From Everlasting To Everlasting

I recently wrote a paper for my Biblical Theology class on the outline of the Bible. I've posted it below...

"From Everlasting To Everlasting"

by Timothy Harris

Everything finds its beginning with God. The Bible says that God exists "from everlasting to everlasting" (Ps. 90:2, emphasis added) and since He has no beginning or end (Rev. 1:8) He operates outside of the finite human categories of time and space. There is one God in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) who is Creator of all (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 40:28), and this God is transcendent, which means that He is "distinct from His creation. He is not part of it, for He has made it and rules over it... God is much greater than creation... He is independent of it," (Grudem, 267). Though God is independent of His creation, He is not completely removed from it. He is also immanent, which is a term that describes God's engaging with that which He has created. While the Creator of all things maintains His transcendant holiness, being completely "other" than His creatures, He is also personally interested and involved with His creation. God is particularly mindful of human beings, whom He created in His likeness and image (Gen. 1:26, 27). He has, according to His lovingkindness and for His glory, condescended to make Himself known to mankind through the Holy Scriptures. This collection of writings that was written over the course of about 1,500 years is not just a compilation of ordinary literature, but the very word of God revealed to man by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thes. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:19), the third person of the triune Godhead. The word of God (The Bible) is authoritative and inerrant; it is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart," (Heb. 4:12). The Westminster Confession of Faith describes the Bible as "the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life," (Chapter I; Article VI). So, since the Bible is the means by which God historically reveals Himself to humanity, and is also sufficient revelation of His will for all people everywhere for all time, it follows that our understanding of His revelation is recognized in a historically comprehensive and progressive manner.

"God is to be praised as Creator, by reason of the marvelous order, variety, and beauty of his works... God is to be trusted as the sovereign LORD, with an eternal plan covering all events and destinies without exception, and with power to redeem, re-create and renew; such trust becomes rational when we remember that it is the almighty Creator that we are trusting. Realizing our moment-by-moment dependence on God the Creator for our very existence makes it appropriate to live lives of devotion, commitment, gratitude, and loyalty toward him... Godliness starts here, with God the sovereign Creator as the first focus of our thoughts." (Packer, 22). At the beginning of time as we know it, God began His work of creation (Gen. 1:1). The Bible describes the creation account as a series of events spanning six days, in which God generated the heavens and earth and all that fills them (Gen. 1). He made everything ex nihilo (out of nothing), including man (Gen. 2:7), the crowning achievement of His creatures, whom He created on the sixth day. God saw that everything He made was good, and rested on the seventh day (Gen. 1:31; Gen. 2:1-2). He instituted the created order and placed man in the Garden of Eden to work and care for it (Gen. 2:8, 15). An established system of roles, responsibilities and relationships were given to mankind with regard to God and to the rest of the creation. Adam and Eve lived in perfect fellowship with God; humanity was created upright and was fully capable of unhindered worship. Humanity was pure and pleasing to God, and God was supremely desireable to the man and his bride, who were capable of enjoying Him and His glory fully.

"The tempter came from the spirit world with the suggestion that man, by placing himself in opposition to God, might become like God. Adam yielded to the temptation and committed the first sin by eating of the forbidden fruit. But the matter did not stop there, for by that first sin Adam became the bond-servant of sin. That sin carried permanent pollution with it, and a pollution, which, because of the solidarity of the human race, would affect not only Adam but all his descendants as well," (Berkhof, 221). The perfect harmony in the created order—the holy fellowship between God and man—eventually turns to disorder and darkness. One of God's angelic creatures defied the Almighty God and was cast down from the heavens. This fallen-angel then set forth an attack on the harmony of the created order by distorting the truth of God. A serpent, which was "both a real serpent and a demonic power, who made use of the former to carry out his plan" (Vos, 34), appeared in the Garden of Eden, deceived Eve and tempted Adam to willfully sin against God (Gen. 3:1-7). God pronounced a curse upon both the serpent and humanity (Gen. 3:14-24), but He would not leave His creation to ruin. With the penalty of death for sinning against God came His grace—the protoevangelium (first gospel). God promised that the Seed of the woman would set things right (Gen. 3:15). "The promise is, that somehow out of the human race a fatal blow will come which shall crush the head of the serpent." (Vos, 43). According to God's infinite wisdom and good pleasure, and for the supremacy of His glory, He predestined an elaborate plan of restoration for His creation. Before the creation event, God sovereignly decreed the intricate arrangement of His will for all things, including sin (which He did not author, but allowed temporarily) for the demonstration of His glory in His redemptive purposes.

"It is the nature of God that moves him to make His promises, and in keeping the promises which He makes, God does not take anyone into partnership. He is not only totally able to keep His promises without assistance, but He insists upon doing doing so. As these promises emerge they are focused upon the central theme of salvation. The God of the covenant is revealed as God the Savior. The point of the promises is that He pledges Himself to a total work of salvation," (Motyer, 2). After Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden by God (Gen. 3:24), they had children (Gen. 4). The sin of man endured as the oldest son of Adam and Eve murdered the younger (Genesis 4:8). The wickedness of man continued through the next several generations, but God chose to extend grace to a man named Noah (Gen. 6:8) and his family by revealing His plan for a global flood and establishing a covenant with him (Gen. 7-9:17). Though God saved humanity through Noah, sinful man again attempted to steal God's glory, but the plans were thwarted and God scattered them and confused their language (Gen. 9:1-9). Several generations later, Abram was called out of his country by God and given the covenantal promises of land, seed, and blessing (Gen. 12-23). He believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3). Abraham (God changed his name from Abram) and his wife Sarah had a son, Isaac to whom the covenant promises were extended (Gen. 24-25:1-23). Likewise, Isaac and his wife Rebekah had a son (Jacob), to whom the covenant promises were also extended (Gen. 26-35). Jacob's son Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers (Gen. 37:12-36), but God blesses him so that he becomes mighty in Egypt (Gen. 39:2-6; Gen. 41:37-57). The favor of God towards the Israelites (descendants of Jacob) eventually becomes a reason of envy and hatred by Egypt and Pharaoh oppresses them (Ex. 1:8-22). God calls the nation of Israel out of bondage with signs and wonders through the leadership of Moses and enters into a covenant with Israel (Ex. 2-15). The Lord gives them the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai and establishes laws to govern them by and instructs them to make an ark and a tabernacle for Him to "dwell" in (Ex. 19-27). A priesthood and formal system of sacrificies is instituted as well, so that atonement is made for sin (Ex. 28-29; Lev.). The first generation (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb) wandered in the desert for forty years and the Lord condemned them to death, but Joshua led the second generation into the promised land (Deut. 31:7-8; Num. 14:20-38). Israel continued to rebel against their leadership, so God appointed them Judges like Joshua (Josh. 1) and Samuel (1 Sam. 3) to govern them. The nation desired a king like their neighbors, so God gave them Saul (1 Sam. 9-10). He ruled well for a time, but disobeyed God and was replaced by David (1 Sam. 15-16). God then made another covenant, this time with David and His bloodline (2 Sam. 7). David's kingship was passed to his son Solomon (1 Kings 1), but the kingdom was eventually divided into the tribes of the northern and southern kingdoms (1 Kings 12:16-24). Over the next few hundred years, both kingdoms would be taken into captivity (Jer. 24). When the nation was freed, many went home to rebuild, but a large number stayed in the land where they were taken captive (Ezra 1-2). Wars raged throughout the land, dynasties rose and fell, and the people of God were in utter ruin; their hope in God dwindling. While the future of God's chosen race seemed uncertain and their outcome bleek, the Lord God, whose word is true, would show His faithfulness in keeping His promise perfectly.

"Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated unto the elect, in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which should bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and today the same, and forever," (The Westminster Confession of Faith: Chapter VIII; Article VI). After about four hundred years the second person of the Holy Trinity, condescended and took on flesh to fulfill the covenant promises (Luke 2). God the Father sent His Holy Spirit upon a virgin and she conceived a child and named him Jesus (Jehovah is salvation). Born of the Davidic bloodline (Isaiah 11; Matt. 1; Rom. 1:2-4), this "Lion of the Tribe of Judah" (Gen. 49:8-12; Rev. 5:5) fulfilled all that was foretold of Him in the law and the prophets (Luke 24), and performed signs and wonders. Jesus of Nazareth, who was fully God and fully man, was born under the law and lived a perfectly righteous and sinless life (1 John 3:5). This God-man, came into the world to provide salvation to sinners by propitiating (atoning or satisfying) God's wrath on sin (Rom. 3; Heb. 2).Though He was betrayed by one of His disciples, and unjustly tried, imprisoned, and sentenced to death, this was not unknown to Him, for He prophesied about His crucifixion (Matt. 16:21-23). The cross of Christ was an event that demonstrated the glory of God by simultaneously showing His justice and mercy. "The most spectacular display of God's glory is in a bloody instrument of torture because that is where God's goodness was most displayed," (Carson, 115). Not only did Christ know about it beforehand, but He and the other members of the Holy Trinity foreordained it. This was an integral part of God’s plan of redemption. The gospel of Jesus Christ, who lived and died, and was raised and exalted to the right hand of the Father, was the message of redemption and reconciliation that the Old Testament institutions and promises pointed to. The salvation of sinners has now been fulfilled by His substitutionary atonement on the cross. He died, was buried for three days, and conquered death by rising victoriously from the grave (1 Cor. 15:1-4). While His atoning work is finished, Christ lives and intercedes for us now. As was promised, He poured out His Spirit upon the leaders of the church in the first century and that Spirit continues to minister to believers today in a variety of ways.

"Finding all of our supreme joy and contentment in the God who is there, this God who discloses Himself forever and perfectly, inexhaustibly, before His own blood-bought people, means that all of the culture of the new heaven and the new earth will be suffused with shalom, with the well-being, the flourishing, the social peace whose measureless source is the one who sits on the throne, and the Lamb," (Carson, 222). There will soon be a day when Christ shall return to defeat the enemies of His kingdom and bring His people home to rest (1 Thes. 3:11-13; Rev. 19). It shall be a terrific and awesome day when the Lord returns; while His people will be saved from eternal torment, those who are not His will be justly condemned (Rev. 20:11-14) "When the time comes and the Lord Himself swings His sickle, time as we know it will be no more, and judgment will be final... you move into the new heaven and the new earth—or you move into hell itself—and you remain in principle what you are already. If as a Christian you are already seen as righteous in Christ, if you have already been increasingly conformed to the likeness of Christ, you move into a new heaven and a new earth, and righteousness becomes yours..." (Carson, 209-210). Everything finds its fulfillment with God. That which He has made serves its ultimate purpose according to His will. Human beings, in particular, will either be freely justified by faith and reconciled to the Creator, or justly condemned and eternally separated from the Almighty God for denying Him. We will either experience the terror of hell and inherit death for the wages of sin, or positional fulfillment of God's promise to His children; namely, that they will rest in a land of their own in His presence doing what they were made for: worship. "The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!" (Ps. 115:16-18).

Bibliography:
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology: New Combined Edition; Grand Rapids; Eerdmans (1996) p. 221
Carson, D.A. The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story; Grand Rapids; Baker (2010) pp. 115; 209-210; 222
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine; Grand Rapids; Zondervan (1995) p. 267
Motyer, J. Alec. "Covenant and Promise"; Evangel: The British Evangelical Review; Vol. 1:1 (1983) p. 2
Packer, J.I. Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs; Wheaton; Tyndale House (1993) p. 22
Vos, Geerhardus. Biblical Theology: Old and New Testament; Banner of Truth (1975) p. 34
The Westminster Confession of Faith. (1646) Chapters I.VI; VIII.VI

All Scripture references are from the ESV (English Standard Version).

LOGOS Software free giveaway... again!

The folks over at LOGOS Bible Software are at it again... offering a great contest to promote their release of the new LOGOS 4 Mac.

Enter here: LOGOS 4 Mac Ship Day Giveaway

On another note... they have recently added one of my favorite authors to their "pre-pub" list...

The Michael Barrett Collection

The Anthropocentric Truth-Suppression of Feminism

I was reading Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World by Carolyn McCulley this past weekend and found her coverage of some of the more well-known feminists very intriguing. I have but a surface-level knowledge of the subject of feminism, so to learn more about the origin and history of the movement as well as the presuppositions and theories of the most well-known figures was very profitable. I was, for obvious reasons, fascinated by the theological issues surrounding some of the biographical accounts. Take for example this excerpt about Elizabeth Cady Stanton (colleague of Susan B. Anthony, co-founder of the National Women's Sufferage Association, and author of The Woman's Bible):

"Her activism started with marriage reform and sufferage and then migrated to religion. Stanton developed her atheistic beliefs as a young woman in reaction to the revival meetings of evangelist Charles Finney. After hearing Finney preach, Stanton was terrified of damnation: 'Fear of judgment seized my soul. Visions of the lost haunted my dreams. Mental anguish prostrated my health. Dethronement of my reason was apprehended by my friends... Returning at night, I often at night roused my father from his slumbers to pray for me, lest I should be cast into the bottomless pit before morning.'

But this conviction did not last long. Her family convinced her to ignore Finney's preaching and took her away on holiday to Niagara Falls in order to clear her mind. Following this vacation, she wrote:

'Thus, after many months of weary wandering in the intellectual labyrinth of 'The Fall of Man,' 'Original Sin,' 'Total Depravity,' 'God's Wrath,' 'Satan's Triumph,' I found my way out of the darkness into the clear sunlight of Truth. My religious superstitions gave place to rational ideas based on scientific facts, and in proportion, as I looked at everything from a new standpoint, I grew more and more happy, day by day... I view it as one of the greatest crimes to shadow the minds of the young with these gloomy superstitions; and with fears of the unknown and the unknowable to poison all their joy in life."

God is sovereign, and He knows His people (John 10:14). None can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them (John 6:4). To wonder, "what if?" in the case of Elizabeth Cady Stanton is not very wise... our resources would be put to better use by learning from this example and applying what we have learned in future situations. Though regeneration is monergistic, God has given us a great duty and opportunity to proclaim His Gospel, so that His people will be drawn to Him by the Spirit. Let us maintain and defend the biblical Gospel and seek to evangelize and disciple according to Scripture. Yes, God will save those whom He has elected, but we must labor over truth in our evangelistic efforts in order to produce maturing disciples, who will be equipped to continue that blessed and honorable duty of magnifying Christ.

...as if we could smile our way out of treason.

I just started reading "Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living and Speaking the Gospel" by J. Mack Stiles... I am in search of good evangelism material so I can better prepare myself for sharing the gospel with others. It was a gift at Together for the Gospel and I have heard good things about the book, so I decided to give it a go... and I am enjoying it. The following is an excerpt I just read:

"...we were born rotten sinners to the core. We may be upright physically, but spiritually, we're dead on arrival. Left to ourselves we have no hope (Romans 5:19; Ephesians 2:1, 12).

It's not that we can't do loving or even amazing things—after all, long ago we were made in the image of God. But these are fleeting and inconsistent moments, and no part of anything we do remains unstained by sin (Luke 18:19; Romans 7:18). We think acts of worldly goodness can mask sin, but they only add to our debt since worldly deeds fill us with superficial self-righteous pride (Isaiah 64:6), as if we could smile our way out of treason. Our own meager good works could never help us avoid the death sentence that has been pronounced on us. We are chained to sin; we can't help but sin, for it is in our nature (Romans 7:5). And this sin cuts us off from God. In our natural state we rebel against God and all His ways (Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 4:18)—and this wickedness spits in the face of God (Isaiah 50:6; Mark 14:65). We are as attractive to God as a corpse at a dinner party (Matthew 23:27).

Tough sell, huh?

That's one hard package to market. After all, it's not exactly the generous orthodoxy that speaks to the postmodern world today. Not exactly a message that's going to win friends and influence people, you say. Since this message is difficult to swallow, you can see why pragmatic evangelists leave it out and focus on other parts of the message.

But wait, there's more...

As we shake out fist (Job 15:25) at this Creator God, this perfect Holy God, and scheme against His rule, we inflame His wrath and judgment. It's God alone who deals with our lives as he sees fit (Isaiah 45:9; Romans 9:21; Revelation 2:27). But when things go wrong, we get it exactly backwards: we accuse God of evil and act as if it's our right to treat people as a choice—a choice to snub and exploit, and murder. As we speak against God, we breath out the fumes of rotting flesh, and death hangs about our necks (Romans 3:13).

These pitiful, self-justifying accusations against the Creator God add to our affront with God—as if we could put God on trial. Every time we accuse God, we reenact the kangaroo court before Pontius Pilate... with the same results: the murder of an innocent (John 19:6, 11). We are treasonous rebels who, without constraints, would murder and destroy God Himself to establish ourselves as God in His place (John 19:15). The astounding story of that trial before Pontius Pilate and subsequent crucifixion is that we are the ones on trial, not Jesus. It's a story of all of us. Don't miss that at the cross we see ourselves in all our sin and evil and wickedness (Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 3:12, 19). All of us: from Mother Theresa to the lowest, vilest child molester. What awaits us—what we're all earned—is hell.

Does that offend you? Are you angry at these comments? Do you say, 'It's not true. I've never been in rebellion with God! It can't be that bad. I'm a good person. What about Gandhi? I love God we're friends; I'm spiritual; 'My god' would never say such things.'

But I contend that if this news, this bad news, offends rather than humbles, you are the one most in danger. For it's not said to offend but to instruct and to warn about a reality—the same warning my doctor might bring of a grave illness, but with far, far greater consequences.

Neither are these merely my opinions. Every thought in these paragraphs comes from the Bible, and these are but samples from an avalanche of indictments about our condition from the Scriptures...

...we must press home twin truths: our hopeless situation ('apart from Me you can do nothing,' John 15:5) and amazing grace ('He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy,' Titus 3:5). I think the sad tendency of well-meaning Christians who want to share their faith is to water down both. They say we're not so bad (you actually can clean up your act), and God doesn't really mean it when He says that the unconverted are enemies of God (tut, tut, boys will be boys).

There is a tendency to think that our sins are bigger than our sin—maybe because it's that rare case of language when the plural is smaller than the singular. Sins are those individual acts of rebellion—symptoms of the bigger problem. Our sin is the bigger problem: it's our condition or state which is in hideous rebellion toward a holy and good God. When Christians feel that sins (acts) are bigger than sin (condition), they see evangelism as an effort or moral reform rather than explaining the steps that need to take place to rip out our wicked hearts and replace them with new hearts—that amazing work of God that Jesus called being born again.

God would be perfectly just to let us stumble along in life, trying as best we could to eek out pleasure from the world and then, at death, face His punishment. The fact is we are under God's judgment already (John 3:36). But this God is not a God of justice alone. He is love (1 John 4:8).

God's love is His most magnificent characteristic. This is so assumed in Western culture it's practically lost all meaning, but one thing that distinguishes God's love is how His love, His perfect, tender self-sacrificing love, holds back His red-hot, scorching wrath.

He does this not by simply sweeping our sin under the rug. There's too much brokenness crying out for His justice for that to happen. Think how many have called to God for justice.

No, He demonstrates His love by sending His Son, Jesus, the Son He loves who is fully God, to live as a man, identify with our human condition, demonstrate through His earthly life as a man what God is like, and then bear the weight of our sin in His own body on the cross (John 3:16).

We see God's holiness satisfied when His love was nailed to the cross. It's the place where God's wrath and love come together—perfectly. Jesus died our death in our place; it was a substitution, a ransom, and act agreed upon by the Father and the Son to pay for the sins of the world, since Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. Jesus became a perfect blood sacrifice for all who would put their faith in Him. This is how we gain [receive] His forgiveness and His righteousness as well...

...After Jesus' death by crucifixion, He was buried in a borrowed grave, and in three days He rose from the dead. His new body bore scars from the crucifixion. The New Testament writers marked His bodily resurrection from the dead as a historical event, and they knew it to be the fulfillment of repeated biblical prophecies over thousands of years.

Today He demonstrates His great love and mercy by reaching into our world, personally, with an offer of life—an offer to individuals to be set free from the bondage of sin and death. It's the offer of life to the dying, those dying under God's judgment, so that the One who would slay us laid down His life to set us free (Romans 5:9)."

Reviews of Stiles' book...
Dan Phillips of Pyromaniacs
Mark Tubbs of Discerning Reader
Mark Lamprecht of "Here I Blog"

Receive the Implanted Word

"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)

Matthew Henry comments on The Epistle of James:

"In hearing the word of God, we are to receive it—assent to the truths of it—consent to the laws of it; receive it as the stock does the graft; so as that the fruit which is produced may be, not according to the nature of the sour stock, but according to the nature of that word of the gospel which is engrafted into our souls. We must therefore yield ourselves to the word of God, with most submissive, humble, and tractable tempers: this is to 'receive it with meekness'. Being willing to hear of our faults, and taking it not only patiently, but thankfully, desiring also to be molded and formed by the doctrines and precepts of the gospel. In all our hearing we should aim at the salvation of our souls. It is the design of the word of God to make us wise to salvation; and those who propose any meaner or lower ends to themselves in attending upon it dishonour the gospel and disappoint their souls. We should come to the word of God (both to read it and hear it), as those who know it is 'the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth' (Romans 1:16)."
(Matthew Henry)

For the Sake of the Gospel Summary

This is what Mike Pohlman at the The Gospel Coalition blog had to say about The Greater Columbus Gospel Coalition's conference (featuring Alistair Begg)...

"By the grace of God, the event was a tremendous success... We are very excited about what God is doing in the greater Columbus area for the advance of the gospel."

Here are the messages:

What is the Gospel? How Does it Impact Ministry? [Romans 1:16-17]

Communicating the Exclusivity of the Gospel to Inclusivists [Acts 4:1-22]

What is a Gospel-Centered Church? [Colossians 3:1-17]

The Greater Columbus Gospel Coalition...

Web:
The Greater Columbus Gospel Coalition

Blogs:

The Gospel Coalition

Ex Vilis Cathedra: From the Cheap Seats

FaceBook:

For the Sake of the Gospel
The Greater Columbus Gospel Coalition

The City:

Become a Member of the Gospel Coalition Network

The History, Purpose, and Values of (GC)2:

Machen: The Liberalization of Education

"The undergraduate student of the present day is being told that he need not take notes on what he hears in class, that the exercise of the memory is a rather childish and mechanical thing, and that what he is really in college to do is think for himself and to unify his world. He usually makes a poor business of unifying his world. And the reason is clear. He does not succeed in unifying his world for the simple reason that he has no world to unify. He had not acquired a knowledge of a sufficient number of facts in order even to learn the method of putting facts together. He is being told to practice the business of mental digestion; but the trouble is that he has no food to digest. The modern student, contrary to what is often said, is really being starved for want of facts."

(this is an excerpt from "What is Faith?" by J. Gresham Machen


For more on the subject by Machen...

J. Gresham Machen and Christian Education
The Importance of Christian Scholarship

Love and Justice Combined

"If we represent the atonement as founded only in the righteousness and justice of God, we fail to do justice to the love of God as a moving cause of the atonement, and afford a pretext to those enemies of the satisfaction theory of the atonement who like to represent it as implying that God is a vindictive being, who is concerned only about His own honor. If, on the other hand, we consider the atonement purely as an expression of the love of God, we fail to do justice to the righteousness and veracity of God, and we reduce the sufferings and the death of Christ to an unexplained enigma."

Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (p. 368)

Christ Crucified: Absolute Propitiation Secured

"The Old Testament mercy seat was sprinkled with foreign blood; in Christ’s case the blood was that of the living mercy seat himself... Paul regarded the sacrificial aspect of our Lord’s death not as a secondary or figurative mode of viewing it, but as pertaining to its very essence, as most literally expressing its central significance. That propitiatory rite and that propitiatory place in which all Old Testament sacrificial functions culminated find their higher, their ideal counterpart in the crucified Savior. In this respect also He is the end of the law, not because He does away with the idea of sacrifice as something antiquated and imperfect, but because He embodies this idea in its highest conceivable, its absolute form in Himself, and thus, while rendering all previous forms superfluous, secures to it in His own Person everlasting reality."
(Geerhardus Vos)

To read more of Vos' works, please check out The Writings of Geerhardus Vos Project

Embrace the Gospel and Beware of Self-Deceit

"The doctrine of the Gospel is not only true, to work upon the understanding, but it is good, so as to move and draw the will:

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." (1 Timothy 1:15, NASB)

It is an excellent doctrine to ravish the will. Now, observe what a great deal of difference there is between men in believing...

Some that hear the Gospel, and have only a literal knowledge of it, so as to be able to talk of it, so as to understand the words and syllables, to know what it means; they may have some clearness of understanding this way, but there is not a sound assent.

There are others affected so with the Gospel, as by the common influence of the Spirit they may assent to the truths delivered concerning God and Christ, and salvation by him, yet do not give it entertainment in their hearts. These may be said to seek God, but not with the whole heart. A speculative, naked, and cold assent they may have, but that is not enough. It is not enough to see food that is wholesome, but you must eat it. Nor is it enough to understand the Gospel, and believe that it is true, but we must embrace it; it must be accepted, else we do not believe with the whole heart. The word is propounded to man as true. Now, the truth made known may cause a speculative assent. This may draw profession after it; and this we call historical faith, because we are no more affected with the Gospel than with an ordinary history which we read and believe. The word is propounded again as good, to move and excite the will.

Now, there is a twofold good—the good of happiness, and the good of holiness. The good of happiness, that which is profitable and sweet. Then there is the good of holiness. Now, there are many that look upon the Gospel as good and profitable, because it offereth pardon and eternal life; such comfort to the conscience, and such good to our whole souls. We may be affected with it as a good doctrine. Naturally, man hath not only a sense of religion, but he hath a hunger after immortality and everlasting blessedness. Therefore, since the Gospel doth so clearly promote happiness, it may be greedily catched hold of by those whose hearts are affected, while they look upon it under these notions; and they may be so far affected that they may for a while not only profess it out of danger, but when some danger doth arise they may defend their opinions with some care. Yet this is not with all the heart. Why? As soon as any great danger doth arise, out of which there is no escape... as soon as persecution arose, saith Christ, all this ardour and heat of spirit which they did formerly seem to have, comes to nothing. What is the reason it vanisheth? Because they receive the Gospel rather upon those notions of interest and profit, than of duty and holiness; and the impression of the profitableness of the Gospel, as a doctrine of happiness, was not so deeply rooted in them, not so durable, that the hope of the future good would be prevalent over the fear of present evil and danger.

There may be some desires of heaven in a carnal breast, but they are easily blotted out by worldly temptations; but the true desires of holiness are lasting, and will prevail over our lusts."
(Thomas Manton, 1620-1677)

(Thomas Manton's Exposition of Psalm 119:10)

Manton's Exposition of Psalm 119:9

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping them according to Your Word." (Psalm 119:9)

"This is the way which we must take if we intend to come to our journey's end... there are several things supposed:

1. We are from the birth polluted with sin; for we must be cleansed. It is not, 'direct his way,' but 'cleanse his way.'

2. We should be, very early and in good time, sensible of this evil; for the question is propounded concerning the young man.

3. We should earnestly seek for a remedy how to dry up the issue of sin that runneth upon us.
That which is inquired after is, what remedy there is against it? what course is to be taken? So that the sum of the question is this: How shall a man that is impure, and naturally defiled with sin, be made able, as soon as he cometh to the use of reason, to purge out that natural corruption, and live a holy and pure life to God? The answer given is, 'By taking heed thereto according to thy Word.'

Two things are to be observed:

I. The remedy (The Word—by way of address to God, called thy Word; because if God had not given direction about it, we should have been at an utter loss).

God demandeth His right as soon as we are capable to understand it. And it concerneth every one, as soon as he cometh to the use of reason, presently to mind his work, both in regard of God and himself.

'Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, 'I have no delight in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1)...

We have nothing but what He gave us, and that for His own use and service. And therefore the vessel should be cleansed as soon as may be, that it may be 'fit for the master's use.' It is a kind of spiritual restitution for the neglects of childhood and the forgetfulness of infancy, when we were not in a capacity to know our Creator much less to serve Him. And therefore, as soon as we come to the use of reason, we should restore His right with advantage.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)...

When well principled and seasoned in youth, it sticketh by them, before sin and worldly lusts have gotten a deeper rooting.

The Word, as a remedy against natural uncleanness, is considerable two ways—as a rule, and as an instrument...

A. As the only rule of that holiness which God will accept... Nothing is holiness in God's account, how specious soever it be, unless it be according to the Word. What doth the Word do about all these as the rule? It showeth the only way of reconciliation with God, or being cleansed from the guilt of sin, and the only way of solid and true sanctification and subjection to God, which is our cleansing from the filthiness of sin.

It is the only rule to teach us how to obtain true peace of conscience... There was no course to recover men from their entanglements and perplexities of soul, how to pacify God for sin, but they were still left in a floating uncertainty, till God revealed Himself as reconciling the world to Himself in Christ. Now, no doctrine doth propound the way of reconciliation with God, and redemption from those fears of his angry justice which are so natural to us, with such rational advantages, and claimeth such a just title to human belief, as the doctrine of the Gospel.

It is the only rule of true holiness. Never was it stated and brought to such a pitch as it is in the scriptures, nor enforced by such arguments as are found there; it requireth such a holiness as standeth in conformity to God, and is determined by His will. Now it is but reason that He that is the Supreme Being should be the rule of all the rest. It is a holiness of another rate than the blind heart could find out; not an external devotion, nor a civil course, but such as transformeth the heart and subdueth it to the will of God [see Romans 2:15]. If a man would attain to the highest exactness that a rational creature is capable of, not to moral virtue only, but a true genuine respect to God and man, he must regard and love the law of God that is pure. A man that would be holy had need of an exact rule, for to be sure his practice will come short of his rule; and therefore, if the rule itself be short, there will no due provision be made for respects to God or man. But now this is a rule that reacheth not only to the way, but the thoughts; that converteth the soul [see Psalm 19:7]. Take the fairest draughts of that moral perfection which yet is of human recommendation, and you will find it defective and maimed in some parts, either as to God or men... not reaching to the full subjection of the soul to God.

B. The Word is considerable as an instrument which God maketh use of to cleanse the heart of man... The doctrine of the Scripture holds out the remedy and means of cleansing—Christ's blood; which is not only an argument or motive to move us to it [see 1 Peter 1:8]. It presseth holiness upon this argument. Why? God hath been at great cost to bring it about, therefore we must not content ourselves with some smooth morality, which might have been whether Christ had been, yea or nay. Again, the Word propounds it as a purchase, whereby grace is procured for us; so it is said, 'He hath purchased the Spirit to bless us, and turn us from our sins. And it exciteth faith to apply and improve this remedy, and so conveyeth the power of God into the soul... Purifying their hearts by faith' (1 John 1:7; Acts 15:9).

II. The manner how it is applied and made use of (By taking heed thereto... by studying and endeavouring a holy conformity to God's will)...

The manner how the Word is applied and made use of, 'If he take heed thereunto according to thy Word.' This implieth a studying of the Word, and the tendency and importance of it, which is necessary if the young man would have benefit by it... If men would grow wise to salvation, and get any skill in the practice of godliness, they must be much in this blessed book of God, which is given us for direction... It is not a slight acquaintance with the Word that will make a young man so successful as to defeat the temptations of Satan, and be too hard for his own lust; it is not a little notional irradiation, but to have the Word dwell in you, and abide in you richly... we are prone to error and all manner of carnal fancies by the natural temper and frame of our hearts; and therefore, from our very tender and infant-age we should be acquainted with the word of God [see Isaiah 58:2; 2 Timothy 3:15]. It may be children, by reading the Word, get nothing but a little memorable knowledge, but yet it is good to plant the field of the memory; in time they will soak into the judgment and conscience, and thence into the heart and affections.

It implieth a care and watchfulness over our hearts and ways, that our will and actions be conformed to the Word. This must be the young man's daily prayer and care, that there be a conformity between His will and the Word, that He may be a walking Bible, Christ's living epistle, copy out the Word in His life, that the truths of it may appear plainly in his conversation.

All that I have said issueth itself into three points:

1. That the great duty of youth, as soon as they come to the full use of reason, is to inquire and study how they may cleanse their hearts and ways from sin.

2. That the Word of God is the only rule sufficient and effectual to accomplish this work.

3. If we would have this efficacy, there is required much care and watchfulness, that we come to the direction of the Word in every tittle; not a loose and inattentive reflection upon the Word, careless inconsiderateness, but a taking heed thereunto."

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The Wisdom of Manton

"for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." (James 1:20, NASB)

"The righteousness of God is put for such righteousness as God requireth, God approveth, God effecteth; and in this sense in scripture things are said to be of God or of Christ which are effected by his power or commanded in his word: thus faith is said to be the work of God [John 6:29] because he commandeth we should labour in it, which plainly is the intent of that context..."

"The context speaketh of anger occasioned by differences about the word... should a meek religion be defended by our violences, and the God of peace served with wrathful affections, and the madness of an evil nature bewray itself in the best cause?... you cannot gratify Satan more than when you wrong the truth by an unseemly defence of it... Those engage most successfully that use the hardest arguments and the softest words; whereas railings and revilings, as they are without love, so they are without profit."

"All violent concitations of the spirit disturb reason, and hinder clearness of debate; and it is then with the soul as it is with men in a mutiny, the gravest cannot be heard; and there is in it somewhat of mist and darkness, by which reason, being beclouded, is rather made a party than a judge, and doth not only excuse our passion, but feed it, as being employed in representing the injury, rather than bridling our irrational excess."

(from The Complete Works of Dr. Thomas Manton, Volume 4)

Update

I haven't blogged in a while... just a quick update:

1. Together for the Gospel was great! All the videos for the main sessions can be found here. I had a great time... met up with some friends old and new, including some whom I have only recently met through social media.

2. I just finished reading "Dont Waste Your Life" (click here for the free online version) by John Piper. We are using "DWYL" as a resource for the Youth Ministry at church. I plan on writing a review soon. A few brief comments about the book... I enjoy how Piper writes. He takes the main idea or focus of his book and attacks it from all angles (each chapter being a different angle). Also, it is a very practical book; filled with advice and encouragement on how not to waste your life and show Christ as preeminent in every facet.

3. I started reading by D.A. Carson. I am not even past chapter one and I love it. If you want to strengthen your Bible interpretation skills, I suggest you purchase it. Knowing Scripture is important, but understanding it is crucial... and while we have, in our language, a sufficient translation of the original languages, it is important to have some grasp of hermeneutical (hermeneutics = the study of interpretation) and exegetical (critical explanation and/or interpretation) principles. I have, in the past, been guilty of eisegeting (reading my own interpretation into the text) the Scriptures and in my pursuit for proper exegesis (reading and understanding the original author's intent and purpose in writing), I still make interpretive mistakes (i.e. contextual, historical/cultural, lexical, etc.). Hopefully, by God's grace, this book will help me grow.

4. Men's study switched to Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology (we were using Millard Erickson's). We are currently studying the doctrine of the Atonement.

5. Random...

New issue of Themelios at The Gospel Coalition

For the Sake of the Gospel (June 4th) with Alistair Begg & GC Squared

Michael Horton on "The New Calvinism"

Michael Horton on The 2010 Desiring God Conference Controversy

D3 Conference at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (June 28-July 1)

That's all for now. Soli Deo Gloria!