The Doctrines of Grace are good news!

Some quotes to encourage the believing soul, from John Benton’s booklet, Evangelistic Calvinism: Why the Doctrines of Grace Are Good News (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2006).

“What we need to grasp…is that limited atonement means a definite atonement. It means that through the all-sufficient death of Jesus the sin of every believer is blotted out once and for all. This has taken place not in a notional or potential sense, but really, truly, and historically.” (p. 15)

“How vital it is for us to understand…that saving faith is all about trusting a Person (believe in the Lord Jesus Christ) and not a Proposition (believe that Christ died for you) spoken to men and women.” (p. 20)

“When the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of those who hear the gospel, they find themselves longing for what they never desired before.” (p. 25).

“In Mark’s Gospel we are given the account of how Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. Christ’s command to him was, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ But this is the very thing a person with a withered hand cannot do: the muscles have atrophied. Yet the man found that the divine command brought with it the power to obey, and his withered hand was restored. Just so, the call of Jesus comes to us to repent and believe the gospel and God’s irresistible grace enables us to obey.” (p. 25)

“When a sinner takes hold of Christ by faith, God takes hold of him and will never let him go.” (p. 27)

I found this booklet a worthwhile little read (only 32 pages, and costing just $2 in the US). Benton will encourage you to not shrink from presenting the "full gospel". You can order it online.

Jonathan Edwards on the existence of evil

Dr. Sam Storms wrote a Reflection on the occasion of the 303rd anniversary of Jonathan Edwards’ birth, titled, “Edwards on Evil at 303”, which is at the Enjoying God Ministries website. Read it! Jonathan Edwards' writing on the existence of evil will definitely give you something to think about. Storms also applies Edwards views to the question of, “Why didn’t God elect all unto eternal life?” Check it out!

There is more! (So, seek the Lord with all your heart)

“Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.”

—Collect for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer

We’re still looking at what I believe is God’s desire for His people to seek more of Him, to seek to know Him more intimately and deeply—to experience God, if you will. I believe we dishonor God, and cheat ourselves, when we settle for cold, purely cerebral, passionless, emotionless religion. There is more to Christianity than that.

In my first post on this topic, I looked, briefly, at three passages of Scripture (Luke 11:9-13; Philippians 3:7-14 and Hebrews 11:6) to illustrate that seeking God means seeking the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In my opinion, some of us conservative, Reformed, evangelical-types need to get over our fear of Pentecostal/Charismatic excesses. As I said, it seems some of us are more afraid of the Holy Spirit than we are of sinning against God! The Holy Spirit is God, and we’re not placing ourselves in danger of fanaticism if we speak of seeking the Holy Spirit. In Luke 11:13, Jesus declared, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” So, let’s seek the Triune God in all His fullness.

In my second post, I discussed seeking God in prayer, and encouraged us to pray like we truly believe God is real, is listening, and will answer us when we pray. If we don’t watch, our prayers can degrade into just talking to ourselves, merely saying words. Or, we can set our expectations too low, and settle for formal prayers that ask for nothing, expect nothing, and obtain nothing, as a result. I urged us to drop our pretences of respectability, and “get real” with God.

Lastly, I believe we can seek God and actually experience Him in life-changing ways through His inscripturated Word—the Bible. How do we usually approach Scripture? Do we just read through the assigned portion for the day, as outlined in some reading plan, then go about our business without ever encountering God? Do we take a superstitious, “verse-a-day-to-keep-the-devil-away” approach, never reading in depth, never reading through a book (I’m thinking of people I’ve met who, I gathered from talking to them, read the same favorite Psalm every day. And, that was all!). This will never do.

If we are to experience a deeper relationship with God, we must approach Scripture as we would approach God in prayer: with a conscious awareness of whom we’re approaching. “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16), wrote the apostle Paul. Scripture is, therefore, the Word of God. We should treat Scripture like it is the Word of God.

I want to close with just a few suggestions as we seek to draw closer to God through His Word:

Make time for God’s Word. In my experience, it’s awful difficult to get the most out of my reading of God’s Word when I’m in a hurry, rushing to get out of the house in the morning (for instance). I think we’re more apt to benefit from our reading when we take time. Don’t “rush” God (as if we could rush Him). Slow down and allow Him to speak to you. This may involve some time management, so we can fit adequate time into our busy days.

Pray before reading God’s Word. If God is the ultimate Author of Scripture, doesn’t it make sense to ask His assistance when you approach His Word? Before you read, ask God to speak to you, ask Him to help you understand. The prayer of Psalm 119:18 is very appropriate: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

Pray while reading God’s Word. Maybe there is something you just don’t get. Pray for understanding. Perhaps something you read fills your heart with rejoicing. Pray back to God praise from your heart. If what you’re reading brings conviction of sin, pray a prayer of confession and ask God’s help to obey His Word. I think you get the idea. Turn your reading of Scripture into a dialogue or time of a communion with God. Turn your reading into worship.

Pray after reading God’s Word. Thank God for what He has spoken to you, for what you’ve learned. Ask God to help you be a doer of His Word and not a hearer only (see James 1:22-25). Pray for the Spirit’s power to obey.

I want to know God better, don’t you? I want to be closer to Him. Let’s not simply “go through the motions”; let’s seek God with all our hearts:

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the LORD… (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

There is (still) more!

After thinking some more about Sunday’s post—“There is more!”—I want to have another go at the subject. Like the title of that gospel song, “Before I take it back, I’ll add more to it”!

In my first posting of this topic, I encouraged you to not become complacent and comfortable with a Christian experience that may have become cold and dull, but to seek more of God. I affirmed the need to move beyond mere “head-knowledge” of God to a “heart-felt” experience of God. I tried to show, from three brief passages of Scripture (Hebrews 11:6; Philippians 3:7-14 and Luke 11:9-13) that it is biblical to desire more of God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

However, a question arises in my mind: How do we go about seeking God? At first glance, this seems an easy question to answer: We seek God through prayer and through Scripture. In one sense, that pretty much sums it up. But, let’s be real. I think all of us struggle with prayer. At least, I’ve never met anyone (that I know of) who was satisfied with their prayer life. Then, as far as the Scriptures are concerned, it is possible to study Scripture and still be left cold. One has to only think of apostate seminary professors who, in one sense, know their Bibles well but, as is evident from the unbelief they spout in their writings, have never experienced God at all. So, how do we seek God?

I think the first place we need to start is in our concept of God. Do we actually conceive of God as being real? After all, God is invisible to our mortal eyes. We can’t experience God with our five senses. So, how do believers experience God? Again, let’s go back to Hebrews 11:6:

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

According to the text, faith is the key to our experiencing God.

“For whoever would draw near to God…”

This is what we want to do; this is what seeking God is all about!

“For whoever would draw near to God must believe…”

Here is where faith comes in: we must believe God, trust God, have confidence in Him. What are we to believe or trust God for?

“For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists…”

When we pray, are we consciously aware that God exists? Are we consciously aware that we are talking to Some-One? As a fellow seeker, I would suggest that when we pray, we ought to talk to God like He’s actually there. Do you know what I mean? It’s so easy to get into the habit of just mouthing prayer words without actually talking to God. If we want to experience God in a deeper, more intimate way, I’d suggest that the first place to start is with a conscious recognition that God exists—He is present when we pray.

I think the second point we should consider in seeking to know God in a deeper, more intimate way, is found in the rest of Hebrews 11:6.

“For whoever would draw near to God must believe…that he rewards those who seek him.”

Do we really believe God will respond to our prayers? The text says, “He rewards those who seek him.” So, God will respond. But, how does God respond? God responds by rewarding the seeker with Himself! Did you see that in the text? The verse speaks of “those who seek him.” The seeker is seeking God (“those who seek him”) and God rewards the seeker with that which he seeks: namely, with Himself.

The question is, do we really believe God will respond to our prayers? I believe that our experience of God can be limited by what we expect. We don’t expect God to do anything in response to our prayers. We don’t expect our lives to change. We look for “practical” solutions to our spiritual lethargy rather than pray. However, consider James 4:2:

“You do not have, because you do not ask.”

In the context, James is telling believers that, instead of envying what others have or fighting others to obtain gifts from the world, they should ask God. But, I think there is a principle here that can be applied more broadly: there are things that we need for the doing of God’s will that we lack only because we’ve never asked God for them.

Do we ever ask God for help…and expect his help? Have we ever asked God for a renewal of our spiritual life…and expected life change, as a result? Do we ever pray this way?

Now, I know prayer is about more than asking God for stuff, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that most of the teaching of Jesus recorded in Scripture, relative to prayer, concerns our asking in prayer. Jesus encourages us to ask God. And, I’m suggesting, God wants us to ask for more of Himself.

I wonder what could happen if we started to pray to God as if He was real, and actually listening? What if we prayed as if our life depended on it?

Truth is, our spiritual lives do depend on prayer. If we want to move beyond mere “head-knowledge” of God to a “heart-felt” experience of God, we need to seek God—the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—in prayer. I suspect we’d have to get rid of our pretty words and calm composure, and become passionate in our seeking of God.

Have you ever really looked at the Psalms and noticed how David and the others spoke to God? The Psalms are full of passion. I have a cassette tape of a sermon by the late Alan Redpath, where he speaks about the lack of “O!” in our prayers. Well, in the Psalms there are plenty of “Os!”

“Have mercy on me, O God…”

“To you, O Lord, I call…”

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!”

“Deliver me, O Lord…”

“I cry to you, O Lord…”

Is there an “O!” in our prayers?

I also think I see passion in prayer expressed in Romans 8:26-27:

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Rather than try to put into words what I think these verses suggest, I want to quote at length from a sermon by John Piper: "The Spirit Helps Us in Our Weakness, Part 2". He expresses his points so well, there’s no need for me to try to say anything. Read what Piper says about it:

“In the last part of verse 26 Paul says, ‘The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.’ What does this mean: ‘With groanings too deep for words’? Literally it simply says, ‘with wordless groanings.’ What does that refer to? Does it refer to groanings that we make? Or groanings that we do not make but the Holy Spirit makes? Or is there a third alternative – the one that I want argue for, namely, these groanings are our groanings which are also the Spirit’s groanings because he inspires and directs them in us?

“Here’s why I think this and why it matters.

“If the Holy Spirit is simply communicating with the Father about what we need, I cannot imagine why he would have to use wordless groans. He knows exactly what he wants to ask for. There is not the slightest confusion in his mind and he is never at a loss for how to communicate with the Father. So I doubt that these groans are groans that the Spirit addresses to the Father which are not our groans.

“A second reason for thinking this is that the one who hears and understands and answers these groans is said in verse 27 to search our hearts. I think that points to the fact that the groans are in our heart. That is where they are experienced as groanings and heard. ‘The Spirit himself intercedes for us with wordless groanings. (27) And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit.’ In other words, the Spirit doesn’t send his groanings to the Father in heaven directly. He registers them in our hearts. That is where they are experienced as groans – in our hearts. I think this suggests they are our groanings, not just the Spirit’s groanings.

“A third argument is that groaning in this context is something that marks the fallen world, and the Spirit is not fallen and does not need to groan like the creation and the saints. In verse 22 Paul says, ‘The whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.’ And in verse 23 he says, ‘And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly.’ So groaning is part of the weakness and futility and pain and decay of this fallen world. That suggests that the groans of verse 26 are also part of this weakness and fallenness. They are our groans, inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit.

“The fourth argument comes from the analogy of the witness of the Spirit in verses 15-16, ‘You have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a Spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.’ Who is saying, ‘Abba! Father!’ here? Well we are. But not only we. This is the witness of the Spirit. This heartfelt cry that God is our Father is inspired and directed by the Spirit. It is his witness!

“So here we have a helpful analogy and parallel with the groaning of the Spirit in verse 26. The Spirit groans the same way the Spirit witnesses: he inspires the groaning, and he inspires the witness. The groaning is his groaning, and the witnessing is his witness. But we experience the witness of the Spirit as the heartfelt, authentic welling up in us of a cry, ‘Abba, father!’ And we experience the groaning of the Spirit in the welling up within us of groanings for the glory of Christ, but in ways and means that we do not know.

“So my answer to the question: How does the Spirit pray for us, is that he moves powerfully in our hearts to create groanings – his groanings experienced as our groanings – which are based on two things: 1) a deep desire and ache of heart that Christ be magnified in our lives, and 2) a weakness that leaves us baffled and unknowing as to how this is going to happen or should happen. So we are not sure how we are to pray, but we are sure that we want Christ to be magnified in our bodies.

“The Father searches our heart and he hears this groaning. He hears the Christ-exalting yearning in it, and he hears the Spirit’s clear intention that certain decisions and circumstances come about in the exact way that will bring the most glory to Jesus.”

(By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: http://www.desiringgod.org/. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.)

Do you see the passion involved in this kind of praying? I think if we ever learn to get real with God, and talk to Him like He really exists, we’ll frequently find ourselves confessing, “we do not know what to pray for as we ought”! This is when the Holy Spirit gets involved, interceding for us (and through us). And, I believe, when this happens, we’ll experience God in ways, perhaps, we’ve not known before.

(To be continued...)

The biblical view of homosexuality (Part 2)

[All Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible]

Let’s see if I can pull all this together:

Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites—the children of Abraham—were God’s people. God revealed Himself to them and spoke through their prophets (who, in turn, recorded the Old Testament Scriptures). From the beginning, however, God’s intention was that Abraham’s offspring would encompass “a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5, 6), not just Israel. Jesus said, “God so loved the world [i.e. humanity], that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus] that whoever believes in Him shall not perish [experience eternal, spiritual death], but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Under the New Covenant, God’s people are those “from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues” (Revelation 7:9) who through faith in Jesus Christ “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). What Israel was, in the Old Testament, the Church is now. And by “Church”, I do not mean a particular denomination, but a people: the “children of God”, “believers” in Jesus, those who have been “born again”—in other words, true Christians.

So, about the Episcopal Church controversy: homosexuality (both the “orientation” and the practice and lifestyle) is totally inappropriate for Christians. It is clearly against God’s will as expressed in the Scriptures. The Christian is to resist sin and, if he or she “falls” and commits sin, to repent of [i.e. turn from] the sin, not embrace it and celebrate it as a lifestyle. To embrace the lifestyle is to prove oneself not a child of God, and therefore, not a Christian (remember 1 John 3:10, above).

I believe unrepentant sin—in this case, a homosexual lifestyle—would justify excommunication from church membership, according to the words of Jesus (Matthew 18:15-18):

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector [i.e. pagans, excluded from the community of faith].”

It follows, therefore, that a leader of the church should not be involved in an unrepentant, sinful lifestyle. The apostle Paul lists the qualifications for those who would serve as leaders (elder/bishop) in the church (1 Timothy 3:2-7 and Titus 1:7-9):

“An overseer [bishop/elder]…must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

“For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

(Note: The Christian pastor/elder/bishop is not at liberty to reject any of the Bible’s teaching but, rather, he must know, believe, teach and defend it faithfully. Plus, in what sense can one be “Christian” and reject Christian teaching?)

I think I know most of the arguments, from within the church, against the view I’ve presented. It is said that the writers of Scripture were 1) not addressing committed, monogamous gay and lesbian relationships, 2) were only condemning heterosexuals who engage in homosexual acts, and 3) did not know about sexual orientation or the biological basis for homosexuality.

To answer, briefly:

“Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

“All Scripture is inspired by God [literally, “God-breathed”]” (2 Timothy 3:16).

The writers of Scripture wrote what God the Holy Spirit led them to write. Surely God knew what He was talking about when He led these men to write what they wrote. If one is going to argue from Scripture, one has to know and believe that the Scriptures are the “Word of God written” (a phrase from the Presbyterian Westminster Confession of Faith). I think the plain, ordinary meaning of the words show that “committed, monogamous” relationships are included in the scriptural denunciations of homosexuality. There is absolutely nothing positive written about homosexual activity. And, certainly, there is no verse supporting same-sex relationships.

As far as homosexuality having a biological basis, or, as I’ve heard said, “I was born this way”. This seems to be another way of saying, “If you have a problem with my homosexuality, blame God; He did it.” First, as far as I’ve heard, there is no conclusive scientific data supporting such a view. Other scientists can produce data supporting the opposite conclusion. So, I’m not convinced. Scripturally, the best answer seems to be James 1:13-15:

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’ [“God made me this way.”]; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone [Don’t blame it on God.]. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust [The fault lies within.]. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

Theologically, feelings of same-sex attraction from a young age only prove what the Bible says: We are born sinners.

“By a man [Adam] came death” (1 Corinthians 15:21).

“In Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).

We’re all tempted, although we don’t all experience the same temptations. However, we should resist wrong, not give in to it.

The best news is that change is possible for the homosexual person. Following 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, which I quoted above, the apostle Paul goes on to state this wonderful fact about some of the people at Corinth (verse 11):

“Such [fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, etc.] were some of you; but you were washed [made clean], but you were sanctified [set apart from sin unto God], but you were justified [declared righteous] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

And again,

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Change is possible, but only in Jesus Christ. The “Spirit of Christ”—the Holy Spirit—the third Person in the Trinity comes to live inside when we are “born of God”. It is the Holy Spirit who gives the Christian the power to say “No!” to the flesh. For some, total change is immediate. For others, it’s a gradual process as, little by little, sinful habits disappear with the Spirit’s help. For still others, they struggle the rest of their lives. But, that’s alright. To struggle means you want to be free, it means there’s a fight going on. The alternative to struggle is surrender to sin. The child of God—the Christian—will never surrender in the struggle against personal sin. He or she dare not. Hell is real.

Well, I’m sure I gave you more than you asked for. But I hope this helps explain more fully the biblical position and why some of us are so opposed to some recent developments in this country, Canada and Europe. Our pastor said that love means caring enough about someone to tell them when they’re wrong. “Tolerance” is not loving when what we tolerate is endangering someone else. What’s at stake, as I see it, is the eternal destiny of people who've given up the fight against homosexual temptation. God does not issue idle threats:

“Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters [anything that controls our lives, other than God, is our idol] and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

I don’t want anyone to miss God’s heaven.

There is more!

Should the Christian seek spiritual experiences? Isn't simply reading, learning and obeying the Scriptures enough to satisfy our spiritual thirst? Or is there more?

There are those who would issue stern warnings against seeking spiritual experiences of any kind. They would point to verses such as Colossians 2:10 (NKJV)—“And you are complete in Him [Christ]"—with the assertion being that if we who are in Christ are complete, then we presently have all we need and don't need to seek anything else.

I would agree that to seek anything besides Christ is wrong. To seek anything besides Christ is to imply that Christ falls short as a Savior, and that salvation includes more than just "Christ alone". To seek any experience outside of Christ is to suggest that the one who claimed to be "the bread of life" (John 6:35) really cannot satisfy our deepest needs.

However, does the fact of being "in Christ" rule out seeking more? I don't think so. In fact, I believe Christians are encouraged to seek more—to seek spiritual experiences, if you will.

Consider what the apostle Paul wrote in that 3rd chapter of Philippians (verses 7-14):

7“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Notice: the apostle writes about gaining Christ. Now, Paul already knew Christ (verses 7, 8a), therefore, he was already saved and the Spirit of Christ already lived in him (cf. Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:7). However, though Paul already had Christ, he yet sought to “gain Christ” (verse 8b).

Paul wanted to be fully conformed to the image of Christ (verse 10): he wanted to “know [Christ]”, he wanted to experience Christ’s resurrection “power”, “share [Christ’s] sufferings”, be “like [Christ] in his death” and, ultimately, reach perfection at “the resurrection” of the body, at Christ’s second coming. It is this ultimate goal of conformity to Christ towards which Paul pressed (verses 12-14; cf. Romans 8:29).

So, we see Paul seeking more than he already had—seeking further spiritual experience. Yet, what Paul sought was not a spiritual experience detached from Christ, but rather, an ever-deepening, fuller experience of Christ himself. Christ is the “prize” (verse 14).

Christians should not be complacent in their spiritual lives. Christians should want and seek more; but the more we seek is more of the Son of God.

We see something similar in the letter to the Hebrews (chapter 11, verse 6):

“And without faith it is impossible to please [God], for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Notice (And I must give credit to John Piper, through whose writings I came to see this truth): It is God who is both the Rewarder (“he rewards”) and the Reward (“those who seek him”). It is God that we are exhorted to seek. Notice, further, that God is pleased when, by faith, we seek him. I don’t think the act of seeking God is only for lost people who are seeking salvation. Absolutely not. God the Father wants believers to continually seek him and desire more of him. We are to seek more of the Father.

Finally, in Luke 11, we see Jesus teaching on prayer, giving his disciples the model prayer (verses 2-4), illustrated with a parable about the friend seeking bread (verses 5-8). What fuels my hope in the possibility of something more is what Jesus says at the end of that parable:

9“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The Amplified Bible translates the present imperative verbs in verse 9 this way:

“Ask and keep on asking…; seek and keep on seeking…; knock and keep on knocking…” The idea is one of continuous action.

And what is it that we are to be continually asking, seeking and knocking for? (verse 13):

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask [Amp., “and continue to ask”] him!”

Did you see that? Jesus encourages us to seek the Holy Spirit! Now, as soon as I mention the Holy Spirit, many evangelicals get nervous. Some of us picture fanatics participating in wild, out-of-control meetings, rolling in the dust and handling snakes. Honestly, some of us are more afraid of the Holy Spirit than we are of sinning. Child of God, let me remind you that the Holy Spirit is God. Let’s not give over this ground to the Pentecostals and Charismatics. Experiences of the Holy Spirit are meant for all believers in Christ. Peter exhorted the crowd at Pentecost, saying (Acts 2:39), “The promise [i.e., the gift of the Holy Spirit] is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” The Apostle’s Creed states, “I believe in the Holy Spirit”. Let’s act like we believe that, and seek the Holy Spirit!

In these brief examples, we see that believers are encouraged to seek God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We should never be satisfied with what happened “way back when” at the time of our salvation. Rather, we should seek ongoing experiences of that which God began in us at salvation. We should seek to experience more of God in all his fullness, which I understand to mean more of his gracious working in our lives: conforming us to the image of Christ, increasing the fruit of the Spirit, making vibrant our witness before an unbelieving world, deepening and making more effective our prayer lives, enlivening our worship, and increasing our knowledge of him through Scripture.

The “old folks” used to sing, “I wouldn’t have religion I couldn’t feel sometime”. I agree with that! I’m not satisfied with a cold, passionless, emotionless faith. And why should I? I don’t feel passionless about my wife. I don’t feel emotionally detached from my sons. As a musician, I have deep feelings about the music I perform. So, why shouldn’t I feel passionate about my faith in God? Why shouldn’t I seek to experience God in a deeper way than ever before?

“O God, you are my God;
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)

“As a deer pants for flowing streams,
So pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
For the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2)

Do you feel this passion for God that David and the sons of Korah felt? Has God created a deep thirst for himself in your soul? Do you long for God to satisfy you with his very self? Don’t be indifferent about your relationship with God. Don’t become complacent and comfortable with a Christianity that has become cold and predictable. There is more. There is much more! It is biblical to experience God. Seek to experience God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Remember, God “rewards those who seek him.”

The biblical view of homosexuality (part 1)

About three years ago, I was sent the following note by email:

Wyeth, I hope you don't mind my asking:
Where in the Bible are the words that make homosexuality so forbidden/sinful/wrong? I am interested in the current "gay bishop" controversy raging, especially here in NE, but don't know the Bible, and do not have the experience to find certain passages.

Thanks...

Probably a lot of people have this question on their minds, and wonder why is it that evangelicals are so opposed to homosexuality. I think calling evangelical Christians, or others who oppose homosexuality, "homophobic" is not helpful since it is doubtful we're afraid of homosexuals or homosexuality (at least, I'm not). We just believe homosexuality is sinful because it is a perversion of God's intended purpose for sex and sexuality, and it violates his commands regarding sexual behavior. What follows is my slightly edited response to the note I received. Perhaps something I wrote then might prove useful to you as you think through this issue in light of today's culture.

************

No, I don't mind at all. This issue, of course, is being discussed and debated far outside the reaches of the Episcopal/Anglican Church. Even in our nondenominational, evangelical church family...

It's also a relevant subject for me, personally, because [I've known and worked with people] who are gay, lesbian and transgender. I'm on good terms with all these people... And then, there are the black men I've met or known in the black church that were gay (generally known to be gay, but not "out-of-the closet" because of the negative attitude towards homosexuality in the black community, especially the black church)...

I'm also concerned about the issue of homosexuality because of the growing hostility towards those who, like me, insist on holding to traditional Christian teaching against homosexuality. Naturally, I'm a product of my cultural upbringing (the black community traditionally is rather conservative on "moral" issues—black politicians and "leaders" like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, notwithstanding), but I've also been shaped by my understanding of the Bible.

Anyway, here goes (Are you ready?). This is long, but I don’t want to just throw out verses without some context and explanation. Also I want to try to show how all of the Bible fits together on this issue and how all this relates to the Christian church.

I’ll start with the Old Testament. These are the passages addressing homosexuality that I know of (all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible [NASB] translation):

Leviticus 18:22 (written between 1446-1406 BC)—"You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."

This verse is one of a list of commands that God gave to Moses for the Israelites (God's people in the Old Testament/Covenant). It occurs in the context of a series of prohibitions concerning sexual behaviors (incest, verses 6-18; adultery, v.20; and bestiality, v.23) that I think most people and religions would recognize today.

Leviticus 20:13—"If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them."

Again, this is a command from God for His people (the Israelites) under the Old Covenant. The context is a list of sins (vs. 2-16) which demanded capital punishment under this law code: sacrificing children to idol gods, v.2; treating parents with contempt, v.9; adultery, v.10; incest, vs.11-12, 14; and bestiality, vs.15-16. The point of such harsh punishment was to emphasize the absolute holiness of God and God's demand that His people keep themselves pure from the sins of the people groups that lived about them.

Then, there is the record concerning the Mesopotamian cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in about 1900 BC, written in Genesis 18:16—19:29.

Here’s the gist of that passage: The patriarch, Abraham, is visited by three men—in reality, heavenly beings in human form (one of them is probably God, the preincarnate Christ, Gen.18:13, 17, 20). Abraham has a nephew, Lot, who lives in Sodom. Lot was righteous, in that he worshiped the true God of Israel, but he lives among wicked people. Concerning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, God said, "Their sin is exceedingly grave" (Genesis 18:20). Two of the men/angels go to Sodom to see for themselves just how wicked the city is. The text reveals that the men of Sodom practiced homosexuality (Genesis 19:5). In the end, the angels declare that the place is so wicked it must be destroyed. Lot and his family are ordered by the angels to leave the area immediately, and God Himself destroys these cities by sending "brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven" (Gen.19:24).

Through the prophet Ezekiel, God commented, concerning the guilt of Sodom (Ezekiel 18:49-50), "She and her daughters [i.e. surrounding cities] had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed [i.e. destroyed] them when I saw it." Sodom's sin was pride and arrogance; homosexuality (“committed abominations”, referring back to Leviticus 18:22 ) was the byproduct of their arrogance toward God.

Jumping to the New Testament, the apostle Peter writes (about AD 66), regarding Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Peter 2:7-10),

“If [God] condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.”

These are the only passages in the Old Testament, to my knowledge, that deal with homosexuality. One thing is clear: homosexual relationships are nowhere endorsed in the Old Testament. Whenever homosexual conduct is mentioned, it is condemned.

Now, in the New Testament, there are only two passages directly addressing the issue of homosexuality, both of them in the writings of the apostle Paul (writing about AD 55-57).

From Romans 1:18-32:

(Verse 18) “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” (Verse 21) “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Verses 24-25) “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

And here are the key verses in Romans 1:

(Verses 26-32) “For this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [literally, “against nature”], and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts [literally, “the shameless deed”] and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, hater of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death [remember Leviticus 20], they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

It is clear that homosexuality is being referred to in vs. 26 & 27, and the apostle Paul calls the orientation “degrading” and the acts “unnatural” and “indecent” and “error”. Homosexuality, along with other sins, is “worthy of death”, according to the Law. What the apostle also condemns, and what I believe is particularly relevant in light of the current controversies, is giving “hearty approval” to others who practice the same behavior. Today, gays and lesbians are encouraged to come “out of the closet”; teens are encouraged to embrace their same-sex attractions; through various media, the message is proclaimed, directly or indirectly, “Being gay is alright; it’s good!” The apostle roundly condemns the idea of “celebrating” sin.

The other passage from the apostle Paul’s writings is 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”

I think what is important here is that the apostle does not single out homosexuals. Rather, homosexuals are seen as one of many categories of sinners. The point is, those who have a lifestyle characterized by sin will not enter God’s heaven (will not “inherit the kingdom of God”). This is consistent with what the apostle John wrote (1 John 3:7-10) in about AD 90:

“Little children, make sure so one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness [we’re talking about lifestyle, here—the overall tenor of one’s life] is righteous, just as He [God] is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed [God’s Spirit or nature] abides in him; and he cannot sin [i.e. live a lifestyle characterized by sin], because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”

The apostle John makes clear here that the person “born of God” is the same person who also “practices righteousness” and is therefore a “child of God’.

Concerning “children of God” and being “born of God”, the apostle wrote a few years earlier (John 1:12-13),

“As many as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man [i.e. physical birth], but of God [spiritual birth].”

And then, about AD 64, the apostle Peter wrote (1 Peter 1:23,25),

“For you [believers] have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God [i.e. Scripture, the Bible]. And this is the word which was preached to you.”

John and Peter, both part of the original group of 12 disciples whom Jesus taught, are merely borrowing Jesus’ words:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

So, in summary, the Bible nowhere speaks approvingly of homosexual desire or practice. Everywhere homosexuality is mentioned it is condemned. The Old Testament Law labels homosexuality as an “abomination” punishable by death. Under the “New Covenant”, homosexuality is no longer a capital offense, in terms of physical death, but the lifestyle would be a sign and symptom of spiritual death in those persons who embrace that practice. All sin, including homosexuality, is against God’s will for His people.

(To be continued...)

"It is good to give thanks..."

Psalm 92

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

How great are your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep!
The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
For behold, your enemies, O LORD,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
to declare that the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Thabiti Anyabwile writes: "A Pox on God's People"

Please read this post by Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman Island: "A Pox on God's People", about television preachers. Pastor Anyabwile is telling the truth! Granted, there may be a few sound and reputable preachers on television, but my observations over the years show me that the vast majority of TV preachers (and I'm resisting the urge to name names)--the vast majority have absolutely no business being in anyone's pulpit, never mind on television where they can sow the seeds of false teaching throughout the land.

Personally, I wish Anyabwile's message could be broadcast throughout the Black church-going community. The false teachings of TV preachers have deeply infected huge segments of the Black Church--the church culture in which I was nutured, which gave me my first opportunities to exercise my spiritual gifts and calling, my original church home--and it breaks my heart.

Some of you know what I'm talking about. I wish I could tell it all to those of you who don't know, but I can't. However, I can pray. Will you pray with me? Will you pray with me that God would be merciful to send a thorough-going reformation to the Black Church? That God would raise up godly men to preach His word and lead His Church within the Black community? Do you mind me making such a request? Is it all right for me to be care about Black people? After all, these are my "kinsmen according to the flesh". Please don't interpret my request as disrespect for any other ethnic or racial group.

I'm just someone who has experienced for myself the crisis within the Black Church--a crisis exacerbated by television preachers who are, indeed, "A Pox on God's People", especially the Black Church.

Men and the church

I came across the following posts at Cerulean Sanctum (Dan Edelen). They are old (June 2004, April 2005 and August 2005) but, hey, I've only been blogging since October of this year! So, they're new to me. The first two posts address the shortage of men in the church, and the third post deals with men and humility. I think Edelen makes some interesting and valid points. But, don't take my word for it; read his posts for yourself: "The Church's Missing Men", "Another Look at the Church's Missing Men" and "The Humble Warrior".