God my Father,
I confess that I have not obeyed you as I ought;
I have not obeyed you because
I have not loved your Word as I ought;
I have not loved your Word because
I have not loved you as I ought.

I want to love you,
but I am too easily lost in the world that is myself—
I have believed that I possess righteousness
because I am righteous;
I have believed that I possess wisdom
because I am wise;
I have become great in my own eyes.

O, shine the light of your truth into my black heart!
Let me never forget
that my righteousness is as filthy rags,
that it is you who gives faith,
that it is you who grants repentance.

Stir the embers of my affections,
so they may not grow cold and die.
Fuel them to a roaring flame,
until the heat is felt by those around me.
Let me know the sweetness of fellowship with you.
Let me know you, that I may love you.

Steve Weaver has listed the books he read in 2006 (Shocking discovery: the Bible is not on the list!). Steve’s list got me thinking about my own reading, and the reading plan that I’ve been planning to plan for 2007, but have not yet planned; but I’m still planning on it.

I will be reading through the Bible in this nifty new 1599 Geneva Bible with updated spelling.

I want to read fewer contemporary works and more dead theologians this year. This is where you, dear reader, can help me. I’m looking for your recommendations of specific works in the following categories:

Church fathers
Reformers
Puritans

I am also hoping to read more church history. I have Schaff’s History of the Christian Church and D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century. What are your favorite church history books? Do you know of a good single volume church history?

Tell me: what should I read in 2007?

Recommendations so far (that I don't already have):

Augustine, The City of God and The Trinity

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion

Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections and Charity and its Fruits
Nathanael Ranew, Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation
Thomas Vincent, The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ
Thomas Watson, All Things for Good and The Art of Divine Contentment
John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ
Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
William Gurnell, The Christian In Complete Armor
J.C. Ryle, Warnings to the Churches

A.M. Renwick, The Story of the Church
Roland Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther
Alister McGrath, A Life of John Calvin: A Study in the Shaping of Western Culture
Iain Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A new biography
Arnold Dallimore, George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth Century

Before Christmas I asked whether or not we believe anything by choice. Most of the comments agreed that we do not. Today I want to explain why I believe that is true. This post will probably be somewhat redundant, and I will no doubt belabor the point, but I want to leave no holes in this argument because it is crucial to my understanding of the relationship of the will to salvation.

Proposition: It is impossible to choose what one believes.

The desk I am sitting behind is solid oak. I believe it is solid oak. I believe that because I know a few facts about it. (1) I chose the lumber myself at the lumber yard. It was labeled as red oak. It could possibly have been labeled incorrectly, but (2) I know what oak looks like. I know what color it is, and I know what the grain looks like. I know what it smells like, and I even know what it tastes like (although I did not taste it). This wood has all the physical characteristics of red oak. (3) Other people who know wood have commented on the oak furnishings in my office. They recognized it as oak without any prior suggestion that it was oak. These facts have convinced me that my desk is solid oak. Knowing these facts, I cannot believe otherwise.

I have a friend who is an attorney. I haven’t been to his office in a long time, and I don’t remember what his desk looks like. If he told me it was oak or mahogany, or something else, I would believe it based on facts that I know: (1) my friend is known by me to be honest, and (2) even if he was not honest, I would doubt any motivation to lie about such a thing. I believe the information because I trust the source.

Now, someone might say, in the case of information that lacks proof one way or another that one might choose to believe it. I have heard that language used, and I may have used it myself. Perhaps a child has proven himself untrustworthy. I will probably, for a time, restrict his freedom to limit his opportunities for mischief. When it seems appropriate, I will give him his freedom back, with the understanding that he will not repeat the infraction. He promises that he can be trusted, and I “believe” him. But I don’t necessarily really believe him. I don’t necessarily believe he will fail, either. I don’t actually believe either way. I am simply proceeding as though I believe him, giving him the opportunity to convince me.

Conversely, someone might say he refuses to believe something. Something might be so distasteful or abhorrent to him that he refuses to acknowledge the possibility that it is true. The truth is that he is either (1) denying facts that he actually believes so that he is free to proceed in a way that he could not if he acknowledged the truth, or (2) closing his mind to any information that might convince him, purposely remaining ignorant.

When we say we are choosing to believe, we really mean that we are proceeding as though we believe. We are testing claims to see if they are true. Our “choice to believe” might be anything from being pretty sure to wishful thinking; but it is not genuine belief. Genuine belief is, in all cases, involuntary and irresistible.

This is not a theological issue. It is simply a fact that cannot be denied. We believe what we know. Our knowledge might be incorrect, and we may be wrong, but belief is based on knowledge, and we cannot honestly deny what we know.

It must also be said that belief and faith are not synonymous. However, the same principle applies if we are claiming that faith is exercised by free will. Faith is trust in what we believe, or trust in the source of what we believe; so varying interpretations of Ephesians 2:8 are not going to throw me off at all.

I have said that this is not a theological issue, and so far it is not. The theological implications will come in a later post.

Next: Free Will: What Can It Do?

On January 2nd, Cal Thomas wrote this about the execution of Saddam Hussein:

In a final blasphemy, Saddam Hussein, who spent most of his life as a murdering secularist, went to his justified death holding a Koran and offering his soul to God, if God would accept it. If God does, He will have to commute the sentences of Saddam’s mass murdering predecessors, including Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot. (italics added)

I have read enough of Thomas’ writing to know that he understands the Gospel better than that, so this is not intended as an attack on Cal Thomas. However, it is way past time to send this horrible cliché to the gallows.

Saddam Hussein is not in Hell today for being a mass-murderer. He has done no more to earn his eternal damnation than I have. Put another way, he deserves to spend eternity in Heaven just as much as I do—which is to say, not at all.

Saddam Hussein, brutal dictator, torturer, and mass-murderer, would be in Hell today even if he had been a benevolent leader of his country. Being a “good man” or a “nice guy” would not have saved him. Only one man has been good enough, and that is Jesus Christ, the son of God. The rest of us—you, me, Saddam Hussein—have failed to measure up to God’s standard, which is no less than perfection. This failure has not taken place over time, as we have made “wrong choices” and sinned against God and our fellow man, either. From the moment of our conception in our mothers’ wombs, we are imperfect (Psalm 51:5). We are sinners, and as sinners, we deserve condemnation and eternal punishment in Hell.

What, then, is to be done? Should we try really hard to do good and earn our place in Heaven? I certainly don’t want to discourage good behavior, but know this: you won’t get to Heaven by being good (Romans 3:20). If Saddam Hussein had been your neighbor, if he had blown the snow out of your driveway, fed your dog while you were on vacation, and bought Girl Scout cookies from your daughter, he would be in Hell today. If he had been a Peace Corpse volunteer who died of a disease contracted in a third-world country, he would be in Hell today. If he had been an American President who went to war to overthrow a murderous tyrant in the Middle East, he would be in Hell today.

John 3:18 tells us, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Saddam Hussein is in Hell for one reason only: his faith was not in Jesus Christ. It is that simple. And if your faith is not in Jesus Christ, it won’t matter how nice you are, how many good deeds you’ve done, or how much you’ve donated to charity. It won’t matter how faithfully you’ve attended church. It won’t matter if you’ve sung in the choir or taught Sunday School. It won’t even matter if you have been the pastor. If you believe you are in any way worthy of God’s mercy, if you are trusting in anything but the blood of Jesus Christ to atone for your sin, you are utterly without hope. You are on the road to Hell, just as surely if you were a genocidal dictator.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a message of hope for good people. In the Gospel we do not see the good rewarded and the bad punished. The Biblical Gospel is a message about and for bad people. It is the story of the Son of God who came to do what we could not: live perfectly, without sin (Hebrews 4:15). It is the story of the Lamb of God who came to be what we could not: the perfect sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9). It is the story of the one true God, who credits the perfect righteousness of his son, Jesus Christ, to all who believe (Romans 4).

Saddam Hussein is in Hell today because he did not believe that, and for no other reason. It does not matter one iota how good I have been. If I do not believe in Jesus Christ, if I am not trusting in his righteousness for my salvation, I am lost and will spend eternity in Hell. If God lets me into Heaven because of my own goodness, then he truly will owe Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot—and Saddam Hussein—an apology.

Loki will not be bringing us a Saturday Stupidity post today. I could make excuses for him, such as that he has been very busy while on sabbatical in Iceland working on his Doctoral dissertation (Pickled Herring in Nordic Theology), but the fact is that he is growing tired of it. He has suggested that I fill in for him, but I am really not that funny. We might revive regular Saturday Stupidity posts sometime in the future, but for now Loki might just pop in occasionally on a Saturday, we might fill in with something else at times, or we might just let the blog sleep.

Have a nice weekend.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. Psalme 122:1 (Geneva Bible)

HYMN 8, C. M.
The tree of life.
by Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

ome, Jet us join a joyful tune,
To our exalted Lord,
Ye saints on high around his throne,
And we around his board.

While once upon this lower ground
Weary and faint ye stood,
What dear refreshments here ye found
From this immortal food!]

The tree of life, that near the throne
In heav’n’s high garden grows,
Laden with grace, bends gently down
Its ever-smiling boughs.

[Hov’ring amongst the leaves there stands
The sweet celestial Dove;
And Jesus on the branches hangs
The banner of his love.]

[’Tis a young heav’n of strange delight
While in his shade we sit;
His fruit is pleasing to the sight,
And to the taste as sweet.

New life it spreads through dying hearts,
And cheers the drooping mind;
Vigor and joy the juice imparts,
Without a sting behind.]

Now let the flaming weapon stand,
And guard all Eden’s trees
There’s ne’er a plant in all that land
That bears such fruits as these.

Infinite grace our souls adore,
Whose wondrous hand has made
This living branch of sovereign power
To raise and heal the dead.

—from The Psalms & Hymns of Isaac Watts. Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Book III: Prepared for the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper (Soli Deo Gloria, 1997).

salme 72 (Geneva Bible)
A Psalme for Solomon.

1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

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John MacArthur
Phil Johnson & Don Green
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R.C. Sproul

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Jesus Christ.

This Winter seems to be the season of the Biblical expositor. Steve Weaver has recently completed his series on How I Prepare An Expository Sermon, a fellow in a big orange truck going by the name of reglerjoe has written a good, brief summary of reasons for and benefits of expository preaching titled The Joy of Expositional Preaching, and Bret Capranica has begun what appears to be a very promising series on Expository Convictions. Watch for links to this series in the sidebar.

As you may have noticed, Biblical exposition is a passion of mine. I am not gifted as an expositor myself, but I love to encourage faithful preachers and commend their work to others. Their value to the Kingdom of God cannot be overestimated. Praise God for men who are devoted to his Word and study to show themselves approved to God, workmen who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth!

I almost feel silly posting this, since everyone in the world reads challies.com anyway, but for the benefit of those who live under a rock in the wastelands of, say, Montana, Tim Challies is posting an excellent series on discernment. With discernment at an apparent all-time low in the church today [ahem] PDL PrayerOfJabez WildAtHeart [ahem] everyone needs to read this.

A Call To Discernment (Part 1)
A Call To Discernment (Part 2)

As you are likely aware, Tim is presently writing a book on discernment. These posts demonstrate that he is eminently qualified to do so, and I am more anxious than ever to see his book published.

Pastor Steve Weaver, expositor extraordinaire, has, with considerable help from Mrs. Weaver, successfully implemented Thirsty Theologian endorsed church growth methodology. Together thay have added a member to their church who is much cuter, and considerably redder, than Steve. I'll bet she can sing loudly, too. Stop by Pastor Steve Weaver's Blog and offer your congratulations on the arrival of a new young Baptist!

In my last post on this subject, I established the fact that the will is not a factor in what we believe. Everything we believe is a result of information we have received and are convinced is true and cannot honestly deny.

So what can the will do? In short, nothing. The will is not a power that can accomplish anything. It is simply our desire, our “want to.” I want to get up in the morning, but just laying there and willing myself out of bed won’t do it.

When we say “free will,” we really mean “freedom to do as we will.” The question, then, is this: are we free to do what we want to do? I believe the answer is yes, absolutely, within the limits of our abilities. Our abilities are limited by who, or what, we are. I am not a bird, so I cannot fly.

More importantly, though, our desires are a product of who we are. We all have different desires based on our different personalities. But we all have one thing in common: we are all sinful beings, born in sin, so our desires are products of our sinful nature. We are all free to do as we will, and here is the statement—the fact, I believe—that will get me tied to the stake and burned as a heretic: God does not violate our free will. Bear with me, please. While the Calvinists may tie me to the stake now, when I am finished, it will be an Arminian who lights the flame.

We are free do as we will. We make free choices. We can even read God’s commands and choose to obey them, if we will.* But we always choose what we want, and as unregenerate sinners, we never want what God wants. We always want whatever suits our own interests.

So I have asked, of what value is free will to the unregenerate? It is of no value whatsoever. The power to make free choices has no bearing on what we believe, and the one thing that must be done to be saved is to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31). Free will has value only to those who have been saved, a fact I will discuss in another post.

My Scripture reading this morning was in the Gospel of Matthew. These are a few of my thoughts from that reading.

The Gospel is often sold as the answer to our life’s problems. People are told that if they “accept Christ” their life will improve. Their marital problems will be solved. They will experience success and satisfaction in all their personal relationships. But is that what Scripture teaches? Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:34-38:

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Not exactly “your best life now,” is it? “When Jesus calls a man,” wrote Bonhoeffer, “he bids him come and die.” If you follow Jesus, your life might not improve. You might be shunned by your family. Your marriage might fall apart. Your children might reject you. You could lose your friends and your job. It might cost you everything. But with that life lost is the promise of a life found:

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. (Matthew 10:39)

Our best life is in eternity with Christ; but we can only find that life by turning our backs on our best life now.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mark 16:24)

From:"usman karim" <usman_karim0015@hotmail.com>
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF DR USMAN KARIM
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:22:44 +0000

FROM THE DESK OF DR USMAN KARIM
Manager Bill And Exchange Dept
BANK OF AFRICA(BOA)
Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.

Dear Friend,

I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise. I am the bill
and
exchange manager in BANK OF AFRICAk .I Hoped that you will not expose
or
betray this trust and confident that i am about to repose on you for
the
mutual benefit of our both families.

I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $11.3 million
immediately to your account. The money has been dormant for years in
our
Bank here without any body coming for it. The owner of this account is
JOSEPH F. GRILLO, foreigner and he is the Manager Of petrol chemical
service, a chemical engineer by Profession. He died in world trade center as
a victim of the September 11,2001 Incident that befall the United State
of
America, the bank has made series of efforts to contact any of the
relatives
to claim this money but without success, you can confirm through this
website:

www.september11victims.com

I don't want the money to go into our Bank treasury as an abandoned
fund.
So this is the reason why i contacted you ,so that the bank can
release
the money to you as the nearest person to the deceased customer.
Please i
will like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete if you
are
not interested.

Upon receipt of your reply I will send you full details on how the
business
will be executed and also note that you will have 40% of the above
mentioned sum if you agree to transact the business with me.

Dr.usman karim
BANK OF AFRICA,
Burkina Faso-West Africa.

I received this email yesterday, and I am not sure what I should do. Forty percent of 11.3 million dollars is a lot of money. Not as much as one hundred percent, of course, but still enough to live comfortably on if one is careful. I think I would enjoy having this money. If anyone would like to offer advice on how I should handle this, I would appreciate it. Of course, I can’t take counsel from just anyone on such an important matter, so in order to verify your identity, I will need you to provide a credit card number and expiration date. In return for your help, you will have 40% of my 40% of the above mentioned sum if you agree to transact the business with me.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. Psalme 122:1 (Geneva Bible)

The Harmony of Divine Perfections
by Samuel Stennett (1727–1795)

hen first the God of boundless grace
Disclosed His kind design;
To rescue our apostate race
From misery, shame, and sin.

Quick through the realms of light and bliss,
The joyful tidings ran;
Each heart exulted at the news,
That God would dwell with man.

Yet, ’midst their joys, they paused awhile,
And asked, with strong surprise,
But how can injured justice smile,
Or look with pitying eyes?

Will the Almighty deign again
To visit yonder world;
And hither bring rebellious men,
Whence rebels once were hurled?

Their tears, and groans, and deep distress,
Aloud for mercy call;
But, ah, must truth and righteousness
To mercy victims fall?

So spake the friends of God and man,
Delighted, yet surprised;
Eager to know the wondrous plan
That wisdom had devised.

The Son of God attentive heard,
And quickly thus replied,
“In Me let mercy be reversed,
And justice satisfied.

“Behold, My vital blood I pour
A sacrifice to God;
Let angry justice now no more
Demand the sinner’s blood.”

He spake, and heav’n’s high arches rung
With shouts of high applause;
He died, the friendly angels sung,
Nor cease their rapturous joys.

—from Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 79 (Geneva Bible)
A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.
11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

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Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Jesus Christ.

The New Testament, properly speaking, consists of promises and exhortations, just as the Old, properly speaking, consists of laws and threats. In the New Testament, the gospel is preached and this is just the word that offers the Spirit and grace for the remission of sins which was procured for us by Christ crucified. It is all entirely free, given by the mercy of God the Father alone as He shows His favour towards us, who are unworthy, and who deserve condemnation rather than anything else. Exhortations follows after this; and they are intended to stir up those who have obtained mercy and have been justified already, to be energetic in bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit and of the righteousness given them, to exercise themselves in love and good works, and boldly to bear the cross and all the other tribulations of this world. This is the whole sum of the New Testament.

—Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will (Revell 1957) 180.

The title of this post combined with today’s date (January 17) should be a pretty good indication that my resolution has nothing to do with procrastination. I really have never made serious New Year’s Resolutions, unless you consider “never turn down free [pizza, chocolate, etc.]” to be serious. New Year’s resolutions are virtually always broken, usually very early in the year, and most honest people will have to admit that their resolutions were made with the expectation that they would fall by the wayside before the year’s end. That doesn’t mean that it is foolish to make resolutions, but that is why I have never been in the habit of making them.

My resolution is to be content.

It isn’t that I am generally discontent—there are many people who are much more ungrateful and discontent than I am—but that I know I am not perfectly satisfied at all times with the gifts God has given me. It is also not that contentment should be difficult for me so that I should need to make any extra effort to be content. I am not persecuted or impoverished. I do not suffer unbearably. While I am in no way wealthy by American standards, I live in luxury that a large part of the world’s population can only dream of. I have no reason to be discontent.

Still, it sometimes is not enough. If only I had that, I would be happier. If this was better, I would be more comfortable. I have enough, but more always looks better. I may not be a whining complainer, but I certainly do not measure up to Scripture’s definition of contentment:

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philippians 4:11)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)

If the apostle Paul could be content, why can’t I?

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. (2 Corinthians 11:23-30)

God help me to be content.

The long list of email addresses in the header of this email tells me that I am not special. However, I am in some good company.

A Reconsideration of the Roman Catholic-Protestant Doctrine of the Trinity in Light of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures

In Divine Truth or Human Tradition the author critically examines the viewpoints and Scripture expositions of prominent evangelical scholars and apologists—including popular author and debater Dr. James R. White (author of The Forgotten Trinity), John MacArthur (President of The Master’s Seminary), Robert Bowman Jr. (author of Why You Should Believe in the Trinity), Robert Morey (author of The Trinity, Evidence and Issues), R. C. Sproul, and others…

According to what has long been considered mainstream Christian “orthodoxy,” the doctrine of the Trinity (the idea that the true God of the Bible is—in the ultimate sense—a mysterious being made up of three co-equal and co-eternal persons) is not only central to the Christian faith, but absolutely necessary for one to accept in order to be counted as a true Christian and be saved. Such a demand on a Christian’s faith has come across as strange and perplexing to many, especially so in light of the fact pointed out by one respected Trinitarian:

“[The Trinity] is not clearly or explicitly taught anywhere in Scripture, yet it is widely regarded as a central doctrine, indispensable to the Christian faith. In this regard, it goes contrary to what is virtually an axiom [that is, a given, a self-evident truth] of biblical doctrine, namely, that there is a direct correlation between the scriptural clarity of a doctrine and its cruciality to the faith and life of the church.” (Millard J. Erickson, God in Three Persons, p. 11. Emphasis added)

Understandably, this fact has raised questions in the minds of Christians and truth-seekers alike ever since the doctrine was first decreed as mandatory to confess in the late 4th century. Many Christians have wondered: How can a doctrine that is not clearly or explicitly taught in the Bible be considered mandatory to accept in order to be a true practitioner of the Christian faith? Since it is not taught by Scripture in a straightforward way, is it possible that the doctrine of the Trinity is not an authentic representation of God’s nature and of the original apostolic faith? Were the councils correct in decreeing that it is obligatory for Christians to accept the concept of the Trinity in order to be saved? Or, does such a pronouncement go beyond the original apostolic doctrine? Few Evangelical Christians have been willing to explore these issues in depth. Most are familiar with the arguments commonly advanced to defend the idea. But how many are familiar with alternative (yet scripturally harmonious) ways to understand the classic “proof-texts”? Surprisingly—as research has revealed—Trinitarians themselves provide most of the alternative answers.

Table of Contents
Introduction
1 The True God—the “Trinity” or “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”?
2 “God the Son…” or the Son of the Living God?
3 The Father-Son Relationship

As you can see, it's a blurb for a new book by Patrick Navas, who sent this email, debunking “the Roman Catholic-Protestant Doctrine of the Trinity.” I really get tired of this one. The unbeliever who sent me this email evidently did not bother to read what I believe about the Triune God of the Bible, or he thinks his new book is so brilliant that it will cause me to repent of my latent Roman Catholicism and join the Modalists.

Sorry, it won’t. I know that makes me an idolater and an unbeliever, but that’s OK. You see, I don’t think of you as a brother, either. You don’t believe in the God of the Bible. Your god is no better than Allah or the Jedi’s “force.” The God of the Bible is clearly triune. If you have actually read the authors listed above, as you imply you have, and still persist in your unbelief, there is really nothing I can say to change that. You can read this if you like, if you’re not too stiff-necked.

Do I seem harsh? Well, it’s like this: you’re not an ignorant heathen who has no clue of God. You’ve read the Bible and Christian theology enough to think you’re qualified to write a book on theology. That means you have been presented with the Gospel. You have read the Scripture which, by itself with no explanation, displays the Trinity in glorious color. You have read theologians who have explained it clearly. Yet you reject the God of Scripture and manufacture one that is more acceptable to you.

I pray that God will take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I pray that you will not die in your rebellion but will humble yourself before God and acknowledge him as he is.

I would be remiss at this point if I did not answer a question I have been asked since my post on the Trinity: Must one believe in the Trinity to be saved?

Yes—and no.

It is entirely possible that a person could learn of their sinful condition and their helplessness to measure up to the demands of God who is holy and can tolerate no sin in his sight. They could hear of the Savior who bore those sins in their place so they could be presented to God pure and spotless. God could give them faith and regenerate their hearts and save them, and they might have no clue about the Trinity. In fact, I am sure that happens all the time. Remember in Acts 19, Paul met some disciples in Ephesus and asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. Their answer? “We haven’t even heard if their is a Holy Spirit!”

However, when a person is born again, he becomes a new creation. He becomes open and accepting to God’s Word. He begins to read it and, when he encounters the Trinitarian teachings of Scripture, he believes them. It may take some time and teaching, but when he is presented with the truth, he believes it. It is in his new nature to do so.

As time goes by, even a mature believer may have some doubts about this and other Scriptural doctrines. He may need to revisit the subject and search the Scriptures anew to reinforce what he has already known. But he will never reject outright the God of Scripture.

So no, one need not know of God’s triune nature to be saved; and one certainly does not need to understand the Trinity to be saved (thank God!); but anyone who flatly rejects it must be assumed unsaved.

The kids watched 101 Dalmatians last night. I didn’t watch, but I was in the next room listening, and I’ve seen it a few times before. This is not the 1961 animated one Hundred and One Dalmatians, but the 1996 live-action remake with Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil. I don’t usually care much for remakes, but this one is good. Glenn Close is a hilariously evil Cruella De Vil, and Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson are perfectly charming as Roger and Anita. Pongo and Perdita are played by dogs, who carry off their parts quite convincingly.

It is unfortunate that the scriptwriters chose to transform Roger, originally a song writer, into a video game designer, but it did create some very funny dialogue. For example:

Cruella: And what is it that you do that allows you to support Anita in such… splendor?
Roger: I design video games.
Cruella, to Anita: Video games? Is he having me on?
Anita: O no, he’s very good at it. And it’s a growing business.
Cruella: Those horrible noisy things that children play on their televisions? Someone actually designs those? What a senseless thing to do with your life!

Well, this is turning into a mini movie review, which is not what I intended and is rather lame since the movie is now eleven years old. All I really wanted to do is repeat for your edification what I think is one of the funniest bits of movie dialogue I’ve ever heard.

The setting is fashion designer Cruella De Vil’s office. Present is Frederick, who appears to be an upper-management type. He, like all of Cruella’s employees, is horribly intimidated by her. Cruella is looking over some of Anita’s designs, which have spots.

Cruella: Do you like spots, Frederick?
Frederick: O, I don’t believe so, Madame. I thought we liked stripes this year.
Cruella: What kind of sycophant are you?
Frederick: What kind of sycophant would you like me to be?

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. Psalme 122:1 (Geneva Bible)

THE SECOND COMING

O Son of God and Son of Man,

hou wast incarnate, didst suffer, rise, ascend,
for my sake;
Thy departure was not a token of separation
but a pledge of return;
Thy Word, promises, sacraments, show thy death
until thou come again.
That day is no horror to me,
for thy death has redeemed me,
thy Spirit fills me,
thy love animates me,
thy Word governs me.
I have trusted thee and thou hast not betrayed
my trust;
waited for thee, and not waited in vain.
Thou wilt come to raise my body from the dust,
and re-unite it to my soul,
by a wonderful work of infinite power and love,
greater than that which bounds the oceans’ waters,
ebbs and flows the tides,
keeps the stars in their courses,
and gives life to all creatures.
This corruptible shall put on incorruption,
this mortal, immortality,
this natural body, a spiritual body,
this dishonoured body, a glorious body,
this weak body, a body of power.
I triumph now in thy promises as I shall do
in their performance,
for the head cannot live if the members are dead;
Beyond the grave is resurrection, judgment,
acquittal, dominion.
Every event and circumstance of my life will be dealt with –
the sins of my youth, my secret sins,
the sins of abusing thee, of disobeying thy Word,
the sins of neglecting ministers’ admonitions,
the sins of violating my conscience –
all will be judged;
And after judgment, peace and rest, life and service,
employment and enjoyment, for thine elect.
O God, keep me in this faith,
and ever looking for Christ’s return.

—from The Valley of Vision, Arthur Bennett, editor (Banner of Truth Trust, 2002).

salme 86 (Geneva Bible)
A prayer of Dauid.

1 Incline thine eare, O Lord, and heare me: for I am poore and needy.
2 Preserue thou my soule, for I am mercifull: my God, saue thou thy seruant, that trusteth in thee.
3 Be mercifull vnto me, O Lord: for I crie vpon thee continually.
4 Reioyce the soule of thy seruant: for vnto thee, O Lord, doe I lift vp my soule.
5 For thou, Lord, art good and mercifull, and of great kindenes vnto all them, that call vpon thee.
6 Giue eare, Lord, vnto my prayer, & hearken to the voyce of my supplication.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call vpon thee: for thou hearest me.
8 Among the gods there is none like thee, O Lorde, and there is none that can doe like thy workes.
9 All nations, whome thou hast made, shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, & shall glorifie thy Name.
10 For thou art great and doest wonderous things: thou art God alone.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lorde, and I will walke in thy trueth: knit mine heart vnto thee, that I may feare thy Name.
12 I wil prayse thee, O Lord my God, with all mine heart: yea, I wil glorifie thy Name for euer.
13 For great is thy mercie toward me, & thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue.
14 O God, the proude are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men haue sought my soule, and haue not set thee before them.
15 But thou, O Lorde, art a pitifull God and mercifull, slowe to anger and great in kindenes and trueth.
16 Turne vnto me, and haue mercy vpon me: giue thy strength vnto thy seruant, and saue the sonne of thine handmayd.
17 Shew a token of thy goodnes towarde me, that they which hate me, may see it, and be ashamed, because thou, O Lord, hast holpen me and comforted me.

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Steve Weaver
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John MacArthur
Phil Johnson & Don Green
David Legge
David Strain
R.C. Sproul

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Jesus Christ.

One of my goals for this year is to read not necessarily more, but better material. In keeping with that goal, I began looking for some new weblogs. Mohler, Challies, Pyromaniacs—they’re all OK, I guess, but a little fluffy. A couple of weeks ago, in my search for more depth, I found a blog of real substance: Aaron Job Draws. Now, this is a quality blog, featuring the artwork and storytelling of six-year-old Aaron Job of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Last week, Aaron Job ran a contest, which I won. The challenge was to guess who the well-known pastor pictured here is. Well, obviously, it is a young John MacArthur (note the hairstyle). Others guessed the same, but I was first, so I was the winner. The prize was something I already had, so I requested the artist to draw a picture of what he thought I might look like to post on the Thirsty Theologian. These drawings are the result:

The first is modeled on my avatar (I’m the guy on the right at the top of this blog). The second is what he thinks I really look like. Evidently, he thinks that really isn’t me in the picture. Sad to see such cynicism in one so young, but that’s the world we live in, I guess. Click on either image to view them full-sized.

I should mention that I found Aaron Job Draws via a link from his dad’s blog, iamchief, which is also well worth visiting. Thanks, Aaron Job, for sending me your fine artwork. I expect these to be quite valuable some day.

Look at me, I’m a patron of the arts. How about that.

Why is Scott Aniol grinning so immoderately? Apparently, he has recruited a promising young church musician. Way to go, Scott, start’em young! That way, you don’t have to untrain bad habits learned elsewhere. Don’t worry, his arias (and aromas) will improve in time.

Click on over to Religious Affections to meet the next J. S. Bach!

Reading my Bloglines this morning, I came across this post by my e-friend Rey called What Should I Buy: A Mac or A PC? It looks like he’s got some good advice, although, to be honest, I really haven’t any idea. I only pretend I have a right to an opinion when Jonathan posts one of his Get a Mac ads and I feel the need to taunt him.

But that’s not what I want to write about. What is really on my mind is my initial reaction to Rey’s post title. I read, “What Should I Buy: A Mac or A PC?” and thought, “Neither!” Computers are wonderful tools, and some time I might write about how my computer has changed my life for the better, but right now I’m thinking about overweight children and chair-shaped derrières and pale skin and a whole generation of people whose hands can do little more than operate a mouse and a keyboard.

So, the following are a few things I think you should buy.

Next to your wife, your shotgun should be your best friend. If the one in the picture is to rich for you, one of these will do just fine for starters. You will also need one of these and a lot of clay pigeons (that little orange Frisbee-like thing pictured above). If this is all new to you, you will need to know this.

This is another great idea. Add some fishing rods and tackle, and a pair of water skis (you don’t need an expensive power boat to ski—I know), and make some memories that your children will carry with them long after you’re gone.

Baseball gloves, bicycles, ice skates, the possibilities are endless. Get sunburned, get out of breath, sweat, get sore muscles, do something! And when you come home, don’t run to check your email. Grab a book and read it outside in a lawn chair.

The best of God’s creation requires no electricity, and you can’t enjoy it looking at a screen. Mac, or PC? Forget that. Here are some better questions: Hunt, or fish? Bike, or walk? Ski, or skate? Baseball, or football? Hunt, or fish? (Yes, that one deserves repetition.) I’m sure you can come up with ideas of your own. Get a life!

A young boy was sitting on the floor in the living room. He had just acquired a new kazoo, which he produced from his pocket and began to play. His father, sitting in his chair with the newspaper, winced at the squawking “music,” but patiently bore it.

After several minutes of this audio assault, he suggested that his mother might like to hear him play. To the father’s relief, the boy happily trotted off to the kitchen, where his mother was cleaning up after supper. There, he began to play with increased enthusiasm, marching around the room. Finally, his mother could take no more.

“O, honey, please! I’m getting a headache! Could you go play that outside?” somewhat discouraged, the boy moped outside, where his grandfather was sitting on the porch.

“Hi, Grandpa,” he said, dejected. “Don’t worry, I won’t play my kazoo near you.”

“Well, why not?” asked the old man, having heard the events inside, “I love music!”

“You do?” asked the boy, dubiously.

“Why, sure, I do! In fact, you could say that music saved my life!”

“How did it do that, Grandpa?”

“Well, it was back during the flood of ’39. We should have gotten out sooner, but we were young and dumb, and we never believed the water would come up as high as our place. Before your grandma and I knew it, we were surrounded by water, and the house was flooding. The water kept rising and the furniture started floating—we were really in a jam!”

“Golly, Grandpa, what did you do?”

“Well, the dining room table came floating by, and your grandma climbed up on it and floated to safety…”

“Wait a minute!” the boy interrupted, “How did you get out? And how did music save your life?”

“Well, you see,” Grandpa replied, “I accompanied her on the piano.”

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. Psalme 122:1 (Geneva Bible)

HYMN 9, C. M.
The promises of the covenant of grace.
Isa. lv. 1, 2; Zech. xiii. 1; Mic. vii.19; Ezek. xxxvi. 25, &c.
by Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

n vain we lavish out our lives
To gather empty wind;
The choicest blessings earth can yield
Will starve a hungry mind.

Come, and the Lord shall feed our souls
With more substantial meat,
With such as saints in glory love,
With such as angels eat.

Our God will every want supply,
And fill our hearts with peace;
He gives by cov’nant and by oath
The riches of his grace.

Come, and he’ll cleanse our spotted souls,
And wash away our stains
In the dear fountain that his Son
Poured from his dying veins.

[Our guilt shall vanish all away,
Though black as hell before;
Our sins shall sink beneath the sea,
And shall be found no more.

And, lest pollution should o’erspread
Our inward powers again,
His Spirit shall bedew our souls,
Like purifying rain.]

Our heart, that flinty, stubborn thing,
That terrors cannot move,
That fears no threat’nings of his wrath,
Shall be dissolved by love.

Or he can take the flint away
That would not be refined;
And from the treasures of his grace
Bestow a softer mind.

There shall his sacred Spirit dwell,
And deep engrave his law,
And every motion of our souls
To swift obedience draw.

Thus will he pour salvation down,
And we shall render praise;
We the dear people of his love,
And he our God of grace.

—The Psalms & Hymns of Isaac Watts. Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Book I: Collected from the Holy Scriptures (Soli Deo Gloria, 1997).

salme 93 (Geneva Bible)

1 The Lord reigneth, and is clothed with maiestie: the Lorde is clothed, and girded with power: the world also shall be established, that it cannot be mooued.
2 Thy throne is established of olde: thou art from euerlasting.
3 The floodes haue lifted vp, O Lorde: the floodes haue lifted vp their voyce: the floods lift vp their waues.
4 The waues of ye sea are marueilous through the noyse of many waters, yet the Lorde on High is more mightie.
5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holinesse becommeth thine House, O Lord, for euer.

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Phillip M. Way
Jason Robertson
John MacArthur
Phil Johnson & Don Green
David Legge
David Strain
R.C. Sproul

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Jesus Christ.