Yesterday, I was deeply moved by something that I read in a letter that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote to his son Christopher. As I reflected upon his words, it occurred to me that he touches on something that is profoundly relevant to the global orphan crisis. Tolkien writes:
“We all long for [Eden], and we are constantly glimpsing it: our whole nature at its best and least corrupted, its gentlest and most humane, is still soaked with the sense of ‘exile’. If you come to think of it, your (very just) horror at the stupid murder of the hawk, and your obstinate memory of this ‘home’ of yours in an idyllic hour (when often there is an illusion of the stay of time and decay and a sense of gentle peace) are derived from Eden” (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 110).
One of the challenges for Christians in the Western world is that we are often guilty of trying to dry up our profound “sense of exile” with the nonabsorbent paper towels of the incomplete joys of this world. That’s not to say that it is wrong for Christians to enjoy themselves in the here-and-now. God gives His children many good gifts that we are to enjoy now with gratitude in our hearts. But our here-and-now enjoyment was never meant to be the way we deal with the deep ache of exile. When we deal with our “sense of exile” by using God’s good gifts to self-medicate, we will find ourselves moving away from the world’s most needy rather than to them. Self-medicating people are not easily mobilized for self-sacrificial service.
The reality is that we are in exile. Eden has been lost. We are exiles in the here-and-now (1 Peter 1:1). The period of time in which we live as exiles is deeply marked by suffering and unrest (Romans 8:18). The presence of 143,000,000 vulnerable and orphaned children in the world is irrefutable evidence of that fact.
Although we find ourselves in exile—still soaked with a deep sense of Eden-lost—God has not left us to wander aimlessly within it. He has not left us alone to cope with our deep sense of exile through self-medicating behavior. No, Jesus entered into our exile, became a man of sorrows, was forsaken by the Father at the cross in order that he might lead us out of our exile into eternal belonging. Jesus endured the very worst of our exile in order that he might bring us home!
What Jesus did through his life, death, and resurrection has provided us with “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19-20) in the midst of our exile. As a result, we can enjoy the incomplete joys of this world without using them to deal with our deep sense of exile. Only when we rest in what Jesus has already done to one day bring us back home (Romans 8:19-23) are we able to move toward our world’s most needy.
The gospel takes those who are marked with a deep sense of exile, frees them from the “need” to self-medicate, and moves them out to serve the orphan, the widow, and the marginalized. Only by the power of the gospel can we do the self-sacrificial work of caring for orphans while soaked with the sense of exile.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
“Is there any word to me, that am such a filthy monster, such a polluted creature in heart and way, that am stinking, as it were, in the grave of sin? He hath said, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ‘From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.’ Zech. xiii. 1, ‘There is a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.’ Is there a promise of cleaning? Then take him at his word, and cry, Lord, ‘Do as thou hast said’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that at the cross Jesus became that “filthy monster” that we might be cleansed in him (2 Cor. 5:21). Praise be to God!
This is part six of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
“Is there any word to me a backslider, a grievous revolter, that many times after vows have made inquiry? My promises and resolutions have been but paper walls before the fire of temptation? Are you afflicted with this and would have relief? ‘Behold,’ he says, Jer. iii.22, ‘Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.’ Hos. xiv.4, ‘I will heal your backslidings and love you freely. I will be as the dew of Israel.’ Hath he said so? Then let your heart say, Lord, ‘Do as thou hast said?’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that at the cross Jesus became the backslider that we might be healed in him (2 Cor. 5:21). Praise be to God!
This is part five of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…
“Is there any word to me, that am such a filthy monster, such a polluted creature in heart and way, that am stinking, as it were, in the grave of sin? He hath said, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ‘From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.’ Zech. xiii. 1, ‘There is a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.’ Is there a promise of cleansing? Then take him at his word, and cry, Lord, ‘Do as thou hast said.’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that at the cross Jesus became that filthy creature for us that we might become the beauty of God’s righteousness in him (2 Cor. 5:21). Praise be to God!
This is part four of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…
But, says another, is there any word from God concerning me, that am compassed about with such strong corruptions and conquering lusts, that sin gets the mastery of me? Would you be delivered? Hear what he says; Mic. vii. 19, ‘He will subdue our iniquities, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.’ Rom. vi. 14, ‘Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.’ Isa. lxiii. 4, ‘The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my Redeemer is come.’ Hath he promised to take vengeance on your lusts? Then take him at his word, saying, O ‘do as thou has said.’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that Jesus has taken vengeance on our lusts in his life, death, and resurrection. Praise be to God!
This is part three of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…
But is there any word from God, concerning my case, that find my conscience challenging me for prodigious guilt; that there was never such a guilty person on the face of the earth? Are you groaning under guilt? Hear what he says, Heb. viii.12, ‘I will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and iniquities will I remember no more.’ Isa. xliii.25, ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ O then, take hold of his word, wherein he proclaims indemnity, and put him to it, saying, Lord, ‘do as thou has said.’ (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that Jesus has decisively dealt with our prodigious guilt in his life, death, and resurrection. Praise be to God!
This is part two of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
Here is some wonderful instruction from Ralph Erskine about how to preach the gospel to yourself whatever your faith-struggle may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it.
Some may be thinking, alas! God hath said nothing to me, that I may put him to his word. Why, man, if the gospel, that is in this Bible, be preached to you, and if there be any word of grace therein suitable to your case, then put not away the word from you, but take it, and plead upon it, that God would do as he hath said. If you can see any word of promise suited to your case and to your need, then put to your hand by faith, and lay hold upon his word.
O, say you, is there any word from God about my case, who am a poor needy creature, like to starve for want of a spiritual meal and a hearty draught of the living waters that go out from Jerusalem? What hath God said, or hath he said anything concerning me? Yea, he hath said, Isa. xli. 17, 18, “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in dry places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry lands springs of water.” Hath he said so? Then take him at his word, and put him to it, saying, Lord, “do as thou hast said” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
This is part one of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
“Growing as a Christian really means learning to apply the fact of the gospel to every aspect of our thinking and doing” (Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Wisdom).
I adapted the following Sinclair Ferguson quotation, which originally spoke of the pastor’s ministry of the Word, so that it speaks directly to the Christian’s approach to his personal study of the Word:
“The great gospel imperatives to holiness are ever rooted in indicatives of grace that are able to sustain the weight of [Scripture's] imperatives. The Apostles do not make the mistake that’s often made [by Christians]. [For the Apostles] the indicatives are more powerful than the imperatives in gospel preaching. So often in our [personal study of Scripture our grasp of Scripture's] indicatives are not strong enough, great enough, holy enough, or gracious enough to sustain the power of the imperatives. And so our [attempt to apply Scripture's imperatives] becomes a whip or a rod to beat our [own] backs because we’ve looked at the New Testament and that’s all we have seen. We’ve seen our own failure, and we’ve seen the imperatives to holiness, and we’ve lost sight of the great indicatives of the gospel that sustain those imperatives” (adapted from Sinclair’s sermon at 2007 Banner of Truth conference).
Here’s a suggestion for your personal reading of and meditation on Scripture for the remainder of the month of May: First, read the Epistles noting specifically those texts/verses that speak of who you are and what you possess in Christ. Second, pray for spiritual illumination to understand and faith to believe afresh all that you are and possess in Christ. Third, give sustained and prayerful thought on the glory of these great realities so that your heart is lifted up in joyful worship. Fourth, preach the truth of these texts to your own heart every morning, afternoon, and evening with abandon. Fifth, share the fruit of this spiritual exercise with others within the sphere of your Christian community for their spiritual encouragement.
If you decide to follow this suggested plan for the ramainder of this month, please let us know in the comment section and consider blogging about it on your personal blog.
The Ten Commandments are not central in Christian parenting. The gospel is.
The gospel is the rule and power by which we teach our children to live. The gospel is the culminating word of God that can break in on our children, who are born in sin, and by the power of the Holy Spirit bring about the new birth and forgiveness of sins and strength in suffering and biblical maturity.
Successful parenting is more than compliant kids. It is gospel-saturated living and teaching—a gospel is not just something that begins the Christian life but empowers it and shapes and sustains it.
Changed and sustained by the gospel, our children can rebel against the low expectations of adolescence and “do hard things” in a way that magnifies Jesus.
Listen to Tim Chester introduce his book The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness. Sounds like a book that would be helpful to read at the start of a new year.
“My relationship to God is not a variable one. The case is not that I am a child of God, and then again not a child of God. That is not the basis of my standing, that is not the position. When God had mercy upon me, He made me His child, and I remain his child. A very sinful, and a very unworthy one, perhaps, but still his child! And now, when I fall into sin, I have not sinned against the law, I have sinned against love. Like the prodigal, I will go back to my Father and I ill tell Him, “Father, I am not worthy to be called your son.” But He will embrace me, and He will say, “Do not talk nonsense, you are My child,” and He will shower his love upon me! That is the meaning of putting on the breastplate of righteousness! Never allow the devil to get you into a state of condemnation. Never allow a particular sin to cause again the whole question of your standing before God. That question has been settled.” ~Martyn Lloyd-Jones
John Fonville, of Gospel-Driven Blog, just e-mailed me about the upcoming Gospel-Driven Life Conference. Its theme is “The Gospel-Driven Life: Growing in Holiness by Living in Union with Christ.” Michael Horton, R.C. Sproul, Scott Clark, and Robert Godfrey will challenge the false notion that the gospel is merely what gives us entrance into the Christian life and explore the wonderful truth that the gospel is not only the power of God to justify us but also His power to sanctify us. Here’s what John wrote on his blog about their hope for this conference:
Our hope is that God would use this conference as a small means to:
First, aid Christians in realizing the joyful truth that the gospel is good news for Christians, too. Through faith in the Gospel, sinners are brought into a mysterious and glorious union with Christ. The Gospel is not just a doctrine that “gets me saved.” The Gospel is meant to be that which believers live by each and every moment of their lives (cf., Gal. 2:20).
Second, to observe how great the importance of preaching the Gospel is not only in order to give sinners encouragement respecting free justification, but also with regard to their sanctification, i.e., that the Gospel is the great means of sanctification.
Third, to proclaim that it is the gospel that exhibits God’s highest glory, which He chiefly designs to display before sinful men, even that glory of God that shines in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 4:8).
I may be on a trip somewhere else the dates of this conference, but if I’m not, I really hope to attend this excellent conference. Here’s information about Gospel-Driven Life Conference: Read the rest of this entry »
If you didn’t get the chance to hear our interview today on Calling for Truth, you can stream the audio here or download it here. I first posted about this interview yesterday at my adoption blog.
Early today Kevin Boling and Paul Dean interviewed Laura Godwin (Director of Carolina Hope and adoptive mother), Dr. Voddie Baucham (conference speaker, adoptive parent and author of Family-Driven Faith), and me on the wonderful subject of adoption. If I may say so myself, it was an excellent interview. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing and learning from what Laura and Voddie had to say about this topic that is so close to the heart of God.
If you are interested in learning more about adoption and the relationship between spiritual and earthly adoption, let me encourage you to listen to this interview. Also, I am available to speak on theological adoption and its implications for the earthly practice of adoption in churches, Sunday school classes, and Bible studies, as well as conduct workshops. You can contact me through Carolina Hope’s office (go to our website’s contact page).
“The gospel word and the gospel community are essential. My heart needs to hear that word often if it is to be filled with ‘inexpressible and glorious joy’. It is among the community of God’s poeple that the word will be brought to bear on my life frequently and perceptively. It is through his word and among his people that the Holy Spirit works to break this sinner’s heart and renews it so that I love God - truly, madly and deeply” (Total Church: A radical reshaping around gospel and community, p. 203).
“At work … In the home … At school … You can be close to God. Maybe work or school feels a million miles away from church … When the pressure’s on at work, you may want to close your eyes, pause for a moment and remember that [you] can meet God in those moments and come before him boldly to find grace and help in time of need.”
