Tales of the Visit of a Reformed Pastor to Limerick: Part I

We had a great time with Rev. Stewart and his wife recently. They were here in Limerick for two weeks and three Lord's Day services. If I were to tell everything we did, it would probably take a book, so I'll constrain myself to highlights.

The first thing I should note is that they brought with them copies of Prof. Engelsma's recent pamphlet on the gift of assurance. It is an excellent work, and one that needs broadcasted loud and clear. This area of pneumatology is one without which the Good News is entirely obscured. It's the central reason that the Reformation had to happen - it's the only reason we are not left as orphans - without it we have no earnest of our salvation and we would be of all men most miserable.

"The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light: they that dwell in the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." - Isa. 9:2.

Manuel and I were listening to one of the CDs from the BRF conference about the Holy Spirit, to a lecture that demonstrated the huge significance of the "filioque" in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Wow.

"But ye have an unction from the Holy One [Christ], and ye know all things... But the anointing which ye have received of Him [Christ] abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it [He] hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him." - I John 2:20, 27.

So, the first Lord's Day we heard two excellent sermons, one on Romans 11:1-5 about God's purposes with Israel in the NT age, and one on Stephen the Apologist (Acts 7). On that day as well as the others we heard the voice of Jesus Christ through in faithful and biblical preaching - and I can speak for everyone, by God's grace, when I say that we did not receive it as the words of a man, but as it truly was, the word of God.

"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." - I Thess. 2:13.

Of course, the reason we thank only God for this miracle, not only of the true preaching, but also the true receiving of it, is that it is entirely the mysterious work of His Spirit of truth which gives us the mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:16).

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth; but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." - I Cor. 2:12-14.

I think that is one of clearest passages teaching sovereign grace. This is very humbling and makes me very thankful to God that He has not given to us a spirit of stupor like others; this was explained in the morning sermon on Romans 11:7-8 on the last day Rev. Stewart was with us.

More soon...

How Do I Know God's Will For My Life?

On Thursday, 24th of September, Rev. Angus Stewart gave a lecture entitled, “Guidance: How Do I Know God's Will For My Life”. This included a robust and comprehensive defense of sola Scriptura over against all the insane notions of various kinds of fanatics, charismatics, pentecostals, Arminians, etc. It began by examining all the wild, wacky, and wonderful ideas about guidance that abound today, and which are utterly false and lead people into all kinds of difficulties. I remember as a young Christian in the Methodist church hearing all these ideas about guidance and seriously desiring to be led by God – especially as regards what career to pursue (I had heard no small voice in my head as a call such as the Methodists seemed to speak of, and thought it very easy to fall into being guided by my own desire or pride). I would ask people about it and at various youth conferences I would go to the lectures/workshops on “guidance”.

I guess I heard a few useful things, like letting the Bible fall open randomly and blindly putting your finger on a verse is downright stupid, but I think I knew all those things already - the inituitive Christian hermeneutic militates against it. It all really caused me to despair about what to put on my CAO form for a college course to go to after writing my Leaving Certificate exams. Why? Because I had not heard any “voice” telling me what to do – I did not have the kind of subjective, supernatural, experiential “calling” like the Methodists so often spoke of, and so I assumed that either they were just talking trash or God was determined not to guide me. In the end I made a decision, hoping that I would receive some special supernatural revelation later eventually. This of course seriously harmed my assurance too. If I do not receive such guidance in such a manner, does God really love me? Of course, biblically speaking, to receive a direct revelation from God is to be a prophet, and the prophets, along with the apostles, are laid in the foundation of the church with Christ (Eph. 2:20).

Once the coffin had been nailed firmly shut (and a few more planks hammered on top) on all these unclean spirits of “guidance”, the meat of the lecture was expounded. The all-sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work is the answer to how we are to know God's will for us. A careful distinction was made between God's commands and God's purposes (since these can both be referred to ambiguously as His "will"), and it was highlighted in view of this, that while we can certainly be outside God's will of command by walking in disobedience (in which case we ought to repent), we cannot be outside God's good and perfect purposes. Rev. Stewart proved a number of crucial principles from Scripture, and how God guides us as we apply these wise biblical principles to our circumstances:

• How does God guide Himself? First of all, is His own glory, and His own glory in Christ, and His own glory in Christ in the salvation of His elect church (Col. 1:16ff).
• This model is given in the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13), so we are admonished to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:31-34).
• We are aided by the Psalms by which we teach and admonish one another to be guided rightly (e.g. Psalm 23, 25, 37, 73, 119, 143).
• It is hypocrisy to claim to seek God's guidance if we are not obeying His commandments – of which the ten commandments are a summary, and include the 4th commandment (Exo.20).
• We are guided by many biblical examples, both positive and negative; the patience of Job; the longsuffering of Joseph; and the folly of Jonah.
• Luther famously contended that the Spirit guides us by the Word and prayed that he may be content with this alone – and prayer cannot be a substitute for diligent study of Scripture and thinking biblically, but rather, in prayer we ask that we may be given the ability and willingness to do these things.
• Advice from others is also not a substitute for the above, but ought to be sought in order that we may benefit from the experience and knowledge of others to make more informed biblical decisions (Prov. 11:14; 24:3-7).

The lecture was finished with a few concrete examples of how to apply biblical principles to various key areas of decision-making; dating, church, and employment. See here also concerning work (I Cor. 7:17-24). Finally, Rev. Stewart mentioned decisions in which we cannot clearly see which is better either way, sometimes it is needless to devote much thought to it, such as what brand of beans to purchase, and in others, at least if the more difficult option is taken, it will work for our sanctification (Jas. 1:3). In all these things of course, we must trust that God works all things together for good (Rom. 8:28), even when we make foolish decisions (as sadly we often do - Prov. 24:9). Thank God for another fabulous lecture, soon to be available on Youtube!

Listen to the Bible - not feelings.

Things have been really tough going recently. I don't really understand why, apart from the general reason - my many sins, especially my lack of faith. At times, I am in awe of the cross, and then I lose sight of it and get stuck in rut staring in horror at my depravity.

Has Christ not set me free? How then can I not give Him the praise He deserves? Can my wickedness be so deep that I fail in some many things to honour Christ above all? I know the answers to these questions - scripturally, logically. I believe the answers, but how often my actions do not match my beliefs! How quick is my heart to run after the things which cannot satisfy and which profane the name of my Saviour!

But I am comforted, when I recall, and when I bring to mind (oh, what glorious miracle!), the words of my Saviour. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I remember that it is impossible to serve God and Mammon, and I am in no doubt as to who Christ serves with all His heart and mind and soul and strength - His Father. And I am in no doubt as to the Father's love for the Son!

What despair I would be in if Christ had not preached to me the Gospel and loosed my from my bonds! How devoid of all hope I would be if Christ was not my Saviour. As it is I struggle to overcome feeling down now and again. If not for Christ, I would have no weapon with which to strike against my constant enemies - the world, the flesh, and the devil. If my own feet were to support me, I'd be groveling in the dust with the serpents. But Christ is my Rock who makes me to stand. How glorious a thing it is, that the ground on which I stand does not depend on myself! The only light I can see is that Christ is the all-sufficient Saviour - He will not leave me nor forsake me.

How I long to see Him more clearly, and yet how often I struggle to even find such a longing in me! Why do I not hate wicked apathy as I ought! But Christ will keep me waiting for His deliverance - His rod and staff will guide me down the narrow path. I have no strength of myself - of that I am certain. It seems that the people in the world have plenty of strength, they struggle and succeed in the world, yet I struggle to struggle, and often don't struggle. Yet how much more motivation I have, than they. They live to please themselves, I live to serve Christ who saved me, and yet their perseverance and dedication puts me to shame. And is my longing to be rid of this old man, also selfishness and pride, rather than love for my Creator? A lucid moment is very precious.

I've not been working on my final year project for college as much as I ought to have been. I should have been finished weeks ago. Now I've had the deadline extended and I wonder will I even meet that target. And I tell myself not to get stressed - and depressed. I remind myself of Romans 8:28. I imagine the possibility of failing utterly and tell myself that it wouldn't be the end of the world. And then I feel like it would be. But what business has a Christian to listen to himself - especially a Reformed Christian. Scripture alone is our authority. We must listen God, and not ourselves, for we are filled with lies - our old man in the image of that father of lies, Satan.

I've been keeping up to date with http://www.creation.com/ and they've really been pumping out some great articles. I wanted to share a great quote (not an endorsement) from Louis Berkof:

"Since the entrance of sin into the world, man can gather true knowledge about God from His general revelation only if he studies it in the light of Scripture"

I ended up sharing a few thoughts that have been running through my head for weeks instead though, which is fine. Funny how it came around to a very similar topic - the authority of Scripture. I also need to remember their sufficiency, that same sufficiency of the Holy One who breathed them. May we rest in Him and give Him glory - for He is worthy.