Great piece on Phillip Jensen's website on:
'The Arrogance of Humility'
e.g.
In recent years tolerance has become ‘the acceptance of all views as equally valid’. And so tolerance is valued excessively. For the move to accept all views as equally valid is to rename ‘relativism’ as ‘tolerance’. It changes tolerance from ‘a way to get on with our neighbours’ to ‘a way to think’. It is the move from political freedom to political correctness. And this move turns all knowledge and certainty into arrogance and all ignorance and confusion into humility.
phillipjensen.com
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Godly Fear
Some more words of wisdom from Thomas Watson (The Great Gain of Godliness, BofT 2008).
To profess religion when the times favour it is no great matter. Almost all will court the Gospel Queen when she is hung with jewels. But to own the ways of God when they are derided and maligned, to love a persecuted truth, this evidences a vital principle of goodness. (p6)
Superstitious fear ...a hare crossing the path is by some more dreaded than a harlot lying in a bed. (p12)
'Fear is the worst prophet in times of doubt' (Statius). He who is timorous will be teacherous. (p12)
God is so great that the Christian is afraid of displeasing him, and so good that he is afraid of losing him. (p13)
Love is as the sails to make swift the soul's motion, and fear as the ballast to keep it steady in religion: love will grow wanton unless it be poised with fear. (p14)
When the soul looks either to God's holiness, or its own sinfulness, it fears, but it is a fear mixed with faith in Christ's merits; the soul trembles, yet trusts. (p14)
To profess religion when the times favour it is no great matter. Almost all will court the Gospel Queen when she is hung with jewels. But to own the ways of God when they are derided and maligned, to love a persecuted truth, this evidences a vital principle of goodness. (p6)
Superstitious fear ...a hare crossing the path is by some more dreaded than a harlot lying in a bed. (p12)
'Fear is the worst prophet in times of doubt' (Statius). He who is timorous will be teacherous. (p12)
God is so great that the Christian is afraid of displeasing him, and so good that he is afraid of losing him. (p13)
Love is as the sails to make swift the soul's motion, and fear as the ballast to keep it steady in religion: love will grow wanton unless it be poised with fear. (p14)
When the soul looks either to God's holiness, or its own sinfulness, it fears, but it is a fear mixed with faith in Christ's merits; the soul trembles, yet trusts. (p14)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thought Life
Some quotes from Puritan Thomas Watson - The Great Gain of Godliness (Banner of Truth, 2008)
We cannot of ourselves think a good thought (2 Cor 3:5), but the Spirit elevates and fixes the heart on God: 'The Spirit lifted me up' (Ezek 3:14). When you see the iron move upward, you know there has been some magnet drawing it. So when the thoughts move upward towards God, the Spirit has, as a divine magnet, drawn them.' (p78)
Certainly God is best worth thinking on. Is there any excellency in the world? Then what is there in God that made it? He gives the star its beauty, the flower its fragrance, food its pleasantness; and if there such deliciousness in the creature, what is in God? He must needs be better than all. O my soul, shall I admire the drip and not the ocean? (p78)
Think of God's mercy: this makes all his other attributes sweet. Holiness without mercy, and justice without mercy, would be terrible. (p83)
No truer touchstone of sanctity exists than the spirituality of the thoughts. What a man is, that his thoughts are: 'For as he thinketh in his heart, so he is' (Prov 23:7). Thoughts are freer from hypocrisy than words. One may speak well for applause, or to stand right in the opinion of others; but when we are alone and think of God's Name, and admire his excellencies, this shows the heart to be right.
Thoughts are freer from hypocrisy than an unblamable life. A man may in his outward behaviour be fair, yet have a covetous, revengeful mind. The acts of sin may be conceived when the heart sits brooding upon sin, but to have thoughts spiritualised and set upon God is a truer sympton of sincerity, than a life free from vice. Christians what do your thoughts run upon? Where do they make their most frequent visits? (p85)
We judge men by their actions; Gods judges them by their thoughts. (p85)
O saints, do but let your thoughts dwell upon the love of Christ, who passed by angels and thought of you; who was wounded that, out of his wounds, the balm of Gilead might come to heal you; who leaped into the sea of his Father's wrath, to save you from drowning. Think of this unparalled love which sets the angels wondering, and see if it will not affect your hearts and cause tears to flow forth. (p87)
...by contemplating God's holiness, we are in some measure changed into his likeness: 'Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image' (2 Cor 3:18).
Some complain that they have no joy in their lives; and truly, no wonder, when they are such strangers to heavenly contemplation. Would you have God give you comfort, and never think of him? (p88)
The thoughts we have of God in the time of health, will be a comfort to us in the time of sickness.' (p88)
Our thoughts of God shall not be lost. God accepts the thought for the deed. David had a good thought come into his mind to build God a house, and God took it as kindly as if he had done it: 'Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thy heart' (2 Chron 6:8). p89
We cannot of ourselves think a good thought (2 Cor 3:5), but the Spirit elevates and fixes the heart on God: 'The Spirit lifted me up' (Ezek 3:14). When you see the iron move upward, you know there has been some magnet drawing it. So when the thoughts move upward towards God, the Spirit has, as a divine magnet, drawn them.' (p78)
Certainly God is best worth thinking on. Is there any excellency in the world? Then what is there in God that made it? He gives the star its beauty, the flower its fragrance, food its pleasantness; and if there such deliciousness in the creature, what is in God? He must needs be better than all. O my soul, shall I admire the drip and not the ocean? (p78)
Think of God's mercy: this makes all his other attributes sweet. Holiness without mercy, and justice without mercy, would be terrible. (p83)
No truer touchstone of sanctity exists than the spirituality of the thoughts. What a man is, that his thoughts are: 'For as he thinketh in his heart, so he is' (Prov 23:7). Thoughts are freer from hypocrisy than words. One may speak well for applause, or to stand right in the opinion of others; but when we are alone and think of God's Name, and admire his excellencies, this shows the heart to be right.
Thoughts are freer from hypocrisy than an unblamable life. A man may in his outward behaviour be fair, yet have a covetous, revengeful mind. The acts of sin may be conceived when the heart sits brooding upon sin, but to have thoughts spiritualised and set upon God is a truer sympton of sincerity, than a life free from vice. Christians what do your thoughts run upon? Where do they make their most frequent visits? (p85)
We judge men by their actions; Gods judges them by their thoughts. (p85)
O saints, do but let your thoughts dwell upon the love of Christ, who passed by angels and thought of you; who was wounded that, out of his wounds, the balm of Gilead might come to heal you; who leaped into the sea of his Father's wrath, to save you from drowning. Think of this unparalled love which sets the angels wondering, and see if it will not affect your hearts and cause tears to flow forth. (p87)
...by contemplating God's holiness, we are in some measure changed into his likeness: 'Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image' (2 Cor 3:18).
Some complain that they have no joy in their lives; and truly, no wonder, when they are such strangers to heavenly contemplation. Would you have God give you comfort, and never think of him? (p88)
The thoughts we have of God in the time of health, will be a comfort to us in the time of sickness.' (p88)
Our thoughts of God shall not be lost. God accepts the thought for the deed. David had a good thought come into his mind to build God a house, and God took it as kindly as if he had done it: 'Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thy heart' (2 Chron 6:8). p89
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Harvest Church Plant
Another chance to find out about the new 'Harvest Bible Chapel' plant on 20th April at the Premier Inn, George St, Glasgow @ 8pm.
Harvest Glasgow Open House Invite from Scott Hamilton on Vimeo.
Harvest Glasgow Open House Invite from Scott Hamilton on Vimeo.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Stretching preaching
AJ Mortimer, How to Speak, How to Listen (Touchstone. 1983), p61-62
"Always risk talking over their heads!.... It will not hurt if some of the things you say may be beyond their reach. It is much better for them to have the sense that they have succeeded in getting some enlightenment by their effort to reach up (even if they also have the sense that somethings to be understood have escaped them) than it is for them to sit feeling insulted by the patronising manner in which you have talked down to them.
The truly great books, I have repeatedly said, are the few books that are over everybody's head all of the time. That is why they are endlessly rereadable as instruments from which you can go on learning more and more on each rereading. What you come to understand each time is a step upward in the development of your mind; so also is your realisation of what remains to be understood by further effort on your part.
...What is true of books to be read is true of lectures to be listened to. The only lectures that are intellectually profitable for anyone to listen to are those that increase one's knowledge and understanding."
"Always risk talking over their heads!.... It will not hurt if some of the things you say may be beyond their reach. It is much better for them to have the sense that they have succeeded in getting some enlightenment by their effort to reach up (even if they also have the sense that somethings to be understood have escaped them) than it is for them to sit feeling insulted by the patronising manner in which you have talked down to them.
The truly great books, I have repeatedly said, are the few books that are over everybody's head all of the time. That is why they are endlessly rereadable as instruments from which you can go on learning more and more on each rereading. What you come to understand each time is a step upward in the development of your mind; so also is your realisation of what remains to be understood by further effort on your part.
...What is true of books to be read is true of lectures to be listened to. The only lectures that are intellectually profitable for anyone to listen to are those that increase one's knowledge and understanding."
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Keller debate with atheist Norman Bacrac
Timothy Keller started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York in 1989. It now attracts several thousand members to worship every week. His book "The Reason for God" answers the questions he is commonly asked by sceptical New Yorkers. He engages with Atheist Norman Bacrac editor of the "Ethical Record" - a Humanist publication. They debate whether Christianity's exclusive claims are arrogant, and whether people alone can be the best judge of what is right and wrong.
The debate is on-line at Premier Christian Radio and can be accessed HERE.
You'll need to fast-forward 21.30mins into the show to get the actual debate section.
The debate is on-line at Premier Christian Radio and can be accessed HERE.
You'll need to fast-forward 21.30mins into the show to get the actual debate section.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Contains strong gospel content
So there I was flicking through the Wesley-Owen church resources catalogue when my attention was caught by the words ‘Contains strong gospel content’. No really, there in a small box under the letters ‘DVD’ was ‘Contains strong gospel content’. The advert was for the ‘Discipleship Explored’ DVD – which apparently, we are warned, contains ‘strong gospel content’ – so presumably not for the Sunday School then.
I flicked back through the catalogue for other such warnings – e.g. ‘Contains strong theological language’ or ‘Contains scenes of a Christian nature’ or ‘PG: Potentially Godly’ – but no, no other materials merited this kind of ‘red flag’ treatment (not even the Bible!).
The mind boggles – what does it say about our Christian culture that it’s felt necessary to warn people that discipleship materials might be, well you know, a bit full-on with the gospel! Come on, we’re not talking about materials for a pre-evangelism cheese & wine party here – this is something for people who are Christians to help them in their faith. The makers have even called it ‘Discipleship Explored’ in an effort to reduce such potential confusion.
Sadly – and it’s pretty sad – there is clearly a market for Discipleship-lite materials, presumably for those saved via the Gospel-lite message so prevelant today. After all why teach people about the battle for holiness when their sin was never a big issue in the first place, why talk about Cross-bearing when they signed up to promises of having ‘their best life now’, why move to the prayer room when you started in the pamper room.
Well good on ‘Discipleship Explored’ – they should wear ‘Contains strong gospel content’ as a badge of honour – and we should seek to win the world and disciple Christians with nothing less.
I flicked back through the catalogue for other such warnings – e.g. ‘Contains strong theological language’ or ‘Contains scenes of a Christian nature’ or ‘PG: Potentially Godly’ – but no, no other materials merited this kind of ‘red flag’ treatment (not even the Bible!).
The mind boggles – what does it say about our Christian culture that it’s felt necessary to warn people that discipleship materials might be, well you know, a bit full-on with the gospel! Come on, we’re not talking about materials for a pre-evangelism cheese & wine party here – this is something for people who are Christians to help them in their faith. The makers have even called it ‘Discipleship Explored’ in an effort to reduce such potential confusion.
Sadly – and it’s pretty sad – there is clearly a market for Discipleship-lite materials, presumably for those saved via the Gospel-lite message so prevelant today. After all why teach people about the battle for holiness when their sin was never a big issue in the first place, why talk about Cross-bearing when they signed up to promises of having ‘their best life now’, why move to the prayer room when you started in the pamper room.
Well good on ‘Discipleship Explored’ – they should wear ‘Contains strong gospel content’ as a badge of honour – and we should seek to win the world and disciple Christians with nothing less.
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