I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

The Deeps

Lord Jesus,

Help me chastely to flee it
   and jealously to resolve that my heart
      shall be Thine alone.
Give me a deeper trust,
   that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee,
      the ground of my rest,
      the spring of my being.
Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself
   as saviour, master, lord, and king.
Give me deeper power in private prayer,
   more sweetness in Thy Word,
   more steadfast grip on its truth.
Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action,
   and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord,
      heavenly husbandman,
   that my being may be a tilled field,
   the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
   until Thou alone art seen in me,
   Thy beauty golden like summer harvest,
   Thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no master but Thee,
   no law but Thy will,
   no delight but Thyself,
   no wealth but that Thou givest,
   no good but that Thou blessest,
   no peace but that Thou bestowest.
I am nothing but that Thou makest me.
I have nothing but that I receive from Thee.
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.
Quarry me deep, dear Lord,
   and then fill me to overflowing
      with living water.

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

The Gospel According to John

21 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
   4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
   9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.

   The appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ after His resurrection, described in these verses, is a deeply interesting portion of the Gospel history. The circumstances attending it have always been regarded as highly allegorical and figurative, in every age of the Church. It may, however, be justly doubted whether commentators and interpreters have not gone too far in this direction. It is quite possible to spiritualize and filter away the narratives of the Gospels, until we completely lose sight of the plain meaning of words. In the present case we shall find it wise to confine ourselves to the great, simple lessons, which the passage undoubtedly contains.
   We should observe, for one thing, in these verses, the poverty of the first disciples of Christ. We find them working with their own hands, in order to supply their temporal needs, and working at one of the humblest of callings,—the calling of a fisherman. Silver and gold they had none, lands and revenues they had none, and therefore they were not ashamed to return to the business to which they had, most of them, been trained. Striking is the fact, that some of the seven here named were fishing, when our Lord first called them to be Apostles, and again fishing, when He appeared to them almost the last time. We need not doubt that to the minds of Peter, James, and John, the coincidence would come home with peculiar power.
   The poverty of the Apostles goes far to prove the divine origin of Christianity. These very men who toiled all night in a boat, dragging about a cold wet net, and taking nothing,—these very men who found it necessary to work hard in order that they might eat,—these very men were some of the first founders of the mighty Church of Christ, which has now overspread one-third of the globe. These were they who went forth from an obscure corner of the earth, and turned the world upside down. These were the unlearned and ignorant men, who boldly confronted the subtle systems of ancient philosophy, and silenced its advocates by the preaching of the cross. These were the men who at Ephesus, and Athens, and Rome, emptied the heathen temples of their worshipers, and turned away multitudes to a new and better faith. He that can explain these facts, except by admitting that Christianity came down from God, must be a strangely incredulous man. Reason and common sense lead us to only one conclusion in the matter. Nothing can account for the rise and progress of Christianity but the direct interposition of God.
   We should observe, for another thing, in these verses, the different characters of different disciples of Christ. Once more, on this deeply interesting occasion, we see Peter and John side by side in the same boat, and once more, as at the sepulcher, we see these two good men behaving in different ways. When Jesus stood on the shore, in the dim twilight of the morning, John was the first to perceive who it was, and to say, “It is the Lord;” but Peter was the first to spring into the water, and to struggle to get close to his Master. In a word, John was the first to see; but Peter was the first to act. John’s gentle loving spirit was quickest to discern; but Peter’s fiery, impulsive nature was quickest to stir and move. And yet both were believers, both were true-hearted disciples, both loved the Lord in life, and were faithful to Him unto death. But their natural temperaments were not the same.
   Let us never forget the practical lesson before us. As long as we live, let us diligently use it in forming our estimate of believers. Let us not condemn others as graceless and unconverted, because they do not see the path of duty from our stand-point, or feel things exactly as we feel them. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Cor. xii. 4.) The gifts of God’s children are not bestowed precisely in the same measure and degree. Some have more of one gift, and some have more of another. Some have gifts which shine more in public, and some which shine more in private. Some are more bright in a passive life, and some are more bright in an active one. Yet each and all the members of God’s family, in their own way and in their own season, bring glory to God. Martha was “careful and troubled about much serving,” when Mary “sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His word.” Yet there came a day at Bethany, when Mary was crushed and prostrated by overmuch sorrow, and Martha’s faith shone more brightly than her sister’s. (Luke x. 39, 40; John xi. 20—28.) Nevertheless both were loved by our Lord. The one thing needful is to have the grace of the Spirit, and to love Christ. Let us love all of whom this can be said, though they may not see with our eyes in everything. The Church of Christ needs servants of all kinds, and instruments of every sort; pen-knives as well as swords, axes as well as hammers, chisels as well as saws, Marthas as well as Marys, Peters as well as Johns. Let our ruling maxim be this, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” (Ephes. vi. 24.)
   We should observe, lastly, in these verses, the abundant evidence which Scripture supplies of our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection . Here, as in other places, we find an unanswerable proof that our Lord rose again with a real material body, and a proof seen by seven grown-up men with their own eyes, at one and the same time. We see Him sitting, talking, eating, drinking, on the shore of the lake of Galilee, and to all appearance for a considerable time. The morning sun of spring shines down on the little party. They are alone by the well-known Galilean lake, far away from the crowd and noise of Jerusalem. In the midst sits the Master, with the nail-prints in His hands,—the very Master whom they had all followed for three years, and one of them, at least, had seen hanging on the cross. They could not be deceived. Will anyone pretend to say that stronger proof could be given that Jesus rose from the dead? Can any one imagine better evidence of a fact? That Peter was convinced and satisfied we know. He says himself to Cornelius, We “did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.” (Acts x. 41.) Those who in modern times say they are not convinced, may as well say that they are determined not to believe any evidence at all.
   Let us all thank God that we have such a cloud of witnesses to prove that our Lord rose again. The resurrection of Christ is the grand proof of Christ’s divine mission. He told the Jews they need not believe He was the Messiah, if He did not rise again the third day.—The resurrection of Christ is the top-stone of the work of redemption. It proved that He finished the work He came to do, and, as our Substitute, had overcome the grave.—The resurrection of Christ is a miracle that no infidel can explain away. Men may carp and cavil at Balaam’s ass, and Jonah in the whale’s belly, if they please, but until they can prove that Christ did not rise again we need not be moved.—Above all, the resurrection of Christ is the pledge of our own. As the grave could not detain the Head, so it shall not detain the members. Well may we say with Peter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter i. 3.)

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007) [Westminster (PB) | Amazon (HC)].

Originally posted at The Calvinist Gadfly.

Q. 18. What are God’s works of providence?

A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions, to his own glory.

Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

—Matthew 10:29–31

What a comfort this passage is. This surely is not the deist’s god, who watches from a distance while the world runs itself. This is the one true God: the God of the Bible; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ — our God! Our God is no passive observer. He is personally involved in the smallest, most insignificant events. Take heart! You are not alone. “His eye is on the sparrow,” and you are certainly more precious to him than any number of sparrows.

But the sparrow does fall — this cannot be overlooked. The Lord gives us no promise of earthly comfort or safety. Hard times will come. We will suffer. We will die. Like the sparrow, we will fall. But, as the sparrow flies or falls only by the will and providence of its creator, so we also live, suffer, and die in his hand. He has promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20), to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19), to limit our temptations and provide our escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), and to work trials for our good (James 1:2–4). He has promised, in the end, “the crown of righteousness . . . to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

These are God’s works of providence: to carry us through, from beginning to end, in his hand. “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.”

Get your own copy of The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms here.

This is for my friends in southern Ontario who like to brag about their hard winters. We, by the way, are practically tropical compared Grand Forks and above.

Hazen, North Dakota, April 30, 2011

Feel free to add your own “I can beat that” story.

   But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.

—John 21:4–8

From J. C. Ryle:

   We should observe . . . in these verses, the different characters of different disciples of Christ. Once more, on this deeply interesting occasion, we see Peter and John side by side in the same boat, and once more, as at the sepulcher, we see these two good men behaving in different ways. When Jesus stood on the shore, in the dim twilight of the morning, John was the first to perceive who it was, and to say, “It is the Lord;” but Peter was the first to spring into the water, and to struggle to get close to his Master. In a word, John was the first to see; but Peter was the first to act. John’s gentle loving spirit was quickest to discern; but Peter’s fiery, impulsive nature was quickest to stir and move. And yet both were believers, both were true-hearted disciples, both loved the Lord in life, and were faithful to Him unto death. But their natural temperaments were not the same.
   Let us never forget the practical lesson before us. As long as we live, let us diligently use it in forming our estimate of believers. Let us not condemn others as graceless and unconverted, because they do not see the path of duty from our stand-point, or feel things exactly as we feel them. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Cor. xii. 4.) The gifts of God’s children are not bestowed precisely in the same measure and degree. Some have more of one gift, and some have more of another. Some have gifts which shine more in public, and some which shine more in private. Some are more bright in a passive life, and some are more bright in an active one. Yet each and all the members of God’s family, in their own way and in their own season, bring glory to God. Martha was “careful and troubled about much serving,” when Mary “sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His word.” Yet there came a day at Bethany, when Mary was crushed and prostrated by overmuch sorrow, and Martha’s faith shone more brightly than her sister’s. (Luke x. 39, 40; John xi. 20—28.) Nevertheless both were loved by our Lord. The one thing needful is to have the grace of the Spirit, and to love Christ. Let us love all of whom this can be said, though they may not see with our eyes in everything. The Church of Christ needs servants of all kinds, and instruments of every sort; pen-knives as well as swords, axes as well as hammers, chisels as well as saws, Marthas as well as Marys, Peters as well as Johns. Let our ruling maxim be this, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” (Ephes. vi. 24.)

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007) [Westminster (PB) | Amazon (HC)].

This excerpt, which you might recognize from this week’s Lord’s Day post, is both encouraging and deeply convicting. I’ve been on both ends of the stick. I’ve been frustrated by people judging me according to what they ignorantly thought I could and should do, but at times I’ve been the guilty party, looking down on others for failing to be what I thought they should be. Let us be gracious to one another, not presuming to know the place of others in the kingdom, but rather considering “how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).

I appreciated this brief excerpt from Michael Horton’s The Christian Faith (thanks to Dan Phillips):

. . . Calvin judged that many theologians of his day who did not sense the importance of justification before a holy God had not yet sufficiently experienced the terrors of conscience that make the knowledge of God’s truth such an urgent enterprise.

Horton’s words reminded me of something I’ve been trying to impress upon my children:

If you’ve never been overwhelmed by the guilt of your sin, you haven’t been born again. —Me

That doesn’t mean that guilty feelings prove your salvation. You may be convicted of sin, ignore or rationalize away the conviction, develop a hardened conscience, and die, unrepentant, in your sin. But the saving work of the Spirit always begins with the conviction of sin — always.

These Freedom Fridays are normally all about politics. But it is necessary from time to time to remind ourselves that political concerns, important as they are, must be kept in their place. Our ultimate freedom is in Christ alone, and to mix the two kingdoms in which we live does not serve either. Carl Trueman writes:

[P]atriotism is a civic virtue — I am a patriotic Englishman myself and, even as a resident alien, felt a flush of satisfaction when I heard about Sunday's special operation [the killing of Osama bin Laden] — but it should have no place in the church. The church should be the place where all people from all nations and cultures should be able to meet together in the unity of the Spirit. Yes, every church exists in a specific culture; and I do not expect my church in Philadelphia to be anything other than a church which reflects to an extent the immediate culture of its surroundings. It is not Gloucestershire, after all. But we need to make sure that national agendas and patriotism are checked at the church door.

Jesus prayed that his disciples “may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us” (John 17:20–21). The previous verses indicate that our unity is in “the truth,” God’s Word. That, then, is the only thing that should divide us. And why this desire for unity? “So that the world may believe that You sent Me.” Our witness of Christ to the world is dependent upon our unity in the gospel. Every other division blunts our testimony.

Let there be no American Christians. Let all Christians — Asian, African, Australian, European, North and South American — be seen by the world as one body, though separated by geography, not by national identity.

* I’m curious: does the “Christian flag” exist outside of the USA?

237 Come, Thou Almighty King

Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy Name to sing,
Help us to praise!
Father all glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days!

Jesus, our Lord, descend;
From all our foes defend,
Nor let us fall;
Let Thine almighty aid
Our sure defense be made;
Our souls on Thee be stay’d;
Lord, hear our call!

Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend!
Come, and Thy people bless,
And give Thy Word success;
Spirit of holiness, On us descend.

Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour.
Thou Who almighty art,
Now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of power!

To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be,
Hence, evermore;
Thy sovereign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore.

—The Concordia Hymnal (Augsburg Publishing House), 1960.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Hymn 51.   (s. m.)
Persevering grace. Jude, v. 24, 25..

To God the only wise,
   Our Saviour and our King,
Let all the saints below the skies
   Their humble praises bring.

   ’Tis his almighty love,
   His counsel, and his care,
Preserves us safe from sin and death,
   And ev’ry hurtful snare.

   He will present our souls,
   Unblemish’d and complete,
Before the glory of his face,
   With joys divinely great.

   Then all the chosen seed
   Shall meet around the throne,
Shall bless the conduct of his grace,
   And make his wonders known.

   To our Redeemer, God,
   Wisdom and power belongs,
Immortal crowns of majesty,
   And everlasting songs.

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

John 21:15–17

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

   These verses describe a remarkable conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Peter. To the careful Bible reader, who remembers the Apostle’s thrice-repeated denial of Christ, the passage cannot fail to be a deeply interesting portion of Scripture. Well would it be for the Church, if all “after-dinner” conversations among Christians were as useful and edifying as this.
   We should notice first, in these verses, Christ’s question to Peter: “Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me?”—Three times we find the same inquiry made. It seems most probable that this three-fold repetition was meant to remind the Apostle of his own thrice-repeated denial. Once we find a remarkable addition to the inquiry: “Lovest thou Me more than these?” It is a reasonable supposition that those three words “more than these,” were meant to remind Peter of his over-confident assertion: “Though all men deny Thee, yet will not I.”—It is just as if our Lord would say, “Wilt thou now exalt thyself above others? Hast thou yet learned thine own weakness?”
   “Lovest thou Me” may seem at first sight a simple question. In one sense it is so. Even a child can understand love, and can say whether he loves another or not. Yet “Lovest thou Me” is, in reality, a very searching question. We may know much, and do much, and profess much, and talk much, and work much, and give much, and go through much, and make much show in our religion, and yet be dead before God, from lack of love, and at last go down to the pit. Do we love Christ? That is the great question. Without this there is no vitality about our Christianity. We are no better than painted wax figures, lifeless stuffed beasts in a museum, sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. There is no life where there is no love.
   Let us take heed that there is some feeling in our religion. Knowledge, orthodoxy, correct views, regular use of forms, a respectable moral life,—all these do not make up a true Christian. There must be some personal feeling towards Christ. Feeling alone, no doubt, is a poor useless thing, and may be here to-day and gone to-morrow. But the entire absence of feeling is a very bad symptom, and speaks ill for the state of a man’s soul. The men and women to whom Paul wrote his Epistles had feelings, and were not ashamed of them. There was One in heaven whom they loved, and that One was Jesus the Son of God. Let us strive to be like them, and to have some real feeling in our Christianity, if we hope to share their reward.
   We should notice, secondly, in these verses, Peter’s answer to Christ’s question. Three times we find the Apostle saying, “Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Once we are told that he said, “Thou knowest all things.” Once we have the touching remark made, that he was “grieved to be asked the third time.” We need not doubt that our Lord, like a skillful physician, stirred up this grief intentionally. He intended to pierce the Apostle’s conscience, and to teach him a solemn lesson. If it was grievous to the disciple to be questioned, how much more grievous must it have been to the Master to be denied!
   The answer that the humbled Apostle gave, is the one account that the true servant of Christ in every age can give of his religion. Such an one may be weak, and fearful, and ignorant, and unstable, and failing in many things, but at any rate he is real and sincere. Ask him whether he is converted, whether he is a believer, whether he has grace, whether he is justified, whether he is sanctified, whether he is elect, whether he is a child of God,—ask him any one of these questions and he may perhaps reply that he really does not know!— But ask him whether he loves Christ, and he will reply, “I do!” He may add that he does not love Him as much as he ought to do; but he will not say that he does not love Him at all. The rule will be found true with very few exceptions. Wherever there is true grace, there will be a consciousness of love towards Christ.
   What, after all, is the great secret of loving Christ? It is an inward sense of having received from Him pardon and forgiveness of sins. Those love much who feel much forgiven. He who has come to Christ with his sins, and tasted the blessedness of free and full absolution, he is the man whose heart will be full of love towards his Saviour. The more we realize that Christ has suffered for us, and paid our debt to God, and that we are washed and justified through His blood, the more we shall love Him for having loved us, and given Himself for us. Our knowledge of doctrines may be defective. Our ability to defend our views in argument may be small. But we cannot be prevented feeling. And our feeling will be like that of the Apostle Peter: “Thou, Lord, who knowest all things, Thou knowest my heart; and Thou knowest that I love Thee.”
   We should notice, lastly, in these verses, Christ’s command to Peter. Three times we find Him saying, “Feed” my flock: once, “Feed my lambs;” and twice “my sheep.” Can we doubt for a moment that this thrice-repeated charge was full of deep meaning? It was meant to commission Peter once more to do the work of an Apostle, notwithstanding his recent fall. But this was only a small part of the meaning. It was meant to teach Peter and the whole Church the mighty lesson, that usefulness to others is the grand test of love, and working for Christ the great proof of really loving Christ. It is not loud talk and high profession; it is not even impetuous, spasmodic zeal, and readiness to draw the sword and fight,—it is steady, patient, laborious effort to do good to Christ’s sheep scattered throughout this sinful world, which is the best evidence of being a true-hearted disciple. This is the real secret of Christian greatness. It is written in another place, “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.” (Matt. xx. 26—28.)
   Forever let the parting charge of our blessed Master abide in our consciences, and come up in the practice of our daily lives. It is not for nothing we may be sure, that we find these things recorded for our learning, just before He left the world. Let us aim at a loving, doing, useful, hard-working, unselfish, kind, unpretentious religion. Let it be our daily desire to think of others, care for others, do good to others, and to lessen the sorrow, and increase the joy of this sinful world. This is to realize the great principle which our Lord’s command to Peter was intended to teach. So living, and so laboring to order our ways, we shall find it abundantly true, that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts xx. 35.)

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007) [Westminster (PB) | Amazon (HC)].

The following article was originally posted back in 2006. I am posting it again because I think the problem is as bad as it ever was, and maybe worse.

Walmart Knows the Church

Yesterday, my wife and I spent a fun-filled [fŭn· fĭld adj. full of or tending to induce stress and exhaustion] day shopping. I came home, having had my fill of fun for a good, long time, more grateful than ever that my home address is eighty miles away from the nearest shopping mall and that segment of the population that enjoys living near them. We even went to Walmart, which I avoid as diligently as possible. Anyway, we got the job done and returned home late last evening, our net worth substantially reduced.

I made a stop at Walmart’s “inspirational” book section. The only real Bible they had was a fake leather NKJV. The rest were NLT and the like, ranging from cutesy Precious Moments junk to the Refuel and Revolve biblezine abominations. They did have a KJV New Testament on CD read by James Earl Jones, which would be cool—probably too cool, actually. That was the best of the selection. Other attempts at inspiration were offerings from Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Billy Graham, Gary Smalley, Frank Peretti, and the like.

I wasn’t really surprised. After all, why should Walmart be any better than the average Christian book store? What really did surprise me a little was that, among all those “inspirational” books, I found absolutely nothing of any real value at all. It was all junk. I left the inspirational section uninspired. I don’t blame Walmart, though. Walmart is not a Christian retailer. Walmart does not stock its shelves with truth in mind. It is not concerned with the souls of its customers.

Walmart just wants your money, and that is not a pejorative statement. That is why retailers exist. But what strategy do they use to get your money? They stock what you want, “you” being the generic customer, and in this case, the Christian customer. That is why Walmart’s shelves are stocked with very few KJVs and NKJVs, and no NASBs or ESVs. That is why Walmart stocks Warren and Osteen, and not MacArthur or Piper. Walmart sells what the market demands, and the market demands ice cream rather than prime rib. And the market can’t even discern good ice cream from bad. It can’t even tell when the ice cream is laced with cyanide.

Walmart doesn’t stock the truth because the church isn’t buying it.

I think I could have written almost the same article had I been in the average Christian bookstore. Sure, there would have been some good, theologically sound books, but the majority would have been the same toxic fluff sold at Walmart. To be fair to the Christian retailer, the problem is mostly consumer caused. Christian booksellers have to meet consumer demands to stay in business, too. So it comes back to the average Christian reader. Lifeway and stores with names like Rainbow Shop and Dove’s Nest sell what Christians want.

When I originally posted this, someone objected to my use of the word Christian to describe the consumers of all this junk. Perhaps I should have put Christian in quotes, implying mere nominal Christianity. That is no doubt true in many cases, but I have heard too many people whom I know understand and believe the gospel and trust in Christ alone for their salvation who practically drool all over themselves in praise of garbage like The Prayer of Jabez. This is a not a nominal-Christianity-only problem. It is simply a fact that the average Christian is more likely to buy feel-good slop or spiritualized humanistic self-help than biblical truth. And if some author claims to have uncovered some New Key to the Victorious! Abundant! Life, expect it to show up in women’s and/or men’s “Bible studies” everywhere.

Getting to the Point

Well, it’s easy to see a problem and carp about it. But what can be done? There are two levels of sickness to deal with. The most obvious is the intellectual dullness of modern man in general. Turn on the television or radio, and if you don’t see what I mean in less than an hour, you’re part of the problem. Critical thinking and discernment are rare skills, undeveloped in most. Related to that, but less obvious and more basic, is the theological bankruptcy of modern Christianity.

Intellectual Dullness

Don’t be one of the most. Discernment is a skill to be developed. It is not a spiritual gift. It is not mystical. Certainly, only Christians can have true spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 2:15), but nevertheless, discernment is primarily intellectual, an exercise of the mind. So work to develop your discernment. But how?

Follow old men who have proven themselves faithful and wise. Begin reading mature men like MacArthur and Sproul, whose long lives of faithful, biblical ministry testify of their godly character. Then, find out what they read, and read that. Much of it will be of long-gone theologians who, “being dead yet speak.” Broaden your reading from there by observing who else reads and admires them. This will lead you to many other authors, young and old, men and, yes, some women. You can tell a lot about someone by observing whom they respect, and by whom they are respected, so observe, and choose accordingly.

As you discover theological treasures, share them enthusiastically with others. If anyone would ever press Horatius Bonar into my hand as zealously as I’ve been given some pop-evangelical junk, I might sound a bit more positive today. Poison is being vigorously marketed and spread. Can’t we do the same with solid, healthy food?

Theological Bankruptcy

Most Christians don’t know, and many aren’t interested in knowing, what the Bible is about. Modern Christianity is hopelessly man-centered. The Bible is presented as God’s plan for us, as though he exists for us. Hence, we get trite, and utterly false, platitudes like, “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.” Many Christians are primarily interested in How to Live Well and Be Happy, and since the Bible is God’s Word, it’s mostly the best place to find out How to Live Well and Be Happy. Naturally, the books they choose will be those addressing How to Live Well and Be Happy.

The only cure is pure biblical exposition that develops a distinct systematic theology, and discipleship that leads, with authority, away from the silly and false. That a self-centered, intellectually numb, and theologically vacant church doesn’t want this is irrelevant. Give it to them anyway. Many will leave, but those who stay will grow, the church will grow, and God will be glorified — which, by the way, is what the Bible is all about.

Today has been canceled. Tomorrow will, Lord willing, take place as scheduled. Of course, it will not be billed as “Tomorrow,” but rather, “Today.” So it might be better to say that Today has been postponed.

Which reminds me of thought I had recently. You know that song from the play Annie? “The sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun!” And you know how, when someone wants to put something off till tomorrow, you might remind them that “Tomorrow never comes”? I’ve never seen Annie, I’ve only heard that awful song, but I’ve been wondering, what is it, some kind of sick tragedy? A Chekov musical, perhaps? What does it mean to say the sun will come out tomorrow, when tomorrow never comes, and Annie herself rubs it in with the finish, “Tomorrow! Tomorrow! . . . You’re always a day away!” Will the sun ever come out? Yes, tomorrow! Which never comes! Haha! What a cruel joke. All of humanity is like the dogs at the track that can never catch the rabbit, only it’s worse, because we have to chase the rabbit in the dark, forever. Oh, the hopelessness, the despair!

Well, that’s what I’ve been thinking.

Tomorrow, that is, when today is reconvened upon the next global revolution, and if the sun appears in spite of that song, this space will contain what should have been here today, which will then be known as “Yesterday.” See you tomorrow (he mumbles cryptically, before vanishing into tetraspace).

On the wall of one of the churches I attended as a child hung a picture of a fair-haired gentile knocking on a door. We all knew it was Jesus, seeking entrance at our heart’s door, as in Revelation 3:20.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Time and time again, we were taught that Jesus was standing, waiting, knocking, waiting, knocking, just hoping to be invited into our hearts.

Time after time He has waited before

And now He is waiting again

To see if you are willing to open the door

Oh, how He wants to come in.

This image of the pathetic, pleading Jesus has no doubt coaxed multitudes down aisles to dubious conversions. But what if it’s all fiction? What if Jesus is not standing at some door to our hearts? Rather than pulling one verse out of context because it looks so nice on a tract, let’s examine the entire passage.

14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Revelation 3

The church at Laodicea was very much like a great many churches today. It was an apostate body, unregenerate, no true church at all. The Lord points to their deeds, observing that they “are neither cold nor hot.” This figure is a metaphor for water, which, when hot or cold, has many uses, but when lukewarm is not good for much. He wishes they were one or the other, because that would indicate the good fruit of a good tree (Matthew 7:16–20). But they are, figuratively, lukewarm — not good for washing, not good for drinking — so Christ will spit them out like warm, stagnant water. Bad trees get cut down, bad water gets spit out on the ground. This was the Laodicean church.

To make matters worse, they were self-righteous. They thought themselves rich when they were, in fact, spiritually “poor and blind and naked.” This is the state of the unregenerate. They are naked, and blind to their nakedness. This, again, was the Laodicean church. They were spiritually naked, but they thought they were dressed in rich robes of their own making.

At this point, Jesus could have simply passed judgment. If the Laodiceans didn’t deserve to be cut down and burned, no one ever would. But Christ extended grace, delayed the day of judgment, and called them to repentance. Notice now that this is no pleading Savior. His knock is a command, and spare me the “Jesus is a gentleman” nonsense. This is a take-it-or-leave-it command to turn to him in repentance and faith. Notice also that this is not the door any individual’s heart.

Though this verse has been used in countless tracts and evangelistic messages to depict Christ’s knocking on the door of the sinner’s heart, it is broader than that. The door on which Christ is knocking is not the door to a single human heart, but to the Laodicean church. Christ was outside this apostate church and wanted to come in—something that could only happen if the people repented.

The invitation is, first of all, a personal one, since salvation is individual. But He is knocking on the door of the church, calling the many to saving faith, so that He may enter the church. If one person (anyone) opened the door by repentance and faith, Christ would enter that church through that individual. The picture of Christ outside the Laodicean church strongly implies that, unlike the Sardis, there were no believers there at all.

Christ’s offer to dine with the repentant church speaks of fellowship, communion, and intimacy. Sharing a meal in ancient times symbolized the union of the people in loving fellowship. Believers will dine with Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:9), and in the millennial kingdom (Luke 22:16, 29-30). Dine is from deipneo, which refers to the evening meal, the last meal of the say (cf. Luke 7:8; 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25, where the underlying Greek is rendered “sup,” “supper,” and “supped,” respectively). The Lord Jesus Christ urged them to repent and have fellowship with Him before the night of judgment fell and it was too late forever.

—John MacArthur, MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Revelation 1–21 (Moody, 1999), 140.

I thank God that Jesus was never waiting for me to let him in, for if he had been, he still would be. I would never have let him in. And this should be an obvious tip-off to the error of the popular interpretation of verse 20: nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that Christ needs our acceptance. No, it is we who need to be made acceptable to God. My salvation was never dependent on me accepting him, but on him making me acceptable to the Father. That is what the gospel is all about. It is what Christ accomplished on the cross.

A memo to the geniuses in Mercer County, North Dakota, who recently decided to move us to Central time. Or, a rant that will interest almost no one.

I admit that my title is melodramatic; my friends and family are already bored to death with hearing me rant about this. I thought that maybe if I told the whole world1 about it, I might finally be satisfied that I've said enough.2 So here goes.

If you divide the globe into twenty four longitudinal sections, you will find them to be 15° across (360/24=15). Each section would constitute one time zone, if they were strictly observed. Of course, those lines aren’t followed strictly, and naturally, it is more convenient and makes good sense to follow a nearby border or river, provided the border or river actually is near the proper longitude.

What makes no sense at all — or, as I am wont to say it, WHAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL — is moving the time zone border just because, that is, JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE LIVING NEAR THE LINE FREQUENTLY HAS TO CROSS IT AND DOESN'T LIKE HAVING TO THINK AS HE DOES IT. Listen folks, somebody has to live near the line. If we allow moving it for your convenience, then we'll have to move it for the next whiner's convenience, too. And if you've been paying any attention, you know that that's exactly what's been happening. Consequently, the line between the Central and Mountain time zones is jogging all over the place and moving so far west in most places that the easiest way to straighten the line might be to eliminate the Mountain time zone altogether.

But I'm not willing to do that. I want the time on my clock to have some relation to the position of the sun. Mapping the globe in 15° sections as described above, I discovered that we reside about 300 miles from the proper time line, in the time zone that is Greenwich Mean Time -7 hours, or what should be the Mountain time zone. The satelite image below will illustrate that this coincides accurately with solar time, or as I like to say, THE ACTUAL TIME AS DICTATED BY THE REVOLVING OF THE EARTH ACCORDING TO GOD’S DESIGN.

The image on the left shows the earth, with me sitting disgruntledly in the center, at noon, Mountain Standard time. The image on the right shows the same location at noon, Central Daylight Savings time.3 The Truth of the Matter is obvious, yet my fellow citizens still moved us to Central time.

Well, I suppose there is nothing I can do about it. You are all free to set your clocks two hours ahead of me and God, I will just have to live with it, and you will have to explain yourselves on Judgment Day. But my clock is set to Mountain Standard time. When I have to come out and interact with you, I will adjust the time in my head, because I can. It's not difficult. That is, it's not difficult for me; sorry about your mental handicap.4

1 Yes, the whole world reads this blog. At least one person from each continent, anyway.

2 Probably not.

3 Have I mentioned what I think of Daylight Savings time? Well . . . It doesn't actually save daylight any more than Jim Croce could actually save time in a bottle.

4 I hope you're not offended; I find it more charitable to assume inability than laziness, so I'm actually being kind.

This is beautiful. Condoleezza Rice takes Lawrence O'Donnell over her knee and spanks him good. This ability to take charge and shut mouths is a quality I would love to see in the next Republican Presidential candidate.

In this oldie-but-goodie, Milton Friedman ridicules Phil Donahue's liberal naïveté as politely as possible.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

—Psalm 46:1

This is one hymn that no Lutheran hymnal can be without. I have no explanation for the unique lyrics. I have found other alternate translations, but I have not seen this version anywhere else.

239 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon;

Our help is He in all our need, Our stay whate’er doth happen;

For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe;

Strong mail and craft and power He weareth in this hour;

On Earth is not his equal.

Stood we alone in our own might our striving would be losing;

For us the one true Man doth fight, The Man of God’s own choosing.

Who is this chosen One? ’Tis Jesus Christ, the Son,

The Lord of hosts, ’tis He Who wins the victory

In ev’ry field of battle.

And were the world with devils filled, All watching to devour us,

Our souls to fear we need not yield, They cannot overpower us;

Their dreaded Prince no more Can harm us as of yore;

His rage we can endure; for lo! his doom is sure,

A word shall overthrow him.

Still they must leave God’s word its might, For which no thanks they merit;

Still He is with us in the fight, With His good gifts and Spirit.

And should they, in the strife, Take kindred, goods, and life,

We freely let them go, They profit not the foe;

With us remains the kingdom.

—The Concordia Hymnal (Augsburg Publishing House), 1960.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Petitionary Hymns
Poem XXX.
Augustus Toplady (1740–1778)

Redeemer, whither should I flee,
   Or how escape the wrath to come?
The weary sinner flies to thee
   For shelter from impending doom:
Smile on me, gracious Lord, and shew
Thyself the friend of sinners now.

Beneath the shadow of thy cross,
   The heavy-laden soul finds rest:
Let me esteem the world as dross,
   So I may be of Christ possess’d!
I borrow ev’ry joy from thee,
For thou art life and light to me.

Close to my Saviour’s bloody tree,
   My soul, untir’d, shall ever cleave;
Both scourg’d and crucified with thee,
   With Christ resolved to die and live.
My pray’r, my grand ambition this,
Living and dying to be his.

O nail me to the sacred wood,
   There hold me by the Spirit’s chain,
There seal me with thy fast’ning blood,
   Nor ever let me loose again:
There may I bow my suppliant knee,
And own no other Lord but thee!

—The Complete Works of Augustus Toplady (Sprinkle Publications, 1987).

John 21:18–25

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
   20 Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
   24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
   25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

   These verses form the conclusion of St. John’s Gospel, and bring to an end the most precious book in the Bible. The man is much to be pitied who can read the passage without serious and solemn feelings. It is like listening to the parting words of a friend, whom we may possibly not see again. Let us reverently consider the lessons which this Scripture contains.
   We learn, for one thing, from these verses, that the future history of Christians, both in life and death, is foreknown by Christ. The Lord tells Simon Peter, “When thou art old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” These words, without controversy, were a prediction of the manner of the Apostle’s death. They were fulfilled in after days, it is commonly supposed, when Peter was crucified as a martyr for Christ’s sake. The time, the place, the manner, the painfulness to flesh and blood of the disciple’s death, were all matters foreseen by the Master.
   The truth before us is eminently full of comfort to a true believer. To obtain foreknowledge of things to come would, in most cases, be a sorrowful possession. To know what was going to befall us, and yet not to be able to prevent it, would make us simply miserable. But it is an unspeakable consolation to remember, that our whole future is known and fore-arranged by Christ. There is no such thing as luck, chance, or accident, in the journey of our life. Everything from beginning to end is foreseen,—arranged by One who is too wise to err, and too loving to do us harm.
   Let us store up this truth in our minds, and use it diligently in all the days of darkness through which we may yet have to pass. In such days we should lean back on the thought, “Christ knows this, and knew it when He called me to be His disciple.” It is foolish to repine and murmur over the troubles of those whom we love. We should rather fall back on the thought that all is well done. It is useless to fret and be rebellious, when we ourselves have bitter cups to drink. We should rather say, “This also is from the Lord: He foresaw it, and would have prevented it, if it had not been for my good.” Happy are those who can enter into the spirit of that old saint, who said, “I have made a covenant with my Lord, that I will never take amiss anything that He does to me.” We may have to walk sometimes through rough places, on our way to heaven. But surely it is a comforting, soothing reflection, “Every step of my journey was foreknown by Christ.”
   We learn, secondly, in these verses, that a believer’s death is intended to glorify God. The Holy Ghost tells us this truth in plain language. He graciously interprets the dark saying, which fell from our Lord’s lips about Peter’s end. He tells us that Jesus spake this, “signifying by what death he should glorify God.”
   The thing before us is probably not considered as much as it ought to be. We are so apt to regard life as the only season for honoring Christ, and action as the only mode of showing our religion, that we overlook death, except as a painful termination of usefulness. Yet surely this ought not so to be. We may die to the Lord; as well as live to the Lord; we may be patient sufferers as well as active workers. Like Samson, we may do more for God in our death, than we ever did in our lives. It is probable that the patient deaths of our martyred Reformers had more effect on the minds of Englishmen, than all the sermons they preached, and all the books they wrote. One thing, at all events, is certain,—the blood of the English martyrs was the seed of the English Church.
   We may glorify God in death, by being ready for it whenever it comes. The Christian who is found like a sentinel at his post, like a servant with his loins girded and his lamp burning, with a heart packed up and ready to go, the man to whom sudden death, by the common consent of all who knew him, is sudden glory,—this, this is a man whose end brings glory to God.—We may glorify God in death, by patiently enduring its pains. The Christian whose spirit has complete victory over the flesh, who quietly feels the pins of his earthly tabernacle plucked up with great bodily agonies, and yet never murmurs or complains, but silently enjoys inward peace,—this, this again, is a man whose end brings glory to God.—We may glorify God in death, by testifying to others the comfort and support that we find in the grace of Christ. It is a great thing, when a mortal man can say with David, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm xxiii. 4.) The Christian who, like Standfast in “Pilgrim’s Progress,” can stand for a while in the river, and talk calmly to his companions, saying, “My foot is fixed sure: my toilsome days are ended,”—this, this is a man whose end brings glory to God. Deaths like these leave a mark on the living, and are not soon forgotten.
   Let us pray, while we live in health, that we may glorify God in our end. Let us leave it to God to choose the where, and when, and how, and all the manner of our departing. Let us only ask that it may “glorify God.” He is a wise man who takes John Bunyan’s advice, and keeps his last hour continually in mind, and makes it his company-keeper. It was a weighty saying of John Wesley, when one found fault with the doctrines and practices of the Methodists,—“At any rate our people die well.”
   We learn, thirdly, in these verses, that whatever we may think about the condition of other people, we should think first about our own. When Peter inquired curiously and anxiously about the future of the Apostle John, he received from our Lord an answer of deep meaning: “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me.” Hard to understand as some part of that sentence may be, it contains a practical lesson which cannot be mistaken. It commands every Christian to remember his own heart first, and to look at home.
   Of course our blessed Lord does not wish us to neglect the souls of others, or to take no interest in their condition. Such a state of mind would be nothing less than uncharitable selfishness, and would prove plainly that we had not the grace of God. The servant of Christ will have a wide, broad heart, like his Master, and will desire the present and eternal happiness of all around him. He will long and labor to lessen the sorrows, and to increase the joys, of every one within his reach, and, as he has opportunity, to do good to all men. But, in all his doing, the servant of Christ must never forget his own soul. Charity, and true religion, must both begin at home.
   It is vain to deny that our Lord’s solemn caution to His impetuous disciple is greatly needed in the present day. Such is the weakness of human nature, that even true Christians are continually liable to run into extremes. Some are so entirely absorbed in their own inward experience, and their own heart’s conflict, that they forget the world outside. Others are so busy about doing good to the world, that they neglect to cultivate their own souls. Both are wrong, and both need to see a more excellent way; but none perhaps do so much harm to religion as those who are busy-bodies about others’ salvation, and at the same time neglecters of their own. From such a snare as this may the ringing words of our Lord deliver us! Whatever we do for others (and we never can do enough), let us not forget our own inner man. Unhappily, the Bride, in Canticles, is not the only person who has cause to complain: “They made me keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard I have not kept.” (Cant. i. 6.)
   We learn, lastly, from these verses, the number and greatness of Christ’s works during His earthly ministry. John concludes his Gospel with these remarkable words, “There are many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.”—Of course we must not torture these words, by pressing them to an excessively literal interpretation. To suppose that the Evangelist meant the world could not hold the material volumes which would be written, is evidently unreasonable and absurd. The only sensible interpretation must be a spiritual and figurative one.
   As much of Christ’s sayings and doings is recorded as the mind of man can take in. It would not be good for the world to have more. The human mind, like the body, can only digest a certain quantity. The world could not contain more, because it would not. As many miracles, as many parables, as many sermons, as many conversions, as many words of kindness, as many deeds of mercy, as many journeys, as many prayers, as many warnings, as many promises, are recorded, as the world can possibly require. If more had been recorded they would have been only thrown away. There is enough to make every unbeliever without excuse, enough to show every inquirer the way to heaven, enough to satisfy the heart of every honest believer, enough to condemn man if he does not repent and believe, enough to glorify God. The largest vessel can only contain a certain quantity of liquid. The mind of all mankind would not appreciate more about Christ, if more had been written. There is enough and to spare. This witness is true. Let us deny it if we can.
   And now let us close the Gospel of St. John with mingled feelings of deep humility and deep thankfulness. We may well be humble when we think how ignorant we are, and how little we comprehend of the treasures which this Gospel contains. But we may well be thankful, when we reflect how clear and plain is the instruction which it gives us about the way of salvation. The man who reads this Gospel profitably, is he who “believes that Jesus is the Christ, and, believing, has life through His Name.” Do we so believe? Let us never rest till we can give a satisfactory answer to that question!

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007) [Westminster (PB) | Amazon (HC)].

Q. 4. How does it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God?

A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty and purity; by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers unto salvation: but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very Word of God.

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

—Psalm 12:6

The Psalmist now declares, that God is sure, faithful, and steadfast in his promises. But the insertion by the way of this commendation of the word of God would be to no purpose, if he had not first called himself, and other believers, to meditate on God’s promises in their afflictions. Accordingly, the order of the Psalmist is to be attended to, namely, that, after telling us how God gives to his servants the hope of speedy deliverance, even in their deepest distresses, he now adds, to support their faith and hope, that God promises nothing in vain, or for the purpose of disappointing man. This, at first sight, seems a matter of small importance; but if any person consider more closely and attentively how prone the minds of men are to distrust and ungodly doubtings, he will easily perceive how requisite it is for our faith to be supported by this assurance, that God is not deceitful, that he does not delude or beguile us with empty words, and that he does not magnify beyond all measure either his power or his goodness, but that whatever he promises in word he will perform in deed. There is no man, it is true, who will not frankly confess that he entertains the same conviction which David here records, that the words of Jehovah are pure; but those who while lying in the shade and living at their ease liberally extol by their praises the truth of God’s word, when they come to struggle with adversity in good earnest, although they may not venture openly to pour forth blasphemies against God, often charge him with not keeping his word. Whenever he delays his assistance, we call in question his fidelity to his promises and murmur just as if he had deceived us. There is no truth which is more generally received among men than that God is true; but there are few who frankly give him credit for this when they are in adversity. It is, therefore, highly necessary for us to cut off the occasion of our distrust; and whenever any doubt respecting the faithfulness of God’s promises steals in upon us, we ought immediately to lift up against it this shield, that the words of the Lord are pure.

—John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries Volume IV, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Volume I (Baker Books, 2009), 176–177.

Get your own copy of The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms here.

Originally posted at The Calvinist Gadfly.

Q. 21. Did man continue in that estate wherein God at first created him?

A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit; and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

—2 Corinthians 11:2–3

The catechism question has a simple answer: No, they sinned. The end. Write it down in history, for the record, Genesis 3. Next question.

But we need to pause here to consider the implications for us. Does this have relevance for the New Testament Christian, or are we, in Christ, safe from the wiles of the serpent? Paul answers in the negative. Not only are we now sinners in the line of Adam, but potential dupes in the line of Eve. And by “we,” I am talking to us, all of us, including Christians, to whom Paul addresses his concern. Paul is worried that, like Eve, we — you and I — might be taken in by sophisticated rhetoric and deceived. Our trust in the pure gospel of Jesus Christ might be compromised.

This text brings a warning to our fallen minds: You are not immune to deceit; you can be fooled. If it could happen to Adam and Eve, who were created without sin and walked with God in the cool of the day, it can happen to us. If it could happen to the Galatians, “before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified,” it can certainly happen to us.

The text also displays the gracious disciplining hand of God. While we are susceptible to the seductive lies of the enemy, God is faithful to protect us from ourselves — in this case, through the loving words of the Apostle. Or we might require the harsher, after-the-fact rebuke: “You foolish Galatians!” One thing is certain: whether by warning, rebuke, or chastisement (Hebrews 12:6), God will save his saints. Otherwise, we would surely fall.

Understanding this will cause us to fall to our knees, bereft of all pride and self-sufficiency, before the Lord who is righteously jealous for our love and devotion, in daily repentance and faith, with the simple and pure devotion that Christ so zealously demands.

Get your own copy of The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms here.

This is exciting. Banner of Truth, my favorite publisher, is publishing a biography by Iain Murray, my favorite historian, of John MacArthur, my favorite preacher.

This interview from the 2011 Shepherds Conference includes commentary on Murray’s biography (the relevant section begins at 31:40).

John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock will be available from Westminster Bookstore in June. Clicking that link will contribute to the operation of this site, which is also one of my favorite things.

Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life is one of the latest products from Cruciform Press. The thesis of the book is that we are created and redeemed to live cruciform (cross-shaped) lives. Author Jimmy Davis briefly introduces what that means:

First, a cruciform disciple to some degree resembles Jesus the Son, who lived in complete awareness of and dependence upon his relationship to God as the Father’s beloved (Matthew 3:17, 17:5; Mark 1:11, 9:7; 2 Peter 1:17). By wholely believing the message of the cross, we too become beloved sons of God (John 1:12, Romans 8:14–17, Galatians 4:4–7). The more we become like Jesus, the Beloved Son, the more we will fill up by faith on the love of the Father as his beloved sons. . . .

Second, a cruciform disciple to some degree resembles Jesus the Servant, who lived in the complete awareness and practice of his role as a blessed servant to God, people, and all of creation (Mark 10:43–45). Jesus’ confidence and contentment in his relationship with the Father enabled him to lay aside his rights, pick up the towel and basin, and take the form of a servant by emptying himself for the sake of others (John 13:3–5, Philippians 2:5–11). As we fill up by faith on the love of the Father as it is offered in the good news about Jesus and poured out by the Spirit, we overflow with love back to God and out to others, using the resources he has provided in the place he has put us. Our lives will take the form of a cross-shaped servant.

—Jimmy Davis, Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life (Cruciform Press, 2011), 36–37.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

—Romans 5:12–21

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. . . .

So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

—1 Corinthians 15:20–22, 45

Can one believe in theistic evolution and still be a Christian? Yes, he can, given enough ignorance,* and lacking logical thinking skills. But no one who knows what the New Testament says about the gospel and about Adam, and can perform simple mathematic functions, can hold to any evolutionary theory without denying the gospel. John MacArthur, commenting on Romans 5:12–14, explains:

The fact that Adam and Eve not only were actual historical figures but were the original human beings from whom all others descended is absolutely critical to Paul’s argument here and is critical to the gospel of Jesus Christ. If a historical Adam did not represent all mankind in sinfulness, a historical Christ could not represent all mankind in righteousness. If all mankind did not fall with the first Adam, all mankind could not be saved by Christ, the second and last Adam (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22, 45).

—John MacArthur, MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Romans 1–8 (Moody, 1991), 294.

* I know: “given enough ignorance” is not a logical phrase, but you know what I mean.

2011/05/21

So, today is the end. When I say today, I mean tomorrow, of course, having posted this today, which is, according to the date on this post, yesterday. I posted it late yesterday (or, for those of you reading early, today), because I will not be here today (or, for those of you reading early, today).

I’m not posting the usual Saturday hymn, because, assuming heaven has internet access, the hymnody is so much better there that anyone who went there has no interest in the imperfect verse of fallible mortals, and because anyone who didn’t, assuming, again, that they have internet access, is not interested in having me rub it in with the gospel they rejected set to music.

We can have a little fun mocking the foolishness of Harold Camping, and many already have, but today (or tomorrow, if . . . well, you know) it’s not so funny. Assuming Jesus did not return — he could, you know, even today — there will be a lot of crushed Camping followers when May 22 rolls around, Christ did not come, and they are still here. For some, this will be a good thing. They will be disillusioned with Campingism, and be prepared for the gospel. Others will be likewise disillusioned, but will be hardened against Christianity. In both groups will be those who sold everything, emptied their savings, and invested it all in spreading Camping’s message of divine judgment. What will they do?

Then there are the children. They didn’t ask for this, but they got it. What will they do when they see that their parents have been duped in the name of Christ? If their parents emptied their college funds to promote a fraud? How will they react if they ever encounter the real thing? Some of them may actually have tasted the gospel. Will they be among those described in Hebrews 6:4–6?

None of that is funny.

Some have wondered what kind of fancy steps Camping will have to make, now that his fool status has been upgraded and advertised. I might be wrong, but I think he’s got a plan already. I doubt if he really believed, beyond doubt, that he could predict the Second Coming. I doubt if he believes it at all. At the very least, if he thinks he might be right, he has a back-up plan in case he is wrong. That’s what I think. Of course, I could be wrong. Camping could be thoroughly convinced, and the top story on Sunday could be that he has jumped off a tall building.

That won’t be funny, either.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Yesterday, according to Harold Camping, was to be the day of Christ’s return.

429 When Jesus Comes in Glory

When Jesus comes in glory,
As Lord and King of kings,
O what a wondrous story
The blessèd Bible brings;
His face will shine like sunlight,
His head be white as snow,
His eyes like flaming firelight,
His feet like brass aglow.

His voice like rushing waters
Will reach with mighty sound
Into the deepest quarters
Of all creation round;
And at this wondrous greeting
The dead in Christ shall rise,
Their Lord and Savior meeting
In glory to the skies.

And we who are believing,
And His appearing love,
Shall know we are receiving
His glory from above;
His resurrection power
Will raise us to the place
Where we that wondrous hour
Shall see Him face to face.

O hasten Thine appearing,
Thou Bright and Morning Star!
Lord, may we soon be hearing
The trumpet sound afar;
Thy people are all yearning
To be Thy raptured bride,
And at Thine own returning
Be caught up at Thy side.

—The Concordia Hymnal (Augsburg Publishing House), 1960.

Mark 13:26–27, 32–33

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven. . . . But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

We learn from these verses, that the exact time of our Lord Jesus Christ’s second advent is purposely withheld from His church. The event is certain. The precise day and hour are not revealed. “Of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven.”

There is deep wisdom and mercy in this intentional silence. We have reason to thank God that the thing has been hidden from us. Uncertainty about the date of the Lord’s return is calculated to keep believers in an attitude of constant expectation, and to preserve them from despondency. What a dreary prospect the early church would have had before it, if it had known for certain that Christ would not return to earth for at least fifteen hundred years! The hearts of men like Athanasius, Chrysostom, and Augustine, might well have sunk within them, if they had been aware of the centuries of darkness through which the world would pass, before their Master came back to take the kingdom.—What a quickening motive, on the other hand, true Christians have perpetually had, for a close walk with God! They have never known, in any age, that their Master might not come suddenly to take account of his servants. This very uncertainty has supplied them with a reason for living always ready to meet Him.

There is one caution connected with the subject, which must not be overlooked. We must not allow the uncertainty of the time of our Lord’s second advent to prevent our giving attention to the unfulfilled prophecies of Scripture. This is a great delusion, but one into which, unhappily, many Christians fall. There is a wide distinction to be drawn between dogmatical and positive assertions about dates, and a humble, prayerful searching into the good things yet to come. Against dogmatism about times and seasons, our Lord’s words in this place are a standing caution. But as to the general profitableness of studying prophecy, we can have no plainer authority than the apostle Peter’s words: “Ye do well that ye take heed to prophecy;" and the apostle John’s words in Revelation: “Blessed is he that readeth.” (2 Peter i. 19. Rev. i. 3.)

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007) [Westminster (PB) | Amazon (HC)].

I imagine by now you’ve heard all you want about Harold Camping and the apocalypse that wasn’t, so I won’t say anything more about that today. I’ve got something else on my mind today, after reading what N. T. Wright had to say about Camping’s rapture prediction. It’s a question for a particular set of people: those who mock Camping’s eschatological lunacy, while praising Wright as a brilliant New Testament scholar. (By asking this question, I am not implying that Wright’s eschatology is correct, or that Camping has no greater problems than his loopy eschatology.)

Which is worse: bad eschatology, or a fallacious doctrine of justification?

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. I’ve got your answer here (see point #7) and here.

Among other things, I hope to read the most recent arrival from Cruciform Press, “But God…” The Two Words at the Heart of the Gospel by Casey Lute, in which the author examines the “but God” statements in the Old and New Testaments. According to the introduction, he takes some inspiration from some guy named James Montgomery Boyce, but I’m going to pretend he got the idea from me.

If I can judge a book by its cover (plus table of contents and introduction), I expect this to be the best Cruciform publication yet, or if not the best, certainly the most fundamental.

Yesterday, I suggested that “But God…” The Two Words at the Heart of the Gospel by Casey Lute might be “the best Cruciform publication yet, or if not the best, certainly the most fundamental.” Having said that, I should confess that I haven’t actually read every Cruciform publication, so I can’t really make that comparison. Still, I will say that But God is as fundamental as it gets.

The introduction begins with a quote from James Montgomery Boyce: “If you understand those two words—‘but God’—they will save your soul. If you recall them daily and live by them, they will transform your life completely.” Nine chapters present brief expositions of nine “but God” texts:

1. Genesis 8:1, “but God remembered Noah . . .”
2. Exodus 13:18, “But God led the people . . .”
3. Nehemiah 9:17, “But you are a God ready to forgive . . .”
4. Psalm 40:6–8, “. . . but you have given me an open ear.
5. Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us . . .”
6. Acts 13:30, “But God raised him from the dead . . .”
7. 1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God chose what is foolish . . .”
8. Ephesians 2:4, “But God . . . made us alive . . .”
9. 2 Timothy 2:19, “But God’s firm foundation stands . . .”

Each text and each exposition demonstrates the theme of this book: This is how it is, and this is how it — and we — would end, but God has changed everything. He has done and will do everything necessary for our salvation and his glory.

I recommend But God very highly. A fast reader could put it away in an hour, the rest of us in an hour-and-a-half or two. Its fundamental truth is priceless.

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.

10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3

Reading this chapter, I was struck by the incongruity of the warnings it contains with the gullibility of so many professing believers and their intolerance of any who are willing to name and reject false teachers. God says, self-serving unregenerate deceivers will come; man says, woe to anyone arrogant enough to recognize and name them.

It makes me wonder: who are these spoken of in verse 9, the “all” to whom the folly of unregenerate deceivers “will be obvious”? Clearly, this is not a universal “all.” Still, it is difficult to see why this “all” should not be understood to mean all believers. “All” seldom means all of everything, but it has to mean all of something. What, then, are we to make of those among us who can’t recognize the Scripture twisting of so many popular authors and teachers?

Those who claim to belong to Christ but persist in patterns of disobedience betray the reality of that profession. The apostle John explained: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). Such is especially true of false teachers, whom the New Testament describes as “slaves of corruption” (2 Peter 2:19) and as “slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites (Rom. 16:18). They are “ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4; cf. 2 Peter 2:1). The true man of God, by contrast, is “the Lord’s slave” making himself “useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:24, 21 HCSB).

—John MacArthur, Slave (Thomas Nelson, 2010), 47.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. . . .

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

—Psalm 107:1, 8

I suppose this might be considered out of season, but I'm pretty sure giving thanks is appropriate all year long.

243 Now Thank We All Our God

Now thank we all our God, With heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things hath done, In whom His world rejoices;

Who from our mothers’ arms Hath blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God, Through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts, And blessèd peace to cheer us;

And keep us in His grace, And guide us when perplexed;

And free us from all ills, In this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given;

The Son and Him Who reigns With them in highest heaven;

The one eternal God, Whom earth and Heaven adore;

For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore.

—The Concordia Hymnal (Augsburg Publishing House), 1960.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

The Means of Grace, which God Has Appointed
Philip Doddridge (1702–1751)

What kind provision God has made,
That we may safe to heaven be led!
For this the prophets preach’d and wrote,
For this the bless’d apostles taught;
Taught, as that Spirit did inspire,
Who fell from heaven in tongues of fire,
And gave them languages unknown,
That distant lands his grace might own.
His hand has kept the sacred page
Secure from men and devils’ rage.

For this, He ohurches did ordain,
His truths and worship to maintain:
For this, He pastors did provide,
In those assemblies to preside:
And from the round of common days
Mark’d out our sabbaths to his praise.
Delightful day, when Christians meet!
To hear, and pray, and sing, how sweet!

For this He gives, in solemn ways,
Appointed tokens of his grace:
In sacramental pledges there
His soldiers to their General swear.
Baptiz’d into one common Lord,
They joyful meet around his board;
Honour the orders of his house,
And speak their love, and seal their vows.

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

If you’ve been following these Lord’s Day posts, you know that we’ve finished The Gospel of John with J. C. Ryle. Now I need to decide on something else to fill this space. Suggestions are welcome.

Personal matters are interfering with blogging today. Your prayers will be appreciated.

I know most of you probably read challies.com anyway, but I would like to draw your attention to Tim’s very mature, thoughtful, and entirely correct critique of John Piper’s interview with Rick Warren (click here to see the interview).