Theology

Putting the Sovereignty of God Right Up Front in our Ministry

Posted on by Carl Robbins

WCFYou can’t hang around WRPC too long without realizing that we love boasting in our sovereign Lord. But, you may not be aware that the doctrine of God’s absolute sovereignty is under assault – again – in evangelical circles. Oh well, there is nothing new under the sun….Whether it was the Romans (that Paul was correcting in Romans 9-11) OR Pelagius OR Erasmus OR John Wesley OR Charles Finney OR the Open Theists of today, God’s sovereignty has been attacked for 2000 years! Here are some of the objections raised when we teach (as our Shorter Catechism Question #7 says) “He hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.”

• Objection One – “God is NOT sovereign, I am the center of my universe.” The most egregious examples of this sort of thinking are embodied in the lines from William Ernest Henley’s classic poem Invictus… “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my
soul.” What Henley is trying desperately to say is that God would not intrude on my personal sovereignty.

• Objection Two – God is just like me. He is ignorant of the future (this view has been officially codified by the movement known as “Open Theism”) and CANNOT ordain what will happen in the future.

• Objection Three – Well sovereignty, election, and predestination may be in the Bible, but they are “peripheral” and not central.

It is the Third Objection I’d like to address: Is sovereignty a “major” or a “minor”? Simply put, I cannot think of anything more “major” than this: Is God in control of all things, or not? Does He save sinners OR do they save themselves? Does He foreordain all things OR does He ignorantly wait to see what happens? The brilliant modern Reformed theologian David Wells (buy anything he has ever written!) rightly states:

It is one of the defining marks of our time that God is now weightless. I do not mean by this. That he is ethereal but rather that He has become unimportant. Those who assure the pollsters of their belief in God’s existence may nonetheless consider Him less interesting than television, His commands less authoritative than their appetites for affluence and influence, His judgment no more awe-inspiring than the evening news and His truth less compelling than the advertisers sweet joy of flattery and lies. That is weightlessness.
– from God in the Wasteland (p. 88)

For a case study of the importance of the Sovereignty of God, let’s look at Paul’s epistles…What we will see is that he either addresses it right up front (in an epistle) OR he addresses it at great length:

Romans, well, you know how extensively Paul asserts God’s sovereignty in redemption in Romans 9-11!

In 1 Corinthians Paul cannot even get out of the first chapter without asserting the doctrine of God’s sovereign call (1:2), the idea of sovereign grace (1:4) and sovereign election (1:27).

In Galatians Paul wants to stress (again in the first chapter, 1:15) the idea of a sovereign and gracious call to salvation.

In Ephesians Paul unleashes a flurry of assertions about God’s sovereignty (again in the first chapter). In 1:4 we find that God sovereignly chose us before time. In 1:5 Paul asserts that God predestined us for salvation. He repeats this theme in 1:11.

In Philippians Paul is so confident of God’s sovereign power that he can assert (in 1:6) that God WILL complete the good work He has begun in believers.

In Colossians (1:13) we are told of God’s mighty and sovereign deliverance of believers from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of light.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Paul wants to assert God’s sovereign and distinguishing work of election.

In 2 Timothy (1:9) Paul makes the same point that was earlier made in Ephesians 1, namely that God has sovereignly saved us and called us because of His eternally, gracious purposes.

In Titus Paul cannot get past the opening breath of his letter (1:1) before He speaks of “the elect”.

What’s my point? The Apostle Paul did not see sovereignty as something that was peripheral, or something that he was embarrassed about. No, he often speaks about it FIRST in his letters.

So, why do we emphasize the Sovereignty of God? Because it magnifies God’s greatness and makes Him….weighty. Because it is a major theme of the Scriptures (especially Paul). Because it is TRUE!

– Pastor Carl

Counseling

Peacemaking – How To Deal with Conflicts

Posted on by Dan Dodds

The-PeacemakerOne of the better resources in counseling outside of the Scripture and Westminster (see other posts) is the book Peacemaker by Ken Sande. Over time I will be sharing with you many of the jewels of this book but let me just share a few reasons why this is such an important tool in your counseling belt.

1) The book addresses the issue of conflict first from 40,000 feet. That is, it doesn’t just jump in and say “here’s how you fix it.” Rather, it begins with the big categories of glorifying God and sovereignty among others.

2) It is thorough. I never thought peacemaking involved so much preparation, thought, wisdom, and humility. But if you really want to reconcile with someone this book is your go-to book. It will help you address all the issues and address them thoroughly.

3) It is extremely practical. The steps in each chapter are concrete and helpful. It is not nebulous ‘go work it out with them’ advice, but rather specific instructions and wisdom so that you have a clear idea of what you need to do and how to do it.

4) It is Biblical. There are Scriptures throughout the book. Sande is a member of the PCA and so brings a reformed perspective to the topic.

I hope this whets your appetite if you haven’t read the book. There are others versions for kids and families but I’d recommend for now just sticking with the original.

Counseling

THE Biggest Issue and Starting Point – Counseling from the WCF 2

Posted on by Dan Dodds

WCFH. G. Wells once said that if God does not exist, nothing matters; but if God does exist, nothing else matters. Dostoevsky’s version looks like this: If there is no God, all things are permissible. God’s existence makes ALL the difference. This is true in all of life, no aspect of our existence is unaffected by God’s existence (or non-existence).

But it cannot just be any undefined deity (like the AA’s Higher Power or the impersonal ‘Force’) to which we appeal. We must know God as He is, not as we want Him to be, and here is where Westminster Chapter 2 comes as a wonderful tool for us. Though we cannot go through all the descriptors listed in this chapter, here are a few critical attributes for us to understand. (Quotes from the WCF are in bold print.)

God (paragraph 2) has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness in and of Himself. We need to know this because if we want life, it will only be found in Him. We will not find life and joy in any sinful pursuit no matter how momentarily stimulating it may be. (Prov. 8.35-36)

God is (paragraph 1)  most holy. If we want to be with the Author of life we must know that He is holy and that which is sinful cannot abide in His presence. As such, we need cleansing, but we can’t do it ourselves. Who will cleanse us?

We learn in paragraph 1 that God is also “most loving, gracious, merciful, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin…We can truly know forgiveness from sin and shame and be cleansed by God Himself. As such, we can enter into His presence with confidence and joy.

These paragraphs then, help us with our sins and sinfulness. But what about times of suffering not due to our own sin?

Chapter 2 to the rescue again! Because here we learn that God works all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will and that His knowledge is infinite, infallible.  Isn’t that comforting when the doctor calls with a bad report? We’ll learn more of God’s sovereignty in upcoming chapters.

There is nothing in life more important than knowing God. The WCF chapter 2 is a good start, but for a fuller understanding, read J. I. Packer’s Knowing God. You will never be the same.

Church/Piety/Uncategorized

Honoring Jan Robbins

Posted on by Carl Robbins

Jan and PastorsOn Wednesday afternoon we had the great joy to celebrate the retirement of Jan Robbins, our longtime Church Secretary.

Jan came to us in the Spring of 2004. From her first day on the job and what Jan brought to us was:

  • Excellence in her work
  • Order in the office
  • Godliness in her speech

In short, a consummate professional in her work & manner & communication. Most importantly, she did this with sweetness & gentleness.

But Jan did more than just her functional job description, she became intertwined the families of the pastors and interns, elders and deacons and volunteers. She was at our weddings and funerals and baptisms. Jan became far more than our Church Secretary, she became one of us!

I can do no better than to use the description & exhortation of the writer of Proverbs, when he describes the mature, godly woman at the close of Proverbs 31…

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates. (Pr 31:30–31)

Apologetics

Top Down Worldview Conference

Posted on by Dan Dodds

WorldviewI recently taught a worldview conference in Stuart, Florida where I used the Worldview Map that many of you have seen in my Sunday School class. Should you be interested in the (3) lectures through the Worldview Map 1, here is the link to the talks (Sessions 1-3 – note that they are not in order on the page).

Worldviews – Looking From the Top Down

 

Apologetics/History

Don’t (want to) know much about history…

Posted on by Dan Dodds

1984_signet_classicIn John Oswalt’s book, “The Bible Among the Myths,” he writes that “a common feature of myths is a specific disinterest in what we know as history…” This truth is being borne out as we see recent events as described by Al Mohler in his blog (April 12, 2016). In two of his stories he describes the actions of progressives to erase references to Christian history.

The first is in Los Angeles where the city council has removed the cross symbol from the city seal believing it to be a tacit endorsement of things Christian as well as excluding other (viable) worldviews such as Islam, Secularism etc. Never mind that the city of Los Angeles (‘the angels?’ oh, uh, that name better go too!) began as a Christian mission. History doesn’t matter to (self-described) progressives – they’re not concerned with history – only now. What matters now is the gospel of pluralism with all it’s religious trappings.

The second example comes from Oxford where the students of theology are no longer required to study Christianity (for the first time in 800 years!). Oh, they can study Buddhism and feminist approaches to religion and theology, but Christianity is out. Forget that Christianity is integral and responsible for the culture of the west.

Both of these are wonderful illustrations that George Orwell had it right in his book 1984. In the book he tells about the Ministry of Truth, described by Wikipedia as:

“The Ministry of Truth is the propaganda ministry. As with the other Ministries in the novel, the Ministry of Truth is a misnomer and in reality serves the opposite of its purported namesake: it is responsible for any necessary falsification of historical events. In another sense, and in keeping with the concept of doublethink, the ministry is aptly named, in that it creates/manufactures “truth” in the Newspeak sense of the word. The book describes a willful fooling of posterity using doctored historical archives to show a government-approved version of events. As well as administering truth, the ministry spreads a new language amongst the populace called Newspeak, in which, for example, “truth” is understood to mean statements like 2+2=5 when the situation warrants.”

Or a man can be a woman. Or a human can be an animal. Or a white a black. Or an old man a young woman. (All actual claims in the last year).

All this reminds me of Romans 1 where Paul writes in verse  21 “…although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” No glory to the One Who created them, and no thanks to the One who provided this wonderful creation. The result? Futility.

Church

Celebrating WRPC’s 30th Anniversary

Posted on by Carl Robbins

2016-05-01 11.04.23 2016-05-01 11.43.27 2016-05-01 12.10.28 2016-05-01 11.26.40

On Sunday, May 1st, we delighted in God’s kind providence to us as a congregation by having a marvelous lunch together and hearing from charter members Maurice & Lynda Speakman, former pastors Dr. Rod Mays and Richard Thomas. We also received greetings and encouragements from Ruling Elder Mel Duncan, representing Second Presbyterian (one of our three “mother churches”) and Rev. Peter Van Doodewaard, a former pastoral intern. The highlight of the day was the excellent music presented by several of our children’s choirs and the men’s ensemble.

Family/Parenting/Piety

Bring Them Up in the Training & Admonition of the Lord

Posted on by Carl Robbins

68-Double-opposite-arrow-in-a-square-half-black-half-whiteBecause we have been studying the section (in our Sunday AM expositions) of Ephesians 5:22-6:9 where the Apostle Paul is dealing with everyday relationships, especially Parent/Child relationships, I’ve been fielding lots of practical questions.

I’m more than grateful for both the large number of children the Lord has given us AND the intentionality with which their parents are seeking to raise them. In several conversations I’ve had over the last few weeks – I keep saying to parents: “Raise your children with the antithesis in clear focus.” By this I mean that Christian parenting recognizes THE antithesis, that the world thinks and acts one way and we (as believers under the Lordship and Authority of Christ) think and act in a radically different fashion.

As you raising your children in an overtly Christian manner? Here are a few Biblical character traits and their antithesis:

  • Responsibility vs. Unreliability (Romans 14:12) – Is your child dependable? Does he do specific chores and tasks that he is responsible to perform? Without your nagging and reminding on a daily basis? Does he take responsibility for actions and bear the consequences of them?
  • Generosity vs. Selfishness ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, 1 John 3:17, Philippians 2:3-4) – Is your child a giver or a taker? Does she share material possessions OR does she cling tightly to what’s “Mine”?
  • Truthfulness vs. Deception (Ephesians 4:23) – Can you trust your child to tell the truth? Do they “exaggerate”? Remember, the child who yells loudest, “You don’t trust me!” is the one who has been untrustworthy in the past.
  • Diligence vs. Slothfulness (Proverbs 12:27, Colossians 3:23) – Is your child lazy? Are they a starter, but not a finisher? Do they daydream?
  • Self-Control vs. Self-Indulgence (Proverbs 25:28) – Without self-control your child will be under the tyranny of his whims and passions. A desire to feed one’s immediate lusts will lead to the misuse and abuse of food, time, sex, alcohol and drugs. Learning to sit quietly in worship is a good place to begin learning self-control!
  • Thoroughness vs. Incompleteness (Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 19:15) – Does your child follow through with projects from beginning to end OR does he just wave at the jobs he’s given to do (home and school)? A good test case: When doing cleanup is he willing to crawl under the bed to get the last block or does he leave it for later?
  • Joyfulness vs. Self-Pity (Proverbs 15:13) – Is your child afflicted by a sour, complaining, negative, cynical disposition? Or, does he possess the peace that passes understanding, even during rough times? Have you taught him the implications of Romans 8:28?
  • Respect for the Authority and Property of Others vs. Disrespect for the Same (Ephesians 6:2-3, Exodus 20:15) – Does he act as if everything and everyone has been placed on earth to serve HIM & his desires? How does he talk (tone of voice, facial expression, attitude) to you? To teachers? You should discipline as much (or more!) for attitudes than actions.
  • Gratitude vs. Ingratitude (1 Thessalonians 5:18) – Does your child appreciate the things you do for him or does he simply “expect” you to cook his meals, do his laundry, chauffer him to soccer as his indentured servant? To see how hateful ingratitude is to the Lord- read (in context) Romans 1:21.
  • Punctuality vs. Tardiness (Ecclesiastes 3:1) – Does he have schoolwork ready when it is due? Does she hold up the family when everyone else is ready to go? Teach your child that time is a precious gift and it is to be used wisely. Scripture commands us to “Redeem the time”. Guess where your child will learn the godly character habit of punctuality? From YOU!
  • Orderliness vs. Disorganization (1 Corinthians 14:40)- What does your child look like? Is he neat in appearance or does he look disheveled? What does his room look like right now? Once again, where will a child learn the godly character trait of orderliness? From YOU! As a test, what does the inside of YOUR car look like right now? Whether you realize it, you are inculcating character habits into your child by your order, or lack thereof.
  • Kindness vs. Contentiousness (Proverbs 26:20-21) – Does your child’s presence always seem to be strife-producing? What is the harmony level with her siblings and playmates? Does she bring drama with her wherever she goes?
  • Discernment vs. Lack of Judgment (Proverbs 9:10, James 1:5) – Does your child base his decisions on Biblical truth? Is he easily led into falsehood? Is he naïve and gullible? When he samples a “piece of culture” (movies, tv, music, etc.) does he have the ability to discern unbiblical thought patterns ( feminism, psychobabble, environmentalism, evolutionism, universalism and all the other politically correct worldviews)? Does he ask God for wisdom?
  • Obedience vs. Self-willed (2 Corinthians 10:5) – Does your child obey instantly or do you (wrongly) result to nagging, threats, counting and other foolishness? Remember, God’s standard for obedience is Prompt, Complete, Joyful and Unquestioning. Anything less than this is not obedience. Delayed obedience should never be allowed. Obedience that is done trudgingly and with a scowl is unacceptable. This one characteristic (obedience) is foundational to all the others. Remember, obedience was the first lesson God taught in the Garden.
  • Contentment vs. Covetousness ( 1 Timothy 6:8) – Is your child delighted in how God made him (size of his nose and ears), the family he’s been placed in, the clothes and possessions YOU chose for him? Or, does he complain and whine about what other kids have, and what he doesn’t have? Once again, your attitude will be contagious, the spiritual habit of contentment will be “caught” more than it’s “taught”. So, the real question is: “Are YOU content with God’s providential lot?”
  • Forgiveness vs. Grudge-Bearing (Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 6:15) – Are the relationships of your child characterized by petty arguments, cliques and on again/off again friendships? Forgiveness means (after repentance) no longer dwelling on the offense and restoring to full fellowship. Forgiveness is a promise to not raise the issue again (to self, others, or the offender).
  • Purity vs. Impurity (Leviticus 11:45) – Does your child delight in double entendres, dirty jokes, suggestive song lyrics, profanity or friends who are known to do such? Remember, wrong friends = wrong activities, per Proverbs 13:20.
  • Loyalty vs. Unfaithfulness (John 15:13)  – Is there faithfulness to Christ, the Church (would he rather play baseball on the Lord’s Day or worship and fellowship with the Body?) and his family (will he shun his siblings to play with neighborhood acquaintances?). When he makes a vow or a promise does he keep it?

These are only a few of the character traits that make up a godly person. Remember Genesis 5:3 teaches that the character of the parent is reproduced in the child. With that in mind, if you’ve seen a specific pathology of sin in your child’s life, it would be wise to examine your life for that identical sin.

If you’ve seen that YOUR example is THE problem in your child’s life, go to God and confess your specific sin (1 John 1:9), then pray for wisdom and diligence in dealing with it. Knowing that repentance means an “about-face”, study the Word carefully to see what you should replace your old sinful character trait WITH. For example, if you’ve been characterized by selfishness (and seen it reproduced in your child), PLAN to overtly, strategically, and specifically engage in open-handed generosity when your child can see it and be influenced by your actions, such as a sacrificial gift or an occasion of hospitality.

Honestly investigate your child’s relationship to Christ. We can talk interminably about discipline, behavioral changes, and acceptable conduct, but unless your child has been sovereignly regenerated by the Holy Spirit and responded in repentance and saving faith, he’ll NOT BE ABLE to live a godly life. It is vital to realize that we as parents are responsible (and limited) to the outward obedience and conformity to God’s Word. Only God can give true heart change. Therefore, we should be upon our knees…frequently…before our gracious, covenant-keeping God, with the cry that He would do heart work in our children.

Church

Joel Smit – Pastor of Smyrna PCA, Smyrna, GA

Posted on by Carl Robbins

Our beloved, former pastoral intern, Joel Smit (along with his wife Stefanie and their children Peter, Evelyn, Alice and Paul) has been called to be the Senior Minister at Smyrna PCA in the Atlanta area.

Here’s a picture from Friday night’s installation service and reception, along with another dear friend of WRPC: Dr. David (and Ann) Hall – Senior Minister of Midway PCA.

Smit Installation

Family/Parenting

The Great Parental Freakout – Kevin DeYoung

Posted on by Scotty Anderson

Kevin DeYoung FamilyKevin DeYoung writing at the Gospel Coalition…

The Great Parental Freak Out

It’s not the last word on parenting, but needs to be reflected on by all of us who are in the parenting game. A little more humility about who we are and what we’re capable of is always in order (Rom 12:3-4).