Comments for fiftytwoseven http://rlemmel.com/blog How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Isaiah 52:7 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:01:29 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on On Deck by jerry http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/09/21/on-deck/comment-page-1/#comment-30 jerry Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:01:29 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=89#comment-30 I think that your idea of doing the Joel Beeke book "Living to God's Glory" is really a good one. He is a very respected leader in Reformed circles and a solid theologian. He is not only a great teacher, but he is also a pastor of a big church in Grand Rapids Michigan. His pastoral vocation shows in his writing style. His books are written in the style of a sunday school teacher trying to teach a class rather than in the style of a college professor who assumes that everyone has 4 years of seminary under their belts. I think the class, having already been through the Heidelberg Catechism a few times, would really enjoy this book. I think that your idea of doing the Joel Beeke book “Living to God’s Glory” is really a good one. He is a very respected leader in Reformed circles and a solid theologian. He is not only a great teacher, but he is also a pastor of a big church in Grand Rapids Michigan. His pastoral vocation shows in his writing style. His books are written in the style of a sunday school teacher trying to teach a class rather than in the style of a college professor who assumes that everyone has 4 years of seminary under their belts. I think the class, having already been through the Heidelberg Catechism a few times, would really enjoy this book.

]]> Comment on Time for Popcorn by jerry http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/09/06/time-for-popcorn/comment-page-1/#comment-29 jerry Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:46:42 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=83#comment-29 I agree with Keller's quote from Monergism 100%. After we believe the Gospel and are born again, we continue to grow and mature in our faith for the rest of our lives. Throughout our lives we go through a lot of trials and tribulations. Each time we emerge from these trials we come out with a deeper faith. We see how God was with us in our tribulation and "never leaves us or forsakes us". The trials that I am presently going through would have driven me to depression and despair a few years ago. But experience as an "older" believer has given me peace. I know that He will be with me and give me the grace to get through whatever comes my way. His grace is sufficient for me and every believer. I agree with Keller’s quote from Monergism 100%. After we believe the Gospel and are born again, we continue to grow and mature in our faith for the rest of our lives. Throughout our lives we go through a lot of trials and tribulations. Each time we emerge from these trials we come out with a deeper faith. We see how God was with us in our tribulation and “never leaves us or forsakes us”. The trials that I am presently going through would have driven me to depression and despair a few years ago. But experience as an “older” believer has given me peace. I know that He will be with me and give me the grace to get through whatever comes my way. His grace is sufficient for me and every believer.

]]> Comment on When the Good Becomes the Ultimate by Glenn Baaten http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/08/12/when-the-good-becomes-the-ultimate/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Glenn Baaten Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:44:34 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=46#comment-27 I'll give a try, Randy. As Bob Dylan once sang, "it might be the devil, or it might be the Lord, but you're gonna hafta serve someone". We're free to serve sin, and be conformed it, which in our fallen human nature comes naturally; or we can be blessed to serve Christ and be conformed to Him, which in our redeemed human nature is being shared in us supernaturally by agency of the Holy Spirit. We've got to work with the Spirit, of course, and so we do truly "build our lives" as you say, but to do that, we must lean on the Lord in obedience. As St. Paul writes in Romans 6:17-18, "But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become OBEDIENT from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves to righteousness." Thanks be to God! I’ll give a try, Randy. As Bob Dylan once sang, “it might be the devil, or it might be the Lord, but you’re gonna hafta serve someone”. We’re free to serve sin, and be conformed it, which in our fallen human nature comes naturally; or we can be blessed to serve Christ and be conformed to Him, which in our redeemed human nature is being shared in us supernaturally by agency of the Holy Spirit. We’ve got to work with the Spirit, of course, and so we do truly “build our lives” as you say, but to do that, we must lean on the Lord in obedience. As St. Paul writes in Romans 6:17-18, “But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become OBEDIENT from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves to righteousness.” Thanks be to God!

]]> Comment on Suffering – Part 2 by rhett http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/24/suffering-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-26 rhett Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:51:25 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=36#comment-26 This is my take on the quoted passage and on Christian suffering. Corrupted by the Fall, we tend to create God in our own image, and we design theologies that suit our goals. History confirms this. For example, 17th and 18th century preachers and politicians distorted Christian theology to support slavery, westward expansion, and war. World history is replete with examples of corrupt politicians and cowardly popes using twisted theology as a rubberstamp for all sorts of vile goals. {Christianity, of course, isn’t the only religion or worldview that has been manipulated by power-hungry politicians. I point to these Christian flaws as part of Keller’s invitation to critically examine our own faith.} Though for things less evil, we continue to distort Christian theology today. We build theologies that domesticate our sins and approve of our selfish goals. At the center of much modern theology is God as a cosmic concierge. If I want to reserve a nice parking spot at the beach or land a promotion at work, all I have to do is dial up The Big Guy. And so our tithes become more like tips—we give our 10% as a thank you for the good work he did the week past, but we also slip in a little extra with a wink; and we hope that he’ll hook us up with something really nice in the coming week. But this is not so for the Christian whose revived spirit knows the God of the cross. Once a Christian has been seized by Christ’s ineffable suffering—the humiliation, the blood sweat, the nails, the dried tongue clinging to the cheek, the bitter taste of gall, the pierced side, and terrifying cry of dereliction—he knows that suffering is central to Christian life. The light-beer theologies of materialism and self-esteem are put aside for the 200-proof reality that our lives were bought with blood. And Christ’s blood is a bitter drink for a sinful man. It destroys our pride, mocks our vanity, and disrupts our plans. But we know that it’s the only drink that’s good for our soul because it frees us to do the one thing that is truly satisfying. That is, it allows us to follow Christ up Golgotha and unite with his crucifixion, so that we might also unite with his resurrection, freeing us to love God with all our mind, heart, and soul. Thus, no true theology can exist apart from Christ crucified. And anyone who has made the spiritual trip to the foot of the cross and looked up at our suffering Lord will necessarily reject all of these saccharine-filled half-truths about the Christian faith as a path to prosperity. This is my take on the quoted passage and on Christian suffering.

Corrupted by the Fall, we tend to create God in our own image, and we design theologies that suit our goals. History confirms this. For example, 17th and 18th century preachers and politicians distorted Christian theology to support slavery, westward expansion, and war. World history is replete with examples of corrupt politicians and cowardly popes using twisted theology as a rubberstamp for all sorts of vile goals. {Christianity, of course, isn’t the only religion or worldview that has been manipulated by power-hungry politicians. I point to these Christian flaws as part of Keller’s invitation to critically examine our own faith.}

Though for things less evil, we continue to distort Christian theology today. We build theologies that domesticate our sins and approve of our selfish goals. At the center of much modern theology is God as a cosmic concierge. If I want to reserve a nice parking spot at the beach or land a promotion at work, all I have to do is dial up The Big Guy. And so our tithes become more like tips—we give our 10% as a thank you for the good work he did the week past, but we also slip in a little extra with a wink; and we hope that he’ll hook us up with something really nice in the coming week.

But this is not so for the Christian whose revived spirit knows the God of the cross. Once a Christian has been seized by Christ’s ineffable suffering—the humiliation, the blood sweat, the nails, the dried tongue clinging to the cheek, the bitter taste of gall, the pierced side, and terrifying cry of dereliction—he knows that suffering is central to Christian life. The light-beer theologies of materialism and self-esteem are put aside for the 200-proof reality that our lives were bought with blood. And Christ’s blood is a bitter drink for a sinful man. It destroys our pride, mocks our vanity, and disrupts our plans. But we know that it’s the only drink that’s good for our soul because it frees us to do the one thing that is truly satisfying. That is, it allows us to follow Christ up Golgotha and unite with his crucifixion, so that we might also unite with his resurrection, freeing us to love God with all our mind, heart, and soul. Thus, no true theology can exist apart from Christ crucified. And anyone who has made the spiritual trip to the foot of the cross and looked up at our suffering Lord will necessarily reject all of these saccharine-filled half-truths about the Christian faith as a path to prosperity.

]]> Comment on Suffering – Part 2 by jerry http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/24/suffering-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-25 jerry Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:50:34 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=36#comment-25 On Wednesday night I preached the feast of St. James service. Ironically, a lot of what I preached about is similar to what you are talking about in the theology of the cross subject. St. James, like all of our Lord's faithful servants, had his own personal sins to deal with. While he and his brother St. John had a great zeal for serving their Lord, you'll recall that their zeal also drifted into the area of personal ambition and self promotion. Right after Jesus told them that He must go and die a horrible death on the cross, the privately asked him for positions of honour on His right hand and on His left. They wanted a position of personal power and authority. All of God's servants must guard against this. It would be an ever so easy sin to fall into. Look at some of the great preachers and teachers that have had their ministries ruined by falling into and ego driven, personal ambition laden trap and have lost their ability to serve. This is what happens when it becomes all about us and we take our eyes off the glory of the cross. I ended my sermon with the verse "Let he who is chiefest amongst you be the servant of all". That's what this is all about. Serving one another with the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not some watered down version either. But the PURE WORD OF GOD. On Wednesday night I preached the feast of St. James service. Ironically, a lot of what I preached about is similar to what you are talking about in the theology of the cross subject. St. James, like all of our Lord’s faithful servants, had his own personal sins to deal with. While he and his brother St. John had a great zeal for serving their Lord, you’ll recall that their zeal also drifted into the area of personal ambition and self promotion. Right after Jesus told them that He must go and die a horrible death on the cross, the privately asked him for positions of honour on His right hand and on His left. They wanted a position of personal power and authority.

All of God’s servants must guard against this. It would be an ever so easy sin to fall into. Look at some of the great preachers and teachers that have had their ministries ruined by falling into and ego driven, personal ambition laden trap and have lost their ability to serve. This is what happens when it becomes all about us and we take our eyes off the glory of the cross.

I ended my sermon with the verse “Let he who is chiefest amongst you be the servant of all”. That’s what this is all about. Serving one another with the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not some watered down version either. But the PURE WORD OF GOD.

]]> Comment on Just One Way? by randy http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/14/just-one-way/comment-page-1/#comment-24 randy Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:54:28 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=24#comment-24 These are very good comments by Ryan and Glenn, but I do not think they are the prevalent views in American evangelicalism today. God's way of saving the world will look like foolishness to the rest of the world, and even to we Christians it will sometimes appear that way as our default setting as 'theologians of glory' surfaces. After all, who can save or transform the world by laying aside themselves and serving others? What is needed is power, political activism, and the like. Foolish Christians, thinking they can redeem the world with all this talk of grace. when what is needed is more law. So we have political candidates pandering to evangelicals, and evangelicals relishing their role in the political process. And all the while we have a kingdom that is not of this world, yet entering and overcoming this world through the foolishness of the proclamation of the cross. And it is this proclamation of the cross that rules out all inclusivism. It is the confrontation of fallen humanity with the message of the cross where the renewal by the Holy Spirit occurs. So the church is formed by the message, and then given the charge of proclaiming the message that formed it. This is God's plan of salvation, bringing the wisdom of the world to naught, by a display of weakness and foolishness. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." - Romans 11:33-36 randy These are very good comments by Ryan and Glenn, but I do not think they are the prevalent views in American evangelicalism today. God’s way of saving the world will look like foolishness to the rest of the world, and even to we Christians it will sometimes appear that way as our default setting as ‘theologians of glory’ surfaces. After all, who can save or transform the world by laying aside themselves and serving others? What is needed is power, political activism, and the like. Foolish Christians, thinking they can redeem the world with all this talk of grace. when what is needed is more law. So we have political candidates pandering to evangelicals, and evangelicals relishing their role in the political process. And all the while we have a kingdom that is not of this world, yet entering and overcoming this world through the foolishness of the proclamation of the cross.

And it is this proclamation of the cross that rules out all inclusivism. It is the confrontation of fallen humanity with the message of the cross where the renewal by the Holy Spirit occurs. So the church is formed by the message, and then given the charge of proclaiming the message that formed it. This is God’s plan of salvation, bringing the wisdom of the world to naught, by a display of weakness and foolishness.

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” – Romans 11:33-36

randy

]]> Comment on Just One Way? by Glenn Baaten http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/14/just-one-way/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Glenn Baaten Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:42:52 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=24#comment-23 Of course we all agree that the church is material to God's economy of salvation. As St. Paul shares, "How will they know, if they haven't heard, and how will they hear, unless someone preaches to them", and so we must share the faith; and further, "to some He gave gifts...(such that all might serve various capacities in the Body of Christ)... that we all might come into the full measure of the stature of Christ." So the church is effectively Christ's presence in the midst of fallen humanity: bringing those as converts into His saving grace through the power of His word preached, and growing those as disciples into His very presence through the power of the Holy Spirit, as the life of Christ is corporately lived out. And all of this done, as Keller wisely reminds us, not in a posture of spiritual superiority or arrogance, but QUITE THE OPPOSITE! A spirit of self-emptying love and humility. Against such a spirit, the world has no defense. When we are weak in our spirits, then we are strong in the Spirit. Such is the wisdom (and folly!) of the Gospel. As long as we continue to live out our faith leaning on Christ Jesus, and not leaning unto our own human resources, the ends of the earth are the limit of the propagation of Gospel of Christ's truth, life, and love. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus... He emptied Himself taking on the form of the slave, and being found in human likeness, humbled Himself unto death, even death on a cross." I second Ryan's observation... the instrument of death becomes for us the means of life. So yes, Mr. Keller, CHRISTIANITY CAN SAVE THE WORLD! Of course we all agree that the church is material to God’s economy of salvation. As St. Paul shares, “How will they know, if they haven’t heard, and how will they hear, unless someone preaches to them”, and so we must share the faith; and further, “to some He gave gifts…(such that all might serve various capacities in the Body of Christ)… that we all might come into the full measure of the stature of Christ.” So the church is effectively Christ’s presence in the midst of fallen humanity: bringing those as converts into His saving grace through the power of His word preached, and growing those as disciples into His very presence through the power of the Holy Spirit, as the life of Christ is corporately lived out. And all of this done, as Keller wisely reminds us, not in a posture of spiritual superiority or arrogance, but QUITE THE OPPOSITE! A spirit of self-emptying love and humility. Against such a spirit, the world has no defense. When we are weak in our spirits, then we are strong in the Spirit. Such is the wisdom (and folly!) of the Gospel. As long as we continue to live out our faith leaning on Christ Jesus, and not leaning unto our own human resources, the ends of the earth are the limit of the propagation of Gospel of Christ’s truth, life, and love. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus… He emptied Himself taking on the form of the slave, and being found in human likeness, humbled Himself unto death, even death on a cross.” I second Ryan’s observation… the instrument of death becomes for us the means of life. So yes, Mr. Keller, CHRISTIANITY CAN SAVE THE WORLD!

]]> Comment on Just One Way? by ryan http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/14/just-one-way/comment-page-1/#comment-22 ryan Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:56:33 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=24#comment-22 One aspect of saving the world is accomplised by God continually calling the elect through his appointed means. Our role in this aspect of saving the world is by the speaking of the gospel. Although we don't save anyone, we are the instrument God chooses to use to spread the gospel message. Is this a mandate of the church? Absolutely!!! Also, In the Lord's prayer we pray that God's will be done. His will is to transform the world, therefore we should join him and direct the glory to him. How do we do this? I think Keller puts this well in that we look to the cross and see a man dying for those who hated him. This will help to motivate us to live a life of gratitude that glorifies God. By God calling his elect and the elect looking to carry out the will of the Father the there will be an inbreaking of the Heavenly Kingdom here on earth. In the end of this time the world will be saved, no other religion promises that!!! God Bless!!! One aspect of saving the world is accomplised by God continually calling the elect through his appointed means. Our role in this aspect of saving the world is by the speaking of the gospel. Although we don’t save anyone, we are the instrument God chooses to use to spread the gospel message. Is this a mandate of the church? Absolutely!!! Also, In the Lord’s prayer we pray that God’s will be done. His will is to transform the world, therefore we should join him and direct the glory to him. How do we do this? I think Keller puts this well in that we look to the cross and see a man dying for those who hated him. This will help to motivate us to live a life of gratitude that glorifies God. By God calling his elect and the elect looking to carry out the will of the Father the there will be an inbreaking of the Heavenly Kingdom here on earth. In the end of this time the world will be saved, no other religion promises that!!! God Bless!!!

]]> Comment on Got Faith? by randy http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/08/got-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-21 randy Sun, 13 Jul 2008 02:46:09 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=23#comment-21 I think MichaelAJ's comment falls right in line with the words of our Savior recorded in Luke 18:17: "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." Apart from simple, childlike trust we cannot enter the kingdom and cut ourselves off from that eternal, true joy to be found only in Jesus. I think MichaelAJ’s comment falls right in line with the words of our Savior recorded in Luke 18:17: “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

Apart from simple, childlike trust we cannot enter the kingdom and cut ourselves off from that eternal, true joy to be found only in Jesus.

]]> Comment on Got Faith? by randy http://rlemmel.com/blog/2008/07/08/got-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-20 randy Sun, 13 Jul 2008 02:21:37 +0000 http://rlemmel.com/blog/?p=23#comment-20 The Westminster talks about weak faith and strong faith, so, for a believer, doubt might be considered to be a dilution of faith. It can be mixed with our faith, thus keeping it less than full vigor. This would not take away from the motivational part of it that Dave mentions. It would be like looking in a mirror and seeing that I am far from full physical fitness, and thus motivated to seek a higher level of health. Peter (in I Peter) considers the trials we encounter to be proof of our faith. I view this trying or testing of our faith to be like wringing the water out of a wet towel. What is worked out is doubt, leaving behind a purer, stronger,less diluted faith. As we have described doubt here we have clearly put it forth as something that belongs to believers. Unbelief, quite clearly, belongs not to believers but to those who lack saving faith. This unbelief is sin and stands awaiting the judgment of God. It is not without remedy, however. Repentance and turning to the Crucified One is the answer to all sin. It should be an interesting discussion in class tomorrow as we begin dealing with the skepticism mentioned in Keller's book The Westminster talks about weak faith and strong faith, so, for a believer, doubt might be considered to be a dilution of faith. It can be mixed with our faith, thus keeping it less than full vigor.
This would not take away from the motivational part of it that Dave mentions. It would be like looking in a mirror and seeing that I am far from full physical fitness, and thus motivated to seek a higher level of health.

Peter (in I Peter) considers the trials we encounter to be proof of our faith. I view this trying or testing of our faith to be like wringing the water out of a wet towel. What is worked out is doubt, leaving behind a purer, stronger,less diluted faith.

As we have described doubt here we have clearly put it forth as something that belongs to believers. Unbelief, quite clearly, belongs not to believers but to those who lack saving faith. This unbelief is sin and stands awaiting the judgment of God. It is not without remedy, however. Repentance and turning to the Crucified One is the answer to all sin.

It should be an interesting discussion in class tomorrow as we begin dealing with the skepticism mentioned in Keller’s book

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