Quote: The Blazing Fire

The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.

John Stott.

Why is God just to punish Jesus for our sins?

Following yesterday's post 'The Heart of the Gospel', here is a short video from Phillip Jensen answering the question "Why is God just to punish Jesus for our sins?"

The Heart of the Gospel

At the very heart of the gospel is the question, "How can God be right and say that I am right when I am wrong?" That is, how can a just God declare sinful men and women to be in a right standing before Him?

This is a serious question. God is one "who justifies the ungodly" (Romans 4:5). Those who simply trust in Jesus are counted as righteous. No human judge in a respectable court of law would be allowed to get away with that. Just imagine if, in the face of clear evidence, a judge was to turn around to a murderer or a rapist and say, "I'm going to let it go this time." There would be uproar. Big questions would be asked over the integrity of the judge, and the judicial system. Yet we do not seem to be overly concerned about God's integrity when He declares that sinful men and women are in the right before Him because they trust in Jesus alone. Is God unjust?

This brings us to the very heart of the gospel. We must go to the cross of Christ. It is only here that we can answer the question, "Is God right to say that I am right when I am wrong?" If we are to answer this question we must recognise that the cross is not only the means of justifying sinful men and women. At the cross God is also justifying Himself. That is, God is showing His righteousness. At the cross God shows that He is both just and the justifier of sinful men and women who believe in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). He is declaring that He can act rightly and declare me to be right when I am wrong. At the one and the same time He preserves His justice and justifies the ungodly.

Don Carson in his recent book 'Scandalous' explains this very helpfully. Commenting on Romans 3:21-26 he says this:

The cross is not only the demonstration of God's love; it is the demonstration of God's justice...All of God's justice is worked out in Christ, who takes our curse and penalty in his own body on the tree. That is why Christians speak of satisfying the wrath of God. This expression does not mean that God is up in heaven smirking, "This really satisfies me." It means that the demands of his holiness are met in the sacrifice of his own Son. His justice is satisfied in Jesus' propitiatory sacrifice [a sacrifice that turns aside God's wrath] so that all may see that sin deserves the punishment that he himself has imposed, and the punishment has been meted out. This vindicates God so that he himself is seen to be just, as well as the one who justifies the ungodly (cf. Rom. 4:5). Justification is first and foremost about the vindication of God. God simultaneously preserves his justice while justifying the ungodly. That is the heart of the gospel.

Tuesday Teaching: Colossians (Part 2)

We continue with the second sermon by Phillip Jensen from the book of Colossians, 'Christ Jesus the Lord'.


Phillip Jensen - Colossians #2 from Audio Advice on Vimeo.

John G. Paton and the Gospel in Ireland

Sometime between 1884 and 1885 John G. Paton, Scottish missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu), visited Northern Ireland as part of an eighteen month visit to the UK and Ireland to raise support for the pioneering missionary work in the New Hebrides. In his autobiography he reflects on his short stay in Ireland. What he has to say is a great insight to the situation in Ireland at the time, but also has much to say to those of us involved in, or preparing for, the work of the gospel in Ireland today. Here is the last paragraph of his reflections on his time in Ireland:

No man, however dissevered from the party politics of the day, can see and live amongst the Irish of the North, without having forced on his soul the conviction that the Protestant faith and life, with its grit and backbone and self-dependance, has made them what they are. Romanism, on the other hand, with its blind faith and its peculiar type of life, has been at least one, if not the main, degrading influence amongst the Irish of the South and West, who are naturally a warm-hearted and generous and gifted people. And let Christian Churches, and our Statesmen who love Christ, remember - that no mere outward changes of Government or Order, however good and defensible in themselves, can ever heal the miseries of the people, without a change of Religion. Ireland needs the pure and true Gospel, proclaimed, taught, and recieved, in the South as it now is in the North; and no other gift, that Britain ever can bestow, will make up for the lack of Christ's Evangel. Jesus holds the key to all problems, in this as in every land.

This extract is taken from Paton's autobiorgaphy: 'John G. Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu)', which is published by Banner of Truth.

Just Shut Up!

It's easy to fall in love with the sound of your own voice. Often it seems like you are the only person who makes any sense so you end up talking constantly, offering opinions and perspectives (and no, the irony of saying these things on a blog is not lost on me).

But what happens when this constant chatter infects our Bible study? What happens when we trip over something tricky and have no idea where to go with it? Do we talk, debate, reason it out or even explaining it away?

Again James Ussher provides some insight:

5. Although there be some hard things in the Scripture (especially such as have proper relation to the times in which they were first uttered, and prophesies of things which were afterwards to be fulfilled), yet all things necessary to be known unto everlasting salvation are clearly delivered therein: and nothing of that kind is spoken under dark mysteries in one place, which is not in other places spoken more familiarly and plainly to the capacity of learned and unlearned.

Ussher doesn't shy away from the difficulties in the Bible, instead he meets them head on and helps us to see that what is muddy in one place is often clearer in another.

Therefore, where the temptation may be to debate a difficulty or an apparent inconsistency Ussher says... keep reading. Remembering the attitude of humility he describes in the earlier articles, coming to the Scriptures and gracious asking for God's help in untangling the messy bits so that we might see Him more clearly.

John Piper in the second Tuesday Teaching on The Pleasures of God encourages us all to just shut up for a moment when we come to hard texts, and humble ourselves, recognising or finitude and our need for God's help.

Sometimes what is needed is not more talk but some serious quiet reflection on God as he reveals himself in the Bible, silently rejoicing in the complexities because it allows us more time to sit under the sound of his voice.

Hymn: "I Am Debtor", by Robert Murray McCheyne

When this passing world is done,

When has sunk yon glaring sun,

When we stand with Christ in glory,

Looking o’er life’s finished story,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call,

On the rocks and hills to fall,

When I see them start and shrink

On the fiery deluge brink,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,

Dressed in beauty not my own,

When I see Thee as Thou art,

Love Thee with unsinning heart,

Then Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much I owe.

When the praise of Heav’n I hear,

Loud as thunders to the ear,

Loud as many waters’ noise,

Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know—

Not till then—how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass

Darkly, let Thy glory pass,

Make forgiveness feel so sweet,

Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet,

Even on earth, Lord, make me know

Something of how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,

Wakened up from wrath to flee,

Hidden in the Savior’s side,

By the Spirit sanctified,

Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,

By my love, how much I owe.

Oft I walk beneath the cloud,

Dark, as midnight’s gloomy shroud;

But, when fear is at the height,

Jesus comes, and all is light;

Blessed Jesus! bid me show

Doubting saints how much I owe.

When in flowery paths I tread,

Oft by sin I’m captive led;

Oft I fall—but still arise—

The Spirit comes—the tempter flies;

Blessed Spirit! bid me show

Weary sinners all I owe.

Oft the nights of sorrow reign—

Weeping, sickness, sighing, pain;

But a night Thine anger burns—

Morning comes and joy returns;

God of comforts! bid me show

To Thy poor, how much I owe.

More Fundamentalists Please!

The chances are, if it has not happened already, that you will be labelled a 'fundamentalist' for living a consistent Christian life or for holding to a particular Bible truth. How do you respond to that? What do you say?

Our first reaction might be to recoil in horror that such a word would be used about us. Being described as a 'fundamentalist' seems to put us in the same category as those who use violence and bloodshed to further their religon, and we want to be very careful to distinguish ourselves from them (and rightly should we want to make such a distinction). However, I want to suggest that when someone calls us a fundamentalist for being a Christian, we can respond by saying, "Thank you very much."

Think about it. What is a fundamentalist? A fundamentalist is someone who holds to the fundamentals. That is, someone who keeps the main things the main things. Surely as Christians we want to be those who hold fast to the fundamentals, to the things which are of primary importance? Surely we want to be those who stand firmly on the gospel and godliness which accords with the gospel?

Indeed, the Bible urges us to "...continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel..." (Colossians 1:23). Paul urges Timothy to "...continue in what you have learned..." (2 Timothy 3:14). We vare called to be those who stand immovably on the truth of the gospel. Not only that, but we are also called to "...contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3). We are to fight for the gospel when it is under attack.

Christian leaders are to be those who "...hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it." (Titus 1:9). That is, they are to hold firm to the gospel as revealed in Scripture so that they can faithfully teach it and correct those who teach another gospel.

So, if a fundamentalist is someone who holds firmly to the gospel, the truth which leads to godly living (Titus 1:1), then I am not ashamed to be a called fundamentalist. Why? Because I am not ashamed of the fundamentals. I am not ashamed of the gospel, which is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16-17). If a fundamentalist is someone who refuses to move from the gospel, but who faithfully proclaims it and lives it, then give me more fundamentalists please!

Video: Who Will Go?

Following our posts focussing on world missions yesterday, here are two more videos from John Piper to challenge us with the task set before us as Christ's people. Piper says elsewhere that there are three types of Christians: go-ers, senders and disobedient. The two questions we need to ask ourselves are: "Which am I?" and "What am I doing about it?"

Quote: Good Preaching

Good preaching both
comforts the disturbed,
and disturbs the comfortable.

Video: See the Big Picture

In light of Mark's challenging post earlier today, reminding us of the huge need of the thousands of people groups that have no access the Word of God in their own language here is a short and thought provoking video of John Piper calling us to have a world-wide vision for the work of the gospel.

A Humble Joy

One of the key battle grounds of the protestant reformation was the fight to have the scriptures translated into the language of the people, so that men and women everywhere could read the Bible for themselves.

This was an astonishing paradigm shift; no longer would the priest mediate God’s word to the people, instead they themselves were granted access to the “word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). It is this radical sentiment that Ussher captures for us in Article 4.

The Scriptures ought to be translated out of the original tongues into all languages for the common use of all men: neither is any person to be discouraged from reading the Bible in such a language as he doth understand, but seriously exhorted to read the same with great humility and reverence, as a special means to bring him to the true knowledge of God and of his own duty. (Article 4)

Not only are the Scriptures to be translated but the people are to be “seriously exhorted” to read them!
This may seem like an obvious point but when understood in the light of the 6000+ people groups around the world who have no access to the Bible in their own language it becomes all the more poignant.
It means that having the Bible in our own language should arouse in us a humble joy that God has given us such a gracious gift that we might be brought to “the true knowledge of God”.

In light of this we should also be roused to pray for those who have never heard the name of Jesus. Praying that God would open a way to these people and stir in the hearts of men and women a desire to serve them and see them won for Christ.

For more information and to widen the lens of your prayer life please visit the following sites:
• The Joshua Project
• The Barnabas Fund
• Wycliffe Bible Translators

God's Goodness in Afflicting Us

"The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)

These are the words of a man who has just lost everything. Job has just had his entire livelihood and, more painfully, all of his children wiped out in a single day, and what is his first response? He falls down and worships God (v 20). This is remarkable. Job recognises the utter sovereignty of God. He is ultimately the one who has ordained Job's horiffic sufferings, and Job praises God for it.

Now this brings us to the question 'why?'. Why does a good and loving God ordain suffering and afflictions for His people? Why does God take from His people? Why does He ordain that we face such crushing losses - such as the losing of a wife or a child through death, or the losing of a job, or the loss of health?

When we grapple with these questions, especially in the midst of the fires of suffering, we need to recognise that God's purposes for His people in suffering are good purposes. We need to be able to say with the Psalmist, "I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me." (Psalm 119:75 - emphasis mine).

What, then, might be God's good purposes in taking from us, in making us face loss? There are many purposes that God may have in doing such things. The Puritan writer Jeremiah Burroughs spells out one of these in his book "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment". Here is what he says:

God is contented, he is in eternal contentment in himself; now if you have that God as your portion, why should you not be contented with him alone? Since God is contented in himself alone, if you have him you may be contented with him alone, and it may be, that is the reason why your outward comforts are taken from you, that God may be all in all to you. It may be that while you had these things they shared with God in your affection, a great part of the stream of your affection ran that way; God would have the full stream run to him now.

Why does God take from us? Why does He allow us to face such crushing losses? It is because He wants us to have contentment. He doesn't want us to have our hearts fixed on things that will not bring contentment, but on the one thing that will give true contentment: God Himself. He doesn't want us to seek satisfaction in "broken cisterns" (Jeremiah 2:13), but to know the fullness of satsfaction that only comes from Christ "the fountain of living waters", the one who gives living water that eternally satisfies our thirst (Jeremiah 2:13, John 4:10).

This means that we can say with Job, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21). It means that we can rejoice as the tears roll down our cheeks. Whilst God may be taking something precious from us, the experiece of which is painful, He is doing it in faithfulness. He is doing it so that we might know even deeper the unequalled joy of being satisfied in Christ alone.

Tuesday Teaching: Colossians (Part 1)

We come to the beginning of a new series of talks in our Tuesday Teaching posts. Over the next 6 weeks I'm going to be posting a series of sermons on Colossians from Phillip Jensen, Dean of Sydney Cathedral. If you want to know why we post media of Bible teaching each Tuesday check out our introduction to these posts from the first ever Tuesday Teaching post here.


Phillip Jensen - Colossians #1 from Audio Advice on Vimeo.

A Firm Foundation?

Article 1. The ground of our Religion, and rule of faith and all saving truth is the word of God contained in the Holy Scripture.

This is the first in a series brief reflections on the James Ussher’s ‘Irish Articles of Religion’.
One of the first things that strike you about the articles is that they begin not with God but with the Scriptures. Where modern doctrinal statements prefer to begin with God as trinity, Ussher brings us first to the Bible… but why? Won’t that lead to accusations of ‘Bibliolatry’ (the idolatrous worship of the Bible)?

This is of course not the case because while the starting point may (at first) jar a little, after some reflection you start to appreciate that beginning with the Scriptures clears the path and sets your course through the rest of the Articles.
Instead of walking cautiously though dark water, Ussher pulls the mossy boulders out of the way and gives us a sure footing on what he calls ‘The ground of our Religion’ .

This glorious assertion reminds us that before we can come to weighty doctrine like the Trinity or Justification we must come humbly to where God has revealed himself in such a way that we might be made “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15)

The Scriptures are the sure and true foundation on which our faith rests precisely because God himself is sure and true and the divine author of the 66 books of our Bible. As John Piper puts it, “[The Scriptures are] a rock to stand on when the terrain of ideas feels like quicksand”.

Or in the words of the great hymn but John Keith:

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

You Will Be Eaten by Cannibals!

On the 16th of April 1858 John G. Paton set sail from Scotland as a missionary to the New Hebrides (known today as Vanuatu), a group of islands in the south seas. In November he arrived on the Island of Tanna.

At the time these islands were filled with Cannibals, and Paton was well aware of the cost. Nineteen years previously both John Williams and James Harris were clubbed to death, cooked and eaten on the Island of Erromanga only minutes after arriving on the shore. Sixteen years previously a team of missonaries from London had been driven off Tanna.

Anyone who has read Paton's autobiography will know one of the things that stands out as he writes is his boldness. He was not afraid of risking his life for the sake of other people hearing the gospel. He was prepared to give up his life to bring life to the Cannibals of the South Sea islands.

However, the foundation for such boldness was not in himself. It came from the gospel. He knew the utter security he had in Christ. He knew that Jesus was utterly sovereign and able to preserve him in the midst of any danger or bring him safely to glory, as He saw fit. This gave Paton this remarkable courage to risk everything and to suffer terribly for the sake of seeing Jesus' name honoured and cannibal knees bowing to Him.

A great example of this gospel-founded courage comes shortly before he leaves for the New Hebrides. He has just announced that he is going to leave a thriving urban ministy in Glasgow to go and minister to the South Sea cannibals. Many try to deter him from going. He is given many well-paid offers if he will stay. Paton tells about how one man in particular tried to persuade him to stay, he says:

Amongst many who sought to deter me, was one dear old Christian gentleman, whose crowning argument always was, "The Cannibals! you will be eaten by Cannibals!"

At last I replied, "Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honouring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer."

The old gentleman, raising his hands in a depreciating attitude, left the room exclaiming, "After that I have nothing more to say!"

Where are such men today? Where are those who - because they believe the gospel so deeply, who know and trust the Lord Jesus so intimately and who are zealous for God's glory among the nations - sacrifice all for the sake of seeing Christ glorified by proclaiming Him to a people who don't yet know Him. Where are those who are concerned less about their comfort and more about Christ being honoured? Where are those who care, not for their reputation, but for Christ's?

It is only when we hold fast to the glorious truths of the gospel, as they are revealed in Scripture, and let them transform us more and more that we will grow in increasing zeal for the glory of Christ and boldness for the sake of the gospel.

This extract is taken from Paton's autobiorgaphy: 'John G. Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu)', which is published by Banner of Truth.

"A pipe in my teeth and a pencil in my hand."

Over the coming weeks I (Mark) will be working my way devotionally through James Ussher's 104 Irish articles of religion. I'm not entirely sure what to expect or what contribution I can make on here regarding them.
My hope is that as I am challenged again by the fundamental truths of the articles that the Lord would grant me new insight and new, deeper affections for him.
Before we begin, lets ask some preliminary questions.

Who was James Ussher?
James Ussher was Archbishop of Armagh (Northern Ireland) between 1625-1656. He was a godly man, pastor, systematician and scholar who, apart from anything else, calculated the date of creation to, the early hours of the morning, 26th Oct 4004 BC... and frankly, anyone who can be that accurate deserves a read.

What are the 104 Irish Articles?
They are a collection of doctrinal statements about God, Scripture and the Church designed to define orthodox Christian belief.

Why am I reading them devotionally?
C.S. Lewis answers better than I ever could:
"For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion then the devotional books... I believe that many who find 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find their heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a though bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand"

Video: A Radical Call to Sacrifice

The Bible calls us to radical sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. The Following is a short video, edited together from a John Piper sermon, exhorting us to just that - to glorify God by radical sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. Well worth taking the time to watch and to heed the challenge Piper puts before us.

John Piper Interview

This interview is about 18 months old but is worth bringing to light again. Watched this for the first time with a christian couple who really found it beneficial to hear a man like John Piper talk openly about his struggles in ministry and marriage. It is a truly insightful interview particularly if you are in ministry and/or married.

Top tip: The video is about 50 minutes long so why not watch it with your wife (if you have one!)

Dishonouring God with Puny Prayers

Do you realise that puny prayers dishonour God? When we ask only small things of our Heavenly Father our prayers do not glorify Him as they ought.

Reading through Psalm 119 with an exellent commentary by Charles Bridges, I came across these words in his comment on verse 17: "We may, indeed, be too bold in our manner of approach to God; but we cannot be too bold in our expectations from him. Standing as we do upon such high and sure ground, it is equally dishonourable to him, and impoverishing to ourselves, to ask only a little of him."

Why is it that we dishonour God by asking only a little of Him? Why are puny prayers an offence to God? It seems to me that there are four main reasons why this is the case:

1) It implies that He is not willing to give

That is, it dishonours God's abundant generosity. In the gospel we see revealed the "riches of his grace...which he lavished upon us" in Christ (Ephesians 1:7-8). Indeed, He has saved a people for Himself precisely in order to "...show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7). His people, those who've been saved by grace alone through Christ alone, are to bring glory to Him by publically displaying to the universe His abundant generosity. However, when we hold back from pleading with Him to "Deal bountifully"with us (Psalm 119:17), we can imply that we think He's a bit stingy and unwilling to give. Sometimes we can even think that if we ask too much of Him it might annoy Him, therefore we gingerly put little requests before Him and hold back on praying for big blessings. But big prayers don't anger God. No. He's delighted with them, because they show that His people recognise His abundant generosity. "He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).

2) It implies that He is not able to give

That is, it dishonours His all powerful sovereignty. When God promised Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age, Sarah laughed because it seemed a ridiculous idea that an old barren woman should give birth to a child. However, God replied: "Is anything too hard for the LORD?", Answer: 'No!' (Genesis 18:14). Nothing is too hard for Him. He is the One who has created and sustains all of creation. He is the One who "..does according to him will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'" (Daniel 4:5). He is the one who alone governs the whole of history, ordaining even evil for good (Genesis 50:20), and in the fullness of time shall unite all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:10). Therefore, our prayers are most glorifying to Him when they recognise that we pray to one "...who is able to do far more abundantly than we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).

3) It implies that we do not need much from Him

That is, it dishonours His all sufficiency. The whole of reality, everything that exists was made and is upheld by Jesus (John 1:3; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). This means that absolutely everything is completely dependent upon Him, if He was to stop holding everything together for even a split-second nothing would exist. The only reason that my heart is still beating and my lungs still breathing is that He is sustaining me. Jesus told His disciples, "apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5). We would do well to shape our prayers by this. When our prayers are puny they can give off an air of self-sufficiency or anything-other-than God-sufficiency, this is a huge offence to God. Rather, we should come before Him recognising our complete dependence upon Him. We don't need much from Him, we need everything from Him.

4) It implies that we can get what we need from elsewhere

That is, it dishonours His uniquness. This point follows on from the last. All things are from God (Romans 11:36; Colossians Colossians 1:16). If He alone is the source of all things, then it follows that we have nowhere else to look, we have nothing else that we can trust. If we are looking to other things for what we need, and putting our trust in other things, this is idolatory - putting something (or someone) else in the place og God. Instead we must recognise that: "I am God and there is no other...I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other" (Isaiah 45:22; 42:8), and let our prayers reflect this.

Therefore, let us glorify God with big prayers, both in our private and public prayer lives. Now, please don't misunderstand me - by big prayers I don't mean pleading with Him for a mercedes, a mansion and a million. No, by big prayers I mean biblical big prayers; prayers shaped by Scripture. God has promised us big things in Scripture, therefore let us'claim' these promises in Scripture. Let us pray big prayers with a concern for God's glory among the nations - longing to see more and more knees bow to Jesus. May our prayers ever display the riches of the grace of the one who shall supply our every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).