John Piper has been blogging about how we ought to use our “economic stimulus checks” in some Christ-glorifying way, which has led to a very good discussion about balancing the tension between the following two Biblical commands:

Matthew 5:14-16

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV)

Matthew 6:1

6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:1

3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (ESV)

Read on.

Ligonier Ministries is publishing, through their blog, an out-of-print book by the late John Gerstner, Theology for Everyman:

Is it not clear why a layman must necessarily be a theologian? Is there anyone, layman or otherwise, who does not need to know God? Does the Scripture not say, “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3)? It is no mere option, then, with a layman whether or not he will be a theologian, or whether he will have eternal life or not; it is not an option with him whether he will know God or not. The knowledge of God is necessary to eternal life. And if eternal life is necessary for every man, then theology is also necessary for every man.

More here.

Whew, and I thought the Puritans were into long titles…

1. Evangelicals are not just white, despite media perceptions.

2. Evangelicals (in general) hate anti-Semitism.

3. Evangelical culture values education highly.

4. Evangelicals help the poor.

5. Conversion to Evangelical Christianity has saved many people from destruction in the here and now. That is a good thing whatever your view of the afterlife.

More here.

I blogged the other day on Dever on Dangerous Gospels, and it appears that now, he is posting transcripts of his T4G talk on his own blog. You can find Part 1, “Make the Gospel Public,” here.

Last night, McKaylyn was practicing handwriting while I worked on the workbook exercises for my study of Greek. I just thought I’d share this little snippet of conversation…

Me: ??? ???????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ???????? ???? ?? ???????? ????. Do you know what that means?

Her: Nope.

Me: It means, “I baptized you by water, but He will baptize you by the Holy Spirit.”

Her: That’s John talking.

Me: Which John? John the Apostle?

Her: No, John the Baptist.

Me: Very good! Who was he talking about?

Her: Jesus.

I sure do love my little girl!

Well, sirs! remember what became of those who excused themselves out of heaven, by their carnal apologies, and secular businesses: Luke 14:16-24.

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.”

The true reason why they would not come to the supper that the King of kings had invited them to, was not because they had bought farms and oxen—but because their farms and oxen had bought them. The things of the world and their carnal relations had taken up so much room in their hearts and affections, that they had no stomach to heaven’s dainties; and therefore it is observable what Christ adds at the end of the parable, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26,27.

By these words, it is evident, that it was not simply the farm nor the oxen, nor the wife—but a foolish, inordinate, carnal love and esteem of these things, above better and greater blessings, that made them refuse the gracious invitation of Christ.

They refused the grace and mercy of God offering in the gospel, under a pretense of worldly business; and God peremptorily concludes, that not a man of them should taste of his supper. And indeed what can be more just and righteous, than that they should never so much as taste of spiritual and eternal blessings, who prefer their earthly business before heaven’s dainties; who, with the Reubenites, prefer a country commodious for the feeding of their cattle, before an interest in the land of promise.

Thomas Brooks, The Secret Key to Heaven: The Vital Importance of Private Prayer

The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him. It begins in the mind and may be present where no overt act of worship has taken place.

”When they knew God,” wrote Paul, “they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Then followed the worship of idols fashioned after the likeness of men and birds and beasts and creeping things. But this series of degrading acts began in the mind. Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which the polluted waters of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true.

Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear. The long career of Israel demonstrates this clearly enough, and the history of the Church confirms it. So necessary to the Church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the Church with her worship and her moral standards declines along with it. The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God.

Before the Christian Church goes into eclipse anywhere there must first be a corrupting of her simple basic theology. She simply gets a wrong answer to the question, “What is God like?” and goes on from there. Though she may continue to cling to a sound nominal creed, her practical working creed has become false. The masses of her adherents come to believe that God is different from what He actually is; and that is heresy of the most insidious and deadly kind.

The heaviest obligation lying upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him – and of her. In all her prayers and labors this should have first place. We do the greatest service to the next generation of Christians by passing on to them undimmed and undiminished that noble concept of God which we received from our Hebrew and Christian fathers of generations past.

- A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (emphasis added)

ht: John Piper

(Probably.)

I used to be quite interested in politics. When I first started my college education, I was double-majoring in History and Political Science.

In fact, in High School, I participated in and won a mock Presidential Debate. This was while the actual 1988 presidential race was going on, and I debated as Pierre “Pete” DuPont IV. This makes me one of very few people who remember Pete DuPont running for president in 1988.

As time goes on, however, I find myself less and less interested in politics. Why? Because truth be told, none of it really matters in the grand scheme of eternity.

Oh, I know, there are those out there who will disagree, that it is terribly important. But, from a biblical worldview, it really doesn’t matter.

Psalm 118:8-9

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes. (ESV)

Psalm 146:3-4

3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish. (ESV)

You see, it is not a “son of man” who is our salvation, but rather, the Son of Man.

Daniel 7:13-14

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed. (ESV)

Regardless of who you vote for this election season, please remember that the Bible is very clear about how we are to view our leaders. We are to respect and honor them, even if we disagree with them. We are to pray for them. They are appointed by God ruling in heaven over us.

And lest you think that I am advocating “religious rule” – this is true even if the President of the United States were to be a pagan or atheist. Remember, Paul was living under the godless Roman Empire, under Nero, when he wrote these words (c. AD 56):

Romans 13:1-7

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (ESV)

as well as these (c. AD 64):

1 Timothy 2:1-4

2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

So prayerfully consider the men and women running for office. And whoever prevails in the elections, pray for them to guide our nation effectively.

I went to one of those pregnancy due-date calculator sites on the internet tonight, to look something up about the calendar from when Shannon was pregnant with Atticus, and among the information presented was this summary:

You are 101 weeks into your pregnancy,
and you are 61 weeks past your due date

Alert the media!

At T4G last week, Mark Dever’s session was on the all-too-common attempt to “improve” the Gospel beyond what it is. Tim Challies summarizes it very well:

His talk was built upon five “calls” that are dangerous to the gospel—five ways churches may be tempted to adapt or shrink or expand the gospel message in order to make it more palatable.

In short, the 5 dangerous “calls” are:

1. Make the Gospel public
   
2. Make the Gospel larger
3. Make the Gospel relevant
4. Make the Gospel personal
5. Make the Gospel kinder

For more detail, read all of Challies’ overview here, or download the audio here.