Program-Driven or Gospel-Driven Church?

It is no revelation that American churches reflect American culture far too much.  And it is also not difficult to see for the casual observer (without head in the sand) that our churches are oftentimes far more concerned about programs than people or mission.  Check out here for ten reasons to "underprogram your church" at Jared Wilson's blog.  I confess that this program mentality has been a source of grief for me since I was called into the Christian Church about a dozen years ago.

HT: Justin Taylor (This seems to be the convention when you swipe a post from someone, but I confess along with my grief that I also am not certain I know what "HT" means.  Any light for my darkness would be greatly appreciated.)

The Whole Life of Believers One of Repentance

Last Sunday's New Covenant Church sermon by Pastor O'Donnell reminded us that the Reformation was fundamentally a call to repentance.  Luther's first thesis in the famous Ninety-five Theses was this:

"When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, 'Repent' [Matt. 4:17], he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance."

Repenting, Rebuking, Persevering

This past Sunday's New Covenant Church message The Headless Prophet and the Heartless King, Part 2 preached by Pastor O'Donnell was another solid bit of churchly instruction.  He might have entitled this two-part sermon series on Mt. 14:1-12, as suggested creatively by his witty wife, The Monster and the Monk, which I rather like.  It is a call to personal repentance, bold rebuking, and suffering perseveringly. 

So by grace, through faith, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, let's get on with turning from every remnant of remaining corruption, speaking the truth in love, and enduring hardship for the sake of the Gospel!

By It I See Everything Else

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else" (C. S. Lewis, Is Theology Poetry?).

Keeping Faith and a Good Conscience

Pastor O'Donnell's recent sermon The Headless Prophet and The Heartless King, Part 1 on Matt. 14:1-12 is one of the best sermons I've ever heard on keeping faith and a good conscience.  (Actually that's not all this sermon is about, but it does powerfully address this matter.)  Listen carefully to this one.  And then listen again.  And then, God willing and enabling, keep faith and a good conscience with zeal and vigor and diligence.

Augustinian Fellowship

Consider Augustine's notion of fellowship and compare it with what we often mean by fellowship.  And ask yourself, whose is richer, whose poorer?  Whose more biblical, whose more natural?

Fellowship according to Augustine is "the enjoyment of God and of each other in God" (City of God, Book XIX, Ch. 17). 

How's our fellowship?

One Step Toward Hell

"Any step that is taken in any way, by strength that is not immediately from Christ, is one step toward hell" (John Owen, On Communion with God).

God's Lyrics

Pastor Doug O'Donnell's book God's Lyrics: Rediscovering Worship through Old Testament Songs is now available. No doubt this will prove to be a valuable contribution to the discussion and implementation of God-honoring worship in the church's corporate gatherings.  Do take it up and read!

Do You Know Yourself?

In Part 2 of Owen's On Communion with God and the second digression of chapter 3, Owen speaks of wisdom and knowledge in Christ.  And he asserts that all true wisdom consists in the knowing of God and of ourselves.

Concerning the knowing of ourselves:  "In the knowledge of ourselves, in reference to our eternal condition, does much of our wisdom consist.  There is not anything wherein, in this depraved condition of nature, we are more concerned than sin; without a knowledge of that, we know not ourselves."

Another wise word:  "A real and experimental acquaintance, as to ourselves . . . is our wisdom; and it is that which is of more value than all the wisdom of the world."

So do you know yourself?

(You can purchase this classic work Communion with the Triune God in a user friendly version lightly edited by Kapic and Taylor for the modern reader.)

No Mistake More Terrible

B. B. Warfield says this cautionary word that I find so important for those of us Christians who are so busy, busy, often in "ministry."  Christless activism are perhaps the right words.

"There is no mistake more terrible than to suppose that activity in Christian work can take the place of depth of Christian affections."

The Making of a Minister

"God had but one Son, and he made him a minister."--Thomas Goodwin

"None but he who made the world can make a minister."--John Newton

Divine Justice: Free Choice or Necessity?

Did God have to punish his Son for our sin, or is this simply the way that he chose to save us?  In other words, could God have made satisfaction for sin in another way?  This question is often posed as a difficult one, but really it ought not to be.  To suppose that God poured out his wrath on his Son when really it wasn't necessary makes this demonstration of God's justice merely an act of his will and not of his nature.  And if it was merely an act of his will and not of his nature, it follows that this willingness to punish Jesus in our place is rather an instance of injustice, if in fact God could have done otherwise.

Wisdom and Knowledge in Christ

As a good follow-up to the last post with Packer's wisdom, I want to set forth here a bit of wisdom from Owen.  This sort of instruction has got to get into our system corporately, covenantally, and last (not first, which is our inclination) individually. 

Owen instructs:

"All true and solid knowledge is laid up in, and is only to be attained from and by, the Lord Jesus Christ; and the hearts of men, if they are but true to themselves and their most predominate principles, must needs be engaged to him." 

We often throw knowledge unrelated to the Lord Jesus alongside the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, as if both are simply equally true and wise and right-minded.  But that is not so.  As Jesus said of the law, that there are weightier provisions in it, so it is with wisdom and knowledge.  And the only "true and solid knowledge" is laid up in Christ Jesus.  This should be asserted boldly and without shame or fear of contradiction.  And it also ought to be done without everyone assuming that thereby knowledge not attained directly from the Bible (like scientific knowledge) is worthless.  It isn't.  (By itself, relatively speaking, it virtually is, if set over against Christ or apart from Christ.)  But it only has its fullness and richness and most meaningful meaning when seen in relation to the Son. 

In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3).  Outside of him is folly and madness, whatever face may be put on it, however sophisticated and learned.

The Coherence of the Cosmos

Commenting on Col. 1:17, J. I. Packer says this marvelous statement:

"The coherence of the cosmos depends on its relation to the Son.  The coherence of the cosmos depends upon the continual output of upholding power from the Son."

We would do well to meditate upon this and get it into our system.  And until so-called science and scientists acknowledge this and bow before the Son who makes the discipline and their work possible, redemption still has to be applied.  And in due course it will be, for all things will be reconciled to the Son according to the Father's good pleasure and purposes.  Messiah Jesus will have the supremacy, will be pre-eminent, in all things.

Interpreting the Song of Songs

I said  a handful of posts ago that I'd return to speak of the propriety of handling the Song of Songs allegorically as Owen does in On Communion with God.  I still intend to do that.  Here I only wish to raise a question:  What are the allusions within the Song of Songs?  That is, to which Scriptures (particularly but not exclusively in the Old Testament) does the Song of Songs allude (if any)?  Are there portions of Scripture that seem to be linked linguistically or conceptually with the greatest of all songs?  And if so, what is the subject matter and particularly the theology of those portions?  I'm wondering if this may shed light on how to handle this love poem, which I do believe must be handled in the first instance as love poetry.  This really is beyond question in my mind.  And yet, this portrait of covenant love is also doubtless functioning canonically as a pointer way beyond itself, to something more ultimate, more glorious, rooted in eternity.

Poor, Low, Perishing Contemplations

After speaking on that in which communion with the Son conists in chapter 2 of part 2 of Owen's On Communion with God and the way in which we have communion with the Son regarding his personal grace in chapter 3, Owen then describes the personal excellencies of Jesus Christ.  In this section (which is a marvelous inducement to repent of all vain thinking and doing), Owen describes the hidden mystery of the Gospel, great without controversy, admirable to all eternity.  And then he adds, "What poor, low, perishing things do we spend our contemplations on!" 

Oh how right he is!  I find that it is so easy for us--maybe especially so for American Christians--to spend our thoughts endlessly on vanities and trifles with little to no thought about the glories of the Gospel.  I am smitten and cut by this word from Owen.  And oh how I long to repent of spending my contemplations on poor, low, and perishing things!  Oh to be given over to meditation on the glories of Christ and his mediatorial work!  What else is so worthy of our most assiduous and severest meditation?  God help us.

Receiving Jesus as Lord, Riveted on Jesus as Lord

Verses 6 and 7 of Colossians 2 routinely are regarded as the theme verses of the book of Colossians.  And rightly so.  They are.  But the modern translations are ambiguous in English.  The end of v. 6 is a command and says in many English translations: "walk in him."  What does the in mean?  And is it the best translation to get at what Paul is after?

Now I want to digress for a moment.  I am not arguing here for a particular translation philosophy.  I actually prefer ambiguity in English translations that reflect the ambiguity in Greek, and for Bible study I also prefer to use many different translations with different translation philosophies.  So what I am saying is not a quibble with any translation's translation philosophy.

The in of v. 6 is a preposition that takes the dative: en autō, "in him."  The preposition en with the dative has a wide range of possible meanings.  And the correct possibility is always determined in large measure by the context.  And I want to suggest that contextually the best meaning is either "in the presence of" or "with reference to."  Both of these amount to roughly the same idea. 

Paul has just said "as you received Christ Jesus the Lord."  This is how the Colossians are to "walk in him."  That is, in the same way!  And how did they receive Jesus?  By believing in him as the Lord!  They recieved him as the Lord of all (cf. Col. 3:17; and 3:1 with allusion to Ps. 110).  And so they are to continue to walk with referece to him as Lord, in the presence of the one who is Lord of all.

So here is my translation of Col. 2:6-7:

Therefore, as you recieved Messiah Jesus as the Lord [of all],
so walk with reference to him [as the Lord of all],
because you have been rooted in him
and
now you are being built up in him and established in the faith,
even as you were taught,
abounding with thanksgiving. 

That's My King: Do You Know Him?

Another good and moving video: That's My King.  A family member asked me yesterday if there is a Sunday version that follows up on the video It's Friday, but Sunday's a Comin'.  That's My King is a good follow up.

Easter and the Evil Generation

This New Covenant Church Easter sermon preached by Pastor Doug O'Donnell on Mt. 12:38-45 is apostolic stuff and a good give-away sermon for skeptics.  O'Donnell does not preach a truncated gospel as is typical within much evangelicalism today.  O'Donnell's is the full-orbed Gospel of the incarnation, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, session, and coming-again-in-power-and-great-glory of King Jesus.  Jesus is the Messiah of Old Testment hopes and expectations who has been enthroned as Lord of all, not just of individual hearts.  This is the fundamental Christian confession:  Jesus is Lord of all.  And this is the Gospel O'Donnel preaches. 

So download this one and listen for yourself and give it away to others.  I personally was profoundly convicted afresh of the utter necessity of laying down the arms of the remnants of my rebellion, of taking the silly little crown off of my swollen head to cast at Jesus' feet, and of following this great King who is worthy of all worship and honor and adoration and obedience.  Follow this Christ, or perish forever.  There is no other choice.

It's Friday, but Sunday's a Comin'

I love this video clip.  Hit it's Friday, but . . . to watch and listen.

Gospel Poetry

J. I. Packer says: read this poem carefully, for this is the true gospel.

Oh ye sons of men be wise,
trust no longer dreams and lies,
Out of Christ, all mighty power
can do nothing but devour.

God you say is good, that’s true.
But he is pure and holy too,
just and jealous is his ire,
burning with vindictive fire.

This had all been self-declared:
Israel trembled when they heard,
But the proof of proofs indeed
is he sent his Son to bleed.

When the blessed Jesus died
God was clearly justified.
Sin to pardon without blood
never in his nature stood.

Worship God, then, in his Son,
there his love and there alone.
Think not that he will or may
pardon any other way.

See the suffering Son of God
panting, groaning, sweating blood,
Brethren this had never been
had not God detested sin.

Be his mercy therefore sought,
in the way himself has taught.
There his clemency is such,
we can never trust too much.

He that better knows than we,
God himself bid us now to Jesus flee.
Humbly take him at his Word
and your souls will bless the Lord!

--Joseph Hart

Communion with the Son Jesus Christ

Part 2 of Owen's classic On Communion with God, the largest section of the book, addresses fellowship with the second person of the Trinity.  And the fellowship we have with him is as mediator.  Here Owen sets forth two things: (1) a declaration that we have such fellowship with the Son; and (2) a demonstration of that in which this fellowship or communion consists. 

Almost immediately Owen turns to the Song of Songs to speak of this fellowship, which is striking and even jarring to the modern reader.  I want to speak to this, but I'll do this in another post, addressing the propriety of such a handling of the greatest of all songs.

Here I simply want to highlight a bit of instruction from both chapters 1 and 2 of this part of the book.  In chapter 1, commenting on S. of S. 2:1ff, Owen says that our communion with the Lord Jesus is set forth and described as enjoying: (1) sweetness; (2) delight; (3) safety; (4) comfort.  This is the flavor of the fellowship. 

Then in chapter 2 we are shown that our fellowship with the Son consists in grace.  There are different aspects to this grace: (1) there is the grace of personal presence and loveliness; (2) there is the grace of free favor and acceptance; and (3) there is the grace of the Spirit of Christ, the fruit or graces of the Spirit. Owen goes on to speak of the first aspect, the nature of personal grace, in the rest of chapter 2.  And what he means is this: the graces of the person of Christ as he is vested with the office of mediation.  Chapter 3 will address how the saints hold communion with the Lord Jesus in personal grace.

"There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all" (1 Tim. 2:5-6).  Amen!

Communion and Consistency

"Communion with the Father is wholly inconsistent with loose walking."—John Owen