Justin Taylor's Blog, page 313

Kill or Be Killed

Do you mortify;

do you make it your daily work;

be always at it while you live;

cease not a day from this work;

be killing sin or it will be killing you.

—John Owen, "On the Mortification of Sin," in Overcoming Sin and Temptation, ed. Kapic & Taylor (Crossway, 2006), p. 50. [Available online for free.]

Do Christians Have to Go to Church?

Pastor Mike McKinley, author of Am I Really a Christian?

Called to Be a Pastor: But What To Do Next?

Wise counsel from a thoughtful pastor.

An Evening with C.S. Lewis

This one-man show by David Payne gives a good feel for C.S. Lewis as a man and as a thinker.

The setting is 1963 (the last year of Lewis's life), with Lewis addressing in his home a group of writers from America. It's an hour and a half in length:

If you've never heard C.S. Lewis himself speak and are interested, here are some free samples online.

The first two are from the BBC:

Beyond Personality: The New Men (14:05 mins)

March 21, 1944

Length: 14:05

(This talk later became a part of Mere Christianity.)

An Introduction to The Great Divorce

Date: May 9, 1948

Length of clip: 1:58

On this site you can hear a few samples from his lectures on The Four Loves:


Introduction (0:29)


"Agape Love" (0:20)


"Is Creation Necessary?" (0:35)

You can also order The C.S. Lewis Recordings, which contains the following material:

The Four Loves – In this rare recording of C.S. Lewis' own voice, Lewis examines the four classical Greek terms for love: storge, philia, eros and agape. Recorded in 1958 in London by the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation, it was first heard in the United States on the Episcopal Series of the Protestant Hour radio program, now known as Day1.

C.S. Lewis Speaks His Mind – This rare recording contains Lewis' lecture on Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Lewis' adaptation of his famous Cambridge lecture known as "The Great Divide," his introduction to his book The Great Divorce, and his critique of works by author Charles Williams.

Praying for Four Waves of Change in Missions

John Piper explains four waves of change he is praying for:

Putting world evangelization into the passions of a new generation.
Weaving the dark thread of hell back into the fabric of our compassion.
Blowing away misperceptions about what is needed in missions.
Persuading pastors that a passion for the global glory of God is good for the saints at home.

Read an explanation of each here.

C.J. Mahaney: "Why I'm Taking a Leave of Absence"

C.J. Mahaney writes:

Over the last few years some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace have made charges against me and informed me about offenses they have with me as well as other leaders in Sovereign Grace. These charges are serious and they have been very grieving to read. These charges are not related to any immorality or financial impropriety, but this doesn't minimize their serious nature, which include various expressions of pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy.

I believe God is kindly disciplining me through this. I believe I have by the grace of God perceived a degree of my sin, and I have been grieved by my sin and its effects on others.  I have had the opportunity to confess my sin to some of those affected in various ways by my sin. And I am so very grateful for their forgiveness.  But I want to perceive and confess any and all sin I have committed.  Although my experience of conviction has already started—and this is an evidence of God's mercy—I'm sure there is more for me to perceive and acknowledge.  Even with the charges I disagree with it has been beneficial to examine my soul and ask for the observation of others.  And I am resolved to take responsibility for my sin and every way my leadership has been deficient, and this would include making any appropriate confessions, public or private.  Most importantly I want to please God during this season of examination and evaluation.

So here is what I am going to do. I've asked to take a leave of absence in order to give time to considering these charges, examine my heart, and receive the appropriate help from others.  With the guidance of the SGM board, I would also hope to pursue reconciliation with former pastors of Sovereign Grace during this leave. I have stepped off the board and I will not be the President of Sovereign Grace Ministries during this period of examination and evaluation. In order for me to receive an objective evaluation in relation to these charges the board is securing the help of a third-party ministry that has no history of relationship with SGM. With counsel from that ministry, the board will determine the appropriate steps I should take going forward.   After processing these findings, the board will determine the appropriate steps I should take going forward.  This leave of absence will also help remove any impediment to the panel's exploration that could potentially arise if I remained in my current position, and it will enable me to fully cooperate in the process.

Just so you'll know, I have also contacted David Powlison and Mark Dever and asked them to review the charges and provide me with their counsel and correction. I have enlisted them to serve me personally during this time and to ensure this process of examining my heart and life is as thorough as possible. And for the past year I have been the recipient of Ken Sande's correction, counsel and care. That, I am grateful to say, will continue. And as you would expect I will continue to meet with the appropriate men on the board of Sovereign Grace and benefit from their correction, counsel, and care as well. I am deeply moved as I reflect on how rich I am relationally and I am humbled by the time these men are willing to spend serving me and Sovereign Grace.

My friends, I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I continue to walk through this process.  Please pray that God would give me the gift of sight where I have been blinded by my sin and others have been adversely affected by my sin. Pray that I will be convicted and experience godly sorrow resulting in reconciliation where necessary and adjustments to my heart and leadership. Thank you for praying in this way for me.

One more thing. For the past 5 years or so I have become increasingly aware of certain deficiencies in my leadership that have contributed to deficiencies in Sovereign Grace Ministries' structure and governance, the lack of a clear and consistent process of conflict resolution and pastoral evaluation, and the number of former Sovereign Grace pastors who are offended with me/SGM.  I have met with some and by God's grace there has been reconciliation with men like Larry Tomczak (I wish I had recognized and repented of my sin against him years ago).  This brings great joy to my soul.  In other cases, appeals for mediation have thus far been declined, but I'm hopeful this process will facilitate further reconciliation.  But beyond this, there are still issues that need to be addressed and fixed in our family of churches. And I bear a primary responsibility because it has happened on my watch and under my leadership. I have resolved that I and the Sovereign Grace team can't effectively lead us into the future without evaluating the past, addressing these deficiencies, improving our structure, and as much as possible pursuing reconciliation with former pastors. So during this leave of absence I will not only devote all the appropriate and necessary time to the independent panel and the charges but also to doing what I can to identify where I have failed to lead us effectively in relation to pastoral evaluation and conflict resolution.

My friends, though my soul can be easily overwhelmed as I contemplate my sin and its effects on others, I am also resolved to examine my heart, address the past, and play my role in preparing SGM for a future of planting and serving churches.  And given the mercy of God portrayed in the gospel my heart is filled with hope that his good purpose for us will come to pass and cannot be frustrated. I trust there will be much grace to tell you of at the end of this process.

Dave Harvey has also written a letter on behalf of the Board of Sovereign Grace Ministries:

By now you may have read C.J.'s letter about recent developments in his life and in Sovereign Grace Ministries.  We want to take a moment to communicate to you as well concerning these events and inform you of the steps the SGM board is taking in response.

We understand that this news may strike some as sudden and surprising.  However, a process has been unfolding over a number of months in which the board has sought to evaluate charges against C.J., assist him in examining his heart and pursuing reconciliation, and bring accountability and guidance to him in this process.   Because some of the charges move beyond C.J. to SGM, we also wanted to examine ourselves and our practices both past and current. To that end, we are in the process of securing help from an outside organization that can conduct a thorough and objective review of the charges being brought against C.J. and SGM. We are seeking to identify an organization that has no prior history with us and that has wide respect in Christian circles, and we will keep you posted on that search process as we make progress. We have by no means guided this process flawlessly, but we are learning and growing through this long and difficult process.  And we are encouraged by how God appears to be leading us.

It is also important for us to be clear that we are supportive of C.J.'s letter and the decisive actions he has taken.  The charges against C.J. are serious, but his response has been one of self-examination and, when possible, specific confession to those sinned against.  However, given the numerous events, people, and perspectives involved, the work of an independent panel will be vital to fully examining these charges and arriving at an objective conclusion, especially on those charges with which the board does not agree. We therefore believe the leave of absence is appropriate in the present circumstances to afford C.J. the time to reflect upon his heart and to allow an independent panel space to conduct its review.  Like C.J., we are committed to facilitate as thorough and objective a process as possible by an independent panel.

In addition to our search for an independent panel, we have taken other steps in response to these circumstances.   In order to secure a broader source of accountability and benefit from a deeper pool of wisdom, we have expanded the board to lead SGM in this season.  The current regional leadership team members, all pastors in SGM churches, constitute the additional board members: Craig Cabaniss, Mickey Connelly, Rick Gamache, Pete Greasley, John Loftness, Aron Osborne, Mark Prater, and Steve Shank.  We are grateful for the wisdom and experience these men bring to this board and for their willingness to serve in this capacity.  To facilitate continuity in our day-to-day operations, the new board has appointed Dave Harvey to act as the interim president during C.J.'s  leave of absence.

As for C.J., his primary focus during the leave of absence will be to continue to examine his heart and consider the various charges and offenses, as well as to fully cooperate with an independent panel, once chosen by the board.  Any pursuit of reconciliation with aggrieved parties will be guided by the counsel of the board and the independent panel.  C.J. has also fully submitted himself to the board's direction regarding his ministry activities and external commitments during this time.

All of us carry concern for the Mahaneys personally, and the board is working to ensure that a clear and helpful plan is in place to provide adequate care for C.J. and his family during this season.  This plan will integrate the local care C.J. receives with other lines of counsel he receives from those outside of SGM.

We realize there is much to process here, and much of it is disconcerting.  Our theology serves us well in times like this: God is clearly at work in C.J., in our own lives, and in SGM.  Our desire is to embrace all that he has for us in this season, knowing he is working for our good, however difficult that may be.  To those in the SGM family of churches, our commitment is that we will, by God's grace, seek to walk as humbly, wisely, and transparently as possible during this season, and to seek to serve and care for Sovereign Grace churches in whatever way we can.  We covet your prayers, and we cherish our partnership with you now more than ever.

If I could offer one short word here: information like this can be difficult to process because you're not sure what to do with it. I think our natural temptation is to speculate and to gossip, which ultimately accomplishes nothing but destruction. No sin is easier to justify because the care and concern can seem sanctified. It's worth reading this good post by Ray Ortlund on the topic and meditating upon this question from David Powlison:

What does it mean to cover sins in mercy (not cover-up, but true covering in mercy), to allow others to find care and restoration in their own interpersonal context, rather than attempting to humiliate them before the whole world?

When we're not sure what to do or how to respond, I think we should seek to default to the "all / always / whenever" passages in the NT:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." (Phil. 4:4)

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thess. 5:18)

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." (Eph. 6:16-18)

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

When in doubt, King Jehoshaphat's prayer is always appropriate: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you" (2 Chron. 20:12).

The Transmission of Christian Culture

In this post from First Things Matthew Milliner makes a helpful distinction between two ways of thinking about the relationship between culture and Christ as culture.

The first approach thinks of Christ and culture like the dispensable relationship of the hermit crab and its shell: "The true essence of the gospel might don cultural attire when necessary, but only to just as quickly cast it off, seeking new garb to attract a fresh set of converts."

The other approach can be thought of along the lines of the indispensable connection between a turtle and its shell: "A turtle is permanently fused to its habitation by its backbone and ribs; the shell is inextricable from the creature itself. Removing it would rip the animal apart. In its single shell lie a turtle's protection, distinction, and beauty. This unique relationship to its hardened exterior is what places turtles among the earth's oldest reptiles—contemporaries of both dinosaurs and us."

He goes on to look at T.S. Eliot's essays in Christianity and Culture, which advocate a "turtle" approach to culture:

Eliot's understanding of Christianity and culture was both large and subtle, so difficult that Eliot himself could not grasp it "except in flashes." He could, however, name two errors: the beliefs that "culture can be preserved, extended, and developed in the absence of religion," and that "the preservation and maintenance of religion need not reckon with the preservation and maintenance of culture: a belief which may even lead to the rejection of the products of culture as frivolous obstructions to the spiritual life." . . .

Of course, it would be foolish to suggest that all parts of Christian culture need be retained, just as it would be foolish to discourage new forms of indigenous Christian culture. Eliot suggests neither. Instead, he points out that a Christian culture already formed is discarded unwisely, for it is not made overnight. "You cannot put on a new culture ready made. You must wait for the grass to grow to feed the sheep to give the wool out of which your new coat will be made."

True, there may be room in Christianity for relationships to culture that resemble both the hermit crab and the turtle. But should the Church wish to produce further generations of Christians with the luxury to protest Christendom, she needs to preserve and transmit Christian culture in addition to faith. Eliot, no stranger to nuance, on this matter expresses himself quite plainly: "I believe the choice before us is between the formation of a new Christian culture, and the acceptance of a pagan one."

In an arresting passage, he warns that to neglect the transmission of Christian culture is to destroy "our ancient edifices to make ready the ground upon which the barbarian nomads of the future will encamp in their mechanized caravans." He would be unsurprised to see those edifices further eroded today. He might be surprised to see a crustaceous crowd of post-Christendom Christians celebrating the loss.

Using "O My God!" Instead of "Oh My God!"

Just because "Oh my God!" is abused in our culture—a case of taking great God's name lightly and in vain—doesn't mean we should refrain from the vocative "O my God!"

Note in the Bible how often it is used in conjunction with imploring God to listen, to see, to remember, to arise, and to save.

2 Chronicles 6:40

Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.

Ezra 9:6

"O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.

Nehemiah 5:19

Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 6:14

Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

Nehemiah 13:14

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

Nehemiah 13:22

Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

Nehemiah 13:29

Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

Nehemiah 13:31

I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Psalm 3:7

Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

Psalm 22:2

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

Psalm 25:2

O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.

Psalm 38:21

Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me!

Psalm 40:8

I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Psalm 40:17

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 59:1

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me.

Psalm 71:4

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

Psalm 71:12

O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!

Psalm 71:22

I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

Psalm 83:13

O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.

Psalm 102:24

"O my God," I say, "take me not away in the midst of my days—you whose years endure throughout all generations!"

Daniel 9:18

O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.

Daniel 9:19

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.

The ESV Student Study Bible

The ESV Student Study Bible releases soon.

I hope the Lord will use this to help many students of God's Word—whether in or out of school—come to a better understanding and application of his gracious revelation to us.

In addition to Amazon, WTS Books and other retailers will carry this as a hardcover, as Navy TruTone and in Taupe TruTone.

To explore this resource in a bit more depth and to compare it to the ESV Study Bible, you can view a PDF sampler of the interior as well as a comparison chart. You can also view both documents below.

To explore this resource in a bit more depth and to compare it to the ESV Study Bible, you can view a PDF sampler of the interior as well as a comparison chart. You can also view both documents below.

The Arrogance of Trying to Attract People to Jesus by Hiding Things about Him

"I confess to the church, I know I have backed away from certain things because of my arrogance I thought I could attract more people to Jesus by hiding certain things about him."

—Francis Chan, from a conversation with Mark Galli.