Category: Theology

Classic Arm Chair Theology at its best (or should that read worst?)

Thoughts on the Battle of Jericho

~ fundyreformed ~ 10 Comments

I recently read the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho in the new kid’s Bible storybook I’ve been promoting. In that story I read these words:

Then God made his people a promise. “I will always be with you….    If you do what I say, your lives in the new land will be happy and everything will go well.”

So Joshua gathered his army together…. They were ready to fight. But the plan wasn’t about fighting; it was about trusting and doing what God said. (emphasis added, quote from The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones)

Canaan as a Type

These words spurred me to think about the battle of Jericho as it relates to the battle of our own personal sanctification. Christians for centuries have interpreted the story of Israel’s redemption and exodus form Egypt, their wandering in the desert, and their conquering the promised land in some kind of a spiritual sense. Scripture certainly presents Jesus as the archetypal Passover Lamb. The misadventures of Israel in the wilderness teach us spiritual lessons (1 Cor. 10). And the promised land is a type of Abraham’s “better” and “heavenly” country which he sought (Heb. 11). Numerous hymns have also  equated crossing the Jordan with entering our eternal rest.

Certainly a redemptive historical hermeneutic finds great significance in the story of the Israelites conquering the promised land. As my friend Nathan Pitchford has so clearly shown, the land of promise is intimately connected to fellowship with God. The land was to be the place where God would be Israel’s God and they would be His people. Fellowship was the goal of the land promise, even as later with David, God chose Jerusalem to be the city where His name would be. The OT covenants and promises became increasingly particularized and focused on the heir of David to be ultimately fulfilled with Christ.

All that is to say the possession of Canaan by the people of God was important because this land was to provide a restoration, in part, of Eden. It was to be a place where God communed with man in intimate fellowship. Such a place clearly typifies the abundant Christian life of a believer. A believer experiences fellowship with God which is truly a foretaste of heaven. Just as the land of Canaan ultimately points forward to the New Jerusalem and the New Earth (see Rev. 21), so the believer’s experience of life in Christ is the foretaste of the true essence of eternal life.

The Battle to Win Canaan

Now that we have established the typical significance of the land of Canaan, we are prepared to see how the battle of Jericho wonderfully instructs us. (And I grant I have not truly established it, rather I  explained it. This post is not a full-fledged  defense of the redemptive historical hermeneutic.) Before the Israelites could possess their inheritance, they had to conquer their foes. The battle of Jericho was the first fight to win the promised land, and it sets up what proves to be a pattern. The Israelites trust in God’s power to win each battle for them.

I hope you can see how this applies to us. In order for us to reach our inheritance — the ultimate promised land of heaven, we must trust in God to win our battles.    In Jesus (the Captain of the Lord’s hosts) must be our trust. So with ultimate salvation, we must trust in God to undertake for us and win the battle.  

But this applies to our sanctification as well. For us to enjoy the abundant life in Christ, we must fight the flesh and engage our besetting sins. We must mortify sin (see John Owen’s excellent work On the Mortification of Sin, which is an exposition of Rom. 8:13). And how do we win the battles of sanctification? By trusting in God to win our battles for us, of course. We follow in Joshua’s footsteps.

The Point of this Post

What most blessed me in thinking through all of this was an observation. Joshua and the army of Israel did not sit around on their hands and wait for the walls to fall down. They obeyed. Scripture repeatedly tells us that good works are the inevitable, even the required fruit of believers.   (See my post Once Saved, Always Saved?!?!) If we are not obeying, we have good reason to be doubting our salvation.  

Today, there are many who so stress the necessity of good works that they have redefined justification. They claim  justification is based on our good works, yet they claim such works are only done through the Spirit, and so this position still qualifies as justification by faith.  

Against the backdrop of this whole debate, the example of Jericho becomes all the more clear. If the Israelites had not obeyed by marching around the city, God would not have given them th evictory. Obedience is necessary. But obedience does not earn or obtain anything. It is only God’s grace which would topple the walls of Jericho. And certainly marching around the city did not do anything to earn the victory. God throwing the walls down earned the victory.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as we face the struggles of personal sanctification, let us take heart. God is fighting our battles for us. We do need to be faithful and march around the walls of the sins in our life. But ultimately God is the one who tears down those walls and gives us spiritual victory after spiritual victory. Just like it took many years for the Israelites to conquer all of Canaan, our own struggle for sanctification is a slow process. And like the Israelites, we will never expel all of our sins. We can, however, win a victory and live a life of victory (see Josh. 21:43-45). And when we do, it is not our obedience which has won anything. It is all by God’s grace and His fighting for us. The battle is indeed the Lord’s.

So let us seek to trust our Great Captain, and follow His lead in fighting our sin. To God be the  glory, great things He has done, and will do!

(For similar posts, see My 219 Epiphany, parts 1 and 2; Once Saved, Always Saved?!?!; and Bitterness and Desire.)

Was Sin a Mistake??

~ fundyreformed ~ 20 Comments

Any thoughtful Christian has stumbled over the question, “Why did an all powerful God permit sin? Why does sin exist?”

Before I go on to “answer” that question, let me affirm that we humans have limited minds and limited abilities to grasp such “why” questions. Ultimately, God is the potter and can do what He wants. But there are some Biblically faithful answers to these questions.

The Standard Answer

The standard, or typical evangelical answer goes like this. God wanted to have people who truly loved Him. He wanted to share fellowship with created beings. He wanted this so much, he was willing to risk the presence of sin to make us. He did not want to make mere robots, but creatures with a free will. So although God knew sin was going to happen, and He knew sin would have devastating effects on His creation, He was willing to allow it in order to have some people love him freely. He died to save as many as would come. God wants all to come and desires all to be saved, but knows that only some will. And he is happy with all who come and share fellowship with Him. He works all things for the good of His people, because He loves them above all things.

I think this is a pretty good answer, really. Yet there are problems. First, it presents God as limited. Sure the limitations are self-imposed, but the picture we get is that God is frustrated that not all are saved, and that many reject His offer of salvation. Second, it presents God as needy. God wanted fellowship so much, he permitted sin to get it. That makes it seem like God was not totally self sufficient. Given God’s infinitely glorious attributes, why would He really need a creation? Third, it prsents God as loving man above all. God does everything he can to save man. God wants to do everything for man. These views sound right to me, a man. But does God really operate in such a man-serving manner? Is God all about us? Is God man-centered?

A Better Answer

I propose a different answer, but one that is Scripturally sound, I trust. God was totally self-sufficient in the Trinity. He experienced total joy due to an absolute knowledge of all of His infinite perfections. This knowledge produced a great approval of and love for Himself. God loved His own image as represented in His Son’s face. The Holy Spirit participated in this love and joy. (I refer you to Jonathan Edward’s view of the Trinity, here.) In short, God was completely happy to be God, all by Himself: no creation needed.

But since God was experiencing great joy, He wanted to experience even more. And joy increases in the spreading. So God hatched a glorious plan. God would create in order to display His glory, and reveal knowledge about His infinite perfections. This knowledge would lead his chosen people to share in His joy in Himself and cause them to love God.

But intimately connected to his plan was the importance of knowledge. God had to spread a true and correct knowledge of Himself in order for others to really love and find joy in Him. This desire to spread knowledge was definitely proud and self-serving. God wants His own praise to be trumpeted! (Just scan through Isaiah 40-49, for proof.) And who else should God be proud about? To be proud in anything that is not the ultimate best there is, is sin. But God is the ultimate best. So God is selfish and that is okay. But this knowledge also necessitated the existence of sin. Without sin God could not reveal his attributes of love and mercy and longsuffering, and holiness and wrath against sin. There had to be a black backdrop against which the brightness of God’s glory could shine.

So God permitted sin. But He created a world where God is not held responsible for sin. Man is. Satan is. Not God. God is good. But God is the creator and everyone else isn’t. In God’s world, no one is punished unjustly. People all sin (after Adam’s fall, which God knew and foreordained would happen), and they do so willingly. But in this world, God steps in and reveals Himself and saves a people for Himself. God chose these people before He created the world, so God is not frustrated that others besides them are not saved. God finds joy in them, and God’s praise and glory is increased through their sharing in His joy. God gets gloy by being the provider and sustainer of their life, their redemption, and their eternal joy and satisfaction in Him. And this is truly loving to them. He does not serve their selfish interests, but provides what will truly satisfy them–Himself as the Eternal Good they need. And he works things for thier good to show that He is truly good, and to prove His own glorious faithfulness.

Now, some might object to this answer. It makes God unloving to some, they might say. And I am aware there are questions and difficutlites presented here. However, I think the objections raised to the previous answer are just as big and actually bigger. And, most importantly, I think the Bible supports this second answer. It may not be exactly what I as a man (dedicated to my own interests naturally, as the case is with us all) might desire, but it is what God’s Word teaches. Consider Acts 4:27-28 as proof that God holds creatures responsible for their sin, even when God was the One who foreordained that sin to happen, and used it for His ends. And then consider these verses from Romans which capture the heart of this second answer:

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory– even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:19-24)

Before I close, I should encourage you to go check out William Dudding’s thoughts on this problem, as his post sparked mine. Also see Jonathan Edwards’ “On the End for which God Created the World”.

So, what do you think? Or have you thought about this issue? Please join the discussion.

Update: this post by Justin Taylor provides quotes by John Newton dealing with why God allows sin in the lives of believers. It is an edifying read, and I thought I’d add it here, since it relates to this topic.

Unity, Churches, and Shopping

~ fundyreformed ~ 1 Comment

As you go to and return from  your church today, think about all the other churches you passed by. Do you think some of them have fellow believers who likewise were worshipping our Lord because of His grace today? Have you ever really thought about the church down the street?

In this age of church-shopping, and church-pew-sitting, we forget that fellowship is to be around the great truths of the Gospel. In New Testament times, there often was just one church in any given city. The church at Ephesus was probably too large to meet in one place, yet it was a single church with many elders. The NT also shows us how much real inter-connectedness and unity existed between the various churches.

Our day is not like that, sadly. We have fragmented so much that there is a Baskin Robins number of church-flavors in even the smallest cities. Now I know we should be connected, intimately with a body of believers. But I want to encourage you to think about a post my friend Nathan Pitchford has written regarding the possibility of purposing to extend Christian fellowship to other fellow Christians outside of our own church.

Nathan’s post is especially relevant for my blog since we’ve been discussing Ken Field’s questions about the label Fundamentalist, and how that label might be adding to schism in the body of Christ. Let me close this post with a quote from Nathan’s post, and one more encouragement to go read it.

It is an interesting observation that, in those areas of the world where the Church is being persecuted, or is significantly in the minority, such manifestations of unity and love among believers of different denominations and doctrinal convictions is much more commonplace — and yet without the compromise of all the particular doctrines which each one holds dear, but rather a labor to understand and be understood, or, in a word, to grow up together to greater doctrinal maturity and unity. Perhaps this is because, to them, the battle is real, the enemy is ferocious, and they feel most poignantly their need for one another. I would contend that, in America, the battle is just as fierce, the enemy is just as deceptive and strong, and our need for one another is just as desperate. If we could have the scales lifted from our eyes but for a moment, even as Elisha prayed for his minister (II Kings 6:15-17), what differences would we see in the attitudes and practices of the American church today?

From “Shopping for the Right Church” by Nathan Pitchford. The post is also posted at Monergism‘s blog Reformation Theology.

"Regeneration Precedes Faith", a Baptist Belief

~ fundyreformed ~ 25 Comments

Some say “ignorance is bliss”, but in discussions of theology, this is definitely not the case. Especially in fundamentalist Baptist circles, to bring up the topic of Calvinism is always to start a fiery discussion. And one of the chief factors in making this topic so heated and controversial (you could call it emotional) is ignorance.

As a former non-Calvinistic (some would say Arminian) fundamental Baptist, at one time I was quite ignorant concerning Calvinism. And one of the points Calvinists believe which was most repugnant to me was their belief that regeneration precedes faith. Such a doctrine seemed to make faith not essential. It made the human response less important. As a fundamentalist, I prized the “sinner’s prayer” and “altar call” methodology, and everything about this strange teaching about regeneration seemed wrong.

If you had told me then, while I was a non-Calvinist, that Baptists historically have believed in this doctrine, if you had told me my Baptist forbears were almost all Calvinists, I would have been astounded. And I am sure many other fundamental Baptists still would share my amazement. I have even seen some people on one particular fundamentalist forum site claim that the belief that regeneration precedes faith is a 20th Century innovation of “neo-Calvinists” like Piper and Mohler. And surely there are many fundamentalists all too eager to believe that such is the case. (Case in point, the widespread fundamental belief that Charles Spurgeon wasn’t really a Calvinist, and that he didn’t really believe in all 5 points of Calvinism—even though he wrote a booklet defending all 5 points!)

With the above background, let me provide a quote from the 1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession, one of the earliest Baptist Confessions of Faith in America. I recently stumbled upon this quote, and was delighted with what I found. In no uncertain terms, it declares that the Baptists who developed this Confession, believed that regeneration precedes faith. Let me quote from section 7, “Of Grace in Regeneration”.

We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again (Jn. 3:3, 6-7; 1 Cor. 1:14, Rev. 8:7-9; 21:27); that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind (2 Cor. 5:17; Ez. 36:26; Deut. 30:6; Rom. 2:28-29; 5:5; 1 Jn. 4:7); that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth (Jn. 3:8; 1:13; Jam. 1:16-18; 1 Cor. 1:30; Phil. 2:13), so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel (1 Pet. 1:22-25; 1 Jn. 5:1; Eph. 4:20-24; Col. 3:9-11); and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life (Eph. 5:9; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 3:14-21; Matt. 3:8-10; 7:20; 1 Jn. 5:4, 18).

If you are wondering what I am seeing here, let me make it simple. The above says that the “fruits” of regeneration are “repentance, and faith, and newness of life”. In other words, regeneration comes first and the result is repentance, faith, and newness of life. Regeneration precedes faith.

Just to prove that this doctrine was historically held by most Baptists does very little in proving that it is a correct and Biblical doctrine, I know. If you would like an explanation and defense of this doctrine, see my attempt in this post.

My 219 Epiphany, part 2

~ fundyreformed ~ 10 Comments

So I am picking up my story [click here for part 1] at the point when in California we were introduced to a new emphasis in teaching: Scripture assumed that certain behaviors would follow from genuine salvation. As I said before, the issue of false professions was not really explained or dealt with very much in the churches I grew up in, or even at Bible college for that matter.

1 John 2:19 was the verse the pastor pointed us to, which made everything fall into place for me. It became a key verse for me in more ways than one. The verse says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

This verse specifically deals with some false teachers (called “antichrists” by John) who eventually stopped fellowshipping with the believers John is addressing. These teachers seemed to be “of us” but they apostasized and John interprets that to indicate that they never truly had been “of us”. They never had genuine salvation. The verse becomes the “key” to interpreting all of the difficult stories one comes across with regard to salvation. So-and-so was at one time a fervent believer and really serving God, but now he denies Christ or he never darkens the door of church. John would have us assume that such a person was never truly saved. They did not lose salvation, they never really ever had salvation. This became a revelation to me. Real believers will persevere in their faith. Real believers will be the ones who are growing in their faith.

Before I go on to explain the ramifications of this, let me go to a few supporting Scriptures which concur with this interpretation of 1 John 2:19. One is from Jesus’ stern warning in Matt. 7:21-23. To those who claimed to do miracles in Jesus’ name and who called him “Lord, Lord”, Jesus says “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” It is not that Jesus at one time knew them, and then later disowned them because of their sin. No, he had never known them. Further attestation to this truth would be the promises to “overcomers” in Rev. 2 and 3. The promises are synonymous with being saved (for instance “will not be hurt by the second death” is one of the promises). And the promises are given to those who overcome, not to quitters. Along these lines the parable of the sower as interpreted in Luke 8:11-15 discusses people [rocky soil] who receive the word [seed] with joy yet only “believe[s] for a while” and later apostasize [shrivel up] due to tribulation [heat of the sun on a plant with no deep roots]. These were never truly saved. (Cf. Jn. 15:1-8).

This understanding of the nature of salvation led me to expect more from people who claimed to be saved. And for a time I became quite the fruit-inspector! I was quite judgmental and often suspected the worst of many people. This was due to some of my hyper-fundamentalist assumptions and confusions. It also led me to expect a lot from myself. (And indeed we need to “examine [our]selves, to see whether [we] are in the faith.” cf. 2 Cor. 13:5.) I came to see that many people’s salvation may well not be genuine and that God expects truly saved people to be traversing the high road.

Such an understanding led me in a time of crisis to get saved again. I had been dealing and struggling with a particular sin problem for a long time, and this struggle just didn’t jive with what I thought Scripture expected of believers. I had grasped the key, but was having trouble truly understanding and applying it. But thankfully the epiphany would only get clearer with time.

Eventually, as I started seriously evaluating Calvinism, I began to see how it fit with my understanding of 1 John 2:19. And as I began to grapple with many other verses such as Heb. 3:6; 3:12-14; 12:14; Col. 1:23; 1 Tim. 1:19; 6:12; 1 Cor. 9:27; Rom. 2:6-10; and Jude 21 among others, I began to understand the Calvinist doctrine of the “perseverance of the saints”. This doctrine teaches that true believers will persevere in their faith to the end because God is at work in them “both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). God will produce good works in his children by His power (Eph. 2:10, Tit. 2:14, Phil. 1:6, 1 Cor. 15:10).

Such a doctrine is one means God uses to prod us on to faithfulness and good works. It should warn us to not presume that we will make it. Rather we must fight sin, and cling to our Savior, resting in His work as our sure hope of eternal life. This teaching causes us to continue to believe and rest in Jesus, rather than presume upon a past time when we “believed” in Jesus. It produces “believing ones” not just “believers” (people who one time in their had believed). Such a doctrine does not teach that believers will be perfect and not struggle over sin, but rather that they will fight sin and not have a care-free attitude towards sin.

Such a doctrine is consistent with the idea of eternal security that I had so emphasized as a teenager. Yet it says more. It is not just that people who are “once saved” will be “always saved”. Rather it claims that people who were “once saved” will presently be believing and growing. Unlike the doctrine of eternal security [which gets stretched by many to allow current Christ deniers and perpetual sinners a place in heaven], it calls us to not assume that due to a one time profession of faith we are absolutely “saved”. 1 Cor. 1:18 captures the true meaning of the Greek when it says “to us who are being saved”. Salvation is in a real sense a work in progress. Positionally we are justified and as good as saved. But God is at work redeeming our bodies. Truly saved people are serious about fighting the fight of faith and forsaking sin. They don’t presume upon God but rest in God’s grace.

This doctrine should not, however, be misconstrued as a works based salvation teaching. We are to be trusting in Jesus alone and only His work accomplishes any bit of good works in us. And those good works are not at all the basis upon which we are justified.

Perseverance also shouldn’t frighten us. Rather it should encourage us. If we examine ourselves and see evidences of God’s work in our lives, if we see genuine faith and love for Christ, we have every reason to expect that God is at work in us and will be faithful to enable us to persevere in our faith. 1 John teaches that genuine believers will not have a nonchalant view of sin. They will be ones who strive for fellowship with God. If we are striving, that is most likely evidence that our faith is real

This teaching should also not call us to assume the worst of everyone either. Sometimes fruit is not visible to us “fruit-inspectors”. Humans with beams in their eyes are not the best judges, and in fact they won’t be the Judge (cf. Rom. 14:4, 10). Instead we can be encouraged by evidences of grace in people’s lives. We can hope the best for people. We should lovingly confront those who persist in sin, but we should let God pass the ultimate judgments.

I am not going to be able to answer all the questions in this one post. Remember even after my epiphany, it still took me a long time to really grasp this doctrine. My post “Once Saved, Always Saved?!?!” is another attempt to deal with this doctrine, and if you have questions check that post out for further help.