Christ Seminary

The Future of the Reformation

2012-03-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

The reformation of the church has been in a state of constant progression since its earliest days. This statement might surprise some Christians because we tend to think of reformation as occurring periodically, as in ‘the’ Reformation (i.e. the Protestant Reformation). Though it is not wrong to use the definite article when referring to that particular, drastic movement, it is also not wrong to say that the reformation began at Pentecost (or before) and continues to progress to this very day. So, for example, Paul said that Jesus Christ gave Himself up for the church, to sanctify her so that the church would be holy and blameless (Eph. 5:25-27). This is not merely the church in one age or under the influence of one particular doctrine, it is the church in every age and in every area of life and truth (John 17:17-20).

Because of this, we must be aware that the reformation is ongoing today in our midst—in our selves, our families, and our churches. That alone should cause us to consider soberly how we ought to pursue growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). I believe that there is another truth that we must ponder if we are to be faithful stewards of the God-given, apostolic doctrines that we believe. We must consider the fact that the generation after us, and the generations after that, will be subject to God’s reforming grace as well. In light of that, how can we prepare younger Christians for the good fight of faith?

This question should weigh heavily on the consciences of church leaders, of course, but it should also influence the minds of parents, spouses, friends, and mentors. We must all come to terms with the reality that though we are just one link in a long chain, we do play a vital role in preserving the fidelity of the overall chain. Our actions will, in large measure, determine how the reformation progresses in the generations to come. Obviously, God is sovereign, so He can grant reformation even ex nihilo if He wills, but most often He has willed to work through the faithful stewardship of His servants from one generation to the next. That’s us.

We bear the responsibility to train up younger men and women in the faith so that when we are dead and gone, which we will soon be, there is still a strong and glowing testimony in God’s church. We bear the responsibility not just to look back at our predecessors, analyzing their great works of reformational thinking, but also to look forward, synthesizing documents in light of Scripture to address the pressing issues of our own day. We bear the responsibility to write the songs, hymns, poems, and books that will influence the children of our day so that, by God’s sovereign grace and according to His will, there will be a testimony in the days to come.

I do not say that we bear this responsibility alone, however. Who could possibly be adequate for such a great task? We, like Paul as he surveyed the monumental responsibility of ministry in his day (2 Cor. 2:16), must say, “not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant” (2 Cor. 3:5-6). We have spiritual authority and power to do this constructive work through the gifts that the Lord has provided (1 Tim. 3:14-15, Eph. 4:11-13, 1 Cor. 3:10-11, 2 Tim. 1:7).

We are not responsible to provide the power or wisdom to perform these tasks, then, since those things must come from God. We are responsible for the results of our labors, however (1 Cor. 3:8-15). Unfaithfulness in stewardship is a very serious sin and is dealt with rigidly by God (Luke 12:41-48). Consider the elders of Israel in the days after Joshua who failed to teach their children about the mighty works of the Lord (Joshua 2:6-12). When one generation is unfaithful to the Lord it is very likely that they have corrupted not just themselves but also their descendants. The future of the reformation depends essentially on God’s sovereign, sustaining power. In many ways, however, the working of that power will be demonstrated in our day through our faithfulness or faithlessness to reform according to God’s Word. May God grant that we pursue His course with zeal, diligence, and ever-deepening love for His Name.

Remember the generation that must inherit the works of our hands!

--Dean of Admissions

Always Reforming, Part 2

2012-02-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

—the Apostle Paul, 1 Tim. 4:16

As a corollary to what we said last time, that we must patiently bear with those who struggle against sin, we must also affirm that we are touched with the same sinful tendencies. It is for this reason that the New Testament contains warnings against carelessness in keeping our own souls, such as the one listed above. What was at stake in our teaching, Paul said, is the very salvation of our souls.

We must realize that there is only one, narrow path of salvation but that there is an abundance of ways to go astray. Even under the leadership and teaching of the apostles there were people in the church who eventually went astray (cf. 1 Cor. 5:3-5, 1 John 2:19). Even among the twelve disciples of our Lord by His foreknowledge and providence there was one who went astray (John 6:70, 17:12). The point is that we must be on guard against our own deceitful hearts.

The Lord works on others through progressive sanctification and growth in grace (2 Peter 3:17-18) and, in the same way, He works on us progressively. The expectation of the New Testament authors is that individual Christians will grow progressively more holy as they live longer in Christ (John 15:2, 2 Cor. 7:1, Heb. 12:4-14, etc). We must be aware that the Lord is operating in the same manner on our own hearts, minds, and emotions.

This should greatly protect us against spiritual pride, for if we are aware of our own growth and our own ever-present trespasses then we will humbly serve those brothers and sisters who, like us, need an ever-gracious Savior. When we see accurately the need for constant reformation in our own lives, we will be gracious in bearing with the progressive reformation of those around us.

Additionally, this truth about our God should help us be diligent in the fight against sin. Though God is sovereignly and solely in control of our sanctification (Heb. 13:20-21, John 15:5, Phil. 1:6/2:13), He has chosen to work imperceptibly through our will as He sanctifies us (Phil. 2:12). This means that when God has chosen to ramp up sanctification in the life of one of His children, the only visible result will be fervent desire in their will and the visible fruit in their life. If we yearn for greater holiness, then, we should not sit back and ‘wait’ for God to work, but just the opposite. Paul told the Philippians to work out their salvation with fear and trembling because (or for) it was God who was at work in them both to will and to work. He expected them to apply themselves to the task because God was at work in them! Likewise, we should diligently apply ourselves to growing in Christ. In this way, we will be always reforming for the glory of God and for our own joy.

“…not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…”

—the Apostle Paul, Romans 12:11

--Dean of Admissions

Always Reforming, part 1

2012-02-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

Part of Paul’s regular affirmations to the churches is that at the beginning of our new life in Christ, there is a radical change in the actions of each Christian. It is for this reason that he can exclude those who practice blatant, outward sin from the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21, Eph. 5:5-6). The idea is something like this: those sinners whom God saves, though they are real sinners, are changed by God through the Spirit so that they no longer live in their same, old manner of life (1 Cor. 6:11, Gal. 5:16-17/22-25, Eph. 5:7-10).

A necessary corollary of this truth is that growth in the Christian life proceeds by true, constant, perceivable advancement in holiness. Though Christians are fully, completely, eternally justified in the eyes of God by the work of Christ (Rom. 5:1, 8:1), they still struggle against their sinful flesh (Rom. 7:14-24, Gal. 5:17). Even the apostle himself had to admit that nothing good dwelt within him, that is, in his flesh (Rom. 7:18).

It is from these ideas that our spiritual ancestors recognized the idea that each Christian and, therefore, each Christian church, would be always reforming. Though we have perfect standing before God in Christ, our real state is that we are still sinful. In the words of the Reformers we are simul iustus et peccator—at the same time justified and a sinner. God does not leave us in our sin, however, He changes His children (John 15:1-5). We call this sanctification.

This is one way that God makes His glory shine in His children, by conforming them ever more and more to His splendid character (2 Cor. 3:18). If we affirm this, however, we must also affirm that there is much in every Christian that is, by nature, not glorious at all. In fact, our sin is rebellion against God whose glorious character we deface.

For this reason, it is crucial that we consistently apply the truth of the perpetual reformation of each Christian and each local church. If we expect perfection of others, we are sinfully pretending that they are flawed while we are not. If we expect perfection of local churches, we are sinfully pretending that they are backwards while we are righteous. I’m not saying that we should discard standards for individuals (e.g. 1 Tim. 3:2-12) or for churches (Gal. 1:2-6), but rather that we must be gracious and forgiving of the faults of others.

One paradox of the Christian life is that we must abhor what is evil (Rom. 12:9) and lovingly restore repentant evildoers (Gal. 6:1-2). No pastor, seminarian, brother, or sister is perfect in this life—that must wait for the life to come (Heb. 12:23, Rev. 21:27). Every earthly church is imperfect because churches consist of fallen men and women who, though indwelt by the Spirit of the omnipotent God, still fall regularly into sin.

We must strive to constantly reform our own lives and to edify our family in Christ—but we must also bear graciously with them when they trespass the laws of our God. We must be consistent as we apply the truth of the constant reformation of God’s people. He has graciously borne with us, and we can do no less.

--Dean of Admissions

God's Standards

2012-01-09T12:24:00.000-08:00

Mark recorded an interesting set of historical events for us in Mark 10:13-27. What these verses teach us about ourselves and about God is extremely simple, yet piercingly profound.

Mark related that Jesus welcomed children to Himself in order to bless them. This seemingly elementary act is absolutely packed with significance about the character of God. The disciples, in contrast to Jesus, had tried to prevent the children from coming to Him. In response, Jesus became indignant with the disciples for their interference. This account shows us that Jesus is a welcoming and tender Savior—even those who appeared most insignificant are counted worthy of salvation in God’s eyes.

But that is not all that we learn about God. In fact, we also see that God has standards for those whom He saves. Jesus, in the midst of His rebuke of the disciples, said, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15). This demonstrates that God, though He is an exceedingly willing Savior, does not prima facie save all sinners. God, without being discriminatory in the least, saves a certain type of person.

God does not save people based on race, age, intelligence, beauty, or wealth. The standard by which people enter the kingdom is based on humility.

If we wish to enjoy the refreshing, merit-granting but not merit-based grace of God, we must come to Him like a child—like an insignificant, unworthy, lowly child who bears nothing to enhance His position. If we do not receive the Kingdom of God like a child, Jesus assured us that we will never enter it at all.

The text continues to portray God’s character in verses 17 to 27. Mark highlighted God’s willingness to receive sinners by recording a rejection story. That is to say, what we see about God is that He is happy to save sinners but that He does so on His own terms. The next story after Jesus welcomed the children is that of the rich, young ruler. Mark tells us that Jesus loved this haughty and undeserving man; that Jesus lovingly communicated the gracious standards of God’s Kingdom and that He told him of the one source of salvation, namely, Himself (Mark 10:21).

Yet the account ends unhappily for the man, for he was not willing to give up his temporal, fading wealth to receive the glorious privilege of being a child of God. He was, we can say, enslaved to his own wealth. The barbs of his own riches were deeply planted in his heart and he could not break free. He did not want to be free—the only thing that held him back was his own sinfulness (Mark 4:18-19). He was not willing to receive the kingdom as a child. Such people as this, God will not save.

God is a gracious and willing Savior—the only Savior (cf. 10:27)—but He saves sinners on His own terms. He will not tolerate idolatry in the heart of those who serve Him; either He will purge that idolatry out of the heart of His true children, or He will cast away those who are falsely His (Heb. 12:10-11, John 15:2, 1 John 2:19, Matt. 7:19-23).

Come to Jesus, then, all who are weary and seeking rest! Come to receive a kingdom that cannot ever be earned! Come as a child, put faith in Christ, repent from your sins—and He will welcome you! But you must also know that if you come haughtily, thinking you have something with which to enrich God, or if you come clinging to your idolatry, God will turn you away. God is a gracious Savior—but not one without standards. In truth, He saves always on His own terms, for He is the holy and worthy God.

--Dean of Admissions

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

—Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew 6:24

Evangelism

2012-01-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

Evangelism may be one of the least popular activities of the church in this age. Whether unbelievers veer toward secularism or pluralism, few people are willing to tolerate the proclamation of the gospel. Why is that?

For secularists, the gospel of Christ is dependent on an ancient and, thus, unenlightened tradition. Secular thinking demands freedom from these ‘silly old wives-tales,’ as long as that freedom conforms precisely to the gospel of Darwin as expressed by the most recent scientific fad. Secularists are unwilling to face the reality of an invisible God, a virgin birth, the incarnate Christ, and bodily resurrection, therefore they flatly reject Christianity. Having some ‘uninformed’ Christian proclaim the truth of these backwards-sounding doctrines is not viewed favorably by many people in our day.

On the other hand, for pluralists, the Christian gospel is extremely narrow and exclusive and, therefore, it appears to be intolerant and prejudicial. Preaching the gospel requires a person to tell others that they are wrong, and that they are living in sin. Intolerance and speaking about sin happen to be two cardinal sins of our age; so few pluralistic thinkers will sit idly by while a Christian describes the exclusory salvation of the Bible.

Yet it is for these very reasons that evangelism is so necessary in our day. Our age, like every age before, must be radically confronted by the gospel of Christ—earlier eras of human history were no friendlier to the claims of Christ. It has never been socially acceptable to proclaim the cross of Christ or justification by faith. Even an examination of the Old Testament shows that those who preached the true doctrines of God were often persecuted!

Secularists must be confronted with the absolute truth of the Creator God, the One who sustains their very bodies and minds and who sovereignly rules their destiny. They must be confronted with notions of blood sacrifice, substitution, and worship of an invisible Deity. The cross will offend them. Pluralists must encounter the radical holiness of God, the unity of truth in Him alone, and the absolutely exclusive claims of Christ. The cross will offend them.

What we must realize is that confrontation is at the heart of evangelism, but that it is a blessed and beneficial confrontation. Unless sinners are confronted with the reality of the gospel they cannot be saved. God must fundamentally change the heart of an unbeliever in order to save their soul, and this heart-change takes place by the Spirit, through the proclamation of the Word (Ro. 10:17, 1 Pet. 1:25). To confront people with the difficult realities of the gospel is loving (Mark 10:21).

Be encouraged, then, to preach the gospel to those around you, even if it means engaging them with the hard truths of Scripture. God is good to use our proclamation for the salvation of sinners—but we must be faithful to preach, even when it is unpopular.

--Dean of Admissions

New Year Resolution

2012-01-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Making resolutions can be a very helpful tool in the Christian life. Jonathan Edwards made resolutions to assist himself in growing in Christ. If you have never made resolutions, maybe this year would a good time to start. Here is a suggested resolution for the new year.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

—Paul the apostle, Galatians 6:7-8

Resolved, this year, to sow more and more to the Spirit every day of my life. I resolve to worshipfully pursue God’s Kingdom and His righteousness by the means He has provided, namely, by relying on the Spirit of God, by meditating on the Word of God, by obeying the commands of God, by preaching the gospel of God, and by fellowshipping with the people of God.

I resolve to conform my mind to God’s revealed will by evaluating my world according to God’s economy, by putting to death what is hateful to God in my flesh, and by actively and consciously seeking to please God in all that I do. I resolve to center my life on God in Christ through the gospel, so that my obedience is performed out of trusting love of God and not out of the mercenary desire for merit.

I resolve to labor in God’s fields, sowing the Word at every opportunity so that God may be magnified and that others may experience the joy of eternal life as well. I resolve to live as salt and light so that men will praise God who is invisible.

I resolve to sow to the Spirit every day through my thoughts, actions, words, and intentions so that God may be foremost and first in my life and so that His supremacy over all creation may be manifest in my small sphere of influence. I resolve to sow to the Spirit every day, so that I may look forward with great eagerness to the eternal life that is promised by God to all those who have faith in Christ. Come, Lord Jesus!

--Dean of AdmissionS

Cold Water Ministry

2011-12-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

Mark, in his account of the gospel, highlighted how difficult it is for sinners to understand Christian ministry. This is certainly true of unconverted sinners but it was equally true of the converted sinners in Jesus’ inner circle. In chapter 9, Mark told us that Jesus had instructed his disciples about the humble ministry of the Son of Man (9:30-32). This was not the first time that He told them what He would soon undergo, however, they still failed to appreciate His teaching.

That is apparent because immediately after this they were arguing about which one of them was the greatest (9:33-34)!

In response to their self-centered discussion, Jesus taught them about the true nature of Christian ministry. He told them that service as a slave was the action that was most consistent with greatness. That is to say that the ministry that God identifies with a great person is oftentimes seen as insignificant in the eyes of the world. Jesus said, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me” (v. 37).

The truth that Jesus seems to have been communicating is this: even receiving a child in order to minister to that child is equivalent to ministering to Jesus Himself, and even to ministering to the Father! That is the importance of ministering humbly, even to those who have no social standing or political importance. But Jesus went on to give another example. In verse 41 He said that, “whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.”

The point is this: God’s economy of ministry is vastly different than man’s. The thing that seems to be of little value in man’s eyes is worthy of remembrance in God’s eyes, for what value does a cup of water have in our estimation? It is esteemed lightly and forgotten quickly, yet God does not fail to remember such humble service.

Check your heart, then, Christians, and see if your evaluation of service is in line with God’s. Maybe you feel that God has called you to great things and, if you are a Christian, I assure that God has called you to great things. But the great things that God calls us to may not be the things that we think of as great. Sometimes we bypass simple, humble opportunities to minister so that we can search for dramatic, public opportunities. If our estimation of greatness is based on the visibility and recognition of an act, we have almost certainly forgotten the words (and works) of Christ.

As you look at your life, consider how God has given you opportunities to minister within your sphere of influence. Do not search for the limelight, but rather for the pleasure of God (2 Cor. 5:9), who sees what is done in secret (Matt. 6:1-21). Store up the treasure that lasts forever even if in the eyes of the world it appears to be foolishly unremarkable. God is not duped; He sees the littlest and greatest of actions—and the motivations that underlie them, whether good or bad.

Do not be ashamed to be a Christian water boy, if God has so called you.

--Dean of Admissions

“You are those who justify themselves in the sign of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.”

--Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 16:15)

Theology and Devotion

2011-12-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

It is not uncommon to describe Christian books using one of two adjectives; in our thinking, these books tend to be either devotional or theological. By ‘devotional,’ we mean that these books focus on our relationship with God and especially emphasize the deepening of our communion with Him. Book that are ‘theological,’ on the other hand, are descriptive works that center on the character of God or on His actions in history.

I will argue today that the implicit divide between devotional and theological works is actually nonexistent.

It seems probable that we all know the division between these two categories is artificial. That is to say, I doubt that anyone seeks to build a strong case that there is an absolutely strict division between the two types of writing. Nevertheless, I think that we dichotomize strongly between the two emphases, maybe even to the point that we unconsciously view the two as distinct.

We need to assess biblically about what it means to be devotional or theological in our thinking, speaking, preaching, and writing. What does the Bible say about theology? Theology is the knowledge of God; it is the truth about His character and deeds. All true theology arises from God’s Word. We have been given the task of disseminating that knowledge (Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:2, 4:2). Because we have the inspired revelation of God in Scripture we are able to think, speak, preach, and write in line with the truth (John 8:31-32, 2 Tim. 3:16-17). We should devote ourselves to knowing God through His Word.

If God’s Word is source of truth, what does the Bible say about devotion? It is at this point that we are able to see the connection between theology and devotion, for the Scriptures inextricably link the two. Consider Jesus’ prayer for Christians in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” Jesus request was for growth in devotion for believers, but He linked that growth to the truth of God’s Word. The primary truth we find in Scripture is theological truth, it is reliable knowledge of who God is. Also, Paul told the Thessalonians that they had turned from false idols to the living and true God (1 Thes. 1:9). In the very next chapter, as he described his reception among them, he said that they had received Word of God as the Word of God, that is, as the truth and not as speculation (1 Thes. 2:13). At the end of that verse, however, he describes the Word of God using this phrase: “…the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” So Paul links the truth of the word to the working of that word. Our devotion to God is effected by the truth about God.

This inherently makes sense. The same Spirit who teaches us about God (1 Cor. 2:10-16) also brings about the fruit of obedience (Gal. 5:22-25). The idea seems to be that when we know God better, we are more and more enraptured with Him and thus more devoted to Him. God’s loveliness, when it is seen in its true glory (theology), causes us to worship Him more and more fervently (devotion). For this reason, it is impossible to strictly dichotomize the two.

Now, it may be helpful to describe certain works as more devotional in focus, or more theological in purpose, but the two are intimately connected. In order to grow in devotion, we must know God better. As we know Him better, we will be more devoted to Him. Sometimes the most devotional works are the works that describe His character most fully and deeply. Alternately, when we see how we are called to worship and serve our God, we gain an understanding of His great character.

--Dean of Admissions

(Note: if you doubt that theological accuracy leads to devotional fervency, read John Owen.)

Contending For the Faith

2011-11-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

Jude wrote to Christians when he desired to describe their common salvation, but as he did so necessity compelled him to change topics. He ended up writing ‘to them appealing that they contend earnestly for the faith’ (Jude 1:3). Though we do not know the specifics of what caused Jude to write with such urgency, we do know how he intended them to respond to his writing.

Jude wanted his audience to fight for truth.

Examining this short letter gives us great instruction about how to live in a day when, from all around us, people are assaulting true religion. One obvious fact from this letter is that whether or not we contend, the Christian faith is being contended against. Jude wrote that certain people had crept in unnoticed into the church (v. 4)! There people opposed the gospel of grace by their libertinism, rejection of authority, and their self-serving attitude (vv. 4, 8, 10-13). Therefore, they will be destroyed in the final judgment (vv. 5-7). Nevertheless, we are to contend against their false teaching now, as we ground ourselves firmly in the biblical gospel (vv. 20-21). We must stand firm in the truth in order to oppose these errors. This is how we contend.

Second, we must contend earnestly. The Greek verb has an intensive preposition as a prefix in order to communicate the fervent nature of our contention. This is no game. This is not the kind of fair-weather fight from which we may take off vacations and holidays. In this life, there is no retirement from this fight. Rather, we must train and agonize over these things. We are called to defend nothing less than the doctrine of salvation, the grace of God and the reality of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, which these false teachers deny (v. 4). This requires training and discipline as we search the Scriptures for ourselves and as we teach others. We must firmly stand against error!

Finally, we must contend earnestly for the historic Christian faith. Jude does not say that we just fight for the sake of religion generally, nor even for faith as a principle divorced from truth, but that we contend for “the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (v. 3). This is the expression of Christianity as it is given in the Holy Scriptures—it has only been handed down once for all. This means that we are not bound to the actions and teaching of the early church in the following centuries, however helpful that teaching may be. We ground ourselves on the historic Christian faith, recognizing that in the apostles and their close associates we have the authorized spokesmen of God.

When we fight for the gospel, then, let us contend zealously and with great diligence for the historic faith of the Bible. Our warfare will be pursued in earnest in this life—but that is not our end. We look forward to the great day when we will stand before our Lord, “blameless with great joy” (v. 24). May He grant us success in our defense of the gospel!

--Dean of Admissions

Seminary and Sleep

2011-11-25T04:41:00.000-08:00

The Bible has a surprisingly large number of things to say about sleep. From narratives (remember Samson) to theological passages (1 Thes. 4:13-18) to matters of praxis (Prov. 19:23), sleep is an important part of Scripture. It is also a fundamental part of our humanity—almost every person sleeps for 6 to 8 hours every night.

But how should a seminarian think about sleep? Seminary often creates challenges in the schedule of many students because it must be balanced with other high priorities: ministry to one’s family, ministry in the church, and a vocation. Seminary classes rarely require an equal amount of effort each week—a paper due at the end of the semester may necessitate greater labor as the semester progresses.

Mercifully, we serve the God who never sleeps (Psalm 121:4). We are not called to imitate His transcendent needlessness, but rather to look to Him as the source of our strength. First, then, seminarians should rely upon the Lord as they sleep. David, as he penned Psalm 4, was keenly aware of the fact that God had set him apart for Himself, and would hear his prayer (v.3). Psalm 4 is about David’s trust in God in the midst of hardship, and how God’s faithfulness enabled him to rest easily at night (Ps. 4:8). Seminarians, like David, should rest well in faith, knowing that God has perfectly provided for the needs of His children. Worrying and losing sleep over projects or problems is not honoring to God, but dishonoring. Rely on the Lord, then, and sleep in peace!

Second, seminarians should always seek to obey and fulfill the will of God. We must recognize the fact that our hard labor is not able to change God’s will. In Psalm 127, Solomon writes that dominion is granted to God’s chosen servant (v.1), and that even our most fervent striving is not able to fight against His plan (v.2). In light of that, he says that God gives His children even sleep (or even in sleep) (v.2). Seminarians must labor in line with the will of God, having sought Him in prayer and in the Word. Submit to God’s plans for the church so that you may experience the blessing of sleep, while His enemies labor fruitlessly against Him.

Third, seminarians must not love sleep. In the book of Proverbs it is written that we must not love sleep or we will become poor (Prov. 20:13). In God’s Word it is equally true that we cannot accomplish anything against God’s will, even by sleepless labor, and that God will use our labor for the effecting of many things, whether great or mundane. Though we do not have sovereign power to change reality (Ps. 127:1-2), we nevertheless are tasked with enacting the will of the Lord in creation. If we love sleep then we have failed to understand the high calling that God has granted us. Sleep, though it is a blessing from God, is not to be loved apart from Him. Our need for sleep demonstrates our neediness, so we must sleep some—but at the same time we must guard against laziness! Ill effects come to those who set their affections on the things of the world.

Finally, seminarians must be willing to give up sleep as it is necessary. Paul demonstrates this truth as he told the Corinthians that he had been through ‘many sleepless nights,’ which was an emblem of his service to the church (2 Cor. 11:27). Though Paul recognized that he relied upon God for everything, he was also willing to sacrifice his own comfort for the sake of the gospel. The same thing might be required of you during your time in seminary—and certainly afterwards. Ministry does not always crop up during scheduled business hours, so we must be willing to make our bodies our slaves (1 Cor. 9:27), dying to ourselves to serve others. We should consider sleep to be optional sometimes so that we may serve the church or suffer for the gospel.

Sleep is a wonderful gift of God, but it must not be abused. We should rely upon the Lord and upon His revealed will, not loving the things of this world but rather giving of ourselves for the sake of Christ’s name. This is as true in seminary as it is in the rest of our Christian life. May God grant us a healthy perspective on sleep!

--Dean of Admissions

The Power of God

2011-11-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel—that much is clear from his life. But what was it that drove Paul to such bold proclamation? In his letter to the Romans, he provides the answer to that question:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

What was it about this gospel that propelled Paul forward in obedience to a very difficult calling?

First, the gospel is God’s power. The gospel came from God. He brought it about because of His great glory (Rom. 15:9) and because of His great love (Rom. 5:8). The gospel originated from God, was carried along by Him, was brought to completion by God the Son, and is being worked out in the church by God the Spirit. It is God’s power that was on display when sinners were elected, and it is His power alone that is seen in justification, sanctification, and glorification. Everything comes from God!

Second, the gospel is a display of God’s power. The might of the Almighty is clearly seen in the true gospel. His ability to do what is extremely difficult (1 Peter 4:18) is on display by saving sinners. Paul highlights this aspect of God’s power when he shows that both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) can be saved by the gospel. The gospel is effective for all those who believe, whether a person is a genetic descendant of Abraham or not.

Finally, he said that it was the power of God for salvation. The salvation that he was speaking about was salvation from the wrath and just condemnation of God. God justly condemns sinners to final punishment—yet in the gospel, God has a means to pardon and accept ungodly sinners as if they had never sinned, and to do so without contradicting His own justice (Rom. 3:21-26). This is truly miraculous! Salvation of this nature is unimaginable apart from the work of God in Christ—no mere human could have brought about salvation of this kind for himself, much less for an entire company of people!

For these reasons, Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. He knew that in serving the Christian churches he was serving God Himself, and that by administering the gospel to lost and dying sinners, he was being used by God to powerfully save them from death! Praise the Lord for the gospel, and may He cause the beauty of His salvation to compel us to boldness. He is worthy of no less.

--Dean of Admissions

The Gospel in the Fabric of Life

2011-11-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

God has provided His Word for us, and that Word is beautifully simple. The whole Bible has the ‘flavor’ of documents that were written by average people, though they were people through whom the Spirit worked extraordinarily. Obviously the content, structure, and language of the Bible are inspired and, therefore, infallible; from the broadest sweep of historical reporting to the smallest aspect of diction, everything is perfect as God intended it to be.

At the level of human authorship, though, God used people whom were relatively normal. This is reflected in the fact that the good news about God’s Messiah was often described with analogies and metaphors that were taken from everyday life.

Paul describes the union between a husband and wife as parallel to the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the church (Eph. 5:22-33). Marriage is such a common occurrence in life that, obviously, all of his readers would have seen it.

Likewise, Matthew and Luke can make use of a wedding feast to describe the time when Christ returns to reign and to put down all of His enemies (Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 12:35-36).

Likewise, Paul describes how we should act as children toward our Father (2 Cor. 6:18).

Likewise, preaching the Word is described with the analogy of sowing crops (Mark 4:1-20).

All told, the Scriptures come to us in terms that are easy to understand, even if the concepts behind those terms are difficult to grasp (2 Peter 3:16). God’s Word is beautifully written and constructed so that even though the most brilliant theologians can never plumb its depths, a child can still grasp its language. Today, be grateful that God used illustrations from the fabric of life so that we can understand His Word. He is good!

--Dean of Admissions

Bondage in Freedom

2011-11-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

The New Testament is full of wonderful paradoxes. The King has come (Matt. 2:2) and His reign is not yet fully realized (Matt. 25:31). The Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:15) and we should pray that it comes (Matt. 6:9-10). Jesus reveals God (John 1:17-18) and He hides Him (Mark 4:10-12).

One of the most familiar paradoxes is that of the freedom and slavery of Christians. In one sense, Christians are set free from sin (John 8:34-36) only to be enslaved to God (Rom. 6:22). Christians are both free and enslaved (Paul plays with this idea in 1 Cor. 7:22); both are true at the same time. How does this work out practically in our daily lives?

Christians have been set free from the ruling principle of sin in their lives—sin no longer has dominion over them (Rom. 6:4). They have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light (Acts 26:18, Col. 1:13). This does not mean that they no longer commit sins (cf. 1 John 1:8), but only that sin no longer dominates them entirely. Now they are able to obey God, which was impossible before (Rom. 8:7-8). The Spirit of God enables Christians to put sin to death (Rom. 8:13), to wait for the hope of righteousness (Gal. 5:5), and to bear godly fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).

The freedom is that they may now serve God, having been set free from captivity to Satan (2 Tim. 2:24-26). What is the bondage that exists in our lives?

Principally, we are bound by the weakness of those whom we serve. Paul says that in matters of conscience we should live in such a way that we do not offend the conscience of the weakest brother or sister in our current setting (cf. 1 Cor. 8:9-13). It is not that eating or abstaining from a certain food commends us to God (1 Cor. 8:8), but that if we cause a brother to stumble we sin against Christ. In this way, we are bound to avoid certain things at certain times (1 Cor. 10:27-29) or to avoid them as a principle (1 Cor. 8:13). These are sweet bonds that build up the church, but we are bound nonetheless.

Paul also wanted to ensure that our general freedoms as Christians are not used to advance our own sinful pleasure. In Galatians 5:13 he said, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Peter said the same thing: “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God” (1 Peter 2:16). Now that we have been set free from the law of sin and of death (Rom. 8:2), we should not delight in sinning but rather in serving God and others. God calls us to sweet slavery to Himself, not because we are compelled to by some external law, but because we are His children and we delight to do His will (John 14:15; 1 Pet. 4:2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:9, 5:14-15, 6:18-7:1).

--Dean of Admissions

Reformation Day, 2011

2011-10-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Post tenebris, lux indeed!

October 31^st, 1517 was the date that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany. That event is normally use to mark the beginning of the Protestant Reformation and, as such, the first step in a journey that would lead the church out of it’s Babylonian captivity from Roman darkness and superstition. October 31^st is often celebrated as Reformation Day, a day when churches look back to the Reformers to commemorate their lives and actions.

The question I want to consider today is this: is it right for us to celebrate the Reformation in this way? Consider the following facts:

1.) The human heart has a terrible tendency to idolatry and unlawful worship of persons (e.g. 1 Co. 1:12)

2.) Part of the Romish error was the worship of ‘saints,’ which the Reformers rightly believed was ungodly.

3.) The Reformers themselves took measures to make sure they were never worshiped after their deaths—John Calvin was buried in an unmarked location so that no one could ever take a pilgrimage to his grave.

In light of this, does not the celebration of Reformation Day strike against the Bible and the attitude of the Reformers themselves?

In short, my answer is, “No.” Certainly we must be very cautious in examining our motives when we celebrate the lives of these Christians, and we must guard against any ungodly exaltation of them, but the celebration of the day is not unlawful. Here are two reasons why.

First, we are not celebrating the men themselves. If anything, the Reformers themselves admitted that they were nothing, that they had no special wisdom or skills that made their labors effective. They uniformly attributed the Reformation to the work of God’s Spirit by the instrument of the His Word. When we celebrate the Reformation, what we are celebrating is the work of God in delivering His elect children from the dark chains of soul-killing heresy. This deliverance is really like the victories that God won for His people in the Old Testament. God’s people are His instruments, and any good that comes about through them ultimately reflects on the good character of God (Phil. 1:11). When we celebrate the Reformation, we are celebrating God, not men.

Second, the Scriptures calls us to remember our leaders. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the Word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” This does not mean worshiping our leaders, whether current or past, but rather imitating them as they imitated Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). We can rightly rejoice in what God has done in our leaders, showing honor to those whom God established in authority over us (cf. 1 Thes. 5:12-13). We do not look back at the Reformation as the ‘golden era’ by any stretch of the imagination, but we look forward to God reforming our lives everyday as well just as He did in the Reformers. We can be encouraged by their God-given strengths and learn from their failures, so long as we interpret our every action and motive by the Word of God.

By celebrating this day, we remember the work of God on behalf of His elect in generations past, and we long that God would do a similar work in our day, knowing that reformation begins first in ourselves. May He reform us, our churches, our cities, and our country!

Happy Reformation Day—Soli Deo Gloria!

--Dean of Admissions

Does the Bible have a High View of Man? Part 2

2011-10-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

The question we posed last time was whether or not the Bible has a high view of man. I argued that the Bible does present a high view of man because we are mad in God’s image, because of the incarnation, and because of redemption. There are two other elements in the Bible’s presentation of humanity that reflect a high view of human beings.

Fourth, then, is the fact that the Bible has a high view of sin, therefore it has a high view of man. What does it mean that the Bible presents a high view of sin? The Bible does not present sin highly in the sense of presenting it favorably, but in the sense that sin is always described with the utmost sobriety. Sin is no laughing matter, nor is it to be taken lightly (cf. 1 Sam. 15:32-33). From the very beginning of Scripture to the very end, sin is responsible for the fall of mankind into every sort of debased wickedness—and man is responsible for his sin. Sin is serious enough an issue that God’s greatest creation—man and woman—were cast out of the very presence of God after they had once enjoyed His fellowship!

Even more, God judges sin to be worthy of death because it is rebellion against Him. Sin is so serious an issue in God’s eyes that God sent His own Son to bear the penalty for the redeemed so that they could be saved (see point 3 in the last post). Humans are responsible for sin. We often judge an artist by the greatest work that they accomplish and in the case of humankind, sin is like a twisted masterpiece of hatred and evil. If man is capable of such great evil, he is truly a magnificent creature indeed. Animals, though they demonstrate the effects of the fall, are not capable of such moral evil. Human beings, on the other hand, are responsible for the evil that they perpetrate. This is a high view of man.

Fifth and related to the point above, and maybe most surprisingly, heaven and hell are indicators of the Bible’s high view of humanity. The Bible teaches that all humans will spend an eternity in one of two places, either in heaven where they enjoy the perfect fellowship of God in worship, or in hell where they undergo eternal, conscious punishment. This is not a popular teaching in our day but it is biblical nonetheless. In any case, heaven and hell rely on a high view of man—otherwise both are unjust.

What I mean is that all humans are appointed to an eternal end, one of either infinite bliss or indescribable torment. These ends are the results of the decisions that we have made in this life—what we do is so important that it will determine our state forever. Eternity hinges on the decisions that we make in time. This is not to say that we can save ourselves by our own obedience to God (cf. Rom. 3:19-24). If humans had been left to themselves entirely, no one would ever enter heaven because no one would ever please God (cf. Rom. 8:6-8). Because of the lofty nature that God has given us, we would have been eternally condemned because that is the punishment that is consistent with the enormity of our sin. Man is capable of such great evil that it warrants infinite retribution (in temporal scope).

It is not those who affirm the biblical doctrine of hell, then, that have a low view of man. Rather, it is those who deny hell who in fact have a low view of man. The Bible treats humanity with monumental responsibility because of the extremely high nature with which God has endowed us. That is not something to be taken lightly!

--Dean of Admissions

Does the Bible Have a High View of Man? Part 1

2011-10-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

For a number of reasons, biblical anthropology can be a difficult subject to study. Many other doctrines are dependent on a right understanding of who we are as human beings (e.g. issues of sin, incarnation, etc). Because men are made in the image of God, what we posit about them also reflects (or contrasts) the nature of God (cf. Jas. 3:9-10). We also have a vested interest in being accurate in our anthropology because it describes us—whatever we conclude about human beings we are concluding about ourselves!

The question is, then, does the Bible present a low or a high view of mankind?

Some scholars want to argue that the Bible presents a very low view of man because humans are described as morally debased. Certainly there are stories and didactic passages that seem to present human nature as a stew of evil desires—but is it fair to say that that is the only way that men are described?

Other writers argue that the Bible has a very high presentation of humans because they are made in the image of God and because they are the focus of His redemptive efforts. Even a quick perusal through the Bible yields information about men who walked with God (Gen. 5:22-24), who honored Him in incredible ways (Gen. 22:1-18), who sought after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). So it seems that there are both favorable and unfavorable presentations of human beings in the Bible.

But the question remains unanswered—is this a high or a low view of humanity?

I will argue that the Bible has a very high view of mankind—even though humans are presented as morally depraved. There are a number of indications of this truth.

First, humans are presented as being made in the image of God. In fact, the entire creation account presents humans as very important and highly blessed creatures. Out of all creation, only humans are made by God in His own image (Gen. 1:26-27). After each 24-hour period of creation, God decreed that what He made was good, but after the creation of humans God says that His creation is “very good” (Gen. 1:31). In addition, all other creation was placed under the care and dominion of humankind (Gen. 1:28). This is a very positive view of humanity.

Second, Jesus Christ Himself took on human flesh—even being born of a woman (John 1:14, Gal. 4:4). While this was an act of condescension (Phil. 2:5-7), it nevertheless demonstrates that there is nothing innately sinful about being a human. That is to say, sin is not integral to the ‘structure’ of every human being—even Adam and Eve lived without sin for a time. In any case, Christ’s incarnation revealed the gracious yet high value God placed on His children. This high value is not placed on all of His creatures who fell (cf. Heb. 2:14-18, esp. v.16).

Third, and related to point number 2, the very act of gracious redemption shows that humans are presented as important. Only the death of the Son of God could pay for the sins of God’s children (Eph. 2:13-16; Heb. 10:4/10-14), yet God sent Him to die for them. Christians are the object of God’s eternal kindness (Eph. 2:7) and His beneficence to them is demonstrated incontrovertibly by the death of Christ on their behalf (Rom. 8:32). It is in the realm of humanity that God’s glorious plan of salvation is worked out. This explains the righteous deeds of saved individuals—God was at work in them (Phil. 2:12-13, Heb. 13:21). In mankind, the powerful Spirit of God can display the glorious grace of God by causing otherwise rotten sinners (Rom. 3:9-18, 8:5-8; John 15:4-5) to bear the fruit or righteousness, thereby glorifying God (Phil. 1:11).

All these demonstrate that the Bible presents a very high view of man, but there is more to be said on the matter. Tune in next time!

--Dean of Admissions

Ministry to Youth, Part 2

2011-10-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

How does the Bible describe ministry to youth? One significant passage is Psalm 78, where Asaph describes his commitment to instruct children in the way of the Lord. Here are a few insights from the passage.

Asaph said that he (and those with similar commitments) would not conceal the truth about God from children (v. 4). In addition, he said that he would “tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord.” The content of the lessons that they taught young Israelites focused on the nature of God, specifically on His “strength and His wondrous works” (v. 4). In the modern era, youth lessons in many churches tend to focus on moralizing and bare history. Instead, we ought rather teach our young people about who God is. This involves interaction with history, but at a different level than simply remembering facts.

In verse 5, it is clear that instructing youth in this way is a command of God, not merely optional. What Asaph sought to institute was not an idea that originated in his own mind, but it came from the very mind of God. God’s purpose in commanding this was that the young Israelites would come to know Him (v. 6). In order to honor the Lord with our lives and our ministries, we must minister to youth—it is one of His commands in Scripture.

Asaph also makes it clear that the goal is not merely knowing God in the mind, that is, not merely a factual knowledge about God, but also knowing God in the heart—an experimental, saving knowledge of God (v. 7). The intent of educating our children about the character of God is that, through the work of the Spirit, by the truth of the Word, God would give them saving faith in Him (Jas. 1:18, 1:20; John 3:3-8, 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:17-18). Our intent in ministry should be to see children place their faith in God for His glory (Rom. 15:8-9) and for their good (Eph. 2:4-10).

Children will understand the character of God and, if He is willing, will be saved by faith in Christ when they have a solid understanding of the Scriptures. For this reason, Asaph launches into a lengthy description of God’s self revelation to Israel—seventy-two verses in total! History is crucially important in this psalm because it is not just any tales from the past, but it is God’s history as it appears in the pages of Scripture. Asaph, under the inspiration of the Spirit, restated the content of the word-act revelation that God had previously inspired for Israel. Through the acts of God and the inspired interpretation of those acts, it was possible for the people of God to understand who He was. The same standard should exist for our youth today. We need to teach them about who God is through what He has done, specifically what He has done in Christ. History matters!

Finally, it is important to note that vocational ministers are not solely responsible for the gospel education of youth. In fact, they are not even the primary instructors of children! Rather, Paul commanded that fathers to bring the children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Youth ministry in the church should be done in partnership with parents, with fathers taking the lead role in teaching children about the character of God.

--Dean of Admissions

Ministry to Youth, Part 1

2011-10-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

“Why is it important to have a gospel ministry to youth?” is a question that is asked too infrequently in our day. In its place, people often ask “Is it even worthwhile to have a gospel ministry to youth?” The trend in the modern ‘church’ in America is to entertain youth with games, to stuff them with sugary snacks, and then to ‘painlessly’ insert a short time of ‘Bible teaching’ while the children catch their breath. This is not gospel ministry—in fact, it is questionable if this qualifies as ministry at all.

The problem is not with games or sugary snacks, it is not with fun or entertainment, it is with wrong priorities. When children are presented with ‘church’ as a place where they go to relieve their restlessness or their appetite for treats, it shrinks to a place where they expect their needs to be catered to. In short, ‘church’ of that sort becomes man-centered. When that happens, we can expect to see souls damaged rather than saved by grace.

The question is still pressing: “Why is it important to have a gospel ministry to youth?” I believe that there are at least three reasons why ministry to youth of every age is extremely worthwhile, and even more so, it is vitally important.

First, it recognizes the value of human souls. Every human being will exist forever, being held in existence by the God who created them. Every human soul is precious, then, and should be treated with the utmost diligence and respect. Our primary concern for others should center on their knowledge of and response to the gospel, regardless of their age, and this includes children. Teaching youth in regard to godliness not only benefits them for their childhood, but for the rest of their lives (and for the life to come, cf. 1 Tim. 4:7-8, 6:19). If we spend time spiritually ministering to adults, why would we not also do so to youth?

Second, ministering to youth reflects the responsible stewardship of what God has providentially entrusted to us. If God has given us children of our own or has brought their parents into the church, they are part of the stewardship for which we are responsible. We cannot save them, of course, but we can lovingly treat them as we would treat any unbeliever. In a special way, we have an opportunity to preach the gospel and live it out before the offspring of believers. This can be done consistently and constantly. If God has brought them into our care, who are we to treat them carelessness?

Third and finally, youth ministry is precious because it looks to the future glory of Christ as it will be seen in the church. When God’s glory is the motive, we are truly free from unhealthy expectation (like snacks and games) and we can serve them in the best way possible. Again, we are not guaranteed that every child will be converted, but it is almost certain that some will be. By ministering to children and teenagers we are working for the kingdom of God as it will exist in the future. The pastors, deacons, missionaries, and godly parents of the future are all children today. If our communication of the gospel is the means used for converting one of these saints, then the spiritual house of God is one living stone closer to completion (1 Peter 2:5)! By serving children today, we may work to enhance the future kingdom of God, and thus work to display His glory even more magnificently in the world.

Lay a strong foundation, then! Look to those youth whom God has sovereignly placed in your context of ministry, and seek to preach the gospel to them. Only God can draw a sinner to Himself (John 6:44), but He uses the ministry of His servants to do so (Rom. 10:13-17, 2 Tim. 2:10). Since that is the case, serve Him diligently and wisely, so that His kingdom may advance through all the earth, and in every generation—even those that have yet to come.

--Dean of Admissions

The Meaning of the Cross

2011-10-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

The image of a cross is common in our society. We see it on bumper stickers, necklaces, buildings, and wall art. We are inundated with images of the cross as a universal symbol of Christianity; even many cults that have derived from Christianity seek to use the symbol.

Given the regularity with which we see it, do we really think about what that symbol represents?

Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). Normally, we think about the cross as a symbol of self-denial, and so it is. Even Jesus said that his followers must deny themselves—but the cross is much more than just a symbol for self-denial.

As the author to the Hebrews explained what Christ did on the cross, he summed up the Lord’s work by saying that He ‘tasted death’ (Heb. 2:9). The cross was not first and foremost a place to experience self-denial—it was a place of death. The cross was an instrument of killing, a tool for execution. Only those who were condemned to die experienced the cross.

Ponder that truth for a moment. What Jesus called his disciples to was death via the cross. There are three things we should think about when we consider the cross.

First, the cross is an implement of death. The cross was designed to end the life of everyone who was hung upon it. No one experienced the cross unless they were to be killed.

Second, execution by means of crucifixion entailed an agonizing death. These executions oftentimes took hours to complete, if not longer. People who were crucified experienced untold pain as their life slowly ebbed from their bodies. When you think about the cross, think about sheer agony.

Finally, the cross represented shameful death. It was a punishment reserved for the worst of criminals. As an example of how crucifixion was viewed in the ancient world, Cicero said that even the mention of crucifixion was unworthy of a Roman citizen or a free man (1). Paul demonstrates this same attitude in Philippians 2:8.

The cross had a visceral effect on people in the first century, but it does not seem to have such an effect today. Whether because of mere lack of consideration or because of sin, we seem to have forgotten what the cross was all about, what Jesus endured in his body, and what He called his disciples to. How do we understand the proper depth of meaning that the first churches associated with the cross?

Maybe the best way for us to grasp this idea is to make a simple association in our minds. If you want to know how people in the first century thought about someone being killed by crucifixion, we can draw a simple parallel: it is similar to the way you would feel about someone being killed with a wood chipper. The cross is a wood chipper! Nothing else in our day fittingly represents the gruesome, agonizing, destructive power of the cross as an instrument of death.

Think about it: what would you do if Jesus had said, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his wood chipper daily and follow me’? That is in effect what Jesus called his disciples to.

What about you? When you see the image of the cross, do you react as if it were a wood chipper? If not, maybe you need to recover the biblical depth of meaning that was associated with this gruesome tool of death. Following Jesus as Lord entails self-denial, self-sacrifice—and the willingness to die an agonizing death for the sake of His name. Will you take up your cross and follow him?

--Dean of Admissions

(1) Cicero, In Defense of Rabirius. Quoted by John R. W. Stott in The Cross of Christ, p. 30.

Stumbling Blocks

2011-10-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

The Bible issues harsh warnings against causing another person to stumble into sin. One such cautionary statement is found in Matthew 18:7 where the Lord said, “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”

Jesus proclaimed woe upon any person who became a ‘block’ of stumbling; any person whose actions or presence provides an open door for sin is one such ‘block.’ There are grave consequences for leading another person into sin. Consider Matthew 18:6, where Jesus said it would be better to have a heavy millstone hung around your neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea than to cause a believer to stumble. Those are sobering words!

Examine your life, then, and see if there is any way that you act as a stumbling block in the life of another. There are at least three possible ways we may be a ‘block’ of stumbling.

First, our actions can provide an open door for another to sin. If you treat another person with constant harshness, you are providing a challenging situation that might make it easy for them to sin. You do not cause them to sin (cf. James 1:14-15), but your actions may create a scenario in which they give into the sin in their heart. Also, by failing to rebuke someone, you might make it easier for them to persevere in their sin. In any case, we must watch that our actions do not cause others to stumble.

Second, our example might cause others to stumble. It is sad that our disobedient actions may serve as an example for our brothers and sisters who, then, because of their own weakness, give in to the temptations of the flesh. Yet, that is the world in which we live. Our sin can have unintended consequences—we do not know how a particular instance of sin might influence another person. In all that we do, we must make sure that our example does not make us a block of stumbling to another!

Third, our worldview might cause others to stumble. When we have an unbiblical view of sin or of temptation, we can draw others into a wicked mindset. If a trusted person says that a particular action is not sinful, we are more prone to do that action—even when the Bible clearly marks it out as sin. We must constantly strive to ensure that we are being Christ-centered and Bible-minded when we describe the world so that we do not label darkness as light and vice versa. By failing to have a truthful analysis of the world, we might entice others to sin.

What should we do when we encounter stumbling blocks, when we are tempted to engage in a sinful action? Jesus also gives a very shocking command in Matthew 18:8-9. He said that even if a member of our own body caused us to stumble, we should be willing to perform a radical amputation so that we would avoid sin. This statement shows the great danger of sin; the fact is that sin can lead to such trauma that we ought rather be crippled than engage in it!

Christians—beware of being a stumbling block to the family of Christ. When you encounter such blocks of stumbling, fight against sin in the strength of the Spirit! Set your priorities in line with Kingdom of God so that you have a right perspective when you are tempted. In doing so, pray that God will give you grace to persevere in trials and know that He is faithful (1 Thes. 5:23-24).

--Dean of Admissions

Bearing Burdens

2011-10-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

In the life of a church, there will be many sad instances of sin in the members of the body. Given that Christians still struggle with desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:17) as those desires wage war against the Spirit (Rom. 7:23), it is obvious that Christians will both sin and be sinned against at various times. In some ways, it is easier to describe the biblical response to our own sin than the biblical response to being sinned against.

Thankfully, God has not left us without instruction in this matter. Paul instructed the Galatians in parallel circumstances, and we should heed his commands. He said:

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2)

Whenever someone is caught in sin—Paul even says in any sin—the Spirit-minded Galatians were to restore such a person, and to do so with gentleness. This is a very difficult calling for the church to fulfill because it requires the individual members of the body to love the offender. Each Christian has to lay aside whatever personal vengeance he might want to enact and instead restore the offender to fellowship (cf. also 2 Cor. 2:6-8).

It is challenging for us to lay aside grievances in order to restore someone who has trespassed. Even more challenging, however, is restoring that trespasser with gentleness. This truly is a high calling, since it calls for an attitude that is beyond what human nature is capable of. Yes, even pagans may appear to forgive and restore those who trespass, but only the Holy Spirit can bring about true forgiveness with an attitude of gentleness (cf. Gal. 5:19-23). Doing so is contrary to our normal, fleshly desires.

Paul does not end his instructions there, however. He adds another command that seems incredibly difficult when we have been sinned against. Instead of rubbing the other person’s nose in their sin (what is called ‘being historical’), Paul commanded the Galatians to look to themselves! He reminded the Galatians that they are not above temptation, and that if they are not careful, they may stumble as well. How humbling!

Yet Paul goes on! His final command might seem the hardest for us to fulfill. He said in verse 2, “Bear one another’s burdens.” This statement shows that Christians, when they have caught a brother in sin, must not attack that person—but serve them. Does not that seem like a reversal of what is fair?

How can God call us to restore a trespasser, and not only to restore that person, but to do so with gentleness? On top of that, how can God justly call us to then go and serve that person, bearing their burden?

He can call us to do that because that is what He did for us in Christ. When Paul issued this command, it was squarely in line with the gospel that he proclaimed. God’s instructions to us are parallel to what He had already done—consider 1 Peter 2:24: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” We will never atone for anyone’s sin, of course, but we do have a restorative role to play in the context of the church when someone sins. God’s command to us is that we serve those who seem utterly unworthy of our service. In gently restoring trespassers and bearing their burdens, we will give a testimony to the gospel itself.

When we are sinned against, we must respond with grace. Penitent trespassers are to be handled gently, with great grace, as if they were a worthy lord and as if we were their servants! This command can be difficult to stomach, at least until we remember the gospel. The gospel is the foundation for this command, and if we remember that, I believe we will have the strength to fulfill the law of Christ. May God give us the ability to do so!

--Dean of Admissions

Motivation for Heavenly Meditation

2011-09-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set you minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

—The Apostle Paul, Colossians 3:1-3

I believe that every Christian experiences seasons of spiritual difficulty and discouragement, when God seems to retreat behind the dark clouds of Providence or when temptations feel overwhelming. In these seasons, the world’s deceptive appeal seems to shine brighter than ever (Mark 4:19, Heb. 3:13), and heavenly life appears dim and distant from reality. Even seminary students, who are privileged regularly to study the Bible and theology, feel the great weight of the sinful flesh working on a finite mind. What can we do to correct our thinking during these challenging periods of our lives?

Mercifully, God has given us a remedy. Paul, in Colossians 3, instructs the church regarding their thought life.

What Paul told these Christians is instructive for us as well, so that whenever we struggle to correct our thinking we can apply the same truths in the same way. These few verses give us great encouragement as we fight the battle for our minds. Notice how Paul instructs these Christians.

First, what he said is based on the gospel. His statements are conditioned on the acceptance of the gospel: “If you have been raised with Christ….” The commands that he issues are only applicable to Christians, because only through the gospel can one die and still have life—and heavenly life at that! In fact, these instructions only make sense for those who have counted gain in this life as loss so that they may know Christ (cf. Phil. 3:7-9). What Paul tells them is based on the best possible news, namely that their future hope of existence (and their current existence) is securely guarded “with Christ in God” in the heavenly places.

Paul reminds them of the great encouragement that exists in the gospel because of what God has done for them in Christ. This helps us as Christians when we are discouraged or downtrodden because it places our focus on the glory of God as it is displayed in Christ. In all circumstances we can look to the riches of God’s grace which are given in Christ, and we can know that no suffering can take away the hope we have in Him.

Second, what Paul said was based on reality. The things he told these Christians were true at the moment that he wrote them; the blessings were not just coming in the future, but they were already possessed by the Colossian church. Christ was, at that very moment, seated with God in the heavenly places, interceding for His saints (Heb. 7:25). In addition, the Christians in that church had died! More importantly, they had new spiritual life and vitality in Christ, who was their life (Col. 3:4).

These same things should compel us to set our minds on the heavenly realities because they are so much more important than our earthly circumstances. These heavenly realities also have immediate implications for how we live here on earth, as Paul makes clear in verse 6 and following. God has great grace and love for His children, and that love is on glorious display in the gospel. Remembering these things will help to correct any fallacious thinking that creeps into our minds.

Finally, as we see throughout the Bible, what God promises His children is not the removal of difficulty but the grace to overcome even the greatest opposition. This is evident because Paul does not say that God will make it easy for them to resist the appeal of ‘what is on the earth,’ but instead he gives them a lofty command with spiritual reasoning. The fulfillment of these commands will be brought about by God’s strength so that as the Colossians bear the fruit of righteousness, all the glory will be given to God (cf. Col. 1:10-11, Phil. 1:10-11). This was true even in Paul’s own life (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7-10). In the midst of Paul’s trials, God gave him spiritual strength by setting his mind on spiritual realities in the gospel (Gal. 2:20, Phil. 3:7-11).

Christians—be encouraged! God has given you a rich resource to offset the deluding influence of the world. God has given you His own Word so that you renew your mind constantly, fighting against the natural tendencies that plague us. Heed Paul’s command—set your mind on the things above, where Christ is. Set your minds on the gospel; set your mind on reality as it exists in Christ. In doing these things, rely on God, and see if He will not grant you strength to persevere in even the most severe affliction.

He is good—set your mind on Him!

--Dean of Admissions

Evil Men and Impostors

2011-09-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

“…But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

—the apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 3:13

The apostle warned his beloved disciple Timothy about false teachers who propagated falsehood and who believed it themselves. Sadly, there are many such people today. There are many who spread lies about the Bible, or who corrupt the truth of the gospel with error.

It is important to note that Paul said that these people were deceived—not only did they spread a toxic brew of lies, they accepted and truly believed what they taught. Such people are especially hard to counteract because they can appear genuine and sincere.

Nevertheless, examine how Paul described such persons; he called them “evil men and impostors.” As such, the influence of the deceived is to be strongly counteracted by gospel light and truth. Paul actively fought against falsehood as the apostle of Christ, even as he said he was “destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:5). For Paul, error and truth were not academic matters, but were matters of life and death in the churches.

He fought darkness by shining the piercing light of truth—look at Colossians 2:1-4. What Paul told them, he told them because he wanted to ensure that no one would delude them ‘with a persuasive argument’ (Col. 2:4). There are many persuasive and plausible arguments in the world that can only be opposed by the truth of the Bible. At the same time, we can trust that the Lord has given us sufficient knowledge in the Scriptures to oppose all error. We have more than adequate light to dispel even the darkest of the devils lies!

This does not mean that the dispelling of darkness is an easy task, though. Rather, it is something that we must train for, that we must prepare our minds for beforehand. When we suffer for the sake of the gospel, Peter says, we should always be ready “to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15). I believe that this requires a great deal of thought, study, and training. How will you know how to counteract error with truth, unless you have a solid foundation in the Word of God? How will you gain a solid foundation without study?

God has given us His Word for the purpose of knowing Him. One fringe benefit of the Word, however, is that we can learn the truth in order to defend ourselves and our spiritual family against the errors of the deceived. In addition, God may even open the eyes of those who are in darkness, saving them by His sovereign grace (2 Tim. 2:24-26).

Study, then! I encourage you all to dig into the Word of God with eagerness, seeking to know God in truth, being able to defend your hope with undeniable truth. May God be glorified by the spread of light in the midst of darkness. May He bring a new reformation to our hearts, to our minds, and—through His Word at work in us—to our land.

Soli Deo Gloria!

--Dean of Admissions

Excellence

2011-09-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men….”

–Paul, Col. 3:23

Given the cultural setting in which we live, one way that Christians can honor the Lord is by distinguishing themselves as hard workers. It is very good that Christians in the past were recognized for their ‘Protestant work ethic,’ a phrase that connoted diligence and perseverance. Such actions reflect gloriously on the Master and Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, who was Himself an incredibly hard worker—even when functioning like the humblest slave (John 13:1-16).

So then, students, do your work with excellence! Exercise diligence in your studies and in your service, regardless of what the nature of your work is. Paul said, “Whatever you do…” was to be done as for the Lord.

In addition, all work is to be done heartily, which uses a Greek phrase that means ‘with soul’ or ‘with breath.’ The idea is that we would work so fully, capably, and happily that it seems like we are doing the work for God Himself instead of some human master. Both at school and at our vocation, the quality of our work should be so high that if it were worshipfully submitted to God it would be a pleasing sacrifice in His holy eyes.

Strive for excellence in all the labor that the Lord has given you. When you excel, humbly ensure that the Lord gets all the glory for your work, knowing that He has done this good thing in you. I trust that such an offering will be pleasing in His eyes.

--Dean of Admissions

The Importance of People

2011-09-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to think about the enormous importance of people? Other human beings play crucial roles in our lives—our parents, siblings, spouse, children, bosses, workers, leaders, and friends are all different people with whom we are connected. Consider the vast impact that they have on your life.

Someone raised you, provided for you, trains you, depends on you, encourages you, and on and on. Other people are often the source of some of the greatest joy and the greatest frustration that we will know in this life. The delight and pain of relationships is a fundamental aspect of what it means to live as a human in the world that God created. People are vitally important to our lives.

So treasure them.

Too often we undervalue human relationships, even if we do so unconsciously. It is all too rare that we stop and consider what a blessing it is to have other human beings around us in our day to day lives. God has given them to us for our blessing, growth, and joy. They exist to minister to us and for us to minister to. If you struggle to appreciate other human beings, consider these three things.

First, all human beings are creatures of God. As such, they are beings created in the image of God, no matter how far short of His glory they fall. Our treatment of those made in the image of God reflects the way we treat God Himself (cf. James 3:9). Generally, we are called to love our neighbors, regardless of the way that they treat us (Matt. 5:44, 22:36-40). You cannot fulfill that command without having significant interaction with other people. Human beings are also eternal creatures—every human being will spend an eternity in either heaven or hell. When you interact with people, then, you should be mindful of how much thought and care God has put into the making of each one. He has given each one the immense privilege and duty of resembling Him and called them to love those who look like Him. Give that some thought.

Second, as a Christian, you must recognize that other Christians are the very children of God by adoption. God chose and loved each Christian with a fatherly and redeeming love. He took special care to save the soul of each Christian by providing His own unique Son as a perfect Substitute, then lovingly regenerated them with the Spirit, cleansing their hearts by faith (Rom. 5:17-18, Rom. 8:32, Titus 3:5, Acts 15:9). They are His children, the beloved of God, the ones whom He will defend and avenge (2 Thes. 1:6). God highly values His children and does not take it lightly when they are mistreated. They, in one sense, are the object of God’s attention in this world. He places a high value on them—and so should you.

Finally, it is people whom God has chosen to redeem in order to demonstrate His grace. Reflect for a moment on the implications this has on your actions. If you are a Christian, you are able to take part in the glorious sanctification and edification of the church. God has chosen the church as the platform or the stage where He can magnificently manifest His gracious character. This means that people—individuals, people just like you and me—are redeemed, and that that redemption of people is the primary arena where God’s glory is displayed. If you do not value the relationships that God has providentially placed in your life, beware! God has an incredible plan to make His glory known, and it is seen most clearly in the lives of human beings, for that is where the cross of Christ shows forth its power. Do not think lightly of other people, for God does not.

People are incredibly important to us, even at the level of our physical sustenance. You would not exist to read this without other people. More importantly, God has so worked that people are the living stones of which His temple is built (1 Peter 2:5, Eph. 2:21-22). Highly value other people, then, and ask God to help you live with them as you ought. His glory is at stake in such relationships!

--Dean of Admissions

(Bonus points to anyone who can identify the location where the above picture was taken.)

Spiritual Health Assessment, Part 2

2011-09-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

As we said last time, spiritual health is an aspect of our existence that is incredibly important—and often neglected. How can we be better aware of our spiritual health? I believe there are three areas of our lives that we need to consider in this regard.

First, we must regularly assess ourselves. In one regard it seems unlikely that such an endeavor is even possible, given the deceptive nature of our own sinful hearts and of sin in general (Jer. 17:9, Heb. 3:13), yet the apostles commanded the churches of God to do this very thing (1 Cor. 11:28-31, 2 Cor. 13:5, 2 Peter 1:10-11). We should judge our own spiritual state based on the Word of God because it stands outside of us (apart from our sin), and because God uses it for that very purpose (Heb. 4:12-13). We should regularly be examining our own spiritual state to see if we are living in obedience—or to see if we are even Christians at all!

Second, we should be appreciative when others assess our spiritual health, even when such an assessment is uninvited. The reason that we should be grateful is that these outside assessors do not have the same blind spots we have when we examine ourselves. We tend to have too high (or too low) a view of specific elements of our own spiritual maturity, and these people may reveal something to us that would be hidden to our self-assessment. When others give a spontaneous evaluation of us, we should listen with trust that their motives are right (1 Cor. 13:7).

However, that does not mean that we should uncritically affirm their evaluation, whether it is bad or good. Rather, we should analyze the outside evaluation with the Bible and prayerfully examine it. It may be an accurate assessment, or maybe partially accurate. It may be entirely false. In any case, we should be careful not to reject or accept it immediately, but we should meditate on the Bible to see if it is accurate, and then respond accordingly. The danger of receiving a favorable assessment from another person is that we love to hear good things about ourselves, even if they are false. Again, we must guard against our own deceitful hearts and ensure that God’s Word is truly our standard.

Third, we should happily and graciously assess the spiritual health of others. In the most formal occurrence, this is what happens in church discipline when it occurs in line with Matthew 18:15-17. Informally, this is what happens when Christians talk and encourage one another or exhort one another. Biblically counseling our brothers and sisters in Christ requires these assessments, so that whether we see the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of sin we respond accordingly with encouragement or rebuke. It is important to do this happily because it is a difficult task to undertake. It is challenging to stand before a sibling in Christ and deliver a biblical rebuke. On the other hand, the rewards of a biblical rebuke can be so great that even the most timid Christian can lovingly deliver one. The potential results of rebuke are increased obedience to God, increased love for the church, and increased fellowship between believers. This is truly a great reward!

If we would address our own spiritual health and the spiritual health of others with zeal and diligence, the church may very well blossom in a new age of joy and obedience! Sadly, there are few churches (much less individuals) that practice spiritual medicine on a regular basis. It sometimes takes great crises or scandals to awaken our senses to the spiritual plagues of our day—and by that point, it is usually too late. We ask God that He would stir us up to great zeal in this matter, so that the church may grow to a state of bodily health and maturity for His glory and for our good. You, then, Christian, should begin with yourself. Assess your spiritual health in line with God’s Word, and as you grow, help others to do the same.

May God grant that a new era of health and vitality sweep through the churches!

--Dean of Admissions

Spiritual Health Assessment, Part 1

2011-09-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Regular physical health checkups are an important part of many people’s yearly schedules. These assessments help us to gauge our well-being based on a number of indicators, which are individual aspects of fitness that reflect on our overall state. Many people religiously schedule these visits to the doctor—while an equal number probably put them off indefinitely. In either case, our physical health is rarely a matter of indifference since even those who avoid the doctor are concerned about the state of their bodily soundness (Eph. 5:29).

Given the amount of attention (and worry) that people devote to their bodies, does not it seem somewhat funny how little care we devote to our souls? We meditate at length about how we can train, nourish, clothe, clean, beautify, and enhance our bodies, yet few of us give regular attention to the state of our spiritual health—and if we are thinking reasonably, we should give extreme attention to our heavenly health!

For some people, spiritual vitality is almost never an object of consideration. They give little thought to the individual aspects of spiritual fitness that reflect on their overall state of health as a Christian. What are those indicators of health or sickness?

First, obedience is a helpful measure for us. If we wish to know how much we love the Lord, we should examine the degree to which we treasure obedience and hate sin (cf. John 14:15). In 1 John, holy living is an indicator of spiritual vitality (2:5-6, 2:29, 3:9, 5:3-4) and the absence of holiness indicates spiritual deadness (2:15)! I am not saying that our obedience saves us or gives us merit before God (cf. Luke 18:9-14, Rom. 10:3), but that everyone who has been saved by Christ alone will therefore strive to obey Him (Eph. 2:8-10, Titus 2:14), and that this obedience is a marker of our health or sickness. Consider an analogy.

A Christian is considering marrying an outwardly moral but unbelieving pagan. If that Christian goes through with that marriage, it would be like having all of your hair fall out in large clumps. Can you live without your hair? Absolutely. Is a person dead if their hair falls out suddenly? No, not necessarily. But if all of your hair fell out at once you would be gravely concerned about the state of your bodily health. Suddenly losing all of your hair is an indicator of more serious problems that remain hidden. It would be the same for that Christian: marrying an unbeliever is a frightening indication of spiritual insensitivity to sin—and might actually be an indicator of total spiritual deadness.

We can assess our spiritual health in part, then, by examining whether we are striving for holiness or we are indifferent to obedience.

Second, an abundance of loving service is an indicator of spiritual life and health (1 John 2:10, 3:10, 3:14, 3:18-20). Dedication to the needs and preferences of others is indication that we are truly taught by God (1 Thes. 4:9-10). Generous ministry, for example, is obedience to the confession of the gospel (2 Cor. 9:13) and is indicative of the operation of the surpassing grace of God (2 Cor. 9:14).

Third, our level of spiritual health is indicated by our interaction with the Word of God. If a person is humble before God’s Word and has true knowledge of it, then it likely that that person is spiritually mature (John 8:31-32). There are biblical doctrines that are provided to the spiritually mature (1 Cor. 2:6), and orthodoxy is generally given as one indication of true faith (1 John 2:23-24, 4:6, 4:15, 5:1). Fidelity to the Word of God is basic to our spiritual growth and health, and deep longing for it is indicative of increasing maturity (Ps. 119:123-128).

These three things help us know whether we are growing, stagnating, or somewhere in between. We should be careful to assess our spiritual health, for the ramifications are far more serious than for physical health. God is good to bless His children—and part of that blessing is gloriously correcting us when we stray into destructive sin. Assess your spiritual health, and pray that God would give you clear insight into your own maturity (Rom. 12:3).

In all things, seek to glorify God in Christ. If you are healthy, praise Him (Rom. 6:17-18)! If you find you are unhealthy, repent and reexamine the gospel of God’s grace. “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10). In any case, seek an accurate assessment of the health of your soul—may God give you blessed spiritual and physical health (3 John 1:2).

--Dean of Admissions

Final Exam

2011-09-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

As we prepare for another semester at Christ Seminary, it is helpful to keep the end in mind. Remembering the goal of our labor helps us to focus on what is most important. The conclusion of many types of classes, though not as much at Christ Seminary, is successfully passing a final exam.

When I was in seminary, a professor gave me a beneficial reminder (and wake-up call) related to final exams. It was the last session of my first semester and the professor had just given the instructions for the exam, when he said this:

“Remember—the real final exam for this class is Judgment Day.”

Sobering, isn’t it? Few things help to put classes, books, papers, and life in general into perspective like a reminder that we will all stand before the judgment seat of the living God, and give Him an account (Rom. 14:10-12). It would be less awesome and terrible if He did not know all secrets and plan to disclose them, but, as we know from Scripture, He does know and He will disclose (Rom. 2:16, 1 Cor. 4:5, Heb. 4:13, Acts 1:24, Prov. 10:9). This is who God is.

Remember, then, in all of your studies in the coming semester, that you are a steward of the grace of God. If you are a Christian, you are the beneficiary of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and you are a guardian of the gospel. Much has been entrusted into your care, and much will be required of you (Luke 12:48). Mercifully, it is the Lord—the very One who will examine you!—who will also keep you from stumbling (Jude 1:24-25)!

If you are not a Christian, then God has caused this blog post to fall into your hands by some mysterious providence, and you must also know that God has given you very much and that much will be required of you as well. God has given you life and breath, health and ability, capacity of mind and of body. He has fed you, given you drink, sustained you, protected you, provided for your every need, and has often withheld His wrath from falling on you immediately, though you deserve utter punishment. You, too, will stand before Him in this final examination of mankind. There is only one way to prepare for that day, only one way to make sure that it is not the worst day of your existence.

Repent and believe in the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ!

If you are a Christian, you too should prepare for that final examination. Examine your life to see if there are any hurtful ways in your manner of living (Ps. 139:24). Pray that God would protect you from the domination of sin (Ps. 19:13). Make it your ambition to be pleasing to God in every aspect of your character and actions (2 Cor. 5:9). These things can only be accomplished by God’s help, through the power He provides, and for His glory.

We all need to remember that this life will culminate in a final, eschatological examination. Whatever tests and exams we may face until then are mere precursors and forerunners to that great event. There is coming a day when we shall all be examined to the uttermost—and this final examination will be cumulative. Prepare, then, for that day! There is no reason to be found apart from Christ, or to be found an unrighteous steward. The Lord will grant Christians the grace to pass the examination by the finished work of Christ (Rom. 5:1, Rom. 8:1, Col. 2:13-14, Titus 3:4-7)! Praise Him!

--Dean of Admissions

Translation, Interpretation, and Reading in Color (Part 2)

2011-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Last time we examined the question of whether or not it is worthwhile to learn Greek and Hebrew. I argued that yes, it was worthwhile, because it increases our awareness of linguistic structures, it opens valuable resources to us, and removes a layer of interpretation from our reading. There is another reason, however, that learning Greek and Hebrew is so beneficial—and in my mind, this is the icing on the cake.

Fourth and finally, it is worthwhile for students and pastors to learn Greek and Hebrew because of the richness and joy that it provides. One pastor described it as ‘reading in color.’ What he meant was that the textures of texts—that is, the shades of meaning, the subtler nuances of language—were now immediately apparent, rather than coming to light through the arduous use of linguistic tools. A student or pastor who is absolutely proficient in Greek and Hebrew will be able to complete his exegesis with relative ease (and, probably, joyful ease). Yes, reading in the original languages can be joyful—it should be joyful!—and not toilsome labor.

Reading the Words of our God should always be a delightful exercise, but slothful, sinful minds will always be distracted by difficulty. Difficulty is responsible for much sluggardly exegesis in this fallen world and especially in this age of laziness. Learning Greek and Hebrew will be difficult, I assure you, but I believe that proficiency in these languages will provide great light from God’s Word, and such light often tends to illuminate and drive away even the gravest of difficulties. The difficulty of this learning is real, and not imagined, but it will yield such rewards as are fitting for those who endure great difficulty for God’s name (2 Tim. 2:3-6).

If what was once laborious became elementary (with a righteous ease), would you not think that was worthwhile? For the rest of our lives we will spend time in the exegesis of Scripture in one language or another. Why not make that language Greek or Hebrew? Even if learning these languages took you ten years, you would have them for the rest of your life!

Admittedly, Greek and Hebrew are not for everyone. The investment of time and effort to learn these languages is great, and even greater if one wishes to master them. Not all people have the opportunity to do such things—for some, it is simply not possible. But does not that make it even sweeter a goal for anyone who can?

Being able to read the Bible in the original texts, as nearly as we are able to produce them, is no small treasure. The Word itself is a treasure because it is our source of knowledge about our Invisible God. How precious it is, then, to have ease in understanding when we pick up the Scriptures! May God grant that we all, as many as are able, will invest the time and effort so that we too can ‘read in color.’ May it please Him!

--Dean of Admissions

Translation, Interpretation, and Reading in Color (Part 1)

2011-08-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

Biblical Greek and Hebrew are some of our most popular classes at Christ Seminary, and rightly so. As we have said in the past, all theological development must take place in the context of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and so language is crucial to theological endeavors of every sort. Even at the level of the English text, knowledge of and consideration for the specific language of each passage is fundamentally important.

The question must be asked, however—is it worthwhile to spend the time learning two entire languages just so we can read the Bible in the original? Given the presence of several, reliable English translations, and the massive amount of time it takes to learn Greek and Hebrew, shouldn’t we focus our attention elsewhere?

My answer is that learning Greek and Hebrew has great intrinsic value for pastoral candidates and for serious Bible students. There are a number of reasons for this.

First, learning another language helps us better grasp linguistic structures. Students will find exegesis in English to be extremely challenging if they do not have a solid understanding of basic grammar. Learning the structure of another language helps to reinforce our grammatical comprehension when we examine a passage of Scripture. This learning is helpful because it provides the necessary categories for apprehending the message of a sentence. Learning another language helps our reading in English, in addition to the other benefits.

Second, learning even the basics of Greek or Hebrew is worthwhile because some valuable resources are oriented to the text in the original languages. For example, many commentators choose to deal with matters of diction, verb form, and textual variants in the original language. Even transliterations are almost useless to a student unless they understand the difference between two verb forms, say, or the semantic domain of two words in the original. Knowing the foundations of Greek and Hebrew will open valuable scholastic resources to students, giving them access to several lifetimes’ worth of exegetical works. This, of course, greatly facilitates interpretation.

Third, by gaining proficiency in Greek and Hebrew, students of the Bible will be able to remove an entire layer of interpretation when they read the text of Scripture. We should praise God for the great availability of reliable English translations in our day. At the same time, we need to recognize that even the best translators do some interpretation when they translate the Bible. All translation requires some interpretation because, for example, when faced with two possible, equally likely English translations of a Greek phrase, the translator must choose one phrase over the other based on non-grammatical principles (whether theological, logical, contextual, etc). I am not disparaging this practice, for there is simply no way around it. The fact remains, however, that those ‘other principles’ (theological, logical, and contextual) arise from the translator’s interpretations of the text. If a student is able to read the original languages with ease then the translator’s interpretations will no longer come between the student and the text. This is greatly beneficial (though certainly not necessary in the strict sense).

These reasons are enough to convince me that learning the original languages is valuable, even in light of the massive difficulties that are involved in so doing. Gaining greater access to and greater clarity in reading the Bible is almost always worthwhile. Yet, next time, I hope to discuss the ‘icing on the cake’ with regard to Greek and Hebrew skills. Grace!

--Dean of Admissions

Dealing with Disagreement

2011-08-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

Doctrinal disagreement is an unavoidable aspect of Christian life on this side of heaven. If you spend any amount of time with other believers some debated confessional element will inevitably arise; if you are not careful, it may become a ‘root of bitterness springing up’ and defiling many (Heb. 12:15).

So how should Christians handle doctrinal or practical disagreements? How can we avoid sinning against the body while working through these situations?

Mercifully, the Lord provides commandments for us so that we can resolve disagreements—or live peacefully if no resolution is found.

First, we can ensure that we do not have LIYE syndrome (Log-In-Your-Eye syndrome, cf. Matt. 7:1-5). LIYE syndrome occurs when a fault-finder rebukes another while the fault-finder has the exact same fault on a massive scale in his own life. If we charge others with being illogical or ungracious, we must ask whether our own reasoning is sound and if our attitude is gracious. If we charge others with being unbiblical, can we provide context-consistent verses to support our position? The problem in Matthew 7:1-5 is not with judgment, but with hypocritical judgment. Clearly, the authors of Scripture expected us to judge others in some ways (1 Cor. 5:9-13), though always with a loving purpose (1 Cor. 5:1-5).

Second, when we do correct others in matters of life or doctrine, it should always be done with gentleness and great patience (2 Tim. 2:25, 2 Tim. 4:2) and not with a harsh, judgmental attitude. Remember, when you disagree with someone, they believe they are correcting you as well. Harsh words will probably stir up anger (Prov. 15:1). Within the context of the Christian church, whether you are an elder or leader in the church (like Timothy) or a congregant, your attitude should be kind and gracious as you work toward a resolution.

Third, having gentleness and patience does not entail entering every debate. There are issues that should be avoided because they are not profitable, such as issues of speculation (1 Tim. 1:4, 2 Tim. 2:23). Sometimes it will be necessary to take hard stands against false doctrine (e.g. 1 Tim. 6:3-5, or the letter to the Galatians). In everything, our desire should be to see the doctrines of the Word of God more clearly, so only disagreements revolving around the Bible should be entertained. This will sound unnecessarily restrictive to some, but it includes a massive array of doctrines and all the connected truths. The Bible is also the authority for solving these debates. Matters about which the Word of God is silent should be left well enough alone.

Finally, we must be thoughtful Christians. We all stumble in many ways (James 3:2). No one alive today has totally perfect theology—error pervades all of our thinking to one degree or another. If everyone disagrees, though, does that mean there are many, exclusive truths? No, there is one, unified body of truth that exists in Christ Jesus (John 14:6, Eph. 4:21). Even though good and godly teachers disagree about issues, some of them are wrong and some are right. Who is right or wrong must be determined by the Word, but even those who are right in some matter will be wrong in other matters (though they are not wrong intentionally, of course). It is inevitable while we life in a fallen world. This should not cause us to despair, but to be humble and to diligently continue in His Word (John 8:31-32).

Gracious, Christian love is the final ethic for Christians in the midst of dispute. No one is privileged with a comprehensive grasp of all truth—but every true Christian knows some. Until the days of our dwelling in heaven we must trust the Lord, abide in His Word, and serve His body with love.

May He grant us peace in the meantime!

--Dean of Admissions

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus of Nazareth, John 13:35

Love and Seminary

2011-08-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

The successful completion of a seminary degree is not a virtue if it is alone. In fact, there are times when the completion of a course of study at seminary is actually harmful and unhelpful. How can this be?

It has to do with the fact that study at seminary (or theological studies of any kind) can sometimes be completed solely at the level of propositional knowledge. There are diverse stores of knowledge to be gathered in these types of study: knowledge of languages, locations of verses, names and works of theologians, etc. Knowledge at the propositional level is an integral part of theology, yet, there are more important aspects of the Christian life than the possession of knowledge. Knowledge is important (cf. Rom. 10:2-3), but it is not a virtue that stands alone (cf. 1 Cor. 13:2).

Theological education bears only bitter fruit if it does not include a proportionate increase in love as students increase in knowledge. This is true whether that education occurs at the kitchen table, at the church pew, or at the seminary desk. This danger is especially prevalent at seminary, however, because that is where theological training is most likely to be divorced from both the family and church structures for confronting sin.

One goal of every seminary should be to ensure that professors and students grow in grace as they grow in knowledge, and that should be bolstered with support from both the family and the church body. Seminaries exist to serve the Lord through providing trained ministers for the church—seminaries are subservient to both families and churches. Neither the home nor the pulpit is served well if seminaries produce knowledgeable, equipped men who are swollen with venomous pride.

One way to guard against such pride is to swell one’s love instead of one’s self-estimation. Love, where it originates truly and from the Holy Spirit, will quell pride and cause theological knowledge to serve the purposes of God by serving others. This occurs in two ways.

First, love provides the right motive to enter into seminary training. If the motives of a student are to please God by service to the church (Col. 1:10), it is very unlikely that he will finish his studies as a conceited man (though it is not impossible). In this way, having a loving motive helps him to focus on the advancement of others through his own theological education. One example of this would be a man who learns biblical counseling methods so that he can glorify God by counseling and encouraging downcast Christians. As he enters the seminary, this loving motive will prevent him from focusing on his own increased counseling skills as a means of self gratification.

Second, love provides the foundation of ministry toward others. As the graduate has increased in his knowledge of God’s truth and of God’s proscribed methods, he has considered others to be more important than himself (Phil. 2:3). If the motive of love sets his focus on the right thing in the first place, a ministry of love will keep it firmly planted there. His own successes (which are really God’s anyway) will not distract him, but will fire his zeal for others with sweet joy, driving him onward into even further ministry. Ministry that is truly loving will perpetuate itself because neither success nor sorrow can turn it aside from God to focus on itself.

May God grant us, then, the grace to focus on Himself as the most glorious, worthy, beautiful, wonderful goal of all ministry. May love for His name and love for His people inform all our motives for future service and for our present ministry. It would be a rich blessing to focus on Him and on others in this way.

If you intend to enter seminary, or if you are a student already, or a graduate, check your heart. Are you a loving person, or are you a person who is self-absorbed? Do your motives for study reflect the glory of God, or do they resemble sinful selfishness? If it is the latter, repent from this sinful course, and flee to Jesus! Learn from Him—He is gentle and humble of heart (Matt. 11:29), and He came to serve others (Mark 10:45). Let us all imitate Him more and more!

--Dean of Admissions

The Foundation of Theology

2011-08-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

When we consider the task of theological study and education, it is sometimes helpful to ask very basic questions. For example, “Is it possible to know God, and if so, why is it possible?” Or, “Does theology relate to other types of knowledge, and if so, how?” These are fundamental questions, the answers to which will determine the total possible outcome of our theological examination.

Another crucial question that we must ask is this: what is the foundation of theology? By asking this question, we are assuming (safely, I think) that theology is a unified body of knowledge about a person, namely God. But upon what is this knowledge based? What is source document or documents that we look to in order to gather data or assess our conclusions? I believe there is a single foundation to all theology.

The Bible is the sole, authoritative source for all of our knowledge about God. Simply put, there is no other trustworthy source of information about the character and person of God. All theology (all true theology, at least) stems and blossoms from the Word of God. Not philosophy, nor natural theology, nor rationalism, nor sages, nor mystics can supplement—much less match!—the Word of God. That being said, we also depend on the Holy Spirit and on Jesus Christ, apart from whom we cannot apprehend such knowledge, but all of their revelation to us comes through the Bible as a means. Even the true information we have from creation (Rom. 1:20) does not inform our relational theology unless we are first informed by the Bible.

Not only is the Bible the sole source of this knowledge, but reading the Bible is fundamental to all development of theology—there are no exceptions to this rule. Any student of theology who is not deeply involved in reading and meditating upon the Word of God is bound to develop erroneous ideas about who God is. At the very least (deeply understating the facts), Scripture acts like lines on the road that guide us in the direction of more accurate knowledge of God—or if we are really headed the wrong direction, Scripture is like guardrails that hinder further progress in a dangerous direction.

In light of all this, what do we do with other theological resources? How do we view those who wish to teach us, or books that are popular or highly recommended? Though the Bible is the sole source of theological knowledge, that does not mean we can never learn from others. In fact, humility demands that we learn from those whom God has placed over us (cf. 1 Peter 5:5). It can be very helpful to read the theological writings of those who have gone before us and we should seek to ‘stand on the shoulders’ of these giants. Nevertheless, these men and books can never take the place of the Bible. The Bible remains the ultimate standard of all theological teaching—every preacher, teacher, parent, scholar, or author must be judged on the basis of the Word of God. Even the apostles were excited to see that people searched the Scriptures to find out if they were speaking the truth (Acts 17:11). This is an expectation that every godly teacher should have!

The Bible is the norm that norms all other norms, as someone famous once said. It is the sole foundation for all our knowledge about the eternal, immortal King. Any student who seeks to study theology but who neglects the Word will surely end in error. Guard yourselves, then, in the priority that you place on God’s precious Word. Make sure that studying His Word is central to all of your theological efforts!

--Dean of Admissions

Comprehensive Education

2011-08-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Christ Seminary seeks to provide a large range of classes for students—biblical counseling, surveys, studies, languages, theology, and more. Most seminaries have a broad array of courses available for students, every kind of course from general to very specific. Have you ever stopped to consider why so many different courses of study are available?

Preparation for ministry is a serious task and it requires equally serious preparation. Men who are considering a churchly vocation should not seek to enter that vocation without deep consideration and commitment to this high calling (cf. Heb. 13:17). God explicitly says that not many people should become teachers because of the heightened accountability that comes with that role (cf. James 3:1-2).

Part of the reason that we provide a large range of classes is that men need to be prepared in every way possible if they are to enter the ministry. We provide comprehensive education and training so that we can comprehensively examine and equip each student. We all have many sins that need to be addressed in many areas of our lives, not to mention the plurality of areas in which we need to be trained and informed. We are not searching for perfect students, but for students who are ready to be deeply examined and extensively trained. (I would also like to note that our students are not perfect after graduation, either).

Nevertheless, we should strive to be prepared in whatever ways are possible. Seminary is one means among many that are provided for the training of future pastors—there are many areas that seminary cannot adequately prepare men. There are things that only the Holy Spirit can accomplish in men’s lives. Men must also be shepherded by their pastors, they must teach under the guidance of their elders, and they must apply themselves to other means than just seminary. Seminary is by no means a requirement for pastors, either, as far as the biblical requirements are concerned. Many great and godly pastors have never stepped foot inside a seminary.

On the other hand, many of them did not have the opportunity to be trained in the context of a seminary, and we believe that if those men did have the opportunity they would have availed themselves of it. So seminary education, though not strictly required, is often an expectation where it is available. Seminary education is a wonderful opportunity for a man to be trained in many of the areas that pertain to pastoral ministry.

The reason that seminaries provides extensive training is that the work of the ministry is varied, and much thought and preparation needs to go into each area of practice. Pastoral ministry is no walk in the park—just ask any pastor. A seminary education is of great benefit to pastors themselves and to the congregations that they will serve, and it has often been used by God to sharpen men when they did not know they were dull. A seminary degree does not grant any special ability to any person—yet when God has called a man and when that man obediently pursues ministry, a seminary degree can be of great value and great usefulness for God’s kingdom.

--Dean of Admissions

Seminary and the Fear of Man

2011-08-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

Pursuing a seminary education entails many unique risks and rewards. There are immense payoffs to theological studies, but there are also dangers that must be faced by everyone involved.

One of those dangers is that seminarians would grow in an unbiblical fear of man. There is a proper and right reverence for other humans (e.g. Heb. 13:17, 1 Pet. 5:5, 1 Thes. 5:12), but that is not what I have in mind here. I am talking about the sinful fear of man as is described in Proverbs 29:25: “The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.” There is a real danger in regarding other men as if they had the power of God to harm or to bless—it is essentially idolatry, replacing the Creator with a creature.

This sinful fear of man has a number of manifestations in the context of seminary. First, seminarians can begin to ‘fear’ theological authors. Reading books by people who are much smarter than we are can lead us to honor their opinions in an unhealthy way, as if their intelligence or study protected them from any error. Just because someone has dedicated their life to researching a single area of theology does not mean that they are infallible. Every human author is to be judged by the infallible standard, which is the Bible, the product of the divine Author. The danger is that we would be afraid to disagree with a brilliant human when that human disagrees with Scripture. We must guard our minds so that we do not value even the best author’s opinion over the Word of God.

Second, seminarians can fear theological traditions. This is similar to fearing theological authors, but with a broader effect. Some students and pastors are afraid to disagree with the theological traditions in which they are raised. Systems of theology can become shackles that prevent biblical thinking. I am not promoting the idea that we should rid ourselves of traditions, but we must recognize that even the best human traditions are fallible. We must maintain standards of doctrinal purity, no doubt, but we must always be bound by the Bible. The Bible will always correct the imperfect thoughts of the clearest human thinkers. The danger is that, when confronted with a theological question, we would first ask, “What does the tradition say?” instead of, “What does the Bible say?” We must be ruled by the Scriptures—it is happy bondage!

Finally, seminarians can be led astray by the sinful fear of other people with whom they interact. Students can fear their professors and hold them in an unbiblical awe, fearing to question their authority. Students may be overwhelmed with unbiblical fear, causing them to fail to stand up against a system they feel is in contradiction to the Word of God. This danger is also present for professors, however. Professors can be hindered by an unbiblical fear of students when they bend to pressure to hold students to a lower standard. Professors can be afraid to rebuke laziness and lack of diligence in students—and this is an ungodly fear of man. Everyone at seminary must ensure that they sanctify the Lord as the One whom they fear. No human being should be put on par with God, and much less should such a creature wholly displace God from His rightful throne in our hearts!

May God grant us grace to fear Him, that we would heed His Word against all earthly powers and that we would fear Him above all of His creatures. We need help in this area, maybe more than some would care to admit! So, check your heart today. Whom do you fear?

--Dean of Admissions

The Danger of A Tuition-Free Seminary

2011-08-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Providing seminary without tuition can be a dangerous venture. Seminaries are useful tools for the church, since they provide men who have been trained in order to enter the pastorate. Seminaries are the fertile grounds from where biblical research and application yield the fruits of sharp minds, pastoral hearts, and fiery zeal. Nevertheless, when seminaries function as extensions of the church, there are risks involved.

Seminaries—like Christ Seminary—which function without charging students any tuition, can lead to less than ideal results if great care is not taken.

What is the danger? The danger is that people may think that since this training is free, it must therefore be of little value and importance. This is a danger to both students and professors. For students, even students with the best of intentions, the danger is that one may easily fall into a pattern of laziness and indifference with regard to their studies. For professors, the danger is that they will acquiesce to the sinful sloth of students without maintaining high standards.

Consider for a moment why this is such a dangerous situation. The intent of a seminary should be to raise up qualified leaders for the church. These men will be tasked with the ultimate goal of pastoring a church as an undershepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ. The spiritual health of congregations will rest on the shoulders of these pastors (Heb. 13:17). This is a matter of eternal importance! If laziness and dullness creep into the students of a seminary, great harm may befall the churches in that area since the future leaders will be ill-equipped—or non-existent.

Seminary studies should command the greatest attention of any subject, whether for the goal of entering a vocational ministry or merely for the purpose of personal sharpening. What other subject is as relevant to the eternal destiny of every man, woman, and child? Students should apply themselves zealously and diligently to their work, and professors should enforce strict standards of education to ensure that the deceitfulness of sin does not lull any person to spiritual sleepiness.

When students are paying high financial prices to attend seminary, or when they move across the country to attend a certain school, there are built-in costs which function as incentives to stay alert and to be diligent. When seminary is free and local, though, those human incentives are gone, and we must rely on the excellence of the subject and the importance of the outcome as inducements to spiritual zeal. Seminary, while it is not biblically mandated as a qualification for eldership, and while it is not the sole form of preparation, is important where it is available. Those who aspire to ministry or to greater sharpness should apply themselves if possible.

The danger, when things are free, is that we will value them lightly. It is possible to value seminary training lightly and to treat it as a matter of little importance. We know that this is possible because this is how some people treat the gospel. If the gospel comes to us freely—that is, we pay no price to participate in its blessings—do not some people regard it as a matter of little consequence? They do, though they should not. May we never be those who value something lightly because it is free. Let us instead look at the true nature of the thing, whether expensive or free, to see the value we should place on it. May God grant us grace to do so, and to do so biblically!

--Dean of Admissions

Seminary and Real Life

2011-07-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Seminary is an interesting experience for everyone involved—professors, students, and those who serve the church. Just like in other forms of education, there are many facets of seminary life. Theology, church, busyness, and work all make the situation more complex.

Seminary, however, does not always mimic real life. It is impossible for any seminary class, whether practical or doctrinal, to prepare students for all the situations and questions that will face them in real life. There are some circumstances and challenges for which no human training can adequately prepare a person. On the other hand, seminary requires some types of work that will never be necessary in ‘real life.’ Would you congregation care if you do not provide a proper bibliographical citation for a quote in a sermon? It seems unlikely that they would.

The point is that seminary does not perfectly address the situations that exist in real life.

So why bother? Why is seminary training extremely important (though not strictly necessary)?

I believe there are a number of reasons why seminary is important in spite of the fact that it does not mirror real life.

First, most of the curriculum does reflect real life. You will need theological training to be a pastor. You will need to learn to preach. You will need to learn to biblically counsel, and interpret the Bible, and disciple, and visit, and teach. These things are core pastoral duties, and whether you receive training at a seminary or somewhere else, these are necessary. Many seminary classes do prepare students for real situations.

Second, many of the specific class requirements also reflect real life. You may not need to provide academic citations for a quote from a sermon, but you will need to have integrity in your studies. It is possible that you will not write any theological treatises as a pastor, but you will need to think deeply and critically about theological issues. As a student, some reading feels unnecessary and unrelated to the topic of a class—but sometimes pastors have to sift through entire books to find the one piece of biblical analysis that answers a pressing question.

Third, if nothing else, seminary training can be considered training in diligence. Even the parts of seminary that do not reflect real circumstances will benefit the soul of a Christian student if he pursues them with faith, humility, zeal, and a desire to see God glorified. Sometimes young men (and older men, too) need to have their laziness revealed by hard work. Sometimes we need to have our commitment put to the test so that we will be driven to Christ. God’s work on a Christian is not always as clear as we would like—He uses means that cannot be anticipated—but all His work is done in love.

For all these reasons and more, seminary is worth your greatest efforts and zeal, even when it does not seem applicable to real life as you know it. If you are student, then, repent of any sluggishness and press forward to honor God as a student. Submit to your teachers—complete your work—expend yourself in study—because it is ultimately God who is teaching you.

May He grant us all grace to fulfill the roles that He has assigned. Praise Him!

--Dean of Admissions

Learning Greek and Hebrew

2011-07-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

The question of whether or not a student should learn the biblical languages is sometimes posed in the seminary setting. In fact, this is a rather common decision that faces seminary students—how much time and energy should I invest in learning biblical Greek and Hebrew? Given the modern phenomenon of multiple, faithful translations of the Scriptures in the English language, why should we spend the large amount of time necessary to learn entire languages?

I think that these are good questions to ask and to consider but I would argue that every student of theology should strive to become as proficient as possible in both Greek and Hebrew, with one caveat. The caveat is that this study must not endanger other key ministry, functions, or roles in your life. Learning these languages takes consistent time that not everyone can afford at every phase of their life. Learning Greek and Hebrew does not automatically make you godlier or wiser, so compromising other aspects of your Christian walk for the sake of the languages would be foolish.

That being said, why should we labor to learn the languages? What is the benefit we can derive from a comprehensive knowledge of Greek and Hebrew? Why does every seminary worth it’s salt expect students to take at least several semesters of Greek and Hebrew?

There at least four reasons.

First, knowing Greek and Hebrew gives you access to the academic literature that will help you understand the Bible better. Even a basic knowledge of the grammar will help you decipher academic essays and books, but in this case more knowledge is better. While academic research is not necessary for Christian study, it is extremely helpful and anyone who eschews it is casting aside a helpful tool. Academicians have spent countess hours examining texts and distilling patterns but unless you can understand them, they will do you no good.

Second, and related to the issue above, knowing Greek and Hebrew will help you understand important issues like textual variants and textual criticism. Having access to the original languages will allow you to use textual commentaries and lexicons that contain a treasure trove of information about the Bible. If you know Greek and Hebrew, these issues will seem much less intimidating and will not absorb as great a portion of time. Ironically, initial time spent studying Greek and Hebrew can save you much more time later. Additionally, you will not have to rely on the work of others to help you explain these things.

Third, knowing Greek and Hebrew will enhance your exegesis of a text. For the Bible student or the preacher, this is invaluable. A thorough understanding of the original languages will remove several huge obstacles to exposition. If you know the languages well enough, you may not need to constantly consult language resources, but you can spend your time in meditation, prayer, and other preparation. If you have to look up every other work in a lexicon, reading is going to be very difficult and very slow, and your exegesis will most likely suffer for it.

Finally, the ultimate goal of learning the original languages is to read the Bible easily in Greek and Hebrew. If this is accomplished, your knowledge of the Word of God will grow and one major layer of interpretation between you and the Bible will be removed. Unfortunately, as good as any translation can be, it still involves linguistic decisions on the part of the translators that interpret the meaning of the text. The bias of the translators will show through, however subtle it may be. If you can read the text in the original on your own, that shell of interpretation will be peeled back, and you can know the meaning without having to rely on the interpretation of another.

For these four reasons, I believe it is worthwhile to achieve some understanding of Biblical Greek and Hebrew. This requires a significant time commitment and a great amount of diligence, but the rewards cannot be measured by any earthly standard. May God grant us all the grace to know Him better through knowing His Word better!

--Dean of Admissions

When to Read a Bad Book

2011-07-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

Without taking exception to what I have written before, I do believe there is a time and place for reading a bad book or two. Please understand me very carefully—I mean something very specific by that.

There are lots of categories of bad books and I would not encourage reading just any type of bad book. Obviously some books are hateful, or smutty, or full of lies, and I do not encourage you to read these. Do not read what is trashy and futile.

Nevertheless, you should occasionally read a bad book. What I mean is that there are some books which are deficient in overall content or message which are still worth reading. There are at least three categories of bad books that can be read profitably for the Christian student.

First, it is sometimes worthwhile to read bad books that are books of importance. These books can be important to the culture around us or to they can be influential in the church life of our era. Whether they are deceitful and lead people away from biblical faithfulness by misrepresenting Christ (heterodoxy) or they are well-intended but contrary to biblical teaching (hetero-praxy), it can be important to read these books on occasion to know from where the assault is coming. If we know, for example, that biblical models of church government are under attack today, we can shore up our biblical understanding in that area.

Second, there are some bad books that are nevertheless seminal works in some way. These books arrive on the scene like bombshells, changing the cultural or theological landscape as we recognize it. The ideas contained therein take the culture and academy by storm. As a general rule, books of this nature arrive only once or twice a generation if even that often. It can be profitable to read this kind of book to recognize presuppositions and worldview issues that will distinguish the church from the unbelieving world. Reading these books makes us aware of the issues to be vigilant of in our own churches. This kind of bad book is the least common of the three I am describing today.

Finally, there are bad books that are well-reasoned and well-written. Paul does not deny that some erroneous systems of thought can be plausible or persuasive (Col. 2:4). False teachers can write compelling statements with a pleasing literary style—but what they write is still false. The challenge in reading these books is filtering out the truth from the error. This is a good exercise in biblical thinking, testing the words of a man against the infallible Words of God. These books sometimes offer good biblical insights that orthodox scholars have not noted. Nevertheless, they are bad books because the overall messages of these books are false. Reading these books is mental exercise, sharpening and challenging our theological understanding because it drives us deeply to examine the teaching of Scripture. These types of books challenge our preconceived notions and force us to examine our arguments. For that reason, it can be profitable to read them.

We definitely do not need to read any bad books whatsoever. Certainly we should not read every bad book in the three categories above—that would be a waste of time. All I am saying is that it is occasionally—and only occasionally—profitable to read a bad book or two. Even then our eyes should be fixed on God as He is revealed in His Word so that we can come to know Him better and better. May He grant us that grace.

--Dean of Admissions

The Point of . . . Ruth

2011-07-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

Discussing the purpose of specific books of the Bible is a dangerous endeavor for several reasons. First, there are multitudinous opinions about the meaning or purpose of individual books. Second, there is a lack of consistent agreement about the meaning of these books even among like-minded camps of people. Finally, and in explanation of the first two reasons, it is extremely easy to be man-centered in our approach to the Bible. We tend to think our own thoughts after ourselves instead of thinking God’s thoughts after Him.

For example, consider the book of Ruth. Ruth is a challenging book to interpret because, in one sense, there is not much interpretation to do in theological terms compared to, say, Isaiah. Ruth is comprised of straightforward historical facts presented as a narrative account rather than prophetic or apocalyptic literature. As a book, Ruth seems simple and unified. It is also short.

Nevertheless, there is a great deal of difficulty in interpreting these few, short chapters of historical narrative. Interpreters get lost in a host of issues upon which the meaning or purpose of the book does not ultimately hinge, significant though they may be.

Almost everyone places Ruth in relation to other books of the Bible because of the significant place that David is given at the end of the book. It seems clear that this book is included in the canon because it details the ancestral background of David. Even conservative scholars then conclude that the essential purpose of the book is something like this: ‘to commend David by recalling the honorable forefathers in his lineage.’ If that is the final conclusion of our study of Ruth, I believe we have grandly missed the point.

The book of Ruth is not ultimately about Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, or even David. It is about the God whom these people served and who, in fact, served them as the Sovereign Lord. Graciously He provided food, shelter, and descendants to these people in spite of their deep personal flaws and sin. More than that, God would provide—He did provide—the Descendant that would usher in the true, full Kingdom of God and would return men and women to right relationship with God. The point of Ruth is not David—it is God the Trinity.

Ruth fits into the larger canon because in it God shows us who He is as the merciful Redeemer and Provider. He provided David to rule and He provided David’s Greater Son, who was also David’s Lord. God mercifully and graciously brought a Moabite girl into the lineage of David AND JESUS (!) to reveal His own character, and to ‘tip His cards,’ as it were, regarding His plan for the gracious acceptance of the Gentiles in Christ. The point of the book is God in His greatness as it was worked out in the particulars of these peoples’ lives.

Let me encourage you, then, not to get caught up in man-centered interpretation. The point of the Bible is that it reveals to us who God is. God used particular people, events, and institutions to reveal Himself to us, but those things were not intended to be the final focus of Scripture. God in His glory should be our focus in Ruth and in every chapter and verse. May He grant us eyes of faith to see Himself!

--Dean of Admissions

The Importance of Biblical Counseling

2011-07-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Biblical counseling is a foundational aspect of ministry in the church. There are many good reasons why we offer five biblical counseling classes at Christ Seminary. Here are three of those reasons.

First, biblical counseling is an essential part of every pastor’s ministry. This may surprise some people, who assume that pastors mostly just preach and visit the sick. Even these two very important aspects of pastoral ministry, however, should be completed in light of the doctrines of biblical counseling. When a pastor preaches, he should preach about the dangers and vileness of sin, about obedience and righteousness, and most of all about the glory of God in the gospel. Preaching in its truest form includes biblical exhortation and correction, as well as teaching about the real nature of God as He is seen in the gospel of Christ. All of these things are intimately related to biblical counseling.

Pastors will counsel biblically in both formal and informal settings. Formally, they will meet with people in crisis. In these situations they will apply biblical doctrines with a loving spirit, addressing issues of sin and idolatry and directing people to repentance and deeper faith in Christ. Informally, however, there are many ways that pastors accomplish the same thing outside of scheduled meetings. Preaching, as I said, could be considered corporate biblical counseling, though it is much more than that as well. Discipleship ministries are probably the most common form of biblical counseling in churches that pursue a regular strategy of discipleship. In these meetings, sin is addressed, encouragement is given, and wise counsel is administered. This is biblical counseling.

Second, biblical counseling is an essential part of each church member’s ministry. What should members be doing in one another’s lives, except applying the teachings of Scripture? Member to member ministry is a fundamental part of church life, without which the church is not functioning as a body. Members can biblically counsel in both formal and informal settings as well.

Members can formally counsel one another in a parallel way to pastors (Rom. 15:14), though it should always be done in submission to the pastors and with their knowledge. Nevertheless, members have the ability to seek training in biblical counseling and can be equipped to minister in this way. Informal biblical counseling should be even more common among members. When two believers meet together, the topics of discussion should center on Christ, regardless of what they are discussing. Issues of sin should be lovingly confronted (Matt. 18:15, Gal. 6:1-2), encouragement should be given from the gospel (Heb. 3:13), and biblical advice should be brought forth (Col. 3:16). This is one type of biblical counseling.

Finally, biblical counseling is an essential part of each Christian’s ministry to his or her own soul. Informally, we will always be examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5, 2 Peter 1:10) and we should be working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12-13). This requires that we biblically counsel ourselves just as we do to others—fighting sin (Rom. 8:12-13) while pursuing righteousness (1 Tim. 6:11), and focusing on Christ in all things (Col. 3:1-3). There are even people who biblically counsel themselves formally, giving themselves homework to address both sin and personal weaknesses and rigorously keeping themselves accountable. Some people keep records or journals to track the health of their soul, others make covenants with themselves to fight sin (Job 31:1). Certainly this is a sign of spiritual health.

In these three areas, then, biblical counseling is seen to be crucially important. Let me encourage you all to pursue God’s glory by pursuing training in some kind of biblical counseling. May God grant you wisdom and knowledge as one who counsels from His Word!

--Dean of Admissions

Biblical Sobriety

2011-07-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” –1 Peter 5:8

Peter commanded all Christians to be sober. The reasoning that he gave for this command was that as a body we have a common adversary, an opponent who seeks to do us great harm. Our adversary is the devil, the serpent of old, who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning.

We live in an era when many who identify with the church are living as outright pagans, who must therefore be headed to eternal punishment (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Eph. 5:5-6). This helps us see that many are not living their lives with sobriety, examining themselves and their church in the light of the Word of God. Very few are living with an alert eye to the teaching of the Word of God, to understand what God declares to be true about sin, grace, and salvation.

May I beg you, then—if you call yourself a Christian—be sober! Awaken to the danger of the world around you! Peter wrote to those in the churches, to warn them that an enemy was prowling about the camp in order to destroy souls. Our enemy is subtle and deceitful, and would as happily lull you into false confidence of salvation as he would have you blatantly apostatize. If he can not get your soul, he will at least aim to destroy your joy in the Lord.

In any case, be sober! This applies to every Christian and it applies in special ways to theological students. Students of theology are in a position to gain knowledge that may merely puff up their self-estimation—the very truth that should humble them may instead make them proud of their erudition. In everything, then, examine the Bible to understand the character of God and examine your response in light of the Bible. Be sober! Be alert!

--Dean of Admissions

Every Book of the Bible

2011-07-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

As Christians, we should always strive to be students of the Bible. This can either be in a formal way such as at Christ Seminary or in an informal way such as reading daily from the Word. Some combination of both informal, personal study and formal, academic study can broaden our understanding of the Word of the Lord.

In any case, we ought to make sure that our study of God’s Word takes us through the whole Bible, even the less popular and more difficult parts. There are many parts of the Scriptures that have been unjustly neglected by teachers, preachers, and students—the reason for which is always the neglectful sinner, not any deficiency in the text.

All Scripture matters because all of Scripture was designed to fit together into a single storyline, a single masterpiece. Each book of the Bible plays an essential role in the revelation of God through His redemptive plan, and particularly through revealing God’s intended Messiah. Without a grasp of the content of every single book, it is easy to miss the fabric of the story as it progresses from Old Testament to New.

The gospel accounts provide a helpful example of the importance of all Scripture. If you examine the first few chapters of each gospel account, you will find scattered Old Testament references that place the incarnation of Jesus within the plotline of the mighty acts of God. Where do you expect the bulk of these quotations and allusions to come from? More popular books such as Psalms? Maybe from the ‘major’ prophets?

Here is a list of references:

Matt: Is. 7:14, Micah 5:2/4, Hos. 11:1, Jer. 31:15

Mark: Mal. 3:1, Is. 40:3

Luke: Ex. 13:2/12, Lev. 12:8, Is. 40:3-4

John: Gen. 28:12, Ps. 69:9

This list shows that without a thorough knowledge of all of the sections of Scripture we would not be able to understand the significant themes of the Old Testament as it leads us to Jesus the Messiah! We may be most familiar with Psalms and Isaiah, but I sadly doubt that we have had proportional exposure to Micah, Hosea, and Malachi.

This ought not be—but thankfully you can correct this grievous situation. Study the Word broadly and deeply, then, covering each book of the Bible as if it contained the very wisdom of God that leads you to salvation—because it does (2 Tim. 3:15).

--Dean of Admissions

Practical Seminary

2011-06-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

--1 Peter 4:9

The passage that heads this blog post is significant for a number of reasons, among which is the fact that it shows a proper Christian attitude toward hosting and serving others. The reason that I want to highlight this passage today, however, is as an example of the practical aspects of training in righteousness.

Many of the New Testament commands are of an extremely practical nature. Merely examining the text of any Pauline epistle will make that much clear. These practical commands are crucially important to the life of the church and to the lives of each member of the church. If these practical commands are left unfulfilled, weepers would not be wept with (Rom. 12:15), widows would be without (1 Tim. 5:16), and wanderers would not be welcomed (1 Pet. 4:9).

On the one hand, practical ministry is appealing because it does not require theological sophistication. Showing hospitality does not require the writing or reading of a book, or earning a degree, or preaching a sermon. There are no academic prerequisites for the practicing of hospitality.

On the other hand, fulfilling the practical commands of the New Testament requires more theological sophistication, heavenly wisdom, and knowledge of God’s character than any academic degree program can give because the practical commands require us to understand God’s character and to be willing to imitate Him. These things come from the grace of the Spirit, and if we lack them no human institution can grant them.

Fulfilling these beautiful commands is a way to honor God and learn more about Him. Oftentimes it is through practical experiences (when viewed through the lens of Scripture) that we see the character of God displayed before us.

In light of that, I hope that we will all strive to fulfill the practical commands with deep, theologically-informed love for God. May He grant us greater knowledge of Himself!

--Dean of Admissions

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 7

2011-06-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

Why Poetry Matters

Poetry—few other genres cause such consternation among biblical scholars and students alike. Poetry has been given a bad rap (no pun intended, I assure you) because of the difficult and sticky nature of interpreting poetry. Poetry, however, has been misjudged and misrepresented, and deserves to be reckoned as equally important as the rest of the Old Testament.

That claim begets another, more audacious claim: if you do not understand Old Testament poetry, you will not be able to understand large portions of the New Testament. Why, you may ask, is OT poetry so important? I will give you five reasons.

First, Old Testament poetic passages form the foundation of New Testament theological teaching. This is true as Peter states it in 1 Peter 1:10-13 and as it is observed in the fabric of the New Testament itself. A few examples will suffice. Examine the preaching from the book of Acts, and ask from where the apostles quoted to verify their message. You will find a large number of Psalms quotations, showing the essential nature of poetry for the early church. Also, the Psalms repeatedly appear elsewhere in the New Testament—Psalm 110 alone is quoted or alluded to no less than 14 times! These passages, then, form a foundation of teaching upon which the apostles heavily relied.

Second, Old Testament poetry was full of messianic prophecy. Jesus, in Luke 24:44, said that all things written of Him in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled (where the Psalms stood for a broader portion of the Old Testament). Those things He summed up like this: that He would “suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Is that how you read the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms? If not, maybe your Old Testament study has been lacking and you need to reexamine the Old Testament. In either case, the truth of the Messiah is there to be found—and thus these texts are vital to our spiritual lives.

Third, there is personal instruction to be found in the poetry of the Old Testament. It is for this reason that Paul encourages the churches at Ephesus and Colossea to teach and admonish one another with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16). The crucial functions of teaching and rebuke (exhortation) rely, in part, on the Psalms. These instructions to the churches are also linked with joyful gratitude to the Father, which is easy to imagine in light of the Psalms of praise in the canon.

Fourth, the poetic sections of Scripture encourage us. Paul said that the things written before were written for our instruction so that “through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). Immediately preceding this passage, the Scripture that he quoted was from Psalm 69:9. This displays the fact that even the Psalms, which may seem obscure and difficult to us, are in fact full of encouraging truths for the Christian soul who will take the time to plumb their depths. Paul was encouraged by the Psalms and we should imitate him in this!

Fifth and finally, Old Testament poetry gives us specific hope for the future. Psalm 110 is again a good example for us in that, when it is rightly understood, it refers to the future victory of Christ above all of His enemies (Ps. 110:1 alluded to in 1 Cor. 15:25, quoted outright in Heb. 10:12-13). Friends, this gives us a sure and solid foundation for the future. The Davidic King will reign from the throne, having had all His enemies placed beneath His feet—this is the future victory of Christ and we read about it first in Psalms, then in the New Testament. The poetry of the Old Testament, then, is the foundation of the New Testament teaching in this matter and is very important.

For these reasons and more, let us dig into the Old Testament poetry with joy and zeal for the Word of God. May God grant us perseverance as we pursue the perfect, perspicuous prophecies of our Covenant Lord, Jesus the Messiah!

--Dean of Admissions

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 6

2011-06-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

‘Critical’ Scholarship, Continued

Having previously addressed some flaws of so-called critical scholarship, today I hope to answer the question of how we should be critical and how that relates to our study of Scripture.

How should we be critical? There are at least four areas related to biblical studies where a critical mindset is helpful and even necessary.

First, we must be self-critical. Humans qua humans have many reasons to be critical of their own conclusions and thoughts. Even secular scholars should recognize that the human mind is finite and is prone to reach fallacious conclusions. As differing human mindsets have collided, resulting in the devastating wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, it has become apparent that humans are capable of not only mental errors of calculation but of intentional and horrifying moral evil. As a race, we have good reason to question ourselves! We should always examine our own conclusions and the pathways that led us to those conclusions.

That is even more necessary in light of the teaching of the Bible. Not only does the Bible present mankind as finite and limited, but it also describes us as naturally proud and depraved (Rom. 3:10-18, Rom. 1:18-23). We are naturally children of wrath, walking after the prince of the power of the air—the devil (Eph. 2:1-3). Our pride tends to trick us into believing that we or our system of thought could not possibly be wrong. We are wrongly inflated in our view of ourselves (1 Cor. 1:18-21, and again, Rom. 1:22). On top of that, sin affects the human mind even as it affects human will and desire (Heb. 3:13). Rightly did Jesus describe sinful desires as deceitful (Mark 4:19). Because of sin, our minds misjudge the sense data that we receive (Mark 4:12, seeing, they really see but do not perceive, and hearing, they really hear but do not understand). In fact, we know that ‘natural,’ unregenerate humans cannot understand some truths because those truths are ‘spiritually appraised’ (1 Cor 2:14).

All of this should cause us to be very cautious about our mental abilities, both on the level of our individual conclusions and our overall worldview. We should be self-critical, guarding against our own tendency to be self-deceived.

Second, we should be theologically critical. The overarching theological systems that we construct should display comprehensive cohesiveness—each part should fit naturally and organically with the other parts. If one of the component conclusions of the overall system seems out of place, we have reason to be critical of that component. This does not mean we should reject that component out of hand, lest we force scriptural truths into the character of our expectations, but we should deeply examine that component. God will oftentimes surprise us with truths that initially seem out of place but ultimately bring greater cohesion to the whole system. Nevertheless, we should critically examine each component doctrine in the light of the whole system of truth.

Third, we should be logically critical. This is related to number two above in that our understanding of the Bible should be coherent, but logicality is even more basic. Our conclusions about the Bible should be able to withstand the fundamental tests of rigorous logic. We should hold biblical truths to the same standards to which we hold all systems. This is part of the error of critical scholars—they allow their own ‘critical’ presuppositions to pass less than rigorous standards, then hold the Bible to their super-rigorous (fault-finding) standards on the basis of those less-than-critically-received presuppositions. This double standard is almost a surefire recipe for fallacious conclusions.

Rather, we should hold all of our thoughts and systems to a standard of rigorous logic, allowing that there may be tension sometimes while we struggle to comprehend paradoxical or lofty truths. Nevertheless, if the Bible is true, which I believe it is, it will be able to withstand the most rigorous logical tests possible. It is the revelation of the infinite and omniscient God, after all. This does not subject divine revelation (the Bible) to a human standard (our tests of logic), but proves the Bible in regard to its own claims about its nature (Ps. 119:89/152/160, Is. 40:6-8, John 17:17, etc).

Finally, we should be biblically critical. The Bible is infallible and critiques our worldview—not the other way around. Systems of thought that present themselves as truth must pass muster with regard to logical rigor and in regard to biblical truthfulness. Paul did not deny that there were ‘plausible’ or ‘persuasive’ systems of thought other than Bible, rather, he warned against finding truth outside of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3-4). Truth is found in Jesus Christ—and any so-called truth that exists outside of Him is no truth at all.

How does this relate to our study of the Scriptures, then? When we study the Bible, it is not as if we shut off our minds. Instead, our minds should be fully engaged in the truth of God’s Word, striving to understand the relationship between various doctrines as they are presented in the Bible. We should critically, that is, rigorously, challenge our own conclusions to see if they are logically coherent and if they conform to the whole system of truth as it exists in the Bible. We should also have high standards for theological teaching, striving for the highest degree of internal consistency and the best explanation for why things are the way that they are. Finally, we should have a theologically integrated worldview, which means that biblical revelation should be the interpretive grid through which we view the world, our actions, and even the motives of our hearts (Heb. 4:12-13). If we are rightly critical in these ways, we will honor God by having a high view of His Word, a high expectation for the truthfulness of His revelation, and an even higher desire to understand and know Him better.

--Dean of Admissions

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 5

2011-06-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

‘Critical’ Scholarship, Continued

We ended the last post with two questions. First, in what way are critical scholars wrongly critical—what is their error? Second, if critical examination of others is right, how should we be critical, and how does that relate to the study of Scripture? We will address the first question today.

How are ‘critical’ scholars wrongly critical? Those who consider themselves ‘critical’ scholars are wrongly critical in that their presuppositions are overly critical. This is evident from a number of practices that are common to critical scholars. All of these might not be present in every single critical scholar, but the following things tend to characterize critical scholarship as a whole.

Critical scholars tend automatically to doubt traditional interpretations and conclusions. In order to be convinced of a ‘traditional’ conclusion, they require evidence. In and of itself, this is a helpful approach but the problem is in the degree and amount of evidence they require and the reason that so much evidence is necessary. Specifically, they require an overwhelming abundance of evidence because they have their own (somewhat uncritically received) conclusions about what is and is not valid. For example, when dating certain Old Testament texts such as those in the Psalms, some critical scholars will date the texts very late (1^st or 2^nd century BC) because of their preconceived notions about the evolutionary development of religion. These scholars say that personal, individual views of religion did not develop until very late (like the 1^st or 2^nd century BC), therefore, the texts must be very late as well.

As I have pointed out in previous posts, this is an example of presuppositions determining what conclusions are acceptable. As I also said before, this is not necessarily wrong. It becomes wrong, however, when we do not allow that new evidence may correct our presuppositions. I would argue, in the example above, not that the Psalms must be from a late date because of the individualistic understanding of religion contained therein, but that the evolutionary conception of religion must be incorrect because it does not comport well with the data from the Psalms. A parallel situation can be imagined in the scientific realm. If a scientist composes a hypothesis that does not match the data, what should he do? He should suspect that they hypothesis is wrong or needs to be amended. The critical scholars, however, when placed in that situation, are suspicious of the data and cling to the hypothesis! Rather, they should reject the hypothesis because it does not describe the data—they should be as critical to the hypothesis of the evolution of religion as they are to the data of the Psalms.

In a similar way, critical scholars generally have an antisupernatural worldview that prevents them from reaching traditional conclusions. This naturalistic worldview is assumed to be correct and—though they might not admit it—infallible. They (less than critically) place their faith in their own worldview and judge everything critically on that basis. This is problematic, because when our worldviews cannot describe all the data, we must examine our worldviews. This is true for all people, whether Christian or non-Christian, conservative or ‘critical’. We cannot make our worldviews our god—to do so is prideful idolatry!

A final way that ‘critical’ scholars are wrongly critical is that some tend to have a bias against ancient cultures in favor of ‘modern’ cultures. This bias can be manifest in the low views that some scholars hold of the cultural practices and cognitive abilities of ancient peoples. The evolutionary concept of the development of religion can be an example of this bias if it describes ancient people like uncivilized brutes who were incapable of grasping monotheistic religion. These scholars are ‘critical’ of any evidence that could point to the contrary, regardless of how compelling that evidence might be.

In these ways, critical scholars are wrongly critical or overly critical. In some cases, they merely need to be fair by being as critical of their own presuppositions as they are of the textual data. I believe that correcting these errors would help to bring conservative and liberal scholars together in their study and their conclusions.

Next time, we will strive to discuss how we may be rightly critical.

--Dean of Admissions

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 4

2011-06-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

‘Critical’ Scholarship

In the field of biblical interpretation there are a wide variety of perspectives from which scholars begin. One of those perspectives is called ‘critical’ scholarship, a term that represents a very broad segment of modern biblical interpreters. Critical scholars are well-entrenched in many schools and seminaries across denominational boundaries and across countries. If we were to succinctly explain this perspective, we could say that critical scholars are highly suspect of texts and of the message of texts and that they must have plentiful evidence in order to be convinced of the veracity of those texts. When a text is studied, the scholar will disbelieve anything that cannot be proven scientifically or historically to their satisfaction.

As you might imagine, this sets a high standard for texts to achieve in order to be received as ‘true’ (where ‘true’ means historically factual, trustworthy, authoritative, and the like). In one sense this is a commendable perspective for a scholar because no person should ever accept any system of teaching without examination. What I am saying is that everyone should critically examine the ‘truths’ that others present to us to see if they are logically coherent, valid, and if they conform to reality. No one should uncritically follow every person who wishes to lead them—that would be folly.

Sadly, though, critical scholars have rejected most of the Bible’s teaching on almost every matter. The perspective of critical scholarship has eroded many people’s trust in the teaching of Scripture. The result has been a widespread departure from what is considered to be the ‘uncritical,’ traditional understanding of the Bible; many people no longer believe in miracles as recorded in Scripture, or in resurrection, or in God as He is described in the Bible.

This topic has a huge bearing on biblical studies because the Old and New Testaments describe events and persons that are not independently verifiable in the way that critical scholars desire. Many critical scholars, then, write off the Old Testament as an undesirable set of myths at best, and at worst as an embarrassment to humanity.

The question, then, is this: how can it be good to be critical when ‘critical’ scholars deny what we believe to be the most important truths imaginable?

My answer is as follows. It is good to be ‘critical,’ but only in one sense. We should examine whether or not texts are logically coherent, valid, and if they conform to reality. The problem is, we also need to be humble and to allow for the fact that we do not understand all of reality. We are not the arbiters of all truth in the universe! As human beings, we are not supreme and omniscient and we cannot prima facie rule out the existence of authoritative revelation from God just because it does not measure up to our standards.

Two questions remain. First, in what way are critical scholars wrongly critical—what is their error? Second, if critical examination of others is right, how should we be critical, and how does that relate to the study of Scripture?

We will pick up these important questions in our next post.

--Dean of Admissions

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 3

2011-06-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is a tool for interpretation that helps us see legitimate, intended connections between various passages of Scripture. When a later author quotes, alludes to, or parallels an earlier author, we are meant to read the similarity of language in such a way that we grasp the similarity of topic. There are many examples of intertextuality in the Bible, but the poetic and wisdom writings of Scripture are particularly rich in this area. Specifically, the apostolic usage of these Old Testament texts demonstrates the overarching importance of biblical poetry.

One great example of this is the New Testament usage of Psalm 110. Psalm 110, in the context of the book of Psalms, plays a crucial role in intertextuality since it refers back to Genesis 14 and since it also links the biblical ideas of priesthood and kingship (cf. 2 Chron. 26:16-21). In the New Testament, it serves as one of the foundational texts for understanding who Jesus is and how He was described by God.

The number of times that Psalm 110 appears on the pages of the NT indicates how important it is. The text is quoted in Matt. 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42-43, Acts 2:34-25, and Heb. 1:13 and alluded to in Matt. 26:64, 1 Cor. 15:25, Eph. 1:20, Eph. 1:22, Col. 3:1, Heb. 1:3, Heb. 8:1, Heb. 10:12, and Heb. 12:2—14 times in the New Testament! Clearly, this Psalm was the foundation for many of the theological truths that the apostles came to understand.

If a single text from the Psalms has such amazing impact on other truths, consider the possible influence of intertextuality for the study of the Bible. There are echoes and allusions throughout the Scriptures, but without a solid awareness of the teaching of the whole Bible it impossible to recognize them. With regard to the Psalms and wisdom literature, an interpreter is at a serious personal disadvantage if he cannot recognize or understand when these texts are referenced. Yet the Psalms and wisdom literature are some of the least understood books in the Old Testament (sadly, there is quite a bit of competition for the title of ‘Least Understood Book of the Old Testament’). Many people are broadly familiarity with individual Psalms, but it is increasingly rare to find church member—or leaders—who can explain the genre and structure of the book of Psalms as a whole. Moving to other books in the ‘wisdom’ milieu, our average familiarity only decreases.

Let this be a plea, then, for studying the wisdom literature of the Old Testament! If you struggle to grasp the significance of entire books of the Bible do not turn from diligence to apathy by giving up hope of ever understanding—rather, strive ever more diligently to familiarize yourself with the whole canon. Just as Ruth, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations help us understand other parts of Scripture, we can better understand these books by understanding the surrounding context of God’s perfect revelation to us. The problem is not a lack of scriptural clarity; oftentimes it is a lack of human willingness. Delve deeply into the Word of God, then! Seek Him diligently in all the parts of His revelation. Run the way of His commandments.

--Dean of Admissions

“Remove the false way from me,

And graciously grant me Your Law.

I have chosen the faithful way;

I have placed Your ordinances before me.

I cling to your testimonies;

O Lord, do not put me to shame!

I shall run the way of your commandments,

For You will enlarge my heart.”

--Psalm 119:29-32

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 2

2011-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Authorship and Intent

The poetic books of the Old Testament present many challenges to interpretation: style, structure, literary devices, and the like. Another unique challenge of some poetic books is the question of authorship: who wrote these books? This is especially true of Job, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and some Psalms, which are attributed to no specific human author (authorship of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs are debated even among conservative scholars).

Authorship matters in every field and type of literature because the author chose the specific words to use and used those words in specific ways. The author builds an argument or tells a story and by that constructive process the author determines the meaning of the text. The author’s intended meaning is the meaning of the text (see footnote 1 below). It is absurd to say that the reader chooses the meaning of a text; many others have pointed out that even authors who say that still expect to be understood a certain way by their readers.

The point is, knowing who authored a text is almost always critical if we are to understand the text. Even when we are introduced to a new author, our understanding of their text is only partial until we can grasp their perspective and place their words in the larger context of the world. Are they writing satire, or news? Are they conservative or liberal? Are they radical or traditional? We answer these questions in our mind to help us ‘peg’ where an author is coming from so that we can better understand their text.

My question, then, is this: does the lack of a known human author inhibit our interpretation of the poetic passages listed above? If we do not know who wrote Lamentations or Job, how can we understand the perspective from which they are writing? What if Job was intended to be written as a comedy, a parody on the absurdity of suffering?

My answer to that question is no, the lack of ascription to a human author does not significantly hinder our interpretation of those passages. Here is why:

First, the texts are sufficient to help us establish authorial perspective. We learn about the author of Job through how he describes the people in the account. We can establish the perspective of the author of Lamentations or Ecclesiastes by examining how they describe certain events. Even shorter texts reveal to us enough about the author to help us understand what they meant.

Second, we have clues about who the human authors of these texts were. The similarity of some of these books to other writings helps us establish links to other authors. The paleo-Hebrew fragments of Job found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, for example, helps us know that the text is very old and may be of similar origin as the Pentateuch, since parts of both have been found in this archaic script.

Third, and most importantly, we do know who authored these texts, because all of them are within the canon of Scripture. More than anything else, this helps us establish authorial perspective because we know that the ultimate author of these texts was God, through the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 2:16-21). Human authorship, though important, is not totally determinative in this case because God was using these men to write the words He intended. As we come to know God through the whole canon of the Bible, we can begin to ‘triangulate’ His perspective on events, institutions, and people. If God promises to be just, then in the book of Job we know that He will not act unjustly. If that is the case, the author of Job will be consistent with other Old Testament authors in the overall intended meaning of the text because the divine author of all these texts is the same.

This foundational belief helps us interpret all of Scripture, even the challenging poetic passages. Since we believe that these are the words of God, we can rest assured that we know the author, and as we read these texts we believe that we can come to know Him even better. As we say in our classes, ‘Authorship matters because intention matters.’

May God grant that we know Him better and better, so that in reading His Word our knowledge of Him will only grow.

--Dean of Admissions

#1--This is not to deny the fact that an author can be misunderstood or even that at times a reader may ignore the meaning of a text to read what he or she wants. Those things can happen, but the misrepresentation of the author’s meaning (whether intentional or unintentional) does not change the fact that there is a specific meaning to the author's words.

Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature, Part 1

2011-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Poetry, Patience, and Profit

Poetry is one of the most challenging genres of Scripture for theologians, teachers, and preachers. There are several difficulties that arise from Old Testament poetic passages but there is also one broad complication because of the nature of poetry in general. Usually, poetry cannot be fully understood through casual or quick reading, and the biblical examples of poetry are no exception.

W. D. Tucker Jr. points this out in the article “Psalms 1: Book of” in IVP’s Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry, & Writings. Though I would challenge some of his other conclusions, he helpfully highlights the necessity of deliberate and attentive reading and thinking regarding poetry since the structure and message of these texts have been intertwined. Those who wish to fully understand these texts must consider all of the issues at once, being aware of how poetic texts are constructed.

Biblical poetry requires greater patience than didactic or narrative sections of Scripture because the poetic passages have particular forms than cannot be ignored. The meaning of a poetic passage can be missed if specific lines of a passage are not placed in context; the closing of a poem might radically change the meaning of the first part when the whole poem is understood together. For example, Psalm 89 seems to be a hymn of praise to God for the first 37 verses, but 14 of the last 15 verses present a radical change in the author’s attitude. What is going on here? If we ignore the form of the Psalm and the context of the surrounding Psalms, we may come to one of the (false) conclusions that the text is corrupt or that the author is blatantly contradicting himself.

However, if we notice that the downcast attitude at the end of Psalm is related to God’s apparent disregard for the Davidic covenant, then we see a structure emerging that ties the whole text together. The main body of the text highlights God’s faithfulness to David and his sons as it is described in the covenant (v. 20-29). The author, as he praised God, was focusing on the apparent inviolability of the Davidic king because of the mighty power of God. At the end of the Psalm, however, we find out that it appears that God has permanently rejected that same king! The author is struggling with what appears to be a massive contradiction in his understanding of who God is: how could God promise to bless the Davidic king when in fact the throne of the Davidic king has been cast down to the ground (v. 44)? The end of the Psalm offers no explanation for how this can be, but it does explain the form or structure of the Psalm.

The ending of the Psalm does offer some help in piecing together an explanation for how God could bless David’s kingly son and, at the same time, humiliate the king. The last verse of the Psalm ties the Psalm into the overarching structure of the book of Psalms because it praises God in a specific way. At the ending of each of the five books of the Psalms, there are similar phrases that repeat that link the whole book together (41:13, 89:52, 72:18-19, 106:48, 146-150). It is clear that the book of Psalms has repetitive structures and since form and meaning are linked, it appears that we are meant to read the Psalms in the context of the book as a whole. In light of that, Psalm 89 does not have a contradictory message, but it is one piece of the puzzle of the book of Psalms.

I would argue (as many others have) that there is an overall message or storyline in the book of Psalms. The book presents God as establishing His Law and His King, but then traces a story of kingly humiliation and distress before concluding with kingly victory and praise for God. Psalm 89 functions as one of the hinges upon which the book turns as it moves from questioning the destruction of David’s descendant to reviewing the character of God in past history (Ps. 90 and following).

The point of this example is that those who read poetry must have great patience if they wish to gather great profit from the text. Biblical poetry, like most poetry, must be read thoughtfully and intentionally, with an eye to overall structure and meaning. Reading quickly and shallowly will likely result in a shallow understanding and appreciation for God’s poetry, or worse, it might result in confusion about and disregard for the text.

Students and guests, let me encourage you to take your time as you read biblical poetry! If a passage seems out of place or irrational, focus on the form of the text, meditate on the message, or consider the context—there may be a more subtle and deep truth than a cursory reading would reveal. Read humbly, read patiently, and read slowly, and I trust that your effort will yield profitably.

--Dean of Admissions

The Importance of Presuppositions, Part 3

2011-06-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

We have been discussing presuppositions in the previous two posts; I argued that all people use presuppositions, and that presuppositions determine what we conclude about other issues. Today I would like to discuss how we can use or misuse presuppositions.

We cannot really do away with presuppositions altogether, nor would it necessarily be ideal to do so. Given the limitations of the human mind, we cannot consider every possible reality about every issue at once—we come to conclusions about some things and then we use those conclusions as the foundations for later conclusions. Because of presuppositions we are able to focus our mental efforts on a single issue or a smaller set of issues, allowing us to focus on key points while other facts are assumed. This also shows one of the inherent (yet inescapable) dangers of presuppositions: they may not describe the world as it really is.

The example of a math problem will help us see both the useful and dangerous aspects of presuppositions. Instructions like these are often added to math problems: “Calculate the distance that a perfect cube with a mass of 1 kg will move across a surface when a force of 25N is applied. Assume air resistance is negligible.” Ignoring air resistance is helpful for the student because it allows him to focus on the role of friction in causing the cube to stop moving. On the other hand, this type of problem does not reflect the real world, so if the student tries to apply the same parameters a real life engineering problem, his conclusions will be flawed. The presupposition is helpful because it limits the area of concern—the student focuses on friction since air resistance will not be an issue—but the presupposition must be understood for what it is, namely, a false conclusion that does not reflect the real world.

That example helps us see the limitations of presuppositions, but there is one vital difference: the false presupposition is known. As we think about theology or the real world, we do not have the same luxury as the student above because we are not working in an imaginary milieu. Rather, we must operate like the student above would operate once he works in a real engineering job—all the presuppositions must be true, or false conclusions will be reached. Nevertheless, we do have the same ability to use presuppositions helpfully, just as the engineer would presuppose the equations he learned as a student were true. The engineer would not need to begin each project by determining the force of gravity on the surface of earth, but would rather use the known constant (a presupposition that is true).

We do the same thing as students of theology. If a theologian is convinced of the orthodox position regarding the Trinity, he can use that as a foundational assumption for other theological conclusions. Every time another theological question arises, he does not need to start all over with trying to determine the nature of the Godhead but he can assume the orthodox position and focus on the issue at hand. This is very helpful because otherwise considering each new theological question would require a person to consider all of theology at once—an impossible proposition.

In light of that, presuppositions are helpful instruments in the toolbox of a thinker or theologian. There are some issues that need to be addressed, though.

First, you need to be aware that you have presuppositions and that others do, too. It is not wrong or dishonorable to have presuppositions, it is just a fact of the way that we think as human beings. Though it is not wrong to have presuppositions, it is wrong to misuse presuppositions. We must be careful that we do not quickly assault the intellectual capability of others who, when confronted with the same facts, reach different conclusions. Rather, we should be patient and reasonable, talking through all the issues (which may include unrecognized presuppositions) and realizing that many things are at play when we debate others. To be a good theologian and thinker, it is necessary to be aware of how presuppositions function in noetic processes. Everyone uses presuppositions—not everyone is aware of how they use them.

Second, you must be aware of what your presuppositions are—what have you concluded about God, the Bible, and the world around us? Another way of asking this question is to ask, “What is your worldview?” Your presuppositions function as a lens through which you interpret other facts. Knowing what you believe about foundational issues helps you understand what you believe about less important issues and why you believe those things. Foundational conclusions answer questions like these: Who is God, that is, what is God’s character like? Where did the world come from? What is the common nature of human beings? Indubitably, what you believe about these things determines what you do or do not believe about other issues as well. If you believe that there is no god and that life arose from evolution, it will determine what you believe about Jesus. Presuppositions influence the conclusions we make at every level of our thinking. I do not believe that is an overstatement.

Finally, you need to examine your presuppositions. You have presuppositions and they are foundational to your processes as a thinker, but that does not mean that they are all truthful. Just because we come to conclusions about certain things does not mean that we always come to conclusions that reflect reality. Our mental processes are not infallible—in fact, they are far from it. It is easy to be deceived, or to misinterpret data, or to simply fall short of a true understanding of a matter. This means that our presuppositions are also not infallible and will sometimes need to be corrected. This is not an easy process, since we have arrived at many of our presuppositions informally and without recognizing it. We need to examine ourselves, then, and constantly ask if we believe what the Bible teaches at every level. It is easy to come to false conclusions and relatively difficult to understand the truth. Examine your presuppositions, then, and measure them against the perfect standards of truth, which is the Word of God.

May God grant that we are delivered from false presuppositions, so that we may serve Him in truth and faithfulness all our days!

--Dean of Admissions

The Importance of Presuppositions, Part 2

2011-05-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote that everyone has presuppositions, which are primary conclusions that are used to make future conclusions. These presuppositions are foundational to our understanding of reality because we are unable to consider every aspect of the world at once, therefore we must come to conclusions about the most important issues in order to determine what we think about other issues. Oftentimes, though maybe not always, the most important presuppositions will be established first.

Today, I want to discuss how presuppositions shape our understanding and our decision-making process. As I said last time, presuppositions influence our future conclusions and even determine them. I hope to prove today why that is the case.

Presuppositions have many functions in our mental processes. For example, they are used to determine areas of research for current decisions or pursuits. Consider a detective who is investigating a robbery—if the detective has proof that the thief is well over six feet tall, that evidence will limit the people who are considered to be suspects. The presupposition that the robber is tall will determine the field of characters that are examined. Presuppositions function similarly in theology. Say that a student believes that the Holy Spirit is the member of the Trinity who is most often described as working ‘within’ Christians. If that student is investigating the New Testament record of how God teaches His children, that student may begin by merely looking for relevant passages about the Holy Spirit. If asked why this path of investigation was chosen, the student might respond that he did so ‘intuitively,’ but that would be inaccurate. Really, the student did so because he presupposed that the Spirit worked ‘within’ Christians, so it seemed likely that teaching would fall in the same category.

Presuppositions also function to limit what we accept as possible conclusions. By definition someone who presupposes that a certain event is impossible will, when confronted with evidence of that event occurring, either reject that evidence or will be forced to change that presupposition. Someone who strongly holds that presupposition will almost certainly reject the reality of that event happening, even if confronted with strong and compelling evidence. This has enormous importance for Christians. Believers and unbelievers often hold to their respective positions because of underlying presuppositions which are not easily overcome (though there is much else at play in that case). Two Christian theologians can examine the exact same passages of Scripture and come to very different conclusions—why? Because what they presuppose will determine how they read key terms in those passages, which will determine how they interpret the passage as a whole.

Finally, presuppositions determine the judgment or value that we place on other issues. In the secular world, the presuppositions of someone raised in a democracy will determine the view they take of an uprising in another country. If the rebels in question are throwing off the yoke of a dictator, the citizen of a democracy will probably support them or at least feel that their cause is justified. On the other hand, the citizen of a communist country might feel that the embattled government of that country has the inviolable right to rule and that the cause of the rebels is unjustifiable. The presuppositions of both citizens will determine the value that they place on the democratic reforms in such a country. In the realm of theology, someone who knows about heresies in church history will place a high value on the doctrines related to the person and work of Christ. Someone else, who has no knowledge of church history, would likely think that those doctrines are of some importance, but would probably not guard them as strictly as the first person. The church historian presupposes that these very doctrines are of foundational importance because he knows how errors in this area can lead to heresy and schism, while the less-informed brother may not.

All of this shows how important presuppositions are to daily life and especially to theology. These previous conclusions shape our beliefs and oftentimes determine our future conclusions—they are like unseen roots below the ground. Presuppositions shape who we are, what we believe is possible, and what we think is good and valuable. The importance of presuppositions becomes even more apparent when we realize that presuppositions function the same way even when they are false conclusions. In light of this, consider your presuppositions whenever you take up a debate or consider a new fact.

What are the conclusions you have made that will influence the issue at hand?

That is a question we should all ask ourselves, especially when we study theology. More importantly, we need to ask: “are my presuppositions biblical?”

--Dean of Admissions

The Importance of Presuppositions, Part 1

2011-05-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

Presuppositions are foundational beliefs that shape our interpretation of facts or other beliefs. In theological study, in debates, in science, and in all of life, presuppositions shape our understanding in a unique way. I would like to discuss the importance of presuppositions.

First of all, presuppositions are important because everyone has them. You, reader, have presuppositions that influence your interpretation of other facts. I will even be so bold as to argue that your presuppositions determine your interpretation of other facts. We will discuss how presuppositions shape you in a later post, but right now the important fact is that we all have these vital presuppositions. Why do I believe this? I believe we all have presuppositions because we cannot consider all of reality at once. Because of this, we have to come to conclusions about some things and then we immediately use those new conclusions to come to conclusions about other, less important things. What I am saying is that no one thinks about all of reality as ‘up in the air’ at the same time—everyone makes foundational conclusions that will help them make secondary conclusions, which will help them make tertiary conclusions, and so forth.

These can be simple or complex conclusions. For example, your belief that gravity will continue to hold you to the ground with relative consistency is foundational for your ability to believe you can walk across a room. On the other hand, if you come to a certain conclusion about epistemology, only certain types of evidence may appear valid to you, while other evidence may be discounted prima facie. In both cases a former conclusion determines a later conclusion; the former conclusions are what we call presuppositions.

We use these kinds of presuppositions to make decisions on a daily basis and we do so without great thought about what we are doing. To use the previous example, you do not think, “I believe gravity will hold me to the floor, therefore I can walk across the room.” Rather, you simply know and trust that gravity functions a certain way and then you act in accord with what you know. These presuppositions are common to all of humankind, whether they are recognized as such or not.

All people have theological presuppositions as well, even atheists do. An atheist claims to believe (and may seem to be convinced) that there is no God. That belief is relatively foundational to the way they act, just as a Christian’s belief in the God of the Bible is foundational to the way they act. Christians can have some differing presuppositions from other Christians, too. These presuppositions determine what we think of Genesis 1, or Romans 9, or the book of Hebrews. Every person who debates relies on their presuppositions (specifically, they rely on the veracity of their presuppositions) because arguments typically revolve around a very few points. Few arguments begin absolutely at square one: “I believe that I am a human, and that you are as well; I also believe that we are speaking English and that …” so on and so on. Rather, obvious points of agreement are assumed by both parties; those are shared presuppositions but presuppositions nonetheless. The two sides of a debate will also have some opposing presuppositions, it is regarding these, if they are discovered, that the debate will revolve around.

Everyone, then, has presuppositions to one degree or another. They shape and determine how we think, how we act, and what we believe about the world in which we live. They are very important.

Next week, I hope to talk about how exactly presuppositions influence our thinking.

--Dean of Admissions

Diligence and the Christian Soul, Part 2

2011-05-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 13:4—

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is made fat.”

As we said earlier, this verse helps us understand God’s perspective on labor and life. God created work as a blessing and work is an essential part of Creation. It is a good thing. We also said that it is an important part of the Christian ethic, since our work is one means that the Lord has appointed for our provision (1 Thes. 4:11-12).

Not only is work an important part of the Christian life, but I hope to show today that diligence in work is the expectation for all Christians. This should be plain from the teaching of the book of Proverbs since the diligent character of the wise or righteous person is consistent with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 8:12-17). Many other passages also describe Christian diligence, to which we will now turn.

Paul, as he describes his own ministry in 1 Corinthians 9, exhorts the Corinthians to run the ‘Christian’ race alongside him. He relates his own ministry in intense terms—boxing, discipline, slavery—showing the laborious nature of his own personal efforts (1 Cor. 9:26-27). When he encourages the Corinthians to run the race, however, he does not merely call them to participate—he calls them to run in such a way that they may win (1 Cor. 9:24). Paul wanted to see these Christian brothers and sisters exerting themselves for the sake of Christ, focusing on Him as if excellence in doing so was a matter of competition! This is a call to diligence.

Likewise, later in the letter he says that the grace of God caused him to labor even more than all others, tying the common Christian bond (being a partaker of grace) to the uncommon efforts that he exerted (1 Cor. 15:10). If the grace of God produced this in Paul, what is producing laziness in our churches or our lives? Instead of indulging ourselves, we need to hear and heed his call in 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” This is a call to diligence.

Finally, we ought to understand that the Christian’s hope is to be forever with the Lord, ruling as a king alongside Him (2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 2:26-27, Rev. 3:21) but also serving Him forever as His bondservant (Rev. 7:13-15, Rev. 22:3). Diligent labor is our lot not only in this life but also in the life to come, if we are Christians! Diligence in serving the Lord, then, must be a blessing of the highest order, if it constitutes part of our experience in heaven. By laboring diligently on the earth we show that we are preparing for heaven and looking forward to the final day. This is a call to diligence!

Ask yourself, then, this question: “Does my daily life demonstrate diligence?” Do you diligently labor to serve the Lord in your job (Col. 3:23-24), regardless of the character of your boss (Col. 3:22)? Is it apparent from your actions that you have not been entangled in the affairs of everyday life (2 Tim. 2:4)? Are you running the ‘Christian race’ as if you wanted to win (1 Cor. 9:24)?

Let me encourage you to be diligent, especially in your service to the Lord! He is worthy of nothing less than your very best. If you are a Christian, He saved you by grace apart from your works, so that you would live for His sake with self-abandoning zeal (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Be diligent in your work. Be diligent in your service. And students: be diligent in your studies. It is the Christian way of life.

--Dean of Admissions

Diligence and the Christian Soul, Part 1

2011-05-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

The book of Proverbs has much to teach to every generation of Christians; this is as true of our day as any other. The book of Proverbs also has much to teach to seminary students in particular!

One of the beautiful lessons we gain from Proverbs is that diligence is a foundational virtue to godly living, that is, to successful living. Today I hope to examine this idea of diligence in order to encourage students and our visitors to live with intense industry in every area of life and especially in our service to God, whether it is related to seminary studies or otherwise.

Proverbs 13:4 says this:

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is made fat.”

We live in an era and in a country where laziness and ease are considered to be humorous and extremely desirable. It is our natural, fleshly, sinful desire to avoid work and exert the lowest amount of energy possible. We love ease. On the other hand, having to work hard is seen as a difficult and unfavorable circumstance in which to be. Exerting industrious and vigorous efforts toward any goal is regarded as nothing short of a curse.

This mindset is entirely foreign to the mind of God and to the truth of Scripture.

God made humans to work in the Garden of Eden before the Fall (Gen. 2:15 and 2:18), that is to say, work is a blessing since it was part of the ‘very good’ world that God spoke into existence (Gen. 1:28-31). Even after the Fall into sin, when work became laborious and toilsome, it was still an appointed means of God for blessing (cf. Gen. 3:17-19 where work provides food to eat). Human labor is what God has provided to cause the earth to yield its fullness, along with the other gracious gifts He gives (e.g. rain and sun, cf. Matt. 5:45). So work is a blessing.

The book of Proverbs further shapes our understanding of the world by teaching us how live in relationship with God. We learn in Proverbs that obedience to God is the path to a truly blessed and successful life, regardless of what the world would have us believe. This is especially apparent in regard to the teaching on diligence. The world would have us believe that a person who can live like a sluggard is someone successful—but the Bible dashes that deception to pieces. Notice that Proverbs 13:4 says that the ‘soul’ of the sluggard gets nothing; the soul is the essential part of a person, that is, who they are of themselves or their innermost life. The person who is a sluggard will have intense desires—“the sluggard craves”—but all of those desires will be ultimately unfulfilled.

The truth of this verse is presented by contrast, because the utter poverty of the sluggard in contrasted with the abundance of the diligent person. Not only will the diligent person have some or enough, but their ‘soul’ is made ‘fat’ because of the greatness. People who are industrious and apply themselves to the tasks at hand will prosper compared to those who, when put into the same situation, are lazy. Spiritual, inner abundance comes to the person who is diligent and dedicated—and destitution comes to those who are sluggards.

This is especially important to us as Christians because later in the same chapter, the same ideas are applied to the righteous and the wicked. Look at Proverbs 13:25, which says:

“The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,

But the stomach of the wicked is in need.”

The word ‘appetite’ in verse 25 is same Hebrew word as ‘soul’ in verse 4. So the verse could read, “The righteous has enough to satisfy his soul.” This connects the idea of righteousness with the previous teaching on diligence—those who are righteous are also diligent. The fruit of diligence is abundance in the soul, and the soul of the righteous is satisfied.

Let every Christian, then, labor to serve the Lord with diligence in every area of life. We are not our own, we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6). Christ died and rose again that we might live for Him (2 Cor. 5). We are to live no longer for the lusts of men but for the will of God (1 Peter 4). It is our calling to live for the purpose and goals of God in this world, and we should delight to labor to those ends. Diligence is a crucial Christian virtue, one that should mark all of our work in this life. Let us be careful, then, to walk according to the path that God has described for us in His word!

In your career, in your family, and in your study, labor diligently to serve the Lord—and we believe that great blessing will result, though it is not the blessing that the world would value.

Galatians 6:7-8

--Dean of Admissions

Good Books

2011-05-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Since next week marks the beginning of the summer semester, let me use this post to encourage you in your studies. Reading is a key component of every type of schooling and it is especially important in the study of the Bible. Books give us access to the theological formulations of previous centuries; they give us access to the thought process of people long since dead. Books give us access to the accumulated knowledge of people who have spent their whole lives studying language and history. Without books, it would be impossible to benefit from all these things.

Nevertheless, in our modern world—though the phenomenon is certainly not new—a glut books crowds the shelves of our libraries, our bookstores, and our homes. Authors are writing at such an incredible pace that even the most dedicated scholar cannot keep up everything that is produced about any one subject. Catalogs full of books are published every year; the pace shows no signs of slowing.

That does not mean, however, that every book is a good book, nor does it even mean that most books are good books. On the contrary, the increasing ease with which we are able to author and publish books seems to have caused a decrease in the depth of most books—an inverse relationship. More books are available, but an ever decreasing percentage of those books are worth reading.

Let me encourage you, then, students and visitors, to READ GOOD BOOKS! Please, please, please, if you are going to read then read what is worthwhile! You could waste your life reading what is trashy and futile without ever exhausting the stock of available, bad books. So don’t do it.

Your time is precious—do you realize that? It will soon be gone. Your life is a vapor. The best possible book to read is the Bible, wherein the truth of God is contained. Yet there is some profit in reading other good books. The Bible is the sole source of our understanding about who God is, but books can help us understand the Bible better through textual exegesis, historical examination, and theological explanation. Good books are good precisely because they clarify what is obscure, whether historically, grammatically, or theologically. Bad books merely distract us from the message of the Bible.

Books can be bad for any number of reasons, but there are two reasons that seem most common. First, books can be bad because they are fallacious and misleading. Any book that leads people away from Christ is definitely a bad book. There are plenty of books in this category from all ages of history. Second, books can be bad because they are poorly written, and this might be the most common kind of bad book. It seems to be particularly a modern phenomenon. Let’s face it—some books are just not worth the recycled paper on which they are printed. Working through a hundred pages for one or two sickly insights into God’s character is an absolute waste of time and is terrible stewardship. Yet these books are being printed by the thousands. If you do not believe me, walk through the ‘religion’ section of any major bookstore. Even many so-called ‘Christian’ books are vague, trite, and man-centered.

So spend your time reading good books. If you are getting well into a book and it seems like a bad book, then put it down and read something else! The blessing of our modern printing capabilities is that we have unprecedented access to good books. All those good books do us no good, however, if we do not read them.

I want to add a final category of good book. Just as some books are bad because they are poorly written, some books are good merely because they are well written. Well written books are good books not necessarily because they give direct insights into God’s character (though I think that is most often the case), but sometimes because they are delightful to read, and as such they are a gift from God. These books can be profitable to read, too.

That being said—read good books! As you read them, praise God for the knowledge of Himself He gives us, and for the blessings He pours out on us in this life. To Him be the glory!

--Dean of Admissions

The Former Prophets

2011-05-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Reading the ‘former prophets’ (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings) in the Old Testament is something that, sadly, few Christians look forward to doing. Oftentimes these books are regarded as dry, boring history with the occasional story that is fit for felt-board lessons in Sunday School, but that does not have much for ‘the rest of us.’

Mercifully, the former prophets did record so much history for us. This history, however, is not dry and boring but is rich, living, and vibrant because it is the truth of God.

Here are some meditations from one of our Old Testament History classes that may be helpful to you as your read the former prophets.

First, it is helpful to remember that these are historical books. The records within these books deal with facts from eyewitness accounts. These authors wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, ensuring that what was recorded was accurate. On top of that, these accounts conform to other historical data and archaeological findings. But the point is, these things really happened to real men and women. Sometimes we lose sight of the historicity of these texts, which often causes us to stand aloof and read them impersonally. No! When we read of victory or of defeat we should understand that real people experienced these things in their lives, both the joy and the agony, the glory and the shame. More importantly than prospering or failing on the earthly level, these men and women really met with God, really had experiences of His grace and favor (or wrath), and really were delivered by Him. They knew God in time and history, just as we do as Christians, so we should treasure these accounts of how God acted and who He is.

Second, while these accounts are historical at every level, they are not mere history. What I mean is that these are historical accounts that also include the prophet’s perspective. When God inspired these people to write His Word, He had them record history along with His own interpretation of it. We know definitively what God thought of David’s adultery and murder because the prophet Nathan was there on behalf of God to rebuke David. We know how God treated Saul’s disobedience because Samuel was there on behalf of God to remove him from the kingship. Through these accounts we see men of God speaking the Word of God to the people of God, so we have the prophetic interpretation of what happened and why. Because of these ins and outs of Scripture, we can know the character of God and learn to live in a way that pleases Him. The knowledge of God’s character contained in these accounts is priceless—so when we read, if we are bored, we are bored with the priceless treasure of knowing God. May He lead us to repentance if that is the case with us.

Finally, these are selective accounts of history. By that I do not mean that authors left out unflattering details or hid the truth so as to present a slanted account. We see all the gory details of sin, all the disgusting effects of pride and evil, and the worst parts of people’s lives. God did not spare the people whom He wrote about, but rather revealed their sinfulness to show His glorious grace and His perfect justice. What I mean by "selective" is that we have faithful accounts that highlight only what God wanted to highlight. God does not give us all the details of all the battles, all the humans, or all the places. Rather, God gives us the perfect combination of accurate facts and details to communicate who He is. God’s desire is to reveal Himself to His people for their encouragement (Rom. 15:4), for their training (2 Tim. 3:16), and to give them the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ (2 Tim. 3:15). God gave what was necessary and what was best, and did not record many of the the less useful circumstances of history.

God gave us the Scriptures to bless us and to help us, not to burden us. Remember this as you read all of His word.

--Dean of Admissions

Reminder to Register

2011-05-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Students and Visitors--

Please remember to register for Summer classes. Registration closes May 20th.

Also, please interact with our website, with this blog, and with our facebook page. We are happy to answer your questions and we welcome your comments as well.

May God bless you richly!

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 5, blog 13

2011-05-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

“When thinking about ministry abroad and at home, what can churches be doing to prepare their members?” This question was posed during the time we had with our missionary friend.

He answered as follows.

The key thing that churches must labor to do is to make sure people are students of the Word of God. We only know God reliably as He has been revealed in the Scriptures, and that is also the sole, authoritative source of our knowledge of His commands. When people know the Word of God deeply and broadly, then they are legitimately prepared to minister to others. If people are not students of the Word of God then the whole church is impoverished in its understanding of who God is—and how can such a church even preach the gospel to unbelievers?

There are other important things to do as well. Theological education is crucial because we learn from those who have gone before us. We can learn from both the successes and failures of previous generations, just like we learn from older believers. Biblical, historical, and systematic theology are all vitally important to Christian piety, since they are the records of what people have known of God. Even those who often rail against systematic theology have their own systematic theology, though it may not be written. Everyone who knows God systematizes that knowledge somehow, either formally or informally. Studying these things in the context of the local church is an immense benefit and should be foundational to how we minister. Who we understand God to be will shape the methods and types of ministry we pursue.

Churches can also participate in mission trips to foreign locales. This helps us see our own cultural dispositions in a new light, and helps us appreciate all the people whom God has made. There will be people from every tribe, every nation, and every people on the final day in heaven—what a glorious truth! When we do mission trips, it is a good idea to visit the missionaries whom we have sent out in order to encourage them, to get to know them, and to be better informed for the sake of prayer.

Studying biographies together is another way that Christians can foster deeper desires for missions while also growing in understanding about the nature of missions work. Christian friends can profitably study these together to mutually encourage one another.

It was also asked what women could do to prepare for the mission field.

The most important thing for women to do is also to be students of the Word. Men and women both need to have a solid understanding of who God is in order to profitably teach others. The Word of God is foundational in training missionaries.

Our missionary friend also shed some light on missionary procedure. In order to go to many countries, women must be married because of societal mores and restrictions. This will especially be the case in Muslim countries. However, women in those countries are able to minister in unique ways since unrelated men and women do not mix in some foreign societies. Women can minister to other women with greater openness and opportunity than men in some cases. The work of being a godly wife and mother is also sadly underrated in modern culture. It is a great blessing to serve the family in this way, even though our modern, ‘advanced’ society looks down on being a biblical wife and mother.

The common method for training men and women, then, will be training them in the Bible. Many other things are possible and profitable, but biblical preparation is foundational to all of the work of the church, both at home and abroad.

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 5, blog 12

2011-05-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Another set of questions was posed to this missionary: “What are healthy and right expectations to have when a missionary goes to a new place? What are good things to think about in terms of expectations for missions work? What will you do to continue your education overseas?”

Our friend responded that the same questions should be posed to him in a few years because he would be able to answer much more intelligently. Many of the variables of missions are based on individual circumstances in each country, such as access to the internet or to electricity, ability and ease of receiving materials from elsewhere (whether written or otherwise), and the presence or absence of other believers. Questions about expectations can only be answered generally before someone has been in the country for a time.

What you can expect, however, are the following things. Expect it to be hard. Expect to suffer. Expect that new things will come and will change your life like nothing else ever has. At the same time, expect that you will have unique joys and insights into God’s character that would have otherwise been impossible.

One struggle for missionaries is that there is little meaningful fellowship or preaching in the country to which they are going. If there is an indigenous church already established, the preaching will likely be in the native tongue, adding another level of difficulty for the missionaries who desire to be fed by others. This can be offset to some degree by materials from the home church, but real discipleship and targeted preaching is very difficult to find in many places.

Thankfully, the number of resources available to missionaries is increasing. The relative global ease of travel compared to one hundred years ago means that missionaries can take small libraries with them, and can even receive new books by mail if necessary. This form of spiritual materials and support can do great things for missionaries, as they are encouraged by their home church to continue growing deeper in faith. Missionaries can do a lot of reading. This also enables them to pass along their theological library to the indigenous church, assuming that there are some who speak the missionary’s native tongue.

The opportunity that we have, then, is to pray for missionaries and to send good books to them. Usually it is best to find out what the missionary wants or needs, rather than just sending a deluge of random materials. This is one way to encourage our missionary brothers and sisters, as well as to foster their continued growth in Christ. May God grant that the churches of our land have hearts and minds to remember our brothers overseas!

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 5, blog 11

2011-05-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

The following question was posed to our missionary friend: “What is the minimal training that is necessary for sending a person as a missionary?”

I will summarize our friend’s response.

“Ideally, the person will be able to have seminary training or the equivalent. Formalized training in a classroom setting is not necessary since it is not a biblical requirement, but it does lay a strong foundation for the work of missions. There are many pressing theological and biblical issues that have to be addressed on the mission field—how do we deal with contextualization? how far can we contextualize and be biblical? how do you explain the ‘Lamb of God’ to people who have never seen sheep? There are answers to these questions, but they are found in studying the Word of God deeply. Usually this level of study is accomplished under the tutelage of those who have studied deeply themselves.

“What is necessary is sharpening and preparation for the daily labor of missions whether at seminary or, better, in the local church. A missionary must have a good understanding of salvation and the problem with sinners. If you wish to be a missionary, you must understand that the major problem with man is that he hates God, that he hates God’s Law and His Word, in short, that man is depraved.

“A missionary must also have a thorough understanding of churches and how they are supposed to operate biblically, since an essential goal of missions is the establishment of churches. David Doran, in his book For the Sake of His Name, says that missionaries should be as theologically astute as possible. They must have a good understanding of how to apply the Word to every aspect of life. Sadly, many seminaries primarily teach missionaries about cultural anthropology instead of about biblical theology. Missionaries are just like pastors and teachers—and every Christian—in that they need to have a deep and wide grasp on the teaching of God in His Word. While other training (i.e. cultural anthropology, etc) may be helpful, it is certainly not as important as knowing God through His Word.”

Students, consider these things! If you desire to be a foreign missionary, prepare your mind and heart through the study of God’s Word and live a life that demonstrates consecration to Him. The beginning of a strong missionary movement does not begin in earnest when people are sent to another country—it begins when men and women set themselves apart for God, and live for the sake of His name. May that be your fervent desire!

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 4, blog 10

2011-05-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

The theme of global evangelism spans the entire Bible, being present in the Old Testament as well as the New. Even from the beginnings of the Bible, it is clear that God has a plan for the entire world—all the nations of the Gentiles being included.

The blessing that God gave to Abraham included this phrase: “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). This is restated by Paul in Galatians 3:8, where he refers to this blessing as the gospel being preached to Abraham! From this concept in kernel form in the Old Testament we see that God planned and was working to graciously bless all nations, at least from the time of Abraham. It is certainly important to biblical theology that the initial blessing of Abraham laid the foundation for God blessing the Gentiles.

Another major statement of this plan comes in Numbers 14 after the people rebelled when the spies gave their report. Moses pleaded for the people, asking God to forgive (in line with His character), which He did. God then made this statement: “indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Num. 14:21). The point was, God would display His great character and mighty name in all the earth abroad, whether through that generation or another. He spared that generation from immediate destruction to preserve the fame of His own name (vv.15-16), yet His plan for the ultimate glorification of His name was not sidetracked or derailed. He would proceed as planned.

This global plan is also clearly seen in the book of Psalms, where a number of clear references demonstrate that the nations are included in the plan of God’s Messiah. Psalm 22, clearly a Christological Psalm, echoes this plan, tying the worship of all the Gentile nations to the greatness of God’s sovereign rule (Ps. 22:27-28). It can be seen elsewhere, like Psalm 117. The whole Psalm consists of two short, pithy verses, commanding the nations to laud God for His magnificent character. This Psalm is picked up Paul in Romans 15 as one of several Old Testament passages that highlight God’s plan for self-glorification among the Gentiles, specifically through the means of Christ as the Servant (cf. Rom. 15:8-9ff).

This Servant is also described variously by Isaiah, who says that God would show His glory in the Servant (Is. 49:3). The Servant is the true Israel, though not to be identified with the people as a whole, as is clear from verse 5 (“And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,/ To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him…”), since this Servant would bring back the people of Israel. Isaiah also tells us that this Servant was worthy of great honor, greater honor than any mere human king could deserve. The honor due to the Servant was the honor of God Himself, since being merely the restorer of Israel would be too small a thing, so God granted that He would be a “light of the nations/ So that [God’s] salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Is. 49:6). God’s Servant deserves God’s honor in bringing God’s salvation to all the people groups on the planet.

It is because of passages like these that Jesus told the disciples that the Old Testament spoke about His suffering, resurrection, and the subsequent preaching of the gospel to the whole world, beginning from Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-47). For Jesus, these passages formed the foundation of describing God’s plan for the world—and they do for us today as well.

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 4, blog 9

2011-05-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Our missionary friend reported that Jonathan Edwards wrote that evangelistic efforts must never lose sight of their place in God’s plan, or they will degenerate to mere social, moral, and political ends. The missionary endeavor takes place for the sake of God’s name.

What does it mean for missions to be for the sake of Gods’ name, or for His glory? The biblical idea of ‘glory’ has two major components. First, the Hebrew conception of glory is that of weight or influence. Something or someone who is ‘weighty’ is influential. This is reflected in our language when we refer to someone using the phrase ‘the seven-hundred pound gorilla in the room was….” What we mean is that such a person is far more powerful, influential, or ‘weighty’ than anyone else. God’s glory, then, is measured by the influence that He exerts in the world. As His influence is made manifest we can say that He is glorified. Second, the Greek idea of glory is that of fame. It also has the notions of both praise and splendid excellence. God’s glory is made manifest when He is praised, when He is highly regarded and sought after (i.e. famous), and when His infinite perfections are displayed.

Missions, then, exist to increase God’s influence in the world and to increase His fame among the nations. This is purpose described in the book of Acts, when James says that “God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name” (Acts 15:14). Bringing Gentiles to worship Him was fundamental to God’s plan in the world. It was understood by these same men that Paul and Barnabas had risked their lives as missionaries explicitly for the sake of the name of Lord Jesus (Acts 15:26). Paul himself regarded this as one of the reasons for his work among the Gentiles (Rom. 1:5).

Since this is the case, modern missionaries should guard their hearts and minds against false or secondary pursuits! Every Christian, missionaries included, should do all that they do for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), but missionaries must be especially careful in the modern era to avoid the excesses of our day. It is popular to see missionaries as evangelists of Western culture, dress, and politics, as much as of the gospel of Jesus. This is wrong.

I am not saying that there will be no social, moral, or political benefits and changes that arise from a missionary’s presence in a foreign society—that is almost unavoidable whenever different cultures meet. What I am saying is that the driving emphasis that missionaries should place on their own efforts is that of converting lost sinners to Christ through the preaching of God’s Word. Salvation through the gospel magnifies the grace of God, displaying His great mercy for rebellious sinners (Rom. 15:9) and, thus, glorifying Him. It also brings lost sinners under the explicit, obedient, willing influence of God (Phil. 1:9-11) and, thus, glorifying Him.

If you desire to be a missionary, then, examine your heart. Is Jesus the Lord of your life, the Lord of your desires, the Lord of your intentions? Do you value the things that He says are valuable, or do you follow the world’s valuations? Is your express purpose to glorify God, and to take the gospel around the whole world to bring sinners to willing obedience for the sake of His name? If it is not, you should repent. This is the goal that God is pursuing: a display of His saving love for the sake of His great name. May God make that your goal—our goal—as well.

--Dean of Admissions