Dr. Black's Prescription for an Ailing, Politicized Church

My friend, Dr. David Alan Black, has some sobering words for American churches in his latest essay:

Things have in fact become so serious right now to give too much importance to the effects of what one says on the sensitivities of one's peers and colleagues. A writer like Orwell could hardly have imagined the kind of animal farm American society has become. Again, it is here that I think Christianity offers us a perspective that politics can't – that the purpose of life is to love God and love our neighbor, that Christ is the only answer to the wickedness and abysmal horror of our warmongering, and that a man lives only to the extent that he dies to himself. ...

... I believe the evangelical church is scared -- scared to face the truth about its statism, scared to face its this-world-centeredness and, therefore, scared to face its own corruptibility. Our present mood of crisis comes from the unrelenting feeling that we have failed to master ourselves or to deal with our neuroses or to acknowledge our political-economic lies. All of this stems from a much larger failing, namely the inability to recognize that the pursuit of happiness is the ultimate American scandal.

So I come back to where I began, to that piece of wood to which our dark egos must be nailed if we are ever to make progress in this life. Genuine Christianity (and not that detestable form of evangelicalism we have become so accustomed to) has much indeed to offer us, if we would only give it a fair shake.

Faith and Hearing

The Bible describes a vital link between hearing and faith. When Jesus taught through parables he said, "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mark 4:23). When asked if he was the Christ, Jesus responded, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27).

When Paul wrote to the church in Rome he reminded them that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:7). And he asked the believers in Galatia, "Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?" (Galatians 3:2).

So, what about the deaf? How do we communicate the gospel to them?

The above passages, of course, refer to ears and hearing in the spiritual sense. People "hear" in different ways. The important thing, as Paul points out, is that they hear "through the word of Christ."

Thankfully, there are people like Toby Welch who are ministering to the deaf and hearing impaired. Welch is pastor of the Deaf Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, and teaches American Sign Language (ASL) to homeschool students in the Houston area. He also has a blog that seeks to communicate the truth of God's word and the principles of the Reformed faith through sign language as well as the written word. Check it out here.

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 3: Limited Atonement

Limited Atonement
This seems to be the biggest stumbling block to those who resist the teachings of Calvinism. Many people think that in order for God to be "fair" -- naturally, they are looking at fairness from a human perspective -- Christ must have died for every single person. After all, John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." And, of course, there's 1st John 2:2: "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

When it comes to limited (or, more accurately, particular or definite) atonement, God's word is quite clear on the subject. In Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 we read that Christ gave his life as a "ransom for many." In John 10:11-15 Jesus talks about laying down his life "for the sheep." Contrast that with Matthew 25:32-33, where we see the shepherd separating "the sheep from the goats."

Jesus continues with this analogy in John 10:24-27:

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

Still, we cannot get around the fact that the Bible does teach that Jesus did, in a sense, lay down his life for the world. The answer, as usual, lies in the context.

Paul writes in 1st Timothy 4:10 that Christ is "the savior of all people, especially of those who believe." Now, we know that he isn't the "savior of all people" in the same sense that he is the savior of the elect. If that were the case, then all people would be saved, and given the context of what scripture has to say about the eternal judgment of the wicked, we know that can't be what Paul meant. Rather, Christ is the savior of all people in that by saving some, humanity itself has been saved from complete destruction.

Another way to look at limited atonement is to consider what the term "propitiation" means in 1st John 2:2. It means to satisfy God's demands. God demands perfection, something sinful man can never hope to achieve. Jesus Christ, however, lived a perfect life and suffered our punishment on the cross, thereby satisfying God's holy justice. Our debt has been paid. To assume that Christ also paid the debt of those who ultimately end up in hell is to make God out to be unjust as one who punishes the same sins twice.

If we are to be honest, we will agree that both Calvinists and Arminians limit Christ's atonement in some way. Did Jesus die for Satan and his demons? Certainly not. The atonement is at least limited to human beings. Do all people eventually end up in heaven? Again, no. There is no disputing the fact that the effects of the atonement do not extend to all people in the same way.

Here is where we differ: Arminians limit the effectiveness of the atonement in that they believe it merely made salvation possible for sinners. Since they deny the Calvinist view of total depravity, unconditional election, and irresistible grace, they are forced to admit that there is the theoretical possibility that not one person would ever "accept Christ as savior." After all, if they wish to remain consistent in holding to the concept of "free will," then they must deny that God would give certain people the extra grace needed that would enable us to do what scripture says we cannot do on our own (Romans 7:18).

Calvinists, on the other hand, limit the scope of Christ's atonement rather than its effectiveness. We would agree with Arminians that his death on the cross was sufficient to cover the sins of all. There certainly would not have been a need to have his suffering increased accordingly in order to cover the sins of each and every person. But that isn't how the atonement was designed. We believe that the atonement accomplished exactly what it was supposed to do by actually securing the salvation of all those for whom it was intended (i.e., the elect). "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14).

To say that God intended to save everyone, but, despite his best intentions, was unable to accomplish that goal, is to make God into something less than the sovereign, all-powerful Creator that he is. How much more God-glorifying it is to say, without hesitation or qualification, that he did exactly what he set out to do!

Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints

This Week in Calvinism - November 9, 2007

Tom Ascol lists five marks of a healthy church.

Stan puts the Walking Fish through the wringer.

Bob Hayton invites non-Calvinists to not just write Calvinism off as a "man-made philosophy," but to take a serious look at the evidence and "try to understand how we arrive at our conclusions."

Tim Challies gives a very positive review of The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism, by Craig Brown.

B.C. McWhite may not be viciously dogmatic on all five points of Calvinism, but you're in for a fight if you attack the doctrine of perseverance/preservation of the saints.

Trevin Wax "will not confuse second-order doctrinal distinctives with first-order doctrines. Once we journey down that road, we'll eventually start confusing third-order doctrinal distinctives with first order doctrines, and we'll wind up as isolated, irrelevant, and shrill as our independent friends."

Tom Conoboy enjoys living "life for life's sake, learning through experience, through joy, through discovery." He sees that as an antidote to the "cold, harsh, granite hatred of life that Calvinism instilled in generations of people like me." I guess I'm not sure where he got that idea. Knowing that there is a sovereign Creator in control of all things, who chose me before the foundation of the world, came to earth in the flesh, lived a perfect life, shed his blood for my sin, rose from the dead, drew me by his Spirit to a saving faith in Christ, and has secured for me a place with him for all eternity has instilled in me a warm, comforting, passionate love of life.

Four Things to Tell an Atheist

Pastor Gene Cook Jr. gave the following presentation in Seattle on October 13, 2007:

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3

This Week in Calvinism - November 2, 2007

The Walking Fish thinks Calvinism has some serious implications: pushing people into cults, teaching that aborted babies go to hell, stalling evangelism, and making people unsure of their salvation. Frankly, I don't see what the problem is. Those are the things that drew me to Calvinism in the first place!

As you can see, there are numerous myths floating around out there about Calvinism. Pete deals with eight of them.

Mack Tomlinson points out some of the problems with hyper-Calvinism.

The Watchman paints a false caricature of Calvinism, saying we believe that God, "blind to any right or wrongs in our actions," chooses people for salvation. The truth is that while we do hold that salvation by grace through faith "is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9), we also recognize the fact that God "knows the secrets of the heart" (Psalm 44:21). We simply believe that our salvation isn't based on any right or wrong actions on our part. So, Mr. Watchman, if you're "uncomfortable with a judge too blinded by his own transcendent glory to judge between the immanent good or evil," you first need to realize that God is not blind; he knows everything (John 21:17). Next, you need to know that scripture teaches quite clearly that there is no immanent (or indwelling) good in man (Romans 3:10-12). However, from the depths of his infinite mercy, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Some Arminians hate Calvinism so much that they'd "rather be called a Pelagian than a Calvinist." I'm sorry, but I can't see how any Christian, with even a cursory understanding of what either one stood for, could say that. To be fair, this blogger later admits he overreacted, but then says, "Yes, my disdain for Calvinism does tend to sway me toward more Pelagian/Semi-Pelagian thinking...and I do not think Arminius would agree with me."

John Pipes talks about the comforts of Calvinism.

Act now to get a special deal on the DVD Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism.

The Reformation Turns 490 Today

In honor of this historic event, Tim Challies invites you to join the "2007 Reformation Day Symposium":

As I spent time alone with God this morning, my thoughts and prayers turned continually to the word "reform," but with -ing appended to it instead of -ed. I love to claim the title of "Reformed," but today my prayer was that God would continue reforming me. I am a work in progress and pray that God will continue to reform me and to reform the church. Perhaps He will work through some of these great articles that are coming in from the far reaches of the blogosphere as part of this Reformation Day Symposium. Each of these articles was prepared by a different blogger. Each makes a unique contribution. I'd encourage you to read at least a few of them.

If you have prepared an article you'd like to share, let me know and I will update this list throughout the day.

You can link to those articles at Challies.com.

Oh, and happy Reformation Day!

Spurgeon on Election

I found Spurgeon's morning devotion for October 28 to be especially encouraging:

"I have chosen you out of the world." —John 15:19

There is distinguishing grace and discriminating regard; for some are made the special objects of divine affection. Do not be afraid to dwell upon this high doctrine of election. When your mind is most heavy and depressed, you will find it to be a bottle of richest cordial. Those who doubt the doctrines of grace, or who cast them into the shade, miss the richest clusters of Eshcol; they lose the wines on the lees well refined, the fat things full of marrow. There is no balm in Gilead comparable to it. If the honey in Jonathan's wood when but touched enlightened the eyes, this is honey which will enlighten your heart to love and learn the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Eat, and fear not a surfeit; live upon this choice dainty, and fear not that it will be too delicate a diet. Meat from the King's table will hurt none of His courtiers. Desire to have your mind enlarged, that you may comprehend more and more the eternal, everlasting, discriminating love of God. When you have mounted as high as election, tarry on its sister mount, the covenant of grace. Covenant engagements are the munitions of stupendous rock behind which we lie entrenched; covenant engagements with the surety, Christ Jesus, are the quiet resting-places of trembling spirits.

"His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the raging flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
This still is all my strength and stay."

If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that He would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail of His soul; then, my soul, till God Himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus shall cease to be the truth, thou art safe. When David danced before the ark, he told Michal that election made him do so. Come, my soul, exult before the God of grace and leap for joy of heart.

This Week in Calvinism - October 26, 2007

TBNN reports that more churches (in what seems to be a celebration of diversity) are accepting and affirming Calvinists in their midst.

Sometimes you just have to appreciate idiotic statements: "Tracing today's capitalism to the church leaves an evil mark. The Reformation in its Calvinist version made religion a thing of this world and achieved the miracle of identifying blessings with the accumulation of riches. The shame of profiteering was wiped away and what was formerly lust for wealth became the fulfillment of God's purposes on earth."

Richard Smith says something we should all take to heart: "One can be a five-point Calvinist (whatever that may mean to so many) and still not truly believe in the depravity of his or her own heart. It can be nothing more than an intellectual teaching and it might even be something learned from a creed or a history class. But until that person has learned the depths of depravity of his own heart and learned that he needs grace every moment to do any spiritual good at all, that person has not learned depravity."

Reformed theology vs. seeker-sensitive "theology."

Just what we need: another ill-informed rant on the "Satanic heresies" of Calvinism. Yes, John Calvin believed (wrongly) in paedobaptism, but to claim that he actually taught baptismal regeneration? That's a new one.

Triabloguer Peter Pike on how an Arminian robot makes a choice.

Hagee's Heresy

John Hagee has written a new book, In Defense of Israel, which he claims will "shake Christian theology." He says the book will "prove that Jesus did not come to earth to be the Messiah. ... Since Jesus refused, by word and deed, to claim to be the Messiah, how can the Jews be blamed for rejecting what was never offered?"

Yeah, I thought that was outrageous, too, even for Hagee. But click here (or here) and see for yourself.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt Mr. Hagee to crack open his Bible once in a while:

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me." (John 10:24-25)

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

The Atheistic Worldview

You've all heard the song:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

What drivel. It may sound appealing when set to music, but no one really wants to imagine a world in which right and wrong do not exist.

When you adhere to an atheistic worldview, you lack the necessary foundation to make moral judgments. Oh, the atheist will try to say that his worldview allows for things like right and wrong, but such notions are meaningless in a philosophy that wishes man to remain unaccountable to a Creator. Doing what's "right" boils down to doing what feels good "right now."

The Armchair Theologian shares some of his thoughts on the subject. Included in his post is a clip from an interview with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who linked the philosophy of evolution to his murderous behavior. Put simply, evolution cheapens life.

In a world based on the principle of "survival of the fittest," there can be no judgment as to what constitutes right or wrong behavior, even for human beings. After all, according to evolutionary theory, we humans have only been around for a blink of an eye, while the world has been changing constantly for billions of years.

A.T. sums it up: "It seems to me that the evolutionary and atheistic thinkers want the Christian worldview to be true only when it's convenient for them, and use Christian morality to reject people who carry out their own philosophies to their logical conclusions."

Brian Godawa, a Christian screenwriter and director, carried out the atheist philosophy to its logical conclusion in his short film Cruel Logic. You may find it a little disturbing, but I think it depicts perfectly the kind of world the atheists are trying to force on the rest of us -- whether they realize it or not:

This Week in Calvinism - October 19, 2007

Theological knowledge can be a great source of pride. What we need is more humility as we seek to know God.

T. J. Pennock says that Calvinism is "a strange religion that claims sinners are damned for not believing in a cross that makes no provision." So, does that mean the biblical alternative is a religion that claims sinners are damned for sins already covered by the cross?

Hank is already up to part seven in a five-part series dealing with objections to Calvinism.

A brief thought on justification.

While we're on the subject, does justification still matter? Apparently, justification by grace alone through faith alone can no longer be taken for granted in today's churches.

Pastor John Piper responds to David Instone-Brewer's article in Christianity Today on the topic of divorce.

Divine Providence

What does John MacArthur's grandson's game-winning field goal have to do with a fatal crash on I-5, south of Santa Clarita? You have to read Phil Johnson's latest post to find out.

Joel Osteen on 60 Minutes

Joel Osteen was featured on 60 Minutes last night. In an interview with Byron Pitts, he talked about his "ministry" and responded to his critics.

I watched it to see what Michael Horton, Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, had to say. You can watch the video here while it's still available.

Tiptoeing through the TULIPs - Part 2: Unconditional Election

Unconditional Election
God is holy and just, and all who fall short of his standard for perfection are under condemnation (Romans 1:18, Romans 6:23). It would be contrary to God's nature for him to allow any sin to go unpunished.

So, if all are born into sin, what hope do we have? Our hope lies in the very one who is condemning us. Because we are completely powerless to overcome sin on our own, he, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, effectively draws certain people unto himself. In other words, he chooses who will be saved and who will not be saved.

Most Christians will agree -- to a point. They cannot deny the doctrine of election entirely because scripture uses the terms "elect" and "election" explicitly (Matthew 24:41, Luke 18:7, Romans 11:28, 2nd Timothy 2:10, 2nd Peter 1:10, etc.). However, many believe the election referred to is conditional.

Here is how conditional election works: God, at some point in eternity past, looked ahead down the corridors of time and, according to his foreknowledge, saw who would receive Christ as savior. Those are the ones he then predestined for salvation. This may seem like a simple explanation, but it's wrong.

Here is what Paul writes in Romans 9:9-13:

For this is what the promise said: "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son." And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad -- in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls -- she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

It couldn't be any clearer. God's election is unconditional in that it is not based on anything we have done, are doing, or will do.

Naturally, this doesn't seem "fair" according to human standards. Paul anticipates that and continues in verses 14-18:

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

God's will is the key to understanding this important doctrine. We learn in Ephesians 1:11 that our predestination is "according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will." Doesn't it make much more sense that God's election is based on his own sovereign will rather than the fallen will of man?

The more I contemplate the doctrine of unconditional election, the more I am humbled. God had every right to condemn me to hell for all eternity, but he didn't. And while I don't know why he chose me in Christ for salvation, scripture reminds me constantly that it had nothing to do with my works: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The truth is that we believers, even in eternity, may never know why God predestined us for salvation. We do know that what was done was done in such a way "so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1st Corinthians 1:27). In short, election is unconditional so that all glory is reserved for God and God alone.

Part 1: Total Depravity
Part 2: Unconditional Election
Part 3: Limited Atonement
Part 4: Irresistable Grace
Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints