Christians Should Be Thinkers

In my personal Bible study lately I have been thinking about 2 Cor 10:4-5:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh
but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,
and take every thought captive to obey Christ.  (ESV)

Monday I revelled in these supernatural weapons that we mortals wield (such as prayer and faith), and I thought about the (seemingly impenetrable) strongholds that can be levelled by these weapons (such as bitterness, ruined marriages, and sinful habits). 

Yesterday as I moved into verse 5 I saw that it specifies one of the strongholds: anti-God ideas, or anti-God philosophies, or anti-God thinking.  This verse touches, then, on the doctrine of the Christian mind and the importance of right thinking.

Right thinking is neglected by many Christians, it seems to me.  There's an emphasis on experience and feeling, but not so much on thinking.  Theology is something theologians do, and even many pastors these days aren't considered theologians.  No, that's the dry stuff that academics engage in in seminaries which are located in other cities.  "And Pastor, please don't dwell too long on theology in your sermons; we need practical help right now to deal with our problems.  I don't care about doctrine; just tell me what I need to do."  Youth pastors deal with "hot button" issues in order to be relevant, with the result being that the culture and the times influence the teaching schedule instead of the main themes of God's Word doing so.

But if we do not think, if we do not engage in meditating on the truths of Scripture, we will not destroy the anti-God ideas talked about in 2 Cor 10:5.  Instead, we will succumb to them.  If we do not renew our minds through sustained, thoughtful interaction with the Scriptures (study and meditation), then we will not be transformed; rather, we will continue to be conformed to the pattern of this world.  (See Rom 12:2 for the logic of that last statement.)

Preachers are urged to "Apply, apply, apply."  We're told that sermons should contain clear and specific application, especially in this day and age which stresses utilitarianism and practicality and "How does it help me?"  I agree that application must be present in sermons, and obviously so.  It must be clear, and it must be specific, and it must be helpful.  But what many people narrow application down to is, "What must I do?"  However, many times application should take the form, "What must I think?" or "What must I believe?"  To be sure, Scripture has a lot to say about what we should do and what we shouldn't do, but it also has a lot to say about what we should think and what we shouldn't think.

Hebrews is not the most popular book in the NT.  It's not as strong as other books in the "What must I do?" category.  But what function does Hebrews perform?  It paints for us a wonderful picture of the greatness, the majesty, the supremacy of Jesus Christ.  It helps to elevate our thoughts about Christ.  It corrects our human  tendency to think less of God and of Christ than what is actually true; Hebrews (as well as the rest of the Bible) works to elevate our thinking about Christ.  And that is tremendously practical.  If I don't have an elevated view of Christ, I'm not near as likely to take my problems and issues to him.  But if I believe all about Christ that Hebrews encourages me to believe, then I will approach the throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need (Heb 4:16).  I will live more and more in the wisdom and the power of the Spirit.  I will more and more trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding.

When it comes to the area of sex, a couple of authors note that the most important sex organ is the brain.  How we think about sex is tremendously practical and relevant, because how we think about it will determine in large part how we handle it and practice it.  When a person used to the world's way of sex becomes a Christian, much of the battle for purity, if it is to be won, is waged in the mind.  Win the battle in the mind, and the body will fall into step.

Much of sanctification (in all areas of life) is a mind game.  Rom 8 highlights this.  "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot" (8:5-7 ESV, emphasis added).

Much of life is a matter of the mind.  What we think and believe will impact our living--our choices, our allegiances, our attitudes.  Studying and meditating on the Scriptures is a must for spiritual maturity and holy living.  And reading good theology won't hurt, either.

Love the Lord Your God with All Your Mind

Modern Christianity, it seems, underestimates the importance of the mind and thinking when it comes to being holy and living godly lives.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones tried to rectify this in his London ministry.  His biographer writes:

"… his call to Christians was to think aright about God.  That must come first.  Not even prayer is to be put before it …  His concern was that his hearers should not simply derive comfort from passages of Scripture but that they should think theologically."

Lloyd-Jones once preached:

“We stand fast in this faith by reminding ourselves of it constantly, by reading and thinking about it,  by meditating concerning it.  This is something for which I would plead at the present time.  We must return to a consideration of the terms of the faith….  I plead, in other words, for a revival of the study of theology …  It is not enough to cultivate the devotional life.  It is essential to ‘stand fast in the faith’ when we are assailed by doubt.  And it is essential as against feelings.” 

--Iain H. Murray, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Fight of Faith 1939-1981, 30

The Value of a Clean Heart

May I always know

that a clean heart full of goodness

                        is more beautiful than the lily,

that only a clean heart can sing by night and by day,

that such a heart is mine when I abide at Calvary.

--The Valley of Vision, ed. Arthur Bennett, p. 173

An Eclectic Composition

A unique composition featuring a cello, "Lindbergh Palace Hotel Suite," composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, reminds me of some of my brother's compositions.

A Whole Different Perspective

I've been told that subscriptions for Alliance Weekly shot up dramatically during the time A. W. Tozer edited the publication.  The editorial by A. W. Tozer was the most popular column in the magazine.

That's the way I feel about Voice of the Martyrs' monthly publication.  I love Tom White's column at the beginning.  It's rich and deep and challenging.

Here's a sample from this month's column which offers a perspective we don't hear these days:

To present the persecution of Christians as "wrong" or "unjust" is half-baked theology.  Jesus prophesied that persecution can be a natural outcome of our witness.  It is right to cry out for justice for all who suffer violence or oppression.  However, it is wrong to believe that the unjust treatment of Christians cannot be part of God's plan.  The promotion of human rights is not a substitute for the message of cross-bearing as a universal rite of passage for believers.

I met a house church leader in *** who has been arrested seven times and spent years in jails, prisons and labor camps.  In his particular "house group," ... they use New Testament scriptures to teach that persecution can be a normal part of the Christian experience.  Today he teaches in caves, factories, fields and apartments, mostly leading seven-week courses broken up one week at a time to avoid detection....  Their sky is not falling.  I asked this house church leader how his imprisonments have affected his teaching sessions, and, as he ate a piece of melon ..., he replied, "Jesus loved me so much that he sent me to prison."

Answers to Prayer

A whole rash of answered prayers in the last few days has been a big encouragement.  (Some names below are intentionally blank.)

A---- has had a serious grudge against a family member, and has asked me and others to pray about her unforgiveness.  A week ago she said the Lord lifted that bitterness from her.

The Lord carried Suzanne through a dramatic pregnancy, and he brought Jacob safely into the world yesterday.

The Lord oversaw what could have been a difficult meeting with Andrew's coaches, and it went very well.

He cancelled my jury duty for today.

I've seen some hints of spiritual interest in one of mine.

Despite the fact that Sara was not able to take the kids to Winter Jam Sunday, the Lord provided decent seats for them at that concert.

Sara's back was dramatically healed on Sunday after she couldn't even sit up in bed earlier that morning.

A----, unemployed for a few months now and close to retirement age, got a job out of the blue a couple weeks ago.

A---- and B----'s relationship has improved a lot over the last several months.

Though she hasn't been able to be in the office much lately, a new client called Sara at home this evening to enlist her to help them buy a house.

Coming to an End?

My favorite bookstore was featured in Sunday's Journal Gazette.  The scariest statement in the whole article was this:

Sam takes the view that bookstores are coming to an end, ready to be replaced by digital books ...

I hope not.

The article highlighted the relationship between Sam and Joel Hyde and their eventual business parting.

It should be noted that Joel does not agree with his brother's opinion on the future of bookstores.

Matthew 6:34

Saturday night Sara was experiencing extreme discomfort in her back.  Early Sunday morning (4:45), she could not get out of bed, let alone sit up.  We eventually got her up and out into the rocking chair, and she was not comfortable.  Every position was "excruciating."

So from 4:45 on, as we experienced the seriousness of her situation, I was struggling with anxiety.  Distressed for my wife, remembering past issues with her back when life got really hairy for a while, I was praying--praying for healing, for wisdom, and to maintain confidence in the Lord's sovereignty. 

We were thinking, "Here we go again," and the word "surgery" was flitting around in our minds.  I was thinking about how we would get Sara anywhere since I couldn't get Sara in the van because of a door problem and the car was too low.  I was thinking about having jury duty this week.  I was thinking about the kids' home schooling for the week.  I was thinking about the extra work I have at the church this week.

We were also thinking about the promises of the Lord, like Php 4:13, Php 4:19, and the encouragement of Ps 105:4.

This morning, reviewing some memory verses, I came across Mt 6:34:

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(NIV)

All that anxiety yesterday ...  When the girls and I came home from church, Sara was up and making lunch.  As the day progressed, her back seemed to get better.  This morning, she got up, got into her car, and drove to the mall for her regular morning walk. 

Ever since yesterday afternoon, I have been praising the Lord!

Sad If True

Attributed to Al Mohler:

“Abortion is now one of America’s most common surgical procedures performed on adults. As many as one out of three women will have at least one abortion. In some American neighborhoods, the number of abortions far exceeds the number of live births.”

HT: Justin Taylor

Two Special People

Sara's Grandpa Goldsmith passed away last spring.  Today is his birthday.  Last February, a few months before he died, I typed up some memories of him and Grandma (who died in 2001).  What follows is some of what I wrote.

I have enjoyed Grandpa Goldsmith. When Grandma was still alive, Sara and I had some good times with them. They would come and visit us in Mundelein and in Fox Lake, and they would take us to eat, and we would play Rummy Cub, and they would go to church with us, and they would take Sara shopping.

And we would also go and visit them. I loved going to visit them in Wauseon, at their old farmhouse. We would stay upstairs in the first bedroom and have that big bathroom with only a bathtub (no shower) to ourselves. Of course, we would play Rummy Cub, and Sara would go with her Grandma on Saturdays when she got her hair done. They would buy sticky buns for breakfast. We would watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune in the evening. Grandma thought I should be on the show. (But Grandmas typically think those kinds of things.) They would take us out to eat. Grandpa would take me to the hardware or to visit one of his brothers. He would take me out in his enormous garage and show us his latest project or what stuff he was storing for other people. Sometimes we four would sit around the kitchen table and talk politics and religion and local news and family news.

Their humor and mannerisms were priceless. Grandma's pointing forefinger when she was making a point. Grandpa's motionless stare and his narrowly opened mouth when he was waiting for what humorous thing he had just said to register with Grandma. Grandma telling us a story with a gesturing hand and a focused expression. Grandpa telling us a story with a big smile and hands clasped behind his head. Good times.

Why did we love to be with these two people so much? They were not tall or especially noticeable. Easily overlooked in a crowd. Unless you knew them. But even more than knew them. Unless you were especially loved by them. We loved them because they loved us. Boy, did they love us! They enjoyed us, prayed for us, generously gave to us. There's no way we would overlook them in a crowd. These were two special people, whose lives, by God's providence, had intersected mine. And what a blessing for me. And what a blessing for Sara, their oldest grandchild. Sara has always had fond memories of her grandparents, even from when she was little. I've heard many stories (though I don't remember half of them).

Grandma died a few years ago. My memory is not good, but I can still picture her very well. Her image is with me. And now Grandpa may be leaving soon as well.

Death comes as the end. But because of Jesus, death is not really the end. It's the end of some things, but it's not the ultimate end it once was. For Grandma, and probably soon for Grandpa, it's no more than a doorway. He'll step through from this life into eternity, and what a step that will be. Into the presence of the Lord of all, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Then this downhill slide that he has endured the last several years will be dramatically arrested.

Inwardly he has been renewed day by day. Outwardly he has been wasting away. Soon the outward will be completely wasted away, and the inward will shine forth in great glory. The outward will be burned away and the life of Harley Goldsmith hidden with Christ won't be so hidden anymore, and he will be one step closer to realizing the full glory that will be his because of what Jesus has done; he will be one step closer to that grand resurrection body.

We will be sad. We have to wait before we can see him again. We will miss him. But we will have good memories. And, even more significant, we will have bright hope, the sure knowledge that, if we persevere in clinging to Christ, we will see him and Grandma again--redeemed, restored, alive, laughing and smiling.

Heaven Far Weightier Than Hell

I suppose in some way Hell is the complete Heaven, but in other ways, it is not, according to C. S. Lewis. 

All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World [Heaven].  Look at yon butterfly.  If it swallowed all Hell, Hell would not be big enough to do it any harm or to have any taste….  [A]ll loneliness, angers, hatreds, envies and itchings that it contains, if rolled into one single experience and put into the scale against the least moment of the joy that is felt by the least in Heaven, would have no weight that could be registered at all.  Bad cannot succeed even in being bad as truly as good is good. 

 --The Great Divorce 122-123

Eternity Will Color Our Memories of This Life

From C. S. Lewis's ingenious novel, The Great Divorce:

Earth, I think, will not be found by anyone to be in the end a very distinct place.  I think earth, if chosen instead of Heaven, will turn out to have been, all along, only a region in Hell: and earth, if put second to Heaven, to have been from the beginning a part of Heaven itself.  (7)

That is what mortals misunderstand.  They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.  And of some sinful pleasure they say, ‘Let me but have this and I’ll take the consequences’: little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of their sin.  Both processes begin even before death.  The good man’s past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven: the bad man’s past already conforms to his badness and is filled only with dreariness.  And that is why, at the end of all things, … the Blessed will say, ‘We have never lived anywhere except in Heaven,’ and the Lost, ‘We were always in Hell.’  And both will speak truly.  (67-68)