Pressing into the Glorious Future: The Certainty of the Promises of God

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.”

Psalm 27:4-6 (ESV)

One of my favorite sermons by Jonathan Edwards is titled, “Pressing Into the Kingdom of God” (from which I adopted the wording of my title). In its introduction, Edwards speaks of Psalm 27:4, pointing out that the verse demonstrates both strength of desire and strength of resolution. The psalmist’s eternal heavenly rest is the one thing that he asks of the Lord and the one thing that he seeks. Edwards then makes the argument that both of these strengths are essential to our “pressing” into God’s Kingdom.

All week, I have been reflecting on the grand jury’s decision against indicting Officer Darren Wilson, the police officer who fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in August. It has been hard to avoid the subject, to be honest. The night the decision was announced, there were riots—physically on the ground in Ferguson, MO and all over social media timelines across the world. The Ferguson predicament has certainly become something much larger than any of us could have anticipated. I’m sure Officer Wilson was not picturing car lots being set on fire as he pulled the trigger on August 9th.

As the son of a police officer, I have particularly struggled with some of the comments I have been reading. Though I concede that many of these remarks have come from people who offer no kind of Socratic good to the discussion, it gets a little exhausting hearing people make blanket statements about cops and race—especially white cops and black suspects. What I am not trying to do in this is state, argue, or convince you that Wilson was right or wrong. You can do a quick Google search and find all of the documentation of the evidence/testimonies that the grand jury deliberated over and form your own opinion on the case.

In a world filled with uneasiness, racial tension, and (most of all) uncertainty, I want to bring to the table something that is, and always will be, certain. While Twitter activists and media outlets encourage mob-like questioning from both sides of the argument, I want to show you that there is an answer for injustice.

It is truly amazing how applicable the Word and the theology that we interpret from it can be to our worldview. In the case of Michael Brown, I made a decision to press into the glorious future we have in the promises of God. Whether just or unjust, the life of a young man has been lost. Whether or not Brown was innocently surrendering or he was charging at Officer Darren Wilson, what has happened did, in fact, happen. Whether Wilson goes punished or unpunished, there will be a gaping wound for many Americans—black or white, majority or minority, entitled or poverty-stricken.

I want to turn our attention now to Joel 3.

“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it. And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water from the Valley of Shittim. Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the people of Judah, because they have shed their blood in their land. But Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generation. I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion.”

Joel 3:17-21 (ESV)

I want to charge each and every one of you reading this—each and every one of you social media activists and bloggers: You are all human. You were made in the image of the Almighty God—the God of justice—and because of that, you should desire justice as He does. It is part of pressing into the glorious future.

That “strength of desire” that Jonathan Edwards spoke of some 200-something years ago still rings true for us today; however, I have come to think that the “strength of resolution” no longer belongs to us. As prophesied in Joel, the Fountain has come forth. This Fountain has been opened specifically for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the cleansing of their sin and uncleanness (Zech. 13:1). As Matthew Henry writes of Isaiah 55:1-15, “Come to Christ, for he is the Fountain opened, he is the Rock smitten.” As Edwards bade us to do, press into the Kingdom of God, and in doing so, you will press into the promises of future glory won for us by Christ on the cross.

A case like the one in Ferguson, Missouri, invokes a picture of Christus Victor. While I cannot stand up for all of the views usually associated with Christus Victor, Scripture speaks of Christ humbly dying and through this act of submission to the will of the Father, rising to conquer the power of death (1 Cor. 15:54-57). In this sense, Christ is victorious. Too many times, we separate Christ’s victory from his death, associating it only with the resurrection. Christ’s death was a victory. With his death, he secures His sheep. This is certainly a victory.

Maybe I’m writing in circles here.

What I really just want to say is this: As Christians, we should be seeking out justice. I would never condone injustice or inequality, especially for the sake of white privilege—this coming from a suburban college student. The Bible does not condone these things; in fact, Scripture commands Christians to stand up for those subject to injustice, for they are the spiritually needy and poor (Prov. 31:8-9). But as you’re standing up for these people, don’t forget that the Fountain has been opened. Christ’s sacrifice was not in vain, and if we fail to trust in God the Justifier, then we disarm the power of the death of Christ (Rom. 3:26).

I have been praying over this situation. I have been praying for the family of Michael Brown, that they might find closure and peace in this troubling and infuriating time. I have been praying for Officer Darren Wilson and his family, that they would remain unharmed and that maybe life could return somewhat close to normal. I have been praying for the hearts of the protesters, that they might be softened and that they would act in peace instead of violence. I have been praying for blacks and whites alike, that the discrimination both socially and emotionally would be filled with the love of Christ.

But most of all, I have been praying for God to sovereignly work, that he might use the events in Ferguson for His glory and our good so that we might, in response, press into the glorious future of God’s certain promises.

Ferguson on the Trinity and Atonement

 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." — Romans 3:23-25

Read what Sinclair B. Ferguson writes about the demonstration of the Trinity in atonement:

"Here, the God who puts forward is God the Father, the blood is that of God the incarnate Son, the faith is the fruit of God the Spirit's ministry. The unity and harmony of the three persons of the Trinity in both accomplishing and applying redemption are evident. In this complex of activity no wedge can be driven between the purpose of the Father, the atoning work of the Son, and the effective purposes of the Spirit without compromising the coherence of the Trinity. By contrast, any form of indefinite (universal) atonement short of absolute universalism in effect limits the efficacy of the Son's work and debilitates the power of the Spirit's ministry."

- Sinclair B. Ferguson, "'Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine'? Definite Atonement and the Cure of Souls"

In preparation for advent, I've been reading through Crossway's From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective. This collection of essays celebrates the doctrine of definite (limited) atonement through various aspects of Christian living (as if the subtitle wasn't clear enough). I recommend trying to get your hands on a copy before Christmastime. Reading about the atoning work of Christ simply reminds me that we have every reason to revel in Christ's birth.

You can get your hands on a copy from Amazon for just under $40.00 right here. If that's a little too much money, it definitely makes a great gift for you (or someone else if you trust my word on what a great resource it is).

Here's the book trailer that Crossway made in promotion for From Heaven He Came and Sought Her. I hope you'll join me in reading about the magnificent work of Christ's blood.

Why I Don't Hate Snarky Calvinists Anymore

For a long time, I hated Calvinism.

I didn't have anything in particular against the doctrines themselves. To be honest, I knew hardly anything about what "being a Calvinist" meant. All I knew was that a few young guns who had passed through our church suddenly began labelling themselves as "Reformed" or "Calvinist", and their attitudes became pretty annoying. Everything turned into a debate with them, they acted pretty edgy (by Southern Baptist standards, at least), and I was honestly just put off by their incessant snark, especially about books and music. Sure, I liked some of those old hymns too, but there was nothing wrong with some of the catchy songs that newer worship bands and movements had been producing.

That was almost two years ago, and over the course of the last few years I have come to terms with a few things.

First off, I have come to terms with the sovereignty of God in all things, including the doctrine of salvation. I fought with it for a long time, studying Scripture, reading through multiple resources with many points of view, and talking with many people on both sides of the spectrum. I now realize the importance of nailing down these ideas—I was always one for saying that it simply didn't matter. The doctrines of grace have since propelled me to live full-throttle for the glory of the God who controls the universe. But like I said, coming to terms with these beliefs was not easy. What did it take, other than my study?

You guessed it: snarky Calvinists.

My big theological turning point came at CROSScon, a new missions conference. You can do your own research, but one of the goals of the conference was to demonstrate how God's sovereign hand in the redemption of sinners is central to missions and evangelism. As John Piper said in the opening session of the conference, adopting the language of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, "The chief end of missions is the supremacy of God in the joy all peoples."

Now, I'm not about to call John Piper snarky. He isn't the snarky one.

While in Louisville, I was rooming with a good friend and two guys I had just met a few weeks before. I was new to the ministry that had taken the trip to CROSScon, so I didn't really know many people in the group. If it wasn't for these snarky Calvinists being willing to tone it down for one weekend, taking the time to open the Word with me, I don't know where I would be in my walk with Christ. If it wasn't for these snarky Calvinists bearing with me as I unwound some of the presuppositions I had made about God from my early years as a Christian, I would have a harder time wringing out the endless, glorious grace of God.

So, snarky Calvinists, I do still get annoyed by you. God chose many others to serve the Kingdom alongside you, and being chosen doesn't give you bragging rights. You aren't being picked for heavenly kickball based on your exegetical skill or your fluency in Greek; you're being picked to lay down your life—and it is only by the grace of God that you are even considered worthy to do so. But I appreciate you, I'm thankful for you, and I've certainly come to terms with you. For me, the doctrines of grace have become a weight hung around my neck, pulling me deep into the sea of the Father's mercies and plumbing me into the bottomless depths of Christ's unsearchable riches.

And it's as if snarky Calvinists are the ones who put the weight around my neck for me.

Christians and Video Games

Christians are starting to pick on video games. I've heard pastors say that being a christian man means you don't play video games. I've heard people report that video games are addictive behavior and has no place in a Christians life. It's a medium of entertainment under attack, but attacking video games is not only unjustified, it's unnecessary.

The general arguments against video games is anecdotal at best. They are a detraction from real life; They are not edifying. We can't waste our precious minutes on video games that we could use for the mission of God. On a surface level, I can see why anyone would buy these arguments. These arguments, however, are absurd when carried out to their logical ends.

To really ask the questions, "should a christian play video games?" certain things should be first clarified. First, video games are not addictive. No altering of brain chemistry occurs when a person plays video games. People don't develop withdrawal symptoms from leaving video games for a lenth of time. Video games can, in fact, be overly obsessed over, but so can football and stamp collecting. No Christian believes obsessing and worshiping the material is OK.

Second, one has to ask what category of distraction do video games rest in. The simple answer to that is, video games are a game. Webster's Dictionary defines games as "a physical or mental activity or contest that has rules and that people do for pleasure." Video games easily fall under that definition. From here, it's simple to see how the anecdotal arguments of disgruntled and misguided Christians quickly decay.

If video games are bad because they distract from real life, so is every game. The argument would have to attack every medium of entertainment. And really, where would the appropriate level of distraction be drawn? For that matter, anything that could potentially be a distraction. (eating, having friends, sleeping, art, music, literature ect..) Concerning general life activities, the scripture says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) Video games are not a topic like murder or lying; they are not in a branch of activities God warns us to keep from. They just fall under the "life" category. Our time would be better spend asking, "how can we be sure we approach this medium with God's glory in mind.

The edification argument breaks down too. Unless your willing to say that football, (watching and playing), reading novels, or other pastimes should be be left alone, you can't attack video games in general.

For those who say it's a waste of minutes we can use for missions, others may equally argue that it's a gateway to a new mission field. Gamer's (as they are called) make up a global community. It includes most demographics. This shows a wonderful example of why Christians are called to be in the world, but not of the world. Given that we are approaching video games in a Godly way, it gives avenues of communication to a wealth of lost souls. We can reach those Satan has trapped in a virtual world. Games are largely a social experience. Even single player games result in conversation and cooperation with a larger community. Properly engaging in the medium would let Christians be a light in yet another dark corner.

So we can scoff at video games like the Puritan did plays, or we can treat them for what they are: a part of life. Instead of tearing down believers that play video games, our time would be better spend edify those who wish to serve God in whatever aspect of life they find themselves in. We should be helping believers understand a healthy approach to video games. We should be enjoying this beautiful art of story telling and community that God has let us find. Though, as with anything material, we keep 1 John 2:15-17 in mind:

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."

Avoiding Discouragement in Evangelism

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Matthew 28:19-20a

The Great Commission, huh? If you’ve been around the church long at all, you’re more than likely numb to these verses. But let’s presume you’re all lovely obedient followers of Christ, and you heed His call to go and make disciples. Even still, you probably see this task as unfeasible—and not even because you don’t have the willpower to go. You may choose to read your Bible in public, hoping it will strike up conversation. You may be discipling younger believers in your local church. You might have gone on a short-term mission trip to another country, or you might be serving long-term. No matter what capacity you are trying to win souls for Christ, you (more than likely) have felt discouragement over not seeing the fruit of your efforts.

Please, stop. It isn’t about you.

I’m not trying to act like your story of fruitlessness is less important than someone else’s, but I’ve probably met the king of discouragement. This past June, I took a trip to northern Italy. While there, I had the opportunity to serve alongside some of the most God-centered men that I have spent a decent amount of time with. One of the church planters I met there was named Larry. Larry has been serving in the Aosta, Italy area for almost two decades now, and told me that he has performed somewhere (and I may get the number wrong) around twenty baptisms. For almost every single year he has served, he has seen one person come to Christ. Like I said, I am assuming you’re lovely commandment-obeying followers of Christ, so you probably don’t think this is as disheartening as I do. That’s simply an insane number in my eyes. But Larry was not discouraged. He didn’t speak as if his labor was in vain. Instead, I think Larry understood a couple points about evangelism that I haven’t understood until recently.

1. The authority of Scripture is not ours.
If we are preaching God’s Word properly, we should realize that the words we speak aren’t actually our words at all. Right before the Great Commission, Christ speaks, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18). He doesn’t say some or most; all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ. We couldn’t even have authority if we tried.

2. The power of the Gospel is not ours.
Think about the lordship of Christ: If one chooses to not honor Christ as Lord, Christ is still powerful over him or her, though they may choose to hide themselves from His authority, or give themselves up to earthly authorities alone. The same can be said of the message of the Gospel. Though we labor, it is not our energy being wasted. It isn’t our energy at all; the Gospel does the work for us. The Gospel is powerful, and (as Matt Chandler writes about in chapter 4 of The Explicit Gospel) it demands a response, whether one of acceptance or rejection. The power isn't yours; it’s God’s.

3. The response of the calloused is not ours.
Frequently I find myself equating the negative response other people have to my sharing of the Gospel message to my own spiritual life. According to Romans 9:16, a repentant heart “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” There’s nothing we can do to draw one to repentance, for only the Father draws (John 6:44). We must make ourselves readily available for God to use as a means of winning souls, but we need not question ourselves when we don’t see repentance.