Proverbs Chapter 2--Wisdom and deliverance

Proverbs 2 continues with the theme of a father exhorting his son. Notice the verbs used in the first four verses--receive/incline to the words and commands of the Father, and cry out/seek wisdom; verse 5 continues: "Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." God is specifically identified in verse 6 as the source of wisdom. Note that the way for God's people to "understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity, yea, every good path" is only through this wisdom that only God gives. What this means is that all wisdom that we see in the world has its source in God--and true wisdom will lead the one who cries out and receives it to the LORD.

Wisdom, though, has a definite effect--positively for the one who has faith, negatively for the one who wallows in unbelief. Notice verse 10 and following: when wisdom "entereth into thine heart"--conversion language--the one converted will find himself delivered from folly. This deliverance is specifically from two types of folly--the "evil man" who "walks in the way of darkness" and the "strange woman" (obviously the adulteress spoken of in later chapters--she shows up often) whose paths lead "unto the dead". So, wisdom delivers from folly--and, as we have seen, folly, when left unchecked, leads to death.

The end of the matter? Seek wisdom from the LORD "as silver, and . . . as for hid treasures". It is the LORD that delivers--but He does so in time and space through the means of wisdom.

Sunday School Lesson, 8/1/04

Introduction to the Old Testament I
Relationship Builders Sunday School
Sunday, August 1 2004

I. Introduction
a) “The great doctrine of the NT is that there is no new doctrine in the NT!”
b) Why and how do we study the Old Testament?
i) Does how we read and study the OT affect how we live today?
ii) Does how we read and study the OT affect how we read the NT?
c) Brief intro to/comments upon Covenant Theology vs. Dispensationalism
d) The OT stories are our stories, and contain the history of our people.
II. The OT forms the background and lays the groundwork for our understanding of all of the Word of God
a) Dt 5 & 6—God’s words are life-giving, and are to be passed on to the generatio to come forever (5:29)
b) Ps 19 (esp vv. 7-14)—note here that the “law” converts!
c) Ps 119:105—a guide for our “path”
d) Prov 2 (esp. vv. 1-9)—the words of the LORD are the source of wisdom, and will deliver from folly
e) Prov 7:1-3—words/commandments/laws are to be “kept”
III. The OT Scriptures are the Scriptures of Jesus and the Apostles
a) Luke 4:1-13
i) Jesus defended himself from the attacks of Satan using the OT Scriptures
ii) Compliment this with Paul’s statement that the “sword of the Spirit” is the “word of God” (Eph 6:17)
b) John 3:1-21
i) Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who knows the OT Scriptures
ii) Jesus rebukes Nicodemus for not understanding that the OT teaches that a man must be born again, born “of water and of the Spirit”, to enter into the kingdom of God (see esp. v. 10)
iii) The implication that Nicodemus, by knowing the OT, should have known this great doctrine of salvation
c) Luke 16:19-31, esp. vv. 27-31
i) Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, tells this parable
ii) In the parable it is Abraham (compare Gal 3:6-9), to whom the rich man appeals, asking him to send Lazarus (who would have to be raised from the dead to do so) to warn them of their danger and point them to salvation
iii) But Abraham tells him that “they have Moses and the Prophets—let them hear them” (v. 29)
iv) Thus, the word that came in the OT is sufficient unto salvation!
d) Luke 24:13-35, esp. vv. 25-27
i) Two disciples on the road to Emmaus
ii) Jesus shows them how all of the scriptures speak of and point to Him (v. 29)
e) 2 Timothy 3:14-17—note that Paul is talking about the OT here

Federal Vision Confusion

The Reformed establishment seems to have been falling over itself in an effort to shout down the "Federal Vision". If you are unfamiliar with the "discussion", this hubbub started after a ministerial conference in 2002 at Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church in Monroe, LA. Four pastors, who included Douglas Wilson, Steve Schlissell, John Barach, and Steve Wilkins (the pastor of AAPC), presented lectures on various topics relating to covenental theology. Some of the teaching at this conference raised eyebrows and hackles, and a not-so-gracious "discussion" ensued (with one denomination in particular declaring all four men "heretics" without anything resembling due process). In response, AAPC held at its 2003 ministerial conference a point/counterpoint discussion between the four presenters from the year before and four men asked to respond to their teachings (Morton Smith, Joey Pipa, R.C. Sproul, Jr., and one other I cannot remember at this time). While this seemed, for the most part, a fairly helpful time of discussion, the parties involved continued to seem to be talking "past" one another; again, one of the respondents dropped the "H" bomb on Wilkins and company (i.e., called what they were teaching "heresy"). An MP3 CD with all of the 2002 and 2003 lectures and Q/A sessions can be purchased here, so you can decide for yourself if this rhetoric was justified.

Later in 2003, Knox Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida held a colloquium, moderated by Calvin Beisner, to try to hash out some of the differences among discussants; papers from both sides of the discussion have been published recently in a book form, available here or here. While a step in the direction of open discussion (at least no one called anyone else a heretic), one still gets the sense that the two sides are talking past each other, and that leaves interested bystanders like me frustrated that no one is really addressing the issues being raised by the men on the Federal Vision side. This problem, in my opinion, has worsened of late, since a conference at Westminster Seminary California and an accompanying issue of Modern Reformation from the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and Michael Horton. The MR issue can be found here, and the WSC conference recordings can be found here. In my humble opinion, both of these have done a massive disservice to the entire debate, especially when one considers how solid groups like the Alliance and Horton's MR have been in the past. In fact, laymen like myself rely on these folks to help us sort through just these kind of issues! I hope in future posts to address what I see as the shortcomings of these critiques, but, for his part, Doug Wilson has dealt nicely with them from his side of the argument on his weblog under the heading of "Auburn Avenue Stuff" found here; see especially the "Yelling at my windshield" posts for his response to the WSC lectures.

In the most recent developments, Steve Wilkins has co-edited a compilation of essays on the Federal Vision thinking, entitled, appropriately, The Federal Vision. This can be found here. I have not made it through all of the essays in the book, but James Jordan's is the most intriguing I've read in a long time. As I said, I hope to post more as I have time and insight.

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Proverbs 1: Wisdom, Repentance, and Delight

I'm beginning a study of Proverbs in my devotional time, and, the Lord willing, hope to post some thoughts here.

The Proverbs, like the rest of Scripture, routinely present an antithesis between faith and unbelief.  Each portion of the Word may present this antithesis from a different angle, but the antithesis is always there.  Proverbs paints that antithesis, at least in this first chapter, as being between wisdom and folly: wisdom is "the fear of the LORD", and folly is the despising of that fear (1:7).  Wisdom rebukes and chastens us, and those that have faith (or wisdom) will turn towards it and away from folly at her reproof (1:23).  Thus, repentance is a vital aspect of wisdom--repentance of folly and of unbelief. 

When we encounter situations in our lives that demand faith--and what situation does not?--to fear the LORD is to be wise, and to be wise is to turn from unbelief and toward faith.  But notice the language of the chapter: wisdom (and, as we're equating them, faith) does not exist in a void--it does something.  To be wise is to act wisely in situations that arise.  The son is told to "walk not in the way of" those despising wisdom.  We are told this elsewhere in Psalm 1:1, and there we also learn that our delight is wrapped up in wisdom and faith.  Faithfulness leads to delightful living, and delightful navigation through difficult situations.  Wisdom equals faithfulness equals delight, so when we are turning from folly and seeking wisdom, we will find ourselves delighting in the LORD and in His Law. 

Faith equals delight in the LORD, and delight means delight in obedience.  Faithfulness shows forth in our actions, and our actions should always be guided by the perfect Law of the LORD.  Repentance equals faithfulness, which equals delight.

Stone Mountain and faithful obedience

I don't know why this trip last weekend to Stone Mountain park made me think so much, but here is another application, this time to child-rearing (and covenant faithfulness!).

As you may know, Stone Mountain is a giant piece of granite that is sticking out of the ground east of Atlanta, Georgia.  Three sides of it are quite steep, requiring a Swiss Alps-style cable car to bring you to the top of it.  Once deposited upon the mountain top, you are free to wander around seeing the sights.  On the three steep sides, there is a fairly stout-looking fence that would prevent anyone who slipped over the side from falling all the way down.

Last week, we were discussing the subject of obedience with our kids, and relating their obedience (both to God and to us) to that of the Israelites right before passing into Canaan.  In Deuteronomy 28, Moses is exhorting the people to remain covanentally faithful--and telling them that if they do so, the Lord will bless them far beyond anything their obedience deserves.  If, however, they were to neglect God and be unfaithful in their actions, the Lord would bring all kinds of curses upon them.

Children often play on the edge of a firm boundary, and the mountaintop of obedience is no exception.  We will set firm rules for our kids only to find them, instead of clustering safely around us, flirting with the very precipice of disobedience.  Why do they push it?  Why, instead of being as gracious as they can to their brother or sister, do they see how ungracious they can be before receiving a warning from Mom or me?  But that is what they do time and again. 

Exhortations to faithfulness and obedience, whether from the Lord or from parents, are always given out of grace for the ultimate goodness of those exhorted.  This was true of Israel in Deuteronomy 28, and its true of my children today.  Neither Israel, nor our children, realize the true danger they are in if they choose to disobey.  Perhaps in our parenting, we need to stress this more--obedience is life, and disobedience leads ultimately to folly and death.  Last week, I asked our children how comfortable they were playing on the top of Stone Mountain, knowing there was a sturdy fence to keep them from slipping off.  Then I asked them what it would be like if there was no fence; where would they play?  Would they be as comfortable playing near the edge?  Uniformly, they said that they'd stay right at the apex, where it was safest.  They realized the danger of straying too far, and reacted to that danger with a move of safety.  "Why don't you treat obedience to us like that?" I asked them.  The danger is (typologically, at least) the same and, past a certain age, there won't be much of a fence, either.  We must exhort them to stay close to the "law" set down by us (and by the Lord)--obey and be faithful, and you will receive abundant life, blessings beyond your dessert.  Stray and you will find folly and death.  Israel received the same instruction from Yahweh, and we should heed it to.  As Jesus said, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love" (John 15:10).   "Obey, for my law is life . . ."

Sunday School Lesson Notes for 7/25/04

Glorification
Relationship Builders Sunday School
Sunday, July 25, 2004

 
I) Introduction
     a)      The end result of Redemption is glorification (WSC Q/A 1)
     b)      Glorification has three objects
          i)        God is glorified in redemption
          ii)       God’s people are glorified in redemption
          iii)     God’s creation is glorified in redemption

II) God’s glorification in redemption
     a)      Ultimately, God has in His sights his own glory in all that he does
          i)        Would seem selfish/haughty if it were a man doing so
          ii)       However, would we want God to seek anything else? (He would not be God!)
     b)      Several aspects of redemption bring glory to God
          i)        God is glorified in the pervasiveness of redemption
               (1)   “all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD” (Num 14:21)
               (2)   see also Isa 11:9, Jer 31:33-34 
               (3)   Entire nations are called upon to give the Lord their glory (Ps 29, 96:7-10), and God is glorified by “increasing the nation” (Isa 26:15)
          ii)       God is glorified in the means of redemption (or, how He does it)
               (1)   Salvation itself is said to glorify the name of God (Ps 79:9, 1 Pet 5:10-11)
               (2)   Salvation and delivery of “thy beloved” causes God to be glorified “above all the    earth” (Ps 108:5-6)
               (3)   God is glorified in the suffering, death, and victory of Jesus (Jn 12:28)
               (4)   Passing over transgressions glorifies the Lord (Pr 19:11, Isa 44:21-23)
          iii)     God is glorified in the effects of redemption, for example:
               (1)   God is glorified in supplying our needs (Phil 4:19-20)
               (2)   God is glorified in setting worship right (Lev 10:1-3)

III) His People’s glorification in redemption
     a)      Individual glorification has its basis in union with Christ
          i)        Jesus will come in his own glory—Titus 2:13
          ii)       Glorified together with Christ—Rom 8:17, Eph 2:5-6
          iii)     the church as a glorified bride—Eph 5:27
     b)      Our glorification is bound up and associated with the coming of Christ in glory
          i)        Glorification is glorification with Christ; that is, there is no glorification outside union with Christ
               (1)   Heresies that argue against this
               (2)   “unknown Christian”
          ii)       we will rejoice when Christ’s glory is revealed—I Pet 4:13
     c)      Other texts
          i)        The wise—those that fear God—shall inherit glory (Prov 3:35)
           ii)       God’s glory is our hope—Rom 5:2
          iii)     God’s glory shall be revealed in us—Rom 8:18, 1 Pet 5:1
          iv)     Glorification is the end of justification—Rom 8:30
          v)      Our being received into union with Christ glorifies us and God—Rom 15:7

IV) Creation’s glorification in redemption 
     a)      The creation eagerly awaits its redemption/glorification—Rom 8:20-23
     b)      Creation will be made new—2 Pet 3:12-13, Rev 21:5
     c)      Reversal of the curse—Rev 22:3,4
          i)        Redemption leads to renewal of “all things”, from renewed men to a new heavens and a new earth
          ii)       The “old order” is not merely destroyed—it is renewed/resurrected (remember, God always works via death and resurrection—this is his pattern for redemption)

Stone Mountain

We took the family to Stone Mountain park outside of Atlanta today.  Apparently, Stone Mountain is the largest formation of granite of its kind in the world, and some daughters of the Confederacy types thought it was a good idea to carve a giant relief of General Lee, Lt. General T.J. Jackson, and Jefferson Davis into its side.  Now, personally, Lee and Jackson (along with J.E.B. Stewart) are some of my all-time heroes (unfortunately but honestly, I know little about Jefferson Davis).  However, a monument such as this seems rather unfitting for men of their valor and faith--they most likely would have balked at such a remembrance (while, I would bet a U.S.A. dollar to a C.S.A. dollar that Lincoln had started planning his monument before he was assassinated).  Men like Lee and Jackson deserve to have their stories--their whole stories, mind you--told to sons and daughters for generations to come, both here in the South and in the rest of the country.  Their legacy, though, would best be perpetuated by sons and daughters of the country they truly loved perpetuating their faith and hope in the Kingship of Christ.  A monument in rock is one thing; thousands of Christian men and women crying out for the "crown rights of King Jesus" to be manifest in their cities, states, and nations is quite another.  My guess is that both of these men (all three, maybe) would choose the latter.  Unfortunately, up to this point in history, all they have is the former.

Thunder and lightning

Last night, we had pass through Dothan one of the most memorable storms I have experienced.  I left work to pick the kids up from our church, and drove through blackness interrupted at least once per second by brilliant flashes of lightning.  Transformers were popping off as I drove around "the circle" that encompasses Dothan, trying to get across town to get to the kids before the "really big stuff" hit (whatever that was).  When I got to them, and piled them into the car, I spent the better part of the evening consoling them (particularly my younger two) and comforting them.  One of the thoughts that came to me as I did so (Leigh was out for the evening) was how comforting it was to realize that we will never be subject to the wrath of God.  Throughout his Word, we read of lightning and thunder being associated with His conquering power and wrath (e.g., Ps 77:17-18, 144:5-6).  Until we experience a real thunderstorm (like the one last night) though, we don't really have a good idea of what that means.  We feel real fear when we see lightning strike a tree in the field--we can barely comprehend the raw power that is in a single bolt of lightning.  Yet, we who are in Christ should feel real comfort when we see that; comfort because we know the wrath of God is monumentally more horrible than that single bolt of lightning and ear-splitting peal of thunder, but we need not fear that wrath because it was poured out for our sakes on Christ.  So, a good thunderstorm should be an occasion to say "Glory to God!"--glory because we are saved from His wrath, glory because He is so powerful, glory because he will judge the wicked, glory because He keeps His promises to us!

Adam, Joseph, Joshua, and Jesus

I've been finishing up the book of Joshua in my recent devotional times; coming to Chapter 24 today, some interesting parallels have come to mind.  (I don't claim any of these as original--I've probably heard some of them, all of them, or some combination of them before.  It just takes awhile for things to sink through my extra-thick calvarium.)  We know, to begin with, that the names "Joshua" and "Jesus" are equivalents of a sort; so, right off, the Lord wants us to make some kind of connection in our study.  The question that comes to mind at the end of Joshua, though, is this:  Why does the author finish the book with the seemingly-random bit of information about the burial of the bones of Joseph? 
 
First, it is important to note that these bones were buried in the same place at which Joshua celebrated the renewal of the covenant between Israel and Yahweh, Sechem.  This was also the very place at which Yahweh appeared to Abram in Genesis 12.  Now, Joseph spends a great deal of time in Chapter 24 detailing some of the events of redemptive history to that point, namely the calling of Abraham and Moses, as representatives, from a land of paganism "on the other side of the flood."  Why would he do that at this point in time?  Furthermore, in the process of telling the story, Joshua also adds the fact that Yahweh has now brought them to "a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not . . . vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat" (24:13).  He then calls upon them to put away false gods and serve and fear Yahweh (24:14-15).  What is the significance of all this?
 
I think we are being asked to make some connections here--there are parallel pictures being pained and refined before our eyes by the Lord, using the brushstrokes of redemptive history.  First, there is a connection between Adam and conquering Israel (under Joshua).  Both were graciously placed in a land not of their making; both were objects of the undeserved favor of the Lord.  Both were called upon to have "dominion" over their land, to cultivate it, to guard it against enemies.  And both were called upon to remain faithful to Yahweh.  Both would fall, too--but fall with the larger view of redemption in mind.  Adam fell (throwing the entire race into sin with him) that the Second Adam might come, bringing glory upon glory to the Lord in the process; Israel would fall, over the course of years, and eventually die, too, finally being removed from the "garden" of God's favor by the Roman Legions in A.D. 70--but, again, that she might, as the Bride of Christ, experience redemption and resurrection, and again bringing glory to the Lord.  The fall of the race of Israel is an Adamic fall--and her resurrection united with Christ is a "Second-Adamic" resurrection.
 
Second of all, there are connections between Joseph and Adam.  In a way, Joseph accomplished (at least in type) what Adam did not.  Joseph entered a strange land as a servant/slave, and eventually rose to a position of power and influence unparalleled in the world at that time.  Joseph, through humility and servanthood, assumed more and more dominion over the greatest empire in the world at that time, all the while serving the monarch, pharaoh.  Joseph accomplished, in a way, what Adam was asked to accomplish, but did not--he was fruitful and multiplied, he filled "the earth" as he knew it with his influence (and Yahweh's).  He served his master as Adam should have served Yahweh.  But even his accomplishments required development in the eschaton--the Abrahamic promise was not completely fulfilled, in that, even in all his dominion, Joseph was still in a strange land.  And that brings us to Joshua ("Jesus"). 
 
Joshua had completed the conquest of the land of Promise, and was now calling Yahweh's people to remember what that Promise was.  He brought them back to the place where the original promise was made, and called them to renew their devotion to Yahweh.  He had, in a way, fulfilled (or Yahweh fulfilled through him) the Promise made to Abraham.  But again, the accomplishment would need further development in the eschaton.  The bones of Joseph--a type of the Second Adam, who accomplished, in type, what the first Adam did not--were buried in the place of promise and covenant renewal.  This second Adam was dead--there was a need for a new and more complete Second Adam in the future.  Joshua, also a type of the Second Adam to come, was also dying--but he had matured the fulfillment of the Promise to another level.  Land was now a reality--but the eschaton was still ahead.  Two "second Adams" would perish in this place of Promise, showing the people (and us) that the real Fulfillment of the Promise was still ahead.
 
Jesus, the Second Adam, would come--He would be the true Adam, fulfilling covenant obligations, protecting and defending the Garden, multiplying his seed through his Bride.  He would be the true Joseph, entering the land as a servant/slave, rising to dominion under His Father's authority, being buried in the Land of Promise in order to rise again and complete the Promise in the eschaton.  He would be the true Joshua, leading the conquest of the "land of Promise"--which is, for Jesus, the nations (Psalm 2:8, and Psalm 110)--and calling people to return in faith and repentance to their covenant-keeping God.  He would complete what those before Him did not.  These are the "riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and . . . the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ" (Eph 1:18-20).  Praise be to God!

Don't get the wrong idea . . .

Lest anyone think I am a kook after reading the last post, I don't think spanking and dying are the same--just similar circumstances. I don't "kill" my children if they disobey, but the temporary discomfort from spanking is a type of "dying" to the sin being disciplined. Sheesh, don't be so sensitive . . .

Redemptive History and Disciplining Children

Recent episodes of discipline in our household have caused me to make a connection. Just today, I was disciplining one of my children for disobedience after church; directions were clearly given and understood, but the "aforementioned child" refused to fully obey them. It made me ask, "Why do you do this? You know I am going to have to discipline you because of this sin; in fact, you have brought "the rod" on yourself. Why do you do it?" Upon reflection, the whole circumstance reminded me of Israel's sin in the face of God's graciousness. "Why will ye die" asked Jeremiah to the stiffnecked people (Jer 27:13). God had graciously chosen them out of all the nations of the earth; He had delivered them from slavery to the greatest nation on the earth at that time, graciously given them the Law at Sinai, sent them prophets to bear them his word, forgiven their backsliding, kept a remnant alive after exiling them in foreign lands, and eventually sent them his very Son. Yet, they chose to die. They chose the path of foolishness, for the Psalmist tells us that it is "The fool that says in his heart there is no God" (Ps 14:1), and that is exactly what they were saying by refusing to hear the word (and eventually, The Word) of the Lord. Israel chose to die, and so the Lord gave them over to "the rod". However, as with our episode today, the purpose of the rod is always to bring reconciliation and redemption. Christ came, and although Israel rejected Him, she would be grown up and completed by Him and through Him. God would refuse to give his people utterly over to ruin--He would redeem them through the rod. Isn't that what discipline is all about? The rod, when administered to our children, is done to lovingly bring our children back from their foolishness, for it alone is the instrument the Lord has ordained to do so (Prov 22:15). "Why would ye die?" the prophet asked Israel; "why would ye die" we ask our children as they foolishly disobey. This pattern of correction vividly demonstrates to our children that, although they have willingly brought this on themselves, this correction, although unpleasant at the time, will restore them to fellowship within our family. Our hope as parents is the same as our God's--that through the rod our children will learn grace, forgiveness, and fellowship. Through the rod, they will know redemption and reconciliation, and the foolishness of turning away from us (and, thereby, turning away from God) will be driven from them. And our Hope is secure, for it is founded upon the very word and promise of God!

The Church and Sodomites

I just finished listening to an excellent sermon by Douglas Wilson entitled "The Real Sin of Sodom". Wilson has, in recent weeks, been unpacking the Church's responsibility for the current situation in which our country finds itself, that of recognizing sodomite marriage as legitimate. I highly recommend that all concerned Christians (yes, all you who want to pass petitions calling for a constitutional amendment defining marriage, etc.) pay attention to what Wilson is saying here, and in his most recent issue of Credenda/Agenda, which can be found here . He places the responsibility for this public sin squarely on the shoulders of the Church. It is a very interesting and provocative read.

New to blogging

This is my first attempt at blogging. I must admit that I am a little apprehensive, but I hope that this will be a good place to communicate with family and friends, interact with current events and issues, and keep up with my own thoughts. It is likely to be a bit clunky for awhile, until I really get the hang of it, so bear with me. Once things get going, I welcome any comments about the posts (just keep them clean--my wife and kids read my e-mail, too!).