Personal Reformation

Today is a nice day to consider my own personal reformation. Not so long ago I was working for the weekend, living for baseball and computer games. Oh, don't get me wrong, I went to church. I was committed to church. I even sang in the choir. I was a deacon. I taught Sunday School. But I had no idea (and to a degree still don't) what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I was quite sure that I had decided to be a believer, and that Jesus was happy to be my friend.

And then things started clashing. What do you mean God chose me? What does Paul mean when he says "elect" or "predestined"? Because these obviously don't mean what they look like they mean. Or do they? I had conversations with a friend (who in retrospect possibly had hyper-Calvinist tendencies) into the wee hours of the morning debating free will vs. predestination.

I began to come around eventually. Some of the influences in my life were the book of Romans, R. C. Sproul's The Invisible Hand, and Southern Seminary. Systematic Theology I & II at SBTS were highly formative, and I continue to benefit from two papers I wrote on God's Sovereignty and Human Freedom and Responsibility and The Problem of Evil.

In the recent days of my personal reformation, I have experienced the joy of real spiritual communion and fellowship with my church, over 160 Piper sermons on Romans, and many discussions about the subject with my best friend.

At this time, I feel like things are culminating at James 1:2-4. In my preaching class this semester we have to preach a sermon (duh). Well, I drew this passage. And the main idea of the passage is that believers should maintain an attitude of joy--even during persecution and poverty. Why? Because trials produce perseverance, and perseverance produces maturity. And maturity is God's design for believers in this life. So, come what may, I am trusting God as he brings about this personal reformation, and I am incredibly grateful that God included me in his saving work.

And, ultimately, "we know that for those that love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

"Give what Thou dost command, and command what Thou wilt." -- Augustine of Hippo

Todd

The Election of Paul

In Acts chapter 9 we find this man Saul terrorizing the church; he sought and received authority from the high priest to arrest men and women who were following Christ. Luke is such a good story teller! Saul is on his way to Damascus to apprehend more believers, when he is himself arrested by God Almighty! Jesus appears to Saul in his glory, convicts him of his sin, blinds him, and commands him to go on to Damascus and wait.

Why do you think Jesus confronted Saul? Because Saul was persecuting the Church? Was Jesus simply protecting the saints from this zealous Pharisee?

Actually, we find in verses 15-16 the answer to this question. The Lord explained to Ananias exactly why Saul of Tarsus was arrested (or elected):

"For he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

Saul did not pray a prayer to be saved. Saul was saved whether he liked it or not; and we know from his writings that he liked it very much (Philippians 1:23). Ananias laid his hands on Saul, prayed that he might be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he baptized Saul without so much as a profession of faith recorded in Scripture! To quote the great theologian, Nebuchadnezzar:

"I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounting as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'" (Daniel 4:34-35)

I find great comfort, and I stand in awe, that God saves or arrests or elects sinners like me despite our best efforts not to be saved. It is true that we must put our faith in God, but we must also realize that God first loved us (1 John 4:19).

I pray that you will be comforted by God's electing purposes!

Todd

"Why Can't They See This?"

Tom Nettles recently wrote this article discussing some of the struggles we face when communicating with brothers who have "an aversion to the Doctrines of Grace." In this article, Nettles explores some of the reasons one might feel such aversion, and he prescribes patience, love, and a gracious attitude to those who seek to "teach for reformation."

Thanks Justin!

Todd

What Calvinism is Not

Tim Challies recently posted a brief definition of hyper-Calvinism, and he does a good job helping us understand the differences between an enthusiastic Calvinist, a 6 or 7-point Calvinist, and a "Calvinist" that takes Calvinism beyond its biblical boundaries.