Post Tenebras Lux Closed!

I was an avid blogger for a long time and I have struggled to get back into for a while now. After multiple attempts at restoring this blog to its regular publishing status. I regret to announce I will no longer be blogging. I may re-open at a later date but right I've got too much going on to continue.

The God Who Forgives (Psalm 103:8-10), Part 6

8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
In my estimation, this refrain is one of the major themes in the Old Testament and in all of Scripture. When critics say there is no gospel in the Old Testament, I would point them to this refrain. It’s repeated 9 times explicit and it occurs in the law, history, poetry, and prophets—focusing on the way God interacts with sinners. David presents the truth of the gospel in verses 8-10 and then provides application for us and then returns in verses 13-14 to more doctrine.

“Merciful” is always used of God and no one else. This word “incorporates two concepts: first, the strong tie God has with those whom he has called as his children (Ps 103:13). . . .The second concept is that of God’s unconditioned choice (hanen grace). God tells Moses that he is gracious and merciful to whomever he chooses (Ex 33:19)” (TWOT Lexicon). Thus his mercy (1) creates an unbreakable family tie with those it touches and (2) is initiated by His sovereign choice.

His graciousness focuses on his unconditional compassion. He shows us favor inspite of ourselves. What more good news could we have asked for? The Lord who owes us nothing gives us everything.

Next, the idea that God is slow to anger goes against everything some liberal critics would have us believe about God especially in the OT. There are some who would draw a strict dichotomy between the loving Jesus in the New Testament and the angry God in the Old Testament. However, this should not be. D.A. Carson says,

Somehow they think [God] runs on a short fuse, never very far off from an outburst that can wipe out a nation or two. . . . [God, however,] delays judgment. On the first signs of genuine repentance, he turns from wrath, for the Lord is ‘slow to anger, abounding in love.' It is almost as if God is looking for reasons to be as forbearing as possible.

God has an overflow of covenant love. This is love unlike any love we know. A love that cannot end because it is sealed by God with a covenant. Paul says, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.“ The strength of this love proceeds from the gospel and the death Christ died on the cross. Further, there’s enough love for everyone who will come. What hope for sinners! There’s not a sin that falls out of the reach of God’s love. If you are here today and the power of sin overwhelms you, lay your sin at the cross and rest in his covenant love!

9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever. 10He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Verses 9 and 10 really parallel each other and say similar things. David says the Lord will not chide. Chide is a word that’s unfamiliar to us but simply means God will not bring a legal case against us and in verse 10 “He does not deal with us according to our sins.“ These are true not because God looked over our sin but because our punishment was received upon Christ. It’s for this reason that God will not accuse us because Christ has already been accused.

Then David says God‘s anger is temporary with believers because Christ absorbs all the eternal wrath that was due us. This is the truly amazing suffering of the cross. It’s not the physical torment which is what we often focus on. We think if people truly understood how painful his death was then they would see Christ. But that’s not the case. If people truly understood how dark and perverse their own hearts were and how repulsive their sin is to a holy God and how much anguish Christ suffered bearing our wrath on the cross, then they might see. May the Lord open our eyes to these truths!

It’s when we minimize our sin that we minimize the gospel. For Christ there could be nothing more unbearable than being separated from His Father and being placed under His wrath. Who could have planned such an escape except God?

Soli Deo Gloria

Fundamentalism Irrelevant? Dan Burrell Thinks So!

Dan Burrell from Whirled Views thinks fundamentalism is becoming irrelevant and I happen to agree. Here are his top five reasons: 

1. They have been more interested in controlling their congregations than they’ve been in discipling them.

2. They have done too little expository preaching and too much topical preaching.

3. They emphasized “standards” at the expense of doctrine.

4. They have erected Pastoral Dictatorships rather than emphasizing Godly eldership.

5. They have turned many traditions into near doctrines. (Music styles, Bible versions, Service Schedule, Denominational Tags, etc…)

Click here to read the rest of his article.

Soli Deo Gloria

The God Who Forgives (Psalm 103:7), Part 5

7He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
Example: OT, physical redemption from Egypt (v. 7)
David provides an example from the OT. This focuses on the theme of rememberance. God’s working in the OT was done specifically so that future generations would see what was done in the past and have their faith strengthened for the future (Numbers 15:39; Deuteronomy 4:10). He has not kept His identity secret. The amazing thing is God would have been God had he left us to ourselves and never gave us a revelation but “he made known his ways.” The word “ways“ is the word commonly used through the Psalms for the law. So David is saying that God has given us a revelation of his redemption in His word particularly through the example of Moses and the children of Israel in Egypt.

Not only does God reveal himself to the Church in the Old Testament, He continues to reveal himself to us today. It is thus implied that we are commanded to seek after the knowledge of God. David commands us in Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.“ Think of the chidlren of Israel before their redemption from Egypt. They had grown up hearing about God but had never seen his powerful hand at work. After their redemption from Egypt they had experienced God. When we see ”the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6) and the scales fall off our eyes, we too can say we’ve seen God experientially.

Oftentimes the physical redemption of Israel in the OT is used as a stepping stone for a better understanding of the spiritual redemption God provides for his people. David used something intensely personal in Israel‘s history in preparation for the major theme—the Gospel Uncovered.

Soli Deo Gloria

The God Who Forgives (Psalm 103:6), Part 4

David begins with an offering of personal praise and continues by offering praise for the gospel and more specifically for REDEMPTION.

6The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
Foundation for Praise: Righteousness Provided (v. 6)
Again David uses the personal name for God and so continues the pattern. In case we tend to see our redemption impersonally David labors to change our mindset. The praise for redemption is made possible because God has worked a righteousness and justice for us.

The word “work“ appears almost insignificant. However, one commentary notes, “When used of God, the word [“work“] frequently emphasizes God’s acts in the sphere of history. These contexts stress one of the most basic concepts of OT theology, i.e., that God is not only transcendent, but he is also immanent in history, effecting his sovereign purpose” (TWOT Lexicon). David‘s first comment is about the way in which God provides the redemption—stepping in soveriegnly and effectively. God is not one who has great plans but cannot effect them. David proclaims in Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that he pleases.“

The first thing the Lord works for his people is a righteous. They cannot provide this for themselves. This is an alien righteousnes which means it comes from outside of themselves. We know from the testimony of Scripture that it comes from Christ himself. When the Lord has a people estranged by their sin, he steps in and provides exactly what’s needed—a righteousness from His own Son. "The right Man on our side" is Christ.

The second thing the Lord promises is justice. So all of our received slights and wrongs; all crimes unpunished or unknown. All wrong doings will be judged rightly. There’s no deals with this Judge. Because of the seriousness of sin, there can be no letting it slide. That’s why Christ came to pay the penalty for those who would believe. Either Christ payment is accepted or the payment will be made eternally in Hell but justice will be satisfied.

Soli Deo Gloria

The God Who Forgives (Psalm 103:3-5), Part 3

David is preparing us to see the Lord by describing what He has done. He establishes firmly it’s God who is the one worthy of praise because only God could do these things.

3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
God Forgives Sin & Heals Disease
Notice the expanse of what David is saying, “God forgives all of your inquity.“ The word includes both our depravity and guilt—which excludes nothing. This is not like some contests where some restrictions apply.

Are we starting to feel the weight of what’s being said? The Puritans had an acute understanding of sin and how our sin related to God. One Puritan writes in his prayer:

Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before thy cross I kneel and see
The heinousness of my sin,
My inquity that caused thee to be
’made a curse,‘
the evil that excites the severity
of divine wrath
Show me the enormity of my guilt by
The crown of thorns,
The pierced hands and feet,
The bruised body,
The dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
Its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt
That demands such a price.

Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
Born in my birth,
Alive in my life,
Strong in my character,
Dominating my faculties,
Following me as a shadow,
Intermingling with my every thought,
My chain that holds me captive in the
Empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
The air supply breath,
The earth bear my tread,
Its fruit nurish me,
Its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
Thy heart hastens to my rescue,
Thy love endured my curse,
Thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths
Of humiliation,
Bathed in thy blood,
Tender of conscience,
Triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation (“Precious Blood“ Valley of Vision).

We have to understand the magnitude of our sin. I would submit that anything done apart from the motivation of God’s glory is sin (Romans 3:23). So when we tell a white lie we are falling short of God’s glory and when someone lives a good life apart from the gospel (Prov 21:4), she falls short of God’s glory. We can see then how serious our condition is. Our entire being is made up of sinfulness. So much so, in fact, that Isaiah says “our righteousness are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). That’s what’s forgiven when David says, “All our inquities.“

Next he says God “heals all your disease.“ This can be a physical sickness but it’s can be also carry the idea of grief or the mental anguish caused by sin and the grief we experience because of that. I am inclined to favor the latter as David’s primary meaning because it’s this kind of grief which the Lord universally heals now and it’s this grief that Christ took upon himself on the cross. One commentary points out Is 53:10 which speaks of God putting Christ to grief. It’s the same word. So just as our griefs are healed by Christ so Christ is given our suffering and grief on the cross. The Lord will one day heal both are physical and spiritual disease when we see him face to face.

4who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
God Redeems us from Pit & Protects us with Covenant Love
The idea is God saves us from the trap we were in like a shepherd who rescues his sheep from the brambles. However, to continue the analogy the shepherd not only rescues his sheep, but he continually guides, prods, and protects his sheep. The motivation David says is God’s covenant love.

5who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
God Satisfies with Good & Renews Youthful Vigor
What’s the one thing everyone’s looking for? Satisfaction. That’s why America attracts so many people. We are a country where the pursuit of happiness is a possibility. Here David says the Lord provides the ultimate satisfaction. What’s the good promised? According to Romans 8:28-29 it’s “[Being] conformed to the image of his Son.“ For every man then the only lasting satisfaction and happiness comes in knowing Christ.

Here David ends his prologue of praise. We’re finished looking at the postcard and now David takes us to see the reality. It looked magnificent on the postcard but now we’ll see it firsthand.

Soli Deo Gloria

ARTICLES: "Rediscovering the Psalms" by Joe Holland

Historically Reformed folk have debated the place of Psalms in the liturgy of church. The key texts in this debate are Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. The question circles around whether all three terms (hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs) are synonymous or have different meanings.

However, as one who holds that the terms are not synonymous I have been disappointed in the Church's neglect of singing the Psalms. It seems like most churches I have been in sing Psalms but the majority of the music comes from hymns and spiritual songs. But the Psalms is the only inspired book of music we have. I think one of the main reason is there isn't a Psalter I have found that really places the Psalms to a modern tune so for all a lot of churches it's hard to work the Psalms into the liturgy.

That's why Sovereign Grace Ministries' project to bring the Psalms into song for the church today is so important. I don't know much about the project but I'd challenge some one who has the ability to translate from the original text and write music. Bring the Psalms to life for another generation.

Joe Holland from Reformation 21 wrote articles about "Rediscovering the Psalms." He writes,

Psalm singing is experiencing a renaissance. A national worship conference [link mine] being held this year is entitled "Rediscovering the Psalms". Websites are providing resources for people who would like to learn more about psalm singing. Churches are making strategic plans to train their members in psalm singing. Blogs and internet bulletin boards buzz with excitement over the Psalter. It is undeniable that the church is waking up to that which once marked it--the passionate singing of psalms. I am a child of this movement. I've tracked my growth in psalm singing by three major milestones.

The first milestone was planted in the RTS, Charlotte bookstore. I stood looking at the blue sign that said NTGreekIntro as it hung over neatly stacked volumes awaiting the next batch of seminary students. I was one of those students and it was my first visit to the bookstore. I read the list. Mounce's Basics of Biblical Greek--check. UBS Greek New Testament--check. Trinity Psalter--huh?

I thought I was signing up for a class on New Testament Greek. Why was I being asked to purchase an Old Testament book in English? The words "required text" overpowered my confusion and I purchased my first psalter. I would soon discover that Dr. Cara's Greek class, and all of his classes for that matter, began with the mandatory singing of a psalm. I became a psalm singer by requisite.

My second milestone occurred in the two churches where I've served as an assistant pastor. In both churches the senior minister saw great benefit in private and congregational singing of the psalms. Almost every worship service that I have lead has had at least one congregational psalm. I gradually became aware of different psalms, Psalters, and available tunes. I became a psalm singer by ordination.

My third milestone is set somewhere in the Peruvian mountains. I lead a group of students on a short term mission trip. Our task was to dig a ditch around a church under construction. It was manual labor--pick ax work. Our Peruvian host was a minister in the Peruvian Presbyterian Church. In our brief conversations about ministry in Peru I discovered that his churches sang only psalms in corporate worship.

Between pick ax swings I asked him why he sang only psalms. He gave three reasons. First, he was convicted that psalm singing was the biblical pattern of New Testament worship. Second, he was fighting heresy in his churches. False teaching slipped into his churches through folk songs slightly adjusted for worship. Psalm singing was his attempt to guard his people from heresy sung to a familiar tune. Third, he said, "I sing psalms because they are militant." He wanted to teach his people that Christians daily engage in spiritual warfare. The psalms provided a war-time mentality to his young churches. Reflecting on that conversation I realized I became a psalm singer through missions.

I became a psalm singer by requisite, ordination, and missions. But my growth in psalm singing was not over. Following the three milestones mentioned above I've continued to learn how to use the Psalter in private, family, and corporate worship. Mine is a testimony of someone who didn't grow up a psalm singer or really a singer of any kind. But by God's grace I rediscovered the psalms. And in the rediscovery of those psalms I found a deep reservoir of gospel riches.

HT: Justin Taylor

Soli Deo Gloria