Why Read "Old" Books?

Reading old books is often hard work. Mark Twain once quipped that a classic book is one "everyone wishes they have read but never takes the time to read." So, here is some encouragement from CS Lewis for us to prioritize reading "classics."

CS Lewis writes,

None of us can fully escape this [cultural] blindness [of our age], but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books. Where they are true they will give us truths which we half knew already. Where they are false they will aggravate the error with which we are already dangerously ill. The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books. Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. . . . To be sure, the books of the future would be just as good a corrective as the books of the past, but unfortunately we cannot get at them. 

("On the Reading Old Books," in God in the Dock, pg. 202. I found this quote in The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Purtian Classics, ed. by Kapic and Gleason, pg. 34.).

Redeem the Time: A Challenge from Jonathan Edwards

Since you are on break from enforced thinking (that is college required thinking), let me encourage you to spend some time thinking about the direction of your life and how you might improve it for the glory of God and your happiness. Well, I'll let Jonathan Edwards do it through some of his resolutions.

Jonathan Edwards wrote 67 resolutions (guiding principles) for his life when he was in his early 20's. Here are just a couple related to the use of time and the goal of life. Perhaps you can think over them, find Scriptural support, and implement them into your mindset.

RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE AIM OF LIFE:

1. “Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good … Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.”

22.  “Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.” [My editorial question for you, Ask yourself what will promote maximum happiness for the maximum duration? Is it not pursuing God?]

RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE USE OF TIME:

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.

CS Lewis on Pride

In God, you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that - and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison - you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.

CS Lewis in Mere Christianity, quoted by Kelly Kapic in A Little Book for New Theologians, pg. 73.

Prayer to Glorify God in Your Work

Last night we looked at the two ditches of laziness / procrastination and anxious toil. We said God calls us not so much to balance but to faithfulness in all the areas of life he has given us responsibility in. Here is a portion of a prayer from Calvin that you might make your own today as you try to apply what we learned:

O grant that we may bear in mind our office and our calling, and sincerely devote ourselves to Thy service, and so present to Thee our efforts and our labors that they name may be truly glorified in us, and that it may really appear that we have been engrafted into the body of Thine only begotten Son.

Lifting up Our Hearts: 150 Selected Prayers from John Calvin, Ed. by Dusting W. Benge, pg. 211. In the context he is praying that we would fulfill our royal as a "royal priesthood" of believers who represent God and serve him.

The Difference between the Unconverted and Converted Person

William Arnot:

The difference between an unconverted and a converted man, is not that one has sins and the other has none. But the one takes part with his cherished sins against a dreaded God and the other takes part with his reconciled God against his hated sins.

Is Self-Pity Pride?

Last Sunday evening, while we were discussing the sermon, I mentioned a quote from John Piper that has been painfully helpful in my own life. In his book, Desiring God, he points out how pride is not just a problem the boastful have.

Boasting is the response of pride to success. Self-pity is the response of pride to suffering. Boasting says, ‘I deserve admiration because I have achieved so much.’ Self-pity says, ‘I deserve admiration because I have sacrificed so much.’ Boasting is the voice of pride in the heart of the strong. Self-pity is the voice of pride in the heart of the weak. … The need self-pity feels does not come from a sense of unworthiness, but from a sense of unrecognized worthiness (Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, pg. 302).

This line of thinking is uncomfortable. When I am in the midst of pitying myself, I don't feel like I am being prideful. However, I am still thinking much of myself. I am just sad others haven't recognized my greatness along with me. Oh, how sinister and deceptive pride is.  But thanks be to God that he is transforming us into the image of his humble Son. Let's keep asking him to reveal our pride and to help us see Jesus more clearly in his Word so that we might be more like him.

Some Good Things from the Shepherd's Conference

A couple of weeks ago I had the joy of attending the Shepherd's Conference in Sun Valley, CA. Here are a few good things from my experience there. The sessions will be available online soon. I particularly enjoyed John MacArthur, Al Mohler, and Conrad Mbewe.

1. So many men's voices singing

We sang and listened to special music quite a bit. Bob Kauflin, Keith and Kristen Getty, and Grace Community Church all took turns leading 4,500 men in singing praise to Christ! Just like at Together for the Gospel conferences, the sound of so many deep voices singing was moving, especially because the content of our songs were about our Lord. The special music was also quite powerful.

2. The international fellowship

I observed that there were many internationals at the conference. There were many there from places like South America, Europe, etc. I chatted with a man who is a pastor of a church in Scotland and was encouraged to hear that in the city of Edinburgh there are several expository preaching, healthy churches. I know that Europe is still in great need of revival, but it was refreshing to meet this sign of God's on going grace in Europe. I also met folks who were on the mission field from the US (two of whom our church supports in the Middle East).

3. Quotes  (Paraphrases)/ good points

 John MacArthur (2 Cor. 4:5)

"Don't overestimate your importance in ministry"
"I don't need the credit of the results of gospel ministry and, thankfully, the responsibility to secure results is not mine."
"Our weakness is not fatal to the gospel"
Concerning Paul, "no one gave him a trophy at the end. He could die knowing his crown of glory, the best, was yet to come."

Michael Reeves (John 1:1-3)

"Don't preach a secular / sacred divide. Preach that all things bear His stamp and glory." 

Ligon Duncan (John 6)

We must not simply think more people [in our ministry] is a sign of revival. In love, we must look to see, do they want the Bread of Life or are they looking for satisfaction in other things." 

Mark Jones (Isaiah 50)

"It seems to me that God often gives you a lot more than you can handle [so that we cry to him],"

Miguel Nunez (John 14:6)

"Error is often OK with taking in the truth too, as long as it isn't exclusive truth." 

HB Charles (Eph. 1:14-23)

"You cannot have a high view of Jesus and low view of the church."

Al Mohler (John 15:18-16:4)

"We are tempted to think we can be at peace with the culture or that the culture is neutral."
"How arrogant of us to think we will be thought of and treated better than Jesus [the perfect one]."

What is Christian Conversion?

John Piper's description of how one becomes a Christian (conversion) in his book Desiring God (pg. 71-72).

Once we had no delight in God, and Christ was just a vague historical figure. What we enjoyed was food and friendships and productivity and investments and vacations and hobbies and games and reading and shopping and sex and sports and art and TV and travel…but not God. He was an idea—even a good one—and a topic for discussion; but He was not a treasure of delight. 

Then something miraculous happened. It was like the opening of the eyes of the blind during the golden dawn. First the stunned silence before the unspeakable beauty of holiness. Then the shock and terror that we had actually loved the darkness [ie. sin]. Then the settling stillness of joy that this is the soul’s end. The quest is over. We would give anything if we might be granted to live in the presence of this glory forever and ever.
And then, faith—the confidence that Christ has made a way for me, a sinner, to live in His glorious fellowship forever, the confidence that if I come to God through Christ, He will give me the desire of my heart to share His holiness and behold His glory.  

But before the confidence comes the craving. Before the decision comes the delight. Before trust comes the discovery of Treasure.

In other words, God must give us new life (regenerate us) to awaken us to his glory. In response to that, we are in awe and delight in how great he is. But, we also are in fear because of our great sin against this great God. So we respond with a turning away from our sin (it's lesser pleasures) to trust in Jesus as our Savior and great treasure!

Regeneration comes from God, and so does our faith. We must believe, but we won't unless God graciously opens our eyes to see what is truly valuable.

Here are some verses that highlight this truth:

John 3:18-20 

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

2 Cor. 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Advice on How to Face Hostility towards the Gospel

I hope and pray that as the semester is off to a start that you are finding opportunities to share the gospel with new friends and professors. As you seek to be faithful to speak the good news of Christ, you might (and at times will) find yourself facing hostility. Recently, I was reading in Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students" on the topic of a minister's conversation. As I read it, I noticed that what he said would apply to sharing the gospel in the face of hostility. He writes,

In all probability, sensible conversation will sometimes drift into controversy, and here many a good man runs upon a snag. The sensible minister will be particularly gentle in argument. He, above all men should not make the mistake of fancying that there is force in temper, and power in speaking angrily. A heathen who stood in a crowd in Calcutta, listening to a missionary disputing with a Brahmin, said he knew which was right though he did not understand the language- he know that he was in the wrong who lost his temper first. For the most part, that is a very accurate way of judging. Try to avoid debating with people. State your opinion and let them state theirs. If you see that a stick is crooked, and you want people to see how crooked it is, lay a straight rod down beside it; that will be quite enough. But if you are drawn into arguments, use very hard arguments and very soft words. Frequently you cannot convince a man by tugging at his reason, but you can persuade him by winning his affections.

The point is not to avoid using reason. Spurgeon used reason and made clear arguments. But, the point is that reason does not change those who "suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

Remember, your goal is not to protect your pride. Your goal is to put the gospel on display in word and deed. The powerful message of the gospel is best communicated by those who entrust themselves to God and do not seek to revile. In the classroom, remember that it is the professor's class. In humility seek to winsomely and accurately lay the straight gospel beside crooked philosophies of the world. Finally, don't forget to pray that God will open blinding eyes to see the beauty of himself in Jesus Christ.

Happiness in God Alone Spares us Much Anxiety

Spare yourself some anxiety and believe that God is able to make you happy without anything but himself:

O what a blessed thing it is to lose one's will. Since I have lost my will I have found happiness. There can be no such thing as disappointment to me, for I have no desires but that God's will might be accomplished. Christians might avoid much trouble if they would only believe what they profess, viz., that God is able to make them happy without anything but Himself. They imagine that if is such a dear friend were to die, or such and such a blessing removed, they should be miserable, whereas God can make them a thousand times happier without them. To mention my own case, God has been depriving me of one blessing after another, but as every one was removed He has come in and filled up its place, and now, when I am a cripple and unable to move, I am happier than ever I was in my life before or expected to be, and if I had believe this twenty years ago I might have been spared much anxiety.

--Edward Payson, quoted in More Love to Thee by Sharon James

This is not the end of desires as a means to avoid anxiety. It is not the mystical thought of killing wants and desires. No, it is actually finding our full desire met in God as our ultimate joy. If he is the best Being the universe then the best gift he can give is himself. In believing that, and delighting in him through Jesus Christ, we find unshakable happiness.

"The Secret Will of God"

I think many Christians make the mistake of acting on what they can never be sure of rather than relying on what they can know for sure. In other words, Christians confuse God's secret will with his revealed will. - Paul Tripp

That quote is from a helpful article by Paul Tripp on the issue of God's will. I encourage you to read the whole thing.

If you are interested in more on this topic, check Kevin DeYoung's helpful (short) book called "Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will."

Meditation is Required for Christian Growth

Last night, I spoke on the topic of meditation (and how it can be used in discipleship) from Psalm 119:97-104. I came across a great quote on the topic of meditation from Oliver Heywood (quoted by Lou Priolo in his booklet "Selfishness"). Writing 300 years ago he said, Christian meditation is the

...solemn endeavor of the soul to bring home to itself divine things; and so to resolve, ponder, and digest them, as to work their transforming power into every element and faculty of its being...It is the digestive process, by which spiritual food nourishes the soul and promotes its growth in holiness.

Lack of meditation is the primary reason that so many professing Christians, in spite of exposure to the most excellent teaching, still remain ignorant, unstable, and unfruitful; "ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Instruction flows in upon them from all sides; but their hearts and minds are like sieves, out of which everything runs as fast as it is poured in. The impressions which truth makes on their minds, are as temporary as characters traced on the sands of the sea-shore, which the next wave erases forever. But meditation imprints truth deeply on the conscience, and engraves it on the tablets of "the inner man," "as with the point of a diamond laser beam." It thus becomes incorporated into the soul; and forms, as it were, a part of it; and it is ever present, to regulate the heart's affections and to control and guide all of its movements.

We are blessed to have much great teaching at our church. The danger is that we become hearers and not doers. The potential disaster is that we might hear the word, be responsible before God for it, and not have it affect our will, thinking, desires, and behavior. You will not grow in the faith if you do not think about and apply God's Word. The Spirit of God works through the Word of God rightly understood and meditated on.

Take some time to meditate on God's Word. If you don't know how, check out this resource from Don Whitney to help you get some ideas.

Are Religious Views Merely Private?

I found this quote from Darrell Bock's commentary and thought it was insightful.

It is popular in our day to be neutral. In a culture where tolerance is highly valued, nonpartisianship is attractive. In religious discussions we try to avoid stepping on toes, for in Western cultures religious views are generally considered private. We want to avoid offending others in a culture that is diverse. But neutrality is not always a good thing, and neither is polite disengagement. Some issues are important enough to require our considered choices...

If God exists, should we think of him as having a liaise-faire attitude, not interested in how we relate to him? Jesus argues that is not the case. Religion by its very nature is a public affair, since it deals with how people relate to reality and to others. Though religious coercion such as marred European history in the Crusades and the Thirty Years War is wrong, so is our culture's tendency to relegate religious concerns to the fringe world of private reflection. The issues are too important to be kept peripheral. Ultimately we must ask each other, What centers our lives, what do we accept as truth, what defines our character? (Luke, Vol. 3 of the IVP New Testament Commentary Series, pg. 212, emphasis added by me).

Religious views are not private no matter how much our culture tries to pretend they are. A person's views of ultimate reality, purpose, morality, the existence of God (or lack thereof), and his character shape our everyday decisions. This is true of everyone from stay at home moms to politicians. Saying religion has no place in the public sphere is simply a way of saying, "As long as what makes you tick is something other than the God of the Bible you may speak." While this foolishness is lamentable, it is not my main concern. My hope is that we will love God and others enough to speak the truth of the gospel to our friends and neighbors even if our culture (or those to whom we speak) label us as intolerant. May God give us wisdom and courage to speak the most important truths often and without fearing man.

"Resolve Never to Forget the Eye of God"

The world, the Devil, and our flesh all wage war against our souls. There are temptations from without and within. One Biblical way to restrain our sinful thoughts and actions is to realize that our Holy God sees and knows all things we think and do. Let JC Ryle remind you of this fact which, if remembered and believed, will assist you in your battle against temptation:

The eye of God! Think of that. Everywhere, in every house, in every field, in every room, in every company, alone or in a crowd, the eye of God is always on you. "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good" (Proverbs 15:3), and they are eyes that read hearts as well as actions.

Endeavor, I beg you, to realize this fact. Remember that you have to deal with an all-seeing God, a God who never sleeps, a God who understands your thoughts, and with whom the night shines as the day. You may leave your father's house, and go away, like the prodigal, into a far country, and think that there is nobody to watch your conduct; but the eye and ear of God are there before you. You may deceive your parents or employers, you may tell them lies, and act one way before their faces, and another behind their backs, but you cannot deceive God. He knows you through and through. He heard what you said as you came here today. He knows what you are thinking of at this minute. He has set your most secret sins in the light of His countenance, and they will one day come out before the world to your shame, except you take heed.

Your Time is Short

I thought Rod's sermon this past Sunday was a great reminder to take stock of our lives as we begin a new year. Below are some similar thoughts from JC Ryle

Young men, your time is short. Your days are but a brief shadow, a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes, a story that is soon told. Your bodies are not made of brass. "Even the young men," says Isaiah, "stumble and fall" (Isaiah 40:30). Your health may be taken from you in a moment: it only needs an accident, a fever, an inflammation, a broken blood-vessel, and the worm would soon feed upon you in the grave. There is but a step between any one of you and death. This night your soul might be required of you. You are fast going the way of all the earth, you will soon be gone. Your life is all uncertainty, your death and judgment are perfectly sure. You too must hear the Archangel's trumpet, and go forth to stand before the great white throne of judgment, you too must obey that summons, which Jerome says was always ringing in his ears: "Get up, you dead, and come to judgment." "Yes, I am coming soon," is the language of the Judge Himself. I cannot, dare not, will not let you alone.

Oh that you would all take to heart the words of the Preacher: "Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment" (Ecclesiastes 11:9) Amazing, that with such a prospect of coming judgment, any man can be careless and unconcerned! Surely none are so crazy as those who are content to live unprepared to die. Surely the unbelief of men is the most amazing thing in the world. The clearest prophecy in the Bible begins with these words, "Who has believed our message?" (Isaiah 53:1). The Lord Jesus said, "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Young men, I fear this be the report of many of you in the courts above: "They will not believe." I fear you be hurried out of the world, and awake to find out, too late, that death and judgment are realities. I fear all this, and therefore I exhort you. 

From Thoughts for Young Men

We Need Correction Most Where We Listen Least

Now, none of the fruit of repentance will ever appear if you are hardened against correction and conviction. And frankly, all of us need correction most in the areas of our lives where we will listen least. That is the nature of our sin, and that is why we must constantly be washing ourselves in the Word and in Christian fellowship. If you are truly a Christian, be encouraged by the good fruit that words of rebuke (from yourself or others) against you can bear! When these words are accurate and well-placed, God will use them to grow wonderful fruit. (Dever, The Message of the Old Testament, pg. 892).

God Saves People for His Own Name's Sake

Ultimately, God saves his people for his own name's sake. Some people do not like the sound of that; but what should God value more highly than himself? What has more worth than God? For you or me to regard ourselves as the center of the world would be egotistical to the point of being delusional, not to mention rebellious against God. But for God to regard himself supremely is no more wrong than for the sun to be at the center of the solar system. Our own planet could never occupy the sun's role at the center of the solar system. It does not have the gravity for that. God is the Creator of all! He must be supreme to us and himself. Apart from the exercise of his sovereign rule in creating and judging- in holiness and love, in righteousness and compassion- the world becomes a cruelly hollow place. (Dever, The Message of the Old Testament, pg. 715).

The Wonder of The Incarnation

That man should be made in God’s image is a wonder,
but that God should be made in man’s image is a greater wonder.
That the Ancient of Days would be born.
That He who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle?

—Thomas Watson

Al Mohler on Picking a College

If the college you visit has a bookstore filled with t-shirts rather than books, find another college. —Al Mohler

The New Form of Tolerance

DA Carson has a great post on the issue of tolerance which is a major issue in our current culture as we are constantly bombarded with the language of tolerance.  Read the whole article for some clear headed thinking on this issue.  Here is an excerpt:

This shift from "accepting the existence of different views" to "acceptance of different views," from recognizing other people's right to have different beliefs or practices to accepting the differing views of other people, is subtle in form, but massive in substance. To accept that a different or opposing position exists and deserves the right to exist is one thing; to accept the position itself means that one is no longer opposing it. The new tolerance suggests that actually accepting another's position means believing that position to be true, or at least as true as your own. We move from allowing the free expression of contrary opinions to the acceptance of all opinions; we leap from permitting the articulation of beliefs and claims with which we do not agree to asserting that all beliefs and claims are equally valid. Thus we slide from the old tolerance to the new.