What the Spirit Does

Part Nine - The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 39 - The Holy Spirit

The Person of the Spirit
He is God, an object of worship no less than the Father and the Son.  Scripture attributes to Him the writing of Scripture.  He has divine attributes of eternity, wisdom, omniscience, etc.  He does what God does: create, judge, give life, save.
He is a Person, not a force.  He is God's wisdom, and referred to as He often, not it.

The Work of the Spirit
He brings God's power on people, like Samson (Judges 13:25).
He equips the prophets, Jesus and the apostles to speak with authority.
He is God's presence on earth.

The Spirit's work in the believer
He applies the work of Christ to us, giving us all "we need in our life with God" (925).  He makes us alive, helps us pray and preach, sanctifies us, gives us unity, teaches the Church, etc.
The baptism of the Spirit is our regeneration, and every true believer has it.
The filling of the Spirit is something we can pursue or neglect (Eph. 5:18).
The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) shows His work to be a slow process of growth as well as an equipping in any given moment.
Gifts of the Spirit are not listed exhaustively in the Bible.  Any ability that edifies the church is a gift.

Miracles come through the Spirit, but are quite rare in the Bible.  They are given mainly to prove a prophet (Moses, Elijah, Elisha and Jesus are the main ones) is from God.  So we should NOT expect such miracles as a matter of course today.

Prophecy - there are no prophets today, as there were in the Bible.  We may loosely call as prophecy things like preaching, or a dream or sense of some impending trouble that turns out to be true.  But authoritative words from the Lord are only found in Scripture.

Tongues - 1 Corinthians 14 shows that the church had the gift of speaking in unknown (angelic) languages.  Interpretation was required, making it like prophecy.  Thus, since we have a completed canon of Scripture, tongues are unneeded.  Tongues in private may still be active and of some value (1 Cor. 14:2), but the gifts are meant to edify the body, and not just for private enjoyment.

Healing - like with miracles, the apostles and prophets had a special ability in this to attest their divine message, though the gift of healing was not at their complete disposal.  So we shouldn't expect to see this gift active regularly.  But God does heal miraculously and may give the gift to people - "we just don't know the purposes of God well enough to make such a generalization" (931).  Our calling is to pray for healing (James 5:14-15) in faith, yet remembering even Paul was denied it.

Psalm 73 & 85

73
I envied the wealthy wicked, and thought I'd been godly in vain.
But that was beastly bitterness before You.
They'll be swept away, while I have Your guidance here and will be with You in glory after death.

85
You forgave us in the past.  Revive us again!
Surely He will speak peace to us, joined with righteousness.


How this is about Jesus
73 - He was received by the Father into glory after the wicked seemed to sweep Him away, and will receive us into glory with Him.
85 - His cross is the reason righteousness and peace can join.  Without His reconciliation, we have either (1) a holy God separated from us sinners leaving us punished/destroyed, or (2) an uneasy peace that poorly covers up our unrighteousness leaving us broken and despairing.


Application
73 - Do not envy the wicked wealthy.  Their day will pass and you will have eternal reward far richer than riches with the Lord.
85 - Appeal to God for present mercy, based on past mercy received.  Plead His historic faithfulness for current faithfulness.

"for me it is good to be near God" - Psalm 73:28

Psalm 48-50

48
We praise God, for He saved us from the ships of Tarshish.
We have considered Your loving works, Lord.
Consider Zion, so you can tell the next generation of God's deeds.

49
When the wicked cheat me, I remember that their wealth can't save them from death.

50
God summons all the earth to Him, especially inviting His covenant people.
God doesn't need sacrifices.  He wants our thanks and our petitions.
The wicked will not escape God's judgment, and are invited to thank God and repent to Him.


How this is about Jesus
Psalm 49:8 tells us redemption has an infinite price, and Jesus could pay it.  As our mediator, in His divinity He could take God's full punishment and live again.
50 - God's covenant with us is based on sacrifice - that of Jesus Christ on the cross.


Application
These Psalms are full of direction for us.
48 - Consider what God has done in Scripture and history beyond His Word.
48 - Tell the next generation of the Lord.  Knowing the church well helps you do this (vss. 12-13).
49 - Take comfort when the wicked have their way on earth.  There is nothing more for them.
50 - Don't get thinking that God needs your money or piety.  He wants hearts of thanks, praise, and a child's cry for help to his faithful father.

An Appeal to Heaven

An Appeal To Heaven: What Would Happen If We Did It Again by Dutch Sheets

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is the first Dutch Sheets book I've read. He's in the charismatic movement, which puts it outside my usual reading list.

Let's dispense with the disagreements first, before moving to the message we can take from the book. Sheets asserts or assumes many things I disagree with.
- God can’t do something until we agree with an idea or pray a certain way.
- Agreement in prayer multiplies its power.
- Prayer automatically makes us stronger spiritually.
- The Spirit speaks directly and verbally to us in new revelation.
- The United States Constitution was inspired by God!

Sheets relies on secret knowledge, dreams from God we need to interpret, and God hiding messages to us only the author can unlock. He predicts a 3rd great awakening if we connect to God, and believe He will save our country instead of judge it. Sorry, but our believing doesn’t make it so.


On the positive side, filtering out the above, Sheets is right that
- no nation or culture is too far gone for God to revive. We should always moderate pessimism in a declining culture with the hope of a reviving God.
- God wants us to build on the spiritual work of previous generations. History matters and is not separate from us. As everlasting God, He can heal past sins.
- Intercession connects us to one another. When we pray sincerely for others, our lives are intertwined with them. Praying for God to heal the past and present sins of your nation will endear your heart to your nation. This is fine, as long as we aren't putting our nation too high in importance. No nation is indispensable to God's plan.
- Merit based revival is out – we don’t deserve it. (Sheets often functionally contradicts this, though, asserting that if enough people pray hard enough God will revive us.)


I enjoyed the history. When George Washington commissioned some ships in the Revolutionary War, before Old Glory came about, he directed a flag to fly on the ships. The words say "An Appeal to Heaven." The phrase is from John Locke, who said we always have that appeal when earthly rulers deny us our God-given rights. Historically, the evergreen tree was used for ship masts, and there was a regulatory dispute with Britain over their use. Sheets uses the evergreen to show God’s cross-generational action - He is the everlasting God. We need to step into our national history and appeal for God to continue his work begun in past generations, and work with future generations in mind.



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Psalm 42, 44-47

42

I pant for God as the deer for water.

I'm cast down in my soul, wondering when my exile will be over.

I still have sweet fellowship with Him, but my enemy oppresses me.

Hope in God, my soul - He will save me.

44

We have heard how You helped our fathers, Lord.

But you have let us be defeated, though we haven't forsaken You.

Help us!

45

The king is handsome, gracious, victorious.  His throne is forever.

Receive Him gladly as your husband, princess.

46

God will be our refuge even when the whole earth shakes, and all the nations rage and totter.

God brings a river of peace.  Where the nations rattled sabers, He stops them and exalts Himself.

47
Praise God with shouts of joy, for He has subdued nations beneath us.
He reigns over all nations, and all military might belongs to Him.

How this is about Jesus

42 - He panted for God's presence when tempted in the wilderness, too.

44 - He was forsaken by God though He was faithful.

45 - He is the king, commended to the bride, His church.

46 - His kingdom shall not be shaken (Heb. 12:25-28).  He sends us the river of peace -John 7:37-39.
47 - He is the coming conquering king who will strike the nations such that every knee will bow.

1 Chronicles 10-16

10 - Saul and his sons died in battle with the Philistines, because of his disobedience to God.

11 - Israel anoints David king.  He conquers Jerusalem and makes it his capital.  His mighty men listed, including Uriah the Hittite.

12 - Mighty men gathering to David before he was king.  At his crowning, the number of fighting men of all the tribes is given, and Israel has a three day party.

13 - David brings the ark to Jerusalem, but they do it wrong, putting it on a cart.  When the oxen stumble, God strikes dead the guy who reaches out to keep the ark from crashing.  David is afraid of moving the ark any further and it stays at the nearest guy's house for 3 months, who happens to be a gentile from Gath.  God blesses him.

14 - David secures his kingdom with more wives and children, and by defeating the Philistines.

15 - David brings up the ark again, this time giving specific instructions to the priests and Levites to do it according to the Bible.  He also sets them to work as musicians.  His wife Michal disrespects him as too undignified in his exuberant worship.

16 - David worships God with sacrifice, gives each Israelite food, and gives the priests songs to use in worship.  This is a sampling from 105, 96 and 106.  He makes sure there are priests at both sites (the ark in Jerusalem and the high place where the rest of the tabernacle is still set up at Gibeon).

How this is about Jesus

David is the anointed (messiah) king, and this story makes clear he also has a God-given role to direct the priests.  Rarely in Israel do king and priest merge in one man, and when they do it is a pre-quel to our Lord Jesus, who is both for us.

Application

Worship God in His way, ordered by the Bible.

God will see His purpose done through His people, especially His messianic king.  Take comfort and assurance in this!

Jesus on the Church // Motive for Modesty

Jesus mentions the church twice in His ministry.  But look how much is said!

This is a really good article on the motive for modesty.

1 Corinthians 5-8

5

While you are bragging about your great spirituality, you are tolerating sexual immorality - incest, even.  You need to exclude him from the brethren, that he and you may be purified.  This is how we keep Passover today and worship the Lamb, Christ.

This doesn't mean avoiding anyone who is immoral, just those who claim to be believers.  Our job is to judge those within the church, not everyone in the world.

6
Why are you taking each other to court before unbelievers?  They won't inherit the kingdom but you will.  Surely someone among you can judge as well as they; you don't have to be so contentious in front of unbelievers - what a witness that is!  You've been washed clean by Jesus and His Spirit.
God cares about your body, so don't wreck it with gluttony or sexual immorality.  It doesn't fit with your union with Christ, who bought you.

7
The married should not deprive each other sexually, and not separate.
The single should stay that way if they can, but may marry.
If one spouse is an unbeliever and that unbeliever is willing to stay, do it.  If they leave, the believer isn't guilty and is free to remarry.  Stay together if you can, as the covenant household is sanctified by the presence of a believer.
You don't have to change your circumstances once you become a Christian: married, circumcised, slave or free.
Don't let marriage get in the way of discipleship, as it can.  You may enter marriage, but it may be better to abstain.  Widows may remarry, but it may be better not to.

8
Don't take pride in what you know.  You may "know" that demons don't exist, but we need to love those unused to this truth.  So don't eat meat sacrificed to idols in their presence.

How this is about Jesus

5 - Church discipline is a way we observe the Old Testament Passover today, by cleaning all the leaven out of our houses.  Christ is the connection from Old to New Covenants.
6 - Jesus redeeming us from sin means there are some things we may not do.  He is our Lord.

7 - Paul builds on Jesus' teaching on marriage and divorce in a new situation, where the Gospel is going beyond Israel into new territory.
8 - Jesus died for your fellow Christians, so don't do anything to endanger their salvation in your life together.

Application

5 - We need to give greater priority to the purity of the church than the purity of the world.

6 - Christianity is not just thoughts and feelings, but affects what we do with our bodies.
7 - Christianity changes your choices about marriage, divorce and sex.  It isn't your life, but the Lord's.
8 - Accommodate each other's scruples in the moment, while teaching the truth in more objective times.

1 Chronicles 6-9

6
Levi's descendants.  Moses and Aaron are great grandsons of Levi.  Heman and Asaph led the Levite temple musicians in David and Solomon's day.  Aaron's sons made sacrifice.  The cities and lands the Levites were given throughout Israel.

7
Descendants of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher.
Ephraim's early occupants of Canaan are killed by men of Gath.  Joshua comes from them.

8 - Benjamin's descendants, down to Saul.

9
Judah went into exile and returned.  This chapter connects family lines before and after exile of those who served in the temple and of Saul's family.


How is this about Jesus
These are the names of the remnant from exile.  They represent those written in the Lamb's book of life.  They are God's people, whom He knows intimately.  All our history, our names and our deeds.

1 Chronicles 1-5

1

The descendants of Adam to Noah.

Shem, Ham and Japheth and their sons, to Abraham.

Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, and Esau's descendants (Edomites).

2 - The 12 sons of Jacob: Judah, down to David's family

3 - The sons of David, and the royal line down past Zerubbabel.

4
Judah's other descendants, not already mentioned in chapters 2-3.  Jabez's prayer is here, but more interestingly, Pharaoh's daughter married in to this clan (vss. 17-18).
Simeon's descendants down to the present.  Their defeat of Canaanites.

5
Reuben's descendants, down to the present.  His loss of the birthright, the clan leader at the point of the Assyrian exile, and their earlier war against Hagrites.
Gad's descendants were their neighbors and fought the Hagrites with them successfully.
Half of Manasseh's tribe's descendants also lived in Bashan with them.  They all forsook God for idols, so God carried them off into exile.


How this is about Jesus
This part of Chronicles connects Israel's history with its present, as they returned from exile and restarted their lives, in a way.  Jesus always makes a way for people to repent and return to Him.  Even being invaded, conquered and carried off to live in subjugation in a foreign land for 70 years is not a dead end for Him.  He can restore you.


Application
Knowing your history is important to know your identity, and to be loyal to your people and your God.

The Work of Christ

Part 8 - The Doctrine of Christ

Chapter 38 - The Work of Christ

The offices of Christ show the normative perspective of His work.

As prophet, He not only spoke the Word but IS the Word of God, as its "Author and the chief theme of Scripture" (900).

As priest, He sacrificed Himself as an atonement for our sins.  His sacrifice was spotless, as He was perfectly righteous.  The atonement expiates sin (wiping it from our record and taking it on Himself), propitiates God (redirecting His anger against our sin from us to Jesus), reconciles us to God, and redeems us (buys us back) to God.  Wrong views of the atonement include (1) that Jesus paid the ransom/redemption to Satan, not to God, (2) that His death was only an example for us to self-sacrifice, and (3) that God could forgive our sins without the cross-atonement.  Scripture teaches the atonement is limited in its extent, not in its efficacy (John 10:11, 15; Rom. 8:32-39).  That is, anyone the cross applies to is totally saved.  The cross doesn't just make it possible for them to be saved (limited efficacy).  Everyone limits the atonement in either extent or efficacy, unless they are universalists.  Verses that speak of Christ dying for all either shouldn't be taken literally (1 Cor 15:22; Mark 1:5), or refer to the cosmic scope of the atonement (John 3:16; Col 1:20), or means some from all nations (1 John 2:2).  Besides the atonement, Jesus also intercedes for us as priest.  As a human He can be a faithful and sympathetic advocate with the Father for us.

As King, Jesus does powerful things: creating, sustaining and working miracles.  Of the line of David, He was raised from the dead, showing His power.  His coming as King IS the Gospel (Isaiah 52:7).  Earthly rulers misunderstood Jesus' kingship, "but they were not wrong to feel threatened" (909).  He is the King of kings.

The states of Christ show the situational perspective of His work
As the catechism puts it, Jesus was humbled in His Incarnation, life under the law, suffering, death, and descent into Hell.  The last involved bringing Old Testament saints from Sheol to glory (compare Hebrews 11:39-40 with 12:22).  Jesus was exalted in His resurrection, ascension, sitting at God's right hand, and future return.  Philippians 2:5-11 describes both states, and also applies them to us, in a way, leading us to consider our union with Christ.

Union with Christ
"Jesus saves us by uniting us to Himself" (909).  Since we are chosen in Christ before the world began (Eph. 1:3-4), but also fell into sin right after our creation, there are different senses in which we are united with Christ.
Election - God chose us before time, in His purpose.
Adoption - God chose us for a privileged position in relation to Him, like His own Son (Eph. 1:11-14)
Redemption - God forgives our sins by the cross of Christ.  We are chosen to be justified and sanctified (Eph. 1:7-10; 2:5-10).


This is a fairly standard treatment of the work of Christ.  The most notable parts are the descent into hell, where Frame makes an interesting case for the harrowing of hell from Hebrews 11:39-40; 12:22, and the union with Christ, where he points out that union with Christ happens in multiple senses.  Both assertions are controversial, but I think true.

Psalm 146-150

147
Praise God for all He does.
He builds up Jerusalem, counts the stars, sends every form of weather, makes food grow for the animals, and reveals His Word to Israel.
Mostly, He delights in those who fear Him (verse 11).

148
Praise God, heavens, angels, sun, moon, stars, clouds, sea creatures, hail, fire, snow, wind, mountains, trees, beasts, insects, birds, kings, people, young men and women, old men, and children - because He made you.
Praise Him because He is very majestic, and has given strength to His people.

149
Praise God and dance before Him, for He takes pleasure in His people.
Let them praise Him from bed to battlefield, where they do vengeance on wicked kings.

150
Praise God with everything you have (instruments, body and breath).
Praise God wherever you are (sanctuary or outside under the heavens).


How is this about Jesus
Fearing God is mentioned as the key.  Jesus did this (Hebrews 5:7), and the Father delighted in Him (Matthew 3:17).
He will fulfill Psalm 149, taking vengeance on His enemies (Psalm 2; Revelation 19:17-21).


Application
Our duty and delight should be praising God daily.  What does this look like in your daily routine?

What's Best Next

What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done by Matt Perman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Gospel-oriented look at productivity.

Perman connects these two worlds excellently. Productivity is not the end all and be all, defining our success or happiness. God is. The secular stuff on productivity often assumes a wrong attitude on this.

But thanks to God’s common grace, there is much good wisdom to glean from that material, too. Perman uses it. Quoting Peter Drucker and Stephen Covey right alongside Al Mohler and John Piper was a little surreal, but it works. He interviews some interesting people from both worlds on their productivity techniques.

We can summarize Perman’s strategy with the acronym DARE.
Define your foundation, purpose (mission statement), goals and next task, all in the Lord’s will.
Architect – design your week and day accordingly
Reduce hindrances, clutter, distractions, and any drags on your productivity
Execute – either do it now, or schedule it for later

A lot of this is obvious stuff that we just forget in our laziness. Figure out what’s most important to do right now, and work at it first until it is done. Then go on to the next thing. Duh. But many people really think they work better bouncing from one thing to the next without focusing on one thing. I agree with Perman that multi-tasking really isn’t more efficient. It’s just giving in to distraction most of the time. As much as it is up to you (sometimes it isn’t!), stay focused on your task until it is done. You’ll do it better, your mind will be clearer, and you’ll be more ready for the next thing.

What’s Best Next brilliantly combines the big picture with specific and practical help. Starting with the big picture look at the significance of work and gospel centeredness, he winds up talking about how to handle your email and plan your day and week. While there is some “filler” in the middle (I found myself skimming some), the end material is an excellent summary and reference.

I’ll be returning to this book to reference it again.



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Foxe's Book of Martyrs: Book Review

Fox's Book of Martyrs: A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Deaths of the Early Christian and Protestant Martyrs by John Foxe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


John Foxe found himself exiled from his homeland of England along with many others, when Roman Catholic Queen Mary came to the throne in 1553. He undertook to write an account of her persecutions, and did it using the weapon of history instead of theology.

Foxe didn’t get much into the theological issues that Protestants had against Rome. Instead he lined up a series of accounts of Roman brutality against Protestants, and put them at the end of a 2000 year long line of the persecution of Christians, showing that Rome is just the latest version of the enemies and oppressors of Christ’s true church. (This diametrically opposed Rome’s argument that history was on THEIR side.) He likens the persecutors to the Pharisees and Sadducees, who put Jesus to death. So instead of a theological treatise, Foxe tells the story of martyrs who assert Protestant doctrine simply and briefly at the stake, refusing to recant. This shows us (literally!) what was at stake in Reformation doctrine.

Foxe does not just tell the stories of those who died for the true faith of Christ, but also those who endured troubles for speaking the truth. This is the actual definition of martyr: a witness to the truth in Christ. So Luther gets a chapter, too, and Constantine, and Wycliffe, none of whom were put to death for their faith.

The most distinctive feature of the book is its detailed description of violence. This is not for the faint of heart! They use every device to inflict pain imaginable, and some you couldn’t imagine before reading this. I wouldn’t have a child younger than 13 or 14 read this. If it were put on a movie screen it would be a strong R rating.

So why write it all out? Should we avoid this? I don’t think so.

Again, Foxe’s intent is to show what is at stake in the battleground of history. This is spiritual warfare, and we must be loyal to the truth and to our Lord, even when it means less pay, loss of friends, getting sued, fired, imprisoned, beaten or executed. The church today, especially in America, is oblivious to these real sacrifices required. We express shock and disbelief when the culture rejects us! We need to steel ourselves for the full court press coming against our beliefs from our culture. Foxe helps us in this fight.



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Psalm 136 & 146

136

This Psalm thanks God for making heaven and earth, sun and moon, day and night.  It then retells God dividing the Red Sea, bringing Israel out of Egypt, through the desert, and into Canaan, defeating Pharaoh, Sihon and Og along the way.

The most distinctive feature of this Psalm is that the second line of every verse is "for His steadfast love endures forever."  This gets VERY repetitive to say, making the point in the very experience of reading it, that we get tired of God quickly, while He continues His love to us.

146

I praise God and don't trust in princes.  Hoping in God is better.

It's Yahweh who does everything: opening eyes, freeing prisoners, protecting travelers, lifting up the oppressed.

He will always reign.

How is this about Jesus

He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.  He was the rock that followed Israel in the desert (1 Cor. 10:4-5).

He is the prince of peace in whom we can completely trust.

Application

Ordered priorities of our trust in leaders is important.  We trust Jesus more than parents, presidents or pastors, for good reason!  This doesn't mean NO trust in earthly leaders.  This is an example of something that happens fairly often in Scripture, where a flat prohibition is given, when it intends to prioritize.  Jesus says to hate father and mother - He means compared to Himself.  Paul says women should not adorn themselves outwardly - he means the inner character is more important.

We should have an expectation that earthly leaders will keep their oath of office, but not be crushed and shattered when they fail.