Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Living Theology #22 – God’s Covenants

by Garrett Glende

A moment of honesty here: these articles are not always easy to write. I’m not seminary trained and I’m only twenty-two years old. I don’t have every aspect of doctrine settled in my mind at this point in my Christian life, and I don’t expect this to be coming very soon. Up until now, following along with Grudem’s book has been fairly straightforward, as most of the chapters have dealt with topics that are generally undisputed among evangelicals. However, there have been a few times where I’ve read something that Grudem wrote and disagreed with it to some degree. The first thing I do when this happens is question myself – who am I to know better than one of the premier theologians of our day? Sometimes I’m fairly confident in my assertions, other times I really don’t know what to think at all. This makes it difficult to have to sit down and write an article with confidence, knowing that there is so much more out there for me to think through and develop in my mind. As you read these articles, know that what’s here is only the tip of the iceberg. We will never exhaust the full knowledge of an infinite God. I encourage everyone to grab your Bible’s and get into the Word itself. Read books. Read more books. There are too many great resources out there to just let them all collect dust while we sit at home and watch people playing pretend on TV. Anyway, the reason I bring this all up is because I’ve encountered this again this week. The topic is one that I still don’t have a firm grasp on, but the knowledge I have gained has also lead me to disagree with Mr. Grudem (something that is a little scary for me to do). Proceed with discernment and seek the truth. It does matter.

The issue at hand is the nature of God’s covenants with man. Grudem proposes a system of viewing Scripture, and all history, through the lens of these different covenants which together form the basis for the aptly named Covenant Theology. This doctrinal stance is widely held in Presbyterian and Reformed denominations and views Scripture in light of three (or sometimes two) covenants: the covenant of works, the covenant of redemption, and the covenant of grace. I’ll first outline how Grudem defines these and then offer a brief response.

The Covenant of Works

Provided Grudem’s definition of a covenant as “an unchangeable, divinely imposed legal agreement between God and man that stipulates the conditions of the relationship,” he describes this “covenant of works” as one that God made with Adam in the garden before the fall. Evidence for this is taken from the idea that God initiated a promise to Adam in Genesis 2:16-17 when He commanded him not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for that would bring about death. Although the word is not explicitly mentioned, Grudem argues that there is indeed a covenant in effect because of the binding provisions and promise of blessing (implicit) or consequence of disobedience. Grudem says that there are aspects of this covenant still alive today. For instance, if it were possible to live in perfect obedience to God’s law, then we would inherit the blessings promised in the covenant. Also, “the punishment for this covenant of works is still in effect, for ‘the wages of sin is death’” (Rom. 6:23). However, there are ways in which this covenant is not applicable, as we are not expected to obey the command not to eat of the tree and are completely incapable of righteousness due to our sinful natures.

The Covenant of Redemption

This covenant is slightly different from the others in that it is not one that was made between God and man, but rather within the members of the Trinity. “It is an agreement among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in which the Son agreed to become man, be our representative, obey the demands of the covenant of works on our behalf, and pay the penalty for sin, which we deserved.” Grudem notes that this is classified as a covenant because it is something that has specific parties involved as well as promises and conditions. Although different from the covenants made with man, it still can be thought of as such because of these reasons.

The Covenant of Grace

Grudem writes that the covenant of grace was initiated after the fall because God saw it necessary to “establish another means, one by which man could be saved.” From this point on, God would deal with His people according to this plan. Christ would be the one to mediate the covenant, conditioned on the faith of man as a requirement to take part in the promised blessings of God. These blessings were mainly found in the reality of eternal life with the Creator and the forgiveness of sin. A main passage cited by covenant theologians is Jeremiah 31 where God says that He will “make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke…I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Grudem argues that this promise made to Israel is ultimately fulfilled in the church, God’s people.

Concerns

Again, it’s hard for me to disagree, but there are a few things that I must point out. The biggest issue that I see in covenant theology is the necessity to use different hermeneutics for different portions of Scripture. While many covenant theologians use a grammatical-historical approach to the majority of God’s word, they switch to a more allegorical method when confronted with these types of passages. It forces them to spiritualize promises that were explicitly made to be fulfilled in a literal sense. For example, there is no reason to believe that the above passage from Jeremiah is meant to be read as applied to anyone else but the Jews. God specifically states that the new covenant is for “the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” Later on in chapter 32, God promises that this covenant will include the restoration of their original land that they had been driven out of. If the scattering of Israel was literal, should not the restoration be as well?

Covenant theology insists that the future blessings promised to Israel are now fulfilled in the church. Many believe that there was a church during the Old Testament, but it was simply spiritual in nature. Again, this premise requires an inconsistent hermeneutic. Besides, Jesus is clear in Matthew 16:18 that the building of the church is something that is to take place in the future. This theology attacks the very faithfulness of God to His people and creates unnecessary spiritualizing of otherwise unambiguous texts.

Application

This whole debate aside, it is clear that God does establish covenants with man. The fact that God does this alone, on His own initiative should cause us to fall to our knees and submit to Him. Who are we that God should be mindful of us? How could He even want to be in a relationship with sinful man? Through the study of God’s covenants the one thing that jumps out over and over is the complete faithfulness of God to His word. When He says something, He means it. What great comfort we can take in this wonderful aspect of God’s character. We don’t have to worry over the state of our salvation because God has promised that those who trust in the work of the Son alone shall be saved forever. This is a truth that never changes. God is faithful to this promise. He is faithful to bless “all the families of the earth” as promised in the Abrahamic covenant through the substitutionary death of His Son. Praise God that He is faithful to His word!

Honoring Your Parents in the Lord

by Pastor John Kim

As a young child, the Bible passage that we would most hear often is Ephesians 6:1-3: 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

It is obvious that to obey and honor your parents is one of the primary priorities children have to bring glory to God. The dilemma starts to arise in how does one transition from being a child under the authority of parents to making decisions that are independent from parental oversight. For those who have grown up in an Asian environment, the concept of filial piety is something that is clearly a part of the culture. Obedience to parents is an uncontested rule and to question or disobey your parents would bring great shame and dishonor to the family. Even for those that would say they are Christians, this issue has brought tremendous challenges when there are significant decisions that need to be made.

I can think of two issues that are very much at the forefront when considering how to deal with parents.

The first would be that of one’s life purpose. From a very early age, a child might hear that their greatest priority is to study hard, go to a good college, get a good job so that you could have a successful and fulfilled life. On the surface there isn’t anything necessarily wrong with this. It is only when you dig a little deeper and examine the motivations and desires that are underlying this kind of mindset do you see what is at the heart. Some parents are so insistent on this path that every possible way of enhancing potential success is not only considered but often taken in multiplied ways. It is not uncommon to hear of young children being tutored while in elementary school, not because they are deficient in their understanding but to try and exceed past the average standards that are expected for that particular stage. Understanding that the elite colleges also give weight to extracurricular activities and achievements, there is tremendous pressure to not only participate in all manners of disciplines such as music, athletics, and academically related activities, but to excel at the highest levels. As the drive for success starts early, the first three decades of life are pretty much dictated by this focus and does not end until the fruits of the labors are actually materialized. This of course does not automatically happen for everyone and those who fail to reach the highest levels of success are then trapped within the consequences of the time, energy, finances, and sacrifices that all come with this. Even with success does not come the peace that one would assume will be there awaiting at the top of the mountain. In fact, success breeds continued expectations as well as the realization that there is always more to be attained. There is also the inevitable empty feeling of “What now?” when the highest levels of achievement have been reached. It is not as satisfying as one would think. Just consider the legions of celebrities, superstar athletes, politicians, and other significant figures that most would consider to have reached the pinnacle. Why is there still a lack of contentment?

This issue is compounded when you throw in the element of your commitment to Christ and how it is manifested through your involvement in the local church. This seems to especially be profound at our church in light of our church- planting plans for San Jose where a number of people on the team are facing incredible pressure from their parents, being questioned as to their very sanity as to how could someone make church a defining point for direction in their life. It seems absolutely ludicrous and crazy that someone would quit his or her job, relocate to a completely foreign area, and go all because of church. Even those who grew up in the San Jose area are facing opposition for their decisions when you would think that their families would welcome them back. It is very strange and odd to watch this take place.

The second issue would be that of one’s life partner. I can’t think of anything that has generated more trauma in a person’s life than to be in the position where your parents do not want you to date, get engaged, or be married to someone that they absolutely disapprove. Whether the parents are Christians or not, the emotional impact is so overwhelming that it almost feels like a hurricane that wreaks havoc not only in the lives of those who are directly involved, but there is collateral damage amongst even others who might get in the way. I have personally been threatened verbally and even physically by parents who are very upset that I would not intervene on their behalf. I have seen and heard shocking things from adults who would otherwise seem to be dignified and respectable people. Whether they are Christian or not, the defining principle that seems to be unassailable is that of honoring and obeying the will of the parents. If an individual chooses not to follow what the parents desire, there are often threats, ultimatums, and some have gone as far as to cut off all ties with their children. It is sad and heartbreaking to see take place, but it continues to happen to the sorrow of many.

So what is the answer to these problems? I can only say that there are no simple quick fix solutions but there are foundations truths that really need to underlie HOW one would respond to both situations so that while you are honoring your parents, it will not come at the cost of compromising the glory of God.

Principle #1 – Start with the glory of God

Romans 11:36
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

While honoring parents is an important truth in life, glorifying God must be the highest priority. This is not to say it is always so easy to apply – it takes prayerful consideration and effort to place God at the center of the whole process of gauging the heart for motives and the mind for the decision making process. The glory of God must be considered at the start and the finish as well as throughout the process of working through issues. This doesn’t guarantee that things will work out neat and clean but it does provide the proper foundation and perspective that will carry you through the process. We cannot afford to be Machiavellian in our strategy where the end justifies the means. The means are to be just as centered on the glory of God as the end is that God would receive the glory.

At a practical level we need to ask the question if we fear God or fear man through how we face challenges. Put another way, do we seek the approval of God or the approval of man? Do we find the expedient way preferable because we can avoid the hassle and trouble or are we willing to persevere through the trials so that God’s name might be magnified? This is an honest struggle for most people and while it at times could seem a bit theoretical, the ramifications are profound. The more we seek to please man, the easier we will find it to please man and what will be compromised is the glory of God. In seeking the glory of God, it does not necessarily mean we are trying to make things difficult in our human relationships, but it does mean that we are going to submit all things first and foremost to the Lordship of Christ and to see if we are truly following Christ in our heart motivation and attitude in how we conduct ourselves, even if it might incur the wrath of our parents. Our goal is not to incite conflict but to really make worshipping God the central premise to all of life.

Principle #2 – Process Biblically

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

If we truly believe that God’s Word is sufficient, then the authority of Scripture must show itself in this fourfold application. Is the Word of God the basis for the teaching which I follow? Does it provide the foundation for how it reproves my attitude and actions? Do I follow it in terms of how it would correct me in bringing me back to the right path that honors God? Does it provide the parameters for how I will train and discipline my life toward godliness? If the Word of God does its work of conviction and transformation, then I will be able to discern the will of God as Romans 12:2 promises and it will mature me to be sufficiently equipped to do every good work, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Psalm 19:7-11 describes the Word of God in terms that show a clear effect on our lives. We can trust the character of God’s Word because it is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, enduring forever, true, and righteous. As a result, it revives the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, provides warning, and finally there is great reward. If we really desire and treasure God’s Word, it will keep us from sin (Psalm 119:11) and it will direct our paths like a lamp to our feet when we try to navigate the sensitive and often arduous trails of working out things with our parents.

But if we instead lean on worldly wisdom and pragmatic thinking, we might pursue superficial appeasement to stem off the emotional attacks but in the long term it will breed resentment and bitterness. It is something that is confirmed over and over again when I consider the many people I have had a chance to counsel and observe in facing these issues. You might choose the immediate solution of pleasing your parents so as to avoid dealing with their anger but it never addresses the heart of the problems. Trusting God is definitely not an easy thing to do but as Proverbs 3:5-6 states, there is a great promise that comes when we trust the Lord with all our hearts – He will direct our paths when we acknowledge Him in all our ways.

There seems to be a very strong correlation to how healthy someone’s interaction with the Word of God is and their overall spiritual health. This has profound impact on how you will respond to difficult situations as the Word of God is the instrument through which the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, the Comforter, helps guide and direct us in providing wisdom and discernment in how to tread the delicate path of glorifying God while at the same time trying to honor our parents. It is not only possible but it is doable as we have the promises of God to lead the way.

While every situation that you go through in dealing with your parents might not be mentioned specifically in Scripture, there are principles which help build the foundations for a God-centered worldview that ultimately will guide you in making decisions that will be consistent in bringing God glory and in magnifying Christ. Often times it will be very much in contradiction to the status quo ways of the world and you must anticipate that the world and even at times those who say they are Christians will not agree with you and sometimes will even get very angry with how you might respond. But there is a comfort and strength that comes when convictions are centered around the glory of God and His righteousness and you will not ever regret choosing the narrow path that is laid down by the Word of God.

Principle #3 – Walk in the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-26
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

As believers, it is impossible to truly live to the glory of God apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It really is an effort in futility to try and resolve conflicts with our parents when we are attempting to do so in our own power and wisdom. Just as we cannot use worldly wisdom, we also cannot afford to use human ability or power but instead we must be filled with the Spirit so that we may walk by the Spirit in order to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives from our hearts. Filial piety is often times only skin deep because the heart is not necessarily genuine behind the external behavior. There must be a true honoring and respecting of parents that comes from a heart that is driven by the Holy Spirit to love and respond with grace and kindness, even in situations that are difficult.

Principle #4 – Magnify Christ

2 Corinthians 5:14-15
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Often times parents will use the “guilt” card and try to remind us of all the hard work and sacrifices that they endured so as to provide a better life for us. This is not to say that we should not be thankful for all that our parents have done. Indeed we should be grateful and even show our gratitude in tangible ways. But we must remember that there is someone who gave the greatest sacrifice of all – His very death on the cross and if there is any motivation that we should have, it should be out of the love we have for the one who loved us first. To love Christ demands my all, my heart, my soul, the entirety of my being. That’s why at times there is a test of loyalty that challenges us to the point where there is the possibility of being cut off by parents and family. This is never something to be taken lightly or conceded easily but at the same time we need to really ask if Jesus Christ does have the greatest authority over our lives as Lord or are we subtly trying to avoid that by even appealing to Scriptures that say we need to honor our parents so that we can avoid conflict. I would never treat this kind of situation flippantly but it would need to be done prayerfully but there will come a time when you will have to choose between Christ’s authority and your parents because they will not match in seeking first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness. Remember the promise that Christ gave that He would always be with us (Matthew 28:20). Remember that He will be faithful not only to carry us, but to provide for us all that we need, even the loss of family. This is not to say that it will always be the case that family ties are lost. In fact, it is usually rare for someone to be completely disowned. But even the threat of it can weigh heavy on a person’s heart so we need to remember that we can’t afford to let threats dislodge the Lordship of Christ being the supreme authority over every aspect of our lives, even our education and our future marriage.

There’s always a lot more to say but hopefully this will be starting point for people to consider how they can interact with their parents to God’s glory.

Pride and Selfishness

by Steve Preslar

Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

The first four words sum it all up. “Do nothing from selfishness.” We would all do well to measure our motives for service every time we serve. Is our service to Christ and one another rooted in a true desire to see the needs of others met with no regard to our own wants or needs? Or as Pastor John had said, am I just trying to be one of the “pretty people?” Well, sadly I think that many of us can say that our motives have not always been in-line with God’s Word. If we choose to serve one another either in the context of the church or outside the context of church we need to make sure our motives are pure.

Pride is self-importance and self-focus – which leads to selfishness which is prideful thinking and prideful actions – which is the opposite of Jesus’ command of agape love (John 13:34). Pride and selfishness always go together. A truly humble person cannot be selfish at the same time. Pride is the root of selfishness – and thus the root of all evil. Pride is hidden but manifests as selfish acts. Selfishness is the obvious problem, but pride feeds it. Dealing with the root cause of the problem is the only lasting solution. Pride produces selfishness, and all selfishness is pride. Doing things yourself, on your own, is a part of selfishness. Prayer is the opposite of doing things yourself. We must desire God’s: will, done in God’s time, and done God’s way.

So pride and selfishness are rooted in every sin. If you remember, Satan got thrown out of heaven for placing his will above God’s (Isaiah 14:12-17), and it was Adam and Eve’s pride and independence that introduced sin into the world (Genesis 3). There are a whole host of other examples in scripture that testify to this fact. Why did King David commit adultery with Bathsheba? Selfishness. Why did he later murder Uraih, Bathsheba’s husband? Selfishness. In the New Testament, Acts chapter 5 we see Ananias and Sapphira’s sin of lying to the Holy Spirit. Why did they lie? Selfishness. I could go on with example after example and we would see that pride and selfishness are indeed at the root of all sin.

In Philippians 2:3-4, why do you think selfishness is listed first? It’s because we are so prone to it. So what are we doing about it? Simply, we do what the passage says. We just don’t do it. Simple huh? Being selfish is easy, its like water flowing down a stream. There is very little resistance to it. Not being selfish is hard work. It takes a very conscious effort on your part to set aside your own ambitions and perceived needs and interest for those of Christ or another person. I am not saying this is easy but it is written for our instruction. We should strive to be selfless. I am sure that most of us have read Philippians 2:3-4 more times then we can count, but have you taken the time to meditate on it? If not I encourage you to take some time this week to do so. Be honest with God, ask Him to reveal those areas in your life where selfishness has taken root, and then when He does show you, be obedient and be “doers of the word” (James 1:22).

The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Luke 3:4

The voice crying in the wilderness demanded a way for the Lord, a way prepared, and a way prepared in the wilderness. I would be attentive to the Master’s proclamation, and give Him a road into my heart, cast up by gracious operations, through the desert of my nature. The four directions in the text must have my serious attention.

Every valley must be exalted. Low and grovelling thoughts of God must be given up; doubting and despairing must be removed; and self-seeking and carnal delights must be forsaken. Across these deep valleys a glorious causeway of grace must be raised.

Every mountain and hill shall be laid low. Proud creature-sufficiency, and boastful self-righteousness, must be levelled, to make a highway for the King of kings. Divine fellowship is never vouchsafed to haughty, highminded sinners. The Lord hath respect unto the lowly, and visits the contrite in heart, but the lofty are an abomination unto Him. My soul, beseech the Holy Spirit to set thee right in this respect.

The crooked shall be made straight. The wavering heart must have a straight path of decision for God and holiness marked out for it. Double-minded men are strangers to the God of truth. My soul, take heed that thou be in all things honest and true, as in the sight of the heart-searching God.

The rough places shall be made smooth. Stumbling-blocks of sin must be removed, and thorns and briers of rebellion must be uprooted. So great a visitor must not find miry ways and stony places when He comes to honour His favoured ones with His company. Oh that this evening the Lord may find in my heart a highway made ready by His grace, that He may make a triumphal progress through the utmost bounds of my soul, from the beginning of this year even to the end of it.

1.3p

Weekly Links (5/7/2010)

by Stephen Rodgers

Hey everyone! We’re back, and just like last week, we’re keeping it short. However, this is going to just be one of those weeks where everything is heavy on the text-side…no music or videos this time. But I think you’ll still really enjoy what we’ve got…

  • You might have seen the news already, but a preacher was arrested in Great Britain recently. Apparently, according to their new law, merely saying “homosexuality is a sin” constitutes hate speech. Al Mohler has an article with the details.
  • Don Whitney has a great article on six words that can open hearts. You should check it out.
  • In case you missed it, a couple weeks ago we had a special edition of the Weekly Links that focused on Christian journals. So it might interest you to check out the latest edition of Tabletalk (on the topic of sanctification) as well as the highlights from the latest edition of the IXMarks eJournal (on the topic of deacons).
  • For those of you who might be struggling or reflecting on their personal spiritual disciplines, here’s a tag-team of articles for you. The folks over at DG remind us that devotions aren’t magic, and Tim Challies has a good article up on how to pray badly.
  • Did you know that Johnny Cash wrote a biography on the apostle Paul? Yeah…me neither. And I like both those guys. However, the best thing that came out of that project might just be this quote.
  • For those of you looking to get some deals on Christian resources, you might want to make a habit of checking out Ligonier Ministries’ $5 Fridays. Each Friday, a bunch of resources that are normally quite a bit pricier will be offered for just $5 each.
  • Ok, this article is a bit of a beast, but I found it quite enjoyable. David Hart laments that he simply can’t find intellectually-serious atheism among the self-styled New Atheists. If you just want to scan the cliff-notes version, you can do so here, but I do recommend the whole article.
  • And just to wrap everything up, there’s something in this post for EVERYONE. I don’t want to spoil it for you. Let’s just say that it’s called “Jesus and Losers” and leave it at that. But it’s short, easy-to-read, and worth thinking about long after you’ve finished, so enjoy.

Pro Rege!

Music Ministry Update

by Tim Yu

The College Praise Team is the musical praise ministry that is part of the College Life ministry at Lighthouse. The ministry is called the “musical praise” ministry in favor of “worship team” to clarify a common misconception that worship is limited to the singing time that precedes the sermon. Music is just one of the many mediums in which we worship and give glory to God. The ministry purposes are to lead and facilitate musical worship of God, to personally understand and teach the body what biblical worship is, and to grow in excellence in musical talents and abilities. Currently, the College Life ministry serves on Wednesday at SDSU Bible study (led by Nelson Kha), Friday at UCSD Bible study (led by Tim Nieh), and Sunday at College Life large group (led by me).

Because of campus restrictions on having amplified music, musical praise times on the college campuses are simple and unamplified, usually led by just a single guitar with vocalists. Though that may seem like a drawback to fans of loud, exciting music, singing with and hearing the collective voices of passionate collegians in a large, echoey, lecture hall is awesome. Large group praise times provide a different setting because meetings are held at church, after the collegians are given a short break after Sunday school to grab lunch. The band is in full effect, combining the wide range of talents on the team to create a unified sound.

College is an exciting but challenging time to serve in leading musical praise. It’s exciting because collegians are energetic and passionate in their worship of God. They are faced with unique challenges and opportunities to bring the gospel of Christ to their worldly campuses, which stretches their faith and trust in God. And most are just starting to realize the treasure that can be found by deeply studying the Scriptures. Yet, leading musical praise during college can also be challenging because of the struggles with pride. With the help of the music director at Lighthouse, Eugene Park, I have learned to not excuse pride and immaturity just because of youth. The expectations of godly character, a life above reproach, and a servant’s heart are essential, regardless of the age. God’s Word never makes exceptions for younger men and women.

With all of the upcoming changes in the future due to the church plant, the College Praise Team will likely have a much different structure in the next school year. So basically, the upcoming plan for the ministry is to be flexible and ready for anything while entrusting our hearts for worship to the Lord.

College Praise Team

Living Theology #21 – Sin

by Garrett Glende

Last week we looked at our essential natures as humans in terms of our body and spirit, but we never surveyed the state of our being. Last week’s article sought to answer the question, “What are we made of?” where this week we will offer a brief response to the question, “What are we like?” Most of who we are as humans can be defined by our nature to sin. It is what all men share in common with one another. The fact that all men have been made in God’s image yet have tarnished this image with sin forms the basis for a proper anthropology. We must truly understand what sin is and how it affects our lives so that our worship of God would be in spirit and truth.

Grudem defines sin as “any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.” God has set standards that we must abide by because his character dictates such. It is not that God chooses a random list of rules that we are bound to, but rather that his own nature defines what is right and wrong. God is fully good, therefore anything that is contradictory to his nature is opposing that which is good. The problem for us is that God is a holy, righteous God and we cannot even come close to attaining the standards that He has set. We fall short not only in the bad things that we do, but in the good things that we fail to do. Moreover, sin has so infected us that it is not just an outward action, but it is a reflection of the state of our hearts. This sin that is in us comes from the human representative, Adam. Because of the first sin that he committed in the garden, all men have inherited a sinful nature, known as the doctrine of original sin. Through this one man’s act, sin entered into the world and spread to all men, and consequently death (Romans 5). Death is the necessary punishment for the transgressions that each of us have put forth against God, who is completely holy and just to condemn sinners.

Humans are so corrupted with sin that we are completely unable of doing any good apart from the sovereign grace of God. This doctrine that was brought to light during the reformation is known as total depravity. Many have deemed the term (which supplies the “T” in the TULIP acronym) misguided because not all men fully act out their depravity and some have proposed that a more suitable name for the doctrine would be “total inability.” Either way, the Bible is clear that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), that the unregenerate man is dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1), and is in bondage to their sin (Romans 6:17, John 8:32). Being dead in sin means that we are completely unable to make any move towards God for our salvation. Our hearts of stone possess no ability to understand in a saving way any sort of spiritual truth. Thank God for grace!

In light of a clear understanding of who we once we as slaves to sin, our outlook on the Christian life should be radically changed. All believers have been awakened to see the ugliness of their hearts and their total inability to do anything about it. We now can praise God that He alone has raised us from the deadness of our sin and given us life in His Son. There was nothing that we ever contributed to our salvation – all that we have been given has been by grace. This attitude of dependence on God must carry over into the Christian life as we grow in sanctification. We cannot thank God for saving us and then decide to live the rest of our lives independently, believing that we can battle sin on our own. We must still put our hope in Christ to forgive us of our sin and rely on the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to overcome temptation. The degree to which we depend on God does not change from the moment of salvation to our last breaths on earth. This dependence requires humility of spirit, heartfelt prayer, and daily repentance. We must continue to regard ourselves as sinners in need of grace daily, going to God to thank Him for the gospel, and always seeking to put off sin and turn towards righteousness. There is no room for pride when confronted with the doctrine of sin. There is no such thing as self-sufficiency for a Christian who understands rightly their sinful nature. Praise be to God that He has rescued us and freed us to live for His glory!

Encouragement of Others

by Elder Mike Chon

One not so wise man said “Life would be a lot easier if you didn’t have to work with people.” Yes, at times people can make life more difficult and inconvenient. From disputes and conflicts, to broken families, to even wars, people have caused enough damage to others that we would rather be alone than have to work with others. Now with the advances in technology you actually can live in a virtual world where people only know each other by username and never have to talk or see who you are actually working with. Instead of asking how you are doing, you can just look at their social network site and find out what is going on in someone’s life. For the unbeliever, this type of life may actually be preferred. They don’t see a reason for having to interact with others especially if the “others” interfere with their life, with their desires, with their rights, with their opinions, with their feelings, with their kingdom. In a consumer-centered, self-idolizing, pleasure-driven world, nothing would be more offensive than for someone to disrupt their “world.” But for the one that is born again, and is a true follower of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we live in this life in a completely different way. We actually can find encouragement from others, even those that make life difficult.

Remember as believers we encourage others not just for encouragement sake, but for a purpose. It isn’t just to make someone feel good about themselves, but ultimately it is to encourage someone to love God and Christ more. When we look at life we must remember that we can be encouraged in situations that my not appear “good” but ultimately it is helping us to love Christ more. That is why in Matthew 5:10-11 Christ calls us “blessed” when we are persecuted and reviled against. Not only that, but Christ calls us in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies and pray for them. We are not to look at others who may discourage us or even persecute us as a curse, but instead we are to see them as Christ sees them, as instruments that cause us to love Christ more. What a great blessing we have to be able to experience hardship from others so that it would cause us to love God more! How gracious God is to bring people into our lives that show us that we cannot love others unless we love God first? How loving of God to bring people into our lives that make life so difficult which helps us to love God more and love ourselves less? That is why the “others” in your life are a blessing.

I will have to use my children as an example again. My oldest son, who is three and a half years old, has the great blessing of learning patience and loving “others” everyday. Our 2 year old son is the “other” in his life who constantly takes away the toys that he is playing with, destroys the train tracks that he helped put together and destroys the blocks that he built. Not only that but he now has an 11 month old sister who follows the steps of the younger brother in taking toys away and destroying train tracks. What a blessing it is to have a younger brother and sister who helps you to daily practice patience and love toward others! Even though I know my oldest will disagree that he is blessed, where else would he learn these things if he didn’t have a younger brother and sister? Where would you learn what it means to love your enemies, to consider those that persecute you as a blessing, if those people are not placed in your lives? God is truly wise beyond our understanding to graciously bring people into our lives so that they will help us to love others as Christ loved us. May you not react toward “others” with frustrations or anger, but instead use every opportunity to learn and grow in your love for God and Christ. Only because Christ loved us first can we love Him and also love “others.”

Book Review: What is the Gospel?

Book by Greg Gilbert

Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Having had the great privilege of going on short-term missions, I’ve been blessed to have a good number of conversations with people in Argentina about the message most important to us: the Gospel. The Gospel, as preached in our church, deals with the person and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. To be involved in any type of missions has to get you thinking and talking about the Gospel with those around you. It’s impossible not to. As a matter of fact, it should be that way not only during a missions trip, but every day of your life. I saw this as a constant theme throughout the trip, which is always a rebuke to how I live my life on a daily basis. Missions trips usually do that.

Having said that, reading books about the Gospel can continue to help foster a flavor of speech that is influenced by what the Gospel is all about, since you’re confronted with the claims of Jesus and how it should readily lead to faith and repentance on our part (though as sinners we never respond this way without God Himself intervening). It’s a blessing to have many works to choose from with regards to being very aware of what the Gospel message is (especially having the Scriptures). And yet, many professing Christians will give you puzzling looks when asked, “What is the Gospel?” They know they should know the answer, but always dread that question. I’ve had that encounter before, and it’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Imagine being asked that by a Mormon, or a Muslim, and the loss of credibility that follows when you cannot explain to another how one becomes a Christian.

Enter What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert. Weighing in at 114 pages, this book is a clear, deep (though not scholarly) look into what the Gospel message is all about. Pastor Greg is all too familiar with the problem many people in the church have in answering the most important question anyone can ask:

[H]ow firm a grasp do you think most Christians really have on the content of the Christian gospel? How would you answer if someone asked you: What is this news that you Christians go on and on about? And what’s so good about it? (p.15)

He knows, and gives many horrendous examples, of how people have answered that question before (and still answer to this day!). He doesn’t hold back what a sad reality it is when churches are filled with people who do not know the Gospel: unhealthy living:

There would be nothing healthy at all in Christians who couldn’t care less how we define and understand the gospel…Christians just don’t agree on what the gospel is–even Christians who call themselves evangelical. (p.17)

Because of this, Pastor Gilbert wrote this books for various reasons, of which are mentioned below:

  • For the Christian, to cause your heart to swell with joy and praise towards Jesus Christ for what he has accomplished for you.
  • It will give you a deeper confidence as you talk to others about the good news of Jesus.
  • To see the importance of this gospel for the life of the church, and that as a result you will work to make sure that this gospel is preached, sung, prayed, taught, proclaimed, and heard in every aspect of your church’s life.
  • To help to shore up the edges of the gospel in your mind and heart.
  • For the non-Christian, to be provoked to think hard about the good news of Jesus Christ.

The book is broken into eight chapters, four of which explain the four components of the Gospel message: God, man, Christ, response. If you miss mentioning one, you get the message wrong. If you have the wrong view of any one of these components, you get the message wrong. The reason Pastor Gilbert believes this to be the case is because he sees this as being taught by Scripture itself (even if not in a slick presentation):

Whatever else [the apostles] might say, these are the issues that seem to lie at the heart of their presentation of the gospel. Contexts change, angles change, words change, and approaches change, but somehow and in some way the earliest Christians always seem to get at these four issues: We are accountable to the God who created us. We have sinned against that God and will be judged. But God has acted in Jesus Christ to save us, and we take hold of that salvation by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus. (p.32)

Obviously this God-man-Christ-response structure is not a slavish formula. The apostles don’t necessarily tick the points off like a checklist when they proclaim the gospel. Depending on the context, how long they have to preach, and who is included in their audience, they explain those four points at various lengths. Sometimes one or more of them are even left implicit rather than explicit–especially the fact that it is God to whom we are accountable and from whom we need the gift of forgiveness. (p.35)

Each component is observed through the Scriptures to point us to what God says will save a man who deserves His wrath. If God has plans to make life with Him available, wouldn’t you want to know how that is possible? Christian, what arrogance to assume you no longer have need of this! If Christ has demonstrated His love for you that is far greater than anything your spouse, brother/sister, pastor, parents, and friends can ever do for you (combined!), would you not want to know why?

The book also contains chapters dealing with what the Bible says the kingdom is all about (and the many misconceptions behind it), the importance of keeping the cross at the center of your life (and decentralized alternatives to the Gospel), and finally the power that the Gospel comes with. It is a short, yet clear, explanation of the good news of Jesus Christ that it will be a great read for your small group, for discipling a new believer, for comforting a seasoned/weary saint, or to introduce to someone who has no idea what Christianity is all about. There is much to chew on in this book, and God is to be praised for using sinners saved by grace to be a blessing to others.

There is no getting around it: if Paul, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles, calls this message “of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3), how dare we go against him on this! I would highly encourage all to spend time to dig deep into the Gospel, and be humbled and grateful all over again to the glorious grace that God gave to you (and still gives today!).

I Will Give Thee for a Covenant of the People

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Isaiah 49:8

Jesus Christ is Himself the sum and substance of the covenant, and as one of its gifts. He is the property of every believer. Believer, canst thou estimate what thou hast gotten in Christ? ‘In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.’ Consider that word ‘God’ and its infinity, and then meditate upon ‘perfect man’ and all his beauty; for all that Christ, as God and man, ever had, or can have, is thine-out of pure free favour, passed over to thee to be thine entailed property forever. Our blessed Jesus, as God, is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. Will it not console you to know that all these great and glorious attributes are altogether yours? Has he power? That power is yours to support and strengthen you, to overcome your enemies, and to preserve you even to the end. Has He love? Well, there is not a drop of love in His heart which is not yours; you may dive into the immense ocean of His love, and you may say of it all, ‘It is mine.’ Hath He justice? It may seem a stern attribute, but even that is yours, for He will by His justice see to it that all which is promised to you in the covenant of grace shall be most certainly secured to you. And all that He has as perfect man is yours. As a perfect man the Father’s delight was upon Him. He stood accepted by the Most High. O believer, God’s acceptance of Christ is thine acceptance; for knowest thou not that the love which the Father set on a perfect Christ, He sets on thee now? For all that Christ did is thine. That perfect righteousness which Jesus wrought out, when through His stainless life He kept the law and made it honourable, is thine, and is imputed to thee. Christ is in the covenant.

‘My God, I am thine-what a comfort divine!
What a blessing to know that the Saviour is mine!
In the heavenly Lamb thrice happy I am,
And my heart it doth dance at the sound of His name.’

1.3a