Painted Fire: The Bible and Spiritual Experience

“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So, also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:11-13 ESV)

It is becoming increasingly common for people wanting a deeper experience of God in their lives to seek it in mystical or emotional experiences rather than through the Bible. The irony is that the Bible helps believers experience God in a way far deeper than mystical or emotional experiences can provide. Christ redeems the whole person, not just the intellect or emotions. In Biblical faith our minds are transformed and so are our deepest desires. In Christianity, our “spiritual” experience is crucial but it is never separated from the Wisdom and Truth of God. We achieve the most powerful spiritual experience in our union with Christ through the Word.

The apostle Paul explains us why in the verses quoted at the beginning of this article. Notice first that Paul establishes the transcendence of God. It is not possible for anyone to comprehend the thoughts except the Spirit of God. This fatally undermines the philosophical method of knowing God. Philosophers attempt to know God through a rational analysis of what they observe about the world and the mind. Paul, however, tells us that only the Spirit of God comprehends the thoughts of God. The philosophical method is therefore ultimately doomed to fail. Knowing God is not achievable based upon a purely rational or intellectual method. Does this mean the mystics are correct? No, it does not.

Paul says what is understood is “freely given by God”. The Apostles have received the Spirit of God so that they are able to understand what God wishes to reveal to them. This is a crucial point because it establishes revelation as the source of Divine knowledge. The apostles did not receive their doctrine from men. It was not the result of philosophical speculation or insight. Neither was it the result of religious discipline. It came from the Spirit of God who freely gave it. Since the Apostles experienced direct revelation, it might appear that we might come to know God through a similar mystical experience but what Paul says next is as devastating to mysticism as his earlier comments were to rationalism.

 Paul says “And we impart this in words”. The “this” he refers to are the things freely given, namely the thoughts of God. This is significant because if the Apostles communicate God’s thoughts in words then they are contained in statements that are either true of false (propositions). The revelation of God is therefore rational and must be understood using reason. It also means that we have access to the very thoughts of God through the words of the Apostles, which is the Bible. Through the Word, we have access to a pure knowledge of God because it contains His very thoughts.  

Paul says that the words are not the result of human wisdom but are “taught by the Spirit.” Not only does the Spirit give these truths but also interprets them for those who are “spiritual”. We see therefore that the work of the Holy Spirit is required both in the giving of Scripture and in the spiritual rebirth of the believer who receives the Word. The Spirit prepares the minds of the believer to receive His Word. We therefore have a subjective (new birth) and objective (Bible) component of our experience of God. Biblical Christianity therefore rejects both pure mysticism and pure philosophy as legitimate ways to know or experience God. Both experience and reason are required, neither is autonomous, both are subjected to the rule of Christ.

This is an amazing thing to consider. When we read or hear a statement from the Bible what happens? Our physical sensations of the scribbles on the paper or the sound waves are transformed into a thought in our minds. Remarkably, Paul tells us that this thought, to the extent that it actually conforms to the Word of God, is also a thought in the eternal mind of the transcendent God. This is why Paul can make the bold claim a few verses later “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16).

By meditating on the Word, we experience within same action the combination of intimate communion with God and rational, conscious activity. It is a remarkable thing to claim that Sprit, working through the Word, transfers the very thoughts of God to our minds. The New Testament frequently discusses the mystical union of the believer with Christ as an objective reality. It is, however, something we can experience in a special way through our meditation upon His Word. Philosophy and mysticism can never elevate beyond our creaturely mind and feelings. The Bible, however, provides access to the mind of the Creator.

I cannot imagine a deeper or more satisfying experience of God than what Paul describes. The Word of God is what deepens and sustains our experience of God as we live out the Christian life. The Puritan Thomas Manton put it this way, “he that labors must have his meals, otherwise he will faint.” Adding, “Painted fire needs no fuel.” There are many who appear to be on fire for Christ but if their zeal is not fueled by the Word of God, then I fear it will either soon burn out, or it is merely painted fire that provides no true light or heat.

A Few Free Smartphone Apps for Christians

A friend asked if I could share which smartphone apps I have found most helpful. I have quite a few apps that I use but I am going to limit this article only to free apps and only to those that have been helpful to me specifically as a Christian. I am not claiming that these are the best free Christian apps available, only that they are the ones that I have found helpful. I have an android phone but I believe that all of these are also available for Apple phones. Feel free to add any others you have found helpful.

 The Holy Bible app from You Version includes many different resources. It allows you to read the Bible in various translations as well as bookmark, make notes, highlight, and share Bible content. You can look at devotional texts, verses of the day, and setup a Bible reading plan. It also includes text, audio, and video links to supplemental material and teachers/preachers addressing the selected texts. I am sure that it has many other capabilities but I almost exclusively use it to stream audio of the Bible text itself. The narration is well done and the audio controls are easy to use.

One of the best applications for streaming audio is the sermonaudio.com app. This app allows you to have access to the content on the sermonaudio.com website. As of this afternoon, there are 797,820 sermons on the site from conservative Christian Churches. The site includes not only contemporary sermons but also recordings of the reading of many sermons preached prior to the invention of recording equipment.

The Biblical Training app gives you access to the content on the biblicaltraining.org website. The Biblical Training program is designed to provide foundational, leadership, and pastoral training to believers around the world who might otherwise not be able to get training. The teachers include many well-respected Evangelical scholars who allowed their college and seminary lectures to be shared. You can tailor your courses to your interests and can choose to listen to introductory or advanced classes on the subjects that interest you.

 Another seminary that is making course lectures available free is Reformed Theological Seminary. The RTS mobile app gives you access to seminary lectures by teachers such as Ligon Duncan, John Frame, Douglas F. Kelly and others. There are a number of courses available providing many hours of instruction.

The Ligonier app contains articles, sermons, and audio from Ligonier conferences. When most people think about Ligonier ministries they think of R.C. Sproul who is the chairman of the ministry and has spent years growing it but there are many other very good teachers and preachers who provide content to the various Ligonier outlets (Reformation Trust publishing, Table Talk magazine, RefNet etc.) and the app is no exception. Over 50 Reformed teachers from various traditions (Baptist, Anglican, Presbyterian, etc.) have content available through the app.

 The Reformation Network is an extension of Ligonier ministries. The RefNet app provides access to a continual lineup of programing from a Reformed perspective. I did not realize everything available until I looked up the programming schedule while writing this post. Honestly, I only downloaded the app so I could listen to the Christian news program The World and Everything in It at 5:30pm. I was surprised at the quality list of programming they have assembled. You can view the schedule HERE .

 When I need to do a quick Bible search on my phone or just look up a text, I generally use this ESV app. It does not contain many of the options of other Bible apps but I have been using it so long that I am used to it and it is the first one I pull up when I need a quick and simple verse check.

One of the best free study apps available is the Logos Bible app. I mentioned that use the ESV app if I just need to do a simple search or verse check but if I need to do anything else I go to this app. It contains a series of resources that I have not found available in other free Bible study apps. You have access to original language, word study, and cross-reference resources. An exegetical guide, text comparison tool, translation map, and various other tools are also included. In addition, the app gives you access to other resources beyond just the Bible tools. It also allows you to sync your study across any web-enabled devices so you can pick up where you left off. Just like the computer software, you can continue to add to your digital library and work with the content in many ways.

As you might have noticed, one of the main ways that I use my phone is to stream audio when I am driving. I sync the phone to the vehicle so that I can listen to the streaming content through the car stereo system. This way, I do not need to download content as long as I have a cellphone signal. Most of the time, even if you cannot pair your phone to your car, you can often do the same thing by connecting your phone to your stereo using a standard 3.5mm double male cable. Simply plug one end into the phone headphone jack and the other end into your auxiliary input on the stereo. You can then stream the phone using the auxiliary setting on the stereo.

As frustrating as this technological age can be, it is amazing how much information is now available literally at our fingertips. Please feel free to share others that you have found helpful.

Review: Kevin DeYoung, Taking God at His Word (Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me)

http://christianaudio.com/taking-god-at-his-word-kevin-deyoung

The doctrine of the Bible has inspired books in every generation, especially since the Reformation. This new book by Pastor Kevin DeYoung offers no revolutionary new information or perspectives. He did not intend it to do so. What it does do, however, is an excellent job of providing a short, clear, and solid introduction to what the Bible teaches about itself. The average Christian is not likely to have the time or inclination to plow through the voluminous historical resources on the doctrine of the scripture. However, average Christians more than anyone else need to have a firm foundation in these truths if our churches are to be healthy.

Pastor DeYoung has written a wonderful little book that I believe will be a great resource to those looking for an introduction to the doctrine of the Bible. It is short without shortchanging the reader and is straightforward without being dumbed-down. He structures the book around the four traditional major attributes of scripture using the S.C.A.N. acrostic. The emphasis of the book is the Sufficiency, Clarity, Authority, and Necessity of the Scripture showing not only the doctrinal truths involved but also the practical implications of each of them. Recognizing that there is much more to the topic than he was able to say in 150 or so pages, he includes an appendix of additional books that will be helpful to those who wish to study the topic further.

The writing was well done and the personality of pastor DeYoung comes through without distracting from the message. I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Lee DeYoung who I thought did a good job with the reading. Of course, no book is perfect. Even so, in light of the overall quality of the book, whatever quibbles I might have border on being pedantic. It is a great introduction to an important topic.

This book addresses an important need in our churches today. Pastor DeYoung has written a clear, readable, and well-written summary of what the Bible teaches about itself that is accessible to the average reader. It is the sort of book that we should share. I think it would be particularly helpful to newer believers who have not yet read widely enough in the Bible to have a sense of the fullness of this important doctrine. One of the most useful books I have read this year and I expect to recommend it often.

* I received a free copy of this book from christianaudio.com as part of their Reviewers Program. Reviews are not required to be positive and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

30 Things the Gospel is NOT

One of the Devil’s favorite tactics is to create confusion by manipulating the definitions of words so that they are no longer clear. When language becomes muddy so does our ability to understand the thoughts the words represent. One of the things that weigh most heavy on my heart is when I encounter people who are convinced they are trusting in the Gospel, but what they believe is a mixture of confusion and is not what the Bible teaches. I have had a couple of these experiences this week and it got me thinking about the various confusions I have come across or heard about regarding this.

In just a few minutes I was able to list 30 things just off the top of my head that are not the Gospel but that I have heard presented as such. Some of these are blatant falsehoods while others are connected to, flow from, or are related to the Gospel. It is also true that some of these are connected to our salvation and are biblical but none of these is the Gospel.

The Gospel is NOT:

1. A feeling
2. A portal to magical power
3. Following the example of Jesus
4. Living a moral or good life or being nice
5. Opposition to homosexuality
6. A promise of physical healing
7. A promise of wealth
8. Conservative politics
9. Liberal politics
10. Your testimony
11. Social compassion
12. Environmental consciousness
13. Opposition to abortion
14. A system of philosophy
15. A religious system
16. Unfinished, incomplete or waiting for you to finalize it
17. A method of ministry
18. Raising a Christian family
19. Prayer
20. Keeping the 10 commandments
21. Church attendance
22. Being at peace with your “inner self”
23. A membership card
24. A relationship
25. Having a purpose filled life
26. Engaging the culture
27. God responding to us
28. A set of rules
29. Evangelism
30. A life we live

The Gospel is not something we do. It is not a set of rules or standards. It is not a process or an experience. We contribute nothing to it. The word Gospel means “good news” and it is the good news about something that God has done. It is the message of a theological and historical fact of something already completed.

The bad news is that all people are sinners and will stand in judgment before a holy God. All of us are guilty and deserve to be convicted and punished. The good news of the Gospel, however, is that Jesus Christ, the righteous One, sent by God the Father, lived a perfect life in the flesh, not for His own sake but for His people. He did what we by nature could not do for ourselves. Having lived a life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of God. God accepts this sacrifice on behalf of those united to Christ though faith.

The Gospel is something God has done. We either accept it in faith or reject it. Once we accept it, many things will flow from it but it remains nevertheless the objective work of God in Christ. When we share or preach the Gospel, we share or preach what God has done in Christ.

If God is Sovereign Why Was The Cross Necessary?

As Christians, we see the work of Christ on the cross as the only solution to the problem of sin. We believe that Christ had to die in order for any sinners to be saved. If God is completely sovereign over all things, however, why is atonement necessary? Why could God not simply decide that He would forgive somebody’s sins if He wanted?

The answer to the question lies not in any limitation of God’s sovereign power but rather in the essence of His character. The Bible teaches that God is sovereign (Ps. 135:6, Ps. 115:3, Is. 46:10). Nothing outside of God limits His power. He is, however, self-limited. God cannot act contrary to His own nature or He would cease to be the God revealed in His Word. The God of the Bible is perfect in all of His attributes. He is perfectly holy, just, and true. His power is therefore always consistent with those attributes, always consistent with who He is, and there is no shadow of turning with Him (Jas. 1:17).

This idea of divine self-limitation is not speculative theology, it is revealed in the Bible in several places. It is perhaps most clear in the sixth chapter of Hebrews where the writer explains that God could not swear by any name greater than His own and that He cannot lie (Heb. 6:13-18). God does what He wills but always does it in a way that is true to who He is. The Bible reveals that not only is God sovereign, but He is also holy, righteous, and just (Is. 6:3, Is. 5:16, Job 37:23).

The perfection of God makes the atonement necessary because God cannot be righteous if He allows sin to go unpunished. Unlike Islam, which teaches that Allah can simply use his sovereign power to disregard the sinfulness of those he chooses and allow them into paradise, the Christian God does not undermine His own law (thus denying His holy character) in order to do so. God is so holy that any sin is a form of cosmic rebellion and if God did not punish such treason, His righteousness and justice are compromised.

Suppose that a man was a guilty of a brutal crime such as rape or murder and the evidence of his guilt was unquestioned. Now, suppose that the man is brought before a judge and despite the evidence, the judge decides to let him go. Not only does the judge let him go, but gives him great honors and comforts. We all agree this would be a great injustice and an unrighteous judgment. In the case of salvation, the offensiveness of the crime is far worse and the mercy of the court is a far more outrageous pardon.

This brings us to one of the most fundamental theological problems for fallen humankind. How is it possible for a holy, righteous God to save sinners without being unjust? How can God fulfill the promises He has made to rebellious sinners without compromising His own perfect character?

The answer is the Gospel. The apostle Paul explains in the letter to the Romans:

“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  (Romans 3:23-26)

It was not enough for sinners simply to be pardoned; they must be justified in a way that is consistent with the righteousness of God. Since none are righteous and all have sinned the solution had to come from God (Rom. 3:10, Eph. 2:4-5), while the only appropriate representative to provide atonement had to be human (Rom. 5:15, 8:3-4). Therefore, God was pleased to offer salvation through faith in the God-man Jesus Christ. Our sins, however, are not simply ignored.

Notice what Paul says about this atoning sacrifice, “This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” In order for the righteousness of God to remain uncompromised, He had to judge sin. The suffering of Christ was a demonstration of God’s holy wrath against sin so that no valid charge of injustice or unrighteousness can be made. This is why Paul says Christ is a “propitiation”, which means that He satisfies the wrath of God. All sin is therefore justly punished; the question is if Jesus pays for our sin or if we will have to pay the penalty ourselves.

Paul goes on to say, “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”  Because of the atoning work of Jesus Christ, God is both just and the justifier of sinners. The cross is where God’s mercy and His justice come together.

The atonement is necessary in order to for a holy God to save sinners without compromising His justice. He does not act contrary to His own nature. Salvation is the result of God’s sovereignty, but not as an expression of brute power. Instead, God’s sovereign work in the salvation of sinners is a demonstration of His love and mercy.

The perfect balance of power and love that is expressed in the cross of Jesus Christ is not only a theological necessity but is a great comfort to believers. Since God’s righteousness, grace, and power are all perfectly displayed in Christ, we can look to the cross as assurance that God will keep His promises (Rom. 8:32). Christians are not hoping on the whim of a changing God for their salvation. We trust in the promises of a perfect, righteous, holy, and loving God who has already demonstrated His commitment to those whom He loves.

Mathaytes is now on Facebook

I have been frequently advised to expand the content of the site beyond the longer theology & Bible posts. I have also been encouraged to make sharing content from the site easier. In order to provide a wider range of content without losing the focus of the blog, and also to help make sharing information easier we are now on Facebook.

Please like us at www.facebook.com/mathaytes.

We pray that this addition will be a blessing to you.

Are Adam and Eve in Heaven?

A few weeks ago, I preached on the first Gospel promise in Genesis 3. My emphasis was on God’s faithfulness to this promise in our lives and its development throughout scripture. Later, someone asked me if I thought Adam and Eve were in heaven. I gave a short answer but wanted to develop it a bit more. I hope to do that in this post.

It is important to point out that the Bible does not specifically state whether God saved them or not. However, if we pay careful attention to what the Bible does say, I think we can have some level of confidence that Adam and Eve are in heaven. The question is raised (I think) primarily because throughout the Bible Adam and Eve are used as the example par excellence of human sinfulness, failure, and rebellion (Hosea 6:7; Rom. 5:12-14; 1 Cor. 15:21-22; 2 Cor. 11:3). If, however, we remember that the Bible is the record of God’s plan (and work) in redemption then we quickly realize that the emphasis on the fact that Adam and Eve did not deserve salvation serves to glorify God who graciously saves sinners and deserves all the praise and honor for their salvation (Rom. 5:19-20). Adam and Eve are therefore not just examples of human sinfulness but also of salvation by grace through faith.

Before God even pronounces curses upon the people and land, he curses the serpent. It is clear that this is not merely a snake and later in scripture, it becomes clear that the serpent is Satan. Involved in that curse is the first Gospel promise. It has implications not only for some future time but also immediately for them. The second part of the curse on the serpent is:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 ESV)

Christian readers immediately focus on the prophesy of the work of Christ and the Gospel contained in the verse. Notice, however, that God declares not only that He will put enmity (opposition) between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, but also between the woman and the serpent. When Adam and Eve chose to believe the word of Satan instead of the word of God, they aligned themselves with the Devil and made themselves enemies of God. In a sense, they put enmity between themselves and the holy God. Satan may have thought his rebellion was succeeding but God declared that He would create opposition between the woman and Satan. The destruction of Satan’s power will result from the offspring of this woman whom he deceived. This is the plan of God and is a declaration of His sovereign grace in redemption.

The curse on the serpent in verses 16-19 is followed by curses on both the man and the woman that end with the curse of death “… you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Remarkably, the next words recorded are “The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” (Gen. 3:20)

God declares that they will die and then Adam calls her the mother of the living! Clearly, Adam is expressing faith in the promise of redemption given a few verses earlier that God will restore life to his creation and overcome the adversary through the descendants of Eve. Theologians have developed many complex descriptions of saving faith, but in its most basic form, it is simply trusting in the promises of God. When we consider the particular promise Adam is trusting in we see that it is none other than the Gospel. The promise involved in the curse of the Serpent is that God will provide a redeemer descended from Eve, born of the seed of a woman, who will conquer Satan but be wounded in the process, and opposition will be placed between humankind and Satan.

Eve also shows faith in the promise. The promise in chapter 3 entails offspring and in chapter 4 when Eve gives birth to Cain, she says, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord” (Gen. 4:1). It is possible that Eve thought that Cain would be the fulfillment of the promise since the name Cain indicates that she “got” him from God. Ironically, Cain is not among the faithful seed and kills his brother. The result is that Eve essentially loses both sons but we see her faith again when she gives birth to Seth. The name Seth means “placed” or “appointed” and Eve declares concerning him, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” (Gen. 4:25). This time she is blessed and it is through Seth that the promise is fulfilled. Her comments and the names of her children indicate that Eve retained her confidence in God’s word.

We also find another clue back in Genesis 3. Just after Adam calls his wife the “mother of all living” the following detail is recorded:

“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” (Gen. 3:21) This may sound like a practical detail but its significance is profound. I do not have the room here to explore it in detail but this is the first time in the Bible that blood is shed to provide a covering. Fallen man failed at his attempt to cover himself but God provides a covering through a death (Gen. 3:7,21). This theme of sacrifice as a covering related to sin continues throughout the Bible and finds is ultimate expression in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary. This is another demonstration of the grace of God in dealing with his fallen creatures, is a typological symbol, and foreshadow of atonement. It is not specific stated as the case here, but this action is consistent with God’s care for the faithful that we see throughout scripture. If it is, then it is likely that Adam and Eve are included in the family of faith.

Finally, there are hints in some of the genealogies and lists. Some have pointed out that the list of the faithful in Hebrews 11 does not contain Adam and Eve even though it extends back to their lifetime. That is an interesting observation because the purpose of the list is precisely to highlight the persistent hope of the faithful in the promises of God. Their absence, however, is not conclusive and there may be other reasons why the list begins with Abel. First, the list moves very quickly from Abel to Abraham and there are many believers not mentioned. Indeed, the only ones mentioned are those who had some sort of profound demonstration or confirmation of their faith. It may also be, as John Gill suggested that Hebrews speaks only of those who had received the promise in faith through the testimony of the faithful.

Hebrews 11 is not the only list to look at. Other New Testament lists may also provide insight into the question. Matthew, emphasizing Jesus as the Jewish Messiah understandably begins with Abraham, but Luke whose work emphasizes the inclusion of the Gentiles into the promises begins his genealogy of Christ with Adam. It is likely that Luke is emphasizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise and the hope of all people. In structuring his genealogy this way, Luke is connecting the coming of Christ with an anticipation that extends back to the very beginning of human history. It seems likely to me that the implied connection is Genesis 3:15 and that Adam (and Eve) were waiting for Christ.

Although the Bible does not explicitly say that Adam and Eve are in heaven, I think we have enough information in the scripture to think they are. I believe the biblical clues we have indicate that although they had less information that we have, they were trusting in the same Gospel promise.