How People Change

Yesterday I began reading How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp.

If the first chapter is indicative of the rest of the book, it should be a very helpful book.

For instance, "if we do not live with a gospel-shaped, Christ-confident, and change-committed Christianity, that hole will get filled with other things." What kinds of things? Things like:

• formalism — a structured attempt at "worship" without a real desire and passion for Christ.
• legalism — a rigid attempt to keep personal rules in a vain attempt to curry the favor of God.
• mysticism — a pursuit of the experience of God over (and often apart from) the truth of God.
• activism — "defending" Christ's cause without enjoy fellowship with Christ, because the "evil outside you is greater than the evil inside you."
• Biblicism — a knowledge and study of theology and Scripture without an enjoyment and pleasure in Christ.
• "psychology-ism" — Christ is a therapist more than a Savior.
• "social-ism" — Christ is given to fulfill our personal social and relational ills and desires, making the church a club rather than context for worship and service.
  

These will appeal to our self-righteousness, selfishness, environmentalism (believing the sin around us is greater and more problematic than the sin within us), and independence (lying to us that we are not as weak and blind spiritually as we really are).

I look forward to the rest of the book. Pick up a copy and "read it with me" (you'll probably here more about it in these pages in days to come).

Sunday Leftovers (12/24/06)

Jesus is difficult to believe and hard to follow.

It is for good reason that He says, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt. 7:13-14). Many enter through the broad gate because following Jesus Christ is "restrictive" — it entails sacrifice (although it is sacrifice on earth, it is well worth the trade; cf. 2 Cor. 4:17-18) and obedience and conformity (to the image of Christ) and death.

Sometimes that death is literal. It is promised that believers in Christ will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). That was the experience of the disciples, the apostle Paul, and millions of followers since then, and even many more currently.

Sometimes the death is internal and "individual" — a dying of self. "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live" (Gal. 2:20). That is, I have been so identified by God with the death of Christ that my old self is dead (my sin, manifested most significantly in self-centered, self-focused desires for life and in ignorance and hatred of God), having been removed and replaced by the forgiving blood of Christ, granting me also the presence of His full righteousness to such a degree that it can be said, "I don't live, but Christ lives in me." He is my life.

Is that hard? Indeed it is, because the the flesh does not die easily (cf. Rom. 7:14-25). Yet only those who die will live. That is the great paradox of the cross. So Christ is hard to follow because He is deadly. Follow Him and you will die — certainly you will die to self, and possibly you will die physically too. That's hard for many to accept, which is why only a few find life (Matt. 7:14).

Yet it is also the means by which we glorify God, deeming the treasure of following Him to be superior to the treasure of accumulated earthly comforts. He is deadly. But He is good and glorious. Follow Him.

For the Love of God

One of my favorite statements from one of my favorite Puritans, Thomas Watson:

The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of God. "When I awake, I am still with thee" (Psalm 139:18). The thoughts are as travellers in the mind. David's thoughts kept heaven-road I am still with Thee. God is the treasure, and where the treasure is, there is the heart. By this we may test our love to God. What are our thoughts most upon? Can we say we are ravished with delight when we think on God? Have our thoughts got wings? re they fled aloft? Do we contemplate Christ and glory? Oh, how far are they from being lovers of God, who scarcely ever think of God! "God is not in all his thoughts" (Psalm 10:4). A sinner crowds God out of his thoughts. He never thinks of God, unless with horror, as the prisoner thinks of the judge. [All Things for Good, p. 74.]

Ungrateful for the Gift of Christ?

On Christmas morning, gifts will be opened that will be ungratefully received. They will be taken, but without gratitude.

Perhaps the recipient will have wanted something else. Perhaps the value of the gift is unknown, or perhaps it is known and considered "inadequate."

This same Christmas season, people will be presented with the gift of Christ and will reject Him in similar ways and for similar reasons. In his sermon, "Jesus Is the Horn of Salvation," John Piper identifies why that is true.

If someone would have given me a guaranteed super-duper mousetrap for Christmas last year, I would have felt very little appreciation. We never had any mice in our old house. If someone gave me a guaranteed-to-catch-'em mousetrap this Christmas, I'd really feel appreciation because now we have got mice and I can't catch them all. If you offer me a quick ride after service to the emergency room at Metropolitan Medical Center, I'll think you are strange unless I see the gash in my arm or feel the severe pain in my abdomen. Then I would love you for the offer. If a police car screeches to a stop beside me on my way home from church some night and a man hollers for me to get in, I'll think he is putting me on unless I see the armed gang lurking ahead around the corner.

And so it is in all of life: we do not appreciate gifts that meet no needs or satisfy no desires. We do not value or love an offer for help unless we know we are sick or endangered by some enemy. Vast numbers of people look upon Jesus and the Christmas story of his coming as a useless mousetrap, a crazy trip to the emergency room, a bothersome pickup by the police, because they don't know that they have a terminal illness called unforgiven sin, and they don't believe in the fearful enemy, Satan. For them, the "horn of salvation" is a useless toy. For me, it is my only hope of recovery from this deadly disease of sin that infects my soul and my only protection from Satan, the most dangerous external enemy.

Preparing for Christmas Worship

Every Christmas, John Piper writes a series of four advent poems for his congregation. This year the poems are written around a consideration of the life of Nebuchadnezzar. They are worth hearing or reading.

One of my favorite advent poems remains "The Innkeeper."

These are worth hearing or reading as you prepare your heart for worship on Christmas Eve.

Eugenics and You

Eugenics is not an oft-used word in my conversations. And probably not in yours either.

But the influence of eugenics and the theology behind it is increasingly influencing our lives.

Eugenics is defined as: “the study of hereditary improvement of the human race by controlled selective breeding. Formed from the Greek prefix eu – meaning ‘good,’ and a root word that means ‘to produce’ — the same root from which we derive the word gynecology, eugenics means literally ‘good product, good birth products.’”

That may not seem too terribly controversial. Yet in history it became attached to practices that were horrific and frightening. Eugenics began to flourish in the U.S. and Europe in the early 20th century and became the foundation for the Nazi atrocities of World War II. Hitler and his minions used eugenics as the rational for exterminating those who were “unfit to live” in an effort to create a “good product” — preventing the births of “undesirable people,” and exterminating “undesirable people” who had the “misfortune” to be born.

Astoundingly, even with the revelation of the Nazi atrocities, eugenics was not only not discredited, but it is still with us, even thriving all the more.

Of course it is not often called eugenics. Today it flies under banners like “participatory evolution” and “evolutionary ethics” (terms used to minimize objective truth so morality and ethics also fall under the evolutionary process — changing to fit the times). Richard John Neuhaus summarized the influence of contemporary eugenics two decades ago (and what he said still applies — only moreso): “eugenics gives every appearance of returning with a vengeance in the form of developments ranging from the adventuresome to the bizarre to the ghoulish — the manufacture of synthetic children, the fabrication of families, artificial sex, and new ways of using and terminating undesired human life.”

Charles Colson recently commented that

eugenic ideas are surfacing again, masquerading as humanitarian progress—as in research labs where scientists destroy “leftover” human embryos to find cures for diseases, or in sperm banks where women select their baby’s father from hundreds of donors on the basis of intelligence or gifts, or in doctors’ offices where parents feel subtle pressure to abort imperfect fetuses, or in hospitals when futile-care policies allow doctors to decide who lives and who dies. Today, some ethicists, like Princeton’s Peter Singer, brazenly argue that it’s permissible to kill disabled children after they’re born—children like my autistic grandson, Max—all in the seductive guise of maximizing human happiness.…

Today, scientists are fashioning a “master race” not by herding “inferior” people into gas chambers, but by practicing involuntary euthanasia throughout the life cycle. As Judeo-Christian influence erodes in Western society, traditional ethical norms are giving way to the only remaining absolute: maximizing happiness. But sacrificing one to benefit all soon makes all vulnerable. If we follow the deadly logic of modern utilitarianism, other questions will soon confront us: Why not take the body parts of prisoners sentenced for life to save others, as the Chinese do? Why feed those unable to work or provide medical care to someone in the last stages of illness?…

Eugenics, once discredited, has made a lethal comeback. As we celebrate the Incarnation this month, we are reminded that every life at every stage is precious in God’s design. We must help our neighbors understand that this aspect of the Christian worldview—the conviction that all life is sacred—provides the only defense for the weakest in our midst. If, as I believe, the character of a society is ultimately judged by how well it cares for the poor and the weak, what does the return of eugenics tell us about our nation?

Eugenics is not a distant issue. It is here, and it deserves our Biblical attention by applying Biblical principles and thought to evaluating and discrediting ungodly and unrighteous theologies (and this is a theology — a way of thinking about God and "gods").

I commend to you the article by Colson, and an outstanding series of interviews produced by Mars Hill Audio in issue 70 (a portion of that issue is available for free). Read. Listen. Be warned. And be transformed.

Feed My Sheep

I just finished reading Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching. It is admittedly written to pastors and for pastors. But the principles in the book will apply well to anyone who would teach the Scriptures.

Two chapters are particularly worthy of consideration.

Sinclair Ferguson considers the topic, “Preaching to the Heart.” This principle is so important because as he notes, the heart “denotes the governing center of life.” And the goal of preaching to the heart is to preach so that “inner prostration of the hearts of our listeners [is produced] through a consciousness of the presence and the glory of God.”

How can we preach and teach and disciple so that people are left prostrate before the Lord? By exhibiting these five characteristics:

1. A right use of the Bible
2. The nourishment of the whole person
3. Understanding the condition of the hearers
4. The use of the imagination
5. Grace in Christ

In summation, “preaching to the heart is preaching Christ in a way that reminds people of Christ, but also manifests Christ to them, and draws them to Him.”

Also of superior help is John Piper’s chapter, “Preaching to Suffering People.” He articulates why this is such an important issue: because “suffering is a universal human experience, designed by God for His glory, but endangering every Christian’s faith.”

Suffering is a reality that is not only known to be true by life, but because of its affirmation in Scripture (Mt. 8:19-20; 10:25; Jn. 15:20; Acts 14:22; Rom. 8:17-18; 1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pt. 2:21; 4:12; Ps. 34:19).

So why should there be joy in the Lord? Because “suffering and hardship joyfully accepted in the path of obedience to Christ show the supremacy of Christ more than all our faithfulness in fair days.”

And the difficulty and suffering of the preacher and teacher is a fundamental tool that the Lord will use to accomplish this purpose. If you are teaching,

1. God has ordained that our preaching become deeper and more winsome as we are broken, humbled, and made low and desperately dependent on grace by the trial of our lives.
2. God has ordained that when we preach from weakness and suffering sustained by joy in Christ, the people see that Christ is treasured and they are loved.
3. The suffering of the preacher helps him see from the Scripture what he must say to his suffering people.

In sum, “the aim is to treasure Christ above all things, and to love people with the truth no matter the cost. That will bring the trouble.…We will preach and teach that they must all die, and we will bend every effort to help them say, when the time comes, ‘To die is gain.’ If we can help them value Christ above all that death will take away, they will be the freest and most radical, sacrificial people in life.”

Obedience and Joy -- Another Leftover

If God demands obedience, then does Christianity just become a 70-year will-power act of endurance? Absolutely not.

The point of obedience is to produce joy in the life of a believer as he learns to find the greatest satisfaction in God rather than in the temporal and vain pleasures of this present age (Titus 2:12).

John Piper writes well on this topic when he pens the following:

The point I have been laboring to clarify here is that God's pleasure in obedience is good news because that obedience that pleases him is the obedience of faith. Another way to put it would be to say that God is happy with our obedience when our obedience is the overflow of our happiness with God. God is delighted with our obedience when it is the fruit of our delight in him. Our obedience is God's pleasure when it proves that God is our treasure. This is good news, because it means very simply that the command to obey is the command to be happy in God. The commandments of God are only as hard to obey as the promises of God are hard to believe. The Word of God is only as hard to obey as the beauty of God is hard to cherish. [The Pleasures of God, p. 257.]

He adds to that in his new book, What Jesus Demands from the World:

My conviction is that if we are willing to find in him our supreme joy, his demands will not feel severe but sweet. They would land on us the way the Lady's commands landed on the beasts in C. S. Lewis's novel Parelandra: "The beasts would not think it hard if I told them to walk on their heads. It would become their delight to walk on their heads. I am His beast, and all His biddings are joys." [p. 24]

So obedience is a demand, but it is a demand that brings the greatest joy imaginable. It is severe, but it is a severity that produces mercy and grace. Obedience and submission is for His glory and our good.

Preparation for Sunday

Preparation for corporate worship is a key component to worshipping in a God-glorifying manner. To that end, I like to say, "Sunday worship begins on Saturday." That is, the things I do on Saturday will produce either the fruit of worship or the lack of it on Sunday.

So on Saturday (and actually throughout the week), I work to read the Bible and other works that will prepare my heart for genuine corporate worship. One way I've been doing that for years is by reading Chip Stam's "Worship Quote of the Week" (you can even receive these each week by email). These brief writings (one or two paragraphs, generally) rarely fail to stimulate my heart to consider the greatness and grandeur of God, and how I might worship Him with greater joy.

The Children of Men

P. D. James' reputation is as a mystery fiction writer, but this Christmas a movie based on a non-mystery book written by James will be making headlines.

It's not a feel-good Christmas movie. But it may be a movie that addresses an important theme.

Wheaton Professor Alan Jacobs explains the storyline of The Children of Men, which depicts the responses to social chaos triggered by universal infertility:

It's an interesting psychological speculation that James engages in here. People are obsessed by the idea of controlling things. They give over total dictatorial political power to a man who styles himself as the warden of England — and a small counsel of advisers — because he will prevent them from being bored and he will prevent them from suffering any disorder. All they want to do is to live out the remainder of their lives in peace and without any surprises — with electricity still running and hot water for baths, and they are so hopeless that's the most that they ask for.

The external circumstances of this story may not exist today (or ever exist), but the motives that drive the story line certainly do exist. Our culture can well be defined by these three statements: We are bored and unhappy. We don't want to suffer. We want peace (at any and every price).

The movie may or may not be worth seeing (while I have read several novels by James, I have not read this one yet). But James always has important things to say about culture and people in her writings. You can get a flavor for this book and her writing by listening to a Mars Hill Audio podcast called Audition. The podcast includes a lengthy interview with Jacobs, as well as an interview with James herself.

Mohler on Homosexuality

Al Mohler has some insightful comments on the announcement last week that Mary Cheney, the daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, is pregnant. That is hardly exceptional news except that she has lived in a lesbian relationship for the past 15 years and has openly opposed a potential ban on same-sex marriages. Mohler's blog, "Is Morality Relative When It Comes to Relatives?" is provocative and well worth reading.

Sunday Leftovers (12/10/06)

On Sunday I said that following Christ is hard because Christ is a King who "inconveniences" His children with various demands. And one of the things He demands is obedience. Now you might ask, "Just how is obedience an inconvenience?"

Obedience is an "inconvenience" because it requires submission and transformation.

Many will take Christ as the peacefully sleeping baby in Bethlehem. Many will accept Jesus as the wise (and even witty, as He mentally out-duels the religious leaders) teacher. Most love to accept Him as the gentle Shepherd who rescues wandering sheep out of difficulty.

Few want to accept Him as the whip-wielding, table-turning authority of the temple (John 2:13-22). We know this from the way the leaders responded to Him that day ("What sign do you show us as your authority for doing these things?" Jn. 2:18). We know it from the way the responded to Him halfway through His ministry ("As a result of [what Jesus said] many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore," Jn. 6:66). And we know it from the final verdict about Jesus' ministry ("though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him," Jn. 12:37). Jesus remained unwanted because He remained a demanding King.

The demands of Christ are for His glory, yes. But they are also for our good. It is good and great and joy for us when we glorify God in and through our obedience. Obedience from the heart (genuine repentance rather than mere outward conformity) will produce a transformation of life that will free us from the bondage of sin so that we might experience real joy and delight in God.

Is the call to obedience hard? Is it confrontational? Yes and yes. But as John Piper notes in What Jesus Demands from the World, "...the Son of Man came to save people from their suicidal love affair with possessions (and every other idol) and to lead them into a kind of impossible obedience that displays the infinite worth of Jesus." The demand of obedience is not just a demand; it is the means by which we are separated from our trite and superficial idols. So we are confronted by a hard demand that produces good. You might just call that a "convenient inconvenience."

What "moment" were you saved?

Puritan pastor John Owens articulated much better what I said about the exact time of a believer's salvation a couple of weeks ago:

“He that is alive may know that he was born, though he know neither the place where nor the time when he was so; and so may he that is spiritually alive, and hath ground of evidence that he is so, that he was born again, though he know neither when, nor where, nor how. And this case is usual in persons of quiet natural tempers, who have had the advantage of education under means of light and grace. God ofttimes, in such persons, begins and carries on the work of his grace insensibly, so that they come to good growth and maturity before they know that they are alive.”

(HT: Christian Quotation of the Day)

Sunday Leftovers (12/3/06)

“Christianity is everywhere in our culture, and yet Christ is so hard to find. We have an institutional Christ, a social Christ, a popular Christ, and a cultural Christ. Where is the Lord Jesus Christ?” asks writer and musician John Fischer.

It’s a perceptive question for a church culture where the supremacy of Christ is too often diminished and for the Christmas season.

The Lord Jesus Christ is in the manger — a baby, yes, but deity too. He is the eternal God-Man — both fully God and fully man at the same time. The exalted One and a humble One. Amazing.

Jesus Christ, whom we worship, did what He did as one person. Yet within that one person dwelt two different and complete natures — deity and humanity. So, “though Christ in his human nature knew hunger (Luke 4:2), weariness (John 4:6), and need for sleep, (Luke 8:23), just as Christ in His divine nature was omniscient (John 2:24), omnipresent (John 1:48), and omnipotent (John 11), all of this was experienced by the one person Jesus Christ” [Ron Rhodes].

So where is the Lord Jesus Christ? He is in the Christmas story — a story that is much more than the story of an interesting birth. It is the unique (meaning, unduplicated, one-of-a-kind) story of the advent of the God-man.

How shall we respond to Him? Not as a “nominal Christian.” As Robert Short wrote,

The nominal Christian, then, will see Jesus as a name, a representative, a symbol, a personification, a prototype, a figure, a model, an exemplar for something else. The nominal Christian pays homage to something about Jesus, rather than worshipping the man himself. For this reason, nominal Christians will extol the moral teachings of Jesus, the faith of Jesus, the personality of Jesus, the compassion of Jesus, the world view of Jesus, the self-understanding of Jesus, etc. None of these worships Jesus as the Christ, but only something about him, something peripheral to the actual flesh-and-blood man. This is why when the almighty God came into the world in Jesus, he came as the lowest of the low, as weakness itself, as a complete and utter nothing, in order that men would be forced into the crucial decision about him alone and would not be able to worship anything about him.

The humility Christ demonstrated does not diminish His greatness as the exalted Christ. But it does necessitate a response of faith by us. Will we trust and follow and submit to the humble and exalted King of kings?