“Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward the One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life itself. Have you ever considered the deeper implications of the slightest sin, of the most minute peccadillo? What are we saying to our Creator when we disobey Him at the slightest point? We are saying no to the righteousness of God. We are saying, “God, Your law is not good. My judgement is better than Yours. Your authority does not apply to me. I am above and beyond Your jurisdiction. I have the right to do what I want to do, not what You command me to do.” (RC Sproul, The Holiness of God)

by Stephen Rodgers

If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s an empty threat. And since last week I threatened another edition of the Weekly Links to highly available resources…now I’ve got to follow through.

Articles of Note

• Tim Challies has added the docrine of the Fall to his Essentials series.
• I believe Richard Shin has been covering these as well, but given my recent articles on Jeremiah and Lamentations I wanted to highlight these once more. The Cripplegate has been doing a series on learning to suffer well, and to date the articles are Weeping with Those Who Weep, Acknowledging Sin’s Role in Suffering, Trusting God’s Absolute Sovereignty, Recognizing the Enemy, and Hoping in God’s Character.
• Speaking of the folks at Cripplegate, since we’ve got a church movie event coming up, I thought I’d point out this review of Courageous (possible spoiler alert).
• And speaking of movies…(see how I segue effortlessly from topic to topic, like a graceful swan ninja?)…I’ve long maintained that Brian Godawa is one of the most interesting and insightful Christians in Hollywood today.  I’ve been a big fan of his articles since I first read his review of the third Matrix movie, and I’ve pointed a number of people towards his website, specifically the section containing his articles. What I did not know (and was thrilled to find out), is that he also maintains a movie review blog. Seriously thought-provoking stuff. Now I have a lot of reading to do…

New Resources

• First of all, in case you missed it last week, there’s a new edition of the 9Marks eJournal (blah blah…awesome archive).
• Second of all, in case you missed it last week, there are free TMS classes on Youtube.
• So now we get into the resources that haven’t been mentioned yet…for starters, the June edition of Tabletalk is available on “The Theology of Evangelism” (blah blah…the other awesome archive).
• I’ve blogged elsewhere about some Bible resources that I use, but I wanted to direct your attention to the Reformation Study Bible app. I’m not an “app guy” since I don’t own an “app phone,” but I know that may be of interest to many of you.
• The free book from Logos this month is HA Ironside’s The Four Hundred Silent Years.
• The free audio book from christianaudio.com this month is Dallas Willard’s Hearing God.
• I was stunned to discover that apparently I have never publically proclaimed my love for the writings of Gresham Machen here on the Beacon, so this seems like a great time to do that. The Resurgence is kicking off a series on him, which comes complete with free ebook and free audiobook.
• And that actually reminds me that a while back, Challies did a read-along for Machen’s seminal work Christianity and Liberalism (you can find the parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7).

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.” (GK Chesteron)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome back for the Weekly Links “there’s-also-an-update-from-Patrick-so-fewer-people-than-usual-will-read-this” edition. Since the first Friday of the month happens to also be the first day of the month, a number of the articles that I regularly highlight haven’t been posted yet, so I’ll run a catch-up edition in a week or so to make sure you don’t miss those.  In the meantime…

• The Spring 2012 issue of the Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is now available. Since their website is currently under construction, your best bet is probably to pick it up here.
• I believe we mentioned this before, but Tim Challies is slowly making his way through a series on theological essentials of the Christian faith. So far, he’s written on the trinity, creation, and man.
• He also has another post in the “visual theology” series up, this one on the “one anothers” in the Bible.
• The audio from the NEXT 2012 conference is now available.
• The lastest issue of the 9Marks eJournal is on the topic of “Apostolic Pastors,” and while not many of us are pastors, I think you’ll find the subject matter timely. More on that later.
• And in some ways, I think I saved the best link for last. Joshua Crooch is a/the “video guy” at GCC, and apparently he and his video camera have been inside a number of TMS classes. Someone needs to download and archive these in case they go poof!…especially the Apologetics and Evangelism class.

I’ll be back with an update when the usual suspects are online. Until then, enjoy the updates from Patrick, and I’ll see you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Any degree of skepticism about the portrait of Christ, the promises of God, the principles of godliness, and the power of the Holy Spirit, as biblically presented, has the effect of enslaving us to our own alternative ideas about these things, and thus we miss something of the freedom, joy, and vitality that the real Christ bestows. God is very patient and merciful, and I do not suggest that those who fall short here thereby forfeit all knowledge of Christ, though I recognize that when one sits loose to Scripture this may indeed happen. But I do maintain most emphatically that one cannot doubt the Bible without far-reaching loss, both in fullness of truth and of fullness of life. If therefore we have at heart spiritual renewal for society, for churches and for our own lives, we shall make much of the entire trustworthiness–that is, the inerrancy–of Holy Scripture as the inspired and liberating Word of God. (J.I. Packer, Truth and Power; HT Justin Taylor)

by Richard Shin

And we’re back with another set of weekly links.

• Erik Raymond from the Ordinary Pastor blog shares with us his encounter with an unbeliever who has a strikingly familiar ideology as we Christians do.
• Jared Wilson has a post on Ray Ortlund, a pastor he admires and frankly (if you can’t tell from my previous Weekly Links) I do too.
• Justin Taylor shares with us a book that may raise some eyebrows. It’s a third view to the covenant theology vs. dispensationalism debate.
• Kevin DeYoung has a post for folks who start attending a new church. This is very good advice for anyone in this boat.
• Mike Riccardi’s fourth installment of his series, Learning to Suffer Well, can be found here. The first three can be found in last week’s Weekly Links.
• Ray Ortlund shares with us what it means to foster a gospel culture in the church.

That’s all, folks. I know the Beacon is kind of busy these days with updates from Pastor Patrick mixed into the regular updates, but we’re thankful that you are reading with us!

Coram Deo

The gospel starts with a promise: a relationship in the Spirit. It is pictured as a meal and a washing: the Lord’s Table and baptism. It is rooted in a unique action supplying a unique need: the cross. It is inaugurated as a gift that is the sign of the arrival of the new era: Pentecost. It is affirmed in divine action and Scripture: God working uniquely and inseparably through Jesus. It is embraced in a turn that ends in faith: invoking the name of Jesus. It involves a different kind of power and is designed to be a way of life: Reconciliation and the power of God unto salvation. (Darrel Bock, Recovering the Real Lost Gospel)

by Richard Shin

And here we are with another set of weekly links. Hope you enjoy these expressions of God’s grace!

• Justin Taylor introduces the Report of the Creation Study Committee, published by the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). It shares the different ways members of the PCA interpret Genesis 1-3. He gives a preview in his blog post, but you can read the full document here.
• If you’ve been following the Weekly Links for a few months, you know that I shared about the passing of Denise, R.C. Sproul Jr.’s late wife. R.C. shares with us the sermon he almost preached at his wife’s memorial service.
• For several weeks, Mike Riccardi has been sharing a series of posts on Learning to Suffer Well. I was going to wait for the series to come to a close before sharing it, but I didn’t want to rob you of the joy. You can find them here, here, and here, in chronological order of posting.
• Paul Tautges shares a convicting post on laziness. Many, if not all, struggle with this sin. I hope this encouraging post enables you to act otherwise.
• Jonathan Leeman from 9Marks shares the idea behind baptism’s being a requirement for church membership. That’s precisely what we teach here at Lighthouse Bible Church.
• Nathan Bingham shares an excerpt from Steven Lawson’s The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon on how Calvinism ought to evoke a passion for evangelism.
• Ray Ortlund has a monster post on why right now counts forever. Indeed, it does.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Coram Deo

Our faithful presence here on earth should provide a glimpse of what the life of heaven is like.  We are to be a fragrance of the new world that is coming and a warning of the accompanying judgment. The church is the society where the kingdom of Jesus Christ is manifested and extended. (Trevin Wax, Counterfeit Gospels)

by Richard Shin

And we’re back with another set of weekly links. Here we go:

• Pretty much every Christian blogger said something about President Obama’s hard stance on gay marriage. And rightfully so; there is much to be said about the President’s stance. I want to point you to a few different articles that I found helpful: Kevin DeYoung’s on why Christians should oppose gay marriage, Justin Taylor on a few seminars on homosexuality, Albert Mohler on President Obama’s “evolution”, and National Review on the devolution of marriage.
• Ever wonder what to make of those commandments that seem a bit odd? Like when God commands the Israelites to kill all the Canaanites and not leave one woman or child in 1 Samuel 15:2-3? Dan Phillips has a biblical thought on what to make of those kinds of passages.
• Cornelius Van Til is widely regarded as the father of Presuppositionalism. On his birthday, John Starke from The Gospel Coalition posted an article that would help unfamiliar readers get acquainted with his work.
• Tim Challies has a 3-part series on the “Lost Sin of Envy.” You can find them here, here, and here.
• Justin Taylor has a list of eight reasons anxiety is pointless and foolish. Oh, and guess what? They’re all from the Bible.
• Ray Ortlund shares from Luke 6:35 on loving your enemies.

Enjoy!

Coram Deo

Application is answering two questions. So what? And now what? (David Veerman, as quoted in Murray, How Sermons Work)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Links. As it’s a new month, there are some new resources available, and this gives me a chance to update you on some others that have been made available since the last time we got together.

• Tim Challies is starting a new series that intends to explore various essentials of Christian theology. So far, he only has one entry: the Trinity.
• And speaking of Challies, he’s got a couple of new entries in his Visual Theology series (which I’ve mentioned before here and here): the fruit of the spirit and reformed theology.
• Since it’s a new month, there’s a new edition of Tabletalk magazine, and the topic of this one is Controversy. If you’ve never read Tabletalk, I’ve created a chronological  index that can give you a place to start.
• Christianaudio is also offering a free audiobook this month: Resolving Everyday Conflicts by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson. Considering our church’s emphasis on The Peacemaker you’ll want to pick this up.
• The free book for Logos this month is The Godhood of God by AW Pink.
• And last but not least, it may interest you to know that those 9Marks eJournals that we make such a big deal of are now going to be available in various ebook formats.

That’s it for now!  See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Such is pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear — fear, which both includes in it willing reverence, and brings along with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law. And it ought to be more carefully considered that all men promiscuously do homage to God, but very few truly reverence him. On all hands there is abundance of ostentatious ceremonies, but sincerity of heart is rare. (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion)

by Richard Shin

We have another fantastic set of articles for y’all. There’s quite a bit this time, so take a cup of Joe (or some OJ, up to you), relax, and enjoy. Be enamored with God’s grace.

• Paul Tautges has a four-part series on choosing love over liberty here, here, here, and here. He lists eight reasons why choosing love over liberty is the better route.
• Charles W. Colson, the famous prison minister, has gone to be with the Lord. Justin Taylor rallied several articles and videos around the blogosphere that commemorate his passing.
• R.C. Sproul has a short but fantastic post on three simple ways to encourage your pastor. One would do well to apply these on a regular basis.
• I’m not sure what you think of British accents, but I love them. So you can imagine how awesome it was to come across C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters being read by John Cleese. Hat tip goes to Justin Taylor.
• Because I’ve taken a liking to Paul Tautges, he is featured again (see first bullet) with the help of Dietrich Bonhoeffer from the past who encourages us to be better listeners.
• Jonathan Leeman shares with us the beauty of church discipline.

Have a grace-filled weekend, everyone. See you on Sunday.

Coram Deo

See the man at midnight [described in Luke 11:5-8].  Imitate that man.  Act it all alone at midnight.  Hear his loud cry, and cry it after him.  He needed three loaves.  What is your need?  Name it.  Name it out loud.  Let your own ears hear it. . . . The shameful things you have to ask for.  The disgraceful, the incredible things you have to admit and confess.  The life you have lived.  The way you have spent your days and nights.  And what all that has brought you to.  It kills you to have to say such things even with your door shut.  Yes, but better say all these things in closets than have them all proclaimed from the housetops of the day of judgment.  Knock, man!  Knock for the love of God!  Knock as they knock to get into heaven after the door is shut!  Knock, as they knock to get out of hell! (Alexander Whyte, “The Man Who Knocked At Midnight,” in Lord, Teach Us To Pray (New York, n.d.), pages 174-176; HT Ray Ortlund)

by Richard Shin

Happy Friday! We’re back with a great set of links.

• Many would say Romans is their favorite book from the Bible. Desiring God attempts to summarize this fantastic epistle with 45 Tweets.
• Kevin DeYoung shares an article on the implications of theistic evolution.
• I appreciate this post by Chuck Swindoll very much. He encourages the servant that God will not forget his work, whether it be someone behind the scenes or the senior pastor of a church.
• You know the article’s a hit when it’s posted four times. Team Pyro has an article on modesty of dress that’s done just that.
• Jim Stitzinger from The Cripplegate shares an article on five common ways we can misdiagnose our struggles, repackaging sinfulness into holiness.
• Do you remember when Esau plotted against Jacob, how Esau wanted to kill Jacob for stealing his birthright (Gen 27:41-45)? So you can imagine the shock when the next time we see Esau, it’s with Esau weeping for joy for seeing his brother again (Gen. 33:4). Well, Ray Ortlund pens an article on the ministry of reconciliation that each Christian has.

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone. God bless!

Coram Deo

When you are satisfied with God’s presence and approval in your life, you will no longer obsess about what everyone else thinks about you. You can quit hiding your faults and start living with authenticity, letting people see the real you — the ‘you’ with all the faults and warts — because you no longer depend on their admiration for personal fulfillment.

It is a revolutionary, liberating truth: in Christ, you have all you need for everlasting joy. His approval and presence are all that you need for life and happiness.

He is the only One who should play the role of God in our lives. He has no equals, no partners, and doesn’t want to share the office of ‘God’ with anyone. (J. D. Greear, Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary)

by Richard Shin

Well, I’m back with another set of fantastic links. Here we go:

• In case you didn’t know, the biennial Together for the Gospel conference reconvened this past week. This year’s theme was “The Underestimated Gospel.” While I’m sure all the sermons were good, I’d like to point you particularly to Matt Chandler’s (you can find the abbreviated transcript here). It’s geared towards pastors, but I think everyone can benefit from this one (as is the case for any sermon centered around Scripture).
• Um.. this is huge. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones’ sermons are available to download for free. Right. Here. Periods. Finality. MLJ is awesome.
• Gerald Bray has a new systematic theology book out that builds upon 1 John 4:8, that God is love. Odd? Wait until you read this.
• For those that don’t know, I’m a big fan of golf. Ask me why and I’ll give you an earful. Jeremy Lin? Tim Tebow? Step aside. Bubba Watson is here. For those that don’t know, he is an outspoken Christian and recently won the most prestigious golf tournament on the PGA Tour–The Masters.
• If you’ve been on the blogosphere long enough, you are no stranger to Christian liberalism. Nathan Busenitz shares the lessons he learned from studying German liberals.
• Ray Ortlund Jr. shares an encouraging post on Psalm 31:19.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Coram Deo