Glorious Mystery of Revelation

God in the mystery of his providence has chosen to reveal himself to us. The God who is there has made himself known. He has boldly and loudly declared himself to deaf and dumb sinners. He has spoken that the deaf may hear and that the blind may see. He has opened plugged ears and closed eyes. What he has revealed is nothing else but himself.

He has revealed himself as holy, just and perfect in every way. There is no human standard which can fully and adequately be compared to God. He has shown through his Word that he cannot stand sin. It is abhorrent to him and those who are sinners (all of humanity) stand at enmity with him. There is a (seemingly) irreparable breach in the worship of God. His holiness demands justice and therefore all stand condemned as sinners before an angry God.

Yet, he has also revealed himself in love and mercy. He has revealed himself in the Word made flesh. God became man and tabernacled with us. The Word became flesh. Jesus was the climax of the revelation of God. His perfect life and death offer salvation to all of those who God draws. Those who come weary and thirsty to Christ will find eternal life. There is no way to discover Christ apart from his Word. Salvation comes through hearing, reading, believing and appropriating the Word of Life (Rom. 10). There is no other way of salvation except through the name of Jesus – through his person and work. Christ is the sinner’s hope and Christ is met within the Holy Scriptures. To know Scripture is to know Christ.[1]

[1] The way I use “know” here is how Packer uses the word in Knowing God. It is more than just mere knowledge apart from heart affection, but it is knowledge that engages the whole person to develop a deep and lasting commitment to Christ.

Quest for Godliness # 10

The Spirituality of John Owen

John Owen is primarily known more for his theological acumen and polemical prowess more than his affectionate spirituality. Yet, as Packer notes, we are worse off for not knowing and modeling the deep and intense spirituality of this giant of the faith. Owen’s intellectual ability was unsurpassed at the time, but his spiritual stature perfectly matched his theological learning. There was no dichotomy in his life between his knowledge and his piety. He was a man of great humility who also fully recognized the power of the gospel of God.

Puritans, including Owen, recognized that self-knowledge was a key concept in Christian spirituality. First, Owen recognized that the Christian is a man created for an end which is the rational and emotional worship and knowledge of God. Man was made to know his creator and redeemer. Second, man is a fallen creature subject to all the constraints and deceptions of sin. Sin has alienated man from both God and himself. The root of sin is enmity with God and a complete disaffection and antipathy toward their creator. Christian living must therefore be founded upon self-distrust and self-abhorrence. Third, the Christian is thus a redeemed man. Christ died for the sins of the Christian. Since redemption by Christ is at the heart of Christian doctrine a proper response to that redemption is at the heart of Christian devotion. Fourth, the Christian man is a regenerate man who has been made a new creature through union with Christ. A new life has been granted to him. Yet, it is the very nature of regeneration which makes the heart of man into a battlefield. War is no waged against the new man and the old man. The fight is a lifelong war.

Sanctification is the goal of Christ in the life of the Christian while on this earth. God’s desires man’s holiness which is first a gift of God promised and also man’s duty required. There are two aspects to achieve this state of sanctification. First, there is vivification which is the growing and maturing of the new man through being fed on the feeding of the Word and the fellowship of the saints. Second, is mortification which is the killing and destroying of the old man. The Christian will not rest until the old man is destroyed which will only come through glorification. Therefore the Christian life is a continual battle of vivification and mortification, of building up the new man and laying low the old man.

All of this has the goal of communion with God. For the Puritans, “communion between God and man is the end to which both creation and redemption are the means; it is the goal to which both theology and preaching must ever point; it is the essence of true religion; it is, indeed, the definition of Christianity” (202). Owen’s understanding of communion with God may fall under five heads. First, communion with God is a relationship between God and man which is marked by true reciprocal fellowship between one another. Second, communion with God is where the initiative lies solely with God. God acted first and because he first loved us therefore we are able to respond back in love. Yet, God always takes the initiative.

Third, communion with God is Trinitarian in that the believer receives love and fellowship with all members of the Trinity. Such communion with God involves the entirety of all persons within the Godhead. Fourth, communion with God is a relation of active, forward-looking friendship between God and man. “Communion with God means simply behaving as a friend of the God who has called you his friend” (208). Fifth, communion has its outworking in a special and spiritual way at the Lord’s Table. The communicant receives a unique and special grace in fellowshipping with the Lord Jesus Christ as they partake of the elements. It is here where Christ’s ultimate act of love is set in full force before the Christian to behold and adore.

In application three things must be recognized. First, the Puritans saw communion with God as a high and holy thing which today is seen as a small thing at best and an insignificant thing at worse. Christians today just do not see the absolute importance of communing in an intimate relationship with their creator and redeemer. Second, the piety of the Puritans was extremely God-centered in contrast to our artificial and boastful worship which carries on today. Third, the Puritans passion and integrity in worship has no equal in worship and spirituality today. They are unequalled in their spiritual passion and theological knowledge.

Check out JohnOwen.org

Random Thoughts on Honoring Scripture

How do we honor the Word of God with the totality of our being? Of course, we often pay lip service, but that is not enough. We must exalt and honor Scripture with our whole person. One way to honor Scripture with our hearts is to memorize the Word of God thereby hiding it deep within our hearts. I think of two ways in which we can honor Scripture with our hands. First, having spent a significant time in a Muslim country I came to realize how flippantly we actually physically handle our Bibles. Muslims will not set the Qur’an on the floor nor would they cover it up with another book. They even make special book holders for the proper and respectful placement of the Qur’an in its rightful place. I often wonder if we should treat our Bible’s with a bit more respect, especially in the sight of unbelievers. Secondly, with our hands we honor the Word by obeying it and working it out in our lives. Obedience is the teeth of Scripture in the Christian life. It puts the Word into practice in our own life and the lives of others.

With our ears we must express rapt attention for the reading of the Word. Today, churches do not spend nearly enough time in the public reading of Scripture, but when it is read we often are more easily distracted than carefully listening. It is only through hearing the Word whereby we will grow in the Word so we therefore must give to it our utmost attention. We also don’t read out loud Scripture enough.[1] With our eyes we must give careful attention to the consistent and faithful reading of the Word. Every word is important and such careful study will most certainly bear its fruit. Lastly, as Paul notes we are transformed through the renewing of our minds. The only strong, powerful and true transforming power is the Spirit working through the perfect words of Scripture. It is through the reading, listening, preaching, meditating, and memorizing of Scripture where we will begin to have our minds shaped and renewed –

May the mind of Christ, my Savior, Live in me from day to day, By His love and power controlling All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly In my heart from hour to hour, So that all may see I triumph Only through His power.

We are to engage all the senses when it comes to the intake of God’s Word. The more senses we engage the better and higher our chances of retaining Scripture.

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[1] Was it not the young Augustine who remarked about the effect Ambrose’s reading of the Scriptures had on him in his Confessions?

Quest for Godliness # 9

The Witness of the Spirit in Puritan Thought

The main theme of this chapter is how the Spirit works in assuring believers of their salvation as secure in Christ. They defined assurance as “faith full grown and come of age” (180). So there can be faith without assurance, but assurance cannot be separate from faith for at its essence it is a work of faith to bring about such an assurance. Faith which results from illumination begins in the mind when there is a belief in the truth of the gospel message. The certainty of faith is rooted in coming into an awareness and contact with the thing known. Therefore, faith is only attainable and actualized through a personal encounter with the living God and a deep-seated expression of faith being placed in him. Such faith only springs outwardly from the inner working of the Spirit on an individual’s heart through the divine contact of the Word of God.

Assurance is a God-given conviction of one’s standing in grace (182); of having the gospel stamped on their mind and heart creating a strong faith which trusts in the goodness and truthfulness of God their redeemer. It is when the soul (or conscience) sees himself or herself as rightly standing before God and expressed a strong conviction of security and surety in the promise and work of Christ that salvation is true and valid in their own life. Then there is a reciprocal action where faith begets assurance and the realization of assurance leads to the further strengthening of faith.

Just what is assurance? It is when the Holy Spirit applies the truth of Scripture to hearts so powerfully and authoritatively that the believer has no doubt that God has spoken to them and that they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. It is by no means a bare cognitive assent that one will go to heaven, but it is God explaining what heaven is and offering a foretaste of what is to come. In essence it is an experience of the realities of heaven while on earth. The Spirit works in such a way to take the thoughts of man off of himself and places them into higher realms.

Many Puritans such as Thomas Goodwin believed that the sealing of the Holy Spirit as explained in Ephesians 1:13 referred to the direct testimony of the Spirit offering this assurance to the believer. Such sealing was the work of the Spirit after salvation to impart an assurance of salvation and faith. Goodwin argues that Christ at his baptism was sealed by the Spirit thus being granted an assurance of mission. This parallels the assurance which believers have when they are sealed by the Spirit and are granted assurance of salvation. The moment of salvation is thus made a distinct and separate time from the actual moment of sealing which is seen as an assurance of faith flowing out of the act of baptism.

However, John Owen comes along and while agreeing in substance alters the exegesis to align more with a biblical teaching on the subject. Owen argues that it is persons who are sealed and not promises. The Spirit in sealing believers expresses within them a safe keeping. Thus assurance becomes a spin-off from the Spirit sealing believers instead of being the actual act of sealing itself. So Packer says, “Assurance may come with the gift, but it is not to be equated with it. The seal is not any particular operation of the Spirit, but the gift of the Spirit himself” (188). Therefore all who believe have the Spirit and are sealed by him.

The Ten Commandments in the New Testament

Robert Reymond has a very helpful section on the permanency of the moral law of God for all Christians.[1] The moral law (lex moralis) was given through special revelation to Moses on Mount Sinai. Its more common name is the Ten Commandments or the Ten Words. The moral law reflects the very moral character of God and therefore has a continual validity in the life of the Christian. Therefore, the usefulness of the law remains today. Jesus himself argued for the continuing validity of the law of God (particularly the Ten Commandments) in Matthew 5:17-19:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen; will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Reymond provides various references from the New Testament where the NT authors allude to or directly reference the Ten Commandments.[2]

FIRST THREE COMMANDMENTS: No Other Gods; Do not Make an Idol; Do not Take the Lord’s Name in Vain

Romans 1:21-30 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-- who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind; to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents

Romans 2:22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders.

Ephesians 5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-- such a man is an idolater-- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-- and shudder.

Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. FOURTH COMMANDMENT: Remember the Sabbath

Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Revelation 1:10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

FIFTH COMMANDMENT: Honor Your Parents

Romans 1:30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents.

Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with a promise -- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

1 Timothy 1:9 We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers.

SIXTH COMMANDMENT: Do not Murder

Romans 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips.

1 Timothy 1:9-10 Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,¹ liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound² doctrine.

James 2:11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

SEVENTH COMMANDMENT: Do not Commit Adultery

Romans 2:22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.

Ephesians 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.

1 Timothy 1:10 The sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

James 2:11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

EIGHT COMMANDMENT: Do not Steal

1 Corinthians 6:10 Or thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

1 Timothy 1:10 The sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

NINTH COMMANDMENT: Do not Bear False Witness

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self¹ with its practices.

1 Timothy 1:10 The sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

TENTH COMMANDMENT: Do not Covet

Romans 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips.

Romans 7:7-8 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law, sin lies dead.

Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Reymond concurs with the Westminster Confession which writes, “The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God, the Creator, who gave it. Neither doth Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation” (19.5). So if Scripture seems clear that the moral law has abiding worth what then is its relationship to the Christian? How does the law of God relate to the believer? And an even more difficult question, how does the law relate to unbelievers? Well, until another time…

[1] Robert L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1998), 775.

[2] Ibid., 776.

Quest for Godliness # 8

The Puritan View of Preaching the Gospel

For the Puritans the proclamation of the gospel and the salvation of souls involved certain fundamental elements of biblical teaching. First, there must be a recognized awareness that humans because of their fallen state are unable to respond to God on their own. It is only through the power of the Spirit whereby fallen men and women are able to respond to Christ’s gospel call. Therefore, the power of the gospel and bringing souls to Christ does not rest of the persuasion or passion of the evangelist but on the purpose and power of the Holy Spirit.

There are two major problems which face today’s evangelism that may prove correctable by taking a careful look at the Puritan’s own method. First, there is a minimizing approach to the teaching of Christian truth. The minister seeks to get by preaching and teaching his congregation the essentials of the faith and no more. Likewise, the congregation often seeks to get by with just listening to the bare essentials of the faith rarely seeking more than a few sips of the milk of the Word, passing by the meat. Second, there is a widespread uncertainty about the nature of Reformed evangelism. Due to a poor understanding of the Reformed Faith many today fear that such theology will bring about the demise of missions and evangelism. However, such a return to a proper biblical understanding of Reformed theology will not diminish missions and evangelism but serve to strengthen and encourage it.

What then is the sum of the Puritan gospel? First, they taught a comprehensive gospel. It included the whole teaching on the doctrine of grace and saw salvation as an act of all three persons of the Godhead. Salvation was a Trinitarian act. To preach gospel sermons was to teach the totality of the whole Christian worldview. “Gospel preaching centers always upon the theme of man’s relationship to God, but around that centre it must range throughout the whole sphere of revealed truth, viewing the centre from every angle of vision that the Bible provides” (169). Knowledge of grace presupposes knowledge of sin and likewise knowledge of sin presupposes knowledge of the holiness and majesty of the Lord.

Second, there are various aspects of emphases of the gospel. They brought out the plight of man being dominated and daily destroyed by sin. They taught the issues of sin in relation to the goodness and holiness of God. They also stressed the goal of grace which was the glory and praise of God and Christ. Then they encouraged the sufficiency of Christ that men and women were to place their faith and trust in him alone. They also stressed the condescension of Christ in that the Son of God came down to save lowly sinners.

Third, they recognized the demands of the gospel. Sinners were summoned to faith in Christ and there is a distinct ought-ness in the gospel. Sinners are called to Christ and while it is a pleading to believe in Christ it is also a command that they must repent and believe in Christ or suffer the eternal punishments of hell. They also recognized that repentance is a fruit of faith. Faith only comes about through regeneration, but such working of the Spirit on the hearts of sinners brings about a desire to cast away all sin and to cling to Christ. Faith then must express itself in a life of continual belief, trust and obedience to the demands of the gospel.

While Puritan preaching of the gospel sought to bring glory to God and sinners to Christ it also sought to magnify Christ. He was to be exalted in their preaching. Christ, being the focal point of gospel preaching, was to be honored and exalted in all true preaching which sought to lift up the gospel to poor and needy sinners. His glory was to be declared in all its force and glory to those poor and needy sinners who needed nothing more than to hear of the greatness and worthiness of Jesus Christ and his free gospel of salvation.

Quest for Godliness # 7

The Doctrine of Justification

The doctrine of justification is truly the articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiae – the doctrine which upholds and supports the entire church. If justification collapses so goes the church. Throughout the history of the church no doctrine has been more attacked and assailed on every side, but as noted no doctrine is more important and central to the health and spiritual stability of the church. It is only by grace whereby the doctrine is maintained and saved in the face of continual and pervasive error and false teaching.

Why is this one doctrine so important? First, it is a gospel mystery which serves as the supreme humbler of human pride and sinfulness. It is continually under threat by human pride. Second, justification is a climactic mystery which is like the top rung of a ladder which supports many other doctrines. Its truthfulness is integrative to the rest of theology and many other doctrines will crumple if justification were to fall. Thus, heretical theology is a threat to justification. Third, justification is a spiritual mystery. Only those enlightened by the Spirit of God are able to comprehend and apply it to their lives. A spiritual frivolity is an enemy of justification. Fourth, justification is a life-giving mystery. It is the source of peace, hope and spiritual vitality with satanic hostility standing against it. Fifth, justification is a contradicted mystery. Justification by works is a natural part of human religion and the grace of God continually reviles against such false and unbiblical teaching. Natural religion is therefore an enemy to true gospel justification.

Biblical justification may be defined as follows: Every man because of sin deserves the wrath of God and faces eternal judgment. The act of justification is God’s pardoning act of declaring the guilty sinner as righteous. The ground of justification is Christ’s own righteousness worked out in his perfect life and perfect death while the means of justification is faith in Jesus Christ. Then the fruit of that faith is worked out in bearing evidence to justification in the acts of good works performed by the justified sinner.

Three important aspects of justification needed further clarification and working out. First, concerning the ground of justification, Rome taught that the ground of justification was God’s righteousness imparted or infused righteousness because we have become genuinely righteous. However, the Puritans argued that the ground of justification is actually based alone on the imputed righteousness of Christ. Second, in regards to regeneration and justification the Roman church taught that regeneration was not a necessary precondition for justification thus enabling the necessity of good works to be rendered void. However, the Puritans upheld the biblical notion that good works flow out of regeneration and justification as obedience to the law of God. Third, justification was placed within the realm of covenant theology thus planting it securely into a coherent theological system which linked God’s promise to save believers with saving faith and regeneration, etc.

Sadly, however, the doctrines of Arminianism and Neonomianism combined to bring down the doctrine of justification once again. Arminianism taught a man-centered religion which in essence turned salvation into the work of man instead of the work of God. Instead of being a monergistic (a sole act of God in salvation) focused religion Arminianism turned justification into an act of synergism where God works together with man to bring about salvation. The Neonomianism of Richard Baxter helped to undermine justification by teaching that through the death of Christ a new and easier law was instituted, a law which sinners could obey thus becoming justified. As Packer concludes, “after more than a century of clear gospel light, Arminianism brought darkness back to the minds of conformists and Baxterianism did the same for nonconformists” (160).

The Death of Death

Yesterday I posted my summary of J. I. Packer's masterful introduction to Owen's classic The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. At JohnOwen.org you will find among many articles the full length introduction by Packer, "Saved by His Precious Blood" along with an outline of Owen's treatise. Packer's introduction is really worth the read. Today, I have included my review of The Death of Death below. John Owen's work, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, is the classic text defending the purposeful and actual procurement of salvation for sinners in the death of Christ. While characteristically portrayed as a polemical work on the Calvinistic understanding of limited atonement this work is actually much more. In brief, it is a defense for the perfect work of Christ, which actually obtained salvation on the cross. It argues that the purpose of the triune God is to glorify himself and to save sinners.

Owen's thesis asserts that in the death of Christ salvation of sinners was actually accomplished. Christ came to the earth to seek and to save those who were lost. Through his oblation, being the entire humiliation of his life and death, he has secured perfectly the redemption of those for whom he died. Therefore the salvation of sinners was completely secured through the death of Christ. This stands in direct contrast to the Arminian and Amyraldian understanding of a universal redemption, which makes salvation only possible or hypothetical. Owen divides his work into four books. The first book sets forth his thesis that the work of Christ on the cross was made for the full and complete salvation of those whom God intended to save. The work of salvation is a work of the triune God. God the Father stands as the author of salvation and the sender of Christ. He is the one who from before creation elects and chooses some to be saved. Christ is the sent one that became incarnate and offered himself up for death, was resurrected and intercedes in heaven for those whom he died. The Spirit was the helper to Christ in his earthly ministry and is the applier of salvation. In the second book Owen argues that the supreme purpose of Christ's death was to bring glory to the Godhead. The subordinate purpose of his death was to bring salvation to sinners chosen by God. Scripture shows that in Christ's death God intended to save sinners and that the effect of his death actually secured their salvation and that those for whom Christ died are therefore chosen elect. Consequently, the impetration or securing work of salvation cannot be separated from the application of salvation. Christ's death (impetration) was intended for the elect only although being of infinite worth. His death brought about their salvation and the Spirit then applies that salvation to their account. Therefore Christ's death through the Spirit's application is a perfect and complete act of salvation. In the third book Owen sets forth sixteen arguments against the doctrine of a general ransom. His arguments are primarily set against Arminians and Amyraldians who hold to a general or universal atonement, which claims that God makes salvation possible or hypothetical for the whole world. He debunks the view that the cross work of Christ only made salvation possible and sets forth positively the view that on the cross Christ made salvation effectual and actual. Owen also helpfully shows the logic of such a view of the atonement stemming from the biblical doctrine of election. If God chooses sinners from before the creation of the world then it is only those chosen sinners to whom Christ has died for and to whom the Spirit applies salvation.

In the last book Owen examines the various exegetical arguments set forth for a universal atonement. Owen exegetes at length several texts which speak of a general intent of the death of Christ, those which suggest that Christ's death was ineffective and lastly those which seem to declare a general offer of salvation. He also provides careful exegesis of Biblical texts, which use the words "world" and "all" along with texts, which seem to speak of those perishing for whom Christ died. Owen ends the work by taking Thomas More's work to task and then refutes various theological arguments proffered by universal redemptionists. The most important point of this work is what is often missed in the present debate over unlimited vs. limited atonement. Owen's thesis is that Christ's death on the cross actually saved. The current debate focuses much on whether his death was for the elect or for the world, but I believe that the question is answered when it is framed in the matter of determining whether Christ's death actually saved or only made salvation possible. As Scripture shows, and Owen proves, the primary (sole?) emphasis is on the actual accomplishment of salvation. Those for whom Christ died are saved; they are regenerated, justified, sanctified, etc. Christ's work is perfect and that which he sought to accomplish has been fulfilled. Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ is in many ways the authoritative work on the effectual death of Christ. Through careful theological arguments and sound exegesis Owen establishes his thesis that the death of Christ actually saved sinners as opposed to the Arminian and Amyraldian schemes which only allow for a potential or hypothetical salvation. This work of Christ was primarily for the glory of God and secondarily for the salvation of sinners. Owen's work helps regain a better understanding of the Biblical Gospel, which truly exalts God and saves sinners. While nonetheless a polemical work, The Death of Death is written for the safekeeping of the gospel that God may truly be glorified and that the sinners may be confronted with the truth of the gospel and be saved. The preservation of the true gospel in Owen's work is therefore to be most appreciated.

Quest for Godliness # 6

Saved by His Precious Blood

Owen’s The Death of Death in the Death of Christ is a polemical work which seeks to attack the weak and false views of the gospel while lifting up the true and biblical nature of God’s saving work in Christ. Today, as in Owen’s day, the biblical gospel has been replaced with a watered down substitute which in reality is no gospel at all. It is man centered and being such fails to exalt Christ and is in essence a different gospel than the God-centered gospel as presented in the Bible.

At the heart of debate over limited versus unlimited atonement is the fact that universal atonement removes the substitutionary nature of the cross and weakens the sovereignty of God by making salvation only a mere possibility actuated only by the free choice of man. However, within the Calvinistic worldview Christ’s redemption actually saves. Redemption is defined as “Christ’s actual substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners, through which God was reconciled to them, their liability to punishment was for ever destroyed, and a title to eternal life was secured for them” (131). It is grace, the work of the Spirit, which destroys the disposition to resist and the sinner is freed to run to Christ.

Owen's thesis asserts that in the death of Christ salvation of sinners was actually accomplished. Christ came to the earth to seek and to save those who were lost. Through his oblation, being the entire humiliation of his life and death, he has secured perfectly the redemption of those for whom he died. Therefore the salvation of sinners was completely secured through the death of Christ. This stands in direct contrast to the Arminian and Amyraldian understanding of a universal redemption, which makes salvation only possible or hypothetical. Such views actual limit the atonement more than Calvinism does. As Packer writes, “We have limited the atonement far more drastically than Calvinism does, for whereas Calvinism asserts that Christ’s death, as such, saves all whom it was meant to save, we have denied that Christ’s death, as such, is sufficient to save any of them” (138). Therefore, instead of Christ rightfully being called Savior we are left to save ourselves through our own belief and faith. The Cross work of Christ doesn’t save, but we are saved through our belief and faith in him. Nothing stands in more contrast with the biblical view of the gospel.

Owen correctly sees that the issue is not over the extent of the atonement but the very nature of the atonement. A universal atonement is therefore a depreciated atonement not able to fully save. We are left to save ourselves. However, an atonement that actually saves individuals is based on the free grace and mercy of God working through the Spirit in the hearts of sinners to secure their actual redemption. In Arminianism, the gospel call is Christ pleading hopefully that sinners may come if they are only willing. Yet, with the biblical gospel it is recognition that men and women cannot come to Christ apart from the Spirit and that Christ himself draws them to himself. God’s Son is not passive in our salvation but actively calls us to himself for salvation and healing – he actually saves.

WOW!! Seminary for Free!

I am a sucker when it comes to finding cool stuff online where I can further my learning - particularly for free. Thanks to Kim Riddlebarger I now know of Covenant Theological Seminary's Worldwide Home website where they have tons of their Distance Education courses online in MP3! Needless to say I was rather excited. Here are some of the courses. David Calhoun on Calvin's Institutes Jerram Barrs on Francis Schaeffer (1 & 2) David Jones on Christian Ethics Robert Peterson on Humanity, Christ and Redemption Dan Doriani on Life and Teachings of Jesus There is some good stuff here!

Quest for Godliness # 5

The Puritan Conscience

The supreme concern of the Puritans was a concern about God and how to know him and serve him in order to bring him glory. Because of this ultimate concern for God and the glory of Christ they sought to bring their conscious captive under the Word of God. In Packer’s own words, “Conscience, to them, signified a man’s knowledge of himself as standing in God’s presence, subject to God’s word and exposed to the judgment of God’s law and yet – if a believer – justified and accepted nonetheless through divine grace” (108). The Puritans therefore sought to be in constant communion with their conscience for there their affections were pricked and shaped by the Word of the Lord.

Conscious is largely autonomous in nature and character. It often times runs contrary to our own wills in-spite of our efforts to suppress it and quite its voice. It stands over us as an authority distinct from our own personhood. Often it condemns us reminding us of where we broke God’s holy law and where we now deserve to face his eternal judgment. But as Christians our conscious also excuses us from the pending judgment of God as we are reminded and meditate upon the mercy and grace of God displayed for us in the person and work of Christ. Conscious can stand as God’s word of condemnation or God’s echo of peace which resonates sweetly in the ears of a justified sinner.

First, our conscience is to be subject to the Word of God. Our consciences are to be controlled and at all times under the authority of God’s Word. Our consciences when they are governed by the Word will serve as true and faithful guides in directing us in the ways of the Lord’s will for our lives. It is through the careful and dedicated study of Scripture whereby we are able to have our minds and consciences transformed by the Bible so that we may know the good and pleasing will of the Lord.

Second, the Puritans argued that Christianity was a personal religion. Godliness then was a matter of conscience. As Richard Sibbes noted, a “conscience is either the greatest friend of the greatest enemy in the world” (quoted by Packer, 115). For those who stand as unbelievers before the court of God they are continually judged and condemned by their conscience. However, those who are freely justified by the act of the Spirit, on account of Christ’s death they have a conscience which encourages them in the faith granting perseverance and hope. Therefore, a healthy Christian is one who has an intimate awareness of God’s working on their soul. They have knowledge of the Spirit enlightening the conscience.

Third, the Puritans view on conscience was mirrored in their preaching and teaching. The Puritan goal of preaching was application. Such application is nothing else than the working of the Spirit on the conscience to bring about obedience to the law of God and delight in carrying out the Lord’s commands. “The Puritans ripped up consciences in the pulpit and urged self-trial in the closet only in order to drive sinners to Christ and to teach them to live by faith in him” (117). The purpose of preaching toward the conscience was to herald Christ to those who are perishing and to those who need afresh the grace of Christ.

The Puritans not only taught about the conscience but proved their words by living them out during the trials of their time and remaining true to their consciences as captive to the Word of God. In 1662 many Puritans were ejected from church and country for failing to accord with the Acts of Uniformity. Their consciences bound them to the truth of God’s word and because of being so bound in conscience they suffered various levels of hardship and persecution.

Quest for Godliness # 4

The Puritans as Interpreters of Scripture

At the heart of Puritanism are the Scriptures, the very Word of the Lord. “To the Puritan the Bible was in truth the most precious possession that this world affords. His deepest conviction was that reverence for God means reverence for Scripture, and serving God means obeying Scripture” (98). The Puritan interpretation of Scripture is pre-modern and thus not encumbered by the differences and distances which they found themselves in relation to the biblical authors. Second, the Puritan grammatical-historical exegesis was extremely competent. Third, the Puritans always exegeted Scripture for the purpose of application.

There are two governing presuppositions of the Puritan approach to biblical interpretation. First, there is the nature of Scripture. They believed that the totality of Scripture was the very words of God. It was the mind of the Lord opened up in words and thoughts declared to humanity through the written Bible. Such revelation was given through a variety of authors and multiplicity of genres so that each specific author and genre deserves a careful study and recognition of their differences. Lastly, because Scripture is from God all who seek to interpret and understand it remain dependent of God for illumination. The second presupposition concerns the subject matter of Scripture. Scripture teaches us what to believe about God and then how we are to live our lives out in light of this teaching. We must live according to what we learn.

There are six methods of Puritan interpretation. First, they interpreted Scripture literally and grammatically. Attention was to be paid to grammar and context because it is the natural sense of Scripture which is to be sought after in contrast to the medieval spiritual interpretation of Scripture. Second, Scripture is to be interpreted consistently and harmonistically. All of Scripture flows from the mind of God and therefore must adhere and bind together. Therefore what is obscure must be interpreted in light of what is plain while certain ambiguities must be interpreted in harmony with more fundamental teachings. Third, interpret Scripture doctrinally and theocentrically. Scripture is a book of doctrine, a book of teaching and the teaching concerns none other than God the creator and redeemer. God is central in Scripture as opposed to those who believe man otherwise is central.

Fourth, Scripture is to be interpreted christologically and evangelically. As Isaac Ambrose notes, “Keep still Jesus Christ in your eye, in the perusal of the Scriptures, as the end, scope and substance thereof” (quoted by Packer on 103). Christ is the subject matter of Scripture. Fifth, interpret Scripture experimentally and practically. The Bible is a book chronicling spiritual experience. Therefore, it is a book that demands application. Scripture must be applied to the heart and soul of the reader or hearer. Scripture is for edification and igniting of the passions, not just the attainment of knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Thus, the end of Scriptural interpretation is rightful application. Sixth, Scripture must be interpreted with a faithful and realistic application. As Packer writes, “Interpretation means making Scripture meaningful and relevant to those whom one addresses, and the work is not finished till the relevance of doctrine for their ‘reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness’ has been shown” (104). The interpretation of the Bible is to meet men where they are. It is a word for their life.

Muslim Ashura

James White has posted some incredible pictures from the Shia Muslim holy day of Ashura. Self-flagellation is a common practice, named tatbir, where adherents seek to cover themselves in their own blood. Amazingly, what Muslims fail to realize is that the blood of their children and themselves cannot take away sins. Being covered in their own blood accomplishes nothing but a bloody mess. However, being covered and washed in the blood of Christ offers redemption and cleansing from sins along with a complete newness of life. This is at the heart of Christianity and this is why Islam is at root an empty religion.

Quest for Godliness # 3

John Owen on Communication from God

John Owen defined communication with God to cover “every divine bestowal of benefit upon man” (82). At the foundation is a doctrine of the Spirit which engages the mind of man bringing about knowledge of God through an act of cognitive communication involving the Word of the Lord. It is God therefore who reveals himself and makes himself known to humanity. God speaks to us and we can understand him through the work of the Spirit in our hearts and minds. However, because of the fall there exist noetic effects of sin which can only be overcome through the divine illumination of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit must open hearts for people to come to knowledge of God. Owen’s work is highly anti-Roman because he argued that it was the Spirit who governed the revelation of God not the Holy Catholic Church.

The first aspect of Owen’s understanding of communication from God is the actually giving of revelation from the Lord to humanity. It is a communication of information from God to man about things which would otherwise remain unknown. Being a work of the Spirit such acts of communication from God became recognizable as coming from him. Therefore, divine revelation demanded obedience and adherence. After the Scriptures have been completely written there was no longer a further need for the Spirit to bring about specific revelations to humanity.

Second, there is the Spirit’s work of inspiring Holy Scripture. Owen defines inspiration as “the inbreathing of the Holy Spirit, whereby revelations are given, received, and transmitted, both orally and in writing” (86). The human subjects of inspiration exhibit both an active and passive state during the inspiration. Passively they are having their minds acted upon by the Spirit. Actively, the Spirit uses the composition of man to help form revelation. So the Spirit which knows the mind of man better than man himself implants his words into the person and life of the one receiving the revelation. The inspiration of Scripture is both true in matter and also in the words themselves. Faith is to be placed in the Scripture as assent to the testimony of the Christian Scriptures. Such faith is again the work of the Spirit in the act of regeneration causing unbelieving hearts to believe and trust in the veracity and divine authority of Scripture.

Third, in Owen’s conception is the authentication of Scripture. The Spirit causes the divine word to be received as truth. In doing so the Spirit creates both an internal and external witness to Scripture. Internally the Spirit works on the minds of men thus enabling them to believe the truth of Scripture. Externally the Spirit gives evidence in and by the Scripture as to its divine originality. Scripture is a light in dark places. It dispels the darkness and illumines the path of Christians. It is also of great power producing spiritual effects upon its readers and hearers. Scripture is also addressed personally to each individual by God himself. The Bible thus bears witness to itself as does the Spirit also bring a truthful internal witness to the complete and whole truthfulness of inspired Scripture.

Fourth, the testimony of the Spirit helps bring about an establishment of faith in Scripture. Man’s spiritual blindness is removed through an inward illumination of the Spirit which brings about understanding and comprehension of Scripture. Scripture becomes an understandable and purposeful book which is spiritual life to those who treasure it and seek to follow its commands.

Fifth, Owen believes in the perspicuity of Scripture so that the interpretation of Scripture is made possible. Therefore, through a careful interpretation of Scripture all Christians can come to an understanding of what they need to live a life of truth and godliness. Yet, the necessity of corporate interpretation cannot be neglected. The Spirit has spoken to many people throughout the ages of the church and we would be wise to hear his voice. In doing so, prayer must be ever before us as we seek the Lord through his Spirit to bring about a light upon our paths so that we may fully comprehend, understand and apply his Word.

Quest for Godliness # 2

Why We Need the Puritans

What is a Puritan? The term Puritan was coined in the early 1560’s as a derogatory epitaph implying a hypocritical religious lifestyle. Yet, in reality they exhibited an intense spiritual maturity that is of absolute necessity today. In short, the Puritans need to be recovered because they had an unrivaled spiritual maturity coupled with Christian wisdom and passionate knowledge of the Scriptures. Their lives were lived in a perpetual state of conflict and strife, thus creating a rich heritage of closeness with Christ. Because of this the Puritans are needed today because they can help us toward our own spiritual maturity.

First, their Christianity completely embraced the totality of their lives. They integrated Christianity into the fabric and fray of their personal lives in both work and play. Second, they were marked by a high level of spiritual experience. They communed with God and they meditated passionately on the words of life. This brought about a hatred for sin and love of grace. Third, they worked out what they taught. They were men of action who sought to be agents of change for their generation and those that would follow. Fourth, the Puritans had a remarkable stability within their families. They sought wives to love and cherish forever while they raised children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. The home was the first front of evangelism and ministry. Fifth, they treasured the eternal worth of humanity. By understanding how great their God was they were also able to understand the value he placed on humanity. Sixth, the Puritan’s sought and strived for church renewal and reformation. They sought to bring about an “enrichment of understanding of God’s truth, arousal of affections Godward, increase of ardour in one’s devotions, and more love, joy, and firmness of Christian purpose in one’s calling and personal life” (27). Renewal of the Church and reformation of the heart were the goals of Puritan ministry.

Puritanism was a worldview. In being such it was a spiritual movement to direct people back to God and to renew the Church of Christ. It was their goal to complete what the Reformation began: a radical reshaping of Church and church life. Such a vision was to be achieved through preaching, teaching and the placing of all things in life under the sovereign lordship of their creator and redeemer.

There are three types of evangelical Christians today who stand in need of being reshaped by the Puritan worldview. First, there are restless experientialists. They are the extroverts of Christianity who emphasize joy, happiness, etc. and often become the defining category of evangelical Christians. They need the Puritans to return them to a more god-centered focus which will bring about a humility, patience, and steadiness often lacking in this type of people. They need to become more self-conscious recognizing that God often works through difficulties to enable his children to grow in grace.

Second, there are entrenched intellectuals who present themselves as rigid, argumentative and critical Christians. They need the Puritans to point them to the necessity of God performing a heart work in them, a softening of the affections. They need to develop an intimate passion for their redeemer and a love for all other Christians, even with those whom they disagree. They need to move from knowledge about God to a “relational acquaintance with God himself” (32). Last, there are disaffected deviationists who once saw themselves as evangelicals but have since become dissatisfied with evangelical Christianity. They need the Puritans because they speak of the unknown mystery of God, the radical love of God for fallen sinners, his merciful salvation, that the Christian life is one of spiritual conflict, yet that God will protect his children with their lives ultimately bringing glory to God alone.

Quest for Godliness # 1

The next few days I hope to post a few chapter summaries I wrote of J. I. Packer's excellent A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. Here is a summary of the introduction:

The Puritans are giants standing out tall in the history of the Christian Church. They are a beacon of light which in many ways outshines the complacent majority of Christians. Today’s western Christians pale in comparison to these stalwarts of the faith. Yet, it is because of their greatness why they are so desperately needed for today. There are various reasons as to the necessity of their continuing validity but here Packer has chosen to highlight seven.

First, Owen helped bring about a realism of sin. When the misery of sin brings into our minds and hearts a despondency and despair Owen helped bring back a reality of sin. Second, Owen brought home the sovereignty and particularity of Christ’s redeeming love. It made the death of Christ personal. And it made the Christian religion out of absolute necessity to be a God-centered religion. Third, Baxter brought about the necessity of meditation. It is incumbent upon any Christian to apply spiritual truth to their hearts and this is accomplished through the spiritual discipline of meditation.

Fourth, Baxter placed the pastoral office in its proper duty and perspective. The way ministry is performed is shaped and cultivated in light of how the Puritans viewed pastoral ministry. Fifth, the Puritans have taught the transitoriness of life. Life on earth is preparation for eternity in the kingdom of God. An astute cognizance of death and a readiness to face its call begin a journey toward life. When so few of us live as it were on the edge of eternity we fail to live lives motivated by the power of the gospel and the hope of Christ. While in this world we must continue to exhibit an awareness of the fact that it is in death where we truly gain life.

Sixth, the Puritan view of reformation or renewal is central to understand the complete work of God in all its complexity and wholeness. Church life and the Christian life are intimately related for the goal of bringing about reformation and renewal within individual hearts stretching out to the church as a whole. Seventh, the Puritans have taught that all theology is spirituality. As Packer writes, “If our theology does not quicken the conscience and soften the heart, it actually hardens both; if it does not encourage the commitment of faith, it reinforces the detachment of unbelief; if it fails to promote humility, it inevitably feeds pride” (15). Our theology and spirituality are thus intricately linked in a reciprocal relationship.

For Packer it is a mark of joy to escape into a reading of the Puritans. It is sitting at the feet of the leaders and heroes of Christianity past. It is an entering into the communion of the saints which has spanned the centuries. It is fellowship not just with history, but with lives touched and transformed by the Word of the Lord. In particular, though the Puritans are dead, they still strongly speak to us. The question then becomes: will we hear their voice?

Worldview Clash

The Muslim uproar over the cartoon depictions defaming Muhammad show us that the root of the issue is a war of competing worldviews. The Islamic worldview here stands out in stark contrast to the Christian worldview. When Muhammad is ridiculed in a cartoon Muslims become enraged and riot, burn and kill. When the Lord Jesus Christ was spit upon, flogged, beaten and ridiculed he cried out to his Father, "Forgive them for they know not what they do!" Here is the underlining difference between Christianity and Islam: Christianity offers grace and peace while Islam only offers law and slavery. John Piper has some thoughtful words on this worldview clash (HT: Between Two Worlds):

Am I missing it, or is there an unusual silence in the blogosphere about the Muslim outrage over the cartoons of Mohammed. To me this cries out for the observation that when artists put the crucifix in a flask of urine, Christians were grieved and angered, but not one threatened to kill anyone. Our longing is to convert the blasphemers with the Good News of Christ's death and resurrection, not kill them. Our faith is based on One who was reviled not just in cartoons but in reality and received it patiently for the salvation of the cartoonists. These riots are filled with intimations about the glorious difference between Christ and Mohammed, and between the way of Christ and the way of Islam. And the cowing of the press around the world and the US government is ominous for the fear we are under of Islam--not just extremist Islam. I do not respect the teachings of Islam which when followed devoutly lead to destruction. So I have been pondering which will take me out first, Islam, Uncle Sam, or cancer. No matter, all authority belongs to Jesus. I just want to bear faithful witness to his glorious gospel of peace to the end.

Covenant Theology Lectures

Reformed Theological Seminary is currently offering an on-line course taught by Ligon Duncan on Covenant Theology. I really wanted to take the course, but since I don't need the credits I was too cheap to shell out the cash. However, I did find 12 two hour lectures by Ligon Duncan which have been transcribed from this course. There is also a Reformed critique of Dispensationalism. Not quite as nice as listening to the actual lectures but I am going to print them out and read them anyway. It looks like some good stuff. Here they are if you are interested.

Introduction to Covenant Theology

History of Covenant Theology - Overview of Works, Redemption, Grace

The Covenant of Works (Creation) - Blessings, Obligations, Penalties

Covenant of Works and Covenant of Grace

Covenant of Preservation (Noah and Abram)

Abrahamic Covenant (Covenant Signs and Implications)

The Reformed Doctrine of Baptism & New Testament Practice

The Mosaic Covenant

Dispensationalism - A Reformed Evaluation

The Davidic Covenant

OT Prophecies of the New Covenant / The Holy Spirit in the OT & NT

Covenant in the Synoptics, Acts and Pauline Writings

Covenant in Hebrews / The Supper of the New Covenant

Freedom of the Islamic Press

There is no freedom of the press in Islamic societies. A few cartoons recently depicted Muhammad as a terrorist and has since cause an uproar within Islamic circles. It is interesting to note that while Muslims recoil against the idea of Muhammad being portrayed as a terrorist they nonetheless spew out hatred and violence over a cartoon depiction. Do they not realize that their very actions add credibility to the veracity of the cartoons?