How Do You Feel About Predestination?
Abraham & Isaac
The doctrine of God's electing individuals to salvation, apart from any good in them (either actual or foreseen) is known as unconditional election (o predestination). It is exemplified in Isaac's twin sons: '...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"' (Romans 9.10-13).
Predestination is a doctrine that is often at the centre of controversy. And too often the controversy could be quelled, if not quenched, by a calm tongue and a gentle answer (Prov 15.1). But too much of the time those who believe the most strongly in predestination are (rightly or wrongly) associated with pride and arrogance and preachiness, rather than humility, gentleness, and love.
But that should never be.
That's just one of the reasons why I loved reading this in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith the other day:
The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election; so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel. (1 Thessalonians 1:4, 5; 2 Peter 1:10; Ephesians 1:6; Romans 11:33; Romans 11:5, 6, 20; Luke 10:20)
That's a big mouthful, but basically it's saying that this isn't a doctrine to be wielded like an ax, to wound our enemies, but should be applied carefully, like a balm to give courage to wounded souls, and like a call to worship for those who embrace it and are humbled by God's grace. For those who know the doctrines of grace and love them, this should be the very thing which calls forth our humility and our worship like nothing else. It should never be a source of pride and it is not a doctrine to be handled flippantly.
So how do you feel about predestination? Does it make you condemn those who don't understand it? Or does it make you marvel at God's mercy?
Are You Cheerful?
Today in the car I was listening to a message by CJ Mahaney on Luke 17. He made a comment just in passing about this phrase from James 5.13: 'Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.'
CJ pointed out that James doesn't assume that just because we're cheerful, we'll allow our cheerfulness to show. What a shame! If we are cheerful, we are actually instructed here to 'sing praise.' That is, if you are cheerful, let others know! Let your outer demeanour match your inner joy.
As he went on to note, too often, like the lepers in Luke 17, we simply receive gifts, enjoy them, and move on like a spoiled child at a birthday party. I need to hear this. If God has given me gifts that make me happy, I need to let my happiness show. It will give him glory, and my joy will invite others to participate in my joy with me.
Has God been gracious to you today? Have you received from him better than you deserve? Has his grace cheered you today? Then sing! Let others know! Give him glory. Let your cheerfulness be seen!
Joy Invites Others In
Chasing Fish
Maybe it's just because I'm a very simple man, but I find it astounding how much there is to be learned just from watching children. Just today I overheard my four year old rejoicing with her mother that she had completed her writing assignment for her 'reading lesson.' Stacey was excited with her, but that wasn't enough. I heard the overjoyed little voice: 'Can I go show Daddy?' She received approval from her mother and came bounding up the stairs to my office.
That made me think. Why did she want to come show me? What did she stand to gain by showing me her lines of k's, f's, h's, and m's repeated over and over? She came to me because she was full of joy and wanted me share in it and to rejoice with her. There is something intuitive about joy that even a four year old understands: joy is never more wonderful than when shared. There's something overflowing about true joy that compels us to invite others to join with us in our joy.
Which again made me think. Why am I so slow to evangelize? Why does it seem so forced? Why does corporate worship sometimes seem like a chore? Biblically speaking, I think it's because I am not consistently finding my fullest joy in my God. If I was, my natural impulse would be to speak of it and to invite others to join in my joy.
Isn't this what we see in Psalm 34?
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
Do you see it? He calls on others to join in his joy! Then he testifies to how he found his joy:
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
There it is! I sought the Lord, I cried to him, and he has heard me, answered me, protected me, kept me! He is good! And then again is a call to participate:
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
And then the pattern repeats through the Psalm. What David is getting at there is the principle my four year old daughter showed me this morning. When we find true delight for our souls in something, we impulsively call on others to join in our joy.
So if I'm finding that evangelism seems a burden and worship seems a chore, perhaps I don't need to think first about technique. Perhaps my first question should be, 'Am I delighting in God? Is my joy really in him?' Then I need to read the word, preach the gospel to my own heart, remind myself of how he has heard this poor man when I have cried to him.
If I am faithful to find my joy in him, I will speak to others, because joy invites others in. And do you know what? That kind of authentic overflow might just be the most effective technique out there for stirring the hearts of others.
Why I’m Looking Forward to WorshipGod ’11!
I'm about 24 hours away from setting off on the day-long drive to the Washington, DC area (Gaithersburg, MD, to be exact) for the Worship God Conference. I'm really looking forward to it! Here are a few reasons why...
1. My Wife is Coming With Me!
As a side bonus (a sweet one!) this year, for the first time, Stacey will be able to join me on a trip to Covenant Life Church for a conference. I'm always so blessed by the conferences put on there by the folks at Sovereign Grace Ministries, I'm eager for her to be blessed too. And having her there without the kids for a few days? I'm stoked.
2. The Travelling Fellowship
Two other couples will be joining Stacey and me on our trip: Nick & Alicia and Josh & Amy. For all four of them it'll be their first time down to an SGM conference as well, so I'm happy to bring them along. But what I'm really looking forward to about having them come is the sweet fellowship I know we'll enjoy in the car both ways and during our time at the conference. Events like this are always more meaningful when experienced in groups.
3. The Preaching & the Seminars
Will the preaching be good? I have no doubt. I look forward to hearing Thabiti Anyabwile, Craig Cabaniss, and Bob Kauflin again and Bryan Chapell and Ray Ortlund for the first time. And the seminars should be great too: Pat Sczebel, Mark Altrogge, Don Whitney, Shai Linne, Steve & Vikki Cook... It will rock!
4. Engaging in Worship of the Living God
I know, I can do this anywhere. And I do it regularly where God intends for me to do it -- in my local church, which I love. But there's always something special about gathering thousands of worship leaders together to sing in one place. This will be a special time, a focused few days of doing not much apart from corporate worship and engaging our brains in knowing God better.
5. The Theme
The Gathering. I love it. Back in 2008 I wrote Stephen Altrogge an e-mail telling him that we should have more songs and more focus in corporate worship on the church as a whole rather than just individuals. He agreed with me. I like to think that Stephen and I are really the brains behind this whole thing. Bob just stole our idea.
6. Mark Altrogge
I hope he does some ridiculous antics. I just like it when he does that.
7. I Hope I'm an Encouragement
I know that they are having this conference to encourage us, but I hope that somehow our presence at the conference will be a small encouragement to Bob Kauflin and the rest of the leaders of Sovereign Grace Ministries. It's been a rough season for them, but I want them to know we love them and appreciate them and are thankful for all their labours for the gospel. My prayer is that for these few days 'The Gathering' of all these saints from all around North America would help us to fix our eyes on the one who never changes and never fails, so that in light of his unending love for his people at the cross, all are strengthened and encouraged.
8. There Are Lots More...
There are lots more reasons, but I'll stop here. Anyone else out there going? What are you looking forward to?
An Honest Look Into Our Family Devotions
An example of what our family devotions do NOT look like.
Okay, men. Let's talk family devotions. Feel guilty yet?
There are few ways to make Christian men feel guilty more easily or quickly than to talk about family devotions. We all know we should be doing it. We see the importance of being the spiritual leaders in our home. We all know that as fathers we bear the primary responsibility for bringing our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. And we know that family devotions is the most practical way most of us can regularly and deliberately do this.
We know that. But most of us fail. And those of you who don't fail, just know that you're despised by the rest of us, okay?
One of the reasons why we fail, I think, is because we experience the typical male disease of thinking we have to have everything planned out and that we have to carry out all the details of our plans to perfection. I know sometimes my desire to have all my "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed has paralyzed me from taking any action -- which is pretty much the worst case scenario. What I've found over the past little while to be most helpful and most effective is this: Just do something! Profound, right? Do something and don't worry if it's not perfect.
Here's an honest look at our family devotions from tonight (and yes, this is a verbatim transcription):
Me: (Reading Proverbs 10) A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
Susie (my 4 year old): Daddy, I know something!
Me: (Excited! She is interacting with the Word!) What is it, Sue?
Susie: Carrots are vegetables!
Me: *Audible sigh...* (Thinking: Man, you're good at this Bible teaching thing... are you a professional?)
So, as you can see, we are a wonderful example of not doing things perfectly. I don't always have anything good to say. Our kids don't always listen. Sometimes I wonder if they're even getting anything out of it.
But here's the thing. Whether or not they get anything out of that particular night, I hope that they are blessed by the cumulative effect. I hope that win, lose, or die trying, my kids will see that their parents love them enough to open up the word to them consistently, deliberately, intentionally, and lovingly. I hope that they see that because we treasure them so much we must take them to the truth we treasure most -- and we must do it consistently. I hope that as they age the composite image of their parents that they are left with is Christians who love them and who love the word of God. I hope that they see our life is found in this book, which tells us of him who is True Life.
So, men, how about some family devotions? You don't have to do them perfectly or even perfectly consistently. But are you at least doing something?
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