Discipleship | A People for His Name

"The Temple of the Body"

April 10, 2011

Jowett’s remarks on Romans 12:1-9:

The Lord wants my body. He needs its members as ministers of righteousness. He would work in the world through my brain, and eyes, and ears, and lips, and hands, and feet.

And the Lord wants my body as “a living sacrifice.” He asks for it when it is thoroughly alive! We so often deny the Lord our bodies until they are infirm and sickly, and sometimes we do not offer them to Him until they are quite “worn out.” It is infinitely better to offer them even then than never to offer them at all. But it is best of all to offer our bodies to our Lord when they are strong, and vigorous, and serviceable, and when they can be used in the strenuous places of the field.

And so let me appoint a daily consecration service, and let me every morning present my body “a living sacrifice” unto God. Let me regard it as a most holy possession, and let me keep it clean. Let me recoil from all abuse of it – from all gluttony, and intemperance, and “riotous living.” Let me look upon my body as a church, and let the service of consecration continue all day long. “Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit?”

John Henry Jowett, My Daily Meditation, November 5

In Discipleship, Quotes

"The Sacrament of Living"

April 9, 2011

The “layman” need never think of his humbler task as being inferior to that of his minister. Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is called and his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry. It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act. All he does is good and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For such a man, living itself will be sacramental and the whole world a sanctuary. His entire life will be a priestly ministration. As he performs his never-so-simple task, he will hear the voice of the seraphim saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, 127

In Quotes

Overcoming Potential Bias in Our Doctrine and Practice

April 8, 2011

When God saves people, He miraculously makes them a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). His work of remaking people, however, is not complete at the initial point of salvation; He renews us on a continuing basis (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:18).

Because He has ordained that there be such continual renewing, we must be mindful of potential lingering wrong thinking that biases our doctrine and practice. Biased doctrine and practice is sourced in wisdom that is not from God, but is “earthly, sensual, devilish” (James 3:15; cf. 1 John 2:16). Correcting such bias requires wholehearted acceptance of all that God in His wisdom has given us in His word.

Because the primeval account in Scripture of human failure to think properly (Gen. 3:1-13) highlights our first parents’ rejection of divine revelation about the doctrine of judgment (2:17; 3:3), we should not be surprised to find lingering manifestations of such bias in our doctrine and practice. In order to overcome any lingering inherited Edenic bias in our doctrine and practice, we must scrutinize our perspectives concerning the doctrine of judgment.

Beginning with the account of the Fall of man, Scripture provides us with key passages that suggest areas about which we need to examine our thinking concerning many potential manifestations of lingering Edenic bias against the full biblical teaching about the doctrine of judgment:

1. Is God’s punitive judgment to be viewed as a “negative” teaching of Scripture?

See Deuteronomy 28:63, Psalm 119:119, and Revelation 18:20.
Should we then have a “negative” perspective about God’s condemnation of unrepentant sinners?

2. Is judgment mainly condemnation that lost people will experience in the future?

See Genesis 16:5, Psalm 75:6, Ezekiel 22:2, John 12:31, Romans 14:9-10 and 16:20,
1 Corinthians 11:32, and James 4:12.
Scripture teaches that God/the Lord is the Judge who judges between believers. He is the Judge who presently abases people and exalts others, especially in the realm of civil authority. He sends people to judge others by declaring their sinfulness to them. At the Cross, the world was judged, and the prince of this world was cast out.
Jesus died and rose again that He might be the Lord, the Judge of the living and the dead, who will judge all believers one day. God will shortly bruise Satan under the feet of believers. The Lord judges believers when He chastens them, and He does so that they will not be condemned.
Is the doctrine of judgment, therefore, concerned mainly just with the future condemnation of lost people?

3. Why did Jesus come into the world?

See Genesis 3:15, John 9:39, Hebrews 2:14-15, and 1 John 3:8.
Both testaments speak of the woman’s Seed who would come to render judgment, especially on the evil one. Is it right, therefore, to focus mainly only on His coming as the One who would save people?

4. Who saves people?

See Isaiah 33:22 and James 4:12.
Both testaments explicitly teach that God/Jesus as the Judge is the One who saves people. Is it right, therefore, to say dichotomously that God/Jesus as the Judge is “the bad news,” while Jesus as the Savior is “the good news”?

5. What are we to preach to the world?

See Psalm 96:10 and Acts 10:42-43.
Both testaments explicitly teach that God has commanded us to proclaim who the Judge is. Is it right, therefore, to say that what we really have to preach is that God/Jesus is the Savior, but we do not necessarily have to preach that Jesus is the Judge?

These five points are representative of many major aspects of the biblical teaching concerning the doctrine of judgment about which we must allow all the Scripture to renew our minds if we desire to overcome any potential lingering manifestation of our inherited Edenic bias in our doctrine and practice.

(See this post with the full text of all the verses here.)

In Discipleship, Interpretation

Remember Jesus as the Risen Davidic Messiah!

April 7, 2011

Nearing the end of his life, Paul wrote his last epistle, Second Timothy. In his final words to his beloved son in the faith, Paul commanded Timothy concerning who and what he was to remember: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel” (2 Tim. 2:8). This verse reveals to us many key truths about how we are to be Pauline in our understanding of and ministry of the gospel.

Paul commanded Timothy to be engaged in the mental activity of remembering on an ongoing basis. His commanding Timothy to be engaging in this activity suggests that Timothy needed forceful challenge to be actively mindful of the truth that he had been given. Paul’s command also suggests that Timothy had a propensity to forget the truth that had been given to him, especially in his context of suffering for the faith.

The truth that Paul specified Timothy to be remembering concerned a Person. He said that Timothy was to be remembering Jesus, the Christ. . . .

(Read the full article.)

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Gospel, Interpretation

Acts through "First-Century Eyes"

April 6, 2011

Following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit began inspiring select believers to write the books of the NT. Believers likely first received the book of James, followed probably by these books in this order: Matthew; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Corinthians; Galatians; Romans; Luke; Ephesians; Colossians; Philemon; and Philippians. (Galatians may have been written after James and before Matthew; the earlier date would not change the discussion in this study in any way). After these 13 books, they received the book of Acts, followed by 13 more books.

Acts thus was written after ten of Paul’s Epistles had been written. The first recipients of the book therefore in the first place would have received the book as a welcome addition to their understanding of the apostles’ doctrine and practice that they already had from the then extant books of the NT.

Second, the first recipients of Acts would have known that Luke, the author of the book, was one of Paul’s closest ministry companions. They would have had every reason to believe that Luke knew Pauline theology about as well as anyone else in their day. They would also have known that Luke had heard Paul preach the gospel probably many scores of times and would thus be the leading expert in his day about Pauline preaching of the gospel. Given these realities, the believers would have had every reason to think that Luke’s representation in Acts of Pauline practice and theology concerning evangelism and discipleship would accord fully with Paul’s own teaching in his Epistles.

Third, they would have noted that Luke wrote Acts as a sequel to his Gospel because he addressed the book explicitly to the same person, Theophilus, and referred to his former treatise that he had written to him (Acts 1:1). They therefore would have known to interpret Acts in close connection with his Gospel. Because Luke had made known to them that his Gospel provided information that they needed for them to have certainty about the things that they had been instructed (Lk. 1:1-4), they would have inferred that Luke’s writing a sequel to it would mean that Acts was providing additional key information for them. They thus would have received the two books as vital information for their doctrine and practice.

Moreover, reading the two books as a unit, they would have noted the great length of Luke-Acts. In fact, if they had made a comparison of Luke-Acts to the Pauline Epistles, they would have discovered that Luke-Acts was far longer than all the existing Pauline Epistles of their time combined. (Even after Paul wrote his remaining books, the Pastorals, such a comparison would have shown that Luke-Acts still comprised a larger section of the NT than all the Pauline Epistles combined.) Noting the explicit purpose of Luke, the fact that Acts was a sequel to it, and the great length of Luke-Acts would have led the believers to stress the importance of both books in their doctrine and practice.

Fourth, they would have noted the distinctive teaching of Acts concerning apostolic evangelism and discipleship. Having access to both Luke and Paul, had they felt the necessity to do so, they would have been able to check on the validity of what Luke wrote in Acts. These believers, therefore, would have fully embraced all of its content without hesitation as additional divine instruction of exceeding value for their doctrine and practice concerning evangelism and discipleship.

I believe that we need to receive the book of Acts as the first believers received it. Acts is inspired of God, and at least concerning its teaching about evangelism and discipleship, is profitable for doctrine for us. Our evangelism and discipleship will only be all that God intends it to be if we heed what Acts teaches us about apostolic evangelism and discipleship.

By looking at Acts through “first-century eyes,” as explained above, we will be “perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:17) so that we will glorify God through our fully following the apostles in our evangelism and discipleship.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Interpretation

Flavel on Providence

April 5, 2011

John Flavel’s remarks on God’s providential care for His own deserve our sober contemplation:

     How woeful your case had been if the Lord had not mercifully saved you from many thousand temptations that have assaulted you! I tell you, you cannot estimate the mercies you possess by means of such providences. Are your names sweet, and your consciences peaceful, two mercies as dear to you as your two eyes? Why surely you owe them, if not wholly yet in great measure, to the aids and assistances Providence has given you all along the way you have passed through the dangerous tempting world to this day.
     Walk therefore suitably to this obligation of Providence also. And see that you thankfully own it. Do not impute your escapes from sin to accidents, or to your own watchfulness or wisdom.
     See also that you do not tempt Providence on the other hand, by an irregular reliance upon its care over you, without taking all due care of yourselves. ‘Keep yourselves in the love of God’ (Jude 21); ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence’ (Prov. 4.23). Though Providence keep you, yet it is in the way of your duty.
     Thus you see what care Providence has had over your souls in preventing the spiritual dangers and miseries that otherwise would have befallen you in the way of temptations (The Mystery of Providence, 93-94).

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Pet. 2:9). Let us praise the Lord for His providential care for us and be diligent to be godly by His grace.

In Discipleship, Quotes

The Body of Christ

April 4, 2011

This post deals with some important truths from Scripture to which we should give proper attention. In part A, each Scripture quote is followed by some comments intended to provoke you to think on the truth of that Scripture and act accordingly, as the Lord leads. In part B, I give explanatory comments for the “Body of Christ” graphic that follows those comments.

A. Scripture passages and comments

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Cor. 12:27, KJV) [“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” NASB]

Believers are the body of Christ, and we are “individually members of it.” Every believer is in Christ and is a member of His body. For me to mistreat another believer is to harm a member of His body; to sin against another believer is to sin against Christ! Furthermore, apart from my proper working as an individual part of His body, the proper growth of the entire body for the building up of itself in love will not occur. So then, how should I be living in light of my being an individual member of the body of Christ?

“Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.” (1 Cor. 6:15, KJV) [“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot? May it never be.” NASB]

My body is a member of Christ. Not only my immaterial man, but also my whole man, including my body, is in Christ! What does that indicate about how I should view my body and what I should do with it?

“For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” (Eph. 5:30, KJV) [“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.” NASB]

Christ is nourishing and cherishing His body! Because my body is a member of Christ, what does that indicate about Christ’s activity with regard to my body, and how should that affect what I think about my body and what I do with or to it?

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7, KJV) [“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” NASB]

That man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart, does not indicate that God therefore does not look in any sense on our outward appearance. Our bodies are members of Christ, and we are to glorify God in them, including by their appearance. What message about Christ and about God are we communicating to men as they look on the outward appearance of our bodies, which are members of Christ?

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23, KJV) [“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” NASB]

Paul prayed for God to sanctify entirely the Thessalonians. He prayed that their whole man, including their bodies, would be “preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What does it mean for my body to be preserved complete, without blame? What does Paul’s example here indicate about how I should be praying for others (and for myself)?

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” (Eph. 4:25, KJV) [“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH, EACH ONE of you, WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members one of another.” NASB]

All believers are “members one of another.” Because that is true, we should all be speaking truth with each other. The fact that we, including therefore our bodies (see above), are all members one of another indicates what else about how I should be living?

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:4, 5, KJV) [“For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” NASB]

In Christ, all believers are “one body.” Not all believers “have the same function,” and each one of us is individually a member of everyone else in the body of Christ! What implications do these truths have for my living? Because we are all one body in Christ, every decision that I make, including decisions about my body, affects the whole body, and it affects every single other believer!

B. “Body of Christ” graphic

I have attempted to create a graphic to help us understand better the significance of the Scripture passages and accompanying comments that I have presented above. Please note that ultimately the truths that I have attempted to portray are beyond human comprehension, which should alert us to keep in mind that the graphic is limited, probably in many ways.

Profiting from the graphic will demand that we seriously contemplate what I have attempted to visualize about the body of Christ. Very likely, there is a better way to portray these truths.

In Discipleship, Health

Chafer on the Return of Christ

April 3, 2011

Lewis Sperry Chafer highlights the doctrinal importance of the Return of Christ by writing,

The general theme concerning the return of Christ has the unique distinction of being the first prophecy uttered by man (Jude 1:14, 15) and the last message from the ascended Christ as well as being the last word of the Bible (Rev. 22:20, 21).

Likewise, the theme of the Second Coming of Christ is unique because of the fact that it occupies a larger part of the text of the Scriptures than any other doctrine, and it is the outstanding theme of prophecy in both the Old and the New Testaments. In fact all other prophecy largely contributes to the one great end of the complete setting forth of this crowning event—the Second Coming of Christ (Major Bible Themes, 62-63).

In view of these facts, it seems plain that we will not evangelize or disciple people properly apart from a Spirit-filled focus on the Return of Christ.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Quotes

Hiebert on Apostolic Proclamation of the Return of Christ

April 2, 2011

Paul writes that the Thessalonians “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:9-10). Commenting on 1:10, D. Edmond Hiebert stresses the importance of apostolic evangelistic proclamation of the return of Christ:

This anticipation of Christ’s return characterized the Christian church from its very beginning. Acts makes it clear that it was an essential part of the preaching of the gospel. That Paul laid considerable emphasis upon this hope in his preaching at Thessalonica seems clear from the perverted charge against the Christians in Acts 17:7 when read in light of the Thessalonian epistles. This eschatological hope is the keynote of these epistles. It had taken a firm hold on the Thessalonian believers. If their serving a living and true God distinguished them from the Gentiles, this expectant hope for Christ’s return distinguished them from the Jews.
Much of modern Christendom has lost this expectant waiting for the return of Christ, much to its own impoverishment. This expectancy is an essential part of a mature Christian life. . . . That the return of the risen Christ was being awaited by the Thessalonians implies the teaching concerning His ascension and present enthronement at the right hand of the Father . . . An eschatological reference precedes and follows [the] mention of Christ’s resurrection. Paul thus firmly ties the hope of the second advent to the crowning event of the first advent. . . . Jesus Christ’s resurrection . . . was an event that stands alone in history and confirms the validity of the gospel of salvation through Him. . . . The resurrection of Christ is therefore the ground and guarantee of His return. . . . This concise reference to the ‘wrath’ implies that the readers would understand its significance and indicates that the preaching of divine wrath coming upon sin and idolatry was an essential part of the apostolic preaching (1 & 2 Thessalonians, 73-75).

Our preaching of the gospel should also emphasize the return of Christ in connection with the resurrection and the wrath of God. Acts 17:30-31 is the best Pauline passage to teach us how to do so. Whenever possible, I use these statements when I evangelize people, and I believe that doing so is a vital part of biblical evangelism.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Gospel, Quotes

New Hymnal from Majesty Music

April 1, 2011

“Rejoice Hymns,” the new hymnal from Majesty Music is now available! The preface highlights “special features” of “this collection of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” that “has been developed to meet the church need for enthusiastic, vibrant congregational singing”:

bracketed or written-out introductions to all songs

a wide variety of new and old songs suitable for worship, revival, prayer meetings, weddings, communion, baptism, dedications, invitations, Sunday school, children’s church, and so forth

segues of two to three songs to create flowing worship

last stanza settings complete with diverse harmonizations and modulations for exceptional worship experiences

occasional descants and choral endings

scriptural basis for each song

large musical and textual type for easy reading

A sampler that includes the First Lines and Title Index for all 708 pieces in the hymnal is available as a downloadable pdf document.

In Music

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