31 Monday May 2010
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A great many comments have come about, some through posts and some in person, whenever I speak of the law and gospel being related but separate entities. I hope, in the coming weeks and months, to address some of this material.
To begin with, however, I would like to direct you to Tullian Tchividjian‘s blog for the transcript of a recent interview with Justin Taylor, of the Between Two Worlds blog.
27 Thursday May 2010
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In Paul’s letter to Titus, Paul lays out some protocol for those in Titus’ pastoral care. In verses 1 & 2 of chapter 3, Paul exhorts Titus to “remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” As an evangelical who edges closer to confessional Christianity each passing day, I affirm the authority of Scripture to determine faith and practice. So let’s look at the context in which this exhortation is given.
23 Sunday May 2010
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experience, Gospel, homosexuality, music, Scripture, theology, witnessing, worship
Many folks in evangelicalism who routinely ‘share their faith,’ go about telling their story. They talk about how Jesus has saved them from this or that sinful behavior or thought pattern. Some folks’ sin of choice involves alcohol, some are sidelined by homosexual behavior, others by drugs, anger, or nicotine. Whatever they wrestled with before, they have the victory over now…all thanks to Jesus.
Here’s the problem: even if we are to grant that God has wrought such life-change through sanctification, this is still not the Gospel. Such life-change is potentially a fruit of the Gospel, but the Gospel and its fruit must never be confounded. Someone recently asked me to summarize the Gospel. Here’s what I answered:
That Christ, acting outside of me, apart from my will, died for me in history and that he rose again, giving me his righteousness which covers me like a robe would. His righteousness is always and always will be alien to (outside of) me.
21 Friday May 2010
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Isaac Watts, the lyricist of such hymns as “Joy to the World” writes in this hymn of Christ, our sacrifice. The hymn contains all the necessary elements…confession of sin, assurance of pardon, indeed the Gospel itself.
11 Tuesday May 2010
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Les Lanphere, of the Killer Robot Ninja Blog, offers this insightful parable to illustrate the sovereignty of God in election:
Ten Pirates invade a King’s ship. They beat and rape the King’s entire family, and begin pillaging all the goods.
The King arrives in his rowboat, and from the water can see what’s going on. He shouts to the pirates, “Stop now, and I will be merciful to you, and forgive you!” (desire for all to repent, and not to die in sins).
The Pirates bring out his family and rape and murder them on the deck, while laughing at the King. As they get drunk on the wine from the ship they do even more perverse things with the bodies all while the King watches in horror, and rage. They yell insults and taunts at the King and light the sails on fire. The ship begins to go up in flames.
Read the rest of the story here.
11 Tuesday May 2010
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Why should we, as the gathered church, confess our sins, out loud, as a group? Many churches never do this and it seems very strange to even consider doing so. Some churches do it and congregants never really consider why they confess their sins publicly and privately in the course of a worship service.
The first blurb is from Reformed theologian John Frame…the second thought is from me.
28 Wednesday Apr 2010
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culture, experience, Gospel, homosexuality, Jennifer Knapp, music, politics, repentance, Scripture, theology
In view of recent events regarding Jennifer Knapp mentioned on Chris Rosebrough‘s program, I believe the following words from Jerram Barrs, while not being the final word on the subject, are in fact, relevant to the discussion.
12 Monday Apr 2010
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I’m friends with Aaron, who has a wonderful blog of his own. I’d like to share the first piece of correspondence I exchanged with him. The night that he and I began talking, he was tweeting quotes from Bill Maher’s Religulous. I had a total meltdown when he tweeted something to the effect that “doubt is humble.” So this email resulted.
08 Thursday Apr 2010
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In this blog article, the question is asked, “is your worship worthy of God?” The following quote from Calvin is offered:
Moreover, that which St. Augustine has said is true, that no one is able to sing things worthy of God except that which he has received from him. Therefore, when we have looked thoroughly and searched here and there, we shall not find better songs nor more fitting for the purpose, than the Psalms of David, which the Holy Spirit spoke and made through him. And, moreover, when we sing them, we are certain that God puts in our mouths these, as if he himself were singing in us to exalt his glory.
Quote by John Calvin taken from John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor
It seems that Calvin has a point to make and makes it well. It would, in response to Nathan’s question, seem to point out a serious deficit in worship which is exclusively hymn-driven (or even ‘blended,’ I’d argue). This is why, as a Reformed worship leader at a non-Reformed congregation, I strive to incorporate psalmnody whenever possible. We don’t chant them, but I am capable of doing so myself due to the fact that I was in a psalm-chanting Episcopalian congregation while in college.
24 Wednesday Mar 2010
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A Hymn by Joseph Hart
Come, ye Christians, sing the praises of your condescending God;
Come and hymn the holy Jesus, who has washed us in His blood;
We are poor, and weak, and silly, and to every evil prone;
Yet our Jesus loves us freely, and receives us for His own.
Gay and Evangelical 
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