If I Had to Pick a "Book of the Year" This Would Be It

Someone at church asked me this question.  "What was the best new book released this year?"

This was a very tough question.  No doubt, Scott Clark's Recovering the Reformed Confession (P & R) is a very important "must read" book, as is Mike Horton's other new book, Christless Christianity (Baker).

But Mike Horton's People and Place (Westminster John Knox) was one of those books that repeatedly grabbed my attention, and at a number of points gave me considerable pause when Horton raised very profound yet basic issues that I had never really considered, and yet should have.  Until now ecclesiology was not a subject of much interest to me.  That has changed.

The fourth and final volume in Horton's effort to set forth classical Reformed covenant theology as a foundation upon which Reformed theology can be renewed in our own age, this volume is perhaps the best in the whole series.  It is certainly the most readable, and it touches upon many issues discussed on the White Horse Inn as well as in those Reformed/Presbyterian churches grounded in word/sacrament ministry.

I won't attempt a book review here--you must read it for yourself.  But let me touch upon several of the book's major themes so as to pique your interest.

First, Horton starts with the premise that Christ's ascension brings about a major turning point in the redemptive drama at exactly that moment we'd least expect that turning point to occur.  To our amazement, the suffering servant has become the exalted Lord in the resurrection.  But then suddenly and unexpectedly, the exalted one disappears!

Our Lord's ascension therefore creates a rather surprising and important paradox in redemptive history which must be answered ecclesially.  As Horton puts it, "precisely in that place vacated by the one who ascended, a church emerges."  While some of us may find that ecclesiology doesn't turn our crank like debates over justification and election might do, Horton reminds us of the vital importance of this topic, both in terms of the mission of the church (necessarily tied to its apostolicity and its marks), as well as the piety and practice of the individual Christian, who is necessarily a member of that church.

Throughout the various chapters of People and Place, Horton makes an impressive case that Christ's final commands to his people define the mission and purpose of the church (i.e., the Great Commission, the institution of the Lord's Supper, the discourse of John 14-16).  This connects Christ's promises to his disciples about what is to come, with one of the major themes of New Testament theology, namely Pentecost and the work of the Holy Spirit in and through those means given by Christ to his church--word and sacrament.  Our ascended Lord is present with us, but in a particular way.

Second, Horton's discussion of the major ecclesiologies through the lens of Christ's ascension and Pentecost is very helpful.  Is the essence of the church to be found in its institutions (Rome), or is the church an eschatological event (Barth)?  The Roman church, for example, seeks to deal with Christ's absence through the papacy (as a sort of substitute for Christ on the earth), or through the institutional church (somehow a part of Christ's incarnation), or then later through the mystery of the Eucharist (Christ's visible presence).

Likewise, Pentecostals deal with the paradox of Christ's absence through the immediate operations of the Holy Spirit, understood apart from divinely prescribed means (such as word and sacrament), and to be sought in and through the experience of the Spirit in the human heart.  No doubt, this paradox also explains why so many contemporary evangelicals have such a low ecclesiology--Christ's presence is understood in primarily subjective ways of apprehension, i.e., through "a personal" relationship/encounter with Jesus, quite apart from means such as word and sacrament, which are actually seen as impediments to the subjective and/or personal relationship.

And While Horton doesn't deal with this directly, the paradox of Christ's absence would certainly explain the dispensationalist's desire to push Christ's physical presence with his people off into the future--i.e., in an earthly millennium, where Christ will once again physically dwell in the midst of his people, fulfilling what was promised.

Third, all of Horton's main points are grounded in solid exegesis and a well thought-out biblical theology, all the while interacting with Roman, Orthodox, and Free Church traditions. This is especially helpful as Horton sets forth the Reformed (and biblical) alternative--a church which is apostolic, has its mission grounded in the marks of a true church as given by Christ, and is tied to God's covenant promises, which remain essentially the same throughout redemptive history.  All the while, Horton sets forth the already-not yet tension (characteristic of New Testament eschatology), in which Christ's promises are realized to his people in the present, yet in anticipation of the final consummation.

Once you've finished this book, you'll never feel the same about the importance of the preached word, the sacraments, and the church (as the covenant community) to which these wonderful gifts have been given.  This book should also help you understand the Reformed stress upon the preached word and the sacraments as "means of grace."

You can find People and Place here: Click here: Amazon.com: People and Place: A Covenant Ecclesiology: Michael S. Horton: Books

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

I guess I am jaded . . .  But I this caught my eye.

The Daily Mail posts a story on Pope Benedict decrying the greed of the international banking system along with an increasing lack of concern for the poor.   According to the article, the Pope "made the accusation in his annual peace message, 'Fighting Poverty to Build Peace', in which he also called for a 'common code of ethics' in a globalised world that would narrow the gap between the 'haves and the have nots'."

Of course, the Pope has every right to address these issues--he is the head of Catholic church, after all. 

But then the Daily Mail posts this picture along with the article.  Is it just me, or is the picture rather incongruous with the Pope's concern about gap between the "haves and the have nots"?  Here's the Pope, holding a solid gold cross, wearing a rather large gold ring, and standing in front of a mosaic that is probably not covered in faux-gold nor synthetic jewels.  And all the while he laments the greed of the modern world?  Hmmm . . .

Cheap shot?  Maybe.  But the Pope could make himself a smaller target if he wished.  That said, there was a reason why Luther and Calvin repeatedly and loudly lamented Rome's greed and avarice, although Rome's rejection of justification sola fide was the true "make or break" issue then, just as it is now. 

But the gold, jewelry, mosaics, and vestments sure reek of the very things Benedict laments.

Who Said That?

"It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life. . .  All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter and I asked for help. ... I was a one-step program guy . . . I do believe there is an almighty that is broad and big enough and loving enough that can encompass a lot of people."

Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.  Answer will be posted next week.  Click on the "Who Said That?" icon to check for an answer to past editions.

Update on Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 03:36PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Politics aside, it is clear from the President's recent interview with Cynthia McFadden of ABC's "Nightline" (December 9, 2008), that he is a complete and total theological doofus.  Bush claims to be an evangelical, can describe a conversion experience, but cannot clearly nor carefully articulate a single Christian doctrine.  Amazing . . .

The Sorry State of the Episcopal Church and Other Stuff from the Web

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles (along with seven others) is calling for the ordination of more gay and lesbian bishops (Click here: LA's Episcopal diocese continuing 'downward spiral' (OneNewsNow.com)).  One bishop (John Bryson Chane of Washington) even wrote "We face our share of problems in the Episcopal Church, but wholesale defections to a movement committed to denying gay and lesbian Christians the birthright of their baptism is not one of them."  I didn't know that baptism was a birthright to be gay or lesbian.

Better not steal the GPS-equipped baby Jesus from the local nativity scene.  Someone may be watching you.  Click here: Nation & World | GPS, hidden cameras watching over Baby Jesus | Seattle Times Newspaper

Kenneth Copeland just got hit by Tarrant County with a 75K tax-bill on his 3.6 million dollar 1998 Cessna Bravo 550 Jet.  The news article contains this gem.

The ministry owns at least four aircraft, including a $17.5 million Citation X.  Other Copeland aircraft that are already tax-exempt are not expected to be affected, officials said.  Exemptions are reviewed every 10 years unless someone files a complaint, officials said.  The aircraft are used for disaster relief, prison outreach, church meetings, worldwide conventions and other church activities about 90 percent of the time, the church has said.  The rest of the time they are used for personal trips, and `individuals are all charged for personal use of planes ... These are all legal activities,' the ministry said last year.  But unclear are layovers of ministry jets in Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii, and the Fiji Islands. 

Did you hear about any disaster relief ever going to Hawaii and Fiji?  I sure didn't.  Those unexplained layovers must be "prison outreach."  Click here: Copeland jet taxable, board rules | Fort Worth | Star-Telegram.com

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas the Yankees Gave to Me . . .

Three free agent pitchers (C. C. Sabbathia, A. J. Burnet, Andy Pettitte) . . .

Two improved position players (Mike Cameron, Nick Swisher) . . .

And a brand new stadium in the Bronx . . .

Can't wait for opening day!

Update on Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 03:20PM by Kim Riddlebarger

OK, all you Yankees bashers out there--here's a great piece on the Yankees' business plan. They spend money because they have it to spend. These guys know exactly what they are doing and why.  The YES network is a huge success and it does even better when your team has new (and popular) players.  Click here: Sports Business - Tax Shelter Helps Yankees Afford Big Salaries - NYTimes.com

The Canons of Dort, Second Head of Doctrine, Refutation of Errors, Article Six

Synod condemns the errors of those . . .

VI Who make use of the distinction between obtaining and applying in order to instill in the unwary and inexperienced the opinion that God, as far as he is concerned, wished to bestow equally upon all people the benefits which are gained by Christ's death; but that the distinction by which some rather than others come to share in the forgiveness of sins and eternal life depends on their own free choice (which applies itself to the grace offered indiscriminately) but does not depend on the unique gift of mercy which effectively works in them, so that they, rather than others, apply that grace to themselves.

For, while pretending to set forth this distinction in an acceptable sense, they attempt to give the people the deadly poison of Pelagianism.
_________________________________

In order to use biblical terminology about the cross, while at the same time denying that the death of Christ is a true satisfaction for sins, as well as a literal payment of our debt to God, Arminians will contend that the death of Christ is “for all,” but “not all” are forgiven until the merits of Christ are appropriated by the sinner through an exercise of the will.

To explain how this can be, the Arminian sets up a scheme in which the death of Christ is said to be for all, but is not effectual for any until it is actually "appropriated"–i.e, the death of Christ does not accomplish redemption for anyone, but has the potential to save everyone who believes. This means that only those who exercise their free-will and believe the gospel are saved, since the atonement is only provisory and ineffectual until actually appropriated.

This enables the Arminian to argue for a doctrine of grace alone, connect salvation to the death of Christ, and still champion justification by faith alone.  But this is theological smoke and mirrors.  In the words of one sage, this is mere “word magic.”

As the Canons point out, the very idea that the death of Christ is “for all” but only in a provisional sense and, therefore, truly effective for none until it is appropriated, is mere sophistry and simply confuses those who have never thought about the issue from a biblical perspective.

As the Canons have repeatedly made plain, the Bible never speaks of a provisional atonement, generic grace, or a prevenient grace which remits the guilt of original sin and restores freedom of the will to all. The Scriptures speak only of an effectual satisfaction of God’s wrath made by Christ on behalf of those specific individuals given him by the Father.

In Reformed theology Christ’s atonement is not made effectual by the sinners “appropriation” of it through an act of will.  Rather, the merits of Christ are applied by the Holy Spirit to the sinner, who then receives the merit of Christ through faith alone--that faith being the gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) arising through the preaching of the word (Romans 10:17).

If the Arminian is correct, sinners are not saved through the cross and the merits of Christ, but are saved by an exercise of the sinful human will, since the cross is ineffectual until it is appropriated.  Again, no matter how loudly the Arminian champions "grace alone" and "faith alone", in the Arminian scheme it is an act of the will and not the death of Christ which actually saves! This is nothing but the pure poison of Pelagianism.

Loud Music as Torture? How About Trying Some CCM?

According to a news story (Click here: FOXNews.com - Music Used During U.S. Military Interrogations - Local News | News Articles | National News | US New), certain musicians are a bit offended that US military and intelligence authorities use their songs (blaring loud and played for hours at a time) to break detainees in Gitmo, and other clandestine locations.

I remember when Manuel Norriega (the erstwhile Panamanian dictator) was holed up in the Vatican's embassy in Panama City, and our soldiers blasted him out with tunes from Billy Idol and the Doors. He looked like human jello by the time he surrendered.

The current group of songs used by the intelligence community include tunes from "Barney and Friends," Sesame Street, Metallica, and AC/DC. I like some stuff from the latter two bands, but certainly not for hours on end.  If I had to listen to "Barney and Friends" even once I think I'd want to hang myself.  The interrogators also use Don Mclean's song American Pie, which every time I hear it, sticks in my head for days, even though I hate it.

I have a couple of suggestions for our interrogators.  How about Carmen's Christmas or Hip Hop albums?  How about songs from anyone who "sings" (screams) for the TBN "Praise-a-Thon", or as one well-known Reformed theologian once told described torture--anything by the Gaithers played on the accordion.

If you were a CIA interrogator, what would you play to break a terrorist?

"The Authorities Are God's Servants" -- Romans 13:1-7

The Thirty-Second in a Series of Sermons on Paul's Epistle to the Romans

In Romans 12, Paul exhorts Christians in the church of Rome to be renewed in their thinking, and to avoid being conformed to the pattern of this world. Thinking like a Christian is the outworking in everyday life of that righteous status we have been given through faith in Jesus Christ. Because Christians are not to think like pagans, Paul tells the Romans that they are to regard others more highly than themselves. They are to live in peace with those outside the church, even in the face of increasing persecution from the Roman authorities. And it is this latter exhortation from Paul which raises the question, “how are Christians to relate to civil government?” especially a government which is centered in the worship of its emperor.

Thus in Romans 13, Paul turns his attention to this very important topic. For obvious reasons, these seven verses have exercised a tremendous influence upon Christian political theory throughout the ages. As is the case with many of these profound discourses in Paul’s letters, this section of Romans is the subject of a great deal of scholarly debate. Some of the debate centers on the question as to how this particular section of Romans relates to the preceding, especially given Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:19 that Christians are to refrain from taking revenge upon our enemies. Does Paul introduce the discussion of the state at this point because he views the state as the divinely-appointed avenger of the oppressed and downtrodden? Or, does this discussion continue Paul’s line of thinking as to how non-Christians are to relate to those outside the church, but who are now persecuting the church?

Another reason debate arises about this section of Romans is due to the Old Testament background as to how the people of Israel were to relate to the pagan kings around them. Jews viewed all Gentile nations in light of Israel’s divinely appointed mission–Israel was God’s chosen nation and the object of God’s care and affection. And then we must also consider the political situation in Rome when Paul writes this letter, because we cannot understand Paul’s comments without some knowledge of those circumstances that the Christians in Rome were actually facing.

As for the Old Testament background to Paul’s discussion of the Christian’s relationship to the state, there are two points we need to consider. The first is that as God’s chosen covenant community, the nation of Israel was not to submit to any pagan king. In Deuteronomy 17:15, we read “be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite.” Israel’s king must be a Jew. Thus it would be very difficult for Jewish converts to Christianity to adopt a Christian view of state, especially now that Israel’s role as God’s divinely chosen nation had come to an end with the dawn of the messianic age. Israel’s national purposes were now fulfilled, even if God’s purposes for the Jews as a people are not. There is no more role for Israel as a nation during the future course of redemptive history. This would be a difficult thing for Jews to accept.

To read the rest of this sermon, click here

The Devil Hates the Prayer Channel

Be sure to check out Scott Clark's important take on the priority of public worship to private devotions.  There's nothing wrong with a healthy devotional life, but Scripture places the primary emphasis on Lord's Day worship and the public assembly of God's people.  Click here: Which Has Priority: Private Devotion or Public Worship? « Heidelblog

A Christian TV channel (the Prayer Channel) is using the devil in an ad campaign to promote their programming.  In the commercial spots, the devil warns people not to watch this channel.  Yeah, right!  If that channel comes on my cable network, I won't watch it, and I can tell you that the devil will have nothing to do with my decision.  Click here: Church Uses Devil To Rebrand Prayer Channel - 12/3/2008 4:47:00 PM - Broadcasting & Cable

Something tells me that much of Europe sleeps a tad easier knowing that today's version of the Wehrmacht is too fat, smokes too much, and doesn't like to fight.  But it doesn't help the NATO cause in Afghanistan very much.  Click here: German soldiers deemed 'too fat to fight' - Times Online

Here's the next end-times fad, "seeds of the Antichrist."  Did you know that genetically altered seed will be used to control the world's population through food shortages?  I did not know that.  Click here: Farmer links seed patents to the Antichrist - al.com

Sermon Illustrations in Detroit

I'm sure many of you have seen this picture in today's news.  Detroit pastor Charles Ellis positioned 3 SUVs (one each from Ford, Chrysler and GM) on the stage in his church (Greater Grace Temple) to remind his congregation to pray and fast until congress gives the big three a bailout. 

This puts a new spin on the prosperity gospel!  Name it, claim it, and congress will provide it--using your tax dollars, of course!

Makes me wonder . . .   What if Disney goes bust and wants a bailout?  Christ Reformed is in Anaheim, not far from the house of the mouse. . .