Musings from the Treadmill...

In my attempts to live a life that more glorifies God and satisfies my joy in Him. I am trying to lose weight. A part of this is daily visits to the gym and frankly at times it is pretty boring. A bored mind can become a fertile place for sin so to fight that I have started to think through key Biblical and theological issues and their implications.

Today I was thinking about the Reformed doctrine of Sola Scriptura. I believe in inerrency. Namely I believe the scriptures as first given to the human writers were without error. They are the final authority to all matters of faith practice and doctrine in the church.

However the thought came to me what if the doctrine of Sola Scriptura is not the case. Would the church exist? No, would be my answer as the Holy Spirit through the scripture exerts the Lordship of Christ in the Church. To claim that Christ is Lord of your life is to submit yourself to the divine teachings of scripture. It is through the spirit opening scripture to us that faith is kindled in our hearts and regeneration takes place.

Anything other than scripture is the musings of fallible man.

The Valley of Vision

A friend of mine is in the process of moving, and in the process is downsizing his library.
As I grow older I am seeking to gather and invest more and more in my library believing that after my death one day someone will inherit this library and another generation will read the divines particularly the Puritains.

Anyhow one of the books he gave me was The Valley of Vision a collection of prayers and devotions by the Puritains the names contained within are Richard Baxter, David Brainard, Augustus Toplady, CH Spurgeon, Isaac Watts and Phillip Dodderidge. Great divines and Holy men to drink from their devotions is rich..
So for all fellow Christian Hedonists this is good food for your soul...
So Drink Deep !

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold

thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.



Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter

thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

that every good work or thought found in me

thy joy in my sorrow,

thy grace in my sin,

thy riches in my poverty

thy glory in my valley.

Books I wish I had read at the beginning of my ministry

I am nearly at the end of Charles Haddon Spurgeons book "lectures to my students" On virtually every page I find myself saying "I wish I had read this when I first started out as a preacher I would not have made so many gaffes"...... Which then lead me to thinking "what are the books that have really influenced my life, other than the Bible?" The first 4 were easy, and I list them here and why they influenced me so much. The books that follow are in no particular order but everyone of them I would heartily recommend to a a follower of Jesus.

Number 1 Would be "Desiring God" I first read this book as an open theist suffering with depression as a result of working most days a16-18 hour day, spending hours in prayer and fasting three days a week. You see my theology was fueling how I lived and a theology that puts the future of Gods Kingdom in our hands requires works. So I was seeking through my works to bring in Gods kingdom here on earth. Two years out of Bible College I was burned out,and in spiritual depression.

A friend of mine first handed me John Pipers book the Pleasures of God back in 1991. As I read it I threw the book across the room on several occasions as I wrestled with John Pipers Calvinism. The chapter on Gods pleasure in Election made me scream with anger. However, the weight of his exegesis, his love of the lost and his passion for God and missions were infectious. It was hurting me to kick against the goads. The references to His book Desiring God awakened in me a desire to read the book....... And then the adventure began, as this tired, weary, Christian weighed down with the burden of human responsibility melted under the Gospel of Grace. The Majesty of God in Christ burst into my soul and it was as if I came alive alive with glorious God centred truth.

CS Lewis said "we read to know that we are not alone" and as I read on I realised the my insatiable desire for the things of God was good!!! I was not alone! My desire to indulge myself in the greatness of God was a good thing. Then I discovered that the greatest expression of this worship was mission. Man my very reason for being alive was answered and the fuel for my christian life was found.

So why would I recommend this book so highly? Basically because it makes everything right... Why am I alive, how should I live, how do I relate to God, why do we have the Bible, why pray, why mission........ inside these pages is fuel for the Christian life, take it read it and apply it.. I read this book first nearly 18 years ago it's pages are still alive to me today.

2. Knowing God JI Packer.... Who is God, What is God like, What is the Gospel, these are the big big issues in the Universe and this book gives you beautiful God centred reasoned answers. I think it was in this book that I finally grasped the Gospel in all it's beauty and what God had done for me in the person of Christ in hanging on the Cross for me... A must read for every Christian.

3. The Holiness of God RC Sproul..
I first met this book as a series of teaching on Video. I will always remember as I saw this masterful Bible Teacher embracing this subject in such a devotional way. RC Sproul adores the Divine he is of an era of men who have bathed themselves in the teachings and writings of the Puritans and it comes out as he teaches. The modern trend today is to remove from the Bible all that is offensive to our culture in the name of relevance. We like a cuddly fluffy Jesus but we don't want a Holy God who is other than and above and unlike us because we have made ourselves little Gods. RC debunks that and puts man where he belongs under the eye of an all Holy God. Why do we need this book so badly? To keep us on track with who God really is and what we are really like.. again a must read.

Fourth and lastly for this edition of this blog "The Glory of Christ" by Peter Lewis. Jesus Christ is the focus of all of creation, the risen one at the centre of the throne who has bought humanity into the divine realm, to whom is due all praise honour glory and power. There are not enough words to describe who Christ is. However in terms of Christology you would be pushed to better Peter's extensive and painstaking work here. Getting our Christology right as Gospel people is paramount and Peter helps us to do so. This is a rich meal like the others, and this book is best chewed a chapter at a time.

Happy Reading

Reformed and Gracious?

Reformed and Gracious?

Over recent years a string of controversies have rumbled on around subjects such as the Authority of Scripture especially hermeneutical method, the Atonement, Justification, the nature of Hell, and the uniqueness of Christ. Some of these subjects are not new ones they have rumbled on for years. But writers such as Brian MacLaren, Rob Bell and others have brought these issues into Evangelicalism. Behind them stand Theologians who would call themselves Evangelical but might not necessarily call themselves Reformed.
Often I find myself agreeing with the questions that some of the Emergent writers are posing. At times I feel their tone towards Evangelicals is harsh and unkind and in fact judgemental. However I would say that in turn we engage in polemics in an ungracious manner and so consequently lose the moral war.
So I wonder if there is a way to be polemically gracious? I have some great friends of other denominations who hold to some doctrines that I believe border on heresy, they know my position and yet I consider their friendship and remonstrance a blessing.
For the following reasons:
1. I believe that the reformers position of sola scriptura is the only possible one to take as when we mix reason and tradition with it as my Anglican friends do we end up in confusion, compromise and the lowest common denominator to retain unity.
2. Having said that I place Unity as of greater importance than my corner on truth. At the heart of unity must be an attitude of humility and a desire to listen to others for the light of Christ to break forth.
3. I’m always nervous of camps they tend to be small minded in their thinking, ungracious in attitude and low on humility. If as reformed Christians we are saying we preach a Gospel of free Grace then surely in their somewhere there must be a heart for unity and a gracious attitude to other Christians.
4. I believe in a Big Holy Sprit who has a habit of braking out in the most unusual places among unusual people in very unusual ways. Heresy hunters will often be quick to condemn these moves of God and sadly at times they miss the sovereign workings of God.
There are huge issues at stake in some of the modern debates…… Sola Scriptura at times lays trampled in the dirt, precious truths like imputation of righteousness and substitutionary atonement are sideswiped in drive by reconstruction. There is even a re-tweeking of Romans in Brian’s latest book……It seems that reformed Christians find themselves fighting for the faith once delivered to the saints (that will get deconstructed and challenged) like never before. Our tone is becoming more and more polemical and sadly our postural tone more and more proud and at times brash.

So can we play nicely?

Enjoying Him Forever

Struggling with Double Bubble !

I have been wrestling with this Text for the last couple of days. It has been the struggle of many a Christian for many many years.

The other day in debate with an Arminian friend of mine. His issues around predestination and election were mainly philosophical around the justice of God.

I began to argue the case for predestination that from a universally sinful world born in and with a depraved nature God has chosen from among them purely on the basis of free grace a people for his glory to be awakened to the Glory of Christ and saved from sin and it's eternal consequences... I then went on to argue against the doctrine of double predestination...... Until in my Bible readings I hit this text.

[22] What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, [23] in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— [24] even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? [25] As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
[26] “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
(Romans 9:22-26 ESV)

Man this gives me a problem because contrary to what I said the Bible seems to be saying something totally diferrent.

My Arminian friends will bat this into the realm of foreknowledge and omniscience.
However I believe in the Sovereignty of God in Creation and this verse poses me great difficulties around justice........ But who am I to call God to justify Himself. How can the creature say to the creator I am your judge. Who am I to say to the potter shall you not do what you will with the World and yet be totally just and loving in your actions.

Anyone got any good books on this the can reccomend ?

What's wrong with this ? A modern Downgrade?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6bH0jkoNYQ&feature=related
I was sent this video of Bart Campolo on the subject of substitutional atonement. The debate around this has raged for a few years now and the temptation is that in the name of Unity we say this doesn't really matter.

I've just got back from a glorious week in France and while I was ther I read three books. AW Pinks "The Attributes of God" Arnold Dallimores biography of Charles Spurgeon and Spurgeon on the "Downgrade contorversy"

It would appear that Spurgeons "Stand" was around liberalisation of key doctirnes.

1. The inspiration and innerrancy of scripture
2, The substitutional atoning death of Christ. Especially around the concept of propritiation.
3. The nature and existance of Hell fire

So heated did it get he eventually left the Bapist Union.

Today there is a resurrgence of a bloodless and posssibly irrelevant cross for some who claim to be Evangelical. Scripture is seen as only to be able to be inerpretted in the context of the community of Christ and must be subject to reason, tradition and experience. Hell is a decent into nothingness with an eventual anhialation or a temporary state of punishment that leads to universal redemption in the end.

How did we get there from the true and glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus crucified for me.

Midfielders ..... Repent and Believe the Gospel

I had a providential meeting with an 18 year old midfielder for Derby County last night while out on Street Pastors. It started as an initial conversation in French then taken up by Sharon Cullen one of Derby City Missions missionaries.. This young man has untold riches waiting for him in the beautiful game but doesn't have peace with God and he knew it.

He has been scouted by top clubs in the football league and he may become a hero in mans eyes.... I had to check myself from being starstruck and say to him in clear French... Repent and believe in Christ. Possibly never before have I met a case of what does it profit a man to gain the world and forsake true riches in Christ.

All sorts of temptations flooded my soul and I had to deal harshly with myself to ensure that this was no trophy conversion but rather a man coming in repentance to the feet of the king of kings.

Our world is celebrity sick and we make our celebrities ill, Idolatry is a profound sin and footballers and fans fall on this.

I sensed Gods chastening as I realised that I would have to make a disciple of him as I would any other. Through the narrow gate, through the foot of the cross........ Through the path of Lordship and submission.

Let us never as those who call themselves Christian Hedonists or New Calvinists forget that the suppremacy of God in all things is the focus of our lives, and in those we reach for Christ.

Romans 3v 23- 25 bears this out
For there is no distinction: forall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift,through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propritiation by his blood,to be received by faith.

Sola Fide, Sola Gracia, Sola Gloria Deo

The New Calvinists

New Calvinism: A Beginner’s Guide
Monday, March 16th, 2009 | Doctrine, People, Theology

John Calvin is back. Whether you like it or not.

This time he’s showing up in the New Calvinist movement. A movement, it seems, with intimidating force.

Last week Time magazine published it’s cover story 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now…

…and included New Calvinism as no. 3.

Pretty impressive when you consider the coming evangelical collapse and our slow decline to non-theism.

So, who are the New Calvinists behind this persuasive movement? Great question.
New Calvinists Defined

Think Minneapolis’ John Piper. Seattle’s Mark Driscoll. Capitol Hill’s Mark Dever. And Southern Baptist Convention’s Albert Mohler.

People who startle. Scare. Upset. Embarrass. They all share–to one degree or another–unrelenting intensity, demanding discipline and showcasing the glory of God.

Yet, as the New York Times reported, New Calvinists are still relatively few in number. Neither are they the next big thing.

Think of them as a protest movement.
New Calvinist Movement Defined

New Calvinists defy evangelical mainstream because they believe it’s gone soft on sin and watered down the Gospel into a glorified self-help program. In part, Calvinism appeals because it’s insensitive to seekers.

Yet there’s a groundswell of twenty- and thirty-somethings who are rejecting seeker-sensitive churches and charismatic congregations–neither which emphasize doctrine–and filling up the seats in New Calvinist churches.

These young adults, raised on a youth group party atmosphere that focused more on music and skits than Bible teaching, are hungry. They’re attractecd to the theological depth of Calvin and his teachings. In fact, it’s Calvin’s teaching that often brings them back every Sunday.

Echoing Emergent language, these New Calvinists say the preaching from Piper and Dever and Driscoll is “authentic” and “true to life.”

More importantly, they say that traditional evangelical theology falls apart in the face of real tragedy. Calvinism successfully explains the harsh world in a way Charismatics or abundant life preachers never could.
New Calvinist Beliefs in a Nutshell

What exactly are Calvin’s teachings? In sum, Calvinism–and the New Calvinist teaching–can best be explained with the acronym TULIP:

Total depravity: we are dead to God in our sins and it takes an act of God to save us.

Unconditional election: God chose to save some people–a remnant–according to his sole desire. We didn’t earn a thing.

Limited atonement: Christ died for this remnant–not for the whole word.

Irresistible grace: Those God chose can’t resist this call to salvation.

Perseverance of the saints: Believers will endure in faith through God’s power.

In truth, these really aren’t Calvin’s teachings. He’s simply articulated what the Bible already says. As Albert Mohler pointed out, simply defining God biblically makes people think in Calvinistic ways.

In fact, Chris Larson quotes Martin Luther–the father of the Protestant Reformation–to bring the point home:

“I opposed indulgences and all, papists, but never by force. I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word: otherwise I did nothing…. I left it to the Word.”
Enemies of New Calvinism

But Calvin and New Calvinists have their detractors. In 2005, provost of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Steve Lemke warned:

I believe that [Calvinism] is potentially the most explosive and divisive issue facing us in the near future. It has already been an issue that has split literally dozens of churches, and it holds the potential to split the entire convention [Southern Baptist Convention].

In an interesting blog entry, Mark Driscoll crafted a sophisticated rejection of old Calvinism in this way:

1. New Calvinism seeks to create or redeem culture. Old either rejected it or embraced it outright.

2. New Calvinism is urbanite. Old Calvinism is urban-phobic.

3. New Calvinism loves the Holy Spirit and his gifts. Old feared the Holy spirit and his gifts.

4. New Calvinism trusted other Christians. Old Calvinism didn’t.

Not long later, Driscoll amplified his thoughts on that last distinction, possibly motivated by challenges, namely suggesting that we can’t let negotiable elements of our faith turn us into cruel Calvinists–spiteful, cruel and arrogant.

A true-to-life caricature I think we can all agree on. And something to avoid, which Lemke is right to assert.
New Calvinists in Their Bedrooms

In the end, though, New Calvinists will tell you: it’s not about loyalty to Calvin or a movement or a system or one of their preachers.

It’s loyalty to the Word of God. And what it says.

And what it says startles, scares, upsets and even embarrasses. It’s probably not an exaggeration to say, then, that this scene plays out in New Calvinist bedrooms every night: Lying on their backs staring at the ceiling, shaking their heads, these Christians think, “Why would God choose any of us?”

Update: See Driscoll’s Confusion on Old Calvinism. James Grant offers Mark Driscoll’s some clarity on what might have been a short-sighted and confusing post. Mike Anderson of Resurgence fame even chimes in on the comments.

Also, read R. Scott Clark’s sophisticated argument about Driscoll not even being a true Calvinits at Calvinism Old and New.

Related posts:

1. TULIP: Where Did It Go Wrong?
2. Monergism.com: A Quick and Dirty Guide
3. Panel Discussion: Should We Hold the Death of Servetus Against Calvin? | DG 2009

Exegetical method

I've recently found this graphic exegetical method for dealing with exposiory texts very very helpful... give it a whirl and see what you think..

http://biblearc.com/web/

Meditation on Psalm 139:5

Psalm 139:5 You hem me in—behind and before;you have laid your hand upon me.

Were it any other hand it would be a hand of control and I would resist it. But because it is His hand I embrace it. His hand is gracious, tender, creative, life giving, and loving.
May His hand hold me, strengthen me, guide me, lead me, cover me, provide for me..
This hand is the beautiful nail peirced hands that broke bread and were broken by cruel nails and this is the hand that leads me.
I love this hand it has been good to me. It takes the broken and reforms it into something whole and solid and glorious to His name. So this day may your hand be apon me... It is a good hand..... your grace is irresistable.

Glad to be Evangelical.

The last two days have been spent on a course with Salt and Light Ministries on Preaching and Teaching. The quality of the teaching has been excellent, and again I felt my heart growing "large" at the joy that I find in God and His Word.

So often when I talk to people and say I am an Evangelical the word is usually sadly synonymous with self righteous homophoebic bigot. The term has come to mean in the eyes of many the "nasty party" of Christianity............ I feel we are misunderstood and the term has fallen tragically into misrepute.

So I want to give the following reasons why I am an Evangelical and am proud to be so.

1, At the heart of Evangelcalism is a love of the Triune God of Glory and He is the Centre of all things. Evangelicals believe in truth, absolute, knowable truth and the central truth in which we believe is that God is Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Perfect and whole and knowable...........and above every other thing He is all Glorious.

2, He has revealed himself in Creation, the Bible, and most perfectly in His Son Jesus. God in Christ has not stayed in heaven distant, unknowable and unconcerned. He has lived on Earth touched pain, felt agony, breathed and loved and most importantly conquered the thing that crushes us all death.

3. I am an Evangelical because I truly believe that the Bible is Gods word. It gives me a story in which I find myself. It shows me how to live life. It speaks to me daily. It gives me a morality that works. It gives me absolutes in a world of unbelief and fear. It comforts and holds me in moments of pain... It reveals to me the saving message of the Bible, how I can be forgiven, how I can become Gods Child, How to be a Husband, Father, Son and employee.... But most importantly it tells me about the God who made the world in which I live...... It is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. So with Joy I sit under it's authority and relish in its message. It is meat and drink to my life and I love it.

4. I am an Evangelical because as the Greek word Euengelion means Good News, I believe our message of salvation in Christ and Christ alone grants access to all who believe to eternal life. God loves people and wishes that none might perish, and calls to you from a bleeding cross "I love you come back to me, and I will give you life".

Is it self righteous,to say I didnt deserve forgiveness but God has freely forgiven me in Christ.
Is it bigoted to say this forgiveness is for all who believe
Am I Homophoebic? No I call all people no matter what their creed colour sexuality or race to turn to the wounds of Christ that they may be forgiven.
Is it nasty to want mankind to love honour and obey their creator.... especially when he has done everything for them to be reconciled...

If this is the crime of being an Evangelical then I am guilty as charged....

Glad to be !

Musings from an Ambulance

On Saturday my precious wife Nicky had what we thought at first was a heart attack. Even now we still don't know what really happened. However for 15- 20 minutes the prospect of widowhood hit me like a steam train. Rapidly I posted on Facebook and texted to get people praying. Meanwhile I was praying and the journey to hospital was filled with thoughts and theological reflections.

It is not only in Church or daily life that you need rock solid theological foundations, you do. But when the proverbial hits the fan then you need the rock that is the knowledge of God to get you through lifes storm.

I tried to write my thoughts in my journal today and share them with you now.

1 As far as I can remember all my married life I've told Nicky daily I loved her. H At that moment in the ambulance I realized that once a day was nowhere enough. In the back of an ambulance what is important comes sharply into focus. Telling your wife you love her is vital to life because you can never tell her enough. In fact obeying Jesus and his command in Ephesians 5:22-25 to love ypur wife as Christ loves the church comes sharply into focus. So husbands tell your wife daily and regularly how much you love her.

2. I realised that there are possibly a thousand things weve never done together that I always wanted to do. For me it was learning to dance the tango together and to visit Corsica. I was regretting hours spent in fruitless meetings when Icould have spent hours just with her. The thought of never praying with her again or holding her in my arms or watching her sleeping filled my mind with loneliness and despair. Note to self make sure I diary in to do these things....

3. Thirdly I need to make a will, learn how the washing machine works where all the financial stuff is. Nicky runs the show at home if I lost her I'd be stuffed. Note to self you never know when the time comes so be ready for it...... You don't get a trial run at death.

4. Fourthly I was glad that I'm a Calvinist. I treasure the sovereignty of god and knew that this incident has his hand apon it. It is his hand that was pushing the inside of my wifes chest cavity and I knew that that hand is a good hand. The arms in which she lays are his, and I know that if she passes into death it is from his hand to his arms that she will pass. Our lives are in His hands but our fuure is the everlasting arms. From the moment I met this beautiful women I have always played second fiddle to the true man in her life. Jesus has always been the first and foremost in her life and he will one day greet this treasure that he has loaned me and He will claim her for his own. So that whatever befalls her the loving bridegroom holds her, and his saving power will keep her in life and in death.

5 I thanked him too that my Calvinism meant that I knew there was sovereign grace for me for the future. I believe in future Grace......... surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. A high view of scripture keeps you from madness in times like these. Here I was facing my greatest earthly fear and his peace and grace were there in the ambulance. This incident on a Saturday afternoon taught me that the promises of 1 Corinthians 15 are true When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
I was powerless to do something about this but I knew we were held.

6 As I worshipped the LORD in my heart I was glad that I believed in a Gospel of healing as well as a Gospel of grace. The outcome of this incident was neither mine nor the doctors but His and I knew that whatever the outcome he would have the glory.

7 I thanked god for the NHS and the paramedics and the skill of the doctors.