Expounding the text, or *EXPLODING* it

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bible, C.H. Spurgeon, calvinism, Charles Spurgeon, christian, explosion, expository sermons, God, Sermon, Spurgeon

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Whether or not you always agree with Charles Spurgeon, you can’t help but appreciate his command of the English language.  Spurgeon didn’t write what follows, but I’m pretty sure I could listen to him give a lecture with a title as dull as—

The baking powder controversy,  A compilation of data relating to the origin and advance of baking powder as a household necessity, the monopolization of one branch of the industry by a single corporation, the attempt of this corporation to destroy all competition, the organization of the smaller manufacturers for defense and the final overthrow and destruction of the political machinery of the corporation by the indictment on charges of legislative corruption of its chief stockholder and his political agents

(which, I kid you not, is an actual book title)—and still hang on every word he spoke.

So you can imagine how much I like to “hear” him preach, figuratively speaking, as I read transcripts of his sermons.  In this sermon, he accuses a commentator (some say John Gill) of exploding 1 Timothy 2:4 in the process of attempting to expound it.  Spurgeon also makes a great point in this paragraph about the danger of an excessive concern with

Hyper-Calvinism in the Light of Calvin

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calvinism, christianity, Far Eastern Bible College, God, hyper-calvinism, Jeffrey Khoo, John Calvin, reformed, reformed theology, theology

This essay won’t interest everyone, and that’s understandable.  However, I think it may be helpful to a few people, so I requested and received permission from Far Eastern Bible College to republish it here.  As far as I know, it’s not available in this format anywhere else on the internet.  My thanks to FEBC, as well as to the author of this essay, Jeffrey Khoo.

HYPER-CALVINISM IN THE LIGHT OF CALVIN

By Jeffrey Khoo

Calvinism is that system of doctrine derived from the great French theologian—John Calvin (1509-64)—author of the famed reformed manifesto called The Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536). However, “The Calvinism of some men is not the Calvinism of John Calvin, nor the Calvinism of the Puritans, much less the Christianity of God.”1 Charles Spurgeon who said that was referring to an erroneous version of Calvinism called Hyper-Calvinism. The prefix “hyper” (Gk: huper) means “above” or “beyond.” Hyper-Calvinism is thus a twisted form of Calvinism that goes beyond what Calvin in accordance to Scriptures had taught. So it is necessary to identify the aberrant doctrinal distinctives of Hyper-Calvinism to prevent any misrepresentation of true Calvinism. The errors are basically two: (1) the denial of common grace, and (2) the denial of the free offer of the gospel.

Denial of Common Grace

Common grace must be distinguished from saving grace. When we talk about saving grace we are referring to the Holy Spirit’s regenerative work on the sinner through the Gospel of Christ reconciling him to God (Rom 3:24, Eph 2:8-9). On the other hand, common grace is God’s favourable bestowal upon all of mankind of those things necessary for creaturely existence on this sin-plagued earth (Ps 145:9, 1 Tim 4:10).

These non-soteric blessings include the gift (1) of time for man to repent (Rom 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9), (2) of the conscience for sin’s restraint (Gen 20:6, Rom 2:14-15), (3) of intelligence, and talent for the arts and sciences (Exod 31:2-11, 35:30-35), and (4) of rain, sunshine etc, for all to enjoy (Matt 5:44-45, Acts 14:16-17).

Hyper-Calvinistic View of Common Grace

Hyper-Calvinists reject the doctrine of common grace. According to them, God hates all unbelievers, and works all things towards their destruction.2  One of the favourite proof texts cited is Mal 1:2-3 (Rom 9:13). This passage does speak of God hating the wicked, but the Hyper-Calvinistic interpretation is flawed because of its failure to distinguish between common grace and special grace.

Calvin’s View of Common Grace

Did Calvin teach common grace? There is no question that he did.

Unconditional Election

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christian, expository sermons, ministry, Pastoral Ministry, pastors, preaching, reformed, reformed theology, sermons, theology, Trinity Baptist Church

October is Pastor Appreciation Month.  This post is my own small and woefully inadequate attempt to honor my pastor.  Right now he’s preaching through the book of Romans on Sunday mornings.  His sermon texts for the last two weeks have been hard, controversial passages:  Romans 9:1-13, and Romans 9:14-29.

I want you to listen to these two sermons, for two reasons.  One, there are a lot of people who aren’t exactly sure what expository (also called expositional) preaching is.  These are both good examples of that particular style of preaching.  Two, they deal with a very difficult doctrine—unconditional election—in a clear, passionate, and yet gracious manner.  In that regard, too, they serve as good examples of faithful pastoral ministry.

If you only have time to listen to one message, I recommend the second.  I pray that you find it as humbling and as encouraging and as challenging as I did.  (You might want to clear out a little spot on the floor for your face.)

• Romans 9:1-13 – Comfort in God’s Sovereign Choice

• Romans 9:14-29 – Is God Fair in Election?

Blog Action Day 2010: Turning shoes into water

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Blog Action Day, Blog Action Day 2010, blogs and blogging, christian, Shoeman Water Project, social action, Water

Jesus turned water into wine.  George “The Shoeman” Hutchings turns used shoes into water.  I’ll tell you more about The Shoeman and his not-so-magic act in a minute.  First, here are a few stark and sobering facts about water:

• 884 million people lack access to safe water supplies; approximately one in eight people.
• 3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease.
• Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease.
• At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.

(These facts and more are available at Water.org.)

I’m writing this post as a participant in Blog Action Day 2010:

Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action.

But I’m also writing because it’s easy—too easy—to ignore a problem like this when you’re not directly affected by it.  I know it’s easy because I’ve done it most of my life.  I’m guilty.  I never even bothered to look into the crisis until earlier this year.  That’s when I first heard about George Hutchings and the Shoeman Water Project.

The Shoeman doesn’t live too far from here.  I’ve never met him, but our church recently gave a couple hundred pairs of shoes to his water project.  They were donated by everyone from the children who attended our VBS this summer, to the members of our church and their acquaintances.

The shoes are given a second life when the Shoeman exports the donated shoes to retailers in the developing world. The resale of shoes provides jobs and affordable footware.  Funds generated from the export of  shoes provides well drilling rigs, water purification systems, and hand pump repair micro businesses bringing clean, fresh water to those who thirst.

And that’s how The Shoeman turns shoes into water.  No miracles, no magic.  Just a little compassion and a lot of hard work.  Most of us, myself included, could learn a lot from his example.  I realize, of course, that we’re not all called to do what The Shoeman did, but we are all called to have enough compassion to do something for those in need.  Getting rid of some old shoes might be a good place to start.

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?  (1 John 3:17)

Find out more about the Shoeman Water Project.

The Autumn Film – A Sad Joy

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christianity, John Piper, Jonathan Edwards, joy, music, paradox, Religion and Spirituality, Repentance, sorrow, The Autumn Film, video

I like The Autumn Film’s melancholy version of an old familiar children’s song.  You probably know it—”I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart…”—but you’ve never heard it quite like this.  I like this version primarily because I find that all my joys really are tinged with sorrow, and all my sorrows tinged with joy.  Perhaps that’s the paradoxical experience of most people, but it seems to me that it’s especially true of those who belong to Christ.  With the apostle Paul we can honestly say, for a number of reasons, that we are “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Cor. 6:10).

Here’s the song.  You can download this video and 3 free songs from The Autumn Film living room session (along with some other great music) here.   Continue reading below the video for a closing thought from Jonathan Edwards…

Not surprisingly, John Piper turns to Jonathan Edwards to help illuminate the nature of this paradox in Christian experience.  In this quote from Edwards’ writing he’s describing the convergence of joy and sorrow that invariably characterizes true repentance:

There is repentance of sin: though it be a deep sorrow for sin that God requires as necessary to salvation, yet the very nature of it necessarily implies delight. Repentance of sin is a sorrow arising from the sight of God’s excellency and mercy, but the apprehension of excellency or mercy must necessarily and unavoidably beget pleasure in the mind of the beholder. ‘Tis impossible that anyone should see anything that appears to him excellent and not behold it with pleasure, and it’s impossible to be affected with the mercy and love of God, and his willingness to be merciful to us and love us, and not be affected with pleasure at the thoughts of [it]; but this is the very affection that begets true repentance. How much soever of a paradox it may seem, it is true that repentance is a sweet sorrow, so that the more of this sorrow, the more pleasure.

I think Edwards is right.  Seeing even just a glimpse of the beauty and glory of God produces within our hearts a response of overwhelming joy.  Simultaneously, that very same sight of God’s glory and mercy brings us to our knees in deep sorrow for our sin.

May God grant each of us more and more of this sweet sorrow of repentance as we pursue holiness.

Strive for… the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

Related Articles

• Continual Repentance (challies.com)

iPod Nano Giveaway

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blogs, blogs and blogging, free, giveaway, iPod, IpodNano, photography, photos

Lukas VanDyke is giving away an iPod Nano; it’s a promotion for his website.  The contest ends this Monday, 10/11/10, so you need to hurry if you want to enter.  See this page for entry details.  Lukas is a photographer in L.A.

While I’m plugging photographers, I encourage you to check out the website of a friend of ours from church.  She recently donated a lot of her time to help us put together a church directory, and does beautiful work.  Visit her site at Arevalo Photography, and give her a call if you’ve been thinking about having some pictures taken.  Here’s one she took of the kids during one of our church directory photo shoots.

Blog Action Day 2010

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Blog Action Day, blogging, blogs, blood:water mission, Jars of Clay, social action, Water

A couple of years ago I participated in Blog Action Day, an initiative designed to raise global awareness about a specific issue.  The theme that year was poverty.  I got pretty fired up about it, and wrote three—count ‘em—three posts that day.  (On a side note, I still owe Isaac a post in answer to a question he asked me in one of those comment threads!):

• Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty
• Blog Action Day 2008: Rewind to 1985
• Blog Action Day 2008: Word vs. Deed

I want to say that I don’t always agree with the goals of the organizers, and I don’t participate every year.  My decision largely depends on the theme.  This year’s theme is Water:

Why water?  Right now, almost a billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water. That’s one in eight of us who are subject to preventable disease and even death because of something that many of us take for granted.

One of the partners this year is blood:water mission, an organization founded by the band Jars of Clay.  I’m glad to see at least one Christian organization directly involved.  Many Christians, I’m afraid, don’t invest enough time and energy in helping those in need.  If you want to participate, you can still register here.  Blog Action Day is set for October 15.

Speak with conviction

There is a trend in popular speech that’s not only slightly annoying, it’s more revealing than we might realize.  It says some unflattering things about us.  So if you recognize yourself in this video, it’s probably time to make some changes.  Learn to speak with some conviction.

On the other hand, of course, no Christian can use this as an excuse for harsh or unkind speech.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  (Titus 3:1-2; see also verses 3-11)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  (Ephesians 4:29)

This video is a dramatic reading and, more specifically, a typography animation of Taylor Mali‘s poem, “Totally like whatever, you know?“  (Thanks for pointing it out, C.L.)

Like…Typography on Vimeo, posted with vodpod