Picked this up from Frank Turk. We used it with our Christmas reading last year and again this year. A good way to say more from Scripture about Christ. I’ve included the text from Frank Turk with Scripture references added in.

Today is an exciting day for those who love Logos Bible study software as Logos releases version four of its popular software.

A few months ago Logos invited a number of users to participate in a private beta. In this post I will evaluate my experience with Logos 4, note many of the new and enhanced features, and discuss a few of the drawbacks. This is a lengthy post but feel free to jump around using the guide below.

Read the rest of this entry »

In his commentary on Ephesians, John Calvin has much to say about the believer’s necessary reliance upon the Word of God. Calvin did not hesitate to bring accusations against those who abused Scripture and often those abusers were found in the Catholic church. But while reading his comments the impression is left that his criticisms could easily apply to today’s abusers of the Word. Below are some of his comments on Ephesians 4:14:

There will always be impostors, who make insidious attacks upon our faith; but, if we are fortified by the truth of God, their efforts will be unavailing. Both parts of this statement deserve our careful attention. When new sects, or wicked tenets, spring up, many persons become alarmed. But the attempts of Satan to darken, by his falsehoods, the pure doctrine of Christ, are at no time interrupted; and it is the will of God that these struggles should be the trial of our faith. When we are informed, on the other hand, that the best and readiest defense against every kind of error is to bring forward that doctrine which we have learned from Christ and his apostles, this surely is no ordinary consolation.

With what awful wickedness, then, are Papists chargeable, who take away from the word of God everything like certainty, and maintain that there is no steadiness of faith, but what depends on the authority of men! If a man entertain any doubt, it is in vain to bid him consult the word of God: he must abide by their decrees. But we have embraced the law, the prophets, and the gospel. Let us therefore confidently expect that we shall reap the advantage which is here promised, — that all the impostures of men will do us no harm. They will attack us, indeed, but they will not prevail. We are entitled, I acknowledge, to look for the dispensation of sound doctrine from the church, for God has committed it to her charge; but when Papists avail themselves of the disguise of the church for burying doctrine, they give sufficient proof that they have a diabolical synagogue.

Note in the first paragraph that which is our defense against “new sects, or wicked tenets”. Calvin says that “the best and readiest defense against every kind of error is to bring forward that doctrine which we have learned from Christ and his apostles”. Where do we gain this insight into the mind of Christ and his apostles? Does it come from man’s authority and teaching? Hardly. In the second paragraph Calvin directs his criticism against those in the Catholic church who undermine people’s confidence in Scripture by claiming that right faith can only come through the authority of men – meaning the authority of bishops and popes.

This takes place today in slightly different manner. Many are they who “take away from the word of God everything like certainty”. A preacher will undermine the authority of Scripture by professing humility and claiming that he is not sufficient to the task of delivering the one true understanding of the text and it must be left to each individual’s subjective feeling to determine the meaning of the text. Rather than appealing to the authority of the Pope, such men appeal to the authority of every individual appetite. Such men are masters of telling you when your interpretation cannot possibly fit the Bible – very often criticizing the teachings that do, in fact, reflect God’s truth – but will shy away when pressed to deliver the universal meaning of the text.

So we must keep in mind the instruction and the warning given in the second paragraph: “We are entitled… to look for the dispensation of sound doctrine from the church, for God has committed it to her charge…” Calvin tells us that God has committed the church to dispensing sound doctrine and those who are part of the church are granted the freedom to look for sound doctrine in the preaching of the church. When a church fails to deliver sound doctrine, it says something awful about that church: “…but when Papists avail themselves of the disguise of the church for burying doctrine, they give sufficient proof that they have a diabolical synagogue.”

Dr. Ronald Meeks of Blue Mountain College. See the great things you can get from a Christian college? Dr. Meeks was one of my undergrad professors and continues to influence my teaching and preaching. Currently, I am using material from his Old Testament class in my series of sermons Covenant: The Old Testament Story.

Psalm 70:4-5

May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay!

Matthew 14:22-27

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (ESV)

Can there be any more wonderful resolution to a situation than this? To see ghosts in the night and yet find out that it is none other than our Savior? How many ghosts have come our way at the hand of God and we never took the time to recognize the work he was doing through them? How many terrors have consumed us where God stood behind them?

To all of that Jesus says, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Matthew 12:46-50

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (ESV)

It is amazing that someone might be able to call Christ his brother. There are so many titles we can give to him: king, judge, savior, lord, anointed one, shepherd, friend, brother.

Brotherhood with Christ is not an automatic position. We can speak of the brotherhood of humanity which admits all people by virtue of their being human but there is no similar brotherhood with Christ. One does not become blood with Christ by any automatic virtue or characteristic. What Jesus tells us is that obedience makes brothers.

If you want to have Jesus for your brother he tells you how to do it: obey his Father. Don’t just listen to the will of God. Don’t just talk about how good God’s will is. Go out there and actively carry out the will of God – all of it. Live a righteous and holy life, repenting and turning from your sins. Help those who are in need – don’t just feel bad for the needy, find ways to help them! Show love and compassion to the people around you. Give a cup of water to a little child. Visit prisoners. Comfort widows in their distress.

There’s a hymn that says, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God…” but I wonder how many of us live more like black sheep of the family rather than obedient sons and daughters of God working with Jesus Christ to accomplish the will of his Father.

Lord forgive us our rebellion and Lord make us faithful!

Psalm 18 is one of my favorite texts in the Bible. In it we find the Lord working mightily for his people:

Psalm 18:6-19

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me. (ESV)

What an image of God rousing himself to rescue his people, with the whole of Heaven trembling from the force of his might! What enemy can stand before the Lord our God?

But the Psalmist, David, makes an unusual claim:

Psalm 18:20-24

20 The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his rules were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. (ESV)

How does this line up with what we find elsewhere that no one is righteous, that no one is blameless before the Lord? How can David claim that God acts because David is righteous? Are we finding here evidence that people are capable of living righteously before God and that God will reward them for that righteousness?

It looks that way – until we keep reading.

Psalm 18:31-33

31 For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights. (ESV)

God responding to the righteousness in David is God responding to the righteousness he put in David. David did not make his way blameless, God made his way blameless. Anything in David that is praiseworthy, anything that might draw the eye of God, is only there because God has given it. God made his way blameless and made his feet secure.

I believe I am almost justified in accusing the folks at Crossway Books of sin. Hebrews 10:24 tells us to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” but all the ESV folks seem to be doing is driving me to impatience.

The object of my impatience is the upcoming ESV Study Bible. It looks like an amazing resource that will be very helpful for those wanting a good all-in-one tool for Bible study. I am already building a mental list of people I plan to buy this for. My budget will be taking a hit in October.

Many people have already written about the ESV Study Bible. I encourage you to visit its homepage and browse around if you want to know more.

Justin Taylor has just posted an excerpt from the study Bible section on Psalms. This is along with previous excerpts from Revelation and Luke. It is not out yet and I am already finding the Study Bible to be useful and helpful. Check it out! And please pray that the Lord might grant me patience as I wait for the October release date.

In the past I have stated that one of the two most compelling arguments for Calvinism comes from John 6 (the other is from Romans 9). In John 6 we find the following two passages:

John 6:35-40

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (ESV)

John 6:43-44

43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (ESV)

The passages seem clear enough, but to restate: no one can pursue Christ unless God the Father draws that individual to Christ. I have argued before that God draws all people to Christ so that all are free to pursue him. The problem with this argument is that these passages appear to say that all who are drawn to Christ are not simply enabled to accept or reject him but will certainly be brought to him. In the first passage, all that the Father gives to Christ will be received and will never be cast out. In the second, no one can go to Christ unless the Father draws him, and all of those drawn by the Father will be raised up on the last day.

What recently came to mind is what Jesus says in John 12:32:

John 12:32

32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (ESV)

In John 6 no one can go to the Son unless the Father draws him. But here Christ on the cross will draw all people to himself.

In his commentary on John D. A. Carson argues that what is in view here is not individuals for salvation but the kinds of people who are saved. In John 6 we find reference to individuals who are saved. Here we find the affirmation that salvation is not just for the Jews. This makes some sense. Jesus’ words in this section were triggered by the arrival of Greeks in John 12:20. The disciples were faced with a dilemma. The Greeks came to the disciples and asked to see Jesus. The disciples seemed a little uncertain as to what they should do. They finally go tell Jesus and John 12:23-32 contains his response. John 12:23, then, could be Jesus saying, “I will draw all people, not just Jews. The Gentiles can come to me because of what I will do on the cross.”

This reading of the passage answers a few questions. The drawing in John 6 seems to be final and complete. It is not an invitation, it is a bringing. Those who are drawn are saved. The same cannot be the case in John 12 which refers to all people being drawn since elsewhere Scripture is clear that not all people will be saved. In fact, just a few verses later we find people who see Christ but do not believe.

This reading also helps us see the difference in the Father’s drawing and the Son’s drawing. It is because of the Son’s work that salvation is made available to all people. This is what Paul calls the mystery of the gospel, the glorious truth that in Christ salvation is not something just for the Jews. Because of the Father individuals are drawn to Christ and are saved. Because of the Son those individuals include people of every ethnicity, not just the Jews. Because of Christ those Greeks trying to see Jesus would be welcome.

I still have one hesitation. Elsewhere in the Bible when we find passages talking about the inclusion of all people in God’s plan of salvation the discussion is usually more direct. For example, is there really any doubt what Paul means in Galatians 3:23-29? (Granted some doubt is introduced by egalitarians who want to make this passage say more than it says, but that is a different discussion.)

Still, I am leaning in Carson’s direction. Any thoughts, anyone?

Additional note:

Sometimes Calvinists will try to use similar reasoning in passages like John 3:16 or 2 Peter 3:9 – namely claiming that “all” in these verses does not refer to everyone but to something else. In John 3:16 “the world” is claimed to be used in a way similar to what we said about John 12:20. Some say “the world” does not mean each individual but refers to all kinds of people, every tribe and tongue and nationality. For 2 Peter 3:9 some have argued that “all” refers to the elect rather than each individual, that God wants all of his chosen ones to reach repentance.

I disagree with both of these views. I believe that God loves all people, saved and unsaved alike. I recognize that there can be some question left with passages like Romans 9:13 (Malachi 1:2-3) but I believe hate in those verses refers to the fact that they were rejected in the plan of God. If one were to argue that hate has to mean something like how we normally understand hate I would simply point him to Luke 14:26 and ask how we can honor our father and mother while also hating them in the way we normally think of hate.

I think one could say there is a difference in how God feels toward the unrepentant that live as opposed to those who die. Does God love the sinner in Hell? I believe one could say that he does not. God loves all his creation on the earth but his steadfast love is only for those who are saved. Once a sinner dies without Christ and goes on to judgment he no longer experiences anything of the love of God, in part because God no longer has any love for him.

On 2 Peter 3:9 I believe that God does desire for all people to be saved. But this is not the only desire God has. Something in the mind of God is more desirable than the salvation of all people, otherwise all people would be saved. I have talked several times before about the notion of two wills in God so I will not rehash it here.