Mountain Top Musings

Thursday, March 15, 2007

THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Eleven
This is Part 11 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ*

Sunday has become a holiday instead of a holy day. I recall as a child (and I’m really not that old) that stores were not open on Sunday. Perhaps they still would not be if Christians didn’t shop there on the Lord’s Day. You might not think that is a big deal, but I do every time I invite someone to church and they answer, “I’d love to, but I’ve got to work.”

We are not trying to be legalistic here. Sunday is not the Sabbath Day (despite how many times you have heard someone refer to it that way). The Jewish Sabbath was Saturday—always has been—and Scripture hasn’t changed. So, if you want to mix law with grace (something Paul got quite hot about—see Galatians) then become a Seventh Day Adventist. The fact is that we are no longer under the law, but under grace. That means I can enjoy a ham sandwich and worship on Sunday, among other things.

But even though we are not under bondage to the precepts of the law, we are to submit to the principles of the Word. The day we worship corporately is not the crucial issue; but that we do set aside a day for rest from our work and devotion to the Lord is an unchangeable principle.

When the legalists of Christ’s day tried to put Him in a Sabbatical straightjacket, Christ taught that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man. The principle established was for our benefit and not our burden.

The first Christians met every day for worship, including the Sabbath. Gradually, however, the first day of the week came to prominence for that was the day Christ emerged from the tomb, victorious over death, hell and the grave. That means Sunday is the Lord’s Day—a day of celebrating His resurrection and worshipping the risen Lord.

What should we do on Sunday? Only that which would honor the Lord! Come to think of it, that would be a good practice every day! See you at the Lord’s House this Lord’s Day!

* Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10. (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

NOW, FOR SOME SOBERING NEWS

I just read this post on the internet that I believed was too important to let pass by. Read it and weep. No--do more than weep--repent!

By Charley Adams Posted: 03/04/2007
The Atheists are Winning
Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary, hosts a daily radio show. He always begins the show with commentary on current events. On 23 Jan 07, he discussed what a couple of secular people had written about Richard Dawkins' book, The God Delusion. One of those people is confirmed atheist Dr. Steven Weinberg, Nobel Laureate and professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Texas. He writes a critique of Dawkins' book in the The Times of London, stating the book didn't need to be written. Why not? ...because the atheists are already winning. The rationale he uses is that "Americans may look religious, may look like they believe in God, but when you actually peel back the surface and start to scratch underneath, you'll discover they don't know much about any belief in God." He also states, "Americans may claim to be Christians, but they have virtually no idea of what Christianity really is. Although most Americans may be sure of the value of religion, as far as I can tell, they're not very certain about the truth of what their own religion teaches." Mohler asks a question of himself, "What's my response to that?" His answer? "All too true."
As a dad, this is incredibly frightening in its implications, both for the world my children will enter as well as for their own souls. It is especially so since it is an observation from someone "outside the camp."
We have a "Christian" society (hey...some huge percentage identifies themselves that way) that is functionally atheist. They don't know Christian doctrine. They don't read their Bibles. They don't evangelize the lost. They don't live lives conformed to the commands of Scripture. They have a societally-based Christianity that adds the Christian faith to their secular world as one more separate piece. There are no absolutes. Multiculturalism and "diversity" reign in everything from schools to work to the marketplace. Absolute truth is nonexistent. Emotions and feelings rule the day, with a therapeutic worldview governing all our problems. Abortion...no problem. Divorce...hey, I have a right to be happy! Fornication...oh, that's such a judgmental word! Sodomy...it's only another kind of love! Exalting motherhood...that's SO patriarchal! Women in the military and dying on the battlefield...hey, there's no difference! And on and on. Sadly, many of these ideas and thoughts are present even in most evangelical circles.
This is the world into which our children will go...one where the only acceptable intolerance is toward a Bible-believing Christian, which is what we are hoping our children will be. Will they be ready for the onslaught? Will they be able to stand? Will they be a faithful witness to their Lord and Savior? Not unless they have been soundly saved and faithfully discipled before they go....
And what of their own souls? If the statistics are correct, 3 of 4 or 4 of 5 (depending on study) of our children will turn from their faith as young adults. If that happens, what good was all else that was done in childhood? The sports, the recreation, the academics, the vacations, the awards, the accolades... not an iota of any of it matters, because your child's soul is bound for hell. They MUST be discipled. You MUST be in their lives, teaching them the Word and living it before them. Your life MUST NOT show your faith as only a moral code. You MUST show them Christ in you! They MUST see a faith that is REAL, that causes you as the Dad (and the Mom) to form a family that honors and reveres the Word of God, living according to God's principles, precepts, patterns, and commands. They have to see it in action; otherwise, their finely-tuned "hypocrite detectors" will quickly see that your faith is a sham. That will set them up for any other system of thought that comes along once they are out of your home. They, too, will become a "Christian" who doesn't know Christ, and will ultimately hear those horrendous words from Jesus as they perish (see my article here on what it means to "perish"), "Depart from Me for I never knew you."
So now you're asking, "How?"
Dad....Read your Bible in consistent quiet time. Pray Bible verses for your family and for each member by name. Expect God to answer those prayers according to the promises of His Word.Apologize sincerely for not leading in devotions/worship previously. (I heard a statistic recently that Barna said less than 1 in 20 evangelical dads have ever led their family in devotions/worship!)Read the Scriptures with your children, no matter how old...even if they roll their eyes and are sullen. Start with a "practical" book...say James, for example. Discuss what God is saying, (and then live it yourself!)
Have family worship, to include prayer...and maybe singing, if possible.
Don't give up. Do it every day; over the phone if you are traveling. Make it a priority in the day. Make it a family habit that is missed by all if skipped.
Do you want to help turn back the functional atheist tide? Do you want to start to lead your family? This is the place to start....
My prayer is for myself and for all dads who read this, that we will take up this challenge for the sake of our families and for the sake of the Gospel....
Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com

May God help me--may God help us all to get to work before it is too late. It's already getting very dark outside.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Ten

This is Part 10 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.*

The Greek word rendered baptism in the New Testament means to immerse. In the common usage of the term in the first-century, as you washed dishes, you would “baptize” (immerse) them. You didn’t sprinkle water on them—that wouldn’t get them very clean!

Baptism is for believers—those old enough to have made a personal faith commitment to Jesus Christ. The order in the New Testament is that someone believed and then they were baptized. For this reason, we do not “baptize” babies.

Baptizing in the name of the Triune God comes from a direct commandment of Christ. When He gave the church the Great Commission, He told us to baptize in that fashion.

The water of baptism has no power to wash away our sins, but it is an outward expression of that spiritual reality. Neither does it have the power to save us, but gives a clear testimony of salvation. Each time it is practiced it is a graphic portrayal of the Gospel—the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Our profession of faith is that we have died to the old life (buried in baptism) and have been raised to walk in newness of life. Further, we declare our conviction that now having eternal life, even though our bodies may be placed in a grave one day, there is going to be a resurrection.

Baptism is the way you become part of a Baptist church.

Being part of the church means that we should participate in another symbolic ordinance—the Lord’s Supper. When we partake of the bread we are remembering the sinless body of Jesus offered up as a sacrifice on the cross for sinners. Partaking of the fruit of the vine reminds us of the blood of Christ that purchased our salvation. The elements do not actually become the body and blood of Jesus, but represent the same.

The Lord’s Supper looks back to an event that redeemed us to God by the blood of the Lamb. The Lord’s Supper looks around to the members of the family of God—our brothers and sisters—as we have communion with them as we commune with Christ. The Lord’s Supper looks ahead to the coming King who reminds us that we are to observe this ordinance until He comes—and He is coming—maybe soon!

* Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12. (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Nine

This is Part 9 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

The Church

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.*

The church administration manual is the New Testament. We are not interested in what man’s religious opinions and church traditions tell us about the nature of the church—but what does the New Testament say?

The church belongs to Jesus. He lovingly bought it with His blood. Christ has the right to direct His church to accomplish His will. It is His body, His bride, and His building. It is described as His field and His flock. Christ is the head of the church—not the pastor, not the deacons, not a pope, priest or presbytery.

This means that the church is autonomous as concerning any earthly power. We are not wed to any secular government, being citizens of the kingdom of heaven. We are not controlled by any ecclesiastical hierarchy, being led of the Spirit of God. That Spirit calls us into the body and bestows grace gifts to equip the church for Kingdom service. A local church functioning as God intends, has a membership that prays and seeks to submit to the Word of God, coming together to carry out her mission.

Although the New Testament occasionally speaks of the church as a universal, spiritual body of all believers, most references are to local assemblies. The local church is where the action is! That local assembly is to be composed of a regenerate membership, committed openly to Christ through baptism, and linked together in the bonds of love to accomplish the Great Commission. The ordinances of the church are baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. As there are two ordinances, there are two offices in the church—the pastors and deacons—these are the elders of the church who provide leadership to the assembly. The Bible acknowledges the indispensable gifts and ministries carried out by women in the church, but in the different roles God has established for the sexes, men are chosen to be the God-ordained elders of the church.

In a day when many disdain the church, and scorn what they call “organized religion,” it is important to note that the heritage of the church of yesterday and the hope of the church of tomorrow speaks of the health of the church of today. The church—Christ’s church—is still alive and well! I’m glad to be a member and servant of the church—the local church; specifically, Pole Creek Baptist Church!

* Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
(Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)

What Happens If a Church Member Hits the Jackpot?

I was faced with that very issue at another church, several years ago. A fellow told me about his sister going to Mississippi, to one of the casinos, and that she had "hit the jackpot." She was going to give the Lord "His part" however. 10% was going into the offering plate--a sizable sum for that country church. I'll return to the story in just a minute.

But first, let me share with you what triggered this line of thought. I read an article from the Executive Director of the Christian Action League in North Carolina. It brought back some memories. Here's what he said:

The Right Frame of Mind: Should the Church Accept Lottery Winnings?
By Rev. Mark H. Creech February 12, 2003
(Agape Press) - There was a time when gambling was considered a vice and a crime in this country. Things have changed. Today, 39 states have state-sponsored lotteries and the church no longer takes a strong stand against gambling.
Approximately six weeks ago, Andrew "Jack" Whitaker of West Virginia announced his plans to donate $17 million -- 10% of his $170 million gross winnings of a Powerball jackpot -- to three Church of God pastors. One of the pastors said, "That's a blessing to have that kind of backing."
Shortly thereafter, David Rush (a Florida man) sent $100,000 from his $14 million Florida Lotto jackpot winnings to the Salvation Army in Naples, Florida. But Salvation Army Maj. Cleo Damon told Rush that he couldn't take his money and returned the check.
A spokesperson for Damon said Damon believed that taking a stand against gambling and then taking winnings from the lottery would have been hypocritical. Yet, Lt. Colonel David E. Grindle (Salvation Army Chicago Divisional Commander) was quick to point out that Damon's decision was purely his own and didn't reflect Salvation Army policy regarding such gifts.
The fact that churches and Christian organizations would even consider accepting gifts from lottery winnings clearly demonstrates how the church has weakened in its opposition to gambling. Have we forgotten that lotteries are a form of gambling, and that gambling is a sin that destroys thousands of lives?
Someone may be quick to say, "That's a sanctimonious overstatement. You can't show one place in the entire Bible where it says: ?Thou shalt not play the lottery.' You can't show anywhere in Scripture where it says: ?Thou shalt not gamble.'" And that is correct, I can't. Still the subject of gambling is not that easily dismissed.
I can't show any place in the Bible where it says: "Thou shalt not watch a pornographic movie." Yet, the Scriptures do talk about the sin of lust and advocate principles that would deny any individual to do anything that would entertain or generate or provide the means for and expression of the sin of lust.
Interestingly, the same Bible that talks about the sin of lust also talks about the sin of covetousness. Those who cannot see the connection between lust and pornography are not likely to see the connection between covetousness and gambling. Nevertheless, gambling is simply a form of covetousness -- a violation of the Tenth Commandment of God.
Covetousness is an inordinate desire for money, property, or something that belongs to someone else. Rex Rogers in his book, Seducing America, rightly says there are only three ways to legitimately acquire property: (1) as a gift, (2) as a payment for labor, and (3) in fair exchange. Anything else is but a form of covetousness -- and gambling certainly doesn't fit any of these criteria.
Simply put, gambling is all about avarice. It is the old desire of something-for-nothing -- the "get-rich-quick" scam.
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, has written: "The Bible is clear on this issue. The entire enterprise of gambling is opposed to the moral worldview revealed in God's Word. The basic impulse behind gambling is greed -- a basic sin that is the father of many other evils. Scripture repeatedly addresses greed, covetousness, and avarice as a sin against God, and often with graphic warning of the destruction that is greed's result. The burning desire for earthly riches leads to frustration and spiritual death."
"OK", someone says. "I understand that gambling is sinful. But what's wrong with accepting gambling winnings for the church?"
Again, this is a matter where there is no definite command in Scripture, but the Bible does talk about the principle of Christian separation. With fatherly concern, the apostle Paul admonished the Church: "Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing" (2 Cor. 6:17).
Of course, this doesn't mean we should retreat into our monasteries to get away from worldly values. Nevertheless, it does mean that we shouldn't knowingly enter into any bond with evil. It's a standard that centers on our ability to have and maintain a credible witness for Christ.
Pastor Scott Thomas understands this principle well. According to Family News In Focus, he faced a very difficult situation several years ago when a deacon in his church offered a portion of lottery winnings for a building fund. Thomas refused the gift and stood on the principle of Christian separation. "I've just always believed that God doesn't need to use chance to build his Church," said Thomas. Furthermore, he added that impoverished people largely play lotteries and the church shouldn't profit on the backs of the poor.
Despite Thomas' opposition, however, the church wanted the money and fired him. They accepted the gift and built the building. As a result, attendance has dropped from 165 to fewer than 50 people a week. Thomas says: "Several of the members have called me and said, “The albatross around our necks is that we are now known as the lottery church.'"
Recently, Pastor John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, wrote an editorial entitled: "Don't Play the Lottery for Me!" Piper's editorial sums up, what I think, ought to be the position of every church on whether to accept gifts from gambling winnings.
. Piper wrote: "We are followers of Jesus. He had no place to lay His head and did not accept the demonic temptation to jump off the temple for the jackpot of instance recognition. The Calvary road is not paved with Powerball tickets, but with blood. The Church was bought once by One who refused the short cut of instant triumph. It will never be bought by those who dream of riches.
"Don't play the lottery for Bethlehem Baptist Church. We will not, I pray, salve your conscience by taking one dime of your plunder, or supporting even the thought of your spiritual suicide. Let the widow give her penny and the laborer his wage. And keep your life free from the love of money."
Indeed, Pastor! We need to be separate as Christians. We mustn't be conformed to this world that we may prove what is "that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2).
Rev. Mark H. Creech (calact@aol.com) is the executive director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc.

Now, back to my former dilemma--what did I do? I went to this sweet lady (she really was) and told her that while I appreciated her devotion to the church and desire to be helpful that it would not be appropriate for me--knowing where the money came from--to accept this gift. It also gave me an opportunity to warn her of the peril she was placing herself in. She took it rather well and gave me assurance that she--a businesswoman--knew better than to plunge deeply into gambling.

But she was hooked. Back to gambling she went--it was an addiction and she poured all her money into this habit--until she lost her family, her business, her home, and so far as I know walked away from the church and has not returned.

Groucho Marx used to emcee a TV show called, "You Bet Your Life." That's the danger you face when you begin to play the lottery, visit the casino, bet on the horses--whatever. You'll not come out ahead. How do you think casinos stay in business? Apparently they are making money and not giving it away! Like that dear woman I mentioned above--if you win, you might become the biggest loser of all. Don't bet your life!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Eight

This is Part 8 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

God's Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.

All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2. (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)

A young seminary student was listening to a debate between Calvinists promoting the sovereign grace of God and a group of the Arminian persuasion (who stress the free will of man). It was a debate so contentious that the class literally divided—one group on one side of the room and the other on the opposite side. Carefully considering the Scriptural arguments on each side, the young man decided he was more in line with the Calvinists. So he walked over to join them and was met with the question, “Why have you come to join us?” His response was, “I came of my own free will!” “Then, you don’t belong here! Get over there with that other bunch!” So, that is what he did. That group greeted him with the same question, “Why have you come to join us?” Without thinking, he honestly answered, “I was sent.” “Then, you don’t belong here! Go away!”

Sometimes, I feel like that young man—that I don’t belong to either camp. Actually I believe in both! Why? That’s what the Bible teaches—the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. If God doesn’t draw us to Christ, we will not come. But if we will not come, then we will not be saved.

How do we reconcile those two seemingly contradictory positions? Spurgeon (a Calvinist with great evangelistic zeal) answered that question, “I never try to reconcile friends.” They are not enemies of each other—but two sides of the same coin—God’s purpose of grace. As we stand on one side of the door of salvation, a sign above reads, “Whosoever will, may come.” But as soon as we walk through that door, and look back, there is another sign that reads, “Chosen from the foundation of the world.”

I know that there was a time in my life that I received Christ as my Lord and Savior, after years of resisting His call and rejecting His claims on my life. With trembling, I know that had I died in my sins, I would have been in hell today and forever. I was responsible for my choice and no one—not a Christian father who set an example for me, not a Christian mother who prayed for me, not a pastor who shared the Gospel with me, not God Himself would be able to fit me for heaven had I insisted on going to hell. Yet, in retrospect, I see the sovereign hand of God directing events, so that I was born in America and not a communist country, taught about Jesus in Sunday School instead of being taken to a mosque, raised in a Christian home rather than by a father and mother who were atheists—and all the other events, large and small that served as prods to drive me along the path to Christ.

That is the amazing grace of God! Some think God unjust that few are saved and that many will be lost. But God would not be unjust to condemn us all, for we are all sinners. The astonishing thing is not that there are people who will be lost, but that anyone will be saved! It is not justice, but mercy that we need and that is available.

That grace is at work in the elect. Who are the elect? They are the “whosoever wills,” and the non-elect are the “whosoever won’ts.” God, in His foreknowledge, is aware of the name of all who will come to Him—and they will come to Him, or He would be mistaken and that cannot be. However, I am still responsible for my choice. We are not automatons mindlessly programmed—mere puppets on a string that God is manipulating. Still—He is God. Salvation is all of grace and for His glory—no room for boasting on our part. We would not even have faith to believe in Him had He not provided it.

Think of the words of John Newton—once such a profane and wicked man deserving condemnation—who penned the immortal hymn, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.... I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see.” We could not save ourselves—only God could. We were lost and not looking for God, but He came and found us. We could not see and only God could open our eyes.

Once we come to Christ, we are kept by Him. The eternal salvation promised is a promise kept—not by our goodness, but God’s faithfulness. We persevere in faith because of the powerful grace of God at work within us. The eighth chapter of Romans begins with “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation!”

If you are having difficulty getting a grip on these truths—don’t worry—let them get a grip on you! Then we will be in good company. The brilliant mind and recipient of exceeding revelation, the Apostle Paul responded to God’s purpose of grace that way:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Rom.11:33-36 NIV)

Thursday, November 09, 2006

THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Seven

This is Part 7 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

Salvation

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior.
B. Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.
C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.
D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.
(Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)

Picture yourself trapped in a burning building. You are screaming for help. There is no way of escape. When hope seems gone, a firefighter chops through an adjacent wall with his ax, lifts you and carries you through the blinding smoke to a ladder. Emerging from the flames engulfing the building, you tearfully, thankfully cry, “I’m saved! I’m saved!”

So, we are in spiritual peril from the judgment of God—the flames of hell threaten to sweep over us. There is no way of escape that we can find on our own. Then Jesus comes. He lifts us out and we are saved. That is a picture of our salvation.

Another picture is of a slave on the auction block. In Bible times, slavery was a grim reality. Think of how brutal it would be to find you are in bondage without hope of release. You cannot free yourself. Then an amazing thing happens. Someone purchases you, and then to your astonishment—they set you free! That is the thought behind the great Gospel word, “redemption”—to set free by payment of a price. The Bible teaches that we are in the slave market of sin, in bondage to Satan, the world, and the flesh. But Jesus paid the price of His own precious blood to liberate us from the shackles of sin.

Regeneration is yet another term used to describe salvation. That is a second birth—a spiritual birth into God’s family. It is a work wrought by the Holy Spirit that makes us a new creation in Christ. By virtue of our first birth we are the children of Adam. We are in the flesh and under the curse of sin—the condemnation of the second death. When we experience the second birth we are children of God. We are in the Spirit and possess eternal life.

A diamond has many facets—each sparkling with beauty—and so it is with our salvation. Another facet of that great salvation is justification. Here is a person on death row—guilty and condemned. But then the word comes that the criminal has been pardoned, the record of their crimes has been expunged from the record. That’s what God has done for us spiritually, and has applied the very righteousness of Christ to our account, so that we can be pronounced just before a holy God.

Still another rich term is sanctification. This means to be set apart. The vessels of the Jewish temple were sanctified—holy unto the Lord—set apart as belonging to God and for His use alone. These vessels were cleansed and marked out for this purpose. So, in sanctification we have been set apart for God, as His special vessels, washed clean by the blood of Christ and identified as His own. Sanctification is positional and progressive. That is, when we are saved we are sanctified—this is our position before God, and nothing can alter that fact that we now belong to Him. But, sanctification is also progressive. We are in the process of being sanctified in our daily walk as we are led of the Spirit to become more and more like Christ.

At last, we will become like Him—fully like Him—and that is glorification. The Apostle John says it this way, “Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” (1 John 3:2 NLT)

So, we have salvation in three tenses:
1) I am saved—saved from the penalty of sin. There is no fear of condemnation for I am redeemed, regenerated, and justified. God has dealt with my sin.
2) I am being saved—saved from the power of sin. God is growing me in grace. As I walk in the Spirit, I am being conformed into Christ’s likeness daily.
3) I will be saved—saved from the presence of sin. Salvation will be complete, consummated in the glory of heaven.

Monday, October 02, 2006

iChurch=me Church

Perhaps it really is, all about me, after all. I read this provocative article from Christianity Today's website and thought it worthy of consideration.

iChurch: All We Like Sheep
Is our insistence on choices leading us astray?
by Skye Jethani

I don't drink coffee but that hasn't stopped me from using the Starbucks across the street from my church as a second office. I sip my overpriced beverage in the armchair near the window. On this afternoon I was meeting Greg and Margaret*—members of our church I'd worked with closely for the last few years.

"We've decided to leave Blanchard," Greg started. "For two months we've been church shopping." Church shopping—where did that dastardly term come from? I thought while gazing out the window at the swarm of suburbanites fluttering between The Gap, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, and Williams-Sonoma.

"We really love Blanchard," Margaret added to soften the blow. "It's been a great church for our family, with a wonderful children's program. Greg and I really like it, but our boys are teenagers now and they prefer the music at Faith Community*." I took a sip of my preferred drink—a tall, no whip, Tazo chai latte. Maybe I should have gotten the low cal, non-fat, grande Earl Grey, with Splenda.

Margaret continued, "Faith Community has so much to offer our family, and I think it's really important to go someplace the boys like. When your kids are teenagers, you'll understand." Having played the evangelical trump card (the kids), Margaret sat back in her chair believing no further discussion was necessary.

"What are you going to do when your boys leave home in a few years?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," said Greg. "Maybe we'll come back to Blanchard."

"I hope you don't," I replied, meaning no malice. I did, however, relish the stunned look on their faces, if just for a moment. "I hope that you commit yourselves so fully to Faith Community—building strong relationships, serving with your gifts, participating in its mission—that you could never see yourselves leaving that church. I really believe God grows us most when we are committed to a community."

For the next hour we had a difficult but edifying conversation about their decision to leave. Then I prayed for Greg and Margaret in the middle of Starbucks, and watched from my chair by the window as they drove away in their SUV, a chrome fish on the tailgate.

From Lord to Label

Christian critiques of consumerism usually focus on the dangers of idolatry—the temptation to make material goods the center of life rather than God. This, however, misses the real threat consumerism poses. As contingent beings, we must consume resources to survive. The problem is not consuming to live, but rather living to consume.

We find ourselves in a culture that defines our relationships by our purchases. As the philosopher Baudrillard explains, "Consumption is a system of meaning." We assign value to ourselves and others based on the goods we purchase. One's identity is now constructed by the clothes you wear, the vehicle you drive, the music on your iPod. In short, you are what you consume.

This explains why shopping is the number one leisure activity of Americans. It occupies a role in society that once belonged to religion—the power to give meaning and construct identity. Consumerism, as Pete Ward concludes, "represents an alternative source of meaning to the Christian gospel." No longer merely an economic system, consumerism has become the American worldview—the framework through which we interpret everything else, including God, the gospel, and church.

When we approach Christianity as consumers rather than seeing it as a comprehensive way of life, Christianity becomes just one more brand we consume along with Gap, Apple, and Starbucks to express our identity.

And the demotion of Jesus Christ from Lord to label means that to live as a Christian no longer carries an expectation of obedience and good works, but rather the perpetual consumption of Christian merchandise and experiences—music, books, t-shirts, jewelry.

Approaching Christianity as a brand (rather than a worldview) explains why the majority of people who identify themselves as born-again Christians live no differently than other Americans. According to George Barna, most churchgoers have not adopted a biblical worldview, they have simply added a Jesus fish to the bumper of their unregenerate consumer identities. As Mark Riddle observes, "Conversion in the U.S. seems to mean we've exchanged some of our shopping at Wal-Mart, Blockbuster, and Borders for the Christian bookstore down the street. We've taken our lack of purchasing control to God's store, where we buy our office supplies in Jesus' name."

I Can't Get No …

During my conversation with Greg and Margaret at Starbucks, I asked how they came to choose Faith Community as their new church. "Did you pray as a family about this decision?" No.
"Did you involve your small group or seek the wisdom of an elder in the decision?" No.
"Did you investigate the church's doctrine, history, or philosophy of ministry?" No.
"Did you base your decision on anything other than what you 'liked'?" No.

Believe it or not, Greg and Margaret are educated professionals capable of making intelligent decisions. How then do we make sense of their impulsive church shopping?

Being fully formed in a consumer worldview, Greg and Margaret intuitively accepted that the personal enrichment and fulfillment of desire is the highest good. As a result, they chose the church that best satisfied their family's preferences without bothering to consult their community, the Bible, or the Holy Spirit to gauge the legitimacy of those desires. After all, in consumerism a desire is never illegitimate, it is only unmet.

People have not always lived this way. Consumers, like the goods they buy, were made not born. The advent of mass production during the Industrial Revolution created previously unimaginable quantities of goods—far more than the market needed. Manufacturers suddenly needed a way to artificially increase demand for their products. Advertising was born.

Ads became the prophets of capitalism—turning the hearts of the people toward the goods they didn't know they needed. They subtly or overtly promised more comfort, status, success, happiness, and even sex to people who purchased their wares. In 1897 one newspaper reader said that in the past we "skipped ads unless some want compelled us to read, now we read to find out what we really want."

Today, according to The New York Times, each American is exposed to 3,500 desire-inducing advertisements every day promising us that satisfaction is just one more purchase away. Rodney Clapp writes, "The consumer is schooled in insatiability. He or she is never to be satisfied—at least not for long. The consumer is tutored that people basically consist of unmet needs that can be appeased by commodified goods and experiences."

This constant manufacturing of desires has created a culture of overindulgence. Obesity, sexual promiscuity, and skyrocketing credit card debt are just a few signs. Although lack of self-control has always plagued humanity, for the first time in history, an economic system has been created that relies on it. Now, if people began suppressing their desires and consuming only what they needed, our economy would collapse. To prevent this, satisfying personal desires has become sacrosanct.

During World War II, for example, the government severely restricted public consumption of certain goods needed for the war effort. Following 9/11, however, Americans were repeatedly told that to refrain from buying, traveling, and continuing our lifestyle was tantamount to "letting the terrorists win."

For consumers, fulfillment of desire is the highest good and final arbiter in making decisions—even deciding where to worship.

Kingdom Competition

It isn't difficult to see the incompatibility of consumerism with traditional Christianity. Scripture champions contentment and self-control, not endless pursuit of personal desire. Unfortunately, teaching and modeling these Christian values is not a high priority in most churches. In fact, many churches use the same techniques pioneered by consumerism to draw people through their doors.

Roger Finke and Rodney Stark, co-authors of The Churching of America, 1776-1990, argue that ministry in the U.S. is modeled primarily on capitalism, with pastors functioning as a church's sales force, and evangelism as its marketing strategy. Our indoctrination into this economic view of ministry may prevent us from recognizing how unprecedented it is in Christian history.
According to Finke and Stark, the American church adopted a consumer-driven model because the First Amendment prohibited state-sanctioned religion. Therefore, faith, like the buying of material goods, became a matter of personal choice. And "where religious affiliation is a matter of choice, religious organizations must compete for members and … the 'invisible hand' of the marketplace is as unforgiving of ineffective religious firms as it is of their commercial counterparts."

This explains why marketing strategies and secular business values are pervasive in today's ministry—we're in competition with other providers of identity and meaning for survival. We must convince a sustainable segment of the religious marketplace that our church is "relevant," "comfortable," or "exciting." (One billboard in my area proclaims, "Kids love our church. It's FUN!") And we must differentiate our church by providing more of the elements people want. After all, in a consumer culture, the customer is king.

When I arrived at Starbucks to meet with Greg and Margaret, I first went to the counter to order a drink. The simple menu on the wall is deceptive. There was a time when ordering coffee meant regular or decaf, cream or sugar. Today, Starbucks provides literally 20,000 beverage permutations.

While enjoying our drinks of choice, Greg and Margaret proceeded to explain how Faith Community Church had multiple services, including Saturday, so they could choose a time that fit their busy schedule. Blanchard only has three services—all on Sunday morning. The youth group had multiple worship teams for their son, a drummer, to play on. Ours only has one. And, because Faith Community was "way bigger" than Blanchard, it had more to offer Greg and Margaret too.

Ironically, they had come to Blanchard years earlier from a smaller church. What goes around comes around, I guess.

Decisions, Decisions

One of the core characteristics of consumerism is choice. With each new option, the shopper is better equipped to construct his unique identity. Customization, creating a product that conforms to my particular desires, has driven businesses to offer an ever-increasing number of choices. This trend is seen most clearly in the iPod. No longer is a listener required to buy an entire CD to enjoy just one song. You now have instant access to millions of songs, and download them individually for a personalized playlist. The demand for more choices also drives modern churches. The goal is to provide religious consumers with as many individualized choices as possible. The latest permutation is "video venues."

At one church, upon arriving each family member can choose the worship setting that fits their personal desire. Simultaneously, grandma can sing hymns in the traditional service, mom and dad can enjoy coffee and bagels in the worship cafe, and the teenagers can lose their hearing in the rock venue. The value of shared experience and congregational unity is drowned out by consumerism's mantra of individual choice.

"The inspiration for what this church is doing," one journalist reports, "comes from a place where freedom of choice and variety are celebrated: the American shopping mall." To which the pioneering pastor responds, "I am very comfortable with a consumer mindset and use that tool to help reach people."

To Meet, or to Discipline Desire?

Consumers demand options, but this poses a problem. Formation into the likeness of Christ is not accomplished by always getting what we want. In ages past, choice was not heralded as a Christian's right. In fact, relinquishing our choices by submitting to a spiritual mentor or community was prerequisite to growth in Christ. Believers were guided through formative and corrective disciplines—most being activities we would never choose if left to our desires. But surrendering control ensured we received what we needed to mature in Christ, not simply what we wanted.

In consumer Christianity, however, church leaders function as religious baristas, supplying spiritual goods for people to choose from based on their preferences. Our concern becomes not whether people are growing, but whether they are satisfied. An unhappy member, like an unhappy customer, will find satisfaction elsewhere. As one pastor enthusiastically said, "The problem with blended services is that half the people are happy half the time. With a video venue, you can say, 'If you don't like this service style, try another one!'"

Ironically, this demand for choice that has fueled the consumer church may ultimately be its undoing. According to George Barna's book, Revolution, 20 million Americans are no longer satisfied with the options available at institutional churches. Instead they're "choosing from a proliferation of options, weaving together a set of favored alternatives into a unique tapestry that constitutes the personal 'church' of the individual."

It's the logical conclusion of consumer Christianity: iChurch.

The new breed of Christian consumers, Barna's "revolutionaries," customize discipleship the way iPod users customize a playlist. They might find encouragement at a community support group, worship at a Third Day concert, listen to a podcast sermon, and read about the topic of the day at the Christian bookstore. While the church as we've known it fades into memory like vinyl LPs.

Divine Butler

Ultimately, our greatest concern should not be consumerism's erosion of the church, but the commodification of God himself. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most of the food, clothing, tools, and furniture people used was made at home or by someone nearby. Every item had a story and person attached to it that was known by its user. A rocking chair had value not only for its comfort, but because Uncle John made it.

Today, as I sit in my favorite armchair at Starbucks enjoying my tea, I have no idea who assembled the chair, who grew the tea leaves, who designed the cup—I barely know the guy with the nose ring behind the counter who poured the hot water. Consumerism has stripped the goods I use everyday from their context—they have no story or value apart from my consumption of them.

Tragically, consumerism has led us to commodify parts of God's creation, too. Sexuality, for example, is commodified through pornography and prostitution. Human life is commodified when we begin thinking a person has a right to live only when wanted.

In our society the only value something or someone has is the value I give it. It should surprise no one that in our culture God also has no value apart from what he can do for me.

Christian Smith, a leading sociologist of religion at the University of North Carolina, after five years of researching the spiritual lives of American teens, concluded that the faith of most teenagers, including those who attend evangelical churches, is MTD: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Smith explains:

"By 'moralistic' I mean being good and nice. … By 'therapeutic' I mean being primarily concerned with one's own happiness in contrast to focusing on glorifying God, learning obedience, or serving others. Finally, by 'deism' I mean a view of God as normally distant and not involved in one's life, except if one has a problem one needs God to solve. In other words, God functions as a combination divine butler and cosmic therapist."

Most teenagers hold this self-centered perception of God because it is the faith most American adults have as well. This god of consumerism shows no resemblance to the Consuming Fire described in Scripture. People may say they believe in Jesus, but the archaic Lord, who calls forth sacrifice, promises suffering in this life, and demands obedience for his glory, the one Barth described as "wholly other" is not what they have in mind. They're thinking of the Jesus that adorns t-shirts and SUV tailgates.

Any resentment I had toward Greg and Margaret quickly waned. Like many others at my church, they were simply doing what they had been formed to do. I may as well be angry at a fish for swimming. Immersed in a consumer culture, Greg and Margaret were simply living like consumers. The truth is I failed Greg and Margaret. I failed to teach them that the core values of consumerism are incongruent with the Christian life. That making choices to satisfy immediate personal desires is not the goal of life.

The church does not exist to supply comfort, ease, and convenient services to religious consumers. And God is not a commodity that exists to make you feel better.

Perhaps I failed Greg and Margaret because I was too busy being a spiritual barista, not a pastor protecting Greg and Margaret from the 3,500 wolves in sheep's clothing they encounter every day. Whatever the reason, because of my failure, that responsibility now rests with the leaders of Faith Community Church.

Skye Jethani is assistant teaching pastor at Blanchard Road Alliance Church in Wheaton, Illinois.
* Names have been changed.
Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.Click here for reprint information onLeadership Journal.Summer 2006, Vol. XXVII, No. 3, Page 28

I would be interested in your take on all this. What do you think?