Tried With Fire

The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden by Kevin DeYoung, illustrated by Don Clark, Crossway, 2015, 129 pages, ages 5-11. As a kid, I learned about the Old Testament as a collection of moral fables on how to be good. But the OT as a whole didn't make sense. There was no unifying thread that tied it all together let alone with the rest of the Bible. So as an adult, learning the Bible's storyline was eye-opening, specifically God's promise of the One who would crush the head of the serpent and restore all that had been lost. (Gen. 3:15) Well, you don't have to wait to be an adult to learn Biblical theology. Kevin DeYoung has written a book on the Bible's big story for children, The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher brings Us Back to the Garden . This overview covers Genesis to Revelation. This is quite a tall order, so many details are omitted given the intended audience. However, the main theme of God's promise of the Snake ...

The issues of sin and justice have been on a back burner in my mind for several years. One particular aspect is the idea of moral equivalence - where all sins are considered equal. This older post by Kevin DeYoung is worth reading, the majority of which is also in Hole in our Holiness . In the book, he references The Holiness of God where R.C. Sproul states that all sins require atonement but all sins are not equal. [I]t seems humble to act as if no sin is worse than another, but we lose the impetus for striving and the ability to hold each other accountable when we tumble down the slip-n-slide of moral equivalence... When we can no longer see the different gradations among sins and sinners and sinful nations, we have not succeeded in respecting our own badness, we've cheapened God's goodness. 1 The idea of gradations of sin is important for us to keep in mind so we understand the difference between sin and gross sin . Again, all of our sins require forgiveness. All of...

125. Q. What does the Fourth Request mean? A. "Give us this day our daily bread" means, Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that You are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work or our worry nor Your gifts can do us any good without Your blessings. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put our trust in You alone. "Too often our struggle with prayer is that we focus on the wrong things. We focus on praying better instead of focusing on knowing better the one to whom we pray. And we focus on our need of discipline rather than our need for God. So many of us want to pray more but our lives seem too disordered. But God wants us to see that our messy, chaotic lives can be an impetus to pray instead of an obstacle to prayer. "You don't need discipline nearly as much as you need a broken heart and faith. You don't need an ordered life to enable prayer; you need a messy life to drive you to pra...

122. Q. What does the Third Request mean? A. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" means, Help us and all people to reject our own wills and to obey Your will without any back talk. You will alone is good. Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to, as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven. "[N]o one deserves to have his will followed no matter what. No one except for God. When we pray, "Your will be done." we are confessing our confidence that God knows best, that His plans are good, that His way is always the right way. The Good News We Almost Forgot , Kevin DeYoung, Moody Publishers, 2010, pp. 226, 228.

122. Q. What does the second request mean:? A. "Your kingdom come" means: Rule us by Your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to You. Keep Your church strong and add to it. Destroy the devil's work; destroy every force which revolts against You and every conspiracy against Your Word. Do this until Your Kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it You are all in all. "[T]he kingdom has come where the King has His way. Faith and repentance, and the godly life that follows in their wake, are unchangeable requirements for membership in the kingdom. We want to live like Christ, show people Christ, and make a difference for Christ, but also call people to renounce their rebellion against God, flee worldliness, and be ready to meet the King when He returns to finally establish His kingdom in full. God is not interested in making us good people apart from making us glory people. That is to say, the kingdom is not about excellence in behavior, It ...

122. Q. What does the first request mean? A. "Hallowed be Your name" means, Help us to really know You, to bless, worship, and praise You for all Your works and for all that shines forth from them: Your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, help us to direct all our living - what we think, say, and do - so that Your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. First, God's passion for His glory is not the same as self-flattery because it does not arise out of weakness or deficiency. Second, we hallow God's name because it deserves to be hallowed ... To recognize that God is the most glorious, most lovely, most powerful Being in the universe is to simply recognize Him for who He is. Thirdly, hallowing God's name is for our good. God's glory and God's love are not at odds... As John Piper says, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, Or to put it another way...

120. Q. Why did Christ command us to call God "Our Father"? A. At the very beginning of our prayer Christ wants to kindle in us what is basic to our prayers - the childlike awe and trust that God through Christ has become our Father. Our fathers do not refuse us the things of this life; God our Father will even less refuse to give us what we ask in faith. 121. Q. Why the words "in heaven"? A. Those words teach us not to think of God's heavenly majesty as something earthly and to expect everything for body and soul from His almighty power. "We are not bowing before a tyrannical despot or a distant deity. We are praying to our Father. He's bigger, better, and stronger than any earthly father. He loves us more fiercely, understands us more deeply, and delights in us more fully. "Though God may discipline His children and lead us through valleys we would not have chosen, we should never doubt that God is on our side... All parents wish to do ...

116. Q. Why do Christians need to pray? A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives His grace and Holy Spirit only to  those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking Him for them. 117. Q. How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us? A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in His Word, asking for everything He has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must acknowledge, our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in His majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. This is what He promised us in His Word. 118. Q. What did God command us to pray for? A. Everything we need, spiritually and physically, as embraced in the prayer Christ our Lord Himself taught us. 119....

113. Q. What is God's will for you in the Tenth Commandment? A. That not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God's commandments should ever arise in my heart. Rather, with all my heart I should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right. 114. Q. But can those converted to God obey these commandments perfectly? A. No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some of God's commandments. 115. Q. No one in this life can obey the Ten Commandments perfectly: why then does God want them preached so pointedly? A. First, so that the longer we live the more we may come to know our sinfulness and the more eagerly look to Christ for forgiveness of sins and righteousness. Second, so that, while praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, we may never stop striving to be renewed more and more after God's ...

Congratulations to Melissa, the providential winner of Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung. Thanks to everyone who entered. God willing, there will be a giveaway next month, so stay tuned...

Kevin DeYoung referenced this quote in Hole in Our Holiness . Here's the original: Modernity presents an interlocking system of values that has invaded and settled within the psyche of every person. Modernity is simply unprecedented in its power to remake human appetites, thinking processes, and values. It is, to put it in biblical terms, the worldliness of Our Time. For worldliness is the system of values and beliefs, behaviors and expectations, in any given culture that have at their center the fallen human being and that relegate to their periphery any thought about God. Worldliness is what makes sin look normal in any age and righteousness seem odd. Modernity is worldliness, and it has concealed its values so adroitly in the abundance, the comfort, and the wizardry of our age that even those who call themselves the people of God seldom recognize them for what they are. 1 So how are we doing with worldliness? How am I doing? Am I glad to embrace Christian freedom but without ...

112. Q. What is God's will for you in the Ninth Commandment? A. God's will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, not join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, , I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are the devices the devil uses, and they would call down on me God's intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor's good name. "The saddest part is that when we lie, in little ways or big ways, we are showing our allegiance to the wrong father. Lies and deceit "are the devices of the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God's intense anger, " Answer 112 tells us. The remedy is to follow the example of our heavenly Father, whose words always prove true (Prov. 30:5). We should, like God, "love ...

It's giveaway time! I'll be giving away one copy of The Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung.  To enter the giveaway, fill out the form below. The providential winner will be chosen on Tuesday, October 23 (US addresses only.) Thanks for entering! Holiness is the sum of a million little things - the avoidance of little evils and little foibles, the setting aside of little bits of worldliness and little acts of compromise, the putting to death of little inconsistencies and little indiscretions, the attention to little duties and little dealings, the hard work of little self-denials and little self-restraints, the cultivation of little benevolences and little forbearances. Are you trustworthy? Are you kind? Are you patient? Are you joyful? Do you love? These qualities, worked out in all the little things of life, determine whether you are a blight or blessing to everyone around you, whether you are an ugly spiritual eyesore or growing up into a good-looking Christian... ...

I don't think I've read a book by Kevin DeYoung that I didn't like, and this book is no exception.  In The Hole in Our Holiness , Pastor DeYoung addresses the concern that there's a disconnect between what we believe (or say we believe) about the gospel and godly living.  We've seen the harm that legalism has done, so there's a temptation to swing to the opposite extreme where we fear that any hint of calling Christians to holiness is a return to that bondage. But this should not be and is not the case. DeYoung calls believers to live lives consistent with what they believe - not to earn their salvation but because they have been saved. This is not a contradiction of the gospel of grace but a manifestation of the power of that gospel in our lives. We are becoming and should want to become who the gospel has declared us to be. Holiness is not : Mere rule keeping. Generational imitation. Generic Spirituality. "Finding Your True Self". The way...

110. Q. What does God forbid in the Eighth Commandment? A. He forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God's sight theft also includes cheating and swindling our neighbor by schemes made to appear legitimate, such as: inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volumes; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interests; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition He forbids all greed and pointless squandering of His gifts. 111. Q. What does God require of you in this commandment? A. That I do whatever I can for my neighbor's good, that I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and that I work faithfully so that I may share with those in need. "Finally, and most poignantly, the Eight Commandment forbids greed - stealing with the eyes of our heart... When we are greedy, it is bad for others and worse for ourselves. "The opposite of the love of money is generosity. Instead of hoarding our money, we hand i...

108. Q. What is God's will for you in the Seventh Commandment? A. God condemns all unchastity. We should therefore thoroughly detest it and, married or single, live decent and chaste lives. 109. Q. Does God, in this commandment, forbid only such scandalous sins as adultery? A. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, body and soul, and God wants both to be kept clean and holy. That is why He forbids everything which incites unchastity, whether it be by actions, looks, talk, thoughts, or desires. "We need to fight the fleeting pleasure of sexual sin with a far greater, more abiding pleasure of knowing God. The fight for sexual purity is the fight of faith. It may sound like nothing but hard work and gritting your teeth, the very opposite of faith. But faith is the heart of this struggle. Do we believe that a glimpse of God is better than a glimpse of skin? Do we believe that God's steadfast love is better than life (Ps. 63:3)? We'd probably sin less if we spent less t...

105. Q. What is God's will for you in the Sixth Commandment? A. I am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor - not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds - and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either. Prevention of murder is why government is armed with the sword. 106. Q. Does this commandment only refer to killing? A. By forbidding murder, God teaches us that He hates the root of murder; envy, anger, vindictiveness. In God's sight all such are murder. 107. Q. Is it enough then that we do not kill our neighbor in any such way? A. No. By condemning envy, hatred, and anger, God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly to them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, and so do good even to our enemies. "I'm all for passion and righteous indi...

104. Q. What is God's will for you in the Fifth Commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me, that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings - for through them God chooses to rule us. "Sadly with the reign of youth-ism comes a disrespect for older generations. Instead of thinking, "This person is older and probably has something to teach me that I don't know yet," we figure, "This person is old and out of date and funny looking and weak and is best ignored." Older folks deserve better, especially Mom and Dad. Even into old age we must honor our parents. We should visit them, listen to their advice, and see they are well cared for later in life. Honor for parents has no statute of limitations." "I doubt that many of us regularly feel convicted by the Fifth Commandment, but we probably should. How a...

103. Q. What is God's will for you in the Fourth Commandment? A. First, that the gospel ministry and education for it be maintained and that, especially on the festive day of rest, I regularly attend the assembly of God's people to learn what God's Word teaches, to participate in the sacraments, to pray to God publicly, and to bring Christian offerings for the poor. Second, that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through His Spirit, and to begin already in this life the eternal sabbath.  "Sabbath rest is about making Jesus Christ the center of who we are and relying on Him alone for our salvation. It means ceasing to find approval and righteousness in our deeds. It means we stop doubting God's promises and start trusting that our spiritual vitality is found only by resting in Him. Keeping the Sabbath means we give up on ourselves and give ourselves over to God, letting the Lord work in us through His Spirit, "and so beg...

101.Q. But may we swear an oath in God's name if we do it reverently? A. Yes, when the government demands it, or when necessity requires it, in order to maintain and promote truth, and trustworthiness for God's glory and our neighbor's good. Such oaths are approved in God's Word and were rightly used by the Old and New Testament believers. 102. Q. May we swear by saints or other creatures? A. No. A legitimate oath means calling upon God as the one who knows my heart to witness to my truthfulness and to punish me if I swear falsely. No creature is worthy of such honor. "Since God alone can know the heart and God is the one who will hold us accountable for matters of the heart, swearing by any other besides Him is an affront to His authority. If you swear "on my mother's grave," you're calling on your mother to vouchsafe for your truthfulness and judge you if you lie. But your mom, no matter how special, is not the searcher of hearts and she...