Back Into the Blogging Swing

After a month and a half hiatus from blogging, I plan on getting back into the thick of things starting next week. Hopefully, I’ll have some posts from a few things I’ve reflected on in the past month or so. July was terribly busy for us and, lo and behold, August is half gone now already! I didn’t always do a great job of writing ideas down (always write things down!), but I trust that a few of the important things will spring to mind.

Again, thank you for reading—it is very humbling that you find this small corner in the blogosphere edifying.

 

The Blog Days of Summer

Summer is a wonderful season, but they don’t call it the dog days of summer for nothing. It’s always hot and it’s often tiring. Very tiring. Our daughter is 10 months old and sometimes she is what I call “summer tired.” That happens when her cheeks turn red, her hair gets sweaty, her head starts to bob, and her eyes get heavy. Right now, on the blog front, I’m a little “summer tired.”

Because of seminary classes, responsibilities at church, and a few camps I’m speaking at this summer, blogging has taken a back seat. I traditionally take a blogging break each year, usually around June or July, and this year will be no different. I may have some guest bloggers contribute a few times, but for the most part, I’ll be working hard freeing up some space in your inbox or feed reader. You are welcome.

Thanks to all of you who subscribe, visit often, and comment. I am truly humbled that you read what I write. Praise God for this little corner of the internet world and how he uses it to spread his gospel—even if in a small way.

1,000 Posts…and Counting

This is the 1,000th post on Beneath the Cross! I started this blog in June 2007 for nothing other than to write down what I learn to share with others. I have averaged just over a post every other day, and by God’s grace, people read what I write.

I wanted to celebrate by simply thanking you for subscribing, commenting, or simply stopping by on a whim. I am truly humbled that people find this blog helpful and engaging.

All glory belongs to God for however he uses this simple medium to herald the glorious gospel of his Son Jesus.

How Can We Be Sure Moses Wrote the Pentateuch?

John Calvin:

I am aware of what is muttered in corners by certain miscreants, when they would display their acuteness in assailing divine truth. They ask, how do we know that Moses and the prophets wrote the books which now bear their names? Nay, they even dare to question whether there ever was a Moses. Were any one to question whether there ever was a Plato, or an Aristotle, or a Cicero, would not the rod or the whip be deemed the fit chastisement of such folly? The law of Moses has been wonderfully preserved, more by divine providence than by human care; and though, owing to the negligence of the priests, it lay for a short time buried,–from the time when it was found by good King Josiah (2 Kings 22:8; 2 Chron. 34:15),–it has continued in the hands of men, and been transmitted in unbroken succession from generation to generation. Nor, indeed, when Josiah brought it forth, was it as a book unknown or new, but one which had always been matter of notoriety, and was then in full remembrance. The original writing had been deposited in the temple, and a copy taken from it had been deposited in the royal archives (Deut. 17:18, 19); the only thing which had occurred was, that the priests had ceased to publish the law itself in due form, and the people also had neglected the wonted reading of it. I may add, that scarcely an age passed during which its authority was not confirmed and renewed. Were the books of Moses unknown to those who had the Psalms of David in their hands? To sum up the whole in one word, it is certain beyond dispute, that these writings passed down, if I may so express it, from hand to hand, being transmitted in an unbroken series from the fathers, who either with their own ears heard them spoken, or learned them from those who had, while the remembrance of them was fresh.

- Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.8.9

What About Those Who Have Never Heard?

Christians have asked this question centuries. Even in today’s globalized, social-media-driven world, Christians are still asking it. In question 60 of the Westminster Larger Catechism, the question is posed: “Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature?” Here is its answer:

They who, having never heard the gospel, know not Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the laws of that religion which they profess; neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone, who is the Savior only of his body the church.

It is true that there is salvation in no other name than Jesus (Acts 4:12). To be saved means to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe that he is risen from the dead (Rom. 10:9). God is sovereign and he saves those whom he wills (see Rom. 9:19-24; John 6:44; 10:25-28; Eph. 2:8-9). The unsaved are non-elect, and therefore, those who have not heard are not elect. Furthermore, people are condemned because they are guilty sinners (6:23). We must remember that there are no innocent people in the world (Rom. 2:12-16; 3:10-23).

How could this be, you ask, when a person in the jungles of Africa does not even know God exists? John Calvin helps us understand: “Since, then, there never has been, from the very first, any quarter of the globe, any city, any household even, without religion, this amounts to a tacit confession, that a sense of deity is inscribed on every heart. No, even idolatry is ample evidence of this fact.” (Institutes 1.3.1).

God promises there will be a multitude from every tribe, language, people, and nation who were ransomed by the blood of the Lamb and who will reign with him forever (Rev. 5:9-10). So rather than raising a finger at God for what is clearly taught in Scripture, we must resolve to spread the gospel across this earth, making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). That might mean leaving all you have to be a frontier missionary. It might mean giving more (yes, more) money to missions. It will definitely mean praying often for unreached peoples. In all you do, remember to rest in the truth that God will bring all his sheep into one fold under the care and provision of their one, good Shepherd, Jesus Christ (John 10:16). cit confession, that a sense of deity is inscribed on every heart. No, even idolatry is ample evidence to this fact” (Institutes 1.3.1). There is a sense in every person that God exists. and the very fact that we worship something proves it.

To hear a little more on this, listen to a two minute audio clip to from John Piper.

Christ-Centered Biblical Theology Coming in May

Graeme Goldsworthy is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors when it comes to seeing the unity of the Bible, and he will release a new book in May called Christ-Centered Biblical Theology. 

In case you missed it a couple weeks ago, I talked about what it means to be a biblical theologian. A biblical theologian is concerned with the grand narrative of the Bible, taking parts and relating them to the whole. Biblical theology, for the minister or the average saint in the seat on Sunday, is vital because it keeps each individual story in perspective and helps guard against taking passages out of context. Coffee mugs at Christian bookstores are notorious for this.

In an interview with Collin Hansen on the Gospel Coalition blog, Goldsworthy talked about biblical theology’s importance for pastoral ministry. I think laypeople can learn from this too:

A sound biblical theology should prevent the misuse of Scripture, such as when texts are relieved of their biblical context and allowed to mean something quite other from what they mean in that context. When Scripture is treated as a lucky-dip of texts that assumes Christians stand in one, flat, undifferentiated relationship to all biblical texts, it can be made to mean anything we like. This is no basis for a sound and faithful pastoral ministry. I understand pastoral ministry to be the valid application of biblical truth to the various situations that arise and affect individuals and whole congregations. Biblical theology provides the means for understanding every part of the Bible in its final canonical context. Biblical theology, then, is at the heart of the pastor’s correct understanding of how Scripture can be thus applied to people’s lives. I also believe that the main emphasis in preaching should be the regular exposition of Scripture. Expository preaching, as the norm, really requires biblical theology in the preparation of sermons. Ideally, everyone who has the task of teaching the Bible to others should understand something of biblical theology.

When I told a friend and co-pastor about Goldsworthy’s new book, he said, “Maybe eventually this kind of book will replace classic systematic theology books in Christian colleges.” There is nothing wrong with systematic theology, as far as it goes, but if the only way we think about the Bible is in compartments (creation, atonement, Holy Spirit, end times, the Church, etc.) we will always study doctrines in isolation from each other. The Bible will then become a book of doctrine, rather than God’s story of redemption in the world.

What is your experience with biblical theology? Do you find that is the heartbeat of your personal ministry, whether a pastor, teacher, or small group leader?

Are You a Functional Post-Millennialist?

I have probably already lost many of you by using the word “millennialist.” Let me define it quick: a post-millennialist is someone who holds that the millennial kingdom (“a thousand years”) spoken of in Revelation 20 is a period of time that happens on the earth in which the gospel will spread so thoroughly and deeply in culture to create a golden age in which Christian ethics prosper.

I don’t agree with this view, and without getting too much into eschatology (i.e. the study of end times), I want to briefly argue that many evangelical Christians are functional (i.e. practical) post-millennialists. By this, I mean that they often expect the gospel to so transform the culture that when they do not notice tangible change, they become depressed or even doubt if the word of God is advancing at all.

Here’s an example: some (not all!) evangelicals often complain that we (or probably the “institutional church”) are the reason there is poverty, hunger, war, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and a host of other tragedies in the world. They think that if the church just did more, we could root out these evil things in the culture and then God’s kingdom would really come on earth.

But Jesus reminds us that we will “always have the poor” with us (Matt. 26:11).  He also says, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). In this life the faithful to Christ “will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). This does not sound like a golden age. Only at Jesus second coming will he “wipe away every tear from [our] eyes” because only then “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore” (Rev. 21:4). Why then? Because at that moment, and only at that moment, will “the former things [the things of this age] have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

We will never solve the world’s problems. We will never eliminate hunger and war. We will never eradicate cancer or HIV. But that doesn’t mean we throw up our arms in defeat. Gospel proclamation takes center stage, but generosity, social concern, and action also reflect the character of God and are evidence of a changed heart through the gospel. Indeed, all efforts that reflect God’s character and done for his glory paint a picture to the world of what the new creation will be like.

Let us be reminded that the kingdom of God, ultimately, is not about activity to “make the world a better place.” It is about a King. As a friend tweeted earlier today, “The story of what God is doing in the world is not about you. (It’s about Jesus.) But it is for you. And it involves you.” So do not be discouraged when it seems that Christians do not make as big of a difference in the world as you think we should make. We have already overcome. “And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4b-5).