Augustine on Sonship Theology

God is the source of the new heart and Christian obedience
What does the putrid flesh of humanity have left to puff itself up with, and to refuse to glory in the Lord? Whatever it claims it has done to achieve virtue by its own effort, so that God must then reward it — against all such claims it shall be answered, it shall be exclaimed, it shall be contradicted, ‘I do it; but for My own holy name’s sake; I do not do it for your sakes, says the Lord God’ (Ezek.36:22). Nothing so overthrows the Pelagians when they say that the grace of God is given according to our virtues. (In fact, Pelagius himself condemned this view, although he did not embrace the correct one — he was just afraid of the Eastern judges.) Nothing so overthrows the arrogance of people who say, ‘We do it, that we may by our virtues establish a basis for God to work.’ It is not Pelagius that answers you, but the Lord Himself: ‘I do it, and not for your sakes, but for My own holy name’s sake.’ For what good can you do out of a heart that is not good? But in order that you may have a good heart, He says, ‘I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you’ (Ezek.36:26).

Can you say, ‘We will first walk in His righteousness, and will observe His judgments, and will act in a worthy way, so that He will give His grace to us’? But what good would you evil people d? And how would you do those good things, unless you were yourselves good? But Who causes people to be good? Only He Who said, ‘And I will visit them to make them good,’ and, ‘I will put my Spirit within you, and will cause you to walk in my righteousness, and to observe my judgments, and do them’ (Ezek.36:27). Are you asleep? Can’t you hear Him saying, ‘I will cause you to walk, I will make you to observe,’ lastly, ‘I will make you to do’? Really, are you still puffing yourselves up? We walk, true enough, and we observe, and we do; but it is God Who He makes us to walk, to observe, to do. This is the grace of God making us good; this is His mercy going before us.

Against Two Letters of the Pelagians, 4:15 (Thanks to Dr. Needham)

The Christian and Politics

Wayne Grudem on Politics and the Christian from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.

Books that Shaped Me

The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one Shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Ecclesiastes 12:11

I decided to share such a list, not to say these are the best books, nor are they all the ones that continually resurface as books to reread, although one would be greatly rewarded to do so. Moreover, these particular books are ones that shaped me in my early years of theological development. After years of reading widely across the theological spectrum and the traditions of other denominations, I find a sense of gratitude for having had such a good start. These have been good bronze pegs driven in the ground to stabilize a windblown tent (Ex.27:19). Of course, this is a just a few.

Knowing God, J.I. Packer
I first read this while at Liberty in my college years. I still have my worn copy of this classic in Reformed theology, which I was able to use again as I sat under the teaching of Packer in my doctoral work 20 years later. That was a dream come true. The wisdom and theological insight of this book is needed more than ever in today’s anemic evangelicalism.
The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer
I was 17 years old when I picked up a copy of this book at a Baptist bookstore in Dallas. It introduced me to what it meant to be a follower of Christ and not just a believer who had “fire insurance.” This Lutheran drove a wedge into my small provincial world.
Foundations of the Christian Faith, by James Montgomery Boice
My first year at Liberty (distinctly Baptist) a professor of theology assigned two volumes of this series by the Presbyterian preacher who served many years at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. After reading this, I knew was a Calvinist. Thanks Dr. Beck.
C.S. Lewis – Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Problem of Pain
I have been greatly challenged and blessed by the many works of C.S. Lewis. He stands out from among the crowd as the greatest influence on me. He helped me and continues to help me see and think like a Christian about all kinds of issues.
Balanced Christianity, John Stott
Another evangelical Brit that has been among my favorites is John Stott, perhaps the greatest guardian of evangelical preaching in the 20th Century. His book on being a balanced Christian made me want to avoid the pitfalls of going to extremes in theological controversies, as well as practical matters.
Basic Christianity, John Stott
A concise and brief explanation of what it means to be a Christian. Very helpful to new believers.
The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, Jonathan Edwards
Brainerd was to be Jonathan Edwards’s son-in-law, but died of tuberculosis contracted while preaching to Indians in New England. He spent hours in prayer and gave himself body and soul, for the conversion of Native Americans. This book transformed William Carey and countless others in considering the missionary calling.

A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken
Vanauken was an atheist and English professor helped by C.S. Lewis, who then became a convinced Christian. Like Lewis, he lost his wife to cancer and wrote this book that tells the story of their young love while as pagans, then coming to Christ and the grief suffered in death, which Vanauken would discover was a “severe mercy”. I had the privilege of hearing him speak on a couple of occasions before his death.

Ephesians, Martyn Lloyd Jones
This Welch preacher and pastor of the Westminster Chapel in London until the early 1980’s had more of an influence on me and my preaching than I first realized as a young minister.

Banner of Truth Conference - May 25-27

I recommend going to this year's Banner of Truth Conference and I tip my hat for these guys going for a line up of men who are not "conference big names". I thank God for those gifted and blessed ministries that are doing kingdom work (we know them), but for those "unknown" Kingdom laborers whose giftings are no less impressive, especially to the heart of God, I am most grateful. Plus, one can avoid the silly groupies that hang out at other conferences. Come and be blest by the Word and the Spirit's ministry and the fellowship of fellow pastors, and servants "for Jesus' sake."

There is no financial kickback for this endorsement. It is however, an unashamed praise of a good friend who mentored me and many other men in their early years - a man in whom Christ's likeness shines forth and who preaches and lives the glory of the Gospel. Lowell Sykes is the retired pastor of Rivermont Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg - the place where a wavering lamb found refreshment in the well of Reformed faith and a pastor who gave me truth wrapped in love.
go and sign up : http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/events/usconfexhib.php

Resurrection Reality

“I am the Resurrection and the Life.” (John 11:25) Jesus said these words against the doubt and uncertainty of life when death seemed to have the last word. On the human side, death’s pangs have a certain finality to it. The body goes back to the dirt it came from and the intense ache in the stomach of love’s bereavement is all too “real” to imagine anything different. This is the curse of sin, and the last enemy, which speaks so strongly to us mortals.
Yet, we are rooted in a greater reality, if we truly belong to Christ. Come Easter, we join the chorus of a sacred company that gives testimony to something grand and glorious. We will join the company of Job who longed to see his Redeemer in his physical body (Job19:24). We stand with Martha and Mary who saw and embraced a brother walk from a tomb, with the aroma of new life (John 11:44). We stand with the company of 500 witnesses who knew that Gospel was true because they saw the Resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:6). This is the truth of what we embrace in the reality of Christ’s power and glory in His Resurrection. To many who’ve heard this story since childhood or listened with causal interest in countless sermons, the Easter message is old hat, or just another special day for family dinner. To such, the reality of this life-changing truth has not possessed their soul, nor captured their heart. For the same power that raised Jesus is promised to those who commit their lives to Christ (Eph. 2:4). This is resurrection reality as it bears relevance for our daily lives. It is as much a present and living experience as it is a future hope.
Think what Job had in being the oldest testimony of this precious hope. Job is considered by many scholars to be the oldest book in the Bible. The commentary of the English Standard Version of the Bible states:
“Considered both a theological and a literary masterpiece, the book of Job is an honest discussion of why God allows good people to suffer. The test of Job’s faith, allowed by God in response to a challenge from Satan, revealed God’s loving sovereignty and the supremacy of divine wisdom over human wisdom (personified by Job’s four friends). Believing that God is good despite the apparent evidence to the contrary, Job rested in faith alone. In the depths of agony he could still proclaim, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (19:25). In the end God silenced all discussion with the truth that he alone is wise” (chs. 38–41).
Join the company of those who know this power and long to praise their Redeemer this Sunday. For this is a good day as is every first day of the week to be reminded of this most important truth about what gives us hope and gives us power for living life, in the face of a world blindly pursuing the “dust of death.”