The word translated as “walk” in so many New Testament passages (especially in the letters of Paul) is the Greek word “peripateo”.   It implies walking with a purpose, and the word it represents from the Hebrew connotes not just “to walk”, but [...]]]> Today’s thought comes from Charles Bridges fantastic devotional exposition of Psalm 119.

The word translated as “walk” in so many New Testament passages (especially in the letters of Paul) is the Greek word “peripateo”.   It implies walking with a purpose, and the word it represents from the Hebrew connotes not just “to walk”, but “to live”.  So, basically, it indicates the way you live, and for what purpose.  I found a good definition online at a Greek Lexicon site.  This is what it said for “peripateo”:

1. to walk
a) to make one’s way, progress; to make due use of opportunities
b)Hebrew for, to live
1. to regulate one’s life
2. to conduct one’s self
3. to pass one’s life

1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

This most interesting and instructive Psalm, like the Psalter itself, “opens with a Beatitude for our comfort and encouragement, directing us immediately to that happiness, which all mankind in different ways are seeking and inquiring after. All would secure themselves from the incursions of misery; but all do not consider that misery is the offspring of sin, from which therefore it is necessary to be delivered and preserved, in order to become happy or blessed.” (Bishop Horne)

The undefiled character described in this verse marks, in an evangelical sense, “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit”, not one who is without sin, but one who in the sincerity of his heart can say, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

As his way is, so is his “walk”, “in the law of the Lord.” He is “strengthened in the Lord, and he walks up and down in His name;” his “ears hearing a word behind him, saying, This is the way-walk in it”-when he is “turning to the right hand or to the left.” And if the pardon of sin, imputation of righteousness, the communion of saints, and a sense of acceptance with God; if protection in providence and grace; and-finally and forever, the beatific vision, are the sealed privileges of His upright people, then there can be no doubt, that “blessed are the undefiled in the way.” And if temporal prosperity, spiritual renovation and fruitfulness, increasing illumination, fellowship with the Savior, peace within, and-throughout eternity-a right to the tree of life, are privileges of incalculable value; then surely “the walk in the law of the Lord” is “the path of pleasantness and peace.” “Truly”-indeed may we say, “God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.”

But let each of us ask-What is the “way” of my heart with God? Is it always an “undefiled way?” Is “iniquity” never “regarded in the heart?” Is all that God hates habitually lamented, abhorred, forsaken? “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psa 139:23-24)

Again-What is my “walk?” Is it from the living principle of union with Christ? This is the direct-the only source of spiritual life. We are first quickened in Him. Then we walk in Him and after Him. Oh! that this my walk may be steady, consistent, advancing! Oh! that I may be ever listening to my Father’s voice, “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be perfect!” (Gen 17:1)

Is there not enough of defilement in the most “undefiled way,” and enough of inconsistency in the most consistent “walk” to endear to us the gracious declaration of the gospel, “If any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous?” (1Jn 2:1)

I thought that was a good quote to lead in to Dr. Russell Moore’s response to the Glenn Beck “faith rally” that took place in Washington D.C. over the weekend.  I will withhold my personal [...]]]> “Entertainment is the devil’s substitute for Joy, the less joy of the Lord you have the more entertainment you need.” –Leonard Ravenhill

I thought that was a good quote to lead in to Dr. Russell Moore’s response to the Glenn Beck “faith rally” that took place in Washington D.C. over the weekend.  I will withhold my personal comments and thoughts on this for now, but I will say that I think what Dr. Moore wrote is a good response.  There were several comments and responses to this article on Dr. Moore’s site.  If you want to join in the discussion and add your comments, please check it out here:

God, the Gospel, and Glenn Beck

— Sunday, August 29th, 2010 —

A Mormon television star stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial and calls American Christians to revival. He assembles some evangelical celebrities to give testimonies, and then preaches a God and country revivalism that leaves the evangelicals cheering that they’ve heard the gospel, right there in the nation’s capital.

The news media pronounces him the new leader of America’s Christian conservative movement, and a flock of America’s Christian conservatives have no problem with that.

If you’d told me that ten years ago, I would have assumed it was from the pages of an evangelical apocalyptic novel about the end-times. But it’s not. It’s from this week’s headlines. And it is a scandal.

Fox News commentator Glenn Beck, of course, is that Mormon at the center of all this. Beck isn’t the problem. He’s an entrepreneur, he’s brilliant, and, hats off to him, he knows his market. Latter-day Saints have every right to speak, with full religious liberty, in the public square. I’m quite willing to work with Mormons on various issues, as citizens working for the common good. What concerns me here is not what this says about Beck or the “Tea Party” or any other entertainment or political figure. What concerns me is about what this says about the Christian churches in the United States.

It’s taken us a long time to get here, in this plummet from Francis Schaeffer to Glenn Beck. In order to be this gullible, American Christians have had to endure years of vacuous talk about undefined “revival” and “turning America back to God” that was less about anything uniquely Christian than about, at best, a generically theistic civil religion and, at worst, some partisan political movement.

Rather than cultivating a Christian vision of justice and the common good (which would have, by necessity, been nuanced enough to put us sometimes at odds with our political allies), we’ve relied on populist God-and-country sloganeering and outrage-generating talking heads. We’ve tolerated heresy and buffoonery in our leadership as long as with it there is sufficient political “conservatism” and a sufficient commercial venue to sell our books and products.

Too often, and for too long, American “Christianity” has been a political agenda in search of a gospel useful enough to accommodate it. There is a liberation theology of the Left, and there is also a liberation theology of the Right, and both are at heart mammon worship. The liberation theology of the Left often wants a Barabbas, to fight off the oppressors as though our ultimate problem were the reign of Rome and not the reign of death. The liberation theology of the Right wants a golden calf, to represent religion and to remind us of all the economic security we had in Egypt. Both want a Caesar or a Pharaoh, not a Messiah.

Leaders will always be tempted to bypass the problem behind the problems: captivity to sin, bondage to the accusations of the demonic powers, the sentence of death. That’s why so many of our Christian superstars smile at crowds of thousands, reassuring them that they don’t like to talk about sin. That’s why other Christian celebrities are seen to be courageous for fighting their culture wars, while they carefully leave out the sins most likely to be endemic to the people paying the bills in their movements.

Where there is no gospel, something else will fill the void: therapy, consumerism, racial or class resentment, utopian politics, crazy conspiracy theories of the left, crazy conspiracy theories of the right; anything will do. The prophet Isaiah warned us of such conspiracies replacing the Word of God centuries ago (Is. 8:12–20). As long as the Serpent’s voice is heard, “You shall not surely die,” the powers are comfortable.

This is, of course, not new. Our Lord Jesus faced this test when Satan took him to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth, and their glory. Satan did not mind surrendering his authority to Jesus. He didn’t mind a universe without pornography or Islam or abortion or nuclear weaponry. Satan did not mind Judeo-Christian values. He wasn’t worried about “revival” or “getting back to God.” What he opposes was the gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected for the sins of the world.

We used to sing that old gospel song, “I will cling to an old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown.”  The scandalous scene at the Lincoln Memorial indicates that many of us want to exchange it in too soon. To Jesus, Satan offered power and glory. To us, all he needs offer is celebrity and attention.

Mormonism and Mammonism are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They offer another Lord Jesus than the One offered in the Scriptures and Christian tradition, and another way to approach him. An embrace of these tragic new vehicles for the old Gnostic heresy is unloving to our Mormon friends and secularist neighbors, and to the rest of the watching world. Any “revival” that is possible without the Lord Jesus Christ is a “revival” of a different kind of spirit than the Spirit of Christ (1 Jn. 4:1-3).

The answer to this scandal isn’t a retreat, as some would have it, to an allegedly apolitical isolation. Such attempts lead us right back here, in spades, to a hyper-political wasteland. If the churches are not forming consciences, consciences will be formed by the status quo, including whatever demagogues can yell the loudest or cry the hardest. The answer isn’t a narrowing sectarianism, retreating further and further into our enclaves. The answer includes local churches that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and disciple their congregations to know the difference between the kingdom of God and the latest political whim.

It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon politics or American nationalism with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, don’t get me wrong, I’m not pessimistic. Jesus will build his church, and he will build it on the gospel. He doesn’t need American Christianity to do it. Vibrant, loving, orthodox Christianity will flourish, perhaps among the poor of Haiti or the persecuted of Sudan or the outlawed of China, but it will flourish.

And there will be a new generation, in America and elsewhere, who will be ready for a gospel that is more than just Fox News at prayer.

Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.”

…

In what respects natural men are God’s enemies.

1. THEIR enmity appears in their judgments, their natural relish, their wills, affections, and practice. [...]]]> The following sermon excerpt is taken from the Jonathan Edwards sermon, “Men Naturally Are God’s Enemies”

Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.”

…

In what respects natural men are God’s enemies.

1. THEIR enmity appears in their judgments, their natural relish, their wills, affections, and practice. They have a very mean esteem of God. Men are ready to entertain a good esteem of those with whom they are friends. They are apt to think highly of their qualities, to give them their due praises; and if there be defects, to cover them. But of those to whom they are enemies, they are disposed to have mean thoughts. They are apt to entertain a dishonorable opinion of them. They will be ready to look contemptibly upon anything that is praiseworthy in them.

So it is with natural men towards God. They entertain very low and contemptible thoughts of God. Whatever honor and respect they may pretend, and make a show of towards God, if their practice be examined, it will show, that they certainly look upon him as a Being that is but little to be regarded. The language of their hearts is, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?” Exo. 5:2. “What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?” Job 21:15. They count him worthy neither to be loved nor feared. They dare not behave with that slight and disregard towards one of their fellow-creatures, when a little raised above them in power and authority, as they dare, and do, towards God. They value one of their equals much more than God, and are ten times more afraid of offending such, than of displeasing the God that made them. They cast such exceeding contempt on God, as to prefer every vile lust before him. And every worldly enjoyment is set higher in their esteem than God. A morsel of meat, or a few pence of worldly gain, is preferred before him. God is set last and lowest in the esteem of natural men.

2. They are enemies in the natural relish of their souls. They have an inbred distaste and disrelish of God’s perfections. God is not such a being as they would have. Though they are ignorant of God; yet from what they hear they of him, and from what is manifest by the light of nature, they do not like him. By his being endowed with such attributes as he is, they have an aversion to him. They hear God is an infinitely holy, pure, and righteous Being, and they do not like him upon this account; they have no relish of such qualifications. They take no delight in contemplating them. It would be a mere task, a bondage to a natural man, to be obliged to set himself to contemplate those attributes of God. They see no manner of beauty or loveliness, nor taste any sweetness, in them. And on account of their distaste of these perfections, they dislike all his other attributes. They have greater aversion to him because he is omniscient and knows all things; and because his omniscience is a holy omniscience. They are not pleased that he is omnipotent, and can do whatever he pleases; because it is a holy omnipotence. They are enemies even to his mercy, because it is a holy mercy. They do not like his immutability, because by this he never will be otherwise than he is, an infinitely holy God.

It is from this disrelish that natural men have of the attributes of God, that they do not love to have much to do with God. The natural tendency of the heart of man is to fly from God, and keep at a distance from him, as far off as possible. — A natural man is averse to communion with God, and is naturally disinclined to those exercises of religion, wherein he has immediately to do with him. It is said of wicked men, Psa. 10:4, “God is not in all their thoughts.” It is evident, that the mind of man is naturally averse to thinking about God. And hence if any thoughts of him be suggested to the mind, they soon go away. Such thoughts are not apt to rest in the minds of natural men. If anything is said to them of God, they are apt to forget it. It is like seed that falls upon the hard path, the fowls of the air soon take it away: or like seed that falls upon a rock. Other things will stick; but divine things rebound. And if they were cast into the mind, they meet with that there which soon thrusts them out again. They meet with no suitable entertainment, but are soon chased away.

Hence also it is, that natural men are with difficulty persuaded to be constant in the duty of secret prayer. They would not be so averse to spending a quarter of an hour, night and morning, in some bodily labor; but it is because they are averse to a work, wherein they have so immediately to do with God; and they naturally love to keep at a distance from him.

3. Their wills are contrary to his will. God’s will and theirs are exceeding cross the one to the other. God wills those things that they hate, and are most averse to; and they will those things that God hates. Hence they oppose God in their wills. There is a dreadful, violent, and obstinate opposition, of the will of natural men to the will of God.

They are very opposite to the commands of God. It is from the enmity of the will (Rom. 8:7), that “the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Hence natural men are enemies to God’s government. They are not loyal subjects, but enemies to God, considered as Lord of the world. They are entire enemies to God’s authority.

4. They are enemies to God in their affections. There is in every natural man a seed of malice against God. And it often dreadfully breaks forth. Though it may in great measure lie hid in secure times, when God lets men alone, and they meet with no great disturbance of body or mind; yet, if God does but touch men in their consciences, by manifesting to them a little of his wrath for their sins, this oftentimes brings out the principle of malice against him. This is exercised in dreadful heart-risings, inward wranglings and quarrelings, and blasphemous thoughts; wherein the heart is like a viper, hissing and spitting poison at God. And however free from it the heart may seem to be, when let alone and secure, yet a very little thing will set it in a rage. Temptations will show what is in the heart. The alteration of a man’s circumstances will often discover the heart. Pharaoh had no more natural enmity against God than other men; and if other natural men had been in Pharaoh’s circumstances, the same corruptions would have put forth themselves in as dreadful a manner. The scribes and Pharisees had naturally no more malice in their hearts against Christ than other men, and other natural men would, in their case, and having as little restraint, exercise as much malice against Christ as they did. When wicked men come to be cast into hell, then their malice against God will appear. Then their hearts will appear as full of malice, as hell is full of fire. But when wicked men come to be in hell, there will be no new corruptions put into their heart; but only old ones will then break forth without restraint. That is all the difference between a wicked man on earth, and a wicked man in hell, that in hell there will be more to stir up the exercise of corruption, and less to restrain it, than on earth. But there will be no new corruption put in. A wicked man will have no principle of corruption in hell, but what he carried to hell with him. There are now the seeds of all the malice that will be exercised then. The malice of damned spirits is but a branch of the root that is in the hearts of natural men now. A natural man has a heart like the heart of a devil; only corruption is more under restraint in man than in devils.

5. They are enemies in their practice. They walk contrary to him. In their enmity against God, they are exceeding active. They are engaged in war against God. Indeed they cannot injure God [for] he is so much above them; but yet they do what they can. They oppose themselves to his honor and glory. They oppose themselves to the interest of his kingdom in the world. They oppose themselves to the will and command of God. And [they] oppose him in his government. They oppose God in his works, and in his declared designs; while he is doing one work, they are doing the contrary. God seeks one thing, and they seek directly the contrary. They list under Satan’s banner, and are his willing soldiers in opposing the kingdom of God.

We got to hear David’s first message this evening.  He preached from Hosea Chapter 2 on the topic of restraining grace.  An absolutely wonderful message… although if there are any “Robert’s Rules of Order” people out [...]]]> I AM YELLING IN ALL CAPS IN CASE YOU DIDN’T HEAR ME LAST WEEK WHEN I ANNOUNCED THIS THE FIRST TIME.

We got to hear David’s first message this evening.  He preached from Hosea Chapter 2 on the topic of restraining grace.  An absolutely wonderful message… although if there are any “Robert’s Rules of Order” people out there, you might have been a little offended, for here our dear brother showed little restraint.   (If you’re scratching your head wondering right now, rest assured you’ll “get it” if/when I am able to post this message up here, which I surely hope to do with his permission.

If at all possible, do whatever necessary to adjust your schedule so you can come spend some time worshiping the Lord at FBC with David and Eric while they are in town.  I assure, you will not leave hungry (and I’m not just talking about the pot luck beforehand).

I hope to see you.  May the Lord bless you and bring you.

—————————-

You are invited to come hear solid, biblical preaching from Bro. David Miller: “Country Preacher at Large” of Line Upon Line Ministries.

August 26, 27, 28, and 29, 2010 at
First Baptist Church of Briar
200 W.N. Woody Road
Azle, Texas 76020

On August 26, 27, 28 at 7 p.m.
and
Sunday Morning, August 29th at 10:45 a.m.

“Evangelist David Miller from Heber Springs, AR. David suffers from a degenerative muscular disease called peroneal muscular atrophy, however, he remains one of the most powerful preachers today – from his wheel chair. It has been said about David Miller that although he is forced to sit down in his wheel chair to preach these days, he still stands head and shoulders above most preachers in our present day.

David Miller enjoys spending time with his son Josh and grandson Malachi “Chi” outdoors at their deer camp. David and Josh (along with Chi) are extremely competitive deer hunters. Although he has had to overcome many challenges to deer hunt from his wheel chair, it still does not stop him from getting out there each year! In fact, when he is not traveling to preach, David looks forward to time at the deer camp all throughout the year.

David takes his calling as a preacher very seriously. He has been gifted with an unusual ability to memorize the Bible, and he uses that gift to preach the Word all across the Country. With a brilliant mind, David is often invited to large conferences and even chapel services at the Seminary. Although David has enough invitations to last the rest of his life and a well known name across the Country, he still prefers the title, “Country preacher at large.” -cornerstone mcminville.com

To hear sermons by David Miller:

Sermons by David Miller on Sermon Audio

To view a few video excerpts from his preaching at the Anchored in Truth’s True Church Conference:

David Miller on the Gospel and Regeneration

David Miller on Sanctification

David Miller on Positional Holiness

David Miller on Hymns and Songs

David Miller on his Disability and the Scriptures

David Miller on the Spirit’s aid in Holiness/Sanctification

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed [...]]]> To love someone the way they are when you do not love the way they are. To love and pray for those who persecute you.  To not return reviling with reviling, but to bless those that curse you.

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5-6)

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! (Luke 13:34)

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

I really enjoyed this book.  Written almost 20 years ago, it is just as applicable to our situation today.  The first half of the book runs through a brief history of our western culture to lay the groundwork and give us our bearings, and then a brief history of the church in our western culture.  This [...]]]>

I really enjoyed this book.  Written almost 20 years ago, it is just as applicable to our situation today.  The first half of the book runs through a brief history of our western culture to lay the groundwork and give us our bearings, and then a brief history of the church in our western culture.  This was really quite interesting, especially with regards to the influences and factors that, beginning with the early “church fathers”, have contributed to the disappointing divide between an active (i.e. “performing”) clergy and a passive (i.e. “spectator”) laity.  The author focuses on a few key players and decisions that have had a lasting impact on the way we “do church”.  The author is careful not do this a critical way, explaining the issues the church was facing and why these decisions were made.  However, he also points out where these decisions were based on the wisdom of men and not of God, and makes some good observations of the lasting effects they have had.  I know many committed believers in this day and age have lamented the apparent apathy impotence of the body when it comes to reaching the unbelieving world around us, but I never really thought about the historical factors that may have led us to this point.

In the second half of the book, the author focuses on the church in our current culture.  He made some good points about believers engaging the culture and going to where unbelievers are instead of expecting them to come to where typically only believers gather.  I also thought he had some good ideas on church planting and allowing (even encouraging) believers to remain in their sphere of influence to witness effectively to the people God has already placed around them.  It seems so sensible, yet not so typical.

To demonstrate, he told a story about one missionary he knew personally that was having no success leading people to Christ.  This person had labored for years without a single convert, and then this missionary did something “radical”.  He spent an entire year just asking questions and listening to the people in the culture.  Then he went to the Bible so that he could address their needs and their values with Biblical truth.  When the author revisited the missionary a few months later, he had about fifty recent converts – a significant breakthrough in this part of the world.  He goes on to say:

But to my dismay, I discovered that those fifty young people were busily engaged in reproducing the forms of their all but defunct state church in their new fellowship.  They had formalized certain offices and activities, and they were making good progress on their hymnal.  They had even sent the brightest of the lot off to seminary to prepare to be their pastor.

As a result of all this, what could have been the beginning of a movement of the gospel in that desperately needy country turned out to be a cul-de-sac.  Their unbelieving peers, at first attracted and intrigued by the faith of those new Christians, concluded that what they were witnessing was nothing more than a return to something that they had already judged to be hopelessly irrelevant: their state church.  They turned away.

By the time these young believers realized what was happening, it was already too late.  Church forms are like cement.  Once they are in place, they are there for the duration.  That group never did grow beyond the original fifty.  I found myself wondering what prompts even the most creative among us to do things like that, to suddenly revert to traditionalism as these people did.

The author takes some time to talk about traditions, traditionalism, forms, functions, and boundaries in ways that I thought were very insightful.  His focus throughout the book is for the church – the whole church – to remain missional and evangelistic in whatever culture or society she may be.  The church should be a city on a hill, the light of the world, not hidden under a basket.

I also appreciated the fact that he didn’t feel like there was “a way” that church should be done.  Unlike some books that have been written in the last few years that deal with similar topics, this one doesn’t condemn or attack the traditional church.  I am a member of a traditional church, and I love the church where God has me.  The author does recognize, though, that the traditional church is not always the best vehicle to reach the lost around us, especially in our postmodern culture, especially when the pastor is the only one evangelizing.  As someone who has given the majority of their life to missions and evangelism and can draw on years of experience, I appreciated the insights and suggestions, as well as his own recognition that none of them may actually apply to you or your church.  He does not advocate in any way scrapping the way you currently do church, especially if you are already established.  He points out that this can do more harm than good.  At the same time, he makes some very helpful observations that are worth considering in the way the church engages the culture, especially for those who are doing missions and church planting.  If you are doing this kind of work, I strongly recommend this book.

August 26, 27, 28, and 29, 2010 at First Baptist Church of Briar 200 W.N. Woody Road Azle, Texas 76020

On August 26, 27, 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday Morning, August 29th at 10:45 a.m.

“Evangelist David Miller from Heber [...]]]> You are invited to come hear solid, biblical preaching from Bro. David Miller: “Country Preacher at Large” of Line Upon Line Ministries.

August 26, 27, 28, and 29, 2010 at
First Baptist Church of Briar
200 W.N. Woody Road
Azle, Texas 76020

On August 26, 27, 28 at 7 p.m.
and
Sunday Morning, August 29th at 10:45 a.m.

“Evangelist David Miller from Heber Springs, AR. David suffers from a degenerative muscular disease called peroneal muscular atrophy, however, he remains one of the most powerful preachers today – from his wheel chair. It has been said about David Miller that although he is forced to sit down in his wheel chair to preach these days, he still stands head and shoulders above most preachers in our present day.

David Miller enjoys spending time with his son Josh and grandson Malachi “Chi” outdoors at their deer camp. David and Josh (along with Chi) are extremely competitive deer hunters. Although he has had to overcome many challenges to deer hunt from his wheel chair, it still does not stop him from getting out there each year! In fact, when he is not traveling to preach, David looks forward to time at the deer camp all throughout the year.

David takes his calling as a preacher very seriously. He has been gifted with an unusual ability to memorize the Bible, and he uses that gift to preach the Word all across the Country. With a brilliant mind, David is often invited to large conferences and even chapel services at the Seminary. Although David has enough invitations to last the rest of his life and a well known name across the Country, he still prefers the title, “Country preacher at large.” -cornerstone mcminville.com

To hear sermons by David Miller:

Sermons by David Miller on Sermon Audio

To view a few video excerpts from his preaching at the Anchored in Truth’s True Church Conference:

David Miller on the Gospel and Regeneration

David Miller on Sanctification

David Miller on Positional Holiness

David Miller on Hymns and Songs

David Miller on his Disability and the Scriptures

David Miller on the Spirit’s aid in Holiness/Sanctification

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Proverbs 1:7

Why the fear of the Lord?  Because he is not safe, but he is good.  Therefore, we long to be “fully pleasing to him” (Colossians [...]]]> I borrowed this from Ray Ortlund’s blog over at the Gospel Coalition web site.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Proverbs 1:7

Why the fear of the Lord?  Because he is not safe, but he is good.  Therefore, we long to be “fully pleasing to him” (Colossians 1:10).  Not moderately pleasing.  Fully pleasing, with “that affectionate reverence by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law,” according to Charles Bridges, Proverbs (Edinburgh, 1987), pages 3-4.  An atheist observer of Christians recently described what she saw in them: “. . . a constant internal pat-down of conscience.”

The fear of the Lord takes us way beyond technical compliance with biblical law.  It’s possible to obey the Ten Commandments while resenting them deep inside.  Fools who despise wisdom and instruction might also go along with it, for their own reasons.  Flannery O’Connor, Wise Blood (New York, 1990), page 22: “There was already a deep black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin.”

But the fear of the Lord creates a heart of total openness: “Father, I am yours.  How can I actively, fully please you right now?”

A common rallying cry for conservative activists, including Christians, is that we need “to take America back.” Okay, sign me up. Take America back where?

Generally the point is that we need to take America [...]]]> While I do not necessarily agree with all of Doug Wilson’s theological persuasions, I thought he made a good point here:

A common rallying cry for conservative activists, including Christians, is that we need “to take America back.” Okay, sign me up. Take America back where?

Generally the point is that we need to take America back from the liberals and progressives — the secularists in the academy, the homosexuals in the streets, and the raunchy movie producers in our very own Netflix queue. Okay, sign me up again. Once we have taken America back from those guys, what do we do with it?

The assumption is that the underlying America is just fine the way it is unless some progressive has been messing with it. We need to “save America,” the thinking goes, and so the language of salvation is used all the time. But in our heart of hearts, we are saving an innocent kidnapping victim, and not a skid row bum who became a drunk because of his own stupid choices.

In other words, once the progressives, that alien force, are taken out of the picture, America’s native good sense will return, the nation will right itself, common sense will again prevail when it comes to the national budget, we will stop killing the unborn “because we are too good for that,” and so on. In short, America gets to be saved without a savior. America gets to be saved without repentance. America gets to be saved without hearing and believing the gospel. In other words, if the terms of the Great Commission were a great tournament, America always gets a bye.

This is not just a trivial error; it is heresy. It is another gospel. It is false, damnable. Further, it is a basic reason why we have so little success in fighting the progressives, whose vision for society really is a lunatic vision. Traditional values can’t fight sin, for the same reason that healthy tissue can’t fight cancer.

- Doug Wilson

I wrote a few posts back around the last presidential election that were influence from similar rhetoric I was hearing from my fellow Christians — as if the fate of the country hinged on who won the election.  It is a mistake to look for a savior in the political system.  The only one who saves said that His Kingdom is not of this world.  We are not going to draw any souls into heaven with a political campaign, stump speech, or soapbox tirade about “the other side”, whichever other side “they” might be on.  Souls will continue to be won the same way they always have–by the power of the Holy Spirit of Christ working through prayer and the proclamation of the gospel.  It does not matter which candidate’s name is on your bumper sticker, rally sign, or voting ballot; there is only one name under heaven by which all men must be saved.  HIS NAME IS JESUS, NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES.