What's in it for God?

I came across this quote from Dr. Michael Horton's book Made in America, and had to share it here:

"The older theology tended to produce character. By the end of the twentieth century, we have become God's demanding little brats. In church, we must be entertained. Our emotions must be charged. We must be offered amusing programs. We give up a lot to become Christians and what little teaching we do get must cater to our pragmatic, self-centered interests. Preaching must be filled with clever anecdotes and colorful illustrations with nothing more than passing references to doctrine. I want to know what this means for me in my daily experience. Have we forgotten that God is a monarch? He is the king, by whom and for whom all things were made and by whose sovereign power they are sustained. We exist for his pleasure, not he for ours. We are on this earth to entertain him, please him, adore him, bring him satisfaction, excitement and joy. Any gospel that seeks to answer the question, "What's in this for me?" has it all backwards. The question is, "What's in it for God?"

I have nothing to say in response except I think he's dead right.

Sovereignty & Suffering

Thank you to Between Two Worlds for posting this convicting and inspiring video. Take 7 minutes and watch it.

I get angry when there's traffic, or my order isn't right at a restaurant, or there's too much noise in the office. I fail to see all of these things as the gracious hand of sovereign providence in my life for my good and to advance God's glory.

I am so convinced by this man's testimony, and so grateful for the Savior who saved me from this constant sin in me.

Chapter 1: Why I Wrote This Book (Pt 2)

Dr. Piper wrote this book to answer the questions "How do you get a desire [for God that] you don't have and can't create?" or "How to you turn the spark into a flame?" (15). And, I'm not going to lie, that's why I wanted to read this book.

I am not interested in superficial, wishy-washy, half-in half-out, luke warm devotion to God. I'm just not and when I think and feel and live that way I hate myself. I really want God to use this book as a catalyst to begin something deep and lasting and real in my soul.

I want so badly to be the person Jonathan Edwards describes who sets no limit on his religious appetites and endeavors "by all possible ways to inflame their desires and to obtain more spiritual pleasures" because one's hungering for the Trinity and holiness "can't be too great for the value of these things, for they are things of infinite value" (17). When it comes to desiring God, balance, or as Edwards puts it "temperance," is not a virtue.

Famine for God

If this is not a description of most churches in the West and most churches in Orange County where I live, than I don't know what is. I pray that God is gracious to us and relents of this particular judgment on us:

Amos 8:11-12

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land--not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it."

First, notice who's speaking and who's acting. This is a sovereign act of Adonai Yahweh, God our Lord, our Master.

Second, what does our Lord do? HE sends the famine. Notice, the effects of the famine are the same--hungering, thirsting, wandering, running to and fro for an unfulfilled desire. However, the object being sought after for consumption is not food or water, but it is the Word of God.

Today, it's en vogue in church to teach everything at church but God's Word. When that's an accurate general description of the church, I think this passage should arrest us and cause us to ask "Are things like this because of God's judgment?" Is this more than an educational issue? Is mass repentance in order?

Third, notice the result of what God does. Despite the passionate search, God's Word is not found.

I can't tell you have many conversations I've had in the last decade about this, especially in Orange County, California--people hopping from church to church to simply hear someone explain the Bible. I'm convinced there are thousands of Christians, right here, who're dying to hear God's Word, even poorly explained, at church. They don't want to hear about the latest cultural fads, the current trends in psychology, philosophy, social issues, business management, relationship therapy, etc.

They are asking one question. They care about one thing. What does God say? What does He say about Himself? What does God say about me? What does He say about salvation? What does God say about relationships? What does He say about good and evil and truth and integrity?

God! God! God! It's all about Him. Christianity is NOT about me! Christians instinctually know this, and are longing for a place where they will hear God speak.

So, are you part of the solution, or part of the problem?

God, the Truly Satisfying

As Augustine expresses his struggles to submit his heart to God in his Confessions, he gives us a truly remarkable picture of God's drawing and wooing of the unbeliever that helps us share the message of the gospel with wisdom.

This is yet another insightful contribution that gives us a great lesson about the unbelieving heart. Here, in chapter VI, paragraph 16, he wrote,

"Woe to the audacious soul which hoped that by forsaking You it would find some better thing! It tossed and turned, upon back and side and belly—but the bed is hard, and You alone give it rest."

These words remind us of his famous opening line: "for You have made us for Yourself and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in You (I.1)"

Thanks to Augustine's read of his own heart, it seems we can say that the unbeliever is hoping that he's coming out ahead by rejecting the gospel. In a cost-benefit analysis, the benefits of the gospel (God declaring you not guilty for your sin, God redeeming you from slavery to sin, God's wrath against you being satisfied, the establishing of a friendship with the King of the Universe, etc.) do not outweigh the benefits they're receiving from remaining in unbelief.

Like Augustine, they think they've found something better than God. Something else has come along and promised them the rest that only the gospel truly gives. Something else seems to satisfy them, fulfill them, speak peace and joy to them.

In the end, whatever the "better thing" is, it ultimately is a counterfeit gospel that gives a counterfeit rest as their life is ultimately being controlled by a counterfeit god who does not satisfy, does not fulfill, and does not give joy and peace. That only comes when a person is connected to the God they were created to be connected to, and that connection only comes from the gospel they've traded in.

You can trust that this dynamic is going on, and our job, with insight from God's Spirit, is to patiently take the time to identify this idol in their heart--whether it's intellectual, emotional, etc.--and seek to wisely pull down that stronghold with the mighty weapons of gospel truth (cf. 2 Cor 10:3-5) in a manner that is gentle, loving, kind, respectful and gracious (cf. Eph 4:15, Col 4:5-6, 2 Tim 2:24-25, 1 Pet 3:15).

As an aside, this is much of the same issue to be dealt with in the believer's struggle with the remaining sin in his own heart. What truly satisfies? What gives true joy? Where will I find rest today? In sin, or the Christ revealed in the gospel.

Behold The Holy God (Ezek 36)

While reading Ezekiel today I was deeply struck with these words, and just how different they are from the therapeutic portrayal of God perpetrated on us by much of American Christianity. God says:

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD," declares the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight"'" (vv. 22-23).

After that, my next thought was: How do I profane the name of God? God, help me not to be marked by these words. Help me to see where I've profaned Your name among those I know, and how I can fix that in my own life as well as with them.

Tradition vs. Scripture (Jer 35)

In Jeremiah 35 there is the fascinating story of the descendants of Jonadab the Rechabite who did not drink wine or build houses for themselves because "our father, commanded us, saying, 'You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever" (35:6).

God tells Jeremiah to bring them to the temple and give them wine (35:2). Now, God knows their oath, but He does this to visually and logically demonstrate the sin of the Jewish people at that time.

Watch how God responds when they refuse to drink wine: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Go and say the the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?" declares the Lord. 'These words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me'" (35:13-14).

Visually, God brings this group before His people to demonstrate to them what loyalty looks like. Logically, He argues that if these can obey the one-time-given command of a dead man, why can't all His people obey the commands of the living God given "again and again."

It is called an argument from the lesser to the greater--if they can obey the lesser command from the lesser person they have no excuse for disobeying the greater command from the greater person.

And, when they refuse to drink wine they are saying "No" to a direct command from God (cf. 35:2, 5). They are saying "No" because they've elevated a human tradition above God's word, God's command. In essence, they're saying "My loyalty to my forefather trumps my loyalty to God. God's authority over my life and thought takes a backseat to my human ancestor's authority over me."

They're finding their authority, their safety, their identity, their self-understanding in the words of a mere man, which forces them at the same time against finding their authority, safety, identity and self-understanding in the words of God.

What does God think of that? "Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer" (35:17).

Jesus put it this way when He, God in the flesh, gave God's opinion of elevating traditions above God when He pronounced judgment on the Pharisees by saying, "'This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men" (Mark 7:6-8).

In other words, it is no small matter to disregard God for the teachings of men. It brings His judgment when you do that.