Cool new Bible reference widget

Astute readers may have noticed that Bible references in my posts now have a pop-up thing that gives the text. You can have one too. The widget is easy to install and use. Find out more here. I haven't had time to do the last report on the Creation the Bible and Science Conference. That will have to wait until next week. Blogger has been a bit weird of late, failing to autosave and stuff. One recent post keeps reverting to an earlier edit every time I try and make corrections. Anyone else having blogger grief?

The Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture by Philip Eveson

The Gospel and Creation - the Significance of a Theology of Creation for Preaching

On the Monday Evening of the Creation the Bible and Science Conference, Philip Eveson, Principal Emeritus of the London Theological Seminary gave a this year's Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture. He began by saying that "the Doctor" would have approved of the subject in hand. In his sermons on Romans 8 and Ephesians 1, Lloyd-Jones emphasised that salvation is about far more than dying and going to heaven. God is going to renew the whole cosmos. The preacher urged Evangelicals to recapture the sheer grandeur of biblical eschatology.

In the report that follows, I have drawn on my hastily scribbled notes. But this blogged-up sketch cannot really convey the power of this gripping tour de force. Lloyd-Jones said that preaching is "theology on fire". Well, there was certainly fire in this address on creation and the gospel. By the end I just felt amazed and awed by the stunning glory of our triune Creator and Redeemer God.

The Gospel is for created beings. The Bible's redemption hope includes creation. We need to foster an appropriate attitude to God's world.

I. What a theology of creation will include

There is a danger of controversy over Darwinian evolution overshadowing the Bible's positive teaching on creation. The biblical creation account is not there to be argued over. Its purpose is to call us to worship the Creator, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). When God gave Job a guided tour of creation, he was humbled to the dust before the majesty of his Maker. It is by faith we understand that God created all things. Scripture must inform our doctrine of creation. A biblical theology of creation will include these twelve points:

1. God is an uncreated Creator
No one made the eternal God. He simply exists - Psalm 90:2.

2. The Creator created creation
Contatry to the Gnostics, he did not use intermediaries or demigods. "God created the heavens and the earth".

3. The Creator made one creation
Multiverse theory is nothing but postmodern speculative nonsense.

4. The uncreated God created all things from nothing.
He used no pre-existing material in the original creation. Creation is not an emanation from God's being. Having been made ex nihilo, the creation is dependent upon God, yet distinct from him. This rules out pantheism and the Gaia hypothesis of extreme environmentalism.

5. The Creator created time
"In the beginning God created...". Creation was made with time. God worked in time to form the earth in six days.

6. Creation is good
Matter is not evil. God declared the completed creation "very good" (Genesis 1:31). The Bible warns against false asceticism 1 Timothy 4:1-5. God has richly given us all things to enjoy. We should give thanks to the Lord for the provision of our bodily needs.

7. The Creator God rules over the whole creation
The Lord reigns over all. "Everything under heaven is Mine." Says the Lord to Job (Job 41:11). Nothing is off limits for him.

8. Creation is the work of the Triune God
The Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck is especially strong on this in his Reformed Dogmatics. Creation is the work of the one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, John 1:1-3, 1 Corinthians 8:6. Creation does not reveal the Trinity of the godhead, but creation presupposes the action of the Triune God. The unity in diversity of the Trinity is displayed in creation. Islam with its monadic conception of God cannot cope with the sheer diversity of life. Postmodernism tends to fragmentation at the expense of unity. But the God who is one in three has made a Universe that is teeming with diversity. God did not need the creation to complete himself, for he is eternally complete in the rich communion of the persons of the Trinity. Creation exists not necessarily, but according to God's sovereign will, Revelation 4:11. It displays his glory, Psalm 19:1, Romans 11:36. Creation is the free expression of the Triune God who is love.

9. The Creator God is relational
We are made in God's image (Genesis 1:26) for fellowship with God and with each other.

10. The Creator and the creation is all that exists
There are no intermediaries between God and his world.

11. Creation must be distinguished from providence
God rested on the 7th day from the work of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). Providence is God's work of upholding, directing and renewing creation. Providence is Trinitarian. The Father upholds all things by his Son through the power of the Spirit. A biblical doctrine of providence rules out a "God of the gaps". There are no gaps where God is not at work in sustaining and guiding the Universe. The distant god of Deism is not the God revealed in Scripture. He is active in the historical process, directing all things in accordance with his will.

12. There is a need for a new creation
The final glorified state will include a renewed creation. The world was subjected to God's curse because of sin, Genesis 3:17-19. Creation has been subjected to vanity, Ecclesiastes 1:2, Romans 8:18-23. With the resurrection of the believing dead, creation will be liberated from bondage to decay. The new creation will not replace the old world. Jesus, the last Adam who will bring the creation to its intended goal in God's purposes.

II. The message of the Gospel and the redeeming work of Christ

The God of creation is also the God of redemption. We find this emphasis in Exodus and Isaiah. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). The scope of this salvation includes the whole of creation. Through redemption in Christ, the creation finds its eschatological goal, which was frustrated by the fall of man into sin.

The Christian hope is not just spiritual. Creation looks for its exodus - its liberation from bondage to decay - Romans 8:21.

III. Creation and Christ

1. Creation through Christ
He was an active agent in God's creative work, Hebrews 1:2, Colossians 1:16.

2. Christ and providence
He upholds the universe and brings it to its grand conclusion, Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:17. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega of creation.

3. The incarnation of Christ
Jesus, the image of the invisible God was made in the image of God when he became man. In Jesus the Creator became a creature. He is the last Adam, the head of God's new humanity. The first Adam brought sin and death into the world. Christ came to atone for sin and destroy death's power (1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 2:14 & 15). Jesus was fully man, sharing our humanity. He came to re-establish man's dominion over the world - Hebrews 2:5-9 cf. Psalm 8.

4. The resurrection of Christ
The resurrection of Jesus - 1 Timothy 3:16 - affirms that matter matters. Jesus rose bodily from the grave. The last Adam is a life giving Spirit, the man from heaven (1 Corinthians 15: 45, 49). We shall bear the image of the risen Jesus, 1 John 3:2.

5. Christ and re-creation.
He is the beginning of the creation of God, Revelation 3:14. In Colossians 1, Paul teaches that Christ will reconcile to God the world that was made through him. When Christ returns, the dead will be raised and the whole creation will be renewed, Philippians 3:21. This will not mean the destruction of the world, but its glorious liberation by the power of Christ. Then we shall have spiritual bodies, bodies renewed and transformed by the Spirit and fitted for life in the new heavens and the new earth (2 Peter 3:13).

IV. The significance of a theology of creation for preaching

We need to have a positive doctrine of creation that will challenge the rampant atheism of our time. Paul preached creation in his proclamation of the Gospel in Lystra (Acts 14) and Athens (Acts 17). We must preach creation, incarnation, resurrection and re-creation in Christ. Let us hold before the people the stunning grandeur of our triune Creator God. The heavens declare his glory. Science helps us to further appreciate the wonder of creation. But the aim of the Bible's creation account is to awaken us to God's existence rather than provide scientific information. The witness of creation prepares people to hear the gospel of salvation. But there is more to creation than a pre-evangelistic aid. Believers should delight in God's world. Solomon studied plant and animal life. "The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them." (Psalm 111:2). We have been called to serve the Lord in our bodies, Romans 12:1. We will be rewarded for the works done in the body, Revelation 14:13. Reflecting on the power of our Creator can be a great encouragement to us, Isaiah 40:27-31. This is our Father's world. But the effects of the fall upon creation make us a little ambivalent about this life. We must set our minds on things above, not on things the earth, Colossians 3:1-2. Our citizenship is in heaven, Philippians 3:20-21. While in this world, we groan, longing for the new creation, Romans 8:22, 26. The church's message is the unique declaration of the redemption of creation in Christ. Sinners must flee from the wrath to come and embrace God's offer of salvation. Our creation theology will teach us to:

1. Adore our Maker
2. Appreciate the kindness of God, Psalm 145:9.
3. Administer creation's resources wisely, caring for the environment.
4. Ache for the renewal of creation.
5. Anticipate the glory to come.
6. Act by spreading the message of creation and the gospel.

The conference was held under the auspices of the John Owen Centre. CD's of each address and a nifty MP3 CD containing all the addresses can be ordered here. If you don't order anything else, get the recording of this lecture.

Creation the Bible and Science Conference: Day One

Interpreting Genesis 1 & 2
Dr. John Currid

The conference kicked off appropriately enough with a consideration of Genesis 1 & 2. In his opening remarks, John Currid, Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Virginia made mention of alarm in the UK media concerning "noisy American creationists". Currid is certainly a creationist, but is not of the strident, shouty variety that seem to do so much damage to the cause. Currid pointed out that the Reformers rejected the allegorising tendencies of the medieval church in favour of sober biblical interpretation. The main point of Reformed interpretation of Scripture is to discover the authorial meaning of the text rather than read hidden meanings into Scripture. Essential to responsible exegesis is the identification of the literary genre of a particular biblical text. This is especially important when approaching Genesis 1 & 2. It is often said that the opening chapters of Genesis are "poetry". But Currid sees no evidence of this in the text. The two key features of Hebrew poetry are absent namely: Line parallelisms e.g. Psalm 19:1 and figures of speech e.g. Psalm 42:1. Moreover a device invariably present in Hebrew narrative prose writing - "vav consecutive plus imperfect" is used again and again in Genesis 1 & 2. Passages of the Old Testament that make reference to these chapters seem to accept them as historical narrative rather than poetry, e.g. Exodus 20:8-11 and Psalm 104. Currid rejected the "framework hypothesis", which tries to accommodate Genesis 1 & 2 with theistic accounts of evolution. This view, associated with Meredith Kline amongst others tries to read our chapters as poetry. But what we have in fact is a highly structured, exalted prose narrative that is suited to the unique event of God's original creation.

In expounding the text itself, Currid drew attention to God's activity in the six creation days. The earth was originally "without form and empty" (Genesis 1:2). In days 1-3, God ordered the earth by three acts of division. In days 4-6, he filled the creation with stars, marine creatures, birds and animal life. Then, after the creation of man, God rested from his creative activity (Genesis 2:1-3). This pattern of ordering and filling followed by rest is replicated by human beings as God's unique image bearers, Genesis 1:26-28. Man orders creation by subduing the earth (Genesis 1:28) and naming the animals (Genesis 2:19-20). He is called to fill the earth (Genesis 1:28 again). God's rest is the pattern from human rest, (Exodus 20:8-11). This rest day on the completion of creation anticipates the eschatological rest that the creation will receive in Christ.

This well-argued and cogent exegetical paper laid the ground for what was to come in the conference. In the discussion that followed, questions of genre, historicity and the length of the creation days amongst other issues were aired.

Genesis 1 & 2 - History of Interpretation
Dr. Robert Letham

It fell to Bob Letham of WEST to summarise the church's pre-Copernican understanding of Genesis 1 & 2. The church rejected Maronite and Gnostic accounts of creation, which tended to view matter as evil. Early theologians rightly insisted that God created the world ex nihilo. Irenaeus suggested that God used his two "hands", the Son and the Spirit when he created all things. This did not imply subordination of the Son and Spirit to the Father as both were regarded as one with God in the work of creation. Irenaeus understood creation Christologically. Christ is the image of God in whose image we are made. Redemption is an act of recapitulation with the second Adam undoing the work of the fist Adam. Origen could make little sense of Genesis 1 & 2 when understood literally. He was opposed to the idea of six 24 hour creation days. His platonic leanings and allegorical bent drove him to try and find secret meanings behind the "flesh" of the biblical text. Basil the Great understood the creation account more literally. He saw God acting purposefully in creating the world from nothing, which he then ordered in the creation days. Augustine taught instantaneous creation. God made the world and time. He taught that the creation days were stages in our knowledge of creation. The One Day was replicated in the other days, with number six representing perfection. Augustine's view seemed to hold sway from his own day right up to the Reformation. Robert Gristeste [not sure of spelling!] taught that the firmament of Genesis 1:7 was some kind of crystallised water, in accordance with the best science of his day. (A warning for us not to follow current scientific trends too slavishly). Aquinas saw a three-fold division of God's creative work in Genesis 1 & 2, creation and division on Days 1-3 and adornment in Days 4-6. With the Reformation, we see a greater concentration on the actual text of Scripture, with a more literal reading of the creation account. Luther held that the world was 6,000 years old. He rejected allegorical interpretations. While Calvin noted that divine revelation is accommodated to our capacity, he taught that God created the world in six 24 hour days, rejecting the view of Augustine. Letham insisted our understanding of the creation days should not be given confessional status. The Westminster Standards take little interest in the matter. The plethora of views on Genesis 1 & 2 should make us cautious in our pronouncements. Copernican science forced Bible scholars to read Scripture differently. We should be open to similar correction. The question of Job 38, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?", should give us pause for thought.

In the discussion afterwards the matter of doctrinal progress was raised. That was a good point. Letham should have given more emphasis to the positive gains made by the Reformers and the fact that the Reformation gave rise to modern science. We should recognise that the Reformers had a better and more accurate understanding of Genesis (see Currid's paper) than Augustine and the medievals. We must be open to revising our understanding of Scripture as we understand the world better. But the theory of evolution plays havoc with the Bible's basic plot line. Doctrines are often clarified in response to heresy and error. Witness the clarification of Christology at Chalcedon. Perhaps the modern creation/evolution debates will have the same effect upon the doctrine of creation? The fact of interpretive diversity in church history does not mean that it is impossible for us to come to a more accurate understanding of Genesis 1 & 2. To suggest that it is is a councel of despair. It seems to me that the best reading of the opening chapters in the Bible is that of the Reformers, which sees God literally creating, forming and filling the world in six days.

Genesis 1 & 2 - A Scientist's Perspective
Prof. Stuart Burgess

The first too papers had been a little demanding, what with all that exegesis and historical theology. It was perhaps a bit ironic that the most accessible and engaging paper of the day was given by a scientist. Burgess, Professor of Design and Nature in Bristol University argued from Romans 1:20 that God reveals his attributes in the creation of time, space and matter. We can see his power in creating and forming the world by divine fiat. He made the stars with his fingers. God's wisdom is revealed in the skilful work of creation. In Proverbs 8, wisdom, is like a master craftsman working at God's side as he made the world. God's goodness is shown in giving us a day of rest, in creating a world full of beauty, with food that is good to the taste. Psalm 104 celebrates the abundant goodness of God in creation. Burgess appealed to evidence of design in nature, referring to the clockwork motion of the stars and the way that fruit provides us with perfectly packaged fast food. The first law of thermodynamics tells us that nothing can come of nothing, which raises the question of a supernatural creator.

In addressing the age of the Adam, Stuart appealed to the the biblical genealogies and historical evidence to suggest that man has only been around for 6,000 years or so. It is a remarkable fact that as far as we can tell, human technology and culture only began to develop 6,000 years ago. If evolutionary time scales are accepted, it is unbelievable that human life should have existed for so long before the wheel was invented or agriculture developed. On the age of the earth itself, he argued for six 24 hour creation days, suggesting that starlight was supernaturally sped up on day 4, thus enabling light from far distant stars to reach our planet. With his background in engineering, Stuart could understand why God did not create the sun and moon to throw light upon the earth until day 4. An architect would build a stately home and only then design and install lights to illuminate the building. Interestingly Hebrews 3:4 compares God to a builder.

The "young earth" position requires that by day 6, the earth looked artificially mature, with fully grown trees and an adult Adam. But there is no deception here. It was God's purpose to create a planet capable of sustaining and enhancing human life and that is what we have. Engineers have found a way of artificially ageing car engines so they no longer have to be "run in". There is no element of deception in placing a mature looking engine in a brand new car. Stuart closed his paper with some thoughts on extraterrestial life, the existence of which (apart from angels!), he holds to be incompatible with Scripture. A lively discussion followed this presentation. It became clear that professional scientists are under considerable pressure not to question the hegemony of Darwinian evolution. This was confirmed on Tuesday with the announcement that Michael Reiss was forced to resign from his role in the Royal Society after calling for creationism to be taught in science lessons (see story in The Times).

So ends my report of the three main addresses from day one. Reports to follow on Monday evening's Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture by Philip Eveson and the three papers delivered on day two. The conference was held under the auspices of the John Owen Centre. CD's of each address and a nifty MP3 CD containing all the addresses can be ordered here.

John Owen; Reformed Catholic, Renaissance Man by Carl R. Trueman

John Owen; Reformed Catholic, Renaissance Man by Carl R. Trueman,
The Great Theologians Series, Ashgate, 2007, 132.

There has been a resurgence of interest in the Puritans over the last fifty years or so, encouraged by the ministry of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and fuelled by the reprinting of Puritan works by the Banner of Truth trust and other publishers. At their best, Puritan writers give us great theological wisdom wedded to a concern for practical and experiential godliness. One of my first major investments in Christian literature was the Banner's 16 volume Works of John Owen. I have read large chunks of Owen, but by no means have I finished working my way through the set. Owen's On Communion with God in Volume 2 of the Works showed me more of what it means to have fellowship with the one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit than anything else I have read. If those green and white volumes are simply gathering dust on your shelves, remember that books are not status symbols. They are for reading. Why not start with On Communion with God?

As Trueman notes, however, post-Reformation orthodoxy is often dismissed on account of its supposed "scholasticism". Writers like R. T. Kendall have tried to drive a wedge between John Calvin and the Calvinists who followed in his wake. But scholars such as Richard Muller and Paul Helm have shown that Calvin was happy to build on the best aspects of Medieval scholastic theology. Later Reformed Orthodoxy simply followed in his steps. One of Trueman's aims in this book is to show that theologians like Owen made critical use of sophisticated scholastic methodology in order to respond to the fresh challenges posed to the Reformed faith by the twin threats of Arminianism and Socinianism. He also repeatedly nails the myth that post-Reformation theology adopted a wooden proof-texting approach to Scripture. John Owen was a careful exegete of the biblical text. His exegesis was often characterised contextual sensitivity, a nuanced understanding of the original languages and deep theological insight.

Owen was one of the greatest, if not the greatest Puritan theologian. Indeed Trueman insists that such was the breadth of Owen's theological vision that it is too constricting simply to view him as a Puritan. His concerns transcended the typical Puritan desire to see a remodelled Church of England. For Trueman, "Puritan" is at the same time too fuzzy a category, as it embraces semi-Arians like the poet John Milton. I think this is a little unfair on the Puritan movement. Milton's views on the Trinity were an aberration fas far as mainstream Puritan thinking was concerned. Owen was certainly happy to identify himself with the Puritan cause, especially as a leader of the Independents. His The True Nature of a Gospel Church in Volume 16 of the Works is the classic statement of Congregationalist Church polity. His piety is unmistakably Puritan with a strong emphasis on the ongoing struggle with sin in the life of the believer. But Trueman is right to place the theologian in the broader context of European Reformed Orthodoxy. In a helpful introductory chapter he identifies Owen as a "Reformed Catholic, Renaissance Man".

Owen was a true man of the Renaissance. In his studies at Oxford University he was schooled in the rigorous methods of medieval scholasticism. His thorough study of the biblical languages was the product of the ad fontes agenda of the Renaissance was well as the Reformed desire for a direct encounter with the words of Scripture. Owen's library catalogue gives evidence of his broad interests. His theological section boasted works from patristic, medieval, Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed and heretical writers. He also studied both ancient and contemporary philosophy and linguistics. He even had books on magic and warm beer. Owen hardly conforms to the culturally disengaged Puritan stereotype. This is something of a challenge to many Reformed ministers today. Our library shelves may be heaving under the ever growing weight of books published by the Banner of Truth Trust, Evangelical Press and IVP. But are we reading "outside the box", giving attention to the wider theological scene and getting to grips with contemporary cultural trends? I sometimes get the impression we are a little afraid that heresy can be caught by reading the "wrong" books. But if we fail to grapple with what is going on outside the Reformed camp, how can we meaningfully respond to the challenges of today's world? We have a lot to learn from Owen, who put his wide reading to work in the service of Reformed Orthodoxy.

In the remainder of the book, Trueman devotes attention to three important features of Owen's theology, with chapters on "The Knowledge of the Trinitarian God", "Divine Covenants and Catholic Christology" and "The Article on which the Church Stands or Falls" - on justification by faith. Owen made an important contribution to the elaboration and defence of these doctrines from a distinctly Reformed standpoint.

As a Puritan, John Owen was one of history's "loosers." His work has probably not received the attention it deserves in scholarly circles. However, to neglect Owen is to needlessly impoverish our understanding of Reformed Catholic theology. We need his rich trinitarian focus. His discussion of divine sovereignty and contingency is of help to us in formulating a response to Open Theism. Owen's remarkable insight into the relationship between Jesus and the Spirit will repay careful study. Reformed Evangelicalism would do well to reconsider Owen's carefully constructed biblical case for imputed righteousness at a time when some are questioning the validity of that important aspect of justification by faith.

This book is not to be compared with John Owen on the Christian Life by Sinclair B. Ferguson, Banner of Truth Trust, 1987. Ferguson's larger work includes a broader sweep of Owen's theology, and as the title suggests, is more practical in tone. Trueman writes with the slightly different aim of helping us to read Owen with greater historical sensitivity. Some of the theologian's writing have recently been made available in paperback with modernised English and contemporary cover designs. This development is no doubt most welcome, but we need to remember that Owen wrote from a particular historical situation. Thankfully Lessing's "ugly ditch" is in no way so deep and broad as to prevent meaningful engagement with the great theologians of the past. We still have much to learn from Owen today. Carl Trueman was served us well in placing John Owen, the Reformed Catholic, Renaissance Man in his proper historical context. Above all, this book enhances our appreciation of Owen's valuable contribution to Reformed theology and so enlarges our vision of the triune God of the Gospel.

Word and Spirit in three Confessions

I recently came across a reference to the well known words of the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), Chapter 1:10, which reads,

"The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture."

I especially liked the emphasis here that our supreme judge in all controversies is "the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture" at the end of the paragraph. Compare this with the same section of the Savoy Declaration of Faith (1658),

"The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other, but the holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit; into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved."

And finally the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession,

"The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved."

Note that the LBC follows the SDF in making the "holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit" the supreme judge. Attention is drawn to the Spirit's work in the original delivery of Scripture rather than on the "Spirit speaking in the Scripture". I certainly subscribe to the fact that Scripture is given to us by the activity of the Holy Spirit, "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16) . But the Spirit's role is not simply limited to the production of God's written Word. The WCF has captured the dynamic way in which the Holy Spirit continues to speak in and through Scripture. He, as our supreme authority summons us to submit our all thinking to the revelation of God. Through the Bible he calls us to fresh faith and obedience. As Kevin Vanhoozer writes,

"Inspiration means not only that the words (locutions) are God's but that the word-acts (illocutions) are ultimately God's. To say that the Bible is inspired is therefore to acknowledge its divine authorship, the communicative agency of the triune God. When the Spirit speaks in Scripture today he is not speaking another word but ministering the written words. "[The Spirit] will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears" (John 16:13). The Spirit is not active in producing new illocutions but rather in ministering the illocutions that are already in the text, making the efficacious." (The Drama of Doctrine, WJK, 2005. p. 67).

Let us then give careful heed to what the Spirit is speaking in Scripture to us today. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:7 etc).

Creation the Bible and Science Conference

Next Monday I'll be heading off to London for a two day conference at the John Owen Centre. Here's the programme:

Monday 15th September
Interpreting Genesis 1 & 2 - Dr. John Currid
Genesis 1 & 2 - the History of Interpretation - Dr. Robert Letham
Genesis 1 & 2 - a Scientist’s Perspective - Prof. Stuart Burgess
The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture: The Gospel and Creation - the significance of a theology of creation for preaching - Rev. Philip Eveson. This lecture will be held in Kensit Evangelical Church and is open to everyone.

Tuesday 16th September
The New Testament and Creation - Dr. Stephen Lloyd
Design Arguments - stepping stones or stumbling blocks? - Prof. Paul Helm
Authority: the Bible and science - Dr. Jason Rampelt

Looks interesting eh? You can find more info here.

Being Born Again by Gary Brady

What the Bible teaches about Being Born Again,
by Gary Brady, Evangelical Press, 2008, 175pp.

Jesus famously said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7). But what does it mean to be born again? This is an important question because we will never know the blessings of God’s kingdom unless we are born anew. In this book, my good friend and fellow blogger Gary Brady (of Heavenly Worldliness) sets forth the Bible’s teaching on this vital subject with clarity and care. He defines regeneration biblically and theologically as God’s sovereign and gracious work of bringing a sinner to new life in Christ by the power of the Spirit.

Why is the new birth so necessary? Gary ably demonstrates that we need to be born again because by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins. I'm not sure what he means at one point by, "Our very creatureliness makes new birth necessary." (p. 76). As he shows elsewhere in the book the problem is not that we are creatures, but fallen creatures. God's character demands that the sinner be regenerated if we are to share in the future glory of his people. Regeneration is a monergistic act of God. That is, we make no contribution whatsoever to our new birth. God changes us from within, enlightening the darkened mind, softening the hardened heart and liberating the enslaved will. We cannot therefore decide to be born again. We are not even born again by faith. We believe only because God first implanted spiritual life in our souls. Conversion or repentance and faith is the conscious effect of the hidden work of regeneration.

But there is much confusion these days over what it means to be born again. A helpful chapter is devoted to ‘What is it not?’ It is not reincarnation, or a fresh commitment to God on our part. Regeneration is not a consequence of baptism. More positively, the writer draws on material from both Testaments to set forth the rich mosaic of the Bible’s teaching on the new birth. Detailed attention is rightly paid to John 3, but not at the expense of other key texts. Brady’s handling of Scripture is deft and insightful. But I found myself disagreeing with him at one or two points. Brady equates the new birth with Spirit baptism (p. 72-73). This might be a legitimate understanding of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:13, where he says that all believers were "baptised by one Spirit into one body", although the accent here is on union with Christ rather than regeneration per se. But is Luke thinking of regeneration when he speaks of Spirit baptism in Luke 3:16, Acts 1:5-8, 2:1-4, 10:44ff, 11:15-18? I think not. By any reckoning, the disciples were regenerate prior to Pentecost, yet they were baptised with the Spirit on that day. It seems to me that Spirit baptism in Luke's usage refers to the filling of the Spirit that is promised to all believers rather than regeneration.

Gary reflects on the causes of new birth. The fundamental cause is God acting by the power of his Spirit rather than the efforts of man. The qualifying cause is the atoning death of Christ. We live because he died for our sins. This is certainly the case, but perhaps a little more attention could have been devoted to the the relationship between Christ's resurrection and our regeneration especially given the fact that 1 Peter 1:3 is quoted at the head of Chapter 7. The instrumental cause of being born again is the Word of God. This is clearly taught in James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:23. Although regeneration is wholly God's work, he does not ordinarily bring sinners to new life apart from the proclamation of the Gospel. Lydia is a case in point. The Lord opened her heart so that she gave heed to the message spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14).

The theological issue of where regeneration fits in the scheme of salvation or ordo salutis is discussed. It is stressed the new birth is the fruit of God’s sovereign election that leads to a godly life. It is legitimate to reflect on the relationship between the differing links in the "golden chain" of salvation, such as regeneration and justification, regeneration and adoption, and regeneration and sanctification. While this might be helpful in some ways, we need to bear in mind that the unifying factor in all aspects of salvation, regeneration included, is union with Christ. Welcome attention is given to the cosmic and eschatological dimensions of being born again. Brady insists that God’s ultimate purpose is not simply to regenerate individual sinners, but the whole of the universe when Christ returns (Matthew 19:28).

Issues surrounding the new birth such as when it happens and how we can tell if we are born again are faced with pastoral sensitivity and wisdom. The reader is urged to soberly examine his life in the light of Scripture, especially the "tests of life" in 1 John. A concluding chapter issues a final plea to those who are not born again to seek the new birth. I agree that the non-Christian seriously needs to be born again. Regeneration is not a spiritual luxury. As Jesus said, "You must be born again". But it seems to me that the New Testament encourages the unbeliever to repent and believe the Gospel, rather than pray for the new birth. After all we will only know that we are born again when we believe that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 5:1).

Gary is a great communicator. He writes with winsome clarity and illustrates his material well. He is careful to carry his readers with him, offering a brief summary statement at the end of each chapter before tackling a new aspect of the subject. The text is packed with great quotes from theological writers old and new. There are some real gems here like this one from Stephen Charnock, "Repentance is a change of the mind and regeneration is the change of the man." (p. 136). Being persnickety by predilection and scholarly by pretension, I was a little irked that the citations lack footnotes, making the references hard to follow up. But many people find footnotes off-putting, so I suppose scholarly apparatus had to be jettisoned for the sake of accessibility. Fair enough. Such quibbles aside, this is an excellent treatment of what it means to be born again. Highly recommended for evangelistic use and for helping believers gain a better understanding of the new birth.

* An edited version of this review will appear in a forthcoming issue of Protestant Truth.

Aber 08 Report - Evening Meetings

See here for report on Art Azurdia III's main addresses.

The Conference proper, which gathers in the Aberystwyth University Great Hall, begins with Monday evening's meeting. But many people like to arrive on the Saturday, so special services are held on the Lord's Day. The congregation from Alfred Place Baptist Church, where Geoff Thomas is the preacher relocates to the larger Bethel Chapel to accommodate conference-goers. Services are also held at Zion Chapel on the opposite side of the road. Its is great to see hundreds of Christians queuing up to attend these services. We worshipped at Zion where Paul Levy preached on 2 Corinthians 5 in the morning and Robert Thomas spoke on 1 Peter 2:28-25 in the evening.

John Treharne preached on Monday evening. He spoke on David's kindness to Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9, using the passage to illustrate God's grace to sin-broken sinners. At some points, the message strayed beyond typology into allegory. But the gospel was presented with winsome clarity. Stuart Olyott gave the first of his two evening messages on Tuesday, preaching on Psalm 14, "God and the Dawkins Generation". He seems to break all the homiletical rules with his lists of points and sub-points. But this was a powerful message, delivered with the preacher's customary clarity of thought and directness. Stuart exposed the emptiness of atheism and unfolded the characteristics of the true believer. He concluded with a rousing call for Christians to "come out of their holes" and to bear witness to the Lord. I liked his uncompromising presuppositional approach to atheism (following Romans 1) that relied on God's self-revelation in Scripture rather than design arguments. Rico Tice is known to many through his involvement with Christianity Explored. We have used the CE course with Rico's DVD presentations. But I had never heard him speak in the flesh until Wednesday evening's meeting. I think that he must be the first Evangelical Anglican to speak at Aber since Jim Packer in the 70's. Rico gave a challenging and lively message on Mark 9:30, emphasing the call to sacrificial Christian service. Wyn Hughes, minister of Heath Evangelical Church, Cardiff preached on Luke 12:13-21. He took a while to get into his stride and his delivery was occasionally a little Lloyd-Jonesian with some choice "No no's!" But the unconverted were plainly warned not to be like the "rich fool" in Jesus' parable. Stuart Olyott concluded wrapped things up with an exposition of John 15:1-8, entitled "A Christian's got to do what a Christian's got to do" - that is abide in Christ that we may bear fruit to the glory of God. The evening meetings have sometimes been a "problem area" in the conference, with some preachers seeming (understandably) overawed by the occasion and others not knowing quite when to stop. But this year, we were blessed with good, punchy, gospel-centred ministry. If you are thinking of ordering CD's or DVD's I'd especially recommend Stuart Olyott's addresses.

This year was my swansong as chief steward. Somewhat embarrassingly, Sarah and I were invited onto the platform during the Friday morning meeting to mark our "retirement", which made us feel a bit ancient. Dave Norbury of EMW kindly thanked us for our efforts. Sarah was presented with a basked of flowers and I received some books. Earlier in the week, someone asked if I was still acting as chief steward. They thought that I didn't seem to be doing much. I don't know whether that was a testimony to my delegatory management style or an indication of my indolence. But if any stewards are reading this, thanks for all your hard work!

CD's and DVD's can be ordered from the EMW office. Dates for Aber 2009: 10-14 August, main speaker Joel Beeke.

Aber 08 Report - Main Addresses by Art Azurdia III

For nigh on twenty years we have made the annual pilgrimage to the Welsh seaside town of Aberystwyth for the Evangelical Movement of Wales' English Conference. This year the main speaker was Art Azurdia III. With his quickfire preaching style, coupled with rapid hand movements, he was bound to make something of an impression. But what endeared him to the congregations that packed the University Great Hall was his evident passion for vibrant, gospel-centred Christian living. His theme for his four conference addresses, delivered each morning from Tuesday to Friday was "A clarion call to a Worldly Christianity". The textual basis for his messages was John 17:17-19 and Hebrews 4:14-16. In the first address, Art asked the question, "Why has God left Christians on earth rather than taking them straight to heaven?" He suggested that believers face two dangers when it comes to relating to the world. We may so disengage from the world that we become "culturally anorexic" or we may gorge ourselves on the pleasures of the world and become "culturally obese". Neither alternative is the biblical. God has sent us to bear witness to him in the world and that means we have to engage with the world without becoming like the world (John 17:18). His catchphrase was "You cannot be authentically Christian without being meaningfully worldly." The preacher told us that he was alarmed to see believers retreating into a cultural ghetto where contact with non-believers is minimised. He revealed that he and his wife had taken their children out of a Christian School and placed them in the State sector in order to make contact with the non-Christian world. Their decision brought with it fresh challenges, but also new opportunities for the family to bear witness to Christ in the community. Art modestly suggested that his American background did not qualify him to speak to the UK situation with any authority, but his emphasis in this first address on meaningfully worldliness hit the nail right on the head. He avoided the temptation to reduce worldliness to a set of arbitrary evangelical taboos. He emphasised that God made the body as well as the soul and that the Christian hope is that of bodily resurrection in the new creation. Worldly Christianity does not mean asceticsm. Believers are free to enjoy the riches of God world, sport, literature, music etc.

In the second address, Art Azurida addressed the matter of sanctification. We can be authentically Christian and meaningfully worldly only because God sanctifies in answer to Jesus' prayer. There is too much talk about mission that is not grounded in the gospel. But we cannot be truly missional without being theological. Sanctification is God's work of setting believers apart for himself via the truth as it is in Jesus. We need this sanctifying work is we are to face up to the problems of false teaching and poor conduct in the the church and the opposition of the world. Emphasis was laid on the importance of the instrument of sanctification - "the truth". In conclusion Art pointed out that we have so many different Bible versions and editions today: KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, MacArthur Study Bibles, Reformation Study Bibles, black leather, brown leather etc. But is the Christ-centred Word really having a sanctifying effect upon our lives?

On Thursday morning, the speaker drew attention to the sacrificial work of Christ. The sacrifice of Jesus was voluntary. He "sanctified himself" - set himself apart for the work of the cross (John 17:19). Jesus' life was not taken. He gave himself for us. The sacrifice of Jesus was specific, "for their sakes I sanctify myself (John 17:19 cf. 14, 15, 16, 18). Christ died specifically for the church, his people. In doing so he has redeemed a vast multitude out of every tribe, tongue and nation. The sacrifice of Jesus was purposeful. On the cross, Jesus cried out "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Redemption has been accomplished. In this powerful address, Art placarded the cross in all its effective glory. In closing, he told us that not to engage in mission is to negate the purpose of the cross. The atonement itself a call to meaningfully worldliness.

In his final message the preacher based his sermon on Hebrews 4:14-16. We are utterly dependent on need Jesus, our great high priest as we seek to bear witness to the gospel in the world. Art had four things to say about the text, 1. Jesus has accomplished what all other priests could only prefigure. He has sat down at the right hand of God, having completed the work of redemption. 2. Jesus possesses a stature that qualifies him as the ultimate priest. He is the Son of God who took human nature. That is why he is the uniquely qualified at act as mediator between God and man. 3. Jesus endured the full force of temptation's power. He was "tempted on all points as we are, yet without sin". We all too quickly give in to temptation, but Jesus endured the worst that the devil could throw at him. He had to fight to maintain his sinlessness. Jesus is therefore able to help us in the battle against temptation as we seek to be in the world but not of it. 4. Jesus supports his people with everything necessary to persevere in the world. With him there is mercy and grace to help in time of need. Our great high priest will enable us to be authentically Christian and meaningfully worldly.

All four addresses were delivered with power and punch. The preacher's prayers evidenced his dependence upon the empowering presence Holy Spirit. May this clarion call to a worldly Christianity continue to ring in our ears! CD's and DVD's of these addresses are avaliable from the EMW office.

See here for report of evening meetings.

Summer Hols

We're off on holiday tomorrow. Our first destination will be Aberystwyth for the EMW Conference. Then we'll be off to Llanstefan near Carmarthen for a family break. I've packed a few books including Thomas Hardy, The Time-Torn Man, by Claire Tomlain, 2007, Penguin Books, The Broker, by John Grisham, 2005, Arrow Books, John Owen, Reformed Catholic and Renaissance Man, by Carl Trueman, 2007, Ashgate, and Through Western Eyes, Eastern Orthodoxy: A Reformed Perspective, by Robert Letham, 2007, Mentor. I've had an interest in Hardy from the time we lived in Dorset. I've read several of his novels and chunks of his poetry, so I'm looking forward to getting to know the man behind the books. Grisham is good holiday reading. This will be the third year running that I've taken one of his books on our summer break. Trueman on Owen should be a good read and Letham on Eastern Orthodoxy looks intriguing. It should set me up nicely for David Bentley Hart's The Beauty of the Infinite when I get back home.

Llanstefan (featured above) is a lovely little village situated near a wide river estuary and overlooked by an old castle. The beach is great for playing cricket, picnics etc and we won't be too far from the attractions that surround nearby Tenby. Carmarthen has a cinema, so we'll probably catch a summer blockbuster or two. I hope to post a review of the Aber Conference when I get back. See ya!