Qualifications for Elders

In Titus, the Apostle Paul outlines certain qualifications for local churches to observe to appoint a pastor. Paul tells Titus that he left him in Crete, an island known for immorality, to appoint elders in the local churches in each town to order the churches and protect them from false teachers and false teachings. Paul's care for the truth founds his apostolic command for Titus to appoint qualified pastors to lead.

Titus is an epistle from the heart of our loving Lord and Savior to structure His local churches toward Christ-likeness, a "knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness" (Titus 1:1). This truth is the Word of God. How we as Christians view the Bible will translate into how we view God, the gospel, and how we are protected from false teachers and false teachings.

The Word of God is a powerful word that surpasses our understanding. When we creatures think of being "creative," it is a mere reflection of reality or an imagined perception of reality. However, when God speaks, He brings something not reality into existence. He says, "let there be light," and light immediately appears. His Word is obeyed in His creation. When God speaks in His Bible, this Word is not a compilation of advice for creatures to decide to accept or not. Nor is God's Word like human law in which we like attorneys find loopholes to justify ourselves. God's Word is fully authoritative and expected to be observed and obeyed.

Jesus Himself commands His followers to take truth and false teachings serious. Jesus is rather impolite to false teachers, who were respected leaders in His day, calling them hypocrites, serpents, and even sons of hell who teach and lead more sons of hell (Matthew 23:15). Jesus compassion for the lost sheep of Israel recognizes that these astray sheep were without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). Warning against false teachings and confronting false teachers is the work of our Lord, whose compassion shepherds us from these men which we are to avoid (Matthew 15:7-14).

Paul tells Titus that true teachings of the Word of God ("sound doctrine") is the knowledge of the truth that leads to holy living and rebukes error. We are to read and understand Scripture not as ideas to mesh into our worldview and culture, but transform our worldview and living according to the Word. 

God's Word in Titus is not to improve an existing structure in local churches, but to establish a structure. Christ is the Head of His church and structures His church to carry out His earthly mission and to protect His people from false teachers and false teachings. Paul tells us in I Timothy 3:1, "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task." This inward desire is to match external qualifications outlined in Titus before being appointed as an elder/overseer.

In God's Word, far more attention is given to external qualifications than an inward "call," experience, or "leading of the Lord." Titus calls into question many modern notions of church growth and good leadership. In this series, I will outline the qualifications for pastors in the local church as found in Scripture.

Causing Division and Creating Obstacles

In the closing of his epistle to the Romans, Paul writes, "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them" (Romans 16:17). Paul is not appealing that Christians avoid any division, but those divisions contrary to the truth of the Scripture. Paul is appealing for Christians to unite in the truth of Scripture and to separate from those challenging the Word of Truth.

Unity in Truth is True Unity
This is not the post-modern message in the West, which defines unity as avoiding any and all division in tolerance of all beliefs and doctrines as equally valid and acceptable. For the apostle Paul, unity is found only in "the doctrine that you have been taught." Christ perfects, equips, and gifts His people through the Word "divided accurately" (II Timothy 2:15) until "we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Ephesians 4:13-14). Paul contends that the saints are not brought to "the fullness of Christ" and perfected by smart preachers or human wisdom, but by Christ Himself through His perfect Word.

In Colossians 3, Paul commands the local church to have hearts ruled by the peace of Christ and put on love, "which is the perfect bond of peace" (Colossians 3:14-15). Our understanding of true unity and peace and love of Christ are not to simply take verses out of context and redefine the meaning. Paul finishes in verse 16 with, "Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all teaching and admonishing one another..." Our peace and love of Christ is ruled ultimately by Scripture, which so abundantly takes up residence in our hearts that we teach and admonish one another. Christ washes His local church with His Word (Ephesians 5:26), and Paul commends the God-breathed Scripture for "teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," which equips us for every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17).

Unity in the truth of Scripture is the only true unity Christ graces for His church. Unity in the truth means not to have a problem with authority of Christ in His perfect Word, but to have problems with authority from any other source, including a self-distrust.

The Singularity of Truth
Paul consistently speaks of the truth (singular, not plural) of Scripture. Paul states that unashamed believers can "rightly divide the Word of Truth," claiming Scripture to be one, cohesive, consistent, non-contradictory revelation of truth. Paul supposes that, although difficult to understand at times, the Scripture is clear and speaks of truth, giving full authority to the Word's Author and no authority to the reader. In other words, the reader is not permitted to suggest truth into Scripture that is not there, but the Author reveals truth to the reader that did not know. For instance, Paul commands the local church in Ephesus to "Speak the truth in love." Not truth(s), or kindly suggest an opinion and happily agree that everyone has their own opinion or "personal interpretation", or be kind and "lovingly" never confront anyone with the truth of Scripture, but speak the TRUTH.

The singularity of truth in Scripture contends that God is sovereign; in other words, God is in full control and fully capable of revealing truth to us in a clear manner. Our reading of Scripture must be of an attitude of complete dependence and trust in God to reveal truth to us, lest we claim partial or complete sovereignty of truth. Remember, Scripture tells us that without Christ we are blinded by Satan (II Corinthians 4:4), not dimly seeing. Without Christ we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), not merely sick or wounded. To challenge truth with our opinions or to suggest parts that we do not like are antiquated or contradictory challenges God's sovereign authority in His Word, which causes divisions and sets up obstacles in the church.

Avoid Division
Paul goes so far as to command the local church in Rome to avoid those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the truth of Scripture. Avoid them. Paul suggests that in order to serve Christ and not be a people-pleaser, we are to be united in the gospel (again, singular) and reveals that if anyone including angels preaches another gospel contrary to Scripture, that person is eternally accursed (Galatians 1:6-10). Paul handed false teachers "over to Satan" for spinning a different teaching of the gospel.

To remove people from congregation in church discipline or to correct others with the Scripture seems intolerant or divisive in this day and age. However, biblically speaking, we are to unite in the truth of Scripture alone, and avoid and separate ourselves from those teaching otherwise. Some might suggest that Christians can unite with others to get work done. However, to compromise truth for pragmatism sets the church up for human cunning and deceitful schemes, placing what we do above the truth.

However, Paul does command the local church to be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). We must yearn for unity, but unity is something the local church maintains (guard, keep) not creates. Unity in the truth of the Word of God is given to us by Christ, not made up by groups of people in our own opinions and suggestions while leaning on our own understanding. We must be eager, with gut-gripping yearning for the saints to be unified in peace bound by Christ's love and provided by His Word of Truth.

Praying for Power to Distrust Self

Today in my quiet time, I read from The Valley of Vision prayer entitled "The Infinite and the Finite." This line captivated me:
"Let me live a life of self-distrust..."
This prayer parallels Jeremiah 17, where the LORD says, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind" and "the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17:5, 9). Our Savior instructs us, "out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders" (Matthew 15:19).

This worldview opposes what we are taught by our culture. Disney character Cinderella teaches us to "just follow your heart." The late Steve Jobs told college graduates that the "most important" thing to do is "have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." Yet, God tells us that our hearts are untrustworthy and wicked.

Self-distrust does not come naturally to sinful people. Such trust and such leaning on our our way of thinking and feeling about the world, people, and self is the corruption of our nature. The Word of God demands us to lay this trust entirely aside and be renewed in by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:22-24). Such a renewed mind is the good news of Jeremiah 17:7-8:

Blessed is the man who trusts in
     The LORD
And whose trust is the LORD.
For he will be like a tree planted
      by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat
      comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year
      of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.

By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are blessed to trust not in our own heart nor be tossed by the winds of wisdom of this corrupt world, but our trust will be found in God. Our trust must not be found in the imperfect and temporary, but in the perfect and eternal. A heart that trusts in our majestic God trusts His eternal Word. As Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." The wisdom of this world dries and shifts over time, but the Word of God is trustworthy and eternal.

May our gracious God renew our minds and hearts with His Word, not trusting in our own hearts nor allow us to reign over ourselves, but "teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).

The Bible and Post-postmodernism

Yesterday, President Obama announced his endorsement for same-sex marriage. This is not a surprise, considering President Obama's actions against the Defense of Marriage Act as well as his enthusiasm toward the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. What is most interesting about yesterday's announcement is the sign of the times that such a media hyped announcement regarding a politician's thought process is even necessary. Yet, this evolution of thought has been a long time coming for the American culture. America has stepped completely out of postmodernity and into the great unknown of post-postmodernism. The retreat of Christianity from American culture has been a devastating run as secularism took the field in postmodernism, claiming that words cannot be defined and the Bible can be interpreted based on each individual's opinions and experiences. Now with the approach of post-postmodernism, Christians who believe the world is still being viewed through the lens that words have no meaning are being crushed by secularists who have a new worldview that sees absolutes and ethics defined through an entirely different lens.

The Christian retreat has been called many words, not the least of which is the term liberal. However, liberal is a political term that usually divides the lines regarding American political ideology. The real underlying problem in Christianity is more broad, however. The battle is being waged along the line of the doctrine of Scripture. Is the Bible fully authoritative? Is the Bible sufficient for properly viewing the world and ethics? How are we to read Scripture?

The Post-postmodern President

The sense of this battle divide is found in the President's announcement. The President said,

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married."

Let's break this down. Notice where authority comes from for ethics: family, friends, neighbors, and members of his staff who are homosexual. This is an appeal to authority, which is outside Obama, for ethical choices. Rather than that authority to be the Bible alone, ethics are drawn from the experiences and lifestyles of those around him. This is essentially postmodern. However, the President does not stop there. Before his affirmation, the President says, "I've concluded that for me personally..." The authority of the experiences and lifestyles of those around him made an absolute truth in conclusion to his ethical thought process. This is post-postmodern. The President is not saying that this is his personal opinion which has no effect on policy making. The President is saying that his decision is an absolute truth that everyone everywhere must accept. There will be policies and legislation passed that affects every American based on his "conclusion."

President Obama also defended his position against Christian opposition. President Obama said that he and his wife

"are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it's also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated."

 The President claims to be a practicing Christian and knows that this position is "at odds" with other Christians. How does he remedy the battle divide? His ethic is driven by Christ's sacrifice on his behalf and the Golden Rule. However, Jesus did not teach in isolated and contradictory proverbs. Jesus' Golden Rule is one line in an entire Bible that claims itself full authority. The same authority Matthew 7:12a has on all of God's human creation is found in Leviticus 18:22. The only way to decide that the Golden Rule is authoritative and the rest of Scripture is not would be upon the interpreter rather than the Author. That is to say, the reader is the master over the text rather than the text is to be master over the reader.


Sola Scriptura and Post-postmodernism

In postmodernity, the cultural elites convinced Christians to keep religion in private devotion and maintain a secular worldview when in public view and discourse. This Christian retreat has led to a post-postmodern American culture that believes in absolute truths in total opposition to the teachings of the Bible. Without a worldview in total commitment to the absolute truths taught in Scripture, Christianity has no sword to fight with.

Creatures are not afforded the freedom to tell God His attributes and His Law. We are not attorneys finding loopholes in the Law of God to squeeze any camel of immorality into the needle head entrance to the Kingdom of God. President Obama would like to convince biblical Christians that the Golden Rule affirms same-sex marriage, so all Christianity should embrace his "conclusion." Matthew 7:12 states, "whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Jesus says that the Golden Rule sums up the Torah and the writings of the prophets. To examine the details of the Golden Rule is then to affirm the entirety of the Old Testament, which has already been mentioned to condemn homosexuality as a practice. Jesus is here affirming His worldview which includes a high esteem for the authority and sufficiency of the Scripture.

The President's attempt to isolate Matthew 7:12a (without the part about the Law and the Prophets) as authoritative and ignore the remainder of Scripture is an eisegesis that claims the culture as authoritative in biblical interpretation. In other words, President Obama's conversations about the lifestyles and experiences of homosexuals around him gave him interpretive authority over the text. To formulate a worldview based on worldly wisdom then looking to Scripture for authority makes the reader the master.

In Matthew's Gospel, the very next verse reads, "enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many." Jesus not only gives us a brief line to recall the entire teachings of the Old Testament in the Golden Rule, but also a promise of His judgment that sends the majority of humanity to eternal damnation and a minority that maintains the narrow way into the narrow gate of life. The gate of cultural understandings of divinity, justice, and ethics are wide and lead to destruction. 

Colossians 3:5 reads, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."Our earthly wisdom and urgings, yes even those we are born with, are to be put to death. Paul does not contend this to be a simple debate on ethics, but a battle divide of spirituality. Paul calls this practice idolatry. Practicing Christians are to put to death such idolatry, not encourage this behavior and thought.

The Christian Response

The post-postmodern worldview permeates both conservative and liberal politics. Such practice of eisegesis has slipped into many local churches and, eerily enough, even "conservative" seminaries. Yet, the Christian response is not simply analyzing the battle divide and retreating back to private devotion. The public Christian response is the same message that has been given to us by our Savior: repent and believe. Colossians 3:5 ("Put to death...sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry") is part of a passage that many on the side of post-postmodern eisegesis claim as "judge not lest ye be judged" when Paul says in verse 7, "in these you too once walked, when you were living in them." Yet, read this passage carefully. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul states that you once walked, that is past tense. Repentance is the key to understanding this passage. The Christian response to post-postmodern eisegesis is to affirm and to maintain the traditional doctrine of Scripture as authoritative, sufficient for every human creature, and the only absolutely true worldview.

Homosexuality is a sin, yet it is a sin that is forgivable by the amazing grace affording to us by faith alone through Christ alone for the glory of God alone. Homosexuality is not to be embraced as an acceptable practice simply because our culture seeks to have authority over the Word of God. The Word of God is to have full authority over all of God's creation. In this authoritative Word of God we read that Jesus "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Sinners of any kind of idolatry, including homosexuals, cannot serve Christ in His efforts of grace. The Christian response is not "stop sinning and try harder at conforming to Christian ethic." The Christian response is to preach Christ and Him crucified.

If you are reading this and you are a homosexual, or perhaps a post-postmodern supporter of so-called same-sex marriage, you cannot justify yourself before God by twisting Scripture or arguing with other creatures your worldview. No matter how the cultural tides shift, no matter how many Christians you debate, God is an unchanging Rock and His Word endures forever. Repentance does not mean clean yourself up or pretend to change. Repentance is required for both the immoral unbelievers as well as the religiously moral. The gospel of Jesus Christ demands our full responsibility to the breaking of God's eternal law, then turning from our idolatrous practices such as immorality (like homosexuality), worldview shaped by culture over Scripture, and religious morality that claims oneself clean in any way apart from what Christ has done for us. Christ who is without sin has taken that punishment we deserved for our idolatrous and immoral practices to the cross. In return, Christ gave us His perfect righteousness. The new birth in Christ is not a lifestyle tainted with any sinful or idolatrous wisdom from the world, but is a new life founded by the Word of God alone. I pray that you believe this most glorious good news, that Christ reigns in His eternal kingdom over His creatures by His eternal and fully authoritative Word.

God's Sovereign Providence And Fallen Tree Limbs

 Typically, I reserve my photography for my photoblog Seeing Through a New Lens; however, today I uploaded these photographs in my pastor's blog to teach a valuable theological lesson.

The last storm partially broke a large tree limb from 25 feet atop the propane tank at the rear of the parsonage. The connection of the limb to the tree held the heavy limb by threads of wood. Eventually, the limb would fall and the entirety of the weight of the limb might hit the propane tank. This spelled disaster in my mind.

So, I took a handsaw out to cut some of the smaller branches from the limb close to the ground. The first branch to cut, of course, is the branch atop the propane tank. I paid little attention to where I was standing. Also, I gave little thought to what might happen when I cut the branch from the limb.

I sawed through the branch and heard a thunderous snap from above me. A branch scratched my ribs and my left wrist as the massive limb and its branches crashed to the ground all around me. 

After the ordeal, I gathered myself and noticed that I stood in an island of grass completely surrounded by a large tree limb. I had survived without serious injury. Some might say that I was lucky. Perhaps others would even spiritualize that thought and call it a miracle or providence.

Yet God's sovereignty over every aspect of His creation in His providence is not to be held as a replacement word for "luck." We must not simply give credit to God for good fortune when events go our way. God controls each rain drop. God sustains even sparrows in the deepest woods which no human eye will ever gaze upon. God's providence is not limited to certain events or people. God's providence is His continued involvement with all of His creation.

The answer to question 11 in the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions." God has control over all His creation, including falling tree limbs and my position on the ground.

God's protection was granted to me by grace. I prayed for His protection before I began the work. I did not pray in a cliche manner of protection, but with full understanding by God's Word that He is in control of all things. This is a good work of God. I would even suggest this is extraordinary that God protected me. Yet, let this event serve to us a reminder: God's providence over all things is not simply in this event or that action, but in all things to fulfill His purposes. I cannot plan out my day or a trip with full guarantee that I will succeed with my life (James 4:13-16). I pray to God knowing that each event throughout history is in His hands leading to fulfill His divine purposes. I say, "if the Lord wills, I will survive the day." Our faith unlocks understanding the truth that God provides and sustains all things, even the sparrows, directing each step throughout history to fulfill His purposes. Such a worldview is important. Your life is a vapor, but the Lord's sovereign providence in all things for His glory directs all things for His good pleasure.

Jesus, Our Sabbath Rest

The fourth commandment reads, "remember the Sabbath day, keep it holy." This is a command from God which reflects His rest from creation on the seventh day. Was God's intent simply to look back as human history moves forward? Is redemptive history that is founded upon the Messiah Jesus fulfill the Law of God in every respect save the Sabbath? In this article, we will discover the biblical truth of Jesus being our Sabbath rest.

"I'm so tired." An expression repeated often in this age of high-paced living. The very technology we manufactured for our benefit is the same technology that is speeding up our lives in favor of efficiency. The worldview of the mechanical universe in the industrial revolution has given way to the worldview of high-speed computers and fiber optics of nanotechnology. Man is but a speck on the motherboard of the universe built for high speed and efficiency until he is worn out. Such a worldview collectively exhausts us, leaving a wave of depression and despair. The eschatological view in this worldview is man works until he is worn, then dies into a black abyss of non-existence. The atheistic view that exalts human innovation and technology is a lonely, dark hell of existence.

The biblical worldview places Christ, not technology, as the highest praise and exaltation. And, in keeping with our worship of the Messiah, we look back and forward to the Sabbath rest. Jesus claims Himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). Matthew 12 is a continuation from the end of Matthew 11, where Jesus says,

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Jesus says rest will be given and found by those who follow Him and learn from Him. When and where will this rest be given and found? Jesus allowed His disciples to gather grain and He Himself healed on the Sabbath in Matthew 12, revealing Himself Lord of the Sabbath. In Mark 2, Jesus states, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." The Sabbath is not a day of legalism and a focus on regulation, but a day for man's benefit to rest from the world. In both cases, Jesus claims to be greater than the Sabbath, which He teaches us was to be a blessing not a burden. In so doing, Jesus claims Himself our rest, and in that rest we are given blessing not a heavy burden.

Remember that the Kingdom of God is here already and not yet completed. At the Kingdom's consummation when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His church, He will grant us perfect rest in Him. In opposition to the eschatological view prevalent in our secular culture (see above), Jesus gives us hope for that rest. We do not work ourselves to death into nothingness, we joyfully labor for Christ who gives us doctrine and commands that are not burdensome (Matthew 11:28-30) until He returns and completes our rest in Him. Any other work of moralism or pathway to righteousness is a law-keeping that is burdensome and you will burn out. Take upon you the teachings of Christ and He will grant you rest. He will grant you the desires of your heart and you will find joy in obedience. "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full" (John 15:11).

We must strive, then, to enter into our rest in Christ Jesus in the end having completed our labors. Do not mistake the Sabbath as a day to rest because you are tired. God "rested" after 6 days of creation, not because He was weary, but ceased in His creative labors in triumph that His glory has been displayed in His "very good" work of creation. By grace, God permits humanity to set apart the Sabbath and join Him in this celebration of His triumph not only in His creative labors (Exodus 16:23, Exodus 20:8), but also in looking forward to the rest the Church receives in Christ's triumph of His glorious work of which the Sabbath was a mere shadow of (Colossians 2:16-17). Let our work for Christ not cease until that day He returns for us. Let us strive to kill sin in our hearts and minds as well as to invited the lowly sinners to the banquet feast. At the Church's rest in Christ completed, our joy will be full and our rest found in God's triumph in the display of His glory to save sinners as His redemptive will rushed through human history to the praise of His glorious Name. As John Piper puts it, "with Christ, a decisive shift from separation ("come see") to declaration ("go tell") occurred in redemptive history" (Taste and See, 264). Now, go and tell the rich glories of Christ.

Someone Greater than Shakespeare is Here

In I John 4:8, the Scripture reveals that "God is love." Greek does not have an indefinite article (Jehovah's Witnesses would do well to pay attention); thus, the verse is not read "God is a love," as if God is one form of many loves. There is no love that exists outside of God. In our modern secularized world, we have learned to compartmentalize "religious" love and the types of love in all other areas: marriage, children, peppered steak, etc. Valentine's Day stands as an example of the corruption sinful man has placed over this one word.

Movies and romance novels talk endlessly about finding "true love." This idea of love seems a mysterious force that, like the wind, is something that cannot be seen and is lost from our reaches. Love is reduced to a feeling, or primal sensation, which explodes in mutual pleasure when the mysterious "soul-mate" that this mysterious force fated for you is found. The world's view of love is utterly selfish in its nature and is founded on an idol god. True love, in this view, is an explosion of personal emotion and has its value solely upon personal pleasure. Have we any wonder, then, that people in the world "fall out of love" and never commit in marriage?

Instead of exhaustively displaying what love is not, allow me to suggest that the love of Christ is greater than the world's depiction of love. The world's love is prompted by something in someone outside of you: their attractiveness, their kindness, perfect characteristics, love poems, and the like. God loves us with a perfect and eternal love from His own perfect goodness (Psalm 25:6-7) and, therefore, His love is not dependent on any attribute of us (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). What marvelous good news! God's love remains on His chosen, not because we are great, wise, or sinless, but because God is good.

The world's love often fails to commit, and even if a commitment is made one can "fall out of love" and break that commitment Yet, because God's love is based solely on His goodness, God enters a covenant that we did not earn (Ephesians 2:8-9) and His commitment is eternal (Psalm 103:17). Follow Arthur W. Pink's logic:

God Himself is eternal, and God is love; therefore, as God Himself had no beginning, His love had none.

God will never fall out of love with His people. In I Corinthians 13:8-10, Paul describes how God's love is permanent against God's gifts. Two things we might infer from this passage about God's love:
(1) God's love is permanent.
(2) God's love is expressed in permanence and not gifts.
So, unlike many in the world where love is solely expressed in gift giving (like flowers and chocolate on Valentine's Day), God's love is displayed in how He changed our status before Him (from sinners to righteous) and His love's permanence rather than simply giving us stuff (such as fulfilling felt needs or speaking in tongues). The beloved of God cannot even begin to comprehend the joyous pleasure of receiving God's eternal love; however, our love is shown as worship to our loving God by faithful obedience to His commands (John 14:23-24).

The world's love parasitically feeds pleasure from others like leeches. God loves in such a way to include many who deserve His wrath. Jesus came and died for us to show us the greatest love by dying for His chosen. Before creation, He chose some of us freely out of His love that is founded solely upon His goodness and for His praise and not our characteristics (Ephesians 1:4-6). This praise we give by our faithful obedience to His commands because God lovingly gave us the gift of faith which enables our once dead hearts to have a desire to lovingly worship our God. So, the world may have Shakespearean love and extravagant princess-style weddings for selfish pleasure that is temporary. Someone greater than Shakespeare is here. "Love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12-13). Thus, husbands love Christ by teaching Scripture to His wife and loving her as God loves him, not when she is nice to him or by anything she has or does, but because the man loves Christ. Likewise, wives love their husbands as Christ loves her, not for the gifts he brings or being "Mr. Right," but because of her love for Christ. Marital love is not an emotional sensation that explodes in carnal pleasure, but a mutual submission to and worship of the God who is love. The perfect gift to your spouse for today's celebration is having faith in Christ and "to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge"...every day.

Suggested Reading:
The Attributes of God  Chapter 15 entitled "The Love of God" by A.W. Pink

Sharpening Arrows

What subject does your child excel in? What vocation would you like your child to have? What goals do you place for your children? Do you want to see them land a good career? Do you want them to enter college? Parents of children of any age have lofty goals and daydream about their success in the world. These are noble goals for parents to place for their children, and subjects such as math or science help prepare children for an ever-changing economy and workforce. However, the commands of God do not change.

In the Shema, God commands His covenant people to love YHWH with everything they have and do as well as to read and study His Word and meditate on His Word. Then, God commands His people to "teach (the Word) diligently to your children" (Deuteronomy 6:7a). The primary subject commanded by God to teach, and teach diligently, is His Word to our children. The Christian home is a home that excels in the subject of theology above all other subjects.

A Competent Teacher

The Christian parent is commanded to be a competent teacher of the Word of God. The Shema requires the faithful believer to love God with all our desires, intellect, and deed (heart, soul, and strength). This requires reading, studying, meditating, and putting into practice the Word of God. Note what YHWH commands in the Shema regarding the Word of God:

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 

There is not a square inch of space or a moment of time when you are not to take to heart and mind the Word of God. Any parent that refuses to advance in the wisdom of the Scripture not only places danger in their own lives, but the lives of their entire household.

In modern America, education of our children has been transferred from parents to government. This could lead to tyranny, seeing that a secular government holds a monopoly of worldview and forces children to adhere to secular philosophy and religion. If your children attend school outside the home, allow me as a pastor-theologian to warn you: if the subject of God's Word is not foremost taught in your home, you are setting your children up for destruction. You have reason to be anxious over your children. As Tedd Tripp says, "In the absence of biblical formative instruction, secular formative instructors take over" (Instructing a Child's Heart, 15). Thus, parents must be intentional and knowledgeable in biblical instruction.

Sharpening Arrows

When God commands parents to teach children diligently, the word translated "teach them diligently" is from the root שָׁנַן, or shanan, meaning to sharpen. The dynamic to this word would be best stated to sharpen in preparation for piercing. This is the Hebrew way of expressing careful and constant teaching, to sharpen our children to prepare them to pierce. Hence, the Psalmist plays on this theme by saying, "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of one's youth" (Psalm 127:4).

The Christian parent is commanded to be knowledgeable in biblical instruction and competent to teach their children like a warrior sharpens arrows (and is blessed to have a "quiver full"). All of life is a classroom meant for biblical instruction. From what your child's teachers are saying to why you save money in the bank to why you attend church and Bible study, your child must be instructed according to the Word of God. Biblical instruction might be a set hour during the week, be fulfilled in that dead time in the car ride to and from school, or taught to a child attending grandma's funeral (a great resource for this is Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware).

The Church a Mighty Fortress

Imagine a church filled with parents devoted to the study and teaching of the Word of God. Imagine a church where there is a pulpit in every home and each member was raised a child fully instructed in the Word of God. Imagine a church where each home had theology as the foremost subject. Imagine a church where each member said, "As for me and my house, we will serve YHWH" (Joshua 24:15b). This church would be a mighty fortress wearing the full armor of God where their shield of faith extinguishes the flaming arrows of Satan (Ephesians 6:16), and has a quiver full of sharpened arrows to attack the enemy.

Do not let this wish remain in your imagination. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Parents, sharpen your mind and heart with the diligent study of the Word of God. Then, as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), parents will be able to sharpen other parents and sharpen their arrows in preparation to pierce the armor of the enemy. The church of Jesus Christ would be a mighty fortress, and His arrows a sharp weapon.

Worldviews Class I: Introduction to Worldviews

Paul told Timothy, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17). Paul works out of an epistemic (epistemology is how we come to know reality, truth) platform that the inspired Scripture is sufficient; that is, the Bible is enough and all we need. Every good work is possible only from the discipline gained from Scripture. Think of it this way: Every good work is Kingdom work. Held in conjunction to Hebrews 11:6, only true faith by the disciplines from the Scripture can be considered good work. Goodness, then, has been defined by God as His work and what pleases Him.

Goodness
Listen to our culture and you will hear of many, and often times contradicting, definition to what is "good." It is good to stand up for what you believe in, it is good to try something new, it is good to fight for equality. However, in a post-modern (or, perhaps now a post-post-modern) epistemology, each value and category in a worldview is founded on each individual. Consider that truth is relative, stealing is not immoral. To the victim, stealing is wrong. To the thief, stealing is right and justified. Now, the thief may consider people stealing from him to be immoral, but his stealing is right and good. Remember, it is in this worldview that there are NO absolutes in truth (especially considering axiological truth). Simply because people call works or other people good does not make it so. God defines what is good because He is good. People are changing and do not agree with one another; therefore, we cannot define goodness or truth.

In the biblical worldview, truth is found revealed in Scripture. Truth is not simply the Christian's opinion, but revealed to the Christian by God through Scripture. Even truth discovered in nature (general revelation) was granted by God's revealing, and more specifically by faith is truth granted by God's revealing through His Word (special revelation). Stealing is wrong. God is good, and He works good, and those working in faith for God's glory is called good. How do I know this? The Bible tells me so.

Circular Reasoning
The biblical worldview is founded on the epistemology that says that the Scripture teaches that the Scripture is right. We read this here in II Timothy 3:16-17. We know God inspired all of Scripture because the Scripture teaches this. In philosophy, we call this a fallacy of circular reasoning. What would be compelling evidence from outside special revelation to validate special revelation? Let us consider opposing worldviews from the biblical worldview. Ask someone, why do you believe stealing is wrong? What is truth? How do you know this, who told you, and why do you trust them? Ultimately, the unbeliever must concede that it is he who is the judge of truth because he trusts himself. In other words, truth for him is truth because he says so. Fact is, all worldviews are circular in reasoning. The conflict between worldviews is between authors. For the unbeliever, the author and judge of truth is each individual. No one comes to a consensus on anything; thus, rendering truth relative and non-existent. Truth understood in the secular worldview is unwarranted belief; whereas, biblical truth is warranted belief (more on this in upcoming classes). What the Bible says about itself is sufficient evidence to its truthfulness. What evidence exists for those who do not believe in the Bible? None at all.

Evidence
Why have Christians in recent decades felt intimidated by secular worldviews? Why do we think we alone must come up with evidence and probability to our worldview? Our lack of confidence in the faith is revealed by our lack of evangelism and engaging of the culture as well as avoiding debates with unbelievers. We say stuff like, "Well, I don't want to get into arguments with them," or "I don't want to seem mean," or worse "I am not sure that I would say the right things." The first two deal with personal emotions and reputations. If we desire to save the lost, we would stand in confidence getting into caring and loving debates and conversations with unbelievers. We should not be ashamed of the scandal of the gospel. To reject the gospel out of fear of appearing mean is to be ashamed. Lastly, not knowing the right things to say is excusing yourself out of ignorance. Paul says that the Scripture is enough to teach us what we are ignorant of, to correct us of our errors, to discipline us for Christ-likeness to perform Kingdom work.

We should not build a biblical epistemology based on probability. This is what evidence brings us. The best scenario when debating based on evidence (i.e. cosmological argument for the existence of God, number of early manuscripts to "prove" the Bible, etc.) is one that contends that Christianity has a level of probability. Thus, the biblical worldview is probable just like other worldviews. This contention from evidence on the probability of Christianity is a religious view called agnosticism. This claims that truth is unknowable, and reduces all values in epistemology into categories of probability (enter David Hume). Evidence is great for strengthening and encouraging people with faith in the biblical worldview, and perhaps is good in an all out philosophical shoot out after describing the competing worldviews with unbelievers. Evidence is not a good place to start to make God appear probable. God is not in the defense chair of the court room answering to our charges, and we must not be ashamed to place the unbeliever as the defendant and God (YHWH of the Bible, not a generic deity) as the holy Judge.

Conclusion
The Bible equips the Christian for Kingdom work that we might be competent. This competency in the Scripture translates to competency to defend the faith (evangelism and apologetics). We can find our competency in no other worldview and by no other standard than Scripture. Let us not be ashamed, let us be confident in our faith in the biblical worldview and not relax this worldview for even a moment in our hearts and minds. This will lead us into the second part of this introduction to worldviews where will discuss faith seeking understanding, the resistance from post-modernism, and the most important task of the Christian.