So the Super Bowl is this weekend, and for some reason or another my mind has been thinking about living in a way sort of analogous to this great American game. That is, there are many word pictures that can describe the Church- "Christians," "the Body," "A fellowship of believers," umm "a football team..." I like this one a lot right now. Let me explain.
No one likes to listen to a coach call the shots who himself has never played the game. And we definitely don’t like one who only shows up for practice occasionally to check up on the players briefly and then makes an appearance only for the games. What player would want such a coach? The only thing the players might want of him would be that he get fired. Such a coach is clearly disinterested and totally out of his element. It certainly doesn’t help to plan plays for a team or offer players advice if you’re not even a real part of the game.
Yet it’s not this coach alone who gives most unhelpful advice. When we watch a player from the sidelines (or more realistically, from a Tube), we’re still pretty out of touch with reality. Ever find it funny how we hoot and holler over games, saying stuff like, “Why didn’t he throw the ball,” or, “What in God’s green world is he is doing?” and then go on to give our own opinions of what we think should happen? And when one of “our players” screws up big, we’ll throw our hands up and exclaim in perfectly understandable frustration, “Take him out of the game- quickly, before he ruins the whole thing.” We give our own opinions all the time as spectators, usually starting with, “Why didn’t he…” and ending with either a shout or a deeply exasperated sigh. But here’s the thing, nobody at a Super Bowl party genuinely believes that what their saying makes any difference in the game. Not even the die-hard fan is so deceived as to think that his opinions really change anything (even if he may think they should). Yea, we’re frustrated when our team is shooting themselves in the foot; and yea, we may show signs of depression when our team blows it once again, but, even if our team may be in the Super Bowl (don’t worry I’m a Vikings fan) we’re still just vicarious spectators. We’re just fans in the stages of our couches offering our earnest protests and our thoroughly convinced coaching tips to but deaf television screens and consoling wives who silently wish the cable would suddenly go out.
No, it’s the coaches on the sidelines and the players on the field who call the shots. Though we may call them “our team,” they’re really not. We’re not there, we’re not with them; we’re not actually on the team. And since we’re not, our opinions really don’t have much value. And certainly if we had the chance to talk with “our teams’” coach we wouldn’t presume to give him advice on how he should deal with his team! When we meet our favorite players whom we have rooted for and appropriately idolized, far from giving our say on how their doing and how they can improve, we pull out a paper and a magic marker and ask for their autograph; and we walk away beaming with silly grins topping off our fully decked out “team” apparel while proudly looking over a name that no one but God Himself could read.
Yet just as hyped up as “the boys” get over a football game (let alone the Super Bowl) and just as much of a ruckus they raise depending on the state of “their team,” it seems us Christians get equally neurotic over people’s problems, or even worse, problem people. We love to sneak in our comments and give our own takes on people’s problems. We’ll listen to someone talk about someone else, and then, after remaining very attentive and holding a look of deep concern for some time (and perhaps even stroking our chins), we share our profound insight as if what we’re sharing should cost money to hear. Or even worse, we give our read of someone else and their problems to someone else. We say, “You know, this is what I think needs to be said to so and so about such and such...” Umm, okay? What are we saying? What are we doing? Well, exactly, we’re not “doing” anything really- we’re just talking. And when we do “do,” we’re just talking. Talk, talk talk.
For some, absolutely ridiculous reason or other we think we’re accomplishing something by simply talking, by conveying our own very important interpretations as vicarious spectators. This is usually how it goes: We’ll huddle together and create a play for a particular person’s problem, then after yelling break, we sprint off the field and begin enthusiastically cheering the person on who is now left with nothing but himself and this giant team of problems before him. And then we’ll shout to him asking him if there’s anything we can do to help; and when he stares at us dumbfounded still trying to understand what the heck we’re doing, we look at each other and wonder why he’s not doing anything. Then we watch him get smothered by some 500 lb. “problem.” So we do it again. We call the huddle and then we break, and maybe after spending a brief moment or two doing some sort of something, we slowly meander off the field and join our frustrated friends on the sidelines. After awhile, we become so good at doing this, we begin abandoning having a huddle with the person to devise a play for his problems altogether, and instead we start having our own huddle off the field trying to figure out exactly why this person doesn’t seem to be improving at all. We’re all coaches after all right? And so we take ourselves out of the game entirely, thinking we’re still in it because we sometimes call to the lonely person on the field telling him what we think he should do and asking him how we can help. When we finally do get back in the huddle with the person we are simply floored with frustration. None of our plays seem to be working! Worse yet, none of our huddles on the sidelines are paying off! “We’re his teammates, why isn’t he listening to us”, we may ask. “He’s on ‘our team,’ why isn’t he running the play? He’s ‘our player’ why does he keep screwing up?” Thus we have come only to comment on the situation from afar almost as vicariously as we do the Super Bowl.
It is only when we get in the game and on the field, and start running the plays with people against their problems that we will see the improvement we’re looking for. Only when the “player” becomes a “teammate” (fighting for the big W together) can we offer helpful suggestions of any significance. Unless we’re on the field sweating and getting stinky alongside each other our insight gets lots in a sea of unfamiliarity. We may claim we can relate, but that’s not good enough for the player who doesn’t see your face on the field and in the same game as he is. Our criticisms will typically reveal more about our ignorance than the play and the players when we’re no where to be seen in their day to day grind. To change the illustration, we’ll be like the delusional parents who tell their kids that what their going through in high school is exactly the same as when they attended theirs some 35 years ago. No kid likes to hear that ancient caveat. No, if we’re not in the game and on the team (even if that means sitting on the bench sometimes) our criticisms will be wildly out of focus and almost humorously unhelpful.
Take a friendly game of touch football for instance. Ever have that one person who joins the huddle way later than everyone else, huffing and puffing, and while the QB is already giving the play jumps in and confidently proclaims, “Hey guys, this is what I think we should do”? Unless he’s an amazingly talented and highly respected athlete, and unless he has some good reason for getting to the huddle so late, he’s met with disinterested faces at best and perhaps a friend telling him to appropriately shut up at worst. And maybe if he does this quite often he’s ignored altogether.
Now imagine if this was after his very first play and he wasn’t really even on your “team” in the first place, but some stranger who is subbing in for someone. We might whisper to our buddy something to the effect of, “Who does this guy think he is?” Or we may honestly want to know who he is since we’ve never even seen him before. No, this guy should get in the game, play a couple plays (or games even), take a couple blows, make a couple blocks, before he presume he has anything helpful to offer in the huddle.
But how often do we try to solve other people’s problems (let alone our own) by jumping in with our own wild interpretations when we barely even know the people, not to mention, hang out with them ever? They are simply “players” in the game we’re watching, not teammates we’ve gotten alongside of and played a bit in the mud with. Perhaps we do know them, and maybe we’ve known them for awhile, but that doesn’t mean that we know them any better than our favorite “player” in the Super Bowl. He still may not be our actual teammate, just a “player” we like to comment on. No, he’s definitely not our teammate if we’re not playing with him, at least not any more than “our team” is really our team. We have to get our heads out of the clouds and realize that games aren’t played vicariously. And neither should our advice of them be so either. We have to come back down to earth and wipe away our vague idealism and get rid of any arrogant presumption that we somehow know what we’re talking about and can thus organize the plan of attack and then take our place on the sidelines (or on the couch). We have to intentionally practice tuning our ears and orienting our eyes not to our own inner sense of what we feel should happen, but outward to what’s going on between the huddles. We must tackle the team of people’s problems after we say break (and hike I suppose), not the bench on the sidelines. If a person is our teammate, we play with them; we don’t merely dress up crazy and root for them.
It shouldn’t be too much to ask to simply hang out with people who are struggling, or to get genuinely involved with their lives. It’s no high calling. It doesn’t take tremendous skill or a certain degree of “coolness.” All it takes is for us to stop trying to call the play (if even we do that) and instead take a position. It isn’t that tough to stop trying to direct the roller coaster and simply enjoy (brace yourself for) the ride. God knows how steep the drop is and how tight the turn. Does He not have it all set up perfectly already? Now let’s not be passive players here; let’s anticipate the twists and prepare for the drops, leaning in where necessary and shrieking when our hearts seem to have made their way into our throats, but let us also remember we’re not the judges of this jamboree, neither are we the gurus of this game. We’re just people called to a position on the field. But if we’re ever going to help anyone, we must first get in the game.
Get in the Game: A Call to Get Off the Couch As Vicarious Spectators and into the Super Bowl of Life
The Wrath of God
Why when I read the opening phrase of Romans 1:18: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," does it not hit me like a ton of bricks? The sheer fact that what we get from God when we don't get his "saving righteousness" is His "wrath" should put anyone in an insane asylum until they know they are free from God’s wrath and under His eternal grace. Two thoughts came to my mind as to why I am not deeply riveted by an understanding of the "wrath of God": (1) The preaching we get on the wrath of God is scarce and what we do get is puny and trivial (there are a few, keyword “few” exceptions though). (2) Our culture has taken God’s attributes and made them in our image so that we eventually have a God and a Jesus who is as Mark Driscoll says “a hippie-Christ (or God); a neutered and limp-wristed popular sky fairy of popular culture that would never talk about sin or send anyone to hell." So then I decided to look up a couple definitions and statements about the wrath of God that brought out the true biblical definition of it and exposed its horrendous implications. Here is what I found:
Douglas Moo says the following about the wrath of God in his commentary on Romans: “The wrath of God is not, of course, an emotional rage but a steadfast and absolute opposition to all that is evil. It is essential to the character of God: ‘As long as God is God, He cannot behold with indifference that His creation is destroyed and His holy will trodden underfoot. Therefore he meets sin with His mighty and annihilating reaction,’ (A. Nygren, Commentary on Romans).”
Jonathan Edwards talks about the torment that the unbeliever will face when he finally experiences the full wrath of God: “"The body will be full of torment as full as it can hold, and every part of it shall be full of torment. They shall be in extreme pain, every joint of them; every nerve shall be full of inexpressible torment. They shall be tormented even to their fingers' ends. The whole body shall be full of the wrath of God. Their hearts and their bowels and their heads, their eyes and their tongues, their hands and their feet will be filled with the fierceness of God's wrath. This is taught us in many Scriptures..."
Here is John Piper speaking out against people who try to dumb down the reality of the wrath of God that will be experienced in Hell: “when the Bible speaks of hell-fire, woe to us if we say, 'It’s only a symbol.' If it is a symbol at all, it means the reality is worse than fire, not better. The word 'fire' is used not to make the easy sound terrible, but to make the exceedingly terrible sound something like what it really is."
Wayne Grudem gives a concise but solid definition of the wrath of God and then talks about why as Christians we should embrace it and thank God for it: “God’s wrath means that he intensely hates all sin…this is an attribute for which we should thank and praise God…what would God be like if he were a God that did not hate sin. He would be a God who either delighted in sin or at least was not troubled by it. Such a God would not be worthy of our worship, for sin is hateful and it is worthy of being hated. It is in fact a virtue to hate evil and sin (Heb. 1:9; Zech. 8:17).”
After I started pondering the wrath of God I had to move quickly to the one place where I know I can rest assured that I am not under God’s wrath but under His eternal grace. Some may think I started thinking about the Kingdom and how God is going to restore everything and sit upon His throne but I did not. I went some place more comforting; more central. I went to the cross, the same place Paul eventually goes in 3:21-26, where the wrath of God that was meant to be poured out on me for an eternity was spent on Christ so that I could embrace and be embraced by God and experience nothing but grace for eternity.
So let us understand wrath so we can understand the cross and be moved into a deeper understanding of the grace of God revealed in the cross.
Jesus, keep us near the cross.
Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross
A new book, "Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross", has been released on Crossway. I have just ordered it! I found out about it through the Sovereign Grace site. With Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday approaching, this would be a great devotional for the next couple months. Nancy Guthrie (the Editor) has compiled works from 25 of our modern day heroes. I believe that most of the chapters are comprised of pieces from previously released material.
Here are the chapter titles and authors:
1. True Contemplation of the Cross (Martin Luther)
2. He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem (John Piper)
3. An Innocent Man Crushed by God (Alistair Begg)
4. The Cup (C.J. Mahaney)
5. Gethsemane (R. Kent Hughes)
6. Betrayed, Denied, Deserted (J. Ligon Duncan III)
7. Then Did They Spit in His Face (Charles Spurgeon)
8. The Silence of the Lamb (Adrian Rogers)
9. The Sufferings of Christ (J.C. Ryle)
10. Father, Forgive Them (John MacArthur)
11. With Loud Cries and Tears (John Owen)
12. That He Might Destroy the Works of the Devil (Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
13. I Am Thirsty (Joseph “Skip” Ryan)
14. God-Forsaken (Philip Graham Ryken)
15. Cursed (R.C. Sproul)
16. Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit (James Montgomery Boice)
17. Blood and Water (John Calvin)
18. He Descended into Hell and Ascended into Heaven (J.I. Packer)
19. A Sweet-Smelling Savor to God (Jonathan Edwards)
20. The Most Important Word in the Universe (Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.)
21. Resurrection Preview (Francis Schaeffer)
22. Peace Be unto You (Saint Augustine)
23. Knowing the Power of His Resurrection (Tim Keller)
24. Sharing His Sufferings (Joni Eareckson Tada)
25. Crucified with Christ (Stephen F. Olford)
The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are an interconnected priority for the church (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). French theologian John Calvin wrote that when we speak of the benefits we receive from Christ’s resurrection we are implying the crucifixion of Christ—and the other way around (from Institutes of the Christian Religion) The two themes are interconnected.
-Tony Reinke (Sovereign Grace)
Be Careful of Your Language
I can't believe that I wrote down a quote and did not record who said it. It is driving me insane! I apologize for that. Because of my failure to be diligent in my citations, it may forever remain anonymous. Don't bother trying to "google" or "yahoo" it. The quote was taken from a podcast and I am sure there is no transcript on-line to try and get a match. My best guess is that is either from Dr. Michael Horton or Dr. Albert Mohler. Anyway, without any further delay, here is a tasty morsel to chew on.
"By grace you've been saved...Beloved, please be careful in your language. Grace is not an offer to be accepted or rejected by man at will. It is an invasion of the inner being of man so that he is impelled to believe."
Preaching The Gospel To Yourself
How can we get near enough to the cross for its sparks to fall on us?
"The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough to it for it's sparks to fall on us."
-John Stott
How can I grow in my understanding and appreciation of the cross?
How can I cultivate a passion for the cross?
How can I keep the main thing the main thing?
Preach the gospel to yourself daily.
C.J. Mahaney's recommendations:
(from his sermon: The Main Thing Part 2)
1. Practice Strategic Scripture Memory
(dealing the the cross)
examples:
Isaiah 53
Romans 3:21-26
Romans 5:6-11
Romans 8:28-39
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
2 Corinthians 5:21
Galatians 2:15-21
2. Read and reflect upon the Gospels
It would be well if professing Christians in modern days studied the four Gospels3. Study the seven sayings of the Savior on the cross
more than they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable. It is not wise to exalt one
part of the Bible at the expense of another. But I think it would be good for some who
are very familiar with the Epistles, if they knew a little more about Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John.
Now, why do I say this? I say it because I want professing Christians to know more
about Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of
Christianity. It is better to be acquainted with Christ Himself. It is well to be
familiar with faith and grace and justification and sanctification. They are all
matters 'pertaining to the King'. But it is far better to be familiar with Jesus Himself,
to see the King's own face, and to behold His beauty. This is one secret of eminent
holiness. He that would be conformed to Christ's image, and become a Christ-like
man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself.
Now the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Ghost
has told us the story of His life and death, His sayings and His doings, four times
over. Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Saviour. His ways,
His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power
are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses. Ought not the patient to be
familiar with the Physician? Ought not the bride to be familiar with the Bridegroom?
Ought not the sinner to be familiar with Saviour? Beyond doubt it ought to be so.
The Gospels were written to make men familiar with Christ, and therefore I wish men
to study the Gospels......Surely we cannot know this Christ too well! Surely there is
not a word, nor a deed, nor a day, nor a step, nor a thought in the record of His life,
which ought not to be precious to us. We should labour to be familiar with every line
that is written about Jesus.
-J. C. Ryle
4. Study the effects of the cross: atonement, substitution, propitiation, justification, redemption, reconciliation, salvation
5. Study Galatians and Romans accompanied by a good commentary.
(C.J. recommends John Stott's commentaries for both.)
6. Read a new book on the Cross each year.
7. Reread a good book on the Cross each year.
The Cross of Christ by John Stott
The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
The Atonement by Leon Morris
The Power of the Cross of Christ by Charles Spurgeon
The Apostles Doctrine of the Atonement by George Smeaton
The Glory of Christ by Peter Lewis
Experiencing God's Forgiveness by John Ensor
The Cross and Christian Ministry by Don Carson
[Joey recommends]
[A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent]
[The Truth Of The Cross by R.C. Sproul]
[The Gospel For Real Life by Jerry Bridges]
[Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chappell]
and of course [Living The Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney]
8. Read Charles Spurgeon
It was said of Spurgeon: No matter where he began in Scripture he always took the
shortcut to the Cross.
9. Whatever verse you are reading or studying ask yourself, What is the relation of this
verse to the Cross.
In it's context every passage possesses one or more of four redemptive foci. Every
text is predictive of the work of Christ, preparatory for the work of Christ, reflective
of the work of Christ, and/or resultant of the work of Christ.
- Bryan Chapell
10. Do not study the Old Testament apart from the Cross.
Recommend the following book:
The Gospel and Kingdom; A Christian Interpretation of the Old Testament by
Graeme Goldsworthy
11. Study the holiness of God and the doctrine of sin.
How God deals with sin throughout scripture.
Remember the doctrine of sin is a means not an end. The doctrine of sin is a means
(and a necessary one) of appreciating justifying grace and appropriating sanctifying
grace.
Recommended reading:
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard
12. Begin worship each day with Cross centered songs and hymns.
13. Begin prayer each day confining yourself to giving thanks for the Cross and the
effects of the Cross in your life.
14. If possible, listen to Cross centered preaching as you commute each day.
15. Arrange extended times of unhurried worship and study about the Cross.
16. Review your conversion testimony often and never grow familiar with the grace
you've experienced.
17.Recognize your need for the Holy Spirit and the gift of illumination.
There has not only been an objective, public act of divine self-disclosure in the
crucifixion of God's own Son, but there must be a private work of God by his Spirit, in
the mind and heart of the individual. If we should express unqualified gratitude to
God for the gift of his Son, we should express no less gratitude for the gift of the
Spirit who enables us to grasp the gospel of His Son...Unless the Spirit enlightens us,
God's thoughts will remain deeply alien to us.
-Don Carson
Christ-filled Preaching
Josh, I thank God for you writing your last post. You have written in words what my head has been mulling over for some months now and my heart has been urgent to express. As a matter of fact, I had just the other day been voicing my same concerns to Joey while getting (or trying to get) a raspberry mocha during a break in class. The topic has been so impressed upon my heart that I found myself writing a comment to you that was, well, commending itself more towards a post itself than a comment at all! So, that being the case, I have decided to give my response in this here post. Here are my thoughts which I gladly add to yours:
The church has become paralyzed with its overwhelming demands to do and has forgotten the source that ought to move it to do anything ever really at all. It is Christ and Christ alone that ought to compel us. It is only as Christ is the sum and substance of our teaching that we will ever be and do things that are Christ-like. We can only "do" when we are so filled with what Christ has already done for us. It is only then that we overflow with good works. To acknowledge the stream but neglect the fountain from which the water flows is to not only lack appreciation for the fountain but to kill the stream. To call the church to action for Christ yet neglect how Christ has acted for us is not only to lack appreciation for the Savior but to thwart all honest zeal to serve him faithfully. If we come to church only to hear what we must do for Christ it will result only with us leaving with our heads down, bowed under the enormous weight of how much we have yet to accomplish. We will be convicted at first yes, since we do indeed bear great responsibility, but this will only turn into an overwhelming sense of our own failure. We will become paralyzed by condemnation, tortured by guilt, and dragged down by the weight of our own inadequacies. And even more tragic, we will see God as never happy with us. No, He will seem to us as the cold unaffectionate father who is never satisfied with his children's efforts and cannot spare them the least bit of love due to their constant unimpressive performance. We will feel as if we are never good enough for Him. We will feel as if we can never measure up. We will feel as if we can never earn a kind smile or even the slightest affirmation. We will feel as if all He ever sees in us is failure after failure and sin after sin. Just to feel His love for us will be our greatest battle. For we will feel as if He cares little for us. We will feel as if He delights in everyone else more than us. In fact, far from being the objects of his delight, we will feel we are only the objects of his pity, since all we ever do is let him down after all. Yes, we will feel as if God loves us very little indeed. Yet this is not the God of the gospel. This God is the God of legalism.
The God of the gospel says that He loves us more than we can ever imagine. The God of the gospel says that He loves us just as much as He loves His precious and perfect Son. The God of the gospel says that while we were yet sinners- weak, hopeless, inadequate failures- He sent His Son to die for us. The God of the gospel says that because that man stood condemned in our place we can be convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God. Oh yes, the God of the gospel loves us very much. In fact, there is no greater, no stronger, no more passionate, no more tender, no more steadfast, and no more committed love in all the universe than the love God has for you. It is a deep sea of love, a shoreless ocean. We may swim an age and find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and we shall find no bottom. It is infinite altogether; it never ends.
But why? Now here is a great question. What warrants such love? How can we, of all people, come to be the privileged recipients of this unspeakable love? Because of what Christ has done for us. See this is the difference between one soul leaving the church burdened and the other leaving the church singing. One hears what they must do for Christ, the other hears what Christ has already done for them. One realizes they can never accomplish what they must, the other realizes Christ has already accomplished more than enough. One is filled with guilt, the other is filled with glee. One is filled with a sense of duty, the other rapturous delight. One never feels as if they can raise their head, the other if it had wings would fly away. What a difference this makes in the hearts of the saints! To preach of what Christ has already done for us is the only great motivator to do anything for him! To hear of his great mercy and tender compassion towards us, we most certainly will show the like towards each other! To hear of how he has with such longstanding patience dealt with us, what patience we will have with others! To hear of how he has so graciously forgiven us, how could we not forgive another? To hear of his amazing grace in saving such undeserving sinners as ourselves, what grace is too much to show? And to be filled with the dying love of the Savior, oh what measures will we go to spend and be spent for the rescuing of perishing souls! Oh yes, this is the beauty and wonder of Christ-filled preaching. People who simply cannot get enough of Christ in the church will never be able to give enough for him outside of it.
So, Josh, I thank God that he has put this same burden on your heart for a revival of Christ-centered preaching. I pray more pastors will find equal passion and commitment. I end in the words of Paul: "We preach Christ crucified.” I cannot see how we as people who have been saved by such a wonderful Savior can preach anything else.
The church has become paralyzed with its overwhelming demands to do and has forgotten the source that ought to move it to do anything ever really at all. It is Christ and Christ alone that ought to compel us. It is only as Christ is the sum and substance of our teaching that we will ever be and do things that are Christ-like. We can only "do" when we are so filled with what Christ has already done for us. It is only then that we overflow with good works. To acknowledge the stream but neglect the fountain from which the water flows is to not only lack appreciation for the fountain but to kill the stream. To call the church to action for Christ yet neglect how Christ has acted for us is not only to lack appreciation for the Savior but to thwart all honest zeal to serve him faithfully. If we come to church only to hear what we must do for Christ it will result only with us leaving with our heads down, bowed under the enormous weight of how much we have yet to accomplish. We will be convicted at first yes, since we do indeed bear great responsibility, but this will only turn into an overwhelming sense of our own failure. We will become paralyzed by condemnation, tortured by guilt, and dragged down by the weight of our own inadequacies. And even more tragic, we will see God as never happy with us. No, He will seem to us as the cold unaffectionate father who is never satisfied with his children's efforts and cannot spare them the least bit of love due to their constant unimpressive performance. We will feel as if we are never good enough for Him. We will feel as if we can never measure up. We will feel as if we can never earn a kind smile or even the slightest affirmation. We will feel as if all He ever sees in us is failure after failure and sin after sin. Just to feel His love for us will be our greatest battle. For we will feel as if He cares little for us. We will feel as if He delights in everyone else more than us. In fact, far from being the objects of his delight, we will feel we are only the objects of his pity, since all we ever do is let him down after all. Yes, we will feel as if God loves us very little indeed. Yet this is not the God of the gospel. This God is the God of legalism.
The God of the gospel says that He loves us more than we can ever imagine. The God of the gospel says that He loves us just as much as He loves His precious and perfect Son. The God of the gospel says that while we were yet sinners- weak, hopeless, inadequate failures- He sent His Son to die for us. The God of the gospel says that because that man stood condemned in our place we can be convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God. Oh yes, the God of the gospel loves us very much. In fact, there is no greater, no stronger, no more passionate, no more tender, no more steadfast, and no more committed love in all the universe than the love God has for you. It is a deep sea of love, a shoreless ocean. We may swim an age and find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and we shall find no bottom. It is infinite altogether; it never ends.
But why? Now here is a great question. What warrants such love? How can we, of all people, come to be the privileged recipients of this unspeakable love? Because of what Christ has done for us. See this is the difference between one soul leaving the church burdened and the other leaving the church singing. One hears what they must do for Christ, the other hears what Christ has already done for them. One realizes they can never accomplish what they must, the other realizes Christ has already accomplished more than enough. One is filled with guilt, the other is filled with glee. One is filled with a sense of duty, the other rapturous delight. One never feels as if they can raise their head, the other if it had wings would fly away. What a difference this makes in the hearts of the saints! To preach of what Christ has already done for us is the only great motivator to do anything for him! To hear of his great mercy and tender compassion towards us, we most certainly will show the like towards each other! To hear of how he has with such longstanding patience dealt with us, what patience we will have with others! To hear of how he has so graciously forgiven us, how could we not forgive another? To hear of his amazing grace in saving such undeserving sinners as ourselves, what grace is too much to show? And to be filled with the dying love of the Savior, oh what measures will we go to spend and be spent for the rescuing of perishing souls! Oh yes, this is the beauty and wonder of Christ-filled preaching. People who simply cannot get enough of Christ in the church will never be able to give enough for him outside of it.
So, Josh, I thank God that he has put this same burden on your heart for a revival of Christ-centered preaching. I pray more pastors will find equal passion and commitment. I end in the words of Paul: "We preach Christ crucified.” I cannot see how we as people who have been saved by such a wonderful Savior can preach anything else.
Christ-less Preaching
I am not sure how to respond to sermons that are constantly Christ-less, for I too once preached them. I preached them a lot. I preached them for years. Yes, I preached the Bible. I used it a ton. In fact, my sermons were saturated with scripture as a great many sermons are. Nevertheless, they were Christ-less sermons. Oh, I put a short five minute gospel plug in at the end of the sermon, but the sermon was still Christ-less. And so when I hear pastors preach Christ-less sermons I am prone to feel empathy and sympathy for their misunderstanding of the task of the preacher and pastor. Yet, knowing what I now know I am also angered at the thought that Christ is not the substance of what a lot of pastors preach each week.
There can even be a misunderstanding of what expositional preaching is to be about. Some think it is about preaching verse by verse and chapter by chapter. But expositional preaching is so much more than that. It is about proclaiming Christ. If we do not gather as a church to hear Christ proclaimed, then for what do we gather? Do we think that God is simply trying to be clever when tells us that His Son is the Word of God? Or do we miss the reality that all of Scripture (the written Word of God) is to lead us to the redemption story of Christ? All of it.
I do not have a clever way of communicating an earnest plea through this keyboard. Emoticons will not suffice when I say that if your preaching is not focused on, centered around, saturated with and drenched with Christ, then you do not have the makings of a Christian sermon.
If you attend a church where the redemption story is not heralded every week from whatever passage of Scripture you are in, then you are hearing a bogus sermon. It is a farce. You should be fearful of sitting under that kind of preaching.
Too often sermons are simply about purpose, values, principles for living, raising families and living victoriously. Christians are being told week in and week out "what to do". "Do this and do that and God will be pleased with you." I tell you with all sincerity that this sort of preaching is an afront to the cross. It is scandalous! It is modern-day Pharisaism. God is not pleased with us because we "do" something. He is pleased with us because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by faith. That and that alone is why God is pleased with us. Do we obey God to please Him or do we obey God to display His glory...knowing that His glory pleases Him? There is a vast difference and I tell you that Christians should be obeying God to display the glory of God, not to please Him as if He were still angry with us. We obey Him because we are pleased with His beauty and splendor. Christ pleased God for us and if we think that we are to do righteous deeds in order to make God happy with us then we preach a false gospel. And if that type of preaching goes on in your church, then you are part of an apostate church. They have forsaken Christ and His gospel. That is what is wrong with evangelicalism at large. Christ is not proclaimed and principles for living are.
What's scary is that your average Christian does not see this in their church. They don't understand that their church has lost their first love. They have big screens, fancy pulpits, great bands, wonderful programs, fun people, enticing video clips, but so what! If Christ is missing, then so what! But the seeker-sensitive, seeker-aware church thinks that this kind of self-improvement preaching is what the unbeliever needs and wants to hear in their specialized sevices. Do they want to hear this kind of preaching. Absolutely! But is this kind of preaching what they need? No! Nothing could be further from the truth. It must be obvious that unblievers want to hear principles for living. That is the legalist in all of us that thinks that obeying rules is the way to please God. But those principles for living were written for the CHURCH to display the glory of God and to show the SINNER how far they fall from the glory of God. But that is not the way these sermons are packaged. They are packaged as Biblical principles that are good for everyone. That is what is deathly wrong with purpose-driven kind of sermon that a host of pastors are being led to preach.
Christ is to be held up every week. He is to be preached. When Christ was born the angels did not proclaim, "We bring you good news...for now you have some guideliness for living!" They proclaimed that a Savior was born. The Apostles did not go out and preach to sinners that they needed to get their marriages straight and that they needed to succeed in the workplace with some solid principles. No, they went preaching Christ. "Woe is me if I do not preach Christ!"
You must leave your church gathering each week with hearts and minds and speech full of Christ. If you leave only with the thought, "Ok, now I've got to do these things in my life," then you've missed the point of Scripture. And that is why most preaching is an afront to Christ and His saving work. Pastors are simply telling people each week "what to do" instead of telling them "what Christ has done for them." If I have overemphasized the grace of God here, then great. If it seems that I am an antinomianist--although I am not--then great. My aim is to preach the sufficiency of Christ in both justification and sanctification for it is by trusting in Him that we are saved and by beholding Him that we are sanctified...but how can we behold Him and be sanctified after His image if we do not hear Him speak His truth to us in His Word.
God gives us faith by the Word of God to believe in the Son of God. What then do you think the point of continuing to hear the Word of God preached is? It is to keep believing in the Son of God. Why? God keeps us saved by faith in the Son of God. And only those that endure til the end shall be saved. We persevere in Christ by faith in Christ which is granted to us by the Word of Christ so that we can be with Christ. Christ-centered and cross-focused preaching accomplishes this in our lives. Should we be surprised when people abandon the faith and faith in Christ if the God-given means of faith is abandoned--which is preaching Christ and letting Christ speak through His Word. If we mangle the Word of God and present it as a manual for living instead of the Covenenant (testament) of God then we, as pastors, contribute to the on-going apostasty in the church.
For the sake of the glory of God, pastors, we must step up and hold up Christ with every sermon...with every point of the sermon...with every scripture in the sermon...with every illustration in the sermon. Proclaim the oracles of God with all zeal and lead the church to Christ.
And if you find yourself in a church that uses the Bible in sermons but does not lift up Christ...please find a church that does. Forget the expense and inconvenience you may experience in trying to find such a church. But at all costs, find one and determine to be with this group of believers as you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I would strongly encourage any believer to read Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen. Although it is not an easy read, it is a profitable read. The liberal church of yester-century has become the norm today. The average church that today calls themselves evangelical, fundamental, Bible-based, family-oriented, purpose-driven has no idea that the church they are members of today was the apostate church that godly Christians warned about last century. I am embarassed to say that the evangelicalism that I grew up in and taught for much of my pastoral life was more influenced by the heresies of Charles Finney than by the long line of godly men that have preached the sufficiency and grace of Christ since the beginning
creation.
This is an urgent plea to all my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. Know where you are in history or you may think that because you grew up in a sheep's pen that you are a sheep when you are not. Dig deep into Scripture and stop scratching it's surface. Know what your church really believes. Demand that your pastor exalt Christ with all his strength. Demand that your fellowship groups be centered around Christ and not marital status, age, sinful tendecies or hobbies. Demand that your worship songs be saturated with Scripture and literary images that will arouse your affections for Christ. Demand that discipleship be more than just forming good habits, but about displaying glory of Christ. Why? Because if we do not the world will get a mixed message of what church, scripture, worship, evangelism and Christianity as a whole are about.
Today I had a Jehovah's Witness come to my door and try to tell me that my understanding of repentance and discipleship is nothing more than a "personality change". I assured her that she was completely wrong. I am not sure where she got this idea. But I imagine that she got this idea from the way that Christians portray discipleship and sanctification. It's just outward behavioral change...no different than psychological reform.
A few weeks ago I read an article in Newsweek in which the author bashed on Christians for their views on marriage. Her rationale went something like this: "If Christians are so stuck on using the Bible as the rule for marriage, then which example do we follow...Jesus' singleness, David's with his adultery, Abraham's with having a child with his wife's servant." I was bothered by her understanding of what Scripture was about. But with the way pastors preach today, it is no wonder that she thought the Old Testament saints were examples to follow rather than sinners who needed a Savior. If sermons were always about Christ, from every Christian pulpit, from every Christian pastor, then the world would know that Scripture is about Christ and not examples for living in the lives of those mentioned.
David must stop being our example in life to "overcome our giants." Instead he must be the annointed king through whom God would fulfill His covenant and bring forth the King of Kings.
The "heroes of faith" in Hebrews 11 must been seen as people who had faith authored in them by Christ who will complete their faith and bring them to Himself (Hebrews 12:2 & 22-24). To divorce Hebrews 11 from the entire context of Hebrews and to make those people into examples for living is to miss Christ completely and to fail at preaching.
To teach Romans 12:9-21 apart from Romans 12:6 is to miss out on the fact that our good deeds and ministry to the church is the grace of Christ at work in us....not us serving God alone.
Christ-less preaching is not a small matter. The salvation of God's people and the glory of God are at stake.
There can even be a misunderstanding of what expositional preaching is to be about. Some think it is about preaching verse by verse and chapter by chapter. But expositional preaching is so much more than that. It is about proclaiming Christ. If we do not gather as a church to hear Christ proclaimed, then for what do we gather? Do we think that God is simply trying to be clever when tells us that His Son is the Word of God? Or do we miss the reality that all of Scripture (the written Word of God) is to lead us to the redemption story of Christ? All of it.
I do not have a clever way of communicating an earnest plea through this keyboard. Emoticons will not suffice when I say that if your preaching is not focused on, centered around, saturated with and drenched with Christ, then you do not have the makings of a Christian sermon.
If you attend a church where the redemption story is not heralded every week from whatever passage of Scripture you are in, then you are hearing a bogus sermon. It is a farce. You should be fearful of sitting under that kind of preaching.
Too often sermons are simply about purpose, values, principles for living, raising families and living victoriously. Christians are being told week in and week out "what to do". "Do this and do that and God will be pleased with you." I tell you with all sincerity that this sort of preaching is an afront to the cross. It is scandalous! It is modern-day Pharisaism. God is not pleased with us because we "do" something. He is pleased with us because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by faith. That and that alone is why God is pleased with us. Do we obey God to please Him or do we obey God to display His glory...knowing that His glory pleases Him? There is a vast difference and I tell you that Christians should be obeying God to display the glory of God, not to please Him as if He were still angry with us. We obey Him because we are pleased with His beauty and splendor. Christ pleased God for us and if we think that we are to do righteous deeds in order to make God happy with us then we preach a false gospel. And if that type of preaching goes on in your church, then you are part of an apostate church. They have forsaken Christ and His gospel. That is what is wrong with evangelicalism at large. Christ is not proclaimed and principles for living are.
What's scary is that your average Christian does not see this in their church. They don't understand that their church has lost their first love. They have big screens, fancy pulpits, great bands, wonderful programs, fun people, enticing video clips, but so what! If Christ is missing, then so what! But the seeker-sensitive, seeker-aware church thinks that this kind of self-improvement preaching is what the unbeliever needs and wants to hear in their specialized sevices. Do they want to hear this kind of preaching. Absolutely! But is this kind of preaching what they need? No! Nothing could be further from the truth. It must be obvious that unblievers want to hear principles for living. That is the legalist in all of us that thinks that obeying rules is the way to please God. But those principles for living were written for the CHURCH to display the glory of God and to show the SINNER how far they fall from the glory of God. But that is not the way these sermons are packaged. They are packaged as Biblical principles that are good for everyone. That is what is deathly wrong with purpose-driven kind of sermon that a host of pastors are being led to preach.
Christ is to be held up every week. He is to be preached. When Christ was born the angels did not proclaim, "We bring you good news...for now you have some guideliness for living!" They proclaimed that a Savior was born. The Apostles did not go out and preach to sinners that they needed to get their marriages straight and that they needed to succeed in the workplace with some solid principles. No, they went preaching Christ. "Woe is me if I do not preach Christ!"
You must leave your church gathering each week with hearts and minds and speech full of Christ. If you leave only with the thought, "Ok, now I've got to do these things in my life," then you've missed the point of Scripture. And that is why most preaching is an afront to Christ and His saving work. Pastors are simply telling people each week "what to do" instead of telling them "what Christ has done for them." If I have overemphasized the grace of God here, then great. If it seems that I am an antinomianist--although I am not--then great. My aim is to preach the sufficiency of Christ in both justification and sanctification for it is by trusting in Him that we are saved and by beholding Him that we are sanctified...but how can we behold Him and be sanctified after His image if we do not hear Him speak His truth to us in His Word.
God gives us faith by the Word of God to believe in the Son of God. What then do you think the point of continuing to hear the Word of God preached is? It is to keep believing in the Son of God. Why? God keeps us saved by faith in the Son of God. And only those that endure til the end shall be saved. We persevere in Christ by faith in Christ which is granted to us by the Word of Christ so that we can be with Christ. Christ-centered and cross-focused preaching accomplishes this in our lives. Should we be surprised when people abandon the faith and faith in Christ if the God-given means of faith is abandoned--which is preaching Christ and letting Christ speak through His Word. If we mangle the Word of God and present it as a manual for living instead of the Covenenant (testament) of God then we, as pastors, contribute to the on-going apostasty in the church.
For the sake of the glory of God, pastors, we must step up and hold up Christ with every sermon...with every point of the sermon...with every scripture in the sermon...with every illustration in the sermon. Proclaim the oracles of God with all zeal and lead the church to Christ.
And if you find yourself in a church that uses the Bible in sermons but does not lift up Christ...please find a church that does. Forget the expense and inconvenience you may experience in trying to find such a church. But at all costs, find one and determine to be with this group of believers as you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I would strongly encourage any believer to read Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen. Although it is not an easy read, it is a profitable read. The liberal church of yester-century has become the norm today. The average church that today calls themselves evangelical, fundamental, Bible-based, family-oriented, purpose-driven has no idea that the church they are members of today was the apostate church that godly Christians warned about last century. I am embarassed to say that the evangelicalism that I grew up in and taught for much of my pastoral life was more influenced by the heresies of Charles Finney than by the long line of godly men that have preached the sufficiency and grace of Christ since the beginning
creation.
This is an urgent plea to all my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. Know where you are in history or you may think that because you grew up in a sheep's pen that you are a sheep when you are not. Dig deep into Scripture and stop scratching it's surface. Know what your church really believes. Demand that your pastor exalt Christ with all his strength. Demand that your fellowship groups be centered around Christ and not marital status, age, sinful tendecies or hobbies. Demand that your worship songs be saturated with Scripture and literary images that will arouse your affections for Christ. Demand that discipleship be more than just forming good habits, but about displaying glory of Christ. Why? Because if we do not the world will get a mixed message of what church, scripture, worship, evangelism and Christianity as a whole are about.
Today I had a Jehovah's Witness come to my door and try to tell me that my understanding of repentance and discipleship is nothing more than a "personality change". I assured her that she was completely wrong. I am not sure where she got this idea. But I imagine that she got this idea from the way that Christians portray discipleship and sanctification. It's just outward behavioral change...no different than psychological reform.
A few weeks ago I read an article in Newsweek in which the author bashed on Christians for their views on marriage. Her rationale went something like this: "If Christians are so stuck on using the Bible as the rule for marriage, then which example do we follow...Jesus' singleness, David's with his adultery, Abraham's with having a child with his wife's servant." I was bothered by her understanding of what Scripture was about. But with the way pastors preach today, it is no wonder that she thought the Old Testament saints were examples to follow rather than sinners who needed a Savior. If sermons were always about Christ, from every Christian pulpit, from every Christian pastor, then the world would know that Scripture is about Christ and not examples for living in the lives of those mentioned.
David must stop being our example in life to "overcome our giants." Instead he must be the annointed king through whom God would fulfill His covenant and bring forth the King of Kings.
The "heroes of faith" in Hebrews 11 must been seen as people who had faith authored in them by Christ who will complete their faith and bring them to Himself (Hebrews 12:2 & 22-24). To divorce Hebrews 11 from the entire context of Hebrews and to make those people into examples for living is to miss Christ completely and to fail at preaching.
To teach Romans 12:9-21 apart from Romans 12:6 is to miss out on the fact that our good deeds and ministry to the church is the grace of Christ at work in us....not us serving God alone.
Christ-less preaching is not a small matter. The salvation of God's people and the glory of God are at stake.
Prayer
"We are still on praying ground and pleading terms with God, and the throne to which we are bidden to come, and of which we speak at this time, is the throne of grace. It is a throne set up on purpose for the dispensation of grace; a throne from which every utterance is an utterance of grace; the scepter that is stretched out from it is the silver sceptre of grace; the decrees proclaimed from it are purposes of grace; the gifts that are scattered down its golden steps are gifts of grace; and he that sits upon the throne is grace itself. It is the throne of grace to which we approach when we pray; and let us for a moment or two think this over, by way of consolatory encouragement to those who are beginning to pray; indeed, to all of us who are praying men and women."-Charles Spurgeon
Moved by the --- [Transmission Interrupted]
I want to share a quick thought that has crossed my path a couple times recently.
I'm in the middle of reading (among others...) "Enjoying Intimacy with God" by J. Oswald Sanders. There are many reminders of God's powerful grace in His intimate relationship with us, which have been encouraging.
The most recent chapter I read was on the Holy Spirit. The chapter was somewhat short, which is fitting to the overall point of this post as well as the question I recently heard.
Someone asked a pastor at a conference I just returned from: (paraphrased) "Why haven't we heard or talked more about the Holy Spirit?" The answer, to paraphrase once again, was very simple: "We preach the power of the Holy Spirit when we examine and extol the greatness of Christ."
The simple fact that we are proclaiming Christ is the evidence and work of the Holy Spirit. We can't know or learn or examine or proclaim Christ without the Holy Spirit's working in us.
Oswald describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit as such:
The ministry of the Spirit is essentially Christocentric. His primary concern is to glorify Christ and to secure the acknowledgment and practical manifestation of His lordship in our lives. Although He cannot add anything to the glories of the exalted Christ, He can make Him real and glority Him in the experience of His followers. It is one of His functions to reveal and explain Him.
In John 15:26 Jesus says, "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,"
In a world where there are a solid number of people, even churches, that want to focus on your being moved by the Spirit, we should remember that our focus is for God's will and His glory through Christ. The Spirit is He who indwells us to that purpose, and one day, that end.
Secondly, it's a perfect humility and work that the Holy Spirit does. One that we could certainly learn from. A humble focus and purpose that is set on the glorification of Christ.
It bids the question, to me at least: what am I spending my time on? And what transmissions, that are not communicating Christ, do I need to interrupt?... or stop?
Heart Cry!
Ok, I know I’m late with my post and not on schedule but Joey can chastise me later…..I wanted to share with all of you a worship song that has been speaking to my heart recently by Hillsong called, Hosanna. This song speaks of desperation for God to move and for people’s hearts to be stirred. I love the passion in the song’s lyrics and it made me think when is the last time my heart yearned like this and broke for the things of God? This blog is full of amazing theology and intellectual topics (which is good, we need truth) but when is the last time your heart was affected by the truth; so much so that your heart burned with passion? This song calls for the burn again, that first love burn. The bridge is my favorite part, especially these four lines:
“Open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like you have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours. Everything I am for your kingdoms cause.”
God, we want you to open up our eyes to the spiritual realities around us, often times we are so blind to what you are doing and we want to see your invisible marks on everything. God, we want to love people from a pure heart and seek them out as you have loved us first and sought us out with a passion. Lord, we want out hearts to break for the lost, the injustice in the world, for the suffering, for the deaths of saints, for your name being defamed and your glory forgotten; break our hearts over these things. We want to hate what you hate and love what you love, we want your heart. Lord, we want to give all of our lives in abandon for your kingdom, your eternal purposes; what you are doing throughout the world and in all of history. We want to give our lives to your kingdom and not our own. We want to be spent and exhausted in your service; in what pleases your heart.
Read these lyrics and let this be your heart cry!
I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing
[Chorus]Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest x2
I see a generationRising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near reviva
lStirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees
[Chorus]
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from earth toEternity
[Chorus] x2 Hosanna in the highest
“Open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like you have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours. Everything I am for your kingdoms cause.”
God, we want you to open up our eyes to the spiritual realities around us, often times we are so blind to what you are doing and we want to see your invisible marks on everything. God, we want to love people from a pure heart and seek them out as you have loved us first and sought us out with a passion. Lord, we want out hearts to break for the lost, the injustice in the world, for the suffering, for the deaths of saints, for your name being defamed and your glory forgotten; break our hearts over these things. We want to hate what you hate and love what you love, we want your heart. Lord, we want to give all of our lives in abandon for your kingdom, your eternal purposes; what you are doing throughout the world and in all of history. We want to give our lives to your kingdom and not our own. We want to be spent and exhausted in your service; in what pleases your heart.
Read these lyrics and let this be your heart cry!
I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing
[Chorus]Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest x2
I see a generationRising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near reviva
lStirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees
[Chorus]
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from earth toEternity
[Chorus] x2 Hosanna in the highest
Kammie Anten
"My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace; Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God." These are Kammie's words (via Frederick Brook) about herself. You'll hear these quotes, as well as verses and hymns from Kammie pretty often. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks... and she is overflowing with a captivation with her Savior. Kammie is originally from the Victorville/Hesperia (desert) area of California but is now a student at the Master's College as well as a member of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles where she is involved in a ministry to the art school Cal Arts.
Favorite chapter in the Old Testament: Genesis 22
[Some] favorite Psalms: 42, 51, 62
Favorite gospel book: Luke
[Some] favorite hymns and songs: My Lord I did not choose you, Before the throne of God above, In Christ alone, Abide With Me, Great is Thy Faithfulness…
Hobbies & Interests:
being a Lakers fan
theatre arts
cooking & baking
classic old movies & music
reading, writing, and discussing
travel ANYwhere and EVERYwhere
and someday I will finally learn how to play the piano.
Where I was: Growing up in a “Christian” home and a “Christian” school, I never knew I wasn’t a Christian. By the grace of God alone was I awoken to realize that a title wouldn’t save me. The turning point for me came when I realized there was now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1) and that “it is finished” meant the saving work of Christ was completed long before I could even think about doing anything to save myself.
Where I’m at right now: I was recently speaking to a friend about the frustration and confusion of recurring sin. “Sanctification sucks sometimes,” I replied… “It just does. It goes against everything we want or feel comfortable doing.” I needed that as much as he did, and I thank the Lord for that. I have found the Christian life to be difficult. I often doubt, lack faith, fall into complacency, lack joy, and the list could go on… BUT GOD (perhaps the two most comforting words a Christian could hear) even when I was dead in my trespasses, made me alive together with Christ. For by grace have I been saved. It is simultaneously my greatest struggle and my greatest joy to seek God and glorify Him daily.
Favorite chapter in the Old Testament: Genesis 22
[Some] favorite Psalms: 42, 51, 62
Favorite gospel book: Luke
[Some] favorite hymns and songs: My Lord I did not choose you, Before the throne of God above, In Christ alone, Abide With Me, Great is Thy Faithfulness…
Hobbies & Interests:
being a Lakers fan
theatre arts
cooking & baking
classic old movies & music
reading, writing, and discussing
travel ANYwhere and EVERYwhere
and someday I will finally learn how to play the piano.
Where I was: Growing up in a “Christian” home and a “Christian” school, I never knew I wasn’t a Christian. By the grace of God alone was I awoken to realize that a title wouldn’t save me. The turning point for me came when I realized there was now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1) and that “it is finished” meant the saving work of Christ was completed long before I could even think about doing anything to save myself.
Where I’m at right now: I was recently speaking to a friend about the frustration and confusion of recurring sin. “Sanctification sucks sometimes,” I replied… “It just does. It goes against everything we want or feel comfortable doing.” I needed that as much as he did, and I thank the Lord for that. I have found the Christian life to be difficult. I often doubt, lack faith, fall into complacency, lack joy, and the list could go on… BUT GOD (perhaps the two most comforting words a Christian could hear) even when I was dead in my trespasses, made me alive together with Christ. For by grace have I been saved. It is simultaneously my greatest struggle and my greatest joy to seek God and glorify Him daily.
Brittany Kauflin
Church: Sovereign Grace Church. Louisville, KY.
Ministry: Youth admin, Worship Music team
I love my family more than anyone else in the world.
I enjoy photography, design, art, and music.
I’m currently employed at the dearest place on earth, serving the men that God has appointed to shepherd the flock He gave His life to save.
I am simply living every moment of my life in the joy-filled freedom of utter and absolute forgiveness. And I want more than anything to represent my Savior well on this earth. in His joy, service, kindness, truthfulness, creativity, sacrifice, submission, love.
I am in love with Him; Jesus Christ.
He saved me.
I don’t know why. Out of millions, He chose me. and that is a mystery I know I’ll never find the answer to. But while I’m stuck. awestruck. I’ll go on praising my God and Savior for the rest of my days, and into eternity. simply reveling in the ridiculously good and rich life He has given me in Christ Jesus, through His precious Holy Spirit.
The Gospel, The Atonement and New Exodus Theology
"It is impossible to submit as kingdom servants at the throne,
without the robes of beauty not our own."
Many readers may not identify with the struggle, however there is a fog that has begun to sweep through some circles of the church that has led to much confusion and a loss of clarity. This fog I speak of is the de-emphasis of the cross of Christ.
I have been blessed to have studied what is known as New Exodus Theology for the past year. It started out as long breakfast conversations with a friend from another school who was fluent in the theology. It was attractive to me. It left my head spinning in curiosity but also left me with a heart of confusion. I was later introduced to some very dear friends (who I still call my closest friends) who helped further me in my understanding of this new thought. I went deeper into an understanding of this theology. The Lord even pressed upon my heart and mind phrases and passages in scripture in a divine illuminating fashion that would be very important to what He would be teaching me about this theology for the next year.
The road that has been this past year has been an increasing opening of my eyes to a clearer picture the beauty of the gospel.
Is New Exodus good? Yes.
Can it be harmful? Yes.
What is New Exodus Theology?
Interpreting redemption from a more holistic biblical narrative which emphasizes the renewal of all creation and mankind because of the kingship rule of Christ in the kingdom movement/fight against the kingdom of darkness. Focal point? Christ as king and our submission as kingdom servants. The throne. Self-denying, radical, relentless kingdom living. Communal striving. Living like Christ. Christ as divine model. Restoration of earth, physical ailment, hunger, disease, poverty as well as spiritual depravity (which looks like a neo-evangelism of gospel defined as "submit to Christ the king.")
What's good?
This is all good. Christo-centrism.
The attempt to fight self-centered easy believism that consumes American churches.
What is bad?
Gospel confusion. De-emphasizing the cross (at best), attacking the cross (at worst).
Emphasizing the EFFECTS of the cross and throwing away the cross itself.
Attacking the APEX of God's glory (His grace). Redeeming, reconciling, atoning grace. The Apex of this grace? The cross.
Is redeeming grace a self-centered theology?
If you mean "easy-believism/American cultural Christianity" then yes.
HOWEVER - THE REDEEMING WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
I agree that we MUST fight this self-centered thought.
But the problem is NOT that these typical American Christians are clinging too tightly to the cross... It's that they DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CROSS. What do you do? Preach Law? NO. PREACH THE CROSS.
However, the downfall of many is a redefining of the gospel that emphasizes SELF-DENYING SUBMISSION --- A.K.A. THE LAW.
Which is the danger of New Exodus Theology. It's very foggy when it gets down to the bottom line...
The common line for New Exodus Theologians: "That's not when I'm saying."
It's hard to get a bottom line out of them. Therefore it's hard to get an "evangelism" out of them. But what we DO know of the "deep" end of their pool is:
1. You are justified at the end of your life ACCORDING TO life lived.
2. Romans 2 means that one must live according to law to enter kingdom.
Everything goes back to kingdom submission. AKA - law. AKA - works.
Even if they don't come out and say "works"... or even though they don't "believe" in works salvation... they practically live a works salvation by focusing on and emphasizing and dwelling on "kingdom submission" as our kingdom entry. It's obsessed with "DO".
Our kingdom submission RESTS AND IS MADE POSSIBLE by the cross.
THE CROSS SCREAMS "YOU CAN'T. HE DID".
We can't even LOOK at the throne without the coal touching our lips (Isaiah 6). We can't approach the throne without those beautiful, righteous robes that are not our own (Revelation).
A few quick questions that can be turned into entire posts by themselves:
If the gospel is not summed up in Jesus Christ and His work, then
1. ...why do we do communion (one of 2 church ordinances) which is a remembrance of the crucifixion?
2. ...why did Jesus say "It is finished/accomplished" at the cross?
3. ...why do we need robes of righteousness not our own to come to the throne?
4. ...why did Jesus say that He came to give His life as a RANSOM for many?
5. ...why did John the Baptist say "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?"
6. ...why does heaven rejoice at the repentance of ONE sinner?
7. ...why does is the heavenly chorus sing "Worthy is the lamb who was slain?"
8. ...why has the church for the past 2000 years defined the gospel at the atoning work of Jesus Christ and Him crucified? (did we get it wrong the whole time?)
9. ...why was the curtain in the holy of holies torn at the death of Christ?
10... why does Paul refer to false teachers as "enemies of the CROSS?"
11. ...why do people assume that when the gospels refer to "the gospel of the kingdom" do they immediately assume that gospel means kingdom? When I say the "Bank of America" do you assume that I am defining "bank" as a country between Canada and Mexico? (It was all about salvation - That's why he attacked the religious (works) and the immoral. "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees...")
12. ...why is it that this new gospel is limited in its acceptance to Rob Bell's church, a group of churches in England and the elite of higher theological education that is out-thinking the Holy Spirit's illumination for the past 2000 years.
There are so many more questions.
Just keep the main thing the main thing.
Tim Keller writes:
"The message of the gospel is that you are saved by grace through Christ’s work on the cross and nothing else at all. As soon as you add anything to it, you have lost it entirely."
Paul said it best:
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ not be made void."
For more information on New Exodus Theology I recommend reading a great summary from the one major proponent Rob Bell's Mars Hill Church
Remember, as you read it (especially at the end at "What This Means Today") ask yourself "what is the bottom line?" and also "How does this mission/emphasis differ from Paul's mission/emphasis in the pastoral epistles (Titus, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy).
Note: I am not against kingdom living. I think it is a NATURAL OVERFLOW of a dependence on the atoning work of Christ. (Romans 7:4)
Note 2: I am not saying that my college is fully into New Exodus Theology. People are all over the map. It has been influenced by this theology and it is apparent everywhere, which has led to a de-emphasis on the atonement.
Hope?
"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus Name...
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand...
all other ground is sinking sand."
(photo: obama halo - Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP)
