Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Media and Technology, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Uncovering Idols (Part 1): Meteorology and the Idol of Future Control

Note: Over the next few weeks I will be posting the manuscripts from a series I am preaching titled “Uncovering Idols.”

Introduction

Last week Laura and left for Nashville, Tennessee late afternoon for a conference that was beginning the next day. It was about dinner time so we stopped in a small town in Western North Carolina named Canton. We began to notice a strange stench; to us it was a horrible smell- a smell we could not get away from (in other words it wasn’t inside coming from insider the car)

For those of you who know the area, Canton is the home of Blue Ridge Paper Products- a paper mill, and paper mills smell. Anyway, we ate and as we got back on the highway I began thinking to myself. “I wonder of the people of Canton are even aware of that smell? They live and breathe that air. I tell you this story becuase in many ways this is the way idolatry functions in our culture. It’s the air we breath.

An Important Distinction in Idols: The Overt and Covert[1]

For most people, the subject of idolatry conjures up pictures of a “primitive people bowing down before statures.”[2] We would be pretty safe to say that when most people think of “idols” they picture literal statues- which is what we might call “overt idolatry.” An example of overt idols would be “the golden calf” that the people of Israel worshiped in Exodus 32. It was a literal statue, an “overt idol.” Even today, there are people across our world who worship “overt” idols- consider Hinduisms many god’s.

Tonight we are going to focus on a different type of idolatry, one that runs rampant in our culture, a type of idolatry that may be the most dangerous because it is so elusive, so obscure, so concealed, so “covert.” See, our idols are not the “overt” idols seen in Hindu temples, but the covert idolatry of the human heart. Actually, I would argue that it’s better to understand idolatry as a posture of the heart, rather than a religious practice. Therefore idolatry is not constrained to false religions; an idol can be anything, literally.

The human heart has a powerful way of taking anything and turning it into the ultimate thing. We have this uncanny ability to take anything that gives us significance, security, comfort, safety, and fulfillment, and place it as the center of our lives. “An idol is anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”[3]

How Does Meteorology reveal idolatry?

Some of you are still trying to figure out the point of my title for this post. What does meteorology have to do with idolatry? Nothing in and of itself; but meteorology (weather reports and forecasts) reveal something that we as a people value, something we are concerned about. See, the weather report and forecast are permanent fixtures in the news. They are very practical and convenient as a reference point for “future planning.”

Let me clarify something, we are not exploring the scientific discipline of meteorology, we are examining meteorology as “cultural phenomenon.” In other words, “what does our cultures [reliance, maybe even] fascination with weather reports [and forecasts] say about who we are and what concerns us?”[4]

I thought it would be interesting to test this concept with an actual meteorologist. I had the privilege of interviewing WXII’s meteorologist Austin Caviness this past week, we talked a few minutes about “weather reports” and “forecasts.”

See, forecasting is simply, the process of estimation in unknown situations. Austin’s job is really to “prepare people for what lies ahead.” This is not wrong in and of itself. But, he quickly pointed out that “people want to it to be right, they get upset when its not.” That’s the key- how we respond when things don’t go as expected.- What does this reveal about us? I think Austin nailed it when he said; “we want to fill like we can control the things we can’t. It takes us out of our comfort zone when we can’t control our expectations for a situation. It’s a way we protect ourselves.” When our future expectations are not met, how we respond reveals what’s truly in our hearts.

See, on a much deeper level I believe that our concern with the weather reveals a deeper anxiety over the future – here is the reality of our situation;

  1. Because we cannot fully see the immediate future. We don’t know exactly what will happen in the years, months, weeks, even moments to come. We can estimate.
  2. But, without being able to fully see all the things ahead, we cannot control certain situations our specific outcomes in our future.

‘Meteorology’ is just one (maybe even trivial) cultural expression of an attempt to find security in the unknowns of the future. Think about insurance (being covered for the future), financial planning (making sure you have your assets alighted for the future), there are 10,000 examples of good things that we do to prepare for the unknown.

When facing the unknown – we can feel somewhat helpless. So we forecast, because the illusion of control helps us “deal with that uncertainty”. Remember, and idol is anything that we find our security, comfort, safety, and fulfillment in other than God, “anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”[5]

For many people, the illusion of “future control” can be a very covert idolatrous posture of the heart. If we are not careful our concern over the future can absorb our lives. In fact, we can begin to act as if “control” over the future gives us only what God can- security, comfort, and safety.

“Hold your future with open hands.”

The Attitude and Action of Unbelief revealing the “Idol of Future Control.”

Idolatry deeply affects the way one thinks, behaves, and lives. Idolatry always produces attitudes and actions that reveal what the heart reveres.

A.) Attitude of Unbelief: “The Idol of Future Control” is rooted in Anxious Fearfulness- Matthew 6:34

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

In this passage Jesus is addressing the disciples. He is basically saying, worrying about tomorrow is nonsensical, because today has enough to occupy our attention and it does no good to dwell on the situations of tomorrow (the inevitable, possible, or hypothetical) Honestly, we all worry about many things, but we often get obsessed with the wrong things. Almost any of your worry’s can hijack the controls of your mind. So we need to start by asking “what do I worry about”, but that will get you nothing but a big list.

  1. I am worried that I won’t get that job, or job promotion.
  2. I am worried because I won’t have enough saved for retirement.
  3. I am worried because I have a family history of cancer.
  4. I am worried because my older child has strayed away from the faith.
  5. I am worried because I am getting older and don’t know if I’ll ever get married.
  6. I am worried because we have been trying to have children for 3 years, and it’s not working.[6]

The list goes on and on. While these things are good to identify, we need to learn to pull the roots up on these problems. The deeper and more important question is “why do I worry about these things?” What is it in these things that you are trying to obtain? Worry assumes the possibility of control over the un-controllable. So the attitude of unbelief often leads to actions aimed at “controlling the future.” So the attitude or root of the “Idol of Future Control” is usually anxious fearfulness.

B.) Acting on Unbelief: “The Idol of Future Control” is often revealed in Arrogant Confidence- James 4:13-14

What do I mean by arrogant confidence? I mean the illusion that we know how the future ought to be, therefore we are going to bring it about ourselves. To this mindset we should be reminded of the words of James; (James 4:13-14)

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

In this particular passage James is writing to combat boastful arrogance in his readers. James is not forbidding any type of planning here, or even forbidding concern for the future altogether. But, James is warning from “any type of planning for the future that stems from human arrogance in our ability to determine the course of future events.”[7] Worriers act as if they might be able to control the un-controllable. Central to worry is the illusion that we can control things. “I am going to this town or that”, I am “going to spend a year there” and make much profit.

  1. If only I could get that job, or job promotion everything would be secure.
  2. If only I had enough saved for retirement we could be comfortable.
  3. If only I get my diet and exercise right I can overcome our family history of cancer.
  4. If only I can get my child rearing techniques right, my other kids wont turn out like my prodigal son.
  5. If only I can find someone to marry I will be complete.
  6. If God would give us children, we would be happy.

See, worry assumes the possibility of control over the uncontrollable. Sure you can take preventative measures to set yourself in a better place, but you cannot completely control the future. This is essentially what James is asking here, “how do you finite creatures presume to dictate the course of future events” as if you know better than God almighty. The obvious sin in this approach to this approach is having no regard for God as you plan for the future. And it’s not just that forgetting God is evil (of course it is), it’s not just that this attitude boastful, arrogant, and proud. The greater evil is that when your forget God, you assume God’s place. We were created in the image of God, in other words God built us to reflect him.

But, our sin has distorted us and how we reflect God. In other words, in our sin we even seek to reflect God in sinful ways.- What do I mean?- Let’s work this out a second. When talking about God we describe Him according to his attributes. His attributes being the characteristics or qualities that express His nature. Typically we classify God’s attributes into his moral and non-moral attributes. This is important;

  1. Moral attributes: The attributes that humans share with God. (Patient, holy, truth, love, etc.)
  2. Non-moral attributes: The attributes that humans do not share with God. (Self-existent, all-powerful, all-knowing, and sovereign, etc.)

Here is the point: Under the influence of sin, we tend to care less about reflecting God moral attributes (love, patience, holiness), but what we want more than anything else is to reflect him in his non-moral attributes (self-existence, all-knowing, all-powerful) When facing our uncertain, and often scary future; (think about this)

  1. We would rather be All-knowing, than patient.
  2. We would rather be All-powerful, than loving…

Sinfully we desire God’s non-moral attributes, because we think “control = comfort and security.[8] (This is an illusion)

Why is this devastating?

“We are but images of God, not the real thing. We are shadows and echoes. So there will always be an emptiness of in the soul that struggles to be satisfied with the resources of self.”[9] Sure, you can take preventative measures to prepare for the future, but ultimately you cannot control the future. This is always revealed when our expectations or desires for future circumstances or outcomes are not obtained. We become angry and confused, because things are not the way we wanted them. You assumed the place of God without considering that God may have other plans. Ultimately you bow down to the idol of future control rather than the only God of the universe who knows eternity in its entirety.

Let me propose to you that “the root of worry/anxiety is unbelief.”[10] Even more so, unbelief is the reason we act in arrogant confidence.

  1. The Root of Unbelief: Anxious Fearfulness
  2. The Fruit of Unbelief: Arrogant Confidence

Idolatry is always connected to unbelief. It is turning to anything other than God for a sense of security and comfort because we don’t trust God. Now, since the Idol of Future control is rooted in unbelief, we need to learn to fight for faith. Let’s apply some biblical doctrine as armor for the fight of faith.

Truth to Destroy the “Idol of Future Control”

1. God is in control of all things, therefore we don’t need to control the future.

Often times, “We don’t just want His word that he will be with us; we want Him to show us the end from the beginning, and prove to us that He can be trusted. We want to know what tomorrow will bring instead of being content with simple obedience on the journey.”[11] Let me be clear here. You don’t need to know the future, and most likely God is not going to show you the future. When we obsess about the future we get anxious. Anxiety is simple “living out the future before it get’s here.” This is why James says in 4:

“you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

“If the Lord wills.” This is one of the clearest texts on God sovereignty in the Bible. James is confronting his readers and arguing that we must live our lives believing that all of our plans are subject to the sovereign will of God. God is all-knowing, God is all-powerful and what God wills will be. Period. Trust that, and trust him. We are humbled when looking to the future because we don’t control it; God does. God is our hope, the future is not our hope- therefore we don’t need to control the future, we need to be content with knowing that God is in control. We must repent of our sinful desire to control the future, and walk into the future with our confidence in God, “not because the future is known to us, but because it is known to God.” We trust Him fully.

2. God will supply all of our needs, therefore we should not obsessively worry about the future.

Matthew 6:25-26 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

God provides you with life itself, we He not sustain you, provide for you? Look at the birds, they are more helpless than you…they cannot grow their own food, they cant even make a sandwich, and God provides for them. God knows what we need for life. God knows when we will die, we will die. As long as He wants us to live- will he not provide us with the necessities of life? Plus, worrying and fretting about the future will not “add one single hour to our lives, “and it will certainly not add any happiness or holiness either.”[12]

Listen to Jesus question, “and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27)

This is almost funny when you process what he is saying. You worry and fret about “how you will continue living”, and it will not add anymore time to your lifespan. Worry is a spiritual issue that must be fought with faith. We must believe that God has mercy for today’s troubles, and no matter what comes tomorrow we will have fresh mercy every morning. I think there is much wisdom in the words of C.S. Lewis on this point. He argues that we should be “living each day as though it were our last, but planning as though our world might last a hundred years.”[13] We need to learn how to hold our future with open hands. If we don’t we will continually act like the school girl who got angry at the weather man because he got the forecast wrong.

– “Hold your future with open hands.” –

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention

Understanding the Psalms

Introduction

Why is it that we connect with the Psalms so easily? What is it about the Psalms that attracts us? “Is it because this book leads us into a deeper worship of God? Is it the wonderful imagery and powerful figures of speech? Perhaps it’s because the Psalms have a way of connecting to real life situations and of reflecting a refreshing honestly that we in real-life situations can relate to”(Duvall and Hays). The Psalms resound in our hearts; they stir us up spiritually and emotionally by ‘painting theological pictures.’

It’s important to keep in mind that the predominant emotion expressed in the Psalms is joy; in fact, the Hebrew title for the book is Tehillim, or “Songs of Joy.”

What is the purpose of the Psalms?

The Psalms are a collection of prayers and hymns. The Psalms consist of words spoken to God or about God. By their very nature (as prayers and hymns) Psalms are addressed to God and express truth about God. In other words, one of the primary functions of the Psalms is “to give us inspired models of how to talk and sing to God (Fee and Stuart).

The Psalms are not didactic like the New Testament letters, but teach through expression. As Longman notes, “we must keep in mind that theology in the Psalms is extensive but not systematic, that it is confessional and doxological, not abstract.”

The Psalms reflect a theology based on many different reactions to life: joy, sadness, thanks, and calm meditation. In other words, “the Israelite worshiper had a ready-made prayer and songbook for all of life’s” variable changes (Longman and Dillard).

a. The Psalms are a guide for worship: When one desires to praise God, cry out to God, or reflect on God’s character the Psalms serve as a wonderful means of expression to guide thoughts and emotions.

b. The Psalms demonstrate how we can express honesty to God: While the Psalms are not ‘didactic’ in a sense they do teach us by serving as an example of expressing thoughts to God. So, while the Psalms are not necessarily strict doctrinal teaching or behavioral imperatives- the Psalms do instruct by example/pattern.

c. The Psalms highlight the importance of theological reflection and meditation: The Psalms call us to reflect on the goodness and wisdom of God. “They invite us to prayer, to controlled thinking upon God’s word (meditation), and reflective fellowship with other believers” (Fee and Stuart).

Is there an overall structure to the Psalms?

It is important that we look at the Psalms as a canonical whole, not just as individual works gathered in a haphazard fashion. The structure of the Psalms plays an important role in exegesis. There are overarching patterns and themes in the groupings of the Psalms. Here is a general guide to the overall flow of the Psalms; (Osborne)

Introduction (1-2): The first invites the righteous to meditate on the psalms, and the second centers on the anointed king on Mt. Zion.

Book 1 (3-41): These Psalms center on David’s conflict with Saul, and ask for divine protection in light of his enemies.

Book 2 (42-72): These Psalms were written during David’s kingship. Many of these Psalms were written as temple music.

Book 3 (73-89): These Psalms are mainly attributed to Asaph and form a series of laments centering on the breaking of the old covenant and the sad state of the nation during the Assyrian crisis.

Book 4 (90-106): These Psalms are introspective, considering the destruction of the temple and the exile. A new hope is presented- Yahweh as king (93; 95-99) performing mighty acts on behalf of his people.

Book 5 (107-145): These Psalms are of praise and reflection on a new era. God has indeed brought them out of their troubles, many of these Psalms consider the model of David (108-11-; 138-45). Psalms 120-143 are songs of ascent centering on worship.

Conclusion (146-50)

What are the different Types of Psalms?

The genre of each Psalm is important to consider when teaching through the whole book. Since many of the Psalms do not have a clear situational literary context, so it is important to examine a Psalm in light of the other Psalms that are generically similar to it.

1. Psalms of Hymn/Praise: These Psalms are defined and recognized by their tone of exuberant praise to the Lord. In fact, the Psalmist usually gives general (even vague) reasons for praise- this allows the Psalm to speak to many generations in different contexts. These Psalms focus on an aspect of God’s character or His actions as to elicit praise from his people;

a. God as creator: 8, 19, 104, 148

b. God as protector and benefactor: 66, 100, 111, 114, 149

c. God as Lord of history: 33, 103, 113, 117, 145-147

2. Psalms of Lament: In these Psalms to focus is on turning to the Lord in the midst of sorrow or suffering (70). This ‘trouble’ usually comes from three different sources.

a. Enemies: The enemy is human and seeks to harm or kill the psalmist. (57:4)

b. The psalmist himself: He may struggle in the midst of his situation. (13:2)

c. God: He may feel that God has abandoned him in light of his persecution, doubt, and pain. (102:9-10)

Psalms of lament usually have a distinctive structure;

1. Invocation

2. Plea to God for help

3. Complaints

4. Confession of sin or an assertion of innocence

5. Curse of enemies (imprecation)

6. Confidence in God’s response

7. Hymn or blessing

See Psalm 28 for an example of this structure. For individual laments see 3, 22, 31, 39, 42, 57, 71, 120, 139, and 142. For corporate laments see 12, 44, 80, 94, and 137.

3. Psalms of Thanksgiving: The best way to describe these Psalms are “songs of re-orientation.” While Psalms of thanksgiving are closely related to hymns, they are distinct in that they have a “specific focus of praise.” Often times these Psalms are found after a Psalm of lament. These Psalms reflect on specific instances of God’s provision rather than general truths.

There are corporate Psalms of thanksgiving, see 65, 67, 75, 107, 124, and 136. There is also individual thanksgiving Psalms, like 18, 30, 32, 34, 40, 66, 92, 116, 118, and 138.

4. Psalms of Trust: These Psalms can be recognized by the dominant theme of trust that the worshiper expresses to God as protector. (11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 91, 121, 125, 131) These Psalms are notes for their use of metaphors of God as a compassionate refuge: as shepherd (23), as a loving mother bird who protects her children underneath her wings (91), and a strong-hold and light. (27)

5. Psalms of Remembrance/Salvation History: Memory plays a primary role as a theme in the Psalms. Many of the thanksgiving Psalms recall the prayers that have already been answered. Many of the hymns and laments bring to light God’s past acts of deliverance. These Psalms remind the reader of God’s reliability to His promises, which builds faith. See Psalm 73, 78, 105-106, 135-136.

6. Wisdom Psalms: The wisdom literature in the Bible creates a sharp antithesis between wisdom to folly. In much of this literature the wise are blessed, while the wicked are considered foolish and cursed. There is also a direct correlation between wisdom and obedience to the law. See Psalm 1, 36, 37, 45, 49, 73, 112, 119, 127, 128, and 133.

7. Royal/Kingship Psalms: Many Psalms are closely connected with a king. There are two basic types of Psalms in this category;

a. Psalms that extol God as King. (24:1-2; 95:1-5; 98:1)

b. Psalms that extol the ruler of Israel as King. (3, 21)

God is proclaimed as King, not only over Israel but over the cosmos. This has many implications on earthly life. One obvious theme in the Psalms is military victory, namely, that God wins victory for His people.

In Israel the human king was viewed as God’s son, His servant. When the people requested a king it was out of a lack of trust in God. While the human king was a pale reflection of the divine image, God chose to further his rule through these kings.

There are Psalms that can be tied to, or identified with, specific events in the history of Israel; (Hill and Walton)

45: Crowning Hymn for David

48: Correlation to the conquest of Jerusalem by David

51: Repentance concerning sin with Bathsheba

78: Reflection on the fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom

103: Critical discussion of God’s forgiving the sins of the nation

110: The return of victorious kingship with theocentric focus

119: The establishment of law as the focus of the postexilic community

There are also Psalms that contain particularly rich views of Christ;

2, 110: The Conquering King and enthroned Messiah

118: The Rejected Messiah

69, 109: The Betrayed Messiah

22, 16: The Dying and Raised Messiah

40, 45: The Plan and Marriage of the Messiah

68, 72: The Triumph of the Messiah

What are some good tips in applying the Psalms?

1. We need to distinguish between the Old Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant of grace.

It is extremely important to keep in mind that we are no longer under the old Mosaic covenant of law but under the new covenant of grace. As with any Old Testament text it is important to identify the differences in covenant and culture. Take Psalm 119 for example- this Psalm encourages us to uphold the law. This still applies to us today, but in a different way. In other words, obedience needs to be understood in the context of Christ imputing his righteousness to us, rather than obedience as the means to achieve righteousness.

2. We need to be careful in using direct application without Christ. This could produce superficial obedience and not gospel transformation.

The Psalms are so easily applicable to us in a cursory reading it becomes very easy to simply exhort ‘Christian’ behavior without exalting Jesus Christ. As Goldsworthy aptly reminds us, “if they (the psalms) speak to us of God, they must speak to us of the God who has finally revealed himself in Jesus Christ.” In other words, we should always be asking ‘how do these Psalms testify to the saving and sustaining work of Christ?’

Since many of the Psalms are praises in response to what God has revealed of himself in his great saving acts for Israel their expression is already salvation oriented. This should provide easy transition into the ultimate saving act of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should constantly bring the hearers back to a gospel-centered perspective on God. The only proper way of applying the Psalms is in light of, and through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. Promote Gospel empowered expression. Imputed righteousness allows “Psalm-like” expression in fellowship.

If our righteousness is imputed to us and not earned then we do not have to be fearful of admitting our struggles. In other words, we do not want our people to put on dishonest pious masks before each other and to try and act as if everything is fine when in reality they are suffering or struggling. When one has a right understanding of salvation by grace they are not fearful of honesty and crying out for help. This allows our people to hurt and mourn. The Psalms show us a pattern for lamentation and proper expressions of worship.

Also…

See the Introductory Notes on the Psalms from the ESV Study Bible. (Great section on “Key Themes in Psalms)

Listen to Dr. Edmond Clowney lecture on “Expounding Christ: Christ in the Psalms” on Itune’s U.

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Life, Personal, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Luke 15:11-32 and “A Father with Two Lost Sons”: What it means to be a child of God, in the family of God.

In almost every Bible Luke 15:11-32 has the heading “The Parable of the Prodigal Son”, which indirectly causes many readers to focus on the younger rebellious son, which misses the point of the whole story. This is really a parable about “A Father with Two Lost Sons”, both of which are prodigals. The father is compassionate and merciful. Both sons are lost, but in different ways. These are two seemingly different sons who, beneath the surface, are essentially the same. My point, this parable focuses on the entire family, the relationships among family members. If we read the parable through these lenses I believe it has implications it has for us as “Children of God” (individually) and implications on what it means to be in “the family of God” (corporately).

You see, Jesus was a masterful story teller. There are very powerful reasons why he chose to tell this parable in the setting of a family. There were cultural distinctives that his hearers would have picked up on. The context of biblical material is always important in helping one understand the story.

A Few Cultural Distinctives

During this time period the basic idea of family was much different than it is today. In modern Western culture we think in terms of a “nuclear family” of individual people (Father, Mother, Children), for Jesus original hearers the family was a larger extended unit of people. Unlike our culture, their idea of intimate family members would consist of grandparents, the married children’s families (the in-laws), their unmarried son’s and daughters, the male and female hired servants, and the family slaves. There was a reason for this. In those times you did not survive unless you had a strong intact, cohesive family group. The family was a means of survival. In many ways the family functioned on a corporate (by this I mean, a body of people who act as a unit) level- as a means of livelihood. There was security in being a part of a family. This is hard for us to understand in our day when so many of us are independent. In that day wealth and livelihood was measured by land, cattle, and means of production. It was crucial that the family fortune stay in tact.

Beyond that, there was a cultural understanding of sonship that is important to understanding the parable. The son’s of the patriarch were held in special honor. The son’s were heirs. As an heir you guarded the Family Heritage. As a son you carried the family name, and your name was an important part of your identity. Your name stood for your values and beliefs. The sons also guarded the Family livelihood, tightly connected to the “family business.” This is particularly interesting in the case of the “elder son.” The elder son was to carry on the family business once the father was no longer able to run the household. This was one of the reasons that the elder son got the majority of the inheritance. Being an elder son was more of an “office” than anything else. But more importantly, for the purposes of the parable, the elder son was also expected to serve as a family mediator. He was to protect the family and their assets to prevent the breakup of the family.

Commentary on Luke 15:11-32

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’

This is unimaginably disrespectful and hateful. By saying “give me my inheritance”, the younger son was saying (to his father) you are more valuable dead. Give me what your life is worth. I do not care about the livelihood of our family. I want no part in our heritage. I don’t care about the family name. Most importantly, I want to cut off my relationship with you. This is a death wish.

And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

No one would give the younger son anything. He had exhausted all of his resources. He was poor, hungry, and needy. Not to mention that there was a famine, so no one has anything to give him. No one has anything to sustain his life. So much so that he longed pig feed.

Is this not the story of humanity? We were created to live in fellowship with God. That was our original home. But, our first parents, Adam and Eve cut off their relationship with our Heavenly Father and were exiled. We (as the human family) have been in spiritual exile ever since. Like the younger brother many people around us live in famine, and nothing in this world can sustain life. So many people try and fill their emptiness with pig feed.

“But when he came to himself (came to his senses), he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! (He was going to die) I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. (He acknowledge his folly towards God and his Father)

Here is an extremely important acknowledgment of the younger son;

I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.

This is huge! He knows that intentionally broke off his relationship with his father, with his whole family. He had no care for their well being. He had no respect for the family name. He had even wasted his whole inheritance, the family wealth. He had basically said to his father- you are more valuable dead to me.

As he comes back he knows, “I am not longer worthy to be called you son.” And he’s not. He has given up all rights to be a part of the family. He has given up all rights to ever have his fellowship restored. They owe him nothing. Yet, he plans to do the only thing he can do, plead with his father, have mercy on me, at least treat me as a servant. “Treat me as one of your hired servants.”

This “servant” language is key to understanding what is going on. He is basically planning on saying “let me attempt, at least make an effort repay you for everything I have done. Let my work, not only move me towards repaying you, but also let it be a sign of my repentance.”

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, (the father’s robe, as head of the household) and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand (place the family seal on back on his hand), and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it (they rarely ate meat- livestock = wealth), and let us eat and celebrate (lets have the biggest party this family has ever seen).

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’

That’s the good news. That’s a picture of the Gospel. I am not worthy to be called a son! But the father has mercy when he repents and makes the declaration, “You are now my son. You are now part of the family.”

And they began to celebrate.

Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’

Remember, the oldest son in the family had a special occupation to secure the families wealth and unity. He was to act as a mediator in these situations. But he refuses, and walks out of the family home. Think about it. The younger son has wasted his inheritance. So allowing the younger son back into the family came at the expense of the elder brother. He would have to sacrifice his riches.

But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out (the father came out to bring the young rebellious son home, and now goes out to bring the older self righteous son home) and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you,

There is that “serve” word again. Don’t miss this. When the younger son returned home, he asks that his father would make him a servant (to pay his way back into the family), now the older son is basically saying the opposite, that he has earned his place in the family in a life of service. He declares, “I have been your servant.”

And I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came (notice, he does not say “my brother”), who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he (the father) said to him, (being rich in mercy and compassion) ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Now, the elder brother represented the religious leaders that were in Jesus audience; he “never” disobeys any of the father’s laws. In the end, he is the one who misses the feast of salvation rather than his rebellious brother. See, the younger brother knew he was lost. The greatest danger to the elder brothers is that they do not know that they are lost.

Jesus ends the parable there. The elder brother is left outside the celebration. Jesus was using this story to teach us that all of humanity is lost- Either in rebellion or self-righteous religion. The whole human family is lost in sin. Jesus was also saying that the heavenly father is compassionate and merciful. Lastly, Christ was saying that he would be the true and greater elder brother. His audience might or might not of picked up on this at the time, but think about it.

Jesus the True and Greater Elder Brother

As Jesus proclaimed- “No one comes to the father but through me.” I mentioned earlier about the importance of sonship in that culture. In their family the elder son got the majority of the inheritance. Like the younger son, we as humanity have thrown away our inheritance, which is our relationship with the father. Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus “is the first born of all creation.” He is humanities true and greater elder brother. Unlike the elder son in the parable, Jesus comes and searches for us while we are prodigals. While are dead in our trespasses and sins, wandering in a famined land. That’s why Jesus came. Jesus brings us home. He brings the lost to their senses.

In the same way that the elder son was to serve as the family mediator, Jesus serves as our mediator. He mends the broken relationship back to the Father through his perfect life and sacrifice. As the elder son’s job was to continue and protect the family business. God is in the business of redemption, of brining the lost prodigals and the proud self-righteous back into the family feast. And Jesus is always (As we read in Luke) “about his Fathers business.” Unlike the elder brother in the parable, Jesus celebrates when we come home. Jesus gave his life to give you and I the riches we do not deserve. Unlike the elder brother of the parable, Jesus gladly shares with us the riches of His father. He was slaughtered so that you and I could be reconciled and brought into the family of God. That’s the good news of our Elder Brother Jesus Christ. This has massive implications on our lives as “Children of God” in the “Family of God.”

As Children of God we are given the status of sons

“Sonship” is not an automatic universal given. Not everyone is a “child of God.” Now, there is a sense in which all human beings are God’s “offspring” by virtue of being created by Him, in His image (Acts 17:29). But we as Christians, we actually have a relationship with God as Father, and only we have the status of children of God.  As Galatians 3:26 says “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” This is a gift. Not something you earn, or loose. It is a gift, for those who are “in Christ.” In other words, it is only through faith in Christ that God adopts us into his family. Our status as children of God is secure in Christ.

As sons we have a deep security because we are part of the family through Christ. Like the younger son who said,  “I don’t deserve the status of sonship.” We also do not deserve sonship in the family of God because of sin. But like the father in the parable, the heavenly Father is compassionate and merciful when we come to him in realization that we are lost. Some of us rarely apply this security to your daily walk. Like the younger son we often get in the attitude of “I want to pay you back, God.” when we sin. Or some of us are like the older brother who try and use our obedience to get out of God what we want (“God, I have done all these things- I deserve so and so.” Or- on the negative end, “God I cannot believe this is happening to me, after all I have done for you?”). In other words, we attempt to justify ourselves before God by our morality. But there is no security in that mindset, in that mindset you are basing your security on your performance, and you will fail.

Thank God for our true and greater elder brother, Jesus Christ. As a true believer, as a son and daughter you are secure! You are not a servant who earns favor before God. You have been given a secure legal sonship in Christ. This is a legal relationship that you can rest on. Does this mean that we don’t need to be obedient? Certainly not! But it does change our motivation for obedience. The point of being obedient is not to make yourself feel secure in your relationship with God. Once you realize that you have been given the status of sonship, something you do not deserve, it will promote obedience. So obedience is a response to God’s grace.

As Children of God we experience the relationship of sons

Being brought into the family of God, through Christ, gives us complete access to our loving Father. As we read in Galatians 4:4-7; “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

“Abba Father” is an intimate name for God. As sons we have unconditional intimate access just as a child has access to a father like no one else in this world has. Like the father in the parable, our God is compassionate and merciful. As true believers you will always be his children, and therefore never have to worry about your access to him. The fathers love for you is not based on your performance, but on Christ’s perfect obedience. When you are in Christ, God sees you in Christ. In other words, God now treats you as if we are “only sons”, like Jesus. Jesus says in John 17:20-24, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one.” In other words, we can approach God with the same boldness as Christ, because we have the status of sons.

As Children of God we gain the full inheritance of sons

Our inheritance is life- it is relationship with God. When Christ removed the curse we deserved, he gave us the riches and authority that he alone deserved. As sons we have authority over sin. Unless we remember the riches set before us we will be anxious and even despairing in this life. We need to remember that our inheritance of life is guaranteed. It’s not something to be earned (like the elder brother in the parable thought), it is ours as sons.

As you grow in your Christian life more and more sin will be revealed in your life. But here’s the thing, you realize that all sin looks about as good as pig feed in light of the feast promised to us in Christ. This should give us boldness to conquer sin. Romans 8 reminds us that; “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death…For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”

That should give you boldness over sin. You are a child of God. This not only has massive implications on your personal walk, but also ties in to how we function as a church family. We are not just members of some organizational group. We are a family. In a family there is not just one point of contact, like there is in a “quilting club” or “car club.” The gospel touches every area of our lives. As believers we are brought into the family of God together. This is a family, and like a family we share life, we are a unit. Our fellowship with one another is a gift of grace, because, like a family, these relationships go deeper than any other human relationships.

In the family of God there Should be Commitment to the Family Livelihood

We belong to each other in Jesus Christ. Period. There are going to be times when all of us act like younger brothers, there are going to be times when all of us act like elder brothers. In the same way that you did not choose your siblings, you do not choose your brothers and sisters in Christ. They come with the family. There is a bond. We would all acknowledge that there are people in God’s family that you would never choose as friends, but you are family. Remember that we have a compassionate father, and a sacrificial elder brother- therefore, what God did for us, we owe to each other. The more we realize we have received, the more we can give.

In the Family of God there Should be Transparency among Family Members

You can’t fool your brothers and sisters. They know what you are really like! Like I said, all of us have “younger brother” and “elder brother” tendencies in our lives. So I encourage everyone to be honest with each other, hold each other accountable, gently call each other out. We need to realize that God has created this church family reality through Christ, and it is for your good when you participate. Plus, this is only possible in Christ. Why? Well, when your security is based on Christ, and not how others perceive you its a lot easier to build meaningful relationships. In Christ we are enabled to be transparent because we don’t fear rejection from our Christian brothers and sisters. There is security in the family of God.

In the Family of God there Should be Transformation of Lives

In many ways, you and I are largely the product of your family. You are largely shaped by the people you spend the most time with. You will only change if you are “re-familyed.” You need to get to know people, not just come to church classes, but really intimately being with each other. This is costly. Being closely involved with other people will be time consuming, complicated, and messy. Close relationships make it more likely to that you will sin against someone or someone will sin against you. Therefore you will need times of confession and forgiveness.

Close relationships push us to die to ourselves. It’s in these close relationships that we begin to see the younger brother or elder brother spirit revealed in our hearts. But that is God’s plan- that we grow together. In many ways, sanctification is a group project. Thank God, for what he has done in Jesus Christ to make s part of this glorious family reality. Our true elder brother is Jesus Christ. He came to earth to sacrifice himself so that we could become sons of God. This is what turns us into a family, and this is what guides us in our relationships with each other.

Bibliography

  1. The Prodigal God- Tim Keller
  2. The Parables- Brad H. Young
  3. Interpreting the Parables- Craig L. Blomberg
  4. The Gospel of Luke- Joel B. Green (NICNT)
  5. The Gospel of Luke, Vol. 2- Darrell L. Bock (BECNT)
  6. God, Marriage, and Family- Andreas J. Kostenberger
  7. Marriage and Family in Ancient Israel- Chapter by Daniel L. Block
  8. Life Together- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  9. How People Change- Timothy S. Lane, Paul D. Tripp
Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Resources on engaging the “New Atheists”- Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett.

Here are a few good resources on engaging the “new atheist” movement that I have bookmarked over the last year or so;

1. Tim Keller– “New Atheists: How should Christians Respond” (Video)

2. John Piper– “Making Room for Atheism” (Article), and sermon clip “Atheist Worldview” (the whole sermon is titled “In Him was Life”)

3. Albert Mohler– Lectures on New Atheism (Video)

Lecture 1: The New Atheism and the Endgame of Secularism
Lecture 2: The New Atheism and the Assault on Theism
Lecture 3: The New Atheism and the Defense of Theism
Lecture 4: The New Atheism and the Future of Christianity

These lectures were later published as a book titled, “Atheism Remix.”

4. Gary Habermas- The Plight of the New Atheism: A Critique (Journal Article)

5. William Lane Craig- God is Not Dead Yet (Magazine Article)

Speak the truth in love…

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention

Tim Keller on the Implications of the Gospel

I recently finished studying the book of Galatians in a small group. We used a workbook on Galatians developed by Redeemer Presbyterian Church titled; “Galatians: Living in line with the truth of the gospel.”

I wanted to share a quote from the introduction of this study on the implications of the gospel;

“The gospel is not just the “A-B-C” but the “A-to-Z” of the Christian life. The gospel is not just the way to enter the kingdom, but is the way to address every problem and is the way to grow at every step. If we believe we can find our own worth and meaning through performance, then we will become either proud and disdainful of others (if we reach our goals), or else discouraged and self-loathing (if we fail our goals). But the gospel creates an entirely new self-image.

First, it tells us that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than you ever dared to hope—at the same time.

In fact, if the gospel is true, the more you see your sin, the more certain you are that you were saved by sheer grace and the more precious and electrifying that grace is to you. So the gospel gives us enormous power to admit our flaws.

Then secondly, the knowledge of our acceptance in Christ makes (for the first time) the law of God a beauty instead of a burden. We come to use it to delight the One who has enriched us so mightily—instead of using it to get his attention or win his favor. The first way makes the moral and sacrificial life a joy; the second way makes it a burden.

Therefore the gospel changes everything. It brings down racial barriers by melting away racial pride OR inferiority. It brings down psychological problems by melting away selfinflation OR self-hatred. It brings down personal facades, for we are free to admit who we are. It effects the way we do everything—how we motivate people, how we help them work through counseling problems, how we worship, how we take criticism.”

Very clear, very powerful thought.

I would highly recommend this study to anyone looking for good supplement to Galatians, along with commentaries written by John Stott and Timothy George.

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

The Gospel and Evangelical Pietism!

I am currently finishing a book called “Jesus, Made in America.” In this book Stephen J. Nichols traces Jesus in American culture. He shows how Jesus has been shaped by our cultural sensibilities throughout American history. It is a fascinating read.

I am not going to regurgitate the book for you, but I do want to expound on one key point. Nichols points out that the evangelical church champions personal pietism. What is pietism?

Simply put, this strand of pietism places all emphasis on personal experience, champions devotion, focuses on practice- and often times ignores doctrine.

When doctrine is ignored pietism is extremely dangerous. Actually, in my opinion pietism by itself- is anti-gospel.

Nichols writes;

“Pietism leads us to say that imitating Christ is far better than having a right set of beliefs about who Christ is. Pietism leads to viewing Christ primarily from the lens of personal experience rather than the lenses of Gospel pericopies or of theological formulations.”

This is almost humorous. I don’t know how someone can even imitate Christ unless they have a right set of beliefs of who He actually is? Plus, the main aim of the Christian life is not to imitate Christ, but to trust in Christ. My fear is that too many Christians trust in themselves, and even attempt to justify themselves by their “imitation of Christ.”

The gospel is at stake.

The sad thing is that many contemporary Evangelical Christians lean more on their devotion to Christ, rather than Christ Himself. Catch the subtle nuance here- it’s huge.

Leaning on your “devotion to Christ” tells you that your Christian identity and self-worth are based on how hard you work, or how moral you are. This is not the Gospel. This is when personal pietism becomes a deadly idol.

Here is a good post to help you think through this issue in your own life. “The Gospel vs. Religion”– (via Nathan Finn)

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion

“What is God’s Will for My Life?”

People are constantly stressing over “God’s will for their lives.” I hear it all the time. It’s the false idea that “we need some clear miraculous sign before we make any decision.” I read a great book last night that deals with this faulty mindset…

The book is Kevin DeYoung’s – “Just Do Something.” I love the subtitle, which is “How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky, etc.”

I also love the purpose of the book. He writes, “I’d like us to consider that maybe we have difficulty discovering God’s wonderful plans for our lives because, it truth be told, He doesn’t really intend to tell us what it is. And maybe we’re wrong to expect Him to.”

DeYoung is simply attacking this idea that “God’s will” is some mystical majestic purpose that God has for you, and if you don’t find it your life will be a failure. While must of us don’t use these exact words- we prove his point in our lives. The point is simple, “stop thinking about God’s will like a corn maze, a tightrope, or a bulls-eye.”

He writes, “God is not a magic 8-ball that we shake up and peer into whenever we have a decision to make. He is a good God who gives us brains, shows us the way of obedience, and invites us to take risks for Him. We know God has a plan for our lives…The problem is we think He’s going to tell us the wonderful plan before it unfolds.”

This book is written clearly with biblical grounding, sharp analysis, and wit. Without revealing the whole of the book I will simply say that DeYoung effectively shows us that God’s will is simple- that we would be sanctified. More than that, when it comes to hard decisions we should use biblically informed, spirit filled wisdom rather than waiting for “a sign.”

Too many people worry so much about finding God’s perfect will for their lives that they end up in a frustrated state of paralyzed indecision. But DeYoung provides a good biblical grid to rethink what we actually mean when we talk about God’s will.

I highly recommend this book. – “JUST DO SOMETHING.”

Also- See this post.

Also- See this lesson written by Derek Radney.

Matt Capps Arts, Books, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, Thoughts

“The Christian and Aesthetics”

Today Justin Taylor wrote about a book titled The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy, by Steve Cowan and James Spiegel. He added a link to a journal article written by Spiegel titled “”Aesthetics and Worship.” This article is well worth the read.

The relationship between aesthetics and theology is something that I love to think about. Collide magazine recently published an article I wrote on the subject titled “Theosthetics: Thoughts at the Intersection of Aesthetics and Worship.” This article is my first attempt and developing my thoughts on the subject.

The subject of aesthetics is something we, as Christians, need to give much thought. We are pretty good at articulating our theology in relation to truth and goodness, but what about beauty?

I agree with Spiegel’s conclusion;

“The Christian church, once the leader of the arts, is now scarcely taken seriously in artistic communities. Worse yet, the formal worship of Christians is compromised by mediocrity in this area. Our problem, however, is not for lack of inspiration, as the scriptures are brimming with aesthetic instructions, from the Genesis creation account to the hymns of Revelation, not to mention the nature of the Biblical writings themselves. We must recapture a truly Christian vision for the arts, and strive mightily to be aesthetically virtuous. The duties of the church pertain not only to goodness but to beauty as well.”

I am glad that Justin Taylor pointed this out. If anyone else has found a good resource on the relationship between theology and aesthetics please let me know!

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Religion

Church History Teasers (Part 10): Richard Baxter’s ‘The Reformed Pastor’

Brief Outline of ‘The Reformed Pastor’

Chapter 1: The Oversight of Ourselves
a.    The Nature of this Oversight
b.    The Motives behind this Oversight

Chapter 2: The Oversight of the Flock
a.    The Nature of this Oversight
b.    The Manner of this Oversight
c.    The Motives behind this Oversight

Chapter 3: Application
a.    The Use of Humiliation
b.    The Duty of Personal Catechizing and Instructing the Flock (a particular recommendation)

Part 1: Motives behind this Duty
a.    Article 1: The benefits of the Work
b.    Article 2: The Difficulties of the Work
c.    Article 3: The Necessity of the Work
d.    Article 4: The Application of these Motives

Part 2: Objections to this Duty

Part 3: Directions for this Duty
a.    Article 1: On Bringing your people to submit to Instruction
b.    Article 2: On Being Effective

Reason for Writing: “Can any reasonable man imagine that God should save men for offering salvation to others, while they refuse it themselves; and for telling others those truths which they themselves neglect and abuse? Many a tailor goes in rags, that maketh costly clothes for others; and many a cook scarcely licks his fingers, when he hath dressed for others the most costly dishes. Believe it, brethren, God never saved any man for being a preacher, nor because he was an able preacher; but because he was a justified, sanctified man, and consequently faithful in his Master’s work. Take heed, therefore, to ourselves first, that you he that which you persuade your hearers to be, and believe that which you persuade them to believe, and heartily entertain that Savior whom you offer to them. He that bade you love your neighbors as yourselves, did imply that you should love yourselves, and not hate and destroy yourselves and them.”

‘The Reformed Pastor‘

Baxter charges that too many men have taken up the work of the ministry with self seeking motives and pride which leads to negligence and other sins, these things must be ‘plainly rebuked’. Ministers must set themselves to the work of catechizing and instructing all devoted individuals who are committed to their care. These committed individuals must be vigorously taught the principles of religion in the most edifying way, so that personal conference, examination, and instruction will be to the church’s advantage. Baxter contends that these ministerial duties are outlined in scripture and to be done in order. Failing to perform these necessary duties proves a poor discharge of the pastor’s ministry and leads to ignorance among the flock.

Baxter argues that ministers should, “take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine…and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labors.” Therefore, ministers should abound in good works of charity and benevolence. For Baxter there is weakness in negligence and ministers above all others should labor vigorously. Baxter argued that ministers must take into account their weaknesses of their depraved nature and the temptations of the prince of darkness, for many eyes are upon them. Rightly so, for God uses fit men to do great works. God has assigned each pastor to each flock of believers, beyond that Baxter reminds pastors of the duty to labor for the unconverted. Ministers are to labor in order to give sound advice and wisdom in order to build up all in the knowledge of Christ. The goal is to embrace every opportunity to build up the strength and understanding of all who inquire, even if it requires church discipline.

The salvation of souls is the hopeful end of all diligent labors, the most necessary of all truths. Baxter then rightly reminds ministers that “our work must be carried with great humility”, as men possessed with the Holy Spirit of God. For this is the honor of being an ambassador of God, and there are many excellent privileges in caring for the Church that God, which was purchased with His own blood. With that said, Baxter reminds the reader that it is necessary that one earnestly implore God for assistance in the oversight of His children. Seeking God’s guidance is a sure guard against pride. Even those who are overseers should avoid the trap of self-denial and even confess of their own sins; Baxter contends that it is his desire to deal closely with his heart and others. Baxter earnestly longs that pastors seek Christ with humility, and study God’s word devotedly. The necessity of informing ones understanding as to speak with clarity is further encouraged by Baxter’s reminder that “the everlasting life or everlasting death of our fellow men is involved in it.” Baxter then reminds ministers of a greatly neglected aspect of church life, discipline, which if gone unpracticed can bring disadvantage and corruption to the cause of Christ.

Lastly, Baxter expounds upon the personal catechizing and instructing the flock, which is the “most hopeful means of the conversion of souls.” This duty informs the judgment on the essential principles which changes the will by the efficiency of the truth. The orderly building up of the flock is the chief means of reforming the church. Though this work is difficult, it is necessary, for “every Christian is obliged to do all he can for the salvation of others.” Baxter calls ministers to rouse up themselves to the work before them. In conclusion, Baxter argues that the whole of the ministers duty consists of believing Christ, and using external means of grace in avoiding former sins. Ministers should take special pains with their own hearts to excite belief in the Gospel, prepare themselves with prayer, and extend charity to all people.

Part 1: Tertullian’s Apology

Part 2: Athanasius ‘On the Incarnation’

Part 3: Saint Benedict ‘The Rule’

Part 4: Gregory’s ‘Pastoral Rule’

Part 5: Anselm’s ‘Proslogion’

Part 6: Bernard of Clairvaux ‘On Loving God’

Part 7: Erasmus ‘In Praise of Folly’

Part 8: Luther ‘Concerning Christian Liberty’

Part 9: Calvin ‘Institutes of Christian Religion’

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Religion

ESV Study Bible Online…Free in March!

Justin Taylor writes;

“Crossway announced…that they were making the Online ESV Study Bible available free to anywhere, anywhere, for the entire month of March.

A couple of features worth noting:

  • You can listen to the audio of the ESV from narrator David Cochran Heath.
  • You can take and save your own notes in the Online ESVSB.
  • You can highlight words and verses in several different colors.”

See Taylor’s blog for a full list of the study notes and theology articles! I would fully endorse the ESV Study Bible to anyone who is a student of the bible.