Monday 25 September 2017

The Privileged Planet

The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 7:1 "Of God's Covenant with Man".

"The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition [enjoyment] of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He has been pleased to express by way of covenant".

Recently, a Christian friend of mine recommended a documentary DVD called "The Privileged Planet". What a great DVD it is and I am so thankful that I have now watched it twice. It is also available in book format.

Hollywood's movies have made the quest for extra-terrestrial life a given that such life exists. Not only do they assume it exists, but that it is abundant in the universe. Since the 1960's millions and millions of dollars have been spent on monitoring the airwaves coming into earth and there has been no sign of complex life that can communicate thus far.

The scientists in this DVD explore what factors are necessary for complex life to exist on any planet in the universe. There are many factors, of which earth fits them perfectly and obviously. However, the statistical chance of all these factors coming together to make this happen are virtually impossible. We know it is not by chance, but this DVD reinforces for us, that the fingerprints of the God of the Bible are all over this universe. From the mathematical laws to the force of gravity, to solar eclipses to the place of the earth in the Milky Way, it is all orchestrated by the Living God.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day (Genesis 1:1-5).


Day Four of Creation:

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19.

In closing, did you note the tiny part of the sentence in 1:16 "and the stars". There are billions of them, but for the LORD God it is a single work of his fingers in one single day. This God sent his son, who took the name Jesus to save sinners from sin. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Wednesday 20 September 2017

The Word and the Spirit

The necessity to understand the Word and the Spirit from a biblical perspective is most necessary. Today, there is a general mis-understanding among people, as to how the Word of God and the Holy Spirit work in the church and in the world. The second question of the Westminster Larger Catechism is most instructive on this point. What does it say?

Q. 2. How does it appear that there is a God?
A. The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for their salvation.


This key phrase here is delightful and instructive: "his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him [God] unto men for their salvation". This means that the work of the word and the Holy Spirit are inseparable; they distinct, but without division. The latter is a key theological principle. For example the Three Persons of the Trinity are distinct, but without division.
1 Corinthians 2:10 "But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God".

It is both the Word and the Spirit who reveal the truth. The truth of salvation is dependent upon both sources of revelation or should we say those of revealing power. Let us look at both aspects briefly.

1). The Word of God
A Protestant truth is that the Word of God is restricted to the written holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. The divinely inspired 66 books of the Bible. This truth alone is one that is departed from, by many. The Roman Catholic Church do not restrict the Word of God so narrowly and they permit other sources, which they claim to be the Word of God, such as their own tradition. We believe this to be false. The section of the church who have been led astray by so-called Charismatic influences, they believe that the Bible forms part of the Word of God, but that God speaks in many other ways, such as prophecies, dreams, visions, angels and such like. These supposedly, add to the way of revelation, however, this is more unstable and misleading than the Roman Catholic position. This position opens the door to widespread error.

Therefore, I contend on the basis of Scripture itself, that the written Scriptures are the only source of infallible revelation for salvation, for the church.

2. The Holy Spirit
This question two of the Catechism asserts that the "word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal ... ". The written Scripture alone is not sufficient for revelation to man according to this question and answer. It is this part of the catechism's answer which also needs addressing. The necessity of the Holy Spirit to reveal is often a truth neglected and little spoken of. Why is that? I do not know why. Perhaps for some, it might be for fear of being unbiblical, in thinking that if one emphasises the Holy Spirit that it may appear Charismatic or for some other reason.

However, on the basis of Scripture and the historic teaching of the church, we must contend for the co-equal necessity of the work of the word and Spirit in the church. We must pray that the written word of God would be unashamedly displayed through public reading and preaching, but also that we would be pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to reveal that truth from Scripture. May our Lord help us in this pursuit by His grace.

Tuesday 12 September 2017

Praying for Spiritual Discernment

Philippians 1:9-11 "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God".

Do you note Paul's primary threefold cord of requests in prayer for this church at Philippi? He prays for:

Love
Knowledge
And Discernment

It is the need for spiritual discernment that I want to emphasise. It is the great need for spiritual; discernment that I want to urge us auto pray for as individuals, families and also congregations/denominations. Do you pray for this and how often? If you do not then we can be assured that your spiritual discernment will be weaker than the Lord intends it to be.

There are many spiritual snares, temptations and pitfalls and the church desperately needs an increase in spiritual discernment. Philippians 1:10 "... so that you may approve what is excellent ...". This means to know the difference between what is spiritually right and what is spiritually wrong!

Discernment means a "capacity to understand". A capacity to understand is vital to the spiritual life and witness of the church. We need discernment regarding doctrine, Christian morals, what should and should not take place in public worship and so forth. Perhaps someone should write a good book on discernment from an Evangelical and Reformed perspective.

I hope that this blog post exhorts us to action to pray for spiritual discernment on a regular basis.

Friday 8 September 2017

Covenant Faithfulness

It has been my joy to write this blog for a number of years. My aim is to encourage "whosoever that would read" to move towards a Calvinistic and Reformed path. One that honours the written Scriptures and the truths therein, so that reform takes place in our ideas, regarding the doctrine of God, our thoughts about the church and public worship, the doctrine we hold and the way the church should be governed under Christ.

Once bad habits set in, it can be hard to change them, but if the Holy Spirit is at work then a change of direction, in our thinking and action is more than possible. We are living at a juncture in the West, where the church is largely in a state of spiritual confusion. Due to wrong teaching, many churches have no moral compass, other than what the consensus thinks is morally right. Without a robust love of the Ten Commandments, this is no surprise. Quite often I hear the phrase in discussing biblical truth: "I do not agree" or "I cannot accept that ... " or "I have a different opinion". These comments may be valid, but often they underlie a thought pattern that we can all believe what we want rather than being submitted to the right interpretation of Scripture. Romans 4:3 is crucial as Paul asks: "What does the Scripture say?".

Simply put, the Book of Deuteronomy offers many valuable lessons for the church today. Why? The message is the same as for the New Testament church as to what the Covenant LORD expects from his people in every age, in every continent. It is this. He expects Covenant faithfulness. But, what does that look like in practice?

Deuteronomy chapters 4, 6 and 8 are helpful to summarise what covenant faithfulness is to look like among the people of God.
4:1-2 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.

4:4-5 "But you who held fast to the LORD your God are all alive today. See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

4:9 "Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children—".


How may we summarise these truths? The people of the Covenant LORD are to walk in covenant faithfulness by:

*Listening to the statutes and rules
*To do these statutes and rules
* Not adding or taking away from the commandments, that you may keep them and obey them
* Hold fast to the LORD and do the LORD's commandments
*Take care and keep your soul diligently
* Teach your children and your children's children to do the same

In essence, covenant faithfulness means to hear and listen carefully to the Scriptures being faithfully read and taught faithfully publicly. The Bible is not primarily a private book, but the possession of the whole people of God. We are to do then the commandments and to keep the teaching faithfully. As the Lord Jesus said in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments"; John 14:21 "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me"; John 15:10 "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love". Here Christ Jesus is effectually summarising the same teaching that is found in Deuteronomy.

Covenant faithfulness is what the LORD requires of his people. Let us pray that the whole church would desire to walk in covenant faithfulness by his grace.