Childlike Obedience

“God has declared in the gospel that whenever we come to him, we are to call upon him freely and openly as our Father, who has adopted us as his children. If we do not have this assurance, the thought of serving God will make us grind our teeth.

"If, however, we are persuaded that God looks upon us favourably; if, though we are weak and can do nothing worthy of his approval, he accepts us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will surely be filled with courage.

"We will be like a ship’s sail that has been stretched and filled by the breeze! Thus, our hearts will run to obey him, like a ship driven along by its sail, when we know that God delights in us and accepts our works, not wanting us to be compelled into servitude. He is happy for us to be his children, and that we desire to obey him.”

- John Calvin, Sermons on Galatians (preaching on Gal 5:1-3)
posted at "Of First Importance"

"beFriended"

Ray Ortlund:

I cannot listen to "My Song Is Love Unknown" . . . without being moved to the depths of my being that I have such a Friend. If you have him too, you know what I mean. If you don't have him, you can. Are you willing to be beFriended?

Willingness is all he asks.

HT: Justin Taylor

The Theological/Ethical Chaos in the Episcopal Church

Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Seminary, responds to the assertions of 'heresy' from the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.

"In her opening address to the Episcopal Church's recent General Convention, the Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the church's presiding bishop, made a special point of denouncing what she labeled 'the great Western heresy'—the teaching, in her words, 'that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God.' This 'individualist focus,, she declared, 'is a form of idolatry.'"

But as Dr. Mouw argues, "The 'individualism' we profess is not only not a heresy—it is at the heart of the gospel."

Read the entire article.

Anglican Bishop Tom Wright on the Schism Caused By the American Episcopal Church

Bishop and theologian Tom Wright explains that "the Americans know this will end in schism" as they continue to defect from the Christian tradition over the issue of ordaining practicing homosexuals to the pastoral ministry.

As the sub-title of his essay puts it: "Support by US Episcopalians for homosexual clergy is contrary to Anglican faith and tradition. They are leaving the family."

Focus on Christ

“The holiest Christians are not those most concerned about holiness as such, but whose minds and hearts and goals and purposes and love and hope are most fully focused on our Lord Jesus Christ.”

- J.I. Packer, Keep in Step with the Spirit (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005), 134.
posted at "Of First Importance"

When Imagination Exceeds Obedience

"Those like myself, whose imagination far exceeds their obedience are subject to a just penalty; we easily imagine conditions far higher than any we have really reached. If we describe what we have imagined we may make others, and make ourselves, believe that we have really been there."

--C.S. Lewis

John Calvin's Continuing Impact: His Ministry of the Word

Kevin DeYoung has another insightful post, this time about why John Calvin's ministry of teaching continues to have such an impact today.

(Today is the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.)

The Prayers of Jesus for Us

“It doesn’t matter how complicated, how desperate, perhaps even hopeless your life has become. No matter how overwhelmed you may feel by your problems, if your trust is in Jesus Christ, you can be sure that he is praying for you now and through that prayer he will provide for you the resources to bring you relief or enable you to carry on.

The most important thing that you and I need to learn about prayer is this: first of all and ultimately, prayer is not something we do but what Jesus does for us.”

- Richard B. Gaffin, “Christ, Our High Priest in Heaven“
posted at "Of First Importance"

"Is Hurt Mail the New Hate Mail?"...

...A characteristically insightful and provocative essay from Carl Trueman.

"Who is occupying the throne today?"

“In our vision of ultimate reality, who is occupying the throne today? Are we authentic New Testament Christians, whose vision is filled with Christ crucified, risen and reigning? Is guilt still reigning, and death? Or is grace reigning, and life?

"To be sure, sin and Satan may seem to be reigning still, since many continue to bow down to them. But their reign is an illusion, a bluff. For at the cross they were decisively defeated, dethroned and disarmed.

"Now Christ reigns, exalted to the Father’s right hand, with all things under his feet, welcoming the nations, and waiting for his remaining enemies to be made his footstool.”

—John Stott, The Message of Romans (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 162
HT: "Of First Importance"

"The Scandal of the Public Evangelical"

A thought-provoking essay by Mark Galli at "Christianity Today" online. (I tend to think that Galli may overstate the point he's trying to make, but his main idea is worth considering.)

"Is Patriotism Dead?"

An editorial for July 4th from "Christianity Today".

9-Marks e-Journal on Missions

This issue is devoted to missions--articles, reviews, roundtable discussion, tools that churches can use, etc.You can read the articles at the site, or download the whole thing as a single PDF.

HT: Justin Taylor

C.S Lewis on Hell

"Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others...but you are still distinct from it. You may even criticize it in yourself and wish you could stop it. But there may come a day when you can no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood or even to enjoy it, but just the grumble itself, going on forever like a machine.

"It is not a question of God 'sending us' to hell.* In each of us there is something growing, which will BE Hell unless it is nipped in the bud."

-- C.S. Lewis, quoted by Tim Keller in "The Reason for God" pp.78-79 (Dutton 2008)

*I don't think that Lewis gets it entirely right here, but the key idea he's making is an important one. I'd encourage you to read his fascinating little book, "The Great Divorce."

Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck: "Why We Love the Church"

Justin Taylor's post refers to Kevin and Ted's new book, and to their guest column with Newsweek/Washington Post.