The Contemporary Church

Newspring is a huge church in our area, and like many megachurches today, they have constructed their worship service to reach the unchurched. The service is not really a worship service, but a rock concert followed by a sermon which is often a comedy routine. As someone recently commented to me after attending there for a few weeks, it is all done on a "kindergarten level." Here are a few words from John Armstrong that explains the Newspring phenomenon and one reason why it is misguided. (This is an excerpt from an article titled The Contemporary Church, by John A. Armstrong)
http://glenwoodhills.org/etc/printer-friendly.asp?ID=623

The Destruction of Congregational Worship

The whole "seeker sensitive" approach presumes that the Lord's Day church gathering is principally for recruiting the unchurched, or evangelizing the lost. This idea can be traced to the "revivalism" of 19th century American experience, where the focus during this era was then moved from the church gathering to worship God, to be edified, to receive the sacraments and to enjoy fellowship with Christ and one another, to "drawing the net," or getting decisions from the lost. This new "seeker-sensitive" approach is just a sharper and more carefully defined (dare we say, "neatly packaged") version of the same approach. It is clearly not Reformational, but even more importantly it is clearly not Biblical.

While we try to entice the world to come to church to hear the Gospel,the New Testament proclaims a powerful church worshipping God going out into the world in order to reach lost (cf. The Book of Acts). True revivals have historically proved again and again, if they prove anything at all, that a revived and healthy church reaches a dying and lost world through its own awakened people. The real problem is that we have a dying and sadly unhealthy church in the late 20th century and we are trying something, it seems at times almost anything, to bring back life. The new way to do this is to attack the "traditional" church and suggest that our problem is to be found in what we do on Sundays. It is argued, "Contemporaneity will bring back the crowds, thus the life of our church." The real problem, however, is not what we do (i.e. in the so-called traditional service), but that we do what we do without power, without careful thought, and without integrity and passion. But a very important question begs to be answered: What really is the biblical reason for the church to gather in public meetings on the Lord's Day? A simple reading of the Scriptures gives an unmistakably clear answer--God-centered, Scripture-directed worship. The New Testament plainly teaches that our corporate worship is for God. Stated in the extreme, for the sake of clearer understanding, public worship will always follow one of two models:

1. Anthropocentric
   
2. Theocentric

A human focused worship service sounds oxymoronic but it is, in reality, a valid description when you carefully listen to the descriptions given by the teachers of the "seeker-sensitive" model. Where does this model begin? We are urged to focus on the target, i.e. the audience, or the human person. Remember the driving question behind all of this approach is: How can we design our service and shape our ministry in worship so it will be inviting to the person we desire to reach?

The Distinctives of this Approach to Worship are:

1. It produces a different kind of preaching--exposition is "too heavy," thus we need story-laden anecdotal messages, or "McLite" services, as one has called them.
   
   
2. It thrives on strained attempt to "be relevant." Anything much more than 20 years old is considered useless. Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, has said on several occasions that he will never quote Charles Spurgeon in his public seeker services. Why? He confidently assures fellow ministers that Spurgeon is outdated and will not speak the language of their modern hearers. I for one am concerned that this creates, intended or otherwise, a "reverse elitism": We are the ones who communicate with our age, but does it not follow from this that Isaiah, Jesus, Paul and John are also irrelevant? They did not have Subarus, after all. The unfortunate result will be a generation that thinks the evangelical movement came from nowhere - with no heritage or roots.
   
   
3. There is, in this movement, evidence of a consistent and radical pragmatism. The audience is "sovereign," as we have seen. Why are we in this particular place, doing what we are doing on this particular day? For whom do we gather? The new approach seems to answer, "For man!" The result is a corruption of theology at virtually every point. Take doctrines like human depravity, unconditional election and perseverance. What place do these have in making people feel good about their church experience? What is happening in many large and fast growing churches is profoundly troubling. All of this does not bode well for sermons which will be based upon careful biblical study. An example of this was a sermon I heard in a "seeker- sensitive" service where the pastor preached on the question: "Why Did Moses Strike the Rock?" The answer had nothing to do with the text or the context. What he gave as an answer to this question was the result of psychotherapeutic interpretations of Moses' behavior which were the result of parenting and its influence upon his early childhood years.

A theocentric worship must begin with God, quite obviously. It must begin with an awesome, holy, Creator, who is both transcendent and immanent. He is pure, altogether holy, and dwells in unapproachable light. Those who worship him must realize that he is an all consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and therefore, Christ's mediation must be central if we are not on the basis of, to be destroyed in his presence. This approach to worship asks: What does God require of us? It answers, with biblical warrant, that God wants us to worship him in the stupendous truth of who he is and what he has accomplished, not on the basis of what we feel or believe we need (cf. John 4:23,24). Have you ever noticed that Jesus does evangelism by issuing a call for radically God-centered worship! Does this Word also tell us how we are to worship, and what we are to do? The answer of most is, No. This means, practically, that we are free to do whatever we please as long as we are sincere. The Protestant Reformer John Calvin feared this same kind of movement in his day. He observed that "given man's propensity to fashion and worship idols," man will invariably worship such idols if worship is not regulated in some sense by God and his Word.

This historic approach asks: Where does worship begin? It answers, with no hesitation, "With God!" It asks, further, the profound question: How can we shape our public worship in order to glorify God, give Him praise, and trust and delight in him alone? Yes, we must understand the times" (1 Chronicles 12:32), but this does not mean we must start with the times, or surrender to the times, or adopt the trends of the times in the place of revealed truth.

I read this today on a FaceBook profile:

“Everyone's truth is different, as to each and every one, reality is perception, and perception reality. It is only from a thorough searching deep within, not from some external source, that we come to some degree of commonality concerning truth.”

My response:
"There is only one truth. The foundation of truth is God Himself, who is truth. Reality is the way God perceives everything. Therefore, to know the truth, we must line up our thinking with God’s. Truth is found ultimately, not in ourselves, but in Jesus Christ who is truth, and in the infallible word of God. Only by coming to Jesus and the Scriptures will we also come together. True unity and true freedom can only exist among people who believe the truth." (John 8:32; 14:6; 17:17, Ephesians 4:13-15)

The same individual wonders "why abortion ever became anything other than a personal family decision."

My response:
How about "You shall not murder." ~ Exodus 20:13
How about taking a look at:
4D ULTRASOUND PICTURES OF UNBORN BABIES

simple truths

1. ROMANS 3:23 - All have sinned

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

2. ROMANS 6:23 - All deserve hell; heaven is a free gift

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

3. JOHN 14:6 - Jesus is the only way to heaven

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

4. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3,4 - What Jesus did

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures"

5. ROMANS 10:9-11; Luke 13:3 - What you must do

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. "

"I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

6. JOHN 1:12; EPH. 2:8-9 - Receive Christ; Don't trust works

"To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

7. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:15 - The life He calls you to live

"And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

The Divine Spiration of Scripture - A Review by Dr J R de Witt

This an excellent review by Dr. J R de Witt of a new book by A.T.B. McGowan titled The Divine Spiration of Scripture.
The book attempts to present an alternative view to the traditional, biblical view of the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. Dr. de Witt demonstrates that this alternative view presented by McGowan is found wanting.
The Divine Spiration of Scripture - A Review by Dr J R de Witt

Theological Papers

This past year I have taken two classes at Erskine Seminary and written two papers. One has to do with the doctrine of Justification and the other deals with B. B. Warfield's doctrine of the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture.

"John Calvin’s Doctrine of Justification: An Overview and Comparison with Robert Gundry"

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"Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield: The Defense of the Word of God Written"

"The Shack"

The Shack is a new book that thousands of undiscerning Christians are all excited about. Listen to this message by Dr. Al Mohler to get the truth.

A Look at “The Shack”

Also read a thorough reviewof The Shack by Tim Challies.
http://www.challies.com/media/The_Shack.pdf

Scripture - a Final Revelation

Sola Scriptura
Scripture - a Final Revelation














Christianity is based upon revelation from God.
We as reformed Protestants are committed to the principle of "Sola Scriptura", or Scripture alone. Through Scripture, God has revealed all that is necessary for us to know about Himself, and about our salvation. In fact, we say that the "Holy Scripture alone is our infallible authority for all matters of faith and practice.

Scripture alone is able to bring a person to saving faith in Jesus Christ. No mere man can do it, nor can the church, nor a vision or some experience. General revelation cannot bring man to saving knowledge of God. The Bible alone reveals the way of salvation and the way to please God.

Last week we looked at Chapter one, Section one of the WCF. The last sentence of Sect. 1 says: "which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased."

What are those "former ways of God's revealing Himself?"
There was the audible voice of God, there were dreams and visions, there were tongues and prophecies, and miracles. These ways of God's revealing His will were temporary. How do we know they were temporary?
Let's take a look at 1Corinthians 13:8-13
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

1. Paul said that tongues, prophecy and the special gift of knowledge were temporary. All 3 would cease at some point.
2. In contrast to these three gifts, "faith, hope and love" remain.
3. V. 9 says, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part" - Revelation through these gifts is partial - incomplete.
4. v. 10 says, "but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." The Greek word for "perfection" is "teleios", which means "brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness". In other words, the partial or temporary means of revelation would be replaced by something that was permanent and complete. At that time there would be no need for further revelation. I.e. when the Scriptures were completed the temporary revelatory gifts would cease.
5. V. 11, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." The state of childhood is state of immaturity and limitations. "The temporary partial revelation was like the childish ways that would be replaced by adult ones (the complete revelation)." (J. Adams) Those who seek to speak in tongues and have the miraculous gifts of prophecy and knowledge today are trying to go back to when the church was in the period of childhood. Since we have the completed Scriptures, there is no need to go backward.
6. V. 12, " Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
The mirrors in those days were not like our mirrors. They were bronze mirrors that reflected a poor, fuzzy, dim image. The mirrors we have today allow us to see ourselves clearly face to face. So today, since the Scriptures have been completed, it is like seeing face to face - that is, we see the truth much more clearly now. It has come into sharper focus.
Paul has not made any reference here to heaven or the eternal state. He has been discussing God's methods of revelation. He is not introducing another subject here.

7. "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." It says nothing about heaven here. When Paul says "I shall know fully", Gary Crampton says he means that he "would know fully all that God has chosen to reveal" i.e. the Scriptures.
If Paul meant to refer to heaven in v. 12 then v. 13 would make no sense. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
If Paul was talking about the eternal state, love would remain, but not faith and hope. Faith and hope will not be necessary in heaven! Faith will be turned to sight! Hope will be realized!

The prophet Daniel said, in 9:24 "Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy."
Daniel refers to a time when vision and prophecy would be sealed up. Paul simply reiterates this fact.

John MacArthur states that: "The Bible records only three periods of history in which human beings were given the gift of performing miracles (that would authenticate the message of those called to proclaim it):
1. During the ministries of Moses and Joshua.
2. During the ministries of Elijah and Elisha
3. During the ministries of Jesus and the apostles.

"Each period lasted only about 70 years and then abruptly ended. The NT miracle age was for the purpose of confirming the Word as given by Jesus and the apostles."

Hebrews 2:3-4 says, "This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."
The writer tells the purpose of these miracles - to confirm the message of salvation. He even speaks of these miraculous gifts as if they had already ceased.

Tongues and other sign gifts have ceased because the NT has been completed. Nothing is to be added to the Bible. If tongues really were for today, then we would still have revelation from God and the Bible would keep being written, but we know this is not the case. Nowhere in the writings of the early church fathers do we find a reference to the practice of tongues.
MacArthur said that "The historians and theologians of the early church unanimously maintained that tongues ceased to exist after the time of the apostles. The only exception of which we know was within the movement led by Montanus, a second century heretic who believed that divine revelation continued through him beyond the NT."
Apparently no other tongues-speaking was practiced in Christianity until the 17th and 18th centuries, when it appeared in certain RCC groups and the Shakers. Then in the 19th century, the Irvingites in London claimed to speak in tongues and have new revelations of the Spirit. Around the turn of the 20th century the holiness movement started, which later developed into modern Pentecostalism. The Charismatic movement which began in the 1960's, brought the practice of tongues and new revelations beyond Pentecostalism into other churches - both Protestant and Catholic.

But in contrast to this relatively recent movement which we are in the midst of, we hold to the historic Protestant and biblical position - which is that the miraculous, revelatory gifts have now ceased because their purpose has ceased - and the Scriptures are complete. God's written word is that perfect, complete and final revelation of God until we go to live with Him forever.

Scripture alone is the only revelation from God we have today. It is the only revelation we need. It is sufficient for all of life and godliness until Christ returns.