a little principle

Simple hermeneutical principle: Assume everything is prescriptive unless it is descriptive.

[Frankly not sure of the utility of it, but it seemed profound at the time I noted it.]

Christian Theism in History . . . Clearly Dominent

"In the Western world up to the end of the seventeenth century, . . . [i]f battles were fought, the lines were drawn within the circle of theism."

--James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door, 23.

Evangelicalism (and the Ecumenical Involvement)

While discussing Evangelicalism Divided, I noted from an intern discussion that what Evangelicalism (and the Ecumenical Involvement) is about for (a) Packer is a question of ecclesiology and (b) Murray is the definition of a Christian; thus these men differ concerning their interaction with it.

The Gospel, Its Fruit, and Christian Cultural No-No's

Why do churches allow into their rolls those whom the Bible would not consider Christians? Maybe churches aren’t keeping rolls today. Why then are they allowing those whom the Bible would not consider Christians to attend and consider themselves part of the church? An evangelical church must agree on the gospel. But agreement is not enough.

Christ warns that false prophets are like ferocious wolves in sheep’s clothing. How is the church to discern sheep from wolves who look and even sound like sheep? “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matt. 7:16). Those who only profess Christ must not be considered Christians. The Bible doesn’t ask us to assume. We don’t need to assume. Rather we need to wait and watch their actions. With numbers being the criteria for success, waiting makes no sense. One who acts like a sheep and cries ‘Lord, Lord’ like a sheep is welcomed into the fold. Patience and wisdom are needed. They are what the Bible expects.

But if wolves act like sheep and the church is to judge sheep by their actions, how are the two to be kept separate? In between his teaching on sheep and wolves and his comment about those who cry ‘Lord, Lord,’ Christ answers this. “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:17-18). Wolves bear bad fruit. Wolves cannot bear good fruit. It seems so clear, yet I look at churches I’ve been in and people would say, ‘we have no wolves here.’ The church has mistaken ‘Lord, Lord’ with doing the will of the Father.

Even more of a problem, the church has mis-defined fruit. Not watching movies in the theater, attending concerts, listening to ‘bad music,’ smoking, drinking, and a hundred other understood no-no’s has been mis-taken with actually bearing fruit–that is acting like a Christian. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are understood to be needed, but not essential. Faithfulness to Christian cultural norms–the no-no’s–has replaced faithfulness to Christ. Not doing (in the name of Jesus) has replaced bearing.

So one who cries ‘Lord, Lord’ and doesn’t do these understood no-no’s is believed to have found the small gate and the narrow road. I fear the gate they have walked threw and the road they are on feel small and narrow due to exclusive legalism–yet they are wider than they know. Their road will lead to Christ as judge and–at the end–he will say ‘I never knew you.’

The Weight of My Sins

“It is not that you become spiritually paranoid and begin to imagine that you have committed more sins than you had previously realized (though in a sense you do begin to do this). What really happens, as God’s Spirit begins to convict you in this way, is that, as He brings a particular sin to your attention, that particular sin seems more serious than it did before”(9 Marks of a Healthy Church, 100).

I think the first sentence describes life for me–worried over my sin, thinking in terms of the number of my sins. The second sentence describes what I need (and what God works)–a sense of the seriousness of each sin, thinking in terms of the weight of my sins. May God be gracious to me–allowing real conviction towards true repentance.

How do I hear the Word of God? Preparation for Sunday

Here are notes from a favorite sermon by Daniel Davey, who draws heavily from Piper. I try to review these, at least mentally, each Sunday night.

How do I hear the Word of God? Preparation for Sunday
1.Pray for a good and honest heart -Luke 8:15
2.Meditate on portions to cultivate an appitite for God
3.Purify your mind by turning away from worldy entertainment -James 1:21, Phil 4:8
4.Trust in the truth you already have -Luke 8:28
5.Get a good night's rest on Saturday night. It takes more discipline to go to bed on time than to get up on time. 'Take head how you hear.'
6.Forbear one another without grumbling and criticism. 'Humble me and cleanse me.' Ps 106:25
7.Come in a spirit of teachability.
8.Be still as you enter the room and focus your mind's attentinon and heart's affection on the Word of God. 'We come to look out for God and leave to look out for people.'
9.Think earnestly about what is sung, prayed, and preached. Worship engages the mind and then the emotions.
10.Desire the truth of God's Word more than I desire riches and food. Ps 19:10-11 Lk 8:19-21
-Take head how you hear.
-Attentdance doesn't count.
-Ability to hear doesn't count.
-You hear with your heart and you grasp it.

Elders and Statements of Faith

If elders need to hold something not in the statement of faith, then the problem may be with your statement of faith. You may need to change or add to your statement of faith over time.