Monthly Archive for August, 2008

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Make No Mistake: God is Not “In the Dock”

Published on August 14, 2008 in C.S. Lewis, Culture and Quotes. 0 Comments

In England, when a prisoner is on trial, the place where he sits is called “the dock.” So, the accused is said to be “in the dock.”

C.S. Lewis, in his brilliant essay, “God in the Dock,” points out that somehow modern man thinks that God is “in the Dock”: that God must give an account of himself to humanity.

The ancient man approached God (or even the gods) as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man the roles are reversed. He is the judge: God is in the dock. He is quite a kindly judge: if God should have a reasonable defence for being the god who permits war, poverty, and disease, he is ready to listen to it. The trial may even end in God’s acquittal. But the important thing is that Man is on the Bench and God in the Dock (God in the Dock, page 244).[1]

Who can deny that Modern Man largely believes that God must defend himself to human beings? Somehow, Modern Humanity is audacious enough to act as though God must meet a standard humanity establishes.

Can anything be more ridiculous?

It’s as though Modern Man stands on the edge of the Sears tower in Chicago and peers over the side. With his toes hanging over the edge, and the wind gusting at his back, even as he watches others scream and pitch over the side, Modern Man says smugly, “I am not sure that I approve of the law of gravity. In fact, I’m not sure I agree with it at all. What kind of a law would cause people to fall off objects?”

Don’t get me wrong. Modern Man is a reasonable sort of “chap” (I have to stay with British words when interacting with Lewis), he is willing to listen to a few defend to him the law of gravity. But, generally, he takes a pass on accepting that gravity has any particular bearing for him and those he knows.

So, for a few moments – - the length of time a wisp of steam rises over your coffee cup (James 4:14), Modern Man stands with a smirk on his face laughing at the law of gravity. Soon enough, a gust of wind comes along and an eternal plunge begins.

[1] C.S. Lewis, “God in the Dock,” in God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics, ed. Walter Hooper (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970), 244.

Should We Forgive John Edwards?

Published on August 13, 2008 in Forgiveness. 0 Comments

A friend pointed me to this article by John Mark Reynolds on what the attitude of Christians should be to John Edwards.  It is a valuable article because Reynolds helps us think theologically while walking carefully through a particular forgiveness problem.

Having ignored warning signs for so long, the culture’s fascination, even delight, in the destruction of yet another political leader is sickening. I don’t know if John Edwards is sorry for his sins, but I do know that only a fool or a saint can afford to be unmerciful or delight in his fall.

A fool likes any prurient story because it is entertaining. This fool reads of the fall of great men with no sense of discomfort because he believes that his own vice is “not so bad.” For the fool, self-knowledge is always delightful and easy. He is puzzled why Socrates made such a fuss about it.

A saint can advocate justice without mercy, because his virtue leaves him without any need for grace. He can simply ask for justice. Strangely, Jesus, when faced with His own John Edwards, did forgive absolutely. The man who could judge didn’t, which suggests it must be better so.

Should we forgive John Edwards?

For his fellow Christians, the answer is plain, if not easy to practice.

We cannot forgive his moral sin because his sin was not against us. As for his lies to the public, the charitable are eager to forgive, but the wise not so quick to trust. As for his sins against God, which at the hour of his death will matter most, God knows his heart, but forgiveness is freely available to Edwards, though bought at great cost to God.

Read it all here.

On the Necessity of Preaching on the Wrath of God

Published on August 13, 2008 in Preaching. 0 Comments

Daryl Dash explains how D. Martyn Llodyd-Jones believes that a reluctance to preach on the wrath of God resulted in increasingly empty churches. 

Lloyd-Jones preached a different message, as seen in this address:

First and foremost we are face to face with the fact of the wrath of God…God has decided and ordered and arranged that a life of forgetfulness of Him, and antagonism to Him, shall not be successful and happy. Cursing falls upon such a way of life. The facts of life, the story of history, proclaim the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. We have sinned against God…

It is as the idea of judgment and the wrath of God have fallen into the background that our churches have become increasingly empty. The idea has gained currency that the love of God somehow covers everything, and that it matters very little what we may do, because the love of God puts everything right at the end. The more the Church has accommodated her message to suit the palate of the people the greater has been the decline in attendance at places of worship.

This is a very good example of God-centered versus human-centered preaching.

Read it all here.

Driscoll’s New Book

Published on August 13, 2008 in Recommended Reading. 0 Comments

Vitamin Z (my new favorite blog) posts a really interesting link to Driscoll’s new book.  You really should watch it.  Click here.  I have not read Driscoll’s book.

ESV Study Bible Introduction from Tullian

Published on August 12, 2008 in Word of God. 0 Comments

I still say it would be a great Christmas present.  This is a very significant study Bible.  You can order it now on Amazon.  Click here.

Vitamin Z On Piper on the Olympics

Published on August 12, 2008 in Recommended Links. 0 Comments

One of my new favorite blogs is Vitamin Z.  Read this post, where he quotes John Piper on our love for beauty.

Click here.

Frame on the Doctrine of God

Published on August 12, 2008 in Doctrine and Quotes. 0 Comments

“Our message to the world must emphasize that God is real, and that he will not be trifled with.  He is the almighty, majestic Lord of heaven and earth, and he demands our most passionate love and obedience.”  John Frame, The Doctrine of God, pages 2-3.

The Church is No Place for "Defeatism"

Published on August 11, 2008 in Quotes. 0 Comments

Regarded as one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century, Listen to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preach about the Kingdom.

Even so, confidently and hopefully pray, “thy Kingdom come.”

Because our view of what God is doing in history is so limited, we may be tempted at points to give into a pessimistic view of how things are going.  John Murray reminds us that we can have no sympathy with “defeatism.”

“Faith imbued with zeal for the honour of Christ and the glory of God will have no sympathy with the defeatism which is, after all, but disguised fatalism. He who is head over all things is head over all things to his body the church. He has authority in heaven and earth. And he is the Lord of the Spirit. Implicit in the prayer he taught his disciples to pray, ‘thy will be done as in heaven as in earth’, is the prayer that the whole earth should be filled with his praise. Nothing less is the measure of the believer’s desire. ‘And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory.’ May we not pray for the peace of Jerusalem—‘peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces’. And who knows but the floodgates of reformation grace and power may be opened and we shall have occasion to say, ‘When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like men that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.’” 

~John Murray, Collected Works, Volume 1, page 279.

Facing Death

Published on August 10, 2008 in Chris Brauns Radio Spots and death. 0 Comments

When we think of how quickly death can come, and that some will spend eternity in hell, any of us might be paralyzed by a fear of death.

But, Hebrews 2:14-15 reads, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is the devil, and free those who all their lives are held in slavery by their fear of death.”

By sharing in our humanity, Christ was able to represent us and to make atonement for our sins so that we need not be enslaved to the fear of death.

As a pastor, I have seen many believers graciously face death because they knew Christ. I remember one occasion where a lady from our church knew that her husband was dying. After over 40 years of marriage, she understood that she and her husband were facing their last hours together on this side. But, neither of them were held in slavery by their fear of death. This brave lady held her husband’s hand and sang, Precious Lord Take My Hand, even as he crossed over into eternity.

Words & music by Thomas A. Dorsey

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I’m tired, I’m weak, I’m lone

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near

When my life is almost gone

Hear my cry, hear my call

Hold my hand lest I fall

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears and the night draws near

And the day is past and gone

At the river I stand

Guide my feet, hold my hand

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I’m tired, I’m weak, Lord I’m worn

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Christ shared our humanity so that by his death, he might destroy him who holds the power of death.

Books on Forgiveness

Published on August 10, 2008 in Forgiveness. 0 Comments

Click here to see an Amazon list I created on forgiveness books.  If you find it helpful, then by all means click on the “yes” button on Amazon.  Alternatively. . .