R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 95

The Puritans on Assurance

In this brief clip from his teaching series A Survey of Church History, W. Robert Godfrey examines how the Puritans sought to separate faith from assurance and the consequences of doing so. Watch this entire message for free.

Transcript

But for many Protestants, part of the essential joy of being a Christian was that you could know that you are right with God, that you could know you have peace with God. The Apostle Paul, of course, says that so clearly, but the Roman Catholic apologist, said, "Well, that was a special revelation to Paul, that wasn't meant for everybody." But Paul doesn't say, "I have peace with God," he says, "We have peace with God," that's the assurance. And in the early days of the Reformation, that was a great theme that was preached, powerfully preached, by Calvin, incorporated in the Heidelberg Catechism. But by the seventeenth-century, in Puritan circles, assurance was beginning to become something of a problem, there were more and more people who said, "Well, I want to believe, I think I believe, but I don't know that I believe. Now, what should I think about that? How should I feel about that?" And some of the Puritan pastors began to say, maybe it would be helpful to separate faith from assurance. And say to people, “Well, you know, it's possible to have faith and not know it fully. It's possible to have peace with God, but not realize that you have peace with God. So let's separate faith from assurance, so we can more easily help people become assured.” Well, you know, whenever you try to improve on John Calvin, it's like painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa, you don't -- you have added something, but you haven't improved it.

And that's what many of the Puritans found, that the separation of faith and assurance actually led to a growing problem of assurance. And when they came to write the Westminster Standards, they weren't quite sure what to put in there. And many people have said, "Well, Westminster teaches that assurance is not of the essence of faith." Now, there are a couple of passages in Westminster that seem to say that, but if you really read them carefully in context, what you discover, that's not what they say. Westminster is carefully written so that both, the original Reformed point of view of Calvin and the later Puritan point of view, both sides can agree with the Westminster Standards. Thomas Boston made a great argument about that in the Church of Scotland, in the eighteenth-century, very convincing. So whether you think assurance is of the essence of faith or not, you can subscribe to the Westminster Confession, but to subscribe to the Heidelberg Catechism, you have to believe that assurance, at least some kind of assurance is essential to faith. It's not enough to say, "I believe," you have to have some confidence that you are actually resting in Christ, and he's done his work for you, but that's the preacher in me coming out.

Is It Important to Know the Moment of Our Regeneration?

The Lord knows when we were regenerated. What if we don’t? From one of our Ask Ligonier events, Burk Parsons considers if it is important for Christians to know the moment when we were born again by the Holy Spirit.

Message us for clear, concise, and trustworthy answers to your biblical and theological questions at Ask.Ligonier.org.

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The Importance of What We Do in Secret

According to Jesus, it is what we do in secret that matters most. Jesus is not suggesting that the outward is unimportant—far from it. "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?" (James 2:14).

The answer is emphatically no. Still, it is also possible to have outward works but no inner reality. In this instance, religion is a pretense. Six times in the Sermon on the Mount, alluding to three distinct exercises, Jesus employs the term secret:

Give "in secret…and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matt. 6:4).
Pray "in secret…and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (v. 6).
Fast "in secret…and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (v. 18).

The Sermon on the Mount is addressing the issue of authenticity. Just how genuine is our relationship with the Lord Jesus? It is altogether possible to practice an outward display of piety—to "talk the talk"—without demonstrating any inner reality of godliness. This is true of every professing Christian, and it is especially true of those engaged in Christian ministry. Authentic Christianity requires an outward and discernible "work of faith" (1 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 1:11). But it also requires genuine godly affections and an inner discipline of the heart.

There is a manner of ministry that is more about self-service than self-sacrifice, self-indulgence than self-discipline, and self-promotion than self-denial. There is also giving that is designed for recognition—plaques on walls intended to be read by generations to come, or press releases informing the world of "generous donations"; prayers in pristine Cranmerlike language of the sixteenth century suggesting depths of personal piety; fasting that is shown via open-necked T-shirts revealing a ribbed torso.

But all these outward demonstrations of piety may be no more than mere hypocrisy. The Greek word translated "hypocrites" (Matt. 6:2, 5) refers to the masks worn by ancient actors as symbols of pretense and show. Thus, give with fanfare; pray with pride; fast with notice. This ministry is inauthentic. It is a sham.

Inauthentic ministry was a charge leveled against Paul. The Corinthians said that there was discrepancy between the way he wrote his letters and the way he was in person: "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account" (2 Cor. 10:10). It is a serious charge, and in his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul spends almost the entire time defending himself. The critique came from jealousy and therefore bore no legitimacy. But the fact is, the charge can be true—not of Paul, but of us. Leadership calls for genuineness, authenticity and transparency.

True, there's something of a cliché about the word authentic when applied to Christian ministry (add contemporary, intentional, relevant, and community to that list). If we really need to add the description authentic, we are probably trying too hard and therefore not being authentic at all. Nevertheless, hypocrisy lurks everywhere, not least in Christian ministry, and we ignore it at our peril.

Godliness must be found in the heart if it is to be genuine. The one who prays more in public than in private, or only gives at special events when likely to be thanked for it, or practices spiritual disciplines and lets everyone know just how difficult a spiritual routine he keeps, is more concerned about the outward appearance than a heart-relationship with Jesus.

Jonathan Edwards observed the pattern of the hypocrite with respect to prayer:

Perhaps they attend it on Sabbath days, and sometimes on other days. But they have ceased to make it a constant practice daily to retire to worship God alone, and to seek his face in secret places. They sometimes do a little to quiet conscience, and just to keep alive their old hope; because it would be shocking to them, even after all their subtle dealing with their consciences to call themselves converts, and yet totally to live without prayer. Yet the practice of secret prayer they have in a great measure left off.

There has been a rise in the use of "written prayers" in Presbyterian worship in the last decade. In part, it is a reflection of the desire to elevate worship. Liturgical, written, prepared prayers are certainly preferable to the (otherwise) paucity and emptiness of some extemporary prayers. But written prayers (drawn from The Valley of Vision, for example) may simply mask the emptiness of the heart.

And Thomas Cranmer seemed to understand the danger of wearing a mask of hypocrisy when he included the Collect of Purity in the Book of Common Prayer for the Anglican Church. Cranmer placed it just before the celebration of the Lord's Supper:

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord.

This is a prayer for all seasons.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

$5 Friday (And More): Calvinism, William Tyndale, & Grace

It’s time for our weekly $5 Friday sale. This week’s resources include such topics as Calvinism, William Tyndale, grace, the book of Job, worldview, regeneration, and more.

Plus, several bonus resources are also available for more than $5. These have been significantly discounted from their original price. This week’s bonus resources include:

Calvinism and the Christian Life , DVD $30 $12 (Save 60%)
Upsetting the World: 2000 National Conference , DVD $75 $15 (Save 80%)
Reformation Profiles , DVD $30 $8 (Save 73%)
Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ , Paperback $16 $11 (Save 30%)
Taking God at His Word , Paperback $15 $10 (Save 32%)
Foundations of Grace: Old Testament , CD Collection $36 $15 (Save 58%)
Foundations of Grace: Old Testament , Study Guide $15 $7.50 (Save 50%)
Holy Boldness , CD $10 $6 (Save 40%)
The Poetic Wonder of Isaac Watts , Audiobook $19 $12 (Save 35%)

Sale runs through 12:01 a.m.–11:59 p.m. Friday ET.

View today’s $5 Friday sale items.

The Master Storyteller

Here’s an excerpt from The Master Storyteller, Burk Parsons' contribution to the February issue of Tabletalk:

Jesus was the master storyteller who, as prophesied in Psalm 78 (see Matt. 13:35), often taught using parables to illustrate His overarching message. He did this for at least two reasons: to confound those who rejected Him and to enlighten those who received Him (Mark 4:11–12). If someone finds all of Jesus’ stories confounding, it is because our sovereign God has not given him the eyes to see, the ears to hear, or the heart to perceive the saving truth of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

Continue reading The Master Storyteller, or begin receiving Tabletalk magazine by signing up for a free 3-month trial.

For a limited time, the new TabletalkMagazine.com allows everyone to browse and read the growing library of back issues, including this month’s issue.

Only a Fool Would Conclude There Is No God

The fool has said in the depths of his soul, “There is no God for me.” In this brief clip, Steven Lawson explains what makes one a fool from Psalm 14.

Transcript

To say that there is no God, the Bible says, makes one a fool. Only a fool would come to such a foolish conclusion. Now the word “fool,” “nābāl,” does not mean a person of mental incompetence, it means one of moral perversity. And they don't have head problems, they have heart problems. Now, such fools are often very bright people with high intellect and with impeccable academic credentials. They are not a fool in the sense that they are moronic, or they do not have the capacity to connect thoughts together. No, they very often are some of the brightest minds in all of the world. The problem lies far deeper than their heads. Their problem is their heart. “The fool has said in his heart…” The “fool” is one who spurns the clear evidence that is set before him concerning the reality of God and makes a fundamental decision of unbelief based upon the evidence that is presented to him. There is, by this fool, a deliberate and intentional rejection and refusal of God Himself. The “heart” here refers to the entire inner person. It's not “heart” as the Greek thinks of “heart,” which is simply more the affections. To the Hebrew mind, the “heart” represented the entire inner life: the mind, the emotion, the conscience, the will—the entire inner being of a person. The atheist, the fool, has said in his heart—he says there is no God. You should know, in the original Hebrew language, the words “there is” are not found in the original manuscript. The translators have supplied “there is” to make this read more smoothly. And in the original language, it simply says, “The fool has said in his heart ‘No, God.’” In other words, the evidence for God has been presented and there has been a deliberate, intentional refusal of God. It would be as if I had come to your house and I sat down at your table, and in the distributing of the portions of the food for the meal, and you pass, let's say, the potatoes to me, and I clearly see the potatoes, and I put up my hands and I just say, “No potatoes for me!” I see it, there it is, and there is an adamant rejection. It's not that I do not believe that the potatoes are there. I see them, and there is a decision on my part to turn away from what is presented to me. That is what David is saying here. The fool has said in the depths of his soul, “No God. There is no God for me.”

“I will have nothing to do with God.”

“But on the inside, there is the recognition that there is a God in heaven, but I do not want God to run my life or tell me how to live.”

“I will go my own way.”

“I will be the captain of my own ship.”

“I will be the master of my own destiny.”

“When God is presented to me and the evidence of God in creation and God consciousness and the truth about God has made known to me, I will adamantly set my jaw and say, ‘No, God.’”

Only a Fool Would Conclude There is No God

The fool has said in the depths of his soul, “There is no God for me.” In this brief clip, Steven Lawson explains what makes one a fool from Psalm 14.

Transcript

To say that there is no God, the Bible says, makes one a fool. Only a fool would come to such a foolish conclusion. Now the word “fool,” “nābāl,” does not mean a person of mental incompetence, it means one of moral perversity. And they don't have head problems, they have heart problems. Now, such fools are often very bright people with high intellect and with impeccable academic credentials. They are not a fool in the sense that they are moronic, or they do not have the capacity to connect thoughts together. No, they very often are some of the brightest minds in all of the world. The problem lies far deeper than their heads. Their problem is their heart. “The fool has said in his heart…” The “fool” is one who spurns the clear evidence that is set before him concerning the reality of God and makes a fundamental decision of unbelief based upon the evidence that is presented to him. There is, by this fool, a deliberate and intentional rejection and refusal of God Himself. The “heart” here refers to the entire inner person. It's not “heart” as the Greek thinks of “heart,” which is simply more the affections. To the Hebrew mind, the “heart” represented the entire inner life: the mind, the emotion, the conscience, the will—the entire inner being of a person. The atheist, the fool, has said in his heart—he says there is no God. You should know, in the original Hebrew language, the words “there is” are not found in the original manuscript. The translators have supplied “there is” to make this read more smoothly. And in the original language, it simply says, “The fool has said in his heart ‘No, God.’” In other words, the evidence for God has been presented and there has been a deliberate, intentional refusal of God. It would be as if I had come to your house and I sat down at your table, and in the distributing of the portions of the food for the meal, and you pass, let's say, the potatoes to me, and I clearly see the potatoes, and I put up my hands and I just say, “No potatoes for me!” I see it, there it is, and there is an adamant rejection. It's not that I do not believe that the potatoes are there. I see them, and there is a decision on my part to turn away from what is presented to me. That is what David is saying here. The fool has said in the depths of his soul, “No God. There is no God for me.”

“I will have nothing to do with God.”

“But on the inside, there is the recognition that there is a God in heaven, but I do not want God to run my life or tell me how to live.”

“I will go my own way.”

“I will be the captain of my own ship.”

“I will be the master of my own destiny.”

“When God is presented to me and the evidence of God in creation and God consciousness and the truth about God has made known to me, I will adamantly set my jaw and say, ‘No, God.’”

Is It True That God Blesses Those Who Bless Israel and Curses Those Who Curse Israel?

One of the first promises in the Bible is given to Abram, whom God appointed to be a blessing to the whole earth. Not only did God tell this patriarch that he would receive a good land and have many children, but He also promised Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse” (Gen. 12:1–3). That’s an incredible promise, isn’t it? God will favor those who favor Abram and set Himself against those who oppose Abram.

Like me, you probably want God’s blessing and favor on your life. This verse gives us the secret to obtaining that blessing. We just need to bless Abram. Abram, later renamed Abraham, died some four thousand years ago. So, one might think that it is no longer possible to bless him. That is not the case. The promise to Abraham was passed down through his son Isaac to his grandson Jacob (Gen. 27:1–29). Jacob, of course, was renamed Israel, his sons being the founding fathers of the tribes of Israel. So, the promise of Abraham passed on to Israel as well (Num. 24:1–9).

So, God is going to bless those who bless Abraham, which means He is going to bless those who bless Israel. And this promise was never withdrawn. It must come to pass, which means it is still in force today. But does the Israel of God exist today?

From a biblical perspective, the Israel of God does still exist. But here is where things get perhaps a little tricky, for in today’s world there is a nation-state named Israel that is occupying much of the geography that the Old Testament refers to as the promised land. So, this must mean that if we want God’s blessing, we have to do good to the modern nation of Israel by supporting everything that nation does, right?

Not exactly. You see, the Bible is also clear that the Israel of God is not any modern nation-state and that it is not made up of one people group. The Israel of God is Jesus Christ and all those who are united to Him by faith alone. Referring to the young Jesus’ return to the promised land after the death of Herod the Great, Matthew quotes the prophet Hosea, who said “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matt. 2:15). This quote comes from Hosea 11:1, where Hosea is referring to the nation of Israel. Essentially, Matthew is saying that the true son of God named Israel is none other than Jesus the Messiah. Similarly, in John 15:1, Jesus says, “I am the true vine.” Every Jew who heard Him would have remembered the many places in the Old Testament where Israel is referred to as God’s vine or God’s vineyard (e.g., Isa. 5:1–7; Jer. 6:9; Hos. 10:1). Jesus’ point is clear: because He is the true vine, He is the true Israel of God.

But the Israel of God is not Jesus alone. It’s also all those who trust in Him alone for salvation. Turning to Romans 11, we find the Apostle Paul explaining why so many Jews—Israel according to the flesh—do not believe Jesus is the Messiah while so many gentiles do. Paul likens Israel, the people of God, to an olive tree and notes that those who are part of the tree by birth—the natural branches, the Jews—can be broken off by their unbelief in Christ, and those who were not part of the tree by birth—wild branches of a different tree, the gentiles—can be grafted in to the olive tree of Israel and become part of that tree. Faith in Christ, then, is what makes a person a member of the Israel of God, not mere ethnic descent. Paul confirms this elsewhere in Galatians 6:16, where he calls the Galatian church—made up predominantly of gentiles who believed in Jesus—as “the Israel of God.” The true Israel of God, then, consists of Christ and all the Jews and gentiles who believe in Him.



Blessing the Israel of God, therefore, does not mean supporting every policy of the modern nation-state of Israel. There may be good political reasons to support many of the modern nation-state’s policies, but Genesis 12:3 does not provide a theological reason to do so. And of course, Christians are called to do good to all people and to take the gospel to both Jews and gentiles (Rom. 1:16; Gal. 6:10). But blessing the Israel of God means, in this new covenant era, blessing the church of Christ—supporting its work, doing good to its people, striving for its peace and purity, and so forth. God will bless those who bless His people, the church.

Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, February 2020

The February issue of Tabletalk offers readers a study of the parables of Jesus. Perhaps no feature of the teaching ministry of Jesus is better known than His use of parables. In fact, parables were such a defining feature of His ministry that Matthew 13:34 tells us that Jesus “said nothing to [His hearers] without a parable.” Several of these parables are so well known that their titles have made it into secular usage as shorthand references for other concepts (e.g., “good Samaritan” as a person who does good to others). Other parables remain more obscure, being hardly known in the church, let alone in the wider culture. This issue of Tabletalk exposits several of our Lord’s parables, seeking to help readers better understand the teaching of Christ.

For a limited time, the new TabletalkMagazine.com allows everyone to browse and read the growing library of back issues, including this month's issue. You can also purchase the issue or subscribe to get the print issue every month.

The Master Storyteller by Burk Parsons
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven by Aaron L. Garriott
The Parable of the Rich Fool by Miguel Núñez
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant by Gerald Bilkes
The Parable of the Dishonest Manager by David E. Briones
The Parable of the Tenants by Charles K. Telfer
The Parable of the Seed Growing by Matthias Lohmann
The Parables of the Treasure in the Field and the Pearl of Great Price by Thomas Keene
The Parables of the Lost Sheep and Coin by Josh Moody
The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard by Jonathan T. Pennington
The Parable of the Persistent Widow by Benjamin L. Gladd
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector by Erik Raymond
The Parable of the Good Shepherd by Greg Lanier
Guarding Our Eyes by Albert N. Martin
Modeling Love for the Church by Mary Beeke
What Is Truly Loving Speech? by Robert W. Carver
Our Family Story by Stephen J. Nichols

Read the Entire Issue

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Am I Really a Christian If I Don't Feel Any Different?

The forgiveness Christ gives to His people is an objective state of affairs. From one of our Ask R.C. events, R.C. Sproul exhorts us to rest our faith in the truth of God’s Word, not our ever-changing feelings. Ask your biblical and theological questions live online at Ask.Ligonier.org.

Read the Transcript