Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Church Fathers and Calvin on Marriage
Chrysostom
“How, one may say, is there to be love when there is respect? Love is most powerfully present when accompanied by respect. For what she loves she also reveres, and what she reveres she also loves. She reveres him as the head and loves him as a member of the whole body. God’s purpose in ordering marriage is peace. One takes the husband’s role, one takes the wife’s role, one is guiding, one in supporting. If both had the very same roles, there would be no peace. The house is not rightly governed when all have precisely the same roles. There must be a differentiation of roles under a single head. (Homily on Ephesians: 5:33)
The Grace of Oneness
Tertullian
“What kind of yoke is that of two believers who share one hope, one desire, one discipline, one service? They enjoy kinship in spirit and in flesh. The are mutual servants with no discrepancy of interests. Truly they are ‘two in one flesh.’ Where the flesh is one, the spirit is one as well. Together they pray, together bow down, together perform their fasts, mutually teaching, mutually entreating, mutually upholding. In the church of God they hold an equal place. They stand equally at the banquet of God, equally in crises, equally facing persecutions, and equally in refreshments. Neither neglects the other. Neither is troublesome to the other.” (To His Wife 2.8, pg. 135 – Mark Commentary)
Calvin –
As Christ rules over his church for her salvation, so nothing yields more advantage or comfort to the wife than to be subject to her husband. To refuse that subjection, by means of which they might be saved, is to choose destruction. Eph. 5:22 – Commentary
Marriage was appointed by God on the condition that the two should be one flesh; and that this unity may be the more sacred, he again recommends it to our notice by the consideration of Christ and his church. …
Between a man and his wife there is a far closer relation; for they not only are united by a resemblance of nature, but by the bond of marriage have become one man. Whoever considers seriously the design of marriage cannot but love his wife.
(5:28)
“How, one may say, is there to be love when there is respect? Love is most powerfully present when accompanied by respect. For what she loves she also reveres, and what she reveres she also loves. She reveres him as the head and loves him as a member of the whole body. God’s purpose in ordering marriage is peace. One takes the husband’s role, one takes the wife’s role, one is guiding, one in supporting. If both had the very same roles, there would be no peace. The house is not rightly governed when all have precisely the same roles. There must be a differentiation of roles under a single head. (Homily on Ephesians: 5:33)
The Grace of Oneness
Tertullian
“What kind of yoke is that of two believers who share one hope, one desire, one discipline, one service? They enjoy kinship in spirit and in flesh. The are mutual servants with no discrepancy of interests. Truly they are ‘two in one flesh.’ Where the flesh is one, the spirit is one as well. Together they pray, together bow down, together perform their fasts, mutually teaching, mutually entreating, mutually upholding. In the church of God they hold an equal place. They stand equally at the banquet of God, equally in crises, equally facing persecutions, and equally in refreshments. Neither neglects the other. Neither is troublesome to the other.” (To His Wife 2.8, pg. 135 – Mark Commentary)
Calvin –
As Christ rules over his church for her salvation, so nothing yields more advantage or comfort to the wife than to be subject to her husband. To refuse that subjection, by means of which they might be saved, is to choose destruction. Eph. 5:22 – Commentary
Marriage was appointed by God on the condition that the two should be one flesh; and that this unity may be the more sacred, he again recommends it to our notice by the consideration of Christ and his church. …
Between a man and his wife there is a far closer relation; for they not only are united by a resemblance of nature, but by the bond of marriage have become one man. Whoever considers seriously the design of marriage cannot but love his wife.
(5:28)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
“A man who admits no guilt can accept no forgiveness” C.S. Lewis
“Nothing less than the Cross could have persuaded men that God does blot out their sin.” H.R. Mackintosh, Scottish theologian
“The Forgiveness of sins consists in this, that a man, notwithstanding his real guilt, is treated as if he had not sinned, or in other words, goes free from punishment.” George Smeaton, Scottish theologian
This petition of the Lord’s Prayer is the basis on which prayer is possible. Prayer implies a relationship with the God called Father, by those who through mercy have been made His children. It is the forgiveness of sins, which opens up the great relationship that unites what was broken by sin.
Sin in its most devastating destruction resulted in the broken relation of God and Man. Nothing is more descriptive of sin’s power than being cast out of the presence of God – which is what happened when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden.
Secondly, the reality of sin is always experienced in every heart by the presence of guilt. There are certainly degrees of what is called psychological or conscious guilt - but Moral guilt is that true sense in which all of us as sinners – rebellious law breakers possess.
The word debt is an economic term, and the Bible uses it to describe the reality of our guilt before a holy God. We are in debt spiritually before God. But, this does not mean God is simply keeping a ledger in heaven of our every sin. And that this is what is forgiven in our redemption through Christ.
The truth is that our sins are far greater than the sum of our rebellion and sin. What makes God’s forgiveness so marvelous and so astounding is that our debt is not just great – it is infinite. Our sins have been committed against an infinite holy God and nothing but infinite love can forgive them. This is why forgiveness cannot be understood apart from the Cross, because in the blood atonement of the perfect God/man, God the Father dealt with sin in a definitive and final way.
When we ask God to forgive us our debts, it is always predicated on the knowledge that God took infinite grace and satisfied divine justice by exchanging our sin for Christ’s righteousness.
This must be understood as the root and cause of our forgiveness – that we are justified –counted as righteous because of the Cross of Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21 (ESV)
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
It is extremely important to understand the personal and relational application of the Atonement. Being justified, means we can have the experience of forgiveness. To put it another way, forgiveness is the experiential side of Justification.
To be forgiven is to know that an infinite debt was wiped out, by an infinite cost, through an infinite grace.
This realization and experience makes us instruments of forgiveness in being mirrors to others of reconciling love. As C. S. Lewis so aptly put, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
(the picture is a indulgence sold to cancel out sin by a medieval church)
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Starting the Day
Over the years, I have received various questions about how I go about devotions or the order of my day, especially as it relates to being a pastor. Spending time with God in solitude and the Word is a high priority for the pastor and indeed for every believer. It is the source of power and personal holiness that is simply indispensible for daily living. Yet, daily communion with God is a struggle. I would not be honest if I did not admit that it is something that goes against the natural grain of our hearts. We are prone to being lazy and putting things off, even when we know them to be good and beneficial. Paul likened our spiritual growth to physical exercise, which by the way is something also struggle with and by analogy we find ourselves rather flabby and out of breath when it comes to physical exertion. Our souls need daily exercise if we would want to run and walk with Christ in true fellowship.
There is a great benefit given to pastors who are called in their vocation to spend time in prayer and the Word as a part of their daily work. Something that is neglected by many and often forgotten by church members is that ministers of the Gospel are not busy “shop keepers” maintaining the life of the church, but men who seek to be holy, finding in Christ the resources to bring the healing power of God’s Word to the people he is called to serve. There is too much work that needs to be done, too many people to minister to, and meetings to attend, to neglect the very heart of ministry.
About 15 years ago, the Lord impressed upon me the need to prioritize this truth in my life through daily solitude and prayer in the morning. I began to make it my practice to spend about 1 hour in prayer and Bible reading in the mornings. It was the outworking of a spiritual renewal that radically changed my idea of ministry. At first these morning prayer times were eagerly begun and one hour would turn to two in the sweet fellowship with God. Later, I found that even when I did not feel like opening the Bible, or that other things seemed too pressing, I committed to making this morning routine a priority, regardless of feelings. I felt a greater need to “be with God, before I could be with people.”
Here’s what I do just to give you a glimpse into a day of the life of your pastor (as it begins).
I typically get up around 5:30 am. I want the house to be quiet.
1. The Bible before Breakfast. Several years ago I heard Richard Bewes (John Stott’s successor)say this was his motto for morning devotions. I took it as my own and find that spending time with God before I eat something makes me put into practice the truth that “man does not live by bread alone, but by the Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” I do however make a cup of tea and then open the Scriptures.
2. I usually use a Bible Reading plan or a book at a time. I read the Bible devotionally, that is, I spend time lingering on certain passages, re-reading them, and meditating on it and praying them. The point is to let the Bible speak so that one hears God speaking a needful and appropriate word. This will often lead to further study in a more formal way during the day or I mark it for later study. Too often, people jump into the “find the point of doctrine to discuss or debate” mode rather than tasting the sweetness of the honeycomb and finding personal refreshment. I love doctrine and theology, but I make notes on what to delve into later. I often find sermon material during the time I spend in the Word in the morning, after it has stirred in my heart for months. For example, I spent devotional time in John’s Gospel over a year ago, meditating and praying through it before it became a sermon series this year. When I preach the text on Sunday mornings, it first resonated in my heart months ago.
3. Don’t rush Bible Reading. David knew the importance of meditating upon God’s Word. It is a neglected practice today. Put this first – your time in the Bible and then proceed with a devotional book or something like “Table Talk”. Start with 15 minutes and then build on this.
4. My devotional helps come in the form of Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening”, Andrew Murray’s books, or sermons by Robert McCheynne. Prayer books like “The Valley of Vision” or the Book of Common Prayer aid me in priming the pump for personal prayer.
5. I follow my Bible time with prayer. I use a prayer list that I keep in the Bible. This helps me to remember people I’ve told I would be praying for and those I’ve added on my list over the years. I group it in areas like, family- Mary and the girls; extended family, praying for the lost and then personal intercession for church members, missionaries and so on.
An hour will go quickly and often runs into 2 hours. I don’t say this to boast, but to be descriptive of something that I find essential to my ministry. When I arrive at my office in the church, then my duties of the day take over and ministry is busy at times. But, the day began in quiet and solitude with the Father and it makes my ministry the rest of the day possible.
There is a great benefit given to pastors who are called in their vocation to spend time in prayer and the Word as a part of their daily work. Something that is neglected by many and often forgotten by church members is that ministers of the Gospel are not busy “shop keepers” maintaining the life of the church, but men who seek to be holy, finding in Christ the resources to bring the healing power of God’s Word to the people he is called to serve. There is too much work that needs to be done, too many people to minister to, and meetings to attend, to neglect the very heart of ministry.
About 15 years ago, the Lord impressed upon me the need to prioritize this truth in my life through daily solitude and prayer in the morning. I began to make it my practice to spend about 1 hour in prayer and Bible reading in the mornings. It was the outworking of a spiritual renewal that radically changed my idea of ministry. At first these morning prayer times were eagerly begun and one hour would turn to two in the sweet fellowship with God. Later, I found that even when I did not feel like opening the Bible, or that other things seemed too pressing, I committed to making this morning routine a priority, regardless of feelings. I felt a greater need to “be with God, before I could be with people.”
Here’s what I do just to give you a glimpse into a day of the life of your pastor (as it begins).
I typically get up around 5:30 am. I want the house to be quiet.
1. The Bible before Breakfast. Several years ago I heard Richard Bewes (John Stott’s successor)say this was his motto for morning devotions. I took it as my own and find that spending time with God before I eat something makes me put into practice the truth that “man does not live by bread alone, but by the Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” I do however make a cup of tea and then open the Scriptures.
2. I usually use a Bible Reading plan or a book at a time. I read the Bible devotionally, that is, I spend time lingering on certain passages, re-reading them, and meditating on it and praying them. The point is to let the Bible speak so that one hears God speaking a needful and appropriate word. This will often lead to further study in a more formal way during the day or I mark it for later study. Too often, people jump into the “find the point of doctrine to discuss or debate” mode rather than tasting the sweetness of the honeycomb and finding personal refreshment. I love doctrine and theology, but I make notes on what to delve into later. I often find sermon material during the time I spend in the Word in the morning, after it has stirred in my heart for months. For example, I spent devotional time in John’s Gospel over a year ago, meditating and praying through it before it became a sermon series this year. When I preach the text on Sunday mornings, it first resonated in my heart months ago.
3. Don’t rush Bible Reading. David knew the importance of meditating upon God’s Word. It is a neglected practice today. Put this first – your time in the Bible and then proceed with a devotional book or something like “Table Talk”. Start with 15 minutes and then build on this.
4. My devotional helps come in the form of Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening”, Andrew Murray’s books, or sermons by Robert McCheynne. Prayer books like “The Valley of Vision” or the Book of Common Prayer aid me in priming the pump for personal prayer.
5. I follow my Bible time with prayer. I use a prayer list that I keep in the Bible. This helps me to remember people I’ve told I would be praying for and those I’ve added on my list over the years. I group it in areas like, family- Mary and the girls; extended family, praying for the lost and then personal intercession for church members, missionaries and so on.
An hour will go quickly and often runs into 2 hours. I don’t say this to boast, but to be descriptive of something that I find essential to my ministry. When I arrive at my office in the church, then my duties of the day take over and ministry is busy at times. But, the day began in quiet and solitude with the Father and it makes my ministry the rest of the day possible.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
When the East Speaks to the West
A clear voice from the Eastern Orthodox Church came to the General Assembly of the PCUSA recently. Archpriest Siarhei Hardun of the Orthodox Church in Belarus was invited to speak as an ecumenical delegate. Words that all Americans should ponder, (even with the little barb towards those of us in the Reformed camp).
Fr. Hardun said: “I represent here the Orthodox Church of Christ – the church that has an unbroken, unchanged, and unreformed tradition. And our theology has never been changed or reformed for almost 2000 years.” Then he said: “Christian morality is as old as Christianity itself. It doesn’t need to be invented now. Those attempts to invent new morality look to me like attempts to invent a new religion – a sort of modern paganism.” Then he followed with these words: “When people say that they are led and guided by the Holy Spirit to do it, I wonder if it is the same Spirit that inspired the Bible, if it is the same Holy Spirit that inspired the Holy Orthodox Church not to change any doctrinal or moral standards. Is it really the same Spirit? Or perhaps there are different spirits acting in different denominations and inspiring them to develop in different directions and create different theologies and different morals.” Fr. Hardun concluded with these words: “My desire is that all Christians should contend earnestly for the faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints, as St. Jude calls us to do. And my advice as an ecumenical delegate is the following: ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind.’ Yes, the words of St. Paul.”
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