“Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” I’m not speaking of the television show; I’m speaking of a well taught and catechized covenant child of God of that age. I suggest that if adults on a television program struggle with a 5th Grade response to “What was the 49th state admitted to the Union?” it is doubtful they would know the answer to “What is God?”
Christian and non-Christian alike bemoan the “dumbing down” of America. Sadly the Church did not escape the “dumbing down.” This intellectual decline reduced the Christian faith from a biblical, historic, objective, cognitive religion into a cultural, contemporary, subjective, feel good experience – Christian faith went from “I believe” to “I feel.”
Let me get back to 5th graders. If Christian parents are increasingly unable to articulate their faith imagine how this adversely effects the communication of biblical faith to children. Children learn to pray “Now I lay me down to sleep . . .” which is only one word away in meaning from “Twinkle twinkle little star . . ..” Children are told that Jesus wants them to be “good little boys and girls.” The “gospel” for children is singing “Jesus loves me this I know . . ..”
The Church has not helped the problem. Children often spend their early and teen years in segregated Sunday School hearing the same stories of Noah and the Ark, David and Goliath, and Zacchaeus up in the tree, over and over and over again. Then we move them to Children’s Church to hear moral stories from the Bible and that Jesus loves them after which they color, play and eat snacks. It is uncommon today for children to sit in worship under the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments during their formative years.
The Christian faith “once for all delivered to the saints” is not being passed to the next generation. We have lost the language, the grammar if you will, of the Christian faith. God’s people do not know the words of God – creation, sin, covenant, law, atonement, grace, justification, sanctification and gospel, to name a few. To reengage God’s people with God’s Word is at the heart of another Reformation. To do so is to go against the culture and return to the “ancient paths.”
Every family of God (men, women and children) each Sunday must join with the forever Family of God in corporate worship immersing themselves in the language of their faith; reading, preaching, singing, praying and seeing the Word, with everyone hearing and speaking the covenant language of God. Every covenant believer and family must then learn the definitions of what they hear and speak in God’s house on the Lord’s Day. There is no better way to define what one believes than through “catechesis” - learning the faith through questions and answers in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Before you think the WSC is too hard for you, remember it was written as biblical grammar for children.
Consider the following story related by the American theologian B. B. Warfield –
We have the following bit of personal experience from a general officer of the United States army. He was in a great western city at a time of intense excitement and violent rioting. The streets were over-run daily by a dangerous crowd.
One day he observed approaching him a man of singularly combined calmness and firmness of mien, whose very demeanor inspired confidence. So impressed was he with his bearing amid the surrounding uproar that when he had passed he turned to look back at him, only to find that the stranger had done the same.
On observing his turning the stranger at once came back to him, and touching his chest with his forefinger, demanded without preface: ‘What is the chief end of man?’ (the first question in the Shorter Catechism). On receiving the countersign, ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever’ (the Catechism’s answer) –‘Ah!’ said he, ‘I knew you were a Shorter Catechism boy by your looks!’ ‘Why, that was just what I was thinking of you,’ was the rejoinder.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
“The Covenant Way: The Abdication of Husbands and Fathers”
Consider the man in the average Christian family. A Christian husband and father will usually have a general sense about his duties to provide and protect his family. He will understand that his wife and children need provision and care. He might even acknowledge the importance of spiritual growth for the wife and kids. But when the duty of providing that spiritual leadership falls on his shoulders, the average Christian man begins to look for someone else to carry that responsibility.
Who would you think usually decides where a family goes to church? I suggest it’s probably a group decision (that dad claims as his own) based upon the following considerations:
1. Who has the best program where the children can learn to be good little boys and girls?
2. What church provides the best opportunity for the wife’s spiritual growth?
3. Where is the place we all can feel comfortable with the style of worship?
So the family takes a journey into the marketplace of religion to find the place where everyone can be happy. Dad wants everybody to be happy. If the family is happy he’s happy. Most men want their wives and family engaged elsewhere because when mom and the kids are busy being happy they leave him alone. Men love it when they can “outsource” their role as husband and father.
George Whitefield admonished husbands and fathers – “Let me exhort all governors of families, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, often to reflect on the inestimable worth of their own souls and the infinite ransom, even the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which has been paid down for them . . . and you will no more neglect your family’s spiritual welfare than your own” (emphasis mine).
Each Christian husband and father leads his own covenantal church family with all the duties and privileges that attend that calling. This calling cannot be delegated to others. The faithful Christian man then leads his family to join together with that larger covenant family of God to renew covenant in Christ by Word and Sacrament in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. A covenant home and a covenant church - this is God’s best way to “love your wife as Christ loved the Church” and to see your children and your children’s children embrace the benefits of redemption through the covenant of grace.
Who would you think usually decides where a family goes to church? I suggest it’s probably a group decision (that dad claims as his own) based upon the following considerations:
1. Who has the best program where the children can learn to be good little boys and girls?
2. What church provides the best opportunity for the wife’s spiritual growth?
3. Where is the place we all can feel comfortable with the style of worship?
So the family takes a journey into the marketplace of religion to find the place where everyone can be happy. Dad wants everybody to be happy. If the family is happy he’s happy. Most men want their wives and family engaged elsewhere because when mom and the kids are busy being happy they leave him alone. Men love it when they can “outsource” their role as husband and father.
George Whitefield admonished husbands and fathers – “Let me exhort all governors of families, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, often to reflect on the inestimable worth of their own souls and the infinite ransom, even the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which has been paid down for them . . . and you will no more neglect your family’s spiritual welfare than your own” (emphasis mine).
Each Christian husband and father leads his own covenantal church family with all the duties and privileges that attend that calling. This calling cannot be delegated to others. The faithful Christian man then leads his family to join together with that larger covenant family of God to renew covenant in Christ by Word and Sacrament in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. A covenant home and a covenant church - this is God’s best way to “love your wife as Christ loved the Church” and to see your children and your children’s children embrace the benefits of redemption through the covenant of grace.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
An Objective Faith
Most of American religious life encourages people to look for God within themselves; to go deeper inside until they find that experience that satisfies. When you find that subjective thing deep down inside that scratches whatever spiritual itch one may have – you have found God! This is not just the mantra of a New Age guru, it is increasingly the message of American evangelicalism. Finding that “personal relationship with God” or “making Jesus Lord of your life” has become the task of the believer on his or her spiritual journey. Two things are wrongs with this scenario – 1. Everyone already has a personal relationship with God, and 2. God has already made “this Jesus whom you crucified,” as Peter preached on Pentecost, “both Lord and Christ.”
There are only two kinds of people – those “in Adam” and those “in Christ.” Both kinds of people have a very “personal” relationship with God. Those created by God of Adam’s fallen race know Him in judgment and wrath. Those re-created by God through Christ know Him as Lord and Savior in Jesus. The people “in Christ” did not find Him within themselves. It was God in Christ who came to them, in time, in history, in flesh, on the cross, to die for their sins and be raised again for their justification; it was God who condescended to sinners to save them from the outside in by the preaching, hearing, and believing of the Gospel of God. The “Good News” is a message of what God has done to satisfy His own justice by pouring the full measure of judgment and wrath on Jesus in order to save those who were enemies and haters of God dead in trespasses and sin. To paraphrase Luther, the Gospel is outside of us!
Therefore, when you come to worship on the Lord’s Day your hope will not be found within you, within your heart or experience. The hope of the Christian on the Lord’s Day is found in objective faith in Christ through “ordinary means” apart from ourselves. Christ is our worship leader through Word and Sacrament; He speaks through ink, paper, water, bread and wine; “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone . . .” our high priest forever. Our Righteousness is in heaven!
There are only two kinds of people – those “in Adam” and those “in Christ.” Both kinds of people have a very “personal” relationship with God. Those created by God of Adam’s fallen race know Him in judgment and wrath. Those re-created by God through Christ know Him as Lord and Savior in Jesus. The people “in Christ” did not find Him within themselves. It was God in Christ who came to them, in time, in history, in flesh, on the cross, to die for their sins and be raised again for their justification; it was God who condescended to sinners to save them from the outside in by the preaching, hearing, and believing of the Gospel of God. The “Good News” is a message of what God has done to satisfy His own justice by pouring the full measure of judgment and wrath on Jesus in order to save those who were enemies and haters of God dead in trespasses and sin. To paraphrase Luther, the Gospel is outside of us!
Therefore, when you come to worship on the Lord’s Day your hope will not be found within you, within your heart or experience. The hope of the Christian on the Lord’s Day is found in objective faith in Christ through “ordinary means” apart from ourselves. Christ is our worship leader through Word and Sacrament; He speaks through ink, paper, water, bread and wine; “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone . . .” our high priest forever. Our Righteousness is in heaven!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
For Whom Did Christ Die?
I truly believe that the essential doctrines of the Reformed faith cannot be refuted only disbelieved. Often the pastoral doctrines of grace come to mind as a point of contention and particularly the doctrine of election.
I once had a man who had spent many weeks studying with me about the electing grace of God. At the end of our time together he said, "I cannot disprove what you believe, but I will not believe it!"
If you haven't read the following logical syllogism of the brilliant John Owen read it again and rejoice with me of God's amazing grace.
FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?
The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent
punishment for, either:
1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.
In which case it may be said:
1. That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.
2. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
3. But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?
You answer, "Because of unbelief."
I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!"
I once had a man who had spent many weeks studying with me about the electing grace of God. At the end of our time together he said, "I cannot disprove what you believe, but I will not believe it!"
If you haven't read the following logical syllogism of the brilliant John Owen read it again and rejoice with me of God's amazing grace.
FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?
The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent
punishment for, either:
1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.
In which case it may be said:
1. That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.
2. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
3. But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?
You answer, "Because of unbelief."
I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!"
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Covenant Way: Reforming The Christian Family
Consider the family life of this generation. When you can find the intact family with a dad, a mom and children, you often discover both parents working outside the home with demanding work schedules and precious little time for each other, the children, or God. For single parent homes it’s even more challenging. What’s a parent to do?
Parents work hard to provide the necessities of shelter, food and clothing. Most fathers and mothers cannot imagine doing much more, so they convince themselves that “quality” time with the family is more important than “quantity” time. To fill the parenting void, parents seek out other people and programs in an effort to give their kids a quality education, good personal character, and meaningful achievement. This, of course, justifies working harder to pay others to do what God ordained the family to do.
Why not take advantage of public schools, non-profit organizations, and community activities designed with children in mind? In fact, why not find a church that will take the kids off your hands for a couple hours a week so both dad and mom can have a meaningful worship experience while the children color Bible figures, enjoy a puppet show, and eat snacks? This is simply not God’s best for you or your family.
This is not to say that to take advantage of a community sports program, an artistic learning experience, or even belonging to good social organization is wrong. It is not. But these things cannot take the place of godly fathers and mothers as the primary care-givers and spiritual leaders in the lives of their children. The covenant family united to a larger covenant church family is God's best for us and our children.
Consider these things:
1. Who spends the most time with your children?
2. Who is the primary teacher of spiritual things to your children?
3. Where and how do your children spend their leisure time?
4. What are your children involved in apart from you that you know is your responsibility?
What were the answers to these questions? Who is at the center of your children’s lives? The problems of family are easily diagnosed but difficult to cure. We get accustom to those ways that make life easier for us but are not better for the heritage of God under our care as fathers and mothers. Pray diligently for God to give you the faithfulness to do your duty as covenant parents to His covenant children.
There will be no 2nd Reformation of the Church without a new Reformation of the family.
Parents work hard to provide the necessities of shelter, food and clothing. Most fathers and mothers cannot imagine doing much more, so they convince themselves that “quality” time with the family is more important than “quantity” time. To fill the parenting void, parents seek out other people and programs in an effort to give their kids a quality education, good personal character, and meaningful achievement. This, of course, justifies working harder to pay others to do what God ordained the family to do.
Why not take advantage of public schools, non-profit organizations, and community activities designed with children in mind? In fact, why not find a church that will take the kids off your hands for a couple hours a week so both dad and mom can have a meaningful worship experience while the children color Bible figures, enjoy a puppet show, and eat snacks? This is simply not God’s best for you or your family.
This is not to say that to take advantage of a community sports program, an artistic learning experience, or even belonging to good social organization is wrong. It is not. But these things cannot take the place of godly fathers and mothers as the primary care-givers and spiritual leaders in the lives of their children. The covenant family united to a larger covenant church family is God's best for us and our children.
Consider these things:
1. Who spends the most time with your children?
2. Who is the primary teacher of spiritual things to your children?
3. Where and how do your children spend their leisure time?
4. What are your children involved in apart from you that you know is your responsibility?
What were the answers to these questions? Who is at the center of your children’s lives? The problems of family are easily diagnosed but difficult to cure. We get accustom to those ways that make life easier for us but are not better for the heritage of God under our care as fathers and mothers. Pray diligently for God to give you the faithfulness to do your duty as covenant parents to His covenant children.
There will be no 2nd Reformation of the Church without a new Reformation of the family.
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