Matt Capps Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

The Boston Marathon Bombs and the Love of God

“It’s utter pandemonium…Everybody’s just in disbelief and sadness.”

These are the words of one witness to the bombings at the Boston marathon on Monday. Runners and spectators scattered in pandemonium as loud explosions went off near the finish line. As the news broke my first thought was…why? Why would anyone do something like this? We’ve seen it before…but it sickens my stomach every time.

Boston Marathon logo 2015We live in a broken world for sure. And we should expect suffering and even death as a result of sin’s entrance into creation order, but gratuitous evil human actions like these leave us not only weeping – but scratching our heads.

When it comes to suffering, death, and evil there will always be questions. Honestly, there are some questions, like “why”, that often have no clear explanation when it comes to the particulars. What happened in Boston was a tragic case of what theologians call moral evil. Moral evil  is that which is the direct result of human volition. Someone did this. Rest assured that the persons who planted those explosives will answer for their actions – hopefully to the law, certainly to God almighty (Matthew 12, Romans 14, Revelation 20).

As a Christian I believe that ultimately the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only comfort we have in facing these horrible realities. The days are evil. But one day Christ will return. Listen to the words of the Apostle John in Revelation 21:3-5;

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

As we long for that day let us seek justice in all wrongs, peace when all possible, and always point to Christ as the hope that is within us. And what about those who ask – why does God allow things like this to continue? I think Tim Keller deals with this question well from the perspective of an evangelical Christian in his book The Reason for God;

“The death of Jesus was qualitatively different from any other death. The physical pain was nothing compared to the spiritual experience of cosmic abandonment. Christianity alone among the worlds religions claims that God became uniquely and fully human in Jesus Christ and therefore knows firsthand despair, rejection, loneliness, poverty, bereavement, torture, and imprisonment. On the cross he went beyond even the worst human suffering and experienced cosmic rejection and pain that exceeds ours as infinitely as his knowledge and power exceeds ours. In His death, God suffers in love, identifying with the abandoned and godforsaken. Why did he do it? The Bible says that Jesus came on a rescue mission for creation. He had to pay for our sins so that someday he can end evil and suffering without ending us.

If we were to ask the question: “why does God allow evil and suffering to continue” and we look at the cross of Jesus, we still do not know what the answer is. However, we now know what the answer isn’t. It cant be that He doesn’t love us. It cant be that he is indifferent or detached from our condition. God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself.

So, if we embrace the Christian teaching that Jesus is God and that he went to the cross, then we have deep consolation and strength to face the brutal realities of life on earth. We can know that God is truly Immanuel- God with us- even in our worst sufferings”

Let us continue to turn to Christ as our only hope. In these moments let us pray for the families of those who died. Let us pray for those who are hurt. All the while asking in our hearts, How long, O Lord? with the Psalmist.

Matt Capps Adoption, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence

Kermit Gosnell and His Shop of Abortion Horrors

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Below is the full text of a post written by my friend Trevin Wax titled 8 Reasons for the Media Blackout on Kermit Gosnell

On Twitter and FaceBook today, #Gosnellis trending. The reason for the social media buzz is the strange silence of the mainstream media regarding one of the most gruesome murder trials in American history.

To put the Kermit Gosnell trial in perspective, consider other famous cases of child-killing. From Susan Smith toAndrea Yates, and most recently the horror of Newtown, we are accustomed to 24/7 news coverage of these types of tragedies.

Not so with Dr. Gosnell.

Here are the reasons why:

1. The Gosnell case involves an abortionist.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the abortionist must be portrayed as a victim of hate and intolerance, not a perpetrator of violence. But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that keeps “abortionist” separate from testimony about dead women and children.

2. The Gosnell case involves an unregulated abortion clinic.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the clinic must be portrayed as a “refuge” for women in distress, not a “house of horrors” where women are taken advantage of. But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that keeps “abortion clinic” away from negative connotations.

3. The Gosnell case involves protestors who, for years, stood outside 3801 Lancaster and prayed, warning people about what was taking place inside.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the protestors must be portrayed as agitators and extremists, not peaceful people who urge mothers to treasure the miracle inside them. But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that keeps the abortion protestors from looking like heroes.

4. The Gosnell case involves gruesome details about living, viable babies having their spinal cords “snipped” outside the womb.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the details of an abortion procedure are to be avoided. But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that keeps people from asking why such violent killing is unjust moments after birth, yet acceptable at any other time during the pregnancy.

5. The Gosnell case raises the question of human rights.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the discussion must always be framed in terms of a woman’s “reproductive rights,” not a baby’s “human rights.” But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that keeps people from asking why “reproductive rights” should trump “human rights” – or why a doctor devoted to “reproductive rights” would (without any apparent twinge of conscience) violate human rights so egregiously.

6. The Gosnell case involves the regulation of abortion clinics.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the clinic must be portrayed as under siege from anti-abortion extremists. But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that will keep people from pushing for policy change and further regulation of Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics.

7. The Gosnell case exposes the disproportionate number of abortion clinics in inner cities and the disproportionate number of abortions among minority groups.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the discussion must be framed in terms of providing “access” for low-income, minority women. But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that keeps people from wondering if perhaps some abortion providers are “targeting” low-income, minority women.

8. The Gosnell case competes with recent stories about states enacting broad laws banning many abortions.

Whenever we see news stories about abortion, the choice of coverage must focus on the threat to a woman’s “right to choose.” But it is impossible to spin this story in a way that will keep Americans from joining together to enact more common-sense regulation of late-term abortions.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Matt Capps Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

“Watch Me” featuring D.A. Carson

 

Using audio from Don Carson, this short video challenges us from the Bible how we must be sharing our lives, opening up the Bible and changing generations as we point them to Jesus.

(HT Tim Challies)

Matt Capps Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, Theology

Ken Sande’s “The Peace Maker”

The Peace Maker has become a modern classic in the genre of popular level Biblical counseling books.  The Peace Maker is Sande’s approach to resolving conflict – which can be summarized by four basic principles.

  1. Biblical peacemaking is motivated and guided by a deep desire to bring honor to God by revealing the reconciling love and power of Jesus Christ by breaking free from self-centered decisions and actions that often make conflicts worse.
  2. Attacking others often agitates counterattacks. When we overlook others minor failures and honestly admit our own faults, our opponents will often respond in kind.  Once the tension is decreased there is a greater probability that sincere discussion, negotiation, and reconciliation will happen.
  3. When others fail to see their own contributions to a conflict we must gently and graciously show them their fault, if needed we should follow Jesus teaching and involved respected third parties.
  4. Peacemaking involves a commitment to restoring damaged relationships and negotiating just agreements. Forgiveness has the power to allow for genuine peace between once warring parties.

Sande offers a helpful plan for responding to others with the aim of finding agreeable solutions to conflict and restoring peace. “These responses are commanded by God, empowered by the gospel, and directed toward finding just mutually agreeable solutions to conflict. (25)”

9780801064852-sande-peace-makerI found Sande’s chapter on speaking the truth in love especially helpful in guiding how one communicates in a potentially explosive relationship. He argues that one can, with God’s help, learn to speak the truth in love by only saying what will build others up, by listening responsibly to what others say, and by using principles of wisdom.

Sande rightly reminds the reader that while one can provide an abundance of practical techniques for implementing the Biblical principle of peacemaking, these principles by themselves cannot accomplish the end goal in and of themselves. The peacemaking strategy simply provides opportunities for reconciliation, and that’s it. True reconciliation is always a heart issue and can only happen through the power of the Holy Spirit in an obedient believer. This foundational principle makes Sande’s method appealing to a confessional pastor like myself. I really appreciated Sande’s “peacemakers pledge” at the end of the volume.

As people reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we believe that we are called to respond to conflict in a way that is remarkably different from the way the world deals with conflict. We also believe that conflict provides opportunities to glorify God, serve other people, and grow to be like Christ. Therefore, in response to God’s love and in reliance on his grace, we commit ourselves to responding to conflict according to the following principles (259).

His principles are simple – glorify God, get the log out of your own eye, gently restore, and go and be reconciled.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Gospel, Religion, The Gospel Project, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Free Easter Resources: For Personal Devotion or Lesson Preparation

Here’s one for all you procrastinators. My hope is that this post will serve you, your family, and your church in making much of King Jesus this Easter.

The Gospel Project

The writers of The Gospel Project have provided a lesson on The Resurrection and Exaltation of King Jesus. Below are the PDF versions of this session in both Adult and Student Leader Guide and Personal Study Guide.

Gospel Centered Discipleship

Jonathan Dodson and Brad Watson have written an excellent free e-book titled Raised: Doubting the Resurrection. The authors write: “We wrote this book out of our love for skeptics and respect for the questions they help us ask. We also write as believers who oscillate in real belief in the resurrected Christ. We hope it proves to be an insightful, stirring reflection on the resurrection.” You can download it below.

Desiring God

Desiring God has provided eight biblical devotions to prepare for Easter. 

They have also provided definitions for some words of the season

  1. Holiday: From a combination of two Old English words, halig + daeg—holy day; day set apart for special religious observance.
  2. Lent: From an Old English word related to lengthen. It meant springtime, when the days are lengthening. Now we use it to refer to the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
  3. Ash Wednesday: In the Bible, ashes are a sign of mourning, an appropriate symbol as we think of our part in the death of our Lord.
  4. Maundy Thursday: The night when we look back to the Lord’s Last Supper gets its name from the Latin word mandatum—commandment, remembering Jesus’ words to the Apostles during the Last Supper, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
  5. Good Friday: This worst day in history is also good because of the reconciliation that comes through the cross.

Tim Keller

A few years ago Tim Keller wrote an article for Relevant Magazine on the Resurrection. In the article Keller writes:

Jesus had risen, just as He told them He would. After a criminal does his time in jail and fully satisfies the sentence, the law has no more claim on him and he walks out free. Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins. That was an infinite sentence, but He must have satisfied it fully, because on Easter Sunday He walked out free. The resurrection was God’s way of stamping PAID IN FULL right across history so that nobody could miss it.

Keller also wrote an article titled The Resurrection and Christian Mission, in which he argues:

Christians move out into a violent world as agents of peace, into a broken world as agents of reconciliation, into a needy world as servants of the poor. We do so knowing that it is God’s will to eventually end all war and division, all poverty and injustice. The resurrection of Christ assures us that God will redeem not just souls but bodies, and will bring about a new heavens and new earth. As the risen Christ, he stands not just with us in our present time, but he waits at the end of history to heal and renew everything. That is his promise. Therefore, we will not fear.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

We the Priesthood of All Believers!

I doubt many people missed the election of the pope recently. It was a worldwide event. The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in the world. Most Protestants have some vague idea concerning the function of the pope. Essentially, the pope has supreme spiritual authority over the Roman Catholic Church. He controls doctrine, and his decisions often impact societies and governments all over the world. Diversion from this doctrine and practice is one of the reasons for the Protestant reformation. And while Protestants may not affirm such powerful positions like the papacy by profession, many affirm such positions of power in practice – especially on the level of the local church.

pope-john-paul-ii-1920-2005In the Middle-Ages priesthood was limited to, and regulated by, the clergy. One of the marks of the reformation was Martin Luther’s call for “the priesthood of all believers”. Timothy George has called this doctrine one of Luther’s greatest contributions to the Protestant Church. Luther argued that “all Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is among them no difference except that of office (Open Letter to the Christian Nobility).” Luther was not arguing for leaderless anarchy in local churches (offices imply order), but was stressing the equal access and spiritual importance that each believer has with God through their grace given relationship in Jesus Christ.

The priesthood of all believers has been especially important to Baptist church life since it forms the basis for Congregationalism. I am a Baptist. As a Baptist I am partial to Congregationalism. In God’s Word, the people of God are referred to as “a holy priesthood”, “a royal priesthood”, and “a kingdom of priests” (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6, 5:10). As a Baptist I believe that all true believers are priests and have equal access to God the Father through our high priest Jesus Christ (Read the book of Hebrews). Moreover, no one person or group should have supreme and unchecked spiritual authority within a local church as if they and they alone can hear from God.

There is not one person in the church, or group of persons in the church, that have a closer connection to God over and above their brothers and sisters in Christ. All believers have priestly access to the heavenly sanctuary and need no other mediator but Jesus Christ. Yet some Protestant churches, while professing to priesthood of all believers, ignore this precious doctrine in practice. And some Protestant leaders even parade their “unique” relationship with God, lording it over others in their church family.

Holding to the priesthood of all believers also implies that all “believer-priest church members are able and responsible to help the church find God’s direction for its life”[1]. While pastors may be set apart to lead through the teaching of the Word, and certain leaders may be set apart to make decisions, the entire congregation should humbly shoulder the responsibility of acting as the final court to recognize, respond, affirm, and even challenge the direction of its leaders if necessary. The church is the body of Christ, and Jesus Christ is the only head. The church should function as a body.

So why do some leaders take it upon themselves to wield supreme (and some times negligent) spiritual authority within local congregations? Why do some leaders over-spiritualize decisions in order to trump everyone else in their congregation? Why do some leaders talk as if they, and they alone, receive and impart special divine revelation to their people? I am not sure. There could be many reasons. I admit, I have implied this “power” before as a pastor, and repent. Implying papal-like authority is the easy way out when it comes to leadership. Its a way to avoid the often messy life of church community.

Most Protestant leaders would never bluntly admit any of these things. But, many leaders within Protestant churches communicate these ideas by implication. The saddest thing is that such papal attitudes within Protestant leadership ranks pronounces lower spiritual status of everyone else in the congregation. How did we arrive at Evangelical Catholicism within local church leadership? May we repent and seek to uphold the priesthood of all believers!

[1] John Hammett, Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches, 46.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Jesus The Coming King!

I have been reading What Happens After I Die? by Michael Allen Rogers. My review of this book will be published at The Gospel Coalition website in the near future. I will not expound on the many benefits of this book here, but I do want to point you to a particular section that I found encouraging and challenging.

In his chapter titled The Final Heaven Inaugurated, Rogers expounds on the momentous event of Christ’s final return. He writes;

No eye on earth will miss this! All the splendor, honor, and authority presently belonging to Jesus as Lord will be supernaturally visible to the entire world. Christ will not display more glory than he already has, but finally all mankind will see what is true about him as he now is. Every eye will see him and every knee will bow to him…When he appears, the present dimension will be ripped away, and Christ will be manifest to all eyes throughout the earth (See Matt. 24:27).

He continues:

Tragically for many, that recognition of Jesus lordship will come too late. They will recognize him as Lord without adoring him by faith. But for those who greet him with settled faith, this hour means a transformation of everything. God’s great saving work will be concluded in us and all around us. Enemies of Christ will be banished entirely from his presence, and his loving subjects will step forward to be invested as knights and ladies of his eternal court, enfolded into the brightness of his kingly splendor (pg.130).

What a wonderful picture of what is to come for the children of God! What a terrible picture of what is to come for those who reject Christ’s kingship. Oh that we would long for those around us to intimately know and lovingly adore Jesus as their savior, king, and treasure!

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, Theology

Jesus in Exodus

The story of Matthew 1-2 finds its roots in the Old Testament stories we heard as children in Sunday School. We all know the story line of the book of Exodus. In the first pages we find that while in Egypt Israel had been “fruitful and multiplied”, echoing God’s call to Adam and Eve. Israel became so many that Pharaoh became fearful and enslaved, even killed the sons, of all these people known as “God’s son” (Exodus 4:22-23).

But God raised up a deliverer by the name of Moses who called for Israel’s release. When Pharaoh refused to release Israel from slavery, God threatened to execute judgment on every first born son in Egypt. Keeping to His covenant love, God instructs the Israelites to spread the blood of a spotless lamb over their doorpost so they will be graciously spared from death. God judged Egypt, and He also delivered Israel out of slavery with His servant Moses leading the way.

It is interesting that here in Matthew we find that Jesus, God’s Son is immediately seen as a threat to Herod. Like Pharaoh, Herod became so fearful that he also executed all the male children in Bethlehem and the surrounding regions trying to kill God’s Son. But God called Joseph to flee and take Jesus into Egypt for safety. And once Herod died, Joseph is instructed to bring Jesus “out of the land of Egypt” echoing Hosea 2:15.

What you see is that Jesus is whispered in the Exodus account. Furthermore, if you are seeking Jesus, every story in the Old Testament points to Him. Jesus, God’s Son, is even more than the true and greater Israel. Jesus is also the spotless lamb whose blood is spread over our hearts to spare us from death (1 Peter 1:18-20). Jesus is the true and greater Moses who delivers us out of slavery to sin. This is the Good News, foreshadowed long ago in the book of Exodus.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, Theology

Devotions in Hosea

Hosea 1-3

Hosea is a story of marital brokenness and redeeming love. On one level it is a story about a married couple, Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Yet the marriage of Hosea and Gomer is much more; it is a parable of God’s relationship with his people.

Often we read these passages in the Old Testament and we are horrified at the despicable morality of people like Gomer. We are even shocked by the continual spiritual adultery of Israel in light of God’s persistent grace. As we are swept into the narrative of the story something begins to swell deep within our souls, a cry for justice. “Shouldn’t Hosea abandon Gomer?” “Shouldn’t Israel be cast from God’s presence?”

But something different happens. Hosea pursues his wife like God allures His people. In 3:1-5 Hosea reflects the relentless love of God by purchasing his estranged and adulterous wife off the slave block and restoring their relationship. What a breath-taking picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

According to the Bible all people are sinful, rebellious and adulterers. We don’t deserve God’s mercy. Like Gomer and Israel, it would be just for God to crush us in judgment. But what does God do? God pursues us and makes us “His people” and shows us His mercy.

Continue reading “Devotions in Hosea” →

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Life, Pastoral Ministry, Religion, Theology

The Beauty and Fragility of Human Life

Orthodox, protestant, evangelical, conservative Christians must value human life, from conception until death. Genesis 1:26-31 informs us that God intimately created humans in His likeness, male and female. We see that humanity is set apart and crowned with authority over the earth and its creatures, a position of honor and responsibility.

Theologian John Hammett rightly argues that creation in the image of God is the basis for human dignity and that killing a human or to even curse one is an affront to and an attack upon the living God. The utterly depraved and unimaginably horrible actions of the gunman in Newtown, Conn., are still relatively close as I write this.

embryoWe know that all human beings are, as Psalm 139 describes, knitted together in their mother’s womb. The God of the universe has His loving eyes on every single one of us and always has even when we were “unformed substance,” to use modern language “an embryo.” But we also understand that we live in an entirely broken world.

Almost every night on the news Americans are brought to the precipice of life and forced to look down at our seemingly hopeless plight because of sin. However, as Christians we run to the cross, where the truly innocent God-man gave his life in our place, for our sin, to make all things new.

And while death is a perpetual reminder of our fragile humanity, we have a greater and eternal hope. That one day Christ will return. And in that day He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more (Revelation 21).