on Love, Liberty, and Christian Conscience by Randy Jaeggli

I read this book by my good friend Jaeggli today. We were in grad school together, sharing many classes, most notably the unofficial 'Snack Shop Theology'. I have always appreciated Randy's godly testimony and level-headed thinking. He doesn't get rattled like some of us excitable types.

This little book has just been published as one of a series called "Biblical Discernment for Difficult Issues". The subject is of great interest to me, see my series of posts on my Sunday AM sermons this summer. My son, Duncan, sent me an autographed copy today! The book is a scant 58 pages. I wish it was longer, but the purpose of this series is to provide short works on timely topics. [The BJU press listing says it is 72 pp, but that includes all the empty pages at front and back of the book, including the preface. I suppose that is standard procedure, but the actual work is just 58 pp.]

The book's title gives a fair summary of the contents. The bulk of the book, and the longest chapter, is a thorough discussion of the conscience, working through the scriptural development of the notion in a thorough and scholarly manner, while remaining fairly accessible for the non-academic reader. It is of especial value to a pastor who would like a well-worked out argument for the topic.

The chapters are:
1. Introduction
2. Misunderstanding Legalism
3. The Role of Conscience
4. The Nature of True Liberty
5. Conclusion

The second chapter, Misunderstanding Legalism, gives a good discussion of the use and misuse of the term. Randy argues for defending the meaning of the term, but, while I thoroughly agree with him, it seems that the evangelicals have totally co-opted 'legalism' for their own pejorative ends.

The fourth chapter is the one I wish was longer, but what is said is biblical and helpful. Randy's points in this chapter are 'True liberty includes restraint' and 'True liberty produces increased knowledge of Christ'. He closes the chapter with this sentence:

True liberty allows the believer to see Christ as He is and grow in the ability to reflect Christ's image to a world that is perishing in sin.

Aside from wishing for more in the fourth chapter, I also was hoping to see some engagement of Fee's comments on 1 Cor 8-10, comments which are replicated in Tom Constable's Notes. I have been somewhat taken with Fee's view of the meat offered to idols and would like to get the point of view of someone with more academic insight than I have. I guess I'll just have to write him and ask him what he thinks!

All in all, I recommend this little work as a valuable contribution to the subject of Christian liberty from a thoroughly fundamentalist perspective. I am glad that the Bob Jones Seminary is taking the initiative to publish works like this. This is the second of the series, the first being Ken Casillas' Law and the Christian, The: God's Light Within God's Limits.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

For summaries of my summer series on Legalism and Liberty, check

here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here and
here.

on BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Burmese riot police attack monks

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Burmese riot police attack monks: "Monks' shaved heads stained with blood could be seen at the Shwedagon Pagoda where police charged against protesters demanding the end of military rule."

The news out of Myanmar (Burma) call to mind the life of Adoniram Judson and his missionary enterprise in the very shadow of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda mentioned in this article. Here are links to pictures of the Buddhist shrine:

• on mir.com
• on zininfo.com
• on trekearth.com

I wonder what the results of this unrest will be for the Christians in Burma, especially for a good friend and colleague who is a member of our mission. Whatever happens, I hope greater freedom for the gospel is the result. I suppose the unrest doesn't make that promising.

For a life of Judson, I can think of no finer work for easy reading than To the Golden Shore by Courtenay Anderson. It is well worth your reading, and especially I think well worth reading to children. Some parts are hard to get through, the tears will flow.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

on a sad commentary on the modern world

Online couple cheated with each other | The Daily Telegraph: "Online couple cheated with each other"

Larry Rogier has an excellent comment here.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

on the dishonesty of David Cloud

David Cloud is one of those figures with whom I find myself alternately in agreement and disagreement. I agree with him in many of his emphases and especially on his condemnation of 'easy believism' which he calls 'easy prayerism'. I disagree with him profoundly on his promotion of King James Only views, although I don't begrudge his holding them.

The subject of this post is not a matter of theological disagreement or agreement. It is a matter of integrity in reporting. In a headline item in his 'Friday News Notes', he sent out just last Friday this jarring headline:

BJU PROFESSOR RECOMMENDING NEW EVANGELICAL MINISTRIES

In the short article that follows, Cloud criticises a presentation by Nathan Crockett at the Whetstone Conference this last summer at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, specifically criticising Dr. Mark Minnick and alleging that Dr. Minnick gives blanket endorsement to New Evangelicals. Cloud attempts to slime Bob Jones University with the same charge. [Nathan Crockett is Dr. Minnick's son-in-law.]

I downloaded the presentation earlier this summer but had not yet listened to it. Since Cloud so unfavorably reviewed it, I took some time in my travels today to listen to the presentation. If you would like to hear the presentation, it is available here for purchase. Here is my take:

Far from a blanket endorsement of new evangelical ministries, Bro. Crockett repeatedly made disclaimers throughout the presentation: "we wouldn't agree with many things said on this site", "they don't take the kinds of stands we would take", "we don't endorse their positions", etc. The point of the presentation was to provide awareness of on-line resources especially with a view to using the internet as a source of information for sermon preparation and for being able to be aware of things our people may bring up (such as movies -- and you know that you will be dealing with people commenting on the movies they see, don't you?) A wise pastor should be aware of current events, both as a resource for sermon illustration and for awareness of what the people are thinking about. Cloud criticises Crockett for mentioning the New York Times as a source of news... (eyes roll!!) Bro. Crockett did mention that the NYT is a liberal paper, but it is a NEWSpaper, is it not? And, quite frankly, it is an excellent resource for news on the web, with an eye into the liberal mindset. The people we are trying to reach in North America think this way, how do you expect to reach people you don't understand? (And the NYT is a great source of crossword puzzles, my own little on again, off again addiction!)

Could Bro. Crockett's presentation have been better? I suppose. I suspect that Crockett himself would confess so. I found the presentation to be quite helpful. He mentioned sites which I wasn't really aware of, but think could be quite useful as resources. From my perspective, there were generally more than sufficient disclaimers throughout, anyone who listens to the actual presentation would not come to the coonclusion that either Minnick or Crockett offered any kind of 'endorsement' of new evangelicals in any way. One can only wonder if Cloud isn't miffed that his own efforts weren't mentioned!

In short, I am quite disappointed by Cloud's comments. In my view, he dishonestly misrepresents Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Mark Minnick, Nathan Crockett and Bob Jones University.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

on the curse and the kingdom

I am sailing up the Strait of Georgia as I type this. It is an absolutely gorgeous evening. Blue skies, a low sun setting over Vancouver Island, the hills and mountains of the Island a purple haze, merging into the few clouds hanging low in the West where the sea meets the sky. The waters of the Strait are calm, quietly rippled. Even a prairie boy like me can admit admiration for this part of God's wonderful creation.

I am heading home from a day down to Seattle. As I mentioned in my last post, my dear mother-in-law is very ill. My wife has gone to Nashville to spend a few weeks with her, perhaps the last weeks our dear one will spend on earth. It is lung cancer. The name of the disease is the name of decay and the curse. The fruit of Adam's sin wracks our mortal bodies, bringing them down to dust in the end.

All our labours, hopes, and dreams come to an end at last, at least as far as this life is concerned. Even now, in my own body, decay is evident. I cannot run so far as I once could. Run? I can barely run at all, and not for long. One day, if the Lord tarries, it will be my turn to lie at death's door and answer the call of the curse as well.

The purple glory in the west seems to belie the dread and despair my soul feels. What congruence hath this glory in this world of sin and shame? The sight of the setting sun brings to mind the hope of the kingdom to come, the glories of the King who died for all men, and especially for the household of God. The sun is setting on this world, but the Son is rising. One day, in all his brightness and glory, the curse will be gone and done. All His saints will reign with Him ... now that is an incongrous thought, as I think of the weary body of my dear wife's mother, coming close to the end of her earthly span. She will one day stand with the Son, in His glory. And so will I, and all who love Him and look for his appearing. We are not significant players in this world of might and men, but we will reign with the Son.

The Son in his Book promises these things to us. Believest thou this?

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3


P.S. For a look at some Vancouver Island sunset images, these are the best I've seen on the Web:

Stubbs Island Sunset

BC Coast Sunset

Sunset Nootka Sound

It is so beautiful around here we tend to take it for granted.

on moving right along

Well, we began our series in Romans today. I managed the exposition of the first word: "Paul..." I was quite pleased with the result. Our title and subtitle for the message is this: "Paul: or, what would it be like if Osama got saved"

In a real way, the name Paul represents the whole theme of Romans. If ever there was a name emblemantic of 'a soul set free', it is that of Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, the apostle to the Gentiles. His biography occupied the bulk of our message, causing us to consider in vivid personal illustration the gospel of God, the theme of Romans.

In this message, a good deal of introductory material prefaced the body of the message. I dealt with my method of exposition [glacial], noting it's similarity with D. M. Lloyd-Jones. In fact, I shared this quote:

I do not announce a programme, and for this reason, that when you are studying the Word of God you never know exactly when you are going to end. At least, I have a very profound feeling that such should be the case, believing, as we do, in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We know from experience that He suddenly comes upon us û He illumines the mind and moves the heart û and I believe that any man who expounds the Scripture should always be open to the Holy Ghost. That is why some of us do not broadcast sermons, because we find it difficult to reconcile ourselves to a time-limit in these matters. I wonder what would happen to an occasional broadcast service if the Holy Ghost suddenly took possession of the preacher! Well, it is exactly the same on an occasion like this. I may have planned to map out a certain portion and to say certain things, and I might therefore draw up a syllabus, but, as I say, it is my profound hope that the Holy Ghost will overrule me and my ideas, and any little programme I may have. So I will thus go on from week to week trusting to that leading and that guidance, not promising to do any given amount every Friday.

I also dealt with the importance and place of Romans, with a few additional quotes. If you care to see them, you can check the pdf of the outline, linked above.

I took the proposition entirely from v. 16: "The gospel of Christ ... is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Three points covered the message, with the emphasis on the first point: The likeness of Saul's sin to every man's sin. Saul's sin (threatenings and slaughter) is only separated from hatred by a matter of degree. In this way all men are connected in their sins, whether they be an Osama or a me. The second point: A life changed by the supernatural work of Jesus Christ. Here we see the confrontation of Paul by Christ, after goading Saul towards the truth of the gospel by means of things like conscience, his knowledge of God's standard of righteousness revealed in the OT, and the testimony of believers whom he persecuted. In the vision, Saul is confronted with his sin, with the revelation of Christ, and essentially with the call to 'Follow me!'The closing point is this: The likeness of Paul's new life to Christ's holy life. Immediately he is baptized, stands for Christ in the Damascus synagogue, experiences the persecution he once performed, goes on to faithful pastoral and evangelistic service in the work the Lord separated him to. What a transformation. What would it be like if Osama got saved? Well, Saul (meaning 'desired') was changed to Paul (meaning 'little') and Paul made much of Christ, and little of self. Paul's name stands at the head of the epistle as exhibit A of the transforming power of the gospel, the theme of the whole book.

~~~~

In our afternoon service, we returned to our discussion of my philosophy of the local church. Last week was 'It's a Body', this week was 'It's a Growing Body: it grows into the head by the ministry of the parts'. In this message, we went through Eph 4.11-16 talking about the process of the church, looking at 'the body' not as a static body but as a living, growing organism, growing up into its head, which is Christ. The Lord gave gifts to the church (men in authority) to equip the saints to do the work of serving and building so the body can grow to the goal of Christlikeness, unswayed and undeceived. For this to succeed in the local church, the saints in the body need to see themselves as essential role players in Christ's body - the effort needed to 'grow the church' must come from saints (who are equipped by the leadership). The growth process can break down at several points: the leaders may fail to equip, the saints may fail to serve, the 'neophytes' in the body may fail to grow to take their place as servants in the body and the whole body can collapse when one part of the body fails to fulfill God's plan.

~~~

In my last post I said I had planned three more posts right away... they didn't happen, but there is still a plan. I don't know when I will get a chance to update the site next, however. My wife's mother is very ill and we are getting my wife down to the airport in Seattle for Tuesday to go be with her. We are a bit in busy mode over the next few days.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3