Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Weekly Links (2/11/2011)

Screwtape to Wormwood: “It sounds as if you supposed that argument was the way to keep him out of the Enemy’s clutches. That might have been so if he had lived a few centuries earlier. At that time the humans still knew pretty well when a thing was proved and when it was not; and if it was proved they really believed it. They still connected thinking with doing and were prepared to alter their way of life as the result of a chain of reasoning. But what with the weekly press and other such weapons we have largely altered that. Your man has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to have a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head. He doesn’t think of doctrines as primarily ‘true’ or ‘false’, but as ‘academic’ or ‘practical’, ‘outworn’ or ‘contemporary’, ‘conventional’ or ‘ruthless’. Jargon, not argument, is your best ally in keeping him from the Church.” (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters. HT: AOM)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome back to another edition of the Weekly Links! So, assuming you’re ready to move on to the weekly links…

  • Since our annual missions trips are coming up (if you’re not familiar with them, here’s a great place to start reading), so I was particularly excited to see this article over at DG on 30 Ways to Stay Alive to Missions. (WEB)
  • Also, I know a lot of people are doing some shopping for books.  We all know places like Amazon and Christanbook.com have deals, but did you know that the Westminster Bookstore has a special section of “imperfect books?” Most of these are in pretty good condition; they just have a crease here or a scuff mark there.  And they discount them a little bit extra.  If you love books and love being frugal, this is a good place to start looking.  (WEBSITE)
  • Over at the Ligonier blog, Sinclair Ferguson wrote an article on discernment that I thought was particularly well-put.  You definitely should check that out. (WEB)
  • I’ve mentioned before that Jon Acuff can be rather hit-or-miss for me, but his three points of what to do when you encounter a confusing Bible passage were helpful.  And actually funny as well. (WEBSITE)
  • Back to the DG website, they have an very brief article that sets up a quote from John Frame on “avoiding smarty-pants theology.” The more I read Frame, the more I benefit from his insight into both the Scriptures and the human heart. (WEB)
  • This week, I have a special article for those in the Single’s Ministry (although honestly, anyone with a job will benefit from it).  Matt Perman offers a summary of a recent Tim Keller article on how both spiritual and secular jobs are God’s work. (WEB)

That’s all for now.  The Recommended Resources page should be updated sometime this weekend.  I’ll let you know when that happens.

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

LBC Weekly SPARK – February 11, 2011

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBC family and friends,

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord. I trust it has been a good week for you, but even if it hasn’t, this weekend will surely lift your spirits! Mission Bowl is one of the highlights of the year, and the ladies will be taking the field on Saturday! It will be particularly encouraging to watch as many new faces will be participating. I encourage you to come out to the Pep Rally tonight (2/11) and to the tournament tomorrow (2/12). It’s going to be a great time and a lot of fun!

Also, as this Monday is Valentine’s Day, let us take some time to remember God’s amazing love for us. This holiday may present some opportunities to share about that love with others.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are the announcements for this week:

UPCOMING EVENTS

  1. Pep Rally. The Mission Bowl Pep Rally is at the church tonight at 6:30pm. Because of this event, the regularly scheduled Friday night Bible studies will be cancelled this week (Lumos, College Life, and Single Life). Come out to the Pep Rally and cheer on our teams! All are invited to participate!
  2. Ladies Mission Bowl. The ladies will be having their Mission Bowl tournament on Saturday, February 12 at UCSD’s Muir Field. There will be a time of worship at the church at 7:30am, and then the teams will head to UCSD at 9:00am. Especially as we are the host church, let’s be sure to come with a welcoming spirit and be examples of Christ’s love.
  3. “Fireproof.” This Sunday, as part of Care Month, we will be having two showings of the movie “Fireproof” at 1:30pm and 6:00pm. In order to serve our families, childcare will be provided for both showings. After each showing a few of our married couples will be sharing about the gospel and its impact on marriage. This is a great opportunity to invite family and friends to come and hear about God’s view of marriage.
  4. Membership Class. We will be having a two-part membership class on Saturday, February 19, from 9:00am-12:00pm, and on Sunday, February 20, from 1:00-4:00pm. Attendance is required for both classes. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact Pastor Patrick for an application (pastorpatrick@gmail.com).
  5. College Retreat. The college group will be having their annual retreat from February 25-27 at Pine Valley Bible Camp. Our speaker this year is Pastor Dan Nah of Cornerstone Bible Church, and he will be speaking on the theme of “Scandalous Grace.” The cost to go is only $120. You can sign up with Ryan Short this Sunday in the foyer with a $50 non-refundable deposit!
  6. Single Life Ladies Appreciation Night. The singles will be having their biannual LAN on Saturday, February 19. This year, things will be a bit different as we will be serving an afternoon tea from 2:00-4:00pm at the church. Singles guys who are interested in helping plan this event should communicate with Eugene Park. Single gals who wish to attend should RSVP with Eugene Park (e1park@gmail.com).
  7. Single Life Retreat. The singles will be having their retreat on the weekend of March 18-20, at Pine Valley Bible Camp. Our speaker this year will be Pastor James Lee, who will be addressing the theme of “Dependence.” The cost is only $130 (including a $50 non-refundable deposit). You can sign up with Brian Song!
  8. GraceLife Picnic at the Park. On Saturday, February 26, from 11:00am-1:00pm, we will be having a GraceLife Picnic at the Park (Torrey Hills Community Park). This is an opportunity for families to spend an afternoon together in the sun while the kiddies play! Bring a lunch for your family as well as parky type fun things (e.g. kites, Frisbees, footballs, etc.). Talk to Pastor Patrick if you have any questions.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

  1. Prayer. Don’t forget to come to church a little early on Sunday for a time of corporate prayer in the sanctuary. The sanctuary will be open for prayer at 8:45am, and prayer requests will be projected on the wall. If you are out in the foyer talking with one another, I would encourage you to remind each other of this time and come in to pray for the church.
  2. Sunday School. Don’t forget that this Sunday is the beginning of the new Sunday School term. Fundamentals of the Faith (FOF1) will begin again on chapter 1. The new classes being offered are:

The Peacemaker (Peter Lim, Mike Chon, Stephen Rodgers)
Peacemaking for Families (Patrick Cho; for GraceLife)
Fundamentals of the Faith (Min Kim and Steve Preslar)

PRAYER NEEDS

  1. Please be in prayer for the elders to diligently prepare for teaching, to lead the church well, and to continually walk in uprightness and holiness.
  2. Please pray that the members of the church would walk in the fear of the Lord, not driven by the fear of man. Pray that decisions would be based upon the principles of God’s Word and not on emotions, feelings, or personal beliefs. Pray for an overall sense of godly wisdom for the church.
  3. Please pray for the preparation for summer missions.
  4. Please pray for our engaged and dating couples to maintain their relationships in holiness and purity.
  5. Please continue to pray for Erick Min and Alex Lim who are currently deployed with the military in Afghanistan. Pray for their spiritual wellbeing and that they would shine the light of the gospel while away. Please also pray for their safe return.
  6. Please pray for the events mentioned in the email above that they would bring glory to God. Pray especially for the Mission Bowl tournament that all the churches participating would have godly attitudes and would enjoy the fellowship more than the competition.

Staff Perspective (College)

by Teddy Yu

Hello, my name is Teddy Yu and God has richly blessed me and many others with the joy of serving on college staff and to intimately witness God at work in the lives of the collegians here at Lighthouse. College life is a critical time where many young men and women live away from family and begin to make many independent and important decisions. It is during this time that many decide a career path, develop lifelong habits, and even pursue a potential spouse. But more importantly, college ministry presents the unique opportunity to minister to many young men and women while they are ready and willing to listen to the Gospel. For it is during this time that they are in the process of forming convictions on matters of life and faith that will guide them through the rest of their lives.

So just as there is joy before the angels of God over each sinner that repents (Luke 15:10), it is our great joy to witness, by God’s grace, steady spiritual growth in the lives of each of the beloved collegians. It is a blessing to be used by God to encourage the collegians by being involved in their lives on a personal basis with weekly small groups, individual meet-ups, or even unexpected and sometimes late-night emergency phone calls. Even simple gestures of kindness such as providing a simple meal or chatting in the hallway at church or writing a quick encouragement note or praying faithfully for them can go a long way in encouraging the collegians. And while it can be humbling and intimidating at times, do not underestimate the influence of your counsel, teaching, and example of holiness, whether in a formal or informal role, to either build up or tear down the faith of the collegians.

These personal relationships with the collegians make it all the sweeter to witness the spectacle of God’s powerful grace in their lives as they: hear the Gospel and respond in faithful repentance, grow in conviction of sin and submission to Christ, publicly identify themselves with Christ through baptism, commit to membership at Lighthouse, delight more in the faithful teaching of the Word, serve with humility, etc. And just as Paul rejoiced at proven of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:6-7) so too do we rejoice as the collegians bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and continue to run hard in the worship of God after graduation. And especially for those who choose to stay in San Diego after graduation, it is a rich blessing to serve as co-laborers of Christ to bring glory to God together. It is to this end that we in the college ministry strive so that God would, by His grace, work in the hearts of the collegians to bring Him glory in all that they do.

Press on in the faith with perseverance collegians!

Living Theology #55 – The New Heaven and New Earth

by Garrett Glende

It’s fitting the last chapter in Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology is also the last chapter of all of history, the New Heaven and New Earth. Many Christians lack interest in Heaven because they don’t really know what to expect when they get there. Most of their theology has been informed by cartoons or jokes and not by the Bible’s teaching. Since it is the place where eternity will be spent for those who have trusted in Christ, it should be all the more interesting and meaningful to us today.

One of the common misconceptions about Heaven (in reference to the eternal state) is that it is a spiritual realm, where we have no bodies and we aimlessly float around on clouds. However, the Bible paints a much different picture of Heaven for us. We see from the testimony of the Scriptures that it is a physical place, where our souls will be united with our resurrected bodies and we will live in perfect fellowship with our Creator. These first two points are very important and we must understand that Heaven is an actual place where we will have real bodies. Throughout Scripture we read that there will be eating and drinking and working and singing for all eternity, so this must have some relation to a physical existence. We know that God will redeem our current sinful bodies into perfect resurrected ones. Paul writes of this in 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans 8, where he says that all creation awaits this renewal, “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:23). Further evidence to support this view of Heaven comes from the book of Revelation itself, where we see images of trees, a river, and a new city of Jerusalem with its specific dimensions. This New Heaven and New Earth are much different than what most people think of.

Perhaps the most wonderful thing about the eternal state is that we will be in the very presence of God. Revelation 22:5 says that we “will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” I love John’s words in Revelation 21:1-5:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

We will be His people and He will be our God. There will be no more pain or suffering or sin, for these former things will have passed. This is a new place, where sin does not exist and every action is pure. We will see God in all His glory and we will praise Him for all eternity.

To many of us this might seem like a distant thought, but we would do well to consider it deeply, even today. Since Heaven is an eternal state, Jesus urges his disciples, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21). Everything that we accumulate here on Earth is going to burn. It’s either going to perish or be taken from us and we’ll never have it again. So we must store up our treasures in Heaven, where they will last for eternity. This passage in Matthew comes in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, just after Jesus had taught on the hypocrisy of those who pray and fast for everyone to see. These people have already received their reward, the praise of man, but those who are humbly come before God, only wanting to please Him, will receive heavenly rewards. The reality of the new creation should motivate us to live holy lives today. Peter also exhorts the church to live “lives of holiness and godliness,” for “all these things are thus to be dissolved” (2 Pet. 3:11). In his book called Holiness, JC Ryle calls Christians to live holy lives so that they will be prepared for Heaven. If we are living lives full of sin now, how will we know how to act when we are in Heaven where there is no sin? This means that we are to lay aside anything other than Christ that grasps for our heart’s affection. Invest in the things that will still be relevant in Heaven, the things that bring God glory.

Speaking Truth to One Another

by Pastor Patrick Cho

One of the things that I have always been encouraged by at LBC is the members’ commitment to one another to build deep relationships and have meaningful conversations. I know this is happening because more and more new people tell me that it is one of the reasons why they want to join as members. They tell me that the conversations they have with members at LBC are spiritual. At lunch on Sundays, people are often heard talking about the Sunday sermon or what they read the past week. One time I joined a group for lunch and ironically it short-circuited these conversations because the group was sheepish about discussing the sermon with me there. But it was nice to know that they had grown accustomed to having those conversations.

I’m really appreciative of these conversations because the Bible calls us to invest in each other in this way. In Ephesians 4:15 and 4:25, Paul encourages the church to speak the truth to each other in love. There are many various applications to this command, but one way to do it is to initiate spiritual, meaningful conversations with one another. My hope is that these kinds of conversations would continue to permeate the church. It would be great if eventually these conversations would not be awkward, but that it would seem out of place if these conversations didn’t take place.

In College Life and Single Life, we occasionally have what are called RAP groups to discuss the Friday night sermons in small groups. RAP is an acronym for Reflection, Application, and Prayer. I have always enjoyed these conversations because I want to know how people think in response to the messages. In Grace Life, this is the reason why we have assigned the weekly homework, to promote spiritual discussion in the home, and help to make those interactions customary.

Colin Marshall and Tony Payne elaborate on the need of these spiritual conversations in The Trellis and the Vine. This is how we build one another up in the faith. Sunday sermons are necessary and helpful, but they are not sufficient. Using a military analogy, sermons are like spiritual bombs that minister to large groups of people at a time. They are necessary because they bring much needed instruction and understanding to the text. But the spiritual conversations that take place throughout the week are like spiritual snipers that target and minister to individuals in a personal way.

There is no way that any one pastor is going to be able to adequately minister to an entire congregation in this deeply personal way. It is going to require a commitment by the members to one another to speak truth to each other, praying for one another, encouraging one another, and building each other up in the faith. But as each member commits to doing this, the church as a whole will be strengthened. And as we have seen in the past, and hopefully will continue to see, people will be drawn to the church if its members keep speaking truth to one another in love.

Abel was a Keeper of Sheep

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Genesis 4:2

As a shepherd Abel sanctified his work to the glory of God, and offered a sacrifice of blood upon his altar, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering. This early type of our Lord is exceedingly clear and distinct. Like the first streak of light which tinges the east at sunrise, it does not reveal everything, but it clearly manifests the great fact that the sun is coming. As we see Abel, a shepherd and yet a priest, offering a sacrifice of sweet smell unto God, we discern our Lord, who brings before His Father a sacrifice to which Jehovah ever hath respect.

Abel was hated by his brother-hated without a cause; and even so was the Saviour: the natural and carnal man hated the accepted man in whom the Spirit of grace was found, and rested not until his blood had been shed.

Abel fell, and sprinkled his altar and sacrifice with his own blood, and therein sets forth the Lord Jesus slain by the enmity of man while serving as a priest before the Lord. ‘The good Shepherd layeth down His life for the sheep.’ Let us weep over Him as we view Him slain by the hatred of mankind, staining the horns of His altar with His own blood. Abel’s blood speaketh. ‘The Lord said unto Cain, ‘The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground.” The blood of Jesus hath a mighty tongue, and the import of its prevailing cry is not vengeance but mercy. It is precious beyond all preciousness to stand at the altar of our good Shepherd! to see Him bleeding there as the slaughtered priest, and then to hear His blood speaking peace to all His flock, peace in our conscience, peace between Jew and Gentile, peace between man and his offended Maker, peace all down the ages of eternity for blood-washed men.

Abel is the first shepherd in order of time, but our hearts shall ever place Jesus first in order of excellence. Thou great Keeper of the sheep, we the people of Thy pasture bless Thee with our whole hearts when we see Thee slain for us.

1.20a

Weekly Links (2/4/2011)

[Shawʼs] latest play, The Showing Up of Blanco Posnet, has been forbidden by the Censor. As far as I can discover, it has been forbidden because one of the characters professes a belief in God and states his conviction that God has got him. This is wholesome; this is like one crack of thunder in a clear sky. Not so easily does the prince of this world forgive. Shawʼs religious training and instinct is not mine, but in all honest religion there is something that is hateful to the prosperous compromise of our time. You are free in our time to say that God does not exist; you are free to say that He exists and is evil; you are free to say (like poor old Renan) that He would like to exist if He could. You may talk of God as a metaphor or a mystification; you may water Him down with gallons of long words, or boil Him to the rags of metaphysics; and it is not merely that nobody punishes, but nobody protests. But if you speak of God as a fact, as a thing like a tiger, as a reason for changing oneʼs conduct, then the modern world will stop you somehow if it can. We are long past talking about whether an unbeliever should be punished for being irreverent. It is now thought irreverent to be a believer. (GK Chesterton, HT: Victor Reppert via Tim McGrew)

by Stephen Rodgers

First of all, just to let you know, I gave myself a break this week in terms of updating the Recommended Resources page.  I needed to spend some time organizing materials for future editions of the Weekly Links and Beacon-related projects.  However, if you haven’t checked out that page yet, you really should, since there is a lot of good material there.

And that brings us to the links:

  • It’s February!  And that means that a new edition of Tabletalk is out!  This month, the theme is Letters from the Abyss. Check it out! (WEB)
  • And since it’s a new month, there’s a new FREE audio book available over at christianaudio.com.  This month, it’s the highly-acclaimed Adopted for Life by Russell Moore.  (MP3)
  • Much like we did our own little “Best” of Beacon a while back, Ligonier Ministries has a list of their Top 10 Articles of 2010.  (WEB)
  • Have I ever pointed out to you that an enormous quantity of both John Frame and Vern Polythress’ work is available for free online? No?  Shame on me.  But shame on you if you don’t scoot on over there and avail yourself to their materials… (WEBSITE)
  • Here’s something for all the parents who read the blog…Rick Holland shares a few thoughts on parenting and discipleship. (WEB)
  • Over at the CRBC blog, Tom Chantry has a great article on evangelism and how it pertains to a Christian perspective on panic and “catastrophes.” (WEB)
  • And last but not least, I stumped across a couple of articles by Dane Ortlund that I thought were interesting.  In both articles, he asks 25 church leaders to answer a question in only one sentence.

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Interview with Angela (Youth)

by Grace Wu

This week, the Youth affinity group brings us an interview with one of their members: Angela. Angela is one of the newer additions to Lumos, having come to the church by herself through the recommendation of family and friends. She is an example of the wide-reaching ministry of LBC, extending not just to college-aged or single adults searching for churches in San Diego, but also to the youth group. Though her parents are not members of LBC, she still regularly attends youth group on her own. She is originally from New York and moved to San Diego just a couple of years ago with her family. Angela is currently a senior in high school.

How long did it take you to find a church in San Diego after moving from New York?

It took about six months to a year to find a good, stable church to go to constantly.

How was the process of looking for a good, stable church to go to?

It was stressful because I kept arguing with my parents about what kind of church I wanted and what kind of church they wanted because we had different views about what church should be. It was hard for me because my church from New York was the church I grew up in. I didn’t know if I’d feel the same at a new church, so it was very stressful to find a church to settle in.

How and when did you start coming to LBC? What were you first impressions? What was it like coming to church on your own without your parents?

My brother’s friends from college heard Pastor John as a guest speaker at a retreat they went to and they knew that he was a pastor at a church in San Diego and so they told me to go to LBC. The sermons were very strong and straightforward. It was long but it was very beneficial. Coming by myself, I paid attention more. I felt more independent so I felt like I needed to listen more. I was nervous coming by myself, but I overcame that nervousness. There were a lot of friendly people and it was comforting to see that people at LBC care about their new visitors.

What made you to want to settle down at LBC?

The sermons that were presented were very helpful during the week and the people were very friendly.

Was it hard to want to stay at LBC because people are so much older than you?

No, since people here are older than me and have more experience, I think I could learn from them what they have learned.

What’s something you’ve learned since being in Lumos that has impacted you?

Taking up the cross everyday. It was my 2nd or 3rd Bible study at youth group, and I was going through some rough times, and listening to those sermons about taking up my cross and following Christ made me think if I made better Christian choices, then my life’s path will go the right way and that I wouldn’t feel so lost.

How is Lumos different from your old youth group?

It’s more one-on-one and very personal. My old youth group was pretty big so I couldn’t get much time with a leader. I learn more when it’s one-on-one or with fewer people.

How has senior year been?

So far, it’s been hard and very stressful. There’s been a lot of work. Even though it’s been stressful, there are times I could go out more because it’s senior year. There’s a lot more peer pressure in school because it’s my last year, I’m older, and I’m going to college so there are a lot more opportunities to be pressured.

What are your hobbies?

I love to dance, if it weren’t for dance I don’t think I’d be Angela. I usually do choreographed pieces and if I do do freestyle, I’d do hip hop dancing

Living Theology #54 – The Final Judgment and Eternal Punishment

by Garrett Glende

Upon a thorough study of the Bible, encountering various subjects and doctrines that are hard to accept is inevitable. Since a systematic theology aims to cover the Bible’s teaching on all major issues, we have already seen this play out in our walk through Wayne Grudem’s work. We’ve had to deal with such issues as the sovereignty of God in salvation and the utter depravity of man. The nature of our study is such that these issues cannot be ignored, regardless of whether or not they will make people happy inside. In order to stay faithful to Scripture we must teach all of it, for it all holds the same truthfulness and authority. I write this because we’ve come across another one of those tough issues this week. Many Christians in America today like to think of Heaven, but rarely do they ponder the reality and severity of Hell. Yet it is not something that we can ignore. John MacArthur writes that Jesus “talked more about Hell than he did about love. He said more about Hell than all the other preachers in the Bible combined. If we were to model our preaching after His, then Hell would be a major theme for all of us.” And so Hell and judgment are topics that we must discuss, and they should weigh heavily on our souls. I pray that the Holy Spirit would guide us all to a deeper understanding of these truths and that He would empower us to live changed lives in light of them.

The most logical place to start would be right where we left off last week, at the end of the millennial reign of Christ. After Satan goes to battle unsuccessfully against Christ in Revelation 20:7-10, he is thrown into the lake of fire to be punished eternally. Then, at the end of the chapter (verses 11-15), we get a glimpse of one of the most sorrowful and sobering passages in the Bible:

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The setting is indeed magnificently daunting. We read John’s vision of the glorified Son of God, sitting on His rightful throne, ready to judge the world. He mentions specifically that this throne is great and white – great to show its authority, and white to illustrate its purity, holiness, and justice. There will be no mistrial in this courtroom. There are no defense attorneys and the defendants will offer no excuse. They will be shown their deeds that have been written in the books, where God has recorded every thought, action, and intention of the heart. None will meet the holy standard of God (Rom. 3:23). Those who have failed to be holy, who have not trusted in Christ’s righteousness, and who have not been written down in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternal punishment.

This is not an easy thing to say: that those who have not believed await eternal and conscious punishment. In fact, there are many today who would wish to do away with any doctrine concerning Hell. They write it off as unloving, unfair, and judgmental. However, we cannot succumb to our culture’s view of the Bible, as some have done. We must defend its truths, however harsh they may be. The Bible is unmistakably clear that those who do not bow the knee to Christ will be punished. Even the Old Testament prophet Daniel wrote that “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2). Paul also testifies to these truths in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 when he writes, “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” Additionally of those in Hell, Revelation 14:11 says that “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night.” The strength of these verses and others is enough to dispel any sort of teaching that would advocate anything less than eternal punishment.

But still, there will be those who insist that it is unjust for a finite life of sins to incur a penalty that is eternal. In response to this, I offer Jonathon Edwards’ comments from his essay, The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners. He says it much more eloquently than I ever could.

The crime of one being despising and casting contempt on another, is proportionably more or less heinous, as he was under greater or less obligations to honour him. The fault of disobeying another is greater or less, as any one is under greater or less obligations to obey him. And therefore if there be any being that we are under infinite obligations to love, and honour, and obey, the contrary towards him must be infinitely faulty.

Our obligation to love, honour, and obey any being, is in proportion to his loveliness, honourableness, and authority…But God is a being infinitely lovely, because he hath infinite excellency and beauty…His authority over us is infinite; and the ground of his right to our obedience is infinitely strong; for he is infinitely worthy to be obeyed himself, and we have an absolute, universal, and infinite dependence upon him.

So that sin against God, being a violation of infinite obligations, must be a crime infinitely heinous, and so deserving of infinite punishment…The eternity of the punishment of ungodly men renders it infinite: and it renders it no more than infinite; and therefore renders no more than proportionable to the heinousness of what they are guilty of.

I’m tempted to rest my case here, but I’ll summarize a bit of what Edwards is getting at. He argues that the severity of our sin is relative to the degree to which we are obligated to obey – and that is an infinite obligation. Since we have failed to meet this obligation to a God who is infinitely lovely, honorable, and beautiful, or just punishment is an infinite one.

I struggle as I write these things because I know that these truths should drive me to my knees. The reality is that we all know people who are Hell bound, but has this really affected our hearts? We know that death can come at any moment and that Christ’s return is imminent. In light of this, our prayer for the lost and evangelism to unbelievers should become all the more urgent. Our hearts should echo Paul’s in Romans 9 when he says that he has “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” for the souls of his Jewish brothers. But it’s more than wanting our friends and family not to experience Hell. We should want them to experience God! We can’t just scare people away from Hell and into Heaven, but the realities of Hell should beckon Christians to take action in preaching the gospel. It should remind us of the grave penalty that we deserved to pay and the seriousness of our sin. In light of Hell, we should rejoice in the cross, for it is through the cross that we have been saved from Hell. In light of Hell, we should be motivated to live holy lives, for Hell is a reminder of how much God hates sin. This doctrine may seem far off and irrelevant, but it is very near to us and very relevant. I’ll leave us with Edwards again, and this is my prayer for all of us:

Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of Heaven, and Hell’s torments.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions (Part 4)

by Elder Mike Chon

All of us make specific decisions in life that are not explicitly spoken of in Scripture. For some, these areas of freedom that God gives us can lead to making rules and man-made laws that can in turn lead to legalism. For others, they see these areas of freedom as areas where their decision simply doesn’t matter and therefore they can do anything they want. So how do we reconcile these two views?  How do we make these decisions in regards to areas of life that are not clearly spoken of in Scripture? Questions such as…

  • Where should I go to college?
  • Which career path should I take?
  • Who should I date?
  • What should I wear?
  • Should I purchase a home?

Last time we examined some of the common mistakes that believers make in attempting to make God-honoring decisions. Today we will examine how we are to make decisions that are truly honoring to God.

We need to make sure that we are obedient when Scripture is clear on a decision in our life. We also want to make sure that we follow the principles that are clearly given to us in Scripture in how we should make decisions. In the many “gray” areas of the Christian life, those areas where Scripture does not prohibit nor command us to obey, there are many principles in Scripture which we need to consider when we make these decisions. These principles are presented in an article by Grace To You, “Decision Making to the Glory of God” which Stephen Rodgers listed on the Weekly Links (1/07/2011). Along with these principles there are other areas of our life which will require us to use wisdom in making decisions.

The beginning of any true wisdom in this world begins with a fear of God (Prov. 9:10). If you are wondering how to make a decision in your life, first you need to ask yourself if you have a relationship with God that is growing in your knowledge of who He is and of His Word. Even in Scripture there are books that we call “Wisdom Books” and in particular the book of Proverbs has much to say about wisdom and the importance of wisdom in our life (Prov. 8:12-36). As well, throughout the Scriptures we see examples of how important wisdom is in decision making. For instance, in the life of Moses, Jethro his father-in-law advises him to teach God’s statutes and laws as well as appoint leaders over groups of people so that he wouldn’t wear himself out (Exodus 18:17-23). In the life of David, we also see an example of wisdom being exercised. When David’s son, Absalom, usurped the kingdom, David gathered his loyal soldiers and wisely chose Joab, Abishai, and Ittai in command of these soldiers (2 Samuel 18:1-2). As well, David told them, “I myself will also go out with you” (2 Samuel 18:2). But instead of welcoming David to fight alongside them, they realized that putting David at risk was not a wise decision, since he was the only lawful king (2 Samuel 18:3). Even though David was courageous and selfless to want to go out in battle with his soldiers he realized that it was better to do otherwise (2 Samuel 18:4). Even Jesus calls His followers to be wise as serpents (the serpent being symbolic of wisdom and cunning in that culture) (Matthew 10:16). The apostles also command believers to use wisdom in decisions involving how we should live (Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5).

Since Scripture is clear on the importance of wisdom in our life, how do we receive this wisdom so that we can make decisions with it? The simple answer to this question is that wisdom is gained from God by those who seek for it (Prov. 8:17). The only source of true wisdom is God Himself. As much as we would say that love, truth and goodness is of God, we also would proclaim that God in His nature is “wise” (Job 9:4; 12:13; Isaiah 40:28; Daniel 2:20). So if God is the only true source of all wisdom (Romans 16:27), then all wisdom must come from God alone (Proverbs 2:6). But who does God give this wisdom to? The “who” are believers that value wisdom enough to pursue it “as sliver and search for it as for hidden treasures” (Proverbs 2:4). The “how” involves the believer’s attitude and approach in seeking wisdom.

Our attitude must reflect the fact that no man, including ourselves, is naturally wise (Proverbs 3:7), therefore wisdom must come from another source. Since Scripture is clear that God is the source of all wisdom, our conviction must be consistent with that as well. Scripture shows us that God grants wisdom to those that manifest certain spiritual qualities, including reverence of God (Proverbs 9:10), humility (Proverbs 11:2; 15:33), being teachable (Proverbs 9:9), diligence (Proverbs 2:4-5; 8:17), and uprightness (Proverbs 2:7). As well the believer must have faith in God as the source of all wisdom (James 1:5-6).

Our approach to pursue wisdom also matters to God. God calls us to ask for wisdom (James 1:5-6) from the source of true wisdom. Since God’s Word is from God Himself, it is also a source of wisdom which God has already given to us. Therefore we must seek wisdom first and foremost from God and through His revealed Word. God has also provided another source for wisdom which are wise counselors (Proverbs 11:14; 13:20; 15:22). When seeking wisdom or counsel from someone, you should seek those that are mature and have spiritual insight to direct you to the biblical principles that may apply to your decision making. Many times, we come with preconceived conclusions or gut feelings on what we should do that we do not take the time to consider all that Scripture may say regarding our decision, therefore we should seek those that can direct us to consider different principles that may apply to our situation such as those given above from GTY as well as others that may not have been mentioned. Also, those that may have gone through a situation or experience that is similar may be a benefit as well. What you want to find out is what biblical principles did they consider that was helpful when they were making their decision. Warning: Don’t just make the same decision because someone else did in a similar situation. They could have been totally wrong no matter how much you may trust their discernment. But most likely their situation was not exactly the same as yours. Another area that you will need to consider is to get all the facts before making a decision, making a list of pros and cons, assets and liabilities connected with each option in your decision (cf. Luke 14:28-32). You want to gather all the data that you can before making a decision, for example if you desired to purchase a home, but after calculating the mortgage payments, you realize that you will be in debt every month, it probably is an unwise decision to purchase the home.

After seeking wisdom from God and His Word, asking for wisdom from wise counselors, and getting all your facts and data, what do you do next? We will conclude, hopefully, in our next article as we examine how we are to make our decision as well as how God’s sovereignty is involved in our decision making.