Month: April 2011

Tolle Lege: Doctrine

Readability:  2

Length: 436

Author: Mark Driscoll

I enjoyed reading Mark Driscoll’s and Gerry Breshear’s Doctrine, but I would recommend Grudem’s Systematic Theology ahead of it, for it covers much more ground while maintaining a great level of clarity and simplicity. So why recommend Doctrine? There are three reasons.

One is simple. While Doctrine is a weighty tome, 436 pages, it is still slim compared to Grudem’s at 1167 pages. So for those looking for something less through, something brief, but something that still covers all the major themes and doctrines of Scripture, Doctrine is a better choice.

Second, Doctrine uniquely traces the major themes of Scripture along the Biblical storyline. Thus systematic theology and Biblical theology are both here.

Third, and the major reason why one can profit from reading Doctrine even if they have tackled other systematic theologies is that Driscoll and Brashear’s thoroughly apply each doctrine to life.

So while this book may be too long for some and too short for others, all can profit from it.

We want the Bible in your hand, the Holy Spirit in your heart, other Christians in your life, and Jesus on your horizon, so that you can life a truly biblical life to God’s glory, your joy, and other’s good.

As a result of the fall, the descent into sin has continued unabated ever since.  A respect for authority was replaced by rebellion. A clear conscience was replaced by guilt and shame. Blessing was replaced by physical, spiritual, and eternal punishment. Viewing God as a friend to walk with was replaced by viewing him as an enemy to hide from. Trust was replaced by fear. Love was replaced by indifference and even hatred. Intimacy with God was replaced by separation from God. Freedom to obey God was replaced by enslavement to sin. Honesty was replaced with lying and deceit. Self-sacrifice was replaced by self-centeredness. Peace was replaced by restlessness. Responsibility was replaced by blaming. Authenticity was replaced by hiding.

Indeed, worship is not merely an aspect of our being but the essence of our being as God’s image bearers.  As a result, all of life is ceaseless worship.  Practically, this means that while worship does include corporate church meetings, singing songs, and liturgical forms, it is not limited by these things, defined solely as these things, or expressed only in these things, because worship never stops. Rather, we are continually giving ourselves away or pouring ourselves out for a person, cause, experience, achievement, or status.

The Sweet Dropper: As the Waters Rise, So Does the Ark

This strange work is by Christ. The balancing of these two so sweetly together, crosses and comforts, they come both from one hand, both from one spring, ‘the sufferings of Christ,’ and the comforts of Christ, and both abound. Our troubles are for him, and our comforts are by him. So here is sufferings and comfort, increase of suffering, increase of comfort, sufferings for Christ, and comfort by Christ. You see them balanced together, and you see which weighs down the balance. Comfort by Christ weighs down sufferings for Christ. The good is greater than the ill. It is a point of wondrous comfort. The ark, you know, mounted up as the waters mounted up, when the waters overflowed the world. So it is here in this verse. There is a mounting of the waters, a rising of the waters above the mountains. Afflictions increase, and grow higher and higher; but be of good comfort, here is the ark above the waters, here is consolation above all. As our sufferings for Christ increase, so our consolations, likewise, by Christ increase.  – Richard Sibbes, An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 1

Tolle Lege: When People Are Big and God Is Small

Readability:  1

Length: 237

Author: Edward T. Welch

Do you have a problem with fear of man? If so I highly recommend Ed Welch’s When People Are Big and God Is Small. If you don’t think you have a problem with the fear of man, then I especially recommend this book. Here are some of the disguises that Welch says that the fear of man can hide behind: peer pressure, over-commitment, needing someone, self-esteem, fear of exposure, embarrassment, lying, and jealousy. Still don’t think you struggle, Welch then brings out the trump card, the one word that will make you recognize you are not immune – evangelism. Convinced?

The premise of the book is contained in the title. When we fear man, people become God-like and man becomes God-like. The solution is to fight fear with fear. We need to see God, and have a holy reverence for Him that swallows all other fears.

This is the second Welch book that I have read. With every read I walk away blessed and more thankful that God has blessed His church with him. Here is Biblical counsel, firm and tender, true and practical.

Scripture gives three basic reasons why we fear other people, and we will look at each of them in turn.

  1. We fear people because they can expose and humiliate us.
  2. We fear people because they can reject, ridicule, or despise us.
  3. We fear people because they can attack, oppress, or threaten us.

These three reasons have one thing in common: they see people as “bigger” (that is more powerful and significant) than God, and , out of the fear that creates un us, we give other people the power and right to tell us what to feel, think, and do.

That’s the paradox of self-esteem: Low self-esteem usually means that I think too highly of myself. I’m to self-involved, I feel I deserve better than what I have. The reason I feel bad about myself is that I aspire to something more. I want just a few minutes of greatness. I am a peasant who wants to be king. When you are in the grips of low self-esteem, it’s painful, and it certainly doesn’t feel like pride. But I believe that this is the dark, quieter side of pride – thwarted pride.

Anything that erodes the fear of God will intensify the fear of man.

People are most similar to God when he is the object of their affection.

The Sweet Dropper: The Fallacy of Satan’s Logic

That which thou and the devil with thy conscience would move thee to use as an argument to run away, our Saviour Christ in the gospel useth as an argument to draw thee forward. He comes for such, ‘to seek, and to save the lost sinners.’ This is a faithful saying, saith St Paul, that ‘Christ came to save sinners.’ Therefore, believe not Satan. He presents God to the soul that is humbled, and terrified in the sight of sin, as cruel, as a terrible judge, &c. He hides the mercy of God from such. To men that are in a sinful course he shews nothing but mercy. Aye, but now there is nothing but comfort to thee that art cast down and afflicted in the sense of thy sins; for all the comforts in the gospel of forgiveness of sins, and all the comforts from Christ’s incarnation, the end of his coming in the flesh, the end of his death, and of all, is to save sinners.  – Richard Sibbes, An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 1

Matthew 10:16-42 & Unique Demands

The demands Jesus makes of His own in this chapter are unique. Others have made them, but we do not think them good men, but the worst kind of men. So the uniqueness here is not most deeply in what Jesus is commanding, but more so how He is commanding. Jesus commands these things with supreme authority. Jesus is the only one who can command such things of His followers, and not be tyrannical, not be evil. Indeed, if we have eyes to see, these commands come to us with the force not of demands, but of blessed privilege.

We are worthy of hell, because He is worthy of all glory, and we sought to steal it for ourselves. Yet Jesus so saves us that in calling us to Himself, He sends us out into the world with His power and presence to proclaim His authoritative message, making much of He whom we once so belittled, yea, whom we continue to so belittle. Yes, if we see, we too will depart “rejoicing that that [we] were counted worthy so suffer dishonor for the name. (Acts 5:41)

Only Jesus can say, “Go die for me,” and it come to us as life.

Tolle Lege: Raised with Christ

Readability:  1

Length: 262

Author: Adrian Warnock

Raised with Christ is not just a good book about the resurrection, that is enough, but it is more. It is a good book about the resurrection applied to life, or, as the subtitle puts it, “How the Resurrection Changes Everything.”

You will not find any bare theologizing about the resurrection here, this glorious truth will be applied to all of life. This is a precious, central truth, the distinguishing truth of our faith. It should make a difference in our minds, hearts, and wills. This book works toward that end.

The church did not create the resurrection stories; instead the resurrection stories created the church.

Have you ever met a wise person who seems to say very few words? Some people use many words, of which we remember very few. Others will remain silent, perhaps even while watching a debate, saying nothing at all. Then when everyone else is finished, they may add a sentence that dramatically cuts through everything that has been said. The theme of resurrection in the Bible is a bit like that wise person. We read patiently through many other subjects, and then suddenly a single phrase interjects, illuminating everything and bringing a hope that goes beyond death itself.

The credit of Jesus’ righteousness is much larger than the debt of our sin. His account had more positive approval than the negative disapproval that was due to all of us. The debt was paid, and as a result, as a righteous man and the beloved Son of God, the Father was entirely just to raise him. Jesus had turned away God’s wrath, he had destroyed sin, our guilt could now be taken away, and we could be counted righteous. If the cross was Jesus’ payment for our sins, then the resurrection marked God’s acceptance of that payment.

The Sweet Dropper: Christ Not Glorified By Pieces

See thy nature abased in Christ, see thy nature glorified in Christ, see thy nature filled with all grace in Christ, and see this, that thou art knit to that nature, thou art flesh of Christ’s flesh, and bone of his bone, and thou shalt be so as he is. In that Christ’s nature was first abased, and then glorified, this nature shall first be abased to death and dust, and then be glorified. Christ died, ‘ and rose again,’ Rom. xiv. 9. Thou art predestinated to be conformable to Christ. For as his flesh was first humbled and then glorious, so thine must be first humble, and then glorious. His flesh was holy, humble, and glorious, and so must ours be. Whatsoever we look for in ourselves, that is good, we must see it in Christ first.

And when we hear in the gospel, in the articles of the creed, of Christ crucified, of Christ dying, of Christ rising, ascending, and sitting at the right hand of God; let us see ourselves in him, see ourselves dying in him, and rising in him, and sitting at the right hand of God. For the same God that raised Christ natural, will raise Christ mystical. He will raise whole Christ ; for he is not glorified by pieces. As whole Christ natural, in his body and members, was raised, so shall whole Christ mystical be.  – Richard Sibbes, An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 1

Tolle Lege: The Christian Life

Readability:  1

Length: 201

Author: Sinclair Ferguson

New converts may often err by being overly fascinated with what to do now that they are a Christian, rather than thinking about what has been done to them first. Apparently we default into works even immediately after experiencing grace. Those who counsel these new converts are no help either. Sinclair Ferguson does not make this fault in The Christian Life. Here is a description life of the child of God that is unique; it is as the byline says “A Doctrinal Introduction.”

The bulk of this book deals with what has been done to us, and then turns briefly to what we then do as a result, which is really discussing God’s continuing salvation in us, finally, Ferguson turns what God will do. Here is an approach to the Christian life more concerned with God’s words and truth than our actions. This is not to say our actions are unimportant, rather it is to discover the grounds and power for Christian living. This leads to more Christian living, not less.

What then are the basic needs which are met in the message of the gospel?

(i) We need re-creation by Christ in order that the image of god, once distorted by sin, may be restored. (ii) We need deliverance from the dominion of sin in order that we may live freely for God. (iii) We need to be rescued from the power of Satan so that our lives may be given to Christ the Lord as his glad bondslaves. (iv) We need to be saved from the wrath of God so that, released from this most terrifying of all prospects, we may live the life of forgiven sinners.

We have neither claim nor right to his gracious summons, any more than the unformed mass of darkness and chaos in the primeval time could lay claim to the voice of God to bring light and form order.

The Sweet Dropper: Worship Is His Blessing to Us

 The stream gives nothing to the fountain. The beam gives nothing to the sun, for it issues from the sun. Our very blessing of God is a blessing of his.

It is from his grace that we can praise his grace; and we run still into a new debt, when we have hearts enlarged to bless him.

We ought to have our hearts more enlarged, that we can be enlarged to praise God. – Richard Sibbes, An Exposition of 2 Corinthians 1