Matt Capps Arts, Books, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, Theology, Thoughts

An Evening with C.S. Lewis

In this one-man show, British actor David Payne portrays famous author C.S. Lewis. I have always been fond of Lewis’ wit and thought, and have, like many of his readers, longed to have known him personally. Perhaps Payne gives us a glimpse for what an evening with Lewis would be like. The setting is 1963, the last year of his life, as he hosts a group of American writers at his home just outside of Oxford. As his website proclaims “Payne captures the essence of the man who created the Narnia Chronicles in an enthralling, laughter-filled and poignant performance….utterly captivating!”

Seen on Justin Taylor’s blog.

Also see this dramatization from the PBS Special The Question of God.

 

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology, Thoughts

D. Martyn Lloyd Jones on “Seeking Happiness”

This past Sunday Will Toburen read this wonderful quote from D. Martyn Lloyd Jones in his sermon while commenting on Matthew 5:6. I wanted to share it here:

“There are large numbers of people in the Christian Church who seem to spend the whole of their life seeking something which they can never find, seeking for some kind of happiness and blessedness.  They go around from meeting to meeting, and convention to convention, always hoping they are going to get this wonderful thing, this experience that is going to fill them with joy, and flood them with some ecstasy.  They see that other people have had it, but they themselves do not seem to get it…Now that is not surprising.  We are not meant to hunger and thirst after experiences; we are not meant to hunger and thirst after blessedness.  If we want to be truly happy and blessed we must hunger and thirst after righteousness.  We must not put blessedness or happiness or experience in the first place.”

From Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, page 64.

As believers in Christ let us be thankful that He is our righteousness, and we are credited His perfect righteousness when we repent of our sinfulness and trust in Him as our only hope. With His righteousness comes the blessedness and happiness that humanity longs for.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology, Thoughts

A Christmas Devotional from Luke 2:1-20

Luke 2:1-20

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

In those days it would appear that Augustus was the sovereign ruler of the entire known inhabited world. Imagine the power that one like that had – we are told that many under his rule would have viewed him as a divine king. Understandable, He established a Roman Empire that reigned throughout the world.

But here, for Joseph, Mary, and Israel as a whole, the alien intrusion and decree of a census was a reminder that they were a conquered people. Since Augustus had pronounced a census, all people travelled from here and there to fulfill his burdensome desire.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of [King] David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem before the delivery of Mary’s baby. While in Bethlehem they had trouble, in fact, they could not find lodging. Perhaps the village was over crowded with travelers for the census. But when the time finally came for Mary to give birth they had to find shelter. So they were directed to an animal stall where they could use a feeding trough to place their child in. Odd, unlikely – Never before has a King had such a lowly beginning, born in a animal stable, placed in a feeding trough, in an obscure village.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

In the narrative we move from an event, to a response. The narrative begins with the world ruler announcing a degree from his high and lofty throne. It is interesting how God works – on one level it was a man’s schemes (Augustus) who brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem – but it was God working though Augustus, Joseph, and Mary who orchestrated the whole event of Christ’s birth in order to fulfill what had been spoken of in the Prophets.

As we reach the point in the story where we see people responding to the event of Christ’s birth, who does God choose to reveal this great news to? God announces this glorious message to poor shepherds – to peasants, the outcasts of society. Reflecting on the narrative of the Shepherds provides a good opportunity for us to stop and consider what God has done in Christ.

1. In Christ we have been moved from ‘darkness’ into ‘light.’

Just as the Shepherds had moved from the dark coldness of night into the brilliant light of God’s glory (2:8-9), so to do we get to experience the warm and loving presence of God’s Spirit in our hearts by the grace of Jesus Christ our King when we repent of our sin and place our faith in Him.

Think about it, God’s glory was manifest around them. An angel spoke directly to them. They were surrounded by thousands of angels proclaiming that “peace on earth has come to those in whom God is pleased.” This is the meeting place of heaven with earth, of divine with man, here with the outcasts of society.

See, the good news comes to peasants, to outsiders, to the lowly. These are to ones who are lifted up to see the glory of God in his Son Jesus – our Savior, Messiah, and Lord. The wealth of this angelic pronouncement stands in stark contrast to the poverty of the shepherds.

2. In Christ we can move from ‘great fear’ to ‘great joy.’

In the narrative, the Shepherds trade their “great fear” in for “great joy” (2:9-10). The great joy is a response the good news that another ruler has been born, one who is loving and just, one whose dominion and power will be everlasting. And this Kingdom did not come in power through military force, through fearful conquering. Christ’s Kingdom came in power through loving sacrifice.

According to the angelic messengers, this is good news “for all the people”, peace has come on earth in Jesus the Messiah (2:10, 14). Yet, we all understand that this world is broken and confused; we understand that all of us are wrecked sinners. We are all spiritual peasants with nothing worthy to offer a Holy God. So how can this be good news for all people?

As we continue to read the Scriptures we find this King who was born in a stable growing up and offering His own life as a ransom for peasants like you and I. When we repent of our sin and trust in Jesus the King we will be saved. When this happens we have no reason to fear any longer, there is no more condemnation! See, He is a good King who gives us what we do not deserve out of His own good pleasure. His salvation moves us from the darkness of sin into the glorious light of his righteousness! His salvation moves us from being outcast peasants in fear to experiencing the riches of joy in fellowship with God!

This season is not only a reminder of Christ’s birth, but a call to look forward when He will come again. One day our King will return and all things will be made new. We will experience His glory and presence free from the poverty of our sinful natures, free from the brokenness of this world. I don’t know about you but I long for that day. And Christ’s birth announcement is a proclamation that our God reins, that His kingdom has been established. Those of us who have placed our trust in this King can proclaim with the Shepherds, with the Angels, that there is a rich wholeness in His salvation:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Merry Christmas!

Matt Capps Thoughts

What is the Bible really about?

Using a clip from Tim Keller’s talk at the 2007 TGC conference, Heath McPherson created this video using the art of Gustave Doré (1832-1883):

HT: Collin Hansen via Justin Taylor

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology, Thoughts

The Gospel, The Samaritan Woman, and The Church.

I have noticed a strange phenomenon in the local church. There is a fear among Christians of being open and honest about their struggles – their sin – with other members of the church body. I think this phenomenon is the result of the dangerous combination of teaching focused on moralism and the desire to be seen as ‘a good person’ without a healthy understanding of our sinful nature.

We all want a good reputation. We would rather avoid exposure of who we really are, so we pretend and don’t seek help from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. But the strange paradox is that our “good reputation” can become an idol. When our reputation becomes our chief concern, where we find security in how others think of us, we often hide sin from our church family and undermine one of the primary purposes of the church. This type of attitude is proof of a deep seeded pride and self reliance, and does not allow true repentance to take place. Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes this mentality in what he calls the ‘pious church.’

The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We are not allowed to be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. But the fact is, we are sinners.

If you feel trapped in this mentality I want you to think about the Samaritan woman that met Jesus at Jacobs well in John 4. She was a Samaritan, which was a racially mixed group, partly Jewish and partly Gentile. In that time the Samaritans were disdained by other ethnicities because they did not ‘purely’ belong to any ethnic group. Beyond that, this particular woman was seen as highly immoral. She had many marital relationships and was highly frowned upon because of her sexual promiscuousness. Think about the social implications of this.

In order to deal with this situation the Samaritan woman would draw water from the town well each day at a time when no one else was there, this would allow her to avoid facing other people. She was ashamed. She was an outcast and a sinner. What is funny about this narrative is that in her attempt to avoid other people she ends up standing in front of Jesus Christ, God in flesh. It is absolutely beautiful what Jesus does.

Jesus told her everything she had ever done and still offered her living water.

Now, think about that – and its implications on us as Christians in the body of Christ, the church. As members of the church, we are brought into the family of God through salvation in Jesus Christ alone. This is our common bond, the core of our fellowship. We are no longer outcasts; we belong in the family of God through Christ. We have been forgiven of our sin, and are able to fellowship with God through Christ. The church is a community of people who have been saved by grace through trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation – this is where we find our security.

So when we gather there should be no fear in being who we actually are. When we gather we should not have to worry about wearing a masks to fit in. We belong because of Christ and what He has done – not because of who we are.

Now, this does not mean that we ignore sin. We take sin seriously and walk with each other through struggles by the grace of God, and at the same time we are a community of repentance – this is our reputation.

Consider one last point about Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman. When Jesus offers her living water she runs back into the town, to the people she was ashamed to fellowship with, and proclaims the good news openly.

Jesus knows all of her sin and still offers her living water.

This is the testimony that brings people to God. So why is it that so many people hide who they really are from their brothers and sisters in Christ? I would argue that too often we find our security and significance in our ‘reputation’, or outward conformity to social and moral norms. We need to recognize that in the church we are all saved, and we are all sinners. Tim Chester writes:

We will never be perfect in this life, but we can always be and should always be changing…sin is never the last word for the children of God. Grace is always the last word. If we confess our sins to God, He is faithful. He’ll keep His promise to forgive.

The good news is that Jesus sees all of our sin – and still offers us salvation.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology, Thoughts

Biblical Theology- Part 2: Creation

Note: This series comes from the notes of a course I am teaching on Biblical Theology at Calvary Baptist Church. This material is organized similar to Graeme Goldsworthy’s book According to Plan.

In the narrative of creation we see God set the stage for the story of redemption. Goldsworthy writes that in the beginning we see “the preamble and theological presupposition of the main aspects of salvation history.”[1] But before we examine the beginning of human history we must look into eternity past to see the purpose of creation;

Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.[2]

God’s Purpose in Creation

God has always been. The scripture attests to the doctrine of God’s eternal nature or God’s timelessness.[3] God has no beginning, He has always been. Not only that, but God has always been absolutely complete, delighting in Himself as the perfect Trinity. Among the persons of the Trinity there has been perfect love and fellowship for all of eternity.[4] This is called the doctrine of God’s independence.

Why then did God freely[5] choose to create? Daniel Fuller makes an interesting observation concerning the purpose of creation when he asks, “why was He (God) not perfectly content to remain simply as the fully happy Trinity?”[6] This question reveals, at the very least, that there must be an underlying purpose for all things God has created. The Apostle Paul addresses this query in the Scripture;

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.[7][8]

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.[9]

First we see that God created to make Himself known. Secondly, we see that Jesus Christ is the agent of creation and also the beneficiary of its existence. We must avoid the arrogant ‘man-centered’ assumption that earth exists solely for our use and enjoyment. The primary reason creation exists for the praise and glory of its creator God.[10]

We know from the creation account that everything was made ‘good’[11] to reflect the glory of God in its own way. “Part of the meaning of the goodness of creation in the Bible is that it testifies[12] to the God who made it, reflecting something of His good character.”[13] In fact, creation is only good by virtue of standing in appropriate relationship to it creator.

Simply put, the end for which God created the world was to glorify Himself.[14] This truth is often hard to swallow because it seems vain, and it removes us from the center of existence. But God is the only being in the universe for whom self glorification is not vain. Think about it, if God is the greatest being in the universe, the most precious gift, then displaying Himself in creation is an act of love, He displays His own glory for our joy. John Piper writes;

In all of redemptive history, from beginning to ending, God has this one ultimate goal: that God be glorified. The aim of God in all that he does is most ultimately the praise of his glory. All of redemptive history is book-ended by this amazing purpose. And in the middle of that redemptive history stands the greatest event in the history of the world, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.[15]

The primary reason God created was to make His glory known, and His glory is known most fully in Jesus Christ. The Scripture testifies that all things were created through Christ and for Christ. So “Christ is not only the origin of the cosmos; He is also its goal. All things were created for Him, i.e., to be subject to and to glorify Him.”[16]

God Created, Orders, Sustains, and Communicates By His Word[17]

“Foundational to Biblical Theology is the conviction that God has spoken.” God has spoken “through His word, and God has revealed Himself and His will…on behalf”[18] of creation. More importantly, we believe that “God reveals Himself and His ways in the created world and in His deeds in history, but His word is essential for a proper understanding of what creation and history reveal.”[19]

a. God Creates by Word

At eight points in Genesis 1 God speaks creatively: “And God said, Let…”[20] God commands and it is so. Why is it significant that God created by His word?[21] At least “the very effortlessness of the fulfillment indicates God’s sovereignty.”[22] It is also notable that God created all things out of nothing.[23] In other words, there was no ‘raw material’ present until God brought all things into existence.

b. God Establishes Order by Word

The word of God established order within creation, and does so with a purpose. So creation is not only a question of beginnings, but also of purpose and relationships. In Genesis we have two creation accounts, the first in chapter 1 and the other in chapter 2. These two accounts provide different perspectives on the structure of the one creation event.

“The Genesis accounts tell that there is a structure to the creation which is described first in terms of the main elements of the universe and their relationships (Genesis 1), and second in terms of human beings and their relationships (Genesis 2).”

Creation is presented in this way by the writer of the Pentateuch to show that there is order in the universe. In other words, everything has a proper function and relationship which impacts everything within creation order.

c. God Sustains by Word

God not only created and established order in the universe but also governs it.[24] “This providence, or continued government of the universe by the Creator becomes a prominent feature of the biblical understanding of the ultimate purpose of God which nothing, not even sin, is allowed to frustrate.”[25] So, by setting structure to all things within creation and designating their functions, God sustains His purposes.[26]

So, on a very general level, the Genesis creation accounts tell us about how things began, and explain the relationships between things. How things relate is closely tied to their purpose. “These relationships, which were later confused by sin, are at the heart of the gospel by which God is restoring all things to their proper relationships.”[27]

d. God Communicates by Word

Since God reveals His character and purposes, it is part of His relationship with His people. God freely chooses to relate to creation by His word. In keeping with this is the fact that when He creates the human pair He blesses them by addressing them with a spoken word. This is unique for humanity that God can address us with words and we can understand them. The word that God speaks establishes and interprets the context within which human beings exist and relate to everything else in creation.

These truths are amazing and reveal some astonishing realities; Goldsworthy points out that;

  1. The greatness of God is shown by His needing only to say, “Let it be…” for things to be brought into existence.
  2. Creation by word also shows us that God has chosen to relate to all things by the means of His word.
  3. The rule of God over His creation through His word shows the real distinction between God and creation.[28]

What does this have to do with Jesus Christ? The writer of Hebrews declares that;

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.[29]

God’s mode of speaking changes in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the word of God in flesh. “In His person and work Jesus becomes the ultimate form of God’s communication.”[30] In fact the gospel of Jesus Christ we receive the message of a new creation and restored order.[31]

Creation and The Kingdom of God

Our creator king loves His creation. In Genesis we see that God has created all things and established them in a fixed order of relationships, to which he declares “they are very good.” These words are significant.

“The free act of creation and God’s approval indicated by the words “very good,” point to a loving and immensely strong commitment on God’s part towards creation” which becomes more fully understood as the drama of history unfolds.[32]

This loving relationship begins with the opening announcement of the Bible narrative: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The God who created also rules over His creation, creation is therefore established as the “Kingdom of God.” Goldsworthy elaborates on God’s Kingdom as follows;

“God’s rule involves the relationships that He has set up between Himself and everything in creation…the focus of the kingdom of God is on the relationship between God and His people. Man is subject to God, while the rest of creation is subject to man.”[33]

So, we may understand the Kingdom of God as following: “there is a King who rules, a people who are ruled, and a sphere where this rule is recognized as taking place.”[34] So we have;

  1. God’s people
  2. In God’s place
  3. Under God’s rule

In the Garden of Eden we are introduced to the Kingdom of God[35], a theme that extends over the whole of the Bible. In the Garden of Eden the pattern for the Kingdom is established. Here we see an innocent people of God living in a perfect environment for them called paradise, where the rule of God is expressed by His word, which provides us with the pattern of the Kingdom of God.

“God establishes a perfect creation that he loves and over which he rules…The kingdom means that everything in creation relates perfectly, that is, as God intends it should, to everything else and to God himself.”

In Jesus the Kingdom comes. Jesus words bear witness to this fact, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”[36] Goldsworthy argues that “He was at once both creator and creature, king and obedient servant, word of God and listening servant. Thus Jesus…not only brings the kingdom, He is the Kingdom in Himself.”[37] One day, God’s Kingdom will be fully consummated at Christ’s return.

The Creation of Man in the Image of God

In Genesis[38] we are told that man is made in the image of God, yet we are not told exactly what that means. At the very least this shows “the remarkable distinctiveness”[39] of man compared to the rest of creation. Human beings are unique among creation and have been given a distinct relationship to God in being ‘made in His image.’ Here are some observations based on that relationship;

a. Humans Represent God: Being created in the ‘image of God’, as the climax of creation, man has a specific role to fill. The image for “Man mediates between the Creator and the created world which he is part. In man God deals with His creation personally.”[40] Man was created in such a way that he is able to represent God on earth “like an ambassador from a foreign country.”[41]

b. Humans Reflect God: The image of God can be also be understood as being created in ‘the likeness of God.’ As a mirror reflects, so man should reflect God. “Another way of putting this is to say that in man God is to become visible on earth.”[42] In man we should see a reflection of God’s love, justice, grace, etc.

c. Humans Rule Under God: Another aspect of being created in the image of God refers to our dominion over creation. Therefore, the image of God shows that man is set directly under God in the order of creation.[43] Only man is addressed as one who knows God and is created to live purposefully for God. Man’s responsibility as an image bearer is tied to his dominion over creation.

“When man falls because of sin the creation is made to fall with him. In order to restore the whole of creation, God works through His Son who becomes a man to restore man. The whole creation waits eagerly for the redeemed people of God to be finally revealed as God’s perfected children, because at this point the creation will be released from its own bondage. This overview of man as the object of God’s covenant love and redemption confirms the central significance given to man in Genesis 1-2.”[44]

While the Bible does not clearly define (in exact terms) what is meant by being created in the ‘image of God’ at the beginning of creation, we can look to look forward to Jesus Christ as the ‘true image of God.’

What we see in Christ tells us what we should be like, which reveals shame on our part, it shows us that something is not right. In other words, we do not represent, reflect, or rule on earth in the way we were created to do, the way that brings ultimate glory to God. But Christ did. When Christ was on earth He was;

  1. Wholly directed towards God.
  2. Wholly directed towards neighbor
  3. Ruled over nature

So the image of God in humanity was not only brought about by Christ in creation but was also patterned after Christ.[45]

Man a Created Creature Who is Ruled

The creation account shows us that everything we have is a gift from God. This is one of the central truths of creation that destroys modern man’s idea that ‘he/she is in charge of their lives and destiny.’ As God’s creation we are totally dependent on Him for everything;

  1. We are dependent on God for His continual rule over creation.
  2. We are dependent on God for His providential care.
  3. We are dependent on God for the production of food.
  4. We are dependent on God for drawing our next breath.
  5. We are dependent on God for the next beat of our hearts.

The list goes on and on. There is nothing in this universe that is self sustaining except God. Every moment of our existence shows God’s grace in that He sustains the very substance of creation. If Almighty God were to withdraw His powerful word from creation the universe would cease to exist, there would be no order, nothing to sustain the universe;

“This is why man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God[46]. So Christ, as the creative Word of God, sustains ‘all things by His powerful word’[47], and ‘in Him all things hold together’[48].”

We have already argued that man is unique in creation as being created in the image of God. Part of being created in the image of God tells us that “humanity does not truly exist apart from[49] a special relationship with God.”[50] It is in relationship with God that we, as human beings, understand our function within creation. Human beings are uniquely responsible to God in that we must answer to our maker.

Within creation humans were given dominion over the rest of creation.[51] “Human life is defined by its God given freedom and by bounds and sanctions”[52] which makes humanity responsible creatures. But, we only have sanctioned freedom. We are not completely autonomous beings, we do not have ‘free will’ is the absolute sense. God is the only free being in the universe.

“In Genesis 1:28 it is implied that we are created to make real choices between real options, even though this freedom is bound by the prescription to be fruitful and rule the earth. Without freedom to make real choices it would be impossible to rule…[but notice] they have no freedom as to the consequences if they eat of the one forbidden tree.”[53]

Thus with freedom and responsibility comes a test of obedience in the prohibition placed on eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God designated this tree “as off limits as the means of showing the difference between good and evil.”

Conclusion

Remember, Jesus Christ is the center of history, which means He is the center of creation. Jesus was not only involved in the original creative act, but is also intimately associated with God continued providential care of creation. As the ‘true image’ of God, Jesus Christ is the point of contact between the creator and creation.[54]

A Course On Biblical Theology

Continue reading “Biblical Theology- Part 2: Creation” →

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 Christianity, Culture, Faith, Personal, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Reflections on ‘Together for Adoption 09’

This past weekend Laura and I traveled to the “Together for Adoption” conference at Christ Community Church in Tennessee. We joined 600 others in a weekend of reflecting on the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it empowers the church for orphan care.

Looking back over the weekend I am thoroughly refreshed and encouraged that the central theme of the weekend was the gospel of Jesus Christ- not that I expected anything less, but often times the gospel message is assumed at Christian conferences. The gospel was proclaimed and applied to orphan care in a way that glorified God.

Laura and I are in the process of adopting a baby from Ethiopia. (You can read about it here or here.) While listening to the speakers I wrote down some key thoughts, things to process and develop. Below I will try to summarize the truths that impacted me most. Obviously I cannot cover everything that was helpful…

1. Theological Foundation: Adoption brings to light the reality of a fallen world, and proclaims our hope in Christ.

Scotty Smith spoke about “The Freedom of Adoption” where he reflected on the doctrine of adoption and its implications on the Christian life.  His main points were very helpful, 1.) The Freedom of Legal Rights: Adoption secures us in a state of objective blessings, 2.) The Freedom of Personal Delights: Adoption calls us into the realm of subjective wonder, 3.) The Freedom of a Missional Life: Adoption propels into the world with sacrificial hope.

At one point Smith developed the idea that ‘the very existence of orphans shows us that something has truly gone wrong in creation order.’ Exploring that thought he gave a powerful quote that is enough to drive one to worship;

“There is a day coming when the very word orphan will be eliminated from the human vocabulary.”

Is this not the point of Romans 8:18-25? That creation groans with the pains of childbirth. All of creation is, as Smith said, “pregnant with glory, and there is no possibility of miscarriage.”

2. Individual Implication: As a Christian, be careful not to find your identity or assurance in the ‘good work’ of orphan care, but in Christ alone.

Dan Cruver spoke from James 1:26-27 on the “3 Aspects of True Religion.” Those things being- 1.) Controlling the Tongue, 2.) Visiting Orphans and Widows, 3.) Being Unstained from the World. Dan did a great job of uncovering the heart issues of these three aspects, rather than focusing on the behavior that exposes them. He argued; “If the church is to be truly mobilized to care for orphans, the other two aspects cannot be neglected.”

Cruver’s message was very timely, and on point. I will not regurgitate the whole thing, but I did want to point out a very helpful warning that he gave to those of us who are adopting. From James 1 Dan argued that ‘worldliness’ is “performance based living.” This is key to understanding true religion. Because the religions of the world are based off performance. It is very easy for those who are adopting to find their identity in the great social cause of orphan care, which is very dangerous. So here is the question “where does your primary sense of identity come from?”

In many ways Kevin Twit’s (from Indelible Grace) breakout session on “Adoption and Assurance” built upon the main idea of Cruvers message. Too often Christians find their worth in what “they do.” He said, “the biggest problem Christians have with assurance comes from looking at your faith rather than looking at Jesus.” If you are always assessing what you “should do”, then you are condemned by your very definition of Christianity. Don’t get it twisted. God does not love you because you do ‘X’, you do ‘X’ because God loves you. This is something we must always fight as Christians.

3. Corporate Implication: As the body of Christ, the gospel calls us to be involved in social issues like adoption.

Scott Roley said “we holler loud against abortion,” so why aren’t we “standing up for orphan care.” In other words, how does the gospel inform our involvement in issues of social justice? Ed Stetzer pointed out that “even the un-churched know that Jesus was involved in social justice, and they often wonder why the church is not.” We cannot separate the great commission from the great commandment, these two help define the mission of the church- to proclaim Christ for salvation and to serve.

We must be careful not to separate the two. Many churches become renowned for their service, but never proclaim the message of salvation. Stetzer said, “if we loose the gospel we loose our mission.” We need to be careful because the outside world will resist one (gospel) and praise the other (social causes).

This will not be easy, as Russell Moore reminded us in the last session. “We can love the idea, but when it comes down to it” we need to follow through. He made an interesting point in closing, “we could learn much in the laboratory of orphan care how we ought to operate as the body of Christ.” There is a strong element of dying to self involved. Which will be hard for the American church because it means we must “love people more than we love stuff.”

Again, these are just some brief overarching thoughts, I would encourage you to go back and listen to these talks. The main sessions are now available from Together for Adoption;

Thank you Dan Cruver and Jason Kovacs for putting this conference together. To God be the glory.

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

Resources on ‘God & Money’- Tithe, Stewardship, and Proper Use.

1. Resources on Tithing

a. Extensive

Andreas J. Kostenberger, A Biblical Model for Giving: A Discussion of New Testament Principles (25 pages).

Andreas J. Kostenberger, A Study of Tithing in the Old and New Testaments (26 pages).

b. Concise

Andreas J. Kostenberger, To Tithe or not to Tithe?

D.A. Carson, Are Christians Required to Tithe?

2. Resources on Stewardship

Tim Keller, Stewardship: Kingdom, Mission, and Money- Part 1.

–         Leaders Guide

–         Participants Guide

Tim Keller, Stewardship: Kingdom, Mission, and Money- Part 2.

–         Leaders Guide

–         Participants Guide

3. Resource on the Proper use of Money

John Piper, Money: The Currency of Christian Hedonism

Mike Bullmore, What We Should Do with Our Money

4. Other Helpful Links

Generous Giving: Online Library

Desiring God: Resources on Money

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Edmund Clowney and Tim Keller on Gospel Centered Preaching and Teaching

One of the things I try to use my blog for is pointing teachers and preachers to good gospel-centered resources. Resources that help one grasp and teach the Bible with a Christ-centered focus. It’s been said that ‘preaching and teaching- instruct the listener on how to read, study, and understand the Bible.’ Therefore it is important that we as teachers help our listeners grasp the gospel of Jesus Christ with all its implications. (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

Reformed Theological Seminary has posted a wonderful (and free) lecture series on iTunes University that helps one understand how to teach and preach with a Christ-centered focus. These lectures were recorded in a seminary classroom taught by Dr. Edmund P. Clowney and Dr. Timothy J. Keller. Here are the titles of the lectures;

1. Introduction to the Christ-Centered Model and an Introduction to the Christ-Centered Exposition.

2. Expounding Christ: Structure of Redemptive History (1)

3. Expounding Christ: Structure of Redemptive History (2)

4. Applying Christ: Introduction Into Christ-Centered Application

5. Applying Christ: Getting to Christ

6. Expounding Christ: Structure of Redemptive History (3)

7. Expounding Christ: Telling God’s Story, Narrative Analysis

8. Applying Christ: Getting Down to Earth (1)

9. Applying Christ: Getting Down to Earth (2)

10. Expounding Christ: The Parable of the Prodigal Son

11. Expounding Christ: Christ and the Law

12. Applying Christ: Getting Inside Their World (1)

13. Applying Christ: Getting Inside Their World (2)

14. Expounding Christ: Christ in the Psalms

15. Expounding Christ: Christ in Wisdom Literature

16. Adoring Christ: Spiritual Reality

17. Expounding Christ: Asking Questions, Discourse Analysis

18. Adoring Christ: Communion With God

The “unofficial” notes for this class can be found here.

I would recommend that every pastor and teacher listen to these lectures (in the car, while walking, while mowing the grass…). I don’t care if you have been teaching or preaching for 30 years, don’t ever think that you are beyond learning.

One of the biggest hindrances to the gospel is non-Christian preaching- moralism, legalism, self-help, and vague religious talk. This tragedy of non-Christian preaching and teaching happens in pulpits and classrooms all across American Christian churches and seminaries, and is often done in ignorance.

Here is a good resource for sharpening your gospel focus in teaching. Use it.