To strangle three poisonous serpents

Just doing some reading about a man I've been wanting to read for some time.

John Owens:

Owen was by common consent the weightiest Puritan theologian, and many would bracket him with Jonathan Edwards as one of the greatest Reformed theologians of all time. Born in 1616, he entered Queen's College, Oxford, at the age of twelve and secured his M.A. in 1635, when he was nineteen. In his early twenties, conviction of sin threw him into such turmoil that for three months he could scarcely utter a coherent word on anything; but slowly he learned to trust Christ, and so found peace. In 1637 he became a pastor; in the 1640s he was chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and in 1651 he was made Dean of Christ Church, Oxford's largest college. In 1652 he was given the additional post of Vice-Chancellor of the University, which he then reorganized with conspicuous success. After 1660 he led the Independents through the bitter years of persecution till his death in 1683. (by J.I. Packer)

On Owen's grave, he had written in Latin amongst other points:

"In polemical theology, with more than herculean strength, he strangled three poisonous serpents, the Arminian, the Socinian, and the Roman.

In practical theology, he laid out before others the whole of the activity of the Holy Spirit, which he had first experienced in his own heart, according to the rule of the Word. And, leaving other things aside, he cultivated, and realised in practice, the blissful communion with God of which he wrote; a traveller on earth who grasped God like one in heaven.

In casuistry, he was valued as an oracle to be consulted on every complex matter."

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In polemics, meaning controversial theology, he battled three poisonous serpents, one of which was the Arminian. It reminds me of something Sinclair Ferguson said about Owen's works knocking the head of the Armenian. Sounds interesting enough. Guess I'll start with Mortification of Sin.

Don't need no Bunny.

Believe it or not, I woke up Easter morning and found that my Lord has given me in addition to ,and even by way of, his Son and the following:

Maria and Turner*

*Not pictured: Baby #2

Two Solemn Days

Maundy Thursday:
He Made Purification of Sins. Hebrews 1:1-4
a message from Piper 1996

Good Friday:
The Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16
a message from Driscoll 2008

Bent, Broken and Perfect

If you have four minutes, it will be more than worth it to hear from Matt Chandler of The Village Church. Indeed it is true, for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.




Scripture I read this morning reminded me of the title: Hebrews 10:14 - For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Mandolin Aspirations

They're percusive.
They're meolodic.
And they're tiny.

Every now and then I get aspirations to try and wrangle a mandolin. One day I may even have the time to do it.

But until then, I'll just sit back and watch this guy who has a slight lead.

mandolin pic by MandolinCafe via Flickr

Look at all those guitar straps...

Niles + unlimited source of cash + a soft conscience for excess =

Think Grand Jury of Joy

If I were summoned to give evidence of God's grace, lovingkindness, justice, patience, one in a long list of exhibits surely would be Beulah.

Atheists Miss the Joy

If you look at sunsets and sunrises without knowing that God is painting them then and there, you will miss the point. Sunsets and sunrises do not just happen. God does them.

You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. (Psalms 65:8)

What are they so happy about?

Psalm 19 gives the answer. They are happy because they are showing the glory of God. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (v. 1).

How happy is the rising sun to display the glory of God? Answer: “In them [the heavens] God has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy” (Psalm 19:4-5).

A bridegroom beaming, and an Eric Liddell feeling God’s pleasure when he runs. Sunrises and sunsets are like that. [Liddell has been quoted, "I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. When I run it is in His pleasure."]

They bid us join their joy in putting God on display in the world.

HT: Desiring God Blog entry by John Piper
Picture from Flikr: Eric Wylie

In the Church, you're not the Burger King

"In a business the customer is always...(waiting for congregation to answer, they say "right") right. In the church the customer is always...(waiting again, the congregations says "wrong" as he finishes)... evil, sinful. The customer doesn't always get what they want. You don't get what you want, right? You come to church, you get what you need."

Driscoll in a sermon on 1 Timothy.

And I would add that what we need is a little sacrifice, rebuking, repentance, humility.

Jesus didn't come to be served but to serve. What makes us better than him?

Snipers and A-Bombs

So, I'm on the "Diversity Advancement Commitee" at work.

I haven't quite made up my mind yet a proper response and reaction to the worldview that this particular workplace philosophy promotes. But maybe I can use this post to think through some of it tenents. The following is from Diversity, Inc's website, one of the leading organizations for promoting Diversity in the workplace. They have the ear of some of the biggest companies in the US, and here's what they have to say about diversity:

We believe that all people are created equally, and therefore, talent is distributed equally as well.

We are a people obsessed with race, and it potentially skews our perception of people.

Equal rights should be afforded to all people regardless of race, sexual orientation, age, culture, etc.

The political issues at stake get a bit complex. These include Affirmative action, equal rights for GLBT individuals, and relgious contensions.

I can make a case for equality of all humans, for we're all made in the image of the living God(Gen 1.26); that those in the employ of the another should be treated fairly and justly, for we have a master that treats us so (Col 4.1); that our experience is important and unique to us and should be used to benefit others (2 Cor 1.3-4).

I suppose my current stance is to be a sniper instead of an atom bomb. There are too many B-52 flying around ready to drop bombs that the sight of "liberals" or the like. And normally Diversity gets lumped in with "the liberal agenda".

My problem with the bomb droppers is an extreme lack of grace. And the willingness and pleasure thats taken in the explosion. Should not grace flow from one that understands the gospel? Instead of a massive explosion that isn't very discriminating, we are called to be a sniper with discearnment as to who we chose to shoot if we need to shoot at all (figuratively speaking, of course). To the extent that we don't, we portray a God that drops bombs instead of a shepherd that guards his flock with a sling and some rocks.

It's true that the Enemy is prowling around in this world, and believe it or not, in the workplace. To the extent that the Diversity worldview matches that of the Scriptures, I'll praise God's grace; to the extent that God's truth comes under attack I'll not drop the religious bomb, but rather I'll gracefully engage people and mercilessly snipe the real Enemy.