The Blog of Hobbes

We should always hate sin, but never fear it. To fear sin is to allow it to have an influence upon our lives that denies the realities of propitiation and atonement. We begin to develop a hatred for sin only when we recognise what was required to redeem us, and why it was required.

If we find ourselves at ease with sin, or complacent in the face of it, there will probably be something lacking in our understanding of the purpose, necessity and consequencies of the Cross. Or, we just don’t believe what we understand.

The apostle Paul describes two categories of people who should be anathema, or “eternally accursed”, as the NIV puts it. One category we all know about: those people who preach “a different gospel” (Gal. 1:6-9) should be anathema or accursed. But, most people do not realise that there is another category. In 1 Corinthians 16:22, Paul writes:

If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed [anathema] (1 Cor. 16:22, ESV)

Bad doctrine that obscures the true gospel, and a lack of love for the Lord, are both as bad as each other. A love for the Lord, with an abandonment of the biblical gospel, means nothing. Yet, so many regard a love for Jesus as a sufficient “bottom-line” for being a Christian. It is not. A love for the Lord is only of value if the ‘Lord’ is the person described by biblical revelation, and whose works are described by biblical revelation.

On the other hand, there are those who think a mental, vigorous assent to accurate biblical doctrine is sufficient to be a Christian. It is not. If anyone (including those with accurate Scriptural understanding and assent) has no love for the Lord, let him be anathema.

True biblical christianity requires a love for the Lord and a sound understanding of the gospel. God help me if I do not have either of these, and God keep me from thinking that possessing one in abundance makes up for the lack of the other.

‘I would exhort those who have entertained a hope of their being true converts–and who since their supposed conversion have left off the duty of secret prayer, and ordinarily allow themselves in the omission of it–to throw away their hope. If you have left off calling upon God, it is time for you to leave off hoping and flattering yourselves with an imagination that you are children of God.’

Jonathan Edwards, Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer, in Works, ed. Hickman, 2:74.

“If in fact we believe that our sin properly deserves the wrath of God, then when we experience the sufferings of this world, all of them the consequences of human rebellion, we will be less quick to blame God and a lot quicker to recognize that we have no fundamental right to expect a life of unbroken ease and comfort.”

D.A. Carson, How Long, O Lord?, p47.

What can be achieved in 12 years? How much Scripture can be learned, mediated upon and obeyed? How many prayers can be spoken? How many outstanding Christian books can be read?

According to figures from the broadcasters’ audience research board, the average 75-year-old Briton will have spent more than 12 years watching TV. [1]

Now, I do watch TV, but not much. But, what I do watch is utterly trivial compared to the reality of God, and the grace revealed through Jesus Christ. The weight of God’s glory is entirely absent from TV, which makes time spent watching it incredibly hard to justify.

[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,2016102,00.html

I have been struck by how absurd it is to be a non-cessationist and not to actively seek the things that are claimed to be theologically legitimate and appropriate for the church in these last days. The apostle Paul would surely have found it impossible to tolerate such a view. Indeed, he reminds the Corinthian church three times to seek the spiritual gifts, particularly that they might prophesy:

So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. (1 Cor. 14:39)

Earnestly desire the higher gifts. (1 Cor. 12:31)

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. (1 Cor. 14:1)

If our theology allows for the continuation of the spiritual gifts, then, no matter how we define them, we are bound by the authority of Scripture to earnestly seek them. It is simply not enough to be content with theological accommodation, but must pursue the implications of our theological views. I am not advocating a pursuit of the unbiblical practices of some high profile charismatics. Rather, we are pursuing the gifts as given and distributed by Jesus to his body on earth, and as demonstrated and defined in Scripture.

What is also noteworthy in these quotations from Corinthians, is that Paul does not say we must desire prophecy in principle only. The apostle is asking us to desire prophecy in practice. He is asking for more than a theology of the spiritual gifts, but that “you may prophesy”. In other words, do not seek the gift for the Church in a general sense, but desire to participate in the act of prophesying within the context of the local church

So, if we are non-cessationist by theological persuasion, even if we are not actually practicing the spiritual gifts at the present time, we must be engaged in actively seeking and desiring the manifestation of the spiritual gifts - especially the act of prophesying. If we don’t - if we disregard the Scriptural imperative - is it any wonder that we see such an absence of the gifts in our churches?

I tend to shy away from linking to other blogs, but this is classic. Here it is quoted:

American Idol.
American Idiot.
Stop.

Brilliant.

From “The Valley of Vision” (p14):

Help me to honour thee by believing before I feel,
for great is the sin if I make feeling a cause of faith.

So, why is this a “great sin”? Because it undermines and devalues the role of the Word of God as the foundation of faith. It implies our feelings are more trustworthy, or more persuasive, than God. But, it is “hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17) that God uses to birth faith in us - not by giving us appropriate feelings.

God is always true and trustworthy. Feelings are frequently unreliable and deceitful.