Bodily Resurrection: Part 3 (Theological Significance)

Things have finally settled down enough for me to get to the next installment in the series. In the previous posts, I have attempted to show that both the Old Testament and New Testament clearly teach a physical bodily resurrection. I think there are perhaps better theological arguments against full preterism (that I may explore in future posts) but I have focused on physical resurrection because I think it is the clearest and most straightforward exegetical argument. Even so, physical resurrection is theologically significant in its own right. My goal in this post is to highlight several elements of the theological significance of physical bodily resurrection.

In my view, the most significant theological implication of denying the physical resurrection is that it undermines the role of Christ as redeemer. If the work of Christ merely creates an escape for righteous souls, then sin and death have succeeded in eternally undermining the work of God in physical creation. In preterism, rather than redeeming the fallen creation, Christ simply evacuates His people. It turns the physical and fully human incarnation of Christ into a theological oddity rather than a logically necessary part of the redemptive plan of God. Why become human in the full sense if the mission is merely to provide escape for the soul?

The preterist theology is far less comprehensive with regard to God’s glory in creation than is orthodox theology. In the end, it is much more aligned with a Platonic or Gnostic worldview than the holistic redemptive flow involved in the promises to Adam, Eve, and the prophets. If all prophesy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. and physical bodily resurrection is denied, there is no vindication of God in creation. The notion of redeeming the creative work is essentially discarded. In contrast, notice that in Paul’s theology the restoration of the physical world is part of the broader redemptive work and is closely connected with the glorification of our physical bodies.

"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:19-23)

Unless there is physical salvation as well as spiritual salvation, Christ is not a redeemer of the fallen creation and Christ's role as a second Adam is severely truncated.

Connected to this distortion of Christ’s redemptive role resulting from a denial of physical resurrection is the particular problem of the scope of Christ’s atoning work in relation to the believers as whole persons. Although it is common for people to speak about Christ’s blood being the price paid for our souls, the Bible extends the blood bought purchase and subsequent union with Christ to the whole person, including the body. In 1 Corinthians, while discussing the importance of holiness with regard to our bodies, Paul says, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 6:15) He explains further “… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

This is tremendously significant. Since our bodies are members of Christ and have been purchased with Christ’s blood it would be most strange that something bought with such a high price and sanctified to the glory of God be discarded to rot in the ground. Even more profoundly, since our bodies are members of Christ, to deny physical resurrection is to assert that sin, death, and the grave retain power over the members of Christ! The implication is that the conquest of Christ over these enemies is either a spiritualization or is incomplete. It is only by recognizing the future fulfillment of the fullness of redemption, including physical resurrection, that we find any meaning or hope in the statements of Paul that “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor 15:26). The hope of the faith is fixed upon that day when the graves are opened and “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54)

This obviously raises several questions, not the least of which is the implications it has for the restoration of human beings as image bearers. People were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and as image bearers were designed to reflect the glory of God. As a result of sin, all now fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and thus fail to properly fulfill one of the purposes for which we were created. Christ, however, who is the second Adam is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). As believers are conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) through the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 3:18) we are being restored to the fullness of humanity which is a reflection of the glory of the Creator. The biblical promise of physical resurrection in glorified bodies involves the full restoration of humanity as image bearers. Christ, who is the perfection of humanity now has a glorified body (Luke 24:39). It was in this body that He ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:9). At the Last Day when believers are changed into their glorified state our restoration as perfect image bearers will be complete (1 John 3:2).

All of these things connect to a major biblical theme that is directly connected to the hope of the resurrection. Throughout the Bible, and the New Testament in particular, the resurrection is connected to an insistence on holiness and purity. The physical body is important in orthodox theology and is a vessel that God is redeeming and setting apart for His glory. Time and again the apostles conclude from their references to resurrection the importance of living well in this body. Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit and are the means through which we glorify God both now and more perfectly in the future.

Both the rewards and punishments of our life in the body will be justly given in the body. As the early Christian writer Athenagoras pointed out over 1,800 years ago,

“… if faults are judged, is the soul dealt fairly with, supposing it alone to pay the penalty for the faults it committed through being solicited by the body and drawn away by it to its own appetites and motions, at one time being seized upon and carried off, at another attracted in some very violent manner, and sometimes concurring with it by way of kindness and attention to its preservation. How can it possibly be other than unjust for the soul to be judged by itself in respect of things towards which in its own nature it feels no appetite, no motion, no impulse, such as licentiousness, violence, covetousness, injustice, and the unjust acts arising out of these?” ^[1]

We might forgive Athenagoras as being a bit simplistic in his theology if it were not for the very physical emphasis in the teaching of our Lord Himself regarding judgment. Consider the following warnings of Christ,

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

“And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.” (Matthew 18:8-9 ESV)

“In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13)

Biblical theology is not merely spiritual. Historically, one of the distinguishing characteristics of Christianity from other religions is a dual emphasis on both the spiritual and the physical. It fends off epicurean and hedonistic tendencies with a profoundly developed spiritual metaphysic, but it likewise pushes back against escapist worldviews that view the physical world as unimportant or illusory. 

Biblical Christianity places a strong emphasis on the goodness of creation and the final redemption of it by God. This is why it is so significant that God does not work out the plan of salvation from the outside-in. Rather than a transcendent salvation, we have an immanent salvation. Amazingly, God determined to redeem His creation from within it!

The doctrine of physical resurrection has profound theological importance on many levels. Although we have only been able to touch on a couple of the more obvious ones in this post I pray it will be food for thought for those who are interested in the topic.

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^[1] Athenagoras, “On the Resurrection of the Dead,” in Fathers of the Second Century: Hermas, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus, and Clement of Alexandria (Entire), ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, trans. B. P. Pratten, vol. 2, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 160.

Book Review: David P. Murray- Christians Get Depressed Too

http://christianaudio.com/christians-get-depressed-too-david-murray-audiobook-download

We all know that as believers we are to have the joy of the Lord but as a result of the cookie cutter categories of Christian pop culture, many believers have a difficult time coming to terms with those who are apparently believers and yet struggle with depression and anxiety. There are even many believers who think that a “true” Christian cannot get depressed and that any mental or emotional issues are either the result of sin or demonic oppression. Beyond the popular misconceptions are various disagreements among Christian counselors regarding the issues and how to respond to them.

Thankfully, David P. Murray offers this brief, practical, and caring book on the subject.

Dr. Murray is the pastor of Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church, is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, has written various other books and is the author of the head heart hand blog (http://headhearthand.org/blog/).

Dr. Murray points out that the common misconceptions about depression and mental illness within the Church are not only unhelpful but can actually be hurtful by increasing the burden of pain and guilt on those who are already suffering. Murray argues from biblical examples that depression is actually something that can and does happen to believers. He insists that we need to overcome the overly simplistic idea that every emotional and mental issue is the result of sin and faithlessness. He argues that the church has a responsibility to help those who suffer and that Christians, particularly pastors and caregivers, should study depression so they understand what it is, what causes it, and how to best help those who suffer from it.

He avoids getting dragged into the theological and psychological controversies surrounding the subject but his balanced treatment gives the listener confidence that he is familiar with them, understands them, and is presenting what he finds to be most practical and helpful. His purpose was to write a book that those who are suffering and those who care for them can use. Readers and listeners who want a more technical or theological treatment will need to go elsewhere. He does, however, include a number of biblical references and a helpful appendix of other works that would be of interest to those who want to study more.

The practical nature of the book can be seen in how Murray organizes the material. He condenses the topic into 6 sections that are organized the following way:

-The Crisis – Why should we study the topic?

-The Complexity – What is the appropriate attitude to approach the topic?

-The Condition – What is it and what does it look like?

-The Causes – Why does it happen?

-The Cures – What can be done?

-The Caregivers – How we can help those in need.

To tackle such a complex topic so briefly and practically is a very difficult thing to do. Dr. Murray has done an outstanding job and has produced a balanced, yet conservative and biblical, treatment of the topic that is both informative and helpful. As a friend of several believers who struggle with depression and the father of an autistic child, I appreciated the wisdom and balance with which Dr. Murray addressed the issue. It is a testament to both his writing ability and pastoral care that he is able to avoid the tendency to reductionist oversimplification in such a short work. He provides a good example of the informed humility that he is encouraging others to pursue.

The work is concise, well written, and easy to follow. The production was well done and Dr. Murray’s reading was well paced and articulate (in that remarkably dramatic way that only a Scottish accent can accomplish). For anyone who is struggling with depression or knows someone who is, this is a great place to start. Other more comprehensive works are available but this is the best short introduction to the topic I can recall.

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

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.

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.

How to Use the Bible for Devotional Reading

In the last post, I suggested that those who are serious about their spiritual growth should stop using “devotionals” and instead focused on devotional reading of the Bible. Using the Bible for devotions does not take much more (if any) time than using other books but the results are worth the effort. In this post, I would like to offer some practical suggestions on how to get started.

What is it?

The purpose of devotional reading is slightly different from critical reading (the kind of reading we do for study). Devotional reading is not so much an examination of the text as it is an apprehension of the text. Of course, devotional reading should be built upon a correct understanding of the text but the emphasis is on applying what we do understand rather than studying. This is why devotional reading cannot replace Bible study. The two are complimentary. As we grow in our understanding through study, our devotional life will be deeper because we will be seeking to connect and apply even more of God’s Word. Likewise, as we grow in our devotional life, we will begin to have a better understanding of the relevance and importance of the doctrines we learn from studying. Devotional reading is about our submission to the text and our desire for the Holy Spirit to change our lives through its truth.

Where to begin?

A common question is where to start. Often, people want to begin at Genesis 1 and read straight through. If you have that type of discipline great, but most people do not. For those new to devotional reading I suggest beginning with Proverbs or James. Both of these books are rich with practical application of Biblical wisdom for daily life that can be examined in short sections. This is not where I would recommend a person begin to study, but I have found that people who are new to reading devotionally find it easier to identify points of application in these books than in most others.

How Does it Work?

The Bible is like a field planted by God that yields spiritual food to those who labor there. If we keep that in mind, we can easily remember the four steps to this method with the acronym R.E.A.P.

1. Read
2. Examine
3. Apply
4. Pray

Step 1. Read

The first step in the reading process is praying for God to bless your devotion. Then, if you are unfamiliar with the book you want to use you should quickly read the whole book just to get a feel for how it flows. You do not have to do this all at once but it is better to read large chunks. Trust me, taking the time to read the book first will pay off later, if it takes a few days or a week that is OK. Be sure to read large sections if you cannot read the whole book and do not try to study or figure anything out, just get a feel for what is going on in the book and how it flows. If you are already familiar with the book, the pre-reading is not necessary.

Once you have a general idea about the book, you can begin a more focused reading. Each day, read a passage that contains a single unit of thought. In most books, this is typically not a single verse or sentence. In the New Testament letters for example, it will usually be a paragraph. In Proverbs and James, it is usually a cluster of verses. This tends to be where people have a hard time because our tendency is to want to stop and focus on each verse. Do not put too much pressure on yourself. If you find yourself constantly wanting to stop after each verse, just read the next one and think about how they fit together. With practice, it starts to get easier to see where these divisions are. Just do your best to try to expand beyond single verses while staying within a paragraph.

Step 2. Examine

The next step is to examine what you read. In this step, you are looking to identify what is clear from the passage. If there is something that is unclear, such as a figure of speech, a particular vocabulary word, or reference then you might want to make note of it and come back to it in your Bible study time. For the purpose of the devotional exercise, however, you want to focus on what is  clear from the passage.

1. Is there a promise given?
2. Is there a sin exposed?
3. Is there an instruction or command given?
4. Is there a truth about the Father, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit revealed?
5. Is there something that is clear but seems strange?

Step 3. Apply

In this step, you work out the significance of what you understand from the passage for you personally. This is the bridge between merely reading the Bible and submitting to its authority over your life. This step is what makes it truly devotional because it is at this point that you are devoting yourself to living by the Word.

1. If promises are given, are they for all believers generally? How do they apply to me?
2. If there is sin exposed am I guilty and in need of forgiveness and repentance?
3. If there is an instruction or command given, how does it apply to my life and circumstances, and how do I faithfully respond?
4. If truth about God is revealed how does it help me know Him and serve Him better?
5. We will address those things that seem strange in the next step.

Step 4. Pray & Meditate

Pray

In this step, you pray through the passage you are reading. The Christian life can only be lived through the power of the Lord and if we are serious about being transformed through our devotional time, we must seek Christ’s help through prayer. Praying the actual words of God helps keep us disciplined and focused so that we avoid developing a lazy, shallow, or selfish prayer life.

To do this, simply work your way through the passage taking each statement and rephrase it as a prayer. In order to avoid self-centered prayers, formulate each statement as both a personal prayer and a prayer for others. You might know someone in particular who could use the prayer or it could be a general prayer. Usually, the more specific you can be the better.

You can apply any passage in prayer many ways but let us look at an example:

“2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4, ESV)

“Father, forgive me for my grumbling and my complaining. Forgive me for the weakness of my faith and the lack of my maturity and trust in you. Father please give me the faith to count it as joy when I meet trials of various kinds. Remind me Lord that the testing of my faith will produce steadfastness. Let me, a sinner who has inherited all things through the suffering of my savior, not shrink from enduring suffering for a short time. Help me depend entirely upon you so that my faith might produce steadfastness and I pray Lord that steadfastness would have its full effect and that I will be made complete, lacking in nothing because I have you. Father, I know that many brothers and sisters are facing trials far worse than I. I pray that they would be encouraged and strengthened. I pray that your name would be glorified through the testimony of their faithfulness.”

Notice that it is not any kind of rote formula but you want to stick closely to the actual words used by the Holy Spirit. The key is that you are organizing your devotional prayer life around the specific teaching of the Word of God. I promise you that if you do this it will expand and deepen your prayer life and your appreciation for the Bible.

Meditate

The last part of the “prayer” step is ongoing meditation. Throughout the day try to take every chance you get to think about the truths, you encountered during your devotional time. As you reflect on your reading, you may be surprised how many connections you can make. This brings me back to #5 from the Apply step. When we read the Bible there are often little details that just do not seem to fit in the way we expect. You should consider it a blessing whenever you run across one of those because they are like treasure maps! The more time you spend in the Word the more of these details you will notice. Often, it will require study to uncover the fullness of these gems, but if you just think about them carefully, they will draw you deeper into the Word.

I have written about this a few times before but let me just give you one more example here:

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. (Revelation 1:10-13, ESV)

Notice the way that verse 12 is worded, “then I turned to see the voice”. Does that not sound strange to you? How do you see a voice? Is this just a quirk of ancient language? Maybe, but until you study it you will not know. What you can do throughout the day, however, is to think about this passage and what is happening. Why does John record it that way? Who is the voice? Obviously, Jesus is the voice. That is interesting and opens up a whole series of questions. What does a voice do? What is this voice doing? How do those things relate to Christ? Is there a connection between Jesus as The Word and Him being described here as the voice? Are there other places in scripture where God is associated with sound? Where else is God associated with voices?

Perhaps you can see that something as simple as this can open up all sorts of potential connections within the Bible. You may find in study that some of these were dead ends but throughout the process, you will be absorbed in thinking deeply and devotionally about what the Bible teaches and how it does so.

If you follow this process or something similar I am confident that you will be further ahead than spending the same amount of time reading an off the shelf “devotional”. I promise that believers who are looking to grow spiritually who do this type of devotional reading along with regular Bible study (preferably with other believers in a local church) will not be disappointed.

If You are Serious about Spiritual Growth, Set Aside Your Devotional

I know that there are good devotionals and I know that many people have benefited from the daily discipline of reading them. Even so, I am confident that most people would be better off if they replaced their devotional books with daily devotional Bible reading. After all, the Bible is the source of truth and life. Anything worthwhile that you will find in any devotional has its source in the scripture. The Word of God is sufficient for every spiritual need and it alone has the promise of God to be effective. Relying on devotional books rather than reading the Bible is like locking yourself into your house at noon on a summer day and shutting up all the doors and windows so you can read by candlelight.

Many people have asked me through the years if I could suggest a good devotional book. I always suggest the Bible. When I give that answer, I often see a look of disappointment come across the face of the brother or sister who asked. Perhaps they think I am being sarcastic or teasing but the answer is truly and humbly the best suggestion that I know to make. Frequently, people think that they do not have time to invest and are looking for a quick dose of spiritual insight. Also common, however, is that many Christians are concerned they are not equipped to use the Bible devotionally. These concerns need not prevent believers from devotional use of the Scripture and the effort to overcome them is well worth it.

In this post, I will briefly discuss a few reasons why the Bible is better for devotional reading than other material. In the next post, I will give examples of how to use the Bible for devotions.

Why is the Bible Better?

1)      The Bible alone is the Word of God. Any other material is only useful to the extent that it accurately communicates the truth found in the Bible (2 Tim 3:15-16). God has provided the scripture for our spiritual nourishment and growth (Mt 4:4). The connection between the Word of God and our sanctification is so strong that it would require a separate series of posts to work through (Jn 17:17). It is probably not an overstatement to say that our spiritual maturity can be measured by our growth in the Word (1 Jn 4:6).

2)      The “good” devotionals I mentioned above are selections of readings from the Bible followed by a few questions. These can be helpful especially to newer believers because they guide you through the process of thinking about the passage. Those who are serious about growing spiritually, however, will benefit greatly from exercising their ability to ask questions and make their own observations and applications of the text (2 Tim 2:15). It may take longer to get going in the beginning but so does chewing your own food. After a bit of practice, you will find that you enjoy the process (Ps 119:103).

3)      Unlike the “better” devotionals mentioned above, most devotionals are really more of a form of commentary or scriptural application on a short passage. Many of these books reinforce bad habits that are not beneficial to disciplines that support deep spiritual growth over time. Often they are filled with examples of taking scripture out of context, oversimplification, or reducing God’s Word to motivational literature. Serious meditation on the Bible involves a respect for what it intends to teach (Heb 2:1). Taking a point (even a true point) and using out of context Bible verses to support it is a bad habit to get into. We are to be people of the Word and our use of the Word should respect it as a system of truth. Likewise, applying promises and platitudes out of context in order to make us feel better or get motivated may in fact be exactly the opposite of what is most needed in our spiritual lives (Heb 12:7).

4)      Connected to the last point is that frequently devotionals have an imbalanced focus. They often focus on what God has done or can do for us out of proportion with reflection upon God’s glory or our weakness. The Bible does talk about God’s love and His blessings but it also convicts us of sin and shatters our selfish pride. God’s purpose in His word is not just to encourage us, but to recreate us. He knows what lessons we need and His word is perfectly balanced (2 Tim 3:16).

5)      Finally, many devotionals often lead to a habit of thinking superficially about God’s word. “Devotional” is often just a code word for “not too deep or complicated”. Real growth occurs, however, when we wrestle with the profound truths of God’s word. Reverence rather than cuteness or pithiness should characterize our devotions (Prov 9:10).

Why Lack of Time is not a Good Reason to Avoid Devotional Bible reading

1. The fact is that we make time for what is most important to us. If we are simply trying to fit our devotional time into our otherwise too busy schedule then we have the wrong priorities (Mt 6:33). If our devotional exercises are simply a religious ritual that we check off each day then we should probably just sleep in or use the time for something else (Amos 5:21-23).

2. I talk a lot about the need to invest time in reading and studying the Bible. I think that is very important, but I am primarily talking about sustained engagement throughout years of continual study and meditation. I am not talking about marathon sessions in individual sittings. If the average person spent even 10 to 15 minutes a day, consistently, in devotional Bible reading I think they would be surprised at how significantly their thought life would change.

You do not need to be a teacher or an expert to do it

1. People sometimes assume that when I suggest that they use the Bible for devotional reading that I am expecting them to become highly trained theologians. When I suggest that the Bible be used for devotional reading, however, I am not talking about systematic Bible study. Proper Bible study should also be something believers learn and that does take time but even young teenagers and new Christians are capable of using the Bible for devotional reading with just a little help to get them started. Devotional reading and Bible study are not exactly the same thing but they are complimentary. We should always seek to base our devotions on proper understanding of the text and our study should always have a devotional end in mind. The more time spent directly in the Bible will increase our ability to do both. In the next post I hope to help make this connection a bit more clear.

2. I am convinced that most people would actually be less confused about the Bible if they spent more time reading the Bible and less time reading other material. I just typed “devotional” into the amazon.com search bar and 51,876 entries came up.  I recognize there is an important place for other Christian material, but it should always be supplemental. Unlike other types of Christian literature, people often primarily use devotionals as substitutes for reading the Bible itself. What are the chances these 52,000 books are consistently reflecting upon the truth of the Bible? I am certain that if the goal is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds then the time would be much better spent actually meditating upon the truth (both plain and difficult) contained in the Bible.

In the next post, I will try to help those get started who may want to use the Bible for devotions but are not sure how to get started. 

Review: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

http://christianaudio.com/the-secret-thoughts-of-an-unlikely-convert-rosaria-champagne-butterfield

This book is a testimony to the grace of God, the power of His word, and the hope of the Gospel. Dr. Butterfield was a tenured professor at Syracuse University teaching Literature and Women’s Studies. Her research focus was a form of post-structuralist criticism known as Queer Theory. She was in a committed lesbian relationship, was an outspoken supporter of the LGBT agenda, and served as an advisor and mentor to homosexual students. As part of her research on the “Christian Right” she began reading the Bible and conversing with a local pastor who lovingly challenged her presuppositions and stereotypes. By the grace of God, she became a believer in Christ and began the difficult process of having her life transformed. She describes her conversion as a train wreck and the book records the long and ongoing process of her being transformed by the renewing of her mind.

The first part of this book, particularly the first chapter, is one of the most compelling things I have read recently. She highlights how the failure of the Christian community to think carefully about the ideas we proclaim and to demonstrate love marginalize those whom we proclaim a desire to reach. Many of Dr. Butterfield’s observations are an indictment against our lack of commitment to open our doors to those who are broken and in need of the Gospel. The implication is perhaps we are content to settle for sloganeering and public positioning because we are content to engage in a discussion about theoretical people rather than in discussions with real people.

Homosexuality is obviously a major issue facing the church in our time and Christians are grappling with the appropriate way to engage the culture. Dr. Butterfield, however, reminds us that homosexuality is only a symptom of a more significant issue that Christ calls us to address; namely sin. The good news, as she reminds us, is that God has equipped the Church through His word and the message of the gospel to do precisely that. She emphasizes that most of the helpful progress be at the individual level as local Churches reach out in truth and love, engaging those in the homosexual community as real people rather than projects, and patiently sharing the gospel.

Her story is also a powerful reminder that we often do not realize what the people sitting next to us in Church are struggling with or who is not there because they felt too uncomfortable to come. It is a reminder that the first word of the great commission is “go”. It is often not enough just to put an invitation card in a mailbox. We need to be willing to take the message of the Gospel outside of the walls of our meetinghouses.

The latter part of the book is a recounting of how significantly her life has changed since her conversion. It covers a number of different topics and includes mild apologetics for adoption, homeschooling, exclusive psalmody, and hospitality. At times, the latter part of the book is a bit like a proud mother rifling through her purse to show you photos of her children. The tone, however, is always sincere and highlights the fact that Dr. Butterfield and her family are real people who are prayerfully continuing on their journey of faith and confidence in Christ.

This book really challenged me to ask if my Church and I are really committed to engaging with those that are different and may make us uncomfortable. Are we confident enough in the Gospel to share it with the outcasts and those on the margins of society? I recommend this book, particularly the first chapter, to anyone who may be asking these questions, and especially to those who are not.

 * 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.

"As oft as ye drink it": How Often Should Communion be Celebrated?

Churches vary widely as to how often they celebrate the Lords Supper. Often, there are differences even within the same denominations and affiliations. There are churches that have a communion service at every meeting, some just once per year, and just about everything in between. I was asked what frequency I thought was best and why? My answer was that weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper is preferred. In this post, I hope to give some insight into why I think that.

Before I do that, I want to point out that there is so much variation regarding how often churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper because the Bible does not give an explicit command about how often we are to do it. As a result, each church must decide based upon the examples and instructions found in the Bible, their understanding of the purpose of the celebration, and the needs of their congregations. As a result, we need to be careful about becoming too dogmatic. In fact, I hold a minority view among the elders of my own church where we celebrate monthly.

Although we do not have an explicit command in the Bible, we should nevertheless attempt to base our view on what scripture does reveal. Probably the most important verse on the matter is Acts 20:7 which says, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.” The reason they were gathered together was to “break bread”. If gathering on the first day of the week to break bread is a reference to a celebration of the Lord’s Table then this is a clear indication that at least one of the congregations in the early church met weekly to celebrate communion. We know that the early church used the phrase “break bread” to refer to devotional meals. For example, in Acts 2:42 we learn the apostles devoted themselves to teaching, the fellowship, breaking bread, and prayers. All four things were associated with the worship of the church. The problem is that the Bible also uses the phrase “break bread” for the sharing of regular meals.

Even so, I do not think Luke is talking about common meals in Acts 20:7. First, Luke tells us it is the first day of the week. The only specific day of the week mentioned in relation to Christians gathering for worship in the New Testament is the first day of the week. In the context of this verse, we learn that Paul was with them for 7 days and surely he spoke to them throughout that time but only the first day of the week receives special mention. The day described obviously involved a meeting for fellowship and worship. Since they gathered to break bread, we assume that occurred. We also see them receiving the ministry of the Word from Paul. The apostle makes it clear in his letter that when the church gathers it is not for a common meal but rather for a fraternal meal (1 Cor. 11:33-34). It seems unlikely then that the church would gather on the first day simply to eat.

While I find the evidence from Acts 20:7 compelling, it is not definitive. Acts is a narrative. As such, it describes what happened but we cannot assume that this is what always happened or was always supposed to happen. Still, I think it is significant that the one New Testament reference we might have regarding the frequency of communion indicates that at least some apostolic congregations celebrated weekly.

Another passage that is important to the discussion is 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 where Paul says “Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” and “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup…”  Many use these verses to support the idea that the frequency of the celebration is up to the discretion of the church. Indeed, this entire section (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) is Paul teaching on the Lord’s Supper and nowhere does he give a command that it should be done on a particular day. The phrases “as often as you drink it” and “as often as you eat this” seem to leave it open for the church to decide.

The context of the passage, however, places the emphasis on the fact that they should not use the fellowship meal as an occasion to make fleshly distinctions within the church. The point is that every time they must celebrate the meal in light of their relationship to one another in Christ. The point is how, not how often they had the meal. Although it is not specific, the context indicates that the celebration was frequent. In verses 17 and 18 we see that Paul uses the phrase “when you come together” in reference to their gathering as a church to worship. This same phrase appears in verse 20 when he says, “when you come together it is not the Lord’s Supper that you eat”. It is reasonable to assume that the communion meal was therefore something they did whenever they met together as the church to worship.  The phrase appears again in verse 33 where Paul instructs them, “when you come together to eat, wait for one another” These commands make more sense if the coming together is related to gathering for worship and is frequent. At the very least, the Corinthian passage shows that we should not neglect the celebration of the Lord’s Table and should make it a frequent part of our worship.

Another reason I think “frequent” should be “weekly” is liturgical rather than exegetical. The communion is to be an anamnesis. The word comes from the Greek word Jesus used when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. He said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in [anamnesis] of me.” The word means to remember or memorialize and it seems Jesus intends a specific type of remembrance. The situation surrounding His institution of the communion provides a clue that Jesus is commanding more than the simple recollection of a past event.

Jesus is drawing upon the context of the Passover celebration. Most of us are familiar enough with the Passover Seder to know that at a particular point the youngest person asks the father the famous question “why is this night different from all other nights”. The father then shares the mighty works God has performed to save His people. This recounting of salvation history is the “remembrance” or “memorial” but it is not simply a list of historical events. The Seder itself is a celebration of those events and faithful celebrants are identifying with them not as mere historical facts but as participants through their identity in the group. God’s actions were therefore acts of salvation for them as well as their ancestors. The Lord’s Supper is the culmination of the Passover meal because His sacrifice is the greatest of all redemptive acts. When he calls us to “do this in remembrance” of Him, he is asking us to celebrate Him as the mighty work of God in redeeming His people and keeping His promises. Through our identification with Him and His people, we are not only recalling what He did as a historical fact but are also testifying to our participation in it. God, through the sacrifice of Christ has saved us.

I believe a similar memorial & celebration should accompany the preaching of the Word, which is the proclamation of God’s mighty acts to redeem His people and keep His promises. Understood this way, the communion is not a somber meal but is truly both a celebration and a memorial. Combining the preaching of the Word with a time of personal identification of believers with the sacred history provides a liturgical coherence to the worship service. The elements of preaching, prayer, praise, and the Table compliment one another to provide an unmistakable Christ-centered focus to the service.

Some argue that celebrating too frequently can cause a loss of reverence for the ordinance and it may degenerate into empty ritual. Empty ritualism, however, is a matter of the heart rather than the schedule. Most who make this argument would never suggest that we should not have weekly prayer, praise, or sermons for the same reason. I believe the pattern we see in the Bible is that a celebration of the Lord’s Supper was part of the regular worship services in the apostolic church. Although not explicitly commanded, this practice provides a depth and unity to the weekly worship service reminding us that Christ stands at the center of the promises and it is through our union with Christ that we become partakers in them. 

Authorial Intent in Christ Centered Preaching, Part 2

In the previous post, I tried to show that although Christ centered preachers are often criticized for disregarding authorial intent in order to “make” every text about Jesus, a christocentric emphasis is not so much the result of exegetical method as of hermeneutical convictions. If Jesus is the culmination of all that the Old Testament writers said then applying their words to Christ and His work is recognizing rather than disregarding their original intent.

Nevertheless, the Bible is not a wax nose to be twisted into any shape that one desires, even if that shape is the shape of the cross. In this post, I would like to argue for a balanced approach to preaching Christ from all of the Bible while not ignoring the authorial intent of Old Testament writers. After all, if the Old Testament writers intend to present Christ then a faithful exegesis will be Christ centered and yet never disconnected from the purpose, structure, and context of their words.

If we take a balanced approach and explain the plain meaning of the text before making application of Christ, we will avoid many of the deficiencies of the positions at the extremes of either position. For example, some critics of Christ centered preaching accuse it of being light on practical application for a life of holiness while supporters criticize exemplary preaching of the Old Testament as bare moralism. The approach I am advocating allows for exemplary preaching within the context of redemptive-historical application. Some advocates of Christ centered preaching insist that every Christian sermon must explicitly present Christ while critics assert that the purpose of every sermon is to explain the meaning of the passage and that not every passage explicitly focusses on Jesus. The approach I support allows for the preacher to present Christ while explaining the plain meaning of Old Testament passages. I believe that these applications develop naturally from the text because Jesus and His work are the culmination of all Old Testament teaching.

There is not room here for a detailed analysis of the topic but a few basic concepts help provide boundaries for balancing authorial intent and Christ centeredness. First, as Walter Kaiser Jr. argues, we must read the Bible from front to back rather than back to front. Many advocates of Christ centered preaching insist that the fullness of New Testament revelation should inform our understanding of Old Testament passages. Some Christ centered advocates such as Ed Clowney and Graeme Goldsworthy argue that the full meaning of particular Old Testament texts may transcend the language and context of the original passage. Certainly, we should not read the Old Testament as if we do not have the New but as Kaiser points out, to disconnect the meaning of a passage from the actual words, context, and structure of the human author is to undermine the Bible as a standard of truth.

If, however, this is the case then how is it that I can claim that every passage is about Jesus Christ if many Old Testament texts are not explicitly messianic? The reason is that every passage to one degree or another connects to a series of trajectories that culminate in Christ and His work (past and/or future). Every text is related to God in some way, whether it is His kingdom, His promises, His people, etc. These grand themes such as God dwelling with His people, the coming King, the blessing to the nations, God creating for Himself a holy people, run throughout the Bible from start to finish. The connection between God and the full revelation of Himself to human beings in Christ is the basis for a natural application of Old Testament passages to Christ. If we are preaching with the whole Bible in mind and yet are reading it from front to back we can clearly explain the natural meaning of the Old Testament passage based upon the context and purpose of the human author and then make legitimate application to Christ and His work. Since Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God, we are to understand God the Father through Him (Jn. 14:9, 2 Cor. 4:4, Heb. 1:3). We therefore are able to make the proper and intended application of the Old Testament without reading meaning back from the New Testament. The New Testament revelation is the culmination rather than the foundation of the Old.

If the preacher faithfully preaches the meaning of the Old Testament passage, there will be a natural pathway to Christ or His work. The text does not have to be explicitly messianic in order for the application of the text to be legitimately Christological. The reason is that even the non-messianic texts work together to build toward a fulfillment in Jesus and His work. Here are just a few of many examples that would encompass a wide range of Old Testament texts.

• The Kingdom / Christ is the promised king
• The Law (holiness of the people of God) / New Covenant in Christ’s blood & His perfect righteousness
• The Wisdom of God / Christ the divine Logos & wisdom of God, also Christ who applied the Law perfectly and is the wise teacher who is greater than Solomon
• Defeat of the enemies of God / the Cross & the 2^nd coming
• God dwelling with His people / the incarnation & new Jerusalem

We can preach wisdom and exemplary points and still connect the texts to their culmination in Christ through either promise-fulfillment or a redemptive-historical approach. Many strong authorial intent advocates are critical of the methods of the redemptive-historical school but if you agree that the intent of the Old Testament prophets was to point to Christ, (1 Pet. 1:10-12) it is possible to incorporate much that is valuable in their methods without abandoning a commitment to a plain hermeneutic.

For example, Ed Clowney is well known for his triangle diagram that shows the relationship between a particular Old Testament event and its typological reference to Christ. Clowney argued that many Old Testament events have symbolic references to broader themes that then develop throughout the history of redemption until they finalize in Christ. His method was to preach those typological references to Christ always emphasizing an organic relationship between the promises and their fulfillment.

Many criticize the direct move from Old Testament symbol to New Testament referent because it opens the door to potentially disregard the Old Testament passage in its own context and the symbolic connections can only be certain if they are explained in the New Testament. I agree with Clowney that there are many more typological connections between the Old and New Testaments than are directly explained by the New Testament writers and I think it is legitimate to preach them. Clowney’s method is very helpful (as are his oft-ignored guidelines on identifying legitimate O.T. symbols). However, in order to maintain control of the exegesis it is more helpful for the preacher to walk the congregation through the process of moving from passage to symbol to fulfillment than moving direct from symbol to fulfillment (move along the 90-degree turn rather than along the hypotenuse). That way, the typological insights are clearly presented as arising from the relationship between the Old and New Testament passages in their natural contexts with the Old culminating in the New.

Other advocates of Christ centered preaching have suggested additional approaches that can be used while remaining true to authorial intent. For example, Bryan Chappell suggests that we pay particular attention to what he calls the fallen condition focus. This means that every Old Testament text in some sense reveals something about a particular sinful condition. By examining that condition, we can demonstrate that our contemporary congregations struggle against the same fallen condition. We can examine God’s response to that condition in the Old Testament and place that response in the broader story of God’s ultimate solution to the problem in Christ. Sidney Greidanus also argues for the need to build from the Old Testament text and suggests seven legitimate ways to move from the Old Testament message to Christ. These include:

1)      Redemptive-Historical Progression

2)      Promise-Fulfillment

3)      Typology

4)      Analogy

5)      Longitudinal Themes

6)      New Testament References

7)      Contrast

It is true that sometimes preachers use Christ centered approaches in ways that fail to honor authorial intent, but the blame lies with those preachers and not the general conviction to preach Christ from all of scripture. It is possible to take a balanced approach that allows us to draw out the Christological focus already present in the Old Testament (as well as the other lessons) without superimposing the New Testament over the Old. Rather than following any particular preaching fads, we are called to present the Word of God in a way that honestly emphasizes both the unity of the scripture as well as the unique contribution of each part.

“… our concern is not to preach Christ to the exclusion of the “whole counsel of God” but rather to view the whole counsel of God, with all its teachings, laws, prophecies, and visions, in the light of Jesus Christ.  At the same time, it should be evident that we must not read the incarnate Christ back into the Old Testament text, which would be eisegesis, but that we should look for legitimate ways of preaching Christ from the Old Testament in the context of the New.”

-Dr. SidneyGreidanus, Preaching Christ from the Old Testament pg. 227-228