Archives for August 2007

I thought yesterday might bring the conclusion of our ‘Law, Legalism, and Life’ series, but my sister made a suggestion that will extend the series by one week.

This week, our subject is ‘Separation from the World‘. The sermon is a culmination of all that went before.

In the series, we established that the Christian church has always called for morality and holiness in its people (with varying degrees of success). It is true that mistakes have been made in application, but the energizing spirit behind the call for holiness is the Spirit of the Lord. Those who decry standards of holiness today are the innovators.

Our intent has been to uphold salvation by grace alone and not to impose a new structure of law on the Christian church. Rather, we want to establish minimum standards of conduct as a guide (and a goad) on the path to perfect holiness, the goal of Christian life. [And our expectation is that none of us will achieve that goal in this life – but we will die trying.]

We offered seven reasons why Christians should proclaim and practice standards of holiness in Christian living:

1. There is such a thing as behaviour that pleases God
2. The fact is, faith is more than just your ticket to heaven
3. The operation of God’s grace in a Christian life tends towards godliness (Tit 2.11-12)
4. The notion of lawlessness is incompatible with Christianity
5. The liberty part of Christian liberty means ‘set free’, not ‘self serve’
6. The Christian mission is ultimately tasked with the discipline of discipleship (Mt 28.19-20)
7. The nature of Christianity is that its people are subjects of The King

This brings us to Separation from the World. Our text was 1 Jn 2.15-17.

In this message we defined the world as the value system and philosophy of men without God. I noted that our text calls us not to love this world, neither the things in this world. The phrase ‘in the world’ here bears some resemblance to Paul’s phrase, ‘in Christ’. Just as the believer is ‘immersed in Christ’, made a wholly new man, under new lordship, and so on, just so the ‘things in the world’ are immersed in the world system and are thus affected by its values and thinking.

It is important to recognize that the ‘things in the world’ as defined in 1 Jn 2.16 are actually ‘outside’ of us, they are things in the world. One of the complicating factors in understanding the passage is that we recognize these things as also being in us, that is, in our old nature. The apostle’s focus here is not on us, however, it is on the world. We are not to love the world nor the things-in-the-world. They are dominated by a world-system opposed to God. So for example, we have these kinds of things ‘in the world’:

• The sex-saturated advertising world – almost every product you can imagine is sold somewhere with subtle (or very unsubtle) suggestions of illicit sexuality.
• The sex-saturated music world: sexuality saturates the driving beat, the sensuous mood, the sultry sound of almost all modern music.
• The earth-centered world of myriads of possessions…
• The ego-saturated business world, housing market, political world, etc.

There are things in the world that are just things. No inherent moral value involved… just things. But the world system takes those things and invests them with its values, creates a culture around them that makes them worldly. For example:

• Skiing – just a thing, not worldly, it is just an activity; but the ‘ski-bum’ culture, the partying, the immorality, the ‘playboy’ mentality; that is the world taking something and making it its own.
• Biking – just a thing, an activity, no inherent evil in it; but the ‘biker’ culture surrounding it, the loud driving music, the dress, the attitudes, the drugs [often, not always], the language; that is the world taking something and making it its own.
• Clothing – just a thing [and a necessary thing]; but the culture of fashion [whether high fashion or low grunge fashion] becomes the world taking something, investing it with sexuality or rebellion, and making it its own.

Worldliness is simply a mindset that loves the world and its things. This is wrong for a Christian for several reasons.

First, because God commands us not to love the world.

Second, because worldliness is evidence of no love for God – ‘the love of [for] the Father is not in him’ [an extremely sober possibility for a Christian].

Third, because worldliness wastes a life that could have been lived for eternal things on temporal things (1 Jn 2.17).

Fourth, because worldliness is a betrayal of Jesus Christ (Jas 4.4).

Our response to worldliness should be to flee: flee worldly lusts (1 Tim 6.10-11, 2 Tim 2.22). We should understand the world’s strategy to pressure our conformity, but we should not give in. We should instead live as ambassadors for Christ in a broken, failing, and sin-sick world.

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In our Bible study time, we devoted our efforts to a discussion of Separation from the World and Christian standards in two categories: How we dress and Church attendance. Next week we will touch on Music, then on topics our people bring up.

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For our afternoon service, Rory preached his last message of the summer on the topic Christian Runners from Heb 12.1-3. He admonished us to lay aside the weights and sins that hinder our Christian race and to follow Christ, enduring the difficulties of the race for the glory of God. His message was a great complement to our study in the morning and a welcome admonition for our lives.

Tomorrow he and Susan head off for school again. I do look forward to the day when there is no more leave taking and we will all stand perfected in the presence of the King.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

For the last few weeks (maybe a month already) I have had a daily download of links from Google News using the search terms “Christian fundamentalist”. (I have had two other alerts from Google for some years now, one for any article containing the words “Bob Jones University” and the other for “Gleevec”, my wife’s anti-leukemia drug.)

The words ‘Christian fundamentalist’ are applied quite loosely to a wide range of characters by the world’s media. Generally speaking, they seem to use them as a pejorative against various evangelical groups, most of whom would shun the term. To the world, however, anyone who believes in the literal interpretation of the Bible is a ‘Christian fundamentalist’. The misunderstanding of the term by the media is probably somewhat self-conscious (my opinion), but it does illustrate the overwhelming task real Christian fundamentalists have in making much of an impact in the world.

A recent piece on the Powerline blog illustrates the obtuseness of CNN and their star reporter Christiane Amanpour. The Powerline bloggers are a team of lawyers who I have followed for some time. They would not be Christian fundamentalists at all, but they are reasonable men who have a more objective view of the news than most of the media.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Returning to my favorite online source of definitions, here is the definition of ‘free will’:

1 : voluntary choice or decision [I do this of my own free will]
2 : freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention

Question for the class:

If an individual can only choose one path out of two possibilities, is his will free?

KJV Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

ESV Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

NAU Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

NET Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge.

Not to be contentious, but some theologies deny that men have a will while claiming to affirm it.

See also Isaiah 55.1, John 7.37

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Today in Investor’s Business Daily stock analysis and business news: “One of my axioms is the market is rational and the government is dumb. Let the market find a rational solution to the subprime mortgage correction on its own.”

One of the saner voices in America, I think.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

What does the word ‘gospel’ mean?

Here is Merriam-Webster OnLine

1 a often capitalized : the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation b capitalized : one of the first four New Testament books telling of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; also : a similar apocryphal book c : an interpretation of the Christian message [the social gospel]
2 capitalized : a lection from one of the New Testament Gospels
3 : the message or teachings of a religious teacher
4 : something accepted or promoted as infallible truth or as a guiding principle or doctrine [took her words as gospel] [spreading the gospel of conservation — R. M. Hodesh]
5 : gospel music

Funny… to hear some bloggers talk you would think ‘gospel’ = ‘Calvinism’. Odd, eh?

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Mennonites may flee Quebec town: “Mennonites may flee Quebec town”

A little disconcerting… What will be next in this most ‘tolerant’ of societies?

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Kent Brandenburg has an excellent post on Laws about Grace, well worth your contemplation.

His post reminded me of a summary of our series on Law, Legalism and Life that I did in Sedro Woolley, WA on Saturday morning. I was over across the pond for the ordination of a friend and new church planter, Tom Parr. Friday afternoon was the occasion for grilling the preacher. All went extremely well. Tom acquitted himself excellently and the council of preachers offered a thorough examination with no sideshows. (Those who have attended a number of ordinations might know what I mean by sideshows!)

The next morning after the ordination council was a men’s prayer breakfast at First Baptist, Sedro Woolley. The pastor asked me if I could offer a brief challenge, so I gave the men a summary of my series so far, under the title: Reasons for Christian Standards. I thought the list might be of some general interest, so I offer it here:

I. There is such a thing as behaviour that pleases God

Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

• NOT works done in order to obtain salvation
• NOT works done in order to gain a pious reputation
• BUT works done out of a heart of personal devotion

II. The fact is, faith is more than just your ticket to heaven

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

• You must believe from the heart in order to be born again
• Your faith will be seen in behaviour that shows you are believing the promise of God

III. The operation of God’s grace in a Christian life tends towards godliness (Tit 2.11-12)

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

• Denying ungodliness
• Living soberly, righteously and godly

IV. The notion of lawlessness is incompatible with Christianity

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

• Lawlessness = without law, outlaw behaviour
• “You can’t tell me what to do” “Your laws don’t apply to me”

V. The liberty part of Christian liberty means ‘set free’, not ‘self serve’

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Set free to serve Christ [free from bondage of sin]
Not set free to do what I want [‘self serve’]

VI. The Christian mission is ultimately tasked with the discipline of discipleship (Mt 28.19-20)

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

• Imperative – make disciples
• Process [from least to greatest]

1. Going
2. Baptizing
3. Teaching them to observe (obey) all things I commanded you

VII. The nature of Christianity is that its people are subjects of The King

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power [authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Who is your king?

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

We are nearing the end of the series. The first message this Sunday was ‘What is Christian Liberty?‘ Our text was Gal 5.13. I discussed the nature of Christian liberty as a spiritual possession of the believer, granted at conversion, breaking the bondage to sin and the sin nature and thus providing the freedom to actually perform works that please God. Taking our admonition from Gal 5.13, we looked at the notion of the misuse of liberty as an occasion to the flesh, indulging self because of our new freedom. Such an attitude is contrary to Christianity. It is certainly contrary to the message of the apostles. From misuse, we turned to the productive use of Christian liberty – by love serving one another. The impact of living a life as a slave to righteousness is far greater than the impact of the life lived as a slave to sin. Sin binds in ever increasing entanglements. Righteousness frees unto limitless glory in the eternal life of perfect fellowship with God. I closed with a quote from Alexander Maclaren:

“Liberty is not exemption from commandment, but harmony with commandment. Whoever finds that what is his duty is his delight is enfranchised. We are at liberty when we walk within the limits of the gospel; and they who delight to do the law are free in obedience; free from the tyranny of their own lust, passions, and inclinations; free from domination of men and opinion and common customs and personal habits.”

Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, James 1:25, quoted by George M. Cowan, “The Prohibitions of Grace”, Bibliotheca Sacra (Dallas, TX: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1946; 2002). 103:232.

Our afternoon service continued the series with a message entitled “Disciples of the King“, from Mt 28.18-20. The imperative in this passage is ‘make disciples’. The process of making disciples involves three activities: going, baptizing [which I take as the culmination of evangelism, i.e., soul-winning], and teaching. The activities are given in chronological order (you must go first) and also in priority: merely going is not enough. Tourists are on the go. Disciple-makers go and work. The ultimate end of the commission, however, is not baptism, it is teaching to observe [obey] the commandments of Christ. This is the Christian mission. The notion that Christianity is bereft of commandments is an anti-Christian notion. But even more importantly, the commission is given by The King: ‘All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me.’ (v. 18). The Christian mission is to make disciples for The King. Two points closed the message:

1. This King is perfect
2. This King’s subjects love to serve Him

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I hope these thoughts are a blessing. I hope to conclude this series in one or two more messages.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

The media of course thinks Christians who have rules are fundamentalists. In a review of a book called People in Glass Houses, the Sydney Morning Herald identifies a Pentecostal church in Australia as such. (Another bloggish sort of review is found at a site called Web Diary.

The woman who wrote the book appears to be an unbeliever, but what is striking to me is how much many of her complaints carry the same anti-authority attitude that many ‘young fundamentalists’ manifest. Granted, a great gulf is fixed between her beliefs and the beliefs of young fundies. Don’t get sidetracked by her infidelity – notice the attitudes and the complaints. Are they so different?

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3