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Truth & life conference, sessions 1-3

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Our family is currently attending the Truth & Life Conference at our alma mater, The Master’s College. The theme of the conference this year is “Follow Me: Christ-centered Discipleship in a Man-Centered World.” The featured speakers have each delivered one message so far, and all of them have been very refreshing and convicting. Here’s a quick summary of sessions 1-3:

Session 1
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Speaker: John MacArthur
Topic: The Costly Nature of Discipleship
Text: John 15:14f
Summary:
When we speak of having a “personal relationship” with Jesus Christ, we’re not using biblical language. Everyone has a personal relationship with Jesus; He is either their Savior or Judge and Executioner. There are two realities to our relationship with Christ:
1. Jesus is Lord (1 Cor. 12:3; Rom. 10:9-10). This means He has absolute power, authority, ownership, and the right to command.
2. Christians are slaves (1 Cor. 7:22-23). Though often translated “servant” or “bond-servant,” the Greek word doulos is used almost 150 times in its various forms, and it always means “slave.” Slavery is the perfect model for illustrating our relationship with Jesus: We were bought on the slave trade of sin, the high price of Christ’s blood was paid for our lives, we are owned, and we forsake all rights, property, relationships when we follow Jesus.
Personal Reflection:
MacArthur’s word study on doulos was very helpful, and I will definitely look at this word differently when I read the New Testament from now on. Thinking of myself as a slave is crushing to my pride, but also puts this life in perspective by getting the focus away from me, and onto my Lord and Savior. Suddenly, the petty little “sacrifices” in life and ministry that I make for Jesus Christ don’t seem so special when I realize what He has done for me, and that I am only an unworthy slave (Luke 17:7-10).

Session 2
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Speaker: David Wells
Topic: The Cross-cultural Impact of Discipleship
Text: John 20:19-23
Summary:
In the modern evangelical church, it’s “easy to make converts, but hard to make disciples.” But, if a person is not a disciple and genuinely following after the Lord, then they’re not a convert either. This is a world of breathtaking change (just look at technology), but we find our unchanging mission in John 20:19-23. Two points:
1. The abiding foundation truth: Christ has given us His Holy Spirit, which is the means of conviction and regeneration. There is no life apart from the Spirit. There is a boundary between God and man which we cannot overcome. Yet the Son of God was sent into the world, dying for us, and doing what we couldn’t do ourselves.
2. The challenge: Jesus Christ has now sent each of us into the world. He was the “great insider” to human experience, taking on flesh, passing through our experiences, and struggling deeply with temptation. Having acquired our salvation, He now sends us into a world which is increasingly (a) spiritual, yet anti-Christian and (b) multi-cultural. The mission field is now at our doorstep like never before.
Personal Reflection:
As always, David Wells was full of biblical and cultural insight. John 20 is another great passage that parallels our Great Commission in Matthew 28. Our call to follow Jesus in this world is humbling and overwhelming, yet we have the Lord on our side every moment of the way.

Session 3
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Speaker: James MacDonald
Topic: The Cross-cultural Values of Discipleship
Text: Acts 18:24-19:41
Summary:
As we look at the evangelistic ministry of the early church, we are reminded that “the messenger is nothing; the message is everything.” We are not called to endlessly study the culture and become like the culture. Christ crushes the culture! He does this in four ways:
1. Jesus conquers sincere religiousity (Acts 18:24-19:6)
2. Jesus conquers stubborn unbelief (19:7-10)
3. Jesus conquers Satanic strongholds (19:11-20)
4. Jesus conquers shallow secularism (19:21-41)
Personal Reflection:
James MacDonald delivered my favorite line of the conference so far: “Here at The Master’s College, you probably don’t hear this very often: John MacArthur is NOTHING!! … But let me quickly add that James MacDonald is also NOTHING. In fact [turning to MacArthur], I am more nothing than you will ever be!” MacDonald is quite funny and relates very well to the college students. His comments were shallow at times and didn’t always grapple with the text, but his main point was very clear and well-illustrated through this extended narrative in Acts 18-19. Christians are not called to become like our culture in order to reach it. We need to stop being so afraid of this postmodern culture, and just get the gospel out, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to implant the message deep in the hearts of hearers. God is glorified when His gospel is proclaimed, regardless of the response.

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When experience and theology collide

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In the book In God’s Waiting Room, Dr. Lehman Strauss recalls one of the hardest moments in his life:

It was Wednesday, April 14, 1982. Eighteen days had passed since [my wife] Elsie’s stroke. The neurologist in charge requested that I meet with him. I waited expectantly in the corridor outside Elsie’s room. When the doctor appeared his remarks were brief and pointed. “We are making arrangements to move your wife to a rehabilitation center in San Diego.” “What led you to this decision?” I asked. He hesitated. I detected a bit of concern in his delayed reply. I was right. His words came slowly. “There is nothing more that we can do medically for Mrs. Strauss.” He placed his hand on my shoulder and patted it gently. “I’m sorry,” he said, and he walked away.

For a few seconds I stood motionless, my mind almost blank. Then I walked slowly into the room, kissed Elsie, and sat in the chair beside the bed. She spoke first. “What did the doctor tell you?” “He said that you will be transferred to a rehabilitation center in San Diego.” I took her hand in mine. Then I assured her that there was nothing to fear because God was in control. But did I really believe that God was in control?

…We Christians affirm our belief in the sovereignty of God, but our faith is challenged in times of natural upheaval, national disaster, or personal affliction. Pain and poverty, disease and death, sorrow and suffering all tend to cause us to think seriously about God as creator and controller of the world of which we are a part. It is not always easy to believe that God is in control. On that Wednesday in April 1982, my faith was being tested. At that particular moment my mind was not capable of rationalizing the majesty of God’s sovereignty. When I was told the seriousness of Elsie’s condition, I realized that some cherished plans would have to be canceled. Quite frankly, I could not understand God’s reason for this turn of events. But I knew that the Bible contains all we poor mortals need to know. Our Lord said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Perhaps some of you have received news as earth-shattering that. Others have not. But we can all be certain of this: the longer God leaves us in this sin-cursed world, the more we can expect “natural upheaval, national disaster, and personal affliction,” and the more our faith will be challenged. Our increasing encounters with suffering will test our level of trust in God. And in moments like these, when experience and theology collide, we desperately need the message of Habakkuk.

The prophet Habakkuk wrote at a very dark time in Israel’s history. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) had already been destroyed and scattered by the Assyrian Empire. Now, the Southern Kingdom (Judah) was bracing for an immanent attack by the Chaldeans (or Babylonians), God’s new instrument of choice to discipline His people. At that moment, Habakkuk’s experience and theology collided. His “experience” told him that the world was falling apart, that God had forsaken His covenant people, and that God was standing silent while the wicked “swallowed up” the righteous (1:13). Yet Habakkuk’s “theology” told Him that God was sovereign, holy, faithful, and just in all His dealings. How could these facts be reconciled?

The key verse in the Book of Habakkuk, where God finally unravels this mystery, is Habakkuk 2:4. “Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Note the contrast between two kinds of people:

  • The proud. God says that the “proud” (puffed up, inflated) person has a soul that is defective. As a result, the proud will eventually be judged and condemned. The God of vengeance and Judge of the earth will “render recompense to the proud” (Psalm 94:2). In the immediate context, the “proud” describes the Chaldeans, but it extends to all people who are arrogant and self-reliant rather than humble and dependent upon God.
  • The righteous. By contrast, the “righteous” (the morally good, just, fair) will have a “faith” or “steadfast trust” in the Word of God that will cause him to persevere through a trial and patiently wait for God to act. This condition of “righteousness,” is not something we can earn because of any inherent moral goodness. Rather, it is a legal standing before God that occurs when we place our faith in Him. Speaking of Abram, Genesis 15:6 says, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He [God] reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Notice that it is faith alone (not works) that leads God to declare Abram “justified.”

Habakkuk 2:4 is one of the most important verses in the Bible because it summarizes two central truths of Christianity: we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ (Genesis 15:6; Romans 1:17, chs. 1-5), and we persevere by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 6-8; Hebrews 10:36-39). New Testament scholar S. Lewis Johnson said, “ ‘The just shall live by faith’ – it is, without question, near the soul of Pauline theology…Habakkuk’s great text, with his son Paul’s comments and additions, became the banner of the Protestant Reformation in the hands of Habakkuk’s grandson, Martin Luther.” Dr. John Feinberg described this verse as “The key to the whole Book of Habakkuk…the central theme of all the Scriptures.”

Do you have a faith that endures under trial? Or at the first sign of trouble, do you worry, complain, and grow angry? By the grace of God, when our experience and theology collide, let’s live with a steadfast trust in God and cling to the precious promises of His Word.

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The presidential election

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With so many mediocre choices and such a long campaign season, I feel a bit overwhelmed this election. I’ll probably never find a candidate whom I agree with 100% of the time and is also electable. Nevertheless, I would be abrogating my Christian duty and American privilege to just sit on the sidelines.

So, how can I participate in this process as an informed citizen? The TV media seem far too concerned with polls and sound bites to be of any substantive help on the issues. However, I have found the following websites to be useful as I narrow down and prayerfully assess the candidates.

Project Vote Smart is a massive database with voting records, biographical and contact information, interest group ratings, public statements, and campaign finance records of each candidate. They provide information on both current officials and current candidates, and cover both national and local politics.

2008 Election ProCon.org researches the issues they feel are complicated and important, and works to present them in a balanced, comprehensive, straightforward, and primarily pro-con format. Be sure to check out their helpful Candidate Summary Chart.

FactCheck.org describes itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit, “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. They monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Their goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding. After a debate or new commercial is aired, this site will expose all the bogus claims and faulty statistics.

Just one other thought. In the midst of this election year, let’s not forget to pray diligently for our current President, George W. Bush. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul commands us “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” In 2008, Bush may be considered an irrelevant “lame duck” President, but let us remember he is a minister of God (Rom. 13:4) who needs incredible wisdom every day, and still has a quarter of his second term remaining.

Science

Our young earth

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If you want to study creationism, don’t bother visiting most Christian colleges. A recent Answers in Genesis article revealed that more than 90% of Christian colleges and their professors do not hold to young-earth creationism. With the exception of Seventh Day Adventist colleges, it’s hard to find any denominational colleges (Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Nazarene, etc.) that teach young-earth creation. Some independent colleges like The Master’s College, Cedarville University, and Liberty University, hold to six-day creationism, but these schools are few and far between.

Many schools that historically identified as Christian are now opposed to creationism altogether. For example, World Magazine reported last September that Baylor University (Baptist) is hostile to professors who even advocate some form of Intelligent Design. It should not surprise us that many students who enter these colleges holding to young earth creationism are eventually persuaded to embrace some form of evolution.

In spite of these trends, the Bible is surprisingly clear on the age of the earth. In the creation account of Genesis 1, God says He created everything over the course of six days. Light was created on day one. Waters were divided on day two. Land and plants appeared on day three. Sun, moon, and stars were formed on day four. Birds and fish arrived on day five. Finally, all the animals, and God’s magnum opus – man and woman – were created on day six. A common-sense, non-biased reading of the biblical text would seem to indicate these were normal, 24-hour days.

Some, however, contend these “days” of Genesis 1 should be interpreted as “ages” lasting thousands or even millions of years, giving the earth ample time to evolve. Now, it is true that “day” has more than one meaning. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light “day.” This “day” speaks of the “daytime.” Genesis 2:4 speaks of the “day that the LORD made earth and heaven.” This “day” refers to the “period of time” when God created. And then, of course, there’s 2 Peter 3:18 which says, “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” So how can we be sure the “days” of creation in Genesis 1 are 24-hour days? As always, context must determine meaning. Let’s look at the context of Genesis 1.

At the end of each day of creation is a short formula which teaches these are 24-hour days. In 1:5, for example, God says, “And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” The phrase “evening and morning” suggests one complete day, consisting of one full rotation of the earth. Any other interpretation of “day” would make nonsense out of this phrase. Furthermore, the numerical adjective “one” tips us off that God is chronicling an historical event in plain, journalistic language. These numerical adjectives appear throughout the chapter: “one day” (1:5); “second day” (1:8); “third day” (1:13); etc. As James Stambaugh points out, whenever the Hebrew word yom is used with a number in the Bible, it refers to a literal, 24-hour day.

Perhaps by now you’re wondering, “What’s the big deal, anyway? Isn’t this making a mountain out of a molehill? Couldn’t God have created gradually over millions of years if He wanted to?” Unfortunately, there are some major problems to holding any kind of gap theory or theistic evolution:

  • The problem of sin and death. The Bible says death was a curse after man’s fall in Genesis 3, but if the earth is millions or billions of years old before man arrives, then you have to conclude God’s creation wasn’t so good after all. “Evolutionary scientists claim the fossil layers over the earth’s surface date back hundreds of millions of years. As soon as one allows millions of years for the fossil layers – then one has accepted death, bloodshed, disease, thorns, and suffering before Adam’s sin” (Answers Book, p. 42). This attacks the very core of the gospel, which teaches that “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
  • The problem of sola Scriptura. Those who deny a young earth are attacking the authority of Scripture. They are looking at Scripture through the interpretive lens of science, rather than looking at science through the interpretive lens of Scripture. The Bible must always be our starting point. Only God was there, and we must let Him speak for Himself on how He created the universe. If God had the power to create, couldn’t He create the universe with the appearance of age (e.g. starlight)? Furthermore, when we factor in the global catastrophe of the flood in Genesis 6-9, we have both a biblical and scientific explanation for modern geology.
  • The problem of interpretation. If you abandon the literal-grammatical method of interpretation in Genesis 1, then what will prevent you from doing the same elsewhere in the Bible, whenever science, history, or archaeology seem to contradict the biblical record? Once the hermeneutical dam has one crack in it, the entire structure has been compromised, leading to disaster.
  • The problem of sequence. Looking at the fossil record, evolutionists posit that the sun came first, then the earth; dry land came first, then oceans; land animals came first, then birds. But in each of these cases, this evolutionary sequence directly contradicts the Bible.

Rather than trusting the faulty opinions of man, let us hold to the inerrant Word of God, and heed the warning of Charles Spurgeon:

“We are invited, brethren, most earnestly to go away from the old-fashioned belief of our forefathers because of the supposed discoveries of science. What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance. It should not be so, but it is. You are not to be dogmatical in theology, my brethren, it is wicked; but for scientific men it is the correct thing. You are never to assert anything very strongly, but scientists may boldly assert what they cannot prove, and may demand a faith far more credulous than any we possess. Forsooth, you and I are to take our Bibles and shape and mould our belief according to the ever-shifting teachings of so-called scientific men. What folly is this! Why, the march of science, falsely so called, through the world may be traced by exploded fallacies and abandoned theories…” (The Sword and the Trowel, 1877)

Thoughts on Life and Leadership