God's Sovereignty and Glory - Derek W. H. Thomas (senior minister of First Presbyterian Columbia SC) - The phrase 'God is sovereign' remains a puzzling phrase to me. I understand that it is true but it is often remarked when all in life seems puzzling and hard to answer. Here it is defined as - 'nothing happens without God's willing it to happen, willing it to happen before it happens, and willing it to happen in the way it happens."
Today it is April 1, 2020 and we are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, so in response to 'why this virus,' one might simply respond with "God is Sovereign." Maybe every time that word is used I think more needs to be said. Or maybe I continue to struggle with God's Sovereignty and Man's free will, no matter how many time's I look at it.
Obviously, we live in a world that is trying to say that man is in control. Even when nature (whatever that means) seems to be in control, this infers God is not in control. And society seems to be saying that because there is evil, God cannot coexist because otherwise why would a loving God allow evil. So the author begins with the idea that because God is sovereign, all that has been created was a free action of God.
Now the author provides a caveat - God's power is not absolute in the sense that God can do anything. He quotes from 2 Timothy 2:13 - God is faithful, for he cannot deny Himself.
But then he switches back to say that some people think that God does not know the future and what will occur. These folks say God can change his mind and they use verses like Genesis 6:6-7 in which God says He was sorry he made man (in anticipation of the Flood) and I Samuel 15:11 - in which the Lord says he regrets making Saul king. Yet the reformer would turn to Proverbs 16:33 to quote Solomon - The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord - thus confirming the reformer view that no event happens that is a surprise to God.
Thus, I connect the last two points together to say that 'God can't go against His nature and do anything, yet whatever does happen, it is never a surprise to Him. So aside from the fact that an event that is occurred is outside His nature, He still knows it will happen.
But then I must also circle back to the first thought of "nothing happens without God's willing it to happen" and wonder then if this means that God willing it and God behind behind it by His power are separate? I press on.
The Author goes on with further evidence that we believe God is sovereign by us praying for someone's salvation which means we believe God is in charge of a person's salvation. And we thank God for a person's salvation, for my salvation, while also realizing that my friend may be judged and not have Christ as their savior - thus be separated from God for eternity. The author's point is rather simple here - 'Give God all the glory for what has occurred.'
And so now he stops the principles and says this leads us to 4 questions - evangelism, ethics, civic power, and evil -- that we as humans can't help but ask questions and yet we are challenged to not reason this way - because we see the verse every decision is from the Lord we also hear Jesus' words Go therefore and make disciples. Thus, decisions from the Lord come about through the work of people. Though we start to think our works don't really matter - don't; don't go there. Instead, keep listening to God and His word. There are ethics in that man is accountable to God, to other people (including government) for man's actions -- man is culpable (deserving blame) in transgression, praiseworthy (deserving reward) in obedience. Civic power or government leadership is also the work of God. All of this leads into the question of 'why evil?" If every decision is from the Lord - is evil one of his decisions? The reformers say "no." God is not the author of sin. God causes all things, but evil is not a first cause, but second cause. He says, God himself cannot do evil. Thus, there must be some difference between willing something and doing something. The Lord wills it, but man does it and man is responsible. Yet, right now are we saying this COVID19 is man's doing? It is not God's plan, but it happening is not a surprise to God. Instead of asking why, let's ask what we can learn from it.
Biblical Authority - Stephen Nichols (President of Reformation Bible College) - He draws a parallel between Luther translating the New Testament and putting forth a series of sermons that expound the Word of God, and Ezra, as recorded in Nehemiah 8, unrolling the scroll of the Law, reading it in front of a great crowd gathered, and the people read, interpreted, studied and worshiped.
The article is thus about sola scriptura or "the sufficiency of Scripture as our supreme authority in all spiritual matters." The criticism to Luther is two-fold- the idea that 1500 years of church history is out the window and the criticism that the church is not even necessary.
But Luther and we today still need tradition. In 2 Timothy 2:2 it states, "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." Paul trained Timothy and trained men who trained others. Thus, the church is a training ground. But traditions need to support the centrality and prominence of the Word of God. And we need teachers to help us understand His word. Thus, church was needed and is needed today.
Justification by Faith Alone - W. Robert Godfrey (President and Professor of Westminster Seminary California) - Justification by Faith Alone is the key theme of the Reformation. Why is it still a problem today for people to accept and why do we continue to discuss it? The conclusion is that people are not content with Christ alone and His grace alone. The key tenets of it are objective and subjective; objective in that we are actually made right with God by the work of Christ, which the sinner receives by faith alone; subjectively, understanding this brings peace with God and growing confidence in living for God. In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself...For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:19-21).
Salvation is of The Lord - Steven Lawson (Founder and President of OnePassion Ministries) - Every aspect of man's salvation is from God and is entirely dependent upon God. We contribute sin. Each member of the Godhead has a part to play, working together as one God to rescue those perishing under divine wrath.
Total Depravity: Adam sinned - polluting his mind, affections, body, and will. By this sin, death entered the world, fellowship with God broken. Adam's offspring, all the way to me, inherited same fallenness. Apart from grace, our minds are darkened by sin, unable to understand the truth. Our bodies are dying. We are unable to choose good. All are under the curse of the Law; no one seeks after God.
Unconditional Election: God's story - before Adam sinned, God had already decreed salvation for sinners. He chose a people to be saved, according to His love, not according to their goodness. Each one chosen by the Father to be conformed to the image of His Son, to sing His praises forever. The Spirit brings the elect ones to faith in Christ.
Definite Atonement: Jesus comes to earth. This was decreed by God, always. Under the law, he lived, but in perfect obedience to the Law, and thus He fulfilled all the righteous demands of the law, thus being perfect in righteousness and transferring this righteousness to man. The transfer occurred after Jesus bore the wrath of God. God calls His people, but Jesus must redeem them through his life, death, and resurrection. Jesus reconciles God to man. Jesus saved all for whom He died.
Effectual Calling (Irresistible Grace): The Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world to apply salvation to those chosen and redeemed. The Spirit convicts sinners, removes the unbelieving heart of stone at the appointed time, replacing it with a heart responsive to God. Eternal life is implanted, the gifts of repentance and faith proceed and the fruit of righteousness follows for these chosen ones.
Preserving Grace: Once converted, no believer will fall away. Every believe is kept eternally secure by all three persons of the Trinity.
Lawson states one cannot accept some of these doctrines and reject others. My perspective is these are difficult concepts to accept, not so much understand. But, effectual calling stated the way it has been is simply a tough concept in light of preaching the gospel, doing evangelism, even follow up and works of the church. I'm making progress, but I'm not quite there.
God's Covenant People - Sinclair Ferguson (Scottish theologian and assistant minister at St. Peter's Free Church of Scotland, Dundee and visiting professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary since 2017) - In this article, Ferguson wants to show that the covenants which began at the time of Noah, mirrored what was of Adam and continued, and though it is thought at times they are only spoken of in Hebrews, he believes that Jesus upon saying "new covenant in my blood" is saying that Jesus Himself is the covenant and therefore throughout history people have been defined, united and shaped by this covenant bond. Thus the Bible doesn't simply represent different types of people groups, but in a way we are all the church and we need to remember this as we read and study.
The Courage to be Reformed - Buck Parsons (editor of Tabletalk, copastor of Saint Andrews's Chapel in Sanford, Florida) - An understanding of Reformed Theology by people has a way of transforming them, some to new life in Christ and others feeling like their new life in Christ wasn't really new till they understood Reformed Theology. That God saves us, not man saving himself, that all we did was sin and that was enough to completely condemn us, that God is sovereign over all, that God works all of history for His glory. These tenets can be life transforming.
Absorbing and Applying God's Word - Robert Ingram (previous editor of Tabletalk, now headmaster of Geneva School in Winter Park, FL) - Quotes from a Horse and A Boy by CS Lewis, "To hear is to obey." Concern: we are now disconnected to obedience because of modern educations focus on knowing, then doing. The Bible is not written to enhance life or a manual to repair our brokenness. We are too focused on knowing first, but obedience needs to precede this and true understanding and knowledge will come after we are obedient. Calvin states, "All right knowledge of God is born of obedience."
Passing Down the Truth of God - John MacArthur (pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA) - We are to hold on to the truth and faithfully pass it to the next generation. He starts with an example - running a relay in college. He was 2nd man in 4 man relay and in the finals, the 3rd man just decided, "I don't feel like running today." 2 Tim 2:2 - what you have heard, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Find someone who knows less than you and teach them. Don't break the chain.
Will Beauty Save the World? - R. Albert Mohler Jr. - There is a difference between the beautiful and the pretty. Magazines that airbrush models may be pretty, but certainly not beautiful. In Dostoevsky book the Idiot he says that beauty will save the world. Are the works of God in Christ beautiful? At creation, creation was very good. The Hebrew word also carries the connotation beautiful. We often separate teh good, the true, and the beautiful, but the Christian worldview reminds us that the good, the true, and the beautiful are inseparable. If something is beautiful, it is good and true. The cross of Christ may not be pretty, but it is certainly beautiful.
