R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 582

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Whitewashing History?

"To borrow a phrase from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, it is the best of times, the worst of times. That is how one might describe the current movie-saturated era. Certainly, from an entertainment perspective, it is the best of times. While I myself still prefer the classic films of the 40s and 50s, from The Maltese Falcon to The Searchers, it is hard not to be impressed by everything from the special effects in something like Inception to the sheer brilliance of acting in The King’s Speech. Yet therein lies the problem, that which makes it, in a sense, the worst of times. As our access to the past is increasingly shaped by, if not actually mediated through, such media as movies, the real past is too often sacrificed for the sake of a good story." Carl Trueman begins his contribution to this month's issue of Tabletalk by writing about the movies.

"Take The King’s Speech, for example. As every British schoolboy of a certain generation would know, Winston Churchill, great war leader though he was, was also an ardent supporter of the pro-Nazi Edward VIII in the abdication crisis. The great British hero was not quite so heroic, or astute, when it came to the slimy Edward. The movie, however, puts Mr. C on the other side. Which version, I wonder, will become the received narrative for future generations? More egregiously, a few years ago a movie was made about the American cracking of Adolf Hitler’s Enigma Code. Great story, I guess, if you are an American. The fact is, however, that it was the British who cracked the code."

From the movies Dr. Trueman draws some conclusions about human nature. Find out what they are in "Whitewashing History?".

Get Dr. Sproul's Series on David for a Donation of Any Amount

Shepherd, hymn-writer, and murderer—God chose a man who would fill each of these roles to sit on the throne of Israel. And it was through his family that the great king of the Jews would come. In this series, R.C. Sproul examines the life of David and his character as revealed in Scripture. In honestly evaluating this flawed leader, Dr. Sproul reminds us that David’s repentance is what made him a man after God’s own heart.

This week you can get this CD series for a donation of any amount. Messages include:

David the Great
David's Annointing
David & Goliath (Parts 1 & 2)
Saul's Jealousy
Saul's Judgment & David's Blessing
David's Great Friendship
David's Hood
David's Revenge
David's Confusion
When the Mighty Fall
The Cripple at the Table
David & Bathsheba
Nathan's Confrontation
David's Great Repentance

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The Pathway of Death

It is my habit, once each week, to write a brief piece answering a question from a reader. I also write one piece each week wherein I set my own agenda.  Truth be told, even the question answering pieces tend to morph into something on my agenda. These pieces are published and promoted in sundry corners of the world wide web, many of which leave opportunity for comment.  Earlier this week I was asked about the Bible’s response to polygamy and concubinage. Though there are missionaries who have to deal with such things, I doubt many of my readers are tempted in this particular direction. I took the time to answer the question, however, because it gave me an opportunity to address something that interests me, the patient way God deals with our folly.

In one particular corner a discussion ensued that touched on how rare this problem is, and why oh why didn’t I address a far more important question related to sexual fidelity--pornography. And so here I am. I suspect there are not a handful of my blog readers, facebook friends or even twitter followers who have been seriously tempted to take a second wife or a concubine. I suspect that less than a handful, at least among the men, are never tempted by pornography, and that literally thousands of them are caught in its terrible grip. I suspect, however, the whole of that universe of people who read me on the internet have another related problem--we don’t believe the Bible.

Pornography, according to the Bible, is the very pathway to death.

I could here take some time to collect some shocking statistics or share some anecdotes related to pornography. I could discuss my own theory on why this evil is skyrocketing--(the short version is that the internet is the first pornography delivery system that does not involve doing business with a human being. The shame of buying a magazine or renting a video, when you, the salesman and everyone else in the store knows how this product is “used” is a fairly potent deterrent.) Instead I want to share the wisdom I preach to myself, to my sons, and to those sheep who have been under my care over the years. Pornography isn’t merely a sin. It isn’t merely a shameful sin. It isn’t merely an assault on your marriage bed and the whole of your family. Pornography, according to the Bible, is the very pathway to death:

With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it [would cost] his life.  Now therefore, listen to me, [my] children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:  Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong [men.]  Her house [is] the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death. Proverbs 7:21-27

We are as foolish as the young man whose liver was so struck, not because we succumb to the temptation of pornography, but because we succumb to the temptation to belittle God’s Word. We think this is just talking about, you know, real adultery, not the kind Jesus talked about in the Sermon on the Mount. We think this is but a word picture, an analogy, a metaphor designed to scare us away. What it is instead is the Word of God, designed to warn us away from death.

Though I can’t cite them, I have read studies that have shown that what men look at the most when viewing pornography is not what is usually covered in public. They look instead into the face, into the eyes. There she speaks the lie that she is ours, that we can enjoy the blessings of sexual union apart from covenant fidelity, that she will give herself to us. She lies as she seeks to lead us to death.

Our problem isn’t pornography. Our problem is that we don’t believe God. Her words lead downward into the chambers of death. His Word is a lamp unto our feet. Whatever internet tools you need to fight this, get them. Whatever books you need to read, read them. Whatever Biblical counseling you need to be set free, heed it. But above all, remember to believe His Word. Believe her and you will die. Believe Him, and live.

Our problem isn’t pornography. Our problem is that we don’t believe God.

Defining the Debate

The June edition of Tabletalk looks at four prominent views of the Sabbath and how it is applied to the Christian. In his contribution to this month's issue, R.C. Sproul seeks to define the debate. "The question of Sabbath observation, historically, has provoked many debates and controversies involving separate issues. The first great debate about the Sabbath is whether, as an Old Testament ordinance particularly emphasized in the Mosaic covenant, it is still obligatory in the context of new covenant Christianity. Augustine, for example, believed that nine of the Ten Commandments (the so-called “moral law” of the Old Testament) were still intact and imposed obligations upon the Christian church. His lone exception with the commandment with respect to the Sabbath day. Since Paul spoke about keeping Sabbaths or not keeping Sabbaths as a matter adiaphorous (indifferent), Augustine was persuaded that the Old Testament Sabbath law had been abrogated. Others have argued that because the Sabbath was instituted originally not in the Mosaic economy but in creation, it maintains its status of moral law as long as the creation is intact."

He looks to several other controversies within the Christian church in general and within the Reformed tradition specifically. You can read more in Defining the Debate.

Esther & Ruth

It is a privilege to review Esther & Ruth, coming as it does from one of this reviewer's favorite series, and written by one of this reviewer's four favorite living Old Testament commentators (the other three being John Currid, John Mackay, and Dale Ralph Davis). I tend to purchase everything written by these four authors, and I would heartily recommend that Reformed pastors do the same. It will never be money wasted.

It would be difficult to praise this work highly enough. It is well-written, with excellent and memorable turns of phrase. Duguid holds up Christ for us in both Esther and Ruth, and yet not in any artificial or anachronistic way. It is scholarly, but with that scholarship worn lightly enough to appeal to almost any audience. In fact, although the target audience, given the parameters of the series, is primarily preachers and teachers (see the series preface on page vii), this particular volume will be useful to anyone who wants to know more about these two books. It could be useful in one's devotions (which is how I read the book), or for Bible studies as a study guide that everyone reads. And it will certainly be useful for the preacher and teacher.

Duguid gives us his take on the meaning of Esther and Ruth in the Preface, which no one should skip:

The essential conflict between the two kingdoms—the empire of Ahasuerus and the kingdom of God—plays itself out in the lives of flawed and unexpected individuals, as God delivers his people once again from the threat of extinction. Meanwhile, in the Book of Ruth, the Great Redeemer shows his love and compassion to the embittered Naomi as well as to her foreign daughter-in-law, Ruth. His grace brings home the disobedient prodigal daughter with empty hands, so that he can astonish her with unexpected fullness (p. xi).

This brings me to the one puzzling aspect of this book. It is not clear to me why Esther, though occurring later in the canon, is treated first, while Ruth is treated second, though coming earlier in the canon. There is no explanation given as to why this is the case.

Esther is treated in 9 chapters covering the 10 chapters of the book of Esther (chapters 9 and 10 are both treated in one message). This amounts to 126 pages.

Duguid uses contrast to emphasize relevance to us today. A good example is his treatment of Vashti:

The Lord too has prepared a sumptuous banquet for his people on the last day. But when God summons his bride (the church) to his banquet, he does so not to expose her to shame but to lavish his grace and mercy upon her. He doesn't force sinners to come unwillingly to his feast, but gently woos them and draws them to himself (page 15).

Bucking the current feminist trends among Esther scholars, Duguid does not hesitate to criticize Esther for some of the things that she does wrong (or fails to do!). Duguid compares Esther's mentality in relation to culture unfavorably to Daniel, at least early in the story (p. 29). And yet, such a compromise does not put her out of the reach of grace, or later obedience. Duguid never allows criticism of Esther to cloud the sun of grace that God is determined to shine on His people. Duguid compares this situation to a Christian who marries a non-Christian spouse, even though he or she knew it was wrong (ibid.). Esther's beauty treatments are compared and contrasted with Jesus' preparation for ministry as one way in which Esther portrays Christ to us (pp. 30-31).

In chapter 4 of Esther, we learn that Esther “didn't catch on to the seriousness of the situation immediately” (p. 47). The reason why she did not catch on was her compromise with the world. When we do this, we “easily find ourselves becoming isolated and distant from God's people and out of touch with God's concerns in the world” (p. 47).

This reviewer detected the wholesome influence of Christian Counseling Education Foundation (Paul Tripp, Ed Welch, et al) in his treatment of Haman's idolatry. What drives Haman? His own idolatry:

His emotional strings were being pulled by his idol, which was public respect. When that idol was fed, he felt good; but when his idol was challenged, it led him to malice and anger...His joy and his anger were simply the outward expressions of his heart's idolatry...Haman is a case study in what happens in our hearts when our idols are challenged (p. 65).

The treatment of Ruth is no less stimulating and helpful. Five chapters (all of Esther and Ruth started out as sermons, in keeping with the series' goal to bring churchly exposition to its readers) deal with the 4 chapters of Ruth, totaling 63 pages (chapter 1 has two messages, and each subsequent chapter in Ruth has one message).

Duguid shows his craft with words when he describes “moments in life when God's pursuit of us seems like that of a persistent mosquito, constantly buzzing around our heads and causing us pain, and we are utterly powerless to shake him off” (p. 139). Only a few pages later, describing Ruth's decision to go with Naomi, he writes “There was nothing kosher about Ruth. She knew she would be about as welcome in Bethlehem as a ham sandwich at a bar mitzvah” (p. 142).

Duguid's sharp literary sense is evident in his close reading of the text. A good example is his description of the women in Bethlehem, whose reaction to Naomi's homecoming de-humanizes Ruth, not even recognizing her as a person. The narrator describes the two of them coming into Bethlehem, but the women only talk as if one person is present. He writes, “There almost seems to have been an unspoken communal conspiracy not to mention the Moabitess” (page 144). This close attention to detail surfaces again a few pages later when he discusses Naomi's wish in 1:9:

Naomi's wish that the Lord would grant them rest with their husbands in Moab is, perhaps, merely a conventional turn of phrase on her part (see Ruth 1:9). If she is aware of the implications of her request, however, she is asking the Lord to grant them exactly what she and Elimelech never found: rest outside the covenant community. Her thinking still shows the marks of confusion as to the way to true blessing (page 147, emphasis original).

Duguid is no less theologically astute. Consider his assessment of Naomi's stay in Moab compared to her homecoming: “Had she stayed contentedly 'full' (as she thought) in Moab, Naomi would have missed out on the far greater blessing of a prime place in the history of redemption” (p. 149). Applying this to us yields this insight: “Invariably, though, he has not brought these trials and losses into our lives because he hates us and is seeking to afflict us, or to get even with us for our sin” (ibid).

There are many more insights that Duguid has to offer. Some pages in my copy are nothing but underlining! This commentary comes highly recommended to all. 

Rev. Lane Keister is pastor of both Hull Christian Reformed Church and Hope Reformed Church in Hague, North Dakota, and is author of the weblog Green Baggins. 

Twitter Highlights (6/12/11)

Here are some highlights from the various Ligonier Twitter feeds over the past week.

Ligonier The whole basis for our relationship to God is rooted & grounded in grace, in that which is not earned... -R.C. Sproul



Reformation Trust We ought to read our Bibles with more diligence than men dig for hidden treasure. -Beeke & Lanning http://bit.ly/kHgI54



Ligonier "I don’t know of any generation more hungry & more in need of substantive, grace-infused relationships than this one." http://bit.ly/knuUqK



Reformation Trust The Bible does not save us. Christ saves us. But the only Christ who saves is the Christ who is revealed in the Bible. -Eric Alexander



Ligonier Christian life without love is an exercise in futility. -R.C. Sproul



Reformation Trust Church tradition...can err. Individual interpreters of Scripture can err. It is the Scriptures alone that are without error. -R.C. Sproul



Ligonier ...books & the teachers who emphasize a good self-image...are so successful...because we are a guilt-ridden people. -R.C. Sproul

You can also find our various ministries on Facebook:
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Is There a Moral Law Against Polygamy?

The Bible never condemns polygamy or having concubines.  Is there a moral law against them?

Yes there is a moral law against them because the Bible actually does condemn them. Jesus Himself said, “From the beginning it was not so…” He commands that marriage be between one man and one woman. He notes also that the relative lax standards for divorce in the old covenant were the result of our “hardness of hearts.” (See Mark 10 for this discussion.)

There is irony here. Most of the time we squirm over the harshness of the Old Testament and find the New kinder and gentler. Here Jesus narrows radically those circumstances where divorce might be permitted, and in the process rules out polygamy and concubinage.  Which raises this question- what does Jesus mean by “because of the hardness of your hearts?” Why were these things seemingly permitted in the Old Covenant?

For all its radical calls toward complete holiness in our lives, the Bible also shows remarkable wisdom and grace in how it deals with our corporate sins. God, in the Old Covenant, though He established the pattern of one man and one woman in the Garden, and though it was the notorious Lamech who introduced polygamy, began to remake a world twisted by sin through regulating certain practices rather than ruling them out altogether. He established rules for how concubines and their children were to be treated. He established rules for not only the care of slaves, but for their eventual freedom. Even in the New Testament we see how delicately Paul deals with Onesimus, the runaway slave. He does not thunder from on high that all slavery must end, but does push toward that ideal in a more natural, organic way.

When we come to understand God’s patience with us we may be tempted to presume upon His grace. Or, we may find ourselves having to answer for what He permitted, as if He were the one that created slavery and polygamy, or the circumstances that led to them. Unbelievers delight to throw these cultural differences in our face, as if they prove something wrong with His character rather than exposing what it wrong with ours.

One thing should be clear from all this. Jesus was abundantly clear that God made marriage to be between one man and one woman. That does indeed rule out polygamy and concubinage. It also rules out that oxymoronic modern notion of “Gay marriage.” There is no such thing, and never will be. “Gay marriage” is not merely wrong, but is utterly nonsensical. We need not denounce “Gay marriage” any more than we need to denounce square circles, or noisy silences. Remember this nugget of wisdom--if we call a tail a leg, how many legs does a dog have? Four. You can call a tail a leg all day long but it doesn’t make it so. Dogs have four legs. Marriages have one man and one woman. Jesus said so Himself. 

Doctrine of the Last Things: Recommended Reading

Apart from the sacraments, there is probably no division of systematic theology that is the source of more controversy than eschatology (the doctrine of the last things). Among believing Christians, one finds amillennialists, postmillennialists, and premillennialists. Among premillennialists, there are disputes over the relationship between the “rapture” and the “great tribulation.”

In order to find one’s way through the maze, it is helpful to know about some of the better books on the subject. The following works are some of those I have found most helpful (or have written myself in an attempt to be helpful).

General Eschatology

All of the standard systematic theology texts have sections on eschatology. Some of the more thorough discussions are those in Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics and in Michael Horton’s The Christian Faith. There are also specialized works focusing on eschatology. Among the best are the following:

Cornelis Venema. The Promise of the Future. Venema’s book is probably the best one-volume survey of eschatology from an orthodox Reformed perspective. Venema begins with a discussion of Old Testament eschatological expectations and their initial fulfillment in the first coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. He continues with chapters on the intermediate state, the second coming, and the signs of the times, before addressing the various millennial views. The final section of the book deals with the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, hell, and the new heavens and earth. An abridged version of this book has been published under the title Christ and the Future.

Anthony Hoekema. The Bible and the Future. Anthony Hoekema’s book has been a standard Reformed text on eschatology since its publication  in 1979. Hoekema’s book is divided into two main sections. Part One covers “inaugurated eschatology” and includes chapters on Old and New Testament eschatology, the kingdom of God, and the tension between the Already and the Not Yet. Part Two covers “future eschatology” and includes chapters on all of the major subtopics of eschatology, including death, the intermediate state, the second coming, the millennium, the general resurrection, and final judgment. Although largely supplanted by Venema, this book is still a valuable resource.

G.C. Berkouwer. The Return of Christ. Dr. Berkouwer was Dr. Sproul’s professor in the Netherlands, and this work is his volume on eschatology. It covers most of the major topics.

Historical Works

There are helpful discussions of the history of the church’s teaching on this subject in most historical theology textbooks. Although very brief, the discussion in Louis Berkhof’s The History of Christian Doctrines is worth reading. A much more thorough discussion may be found in Gregg R. Allison’s Historical Theology. A helpful discussion of the early church’s eschatology may be found in J.N.D. Kelly’s Early Christian Doctrines. A few specialized studies that are worth examining are:

Charles Hill. Regnum Caelorum: Patterns of Millennial Thought in Early Christianity. A groundbreaking in-depth study of early Christian views of the intermediate state and the millennium.

Brian E. Daley. The Hope of the Early Church. A survey of patristic eschatology up to the sixth century.

Richard Kyle. The Last Days are Here Again. Kyle surveys twenty centuries of eschatological thought with a focus on apocalyptic date-setters.

Heinrich Quistorp. Calvin’s Doctrine of the Last Things. A full length study of Calvin’s eschatological views.

Peter Toon. Puritans, the Millennium, and the Future of Israel. One of the more helpful studies of Puritan eschatology.

Iain Murray. The Puritan Hope. Murray examines the way in which an optimistic eschatology influenced European and American Christians with a particular focus on the way it influenced the rise of modern missions.

James A. DeJong. As the Waters Cover the Seas: Millennial Expectations in the Rise of Anglo American Missions, 1640–1810. DeJong, Like Murray, looks at the influence of eschatology on the missionary movement.

Biblical Theology

Keith A. Mathison. From Age to Age: The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology. This book is my attempt to trace the major eschatological themes of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

T. Desmond Alexander. From Eden to the New Jerusalem. Dr. Alexander’s wonderful little book is a great introduction to the overarching story of Scripture with its focus on the coming of the Messiah and the creation of a new heavens and earth.

Dispensationalism

Oswald T. Allis. Prophecy and the Church. Allis’s book was one of the first full-length critiques of dispensationalism penned by a Reformed scholar. It is still worth reading.

Vern S. Poythress. Understanding Dispensationalists. Dr. Poythress’s book is an irenic, yet thorough, critique of the hermeneutics of dispensationalism.

Michael Williams. This World is Not My Home: The Origins and Development of Dispensationalism. Williams’s book is a very helpful history of the origins of dispensationalism.

Hyper-Preterism

Keith A. Mathison, ed. When Shall These Things Be? This book is a collection of essays addressing various aspects of hyper-preterism (a view of eschatology that argues all biblical prophecy was fulfilled in the first century).

The Book of Revelation

Richard Bauckham. The Theology of the Book of Revelation. I have elsewhere listed my recommended commentaries on the book of Revelation. This little book is a very helpful supplement to such commentaries.

Individual Eschatology

K. Scott Oliphint and Sinclair B. Ferguson. If I Should Die Before I Wake. This is a great little book for those wanting a biblical understanding of death.

Ligon Duncan with J. Nicholas Reid. Fear Not! Death and the Afterlife from a Christian Perspective.  This too is a helpful look at the biblical concept of death and what happens afterward.

General Eschatology: First Advent and the Kingdom of God

Gerrit Scott Dawson. Jesus Ascended: The Meaning of Christ’s Continuing Incarnation. The first coming of Christ fulfilled Old Testament eschatological expectations. This book is a brilliant study of Christ’s ascension to the right hand of the Father and what it means for this present age.

Herman Ridderbos. The Coming of the Kingdom. Ridderbos’s work has become something of a classic among Reformed believers. It remains one of the most helpful studies of the New Testament teaching regarding the Kingdom of God.

George Eldon Ladd. The Presence of the Future. Ladd is a historic premillennialist, but his book has been widely influential as a study of inaugurated eschatology and the already, not-yet nature of the kingdom. It remains a must-read.

General Eschatology: The Millennium

The books by Venema and Hoekema mentioned above have chapters dealing with the millennium as do most systematic theology texts. The following books are devoted exclusively to this issue.

Stanley J. Grenz. The Millennial Maze. This book is still the best introduction to the various millennial views. Very fair and even-handed.

Donald K. Campbell and Jeffrey Townsend, eds. The Coming Millennial Kingdom. This is one of the better defenses of the premillennialist view in print. A recent book edited by Blomberg and Chung and titled A Case for Historic Premillennialism isn’t quite as helpful.

Kim Riddlebarger. A Case for Amillennialism. This work is the best single-volume defense of the amillennial view.

Keith A. Mathison. Postmillennialism. Although I agree with amillennialists regarding the time of the millennium (the entire present age), I take issue with some amillennial arguments concerning the nature and outcome of the present age.

General Eschatology: Final Judgment, Heaven and Hell

Paul Helm. The Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. This small book is a good introduction to these topics.

Robert A. Peterson. Hell On Trial. Peterson’s book is a thorough defense of the traditional doctrine of eternal punishment. He critiques both universalism and annihilationism.

Articles in this Recommended Reading series: Systematic Theologies, Doctrine of Scripture, Doctrine of God, Doctrine of the Works of God, Doctrine of Man and Sin, Doctrine of the Person of Christ, Doctrine of the Work of Christ, Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Doctrine of Salvation, Doctrine of the Church, Doctrine of Christian Worship, Doctrine of Baptism, Doctrine of Lord's Supper.

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