Alan Hardy’s Blog

It’s amazing what you find in the bargain bin at Koorong. It was there that I scooped a hardcover copy of Marcus Loane’s Oxford and the Evangelical Succession - a set of five biographies, including Whitfield and Newton. Not a great sacrifice for five dollars - a highly recommended read.

Also on Koorong’s rubbish rack for $10 was The Doctrine of Justification by James Buchanan. Widely read that I am (not), I’d never heard of him. After a flick through the forward it looked worth the punt.

It turns out to be quite a treasure. Thus far in my reading, Buchanan is detailing the evangelical instruction contained in the Old Testament. His bit on the Psalms had me captivated and I reproduce it here at some length for your benefit.

Concerning the Book of Psalms, he wrote, “It may be safely affirmed, that every point in the Gospel doctrine of Justification is there brought out by anticipation, and strikingly exhibited in connection with the faith and worship of Old Testament believers.

• There is the same confession of sin : “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Ps 14:1);
• There is the same conviction of guilt and demerit : “If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, 0 Lord, who shall stand?” (Ps 130:4,7);
• There is the same fear of God’s righteous judgment : “Visit me not in Thy wrath, chasten me not in Thy hot displeasure (Ps 6:1);
• There is the same sense of inevitable condemnation on the ground of God’s Law: “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no flesh living be justified” (Ps 143:2);
• There is the same earnest cry for undeserved mercy : “Have mercy upon me O Lord, according to Thy loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Ps 51:1);
• There is the same faith in His revealed character as the just God and the Saviour : “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will He teach sinners in the way” (Ps 25:8);
• There is the same hope of pardon, resting on a propitiation; for “with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption (Ps 130:7);
• There is the same pleading of God’s name, or the glory of all His perfections : “For thy name’s sake, 0 Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great” (Ps 25:11);
• There is the same joy and peace in believing; for “blessed is the people that know the joyful sound : they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of Thy countenance ; in thy name shall they rejoice all the day” (Ps 89:15-16);
• There is the same trust in God and the faithfulness of His promises : “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever ; with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations; for mercy shall be built up for ever, Thy faithfulness shalt Thou establish in the very heavens” (Ps 89:1-2);
• There is the same trust in the Saviour of sinners : “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way ; blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Ps 2:12);
• There is the same confidence in another righteousness than their own: “Behold, 0 God, our shield, and look on the face of Thine Anointed” (Ps 84:9);
• There is the same patient, persevering, hopeful waiting upon God : “My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him ; He only is my rock and my salvation : He is my defence ; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us” (Ps 62:5-8).”

Source: James Buchanan. The Doctrine of Justification: An Outline of Its History in the Church and of Its Exposition from Scripture. Solid Ground, Birmingham (USA) 2006. Pp 42-44. Reformatting to bullets mine.

” … Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit–the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.” 2 Kings 10:28-29

Chapters 9 and 10 of II Kings describe how Jehu didn’t mess around in establishing his throne. But although he was zealous to rid Israel of the worship of Baal, Jehu didn’t challenge other established forms of idolatry.

It may be important to note here that Baal was a Philistine deity, whereas the worship of the golden calves was established by Jeroboam, one of Israel’s kings.

Does this help us to understand our own attitude to idolatry? Are we selective in what we root out? More specifically, are we less likely to clean the scene of idolatry which has its origins at home or is ‘part of the way we do things around here’? If this is true then is it because our culture blinds us (ie we don’t see it as idolatry) or is it just more difficult to let go because it is more tightly woven in to our daily practices?

We all like encouragement, don’t we, whether it comes in the form of some affirming circumstances or as someone coming alongside, building us up with some fortifying phrase.

This one from Hebrews 12:5-6 is probably not what we would like to hear. It refers to the word of encouragement that addresses you as sons, which is “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

I guess it shows once again: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8)

A hymn of John Newton. Olney Hymns (1799), Book III, 36. Printed in P T Forsyth, Positive Preaching

I ask’d the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favour’d hour
At once He’d answer my request,
And by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea, more, with His own hand He seem’d
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Cross’d all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourd, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this: I trembling cried,
Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death: ‘
‘Tis in this way,’ the Lord replied,
‘I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou may’st seek thy all in Me.’

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams; I will offer bulls and goats - Ps 66: 15

A casual reading of this verse suggests that someone is offering animals from their herd up to God. But there is a message here which is more threatening to our sense of self-reliance. Here is something which sprang from a discussion in one of our evening Bible readings.

Grazing businesses are keenly concerned about the bloodlines of their herds and a key to this is the careful selection of breeding stock. In this process the choice of male animals is crucial. In that a herd of hundreds of cows will be serviced by as few as a dozen bulls one can understand how bull selection can be the most powerful method of improvement of a herd.

The offering of bulls and rams was thus done at great sacrifice for the owner of a herd and especially when we consider that it was always the best that was offered up to God. This relates something more than willingness to give up a piece of what one has, but rather a radical confidence where one surrenders their very means of livelihood; a turning from reliance on natural principles and on to God Himself.

What makes this type of faith credible? It is not the faith of a fool, who leaps into the dark without knowledge of who it is that will catch him. Rather it is a faith like that of Abraham, who took up the dagger to his son because he knew from his past dealings that God would provide a sacrifice; who “made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country … for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb 11:9-10).

Modern economies are based on the trading of resources and services. Men deal in this setting confident of their ability to control it, yet both the resources and the ability to render services are created by God, and therefore rightly belong to him anyway. The idea that these things belong to us and that we give a little back in appreciation is flawed. Our proper manner in these things is to respect Christ’s ownership and command over creation and to be warmed by the confidence that this makes him able to complete his promise that if we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt 6:33).

“… I reserve seven thousand in Israel - all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:18

This passage intrigues me. Elijah has just destroyed the pagan spiritual powerhouse of his day. He is then threatened by Jezebel, the battle-axe wife of King Ahab, has an abrupt turn-about in courage and runs for his life. During his pity-party that follows he moans to God in v14 that he is the only prophet left. God’s answer is that there is not one left, but seven thousand.

It begs the questions - who were these seven thousand and why were they not known to Elijah? Perhaps it is more pointed to ask if they were hidden or whether Elijah just failed to see them. Did the seven thousand belong to a different expression to Elijah, or perhaps to many different expressions?

Pointing the finger back at us, does this image reflect the diversity within Christ’s family? Are we so sectarian in our views that we think that we are the only ones left? Do we in our bigotry fail to see that it is God who reserves his own? Christ’s body is not the visible church but the invisible.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself … Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped” - Phil 2:3, 5-6

Is it possible for us to simply be selfless and humble? Is this passage saying, “Jesus took on humility, so you do the same … go on, just do it”? This raises the question of how we obtain virtue.

The word virtue comes from the Latin vir meaning “man”. It is used to refer to ideals of human character. Man is made in the image of God, from whom all virtue is derived. Man as a fallen creature is deficient in virtue. Given that our moral improvement (sanctification) is God’s work it doesn’t rub that men can take this process on themselves, that they can take the initiative to overcome their sinfulness. We are encouraged to participate in our sanctification but surely this needs to be understood in the context of God’s gracious work in us.

It is characteristic of our age that we try to get benefits by focusing on effects and not causes. I first understood this through reading First and Second Things by C S Lewis and it has stuck with me ever since. Lewis’ point was that although we want civilization, it can’t be preserved just by looking after it. Civilization is a ‘second thing’. We have to pursue something else, a ‘first thing’, in order for this to take place.

It seems that the same principle is true in our pursuit of virtue and that this is precisely where this passage is leading us. It encourages our moral improvement, to shun selfishness and conceit and to take on humility, but it points us to “the attitude … which was also in Christ Jesus”. What attitude is it referring to? I think it is pointing us to the triumph of His faith, that he was able to deliver Himself totally to the Father. It was this confidence that allowed Him to take on humility, to be a servant, because He knew that the Father would look after Him. The same is true for us.

Christ’s moral excellence is something to observe and imitate, but the realization of it in us should be seen as the result of God’s work, and not an end that can simply be pursued in itself. When we talk about the pursuit of virtue we are talking about the pursuit of holiness, of being like God, and this does not take place apart from the work of God.

“In [the tabernacle of Moses] we have a figure of the Christian man. His spirit is the holy of holies, where God dwells in the darkness of faith, where no light is; for he believes that which he neither sees nor feels nor comprehends.” – Luther

In past weeks I have noticed how easily I am led astray in my thinking about what is going on around me. It causes me to wonder how man is to make proper sense of his world.

We detect what is going on in our world through our senses. Our senses transmit this data to our mind which makes something of it. But does the mind tell us what is really going on?

The mind often interprets data wrongly. This can be because of inexperience. It can also be because the mind engages the creative power of the imagination to interpret the data in distorted ways. It can plunge us into depression, anxiety, fear, discouragement or any number of places we’d rather not be. In this way the mind is part of a human nature which is fallen and works against us.
This conveys how we can be affected negatively by our senses. In a way this is only half the story. What about when this data affects us positively, in a way which delivers a misleading sense of well-being?

Modern marketing and therapy are right on this track, offering satisfaction and fulfillment through things and experiences. It is also common in mainstream Christianity, where experience filled events and feel-good messages tweak us into a sense of being with God and in His favour. It all seems so far removed from what Luther refers to.

It is into this setting that the Scriptures speak: “Walk by faith not by sight”. Humans, by design, do not find stability by means of what they can see, feel or understand. Faith plugs us into the promises of God to discover that our security is in God’s faithfulness to bring about the best outcome in His way, in His time and contrary to how we think it should happen. It is not confirmed by good or bad feelings, but by what is eternally true.

Does this mean that our sight, feeling and understanding are of no use? The short answer is that they are of much better use when they are under the dominion of the Word of God. With the foundation of faith, God lights our path and gives us the proper view, so we are then in a safer place to experience with our sight, feeling and understanding.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” - 2 Cor 7:10

I’ve thought about this passage a number of times in past years, but when I thought about it today I saw how it pointed back to the fall.

Sorrow had no place in man before sin entered the world. Then the curse brought discomfort and inconvenience to life. The passage describes how sorrow can have two effects - it affects two sets of people in two different ways. To those outside of Christ the curse is a present judgement, denying man of the full life he seeks. It robs him of quality in his relationships. It robs him of his ambitions, his health, his youth. Ultimately it condemns his body to rot as his life is cut short. Sorrow bring death to man in life and utlimately it brings death to him in finality.

Those who are in Christ should understand that the curse is an act of blessing. This is because it brings to us a constant reminder of our limitations and our inability to properly manage the things in our sphere. It points us back to our need for God, and back to life by faith. Perhaps repentance would not be possible without the curse because we would be so puffed up with self-confidence that the need for God would not be given a thought. If this is true then the curse is blessing indeed. The curse brings, to those in Christ, “repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret”.