not a particularly huge fan of his, but I've profited from some of his writings. 

Also, the debate took place at my alma mater, Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. I wish I had been there to see it! At any rate, I'm about half-way through it. Both men are intelligent and well-spoken, so I don't anticipate a clear "winner" emerging. Like all debates of this sort, the atheists will think the atheist won, and the theists will be sure the theist came out on top.

My impression of Hitchens' main argument is that it comes perilously close to pantheism - nature and God are one and the same. I say this because he emphasized his belief (!) that we can find beauty, and transcendence, and wonder in nature with no need to reference a divine being. In other words, he almost spoke in worshipful tones about the glories of our universe. That struck me. 

There's a documentary coming out soon featuring a series of debates between the two men, of which this was just one. It's called Collision, and should be fun viewing. 

Sander - "The Boy"

My sister, when talking with my parents, used to refer to me as "the boy". She did this after we had already grown up, just because it sounded kind of funny. As though I was more of an afterthought than a full-fledged child such as herself: there's Meredith, and then there's "the boy". She didn't mean anything by it but to be funny, and you probably had to know my sister to appreciate the humor of it.

But with four sisters, our only son, Sander, really is "the boy". And if there is anyone who thinks gender differences are wholly shaped by culture and environment, and not hardwired by God into our very DNA, then I invite you to stay a few days at our house to see the difference first-hand. 

Without any prompting or pushing on our part, Sander has taken an interest in sports. I thought about that today as I was playing Nerf-ball catch with him in the living room. As far as I can remember, our two older daughters have never asked me to play catch with them (however, they do like to join in when Sander and I are playing). I also don't recall our girls making sound effects. Without teaching or example, Sander started making sound effects, often to accompany his description of shooting something. And he likes to "announce" baseball plays: "grand slam home run by Albert Pujols!" There's no question in my mind this boyish stuff comes from within. He's a guy, he can't help it. 

I love my girls dearly, but with four daughters, I'm sure glad we have "the boy" around, too.

Sunday night recap

Sunday's are always long days, but today was even longer since I was up at 5:00 a.m. This was not by choice, at least not my choice. Moriah decided at that time that she just had to have her doll, and so did what she always does when she needs something in the middle of the night: she called out to Mom and Dad (just like some alarm clocks, her cry for help begins quietly and then slowly increases in volume until it can no longer be ignored). So I got up and gave her her "baby". And there was no going back to sleep after that. This sort of thing happens more often than I would like, but "this too shall pass." At least I don't have to wake up once or twice each night to feed Monica.

Rob, a member of the church, taught the adult Sunday School class. Today's passage was Genesis 4:1-16, in which Cain murders his younger brother Abel. The best question we pondered was, why did the Lord accept Abel's sacrifice but not Cain's? There is no definitive answer to that, other than "by faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain" (Hebrews 11:4).

At the morning service, the ranks were thinned somewhat. Many of the missing were out of town or sick. We're definitely in the sick season; I was out of commission myself on Thursday due a virus. Thankfully (if I was superstitious, I would knock on wood at this point), our family has avoided the flu and viruses (other than mine) thus far. However, I can't help but think our time will come soon enough.

At the evening service, I preached from Romans 7:7-13, in which Paul explains how the law, though in itself is "holy and righteous and good," becomes the means by which sin comes alive in the human heart, grows, and ultimately destroys the sinner. So God's law is inherently good, yet through it sin shows itself to be "sinful beyond measure." The good news, as I pointed out, is that as we - by God's grace - become conscious of our sin in response to God's law, we also become conscious of our desperate need for a Savior. And so the law in this way leads us to Christ.

We had an amusing conversation at dinner time. For some reason, we got on the subject of cameras, and Robyn and I found ourselves explaining how in the "old days" people had to use something called "film" to take pictures. And in that primitive era, you couldn't immediately see the picture you just took. Someday I'll tell them about really ancient technology, such as the 8-track cassette or the rotary phone.

Come visit Alaska - young or old

I wasn't planning to post a blog tonight, but in reading a few pages from Alaska - Saga of a Bold Land before bedtime, I came across this interesting quote from a 19th-century visitor to Alaska:

"There is one word of advice and caution to be given to those intending to visit Alaska for pleasure, for sightseeing. If you are old, go by all means; but if you are young, wait. The scenery of Alaska is much grander than anything else of the kind in the world, and it is not well to dull one's capacity for enjoyment by seeing the finest first."

I agree with the observation that the scenery of Alaska is unbeatable. But I disagree with the counsel to wait until you're old to come and visit. We like visitors, so we want you to come while you're still young!

Sinclair Ferguson on Romans

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson is the senior minister of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. He once was a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, but by the time I studied there, he had left to serve elsewhere. I was fortunate enough, however, to sit under his teaching for one winter term class. I wish I had had the opportunity to study under him much more than that.

However, he is still one of my teachers. I've read some of his books, and have listened to some of his lectures and sermons on tape and online. For what it's worth, in my opinion, he is one of the most gifted teachers and preachers serving the church today.

For my devotional reading, I'm working my way through Dr. Ferguson's book, In Christ Alone. This morning's chapter was on the book of Romans, which I found especially engaging since I am now preaching through Romans in the evening services. 

Ferguson reminded me in this chapter that the gospel, as expounded so fully in Romans, is the gospel of grace. Though not an original insight by any means, it is refreshing to hear this again - we are saved by the sheer grace of God through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ.

Ferguson writes: "This gospel of God, Paul's gospel, is massive. And what makes it so is grace - sheer, undiluted, overwhelming grace. Massive grace!" Of course, to see why he says that, you must read the chapter. Or better yet, read Romans itself.

But I like the thought that grace is massive. I pray that I, and those who sit under my preaching in the evening services, will be struck by the force of this amazing grace as we study Romans together.

Derek Kidner on Psalm 81

Every Wednesday evening we have a prayer meeting at the church. It's small, usually just two (or sometimes three) families, counting my own. I would be encouraged if more attended. But, we pray believing Christ is also present, and that God will in some way use our prayers to advance his kingdom.

Each week we briefly read and discuss a Psalm. We started with Psalm 1, and tonight we looked at Psalm 81. Since there are 150 total Psalms, we are more than half-way through the Psalter. So, as I've discovered with the Calvin's Institutes study group, with regular and consistent meetings, it's amazing how much progress can be made over time through an intimidatingly long book. In the same way, I just finished yesterday the first volume of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics. It's over 600 pages long and not exactly breezy reading. I started a few years ago, read it in fits and starts, and probably never read more than 10 pages in one sitting. Now I'm ready to tackle volume 2. I may not finish until 2013, but that's alright.

Back to the Psalm 81, one of my favorite commentators on the Psalms is Derek Kidner. He's scholarly and a solid exegete, but what sets him apart from most other commentators is how well he writes. He can pack more thought into a few short words better than any other biblical commentator I've come across. And he always seems to capture the heart of what a verse or passage is saying.

For example, Psalm 81:11 says,

But my people did not listen to my voice; 
Israel would not submit to me.

Kidner writes: "The distaste of my people for my voice and for me is almost too common to seem inconsistent. Yet it is as if the lock rejected its key, or the fledgling its parent; such was the demented human material God handled, and handles."

That is just one example that I happened to come across tonight. But as I read him earlier today, I thought how nice it is to read a commentary that is so well-written. I read several commentaries in the course of my weekly sermon preparation, and some of them (mostly the newer, academic sort) read like an instruction manual for a household appliance: technically precise, but inelegant and dry as dirt. That's why when I study a Psalm, I always look forward to reading what Kidner has to say.  

Calvin's Institute Discussion Group

Our Calvin's Institutes reading group met this evening for the first time since June. Though our meetings have been sporadic, little by little we are making headway. At this time, after about two years and 725 pages, we are somewhere around the half-way point. It's been a great blessing to read, digest, and discuss the Institutes on a regular basis.

Miscellaneous

Why do I feel so wiped out at the end of my day off? With five children eight and under, including one newborn, life is hectic. I'm not complaining; we are blessed to have a large family. But the energy output of five little ones over the course of a day is both incredibly high, and incredibly draining.

Thankfully, we were able to get the kids outside for a while to play. The whole family went to a local park where we walked on trails, and I played soccer with the munchkins while Robyn nursed Monica. It was an afternoon of 60 degrees and brilliant sunshine. Is this really Alaska on October 12th? I see that in Missoula, Montana, where my parents live, the low yesterday was 12 degrees. I guess sometimes you have to go far north to get the balmy weather.

As for a large family, as we shopped at Target today I found myself conscious in a way that I hadn't really been before of how many children we have. People probably assume we are Catholic, Mormon, or simply ignorant of the wide variety of available birth control options! Oh well, let people think what they want. While I don't happen to believe that having many children is in itself a sign of true virtue and godliness, or that being a large family somehow puts us a cut above others, we are deeply grateful that God has blessed us with five little ones.

On a completely different subject, I see that the four teams for the two League Championship Series' are now set. I'm mostly disappointed that the Cardinals are not one of them, but I also wish at least one non-West Coast or East Coast team could have a shot at the World Series. It's special when a small-market team can defy the odds, and the payroll handicap, to slay the giants. Each one of the four teams left in the playoffs rank in the top nine of total payroll among all major league clubs. The Yankees, of course, are first in that category. Too bad the Twins (24th overall in payroll) couldn't play David to New York's Goliath.

If you're internet savvy, this probably won't be news to you at all. But I recently discovered a great internet radio station, Pandora. You tell them a favorite artist, and they play a station that features both music by that artist and similar music by other artists. It's a lot of fun, and free.

Robyn and I often read a book together on Monday nights (I read, and she listens). We are now making our way through Roland Bainton's Here I Stand, a biography of Martin Luther. It's a fascinating read, full of interesting details about Luther's life. Also, the author does a very good job covering the ideas and events of the early Reformation. It's hard to fathom now, given the age in which we live that is so indifferent to theological questions, that an idea like justification by faith alone could stir up such passions.

Well, Robyn just walked in and said - "Why are we wasting our lives in front of a computer!?" Good point. We're going to read about Luther now, and enjoy a little peace and quiet.

Sunday night recap

Today was Pastor Appreciation Day, and the church showed their appreciation to me with two large cakes. It was a thoughtful gesture that, along with several handshakes and "thank-you's", made me feel that my service at Grace is received with gratitude. Of course, I am also always encouraged by the casual expressions of appreciation that I get from time to time. 

The work of a minister is sowing seeds in faith, believing that the real fruit of one's labor will only be revealed in time to come. Unlike building a house, or some other work that produces an immediate tangible result, so much of I what I do is a sort of spiritual investment. One day Christ will reveal the true value of my ministry (a ministry which is really his, and not "mine"), and my prayer is that it will be well pleasing to him. All the same, I am heartened by such expressions of appreciation as I received today.

Today was another full day of preaching and teaching. I led the Sunday School class on Genesis 3, focusing on God's response to Adam and Eve's sin. There wasn't as much discussion this time as there was last Sunday, but I think the class was profitable. 

In the morning, I preached from Matthew 20:29-34, which is the account of Jesus healing two blind men outside of Jericho. What would it have been like to have been blind one's whole life, and then to suddenly see? Though I try to avoid speculation, I said that I had to believe that the very first thing the two men saw was the face of Jesus smiling upon them. The theme of the sermon was the faith of the two men, by which they called out to Jesus, were healed by Jesus, and became followers of Jesus.

In the evening it was Romans 7:1-6. We have died to the law, and are now alive to Christ. I don't think I'll ever fully grasp the deep complexity of the Bible's teaching on the relationship of law and gospel for believers. 

And now as I write this, Robyn is sitting next to me with Monica in her arms. The other four are in bed, and the house is blissfully quiet. It's been another long Sunday, and I'm ready for a good night's sleep.

  

R.I.P. - Cardinals 2009 season

The Redbirds' season came to an inglorious end today as the Dodgers put the final nail in the coffin, taking three in a row. A best-of-five series, and not one lousy win to show for it. For us Cardinal fans, it's a disappointing finish to what was a very promising year.

I know it's just a game, and from the perspective of eternity, who won the Division Series in 2009 doesn't really matter. But still, at our house we (at this point, at least Robyn and I) enjoy rooting for the Cardinals and it's impossible not to feel let down when they lose after getting this far.

The funny thing is, when I was kid, I was one of the biggest fans the Dodgers ever had. I can still remember the names of the starters from the 1977 team. But, my baseball blood went from blue to red not long after our family moved to the St. Louis area. I caught Cardinal fever in the mid-80's when they went to the World Series twice (alas, only to lose both times). And ever since then they've been my team.

Now that their season is finished, I wonder how things are going to shape up for 2010?

 

God's Peace Prize

No, this isn't an analysis or comment on today's Nobel Peace Prize announcement. What could I possibly say about that, that hasn't already been said? The truth is, I had been thinking about a certain verse in Genesis recently, and all the hubbub over today's big news suggested to my mind this title, "God's Peace Prize."

I've been reflecting on Genesis 3:15 as a result of preparing for a Sunday School lesson on that chapter. Here is the verse:

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.

The speaker is God, and he is directing this curse to the serpent, Satan, who has just successfully tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God by eating the forbidden fruit. Theologians have called this verse the protevangelium ("first gospel"), because here for the first time God declares his intention to reverse the consequences of the fall by raising up a Savior for mankind. The offspring of the woman, referring ultimately to Christ, shall bruise the head of Satan, i.e., deliver a fatal blow to the one who engineered humanity's fall into sin. In the process, the serpent would bruise the heel of Christ. That is to say, Satan would hurt Christ, but not destroy him. The fulfillment of all this, of course, was at the cross.

What struck me about this first proclamation of the gospel is the fact that it is couched entirely in terms of conflict. There will be hatred, fighting, and death. And this is "good news"?

The truth this passage reveals so clearly is that there can be no salvation from sin apart from conflict and suffering. Satan, who gained dominion over mankind in the Garden, would not voluntarily surrender his rule; he had to be defeated. As for humans since the fall, our sin necessitates just retribution from a holy and righteous God. Therefore, if we are to be saved from God's condemnation due to us for our sin, someone must suffer: without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:23).

The good news is that Jesus has accomplished our salvation from sin and death. And he did not do it without war: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Neither did Jesus obtain our redemption apart from suffering. Only by submitting to the unimaginable agony of the cross (at which he suffered not only physical torment, but also the infinitely greater spiritual torment of bearing God's wrath against sin), could he save us from our sins.

To paraphrase Hebrews 2:14, through his own death Jesus destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, in order to bring about our redemption. In terms of Genesis 3:15, Christ bruised the head of the serpent in the very act of allowing the serpent to bruise his heel.  

Thus it is that all the wonderful blessings that accrue to us in Christ - forgiveness, salvation, the knowledge of God's love, the hope for resurrection, joy, and so on - are ours only by virtue of the fiercest imaginable conflict and the greatest imaginable suffering. Genesis 3:15, the first gospel, reminds us there is no easy salvation, no cheap grace, no painless redemption from our sin.

But out of this conflict and suffering Christ gives us peace - peace with God and the promise of a world at peace in the new age to come. Jesus, warrior and sacrificial lamb, will be glorified forever as the one who gave the world true peace.    

Sander's fish question

Our four-year-old son Sander likes to ask questions that come from I don't know where. At breakfast this morning, as we were all talking about our day's schedule or something like that, Sander had a question about fishing:

"Daddy, when you use that kind of lure that spins when you fish, and you catch a fish with it, doesn't it start spinning, too?"

That was a doozy!

Herman Bavinck on the essence of the Christian religion

Over the past few years, I've been making my way slowly but surely through the first volume - "Prolegomena" - of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics. The work is not exactly light reading, but it pays great dividends on time and effort spent grappling with it. Bavinck was obviously an extraordinary thinker (his familiarity with the philosophical and theological literature up to his time is just mind-boggling), and reading him, even if not understanding everything, cannot but enlarge one's own thoughts about the things of God.

Here is one quote that I like, that well expresses Bavinck's comprehensive understanding of the Christian faith:

"And the essence of the Christian religion consists in the reality that the creation of the Father, ruined by sin, is restored in the death of the Son of God and re-created by the grace of the Holy Spirit into a kingdom of God" (pg. 112).

Or in other words, according to the Editor's Introduction, the "fundamental theme that shapes Bavinck's entire theology is the trinitarian idea that grace restores nature" (pg. 18). Much to think about.

Family devotions

At the risk of appearing self-serving, I'm going to write about our family devotions. I say it might appear self-serving, because like any spiritual discipline in the Christian life, beginning or maintaining family devotions can be a real challenge and my writing of our family's practice could easily be interpreted as drawing attention to how pious or faithful we are. However, my goal is to encourage families who might read this to start, or continue, having times of family worship.

There is no verse or passage in the Bible that prescribes exactly what a family ought to do for devotions. The Scriptural basis for family devotions is clear (namely, the responsibility of parents, especially fathers, to bring their children up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord"; see Eph. 6:4; Deut. 6:4-7), but God has not given us detailed instructions on how to order them. So, our family's practice is not an example for all to copy. However, what we have done has worked well and has been a blessing for us.

Normally, we have devotions twice a day (exceptions are Sundays, when we don't do devotions at all, and anytime we don't have time for them). In the morning, we go over one catechism question from the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Then, we read a passage from the Old Testament. If the passage is one that contains material not appropriate for young ears, I skip it (for example, we did not read the Song of Solomon for family devotions!). Our practice has been to start at Genesis and read through the entire Old Testament, one passage at a time. Yes, some passages, like genealogies and the Levitical laws, don't make the greatest devotional material. However,  it's important to see things in perspective. Over the course of years, we'll have read through the entire Bible together as a family. And that's worth a few weeks here and there of slogging through the tougher sections of Scripture.

We then talk about the passage, a time in which the children often have more questions than there's time to answer - though the questions are sometimes only marginally, or not all, related to the actual passage! Next, we sing a hymn from the Trinity Hymnal. In the morning we sing the same hymn for about a month at a time, in order to learn it. I will pray after singing, and that ends our morning devotions.

In the evening, the format is basically the same but with a few minor differences. Instead of a catechism question, we recite some list of Bible books, usually the books of the New Testament. It's amazing how adept little minds are at memorizing! Then we read a New Testament passage (again, gradually working through the entire NT), discuss it, sing, and pray. In the evenings, we work our way through the Trinity Hymnal, singing one hymn each evening. So, we are learning the hymnbook as well as the Bible.

Now, I realize this may be daunting for some. After all, I'm a pastor and I've been trained to teach the Bible! But, I think any motivated father (or mother, as the case may be) can lead family devotions well. A person doesn't have to preach a sermon - just talk about one or two key thoughts in the passage. Maybe there'll be no comments on the passage. What's crucial is some regular time in which the family's attention is given to the Word and prayer.

Being consistent in this is a challenge. Our lives are busy and interruptions are legion. The kids may be acting up, or complaining about having to have devotions. And often I just plain don't feel like taking the trouble to get started. But I'm convinced that the habit of family devotions, no matter how spotty they may be at times, is a means God uses to richly bless a family. Will family devotions guarantee my child will come to saving faith in Jesus Christ? Of course not. There is no method or technique or practice that guarantees to bring about what only the Holy Spirit can accomplish. But family devotions are a way of instilling the Word of God into our children's, and our own, hearts and minds. And God, who is faithful to his covenant promises, and gracious and good, can and will use them to bring our children to understand, and believe in, the love and grace he has for us in Christ.

What prompted me to write this was, in fact, our family devotions this morning. We read from 1 Samuel how barren Hannah prayed to the Lord, asking him for a son and promising him that if he answered her prayer, she would "give him to the LORD all the days of his life" (1 Samuel 1:11). He did answer her prayer, and Hannah fulfilled her promise: she gave her son Samuel to the priest Eli to be in the service of the Lord all his days.

As Christians, our children belong to the Lord. What better way for us to give them to Christ than to lead them regularly, in the home as well as in church, to the Word of God that bears witness to the life-giving Savior?

Our new church sign

Not really, but an amusing thought.

Sunday night recap

Today was another long and full Lord's Day. It was our first Sunday to get all five kids ready for church without any outside help, since my mom flew back home on Friday. Thanks to Robyn, the morning went smoothly and we had five little bodies buckled up and ready to ride to church with time to spare. My job is rather easy on Sunday mornings: get myself ready. As for Robyn, she has six people to get ready.

I had a full slate at church today. First, I led the morning Sunday School class on Genesis. Today we looked at the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve. I was struck again by how deceptively simple the first few chapters of Genesis are. The stories (by "story" I don't mean fiction; I believe they are historical accounts) are plain enough for a child to understand, but so profound as to provide matter for the deepest of theological reflection. One verse that strikes me in particular is 3:1, in which the serpent utters his very first words, asking Eve: "Did God actually say,...?" Isn't that always the starting point for Satan's deception, to tempt us to doubt the veracity of God's Word?

In the morning, I preached on the account of the mother of James and John asking Jesus to give her sons the two highest positions in the kingdom. I thought it went better than last week, but who knows, really? One point I made, an insight gleaned from A.B. Bruce's The Training of the Twelve, is that Jesus is the only king who obtained his throne by first becoming a servant. He didn't inherit it, he didn't win it with power, or charm, or cunning, but he acquired the greatest throne of all by becoming the lowliest servant of all.

At the evening service, my message was on Romans 6:15-23. In Christ, we are slaves to righteousness, but this slavery is really the essence of true human freedom. In the middle of the sermon, I almost lost my train of thought when I saw my poor wife trying, with one arm, to drag Moriah out of the church for a spanking while with the other arm cradling Monica. I was very tempted to stop the sermon and walk down the aisle to help out, but thankfully Robyn managed to leave the sanctuary without my assistance.

A little while ago, as I held Monica at home, she smiled at me. No one else saw it though, and Robyn is skeptical that it was real. But I think I know a smile when I see one, so I'm sticking with my story.  

Instant Coffee

At the grocery store today there was a table set up besides Starbucks at which it appeared a worker was giving out coffee samples. Naturally attracted to a free coffee giveaway, I walked over there instinctively, like a moth drawn to the light. But more than a sample tasting, it was the Starbucks' "Via Taste Challenge." "Via" is their new instant coffee, and the challenge was to see if I could tell the difference between the instant coffee and the regular brewed coffee. I am proud to say that, with just one sip of each, I immediately identified the instant. But, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In my experience, instant coffee has always been awful, awful stuff. When I lived in Japan people would often offer it to me, assuming this "gaijin" would prefer his Western "coffee" over their own Asian tea. I actually preferred the tea, or water, or nothing at all. But instant coffee technology must have improved since then - the Via was decent. If there were no other viable caffeinated options, I'd drink it.

The Christian Ministry, by Charles Bridges

The full title is, "The Christian Ministry, with An Inquiry into the Causes of its Inefficiency." I bought this book about six years ago, started reading it, then neglected it, started it again at the beginning - reading in fits and starts - and finally just finished it today. Here are some of my thoughts on it.

As a minister constantly learning "on the job," I find books on the ministry and preaching to be extremely helpful. I learned Hebrew, Greek, and theology at seminary, but relatively little on how to be a pastor and preacher (though I believe that seminary training - or something equivalent to it - is vital to faithful and fruitful gospel ministry). I learned much more about the ins and outs of day to day pastoral work from simply observing the pastors I had, and from serving in two different churches as a ministerial intern. The best supplement to those experiences are books such as this one.

The Christian Ministry was written by an 19th-century Anglican minister, Charles Bridges. His style strikes modern ears as old-fashioned and sometimes a bit stilted (part of the reason why it took me a while to read). Also, the context in which Bridges ministered, England in the early 1800's, is obviously much different from 21st-century America. The reader must "translate" some of what he writes into his own familiar setting.

However, the strength of The Christian Ministry is that Bridges concentrates on the very fundamental principles that define and shape the character and work of the gospel ministry. These principles are Scriptural, and so as true today as they were at that time, and as they were in the days of the New Testament. He addresses virtually every aspect of the ministry, always focusing on the truly important matters: the nature of the call, the life and character of the pastor, the work of preaching, the need for faith and prayer, and so on. Here is a typically simple but needful reminder: "Who will deny, that - had he been a more spiritual Christian - he would probably have been a more useful Minister?" (pg. 164). I consider this work to be a sort of touchstone by which to evaluate and compare all other writings about the ministry. It well deserves its classic status.

As one who served as a minister himself, Bridges had a realistic view of pastoring. He writes of the struggles of ministry, as well as the joys. With regard to the struggles, I was struck by his list of the main sources of adversity in the ministry: the professing church, the world, the power of Satan, and ourselves. We often hear of the "unholy trinity" we face as Christians, the world, the flesh, and the devil. But Bridges, writing as a pastor to pastors, includes - and first, no less - "the professing church" as a source of "severe and sometimes overwhelming trials"! Thankfully, serving the church is also a privilege and a joy. But certainly the church itself is often a cause for grief for the pastor. Bridges helps the minister to see this unpleasant truth in the light of the greater call to ministry, with encouraging results.

One observation I found helpful was the reminder that one of the chief "comforts and encouragements" of ministry is the great privilege of laboring in the Word of God. In this connection Bridges quotes Proverbs 11:25, "he that watereth is watered also himself." How true that is.

I also found particularly challenging Bridges' observation that one of the "causes of the want of success in the Christian ministry" is a basic lack of faith. He writes, "All our failures may be ultimately traced to a defect of faith. We ask but for little, we expect but little, we are satisfied with little; and therefore we gain and do but little" (pg. 173). That hit home when I first read it. It is too easy for me as a pastor to simply "go through the motions" of my work and fail to look to God for his blessing on the ministry of his Word.

Somewhere (I couldn't find the page) in the book, Bridges quotes another as saying, in effect, that the ministry demands more than any man can possibly bring to it. Reading this book convicted me of this truth, but at the same time encouraged me to carry on in the work. If I, by the grace of God, grow at all as a minister of the gospel, others will grow in their knowledge of Christ. And that makes it all worth it.

Moriah and stroller

Here is our little Moriah, enjoying a quiet stroll in the park a couple of days ago.

This is the way I like to think of her, rather than the crying child who woke me up five times last night. Or the screaming child later that morning.

She looks so peaceful here. I like this version of Moriah.

(picture by Gran)