The Word of God and Starbucks Coffee

What does Starbucks and memorizing God's Word and being able to explain it have in common? More than you think. Greg Koukl at Stand to Reason explains,

“If you’ve been to Starbucks lately, you might have noticed a new campaign to lift the consciousness of caffeinated patrons. Quotes from intellectual and spiritual virtuosi now grace their talls, ventis, and grandes “to get people talking,” their web site says.

Starbucks’ moments of truth might become one of yours, a pretext for friendly, thoughtful conversation that might turn into a divine appointment of sorts.

Consider this contribution by popular author Deepak Chopra: “Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others.” In this Dr. Chopra seems to reflect the sentiments of Jesus (whom he admires) when He warned, “Do not judge, lest you be judged” (Matthew 7:1).

Jesus’ comment, though, is almost universally misunderstood because of an inherent conflict in the condemnation of judging that goes unnoticed to almost everyone but Him.

Here’s the problem. Judgment always entails assessment. Is Chopra’s analysis an assessment? It seems to be. So is Jesus’. This raises a difficulty. Taken without qualification, the statement “You shouldn’t judge” is self-refuting, being itself an example of judgment.

Jesus qualified His comment, however, in a way that Chopra did not.

And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? . . .You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3,5)

Jesus did not condemn all judgments, only hypocritical ones --arrogant condemnations characterized by disdain and condescension. Not all judgments are of this sort. In fact, even in this passage Jesus actually enjoins a different kind of judgment once the hypocrisy has been dealt with (“first take the log out of your own eye, then . . .).

There are two other kinds of judging in Scripture that are not condemned, but commanded. Some judgments are judicial, proper when done by proper authorities. Judges judge. They pass sentence. That’s their job. Church discipline is of this sort (Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, Galatians 6:1).

Jesus did not come initially for this kind of judgment --He offered mercy, not sentencing (John 3:17, 12:47)--but He will certainly return with this kind. Appointed by the Father as final judge (John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42, 17:31), He will spare no one.

Other judgments are assessments --appraisals of right or wrong, wise or foolish, accurate or inaccurate, rational or irrational. This kind of judgment is not forbidden; it is commanded. Jesus’ instructions “Do not give what is holy to dogs” (Matthew 7:6) require this kind of judgment (What is “holy”? Who are the “dogs”?). Peter reminds us to “be of sound judgment” since “the end of all things is at hand,” (1 Peter 4:7).

Some assessments are moral. Paul commands this kind of judgment: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). This is to be done not “according to appearance,” but by “righteous” standards (John 7:24) according to Jesus, who chastised the Jews for their failures here: “And why do you not judge even on your own initiative what is right?” (Luke 12:57).

A judicial action, a factual assessment, a hypocritical arrogance --all are judgments. Only the third is disqualified by Jesus. The first two are actually virtues in their proper setting, and therefore commanded by Scripture.

Let me be clear on why all of this matters. The Christian message at its core entails a message of judgment. The “good news” of the Gospel is only good against the bad news of judgment. As ambassadors for Christ, we cannot avoid this.

Shallow aphorisms like Chopra’s “Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others” are wildly popular because they pander to a rebellious heart by promoting an indiscriminate tolerance. But they strike a blow at the very heart of the Gospel.

So the next time that you are memorizing or mediting on the Word, remember you may just have to be ready to explain it to someone when you are drinking your coffee at Starbucks!

Blessings,

Pastor Dwight Wagner

Why is Solus Christus So Important?

Yesterday I preached on "Solus Christus" (audio or text). In the evening portion of the message I addressed the challenge of religious mysticism. Under that general heading we could categorize the "spirituality" movement that is sweeping across America. This movement is sweeping such profoundly different religous as Roman Catholicism, Pentecostalism, and even the Emergent Conversation. Usually if someone is into "spirituality", they are into mysticism today in some form. Newsweek did a cover story on this whole movement back in August 2005 and it is worth the read for Christians who at least want to be aware of the religious landscape that we are dealing with it as we faithfully proclaim the gospel.

Another challenge I mentioned was religious pluralism which is the belief that when it comes to finding God all religious roads lead there. Greg Koukl calls this "religious stew" or "pious porridge" and does a great job dealing with the objections that religious pluralists (which describes one of your neighbors or co-workers more than likely) raise against our claim that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Acts 4:12). These objections include that Christianity is narrow, since there are so many different religions it is impossible to know which one is true, and if a person is sincere that is all that really matters. So if you want to know what choosing your ice cream vs. choosing your medication has to do with religious pluralists and Christianity read more of Greg's article. It will really equip you for some good discussions.

Finally, what difference does affirming the truth of Solus Christus really make? One crucial area it affects is missions. If a person compromises on the truth that Jesus is the only way, it removes a key biblical motivation to missions. So, Al Mohler argues that one of the reasons for the decline in missions emphasis and activity is that we have lost our theological nerve. His analysis is insightful and a wake-up call!

An article every parent should read

Al Mohhler brings attention to an "article [that] should be read by all parents -- and by all who care about the rights of parents. David Parker found himself arrested at the request of local school officials after he protested the fact that his 5-year-old son was being taught to accept gay marriage. The story is chilling and urgent."

God's Sovereignty: Total or Limited!

Psalm 7:17 reads, "I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High." David exclaimed this after crying out to God during a season of injustice in his life. "The LORD Most High" is the translation of the Hebrew name El Elyon which emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the One who controls all things!

Most belivers say they believe in the sovereignty of God. However, most have a limited view of God’s sovereignty. Take, for instance, Rick Warren who was on Larry King Live on Thursday night, October 5, along with Ashley Smith, the woman who made headlines around the world last March. She was held hostage for several hours by an alleged killer in the Atlanta courthouse rampage, Brian Nichols. She talked her way out of it and now has written an extraordinary book with some amazing revelations. The book is “Unlikely Angel,” the untold story of the Atlanta hostage hero. In the interview there were some interesting observations: But one exchange showed a real flaw in Warren’s theology on the truth of God’s sovereignty:

WARREN: Well, there are three or four truths. God works through people. We’ve talked about this, Larry, lots of time, like where was God in Katrina?

KING: Yes.

WARREN: Well, God was in the people who were helping them out of Katrina. That’s where he was. He’s in the . . .

KING: Where was he when the wind came?

WARREN: Exactly, well we know that . . .
KING: Why did the wind come?

WARREN: Well, we know that the world is a broken place. This isn’t heaven. That’s why we’re to pray thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven because God’s will is not always done on earth.

KING: So, he gets mad and sends wind?

WARREN: Well, no, no, no. I don’t blame — if I get drunk and I go out and I hit a woman in a car with a pregnant daughter with a baby and she dies, that’s not God’s will. That’s evil. And there is evil in the world.

KING: But the wind whose will is that?

WARREN: Well, because there’s evil in the world there are consequences about it and the Bible, I don’t want to get into theology on this but the Bible does say the world is broken.

Did you catch that? Warren basically says that Hurricane Katrina (and other natural disasters by logic) are not God’s will. To defend this position, he misinterprets part of the Lord’s prayer. William Hendrickson offers the correct in his commentary on Matthew, says, “It is the ardent desire of the person who sincerely breathes the Lord’s Prayer that the Father’s will shall be obeyed as completely, heartily and immediately on earth as this is constantly being done by all the inhabitants of heaven.”

At this point Rick Warren sounds close to what Open Theist John Sanders has written about tragic events and God’s will:

“The overarching structures of creation are purposed by God, but not every single detail that occurs within them. Within general providence it makes sense to say that God intends an overall purpose for the creation and that God does not specifically intend each and every action within the creation. Thus God does not have a specific divine purpose for each and every occurence of evil. The “greater good” of establishing the conditions of fellowship between God and creatures does not mean that gratuitous evil has a point. Rather, the possibility of gratuitous evil has a point but its actuality does not. … When a two-month-old child contracts a painful, incurable bone cancer that means suffering and death, it is pointless evil. The Holocaust is pointless evil. .. God does not have a specific purpose in mind of these occurences.”

But that is not God, El Elyon. He is "the Most High"! Not the "Almost High"! Rather, I urge you to embrace the view of complete sovereignty just celebrated this weekend at John Piper’s Conference in Minneapolis. In the opening address to “Ten Reasons to Celebrate God’s Sovereignty over All” (HT: Tim Challies)

1. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s delegated world rule. We know that Satan has been given dominion over the world because he was able to offer it to Christ. Satan plays a huge role in the rise and rule of evil in this world, but he does this only by degree permission and within God’s appointed limits. The Bible makes this abundantly clear.

2. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s angels (demons, evil spirits). Satan has thousands of cohorts that are known by various names and titles. There are wars and skirmishes on a spiritual level that we read about in Scripture, but we know that God is sovereign over even them.

3. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over persecution. While Christians do suffer in the jaws of Satan’s persecution, they do so within the government of God. Jesus knew this, for in the night He was taken from the garden he expressed that the Father had ordained that they had an hour, just one brief period of time, in which they could take and kill Him. But then He would break free.

4. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s life-taking power. Satan is a murderer who wants nothing more than to destroy. He does so successfully in this life. But none live or die but by God’s decree.

5. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s hand in natural disasters. The story of Job shows that Satan has the ability to control natural forces such as wind and fire from heaven (which is probably lightning). God his given Satan sufficient authority to do this. But we can learn from Job in this, for he did not focus on Satan’s agency, but on God’s sovereignty. There is small comfort in concentrating on the agency of Satan. Our focus needs to be on God for this is where we will find hope and security.

6. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s sickness-causing power. Satan causes much of the sickness we suffer. But as witnessed through the life of Christ, He has authority over Satan. Even today it is God’s delight to heal us.

7. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s use of animals and plants. Satan is able to use animals and plants to wreak havoc and bring death. Animals and plants are used to cause great suffering as part of Satan’s plan. But they cannot do what God does not will for them to do.

8. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s temptations to sin. Much of the suffering in the world is caused by man’s sin against man. Satan is called “the temptor,” as he tempts others to do his evil work for him. But God is sovereign over even this and He will not allow more than we can bear.

9. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s mind-blinding power. The greatest suffering, beside Christ’s will be the suffering of hell. Satan’s aim is to take as many of us with him into this suffering. He does this by blinding our minds to the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

10. Let us celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan’s spiritual bondage. Satan enslaves people in two ways. One is through pleasure, by making us think we don’t need God because we already have all we need. The other is through pain, by making us think God is not sovereign over pain. Both these sins demand repentance. Satan is not fully sovereign over his captives, for God can always grant repentance if He so desires.

The evil and suffering in this world are greater than we can ever imagine. But evil and suffering are not ultimate or sovereign. No, only and always it is God who is sovereign over joy and pain, evil and suffering. God is El Elyon--the Lord Most High! Embrace Him as sovereign over all!

Songs of Deliverance: A Great Read!

Phil Johnson has posted a great article he helped Herb and Ruth Clingen write years ago. The Clingens were missionaries in the Philippines in the 1940's. When the US entered the war against Japan, the Clingens were rounded up and lived three years in the Los Banos internment camp and endured great hardship there. This is a great story demonstrating this couple's trust in God during severe suffering.

Standing for the Faith: Looking back, looking forward

I preached on "Solus Christus: The Erosion of Christ-Centered Faith" today. This is so important. I stand with the Cambridge Declaration which affirms that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.We must learn again to define the true gospel in terms of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This is the sum and substance of the genuine gospel—and the true gospel is always a missionary gospel.

As we contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), we are standing on the shoulders of other godly men who have gone before us! Whether we stand for the faith or not also has implications for the future--especially when it comes to a generation yet unborn. Read carefully how Spurgeon pressed home this issue in his day:

Before I could quit my faith in the substitutionary work of the Lord Jesus Christ and my confidence in the Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure, I should have to be ground to powder and every separate atom transformed. What would they give us in exchange for the faith? That is a question, which it is easy to ask but impossible to answer. Suppose the Doctrines of Grace could be obliterated and our hope could be taken away—what would they give us in the place of them— either for this life or the next? I have never seen anything proposed in the place of the Gospel that was worth considering for a second. Have you? Uncertainty, doubt, glitter, mockery, darkness—all these have been offered—but who wants them? They offer us either bubbles or filth according to the different shade of the speculator’s character. But we are not enamored of either. We prefer gold to dross.

We must defend the faith. For what would have become of us if our fathers had not maintained it? If confessors, Reformers, martyrs and Covenanters had been indifferent to the name and faith of Jesus, where would have been the Churches of today? Must we not play the man as they did? If we do not, are we not censuring our fathers? It is very pretty, is it not, to read of Luther and his brave deeds? Of course, everybody admires Luther! Yes, yes. But you do not want anyone else to do the same today. When you go to the Zoological Gardens you all admire the bear. But how would you like a bear at home, or a bear wandering loose about the street?

You tell me that it would be unbearable and no doubt you are right. So, we admire a man who was firm in the faith, say four hundred years ago. The past ages are a sort of bear-pit or iron cage for him. But such a man today is a nuisance and must be put down. Call him a narrow-minded bigot, or give him a worse name if you can think of one. Yet imagine that in those ages past, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and their compeers had said, “The world is out of order. But if we try to set it right we shall only make a great row and get ourselves into disgrace. Let us go to our chambers, put on our night-caps and sleep over the bad times and perhaps when we wake up things will have grown better.”

Such conduct on their part would have entailed upon us a heritage of error. Age after age would have gone down into the infernal deeps and the infectious bogs of error would have swallowed all. These men loved the faith and the name of Jesus too well to see them trampled on. Note what we owe them and let us pay to our sons the debt we owe our fathers. It is today as it was in the Reformers’ days. Decision is needed. Here is the day for the man—where is the man for the day? We who have had the Gospel passed to us by martyr’s hands dare not trifle with it—nor sit by and hear it denied by traitors who pretend to love it but inwardly abhor every line of it.

The faith I hold bears upon it marks of the blood of my ancestors. Shall I deny their faith, for which they left their native land to sojourn here? Shall we cast away the treasure which was handed to us through the bars of prisons, or came to us charred with the flames of Smithfield? Personally, when my bones have been tortured with rheumatism, I have remembered Job Spurgeon, doubtless of my own stock, who in Chelmsford Jail was allowed a chair because he could not lie down by reason of rheumatic pain. That Quaker’s broad-brim overshadows my brow. Perhaps I inherited his rheumatism. But that I do not regret if I have his stubborn faith which will not let me yield a syllable of the Truth of God.

When I think of how others have suffered for the faith, a little scorn or unkindness seems a mere trifle, not worthy of mention. An ancestry of lovers of the faith ought to be a great plea with us to abide by the Lord God of our fathers and the faith in which they lived. As for me, I must hold the old Gospel—I can do no other. God helping me, I will endure the consequences of what men think my obstinacy.

Look you, Sirs, there are ages yet to come. If the Lord does not speedily appear, there will come another generation and another and all these generations will be tainted and injured if we are not faithful to God and to His Truth today. We have come to a turning point in the road. If we turn to the right, maybe our children and our children’s children will go that way. But if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and to His Word. I charge you, not only by your ancestry but by your posterity, that you seek to win the commendation of your Master—that though you dwell where Satan’s seat is—you hold fast His name and do not deny His faith.

God grant us faithfulness for the sake of the souls around us! How is the world to be saved if the Church is false to her Lord? How are we to lift the masses if our fulcrum is removed? If our Gospel is uncertain, what remains but increasing misery and despair? Stand fast, my Beloved, in the name of God! I, your Brother in Christ, entreat you to abide in the Truth of God. Conduct yourselves like men, be strong. The Lord sustain you for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

The quote is from the sermon, “Holding Fast The Faith” [The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol 34, preached on Feb 5, 1888].

May God grant us boldness and faithfulness to stand fast!!!!

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church

Our Sunday evening small groups are going to be studying an excellent book by Mark Devers called Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Mark is the pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC and has been remarkably used of God in calling churches to reformation and renewal. His emphasis is on establishing healthy churches which reminds me of what John MacArthur has said throughout the years, "You worry about the depth of your ministry and let God worry about the breadth of it." An abbreviated version of this book can be found in PDF format. Every pastor and every Christian who cares deeply about the church should read this!

A New Children's Bible

Crossway has just published the ESV Children’s Bible. This edition contains the complete ESV text plus 214 illustrations and material geared toward kids at the beginning and end of the volume. Crossway designed the Bible to emphasize the Word of God.

The material at the beginning helps children learn how to read, meditate on, and apply the Bible. Read an excerpt from the front (130K PDF; the areas that look pink—technically, magenta—appear a deep red in the printed version. These excerpts come from proofs prepared for the printer and don’t have color-correction applied).

The 80 pages of material at the end introduce children to the message of the Bible. The material reviews key events and ideas found in the Bible and doesn’t shy away from tough topics like sanctification. It talks about some ways to study the Bible and how to apply it to kids’ lives. Parents can go through this material with their children. Read an excerpt from the back (469K PDF).

Read the rest of the press release at the ESV blog.

This Bible looks superb! I am hoping to get one for my youngest son for Christmas!

The latest Roman Catholic position on the Bible

Here is the latest Roman Catholic position on the authority of Scripture. The article begins, "The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church has published a teaching document instructing the faithful that some parts of the Bible are not actually true."

The Changing of the Seasons

Fall has finally come to Erie, PA! What beautiful scenery God provides for us in this part of Commonwealth! Peak full foilage is going to happen in just a few days. As you enjoy the beauty of the changing colors, remember that the changing of the seasons also is a fresh certification of God's faithfulness. Fall is a great time to rehearse some of the promises of God and believe them deeply. Listen the words of Charles Spurgeon in this regard (HT: Girltalk)

“To the Christian it should be great joy, by means of the harvest, to receive an assurance of God's faithfulness. The Lord has promised that seed-time and harvest, summer and winter, shall never cease; and when you see the loaded wain carrying in the crop you may say to yourself, "God is true to his promise. Despite the dreary winter and the damp spring, autumn has come with its golden grain." Depend upon it, that as the Lord keeps this promise he will keep all the rest. All his promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus: if he keeps his covenant to the earth, much more will he keep his covenant with his own people, whom he hath loved with an everlasting love. Go, Christian, to the mercy-seat with the promise on your lip and plead it. Be assured it is not a dead letter. Let not unbelief cause you to stammer when you mention the promise before the throne, but say it boldly—"Fulfil this word unto thy servant on which thou hast caused me to hope." Shame upon us that we so little believe our God. The world is full of proofs of his goodness. Every rising sun, every falling shower, every revolving season certifies his faithfulness. Wherefore do we doubt him? If we never doubt him till we have cause for it we shall never know distrust again. Encouraged by the return of harvest, let us resolve in the strength of the Spirit of God that we will not waver, but will believe in the divine word and rejoice in it.”

Sola Scriptura and Homosexuality

During my message last Sunday on Sola Scriptura, I spoke of the erosion of biblical authority on several contemporary fronts. One that I did not address was the issue of the erosion of biblical authority in the area of moral issues such as abortion and homosexuality. Al Mohler is doing a four part commentary series on the issue of homosexuality. Part two is especially pertinent as evidence of what has happened to biblical authority. His commentary shows "world-class" discernment on one of the foremost issues in our culture.

The Dutch Government to officially sanction euthansia

Back in January 2005 I preached a sermon called "The Groningen Protocol and Modern Day Herods." What is the Groningen Protocol? It was the proposal developed by doctors in the Netherlands for the establishment of an "independent committee" charged with selecting babies and other severely handicapped or disabled people for euthanasia." One newspaper described it in this way:

Under the Groningen protocol, if doctors at the hospital think a child is suffering unbearably from a terminal condition, they have the authority to end the child’s life. The protocol is likely to be used primarily for newborns, but it covers any child up to age 12.

The hospital, beyond confirming the protocol in general terms, refused to discuss its details.

"It is for very sad cases," said a hospital spokesman, who declined to be identified. "After years of discussions, we made our own protocol to cover the small number of infants born with such severe disabilities that doctors can see they have extreme pain and no hope for life. Our estimate is that it will not be used but 10 to 15 times a year."

A parent’s role is limited under the protocol. While experts and critics familiar with the policy said a parent’s wishes to let a child live or die naturally most likely would be considered, they note that the decision must be professional, so rests with doctors.

Well, now the Groningen Protocol is about to become law. Read Al Mohler's latest blog in which he accurately asserts that "the Culture of Death takes a great leap forward with this move -- the first time a government will have adopted an official policy for the killing of infants."

Thank God for the Andrews!

I am reading a book on the disciples called Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur. It is part of my reading for a men's group that meets weekly to study the theme of discipleship. This week we are studying Andrew. Andrew was the "quiet" disciple, yet one who was in the inner circle of Jesus Christ's closest followers. Andrew saw value in individual people and in insignificant things. He is often seen bringing people to Jesus and he often points out "small things" that Jesus uses in big ways. As MacArthur writes, "It is not the greatness of the gift that counts, but rather the greatness of the God to whom it is given."

I am so grateful for the many "Andrews" that have served God so consistently throughout their lives. Where would our churches be without Andrews who quietly and almost anonymously serve behind the scenes? Yet in doing so they are used by God in large ways. As John points out,

Thank God for people like Andrew. They’re the quiet individuals, laboring faithfully but inconspicuously, giving insignificant, sacrificial gifts, who accomplish the most for the Lord. They don’t receive much recognition, but they don’t seek it. They only want to hear the Lord say, “Well done.”

And Andrew’s legacy is the example he left to show us that in effective ministry it’s often the little things that count—the individual people, the insignificant gifts, and the inconspicuous service. God delights to use such things, because He has “chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:27–29).

MacArthur, J. 2002. Twelve ordinary men : How the Master shaped his disciples for greatness, and what He wants to do with you . W Pub. Group: Nashville, TN

Sola Scriptura and Traditions

Yesterday I preached on Sola Scriptura: The Erosion of Biblical Authority. Mike Gendron presents nine solid arguments for Sola Scriptura at his excellent website which will help you in presenting the gospel to Catholics. I urge you to take some time to read this article and check out his website. He also has an excellent chart on the traditions in Catholicism that "invalidate the Word of God."