What Is The Gospel?

I know, I know, it has been a long while since I've posted anything. In fact, some have postulated that I'd forgotten my blogger password. :D Thankfully, I remembered it when I wanted to log in just now, and I thank the brother who made that comment for his prodding to get back into posting...even though it's been a few weeks since he made it. :D

I haven't been keeping up with blogs like I used to, but do find time to keep up with James White's blog and Tom Ascol's blog for the most part. Today I read this post on Dr. Ascol's blog which referred me to this post over on Dr. Nathan Finn's blog. I found the article, like I think all of the commenters there, very insightful, and I think quite discerning with regard to the current state of the SBC and a lot of what people are truly thinking about it today. I, for one, saw myself in much of his description of the relevance of the SBC.

The SBC exists as a large, varied conglomeration of a lot of different kinds of people and certain theological perspectives. For those interested in labels, I'm a Reformed Baptist (Soteriologically Calvinistic, Baptist-style Covenant Theology [1689 LBCF]), and Amillenial in my eschatological views, putting me in a bit of a minority in the SBC. Yet, that being the case, there has always been something that has united Southern Baptists (and someone stop me if I am wrong please), and that has been Missions. Central to missions, of course, is the Gospel.

It has been said for some time now by eloquent, well-reasoned (and I might add, I think accurate) voices such as those of Dr. Ascol that the SBC has lost the Gospel by and large. We are therefore in grave danger, not just by losing the precious treasure of the Gospel, but also by producing many a false convert in our churches, people who think they are saved. We also endanger our very means of unification; if we don't understand or agree on the Gospel, then we have no basis for banding together in the first place.

In the article I linked to above, there was a very short exchange between Dr. Finn and Nathan White. What Nathan (White) commented I thought to be a decent question, though perhaps it could have been worded differently to have avoided offense and to have communicated what I think was his intention more clearly. Indeed, his comment I think begs the question I have asked as the title of this post.

What exactly is the Gospel? What critical elements would you present as part of a presentation of the Gospel to someone who you believe is lost, and therefore that you would hope would repent of sin and believe in Christ for salvation?

I do believe I know what the Gospel is, and I present it to people when I have the opportunity; surely, I need to notice more opportunities than I do. At the same time, I have to wonder if a more semi-pelagian or Arminian brother or sister would think my presentation of the Gospel to be too "Calvinistic." I, however, am not willing to change my presentation, given my understanding of Scripture.

I invite you all to comment; I would love feedback. What is the Gospel? What are critical elements of a Gospel presentation, and how would you word them?

I hope people from differing theological perspectives will answer; I see this as a serious issue.

SDG,
dbh

...and provide He does!

I just got back from a job interview and it appears that I'll be working as a field technician replacing computer parts in end user systems and making about $150 a day doing it. Thanks be to God! This will provide for our needs to be sure.

Let's rejoice together in the God Who Provides!

SDG,
dbh

..but we need Him to provide more.

The washing machine overflowed today and will not always spin; it is dying.

The dryer is making a terrible noise that has gotten worse and will likely stop running in the next couple of weeks, perhaps sooner.

We don't have the money for the mortgage payment when it comes.

I still don't have a job, and applied today to Steak and Shake in desperation.

I find myself saying, "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" (Psalm 13:1)

I feel like a fool though, for many have been through worse situations than mine, but it pains me to no end that I cannot find work to take care of my family.

SDG,
dbh

Thanks be to God.

It is such a blessing to see God providing.

Some of you reading this are aware that I am still without a job. So far we are holding out, and I know that God will continue to meet our needs. How He does so, however, is truly amazing, and it brings many a tear of thanks to my eyes to see it when it happens.

At church this past Sunday, one of the men asked to see me for a moment. He then handed me a large number of Kroger gift cards. We went shopping today and I found out that they are also good at the gas pumps out in front of the store. So, my family has money enough to eat for over another month and also to put gas in the car, just because of some gift cards.

Thanks be to our AWESOME God, who meets all our needs in Christ Jesus[1].

SDG,
dbh


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1. It's also worth to note that this is just the latest in how God has met our needs. Others from our church have been blessings as well to be sure, but this last one I guess added enough weight to prompt the post. Praise be to GOD in Christ for His provision.

The Attributes of God

      You will want to get this book and read it for yourself. Dr. Pink did a wonderful job presenting the characteristics of our Awesome God, and is doxological[1] as he expounds on the wonder of God. The book is short, but it contains gold to be sure. Well worth your time!

SDG,
dbh

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1. By that I mean that the author intentionally mixes praise to God with his discussion of God's attributes. I have to say, I found it delightful, and I do truly believe that if we are doing theology correctly, we'll be praising God in the middle of it!

A Good Post on Some Hermeneutics

Dr. Sam Waldron has been writing a lot of posts over the last few months (with a bit of a break in the middle of it) reviewing one of John MacArthur's messages at the latest Shepherd's Conference. The post I reference contains some important hermeneutical principles that I wanted to highlight. You can find it here.

SDG,
dbh

I Preached On the 8th!

Due to some server problems with the file server our church uses to store sermon audio, I have not posted a link to them until this point. It would seem that the file server problems are solved, and all of the sermons, including my recent ones, are available again!

With that in mind, God granted me the opportunity to bring His Word to my church during both morning and evening services, the first on Galatians 1:10-12, and the second on Psalm 119:1-8, and you can find both of them at this link, and at the time of this posting, they were at the bottom of the page.

May God be glorified as His Word is heard, and may that always be the goal of every preacher.

SDG,
dbh

Covenant Theology from Adam to Christ

     I have spent a lot of time over the past week reading through this book, and it has been time well spent. My understanding of Baptist Covenant Theology has moved from infant stages into adolescence you might say, and I understand much more the issues of types and the church (whether the True Church [often referred to as the Israel of God in the book] or the "Jewish Church") in the Old Testament.

     It isn't the easiest read[1], as it contains two works from the mid 17th century. One is a book on the Covenants by Nehemiah Coxe, one of the contributors to the 1689 LBCF. The other is John Owen's exegesis of Hebrews 8:6-13, and if you didn't know better, you'd think John Owen was a Baptist given how he [accurately] handled the text![2]

     For those interesting in learning the basis of Reformed Baptist Covenant Theology, this book is an indispensible resource, and is very helpful for those of us Reformed Baptists who were looking for a good study of the Covenants to deepen our understanding of them. Highly recommended.


SDG,
dbh

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1. The editors did a very good job transcribing the works contained in this book into modern English with modern spelling and grammar, and provided many helpful footnotes explaining what would otherwise be difficult to understand words. At the same time, following the trains of thought takes patience and work, though the reader will eventually get used to it.

2. I'm well aware that John Owen was not a Baptist, but given his exegesis of the passage, one would wonder why he was not.

A Reformed Baptist Manifesto

This was truly an excellent book. It is short, but Sam Waldron puts a lot of good information into its few pages. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially those who are wondering where Reformed Baptists get their moorings.

Further, other titles by Sam Waldon can be found here. I hope I'll be able to read them all eventually. :)

SDG,
dbh

The Roman Catholic Controversy

     I just finished reading The Roman Catholic Controversy by James White. It's an excellent and thorough analysis and refutation of many Roman Catholic doctrines and a presentation of the biblical position on many of the same issues.

     I have to admit though -- the book made me a little angry. It wasn't because of what Dr. White said in the book at all; in fact, I thought his presentation to be wonderfully thorough and his analysis and argumentation to be biblical. I am glad he wrote the book and glad that I read it. What made me angry was the thoroughly unbiblical position that Rome takes on so many issues, even creating doctrines that are completely foreign to the Bible's teaching (such as Marian devotion, purgatory, indulgences, etc.). I'm also a bit frustrated that I didn't research this information years ago when it would have been incredibly helpful in talking with my brother. Perhaps God will grant us some good conversation in the future.

     In any case, I highly recommend the book for anyone wanting to see what the differences (and they are critical) between Rome and the Bible are. Further, if you have Roman Catholic friends who you have been talking to about the Gospel, and who think that their church's doctrines truly are biblical, this is a book you should get for them. Dr. White is not antagonistic in his presentation at all, and his conclusions are inescapable.

For the Glory of Christ,
David B. Hewitt