Scriptures, our sole authority

As I reflect upon this semester, the thought that continues to appear in my mind is the importance of Sola Scriptura. Sure, I knew that the Bible was powerful and that we could apply it to all of our lives, but throughout the class, the matter of the regulative principle has greatly impressed on me the importance of Scripture alone, in worship, in prayer, in preaching, and all of life. God's Word alone has the power to change people. We must be daily devoted to studying His Word and enjoying Him in the process. Our focus should be on knowing and enjoying God rather than merely doing a good work or a duty. Glorifying God must be our sole passion and the only instruction on how to accomplish that is found in the Scriptures alone. So let us be a people who look to the Scriptures for instruction in every area of life. let us live Sola Scriptura.

Looking Back with Different Eyes

To obtain an accurate view of what I learned over the semester in this class, I surmise that I must not look back at my notes. I must not review the books. I must not reread the blog. Rather, I must think, without aid, about what has changed. For that which comes to mind now is most likely that which will come to mind years from now when I have forgotten the blog, the notes, and perhaps even the class.
So here I will begin. Entering this fast-closing semester, I was uncomfortable with drama, mega-church videos, and the like being used in corporate worship, but I could give no concrete reason for this discomfort. The discussion concerning the regulative principle contributed to my beliefs, providing foundation for an existing structure. The Word of God is the only infallible truth, and corporate worship is the body’s affirmation of that truth to its Head. Therefore, all of worship must be governed by that which God has commanded. As far as I can tell, that is the heart of the principle.
Let me be clear that I am not questioning the motives of those who rethink “how we do worship.” I’m sure some of them are attempting to honor God with their performances. However, that which distracts or detracts from the unchanging message of God, leaving behind theology for cultural, therapeutic appeasement, is wrong. Churches must sing to God, sing His character, sing His deeds, sing His Word. Logocentrism seems a lost cause today, but I know that the words of God will never pass away. The church is called to proclaim those words. Any other pursuit which causes this one to be neglected or minimized in any way is of no eternal value. No other gospel saves. No other gospel can glorify God.
The church does not exist for self-satisfaction or self-help. True, “there is great gain in godliness with contentment.” That’s real satisfaction. The cross, “my grace” God told Paul, is sufficient. No other help, from within yourself or without, can be of any help at all. Sola Scriptura. Soli Deo Gloria.

The means of our growth in grace.

During this semester in this class, I have witness how the book “Gospel Worship” has epoch in Jeremiah Burrough’s life and a superficial impact it has taken in my life this semester. This class has lived up to my expectations I had before the semester began. It has showed me the importance for having foundations in my worship of God and the issues that come with human opinions that do not line up with the Sovereignty of God. Thanking Christ Jesus for giving you to us Doc.

The greatest gift we can receive from God besides His Salvation is prayer. Christ came as prophet like Moses (Deu. 18:18), crucified as the Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7-8), ascended unto the Father after his death, burial and resurrection on the behalf of his elect as our high priest like Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 4:14) who is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Col. 3:1) as our King of Kings like David (Ps. 29:10; Lk. 23:2; Is. 23:1; Acts 2:24-36).
Burrough’s thoughts on prayer were higher than humanistic thoughts they were spiritual thoughts, which God commanded us to do (Col. 3:2). Burrough’s said “God expects that we should have our thoughts, will, and affections, our whole soul acting upon Him in duty of prayer, or else we do not pray to God as unto a God” (pp.281). This statement took me back to when I read “The Sovereignty of God” by A.W. Pink. Pink said,

“Prayer redounds to God’s glory, for in prayer we do acknowledge our dependency upon Him. When we humbly supplicate the Divine Being we cast ourselves upon His power and mercy. In seeking blessings from God we own that He is the Author and Fountain of every good and perfect gift. That prayer brings glory to God is further seen from the fact that prayer calls faith into exercise, and nothing from us is so honoring and pleasing to Him as the confidence of our hearts. Prayer is appointed by God for our spiritual blessings, as a means for our growth in grace. When we seek to learn the design of prayer, this should ever occupy us before we regard prayer as a means for obtaining the supply of our need. Prayer is designed by God for our humbling.”

Burrough’s and A.W. Pink both comprehended the Sovereignty of God on prayer. We are designed for prayer because that is true worship and it cause the Believer to be humbling to God. This class will be forever itched upon my mind for true desire of Sanctifying God’s Name when I come nigh to Him.

Concerning the Matter of Prayer...and Foundations and Issues of Worship.

Among the many things I have learned this semester in Foundations and Issues of Worship, one of the greatest is concerning the matter of prayer. I've always desired a more consistent and meaningful prayer life. My grandfather told me once that it's something you will spend the rest of your life making efforts to improve. In all honesty, I never fully understood what prayer is and how to pray until the last year, but it was Jeremiah Burrough's chapter on prayer that God used to kindle a greater desire and motivation to improve.

At the beginning of the chapter, Burroughs declared that we must live in continual dependence on God and pray continually. "That soul that every day and hour is sensible of the infinite dependence it has upon God for its present and eternal estate will be fit for prayer." I believe one of the greatest struggles of living in a prosperous culture like ours is that we don't need to depend on God for everything - or at least we don't think we need to. The problem I've found myself facing is that I will go through an entire day without ever entertaining thoughts of God's Word and how it should change the way I think and live. Since my time in this chapter, I've made changes in my schedule to accomodate Scripture meditation and prayer throughout the day. I hope to continue growing in a continual dependence on God.

At a later point in the chapter, Burroughs says, "Take this one note with you: all those dreadful, vile, unclean, covetous thoughts of yours in prayer have been to God as if you had spoken them in words." He stated that a godly man's prayer life is like a spaniel that "is running from his master, yet, if he gives him a call, he is able to call the spaniel to him immediately." I am a distracted prayer. Rare is the time that I will be fully focused in my personal prayers or even the public prayers of others. Vain thoughts and lusts pervade my mind constantly. Concerning this, I have made changes in the my understanding of prayer which has changed the disposition of my heart during prayer times. Along with this I simply begin my prayers by asking for God's help.

God has used this class to change me as a person and change the way I understand corporate worship. I'm thankful for Doc, for great authors and teachers, for Puritans, and for the Bible. Although God is continuing to grow my prayer life, I have learned many other things as well. Thank you, Doc, for your willingness to teach what God has taught you and introduce us to great men of the faith.

Burrough's Exemplary View of God

Throughout the duration of this class I have not ceased to be impressed with the writings of Jeremiah Burroughs. His appeal is broad, his heart warm with love and devotion, and his thoughts obviously enraptured with the excellency and greatness of God. It is particularly on this last point that I have learned much from his book, Gospel Worship.

In these days of prevailing man-centeredness and lack of reverence for God, I found the view of God that he presents through his writing to be quite refreshing and immensely convicting. It is clear when he expounds on proper worship of God that he highly esteems and reveres God. While some of our fellow Christians today are telling us that we can be inventive and creative in the ways that we approach God in his worship, Burroughs stands at hand bearing the reminder of Nadab and Abihu: “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me”.

In particular, his section on prayer was of great use to me. When he states that “God expects that we should have our thoughts, will, and affections, our whole soul acting upon Him in the duty of prayer, or else we do not pray to God as unto a God”, I am chastened and humbled to realize how far my fear and reverence of God are from where they ought to be. Burrough’s constant display of honor and fear for our infinitely holy God is one that I hope to learn much from as I grow in my understanding of where I stand before God as a redeemed, justified sinner.

Text By Francis Scott Key

Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise Thee
For the bliss Thy love bestows
For the pardoning grace that saves me
And the peace that from it flows
Help O God, my weak endeavor
This dull soul to rapture raise
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee
Wretched wanderer, far astray
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away
Praise, with love’s devoutest feeling
Him who saw thy guilt-born fear
And, the light of hope revealing
Bade the bloodstained cross appear

Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to Him and live.
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease;
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.

Lord, this bosom’s ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express.
Low before Thy footstool kneeling,
Deign Thy suppliant’s prayer to bless:
Let Thy grace, my soul’s chief treasure,
Love’s pure flame within me raise;
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth Thy praise.

OK, I'll kick the dead horse

"First, there must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions. For instance, when I come to express the greatness of the majesty of God, then I must have an inward disposition suitable to this expression. I must have a fear and reverence of the infinite majesty of God" (GW pg 929).
And when I come to express the matchless graces and mercies of God, new every morning, then I must do so coming with a humility and thankfulness required by the awareness of such Heaven-sent gifts to such a one as I.
We have spoken much of proportionate affections to the level and greatness of truth being experienced. This once again puts that forward.
Additionally, I was convicted because of the intentionality represented in this statement. Burroughs says "when I come to", meaning when the purpose of my prayer is specifically to.... He gives a 'for instance' which I take to mean that there are other 'for instances' that he could have used. How little I come to prayer with such intentionality and specificity. I may find that focus midway through a prayer. But I felt challenged just now by Burroughs to come to prayer more often, much more often with the attributes and character, nature, person, and works of God in mind to bring to Him in worshipful prayer.
With this put into practice, and the proportionate response level, how could I not then practice what Burroughs spoke of on pg 295 when he discussed fervency? With accurate truth about God at the forefront of my mind and tongue in prayer, the honey will certainly be to hot to entertain any unwelcome flies, thus helping me to keep my prayers both pure and passionate.

Rethinking Church?

A received a helpful reminder from David Wells as I neared the end of "The Courage to Be Protestant" this last week. In his chapter on the church he discusses the idea of "rethinking the church". Many church leaders of our day have thought it judicious, in light of the changing culture and its new perceived needs, to rethink how we "do" church. Viewing the church as a business, or a product to be marketed and sold, they see the necessity to ensure that the church does not become irrelevant or out of touch with what people are seeking, but rather to stay on top of things to make sure their product is going to maintain a high level of appeal.

These people have forgotten (at least) one thing: The Church is not theirs to "rethink". As Wells reminds us, the Church is God's. Rather than "seizing sovereignty" in regards to what our churches should be doing, we are to realize the truth that "Christ not only instituted the church (Matt. 16:18), but God has given us the blueprint for its life in Scripture" (Wells, 223). He determines its purpose and how it is to be accomplished.

Yet, as Burroughs helped us understand, while the elements of church are determined by God and are not to be altered, the circumstances (physical components connected with and subservient to the elements) are subject to change depending on a host of variable cultural and social factors. We can rethink, say, whether we want to to observe the the Lord's Table monthly, weekly, or quarterly, but we cannot rethink whether we will in fact observe the Lord's Table at all. That is a non-negotiable issue because it is a clear part of God's blueprint for the church.

Wells further points out that if any rethinking needs to be done, it is probably rethinking our thoughts about the church that needs to happen. Indeed, if we have problems with following the direction of God's Word in running the church, it is certainly a problem of our own. If we do not see God's blueprint for the church as a good or effective and see our own plans as superior, we really need to grow up and relinquish the sovereignty over God's institution that we have claimed for our own.

A Great Experience in Canadia!

I had a great experience this past Sunday. During Thanksgiving break, I was able to go to Nova Scotia where I attended a little country church of about 40-50 people. The service was phenomenal! Although I can't say much for the music :), the pastor (and I forget his name) was a great man who really cared for his flock and had a real desire to teach them. During the song time, he taught his congregation deep truths that were a part of the song texts. His sermon was filled with Scripture and theological truth but practical and easy for the country-folk to understand. Before the sermon, he had all the children sit around him and he taught them a short lesson from the Bible and made it practical for them. After the sermon, he addressed a serious issue that had been taking place in the church. He confronted his congregation on the sinful way they had dealt with it and showed them a more Christlike way of handling the situation and then had us break up and pray for the people involved. Overall, the service was filled with truth made easy to understand from a guy who loves people and is passionate about God's Word. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this experience. I hope one day I'll have the privilege of serving alongside a brother like that in ministry.