From One Degree to Another

Sorry, but I never posted anything from the conference last week.

Said at Southern had a summary of the conference. They also linked to a live blog of each session by Terry Delaney, which would provide a good overview of each session:

Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7
Session 8
Terry’s Reflections

Some things that stuck out to me which I’ll remember:
– Seeing my professors from MoBap. Curtis McClain and Terry Chrisope had such a huge impact on me during my college days. It was great to get to see them again.
– Fellowshipping with men. Along with the men from my group (which I thoroughly enjoyed traveling with and appreciated their patience in going to so many bookstores with me) I got to fellowship with old friends (I was on staff at FBC St. Peters, the host church, from 94-96) and new ones.
– Tony Mattia’s bio of Christmas Evans and warning against Sandemanianism. I love biographies and was so encouraged to be introduced to Christmas Evans. Sandemanianism is a heresy alive and well today. I need to beware of it.
– The atonement drives me to humility.
– The atonement should be proclaimed to all.

This was a great conference and very encouraging.

I was listening this morning to Piper’s sermon from February 24th entitled, Everyone Who Is Born of God Overcomes the World. This sermon was especially moving at one part as Piper exposed with detail how a Christian views sin after Christ saves them. He said:

He says in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we say we have no sin [present tense], we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins [present tense], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” So John is at pains to say that “walking in the light” (1:7) does not mean walking flawlessly. It means that, when you stumble, the light of Christ causes you to see it and hate it and confess it and move forward with Christ.

This isn’t in his manuscript, but in the audio version Piper compared this to holding something nice and cozy in the dark, only to have the light turn on and see that its a roach or a scorpion or a tarantula. The light of the Gospel helps us see sin for what it really is. Are you fighting sin because Jesus lights the way?

Well, after some time blogging, I have finally reached post #500. It is some sort of milestone I suppose, but I am just happy to have the privelage of allowing my life to surface and be stored. May all that you read here continue to edify you to God’s glory.

Here is Jesus (for today’s Marriage Monday segment) from Mark 10:1-12 (ESV):

Teaching About Divorce
10:1 And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Jesus wants you to pursue marriage for life. He doesn’t want you opting out if it doesn’t work. He wants you to embrace the Gospel as a means for strengthening your marriage and deepening your walk with Him. This text was the text for my sermon yesterday, entitled Marriage Is For Life. Let the truth of Jesus’ words settle on you and embrace marriage for life.

Speaking of conferences, I am heading out today with some men from church to a church I used to serve in St. Louis for the Midwest Founder’s Conference. If time allows, I will try and do some blogging about the sessions. The conference theme is “The Atonement.” I plan on having good fellowship with men and being encouraged in this vital theological area. (As a result of this, regular blogging may be affected.)

It appears the Resurgence Text and Context content will be online. This conference begins today and features Mark Driscoll, John Piper and C.J. Mahaney among others. Looks like promising content.

I’ve commented on the need for regular family worship before, but this article from John & Noel Piper kindled my passion by way of reminder. Among other things, they give good, practical tips for insuring that our children are engaged in corporate worship. It is worth checking out and would definitely benefit your marriage.

I was encouraged and provoked to thought with Mark Dever’s latest post on “Divine Guidance” at the T4G Blog. Thoughts?

Sovereign Grace Ministries has launched a new leadership interview series. The first installment features a discussion between C.J. Mahaney, Jeff Purswell, and Joshua Harris on the pastor and reading. I would highly commend it. And, best of all, it’s free!

JT had an interesting post this morning for prospective seminary students. One article he recommends is by John Frame entitled Studying Theology as a Servant of Jesus. I would highly recommend this article to all those who are serious about applying God’s Word to their lives.

Frame is so helpful. I remember being influenced by reading Calvin’s Institutes in such a huge way. Calvin was writing a summa theologica or a summary of theology, holding forth the unique things he believed. He wrote the Institutes as a summa pietas or a sum of piety, emphasizing the import of what he believed upon life. Frame’s article had much the same feel.

– This article takes into account the presence of indwelling sin as it relates to the study of theology
– This article prepares you for the pitfalls you will encounter as the pride of knowing more than others creeps into your life in higher education
– This article holds forth a high view of Scripture upon theology

These are just some of the reasons I would highly commend reading this. Pastors, we need this reminder. Students of theology, this will help you in your studies. Good lay person in the church, be encouraged in your pursuit of God through this. Benefit from God by studying theology as a servant of Jesus.

John Frame: Studying Theology As A Servant of Jesus