December 16, 2009

• theological update

  ...excerpted from a recent letter to a friend... with the hope that some of these thoughts might be helpful to other people besides my friend and I.

   

  Dear ________,

  Great to hear from you!  Thanks for your email.  That sounds good about [..........]

  Thanks for asking about the new things God's been teaching me... it's hard to condense it down to a short summary... but I'll try below.   I'll also be interested to hear what new things God is teaching you, at some point in the future if we get a chance to meet and chat or email.   (No hurry, I know you're busy.)

  First, God has continued pointing me to trust in His promises [........]   E.g. Lam. 3:24 "The Lord is my portion", says my soul, "therefore I have hope in Him".  I know my life problems are small compared to many other people's.  But I still face very dark days and nights some times.  And God's promises keep lifting me up.

  Second, I have recently noticed a lot of scriptures saying effectively "do not be afraid".  A surprisingly large number, actually.  I listed some of them here on my blog: http://tim223.xanga.com/713821711/item/   I continue to need boldness/trust in my daily interactions with my nonChristian coworkers and acquaintances here at [.....].   And boldness/trust in many other areas of life.

  Third, related to the "state of the churches" in [city]  (I have now visited about 40 churches here, ten before [previouschurch] in 2007 when I first moved here and thirty this year as I've been looking for a new church, though still remaining friends with everyone at [previouschurch])... both the 'good' and the 'sad'...  the good is that God has "a lot of people in this city", all over the place, faithfully serving Him and producing fruit.  The sad is that there are so many unbiblical things seen... churches that are liberal, or pentacostal, or health-and-wealth-gospel-preaching, or led by women, or legalistic, etc.  There is such a need for more Christ-centered, Bible-centered, church groups, led by leaders who are "humble and contrite in spirit, who tremble at God's word" (Isaiah 66:2).  There definitely exist some here.  But there is such a need for more.

  Fourth, I've continued to be encouraged by listening to some powerful sermons by John Piper, Tim Keller, Paul Washer, Steve Estes, and some others.  In particular some audio lectures that you might really enjoy are the biography lectures that John Piper gives each year about some historical figure.  Extremely encouraging.  Top recommended ones: Adoniram Judson, John Newton, John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, and George Mueller.   ( http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/ )   Tim Keller's sermons on the prodigal sons (6 sermons) and on 'the reason for God' (sermons about the 6 main objections to Christianity raised by people today) are also excellent.  Piper's sermons on Romans are interesting.  I'm currently listening to Paul Washer 5-part series on 2 Cor. 13:5/'assurance of salvation', which is interesting.   But if you only have time for a little audio, I'd most recommend those five Piper biographies.  And this sermon by David Sitton about Philippians 1 -- http://www.toeverytribe.com/file_download_launch.asp?filePath=/uploads/03_Dead_is_Better.mp3   and the next one by John Piper on the same site.

  Fifth, I'm currently reading a book called "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges.  It is much better than I was expecting.  I highly recommend it and I can loan it to you when I'm done if you think you might have the time and interest.  It starts with several chapters about the gospel, the importance of the gospel, and the need for the gospel in getting rid of our sinful habits.  Then he discusses some sins which we tend to overlook in our lives.

  Sixth, I recently read a challenging book called "House Church" by Steven Atkerson.  It raises some very intriguing questions about the way we 'do church', and whether our current traditions and practices are really the best way to do church (or whether returning to the NT pattern of house churches would be a better pattern, even for today in the USA).   (I bought some extra copies to give away, so if you're interested, you can definitely borrow one... but again, I know how busy you are)

  Seventh, I've been noticing some specific things about the teachings at [previouschurch] which I had not specifically noticed while I was attending there.   Two tendencies in particular: (1) "easy-believism", and (2) works-oriented Christian life.  I don't think [previouschurch] is "teaching a false gospel", only that every church tends to emphasize certain things, and I now recognize that two of [previouschurch's] emphases are these two things.  Expanding a bit more:
  (1) easy believism / 'just say the prayer' salvation / non-lordship-salvation / when salvation-doubts arise, ask whether the person ever professed faith in Christ however many years ago, as opposed to focusing on how the person has been living recently / 'carnal Christian' teaching (for the opposite, cf. Paul Washer)
  and
  (2) works-oriented christian life / Galatians 3 get saved by faith, but then proceed by human effort/QT/pray/etc  / emphasis on practical 'do, do, do' (see Spurgeon quote below) / 'higher-life' teaching / victorious-living-formula (elder-brother-ism, cf. Tim Keller)

  ...and I was pondering these two separate emphases, and I gradually realized that there was a subtle connection between these two things.  Despite sounding seemingly opposite upon first glance (#1 'gospel too easy' and #2 'gospel too hard'), I'm realizing that the common tie is an underlying overly high view of man and human freedom.  When one's view of God's sovereignty begins to be expanded, one realizes that regarding #1, sure I believed in Christ 20 years ago, but actually it was God who was behind the scenes regenerating my heart and drawing me to Himself, and in everyone whom God starts the work, He finishes the work, so there are no 'continuously carnal Christians'... if they are 'continuously carnal', they simply are not saved at all.  And similarly regarding #2, there's definitely a place for 'tactical spiritual disciplines' (QT, prayer, memorization, accountability, etc) in the fight against sin and Satan, but as we begin to see the greatness and sovereignty of God more and more, we realize that apart from His power and grace and work in our lives, we are completely helpless to live righteously, even the tiniest little bit.  Our only hope for holiness is to keep focusing on Christ's righteousness (our justification), and only by being constantly reminded of the Gospel / Christ's love and death-for-us, are we enabled to little-by-little put to death the sin in our lives.

  I've been realizing that in order for me to promote the more exactly balanced/biblical gospel, I need to understand the antidotes/counterbalances to the above themes: to #1, I need to understand/teach "Lordship-salvation" / 'counting the cost' of discipleship before following Christ / the parable of the soils, and why only one type of soil bore fruit / 1st John about how we know who belongs to Christ and who doesn't / James 2 about what is 'true/living faith'-- the type of faith that produces works/changed-life.    To counterbalance #2, I need to understand/teach GRACE... God's free, unmerited, awesome grace, not only to the unsaved, but to the saved... to Christians.. to you and me, every day!   Romans 3.... 4,.... 5, 6, 7,.... 8.... Galatians 3... the parable of the Pharisee vs Tax-collector...  the parable of the slaves who owed debts to their masters...   2 Tim. 2:19... etc...   implications: such radical/complete love from Christ, when understood/believed, PRODUCES surrender/allegiance in my heart.... rather than trying to impose it from the outside/external or work it up inside me.

  Anyway, this is probably a longer reply than you were asking for, and probably not as clear as it should be.   But since you asked, these are some of the things going on theologically these days for me.   I'd love to chat more some time, as time allows.   Until then, I hope you have a good Christmas and ever deepening intimacy with God.

  In Christ!!!!, Tim

  "'The Lord is my portion', says my soul, 'therefore I have hope in Him.'"  Lamentations 3:24

  
  "How many there are kept in bondage through neglect of gospel invitations. They are longing to be saved. They go up to the house of God, crying to be saved; and there is nothing but predestination for them.
  On the other hand, what multitudes are kept in darkness through practical preaching. It is do! do! do! and nothing but do! and the poor souls come away and say: "Of what use is that to me? I can do nothing. Oh, that I had a way shown to me available for salvation."
  Of the apostle Paul we think it may be truly said, that no sinner missed a comfort from his keeping back Christ's cross; that no saint was bewildered in spirit from his denying the bread of heaven and withholding precious truth; that no practical Christian became so practical as to become legal, and no doctrinal Christian became so doctrinal as to become unpractical."
  - Charles Spurgeon, http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0289.htm

   

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