Q: 3. From where do you know your misery?
A: Out of the law of God.
Q: 4. What does the law of God require of us?
A: Christ teaches us that briefly, "You shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and the great commandment; and the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Q: 5. Can you keep all these things perfectly?
A: In no wise; for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Good Works in Titus
The struggle between good works and faith has roots that go deep into the history of the Church. One of the key debates in the Protestant Reformation was works and the role they play in the salvation of a man. In modern times, the lordship salvation debate between John MacArthur and some others in the 1990’s was really a debate about the nature and necessity of works in the Christian life. Numerous Scriptures were used throughout the debates both in the Reformation and in the modern quarrels. James 2:14-24 was beaten to death during the lordship salvation debates. Christ calling His people to obedience throughout the Gospels was also scrutinized by scholarly eyes. Paul’s letters to Rome, Corinth and Galatia were used on both sides of the argument.
I wish to look at a lesser known letter by Paul to give us some perspective on the issue of good works in the life of the Christian. In particular, I want to briefly address the reformed tendency to avoid any mention of good works from the pulpit for fear of being misunderstood.
Titus was written by St. Paul late in his life, probably between 62-64 A.D. The recipient, a Gentile Christian probably converted by Paul, was left in Crete to finish the work Paul had started there. It is not the most famous New Testament book. It is short and probably preferred by ministers for its pastoral content. You will rarely find it listed in someone's “favorite books of the Bible” section. Despite its relative obscurity, it has numerous practical exhortations that are worth looking at.
In a recent reading of Titus I found the issue of good works being brought to my attention. Paul’s advice to Titus is particularly important because Titus was a pastor. What was Paul's exhortation to this pastor on the island of Crete? Did he tell Titus to be very careful about mentioning good works to his people? Did he imply that pressing good works upon the flock will make them legalists, who are earning their way to heaven? Let’s see what was Paul’s admonition to this pastor.
There are seven uses of the Greek word, ergon, in Titus. Normally ergon is translated as work or deed. Here are the seven uses. I am using the New King James Version text.
1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
2:6-7 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, (7) in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
2:14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
3:4-5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
3:14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
The verses here that are most familiar to me, and probably to you as well, is the magnificent encapsulation of the Gospel found in Titus 3:4-5. These verses show that works are not the basis or reason for our salvation. It is only because God is merciful and kind that we are redeemed. Works are left out of this equation entirely. Most Protestants are comfortable with these verses.
It is the remaining verses that make us uneasy. Paul is vocal, almost pushy, in exhorting Titus to preach good works to his people. Look at the language Paul uses, "a pattern of good works...zealous for good works...maintain good works...maintain good works." For Paul good works are not a return to the Old Testament Law. Good works are not a sign of legalism. Good works are the necessary fruit of a Christian life. They are absolutely essential. Get that last sentence and plant it in your mind. Pastors everywhere are to exhort their people to good works. I know of many pastors, especially reformed pastors, who are afraid to use this type of language. They fear that they will be misunderstood. They fear that they will be accused of being Roman Catholic or legalistic. But if we are going to preach Titus 3:4-5 we must also preach Titus 3:8 and 14. Paul did not shrink back from telling his people and his pastors to make good works a priority. A man who wants a ministry like Paul's must not shrink back from that duty either.
Legalism can be a problem in churches and must be avoided. However, a much greater issue in the modern evangelical church is the failure to be holy, the failure to be zealous for good works. An effective minister will know which way the cultural wind is blowing and fight against it. In our age the danger is not those who create new laws, like the Pharisees, but rather those who reject God's Law altogether or pick and choose which part of the Scriptures they want to obey. A good axe to cut down this tree of folly is to preach good works, exactly like Paul told Titus to.
I wish to look at a lesser known letter by Paul to give us some perspective on the issue of good works in the life of the Christian. In particular, I want to briefly address the reformed tendency to avoid any mention of good works from the pulpit for fear of being misunderstood.
Titus was written by St. Paul late in his life, probably between 62-64 A.D. The recipient, a Gentile Christian probably converted by Paul, was left in Crete to finish the work Paul had started there. It is not the most famous New Testament book. It is short and probably preferred by ministers for its pastoral content. You will rarely find it listed in someone's “favorite books of the Bible” section. Despite its relative obscurity, it has numerous practical exhortations that are worth looking at.
In a recent reading of Titus I found the issue of good works being brought to my attention. Paul’s advice to Titus is particularly important because Titus was a pastor. What was Paul's exhortation to this pastor on the island of Crete? Did he tell Titus to be very careful about mentioning good works to his people? Did he imply that pressing good works upon the flock will make them legalists, who are earning their way to heaven? Let’s see what was Paul’s admonition to this pastor.
There are seven uses of the Greek word, ergon, in Titus. Normally ergon is translated as work or deed. Here are the seven uses. I am using the New King James Version text.
1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
2:6-7 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, (7) in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
2:14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
3:4-5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
3:14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
The verses here that are most familiar to me, and probably to you as well, is the magnificent encapsulation of the Gospel found in Titus 3:4-5. These verses show that works are not the basis or reason for our salvation. It is only because God is merciful and kind that we are redeemed. Works are left out of this equation entirely. Most Protestants are comfortable with these verses.
It is the remaining verses that make us uneasy. Paul is vocal, almost pushy, in exhorting Titus to preach good works to his people. Look at the language Paul uses, "a pattern of good works...zealous for good works...maintain good works...maintain good works." For Paul good works are not a return to the Old Testament Law. Good works are not a sign of legalism. Good works are the necessary fruit of a Christian life. They are absolutely essential. Get that last sentence and plant it in your mind. Pastors everywhere are to exhort their people to good works. I know of many pastors, especially reformed pastors, who are afraid to use this type of language. They fear that they will be misunderstood. They fear that they will be accused of being Roman Catholic or legalistic. But if we are going to preach Titus 3:4-5 we must also preach Titus 3:8 and 14. Paul did not shrink back from telling his people and his pastors to make good works a priority. A man who wants a ministry like Paul's must not shrink back from that duty either.
Legalism can be a problem in churches and must be avoided. However, a much greater issue in the modern evangelical church is the failure to be holy, the failure to be zealous for good works. An effective minister will know which way the cultural wind is blowing and fight against it. In our age the danger is not those who create new laws, like the Pharisees, but rather those who reject God's Law altogether or pick and choose which part of the Scriptures they want to obey. A good axe to cut down this tree of folly is to preach good works, exactly like Paul told Titus to.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Loving Our Bodies
A husband's first duty is to understand that he is in fact a husband, which is another way of saying that he needs to understand his profound identification with his wife. The first words out of Adam's mouth were "bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh," a love poem. He was not welcoming a new roommate; he is naming one who had been taken from him in order to be merged back into him in a new, more glorious fashion. God made one into two in order to make the two back into one. Now a husband is commanded to love his wife as he loves his own body--nobody ever hated his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it. Why do some husbands not nourish and cherish their wives? Because they do not believe their wives are their own body. Which is another way of saying they do not believe the Scriptures. Douglas Wilson
Bridges on Preaching: Deformed Preaching
We should thus mark the difference between Scriptural doctrines and Scriptural statements, and may observe that points-Scriptural in their place and proportion-may become unscriptural by their disproportioned and unnatural application. (Bridges, The Christian Ministry, p. 302)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Bridges on Preaching: Partial Preaching
Partial preaching will produce a luxuriant crop of partial hearers, to whom a large part of Scripture is useless; full of notions, excited in their feelings, forward in their profession; but unsubdued in their habits and tempers, equally destitute of the root, the life, activity, fruitfulness, enjoyment, perseverance, of vital religion. (Bridges, The Christian Ministry, p. 268)
Friday, May 7, 2010
From the Pastor's Wife
Here is a list of things Mrs. Nancy Wilson gleaned from Pastor Wilson's sermon this past Lord's Day. If you want to listen to the sermon you can find it here. Her comments were worth posting in full. So I did. All the following is from her blog.
Today the sermon was on Romans 13:8-10 particularly verse 8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another.” Here are some highlights from the application:
1. Don’t abuse your family. Do you swipe money or stuff from your parents (or siblings) and figure that it’s all in the family?
2. Just because you wouldn’t mind if someone swiped twenty out of your purse doesn’t mean they won’t mind if you swipe twenty out of theirs. So don’t abuse the Golden Rule. Just because you think you wouldn’t mind if they broke your lawnmower doesn’t mean that they won’t mind that you just broke theirs. Repair it and return it.
3. Words are free. The debtor should be chasing the lender, not the other way around. If you owe someone money, chase them down and tell them you will pay them as soon as you can. And keep chasing them down regularly to tell them you are working on it. In the world, the creditor always has to chase down the debtor.Christians should be known for their honesty.
4. Don’t abuse the passage of time. Just because you borrowed the money a long time ago doesn’t mean it is now paid. A poor memory is not the same thing as a good conscience.
5. Don’t measure your neighbor’s love with the yardstick of your debts. His love is not your business. Your business is whether you are loving him and obeying God by taking care of your debts.
6. Don’t nickle and dime your friends to death. Kids do this. Can I borrow a quarter? A pencil? You must return what you borrow and not presume on the friendship. Your friends won’t like it. You will become known as a mooch.
7. Just because the person you owe has a nicer house or a nicer car than you do does not mean you don’t have to pay them. Physicians often only receive half the money owed them, and you don’t know whether they are having a hard time making payroll. Pay your bills regardless of what you think their needs may be. Their needs are not the point and not your business.
8. Don’t ask businessmen and women to mentor your kids for free just because we are all members of a tight-knit community. Don’t bring your sick kitty to the church potluck to ask the vet in the congregation for free advice.
9. How many of the books on your shelves (or dvd’s) belong to someone else? Return them. If you don’t, you are a thief.
10. If you break something you borrowed, replace it. Don’t return it broken and say, “Oh well, we’re friends, she won’t mind.” Enough with “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” That’s not an excuse for not paying your bills.
Today the sermon was on Romans 13:8-10 particularly verse 8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another.” Here are some highlights from the application:
1. Don’t abuse your family. Do you swipe money or stuff from your parents (or siblings) and figure that it’s all in the family?
2. Just because you wouldn’t mind if someone swiped twenty out of your purse doesn’t mean they won’t mind if you swipe twenty out of theirs. So don’t abuse the Golden Rule. Just because you think you wouldn’t mind if they broke your lawnmower doesn’t mean that they won’t mind that you just broke theirs. Repair it and return it.
3. Words are free. The debtor should be chasing the lender, not the other way around. If you owe someone money, chase them down and tell them you will pay them as soon as you can. And keep chasing them down regularly to tell them you are working on it. In the world, the creditor always has to chase down the debtor.Christians should be known for their honesty.
4. Don’t abuse the passage of time. Just because you borrowed the money a long time ago doesn’t mean it is now paid. A poor memory is not the same thing as a good conscience.
5. Don’t measure your neighbor’s love with the yardstick of your debts. His love is not your business. Your business is whether you are loving him and obeying God by taking care of your debts.
6. Don’t nickle and dime your friends to death. Kids do this. Can I borrow a quarter? A pencil? You must return what you borrow and not presume on the friendship. Your friends won’t like it. You will become known as a mooch.
7. Just because the person you owe has a nicer house or a nicer car than you do does not mean you don’t have to pay them. Physicians often only receive half the money owed them, and you don’t know whether they are having a hard time making payroll. Pay your bills regardless of what you think their needs may be. Their needs are not the point and not your business.
8. Don’t ask businessmen and women to mentor your kids for free just because we are all members of a tight-knit community. Don’t bring your sick kitty to the church potluck to ask the vet in the congregation for free advice.
9. How many of the books on your shelves (or dvd’s) belong to someone else? Return them. If you don’t, you are a thief.
10. If you break something you borrowed, replace it. Don’t return it broken and say, “Oh well, we’re friends, she won’t mind.” Enough with “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” That’s not an excuse for not paying your bills.
Tattoo or Catechize?
A man I know as talking with some friends who were discussing ways to be radical, ways to show that one was totally committed to Christ. In typical evangelical fashion one man said he had gotten a tattoo. That was the great proof he was following Christ. Most men in group agreed that was a radical statement. The man telling the story said he was being radical by catechizing his children. At this all the men stood dumbfounded. Which of course, was proof that catchizing is much more radical (and effective) than getting a tattoo.
Teaching your children a catechism and learning it yourself is one of the best ways to learn theology. It grounds a person in the basics of the Christian faith. The downfall of catechizing is one reason why the current generation of Christians is so weak theologically. When we teach our children theology we often have blind spots, areas of the faith that we do not know as well as we should. A catechism keeps us balanced and helps us overcome our blind spots. I would greatly encourage it. Of course, reading the Scriptures and memorizing it should be our priority. But catechizing has an important place in the life of a Christian family and church.
The Heidelberg Catechism was adopted in 1563. It contains essentially the same doctrine as the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. It has a pastoral tone. It is divided up into 52 Lord's Days so that one could study it in one year. I plan on posting one Lord's Day per week. Here is the first.
1. Lord's Day
Q: 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
A: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.
Q: 2. How many things are necessary for you to know, that you, enjoying this comfort, may live and die happily?
A: Three; the first, how great my sins and miseries are; the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance.
Teaching your children a catechism and learning it yourself is one of the best ways to learn theology. It grounds a person in the basics of the Christian faith. The downfall of catechizing is one reason why the current generation of Christians is so weak theologically. When we teach our children theology we often have blind spots, areas of the faith that we do not know as well as we should. A catechism keeps us balanced and helps us overcome our blind spots. I would greatly encourage it. Of course, reading the Scriptures and memorizing it should be our priority. But catechizing has an important place in the life of a Christian family and church.
The Heidelberg Catechism was adopted in 1563. It contains essentially the same doctrine as the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. It has a pastoral tone. It is divided up into 52 Lord's Days so that one could study it in one year. I plan on posting one Lord's Day per week. Here is the first.
1. Lord's Day
Q: 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
A: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.
Q: 2. How many things are necessary for you to know, that you, enjoying this comfort, may live and die happily?
A: Three; the first, how great my sins and miseries are; the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Bridges on Preaching: Knowing When to Stop
This past January I finished reading Charles Bridge's The Christian Ministry. It was recommended to me by an older minister. Rarely I have been so convicted personally by a book. The entire text was used by the Holy Spirit to show me my failings in sermon preparation and delivery. Anyone who is considering ministry should read it. I thought I would post some of my favorite quotes from it. Here is the first.
Let us ever stop where revelation stops; and not pretend to move one inch beyond it. p. 250
Let us ever stop where revelation stops; and not pretend to move one inch beyond it. p. 250
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Outline of Micah
I have been preaching through Micah for several weeks. It has been a great delight. There are numerous parallels between Micah's time and ours, which have made application in preaching easy. Here is a brief outline of Micah.
Micah prophesied some time from 750 B.C. through 686 B.C. This time period included the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C. It also included the reign of good King Hezekiah and the Assyrians, under Sennacherib, surrounding Jerusalem in 701 B.C. This could be referenced in Micah 1:9. Micah's main contemporary was Isaiah with Amos just preceding his ministry.
Micah is divided into three main sections, all beginning with the word "hear." (1:2, 3:1, 6:1) Each of these sections begins with judgment for Israel's sins and ends with Israel being restored.
1. Micah 1-2
The subject here is God's coming judgment for Israel's idol worship (1:5) social injustice (2:1-2) and her rejection of God's prophetic word. (2:6-11) It ends with the promise of restoration under a coming King. (2:12-13)
2. Micah 3-5
Here is one of the greatest sections in all of prophetic literature. In chapter 3 we have the judgment of God coming upon the false shepherds of Israel for their destruction of the sheep. This is very similar to the beginning of Ezekiel 34. What is interesting is that Jeremiah says that Micah 3:12 was the verse which caused Hezekiah to lead Israel to reformation. (Jeremiah 26:17-19) In contrast to these false shepherds, Micah preaches the Word faithfully. (Micah 3:8)
Then in chapters 4-5 there is the great promise of the coming Messiah and his Kingdom. Israel is now ruled by false shepherds who destroy the flock. But the true Shepherd is coming who will lead his people in peace. Micah 4:1-3 are quoted verbatim in Isaiah 2:2-4. The Lord gives us this exact prophesy twice. And of course, at the beginning of Micah 5 we have the promise that this Messiah will come from the town of Bethelem. This is quoted in Matthew 2:6.
3. Micah 6-7
The final section begins just like the other two, with judgment. This judgment section extends from 6:1-7:7. Israel has been told what to do. (Micah 6:8) But she refuses to obey. (6:9-12) Therefore God will judge her. (6:13-16) At the beginning of chapter 7 Micah searches out the land for anyone who is righteous. He goes out among the general population, (7:1-2) among the mighty of the land, (7:3-4) and finally in among families. (7:5-6) Nowhere can he find righteousness. Christ quotes Micah 7:6 in describing His ministry in Matthew 10:36.
Micah 7:7 is one of the great verses in Micah. Micah has searched diligently throughout the whole land. There is no hope. Righteousness is no where to be found. But Micah does not despair. He stations himself before the "God of his salvation" and waits. He knows that God will hear him. Habakkuk has a similar response in Habakkuk 2:1.
Micah 7:8-20 is about the restoration of Israel. She has been cast into the dust because of her sins. (7:9) Her enemies have mocked her. But God is bringing salvation. He will cast her enemies into the dust. (7:16-17) Most importantly He will "cast all their sins into the depths of the ocean." (7:19)
Micah prophesied some time from 750 B.C. through 686 B.C. This time period included the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C. It also included the reign of good King Hezekiah and the Assyrians, under Sennacherib, surrounding Jerusalem in 701 B.C. This could be referenced in Micah 1:9. Micah's main contemporary was Isaiah with Amos just preceding his ministry.
Micah is divided into three main sections, all beginning with the word "hear." (1:2, 3:1, 6:1) Each of these sections begins with judgment for Israel's sins and ends with Israel being restored.
1. Micah 1-2
The subject here is God's coming judgment for Israel's idol worship (1:5) social injustice (2:1-2) and her rejection of God's prophetic word. (2:6-11) It ends with the promise of restoration under a coming King. (2:12-13)
2. Micah 3-5
Here is one of the greatest sections in all of prophetic literature. In chapter 3 we have the judgment of God coming upon the false shepherds of Israel for their destruction of the sheep. This is very similar to the beginning of Ezekiel 34. What is interesting is that Jeremiah says that Micah 3:12 was the verse which caused Hezekiah to lead Israel to reformation. (Jeremiah 26:17-19) In contrast to these false shepherds, Micah preaches the Word faithfully. (Micah 3:8)
Then in chapters 4-5 there is the great promise of the coming Messiah and his Kingdom. Israel is now ruled by false shepherds who destroy the flock. But the true Shepherd is coming who will lead his people in peace. Micah 4:1-3 are quoted verbatim in Isaiah 2:2-4. The Lord gives us this exact prophesy twice. And of course, at the beginning of Micah 5 we have the promise that this Messiah will come from the town of Bethelem. This is quoted in Matthew 2:6.
3. Micah 6-7
The final section begins just like the other two, with judgment. This judgment section extends from 6:1-7:7. Israel has been told what to do. (Micah 6:8) But she refuses to obey. (6:9-12) Therefore God will judge her. (6:13-16) At the beginning of chapter 7 Micah searches out the land for anyone who is righteous. He goes out among the general population, (7:1-2) among the mighty of the land, (7:3-4) and finally in among families. (7:5-6) Nowhere can he find righteousness. Christ quotes Micah 7:6 in describing His ministry in Matthew 10:36.
Micah 7:7 is one of the great verses in Micah. Micah has searched diligently throughout the whole land. There is no hope. Righteousness is no where to be found. But Micah does not despair. He stations himself before the "God of his salvation" and waits. He knows that God will hear him. Habakkuk has a similar response in Habakkuk 2:1.
Micah 7:8-20 is about the restoration of Israel. She has been cast into the dust because of her sins. (7:9) Her enemies have mocked her. But God is bringing salvation. He will cast her enemies into the dust. (7:16-17) Most importantly He will "cast all their sins into the depths of the ocean." (7:19)
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