Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Striking it rich

Treasure hunting is a risky business. A few strike it rich, while many others come out empty handed. Mel Fisher was one of those who had just the right mix of perseverance, luck, and ingenuity to make a fortune.

In 1969, Fisher began searching for the famous Spanish galleon Atocha. For two years, he scoured the Atlantic for any signs of the ship, and in 1971, he found his first clue: a few silver coins. Two years later, three silver bars were discovered. Fisher knew he was on the right track. After two more years, he discovered five bronze cannons, clearly marked with the name Atocha. But it took a total of 16 years and 60 million dollars before Fisher’s crew finally found what they were looking for. On July 2, 1985, Mel’s son Kane exclaimed, “Put away the charts; we’ve found the main pile!”

The Atocha was called “the shipwreck of the century,” yielding hundreds of millions of dollars, and compared by some to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. Now, most of us will never find buried treasure, either by land or by sea. (I did find a $20 bill at the county fair one year, but that was probably the extent of my treasure hunting adventures.) There is another kind of treasure, however, which we all can obtain - a treasure which surpasses any earthly riches, and which endures beyond this life. It is a treasure called “wisdom,” and the treasure map is found in the Book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 3:13-15 says, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her.” King Solomon says that you are truly blessed when you “strike it rich” by finding wisdom.

Have you found the treasure of wisdom? In the opening verses of Proverbs, King Solomon mentions three different kinds of people. Which one describes you?
  • The foolish man. According to Proverbs 1:7, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” A fool is someone who ignores God’s Word, is defensive when confronted, and does what is right in his own eyes. The fool wanders astray, associates with the wrong crowd, lacks self-discipline, and is notorious for saying stupid things. It’s very dangerous to remain anywhere near a fool. As one proverb puts it, "Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction.”
  • The wise man. On the other end of the spectrum is the wise man. Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.” Whereas the fool runs from truth, the wise man actively listens. He is humble, teachable, and eager to learn. He carefully weighs decisions and never stops learning. He learns from his mistakes rather than justifying them. The very first step toward wisdom is the “fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 1:7), i.e. a holy trembling, reverence, honor, and obedience toward God. We all should aspire to be wise, but there is one other kind of person which may describe you.
  • The simple man. In Proverbs 1:4, Solomon says the purpose of his book is “to give prudence to the naïve, to the youth knowledge and discretion.” The Hebrew root for “simple” (or “naïve”) means to “have an open door.” The simple is someone who is easily influenced, seduced, and swayed. They lack discernment and are kindergartners in the academy of wisdom, wandering aimlessly along and very vulnerable to error and deception. Unfortunately, many Christians remain simple their whole lives, being “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14).
By the grace of God, let’s make sure we are not characterized by simplicity or downright foolishness, but by a steadily increasing wisdom. Let us humbly acknowledge our need for wisdom, as Solomon did in 1 Kings 3. Let us treasure and diligently study the Word of God which “makes the simple wise” (Ps. 19:7). And let us cling forever to Jesus Christ, the very One in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).

Friday, January 25, 2008

Bad tips are a bad testimony

A couple years ago, I read an article called "The Dreaded Christian Table" that has been forever etched into my mind. It testified to the careless, stingy manners of many Christians in restaurants, and that Christians, in general, have a bad reputation as being terrible tippers. Here's an excerpt:
When other servers got word that I had the "Church table" they all immediately patted me on the back and told me everything would be all right. My “non-Christian” co-workers automatically volunteered to help me out because they knew what was coming. They told me that I might as well not waste my time by trying hard at this table, because they were going to be rude and leave me next to nothing. The entire staff at the restaurant, including the manager on duty, had nothing but contempt for this group of people—the Church people—because time and again they come in and treat the staff like second-class citizens.
In a separate blog, a young man writes,
When I delivered pizza in college, I had a rotten feeling everytime I went to a door that had a fish outside or one of those ‘as for me and my house …’ plaques outside the front door.

Another guy I went to school with worked parking at what was then Starwood Ampitheatre in Nashville. He said his worst experience ever wasn’t Metallica or the rock shows but an Amy Grant concert.
What a tragedy! The Bible says "whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). Surely, behaving rudely or leaving a lousy tip is not honoring to God. In 1 Timothy 6:16-18, Paul exhorts, "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share..."

If I leave a shabby tip, I might rationalize it is good stewardship, but in all reality, I'm missing an opportunity to give generously and reward a laborer who is worthy of his wages. Worse yet, I'm damaging my Christian witness. Our actions speak louder than words. I can smile, be friendly, pray in public, and leave a tract at the end of the meal. But if I don't accompany all of those little gospel seeds with a reasonable tip, then I've probably just driven that person further from the gospel. Not sure who deserves a tip, or how much is "reasonable?" Check out this "Tipping Etiquette" article. I have bookmarked it and refer to it often.

Generosity is important for all Christians, but especially for us pastors. We must model good tipping. God is watching. Our church members are watching. And that waiter is watching. Why not surprise him by tipping a little extra? Let's tip to the glory of God, and for the spread of the gospel!

Fridays are often dedicated to practical church ministry issues. If you have a question or suggested topic for the future, please email me.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Thankful to be a slave

I've been meditating more on this concept of Christian discipleship as a "call to slavery," and have two additional thoughts:
  1. The alternative to slavery to Christ is not moral liberty and personal autonomy; it is slavery to sin and to Satan. Before Christ, we may think we are free, but we are actually slaves of a different dictator. Romans 6:17-20 says, "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification."
  2. The fact that Jesus Christ is my Master does not mean He is an unjust and abusive tyrant; on the contrary, He is always merciful, generous, and reasonable. His "yoke is easy, and His burden is light" (Matt. 11:30). Sometimes, He asks me to do hard things, but He always gives me the grace to obey Him. He is the most benevolent king of all. Thomas Watson says, "He is a king full of mercy and clemency; as He has a sceptre in His hand, so an olive branch of peace in His mouth. Though He be the Lion of the tribe of Judah for majesty, yet He is the Lamb of God for meekness. His regal rod has honey at the end of it. He sheds abroad His love into the hearts of His subjects; He rules them with promises as well as precepts. This makes all His subjects become volunteers; they are willing to pay their allegiance to Him" (Body of Divinity, p. 188).
Lord Jesus, thank you for shedding Your own blood to buy me off the slave trade of sin and to enlist me into Your gracious service. I am so unworthy of Your love, and so honored to be a slave of the Most High God. Help me this day to serve you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Amen.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Truth & life conference, sessions 4-5

Here's a recap of the final two main sessions of the 2008 Truth & Life Conference at The Master's College:

Session 4
========
Speaker: James MacDonald
Topic: The Compassionate Nature of Discipleship
Text: Hebrews 12:5-17
Summary:
If I am Christ's disciple, then God loves me and is passionately committed to changing me into the image of Jesus Christ. This training sometimes takes the form of discipline, which is "for our good, so that we may share in His holiness." In other words, the goal of discipline is holiness (separateness, pure joy in Christ). But unfortunately, we don't get the benefit of discipline if we're not "trained by it" (v. 11). To those who continually reject - rather than embrace - the loving discipline of God, there is a dangerous downward spiral:
1. The Lord's discipline can lead to discouragement (vv. 12-13). We can become sorry for ourselves and refuse to be sanctified by denying our sin, pointing the finger at someone else's "bigger sin," or blame-shifting our shortcomings on others.
2. Discouragement leads to dislocation (vv. 13b-14). To those who refuse to listen, God could intensify the discipline by putting you out of joint, which is a very painful process! This is serious stuff, because without sanctification, no one will enter heaven. Holiness is the evidence of our faith, and the increasing preoccupation of every genuine disciple.
3. Dislocation leads to bitterness (v. 15). We can either lack joy, or find God's grace to take us through the trial. Rather than going it alone and becoming bitter, we should pray, surround ourselves with caring Christian friends, meditate on God's Word and journal our thoughts and lessons God is teaching us. Cf. Deut. 29:18-19. The root of bitterness starts in secret, but gradually defiles us and destroys many churches.
4. Bitterness leads to profane living (v. 16). The things of God didn't mean anything to Esau's life. Immorality doesn't happen in ten minutes. It is a set of small choices and values that slowly turn us away from God.
5. Profane living leads to disqualification (v. 17). In the end, if we continue to reject God's discipline, we will be disqualified. Cf. Romans 1:28; 1 Cor. 9:27. The proof of our profession is our endurance.
Personal Reflection:
This was a powerful reminder that the purpose of God's discipline is my holiness. I pray that I will be a quick learner under discipline and avoid this frightening downward spiral toward disqualification. I want to be trained by every trial, so that I can become more and more like Jesus Christ.

Session 5
========
Speaker: David Wells
Topic: The Character of Authentic Discipleship
Text: Titus 2:11-14
Summary:
Our society treats moral norms merely as "suggestions." But how do we determine what is right and pleasing to God? We will first look at our postmodern culture for a few minutes, and then consider God's standard for holy living.

1. There are four signposts that we're moving out of a moral world. We've moved...

a. From thinking about virtues to thinking about values. People now does what's "right for them" rather than what is morally good and based on the unchangeable character of God.
b. From thinking about character to thinking about personality. Honor, duty, and ethics have been replaced by likability and how you appear.
c. From thinking about nature to thinking about self. While we used to focus on what we had in common as human beings, we are now preoccupied with what makes us unique: gifts, gender, insights, feelings, etc. that we each have in a unique package.
d. From thinking about guilt to thinking about shame. The vertical dimension of accountability to God no longer exists. Now, people only think of the horizontal dimension of what other people will think of them. Ultimate "liberation" is to become completely shameless.
2.
Why, then should we do what is right?
a. Christ's first appearance was an appearance in grace (Titus 2:11). His grace teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and live righteously. We have lost an appreciation for God's grace.
b. Christ's second appearance will be an appearance in glory (2:13). At the incarnation, He temporarily concealed His divine brilliance into a flickering lantern. But He will come again in power, glory, and truth, and He desires us to shine in His glory. Knowing that God is the "Great Rememberer" of all our deeds (Matt. 25:31-46) gives meaning and dignity to all that we do.
Personal Reflection:
I appreciated how Wells connected discipleship and righteous living to the first and second coming of Jesus Christ. While his main point was great, the message was confusing at times, and seemed too dry and academic for a college Bible conference setting. It felt rather anti-climactic after the dynamic morning session by James MacDonald. Nevertheless, I always enjoy Wells' focus upon Jesus Christ as the remedy to our cultural disintigration, and do hope that students will interact with some of his books, which are probably his forte and his greatest contribution to today's church. I read No Place for Truth several years ago, and just recently ordered Above All Earthly Pow'rs, which I am looking forward to reading sometime this year.

Natalie and I were very blessed and refreshed by the entire conference. We were fed spiritually and got to catch up with many old friends. The college did a great job putting the whole event together. It reminded us once again how much we appreciate The Master's College, and how thankful we are to be alumni!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Truth & life conference, sessions 1-3

Our family is currently attending the Truth & Life Conference at our alma mater, The Master's College. The theme of the conference this year is "Follow Me: Christ-centered Discipleship in a Man-Centered World." The featured speakers have each delivered one message so far, and all of them have been very refreshing and convicting. Here's a quick summary of sessions 1-3:

Session 1
========
Speaker: John MacArthur
Topic: The Costly Nature of Discipleship
Text: John 15:14f
Summary:
When we speak of having a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ, we're not using biblical language. Everyone has a personal relationship with Jesus; He is either their Savior or Judge and Executioner. There are two realities to our relationship with Christ:

1. Jesus is Lord (1 Cor. 12:3; Rom. 10:9-10). This means He has absolute power, authority, ownership, and the right to command.
2. Christians are slaves (1 Cor. 7:22-23). Though often translated "servant" or "bond-servant," the Greek word doulos is used almost 150 times in its various forms, and it always means "slave." Slavery is the perfect model for illustrating our relationship with Jesus: We were bought on the slave trade of sin, the high price of Christ's blood was paid for our lives, we are owned, and we forsake all rights, property, relationships when we follow Jesus.
Personal Reflection:
MacArthur's word study on doulos was very helpful, and I will definitely look at this word differently when I read the New Testament from now on. Thinking of myself as a slave is crushing to my pride, but also puts this life in perspective by getting the focus away from me, and onto my Lord and Savior. Suddenly, the petty little "sacrifices" in life and ministry that I make for Jesus Christ don't seem so special when I realize what He has done for me, and that I am only an unworthy slave (Luke 17:7-10).

Session 2
========
Speaker: David Wells
Topic: The Cross-cultural Impact of Discipleship
Text: John 20:19-23
Summary:
In the modern evangelical church, it's "easy to make converts, but hard to make disciples." But, if a person is not a disciple and genuinely following after the Lord, then they're not a convert either. This is a world of breathtaking change (just look at technology), but we find our unchanging mission in John 20:19-23. Two points:
1. The abiding foundation truth: Christ has given us His Holy Spirit, which is the means of conviction and regeneration. There is no life apart from the Spirit. There is a boundary between God and man which we cannot overcome. Yet the Son of God was sent into the world, dying for us, and doing what we couldn't do ourselves.
2. The challenge: Jesus Christ has now sent each of us into the world. He was the "great insider" to human experience, taking on flesh, passing through our experiences, and struggling deeply with temptation. Having acquired our salvation, He now sends us into a world which is increasingly (a) spiritual, yet anti-Christian and (b) multi-cultural. The mission field is now at our doorstep like never before.
Personal Reflection:
As always, David Wells was full of biblical and cultural insight. John 20 is another great passage that parallels our Great Commission in Matthew 28. Our call to follow Jesus in this world is humbling and overwhelming, yet we have the Lord on our side every moment of the way.

Session 3
========
Speaker: James MacDonald
Topic: The Cross-cultural Values of Discipleship
Text: Acts 18:24-19:41
Summary:
As we look at the evangelistic ministry of the early church, we are reminded that "the messenger is nothing; the message is everything." We are not called to endlessly study the culture and become like the culture. Christ crushes the culture! He does this in four ways:
1. Jesus conquers sincere religiousity (Acts 18:24-19:6)
2. Jesus conquers stubborn unbelief (19:7-10)
3. Jesus conquers Satanic strongholds (19:11-20)
4. Jesus conquers shallow secularism (19:21-41)
Personal Reflection:
James MacDonald delivered my favorite line of the conference so far: "Here at The Master's College, you probably don't hear this very often: John MacArthur is NOTHING!! ... But let me quickly add that James MacDonald is also NOTHING. In fact [turning to MacArthur], I am more nothing than you will ever be!" MacDonald is quite funny and relates very well to the college students. His comments were shallow at times and didn't always grapple with the text, but his main point was very clear and well-illustrated through this extended narrative in Acts 18-19. Christians are not called to become like our culture in order to reach it. We need to stop being so afraid of this postmodern culture, and just get the gospel out, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to implant the message deep in the hearts of hearers. God is glorified when His gospel is proclaimed, regardless of the response.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

When experience and theology collide

In the book In God’s Waiting Room, Dr. Lehman Strauss recalls one of the hardest moments in his life:

It was Wednesday, April 14, 1982. Eighteen days had passed since [my wife] Elsie's stroke. The neurologist in charge requested that I meet with him. I waited expectantly in the corridor outside Elsie's room. When the doctor appeared his remarks were brief and pointed. "We are making arrangements to move your wife to a rehabilitation center in San Diego." "What led you to this decision?" I asked. He hesitated. I detected a bit of concern in his delayed reply. I was right. His words came slowly. "There is nothing more that we can do medically for Mrs. Strauss." He placed his hand on my shoulder and patted it gently. "I'm sorry," he said, and he walked away.


For a few seconds I stood motionless, my mind almost blank. Then I walked slowly into the room, kissed Elsie, and sat in the chair beside the bed. She spoke first. "What did the doctor tell you?" "He said that you will be transferred to a rehabilitation center in San Diego." I took her hand in mine. Then I assured her that there was nothing to fear because God was in control. But did I really believe that God was in control?


…We Christians affirm our belief in the sovereignty of God, but our faith is challenged in times of natural upheaval, national disaster, or personal affliction. Pain and poverty, disease and death, sorrow and suffering all tend to cause us to think seriously about God as creator and controller of the world of which we are a part. It is not always easy to believe that God is in control. On that Wednesday in April 1982, my faith was being tested. At that particular moment my mind was not capable of rationalizing the majesty of God's sovereignty. When I was told the seriousness of Elsie's condition, I realized that some cherished plans would have to be canceled. Quite frankly, I could not understand God's reason for this turn of events. But I knew that the Bible contains all we poor mortals need to know. Our Lord said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

Perhaps some of you have received news as earth-shattering that. Others have not. But we can all be certain of this: the longer God leaves us in this sin-cursed world, the more we can expect “natural upheaval, national disaster, and personal affliction,” and the more our faith will be challenged. Our increasing encounters with suffering will test our level of trust in God. And in moments like these, when experience and theology collide, we desperately need the message of Habakkuk.

The prophet Habakkuk wrote at a very dark time in Israel’s history. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) had already been destroyed and scattered by the Assyrian Empire. Now, the Southern Kingdom (Judah) was bracing for an immanent attack by the Chaldeans (or Babylonians), God’s new instrument of choice to discipline His people. At that moment, Habakkuk’s experience and theology collided. His “experience” told him that the world was falling apart, that God had forsaken His covenant people, and that God was standing silent while the wicked “swallowed up” the righteous (1:13). Yet Habakkuk’s “theology” told Him that God was sovereign, holy, faithful, and just in all His dealings. How could these facts be reconciled?

The key verse in the Book of Habakkuk, where God finally unravels this mystery, is Habakkuk 2:4. “Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Note the contrast between two kinds of people:

  • The proud. God says that the “proud” (puffed up, inflated) person has a soul that is defective. As a result, the proud will eventually be judged and condemned. The God of vengeance and Judge of the earth will “render recompense to the proud” (Psalm 94:2). In the immediate context, the “proud” describes the Chaldeans, but it extends to all people who are arrogant and self-reliant rather than humble and dependent upon God.
  • The righteous. By contrast, the “righteous” (the morally good, just, fair) will have a “faith” or "steadfast trust" in the Word of God that will cause him to persevere through a trial and patiently wait for God to act. This condition of “righteousness,” is not something we can earn because of any inherent moral goodness. Rather, it is a legal standing before God that occurs when we place our faith in Him. Speaking of Abram, Genesis 15:6 says, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He [God] reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Notice that it is faith alone (not works) that leads God to declare Abram “justified.”

Habakkuk 2:4 is one of the most important verses in the Bible because it summarizes two central truths of Christianity: we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ (Genesis 15:6; Romans 1:17, chs. 1-5), and we persevere by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 6-8; Hebrews 10:36-39). New Testament scholar S. Lewis Johnson said, “ ‘The just shall live by faith’ – it is, without question, near the soul of Pauline theology…Habakkuk’s great text, with his son Paul’s comments and additions, became the banner of the Protestant Reformation in the hands of Habakkuk’s grandson, Martin Luther.” Dr. John Feinberg described this verse as “The key to the whole Book of Habakkuk…the central theme of all the Scriptures.”

Do you have a faith that endures under trial? Or at the first sign of trouble, do you worry, complain, and grow angry? By the grace of God, when our experience and theology collide, let’s live with a steadfast trust in God and cling to the precious promises of His Word.

Monday, January 14, 2008

The urgency of evangelism

Here's a touching story about John Harper, a man who loved the lost and shared the gospel, until his very last moments on earth. I first heard this story while reading The Gospel & Personal Evangelism, by Mark Dever. Since we never know the day or hour when God will take us home, we should always be mindful of the urgency of evangelism.

Friday, January 11, 2008

The presidential election

With so many mediocre choices and such a long campaign season, I feel a bit overwhelmed this election. I'll probably never find a candidate whom I agree with 100% of the time and is also electable. Nevertheless, I would be abrogating my Christian duty and American privilege to just sit on the sidelines.

So, how can I participate in this process as an informed citizen? The TV media seem far too concerned with polls and sound bites to be of any substantive help on the issues. However, I have found the following websites to be useful as I narrow down and prayerfully assess the candidates.

Project Vote Smart is a massive database with voting records, biographical and contact information, interest group ratings, public statements, and campaign finance records of each candidate. They provide information on both current officials and current candidates, and cover both national and local politics.

2008 Election ProCon.org
researches the issues they feel are complicated and important, and works to present them in a balanced, comprehensive, straightforward, and primarily pro-con format. Be sure to check out their helpful Candidate Summary Chart.

FactCheck.org describes itself as
a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. They monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Their goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding. After a debate or new commercial is aired, this site will expose all the bogus claims and faulty statistics.

Just one other thought. In the midst of this election year, let's not forget to pray diligently for our current President, George W. Bush. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul commands us "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity." In 2008, Bush may be considered an irrelevant "lame duck" President, but let us remember he is a minister of God (Rom. 13:4) who needs incredible wisdom every day, and still has a quarter of his second term remaining.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Our young earth

If you want to study creationism, don't bother visiting most Christian colleges. A recent Answers in Genesis article revealed that more than 90% of Christian colleges and their professors do not hold to young-earth creationism. With the exception of Seventh Day Adventist colleges, it’s hard to find any denominational colleges (Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Nazarene, etc.) that teach young-earth creation. Some independent colleges like The Master's College, Cedarville University, and Liberty University, hold to six-day creationism, but these schools are few and far between.

Many "Christian" schools are now opposed to creationism altogether. For example, World Magazine reported last September that Baylor University (Southern Baptist) is hostile to professors who even advocate some form of Intelligent Design. It should not surprise us that many students who enter these colleges holding to young earth creationism are eventually persuaded to embrace some form of evolution.

In spite of these trends, the Bible is surprisingly clear on the age of the earth. In the creation account of Genesis 1, God says He created everything over the course of six days. Light was created on day one. Waters were divided on day two. Land and plants appeared on day three. Sun, moon, and stars were formed on day four. Birds and fish arrived on day five. Finally, all the animals, and God’s magnum opus – man and woman – were created on day six. A common-sense, non-biased reading of the biblical text would seem to indicate these were normal, 24-hour days.

Some, however, contend these “days” of Genesis 1 should be interpreted as “ages” lasting thousands or even millions of years, giving the earth ample time to evolve. Now, it is true that “day” has more than one meaning. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light “day.” This “day” speaks of the “daytime.” Genesis 2:4 speaks of the “day that the LORD made earth and heaven.” This “day” refers to the “period of time” when God created. And then, of course, there’s 2 Peter 3:18 which says, “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” So how can we be sure the “days” of creation in Genesis 1 are 24-hour days? As always, context must determine meaning. Let’s look at the context of Genesis 1.

At the end of each day of creation is a short formula which teaches these are 24-hour days. In 1:5, for example, God says, “And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” The phrase “evening and morning” suggests one complete day, consisting of one full rotation of the earth. Any other interpretation of “day” would make nonsense out of this phrase. Furthermore, the numerical adjective “one” tips us off that God is chronicling an historical event in plain, journalistic language. These numerical adjectives appear throughout the chapter: “one day” (1:5); “second day” (1:8); “third day” (1:13); etc. As James Stambaugh points out, whenever the Hebrew word yom is used with a number in the Bible, it refers to a literal, 24-hour day.

Perhaps by now you’re wondering, “What’s the big deal, anyway? Isn’t this making a mountain out of a molehill? Couldn’t God have created gradually over millions of years if He wanted to?” Unfortunately, there are some major problems to holding any kind of gap theory or theistic evolution:

  • The problem of sin and death. The Bible says death was a curse after man’s fall in Genesis 3, but if the earth is millions or billions of years old before man arrives, then you have to conclude God’s creation wasn’t so good after all. “Evolutionary scientists claim the fossil layers over the earth’s surface date back hundreds of millions of years. As soon as one allows millions of years for the fossil layers – then one has accepted death, bloodshed, disease, thorns, and suffering before Adam’s sin” (Answers Book, p. 42). This attacks the very core of the gospel, which teaches that “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
  • The problem of sola Scriptura. Those who deny a young earth are attacking the authority of Scripture. They are looking at Scripture through the interpretive lens of science, rather than looking at science through the interpretive lens of Scripture. The Bible must always be our starting point. Only God was there, and we must let Him speak for Himself on how He created the universe. If God had the power to create, couldn’t He create the universe with the appearance of age (e.g. starlight)? Furthermore, when we factor in the global catastrophe of the flood in Genesis 6-9, we have both a biblical and scientific explanation for modern geology.
  • The problem of interpretation. If you abandon the literal-grammatical method of interpretation in Genesis 1, then what will prevent you from doing the same elsewhere in the Bible, whenever science, history, or archaeology seem to contradict the biblical record? Once the hermeneutical dam has one crack in it, the entire structure has been compromised, leading to disaster.
  • The problem of sequence. Looking at the fossil record, evolutionists posit that the sun came first, then the earth; dry land came first, then oceans; land animals came first, then birds. But in each of these cases, this evolutionary sequence directly contradicts the Bible.

Rather than trusting the faulty opinions of man, let us hold to the inerrant Word of God, and heed the warning of Charles Spurgeon:

"We are invited, brethren, most earnestly to go away from the old-fashioned belief of our forefathers because of the supposed discoveries of science. What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance. It should not be so, but it is. You are not to be dogmatical in theology, my brethren, it is wicked; but for scientific men it is the correct thing. You are never to assert anything very strongly, but scientists may boldly assert what they cannot prove, and may demand a faith far more credulous than any we possess. Forsooth, you and I are to take our Bibles and shape and mould our belief according to the ever-shifting teachings of so-called scientific men. What folly is this! Why, the march of science, falsely so called, through the world may be traced by exploded fallacies and abandoned theories…" (The Sword and the Trowel, 1877)

Monday, January 7, 2008

Augustine on God

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) was an early church father and one of the greatest theologians in church history. In his autobiographical work Confessions, he gives this beautiful glimpse into our mysterious and majestic God:
Most high, utterly good, utterly powerful, most omnipotent, most merciful and most just, deeply hidden yet most intimately present, perfection of both beauty and strength, stable and incomprehensible, immutable and yet changing all things, never new, never old, making everything new and 'leading' the proud 'to be old without their knowledge' (Job 9:5); always active, always in repose, gathering to yourself but not in need, supporting and filling and protecting, creating and nurturing and bringing to maturity, searching even though to you nothing is lacking: you love without burning, you are jealous in a way that is free of anxiety, you 'repent' (Gen. 6:6) without pain of regret, you are wrathful and remain tranquil. You will a change without any change in your design. You recover what you find, yet have never lost. Never in any need, you rejoice in your gains (Lk. 15:7); you are never avaricious, yet you require interest (Mt. 25:27). We pay you more than you require so as to make you our debtor, yet who has anything which does not belong to you? (1 Cor. 4:7). You pay off debts, though owing nothing to anyone; you cancel debts and incur no loss. But in these words what have I said, my God, my life, my holy sweetness? What has anyone achieved in words when he speaks of you? Yet woe to those who are silent about you because, though loquacious with verbosity, they have nothing to say. (Confessions, p. 5)

Friday, January 4, 2008

A year of leadership development

Shortly after becoming the pastor, I had several men in our church asking me if we could do some sort of Bible study or theology club together. Wow. There's nothing a pastor loves more than a bunch of guys who are humble, teachable, and hungry for the Word.

Discipleship is one of the main priorities of a spiritual leader. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul instructs Timothy, "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." So, after prayer and some research, I put together a one-year leadership development program called "SaLT" (Servant Leadership Training). We started it in January 2007.

SaLT was fairly intense, requiring the men to read a book a month, memorize a passage of Scripture each month, and attend a 1.5 - 2 hour meeting each month for accountability and discussion. We just concluded the program, and I can testify God blessed every one of us through it. Here is an outline of what we did together over the past year:

  • Month 1: Introduction to biblical discipleship.
  • Month 2: Bible Study. Read Sproul's Knowing Scripture and memorized Psalm 19:7-10
  • Month 3: Bible Application. Read Doriani's Putting the Truth to Work and memorized 2 Timothy 3:14-17
  • Month 4: Personal Holiness. Read Bridge's Pursuit of Holiness and memorized 1 Peter. 1:14-16
  • Month 5: Purity & Marriage. Read Alcorn's The Purity Principle and Mahaney's Sex and the Supremacy of God; memorized Romans 13:13-14 and Hebrews 13:4
  • Month 6: Basic Theology, pt. 1. Read Grudem's Christian Beliefs and memorized 2 Timothy 2:15-16
  • Month 7: Basic Theology, pt. 2. Read Lutzer's Doctrines that Divide and memorized 2 Timothy 2:24-26
  • Month 8: Prayer. Read Carson's A Call to Spiritual Reformation and memorized Philippians 1:9-11
  • Month 9: Theological Orthodoxy. Read Machen's Christianity and Liberalism and memorize dGalatians 1:8-9
  • Month 10: Love. Read Strauch's Leading with Love and memorized 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
  • Month 11: Baptist Theology. Read Why I am a Baptist (ed. by Moore and Nettles) and reviewed all Scripture
  • Month 12: Evangelism. Read Driscoll's Radical Reformission and reviewed all Scripture
I highly recommend a program like this for those who are willing to stick with it. The main drawback was that it was too intense for some of our church members, so we did not have the broad participation I would have hoped for. There were only about 7 of us who stuck with it the whole year. It allowed me to pour more time and instruction into those who are most eager to learn, but we need to also find ways to pursue and train those who stay quietly on the fringes. We are looking at possibly doing some mentoring small groups for next year - essentially now asking the men I have trained to take what they've learned and go disciple one or two others.

If you have other ideas for leadership development, I encourage you to leave a comment below.

Fridays are often dedicated to practical church ministry issues. If you have a question or suggested topic for the future, please email me.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

The importance of creation

In our evangelism Sunday School class, we’ve been studying through the Two Ways to Live curriculum. It’s an excellent presentation that breaks the gospel down into six basic points. Interestingly, rather than starting with sin, or God’s “wonderful plan” for our lives, The Two Ways to Live outline begins with creation. The first point says “God is the loving ruler of the world. He made the world. He made us rulers of the world under Him.”

Creation is a vital doctrine that we often sell short. In an age of enlightenment, creationism is usually portrayed as primitive, superstitious, and unscientific. Richard Dawkins, for example, calls creationism a “preposterous, mind-shrinking falsehood.” The Bible, on the other hand, actually begins with creation. It’s the first building block of an accurate worldview. Without creation, the rest of the gospel is absurd.

The first verse in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). There is a remarkable amount of theology and scientific data wrapped up in this verse.
  • The phrase “in the beginning” confirms that all matter did have a beginning. It had a first cause. And there was a pre-existent, intelligent Being who initiated the “beginning” of the world.
  • The statement “God created” is a declarative, matter-of-fact statement. Elohim, the all-powerful God of the Bible, created without using any tools or supplies. He created ex nihlo, “out of nothing,” by the power of His word (Gen. 1:3).
  • The last phrase tells us precisely what God created: “the heavens and the earth.” This is a Hebrew figure of speech called a “merism.” By mentioning the two extremes, it captures everything in between (cf. “morning and evening”). It’s a poetic way of saying “God created everything,” and it summarizes what the rest of chapter one will describe in closer detail.
Now, the question is, are you willing to accept this bold claim in Genesis 1:1? “But it requires a leap of faith,” you say. Yes, I agree. Hebrews 11:3 even states, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” But faith does not contradict reason. We don’t need to jettison our heads in order to believe with our hearts. In fact, I would contend the leap of faith in creationism is far more reasonable than the leap of faith in evolution. When we look at the universe through the interpretive lens of Scripture, we find that every scientific detail makes perfect sense from a creationist worldview. And there are three implications that result:
  • Because God created the universe, it was very good. Genesis 1:31 says, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good...” Since God is holy and morally perfect, all the work of His hands must have been good. It is comforting to know that all the sickness, pain, injustice, and disappointment in this world were not part of God’s original design, but a result of man’s fall (Gen. 3). But as God continues His work of redemption through Jesus Christ, He is reversing the curse of the Fall, first in our hearts, and ultimately upon the earth itself.
  • Because God created the universe, it is very sophisticated. The Bible depicts this world as the handiwork of a highly skilled and powerful God. In Psalm 8:3, David writes, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man?” The heavens are just one aspect of God’s creation, but they provide ample proof for an intelligent Creator. Take our sun for example. Jonathan Sarfati explains that our sun is an extremely powerful object, often throwing out flares, and occasionally belching out coronal mass ejections (CME). These CMEs cause huge electric currents in the earth’s upper atmosphere and disrupt power grids and satellites. But compared to other stars, the sun turns out to be ‘exceptionally stable.’ If the sun were to erupt as frequently or intensely as most other stars, the ‘superflares’ would destroy the earth’s ozone layer with catastrophic results for life. It is no coincidence that we are located at just the right distance from such an exceptionally stable star. This is the handiwork of our Master Architect.
  • Because God created the universe, we are answerable to Him. He made us, and thus He has the authority to tell us how to live, what to do, and what not to do. God had the prerogative to command Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28), then later to stipulate, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat” (Gen. 2:16-17). Likewise, as our Creator, God has the right to command us to “be holy, as He is holy” (1 Pet. 1:16), and to judge us when we rebel against Him. As His creatures, we are answerable to Him, and deserving of His punishment when we fail. And this, of course, explains why so many reject creation today: because creation involves accountability to a Creator.
Next Wednesday, I will continue this study on creation, considering how God created the world, and whether or not He did it in six literal days.

New Blog

Today I'm closing up shop and launching a new blog called Pinch of Clay. You can visit it by clicking here . Please stop by and...