“If any of you should ask me for an epitome of the Christian religion, I should say that it is in one word- Prayer. Live and die without prayer, and you will pray long enough when you get to hell.”
"Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength”
“Of two evils, choose neither”
“A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.”
“Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us."
“Every generation needs regeneration”
“Our misery is that we thirst so little for these sublime things, and so much for the mocking trifles of time and space.”
“The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.”
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Fighting Lust
A N T H E M
Strategies for Fighting Lust
By John Piper November 5, 2001
I have in mind men and women. For men it's obvious. The need for warfare against the bombardment of visual temptation to fixate on sexual images is urgent. For women it is less obvious, but just as great if we broaden the scope of temptation to food or figure or relational fantasies. When I say "lust" I mean the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct. So here is one set of strategies in the war against wrong desires. I put it in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.
A - AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. I say "possible and reasonable" because some exposure to temptation is inevitable. And I say "unfitting desire" because not all desires for sex, food, and family are bad. We know when they are unfitting and unhelpful and on their way to becoming enslaving. We know our weaknesses and what triggers them. "Avoiding" is a Biblical strategy. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness" (2 Timothy 2:22). "Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).
N - Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. "In the name of Jesus, NO!" You don't have much more than five seconds. Give it more unopposed time than that, and it will lodge itself with such force as to be almost immovable. Say it out loud if you dare. Be tough and warlike. As John Owen said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." Strike fast and strike hard. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7).
T - TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying "no" will not suffice. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ. The Bible calls lusts "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. The Bible calls them "passions of your former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14). Only fools yield. "All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter" (Proverbs 7:22). Deceit is defeated by truth. Ignorance is defeated by knowledge. It must be glorious truth and beautiful knowledge. This is why I wrote Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. We must stock our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, "NO!"
H - HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. They say, "I tried to push it out, and it didn't work." I ask, "How long did you try?" How hard did you exert your mind? The mind is a muscle. You can flex it with vehemence. Take the kingdom violently (Matthew 11:12). Be brutal. Hold the promise of Christ before your eyes. Hold it. Hold it! Don't let it go! Keep holding it! How long? As long as it takes. Fight! For Christ's sake, fight till you win! If an electric garage door were about to crush your child you would hold it up with all our might and holler for help, and hold it and hold it and hold it and hold it.
E - ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. Don't say, "That's just not me." What steps have you taken to waken affection for Jesus? Have you fought for joy? Don't be fatalistic. You were created to treasure Christ with all your heart - more than you treasure sex or sugar. If you have little taste for Jesus, competing pleasures will triumph. Plead with God for the satisfaction you don't have: "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). Then look, look, look at the most magnificent Person in the universe until you see him the way he is.
M - MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11). "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Abound in work. Get up and do something. Sweep a room. Hammer a nail. Write a letter. Fix a faucet. And do it for Jesus' sake. You were made to manage and create. Christ died to make you "zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). Displace deceitful lusts with a passion for good deeds.
Strategies for Fighting Lust
By John Piper November 5, 2001
I have in mind men and women. For men it's obvious. The need for warfare against the bombardment of visual temptation to fixate on sexual images is urgent. For women it is less obvious, but just as great if we broaden the scope of temptation to food or figure or relational fantasies. When I say "lust" I mean the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct. So here is one set of strategies in the war against wrong desires. I put it in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.
A - AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. I say "possible and reasonable" because some exposure to temptation is inevitable. And I say "unfitting desire" because not all desires for sex, food, and family are bad. We know when they are unfitting and unhelpful and on their way to becoming enslaving. We know our weaknesses and what triggers them. "Avoiding" is a Biblical strategy. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness" (2 Timothy 2:22). "Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).
N - Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. "In the name of Jesus, NO!" You don't have much more than five seconds. Give it more unopposed time than that, and it will lodge itself with such force as to be almost immovable. Say it out loud if you dare. Be tough and warlike. As John Owen said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." Strike fast and strike hard. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7).
T - TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying "no" will not suffice. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ. The Bible calls lusts "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. The Bible calls them "passions of your former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14). Only fools yield. "All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter" (Proverbs 7:22). Deceit is defeated by truth. Ignorance is defeated by knowledge. It must be glorious truth and beautiful knowledge. This is why I wrote Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. We must stock our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, "NO!"
H - HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. They say, "I tried to push it out, and it didn't work." I ask, "How long did you try?" How hard did you exert your mind? The mind is a muscle. You can flex it with vehemence. Take the kingdom violently (Matthew 11:12). Be brutal. Hold the promise of Christ before your eyes. Hold it. Hold it! Don't let it go! Keep holding it! How long? As long as it takes. Fight! For Christ's sake, fight till you win! If an electric garage door were about to crush your child you would hold it up with all our might and holler for help, and hold it and hold it and hold it and hold it.
E - ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. Don't say, "That's just not me." What steps have you taken to waken affection for Jesus? Have you fought for joy? Don't be fatalistic. You were created to treasure Christ with all your heart - more than you treasure sex or sugar. If you have little taste for Jesus, competing pleasures will triumph. Plead with God for the satisfaction you don't have: "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). Then look, look, look at the most magnificent Person in the universe until you see him the way he is.
M - MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11). "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Abound in work. Get up and do something. Sweep a room. Hammer a nail. Write a letter. Fix a faucet. And do it for Jesus' sake. You were made to manage and create. Christ died to make you "zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). Displace deceitful lusts with a passion for good deeds.
Beware the Name Dropper, Part 2
So equipping reads are those that actually equip one to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures in such a way that they grow spiritually but also prepare one to be a resource to fellow Christians in a deep, meaningful way. Inspirational reads certainly include truth and may provide the reader with a word of encouragement for others, but inspirational reads do not equip in the same way equipping reads do. For example, I have recently read Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace. I consider this book an inspirational read. The book highlighted the most important and lasting aspects of Lloyd-Jones' ministry. The book certainly challenged the way I view preaching and offered some insights to help my own preaching. I walked away from the book with some instruction but mostly cherishing the power of the gospel. As powerful as this motivation was it will still not produce a sermon based on hours of careful, precise exegesis of a passage. Herein lies the distiction b/t equipping reads and inspirational reads.
I will follow up this post with defining a name-dropper and how to guard against the temptation to become a name-dropper.
I will follow up this post with defining a name-dropper and how to guard against the temptation to become a name-dropper.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Philippians 4:8-9: How People Change
Philippians 4:8-9 (New King James Version)
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Part of "pressing towards the goal" of knowing Christ and being like Him is that we have our minds set on the right things.
In this passage there are two components to growing in Christlikeness. The first is "meditating on these things." What are these things? Well, they have to be "true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report" and be "virtuous" and "praiseworthy." What, except for the Gospel and the Word of God, fits such a description? Nothing else does! Second, we are to convert this meditation into doing. Paul says that these things we are to meditate on, which are the Gospel and God's Word, were "learned and received and heard and seen" in Paul's preaching and behavior. He then says "these do"!
What then is the implication? Well two things. First, there is a process. There is a mediation on the things of God, which causes, by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, a growing in knowledge of the things of God. Then there is a doing that flows from this. When we meditate on God's marvelous truth we then live and and love the Gospel. James says, Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?" (James 2:22)
Second, these words teach us that what we meditate on, what we think about, has an effect on what we count as good and beautiful and worth treasuring. See Psalm 1. If we are to "guard are hearts above all else because they are the wellspring of life" (Prov. 4:23), then we must be examining our lives to see that we are meditating on "these things" so that we will treasure Christ more than sin.
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Part of "pressing towards the goal" of knowing Christ and being like Him is that we have our minds set on the right things.
In this passage there are two components to growing in Christlikeness. The first is "meditating on these things." What are these things? Well, they have to be "true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report" and be "virtuous" and "praiseworthy." What, except for the Gospel and the Word of God, fits such a description? Nothing else does! Second, we are to convert this meditation into doing. Paul says that these things we are to meditate on, which are the Gospel and God's Word, were "learned and received and heard and seen" in Paul's preaching and behavior. He then says "these do"!
What then is the implication? Well two things. First, there is a process. There is a mediation on the things of God, which causes, by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, a growing in knowledge of the things of God. Then there is a doing that flows from this. When we meditate on God's marvelous truth we then live and and love the Gospel. James says, Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?" (James 2:22)
Second, these words teach us that what we meditate on, what we think about, has an effect on what we count as good and beautiful and worth treasuring. See Psalm 1. If we are to "guard are hearts above all else because they are the wellspring of life" (Prov. 4:23), then we must be examining our lives to see that we are meditating on "these things" so that we will treasure Christ more than sin.
Philippians 3:12-14: How People Change
Philippians 3:12-14 (New King James version)
Pressing Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul puts forward a goal for the Christian life, a goal that he set for himself: to know Christ and to be like Christ. Paul uses the imagery of an athlete with a single-minded focus that his training is moving towards a goal or a prize [see these other places in Scripture where Paul uses similar imagery of "training in righteousness" - I Cor. 9:24-27; I Timothy 4:7-10; II Timothy 4:7-8].
Notice that in this single-minded pursuit of Christ that Paul says "one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead..." For us to pursue Christ, we must preach the Gospel to ourselves and quit preaching the law to ourselves. We preach the law to ourselves when do not forget the sins of our past and continue to tell ourselves that our guilt is too great. If we are "reaching forward" to "lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold" of us, then we must be seeing that the Gospel is for us now (Read Romans 8).
If we are to "fight the good fight and finish the race" (II Tim. 4:7) then we must have our lives focused upon the "upward call of God in Christ Jesus." For this to be the goal at the center of our lives, we must let go of the guilt of the past because it has been forever forgiven in Christ!
Pressing Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul puts forward a goal for the Christian life, a goal that he set for himself: to know Christ and to be like Christ. Paul uses the imagery of an athlete with a single-minded focus that his training is moving towards a goal or a prize [see these other places in Scripture where Paul uses similar imagery of "training in righteousness" - I Cor. 9:24-27; I Timothy 4:7-10; II Timothy 4:7-8].
Notice that in this single-minded pursuit of Christ that Paul says "one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead..." For us to pursue Christ, we must preach the Gospel to ourselves and quit preaching the law to ourselves. We preach the law to ourselves when do not forget the sins of our past and continue to tell ourselves that our guilt is too great. If we are "reaching forward" to "lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold" of us, then we must be seeing that the Gospel is for us now (Read Romans 8).
If we are to "fight the good fight and finish the race" (II Tim. 4:7) then we must have our lives focused upon the "upward call of God in Christ Jesus." For this to be the goal at the center of our lives, we must let go of the guilt of the past because it has been forever forgiven in Christ!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Beware the Name Dropper: Equipping Reading and Inspirational Reading, Part 1
As I have read more and more throughout my years at college, seminary, and in the ministry, I have categorized my reading into two broad areas, equipping and inspirational. Equipping reads are those that require much time and mental effort. You must read pages slowly and often a second time. These books often require you to sit with Bible open. Examples of such books are systematic theologies and commentaries. I call these books equipping books because they actually equip you to grow in godliness but also to be a resource to other believers. Commentaries in particular will form the backbone of any solid Christian library. Commentaries are years of prayerful research and study poured into book form. Of course commentaries are not inerrant but they force the Christian to ask questions of the text he or she may never have thought to ask. They teach the Christian to dig deep and mine gold. My advice on commentary purchasing: Buy for the author, not the series. Rarely, if ever, purchase an entire series. Buy the best commentary for the book you are studying. Such a commentary will be exegetically rich, theologically satisfying, and will read somewhat devotionally. I will speak to how such books relate to name droppers later on in this series.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Men of God
In Revival and Revivalism, Iain Murray writes describing the type of men that God so often uses for revival. "They will be hard students of Scripture. They will prize a great spiritual heritage. They will see the danger of 'unsanctified learning'. While they will not be afraid of controversy, nor of being called hyper-orthodox, they will fear to spend their days in controversy...They will covet the wisdom which Scripture attributes to the one 'that wins souls' (Prov. 11.30). But their cheerfulness will have a higher source than their work. To know God himself will be their supreme concern and joy. They will therefore not be strangers to humility" (387).
Let us pray for God's Spirit to lead us and guide us to resemble such men. It is this sort of Spirit-produced character that makes men, as the author of Hebrews says, men that the world is not worthy of.
Let us pray for God's Spirit to lead us and guide us to resemble such men. It is this sort of Spirit-produced character that makes men, as the author of Hebrews says, men that the world is not worthy of.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Reading Recs on Knowing God's Will
1. Capital Hill Baptist Church's Core Seminar on "Guidance" - 1. go to http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/ 2. then click on the link "We Equip," scroll down and click on "Adults" and then scroll down and click on "Core Seminars." 3. On the Core Seminars page look on the right hand side and click on the seminar entitled "Guidance." It's a wonderful 7 part series on Knowing God's Will. It reads very quickly! It is one of the best resources I have found so far on this topic!
2. J.I. Packer's book, Knowing God, IVP Press. Read chapters 9, 10 and 20. (All three chapters are excellent, but if you are in need of some pressing practical advice read chapter 20.)
3. Sinclair Ferguson's book Discovering God's Will, Banner of Truth Press. Great little book. I found it on the JPBC book stall, but you can order for cheap from a number of online resources.
4. A book titled, Decison Making and The Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View by Garry Friesen. This book is good. The biblical advice is solid and is in agreement with the other works listed here. My personal view is that it's a little too long. The first third of the book is a fictional account of the terribly misguided "traditional view" of Knowing God's Will. I also don't know how easy it is to get your hands on this book or how affordable it is. Marcus Deel lent me his copy.
5. As always, www.desiringgod.org to find Piper's sermons on this topic. And, unsurprisingly he has some beauts'. Here are the two I read that were greatly encouraging and wonderfully edifying (you can just search by title, since I am too technological inept to figure out how to make the link to them):
What Is the Will of God and How Do We Know It?; this is an exposition of Romans 12:1-2 and He Will Send His Angel Before You; this is an exposition of Genesis 24:1-9
6. This may sound strange, but any good systematic theology. Read the section on the Doctrine of God. Theology always matters and it is significant in many areas of doctrine for answering this question. I was helped in particular by Cornelius Van Til's The Defense of the Faith. He says on p. 67 (4th ed.), "But we believe that just for the reason that we cannot hope to obtain comprehensive knowledge of God we cannot hope to obtain comprehensive knowledge of anything in this world. Not as though anything in this world is infinite as God is infinite and for that reason not fully comprehensible , for it is not the infinity of things in themselves but once more the infinity of God that makes it impossible for us comprehensively to understand things in the created universe. The reason for this is not far to seek. The things of this universe must be interpreted in relation to God. The object of knowledge is not interpreted truly if, though brought into relation with the human mind, it is not also brought into relation with the divine mind. God is the ultimate category of interpretation..."
2. J.I. Packer's book, Knowing God, IVP Press. Read chapters 9, 10 and 20. (All three chapters are excellent, but if you are in need of some pressing practical advice read chapter 20.)
3. Sinclair Ferguson's book Discovering God's Will, Banner of Truth Press. Great little book. I found it on the JPBC book stall, but you can order for cheap from a number of online resources.
4. A book titled, Decison Making and The Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View by Garry Friesen. This book is good. The biblical advice is solid and is in agreement with the other works listed here. My personal view is that it's a little too long. The first third of the book is a fictional account of the terribly misguided "traditional view" of Knowing God's Will. I also don't know how easy it is to get your hands on this book or how affordable it is. Marcus Deel lent me his copy.
5. As always, www.desiringgod.org to find Piper's sermons on this topic. And, unsurprisingly he has some beauts'. Here are the two I read that were greatly encouraging and wonderfully edifying (you can just search by title, since I am too technological inept to figure out how to make the link to them):
What Is the Will of God and How Do We Know It?; this is an exposition of Romans 12:1-2 and He Will Send His Angel Before You; this is an exposition of Genesis 24:1-9
6. This may sound strange, but any good systematic theology. Read the section on the Doctrine of God. Theology always matters and it is significant in many areas of doctrine for answering this question. I was helped in particular by Cornelius Van Til's The Defense of the Faith. He says on p. 67 (4th ed.), "But we believe that just for the reason that we cannot hope to obtain comprehensive knowledge of God we cannot hope to obtain comprehensive knowledge of anything in this world. Not as though anything in this world is infinite as God is infinite and for that reason not fully comprehensible , for it is not the infinity of things in themselves but once more the infinity of God that makes it impossible for us comprehensively to understand things in the created universe. The reason for this is not far to seek. The things of this universe must be interpreted in relation to God. The object of knowledge is not interpreted truly if, though brought into relation with the human mind, it is not also brought into relation with the divine mind. God is the ultimate category of interpretation..."
Knowing God's Will - Part 3
First, a disclaimer: these posts have been insufficient in evidence and breadth of discussion, but purposefully so. I know that you all have more important things to do than read my ramblings. The hope is that these brief excerpts will whet your appetite for the subject and lead you to do some serious reading on the topic (which prompted the list of recommended reads that are in the above post).
Last time I left off by arguing that one who wishes to know God's Will for his or her life is seeking to "think God's thoughts after Him" or seeking biblical wisdom. The psalmist says in Ps. 119:66 "Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments."
Here's two remarks from Chapter 10 of J.I. Packer's "Knowing God":
"Where can we find wisdom? What steps must a person take to lay hold of this gift? There are two prerequisites, according to Scripture. 1. We must learn to reverence God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10, Prov. 1:7, Job 28:28, etc.) Not till we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God's holiness and sovereignty, acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts...It is to be feared that many Christians spend all their lives in too unhumbled and conceited a frame of mind ever to gain wisdom from God at all. Not for nothing does Scripture say, "with the lowly is wisdom" (Prov. 11:2). 2. We must learn to receive God's word. Wisdom is divinely wrought in those , and those only, who apply themselves to God's revelation. "Your commands make me wiser than my enemies," declares the psalmist; "I have more insight than all my teachers" - why? - "for I meditate on your statutes" (Ps. 119:98-99).
Consider these two passages from the NT: Eph. 5:15-17, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
Colossians 1:9, "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
Notice in both passages that wisdom, spiritual discernment (the ability to make judgments about how to glorify God in your decision-making), requires knowledge of God's Word that is found broadly in wisdom.
As D.A. Carson puts it, "Spiritual wisdom and understanding constitute the means by which God fills us with the knowledge of His will. Guidance comes, in short, by God making us wise."
I will follow tomorrow with a look at a real life situation. For example, I have to choose between jobs a, b, and c, and neither of them violate God's moral law and all of them seem to be equally pleasing, what do I do?
Last time I left off by arguing that one who wishes to know God's Will for his or her life is seeking to "think God's thoughts after Him" or seeking biblical wisdom. The psalmist says in Ps. 119:66 "Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments."
Here's two remarks from Chapter 10 of J.I. Packer's "Knowing God":
"Where can we find wisdom? What steps must a person take to lay hold of this gift? There are two prerequisites, according to Scripture. 1. We must learn to reverence God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10, Prov. 1:7, Job 28:28, etc.) Not till we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God's holiness and sovereignty, acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts...It is to be feared that many Christians spend all their lives in too unhumbled and conceited a frame of mind ever to gain wisdom from God at all. Not for nothing does Scripture say, "with the lowly is wisdom" (Prov. 11:2). 2. We must learn to receive God's word. Wisdom is divinely wrought in those , and those only, who apply themselves to God's revelation. "Your commands make me wiser than my enemies," declares the psalmist; "I have more insight than all my teachers" - why? - "for I meditate on your statutes" (Ps. 119:98-99).
Consider these two passages from the NT: Eph. 5:15-17, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
Colossians 1:9, "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
Notice in both passages that wisdom, spiritual discernment (the ability to make judgments about how to glorify God in your decision-making), requires knowledge of God's Word that is found broadly in wisdom.
As D.A. Carson puts it, "Spiritual wisdom and understanding constitute the means by which God fills us with the knowledge of His will. Guidance comes, in short, by God making us wise."
I will follow tomorrow with a look at a real life situation. For example, I have to choose between jobs a, b, and c, and neither of them violate God's moral law and all of them seem to be equally pleasing, what do I do?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Knowing God's Will - Part 2
In Part 1, I argued that knowing Christ is the beginning to knowing God's Will. In fact, the author of Hebrews tells us in the first few verses of that book that God now communicates His Will to us through His Son. But, how does Knowing Christ lead to Knowing God's Will?
First, Christians acknowledge that God is sovereign and thus possesses an infinitely perfect and eternal Sovereign Will. Read what Moses writes in Deut. 29:29, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." This verse tells us two important things: one, God has a secret will, meaning we cannot know it. Why can't we know it? Well, simple because it His will. The Creator-creature distinction makes this clear. God's will cannot be known my man because His will is the result of His Being and His Being is not equated in any way with our own. His will then is perfect and ours is imperfect. His will is omniscient our will is limited in knowledge, etc. But, this verse also tells us that God has a revealed will "which belongs to us." This is God's MORAL WILL for our lives. One good example for Christians is I Thess. 4:3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality."
How then do we know God's Will for things like choosing a job, who to marry, etc. Well, I give a fuller response tomorrow, but for now think about the following:
We need wisdom or "to think God's thoughts after Him." Read the first line of Calvin's Institutes: "Knowledge [or wisdom] lies in knowing God and knowing oneself.” In fact, Part 1 of the Institutes has the heading, "Knowledge of God the Creator" and section 1 of part I is "the whole sum of Wisdom."
All of this discussion hinges on a right theology of the Doctrine of God. How absurd we can be when we ask "how can I know God's will for my life" and then do nothing to learn about the object of that will, about God Himself.
Tomorrow I will discuss how we get wisdom and then how do we apply it!
First, Christians acknowledge that God is sovereign and thus possesses an infinitely perfect and eternal Sovereign Will. Read what Moses writes in Deut. 29:29, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." This verse tells us two important things: one, God has a secret will, meaning we cannot know it. Why can't we know it? Well, simple because it His will. The Creator-creature distinction makes this clear. God's will cannot be known my man because His will is the result of His Being and His Being is not equated in any way with our own. His will then is perfect and ours is imperfect. His will is omniscient our will is limited in knowledge, etc. But, this verse also tells us that God has a revealed will "which belongs to us." This is God's MORAL WILL for our lives. One good example for Christians is I Thess. 4:3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality."
How then do we know God's Will for things like choosing a job, who to marry, etc. Well, I give a fuller response tomorrow, but for now think about the following:
We need wisdom or "to think God's thoughts after Him." Read the first line of Calvin's Institutes: "Knowledge [or wisdom] lies in knowing God and knowing oneself.” In fact, Part 1 of the Institutes has the heading, "Knowledge of God the Creator" and section 1 of part I is "the whole sum of Wisdom."
All of this discussion hinges on a right theology of the Doctrine of God. How absurd we can be when we ask "how can I know God's will for my life" and then do nothing to learn about the object of that will, about God Himself.
Tomorrow I will discuss how we get wisdom and then how do we apply it!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Knowing God's Will - Part 1
Hebrews 1:1-4 "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself[a] purged our[b] sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."
Scripture tells us that there was a fundamental shift in the way that God "speaks" to His people. God used to speak to His people in various way - burning bushes, fleeces, audible voices, dreams, etc. Now, he no longer speaks to us by such inferior methods, but through Jesus Christ.
Well, how does God speak to us and guide us by His Son? He speaks to us the Gospel. Knowing God's Will then is nothing more than treasuring and savoring Christ for eternity. We must be reminded, however, that the Gospel is not an impression or an experience that we "feel" as believers, but it is a Word, spoken to us in the Scriptures, and by God's grace accepted by us in faith; and it is there, in God's Word, that we find Christ and that through Him that God reveals His Will.
How does this translate into making decisions? I will answer that in the next post. So, be looking for additions to this brief series on "Knowing God's Will."
Scripture tells us that there was a fundamental shift in the way that God "speaks" to His people. God used to speak to His people in various way - burning bushes, fleeces, audible voices, dreams, etc. Now, he no longer speaks to us by such inferior methods, but through Jesus Christ.
Well, how does God speak to us and guide us by His Son? He speaks to us the Gospel. Knowing God's Will then is nothing more than treasuring and savoring Christ for eternity. We must be reminded, however, that the Gospel is not an impression or an experience that we "feel" as believers, but it is a Word, spoken to us in the Scriptures, and by God's grace accepted by us in faith; and it is there, in God's Word, that we find Christ and that through Him that God reveals His Will.
How does this translate into making decisions? I will answer that in the next post. So, be looking for additions to this brief series on "Knowing God's Will."
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