Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q13 and Q14

Q.13. Can we pay this debt ourselves?

Aš Certainly not.  Actually, we increase our guilt every day.

Q.14. Can another creature – any at all – pay this debt for us?

Aš No.  To begin with, God will not punish another creature for what a human is guilty of.  Besides, no mere creature can bear the weight of God’s eternal anger against sin and release others from it.

Monday

Have you ever wanted to buy something but you were a few dollars, or even just a few cents short?  Generally, a cashier isn’t going to give you a break if you don’t have enough money to complete the purchase.  You will have to give up that thing you long for until the piggy bank has enough to pay.

This is what the catechism is referring to when it say that we cannot pay the debt we owe to God.  When we show up before God with our best gifts, our greatest acts of religion, he looks at them and says, “There isn’t enough here to cover the offense.  In fact, your bill just grew again because your sin never leaves you.” 

We are hopelessly in debt to God and we can’t get out of the bill.  In the 18^th century, there were companies that hired men to work in the mines.  These men worked hard, but every day they worked and shopped in the company store, their debt to the company increased.  Their wages couldn’t pay their cost of living.  This is an example of increasing our bill before God each day. Read Romans 2:4-5.

Christian Parenting - Chastity

Many of us have seen the medieval contraptions called chastity belts. And frankly from the looks of them, why would we want to teach our children anything about chastity?  It looks painful and out dated, even torturous.  But the Scriptures have much to say about chastity.  Take for instance, 1Thessalonians 4:3-4,

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable." 

Chastity is the act of learning to control our bodies and sexual urges so that they are used in appropriate ways.  First and foremost this involves teaching our children about the beauty of sex when exercised in a marriage between a husband and a wife.  The scriptures are clear that one man and one woman are to be united in a covenant relationship that is consummated in a sexual union of the two.

Where's Jesus? The Family line of Esau (Genesis 36)

Genealogies.  I hate genealogies.  Not only are they full of names that are hard to pronounce, but they often have people that I am unsure why the time and paper was even taken to record them.  So this week's Where's Jesus blog was a difficult one for me to get excited about, nevertheless, Jesus is here too.

This is the last mention of Esau in the book of Genesis, so what can we learn about him and his progeny and how does that relate to Jesus Christ?  In verses 7-8, the word says,

"their possessions were too great for them [Jacob and Esau] to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock.  So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir."

The Gospel makes us free (Galatians 2:1-10)

Spying is a pernicious act. Spies want to pass as friendly when in fact they don’t belong. They do this in order to steal something valuable from their enemy. We are familiar with names like Benedict Arnold, The Rosenberg’s, even some entertainment spies like James Bond. But how about some other real life spies, take Oleg Penkovsky, for example, he was a soviet military agent who worked for the British during the Cuban Missile Crisis and help the US identify the nuclear pads being installed in Cuba. Or Oleg Gordievsky who informed NATO that one of its training exercises was being interpreted as a first strike. Then there is Aldrich Ames, the US CIA operative who compromised 100 agents and led to the execution of 10 CIA contacts in Russia. In his own words, I compromised "virtually all Soviet agents of the CIA and other American and foreign services known to me" and provided the USSR and Russia with a "huge quantity of information on United States foreign, defense and security policies." Spies try to incapacitate another party from living and acting freely.

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q12

Q.12. According to God’s righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: how then can we escape this punishment and return to God’s favor?

A. God requires that his justice be satisfied.  Therefore the claims of his justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another.

Monday

Today we start a new section in the Catechism.  The first eleven questions dealt with the misery that humans find themselves in because of their sin.  It is a horrible place, but today we begin looking at how God will deliver his people from such horrible circumstances. 

The Law of God requires that every sin must be punished.  All unlawful acts must be condemned.  In our world, that means that whenever theft occurs, it is caught and stopped.  The action is punished so that the world was a safe place.  The same is true of breaking God’s law.  Whenever it happens, God demands that the action be stopped and punished.  But what punishment is enough for our sin?  Read Romans 6:23 and Leviticus 17:11. 

Memorizing Scripture through Song

This morning my family was working on memorizing Titus 3:4.  As we worked through it I suddenly had a tune in my mind, and the text was with me.  I share this tune, not because I am a good singer or musician, I am not, but because tunes, no matter how silly or simple are an excellent way for those of us who are memory challenged to get the word into our thick skulls.  Come up with your own, or use mine, or find any other tool you can, but get the Word of God into your mind and let it percolate down into your heart.



Download the Titus 3:4 mp3

Christian Parenting - Whining, Crying and other unsavory habits

Have you ever been around children who constantly whine and their parents excuse it away?  I remember a child who always reverted to whining when her mother asked her to do or not to do something.  One day, she was in our house as we were watching her and she tried the same tactic she had so successfully used on her parents with me.  I looked her in the eyes and said, "We don't whine and cry in this house, if you don't stop then I will put you in bed."

Guess what? She didn't stop, immediately I walked over to her, picked her up and took her to the porta-crib.  As soon as her feet touched the crib, she stopped whining and crying.  I told her that if she did it again, I would take her back and leave her there for the rest of the afternoon.  We didn't have another problem.  That is until her parents arrived,

Pastoral Letter on Infant Baptism

Dennis Johnson, a prof at Westminster Seminary California, shares a letter he wrote to one of his daughter explaining how he changed from holding a believer's baptism view to the reformed view that includes the baptism of infants.  It is a wonderful pastoral letter.  You can read it here.

Where's Jesus? Jacob's establishment before God (Genesis 35)

Genesis 35 contains 2 stories.  The first relates to Jacob and his return and establishment in the covenant, the second to the deaths of Rachel and then Isaac.  Let's deal with each story in turn.

First, I see Jesus in Jacob's words to his family,

"Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.  Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." (Genesis 35:2-3)

This is the call of God, it is the Law, which says, "the man who does these things will live by them."  If we can rid ourselves of our idols, purify ourselves and dress ourselves in righteousness, then we can be saved and can go up the mountain of the Lord to worship. But, and this is a big 'but', we are incapable of such actions.

Pudd'nhead Wilson and the Christian Life

I just finished Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain. For those who are unfamiliar with the story here is a brief synopsis: Thomas a Becket Driscoll and Valet de Chambre are switched in the crib when Roxy, a slave woman, 1/32 negro, realizes that nobody will ever notice. She gives her son, Chambre, the leg up in society. Unfortunately he turns on her many times, even selling her down the river to pay a gambling debt, though she holds over him the spectre of turning him in as the fraudulent heir that he is.

Eventually he kills his uncle and Pudd'nhead Wilson, the town lawyer and also sleuth and finger print collector uncovers the whole thing on the final morning of the trial. The murderer is exposed and shipped down the river and the "slave boy" but true heir takes his position. Only problem, he is the heir, but he still lives, talks and acts like the negro he was raised to be.

As I reflect on the story, this passage of Scripture comes to mind.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God — or rather are known by God — how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? Galatians 4:8-9

What a commentary on the Christian life and how we continue in what we were even when we are free. Even though the true heir is restored to his rightful place, he continues to long for and live like a slave. Isn't that the Christian's struggle? Though we are rightful children, we long for the slop of this world, its riches, its rewards and its entrapments, but we are free. We have every right to a real life grounded in Christ, but we live like slaves. Oh that each of us recognized this reality and began enjoying the glorious freedom of Christ - growing, learning and living like men and women freed from sin and death so that we can really love God and our neighbors.

The Gospel makes us equals (Galatians 2:1-10)

Wouldn’t you love to take any common metal like nickel, copper and be able to turn it into gold?  That was the belief of the alchemist, men and women in the Middle Ages who tried to create gold out of other non-precious metals.  The one thing they didn’t understand was that it was impossible, with the technology they had to change copper into gold.  Copper has 29 protons and neutrons, and 35 electrons; a density of 8.96 g/cm3 while gold has 79 protons and neutrons, 118 electrons and a density of 19.32 g/cm3.  This is what particle accelerators do; unfortunately the result is very unstable and highly radioactive.

The good news is that while you can’t change a base metal into gold or silver, the Gospel can change people, and it does supernaturally change men, women and children.  It changes drunkards who worship the bottle into people who praise the Lord Jesus.  It changes greedy, selfish women into compassionate, serving princesses of God Almighty.  It changes namby-pamby men into strong leaders who point their family and friends toward Jesus Christ regardless of the cost that society charges them.  The gospel changes people because the gospel is powerful.  It is the power that raised Jesus from the dead; it is the strength that caused the Son of Man to hang on a cross and die to forgive us our sins.  It is the fortitude that unites us to the Body of Christ, refusing to release us when we are dirty and wallowing in our filth, but which sees us as we are – children of the King, brothers and sisters of the spotless lamb. The Gospel changes people. 

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q11

Q.11. But isn’t God also merciful?

A. God is certainly merciful, but he is also just.  His justice demands that sin, committed against his supreme majesty, be punished with the supreme penalty – eternal punishment of body and soul.

Monday

Read Exodus 34:6-7.  What a beautiful statement from the mouth of God regarding his character and his justice.  In these words God makes it clear that he is longsuffering, but that there is a limit to this part of his character.  There will come a day with justice must be meted out and sin punished.  Sometimes that day arrives in our lives as we reap the consequences of our sins, but even if we get away with it, we must know that all our actions will be bared at the end of time and we must answer for them.  Read Hebrews 4:13.

I'm a new papa

Just a few minutes ago I received word that the Ethiopian courts approved our adoption petition for 2 girls. I am now the proud father of 5 girls and 2 boys.  What an exciting day it is.  We will be traveling at the end of the month to Ethiopia to pick them up.

During this process, what has struck me most is the parallels to God's language of adoption for believers.  These girls didn't choose me, we chose them.  They weren't Roberts' and yet now they are in every respect my daughters, loved as much, welcome as much, given as much as I give my other children.  They are mine.  And that is exactly how God sees us, beloved children.  Praise God for such wonderful imagery and truth.

Who's welcome at your house?

The doorbell rings at six o'clock as dinner is being set on the table.  "I'm sorry," you say, "but we are just sitting down to eat.  We can't talk now."  Who's welcome at your house?  This common scenario in the American household has devastating effect on our children and on our Christian witness.  Who's welcome at your house?  Is anyone welcome, anytime?  Is there always enough?  Can we make room for one, or two or even ten more tonight?

Hospitality.  Hospitality is being lost in our churches and in our families.

Where's Jesus? Dinah and the Shechemites (Genesis 34)

The Old Testament is full of some very troubling stories to modern and postmodern sensibilities and our story today is one of these stories.  In Genesis 34 we are told of the rape of one of Leah's daughters.  This is followed up by  the massacre of the town to which the rapist belonged.  Is this really how one should behave?  Are these traditional family values that humanity should espouse and learn?  To both questions, the answer is a resounding 'NO'!  Rape, murder, trickery, all of these are sinful and wrong.

Secret to a long marriage

"It is often possible to understand why a marriage fails, as so many do. It is much more difficult, though, to elucidate why one succeeds. Why do some couples thrive, while others fizzle or flame out, despite their best intentions?"  


The Wall Street Journal ran an article today on the secret to a happy long marriage.  The #4 - don't die early. Stay alive and you can have a long married life.  Thanks for the obvious.  But the other 3 items were more worthwhile: 
1. Find the middle ground - give and take is what makes a marriage work
2. Be funny, learn to joke and laugh with one another
3. Never ever give up.  Stick with it and it will last.


I appreciate their candid assessment of number 3.  It is hard to be married, there is good and there is bad, but keep with it and it will last.  For once, the wisdom of the world seems to be coinciding with that of the Scriptures.  Husbands love you wives, wives respect your husband.  Let no man separate what God has joined together.  There is #1 and #3 again with some humor thrown in for good measure.

How the Gospel changed one man! Galatians 1:11-24

For the past few weeks, we have been talking about the gospel – The life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.  Those are the words Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 15 to describe the Gospel, but here in Galatians, he has used these words – (Gal. 1:3-5) “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The gospel is about forgiveness and salvation from the evil of this world, including and especially from the evil that is within each and every one of us.  It is about a deliverance that is ultimately pictured in a new birth, a resurrection from the dead.  But is this gospel powerful?  Is this gospel message able to accomplish that which it claims, namely, to change people? 

Heidelberg Catechism Devotional Q10

Q.10. Will God permit such disobedience to go unpunished? 

Aš. Certainly not.  He is terribly angry about the sin we are born with as well as the sins we personally commit.  As a just judge he punishes them now and in eternity.  He has declared: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Monday

Imagine a child who disobeys their mother.  How will she respond?  Anger will rise in her, anger at the stubborn refusal of her child to obey her instructions.  Likewise, God’s response to our disobedience is anger.  Sin, in every shape and size, is a challenge to God’s sovereign authority.  The Almighty cannot rejoice in such behavior, just like a parent can’t be glad or even indifferent to the disobedience of their children.  In fact he must punish it if he is a loving Father.  Read Hebrews 12:8.  Discipline is part of God’s love for his creation.

Book Review of A Man in Christ

After finishing Stewart's A Man in Christ, I was unimpressed. While his main thesis is admirable and even worth deep pondering - Paul was more interested in union with Christ than justification by faith - the book left me feeling like there was not a lot there.  Maybe my troubles started with statements like,

The first century mission Churches in Asia and Europe made headway precisely because they confronted the world with a way of life, and not with a speculative system. (pg 6)

which sounds wonderful and which I agree with until you read a passage like,

Orthodoxy varies from age to age, and each age has read back its own particular brand of orthodoxy into the apostle. (pg. 13)

This sounds an awful lot like the initial underpinnings of relativism and the social gospel.  Action is more important than belief and belief can change and you never know the truth.  Well, I am not sure the apostles would agree with both statements.  I am convinced that they believed the truth of a way of life, but I am equally convinced that that way of life was grounded in a very specific, non-accomodating view of truth.  In fact, it was the truth that formed their way of life, not the other way around.

I may have totally misunderstood the book, but that is my core problem and when the cores are out of focus, I have a hard time dealing with the rest of the text.  That said, there are many good snippets in the book.  Thoughts that will stay with me, but in the end, I have read much better books as a whole.

What are your kids reading?

Do you know what your kids are reading?  As Christian parents we have a vested interest in knowing what our children are reading.  We all know the old adage, "Garbage in, garbage out."  Well it holds true to the books our children read just as much as to the food they eat and the things they see and hear.  This leads us to a discussion concerning devotional reading.

Devotional reading is that spiritual discipline where we train the mind and the heart by consistently immersing ourselves and our families in the the Scriptures and strong Christian literature.  By strong, I don't mean the easy going novels that have Christian themes, but the deep well stuff that explicitly shows us Christ and informs our worldview as believers.

Where's Jesus? Jacob and Esau Meet (Genesis 33)

Jacob and Esau are brothers, but Esau had desired to kill his brother - not only had he bought the birth right, but he had stolen the blessing of his father, Isaac.  Because of this, Jacob had been sent away to find a bride from his mother's kin in Haran.  But now they are meeting again.  Jacob has been gone for a long time; his last family interaction was with Esau consoling himself with the thought of killing his brother. And now, Esau is en-route to meet him.

Where is Jesus in this story?  It may be hard for us to imagine, but I believe Jesus is pictured here as Esau.  Where Esau had been ready to kill his enemy, the one who tricked and lied, so too Jesus is ready to destroy all who persist in sinful wickedness.  The Word says, "God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ" (Romans 2:16) and "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11).   Jesus is the great judge ready to destroy all who have wronged him and failed to love and worship with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.  (Revelation 19 records the scene is HDTV.)

But the beautiful gospel twist of the story is that the anger of the brother is quelled.  Esau, instead of killing his brother, runs towards him and embraces him.  He welcomes him home.  Jacob says, "[He] received me favorably" (Genesis 33:10b).  Such is the gospel.  God will receive us favorably when we come in the name of Christ, when we come as repentant sinners, understanding the pain, agony and hatred we rightly deserve from our God, but also ready to submit to his rule.  Like Jacob who bowed low seven times, so we bow low before God and he lifts us up and kisses us when we "receive the one he has sent," Jesus, as our sacrifice of atonement.  

And when this happens, then we too can say like Jacob, "just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord" (Genesis 33:15b) and we will experience the rest and reconciliation that comes at the hands of being forgiven and accepted again into the family of God.  "For to see Christ is like seeing the face of God, now that [he] has received [us] favorably" (Genesis 33:10, compare with John 14:9).  

Just as Jacob experienced reconciliation with his brother, let us experience the ultimate reconciliation that comes from being reunited to our Lord, through Jesus Christ, the Son.  This is where I see Jesus in the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau.

If you have ever wondered how bigotry and prejudice take root, then Chimamanda Adichie has a great warning to us.  IT begins in believing that an entire people can be characterized by a single story, all Ethiopians are starving, All whites are oppressors, all Mexicans are lazy.  Stereotypes like this breed strife and distrust, but these stories are always incomplete and partial at best.  Her words, "The consequence of a single story is that it robs people of dignity," are words that need to be heard.  They need to be heard by everyone who struggles with seeing people from a single vantage point.  You can hear the 19 minute talk at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg.