The Importance of Presuppositions, Part 2

Last week I wrote that everyone has presuppositions, which are primary conclusions that are used to make future conclusions. These presuppositions are foundational to our understanding of reality because we are unable to consider every aspect of the world at once, therefore we must come to conclusions about the most important issues in order to determine what we think about other issues. Oftentimes, though maybe not always, the most important presuppositions will be established first.

Today, I want to discuss how presuppositions shape our understanding and our decision-making process. As I said last time, presuppositions influence our future conclusions and even ­determine them. I hope to prove today why that is the case.

Presuppositions have many functions in our mental processes. For example, they are used to determine areas of research for current decisions or pursuits. Consider a detective who is investigating a robbery—if the detective has proof that the thief is well over six feet tall, that evidence will limit the people who are considered to be suspects. The presupposition that the robber is tall will determine the field of characters that are examined. Presuppositions function similarly in theology. Say that a student believes that the Holy Spirit is the member of the Trinity who is most often described as working ‘within’ Christians. If that student is investigating the New Testament record of how God teaches His children, that student may begin by merely looking for relevant passages about the Holy Spirit. If asked why this path of investigation was chosen, the student might respond that he did so ‘intuitively,’ but that would be inaccurate. Really, the student did so because he presupposed that the Spirit worked ‘within’ Christians, so it seemed likely that teaching would fall in the same category.

Presuppositions also function to limit what we accept as possible conclusions. By definition someone who presupposes that a certain event is impossible will, when confronted with evidence of that event occurring, either reject that evidence or will be forced to change that presupposition. Someone who strongly holds that presupposition will almost certainly reject the reality of that event happening, even if confronted with strong and compelling evidence. This has enormous importance for Christians. Believers and unbelievers often hold to their respective positions because of underlying presuppositions which are not easily overcome (though there is much else at play in that case). Two Christian theologians can examine the exact same passages of Scripture and come to very different conclusions—why? Because what they presuppose will determine how they read key terms in those passages, which will determine how they interpret the passage as a whole.

Finally, presuppositions determine the judgment or value that we place on other issues. In the secular world, the presuppositions of someone raised in a democracy will determine the view they take of an uprising in another country. If the rebels in question are throwing off the yoke of a dictator, the citizen of a democracy will probably support them or at least feel that their cause is justified. On the other hand, the citizen of a communist country might feel that the embattled government of that country has the inviolable right to rule and that the cause of the rebels is unjustifiable. The presuppositions of both citizens will determine the value that they place on the democratic reforms in such a country. In the realm of theology, someone who knows about heresies in church history will place a high value on the doctrines related to the person and work of Christ. Someone else, who has no knowledge of church history, would likely think that those doctrines are of some importance, but would probably not guard them as strictly as the first person. The church historian presupposes that these very doctrines are of foundational importance because he knows how errors in this area can lead to heresy and schism, while the less-informed brother may not.

All of this shows how important presuppositions are to daily life and especially to theology. These previous conclusions shape our beliefs and oftentimes determine our future conclusions—they are like unseen roots below the ground. Presuppositions shape who we are, what we believe is possible, and what we think is good and valuable. The importance of presuppositions becomes even more apparent when we realize that presuppositions function the same way even when they are false conclusions. In light of this, consider your presuppositions whenever you take up a debate or consider a new fact.

What are the conclusions you have made that will influence the issue at hand?

That is a question we should all ask ourselves, especially when we study theology. More importantly, we need to ask: “are my presuppositions biblical?”

--Dean of Admissions

The Importance of Presuppositions, Part 1

Presuppositions are foundational beliefs that shape our interpretation of facts or other beliefs. In theological study, in debates, in science, and in all of life, presuppositions shape our understanding in a unique way. I would like to discuss the importance of presuppositions.

First of all, presuppositions are important because everyone has them. You, reader, have presuppositions that influence your interpretation of other facts. I will even be so bold as to argue that your presuppositions determine your interpretation of other facts. We will discuss how presuppositions shape you in a later post, but right now the important fact is that we all have these vital presuppositions. Why do I believe this? I believe we all have presuppositions because we cannot consider all of reality at once. Because of this, we have to come to conclusions about some things and then we immediately use those new conclusions to come to conclusions about other, less important things. What I am saying is that no one thinks about all of reality as ‘up in the air’ at the same time—everyone makes foundational conclusions that will help them make secondary conclusions, which will help them make tertiary conclusions, and so forth.

These can be simple or complex conclusions. For example, your belief that gravity will continue to hold you to the ground with relative consistency is foundational for your ability to believe you can walk across a room. On the other hand, if you come to a certain conclusion about epistemology, only certain types of evidence may appear valid to you, while other evidence may be discounted prima facie. In both cases a former conclusion determines a later conclusion; the former conclusions are what we call presuppositions.

We use these kinds of presuppositions to make decisions on a daily basis and we do so without great thought about what we are doing. To use the previous example, you do not think, “I believe gravity will hold me to the floor, therefore I can walk across the room.” Rather, you simply know and trust that gravity functions a certain way and then you act in accord with what you know. These presuppositions are common to all of humankind, whether they are recognized as such or not.

All people have theological presuppositions as well, even atheists do. An atheist claims to believe (and may seem to be convinced) that there is no God. That belief is relatively foundational to the way they act, just as a Christian’s belief in the God of the Bible is foundational to the way they act. Christians can have some differing presuppositions from other Christians, too. These presuppositions determine what we think of Genesis 1, or Romans 9, or the book of Hebrews. Every person who debates relies on their presuppositions (specifically, they rely on the veracity of their presuppositions) because arguments typically revolve around a very few points. Few arguments begin absolutely at square one: “I believe that I am a human, and that you are as well; I also believe that we are speaking English and that …” so on and so on. Rather, obvious points of agreement are assumed by both parties; those are shared presuppositions but presuppositions nonetheless. The two sides of a debate will also have some opposing presuppositions, it is regarding these, if they are discovered, that the debate will revolve around.

Everyone, then, has presuppositions to one degree or another. They shape and determine how we think, how we act, and what we believe about the world in which we live.  They are very important.

Next week, I hope to talk about how exactly presuppositions influence our thinking.

--Dean of Admissions

Diligence and the Christian Soul, Part 2

Proverbs 13:4—

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is made fat.”

As we said earlier, this verse helps us understand God’s perspective on labor and life. God created work as a blessing and work is an essential part of Creation. It is a good thing. We also said that it is an important part of the Christian ethic, since our work is one means that the Lord has appointed for our provision (1 Thes. 4:11-12).

Not only is work an important part of the Christian life, but I hope to show today that diligence in work is the expectation for all Christians. This should be plain from the teaching of the book of Proverbs since the diligent character of the wise or righteous person is consistent with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 8:12-17). Many other passages also describe Christian diligence, to which we will now turn.

Paul, as he describes his own ministry in 1 Corinthians 9, exhorts the Corinthians to run the ‘Christian’ race alongside him. He relates his own ministry in intense terms—boxing, discipline, slavery—showing the laborious nature of his own personal efforts (1 Cor. 9:26-27). When he encourages the Corinthians to run the race, however, he does not merely call them to participate—he calls them to run in such a way that they may win (1 Cor. 9:24). Paul wanted to see these Christian brothers and sisters exerting themselves for the sake of Christ, focusing on Him as if excellence in doing so was a matter of competition! This is a call to diligence.

Likewise, later in the letter he says that the grace of God caused him to labor even more than all others, tying the common Christian bond (being a partaker of grace) to the uncommon efforts that he exerted (1 Cor. 15:10). If the grace of God produced this in Paul, what is producing laziness in our churches or our lives? Instead of indulging ourselves, we need to hear and heed his call in 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” This is a call to diligence.

Finally, we ought to understand that the Christian’s hope is to be forever with the Lord, ruling as a king alongside Him (2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 2:26-27, Rev. 3:21) but also serving Him forever as His bondservant (Rev. 7:13-15, Rev. 22:3). Diligent labor is our lot not only in this life but also in the life to come, if we are Christians! Diligence in serving the Lord, then, must be a blessing of the highest order, if it constitutes part of our experience in heaven. By laboring diligently on the earth we show that we are preparing for heaven and looking forward to the final day. This is a call to diligence!

Ask yourself, then, this question: “Does my daily life demonstrate diligence?” Do you diligently labor to serve the Lord in your job (Col. 3:23-24), regardless of the character of your boss (Col. 3:22)? Is it apparent from your actions that you have not been entangled in the affairs of everyday life (2 Tim. 2:4)? Are you running the ‘Christian race’ as if you wanted to win (1 Cor. 9:24)?

Let me encourage you to be diligent, especially in your service to the Lord! He is worthy of nothing less than your very best. If you are a Christian, He saved you by grace apart from your works, so that you would live for His sake with self-abandoning zeal (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Be diligent in your work. Be diligent in your service. And students: be diligent in your studies. It is the Christian way of life.

--Dean of Admissions

Diligence and the Christian Soul, Part 1

The book of Proverbs has much to teach to every generation of Christians; this is as true of our day as any other. The book of Proverbs also has much to teach to seminary students in particular!

 

One of the beautiful lessons we gain from Proverbs is that diligence is a foundational virtue to godly living, that is, to successful living. Today I hope to examine this idea of diligence in order to encourage students and our visitors to live with intense industry in every area of life and especially in our service to God, whether it is related to seminary studies or otherwise.

Proverbs 13:4 says this:

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,

But the soul of the diligent is made fat.”

We live in an era and in a country where laziness and ease are considered to be humorous and extremely desirable. It is our natural, fleshly, sinful desire to avoid work and exert the lowest amount of energy possible. We love ease. On the other hand, having to work hard is seen as a difficult and unfavorable circumstance in which to be. Exerting industrious and vigorous efforts toward any goal is regarded as nothing short of a curse.

This mindset is entirely foreign to the mind of God and to the truth of Scripture.

God made humans to work in the Garden of Eden before the Fall (Gen. 2:15 and 2:18), that is to say, work is a blessing since it was part of the ‘very good’ world that God spoke into existence (Gen. 1:28-31). Even after the Fall into sin, when work became laborious and toilsome, it was still an appointed means of God for blessing (cf. Gen. 3:17-19 where work provides food to eat). Human labor is what God has provided to cause the earth to yield its fullness, along with the other gracious gifts He gives (e.g. rain and sun, cf. Matt. 5:45). So work is a blessing.

The book of Proverbs further shapes our understanding of the world by teaching us how live in relationship with God. We learn in Proverbs that obedience to God is the path to a truly blessed and successful life, regardless of what the world would have us believe. This is especially apparent in regard to the teaching on diligence. The world would have us believe that a person who can live like a sluggard is someone successful—but the Bible dashes that deception to pieces. Notice that Proverbs 13:4 says that the ‘soul’ of the sluggard gets nothing; the soul is the essential part of a person, that is, who they are of themselves or their innermost life. The person who is a sluggard will have intense desires—“the sluggard craves”—but all of those desires will be ultimately unfulfilled.

The truth of this verse is presented by contrast, because the utter poverty of the sluggard in contrasted with the abundance of the diligent person. Not only will the diligent person have some or enough, but their ‘soul’ is made ‘fat’ because of the greatness. People who are industrious and apply themselves to the tasks at hand will prosper compared to those who, when put into the same situation, are lazy. Spiritual, inner abundance comes to the person who is diligent and dedicated—and destitution comes to those who are sluggards.

This is especially important to us as Christians because later in the same chapter, the same ideas are applied to the righteous and the wicked. Look at Proverbs 13:25, which says:

“The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,

But the stomach of the wicked is in need.”

The word ‘appetite’ in verse 25 is same Hebrew word as ‘soul’ in verse 4. So the verse could read, “The righteous has enough to satisfy his soul.” This connects the idea of righteousness with the previous teaching on diligence—those who are righteous are also diligent. The fruit of diligence is abundance in the soul, and the soul of the righteous is satisfied.

Let every Christian, then, labor to serve the Lord with diligence in every area of life. We are not our own, we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6). Christ died and rose again that we might live for Him (2 Cor. 5). We are to live no longer for the lusts of men but for the will of God (1 Peter 4). It is our calling to live for the purpose and goals of God in this world, and we should delight to labor to those ends. Diligence is a crucial Christian virtue, one that should mark all of our work in this life. Let us be careful, then, to walk according to the path that God has described for us in His word!

In your career, in your family, and in your study, labor diligently to serve the Lord—and we believe that great blessing will result, though it is not the blessing that the world would value.

Galatians 6:7-8

--Dean of Admissions

Good Books

Since next week marks the beginning of the summer semester, let me use this post to encourage you in your studies. Reading is a key component of every type of schooling and it is especially important in the study of the Bible. Books give us access to the theological formulations of previous centuries; they give us access to the thought process of people long since dead. Books give us access to the accumulated knowledge of people who have spent their whole lives studying language and history. Without books, it would be impossible to benefit from all these things.

Nevertheless, in our modern world—though the phenomenon is certainly not new—a glut books crowds the shelves of our libraries, our bookstores, and our homes. Authors are writing at such an incredible pace that even the most dedicated scholar cannot keep up everything that is produced about any one subject. Catalogs full of books are published every year; the pace shows no signs of slowing.

That does not mean, however, that every book is a good book, nor does it even mean that most books are good books. On the contrary, the increasing ease with which we are able to author and publish books seems to have caused a decrease in the depth of most books—an inverse relationship. More books are available, but an ever decreasing percentage of those books are worth reading.

Let me encourage you, then, students and visitors, to READ GOOD BOOKS! Please, please, please, if you are going to read then read what is worthwhile! You could waste your life reading what is trashy and futile without ever exhausting the stock of available, bad books. So don’t do it.

Your time is precious—do you realize that? It will soon be gone. Your life is a vapor. The best possible book to read is the Bible, wherein the truth of God is contained. Yet there is some profit in reading other good books. The Bible is the sole source of our understanding about who God is, but books can help us understand the Bible better through textual exegesis, historical examination, and theological explanation. Good books are good precisely because they clarify what is obscure, whether historically, grammatically, or theologically. Bad books merely distract us from the message of the Bible.

Books can be bad for any number of reasons, but there are two reasons that seem most common. First, books can be bad because they are fallacious and misleading. Any book that leads people away from Christ is definitely a bad book. There are plenty of books in this category from all ages of history. Second, books can be bad because they are poorly written, and this might be the most common kind of bad book. It seems to be particularly a modern phenomenon. Let’s face it—some books are just not worth the recycled paper on which they are printed. Working through a hundred pages for one or two sickly insights into God’s character is an absolute waste of time and is terrible stewardship. Yet these books are being printed by the thousands. If you do not believe me, walk through the ‘religion’ section of any major bookstore. Even many so-called ‘Christian’ books are vague, trite, and man-centered.

So spend your time reading good books. If you are getting well into a book and it seems like a bad book, then put it down and read something else! The blessing of our modern printing capabilities is that we have unprecedented access to good books. All those good books do us no good, however, if we do not read them.

I want to add a final category of good book. Just as some books are bad because they are poorly written, some books are good merely because they are well written. Well written books are good books not necessarily because they give direct insights into God’s character (though I think that is most often the case), but sometimes because they are delightful to read, and as such they are a gift from God. These books can be profitable to read, too.

That being said—read good books! As you read them, praise God for the knowledge of Himself He gives us, and for the blessings He pours out on us in this life. To Him be the glory!

--Dean of Admissions

The Former Prophets

Reading the ‘former prophets’ (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings) in the Old Testament is something that, sadly, few Christians look forward to doing. Oftentimes these books are regarded as dry, boring history with the occasional story that is fit for felt-board lessons in Sunday School, but that does not have much for ‘the rest of us.’

Mercifully, the former prophets did record so much history for us. This history, however, is not dry and boring but is rich, living, and vibrant because it is the truth of God.

Here are some meditations from one of our Old Testament History classes that may be helpful to you as your read the former prophets.

First, it is helpful to remember that these are historical books. The records within these books deal with facts from eyewitness accounts. These authors wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, ensuring that what was recorded was accurate. On top of that, these accounts conform to other historical data and archaeological findings. But the point is, these things really happened to real men and women. Sometimes we lose sight of the historicity of these texts, which often causes us to stand aloof and read them impersonally. No! When we read of victory or of defeat we should understand that real people experienced these things in their lives, both the joy and the agony, the glory and the shame. More importantly than prospering or failing on the earthly level, these men and women really met with God, really had experiences of His grace and favor (or wrath), and really were delivered by Him. They knew God in time and history, just as we do as Christians, so we should treasure these accounts of how God acted and who He is.

Second, while these accounts are historical at every level, they are not mere history. What I mean is that these are historical accounts that also include the prophet’s perspective. When God inspired these people to write His Word, He had them record history along with His own interpretation of it. We know definitively what God thought of David’s adultery and murder because the prophet Nathan was there on behalf of God to rebuke David. We know how God treated Saul’s disobedience because Samuel was there on behalf of God to remove him from the kingship. Through these accounts we see men of God speaking the Word of God to the people of God, so we have the prophetic interpretation of what happened and why. Because of these ins and outs of Scripture, we can know the character of God and learn to live in a way that pleases Him. The knowledge of God’s character contained in these accounts is priceless—so when we read, if we are bored, we are bored with the priceless treasure of knowing God. May He lead us to repentance if that is the case with us.

Finally, these are selective accounts of history. By that I do not mean that authors left out unflattering details or hid the truth so as to present a slanted account. We see all the gory details of sin, all the disgusting effects of pride and evil, and the worst parts of people’s lives. God did not spare the people whom He wrote about, but rather revealed their sinfulness to show His glorious grace and His perfect justice. What I mean by "selective" is that we have faithful accounts that highlight only what God wanted to highlight. God does not give us all the details of all the battles, all the humans, or all the places. Rather, God gives us the perfect combination of accurate facts and details to communicate who He is. God’s desire is to reveal Himself to His people for their encouragement (Rom. 15:4), for their training (2 Tim. 3:16), and to give them the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ (2 Tim. 3:15). God gave what was necessary and what was best, and did not record many of the the less useful circumstances of history.

God gave us the Scriptures to bless us and to help us, not to burden us. Remember this as you read all of His word.

--Dean of Admissions

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Please remember to register for Summer classes. Registration closes May 20th.

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May God bless you richly!

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 5, blog 13

“When thinking about ministry abroad and at home, what can churches be doing to prepare their members?” This question was posed during the time we had with our missionary friend.

He answered as follows.

The key thing that churches must labor to do is to make sure people are students of the Word of God. We only know God reliably as He has been revealed in the Scriptures, and that is also the sole, authoritative source of our knowledge of His commands. When people know the Word of God deeply and broadly, then they are legitimately prepared to minister to others. If people are not students of the Word of God then the whole church is impoverished in its understanding of who God is—and how can such a church even preach the gospel to unbelievers?

There are other important things to do as well. Theological education is crucial because we learn from those who have gone before us. We can learn from both the successes and failures of previous generations, just like we learn from older believers. Biblical, historical, and systematic theology are all vitally important to Christian piety, since they are the records of what people have known of God. Even those who often rail against systematic theology have their own systematic theology, though it may not be written. Everyone who knows God systematizes that knowledge somehow, either formally or informally. Studying these things in the context of the local church is an immense benefit and should be foundational to how we minister. Who we understand God to be will shape the methods and types of ministry we pursue.

Churches can also participate in mission trips to foreign locales. This helps us see our own cultural dispositions in a new light, and helps us appreciate all the people whom God has made. There will be people from every tribe, every nation, and every people on the final day in heaven—what a glorious truth! When we do mission trips, it is a good idea to visit the missionaries whom we have sent out in order to encourage them, to get to know them, and to be better informed for the sake of prayer.

Studying biographies together is another way that Christians can foster deeper desires for missions while also growing in understanding about the nature of missions work. Christian friends can profitably study these together to mutually encourage one another.

It was also asked what women could do to prepare for the mission field.

The most important thing for women to do is also to be students of the Word. Men and women both need to have a solid understanding of who God is in order to profitably teach others. The Word of God is foundational in training missionaries.

Our missionary friend also shed some light on missionary procedure. In order to go to many countries, women must be married because of societal mores and restrictions. This will especially be the case in Muslim countries. However, women in those countries are able to minister in unique ways since unrelated men and women do not mix in some foreign societies. Women can minister to other women with greater openness and opportunity than men in some cases. The work of being a godly wife and mother is also sadly underrated in modern culture. It is a great blessing to serve the family in this way, even though our modern, ‘advanced’ society looks down on being a biblical wife and mother.

The common method for training men and women, then, will be training them in the Bible. Many other things are possible and profitable, but biblical preparation is foundational to all of the work of the church, both at home and abroad.

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 5, blog 12

Another set of questions was posed to this missionary: “What are healthy and right expectations to have when a missionary goes to a new place? What are good things to think about in terms of expectations for missions work? What will you do to continue your education overseas?”

Our friend responded that the same questions should be posed to him in a few years because he would be able to answer much more intelligently. Many of the variables of missions are based on individual circumstances in each country, such as access to the internet or to electricity, ability and ease of receiving materials from elsewhere (whether written or otherwise), and the presence or absence of other believers. Questions about expectations can only be answered generally before someone has been in the country for a time.

What you can expect, however, are the following things. Expect it to be hard. Expect to suffer. Expect that new things will come and will change your life like nothing else ever has. At the same time, expect that you will have unique joys and insights into God’s character that would have otherwise been impossible.

One struggle for missionaries is that there is little meaningful fellowship or preaching in the country to which they are going. If there is an indigenous church already established, the preaching will likely be in the native tongue, adding another level of difficulty for the missionaries who desire to be fed by others. This can be offset to some degree by materials from the home church, but real discipleship and targeted preaching is very difficult to find in many places.

Thankfully, the number of resources available to missionaries is increasing. The relative global ease of travel compared to one hundred years ago means that missionaries can take small libraries with them, and can even receive new books by mail if necessary. This form of spiritual materials and support can do great things for missionaries, as they are encouraged by their home church to continue growing deeper in faith. Missionaries can do a lot of reading. This also enables them to pass along their theological library to the indigenous church, assuming that there are some who speak the missionary’s native tongue.

The opportunity that we have, then, is to pray for missionaries and to send good books to them. Usually it is best to find out what the missionary wants or needs, rather than just sending a deluge of random materials. This is one way to encourage our missionary brothers and sisters, as well as to foster their continued growth in Christ. May God grant that the churches of our land have hearts and minds to remember our brothers overseas!

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 5, blog 11

The following question was posed to our missionary friend: “What is the minimal training that is necessary for sending a person as a missionary?”

I will summarize our friend’s response.

“Ideally, the person will be able to have seminary training or the equivalent. Formalized training in a classroom setting is not necessary since it is not a biblical requirement, but it does lay a strong foundation for the work of missions. There are many pressing theological and biblical issues that have to be addressed on the mission field—how do we deal with contextualization? how far can we contextualize and be biblical? how do you explain the ‘Lamb of God’ to people who have never seen sheep? There are answers to these questions, but they are found in studying the Word of God deeply. Usually this level of study is accomplished under the tutelage of those who have studied deeply themselves.

“What is necessary is sharpening and preparation for the daily labor of missions whether at seminary or, better, in the local church. A missionary must have a good understanding of salvation and the problem with sinners. If you wish to be a missionary, you must understand that the major problem with man is that he hates God, that he hates God’s Law and His Word, in short, that man is depraved.

“A missionary must also have a thorough understanding of churches and how they are supposed to operate biblically, since an essential goal of missions is the establishment of churches. David Doran, in his book For the Sake of His Name, says that missionaries should be as theologically astute as possible. They must have a good understanding of how to apply the Word to every aspect of life. Sadly, many seminaries primarily teach missionaries about cultural anthropology instead of about biblical theology. Missionaries are just like pastors and teachers—and every Christian—in that they need to have a deep and wide grasp on the teaching of God in His Word. While other training (i.e. cultural anthropology, etc) may be helpful, it is certainly not as important as knowing God through His Word.”

Students, consider these things! If you desire to be a foreign missionary, prepare your mind and heart through the study of God’s Word and live a life that demonstrates consecration to Him. The beginning of a strong missionary movement does not begin in earnest when people are sent to another country—it begins when men and women set themselves apart for God, and live for the sake of His name. May that be your fervent desire!

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 4, blog 10

The theme of global evangelism spans the entire Bible, being present in the Old Testament as well as the New. Even from the beginnings of the Bible, it is clear that God has a plan for the entire world—all the nations of the Gentiles being included.

The blessing that God gave to Abraham included this phrase: “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). This is restated by Paul in Galatians 3:8, where he refers to this blessing as the gospel being preached to Abraham! From this concept in kernel form in the Old Testament we see that God planned and was working to graciously bless all nations, at least from the time of Abraham. It is certainly important to biblical theology that the initial blessing of Abraham laid the foundation for God blessing the Gentiles.

Another major statement of this plan comes in Numbers 14 after the people rebelled when the spies gave their report. Moses pleaded for the people, asking God to forgive (in line with His character), which He did. God then made this statement: “indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Num. 14:21). The point was, God would display His great character and mighty name in all the earth abroad, whether through that generation or another. He spared that generation from immediate destruction to preserve the fame of His own name (vv.15-16), yet His plan for the ultimate glorification of His name was not sidetracked or derailed. He would proceed as planned.

This global plan is also clearly seen in the book of Psalms, where a number of clear references demonstrate that the nations are included in the plan of God’s Messiah. Psalm 22, clearly a Christological Psalm, echoes this plan, tying the worship of all the Gentile nations to the greatness of God’s sovereign rule (Ps. 22:27-28). It can be seen elsewhere, like Psalm 117. The whole Psalm consists of two short, pithy verses, commanding the nations to laud God for His magnificent character. This Psalm is picked up Paul in Romans 15 as one of several Old Testament passages that highlight God’s plan for self-glorification among the Gentiles, specifically through the means of Christ as the Servant (cf. Rom. 15:8-9ff).

This Servant is also described variously by Isaiah, who says that God would show His glory in the Servant (Is. 49:3). The Servant is the true Israel, though not to be identified with the people as a whole, as is clear from verse 5 (“And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,/ To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him…”), since this Servant would bring back the people of Israel. Isaiah also tells us that this Servant was worthy of great honor, greater honor than any mere human king could deserve. The honor due to the Servant was the honor of God Himself, since being merely the restorer of Israel would be too small a thing, so God granted that He would be a “light of the nations/ So that [God’s] salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Is. 49:6). God’s Servant deserves God’s honor in bringing God’s salvation to all the people groups on the planet.

It is because of passages like these that Jesus told the disciples that the Old Testament spoke about His suffering, resurrection, and the subsequent preaching of the gospel to the whole world, beginning from Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-47). For Jesus, these passages formed the foundation of describing God’s plan for the world—and they do for us today as well.

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 4, blog 9

Our missionary friend reported that Jonathan Edwards wrote that evangelistic efforts must never lose sight of their place in God’s plan, or they will degenerate to mere social, moral, and political ends. The missionary endeavor takes place for the sake of God’s name.

What does it mean for missions to be for the sake of Gods’ name, or for His glory? The biblical idea of ‘glory’ has two major components. First, the Hebrew conception of glory is that of weight or influence. Something or someone who is ‘weighty’ is influential. This is reflected in our language when we refer to someone using the phrase ‘the seven-hundred pound gorilla in the room was….” What we mean is that such a person is far more powerful, influential, or ‘weighty’ than anyone else. God’s glory, then, is measured by the influence that He exerts in the world. As His influence is made manifest we can say that He is glorified. Second, the Greek idea of glory is that of fame. It also has the notions of both praise and splendid excellence. God’s glory is made manifest when He is praised, when He is highly regarded and sought after (i.e. famous), and when His infinite perfections are displayed.

Missions, then, exist to increase God’s influence in the world and to increase His fame among the nations. This is purpose described in the book of Acts, when James says that “God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name” (Acts 15:14). Bringing Gentiles to worship Him was fundamental to God’s plan in the world. It was understood by these same men that Paul and Barnabas had risked their lives as missionaries explicitly for the sake of the name of Lord Jesus (Acts 15:26). Paul himself regarded this as one of the reasons for his work among the Gentiles (Rom. 1:5).

Since this is the case, modern missionaries should guard their hearts and minds against false or secondary pursuits! Every Christian, missionaries included, should do all that they do for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), but missionaries must be especially careful in the modern era to avoid the excesses of our day. It is popular to see missionaries as evangelists of Western culture, dress, and politics, as much as of the gospel of Jesus. This is wrong.

I am not saying that there will be no social, moral, or political benefits and changes that arise from a missionary’s presence in a foreign society—that is almost unavoidable whenever different cultures meet. What I am saying is that the driving emphasis that missionaries should place on their own efforts is that of converting lost sinners to Christ through the preaching of God’s Word. Salvation through the gospel magnifies the grace of God, displaying His great mercy for rebellious sinners (Rom. 15:9) and, thus, glorifying Him. It also brings lost sinners under the explicit, obedient, willing influence of God (Phil. 1:9-11) and, thus, glorifying Him.

If you desire to be a missionary, then, examine your heart. Is Jesus the Lord of your life, the Lord of your desires, the Lord of your intentions? Do you value the things that He says are valuable, or do you follow the world’s valuations? Is your express purpose to glorify God, and to take the gospel around the whole world to bring sinners to willing obedience for the sake of His name? If it is not, you should repent. This is the goal that God is pursuing: a display of His saving love for the sake of His great name. May God make that your goal—our goal—as well.

--Dean of Admissions

Thoughts from a Missionary Conference, Session 4, blog 8

One of the most critical issues facing missions today—and the church in general—is our understanding of the supremacy of God. If God is supreme above all creation, then the magnification of His glory is the greatest end, the greatest goal that can possibly be sought or achieved.

It seems almost contradictory, but an increasing number of missionaries are sent out who believe that every individual will be saved at the final judgment. If that were true, then the missionary endeavor has no spiritual purpose, and missionaries merely go out to better the lives of others socially. Other missionaries believe that hell will eventually lead to the annihilation of sinners—these sinners would simply cease to exist.

Are these issues to die on a hill over, or should they be swept under the rug in the name of Christian liberty?

Shortly, these are issues to die on a hill over. These are mountainous issues, and nothing less. Why are these such big issues?

First, these two theological positions (i.e. Universalism and Annihilationism) are unbiblical, that is, they flatly contradict the plain statements of Scripture. To adopt these positions as one’s own requires standing firmly against the clear statements of Scripture. In Acts 4:12 we read that, other than Christ, “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” See also John 14:6, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, Eph. 5:5-6. Jesus clearly contrasts eternal life with eternal punishment in Matthew 25:46, telling those who are punished in this way to, “Depart…, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). The same idea is present in 2 Thes. 1:9 and Rev. 14:9-11. Teaching these errors, then, requires one to stand against the Word of God.

Second, God’s glory is intimately tied to the justice of eternal punishment in such a way that to deny that punishment is eternal and conscious is to defame God. God punishes sin because He is good and sin is bad; sin is so bad that sinners deserve to be eternally censured and condemned…and tormented. Every human understands this—everyone expects and desires that evil doers will be punished, except when it comes to our own case. No one would say that a guilty serial killer should be set free (except maybe the serial killer himself). When someone sins against us, we want to see them adequately punished. This is called judicial sentiment. Normally, it is only when we see that we ourselves are the guilty ones that we believe mercy is in order. When others sin, we want them punished—when we sin, we expect mercy. The point is, everyone recognizes that sin should be punished and wants that to happen. This is a reflection of the character of God, but God punishes sin with perfect wrath and impeccable justice. He recognizes the true severity of sin, that even sin committed in time is guilty of infinite punishment because it is committed against the infinite God. If God were less than infinite and perfect, sin might require less than infinite punishment. But God is perfect and infinite—and good—so to sin against Him is to be guilty of eternal treason. Therefore, God, in His goodness, does what is right and punishes sin, thereby magnifying Himself and displaying His goodness (Is. 5:15-16, Rev. 19:1-3).

Third, and finally, this is an issue to die on a hill over because Jesus died on a hill over it. To say that salvation is possible apart from Christ is to say that He suffered for nothing. “If righteousness comes through the Law,” or, for that matter, through any other means but Christ, “then Christ died needlessly” (Gal. 2:21). The same is true if hell is not eternal: the sufferings of Christ were less than infinite, and not that important. The point is—salvation is by grace. If sinners can save themselves or others, the grace of Christ is unnecessary, and His office as Priest and Sacrifice is unnecessary. If hell is not infinite, then Christ’s gracious work as the Substitute for believers was not infinite, and even if it was great, it would not have been necessary for God to take human flesh in order to die. Salvation is by Christ alone because Christ alone could bear the full wrath of God and exhaust it in His own infinite person and live again, thereby providing gracious salvation for those who believe in Him. Jesus had to die for sinners to be delivered from the wrath of God, and for them to be brought to God as His children—there was no other way. To say that there is another way greatly demeans God and attempts to throw water on the flame of His glory.

It is only when we understand the full, biblical glory of God that we will appreciate His supremacy and the greatness of His grace. When we do see His glory clearly, we will know that Christ alone is the appointed means for bringing cleansing from sin, and that, otherwise, sin must be punished forever in hell with unspeakable torment. God’s glory demands no less, and no more.

--Dean of Admissions