Scripture's Sufficiency

 

"We study the Bible because it is the whole counsel of God."

This past Sunday, my morning class discussed the sufficiency of Scripture. Wayne Grudem offers this helpful definition of what sufficiency really means:

"The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words of God He intended His people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and for obeying Him perfectly.”

We and They

"We proclaim the gospel to the world so that they may be saved."

When you pay attention to the pronouns in this core value, it reveals a simple, yet profound reality about our responsibility.

Living for Heaven

 

"We serve God wherever we are, knowing He has put us there."

There cannot be a better service than service to the Lord. Though it's true that there are many ways to work and volunteer, none of those ways are best if they are done apart from intentional, devoted service to God. It's better to be a night janitor in service to Christ than a real estate mogul in service to self. Christians should be more desirous of serving in secret to earn a reward from the Father than to flaunt service before others for the praise or payment of men (Matthew 6:1-6).

We're Complete Together

 

"We love each other and cherish the fellowship of God's people."

We need each other like puzzle pieces need each other. As individuals, we are unique, intriguing, and beautiful in our own ways -- yet we are also quite clearly incomplete. None of us is a picture to himself; we must come together as parts of the greater design of God. Finding life in Christ's body means functioning as a body part, living, moving, and having our being in Him with each other.

Prayer's Place in Eternity

 

"We prioritize prayer in this life as we live for the next."

This life is the only time we have to pray. The Bible says, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known," (1 Corinthians 13:12). Later it says, "We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is," (1 John 3:2). So, after this life -- whether we die and go to heaven or live until the Lord descends to gather us to Himself -- our relationship with prayer will be different. We will no longer be walking by faith, but rather by sight. We will no longer be petitioning the God we cannot see, but rather calling on the One right before us (cf. Revelation 6:9-11).

Bible Study Is Both/And

 

"We study the Bible because it is the whole counsel of God."

Is exercise an individual effort or a group effort?

This question cannot be answered with a strict either-or, of course. There are some people who prefer to exercise alone, and there are some who prefer to exercise in a group. Most people prefer some sort of a mix, as opportunities to work-out within a community of people committed to fitness provides for some encouragement and accountability.

Disappointment as Opportunity

"We live for God wherever we are, knowing He has put us there."

How do you respond to disappointment?

We know well the saying that life is full of disappointments, and the longer we live, the truer it rings. As fallen humans with largely unreasonable expectations for ourselves and others, we bump into disappointment often. "Man makes his plans and the Lord laughs," someone has said, and I'm inclined to believe him. We don't know what is held in the next week, day, hour, or breath; yet, we must plan our way. When we arrive at our destination and discover that the grass isn't as green as we thought it would be, our hopes can be quickly dashed. We're fickle, and prone to despair.

Critiquing Covenant Theology

 

I very much appreciate many Covenant Theologians. Several Presbyterians and Reformed Baptists have influenced my thinking -- from John Calvin to Charles Spurgeon to Cornelius Van Til to Francis Schaeffer to John Frame, Alistair Begg, Wayne Grudem, and James White -- I have a load of gratitude for many non-Dispensational pastors, authors, and scholars. However, when it comes to the Covenant Theology vs. Dispensationalism issue, I remain convinced that the Dispensational system best explains God's program as revealed in the Bible. Further, Covenant Theology seems to muddy the waters instead of providing clarity regarding God's purposes in the world.

So it is from this perspective of thankfulness and admiration for my Reformed brothers and sisters that I offer a critique of their theological system.

I've broken down this issue into nine categories, as seen by the headings below. For each of these categories, I will first articulate the Covenant Theology perspective before offering my critique from a Dispensational viewpoint. I hope this article serves well those who are seeking to understand the differences between these systems and why it matters.

Thoughts on Attending Church Services

 

"We love each other and cherish the fellowship of God's people."

Jesus told us, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," (Matthew 6:21). Based on that, many people have pointed out that you can learn much about a person by finding out where his money goes. A checkbook register full of waste, lewdness, and gluttony reveals something about the checkbook owner's heart. His savings and investments (or lack thereof) preaches something, too.

In the same way, a person's calendar exposes what resides in his heart. Schedules full of distractions reveal a distracted heart, schedules that focus inward reveal an inward-focused heart, and so on. How we spend our time speaks just as loudly as how we spend our money. You've heard me carry on about this before, but let's consider it again.

Stopping to Pray

"We prioritize prayer in this life as we live for the next."

There's a resistance natural to our flesh that keeps us from stopping and praying when we should. Have you ever wondered why it seems so instinctive to cease to pray rather than to pray without ceasing?