With Blinders On

John 14:17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.


17 τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὃ ὁ κόσμος οὐ δύναται λαβεῖν, ὅτι οὐ θεωρεῖ αὐτὸ οὐδὲ γινώσκει· ὑμεῖς γινώσκετε αὐτό, ὅτι παρ᾽ ὑμῖν μένει καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν ἔσται.

Here Jesus is teaching His disciples about the Holy Spirit. He has a lot to say about Him, but this is one of my memory verses for Pneumatology and something struck me about it as I read it yesterday and reviewed it today. Jesus says that the world οὐ θεωρεῖ αὐτὸ οὐδὲ γινώσκει. The word θεωρεῖ is what is translated "sees" here i the ESV. When I learned it as a vocabulary word, I learned it as "look at, behold." The word "sees" captures that meaning, but I think that reading it in English it may not be strong enough.

I have met more than a few materialists who are materialists because they say that they only believe what they can sense. Of course, they believe in subatomic particles and all manner of theoretical things because scientists have proven them. They also tend to believe in the theory of evolution because they need something to tell them how we got where we are. My point is not to argue about subatomic particles or the theory of evolution. My point is just that folks who say that they cannot believe in an unseen God will happily believe in other things that they have not personally sensed because they trust the witnesses.

Jesus is telling His disciples that this would be the case and He was right (go figure). The world does not look at the Holy Spirit even though evidence of His work surrounds us every day. The world certainly does not know Him. How could it unless they are regenerated? This is the contrast that Jesus makes. You (the disciples) know Him, because (ὅτι) He dwells with you and will be with you. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19, Christians are temples of the Holy Spirit. That is how He is in us. As Jesus was speaking this the Holy Spirit was only dwelling with them because this was before Pentecost.

The point is that the world does not see the Holy Spirit, but if you have become a Christian you must know Him. After all, He is the one who changed your heart. He is in us. What do you do with this knowledge?

The Need for Discernment

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

9 μωρὰς δὲ ζητήσεις καὶ γενεαλογίας καὶ ἔρεις καὶ μάχας νομικὰς περιΐστασο· εἰσὶν γὰρ ἀνωφελεῖς καὶ μάταιοι.

Paul is wrapping up this short letter with some commands to Titus.  This is the first of three verses about the kind of person who gets involved in μωρὰς δὲ ζητήσεις, or "foolish controversies."  The δὲ in there is the weak adversative that we translate "but."  Incidentally, the difference between this word and the stronger αλλα is one of the good reasons to study Greek.

Any conservative reader of Scripture will of course agree to this.  But this is where the discernment comes in.  What is it that makes a controversy μωρὰς (from which we get our word "moron," and in this case I do not think this leap is an exegetical fallacy) instead of essential?  We all agree that the gospel is primary.  When we get to Jude we'll see an extremely clear command to contend for the faith.  How do we decide whether or not it is a vital doctrine or one that is μωρὰς?

Personally, I use salvation as my filter.  Is this something that someone needs to understand in order to be saved?  That's a bit nebulous though.  Does someone need a perfectly-articulated understanding of the Trinity?  Maybe or maybe not, but I would consider Christology to be pretty important.  Relegating Jesus to "a God" as the Arians do is a problem.  Relegating him to Lucifer's brother as the Mormons do is a problem as well.  Do we have to get Jesus right?

This is where discernment is vital.  I think that at the core we need to simply recognize that we are sinners who desperately need a savior.  We need to recognize that there is absolutely nothing we can do to merit our salvation and trust completely on Jesus' finished work on the cross.  If we agree on that as the core then some of the questions I asked above get answered pretty easily.  It does matter who Jesus is because we have to understand Him as fully God (the perfect sacrifice) and fully man (representing us).  We recognize the Holy Spirit and His work in salvation.  This covers the Trinity pretty well.

It's tough to do this though and I fear that I may have missed something.  But what I don't want to do is elevate any secondary or tertiary doctrine as primary.  I will fight you long and hard over the gospel.  I will fight very hard over God's sovereignty in electing and preserving His saints.  I won't fight quite as hard over the mode of baptism.  I will hardly lift a finger over eschatology.

We all need to determine where we put various doctrines.  How many things are in the core that must be believed?  How many do we hold with a fairly tight grip, but can let go of when pushed?  And how many do we hold with a very loose grip?

Thoughts?

Our Spirit

2 Timothy 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

7 οὐ γὰρ ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ θεὸς πνεῦμα δειλίας ἀλλὰ δυνάμεως καὶ ἀγάπης καὶ σωφρονισμοῦ.

In this second letter Paul is giving Timothy some exhortations.  Remember, this is the last time Paul would write to Timothy, so he had to make this count.  Here he explains about how Timothy received the Holy Spirit after Paul laid hands on him and prayed over him.  This verse explains the type of spirit we received.  It is one of δυνάμεως καὶ ἀγάπης καὶ σωφρονισμοῦ.

This is one of those verses that can actually go well on the bathroom mirror or on an index card.  I am normally against turning Scripture into fortune cookie aphorisms, but this verse contains a promise that we would do well to remember often.  God did not save us so that we might be timid.  This has all kinds of implications.

For example, when you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to tell someone about Jesus, how do you react?  Is it out of fear or is it out of His power?  I'm afraid that I fail at that frequently.  When you look at your life are you worried about how you can possibly make ends meet or do you trust in God's provision for your life?  When you approach an unknown situation do you trust in God's sovereign care over your life or do you think through all the possible ways that things can and will go wrong?

We could go through a myriad of applications with this verse.  Paul wrote this to Timothy specifically about Timothy's ministry.  However, I don't think we need to stop there.  Let's remember that God's Holy Spirit is one of power and not δειλίας, amen?

Right Pneumatology

John 16:14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

14 ἐκεῖνος ἐμὲ δοξάσει, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἐμοῦ λήμψεται καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν.

I met a hospice chaplain a few weeks ago who taught me something really powerful about this verse.  Here Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit.  On a side exegetical note, you may notice that ἐκεῖνος is masculine rather than neuter.  The Holy Spirit is a He, not an it as some would say.  He is as much a part of the Godhead as Jesus and the Father.

So what of this verse?  This man was raised Catholic, and he came to know Christ after his parents were saved at a charismatic prayer meeting.  This man is a charismatic in the vein of C.J. Mahaney.  The point he made to me is that, unlike the "charismaniacs" who jump around and look for ecstatic experiences all the time, he understands the Holy Spirit's role as being there to glorify Jesus.  As I came across this verse today it really clicked for me.

I am not a cessationist, but I am very cautious about the charismatic gifts.  I have never personally experienced them, but have heard stories that seem legitimate.  I am very zealous about the fact that we have a closed canon with the Word of God.  We do not need to go beyond that for any instruction.  I do not think that it is reasonable to go through the New Testament and come to a cessationist position just based on what you read.  It takes a systematic theologian to get us there.  Yet we do need to be cautious.  By "charismaniac" I refer to the types of services where deacons are on hand to stretch people out before the service so they don't pull a hammy while jumping around.  I think that there is a reasonable middle ground here.  Just don't try to add to Scripture.

The point is that it all gets back to Jesus.  Are your charismatic experiences glorifying to Jesus?  In this man's case, they certainly were as the Spirit saved his family so that they may give glory to Jesus.  The Spirit regenerates the hearts of sinners so that they might believe in Jesus and be saved.  Salvation is a supernatural work to be sure.  Let's give the Spirit His due.  I'm afraid that in my circles He is often given short shrift.

What Does This Mean?

Acts 2:12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."

12 ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηπόρουν, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες· τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι; 13  ἕτεροι δὲ διαχλευάζοντες ἔλεγον ὅτι γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν.

This precedes Peter's speech at Pentecost.  The apostles had just received the Holy Spirit.  They were able to speak in the language of the people.  I think of this a bit like standing in New York and speaking to the various people there.  The text lists several groups.  It was certainly an impressive work of the Spirit.

People today are still wondering what this means.  What are we to make of this event?  Is it descriptive for us or prescriptive?  This is where systematic theology becomes huge.  If your theology cannot stand the idea of the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation today then you will be certain that this is merely descriptive.  However, I think a more accurate reading of some supporting texts (particularly 1 Cor 13) indicates that the "perfect" has not yet come back in the form of Christ's return.

This is a bit problematic, however.  I don't want to be like the folks who refuse to see someone as truly saved until that person speaks in tongues.  I also do not support the craziness that goes in some "churches" that include snake-handling and poison-drinking.  You don't even have to go that far.  Some places put a high emphasis on "a prophetic word."

I think it is a mistake to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  I don't want to limit how God works today based on a suspect reading of His Word.  However, I do want to make sure that everything is subjected to what is crystal-clear in His Word.  2 Peter 1:3 makes it very clear that we have everything we need in Scripture.  Therefore, we do not need to go beyond it.

It may seem like I am talking out of both sides of my mouth.  Personally, I just think that there is a tension that we need to live with.  As long as we keep God's Word on top we will be just fine.

What are You Up To?

Matthew 24:45-46
(45)  "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
(46)  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

(45)  Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος ὃν κατέστησεν ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκετείας αὐτοῦ τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς τὴν τροφὴν ἐν καιρῷ;

(46)  μακάριος ὁ δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἐλθὼν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ εὑρήσει οὕτως ποιοῦντα·

It may be a trite way to get kids to behave, but I think that it is fair to ask the question of whether you would be OK if Jesus came back right now.  Obviously if you're reading a blog post about the Bible you're probably feeling pretty good about this moment.  How about other times online?  How about when you're in your car?  How about when you're at the office?  What about when no one else is looking?  Would you be prepared to have Jesus show up at that moment?

The question is, what are you ποιοῦντα?  That is to say, what are you in the present state of doing?  Are you doing God's will?  Are you obeying His Word?  Or are you living for yourself and your own lusts?

I don't think that the point of this verse is to scare us into legalism.  I think the point is for us to examine our lives and see how we live them.  Our lives will indicate our devotion to our Master.  The solution is not to try harder to do better, but to work on the affections of our hearts.  This is why I think that Desiring God and subsequent books from John Piper are so important.  They show us that the best desire is for God.  If we desire Him above all else then we don't need to worry about this verse because then we will automatically be living in obedience to His Word.

Anyone can work on behavior modification.  It takes the Holy Spirit to change the heart.  Has He changed yours?

Future Vindication

Ezekiel 39:25-29
(25) "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name.
(26) They shall forget their shame and all the treachery they have practiced against me, when they dwell securely in their land with none to make them afraid,
(27) when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies' lands, and through them have vindicated my holiness in the sight of many nations.
(28) Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore.
(29) And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD."

This ends a passage describing what is going to happen to Gog and Magog. It won't be pretty for them as they end up being food for birds and other eaters of carrion. Their destruction will be so massive that Israel will be able to use their weapons as fuel for 7 years. That's a lot of weapons.

The "therefore" of verse 25 is a connector to the previous statement that Israel will know that the Lord acted because of how He dealt with them in their treachery and uncleanness. That is why they had to spend some time in exile. In the end it will all work out for them though.

I can't help but think of New Covenant promises when I read this. It sure sounds to me like the promises that God makes to us as believers. Ephesians 1:13-14 describes how we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Other passages describe how we are filled with the Spirit. I guess I can see a little bit of both sides as I read this passage. It does seem like somehow Israel gets grafted back into the body as they enjoy the same blessings we do as believers in Christ. Or, it would be much simpler to see "Israel" here as the church. However, that is not plain from reading the text.

Either way, God is making a promise that He means to keep. There are consequences for our idolatry. However, if we are His then we can be assured of final restoration in Him. I'm looking forward to that final union with Him in eternity and I think keeping that perspective will help me to avoid sin and its consequences.

When Arminianism Fails

One of my classmates pastors a small church. He rejects Calvinism, though I don't know why. I do know that makes him an exception at our seminary, but that also gives me hope for the areas where I differ from the company line.

At any rate, he has expressed some frustration over his congregation's lack of spiritual movement. He prepares his messages and preaches the truth to them. He stands by the Word of God in preaching and counseling. Why isn't it moving mountains?

My suggestion to him was that he cannot do God's job. No matter how clever we are, no matter how much Scripture we quote, no matter how many times we meet with someone, only the Holy Spirit can really change hearts. I think it is more of an issue of prayer than anything. We need to trust that God wants to be glorified and it is up to Him to grant someone a heart of genuine repentance.

I have often heard Mark Driscoll say that in evangelism we should sleep like a Calvinist. We need to evangelize, but we also need to trust God's sovereignty as well.