Doctrine

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February 2, 2012

The Elephant Room and It’s Elephant in the Room

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The Elephant Room.  Some of you have been wondering about this event that has been offered through simulcast and online. Enough has been said over the web on it and the controversy that it created.  I just want to point you to some good posts on grasping why it was controversial and some wise thoughts on its implications.  Bottom line (this is my opinion), it was unwise to hold such a venue (online and to thousands) with the people that were invited (TD Jakes, a Oneness Pentecostal, who is considered outside the bounds of orthodox Christian doctrine, alongside other pastors who are within the bounds of orthodox Christian doctrine).  It further exacerbates doctrinal confusion and portrays that doctrine doesn’t matter as a pastor.  Not convinced?  Confused?  Then click and read some of the posts below that explain it much better…

-Justin Taylor breaks down what happened and offers very thorough and wise reflection…

-Thabiti Anyabwile offers a brave and passionate response why he is disappointed…

-Tim Raymond explains how the Elephant Room can be a danger to redefining the pastoral office…

-Kevin DeYoung offers seven thoughts on the event (very poignant)…

 

January 25, 2012

No Grey Anatomy of the Heart

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There are no “grey areas” when the Bible speaks about the heart- the central core of who you are.  It’s pretty much black or white on its description of the heart. I subscribe to Tabletalk magazine, and I thought Sinclair Ferguson wrote an excellent article titled “A Catechism on the Heart“.  Do we not as Christians want to have a heart for God?  Then read Sinclair Ferguson explain below…

Sometimes people ask authors, “Which of your books is your favorite?” The first time the question is asked, the response is likely to be “I am not sure; I have never really thought about it.” But forced to think about it, my own standard response has become, “I am not sure what my favorite book is; but my favorite title is A Heart for God.” I am rarely asked, “Why?” but (in case you ask) the title simply expresses what I want to be: a Christian with a heart for God.

Perhaps that is in part a reflection of the fact that we sit on the shoulders of the giants of the past. Think of John Calvin’s seal and motto: a heart held out in the palm of a hand and the words “I offer my heart to you, Lord, readily and sincerely.” Or consider Charles Wesley’s hymn: 

                  O for a heart to praise my God!
A heart from sin set free.

Some hymnbooks don’t include Wesley’s hymn, presumably in part because it is read as an expression of his doctrine of perfect love and entire sanctification. (He thought it possible to have his longing fulfilled in this world.) But the sentiment itself is surely biblical.

But behind the giants of church history stands the testimony of Scripture. The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart (Deut. 6:5). That is why, in replacing Saul as king, God “sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14), for “the Lord looks on the heart” (16:7). It is a truism to say that, in terms of our response to the gospel, the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. But truism or not, it is true.

What this looks like, how it is developed, in what ways it can be threatened, and how it expresses itself will be explored little by little in this new column. But at this stage, perhaps it will help us if we map out some preliminary matters in the form of a catechism on the heart:

Q.1. What is the heart?
A. The heart is the central core and drive of my life intellectually (it involves my mind), affectionately (it shapes my soul), and totally (it provides the energy for my living).

Q.2. Is my heart healthy?
A. No. By nature I have a diseased heart. From birth, my heart is deformed and antagonistic to God. The intentions of its thoughts are evil continually.

Q.3. Can my diseased heart be healed?
A. Yes. God, in His grace, can give me a new heart to love Him and to desire to serve Him.

Q.4. How does God do this?
A. God does this through the work of the Lord Jesus for me and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in me. He illumines my mind through the truth of the gospel, frees my enslaved will from its bondage to sin, cleanses my affections by His grace, and motivates me inwardly to live for Him by rewriting His law into my heart so that I begin to love what He loves. The Bible calls this being “born from above.”

Q.5. Does this mean I will never sin again?
A. No. I will continue to struggle with sin until I am glorified. God has given me a new heart, but for the moment He wants me to keep living in a fallen world. So day by day I face the pressures to sin that come from the world, the flesh, and the Devil. But God’s Word promises that over all these enemies I can be “more than a conqueror through him who loved us.”

Q.6. What four things does God counsel me to do so that my heart may be kept for Him?
A. First, I must guard my heart as if everything depended on it. This means that I should keep my heart like a sanctuary for the presence of the Lord Jesus and allow nothing and no one else to enter.

Second, I must keep my heart healthy by proper diet, growing strong on a regular diet of God’s Word — reading it for myself, meditating on its truth, but especially being fed on it in the preaching of the Word. I also will remember that my heart has eyes as well as ears. The Spirit shows me baptism as a sign that I bear God’s triune name, while the Lord’s Supper stimulates heart love for the Lord Jesus.

Third, I must take regular spiritual exercise, since my heart will be strengthened by worship when my whole being is given over to God in expressions of love for and trust in Him.

Fourth, I must give myself to prayer in which my heart holds on to the promises of God, rests in His will, and asks for His sustaining grace — and do this not only on my own but with others so that we may encourage one another to maintain a heart for God.

This — and much else — requires development, elaboration, and exposition. But it can be summed up in a single biblical sentence. Listen to your Father’s appeal: “My son, give Me your heart.”

 

June 13, 2011

Knowing Truth and Loving Jesus

Posted by 1031toglory under Doctrine, Gospel, theology, Video
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June 6, 2011

C&MA | DNA

Posted by 1031toglory under CMA, Doctrine, Video
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God has richly blessed the C&MA with an amazing history to what it is today.  It’s all about Jesus and obedience to the Great Commission he has called every fully-devoted disciple of Christ to make disciples, both locally and globally. I’m pleased that the C&MA has put together an excellent video series to be used in local churches to explain and rediscover the C&MA movement’s “Spiritual DNA”. Look for it coming soon to Atlanta Road Alliance Church!  In the meantime, watch the promo video below.

 

March 28, 2011

For Whom Does Bell’s Hell Toll?

Posted by 1031toglory under Books, Current Events, Doctrine, Gospel, theology, Video
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For whom does Rob Bell’s view on hell toll?  I know this post is ringing late in light of all the news on the blogosphere and cable news networks concerning Rob Bell’s book Love Wins, but I figured I’d point you to 2 good worthy responses to his book.

Bottom line, Rob Bell’s view on hell is not biblical.  And for the sake of brevity…

-The reality for the non-Christian… Hell is real. Repent of your sin and turn to Jesus Christ.

-The reality for the Christian… Hell is real.  Spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

For the sake of those who need a larger discourse on these two…

-Read Kevin DeYoung’s review of Rob Bell’s book.

-Watch David Platt’s (pastor and author of the book Radical) comment.

 

November 23, 2010

So you like vintage? The Old Evangelicalism

Posted by 1031toglory under Books, Christian life, Church, Doctrine, Evangelism, Gospel, Pastors
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A.W. Tozer has said, “Nothing is new that matters and nothing that matters can be modernized.  The old way is the true way and there is no new way.”

And C.H. Spurgeon has said, “Clean the grand old pictures of the divine masters; hang them up in new frames; fix them on the walls of your people’s memories, and their well-instructed hearts shall bless you.”

I am thankful this year for the men and women of the Christian faith that have went before me.  And a book I just finished that reminded me of this great blessing is by Ian Murray called The Old Evangelicalism: Old Truths for a New Awakening.  It is probably one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.  It’s an instant classic in my view and I’m sure not that many know of Ian Murray.  This man has labored well in keeping those “old” pilgrims of the faith before us.  Below are the Table of Contents from the book.

Table of Contents:

1. Preaching and Awakening: Facing the Main Problem in Evangelism

2. Spurgeon and True Conversion

3. Christ our Righteousness: God’s Way of Salvation

4. The Cross: The Pulpit of God’s Love

5. What Can We Learn from John Wesley?

6. Assurance of Salvation

7. Christian Unity and Church Unity

 

November 3, 2010

Knowing God & Knowing Yourself

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Knowing God and knowing yourself… a few personal thoughts reflecting on knowing the nature and character of God and my appropriate response…

1. God is eternal (Revelation 22:13) – Knowing this frees me from  anxiety as I realize that the Lord has counted my days and is using them for His purpose.  Remembering His timelessness calms me and restrains me from a frenetic hurried pattern of life.

2. God is great (Psalm 96) – God is not small.  He is not limited.  He is majestic and no one can map out His coordinates.  Compared to the living God, what is the wisest person, the strongest athlete, the scariest enemy?  Remembering this causes me to rein in my natural arrogance and worship the great God of heaven and earth.

3. God is lovely (Psalm 90:17) – As beautiful and amazing things here on earth are, nothing can compare to His splendor and excellence, especially in the radiance of His glory in the Son, Jesus Christ.  Remembering this, lifts me from giving in to temptation to lesser things when I raise my vision on a regular basis to behold the beauty of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18).

4. God is powerful (Psalm 93) – His strength, like His scope, is limitless.  My strength will fail.  I will inevitably and repeatedly lose the ability to control my life and create good for myself and loved ones.  It is helpful to me to know confidently about the might of God and His strength in order to lead me to humble dependence on Him.

5. God is wise (Proverbs 2) – My heart can be swayed in sinfulness to stray from God’s wisdom and admire the wisdom of the world or my own foolish “wisdom”.  Remembering this reality and nurturing the discipline of constantly reading Scripture, so that I may come into contact with His divine wisdom, will keep me from embracing folly.

6. God is holy (1 Samuel 2:2) – He has no blemish and is set apart to uphold His glory.  I am called to be holy, as He is holy (1 Peter 1:13-16).  The chief way to become holy is not to start out by following a list of rules, but to examine the Lord’s character, to know His Word, and to follow the Son.  And His church, his loving and redeemed people, are crucial to help me in learning what it means to be holy.

7. God is good (Psalm 135:3) – God’s goodness extends throughout my life.  As my heavenly Father, He does not withold His goodness.  His supreme goodness to me has been this: Himself!  This is the good news of the gospel.  What makes the good news good is God!  May I always live a thankful life in light of His goodness in saving me to know and make much of Him (Psalm 16:11).

 

October 13, 2010

The Local Church: Gospel Doctrine creates a Gospel Culture

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I appreciate this post by Ray Ortlund for his unique gift of clarity using a few short sentences.  The gist: gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture (culture in the context of the local church).  Read it below and be edified!

Gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture. The doctrines of grace create a culture of grace, healing, revival, because Jesus himself touches us through his truths. Without the doctrines, the culture alone is fragile. Without the culture, the doctrines alone appear pointless.

The doctrine of regeneration creates a culture of humility (Ephesians 2:1-9).

The doctrine of justification creates a culture of inclusion (Galatians 2:11-16).

The doctrine of reconciliation creates a culture of peace (Ephesians 2:14-16).

The doctrine of sanctification creates a culture of life (Romans 6:20-23).

The doctrine of glorification creates a culture of hope (Romans 5:2).

If we want this culture to thrive, we can’t take doctrinal short cuts. If we want this doctrine to be credible, we can’t disregard the culture. But churches where the doctrine and culture converge bear living witness to the power of Jesus.

 

September 2, 2010

Hurricane Earl or 9Marks eJournal on Hell

Posted by 1031toglory under Bible, Christian life, Church, Doctrine, Gospel, Pastors, Resource
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So if you’re going to cozy up in your home bracing for Hurricane Earl, let me recommend that you check out the latest 9Marks eJournal on the difficult and sobering doctrine of Hell.  It looks at it from a number of different angles (pastorally, theologically, exegetically).  Below are some of the contents that you’d find in the eJournal, Hell: Remembering the Awful Reality.

9Marks eJournal – Sept/Oct

Pastoral Perspectives on Hell

Mark Dever, Pastoral Fearmongering, Manipulation, and Hell

Our culture sneers at fear, as if there really is nothing to fear but fear itself. Yet Jesus told people to fear hell, and pastors today should do the same.

Kevin DeYoung, There’s Something Worse than Death
The doctrine of hell is ballast for our ministries, which will help us sail straight toward our most urgent task: proclaiming the gospel.

Sinclair Ferguson, What Then Shall We Preach on Hell?

Hell is an awful and overwhelming reality. Yet where Scripture speaks, pastors must not be silent. Here’s some practical help for this demanding calling.

Hell in Biblical and Theological Perspective

Greg Gilbert, Why Hell Is Integral to the Gospel

Some think that by minimizing or ignoring hell, they are making God more glorious and more loving. Far from it! The horror of what we have been saved from only intensifies the glory and wonder of our salvation.

Andrew David Naselli, Hellfire and Brimstone: Interpreting the New Testament’s Descriptions of Hell

The New Testament graphically and horrifically describes hell, which raises a thorny question: how should we interpret those dreadful images?

James M. Hamilton Jr., How Does Hell Glorify God?

Hell glorifies God by vindicating his holiness and faithfulness to his word, demonstrating his infinite worth, and magnifying his mercy and love toward the redeemed.

Gavin Ortlund, An Annotated Bibliography on Hell

This article contains brief reviews of seven key books on hell.

 

October 12, 2009

Election… The Glory of God’s Sovereign Grace

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The toothpaste is out of the tube and you can’t get it back in no matter how hard you try.  That’s how I liken the topic of election when discussion around it opens up.  We discussed it at our Life Group (small group) tonight and it’s intriguing that we did as I just finished Sproul’s book Chosen by God.  First, I have to admit to any from our Life Group who are reading this post, I feel that I was being a bit arrogant tonight in regard to the doctrine election, and I apologize.  I hope you forgive me.

There have been some articles online that have been helpful when it comes to understanding the doctrine of election.  I like how Tim Keller explains it by saying that the doctrine of election is that no matter how many chances given, we will always as humans choose to be our own lord and savior.  We would never choose God unless he acts first.  Thus, God chooses to open the eyes of the hearts of some to faith in Jesus Christ and to others he does not.  This of course is a simplistic explanation of it.  I encourage you to read Sproul’s book for more detail in a very clear and direct manner.  Desirng God ministries also has a helpful article dealing with the five points of Calvinism which includes election.

Two things need to be mentioned first… 1.  I don’t think it should be a necessary requirement to someone wanting to become a member of our church.  We’ll never say, “Oh, you don’t believe in the doctrine of election so you can’t join.”  Of course, election does undergird a lot of biblical convictions of mine and I’ll be honest about them, but we would never make it a requirement for membership.  2. The study of the doctrine of election should lead to worship of our great and gracious God as revealed in the gospel.  It should be held with humility, not arrogance.  As Ephesians 1:6 always sticks out in my mind… “to the praise of the glory of his grace.”

So with that, read below a couple of the benefits of believing in the truths of election (found from the DG website.  Read the explanations here.)…

-These truths make me stand in awe of God and lead me into the depth of true God-centered worship.

-These truths make me marvel at my own salvation.

-These truths make me see everything in the light of God’s sovereign purposes – that from him and through him and to him are all things, to him be glory forever and ever.

-These truths make me hopeful that God has the will, the right, and the power to answer prayer that people be changed.

-These truths reminds me that evangelism is absolutely essential for people to come to Christ and be saved, and that there is great hope for success in leading people to faith, but that conversion is not finally dependent on me or limited by the hardness of the unbeliever.

-These truths make me sure that God will triumph in the end.

 

August 28, 2009

Advising Caution When It Comes to N.T. Wright or Brian McLaren

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I’m not one that likes to throw mud at someome (because you often end up losing a lot of ground), but God does call us to be discerning in watching both our life and doctrine.  And because most who visit this blog are from the church that I pastor (although some are not), I feel as a shepherd who is accountable to God that I make you aware of two individuals who write some popular books that you should exercise extreme caution.

First, is N.T. Wright.  He has some great books (one on the resurrection), but I cannot get over how wrong he is on penal substition when it comes to the atonement, which is, in fact, the centerpiece of what makes the good news good news!  Well, Lee Irons looks at the issue. The bottom line, according to Lee, is that Wright uses traditional terms with untraditional definitions.

Here’s his conclusion after looking at the evidence from Wright’s own writings:

  • sin is an impersonal evil force, not personal rebellion against God;
  • sin has bad consequences, but does not elicit God’s punitive wrath against the sinner; and
  • the cross is to be understood as some version of the Christus Victor theory in which Christ defeats evil by letting it do its worst to him, not as a penal satisfaction of divine justice.

The other indvidual I feel you need to exercise double the amount of extreme caution is Brian McLaren.   Denny Burk writes in his blog,

As Brian McLaren has drifted further and further off the reservation, I have taken to using scare-quotes whenever referring to him as an “evangelical.” Truth be known, however, he’s no longer even a scare-quotes “evangelical.” If you think I’m overreacting, wait until you hear this.

On August 13, McLaren announced on his blog that he would be observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This is not a joke.

Read the rest here to read the quote from Brian McLaren himself.  It may sound like good intentions of evangelism by him, but it is wrought with error.

(HT: Justin Taylor)

 

October 13, 2008

Sproul on the Need of Tota Scriptura

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In the latest TableTalk issue, RC Sproul lays out the importance of not only Sola Scriptura (that is, the Bible is the only source of divine, special revelation that we have), but also Tota Scriptura (that is, embracing the whole counsel of God as it is revealed in the entirety of sacred Scripture).  While the former was of issue against the Roman Catholic church which argued that revelation came not only from the Scriptures but from the church, the latter (tota scriptura) is, unfortunately, an issue within evangelical circles.  He writes,

We face now an issue not of Scripture addition but of Scripture reduction. The issue that we face in our day is not merely the question of sola Scriptura but also the question of tota Scriptura, which has to do with embracing the whole counsel of God as it is revealed in the entirety of sacred Scripture. There have been many attempts in the last century to seek a canon within the canon. That is to say, restricted portions of Scripture are deemed as God’s revelation, not the whole of Scripture…Beyond the radical reductionism of Bultmann, we have seen more recently attempts among professing evangelicals, and even within the Reformed community, to seek a different type of reduction of Scripture. We have seen views of so-called “limited inspiration” or “limited inerrancy.” That is to say, the Spirit’s inspiration of the Bible is not holistic, but rather is limited to matters of faith and doctrine. In this scenario, proponents suggest we can distinguish between doctrinal matters that are of divine origin and what the Bible teaches in matters of science and history, and, in some cases, ethics. Therefore, there are portions within the Bible that are not equally inspired by God. In this case, we see the reappearance of a canon within a canon. The problem that arises is a serious one. Perhaps most severe is the question, who is it who decides what part of the Bible really belongs to the canon? Once we remove ourselves from a view of tota Scriptura, we are free then to pick and choose what portions of Scripture are normative for Christian faith and life, just like picking cherries from a tree.

Read the whole thing here.

 

October 9, 2008

God’s Faithfulness to being God

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John Piper writes an excellent post on the Desiring God blog concerning God’s faithfulness to Himself.  He writes,

 

One of my long-standing dissatisfactions with the focus of biblical theology is the habit of tracing God’s faithfulness only as far back as his covenant-keeping. Righteousness (tsedeqa) is portrayed as covenant-keeping. Love (hesed) is portrayed as covenant-keeping. Faithfulness (emet) is portrayed as covenant-keeping.

This has an ill-effect. It skews biblical revelation by making God’s relation with man seem more ultimate than God himself. There is always something more ultimate than God’s faithfulness to his covenant, namely, God’s faithfulness to God.

If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. (2Timothy 2:13)

Read the whole thing here.

 

September 23, 2008

A Review of the Shack by Tim Challies

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By now, you have probably either read or heard of someone reading the bestseller The Shack by William Young.  While it is a national bestseller, the reviews are mixed from a theological standpoint.  There is praise for it’s story, but there is cause for concern.  Please read Tim Challies review of the book.  It is probably one of the best reviews out there and his review has been one of the most widely read.  You can click here to find it.  His review has been read so much he has had to offer it for a free download as a pdf.  You won’t be disappointed!  Here is a snippet from his site…

In January of this year I released a review of William P. Young’s The Shack. Since that time the review has been read tens of thousands of times (and no doubt many times more than that at Amazon where it has been voted on 700+ times and has generated almost 100 comments). I continue to receive two or three emails every day either thanking me for the review or expressing anger that I could have given it a negative review. This book is a phenomenon.

Despite the book’s popularity among Christians, believers are divided on whether this book is biblically sound. Where Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver says it “has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim Progress did for his,” Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says, “This book includes undiluted heresy.” While singer and songwriter Michael W. Smith says “The Shack will leave you craving for the presence of God,” Mark Driscoll, Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle says, “Regarding the Trinity, it’s actually heretical.”

Here is a picture of the review as a pdf that you can download…

 

August 6, 2008

J.I. Packer on Young Christian Leaders

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Over at the Resurgence, Mark Driscoll writes on his meeting with J.I. Packer.  Mark writes…

In the lengthy time that Dr. J. I. Packer afforded me to speak with him while we were recently together in Orlando, I asked him which theological issues he would commend young Christian leaders to study in order to be prepared for the next fifty years. His list was quite insightful:

1. Regeneration — He said that the doctrine of regeneration has not been fully appreciated by many who do not understand that to be born again with a new heart and new nature means that we have at our deepest level a new identity and new passionate desires for God’s Word and ways. He commended to all young Christian leaders a thorough study on the doctrine of regeneration.

2. God-Centered Theology — He said that theology today is rife with man-centered thinking so that the glory of God in all things is not the essence of what is taught to be faithfully Christian. The result, he explained, is that even Christians often live their lives for the supreme purpose of their perceived happiness, feelings, and satisfaction. Yet, biblical Christianity differs from the other religions of the world in that the desires and purposes of God override ours; we are not the number one priority, but rather God is.

3. Godliness Begins at Home — This point was both surprising and refreshing. I was expecting only weighty and complicated theological admonition from such a theological giant. However, his wise counsel on this point is well needed. Packer said that most Christians do not take seriously the biblical teaching that true Christian living begins first at home with one’s spouse, children, and grandchildren. Therefore, he implored young Christian leaders to begin their quest for maturity and holiness at home in relationship with their family.

4. Trinity — Packer stated that the fullness of the doctrine of the Trinity is not completely appreciated as it should be. The result, he said, is that some Christians have only a deep understanding of Jesus or the Holy Spirit so that they are guilty of what he called “Jesus-olatry” or “Holy Spirit-olatry” rather than a full love and worshipful appreciation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.

 

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