Quiet Time Guilt

Nope, we're still not free enough yet. More freedom! More freedom! Ahhhhhh.....

http://gregscouch.homestead.com/files/Quiet_Time_Guilt.htm

Undiscerned Spiritual Pride

From the back of our bulletin, February 18th, 1996. Yes, that was over a decade ago.

"A few months ago after reading Jonathan Edwards' chapter called "Undiscerned Spiritual Pride" in a section called "Obstacles to Revival" in his Thoughts on the Revival of Religion, I was prompted to spend a day doing a Bible study on pride. This was the end product:

Self Examination Questions for Discerning Spiritual Pride

1) Have I spoken of others' sins with levity or contempt? (instead of with grief or not at all)
2) Have I treated others with suspicion? (instead of suspecting no one's heart more than my own)
3) Have I been rough or harsh with anyone?
4) Have I said or done anything with the intention of being noticed?
5) Have I shown favoritism or neglected someone?
6) Have I been irreverent or disrespectful of God or men?
7) Have I been too talkative? (instead of slow to speak, quieted by His love)
8) Have I shown an unhealthy interest in controversy?
9) Have I been unwilling to listen to God or men?
10) Have I been defensive?
11) Have I insulted or mocked anyone?
12) Have I been irritable, impatient, or easily offended?
13) Have I been thankful for all that God has given me?
14) Have I sought God today, or have I lived as if I didn't need Him?"

Censoriousness: The Besetting Sin of Bloggers

Censoriousness?! What's that?

censorious - Tending to censure; highly critical.

Jonathan Edwards wrote in "Thoughts on the Revival",

The word of God, which is in itself sharper than any two-edged sword, ought not to be sheathed by its ministers, but so used that its sharp edges may have their full effect, even to the dividing asunder soul and spirit, joints and marrow. Yet they should do it without judging particular persons, leaving it to conscience and the Spirit of God to make the particular application.

But all their conversation should savour of nothing but lowliness and good-will, love and pity to all mankind; so that such a spirit should be like a sweet odour diffused around them wherever they go. This would have no tendency to prevent the awakening of men’s consciences, but on the contrary would have a very great tendency to awaken them. It would make way for the sharp sword to enter; it would remove the obstacles, and make a naked breast for the arrow.

Yea, the amiable Christ-like conversation of such ministers in itself, would terrify the consciences of men, as well as their terrible preaching; both would co-operate to subdue the hard, and bring down the proud heart. If there had been constantly and universally observable such a behaviour as this in itinerant preachers, it would have terrified the consciences of sinners ten times as much as all the invectives and the censorious talk there has been concerning particular persons, for their opposition, hypocrisy, delusion, pharisaism, &c.

These things in general have rather stupefied sinners’ consciences; they take them up, and make use of them as a shield, wherewith to defend themselves from the sharp arrows of the word that are shot by these preachers. The enemies of the present work have been glad of these things with all their hearts. Many of the most bitter of them are probably such as in the beginning of this work had their consciences something galled and terrified with it; but these errors of awakening preachers are the things they chiefly make use of as plasters to heal the sore that was made in their consciences.

Spiritual pride takes great notice of opposition and injuries that are received, and is apt to be often speaking of them, and to be much in taking notice of their aggravations, either with an air of bitterness or contempt. Whereas pure and unmixed Christian humility, disposes a person rather to be like his blessed Lord, when reviled, dumb, not opening his mouth, but committing himself in silence to him that judgeth righteously. The eminently humble Christian, the more clamorous and furious the world is against him, the more silent and still will he be; unless it be in his closet, and there he will not be still.



Want more? Here's a section from Edwards' "Love, The Sum of All Virtue".

http://www.biblebb.com/files/edwards/charity10.htm

The Inevitability of your Sanctification

I've been studying Romans 6 lately in preparation for the fall.

ESV Romans 6:2 How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

What does it mean that we are dead to sin? It means we are justified. It means that in Christ his death is our death, his righteousness is our righteousness, and so we are not condemned. We are free from the guilt of sin, we are free from the power of sin to condemn us. That's what "dead to sin" means and that's all it means. It doesn't mean that we are dead to the influence of sin.

ASV Romans 6:7 for he that hath died is justified from sin.

Sadly, almost all the English versions translate the word "justified" in verse 7 "freed". This prevents us from seeing that justification itself is the key to no longer living in sin.

How does this work? Is it that now that I am justified, I am free from the guilty feelings that keep me in bondage to sin? That's true to a point, but that's not Paul's argument. And if it were Paul's argument, it wouldn't be a very strong one. The mere fact that justification puts new motives in the hearts of Christians is no guarantee of their sanctification.

Is it that when I am justified and come to understand that Jesus died for my sins, I will now hate my sins because their evil is seen in the suffering Christ had to endure for them? That's true and is a good reason to repent, but that's not Paul's argument here either.

The reason why your justification guarantees your sanctification is that both your justification and your sanctification come from your union with Christ.

Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

I've been saying throughout the sermon series on Romans that we are too obsessed with our sanctification and need to focus more on justification and glorification. I've been saying that exultation in your justification is the key to sanctification. Now it occurs to me that even that statement is a little too man-centered. I really could just say, "justification is the key to sanctification" or "union with Christ is the key to justification and sanctification"

And if today's meditation is for you a flash of insight that gives new understanding of Romans 6 and union with Christ, that itself is not the magic bullet that will kill your besetting sin and sanctify you. Union with Christ is what will sanctify you. Guaranteed. It's not dependent on your exultation or understanding.

Of course, exultation and understanding are good things. They are even means through which sanctifying grace keeps coming. But they are not the ultimate ground and guarantee of your inevitable sanctification and glorification. Union with Christ is.

So we do nothing? No, we still do things. We fight to think of ourselves dead to sin and alive to God and we offer the parts of our bodies no more as instruments of unrighteousness but as instruments of righteousness. We do these things. But we do them, and we will inevitably do them, because of our union with Christ. We work out our salvation because it is God who works in us. It's not our work plus God's work. It's not God works when we work. It's we work because God works. His work is the cause of our work.

Have you ever heard the cliche' "Pray as if it all depends on God. Work as if it all depends on you?" I've always thought that was ridiculous. Knowing our own hearts as we do in the mirror of the word, "working as if it all depends on you" leads to wallowing in despair. No, we are called to work as if it all depends on God, which it does. Does this lead to laziness? No, it leads to happiness. It leads to our getting up off the floor and rising to fulfill our glorious destiny.

Profanity, The Last Word

1 Corinthians 13:5 "[Love] is not rude"

In addition to my previously posted four guiding principles for when not to use coarse language, let us remember that love is the fulfillment of the law.

Perhaps a coarse word does not blaspheme God, does not curse men, does not glorify sexual immorality, and does not express anger. Is it then always OK to say it? Of course not.

If the word has no defensible edifying potential, then it would be unloving to upset people for no good reason. And even if the word has defensible edifying potential, you still have to know your audience. Sometimes, probably most times, coarse language will obscure the communication of your message.

But I'll never choose rules over reason for the sake of polite pragmatism. So that's why I've insisted on thinking these things through. I think the most prudish of commentators should admit the possibility that sometimes, even if ever so rarely in their opinion, coarse language actually enhances communication. Paul certainly seemed to think so. If you've really got something to say, sometimes it's worth administering a little shock to your audience in order to get heard.

Look, we're famous!

Hey, my profanity ravings have made a splash in the Reformed blogosphere. I'm a bad pastor, I'll go stand in the corner now. Check out the May 19th post on

teampyro.blogspot.com

I'm interested in all of your responses, but you must promise not to slander our good Calvinist brothers at teampyro. It's a great blog, especially when they post long quotes of Spurgeon.

But still, ***paragraph deleted***

Dang, that last paragraph was really witty. And it didn't have any profanity. But I cut it anyway 'cause I hate blustery blogging. Even when it's not profane.

Peace and love.

Where have you lived?

I'm feeling like lightening up and procrastinating "profanity, part 3." So, where have you lived and how long? Here's my info:

Winter Park (suburb of Orlando), FL 4 years
Stone Mountain (suburb of Atlanta), GA 6 years
Chicago and its suburbs, 13 years
Champaign-Urbana, IL 16 years

So, a friend's blog asked whether we're students or townies. Which am I? I guess I'm more townie now than anything else, but I feel more like a student. Here's an interesting question. How many residents of C-U have never studied nor worked at the University of Illinois?

Profanity, part 2

Shame on you loyal readers, both of you, for not doing your homework and helping me with my profanity bible study. Oh well, the good news is that mere Thessalonians get into heaven too. ;-)

Let me say up front that it is not my desire to promote the more widespread use of profanity. On the contrary, I believe that application of these principles to govern coarse language will actually reduce our cussing by about 95%. But I cannot abide lists of forbidden words. I want something that gets to the heart.

From the verses cited two days ago, I believe we can say that "cussing" is something Christians should not do when...

1) It blasphemes God.
2) It curses people.
3) It glorifies sexual immorality.
4) It expresses anger.

What's left? Here's a couple of examples of God-glorifying obscenity.

"Compared to the glories of knowing Christ, the pleasures of sin are a steamy pile of %$#@!"

"Anyone who thinks they can boast before God of their own righteous works is completely *&^%$#!"

If I write a part 3, we'll look at some examples of coarse language in the Bible, like Php 3:8, Isa 30:22, Gal 5:12, Ez 23:20, and 1Sam 25:22 (see KJV).

Profanity, A Bible Study, part 1

First, the data gathering phase.

Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

What does the context suggest that "corrupting" or "unwholesome" means?

Here's the entry in BAGD Greek-English lexicon for the word translated "corrupting" or "unwholesome"

"sapros"(‘make putrid')

1. lit. of such poor quality as to be of little or no value, bad, not good

A. in the prim. sense spoiled, rotten (of spoiled fish Antiphanes Com. [IV BC] fgm. 218, 4 K. [in Athen. 6, 225f]) of rotten fruits (PFlor , 9 figs; Theophr., HP 4, 14, 10 of worms that infect olives) of grapes that lie on the ground and rot Hs 2:4.

B. of poor quality bad

a) of living matter, fish Mt 13:48 (s. BAR 19, ’93, 52; it is of semantic significance that these fish have just been caught and would therefore not be rotten or spoiled, whereas Antiphanes in the ref. cited above [1a] declaims about fish that have been in the marketplace too long).—Of plants and their products (Aristoph., Theophr. et al.; PFay 119, 4; 6) that are of inferior quality: trees, Mt 7:17f; 12:33a; Lk 6:43b; fruit Mt 12:33b; Lk 6:43a. Unless the proverb contains hyperbolic diction, ‘rotten’ would be an inappropriate rendering, since ‘rotten’ trees would either not bear any fruit at all or at the most fruit of such poor quality as to be inedible.

b) of stones unusable, unfit, bad, stones of poor quality

2. bad or unwholesome to the extent of being harmful, bad, evil, unwholesome, in a moral sense an evil word, evil speech Eph 4:29



Ephesians 5:3-5 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

All of the words in bold above occur only here in the NT. Again, what does context suggest they mean?






Depending on your translation, the English word "profane" occurs about 75x in the Bible, usually of desecrating a holy place or blaspheming the name of God. All but once or twice it translates this Hebrew word:

(chalal) vb. pollute, defile, profane; --

Niphal 1. reflex. pollute, defile oneself a. ritually, by contact with dead. b. sexually.
2. Passive, be polluted, defiled, of holy places, name of God and even God himself.

Piel 1. defile, pollute: a. sexually, (the father's bed); a woman. b. ceremonially, profane, the altar by a tool; sacred places; the holy land; sacred things; the sabbath; and so the sanctity of the prince of Tyre who made himself God, and his holy places. c. the name of God, God himself. d. defiles or profanes his inheritance by giving it over to Babylon; the princes of the sanctuary by giving them to Chaldeans.
2. violate the honour of, dishonor,

or this Greek word:

(Bebelow) to cause someth. highly revered to become identified with the commonplace, violate sanctity, desecrate, profane the Sabbath


"Obscene" occurs once and translates this word:

(aischrologes) speech of a kind that is generally considered in poor taste, obscene speech, dirty talk (Aristot., EN 4, 8 [1128a], contrasts the preference for obscenity in older drama with the more refined taste of later times and argues that obscenity, can be expected from those of servile nature but not from a cultured gentleman. Clem. Al., Paed. 2, 6, 52 might properly be defined as story-telling involving such unseemly deeds as adultery or pederasty. aivscro,j=obscene: Ps.-Demetr. Eloc. 151). Obscene expressions would also be used to flavor derogatory remarks (s. Aristot. above); hence the rendering scurrilous talk (Polyb. 8, 11, 8; 31, 6, 4; BGU 909, 11f ) is pertinent Col 3:8, esp. since blasphemy (=‘defamation) immediately precedes. The gener. sense dirty talk fits D 5:1, which could apply to ribald stories as well as scurrilous talk.

And now, here's the context to constrain the lexicon:

Colossians 3:5-15 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.



Results to come in few days. Any thoughts on these? Any other verses you think should be considered in seeking principles to govern a Christian's use of words considered obscene?

It Comes From Galatians, It Really Does.

People sometimes ask me why I so loathe legalism. "Mike," they say, "why do you so loathe legalism? I mean, I know legalism is wrong, I don't like it either. But when you see legalism you get all like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. What's up with that?"

Some might think it's because I'm some kind of recovering fundamentalist reacting with bitterness against the legalism of my youth. Nope, I grew up basic pagan and ever since my conversion I've been in good gracious churches. I have no scars to show from the legalists, no personal bitterness.

Well then it must be that I'm a licentious grace abuser and I loathe legalists because they threaten my freedom. Nope, I didn't really start exercising the legs of my Christian liberty until my 30s. Never drank scotch until a few years ago, after my vitriolic rampage against legalism was already a decade old.

So where does it come from? It comes from Galatians, it really does. My pastor opened this book up for me in 1991 while I was in seminary and showed me legalism in all its lethal vileness. Then I preached it in 1999-2000 and solidified my convictions. Want a sample? Here's a sermon called "Becoming a Hypocrite: One Man's Journey" from Galatians 2:11-14.

http://www.communityefc.org/mp3/sermons/1999/CEFC_1999101700_16kbps_mono.mp3

Jesus spoke gently to prostitutes and severely to legalists. Paul told legalists to emasculate themselves and go to hell. (Gal 5:12, 1:8). Does it bother you then that so many Christians speak harshly to those who struggle with the sins of the flesh, but give legalists a pass, calling them (wrongly) weaker brothers?

Sing the Psalms, Part Deux

Yesterday I was at The Office reading a new book called "Interpreting the Psalms". It was tremendously affirming to me that my obsessive studies in the psalms over the last decade have not been off track.

One insight that made me shout aloud was in an article by Michael Lefebvre on Psalm 1. He points out that the word for "meditate" (hagah) always involves vocal activity. It can't mean silent contemplation. It must mean something like reciting from memory, or reading aloud, or praying aloud to God, or at least talking to yourself about the psalm.

This wasn't the part that was new to me. I've preached this before and my favorite cross-reference to cite has been Isaiah 31:4 "As a lion growls[hagah], a great lion over his prey..." So when you go to read the Bible, growl over the text looking for food.

But what was new is that when the psalmist calls us to meditation he may be commending the practice of singing the Word of God.

Psalm 63:6-7 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

Psalm 71:23-24 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. And my tongue will talk[hagah] of your righteous help all the day long.

Consider also that when Moses gave the torah to Joshua and the priests in Deuteronomy 31, he also wrote a song for the people. It was as though singing that song was the way the common folk meditated on the torah.

So over the years as I've learned all this psalm-chanting and inflicted it upon my loved ones, I may not have been so wack after all. There's a good argument made by more people than just me that says this is the way the author of psalm 1 tells us to make use of the book if we are to know the blessing of flourishing like a tree planted beside streams of water.

You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.

No, this isn't another post about scotch. It's observations from my time this morning in Psalm 36. Here it is with some formatting to highlight what I saw.


1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.

5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.


Notice how the beautiful central section about God giving us delight is surrounded by verses about wicked evildoing oppressors. Some doofus "higher critic" has probably written a paper on why this shows that these verses are misplaced. But I think it's a great encouragement to see that we experience this abundant pleasure in the steadfast love of God not on the couch at the coffeehouse, but when we are crying out to God for deliverance from our enemies. Steadfast love saves, then steadfast love satisfies.

Drink, so your weaker brothers won't stumble into legalism.

I've spent the last week or so in my devotions thinking about 1 Corinthans 8. (N.B. what I say doesn't apply to Romans 14. The situation at Corinth is different.)

Paul says we know idols are nothing. But not everyone knows this and love is more important than knowledge, so don't eat meat offered to idols if it might make a weak brother stumble and be destroyed.

Many make this application: Sure you're free to drink, but be loving enough to abstain so that you won't make weak brothers stumble into drunkenness.

But now look carefully at verses 8-10. "Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹ But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?"

But if an idol is nothing, then so what if he eats food offered to idols? Why is it so bad for the weak brother to eat food sacrificed to an idol? Because the weak brother is the one who thinks that eating this food actually commends him to God! (v. 8) That was the issue. If you eat that food because you think you need that food to get right with God as the pagans believed, then you are not believing in the sufficiency of Christ. This makes sense of Paul's strong statement "so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed." (v.11) The weak brother, fresh out of paganism, sees you eat meat offered to an idol (which you're free to do because an idol is nothing) and then he mistakenly thinks that even though he is now a Christian, he still needs to keep eating the "sacred" food in order to be sure that he's covered all his bases and is saved. Syncretism! So the great danger is that the weak brother will add to faith alone, not that the weak brother will be contaminated by idol food.

So the application should be this: Although you are free to abstain from alcoholic beverages, you should drink at least every once in a while, otherwise weak brothers will think that they need to abstain in order to commend themselves to God and they will be legalists and be destroyed.

In our culture, no one is tempted to think that drinking scotch wins the pleasure of God, but lots of people think they are holy because they don't. Therefore, abstinence is the deadlier option.