The BCLR Blog

The Nature of Sin

2012-02-01T14:23:00.001-06:00

Here's a short but powerful study on sin for you. This came out of our 5th & 6th Grade Boys Equipping Hour class curriculum, Teach Me Your Way, from Children Desiring God. These boys are taught each week by Austin Trembley.

The nature of sin is that:

Sin enslaves.
Sin offers fleeting pleasure.
Sin is aggressive and destructive.
Sin cannot be hidden forever.
Sin grows and is far-reaching.

Passages for Study:

James 1:13-15
Romans 6:16-17,12
Hebrews 11:24-25
Proverbs 6:27
Matthew 6:22-23
Genesis 4:6-7
Numbers 32:23

Keep Talkin' To Yourself; People Will Think You're Crazy

2012-01-13T13:28:00.001-06:00

By George Lawson

There is a scene in the Pixar film Cars where Lightning McQueen is complaining out loud to himself as he is serving his sentence for ruining the main road through Radiator Springs. While talking to himself, he passes by a car named Lizzie sitting alone on a porch who says… “You keep talkin’ to yourself; people will think you’re crazy.” McQueen sarcastically says, “Thanks for the tip!” to which Lizzie replies, “Uh- what? I wasn’t talking to you!”

“You keep talkin’ to yourself; people will think you’re crazy.” In some cases that might very well be true. But is talking to yourself a clear indication of insanity? The Psalmists didn’t think so. On several occasions these biblical counselors made an appointment with their own souls. Here are a few examples:

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.
Psalm 42:5

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;
Psalm 103:1-2

Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
Psalm 116:7

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
Psalm 146:1

Thomas Vincent, the English Puritan, in a similar way counsels his own soul in the book, The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ. Listen to his words:

“Why do you hang downwards, O my soul? Why do you bend so much to the earthly things? What is there here below that is not beneath you and altogether unworthy of your love? How empty and vain and thorny are these things? Do not waste your time, weary yourself for every vanity’ do not prick and wound yourself with these things anymore. What ails you, O my soul that you are so backward to the love of Christ…O my soul are you so drenched in the flesh that visible objects shall have more power to draw down your heart than this most glorious object shall have power to draw up your heart?”
(p. 77)

Do earthly things have more power to draw your heart down than the most glorious Christ has the power to draw your heart up?

What a powerful and convicting example of self counsel that we would do well to imitate. Friends, we need to make frequent appointments with our own souls. How many sins would we avoid if we were resolved to preach the truth to ourselves? “If we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31).

“You keep talkin’ to yourself people may think you’re crazy.” But sometimes talking to ourselves is the only way to keep their accusation from being true.

The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ: Hardcover | eBook | Free Google eBook

What's In a Name?

2012-01-06T02:00:00.000-06:00

By George Lawson

What's in a name? Well, it depends on what you mean by that.

Shakespeare said, “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

But I’m talking about more than the title by which we refer to something or someone. When Paul said “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,” he meant much more than simply doing everything while pronouncing the word “Jesus”. There is something much more profound in Colossians 3:17.

To do all in the name of the Lord Jesus means we are to do all things…

In Association with Christ’s Person
By the Approval of Christ’s Authority
By the Assistance of Christ’s Power
In Agreement with Christ’s Character
And in Adoration of Christ’s Glory

As Christians, the name of the Lord Jesus should permeate everything about us. Every word and action should be marked by the evidence of Christ’s power and presence in our lives. There is no other name that is worthy of this kind of devotion. Not only does this verse reveal the priority of Christ but it also points to His deity, because only God could demand this of us!

Can you imagine doing everything you do in the name of fame, or in the name of fun, or in the name of fortune, or in the name of (dare we say it) ourselves? No other name is worthy of dedicating your life to besides the name of the Lord Jesus. He alone is worthy of this supreme place and may God forgive us for living for anything less.

“What’s in a name?” Well, if we’re talking about the name of Jesus the answer should be “everything!”

Open Up The Bible

2012-01-04T10:08:00.002-06:00

Still having trouble getting into a Bible-reading routine?

The Good Book Company has created an entire website to helping Christians - young and old - get into their Bibles. Visit the site Open Up The Bible to find articles, videos and resources designed to assist your daily Bible reading and study. They're also in the process of developing an app for daily study here. You can follow their progress on their Facebook page or The Good Book Blog.

I've used their children's resource, XTB (eXplore the Bible) with two of my girls and they've really enjoyed it. The Good Book Company offers free trials for many of their resources, so be sure to check them out.

BCLR Ministries Resume This Week

2012-01-01T09:56:00.001-06:00

Our men's Bible study groups resume meeting this week. Pastor Tim Senn and Pastor Paul Hamline will co-lead a group on Wednesday evenings from 6:30p to 8:15p in Room 211 at the Bible Church. There is also a group that meets every Friday from Noon to 1p at the FamilyLife Building on Ranch Drive, led by Aaron Wilson.

The book being read and discussed this semester is Jerry Bridges', The Discipline of Grace. If you haven't obtained your copy yet, you can order from Amazon here and you can also download the Preface and first full chapter here for free to prepare you for this week's reading assignment.

Please note that most of our other studies resume this week as well, including Student Ministries, Awana, and the Women's Wednesday Study (the Women's Tuesday morning study will resume on January 10th).

Daily Devotional Resources

2011-12-28T02:00:00.000-06:00

Along with a good Bible reading plan (but only second to the Bible!) is a good devotional book. Below is a short list of some newer resources as well as some tried & true.

If you're using the M'Cheyne reading plan in 2012, you might want to get Don Carson's 2 volume set of daily readings, For The Love of God. Both volumes are available at WTS Books here. There is also a free online edition at the Gospel Coalition Blog here. Follow the link then look in the right hand sidebar to get automatic updates via Email or RSS.
Jerry Bridges has been a beloved author to many of us over the years. His book, Holiness Day by Day is designed to be read in short, daily sections. The hardcover is available on Amazon and at the time of this blog post, the Kindle edition is on sale for $4.99.
The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions is a long-time favorite. The leather bound edition has been hard to find recently, but is now available at WTS Books along with the papaerback and audio versions here.
Another classic is Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, available in quite a few editions here.
A lesser known set of devotionals has been written by Sam Storms over the past few years. He has several 50 & 100 Day meditations on different books of the Bible, including the Psalms, 2 Corinthians, Colossians and the seven letters of Revelation. You can find them all here.
In anticipation of Pastor Tim Senn's next expository series through the Gospel of Matthew, you might want to follow along devotionally using Matthew Henry's Expository Thoughts on Matthew available at Reformation Heritage Books for just $9. There is also a nice, leather edition of devotions selected from the entire Bible (based on the ESV) here.
The J.C. Ryle Blog recommends a couple of devotionals based on Ryle's wonderful writings here.
Pastor George Lawson recommends The Life and Diary of David Brainerd by Jonathan Edwards. Though not intended to be a "daily devotional," several journal entries at a time can be read (depending on the length) and used to provoke thoughts and prayers on any particular topic. Hardcover and paperback are available at Amazon, and right now you can get a Kindle edition for just 99 cents!
John Piper has a few books that aren't marketed as daily devotions, but are written in 1 to 3 page portions which work well for quick readings. Among these are Fifty Reasons Jesus Came to Die (shorter) and What Jesus Demands from the World (a bit longer). Both of these are also available as free pdf downloads at the same links.
DayOne Publications has a series of "365 Days with..." featuring excerpts from Spurgeon (6 volumes available), John Calvin, John Newton and Wilbur Wilberforce.

And here is a quick list of other authors who have written or edited devotional readings:

John MacArthur: Daily Readings from the Life of Christ (3 vols.)
Martin Luther: Faith Alone (hardcover)
J.I. Packer: Knowing God: Devotional Journal and Daily Readings for Your Spiritual Journey
Martin Lloyd Jones: Walking with God (eBook here)

It goes without saying, once again, that these daily helps are never to replace our reading of God's Word, but we trust these will indeed be a help to you as you think on the goodness and glories of God and His Word in 2012.

Bible Reading Plans

2011-12-26T02:00:00.000-06:00

Below is a list of helpful Bible-reading plans to get you into the Word of God in this new year:

Grant Horner's "10 Lists" has become a favorite over the past few years. To download a pdf of this plan, which includes 10 bookmarks for keeping track of your reading, RIGHT CLICK this link and "Save Link As" to your computer. You might also want to join prominent blogger, Tim Challies and his 3650 Challenge Group on Facebook as he takes a group of folks through this reading plan next year. There is an online tool to keep you on track here.
Chronological, Historical or Canonical Plan? Take your pick at Blue Letter Bible.
The M'Cheyne Reading Plan has been used around BCLR for years now. Download this 4-chapter-a-day schedule here.
Here are a few other plans taking you through particular books of the Bible in only a month.
At www.esvbible.org, you can find several Bible reading plans - and even have Max McLean read to you!
There is also an app called "Holy Bible" or "You Version" that has over 200 Bible reading plans. Get the app for your iPhone or iPad here and for your Android device here.

UPDATE: Here are a couple of related posts, some of which contain the same links as above:

Crossway has a list of plans on their blog
Justin Taylor also has an extensive list of plans & resources for your 2012 Bible reading.
Finally, Dan Phillips, at PyroManiacs has a few words on the "why's" of planned Bible reading here.

What has been your favorite plan? Which plan do you anticipate using in 2012?

More Than a Christmas Carol

2011-12-19T09:58:00.000-06:00

By George Lawson

"Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure."

It’s a Christmas classic that has been around for almost one-hundred and seventy years. Scrooge has taken his place right alongside of a red-nosed reindeer, a talking snowman, and a little boy named Charlie Brown. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without the old miser’s “Bah, humbug!”

While Christmas may have been a “humbug” for Ebenezer, it certainly wasn’t for Charles Dickens. What many people don’t know is that A Christmas Carol was only one of five Christmas Stories that Charles Dickens wrote. The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain were all stories that focused on this holiday.

In addition to this, Dickens authored a little known book in 1849, written expressly for his children called, The Life of Our Lord. He never intended it to be publicized and made it clear that he had written it in a form he thought best suited his children. He frequently told his children the gospel story and wanted to make sure the narrative of Christ was told in a way that was simple enough for them to understand.

Listen to his introduction…

“My dear children, I am very anxious that you should know something about the History
of Jesus Christ. For everybody ought to know about Him. No one ever lived, who was so
good, so kind, so gentle, and so sorry for all people who did wrong, or were in anyway ill or miserable, as he was. And as he is now in Heaven, where we hope to go, and all to meet each other after we are dead, and there be happy always together, you never can think what a good place Heaven, is without knowing who he was and what he did.... He was born, a long-long time ago - nearly Two Thousand years ago - at a place called Bethlehem”
(Charles Dickens, The Life of Our Lord p. 1)

Dickens provides us an excellent illustration of one man’s attempt to follow the exhortation of Psalm 78:4, "We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done."

How are we telling the generation to come about the praises of the Lord?
Are we communicating God’s strength and wondrous works in ways that our children can understand?
What are we concealing from those that will follow us?
Are we frequently telling the gospel story?

I am challenged and convicted by the example of Charles Dickens and while I am not familiar with all that he believed, one thing can be said for sure - it was more than A Christmas Carol - and Dickens made sure that his children knew it!

"Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure."

Read The Life of Our Lord online here.

Legalism: The Cross Wasn't Enough

2011-12-16T02:00:00.000-06:00

By Tim Senn

The legalist forbids activities that are permissible to Christians, and also require activities that are advisable for Christians, but not explicitly commanded.
The legalist believes that every Christian should live in the same way that he does, and demands uniformity to his or her own standard of holiness and righteousness.
The legalist is often harsh and critical toward others, constantly judging others for where they fall short of his or her own personal standards.
The legalist therefore often fights and argues about petty and trivial matters, while neglecting the most important spiritual issues of faith, hope, and love.
The legalist imposes his own standards and personal preferences upon others, believing that he knows best and is right on every matter.
The legalist rushes to judge the motives of others, and doesn’t give them the benefit of the doubt.
The legalist is hung up on external behavior and rule keeping, rather than on the issues of the heart.
The legalist takes the spiritual disciplines (attending worship services, Bible reading, prayer, fasting, service, evangelism, etc.), which are given to us by God in order to experience His grace, and twist them into a means by which they believe they are earning His grace.
Because of all these things and more, the legalist “chokes” and suffocates the spiritual life out of others, and weighs them down with a heavy burden.
The legalist has cut himself off from the source of life – the grace of Christ – he smothers the spiritual life of others as well.
The legalists are spiritual life “chokers” rather than spiritual life “givers.”

Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through obedience to God. In other words, a legalist is anyone who behaves as if they can earn God’s approval and forgiveness through personal performance.
Thomas Schreiner writes that ‘legalism has its origin in self-worship. If people are justified through their obedience to the law, then they merit praise, honor, and glory. Legalism, in other words, means the glory goes to people rather than God’. The implications of legalism are staggering in their arrogance. Legalism claims that the death of Jesus on the cross was either unnecessary or insufficient. It essentially says to God, ‘Your plan didn’t work. The cross wasn’t enough and I need to add my good works to it to be saved.’
Both quotes taken from C.J. Mahaney, The Cross-Centered Life, p. 25n (emphasis added)

Listen to the entire sermon here.

The Devil's Martyrs

2011-12-14T02:00:00.000-06:00

By Tim Senn

Do you realize that if you decide to adopt the strategy of earning God’s favor and bartering with Him through your good works, you must obey God’s Law perfectly! You are inflicting upon yourself a double punishment! Martin Luther calls these legalists "the devil's martyrs":

Therefore the doers of the law are rightly called the devil’s martyrs, who take more pains, and punish themselves more in purchasing hell, than the martyrs of Christ do in obtaining heaven. For they are tormented in two ways: first, they miserably afflict themselves while they live here, by doing many hard and great works, and all in vain; and afterwards, when they die, they reap eternal damnation. Thus are they most miserable martyrs, both in this life and in the life to come, and their bondage is everlasting.
Martin Luther, Galatians, p. 318

Coming to Student Ministries in January 2012

2011-12-12T02:00:00.000-06:00

The Most Rigorous Master

2011-12-09T02:00:00.000-06:00

By Tim Senn

As we continue to study the differences between the Law and the Gospel in our series on Galatians, this quote from Charles Spurgeon illustrates the futility in trusting in our works of the Law.

“All those who trust in works never are free, and never can be, even could they be perfect in good works. Even if they have no sin, still they are bond-slaves, for when we have done all that we ought to have done, God is not our debtor, we are debtors still to him, and still remain as bond-slaves. If I could keep all God’s law, I should have no right to favour, for I should have done no more than was my duty, and be a bond-slave still. The law is the most rigorous master in the world, no wise man would love its service; for after all you have done, the law never gives you a “Thank you,” for it, but says, “Go on sir, go on!” The poor sinner trying to be saved by law is like a blind horse going round and round a mill, and never getting a step further, but only being whipped continually; yea, the faster he goes, the more work he does, the more he is tired, so much the worse for him. The better legalist a man is, the more sure he is of being damned; the more holy a man is, if he trust to his works, the more he may rest assured of his own final rejection and eternal portion with Pharisees”
(Charles Spurgeon, Sermon #69).

Thinking Like a Legalist vs. Thinking Like a Christian

2011-12-06T11:26:00.001-06:00

By Tim Senn

Those who are born again have a completely new orientation and disposition than they had before, and it begins with the way in which they think before it works itself out in actions.

The legalist thinks of God as a harsh task-master to serve.
The Christian thinks of God as a loving Father to trust.

The legalist takes great pride in their morality and good works, and is very judgmental toward those who are not as ‘righteous’ as themselves.
The Christian is painfully aware of his or her sins and sinfulness, and knows that they only reason they are accepted by God is on the basis of His grace.

The legalist measures their spirituality and relationship to God upon external actions and behaviors – the measure is performance.
The Christian measures their spirituality and relationship to God based upon faith – measured by grace motivated obedience and spiritual character qualities and attitudes that can only be produced by the Holy Spirit of God!
The legalist looks at the commandments of God as burdensome and oppressive, which is why they “water” down the requirements.
But the Christian does not view God’s commandments as burdens to bear, but desires to please God and bring Him honor and glory.

The legalist focuses upon the external rules and regulations.
The Christian focuses upon the heart and the motives. We desire to serve God – to know God – to love God and His people.
The legalist can produce “children” – Ishmael’s just like themselves – but only God can produce a Christian, because only He can give new life!

Oh! There are so many Ishmael’s in the South – in the Bible-belt, where most don’t really know the Bible! And just as Ishmael was in bondage, so are all the professing Christians who have never been born-again! But if you are a believer, you are a child of promise, not produced through your own good works, but solely by God’s sovereign and free grace!

Listen to the entire sermon here.

Mastering Materialism at Christmas

2011-12-06T08:57:00.001-06:00

By Paul Hamline

Our pastoral staff has been reading together over the last several weeks Charles Bridges book, The Christian Ministry. Today is our scheduled pastoral staff meeting in which we will discuss our reading assignment. The topic for today is Covetousness. I found this reading very appropriate since we are now entering the most materialistic season of our American culture. It seems to be a season in which our desires and wants are given freedom to soar without restraint and without the thought that such unrestrained wants might be sin. Bridges shares some helpful insights for effectively curbing our desires and wants as the world tempts us to cast off such restraint. Here are some helpful tips as you are enticed and lured by media to indulge your wants and desires:

Have but few wants.
Learn from the less fortunate Christians (Our third world brethren), to cultivate faith for the future. They truly live by our Lord’s Prayer, “give us this day our daily bread.”
Live for eternity not for the world and its temporal treasures.
Have the glory of God and the good of our fellow-creatures constantly in view.
Study our Master’s life and example.
Keep habitually before you the cross and constantly be conforming to the spirit of the cross.
Remember we have one insaitable greed which is permitted in Scripture and that is a desire to gain continually more souls to God.

Get Rich Quick!

2011-12-02T13:40:00.001-06:00

Just a few hours of work a day can reward you with rich dividends!
With no money down and all from the comfort of your own home, you can become unbelievably wealthy.

This is not a scam!!

Millions have tried it and have testified to the results.

Hard to believe? Well, if we were talking about money, I hope you would have the courage to call the church and get me fired. No, the rich treasure I’m talking about is the Word of God! We have no idea what a treasure we possess! Because if we did, we would “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within us” (Colossians 3:16).

William Carey is considered the father of the modern missionary movement. He left for India in June of 1793 and didn’t see an Indian convert for 6 years. He said…

“I would not abandon the Mission for all the fellowships and the finest spheres in England. My greatest calamity would be separation from this service. May I be useful in laying the foundations of Christ’s Church in India; I desire no greater reward, nor can conceive higher honour.... If like David, I am only to gather materials, and another to build the house, my joy shall not be less”
(William Carey by S. Pearce Carey; edited by Peter Masters. London: The Wakeman Trust, 1993. p. 169)

God was pleased, not only to use him to lay a foundation but also to build upon it. And the greatest means of building was through his translation of the Scriptures into Bengali as well as several other Indian languages. In February of 1801, more than 7 years after Carey arrived in India, the New Testament was printed - the first book intended for the common people. It was a historic event, he and his small team prayed, thanked God and William Carey chose Colossians 3:16 as his text for preaching.

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly”.

Marshman, a fellow missionary composed this hymn for the occasion.

Hail, precious Book divine!
Illumined by thy rays,
We rise from death and sin,
And tune the Savior’s praise:
The shades of error, dark as night,
Vanish before thy radiant light!

Now shall the Hindus learn
The glories of our King:
Nor to blind gurus turn,
Nor idol praises sing;
Diffusing heavenly light around,
This book their Shastras [Hindu Scriptures] shall confound.

Deign, gracious Saviour, deign,
To smile upon Thy Word;
Let millions now obtain
Salvation from the Lord.
(Carey, 198)

Do you have any idea what a treasure you hold in your hands? To have the written Word is an incredible privilege. It is through the Word that we are brought salvation (1 Peter 1:23) and sanctification (John 17:17). Just a few hours of work in the Scriptures a day can reward you with rich dividends! With no money down and all from the comfort of your own home, you can become unbelievably wealthy. This is not a scam. Millions have tried it and have testified to the results.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Colossians 3:16).

"More" from Romans 5

2011-11-28T02:00:00.000-06:00

By Aaron Wilson

Following Pastor Paul's sermon Sunday, I saw in my Bible's margin these things written beside some of the verses he covered. I'm sure these aren't original with me, but I can't remember where I got them. Nonetheless, :

Romans 5:9 | Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

:: We are saved by God from God.

Romans 5:10 | For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

:: We are reconciled to God by God.

Romans 5:11 | More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

:: We rejoice in God through God.

In Everything Give Thanks

2011-11-27T23:16:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving is never out of season!
(James Smith, 1840)

"In everything give thanks!" 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Everything we enjoy, should be viewed as coming from the gracious and liberal hand of our sovereign God.

All was forfeited by our sin.
All that we receive is by His grace.

The providence that supplies us--is the wisdom, benevolence, and power of God in operation for us--as expressive of His infinite love and unmerited grace!

Our talents to provide supplies,
our opportunities to obtain them,
and our abilities to enjoy them,
--are alike from the Lord.

Every mercy increases our obligation--and deepens our debt to free grace!

Thanksgiving is never out of season, for we have always much to be grateful for.

We must view all things as . . .
arranged by His wisdom,
dependent on His will,
sanctified by His blessing,
according with His promises,
and flowing from His love!

"In everything give thanks!"

Read by Phil Krause, Sunday, November 27th. Source: www.gracegems.org

Satan Doesn't Care

2011-11-21T02:00:00.000-06:00

By Tim Senn

Satan doesn’t care whether you are a rebellious unbeliever who wants nothing to do with God or Christianity...

Satan doesn’t care whether you are a religious unbeliever who is fastidious and scrupulous in your observance of religious ceremonies and works...

Satan doesn’t care if you are sitting at home every Sunday morning drinking beer and watching the NFL pregame show...

Satan doesn’t care whether you are sitting in church every Sunday proud of the fact that you are a very moral and good person...

Satan doesn’t care if you are known as the most immoral and irreligious person in your community...

Satan doesn’t care if you are the most moral and respectable person...

Satan doesn't care - just as long as you are not trusting in the Cross of Christ!

Affirmation of Commitment

2011-11-18T02:00:00.000-06:00

It's always a joy to see the new families and individuals that the Lord brings into our fold at The Bible Church of Little Rock.

Each quarter, we host a series of three classes for those who simply want to learn more about BCLR and for those who desire church membership. This informal and informative series serves to overview our philosophy, doctrine and ministries while giving guests the opportunity to ask questions of our leadership.

After attending these classes, anyone desiring membership to BCLR will meet with two of our elders to hear the testimony of God's grace in their life. After this interview, these new members are presented to the church by way of a series of affirmations of commitment from both the members and the congregation.

I thought it'd be a helpful reminder to post those commitments here on the blog, to remind us all of our responsibilities in fulfilling the "one anothers" of Scripture.

To theNew Members:

Will you solemnly and joyfully covenant withGod to promise, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk in Christian love and inthe paths of righteousness?

Will you promise to exercise a mutual care, topromote the growth of the whole body in Christian knowledge, holiness andcomfort; to contribute, as a faithful steward, such time, talent and money, inthe measure that Christ prospers you, that the responsibility of the localchurch and the world-wide ministry of spreading the Gospel be faithfullydischarged?

Will you also promise to teach the Bible toyour children, to seek the salvation of your family and acquaintances, to walkcircumspectly in the world to the end that you may win souls for the Lord JesusChrist?

Will you further engage to give and receiveadmonition with meekness and affection; to remember each other in prayer, toaid each other in case of sickness and distress, and to cultivate Christiansympathy and courtesy?

To theCongregation:

Will you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, seekto carry out your God-given responsibilities to these who are joining ourchurch, exercising mutual care, stimulating growth in grace, holiness andknowledge?

You can read the BCLR Philosophy of Ministry statement regarding Church Membership here.

A Lesson on Prayer in the Potter's Shed

2011-11-16T09:23:00.001-06:00

By Paul Hamline

In a recent message by Philip DeCourcy I was convicted about my own personal prayer life. I have committed to make this a priority for 2012 in my practice of spiritual disciplines. In preparation for this emphasis next year I have committed to focus much of my reading on prayer. I am currently reading John MacArthur’s book entitled, “Alone With God.” In this book John explains the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-15.

In chapter six as John discusses the phrase, “Thy will be done,” he talks about the necessity of being completely dependent on God and live in obedience to His will. Below is an illustration of obedience to God’s will from Philip Keller’s book, “A Layman Looks at the Lord’s Prayer.” This illustration was a great lesson on obedience to God’s will and a caution about resistance to God’s will. I hope it will minister to your heart as it has mine.

Author Philip Keller, while visiting in Pakistan,read Jeremiah 18:2, which says, "Arise and go down to the potter's house,and there I shall announce My words to you." So he and a missionary wentto a potter's house in that city. In his book, A Layman Looks at the Lord’sPrayer, he writes,

Insincerity and earnestness I asked the old master craftsman to show me everystep in the creation of a masterpiece .... On his shelves were gleaming goblets,lovely vases, and exquisite bowls of breathtaking beauty.

Then,crooking a bony finger toward me, he led the way to a small, dark, closed shedat the back of his shop. When he opened its rickety door, a repulsive,overpowering stench of decaying matter engulfed me. For a moment I stepped backfrom the edge of the gaping dark pit in the floor of the shed. "This iswhere the work begins!" he said, kneeling down beside the black,nauseating hole. With his long, thin arm, he reached down into the darkness.His slim, skilled fingers felt around amid the lumpy clay, searching for afragment of material exactly suited to his task.

"Iadd special kinds of grass to the mud," he remarked. "As it rots anddecays, its organic content increases the colloidal quality of the clay. Thenit sticks together better." Finally his knowing hands brought up a lump ofdark mud from the horrible pit where the clay had been tramped and mixed forhours by his hard, bony feet.

Withtremendous impact the first verses from Psalm 40 came to my heart. In a new andsuddenly illuminating way I saw what the psalmist meant when he wrote long ago,"I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He broughtme up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay." As carefully asthe potter selected his clay, so God used special care in choosing me ....

Thegreat slab of granite, carved from the rough rock of the high Hindu Kushmountains behind his home, whirled quietly. It was operated by a very crude,treadle-like device that was moved by his feet, very much like our antique sewingmachines.

Asthe stone gathered momentum, I was taken in memory to Jeremiah 18: 3."Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work onthe wheels."

Butwhat stood out most before my mind at this point was the fact that beside thepotter's stool, on either side of him, stood two basins of water. Not once didhe touch the clay, now spinning swiftly at the center of the wheel, without firstdipping his hands in the water. As he began to apply his delicate fingers andsmooth palms to the mound of mud, it was always through the medium of themoisture of his hands. And it was fascinating to see how swiftly but surely theclay responded to the pressure applied to it through those moistened hands.Silently, smoothly, the form of a graceful goblet began to take shape beneaththose hands. The water was the medium through which the master craftsman's willand wishes were being transmitted to the clay. His will actually was being donein earth.

Forme this was a most moving demonstration of the simple, yet mysterious truththat my Father's will and wishes are expressed and transmitted to me throughthe water of His own Word ....

Suddenly,as I watched, to my utter astonishment, I saw the stone stop. Why? I lookedclosely. The potter removed a small particle of grit from the goblet .... Thenjust as suddenly the stone stopped again. He removed another hard object ....

Suddenlyhe stopped the stone again. He pointed disconsolately to a deep, ragged gouge thatcut and scarred the goblet's side. It was ruined beyond repair! In dismayhe crushed itdown beneath his hands….

"Andthe vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter" (Jer.18:4). Seldom had any lesson come home to me with such tremendous clarity and force.Why was this rare and beautiful masterpiece ruined in the master’s hands?Because he had run into resistance. It was like a thunderclap of truth burstingabout me!

Whyis my Father's will - His intention to turn out truly beautiful people - broughtto nought again and again? Why, despite His best efforts and endless patiencewith human beings, do they end up a disaster? Simply because they resistHis will.

Thesobering, searching, searing question I had to ask myself in the humblesurroundings of that simple potter's shed was this: Am I going to be a piece offine china or just a finger bowl? Is my life going to be a gorgeous goblet fitto hold the fine wine of God's very life from which others can drink and berefreshed? Or am I going to be just a crude finger bowl in which passers-bywill dabble their fingers briefly then pass on and forgetabout it? It was one of the most solemn moments in all of my spiritual experiences.

“Father, Thy will be done in earth [in clay], in me, as it isdone in heaven."
John MacArthur, Alone With God, David C. Cook, 2006. 104-107.

Working Out Your Own Salvation

2011-11-13T15:00:00.001-06:00

I recently had the privilege of teaching a great text of Scripture from Philippians 2:12-13 (listen here). I was asked by another co-teacher to post my outline and I also mentioned that I would post some additional links for further consideration.

Believers Are Commanded To Be Working Out Their Salvation

With a Past Affirmation
With a Present Awareness
With a Future Accountability

Because God Is Committed to Be Working In Their Salvation

He Energizes Our Will
He Energizes Our Work
He Does it for His Good Pleasure

In regards to the balanced understanding between God's work and the believer's work in sanctification, I read several quotes from old, dead guys. Here's one from Jonathan Edwards:

"In efficacious grace we are not merely passive, nor yet does God do some, and we do the rest. But God does all, and we do all. God produces all, and we act all. For that is what he produces, viz. our own acts. God is the only proper author and fountain; we are the only proper actors. We are, in different respects, wholly passive, and wholly active."
--Jonathan Edwards, "On Efficacious Grace," in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 2, p. 557.

I found these on the blog of Pastor Brian Hedges, where you can read many more.

Another helpful resource on this subject is the dialogue between Kevin DeYoung and Tullian Tchividjian. Don Clements has compiled all four posts here. Over at the Reformation 21 blog, William Evans comments on the discussion. And finally, the guys at Cripplegate have contributed to the topic as well.

I always find it helpful to read different views on a topic, and the fact that some of these men disagree on some of the secondary nuances of sanctification and the believer's participation, makes for a well-rounded discussion. I trust that these articles will be helpful as you continue to think through the implications of this power-packed passage of Scripture.

6 Reasons To Rejoice in a Torn Achilles Tendon

2011-11-10T21:29:00.001-06:00

By George Lawson

Thank you BCLR family for your prayers and words of encouragement. Most of you know that I tore my Achilles tendon a couple of weeks ago while playing basketballone morning. Recovery is going well and I’ve been blessed with great care. I am looking forward to getting back on my feet but have recognized this time as a sweet providence and answer to prayer for me. Those were not my initial thoughts and it took mea while to get there but God has been kind to give me reasons to rejoice in a torn Achilles tendon. There are more but I will share 6 with you.

6 Reasons To Rejoice in a Torn Achilles Tendon:

1) It has given me a chance to regain my focus on the Glory of God. I’ve never likedwatching sports as much as playing them. What’s fun about not getting in the game? My Achilles tendon has temporarily sat me down on the bench (from preaching) and has forced me to answer the question “Are you just as satisfied with God being glorified evenif He chooses to use a different player and not put you in the game?” Sadly my answer has been no. I’m not as satisfied with a win, if I don’t get on the court and that’s sinful. In my case, the court I really want to get back on is my pulpit. I’m not surewhat your court is. R.M. McCheyne said “I find that I am never so successful as when I can lie at Christ’s feet willing to be used or not as seemeth good in His sight.”

2) It has given me a great chance to catch up on reading. I planned to do some readingon the family vacation I had scheduled for the week after I was injured, but not as much as I got done on my back for a week. I read through R. M. McCheynes’s biography, I’m halfway through David Brainerd’s Diary and Journal and I plan to start William Carey’snext week. God has been so generous to grant me a healthy library and I often lament the fact that I am not a better steward of it and use my library more than I do.

3) It has given me a good opportunity to start journaling. My Achilles injury slowedme down long enough to try and stick with a habit I’ve been trying to form for years. Journaling is a practical way for me to “pay attention to my myself and to my teaching” (1 Tim 4:16), remember all the mighty works of God in what He has accomplished (Psalm77:11) and meditate on Scripture (Psalm 1:2). I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far.

4) It has given me the opportunity to enter into the pain of others. I’ve often thought,during this time, that I’ve been so insensitive to people who suffer with physical ailments. I don’t think I’ve ever understood just how difficult it is to get around, how much help you really need, how much it means when someone thinks about you, how hardit is to be limited (when you’re used to doing it yourself). And then I thought of how I understand even less than I think I do, because at least I can look forward to the date when I get back on my feet. There is suffering for some that is terminal. I havenot really understood or thought much about that before now.

5) It has given me an opportunity to test what I preach. We love to talk about the sovereigntyof God from healthy bodies, warm homes and full stomachs. But do we enthusiastically embrace the sovereignty of God from a broken body, a cold street and an empty stomach? I’ve failed to do that. But I can honestly say that I’ve gone from saying “this stinks”to saying “God, how kind of you to do this. I thank you for this” because there are things that I don’t think I would have learned otherwise. McCheyne once said, when he was too sick to preach, that “this [his sickness and the way he dealt with it] is thesermon God has chosen for me.” This injury is the sermon God has chosen for me.

6) And just one more for now. It has given me more motivation to pray. For some timeI’ve been experiencing a recurring, intermittent pain and I am reminded of my dependence on God whenever I feel it. Recently I’ve tried to use every time I sense the pain to be a reminder to pray. I try to make a transition from “O God, help, this hurts”to speaking to Him about other things, which frankly are more important than my pain. I struggle with prayer and I need those reminders. Even if it takes a pain in my foot to get me praying more it is worth it.

Love you all - George Lawson

The Forgotten War | mp3 Audio

2011-11-08T15:53:00.000-06:00

The audio from the 2011 Men's Retreat is now online and available for download or streaming. You can find all three messages on the BCLR Sermon Audio page here.

Here are the two outlines to help guide you through these great messages:

(Message 1)
THE FORGOTTEN WAR | James 3:13-18

Warfarewisdom originates from two sources

1. Wisdomfrom below (vv. 13-16)

a. TheWorld (vv. 13-14a.)

b. TheFlesh (v. 14b.)

c. TheDevil (vv. 15-16)

2. Wisdomfrom above (vv. 17-18)

a. Sevendescriptions: holy, peaceable, gentle,open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, sincere (v. 17)

b. Oneeffect (v. 18)

(Message 2)
ENDING THE WAR | James 4:1-4

The first steptoward resolving conflict is redefining your enemies

Your first enemy is you (vv. 1-3)
a.      The source of sinful conflicts is you (v. 1)
b.     The reason for sinful conflict is you (vv. 2-
i.     Sin: Lusting = Murdering (v. 2a)
ii.     Sin: Coveting = Fighting and Warring (v. 2b)
iii.     Sin: Passive atheism = Forfeiting blessing (v.2c)
iv.     Sin: Active atheism = Forfeiting blessing (v. 3)

2. Yoursecond enemy is God (v. 4)

a. The source of sinful conflicts is you (v. 1)

b. The reason for sinful conflict is you (vv. 2-3)

i. Sin: Lusting = Murdering (v. 2a)

ii. Sin: Coveting = Fighting and Warring (v. 2b)

iii. Sin: Passive atheism = Forfeiting blessing (v.2c)

iv. Sin: Active atheism = Forfeiting blessing (v. 3)

(Message 3)
ENDING THE WAR | James 4:7-10

James’ four phases of true repentance:

1. Phase one – Yield

a. Your command to submit/resist

b. His commitment to relieve

2. Phase two – Move

a. Your command to draw near
b. His commitment to reciprocate

   3. Phase three – Change
        a. Your command to change
      b. His commitment to empower change

4. Phase four – Trust
      a. Your command to humble yourself
      b. His commitment to exalt

Whitefield's World

2011-10-31T10:14:00.000-05:00

During Sunday evening's Reformation Celebration, we heard a great biographical sketch of George Whitefield from Pastor Jeff Crotts. As mentioned, he built his message around a timeline to give us an idea of how this great preacher's life unfolded. Particularly helpful was the brief list of other events going on during Whitefield's life:

1718 Blackbeard the Pirate beheaded

1727 George II becomes king of England

1729 Ben Franklin begins Pennsylvania Gazette

1733 Georgia, last of 13 colonies, settled

1742 Handel’s Messiah

1755 George Washington leads British forces in French and Indian War

1758 First Indian reservation

1770 Boston Massacre

This list as well as the entire timeline can be found online here.

Reformation Day Resources

2011-10-27T02:00:00.000-05:00

Justin Taylor just posted quite a few great links to help you understand and celebrate Reformation Day this coming October 31st. Most of his links are for books, articles & resources about Martin Luther, who is known for sparking the Protestant reformation on this day in 1517. Along with all the great links, I appreciate the words with which Taylor concludes and cautions:

Luther—like all of us—was a flawed man with feet of clay. He didn’t see or say everything right. But God used him to recover the gospel and to reform the church, and it is fitting to thank God for this remarkable man and God’s grace to him and through him.

You can find his links here

Most of Justin Taylor's links are for adults and older children, but here are a few links for your younger children.

Reformation Kidz - the online bookstore owned & operated by our friends Rob & Kerry Tittle.
Print a copy of Luther’s 95 Theses for your kids.
Helpful handouts for the month of October & Reformation Day.
Book recommendations & reviews on the subject of the Reformation.

And of course, don't forget about the BCLR's Reformation Day Celebration this Sunday evening, beginning with a fellowship meal at 5:00pm. You can find all the details at our website.

Quotes on the Purpose of the Law

2011-10-26T02:00:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

Below are a few quotes shared in Sunday's message from Galatians 3:19-25. You may listen to the sermon online here.

After God gave the promise to Abraham, He gave the law to Moses. Why? Simply because He had to make things worse before He could make them better. The law exposed sin, provoked sin, condemned sin. The purpose of the law was, as it were, to lift the lid off man’s respectability and disclose what he is really like underneath—sinful, rebellious, guilty, under the judgment of God, and helpless to save himself.
John Stott, The Message of Galatians, Inter-Varsity Press, 1968. p. 92

The law fulfills its actual function by shutting all humanity up within the bounds of acknowledged sin. It condemns them so that they might turn from attempts to please God through legalism and instead receive the promise of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
James Montgomery Boice, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 10. p. 466

The one who presumes on his good works and merits God cannot otherwise mollify and humble but by the law, for that is the hammer of death, the thundering of hell, and the lightning of God’s wrath, that beats to powder the obstinate and senseless hypocrites.
Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians, p 203

Also fitting here is a reminder of the great illustration from Pilgrim's Progress as to the purpose of the Law.

Halloween and the Christian

2011-10-25T02:00:00.002-05:00

Tim Challies has several posts on his blog regarding Halloween and the Christian. Recently, he linked to this article from Grace To You on the same subject. Challies highlighted three responses that Christians can have toward Halloween:

Some will adopt a “No Participation” policy. As Christian parents, they don’t want their kids participating in spiritually compromising activities—listening to ghost stories and coloring pictures of witches. They don’t want their kids to dress up in costumes for trick-or-treating or even attending Halloween alternatives.
Other Christians will opt for Halloween alternatives called “Harvest Festivals” or “Reformation Festivals”—the kids dress up as farmers, Bible characters, or Reformation heroes. It’s ironic when you consider Halloween’s beginning as an alternative, but it can be an effective means of reaching out to neighborhood families with the gospel. Some churches leave the church building behind and take acts of mercy into their community, “treating” needy families with food baskets, gift cards, and the gospel message.
There’s another option open to Christians: limited, non-compromising participation in Halloween. There’s nothing inherently evil about candy, costumes, or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. In fact, all of that can provide a unique gospel opportunity with neighbors. Even handing out candy to neighborhood children—provided you’re not stingy—can improve your reputation among the kids. As long as the costumes are innocent and the behavior does not dishonor Christ, trick-or-treating can be used to further gospel interests. (read the full article at GTY.org here)

The Bible Church of Little Rock has no "official" policy, but trusts each family to use their own discernment with a biblically informed conscience. Of course, each year we host a Reformation Celebration on October 31st (or the closest date, such as this year, on the 30th). We do this not only to provide an alternative for those who chose not to participate, but primarily to shine a brighter light on God's faithfulness to His church through the ages, in particularly through the reformers.

You can read Tim Challies' additional thoughts on Halloween & the Christian here and here. And, if you take a quick scan through the blog comments, you'll see that there are still many believers who are on every side of this issue.

This year, on Sunday evening (30th) during our Reformation Celebration, we are making available to any family, a bundle of gospel tracts to hand out on Monday night should your family choose to receive Trick-Or-Treaters. You can read through the tract online here. These will be great evangelistic tools to use during this annual opportunity when kids show up on your doorstep with their hands out. These will be available in the foyer during the Reformation Celebration activities.

4 Functions of the Law Of Moses

2011-10-24T11:05:00.001-05:00

By Tim Senn

Here's an outline and quick review of Sunday's message, where I sought to show from Galatians 3:19-25, four of the reasons why God gave the Law of Moses, and the role that it played in the life of the nation of Israel in the OT, and the role that it plays for mankind today. Below are the four functions of the Law set forth in these particular verses.
You may listen to the message here, or any message in this Galatians series here.

I. To Provoke Sin and Transgression (Galatians 3:19-20)

The first function of the Law of Moses, and purpose for which God gave it to the nation of Israel, was in order to provoke sin and transgression. Paul states, “it was added because of transgressions…until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.” The two words, “added,” and “until,” point to the fact that the Law of Moses was subordinate to the promise previously made to Abraham, because it was given for a limited and temporary period of time: Until the coming of the “seed,” who is Jesus Christ (3:16). Thus, the Law had a point of origin: Moses and Mount Sinai; and a point of termination: Jesus and Mount Calvary!

     A. The Law Was Temporary
     There are 3 main interpretations of what it means for the Law to be added for the purpose of
   transgressions:

          (1) To restrain
          (2) To define sin as transgression
          (3) To increase sin and transgression by provoking

               a. Romans 3:20 – through the Law comes knowledge of sin.
               b. Romans 5:20 – The Law came in so that the transgression would increase!
               c. Romans 7:8-9 – sin was stirred up by knowledge of the commandments.

     B. The Law Was Secondary

II. To Prescribe For God’s People How to Live, Without Imparting Life (Galatians 3:21)

The second function of the Law according to verse 21 was to prescribe or show God’s people how to live, but the Law did not provide the power for people to live in a manner pleasing to God. It gave the standard, but did not give the enablement!

III. To Propel Sinners Toward Faith in Christ! (Galatians 3:22)

A third function or purpose of the Law was to propel sinners toward faith in Christ. Whereas most of this passage is speaking specifically about God’s giving of the Law to the nation of Israel, this verse expands the purpose of the Law to include the plight of all of humanity – that plight is that “the Scripture” has shut up everyone under sin.”

IV. To Prepare and Protect God’s People Until the Coming of Christ (Galatians 3:23-25)

Thus, we have seen that the Law provokes transgression, prescribes the standard of how to live, and propels sinners to put their hope and trust in Christ – finally, we will see that the Law was given to prepare and protect God’s people until the coming of Christ. Paul uses two word-pictures in order to help us to grasp this point:

     A. The Law as A Prison-Warden
     B. The Law as A Pedagogue

The Law of Moses and the Law of Christ

2011-10-18T08:32:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

In our Lord's Day sermons over the past few weeks, we have been drawing a distinction between God’s covenants, the Law, promises, and Gospel. I mentioned recently and would like to post here, a summary of what we have said to this point concerning God’s covenant with Moses - or the Law of Moses.

The Law of Moses was given specifically to God’s Old Covenant people, the nation of Israel. Thus, the Old Covenant is not our covenant as believers in Jesus Christ.
The Law of Moses was not given by God as a means or a method of salvation – salvation has always been based upon God’s grace and man receiving God’s gift by faith alone.
Therefore, as God’s New Covenant people – as believers in Jesus Christ through the Gospel – we are no longer obligated to keep the Mosaic Covenant. It was a temporary covenant made for a specific time. We should not assume that we are bound to the Law of Moses, unless specific laws from the OT are repeated and renewed in the New Testament.
As New Covenant believers, we obey the Law of Christ – the commands given by Him and set forth in the NT. Some stipulations from the Law of Moses have been repeated and renewed in the NT, but some (including the observance of the Sabbath) have not.
As New Covenant believers, we have entered into the spiritual blessings promised to Abraham, and look forward as he did to the city without foundations (Hebrews 11), whose maker and builder is God.
Our blessings have been made possible through the perfect obedience of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and by His sacrificial death on the cross on our behalf. In Christ, the “seed” of Abraham, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing.
The assurance of our inheritance of heaven, and of final salvation – is completely and solely dependent upon the faithfulness of God – who will not fail to keep His promise to us in Christ! 1 Peter 1:4-5
Our salvation is “signed, sealed, and will be delivered” – nothing can or will ever invalidate it or nullify it! It’s fulfillment is as certain as the faithful character and Word of God – we can count on it!

An Impossible Righteousness

2011-10-05T02:00:00.000-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

As Pastor Tim has been working his way through an exposition of Galatians and helping us understand the purpose of the Law of God, several things he has said have been helpful:

Paul is targeting anyone and everyone who is relying upon obedience to the Law for their standing with God for this reason: His unspoken premise is that no one is able to perfectly obey the Law of God and thus receive blessing! Remember that he is emphasizing the fact that if you are relying upon the Law as the basis for your justification, you must obey it continuously and comprehensively! And no sinful human can do that!

They did not understand that Law is “unfulfillable” by sinful man! James 2:10 reminds us, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” Obedience to the Law allows for no mistakes, for no margin of error! Therefore, anyone who is relying upon their own strength and self-effort to obey God’s Law has failed to really grasp God’s standard: perfection; or their own sinful nature: depravity.

The purpose of the Law was to point out the sinfulness of men, and their need for God’s provision of a sacrifice – and the OT sacrifices were intended to point to the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ.
Listen to the entire sermon here.

As I heard these things, I realized that this understanding of the Law isn't new to Tim Senn, nor even the apostle Paul. Our Lord Jesus was communicating this same concept when he spoke to the rich, young ruler.

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
(Matthew 19:16-26 ESV)

The rich, young ruler was using the Law to rest in his self-righteousness.
Jesus was using the Law to reveal the ruler's unrighteousness.
Only true rest can be found in Christ's perfect righteousness.

With man - this is impossible.
But with God...

The Curse of the Law

2011-10-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

Many people in the church at Galatia, like most Jews - and like many today, have a wrong attitude toward the Law and a wrong understanding of it’s intention. They believed that the Law was given as a means of salvation if one obeyed its precepts. A striking example of the typical Jewish attitude toward the law as a means of justification comes from the epitaph on a first-century tomb:

“Here lies Regina…She will live again, return to the light again, for she can hope that she will rise to the life promised, as a real assurance, to the worthy and the pious in that she has deserved to possess an abode in the hallowed land.
This your piety has assured you,
this your chaste life,
this your love for your people,
this your observance of the Law,
your devotion to your wedlock,
the glory of which was dear to you.
For all these deeds your hope for the future is assured”

(Pieter W. Van Der Horst, “Jewish Funerary Inscriptions,” Biblical Archaeology Review,” 18.5 (Sept./Oct. 1992): 55). Emphasis added.

The Scriptures are clear, all who rely on the works of the Law for justification are under a curse because they are not able to obey it perfectly!

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

(Galatians 3:10-14 ESV)

Early Isaac Watts

2011-09-21T02:00:00.000-05:00

Before Isaac Watts was six he composed some verses. When they fell into the hands of his mother, she doubted that he really wrote them. To satisfy her as to his ability to compose in this manner, he penned the following acrostic upon his name:

I am a vile polluted lump of earth,
So I've continu'd ever since my birth;
Although Jehovah grace does daily give me,
As sure this monster Satan will deceive me,
Come, therefore, Lord, from Satan's claws relieve me.

Wash me in thy blood, O Christ,
And grace divine impart,
Then search and try the corners of my heart,
That I in all things may be fit to do
Service to thee, and sing thy praises too.

Taken from: Isaac Watts Remembered: 1674-1748, by David Fountain (pp. 13-14)
Find out more about this biography here.

The Law and the Gospel

2011-09-20T02:00:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

Below is the Pilgrim's Progress quote from Sunday's sermon. This is from Crossway's edition of Pilgrim's Progress, where Bunyan illustrates the difference between the law and grace with the simple imagery of a dirty room, a broom, and sprinkled water.

Then the Interpreter took Christian by the hand and led him into a very large parlor that was full of dust because it was never swept. After He had reviewed it a little while, the Interpreter called for a man to come and sweep. Now when he began to sweep the dust began to fly about so much and was so thick that Christian almost choked. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel who stood nearby, “Bring water, and sprinkle the room.” When she had done as requested, it was swept and cleansed very pleasantly.
Then Christian asked, “What does this mean?”
The Interpreter answered, “This parlor is the heart of a man that has never been sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel; the dust is his original sin and inward corruptions that have defiled the whole man. The first man that began to sweep is the Law; the damsel that brought water and sprinkled it is the gospel. You saw that as soon as the first man began to sweep, the dust filled the room so thickly that it could not be cleansed, and you almost choked on it. This is to show you that the Law, instead of cleansing the heart from sin, actually revives, increases, and adds strength to it. Even though the Law uncovers and forbids sin, it is powerless to conquer or subdue it at all.”
“Then you saw this damsel sprinkle the room with water, after which it was pleasingly cleansed. This is to show you the way in which the gospel comes into the heart with its sweet and precious influences. You saw the damsel clear the dust from the room by sprinkling the floor with water. This shows how sin is vanquished and subdued and the soul made clean through faith and consequently fit for the King of glory to inhabit.”

Taken from The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan (edited by C. J. Lovik, Illustrated by Mike Wimmer) copyright ©(2010). Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Il 60187, www.crossway.org.

A Despiser of Gospel Grace

2011-09-19T02:00:00.000-05:00

If a man trusts to his own righteousness,
he rejects Christ’s;
if he trusts to Christ’s righteousness,
he rejects his own.

If he will not reject his own righteousness, as too good to be renounced,
if he will not venture on Christ’s righteousness, as not sufficient alone to bear him out and bring him safely off at God’s bar, he is in both convicted as an unbeliever.

And if he endeavors to patch up a righteousness before God made up of both, his is still under the law, and a despiser of gospel grace.

Justification Vindicated, by Robert Traill (p. 70)

Men's Summer Study on Prayer

2011-09-15T14:32:00.002-05:00

The audio from the men's summer study The Effective Prayer of a Righteous Man is now available for streaming at the BCLR website here, or you can use the links below. Just RIGHT CLICK and SAVE AS to download to your computer.

Why Pray? Taught by Tim Senn
Persistence in PrayerTaught by Tim Senn
Praying for OthersTaught by James Henrich
Honest to God: Praying the PsalmsTaught by Todd Murray

7 Rubrics of Justification

2011-09-14T11:33:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

The author of justification is God. | Romans 8:33
The agent of justification is Jesus Christ. | Galatians 2:17
The method of justification is by free grace. | Romans 3:24
The basis of justification is the satisfaction rendered to divine law when Christ died in the sinner’s place on the cross. | Romans 5:9
The means, or human instrument, of justification is faith. | Romans 3:28
The fruit of faith, rather, of justification by faith, is everything god has for us in salvation. | Romans 5:1-11
The evidence of justification is good works. | James 2:24

Taken from Biblical Theology: Biblical and Historical, by Robert Duncan Culver (Mentor Publishing, 2005)

9/11 | Ten Years Later

2011-09-12T02:00:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

Yesterday marked the ten year anniversary since the terrorist attacks on our nation. I wanted to briefly reflect on the events of that day and their significance.What should be our response to the events of 9/11? Below are just a few, bullet-point thoughts that I shared from the pulpit.

1. We should pray for peace, not just physical or political peace – but more importantly, spiritual peace.

Yes, we should value personal security for our family and friends.
Yes, we should even at times be willing to pick up weapons to protect our freedoms and our peace.
But lasting peace, the only “peace on earth” that the world will ever know, can only come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the One who gives us peace with a holy God and the only One who can transform the hearts of sinful men to love both God and their neighbor.
Punishment for evildoers comes through the sword, but transformation and peace with God comes only through the Gospel!
We should pray that the light of the Gospel would shine upon those trapped in darkness.
We should pray that the hearts of religious extremists who kill in the name of their religion would be turned to the true God to be filled with extreme devotion to Christ.
Ultimately, peace can only be achieved not on the battlefield, but on the mission field.

2. We should hate, not our enemies, but the sin of self-righteousness that motivated their attacks. We should be warned of the hideous nature of self-righteousness in our own hearts and fight our tendency to try to earn God’s favor by working for it.

In yesterday’s message, we looked at Paul’s words to the Galatians in 2:21, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the works of the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” As I think about the terrorists, and their religious extremism, I should also be warned about my own attempts to work for God's favor.

The terrorists thought that they were pleasing God and would gain entrance into heaven through a “holy act” of martyrdom; and yet they deeply insulted God and entered the dark recesses of hell through their hideous act of murder.
They thought that in shedding their own blood in a great act of self-sacrifice, they could appease “God” by killing the ‘infidels,' whereas the true God shed the blood of His own precious Son and sent Him to die in the place of sinners – not to kill them!
Their attempt at self-salvation is an insult to the blood of the Redeemer, and treats His death as useless and unnecessary.

“For it is a horrible blasphemy to imagine that there is any work by which you should presume to pacify God, since you see that there is nothing which is able to pacify Him but this inestimable price, even the death and the blood of the Son of God, one drop of which is more precious than the whole world.”
(Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians, p. 115)

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
   The people who walked in darkness
       have seen a great light;
   those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
       on them has light shone.
   You have multiplied the nation;
       you have increased its joy;
   they rejoice before you
       as with joy at the harvest,
       as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
   For the yoke of his burden,
       and the staff for his shoulder,
       the rod of his oppressor,
       you have broken as on the day of Midian.
   For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
       and every garment rolled in blood
       will be burned as fuel for the fire.
   For to us a child is born,
       to us a son is given;
   and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
       and his name shall be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
   Of the increase of his government and of peace
       there will be no end,
   on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
       to establish it and to uphold it
   with justice and with righteousness
       from this time forth and forevermore.
   The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
(Isaiah 9:1-7 ESV)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
(Ephesians 2:13-17 ESV)

The Wise

2011-09-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

In my last post I showed you five different kinds of fool in the book of Proverbs. In contrast to that fool, is the wise man. Let's look today at what Proverbs says about the wise.

1. The Attitude of the Wise

The wise are first of all characterized by their fear of the Lord. They recognize their dependence upon God and humbly submit to His authority over their lives. They realize that compared to the amount of knowledge in the universe, they possess a small amount, and thus lean on the infinite understanding and wisdom of God revealed in creation and His word. He is not like the fool, who after filling his thimble full at the ocean of knowledge believes that he has possession of it. The wise person realizes that the more he learns, the more there is that he doesn’t know. Therefore, he is teachable and humble.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil”

(Proverbs 3:7)

“Heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it”

(Proverbs 8:33)

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning”

(Proverbs 9:9)

In this way, the wise are truly learners from God, or disciples. This is the call that Jesus Christ gave when He invited men and women to follow Him.

“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 shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light”

(Matthew 11:28-30).

2. The Words of the Wise

Thus, the attitude of the wise is one of humble submission to God and faith in His ways. How do the wise speak to others? Because they aren’t characterized by pride, which seeks to put others down, their speech seeks to help others and build them up.

“There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”

(Proverbs 12:18)

When the wise speak, they speak from a perspective that is thoughtful and informed.

“The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so”

(Proverbs 15:7)

The wise not only know what to say, but when to speak and when to remain silent.

“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise”

(Proverbs 10:19).

3. The Actions of the Wise

Finally, the wise act a certain way as well. First, the wise delight in righteousness and turn away from evil.

“A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless”

(Proverbs 14:16)

Also, a wise person exercises self-control, and has a long term perspective on life.

“There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up”

(Proverbs 21:20).

So, can a foolish person become a wise person? If so, how?

The main difference between the wise and the foolish lies in the area of attitude. The wise have faith in God, whereas the foolish trust in themselves or in something other than God. For the foolish, faith in God is a tyrant who snatches every delight from their grasp, and gives nothing in return. But the wise have a view of the long term, realizing that trust in God brings ultimate rewards and benefits.

The way for a fool to become wise is to humble yourself, trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of all of the sins that you have committed in your foolishness, and submit your life to follow Him.

The Fool

2011-09-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

By Tim Senn

In the book of Proverbs, we are presented with a striking portrait of a "fool." There are five different words used for someone who is foolish, each describing the characteristics of those who are not living skillfully. Let's take a look at these five different kinds of fools, and remain teachable as we prayerfully ask the Lord to reveal foolish tendencies in our own lives.

1. The Naïve (Hebrew = “Pethi”)

First, we read of those who are naïve, or the "simple ones" in the book of Proverbs. Those who are simple are gullible, easily influenced, and inexperienced. They believe anything and cannot see the consequences of particular choices. Thus, they often get themselves into trouble or make foolish decisions because they act without giving proper thought to their decisions.

“The naïve believes everything, But the prudent man considers his steps”
(Proverbs 14:15)

“The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naïve go on, and are punished for it”
(Proverbs 22:3)

2. The Senseless (Hebrew = “Chaser lebh”)

The second category of fool in the book of Proverbs is called the “senseless” one. This is the person who never seems to learn from their mistakes and who lacks sense.

“Folly is joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight”
(Proverbs 15:21).

The reason for the folly of the naïve and the senseless is because they hate learning. To change their ways would mean that they would have to acknowledge previous failure, and so they continue on in their foolishness.

3. The Fool (Hebrew = “Kesil”)

The third category of fool in the book of Proverbs is the person who is thick-headed and stubborn. He refuses to submit to any authority higher than himself. The fool sets himself up as the ultimate judge of reality, and what is best for himself.

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel”
(Proverbs 12:15)

“He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered”
(Proverbs 28:26)

Because he is right in his own eyes, he loves to give his opinion on every subject to everyone else as well.

“A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind”
(Proverbs 18:2)

Also, because he thinks that he knows everything, he is not willing to learn from others or to receive instruction and reproof.

“A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding, than a hundred blows into a fool”
(Proverbs 17:10)

“Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him” (Proverbs 27:22)

Because he always knows what is best, he is easily angered at those who stand in his way or who disagree with him.

“A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back”
(Proverbs 29:11).

A fool is not someone who is intellectually “stupid”, but one who continues to commit the same sinful actions over and over again because he is bent on doing his own thing. Moreover, he enjoys sin and wickedness too much to refrain from it.

“Like a dog returns to its vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly”
(Proverbs 26:11)

“Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool; and so is wisdom to a man of understanding”
(Proverbs 10:23)

4. The Scoffer (Hebrew = “Letz”)

The fourth kind of fool in the book of Proverbs is the “scoffer”, who is one step higher in his degree of foolishness than the “kesil”. The scoffer not only thinks that he knows it all, but he is characterized by insolent pride.

“‘ Proud,’‘Haughty,’‘Scoffer,’ are his names, who acts with insolent pride” (Proverbs 21:24).

The terrifying reality for such a proud person is that Proverbs 3:34 states that God “scoffs at the scoffers.”

5. The Fool (Hebrew = “Nabhal”)

The final kind of fool in the Proverbs is the most hardened fool, the “nabhal.” This person not only does what is sinful and wicked, but distorts good and evil and calls evil “good.” The fool even denies the existence of God, and mocks the idea of forgiveness. He is also described in the Psalms:

"The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good."
(Psalm 14:1)

In our next post, we'll look at the wise man in Proverbs and compare the two.

How Can I Be Righteous Before God?

2011-09-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

In yesterday's sermon, I referenced the Heidelberg Catechism's answer to the question we discussed regarding justification. I wanted to post the question and answer for you here:

Question 60.
How are thou righteous before God?

Answer:
Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ;
     so that, though my conscience accuse me,
     that I have grossly transgressed all the commandments of God,
     and kept none of them,
     and am still inclined to all evil;
notwithstanding, God,
     without any merit of mine,
     but only of mere grace,
grants and imputes to me, the perfect satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ;
     even so, as if I never had had, nor committed any sin:
     yea, as if I had fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished for me; inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart.

Read this with Scripture references here or here.

More on Assurance

2011-09-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

As we end the week of links related to our conference on "The Assurance of the Believer," let me share two helpful blog posts I've found in recent days that I trust will be helpful to us all.

The first is an old resource from - once again - pastor/preacher extraordinaire, Charles Spurgeon. Dan Phillips, at the TeamPyro blog, posted this great anecdote of how Spurgeon helped a doubting woman be re-assured in her faith.

One day, when I was talking with her, she told me that she had not any hope at all, she had no faith; she believed that she was a hypocrite.
I said, “Then don’t come to the chapel any more; we don’t want hypocrites there. Why do you come?”
She answered, “I come because I can’t stop away. I love the people of God; I love the house of God; and I love to worship God.”
“Well,” I said, “you are an odd sort of hypocrite; you are a queer kind of unconverted woman.”

Read the entire post here.

The second resource is more recent, from author Mike McKinley, an excerpt from his book, "Am I Really a Christian?" McKinley considers some of the signs of life that Don Whitney addressed, and looks at them from a negative perspective:

You're not a Christian if you don't believe true doctrine.
You're not a Christian if you enjoy sin.
You're not a Christian if you don't persevere.
You're not a Christian if you don't love others.
You're not a Christian if you love your stuff more than you love Jesus.

Read his post here or buy the book here. (HT:Challies)

Nothing Upon Earth Can Represent the Glories of Heaven

2011-08-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

We've been posting or linking selected resources mentioned by Don Whitney during last weekend's conference, The Assurance of the Believer. During the Lord's Day Worship Service, Don referenced a sermon by Jonathan Edwards on the beauties of Heaven called, "Nothing Upon Earth Can Represent the Glories of Heaven." It's about eleven pages worth of reading, but certainly worth the effort.
In one section, Edwards bemoans the fact that as wonderful as Heaven is, Christians still seem to value this passing world more.

...the blessedness of those who are in heaven: so great, that nothing in the world will suffice so much as to give a representation of it. How much, then, is the world to be despised by Christians. If we search all the face of the earth, and not only so, but tear out its bowels and ransack its inwards, or dive to the bottom of the sea, go and look into the palaces and stately rooms of princes, and search their coffers, yea, if we take in the visible heavens, everything that we can discover there, and put all these things together, and imagine much better and more beautiful than they are, we can get nothing that will serve to give us a picture of heavenly glory. Not only are [these] insufficient to come near the substance, but will not so much as give an image. And Christians are those that do expect this same glory, and that within seventy years, and to enjoy it forever. Verily, how little is the world to be esteemed by such, and how inconsistently will such as say they expect this act if they much regard it, yea, if they were sure they could obtain the whole world, with all its wealth, as glorious as the representation was that the devil made to our Savior from the high mountain.How much less, when all they expect is only a little inconsiderable part of this, and that with abundance of affliction and uncertainty, accompanied with many disappointments. What shall a Christian say to this? Is it possible for one really to believe the futurity of these things, and that they are indeed such as we are told, and yet have his heart upon the earth?
(emphasis added)

You can read the entire sermon here.

His Divine Power Has Given Us

2011-08-30T22:00:00.001-05:00

In his Sunday message from 2 Peter 1:1-4 entitled "True and Complete Satisfaction in God," Don Whitney told of a Hubble Telescope image that captured what was thought to be a dark, empty part of our sky. This area, to the naked eye, was no larger than a grain of rice held at arms length. But what the photography revealed was simply amazing.
Earlier this month, Tim Challies posted the video below, which gives an astonishing perspective to our universe, and gives the believer in Christ all the more reason to exclaim with the Psalmist that "the heavens declare the glory of God!" While Christians would disagree with the conclusion presented at the end of this video, we can still worship our Creator knowing that His divine power that created the cosmos, has also "granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness."

General Principles of Christian Liberty

2011-08-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

By Tim Senn

Here are some general principles of Christian liberty and legalism in those areas and activities in which the Scripture does not give an explicit command or prohibition. Remember, these are general principles and may not cover every situation or circumstance, but I trust they'll be a good starting point as you prayerfully discern how to best walk straight on the Gospel road.

What if I can engage in a certain activity with a good conscience, and it is not prohibited by Scripture? Then exercise your Christian liberty!
What if my conscience tells me that I can’t engage in a certain activity, although it is not prohibited by Scripture? Then do not engage in it and thus violate your conscience.
What if I can engage in a certain activity with a good conscience, but it is not my preference? Then you don’t have to do it, but don’t judge other Christians who exercise their liberty.
What if I can engage in a certain activity, but my Christian brother cannot in good conscience without being tempted to sin? Then when you are with that brother, do not exercise your liberty. Love for your brother is more important than your Christian freedom!

Here are two additional principles:

If in exercising your Christian liberty you tempt a fellow brother in Christ to sin by engaging in the same activity, that is unacceptable. Paul would say, “I will never eat meat again.” We defer to these brothers because they are weak and unable to handle a tempting situation.
However, if you are sitting in judgment of a fellow Christian who is exercising their Christian liberty, and looking down on them as less spiritual or as a second-class Christian, that is equally unacceptable. You are being proud and legalistic by creating a Law or standard that God has not created.

Taken from the sermon, "Walking Straight on the Gospel Road."

Assurance Sought (and Linked)

2011-08-29T22:00:00.000-05:00

One of the many times that Don Whitney referenced Charles Spurgeon during the conference on The Assurance of the Believer, was when he recommended a sermon preached by Spurgeon entitled, "Assurance Sought."
The sermon was based on Psalm 35:3, “Say unto my soul, I am your salvation.” In it, Spurgeon speaks first of all to the listener to see if he has ever been saved. He asked many penetrating questions, such as:

Have you been led by the Spirit of God to see to this, your first concern? Are you saved? Or are you anxious to be saved with an anxiety that will not rest or abate? Are you striving and struggling in your heart to find the Savior, without whom you are utterly lost, ruined and undone?

He then addresses this issue of assurance in the last half of his sermon. I thought this particular quote was helpful in directing believers to the source of their assurance:

The assurance that comes from God is addressed to the heart, to the mind, to the conscience, to the soul—it is purely spiritual. Seek not, therefore, after visions, fancies, miracles, signs and wonders, but believe when God speaks to your heart, according to all the statutes and testimonies, the precepts and promises which are contained in the sure Word of Revelation.

Read the entire sermon here.

Assurance Conference Audio Now Available

2011-08-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you were able to take advantage of the great weekend of ministry we had with Don Whitney during our Assurance of the Believer Conference, and also during yesterday's Lord's Day services. But if you didn't - no worries! This week on the BCLR blog, I'll be posting some links to several resources that Don mentioned during his time with us. Here's three quick links for today:

Let me quickly remind you of yesterday's post linking a helpful article for the busy mom.
You can listen to both of Don Whitney's sermons from our Lord's Day services. His Equipping Hour message was entitled, "Are You Spiritually Minded?," and his 2nd message during our worship hour was entitled, "True and Complete Satisfaction in God." Follow the links provided to stream or download, or subscribe to the BCLR podcast via iTunes here.
You can find the audio for all four sessions of the Assurance Conference here and also on iTunes.

Do What You Can Do

2011-08-27T16:59:00.002-05:00

During Saturday's session with Don Whitney, he referenced a chapter from his book, Simplify Your Spiritual Life. In it, he speaks to mothers who are struggling with maintaining a devotional time with the Lord in the midst of raising children. Don shares the advice he heard a friend, Jean Fleming, share with young mothers:

On at least three occasions I've eavesdropped as Jean addressed young moms in similar situations. In effect she's told them, "At this time in your life, you can't do what you're used to doing. You don't have time for all your heart desires to experience in your spiritual life. Nevertheless, do what you can do, even though it's precious little. Just don't deceive yourself by thinking that you can put off a devotional life until you have more time. Because when the years roll around and you finally do have more time, your spiritual habits will be so ingrained that you won't give more attention to your devotional life at all."

Read the rest of this chapter online here and find many other free resources on Don Whitney's website here.

Fickle and False Assurance

2011-08-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Fickle Assurance:

With some, Satan arouses fears, doubts, arguments, uncertainties and various worries and troubles, so that believers find it difficult to maintain comforting views of Christ or His glory. He tempts them to fear that they have been rejected and cast off by Christ. So their anxieties are increased and they are driven to the edge of despair.

False Assurance:

Satan deceives others into a false assurance by which they promise peace to themselves, and so live in a vague presumption that they will be saved by Christ even though they have no idea how. This is why Paul presses on Christians the duty of self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:15). We must ask ourselves whether Christ is in us or not. And He cannot be in us unless he has been received by that faith with which we behold his glory. For by faith we receive him and by faith he dwells in our hearts (John 1:12, Ephesians 3:17). By deceiving people in this way, Satan prevails in the world.

John Owen, The Glory of Christ, p. 118

Register now for the conference: The Assurance of the Believer

Assurance

2011-08-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

As we anticipate our upcoming Bible Conference on the topic of "The Assurance of the Believer," with Dr. Don Whitney, let me direct you to two short posts on this same topic from blogger, Tim Challies. Back in June, Tim posted this helpful little "primer" on assurance, even quoting from Don Whitney's book, How Can I Be Sure I'm a Christian?

He first lists and explains three statements about assurance:

It is possible and even normal for the Christian to experience assurance of salvation.
It is possible and even normal for the non-Christian to experience a false assurance of salvation.
It is possible and even normal for Christians to have doubts about their salvation

Read the entire post here.

In his second post, Challies gives the basis of assurance:

Assurance Rests on God’s Character
Assurance Rests on God’s Promises
Assurance Rests on Christ’s Completed Work

He then concludes by quoting some of the questions given by Don Whitney to ask when "examining" ourselves:

Do you share the intimacies of the Christian life with other believers?
Do you have a deep awareness of your sin against the Word and love of God?
Do you live in conscious obedience to the Word of God?
Do you despise the world and its ways?

Read the entire post & more examination questions here.

By the way, you cn

Helpful Links

2011-08-13T00:00:00.010-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

Happy Friday! Here's a round of helpful links from around the blog-o-sphere over the past few weeks. Enjoy!

Kevin DeYoung shares a free resource on Friendship that he has recently completed.
A bit more about prayer... Tim Challies finds a broadcast with Joni Eareckson Tada talking about Polly Carey (William Carey's sister) and her devotion to prayer.
The Practice of Mortification: A great post by Sinclair Ferguson on how to fight sin.
Al Mohler republishes an interview with the late John Stott from 1987. Stott went to Heaven on July 27th.
Justin Taylor provides a long list of tributes to the late John Stott.
While you're at Justin Taylor's blog, see his post on Tim Keller's "Four Kinds of People."
"Boredom begets a loss of a sense of wonder. Our loss of a sense of wonder begets a loss of appreciation. And our loss of appreciation begets a loss of gratitude—quite a downward spiral." Read the rest of this short post about boredom from Stephen Nichols.

Books on Prayer

2011-08-10T00:00:00.015-05:00

By Tim Senn

The BCLR men recently concluded a 4 week study on the topic of prayer. There were several books recommended during the study that I want to include here, as well as a few others that would also be helpful. In fact, one of the things I do to help maintain consistency in my prayer life, is to try to always be reading a book about prayer. As you further your understanding of this often neglected discipline, I trust that these titles would be an encouragement to you.

The God Who Hears by Bingham Hunter
Pray With Your Eyes Open by Richard Pratt
A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson
God's Prayer Program: Passionately Using the Psalms in Prayer by T.M. Moore
Reaching the Ear of God by Wayne Mack
Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers
A Call to Prayer by J.C. Ryle (A Banner Booklet)
The Prayer of Our Lord by Philip Ryken
The Prayer of the Lord by R.C. Sproul

Finally, there is a set of three wonderful pdf books on the topics of men interceding for their wives, women interceding for their husbands, and parents interceding for their children. These are currently available as free downloads here.

The 7 C's of History

2011-07-23T15:11:00.001-05:00

Here are the kids at the Otter Creek Backyard Bible Club singing our theme song, "The 7 C's of History."

The 7 C's of History from Aaron Wilson on Vimeo.

Scatter Conference

2011-07-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

We trust that you all enjoyed the Scatter Conference this weekend and were encouraged as well as challenged in your own personal evangelism. All of the audio from the conference is being uploaded and is available here. These are messages that you'll definitely want to listen to again and again!

Jesse Johnson was one of our guest speakers, and it was mentioned that he blogs at Cripplegate. He recently posted an article about evangelism entitled, "Evangelism as a Practice, not a Program." Jesse concludes his post with the same truths that we heard from him this weekend, when he says, "... what has consistently produced more fruit than any of our programs is the faithfulness of individuals who express their love for their neighbors through evangelism."

As you listen to these Scatter messages and and pray for the lost around you, remember that YOU are the BCLR evangelism program.

SCATTER | July 15-17

2011-07-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Below is the promotional video shown Sunday morning for this weekend's SCATTER Evangelism Conference. Many thanks to Matt Holmquist for putting this together. See you Friday!

O God of the Open Ear

2011-07-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

The men's ministry began a 4 week study on prayer this week, and as the case is with most any biblical topic, 4 weeks just isn't enough to exhaust the subject! So, we'll be using the blog to provide further resources on this great, yet oft neglected privilege. And men - there's still time to join our study! Just follow this link to register and to get more details on our meeting times.

During the first night of our men's study on prayer, Phil Krause shared this wonderfully convicting puritan prayer taken from Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions.

LIVING BY PRAYER

O God of the open ear,
Teach me to live by prayer
as well as by providence,
for myself, soul, body, children, family, church;

Give me a heart frameable to thy will;
so might I live in prayer,
and hounour thee,
being kept from evil,known and unknown.

Help me to see the sin that accompanies all I do,
and the good I can distil from everything.
Let me know that the work of prayer is to bring
my will to thine,
and that without this it is folly to pray;

When I try to bring thy will to mine it is
to command Christ,
to be above him, and wiser than he:
this is my sin and pride.

I can only succeed when I pray
according to thy precept and promise,
and to be done with as it pleases thee,
according to thy sovereign will.

When thou commandest me to pray
for pardon, peace, brokenness,
it is because thou wilt give me the thing promised,
for thy glory,
as well as for my good.

Help me not only to desire small things
but with holy boldness to desire great things
for thy people, for myself,
that they and I might live to show thy glory.

Teach me...
that it is wisdom for me to pray for all I have,out of love, willingly, not of necessity;
that I may come to thee at any time, to lay open my needs acceptably to thee;
that my great sin lies in my not keeping the savour of thy ways;
that the remembrance of this truth is one way to the sense of thy presence;
that there is no wrath like the wrath of being governed by my own lusts for my own ends.
The Valley of Vision
A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
Edited by Arthur Bennett
The Banner of Truth Trust 1975 (5th printing 2005) Carlisle, PA

You can find more of these prayers online here.

Thoughts on Family Worship

2011-07-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

I've come across a few posts over the last few weeks that address the topic of family worship. I thought I'd list them all for you below. Some of them, you'll see, actually link to some of the others. There are also several varying perspectives here to help you best decide how to lead your own family in worship.

A while back, Tim Challies offered his method for leading his children in their own personal Bible study.
Tim mentioned that he relies on the resources provided by his friend, David Murray. Here's how it all came about.
Brian Croft has a new blog for pastors that is quickly gaining popularity. He asks (and answers) a good question - not just for pastors - but for any of us, "How can I make sure I am individually shepherding my children?"
From the most recent pastor's conference hosted by Desiring God, here's Joel Beeke on leading family worship.
For a more long-term strategy for shepherding your children, you might want to check out Elyse Fitzpatrick's new book, Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus.
This last link is probably the most recent, and helps us relax a bit as we approach this discipline. I particularly like this point, for those of us who might lean more toward the legalistic side of things: "The Bible commands us not to forsake the assembly of the saints (Heb. 10:25) which refers to corporate worship together. It’s atrocious that Christians will feel worse about missing a quiet time or family worship than they do missing the called meeting of all God’s people on the Lord’s Day."
Read the whole post here.

Causes of Ineffective Ministry

2011-06-22T00:00:00.001-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

The pastoral staff is just beginning to read through a book together, The Christian Ministry, by Charles Bridges. Just looking through the Table of Contents, I found a helpful list of chapter headings under Bridges' section entitled, "Causes of Ministerial Inefficiency Connected with Our Personal Character." Having yet to even read these chapters, the titles themselves are enough to serve as a good diagnostic for any of us in any level of Christian ministry.

Want [Lack] of entire devotedness of heart to the Christian Ministry
Conformity to the world
The fear of man
The want [Lack] of Christian Self-denial
The Spirit of covetousness
Neglect of retirement [rest]
The influence of spiritual pride
Absence of defect of personal religion
The defect of family religion; and the want [lack] of connection of the Minister's family with his work
Want [Lack] of faith

As you serve in the Name of Christ in your home, church or community - whether as a compensated elder or a common layman - keep these areas in prayerful attention lest your ministry become ineffective.

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.... Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
1 Timothy 4:12, 15-16, emphasis added

Substitution: The Center of the Gospel

2011-06-20T00:00:00.004-05:00

By Tim Senn

In our study of Galatians, we have been talking about keeping the Cross at the very center of our lives, as the reference point of all of our thinking and activities. At the center of the Gospel is the idea of substitution, or the truth that the God-man, Jesus Christ; as our Mediator, died in our place and for our sins on the Cross. John Stott speaks of how the concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. Ponder these choice words:

“The concept of substitution may be said to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives that belong to God alone; God accepts penalties that belong to man alone”
~John Stott, The Cross of Christ, p. 159

I Was a Wandering Sheep

2011-06-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Horatius Bonar, 1808-1889

Below is our June song of the month, I Was a Wandering Sheep, sung to the tune of This is My Father's World.

I was a wandering sheep,
I did not love the fold;
I did not love my Shepherd’s voice,
I would not be controlled.
I was a wayward child,
I did not love my home;
I did not love my Father’s voice,
I loved afar to roam.

The Shepherd sought His sheep,
As a Father seeks His child;
He followed me o’er vale and hill,
O’er deserts waste and wild;
He found me nigh to death,
Famished and faint and lone;
He bound me with the bands of love,
He saved the wand’ring one.

He spoke in tender love,
He raised my drooping head,
He gently closed my bleeding wounds,
My fainting soul He fed;
He washed my filth away,
He made me clean and fair;
He brought me to my home in peace,
The long sought wanderer.

Jesus my Shepherd is:
’Twas He that loved my soul;
’Twas He that washed me in His blood,
’Twas He that made me whole.
’Twas He that sought the lost,
That found the wand’ring sheep,
’Twas He that brought me to the fold,
’Tis He that still doth keep.

No more a wandering sheep,
I love to be controlled;
I love my tender Shepherd’s voice,
I love the peaceful fold.
No more a wayward child,
I seek no more to roam;
I love my heavenly Father’s voice,
I love, I love His home!

No more a wayward child,
I seek no more to roam;
I love my heavenly Father's voice,
I love, I love His home!

Words by Horatius Bonar, alt by Todd Murray

He Breaks the Power of Cancelled Sin, He Sets the Prisoner Free

2011-06-03T00:00:00.002-05:00

By George Lawson

“I wouldn’t trade the freedom I have in this prison, for the freedom outside of it.” These were the words I heard from one of the inmates at the largest maximum security prison in America. In April of this year I had the privilege of joining Lance Quinn and John MacArthur for 3 days of ministry in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola. Many of the prisoners I met enjoy a spiritual liberation behind bars that they would never trade in for a life on the outside.

Last Sunday evening I gave a brief report about my experience and the ministry going on in Angola. So many people in our congregation were touched by the riches of God’s grace, in a place that was once known as the “bloodiest prison in America”, that I have included in today’s post, one prisoner’s testimony, as well as a link to the book and DVD that were used during the presentation.

Taken from the chapter "Saving Antonio" in Cain's Redemption

“He didn’t have much time. In just a few days, Antonio James, sentenced to death for killing a man in a New Orleans robbery, would leave his “home” for a final journey. Guards would transport him to a holding cell in Camp F, some distance from the Death Row complex and on the other side of the broad expanse that is Angola.

The teenager, Marshall Cain, had asked his dad, Burl, the warden of Angola who would preside over James’s execution, if he could take a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies to the condemned inmate, now less than a week from his appointment with death. The father, who had come to deeply appreciate how James made the most of his days on Death Row, readily agreed.

There, on top of the chest, was a worn and much-underlined Bible, Antonio James’s most precious possession. The inmate kept it open so he could immediately turn to one of his favorite passages.

“Here,” Marshall Cain said as he inserted the paper plate filled with cookies through the narrow slit between the cell bars. James took the plate, sniffed the cookies approvingly, and sampled one. In a moment he turned his attention to the youth.

“Thanks,” the inmate said, “that was kind of you. They’re my favorites.”

Marshall nodded somewhat self-consciously, then asked a question that clearly reflected both his disbelief and dismay. “Antonio, I have to ask you something. You are a Christian. You care about others; you teach the other inmates to read and you do Bible studies. Why are you here on Death Row? Now my dad has to execute you—why?

James did not answer for a moment. Then he began to talk about his abusive upbringing, about a father who liked to hurt and belittle him, about escaping by sleeping under the house with his dog keeping him warm. He talked about running away to New Orleans when he was twelve. He and his friends formed a small gang that would rob tourists at gunpoint in the French Quarter. Most of the time, the victims did not resist, except one. Antonio shot him, and he died. “That’s why I’m here,” the condemned man said.

“I didn’t mean to kill that man,” James insisted, as he had throughout his years on Death Row. “But it happened, and I take responsibility for that.”

As the date of his death drew near, Antonio asked the warden lots of questions. “How is it when you die? What happens to your soul, and how does it really work?” Cain listened, taking the man’s question seriously. He quoted Jesus’ words to the chief hanging next to Him on the cross. “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

He also told Antonio what Billy Graham, in his book Angels, says about those celestial beings and how they escort the redeemed soul to heaven. Antonio asked Cain if he would hold his hand when the time came, so he would be connected to this earth while he reached into heaven with the other hand. Cain promised he would.

Burl Cain had done his best to prepare Antonio James for death. The two men had spoken often about the events soon to unfold, most recently just that day. The warden had explained what would happen when he would arrive to escort the inmate from his holding cell to the death chamber. He spared no detail, believing James would be helped by knowing exactly how things would play out.

The inmate listened intently, taking everything in without interrupting, almost as though the procedure were meant to help, not put him to death. The calm expression on Antonio’s face did not change as Cain explained what was going to happen.

“Any more questions?” the warden asked Antonio shook his head. “Let’s pray together, then,” said Cain. “I’d appreciate that very much,” Antonio said. The warden reached out and grasped the inmate’s hand as he whispered: “Dear God, You’re about to welcome Antonio into Your kingdom. Help him to keep his focus entirely on You during the coming hours. Help him to realize that he is about to come into the presence of Jesus. And Father, we just pray for the victim’s family, that You’ll be with them and comfort them…”

The efficient strap-down team did their work in ninety seconds, securing leather straps around the prisoner’s ankles, thighs, abdomen, chest, and shoulders. Then the executioner began searching for a vein in his right arm into which he could insert the needle.

“Antonio was so calm, his pulse so low, that we couldn’t locate a suitable vein even when he made a fist,” Cain said later. “He apologized for making things difficult. The EMT slapped his arm to see if he could raise a vein. That didn’t work, so finally we inserted the needle into his leg,”

Now, with every step of the procedure accomplished, the warden signaled for the curtain to open so the witnesses could observe the actual execution. Cain took hold of Antonio’s hand and stared into his eyes. Then he said, “Antonio, the chariot is here; get ready for the ride. Here we go; you are about to see Jesus.”

The process, irrevocable began. In a moment, the first drug began to enter Antonio James. The inmate breathed two deep breaths, relaxed his grip on Burl Cain’s hand, and closed his eyes for the last time. The lawyers had tears in their eyes.

“He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me.”

Praise our great Redeemer for the triumph of His grace!

Read more about the Louisiana State Penitentiary here.

Order Cain's Redemption here.

Here's the documentary that was shown during our 5th Sunday fellowship. You can download a free copy here.

"A New Hope" Angola Prison Documentary from Kossover & Company on Vimeo.

The Wanderer

2011-05-31T00:00:00.018-05:00

By Phil Krause

There are two lines in the hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing that make it one of my all-time favorites. First is the petition, “Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.” My heart is like an instrument, in constant need of regular tuning. Even my praise of God is nothing but dissonance apart from His blessing - His gracious work in me.

Second, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it!” Doesn’t that capture well the “O, wretched man that I am!” kind of anguish every believer experiences? The Apostle Paul wrestled with it in the seventh chapter of Romans.

I recently ran across a wonderful book written by James Smith, who pastored New Park Street Chapel in London from 1841-1850. We now think of it as Charles Spurgeon’s church, though Spurgeon actually succeeded James Smith. In 1855, Smith compiled many devotional readings he had written into a book titled The Rainbow of the Covenant; or, Christ Exalted, Saints Comforted, and Sinners Directed.

Read and be encouraged by Smith’s helpful thoughts on our ongoing struggle against sin:

Even true Christians are prone to wander from their resting place. Every sinner is a wanderer, and while sin dwells within us--we shall always feel a disposition to wander. This is against our better judgment, our solemn profession, and our new nature--yet still there is the disposition to wander, and it is called into exercise by a variety of things:

1. A love of novelty--a desire to see, possess, or enjoy something new--will sometimes set us wandering.

2. The weakness of our graces, as faith, hope, and love--is at other times the occasion of it.

3. The power of corruption within us, which at times works with peculiar force and power--makes us restless.

4. The temptations of Satan, which beguile, bewilder, and captivate us--lead us from our resting-place also.

5. And so do the errors that abound and spread all around us.

False views, Satanic temptations, powerful corruptions, and the weakness of our graces--are the principal things which lie at the root of our backslidings.

Reader, are you a restless wanderer?
If so, return, return unto Jesus.
Go to Him, and confess your sins.
Go to Him, and entreat His pardon.
Go to Him, and prove the kindness of His heart.
Go to Him, and be happy once more in His grace and love.

What is Successful Evangelism?

2011-05-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

By George Lawson

As I continue to think about and pray for our end-of-summer evangelism conference and local missions outreach, I am encouraged by these thoughts from Don Whitney.

If it is so obvious to almost all Christians that we are to evangelize, how come almost all Christians seem to disobey that command so often?

Some believe they need a lot of specialized training to witness effectively. They are afraid to talk to someone about Christ until they feel confident that they have an adequate amount of Bible knowledge and could deal with any potential question or objection.

Many Christians feel too unprepared for this kind of challenge, or simply have too little faith and are terrified of entering into such an eternally important situation.”

One Researcher offers another explanation.

‘We have found that nine out of ten individuals who attempt to explain their beliefs and theology to other people come away from those experiences feeling as if they have failed.’

What is success in evangelism? Is it when the person you witness to comes to Christ? Certainly that’s what we want to happen. But if this is success, are we failures whenever we share the gospel and people refuse to believe? Was Jesus an “evangelistic failure” when people like the rich young ruler turned away from Him and His message? Obviously not. Then neither are we when we present Christ and His message and they turn away in unbelief.

We need to learn that sharing the gospel is successful evangelism.

We ought to have an obsession for souls, and tearfully plead with God to see more people converted, but conversions are fruit that God alone can give. In this regard we are like the postal service. Success is measured by the careful and accurate delivery of the message, not by the response of the recipient. Whenever we share the gospel (which includes the summons to repent and believe), we have succeeded.

In the truest sense all biblical evangelism is successful evangelism, regardless of the results.

When you share the gospel, you share “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Sharing the gospel is like walking around in a thunderstorm and handing out lightning rods. You don’t know when the lighting is going to strike or who it will strike, but you know what it’s going to strike—the lightning rod of the gospel. And when it does, that person’s lightning rod is going to be charged with the power of God and he or she is going to believe. That is why we can be confident that some will believe if we will faithfully and tenaciously share the gospel.

It is the gospel that is the power of God for salvation and not our own eloquent power or persuasiveness. God has His elect whom He will call and whom He has chosen to call through the gospel (Romans 8:29-30, 10:17). Otherwise, we would despair at those rejecting the gospel and see them as reasons to cease evangelizing. But the power for people to be made right with God comes through the message of His Son. If we will give it, we can be assured some will respond.

Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, NavPress, pgs.101-105 (emphasis added)

May we grow in our confidence in the gospel, for “it is the power of God!"

In An Enemy’s Land

2011-05-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Another "forgotten" hymn of John Newton
By Todd Murray

Scripture Readings: John 15:18 – 16:4

While most of Newton’s hymns were written to address the specific spiritual needs of his congregation at Olney, the two hymns quoted below were written while Newton still held the post of Tide Surveyor in Liverpool (an upper-level position in international customs service at the port.) These two hymns, the earliest known hymns of Newton, were both included, with only minor changes, when the Olney Hymns was published some sixteen years later.

The images of storm and sunlight with which opens the first hymn, are more than merely metaphors since it was a literal severe Atlantic storm that the Lord used to begin the awakening of Newton’s conscience. In the final stanza, Newton expresses exemplary devotion to the Lord who stilled the outer storm on the sea and the inner storm in his heart.

In the second of these two early hymns, Newton addresses another kind of turmoil; that is, the unrest that comes to a believer’s heart when it seems that the Lord is far away. The conflict between God’s stated promises of his abiding presence and a believer’s struggle with intense doubts to the contrary, is certainly universal. While we cannot be absolutely certain what circumstances triggered in Newton the feeling that the Lord had “withdrawn from sight,” we do know that these words were written near the close of the seven years period of frustration, confusion, and disappointment that elapsed between Newton’s first thoughts of becoming a pastor and his actual ordination. Perhaps it was during this painful period of waiting that God seemed so far away from Newton. In the middle stanzas of this hymn, Newton is careful to mention the benefits that were the direct results of such difficult periods: the knowledge of his own weakness, the greatness of the Lord’s ability to rescue, and the magnitude of the debt he owed to the Lord’s mercy. He also reminds himself that such periods of testing are to be expected as long as he “dwells in an enemy’s land.” These were indeed crucial lessons for the man who would shortly become the pastor of the congregation at Olney.

The Storm Hushed

'Tis past--the dreadful stormy night
Is gone, with all its fears!
And now I see returning light,
The LORD, my Sun, appears.

The tempter, who but lately said,
I soon shall be his prey;
Has heard my Saviour's voice and fled
With shame and grief away.

Ah! LORD, since thou didst hide thy face,
What has my soul endur’d?
But now 'tis past, I feel thy grace,
And all my wounds are cur’d!

Oh wond’rous change! but just before
Despair beset me round;
I heard the lion's horrid roar,
And trembled at the sound.

Before corruption, guilt and fear,
My comforts blasted fell;
And unbelief discover’d near
The dreadful depths of hell.

But JESUS pity’d my distress,
He heard my feeble cry;
Reveal’d his blood and righteousness,
And brought salvation nigh.

Beneath the banner of his love,
I now secure remain;
The tempter frets, but dares not move
To break my peace again.

LORD, since thou thus hast broke my bands,
And set the captive free;
I would devote my tongue, my hands,
My heart, my all to thee.
(from Olney Hymns, Book 3, Hymn 21.)

Why Should I Complain?

When my Saviour, my Shepherd is near,
How quickly my sorrows depart!
New beauties around me appear,
New spirits enliven my heart:
His presence gives peace to my soul,
And Satan assaults me in vain;
While my Shepherd his pow'r controls,
I think I no more shall complain.

But alas! what a change do I find,
When my Shepherd withdraws from my sight?
My fears all return to my mind,
My day is soon changed into night:
Then Satan his efforts renews
To vex and ensnare me again;
All my pleasing enjoyments I lose,
And can only lament and complain.

By these changes I often pass thro’,
I am taught my own weakness to know;
I am taught what my Shepherd can do,
And how much to his mercy I owe:
It is he who supports me thro’ all,
When I faint he revives me again;
He attends to my pray’r when I call,
And bids me no longer complain.

Wherefore then should I murmur and grieve?
Since my Shepherd is always the same,
And has promis’d he never will leave (l)
The soul that confides in his name:
To relieve me from all that I fear,
He was buffeted, tempted, and slain;
And at length he will surely appear,
Tho’ he leaves me awhile to complain.

While I dwell in an enemy's land,
Can I hope to be always in peace?
'Tis enough that my Shepherd's at hand,
And that shortly this warfare will cease;
For ere long he will bid me remove (m)
From this region of sorrow and pain,
To abide in his presence above,
And then I no more shall complain.
(from Olney Hymns, Book 3, Hymn 30.)

“In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Adapted with permission from Beyond Amazing Grace, The Forgotten Hymns of John Newton, Evangelical Press,2007.

The Complaint Department

2011-05-23T00:00:00.005-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

You've seen enough courtroom dramas to be familiar with the scene. The defendant is called to the stand and the famous swearing of the oath begins. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Now, imagine hearing this as the defendant is seated and accusations are read:

The accused is charged with the following crimes: dangerous neglect of family, failure to give child support, and family abandonment. This person is a deadbeat and a menace to society. He needs to be taken off the streets and locked up until he can get his act together. The name of the accused: God.

Can you imagine?
The nerve!
The gall!
Accusing God?!

Yet, according to Stephen Altrogge, this is exactly what we all do when we complain. In his great little book, The Greener Grass Conspiracy: Finding Contentment on Your Side of the Fence, Altrogge teaches us from Scripture (particularly, Paul's words in Philippians 4:10-19) about the missing virtue of contentment. What I found most helpful, though, was his thorough look at the sinful result of being DIScontent.

The sin: complaining.

Any book that is truly helpful in examining areas of sin, is also just as convicting. Stephen Altrogge overwhelms the reader with lists like this one to help us realize what we're actually saying when we complain:

When we complain, we’re loudly saying that the blessings of the gospel aren’t enough.
We’re saying that the death of Christ isn’t enough.
We’re saying that eternal fellowship with God, purchased at great cost to God, isn’t enough to satisfy our souls.
We’re saying that forgiveness of sins and peace with God is nice, but not that nice.
We’re saying that God “[has] not wisdom, or power, or mercy enough” to provide for us.
We’re saying that God himself, who is the very definition of goodness, isn’t good enough.
We would like a little something more, if you don’t mind. God plus [insert desire of choice] should do the trick.
When we complain, we accuse God of being stingy, of not giving us enough.
Do you see the utter sinfulness of complaining? It tramples the gospel in the mud and paints God as a cosmic Scrooge. Even though God gave up what was most precious to him to bring us to himself, it’s not enough. Even though God proved his generosity with blood, we don’t believe him. God emptied his pockets for us, and yet we complain.

Good stuff, huh?! Oh - but he's not done...

Complaining isn’t just an insignificant, minor, everyday sin. It’s a slap in the face of God.
When I complain, I’m preaching to myself and everyone else that God is helpless.
I’m saying that God doesn’t know what he’s doing when it comes to my life, that god is a new driver behind the wheel of the universe.
When I complain I inform the world that God isn’t very good at running my life.
When I complain, I’m declaring that I serve a helpless, bumbling God.
That my life is out of control.
That he hasn’t been faithful.
That he isn’t using circumstances for good.
I’m smearing God’s character and forgetting his past faithfulness.
I’m telling the world that god is a pathetic, disorganized deity who can’t seem to get my life straight.
I’m telling a lie about God.
When we complain, we portray God as a joyless Scrooge in the sky, a miserable master who has no time for happiness.
We show our neighbors and friends that followers of Jesus are scowling, joyless drips who follow a joyless master.
When we complain, we’re saying that God hasn’t been good to us.
We’re making a loud statement to ourselves and to the rest of the world that God hasn’t been a good master.
As we step back and survey our lives and our circumstances, we come to the following conclusion: God did something wrong. Sure, he’s gotten us out of some jams. Sure, he did the whole salvation thing for us. He’s thrown us a bone every now and then. And yes, he’s given us a family and a house and a car and all that stuff. But overall we’re not too happy with the way God has run things. If it was up to us, things would be a lot different. And so we complain

If you're not too ashamed by this point, I'd encourage you to pick up a copy of this book and have a good, convicting read. The author is a great writer, very humorous when appropriate, and easy to read (on the eyes, not the heart!). And just so you won't complain about the book being too long, it's a mere 144 pages.

(Excerpts from The Greener Grass Conspiracy: Finding Contentment on Your Side of the Fence) by Stephen Altrogge)

Helpful Links

2011-05-20T00:00:00.008-05:00

We're well past due for another round of helpful links from around the worldwide web. So here we go:

I've promoted Seeds Family Worship (Scripture memory songs) on the blog before. If you're now a fan, their latest volume is now available, Seeds of Character. (ht:JT)
Why do churches dwindle & die out? Kevin DeYoung offers some helpful diagnostic questions. He's pretty sure it's much more than the style of worship. These would also be great questions to use when looking for a church home or to help someone evaluate their current church home.
If you don't subscribe to Crossway's blog, you should. It's a great way to keep up with what's hot off the press from this great publisher. Here are a few titles that come out this month.
We've had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Don Carson in our pulpit in the past and have benefited greatly from his ministry. Andy Naselli highlights a new festschrift in Carson's honor.
I'm not sure if I've linked this before, but Shepherd's Press (think: Tedd Tripp... Shepherding a Child's Heart) has a blog. And they're on Facebook!
Lastly, here's a close-up look at the Razorback quilt given to the Quinn's last Sunday.

A Faithful Shepherd

2011-05-18T00:00:00.010-05:00

At Lance's farewell service last Sunday, I presented this song as a way to send an unmistakable message to Pastor Lance, on behalf of the congregation, that his nearly 15 years of ministry and labor in little Rock had not been in vain.

The chorus is based on Colossians 1:28-29, which is Lance's "life verse" for ministry. The lyrics are below.

A Faithful Shepherd

In your strong, convicting preaching
And your clear, consistent teaching
You have been a faithful shepherd to us.
In your public proclamation
And your private consolation
You have been a faithful shepherd to us.

You warned us we could not afford to be naïve
For all our life is driven by the doctrine we believe.
You called us to be discerning,
To keep growing, to keep learning
You have been a faithful shepherd to us.

(Chorus)
And it was Christ you proclaimed to us
Admonishing every man.
And it was Christ you proclaimed to us
Teaching every man with all wisdom.
So that every man could be
Presented in Christ complete.
And for this purpose you labored and strived
By the power God mightily supplied.
For this purpose you toiled, you agonized
So that one day we would stand complete in Christ.

When we fell into temptation
Needing loving confrontation
Still you were a faithful shepherd to us.
In our heartaches and our sighing
In our sickness and our dying
You have been a faithful shepherd to us.

You celebrated all the milestones of our lives -
Sweet conversions, joyful weddings,
And the birth of each new child.
Even when you were rejected
And your own needs were neglected
Still you were a faithful shepherd to us.

(Chorus again)

Til They Rest in You

2011-05-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

While singing the song of the month recently, I thought about the quote I just read by C. S. Lewis that is quite fitting:

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy,
the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

‘Til They Rest in You
Comes an honest moment when
Each heart looks inside,
Finding nothing here on earth
Truly satisfies.
Some choose to ignore the ache,
Some confess it’s true.
God, our hearts will have no peace
‘Til they rest in You.

We yearn, we thirst,
We stumble in the dark, discontent,
For You’ve set eternity within each heart.

Ev’ry pleasure, ev’ry thrill,
Never is enough.
Ev’ry trophy, even gold,
Simply turns to dust.
Most still search to find real joy,
Yet they never do.
God, our hearts will have no peace
‘Til they rest in You.

We yearn, we thirst,
We stumble in the dark, discontent,
For You’ve set eternity within each heart.

Thank You for my desp’rate days,
Feeling incomplete.
Thank You for Your loving ways,
Leading me to see
Jesus, You are all I need,
Nothing else will do.
God, our hearts will have no peace
‘Til they rest in You.

We yearn, we thirst,
We stumble in the dark, discontent,
For You’ve set eternity within each heart.

Jesus, You are all I need,
Nothing else will do.
God, our hearts will have no peace
‘Til they rest in You.

‘Til They Rest in You; Words and Music by Scott Krippayne and Tony Wood; Arr. And Orch. By Philip Keveren; ©2010 Pirk Music (BMI)/Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Songs From Exit 71 (ASCAP)

Would Paul Approve of Tint Making?

2011-05-13T15:30:00.001-05:00

You'll no longer need your sunglasses during Sunday morning worship as you try to read the lyrics on the screen. The beautiful window has just received a shade of tint to help reduce the bright glare. In the photo above, workers are applying a sheet of tint to the final section of the window.

Because He Loves Me

2011-05-11T10:05:00.000-05:00

This past Mother's Day, we gifted the mothers at BCLR with a special CD entitled, Because He Loves Me. This CD features Elyse Fitzpatrick reading excerpts from her book by the same name, along with special music and hymns written by Steve and Vikki Cook (writers of Before the Throne of God Above & I Will Glory in My Redeemer).

If you are interested in purchasing additional copies of this CD (perhaps to give to a friend), you can visit Elyse's website, where they're just $5.99. You may also purchase the original book, Because He Loves Me, here and even get an autographed copy here.

And, if you're being encouraged by Elyse's ministry through this CD gift, why not leave a comment and let us know?!

Pastor Tim turns 40!

2011-04-27T00:00:00.011-05:00

I Would Not…Yet I…

2011-04-27T00:00:00.004-05:00

Another "forgotten" hymn of John Newton
By Todd Murray

Scripture Readings: Romans 7:14-25, Galatians 5:16-26

The excerpts below are based on Newton’s meditations on Romans 7:14-25 in which Paul speaks of the chasm between his spiritual desires and his spiritual practice. In the letter below, Newton expresses a similar experience with a series of “ I would not…Yet I…” statements. As I read this letter and the hymns that follow, I was once again staggered by Newton’s humble honesty. I have never heard anyone else address (as he does in the final paragraph of the letter) that disturbing truth even in striving against sin the heart is corrupt.

“…I would not be the sport and prey of wild, vain, foolish, and worse imaginations: but this evil is present with me. My heart is like a highway, like a city without walls or gates…. [Sin] can obtain access…at any time, or in any place: neither the study, the pulpit, or even the Lord's table, exempt me from their intrusion. I sometimes compare my words to the treble of an instrument, which my thoughts accompany with a kind of bass…in which every rule of harmony is broken, every possible combination of discord and confusion is introduced, utterly inconsistent with, and contradictory to, the intended melody…. I find something within me which cherishes and cleaves to those evils, from which I ought to start and flee, as I should if a toad or a serpent was put in my food, or in my bed… Surely he who finds himself capable of this, may…subscribe [i.e. consider] himself less than the least of all saints, and of sinners the very chief.

I would not be influenced by a principle of self on any occasion; yet this evil I often do… The pride of others often offends me, and makes me studious to hide my own; because their good opinion of me depends much upon their not perceiving it. But the Lord knows how this dead fly taints and spoils my best services….

I would not indulge vain reasonings concerning the counsels, ways, and providences of God; yet I am prone to do it. That the Judge of all the earth will do right, is to me as evident and necessary as that two and two make four. I believe that he has a sovereign right to do what he will with his own, and that this sovereignty is but another name for the unlimited exercise of wisdom and goodness. But my reasonings are often such, as if I had never heard of these principles, or had formally renounced them….

I would not cleave to a covenant of works [i.e. try to be saved by works]: It should seem form the foregoing particulars, and many others which I could mention, that I have reasons enough to deter me from this. Yet even this I do…I am invited to take the water of life freely, yet often discouraged, because I have nothing wherewith to pay for it. If I am at times favoured with some liberty from the above-mentioned evils, it rather gives me a more favourable opinion of myself, than increases my admiration of the Lord’s goodness to so unworthy a creature; and when the returning tides of my corruptions convinces me that I am still the same…I feel a weariness of being beholden to him [i.e. the Lord] for such continued multiplied forgiveness; and I fear that some part of my striving against sin, and my desires after an increase of sanctification, arises from a secret wish that I might not be so absolutely and entirely indebted to him.”

(from Cardiphonia: “26 Letters to a Nobleman”, Letter 5; emphasis added)

The Good That I Would I Do Not.
Written for a Sermon on Romans 7:19

I would, but cannot sing,
Guilt has untun’d my voice;
The serpent sin’s envenom’d sting
Has poison’d all my joys.

I know the LORD is nigh,
And would, but cannot, pray;
For Satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away.

I would but can't repent
Tho’ I endeavor oft;
This stony heart can ne'er relent
Till JESUS make it soft.

I would but cannot love,
Tho’ woo’d by love divine;
No arguments have pow'r to move
A soul so base as mine.

I would, but cannot rest
In GOD’S most holy will;
I know what he appoints is best,
Yet murmur at it still!

Oh could I but believe!
Then all would easy be;
I would, but cannot, LORD relieve,
My help must come from thee!

But if indeed I would,
Tho’ I can nothing do’
Yet the desire is something good,
For which my praise is due.

By nature prone to ill,
Till thine appointed hour
I was as destitute of will,
As now I am of pow'r.

Wilt thou not crown, at length,
The work thou hast begun?
And with a will, afford me strength
In all thy ways to run.
(Olney Hymns: Book 1, Hymn 126.)

“For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice he very evil that I do not want.”

Romans 7:19

Adapted with permission from Beyond Amazing Grace, The Forgotten Hymns of John Newton, Evangelical Press,2007.

That Will Do It!

2011-04-25T00:00:00.003-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

Ever since the Lord graciously saved me from my former life of self-worship and sin, I've never wanted to go back. But often that former life wants to come back to me. Can you relate? In other words, though I've been saved from my penalty of sin and the (ultimate) power of sin I still must fight daily the ongoing presence of sin. There are many practical and theological ways to do this and a few of them are illustrated in Christian's conversation with Prudence at the House Beautiful in Pilgrim's Progress. Notice how Christian responds to the questions asked by Prudence about his old life of sin (the "country you came from") and the "baggage" he still carries.

Then Prudence began to ask Christian some questions. “Do you ever think of the country you came from?”

“Yes”, Christian replied, “but with much shame and detestation. ‘Honestly, if I had pleasant thoughts about the country from which I have come, I might have taken the opportunity to return; but I desire a better country, one that is heavenly.’”

Prudence asked further, “Do you not still carry some of the baggage from the place you escaped?”

“Yes, but against my will. I still have within me some of the carnal thoughts that all my countrymen, as well as myself, were delighted with. Now all those things cause me to grieve. If I could master my own heart, I would choose never to think of those things again, but when I try only to think about those that are best, those things that are the worst creep back into my mind and behavior.”

Don’t you find that sometimes you can defeat those evil things that at other times seem to defeat you?” Prudence suggested.

Christian answered, “Yes, it happens occasionally. They are golden hours that I treasure.”

“Can you remember the means by which you’re able occasionally to defeat the evil desires and thoughts that assail you?”

Christian said, “Yes. When I think about what I experienced at the cross, that will do it. When I look at the embroidered coat, that will do it. When I read the scroll that I carry in my coat, that will do it. And when my thoughts turn to the place to which I am going, that will do it.”(emphasis added)

Taken from The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan (edited by C. J. Lovik, Illustrated by Mike Wimmer) copyright ©(2010). Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Il 60187, www.crossway.org.

I just want to point out four things in Christian's last answer that can help us fight sin's temptations. He mentions the cross, the embroidered coat, the scroll, and Heaven.

1. Look Backward :: Remember the cross. Remember that Christ has paid for those sins. Remember that they're gone. Remember that they have no hold on you anymore.
Colossians 2:13-14 "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." Read those precious verses again - this time noting all the past tense verbs.

2. Look Inward :: Not at your own heart - no way - that will only discourage you the more! But notice what Christian mentions second: the embroidered coat. If you're not familiar with the story, the embroidered coat represents the righteousness of Christ given to Christian at the cross. When you are reminded of the practical unrighteousness in your life, remember the positional righteousness given to you by God. In a great exchange called salvation, God has not only taken our sins from us, He also given something to us - the righteousness of His Son! This theological foundation of positional righteousness is laid over and over again in Scripture upon which we can build our lives of holiness.

2 Corinthians 5:12 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Ephesians 4:1 "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called"
Colossians 3:1-3 "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

So if you are a believer, look inward and see what God sees - the righteousness of the Son on your behalf!

3. Look Downward :: Get down into your Bible. Get deep down into Scripture. This is the scroll to which Christian refers. Christian was told to keep the scroll with him at all times. In the event that he is tempted to lose hope, he can look to the scroll for the assurance of his salvation. Here is where we too can find all God's promises. Here is where we can find all the indicatives (what God has done for us) to empower all the imperatives (what He requires of us). When the world, the devil, and our own flesh try to sell us their bag of goods, let us look to Scripture to remind ourselves of the vanity of it all and our only hope which is in Christ.
Scripture will keep us from sin: "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11)
Or sin will keep us from Scripture: "I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word." (Psalm 119:101)

4. Look Forward :: Look to Heaven! One of the joys of spending time with my grandmother during her last years, was talking to her about Heaven. I believe it was that eternal perspective that helped her to face death with hope. I've often said that the greatest thing about Heaven to me (other than God Himself) will be the absence of sin. I'm sick and tired of sinning. I can't wait for Heaven when I will no longer grieve my Lord with my thoughtless and selfish actions.

What great directives these are for us who are still on our pilgrimage. When you are tempted and burdened with your sin, look backward to the cross-work, look inward to Christ's righteousness imputed to you, look downward into the depths of Bible truth, and look forward to that glorious day when we reach that final shore!

For another brief mediation on how to fight sin, see this recent post by Tim Challies.

The Other Cup

2011-04-22T00:00:00.004-05:00

By Aaron Wilson

Two years ago I found this article by way of a link at Justin Taylor's blog. It's one of those articles and examples of biblical insight that stays with you forever. I want to strongly encourage you - yea, even beg you - to download and read this entire article. It's about 5 pages long, but it's very easy to read. And you must read to the end -it's just incredible!
For those of you who will be taking the Lord's Supper tonight during a Good Friday service, this will be a wonderful way to help prepare. I plan on reading this to my own family as we prepare.

Can we go back to Gethsemane for a few minutes? What kind of a cup was it that Jesus was praying about? What kind of a cup could cause the Son of God to have such fear? Psalm 75, the first passage that we read, said that the Lord has a cup in His hand which is reserved for the wicked. You and I recognize in our heart of hearts that we deserve our portion of that cup because we have transgressed the law of God. Not a day goes by in which each one of us does not offend God’s holiness in some way. You and I recognize that it’s entirely just for a cup which is reserved for the wicked to be our cup. But do you understand that Jesus was the one human being who has ever lived on God’s earth on whom that cup had absolutely no claim whatsoever? He had kept God’s law in its entirety, perfectly. There was no sin in Him. Perhaps we can feel something of the revulsion that Jesus felt, something of His fear. Three times: “Father, please take this away. God in heaven—anything but this!”

Download & read the rest of this sermon by the late Ray Dillard.

I Once Was Blind

2011-04-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

Another "forgotten" hymn of John Newton
By Todd Murray
Scripture Readings: John 12:37-50; 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

The famous line from the hymn Amazing Grace, “I was blind, but now I see” touches the subject of spiritual blindness. In the two sermons below, Newton elaborates on not only the danger of man’s utter inability to perceive his own spiritual danger without Christ, but also mentions the things that men can see once God miraculously opens their eyes. It makes me humble to be reminded of the helplessness of my fallen state, and grateful for God’s willingness to open my blinded eyes.

“The reason why men in a natural state are utterly ignorant of spiritual truths is, that they are wholly destitute of a faculty suited to perception…. Those passages of Scripture wherein the Gospel truth is compared to light, lead [further] to a familiar illustration of my meaning. Men by nature are stark blind with respect to this light; by grace the eyes of the understanding are opened…. Nor can all the learning or study in the world [cannot] enable any person to form a suitable judgment of divine truth, till the eyes of his mind are opened, and then he will perceive it at once.

…Regeneration, or that great change without which a man cannot see the kingdom of God, is the effect of Almighty power. Neither education, endeavours, nor arguments can open the eyes of the blind. It is God alone, who at first caused light to shine out of darkness, who can shine into our hearts, ‘ to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ People may attain some natural ideas of spiritual truths by reading books, or hearing sermons, and may thereby become wise in their own conceits; they may learn to imitate the language of an experienced Christian; but they know not what they say, nor whereof they affirm, and are as distant from the true meaning of the terms, as a blind man who pronounces the words blue or red, is from the ideas which those words raise in the mind of a person who can distinguish colours by his sight.

And from hence we may infer the sovereignty, as well as the efficacy of grace; since it is evident, not only that the objective light, the word of God, is not afforded universally to all men; but that those who enjoy the same outward means, have not all the same perceptions. There are many who stumble in the noon-day, not for want of light, but for the want of eyes; and they who now see, were once blind even as others, and had neither power nor will to enlighten their own minds. It is a mercy, however, when people are so far sensible of their own blindness, as to be willing to wait for the manifestation of the Lord's power, in the ordinances of his own appointment. He came into the world, and he sends forth his Gospel, that those who see not may see; and when there is a desire in the heart for spiritual sight, it shall in his due time be answered.

…where the eyes are divinely enlightened, the soul’s first view of itself and of the Gospel may be confused and indistinct, like him who saw men as it were trees walking; yet this light is like the dawn, which, though weak and faint at its first appearance, shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

…[Believers] have obtained a glimpse of the Redeemer’s glory, as he is made unto us, of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that his name is precious, and the desire of their hearts is towards him.

…A believer may be much in the dark; but his spiritual sight remains. Though the exercise of grace may be low, he knows himself, he knows the Lord, he knows the way of access to a throne of grace. His frames and feelings may alter; but he has received such a knowledge of the person and offices, the power and grace, of Jesus the Savior, as cannot be taken from him; and he could withstand even an angel that should preach another gospel, because he has seen the Lord.”
(from Forty-One Letters on Religious Subjects: Letter 21)

“They were once blind, but now they see. The religion of true believers is not the effect of imagination and blind impulse, but is derived from…an enlightened understanding. They see God; their apprehensions of him are, in some measure, answerable to his greatness and his goodness, and inspire them, with reverence and love…. Sin appears to them hateful in itself, as well as mischievous in its consequences; and holiness, not only necessary by the ordination of God, but desirable for its own sake, as essentially belonging to the true dignity and happiness of man. They know themselves; they see and feel that they are such creatures as the Bible describes them to be, weak, depraved and vile. Of course they see the folly of attempting to recommend themselves to God, and can no longer place any dependence on what they once accounted their wisdom, power, or righteousness; and therefore they see the absolute necessity of a Saviour. They see, likewise, and approve the method of salvation proposed by the Gospel, as worthy of the wisdom and justice of God, and every way adapted to the exigences of their sins, wants, and fears. They see and admire the excellence, dignity, and sufficiency of him, on whom their help is laid. His power and authority engage their confidence, his love captivates and fixes their hearts. They see the vanity of the present state, and the vast importance of eternity. In these respects they have all of them a good understanding, however, inferior in natural capacity, or acquired knowledge, to the wise men of the world.”
(from Fifty Sermons on Handel’s “The Messiah”, sermon 12)

“The god of this world has blinded the eyes of the unbelieving

that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:4

Adapted with permission from Beyond Amazing Grace, The Forgotten Hymns of John Newton, Evangelical Press,2007.

Mr. Nose and Mr. Hand

2011-04-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

By Tim Senn

Below is the parable I read during yesterday's sermon, from Mark Dever's book, What is a Healthy Church? I trust this will encourage us to continue to thinking about both church unity as well as the gifts with which each of us have been entrusted. I've quoted a small portion below, along with the link to the full parable.

Nose and Hand were sitting in the church pew talking. The morning service, led by Ear and Mouth, had just ended, and Hand was telling Nose that he and his family had decided to look for a different church.

“Really?” Nose responded to Hand’s news. “Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Hand said, looking down. He was usually slower to speak than other members of the church body. “I guess because the church doesn’t have what Mrs.
Hand and I are looking for.”

“Well, what are you looking for in a church?” Nose asked. The tone in which he spoke these words was sympathetic. But even as he was speaking them he knew he would dismiss Hand’s answer. If the Hands couldn’t see that Nose and the rest of the leadership were pointing the church body in the right direction, the body could do without them.

You can download the entire parable from Dever's book here in pdf format.

Quotes on Unity in the Church

2011-04-15T00:00:00.018-05:00

By Tim Senn

Below are several quotes I gathered in preparation for the sermon, "The Unity of the Church." I'd like to post them here since I wasn't able to reference them all during the sermon. I trust they'll be helpful to you as you continue to think about the church and the vital part you are in the body of Christ.

The Spirit comes to realize God’s promises. He makes the church the people of God as the prophets predicted, giving them new hearts in the New Covenant. He joins them to Jesus Christ…The church is therefore the people of God and the assembly of Christ because it is the fellowship of the Spirit.
(Edmund Clowney, The Church, p. 51)

A Christian is someone who, first of all, has been reconciled to God in Christ…Yet that’s not all! Second, a Christian is someone who, by virtue of his reconciliation with God, has been reconciled to God’s people (emphasis mine).
(Mark Dever, What Is A Healthy Church?, p. 24)

When a person becomes a Christian, he doesn’t just join a local church because it’s a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it’s the expression of what Christ has made him—a member of the body of Christ. Being united to Christ means being united to every Christian. But that universal union must be given a living, breathing existence in a local church... Being a Christian means caring about the life and health of the body of Christ, the church. It means caring about what the church is and what the church should be because you belong to the church, Christian (emphasis mine).
(Dever, p. 26, 30)

As we gather to worship God and exercise love and good deeds toward one another, we demonstrate in real life, you might say, the fact that God has reconciled us to himself and to one another. We demonstrate to the world that we have been changed, not primarily because we memorize Bible verses, pray before meals, tithe a portion of our income, and listen to Christian radio stations, but because we increasingly show a willingness to put up with, to forgive, and even to love a bunch of fellow sinners…The church gives a visual presentation of the gospel when we forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us, when we commit to one another as Christ has committed to us, and when we lay down our lives for one another as Christ laid down his life for us. Together we can display the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way we just can’t by ourselves (emphasis mine).
(Dever, pp. 28-29)

Because God’s people are called to be one people, they must manifest their unity, and because they are called to be a holy people, they must manifest their purity. Unity and purity are two fundamental features of a life worthy of the church’s divine calling (emphasis mine).
(John Stott, The Message of Ephesians, p. 147)

The same Spirit who regenerates Christians and baptizes them into the Body also indwells them. The church’s unity, therefore, is not based on an artificial, organizational relationship. Nor on the fact that people are churchgoers. Rather, all believers have been identified in the work of a single Spirit. We are one in the Spirit.
(John MacArthur, The Body Dynamic, p. 88,)

Every biblical metaphor of the church, without exception, emphasizes unity. The church is one Bride with one husband; one Flock with one shepherd; the Branches on one vine; one Kingdom with one king; one Family with one father; one Building with one foundation; one Body with one head. Each of these illustrations involves a group related to the same perfect leader, Jesus Christ. Positionally, each believer stands on the same ground in Christ (emphasis mine).
(MacArthur, p. 89)

“It is much easier today to make a case for commitment to Christ than commitment to the church. Christ is awesome, majestic, and compelling; the church seems so human, ordinary and sometimes a little bit dull. Christ is pure; the church is sometimes deeply and tragically stained
(Colin Smith on the Purpose of the Church, Volume 4, Unlocking the Bible Story, p. 122).

But alongside the rigorous honesty that confesses and addresses the sins of the church, the Scriptures give us a vision of the church that we desperately need to recover. When you see it, you will discover a new sense of joy and privilege in belonging to the body of Christ.
(Smith, p. 123)

Throughout the history of the world, man has tried to achieve this kind of unity. He is always trying, but he will never succeed. But God is bringing together people from every culture and every generation, making them one in Jesus Christ… one of God’s greatest purposes in the church is to bring people from totally different backgrounds together so that they may discover and demonstrate that, despite all their differences, they are truly one in Jesus Christ (emphasis mine).
(Smith, p. 125 & 127).

Listen to any of the sermons in the current series, "The Church."

The Church: Squeaky Boots, Double Chins and Odd Clothes

2011-04-13T00:00:00.010-05:00

By Tim Senn

I wanted to share with you again, the excerpt of the Screwtape Letters I read at the beginning of my sermon Sunday. I'd like to also remind us once more of the danger that comes with confusing the universal church (all true believers of all time) and the local church (any Bible-believing, local expression of believers, such as The Bible Church of Little Rock).

MY DEAR WORMWOOD,

I note with grave displeasure that your patient has become a Christian. Do not indulge the hope that you will escape the usual penalties; indeed, in your better moments, I trust you would hardly even wish to do so. In the meantime we must make the best of the situation. There is no need to despair; hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a I brief sojourn in the Enemy's camp and are now with us. All the habits of the patient, both mental and bodily, are still in our favour.

One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her spread but through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes our boldest tempters uneasy. But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans. All your patient sees is the half-finished, sham Gothic erection on the new building estate. When he goes inside, he sees the local grocer with rather in oily expression on his face bustling up to offer him one shiny little book containing a liturgy which neither of them understands, and one shabby little book containing corrupt texts of a number of religious lyrics, mostly bad, and in very small print. When he gets to his pew and looks round him he sees just that selection of his neighbours whom he has hitherto avoided. You want to lean pretty heavily on those neighbours. Make his mind flit to and fro between an expression like "the body of Christ" and the actual faces in the next pew. It matters very little, of course, what kind of people that next pew really contains. You may know one of them to be a great warrior on the Enemy's side. No matter. Your patient, thanks to Our Father below, is a fool. Provided that any of those neighbours sing out of tune, or have boots that squeak, or double chins, or odd clothes, the patient will quite easily believe that their religion must therefore be somehow ridiculous.

Your affectionate uncle
SCREWTAPE

What C.S. Lewis is trying to say is that we can have such a romantic view of the church universal because the metaphors in the NT are so grand and the picture is so majestic. Just consider these few descriptions of who and what we are as believers:

we are one flock with one Shepherd
we are one temple indwelt by the Holy Spirit
we are one Body of Christ
we are the household of God
we are the family of God
we are one holy race
we are one holy nation
we are the beloved Bride of Christ

Though these titles are truly beautiful and descriptive of the universal church, it doesn't take long to come into our worship center here at BCLR and look around in the pews and realize that these people around us are sinful. They have faults. They have weaknesses. They have warts and foibles. These people are strange. They're weird. They have different preferences.

We see the local church around us and it doesn't seem to match the picture of the universal church we find in our Bibles.

This is what I call, the challenge of the church.

The challenge is that we're dealing with flesh & blood... real people. And because we see them in their weaknesses, we forget to see them as Christ made them. We forget who Christ made us to be. This comes as a challenge to our love for one another and our unity for one another. Let us fight the Tempter and his schemes and commit ourselves to loving one another as a local body of believers.

Warts and all.

Two More Books about the Church

2011-04-11T00:00:00.004-05:00

In addition to the book list we suggested last week, below are two more books that might be helpful to you, especially in light of yesterday's sermon on "The Unity of the Church."

Relationships: A Mess Worth Making
Timothy Lane & Paul David Tripp

While skillfully identifying the deeper issues that keep relationships less than they are designed to be, Tim Lane and Paul Tripp show readers how to experience the other side of relationships as well. They convincingly testify of the power of God's presence to bring believers to the place where:

* Conflicts actually get resolved
* Tough conversations turn out positive
* Forgiveness is granted and real love is expressed and shared
* Casual relationships mature into deep friendships
* Weaknesses are overlooked and strengths are applauded
* People are honest without being mean

The Church
Edmund Clowney

At a time in which the very word church sounds a tone of dull irrelevance, the doctrine of the church has suffered the studied neglect of many Christian leaders. The persistent demands to market, manage and grow the church and to meet the felt needs of churched and unchurched all threaten to quench theological reflection on the abiding nature and mission of the church. But few activities bear greater promise as a starting point for renewing and reshaping the Christian church than the work of theology. In this book Edmund Clowney takes up that task, addressing along the way a variety of contemporary concerns: worship, mission, church and culture, church and state, church order and discipline, the ministry of women, baptism and the Lord's Supper, tongues and prophecy, signs and wonders.

Perhaps this would be a good time to also remind ourselves of the "one another's" in Scripture, as we all seek to pursue unity.

John 15:12 - Love one another
Romans 5:13 - Don't pass judgment on one another
Romans 12:5 - Be members of one another
Romans 12:10 - Honor one another
Romans 12:16 - Live in harmony with one another
Romans 14:19 - Build up one another
Romans 15:5 - Be like-minded toward one another
Romans 15:7 - Accept one another
1 Corinthians 12:25 - Care for one another
Galatians 5:13 - Serve one another in love
Galatians 5:26 - Don't provoke or envy one another
Galatians 6:2 - Bear one another's burdens
Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another
Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive one another
1 Thessalonians 3:12 - Abound in love toward one another
1 Thessalonians 4:18 - Comfort one another
Titus 3:3 - Don't hate one another
Hebrews 3:13 - Encourage one another
Hebrews 10:24 - Stir up one another to love and good deeds
James 4:11 - Don't slander one another
James 5:9 - Don't bear grudges against one another
James 5:16 - Confess your sins to one another
1 Peter 4:9 - Offer hospitality to one another
1 Peter 5:14 - Greet one another
1 John 1:7 - Fellowship with one another
1 John 3:11 - Love one another
Ephesians 5:21- submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Six Reasons for Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration

2011-04-07T00:00:00.034-05:00

(Adapted from the sermon preached April 3, 2011. Listen here)

Yesterday I introduced Daniel Wray's outline, highlighting six bases for the value of
Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration, let's list them again and then we'll consider each of them individually.

It glorifies God because it proves our obedience to His instructions, while at the same time, maintaining the proper role of church government;
It's goal is to reclaim the offenders (i.e., to restore those who have veered from the path of obedience);
It maintains the purity of the church and her worship, with a specific view toward the avoidance of profaning the elements of the Lord's Supper;
It vindicates the integrity and honor of Christ and Christianity by exhibiting fidelity to His principles;
It deters others from further sinning;
It prevents giving God any cause to set Himself against a local church.

(Daniel Wray, Biblical Church Discipline, Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1978, p9. 3-4).

(1) Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration glorifies God and therefore proves our obedience to Him.

If we cooperate with God in the matter of church discipline, we thus prove to Him and a watching world that we desire to glorify Him. In addition to Matthew 18:15-20, other passages speak of discipline in varying forms (Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Timothy 5:20, 6:3; Titus 1:13, 2:15, 3:10; Revelation 2:2, 14, 15, 20), which when we obey the injunctions, we thus manifest our obedience to Scripture and its Author.

(2) Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration has as its goal the reclaiming of those who have sinned and thus veered from the path of obedience.

Wray says, 'The goal in every type of discipline, whether it be gentle correction, admonition, rebuke, or excommunication, is always the restoration of the offender' (Wray, Biblical Church Discipline, p. 4). It is not the intent of the church leadership, nor the congregation themselves, to see any other thing to occur in the person, save their full and complete restoration to the Lord and His body. Often, those who are under discipline claim that they are being singled out, sinned against in the process of discipline, treated unfairly, etc. If Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration however, is followed to its Scriptural specificity, no valid claim of wrongdoing can be justified. As John Calvin observed: 'Although excommunication also punishes the man, it does so in such a way that, by forewarning him of his future condemnation, it may call him back to salvation' (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4, Chapter 12, Section 10).

(3) Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration maintains the purity of the church and her worship, with a specific view toward the avoidance of profaning the elements of the Lord's Supper.

When the Corinthian church persisted in their accommodation of a man in sexual sin, Paul admonished them:

'I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolator, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not even to eat with such a one' (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

The reason Paul is so strong on this point is that to associate with such so-called brethren makes the church and the world indistinguishable. The purity of those who profess to be followers of Christ must be maintained within the fellowship. This is also why Paul spoke so forcefully when challenging the Corinthians to examine themselves before partaking of the Lord's supper:

'Whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [die]' (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

Wray wisely says, 'We must maintain the purity of Christ's visible church to the full extent of our knowledge and power. This is all the more evident once we recognize that false doctrine and bad conduct are infectious. If these are tolerated in the church all members will receive hurt' (Wray, p. 4).

(4) Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration vindicates the honor and integrity of Christ and Christianity by exhibiting fidelity to His principles.

When Paul was speaking to the Corinthians regarding their adherence to his dictates of the proper discipline of fellow believers, he said to them, 'For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things' (2 Corinthians 2:9). Apparently, the Corinthians were now refusing to extend forgiveness to one who had previously sinned but who had now repented and was seeking to be restored. We are only faithful to God's Word when we pursue Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration, and when we seek to restore those who repent. There is no virtue when we refuse to follow Christ's command in the matter of discipline and there is no virtue when we refuse to grant forgiveness to those who truly repent.

(5) Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration deters others from sinning.

Paul said regarding leaders who persist in sin: 'Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning' (1 Timothy 5:20). Anyone, especially a leader in Christ's church, is to be rebuked in the presence of all, in order to provoke others to avoid the same. It has a self-purifying effect on the congregation, challenging them to greater godliness.

(6) Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration prevents giving God cause to set Himself against a local church.

One only needs to read Revelation 2:14-25 to see how intimately involved Christ is as the Head of His Church. One of the matters of extreme importance therefore, is the matter of obedience to His commands. If a local church leadership refuses to discipline its members, then that local church is also in danger of being judged by God Himself, even to the point of being judged out of existence. This should show any church the crucial importance of following the Lord's directions in the matter of church discipline/restoration.

Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration, as shown, is a mandate from the Word of God. May God's grace and power be upon those churches who desire to follow His Word in this regard.

The Four-Fold Process of Biblical Church Discipline

2011-04-06T00:00:00.052-05:00

By Lance Quinn
(Adapted from the sermon preached April 3, 2011. Listen here)

We've been taking a few days here on the blog to continue thinking about the last Lord's Day sermon on the subjects of church membership and church discipline or, "The Commitment of the Church." Yesterday we considered 5 Important Reasons for Joining a Local Church. Today and tomorrow, I'd like to talk about the biblical process of church discipline.

One of the marks of true conversion in believers is their moral purity. A person who has submitted himself to the lordship of Jesus Christ is therefore one who endeavors to walk with integrity and holiness of life. Paul himself enjoined the Corinthians to live in this way: 'Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God' (2 Corinthians 7:1). The preeminent reason, of course, is because God Himself is holy, and because He is, He commands that we are to be holy (1 Peter 1:15). It is not only an aspect of His character, but it is also true of His written Word. The psalmist has said, 'The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times' (Psalm 12:6). Psalm 119:140 declares: 'Your word is very pure, therefore Your servant loves it.' Jesus Himself affirmed the unbreakable nature and purity of God's revelation when He said, 'The Scripture cannot be broken' (John 10:35).

If these things are true of God and are expected of anyone who names the name of Christ, the church that names the name of Christ must by necessity seek to preserve holiness among her people. Again, Paul stresses the desire of every faithful pastor when he wrote to the Corinthians: 'I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin' (2 Corinthians 11:2). He similarly told the Ephesians that Christ's own end for believers was this: 'Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless' (Ephesians 5:25-27). Paul taught the Colossians that Christ had reconciled them 'in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach' (Colossians 1:22). Holiness is the premium virtue for those followers of Christ.

While holiness is commanded and expected of all Christians, it is also a reality that not all who profess to follow Christ will do so. It is therefore the responsibility of the leadership of a local church to examine both the profession and walk of one who fails to obey Christ's Word. Daniel Wray rightly observes:

Just as the church applies biblical principles in admitting persons to membership, so too must she apply biblical principles in the governing of the membership and, if necessary, in removal from membership. Jesus prescribed principles to follow which make all Christians to some extent responsible for each other's behaviour, and he included disciplinary procedures [Matthew 18:15-17]
(Daniel Wray, Biblical Church Discipline, Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1978, p. 2).

Wray's reference to Matthew 18:15-20 is crucial because it is the seminal New Testament text on Biblical Church Discipline.

Jesus said, 'If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.'

Jesus lays out a simple pattern for the church to follow. It consists of four steps:

(1) Believers confronting believers.

Any believer has the responsibility to confront any other believer when they see that that believer has sinned. If the sinning believer acknowledges his sin and repents of it, the confronting brother has won him to a place of unity and restoration. This first step of discipline is where well over ninety per cent of discipline begins and ends. However, if the sinning believer does not repent, you must press forward.

(2) Two or three witnesses.

Step two demands that the confronting believer has the responsibility to bring two or three additional believers back to the offending one for more confrontation. This step insures that, at the mouth of two or three witnesses, both the facts of the sin, as well as the confirmation of the process, can be confirmed.

(3) Tell it to the church.

Step three says that if the offending believer does not repent from the second confrontation, the sin is to be told to the church. This normally is carried out by communicating to the leadership of the church, who then on behalf of the congregation, informs the entire congregation (usually, the communication is done through a public worship service). At this point, all the members of the congregation are enjoined to plead with the offending brother or sister to repent of their sin and come back to a right relationship with God. After a sufficient time (determined by the Elders), the sinning brother has either repented, or refuses to do so. If he refuses, then by virtue of Jesus' own pronouncement (via His words in Matthew 18:18-20), the final step is enacted.

(4) Disfellowship from the body.

The unrepentant brother is to be excommunicated or disfellowshipped from the congregation, including his attendance at all public services. He is therefore to be treated as one who rejects the gospel of Christ. If he is seen by any member of the congregation, he is to be warned of the consequences of his sin, but is also exhorted to come to a saving relationship with Christ as he once confessed. If the erring individual later repents, and requests reinstatement to the body of believers he once adhered, he shall meet with the elders, seek to be evaluated in the manifest presence of that professed repentance, and then be restored to the congregation, again at a public meeting. At such time, at the discretion of the Elders, he shall be then fully restored to all the rights, duties, privileges, and responsibilities of fellowship and/or membership.

This is the four-fold process of Biblical Church Discipline/Restoration. While this might seem like a sad and severe consequence (and in many ways, it is), there are certainly great benefits to being faithful to this biblical process. Referring again to Daniel Wray's work (pp. 3-4), church discipline/restoration can be proven from six bases:

It glorifies God because it proves our obedience to His instructions, while at the same time, maintaining the proper role of church government;
It's goal is to reclaim the offenders (i.e., to restore those who have veered from the path of obedience);
It maintains the purity of the church and her worship, with a specific view toward the avoidance of profaning the elements of the Lord's Supper;
It vindicates the integrity and honor of Christ and Christianity by exhibiting fidelity to His principles;
It deters others from further sinning;
It prevents giving God any cause to set Himself against a local church.

These need to be discussed further, and we'll do that... on tomorrow's post!

5 Important Reasons for Joining a Local Church

2011-04-05T00:00:00.003-05:00

By Lance Quinn
(Adapted from the sermon preached April 3, 2011. Listen here)

A common question which frequently comes to those in spiritual leadership has to do with church membership. The question could be phrased any number of different ways, but the essence of it is this:

“Why should I as a Christian formally become a member of a local church? I mean, if I am truly redeemed, aren’t I already a “member” of the universal body of Christ? What need is there for me to officially join a local church when Christ has already accepted me into His eternal kingdom?”

In order to answer this question sufficiently, a number of important points need to be made. There appears to be enough evidence from the New Testament to support the concept that one who has been accepted into the kingdom of God should also be joined to a local church through formal membership. The following five points should help you in understanding the importance of joining with other believers in a Bible-teaching local church:

1. Confessing Christ as Lord and joining a local church are not synonymous

It must be stated up front that formally joining a local church doesn’t make you a Christian. Your membership in a local church is not to be equated with your salvation in Christ. When you repent of your sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, placing your faith alone in Him through what He accomplished for you through His death, burial, and resurrection, you become a child of God. This and this alone is the sole determining factor in determining your eternal destiny. At the same time, just because you have chosen to join a local church does not guarantee that you are a Christian. While we believe church membership is very important, true salvation and local church membership are not of equal importance. This does not mean though that local church membership is of no importance.

2. Confessing Christ as Lord and joining with others who do the same is of great importance to your spiritual life

Your membership in a local church is important because it is there you can hear the sound preaching and teaching of God’s Word within the context of corporate worship. It is there that you will find the fellowship of other Christians who can encourage you to grow spiritually and who will hold you accountable to the truth. Within the local church, you will have a place to minister your spiritual giftedness. The apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 12 that the local church is where the body of Christ ministers to one another through their various gifts and abilities, contributing to each other’s spiritual needs. If you are not a functioning member of a local church, how could your unique contribution to the body of Christ ever be practically expressed?

3. It appears that the early church of the 1st century had some sort of formal membership because they knew who had a vital part with them and who did not

Another reason for you to join a local church is to see what was occurring in the 1st century church. There must have been some sort of documented accounting of the membership in the early church, given the numerical references to those who were joining with the apostles. Acts 1:15; 2:41; 4:4; 6:1 all speak of the number of people who were being added to the early church, thus implying at least the possibility that records were being kept. Admittedly, this argument may be considered more biblically descriptive than prescriptive; nevertheless, it is helpful in affirming that your recognized commitment/membership to a local church seems to be the most prudent way to ensure your being best shepherded, held accountable, and for the utilization of your spiritual giftedness.

1 Corinthians 14:23-25 also seems to imply that the early church knew those who had publicly declared their faith in Christ because it also speaks of “unbelievers” entering into the public worship service. These non-Christians must not have been recognized as a normal part of their membership and the church discerned this fact. If there were no process of determining the believers from the unbelievers (as best as fallible humans can do), the line will be blurred between the two and the church would suffer. Formal church membership then implies no more but no less than a recognized process which seeks to determine those who are publicly confessing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (baptism), and who desire to participate in proclaiming the gospel (the Lord’s Supper), and who desire to minister their spiritual giftedness among others (membership).

4. It appears that local churches in different cities of the 1st century were in communication with each other about their respective members

The early church also sent “letters of commendation” which affirmed the character of Christians as they traveled from one location to another, thus implying that there was some degree of formal membership between them. For instance, Acts 15:23-31 speaks of a letter sent from the Jerusalem church to Antioch which commends the ministry of Paul, Barnabas, Barsabbas, and Silas for the continuing work of spreading the gospel. Indeed, Acts 28:21 seems to imply that certain letters of commendation about a person’s Christian character were required in the early church, implying that this was a way of discerning who was to be trusted as a sincere believer. Because people might be moving around in various geographical regions, especially in light of the intense persecution occurring, as well as the desire to travel in order to preach the gospel, the commending of Christian’s characters was essential. Paul commends the sending of letters about certain envoys of his in 1 Corinthians 16:3 (it is implied also in 2 Corinthians 3:1 and Romans 16:21-23), although Paul says he knew the character of the Corinthians because they were “written on his heart.” These series of letters implied that as Christians traveled to other areas, there was a way to communicate with other churches exactly who was to be commended as a servant of the Lord. This would mean that traveling Christians could be more readily affirmed as bona fide members of one local congregation who were now being sent to another. When you add the fact that these Christians would be entering other believer’s homes (house-churches), it made it all the more important for a commendation to be given of some kind, lest false teachers be unduly allowed to teach and preach.

Does all this then mean that church membership today is merely a matter of filling out paperwork in order to be recognized as a Christian? No, but it does mean however that the local church has the responsibility to determine those professing believers who should be recognized as a legitimate part of their local church body. And as in the early church, it also potentially assists in the commending of Christians who find the need to move to other areas and are looking for a new church home.

5. Following the early church, formal membership today is both wise and prudent

A church membership process today would be similar to the early church’s letters of commendation in that a person could be welcomed from sister churches who could affirm their commitment to Christ. Given the fact of intense persecution in the newly formed church of the 1st century, public identification with Jesus would signal an even greater commitment to the local body than many today might realize. Jesus Himself said, “Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). Those who genuinely and publicly declared their faith in Christ, especially during the founding of the church after Pentecost (usually expressed in public baptism and by recognized membership), could expect to be ostracized from their family and friends. Yet their public declaration before men was ultimately rewarded by Jesus. Joining with a local body of believers similarly today is your commitment to publicly declaring your faith in the Lord. Local congregations who ask their prospective members to give testimony to their faith in Christ and to affirm their doctrinal positions would be a wise way to know if they are willing to publicly declare their allegiance to Jesus.

There are other arguments of course for exhorting you to join a Bible-teaching local church, but those listed above should give you ample reason to do so. If you are indeed a true Christian and yet haven’t joined with others in order to serve with them in a local assembly, consider doing it as soon as possible—for the glory of God and your spiritual good.

Be sure to come back tomorrow, when we'll consider another vital element in the body life of the church, that is, church discipline.

Books about the Church

2011-04-04T00:00:00.078-05:00

By Lance Quinn

As mentioned in yesterday's message, here are just a few books for further study on the subject of the church, particularly, church membership. Each link will take you to Amazon.com and we've also provided a brief summary taken from each book's product description.

What is a Healthy Church Member? By Thabiti Anyabwile

God intends for all Christians to play an active and vital part in the local church. He wants us to experience the local church as a home more profoundly wonderful and meaningful than any other place on earth. He intends for churches to be healthy places, filled with church members who contribute to the church's growth and health. In this book, pastor Thabiti Anyabwile explains how membership in the local church can produce spiritual growth in its members.

What is a Healthy Church? by Mark Dever

Author Mark Dever seeks to help believers recognize the key characteristics of a healthy church: expositional preaching, biblical theology, and a right understanding of the gospel. Dever then calls us to develop those characteristics in our own churches. By following the example of New Testament authors and addressing church members from pastors to pew sitters, Dever challenges all believers to do their part in maintaining the local church. What Is a Healthy Church? offers timeless truths and practical principles to help each of us fulfill our God-given roles in the body of Christ.

Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris

Putting in their hour or two on the weekend, many Christians take the rest of the week off, neglecting the church and her needs. It’s not a serious relationship. Some shop around, looking for a church that suits their lifestyle. It’s dating, with no assurances, no obligations. Bestselling author Joshua Harris calls Christians to stop playing the field and commit, just as Christ is committed to us, His bride. In his new book, Harris explores the ramifications of Ephesians 5:25–32, which proclaims the intensity and the breadth of Jesus Christ’s love for His church. God has designed us to build our lives around a local church; we cannot be indifferent or uninvolved. Rather, we must be in love with and committed to God’s plan and purpose through the church. Are you dating the church, or are you committed?

Why We Love the Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

Why We Love the Church presents the case for loving the local church. It paints a picture of the local church in all its biblical and real life guts, gaffes, and glory in an effort to edify local congregations and entice the disaffected back to the fold. It also provides a solid biblical mandate to love and be part of the body of Christ and counteract the "leave church" books that trumpet rebellion and individual felt needs.

Life in the Father’s House by Wayne Mack

This book introduces us to the meaning of church membership, the traits of a good church, and how we are to function as parts of the body. Written for lay men and women, it includes practical discussions on church leadership, male and female roles, worship, spiritual gifts, confrontation, unity, and prayer. Revised and expanded with study questions and new conclusions.

The Master’s Plan for the Church by John MacArthur

It is absolutely essential that a church perceive itself as an institution for the glory of God, and to do that, claims John MacArthur, the local church must adhere unfalteringly to biblical leadership principles. Christ never intended church leadership to be earned by seniority, purchased with money, or inherited through family ties. He never compared church leaders to governing monarchs, but rather to humble shepherds; not to slick celebrities, but to laboring servants. This book is valuable not only for pastors and elders, but for anyone else who wants the church to be what God intended it to be.

You can listen to any of the sermons from the current series "The Church" by clicking here. Also, join us here on the BCLR Blog tomorrow for some notes from Lance's sermon on Church Membership and Church Discipline/Restoration.

A Short Series on God's Holiness | Part 4 of 4

2011-03-31T00:00:00.044-05:00

By Tim Senn
“Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:15-16

Today we'll conclude our four-part series on the subject of God's holiness. I think you've clearly seen how we've only scratched the surface of this grand subject! Let's review, once again, our definition for God’s Moral and Majestic Holiness:

God is both entirely free from sin and imperfection,
and He is entirely devoted to His own honor and glory.

You can review our previous posts here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

The possession of holiness we discussed yesterday is required for anyone to become a Christian. It is a holiness that we cannot earn or buy or attain for ourselves. It is only bestowed by Christ upon those who by faith receive His gracious forgiveness. The sinless Christ laid down His life by taking sin (the very thing He hates) upon Himself so that those who believe in Him might be cleansed from their sin (forgiven).

But there is another kind of holiness that Scripture speaks about, and that is the practical holiness that believers must pursue. God commands in 1 Peter 1:15-16, “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.” We must be careful to distinguish between the holiness that we have because of the death of Christ and between what could be called the practical holiness spoken of in 1 Peter 1:15-16. Our position of a righteous standing before God is only on the basis of what Christ has done, but our growth in holiness is dependent on what we do.

Hebrews 12:14 states, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” The first kind of holiness is given to us by Christ, the second kind of holiness we have to pursue or strive after. In fact, we as believers will be held accountable by God as to what level of practical holiness we achieved in our lives. No one will be able to stand before God one day and blame Him for why they are not as holy as they should be. How then are we to pursue holiness?

We must live a life of repentance
As Christians, we will not be perfectly holy, but we will have a desire to be holy, and our lives will show a direction in which we are trying to become holy. We, like Isaiah, will see ourselves as a ruined “building” that needs to be rebuilt, and the rest of our lives will be a pursuit of restoring the image of God (Christlikeness). This again means that we must hate sin and separate ourselves from it. We must believe that holiness is required for our fellowship with God and that any love of sin damages our relationship with Him. Psalm 66:18 states, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Our lives therefore must be characterized by confession of sin and repentance. We must come to see that each time we commit a sin, we are doing something God hates. In fact, the closer a believer gets to Christ and the more holy he becomes, the more aware of his own sinfulness he becomes as well. The believer will begin hating sin because it is an offense to God and His holiness, rather than hating it because it makes him feel guilty or brings negative consequences.

We must pursue our happiness in holiness
We must change our thinking in such a way so that we see that happiness and joy on earth is found in the pursuit of holiness rather than in the pursuit of sin. In fact, this is the way God has designed happiness: joy is the result of living for God and trying to be like Him.

We must avoid sin and pursue righteousness
In the pursuit of holiness, we must understand that God requires purity of those who will be used by Him for honorable service (2 Tim. 2:20-22). We must take seriously the descriptions of the Christian life found in Scripture, that the pursuit of holiness is a race, a fight, and a warfare. We must see sin as an enemy to be fought against and defeated rather than as a friend to be coddled.

Well, I trust this is has been a helpful study for you, if only to introduce you to this vast topic and motivate you to continuing in your own study. Let me leave you with a few application questions as well as a short list of recommended resources on this wonderful subject.

Questions

Do you feel the importance of holiness as much as you should?
Are you merely maintaining the pace of the pack, or are you striving after holiness with a consistency of fervor and devotion that you know to be pleasing to the Lord?
Do you see God as not only separate from sin, but having infinite worth and value to you? If you do, you know something of the holiness of God.

Resources
The Holiness of God, R.C. Sproul
Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges
Knowing God, J.I. Packer
Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock