Thoughts for a Young Man

A friend once asked me to share some thoughts with his son as his son entered into manhood. These are the thoughts:

The most important gifts God will give you during your life are relationships.

Knowing Him.

Knowing those made in His image.

Relationships live and breathe with humility, but die with selfishness.

Be quick to admit when you are wrong.

Be quick to repent when you sin against God and people.

Take full responsibility for your actions.

Never blame others.

Apply the promises of the Gospel.

Depend on God’s forgiveness.

Rest in His Fatherly care.

Seek His grace to change and grow.

Think about the Cross of Christ every day.

Excel in serving others. It will bring joy!

                                    Pray for others like you pray for yourself.

                                    Serve those around you.

Give to those in need.

Trust in the Lord to give you the humility that is needed in every situation, and the strength to persevere.

Your relationships with God and His people will endure forever.

Most everything else will pass away.

Keep your focus on Christ.

Never give up!

Christ's Conquest of the Self-Life: A Thematic Study of Philippians

Here is a link to a PowerPoint presentation from a message I shared at church some time ago. There are 23 slides, including a few illustrations. It is based on three of the key themes in the book of Philippians. I hope it is a blessing to you!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1L2AyEnnqLONOfoCIelTL7-LzakwKIZXRDjdTIZEQgIc/edit?usp=sharing

Christ's conquest of the believer's self-life is . . .

1. Conditioned upon God's work in us
2. Concentrated in God-ordained relationships
3. Completed in union with Christ 

Stupid Reactions of an Idolatrous Heart - #5,683

I hear a great sermon by a great preacher who is used of God to show me the glories of Christ (and my need for Christ). I am confronted and deeply affected. Then I say to myself, "I need to get a lot more of this preacher . . ." and I prepare to start downloading all of his sermons I can find.

Do you see the problem here?

I don't need more of this preacher! I need more of Christ! But I am too easily distracted from Him, and too quick to depend on the arm of flesh . . .

HE is the point! HE is the ONE! HE is God incarnate and the one who became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM. HE is the one who accomplished all that must be done for us to be saved. HE is the one who shed His blood, HE is the one who was raised from the dead for us, HE is the one who intercedes effectually, HE is the one who stands at the right hand of God, HE is the one who will return in a magnificence and splendor that will overthrow every evil in this world . . . not some preacher!

The preacher is not Christ. No man will ever be Christ for me but Christ Himself. The best I can do is become like Him by being with Him, and then lead others to Him by living for Him and abiding in Him and being changed by Him so that I am conformed to Him.

Christ is all, and is over all, and in all, and through all. Let a preacher, a disciple-maker or a friend play his limited part. But let Christ alone be magnified as a result.

Calvinists Aflame for God

Some say Calvinism tends toward a cold, cerebral piety that is devoid of compassion. They claim Reformed theological convictions produce ineffective or just downright annoying Christians. In some cases this has undeniably been true. You can probably think of examples. 

Great. Point conceded.
 
On the other hand, many of the most zealous servants of Christ have been Calvinists. Some of the most pioneering, devoted, self-sacrificing missionaries in the history of the Church have been Calvinists. Many of the martyrs who have testified passionately and died for Christ's cause have been Calvinists. Many of the greatest devotional works - the ones that point to the glories of Christ and call us to love-inspired labors - were written by Calvinists. Newton, Bunyan, Spurgeon, Baxter, Whitefield and Watson come to mind.
 

How is it that some Calvinists have demonstrated such intense devotion, while others have gone flat? It's a good question, and an important one. Below are a few thoughts about how we Calvinists can stay aflame for God, speaking Truth in love and maintaining the simplicity of devotion to Christ, even as we wrestle Calvin-style with the hard doctrines of Scripture and refuse to back away from any of their philosophical implications.

• Never think about the doctrine of Total Depravity without considering your own sins. Especially your recent sins. Let the desperate plight of fallen humanity inspire a fresh compassion for the lost people around you.
• Never think about the doctrine of Unconditional Election without reminding yourself that nothing in you influenced God's choice. That's what unconditional means. Know that it was purely of His mercy that He took pity on you and saved you.
• Never think about Christ's atoning work without thanking Him for what He has done for you at the cross, and in the resurrection, and the way He applies that work to your life now. Be affected by how much you need the cross on a daily and moment-by-moment basis.
• Never think about the doctrine of the Effectual Call without marveling that God miraculously changed your stony heart. 
• Never think about the doctrines of the Perseverance and Preservation of the Saints without recognizing that all your godly fruit is an effect of Christ's unmerited mercy toward you. Remember that a lack of godly fruit is a sign of trouble that must move you to re-examine your heart. Don't use the doctrine of election to exempt yourself from this.
• Never think about the sovereignty of God without surrendering yourself afresh to His glorious rule.
• Never let logical deductions about the secret will of God lessen your adherence to His revealed will in the Scriptures. Don't get carried away by speculations.
• Read plenty of Reformed books and blogs if you like, but devote yourself to the study and application of Scripture. Read the whole Bible and spend more effort applying it than thinking philosophically about it.
• Share the Gospel regularly and stay involved in missions. Prove that you believe in the free offer of the Gospel.
• Worship God alone. Don't let theology become your idol.
• When you speak, boast in the goodness of God rather than just spouting theological facts you have learned.
• Repent thoroughly, earnestly and often. Confess your sins to God daily, and rejoice in His outpoured grace daily. Repent to other people when you sin against them (it's wonderfully humbling).
• Stay close to your Lord, and tremble if you gain a head full of knowledge without corresponding affections for Him.

Repentance, Substitution and Replacement

Here are a few thoughts to add to yesterday's post on Psalm 32:8 . . .

Repentance is turning, not just FROM SIN, but also TO CHRIST. In repentance, we turn from "irresistible" sin to an irresistible Savior. We draw back from the fleeting pleasures of sin and run headlong into the eternal joys of Christ. He becomes the object of our pursuit, the Friend from Whom we cannot bear to be distant, the delight and satisfaction of our souls. As we were smitten with sin, and willing to give all for it, we are now smitten with HIM and willing to give all for this Wonderful One. He amazes us! Repentance leads us to Christ, not merely as the Substitute Who was punished in our place, but as the replacement for the sin that we formerly cherished. Every desire we have had for sin should rightly have been directed toward Him. Every enjoyment of earthly pleasure should have been an enjoyment of Him. All the love we have had for worldly things should have been love for Him. The self-importance with which we puffed ourselves up should have been ascribed to Him as glory and honor and worship. The proud confidence we have wasted on ourselves should have been dependence on His grace and faith in His goodness. All the service and submission we have given to sin should have been His. Rather than slavishly laboring for sin, we should have surrendered to His sovereign lordship. Repentance says these things.

By our sin, we have expressed a low view of Christ. Now, in repentance, we again see Him enthroned, glorious, exalted, worthy, attractive, beautiful, capable, wise, desirable and perfect. He is the SUBSTITUTE for the sinner and the REPLACEMENT for the sin. He captivates us!

We are not to begin repentance by replacing sin with good works. We are to begin by replacing our love for sin with love for Christ, and we are to replace our acts of sin with acts of devotion to Him. As you read these words, do you see in yourself a lack of zeal and devotion for Jesus Himself? Do you seem to fall short of this high view of Him? Dear friend, do not despair - simply fall before Him and tell Him what you lack. Tell Him you don't even know what you lack. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him, and He will give you whatever you need. He will BE whatever you need!

As we come to Christ in this way, new desires are born in us. We begin to taste the goodness of God and sin becomes less appetizing (and eventually downright disgusting). As I Corinthians 1:30 declares, Christ "has become for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption . . ." and whatever else we may need. It is all in Him. Until this truth becomes real to us, our repentance remains incomplete. But once it is embraced, the embrace is forever! You'll find it in the arms of Jesus, as He becomes more to you than He ever was before.

Psalm 32:8 - God's Training Program

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

Although the text does not indicate who is speaking, it seems that this is God's answer to David. Note the three verbs: INSTRUCT, TEACH, COUNSEL

Instruct - Heb. SAKAL – to make wise, intelligent, skillful; to give insight, understanding. The word is used in Genesis 3:6, where the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was “desirable for gaining [SAKAL].” It “never concerns abstract prudence, but acting prudently.” (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, OT, “To Understand”)
Teach - Heb. YARAH – to shoot or throw; to point; to teach
Counsel - Heb. YA'ATS – to advise, counsel

All three words are stated in the imperfect mood, indicating there is a process at work. In response to our repentance, God forgives, He protects - and He puts us in His training program for godliness. He knows we need to change, but He does not expect this to happen apart from His own direct involvement. He teaches us with His eye upon us. He is not placing us under scrutiny with some sort of probation. He is watching over us to guarantee the effectiveness of our training.


Why does God teach us in this way? Did we sin for lack of teaching? Was it for want of information? Do we simply need to know more theology? Is “education” the answer to our sin problem? Certainly it is a lack of wisdom that led us into our sins, but it is not primarily for our education that God places us in His training program. Nor is it about “behavior modification.” Rather, this is our opportunity to know Him better. Developing an intimate and dependent relationship with Christ is the great remedy for our sinful ways. The more closely we walk with God, the less we practice sin. The more we incline our ear to His Words, the less we pay heed to the voices of temptation. The more we gaze into His burning eyes of grace, the less we are drawn by this world's glitter. It is not a matter of learning more facts – it's a matter of learning Christ.

Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

The Holy Spirit is the divine Counselor Who helps us learn Christ. We desperately need His help. There is no other way to change. Consider the glorious promise in these words: “Walk by the Spirit, and you WILL NOT CARRY OUT the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). No wonder David cried out in Psalm 51, “Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me!” Speaking of this sin-conquering Counselor who dwells in us, Jesus said

John 16:14-15 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”

"The mark of a life governed by the Holy Spirit is that such a life is continually and ever more and more occupied with Christ, that Christ is becoming greater and greater as time goes on. The effect of the Holy Spirit's work in us is to bring us to the shore of a mighty ocean which reaches far, far beyond our range, and concerning which we feel - oh, the depths, the fullness, of Christ! If we live as long as ever man lived, we shall still be only on the fringe of this vast fullness that Christ is. Now, that at once becomes a challenge to us before we go any further. These are not just words. This is not just rhetoric; this is truth. Let us ask our hearts at once, Is this true in our case? Is this the kind of life that we know? Are we coming to despair on this matter? That is to say, that we are glimpsing so much as signified by Christ that we know we are beaten, that we are out of our depth, and will never range all this. It is beyond us, far beyond us, and yet we are drawn on and ever on. Is that true in your experience? That is the mark of a life governed by the Holy Spirit. Christ becomes greater and greater as we go on. If that is true, well, that is the way of life. If ever you and I should come to a place where we think we know, we have it all, we have attained, and from that point things become static, we may take it that the Holy Spirit has ceased operations and that life has become stultified. . . . So God, right at the beginning, brings Christ forth, presents Him, attests Him, and in effect says, This is that to which I will conform you, to this image!" (T. Austin-Sparks, The School of Christ)

More of the Spirit's teaching is found in the next verse of Psalm 32 . . .