"It Takes a Lot of Faith to Lament"

 

Crossway[1] Podcaster, Matt Tulley interviewed Mark Vroegop author of Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy. Here are some quotable quotes:

 

“Yes. I think lament in its essence is more process-oriented than what we’re familiar with. Lament doesn’t tie everything up in a nice bow. Sometimes it leaves the tension hanging in the air with unsolved problems, but a renewed commitment that I’m going to trust the Lord in the middle of all of this. While there are a bunch of things that I can’t control, a bunch of things that I can’t change or do, the one thing that I can do is talk to God.”

 

“I think the Christian life is in the space where we know God is sovereign, but the world is also broken. Those two things don’t always go together really well. You know that God is good, but there are events in life that it’s hard to make a direct connection between this specific event and God’s goodness. It’s precisely because of the fact that we believe that God is sovereign and that we believe he’s good that Christians complain. We say to God, How long, O Lord? Would you intervene? Why haven’t you intervened? Rather than throwing that in God’s face—You need to intervene because I’m telling you you need to intervene—lament actually enters into the space to say, God, you’re sovereign. You’re in control. You’re all-powerful. And yet, this brokenness is right here. I want it to be gone. I want you to do something. Lament wrestles with pain while also looking to God as the ultimate answer for that pain, with the hope that we can really fully place our trust in him.”

 

“I think, sadly, that many Christians believe that being a faithful follower of Jesus means that you never struggle with doubt, you never wrestle with despair, you’re not battling anxiety on a regular basis. They come to church, people ask them how they’re doing, and they fake it: Oh, we’re fine! Praise the Lord! But inside, their spiritual life is a train wreck and they don’t think that it’s okay to acknowledge, I’ve got unanswered questions. I have tension in my soul about God’s goodness and what’s happening in my life. So, lament enters that rather complicated terrain by saying here’s a way to talk to God about that tension.”

 

“Absolutely. In fact, I think it takes a lot of faith to lament. I think lament is one of the most theologically faith-filled things that a Christian could possibly do. In the middle of the darkest of dark moments, when your pain is so raw and so real, you have the faith to talk to God about your pain. If faith isn’t present, you would give God the silent treatment, you wouldn’t talk to him, you would just be angry, you would be resigned and say that God really doesn’t care. But in the middle of your darkest moment, you’re talking to God about what’s wrong with the world. You’re asking him to be true to his promises and recommitting that you’re going to trust in him. I don’t know what could be more faith-filled than that.” 

 

[Emphasis is mine]

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[1] https://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-how-to-lament-after-two-years-of-loss-mark-vroegop/

What Is Biblical Counselling?

 “Biblical Counseling is a ministry of the local church whereby transformed believers in Christ (John 3: 3-8) who are indwelled, empowered, and led by the Holy Spirit (John 14: 26) minister the living and active Word of God (Heb. 4: 12) to others in view of evangelizing the lost and teaching the saved (Matt. 28: 18-20). Biblical Counseling is based on the conviction that Scripture is sufficient for the counseling task and superior to anything the world has to offer (2 Tim. 3: 16-17; Heb. 4: 12; 2 Peter 1: 3-4; Ps. 119; James 4: 4). Biblical counselors realize the significance of sin (Rom. 3: 23, 6: 23) and after self-confrontation (Matt. 7: 5) lovingly confront those who are in sin (Luke 17: 3-4) and call them to repentance (2 Tim. 2: 24-26). Biblical counselors also realize that in a fallen world people can face significant crises that are not a direct result of their own personal sin (Job 1-2). Biblical counselors purposefully and patiently walk with, serve, love, encourage, and help people in these cases (1 Th. 5: 14). They also call upon others in the church to assist based on their gifts and roles (1 Cor. 12: 4-31). Biblical counseling can be informal, accomplished over coffee, in the hallways of the church, or in the work place and community. It can also be formal, accomplished through scheduled appointments in an office setting. All Christians should be taught to minister God's Word and boldly do so in the context of the local church. Biblical counselors are motivated by the compassion of Christ (Mt. 9: 36, 2 Cor. 5: 14-15) and through obeying His commands, (John 14: 21) seek to be salt and light in such a way that others see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven (Mt. 5: 16).”

— Biblical Crisis Counseling: Not If But When by John Babler

https://a.co/j6UXoUP

The Pastor and an Unmessianic Sense of Non Destiny - Selected Quotations

The Pastor and an Unmessianic Sense of Non Destiny 

Carl Trueman [1]

Selected Quotations:

“The West worships the individual. From the cradle to the grave, it tells us all how special and unique we are, how vital we are to everything, how there’s a prize out there just for us.”

“What concerns me is the way in which our tendency to think of ourselves as special and unique bleeds over into a sense of special destiny whereby the future, or at least the future of myself, comes to be the priority and to trump all else.”

“This belief that we are each special is, by and large, complete tosh. Most of us are mediocre, make unique contributions only in the peculiar ways we screw things up, and could easily be replaced as husband, father, or employee by somebody better suited to the task.”

“My special destiny as a believer is to be part of the church; and it is the church that is the big player in God’s wider plan, not me.”  [Emphasis Mine]

“When I act, I act as a whole person; my hand has no special role of its own; it acts only in the context of being part of my overall body. With the church, the destiny of the whole is greater than the sum of the destinies of individual Christians.”

“Well, the world turned for thousands of years before any of us showed up; it will continue turning long after we’ve gone, short of the parousia; and even if you, me, or the Christian next door are tonight hit by an asteroid, kidnapped by aliens, or sucked down the bathroom plughole, very little will actually change; even our loved ones will somehow find a way to carry on without us. We really are not that important.”

___________________________________

1. 9 Marks Journal, March, 2022. Carl Trueman is a Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania.  

Does oil really trump water?

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?  If you are you won't deny that in every case oil will float on water. Oil floats on top of the water because oil molecules are lighter than water molecules. You can mix oil and water together but oil will always float to the top. Oil always trumps water. 

In John Bunyan's classic allegory: Pilgrims Progress, he pictures the beauty of this science.  While Christian (the Pilgrim) is visiting the House of the Interpreter (the Holy Spirit), his host shows him a picture.  The scene was a fire.  Beside the fire was a man pouring water on the flame.  Rather than douse the fervor, the flame seemed to increase in intensity.  Why was that?  Well what wasn't readily seen was that in secret behind the inferno was another man pouring oil on the fire.   So what does this mean, pray tell?  Let Bunyan tell you:

This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of his grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart; by the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can do, the souls of his people prove gracious still. 2 Corinthians 12:9. And in that thou sawest that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire; this is to teach thee, that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.[1]

Oil ALWAYS trumps water ... ALWAYS.

Dear Child of God, you may be facing the onslaught of Satan's attack today. You feel as if the fire is ebbing as he diabolically splashes water on your life seeking to drown you into infamy.  Take heart, for Christ has neither left you, nor forsaken you.  His oil will trump the Enemy's water -- EVERYTIME!

A picture is worth a thousand words.  This picture is worth an eternity.   

________________________
1. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bunyan/pilgrim.iv.ii.html 

Ludi Incipiant -- Let the Games Begin!

A common question regarding Christianity from both non-Christians and Christians alike is the issue of the many denominations and variety of beliefs within the same brand of religion.  This is a good question.  We offer the world a faith whereby there is one God, one faith and one baptism.  It's in the Bible (Ephesians 4:4-6 ) our one source of authority.  This all sounds so confusing.  Why so many interpretations? 

Do you know what else is in the Bible?   Well we are told that individual Christians presently only understand in part (1 Corinthians 13:9,12).  We also know that sometimes truth takes awhile to dawn on us (Proverbs 4:18).  We also have the evidence of church councils wrestling with important issues (Acts 15). 

So first of all let's make sure we don't fall prey to a Satanic method of Biblical interpretation (Matthew 4:7) and forget that we shouldn't make a doctrine on solitary passages.  "It is also written" is an important inclusion in any Biblical discussion. The truth is we are fallen, dependent creatures and the New Birth does not make us omniscient and all-wise.  We will never be God (contrary to some religions!).  We will never (including the Final State) have the perfect knowledge that our God has.

Secondly, I somewhat relish the idea that within the confines of true and unabashed Christianity well-meaning Believers can still debate differences of opinion.  If you think about it, in our world of pluralism and relativism, where everybody is right and right is whatever you think it is, we may be experiencing a generation of people that truly are living the last and final great debate.

Now let it be known that there are subjects that are so blatantly clear in the Bible that debate is futile if not insubordinate.  But when I debate infant baptism with my Presbyterian brothers, or tongues with my Pentecostal friends, or eschatology with all my other Christians, we are entering into a sphere of discussion that our relativistic neighbors seldom enjoy. 

I think instead of showing contempt for our intramural differences we ought to count it a distinct privilege. People who hold to cardinal truths of Christianity get to differ, debate and defer to one another in a spirit of Christ-likeness that is unknown in many other religious systems.

So the next time you have a friendly argument with a fellow believer on ... say: the impeccability of Jesus, stop to give thanks that you still can do that.  Stop also to thank God that He has determined others to be a help to your faith.  Stop also to worship a God that in infinitely wise and true; and that the joy of knowing Him is in the journey.

Ludi incipiant.