tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-133237952024-03-23T14:08:35.857-04:00beloved before time"God has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher." (2 Timothy 1:8-11)Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.comBlogger424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-91638043183485334152015-03-06T21:50:00.000-05:002015-03-06T21:50:30.676-05:00Are you exasperating your children?I'm a dad of two young children, a three-year-old boy who has been described by his "Gaga" as "butt-stubborn," and a three-month-old girl. And as a dad of young kids, my go-to Scripture verse--the first our son memorized--is Colossians 3:20: "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord" (NKJV). However, Paul immediately admonishes dads: "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged" (3:21). <br />
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There is, in other words, a way for parents (and the Bible especially warns dads) to demand obedience in such a way that will provoke them to anger and leave them exasperated, embittered, and discouraged.<br />
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I don't know how you as a dad (or any parent) fall into this trap. But trust me, you do. "We all stumble in many ways" (James 3:2). Have you been praying that God would show you how you are demanding obedience in such a way as to discourage your kids? Perhaps it will help to show how I do:<br />
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<li><i>Do you react to disobedience quickly in anger?</i> Rather than being "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19 NIV), I often discipline my son in reactionary anger. I don't wait to calmly talk with him about how he disobeyed so that he recognizes his offense and then understands the consequence accordingly. This scares him because in the moment I am far harsher than I otherwise would be. Fear doesn't create a place where he will listen. As James continues, "Man's anger does not produce the righteous life God desires" (James 1:20 NIV).</li>
<li><i>Do you use harsh tones of voice?</i> "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).</li>
<li><i>Do you assume your child is doing something wrong?</i> There have been many times where, knowing my son's track record, I interpret an action of his as disobedient, crafty, or mean-spirited, when the truth reveals it was something altogether different. I have often told my son to not go into the fridge by himself. So when he opened the fridge a few days ago, I assumed he was disobeying. It turns out that Mommy had asked him to get something for her. I need to be "quick to listen" and fully investigate situations first, as God did at Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:20-21).</li>
<li><i>Do you demand perfect obedience with no room for grace?</i> Psalm 103:9 says that God "will not always chide." Do you nag and get on your kids for every single thing they do out of step? Some days I'm like this for sure. It makes even me feel tired and discouraged.</li>
<li><i>Do you fail to accommodate changes in your kids' environment?</i> Our son's behavior degrades when he is tired, hungry, or has had a change in routine. God does expect us to do right all the time regardless of our circumstances. But there's a level at which we must understand and approach our children as fellow humans prone to weakness. "As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:13-14). Fathers are supposed to know that their kids are weak!</li>
<li><i>Do you choose words that belittle your children?</i> I have often used words like, "How many times do I have to tell you ...?" or "This is the third time you've done this today!" Talking this way can make the child feel like a worthless, incapable dolt. Jesus warned that everyone who through insults degrades another's personhood and value is liable to the fires of hell (Matthew 5:21-22). The better way is to simply acknowledge each separate act of disobedience without piling up a burdensome tally. After all, love "keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV).</li>
<li><i>Do you speak over your children's heads?</i> I often orate my son with such long and complex explanations of his behavior and what is right and yadayadayada that even I get lost in my train of thought. The kid is barely potty trained! This doesn't leave our children with a clear understanding of what to do and what not to do.</li>
<li><i>Do you discipline before a child is fully trained so as to know right from wrong?</i> God gave his people his written word because all Scripture is "profitable ... for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16), and fathers are to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6). God's <i>Torah</i> (instruction) was laid down for centuries through the priests and prophets of the old covenant before God's patience reached its limit and he sent them into exile.</li>
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When you realize these faults in yourself as a dad, remember that this is part of God's own fatherly care (Hebrews 12:5-11). God has compassion on those who fear him and pardons all our iniquities through the blood of his Son Jesus (Psalm 103). One of the best ways to show the reality of this good news to your kids is to go to them, explain how you sinned against God and also against them, and ask their forgiveness. Then pray together, asking God for his pardon, trusting and thanking him for reconciling us to himself through Jesus, not counting our trespasses against us (2 Corinthians 5:19), and asking him to restore the relationship between you and your children (Malachi 4:6)--for we parents need Jesus' salvation just as much as they do.</div>
Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-40302560948220142772015-01-14T20:01:00.000-05:002015-01-14T20:51:04.446-05:00Christ and Our Callings, Part 4Life makes life complicated. As my wife once said, "Don't you hate it when life gets in the way of, you know, <i>life</i>?" In case I'm being opaque, life's demands and responsibilities and limitations always seem to get in the way of the joys we want to pursue. But what if instead of hindering us, these help us find freedom?<br />
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Back in November, Olivia gave birth to our second child, our daughter Margaret. That means more bills, more childcare, more family needs--and of course more love and joy in our home too. But nonetheless it has made us grapple with our priorities about time, money, and calling.<br />
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For years I've felt a growing unrest and dissatisfaction with being a public high school science teacher. Along the way, a nagging <i>Sehnsucht</i> plagues me on and off. Most recently, my desire to pursue graduate studies and a career in forest and wetland ecology has reached its zenith. I started looking at graduate programs, such as <a href="http://www.research.biol.vt.edu/ERG_webpage/VT_ST_ERG.html" target="_blank">this amazing one</a> at Virginia Tech. But the reality is that grad school would put us in debt and likely force us to relocate--all for a government job that would probably earn less money and give less vacation time than my current job. As I considered my dreams of spending days outdoors, I realized that it was impractical, if not inaccessible. I felt stuck--and glum. <br />
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Some days I still do.<br />
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But around new year's I had a revelation. <i>What if, instead of thinking about what job would be most enjoyable and satisfying, I rather looked at what my real priorities were in life, and chose a job that best supported those priorities?</i> My foremost calling is as a disciple of Christ and a member of his body, the church. After that, I've made a lifelong pledge to become one flesh with my wife. Third, I'm a father to my children. Only after that am I a worker. So what job would best enable me to fulfill the higher callings? It makes little sense to have a fulfilling job at the expense of things that really matter more. While teaching doesn't pay a whole lot here in Virginia, it does afford me nine weeks off in the summer--plenty of time with my family, if I'm not teaching summer school or picking up other work in the summer. And I wouldn't need to go to grad school or relocate or place those other demands on my family.<br />
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It was suddenly freeing to think that way--like that gray raincloud over me was starting to lift. Instead of feeling stuck in a dead-end job, I began to feel more hopeful. That this was where God really wanted me for now. (Olivia would be quick to tell me that dead ends are only for people who are considering their lives without Christ in view.) I still don't super love teaching. That hasn't changed overnight. But it gives me a little more hope that God will equip me to do a good job in it and to find days of happiness too.<br />
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Then I began also to consider my life under God's providence, his guiding hand. Of all the people in the world who have no choice over their occupation and who've had no chance at an education, I was able not only to go to a university, but also to choose my own career path <i>and</i> land not one, but four jobs in my chosen profession. That's a remarkable privilege that few in history have had. If through all the choices I've had and doors God has opened, I have this job, then it certainly can't be a bad thing. Maybe it's the best thing for me right now.<br />
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On top of that, having the job of your dreams certainly can't be essential to being fully alive, worshiping God and living out his image in the world. After all, most people have to simply take whatever job they can find or learn whatever trade their family has been in for generations. If it's not something attainable to all mankind, then it's not essential to life the way God wants us to live it.<br />
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(Sorry, no great conclusion here today! But check out my earlier posts in this series:<a href="http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/2012/06/christ-and-our-callings-part-1.html" target="_blank"> Part 1</a>, <a href="http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/2012/06/christ-and-our-callings-part-2.html#more" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, and <a href="http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/2012/06/christ-and-our-callings-part-3.html" target="_blank">Part 3</a>.)Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-78733927437917169332014-07-20T20:26:00.001-04:002014-07-20T20:37:48.689-04:00Love = HolinessIn my previous post, I attempted to show from Scripture that in many ways, practical holiness involves living in love: sacrificial concern for the good of others that trumps concern for yourself. It's living as God lives, holy as he is holy. In other words, "holiness" equals love. <br />
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At the same time, the reverse is also true: "love" equals holiness, that is, living life under God's rule and under his law and promises and bearing God's likeness in the world. If we live lives of love as "imitators of God" walking in Christlike love (Ephesians 5:1), then that means we aren't living like other people do; our love is to be holy as the Lord is holy (1 Peter 1:16).<br />
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While hippies waved banners about "free love," real Christian love is generous and costly. It embodies grace and gives to others when they're undeserving. Jesus said that love for one another and the world would be the mark of his disciples (John 13:34-35; 15:9-13). And yet this same Jesus-styled love would cause the world to hate his disciples because it reminds them of him (John 15:18-25). So there must be something inherently un-worldly about the way we are to love others.<br />
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<i>"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." (1 John 5:2-3)</i><br />
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According to this passage, obeying God's commandments is the litmus test of how well we love others. We can say we're loving other people well, but if we're not serious about obeying everything Jesus said about God's will for us, then we're not being very loving. If you "love your wife" but look at pornography, you're not really loving her (violating the 7th commandment against marital infidelity). If you "love your pastor or your boss" but disrespect him and bad-mouth him openly to others, you're not really loving him (violating the 5th commandment to respect authorities over you, the 6th commandment to preserve the dignity of another's life, and the 9th commandment to defend others' reputations). You cannot truly be "for marital love" while simultaneously endorsing divorce or homosexuality as a valid option in the kingdom of God.<br />
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I haven't unpacked all that this means (so I probably should shut up and not be writing anything yet!). But a few things stand out in my mind right now. First, love for others is inherently rooted in love <i>for God</i> ahead of love for yourself or other people. We love other people because we love God first, because they are his creation and are made in his image. So that means the supreme goal of our lives and theirs is to flee from idol-worship and turn to worship of God, living lives that look like him.* God's goals for us often run counter to our own desires, so pointing others to God often involves correction and loving declaration that our lives all involve sin. True kindness leads others to repentance (Romans 2:4).<br />
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Second, rightly ordered love for others is the natural result of knowing the holy God.<br />
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<i>"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you." (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)</i><br />
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<i>"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says, 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3-4)</i><br />
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Pagans who do not know God live in "the passion of lust" driven by selfish consumption instead of "holiness and honor" that seeks to put others first rather than wronging them (1 Thessalonians 4:4-6). Knowing God as he is revealed in his written Word is both they key to discovering how to live like him and the gravitational force for a rightly-ordered heart. Therefore if we really see our lives looking like God--loving what he loves, hating what he hates, reflecting his character--this confirms that we know God and are in fact his beloved children, holy and set apart from the fallen world.<br />
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Finally, rather than trying to "be loving"--something possibly vague and nebulous, depending on the situtation--it might be easier and more concrete to start by simply asking, "What has God revealed about his will for this attitude, behavior, disposition, etc.?" First John 5:2 says that loving God and keeping his commandments is itself assurance that we are loving others. So if you want to live a life of love, when you see a commandment in the Bible, do it! That <i>is</i> love.<br />
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*Right now I'm working through a helpful workbook by Brad Hambrick called <i><a href="http://www.wtsbooks.com/gods-attributes-brad-hambrick-9781596384156" target="_blank">God's Attributes: Rest for Life's Struggles</a> </i>(P&R, 2012). Hambrick briefly describes different attributes of God and then offers diagnostic questions to help the reader examine how well he is <i>resting in</i> each attribute and <i>emulating</i> it in our lives.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-5639874620816413222014-07-15T20:31:00.000-04:002014-07-15T20:33:58.864-04:00Holiness = LoveIn our effort to preach and live out the inclusive, merit-discrediting grace of God that welcomes <i>real sinners</i> into his glad home, it's easy to wonder what place things like <i>holiness</i> and <i>obedience</i> and <i>God's law</i> have in our lives as Christians. But Scripture lays out two very clear truths: God's grace cannot be turned into license to sin (Romans 6:1-2, 15; Jude 4), and the chief virtue is love (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10). We cannot whitewash God's call to holiness by saying, "It's all about love," but neither can we live out our holiness in isolation. So what does biblical holiness look like?<br />
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The more and more I read the Bible and learn what holiness is--that is, living as one separated from the world to belong to Christ and live for his purposes, to beat with his heartbeat--I learn that living a holy life is living a life of love. Our holiness consists in living the way Jesus did in sacrificial, compassionate, otherworldly care for others.<br />
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<i>"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I [the Lord] am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:14-15, quoting Leviticus 11:44)</i><br />
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So we are to be imitators of God, following him in his holiness. But does that mean a life of monasticism? Self-flagellation? A doctorate in theology? Only listening to "positive Christian radio" and watching Kirk Cameron movies? Teetotalling? <br />
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<i>"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1)</i><br />
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You see, being an imitator of God, being holy as he is holy, means to "walk in love." That is, we live in love for others in daily, step-by-step reliance on the love our Father has for us. (Note that in both imperatives, Christians are called God's beloved children.) <br />
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<i>"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:12-14)</i><br />
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<i>"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again ..." (1 Peter 1:22-23).</i><br />
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If we are to live as those "chosen by God, <i>holy</i> and beloved," those who have "<i>purified</i> [our] souls," the clear command is to love others the way Jesus loved us. (Heck, just skip the rest of this post and read all of 1 John. Then read <a href="http://www.monergismbooks.com/Love-Walked-Among-Us-Learning-to-Love-Like-Jesus-p-17596.html" target="_blank">this book</a> if you're ready to be humbled.)<br />
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If holiness involves both belonging to God for his purposes and being unstained by sin, then I think the Holy Spirit wants us to recognize that sin's core ugliness involves self-worship and self-concern that keeps us from seeking others' interests and good ahead of our own. To be freed from the pollution of sin and really live in holiness is to live less and less with our own cares and needs in mind and look instead to how we can do lasting good to others. <br />
<br />Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-15349167234427597322014-06-22T19:47:00.000-04:002014-06-22T19:47:56.880-04:00The Hymn that Makes Me Cry (Almost)This afternoon at church, we sang several amazing songs (including "Be Still, My Soul" by Katharina von Schlegel). But our closing hymn was the one that almost always brings tears to my eyes (inasmuch as that happens for me): "For All the Saints" by William How.<br />
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For all the saints, who from their labors rest,<br />
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,<br />
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.<br />
Alleluia, Allelu ...<br />
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Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;<br />
Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;<br />
Thou, in the darkness drear their one true Light.<br />
Alleluia, Allelu ...<br />
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O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,<br />
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,<br />
And win with them the victor's crown of gold.<br />
Alleluia, Allelu ...<br />
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The golden evening brightens in the west;<br />
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;<br />
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.<br />
Alleluia, Allelu ...<br />
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But lo! There breaks a yet more glorious day;<br />
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;<br />
The King of glory passes on his way.<br />
Alleluia, Allelu ...<br />
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From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,<br />
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,<br />
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.<br />
Alleluia, Allelu ...<br />
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More than any other, I want this hymn sung at my funeral (preferably in <a href="http://indeliblegrace.bandcamp.com/track/for-all-the-saints-feat-dan-haseltine" target="_blank">Christopher Miner's tune</a>, but I'll take <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQcTn_oEuxU" target="_blank">Sine Nomine</a></i>). If <a href="http://cardiphonia.bandcamp.com/track/the-lamb-has-overcome" target="_blank">songs about Jesus as Victor</a> get my hands raised and my feet a-stompin', then it is songs about Jesus' faithfulness in <a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Revelation%207/" target="_blank">leading his church to her eternal bliss</a> in the news heavens and earth that bring a quiver to my lips. <br />
<br />Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-74637690432864977742014-06-09T20:36:00.000-04:002014-06-16T19:38:05.603-04:00Why We're Not Baptizing Our Children (Yet)<span style="font-family: inherit;">While on the phone with my mom a few weeks ago, she asked us again why we belonged to a Presbyterian church which baptizes infants, but we ourselves have not had our son baptized.* I hope to explain here why I've chosen this path for our family. I realize this is a huge issue that cannot be covered in a few paragraphs, but here's my best attempt to briefly explain it. And I write this with great humility--I am fallible and could be wrong--and with great respect for the Reformed heritage and for my brothers and sisters in Christ at <a href="http://www.universityreformedchurch.org/" target="_blank">URC</a> and <a href="http://citychurchrva.com/" target="_blank">City Church of Richmond</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What is the Presbyterian doctrine?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Presbyterian and Reformed churches see baptism as the equivalent of circumcision, which was applied to children to show their status within the Abrahamic covenant. Start by reading Genesis 12, 15, and 17 to get a picture of God’s promises to Abraham.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Circumcision was the “sign of the covenant” God gave to Abraham (Genesis 17:11 ESV). It served as a sign (visible representation) of the covenant relationship between God and Abraham and his offspring. It was also a seal confirming the reality of this covenant relationship and God’s vow to “be God to you and to your offspring after you” (Genesis 17:7; cf. Romans 4:11). Circumcision signified inner spiritual renewal and cleansing (Isaiah 52:1), as well as the need to live consecrated to God--or else one too would be cursed and “cut off” from life under God’s blessing (Genesis 17:14). Through bloodshed it prefigured the bloody judgment of Christ that would ultimately earn this spiritual renewal and cleansing for God’s people. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because Christ has shed his blood in his own “circumcision” on the cross (Colossians 1:21-22; 2:11-12; Isaiah 53:8), no more blood needs to be shed. Baptism with water has replaced circumcision as the rite of initiation into God’s covenant people, and it has the same core significance. “In him also you have been circumcised …, having been buried with him in baptism …” (Colossians 2:11, 12). This “in him” and “with him” language shows that baptism depicts union or fellowship with Christ.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why, then baptize children before we know if they’ll come to faith? The Gentile church under the new covenant is an expansion of God’s covenant people under the old covenant, Israel. The church does not replace Israel. Believers are “offspring of Abraham” and through Christ are receiving the fulfillment of what was promised to Abraham (see Romans 4 and Galatians 3-4). Because of this, as in Israel of old, not only should new adult converts to Christianity be baptized, but so should their children, just as infants were circumcised before their faith was evident. “For the promise is for you and for your children ...” (Acts 2:39). This explains the baptisms of entire households or families we see in Acts 16 and elsewhere in the New Testament.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Presbyterians do not believe that baptism automatically saves anyone, but it puts a mark upon those who belong to the visible church, the covenant community of professing Christians and their children--a mark that calls us to faith and supports our faith because of the promises confirmed by God in baptism. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What do I see wrong with this? Why is the Baptist way better?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grounded as it is upon Scripture and not the traditions or sentiments of men, I was pretty convinced for several years that the Presbyterian doctrine was in fact the correct biblical teaching. But several inconsistencies in their reasoning began to nag me, and I discovered that the argument for infant baptism is not water-tight (sorry)--and that a Baptist interpretation better fits biblical passages about baptism.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To begin with, there is the obvious fact that outside of ambiguous references to the baptism of entire households (whose membership is an argument from silence), every narrative mentioning someone’s baptism is of people who actually repent and accept the gospel (see Acts 2:37-41; 8:12, 36; 9:18; 10:44-48; 16:14-15, 31-34; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16). Muddying this, though, is the fact that most of what we read in the NT is baptism of first-generation Christians coming into the faith for the first time; there is no mention of what is done with their children. Were children baptized irrespective of their faith? Or were they only baptized upon their own confession of Christ? In the face of such ambiguity, it seems safer to me to stick to what is positively and explicitly taught: the baptism of people who believe the gospel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This baptism of professing Christians alone explains why the New Testament writers so closely correlate baptism with actual salvation. They write in such a way that what is true of the baptized cannot be said of nonbelievers. In baptism we were joined to Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). Those who are baptized have “put on Christ” and become heirs of heaven (Galatians 3:26-29). In baptism we have been “circumcised,” that is, brought out of alienation from God and into his people, had “the uncircumcision of your sinful nature” removed, and had the record of debt against us done away with (Colossians 2:11-14 NIV). These things cannot be said of infants who were baptized but who have not yet or will never come to faith--because it is only faith that joins us to our Savior. This is why baptized Christians are called “sons of God, through faith” (Galatians 3:26) who are “buried with Christ in baptism, in which you also were raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Likewise there seems to be a conscious awareness of the need for repentance and cleansing that leads people to call upon Jesus and begin following him. “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). “Baptism, which corresponds to this [the waters of the flood], now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). (See also Acts 2:17-41.) In essence, baptism appears to function as the ordained way sinners call upon the Lord for salvation and are saved. Presbyterian baptismal liturgy asks parents if they believe their child is a sinner in need of the blood of Christ, which I suppose serves as such an “appeal to God for a good conscience” on behalf of their children. But it seems safer to follow the explicit pattern of the New Testament and restrict baptism to those who are personally looking ahead to God’s judgment and salvation found in his Son alone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lastly (for now), I think the Presbyterian doctrine misunderstands the way that circumcision was installed as a sign of the covenant belonging to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abraham</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> offspring. God’s eternal promise is to be “God to you and to your offspring after you” (Genesis 17:7). But the “you” in view here is not the general believer or man of faith (as Presbyterians see it), but rather Abraham. It is God’s pledge to the children of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abraham</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Before Christ came, God’s people were both the “Israel of faith” as well as all other physical descendants of Abraham--the “Israel according to the flesh.” (Hence the promises given Abraham also involved provisions for temporal life in the land of Canaan.) But Galatians 3-4 makes it pretty clear that the true promises of God came to but one Offspring, one Seed, Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16). It is through Christ--by trust in him alone--that we become Abraham’s children and receive the promised blessings along with Abraham (3:7-9, 13-14, 16, 26-29). Verse 29 sums it up well: “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Notice the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">if-then</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> construction: being Abraham’s children who are in covenant league with God depends on belonging to Christ. Being a “circumcised” member of God’s people no longer depends on your physical relationships or who your parents are, but on belonging to Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit; and the land the church inherits is not Palestine, but the new heavens and the new earth, with the heavenly Zion (Hebrews 11:10, 16). (See also Romans 9:6-9; Galatians 4:21-31; and John 1:12-13 for the view that Abraham has two lines of offspring, those according to the flesh and those according to promise.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I still agree that baptism is chiefly a divinely ordained sign and seal of the new covenant in Christ. It is a “visible word” of our forgiveness and cleansing from sin, the renewal of our inner nature as God pours out his Spirit, and of belonging to Christ and our engagement to him. By baptism we are joined to the visible church, the community of faith. Baptism doesn’t directly represent our own faith or decisions--because our own frail faith can never support our doubting hearts in the fight against sin, the devil, and the worl, but God’s sure gospel Word can. But baptism is an act a repentant believer submits to out of his faith: he chooses to be marked as belonging to Christ and his church and become a disciple.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why then do we belong to a Presbyterian congregation?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we searched for a church home in 2009, I was at that time convinced of the biblical validity of infant baptism, though Olivia disagreed. So it was not a big deal to join a Presbyterian church. But when Ephraim was born, we knew we had to make a decision about whether to baptize him. It was a tough decision, and we wanted to be united as a couple and also consistent for all our children. Through prayerful study of God’s Word, this was the conclusion I came to--not because it was what I was most comfortable with, but because I believe it’s what the Bible teaches. And while I see strengths and weaknesses to the biblical arguments for both practices (Romans 11 and the positive evidence for a Presbyterian view of the church still haunts me), I can’t endlessly waver back and forth. So this is what I’m sticking to for now. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We feel God continues to call us to belong to City Church. Besides this one glitch, I love the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition, and I think its teachings are sound. And though City Church is far from perfect, it’s where people know us, where we know others, and where we rejoice to hear the gospel, worship God, and serve others. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">*For the record, I grew up in a mixed Lutheran and Catholic household. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I inherently reject the Roman Catholic doctrine that the sacrament of baptism automatically remits our sinful nature and forgives all prior sins. The Bible is clear: there is no salvation apart from personally turning away from your sin and embracing Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Likewise I also think that the Lutheran doctrine is misleading: In baptism the Holy Spirit grants faith to receive Christ and his forgiveness--but that we can fail to exercise this faith and fall away from salvation. This violates a wealth of scriptural teaching that genuine believers will persevere in faith and are sealed by the Spirit as a guarantee of their salvation (e.g., Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; John 5:24; 6:35-40; 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-30; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, 23-24; Jude 24).</span></span>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-7016019347017811652014-06-05T17:18:00.002-04:002014-06-09T20:47:45.822-04:00Of Bills and Babies: Hope for Parents Concerned about MoneyGood news: Olivia is pregnant with our second child, due in November! <br />
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Of course, this leads me to always wonder how on earth we're going to support a second (or someday third, fourth, ... ) child. This would require some major restructuring of our work situations, child care, etc. God clearly has something up his sleeve for us in the future. (Frankly, I hope it's money for a heat pump. Two hundred dollars per month for heating oil is killer.)<br />
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But to still my anxious heart, God has lovingly been reminding me of Psalm 37:25-26 again and again. Not that I ever intentionally memorized it, but it has somehow come to my memory almost every day for the past few weeks:<br />
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<b>I have been young, and now am old,</b><br />
<b> yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken</b><br />
<b> or his children begging for bread.</b><br />
<b>He is ever lending generously,</b><br />
<b> and his children become a blessing.</b><br />
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What a blessing! To know that somehow, some way, God will always provide for us what we need. I mean, how many families do you see at Walmart where a single, working mom is towing a whole flock of youngsters? Sure, God's idea of "what we need" might not intersect with our ideas of comfort or convenience. But when the goal of our life is the enjoy and glorify our Maker and Sustainer, those "c-words" are only added graces. So I might not have any clue what our life will someday look like, or how he will provide, but I need to choose to trust that God will be faithful to us and look after our family--better and more lavishly than we could imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9).<br />
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You may ask, "Andrew, how do you know you're one of 'the righteous'?" Fair enough--a good look at my life might reveal a whole lot that isn't close to righteous. But in the Bible, the "righteous" aren't the perfect people, but those who recognize their sinful brokenness and humbly cling to God and follow his ways the best that they can. And today that means trusting in Jesus, whose perfect sonship and obedience is credited to everyone who hopes in and follows after him.<br />
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For additional thought: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11; Philippians 4:10-20.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-22166647649953112862014-02-10T14:41:00.000-05:002014-02-14T22:47:13.583-05:00You Will Not Restrain Your Mercy from MeThis morning I read this in Psalm 40, and it blew my mind:<br />
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As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain<br />
your mercy from me;<br />
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will<br />
ever preserve me!<br />
For evils have encompassed me<br />
beyond number;<br />
my iniquities have overtaken me,<br />
and I cannot see;<br />
they are more than the hairs of my head;<br />
my heart fails me. (vv. 11-12)<br />
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What is so crazy? David doesn't say that God will preserve him <i>in spite of</i> his own evils and iniquities. I fact, he doesn't even <i>ask</i> God to preserve him, as if it were in question. No, through the Holy Spirit, David spoke for God and testified that "You, O LORD, <i>will not </i>restrain your mercy from me ... <i>For</i> evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me." It is precisely <i>because</i> David is hopelessly mired the inescapable pit of in his own wretchedness (see vv. 1-2) that God remains faithful and steadfast. God knew he was David's sole hope for rescue, and David knew it too.<br />
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Can you imagine that God is so full of mercy and compassion that when you're at your very worst, a stinking cesspool of selfishness, God is precisely at that point <i>for you</i> and <i>full of love for you</i>? God delights in being faithful to the unfaithful, a rescuer to the hopeless. This is what it means for God to be holy: when others would run away, that is when he is near. "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18; see also Isaiah 57:15). All he asks is for a needy and contrite heart that cries out for him. <br />
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How can we know that God will be like this toward us? After all, we certainly might be tempted to at least begrudgingly hold back some good from a messy, undeserving person. But God doesn't curb it at all: "You will not restrain your mercy from me"! In fact, to restrain his own mercy would be essentially to deny it. Mercy is compassionate deliverance from an awful situation. If God restrained his mercy by waiting for us to get our lives together, that wouldn't be mercy at all!<br />
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But the sureness of God's mercy rests on more than just a definition of mercy, however. It rests on Jesus Christ. Speaking of his looming suffering and death by crucifixion, Jesus said that "I have a baptism to be baptized with" (Luke 12:50). A baptism represented a chaotic deluge, often of God's judgment (cf. Psalm 69:1-2). He was overtaken by <i>our</i> iniquities--yours and mine--the "evils beyond number" of fallen mankind, so that only mercy and steadfast love would remain for those who come to God through him. So the next time your eyes are opened to your sin and life feels like nothing but a suffocating failure, take courage and run to God through Jesus. He will gladly receive you and rescue you.<br />
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<i>[Postscript, 2/14: I realize that in wanting to put the </i>work<i> of Christ at the forefront, I think I've sort of put his </i>person<i> in an erroneous light. To begin with, saying that God's mercy rests upon Christ and his cross does not and cannot mean that God the Father and God the Son were somehow at odds with each other over whether to have mercy on sinners. Jesus said that he only did his Father's will and what the Father himself does (John 5:19-24) and that he and the Father are one (John 10:30). And Paul reminds us that "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). God himself was doing the reconciling. And while in some sense that means the Father, it encompasses all three persons of the Triune Godhead. And that very God is Jesus.</i><br />
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<i>Second, I neglected to think of simply seeing mercy in Jesus' character--and in God's character throughout the Bible--as a testimony to who he is. God "cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:13); as he is, so he always will be. We see God/Jesus doing concrete acts of mercy--raising widows' sons, providing bread to the needy, healing diseases--and that points us to his character as a person of mercy and compassion.]</i>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-69326130396978421082014-02-04T20:24:00.000-05:002015-01-23T22:39:30.252-05:00The Sun of Righteousness<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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In the final Old Testament prophecy about Jesus--some 400 years before his birth--God spoke through the prophet Malachi that the Messiah would be "the sun of righteousness" (Malachi 4:2). Later on, the author to the Hebrews said that Jesus, God's Son and this promised Messiah, is "the radiance of the glory of God" (Hebrews 1:3). Somewhere a while back I read a quote from John Calvin's <i>Institutes of the Christian Religion.*</i> Calvin said,<br />
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Christ, our righteousness, is the Sun, justification, its light, sanctification, its heat. The Sun is at once the source of both, so that light and heat are inseparable. But only light illumines and only heat warms, not the reverse; both are always present, without the one becoming the other. (3.11.6)</blockquote>
I love this, because though it's not up to date with modern physics, it shows so many great biblical truths so clearly.<br />
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First, <i>justification is distinct from sanctification</i>. Roman Catholic theology says that being declared right(eous) and accepted before God (our justification) depends on how much we've repented of self-love and turned to love God and others during our lifetime (our sanctification). Against this, evangelical theology says, along with the Bible, that as soon as God says "Let there be light!" and makes the light of Christ shine in us (2 Corinthians 4:6), we are fully and irrevocably reconciled to God. When you're in the sunlight, its brightness is always the same. From our first moments of repentance and faith in Christ, we're fully and unwaveringly right with God and accepted by him.<br />
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Second, <i>sanctification is inevitable for the justified.</i> Though the sun's brightness may not vary, the more you're out in its rays, you begin to feel its warmth and heat. You grow warmer yourself because of the sun's continued effects upon you. Therefore the longer you live by faith in Christ, you become more and more aglow with his presence. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18).<br />
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Third, <i>both aspects of this salvation </i><i>are encompassed by union with Christ</i>. Both justification (God declaring a sinner innocent and fully in good relational standing before him) and sanctification (God's progressive work of making a sinful person more like him) belong to being in the light. Without the sun, we lack both light and heat; with the sun, we possess both. As Richard Gaffin puts it, "There is no partial union with Christ, no sharing of only some of his benefits. If believers do not have the whole Christ [which they do!], they have no Christ; unless they share in all of his benefits they share in none of them."* Or, in the words of the Belgic Confession (article 22),<br />
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For it must necessarily follow<br />
that either all that is required for our salvation<br />
is not in Christ or,<br />
if all is in him,<br />
then he who has Christ by faith<br />
has his salvation entirely. <br />
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Finally, <i>you need to be in the light to have this union with Christ</i>. This all assumes we are no longer living in darkness. Both to stand accepted before God and to experience inner renewal, there must come a moment--one great beginning that never ends--when you throw open the door and let in the light of Jesus. And when you do so, you'll realize that it was God himself who "has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6) and has "delivered us from the domain of darkness" (Colossians 1:12-14).<br />
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*Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. "Biblical Theology and the Westminster Standards," <i>The Practical Calvinist: An Introduction to the Presbyterian and Reformed Tradition</i>,<i> </i>ed. Peter Lillback (Christian Focus, 2002), p. 439.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-24879520469137471702013-12-13T22:44:00.001-05:002014-06-09T20:48:23.672-04:00Those Who Sow in Tears Shall Reap with Shouts of JoyDo you worry over your child's anger and behavioral failures, fearing he will be ruined by them, or that you are failing him as a parent? What would it be like instead to rejoice in his failings as tools in God's hands to pave the way toward an infinitely brighter future?<br />
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Our 23-month-old son Ephraim has developed a recent fascination with blankets. This evening he tried picking up the blanket my on which my wife was sitting. When he was unable to do it, he protested vociferously. Then he tried jumping off the coffee table onto the couch, but he couldn't bridge the gap, which sent him spiraling downward even further. Exhausted and hungry, he proceeded into a bleary-eyed, wailing tantrum that would last about twenty minutes. <br />
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After I took him upstairs for "time out" in his crib, I prayed with him. At first I asked God to be near to him and give him the ability to calm down because, as John Piper points out, anger "devours almost all other good emotions" and "numbs the heart to joy and gratitude and hope and tenderness and compassion and kindness."* <br />
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But then I thought, <i>maybe I shouldn't pray for that</i>. So instead I began to pray, "God, in times like this when Ephraim can't control his own anger and emotions and tantrums, let him see his own desperate condition. Let him see that he cannot restrain his feelings and the chaos that floods over him. Let him see both your forgiveness for him in the cross and also how much he needs the power of the Holy Spirit inside him to give him peace and the ability to calm down." <br />
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This was really freeing. As I thought about it over the evening, I gained a small bit of parenting freedom. I've been reading through the book of Proverbs recently, which is mostly a book of how fathers should train their children in wise living in fear of the Lord. Proverbs says that children who grow up to be unruly, disobedient, and unwise are "fools." And of course I never want my son to be foolish or to be ruled by his desires (which is what anger reveals; see James 4:1-3). But more than I want him to be "good," I want him to know and receive the goodness of Jesus Christ. I want him to see how needy and sinful and evil his heart is, and that his outbursts reveal both how selfish his desires are <i>and</i> how he is mastered by his own desires--and that through this his only hope, and his <i>sure</i> hope, is the grace of God in Jesus.<br />
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I pray that God will keep this in my mind as the years go by. Instead of fretting over every tantrum and display of self-will, I want them to become signposts confirming to him his need for Christ and the grace God offers to the humble. I want to know that the more Ephraim sins--as atrocious as this is--the more cause there will be for him to crave the unfailing love of God. "With weeping they shall come, and with pleas of mercy I will lead them back, ... for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn" (Jeremiah 31:9).<br />
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*John Piper, <i><a href="http://cdn.desiringgod.org/pdf/books_bmm/bmm.pdf" target="_blank">This Momentary Marriage</a> </i>(Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2009) p. 150.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-79144468909450809552013-09-16T08:43:00.000-04:002013-09-18T13:48:44.147-04:00With Reverence and AweI drove past a church in Richmond last week that had a sign which read: "Worship just got better. Casual. Contemporary. Comfortable." Now when I read more on this church's website, I think their worship might still be pretty legitimate--that is, centered upon God's word to us in the gospel, led by the Holy Spirit, for the sake of exalting God's name through Christ our Lord. But should we expect worship to be casual and comfortable?<br />
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Actually, if we stop and are honest, many of us might use words like <i>mundane</i> or <i>boring</i>. How many of us can resonate with something so un-noteworthy as a group of ordinary folks sitting around as the preacher goes on and on about Melchizedek-this or Shechem-that ... and you start daydreaming ... and fall asleep. (This was even true when the Apostle Paul taught; see Acts 20:7-9.)<br />
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But Jesus reminds us that "where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them" (Matthew 18:20). Now, in context he is saying this about the leaders of the church in exercising church discipline. But in doing so, Jesus says that whatever they do on earth is also happening in heaven (see Matthew 18:15-20). When the church gathers on earth, she is also meeting in heaven.<br />
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In Hebrews 12:22-24 we see an even more vivid portrait of what happens when the saints gather:<br />
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But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly [or church; Greek <i>ekklesia</i>] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.</blockquote>
This is a present reality for the gathered church: you <i>have come</i> (v. 22). Thus the author concludes with this exhortation: "See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. ... Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire" (vv. 25, 28-29; see also Psalm 50).<br />
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"There I am among them." What should we expect when Jesus comes in the midst of his people? What should worship look like? Again, probably it will appear to our eyes very normal to us most of the time. But we should never fail to remember that our Lord is active in our midst as one "from [whose] mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and [whose] face was like the sun shining in full strength" (see Revelation 1:12-20).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-77TNgCkeU/Ujb8hYBSrJI/AAAAAAAAAfY/IEUBEaFanvw/s1600/wintleyphipps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-77TNgCkeU/Ujb8hYBSrJI/AAAAAAAAAfY/IEUBEaFanvw/s400/wintleyphipps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Wintley Phipps, www.gospelbondservant.com </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When we believe that Jesus is a living person present with us in our worship, we should expect more to be shaken than to be comfortable; we're encountering heaven. Church gatherings like those we see in the New Testament begin to take on a new light:<br />
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Praying saints are shaken and filled with the Holy Spirit to speak the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).<br />
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The power of the Lord Jesus is present (1 Corinthians 5:4).<br />
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Sinners are forgiven and the sick are healed (James 5:14-16).<br />
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The dead are raised to life (Acts 20:7-12).<br />
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Unbelievers are convicted of sin, the secrets of their hearts are exposed, and they fall on their face in worship because God truly is present (1 Corinthians 14:24-25).<br />
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Believers participate in the benefits of the crucified and exalted body and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16).<br />
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Sin-sick and life-weary hearts are refreshed and given hope (John 7:37-39; Acts 3:19-20).<br />
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Here in September, in the time between Pentecost and Advent, the church calendar says we're in "ordinary time." However, right worship is anything but ordinary. Or casual. Or comfortable.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-64165123640215878582013-08-01T22:45:00.001-04:002013-08-01T22:47:00.592-04:00I'll Do Better Next TimeI recently finished reading Edward Welch's book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Addictions-Banquet-Finding-Resources-Changing/dp/0875526063/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qidl=1375410684&sr=8-1&keywords=banquet+in+the+grave" target="_blank">Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel</a></i> (P & R, 2001). I found it to be a really helpful guide to the fact that addictions--whatever biological and sociological components may be at play--are ultimately a worship disorder: We worship our own desires and cravings so much that they become our masters and enslave us. Which, of course, means that there is hope for addicts of all kinds--not in AA, nor rehab, nor medicine, nor counseling, but in Jesus Christ, who died for us to break the power of sin over us, so that we would no longer be its slaves (see Romans 6:1-23). Jesus sets us free to know and worship the true God.<br />
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Anyway, on page 282 amid some practical tips for remembering and applying the work of Christ to our daily battles, Welch paraphrases Martin Luther in offering this tough admonition:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Is Christ always in view when you talk about sin? <a href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/luther/luther_galatians.html#chapter5" target="_blank">Commenting on Galatians 5:4</a>, Luther asks, <b>"What do you do when you are caught in some sin? If your answer is, 'I'll do better next time,' then you have no need of Christ."</b> Luther then offers this alternative: "that you despair of your own righteousness and you trust boldly in Christ."</blockquote>
<br />Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-71839062023997086722013-07-19T00:57:00.000-04:002014-06-09T20:50:22.887-04:00Nothing Can Hinder the Lord This week I was talking with some other dads at <a href="http://citychurchrva.com/" target="_blank">our church</a> about how difficult it is to rear our children to understand both grace and law. We all recognized this is a tough tightrope to walk! After all, nearly every New Testament letter was occasioned by either too much reliance on the law (human behaviors and efforts) or a perversion of grace into a license to sin or to live a lax life. Both errors fail to do justice to the cross of Jesus.<br />
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Of course, this concern is even broader than understanding the gospel. Any honest parent, I'm sure, would be led to some worries about whether they're doing a good job raising their kids rightly in all aspects of wise living.<br />
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But thank God I was reminded of this simple truth that evening: The God who gave us children in the first place, the God who has put authority and responsibility into parents' hands, who is himself a loving Father--<i>it is this God who cares more about our children than we do!</i> He cares more about their faith and salvation than we ever will. He is the one who designed his great saving plan and sent his Son to die for sinners, at great cost to himself. He is the one who sends his Spirit to open the eyes of the blind to see the light of Christ's glory (2 Corinthians 4:4, 6). He is the one who finds immense joy in recovering his lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). He is the one who delights in wisdom (Proverbs 8:30; 3 John 4). As the <i>Westminster Confession of Faith</i> reminds us*, God uses our best efforts to rear our children in the way of the Lord Jesus without exasperating them (Ephesians 6:4), but he is not confined by how well we do. After all, he is the one who, in his wisdom, has entrusted the passing of his covenant to the next generation into the hands of finite, weak sinners, and so he too will provide amazing grace to see that his purposes for our children are fulfilled. Why are we sitting there looking at ourselves? No wonder we have fears about parenting.<br />
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"Come, let us go ... . It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6).<br />
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* "God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure." (5:3)Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-76186583947123218212013-06-22T23:16:00.000-04:002013-06-23T00:00:00.662-04:00Do Not Be DeceivedWhen I was preparing the walls of our new house for painting, I discovered the oddest thing: the new off-white paint and even the reddish paint beneath were added <i>over</i> the blue painter's tape around a light switch. Who paints over painter's tape? It seemed like no big deal, especially with the tape buried under two layers of paint and concealed by the switch cover plate. That is, until I tried scraping the wall and taking off the paint. Now that tape is making it a lot harder, and its removal will probably do a lot more damage.<br />
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Have you ever done something wrong and tried to cover it up with a lie? Of course you have. We all have. This leads to one of two almost inevitable additional steps--or both: You add to that lie by fabricating an entire deception-filled ruse so that your original lie won't become uncovered, or you repeat that original lie over and over again with greater force and confidence. Either way, the original truth becomes so buried under a mountain of lies that we cannot even find it anymore. Eventually we get to the point where we think it would require more work and damage to unravel our wicked web than to maintain the facade. We come to the point where we've lied so much that our minds become reprogrammed, and the lie becomes our new functional truth. We become no longer able to tell the truth from the lie; we believe the lie we keep telling <i>is</i> the truth. <br />
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Rather than deceiving others, you now have deceived yourself.<br />
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This is the very danger the Bible sets forth when we try to gloss over the ugly truth of our sinfulness.<br />
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This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you: that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10)</blockquote>
Did you catch that? When we say everything's okay and try to put forth a facade that we know God and have it all together and that we've done no wrong, we're trying to deceive others. We want to hide in the darkness because we fear exposure for being sinners. We're afraid others will judge us and run away from us.* But what does verse eight say is the result of being dishonest with others? "If we say we have no sin, <i>we deceive ourselves</i>, and the truth is not in us." <br />
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This is an exceedingly dangerous thing. Deceit and dishonesty are antithetical to the God who is the very essence of light and truth. Lies cloud our vision of what's true about God, so it becomes harder and harder to reach out in hope for the very key to our freedom: the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin. This is why we need extreme vigilance to any seeds of duplicity.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:12-14)</blockquote>
Falling away from God doesn't just happen. It's not passive. You don't simply wake up one day and find you no longer believe that the gospel is true. That day comes after years of choosing to put yourself first, suppressing God's voice in unbelief, and then lying about it day after day without repentance and honest searching and revealing of your heart (see Psalm 139).<br />
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But as long as it is called "today"--which it is if you're reading this--we have a greater hope by which we can draw near to God. We have the promise from God that if we come into the light and agree with him and others about our sin (confession), we regain fellowship with him. God is not unjust; he will not discard his Son's sacrifice <i>for sinners</i>. Jesus died to bear the punishment due upon sinners (1 John 1:7; 2:1-2), and God will be true to validate that his demands of justice have been fully met for all time on the cross. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1:9).<br />
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The beautiful truth is that while it's impossible to cover our sin with a web of lies (see Isaiah 59:1-8), when we give up on maintaining the facade, God is faithful to cover what we uncover. "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. ... I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:1-2, 5).**<br />
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*Note that verse seven actually says the result of honesty is that "we have fellowship with one another." Humility creates a band of brothers who can reach out to one another rather than keeping others at arm's length for fear of being found out!<br />
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**In Hebrew, the verb meaning "to atone" (<i>kpr</i>) essentially means to cover over a wrong and thereby bring about reconciliation. In 1 John 2:2 Jesus' death is a <i>hilasmos </i>(ESV "propitiation," NIV "atoning sacrifice"), which is closely related to <i>hilasterion</i>. In the Greek Old Testament <i>hilasterion</i> was used to refer to the atonement cover or "mercy seat" atop the ark of the covenant on which blood was sprinkled to cover over the wickedness and defilement of God's people and placate God's holy wrath (see Leviticus 16).Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-39541188796778367602013-06-13T15:09:00.000-04:002014-06-09T20:47:07.104-04:00The Father's Day GospelFather's Day provides an annual chance to awkwardly think about why you love your dad. But what if <i>you</i> are the dad? Do you start shifting in your chair, wondering if you're doing a good job? What if you fall short?<br />
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Maybe you're a dad who worships the living God and reads the Bible. What would you do if you came across these passages in the Old Testament?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You shall have no other gods before me. ... You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Deuteronomy 5:7, 9-10) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"And the LORD said to me, '... Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and keep my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!'" (Deuteronomy 5:29)</blockquote>
The Old Testament is rife with examples of poor fathers raising foolish children who don't fear the Lord, and of how indeed the sin of fathers consumes their whole families. (Take, for example, the families of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in Numbers 16, or the sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 2!) God works in and through family relationships throughout the Bible, and for the most part, families rise and fall on the faith of the father who leads the home.<br />
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So when we as fathers read these passages about the God who is "the same yesterday and today and forever," how can we have good hope for our children after us? How can we be sure we will raise a wise family who repent of their sins and embrace Jesus, who fear and trust God and call him Father? How will we know we will see his blessing upon our households rather than curses? After all, does not God threaten to return fathers' sins upon their children's heads?<br />
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But after reading this chapter from Deuteronomy this morning, I remembered another set of very similar promises from Jeremiah 32 outlining the grace promised in the new covenant in Christ:<br />
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"And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul." (vv. 38-41)</blockquote>
Did you catch the same wording? Whereas under the old covenant God yearns for men to have "such a heart ... to fear me and keep my commandments, that it may go well with them and with their descendants forever," now in the new covenant he promises to freely give this to his people. "I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and for the good of their children." <a href="http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/2006/01/when-its-good-to-be-self-centered.html" target="_blank">What God demands from us he freely provides!</a> God's own faithful love to us <i>causes</i> and <i>guarantees</i> our own faithful love to him. God says in effect, "I will see to this! I will secure for you what you need to love me and follow me!" <br />
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But these aren't promises secured by general goodwill. They're secured by the sacrifice of God's only Son, who removed God's curses from us that were due to us for our sin and so that we could receive God's own Spirit to live inside us, change our wills, and redirect our affections (Galatians 3:13-14; Romans 8:1-4).<br />
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Go back and read Jeremiah 32 again. And again. How awesome are these promises! If you are a dad, or any parent or guardian of youth in your home, these promises are yours if you belong to Jesus. <br />
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With the above in mind, I want to point out a few books I've found to be really helpful ...<br />
1. <i>Gospel-Powered Parenting, </i>William Farley (P&R Publishing, 2009).<br />
2. <i>Shepherding a Child's Heart</i>, Tedd Tripp (Shepherd Press, 1995).<br />
<br />
...and a third that looks pretty awesome but I haven't read.<br />
3. <i>Parenting by God's Promises</i>, Joel Beeke (Reformation Trust, 2011).Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-28567648934725668552013-05-18T12:51:00.001-04:002013-05-20T16:06:58.788-04:00Not in Temples Made by ManThis Sunday will be <a href="http://www.citychurchrva.com/site/" target="_blank">City Church of Richmond</a>'s last worship service at our current site before moving to another congregation's building (we rent the space). This will be our second move. (After our inception in 2006 we moved to our present location in February 2011.) Honestly, this is bittersweet for me, just as the first move was. And I'm really bummed because I left my camera at school and won't get any photos of our last worship service.<br />
<img alt="photo" height="213" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5258/5528650487_74787b1a5b.jpg" width="320" /><br />
But as I was looking through the photos on our church website, it helped me remember that City Church is not a building; it is the "household of God" (Ephesians 2:19) and the "family of believers" (Galatians 6:10 <span style="font-size: x-small;">NIV</span>). City Church is the Stacks, the Walkers, the Bourgeoises, the Bonkovskys, the Bryants, the Warshaws, the Blanchards, the Shays, the Crawfords. It's Gabe and Ellen and Ruthie and Todd and Jessee--all the wonderful people who gather every week to hear the gospel of God's grace to us in Christ, respond in prayer and praise, and to gather around the table to eat dinner with Jesus. The real church sits in the pews.<br />
<img alt="photo" height="149" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6648947283_d996b485a0_b.jpg" width="200" /> <img alt="photo" height="200" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8328/8135801186_52bdd3e107_z.jpg" width="149" /> <img alt="photo" height="132" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4078/4780779758_b9c537807c_b.jpg" width="200" /><br />
"The God who made the world and everything in it ... does not live in temples made by man," the apostle Paul reminds us (Acts 17:24). "In him [Christ] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). It is the people of City Church that make the building special, not vice versa. It is when we meet and because we meet in Jesus' name that the building becomes special, infused with the presence of Jesus by his Spirit. "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them" (Matthew 18:20). That fellowship with Jesus and one another in him is what brings us joy (see 1 John 1:1-4). And this is not mere sentimentalism, but some kind of <a href="http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/2012/03/outcroppings-of-heaven.html" target="_blank">holy mystery that exists among those who belong to God</a>. <br />
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Olivia and I are in the process of closing on a wonderful new house God has provided us in the Lakeside area of Richmond. Just blocks away in "the white house" we rekindled our relationship in 2007 and began our married life in Richmond in 2009. Yet as sad as it is to leave the white house or even our current apartment of 3-1/2 years, it's not the house that is important. The address is simply the context for the memories--the questions and anxieties of our lives, the gladness of marital bliss, the challenges faced in our sin and the sweet joys of forgiveness, the birth of a child and watching him grow. But we are that house, so that house will never die no matter where it moves.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCv68j4s_rg/UX_AV4fEpMI/AAAAAAAAAXg/Iz-jm4cjvZo/s320/front+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our new house!</i></td></tr>
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P.S. - Daniel, Jennifer, and Caroline -- Our prayers are with you as you move to DC! You'll be missed!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-81198918847210124132013-02-13T22:54:00.000-05:002013-02-16T15:32:27.967-05:00In the Flesh I Live by Faith<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ever since I became a follower of Jesus in college, Galatians 2:20-21 has been one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (NIV)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's one thing to be excited about a Bible verse that captures the essence of the good news about Jesus when you're new in the faith. But it's another thing to look back eleven years later and see more of this. I guess that's one of the many things I love about the Word of God, too: it's so rich that it never ceases to be relevant. As I learn more about life, it speaks deeper truths.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul wrote Galatians sometime between A.D. 48-52, at least 17 years after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus (see 1:18 and 2:1). And what did he learn in those 17 years? "It becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners" (2:17). When I first began to love the gospel I think I had some idea I'd have grown a halo by now. But instead I'm pretty sure the opposite has happened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What I never saw before--and what I love now--is that Paul says that "the life I now live<i> in the flesh</i> I live by faith" (ESV). For years I read "in the body" (NIV) and thought, <i>Duh. Of course he lives in the body. He's a human. He has a body.</i> I never understood why that was relevant for Paul. But seeing "flesh" (Greek <i>sarx</i>) made sense of it: "flesh" is Paul's one-stop-shop for referring to the powers and postures of a fallen world and a sinful nature that tries to exercise every way of achieving hope and peace and life and joy except for submitting to God and trusting in him. Our flesh represents our self-serving desires bent against God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So why do I love this? Because Paul just spent 17 years becoming an even bigger sinner, growing daily in his debt to God. He knows he still lives "in the flesh." He still has a "body of death" that perplexes him with his conflicting desires that rear their head without warning (see Romans 7). And yet he can say that even in the midst of that--in fact, precisely <i>because of that</i>--he lives by faith in Jesus, God's Son.* He sees he can't earn God's favor and love by his moral rectitude and just gives up, casting his worn-out soul on Jesus who loves him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And if Paul can do that, so can I, because Jesus is not dead but alive. In the middle of my perplexing, senseless sin that just grows every day, I can and must live by faith in Jesus. I can know that Jesus "loved <i>me</i> and gave himself <i>for me</i>." His death has not only fully paid for all my sins but also served as the culmination of a life of obedient sonship that became a fragrant offering to God (see Ephesians 5:2 and 1 Samuel 15:22). And now, somehow, mysteriously, by faith his very life replaces mine before God--<i>his</i> obedience,<i> his</i> sonship, <i>his</i> place in the Father's love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I can go on living in the flesh, a stinkin' mess of sin and brokenness, knowing and trusting in Jesus. The gospel is good news indeed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">_____________</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Paul's argument in Galatians 2:17ff. goes something like this: Because Paul and his company are sinners, people are accusing them of using Jesus' grace as an excuse for sin: When people have Jesus, they don't need to be law-keepers to earn God's favor, so Jesus is a "servant of sin." But Paul denies this, saying rather that they were "found to <i>be sinners</i>," people who by very nature cannot keep the law wholly and so cannot earn a right standing with God through it. Rather, Paul sees how the law shows him his own sin and then how Jesus fufilled it for him, so that he can say "through the law I died to the law." That is, the law itself showed him the law was useless but that Christ was faithful in every way Paul himself had failed.</span>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-49660529218051081712013-01-18T16:11:00.002-05:002013-01-18T16:40:31.766-05:00Gladly Being Spent[Wow. Blogging again. At least this once, anyway.]<br />
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Today as Olivia and I were planning out our daily schedule, taking advantage of a day off work due to some snow and late-night ice, I realized that her plans to get an allergy shot and go shopping with a friend from work would ax my plans to go running around the golf course. (Getting pegged in the head by a stray golf ball is not something I generally like to risk, so I rejoiced to think that no one would be out on the links today.) After all, I had to stay home and take care of our year-old son Ephraim. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47b3yj2SzdI/UPm55jovQwI/AAAAAAAAAb0/lyb6LG7YeGg/s1600/IMG_3053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47b3yj2SzdI/UPm55jovQwI/AAAAAAAAAb0/lyb6LG7YeGg/s320/IMG_3053.JPG" width="320" /></a>I was in a sort of funk for a while after that, which I now attribute to the selfishness of my own heart. While Olivia was getting ready to leave, I commented on how I really find it hard sometimes to see children from God the Creator's point of view: that they are an unqualified blessing. "And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth'" (Genesis 9:1; cf. 1:28). "Behold, children are a heritage from the L<span style="font-size: x-small;">ORD</span>, the fruit of the womb a reward. ... Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" (Psalm 127:3, 5; see also Psalm 128). Let's face it: we have it easy. Neither of us is a single parent, and we only have one child, who sleeps probably 16 hours a day. And yet how often all I think about is how having a child limits my freedoms and ease of living. I might be anti-abortion, yet I still functionally imbibe the <i>zeitgeist</i> that unlimited convenience trumps the challenges of raising children.<br />
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Then, as usual, God's Word exposed the thoughts and intentions of my heart and found them wanting and selfish. Yay, I love that. In 2 Corinthians 12:14-15 Paul sets forth a different attitude for parenting to his "children" at Corinth: <br />
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<b>And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?</b></blockquote>
As a father, my chief aim should be to love my son the way God loves us in Christ, pursuing us to win our hearts: "What I seek is ... you." Am I seeking Ephraim's love, trust, and respect so that I can point him to the Father above who loves him far more than I ever will? Or is my desire and prize to go running, explore the woods, sleep more, have a clean apartment, or watch <i>Parks and Recreation</i>?<br />
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And in that pursuit am I joyfully giving up everything I have and expending myself, just like Jesus did for me? "Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus gladly "emptied himself" of all his freedoms and lived each day in a death to comfort, self-will, and independence in order to win back the hearts of God's straying children (Philippians 2:5-11). Will I too do this for my son by sacrificing my plans, my free time, my convenience, and my sleep and spending these to serve and care for him?<br />
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Thankfully, all of this came to me while Ephraim was taking a nap. When he awoke, God gave me so much happiness as I picked him up, fed him, changed his stinky diaper, and danced with him to Caedmon's Call's <i>40 Acres</i> album. Thanks, Lord, for my little boy, and every moment with him. He's growing up so quickly, and these days will soon be only photos and memories.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-85030882054098438472012-08-09T11:09:00.001-04:002012-08-09T11:12:12.871-04:00O Brother, Where Art Thou?Why is it that at times we may confess our sins to God in personal prayer, and yet feel no relief of forgiveness? Doesn't Jesus teach us that "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:4 NIV)? Isn't David's inspired psalm true when he attests, "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:5)? Why then does our sin still feel like a burden on our shoulders, sapping our strength as the midsummer heat? And why do we end up falling back into those same sins instead of experiencing a greater measure of victory over them? (Surely I am not alone in having experienced this.)<br />
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It may well be that we're looking for Jesus in the wrong places.<br />
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When Saul was on the road to Damascus to persecute early disciples of Jesus, Jesus met him in a blinding vision. "Saul, Saul," he said, "why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4). Wait a second. Saul was causing trouble for Christians, not for the Christ, right?<br />
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But Jesus said Saul was persecuting <i>him</i>. <br />
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This is because by his Holy Spirit, Jesus lives inside his people and is organically tied to them, so that Jesus can say, "As you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40). The saints, Jesus' faithful followers, are in fact where we encounter Christ this side of heaven. We speak his voice, with his words (see <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%2010:14&version=NASB" target="_blank">Romans 10:14 NASB</a>; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%204:10-11&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 4:10-11</a>). He has put into the mouths of his people the Word of the gospel, the proclamation of forgiveness. He has given us power to release people from their sin or to exclude the unrepentant from fellowship with him. Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection,<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." (John 20:21-23)</blockquote>
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Think about that. Jesus commissioned his disciples with the power to proclaim or withhold his own words of forgiveness (see also <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2016:19&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 16:19</a>). Could it be that in our silent, private confessional times we do not break through to relief because we're not swallowing our pride enough to go to a brother or sister with our sins? It's as if Jesus is saying, "I was standing there, ready to assure you of my love and grace, of the wonders of my cross, with arms open wide--if you would but come to me! I was there, ready to be found by you in the arms and words of your brother, but you would not go to me there. As you did not do to the least of these my brothers, so you did not do it to me."Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-58414670646874202082012-06-29T09:23:00.002-04:002012-06-29T09:23:32.234-04:00Looks Can Be Deceiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Matt-23-27" id="en-ESV-23942"><span class="woj">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23942AY" title="See cross-reference AY">AY</a>)"></sup>whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23942AZ" title="See cross-reference AZ">AZ</a>)"></sup>all uncleanness. </span></span><span class="text Matt-23-28" id="en-ESV-23943"><span class="woj">So you also <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23943BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)"></sup>outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23943BB" title="See cross-reference BB">BB</a>)"></sup>hypocrisy and lawlessness." - Jesus (Matthew 23:27-28)</span></span></span>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-82645696824662047282012-06-23T12:32:00.000-04:002015-01-14T20:12:50.624-05:00Christ and Our Callings, Part 3<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I think about my calling in life, I have to grapple with two things. First, who's doing the calling? Who is the one calling me? It's not myself. Callings cannot come from within. (But how often we live as though they did! We hark to Socrates's cry: "Know thyself!") It is <i>God</i> who is calling me to belong to him and to live under his reign--the reign of his Son Jesus--in every breath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But I also wrestle with the order or priority of my callings, of the roles and responsibilities I've been given. Even if not chronologically derived, my foremost commitment is to my wife as her husband. I've entered into a covenant with her to hold fast to her until death parts us. Beyond that, I'm now a father. Those are my primary callings. Only after that am I a science teacher/coach/whatever. I suppose a good glue holding all those other callings together is the call to be part of Christ's body (Romans 1:6-7). Which just gets me back to the first calling in the first place. (See "Christ and Our Callings, Part 1.")</span><br />
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In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul sets up a paradox that surrounds the Christian life.
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Phil-3-12"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">12 </sup></span>Not that I have already <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29417AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></sup>obtained this [becoming like Christ, vv. 10-11] or <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29417AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup>am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. <span class="text Phil-3-13" id="en-ESV-29418"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">13 </sup>Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29418AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup>forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,</span> <span class="text Phil-3-14" id="en-ESV-29419"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">14 </sup>I press on toward the goal for <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29419AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup>the prize of the upward <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29419AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></sup>call of God in Christ Jesus.</span> <span class="text Phil-3-15" id="en-ESV-29420"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup>Let those of us who are <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29420AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></sup>mature think this way, and if in anything <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29420AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></sup>you think otherwise, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29420AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)"></sup>God will reveal that also to you.</span><span class="text Phil-3-16" id="en-ESV-29421"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">16 </sup>Only <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29421AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></sup>let us hold true to what we have attained.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul somehow rests content in all that Christ is for him and all who is in Christ's hands. "Christ Jesus has made me his own." Because his righteousness is that of Jesus and comes through faith, not his perfection in good deeds or service (v. 9), he knows his life and identity are secure. But at the same time, he knows Christ has grasped him for the sake of "the upward call of God." As a result he presses upward, never resting on his laurels or living out of his past, but always pushing to enjoy and love and serve Jesus more and more. </span><br />
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Still, Paul closes with an urge to "hold true to what we have attained." That is, while we should strive to grow in our knowledge and service and ever press on in the Christian life, we should also make sure we're living faithfully within the callings and circumstances and knowledge we have at the present.<br />
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Am I content with being a husband and father? Is this enough? Is it enough for me to keep living faithfully before God in my present situation, even if he doesn't call me elsewhere (see also 1 Corinthians 7:17-24)? Am I content with the knowledge of God and of his Word which he has given me, and am I honestly trying to live my entire life in accord with what I already know? Ha! Isn't it true that our head knowledge always outpaces our practical application of it in our lives? That our theologies on paper look far better than what shows up in the flesh? Or do I not believe that God can use me for his glory and my joy where I already am? With the skills and knowledge I have? Do I need something more? Can I honestly say of Jesus, along with William Guthrie, "Less would not satisfy, and more could not be desired"?* <br />
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I know that progress and increasing faithfulness in my callings is good. And if progress in becoming a better husband/dad/teacher--and ultimately a more faithful disciple of Jesus--means changing some aspect of my life and situation, then maybe that's necessary and good. Maybe being faithful to the gifts God has given me will mean making hard choices and stepping into new territories. But progress and pursuit and change will fail if I don't first see that I'm already seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6), and that all I'm doing in this life is becoming more of the person Jesus has already recreated me to be (Ephesians 2:8-10). Which is simply to say, becoming someone who knows him more and more each day, in every event, choice, and circumstance.
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Quoted in Donald Macleod, <i>A Faith To Live By</i> (Christian Focus, 2010), pp. 170-171.</span>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-70238318735834504622012-06-22T23:47:00.000-04:002015-01-14T20:12:32.517-05:00Christ and Our Callings, Part 2Atop psychologist Abraham Maslow's <i>Hierarchy of Needs</i> sits "self-actualization." This is said to be the greatest need of all humans. Understood rightly, Maslow said self-actualization is really a person who gains increasing awareness of himself, the world, and his place in it; lives honestly and transparently; and has a sense of mission, duty, and responsibility to other humans. Through this, a person lives beyond himself and finds a place of transcendence in the world. <br />
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I would argue that in our souls, deep within, all people know we have fallen from something great. We suffer as much from original glory as we do from original sin.* Not that our original, God-given glory was bad. But sin has caused us to shrink away from God, others, nature--even our true selves--into the hollow recesses of our own deceitful self-honor and self-wisdom. We climbed upon a tiny throne but away from everything else weighty and good.<br />
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The problem is, we often try to discover who we are or fix our resulting sense of loneliness and angst by taking on roles in life that we think will restore to us a sense of fulfillment and transcendence. How easily I can do this with a job! <i>If only I got some recognition for my awesome "21st century skills"-based lessons. If only someone thanked me for my high SOL pass rates. If only Libbey would let me teach my new stoichiometry methods at the district inservice. If only I could teach AP Biology and get some cred. If only I could do more ecology field trips and get kids involved in nature's web hands-on. If only the cross country team would win the district title.</i><i> </i>Of course, this works the same way in "sanctified" callings within the church. <i>If only I could use my gifts to teach theology full-time. If only I could read that John Stott book and learn more about the cross of Christ. If only I could grow more competent in counseling others. If only I could teach the church in [enter largely Muslim nation here].</i><br />
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But it's not a job or any supposed "calling" that is meant to fulfill our souls and give us real life; Jesus said we can find that only in knowing him. "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). What John calls "eternal life"--life without limits, in satisfying wholeness--is nothing other than coming to God through Jesus and being satisfied in him. <br />
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That's why Paul labored and strove at great cost to himself, not to discover through his jobs and callings more about himself or to "find himself," but to find and discover Jesus his Lord. <br />
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<span class="text Phil-3-1">Finally, my brothers, <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29406A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup></span>rejoice in the Lord. <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29406B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span>To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.</span><span class="text Phil-3-2" id="en-ESV-29407"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">2 </sup></span>Look out for <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29407C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>the dogs, look out for <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29407D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. <span class="text Phil-3-3" id="en-ESV-29408"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">3 </sup>For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29408E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>we are the circumcision, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29408F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>who worship <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29408G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>by the Spirit of God and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29408H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—</span> <span class="text Phil-3-4" id="en-ESV-29409"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">4 </sup> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29409I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:</span> <span class="text Phil-3-5" id="en-ESV-29410"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">5 </sup> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29410J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup>circumcised on the eighth day, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29410K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup>of the people of Israel, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29410L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>of the tribe of Benjamin, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29410M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29410N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>a Pharisee;</span> <span class="text Phil-3-6" id="en-ESV-29411"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">6 </sup> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29411O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>as to zeal, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29411P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>a persecutor of the church; <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29411Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>as to righteousness under the law, blameless.</span> <span class="text Phil-3-7" id="en-ESV-29412"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">7 </sup>But <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29412R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>whatever gain I had, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29412S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.</span> <span class="text Phil-3-8" id="en-ESV-29413"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">8 </sup>Indeed, I count everything as loss because of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29413T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>the surpassing worth of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29413U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29413V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ</span> <span class="text Phil-3-9" id="en-ESV-29414"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">9 </sup>and be found in him, not having <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29414W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29414X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—</span> <span class="text Phil-3-10" id="en-ESV-29415"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">10 </sup> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29415Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup>that I may know him and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29415Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup>the power of his resurrection, and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29415AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup>may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,</span> <span class="text Phil-3-11" id="en-ESV-29416"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">11 </sup>that by any means possible I may <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29416AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></sup>attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:1-11)</span></blockquote>
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Paul had all the right credentials. In his own eyes and in the world's, he had found his niche where he could excel and prove himself competent. Paul was, he thought, a self-actualized man. Yet in the end he realized all this was a hollow boast if it didn't give him more of his Savior. So he worked and toiled not to understand and bring out more of his worldly identity (vv. 3-6), but "in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him" and "that I may know him" (vv. 8-10). Paul wanted to <i>know</i> Christ and share in a Christlike life, even through great cost and suffering, and "become like him" (v. 10). <br />
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Through the cross of Jesus we are children of God who are released from having to perform to be accepted and loved (v. 9), with an identity given by grace rather than earned by our accomplishments. Only when we believe this are we set free to pursue any job, any role, any relationship as a vocation from God. Every job becomes a holy calling in which we can truly worship God, serve our neighbors, and do lasting good. That doesn't mean it doesn't matter at all what we do. But it does mean that without the goal of knowing Christ and working out of rest, contentment, and security in who he is for us, even our "dream jobs" and "life's callings" will fail us. No job, no city, no spouse is big enough to fill our souls and give us abundant life. But Jesus is, and he loves to be so for his people.<br />
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*I think Rob Bell uses this idea somewhere in his book <i>Velvet Elvis</i>.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-49336616743488648372012-06-19T11:52:00.000-04:002015-01-14T20:13:09.232-05:00Christ and Our Callings, Part 1I've invested ten of the past twelve years of my life into being a high school science teacher (five years of schooling plus five years of service). In many ways, it's been wonderful. Let's face it: how many people get to choose a career path, study for it, and then actually find continual employment in that exact role? I have a stable job at a <a href="http://henrico.k12.va.us/hs/glenallen/" target="_blank">top-notch, innovative public high school</a>, my students earn pretty good scores on the state benchmark tests, and I get to coach cross country as well. On top of that, the pay is decent enough, the benefits are great, and I have a continuing contract. Still, I often find myself looking out the window with a restless spirit, wondering what lies beyond being a science teacher.<br />
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For years now I've had a vision of serving the church in a country where sound theological education is needed, either where the church is small, dead, or has strayed from orthodoxy (e.g., Germany, France, Czech Republic), or in a nation where the evangelical church is young and persecuted (e.g., Turkey, North Africa). I've never thought of this as a necessarily "higher" calling, but being able to devote myself to teaching God's Word just seems awesome. After all, I already love studying the Bible and getting chances in the local church to lead studies and teaching.<br />
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But when I look at my passions and gifts and wonder about my "calling" in life, I find myself face-to-face with the question, "Who am I?" It's really a question that shapes all our pursuits in life.<br />
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God's answer to the question of my calling is the same answer he gives to my identity: I am "called to belong to Jesus Christ" and I am among those "in Rome loved by God and called to be saints" (Romans 1:6, 7). Now of course I'm not in Rome proper, but I have a city, a concrete location and context in which to live my life as a saint, that is, a justified sinner possessed by Jesus Christ. It is this identity as one belonging to Jesus that shapes and defines the "calling" of all Christians.<br />
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After describing that as the Christ, Jesus was anointed for the roles of prophet, priest, and king, the <a href="http://www.crcna.org/pages/heidelberg_main.cfm" target="_blank">Heidelberg Catechism (Lord's Day 12)</a> reminds us that as Christians, we too belong to Christ and share in his anointing. No matter what our station in life, we are called to be prophets who speak the truth of God's unchanging word, point out the vain and empty gods we hold dear, and show others the paths that reap God's blessing or his curses. As priests we pray and intercede for others before God and we worship the Lord with thanksgiving and purity. And as kings we fight against sin and unrighteousness, uphold justice, live wisely and righteously, and provide for and protect those under our care. <br />
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Rather than seeking a job or a locale that allows me to maximally pursue my dreams or special desires and talents, living out my identity as a Christian means following Christ in his mission and living out his ways not in dreams of future potentialities, but in the concrete particulars of where I already live. I can be a prophet, priest, and king to those around me today. That reality doesn't hang upon my circumstances. To view my job from this angle and to give myself more fully to this in <em>any</em> job, town, or relationship will make it more fulfilling, meaningful, and enjoyable than "pursuing my dreams"--because I will be living out who I really am as a member of Christ, and not who I think I should be. <br />
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This doesn't mean it's wrong to change jobs or stations in life. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20cor%207:17-24&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:17-24</a> Paul told slaves to avail themselves of their freedom if they could. But he also told them that their present circumstances were something to which God had "called" them, and that they were already free to live a whole life worshiping and enjoying God right where they were. The primary calling that defined and shaped all their other callings was that they were "called into fellowship with [God's] Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1:9 NIV). And so it is with us today.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-63312615802507485322012-06-18T13:10:00.000-04:002012-06-22T23:42:03.971-04:00The Process Is the PointWhen I was raising support in 2005 to go to Turkey, the story of Jesus walking on water (Mark 6:45-52) took on new light. And again I'm at a time in my life when I'm faced with some new opportunities that have set me out "rowing to Galilee."<br />
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<span class="text Mark-6-45"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">45 </sup></span> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24449AZ" title="See cross-reference AZ">AZ</a>)"></sup>Immediately he <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24449BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)"></sup>made his disciples get into <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24449BB" title="See cross-reference BB">BB</a>)"></sup>the boat and go before him to the other side, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24449BC" title="See cross-reference BC">BC</a>)"></sup>to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. <span class="text Mark-6-46" id="en-ESV-24450"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">46 </sup>And after he had taken leave of them, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24450BD" title="See cross-reference BD">BD</a>)"></sup>he went up on the mountain to pray.</span> <span class="text Mark-6-47" id="en-ESV-24451"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">47 </sup>And when <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24451BE" title="See cross-reference BE">BE</a>)"></sup>evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.</span> <span class="text Mark-6-48" id="en-ESV-24452"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">48 </sup>And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24452BF" title="See cross-reference BF">BF</a>)"></sup>the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24452BG" title="See cross-reference BG">BG</a>)"></sup>He meant to pass by them,</span> <span class="text Mark-6-49" id="en-ESV-24453"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">49 </sup>but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,</span> <span class="text Mark-6-50" id="en-ESV-24454"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">50 </sup>for they all saw him and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24454BH" title="See cross-reference BH">BH</a>)"></sup>were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, <span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24454BI" title="See cross-reference BI">BI</a>)"></sup>“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”</span></span> <span class="text Mark-6-51" id="en-ESV-24455"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">51 </sup>And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,</span> <span class="text Mark-6-52" id="en-ESV-24456"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">52 </sup>for <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24456BK" title="See cross-reference BK">BK</a>)"></sup>they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24456BL" title="See cross-reference BL">BL</a>)"></sup>were hardened. </span><span class="text Mark-6-53" style="background-color: transparent;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">53 </sup> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24457BM" title="See cross-reference BM">BM</a>)"></sup>When they had crossed over, they came to land at <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-24457BN" title="See cross-reference BN">BN</a>)"></sup>Gennesaret and moored to the shore.</span> </blockquote>
Jesus had told the disciples to go to Bethsaida, where they were to continue their ministry to the poor and afflicted, proclaiming the kingdom of God. So when the disciples got into the boat, I'm sure they thought that their rowing was all about getting to Bethsaida and what they were going to do there. How many would Jesus heal? What new mysteries would he unfold? But that wasn't even the point. It wasn't about Bethsaida.<br />
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It was about the journey across the Sea of Galilee. You see, only while they were sent by their Lord in that direction could they be the in place where they would encounter Jesus walking on water. Only there could they see Jesus in control amid their troubles and difficulties. And only there could their faith be stretched by fixing their gaze on him and walking out on the water too.<br />
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In the end, we see that while Jesus had originally sent them off to Bethsaida, they landed at Gennesaret. What happened on the way may have ended up changing their trajectory. Maybe Jesus gave them new directions while out at sea. But only if they were with Jesus out there could they have known that.<br />
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How often does God open one door and give us an opportunity for some kind of service to him or a new avenue in some facet of our lives? Whether or not we take that opportunity, we're forced with decisions to make--decisions which cause us to search our hearts and desires, search out who God really is for us in this moment, and make a decision in reliance upon his power and grace. We're not in control, so we never know where we're going to land. But maybe that doesn't matter much to God anyway. What he cares about is what's happening in our hearts and our character along the way. Only when he places us in the circumstances he chooses to reveal himself and to call us out of the boat to him, can we grow the way he wants. <br />
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So maybe it's not about whether you'll take a teaching job in Africa, or go to graduate school, or work for a non-profit, or move to Nashville--or whatever decision you're faced with. It's about what happens within us as we venture into uncertain territory (or stay in a familiar place!) in reliance upon Jesus, as he shows us who he really is for us.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13323795.post-46422649494815789272012-05-25T18:20:00.001-04:002012-06-22T23:48:35.306-04:00Blog Theme Song?This afternoon I was splitting duty between rocking my crying, fussy son and preparing for a class I'll be teaching at church next week about God's providence--his sustaining, governing, and directing of all things for the sake of his saving purposes. Getting annoyed and frustrated, I thought, "Music soothes the savage beast; maybe Ephraim will chill out with some music ... and a bottle." With providence on my mind, I put on--who else?--Caedmon's Call. As I listened to "Before There Was Time" (on <i>In the Company of Angels</i>) I realized it sums up everything good this blog is about. Not only is this song about how God set his affection on his chosen people from before creation in order to redeem them from the darkness of sin and how he works out his care in every detail of their lives. The song also even mentions the <i>Anastasis </i>fresco in Istanbul that makes up the page backdrop (Jesus taking Abraham and Sarah or Adam and Eve by the hand from the grave). The notes on this song from the Caedmon's Call website profess: "Simply awestruck by the depth and breadth of God's plan and provision, to know that we are in His grasp more tightly than we can possibly understand."<br />
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To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!<br />
<span style="color: white;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Before there was time, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">There were visions in Your mind. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">There was death in the fall of mankind, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">But there was life in salvation's design. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Before there were days, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">There were nights I could not see Your face, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">But the night couldn't keep me from grace </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">When You came and took my place. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">So I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Ancient of Days." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And sing the praises </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Of the One who saved me, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And the promises He made. </span></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Before there was time, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">You counted the hairs on my head. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">You knew all the words that I've said, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And You purchased me back from the dead. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And before I was made, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">You searched me and knew my ways. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">You numbered all of my days </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And You set forth the steps I would take. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">So I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Ancient of Days." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And sing the praises </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Of the One who saved me, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And the promises He made. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Well, You saved me. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And You raised me. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">You saved me. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And You pulled me from the grave. </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">So I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Ancient of Days." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And sing the praises </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Ancient of Days." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I cry, "Holy, only begotten Son of God." </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And sing the praises </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Of the One who saved me, </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">And the promises He made </span><br style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Before there was time.</span></span></span>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215174193221101678noreply@blogger.com1