Trading Political Measures for Earnest Prayer

'Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed'(John 8:34-36).

Election Day has arrived in California with all the accoutrements, not the least of which is transforming places of worship into “polling places” (including the one in which I now sit). While this is probably indicative of little more than the utility of church buildings as convenient and accessible locations for voting, it may also be something of a parable for how often the people of another Kingdom hope in the nations of this world. The attention Christians give to political fervor is one of the subjects John Newton covered in his letters to John Ryland, Jr., which have recently been published by the Banner of Truth as Wise Counsel.

The British Empire of the late eighteenth century was no less familiar with geopolitical controversy than we are today. In fact, the main topic of conversation and contention for Newton’s and Ryland’s congregations was the inception of hostilities with the colonies in America. The united rebellion of the 13 colonies divided many in England along political lines, as not every British citizen was a consistent loyalist. Many in England agreed with the colonial leaders in Boston (the original “Tea Party”) and were angered that their sons faced death on foreign soil because the dolts in Parliament had mishandled the entire situation (sound familiar?).

Ministering amidst such political and national ferment, Newton gave Ryland this counsel in a letter dated August 1, 1775 (Wise Counsel, pp. 83-86):

It seems to me that if I was to outcry the loudest patriot at a city feast I might as well save my breath to cool my pottage [stew or soup], for things would go on just as they do. As a minister and a Christian I think it is better to lay all the blame upon sin. Instead of telling the people Lord North [British prime minister from 1770-82] blunders, I tell them the Lord of hosts is angry. If God has a controversy with us, I can expect no other than that wisdom should be hidden from the wise. If our Lord’s kingdom was of this world, then I think his servants would have as good a right as others to take the lead in political disputes; at present I believe they will do as well to let the dead bury the dead, to mourn for what they cannot help, and to ply the throne of grace as the best and most effectual method of serving their country.

Simply and pointedly, Newton reminds us that the blame for strife and international duress ultimately lay upon man’s sinfulness. It is for this reason that political players make foolish decisions; they walk not in the wisdom of God, but in the counsel of the wicked. The response of Christians, who are claim to understand this, should therefore not be political contention, but contrition and petitions to God for His mercy and enlivening grace. Newton continued along this line:

It seems to me one of the darkest signs of the times, that so many of the Lord’s professing people act as if they thought He was withdrawn from the earth, and amuse themselves and each other, with declamations against instruments and second causes and indulge unsanctified passions instead of taking that part which is assigned them Ezek 9:4. I believe if instead of unavailing clamours against men and measures they would all unite in earnest prayer, we might hope for better times, otherwise I fear bad will be worse. Thus you have the substance of my political creed. Only I should add farther that I believe the Lord reigns, that He is carrying on His great purposes in a straight line, that His wall shall be built in troublous times, and that He will be a sure sanctuary to them that fear Him.

These passions that Newton describes still diverts well-intentioned Christians today. Rather than lamenting the sin and transgression of which they are also accountable, they lay blame on “second causes” with “unsanctified passions.” The social betterment for which they strive might actually be experienced if instead of focusing upon “men and measures,” the people of Christ again returned to “earnest prayer.” It is to our shame that we so often need to be reminded that the Lord is not “withdrawn from earth” and His sovereign purposes follow “a straight line.” He concludes his thoughts with these exhortations:

It grieves me to hear those who are slaves to sin and Satan, make such a stir about that phantom which they worship under the name of liberty, and especially to see not a few of the Lord’s people so much conformed to the world in this respect. Let us pray and watch, let us bear testimony against sin, and abound in the fruits of the gospel. The Lord help us to do thus, and then we may humbly hope He will preserve our liberty; if He does not I am sure we cannot preserve it ourselves.

What profound insight and truly wise counsel! All of humanity is enslaved, so speaking of liberty and freedom in any real sense is to discuss a “phantom.” To the extent that Christians involve themselves in the same, they deny the very foundations of their confession, especially that God is now declaring to all men everywhere they must repent.

Over 200 years later, Newton still helps us navigate the political process of our own day. Without minimizing the privilege of suffrage or the legitimacy of politics as a vocation, let us be careful to never obscure the fact that Christians have no real hope in human government or political machinations. For all who have had the veil removed in Christ, and eagerly await His Kingdom, theirs is not the picket line, but the prayer meeting. Theirs is not the political grandstand, but the pulpit of the Gospel. Theirs is not political action committees, but a community zealous for good deeds.

Especially on Election Day, let us remember that true freedom will never be created by the institutions of an enslaved humanity, but is only given in and by the Son.

A Studied Look

...bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4)



Though he has yet to make use of the finer points of English lexicon and syntax, this look betrays a deeper and studied approach to important matters.

It says something to the effect of, "Mommy, I know I am cute, but right now I am reviewing Merkle's fine study on the use of ἐπίσκοπος and πρεσβύτερος in the New Testament and cannot be bothered. May I have another cup of coffee... or at least some smashed bananas?"

Malachi: His Name will be Great!

"For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts. (Mal 1:11)

Faith without works is dead. And works without faith is an abomination says Yahweh of hosts through the prophet Malachi. To His glory and by His grace, I recently completed seven expositions through this heart-searching prophet:

The Delight of Sovereign Love (Mal 1:1-15)

Closing the Door on Hidden Hypocrisy (Mal 1:6-14)

The Ministers We Need (Mal 2:1-9)

Divorcing God (Mal 2:10-16)

God the Just and the Justifier (Mal 2:17-3:5)

Repent unto Joy (Mal 3:6-12)

Looking through Future Righteousness (Mal 3:13-4:6)

His tenacious directness condemned, convicted, and consoled as my sight was lifted from earth-bound myopia to the eternal expanse of God’s glory. God has kindly preserved Malachi in the canon of His Word, so that His people might neither forget Him nor His glorious purposes in the banality of perfunctory religion. Malachi’s prophesy calls-out to the Church of Christ,"coram Deo!".

Baldwin summarized Malachi in this way:

Malachi’s remarkable ethical thrust has lost none of its cutting edge through the passing of time. His teaching, both negative and positive, strikes at the heart of nominal, easy-going Christianity as it did at that of Judaism (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, 218).

Malachi was blood-earnest against the active apathy of his day and it is our prayer that Yahweh of hosts, for Whom he prophesied, may cause His Church to simmer with the same blood-earnestness today.

The Reviving of Religion

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed (1 Cor 5:6-7).

From One Hundred Talks to Theological Students by A.H. Strong, in the entry entitled, "Church Discipline":

I remember reading about an old Scotchman who told another, 'We have had a great revival of religion in our church.' 'How many were brought in?' asked the other. 'Oh!' was the reply, 'we did not get any in, but we got a lot of them out.' The best evidence of revival-spirit in any church is the disposition to exclude members who will not walk in the way of the Lord.

This exclusion is absolutely necessary for the sake of those who are living true Christian lives. It is a terrible thing for young people to know that well-to-do and influential members hardly ever come to the Lord's Supper, and are rarely in attendance upon public worship. These young people cannot see such examples without being influenced by them. We need to watch over our membership, and to give them from time to time such tender admonitions as shall prevent their straying away.

... It is my firm conviction that our churches must be smaller if they would be larger.

Ordinances: Marks of a True Church

Program note: Our deepest apologies for the neglect of this blog, turns out that pastoring and parenting can inhibit prostrate calvinism on-line. Back to our regularly scheduled programming...

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Cor 11:23-26).

We have been struck afresh by the glory of the Church in the re-reading of Dever's outline of Biblical ecclesiology in A Theology for the Church. So, we thought it prudent to share some of Dr. Dever's gems with you.

In his discussion on the ordinances of the Church, namely baptism and the Lord's Supper, he observes how their observance is not minor, but serves to distinguish Christians from the world:

When a church practices baptism and the Lord's Supper, it obeys Christ's teaching and example. In so doing, it portrays Christ's death and resurrection, the testimony of every believer's own spiritual rebirth, as well as the church's collective hope for the final resurrection. These two practices, in short, proclaim the gospel...

Conversely, a church fails to obey Christ's command when it neglects either of these two signs. Such failure removes that church from a submission to the larger teaching of Scripture. And it separates a congregation from the apostolic and universal practice of Christ's followers. Scripture acts as a counterweight against anyone - whether congregation or person - who decides to be a Christian and yet neglects baptism or the Lord's Supper. This neglect, or denial, separates those who truly follow Christ. While neither baptism or the Lord's Supper is salvific, a deliberate neglect of either puts a question mark on any profession of faith. In this sense, baptism and the Lord's Supper act as the marks of a true church. They are the outward signs, or visible boundaries, that distinguish a particular people from the world.

- A Theology for the Church, pp. 783-84 (emphasis added).

We are struck at how often the programs of the contemporary church are tenaciously protected while the "programs" (read, ordinances) the Lord Himself has given us are subtly defiled through apathy. Our separation from the world in Christ is a spiritual reality to be sure, but we are commanded to give it regular visibility in our congregations through the practice of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Not the "optional extra," the center of our life together is proclaiming His death until He comes by word and sign.

Who's the Arrogant Preacher?

Desiring God's national conference, With Calvin in the Theater of God, is underway. Doug Wilson's contribution, The Sacred Script in the Theater of God, has proved to be especially insightful.

Applying Calvin's understanding of God's Word and preaching to our day, Wilson makes a perceptive observation:

A minister should ascend into the pulpit in order to declare what would have been true had he never been born. He is there to preach what was written in the Word before all ages and is utterly disconnected from his personal dreams, hopes and aspirations. He is there as a herald. As an ambassador.

It is quite striking that when a man today stands up in the pulpit and opens the Bible and says something like "Thus says the Lord" or "These are the very words of God" or "Hear O Israel, Behold your God!" and declares from the Word, what is he accused of being? Arrogant! Because he thinks that he doesn't matter. He’s arrogant because he thinks he doesn’t matter.

And if a guy gets up there on a stool and a cardigan sweater and chats with the people and tells stories about himself for the entire length of the sermon… 10 minutes or so. Sermonettes for Christianettes. He’s talking about himself all day long, he’s "transparent."

A minister is not up there to develop a relationship with everybody individually, he is not the Holy Spirit. He is there as a herald, as an ambassador. He is there to declare something that is outside of his control. What God has revealed to us in the Bible is the message; that’s the script. He’s not up there to preach Himself, but rather to be a servant who preaches Jesus Christ, the crucified Lord (2 Cor 4:5).

More of the Same

...let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Heb 10:24-25)

Why does the Church do what it does on the Lord's Day gathering (i.e., Sunday morning corporate worship)? Because that's what it has always done. Just ask Justin...

On the day called Sunday there is a gathering together in the same place of all who live in a given city or rural district. The memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits. Then when the reader ceases, the president [pastor] in a discourse admonishes and urges the imitation of these good things. Next we all rise together and send up prayers.

When we cease from our prayer, bread is presented and wine and water. The president in the same manner sends up prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people sing out their assent, saying the 'Amen.' A distribution and participation of the elements for which thanks have been given is made to each person, and to those who are not present they are sent by the deacons.

Those who have means and are willing, each according to his own choice, gives what he wills, and what is collected is deposited with the president. He provides for the orphans and widows, those who are in need on account of sickness or some other cause, those who are in bonds, strangers who are sojourning, and in a word he becomes the protector of all who are in need.

But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead.

For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

- First Apology, 67.

HT: Pulpit Mag

So, as we look toward the next Lord's Day, we hope, not for ingenuity or creativity, but more of the same.