To Hell with Joy

You may have noticed by now that all this talk of Hell has gotten under our skin here at AEN. Simon’s post yesterday spelled out three major doctrinal consequences of denying the reality of Hell. Today I would like to add another pastoral/ doxological reason why Hell is important, and it’s this:

The reality of Hell is a source of sober joy for the Christian.

Without having read the book 'Love Wins', it is still fair to assume that Rob Bell wishes us to rethink our stance on Hell. And whether his desire is to declare it 'empty' or to erase it from our theological frameworks, the sad fact remains that to tamper with the doctrine of Hell is to tamper with Christian joy.

Time and time again in the New Testament Paul speaks of God’s work of rescuing us from judgement in doxological terms; that is, Christ’s saving us from hell compels us to worship him:

^"and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."  (Col 1:12-14)

And again:

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thess 1:9-11)

And again Paul recounting the mercy he received bursts with praise:

^"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Tim 1:16-17)

And finally the heavenly multitude praise God saying: 

"After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: 

'Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.'

And again they shouted:

'Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.'

(Rev 19:1-3)

Paul new the reality of his sin but staring into the abyss he was then able to turn aside and say simply that, “…God has not destined us for wrath”. It is therefore little wonder that the chief of sinners flung himself before the throne of grace in adoration and worship.

In the same way; Hell, our rescue from it and the full disclosure of God’s righteous judgement ought to leave us abandoned to the praise of his great grace. Our voices must join the cry of the saints in worship because God has been vindicated, and we have received grace upon grace.

If you get rid of Hell, not only does the whole doctrinal house of cards come crashing down but you silence the quiet ‘hallelujah’ which resounds from the hearts of every believer who embraces the reality of Hell and allows it to magnify the salvation which is theirs in Christ Jesus.

Avoiding Having a Wonky Gospel (Or 'Why We Need to Speak About Hell')

One of the most common reasons people give as to why we should not speak about hell is this: "But people don't like to hear about hell?" They're not supposed to! Nobody likes hearing about being run over by a double-decker bus, but that doesn't stop us from warning people about the dangers of standing in the middle of a busy road. It's not an unloving thing to warn people of a real danger.

If we merely tell people what they like to hear then we are no different to the false teachers that Timothy had to deal with, who taught what people's "itching ears" wanted to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). Just because someone doesn't want to hear about something does not mean that they do not need to hear it.

We need to speak about hell. If we neglect this it gives us a wonky gospel. The reality of God's eternal judgement is part of the gospel. In Revelation 14:6 John sees an angel "with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people." What is the content of this eternal gospel? John tells us in verse 7, the angel proclaims: "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Therefore, if we are to be faithful in proclaiming the gospel, and to avoid having a wonky gospel, we need to speak about God's judgement, which means speaking about hell. Hell is a real place where real people, who have not submitted to the Lord Jesus, shall spend eternity (see e.g. John 3:36, Revelation 20:11-15). This ought to grieve us and we ought to tremble over the thought of people facing such a future. Therefore, if we love people, instead of shying away from speaking about the reality of God's just judgement, we ought to speak of it with tears in our eyes urging them to flee to the Lord Jesus that they might have life.

In order to help us think through why we shouldn't neglect speaking about hell here are some initial thoughts on what happens to the gospel if we lose our doctrine of hell. What do we lose if we ignore hell?

1) We Lose a Just God
If there is ultimately no final judgement where people recieve the justice due to them for rebelling against an infinitely holy God, then this would mean that God is not just. It would mean that there is no hope that every wrong shall one day be righted.

2) We Lose the Seriousness of Sin
If God does not judge sin fully and finally then it implies that He doesn't really care about sin. This would then lead to us not really caring about sin. If God doesn't care enough about sin to punish it, why then should I care about seeking to live a godly life and turn from it. Yet, sin is infinitely serious. Dragging the glory of the eternal and infinitely holy God through the dirt, which is what we do when we sin, is of the utmost seriousness.

3) We Lose the Glory of God's Grace Displayed in the Cross
If there is no such thing as hell then we lose the ultimate display of the glory of the grace of God: the cross of Christ. If there was no such place as hell then what was the point of the cross? If God is not going to judge sin eternally then the cross was the biggest waste of time. But this is not true. God shall judge sin eternally, therefore the cross is infinitely glorious. At the cross God is showing that He is both just and the one who justifies sinful people, who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21-26). At the cross the one who shall be the judge on that final day (Acts 17:31), has taken upon Himself the full weight of the wrath of God in the place of His people. If we neglect to speak about hell then the glory of the cross, the blazing centre of the revelation of the glory of God, loses its lustre.

To Hell With Hell

For the last six weeks or so I have been in a bit of a blogging funk. I would sit at my computer and type and type and delete and type and delete and delete I needed something to... provoke me.

Last night I stumbled on just the thing, namely Justin Taylor's blog post Rob Bell: Universalist?
A question prompted by the publishers blurb and promo video for Bell's new book 'Love Wins'.

As with anyone who pastors a church called Mars Hill, Bell is no stranger to controversy, indeed he relishes the idea of pushing some conservative buttons and this new book is certainly no exception!

However rather than pronouncing anathema’s based on the video alone I am going to go to Amazon, pre order my copy and see exactly what he says.
For the time being please watch the two video's below, the first is the promo and the second is a excerpt from a sermon posted on desiring God yesterday... coincidence?

Additionally I have opened a discussion page on our Facebook profile and would love to hear what others think!





(Parenthetically, if the juices are flowing again I may resurrect some of those dead posts, so watch this space!)

Living in a Shaky World

We live in a shaky world. It is a world that is filled with turmoil and uncertainties. Over the last few weeks the headlines have been dominated by 'shakiness'. The middle east has been shaken by poltical unrest and upheaval, with recent uprisings in Egypt and Libya. New Zealand has been shaken by a devastating earthquake in Christchurch. All of these events make us realise how uncertain and insecure this world really is, and makes us long for security. We live in a shaky world.

Where then should we look as Christians living in the midst of this shaky world? Over recent days Psalm 46 has been brought to my mind. It gives us both a vivid picture of the reality of this shaky world, and gives us as God's people great certainty in the midst of such 'shakiness'. Listen to what the first seven verses tell us:

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

This Psalm reminds us, as God's people in Christ, that though all things should be falling down around us we have no reason to fear. Why? Because God is our refuge and ever present help (verse 1), He is with us (verse 7). In the midst of a world that seems to be falling down around us we have one who is an unfailing refuge.

In verses 4-7 the Psalm points us to an unshakeable city. This is a city where God is present among His people (verse 4-5), and which "shall not be moved" (verse 5). In the Old Testament this is referring to Jerusalem, but the Psalm  points far beyond a small plot of land in the Middle East. This unshakeable city finds its fulfillment in the New Jerusalem which Revelation 21-22 speaks of, which shall be seen and enjoyed in all its fullness when Jesus returns. It is a place where God is fully present with His people (Revelation 21:3), and a place of utter security for His people (hence the gates will never be shut 21:25).

In the midst of a shaky world Christ's people have an unshakeable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28), and we look forward to the hope of an unshakeable city (Revelation 21-22). We have a city that no amount of miliatary force can overthrow, and no earthquake can topple. This is because we have a king who reigns with all power over all nations (Psalm 2:7-9), and who shall reign for all eternity (Luke 1:32-33), the Lord Jesus.

Therefore, as we find the world around us being shaken, let us remind ourselves that in Christ we have an unshakeable kingdom, and ever look to Him for refuge in a shaky world. When everything is falling down around us, if we are in Christ we have ultimate security and we shall not be shaken.

Mr. Bookworm meets Mr. Simple-Faith

Over at the Gospel Coalition Kevin DeYoung has written a very helpful short article on the difference between a knowledgeable yet immature Christian and a mature yet unknowledgeable Christian, and what we ought to aim for in Christian discipleship in light of this. You can read the article here.

Technology and Loving our Saviour

Four Posts on Prayer

Here are four selected posts from the "Above Every Name" archives to encourage and spur us on to "Continue steadfastly in prayer" (Colossians 4:2):

• Dishonouring God with Puny Prayers
• A Spiritual Cardiograph
• The Key to Studying the Bible
• "Attaining the Knowledge of the Mind of God in the Scripture"

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 8)

We come to part 8 of our series which takes us through the whole Bible. This week Don Carson shows us "The God Who Grants New Birth", as he works through John 3. Enjoy.

What Kind of Workers Does the Harvest Field Need?

What kind of workers ought we to be praying for when we pray that God would send out workers into His harvest field (Matthew 9:38)? How about we dare to pray big, and to pray for workers such as these:

“. . . that He will again raise up unto Himself certain young men whom He may use in this glorious employ [revival]. And what manner of men will they be? Men mighty in the Scriptures, their lives dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty and holiness of God, and their minds and hearts aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace. They will be men who have learned what it is to die to self, to human aims and personal ambitions; men who are willing to be ‘fools for Christ’s sake’, who will bear reproach and falsehood, who will labour and suffer, and whose supreme desire will be, not to gain earth’s accolades, but to win the Master’s approbation when they appear before His awesome judgment seat. They will be men who will preach with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes, and upon whose ministries God will grant an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, and who will witness ‘signs and wonders following’ in the transformation of multitudes of human lives.”

(From Arnold Dallimore's biography of George Whitefield)

Why Memorise Scripture?

Hymn: We Rest on Thee

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!

We go not forth alone against the foe;

Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,

We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.

Yes, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”

Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,

“We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!

Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;

When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,

Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,

Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

Immortal Till My Work was Done

One of the things that understanding God's sovereignty over the work of the gospel gives us is boldness in proclaiming Christ. If we recognise that God is in control of all things then we will be prepared to risk all for the sake of others hearing of the Lord Jesus. If God is in control we need not worry what people may do to us. John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) recgnised this and it gave him great courage to proclaim Christ in the face of fierce opposition and threats on his life. Listen to what he says in his biography:

My enemies seldom slackened their hateful designs against my life, however calmed or baffled for the moment. . . . A wild chief followed me around for four hours with his loaded musket, and, though often directed towards me, God restrained his hand. I spoke kindly to him, and attended to my work as if he had not been there, fully persuaded that my God had placed me there, and would protect me till my allotted task was finished. Looking up in unceasing prayer to our dear Lord Jesus, I left all in his hands, and felt immortal till my work was done. Trials and hairbreadth escapes strengthened my faith, and seemed only to nerve me for more to follow; and they did tread swiftly upon each other's heels.

Because God is completely in control over all things, we are able to say with John Paton that we are immortal until our work is done. If God has more work for us to do He will keep us in te midst of any trouble, if not He will bring us safely home to be with Christ which is better by far.

Immeasurable Breadth and Unfathomable Depth

Where do you find your satisfaction? All of us are seeking satisfaction somewhere. The only place where we shall find inexhaustible satisfaction is in Christ. This is what the Scottish minister Andrew Bonar recognised. On the 18th Febuary 1871 he wrote these words in his diary:

I find my Lord and Saviour more and more satisfying to my soul. In very deed He is all my salvation and all my desire. I am like a man standing upon the shore of the ocean and seeing that it has immeasurable breadth and unfathomable depth, so that I cannot search it out.

Almost four years later on 6th December 1874 he again wrote:

Christ is more than ever precious to me in His atonement, righteousness, merit, heart. Nothing else satisfies me. I only yearn to know Him better, and preach Him more fully. His Cross and His Crown never lose their attractiveness. Day by day He is my rest, my heaven.

Let us then ever seek and long to know the Lord Jesus better. He shall never lose His attractiveness. He shall never cease to be infinitely satisfying.

The Cost of the Work of the Gospel

The work of the gospel is costly. If anyone thinks that Christian ministry is an easy option, or a bit of fun they are sorely mistaken. Those who serve in the proclaiming of Christ's gospel must expect to suffer for it. This is something that all of us as Christians must recognise, and it is something that those in full time Christians work must especially be aware of. William Tyndale was a man who understood this. He was exiled from his home country, suffered greatly and was eventually burnt alive for translating the Bible and speaking and writing about the truth of the gospel. Here is the last word he sent to his best friend, John Frith, in a letter just before he was executed:

Your cause is Christ’s gospel, a light that must be fed with the blood of faith. . . . If when we be buffeted for well-doing, we suffer patiently and endure, that is thankful with God; for to that end we are called. For Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, who did no sin. Hereby have we perceived love that he laid down his life for us: therefore we ought to be able to lay down our lives for the brethren. . . . Let not your body faint. If the pain be above your strength, remember: “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, I will give it you.” And pray to our Father in that name, and he will ease your pain, or shorten it. . . . Amen.

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 7)

We now come to part 7 of Don Carson's 14 part series which takes us through the overall storyline of the Bible. This week we turn to the New Testament as Carson shows us "The God Who Becomes a Human Being."

Reaping with Joy

Recently, I came across this video of the Kimyal people recieving the New Testament for the first time in their own language. Their joy and thankfulness to God is extremely moving, and it shows that they recognise just how precious is the written word of God. The delight and celebration of t anhe Kimyal people puts me to shame for how much I take having the Bible in my own language for granted, and how I do not delight in it and treasure it as I should. How priveleged we are in the English speaking parts of the world to have humdreds of translations so easily acessible in our own language. All round the world there are peoples that have a famine of the word of God in their own language. Watch this video and be reminded of the immense preciousness of the word of God and be challenged to love your Bible, and to give yourself to supporting gospel famine relief.

Sovereignty, Sin and the Cross

The story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 helps us undersatnd the relation between God's sovereignty (His complete control over all things) and human sin.

Joseph's brothers treated him terribly. They hated him (37:4) and wanted him dead (37:18). They attacked him, threw him down a pit, then sold him to some passing slave traders (37:18-28). It seems that the only thing that kept them from killing him was the opportunity of making money by selling him as a slave (37:26). They then return and lie to their father, telling him that Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. What they do is a horrific evil, and is utterly repulsive in God's eyes.

However, none of this is outside of God's control. Instead, as we work through the story we see exactly the opposite, that God is in complete control, even over their sin. In fact, their sin is part of God's good purposes for His people, which includes Joseph's brothers (who are to go on to be the heads of the tribes of Israel). Joseph's brothers even end up being saved because of their sin. In God's purposes Joseph ends up as the prime minister of Egypt, who is in complete control over rations of food in a time of great famine. This means that he is able to provide food for his family, including his brothers, when they are struck hard by famine. Joseph delivers his family from death, and ensures their security. He would not have been in a position to do this had his brothers not done such a great evil by selling him off for a bit of extra pocket money.

This was not God just making the best of a bad situation, doing the best He could with the mess that Joseph's brothers had made. God ordained their sin to happen as part of His good purposes for His glory and the good of His people. Joseph makes this clear in 50:20 when he says, "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." On the one hand Joseph's brothers plotted and planned and purposed evil against Joseph. However, all of this was part of God's purposes. He planned this for good, to save His people. God did not make the best of a bad situation, He ordained that this should happen as part of His good purposes. Joseph is not ashamed to hold together both God's utter sovereignty and control over all things and human responsibility, their evil is not excusable.

Not only this but the story also draws attention to the glory of God's grace. In His sovereign purposes, the evil that Joseph's brothers committed end up for their good, and bringing about their deliverance. Does that not make us marvel at God's sovereign grace and His unfathomable wisdom.

If we move to the New Testament we see the same pattern. At the heart of the Bible is the most horrific sin ever committed, the slaughter of the Son of God on the cross. This is a horriffic evil, yet the cross has been planned by God since before the foundation of the world. at the cross both Jew's and Gentiles (representing the whole world) united together against Jesus to put Him to death (Acts 4:27). Yet, they did what God's "hand and...plan had predestined to take place." (Acts 4:28). The most horriffic human sin was planned by God from eternity past for the ultimate good, to bring glory to God by the saving of a people for Himself to all eternity. Not, only this but this horriffic evil was purposed for the inestimable good of those who comitted it. Acts 4 sees the rulers of both Jews and Gentiles as representative of the whole world united in putting Jesus to death. Yet, this great evil has been purposed by God to bring eternal salvation to people from all nations, tribes and tongues, both Jew and Gentile.

Ought this not to lead us to rejoicing in the inestimable riches of God's grace? Does this not make us join with Paul in saying: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearcheable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!...To Him be glory forever.Amen" (Romans 11:33, 36).

What is Hell?

The Pride Test

Quote: Satisfaction

The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here.

Jonathan Edwards

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 6)

We continue our Tuesday Teaching series in Don Carson's The God Who is There with part 6: "The God Who is Unfathomably Wise".

'My Noblest and Most Fruitful Employment'

Robert Murray McCheyne recognised just how crucial private prayer was for his Christian life and his ministry. In some notes, written towards the end of his life, called "Reformation in Secret Prayer" he says:

I ought to pray before seeing any one [in the morning]. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, and then have family prayer, and breakfast, and forenoon callers, often it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. . . . Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness; and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then, when secret prayer comes, the soul is often out of tune. . . .

It is far better to begin with God—to see his face first—to get my soul near Him before it is near another. "When I awake I am still with Thee." If I have slept too long, or am going on an early journey, or my time is in any way shortened, it is best to dress hurriedly, and have a few minutes alone with God, than to give it up for lost. But in general, it is best to have at least one hour alone with God, before engaging in anything else. . . .

I ought to spend the best hours of the day in communion with God. It is my noblest and most fruitful employment, and is not to be thrust into any corner. The morning hours, from six to eight, are the most uninterrupted, and should be thus employed, if I can prevent drowsiness. A little time after breakfast might be given to intercession. After tea is my best hour, and that should be solemnly dedicated to God, if possible. . . . [And] when I awake in the night, I ought to rise and pray, as David and as John Welsh did.

Creation vs. Creator

A Magnificent Theatre Where the Glory of God Shines Most Brightly

In a post yesterday we saw that our perfect happiness is found in beholding the glory of God (see John 17:24). This raises the question of how we see this glory. Where do we look in order to see the glory of God? It is in the gospel that the glory of God shines most brightly. In the gospel we see "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). This is why he describes the gospel as "the gospel of the glory of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:4). At the heart of the gospel is the cross of Christ, this is where the glory of God blazes most brightly. Calvin has these words to say:

In the cross of Christ, as in a magnificent theatre, the inestimable goodness of God is displayed before the whole world. In all the creatures, indeed, both high and low, the glory of God shines, but nowhere has it shone more brightly than in the cross, in which there has been an astonishing change of things, the condemnation of all men has been manifested, sin has been blotted out, salvation has been restored to men; and, in short, the whole world has been renewed, and every thing restored to good order.

It is in the cross of Christ that we see the glory of God shining most brightly. It is in the crucified saviour where we see most clearly the glory of God revealed in this world, and it will be that same crucified saviour who will be the centre of our worship and delight to all eternity (Revelation 5:9-10; 12). Into all eternity we, as His people, shall be rejoicing in the Lamb who was slain. In the new creation we shall still see this glory. Revelation 21:23 tells us that in the new creation, the glory of God shall give light to that heavenly city, and the lamp through which that light shines is the Lamb. The reason Jesus is called the Lamb is to draw attention to His death. It is Jesus the Lamb who was slain, the crucified saviour, through whom we shall bask in the glory of God to all eternity.

The problem is that we are all naturally blind, and cannot see the glory of God in the face of Christ. Paul points this out in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 and 6. Therefore, nothing short of a miracle equal with the creation of the world (2 Corinthians 4:6), can open our eyes to see His glory blazing in the cross. This means we are helpless unless the one who opened the eyes of the blind (John 9), opens our eyes that we might see. Therefore, as we open our Bibles to see the glory of God in the face of Christ as revealed in the gospel, our prayer must ever be: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderous things out of your law." (Psalm119:18).

Stepping Out into the Sunlight

In John 17:24 Jesus prays these words to the Father: "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." In his commentary on John's gospel, Calvin has this to say about these words:

Christ speaks of the perfect happiness of believers, as if he had said, that his desire will not be satisfied till they have been recieved into heaven. In the same manner I explain the beholding of the glory. At that time they saw the glory of Christ, just as a man shut up in the dark obtains, through small chinks, a feeble and glimmering light. Christ now wishes that they shall make such progress as to enjoy the full brightness of heaven. In short, he asks that the Father will conduct them, by uninterrupted progress, to the full vision of his glory.

In this world we only see a glimpse of the glory of Christ. As we look at Jesus, with the eyes of faith, as He is revealed to us in Scripture, the glimpse we see of Him is glorious and magnificent. However, it is nothing to be compared to the glory that we shall see when we see Him face to face in the new creation. A man shut up in a dark room takes joy in the beams of sunlight that sine through the cracks in the door. However, this is nothing compared to stepping out into the sunlight on a bright summers day. So it is with us as we see in part now the glory of God as revealed in to us in Christ in the gospel. As believers we see His glory in part now, and that part is magnificent. However, it is nowhere near to the magnificence of stepping out into the sunlight of the fullness of His glory, which we shall experience in the new creation.

As Calvin says, the perfect happiness of believers is found in beholding the glory of Christ. This is what Jesus is saying in John 17:24. Therefore, as Christians, should this not leave us with an all-consuming longing to see more of Christ in this life, as He is revealed to us in Scripture, and ultimately to see the fullness of His glory in the new creation. Should this not leave us with a longing for Him either to call us to depart to be with Him - which is better by far (Philippians 1:23), or to return to ussher in the new creation, where we shall see Him face to face (Revelation 21:22-23; 22:4).

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 5)

We continue with Don Carson's overview of the Bible: The God Who is There. This week we are in 2 Samuel 7, where we see "The God Who Reigns".

Learning to Live with One Foot Raised

In a letter written to encourage a Christian woman struggling with numerous physical afflictions, John Calvin said these words:

They [i.e. our physical afflictions] should, moreover, serve us for medicines to purge us from worldly affections, and retrench [i.e. 'remove'] what is superfluous in us, since they are to us the messengers of death, we ought to learn to have one foot raised to take our departure when it shall please God.

Calvin is saying here that from our physical afflictions, whether it be disease, injury or the pains of old age, we ought to be learning to live as always ready to leave this present world to be with Jesus. We do not know when this will be, but God does. We ought to be prepared, when He sees fit, to leave all that we have in this world behind and enter into His glorious prescence. Our suffering is one of the ways that God prepares His people for this. They help to remove from us love for the world and its fleeting pleasures (see 1 John 2:15-17) that we might fix our affections on Jesus, in whom we have true and eternal riches.

This is to be our constant mindset as Christians, living as always ready to leave. We ought to be daily preparing for when we depart or Christ returns. This is to be true of us not only in the times of suffering (which makes this mindset easier), but also in the good times (when this mindset is easily forgotten). As Christians we are to be a people whose lives are shaped by always having one foot raised "to take our departure when it shall please God." Sam Storms, commenting on this letter of Calvin's says this: "Do we live every day with one foot lifted ever so deftly off the ground in constant alert and anxious expectation of the moment when we will depart this world and enter the splendor of heaven and the prescence of God himself?"

Groan, But Don't Grumble

Are you a grumbler or a groaner?

We live in a fallen world. It is a world that is under God's curse (Genesis 3:14-19), having been "subjected to futility" by Him (Romans 8:20). This means that life in this world will be frustrating. There will be hardships, difficulties and disappointments. This will not always be the case, a day is coming when the curse shall be lifted (Revelation 21:1-8; 22:1-5) and the whole of creation shall be "set free from its bondage to decay" (Romans 8:21). This has been brought about through the work of Jesus on the cross, taking upon Himself the curse we deserve for our rebellion (Galatians 3: 13-14).

However, until that day we live in a world in which we will daily see evidences that the world has been "subjected to futility", that we live in a fallen world, a world which is under the curse of God. We will constantly find ourselves frustrated and disappointed, facing hardships and hassle. How then ought we to respond?

The Bible shows us two responses that we can make as we face the frustrations of a fallen world. We can either grumble or groan. One is the response of unbelief, not taking God at His word and trusting Him. The other, the response of faith, which embraces God's word, and trusts Him. Let us look at each of these responses in turn:

1) Grumbling - the response of unbelief
When things get tough our natural response is to grumble, to complain. Ultimately, this grumbling is against God. He is completely in control of all things, everything that happens comes from His hand and is ordained by Him. Therefore, when we begin to complain about our circumstances we are ultimately complaining against God, and failing to trust His all-sufficient goodness.

Grumbling was the response of the Israelites in the desert (See Numbers 11-14). After God had brought them out from Egypt and was sustaining them in the wilderness on the way to the promised land they began to grumble. They complained about their hardships in the wilderness. They complained about the food God had miraculously provided in the wilderness, and longed for the food of Egypt (Numbers 11:4-6). When the spies returned from checking out the promised land and gave the report that its inhabitants were strong, the people grumbled again, saying "Why is the LORD bring us into this land to fall by the sword?" (Numbers 14:3).

This grumbling stemmed from their unbelief, they refused to take God at His word and trust His promises. They refused to believe that God was both able and willing to keep His word and sustain them and bring them to the land He had promised them (Numbers 14:11). In judgement on their unbelief God let the whole of that generation die in the wilderness instead of entering the land. The author to the Hebrews recognises this and says, "they were unable to enter [God's rest] because of unbelief."

So, one response to the frustrations of a fallen world is to grumble. This is the response of the unbeliever, one who does not take God at His word, one who refuses to trust in God's promises. This means that they refuse to trust in Jesus, because all of God's promises find their find their fulfillment in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20). Every time we grumble it is because we are not trusting the promises of God as we ought. It is because there is some part of the promises, which are ours in Christ, that we are refusing to believe.

2) Groaning - the response of faith
Groaning is very different to grumbling. It is the response of faith. Those who groan are those who are longing for what God has promised to be fully seen and experienced. In the midst of "the sufferings of the present time" (Romans 8:18), groaners are longing for "the glory that is to be revealed" (Romans 8:18) in the new creation.

There is a lot of groaning in Romans 8. The creation is groaning (v 19-22) as it longs for that day when it "will be set free from its bondage to decay", on that day when the curse is finally lifted. Christians are groaning (v23) as they too long for that day, the day when they shall experience fully their adoption as sons. The Spirit, who dwells in the believer (v9-11), also groans (v26-27) as He intercedes for us.

Groaning is the response that recognises the certainty of what God has promised and is longing to see that come to the fullness of its fulfillment. Groaners know that the glory which is to come is a certain future for the Christian, and it longs for that day. It longs for the day when they shall see Jesus face to face and enjoy Him eternally in a perfect world, in the new creation, the creation set free from its bondage to decay.

When groaners face the suffering and frustrations of living in a fallen world they know "that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28). Instead of complaining they trust that God has ordained this hardship (whatever it may be) for good, for their good. Therefore, even when they cannot comprehend what possible reason God could allow them to suffer as they do, they trust that God has ordained this for their good. The good that Paul is speaking of here is to be "conformed to the image of his Son" (v29), to the image of Jesus. This conforming shall only be fully seen when they are glorified (v30). It is only in the new creation that this good will be fully experienced.

Groaners, therefore are those who respond in faith. They take God at His word, trusting in His promises which are ours in Christ. Even when they cannot understand what God, in His providence, is doing, they know that He is trustworthy, that His word is sure and they trustingly submit to Him. They know that the future He has promised us in Christ in the new creation is certain. Therefore, they long for it, for that day when the curse is lifted, and they are transformed to glorify and enjoy God as they ought.


So, are you a grumbler or a groaner? Only by grace can we become a groaner. By nature we are all grumblers. It is only through God's transforming work that we are made groaners. It is only as we see Christ set before us as we hear the gospel, and God creates faith in us to grasp hold of Christ with empty hands that we are transformed from a grumbler to a groaner. It is the hearing of the gospel with faith that changes us. It is also the gospel that continues to transform us as Christians to be those who groan more and more, and grumble less and less. The more we hear the precious promises of the gospel, the more our faith in them is fed and nourished so that we groan more and more. We never grow out of our need for the gospel.

So, as Christians let us be those who treasure Christ, as we see Him set before us in the gospel as revealed in Scripture. Let us be those who daily give ourselves to feeding on Him by faith, by feeding on the Bible. The more we do this the more we will be groaners, not grumblers. Let us learn to be those whose daily cry is: "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20)

Quote: Worthy

God did not choose us because we were worthy, but by choosing us He makes us worthy.

Thomas Watson, "All Things For Good"

Shoddy Tools

One of the things I am constantly struck by as I read biographies of faithful and godly Christians of previous generations is how much they suffered. Almost without exception, the Christian 'heroes' of the past have had some sickness, tragedy or hardship that they have had to wrestle with. Why is this the case? Here is what Charles Spurgeon, who was very well aquainted with suffering, had to say:

'Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.' Instruments shall be used, but their intrinsic weakness shall be clearly manifested; there shall be no division of the glory, no diminishing of the honor due to the Great Worker ... Those who are honoured of their Lord in public have usually to endure a secret chastening, or to carry a peculiar cross, lest by any means they exalt themselves, and fall into the snare of the devil.

Therefore, let us not grumble or complain when God allows us to suffer as we seek to serve Him faithfully. Rather, let us rejoice. One of the reasons He has let us suffer is so that all the glory may rightly go to Him. By showing more clearly our intrinsic weakness as instruments in His hands, He is bringing all the more glory to Him as the 'Great Worker', and keeping us from pride,and falling into a snare of the devil and making a mess of our ministries. How much more praise does a worker get if He produces a masterpiece using broken tools, than if He uses top of the range tools. A work produced using shoddy tools displays all the more the skill of the worker. Therefore, let us rejoice in being weak instruments, so that the glory of God might be displayed all the more brightly in us as we labour in His service.

Quote: The Chief of Our Affections

God, who is the chief of our happiness, must have the chief of our affections.

Thomas Watson, "All Things For Good"

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 4)

We continue to look at the big picture of the Bible with Don Carson as we come to part 4 of his series The God Who is There. This week we see "The God Who Legislates" as Carson works through Exodus 20, 32-34 and Leviticus 16. Enjoy.

Calling Real Men

Here is an extremely challenging and slightly provocative video from Darrin Patrick, author of Church Planter. He is addressing men, and calls them to be real men.

We Will Meet Again in Jesus

In his Autobiography John G. Paton tells of the death of Kowia, a converted cannibal chief on the island of Tanna. Kowia knew he was dying and came to say farewell to Paton, whom he called 'Missi'.

"Farewell, Missi, I am very near death now; we will meet again in Jesus and with Jesus!" . . . Abraham [Paton's faithful helper, another converted cannibal] sustained him, tottering to the place of graves; there he lay down . . . and slept in Jesus; and there the faithful Abraham buried him beside his wife and children. Thus died a man who had been a cannibal chief, but by the grace of God and the love of Jesus changed, transfigured into a character of light and beauty. What think ye of this, ye skeptics as to the reality of conversion? . . . I knew that day, and I know now, that there is one soul at least from Tanna to sing the glories of Jesus in Heaven - and, oh, the rapture when I meet him there!

What a difference the gospel makes. Let us never forget the power of the simple proclaiming of the gospel to transform even the most hard hearts. The gospel can and does transform the most unlikely people and their societies.

How does the Bible orient us around the glory of God?

One Thing is Necessary

How much do you value the Bible? The more we recognise how much we need it to sustain our life, the more precious it will be for us. The word of God is more vital for us than the food we eat each day (Matthew 4:4). This is what the reformer Martin Luther had to say on the value of the word of God:

One thing, and one alone, is necessary for life, justification, and Christian liberty; and that is the most holy word of God, the Gospel of Christ, as He says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." (John 11:25), and also, "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36), and, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4).

Let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established that the soul can do without everything except the word of God, without which none at all of its wants are provided for. But, having the word, it is rich and wants for nothing, since that is the word of life, of truth, of light, of peace, of justification, of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of wisdom, of virtue, of grace, of glory, and of every good thing. It is on this account that the prophet in a whole Psalm (Psalm 119), and in many other places, yearns and sighs for the word of God with so many groanings and words.

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 3)

We come now to part 3 of Don Carson's series The God Who is There, which traces the Bible's storyline. This week we see "The God Who Writes His Own Agreements".

The Gospel and the Exam Hall

One of the experiences that comes with being at theological college is that of learning to sit exams all over again. The experience of sitting in the exam room is something I've not had since I've left school. Therefore, one of the challenges that this has given me is the opportunity to wrestle with the question: 'How do I sit exams to the glory of God?' What does it look like to sit exams as a Christian, and how ought the gospel shape the way we prepare for and participate in exams?

The following is not a 'How To...' guide for sitting exams. Rather, it is a reminder of some Bible truths that we need to remember as exams approach, either for those of us who are sitting exams, or for those of us seeking to encourage and minister to those preparing to sit exams (such as parents, youth workers, student workers etc.). They are truths that we ought to allow to shape us as we prepare to sit exams as a Christian.


Here are four truths for the Christian to remember in the exam hall:

1) Remember that the only exam that matters has already been passed for us
One of the great dangers the Christian faces in sitting exams is the temptation to seek acceptance from exam grades. We can be tempted to see good exam grades as the grounds for our standing before God and before others. In short we can be tempted to seek justification by exam grades.

However, the gospel reminds us that the only exam that truly matters has already been passed for us in our place. If we are a Christian, then we have full acceptance before God. This is not because of anything in ourselves, or anything that we have done. It is only because if the work of Christ on our behalf. He has lived the perfect life and died the perfect death, taking the punishment for our sin in our place, in obedience to the Father. It is through faith in Him that we are counted as perfectly righteous before God. (Romans 3:28). Everything needed for our acceptance before God has been accomplished in Christ. If we are trusting in Jesus alone we cannot be more accepted by God than we already are.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul says this: "For our sake [God] made made him [ie. Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Jesus is the only one ever who "knew no sin", that is he never sinned. He perfectly obeyed His Father, even to the point of the most humiliating death, death on a cross taking upon Himself the just anger of God in the place of sinners (Philippians 2:8). Yet, at the cross our sin was counted as His and He took the punishment our sins deserve. This is why Paul says that God "made him to be sin". He was counted as the worst sinner as he bore our sins in our place on the cross. he did this "so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". That is, so that we might be counted as perfect before God. Our guilty record has been counted to Him, and His perfect record has been counted to us if we are "in him", if we are those who are united to Him by faith.

This means that, as we walk into the exam hall, we already have ultimate acceptance if we are a Christian. The ultimate exam has already been passed for us by Jesus. Therefore, it ultimately does not matter how well or how badly we do in the exam. We already have ultimate acceptance, and nothing that happens in the exam room (or in absolutely any other context) can change that.

This helps guard against two dangers for us in sitting exams: pride and despair. It guards against pride because the fact that all, regardless of their background, are justified by God's grace alone through faith in Christ alone puts us all on a level playing field. All are equally sinners and deserving of God's wrath (Romans 3:23), and all are declared to be in the right before God, not by anything we have done, but by coming to Jesus with empty hands and trusting in Him alone. It guards against despair because whatever happens in the exam, even if we fail miserably, we still have ultimate acceptance. That acceptance does not depend on anything in ourselves, in our performance or skills, but on God alone. It depends on the perfect finished work of Jesus.

2) Remember that hard work glorifies God
Because we have been accepted by God through Jesus, this frees us up to work hard for His glory. We do not work in order to be accpted by Him, but precisely because we have been accepted by Him. We have been saved by Jesus in order to do good works, which He has prepared in advance for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).

This means that wherever we find God has placed us in life we are to work hard for His glory. Paul calls the slaves in Colosse in whatever they do to "work heartily, as for the Lord and not to men." This is true of whatever work we find ourselves in (it obviously rules us out from certain jobs, since there are some occupations which we cannot do to God's glory, since they are inescapably sinful).

This means that when it comes to working for exams we are to be those who "work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." (Colossians 3:23). We are to give ourselves to working dilligently. This is not in order to look good in front of others, to please men. Rather, it is on order to bring glory to God. When we find ourselves tempted to cut corners or to take that easy route out, let us remind ourselves that hard work glorifies God. Therefore we are give ourselves to dilligent work in the position in life that God has placed us, and to do so in a way that brings glory and honour to God and not to ourselves.

3) Remember that taking time to rest glorifies God
As we saw above, hard work glorifies God. However, it is just as important to recognise that we also glorify God by resting. Our hard work can become an ungodly trusting in ourselves if we do not take the time to rest.

We need to recognise the truth that God is God and we are not. He is the one who is in absolute control of absolutely everything, not us. The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is sustaining the universe by His word (Hebrews 1:3). The only reason that the universe is still in existence is because He is sustaining it. The only reason that our heart is still beating is because He is sustaining it. Everything in this universe is fully under God's control from the largest to the smallest thing; from the revolving of the planets in the solar system, to the slightest stroke of a pen on the exam paper. Nothing is outside His control.

We need to acknowledge this. One of the ways in which we acknowledge this is by taking time out to rest. When we rest we are saying: "You are God and I am not, you are ultimately in control and I am not." The Psalm 127:1-2 tells us:

Unless the LORD builds the house,
those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

We can spend days doing "all-nighters", yet all this will make no difference unless God prospers what we do. He is in control we are not. Excessive hard work can be a sign that we are not trusting God, that we think that what we do relies solely on our strength. When we clock off to make sure we get a full nights sleep, or when we set aside that day off once a week, it is a way of reminding ourselves that He is in control and that we are trusting Him. He can be trusted. Whatever happens in our exams is under His sovereign control, and He is working all things for the good of His people to make them more like Jesus (Romans 8:28).

Therefore, we glorify Him, not by spending time worrying and fretting over our exams and working endlessly through the night. No, we glorify Him by trusting Him. Trusting Him that He has given us the time and resources for what we need. Inded He has given us all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). One of the ways that we show we trust Him is by taking time to rest (and to allow others to rest), showing that we recognise that He is in control not us.

4) Remember that exams are not an excuse to neglect godliness
In light of the abundant mercy that God has shown us in Christ, we are called present ourselves to God as living sacrifices, set apart for His service and pleasing to Him (Romans 12:1). This call to be living sacrifices is something that is to shape every area of our lives, and to do so all the time.

However, we still want to make excuses for neglecting to do this, and our sinful nature loves to take any opportunity to keep us from godliness. So often the exam season can be seen as a legitimate excuse for doing this. Instead of taking time to nourish ourselves by feeding from the Bible, we find ourselves thinking, "It doesn't really matter if I leave that to one side for a couple of weeks, I can survive without it." Instead of recognising that we are utterly dependant upon God for all things by pouring ourselves out before Him in prayer, we plough on in self-confidence thinking "I don't have time for that right now." Instead of giving ourselves to sacraficially serve others, we think that because I'm doing exams others are there to serve me. This is sin.

We must recognise that it is precisely during such pressured times that we need to be working hard at godliness. We need the word of God more than we need our food (Matthew 4:4), and we wouldn't stop eating for two weeks just because we're busy with study. We need to be constantly coming to God's throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), to "recieve mercy and find grace" to persevere in the Christian life, and live in such a way that exalts Jesus. We ought to be daily shaped by the gospel so that we are constantly laying down our lives in the service of others, which brings glory to Jesus as it reflects His unique and ultimate sacrifice at the cross (Philippians 2:1-11). As those who belong to Christ, we are called to have the same mindset as our King (Philippians 2:5), and therefore gladly lay down our lives in the service of others, seeking their good (Philippians 2:3-4; 1 John 3:16).

Therefore, when the pressure of exams starts to build, instead of seeing it as an opportunity to neglect godliness, we ought to be on our guard all the more. It is a time when neglecting godliness becomes much more attractive, and we might even find others encouraging us to do so. Thus, we need to work all the more at loving Jesus and loving others, of making godliness a priority and not letting it get lost among the revision notes.

Keeping these four truths in mind let us be those who use the exam hall as a place to magnify the supreme worth of the Lord Jesus. Whatever we do let us do it "all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Has God predetermined every tiny detail in the universe, including sin?

Quote: No Sacrifice Can Be Too Great

If Jesus Christ be God, and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.

C. T. Studd

LOST

Recently I came across this short video. I don't know anything about Asia Link, the group who made the video. However, I found the video to be extremely challenging, thought-provoking and moving. It sets before us the challenge of taking the gospel to the unreached people groups of the world, and presses us to consider what we are doing to see Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations fulfilled (Matthew 28:19).

Give God the Microphone!

In his book The Priority of Preaching, Christopher Ash has an appendix entitled "Give God the Microphone!". In this appendix he outlines seven blessings of consecutive expository preaching. That is, preaching that takes a book (or section of a book) of the Bible and works systematically through it in a sermon series.

Christopher argues that the staple diet of feeding a congregation ought to be consecutive expository preaching. This does not mean that topical preaching (where the biblical teaching on a certain topic is taught) does not have a place. However, it ought to be the exception rather than the rule. He says: "I am not saying that we ought never to preach topical sermons; I am proposing that the normal regular week by week diet should usually be working through a book of the Bible, and this is the most nourishing basis for the diet of the sheep (ourselves included)."

He then goes on to set before us seven blessings that flow from consecutive expository preaching. Here are the seven blessings:

1) It safeguards God's agenda against being hijacked by ours
Working systematically through a book of the Bible allows us to let God set the agenda for what is heard from the pulpit week by week. It helps keep us from hijacking the teaching with human agendas, influenced by the desires for relevance, entertainment and immediacy. It gives God the microphone allows His word to set the agenda.

2) It makes it harder for us to abuse the Bible by reading it out of context
It helps us to understand the Bible in its contexts, and therefore not to abuse it by twisting it to mean something other than what God has made it mean.

3) It dilutes the selectivity of the preacher
A topical sermon is very likely to reflect the preachers framework, his partial knowledge of the Bible, his prejudices, the bees in his bonnet, and his hobby horses. Preaching consecutively through books of the Bible helps to dilute this.

4) It keeps the content of the sermon fresh and surprising
As each passage is worked through week by week the particularities of each passage shall be brought to light. Consecutive expository preaching asks "What does this passage contribute to the whole of God's revelation?" which makes for a healthy freshness.

5) It makes for variety in the style of the sermon
If we allow the style and tone of the various Bible books to shape the style and tone of our preaching then this will make for a refreshing variety in the style and tone of our sermons as we work through different books.

6) It models good nourishing Bible reading for the ordinary Christian
Topical preaching models a style of Bible reading for the ordinary Christian in which they are dipping in and out of various books of the Bible but not seeing how all the parts fit together. Consecutive expository preaching models a more nourishing style of Bible reading that is much more nourishing and sustainable, as you take a book of the Bible and read through it day by day.

7) It helps us preach the whole Christ from the whole of Scripture
It helps us to have a growing awareness of who Jesus is as the whole Bible testifies to Him, and to build up a picture shaped by the whole of Scripture, not just a few selected key passages. It helps us to proclaim as much of Christ as we can to our people, as we exopse people to as much of the Bibles rich testimony to Him.

Christopher Ash's appendix is worth reading in full, as is the whole of his book.

Tuesday Teaching: The God Who is There (Part 2)

In our Tuesday Teaching slot this week we continue with Don Carson's series The God Who is There, which follows the unfolding storyline of the whole Bible. Here is part 2 which looks at Genesis 3: "The God who does not wipe out rebels".

How Important is the Bible?

John Piper @ GELF Breakfast - Lausanne 2010 from Crossway on Vimeo.

John Stott introduces Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon (1759-1836) was the minister of Holy Trinity Church Cambridge for fifty four years. His ministry has had a huge influence, not only in his generation, but also far beyond his own lifetime through the many young ministers he discipled and through his writings and published sermons. Here is a video of John Stott giving an introduction to Simeons life and ministry, and drawing out lessons from his life.



If you want to do a bit more reading on Charles Simeon, a good place to start is Handley Moule's biography Charles Simeon: Pastor of a Generation (published by Christian Focus).

A Spiritual Cardiograph

What should the Christian life feel like? What ought to be the emotions and affections that we have as a Christian from day to day, and as we face the different circumstances that life brings our way?

This is an important question to think through. The problem is that we don't feel as we ought to feel, we don't desire what we ought to desire, we don't delight in what we ought to delight in, we don't weep over what we ought to weep over. Our affections, desires and feelings are disordered. Sin has affected every part of who we are. This does not mean that we are as sinful as we can be, in His grace God restrains us from this. However, it does mean that there is no part of who we are that is unaffected by sin. Therefore, not only have our actions and our thoughts been tainted by sin, so also have our emotions, desires and affections. All of our person has been impregnated by sin, it has marred the whole of who we are. This is why we find ourselves getting exited by things that are sinful, and being bored with things that are pleasing to God.

What then can we do in order to feel as we ought to feel? How can we re-order our affections and emotions? The way we do this is to allow our desires and feelings to be shaped by Scripture. One of the parts of Scripture that God has provided in particular for this is the Psalms. They both reveal how healthy our emotions and affections are, and help to re-calibrate them so that we feel the way we ought to feel.

Recently I came across these words from a former pastor of mine: "It has been wisely said that the Psalter is a spiritual cardiograph. The more I am at home in the Psalms, the healthier my spiritual condition." That is, the Psalms show us the state of our hearts. They help us to see how healthy our feelings and longings are. The more we read through them the more we see what affections and emotions shaped by the truth of God's word look like. The more we see of this the more clearly we will be able to diagnose how healthy our desires and emotions are.

Another great function of the Psalms is to shape our distorted feelings and desires so that we begin to feel as we ought to feel, delight in what we ought to delight in and weep over what we ought to weep over. Christopher Ash says: "The Psalms give us authorised, authentic response to God and his word." They re-calibrate our emotions so that they are shaped by God's word. This is because the Psalms not only teach us truth about God, they also take that truth and turn it into prayer, they show us how we ought to respond to God's word. One of the things the Psalmists do throughout the book of Psalms is to take the rest of Scripture and turn it into prayer. They show how we ought to respond to the rest of the Bible. In doing so they are re-ordering our ragged desires and emotions so that they are brought more in line with the truth of God's word.

This means that, if we want to feel the way we ought to feel, one of the best ways we can do this is to learn to pray the Psalms. Take them and make them our prayers. One of the ways I have tried to do this is to try and pray through a Psalm a day. Why not try making the Psalms more a part of your prayer life (both private and corporate). Take a Psalm, read it and then turn it into prayer. Let what the Psalmist delights in become what you delight in, let what he mourns over be what he mourns over, let what he longs for be what you long for. The more we do this the more we find that we will become aware of how we ought to feel, and we will find that our affections and emotions become increasingly shaped by the truth of God's word.