2013 Reformation Society Conference Sanctification Overcoming Modern Challenges.
Just pushing a reminder concerning the free conference sponsored by The Reformation Society of Indiana and the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals at Second Reformed Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis November the 15th and 16th. If you need any additional information contact the Church at (317) 255-7557. Dr. David Murray and Tim Challies will be discussing Sanctification: Overcoming Modern Challenges.
Thanks
RMS
Are Covenantal Baptists Reformed in the Historical Understanding of Reformed Theology
I first posted this on the Puritanboard.com years ago and found it necessary to edit it a bit as time has passed.
Here is a link to Matthew MacMahon’s article ‘What Does It Mean To Be Reformed’ which gives a pretty good historical definition of what it means to be Reformed.
http://www.apuritansmind.com/covenant-theology/what-does-it-mean-to-be-reformed-really-by-dr-c-matthew-mcmahon/
This blog was a response to all of those who were conflicted over Dr. R. Scott Clark’s comments on an old blog post he wrote that no longer exists.
Dr. Clark said, “Calling a Baptist “Reformed” is like calling Presbyterians “Baptist” because they believe in believer’s baptism. The Reformed churches do practice the baptism of unbaptized believers but they also baptize the infants of believers. No self-respecting, confessional Baptist should accept me as “Baptist” and Reformed folk should resist labeling anyone who rejects most of Reformed theology as “Reformed.”
This comment got a lot of attention on his blog back then. Especially since he had a readership that includes many Reformed Baptists. I use to be one of them.
I would agree with this comment by Rev. Matthew Winzer on the Puritanboard.com, “I think the last time this was discussed the consensus was that “reformed” before “baptist” is one thing, and “reformed” on its own is another. Reformed Baptists are just that — Baptists who have become reformed. But they are still distinct from reformed churches.”
Just to clarify some things here, I believe everyone is getting up in arms over terms they have endeared themselves to. Let me give you all an example. A Pastor friend of mine wrote a blog defining what a Reformed Baptist was. http://www.prbctoledo.org/beliefs/convictions/ This of course made some Baptists upset because they wanted to be included as Reformed Baptists but they were dispensational (denying Covenant Theology) or had problems with one of the other points that Pastor David Charles included in his definition of what a Reformed Baptist is. These guys generally are New Covenant Theologians or Calvinistic Dispensationalists as John MacArthur. Just as some of the Calvinistic Baptists were offended by Pastor Charles, many Credo Baptists are finding themselves offended at Dr. Clark’s insinuation that Baptists are not Reformed Theologians.
The term Reformed Baptist is a rather new one in church history. It was developed around the time that Ernest Reisinger was starting to work with Banner of Truth Trust by bringing good Puritan and Reformed writings back to the American Churches. He was the first ordained Preaching Layman in a Presbyterian Church. He was undecided about his position concerning baptism when he was ordained to preach. But he became a Credo Covenantal Baptist as time went on. It has been thought by some that Ernie’s close association with Banner of Truth Trust (A Reformed Publishing Company) and his adherence to the Credo-Baptist position somehow made the two terms come together.
Historic Baptist theology was being rediscovered during this time. Dispensationalism had taken over much of the church in the mid 1900’s. And it is not the Historic Theology of the Reformers. It denies Covenant Theology and formed a new basis of hermeneutics and how others looked at portions of scripture. This dispensational hermeneutic interpreted the Bible in portions claiming that some sections were only meant for the Jews and certain periods of time and other sections were for everyone and others just for the gentiles. Example…Matthew chapter 5 is just for the Jews in the Millennium. This was foreign to Covenant Theology and very unbiblical. Ernie helped in a major way to get the Church back on track by being a representative for Banner of Truth Trust and promoting Covenantal thinking back into the American Church. To the dismay of some, even some Presby’s took up with dispensational teaching.
Historically the Puritan Credo Pastors in the 1600’s were not known as Reformed but as Particular Baptists. They did hold to a Covenant Theology much like the Reformers but more closely to a Covenant Theology that was taught by John Owen and Samuel Petto. The New is not the Old renewed. It is New. They held to a unity of the Covenant of Grace through out the scriptures but more discontinuity between the particular covenants that God had instituted through Abraham, Moses, etc. These Baptists also adhered to the same soteriology of the Reformers. But they held to a different understanding of who was a Covenant Member in the Covenant of Grace. They believed that only the Elect were Covenant Members in the Covenant of Grace. The Confessional Reformers held that the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants were administrations of the Covenant of Grace and that it included both the elect and non-elect per their physical covenantal lineage.
There are Baptists today who call themselves Reformed Baptists because they hold to the 5 points of Calvinism but they are not Covenant Theologians. Some have developed a new theology called New Covenant Theology. Most of its adherents deny the Covenant of Works and some deny one Covenant of Grace believing there are two Covenants which are separate Administrations of Grace. Some may tend to be antinomian in some ways.
The term Reformed (as it has been used in Church history) has been prostituted from the Confessional understanding of what it meant to be Reformed. The word Reformed has lost its historical understanding because of those who wish to be called Reformed when in fact they are not according to Christianity’s Reformed Historical Confessional Standards. (ie. The Three Form’s of Unity, The Westminster Standards, etc.)
When Matthew McMahan challenged me on what Reformed meant, when I first joined the Puritanboard.com, I was slightly offended because he said I wasn’t reformed. I just said he wasn’t reformed enough. I was ignorant about what he meant in its historical theological understanding. I was thinking of Luther, Zwingli, Bullinger, Bucer, Calvin, Bunyan, Owen, and all those during the time of the reformation and thinking that I was following their teachings. But some would say that Luther and Melancthon are not Reformed. I guess it depends on what you are referring to when you say Reformed. I think when a person is defining what Reformed is it matters what a person is referring to in relation to the time period or a system of doctrinal understanding. According to the Presbyterian’s and Reformed Confessional Churches those who are Reformed are those who follow a theology and practice. They are correct. Reformed Theology is based upon an historical and theological understanding.
Reformed Baptists are not Reformed Theologians. They are Particular Baptist Theologians defined by their theology and practice as Reformed Theologians are by their’s.
Be Encouraged,
R. Martin Snyder
Just repressing this for a reminder of the issues that seem to be prevelant but negated in our Reformed thinking today.
The Mosaic Covenant and the Modern Day Justification and Sanctification Controversy.
The big news topic of the day will obviously be the Naval Yard shootings and it should be. Someone who had been entrusted with being a member of the Navy Family had evidently turned on it for unknown reasons at this time. We grasp for answers. But this problem goes back as far as the first two siblings on earth, Cain and Abel. Cain slew Abel out of jealousy and hatred because Abel’s actions were deemed better than his own and he didn’t want to be considered unacceptable or judged to be inferior. The seed of death and sin is ingrained in the heart of mankind since sin entered into the world. Treason, Adultery, and Idolatry have led us into unimaginable acts and heartache. The good thing is that God has given us remedy and grace to know what goodness is and how to return. It is only through His Son. Even though that remedy might seem narrow and exclusive it is a most wonderful remedy of great proportion. It is a sad situation that it is greatly rejected and despised.
I once was challenged by an atheist to consider the evil in the world and that if there was a God he didn’t care about it and should be held guilty for it also. I asked him if he had considered Jesus Christ. The truth that Christ was God, became a man, grew up, lived and worked, was tempted as we are by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, yet without sinning and then suffered a terrible death at the hands of His own creation so that He might reconcile those same violators to God was what I placed before him to consider. He lowered his head with an acknowledging nod that if that was true then God was active and very patient toward evil doers out of love and concern for even the most sinful of men. I then also told him because Christ died and rose from the dead that there is no evil that will go unpunished and no innocent person that will not be recompensed for the evil done to them. We all will stand before God and give account and be rewarded.
He acknowledged that the Historical Christ did suffer unjustly if Christ was who He claimed to be and if the recorded accounts were true. The atheist also acknowledged if these things were true about Jesus then most of his arguments fell apart.
There is a remedy. The problem is that men just love darkness because our deeds are evil and we want to be the ones who determine what is right or wrong based upon how we feel. We want to find fault with God because we don’t want to live righteously or submit to His authority. It is a sad thing we do this and neglect the Love of God in Christ. I neglect it often. I am grateful God is long-suffering and patient with us.
Repentance is a wonderful gift. To people of our generation Repentance (or a call to quit acting badly) is harsh and unloving. That is a shame because repentance actually is a call to return to become loving and righteous again. It is a call for the chance to repair, reconcile, and start over again. We all need that “Second Chance” many times over in life.
Let’s not neglect the fact that there is great evil in the world. But let us also not neglect the fact that God has done something about it and will do more.
Rom 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Rom 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Let’s not neglect the truth and goodness found in the Law of God.
Mat 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
Mat 22:37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the great and first commandment.
Mat 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
2Th 1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—
2Th 1:6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
2Th 1:7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
2Th 1:8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
2Th 1:9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
2Th 1:10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
There is hope and good things to report. We see these things also shine when great evil becomes evident. When evil appears we usually see a common grace of dignity, sacrifice, and heroism stand out. I pray for all of our eyes and hearts to be comforted during these times of great hardship.
Don’t forget this is going to be discussed in the Pacific Northwest OPC on September the 26th.
I am lifting this from an old Puritanboard blog I did a while back.
So this might not come out good for a few days as I have to rework it into this format. I wanted to respond to a few modern Reformed Perspective guys. Specifically a Reformed Prof at Westminster West and a Pastor in Florida.
One of the ways in which the evangelicals are following the mainliners is in the redefinition of “grace.” There is no such thing as “tough grace.” There is tough love and there is tough law but in the nature of things grace cannot be “tough.” Grace is the unmerited favor, approval of God. It is free. It is undeserved. It is transformative. It is sovereign. It is unconditional. It is relentless. It is many things but it is not “tough.” Indeed, the ESV translates Charis (or some word related to it) as “grace” 124 times in the NT. In not a single usage is there an obvious case where Scripture refers to or wants us (the reader/hearer) to conceive of grace as “tough.”
….Yes, there are moral implications for those who are the recipients of grace but it does not help us to re-define grace.
For some reason this doesn’t jive with me. Especially since I see God’s grace being more than just unmerited favor. ‘Unmerited Favor’ is a recently overly narrowed definition of grace. Grace or Charis is defined differently by the scriptures in my estimation. It is unmerited but it is not just unmerited favor.
Grace is more than unmerited favor although it is always unmerited.
In the old strongs greek a partial definition is ….5485
“the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.”
Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language
Grace; (10) Theol. a) the unmerited love and favor of God toward man. b) Divine influence acting in man to make him pure and morally strong. c) the condition of a person thus influenced d) Special virtue given to a person by God.
Harpers Bible Dictionary
grace; The English translation of a Greek word meaning concretely, “that wihch brings delight, joy , happiness, or good fortune.” Grace in classical Greek applied to art, persons, speech, or athletics, as well as to good fortune, kindness and power bestowed by the gods upon divine men, moving them to miraculous deeds.
Webster’s 1828
grace 3) Favorable influence of God; divine influence or the influence of the spirit, in renewing the heart and restraining from sin 6) Virtuous or religious affection or disposition, as a liberal disposition, faith, meekness, humility, patience (proceeding from divine influence).
Examining a few scriptures will also tell you more about grace.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
As Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
Grace and power are synonomous here in the Corinthian passages.
(Tit 2:11-12) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
In Titus Grace teaches.
In short Grace can be monergistic or synergistic. In regard to regeneration it is monergistic. In reguard to the supernatural gifts it is probably monergistic. In relation to the Spirit influencing us to work out our salvation, endure chastisement and discipline, and endure hardship it is probably synergistic.
Also, I think it is gracious and influencing when God influences us by discipline. Discipline is a grace and a means of grace by His Spirit. It is hard when we are disciplined. It isn’t anything that we desire naturally. That is why the book of Hebrews states this….
(Heb 12:5) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
(Heb 12:6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(Heb 12:7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
(Heb 12:8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
(Heb 12:9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
(Heb 12:10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
(Heb 12:11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
(Heb 12:12) Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
(Heb 12:13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
(Heb 12:14) Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
(Heb 12:15) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Grace is much more than the watered down version of unmerited favor. In fact the reason I started studying grace was because we are saved by it through faith. The definition of unmerited favor alone was not what awakened this dead sinner from death. It is what I am kept by also. Yes, it is unmerited but it is also something much much more.
Just my humble opinion. And I aint always correct.
The grace (Charis) of God is prodding and influential. As our Lord said to St. Paul, “It is hard for thee to kick against the goads.”
I didn’t mention who wrote the quote because it jaundices the whole discussion. It becomes a personality issue. It gets sidetracked and the issues don’t get discussed. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful or uncaring of the author’s position nor his office. If he chose to chime in that would be his decision. I wanted to discuss the issue of grace and law. Not the personalities because the personality issue scews it so bad.
I have been thinking about this Law / Grace dichotomy thing a lot. Rich (a friend from afar) was the one who actually helped me out a whole bunch concerning this topic. We had a discussion on the phone one night that jarred my whole understanding. I was thinking like a Modern Day Particular Baptist which is still a far cry from the ‘Unmerited Favor’ only guys, but still very close to what is being taught concerning the Law / Grace issue being taught today. In my understanding I was even misrepresenting Charles Hodge and his thought that a lot of guys in my camp (Reformed) are using to promote the idea of this Law / Grace dichotomy.
BTW, now I prefer to use a different terminology and understanding between Law and Grace. Instead of seeing them as a dichotomy I prefer to see distinctions between them and their connectedness in the Covenant of Grace. They use the words distinction also but mean dichotomy. I prefer the word distintion. It kind of has to do with Calvin’s understanding of twofold grace in Union with Christ.
I was seeing the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace running through the Covenants side by side each other. I was so off base in my thinking I believe. Rev. Winzer tried to show me in a thread on the Puritanbord a long time ago that I was misrepresenting Hodge. Of course I couldn’t see it because I was so jaundiced in my Law / Grace dichotomy.
I am not very good at expressing myself on an intellectual nor scholarly level as some, so I make technical blunders grammatically and theologically. Some of that is because I didn’t retain the my College instruction and much of it has been forgotten after 30 years. So please bare with me.
I see something about the connection between the law and grace that I haven’t seen in the past. I use to see that the law was totally a thing that condemned. It had no redeeming qualities. Without grace that is totally true. But with Grace the law is used from the beginning of post lapsarian time to convert the soul and reveal the nature of God to those who are graced by God. Rich’s discussion with me on the Mosaic Covenant and Ruben Zwartman’s fine influence have completely changed my view of the Law of God when I take in the whole of scripture. Maybe I am not understanding them still but they have challenged my understanding. Even when a whole Nation like Nineveh only hears a strong proclamation of condemnation by God. God graced that King to seek mercy based just upon a pronouncement of condemnation. It was strong and tough for Nineveh to hear the pronouncement.
In the end Jonah was upset with God. Not because Jonah didn’t understand Grace. But precisely because he did and sin had hardened his heart against it for a people that he wanted to see judged for their wickedness.
Let’s play this out…..
(Jon 3:4) And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
(Jon 3:5) So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
(Jon 3:6) For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
(Jon 3:7) And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
(Jon 3:8) But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
(Jon 3:9) Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
(Jon 3:10) And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
(Jon 4:1) But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
(Jon 4:2) And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil…
(Jon 4:4) Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?…
(Jon 4:9) And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
(Jon 4:10) Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
(Jon 4:11) And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
In this instance God didn’t even use a pronouncement of repent and I will spare you. God by His grace just used a pronouncement of condemnation to turn a whole Nation from their wicked ways by His Grace. The Law of the Lord Converted a whole Nation. It greatly reminds me of Psalm 19.
(Psa 19:1) To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
(Psa 19:2) Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
(Psa 19:3) There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
(Psa 19:4) Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
(Psa 19:5) Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
(Psa 19:6) His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
(Psa 19:7) The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
(Psa 19:8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
(Psa 19:9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
(Psa 19:10) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
(Psa 19:11) Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
(Psa 19:12) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
(Psa 19:13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
(Psa 19:14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
The Mosaic and Abrahamic Covenants are purely an administration of the Covenant of Grace in my eyes now. The Grace (Charis) of God is something active and working in the heart of man. The discussion of whether it is earned or not is moot. Unmerited or demerited is not the issue but what it is is the issue for us when we think Covenantally and from a Covenantal framework. The First Covenant with Adam already settles that matter.
The Covenants proceeding after the First one with the First Adam offer hope and direction back to God. They influence the heart of those who are dead in sin to and called of God to return and have a circumcised heart. There is a constant call for repentance in them. That is totally of grace. The law (or declaration of condemnation) is a part of that influencing factor by Grace illuminating it.
Anyways, I know that I am probably not saying it as clearly nor as thought out as I should. Please bare with me in this. I just wanted to discuss this and put aside the personality factors.
BTW, there are many who do not believe Jonah is real. But Jesus said,”Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.”
I believe Jesus that in the judgement they will judge.
My Pastor Preached a wonderful Sermon to which the recording died half way through due a technology glitch. So I encouraged him to write a blog post on it. I was greatly encouraged to look back and beyond in prayer for the world by the thoughts expressed here.
This was published over at Gentle Reformation.
http://gentlereformation.org/2013/08/20/persecution-bring-it-on/
It is not uncommon to hear Christians say something like “Maybe persecution would be good for the church in our culture.” Certainly, the church of Jesus Christ in the West has too-often strayed from Biblical truth in recent decades and centuries, in spite of enjoying great peace and freedom. Now, we see the judgment of God in our culture in various ways as a result. Some people are bracing for intense persecution of the church as a presumed certainty. Would it be good for the church today? God alone knows, and he will accomplish all his holy purpose.
A better question for us to ask is “What kind of attitude should we have towards persecution and the future of the church in the West?” Some Christians almost seem to have a “bring it on!” attitude because of the purification that has come in past ages through such suffering. The motive is not all wrong; people want to see Jesus glorified, and they are willing to die for it. There is also a desire for purity and holiness. However, those desires must be shaped by the pure and holy word of God. So, what kind of attitude should we have toward persecution and the future of the church in the West? Here are five truths that will help shape our attitude:
1. We should expect persecution through the ages. Jesus said “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Paul affirmed the same when he wrote to Timothy “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). History teaches that persecution will vary in intensity. With the expectation of persecution, we should also know that God uses even the wrath of man to praise him (Psalm 76:10), that affliction will bring greater spiritual maturity in some (Psa 119:67, 71), and that the Lord will cause all things to work together for the good of his people (Romans 8:28).
2. We should abhor the ungodliness and injustice that drives persecution. Proverbs 6:16-17 teaches that ‘There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him,” including “hands that shed innocent blood.” We are called to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We should not desire injustice on earth in any way. If our desire is truly for the glory of God, then we cannot desire the multiplication of sin on earth. We cannot say “Let others sin that good may come.” This truth should also lead us to pray for saints presently suffering and to “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).
3. We should pray against persecution. As noted, we are taught in the Lord’s Prayer to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Biblical examples of prayers for peace abound; here is a small sample:
4. We should learn from history not to romanticize persecution, especially intense persecution. Sitting in a Roman jail, Paul confessed that his imprisonment had really served the advance of the gospel, because the whole imperial guard had heard the gospel and the believers had grown in boldness by watching Paul suffer (Philippians 1:12-14). He also recognized that if he would die and be with Christ, it would be better for him (1:23). But, he knew that it would be better for the church if he were not executed. He wanted to be released and continue to minister to them freely (1:19, 24-26). Paul saw God work through persecution, but he did not desire it because he knew that God’s ordinary design is for the church to grow when its preachers are not in prison or dead. The church loves Tertullian’s famous statement “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Too often, however, Tertullian is quoted flippantly, with the assumption that wherever blood is shed, the church will magically be stronger. Yes, God caused the church in Acts to spread through persecution (Acts 8:1), the church took the gospel to northern Europe through the collapse of the Roman Empire, and the Lord has used intense persecution for growth, but not always, and I daresay, not normally. Consider the following:
5. We should labor to minimize persecution through godly influence in civil government. The Scripture is clear that those who are leaders in every sphere are to bow to Jesus (Psalm 2:10-12, 1 Timothy 6:15-16). Christians are called to serve in such positions. We have had great freedom thus far because people have served Jesus as Christians this way – even if imperfectly. Difficult questions abound regarding how to serve and engage. Serving Jesus in the public realm has never been easy. It is not easy now. It never will be easy. But, we are not called to wait for a golden age in which to act. We ought to pray and labor for to see servant-leaders raised up to wield the power of the sword who will be a terror to those who do evil and a praise to those who do good (Romans 13:1-7). Our hope is not in men, but let’s not make pious-sounding excuses for abdicating our work in this realm. One question every Christian should ask is this: “How am I striving this week to see Christ honored in civil government so that those who do evil are terrified and those who do good are praised?”
God alone knows whether intensifying persecution would do the church in the West good. We simply know that we are to expect persecution but not to desire it or romanticize it. Be aware that if God brings suffering at the hands of wicked men, visible good could come in God’s providence. Or, it could remove the lampstand from our physical descendants, as he has done in other lands in the past.
From our perspective, we should never see intensifying persecution as the need of the hour. The need of the hour is intense prayer for mercy. Let’s pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And, let’s rise from our knees to labor for what we are promised will do the church good every day: greater faithfulness to Jesus Christ.
I think Dr. William Evans said it better than I could. My main problem with Trueman was his failure comment about Kuyper. Thank You Dr. Evans.
It seems that transformationalism is taking it on the chin these days. The secular and religious media are awash with reports of how the millennial generation of evangelicals is burned out on the political activism of the religious right, and the Two-Kingdoms theology (2K) currently being trumpeted by some faculty members at Westminster Seminary in California (WSC) certainly provides a theological fig-leaf for such culture-war fatigue. In short, H. Richard Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture, with his favored model of “Christ transforming culture,” and the great Dutch Neo-Calvinist theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper are not exactly the flavor of the month.
Nevertheless, I was a bit surprised, though certainly not shocked, to see Carl Trueman jumping decisively on the anti-transformational bandwagon (here on Ref21 and here on TheAquilaReport). Dr. Trueman, as most of us know, teaches church history at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (WTS), and is the former…
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Lutherans take surprise step in electing female presiding bishop | Religion News Service
“We can disagree on decisions as long as we agree on the cross,” she said. “My goal is to make sure we make room for the possibility that people disagree, that they are fully Lutheran, fully valued and fully part of this denomination.”
Bishop Elect Rev. Elizabeth Eaton ELCA
But what if the Cross doesn’t agree with them? What does fully Lutheran mean? When do we consider denominations non-Christian cults. The PCUSA has gone the way of the godless humanitarian over God’s wishes also. Why don’t these guys just go write a manifesto decrying that they believe the Scriptures are false and start using their own name. Luther, Knox, Calvin, St. John, Mark, Matthew, Luke…. etc… are all ashamed that their names are being used to promote such wickedness. It is a sad day when we call evil good and what is good evil.
I am going to call them non-Christian cults since they refuse to hear His Word. They deny the word of Messiah the Prince therefore I will call them what they are. Non-Christian Cults.
The Presbyterian Church USA has denied truth and become apostate. It is a Non-Christian Cult as is the apostate Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
They both need to repent from promoting wickedness and saying sexual perversion is okay with God. It is not. They need to quit confusing the sexual bounderies and quit announcing they are pursuing peace when the are doing things that will bring the wrath of God upon us.
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
“We don’t swim in your toilet so don’t pee in our pool.” LOL. Don’t Pee In Our Pool. I am still laughing at this.
http://www.puritanboard.com/f67/what-reformed-board-24779/#post304386
Puritan Covenanter 
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