Erskine on law and gospel
March 1, 2011
Here’s an old and helpful hymn on the law and the gospel from a true Scots worthy, Ralph Erskine (1685-1752):
The law supposing I have all,
Does ever for perfection call;
The gospel suits my total want,
And all the law can seek does grant.
The law could promise life to me,
If my obedience perfect be;
But grace does promise life upon
My Lord’s obedience alone.
The law says, Do, and life you’ll win;
But grace says, Live, for all is done;
The former cannot ease my grief,
The latter yields me full relief.
The law will not abate a mite,
The gospel all the sum will quit;
There God in thret’nings is array’d
But here in promises display’d.
The law excludes not boasting vain,
But rather feeds it to my bane;
But gospel grace allows no boasts,
Save in the King, the Lord of Hosts.
Lo! in the law Jehovah dwells,
But Jesus is conceal’d;
Whereas the gospel’s nothing else
But Jesus Christ reveal’d.
What we want
February 4, 2011
A great expression of what a gospel-driven church should want, adapted to FPC Kosciusko’s context. The original is from Kevin DeYoung of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan. It makes an excellent prayer guide. I used it as such in our Session meeting a couple of days ago.
We want what God’s people have always wanted:
• We want God to bless us that we might be a blessing.
• We long to see sinners saved by God’s free grace.
• We aim to raise up pastors and missionaries to serve near and far.
• We want to see neighborhoods and apartments converted.
• We want the stony hears of teenagers and children, and of colleagues and neighbors, to be turned to flesh.
• We want a church where the good news of justification by faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone to the glory of God alone is preached boldly and gladly to as many as the Lord brings.
• We want children nurtured in the word of God.
• We want to make disciples and teach them to obey all that Christ has commanded.
• We want to shepherd wisely and faithfully the flock that God has entrusted to us.
• We want to cultivate a caring, loving communion of saints that use their gifts to build up the body and fan out into our community to promote Christ in word and deed.
• We want to keep doing the things we do well, and grow in the things we can do better, all to the glory of God, by the power of the Spirit, for the joy of all peoples.
• We want to help one another know Christ, serve Christ, tell of Christ, and live for Christ.
Grammar of the gospel
January 18, 2011
I’m in the stage of parenting where I’m a popular resource for homework help. Algebra is a lot more enjoyable now than it was when I was a teenager, even when I have to teach it to myself again. I find a particular joy in English grammar. I have a bachelor’s degree in English, but I avoided taking the Advanced Grammar class–probably because I had heard about how difficult the class was. My wife, however, took it. She still has the textbook…and I love it. I am fascinated by the way language works.
My affection for grammar was the hook that snagged on Justin Taylor’s “notes” on the 2010 Basics Conference. Below he summarizes a session with Dr. Sinclair Ferguson on “The Grammar of the Gospel.”
One of the sections I enjoyed was when Dr. Ferguson began talking about the structure—or grammar—of the gospel. Natively, the gospel is a foreign language to us and we need to learn that the grammar of the gospel is shaped by the gospel itself. He noted how hard it is for us as Americans to learn Latin. The verbs go at the end end. We are a doing community and it’s hard for us to put the “doing” at the end. But the gospel teaches us to put our doing word at the end and Jesus’ doing word at the beginning—but our native tendency is to drag back the doing word and put it at the beginning, and then top that up with Jesus’ doing, just to make life a little better.
There’s a very clear grammar, he said, in the gospel. . . .
The Mood of the Gospel
We need to learn that the grammar of the gospel has its appropriate mood.
In our languages today we speak in the indicative mood and the imperative mood. The indicative mood is saying these are the things that are true. The imperative mood is saying these are things you need to do. And in the gospel, the structure of the grammar is always indicative gives rise to imperative….
The Tense of the Gospel
There’s also a tense of the gospel: the present is to be rooted in the past. You need to go backward to what Christ has done in order to go forward in what you are to do. There is an emphasis of the already and the mopping-up operation of the not-yet.
The Prepositions of the Gospel
Do you remember how Paul uses prepositions in Galatians 2:20-21, where in a few words he summarizes the work of Christ:
The Son of God loved me and gave himself for me;
and therefore I am crucified with Christ;
nevertheless, I live, but not I; Christ lives in me.In these three prepositions the apostle Paul has, in a sense, summarized the basic structure of our union with Christ. Since we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, he came as our substitute and representative—there is this sense in which we now know through faith that we were crucified with Christ. And the past that dominated us has been nailed to the cross; the dominion of sin that reigned over us has been broken—so that he has died for us and we have been crucified with him, and wonder of wonders there is this third dimension of our union with Christ: a mutual union, in which not only are we are said to be in Christ, but Christ the Lord of glory, in all the fullness of his role as our benefactor comes to dwell in the heart of the merest believer.
Cream of blog 10.05.11
May 11, 2010
A few blog posts worthy of your time
- Kevin DeYoung on that feeling of perpetual guilt you may have.
- Kevin DeYoung on questions we should ask when people are disappointed with the church. (part one, two, and three)
- Got a “Swagger Wagon”? You might want one after watching these two videos.
- And another thing: Is your worship contemporvant? Let these guys show you how to fix that.
- Jonathan Dodson on 5 reasons you may not be seeing spiritual growth.
Tripp on pastors
February 3, 2010
Here are notes taken from a Monday pre-conference seminar by Paul Tripp:
I don’t know how many ministers of the gospel read this blog, but this is one you really should read. Elders and anyone else who has the opportunity to be a good friend to his pastor ought to read these notes as well.
How an idea becomes reality
October 7, 2009
Mark Driscoll, Preaching Pastor at Mars Hill Church, recently wrote an article on turning an idea into reality. Below is a summary of his process in some areas with quotations. Thanks, McKay Caston (church planter, Creekstone Church in Dahlonega, Georgia), for making me aware of this.
1. Begin with Vision
What do we want to accomplish? What is our dream?
2. Develop a Plan
What are the practical steps to seeing the vision a reality? What is my role in the process? What do I need to delegate? What other key leaders will be required to see the plan implemented?
3. Implement the Plan
“The idea has been justified, planned, and approved; it now needs to be launched as a reality. The plan needs to be executed and at this phase, the hard work begins in an effort to build momentum and make the idea a reality.”
4. Manage the Plan
“At this phase, the idea has become a new reality but shortly thereafter the ministry will likely lose momentum as the work becomes routine, the systems that were planned need to be upgraded for efficiency, and faithful people need to ensure the ministry continues forward and that the devoted people serving do not grow weary or lose heart.”
5. Review
“At the six-month and one-year marks of each ministry (as well as other designated times), the leader of that ministry must ensure that accurate and meaningful reviews are conducted to answer the following questions and determine if the ministry should continue, be changed, or cease.”
- Have you met your objectives?
- Why or why not?
- Should this ministry continue?
- How can you improve?
- What changes must be made?
Piper on greatness, humility and servanthood
September 2, 2009
From a new sermon by John Piper on Mark 10:32-45, entitled “Greatness, Humility, and Servanthood,” summarizing what humility is and does:
- Humility is glad that God gets all the credit for choosing us so that we boast only in him and not man.
- Humility happily admits that everything we have is a free gift from God, so that we can’t boast in it.
- Humility is glad to affirm that God sovereignly governs our heartbeats and safe arrivals, or non-arrivals.
- The root of Christian humility is the gospel that Christ died for our sins. That’s how sinful I was. That’s how dependent I am.
- Humility gives itself away in serving everyone, rather than seeking to be served.
- And humility is glad to affirm that this service is true greatness.
He also answers three worldly objections to humility:
- Humility makes a person gloomy, dismal, downcast, unhappy
- Humility makes you fearful and timid
- Humility makes you passive and removes the driving motor of achievement
A choice quote:
Gospel humility frees you from the need to posture and pose and calculate what others think, so that you are free to laugh at what is really funny with the biggest belly laugh. Proud people don’t really let themselves go in laughter. They don’t get red in the face and fall off chairs and twist their faces into the contortions of real free laughter. Proud people need to keep their dignity. The humble are free to howl with laughter.
Prayer: a rare medium well done
August 18, 2009
Over at Scotty Smith’s blog, he’s sharing some prayers he has composed about many different aspects of life: friends, enemies, Jesus’ return, suffering, joy, acceptance, shame, and much more below are three that have gripped my heart recently
Prayer for a Thick Skin and a Big Heart
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
Dear Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, apart from you, the admonitions in this passage mock our sensibilities. Everything within us instinctively wants to get even when we are hurt by others. Whether it’s a “light-hearted” insult or an outright assault; whether it’s our forgotten birthday or a remembered failure; whether we’re excluded from a party or included in someone’s madness… so often, too often, the pain we feel get’s recycled and redistributed to others.
We ask you for thick skin and a big heart, Jesus. We want to love well in the presence of everything from non-intended slights to full bore evil. Where evil has already deeply wounded us or is presently lurking, Jesus, let us remember, even deeper in our hearts, that you will repay, you will avenge. Because you have already overcome evil on the cross and have secured its utter annihilation, we can dare to imagine overcoming evil with good. We are clueless about feeding hungry, thirsty enemies, Jesus. Take our hand and show us the way.
And where we are just too sensitive, Jesus, too easily offended, too ready to keep record of wrongs done to us… may the gospel bring us much greater freedom. May this be a week, Jesus, of overlooking everything that should be overlooked, of dealing wisely as peacemakers with the situations we must confront, and a week of revoking all revenge in light of the Day you return to make all things new. All for your glory we ask these things, Jesus. AmenA Prayer About Weaknesses
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Heavenly Father, I totally get Martin Luther’s statement that “bad theology is the worst taskmaster of all.” For there’s so much in this one passage of Scripture that exposes and contradicts many distorted and destructive notions I used to have about the Christian life. I wasn’t raised to delight in weakness, rather to despise weakness, to deny weakness, to demonize weakness, to de-throne weakness.
It was all about “the victorious Christian life”… being “superman-Christian,”… basically a Type A personality on spiritual steroids, filled with positive confessions, and an unrealistic obsession with being in control, of myself and others. I didn’t want sufficient grace, I wanted replacement grace. What a miserable me-centered merciless myth.
How I praise you, Father, that you are actively working to bring to completion the good work you have begun in each of your children, including me. Hasten that glad Day! Until then, Jesus, please help me to delight in my weaknesses (plural). I have NEVER been more aware of being weak, of having no ability to change certain parts of my brokenness. I really am weak. Jesus, I so want your power to rest on me, I so need your power to rest on me. I am desperate for, and expectant of, sufficient grace from you.
Lastly, as you continue to humble and gentle my heart, help me be more compassionate towards others, in their weaknesses. You haven’t called me to “fix” anyone, but to love everyone. What a wonderful merciful Savior you are, Jesus. Indeed, it was because you embraced the weakness of the cross, Jesus, that I can gladly boast in the weaknesses of my life. What a most profound, liberating and hope-filled paradox. Amen
A Prayer About Acceptance
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:7
Lord Jesus, it’s both settling and centering to begin this day in the peaceful assurance of your acceptance. You know everything about me, and still I am fully and eternally accepted by God in you. You know my failures, fissures, fickleness, foolishness, faithlessness… and yet you totally accept me. When I confess my sins, I don’t inform you of anything you don’t already know. In fact, I’m probably only am aware of 3 or 4% of my actual sins. It’s absolutely astonishing to be this known and this accepted, by YOU.
But here comes the difficult part, Jesus. As you have accepted me, you are calling me to accept my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Do you really have enough grace that can enable me to love like that, Jesus? Are you really calling me to receive, welcome, and love others with whom I disagree about so many things? You’re really gonna have to help me, because there are a lot of my brothers and sisters, (even those in my own family), with whom I disagree on everything from topics in theology, politics, dress, issues of Christian liberty, women’s issues, how to spend money, worship styles, what to do on Sunday, educating children, drinking alcohol, entertainment… and that’s just for starters.
I need a bigger gospel-heart and more gospel-wisdom, Jesus, if I’m going to make any headway in this calling. Please help me show compassion without compromising my convictions. Please show me the difference between essential and non-essential matters. Please show me the difference between accepting someone where they are and acquiescing to the destructive things they are doing. Please free me from the limitations of my perspective, the prejudices of my heritage, and the insecurities of my comfort zone. Please, please, please free me from my stinkin’ need to be right all the time.
Father, please remind me, over and over, that YOU will bring to completion the good work YOU began in each of your children. And burn the conviction, indelibly into my heart, that it brings YOU praise when I work hard at accepting others as Jesus’ accepts me. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ name.
The aim of our charge
June 17, 2009
The Apostle Paul gave his protege Timothy a number of charges and exhortations in the two New Testament letters addressed to Timothy. Paul wants Timothy to lead his flock wisely, courageously and virtuously. He offers as something of a thesis statement this marvelous assertion in the opening of his first letter to Timothy:
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith [1 Timothy 1:5].
Love requires personal holiness (a pure heart), honest self-assessment and charitable assessment of others (a good conscience), all of which flows from one’s relationship to God (sincere faith).
- a pure heart: a heart delivered from corrupting idolatries and influences, rather than being dominated by sinful desires;
- a good conscience: a true knowledge of God and a true self-understanding, rather than being deceived by and laden with guilt; and
- a sincere faith: living a God-ward life, receiving his Word and gifts on his terms, rather than living with pretense and hypocrisy.
Prayer for pastors
April 9, 2009
“From moral weakness of spirit, from timidity, from hesitation, from fear of men and dread of responsibility, strengthen us with courage to speak the truth as our ministry requires, with the strength that can yet speak in love and self-control; and alike from the weakness of hasty violence and the weakness of moral cowardice; save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.“
~courtesy of Philip Ryken and Reformation21.
