Weekly Links (8/31/2012)

Yet at the same time, because it is a democracy, there are things we ought to be doing to draw the line here and there, even if you understand the laws don’t finally engender justice. They might preserve it for a while. But finally they’re all broke, and you have to change the laws. There are things we ought to be doing. There are faithful things we ought to be doing…

But at the end of the day, if you can’t do it with compassion, and gently, and leave the doors open for evangelism, boy, you destroy everything. I think one of the devil’s tactics with respect to the church on the Right today is to make them so hate everybody else that at the end of the day they can’t be believed anywhere, not even the proclamation of the gospel. (D.A. Carson from his lecture on Revelation in 2005, quoted briefly here).

by Richard Shin

My, my… It has been another very busy week in the blogosphere. Shall we?

  • Remember the video I linked last week on why the TGC is complementarian? Well, the discussion clearly did not end there. Carl Trueman, a leading figure in evangelicalism, was also curious as to why the TGC is unwaveringly complementarian but agnostic to the baptism and Lord’s Supper debate. And then Denny Burk responded with a defense here (with many links embedded in the article itself). And around the same time, Carl Trueman posted this. Justin Taylor also has a couple links here.
  • Some call it the Young, Restless, Reformed (YRR) movement. Some call it the New Calvinism. Justin Taylor links to Mark Dever’s ten posts from 2007 that chronicle the rise of this movement, as well as a number of other helpful links. Tim Challies added his two cents on the Internet’s contribution and then Taylor came back with another two cents (that’s four).
  • The term “gospel-centered” has become a household label for everything that we seek to do. But what does that mean? Jared Wilson links to four articles on what it means to be gospel-centered. I would like to point you particularly to Ray Ortlund’s article from 2010 and Joel Lindsey’s essay on gospel-centeredness and the missional church.
  • “As we war against our own sinful anger, and seek to help others overcome theirs, it is critical that we distinguish between provocation and cause. The provocations are numerous. The cause of sinful anger is singular—it is always our heart.” Read the whole thing by Paul Tautges here.
  • If you don’t already subscribe to Al Mohler’s blog, you’re really missing out. Every article he writes is insightful and a great blend of gospel and culture. You can find his thoughts on Richard Dawkins’ Clergy Project here.
  • Dating’s always a hot topic,right? Well, here’s one mainly for the guys, but a great one for gals to reference as well. Guys, read carefully.

My goodness, that’s a lot, even after cheating with the multiple-articles-in-one-bullet-ness and articles linking articles linking articles. But hopefully they’re of interest to you and sharpening your mind. Hope you all have a good and safe Labor Day weekend!

The Heart of Devotion

by Hansol An

Every four years the world comes together to celebrate the pinnacle of athletic achievement. The athletes that compete in the Olympic Games devote their lives to the pursuit of a gold medal. Most of the US Women’s Gymnastics team that won gold in this summer’s Olympic Games started gymnastics at age 2 or 3. Once an exercise class evolves into serious competition, the commitment increases significantly. A family moving for the sake of one child’s training is not uncommon. At 14 years old, Gabby Douglas moved away from her family to train with a sought-after coach. Yet most Olympic hopefuls are not able to realize their goal of winning an Olympic gold medal. A small percentage wins a gold medal (less than 6% won at least one gold medal) but the vast majority walks away empty-handed. Most everyone in the world admires this level of dedication because it can result in exclusive personal glory.

College students can relate to dedication, though maybe to a lesser degree. Many strive for years, studying for thousands of hours to excel in academics in an attempt gain entrance into a “good” college. Then, the fortunate ones get to spend 4 (or more) years in college to get a piece of paper that confirms their dedication.

Gold medal or diploma, in both instances the achievement is finite. The Apostle Paul made reference to the perishable wreath that the world awards us in 1 Corinthians 9:25. In contrast, Christian devotion results in an imperishable wreath: everlasting life in the presence God. Yet, in America, it seems as though Christians live lives that are far cries from being characterized as devoted to the imperishable wreath. For college students in America the challenge can be even greater.

Dictionary.com defines devotion as a “profound dedication; consecration; earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.” In order for that level of commitment to be attained a person has to be focused on the object of that commitment. Collegians experiencing freedom from parental oversight for the first time are exposed to a litany of distractions vying for their attention. There is a seemingly endless supply of distractions for today’s college students but the standard remains the same as in Paul’s day. God wants our complete and undivided devotion.

Christ himself demanded nothing less than everything. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” His audience understood the seriousness of those words. The cross represented humiliation, violence and death. Christ equated devotion to him, to death! No one does that. But that’s what God wanted for his disciples then, and that’s what is required of us today. Our devotion to the Lord should make our attachment to everything else seem like hate. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple,” Jesus said in Luke 14:26. Does our devotion match Christ’s expectations?

We need to be honest with ourselves and to God. He already knows the truth in our heart but we still need to openly confess our misplaced devotion to the pursuit of perishable wreaths and live lives with a singular focus on him. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24). What are your time, talent and money pursuing? The answer to that question will reveal the object of your devotion. God gave us examples of extraordinary devotion throughout the Bible (God and Israel, Hosea and Gomer, the Disciples, etc.) but the best example He gave us was His Son. As the new school year begins, let’s be devoted to the one who perfectly denied himself.

Editor’s Note: August 2012

“All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

“Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.” (Albert Einstein)

by Stephen Rodgers

Unfortunately, I had to cancel the BOB article today because I’m otherwise occupied with correcting a minor issue with the Beacon that is causing the pages to display…oddly. If the left margin appears non-existant, and there’s a blue box at the top of the banner, do not adjust your set. We control the vertical and the horizontal…we just control them poorly at the moment.

Believe it or not, this is an improvement: on Monday the issue was that the pages weren’t displaying at all. So progress is being made.

That being said, a number of articles in the BOB series have been recently updated, and you might want to revisit them.  They are:

A couple people have asked about the resources that are used to write the BOB articles. I wrote a post specifically on that subject, and for some links that will set you on a path to other great resources, you might want to refer to the Recommended Resources page, specifically the sections dealing with “Recommended Commentaries” and “Recommended Systematic Theologies.”

I’ve also recently updated that page with some links pertaining to “Recommended Reading for Seminary.” That should be very useful for anyone starting to do some reading on theological topics.

Hopefully we’ll have all the technicalia resolved by next week, and be back to our regularly-scheduled BOB.

Thank you for your patience.

Pro Rege

FOF #4 – The Person of Jesus Christ

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 14)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

In all of human history, there is no more significant or controversial individual than the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus came and walked this earth, He upset entire religious institutions, He challenged governmental authorities, and He gathered quite a following. He was peculiar and remarkable not only because of the things that He did, but also because of the things that He said. He clearly communicated that He was the Son of God who came to save the world, but He also proved it through His miraculous deeds and especially through His resurrection from the dead.

I would argue that there is no greater study in Scripture than to examine the life and person of Jesus Christ. The Bible attests to His deity – He is the everlasting God. Paul wrote to the Colossians that in Jesus “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col. 2:9). The author of Hebrews explains that Jesus “created the world,” and, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature” (Heb. 1:2-3). When I study Jesus, I can come to understand who God is and what God is like.

The titles of God were rightly applied to Jesus. He is constantly referred to in Scripture as “Lord.” This title underscores His divine sovereignty over all things. It also points to His authority over His people. Jesus is the rightful King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:14-15). He is the one who governs the universe and His people (cf. Dan. 7:14). He also applied the titles of God to Himself, like in John 8:58 where He deliberately referred to Himself as “I am” (cf. Exod. 3:14).

He not only took on the titles of God, but He also demonstrated the power and authority of God. When the disciples were on the Sea of Galilee during a violent storm and fearing for their lives, Jesus arose and calmed the storm (Matt. 8:23-27). He thus demonstrated that He possessed authority over all creation. He also showed His authority over spiritual forces by commanding demons to come out of people (Luke 4:33-36). He even proved His authority over life and death by summoning Lazarus from the grave (John 11:43-44).

The greatest demonstration of Jesus’ deity was in His authority to forgive sins. The religious leaders of His time were particularly offended when Jesus proclaimed that He had the authority to do so (cf. Mark 2:3-12). They accused Jesus of blasphemy because they understood that only God could forgive sins. But Jesus came to rescue sinners. He was referred to by John the Baptist as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29). This was an Old Testament title referring back to the sacrificial system which was God put in place to atone for the sins of the people. Jesus came to save sinners by dying on the cross and paying the penalty of death that we deserved because of our sins. He stood in our place. He served as our substitute. And in so doing, He brought us into right relationship and peace with God.

This is why Jesus became a man. One of the most mind-boggling truths in Scripture is that even though Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man. When Jesus was born as an infant in Bethlehem and laid there in the manger, He possessed the fullness of deity. As He grew up as a child learning to walk and talk, He possessed the fullness of deity. When He came to the banks of the Jordan to initiate His earthly ministry in His baptism, He possessed the fullness of deity. And as He hung on the cross and gave up His life, He possessed the fullness of deity.

He hungered as a man (Luke 4:2), He grew weary as a man (John 4:6), He had flesh and bones as a man (Luke 24:39), and He was completely God undiminished. But it was necessary for God to take on flesh for our sakes. Since man sinned against God, it was just for man to also pay for that sin. Jesus took on human flesh to stand in our place as a man and to die in our place. Philippians 2:5-8 helps explain the lengths to which Jesus went to provide a way of salvation for us.

After His earthly ministry was complete, after His death and resurrection, Jesus met His disciples at Galilee. After giving them some final instructions, He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). But the Bible tells us that He is coming again. He said so Himself (John 14:3). He will return to set up His kingdom and sit on His glorious throne (Matt. 25:31-32). In light of His coming, all those who believe in Him are called to walk in holiness and to pursue peace (2 Pet. 3:14).

If I could only study one thing for the rest of my life, it would be the person of Jesus. All of human history hinges on His life. When He walked this earth, He demonstrated for the world what God was like. We could observe Him, talk with Him, and learn from His teachings. Though none before Him had ever seen God (John 1:18), God made a way for us to see Him and know Him. This was all made possible through His coming as a man and making atonement for our sins.

I Will Cause the Shower to Come Down in His Season…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Ezekiel 34:26

Here is sovereign mercy-‘I will give them the shower in its season.’ Is it not sovereign, divine mercy?-for who can say, ‘I will give them showers,’ except God? There is only one voice which can speak to the clouds, and bid them beget the rain. Who sendeth down the rain upon the earth? Who scattereth the showers upon the green herb? Do not I, the Lord? So grace is the gift of God, and is not to be created by man.

  • It is also needed grace. What would the ground do without showers? You may break the clods, you may sow your seeds, but what can you do without the rain? As absolutely needful is the divine blessing. In vain you labour, until God the plenteous shower bestows, and sends salvation down.
  • Then, it is plenteous grace. ‘I will send them showers.’ It does not say, ‘I will send them drops,’ but ‘showers.’ So it is with grace. If God gives a blessing, He usually gives it in such a measure that there is not room enough to receive it. Plenteous grace! Ah! we want plenteous grace to keep us humble, to make us prayerful, to make us holy; plenteous grace to make us zealous, to preserve us through this life, and at last to land us in heaven. We cannot do without saturating showers of grace.
  • Again, it is seasonable grace. ‘I will cause the shower to come down in his season.’ What is thy season this morning? Is it the season of drought? Then that is the season for showers. Is it a season of great heaviness and black clouds? Then that is the season for showers. ‘As thy days so shall thy strength be.’
  • And here is a varied blessing. ‘I will give thee showers of blessing.’ The word is in the plural. All kinds of blessings God will send. All God’s blessings go together, like links in a golden chain. If He gives converting grace, He will also give comforting grace. He will send ‘showers of blessing.’

Look up to-day, O parched plant, and open thy leaves and flowers for a heavenly watering.

2.24a

Weekly Links (8/24/2012)

The condition of Jesus Christ before his incarnation was a state of the highest and most unspeakable delight and pleasure, in the enjoyment of his Father.

He was not liable to any of those sorrowful consequences of that frail and feeble state of humanity, which he afterwards assumed. He was unacquainted with griefs; there was no sorrowing or sighing in that bosom where he lay.

He never underwent reproach and shame in that bosom, there was nothing but glory and honour reflected upon him by his Father, though afterwards he was despised, and rejected of men. His holy heart was never offended with an impure suggestion or temptation of the Devil. There were no hidings or withdrawings of his Father from him; there was not a cloud from eternity upon the face of God, till Jesus Christ had left that bosom.

All these things were new things to Christ; he was above them all — till for our sakes he voluntarily subjected himself unto them. (John Flavel, The Fountain of Life)

by Richard Shin

It was a busy week in the blogosphere. So, let’s get to it.

  • This video by The Gospel Coalition explains the question: Why is TGC complementarian? In the article, a number of documents and articles are also referenced. I’d like to point you particularly to the one by Kathleen Nielson, who wrote “To My Egalitarian Friends”.
  • Justin Taylor quotes the last sermon Steve DeWitt ever preached as a single man. At age 44, he has some wise words for young men and women in regards to sexual purity. You can find the sermon in its entirety at the bottom of that page.
  • When you get guys like James White, Phil Johnson, Carl Trueman, and Mike Abendroth into one room and start talking unscripted, it’s bound to be good. Well, you can watch them do just that with the first episode of No Compromise Ever (shortened as “No Co Ever”) where they discuss the debacle of the Elephant Room 2.
  • In case you didn’t know, Tim Challies has a series called Reading Classics Together where he takes various influential Christian books and read one with his blog’s readers, a chapter a week. As he is currently going through Disciplines of Grace by Jerry Bridges, he narrows in on chapter 3 which talks about preaching the gospel to yourself. Take a look and see what it means to do so.
  • Paul Tautges shares six points on true piety (godliness) as summarized from Tom Hovestol’s Extreme Righteousness. In a completely separate post, yet not completely unrelated (like that?), he also summarizes three characteristics of righteous anger here.
  • No matter how many articles there have been, I can always get a little more of Ray Ortlund. You can find his encouragement to the wronged here.

Like I said, it was a busy week. Chop, chop! Have a great weekend, y’all.

Coram Deo

BOB – Amos

by Stephen Rodgers

AMOS IN 10 WORDS OR LESS

“Real religion isn’t just ritual, but treating people with justice.”

TITLE

Like almost all the other prophetic books, the book of Amos takes its name from the prophet respon­si­ble for its content (Amos 1:1).

Per the MSB:

 Amos’ name means “burden” or “burden-bearer.” He is not to be confused with Amoz (“stout, strong”), the father of Isaiah (Is. 1:1).

AUTHOR & AUDIENCE

While he’s not as illuminated as someone like Daniel or Jeremiah, we know a lot more about Amos than we do someone like Joel.

Amos was from Tekoa, a small village 10 mi. S of Jerusalem. He was the only prophet to give his occupation before declaring his divine commission. He was not of priestly or noble descent, but worked as a “sheepbreeder” (1:1; cf. 2 Kin. 3:4) and a “tender of sycamore fruit” (7:14) and was a contemporary of Jonah (2 Kin. 14:25), Hosea (Hos. 1:1), and Isaiah (Is. 1:1). The date of writing is mid-eighth century B.C., during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah (ca. 790–739 B.C.) and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (ca. 793–753 B.C.), two years before a memorable earthquake (Amos 1:1; cf. Zech. 14:5, ca. 760 B.C.).

It’s worth noting Amos’ humble social status and blue-collar pedigree at this point, given the major themes and illustrations of the book. As far as prophets go, Amos is about as rough-and-tumble as they come.

The original audience of Amos was the northern kingdom of Israel (which is quite odd, given that Amos was from Judah).

DATE

Not to contrast Joel and Amos unnecessarily, but the controversy and confusion is dating Joel is nowhere to be found in Amos, which can be dated more or less exactly.

Per Constable:

Amos ministered during the reigns of King Jeroboam II of Israel (793-753 B.C.) and King Uzziah (Azariah) of Judah (792-740 B.C.), specifically two years before “the earthquake” (Amos 1:1). Zechariah also referred to a notable earthquake during the reign of Uzziah (Zech. 14:5). Josephus wrote that an earthquake occurred when Uzziah entered the temple and was struck with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:16-20).[Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 9:10:4.] However this may be simply Jewish tradition. Archaeological excavations at Hazor and Samaria point to evidence of a violent earthquake in Israel about 760 B.C.[Y. Yadin, et al., Hazor II: An Account of the Second Season of Excavations, 1956, pp. 24, 26, 36-37; and Philip J. King, Amos, Hosea, Micah—An Archaeological Commentary, p. 21.] So perhaps Amos ministered about 760 B.C. This date may account for the omission of the name of King Jotham who ruled as coregent with Uzziah from 750-740 B.C. Thus Amos was a contemporary of the other eighth-century prophets: Jonah, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah.

BACKGROUND & SETTING

As Charles Dickens wrote in an entirely different context: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Despite the time that Israel was experiencing great political and economic success, they were simultaneously in great spiritual and ethical distress. H.L. Ellison summarizes it brilliantly in The Prophets of Israel: “In other words the prosperity of Israel was merely a thin veneer over a mass of poverty and misery.”

Per the MSB:

Politically, it was a time of prosperity under the long and secure reign of Jeroboam II who, following the example of his father Joash (2 Kin. 13:25), significantly “restored the territory of Israel” (2 Kin. 14:25). It was also a time of peace with both Judah (cf. 5:5) and her more distant neighbors; the ever-present menace of Assyria was subdued earlier that century because of Nineveh’s repentance at the preaching of Jonah (Jon. 3:10). Spiritually, however, it was a time of rampant corruption and moral decay (Amos 4:1; 5:10–13; 2 Kin. 14:24).

HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL THEMES

There are two major themes that run through the book of Amos:

  • Social Justice. Despite the fact that Israel was enjoying a period of great economic prosperity, Amos was quick to point out that material luxury can and does lead to spiritual complacency and ethical laxity (Amos 6:1-6). He rigorously condemned the “evil times” (Amos 5:13) and their representative sins: oppression of the poor (Amos 2:6-7a; 5:12; 8:4,6), injustice in the courts (Amos 2:7a; 5:7,12; 6:12), sexual immorality (Amos 2:7b), religious abuses (Amos 2:8), violence (Amos 3:10), idolatry (Amos 5:26), corrupt business practices (Amos 8:5). Sound like any culture that you know?
  • Judgment. God warned repeatedly that judgment was coming and why: exploitation of the poor would be punished (Amos 2:13-16; 6:8,14; 8:9-9:10) and those who lived lavishly at the expense of others would lose everything (Amos 3:15-4:3; 5:16-17; 6:4-7). God would expose hypocrisy and false piety (Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-23) by He continued to call on them to turn to Him and live (Amos 5:4-6).

INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES

There are really no significant interpretive issues in Amos that I am aware of, although as with nearly any Biblical text, I’m sure that minor ones abound. However, Amos’ message of divine judgment as punishment for idolatry and social injustice is pretty straightforward.

LITERARY FEATURES

Per the ESVSB:

The umbrella under which everything in Amos fits is prophecy, with its attendant oracles of judgment and a concluding oracle of redemption. But the dominant literary form is satire, with the usual elements of objects of attack, a satiric vehicle (very multiple in this book, such as catalogs of “woe” formulas and brief vignettes of bad behavior), a satiric norm or standard by which the criticism is conducted, and a prevailing satiric tone (in this case, biting and sarcastic). 

OBJECTIONS

There are no significant objections to Amos that I’m aware of. As Constable comments:

Almost all scholars agree that the Book of Amos was originally a single book that the prophet Amos wrote. Comparison with the writings of the other eighth-century prophets and the consistently vivid and forthright style of Amos make this conclusion virtually inescapable. [For further discussion, see the commentaries, especially T. E. McComiskey, “Amos,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, pp. 270-74.]

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

  • Amos 3:6 (a verse that flatly contradicts the popular cliche that God is somehow helpless in the face of evil)
  • Amos 4:12
  • Amos 5:14
  • Amos 5:24

DID YOU KNOW?

  •  Even though Amos was a native of the southern kingdom of Judah, he was directed by God to prophecy in the northern kingdom of Israel. Some scholars have suggested that this suggests that even though the kingdom was divided politically, both Israel and Judah were still aware of their common identity as God’s people.
  • The reference to “burning the bodies” in Amos 6:10 may actually be alluding to a memorial fire, as cremation was not generally practiced at this time.

Other Works Referenced

  • Apologetics Study Bible, “Amos”
  • Archaeological Study Bible, “Introduction to Amos”
  • ESV Study Bible, “Introduction to Amos”
  • MacArthur Study Bible, “Amos”
  • NET Bible, Amos
  • NIV Study Bible, Amos
  • Reformation Study Bible, “Amos”
  • The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Amos”
  • Know Your Bible
  • Dever, The Message of the Old Testament
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On the Old Testament
  • Knight, The Layman’s Bible Handbook

Signs of Spiritual Maturity #4: Changes of the Heart

by Elder Peter Lim

One of the more popular praise songs of the 1980s involved the words, “He’s changing me, my precious Jesus, I’m not the same person that I used to be…” People change. There are good changes and bad changes. Good changes are always a result of the gracious work of God in one’s life. Bad changes are always a manifestation of our own sinful tendencies and resistance to the Word of God.

  • As a Christian matures, good changes include: sinning less, gaining in wisdom, learning more about God, increasing discernment, loving/caring more, etc.
  • Unfortunately some people change in other ways which have less to do with maturity and more to do with passage of time: hearts become more hardened to certain sins, less tolerance of other people’s “issues”, decreasing excitement about evangelism and the gospel, and more cynical to receive teaching from men whom they used to respect.

I’m sure there are many more that you can think of. So why do some people change one way and others in another way?

I believe that the main difference in the way Christians change has to do with humility. This humility is produced by a growing awareness and hatred of one’s own sinfulness and a recognition that it is only by His amazing grace that He saved a wretch like me. Good changes occur in the heart. This affects all of life since the root cause of how one deals with changes is always related to the heart’s attitudes. A Christian’s heart can never “get over” the gospel since it is permanently changed as it is transformed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. It is the one thing in life that remains constant (other than change itself): the Christian’s heart grows in its capability to love God and worship Him more wholeheartedly. One illustration of this is the way a husband and wife’s love for one another grows with the passage of time. I’ve always wondered how married couples can honestly say the phrase “I love you more today than yesterday… since that would be admitting that one didn’t love one’s spouse as much the previous day! Since I have been married now for almost 18 years, I have come to understand that my capacity to love my wife has grown, and therefore I can say that I love her more with each passing day. But it takes humility to admit that you weren’t always as capable as you are now.

As already mentioned, the heart sometimes changes in a bad way by becoming hardened due to prolonged exposure to and tolerance of sin. No wonder then that Paul warns against keeping “bad company” in 1 Cor. 15:33. On one hand, some Christians confuse the idea of befriending and caring for their non-Christian friends with keeping bad company with them. On the other hand, Jesus is sometimes incorrectly held up as an example of someone who “hung out” with sinners. Jesus didn’t spend casual, prolonged time with people who refused to recognize who He was. He was there with them for the purpose of rescuing them from damnation. A sign of maturity as a Christian is that our friendship with non-Christians is purposefully evangelistic because we have been permanently changed. That is, one key to not changing in a bad way is by behaving consistently and intentionally with whom we have become in Christ.

I’m sure that we all have friends who need to be saved; naturally we want to spend time with them. We will experience some conflict because those opportunities will compete for your attention with other opportunities, such as church activities. There is no definite right answer as to what we should do every time…but whatever we do must be done for His glory. And be careful that you are influencing them more than they are influencing you. I am not proposing that every encounter with a non-Christian friend must include a gospel presentation and a challenge to repent. However, the non-Christian friend should have a clear understanding that although we are both sinners, there is a fundamental difference between us, and that difference is Christ. If this difference is suppressed or minimized, our Christian testimony gets diluted. Compromising our message leads to compromising our values, which is the difference between being a light and salt to the world and being corrupted. Brothers and sisters, we must recognize this sign of spiritual maturity and care for the unsaved because their eternal lives are at stake. We must be vigilent in all areas of our lives, including “gray areas” which are not necessarily sinful, but are not necessarily wise either. Let’s remember to live gentle and sincere love for unbelievers, without being corrupted by their worldly values.

Take Up the Cross, and Follow Me

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Mark 10:21

You have not the making of your own cross, although unbelief is a master carpenter at cross-making; neither are you permitted to choose your own cross, although self-will would fain be lord and master; but your cross is prepared and appointed for you by divine love, and you are cheerfully to accept it; you are to take up the cross as your chosen badge and burden, and not to stand cavilling at it. This night Jesus bids you submit your shoulder to His easy yoke. Do not kick at it in petulance, or trample on it in vain-glory, or fall under it in despair, or run away from it in fear, but take it up like a true follower of Jesus. Jesus was a cross-bearer; He leads the way in the path of sorrow. Surely you could not desire a better guide! And if He carried a cross, what nobler burden would you desire? The Via Crucis is the way of safety; fear not to tread its thorny paths.

Beloved, the cross is not made of feathers, or lined with velvet, it is heavy and galling to disobedient shoulders; but it is not an iron cross, though your fears have painted it with iron colours, it is a wooden cross, and a man can carry it, for the Man of sorrows tried the load. Take up your cross, and by the power of the Spirit of God you will soon be so in love with it, that like Moses, you would not exchange the reproach of Christ for all the treasures of Egypt. Remember that Jesus carried it, and it will smell sweetly; remember that it will soon be followed by the crown, and the thought of the coming weight of glory will greatly lighten the present heaviness of trouble. The Lord help you to bow your spirit in submission to the divine will ere you fall asleep this night, that waking with to-morrow’s sun, you may go forth to the day’s cross with the holy and submissive spirit which becomes a follower of the Crucified.

2.23p

Weekly Links (8/17/2012)

Christian scholarship that lacks passion about the truth is not worthy of the name Christian to begin with. If dispassion and detachment are necessary attributes of scholarship, then I do not seek the appellation. I cannot comprehend dry faith, arid confession, or mere mental assent. A person who has only intellectual knowledge of the sufficiency of Scripture, but lacks a deep, abiding love of the Scriptures and an understanding of how their sufficiency is related to the gospel and to the assurance of salvation, is liable to be led astray by winsome words or the traditions of men. At the same time, a person who professes great zeal for the truth, but does not honor the truth by growing in knowledge of it, can be easily led astray. We need a balanced understanding of and love for the truth of sola scriptura. Divine truths command our undivided allegiance, and this love of divine truth is what I seek to encourage in your heart. (James White, Scripture Alone)

by Richard Shin

It feels good to be back, doesn’t it? I for one am glad that the hiatus is over. I hope these links are encouraging for your soul.

  • To start us off, here’s a quickie, but valuable for those who seek to understand the narratives in the Old Testament. Julian Freeman compiled a list of ten guidelines one must keep in mind when trying to understand narrative portions of the Bible. This framework would be helpful, say, when trying to understand the Books of the Bible.
  • Douglas Wilson categorizes workers into two types: makers and fakers. Read the article and if you find yourself in the faker camp, you need to step back and re-assess whether you are truly seeking to glorify God.
  • Do you think preaching the gospel to yourself can replace Scripture-reading? I think many of us would tend to lean this way. David Mathis helps us understand why this has a short shelf life and one needs to do both: preach to yourself daily and soak in the Scriptures.
  • Ray Ortlund (you saw this one coming) shares some wise words on obedience and leadership. You can check it out here.
  • Just the words “doctrine of predestination” can make some people squirm in their seats. But for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, this doctrine is all-encouraging. BJ Stockman, guest blogger for Zach Nielson’s blog, helps us understand why.
  • In response to dissidents of the doctrine of hell, Tim Challies has a short series on “The Holiness of God and the Existence of Hell.” You can find them in four parts: part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

I hope these articles energize you in your walk and are enough to keep you busy until next week. Have a great weekend everyone, and see y’all at the Luau!

Coram Deo