Character Or Personality

The following is an excerpt from a post from Guy Davies, a Reformed Welsh preacher in the southwest of England. You can read his entire post here.

These days you don't have to do anything special to be a celebrity. Some like the late, lamented Jade Goody are famous simply for being famous. What matters is "personality" rather than character. If someone has a charismatic personality, or even better an outrageous personality, then they are worthy candidates for fame and celebrity. But isn't character much more important then "personality"? Martin Luther King had a dream that one day a man would not be judged by the colour of his skin, but the content of his character. Character has to do with virtue - honesty, integrity, kindness and compassion. No amount of "personality" can compensate for a lack of moral substance. What would you rather a slick, charismatic politician who could work the media and play the crowds, or one who could be trusted to tell you the truth?

The Christian faith puts character before personality and decency before celebrity. God is in the business of changing people. By the power of the Spirit he works in believers to make them more like Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23). Having a Sprit-transformed character may not bring you fame and fortune, but only those who have been born again will see the kingdom of God.

posted by john d.

A Gospel Catechism

Our Sunday morning Bible study group has been going through a series of audio messages preached by Pastor William Downing titled "A Gospel Catechism". The series is currently out-of-print but my wife managed to obtain one of the last copies of the cassette tapes with an attendant booklet and painstakenly dubbed the messages to MP3 CD's and retyped the booklet which we have reproduced and are using in our Sunday morning Bible study.

The catechism lists twenty-nine essentials of the gospel in a question and answer format such as:

1. Q: What is the Gospel? A: The Gospel is the "Good News".
2. Q: To Understand the Gospel, where must be begin? A: We must begin with God.
3. Q: Where do we learn about God? A: We learn about God in creation and in the Bible.

etc.

Under each answer are subpoints and Biblical references which are further explained and expanded on in the audio message.

In short, the series is very Biblical and thorough....as is all of Dr. Downing's preaching.

Last Sunday we dealt with Question 14: When does salvation enter the experience of the sinner? Answer: At saving conviction of sin. A saving conviction of sin is the first awakening of conscience that one is a sinner before God. This implies several realities:

1. That the truth is preached to the extent that there is a true conviction of sin! The sinner under the preaching of truth is convinced that he is a sinner before God, i.e. that he begins to see sin as God sees it.

2. That the conviction of sin is saving conviction. There is a natural conviction of conscience and a religious conviction that derives from tradition or training. These are not necessarily saving conviction. There is also a conviction over certain sins that is not saving conviction of sin as the ruling or dominating power in the life.

(emphasis mine)

In explaining this topic Dr. Downing stated that "preaching the love of God produces sympathy not conviction of sin". The preaching of the Law brings conviction. He also reminded us that, "sin is defined by God in the Word of God" not by our definition or the definition provided by our church or denomination (i.e. don't smoke, drink, or chew, or go out with girls that do). Sin is a matter of the heart. And, finally, "conviction of conscience is not conviction of sin". I can be convicted of my bad habits or fear of hell but this is not necessarily the same as seeing my sin as God sees it...as an affront to His Holiness and Righteousness. I might be convicted over my particular sin but not of SIN as the ruling power in my life.

A clear message to those who would seek to share the Gospel . "Repentance" of particular sins or desire to change life-habits or experience a "reformation" is not the same as having a clear understanding of SIN as the "ruling or dominating power in the life"... we must come to understand our depraved nature as revealed in the Scriptures and our inability and helplessness and hopelessness to save ourselves apart from that redemptive, substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ ... this is conviction of SIN as required in presenting the Gospel as "good news".

Pastor Downing is senior pastor of the Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Silicon Valley, CA.

posted by john d.

A Question of Accountability

Professor Carl Trueman, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, gives some pointed advice to students pursuing PhD's. His advice is applicable to all of us who seek a greater understanding of the Word of God and want to be greater "theologians". I've extracted some of his message but the whole made an impression upon me, especially the part about..... but you can read the entire article here.

Professor Trueman writes, "The study of theology engages heart and mind; to put it in the idiom of Calvin, true knowledge of God and true piety are inseparable. In addition, the temptations of theological study are huge.

The simple way for theological students to resist both the temptation to pontificate beyond their pay grade and the temptation to pride and the moral and intellectual problems that inevitably come in its wake-fall is to find the proper context for accountability, to find their true home; and the good news is that this true home is easy to find—simply join an orthodox, gospel-believing and proclaiming church as member, submit to the elders, attend the corporate worship services, fellowship with the saints on a regular basis, get involved in the day to day work of the local body, even if it is “only” the cleaning rota (and, hey, worshipping in a dirty church quickly reveals how important that is), and pursue a disciplined life of private devotion."

Check out the article for it's a "good read". Trueman hits the nail on the head with clarity and wit.

posted by john d.

Filling Up The Afflictions Of Christ

The following is an excerpt from John Piper's book, Filling Up The Afflictions Of Christ. I have only begun to read it and find in it an biblically intelligent and intriguing response to the question, why God permits the persecution of His people. We often respond, "To Glorify God". But how does persecution glorify God? The book is available in PDF form here.

Piper begins with a letter from John Calvin to five French Christians who are about to be martytred.

Now, at this present hour, necessity itself exhorts you more than ever to turn your whole mind heavenward. As yet, we know not what will be the event. But, since it appears as though God would use your blood to seal His truth, there is nothing better for you than to prepare yourselves for that end, beseeching Him so to subdue you to His good pleasure, that nothing may hinder you from following whithersoever He shall call. . . . Since it pleases Him to employ you to the death in maintaining His quarrel, He will strengthen your hands in the fight and will not suffer a single drop of your blood to be shed in vain.

Your humble brother, John Calvin

John Piper writes, "Afflictions are not merely the result of missionary fruitfulness, but also the means. God has appointed our pain to be part of his powerful display of the glory of Christ. The worth of Jesus in the world shines more brightly in the lives of those who say by their sacrificial lives, 'I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ' (Philippians 3:8) ".

posted by john d.

Let Your Light So Shine

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Martyn-Lloyd Jones' book "Studies In The Sermon On The Mount". In Chapter Sixteen, "Let Your Light So Shine", MLJ ex posits the necessity of a Christian having a real influence and impact upon those around him. The Christian is to be "hot" for the Gospel of Christ: not vague or non-committed; as trying to please the world and Christ. MLJ has warm words for those who hold to a "formal" Christianity.

"According to our Lord's argument that is the truth concerning the Christian. As I understand it, and it seems to me to be an inevitable piece of logic and interpretation, there is nothing in God's universe that is so utterly useless as a merely formal Christian. I mean by that, one who has the name but not the quality of a Christian. The apostle Paul describes this when he speaks of certain people 'having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof'. They appear to be Christian but they are not. They want to appear as Christians, but they are not functioning as Christians. They are salt without savour, light without light, if you can imagine such a thing....
The formal Christian is a man who knows enough about Christianity to spoil the world for him; but he does not know enough about it for it to be of any positive value. He does not go with the world because he knows just enough about it to be afraid of certain things; and the people who live right in the world know that he is trying to be different and that he cannot be whole-heartedly with them. On the other hand he has no real fellowship with the Christian. He has enough 'Christianity' to spoil everything else, but not enough to give him real happiness, peace and joy and abundance of life. I think such people are the most pathetic people in the world. Our Lord certainly says they are the most useless people in the world. They do not function as worldlings or as Christians. They are nothing, neither salt nor light, neither one thing nor the other. And as a matter of actual fact, they are cast out; cast out as it were, by the world and cast out by the Church....

The true Christian cannot be hid, he cannot escape notice. A man truly living and functioning as a Christian will stand out. He will be like salt; he will be like a city set upon a hill, a candle set upon a candlestick....A man who truly realizes what it means to be a Christian, who realizes all that the grace of God has meant to him and done for him, and understands that, ultimately, God has done this in order that he may influence others, is a man who cannot conceal it."

posted by john d.

Church Membership

The following article was published in Christianity Today and posted at Pure Church blogsite in response to the question of the necessity of formal membership in a local church. Enjoy.

An argument for the importance of formal membership by Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile.

There's a new debate among today's Christians. Does the New Testament require, suggest, even hint at local church membership? Are Christians required to belong to a local church, or is it an option? And what does such belonging entail?

The New Testament knows nothing of a creature reborn through faith in Christ, baptized in identification with Christ, communing with Christ at His table, and not a member of a visible, local, identifiable congregation of other born-again baptized believers.

By "membership" I mean the way in which the individual is known to be intentionally committed to every other member of the congregation, and the congregation known to be committed to the individual. On nearly every page of the New Testament, local church membership is assumed.

For example, no one disputes that each Christian is a "member of the body of Christ." We all belong to the spiritual body of our Lord, united to Him inseparably as Head to torso. In that sense, "member" is a peculiarly Christian idea (Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:11–16)—not an idea lifted from Rotary, golf, or ski clubs. But the Bible shows that this spiritual union gets worked out in local church membership with other flesh-and-blood believers.

Consider also the "one another" passages of Scripture: "love one another" (John 13:34–35), "honor one another" (Rom. 12:10), "restore one another" (Gal. 6:1–2), etc. Many believe these commands can be carried out with their friends in a coffee shop. But all these commands are given to the entire church. And they mark out the entire community as separate from and witnessing to non-Christians (John 13:35). So, what the apostles have in view isn't the easy, cliquish love of friends, but the radical congregational love of the entire church. This radical vision calls for "no divisions in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other" (1 Cor. 12:25). Equal concern for every part requires the reciprocal commitment of self-conscious, intentional membership.

Finally, pastoral ministry requires local church membership. The apostle Peter exhorts the elders to "shepherd the flock of God that is in your care." The pastor isn't responsible for all the people of an area, but for the "flock of God." This doesn't include just any Christian he contacts, but that identifiable group or flock that is in his care. The sheep, then, must be known and committed to being "under" the care of the pastors. The command to obey your leaders requires local church membership (Heb. 13:7, 17).

Well, if the need for local church membership seems so obvious, why are some people breaking out in hives at the very idea? The reasons are legion, some good and some bad, some theological and some practical. But let me submit that every Christian—with the exception of the most renegade individualist—practices some form of membership. It's either a good practice or a weak one, but it's there.

Some Christians see their active involvement (regular attendance, perhaps serving in a ministry, giving, etc.) as sufficient evidence of their commitment to the church. Beyond that, they don't see the need. But what's critical for building strong, healthy spiritual community is that a few things be clearly in place and taught as part of what it means to be committed to the church.

First, you cannot practice meaningful membership or community where anonymity reigns. If people don't know each other, then it's impossible to knit the relationship fabric that is so central to biblical Christianity. So you need a practice that clearly reduces anonymity and increases interpersonal knowing.

Second, you cannot practice meaningful membership where gospel commitments and imperatives are not explicitly expected. Membership exists in large measure for the impartation of spiritual grace (1 Pet. 4:10–11), the exchange of love (John 13:34–35), correction (Gal. 6:1–2; Matt. 18:15–17), and so on. Membership means we are better together than we are apart. The membership process should make this clear, calling the members to "sign on the dotted line" of loving others across economic, social, linguistic, cultural, and other barriers.

Third, you need a practice that makes it clear that people are submitted to and desiring of pastoral oversight (1 Pet. 5:2). You cannot practice meaningful membership or community where anti-authority, anti-leadership, anti-accountability attitudes predominate. I'm afraid that these attitudes explain much of the resistance to membership; people don't want to be accountable. They imagine that their accountability to Jesus may be maintained without any accountability to His people. But it's among His people—through their love and care and commitment—that Jesus ordinarily establishes accountability with His sheep.

Finally, we need a membership process that maintains the Bible's temporal sequence of conversion, baptism, membership and communion. The observable pattern of the New Testament is: first, gospel preaching; second, hearing mixed with faith; and third, public profession of faith in baptism, which marks entrance into the covenant community, and consequently the privilege of communion at our Lord's Table.

Many have come to believe that membership is not essential because this pattern has been broken apart. It's possible to partake in all the benefits of membership (e.g., communion) without any of the commitments. It's the spiritual equivalent of "shacking up" with someone not your spouse. Until the conversion-baptism-membership-communion sequence is restored, the borders of the Christian life and church will remain fuzzy and membership neglected. Faithful pastors must repair the breakdown of this sequence.

The essence of biblical church membership is alive on every page of the New Testament: mutual love and commitment to all the other Christians in the assembly under the care of godly leadership as an expression of the kingdom and rule of God. That's not abstract. That's concrete, gritty, essential New Testament Christian living (Eph. 4:11-16) that brings discipleship and growth.

Thabiti Anyabwile is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman.

posted by john d.

The Beginning of the End?

What happens when a society or a culture ignores or disregards God's Word? What are the consequences? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the outcome when children rebel and refuse to follow the command of Ephesians 6:1-3 [Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. ]

The summer 2009 issue of the Free Grace Broadcaster has an article by Dr. M.L.J. titled, "Children, Authority, and Society" (available from Chapel Library). In that article he makes a very astute observation of one of the reasons our country is in it's present state of anarchy.

"....this is one of those laws that, when neglected, leads to the collapse of society. Whether we like it or not, a breakdown in homelife will eventually lead to a breakdown everywhere. This is, surely, the most menacing and dangerous aspect of the state of society at this present time. Once a family idea, the family unit, the family life is broken up - once that goes, soon you will have no other allegiance. It is the most serious thing of all. And that is perhaps the reason why God attached this promise to it."

"...no other allegiance..."

No allegiance to the church, to marriage, to the Word of God. This has been the design of satan from the beginning when he spoke with Eve in the garden and said to her, "hath God said?".

posted by john d.