What follows is an edited version of a "note" I had posted on Facebook about two years ago - long before I really gave much thought to doing a blog. I have mentioned "Reformed" theology on more than one occasion. A subsequent post will be an attempt at a basic description of Reformed theology for those who may not be familiar with it.
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I like a good steak. I like it cooked medium and seared to perfection. I like going to a classy restaurant and ordering a nice filet mignon. I love it when it comes to my table and I take the knife and make that first cut into the middle, watching the juices spread out on my plate. I love taking that first bite and savoring the goodness of quality beef, slowly chewing it as it practically melts in my mouth. Hungry yet? Well let's fix that...
Imagine for a moment someone comes up to you and offers you a rather small portion of a steak that appears to have been cut already. You ask them, "Where did you get this?" You ask him this not because the steak looks bad in and of itself, but because it looks, well.... a bit used. What's left looks fine, but you're curious and ask your eager friend where he got that steak. He answers with bubbling excitement, "Oh, I went behind the restaurant and rummaged through the dumpster and found this after seeing the bus boy take the trash out. Ain't it great!?! Have some! There's plenty more where it came from!"
This seems rather absurd for anyone save the starving and homeless. Why would anyone do such a thing? Sure, one can rummage around the trash of a dumpster and find nuggets of leftovers that were tossed and make an adequate meal of it. But I ask again: Why would anyone do such a thing? After all, it was in the dumpster!
This is meant to illustrate a point that all Christians need to contemplate. In today's day and age there is an endless supply of Christian books aimed at providing help for people. Help with loss; help with abuse; help with marriage; help with parenting; help with determining God's will; help with finances; help with helping helpers; and on and on it goes. Unfortunately, so much of what is produced today is at best fluff. When I was in seminary, one of my professors told my fellow students and me that the 20th century saw very few solid theological and practical books. A couple of exceptions are Packer's Knowing God and Sproul's The Holiness of God. He probably mentioned others, but I remember these specifically because I own them. They were instrumental in bringing me to a deeper knowledge of God. They helped plant in me a desire to know who God is and how we relate to him - all of which we learn from His word. In other words, they stirred in me a desire for good theology. The problem today is that not only is so much of what passes as 'Christian' nothing more than fluff and feel-good-fuzzy stuff, it is just theologically wrong and unbiblical. In some cases, it is downright heretical - which can be eternally damaging to one's well-being.
Over the years, I've had discussions with fellow believers about various Christian authors, seminars, conferences, etc. One thing that folks usually will tell me is that I don't have to agree with everything I read from these authors, but just try to find those nuggets of truth and goodness in it; then they will usually ask me, "After all, you don't believe everything in your favorite authors, do you?" To be fair, there is something to this. It is true, I don't agree with everything that my favorite Reformed authors say. Nevertheless I would still recommend many of these Reformed works because of the benefit these writings can be to people - writings from those who strive to be true to the teachings of Scripture.
What I am writing about are those authors & speakers who are clearly portraying God as something other than what He has revealed Himself to be in His word, clearly portraying man (especially themselves) to be something other than what God has revealed about man in His word, and clearly portraying God's requirements for man to be something other than what God has revealed in His word. We must not compromise those doctrines which are foundational to the Christian faith as God has revealed them to us in His word. Sure, occasionally we can find some good things out of these kinds of authors. That's because we're all made in God's image and by His common grace we are not all evil all of the time. After all, even Hitler did some good things, but do we look to him at all as an example.... for anything? Granted, it's an extreme example, but the principle is the same. Why settle for theological junk? If your expectations are low, they will probably be met with ease. A broken clock may be right twice a day, but it is still a broken clock that is only right twice a day.
Friends, I write this because of concern. You and I need to feast on quality doctrines. You and I need to savor theologically and practically rich material for our benefit and growth in grace. We ought to be fed in such a way that it will drive us to our knees in thankfulness and praise to our most gracious God in heaven. So where does one begin? Well, one obvious place is the Bible itself. Learn it well; meditate on it; chew its cud; love it. I would also refer you to R.C. Sproul's Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. In it you will find brief but helpful explanations of many doctrines found in Scripture; thus it is a good starting place for those who are new to the study of theology and in particular Reformed theology. Think of it as a mini Systematic Theology. Sproul included a recommended bibliography in the back of the book to get you started on the filet mignons of theology as opposed to the corn dogs that are all over the shelves of Christian bookstores today. That bibliography alone may be worth the price of the book. Go and seek out rich theological food for the nourishment of your soul and growth in grace.
"Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." -Psalm 119:18
Blessings....
**********************
I like a good steak. I like it cooked medium and seared to perfection. I like going to a classy restaurant and ordering a nice filet mignon. I love it when it comes to my table and I take the knife and make that first cut into the middle, watching the juices spread out on my plate. I love taking that first bite and savoring the goodness of quality beef, slowly chewing it as it practically melts in my mouth. Hungry yet? Well let's fix that...
Imagine for a moment someone comes up to you and offers you a rather small portion of a steak that appears to have been cut already. You ask them, "Where did you get this?" You ask him this not because the steak looks bad in and of itself, but because it looks, well.... a bit used. What's left looks fine, but you're curious and ask your eager friend where he got that steak. He answers with bubbling excitement, "Oh, I went behind the restaurant and rummaged through the dumpster and found this after seeing the bus boy take the trash out. Ain't it great!?! Have some! There's plenty more where it came from!"
This seems rather absurd for anyone save the starving and homeless. Why would anyone do such a thing? Sure, one can rummage around the trash of a dumpster and find nuggets of leftovers that were tossed and make an adequate meal of it. But I ask again: Why would anyone do such a thing? After all, it was in the dumpster!
This is meant to illustrate a point that all Christians need to contemplate. In today's day and age there is an endless supply of Christian books aimed at providing help for people. Help with loss; help with abuse; help with marriage; help with parenting; help with determining God's will; help with finances; help with helping helpers; and on and on it goes. Unfortunately, so much of what is produced today is at best fluff. When I was in seminary, one of my professors told my fellow students and me that the 20th century saw very few solid theological and practical books. A couple of exceptions are Packer's Knowing God and Sproul's The Holiness of God. He probably mentioned others, but I remember these specifically because I own them. They were instrumental in bringing me to a deeper knowledge of God. They helped plant in me a desire to know who God is and how we relate to him - all of which we learn from His word. In other words, they stirred in me a desire for good theology. The problem today is that not only is so much of what passes as 'Christian' nothing more than fluff and feel-good-fuzzy stuff, it is just theologically wrong and unbiblical. In some cases, it is downright heretical - which can be eternally damaging to one's well-being.
Over the years, I've had discussions with fellow believers about various Christian authors, seminars, conferences, etc. One thing that folks usually will tell me is that I don't have to agree with everything I read from these authors, but just try to find those nuggets of truth and goodness in it; then they will usually ask me, "After all, you don't believe everything in your favorite authors, do you?" To be fair, there is something to this. It is true, I don't agree with everything that my favorite Reformed authors say. Nevertheless I would still recommend many of these Reformed works because of the benefit these writings can be to people - writings from those who strive to be true to the teachings of Scripture.
What I am writing about are those authors & speakers who are clearly portraying God as something other than what He has revealed Himself to be in His word, clearly portraying man (especially themselves) to be something other than what God has revealed about man in His word, and clearly portraying God's requirements for man to be something other than what God has revealed in His word. We must not compromise those doctrines which are foundational to the Christian faith as God has revealed them to us in His word. Sure, occasionally we can find some good things out of these kinds of authors. That's because we're all made in God's image and by His common grace we are not all evil all of the time. After all, even Hitler did some good things, but do we look to him at all as an example.... for anything? Granted, it's an extreme example, but the principle is the same. Why settle for theological junk? If your expectations are low, they will probably be met with ease. A broken clock may be right twice a day, but it is still a broken clock that is only right twice a day.
Friends, I write this because of concern. You and I need to feast on quality doctrines. You and I need to savor theologically and practically rich material for our benefit and growth in grace. We ought to be fed in such a way that it will drive us to our knees in thankfulness and praise to our most gracious God in heaven. So where does one begin? Well, one obvious place is the Bible itself. Learn it well; meditate on it; chew its cud; love it. I would also refer you to R.C. Sproul's Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. In it you will find brief but helpful explanations of many doctrines found in Scripture; thus it is a good starting place for those who are new to the study of theology and in particular Reformed theology. Think of it as a mini Systematic Theology. Sproul included a recommended bibliography in the back of the book to get you started on the filet mignons of theology as opposed to the corn dogs that are all over the shelves of Christian bookstores today. That bibliography alone may be worth the price of the book. Go and seek out rich theological food for the nourishment of your soul and growth in grace.
"Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." -Psalm 119:18
Blessings....
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