Do You Have True Peace With God?

There is no peace with God except through Christ! Peace is His peculiar gift. Peace is that legacy which He alone had power to leave behind Him when He left the world. All other peace beside this, is a mockery and a delusion. When hunger can be relieved without food, and thirst quenched without drink, and weariness removed without rest—then, and not until then, will people find peace without Christ. Now, is this peace your own? Bought by Christ with His own blood, offered by Christ freely to all who are willing to receive it—is this peace your own? Oh, rest not—rest not until you can give a satisfactory answer to my question, have you true peace with God?

~ J.C. Ryle

Tract: Justification

When It Feels Like God Is Punishing You

As a Christian, when you experience a painful providence like an illness or a rebellious child or a broken marriage or a financial hardship or persecution, do you ever wonder if God is punishing you for some sin you committed?

If you do, there is some very good news from the letter to the Hebrews.

The original readers of this letter had been experiencing persecution and affliction for some time. They were tired, discouraged, and confused — why was God allowing such hardships? And some were doubting.

So after some doctrinal clarifications and some firm exhortations and a few sober warnings (so they could examine if their faith was real) the author of the letter brought home a very important point.

He wanted his readers to remember that the difficulty and pain they were experiencing was not God’s punishment for their sins or weak faith. Chapters 7–10 beautifully explain that Jesus’s sacrifice for sin was once for all believers for all time (Hebrews 10:14). No sacrifice of any kind for sin was ever needed again (Hebrews 10:18).

He followed that up in chapter 11 with example after example of how the life of faith has always been difficult for saints.

And then he wrote the tender encouragement and exhortation of chapter 12 where he quoted Proverbs 3:11–12:

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.

“It is for discipline that you endure. God is treating you as sons,” he said. These saints were not to interpret their painful experiences as God’s angry punishment for their sins. That angry punishment was completely spent on Jesus — once for all — on the cross.

Rather, this was the message they were to understand from their hardships: God loves you! He has fatherly affection for you. He cares deeply for you. He is taking great pains so that you will share his holiness (12:10) because he wants you to be as happy as possible and enjoy the peaceful fruit of righteousness (12:11).

This is why as a father, whenever I discipline my children, I always try to make it clear to them that I am not paying them back for their sins. That’s why I don’t use the term “punishment.” I don’t want them to misunderstand and think I am giving them what they deserve. That’s God’s job. And if they trust in Jesus, all their punishment was taken care of on the cross.

Instead, I always use the terms “discipline” or “correction” and explain that I love them and my intention, even though the discipline is painful, is to correct and train them. I want them to know that their father loves them, cares for them deeply, and is taking great pains to point them toward the way of joy.

It is crucial that we remember that everything God feels toward us as Christians is gracious. Even when God disapproves of sinful behaviors and habits and thoughts and disciplines us, it is a precious form of his favor. It’s what a loving father does. He is not giving us what we deserve because he “canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands... nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Instead, he is training us in righteousness. Because he loves us so very much.

What If I Had Stayed In the Workforce?

I have certain days as a mother — like the one I had a few weeks ago — where the eight-year-old, four-year-old, and one-year-old were all crying at the same time, each for a different reason. It is these kinds of days where I succumb to the "what ifs." What if I had gotten my Ph.D?

I could be in a quiet little office at some university doing theoretical physics. Life would be simple, quiet, and I would see the beauty of God everyday in the macro and the quantum worlds. Or, What if I had finished law school? I would be doing constitutional law working to turn this country and culture around.

But as I write the first draft of this article, I am in the car on our way home to Arizona from California, my one-year-old is literally inconsolable — screaming and screeching right behind me. And I have to practice what I am about to write to you. It used to be a lot worse before the irresistible grace of Jesus flooded my heart and soul with a revivifying love for the Son of God, my Savior, my Redeemer. I love the children the Lord has given me, it is my delight to model for them a love for Jesus and passion for serving him in whatever way he chooses. But the road has been long and hard and full of failures and over-corrections.

The heart issue, or one of them anyway, is my idolatry. My personal idols at one point were education, knowledge, reason, and success in those areas. I think for some of us, we have mythologized the concept of a career working outside the home. And the “what ifs” I have heard so many times in my life is the panting after an idol. Or to borrow from Tim Keller, it has been my looking for something to save me, something to rescue me, something to hope and trust in for success in this world.

In the grace of God I have come to think of a two-pronged answer to the “what if” struggle that I and many modern women experience: (1) understanding our identity in Christ, and (2) internalizing his love and grace for us. In this post I will discuss the first one.

This may sound simplistic and almost a letdown because we usually want something that we can do, but the answer is what the cross gives us. This is where the gospel meets us — it gives us a new identity.

One of the things that the gospel does and should do for women is to change the way they view their worthiness and their own honor. There is value in motherhood. I think many of us can intellectually assent to the fact that what we are doing has infinite consequence.

And there are many books and blog posts out there telling women every day that being a stay-at-home mom is “a high calling” or “a valuable vocation.” But after a while those phrases starts coming across in the tones of Charlie Brown's teacher. What I see behind all this type of attempted encouragement is a premise that motherhood is what gives the mother her worth, value, and importance in the world.

But this "encouragement” falls short and can actually leave mothers even more discouraged and guilty in the end. These types of “exhortations” are based on a sandy premise. While holding up motherhood as a worthy vocation (which it is) it points mothers back to ourselves to get us to feel good about what we are doing. It builds on sand because it tells us to look at ourselves and find worth, honor and value in motherhood. Even saying that motherhood is a high calling because God says so can be unfulfilling.

I know because I used to be like a mouse on a treadmill thinking the next book may just do the trick in releasing me from discouragement, and the guilt and the joyless service of motherhood. I held out hope that the next book was going to set me on fire for my roles as wife and mother. I was looking for something that would put the same kind of zeal in my heart for motherhood as my idolatry did for a would-be career.

I never found it there.

There is no better path to discouragement than to look within ourselves. Instead, we are to look to our Savior (Hebrews 3:1)! We look to Christ because he is infinitely worthy, infinitely valuable, infinitely lovely. A Christian mother is in Christ, and so when God the Father sees me, he sees me through and in him. Follow the logic here. My worth and value is found in Christ.

To all the moms who are busy in the home caring for a family, your worth, value, and honor are all found in Christ, not in the “what ifs” of your academic success or potential in the workplace. My worth is neither in being a theoretical physicist, or a constitutional lawyer, or even being a stay-at-home mom. My worth is in Christ Jesus. And when we grasp that, all our identity problems begin to vanish and all the haunting “what if” questions begin to fade into the background.

The Presence of the Lamb and the Sufferings of Hell

Two of the passages of Scripture that express the unending nature of hell most clearly point to seemingly opposite reasons it will be terrible. One speaks of being “away from the presence of the Lord.” The other speaks of suffering “in the presence of the Lamb.”

“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

“If anyone worships the beast . . . he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever” (Revelation 14:9–11).

These are not contradictory descriptions.

The first text describes the presence and power of the Lord as glorious in the sense of being thrilling to the souls of the saints. As the next verse says, “He comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:10). Unbelievers will be excluded from this experience. Christ will not be beautiful or marvelous to them.

The second text simply says the angels and the Lamb will be attending this punishment. They will be present. They “will be tormented in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb” (Revelation 14:10). Their presence is not for enjoyment but for vindication.

God considers it right and suitable that those who rejected Christ see him triumphant, pure, and justified over all who considered him unworthy of their trust. The focus in Revelation 14:10 is not that those in hell have the privilege of seeing what they enjoy, but that they have the remorse of seeing what they rejected.

And — perhaps the deepest sting — they know he sees them.

Christians who suffered for their faith did so in the presence of crowds of onlookers. Ultimately their tormentors will be punished in the presence of more august spectators ‘in keeping with many other scenes of this book where the deepest sting that bitter conscience is dealt is that it must suffer while utter purity is looking on.’” (R. V. G. Tasker, Revelation, 181)

The Book of Galatians in 30 Tweets

Paul is en fuego in his letter to the Galatians. He’s flaming with a righteous apostolic anger. Best advice perhaps is don’t try this at home.

But do read it at home. Hear it preached. Study it. Write about it. Even tweet it. Whatever it takes to have Paul’s blazing fire warm the coals of your love for Jesus and for his gospel of grace.

Here’s installment number four in tweeting Paul’s epistles. We started with Romans. Then 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Now batting: The Book of Galatians.

For starters, here’s a one-tweet summary of the letter:

Jesus’s astounding grace is to be admired and appreciated, not added to. #Galatians

What follows are 29 more designed to walk you through six red-hot, gospel-rich chapters, each with a Galatians hashtag. Grab a Twitter account and help us get #Galatians trending today, if you would.

Here’s the full slate of Galatians tweets we’ll be dispensing throughout the morning:

Jesus gave himself at the cross both for us and for God—for our good and ultimately for God’s glory #Galatians 1:1–5

There is one gospel. One path from which saving grace flows to sinners: Jesus. Every counterfeit is damnable #Galatians 1:6–9

People-pleasing is inconsistent with calling Jesus Lord. Christians are servants of the God-man—not servants of any mere man #Galatians 1:10

The Christian gospel is not the product of human reason or speculation or conversation, but only divine revelation. #Galatians 1:11–22

It makes God look really good when his people's persecutors become his gospel's preachers. Pray for the persecutors #Galatians 1:23–24

Do not yield—even for a minute—when grace-despising false “brothers” slip in to spy out the legit freedom we have in Jesus #Galatians 2:1–6

As poor sinners, saved only by God’s astounding grace, it is madness to think we'd remember the gospel but forget the poor #Galatians 2:7–10

For the Christian, the final standard of our conduct is not rule or law or list, but the truth of the gospel of grace #Galatians 2:11–14

The Christian not only once despaired of self and turned to Jesus, but daily, continually, unstoppably turns to him #Galatians 2:15–21

True Christians don't nullify divine grace by trusting their effort, but celebrate the grace of Jesus’ death and life for us #Galatians 2:21

It is spiritual foolishness to think we could begin the Christian life by the Spirit's strength, but keep going in our own #Galatians 3:1–4

It is spiritual foolishness to think we could connect with the Spirit by our doing rather than receiving his doing by faith #Galatians 3:5–6

It is not pedigree or performance that brings us into God’s family and his eternal favor, but receiving his grace by faith #Galatians 3:7–9

The road that leads to death is marked Law-Self-Deeds, but the supernatural path to life is called Promise-Spirit-Faith #Galatians 3:10–14

Don’t get your wires crossed. God’s law is not meant to give us life. It can’t. Only his Promise. Law has another purpose #Galatians 3:15–19

Life is by God’s Promise, not his Law. Why then the Law? Because of our sin, and to show us our need for his Promised One #Galatians 3:19–22

Law is no route to Jesus’ acceptance or ongoing approval. It’s meant to make us despair of our deeds & depend only on him #Galatians 3:23–29

In God's unique Son, by faith, we are no longer slaves, but adopted sons—and amazingly, heirs with Jesus of all he inherits #Galatians 4:1–7

We only know God because he 1st knew us. Don’t give in to the sinful religious instinct that you can work your way to him #Galatians 4:8–11

It is gut-wrenching to see friends or family turn from the gospel of divine grace to trusting in their own human effort #Galatians 4:12–20

In Jesus, we are not slaves of the law, and citizens of the old city, but children of promise, and citizens of the New #Galatians 4:21–31

Jesus set us free—to be free from sin, not slaves to law. It’s not your deeds that count for his acceptance, but only faith #Galatians 5:1–6

The kind of faith in Jesus that alone sets us free is a faith so full and vital that we can’t help but extend love to others #Galatians 5:6

Better to castrate yourself than trick others into shunning grace and thinking circumcision is needed to be right with God #Galatians 5:7–12

The Christian is called to true freedom—free from slavery to self, free enough to love others with self-sacrifice #Galatians 5:13–15

The short-sighted desires of sin are at odds with the desires of the Holy Spirit, our new selves, and what we really want #Galatians 5:1–26

Don’t drop the hammer on a struggling brother. Be gentle. Get a shoulder underneath the load, and help him up. Like Jesus #Galatians 6:1–5

Not trusting in our do-gooding for acceptance with God frees us to be resilient do-gooders for all, esp fellow believers #Galatians 6:6–10

Opposition, persecution, affliction, come what may / Our only boast is Jesus Christ—his cross, his gospel, grace #Galatians 6:11–18

 

Teach Children the Bible Is Not About Them

When I go into churches and speak to children I ask them two questions:

First, how many people here sometimes think you have to be good for God to love you?

They tentatively raise their hands. I raise my hand along with them.

And second, how many people here sometimes think that if you aren’t good, God will stop loving you?

They look around and again raise their hands.

These are children in Sunday schools who know the Bible stories. These are children who probably also know all the right answers — and yet they have somehow missed the most important thing of all.

They have missed what the Bible is all about.

They are children like I once was.

As a child, even though I was a Christian, I grew up thinking the Bible was filled with rules you had to keep (or God wouldn’t love you) and with heroes setting examples you had to follow (or God wouldn’t love you).

I tried to be good. I really did. I was quite good at being good. But however hard I tried, I couldn’t keep the rules all the time so I knew God must not be pleased with me.

And I certainly couldn’t ever be as brave as Daniel. I remember being tormented by that Sunday school chorus, “Dare to be a Daniel” because, hard as I tried to imagine myself daring to be a Daniel, being thrown to lions and not minding... who was I kidding? I knew I’d be terrified out of my skull. I knew I would just say: “OK yes whatever you say! Just don’t throw me to the lions! Don’t pull out my fingernails! Make it stop!”

I knew I wasn’t nearly brave enough. Or faithful enough. Or good enough.

How could God ever love me?

I was sure he couldn’t.

One Sunday, not long ago, I was reading the story of Daniel and the Scary Sleepover from The Jesus Storybook Bible to some 6 year olds during a Sunday school lesson. One little girl in particular was sitting so close to me she was almost in my lap. Her face was bright and eager as she listened to the story, utterly captivated. She could hardly keep on the ground and kept kneeling up to get closer to the story.

At the end of the story there were no other teachers around and I panicked and went into automatic pilot and heard myself — to my horror — asking, “And so what can we learn from Daniel about how God wants us to live?”

And as I said those words it was as if I had literally laid a huge load on that little girl. Like I broke some spell. She crumpled right in front of me, physically slumping and bowing her head. I will never forget it.

It is a picture of what happens to a child when we turn a story into a moral lesson.

When we drill a Bible story down into a moral lesson, we make it all about us. But the Bible isn’t mainly about us, and what we are supposed to be doing — it’s about God, and what he has done!

When we tie up the story in a nice neat, little package, and answer all the questions, we leave no room for mystery. Or discovery. We leave no room for the child. No room for God.

When we say, “Now what that story is all about is…”, or “The point of that story is…” we are in fact totally missing the point. The power of the story isn’t in summing it up, or drilling it down, or reducing it into an abstract idea.

Because the power of the story isn’t in the lesson.

The power of the story is the story.

And that’s why I wrote The Jesus Storybook Bible. So children could know what I didn’t:

That the Bible isn’t mainly about me, and what I should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done.

That the Bible is most of all a story — the story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

That — in spite of everything, no matter what, whatever it cost him — God won’t ever stop loving his children… with a wonderful, Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

That the Bible, in short, is a Story — not a Rule Book — and there is only one Hero in the Story.

I wrote The Jesus Storybook Bible so children could meet the Hero in its pages. And become part of his Magnificent Story.

Because rules don’t change you.

But a Story — God’s Story — can.

Pastors, Politics, and the American Republic

For those reading from the States, today is Independence Day, the peak of America's summer. So in the midst of cookouts and fireworks, let's do a quick dial back to the founders.

America and its founders. Now that's a conversation folks can get passionate about, whether in political rhetoric or some Christian circles. However, beyond any dispute on the role Christianity played in those early days, we can say undoubtedly that public opinion in 1776 considered Christians beneficial to the American republic. In short, the consensus was that Christians bring a lot of societal good in a representative democracy.

The man who led the way in articulating this benefit was John Witherspoon, founding father, Presbyterian minister and president of Princeton University, among other things. Though he flies under the radar in many history classes, Witherspoon's influence is significant. And while he embodied the major intellectual traditions of his day, he has a helpful word on the gospel's influence in society.

Witherspoon contended that the contribution of "true religion" to the public order is the morality of its adherents. Or said another way, the gospel's influence on society comes by the means of transformed lives.

And this influence is stewarded by the church's pastors. Witherspoon writes,

The return which is expected from [pastors] to the community is, that by the influence of their religious government, their people may be the more regular citizens, and the more useful members of society. I hope none here will deny, that the manners of the people in general are of the utmost moment to the stability of any civil society. When the body of a people are altogether corrupt in their manners, the government is ripe for dissolution.

Good laws may hold the rotten bark some longer together, but in a little time all laws must give way to the tide of popular opinion, and be laid prostrate under universal practice. Hence it clearly follows, that the teachers and rulers of every religious denomination are bound mutually to each other, and to the whole society, to watch over the manner of their several members.1

How might pastors influence their people to be "the more useful members of society"? Or how might they "watch over the manner of their several members"? By "feed[ing] the saints with such meals that they go out strengthened and robust and able to do the study and do the courage and do the action needed as salt and light in this world."