Jason K. Allen's Blog, page 32

Lord’s Day Meditation: “This Man Receiveth Sinners” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “This Man Receiveth Sinners” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 13, Evening)

“This man receiveth sinners.” (Luke 15:2)

Observe the condescension of this fact. This Man, who towers above all other men, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners–this Man receiveth sinners. This Man, who is no other than the eternal God, before whom angels veil their faces–this Man receiveth sinners. It needs an angel’s tongue to describe such a mighty stoop of love. That any of us should be willing to seek after the lost is nothing wonderful–they are of our own race; but that he, the offended God, against whom the transgression has been committed, should take upon himself the form of a servant, and bear the sin of many, and should then be willing to receive the vilest of the vile, this is marvellous.

“This Man receiveth sinners”; not, however, that they may remain sinners, but he receives them that he may pardon their sins, justify their persons, cleanse their hearts by his purifying word, preserve their souls by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and enable them to serve him, to show forth his praise, and to have communion with him. Into his heart’s love he receives sinners, takes them from the dunghill, and wears them as jewels in his crown; plucks them as brands from the burning, and preserves them as costly monuments of his mercy. None are so precious in Jesus’ sight as the sinners for whom he died. When Jesus receives sinners, he has not some out-of-doors reception place, no casual ward where he charitably entertains them as men do passing beggars, but he opens the golden gates of his royal heart, and receives the sinner right into himself–yea, he admits the humble penitent into personal union and makes him a member of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. There was never such a reception as this! This fact is still most sure this evening, he is still receiving sinners: would to God sinners would receive him.

 

Four Essentials of Great Preaching

What makes for great preaching? Or, asked another way, what makes a preacher great? The question is not what makes for a great communicator, stage personality, or after-dinner speaker. Nor is the question what makes for a good minister or chaplain.

By great preaching, we mean preaching that most accurately presents the Word of God and brings it to bear in the most compelling way. Thus, a great preacher is one who preaches great sermons. Consider these four essentials of great preaching:

1. Great preachers preach with conviction. Like the prophet Jeremiah, great sermons come from a man with fire in his bones. The preacher is gripped by the truth of the text and compelled to preach with authority and urgency. His hearers know he’s not going through the motions. They sense he’s been moved by the text, and so should they.

On one occasion, in 18th century London, the famed skeptic David Hume went to hear George Whitefield preach. The powerful evangelist was known throughout the English-speaking world for his fiery, evangelistic preaching and for the revivals that followed. An onlooker asked Hume if he was going to hear Whitefield preach. After Hume answered in the affirmative, the onlooker said, “But why? You don’t believe.” Hume reportedly answered, “You’re right, but that man (Whitefield) does.”

Nothing is more pathetic than a man preaching from a Bible he doesn’t believe. No one wants to sit through such a sermon, yet that’s the all-too-common scenario in mainline Protestantism and is a key reason why their worship attendance has plummeted over the past half-century. Great preachers preach with conviction.

2. Great preachers preach with confidence. Flowing from the preacher’s conviction is his confidence. Confidence isn’t something the preacher talks into himself moments before he ascends the pulpit. The preacher’s confidence is found in the power of Scripture, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the steady assurance God has called and equipped him. The preacher’s confidence is reinforced by the certainty that he has faithfully studied the text and rightly prepared himself and the sermon. Preaching with confidence is precisely what Paul charged Titus to do, writing, “These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

Most especially, the preacher’s confidence is rooted in his convictions about Holy Scripture. It’s impossible to preach a powerful sermon from a weak book. It’s impossible to preach with true, biblical confidence if you’re full of doubt about God’s Word.

3. Great preachers preach with clarity. Apostolic preaching, as recorded in Acts, was unmistakably clear. The Apostolic pattern included Old Testament exposition, connecting the passage to Christ, and then clearly setting forth what the hearers should do: repent and believe the gospel. But clarity in presentation can only come if you first have clarity in the text. John MacArthur has often said the secret of his ministry was, in his early years, establishing discipline in the study and purposing to keep his gluteus maximus in the chair until he hammered out the meaning of the text.

If the preacher is unsure what the text means, he’ll be unable to present the text in a clear way. Furthermore, if he’s unsure what his hearers should do with the text, he’ll be unable to call for a clear and compelling response. Great preaching is built upon clarity of interpretation and then clarity of application. Great preachers preach with clarity.

4. Great preachers preach with compassion. It’s easy to preach in itinerate and conference settings where the expectation is to bring the thunder. Yet, great preaching is consistently bringing the Word to bear with compassion –touching and shaping the hearts of God’s people week after week. That’s why, in a sense, great preaching best occurs in a congregational setting, with the simple, consistent preaching from God’s man to his congregation.

As Paul instructed Timothy, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.”  Chuck Swindoll famously said to a group of ministers, “If you preach to broken hearts you’ll never want for a congregation.” In other words, preach with compassion and your people will give you a better hearing, a more receptive response.

In Conclusion

 Whether a preacher should aspire to greatness is debatable. Whether a preacher should aspire to preach great sermons is not. Preaching with conviction, confidence, clarity, and compassion are essential elements of great preaching.

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Who Passing Through the Valley” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Who Passing Through the Valley” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 13, Morning)

“Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well, the rain also filleth the pools.” (Psalm 84:6)

This teaches us that the comfort obtained by a one may often prove serviceable to another; just as wells would be used by the company who came after. We read some book full of consolation, which is like Jonathan’s rod, dropping with honey. Ah! we think our brother has been here before us, and digged this well for us as well as for himself. Many a “Night of Weeping,” “Midnight Harmonies,” an “Eternal Day,” “A Crook in the Lot,” a “Comfort for Mourners,” has been a well digged by a pilgrim for himself, but has proved quite as useful to others. Specially we notice this in the Psalms, such as that beginning, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” Travellers have been delighted to see the footprint of man on a barren shore, and we love to see the waymarks of pilgrims while passing through the vale of tears.

The pilgrims dig the well, but, strange enough, it fills from the top instead of the bottom. We use the means, but the blessing does not spring from the means. We dig a well, but heaven fills it with rain. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. The means are connected with the end, but they do not of themselves produce it. See here the rain fills the pools, so that the wells become useful as reservoirs for the water; labour is not lost, but yet it does not supersede divine help.

Grace may well be compared to rain for its purity, for its refreshing and vivifying influence, for its coming alone from above, and for the sovereignty with which it is given or withheld. May our readers have showers of blessing, and may the wells they have digged be filled with water! Oh, what are means and ordinances without the smile of heaven! They are as clouds without rain, and pools without water. O God of love, open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing!

Remembering the Reformation: Sola Scriptura (IV)

The past four weeks at jasonkallen.com, we’ve celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, with emphasis on sola Scriptura. In previous weeks, we have established sola Scriptura biblically and contextualized it historically. Now, in this final installment, we’ll apply it pastorally. Here are ten words of application derived from the doctrine of sola Scriptura for you, your ministry, and your church.

First, any true belief in sola Scriptura necessitates a pulpit ministry that preaches the Word. Why we preach, when we preach, and how we preach, all reveal what we believe about the Word of God. If we confess to believe the book but do not preach it, we are merely giving lip service to sola Scriptura. But if we believe that this is God’s true Word, God’s authoritative Word, and God’s sufficient Word, then we must be intentional about bringing it to bear on the lives of our people.

Second, sola Scriptura shapes our soul care, or how we shepherd hearts of God’s people. At the end of the day, we want to bring the Word of God to bear with grace, prayerfully applying it to our people’s lives. This is not just something that will happen, though, we must be intentional about it. It is also not just done from the pulpit, but from across the coffee table, in small group settings, and in the study where people come for counsel. We must bring the Word to bear.

Third, sola Scriptura should prompt us to strive for unity in the church. Luther can be faulted for being naïve, as he assumed that a return to Scripture and throwing away the shackles of popes and councils would bring its own new wave of unity and fervor. It certainly brought fervor, but it did not quite bring unity. To be frank, today, there is too much fragmentation in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am not suggesting that we water down anything, but I am suggesting that as we preach and stand on sola Scriptura we must be intentional to strive for unity.

Fourth, sola Scriptura calls for faithful hermeneutics or faithful interpretation. Interpretation matters. If you are going to say that we are committed to the Bible and that it is true, then how we interpret it makes a big difference. Be diligent and devoted to the study of God’s Word. Learn to use the tools you need to rightly interpret God’s Word. This book is not an open sesame for us to read into it what we want. Rather, it is God’s Word that requires us to faithfully and humbly interpret it.

Fifth, sola Scriptura brings with it a necessary commitment to confessional statements. Why? Because it quickly turns into a slippery slope when people say, “We just believe the Bible and we have no creed but the Bible.” My denomination articulates what we believe in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. We also confess our beliefs from the Danvers Statement and the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. We are a confessional people, and we do not let sola Scriptura sleepwalk us into nonsensical statements like, “We confess no creed but that Bible.” To confess that is to confess no creed at all.

Sixth, as Baptists, sola Scriptura means we must have a strong commitment to regenerate church membership. We do not have a pope; we do not want one. We do not have councils either. We have the local church and the Word of God. The local church gathering is where God’s people come together and humbly seek God’s will for the church under the leadership of its pastors. God’s Word is the determining factor. If we are not careful, we will let unbelievers fill our church roles and before you know it, all we will have going for us is a vote that we hope we win. But if we have a book that is true and a regenerate church membership, we can have a unified, on mission local church.

Seventh, a commitment to sola Scriptura is a commitment to Christ-centered theology. As we look to the Scriptures we look to Jesus, and any firm grasp of sola Scriptura leads to the necessity of a deeper commitment to the preaching of Christ. We are called to bring the Savior to bear; to proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ so that sinners will hear and believe; that repentance will take place in the hearts of people; that boys and girls, men and women would be saved; that the great commission would be proclaimed.

Eighth, as you reflect on the historical context of sola Scriptura, it will lead to a ministry that is marked by gravity and perspective. Imagine Luther before the world’s authorities, eking out the words, “Here I stand.” Imagine Luther, in 1517, strolling toward the door of the Chapel Church and nailing these theses on the door, knowing what will likely happen. Imagine Luther at Leipzig during that lunch break, reminding himself of the Council of Constance and realizing, “I believe this, I believe this, I believe this.” He knew the consequences when he walked back out and said, “I am a Hussian.” This reflection ought to invest our ministries with a sense of gratitude that there were many previous believers who paid the ultimate price for the faith we received – their life.

Ninth, sola Scriptura shapes our worship. We are to preach the Scriptures, read the Scriptures, pray the Scriptures, and sing the Scriptures. The doctrine of sola Scriptura affects everything, especially how we think about and structure our weekly gathering for worship.

Tenth, sola Scriptura encourages us to be willing to put the “protest” back into Protestantism.  What are the great challenges of our generation? What is God calling you to stand for? You may not know the answer today; you may stumble into it eight years from now in your local church gathering. You find yourself pressed into your own little crucible when you decline to marry a leading church member’s daughter because she is living in sin. You might stumble into your own crucible when you are willing to stand on the Word of God and speak to issues of sexuality and gender. The societal pull is to remain quiet. With every generation, our task is to take the baton of faith, the truth that we have received, and to be faithful to pass it on to the next.

In Conclusion

When we look back on 1517, and then reflect today, in 2017, where are we? Where do we stand 500 years later? I was contemplating that question recently, and my mind went to an anecdote that occurred when Richard Nixon, the president in 1972, went to China and famously opened relations with them.

Nixon’s overture shocked the world. It is reported that while meeting with the Chinese Premier, Nixon raised the topic of the French Revolution, which occurred nearly 200 years previous. Nixon asked the Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai, what he thought the results of the French Revolution were. Enlai reportedly said, “It is too soon to tell.” That conversation became a paradigm for the different ways the eastern and western minds viewed the world. The eastern mind tends to take the long view.

So, regarding the Reformation, where do we stand 500 years later? In a very real sense, it is too soon to tell. The Reformation is still playing out. We are the church reformed and always reforming. We are called to come again, and again, and again to the Scriptures and to call our churches to come again, and again, and again to Scriptures as well.

 

Lord’s Day Meditation: “I Will Sing of Mercy and Judgment” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “I Will Sing of Mercy and Judgment” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 12, Evening)

“I will sing of mercy and judgment.” (Psalm 101:1)

Faith triumphs in trial. When reason is thrust into the inner prison, with her feet made fast in the stocks, faith makes the dungeon walls ring with her merry notes as she cries, “I will sing of mercy and of judgment. Unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.” Faith pulls the black mask from the face of trouble, and discovers the angel beneath. Faith looks up at the cloud, and sees that “Tis big with mercy and shall break in blessings on her head.”

There is a subject for song even in the judgments of God towards us. For, first, the trial is not so heavy as it might have been; next, the trouble is not so severe as we deserved to have borne; and our affliction is not so crushing as the burden which others have to carry. Faith sees that in her worst sorrow there is nothing penal; there is not a drop of God’s wrath in it; it is all sent in love. Faith discerns love gleaming like a jewel on the breast of an angry God. Faith says of her grief, “This is a badge of honour, for the child must feel the rod;” and then she sings of the sweet result of her sorrows, because they work her spiritual good. Nay, more, says Faith, “These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” So Faith rides forth on the black horse, conquering and to conquer, trampling down carnal reason and fleshly sense, and chanting notes of victory amid the thickest of the fray.

“All I meet I find assists me

In my path to heavenly joy:

Where, though trials now attend me,

Trials never more annoy.

“Blest there with a weight of glory,

Still the path I’ll ne’er forget,

But, exulting, cry, it led me

To my blessed Saviour’s seat.”

 

Remembering the Reformation: Sola Scriptura (III)

To celebrate the Protestant Reformation, here at jasonkallen.com we are revisiting the five solas of the Reformation, especially sola Scriptura.  As we look back to the 16th century, we must remember that the five solas were not then packaged together as we know them now. They were there, in seed form, but they would not be packaged together until much later as Protestantism’s legacy crystalized.

In parts I & II of this series, we introduced the solas and established sola Scriptura biblically and theologically.  Let’s now contextualize it historically. To do so we must journey back to the 16th century and consider three scenes from the life of Martin Luther.

Many of us are familiar with two of these scenes, but there is one most of us are not. These three, epic scenes occurred in 1517, 1519, and 1521. In these three scenes, we get a glimpse into the heart of Luther, and thus a glimpse into sola Scriptura.

Knocking on Wittenberg’s Door

For Luther, he didn’t just arrive in 1517 and send out a public service announcement declaring sola Scriptura. Rather, he grew into his understanding of sola Scriptura over a period of years. He reasoned within himself through several conflicts, eventually embracing Scripture as the final, divine authority.

The first scene is Reformation Day, October 31, 1517. Luther, the young Augustinian monk, nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Chapel Church. Enumerated in 95 theses, Luther protested many abuses and aberrations of the Roman Catholic Church.

Luther’s most urgent concern was the selling of indulgences. The selling of indulgences was, perhaps, the dastardliest abuse of authority in the history of the church.  In response, Luther, who was not seeking to leave the church, but initially seeking to help the church, sets forth these 95 theses on the chapel door of the Wittenberg church. He intended to spark a debate. Instead, he sparked a conflagration that would sweep through Europe and beyond, and in so doing he set forth Scripture as the church’s plumb line.

Here I Stand

The second scene, occurring in 1521, is less familiar than Reformation Day, but still is relatively well known. It happened just four years later and is known as the Diet of Worms. The Hoy Roman Emperor, Charles V, of the Holy Roman Empire, convened this diet just four years after Luther had nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Chapel door.

Charles V called Luther to give an account for what he had said and written. Luther was granted assurance of safe travel and promised that he would not be put to death upon arrival at Worms.  So, Luther came to the diet against the counsel of many and with the wishes of others.

Luther showed up on April 16, at 4:00 p.m., and was told to report the next day, April 17, at 4 p.m. At the appointed hour, he entered the assembly and took his place in the middle of the auditorium. Before him were his collected writings and around him a gathering of ecclesiastical and imperial authorities.

For Luther, at this point, his choice was binary—reaffirm or renounce. As you read the account, you can almost feel the drama of the moment. The presiding officer, Johann Eck, asked Luther if the collected books were his and if he was prepared to retract their heresies. Luther asked for 24 hours to pray and deliberate.

The next day the diet reconvened at 4 p.m. In this setting, Luther uttered those immortal words, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by clear reason, for I do not trust either the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often errored and contradicted themselves, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.”

In short, at the Diet of Worms, Luther declared sola Scriptura. Luther declared at Worms what had settled in his heart two years prior.

I am a Hussite

Finally, the third, and most pivotal, of the scenes is sandwiched in between the two previous accounts. It is often the one most overlooked. The event was the Leipzig Debate of 1519.

On previous occasions, Luther had affirmed Holy Scripture as his authority, but as he gathered at the Leipzig Debate, a lot was clarified for him. Luther was called to a debate with Johann Eck. Here is where, it appears, he almost stumbled into the doctrine of sola Scriptura.

Luther’s opponent, Eck, was a formidable adversary. Luther held Eck in antipathy, as he did most all his critics. The Reformer declared Eck to be a “little glory hungry beast.” In the debate, Luther was the better exegete, Eck the better historian.

Eck’s strategy was to link Luther with his forbear Jan Hus. The church had officially condemned Hus and his teachings, so Eck knew if he linked Luther to Hus, he would be condemned and may well be put to death. Thus, Eck agitated for Luther to stumble into affirming Hus.

A century earlier, at the Council of Constance, Hus was burned at the stake. Luther, perhaps, would meet the same fate. But a funny thing happened at Leipzig. During the fracas they took a lunch break. During this break, Luther slipped out and re-read the reports from the Council of Constance, reminding himself of what took place and reminding himself of what Hus claimed.

When the debate resumed, Luther declared, “I am a Hussite.” He knew what he was saying; he knew what was taking place; and in that moment, he was, in essence, saying, “I stand with Hus; we are men of the Book.”

Hus, who died 100 years earlier, prophesied before he was martyred. He said, “Today you burn a goose, but 100 years from now a swan will come that you will neither roast nor boil.” Luther received that mantle and—humble man that he was—perceived Hus to be prophesying about him. That is why today in the Lutheran Church, the pulpit will oftentimes be in the shape of a swan. The two great men are forever linked.

Eck’s whole plan was to back Luther into a corner by getting him to affirm Hus. Luther was backing Eck, and all who were hearing, into a corner by saying, “Your popes have failed. Your councils have failed. In fact, they have contradicted one another. So, if you do not have a pope who is legitimately authoritative, and you do not have a council that is authoritative, then what do you have?” Luther stood on sola Scriptura.

In Conclusion

Thus, we see Luther’s doctrine of sola Scriptura taking shape within him over a period of years. Alas, at that historic, pivotal moment at the Diet of Worms, indeed he did stand. He could do no other than be in submission to the Word of God.

Lord’s Day Meditation: “God is Jealous” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “God is Jealous” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 12, Morning)

“God is jealous.” (Nahum 1:2)

Your Lord is very jealous of your love, O believer. Did he choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another. Did he buy you with his own blood? He cannot endure that you should think that you are your own, or that you belong to this world. He loved you with such a love that he would not stop in heaven without you; he would sooner die than you should perish, and he cannot endure that anything should stand between your heart’s love and himself. He is very jealous of your trust. He will not permit you to trust in an arm of flesh. He cannot bear that you should hew out broken cisterns, when the overflowing fountain is always free to you. When we lean upon him, he is glad, but when we transfer our dependence to another, when we rely upon our own wisdom, or the wisdom of a friend–worst of all, when we trust in any works of our own, he is displeased, and will chasten us that he may bring us to himself. He is also very jealous of our company. There should be no one with whom we converse so much as with Jesus. To abide in him only, this is true love; but to commune with the world, to find sufficient solace in our carnal comforts, to prefer even the society of our fellow Christians to secret intercourse with him, this is grievous to our jealous Lord. He would fain have us abide in him, and enjoy constant fellowship with himself; and many of the trials which he sends us are for the purpose of weaning our hearts from the creature, and fixing them more closely upon himself. Let this jealousy which would keep us near to Christ be also a comfort to us, for if he loves us so much as to care thus about our love we may be sure that he will suffer nothing to harm us, and will protect us from all our enemies. Oh that we may have grace this day to keep our hearts in sacred chastity for our Beloved alone, with sacred jealousy shutting our eyes to all the fascinations of the world!

 

Remembering the Reformation: Sola Scriptura (II)

October 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. This anniversary prompts the church to remember anew what God accomplished 500 years ago and to reflect on what it means for us as 21st-century believers. To this end, we are reflecting on sola Scriptura during the month of October here at jasonkallen.com. Last week, in part one, we introduced the five solas and set the table for sola Scriptura.

Of the five solas, one can argue that sola Scriptura is most foundational of them all. In fact, that is why sola Fide is known as the material principle of the Reformation and sola Scriptura is known as the formal one.

By this, we mean faith alone is the central truth of the Protestant Reformation, thus the central component of our biblical teaching and the center of the gospel itself. Scripture alone, as the formal principle, means the Bible is the singular, authoritative source from which our theology—including sola Fide—is developed. As the formal principle, sola Scriptura is the doctrinal foundation upon which we erect the entirety of Christian belief, including our understanding of the gospel itself.

Thus, as the formal principle, getting sola Scriptura right enables us to get the other solas right—as well the rest of our Christian lives and doctrine.

Defining Sola Scriptura

For the Reformers specifically, Scripture alone meant the Bible held authority over tradition, popes, and councils. Their point was not that tradition, popes, or councils could not instruct the church. Their point was that they were subordinate to and thus subject to, the Word of God. The Word of God regulates them; they don’t regulate the Word of God.

In our day, as evangelicals, we also say Scripture alone over popes, councils, and traditions. Yet, we should add to that list experience, preference, or pragmatic expediencies. For Luther—and for us—Scripture is the norma normans; the determining norm by which everything else is measured.  It is the standard, the benchmark, the plumb line for the church.

Scripture alone means that Scripture establishes the church; the church does not establish the Scriptures. Scripture judges the church; the church does not judge the Scriptures. The church did not create Scripture; the Scriptures created the Church. As Luther argued, “Who begets his own parents?” “Who brings forth is own maker?”

More than an Abstract Doctrine

But Scripture alone is more than an abstract doctrine. Thoughtful Christians realize the singular role Scripture has played in their own spiritual formation. For me, my conversion was rooted in the preaching of the gospel and the Word of God. So was yours. James teaches us we were born again “by the word of truth.”

Moreover, Peter reminds us,

“For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

“All flesh is like grass,

And all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

And the flower falls off,

But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word which was preached to you.”

It is from the Scriptures we heard the gospel, learned of Christ, and were born again. More personally, God also used his Word to call me into Christian ministry. He gripped my heart with Romans 10 and the Pastoral Epistles. What is more, my denominational commitment was also determined by Scripture alone. Even though I was raised a Baptist, my Baptist convictions were confirmed after studying the Scriptures. The effect of sola Scriptura extends to all aspects of our lives; it is our authority for all we do.

Establishing Sola Scriptura Biblically

The doctrine of sola Scriptura appears throughout the Bible, but it is most clearly presented in II Timothy 3:15-17. Paul, in his final letter to his son in the faith, Timothy, charged him to stand strong in the faith and to be faithful in his ministry. He exhorted him to stand firm and to preach the Word. Timothy, we know, is vacillating; he is discouraged; he is weakened. Many have abandoned him in the faith.

Paul, beginning in chapter three, documents the effects of sin and all that is going wrong in the church. Then he begins to charge Timothy to be strong. He reminds him in verse 12 that “All who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” In verse 14, he says, “You however,” as opposed to those who have forsaken the faith, “Continue in the things you have learned and have become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them. From childhood you have learned the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.”

Paul reminded Timothy that he was taught Scriptural truth from his mother and grandmother at an early age. He is reminding Timothy that as he was taught the Old Testament, a new way of life came to him through them. Here Paul is saying the Old Testament makes the gospel clear. It makes faith in the coming Messiah clear.

Then, in verse 16, Paul gives us this great verse that so much of our doctrine of Scripture is built upon. Paul writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God. It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

The first part of the verse, “all Scripture is inspired” is of extreme significance. “Inspired,” the Greek word theopneustos, means “having been breathed out from God’s innermost being.” Also notice that Paul says, “all Scripture.” It is not up to us or to the critic to pick and choose which portions of Scripture we think to be true. Nor is it left to us to pick and choose which portions of Scripture we think are most applicable or most worthy of our obedience.

What the apostle presents is the doctrine known as Verbal Plenary Inspiration. All of Scripture, not some of it, is inspired. The words themselves are inspired, not just the thoughts of the authors or the intent of the authors, but every word. All Scripture is inspired by God. Additionally, this verse is to be interpreted with an anticipatory sense, meaning Paul is also foreshadowing the rest of coming revelation and the closure of the canon.

Often we hear this verse read, and it will be as if there is a period placed after the word “God”– “All Scripture is inspired by God.” But notice Paul takes it further than that. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching and for reproof.” The Scriptures teach us many things, but specifically, what to believe. They convict and reprove us by correcting our errant belief. This correction then trains us in righteousness. In other words, it has a direct effect on how we live.

Verse 17 continues, “In order that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Paul is saying, “Timothy, as you minister, as you preach, as you live, know this, that your weapon in the kingdom is the Word of God. Your tool is the Word of God, and as you wield it faithfully, you will be equipped for every good work.”

So, we do not have to search to and fro looking for a mystical experience or some kind of charismatic experience, or some extraordinary infusion of gifts to make us complete and worthy to minister. Verse 17 teaches us that by the Spirit of God and with the Word of God, we have been made ready to minister. In short, sola Scriptura.

The logic here is clear as well. It is a logic to which and from which Luther drew. If this Word is true, if it is of God, it must of necessity be true. And if it is of God and true, it must be authoritative. Thus, we are called to submit our lives to it. Scripture alone is to be our source of authority.

In Conclusion

Having established Scripture alone biblically, next week we’ll look at three pivotal scenes from Luther’s life wherein he discovered, affirmed, and stood on Scripture alone.

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James 1:18.

I Peter 1:23-26.

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Lead Me, O Lord” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Lead Me, O Lord” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 11, Evening)

“Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies.” (Psalms 5:8)

Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us turn it to account, and since so many are watching for our halting, let this be a special motive for walking very carefully before God. If we live carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its hundred tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly. “Aha! So would we have it! See how these Christians act! They are hypocrites to a man.” Thus will much damage be done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to his name. The cross of Christ is in itself an offence to the world; let us take heed that we add no offence of our own. It is “to the Jews a stumblingblock”: let us mind that we put no stumblingblocks where there are enough already. “To the Greeks it is foolishness”: let us not add our folly to give point to the scorn with which the worldly-wise deride the gospel. How jealous should we be of ourselves! How rigid with our consciences! In the presence of adversaries who will misrepresent our best deeds, and impugn our motives where they cannot censure our actions, how circumspect should we be! Pilgrims travel as suspected persons through Vanity Fair. Not only are we under surveillance, but there are more spies than we know of. The espionage is everywhere, at home and abroad. If we fall into the enemies’ hands we may sooner expect generosity from a wolf, or mercy from a fiend, than anything like patience with our infirmities from men who spice their infidelity towards God with scandals against his people. O Lord, lead us ever, lest our enemies trip us up!

 

Remembering the Reformation: Sola Scriptura

October 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. This anniversary serves as a reminder that all of life—and especially our spiritual and theological lives—is situated within a historical context. For those who are in Christ, that context is directly influenced by the narrative of the church, or, what we know as “church history.”

For evangelicals, the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation may be the most consequential commemoration of the 21st-century church.  Millions of believers celebrate anew the historic recovery of the gospel of grace. As we celebrate, we reconsider the Reformation as a singular inflection point in the history of the church, and one from which we must continue to learn and grow.

This significant milestone reminds us of the great price our theological forebears paid. They fought the good fight; they finished their course; they rediscovered and proclaimed the faith. As evangelicals, we are sons and daughters of the Reformers.

In acknowledgment of this anniversary, here at jasonkallen.com, we will be considering Sola Scriptura in the weeks ahead. Sola Scriptura, known as the formal principle of the Reformation, is the foundational sola, the authoritative source from which the other four solas are derived. To frame our understanding of Sola Scriptura, let’s first consider, more broadly, the Protestant Reformation, church schism, and the five solas as a whole.

Why Five Solas?

Why five solas and from where did they originate? The five solas are the theological distinctives that separated, and do separate, Protestants from the Roman Catholic Church. They are, in a sense, both the cause and the effect, or the precipitating and the resulting convictions of the Reformation. Though not packaged together in a clear summation of Reformation theology until later, each doctrine rose as a theological distinctive worthy of conflict in the 16th century.

How can a few Latin clauses be the foundation of a movement with the scope of the Protestant Reformation? In the history of the church, short phrases and small words have often caused big divisions.

Small Words, Big Divisions

When reviewing church history, one notices that the three major fractures of the past millennia have taken place over three very small words or phrases. In the 11th century, there was the great East and West Schism, separating the Orthodox Church of the east from the western Roman Catholic Church.  Though there were multiple factors, including competing claims to the papacy, at its core was this one Latin word, filioque, the procession of the Spirit from the Father and the Son.

Post 1517, Protestantism began to fracture into what would become known as denominations. Four Latin words were at the heart of Protestant splintering, hoc est corpus meum, “This is my body.” Disagreement over what Jesus meant when he instituted the Lord’s Supper sent Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and other Reformers in different directions.

The major inflection point, however, is the one which took place in 1517 and which continues to separate Protestantism from Roman Catholicism, the one little word in Latin, sola. The single word that was the driving force of it all was not fide (faith) or gratia (grace), it was first and foremost the word sola.  Simply meaning “alone,” this lone word animated Reformers, then and now.

When this word, “alone,” follows the other five Protestant distinctives: Scripture, faith, grace, Christ, and the glory of God, massive ramifications for theology, for the church, and for your Christian life follow.

The Five Solas, an Overview

Let’s briefly consider the five solas, survey their importance, and set the stage for the articles to follow.

First, there is sola fide, which means salvation is by “faith alone.” We are saved by faith in Christ, not faith plus works. Faith plus works has never and will never equal salvation. Faith equals justification that results in good works, but our works do not contribute to or merit salvation.

Second, there is sola gratia or salvation by “grace alone.” We are saved by God’s unmerited favor—his goodness shown to us and received by us through faith in Christ’s sacrifice. This depicts salvation as a monergistic work where God works in our hearts. It is not a synergistic work where we coordinate God’s efforts with our own good works. Salvation is by grace alone.

Third, there is solus Christus, which reminds us salvation is through “Christ alone.” This refers to his sacrificial work, but it also refers to his priestly, mediatorial work. We do not go to the priest today. We celebrate and we thank our pastors, but we are not dependent upon them for a right standing with God, nor for access to him.

Fourth, there is soli deo gloria, which means that salvation is accomplished for “God’s glory alone.” Our salvation is for his glory; we are the beneficiary, but he is the one to be praised. As the Old Testament prophets declared, we are saved “for his name’s sake.” Salvation is of the Lord.

Fifth and finally, is sola Scriptura. By sola Scriptura we mean that “Scripture alone” is the final authority for our lives and for the church. Since God’s Word is inspired and true, it is our final and sufficient authority. In the articles to follow, we will unpack and apply this glorious doctrine.

Why the Solas Matter  

The five solas are theological declarations—but they come with massive personal and congregational implications. If the solas are true, they provide the doctrinal infrastructure for our spiritual lives. They frame our Christian identities and ministries and are perennial touchpoints of theological and spiritual formation.

The solas are not peripheral matters, positioned to entangle us in needless, tertiary doctrinal squabbles. The solas are the essence of the gospel. When we embrace them, we embrace the gospel. When we articulate them, we speak the gospel. When we live consciously of them, we live in the power of the gospel.

Thus, the solas establish our Christian life, and they chart it forward. He who lives in light of the five solas will experience a more fulfilled and fruitful Christian life. Likewise, the church that establishes its ministries on the Reformation solas will experience the same.

Yet, at the root of it all is sola Scriptura, the formal principle of the Protestant Reformation. If we must focus our attention on one sola, as we will do here on the blog this month, I believe sola Scriptura is the lynchpin. Submit your life and doctrine to sola Scriptura and the rest of the solas will naturally follow.