See New Site
Greater Than the Lilies has moved to a different site:
http://johnploughman.wordpress.com/
Please visit this site from now on.
Thanks,
John
Greater Than the Lilies has moved to a different site:
http://johnploughman.wordpress.com/
Please visit this site from now on.
Thanks,
John
1 comments Posted by John & Jena
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: Marriage and Family
Major League Baseball has begun and it could not have been a better beginning (well, I guess somethings could have been better). My KC Royals got off to a great start by beating the Boston Red Sox 7-1 last night. Gil Meche, KC's starting pitcher, had a great, 1 ER, 6 SO, and I BB. While our lead off hitter, DeJesus, went hitless, our 2-3-4 hitters, Grudzielanek, Teahen, and Sweeney made up for DeJesus with 7 combined hits and 4 RBI's. Hopefully, the young Teahen will spark some needed offense and Sweeney will remain healthy. Surprisingly, we got great relief from Peralta - giving up no runs and only 2 hits in 1.2 IP.
On top of that news, both the White Sox and Detroit lost, while Cleveland and Minnesota both won, making it a three way tie for first place in the AL Central at 1-0. I don't know how long it will last, but it was a great start for KC against a powerful Boston team. History tells me that I will probably not be as blissful at the All-Star break, but for now I can ignore history and be a naive optimist.
1 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: KC Royals
1 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: Easter Meditations
Some years ago I wrote a short editorial for the journal Themelios entitled `What do miserable Christians sing?’ It took me about thirty minutes to write, edit and email to head office; yet of all the things I have ever written, I have received more – and more positive – correspondence on that short piece than on anything else I have ever done. What was my basic thesis? That the typical Christian church offered the broken-hearted nothing whatsoever to sing in praise to God on a Sunday; and in so doing, the church was failing in her duty to care for the hurting, the downtrodden, the depressed. The answer I proposed was a recovery of psalm singing, not on the grounds that psalm singing is the only pure form of worship but because it offers a truly deep and authentic idiom for expressing the full range of human emotion and experience to God in the very act of praising him. No hymn book or collection of choruses of which I am aware even comes close to offering what the psalms offer in this regard.
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: church
1 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: culture
Justin Taylor, on his blog Between Two Worlds has been posting sections of Sam Storms' new book since John Macarthur's comments at his Shepherding Conference. The chapters he is including is on the topic of Amillennialism and The Millennial Kingdom of Revelation 20. You can read part 1 and part 2 of Storms' work on this theme. If this is of any interest to you, they are helpful in understanding the amillenialist's position in the context of Revelation 20.
1 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: theology
"Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance , as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death" (Phil. 1:18-21).Paul rejoices not just in his soon-to-be-deliverance, for all through his letters he counts it a joy to be in chains for the gospel of Christ. While in most of his greetings he gives his title next to his name, 'Paul, an apostle' (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus 1:1) or 'Paul. a servant' (Philippians 1:1), yet, we see in Philemon 1, Paul greets Philemon by saying, "Paul, a prisoner of Christ." This is his title he gives himself - his boast, if you will. So the cause of his rejoicing is not just in his release but in the honor of Christ by his work through (1) the Philippians prayers for deliverance and (2) Paul, himself, unashamably and courageously honoring Christ in life and death.
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: theology
Great blog post by Mark Dever on appropriate language for racial unity in Evangelicalism. I encourage you to, please, read it.
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: church
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: church
This is a great resource site for audio by Carson, Piper, Dever, Grudem, and literally dozens more. Topics range from doctrine, church history, culture, and many social issues like abortion, love, and literature. The site is called Faith by Hearing.
I hope you benefit from this.
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: church
Mythology is where all gods go to die, and it seems that Stark has secured a place in American history simply by admitting that a fresh grave should be dug for the God of Abraham — the jealous, genocidal, priggish and self-contradictory tyrant of the Bible and the Koran. Stark is the first of our leaders to display a level of intellectual honesty befitting a consul of ancient Rome. Bravo.There is, of course, thankfulness of honesty in politics. I would rather have politicians say "I am an atheist" when he actually is, rather than seeking the moderate vote by claiming "faith as their source of strength." Yet, the vehement call for the "fresh grave" that should be dug for the "God of Abraham", calling him "the jealous, genocidal, priggish and self-contradictory tyrant of the Bible and the Koran" shows the spirit in which he writes, and that Congressman Stark is not his topic but only a springboard. The response given to Harris should not be an argument for the loving-kindness of God, his care and grace for all types of people of the world, and the need and duty for the praise of his glory. Reasonable arguments are not his tactics, nor will he accept them in return. In his book Letters to a Christian Nation he creates a straw-man argument for the Christian faith and then annihilates it. Douglas Wilson writes in response to Harris in Letter from a Christian Citizen: A Response to Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris , recognizing that it is simply nothing new and even questions the reason's behind some of the arguments.
There is no question that many people do good things in the name of their faith — but there are better reasons to help the poor, feed the hungry and defend the weak than the belief that an Imaginary Friend wants you to do it. Compassion is deeper than religion. As is ecstasy. It is time that we acknowledge that human beings can be profoundly ethical — and even spiritual — without pretending to know things they do not know.At first glance, this statement seems to be true, even to Christians. I mean, wouldn't it be more righteous to want to help someone, not just because God says to help them, but because we have enough compassion to work on their own accord? Christians, especially, need to know why this statement is false. It is important for Mr. Harris to know that Christians do not "do good things in the name of their faith, or just for the sake of Christianity", but with faith. There is a huge difference, and I hope this is clear. As Christians, we believe the highest good is to please God before all others. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:9, "So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please [God]." Paul also made himself an example to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, "So we speak not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." And then in 4:1 calls us to follow in his example, "That as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, that you do so more and more." Finally, Paul calls us soldiers of Jesus Christ, yet as soldiers, we should not get "entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him" (2 Timothy 2:4). Scripture puts forth one more qualifier in actions for Christians: we should act in faith. "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, when Christians act, they do so in faith in order to please God. If we act just in the name of faith (or because it is our Christian ethic), then yes, there are higher and better reasons to act with compassion. But to act in faith in order to please God and be vessels of mercy "so they may see your good works (and not honor you) and glorify the Father, who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16) is the highest good and there is no higher reason to act in such a way. Every act we do, whether in compassion or love, should be to bend other's affections and praise to God in heaven, ultimately to save their souls, or it is not completely compassionate nor loving.
Indeed, it is time we broke this spell en masse. Every one of the world's "great" religions utterly trivializes the immensity and beauty of the cosmos. Books like the Bible and the Koran get almost every significant fact about us and our world wrong.This is an example where Harris' logic seems to break quite a bit. What he insinuates here is that the belief that God created the universe "trivializes" the bigness and grandeur of our universe and everything in it. However, the meaning of the word "trivial" denotes purposeless and insignificance, which is the very demeanor his world-view promotes. Atheism promotes "absurdity" in life and the mere arbitrary aspects of it. There is no need to even go into atheistic philosophies to show this to be true. The only end to atheism is triviality itself. Yet, when we know that all of creation was made to promote the glory of God, then triviality disappears immediately. We understand, then, that our existence is for revealing, praising, speaking of, treasuring, and loving the glory of God. This is anything but trivial. We were created for the highest good (God's glory) for the highest of being (God). May we never trivialize this great purpose.
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: culture
This is a companion piece to my book, Knowing God, which has been used widely for group discussion.It offers a series of quick, brief outlines—“sprints” if you will—with questions and Bible passages for further study, covering the contents of the three formulae which have always been central in Christian teaching—the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, plus Christian baptism.
1 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: theology
Here is a link for an interview with Bob Kauflin, the worship leader for Sovereign Grace Ministries, on how Kauflin pursues righteousness in song writing, listening, and music research. I thought there was much wisdom found in his words. Bob Kauflin has a great blog-site himself, giving insights for worship leaders and worshipers. If you have never heard any of his worship songs or read any of his lyrics, I encourage you too.
0 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: church
We Shall See Him and be Like Him
Part II
By His Cross I Can Hate Sin and Taste the Sweetness of the Lord
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Romans 6:4-6
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Psalm 34:8
Charles Spurgeon once said,
Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs — the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate — experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which He has begun; and He shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing.
Spurgeon presents the accomplishment of justification and sanctification as grace, something that is accomplished on our behalf. Then we read in Romans 6:13 specific commands on how to act, “Do not present your members to sin… present your members to God.” You almost want to scream at the Apostle Paul, I’m trying! Yet amidst the passage on sanctification and battle to be found more and more in the image of Christ that Romans 6 speaks of, we read in verse 17, “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient to the heart.” And at the end of chapter 7, after reading of the struggle of what the author wants to do, but cannot help to do otherwise (or whomever you believe Paul is describing) in verse 24-25 Paul writes, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” You don’t thank someone unless they are personally responsible for what was accomplished.
Therefore, we can say we are saved and sanctified by grace through faith and we will be glorified also in the same manner. Yet, we must stay faithful to texts that compel us to fight for our holiness. Ephesians 6:10-20 displays for us the armor of God. There would be no need for armor if there was no battle. But as in Romans 8:37, “In all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We must preserve this paradox between battling and being battled for.
I believe this paradox should be realized in our daily fight with sin and our battle for holiness. We should be fighting daily to defeat sin and temptation with faith knowing that we are being empowered with a greater power, namely the Holy Spirit. So then, in my explanation of how one can hate sin, know that it is within the envelope of grace, meaning there is more to our fight than just our own efforts.
The Emancipation of the Believer
My whole assertion in this series of We Shall See Him and Be Like Him is that the primary weapon that the believer has in the defeat of sin is the meditation on the glories of Jesus Christ. The more we see Christ for who he is revealed in Scripture, the less sin will be compelling and desirable. If you have not read Part I Meditations on Jesus and the Defeat of Sin, and you would like to, you can read it here. The question worth looking into in all this is: By what factor do I exchange my sinful desires for Christ?
The answer that one might be quick to jump to is “the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.” This is absolutely true, but before the Holy Spirit can re-birth someone, that someone needs to be dead. The only death that leads to the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit is the cross of Christ with which we participate in. Romans 6:4-6 will help explain this further:
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
I split the passage into two parts, (1) verses 4-5 and (2) verse 6. (1)Verses 4-5 say the same thing only in two different ways; therefore we need to take them as parallel statements. Verse 4 asserts that we were put to death with Christ so that we would be raised with him and have a new life. Verse 5, then, states it in a condition. If we have participated with Christ in his death, then we will participate with Christ in a resurrection. We should not interpret “a resurrection” as in the second coming of Christ and our bodily resurrection. Since verse 5 is parallel with 4, then when verse 4 asserts that we will have a “newness of life” we parallel that with “a resurrection”. Plainly put, our participation with Christ in his death gives us new life that is entirely different from before. The difference is so extreme that Paul compares it to a resurrection.
(2)Verse 6 has an interesting grammatical structure, rendering English translations slightly misleading. The result in the verse is clear: we are no longer slaves to sin. But what is not apparent is the cause of this result. It seems clear from the English translation that our crucifixion with Christ that renders our body of sin to nothing is the cause of freedom from sin. This is true, but it is not what the verse actually says. A clearer translation would be as follows:
“Since we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that our body of sin might be brought to nothing, we are to serve sin no longer.”
The verse is not saying what frees us from sin, but what keeps us from acting like we are slaves to sin. The reason we no longer act as slaves is because we have come to the knowledge of our actual freedom. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln and put into effect on January 1, 1863. However, not all slaves stopped working for their masters on January 1. It was not until they were told and they finally attained the knowledge of their freedom did they have the liberty to not act as slaves any longer. So it is with believers. Paul places some importance on the knowing that we are free from sin in order that we may act as freed slaves. The knowing keeps us from acting differently. In verse 11, Paul says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin.” Paul uses the “consider”, meaning to think of yourself as dead. Other translations use the word “reckon”. ‘Reckon yourselves to be dead.’ The slave must learn of his emancipation before he acts as if he is free. If there is ever a Biblical charge to learn of your union with Christ, it is found in Romans 6:6-11.
Here, then, is the two parts of our passage: (1) We die with Christ in order that we may live a new life like his resurrection. (2) Since we have the knowledge of our freedom, we should act like we are free.
The Sweet Taste of the Lord
We are now freed from the mastery of sin by Christ, the Emancipator of sinners, to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8). From the captivation of sin to the participation in the death of Christ we now have obtained, if you will, new taste buds, new eyes, and a new sense of smell. 1 Corinthians 2:14, 16 explain the difference between the two stages, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned…. But we have the mind of Christ.” The Spirit of God stirs in us good and holy affections for God that the natural man cannot even comprehend. We have a whole new sensory system. We do not simply have a changed mind, but a whole new mind – the mind of Christ. We cannot “taste and see that the Lord is good” with natural eyes and natural taste buds, but only with entirely new sensations, nothing of which was there before.
In Matthew 13, Jesus’ explanation for speaking in parables was because “seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (13:13). But he said to those who believed, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” The people heard Jesus’ words yet did not hear with the power of the Holy Spirit, enlightening their hearts. They heard without truly hearing. Jonathan Edwards used his illustration of tasting honey in a number of his writings. It goes like this: I may tell a person that honey is sweet and give him an excellent argument for the sweetness of honey, but if he tastes it and he does not think it is sweet there is nothing I can do further for him. Either he has a taste for the sweetness of honey or he doesn’t. Either someone has the Spirit given taste buds to taste the sweetness of Christ or they don’t. The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 2:14, describes himself as a means God uses to spread “the fragrance of the knowledge of [God] everywhere.” He describes it as an aroma “from life to life” to those who are saved (2:16b). But those who do not have the new supernatural sensory system it is a "fragrance of death to death (2:16a). By the resurrecting power of the Holy Spirit we may see, taste, hear, and know the knowledge of the Lord.
Yet, what is it of the Lord that we need a supernatural sensory system to see, hear, taste, and know? The answer is the goodness, holiness, and the moral perfection of the Person of Christ. Without this knowledge, we do not know him any different than the devils of this world know him. Without this knowledge, we do not know him as our Perfect Mediator. If we do not see and savor the perfection of Jesus and the holiness of the unique Son of God, then the precious blood of Christ has no significance in our lives. We must first love and treasure his holiness for the rest of the affections towards him to follow. We love his majesty because it is a holy majesty. We adore his glory because it is a holy glory. We take delight in his love because it is a holy love. All affections towards God are derived from his holiness. Taste and see, by the sensory giving power of the Spirit, that Christ is holy and relish it.
See Him and Taste Him and be like Him
Christ is set before us to feast on. He makes that clear to us in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” He describes himself in verse 55 as “true food” and “true drink.” Later in chapter 6, after many of Jesus’ disciples had left because his words were difficult to take and caused grumbling among the people, Jesus asked his twelve disciples, “Do you want to go away as well”(v. 67)? Simon Peter’s response shows that the disciples were starting to taste the satisfying goodness of Christ, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God” (v. 68). While this verse has much meaning, more than we can uncover here, we can see at face value that the disciples were not swayed to leave as the rest because they fed and were satisfied by the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ. And so it is with all believers. If we are fed and satisfied with Christ, specifically in the context of his holiness, things that are contrary in nature will have less and less sway on us. As it has been said, “for he who sees the beauty of holiness must necessarily see the hatefulness of sin, its contrary.” We have redeemed eyes, taste buds, ears, and minds to daily take in from his Word the holiness of Christ and know that there is nothing, no lust, no passion, no desire that is more satisfying than Christ. May the explicit, holy, good, and satisfying glory of Christ be ever before us. How do we fight? Always put God's Word that contains the holiness of Christ before our eyeballs and become more and more acquainted with the knowledge of it.
2 comments Posted by John & Jena
Labels: exBLOGitions