Categories
Sacraments

The Gospel and the Sacraments Direct our Faith to the Same Object

I do so appreciate the opportunity to interact with Rev. Winzer on the Puritanboard. I learned long ago not to bristle when he challenges me on a statment I make. He challenged me today on my use of some sloppy terminology with respect to the sacraments and caused me to delve back into the Confession and the Heidelberg to determine the meaning of the Sacraments.

From Rev. Winzer:

Rich, thus far we have the gospel indiscriminately preached to all, whilst sacraments are administered to those in the visible church. We also have faith in the gospel essential to salvation whilst sacramental participation is not essential to salvation. The third and final point I am fairly sure you will concur with is that the gospel offers salvation as a present need, whereas sacraments are administered on the basis that salvation is a reality. Hence, the gospel is really and fundamentally a promise, whilst sacraments point to the fulfilment of the promise. Given these three qualifications, I would say the idea that sacraments are gospel is an unhelpful one, and it is best to distinguish Word (gospel) and Sacraments. Blessings!

When I think of promise in the Sacraments, I’m thinking along these lines:

WCF Chapter XXVII

III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither does the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that does administer it: but upon the work of the Spirit, and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.

Heidelberg:

Question 66. What are the sacraments?

Answer: The sacraments are holy visible signs and seals, appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof, he may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel, viz., that he grants us freely the remission of sin, and life eternal, for the sake of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross.

Especially in Question 67, the Heidelberg underlines that both word and sacrament ar meant to point us to Christ. I realize that, after reading this, the Heidelberg distinguishes as you do from the teaching of the Gospel and assurance by the Sacraments. I need to be cleaner in my terminology. I won’t say they are Gospel but I will say they direct our faith to the same object that the Word does.

Question 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation? (a)

Answer: Yes, indeed: for the Holy Ghost teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

In Question 69, I love the way the Heidelberg links the sacrament as a visible sign that can be used to help us remember what was done for us by the sacrifice of Christ for us who have faith:

Question 69. How art thou admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to thee?

Answer: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, (a) adding thereto this promise, (b) that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, (c) as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.

And to anticipate the objections of those who believe too much is being promised here:

Question 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?

Answer: In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed: “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”, Matt.28:19. And “he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.”, Mark 16:16. This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism “the washing of regenerations” and the washing away of sins. Tit.3:5, Acts 22:16. (a)

or from those who think that the water is somehow magical…

Question 72. Is then the external baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?

Answer: Not at all: (a) for the blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Ghost cleanse us from all sin. (b)

But yet there is still something fundamentally spiritual going on in the Sacrament.

Question 73. Why then does the Holy Ghost call baptism “the washing of regeneration,” and “the washing away of sins”?

Answer: God speaks thus not without great cause, to-wit, not only thereby to teach us, that as the filth of the body is purged away by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ; (a) but especially that by this divine pledge and sign he may assure us, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really, as we are externally washed with water. (b)

Categories
General

By Choice: A McDonald’s Experience

I was in McDonald’s one morning, enjoying a nice warm breakfast consisting of an Egg McMuffin, Hash Brown, and a Cinnamon melt. I was hooked up to the internet on my laptop by way of my Wi-Fi technology. As I finished my morning feast, I perused through some of the Puritan prayers found in The Valley of Vision, thanking God for His graciousness to me. I then began to read through my daily Bible reading as appointed by the plan I was using. This I also accessed from the internet, in the comfortable setting of this quiet little McDonald’s.

I was thoroughly enjoying this refreshing time when all of a sudden a stench filled the immediate vicinity. It had the smell of “old” and mold. A figure passed by in my peripheral vision. It was a man dressed very shabbily, his clothes tattered and having the appearance of having been caught in a dust storm. I made the assumption that this man was a bum”¦and this BY CHOICE. I mean, come on, we’re in America. Anyone can get a job in this country. Sure, one may not like the job they’re doing, but anyone – disabled or not – is capable of finding employment.

This guy walks in, has ruined my time of rejuvination, and hasn’t even purchased anything from McDonald’s! No, from some of the money he’s scrunged up somewhere he went and bought a 44 oz drink from EZ Mart. However, the setting in EZ Mart ain’t exactly EZ. So he brings it to McDonald’s and sits in a remote corner where he’s unfettered by party-poopers who might ask him to leave the premises. As I tried to regain focus on the passage I was reading he was making looks in a few different directions. I supposed by the manner in which he was glaring, that people (like me) had been watching him and he was repaying their looks with dissatisfied looks of his own.

Who was this guy who had the nerve to come into McDonald’s, having paid for nothing, even having brought a drink from somewhere else, and yet who was going to use McDonald’s time and space to sit for a while and get out of the cool morning air? I kept trying to read through Galatians 2 but kept glancing back at this man with contempt and indignation. Out of his dingy coat he pulled out a pair of glasses, like he was going to actually use them for something. It was pathetic. As he put them on his face, I noticed there was only one lens. On the other side, the frame had been broken and was missing the rim on the bottom part as well as a lens.

Not only did this man stink, ruin my morning, and loiter at McDonald’s, but he also looked ridiculously foolish wearing these glasses he’d probably found on the street somewhere. He wasn’t even reading anything! Who was he trying to fool? I know these types. They came on hard times once, possibly fell into a deep depression, and have just never picked themselves up from it. Instead of finding work they wallow in their self-pity and beg their way through life. BY CHOICE. I considered all this and I couldn’t even focus on my reading:

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15-16)

Instantly my heart was CRUSHED. Just as Nathan the prophet told the King of all Israel – the one who lived in lavished riches, carefree from the things of the world, reigning and ruling from his throne – just as he told King David, “YOU ARE THAT MAN!”, I realized I was once just like this bum toward whom I was holding great contempt and unjustified indignation. I had no 'works' that 'justified' me before God.

I was once a God-hater BY CHOICE. I once loitered God’s creation, my sin bringing a great stench that invaded my surrounding vicinity. Everything I did was BY CHOICE. I was a fool. I enjoyed God’s creation, all the while never giving Him credit or praise for anything (I didn’t have anything to give. It was all filthy, dingy, and without merit). I was a pathetic, shabbily dressed, and drifting soul, befitting of only being left to myself…deserving no one's help. And yet God in His wonderful mercy and saving grace, and despite my hatred toward Him, took captive my darkened heart. He gave me a ring and He robed me with His righteousness. And He did this BY CHOICE.

Back to that morning at McDonald’s. My heart broke and I began to cry, asking God to forgive my foolishness. Sure, I still thought this man was a beggar and bum by choice. I still truly believe that anyone who wants a job in this land is able to get one, regardless of their circumstances”¦it just may not be the one they want. But I was the same as a filthy sinner before the eyes of God”¦choosing my circumstances, blinded to His light. But he saved me. I repented of my ungrounded attitude toward this man, and approached him asking him if I could buy him something to eat. He politely said, “No thanks, but if you could leave me a couple of bucks, I’d be grateful.” This was expected, as I knew what he probably wanted it for. I told him I had no cash, only a debit card. He again expressed his gratitude and I wished him a good day.

God was merciful to me as a dead sinner, and He’s merciful to me now as a Christian who still struggles with hypocrisy”¦BY CHOICE. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Who saves sinners.

Categories
Biblical Theology

The Children of Israel: Who Are They?

The Children of Israel

Exodus 3:10

Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.


Notice that the whole of God’s people was that of Jacob’s Children (Children of Israel). At the end of chapter 2 we read, ““¦and God remembered his covenant he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.“ We know that Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. Thus, we conclude, according to the precedent set so far in Scripture, that God is dealing with the Hebrew people covenantally. It is interesting to note that God doesn’t make a distinction bewteen the righteous children of Jacob and the unrighteous children. Rather, he refers to all of Jacob’s descendants. This, no doubt would include both believers and unbelievers, and yet God calls them all his people.

This has been historically understood in different ways. We will look at 3 such ways, and I will offer a dissenting opinion concerning the first (Dispensational). The remaining two (Reformed Paedobaptist and Reformed Baptist) are very much alike, with some differing views concerning the inclusion of infants in the Covenant. Because debates between these two tend to polarize I will avoid critiques of them, because I simply want this to be an informative post and not one of polemics. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for such debate, but not here and not now.

1) Dispensational Understanding-Just as their multipe shades and stripes of Baptists, Presbyterians, etc., there are multipe types of dispensationalists. Some are referred to as classical, some as progressive, and at least one I know refers to himself as a leaky dispensationalist (the last not being an official class of dispensationalism, but I would describe it as dispensational only in the context of eschatology).

The Dispensationalist would tend to recognize this as merely a physical identification of God’s people, because, according to them, the covenant is merely that of a land promise, etc. The Dispensational hermeneutic would say that there is little to no continuity between how God worked with Israel and how He works with the Church, resulting in an erroneous “two peoples of God” theology. Though most would say that the Hebrews were saved through justification by faith alone just like any other Christian, this would cause them to downplay, in my humble opinion, the role of God’s covenantal dealings with the nation. God’s covenant made with Abraham is more than just a land promise, and is called an everlasting covenant.

2) Reformed Paedobaptist Understanding-There are multiple denominations which represent this view. Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Dutch Reformed, Anglican Reformed, etc. There may be varying distinction in degree of emphasis, but are all very similar in regard to covenant.
The Reformed Paedobaptist would say that God’s covenantal dealings with Israel, as based on the Abrahamic covenant, have both eternal and temporary aspects. They would recognize a more strict continuity between God’s dealings in the Old Covenant and His dealings in the New Covenant. In fact, the Reformed Paedobaptist would make the case that the New Covenant is much more expansive than the Old Covenant, in that not only are believers and their children in covenant with God from the Hebrew nation, but there is a more thorough inception of Gentile believers and their children equated into the mix as well.

This is where the Reformed Paedobaptist would distinguish between what has been called the “visible” church, and the “invisible” church (Along these same lines is the idea of the external/internal aspects of the covenant). From their perspective, those adults who repent and believe are baptized, they and their children, and then are all a part of the visible church. However, no man can know a person’s heart, thus they can’t know beyond a doubt that a man is or is not a part of the invisible church. That being said, this means that the invisible church are those who have been elected by God, before the foundation of the world, and who have been irresistibly drawn, effectually called, justified, and are being sanctified until glory. This is how, they say, God could call the whole of Israel his people, yet knowing that many of them ultimately broke covenant. They would say that, likewise, in the New Covenant, there will be those who profess Christ, but do not possess him. These are they to whom the warning passages are directed (Hebrews 6, 10, elsewhere), and many of them are rooted out by means of church discipline, etc. (The warning passages are also directed to genuine Christians who are in need of repentance)

3) Reformed Baptist Understanding-There are also various shades of Baptists in this camp. Some would be Covenantal, some New Covenant Theologians, and still others may be a cross between, maybe more associated with the Continental Reformed concerning things such as the Sabbath, etc. I will be presenting the thoughts of the Covenantal Baptist camp.

The Reformed Baptist would say, along with the Reformed Paedobaptist, that God’s covenantal dealings with Israel, as based on His covenant made with Abraham, have both eternal and temporary aspects. They would, however, stop short of the strict continuity that Reformed Paedobaptists see between the Old and New Covenants. The contention of the Reformed Baptists is that the term “New” in the “New Covenant” means “brand new”. Alluding to passages such as Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8, the Reformed Baptist says in the New Covenant, all will know God, from the greatest to the least of them, whereas the Reformed Paedobaptist will see an “already/not yet” aspect to the aforementioned passages. Thus, to the Reformed Baptist, the status quo is no longer believers and their children being in covenant with God, but to the individual man, woman, boy, or girl who is confronted with the gospel to believe, repent, and be baptized. According to the Reformed Baptist, a man should only be baptized after having professed faith in Christ.

The Reformed Baptist, though not using exact terminology like “visible/invisible” church (although the 1689 does make mention of invisible church consisting of visible saints), has an underlying doctrine which basically states essentially the same idea as the Reformed Paedobaptist. In other words, Reformed Baptists understand a distinction between those who merely profess Christ and those who actually possess Christ. A baptism is performed on those who give a “credible profession of faith”, and in time this profession is shown to be true for a person who follows the Scripture and bears the fruit of the Spirit. For the man who does not live a godly life, yet professes Christ, he is subject to church discipline. The Reformed Baptist will follow the various stages of Discipline (Matt 18, etc) in hopes that the professing believer will repent and be restored to the fellowship of Christians. If such a professor fails to do so, then he will be considered and treated as an unbeliever, and according to 1 John 3, his actions are showing him as having never having been truly saved in the first place. Thus, the various warning passages in Scripture (Heb 6, 10, etc.) are directed to such a person for the purpose of having them “examine themselves to see whether [they] be in the faith.”

The preceding descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive, nor are they the only views out there. However, I think they are the prominent views. If I have misrepresented any positions, please let me know so that I may make necessary amends.

Categories
Wisdom and Psalms

God Sovereignly Initiates Affliction (The Book of Job)

Job 1:1, 5 (my emphasis and parentheses added):  

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil…and when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them (that is, his children) all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Earlier, I told you I wanted to address the subject of the sovereignty of God in the context of this book of Job, so let us begin. Here we read of this "blameless and upright" man of God. Not only do we see his personal holiness via its proclamation thereof in Scripture, we see the effects of his holiness making waves in his family dealings. As an aside, we see Job's actions here being a far cry from the ways in which the majority of fathers in this day and age have utterly failed to exercise headship, culpability, and responsibility for their families. 

More over, we see that the text immediately notes the godliness of Job, and his concern for his family. Mixed in amongst these mentions is that of his great wealth. It's funny, though, how his wealth does not give Job the security to live in sin and licentiousness. No, he is "blameless" and is much concerned with the holiness of not only himself, but his family. Thus, it is established…Job's a man of God, not harboring sin, or pride, or greed, or envy, etc. Now we read this (Job 1:6-12, my emphasis added):

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up anhe d down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

We may deduce several thoughts from this passage. I will consider a few. Number 1, this book, as shown in this passage, is not primarily about suffering, or even Job's suffering. This book is about God's sovereignty over all things. Secondly, Satan is not equal in power, stature, or grandeur with God Almighty. There are folks in this world who go for the idea of a balance between good and evil that is in perpetual warfare against one another. I believe it's the ying yang that tries to symbolize this foolish concept. No, it is plain that Satan is subject to God just like any other creature. Consider the fact that Satan does not address the Lord, until he himself is called to do so. You will also note that Satan doesn't ignore God's spoken word, nor does he lie (for he knows the futility therein) to him as to treat the Lord's question with indignity. So it is as it has always been…God-Almighty, Satan-not even close.

Thirdly, though Satan is the accuser of the brethren, in this particular case, it is not Satan who brings up God's loyal subject, Job. Rather, it is the Lord Himself who initiates the conversation and its subject matter. Next, Satan acknowledges God's goodness by proclaiming what God has done for and given to Job. Herein we see that demons and devils do not deny God or Jesus' existence, they do not even deny is goodness, holiness, sovereignty, etc. They believe these things about God (as they should), but they do not care. This would be why James notes that mere faith that God is true is not necessarily saving faith.

Lastly, Satan shows his absolute powerlessness apart from God's granting. In somewhat understanding the natural heart of man, he says that Job doesn't fear God for no reason. He then, as I have already noted, talks about the kindness God has shown Job, and implies that this is why he serves so faithfully. But Satan has failed to recognize the reborn heart of man, one regenerated by the Holy Spirit, so he continues with his foolishness and asserts that if God takes all these materialistic things, and family, away, that Job will surely curse Him. But it's important to note that Satan, by saying "stretch out your hand", is admitting that God is the One Who ordains, has power over, and permits affliction in Job's life. This is further recognized when God gives Satan the authority to take away Job's things, but limits it when it comes to Job's life.

And so, we see that God is sovereign in not only the giving of gifts, riches, and family, but he's also sovereign in the initiation, planning, and execution of affliction in the lives of men. In light of this, we ought to remember the first chapter of James' epistle. James spends the first several verses speaking of trials, afflictions, and temptations. Then, in verse 17 he notes that every good and perfect gift is given by our Father in heaven. The sentence before that starts with "Do not be decieved, brethren", noting that these folks, because of their current trials and hardships, begin to question the goodness of God. But he reminds them that these afflictions, though they don't appear to be so, are really perfect and good gifts from God above, he is molding us according to the good pleasure of His will.

So, then, let us echo Job while facing trial, hardship, temptation, or affliction and proclaim that the Lord gives and He takes away, BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!

Categories
Church History

Outstanding!

I have given this plug before, but I must do so again:

Pastor Joe Morecraft III, of Chalcedon Presbyterian Church in Cumming, GA, has done all those interested in History an outstanding service. By following this link to Sermon Audio, you will arrive at his History of the Reformation series of audio lectures and sermons. I cannot express well enough how illuminating, enlightening, and invaluable these sermons are. In fact, at my Church right now, we’re having a Sunday School series of the Reformed Faith in American History, and I have to say that this is a most valuable pre-supplement to it.

I am particularly fond of his several lectures on John Knox and the Scottish Covenanters. Also to be indulged, are his ones on Oliver Cromwell, a most controversial figure of the Reformation in England. Hearing about the godly lives of these men is a great encouragement in the faith, and is likely to help kindle the fire so already passionately lit by Scripture reading, prayer, and subsequent obedience. Not only are these pictures given by Pastor Morecraft a retelling of the godliness of the Reformation’s leaders, but they are full of suspense, mystery, and much more action than Hollywood is able to give.

I heartily (and when I say heartily, I mean heartily) recommend this 48 sermon series. No, this does not mean you (or I) will agree with everything Pastor Morecraft says, or that Pastor Morecraft is infallibe (as he certainly wouldn’t claim to be), but it means that I believe this is a contribution of great richness given by him and his church. These lectures are free, but after having heard them, I must say they’re worth paying for. Enjoy!

Categories
Thanksgiving

Thankful

I am thankful for the Holy Spirit, the Comforter from God. God has graciously given Him to His children for guidance, illumination, conviction, and comfort. I can imagine the Disciples’ confusion each time Christ foretold of the looming betrayal and death which He would soon experience. And yet, He also told them about the Comforter Whom God would leave with them. I’m reminded of this privilege daily.

Over the last few days I’ve read about Joseph’s reuniting with his brothers. What a lovely picture of grace! I wept as I read of Joseph weeping, and trying to restrain his tears, or be out of sight when overwhelmed. I thank God that I still am touched by Scripture. Thank You, Lord.

Categories
Thanksgiving

Let it Be Known

Let it be known that I love my church, Texarkana Reformed Baptist Church, and that I am committed to her cause as being salt and light here in Texarkana, Arkansas/Texas. I am most thankful for the Elders under which I freely, gladly, and under no compulsion serve. These men and their teachings have been invaluable to me and words cannot express the gratitude I hold for them and their work.

I have commented before on how thankful I am for my Church home here. That same sentiment stands. Woe be it unto me to ever publish anything that could be seen as seeking to undermine the things which my church holds dear, under the collective leadership of the Elders. There are some things I’ve published previously which I asked questions concerning, but having reconsidered them I deleted those particular posts and comments. I didn’t do that because I’m two-faced. Rather, I thought to myself, “Such a public display could be misconstrued as a possible attempt to undermine the teaching of the Church which I hold covenant with.”

And so, some time back, I removed the posts in question. Anyway, I’m thankful to our God for sovereignly and providentially putting me where I’m at, and want it to be known that I never want to give the appearance of publicly rebuking the beliefs of the consciences of the Elders at Texarkana Reformed Baptist Church, as I can’t say, in an ultimate and final sense, that I disagree with them. I hold them in high regard, with utmost respect and humility, knowing that they are indeed more learned men than myself.

So…let it be known.

Categories
Gospels and Acts

The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus

Originally presented to the Men’s Bible Study at my Church, I present this study on the conversion of the Apostle Paul.  These are my notes and are arranged to help me present the material.

Stephen’s Death

Acts 7:54-8:4

54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[a] at him. 58Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 8

1And Saul approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

4Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

  • Note the power of the Gospel preached by Stephen.
  • They were cut to the heart. The Word of God has an effect. May God grant us hearts that are converted and do not rebel against its power. Some of you will be challenged by me in ways you might have never been challenged by God’s Word. His Gospel cuts a man to pieces and some rebel.
  • Saul of Tarsus is given tribute in this passage. He is the ring leader and he approves of the killing of this godly man Stephen who is acting as God’s prophet.
  • There arises a great persecution of the Church, led by Saul himself. He literally drags people from their houses, and “ravages” the Church. He throws men and women into prison and subjects them to indignities.
  • Other passages indicate that Saul not only committed men and women to prison but he actually tortured them, separated mother from child, and even killed believers.
  • God used this persecution to spread the Word and cause the Gospel to go out from Judea into Samaria and into the world (just as He proclaimed it would at the beginning of Acts).

The Career of the Murderer Paul

In 1 Tim 1:15 Paul wrote to his son in the Lord:

15The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

  • Some people see this as hyperbole or perhaps Paul is just being humble.  I believe Paul is being completely honest here.  He realizes what he was saved from.  He has real regrets for his career as a Pharisee and knows the sins he was forgiven.
  • Time and distance have a way for us to read the account in Acts and remove a sense of the terrible atrocities that Paul committed against the Christians.
  • It is really not an exaggeration to think of Saul the Pharisee in the same light as Nazi Soldier or a Terrorist.  You really need to try and think of the many men and women, brothers and sisters in the Lord, that Paul persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and killed.
  • Like many of the most brutal murderers, Paul was a well educated man.
  • Protégé of Gamaliel and extremely well studied.
  • Rabbis were known for their memorization of the Scriptures and the Talmud.
  • He was a Pharisee of Pharisees and one of the most educated man in Palestine.
  • He would not be content until he eradicated this heretical sect of Judaism.
  • His persecution matched his zeal.
  • Hatreds and distrusts can stay with a people for their entire lifetime.

Saul’s Conversion 

Acts 9

1But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19and taking food, he was strengthened.

Verse 1,2 – Paul is continuing in his murderous ways.  He’s not content for the leadership to come to him to continue this campaign.  He went to the high priest with letters to give him authority so he could go to Damascus and continue his campaign there.  Great was his zeal!

Verse 3 shows the power of God.  If ever there was a passage that shows the power of God’s grace upon a man it is Paul.  Paul is not on a journey to Damascus to seek the Truth.  He is not a seeker who is looking for God.  He is going to imprison and carry off Christians.  He is going on an errand of the devil to persecute Christ’s own.

BUT the God who revealed Himself to Isaiah suddenly reveals Himself to Paul.  The Power of the light of Christ’s refulgent glory KNOCKS SAUL OFF his feet and onto the ground!

Verse 4

– “Saul, Saul”.  The repetition of a person’s name is a Hebraism.  It only occurs about 15 times in Scripture and is always used in a way that denotes intimacy and love.  God calls His servants this way.  While Saul was busy hating God, God had already set His unmerited favor upon Saul.  While Saul was killing men and women that Christ loved and had died for, Christ had set Saul apart and had determined to save Him.  He doesn’t say:  Saul!.  He says:  Saul, Saul.  Beautiful!

“Why do you persecute Me?” – Christ so identifies with His Bride, the Church that He asks Paul:  Why are you persecuting Me?

Verse 5

– “Who are you Lord” – Saul is blown away.  He knows enough to call such holy terror by the name of Lord

–  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, it must be hard to kick against the goads” – Some translations leave out the second part.  Saul – you are incredibly STUPID.  Do you think you can raise your hand against Me?!

Verse 6

– Trembling and Astonished “What do you want me to do” – Words simply cannot capture the shock and utter terror that Paul was experiencing.  We discussed the effect that Christ’s revelation had on Isaiah in Chapter 6.  Saul has just had the Holy One of Israel reveal Himself in all his terrible splendor.  And Saul has just realized that he has been putting to death Jesus’ people!  Jesus, God, who will judge all men one day, had every right to destroy Saul.  Saul does the only thing a Creature can do before its Creator:  Trembling, he asks “What do you want me to do?”

Verses 7-9

Nobody around him sees what happens but they hear a voice.  Saul, this mighty man with vile threats and the power of the Sanhedrin behind him, is now reduced to a blind man being led into the city.  He’s undone, reduced to a man who sits alone for three days without food and water.

Verses 10-12

Ananias is praying and Jesus speaks to him.  He answers “…Lord…” – he knows who is addressing him.

Christ commands him to find Saul and restore his sight.  He tells him exactly how to get there and that Saul has seen a vision that he will be coming.

Verse 13-14

Remember, Ananias knows he’s talking to God.  You just have to understand how extraordinary this request is.  Saul of Tarsus?  Are you serious?  He kills Christians – Collaborator!  Nazi!  Terrorist!

Verse 15-16

“Go,…” – A very clear command from Christ.

“He is my chosen vessel…” – He is MY choice.  He will herald my Gospel.  He will suffer for my name.  The man that does not deserve forgiveness is forgiven.  His sins I HAVE PAID FOR.  Beautiful.

Verses 17-19

“Brother Saul…” – Did you catch that Ananias calls him Brother Saul?  That is the glory of the Gospel.  He’s not a murdering Pharisee anymore.  That was NAILED TO THE CROSS.  Christ to me that you are His and that’s good enough for me!  Brother Saul.  That we would believe the Gospel like Ananias did!

Conclusion

Do you ever wonder how it is that Paul could be stoned to near death and then walk right back into the city that almost killed him?

Did you ever wonder why he could endure shipwreck, imprisonment, persecution, hatred, maligning, and all sorts of maltreatment?

Did you ever wonder what drove a man like that?

The man encountered the Son of God and saw His Holinesss.  He saw the One who had the power of Saul’s eternal soul in the palm of His hand.  He saw and understood how Christ had paid the debt for his pursuing men and women.  For putting them to death, for torturing them, for separating mother from child.  Nobody like Saul deserves to live!  He knew that.

BUT Christ, the Holy One, knocked him off his feet and saved him.

That’s the man who’s Gospel we’re going to be reading about in Romans.  That’s a man who is not ashamed of the Gospel FOR IT IS THE POWER OF SALVATION FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES!

The Gospel that says:  You are unworthy.  You are a beggar.  You have NOTHING that God needs.  The only thing you can do is reach out with your hand and cry out:  I believe in Christ the Son of God.  Save me!

I want you to encounter Christ this year and get a passion in your bloodstream that understands and learns about the Gospel.  This will not be about easy steps to holiness.  This will be about putting you in contact with the God who has every right to destroy you and hasn’t.  It will show you the power of the Gospel and the Grace of God in Redemptive History.  We will encounter Christ and it is my hope that is the kind of encounter that causes you to understand Him so that you are impelled by a desire to serve Him out of gratitude and lead your households in Holiness.

Categories
Apologetics

Why I am a Confessional Protestant

Many friends and others have wondered and often asked me about why I am so ardently insistent on adhering to a strong confessional standard, and why I think they are critically important for the Church.  Many may also significantly wonder about this development considering my background in a non-confessional Methodist church and some forays into broad evangelicalism.  Below are some of my thoughts, both from reading a lot on the PuritanBoard and The Lost Soul of American Protestantism by D.G. Hart.

 I've been very encouraged by some of the wonderful things Dr. R. Scott Clark and several commenters have been writing about on the Heidelblog recently, and so I thought I'd give a bit of an apology for my confessionalism.

  1. Everybody has a confession and his/her interpretation of a passage of Scripture, and it is clear some teachings of Scripture are much more difficult to understand than others.  The fact that Chapter I.7 of the Westminster Confession has to state the obvious is a sad testament to the tendency of many a modern to dumb down God to bite-sized theology to where any and everyone can just learn everything in the Bible on a first reading of a passage.
    • Additionally, on every point of doctrine not hammered down confessionally, one leaves the door open for countless vain speculations and rehashings of the resolved arguments of the past.
    • This sort of thing becomes particularly apparent when one confronts many "Statement of Faith Churches", where radical varieties of theology can occur even within the same elders and pastors of the same church.  One elder might be a Calvinist, the pastor might be rather fond of Charismatic gifts and anti-Calvinist, another might be a culture warrior, and another might be very fond of Church Growth anti-doctrinal pragmatism.  How is any sort of coherent, mutually strengthening teaching supposed to come from a cauldron like this situation?
    • For reference: WCF I.7. "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them."  Proof texts: 2 Peter 3:16 and Psalm 119:105
  2. Just how exactly does my interpretation of anything in Scripture have an equal footing to that of my elders or pastors or the Church that has gone before me?  It is the height of intellectual arrogance to presume that my special and particular interpretation of some difficult passage is just as valid as that of someone trained and disciplined in theology and the original languages.
    • A quote from G.K. Chesterton, himself no fan of Confessional Protestantism, shall certainly suffice: "Tradition means giving a vote to most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead.  Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by the accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by the accident of death. Democracy tells us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our groom; tradition asks us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our father."
    • In this light, while our generation may have the ability to hammer out some controversial or difficult areas of doctrine that previous generations did not have to address, it would be a travesty if every Christian had to completely build from scratch an entire Biblical Chirstian worldview.
    • If you doubt me, I'd like to suggest formulating a sound, orthodox doctrine of the Trinity strictly from the Bible, regardless of the amount of theological training or Biblical background that you have.  Here's the Athanasian creed for reference: http://www.carm.org/creeds/athanasian.htm.  
  3. Confessionalism is hardly ecclesiastial tyranny; on the contrary, when practiced properly, it should relive parishoners of having to confront elders or pastors on questionable teachings merely because of a personal interpretation of the passage (even if it is the historical one).  I, for one, desire to have officers who know their church documents and who wish to live by their ordination vows to teach within the confessions.  The last thing I want my pastor to do most of the time is spout off some new special insight or thinking about some major point of doctrine about which his denomination long ago came to an agreement.
  4. Confessionalism is a great and tremendous hedge against liberalism by requiring individuals wanting leadership in a voluntary organization to abide by the standards and doctrines of the denomination.  While it is unfortunate that until Christ's return, there will be division among the members of the visible church on confessional grounds between the various heirs of the Reformation, it would be vastly better for us to know that our leadership is holding true to the teachings handed down to us. 
  5. Baptisterians, Presbilutherans, and other combinations will happen among the laity and there is much liberty for discussion and various positions among the laity.  While it would be ideal for the laity to be equally confessional, clearly visible church membership requirements should not exceed invisible church membership requirements.
  6. Finally, my strong adherence to confessional standards means that I can pass down a concrete body of doctrinal foundations for my future children in the form of catechism and other components of family worship. 

To those wondering as about my confessional adherence, I wholeheartedly embrace the 1789 Westminister Confession (still considering Exclusive Psalmody), the Canons of Dordt, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  The Larger Catechism, Belgic Confession, and Heidelberg Catechism I mostly agree with, but I haven't actively and specifcially hammered out every doctrinal issue they teach.  

Soli Deo Gloria!

Some More on Christian Armour

Some More on Christian Armour –

Look closely at the label to see whether the armour you wear is the workmanship of God or not. There are many imitations on the market nowadays. It is Satan’s game, if he cannot keep the sinner satisfied in his naked, lustful state, to coax him into some flimsy thing or other that by itself will neithe do him good nor Satan harm. Perhaps it is church atteendance, or good works, or some self-imposed penance by which he intends to impress both God and man. Do such impersonators believe in God? Oh, they hope they are not infidels. But what their armour is, or how they came by it, and whether it will hold up in an evil day, they never stop to question. Thus thousands perish who supposed they were armed against Satan, death, and judgment – whenall along they were miserable and naked. These people are worse off tn those who have not a rag of pretense to hide their shame from the world’s gaze.

To most of us, a careful copy of a masterpiece looks quite as good as the original. But when the master himself appears, he can tell in an instant which is real and which the imposter. It is the same with that self-righteous hypocrite who is a pretender to faith and hope in God. Here is a man in glitterin array with his weapon in his hand. With the sharp sword of his tongue he keeps both the preacher and the Word of God at arm’s length: ‘Who can say I am not a saint? Name one commandment I do not keep, one duty I neglect!’ he demands indignantly. Many are impressed by his seeming piety. It takes the Spirit’s discerning eye to expose him because Satan has so cleverly tampered with him already. He must first be disarmed and unclothed of his own filthy self-righteousness, because God’s armour can never be made to fit over the suit he fashioned for himself. On the other hand, the soul that stands naked and humble before God is fully aware of the magnitude of his need for help. Which would you say is easier: to set a freshly broken bone, or to attempt the repair of one that has already been falsely mended?

Oh, pious hypocrite, either deny the name of Christ, whose insignia you only pretend to march after, or throw away the phony armour of self-righteousness and come to Him in true repentance. Do not dare to call anything the armour of God which does not gloriy Him and defend you against the power of Satan.

-William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour

[Reformers, Puritans, and a Geek]