October 2008 Reformation Voice

The newest issue of the Reformation Voice themed "Recovering the Reformed Confession" is available on the HRA Website.

A REVIEW OF RECOVERING THE REFORMED CONFESSION

A REVIEW OF RECOVERING THE REFORMED CONFESSION

Author; R. Scott Clark (2008, P&R)

Do not read this book unless you are willing to be challenged by what you think it means to be Reformed! I am serious. If you think you have it all together, then do not read this book. You will only be frustrated. HOWEVER, if you are willing to be challenged, then definitely read this book. I will state from the very beginning that this book is not going to be a light read. This book will take some deep thought and your undivided attention for it to do its job.

The first problem that Clark tackles is what he calls QIRC, or the Quest for Illegitimate Religious Certainty. Simply put, it is a kind of rationalism that tends to to make things a test of Reformed orthodoxy that are not confessional. Clark takes on six twenty-four hour day creation, theonomy, and covenant moralism as examples of Reformed QIRC-iness. I will not even try to summarize his points, as that would be a great disservice to Dr. Clark. His historical treatment of creation is lengthy but provides great insight.

The next problem that Clark deals with is QIRE, or the Quest for Illegitimate Religious Experience. Clark provides well-needed challenges to his readers to reconsider some of the "experiential" aspects of the theology and piety of Jonathan Edwards. We are called back to knowing God through the due use of the ordinary means of grace, rather than seeking or creating a religious experience. I personally have seen the undue anguish of soul that an emphasis on the extraordinary can cause for the believer who begins to doubt their salvation or faith because they have not had some spectacular experience. Clark does not advocate against the extraordinary, only that our piety and Christian experience should be measured by it. Clark puts it this way.

Judging by confessional Reformed piety, religious subjectivism (e.g., revivalism or pietism) is illegitimate because it seeks what is by definition an extraordinary providence of God, which is not promised in Scripture. This desire for the extraordinary tends not only to devalue the ordinary providence of God but also the expressed promises of God. He is most free to work all manner of wonderful things, e.g., instances of an intense sense of the divine presence, a surprising understanding of the application of Scripture to a given situation or some other blessing; but they cannot define the Christian life, and they are no proper standard by which to measure sanctification or Christian maturity. It is a significant mistake to make the religious experience envisioned by revivalists the organizing principle for Reformed piety. (p. 120)

Fortunately Clark does not leave us stuck in a situation without a solution. Section two of the book is called "The Recovery"

Clark engages in a lengthy historical discussion of the archetypal/ectypal distinction in theology. To be honest, it was a discussion that I did not follow very well. The big point is to recover the distinction between the Creator and the creature. This means that we can never know things the way God knows them. We know things as he has revealed them to us. His conclusion I understood very well. "The Reformed understanding of things is that we do not have immediate access to God's being. We have mediated access through God the Son incarnate and through the preaching of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments. The goal of our theology is to think God's thoughts after him, as his image bearers, as analogues." (p. 163) To Clark this has implications in our dealing with creation debates and Federal Vision type issues.

In chapter 5, the value and use of our confessions and catechisms is discussed. Clark conducts a historical survey of confessional subscription tracing the drift from strict subscription to looser models of adoption by contemporary denominations. His conclusion is that we must return to the use of confessions as boundary markers. Secondly, that we need a confession that can be subscribed to without exception that is biblical. Clark raises an important question, is it time for a new or revision confession for the Reformed community? I think there is merit in that idea.

In chapter 6, Clark presents us with "The Joy of Being Confessional" stating five good reasons for being confessional. Without stating those points for you (Clark does that well enough), his main concern in this chapter is why many are drifting to other forms of Christianity (including back to the Roman Catholic church). Clark presents for us a solid, biblical ground for remaining (or perhaps even coming back to being) confessional.

Chapter 7 is entitled "Recovering Reformed Worship." I imagine this chapter will generate some healthy debate. Dr. Clark's intention is clear from the outset of the chapter.

"The fact that many Reformed Christians alive today have never seen or participated in a worship service that Calvin, the Heidelberg Reformers, or the Westminster Divines would recognize does not bode well for the future of Reformed theology, piety, and practice. …I argue that an essential part of recovering the Reformed confession is to recover the Reformed principle and practice of worship" (p. 241)

What Clark advocates is the return to the regulative principle of worship. He believes that even in Reformed churches today, this principle (that of only doing in worship what is required by scripture) is either being ignored or is being used differently that our Reformation forefathers. Clark gives the reader a lengthy historical tour of the developments and redevelopments regarding the regulative principle's use in the church. Clark's major theme regarding the regulative principle is how the church in large measure has abandoned "exclusive psalmody" and introduced the use of musical instruments. While I do not share Dr. Clark's conviction regarding the use of only inspired texts for singing in corporate worship, I do find his argument useful. I also find his position regarding the singing of texts from the entirety of Scripture a much more personally agreeable position than psalms only. While I have not fully come to Dr. Clark's position, this chapter has caused me be more intentional in the inclusions of Psalms and inspired texts in our congregational singing. Clark concludes the chapter with recommendations of what would be necessary to recover the regulative principle, a task he admits would not be easy. If you have not considered the why we sing what we sing, give Dr. Clark's chapter a careful read.

Clark's final chapter is entitled "Whatever Happened to the Evening Service?" In this chapter, Clark believes that in order for us to recover the Reformed practice of the second service we need to recover a Biblical view Sabbath and the means of grace. If you already have a high view of the Sabbath, you may find some of the Biblical background a bit unnecessary. Clark also provides historical background on Sunday Sabbath keeping which I found interesting. Clark also includes an interesting section of comparison and consensus of the Reformed confession on the Sabbath. In the section on the means of grace, Clark says, "It is the contention of this book that the antidote for the QIRE is to restore the means of grace to their proper place." (p. 340) As Clark wraps up this chapter, he makes the following statement which sums up his argument regarding the second service and his whole reason for writing this book.

As our churches realized in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, so too we must again realize that the Reformed theology, piety, and practice must be intentionally, conscientiously, patiently, and thoroughly taught to our congregations, to families, to children, to singles, to newcomers, and to those who have been Reformed for generations, or our theology, piety, and practice will be quickly lost and assimilated into the American mainstream religious admixture of pietism and fundamentalism. (p. 352)

In summary, this is not a book about recovering the Reformed doctrine of predestination or election. This is a book intended for the those who call themselves Reformed. It is a call to re-examine what it really means to be Reformed and whether we are really following the Reformed confession we claim to hold as standards. You may not agree with everything Clark has to say, but do not miss his call to examine our faith and practice in the light of the Reformation standards. Take the time and effort to challenge yourself with this book.

Review of Man Overboard

by Sinclair Ferguson. Banner
of Truth Trust, 2008.
Reviewed by Rev. Howard Sloan

I recently picked up this book as a resource for a series of messages on Jonah. I was delighted by what I found in this new edition of an old treasure. This book was first published in 1981 with Banner of Truth releasing a new edition this year. One change from the original is the use of the English Standard Version. At the beginning each chapter, Ferguson quotes the entire chapter of Jonah with which he is dealing.

An important thing to know is that this is not a commentary. This is more a series of related articles working through Jonah. Ferguson does not offer commentary on each verse. In fact each chapter of Jonah is treated in two or three chapters by Ferguson, each from a different perspective.

"Man Overboard!" is not overly technical. However, he does draw out some grammatical and linguistic themes that reappear through the prophet. What Ferguson does well is to make us see how the lessons and themes of Jonah bear on our modern life as individuals and as the church. Here is just one example:

“If there is a special danger for professing Christians
today, it must certainly be indifference to and
ignorance of the true nature of the human heart! How
easily outward behavior and established patterns
of belief can hide from us the true need we have for
a new heart which beats in time with the heart of
God! We should never be deceived into thinking
that outward conformity to group norms, professions
of conversion, or intellectual assent to orthodox
doctrines are the same thing as a true heart knowledge
of God.” (p. 87)

Overall, I think this is a great read and a valuable resource for anyone who is working through Jonah.

This review can also be found in the August 2008 Reformation Voice

AUGUST 2008 REFORMATION VOICE

Sorry I have not blogged in a while. The August 2008 Reformation Voice is available. The theme is conforming to the image of Christ. It features articles by Elden Smith, John Niederhaus, and myself.

June 2008 Reformation Voice

The June 2008 Reformation Voice is now online. It includes articles by R. Scott Clark, Danny Hyde, and Bill Bruinsma.

HRA Conference

The HRA Bible Conference was great. Rev. Ron Cammenga did a wonderful job on presenting the Reformation's Teaching in the Heidelberg Catechism.

Here is a link to the audio from the conference.

For Those Beginning to Study Covenant Theology

Thank you Scott Clark for this information.

Catholic Scholar Converts to Evangelicalism

Read this breaking news story (from 500 years ago!)

Clowney's "Ten Commandments" Review

How Jesus Transformed the Ten Commandments, by Edmund P. Clowney. Editied by Rebecca Clowney Jones. P & R Publishing, 2007. Reviewed by Rev. Howard Sloan

The title of Dr. Clowney’s book does not do the contents justice. This is not just about what Jesus had to say about the ten commandments, but about how His person, work, and teaching transform them. It is about His life and death transform them. It is about what He left for us in the apostles teaching and ministry transform them.

This book is published posthumously, as Dr. Clowney died in 2005. It has been produced with the help of his daughter Rebecca Clowney Jones, who edited and augmented the context from Sunday School notes.

The book is divided into twelve chapters – an introduction, a conclusion, and ten chapters on the commandments themselves. Each chapter has study questions at the end for use in individual study or for a Sunday School class. The chapters are very rich and deep. The commandments are not presented as a bare list of don’ts, but in a way that drive us to greater piety and obedience. The depth of each command as Clowney presents them is far greater than I can illustrate in such a short review.

The one chapter that may cause some debate is Clowney’s treatment of the second commandment. It is his discussion of images of Jesus that I particularly have in mind. Clowney states a position that in certain limited cases images of Jesus might be acceptable and not idolatrous. Many in the Reformed community hold that any image of Jesus is idolatry. Here is a short quote, but I urge you to read his argument before making any judgment.

“Let me offer a principle that may help us determine what is a good use of image when it comes to portraying Jesus. I suggest that portraits of Jesus are the problem. May representations show the reality of Jesus without offering a portrait, which in its very nature invites us to worship. To look at Jesus’ face is to worship him.” (p. 31)

One chapter I found to be a refreshing read was on the Sabbath/the Fourth Commandment. Some treatments of this commandment can come off with a list of do’s and don’ts. Sometime I find myself looking for just that if I am being honest. Clowney does not do that. I was glad to find that Clowney treated the concept of physical rest and refreshment as part of the Sabbath blessing. Too often I find that Sabbath discussions leave one with the sense that to have any physical rest on the Sabbath is a violation of the commandment. Clowney encourages physical rest and refreshment without encouraging the idleness of which so many speak. He also encourages us to worship and service on the Lord’s Day. I found his treatment very well round and fair.

Overall, I found the book to be a great read. It is full of encouragement toward deep and abiding holiness. It is strong statement on the depth and breath of the commandments, as well as the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.

(a shorter form of this review with appear in the June 2008 Reformation Voice)

Hyde on "Descent into Hell"

Danny Hyde gracious provided us with this.

Dear colleagues and friends,

As a way to promote The Confessional Presbyterian (http://www.cpjournal.com/), a journal for discussion of Presbyterian doctrine & practice, the editor has graciously made my article on Jesus Christ's descent into hell available free of charge as a .pdf.

Below is the link to "In Defense of the Descendit: A Confessional Response to Contemporary Critics of Christ’s Descent into Hell." The Confessional Presbyterian 3 (2007) 104–117.

http://www.cpjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/hyde.pdf

When Sin is Sin and Grace is Grace

Thank you R. Scott Clark and the Heidelblog.

When Sin is Sin and Grace is Grace

Owen on Imputed Active Obedience

I found this gem on the Pilgrim People.

http://michaelbrown.squarespace.com/the-latest-post/2008/4/17/owen-on-imputed-active-obedience.html

Got Bored

I got bored with the old look. So here is a new one.

CHURCH OF OPRAH EXPOSED

The following e-mail was sent to me with the link to this video. It is worth watching.

"Aside from the slight political overtone, and the drama of the person presenting this , you will see new age religion at it's worst. Notice how a simple misunderstanding of a verse caused this one to turn her back on the true Christ, and pervert the person of Christ even more, whom apparently she heard about but never really believed. Her statement , God is a feeling, not a believing experience. ( so true in many watered down messages today from some pulpits) and, If your religion requires a belief in God, then its not truly God, shows how one can appear to be spiritual but completely lost...So many today will follow this road to hell, some because of who is promoting and others because it "sounds" right. Don't be fooled, there is only one way and that way is Jesus.

Rom. 3:23

Rom. 5:12

John. 3:16

Eph. 2:8-9

Rom. 10:9

John 10:27-28

Please read in the order given."

Thou Art Worthy Third Verse

Some of you are familiar with Thou Art Worthy. There are actually two verses.

For copyright reasons I can not post those but they can be found at CCLI Song No. 14789 & 916557
© 1963, 1975 Fred Bock Music Company
Pauline Michael Mills | Tom Smail

Below is a NEW third verse that I composed based on Rev. 15:3-4

Great and awe-some Great and awe-some
Great and awe-some your deeds
Lord God Al-migh-ty. Lord God Al-migh-ty.
Just and so true are your ways.
O King of the Na-tions
Lord, who will not fear you.
And make your name glor-i-fied.
A-lone you are holy
Na-tions will worship.
When your acts are re-vealed.

Scripture Hymns Page

I am going to continue to post these hymns as I have opportunity. I have created a page on the Heidelberg Reformation Association site where all of the PDFs will be available for download. I am hoping to start having versions with the music soon as well. I am encouraging others to participate in this project as well. I will post any worthwhile contributions on the site below as well.

http://hra.witnesstoday.org/hymns.html

Thanks

Howard

Philippians 2 Hymn

Philippians 2:5-11 “Humbled and Exalted”

Tune: Ode to Joy/ #122 Trinity Hymnal

Christ Jesus, who in nature God, did not count equality;

With our God a thing to be grasped, but made of himself nothing,

Like a servant, made in likeness of a man in human form,

Humbled himself in o-be-dience for our sake in his dying.

Hum-bl-ing himself to death on a cross. God exalted Him.

God bestowed the name that is above every name upon him,

So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow to him,

Those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, confessing Him.

Every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is the Lord on high,

To the glory of Fa-ther God. Hence the loved obey him all.

Working out our own salvation with great fear and trembling

For our God is working in us, both his pleasure and his will.

Lyrics © 2008 Howard Sloan

PDF Available Here.

Permission to use is granted.

APRIL 2007 REFORMATION VOICE

The April 2008 Reformation Voice is available for download on the Heidelberg Reformation Association website.

http://hra.witnesstoday.org/RVApril2008.pdf

For information about the HRA
http://hra.witnesstoday.org/

Ephesians 1 Hymn

Ephesians 1:3-14 hymn – “IN HIM”

Tune: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (#53 Trinity Hymnal)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Je-sus Christ,

who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing

in the heav’n-lies,

he has chos-en us in him

before the world and its founding

Chosen that we should be holy and blameless before him

In love predestined to be made sons through Jesus the Christ,

done of his will,

to praise his glorious grace,

with which in the Beloved us blessed.

In him we have our redemption through his blood, forgiven

forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the rich grace,

lavished on us,

in all wisdom and insight

revealing his will and his purpose,

He makes known to us the my-stery of his revealed will,

according to his purpose, which in Jesus Christ set forth

in fullest time,

uniting all things in him,

things in the heaven and the earth.

In him we’ve gained an inheritance, which was predestined

done by the plan of him who works in all things counsel by,

things to his will,

so we’re the first to have hope

in Christ and might praise his glory.

In him we also trusted when we heard the word of truth

the gospel of our salvation, and be-liev-ed in him,

sealed with promise

The Spirit who guarantees

Inheritance ‘til we possess it.

PDF Available Here

"ACCORDING TO HIS GREAT MERCY" HYMN

1 PETER 1:3-9 "ACCORDING TO HIS GREAT MERCY"

to the tune “Love Divine All Loves Excelling” or BEECHER

Blessed be the God and Father

Of our Lord our Jesus Christ!

According to his great mercy,

He has given us new birth

To a living hope in Jesus

Through his rising from the dead,

To an inheritance unfading,

can not perish, undefiled

That inheritance in heaven

Kept for us who by this faith

Are now guarded by God’s power

For salvation ready then

In the last time to be made known

That we might rejoice a while

Though we may a time be tested

By some grievous varied trials.

In these trials we are tested

That our faith’s proved genuine

Faith more precious than of gold

That perishes refined by fire

That our faith may produce praises

Glory, honor in the sight

Of the revelation of Him

Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.

Though we have not seen him, love him.

Though we do not see him now,

We believe in Him rejoicing

Filled with glory and with joy

That is inexpressible.

When that day we reach our goal

Gaining the outcome of our faith,

The salvation of our souls.

PDF Available here.

GOD IS FAIR

Have you heard a question like this before, “How can you say that God is fair when He sends Hitler to hell but also sends someone who has done a lot less to hell as well?” Maybe you have heard some other form of the question regarding God’s fairness. I was recently asked a question similar to the one about by a member of our Sunday School. He was not asking the question about himself, but of someone he knew. This was someone who struggled with the God’s fairness, among other issues. As I briefly thought about it for a moment, I formed a short response to the fairness of God. God is indeed fair, and here is how.

STANDARD OF HOLINESS

God is the one who establishes the standard of holiness for all of mankind. Regardless of race, sex, or geography, it is God’s holy standard that all are and will be judged by. He holds everyone to the same exact standard – perfect obedience. More over God states that standard. He has plainly published it. Not only has He given it in the Law and the Scriptures, but He has written it on the heart. Paul speaks of that in the opening chapter of his epistle to the Romans.

Romans 1:18-20 (ESV)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [19] For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Everyone has a sense of right and wrong, and everyone has the evidence that God is real and true. But man suppresses that truth. They think they are without blame. They are actually without excuse.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

God is also fair because He states the problem as well. He has declared in His word the consequences of violating His holy standard.

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

For the wages of sin is death,

One might we say that this warning does not go out to everyone, but only to those who heard His word. That is correct. But the same passage from Paul in Romans points out not only that each person has a sense of God’s standard, but also a sense of guilt. They may suppress it, but it still remains deep down.

SOLVES THE PROBLEM

Here is where the fairness of God comes into play in a big way. When people say that God is unfair to punish, they are not looking so much at God’s right to execute justice, but His cruelty in doing so. The charge that God is not fair is that charge that God is cruel, mean, and uncaring. This would be a fair charge IF God did not actually provide a solution to the sin problem.

John 3:16 (ESV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God solves the problem. God in His infinite wisdom, knowledge, and sovereignty knows that all “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). He Himself became the solution. If you want fair, fair would be for God to leave us in our sin and guilt. That is fair. When people say they want God to be fair, what they usually want is not fairness, but for God to look the other way. They want God to be “cool” about it. They want God to not take sin so seriously. They want God to lighten up. That is unfair of anyone who demands of God to go against His character and His established standards. Yet still God maintains His fairness, not by doing away with the righteous requirements of the Law, but by fulfilling them in and of Himself. He took the sentence of death and separation from Him, that we rightly deserve upon Himself. God takes sin seriously.

To me, that is beyond fair.

PETER'S PRAISE - SUNRISE SERMON MESSAGE

1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, [7] so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, [9] obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I find Peter’s words here both stirring and convicting. Stirring because this is obviously not the Peter we encounter before the death and resurrection of His friend and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no hint of fear. There is none of the doubt. There is none of the wavering present here. There is only an explosion of praise and thanksgiving coming from the heart of Peter. What is the reason? The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and its resulting blessings. Look at this language. These are the words of a man whose hearts is filled with praise. The heart of a man who has been captured and transformed by the love and grace of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. This is a man who sees the importance and beauty of the resurrection. This is the Peter that Luke says in Luke 24:12 “ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.” The marvel has not been lost by Peter. He intends for his readers to catch the same sense of marvel, the same sense of awe and wonder. The same sense of praise to God for what He has done, for what He continues to do, and what He will do for us in the “last time.”

I also find Peter’s words here convicting. I do not find in myself much of the time that same passion. Maybe it is because I was not the close personal associate of Jesus that Peter was. I did not walk or eat with Jesus. I did not hear his voice. I did not see him cry. I did not watch Him suffer. I did not see the empty tomb with my own eyes. I did not see the risen Christ. I was not personally restored to by Jesus Himself after a mighty betrayal. I did not watch Him ascend to the father. I could use all of these excuses and more for the flatness I often find in my soul regarding Christ’s work on my behalf. But they are not valid excuses.

Even though there is much that is not the same about Peter’s experience and mine, or ours. There is much that is the same. We are all born again to that same living hope because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We all have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us. We all are being guarded by God's power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. We all will be tested by various trials that should result in the tested genuineness of faith to the praise and glory and honor of our Lord Jesus Christ both now and at His revelation at His coming.

We also have something that Peter did not. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. This is our testimony. This is who we are. We have not seen Him, yet we are to love Him. We have not seen Him, yet we are called to believe and rejoice. We are to rejoice with joy that is inexpressible. Do we long to have that kind of joy? The absence of that joy and love can not be because we did not have the same relationship that Peter had. Peter is saying these words to those who have not seen Him. Maybe it is because we lost a sense of the importance and value of what Christ has done for us. Maybe we have lost a sense of the depth of our sin from which Christ has rescued us. Maybe it is because we have not bothered to know Christ as we ought. Maybe we have not meditated on His death and resurrection.

But that is the great reason we celebrate Easter. If we have not spent sufficient time meditating on the wonders of the love and mercy of Jesus Christ, this time of year calls us back. If we have not spent sufficient time thinking on His death, resurrection and its benefits to us, this time of year calls us back. This time of year gives us pause to drown out the noise of the world that steals our joy. This time of year gives us occasion to renew our love for the one who loved us first.

But if we are looking for some great emotional reaction as a test of the genuineness of our faith, we are missing the point. Yes, reflecting on what Christ has accomplished for us may at times move us to great passion. But if we rely on emotional reactions to Christ’s death and resurrection to sustain us or as an indication of our love for Christ, we are deceiving ourselves with things that fade away. We are called to something deeper and more lasting. We are called to joy and love that expresses itself with our very lives. We are called to rejoicing in Christ when life itself gives us no cause for rejoicing. Our eyes may be filled with tears due to the crushing weight of life, or the trials that come our way, but in our hearts we have the “Blessed Assurance that Jesus is Mine. O what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation. Purchased of God. Born of His spirit. Washing in His blood. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior. All the day long.” That is joy that does not fade with the testing. That is peace that is not tossed about by the ebb and flow of life. That is faith that is steadfast, faithful, obedient, tested, and sure. That is faith that results in praise, glory, and honor. It may not be a loud joy. But it will take “blessed assurance” and the unshakeable knowledge that whatever comes my way no one take away the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. That is joy and hope.

KING OF ISRAEL! SON OF GOD!

Matthew’s account of the crucifixion points out two key charges against Jesus that put Him on the cross. These reasons were key to the Roman and Jewish leaders. Those reasons – “Son of God” and “King of Israel.” Interestingly enough, these are some of the same reasons that our Lord God put His son on the cross. The key difference is how they regarded these claims – true or false.

KING OF ISRAEL!

Let’s begin by looking at Jesus as King of Israel. Some form of the phrase appears 4 times in Matthew 27.

Matthew 27:11 (ESV)

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so."

Matthew 27:27-31 (ESV)

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. [28] And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, [29] and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" [30] And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. [31] And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

Matthew 27:37 (ESV)

And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

Matthew 27:41-42 (ESV)

So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, [42] "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

This is the charge that the Jewish leaders used to get the Romans to crucify Him. Jesus was being portrayed as a rebel and threat to Rome.

Of course it is clear they though that the charge was true, but it had no basis in fact.

Look at how they mocked him. A crown of thorns on his head. The mockery on the cross while He was dying to save a people for Himself.

But the charge against Jesus is true, because it is based on the facts. The Jews and Romans did not understand the nature of the kingdom of this king.

John 18:36 (ESV)

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."

Jesus purpose was not to be a political king over a geographic kingdom. Jesus purpose was to be King over all of God’s chosen people regardless of geography or ethnicity. King of True Spiritual Israel forever.

The one who died on our behalf reigns even now over His people. His death allowed Him to take His throne.

Matthew 26:64 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Ephes. 1:20 (ESV)

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Rev. 5:7 (ESV)

And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

Jesus Christ right now reigns over His people and over His church.

SON OF GOD

Jesus also died because He was and is the Son of God.

This was a blasphemous claim, if it is not true. Three times some form of this phrase appears in Matthew 27

Matthew 27:40 (ESV)

and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

Matthew 27:43 (ESV)

He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.' "

Matthew 27:54 (ESV)

When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

While the authorities view this claim as doubtful, we would hear the clear testimony of Scripture know otherwise.

Jesus was in fact crucified because He is the Son of God. It was a necessity. Only one who was God Himself could make such a sufficient and efficient sacrifice. One one who was infinitely holy, perfectly obedient, and yet in the flesh of man could make the sacrifice required.

Son of Man. Surely He was! Surely He is!

The Son of God making us sons of God.

Galatians 3:26 (ESV)

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Galatians 4:4-6 (ESV)

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. [6] And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

Hebrews 2:10 (ESV)

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

We have much privilege because of Christ' death on our behalf. We are made sons of God. We are made citizens of the Kingdom of God. But more importantly, we are made clean, forgiven, and right with God because the Son of God, King of Israel took the wrath of God on our behalf.

Of course this is not the end. If Christ is only crucified there is much left undone. But as Paul Harvey would say "That is the rest of the story." The story to be told and celebrated on Easter Sunday.

Has the Notion of Sin Been Lost

This is from the USA Today.

The Physical Death of Jesus

This is an article from the medical perspective on the death of Jesus. Take a look.

Thank you R. Scott Clark for bringing this to our attention.

Howard

Maunday Thursday Meditation

This is from Kim Riddlebarger on the Riddleblog.

Moses Was High on Mt. Sinai

Yes, we no longer need to keep the law. Moses was wasted when he received the law.

The Church of Frank Sinatra

Another great post on the reason we need creeds and confessions.

LEGALISM KILLS

Check out this great blog entry on legalism.

Book Review: In Christ Alone

In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson

(2007, Reformation Trust)

I read In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson and loved every page of it. Each chapter is filled with meat. This book is not a book about Christ. It is not a book about the Holy Spirit. It is not a book about soteriology. It is not a book about the Christian life. It is a book about all of these and more. Ferguson takes the reader through the various facets of what it means to live the gospel centered life, as he calls it. The book consists of 50 chapters of around five pages in length. He has broken down the book into six sections entitled: “The Word Became Flesh,” “The Heart of the Matter,” “The Spirit of Christ,” “The Privileges of Grace,” “A Life of Wisdom”, and “Faithful to the End.”

As is usually the case with Ferguson, his theology is spot-on. What makes this book special to me is how he has taken solid theology cut it into small chunks, so that while you are not swallowing much at one time you are still being substantially fed. It is also a well balanced meal. It is nice to pick up a book where you can read a little bit and get so much.

To me, this quote toward the end of the book summarizes what Ferguson intends the reader to get from reading the book.

“The way in which we maintain ‘the expulsive power of a new affection’ is the same way as the way we first discovered it. Only when grace is still amazing – when we return to Christ and the cross where God’s love for us was demonstrated to us (Romans 5:8) – does it retain its power over us. Only as we retain a sense of our own profound sinfulness can retain a sense of the graciousness of God.” (p. 225)

This is a book for every Christian to read who wants to know his Lord better and how to serve his Lord better.

What Brings Satan Pleasure

Check out this gem from the blog of Steve Camp.

http://stevenjcamp.blogspot.com/2005/07/what-brings-satan-pleasure.html

WHY WE NEED CREEDS- MIKE BROWN

Michael Brown has added more to his series on why we need creeds.

Why Creeds?

Check this out.

http://michaelbrown.squarespace.com/the-latest-post/2008/2/22/why-do-we-need-creeds-and-confessions.html

I Want a Real Chaplain Who Believes in a Real God and Real Hell

Wow! I can't believe this was on a show on network TV.

http://heidelblog.wordpress.com/2008/02/21/i-want-a-real-chaplain-who-believes-in-a-real-god-and-a-real-hell/

HEIDELBERG BIBLE CONFERENCE

The Spring Bible Conference of the Heidelberg Reformation Association is May 27-29, 2008. Please check out the HRA website for more details.

Howard

BREAKING UP FALLOW GROUND

Hosea 10:12-13 (ESV)
Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord,that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. [13] You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors,

Israel was in bad shape spiritually. Their rebellion, idolatry, adultery, and wickedness had brought them to the point where the LORD God was going to discipline them. Still, in the midst of this, God calls out in compassion for them to turn back to Him. He does many times in Hosea, but this warning in Hosea 10:12 seems to be a particular caution to the church throughout the ages.

A church does not have to be in great moral or theological failure to hear these words. We must be vigilant about the continual practice of sowing righteousness and reaping covenant-faithfulness and love. But even more, let us hear the words to “break up your fallow ground.”

Fallow ground is soil that has remained unused for a period of time, usually to let the soil rest and become rich and useful again. It can also be virgin soil, never tilled or used. Until tilled, it is mostly likely hard, dry, and dusty. There is much fallow ground in the church today.

There is much fallow ground to be found in true and faithful churches. There is fallow ground to be found in the lives of even the most devoted follower of Jesus Christ. What are we, the people of God, to do about this fallow ground?

First, let us begin by taking a survey of our own hearts. If we are honest Christians, we know there are areas of our lives that have become dry and dusty due to lack of use. Maybe areas of hardness we have decided not to touch. Maybe these were once fertile patches in our lives producing fruit for Christ, but something happened. Something or someone has stolen our desire to keep the ground tilled and planted.

Maybe our ground is fallow because it has never been used. Maybe we feel that we have no fertile ground to be of use. This is simply not true. Every true believer in Jesus Christ has been given gifts to use for the glory of His name and the advancement of His kingdom. We must be willing to put the plow to it and let the Lord “come and rain righteousness upon us.” It is His to produce the fruit, not ours. Our job is to be tilled and planted soil, yielded to His service.

Some may even be able to look around to see much ground tilled and fertile. The sign of a fruitful, Christian life. But we must not be so arrogant as to think that there is not still some ground laying fallow in our lives. Some area of hardness exists. We too must be willing to take plow in hand.
Once we have identified those fallow areas, we put the plow to it. But how? We begin through prayer. We ask the Lord to take our fallow ground and make it useful. We ask Him to take the plow to us to prepare us for service. Then, we begin to look around. Where and how can I put this to use? What is God preparing us for? As the soil of our hearts are tilled, we will begin to see what the Lord wants to do with it. Likely, the Lord already has a use for the fruit of your ground.

Steve Camp in his song “Living in Laodicea” describes the heart of one who desires to be fertile soil for the Lord.

Oh Lord, take Your plow to my battleground
Let Your blade dig down to the soil of my soul
For I've become dry and dusty,
Lord I know there must be
Richer earth lying below

Pray that the Lord of the harvest would search the hearts of each member of our congregation, of every Christian we know, to make our fallow ground rich. May he “rain righteousness” on us. And may the fruit be a harvest beyond our comprehension that the Lord will use to glorify His name in all the earth.