Tried With Fire

Now, then, though heretics may snarl and the excessively fastidious carp at the word person as inadmissible, in consequence of its human origin, since they cannot displace us from our position that three are named, each of whom is perfect God, and yet that there is no plurality of gods, it is most un-candid to attack the terms which do nothing more than explain what the Scriptures declare and sanction.  "It were better," they say, "to confine not only our meanings but our words within the bounds of Scripture, and not scatter about foreign terms to become the future seed-beds of brawls and dissensions. In this way, men grow tired of quarrels about words; the truth is lost in altercation , and charity melts away in hateful strife." If they call it a foreign term, because it cannot be pointed out in Scripture in so many syllables, they certainly impose an unjust law - a law which would condemn every interpretation of Scripture that is not composed of other words of ...

Well, in a day when identity politics is in, I have decided to launch my own webzine, aimed specifically at that most neglected sector of today's culture: miserable middle-aged gits, of whom I am a foremost representative. To capture the essence of the project, I am going to call it "Oi You, Get Off My Lawn!" as long as the relevant web address (www.oiyougetoffmylawn.com) is not taken . . . [T]here'll be a regular editorial, addressing such urgent issues of the day as "Dooyeweerd or Don't You Weird? The Case Against Soul Patches," and "Why Are There Never Enough Parking Places at the Prostate Clinic? Toward a Christian Response." Now, if you don't think these columns and questions are relevant, then you must be either (a) a woman or (b) a man under the age of 40. If the latter, give it a few years and the profound relevance of these issues will be painfully clear. In the meantime, don't oppress me by engaging in the imperialist, sexi...

This week's list: ~ Dogwood and azalea time ~ Minimal pollen allergies so far. ~ Long discussions with my daughter about worldview, dating/courtship, movies, modesty and how the foundation of the Word and the gospel under-girds our practice of those specifics. ~ Books and friends who encourage Biblical thinking. ~ Mercy ministry outreach dinner and gospel message tonight. The end goal is not to just offer handouts but training in practical skills so folks can become financially self-sufficient. ~ Reminders of Jesus' power to save in the gospel of Mark. Our salvation truly is a miracle.

 Here are links to the talks from the final day of the Ligonier conference: Session 11 : Ignorance is not bliss  Robert Godfrey Text: Psalm 49.  Dr. Godfrey gave an overview of the decline of Christian thought and the consequences of it not being taken seriously.  Christians throughout history have been maligned for their deeds, i..e the crusades. But the death toll from the ideologies that have rejected God is far worse. What vision of the life and the life to come should Christians hold up? How do we engage ourselves in this world for the cause of Christ? Dr. Godfrey then used Abraham Kuyper as an example of someone who was actively engaged in bringing Christ to bear in the time and place where he lived. We are responsible for the sphere in which we find ourselves, but we are responsible and accountable to Him.  If we love God and love our neighbor, we will offer an alternative to the shepherds of death - the Good Shepherd.  Ignorance is not bliss...

Not this book. Far from it, but the title of the essay that's being quoted. I'm about halfway through this book, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. Carl Trueman's insight into Christianity's follies (some of which are uniquely American) will have you laughing and wincing at the same time.  His aim is accurate. "A church service involving clowns or fancy dress or skits or stand-up comedy does not reflect the seriousness of the gospel; and those who take the gospel seriously should know better. Frankly, it is more appropriate to liberal theology that does not take seriously the gospel, or the God of the gospel. Serious things demand serious idioms. I heard recently of a church service involving dressing up in a costume and music taken from a Tom Cruise movie. Now, if I go for my annual prostate examination, and the doctor comes into the consulting room dressed as Coco the Clown, with "Take My Breath Away" from Top Gun playing in the background,...

(FYI: You can watch the messages on the Ligonier site for free, which is far better than reading my posts.) Break out session: The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon  Steven Lawson (If you love Spurgeon, love the gospel, and love the doctrines of grace, please watch this. It will be worth every minute of your time. My notes are sparse because I was listening rather than writing.) Charles Spurgeon had the depth of Calvinism and the breadth of evangelicalism. If you only have Calvinism, you can get stoic eggheads staring at their navels. If you only have evangelicalism, you can get  a manipulative gospel. Spurgeon combined both. He was born June 19, 1834 and was raised in a Christian home. He was converted at age 15 and started preaching at age 16. He was called to pastor the New Park St. Chapel at 19. Within a year, it was standing room only.  By age 20, Spurgeon preached at Exeter hall to 5000. He became pastor of the Metropolitan at age 26, which seated 6000. He ...

Session 7 - The Rock of Ages and the Age of Rocks  Stephen Meyer The New Atheism has declared that science reduces the belief of God as untenable. Life only gives the appearance of design, and to believe in a Designer is delusional. But we believe Ps. 19:1-4 and Rom. 1:20. Science reveals a Creator. Historically scientists like Boyle, Kepler, Newton, and Gallileo believed science was a high calling to think God's thoughts after Him. But how did we get from Newton to Richard Dawkins? Pierre LaPlace, author of Celestial Mechanics, the first attempt to explain natural phenomena without a hypothesis of God. Charles Darwin - not just science but a worldview and philosophy that views the theological and spiritual as superfluous. To attempt a coherent answer to the essential questions of life, the prime reality formerly was metaphysical.  But scientific materialism renders God as an idea in the mind of man. Therefore the prime reality is matter and energy.  By the end ...

33. Q. Why is He called God's "only Son" when we are God's children? A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God - adopted by grace through Christ. 34. Q. Why do you call Him "Our Lord"? A. Because - not with gold or silver, but with HIs precious blood - He has set us free from sin and the tyranny of the devil and has bought us, body and soul, to be His very own. "The Sonship of Jesus Christ, then, is different from ours in that we became children of God, whereas Jesus Christ has always been God's Son. Jesus was not made the Son of God at His Incarnation as if some new title or identity was conferred upon Him. The Son of God was the Son of the Father even before creation (Heb. 1:2). His Sonship is eternal. Ours is not. That's the difference. By nature, we are not God's children, whereas Christ is by nature the Son of God. "But with all this talk of Jesus as the Son of Go...

"The list of American idiosyncrasies could go on: the American penchant for men's shoes with tassels (which, I am thankful, have no counterpart in Britain); the post-colonial idea that a sausage on a lollipop stick is edible; and the constitutional right to eat cheese delivered from an aerosol can without government interference. Freedom is surely a wonderful thing." From " Messiahs Pointed to the Door" in Fools Rush In Where Monkeys Fear to Tread by Carl Trueman, P&R Publishing, 2012, pg. 17.

Let it suffice to remember, that whatever offices of piety are bestowed anywhere else than on God alone, are of the nature of sacrilege. First, superstition attached divine honors to the sun and starts, or to idols: afterward ambition followed - ambition which, decking man in the spoils of God, dared to profane all that was sacred. And though the principle of worshiping a supreme deity continued to be held, still the practice was to sacrifice promiscuously to genii and minor gods, or departed heroes; so prone is the descent to this vice of communicating to a crowd that which God strictly claims as his own peculiar right! Institutes of the Christian Religion  1.123, John Calvin, translated by Henry Beveridge, Hendrickson, pg. 63.

I'm hoping to finish posting on the Ligonier conference next week once I finish deciphering my notes. My less than legible handwriting would be a good excuse for getting some sort of tablet thingy as I can type faster than I can write and there would be no key clicking to distract others. Spring in Virginia is so pretty but so short. I loved seeing the wild dogwood and redbud blooming along I-64 this evening. However, it makes no sense to me why redbuds are called redbuds as the blooms are purple. Spring in Virginia also means a thick coating of oak and pine pollen everywhere. There was a package waiting on my doorstep from Westminster Bookstore . There were 3 new books for the church library plus this and this Time now for a little reading...

How they did it...

I'm thankful for: - The opportunity to attend the Ligonier National Conference.  It was a time of rich teaching and conviction. It was also a special time with my daughter. She was as enthusiastic about attending as I and didn't complain about getting up early to hear theology. I'm also grateful for wisdom to navigate a strange city and making all our connecting flights, even if it meant power-walking the entire length of the Charlotte airport. - A church to come home to.  As wonderful as the conference was, it was good to be with our own faith family on Sunday morning, women's group Tuesday night, and small group last night. My pastor jokingly said he didn't think he could be R.C. Sproul. But I'm glad he's not. Dr. Sproul isn't our pastor, but Pastor Ryan is. This little church has been so vital in my life that I pray I would not take it for granted. I also know believers who long for a church where the word is faithfully preached and for deeper ...

Session 5 - The True Scandal of the Evangelical Mind  R.C. Sproul, Jr. Text: 1 Cor 1:18-31. The gospel is what unites us: the incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, 2nd coming. This is our story, but to those outside, it is a scandal and foolishness.  We often think of them (non-believers) in the light of our story, but we don't consider what they think of us in the light of this story. We are considered blind, stupid, gullible, easily led, etc. 1. We are offended that they are offended by us. We complain about how the world treats us. We are insisting that Paul is wrong, not just Paul but the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, because we think we should not be a scandal.  Therefore, we reshape ourselves and our story to remove the stumbling block to establish our credibility. i.e. Emergent/Pomo - It's just our story. Everyone has their own narrative. Seeker sensitive - Remove the sharp edges such as talking about sin, wrath, judgment. 2. We aren't reall...

The winner of the Christian Worldview DVD by R. C. Sproul is: Congratulations, Elizabeth!!!! Thanks to all who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future, Lord willing.

(Here are some snippets from my notes from Day 1.  They don't do the talks justice, but it may whet your appetite to get them and listen for yourself.) Session 1 - Have you lost your mind?   R. C. Sproul We are living in an anti-intellectual time. Not necessarily anti-academic or anti-scientific but anti-mind. This not just in the world but in evangelicalism. Mind and the body - There is a biblical relationship between our minds and what we do with our physical bodies. We are responsible for our actions and how we think will attribute to this. If I want to know what you really believe, I will look at your life. Our lives tell as what we think. If a Christian is interested in how he lives, he needs to consider how he thinks and what he thinks. Mind and the will - The will is the mind choosing (Jonathan Edwards). A voluntary, conscious choice. I will choose what my mind deems best at that particular moment, doing what you are most inclined to do at that moment...

Dr. R.C. Sproul during his last address As I have to catch up with work, this is a quick post on impressions of the conference. Lord willing, I'll post more detail on the sessions this week. - I have never been with so many Christians, let alone reformed folks, all in one place at one time. - Rosemary , you were right. The singing was wonderful. To lift your voice in classic hymns of the faith with so many brethren accompanied by a huge pipe organ and small orchestra moved me to tears more than once. It seemed like a small preview of "that yonder sacred throng." The video quality isn't very good, but this will give you an idea. - It's good thing the conference was only 3 days or my brain would have exploded. The days were packed with 3 morning sessions, Q&A, an afternoon session, 2 breakout sessions, and an evening session.  I nearly developed a blister from writing so many notes. - The bookstore was a sight to behold. This was taken at the...

31. Q. Why is He called "Christ" meaning "Anointed"? A. Because He has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of His body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by His Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom He has won for us. 32. Q. But why are you called Christians? A. Because by faith I am a member of Christ and so I share in His anointing. I am anointed to confess His name, to present myself to Him as a living sacrifice of thanks, and to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and afterwards to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity. "As a prophet Christ cam to show us the way and declare the will of God. But as the ...

The human mind, stuffed as it is with presumptuous rashness, dares to imagine a God suited to its own capacity, as it labors under dullness, no, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God. To these evils is another added. The God whom man has thus conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly. The mind, in this way, conceives the idol, and the hand gives it birth. . . . This undoubtedly is the reason why John (1 John 5:21) enjoins us to beware, not only of the worship of idols, but also of idols themselves. And from their fearful infatuation under which the world has hitherto laboured, almost to the entire destruction of piety, we know too well from experience that from the moment images appear in churches, idolatry has as it were raised its banner; because the folly of manhood cannot moderate itself, but forthwith falls away to superstitious worship. Even were the danger less imminent, still, when I consider the proper en...

Something real quick...

Happy Pi Day ! I will be taking an internet break until we get back from Ligonier 2012, but there are a few posts scheduled in my absence.  Lord willing, I'll post on the conference when we return home.

Waiting can be  frustrating. But from a different point of view, waiting is a gift of free time. With the latter in mind, sitting at an airport or on a plane won't be a bore or a chore. As I'll be gifted with 5 or 6 hours tomorrow, I'm looking forward to: I haven't read any of Dr. Wells' books in order, so I'm still deciding which book to bring.  Practicing crochet with  this pattern .  To borrow a phrase from our pastor, "With chocolate this good, the kingdom must be now."

In honor of the 2012 Ligonier Conference on The Christian Mind , I will be giving away Christian Worldview by R. C. Sproul. This is a 2-disc DVD set containing 12 lectures on the most popular worldviews, their implications, and the contrasting Christian worldview.  I've begun to watch the series and have found it very enlightening. More info on the series here . To enter the giveaway, please fill out the form below with your contact information. (US addresses only please). The winner will be chosen on Tuesday, March 20, at noon EDT.   The winner will be contacted via email and have 24 hours to respond. (The giveaway is closed.)

29. Q. Why is the Son of God called "Jesus", meaning "Savior"? A. Because He saves us from our sins. Salvation cannot be found in anyone else; it is futile to look for any salvation elsewhere. 30. Q. Do those who look for their salvation and security in saints, in themselves, or elsewhere really believe in the only Savior Jesus? A. No. Although they boast of being His, by their deeds they deny the only Savior and deliverer, Jesus. Either Jesus is not a perfect Savior, or those who in true faith accept their Savior have in Hm all they need for their salvation. "Protestants don't pray to saints, but we sure work hard to do what is right. Deep down, and sometims we don't even have to dig that deep, many of us feel confident before God because we haven't royally messed up our lives, at least not lately. We don't get drunk or do drugs. We show up on time for work. We keep our yard clean and get involved with church. I'd feel pretty good...

"Let him that glorieth," says he, "glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth" (Jer. 9:24). Assuredly the attributes which it is most necessary for us to know are these three: loving-kindness, on which alone our entire safety depends; judgment, which is daily exercised on the wicked, and awaits them in a severer form, even for eternal destruction; righteousness, by which the faithful are preserved and most benignly cherished. The prophet declares, that when you understand these, you are amply furnished with the means of glorying in God. Nor is there here any omission of his truth, or power, or holiness, or goodness.  For how could this knowledge of his loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness exist, if it were not founded on his inviolable truth? How, again, would it be believed that he governs the earth with judgment and righteousness, without presupposing...

Primrose - Primula vulgaris This week's list: Counting down to Ligonier 2012. I'm thankful for friends who will feed the bunnies and give us rides to and from the airport. A pastor who preaches the Word and endeavors to be true to the text even if it steps on toes. The heart of our pastor's wife for the women's ministry - not to make much of women but to make God and the gospel the main thing. God's kindness in giving biblical discernment to my daughter. As long as someone is alive, there is still hope that God will grant repentance. The comfort of Mark 3:28. Thank God for the forgiveness of sins!

[Warning: Mini-rant ahead] The mega-church down the road recently built a new sanctuary, which we experienced firsthand at Tim Hawkins' show.  It was certainly impressive to say the least, but I had to shut my mouth more than once to keep the snark inside.  The stage had light panels above, below, and surrounding the 3 ginormous TV screens at the back. The color of the lights were varied depending on Tim's musical numbers and even changed to red, white, and blue for his grand finale. Very cool for the new Chick-fil-A song, but can anyone tell me why a light show would be necessary for the preaching of the word? It was so sad when the pastor of this congregation invited people to their worship service, telling the audience he was called the "Jeff Foxworthy" of  preachers. At the end of the show, another man (maybe the assistant pastor) also gave an invitation stating that if you liked Tim Hawkins you'd love it there Sunday morning. Is that any recommendation?...

When in doubt, write about books.  So... Recently completed: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins: If you are a mystery lover, this is a must read. The Moonstone is not the semi-precious stone but a yellow diamond stolen from an Indian idol. This cursed gem is given as a gift to Englishwoman, Rachel Verinder, on her 18th birthday but is stolen that very night from her bedchamber.  Whodunit? I won't tell, but I will say I thoroughly enjoyed this classic English country house mystery. Also Collins' use of multiple narrators added to its charm, although I winced a little at Miss Clack's Christian caricature. Considered the first detective novel in the English language. both Dorothy Sayers and G.K. Chesterton thought it to be the "finest" and the "best" detective tale written. The Help by Kathryn Stockett: I was late in reading this one, but also enjoyed it .  As to its complete accuracy, I can't say, but here's a review by Thabiti Anyabwile. ...

I borrowed this idea from my friend, Trisha , because it's Monday evening, we had a full day, and I'm too tired to come up with something original because we were up late talking last night. Also I like this idea, because there's a notion that once your child turns 13, he/she is taken over by the body-snatching aliens from the planet Rebellionus. By the grace of God, this doesn't have to be a forgone conclusion. Okay, so here goes: 1. She's not a picky eater and is willing to try almost anything.  She had a fondness for sushi of the raw variety at an early age, and she doesn't mind leftovers. 2. She lets me borrow her clothes, and vice versa within reason. I stay away from things that are too youthful, and she won't borrow things that are too (ahem) mature. 3. She still calls me "Mommy". 4. She doesn't think I'm old. Or nuts. And is not embarrassed to do Zumba with me. 5. We have so many private jokes that if one of us was abduc...

27.Q. What do you understand by the providence of God? A. Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which He upholds, as with His hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty - all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from His fatherly hand. 28.Q. How does the knowledge of God's creation and providence help us? A. We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing will separate us from His love.  All creatures are so completely in His hand that without His will they can neither move nor be moved. "You can look at providence through the lens of human autonomy and our idolatrous notions of freedom and see a mean God moving tsunamis and kings like chess pieces in some kind of perverse divine play...

Those, who, rejecting Scripture, imagine that they have some peculiar way of penetrating to God, are to be deemed not so much under the influence of error as madness. For certain giddy men have lately appeared, who, while they make a great display of the superiority of the Spirit, reject all reading of the Scriptures themselves, and deride the simplicity of those who only delight in what they call the dead and deadly letter. But I wish they would tell me what spirit it is whose inspiration raises them to such a sublime height that they dare despise the doctrine of Scripture as mean and childish. If they answer that it is the spirit of Christ, their confidence is exceedingly ridiculous; since they will, I presume, admit that the apostles and other believers in the primitive church were not illuminated by any other Spirit. None of these thereby learned to despise the word of God, but everyone was imbued with greater reverence for it, as their writings most clearly testify...  Wh...

Has it been one of these stressful weeks where you felt stuck in your tracks?    Here's a heart-warming movie to help you unwind...

Another warm and sunny day. I think spring is here to stay. Grace and discipline to be productive in spite of mornings taken by an extra piano lesson and the dentist. Learning to not waste as much time on the Internet. I didn't check the blogsphere until late last night, and I survived! Tim Hawkins in concert on Sunday at the mega-church down the road. Lord willing in 2 weeks, we will be at the Ligonier National Conference ! I'm thankful for the opportunity to attend. The theme The Christian Mind is especially meaningful to me after years of turning off and distrusting my mind to be truly "spiritual". I'm so glad God renews our minds instead.