Book Recommendation #2-Willing to Believe by RC Sproul (A repost from 2005)

Whether or not man has free will, and what free will means is often a fiercely debated topic in the church, and yet many do not know about the history of this debate, the development of various doctrines concerning it, or the implications of what they believe. Consequently they may hold to a faulty view they’ve never worked through or examined in Scripture. WILLING TO BELIEVE by R.C. Sproul is a wonderful historic survey focused on this debate. Starting with Pelagius and Augustine, (Both born in AD 354), and going up to Lewis Sperry Chafer, (Who died in 1952), he looks at major players on all sides of the debate, (And some who tried to straddle it). None of the ideas related here have totally died out, as each generation either builds on the past (For good or bad), or ignores the past and repeats its mistakes. Unfortunately some of the false views are common in the church today.

This debate is important and has consequences. As Sproul points out in the introduction, “How we understand the will of man touches heavily on our view of humanity and God’s character…Any view of the human will that destroys the biblical view of human responsibility is seriously defective. Any view of the human will that destroys the biblical view of God’s character is even worse.” The debate also involves how we view man’s depravity and God’s effectual grace.

We encounter Pelagius, Augustine, The Council of Ephesus (AD 431), John Cassian, The Synod of Orange (529), Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, and Lewis Sperry Chafer. Sproul tracks history for us, both good and bad.

Sproul concludes by pointing out the close connection between one’s view of the fall, regeneration, and free will. They all affect each other. He praises God, who is salvation. Sproul’s approach and the historical context make it easy to follow.
It lets you sort things out for yourself.

Willing to Believe is published by Baker Book House & is 224 pages.
(Originally posted Septemebr 21, 2005)

LOTW September 17, 2007

Well I'm back with a new "Links of the Whenever", formerly "Links of the Week"

First--since our congregation is using John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" as a basis for Christian Education, here's a link to the book online. If you don't have a copy of your own-check it out here. It's at the CCEL website, which has many classic Christian writings, there for your perusal and study. It's an excellent resource for Christians.

And on the silly side, here's a fun fan site for the 1960's Batman TV show. Just for fun.

Death And Life: Romans 5:8-11 Conclusion

Jesus not only saves His people by His death, but we are told they will be saved—future tense—by His life. (For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:10-all Bible quotes are ESV.)

Christ needed to be pure and unblemished, just as Old Testament sacrifices were to be. For example, a shepherd didn’t pick a lamb at random, or give a sickly one when it was time to sacrifice. He was to give his best—an unblemished lamb. By living a sinless life and fulfilling the Law—Jesus could offer Himself as an unblemished sacrifice for His people. I believe that, but there is more than that here. The verb here is future tense, and also speaks of present tense (will be saved.) After Jesus died and was buried—what happened? He rose again—and He still lives—this is the life Paul is referring to in verse 10—Jesus’ resurrection life!

There are three tenses of Salvation. The past tense is justification. This means all true believers are saved from the penalty of sin, Because of reconciliation with God through Christ.

We are also being saved from the power of sin—this is sanctification—where God shapes us and we grow in Him. We shall also be saved from the presence of sin in eternity future as we receive glorification.

These last two are what Paul has in mind in verse 10—especially the future glory. The salvation from the presence of sin is secure in Christ because He lives to make intercession for us.

This means to petition for, to speak on another’s behalf. There are many examples in Scripture of this. In Numbers 21:4-9, Moses interceded with God when the people were ungrateful and complaining about God after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They wanted more, and they wanted it on their own terms—does that sound familiar? It’s the human way. Jesus also used the example of the bronze serpent being lifted up to point to His crucifixion, and the reconciliation that would bring. Christ does this for us-He died for us, reconciled us to the God, and keeps us safe. Because He does this we are forever His, he will not let us go, and we can not sneak away. Paul-in a familiar passage (Rom 8:38-39) gives a list of what can not remove us from His love, from His protection, and therefore our salvation. That list covers everything-including ourselves. This security is possible because He lives and He intercedes to protect us.

Christ didn’t just die to pay for our sin—He rose again to secure that salvation. And as the risen Christ, according to Hebrews 7:25- He lives always to make intercession for us.

Please do not think this means our sins are still being paid for—that has been finished as Hebrews 1:3 says He has finished that and has sat down, and John 19:30 tells us Christ on the cross decalred it is finished—that the debt has been paid. But the future tense of salvation—our glorification is guaranteed by Christ as the LIVING Saviour.

Romans 5:8-11 tells of the past and present state of believers—from enemies to friends-and even children. And the past & present condition of Jesus—He died, He is now alive.

They are intimately intertwined, because Christ died for us, while we were enemies. By His death He paid the highest price ever paid anywhere at anytime for anything to reconcile His people to God, by His resurrection He was able to enter into Glory where we who are His will one day enter as well. Because He lives! Our lives and His are bound together. Romans 6:8 says if we die with Him, we shall live with Him. The dying here refers to our sinful nature, which is said to die when we become new creatures through Christ, when we come to salvation-and experience the reconciliation He has earned.

Death And Life: Romans 5:8-11 Part Two

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (All Scripture quotes-ESV)

What does it mean that we were enemies?

Being someone’s enemy doesn’t mean not being a friend, or having some disagreement. Being an enemy indicates being in the other camp, or on the other side when the line is drawn. It may be active enmity with hatred or hostility in word or in deed-or it may be passive. It still puts us on the other side.

So who are God’s enemies? The Bible tells us -Sinners. God has hostility towards evil and sin because of His holiness. Romans 3:23 says we are all sinners.

The World appeals to our focus on pleasure without regard to others or to the things of God. Romans 8:6-8 says

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

In James 4:4 we see the danger in caring more for the things of this world, than for the things of God-

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

There is no middle ground.

But it doesn’t stop there-as enemies of God we face His wrath & judgment. This is not out of some pettiness on God’s part. It is because of His holiness, and ultimately to the good of His people. God’s love and His wrath are not mutually exclusive. Many people emphasize one at the expense of the other.

In Romans 5:10 we see God loving those under wrath—and taking steps to save them, through reconciliation. In part 3 we'll look at that reconciliation.

(Part one is here.)

Ephesians 2:1-7

When I was newly Reformed Ephesians 2:8-10 was a passage I used a lot. It is a great passage (Although too often verse 10 is neglected.) But I wanted to remind you of the verse leading up to that wonderful passage-they are wonderful words themselves.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

(Verse 8-10)

Book Recommendation-TRUST AND OBEY Obedience and the Christian Don Kistler General Editor

Reading "Trust and Obey" for the first time, all those years ago, was an eye-opener for me. It is a compilation edited by Don Kistler ofSoli Deo Gloria Publications. S.D.G. (now part of Ligonier Ministries) reprints many writings by the Puritans, and those who followed in their footsteps. They also publish books like Trust and Obey, featuring contemporary authors writing on the same theme. Here the theme is stated in the sub-title, “Obedience and the Christian.”

On the book’s back cover is this comment by John MacArthur, “The relationship between faith and works is one of the most puzzling questions every Christian must face. Here is where doctrine and theology get most intensely practical.” The book’s introduction states, “It is our intention as publishers of this work to remind the church of the propriety of good works...though our works of obedience are of no consideration in procuring justification, or in obtaining a title to eternal life, they are most important in offsetting those fatal and opposite extremes, legalism and antinomian licentiousness. The former infringes on the glory of grace, exalts self and wounds our peace. The latter turns the grace of God into wantonness, hardens our conscience, and renders us worse than unbelievers.” These statements summarize the book quite well.

“Oh How I Love Thy Law!”, by R.C. Sproul, starts off the book. He shows the connection between the Old and New Testaments. Both testaments speak about law and grace, and the difference between them. The gospel starts in the Old Testament and is fully developed in the New. He addresses those who would say, “Are you crazy? We live on this side of the cross. We don’t sit around and delight in the law of God.” He answers, “If you are a Christian, you do. (delight in God’s law). And if you do not delight in the law of God, don’t deceive yourself into thinking that you are a regenerate person. Don’t think that the gospel which frees you from the curse of the law is a license for you to despise the law or ignore the law.”

Michael Horton is up next with, “Filthy Rags or Perfect Righteousness?” He looks at metaphors Scripture uses to describe salvation. He focuses on the metaphor of wearing someone else’s clothes. Starting with Adam and Eve, he shows how we wear Christ’s righteousness. It is not our good works that save, but that we are wearing His righteousness. He goes on to show the relationship between truly wearing Christ’s righteousness and obedience. If you are truly saved you are being sanctified, and it shows. He comments, “Thus, the whole of our Christian life is a constant process of realizing God’s judgment and justification, moving from self-loathing to fixing ‘our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith’ (Hebrews 12:2)”

John MacArthur’s chapter, “Obedience: Love or Legalism?” is quite similar to his books “The Gospel According to Jesus” and “Faith Works”. Both of these books are also well worth reading. MacArthur writes about some of the reaction to “The Gospel According to Jesus,” and addresses whether we obey God out of love or out of duty. He writes, “I agree that it is possible to place so much stress on the duty of obedience that we lose sight of the joy of it. After all, the Christian’s obedience should be a delight...Nonetheless, the danger of overemphasis is very real on both sides of this truth. It is not quite right to say ‘We obey out of love for Christ...and not out of duty.’ Duty and love are not incompatible motives.” In dealing with how duty can become legalism he deals with what duty is and it is not. He wraps up by showing how Christian obedience is different from legalism.

In “The Obedience of Faith,” John Armstrong deals with obedience as a fruit of faith. He looks at what came out of the Reformation in regard to obedience. He also looks at various aspects of salvation. I do not agree completely with Armstrong in all of what he writes here, but I do agree that the various aspects of salvation can never be fully separated. True repentance will bear fruit. Even the thief on the cross in Luke’s gospel has fruit. He defends Christ.

“Legalism and Antinomianism: Two Deadly Paths off the Narrow Road,” by Jonathan Gerstner was the highlight of the book for me. Starting with the final judgment he quotes Jesus’ words from Matthew 7:23, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” Gerstner sets up his look at the two sides by writing, “Christ does not warn those He knows of the danger of departing. He warns His disciples to see if they are truly His disciples. One can do remarkable, even miraculous deeds in Christ’s name, have a complete confidence that one is in a state of saving grace, be bold enough to greet Christ on Judgment Day, and never have a living relationship with Him.”

His chapter has descriptive titles for the sections including, “Legalism: The Ugly Bribe to the Holy Judge” and “Classical Antinomianism: The Heresy of the Justified Pig”. He also looks at the legalism Paul addresses in his letter to the Galatians, abuse of the term “legalism,” and modern twists on both legalism and antinomianism (including the unbiblical interpretation of the carnal Christian). He brings it back to Judgment Day, and gives us the flip side of “Depart from Me”-for believers-“Abide with Me, I always knew you.”

In “Glad Obedience”, Joel Beeke and Ray Lanning look at what they call the didactic (teaching) use of the Law in showing us how we ought to live. They include a look at the Sabbath. This can be a controversial topic. I do not agree with all of their conclusions, but agree with the spirit of what they are trying to do. They end by quoting John Calvin, “Let us therefore live for Him and die for Him. We are God’s: let His wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions. We are God’s: let all parts of our life accordingly strive toward Him as our only lawful goal.” (from “Institutes of the Christian Religion” 3.7.1.)

Overall this is a thought provoking and informative book I highly recommend. It needs to be read to be fully appreciated. I found the best chapters to be Gerstner’s and MacArthur’s, and the weakest to be Armstrong’s. With references to scripture and hymns, Don Kistler wraps up the book in a postscript. His concluding words are well worth repeating-“Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). “Do not be deceived. Judas heard all of Christ’s sermons, yet he is in hell today, tormented by that which he heard and to which he failed to respond. Those who will one day see Christ are those who obey Him from the heart-not to earn His favor, but evidence His favor. Soli Deo Gloria!”

Book Recommendation-The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross by Arthur W. Pink

This is one of my favorite books by Arthur Pink. He goes through each of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross as recorded in the Gospels. The sayings shed light on the character and work of Christ. We can learn much studying them. As you might suspect, this book contains seven chapters with an introduction. The crucifixion and atonement are very much in view here, and Pink never forgets the character of Christ, which shines through.

Chapter One is “The Word of Forgiveness.” It looks at Luke 23:34-“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Pink points out how man has crucified Jesus, and yet He prays for His enemies to be forgiven. Pink writes, “The first of the seven cross-sayings of our Lord presents Him in an attitude of prayer. How significant! How instructive!...Surely He has left us an example!”

Pink also outlines the following points about this saying: 1)It fulfills prophecy (Isaiah 53:12); 2)Christ identifies with His people-previously Jesus did the forgiving Himself, here He petitions His Father; 3)Sin is often through ignorance-yet it is still sin; 4)It shows the blindness of the human heart; 5)Jesus exemplifies His teaching on forgiving others; 6)We see man’s great and primary need; and 7) The triumph of redeeming love.

Next is, “The Word of Salvation.” (Luke 23:42-43)-The passage ends with Jesus’ words to one of the thieves He was crucified with “...Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” Pink writes, “It was no accident that Lord of Glory was crucified between two thieves.” God had it set up that way. Pink takes us through the following points: 1) A representative sinner; 2) Man has to come to the end of himself before he can be saved; 3) The meaning of repentance and faith; 4) A marvellous case of spiritual illumination; 5) The Saviourhood of Christ; 6) The destination of the saved at death; and 7) The longing of the Saviour for fellowship.

Chapter 3 is “The Word of Affection” from John 19:25-26-which is the account of Jesus leaving Mary in the care of the Apostle John. Pink shows how this fulfills prophecy (See Luke 2:25-25). He also shows how Jesus fulfilled the commandment to honour your parents.

When Jesus was arrested the disciples fled-but here we see John has come back. Pink writes,

Here is encouragement for you. Christ did not rebuke John on returning: instead, His wondrous grace bestowed on him an unspeakable privilege. Cease then your wanderings and return at once to Christ, and He will greet you with a word of welcome and cheer; and who knows but what He has some honorous commission awaiting you!

Pink covers other aspects of Jesus’ relationship with His mother, John and by extension all His people as well.

Next we find “The Word of Anguish”-“Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani? That is My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). Pink writes early on in this chapter, “The crucifixion of the Lord of Glory was the most extraordinary event that has ever happened on earth, and this cry of the suffering One was the most startling utterance of that appalling scene.”

In these words, (and the context in which Jesus said them), we see the seriousness of our sins. We get a sense of God’s holiness and the penalty required. Also shown is God’s love for His people, Jesus’ fidelity to His Father, and also a foretaste of the consequences of rejecting Christ. It is only a short sentence, but it tells us a lot about Jesus.

“The Word of Suffering” is next as Pink writes on Jesus’ words in John 19:28- “I thirst.” The very idea Jesus suffered can be mind boggling when we consider who He is, and also why He suffered. The points Pink makes here are 1) this shows Christ’s humanity, he explains why this is important. (As a side note-many of the heresies throughout Church history have either denied Christ’s deity or His humanity). 2) We see the intensity of His sufferings. 3) We see His deep reverence for the scriptures. 4) We see His submission to the Father’s will. 5) We see how He can sympathize with us in our sufferings. 6) We see the expression of a universal need and 7) Pink shows how this thirst ties in with Christ being eternal water.

A familiar passage to many Christians is John 19:30-“It is finished”-Pink calls this, “The Word of Victory.” We turn from the tragedy of Christ’s sufferings to triumph! This is a big part of what the gospel is all about-Christ has accomplished payment of the sins of His people-and it is finished! Pink shows what is finished and what that means for believers.

The final chapter is “The Word of Contentment.” This is from Luke 23:46-“Father, into Thy hands, I commend My Spirit.” These words have a very strong impact. The first recorded Christian martyr, Stephen, refers to them when he is stoned to death. (Acts 7:59).

Pink’s points here include seeing the communion between Jesus and the Father being restored. We also see a contrast as before Jesus was in the hands of men-He was there willingly-but now He is in the Father’s hands. We see our salvation as well by extension, and the absolute uniqueness of Christ.

These words are well worth our time in reading, studying, and meditating upon.

Jor-El, Kal-El, and why God sent His Son (Or Superman is not Jesus)

There has been a lot written over the years about parallels between Superman (Kal-El) and Christ. With the new Superman movie, these are making a comeback. It is not my intention here to list all the parallels, but to discuss one.

God sent His only Son to earth, and so too did Jor-El.

Superman's origin, like most early superheroes has developed and picked up details and revisions over the years. The story of Kryptonian scientist Jor-El placing his son in a rocket to escape his planet's destruction came about gradually. The earlier stories I read gave the impression this was an act of desperation on Jor-El's part. His planet was about to explode, but if his son was sent off planet he might survive somewhere. Over the years this became a deliberate act of Jor-El, and an Earth landing was his goal. And so grew the parallel. But beyond someone sending their only Son to earth to serve the people the parallel breaks down.

I have not seen the new movie yet. (I'll probably wait until it is on DVD, and rent it.) But there is a quote from the movie I saw in the newspaper. (Sorry, I can't find it on the internet.) The quote stuck out. Jor-El says,

"For this reason above all--their capacity for good--I have sent them you, my only son."

This is exactly the opposite reason God sent His Son to us. He sent Jesus to fulfill the Law, die to pay the penalty for His people's sin, and rise from the dead to defeat death. He did this because we can not. It is not our capacity for good, but our capacity for evil that is the issue here. We are all sinful. God did not choose to save us because we're just so lovable.

And yet He does love us. He sent His Son to save His people because He loves us.

When I look at it closely, Jor-El sent his son to earth for a combination of selfish reasons and love for his son. God sent His Son for selfless reasons and love of the unlovable.

Jor-El sending his son to earth is then more an example of deism, than a true parallel of Christ.

What Sinners Should Plead with God-by Ralph Erskine-Conclusion

I have presented Ralph Erskine's work "What Sinners Should Plead with God" in six parts. Links to each post are here to review.
Plead His promise...
Plead your own feebleness...
Plead His power...
Plead your necessity...
Plead His mercy...
Plead Christ's commission...

Here's how Erskine sums it up:

Thus I have laid before you some directions, in order to the receiving of Christ. O cry for grace to follow them, and put them in practice, so you may indeed close the bargain with him. O shall all these directions be lost, and Christ be still slighted and rejected! O friends, you cannot please God better, than by coming to Christ and embracing the offer of him; and you cannot please the devil better than by refusing the offer of Christ; and putting him off with delays, till you perish in your unbelief.

And now, after all that has been said, what are you resolved upon? Will you receive Christ or not? Our glorious Lord and Master has sent us to pose you man, woman, and demand whether you will receive him or not? O! what answer shall we return with? Must we go and say, that all this people, upon no terms, will receive him; none of them are for precious Christ? Oh! God forbid! shall he not see the travail of his soul, who travailed through all the armies of God's wrath for you, and gave his soul an offering for your sin? O give your soul to him, saying, Lord, in spite of the devil and of unbelief, through grace I will open my heart and arms to receive Christ! The Lord himself help you to receive him, and walk in him.

You can find more by Ralph Erskine, and his brother Ebenezer, on this site-
Fire and Ice