In Luke 14:31-33 Jesus is speaking on counting the cost prior to choosing to become His disciple. In our day of easy-believism, it is interesting to see that Jesus was more interested in that the response of following Him would be made a full view of the dangers and difficulties as well as promises and blessings, something we tend to underemphasize today.
Luk 14:31-33 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not first sit down and consult whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So then, everyone of you who does not forsake all his possessions, he cannot be My disciple.
The first thing we need to see here, is that each of us is a king. Not only that but we are a king who is at war with another King. He is a good King to whom we owed vassalage, and homage, but whose yoke we early cast off. We have refused Him his due and He is angry with us for that, it is only a matter of time before His armies exact a punishment upon us for our willful and repeated rebellion against Him. This King is God.
With this in mind we must make a choice, and it had better be the right one. We must first consider if we are equal to the task of prosecuting this war, can we effectively fight God? Many have thought so, many have tried, and they all had a confidence that they could carry the war. Nietzsche gloried in his own intellect, yet when he left this world that intellect had been stripped from him and he died in a state of imbecility. Many have trusted in the vigor of youth, only to find themselves struck down in the midst of their youth by accident or sudden illness. Are you better prepared? If you think so, by all means gather your abilities, talents, wits, charm by which you intend to either overpower or impress the Most High. If you think you will impress Him by your abilities and talents or even charm, remember that these are His gift to you and He has seen all too many talented, charming people appear before Him on that grounds and yet they were condemned. Having created man and seen their doings for 6,000 odd years God is not easily impressed. If you choose to fight Him with strength, you will quickly find His power out-powers yours.
Your only chance is to quickly make your peace with God. The condition on which He will make peace with you is found at the end of these verses – a willingness to renounce all, and follow Christ. You should make peace as quickly as possible, while the Spirit of God is drawing your heart. You are only able to respond to God as He draws you. If you refuse the times of His offer of mercy, and allow Him to approach in judgment, then when your ammunition of strength is spent and the wall of your self-confidence breached and you stand vanquished, will you then presume on mercy, who despised it before? God delights in mercy and does not afflict the children of men willingly, but to be sure of receiving His mercy we must respond to the offer when it is given, while grace is available.
If you are reading this and you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, giving Him complete control to order your life as He sees fit, please surrender to Him, and do it without delay.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Best Laid Plans…
My intention yesterday was to get started on the printing of “The Journey of Israel” study manual for our Bible school. I woke up nice and early ready to go, but thanks to the electric company, I was powerless to do it. Since it is always dark by 6:30 here, everything runs earlier than what it would in other parts of the world with more artificial lighting. I wake up at 4:30 most mornings and have my time of prayer and devotions. My 5:30 alarm is my signal to actually get up and turn off security lights on the compound and unlock the gate and put on a pot of coffee. The power cut at 5:29. I got up turned all the switches off (the lights themselves were already off if you want to be technical), and unlocked the gate. Since we had lost power so early I figured it would be off for a while so I got some wood out of the shed and boiled water to make coffee (this is a labour of love – primarily self-love, but dad enjoys it too). In addition to boiling water for coffee and later for tea (it was a fairly cold day), I also got to put my John Wayne skills to the test cooking baked beans and hamburger (power only came back on at 12:40). I had mixed results, the baked beans were great, but I had to much burger sticking to the grill in that option.
I’m typing all this to say that I had a totally unproductive morning, at least as far as what I wanted to do was concerned. On a positive note, I did not complain about the outage (much better attitude than my usual), so maybe I can call it a moral victory? Anyway, some days just carrying on is all the productivity that can be expected.
I’m typing all this to say that I had a totally unproductive morning, at least as far as what I wanted to do was concerned. On a positive note, I did not complain about the outage (much better attitude than my usual), so maybe I can call it a moral victory? Anyway, some days just carrying on is all the productivity that can be expected.
The Best Laid Plans…
My intention yesterday was to get started on the printing of “The Journey of Israel” study manual for our Bible school. I woke up nice and early ready to go, but thanks to the electric company, I was powerless to do it. Since it is always dark by 6:30 here, everything runs earlier than what it would in other parts of the world with more artificial lighting. I wake up at 4:30 most mornings and have my time of prayer and devotions. My 5:30 alarm is my signal to actually get up and turn off security lights on the compound and unlock the gate and put on a pot of coffee. The power cut at 5:29. I got up turned all the switches off (the lights themselves were already off if you want to be technical), and unlocked the gate. Since we had lost power so early I figured it would be off for a while so I got some wood out of the shed and boiled water to make coffee (this is a labour of love – primarily self-love, but dad enjoys it too). In addition to boiling water for coffee and later for tea (it was a fairly cold day), I also got to put my John Wayne skills to the test cooking baked beans and hamburger (power only came back on at 12:40). I had mixed results, the baked beans were great, but I had to much burger sticking to the grill in that option.
I’m typing all this to say that I had a totally unproductive morning, at least as far as what I wanted to do was concerned. On a positive note, I did not complain about the outage (much better attitude than my usual), so maybe I can call it a moral victory? Anyway, some days just carrying on is all the productivity that can be expected.
I’m typing all this to say that I had a totally unproductive morning, at least as far as what I wanted to do was concerned. On a positive note, I did not complain about the outage (much better attitude than my usual), so maybe I can call it a moral victory? Anyway, some days just carrying on is all the productivity that can be expected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Quote from Ruysbroeck
Recently I have been reading Ruysbroeck’s Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage, which I have so far found to be very good. While of course he predates either Calvinism or Arminianism proper, this quote shows pretty clearly which side he would weigh in on.
From Chapter 1 On the Active Life,
“The light of Divine grace is a fruit-bearing shoot, coming forth from the
living paradise of the eternal kingdom; and no deed can bring refreshment or
profit to man if it be not born of this shoot. This shoot of Divine grace,
which makes man pleasing to God, and through which he merits eternal life,
is offered to all men. But it is not grafted into all, because some will not
cut away the wild branches of their trees; that is, unbelief, and a perverse
and disobedient will opposed to the commandments of God.
But if this shoot of God’s grace is to be grafted into our souls, there must
be of necessity three things: the prevenient grace of God, the conversion of
one’s own free will, and the purification of conscience. The prevenient
grace touches all men, God bestowing it upon all men. But not all men give
on their part the conversion of the will and the purification of conscience;
and that is why so many lack the grace of God, through which they should
merit eternal life.
The prevenient grace of God touches a man from without and from within. From
without through sickness; or through the loss of external goods, of kinsmen,
and of friends; or through public disgrace. Or he may be stirred by a
sermon, or by the examples of the saints or of good men, their words, or
their deeds; so that he learns to recognize himself as he is. This is how
God touches a man from without.
Sometimes a man is touched also from within, through remembering the sorrows
and the sufferings of our Lord, and the good which God has bestowed upon him
and upon all other men; or by considering his sins, the shortness of life,
the fear of death and the fear of hell, the eternal torments of hell and the
eternal joy of heaven, and how God has spared him in his sins and has
awaited his conversion. Or he may ponder the marvellous works of God in
heaven and in earth, and in all creatures. Such are the workings of the
prevenient grace of God, stirring men from without and from within, in many
ways. And besides this, man has a natural tendency towards God, because of
the spark of the soul, and because of that highest reason, which always
desires the good and hates the evil. In all these ways God touches all men,
each one according to his need; so that at times a man is smitten, reproved,
alarmed, and stands still within himself to consider himself. And all this
is still prevenient grace, and not yet efficacious grace. Thus does
prevenient grace prepare the soul for the reception of the other grace,
through which eternal life is merited. For when the soul has thus got rid of
evil willing and evil doing, it is perplexed and smitten with fear of what
it should do, considering itself, its wicked works, and God. And from this
there arise a natural repentance of its sins and a natural good-will. Such
is the highest work of prevenient grace.
If a man does all he can, and cannot do more because of his feebleness, it
rests with the infinite goodness of God to finish the work. Then, straight
as a sunbeam, there comes a higher light of Divine grace, and it is shed
into the soul according to its worth, though neither merited nor desired.
For in this light God gives Himself out of free goodness and generosity, the
which never creature can merit before it has received it. And this is an
inward and mysterious working of God in the soul, above time; and it moves
the soul and all its powers. Therewith ends prevenient grace and begins the
other grace, that is to say, the supernatural light.”
To me this all sounds very evangelical and very Arminian, in spite of it being written in the 14th century. Of course I would not agree with all of Ruysbroeck’s doctrine, but from what I have read I do believe that he knew Christ and I do expect to meet him in heaven, along with others from Groenendael and the brethren of the common life.
From Chapter 1 On the Active Life,
“The light of Divine grace is a fruit-bearing shoot, coming forth from the
living paradise of the eternal kingdom; and no deed can bring refreshment or
profit to man if it be not born of this shoot. This shoot of Divine grace,
which makes man pleasing to God, and through which he merits eternal life,
is offered to all men. But it is not grafted into all, because some will not
cut away the wild branches of their trees; that is, unbelief, and a perverse
and disobedient will opposed to the commandments of God.
But if this shoot of God’s grace is to be grafted into our souls, there must
be of necessity three things: the prevenient grace of God, the conversion of
one’s own free will, and the purification of conscience. The prevenient
grace touches all men, God bestowing it upon all men. But not all men give
on their part the conversion of the will and the purification of conscience;
and that is why so many lack the grace of God, through which they should
merit eternal life.
The prevenient grace of God touches a man from without and from within. From
without through sickness; or through the loss of external goods, of kinsmen,
and of friends; or through public disgrace. Or he may be stirred by a
sermon, or by the examples of the saints or of good men, their words, or
their deeds; so that he learns to recognize himself as he is. This is how
God touches a man from without.
Sometimes a man is touched also from within, through remembering the sorrows
and the sufferings of our Lord, and the good which God has bestowed upon him
and upon all other men; or by considering his sins, the shortness of life,
the fear of death and the fear of hell, the eternal torments of hell and the
eternal joy of heaven, and how God has spared him in his sins and has
awaited his conversion. Or he may ponder the marvellous works of God in
heaven and in earth, and in all creatures. Such are the workings of the
prevenient grace of God, stirring men from without and from within, in many
ways. And besides this, man has a natural tendency towards God, because of
the spark of the soul, and because of that highest reason, which always
desires the good and hates the evil. In all these ways God touches all men,
each one according to his need; so that at times a man is smitten, reproved,
alarmed, and stands still within himself to consider himself. And all this
is still prevenient grace, and not yet efficacious grace. Thus does
prevenient grace prepare the soul for the reception of the other grace,
through which eternal life is merited. For when the soul has thus got rid of
evil willing and evil doing, it is perplexed and smitten with fear of what
it should do, considering itself, its wicked works, and God. And from this
there arise a natural repentance of its sins and a natural good-will. Such
is the highest work of prevenient grace.
If a man does all he can, and cannot do more because of his feebleness, it
rests with the infinite goodness of God to finish the work. Then, straight
as a sunbeam, there comes a higher light of Divine grace, and it is shed
into the soul according to its worth, though neither merited nor desired.
For in this light God gives Himself out of free goodness and generosity, the
which never creature can merit before it has received it. And this is an
inward and mysterious working of God in the soul, above time; and it moves
the soul and all its powers. Therewith ends prevenient grace and begins the
other grace, that is to say, the supernatural light.”
To me this all sounds very evangelical and very Arminian, in spite of it being written in the 14th century. Of course I would not agree with all of Ruysbroeck’s doctrine, but from what I have read I do believe that he knew Christ and I do expect to meet him in heaven, along with others from Groenendael and the brethren of the common life.
Daniel’s Recent Dabblings
Mission work is by its nature often varied. When your job description is assisting your parents, it can be even more varied than average.
Yesterday, submitted my application for another two year work permit here. Meanwhile, dad got the new vehicle registered, road-worthied, etc…
My main jobs here are in order of importance not frequency, Bible school teacher, book publisher/printer, electrician, computer technician, building assistant and cook/message taker. Most weeks I don’t leave the compound except on Saturdays and Sundays, I spend my time studying, supervising workers, preparing lunch, holding down the fort while writing blogs like this one.
My current main project is to reprint one of the courses we use in our Bible School, “The Journey of Israel.” This was the first book we printed when we set up the bible school in 2001. At that time, we didn’t have a CD burner, so it was backed up on floppy disks using Mwbackup, which came standard with Windows 98 (we actually got a CD burner not too long after doing this book, so it appears to be the only book we don’t have backed up on CDs). Of course our machines are now using XP, which has a backup that is incompatible with mwbackup. So how do I get the files unpacked so I can fix the 10-15 spelling mistakes and typos we have in the book? Well first I resurrected a derelict Pentium1 that has been out of use for good reason for a couple of years, got Windows 98 installed, had hardware problems, managed to persevere (this all took the better part of a morning, including periodic power outages which we experience around here). Discovered the old dinosaur had a serious problem with its floppy drive, which prevented it from reading any floppies. I then moved the hard drive to another computer so I could boot in 98 and hope for the best. That sorted out all the hardware problems, and I would have been all set if the floppies that had the backup on it were actually still good. Malawi is for electronics what Outer Mongolia was for Roman soldiers and the Eastern front was for Germans… Between the humidity, temperature fluctuations and dust (obscene amounts of dust), the floppies were no longer working. We still have the hard copy masters that we used to run the book last time, so I took those retyped paragraphs in Word, printed them out and then used scissors, glue and typex to get them onto the masters. Since the leading and paragraph lengths are slightly different, it is not a perfect fit. Some small corrections I ignored, because my fix, would be worse than the mistake it is fixing. The others are okay. It goes against all my DTP training to do this (my parents didn’t notice the difference until I showed them), and kind of stuck in my craw, but I’ve had some water and I think I’ve washed it down now . Tomorrow having given plenty of time for the typex and glue to dry I will run the book.
Now is one of the best times of year to run the book, because with the colder ambient temperature, the rubber roller that does the paper feeding on the Risograph doesn’t jam as much. Jamming results in half printed pages, and much frustration for the person operating the machine, punctuated by heart-felt cries for divine assistance and patience to get through it all.
So if anyone reading this was ever wondering I wonder what sort of challenges missionaries face, maybe you’ll have a little better idea now.
Yesterday, submitted my application for another two year work permit here. Meanwhile, dad got the new vehicle registered, road-worthied, etc…
My main jobs here are in order of importance not frequency, Bible school teacher, book publisher/printer, electrician, computer technician, building assistant and cook/message taker. Most weeks I don’t leave the compound except on Saturdays and Sundays, I spend my time studying, supervising workers, preparing lunch, holding down the fort while writing blogs like this one.
My current main project is to reprint one of the courses we use in our Bible School, “The Journey of Israel.” This was the first book we printed when we set up the bible school in 2001. At that time, we didn’t have a CD burner, so it was backed up on floppy disks using Mwbackup, which came standard with Windows 98 (we actually got a CD burner not too long after doing this book, so it appears to be the only book we don’t have backed up on CDs). Of course our machines are now using XP, which has a backup that is incompatible with mwbackup. So how do I get the files unpacked so I can fix the 10-15 spelling mistakes and typos we have in the book? Well first I resurrected a derelict Pentium1 that has been out of use for good reason for a couple of years, got Windows 98 installed, had hardware problems, managed to persevere (this all took the better part of a morning, including periodic power outages which we experience around here). Discovered the old dinosaur had a serious problem with its floppy drive, which prevented it from reading any floppies. I then moved the hard drive to another computer so I could boot in 98 and hope for the best. That sorted out all the hardware problems, and I would have been all set if the floppies that had the backup on it were actually still good. Malawi is for electronics what Outer Mongolia was for Roman soldiers and the Eastern front was for Germans… Between the humidity, temperature fluctuations and dust (obscene amounts of dust), the floppies were no longer working. We still have the hard copy masters that we used to run the book last time, so I took those retyped paragraphs in Word, printed them out and then used scissors, glue and typex to get them onto the masters. Since the leading and paragraph lengths are slightly different, it is not a perfect fit. Some small corrections I ignored, because my fix, would be worse than the mistake it is fixing. The others are okay. It goes against all my DTP training to do this (my parents didn’t notice the difference until I showed them), and kind of stuck in my craw, but I’ve had some water and I think I’ve washed it down now . Tomorrow having given plenty of time for the typex and glue to dry I will run the book.
Now is one of the best times of year to run the book, because with the colder ambient temperature, the rubber roller that does the paper feeding on the Risograph doesn’t jam as much. Jamming results in half printed pages, and much frustration for the person operating the machine, punctuated by heart-felt cries for divine assistance and patience to get through it all.
So if anyone reading this was ever wondering I wonder what sort of challenges missionaries face, maybe you’ll have a little better idea now.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Speaking Good Of People
A while ago (few weeks, a month or two, chronology has never been my forté) I was reading a blog called Pyromaniacs. Since this is a Calvinist/Cesationist blog fairly frequently they do posts on why the gifts are not for today etc... Which in general I skip, occasionally there are other things I find of interest. However reading one specific comment thread, there was a continualist who basically called Warfield a fool.
That got me thinking. Much as I believe that Warfield was dead wrong in his racism, theistic evolution, calvinism, and cessationism, I would not speak too harshly of him. Here's why: 1. He is dead... nothing I say about him is going to alter his eternal state for better or worse, so it is pointless. 2. Vilifying someone's wrong doctrine does not improve my own doctrine which will stand or fall on its own truthfulness. Actually since it is God who opens our minds to see truth, if He sees us mock others who are benighted, He may very well withhold light from us. 3. If Warfield was as wrong as I believe he was, then he has already had his theology rectified by Christ when he passed away. If there was no reward waiting for him, or his work was found to be unacceptable to God than he is already suffering loss for his error, and I would hate to kick a man while he is down.
Think about it, here is a human life, a man lives a full life, through his share of joys and sorrows that that entails, if his life does not count for eternity, that is certainly too tragic to mock, and out of knowledge of our own frailties and need of mercy if for no other reason we should be careful how we speak of men.
We all have our theological heroes and villains, but we should be careful how we speak of people. Yes, we must fight error, and counter it with truth, but we do not have to vilify those who uphold error. God is their judge and also is ours. It is said of Christ that He judges and makes war in righteousness (Rev. 19:11), and Michael the archangel did not use vilifying words even to the devil (Jude 1:9).
Since we are followers of one who could weep and have pity for those who were killing Him even though He knew many of them would even reject His sacrifice (Luke 23:28), let us imitate Him.
That got me thinking. Much as I believe that Warfield was dead wrong in his racism, theistic evolution, calvinism, and cessationism, I would not speak too harshly of him. Here's why: 1. He is dead... nothing I say about him is going to alter his eternal state for better or worse, so it is pointless. 2. Vilifying someone's wrong doctrine does not improve my own doctrine which will stand or fall on its own truthfulness. Actually since it is God who opens our minds to see truth, if He sees us mock others who are benighted, He may very well withhold light from us. 3. If Warfield was as wrong as I believe he was, then he has already had his theology rectified by Christ when he passed away. If there was no reward waiting for him, or his work was found to be unacceptable to God than he is already suffering loss for his error, and I would hate to kick a man while he is down.
Think about it, here is a human life, a man lives a full life, through his share of joys and sorrows that that entails, if his life does not count for eternity, that is certainly too tragic to mock, and out of knowledge of our own frailties and need of mercy if for no other reason we should be careful how we speak of men.
We all have our theological heroes and villains, but we should be careful how we speak of people. Yes, we must fight error, and counter it with truth, but we do not have to vilify those who uphold error. God is their judge and also is ours. It is said of Christ that He judges and makes war in righteousness (Rev. 19:11), and Michael the archangel did not use vilifying words even to the devil (Jude 1:9).
Since we are followers of one who could weep and have pity for those who were killing Him even though He knew many of them would even reject His sacrifice (Luke 23:28), let us imitate Him.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Divine Sovereignty and Personal Responsibility
I this post I would like to look at how Scripture ties these two complementary facts together. The Bible clearly teaches that God is sovereign, in other words, He has the final say in all that happens on earth. “Man proposes, but God disposes” as the old saying goes. However it is also equally clear, that God responds to the choices of His creatures. Ultimately we become what we desire to be. Our destiny is thus based on our character, which is the sum of our choices, or in other words the composite way in which we have responded to the grace that God has given us.
Jeremiah 10:23 tells us, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” This verse does not say that men have no choices, but rather that we choose paths, which take us in directions of which we may not necessarily have even a remote idea at the time of choosing. Once a path is chosen it can be difficult to go in another direction. The path we take now determines which crossroads we will later have, which will determine later crossroads. There was a man I knew, who while living with one woman had fathered a child by another. He hid the thing from the woman he was living with. They later got born again and got married. Eventually after around 13 years it came out, it was really difficult for the wife to bear, but thankfully she weathered it. Someone asked me, “How he could do that?” His first choice not to tell made it the easiest choice thereafter. As each year passed, whatever pain and grief he had tried to avoid by hiding would be compounded, thus making it harder to come clean. Joseph’s brothers undoubtedly faced a similar situation, in their betrayal of Joseph and lying to their father. Grace alone enables us to break away from destructive paths we are walking in and come into the light to be cleansed.
God’s sovereignty is seen in the fact that our paths are not self-ordered. Our responsibility is to choose the right path. God is not passive in this process, because He offers grace unto man to enable him to choose the right path. However if grace is refused, not only is the man set on a wrong path, but God will sometimes even impel the evil doer in his wickedness. When Judas had made his choice to betray Jesus, Jesus not only allowed it, but encouraged it in telling him to do it quickly. The choice and covetousness which caused it all belonged to Judas, but once he made a choice to betray Christ, Christ Himself sealed him into that choice.
King Saul is another example, if you study his life carefully, you notice that his heart was really set on having the favor and honor of the people. When he repeatedly disobeyed the Lord, God gave him over to an evil spirit. This is an active sending and not merely a passive allowance, from that time Saul became an evil instrument that God was using to do a good work in David.
Balaam was first forbidden by God to go at all with Balak’s messengers. Then when he persisted to ask God for permission, God gave it. This was not a case of God changing His mind as to the best course of action, but a case of His allowing a stubborn man (as we all can be stubborn) to do his own thing if that is what he wants to do. Even then, however, Balaam’s choice is limited. God is angry with him for going and angry with his desire to curse Israel, but after reproving him through a donkey, He allows him to go. The most amazing part of this amazing story is that Balaam is used by God to give some of the most profound Messianic prophecies in the Bible – while he is actually hoping that God will let him curse Israel.
Both Balaam and Saul were used by God to prophesy, even as they were going directly against God’s purposes in their hearts.
Samson, though he had a better end than Saul or Balaam, is another example of one who was used by God, though his lifestyle and heart motives could never be approved by God, at the time of his death though he does appear to have come to a place of repentance. Samson is a very interesting character, he fulfilled his role as a deliverer, but from inherently selfish motives. In a sense he is like those spoken of in 2 Timothy 2:19-22 as vessel to dishonor. They are in the house of God, but yet are not fit for every good work, but only for certain uses.
We are fitted for a certain use by our own choices. Samson wrought deliverance out of personal vengeance. That was his desire and God granted it, but that also sealed him off from other avenues of ministry.
God is able to make from the same lump (the same individual) a vessel of mercy or wrath (Romans 9:21). He forms us according as we resist or receive His grace. In eternity we will realize that we became exactly what we wanted to be, whether we realized what we were doing at the time or not. Even for Christians our position in the Kingdom of heaven will be affected by motives for what we do, and how we do it. Let us be vessels of honor that we can please the heart of God and be fit for every good use!
Jeremiah 10:23 tells us, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” This verse does not say that men have no choices, but rather that we choose paths, which take us in directions of which we may not necessarily have even a remote idea at the time of choosing. Once a path is chosen it can be difficult to go in another direction. The path we take now determines which crossroads we will later have, which will determine later crossroads. There was a man I knew, who while living with one woman had fathered a child by another. He hid the thing from the woman he was living with. They later got born again and got married. Eventually after around 13 years it came out, it was really difficult for the wife to bear, but thankfully she weathered it. Someone asked me, “How he could do that?” His first choice not to tell made it the easiest choice thereafter. As each year passed, whatever pain and grief he had tried to avoid by hiding would be compounded, thus making it harder to come clean. Joseph’s brothers undoubtedly faced a similar situation, in their betrayal of Joseph and lying to their father. Grace alone enables us to break away from destructive paths we are walking in and come into the light to be cleansed.
God’s sovereignty is seen in the fact that our paths are not self-ordered. Our responsibility is to choose the right path. God is not passive in this process, because He offers grace unto man to enable him to choose the right path. However if grace is refused, not only is the man set on a wrong path, but God will sometimes even impel the evil doer in his wickedness. When Judas had made his choice to betray Jesus, Jesus not only allowed it, but encouraged it in telling him to do it quickly. The choice and covetousness which caused it all belonged to Judas, but once he made a choice to betray Christ, Christ Himself sealed him into that choice.
King Saul is another example, if you study his life carefully, you notice that his heart was really set on having the favor and honor of the people. When he repeatedly disobeyed the Lord, God gave him over to an evil spirit. This is an active sending and not merely a passive allowance, from that time Saul became an evil instrument that God was using to do a good work in David.
Balaam was first forbidden by God to go at all with Balak’s messengers. Then when he persisted to ask God for permission, God gave it. This was not a case of God changing His mind as to the best course of action, but a case of His allowing a stubborn man (as we all can be stubborn) to do his own thing if that is what he wants to do. Even then, however, Balaam’s choice is limited. God is angry with him for going and angry with his desire to curse Israel, but after reproving him through a donkey, He allows him to go. The most amazing part of this amazing story is that Balaam is used by God to give some of the most profound Messianic prophecies in the Bible – while he is actually hoping that God will let him curse Israel.
Both Balaam and Saul were used by God to prophesy, even as they were going directly against God’s purposes in their hearts.
Samson, though he had a better end than Saul or Balaam, is another example of one who was used by God, though his lifestyle and heart motives could never be approved by God, at the time of his death though he does appear to have come to a place of repentance. Samson is a very interesting character, he fulfilled his role as a deliverer, but from inherently selfish motives. In a sense he is like those spoken of in 2 Timothy 2:19-22 as vessel to dishonor. They are in the house of God, but yet are not fit for every good work, but only for certain uses.
We are fitted for a certain use by our own choices. Samson wrought deliverance out of personal vengeance. That was his desire and God granted it, but that also sealed him off from other avenues of ministry.
God is able to make from the same lump (the same individual) a vessel of mercy or wrath (Romans 9:21). He forms us according as we resist or receive His grace. In eternity we will realize that we became exactly what we wanted to be, whether we realized what we were doing at the time or not. Even for Christians our position in the Kingdom of heaven will be affected by motives for what we do, and how we do it. Let us be vessels of honor that we can please the heart of God and be fit for every good use!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Music, worldview and True Love
Recently, I took a bus from Blantyre down to Johannesburg. It is a long trip - this time it took about 36 hours. On the bus I was subjected to a lot of pop music, based on that exposure I will make the following observations.
1. I am so glad I have a Saviour to sing about and redeeming love, rather than all this hogwash. Music is the best expression of heart and emotion, how anyone could get emotionally behind the shallow, sensual trash is beyond me, but then as I said before I have something better.
2. The songs while many all basically fell under two categories: a. love - but only in its sensual, infatuation stage b. Telling your ex just what rotten, lousy, etc... he/she is and how little you will miss him/her. I might suggest that these two themes are very related. It is amazing, but somehow a culture thinks it can focus on the sensual aspects of love, have an almost solely physical view of love, where basically people give themselves physically in order to receive love in return, and yet still act surprized when they are cheated on! God reserved sex for marriage for a reason. Marriage is a large step and commitment. When God's standard of a life-long covenant is in view than marriage is never a trivial thing to be entered into lightly. This ensures commitment and relationship before physical love. If the order is reversed, then you are left with much of the emotional struggles, but none of the commitment of marriage. You hardly know the person, barely know anything about them, but you give yourself to them, and then you wonder why a little later they find someone else.
God intends so much more for human life. Someone once said that people do not so much break God's law as they break themselves upon it. That is very true. Thank God there is a better way, that it is possible to live in through Jesus Christ.
1. I am so glad I have a Saviour to sing about and redeeming love, rather than all this hogwash. Music is the best expression of heart and emotion, how anyone could get emotionally behind the shallow, sensual trash is beyond me, but then as I said before I have something better.
2. The songs while many all basically fell under two categories: a. love - but only in its sensual, infatuation stage b. Telling your ex just what rotten, lousy, etc... he/she is and how little you will miss him/her. I might suggest that these two themes are very related. It is amazing, but somehow a culture thinks it can focus on the sensual aspects of love, have an almost solely physical view of love, where basically people give themselves physically in order to receive love in return, and yet still act surprized when they are cheated on! God reserved sex for marriage for a reason. Marriage is a large step and commitment. When God's standard of a life-long covenant is in view than marriage is never a trivial thing to be entered into lightly. This ensures commitment and relationship before physical love. If the order is reversed, then you are left with much of the emotional struggles, but none of the commitment of marriage. You hardly know the person, barely know anything about them, but you give yourself to them, and then you wonder why a little later they find someone else.
God intends so much more for human life. Someone once said that people do not so much break God's law as they break themselves upon it. That is very true. Thank God there is a better way, that it is possible to live in through Jesus Christ.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Thoughts on Proverbs 30:21-23
Pro 30:21-23 For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear: For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food; For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
A while ago (maybe more than a year) I wrote a series on Proverbs 30 and the sets of four in it. This one however I never covered. I only realized that last week and so I have decided to take it up now.
These four things show us that a mere change of outward circumstances do not change character. If our character is not changed then the change in circumstances will not produce a real benefit, but only spread an evil influence further.
1. The servant who is king
This is not referring to having a servant-heart in leadership – that is a blessing. Christ , Himself, exemplified a true servant-king. Joseph is another good example of a former servant turned into a good leader. However, there is a vast difference between being a servant and being servile in disposition. A servile person works only when it is forced on them, and only when they are constantly watched. It is a great tragedy when people like that are in leadership, because thinking others are just like them (all people do), they act the part of oppressors. Also because of the change in their position they tend to be very insecure and use their authority to lord it over others.
2. A fool who is filled with food
When someone is wicked, walking in their own ways, and even actively opposing the things of God, it is a great difficulty to the earth that they prosper. God allows it at times and it made the Psalmist wonder what was going on (Psalm 73). When people see them prosper they are easily influenced to follow in their folly, God uses this to test us. If bad things never happened to the righteous then there would be no need for faith. If good things never happened to the wicked then there would be no temptation to follow in their ways. God allows the wicked to prosper for a time to see who is more interested in temporal blessings than in eternal realities – to see who is willing to sell Christ (perhaps without a full realization of it) for the things of this world.
3. An odious woman when she is married
The best adornment for a woman is a meek and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4). The natural tendency however is to trust in outward beauty, charm etc… This is not just a tendency for woman, one of God’s repeated complaints against Israel as a nation was that they trusted in their own beauty (figuratively their own resources, talents, etc…). Women might obtain husbands by using these methods, but not keep them. Our generation continues to pay a high price in pain, broken and damaged lives, through our high divorce rate, because we enter into marriage for our own selfish reasons. Marriage in and of itself will not make you a happy or fulfilled person. Having a good character and being willing to respond in a good way and even lay down your will is the key to true happiness in marriage or any other situation.
4. A handmaid that is heir to her mistress
Hagar is a prime example of this one. Sarah deserves a share of the blame for it too, because the whole situation was her idea. This verse likely refers specifically to concubinage. Whenever God’s moral law is broken there are consequences. Humans like to think that they are immune to them, but they are not. Concubinage not only made the maidservant not particularly willing to serve her mistress, but also placed her in direct competition with the wife for the husband’s affections. It creates some of the same problems as divorce and remarriage does - Step-parents who are jealous of children who aren’t their own, viewing them sometimes as a threat to their marriage. God never intended for married people to have to compete for their spouses affections, that is an aberration that we have invented.
In these four things we affect not only ourselves but even nature around us by our sin. Our dominion over earth is not totally eradicated because of sin, we still govern, the problem is we are not really fit to do it!
May God grant us character and ability to match every situation He places us in, to Him be the glory! Amen.
A while ago (maybe more than a year) I wrote a series on Proverbs 30 and the sets of four in it. This one however I never covered. I only realized that last week and so I have decided to take it up now.
These four things show us that a mere change of outward circumstances do not change character. If our character is not changed then the change in circumstances will not produce a real benefit, but only spread an evil influence further.
1. The servant who is king
This is not referring to having a servant-heart in leadership – that is a blessing. Christ , Himself, exemplified a true servant-king. Joseph is another good example of a former servant turned into a good leader. However, there is a vast difference between being a servant and being servile in disposition. A servile person works only when it is forced on them, and only when they are constantly watched. It is a great tragedy when people like that are in leadership, because thinking others are just like them (all people do), they act the part of oppressors. Also because of the change in their position they tend to be very insecure and use their authority to lord it over others.
2. A fool who is filled with food
When someone is wicked, walking in their own ways, and even actively opposing the things of God, it is a great difficulty to the earth that they prosper. God allows it at times and it made the Psalmist wonder what was going on (Psalm 73). When people see them prosper they are easily influenced to follow in their folly, God uses this to test us. If bad things never happened to the righteous then there would be no need for faith. If good things never happened to the wicked then there would be no temptation to follow in their ways. God allows the wicked to prosper for a time to see who is more interested in temporal blessings than in eternal realities – to see who is willing to sell Christ (perhaps without a full realization of it) for the things of this world.
3. An odious woman when she is married
The best adornment for a woman is a meek and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4). The natural tendency however is to trust in outward beauty, charm etc… This is not just a tendency for woman, one of God’s repeated complaints against Israel as a nation was that they trusted in their own beauty (figuratively their own resources, talents, etc…). Women might obtain husbands by using these methods, but not keep them. Our generation continues to pay a high price in pain, broken and damaged lives, through our high divorce rate, because we enter into marriage for our own selfish reasons. Marriage in and of itself will not make you a happy or fulfilled person. Having a good character and being willing to respond in a good way and even lay down your will is the key to true happiness in marriage or any other situation.
4. A handmaid that is heir to her mistress
Hagar is a prime example of this one. Sarah deserves a share of the blame for it too, because the whole situation was her idea. This verse likely refers specifically to concubinage. Whenever God’s moral law is broken there are consequences. Humans like to think that they are immune to them, but they are not. Concubinage not only made the maidservant not particularly willing to serve her mistress, but also placed her in direct competition with the wife for the husband’s affections. It creates some of the same problems as divorce and remarriage does - Step-parents who are jealous of children who aren’t their own, viewing them sometimes as a threat to their marriage. God never intended for married people to have to compete for their spouses affections, that is an aberration that we have invented.
In these four things we affect not only ourselves but even nature around us by our sin. Our dominion over earth is not totally eradicated because of sin, we still govern, the problem is we are not really fit to do it!
May God grant us character and ability to match every situation He places us in, to Him be the glory! Amen.
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