Whenever I speak of my love for Calvinism the first attack leveled at my theology always goes something like this,
“Calvin is just a man.” or “Why are you worshiping Calvin?”
And I respond,
“You do not understand. Calvinists do not worship Calvin, for if we did we would not be Calvinists, for Calvinism levels all glory and worship to God and God alone, for Calvin was dead, living a life of total depravity, unable to love God, to love holiness, until Calvin was called by the grace and power of God alone. So to say that Calvinists are worshiping a man is to completely miss the point of Calvinism.”
So in honor of Calvin’s birthday it is only fitting to glorify God, because all that Calvin was able to accomplish theologically could not have been done without Christ’s death and resurrection, without the drawing of the Spirit, without the will of the Father. Left to his own, Calvin would have never been able to see the beauty of the Creator.
Rather than simply honoring Calvin’s legacy, honor Calvin by glorifying God, for I believe Calvin would want nothing less. It is not Calvin we praise, it is not Calvinism we cling to, but the glorious, magnificent, beautiful, lovely, holy, righteous, all-knowing and all-powerful creator of all things.
Earlier this year I realized something about myself: I don’t take risks. I sometimes take calculated risks, but then the risk is no longer a risk.Whether it is a fear of failure, which is not unique to me for it is a common problem for all, fear of rejection, fear of people, fear of…whatever it may be, I do not take risks.
But I decided to change that, for I realized if I was to be a man I would have to be a risk taker. I would have to not just be willing to put my heart on the line, put my pride on the line, put my life on the line, but to do so. But most importantly, I realized that if I was going to bring maximum glory to God I would have to be willing to take risks. Whether it be evangelism, missions trips or preaching, I would have to set myself up to do uncomfortable, awkward and frightening things.
On April 25, 2009 I wrote a note to myself “Resolved, to live my life without compromise. GO!” And so I put this in stone for me and for all Young Calvinists.
Resolution Six.
Resolved, to risk my life, my health, my status, my comforts, my dreams, my desires, my safety and security, in wisdom in order that I might bring maximum glory to Christ, and thus to God the Father. To not whimper or flee from the difficult tasks in life but to battle through, determined against the enemy within.
A few days ago I was in Philadelphia, visiting the plethora of historical sites from independence hall to the steps that Rocky made famous. But as I walked through the Independence Museum, listened to the park ranger paint the picture of the first congressional meetings in Independence Hall and examined the crack in the liberty bell, it became clear to me: American Democracy has failed to accomplish that which it is so often praised to have done and thus, Christ has been more glorified.
American democracy has accomplished far more than any other government in human history. It has broken barrier after barrier, bringing a voice to the people and overthrowing the more often than not oppressive rule of royalty. But even so, the people are still not fully heard and still not fully free. If the people of America aren’t oppressed by a king, the wealthy still hold the most power as those without influence or worth can cast a vote, but never truly have a voice. It took years to bring rights to those who were “created equal,” and though equality may be complete within the government, it is far from on the street. People aren’t loved, cherished, cared for by the government. It may be of the people, but many would agree that it is not for the people as special interests wage war, elected officials waste the people’s hard earned money on selfish exploits, and the branches fail to uphold the very document which created them.
No, American democracy has failed to be the humanistic solution to the human problem. And the Kingship of Christ, which was predestined before the foundation of the earth, before all created things came to be, remains alone in perfection. The total depravity of humanity cannot be overcome by the creation of a republican democracy, nor can it overcome the tongue and race barriers brought about by the judgement of Babel. No, Christ still remains as the perfection of rule as all will one day kneel at His throne when peoples of all nations and tongues will gather and sing praises to His name.
Freedom will come, not by human means, but by God’s hand. Equality will come, not by human rule, but by God’s scepter. The governments of man will perish, but He will reign forever.
(I apologize for the short post. I had planned to write in far more depth but my internet access is sparse. Hopefully in the future I will write more on this topic.)
If we are to bring glory to God, to do that which we were created to do, that which we were predestined to do, that which we were called to do, we must be resolved to battle the sin still within us knowing that the war was won on the cross. When we realize that the greatest joy we can obtain comes from glorifying God we must be determined to fight against any threat to His glorification within us, striving after the joy that comes from kneeling before His throne.
But the battle against sin is not an easy one. To think so is to guarantee defeat. The battle against sin is one that needs preparation, training, learning and action. John Owen wrote in The Mortification of Sin,
Let no man think to kill sin with few, easy, or gentle strokes. He who hath once smitten a serpent, if he follow not on his blow until he be slain, may repent that ever he began the quarrel. And so will he who undertakes to deal with sin, and pursues it not constantly to the death.
In light of this,
Resolution Five.
Resolved, to never act, nor in word or thought, in any manner which does not glorify God. And therefore, to ever fight against sin, declaring war continually each day, in prayer, in scripture, and in the mind, so as to do all that is humanly possible in the fight against the remaining wickedness within and thus glorify Christ.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
Resolution Four.
Resolved, to determine prior to execution how God might be most glorified in every act, in every word and thought, and do that which is determined no matter the cost of one’s self.
Resolution Three.
Resolved, to contemplate the state of my heart daily so that I might live confidently in its destiny.
Resolution Two.
Resolved, to live as if each moment will be my last, and the next will be at His throne.
Resolution One.
Resolved, to live every moment for the glory of God, never compromising for selfish motives, less risky endeavors, or a passive attitude.
John Piper blogged today (originally published in World Magazine) about Calvinism’s impact upon the United States, quoting Abraham Kuyper’s Lectures on Calvinism throughout. Kuyper’s work, well the six lectures that have been bound, has been on my Amazon wish list for a while, but after reading the quotes it might just have to be purchased.
Here is one specific quote that Piper used, this time unedited.
Similarly in the rise of your university education, springing for the larger part from individual initiative; in the decentralized and autonomous character of your local governments; in your strict and yet not nomistic Sabbath-observance; in the esteem in which woman is held among you, without falling into the Parisian deification of her sex; in your sense for domesticity; in the closeness of your family ties; in your championship of free speech, and in your unlimited regard for freedom of conscience; in all this your Christian democracy is in direct opposition to the democracy of the French Revolution; and historically also it is demonstrable that you owe this to Calvinism and to Calvinism alone.
A month and a half ago I posted the introduction to a paper on Jonathan Edwards’ theology I was in the process of writing. Well the paper is done, it has been for a few weeks, and as promised here it is for download. Diving into Edwards’ thought is not easy and thus I am far from a scholar in these matters, but hopefully the paper can be of use to some who want a little overview of Calvin’s influence, specifically in regards to Total Depravity, in Edwards’ Theology.
All that came into being exists for Christ — that is, everything exists to display the greatness of Christ. Nothing — nothing! — in the universe exists for its own sake. Everything—from the bottom of the oceans to the top of the mountains, from the smallest particle to the biggest star, from the most boring school subject to the most fascinating science, from the ugliest cockroach to the most beautiful human, from the greatest saint to the most wicked genocidal dictator—everything that exists, exists to make the greatness of Christ more fully known—including you, and the person you have the hardest time liking.
We exist to make the greatness of Christ more fully known. We exist to bring glory to His name as His image bearers! We exist to glorify Christ so that the Father is glorified ever more. That is why we have been redeemed! We cannot forsake the very mission we have been called out of the muck to do.
If we are to bring glory to His name we must in every action, in every thought and in every word, because everything that we do can bring glory to God. And if we are to bring glory to God in everything we do we therefore must bring the most glory to His name, choosing not that which brings little glory, but that which brings magnificent glory. And all glory will be to Him alone, for the crowns we will receive for such glorification of God will not be ours, but Christ’s, for it is God who is at work, and it is God who chose us before the foundations of the earth and it is Christ who has redeemed us, regenerating our hearts and freeing us from total depravity.
Resolution Four.
Resolved, to determine prior to execution how God might be most glorified in every act, in every word and thought, and do that which is determined no matter the cost of one’s self.
Here are some quotes from Chapter 5 of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion entitled, “THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CONSPICUOUS IN THE CREATION, AND CONTINUAL GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD.”
Let each of us, therefore, in contemplating his own nature, remember that there is one God who governs all natures, and, in governing, wishes us to have respect to himself, to make him the object of our faith, worship, and adoration.
In regard to his power, how glorious the manifestations by which he urges us to the contemplation of himself; unless, indeed, we pretend not to know whose energy it is that by a word sustains the boundless fabric of the universe—at one time making heaven reverberate with thunder, sending forth the scorching lightning, and setting the whole atmosphere in a blaze; at another, causing the raging tempests to blow, and forthwith, in one moment, when it so pleases him, making a perfect calm; keeping the sea, which seems constantly threatening the earth with devastation, suspended as it were in air; at one time, lashing it into fury by the impetuosity of the winds; at another, appeasing its rage, and stilling all its waves. Here we might refer to those glowing descriptions of divine power, as illustrated by natural events, which occur throughout Scripture; but more especially in the book of Job, and the prophecies of Isaiah.
By the knowledge thus acquired, we ought not only to be stimulated to worship God, but also aroused and elevated to the hope of future life. For, observing that the manifestations which the Lord gives both of his mercy and severity are only begun and incomplete, we ought to infer that these are doubtless only a prelude to higher manifestations, of which the full display is reserved for another state. Conversely, when we see the righteous brought into affliction by the ungodly, assailed with injuries, overwhelmed with calumnies, and lacerated by insult and contumely, while, on the contrary, the wicked flourish, prosper, acquire ease and honour, and all these with impunity, we ought forthwith to infer, that there will be a future life in which iniquity shall receive its punishment, and righteousness its reward.
For in regard to the fabric and admirable arrangement of the universe, how few of us are there who, in lifting our eyes to the heavens, or looking abroad on the various regions of the earth, ever think of the Creator? Do we not rather overlook Him, and sluggishly content ourselves with a view of his works? And then in regard to supernatural events, though these are occurring every day, how few are there who ascribe them to the ruling providence of God—how many who imagine that they are casual results produced by the blind evolutions of the wheel of chance?
Twelve hours after the final session of Resolved 2009 had ended, when Enfield had performed its final song of worship, I contemplated why the conference is able to have such a mighty impact upon my soul. Why do I feel more alive and more whole? And then I realized it, I realized why a simple four day conference is able to have a lasting effect upon my heart. Because for moments, sometimes fleeting, my faith becomes sight. For moments I experience God, not just emotionally, not just spiritually, mentally or physically, but all of them and more. As I sing praises to the Lord a joy fills me that could only be of His doing. When one of the speakers says something profound my heart and mind scream out in overload as they are unable to comprehend the simple touch of an understanding of who God is. At Resolved my soul is lifted up into the heavens before I have been called home.
Why does Resolved have this effect on me? Because of the sovereignty of God, because of the glory of God taught, breathed and lived at the conference. The gloriousness of God’s sovereignty is made clear and my heart cries out “Holy is the Lord!” As I wrote in my notes after John Piper spoke on God’s Sovereignty Over Satan’s Fall, “I Love God so so Much!” And All to His Glory.
Now to my recap:
Resolved 2009 focused on sin. Yes, nearly 4,000 college-aged students (with a smidgen of older and younger) went to a conference on sin, and not just an American Christian view of sin, but a Puritan Calvinist version of sin. Think about that for a moment. In the culture we live in, such a number should cause one to drop to their knees in worship for it is only by God’s grace.
Going in I expected to be hit over the head with a holy baseball bat Jonathan Edwards style, but instead the speakers focused on equipping us to battle sin.
After Rick Holland started the conference off Friday night with an introduction, Steve Lawson dived right into the topic, preaching out of Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Using an illustration of the great depression, with days nicknamed as black, Lawson declared that the great depression is nothing compared to the black day when Adam sinned against God.
We are spiritual beggars, spiritually homeless, before God said Lawson, and we must file for spiritual bankruptcy in heaven. Connecting verse three with verse six, Lawson said, “you will never hunger for righteousness, you will never thirst for righteousness, without being poor in spirit first.” Quoting Alexander Maclaren, Lawson said, “All that the world commends and pats on the back, Christ condemns, and all that the world shrinks from and dreads, Christ bids us make our own, and assures us that in it we shall find our true blessing.”
Poor in spirit does not mean poverty of money, nor personality. It does not say blessed are the bland. Poor in spirit is “to recognize one’s own spiritual state before [a holy God].”
Later that night C.J. Mahaney unpacked Philippians 2:12-13, calling us to stop praying to God to do all the work and “stir what we got.” We must be active in our sanctification even though we are ultimately passive because, as verse 13 states, it is God who is really at work.
I unfortunately missed Lawson’s sermon on Sunday morning, but having listened to the mp3 I can agree with what my friends and Holland said, that this was the greatest sermon Lawson has ever preached. Speaking on Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” Lawson authoritatively instructed us to focus on our hearts, for sin begins and ends at the desire of the heart.
I also missed John MacArthur’s sermon on Sunday night, though from what I have heard it was nearly identical to his sermon on creation, evolution and global warming at the Shepherd’s Conference.
Sunday night John Piper took to the pulpit and did as he always does, left the attenders in awe of the sovereign majesty of God. Starting off, Piper made the assertion that “every time God does one thing to you He does a million.” The consequences of one act of God upon the universe, specifically to us, are countless, and God has perfectly calculated it all. From there Piper showed the sovereignty of God in Satan’s fall, declaring that God is sovereign over sin yet remains impeccably holy and that everything exists for Christ.
But the quote of his sermon was this, paraphrasing, God does not disarm Satan and destroy him now because by foregoing brute power and working through the death of His Son, Christ is more glorified.
Monday morning Holland gave six Biblical ways to assure purity.
1.Undertake the pursuit of Biblical instruction
(a)Your soul can be preached to by your mind
2.Undress the deception of sexual sin
3.Understand the value of safe distance
(a)It is not how far can I go but how holy can I be.
4.Unmask the regret of sin’s aftermath
(a)You cannot out sin God’s grace
5.Unlock the satisfaction of marital fidelity
(a)Psalm 84:11
6.Unleash the power of God’s omniscience
MacArthur followed with a sermon on the role of Pastors, asserting that Pastors are called to shepherd the flock, not forsake the people of God for the unbeliever, and that scripture is for the elect, the redeemed, and not for the unbeliever for the unbeliever cannot respond to Christ unless regenerated. Therefore, churches who do not preach scripture because they fear it will drive away non-believers are sinning.
In the first of Monday’s night sessions, Mahaney returned to preach about spiritual depression focussing on Psalm 42. Mahaney introduced his sermon by explaining how we talk to ourselves in our heads more than we do with anyone else and so it is crucial that we stop listening to our ourselves and start talking to ourselves.
Have you realized that most of your unhappiness is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself, talking truth to yourself, preaching the gospel to your soul.
Taking it back to the cross as he always does, Mahaney declared, “The psalmist felt forsaken by God, Jesus was forsaken by God.” And, “He was forsaken so we might be forgiven.”
Finishing the conference Piper used Genesis 50:20 to show how the second use of meant does not mean use, it does not say “but God [used] it for good.” Then going to 1 Samuel 12, Piper asked the question “Why give Israel a King,” and Piper answers: One, the kingship in Israel belongs to God, two, to place a line of kings who would fail, except Christ, and three, not only did the king have to be God, he had to die. Moving on Piper asked the question, “why does Satan enter Judas? Why is he leading Christ to Satan’s own end?” Because he saw after three years he could not stop Jesus and because sin is irrational and if you were rational, you wouldn’t sin rationally.
Piper made three profound statements.
God foresaw and did not prevent and therefore ordained that sin come to pass.
If God did not have a hand in the sin that led to the cross there is no gospel.
Paraphrasing: In ordaining the fall (Adam’s sin), Babel, and treason leading to human kings that leads to Christ, all that sin is in order that you might be conformed to Christ.
So that was Resolved 2009. You can download the mp3’s here.
Enfield’s new CD is available on Amazon here as well as this must own song from Sovereign Grace Ministries.
Just got back from Palm Springs, another amazing Resolved conference has come and gone and as always, my heart remains in the heavens praising the name of God in a far much greater intensity than before.
I am planning on posting later today recapping the conference with my favorite quotes, topics and thoughts. So check back tonight.
Sunday night John Piper took to the pulpit and did as he always does, left the attenders in awe of the sovereign majesty of God. Starting off, Piper made the assertion that “every time God does one thing to you He does a million.” The consequences of one act of God upon the universe, specifically to us, are countless, and God has perfectly calculated it all. From there Piper showed the sovereignty of God in Satan’s fall, declaring that God is sovereign over sin yet remains impeccably holy and that everything exists for Christ.