Justin Taylor's Blog, page 357
February 18, 2011
In Christ: In One Sentence
It's well known that Ephesians 1:3-14 is one long sentence in Greek. The following is from the ESV but I've made some of the pronouns more explicit to highlight the way in which Paul sees the Christian life—from before the foundation of the world to eternity—as bound up with the idea of union with Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love God predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In Christ we have redemption through Christ's blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.
In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
In Christ you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Christ, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
In Christ: In One Sentnece
It's well known that Ephesians 1:3-14 is one long sentence in Greek. The following is from the ESV but I've made some of the pronouns more explicit to highlight the way in which Paul sees the Christian life—from before the foundation of the world to eternity—as bound up with the idea of union with Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love God predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In Christ we have redemption through Christ's blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.
In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
In Christ you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Christ, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
February 17, 2011
Husbands: Headship Means Taking the Lead in Reconciliation
Leadership means we must take the lead in reconciliation.
I don't mean that wives should never say they are sorry.
But in the relation between Christ and his church, who took the initiative to make all things new?
Who left the comfort and security of his throne of justice to put mercy to work at Calvary?
Who came back to Peter first after three denials?
Who has returned to you again and again forgiving you and offering his fellowship afresh?
So husbands, your headship means: Go ahead. Take the lead. It does not matter if it is her fault. That didn't stop Christ.
Who will break the icy silence first?
Who will choke out the words, "I'm sorry, I want it to be better"?
Or: "Can we talk? I'd like things to be better."
She might beat you to it. That's okay. But woe to you if you think that, since it's her fault, she's obliged to say the first reconciling word.
Headship is not easy. It is the hardest, most humbling work in the world.
Protect your family. Strive, as much as it lies within you, to make peace before the sun goes down.
Why God's Love Is Better Than "Unconditional"
In his essay-turned-booklet, God's Love: Better Than Unconditional, David Powlison suggests that people who use the term often have good intentions, wanting to affirm four interrelated truths:
"Conditional love" is bad—unconditional is shorthand for the opposite of manipulation, demand, judgmentalism.
God's love is patient—unconditional is shorthand for hanging on for the long haul, rather than bailing out when the going gets rough.
True love is God's gift—unconditional is shorthand for unearned blessings, rather than legalism.
God receives you just as you are: sinful, suffering, confused—unconditional is shorthand for God's invitation to rough, dirty, broken people.
These are true—and precious. But Powlison offers several responses. (I can only summarize and paraphrase here—buy the booklet to see the arguments in full.)
First, Powlison suggests that "there are more biblical and vivid ways to capture each of the four truths just stated." "People currently employ a somewhat vague, abstract word—unconditional—when the Bible gives us more vivid and specific words, metaphors, and stories."
Second, it's not true that unmerited grace is strictly unconditional. Jesus Christ opened a way for us to experience the biblical love of God by fulfilling two conditions: a life of perfect obedience to the moral will of God, and a perfect substitutionary death on our behalf. Powlison writes: "Unconditional love? No, something much better. People who now use the word unconditional often communicate an acceptance neutered of this detailed, Christ-specific truth."
Third, God's love is more than conditional, for it is intended to change those who receive it. "Unconditional" often connotes "you're okay." But there is something wrong with you. The word "unconditional" may well express the welcome of God, but it does not well express the point of his welcome.
Fourth, "unconditional love" carries a load of cultural baggage, wedded to words like "tolerance, acceptance, affirmation, benign, okay," and a philosophy that says love should not impose values, expectations, or beliefs on another. In fact, humanist psychology even has a term for it: "unconditional positive regard" (Carl Rogers).
Powlison says, "We can do better":
Saying "God's love is unconditional love" is a bit like saying "The sun's light at high noon is a flashlight in a blackout."
Come again?
A dim bulb sustains certain analogies to the sun.
Unconditional love does sustain certain analogies to God's love.
But why not start with the blazing sun rather than the flashlight?
When you look closely, God's love is very different from "unconditional positive regard," the seedbed of contemporary notions of unconditional love.
God does not accept me just as I am;
He loves me despite how I am;
He loves me just as Jesus is;
He loves me enough to devote my life to renewing me in the image of Jesus.
This love is much, much, much better than unconditional! Perhaps we could call it "contraconditional" love.
Contrary to the conditions for knowing God's blessing, He has blessed me because His Son fulfilled the conditions.
Contrary to my due, He loves me.
And now I can begin to change, not to earn love but because of love.
. . . You need something better than unconditional love.
You need the crown of thorns.
You need the touch of life to the dead son of the widow of Nain.
You need the promise to the repentant thief.
You need to know, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
You need forgiveness.
You need a Vinedresser, a Shepherd, a Father, a Savior.
You need to become like the one who loves you.
You need the better love of Jesus.
For a complementary perspective, see John Piper's answer, "Is God's Love Unconditional?"
Barcode to Bibliography App
Bibliography work just got a whole lot easier:
A new smartphone application takes most of the grunt work out of citing books in scholarly papers.
Quick Cite, which costs 99 cents and is available for both iPhones and Android-based phones, uses the camera on a smartphone to scan the bar code on the back of a book. It then e-mails you a bibliography-ready citation in one of four popular styles—APA, MLA, Chicago, or IEEE.
Preaching Christ from the Old Testament
The Gospel Coalition unveils a new project on Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, with reflections, interviews, recommended reading, etc. This looks like an incredible resource to serve the church.
Collin Hansen introduces the project. Here's an excerpt:
This expansive and expanding collection of resources—books, articles, sermons, workshops, interviews, outlines, and more—seeks to equip teachers so they can acquaint other Christians with the full gospel story. Whether you preach regularly, lead a small group, or simply want to learn more about the Bible, you'll find resources here that will unveil the incomparable beauty of this grand, sweeping narrative. . . . We've surveyed practitioners who faithfully model gospel-centered preaching to recommend the best books on the subject in general and specifically related to a variety of topics. Already you'll see that we've devoted pages to preaching Old Testament narrative, the Ten Commandments, Jonah, and Psalms. This is just a start. We'll continue to build the site with more recommendations to prepare you to teach Old Testament genres, subjects, books, and characters. We'll also address the New Testament's use of the Old Testament and biblical/theological themes we can trace from Genesis to Revelation.
Below are a few new related pieces from TGC: a brief overview from Carson, an interview with Greidanus, and a caution from House:
"An Interview with Sidney Greidanus"
Paul House, "Christ-Centered Zeal: Some Concerns from an OT Scholar"
D. A. Carson, "How the Bible Hangs Together"
February 16, 2011
An Interview with Makoto Fujimura on "The Four Holy Gospels," Art, and Christianity
I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to sit down and talk with renowned artist Makota Fujimura, the artist behind The Four Holy Gospels. It was especially encouraging and fascinating to hear about the way in which the Lord drew Mako to himself. (Hint: pray for the people listed in letters from missionaries!) And I was personally instructed by the ways in which he counseled folks (like me) who appreciate art but don't fully "get it" but want to serve and encourage artists.
Here's the video, followed by a rough outline of our conversation:
00:00-2:00 What is an illuminated Bible?
2:00-2:45 Why was this Fujimura's most "exhausting and "exhilarating" project?
2:45-4:55 Why does he think this will be the project he will be remembered for?
4:55-5:55 Brief overview of Fujimura's life before he became an artist
5:55-8:20 Growing up in a non-religious but highly creative home
8:20-11:50 Being an agnostic moralist at Bucknell, and the impact of the KJV and poetry and literature as a preparation for faith
11:50-13:15 Meeting his wife and moving to Japan
13:15-19:30 How the Lord used missionary friends, a pastor, and William Blake's poem Jerusalem to bring him to faith in Tokyo
19:30-21:30 How unbelieving artists can be haunted by beauty and alienated from the beauty they create when they don't have room for transcendence
21:30-24:00 His double exile—his conversion and evangelism changed artists' perception of him, and people in the church didn't understand the importance of art, and the founding of the International Arts Movement
24:00-27:15 What Fujimura would say to pastors who like art and want to encourage and influence arts but who "don't really get art."
27:15-30:55 What Fujimura would say to artists who feel like their creativity is in tension with creedal theology.
30:55-36:00 What Fujimura would say to people who want to be affected by art and to grow in their appreciation for art but don't know what to do, and how The Four Holy Gospels might help
Hope for Your Dark Night of the Soul
From a 2008 interview with Bob Kauflin, published in The Power of Words and the Wonder of God (pp. 149-151):
I helped plant a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1991. I began to feel increasing anxiety at different times when we first planted the church. Then in January of 1994 my wife and I were at a couple's house for dinner, and I cracked. My life fell apart. Mentally I had no connection with what I was doing, no connection with the past, no connection with the future. I didn't know why I existed. These were the thoughts that went through my brain. That began a period of maybe three years where I battled constant hopelessness. I would wake up each morning with this thought: "Your life is completely hopeless," and then I would go from there. It was a struggle just to make it through to each step of the day. The way I made it through was just to think, What am I going to do next? What will I do? I can make it to there.
It was characterized by panic attacks. For the first six months I battled thoughts of death. I'd think about an event that was three months away: Why am I thinking about that? I'm going to be dead by then. I had feelings of tightness in my chest, buzzing and itching on my arms, buzzing on my face. It was a horrible time. And in the midst of that I cried out to God, and I certainly talked to the pastor that I served with and other pastors that I knew—good friends—trying to figure out what in the world was going on with my life.
Five or six children at that time, a fruitful life, a fruitful ministry. And this is what I discovered: although I'd been a Christian for twenty-two years (since 1972) I was driven by a desire to be praised by men. And I wasn't succeeding. When you plant a church, you find out that there are a lot of people who don't agree with you. People who came to plant the church left. All of that assaulted my craving to be admired and praised and loved and worshiped and adored and applauded. God, I believe, just took his hand from me and said, "Okay, you handle this your way." I knew the gospel, but what I didn't know was how great a sinner I was. I thought the gospel I needed was for pretty good people, and that wasn't sufficient to spare me from the utter hopelessness I felt during that time.
I would read Scripture. It didn't make sense to me. It didn't affect me. I remember lying at bed at times just reciting the Lord's Prayer to myself over and over and over, hoping that would help. I couldn't sleep; then at times all I wanted to do was sleep. I remember saying this early on: "God, if you keep me like this for the rest of my life but it means that I will know you better, then keep me like this." That was the hardest prayer I've ever prayed.
During that time I read an abridged version of John Owen's Sin and Temptation and Jerry Bridges's The Discipline of Grace.
About a year into the process I talked to a good friend, Gary Ricucci, whom I am now in a small group with at Covenant Life Church. I said, "Gary, I feel hopeless all the time."
He said, "You know, Bob? I think your problem is that you don't feel hopeless enough."
I don't know what I looked like on the outside, but on the inside I was saying, "You are crazy. You are crazy. I feel hopeless."
He said, "No, if you were hopeless, you would stop trusting in yourself and rely completely on what Jesus Christ accomplished for you."
That was the beginning of the way out. And I remember saying to myself literally hundreds of times—every time these feelings of hopelessness and panic and a desire to ball up in a fetal position would come on me—"I feel completely hopeless because I am hopeless, but Jesus Christ died for hopeless people, and I'm one of them."
Over time I began to believe that. And today when I tell people that Jesus is a great Savior, I believe it, because I know that he saved me. That's where my joy comes from. My joy comes from knowing that at the very bottom, at the very pit of who I am, it is blackness and sin, but the love and grace of Jesus goes deeper.
Good-Good, Bad-Good, Bad-Bad, and Good-Bad Actions
R. C. Sproul, in his expository commentary on Romans (pp. 266-267), explains that one of his professors used to distinguish among four different types of actions: those that are (1) good-good, (2) bad-good, (3) bad-bad, and (4) good-bad.
He explains each one:
1) Actions that are good-good.
Good-good actions display the sort done by Christ, by God, and by the saints in heaven, where there is no alloy of evil mixed in. Whatever good we are able to do as we are being sanctified never reaches the level of good-good, because there is a pound of flesh in all the virtue we accomplish in this life. Augustine well said that our best works, because of the way in which they remain tainted by our human pride, are, at best, splendid vices.
2) Actions that are bad-good.
These actions are accompanied by the intention for virtue and obedience to God but nevertheless contain shortcomings and failures. Such actions are in keeping with what Calvin called civic virtue, in which righteousness is achieved even by the unregenerate pagan. Even an unbeliever can, through enlightened self-interest, stumble at times upon the good and do good, though not of a heavenly sort. Someone who drives his car according to the speed limit and is obedient to the civil magistrate is
doing a good thing, even though not by God's standard. God weighs actions in terms of both outward conformity to his law and inward motive. The pagan may have external righteousness. He may drive his car according to the speed limit, but the reason he drives his car at 55 mph is not that he has a desire in his heart to please the Lord; rather, he is trying to escape a speeding
ticket or another negative impact. We find people driving at 55 mph on the interstate simply because they like to drive at 55 mph. We find these same people driving 55 mph in a 35-mph speed zone or even in a 25-mph speed zone. From time to time their outward behavior corresponds to the law but not from any virtuous intent. That is bad-good. The good is not motivated
from a pure heart.
3) Actions that are bad-bad.
Bad-bad actions are so bad that no virtue is mixed in. Such actions are pure transgression outwardly, motivated by a hostile heart to God inwardly. Such are the sort of actions undertaken every moment by Satan and his fallen angels.
4) Actions that are good-bad.
It is easy to understand the first three categories. The more difficult one to understand is the one we call good-bad. When certain actions take place, they are simply evil; nevertheless, under the providence of God, under his sovereignty over human events, he has the power to bring good out of them, which is a glorious thing we can experience as Christians. Everything we are called upon to suffer, even things that are truly bad, are, nevertheless, being used by God for our ultimate good. Viewed from a proximate perspective, such actions are indeed bad, and there is no redemptive virtue in them, but from the ultimate perspective it is good that they are happening because God is using them for his ultimate purpose. That is a critical point to grasp if we are to understand anything of the providence of God.
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