Searching the Wounds of the Savior

Two quotes that I always keep coming back to in my head when I have lost my way are:

The Cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled,
but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.
-John Stott

Abide hard by the cross and search the mystery of His wounds.
-C.H. Spurgeon

So to that end I recommend these songs, sermons, and books to help you draw near to the Cross:

Songs:

The Cross- Shai Linne

The Humility of Christ- Timothy Brindle

How Deep the Father's Love For Us- Fernando Ortega

In Evil Long I Took Delight- John Newton

The Wonderful Cross- Chris Tomlin

The Glories of Calvary- Sovereign Grace

Sermons:

Boasting Only in the Cross- John Piper

The Main Thing Part 1- C.J. Mahaney

Jesus Died in Our Place- Mark Driscoll

Why Trust a Cross?- D.A. Carson

The First Cry from the Cross- C.H. Spurgeon

The Cross (5 Part Series)- Francis Chan
(scroll down the media player to the date of 6/12/05)

Books:

Cross of Christ- John Stott

Living the Cross Centered Life- C.J. Mahaney

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die- John Piper

Sermons on the Cross of Christ- C.H. Spurgeon

Discovering the Power of the Cross of Christ- C.H. Spurgeon

The Gospel for Real Life- Jerry Bridges

Death by Love- Mark Driscoll

Worship God or Worship Worship?

I'm not sure I see anything wrong with that dude's style (see previous post). Joey Mejia tends to know what's in and what's not. What says he? Oh, wait! I see the problem now. It's the Sprite in his hand. How tacky!

I remember a time in my life when I worshiped worship more than I worshiped the Lord. That is, I enjoyed the experience of singing and playing instruments more than I enjoyed the glory of the Lord. The songs had to be the right tempo and modern enough to attract and keep a crowd, the musicians had to be well enough rehearsed so as not to hinder the "experience", the slides had to have the best fonts and backgrounds to enhance what it was we were doing...and so on. It became clearer and clearer that I treasured the whole production over the glory of the Lord. I was more concerned about orchestrating some sort of experience rather than letting the glory of the Lord shine forth in His word. I acted as if it were possible to manufacture worship in the hearts of the people by the outward manipulating of the environment. You see, this can happen when we look at the Scripture (especially the Old Testament) and see the methods for worship as methods...instead of seeing the methods as anti-types, with Christ being the reality--the type.
D.A. Carson comments on worship.

"We worship our Creator-God "precisely because he is worthy, delightfully so." What ought to make worship delightful to us is not, in the first instance, its novelty or its aesthetic beauty, but its object: God himself is delightfully wonderful, and we learn to delight in him.

In an age increasingly suspicious of (linear) thought, there is much more respect for the "feeling" of things--whether a film or a church service. It is disturbingly easy to plot surveys of people, especially young people, drifting from a church of excellent preaching and teaching to one with excellent music because, it is alleged, there is "better worship" there. But we need to think carefully about this matter. Although there are things that can be done to enhance corporate worship, there is a profound sense in which excellent worship cannot be attained merely by pursuing excellent worship...Despite protestations, one sometimes wonders if we are beginning to worship worship rather than worship God. As a brother put it to me, it's a bit like those who begin by admiring the sunset and soon begin to admire themselves admiring the sunset."

My point is not to tear down those who use instruments or are careful in planning church services. My point is simply to warn against the activity that may appear outwardly OK, but does not focus on delight in the Lord. Worship that results in enjoyment of the activity but not enjoyment is God is false worship. Such is the case when worship leaders go to conferences to see such-and-such an artist. Having come away from a conference with little to say about "God" but much to say about the "worship leader", one wonders if worshiping worship is what has taken place. Sometimes it looks like the picture above. Indeed I have been guilty of that. May we guard against that. I guess the same could be said of our listening to preachers. Do we want our pastors and preachers to be good and instruct us well? Of course. But it's not primarily that they are great preachers, but that they speak of a great God. It's Christ we worship. We gather together as saints, not primarily to hear great preachers, but to hear them tell us what God has said SO THAT we may find ultimate joy, pleasure and satisfaction in Him.

And so when we gather together in worship, the Word must be central for it tells of the excellencies of Christ. 1 Peter 1:10-12 tells us that the Old Testament prophets served us by preaching God's Word, the gospel, the good news, Christ (which was then delivered by the Apostles). Even they preached for us to know Christ as our all-consuming object of worship for the great salvation He gives us. If you are convinced that the Old Testament is primarily about examples of faith, or methods of worship, rather than Christ Himself, then meditate on this Scripture and understand that the purpose of Scripture is to draw you to Christ so that you may know and love Him. Do not get caught up in worshiping worship. Worship Christ our Savior.

1 Peter 1:10-12 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Exegetical Fallacies #1

I don't know about you, but I like it when things make sense logically. Example: All mortals age. I am mortal. Therefore, I age. These types of logical reasoning are often referred to as "syllogisms". There is a premise (All mortals age). There is a minor premise (I am mortal). And there is a conclusion (I age). Unfortunately, our corrupt minds are not infallible and can often come to faulty conclusions.

In his book Exegetical Fallacies, D.A. Carson shares how Philip B. Payne makes this error when examining 1 Timothy 3:11 and Acts 6:1-6. And while Payne did not state his position in syllogistic fashion, others have chosen to state Payne's position in a such fashion to help clarify position and difference. D.A. Carson states:

Payne suggests that becuase 1 Timothy 3:11 refers to female deacons, and two of the men chose as deacons in Acts 6:1-6 speak publicly and baptize converts, "presumably these activity could be part of the role of women deacons." Of course, Payne does not set forth his suggestios as a syllogism. Nevertheless, the inference he draws could be recast as a syllogism:

The seven men appointed in Acts 6:1-6 were deacons (the unstated premise). Some of the men mentioned in Acts 6:1-6 spoke publicly and baptized. Therefore all deacons, including women, could presumably speak publicly and baptize.

Even if we grant the exegetical debatable points (e.g., that the seven men in Acts 6:1-6 were deacons), the argument as here ste for is inadequate--whatever we conclude about the right or otherwise of women to speak publicly and baptize. It is inadequate because it illegitimately presupposes that in the minor premise the two men from the group of seven in Acts 6:1-6 speak publicly and baptize by virtue of their role as deacons.

In the New Testament, arguably teaching is irretriveably bound up within the role of the elder/pastor/bishop; it is far from clear that it is bound up with the role of the deacon. That others than elders taught in various settings is certain; but the fact that some deacons did so is not itself warrant for supposing that any deacon was authorized to do so simply because he or she was a deacon.

D.A. Carson goes on to give a clear example of this mistake.

All true Christians learn to love their enemies.
Mary Jo loves her enemies.
Therefore, Mary Jo is a Christian.

A "not necessarily" sort of thought should have popped up into our heads when that last stament was made. This is the same mistake that some have made with other passages in scripture.

Perhaps you've seen the same fallacious syllogism made by others. One area in which I've seen that happen is in the area of good works and deeds. It is true that Christians are to love others. It is true that Christians should care for the poor. But is it true that anyone who lives this way is a Christian? Is one a Christian/saved simply because one lives in "the way of Christ"--as some have put it? Some argue that this is so.

I have read some blogs in which the Christian author clearly makes this mistake. The argument goes like this: "Will God send an atheist to hell? Suppose this atheist feeds the poor, reaches out to the sick, loves his enemies and lives in the way of Christ, but does not believe in Christ or believe in God? Isn't their life demonstrating the same things that us repentant Christians demonstrate? Therefore they must be one of God's own." To put it in a syllogism:

1. (Premise) Those that are saved live in the way of Christ.

2. (Minor Premise) A particular atheist lives in the way of Christ.

3. (Conclusion) Therefore, this atheist is saved (even if they deny God and do not believe in Christ).

The Bible clearly shows the above syllogism to be false. A man is not saved simply by doing good works and being a good person or even imitating the morality of Christ. One is saved by repenting and trusting in the saving work of Jesus Christ which makes necessary a belief in God. Only then can one be put into a right standing and intimate relationship with God. Thus one has a proper motive for serving God and doing good works that glorify God.

Much more could be said on current fallacious syllogisms being made in Christendom, but I'll leave it at that. Hey, I may have even unknowingly made one in this post because...

All people make mistakes...

I am a "people"...

Therefore, I make mistakes.