Incredible Testimony to the Inscrutable Plan of God

This is perhaps the most God-glorifying short testimony I have heard in my entire life. How it puts me to shame for my occasional hard heart toward God's sovereign workings. And O how God is magnified through this message!



(HT: JT)

Levity in the Dorm Rooms

As I continue on in my month long break from school, I continue to trudge along through various books. My previous class, History of Christianity, sparked a keen interest in the lives of Christian men that have gone before us. As the writer of Hebrews admonishes us, I desire to "remember our leaders" and "imitate their faith" (Heb 13:7). Undoubtedly this author had our joy that we receive in mind when he wrote this, for when we behold the grace of God working through the unworthy vessels that have gone before us, how can one help but marvel at the goodness of God?

In light of this, a week ago I journeyed a mere mile to Bethel Seminary's enormous library, browsing and perusing title's of books that would seem worthwhile to read. Having a few Christian leaders in mind, I first came across one that was at the top of my list, Charles Haddon Spurgeon. One of the most capable preachers ever to live, Spurgeon wit, wisdom, fidelity to the Gospel, and uncanny ability to reach scores of people equipped him as a very influential preacher and author. Perhaps that last sentence is phrased poorly. Undoubtedly Spurgeon was an amazing talent and surely he worked tirelessly, but as the Apostle Paul would be quick to say (and Spurgeon as well!), it was the grace of God working in him.

The wisdom Spurgeon spews forth could fill numerous blog posts. One comment, however, was rather convicting, and is acutely applicable to the majority of college dormitory settings. In his biography on C.H. Spurgeon (labeled as such), author Arnold Dallimore writes concerning the new home for his Pastor's college:

The building did not contain any dormitories, however. The Men still boarded among the families of the Tabernacle. Spurgeon believed that if they all lived together there would be too much joking and lightness, as was generally the case in other colleges. "Levity of conduct in my brethern," he stated, "brings heaviness of heart to me....Oh, how can ministers be ... talking lightness and wantonness, when sinners are perishing? It must not be so among us."

In today's age of an adolescence that permeates and persists into the late twenties for many males, this statement is devasting. How can we persist in such triviality when souls are dying? How can we be so amused in meaningless, shallow laughter, when sinners each day are perishing? As one who sees unfortunate residue of child adolescence in his own life, may God remind us that we need to make the best use of the time, for the days are indeed evil (Eph. 5:15-16).

Grappling with Total Inability

Since my previous class concluded about two weeks ago, I have been given a total of a little of a month to speak and camp and dive into various theological discussions. I have always been intrigued with the topic of God's sovereignty and human responsibility; it is a most central doctrine. Thus, I have been reading Loraine Boettner's book, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination. His comments on Total Inability, often referred to as Total Depravity, assisted me in better understanding its full meaning. He begins by saying negatively:

This doctrine of Total Inability, which declares that men are dead in sin, does not mean that all men are equally bad, nor that any man is as baad as he could be, nor that any one is entirely destitute of virtue, nor that human nature is evil in itself, nor that man's spirit is inactive, and much less does it mean that the body is dead.

When one considers the doctrine of Total Inability, one must remember that God has given common grace to all. Why my heart, prior to being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, did not manifest itself in such sinful acts as Adolf Hitler is no testimony to my own goodness. We were both born equally depraved; however, God, in his infinite wisdom deemed it most wise that I would be born in a Christian family that emphasized the importance of godly character and good morals. These structures restrained me from acting out in as much evil as I would have been capable of, given the right circumstances. In my estimation, the argument that Total Depravity is inconsistent, and therefore wrong-headed, simply because it is plainly evident that unsaved men are not equally evil--this argument does not serious consider God's common grace.

Why the 35W Bridge Collapsed

As many of you are probably very well aware of, the 35W bridge located just north of St. Paul collapsed last week. That very night Pastor John Piper gave a wonderful reflection located here. In essense, Pastor John briefly exegeted Luke 13, noting that just as the tower of Siloam fell to enable sinners to have more time to repent, so also the 35W bridge collapsed so that we too would turn and repent. In my estimation, this response is biblically sound, and thoroughly orthodox to boot!
Here is a response to Pastor John from Greg Boyd, pastor of Woodlands Hills Church in White Bear Lake. Due to lack of time, I am unable to write a long critique of his response. If Pastor John deems it most wise not to respond, I may offer some insights next week when I return from camp. Until then, any thoughts?