God is Good and Hell is Just

On the most basic level, all of our squawking and screeching about hell reveals a deep distrust of God. Lack of faith, unbelief, and doubt regarding His character. The Bible teaches us emphatically that God will give each and every lost person his or her justly deserved punishment. Nothing more, nothing less. Mercy was available and offered, but roundly rejected. What is the result? What is the just response to defiance, hatred and rebellious distrust of a sovereign, benevolent and all-loving Creator?

Here are some sobering passages that teach eternal torment:

Revelation 14:9-11

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

Revelation 20:7-15

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

II Thessalonians 1:7-10
For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

It's hard to imagine how these and other Biblical descriptions of eternal judgment can be reinterpreted to accommodate universalism, post-mortem offers of salvation, or even annihilationism. Nevertheless books have been written. Exegetical word games have been played along the lines of a professional sport. Far fetched and fanciful interpretations have been proposed. Absurdities have been presented with a straight face, as if they were viable alternatives to orthodox Christian beliefs. The Word of God is treated like a ventriloquist's dummy; with enough creative manipulation, one can create the illusion that it says there is no eternal punishment for the unbelieving. 


A concordance study on the Biblical usage of the Greek terms for destruction (apollumi, apoleia, and olethros) shuts down the ventilator that artificially keeps these heterodox theories of the afterlife alive. Surveying the Biblical passages on God's wrath and judgment puts the coffin in the ground and throws dirt on it. Still, the doubters dig around in the graveyard of an untenable hermeneutic, and with the rusty old shovels of humanistic optimism they attempt to resurrect long dead speculations. And all they get from these exhumations of error is a stack of lifeless bones. But religious Americans seem to like bones as much as they dislike hell, and they are happy to buy them, so the doubters keep on digging - and writing, and publishing, and selling. The theological graveyard is full of profits.

Meanwhile, God warns us of an unquenchable and eternal fire that is going to ravage all who reject Him. It has already begun to destroy faithless humanity, rendering all condemned (John 3:18) and naming us children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). We are warned that the unbelieving will be destroyed eternally. The very phrase, "eternal destruction" may sound like a paradox, but it is nonetheless a clear and certain reality and it must be taken whole. Following the historical trend repeated in many other doctrinal disturbances, the propagators of afterlife errors refuse to accept the Word as it is written and in its entirety. They want to "dig deeper" and find something less offensive than the Truth. The trouble is, what they claim to "find" in the text was imported eisegetically from their own minds. While annihilationists deny the eternal duration of the destruction, universalists deny that anything resembling destruction even occurs. The phrase "eternal destruction" precludes both of these errors. It reveals endless destruction - destruction that doesn't end. Not a temporal destruction that has a fixed point of conclusion, but eternal destruction that goes on forever.

Trying to soften this is useless. Rather than using idealistic and man-centered rationalizations to fight the fires of divine justice, Bible teachers ought to be focused on following the command of Jude:

And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

(Jude 1:22-23)

Those who know the testimony of Scripture and still deny the reality of eternal torment are treating their fellow man in a most unmerciful, cruel and hateful way. They might not feel hatred for others, but they are plainly practicing it. Their efforts do not make true Christianity more palatable, but instead offer a sugar-coated poison to the deceived, crying "peace and safety" when the roof is about to fall in. God is more than able to soften the hearts of unbelievers as we preach His unadulterated message. It is not our job to soften the message so hearers will receive and honor us, but to proclaim the truth and watch Him accomplish the miracle of regeneration.


Questions for Those Who Question

Here are some questions for those writers, preachers and leaders who "question" the clear teaching of Scripture on this subject: are you fighting God's justice? Do you not believe that God can measure out a precisely just amount of suffering for each and every lost individual, stretched out across the span of eternity, taking all of the factors into consideration as He alone can do? Do you think you are a more competent judge of the punishment sin deserves?

If God is the most merciful and loving of all beings, and He is not as repelled by the idea of eternal suffering as you are, whose wisdom and mercy are you trusting in? Yours or His? If God in His loving wisdom consigns sinners to eternal torment, can you open your mind to the possibility that this is a good and righteous thing to do?

Does eternal suffering really appear unjust? Perhaps the doctrine of hell is not meant to answer your standard of justice, but to shape it. Maybe you should measure human sin and guilt by the intensity and the duration of the punishment it warrants. If you truly know the infinite depths of your own sinfulness, you will have no problem at all with the concept of eternal suffering. You will be shocked and amazed that you are not already there! You will repent and lay hold of the freely extended mercy of God, who bears patiently with sinners, who suffers His own wrath in the place of sinners, and who saves sinners from going to destruction. Stop trying to put out the fires of hell with humanistic theories, and simply believe and proclaim the Gospel.

You may think the Biblical picture of hell is unjust, but you will have all eternity to be convinced otherwise. The question is: where?

If there really is such a place as the lake of fire, and if it really is just for sinners to suffer there forever, don't you think it merciful of God to tell us the facts so we can flee to Him and find grace? If you deny or twist His words of warning, what can you expect to receive from Him?

Revelation 22:18-19

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

_________________________________________________________
Notes:
Matthew 10:28 is commonly used to defend the theory of annihilationism. ""Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." The Greek term apollumi is used in various senses throughout the New Testament, including killing or death (to which it is parallel in Mt. 10:28; cf. Mt. 27:20), loss (cf. Mt. 15:24, Mk. 9:41; Lk. 15:4, 6, 8-9), ruin or spoil (cf. Lk. 5:37; Jn. 6:27); perishing spiritually (i.e. becoming lost or dead eternally, not having eternal life and salvation, cf. Jn. 3:16; the present state of the unbelieving, cf. I Cor. 1:18). It is difficult to find an instance of apollumi in which the word implies complete annihilation. Perhaps a case could be made for this meaning in Hebrews 1:11, but even that is a stretch and it is an isolated case. Since physical death is the separation of a person's material and immaterial substance, there is no reason to believe that the second death, or the ultimate spiritual death, is anything like annihilation. Rather, consistency with the idea of "death" and the normal usage of apollumi would lead us to say that the second death (or destruction of the soul) is a further and final separation from God, perhaps even the division of the soul and spirit, or the greater "ruin" of the personality. Since the wicked will be resurrected prior to judgment, it is conceivable that there is a kind of continuous physical dying as well. Similarly, the idea of "lostness" fits perfectly with the idea that a portion of humanity has irrevocably turned away from God and perished. And one might ask: if annihilation is intended in Mt. 10:28, what is there to fear? One could be more afraid of temporal suffering than of merely ceasing to exist.
2 Th. 1:9 is also used to support annihilationism. "These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." Here the Greek word olethros is used. It means "ruin, destruction, death." It is characterized in the verse as being away from God's presence, glory and power. The term is also used in I Th. 5:3, where it is the ironic opposite of the peace and safety that were expected. Contrary to this, the unrepentant sinner who is abiding under God's righteous wrath may well find the possibility of annihilation to be the safest and most peaceful refuge imaginable. But this refuge does not exist, for the New Testament use of olethros carries no implication of ceasing to exist.

Reformed Missionaries in Japan - UPDATE

This morning I received this email from our missionary friends in Japan:

Dear praying friends and family, 

I wanted to send out a brief update to let you know that we are all okay in the midst of the 8.8 earthquake that has hit the east coast of Japan.  Our mission has been gathered since yesterday in the Nagano mountains, about 200 miles from the epicenter, for our annual retreat. 

Even as far away as we are, the earthquake was a bit scary and lasted a long time.  We were all put into one room for an hour or two while the retreat staff checked for gas leaks and other earthquake concerns.  We are fine here now, but our hearts are heavy from the news that has been coming in. 

Some of our missionary friends with us here used to live in Sendai, which is the city closest to the epicenter of the earthquake.  We've been watching video footage from Sendai, of the tsunami sweeping away huge amounts of earth, cars, houses -- it looked like leaves and dirt begin washed along a sidewalk, then you realize that you're seeing buildings and vehicles rushing across rice fields.  Unbelievable. 

God's timing is strange.  Last Saturday I attended an all-day training to help Christians in Japan be prepared to respond in case of earthquake.  On the ride home I was wondering how the Lord would want us to respond, but I really felt a desire to be part of relief efforts the next time a disaster struck. 

I had no idea the next disaster would be one week later! 

We will pray and wait to see how God may use our family, our mission, and the Church to bring much-needed relief as the days unfold.  Our prayer is that God will quickly move and unite the Church to reach out during this terrible tragedy.  The news that we are hearing is that it may be the worst earthquake in the history of Japan. 

We also believe that God has our mission gathered at this time for His purposes.  Pray that God will give us wisdom and allow us to be strategic in what will be challenging days ahead.  We do pray that the God of Psalm 46 will bring hope to those who right now are buried in tragedy. 

Thanks for your prayers and your concern.  We will continue to bring you news as we can from in-country.  It is hard to know how to pray, but we believe that the Spirit intercedes for us when words do not come.   Earlier tonight we prayed Psalm 46;  we have prayed for mercy, for miracles, for accounts of Japanese whose eyes are opened to the realities of His love even in the midst of this. 

Love in Christ,Kent

Here is some video footage of the tsunami:

Your Doctrine of the Atonement is Too Small - Part 1

I have observed, among many Calvinists, a great zeal to defend the doctrine of Limited Atonement. Since this doctrine sits at the center of the TULIP, and the TULIP seems to function (for some) as the sole essence of Calvinism, and since the TULIP's validity is said to stand or fall on the veracity of each and every point, it's not surprising that Limited Atonement is defended with such ardor. Perhaps I should have said "Your Calvinism is too small." But that's another article. 


To lay my cards on the table, I do self-identify as a 5-point Calvinist, assuming the points are rightly defined (historically and Biblically), and the 3 points of common grace are equally affirmed. I'm not against limiting the intent or effect of the atonement within Biblical boundaries. I just don't want the doctrine of the atonement to become a dart gun when God intended it to be a howitzer. The problem with over emphasizing the limited aspects is that we have a tendency to shrink the doctrine down to manageable proportions. It's not meant to be manageable, but to induce real amazement, gratitude, and wonder in our hearts. We should marvel not only that God savingly loves the elect, but also that He loves the world. To keep things Biblically balanced, I propose the following expansions to the way we explain the doctrine of limited atonement:

1. We must widen our view of the atonement's PURPOSE to include a universal revelatory purpose as well as a limited redemptive purpose (that's the focus of this article). 

2. We must affirm the atonement's POTENCY as the power and potential to cover all sins and to save all sinners (which will be the focus of part 2).

Without these expanded articulations, we are apt to try to limit the atonement in ways Scripture does not, and we are liable to commit some exegetical atrocities and philosophical fallacies in the process. I have seen otherwise brilliant and respectable exegetes twist a passage of Scripture into an origami figure trying to defend a narrow version of limited atonement which isn't Biblically warranted.

Don't get me wrong. I stand in lock step with other orthodox Calvinists in affirming Particular Redemption against the confused mistake called "Universalism." And I oppose any view of the atonement that portrays God as sacrificing His only Son in some kind of desperate attempt to get our attention, with the vague hope that we just might turn to Him someday if He pleads enough and somehow gets our consent to be saved. I very firmly renounce every whiff of the ideas that the atonement is less than substitutionary, less than vicarious, or less than successful in achieving its ends. "He will save His people from their sins." (Mt. 1:21) And the cross is how He will do it. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." (I Peter 3:18)

Without any doubt, the atonement is limited in certain respects - but it is more than just that. Yes, it is God's means of saving the elect, but that is not its only purpose.

The Redemptive and Revelatory Purposes

of the Atonement

The atonement made by Christ is intended as revelation to all the world, yet also as redemption to the elect.

Christ's atoning work is rich and potent, multi-faceted and deep - and part of its power lies in the fact that it is not simply efficacious, but revelatory. It is an emphatically PUBLIC display of God's generosity and grace, His redeeming power, His propitiated wrath, His just character, His call for sinners to believe, His forbearance and His ability to justify the ungodly (Romans 3:24-26). It's all right here in the text:

•  ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 
• being justified as a gift by His grace 
• through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
• whom God displayed publicly 
• as a propitiation in His blood 
• through faith. 
• This was to demonstrate His righteousness, 
• because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 
• for the demonstration, I say,of His righteousness at the present time, 
• so that He would be just 
• and the justifier 
• of the one who has faith in Jesus.

(See also: Psalm 22:31, Galatians 3:1, Colossians 2:15)

For whom is this public display intended? For the same "all" who sinned and fell short of His glory in verse 23! Have only the elect sinned? Have only the elect fallen short of God's glory? Certainly not. Let us never become so dogmatic in emphasizing the limited effects of the atonement that we forget - or fail to communicate - the wider Biblical scope of its purposes. The cross communicates God's message to all mankind - and especially the elect.

. . . and also of judgment

Consider the revelatory purpose of the atonement. How does it speak to us about the people who will be saved? Does it speak of them definitively - as the elect - or conditionally, as those who believe?

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16) 

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:8-9) 

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures . . . ( I Corinthians 15:1-4)

The Gospel addresses sinners with a conditional promise of salvation, even as it definitively demonstrates God's ability to save and reveals His desire to save. By the word of the cross God says to sinners, "I have done everything that is needed for your offenses to be covered. I have given my one and only Son for you. Come to me in faith and you will be saved. Reject me and you will perish." The elect perceive this message and by irresistible grace begin to count Christ's blood as precious. By faith they discover the redeeming, reconciling, propitiating, covenant-making, sin-demolishing power of His blood! The reprobate perceive the very same message and respond by trampling Christ's blood underfoot, spurning the offer of mercy, ignoring the warnings and going on in God-hating unbelief. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

God did not sacrifice His Son in secret, behind a thick curtain or hidden away in the heavens, but out in the open on a Roman cross for all the world to see. This does not save every sinner, but it does tell every sinner he can be saved, and that God loves him and desires to save Him. It promises every sinner he will be saved if he believes, and it warns every sinner that he will remain condemned and perish if he continues in unbelief. We live in the realm of time and the world of the potential, so God speaks to us in potential and conditional terms while reassuring His converted elect that He has a definite plan and sovereign control.

The revelatory purpose of the atonement corresponds to the universal call of the Gospel. Just as the effectual call of the Gospel exists alongside the universal call, the particular redemptive purpose of the atonement stands alongside its universal revelatory purpose.

• God loves all but releases some to eternal judgment
• God desires all but elects some
• God calls all to salvation but effectually calls some
• Christ atones for all but redeems some

In Part 2, we will examine in greater detail the wrath-averting potency of the atonement. We will find that just as the message of the cross is directed to all the world but effectual only for the elect, the power of the cross is sufficient for all the world but efficient only for the elect.

The Three Points of Common Grace (Plus One More)

Psalm 145:8-9 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Psalm 145:15-17 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is  righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

The doctrine of Common Grace is an essential, yet often overlooked, facet of Calvinistic theology. Sure, you know the 5 Points of Calvinism, but can you recite (and defend) the three points of Common Grace?

Many Arminians - even informed, studious ones - do not realize that orthodox Reformed thinking includes and incorporates some of their most cherished Biblical convictions. Conversely, some Calvinists mistakenly believe the concept of Common Grace is contradictory to the TULIP and should therefore be opposed. I will now endeavor to demonstrate the falsity of that idea, and then go one step further - showing how Common Grace and the TULIP form essential balancing paradoxes without creating contradictions. Common Grace is the fertile soil in which the TULIP was meant to grow.

Traditionally, the doctrine of Common Grace as been summarized in these 3 points:

1. God loves all people

This means God providentially cares for, patiently forbears, and benevolently extends grace toward each and every living person. He does not merely express His justice by hating the non-elect for their rebellion, but also shows His love for them as His special creation in generously giving them an abundance of undeserved kindnesses.

However, their continued rejection of Him will eventually lead to their separation from His love and a total abandonment to His justice.

PARADOX

Just Condemnation of Sinners   <++++++++++>        Pervasive Love for Sinners

This is the Counterbalance to Total Depravity

2. God desires the salvation of all people

This means God would take pleasure in the salvation of each and every living person, and does not directly oppose it. He does not actively reprobate the non-elect, but allows them to follow their heart's desire to their own destruction.

In His wise counsels He has chosen not to save every person, but to allow the non-elect to follow the path of their own choosing.

PARADOX

Election of Some Sinners    <++++++++++>  Desire to Save All Sinners

This is the Counterbalance to Unconditional Election

3. God freely offers the Gospel to all people

This means God extends mercy to each and every living person by way of the preaching of the Gospel. He does not exclude any sinner from the call to faith.

Yet He allows the non-elect to resist His grace and reject His offer of salvation.

PARADOX

Universal Call of the Gospel   <++++++++++>    Effectual Call of the Gospel

This is the Counterbalance to Irresistible Grace

I would add this fourth point . . .

4. Christ's blood is a sufficient atonement for all the sins of all people

This means the potency of the atonement is infinite, and powerful enough to save each and every living person. God does not limit the sin-bearing nature of Christ's work to the elect alone, but provides limitless expiatory power through an incomprehensibly precious sacrifice.

Still, He applies the redeeming, propitiatory, and reconciling effects of Christ's sacrifice to the elect only.

PARADOX

Sufficient for All             <++++++++++>    Efficient for the Elect

Point Four is the Counterbalance to Particular Redemption (which says the application of the saving effect of the atonement is limited to the elect).

NOTE: Nothing in the 3 Points of Common Grace (or my proposed 4th Point) actually contradicts the 5 Points of Calvinism. Nothing here militates against monergistic regeneration. No mitigation of divine sovereignty is entailed in these tenets. These Four Points are neither antithetical to historic Calvinism, nor are they opposed to Biblical teaching. Rather, they accommodate our minds to the wide range of Biblical teaching. The balancing points are paradoxical because they appear at first to contradict, but they are not inexplicable if we will put ourselves to the task of reasoning with Scripture.

Some Calvinists maintain that the Fourth Point undermines the integrity of the TULIP. They call advocates of the Fourth Point "inconsistent" Calvinists (a more proper term would be "Moderate" Calvinist). But can you see how the 5 Points of Calvinism plus the 3 Points of Common Grace logically lead to the Fourth Point? Far from dismantling the TULIP, the universal sufficiency of the atonement provides a solid basis on which the traditional Three Points of  Common Grace can be integrated with it.

I plan to write more on Particular Redemption and the extent of the atonement in the near future, God willing.

Reformed Missionaries in Japan

It is estimated that only 2% of Japan's population identifies itself as embracing some form of Christianity. Japan is perhaps one of the most Gospel resistant nations in the world, in spite of having been exposed to the faith for centuries. I am grateful that God has sent my friends, the Muhlings, to share the Gospel with the Japanese people. Kent and Yuko Muhling both went to Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, and they have already experienced a fruitful term of service in Japan. I was blessed to spend a little time with them while they were on furlough in Jacksonville, and was impressed by their godliness, sincerity, family emphasis and theological sensibility.

Kent recently participated in a speech contest for foreign speakers of Japanese, and used the opportunity to share his Christian faith with more than 200 people - in their own language. And he won the speech contest! Here is a link to the video, which includes subtitles since it is all in Japanese. You'll enjoy it.

Link: Kent Muhling - Speech Contest

Unfortunately the video could not be embedded, but I encourage you to click the link above and watch it on YouTube.

Here is another short video about their work, produced by the missions organization with which they are affiliated.

A Song Calvinists and Arminians Can Sing Together

This song was written by Samuel Rodigast in 1675, and is often sung at my church. The song has obvious Calvinistic overtones, and is also very encouraging as an example of surrendering to the sovereign will of God. After a careful reading I think even my Arminian friends should be able to heartily agree with every line and phrase of this song. Do you think so?

Here are the lyrics:

Whate'er My God Ordains Is Right

Whate’er my God ordains is right, Holy His will abideth.

I will be still whate’er He does, And follow where He guideth.

He is my God, Though dark my road.

He holds me that I shall not fall Wherefore to Him I leave it all

Whate’er my God ordains is right, He never will deceive me

He leads me by the proper path, I know He will not leave me

I take, content, What He hath sent

His hand can turn my griefs away And patiently I wait His day

Whate’er my God ordains is right, Though now this cup in drinking

May bitter seem to my faint heart, I take it all unshrinking

My God is true, Each morn anew

Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart And pain and sorrow shall depart

Whate’er my God ordains is right, Here shall my stand be taken

Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, Yet I am not forsaken

My Father’s care Is round me there

He holds me that I shall not fall And so to Him I leave it all

©1998 David Braud Music.

Video:

See Indelible Grace Music for more great old hymns with updated tunes.

Lakeside Retreat 2011 - What I Brought Home

My wife and kids, of course! And my guitar and mandolin. But besides all that, I brought home a powerful reminder of the importance of faithfulness.

Someone mentioned the way David had saved his father's sheep from lions and bears. He noted, "David could easily have said, 'oh well, it's just one little sheep. No one will miss it.' But instead he risked his life to save that sheep." When I heard these words, I immediately recognized that there have been times when I have not guarded my Father's "sheep," have not stood up bravely to oppose the aggressor, have not risked my life, have not been faithful in the "little things," have not "shed blood" in the fight against sin. I suddenly realized (anew) that seemingly small compromises are serious violations in God's eyes. God values His little sheep very highly, and He values our faithfulness very highly. All things are HIS, and I have no right to relinquish any of His property to the enemy. Whatever He has given me, I must guard carefully.


My mind is His. My mouth is His. My body is His. My life belongs to Him, and I must show that I belong to Him in all of the small ways as well as the big ways. I need to be fierce and courageous in guarding the little sheep in my life. Every stray word, thought and deed must be repented quickly, and every detail must be kept in faithfulness. I have to guard the trust.


My wife and children are His. I must place myself between them and the destroyer. I must stand my ground without flinching, and oppose every threat that comes against them. I must defend them with my life. Love always protects.


That's what I brought home from the retreat. I am grateful that God loves me so much that He will not let me go astray in these things without conviction, rebuke and discipline. Because I am also His sheep, and His son. He calls me, like David, to be a man "after His own heart" - a man who will defend himself and his family against evil.


I Samuel 17:34-37 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God." And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

Lakeside Retreat 2011 - Pictures

A few photos I took this morning . . .

Steve Demme speaking some very encouraging words on "Being a Disciple and Making Disciples" 

(and that's my mandolin in the background)

A beautiful sunrise on Honey Creek (the beauty of it is unmistakable, even though I was holding the camera crooked)

My lovely wife :)  (the one on the right!)

Honey Creek just after sunrise

My son, acting like . . . himself

More of Honey Creek

Lakeside Retreat 2011 - Strengthening Families

This weekend we are at the Honey Creek Retreat Center in Waverly, GA for our annual church retreat. Our featured speaker is Steve Demme, who created the well known "Math-U-See" curriculum (used widely by home schoolers). What are we doing at this retreat? We are celebrating grace! We are celebrating the Gospel! We are celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ! We are spurring one another on in leading our families in the Truth!


Last night Pastor Demme shared a message that showed how David's kingly successes were an extension of the lessons he learned as he honored his parents in his earlier life. He also mentioned that only one kind of family is mentioned in the Bible: the messed up, "dysfunctional" kind. And what great hope that gives all of us imperfect parents and children in the Gospel!

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Evangelical Apostasy: Two Oddities Recently Observed

Do you remember the visions of World War 3 that terrified us back in the 80's? We were afraid that one of the two superpowers would foolishly or accidentally press a button that would trigger the end of the world. Movies depicted small bands of renegades surviving out in the countryside, while masses of people in the cities languished under the damaging effects of radiation, and all of the cockroaches were somehow left unscathed. Creepy stuff.


America's present religious landscape is approximately equivalent to those predicted post-nuclear fallout scenarios. We are living in a day when thermonuclear warheads of false doctrine have hit their targets and exploded, obliterating entire denominations and sending showers of toxic theological debris in all directions. Masses of unbelievers have swept into buildings that are falsely labeled as Christian churches, not realizing they are only sliding deeper into the abyss of destruction by doing so. They won't hear the Gospel in there. But they really haven't come in to be converted, anyway. They have come to enjoy the plush theater seating, to watch entertaining talk-show style "messages" designed to build their self-esteem, to hear rock, rap and hip-hop "worship" concerts that are completely secular and devoid of Gospel content, to learn how a big person named "God" can give them a better life, to re-imagine and re-invent Christian faith, and to be comforted and coddled in their unconverted state. They have come for a weekly "worship experience" that does not center on the person and work of Jesus Christ or the Biblical Gospel of a blood-stained cross and empty tomb calling sinners to repentance and faith. The fleshly desires and cravings of the unregenerate now determine the agenda for many institutions that call themselves churches. It is a day of rampant, pervasive, dizzying apostasy.


Following are two true examples of this phenomenon from online services I saw this week (although these might seem similar to the fictitious satire I sometimes serve up, I assure you I did not make these up).

Become a Better Goat?

A leader from "Potential Church" in Cooper City, Florida recently shared a message at the weekend "experience" in which he encouraged everyone in his audience to set their goals high and try to become the, er, "GOAT." That stands for  "Greatest of All Time." Yes, you read that correctly. You have the potential to become the GOAT (yes, you!). The irony of a potential church calling its members to become better goats is just too much. Apparently it IS all about YOU (I mean, "ME"). Here's a prescription for Potential Church: hang fluorescent pink banners all over your building with the opening line of Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life emblazoned on them. Then, buy cases of the book, tear the first page out of every copy, and hand out just that page to everyone who attends your weekend "experience." This would be shocking, but potentially useful. The remaining portions of the books could be put into a capsule and shot into outer space.

Common Sense Salvation?

The pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Ormond Beach, Florida (it's one of the largest churches in the Assembly of God denomination, and is located almost directly across the street from Roy Hargrave's Riverbend Church) recently shared a message called, "The God Who Changes His Mind," in which he attempted to use a Biblical anthropopathism to wrench the scepter of sovereignty right out of God's hand. While trying to define and refute the "Reformists," (who believe in the "5 pillars of Calvinism" !?), he actually said, "I happen to believe that God chose everybody . . . He's chosen the whole world, but you know what, there are some of us in here today who had the sense enough to turn around and choose him back!" Yes, that is a direct quote, and you read it correctly. We had the SENSE ENOUGH to turn around and choose Him back! We are so amazingly smart and sufficient! Now you, too, can enjoy salvation via your own sensibility and remain completely free from the humbling side effects of needing to be saved by grace.

These were just two haphazard sparks of absurdity which were observed as they shot out of the flaming ball of heresy that is currently rolling across North America.


Getting angry about the alarming spread of apostasy won't do much good. Becoming a heresy hunter won't really help. Yes, we should thank God for folks like Chris Rosebrough (curator of the Museum of Idolatry) and support their efforts. Exposing lies is somewhat useful, but ultimately it will be tireless proclamation of the Truth that God uses to change hearts (I know Chris would agree). God only saves sinners one way: by the preaching of the Gospel. God only regenerates where the Gospel is proclaimed. So in this era of spiritual radiation and doctrinal fallout, let us faithfully proclaim the Gospel without ceasing, and without wavering - and let us put our hope in the God who regenerates and sanctifies all who by grace believe!


Also, let us never forget that God has preserved His own regenerate people, even within denominations and institutions that are falling over the edge doctrinally. We must be careful not to broad brush and sweep away the righteous with the reprobate. God will judge everything at the proper time, and judgment will begin with the household of God.

The Paradox of Fearing God

Justin Taylor recently posted a reflection on the differences and similarities in the responses of Mary and Zechariah when the angel appeared to each of them. He points out that both responded with fear and were immediately told to "fear not," and then he points out that in Mary's song the "fear of the Lord" is extolled, while in Zechariah's prophecy it is said that Israel was delivered in order that they might serve God "without fear." An interesting paradox.

Taylor explains the apparent contradiction with a quote from John Newton. See the post here.

A further thought on this: God's holiness is so powerful that He is able to sanctify attitudes and characteristics which we would normally account as undesirable or negative. Jealousy. Hatred. Anger. There is a good, godly version of each of them, and it is God's own version. The Bible is surprisingly candid about God's use of these characteristics; they are shockingly commonplace within its pages. He can use jealousy as an arm of benevolence, hatred as a vehicle for His grace, and anger as a catalyst of forgiveness. Similarly, our fear response can be man-centered and sinful or God-centered and holy. But unlike jealousy, hatred and anger, fear is a purely human characteristic. God does not have a sanctified version of fear. What could He ever fear, since there is none greater than Himself?

We, on the other hand, cannot live without fear. So God claims our fear for Himself.

Perhaps God tells us about His holy jealousy, hatred and anger to remind us that we are not His judges, and that it is not our prerogative to decide what is good and right for God. We will either glorify Him for all that He is, or we will condemn ourselves by trying to cross-examine Him under our warped, humanistic and sin-tainted ideas of justice and goodness.

God's Holy Jealousy

• Exodus 34:14 for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God
• Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
• I Corinthians 10:22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Man-centered Jealousy Prohibited

• Isaiah 11:13 The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart, and those who harass Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
• Romans 13:13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy
• Galatians 5:19-20 Now the works of the flesh are evident: . . . jealousy . . .

God-centered Jealousy Enjoined

• Numbers 25:11 Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.
• II Corinthians 11:2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

God's Holy Hatred

• Psalm 5:4-5 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
• Romans 9:13 As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

Man-centered Hatred Prohibited

• Leviticus 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 
• Matthew 5:43-44 You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you . . .

God-centered Hatred Enjoined

• Psalm 119:113 I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.
• Psalm 139:21-22 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
• Luke 14:26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

God's Holy Anger

• Numbers 32:13 And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was gone.
• Revelation 14:9-10 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Man-centered Anger Prohibitied

• II Chronicles 26:19 Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the LORD, by the altar of incense. 
• II Corinthians 12:20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish--that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.
• Colossians 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

God-centered Anger Enjoined

• Psalm 4:4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
• Ephesians 4:26-27 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Man-centered Fear Prohibited

• Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
• Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."
• I John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
• Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
• Heberews 13:6 So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

God-centered Fear Enjoined

• Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
• Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
• Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
• Romans 11:20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.
• I Corinthians 2:3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling . . .
• Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling . . .
• I Peter 1:17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile
• I Peter 2:17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Putting the pieces together, we might say that the reason Zechariah can say Israel serves God "without fear" is because the God-centered "fear of the Lord" swallows up every lesser fear. Thus, we are freed from the fears that could otherwise keep us from serving Him. We can never maintain this freedom apart from that one fear-slaying FEAR we must have in order to serve God worthily: the fear of Him. So, we must fear God in order that we may serve Him without fear! While lesser fears tend to multiply and paralyze us, the fear of the Lord sets us free.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever . . .

Psalm 19:9

Take a moment to think about the universal characteristics fear. It always directs and focuses our attention toward something or someone greater than ourselves (beyond our control), and it always influences and determines our actions in significant ways. These things are true whether we are facing a snarling dog, wrestling with a difficult school exam, dealing with a financial crisis, trying to hide something embarrassing, running from the law, or worshiping the living God. Above all else, fear is powerful motivation. The object of our fear will win the battle for our attention, appreciation, and action. In a very real sense, the thing we fear most is our God.