The Dangers and Duty of Confessing Sin to One Another

“Open Confession is good for the soul,” or so the maxim goes. Perhaps it might also be said, “Open Confession is  good for your relationship with God and men.” While Scripture supports both of these statements, there is something of a haze that lays across the surface of the meaning of such statements in Scripture as, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). Is James speaking of going around and confessing any sin that you can point to in your life to just about anyone you are in fellowship with in the church so that they will pray for you? Or, does he have in mind the practice of “keeping short accounts” with the brethren? Does he mean going to an offended brother or sister and asking forgiveness for a particular sin that was committed against them? Or, as the context might indicate, is James instructing  individuals in the congregation to come to the elders and confess particular sins of a scandalous nature in order to be healed of a sickness with which they had been chastened by God? While we may not come to a completely settled agreement on the precise meaning of James 5:16, there are 2 dangers and 3 applications of our duty that we should be able to agree upon when reflecting on this subject.   Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

The Miracle-Working Second Adam

If you put together all the maladies  of those whom Jesus miraculously healed during His earthly ministry (i.e. those having to do with eyes, ears, tongues, arms, hands, legs, skin and blood) you would have a perfectly deformed man or woman–both internally and externally. Isaiah used the figure of a person entirely deformed from head to toe to describe our spiritual condition of depravity by nature (Isaiah 1: 5-6). The apostle Paul likened our spiritual condition by nature to that of a physically dead man (Ephesians 2:1-5). This should come as no surprise to us if we understand that the healing miracles–historical though they were–are really spiritual parables for us. They are parables that carry our minds back to Eden and the awful effects of Adam’s sin; and, they are parables that carry our minds forward to see the glory of Jesus, the second Adam, and the King of God’s Kingdom who came to heal the souls and bodies of His people. This is most fully symbolized in the resurrection miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. Here are five observations, drawn from Herman Ridderbos’ outstanding book The Coming of the Kingdom, about what the healing miracles of Jesus teach us:   Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

Symbols of Christ in the Wilderness

Among the abundance of redemptive types that God gave Israel throughout the exodus experience, wilderness pilgrimage and the conquest of Canaan, I find none so fascinating as the Gospel-symbols that God gave them in the wilderness. In addition to the Tabernacle, the sacrificial system and the priesthood, the Lord intervened at specific points in time to bring about supernatural provision for their physical needs. These provisions were ultimately given as typological pictures of the coming Christ and the redemptive provisions that would come through His saving work. We know this because our Lord Jesus told Nicodemus that the bronze serpent on the pole was a picture of His being lifted up on the cross (John 3:14-15). He also taught the Jews who followed Him that He was the anti-type of the manna that their forefathers ate in the wilderness (John 6:41, 48, 51). The apostle Paul explicitly taught the Corinthian church that the rock in the wilderness–from which the waters came–”was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:3). We can add the account of the bitter water healed by the tree thrown into it (Ex. 15:22-27) to the account of the rock, the bronze serpent and the manna. Nevertheless, the question remains: How are we to understand these types without inappropriately spiritualizing or allegorizing them? A few considerations of each one will help guide us in a process of biblical-theological interpretation.

The Serpent on the Pole

 

The most explicitly cross-centered wilderness type in the Scriptures (see John 3:14-15) was the serpent on the pole (Numbers 21:4-9). Like all the other miraculous redemptive typical provisions, the serpent on the pole was given in response to Israel’s sinful complaining and in the face of the judgment they deserved. There are a series of parallels that can be drawn between the Israelites being bitten by the serpents and then given a means of healing through the serpent on the pole, and the theological truth of the redemption we have through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Consider the following:   Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

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5 Ways to Pray for Your Pastor in 2013

Just the other day I received a letter in the mail from a medical doctor whom I have never met before. Having told me how he had benefited from some of my sermons and articles, he went on to tell me, “I pray for you. I will be able to do so on a very regular basis now and trust that you will be helped and strengthened in your ministry and family.” This was an enormous comfort and encouragement to me. Contrary to what some might suppose, ministers of the gospel desperately need the prayers of the saints. One of my seminary professors used to tell the student body, “Pastors have a bull’s eye on their back and footprints up their chest.” This is quite an appropriate description of the hardships that God’s servants are called to endure for the sake of the gospel. The flaming arrows of the evil one are persistently being shot at pastors. In addition, the world is eager to run them over at any opportunity. This is, sadly, also a reality with regard to some in the church.

With so much opposition and difficulty within and without, pastors constantly need the people of God to be praying for them. The shepherd needs the prayers of the sheep as much as they need his prayers. He also is one of Christ’s sheep, and is susceptible to the same weaknesses. While there are many things one could pray for pastors, here are five straightforward Scriptural categories:

1. Pray for their spiritual protection from the world, the flesh and the Devil.

Whether it was Moses’ sinful anger leading to his striking of the rock (Num. 20:7-12), David’s adultery and murder (2 Sam. 11), or Simon Peter’s denial of the Lord (Matt. 26:69-75) and practical denial of justification by faith alone (Gal. 2:11-21), ministers are faced with the reality of the weakness of the flesh, the assaults of the world and the rage of the devil (see this article). There have been a plethora of ministers who have fallen into sinful practices in the history of the church and so brought disgrace to the name of Christ. Since Satan has ministers of the gospel (and their families) locked in his sight—and since God’s honor is at stake in a heightened sense with any public ministry of the word, members of the church should pray that their pastor and their pastor’s family would not fall prey to the world, the flesh, or the Devil.   Continue at  Nicholas T. Batzig

The Biblical and Systematic Theology of Jonathan Edwards

Every week Jeff Waddington, Dave Filson and I come together to record an episode of “East of Eden,” in which we discuss the biblical and systematic theology of Jonathan Edwards. We come together to give consideration of one of Edwards’ sermons or discourses–specifically as it relates to the history, structure and theology of that particular work. We also invite to the program various theologians and scholars who have contributed to Edwards’ studies. You can find the first ten episodes below:

• God’s Grand Design - In this episode of East of Eden, Dr. Sean Michael Lucas discusses his helpful new volume on the theological vision of Jonathan Edwards. In God’s Grand Design: The Theological Vision … Read more→

• The Pure in Heart Blessed - In 1730 Jonathan Edward preached a sermon on Matthew 5:8 in which he gave consideration to the redemptive blessing which God bestows upon the pure in heart, namely, an all … Read more→

• The Character of Paul an Example to Christians - In February 1740, at the heat of the first Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards preached The Character of Paul an Example to Christians. In this sermon on Philippians 3:11 Edwards unpacked Paul’s … Read more→     Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

Jonathan Edwards on Righteous and Sinful Anger

I know that when the Bible says, “Be anger and do not sin” it is clearly teaching us that there is such a thing as righteous anger. It is referring to that just angry which is a response to the evil of sin in relationship to the holiness of God. I doubt very much that any of us have experienced any act of undiluted righteous anger. In the heart of the godliest saint there is always a principle of selfish desire mingled with holy desire. This is the apostle’s point in Romans 7, and it’s acknowledged to some extent by every believer who knows anything about the sinfulness of their soul. I remember being upset, several years ago, about the sinful actions of an individual in the fellowship of which I was a part. This person’s sin was affecting the congregation on the whole. I went to speak to a friend about what had happened. In the course of our conversation my friend said to me “It sounds like you’re angry because you’re taking this individual’s actions as a personal attack. Instead, you should be more concerned about their sin before the Lord. You should be concerned about their relationship with the Lord.” This rebuke was much needed in my life at that time. There is perhaps no better explanation of, and warning against, the subtlety of sinful anger and how we are cured us of it than that which we find in Jonathan Edwards’ Charity and its Fruits. There we read:

Charity or love, which is the sum of the Christian spirit, is directly, and in itself, contrary to the anger that is sinful; and, secondly, that the fruits of charity which are mentioned in the context, are all contrary to it.   Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

The Man Behind Monergism

It might sounds strange to hear someone speak of “the man behind monergism,” since the word monergism–in theological parlance–is used to denote the singular working of God in Christ for the justification of sinners. One might think the reference is to Jesus Christ, who is Himself the God-Man; but I’m actually referring to John Hendryx, the man behind Monergism.com.

The first time I stumbled across Monergism was also the first time I heard the word used–the meaning of which itself encourages careful theological study! Sometime late in the fall of 2001 I stumbled across this wonderful site. I was a newly converted Christian, eager to read everything I could so that I might better understand the theology of Scripture. I remember reading several articles on Covenant Theology, the role of Israel in the redemptive-history and Christology–all of which had a huge influence on my theological development.

Back in 2001 there were not many Reformed theological resource sites on line. John created the site on July 21, 2001, just a few months prior to my own conversion. Since then hundreds of thousands of sites have emerged. Many have come and gone. Some have fizzled out because of a lack of financial support or ongoing interest. Still others have gone into retirement for a variety of personal reasons. 11 years after first stumbling across Monergism the site is still up and better than ever. One of the unique things about Monergism is that, unlike many of the sites that are a collaborative web network or coalition, it is the product of the labors of just one individual.

Today John continues to keep Monergism full of rich theological articles and posts. In addition, has has recently revamped the audio library–making Monerism MP3 one of the best sermon audio resources to visit online. Many of our readers will also know that John runs Monergism Books–an online Reformed theological bookstore.   Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

Archibald Alexander Publications Online

Of the plethora of American theologians almost none are as interesting to study about as the Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexander. Alexander was the first professor at Princeton Seminary and a powerful evangelist and preacher. In addition to his multi-variegated ministry, he was a prolific theological writer. A fairly comprehensive list of his published works were listed in his biography, The Life of Archibald Alexander D.D. first professor in the Theological Seminary, at Princeton, New Jersey.  Many of Archibald Alexander’s publications were published together here. You can buy a collection of many of his works from Logos here. Below you will find the list from the biography and links to as many of these works as are available for free at Google Books and Internet Archive:

A Sermon at the opening of the General Assembly. Philadelphia, 1808.

A Discourse occasioned by the burning of the Theatre in the City of Kichmond, Va., on the 26th of December, 1811. p. 129.

“An Inaugural Discourse delivered at Princeton.” New York, 1812.

A Missionary Sermon before the General Assembly p. 149

A Brief Outline of the Evidences of the Christian Religion. Princeton, 1825. 12mo.  Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

John Gerstner Lectures

If you’ve never listened to the later Dr. John H. Gerstner you are neglecting a benefit for your soul from one of God’s wonderful gifts to the church. Dr. Gerstner (1914-1996) was “Professor of Church History at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He was an authority on the life and theology of Jonathan Edwards. Gerstner counted among his students R.C. Sproul and wrote several books, including Primitive Theology.” The principle work for which he is remembered is The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards. You can read a short memorial of his life and work here.

You can read two of Dr. Gerstner’s articles over at Lionier’s website. The first is “God’s Providence: a Two Edged Sword (Part 3),” and the second “True and False Assurance.”

Ligonier has also posted several of Dr. Gerstner’s audio lecture series:

• The Westminster Confession of Faith with Dr. John Gerstner

  The Westminster Confession of Faith has, for hundreds of years, served as the doctrinal foundation of the Reformed churches. In this series, Dr. John Gerstner focuses his lifetime of scholarship on a comprehensive treatment of the meaning and application of …Read More 
  
  Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

Spurgeon on the Amusement-Driven Church

As a young Christian I remember stumbling across this statement by Charles Spurgeon on how entertainment and amusement are not part of the tools of Christ’s mission for the Church in the world. The 21st Century church in America desperately needs to hear this. Spurgeon wrote:

An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted Christian can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years this evil has developed at an alarming rate. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments!

The devil has seldom done a more clever thing, than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From speaking out the gospel, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses!

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a Christian work why did not Christ speak of it? “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel.” No such words, however, are to be found.

Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the apostolic Church to the world? “You are the salt of the world,” not the sugar candy; something the world will spit out, not swallow.  Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

The Emmaus Sessions – Jesus: True Israel

Last week I met with a group of zealous, young Christian men in the Savannah, GA area for a series of talks on biblical theology. For lack of a planned title for our meetings, I have simple called the talks “The Emmaus Sessions.” At the first meeting we met to discuss the extremely important–yet often overlooked–subject of Jesus as true Israel. You can find the video from the session below. The substance of our talk comes from a post I wrote in 2010. You can find it here. For a more detailed development, see this post. You can also listen to an exposition of the True Israel’s temptation in the wilderness here. James Dennison’s article on this subject is also extremely useful.  Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

How Jesus Confronted and Corrected Others

A fellow minister in our Presbytery recently preached a sermon series called, “Things Jesus Should Not Have (I Wish He Hadn’t) Said!” The crux of the series was that Jesus said many hard sayings that–if we are honest–we would have to admit we find uncomfortable. The fact of the matter is that so much of what Jesus said makes people uncomfortable. In a day when the “cult of nicenesss” has permeated the church, and politeness and tolerance has taken a front seat to truth and the fear of God, we need to be reminded that the Savior of the world often corrected the errors of his enemies in a less than winsome manner. Many times He also corrected His disciples in shocking and uncomfortable ways. As we study the life of Jesus in the Gospels we see very clearly the way in which the Savior of the world corrected people when they said or did things that needed correction. Consider the following:

How Jesus Corrected and Confronted His Opponents and Hypocrites

1. Jesus Corrected and Confronted Publicly: Jesus corrected the false teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees by teaching His disciples to be on constant guard against it. He corrected their misinterpretations by appealing to His own authority. He repeatedly said, ”You have heard it was said…but I say to you…” Jesus would often speak with His disciples, and the crowds around Him, about the dangers of false teachers’ doctrine. It is not, as many suppose, godly not to talk about the problems with false teachers and teaching. Continue at Nicholas T. Batzig

The Obedience of the Second Adam and True Israel

There are several defining moments in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ that deserve the deepest and most serious consideration. His baptism at the Jordan, His temptation in the wilderness, His transfiguration, His agony in Gethsemane and His sufferings on the cross are the most significant points in Jesus’ earthly ministry. The baptism and temptation are singular in their importance because of the representative character which they portray. In order to fully understand any subsequent act in the life of Christ the central importance of these two inaugural events must first be discerned.

Matthew, Mark and Luke each collectively bear witness to the fact that the wilderness temptation occurred immediately after Jesus was baptized. His baptism was nothing less than identification with those for whom He came to die. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus needed no repentance, but He underwent it to show that He was the sin-bearing representative of His people. It was most likely also the Messianic anointing with which His public ministry was inaugurated. This event, for the first time in human history, led to the unfolding of the mystery of the Trinity. There at the Jordan, the Father pronounced his declaration of delight over the Son, as the Spirit descended upon Him. The readers’ mind must reach back to the first manifestation of the Spirit, where, at the creation of the world, He is said to have hovered over the waters that the Father and Son spoke into existence. The declaration of the Father at Jesus’ baptism was meant to carry the Son through His entire ministry, especially through the atoning death He was to endure on the cross. The declaration that Jesus was the Father’s beloved Son, is put both to Jesus and to those who were present at the baptism. Jesus was obeying the Father by undergoing a baptism of repentance–a “repentance” that He alone, of all mankind, did not need. As the representative of His people, Jesus was obeying what His Father had commanded Israel to do, and was therefore well pleasing to Him. He was, in brief, the second Adam doing all that the Father commanded His people to do.    Keep Reading...

The Church: Organism or Organization

Jesus: True Israel of the First Gospel

The Unimportance of what God’s People Think About Him

Stipulations for Mercy Ministry?

The first qualification I believe Scripture teaches is that those of the “household of faith” have a priority to the funds of the church over those outside of the Kingdom of Christ. This is a fundamental qualification set by Jesus Himself in Matthew 25, and by the apostle Paul in Galatians 6. We are to care, first and foremost, for our brethren in Christ, the household of faith. We see this exemplified in the earliest days of the New Covenant church when the people of God were selling their lands and houses to meet the needs of those in the body of Christ. We see it on a local church level when we see the Antiochan church giving to the churches of Judea during the days of the famine that was prophesied of by Agabus. If we are not caring for individuals within our churches, and for local sister congregations–in biblically faihtful denominations–then how can we, with a good conscience, talk about mercy ministry to those outside the Kingdom?

The second qualification the Scriptures teach has to do with the ability of individuals to work for themselves, and the likelihood of other God-ordained sources of support. Remember that somewhat strange passage in 1 Timothy where Paul is setting out the criteria for widows to be cared for in the church? In that place, Paul explains that a widow is not to be “taken into the number” (lit. cared for financially) if she was under the age of sixty. This was probably because she was more likely to be remarried and provided for. If there is the likelihood of provision from other sources, or jobs to be had, the church is not to expend its resources on that individual. In his commentary on the pastoral epistles George Knight writes: Continue reading>>>

The Mark of Real Gospel Preaching

The true preaching of the Gospel of salvation by grace alone always leads to the possibility of this charge being brought against it (i.e. the charge of  it being antinomianism). There is no better test of whether a man is preaching the New Testament Gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do. You can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. That is a very good test of Gospel preaching. If my preaching and presentation of the Gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding then it is not the Gospel. Let me show you what I mean. Continue reading>>>

Toxic Tribalism

Tullian Tchividjian has a helpful post over at his blog, On Earth As It Is In Heaven titled “We are One.” In it, Tullian takes an opportunity to teach a valuable lesson based on the recent development in his church.  Coral Ridge has recently combined two worship services separated by distinctive, generational music styles. I was most impacted by Tullian’s warning against “toxic tribalism.” While I realize that this can be use to relativize what kind of musical style is used as accompaniment in worship, it is nevertheless very insightful when seen against the background of a solidly Reformed and Gospel-centered commitment.

A Brief Redemptive-History of Animals