Make All Things New

Many Christians wrongly think that the gospel is simply what gets you saved; it for new believers. The truth is, the gospel is not just for new Christians but it is for all Christians. The gospel is not only for salvation but also for sanctification. In his book, The Gospel Primer, Milton Vincent gives practical, gospel-centered ways in growing in love and knowledge of God through His great gospel. As Vincent says, “This book is offered as a handy guide to help Christians experience the gospel more fully by preaching it to themselves each day.” (p, 5) This is of extreme importance to the Christian for in the gospel, God has provided all we need for life and godliness. So preaching the gospel to ourselves is a source of life and means for growth in godliness. In short, our becoming more like Christ (our sanctification) happens from being transformed through beholding the gospel. Preaching it to ourselves daily is an excellent way to behold the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and be transformed! Vincent says, “I have found that when I am absorbed in the gospel, everything else I am supposed to be toward God and others seems to flow out of me naturally and passionately.” (p. 6)

The book is divided in to three sections. The first section contains thirty-one reasons to rehearse the gospel daily. Each reason is brief and bible-saturated making it excellent for devotions. The second and third sections of the book are what Vincent refers to as A Gospel Narrative” in both prose and poetic forms.

Vincent does an excellent job of laying out many glorious truths about the gospel throughout this short book. Each page is filled with scripture references that makes the content of this book virtually inexhaustible. From explaining what the gospel is to showing how the gospel is applied, Vincent gives the believer a feast of weighty truths about their standing in Christ. Here are examples of some of my favorite “Reasons To Rehearse the Gospel”.

On page 14, Vincent lays out my daily need for the gospel because it is so foolish (1 Cor. 1) and scandalous (1 Cor. 1:23) that I must fight daily to believe it. There is so much in this world, so much in my daily life that works to distract me from the truth and convince me of the foolishness of the gospel, that I am in desperate need to “preach the gospel” to myself on a daily, if not hourly basis.

The transforming power of the gospel is briefly explained on pages 16-17. Vincent states that the glory of God is “the most powerful agent of transformation available to mankind.” (p. 16) This glory is so powerful that all one need do is gaze upon it to be transformed. The Apostle Paul states, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Cor. 3:18, ESV) Therefore, by beholding the glory of God, I will be transformed into what God desires for me to be? Vincent asks, “But where do I find God’s glory to behold?” (p. 17) The answer is not only in Creation but according to the Bible (outside of heaven) the glory of God is most clearly seen in the gospel. (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:11). So as I dwell on the gospel daily, it is the primary means through which God transforms me more into the image of His Son.

While there are many more excellent reasons given to rehearse the gospel, the final one I will mention is “Obedience Borne of Love” from pages 28 and 29. Vincent rightly states, “The Bible teaches that genuine love in my heart for God is generated by an awareness of His love for me, and no where is the love of God more clearly revealed than in the gospel.” So through preaching the gospel to myself daily, I may begin to experience God’s love for me and He would generate in me, strong affections for Him.

This is a great book that I highly recommend reading and rehearsing regularly, for your joy and God’s glory.

I have been quite busy finishing up my final project for “Call & Assessment” course through LAMPhilly (checkout the new web site my buddy ant and I put together for them) so blogging has been too light. Due to time constraints, I thought I would provide you with my reviews of the books I read for this class in a simple way: visually.

“Dig it!”	“Doan yike it!

One of the first books I was assigned to read for LAMPhilly training is Edmund Clowney’s Called to the Ministry In God’s sovereignty, I had heard some of these same principles a couple of years ago from Tim Keller (a student of Clowney’s). I am so thankful to find this small book and I commend it to you.

You can read some of the great quotes from the book over at Justin Buzzard’s blog and I am posting my short book report to encourage you to read Clowney!

Called to the Ministry
by Edmund Clowney
P & R Publishing (1964)

“What is Christ calling you to do?” This is the opening question in this small but immensely helpful book by Edmund Clowney. Does God still call people to ministry the same way he did in biblical times? Clowney systematically addresses these (and many other questions) with biblically based answers. In order to answer the opening question, Clowney writes, “We must first consider the Lord’s calling of every Christian, then we should examine what the New Testament says about the calling of the minister of the gospel.” (p. V)
According to Clowney, the first part of understanding God’s calling in one’s life is to be called a child of God. No one can be called to gospel ministry unless he is first called into relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Once called into fellowship with God through Christ, the Christian is called to follow Christ into service. Gospel ministry is a call for Christian to serve. An interesting paradox is now found. “The ‘Come!’ of Christ separates us from the world to his name; the ‘Go!’ of Christ sends us into the world in his name.” (p. 18) But how, specifically, is a Christian to put Christ on display through service? “[T]he calling of an individual in the church of Christ is determined by the gifts Christ has given him, by the ‘measure’ of the Spirit he has received.” (p. 27) That is, the Christian is supernaturally-equipped to for specific service within the church and within the world.
The second portion of this book focuses specifically on the calling to ministry. Clowney describes this calling as specific to the gifting given. Summed up, “The call of the Word of God to the gospel ministry comes to ALL those who have the gifts for such ministry.” (p. 79) These gifts are given to the individual by Christ for the purpose of building his church. The work is of Christ and for Christ from start to finish.
This book serves as more than just an excellent primer for anyone wrestling with a sense of calling into gospel ministry. I say “more than” because while Clowney’s book is brief in length, it is vast in its depth of wisdom. This wisdom comes from his focus on Jesus and the scriptures for the basis of his arguments. I found his arguments excellent and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.
The way Clowney helped me to understand the calling to ministry was extremely helpful to me. Specifically, understanding that there are basically three aspects of calling to gospel ministry and it is not just some internal feeling you get (while that can be part of it). Calling to gospel ministry consists of an internal call, what I might term a “burden” for sharing the gospel. Another aspect would be the affirmation of the gifting for gospel ministry by leaders in your local church (who know you well). And finally, the circumstances or opportunities to test and grow the gifting you have.
These specific points have helped to confirm my calling to gospel ministry for the sake of Christ’s glorious name!

The Lightlings
By RC Sproul

Now I know that I haven’t spent much time on this blog discussing books about or for children but I have to tell you, I found one I think is worth talking about.

The Lightlings is a simple tale with a profound message. Sproul weaves a short allegorical tale together that is engaging enough for kids to listen and weighty enough for them to profit from it. The story is a brilliant answer to the common childhood concern of fearing the dark. This book has really encouraged me as a father because I now realize what an opportunity I have when my children tell me they’re afraid of the dark. Never before (much to my shame) had I considered their fear as an opportunity to share the redemptive story of the Bible with them. This book, in my opinion, is a wonderful contextualization of the Gospel for young people. Written in way that they will understand and with illustrations they will want to see, The Lightlings is an engaging story of creation, fall, and redemption, that kids will enjoy. The story that is written on their little hearts, is presented in a way that will engage their little eyes and imaginations as well. I am really looking forward to sharing this book with my children and telling other parents about it as well.

Also of note, the book includes 13 questions (with biblical references) to spark conversations and further growth for children. Frankly, this is one of the best short children’s books I have read and I think it is a must-have for kids (and their parents!).

Many people just don’t like Calvinists. Interestingly though, it’s often not because they think the Calvinists are wrong or too intellectual or too grace-focused or anything like that. Usually, at least in my experience, it’s because Calvinists can come off as proud and self-righteous, as if they have all the answers to how the whole of Scripture fits together. So often Calvinists focus so much on truth that they miss grace altogether. I should know for I have been one such Calvinist in the past. While I am still a Calvinist, I hope to have removed the fatal irony from my “Calvinist apologetic”. The fatal irony? It is ironic that I, as one who loves the doctrines of grace, would fail to show that grace to others when sharing the doctrines with others. What a contradiction! And it often leads to coming off as judgmental and uncaring when we are talking about grace.

In “What’s So Great About the Doctrines of Grace”, Richard Phillips, gracefully provides the necessary Scriptures to argue for the doctrines of grace. And honestly, that alone would be well worth my time to read it. But Phillips goes even further. He attempts to share why these truths are precious for believer lives. Not only does he get biblical, but he gets practical as well (not that there really is a difference in either of these, it just helps to have some one draw the practical out).

I have read quite a number of books that share the biblical basis of the TULIP acrostic but few and far between have been the books that share the beauty of what TULIP means to the individual believer. Phillips does an excellent job of filling the void many Calvinist leave in their explanations – the practical beauty found in the doctrines of grace.

This book will not only help to inform some one as to “why” the doctrines of grace but it will also show them the “wow” of the doctrines of grace. Phillips’ pastoral heart comes through in this short and readable book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. I plan on giving it out to folks I minister to if they are trying to get a good view on soteriology.

And for those of us who may be quite familiar with the doctrines of grace and be able to explain it quite well, this book will assist you in sharing with grace. It has encouraged me afresh to share the glory of these truths and not just the facts behind them. That, I believe, is a valuable reminder.

The book is available from Reformation Trust.