Christian Faith
 

  
                 
  Statement of Faith
               (originally written and published by Douglas Wilson)

The Triune Majesty

The Triune God is the one uncreated Creator of all things that exist; between the Creator and His creation is a fundamental divide. This one God is eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His Majesty is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, and limited by nothing other than His own nature and character, He is holy, righteous, good, stern, loving, and full of mercy.

Creation

In the beginning, God created the material universe from nothing. He spoke, and by the Word of His power, it was. Our knowledge of the nature and time of this event must be determined solely through careful study of God

Sin

Our first father Adam was our federal head and representative. He was created innocent, but through his rebellion against the express Word of God, plunged himself and his entire posterity, represented in him, into the hopelessness of death in sin. This sin is lawlessness an attempt to live apart from the law and word of God. Since that first great apostasy, no descendant of Adam has escaped from the death of lawlessness apart from efficacious grace.

The Incarnate Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is, according to the flesh, a descendant of David, and sits on David's throne. He is, at the same time, God enfleshed. He is one individual with two natures fully man and fully God. As a man, He is our elder brother and High Priest before God, representing us to God the Father. As God, He is the visible image of the invisible Father, representing God to us.

Salvation

Because all sons of Adam are spiritually dead, they are consequently incapable of saving themselves. But out of His sovereign mercy, God the Father elected a countless number to eternal salvation, leaving the remainder to their sinful desires. When the time was right, the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and was raised to life as an efficacious redemption for the elect. Thus He secured the salvation of His church, for which He laid down His life. And at the point of each individual's conversion, the Holy Spirit brings resurrecting grace to each, effectually calling him by His power, with the result of repentance and faith.

Revelation

The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, inerrant in all they affirm. The Word has divine authority in everything it addresses, and it addresses everything. In no way should the Scriptures be brought to the judgement seat of human reason; rather, we must rationally and submissively study the Word granted to us.

Law

The grace of God in the gospel does not set aside the law of God; rather, it establishes it. To the one who believes, the law of God is precious, and through faith the law is established. The law stands as God's testimony of His own righteous character; as such, it cannot be altered by anything other than God's express Word. Consequently, we receive the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, as fully containing the will of God for us. To all who do not believe, the law of God condemns them in self-righteousness.

Covenant

When God is pleased to bless the proclamation of His gospel, the result will always be a visible collection of saints bound in covenant to Him. They will be characterised through their assembly around the preached Word, their faithful administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and their orderly and disciplined government according to the Word of God.

Witness

As believers present the gospel to those who remain in rebellious unbelief, there must be no halfway compromise with that unbelief. The ground and precondition for all creaturely ventures is the Word of God, which necessarily includes our teaching, apologetics, and evangelism. Every thought is to be made captive to the Lord Christ, and every tongue is to glorify the Father.

Eschatology

As the gospel of Christ is proclaimed throughout the world, the result will be the gradual transformation and salvation of the world. Prior to Christ's return, the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the water cover the sea, and the whole earth will be full of His glory.

 


         
         The Creed of Christian Reconstruction
                  
         by Rev. Andrew Sandlin

 

A Christian Reconstructionist is a Calvinist. He holds to historic, orthodox, catholic Christianity and the great Reformed
confessions. He believes God, not man, is the centre of the universe and beyond; God, not man, controls whatever comes to
pass; God, not man, must be pleased and obeyed. He believes God saves sinners. He does not help them save themselves. A
Christian Reconstructionist believes the Faith should apply to all of life, not just the "spiritual" side. It applies to art, education,
technology, and politics no less than to church, prayer, evangelism, and Bible Study. 
         
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Theonomist. Theonomy means "God's law." A Christian Reconstructionist believes God's
law is found in the Bible. It has not been abolished as a standard of righteousness. It no longer accuses the Christian, since
Christ bore its penalty on the cross for him. But the law is a description of God's righteous character. It cannot change any
more than God can change. God's law is used for three main purposes: First, to drive the sinner to trust in Christ alone, the
only perfect law-keeper. Second, to provide a standard of obedience for the Christian, by which he may judge his progress in
sanctification. And third, to maintain order in society, restraining and arresting civil evil. 
         
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Presuppositionalist. He does not try to "prove" that God exists or that the Bible is true.
He holds to the Faith because the Bible says so, not because he can "prove" it. He does not try to convince the unconverted that
the gospel is true. They already know it is true when they hear it. They need repentance, not evidence. Of course, the Christian
Reconstructionist believes there is evidence for the Faith, in fact, there is nothing but evidence for the Faith. The problem for
the unconverted, though, is not a lack of evidence, but a lack of submission. The Christian Reconstructionist begins and ends
with the Bible. He does not defend "natural theology," and other inventions designed to find some agreement with
covenant-breaking apostate mankind. 
         
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Postmillennialist. He believes Christ will return to earth only after the Holy Spirit has
empowered the church to advance Christ's kingdom in time and history. He has faith that God's purposes to bring all nations,
though not every individual, in subjection to Christ cannot fail. The Christian Reconstructionist is not utopian. He does not
believe the kingdom will advance quickly or painlessly. He knows that we enter the kingdom through much tribulation. He
knows Christians are in the fight for the "long haul." He believes the church may yet be in her infancy. But he believes the
Faith will triumph. Under the power of the Spirit of God, it cannot but triumph. 
         
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Dominionist. He takes seriously the Bible's commands to the godly to take dominion in the
earth. This is the goal of the gospel and the Great Commission. The Christian Reconstructionist believes the earth and all its
fullness is the Lord's: that every area dominated by sin must be "reconstructed" in terms of the Bible. This includes, first, the
individual; second, the family; third, the church; and fourth, the wider society, including the state. The Christian
Reconstructionist therefore believes fervently in Christian civilisation. He firmly believes in the separation of church and state,
but not the separation of the state or anything else from God. He is not a revolutionary; he does not believe in the militant,
forced overthrow of human government. He has infinitely more powerful weapons than guns and bombs, he has the invincible
Spirit of God, the infallible word of God, and the incomparable gospel of God, none of which can fail. 
         
He presses the crown rights of the Lord Jesus Christ in every sphere, expecting eventual triumph. 
         
                    Copyright © 1997 The Chalcedon Foundation, all rights reserved. 
         
            
                The Five Points of Calvinism and Arminianism
         
         The following is a comparison of the five points of Calvinism and the five points of Arminianism arising out
of the Dutch Remonstrance controversy. The "Five Points" of Calvinism can be easily remembered by the acronym
TULIP. Admittedly, this discussion favours the Calvinist side. This material originally appeared in "Romans: 
An Interpretative Outline (pp. 144-147), by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas.
Quoted from Loraine Boettner's "The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination." Permission to reproduce granted in 
the book.
         
  The "Five Points" of Arminianism       The "Five Points" of Calvinism
         
1. Free Will or Human Ability        1. Total Inability or Total Depravity
         
 Although human nature was seriously  Because of the fall, man is unable of
 affected by the fall, man has not    himself to savingly believe the
 been left in a state of total        gospel. The sinner is dead, blind,
 spiritual helplessness. God          and deaf to the things of God; his
 graciously enables every sinner to   heart is deceitful and desperately
 repent and believe, but He does not  corrupt. His will is not free, it is
 interfere with man's freedom. Each   in bondage to his evil nature,
 sinner possesses a free will, and    therefore, he will not--indeed he
 his eternal destiny depends on how   cannot--choose good over evil in the
 he uses it. Man's freedom consists   spiritual realm. Consequently, it
 of his ability to choose good over   takes much more than the Spirit's
 evil in spiritual matters; his will  assistance to bring a sinner to
 is not enslaved to his sinful        Christ--it takes regeneration by
 nature. The sinner has the power to  which the Spirit makes the sinner
 either co-operate with God's Spirit   alive and gives him a new nature.
 and be regenerated or resist God's   Faith is not something man
 grace and perish. The lost sinner    contributes to salvation but is
 needs the Spirit's assistance, but   itself a part of God's gift of
 he does not have to be regenerated   salvation--it is God's gift to the
 by the Spirit before he can believe, sinner, not the sinner's gift to God.
 for faith is man's act and precedes
 the new birth. Faith is the sinner's
 gift to God; it is man's
 contribution to salvation.
         
 2. Conditional Election              2. Unconditional Election
         
 God's choice of certain individuals  God's choice of certain individuals
 unto salvation before the foundation unto salvation before the foundation
 of the world was based upon His      of the world rested solely in His own
 foreseeing that they would respond   sovereign will. His choice of
 to His call. He selected only those  particular sinners was not based on
 whom He knew would of themselves     any foreseen response or obedience on
 freely believe the gospel. Election  their part, such as faith,
 therefore was determined by or       repentance, etc. On the contrary, God
 conditioned upon what man would do.  gives faith and repentance to each
 The faith which God foresaw and upon individual whom He selected. These
 which He based His choice was not    acts are the result, not the cause of
 given to the sinner by God (it was   God's choice. Election therefore was
 not created by the regenerating      not determined by or conditioned upon
 power of the Holy Spirit) but        any virtuous quality or act foreseen
 resulted solely from man's will. It  in man. Those whom God sovereignly
 was left entirely up to man as to    elected He brings through the power
 who would believe and therefore as   of the Spirit to a willing acceptance
 to who would be elected unto         of Christ. Thus God's choice of the
 salvation. God chose those whom He   sinner, not the sinner's choice of
 knew would, of their own free will,  Christ, is the ultimate cause of
 choose Christ. Thus the sinner's     salvation.
 choice of Christ, not God's choice
 of the sinner, is the ultimate cause
 of salvation.
         
 3. Universal Redemption or General   3. Limited Atonement or Particular
 Atonement                            Redemption
         
 Christ's redeeming work made it      Christ's redeeming work was intended
 possible for everyone to be saved    to save the elect only and actually
 but did not actually secure the      secured salvation for them. His death
 salvation of anyone. Although Christ was a substitutionary endurance of
 died for all men and for every man,  the penalty of sin in the place of
 only those who believe on Him are    certain specified sinners. In
 saved. His death enabled God to      addition to putting away the sins of
 pardon sinners on the condition that His people, Christ's redemption
 they believe, but it did not         secured everything necessary for
 actually put away anyone's sins.     their salvation, including faith
 Christ's redemption becomes          which unites them to Him. The gift of
 effective only if man chooses to     faith is infallibly applied by the
 accept it.                           Spirit to all for whom Christ died,
                                      therefore guaranteeing their
                                      salvation.
         
 4. The Holy Spirit Can be            4. Irresistible Grace or The
 Effectually Resisted                 Efficacious Call of the Spirit
         
 The Spirit calls inwardly all those  In addition to the outward general
 who are called outwardly by the      call to salvation which is made to
 gospel invitation; He does all that  everyone who hears the gospel, the
 He can to bring every sinner to      Holy Spirit extends to the elect a
 salvation. But inasmuch as man is    special inward call that inevitably
 free, he can successfully resist the brings them to salvation. The
 Spirit's call. The Spirit cannot     external call (which is made to all
 regenerate the sinner until he       without distinction) can be, and
 believes; faith (which is man's      often is, rejected; whereas the
 contribution) precedes and makes     internal call (which is made only to
 possible the new birth. Thus, man's  the elect) cannot be rejected; it
 free will limits the Spirit in the   always results in conversion. By
 application of Christ's saving work. means of this special call the Spirit
 The Holy Spirit can only draw to     irresistibly draws sinners to Christ.
 Christ those who allow Him to have   He is not limited in His work of
 His way with them. Until the sinner  applying salvation by man's will, nor
 responds, the Spirit cannot give     is He dependent upon man's
 life. God's grace, therefore, is not co-operation for success. The Spirit
 invincible; it can be, and often is, graciously causes the elect sinner to
 resisted and thwarted by man.        co-operate, to believe, to repent, to
                                      come freely and willingly to Christ.
                                      God's grace, therefore, is
                                      invincible; it never fails to result
                                      in the salvation of those to whom it
                                      is extended.
         
 5. Falling from Grace                5. Perseverance of the Saints
     
 Those who believe and are truly      All who are chosen by God, redeemed
 saved can lose their salvation by    by Christ, and given faith by the
 failing to keep up their faith, etc. Spirit are eternally saved. They are
                                      kept in faith by the power of
 All Arminians have not been agreed   Almighty God and thus persevere to
 on this point; some have held that   the end.
 believers are eternally secure in
 Christ--that once a sinner is
 regenerated, he can never be lost.
         
              REJECTED                             REAFFIRMED
         by the Synod of Dort                 by the Synod of Dort
         
 This was the system of thought       This system of theology was
 contained in the "Remonstrance"      reaffirmed by the Synod of Dort in
 (though the "five points" were not   1619 as the doctrine of salvation
 originally arranged in this order).  contained in the Holy Scriptures. The
 It was submitted by the Arminians to system was at that time formulated
 the Church of Holland in 1610 for    into "five points" (in answer to the
 adoption but was rejected by the     five points submitted by the
 Synod of Dort in 1619 on the ground  Arminians) and has ever since been
 that it was unscriptural.            known as the "five points of
                                      Calvinism."

         
         Synod Statement of the International Presbyterian Church  7.11.1981
         The Sovereignty of God and Human Responsibility
1.	We believe that the existence and character of the infinite and personal God is the only basis for
       affirming human responsibility.
         
2.	We reject any statement of the doctrine of God's sovereignty which makes it seem that an emphasis 
       on the real significance of man's choice is a denial of God's sovereignty or vice versa.
         
3.	We believe that the difficulty of this question is one which is true of all of our knowledge. 
       For example, in science, even though our understanding increases with increased information, 
       we will never comprehend the infinite. Similarly in thinking about God and man we have simply 
       to affirm that man is fully responsible and that God is fully sovereign.
         
4.	We reject all statements that affirm or imply that God is the author of evil, or wills human sin, 
       or that history is the unrolling of a divine determinism.
         
         
         A Warning to Netaholics
Did Jesus use a modem at the sermon on the mount?
Did He ever use a broadcast fax to get His message out?
Did the disciples carry beepers as they went out and about?
Did Jesus use a modem at the sermon on the Mount?
         
Did the Apostle use a laptop with lots of RAM AND ROM?
Did he use an email alias Such as Paul@Rome.com?
Did the man from Macedonia Post an email saying "come"?'
Did the Apostle use a laptop with lots of RAM and ROM?
         
Did Moses use a joystick at the parting of the sea?
And a Satellite Guidance Tracking System to show him where to be?
Did he write the law on tablets, or are they really on CD?
Did Moses use a joystick at the parting of the sea?
         
Did Jesus really die for us that Friday on the tree?
Or was it just a hologram, a bit of wizardry?
Can you download the video clip to play on your PC?
Did Jesus really die for us one day upon a tree?
         
If in your life, the voice of God is sometimes hard to hear.
With other voices calling, His doesn't touch your ear.
Then set aside the laptop and modem, unplug the fancy gear,
Open up that dusty Bible and talk to Him in prayer.
         

         
         
         GRIEF
         
         Patricia Erwin Nordman
         
         
In Loving Memory of our son Chuck
and in thanksgiving for our sons
Richard, Robert, Danny and Mike
                     
MY SON! MY SON!
                     
His days were yet in spring of life,
Yet doubt had scarred his growing reasons.
In full he knew the banal strifes
That touch each man in each the seasons.
His teachers charged the grievous words
Of hate, despair, and godless fear.
What hope, he cried -- I can't be heard
Above the world of scorn and jeer.
So to the woods he went, my son -- 
A gun in hand, his heart full spent.
In peace he rests, my golden son -- 
O God, dear God, my heart is rent!
Nineteen -- so young to bear earth's weight
On heart and mind still pressed with child.
O World, why do we decimate
The hearts of those unreconciled?
                     
        -- Patricia Erwin Nordman
                     
                     
                     
I walked a mile with Pleasure,
She chattered all the way,
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she,
But, oh, the things I learned from her
When Sorrow walked with me.
                Anonymous
        On December 16, 1976, our oldest son came home for the Christmas holidays,
got the shotgun and went to the adjacent woods. At 7:10 p.m. we heard him
scream and then shoot himself to death. Four months later I wrote a booklet
titled Grief which went into a world-wide ministry. The booklet is now out
of print and I offer it to you, dear reader, in God's name and grace. May
it help give you peace in a world that has become very confused and sad.
                                                Patricia Erwin Nordman
         
(Verses are from the New King James Version unless otherwise specified.)
         
GRIEF
        Precious friend, is your heart broken? Are you in utter despair, not
knowing where to turn or whom to trust with your crushing burdens? If so,
then please read this message of comfort and hope for yourself and others
passing through the waters of trouble and fires of affliction. 
        Isaiah speaks of the "day of grief and desperate sorrow." Isaiah 17:11
KJV. But, my dear friend, "The Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow,
and from thy fear." Isaiah 14:3 KJV. Yes, I realize that in your anguish it
seems impossible that darkness will again be light and despair will turn to
hope. 
        My grieving brother or sister, I walk in the valley of grief with you, for
we lost our oldest son in a terrible tragedy. Because of this I would like
to share with you the love of a most merciful and tender Father, as He led
me through the valley of sorrow on to the mountain of hope and trust again. 
        My "day of grief and desperate sorrow" began at what is supposed to be the
happiest season of the year. Chuck called from his out-of-town college to
tell us he wanted to bring his girl friend home two days later to spend the
Christmas holidays with us. That evening and the next day I cleaned and
shopped, happily anticipating their arrival. We would be crowded -- Chuck
had four younger brothers -- but we would manage very happily. Imagine the
shock when, a day earlier than he was expected, we found his car with all
his possessions, but not him. Then we heard his heart-tearing scream and
the shot that killed him immediately.
        It's a rending experience to close out your child's life -- to add a death
certificate to the birth certificate. Chuck's life held so much promise. He
was a brilliant, stately, dignified young man who often said he wanted the
best in life. 
        Chuck's books revealed perhaps more than he would have wanted us to know.
He had marked such lines as "Fortune, honor, beauty, youth, are but
blossoms dying! All our joys are but toys ... All is hazard that we have!
... Secret fates guide our states ... "  I'll never know what one
circumstance or combination of circumstances prompted this desperate final
act. It was over three years later that one of his friends finally told me
that he was trying to get off drugs when he descended into the depths. (Oh
friend, if your child is on drugs, God help you both! We had no idea. Back
then we knew so little about the drug culture.) Beside the passage on
suicide from MacBeth he wrote in small, close letters, "Life has no
meaning, no purpose," and on another page the word "nothing" was written
and scratched over many times.
        The night Chuck died I sank to my knees and boldly demanded of God, in a
grief I didn't think possible, that He keep every one of His promises of
comfort. In the midst of the demands I kept saying over and over, "Thank
You, Father" -- for what, I really didn't know and doubted that night if I
ever would know. But I was convinced that if I didn't say those words then
-- right then -- I would never say them again. I thought of all the sons,
husbands, and brothers who have been killed in all the wars, whose loved
ones will never know their whereabouts. At least we knew. I was grasping
for straws of comfort! I would like to share with you another thought that
surely the Holy Spirit gave me when my brother-in-law came out from the
woods and told us that our son was dead: God our Father was there when His
Son died. For the first time in my life I felt I understood what our
precious Father must have felt and it overwhelmed my heart. How strange
that I never gave it any thought before! Perhaps it was because now I felt
I could understand in a small way ...
        That night, after the police and the ambulance were gone, I sunk to my
knees and I begged God to work, through this horror, a good that at that
moment I did not think possible. Romans 8:28 became my strength in the
hours, days, weeks, and months ahead, and for the birthdays and holidays
that would no longer be Chuck's to enjoy. I had to know that all things do
indeed work together for good -- or lose my sanity. Dear friend, I want you
to know that God provided in many marvelous ways. It was only God's grace
that enabled me to carry on in the face of such totally unexpected anguish. 
        I learned to lean on my precious Father as never before and God indeed
granted me the gift of knowing for a certainty that much good would come of
the evil that Satan had wrought. We were told shortly after Chuck's funeral
that someone had slipped LSD into a drink Chuck had set down while at a
party in Daytona Beach. Chuck himself admitted to me a few weeks before his
death that he smoked marijuana. This has convinced me that one of Satan's
most powerful weapons against our priceless young people today is drugs.
How sad!
        Someone at his funeral told me I must accept "God's will." No, friend! Our
God does not "will" the agony of mind, heart, and body that has plagued the
earth since Adam and Eve lost faith that God knew what was best for them.
It surely was not "God's will" for my son to die by his own hand. But it
was God's will that I accept what happened and use this tragic circumstance
for His glory and for the comfort of others who suffer heartache that seems
never-ending. What God always wills for us is to be happy and whole in mind
and body. He wants His men, women and children to be at peace with Him and
each other. But this peace depends upon our own will and willingness to let
Him guide our lives, fortunes, and even, at times, misfortunes.
        Many question God's love when something seemingly unbearable happens. I
try to view tragedy as a lost-and-found department. We lose someone or
something very dear to us, but in the loss we find a treasure far more
valuable. I found a loving Shepherd who wants me to live with Him for
eternity and will carry me through. Until we are to the point in life when
we are forced to admit that there is absolutely nothing we can do about
this, then I wonder if we have given ourselves totally to God. The night
Chuck died I felt so helpless. My son was dead and there was nothing I
could do about it! What a frightening feeling! Another agonizing aspect of
sorrow is the possibility that we will never know the answers to many of
our whys on this earth. I had a very hard time with this. But we eventually
learn that the whys become unimportant. It is what we do with the troubles
and sorrows that matter.
        I learned to thank God as never before for blessings I had taken for
granted all my life. Particularly in grief, a spirit of thanksgiving is a
simple yet most profound antidote to the self-defeating feelings of anger,
resentment, guilt, and self-pity that so often accompany an incredible
sorrow. It amazed me what was in my heart. I was to discover that grief is
a sieve that brings up out its swirling waters the deformities of our
hearts that we didn't even know existed. I was amazed at the anger and hate
that gripped me. My Christianity was certainly in question!
        I discovered that no matter how bad my problem is, others have suffered
worse trials. How my heart ached as I listened to other parents recount the
years of agony they have gone through with children on drugs. Some end up
in mental institutions. Some struggle to recover a normal life. Others rest
as our son is resting. I will never forget the agony of a father as he
sobbed out the horrible details of how his son, on drugs, shot himself to
death in the house and the blood ran down the boy's bedroom door.  I don't
know how that poor father kept sane!
        I learned that only in sharing comfort are we comforted: "Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of
all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God" 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Everyone has problems
-- deep wounds of the spirit. "The souls of the wounded cry out for help"
Job 24:12 NIV. I found many wounded souls! I also began to understand that
the person who truly cares about others doesn't constantly load them down
with his own aches and pains, either of body or heart. This can be selfish
and cruel.
        William Barclay, in The Letters to the Corinthians, relates the story told
by H.L. Gee about two men who met to transact some business during the war.
"The one was full of how the train in which he had traveled had been
attacked from the air. He would not stop talking about the excitement, the
danger, the narrow escape. The other man said quietly, `Well, let's get on
with our business now. I'd like to get away fairly early because my house
was demolished by a bomb last night.'" 
        A certain mental picture helped me greatly. Picture yourself carrying in
one hand your suitcase of troubles. It's heavy, and you feel weighted down
on one side. Along comes another, weak and tired, with his suitcase of
troubles but, unlike you, he can barely walk under his load. The Christian
thing for you to do is to offer to carry your brother's troubles, thereby
freeing him and balancing your own load. 
        Alexander Maclaren beautifully expresses the strange conjunction of joy
and sorrow: "The highest joy to the Christian almost always comes through
suffering. No flower can bloom in Paradise which is not transplanted from
Gethsemane. No one can taste of the fruit of the tree of life, that has not
tasted of the fruits of the tree of Calvary. The crown is after the cross."
Kahlil Gibran, in his essay on joy and sorrow in his book The Prophet
writes: "The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy it can
contain." And Homer observes: "Even his griefs are a joy long after to one
who remembers all that he wrought and endured." 
        "Being punished isn't enjoyable while it is happening -- it hurts! But
afterwards we can see the result, a quiet growth in grace and character."
Hebrews 12:11, TLB. We all flinch from the unexpected, from pain and
suffering. But " ... the Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who
are bowed down" Psalm 145:14; "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy
comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5; "Affliction will not rise up the second
time." Nahum 1:9. What beautiful and encouraging promises!
        In 2 Corinthians 4:8 Paul says: "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet
not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." How can this possibly
be? Let's consult Philippians 4:6 and 7: "Be anxious for nothing; but in
everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
        Here, friend, is the practical way to deal with despair. It covers all the
circumstances of life and gives us the solution: prayer and thanksgiving.
The word "supplication" means to pray for a particular need. What a great
Father we have! 
        D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells us in his book Spiritual Depression, Its
Causes and Cure, "Would you like to be rid of ... depression? The first
thing you have to do is to say farewell now once and forever to your past.
Realize that it has been covered and blotted out in Christ. Never look back
... again. Say: `It is finished, it is covered by the Blood of Christ.'"
Thank You, Father!
        Matthew and Mark tell us: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34. Luke gives us more hope: "Father, into Your
hands I commit my spirit." Luke 23:46. But John, the beloved of Jesus,
gives us the insight: "It is finished." John 19:30. Indeed, the sacrifice
has been made and the work of redemption finished so we can have hope of
everlasting happiness. It is finished! Whatever happens in between is
covered by the bookends of Jesus's birth and death.
        My greatest anxiety for weeks after my son's death was his salvation. It
haunted me. But two dear editor friends within hours of each other quoted
this same verse, and I accept it as a sign from my Father that my mind is
forever at rest on this matter: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do
right?" Genesis 18:25. Of course He will! When we lose a loved one, we must
learn to say, "It is finished," and know that God will rightly judge. Too,
some presume to know who is saved and who is lost. Because Chuck took his
own life, there were some who told me that he would not be saved. My
friend, only God knows what was on Chuck's mind and heart that night. How
cruel of these well-meaning Christians! It reminds me of the day I went to
see my bed-ridden and dying sister-in-law and she was in tears. She told me
about the three women who came to comfort her. They told her that if she
had enough faith she could be cured and get up and walk. I was outraged. It
took me the whole afternoon to convince Dorothy that God doesn't cure
everybody. In fact, we all die! We talked about Paul and his thorn and
God's grace: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9. 
        This verse became very meaningful to me after both Dorothy's and Chuck's
deaths. We wonder how we will manage after something enormous alters our
life. Paul's life was transformed on the Road to Damascus. I think in some
ways sorrow is our road to Damascus. It fells us and makes us blind and
then our kind Father tells us He will give us the grace to bear it, even
though we will carry the scar to our grave. I knew that I would never
forget my first-born; the scar of remembrance would be there as scars from
surgeries I've had. But I also knew that I would recover from the initial
intense hurt, as I recovered from the surgeries. This thought really helped
in the first months! I knew that God's grace could not remove the scar, but
the scar could -- as Robert Schuller so eloquently puts it -- become a star
for me, to guide me in a kinder and gentler direction toward my hurting
brothers and sisters. Another thought: those of us who have been gifted
with the knowledge and love of God need a greater foundation. As a writer
said, "The ship in the high wind needs plenty of ballast. When we build
high we must also build low -- the lofty building needs a deep foundation."
Sorrow builds the deep foundation as joy builds the high sails! God is
shifting our ballast. He also promises an abundant provision of grace, for
there are some circumstances in life that we cannot alter and that God does
not see fit to alter. Inward strength to endure is a great manifestation of
the acceptance of God's will and His grace. Outwardly we may be weary and
heartbroken, but we can claim the promises of God and enjoy that inward
peace that only God can give.
        Adversities are God's sieve to help us discover what is most important in
our lives. Joseph Hall tells us, "The most generous vine, if not pruned,
runs out into many superfluous stems, and grows at last weak and fruitless:
so doth the best man if he be not cut short in his desires, and pruned with
afflictions." We don't choose affliction, but it may be the only way God
can redirect our lives.
        When a person is called to rest early in life, Isaiah 57:1 is of great
solace: "Merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the
righteous is taken away from evil." It is so difficult to accept the death
of your child before he has had the opportunity to partake of life fully. I
was told of a mother who prayed desperately that her son might recover from
an automobile accident, refusing to accept the possibility that he might
die. God answered her prayer, and the boy recovered. But his subsequent
life was the tragedy. After years of causing his mother all kinds of grief,
he was finally killed in a fight. Perhaps the mother should have simply
prayed, "Thy will be done, Lord, and whatever is best I accept it, for I
know You will give me the strength and grace to bear it."
        In unspeakable grief it is difficult to believe that the sun will shine
again, that we will again be touched by the beauty of the flowers and the
rainbow after the rain, that music will once again bring quietness of
spirit. Often in overwhelming sorrow the very things that should comfort us
only serve to bring even more sadness because they remind us that we shared
them with our loved one. 
        When tragedy strikes suddenly, sleep can be impossible. I prayed to be
spared nightmares, for Chuck's scream etched deeply into my heart. My
prayer was answered in a way that caused me to give thanks with an
overflowing heart. At this point I want to share something with you that
astonished me. The afternoon I received the letter from the publisher
telling me he felt the Grief booklet would help many grieving people, I
felt very tired, which was unusual. I never took naps then; I worked
part-time and was very active. But that afternoon our precious God put me
to sleep and gave me a gift. 
        In this wonderful daydream I was in a room that was totally and purely
white. It was as if I was compassed about with clouds but yet it was
clearly a room. There were no windows or doors but I didn't feel enclosed
or restricted in any way. I wasn't there long when Chuck walked through the
cloud. He was so beautiful! I thought him to be about 33 (a figure I
wondered about later, because he died just before his 20th birthday), tall
which he was in life, and he had long reddish hair, and a beard and
mustache, which he never sported in life. But what amazed me was his
serenity. He smiled at me and then turned and went back through the cloud.
No words were exchanged. I awoke immediately.
        I felt overwhelmed! What a gift from our beloved God, I thought. The peace
I felt at that moment must be the peace which Jesus spoke of to His
disciples: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you..." (John
14:27.)  I finally shared the dream with a friend and I had to admit that
I'm not sure if it was Chuck (who at the time I truly thought it was) or if
it was Jesus Himself who I saw. The afternoon I experienced the dream I
truly thought it was Chuck, but as time passed and Grief went into a
world-wide ministry, I now believe it was Christ Himself who smiled and
wordlessly whispered to me not to grieve anymore. He would take it from
here. I had done what He wanted me to and the rest I was not even to think
about. In his exposition on Mark in The Interpreter's Bible (p.652),
Halford E. Luccock wrote, "A man's life may have a dull setting ... but if
it catches the reflection of the glory of God which is in the face of Jesus
Christ, it becomes a burning and a shining light; is given as much meaning
and dignity and joy that one of the supreme tragedies is to miss it." I
know I caught the reflection of Jesus that afternoon! Precious Father,
thank You for healing dreams that encourage us to have faith that all works
together for good.
        Before our tragedy I felt God didn't want to be bothered with the little,
trite parts of our everyday lives, but I have prayed mightily these past
months for many little comforts as well as big ones, and each prayer has
been answered faithfully. We must not hesitate to bring our requests to
Him, no matter how insignificant they may seem, for our loving Father knows
that sorrow and its components can be crushing weights on fragile hearts. I
take great comfort in the thought that my dear Father is waiting for me to
come to Him to have my tears wiped away and to rest my weary head on His
shoulder. My earthly father would do no less.
        It is vitally important to read God's Word during times of stress. Verses
read hastily and indifferently before take on new life and meaning. God
gives renewed insight into familiar verses because grief and a desolated
spirit changes our perspective on life. Because of the circumstances of
Chuck's life -- his fear of living and his mode of dying -- 2 Timothy 1:7
became more meaningful for me: "God has not given us a spirit of fear; but
of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Satan gives an unholy spirit.
God gives the Holy Spirit.
        In almost unbearable heartache one night I decided to read the book of
Genesis. Surely God was leading me, for I came across a verse that made me
give thanks even in the midst of this horror. Hagar, a mother in grief,
cried out, "Let me not see the death of the boy." Genesis 21:16. Thank You,
Father, that I did not see the death of my child!
        There are so many verses and chapters in God's priceless Word that give us
comfort and hope and joy in sufferings. I personally found my comfort in
the Old Testament, and the Book of Job in particular. The Books of Isaiah
and Psalms became my spiritual food during this time, too. There were also
certain writers who poured balm on my broken spirit.
        One of the worst parts of grief is not understanding what has happened and
knowing that you may never know. God granted me great comfort from this
passage: "The things we may so much desire to do may become a reality after
God has proved us in the school of experience, and among our greatest
blessings may be counted the thing we were not privileged to do, that would
have barred the way from doing the very things best calculated to prepare
us for a higher work. The plain, sober duties of real life were essential
to prevent the fruitless striving to do things that we were not fitted to
do. Our devised plans often fail that God's plans for us may be a complete
success. Oh, it is in the future life we shall see the tangles and
mysteries of life, that have so annoyed and disappointed our fond hope,
explained. We will see that the prayers and hopes for certain things which
have been withheld have been among our greatest blessings."Ellen G. White,
Our High Calling, p. 318.
        God does not wish to destroy us when suffering comes. He wants to refine
and sanctify us. When bowed in grief, we should turn to Him for support and
love. Joseph was able to say to his brothers: "But as for you, you meant
evil against me; but God meant it for good." Genesis 50:20. Joseph was able
to see the hand of God in many instances of unfair suffering in his life.
During my own time of grieving, Joseph became a hero and I often reread his
life and his graciousness in dealing with situations that most of us could
not have handled. It helps if we remember in both good and bad times that
God's purpose always is to redeem us. But He will not force salvation on
us. If we do not refuse or hinder the workings of His Spirit, He can help
us to accept His saving grace in the bad times, too.
        I want to stress how important it is to take care in what we read and in
the company we seek out during times of affliction. I became very
discouraged when certain friends and relatives told me I would never get
over the death of my son and the circumstances surrounding it. I finally
learned to stay away from even my well-meaning relatives and friends who
only made me feel worse. I think it is true that we never forget certain
events, but that is far different from never getting over a tragedy. So it
is necessary to read positive material and be around positive-thinking
people. This is true even in normal times!
         
Why You?
        And now, dear friend, why you for the blizzards of life that temporarily
whip off the blossoms and fruit? Because God loves you! He wants to
strengthen you so you can be His special ambassador to carry to others His
message of hope to a struggling world so in need of comfort and love. If
you can see your sorrow as a gift from God (yes, I know this sounds
impossible!) then I believe it helps the healing process. I tried to see
Chuck's death as his legacy to the world, and that God appointed me his
executor to pass on a message of hope and comfort.  
        In Isaiah 48:10 the Father tells us that He has chosen us in the furnace
of affliction. He doesn't want us to while away our lives in comfortable
beds when we should be up and doing for others -- in spite of our gnawing
griefs. I read many times this admonition from Joshua, "Get up! Why do you
lie on your face?" Joshua 7:10b. And He certainly doesn't want us in the
local bar bathing our burdened mind and heart in liquid anesthetic. Indeed,
we lose a precious blessing that He has just for us, when we try to escape.
But He kneels and weeps with us! Oh, friend, please believe that! The
shortest and most poignant verse in the Bible is "Jesus wept." How
marvelous -- the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with our unspeakable griefs,
kneeling and weeping with us, His gentle arms enfolding us as we cry out in
anguish. Dear friend, what a beautiful thought! There were many dark nights
when I felt those arms! In my distress I pictured the Father as giving
strength, the Son giving hope, and the Holy Spirit giving wisdom. These we
need so urgently, so quickly, so completely, in the darkest moments.
        At this point I would like to share with you tried and true steps in
dealing with deep grief. Dear friend, I want for you at this moment of your
sorrow that peace that only God can give. May He bless you and grant you
comfort and calm as you read these practical steps in dealing with what now
seems so impossible.
         
1. Don't constantly talk about your feelings of despair. Ellen G. White
says it is "a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged
and strengthened as we give them utterance." Ministry of Healing, page 251.
We need to share, yes, but try to speak of hope. Confine your deepest grief
for friends who really do understand. When we constantly talk of the
negative aspects of our grief, we make it just that much more difficult to
recover. It may be tempting to open your bleeding heart for all to see and
suffer with you, but a wound always exposed and being probed doesn't heal.
God will provide the balm. Please believe that!                        
2. Don't worry about eloquent prayers, but do pray. Realize the prayers may
be silent or sobbing prayers. In your confusion you may not know what to
pray for, but God knows and that is the important thing. Just keep the line
open. God understands the temporary static. Don't feel He has lost you or
left you because of the way you feel. He, too, walked the earth, He felt
pain as we do, He loved as we love, and He felt losses as keenly as -- yes,
more keenly than -- we ever could.
        Remember that God surely hears these prayers -- the silent ones, the
weeping ones. He hears them instantly. Our agony deeply touches His heart.
The eighth verse of Psalm 56 is a prayer in itself: "Put my tears into Your
bottle." How extraordinary! God takes note of every tear, drop by sorrowful
drop. The word bottle takes on a holy significance, for it is God's
receptacle in which He preserves and then transforms our tears into pearls.
What a thought when we feel we cannot go on another hour!
        I believe that the greatest prayer we mortals can offer is an ever-present
prayer of thanksgiving. Oh, yes, dear hurting soul, thanksgiving! But how
can you be thankful when struggling under a load too heavy for a human
heart to bear? Give it to Jesus, my friend. Right now, as you read this.
Pray, "Jesus, please, I beg You, hold this broken, shattered heart of mine
in Your gentle hands." Picture Jesus giving it healing, rest and peace.
Than thank Him, friend, and know that He is healing your heart.
        Then open your Bible to Philippians 4 and read over and over these verses.
Verse 6: "Be anxious for nothing: but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
Verse 11: "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." Verse 13:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Mark these verses.
Go to them in moments of searing pain.
         
3. Count your blessings. Trite, but I have found this to be truly helpful.
Charles L. Allen, in his book All Things Are Possible Through Prayer, tells
of the lady who asked him, "What have I done to deserve this?" His reply
was, "Nothing. Neither have you done anything to deserve many of your
blessings."  Mr. Allen also points out that every blessing has within it
the risk of sorrow. If we love, we risk losing the  object of that love.
But surely, as the saying goes, it is far better to have loved and lost
than never to have loved at all. If it helps you, jot down your blessings
(you will be surprised to see how many you have!); and when grief begins to
overwhelm you, read them again. I found this to be particularly helpful.
Tangibles such as a note to read can stabilize our emotions and clear our
clouded minds. 
         
4. Take one step at a time and one day at a time. We hear this so often,
but it becomes a practical necessity in times of extreme suffering. God has
promised help for the day and strength for the next agonizing hour, and He
has yet to break a promise. It is up to us to cling to that promise. Allow
friends and relatives to take over the physical and mental duties for
however long you need their help. They want to. Don't deprive them of this
Spirit-inspired wish to be of service. Someday they may need you. Thank God
for them and accept their help graciously.
        At the time of sorrow it is imperative that we keep up our strength. When
searching Scripture for comfort, I was impressed with the many promises of
actual strength. One of the treasures I discovered in my sorrow was: our
God is a practical God. Isaiah 40:29 and 31 became as necessary for my
heart as food for my body: "He gives  power to the weak, and to those who
have no might He increases strength ... But those who wait on the Lord
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Our God is
a God who "neither faints nor is weary," (Isaiah 40:28b) so He is there for
us every moment. But, dear friend, don't run ahead of God! Don't become
impatient if He allows you to remain in the valley for a while. There may
be lessons we still have to learn. "The hand of the Lord came upon me and
brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of
the valley; and it was full of bones." Ezekiel 37:1. 
        Adversity is frightening. It also becomes the test of strength, including
physical, for stress can affect our physical condition. I tried to
understand that when difficult situations come into our lives it is because
God knows we are strong enough to endure this and this temporary grief will
make us even stronger. Psalm 46:1 assures us that "God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble." What a blessed promise! Another
thought I would like to share: while reading the Book of Job it occurred to
me that it wasn't so much that Job trusted God, but that God trusted Job!
For some inexplicable reason, that thought got me through some very bad
moments when I thought I was losing it. But I would stop and think, "God
trusts you, Pat, to come through this! He's depending on you to bring
victory from this." 
         
5. Get busy as soon as possible. This is imperative. I cannot stress it too
much. Work keeps mind, heart and body intact. Start jobs that have
accumulated over the months and years. If you have a paying job, get back
to it as soon as possible. Physical exercise with a friend is most helpful
also: jogging, walking, camping, swimming, picnics, tennis, basketball --
whatever you like to do -- but do it with a friend and do it outdoors
whenever possible. Nature has definite healing powers for the hurting hurt.
        I believe this is one of the most important steps in dealing with grief.
In New England there is an expression used for those in heart pain: "Go out
and tell it to the bees." The bees stay busy.
        Physicians tell us that we use the brain cells of our frontal lobes when
we are worried and fearful. Other brain cells control muscular activity. In
physical activity we relieve the strain on the cells of the important
frontal lobes and allow them to rest from their intense stress. The very
worst thing we can do is withdraw from life, crawl into bed, and pull the
covers over our heads, and reflect on what an injustice we have been dealt.
God's natural world provides the fresh air, sunshine and beauty we so need
at all times, but especially in the dark times.
         
6. Hold on to faith -- faith in today and, above all, faith in tomorrow.
This perhaps is the most difficult step of all. Does God really know best?
Does He really care about our tangled hearts, our shattered dreams, our
sleepless nights, our Gethsemane moments? Oh yes, my dear friend, He does!
At the time you may not believe it, but hold on to the reality that when
you are trapped in that terrible valley of despair, the everlasting hills
are all around you. 
        In the immediate aftermath of grief we are so tempted to ask why. Indeed,
we feel we have a right to know why we have been singled out for such an
unbearable burden. We may pass through the futile and self-pitying stage of
thinking that no one else suffers as we do. My friend, go next door, to
church, to the grocery store, to the halls of Congress, to that friend who
seems so carefree, and seek out a fellow sufferer. The world is filled with
them! Grief is universal and is no respecter of age or status. 
        Rather than wasting time and emotion threatening God -- "I'll never trust
you again, God!" -- study His Word. There you will find an answer to your
grief, although you may not find the reason why grief is permitted. There
are certain pieces to God's puzzle that He reserves for Himself to test our
faith. But you will find an answer to wait in faith on God. Faith is simple
in definition but enormously difficult in practice. It is admitting and
believing that our Father has complete control of our lives. We are not the
masters of our fate, as Henley in his poem Invictus would have us believe,
but we can choose the Master of our fate.
         
7. Keep in mind that in grief there is a peculiar ministry. I use the word
"peculiar" in the sense that it is used in God's Word: set apart,
consecrated, exclusively God's. You who have borne sorrows made bearable
through a divinely renewed heart and mind have a special work for God. Your
heart has been broken up, watered with tears, and planted with God's
special seeds so that you may bear the graceful blooms of hope, love and
gentleness for others to appropriate in their dark moments. What a
beautiful ministry!
         
8. Remember that only God knows the end from the beginning. There is a
sublime purpose for and in our lives which includes everything that happens
to us. Joseph's beginning was full of trials: he was sold by his brothers
into slavery and then he was imprisoned for something he didn't do. But he
believed, he held on to his faith and he was rewarded. God had a plan for
Joseph, and it could only be fulfilled with his cooperation. So it must be
with our lives. "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and
knows the One Who is leading." Oswald Chambers.
        Job is another example of stability and steadfastness in the face of
catastrophe. He lost all, he was afflicted bodily, and yet he could still
say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust him." Job 13:15. Still another of
Job's complete trust: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed
be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21. In Job 42:10 (KJV) we are told that
"The Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends." The
word "captivity" is significant. We become captive to feelings of anger,
hate and distrust in extremity of heart or body.
        When Job prayed for others his captivity was turned and he was given twice
the blessings he had before. When sorrow descends on us, it is so easy to
be made a captive of self-pity and resentment. But in praying for others,
in listening to the even greater burdens others must carry, we can be
liberated from our own prison of discontent.
        There are well-meaning friends and relatives who tell us that time heals.
They are right -- it does. But I'm grateful for the advice of a good friend
who warned me that before the hurt is lessened it might get much worse. God
may ask us to remain in the dark for a while, to learn more lessons and to
discover the shadows in our heart that we don't even know we have. Only in
the dark can we finally see the Light. The school of sorrow has within its
walls a unique kind of education obtained nowhere else.
        G.R. Nash writes: "When the famous artist Sir James Thornbill was painting
the inside of St. Paul's Cathedral he stepped back one day to view the
effects of his work, bringing himself, without knowing it, so near to the
edge of the scaffolding that another step would have sent him hurtling down
to certain death. His assistant, seeing the danger but not daring to shout
lest the shock should make the other lose his balance and his life, rushed
forward, then snatching up a brush he rubbed it straight over the painting.
Overcome with rage, Sir James sprang forward to save his work, only to be
pacified with these words: `I spoiled your painting, Sir James, that I
might save your life.'" (When Days are Dark, p.29.)
        It is at these times we must appropriate the precious promises. One of the
dearest promises in all the Bible is Revelation 21:4: "And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow,
nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
away."  This is the verse on my son's grave.
        Think of it, dear weeping friend! No more tears; no more pain in body,
mind or heart; no more parting from loved ones. We shall know as we are
known; we shall again meet those we have loved. We shall walk hand in hand
with our lovely Saviour up into the everlasting hills.
        Thank You, Father!

 

Baptism

I am a Christian who believes that Christ's command to baptise believers includes the children of believers as part of the covenant community. The sign of baptism shows their membership in the church. Calvin said that as regeneration precedes faith what better sign of this could there be than that the sign of baptism be given to those too young to show faith? I first read this in Bridges and Phypers, The Water That Divides. I should love to be pointed to the primary source in Calvin's writing. For Baptists, baptism seems primarily to be the person witnessing to their faith. I believe the reformed and biblical view gives greater priority to God witnessing that he alone saves by faith in His Son when his name is put on us in baptism.

Baptism is not magic. It does not save. But it is a means of the grace of God. There is something supernatural there.

For the a reason approach to baptism, I commend to you the writing of Francis Schaeffer on baptism.

After you have followed the link, you can read below what is required by our church when children of members are baptised.

Questions for Baptism of Children of the Covenant

Parents

1. Do you acknowledge that you are saved only through faith in Jesus, that you trust not in anything you have done or will ever do, but only in His finished work - His death upon the Cross, by which He took upon Himself the penalty for Your sins?

2. Do you realise that baptism is not a saving ordinance, and though it signifies your children's membership in the covenant community, it is not a matter of magic? Do you understand that your children are themselves responsible to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord as they become accountable to Him?

3. Do you in this sacrament covenant together with God to raise your children in the instruction, obedience, and worship of the Lord, to pray for and with them, to keep them in the fellowship of God's people, to be faithful and loving in your home, to be immediate examples of faith, and therefore to do your utmost to lead them to a saving knowledge of Christ at an early age?

4. Do you acknowledge that your children are a gift of God, who are of course to be cherished and enjoyed, but who belong at last not to you but to God? Do you undertake to assist your children in every possible way as they seek to lead a life of devoted service to his Lord and Saviour?

Do you, with God's help, undertake not to hinder your children should they feel called to serve God in a far-away place?

bDo you, with God's help, undertake not to complain against God should your children die before you?

Godparents

Do you hereby pledge to show special interest in these children, to pray for them with regularity, and to aid their parents in their responsibilities however you are able?

Congregation

Do you, the members of this congregation, agree to pray for these parents as they raise their children in the Christian faith, and to support them in their efforts by providing their children with further examples of obedience and service to God? Should these parents neglect their God-given task, will you in all humility rebuke and correct them?

 International Presbyterian Church, 53 Drayton Green, Ealing, London W13 0JE

Questions for prospective Church Members and for Believer's Baptism

 

 

1. Do you believe that God exists, that he is not merely an idea or concept, but lives forever and from all eternity as a personal God in the three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

 

2. Do you know that you have many times done things you know to be wrong, and that if God were to judge you as you deserve, He would have to condemn you?

 

3. Do you believe that Jesus Christ, who has existed forever as the Second Person of the Trinity, became a man, lived a perfect life, died on the Cross, and rose again in history? Do you know that in doing so he did everything necessary to atone for your sin and to restore you to right relationship to God?

 

4. Have you personally accepted this work of Christ, and believed in his promises, including the promise that 'he who believes on the Son has everlasting life'? Can you therefore say without pride or presumption that you are a child of God, born into his family?

 

5. Do you now intend to serve Christ and do you thus acknowledge his lordship over your whole life? Do you realize that you must depend on the strength of the Holy Spirit, and whereas this obedience will indeed be costly, it will not result in any loss to yourself, but will rather bring fulfilment to yourself as a creature made in the image of God?

 

For membership:

 

6. In joining this particular congregation do you promise to be subject to the teaching and discipline of its elders under the Word of God and commit yourself to the welfare of its members?

 

 

The Constitution of The International Presbyterian Church

The official name of this church is the International Presbyterian Church.

The subordinate standards of the International Presbyterian Church are the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.

Local Churches and the Synod

Chapters 13, 14 and 15 of the Book of Acts together with the remainder of the New Testament make it clear that both local churches and synods (or councils) are pleasing to God and commanded by him.

Almighty God in his providence has allowed different parts of his church to be governed in varied ways. He has blessed churches of diverse government as his fruitful branches. Rejoicing in this and in no way casting reflections upon bodies differently governed, we nevertheless believe that government by presbyters is founded upon the Word of God and the practice of the early church and is highly expedient.

We believe that each local church may call one or more men to be 'pastor'. By this title we mean an elder who is able to devote much of his time and gifts to the teaching, shepherding, and ruling of the church, and who therefore should receive financial support from the church. However, the pastor(s) and other elders, as their New Testament description, 'bishop' (episkopoi), indicates, are joined together in the oversight of the church. The distinction between the two indicates no superiority one over another, as all together are responsible for the feeding and shepherding of Christ's flock. (While pastors are not necessary for the well-being of the church, it is evident from Scripture that pastors are most helpful to the well-being of the church.) Any distinction between pastors and elders is to be considered one of expedience and not of office. All presbyters are referred to in I Timothy 3:2 which says 'the bishop must be … a good teacher' (NEB), but this need not imply that all must preach (or that all must equally preach) in the public worship of the church.

Believing that local churches, presbyteries, and synods are founded upon and agreeable to the Word of God, we authorize the spiritual government of this Church by sessions, presbyteries, and synods, which are to be comprised only of presbyters.

These councils do not possess any civil jurisdiction, nor do they inflict any civil penalties. Their power is wholly moral and spiritual, only ministerial and declarative of the Word of God.

The synod, a presbytery, or a local church may own property in accordance with the laws of the country in which the property is situated.

A local church is entitled to keep or dispose of its property as it sees fit whether it remains within or chooses to withdraw from the International Presbyterian Church. This statement is to be construed as a solemn covenant by which the International Presbyterian Church as a whole undertakes never to attempt to secure possession of the property of any congregation against its will, whether or not the congregation remains a part of this body. All officers and agencies of the International Presbyterian Church are hereby prohibited from making any such attempt. These provisions concerning local church property are unamendable and irrevocable.

Officers of the Church

The officers of this church are presbyters (comprising pastors and elders) and deacons.

PRESBYTERS: The person who fills the office of presbyter receives in the Scriptures different names expressive of his various duties. As he has oversight of the flock of Christ, he is called pastor or shepherd. As he serves Christ in his Church he is named minister. As it is his duty to be mature and wise, living as an example to the flock and governing well in the household and kingdom of Christ, he is termed presbyter or elder. As he is sent to declare the will of God to sinners, urging them to be reconciled to God through Christ, entrusted with the Gospel, he is designated ambassador. As he dispenses the manifold grace of God, overseeing the ordinances instituted by Christ, he is entitled steward of the mysteries of God. In all he is in humility the servant of Christ, set apart for the work of his Gospel.

DEACONS: The Scriptures teach that deacons are called to a ministry of helpful service, according to the example of the Lord Jesus who himself 'went about doing good' (Acts 10:38). Their work of giving practical assistance to those in need lends visible expression to the unity of believers in the one Body of Christ.

Deacons are to help and comfort those in sickness, sorrow, difficulty or distress. They should promote love and generosity among the members of the church, maintaining trust and confidence in the integrity of their office as they oversee the collection and distribution of gifts and offerings with expedience and wisdom. They should keep financial records in good order, making regular report to the congregation of all income and expenditure, encouraging the practice of gracious and good stewardship. They are entrusted with the care and upkeep of property owned (or used) by the congregation, responsibly maintaining it as they enlist the time, effort, and resources of the entire membership.

In matters of consequence involving church property or finance the deacons cannot take final action without approval of the session and consent of the congregation. In all matters the deacons are under the supervision and authority of the session.

The qualifications for this office (I Timothy 3:8-13) indicate that it is spiritual in nature. Accordingly, those who fulfill it must be men and women of spiritual character, honest reputation, exemplary life, brotherly spirit, warm sympathy, and sound judgement.

The Church Session

The church session consists of all presbyters of a particular congregation. In the case of a church having only one presbyter, such 'borrowed' presbyters as agreed by the synod will (with him) form a session until additional presbyters are ordained or installed.

A pastor may be the moderator of a local session, but the session as a whole will be answerable to the synod for the teaching of the local congregation.

Every session must keep a clear record of its proceedings. It is to be submitted to the synod once a year for review and inspection.

Every session must keep a register or roll of the members of its congregation, both of believers and of their baptised children; of suspensions from the Lord's Table; of the deaths and other removals of church members. Such names may be entered in or removed from the register only by order of the session.

The Presbytery

When necessary a presbytery may be formed in a particular geographical location as an intermediate body between the local session and the synod. All presbyters in such an area will be members of the presbytery.

The Synod

The synod of this church consists of all presbyters of local congregations. If for good and acceptable reasons a presbyter ceases to be a member of a congregation of the International Presbyterian Church, the synod may invite him to continue as a member from year to year.

The officers of the synod will be the Moderator and the Secretary (Stated Clerk). They are to be elected each year.

The synod, in accordance with the presbyterian form of government, will have the power to do that which enables the International Presbyterian Church to function as a church. It will act as the final court of appeal in all matters affecting the doctrine or constitution of the church. The synod will review the records of each congregation; it will advise and instruct on cases submitted to it; it will constitute the bond of union, peace, correspondence, and mutual confidence among all congregations.

The synod has the power of deciding in all controversies respecting doctrine and discipline; of reproving, warning; of bearing testimony against error in doctrine or immorality in practice; of establishing or incorporating new local congregations; of corresponding with other church bodies on such terms as may be agreed by the synod and the corresponding body; of recommending and aiding the promotion of charity, truth, and holiness.

Electing and Ordaining Deacons

Each congregation may elect deacons in whatever manner it may approve. In all cases the person(s) elected must be a member in good standing in the congregation in which he/she is to exercise the office.

When a person has been elected to this office, and has declared willingness to accept it, he/she is to be ordained in the following manner:

After a sermon in which a presbyter outlines the nature of the office and the character required of the one who fulfills it, he will pose to the candidate the following questions, in the presence of the congregation:

1) Do you believe the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice, without error not only where they speak of religious matters, but also where they speak of history, the cosmos, and ethical matters?

2) Do you approve of the presbyterian form of church government?

3) Do you accept the office of deacon in this congregation, and promise to faithfully perform all of its duties?

4) Do you promise to promote the purity, peace and unity of the Church?

The deacon-elect, having answered these questions in the affirmative, the presbyter concerned will pose the following questions to the congregation assembled:

1) Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive this brother/sister as a deacon, and do you promise to give him/her all that honour, encouragement and obedience in the Lord to which this office, according to the Word of God and the constitution of this church, entitles him/her?

The members of the congregation having answered this question in the affirmative, by holding up their right hands, the session will proceed to ordain the candidate to the office of deacon by the laying-on-of-hands and by prayer.

Electing and Ordaining/Installing Presbyters

It should be noted that I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 specify the qualifications for the office of presbyter. It is understood from these passages and from elsewhere in Scripture that presbyters must be men.

It is the duty of the session to convene a meeting to elect a presbyter if a majority of those entitled to vote in the case so wish. The session is encouraged to seek the advice of presbyters from another session at the time of such an election. In every case the new presbyter must have the approval of the presbytery.

All presbyters will be members of the congregation in which they serve.

When a congregation elects a presbyter and calls him to that office, he is to be examined by the presbytery (or synod), although this examination may well have taken place before the call was issued. A call which has been issued by a congregation and approved by the presbytery (or synod) is in itself a request for the ordination or installation of the presbyter-elect. If he has previously been ordained, he should be installed into office in the congregation which has called him. If he has not been ordained, then his ordination should normally be regarded as including installation within it.

A presbyter is to be ordained in the following manner:

In a service at which a presbyter from another session should be present, a sermon suitable to the occasion will be preached. The presbyter presiding will inform the congregation of the approval given to the candidate by the presbytery (or by the synod). He will explain the church's view of ordination, referring to the significance attributed by Scripture to the office. He will emphasize the seriousness of the commitments made by both the candidate and by the congregation. Then, addressing the candidate, he will pose to him the following questions:

1) Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice, without error not only where they speak of religious matters, but also where they speak of history, the cosmos and ethical matters?

2) Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Westminster Confession of Faith as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures?

3) Do you approve of the presbyterian form of church government?

4) Do you promise such subjection to your brethren as is taught in the Word of God?

5) Do you seek the office of pastor/elder out of love for God and a sincere desire to promote his glory in the Gospel of his Son?

6) Do you promise to be zealous and faithful in maintaining the truths of the Gospel and the purity and peace of the Church &endash; whatever persecution or opposition may arise against you on that account?

7) Do you promise to be faithful in your own walk with Christ, determining to live as an example of the Gospel you preach?

8) Are you now willing to take oversight of this congregation and do you promise to discharge the duties of a pastor/an elder as God gives you strength?

The candidate having answered these questions in the affirmative, the presbyter presiding will pose to the congregation assembled the following questions:

1) Are you, the members of this congregation, willing to receive ………………………..(name) as your pastor/elder?

2) Do you promise to receive his teaching from the Word of God with humility and love, and do you promise to give him all that honour, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord, to which his office, according to the Word of God and the constitution of this church entitles him?

3) Do you promise to encourage him in his difficult work and to help him as he ministers among you?

4) (where applicable) Do you promise to provide him with the financial support which Scripture declares to be your obligation?

In the case of both ordination and installation, the congregation having answered these questions by holding up their right hands, the candidate will kneel and the assembled presbyters will ordain him by the laying-on-of-hands and by prayer.

In the case of installation only, the congregation having answered these questions by holding up their right hands, the assembled presbyters will install the candidates by prayer alone.

 

 

 

AFFIRMATIONS

 

 Every part of Christ's Church, when brought into existence, is called to a ministry of life and teaching which will effectively convey the gospel to its own generation and culture.

 

The International Presbyterian Church recognizes that it has been raised up by the Lord for a specific purpose and to a specific work, its distinctive ministry shaped by the inerrant Word of God and adapted to the needs of the present time.

 

We believe that our Presbyterian form of church government is founded upon the Word of God and the pattern of the early church, and is both practicable and helpful1.

 

Believing the Church to transcend national boundaries we rejoice in the international character of our church, both because some congregations are of mixed nationality, and because God has raised up congregations of particular nationality.

 

We acknowledge that there are many true churches of Christ. We are glad to be of service to them and are thankful for whatever help we may receive from them. We are glad both to receive them and to be received by them in fitting expressions of fellowship and unity in the one Body of Christ.

 

However, this church stands in the stream of historic Christianity, and in the Reformed tradition1, which since the sixteenth century has upheld the truth of God's Word and the authority of Christ over all of life.

 

In affirming our valuable heritage we wish to emphasize the importance of the following in the life and witness of our church for the present time: Truth, Spirituality, Social Responsibility, Ethical Imperatives, and the Understanding of Contemporary Culture.

 

1. TRUTH

 

We affirm, against the consensus of our society, that there is such a thing as truth. Unchanging, reliable and understandable information pertaining to all of life is conveyed from God to man by the Scriptures.

 

Statements made by the Bible are objectively true, even though they may not be exhaustive. By this we mean that they accurately describe the nature of things both as they are in themselves, and as they exist within the course of history which God has begun and which he sustains.

 

Statements about the cosmos and the natural world are factual even though they are not made in the language of today's sciences.

 

1See Appendix for History of Presbyterianism

Statements about the nature of man, his divine image, his sinfulness, his need of salvation and the reality of his judgement are not simply 'religious' statements (eg

merely subjective) but statements of fact. Thus, for example, the Bible teaches that we live in a world which clearly declares that it has been created by God, but also a world which is abnormal in every respect because of the fall.

 

Within the relativistic culture2 which surrounds us, we consider it imperative to emphasize this view of truth, for it is the foundation of all knowledge and life.

 

Therefore we acknowledge that we must obey the commandment of Christ to go out into all the world to preach the gospel, to teach, to baptise, to make disciples, and to plant new congregations which will faithfully guard and proclaim God's truth.

 

As we acknowledge and speak this truth, we must strive to live by it. Accordingly, we seek the purity of the visible church and insist there must be discipline in matters of false doctrine and disobedience to God's moral commandments.

 

2. SPIRITUALITY

 

Even a brief survey of Church history shows that the Church has been repeatedly confused about the nature of spirituality. Instead of being seen as essentially positive, involving the restoration of man's humanity under God's authority, it has been regarded, either explicitly or by implication, as something negative. Christianity then becomes a withdrawal from life and a denial of those categories of ordinary human experience (such as creativity, compassion, beauty, and even in some cases responsibility) which actually constitute man as the image of God, even when he is fallen.

 

Such an attitude, characterised by Colossians 2:20 as 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!' has an appearance of wisdom (ie spirituality) but in fact lacks any value in the real struggle, that again sin. Against this mentality of negation we affirm that spirituality is essentially positive. Redemption includes not only atonement for sin but also the eventual and complete restoration of all good things through Christ's work.

 

This has profound and practical implications for both the believer and the church. First, the believer is encouraged to take issue not with his humanity but with his sin. Neither the appreciation of beauty nor the enjoyment of physical pleasures are wrong in and of themselves. Rather, it is the misuse of these God-given capacities that constitutes sin. Second, the believer is to consider the whole of life the proper realm of his spirituality, rejecting any separation of the secular and spiritual dimensions of life. Life in the home, life in the work place, the realms of politics, art, literature, education &endash; all are significant and all are important to the believer and the church. As Abraham Kuyper said, 'There is not in all the universe one square inch of territory over which Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not say 'That is mine'. Third, because churches should never be merely 'preaching points' or 'activity generators', the believer must be committed to living within the fellowship and community of the Body of Christ and there to demonstrate transformed relationships.

 

2Eg see penultimate paragraph, page 4

3. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

 

Our culture insists that personal fulfilment and social progress come by throwing off restrictive moral tradition. In contrast, we affirm that God has made human beings to reflect his righteous and loving character, and that the law of God given in Scripture shows how they are meant to live. Fulfilment and freedom for individual and society result from obedience to God's commandments. These commandments are good not only for believers but for all people. The Christian need never hesitate to commend them to human society.

 

We affirm the basic unity of the Old and New Testaments. The abiding demands of Old Testament law are to be embodied in the lives of Christians as they were in the life of Christ.

 

We affirm that the Christian is called not to retreat from society but to be salt and light in it. As light he is to live in a way which causes people to be drawn to the truth. Such practice of righteousness and love is to be seen not only in the life of the individual but in that of the church, as it strives to be a living community, characterised by genuine care and concern. As salt the Christian is to love his neighbour as himself, helping those in need outside the church, and not shunning responsible involvement in civic affairs.

 

Regarding the State, we affirm that Scriptures consider the offices of human government to be instituted by God. Because he has established them to further his purposes, they are obliged to undertake the just use of force against evil-doers. However, if conflict arises between conscience and the commands of any human authority the Christian must obey God first. Yet as the civil office represents a calling pleasing to God we affirm that the Christian may indeed seek such office in order to serve him.

 

4. ETHICAL IMPERATIVES

 

We must recognise the 'ethical imperatives' of our own day &endash; those issues which demand an ethical response &endash; and not simply contemplate the battles of past generations.

 

Throughout the ages men have failed to treat other men with the dignity, justice, respect, and compassion due to all human beings. They have often done this by denying the essential humanity of those whom they would abuse. This has been done to enemies in wartime, to black slaves, and to aboriginal peoples. In our day it is the unseen, unborn humans in the womb whose humanity is often denied so that they may be killed.

 

We must help bring an end to the 'slaughter of the innocents' carried on at present through legalised abortion. As we affirm the humanity of unborn children we are obliged to work for their protection. It is appropriate to do so both by moral persuasion, as the biblical view of unborn children is expounded and applied, and by political action, as we resolve to change the unjust laws which permit their destruction.

 

At the same time, we must help in practical and loving ways those who have used or are tempted to use abortion as a solution to their predicament.

 

In this context, we cannot neglect to emphasize that while sexual experience is good in itself because created by God, it is legitimate only within marriage, that is within a life-long, exclusive commitment between one man and one woman. It is particularly incumbent on us to teach this to our young people.

 

We commit ourselves to defend the dignity and well-being of man as created in the image of God when and where necessary. For example, there should be a strong and active concern to prevent or relieve famine, to find creative solutions to unemployment, to oppose racial discrimination, and to uphold religious liberty.

 

5. UNDERSTANDING CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

 

Whether in the second century or in the twentieth, Christians have always been tempted to avoid the confrontation of ideas ad practices which inevitably accompany a faithful proclamation of God's truth. Frequently this has been masked by an apparently sincere desire to be 'relevant' &endash; to understand the ideas of a culture in order to endorse its fashions and traditions wherever possible.

 

We must stress that any discussion of popular culture must first acknowledge the primacy of Scripture and then be conducted with reference to it. The Church must always start with the written revelation of God because the Bible is the final authority and infallible guide for all ages until Christ returns. Without it a proper understanding of contemporary culture cannot be found. Only as God's light is lifted up among us can we see clearly amidst the surrounding darkness.

 

We therefore subject our view of the present culture to a prior consideration of the Word of God. Nevertheless, this does not imply that attempts to understand contemporary culture are either unnecessary or misguided. Since its formation the Church has been commissioned as much to a prophetic ministry as to an evangelistic one. Therefore it needs to identify the ways in which people are perishing and being misled in order to address itself to their rescue, and to see the ways in which injustice and unrighteousness are promoted or condoned in order to oppose them.

 

This is doubly important in our own moment of history as we witness the flowering of pagan culture on every side. Christians are only too conscious of the profound change which has marked the past thirty or forty years, without understanding that it is an inevitable consequence of a widespread and malignant disease, namely the acceptance of a materialistic and relativistic world-view. People are now taught and encouraged to value material things above all else and to deny absolute standards of right and wrong. It is this which has brought such a rapid deterioration of values in recent decades: the breakdown of marriage, promiscuity, abortion, infanticide, material greed, violent crime and the acceptance of homosexual practices.

 

Therefore, we attempt to understand contemporary culture in order to arrest its degeneration and decay, and, by God's grace, to reform society by the preaching of the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20) and by the open statement of the truth (II Corinthians 4:2). In this sense we are indeed called to be relevant, so as to speak 'clearly as we should' (Colossians 4:4). To remain old-fashioned and so to continue habits of life and thought merely because they have come down to us from a previous generation is to deny our responsibility to live and speak prophetically.

 

(Adopted November 1985)

 


         
         RULES FOR BEING HUMAN
         
         
As far as learning to be human goes, the following Rules could well be those 
given to us before we were born, in order to to guide us through this life.
         
         
1. You will receive a body. You will like it or hate it, but it will be yours 
for the entire period you're around.
         
         
2. You will learn lessons. You are already enrolled in the full-time informal 
school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to 
learn more. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid. That 
is your choice.
         
         
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and 
error, mingled with occasional short-cuts learned from watching others. The 
"failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the choices which 
ultimately "work."
         
         
4. A lesson is repeated until it is learned. Each lesson will be presented to 
you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it you 
can go on to the next lesson.
         
         
5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not 
contain its own lessons. If you are alive, there will always be new lessons to be 
learned.
         
         
6. "THERE" is no better than "HERE." When your "There" has become "Here," you 
will simply discover another "There" that again will look better than "Here."
         
         
7. Others are mostly mirrors of yourself. You cannot love or hate something 
about another person unless it reflects on something you love or hate about 
yourself. If you hurt someone else you are ultimately hurting yourself. 
         
         
8. Your answers to life's questions lie inside you. You simply need to listen 
and trust. (If you are a Christian, the voice of the Spirit will come from 
within as well. If you are not a believer, heaven help you!)
         
         
9. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the resources and 
tools you need. What you do with them is your choice.
         
         
10. You will forget all this.

         
         
These are my notes of a biographical talk I gave on the centenary of the death of
one of my heroes.
         
         
CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON
         
Born 19.6.1834 Kelvedon, Essex. Two generations of Independent pastors. 17th.C.
 ancestors fled Catholic Europe. Melbourne then Peel P.M. Lincoln enters politics.
Early years in grandfather's manse with Puritan books, read for family prayers at 5.
1836 Chartism, Pickwick Papers.
37 William IV dies. Victoria,b.19.
39 1st. Opium war.
40 Victoria marries Albert.
Back to parents, Colchester. School. Precocious. Prophecy by former missionary of
 preaching future.
48 Communist manifesto.
Maidstone, Agricultural college.
49 Usher in a Newmarket school, 15 Conviction of sin.
6.1.1850 converted Primitive Methodist Chapel, Colchester. 15
3.5.50 Baptism in River Park 15 Regularly doing evangelistic visiting Teaching
 Sunday school. Cambridge as student teacher Preaching in villages.
Oct. 1851 pastor, Waterbeach Baptists 17 Village transformed Forthright, witty,
 disciplined Failed to gain place at Stepney Baptist College through maid's mistake
. University closed. Later it was said that college would have spoilt his education
 by Bunyan, other Puritans and ordinary country people.
18.12.53 Visits New Park Street, 80 in 1200 places. Invited 3 Jan. Sundays.
Feb. 3 months trial Asked for prayer.
Apr. 1854 accepted pastorate of New Park St. Southwark 19 soon filled. Exeter Hall
, 5000 full, while chapel extended to 2000. Preaching Christ centred, direct,
 applied, earthy, humour wit great amount of poetic allusion, remarkable memory.
 Prayers were even more remarkable said Moody, later. Press said most remarkable
 ministry since Whitfield and Wesley. Queue to get in. In depth press debate on
 theology and preaching. Phenomenon of the age.
late 54 Cholera 20. Fearless visiting eventually, reputation for healing prayer,
 denied any special gift.
Jan 55 Weekly sermons first published 20.
Oct. Reissued 1689 Baptist confession.
Feb-May 56 Exeter Hall 22. Left because owners could not let it become Baptist.
1856 married Susanna Thompson. Started Pastor's College, financed personally 15 
years. By 66 students had founded 18 new London congregations including West
 Ealing in 65. 22 19 10 56 First evening at Surrey Gardens Music Hall. Fire!!
  7 dead in 12000 22. Missed only one Sunday.
57 Early disputes with Arminians and hyper Calvinists. Press ridicule. Plans for
 world's biggest chapel. The saint and His Saviour, first book. From this year
 health, previously good, deteriorated.
7.10.57 Crystal Palace 23654 £700 to India fund 23 after mutiny.
59 Origin of Species.
10 7 59 10000 on Clapham Common for widow of man killed by lightning.
11.12.59 left Music Hall, Revival Year. Left due to Sunday entertainments.
18.12.59-1.3.61 Exeter Hall. 24. Exhausted at 10 sermons a week.
61 Albert died.
18.3.1861 Metropolitan Tabernacle opened 26, 3600 seats + 2000 standing, precentor
 led singing, 3 months paid seating tickets. Unreserved seats 5 minutes before
 service.
63 American Civil War chs v anti slavery and outspoken in an unusual way. 
Perhaps one reason why never went to U.S.A.
5.6.1864 Sermon on Baptismal Regeneration accused evangelicals of perjury for not
preaching it! 29 350000 copies. A saucy fellow- Lord Shaftesbury. Left Evangelical
 Alliance. Temperance society at Pastor's College though C.H.S. not teetotal.
65 Lincoln assassinated, Barnardo's first home.
Jan 65 Sword & Trowel, a founder of London Baptist Assoc., 64 churches. 30.
67 Church decoration. Agricultural Hall, North London, 20000 . October ill, 
exhausted, gout. Sir James Simpson operated on Mrs. S.
68 Disraeli then Gladstone P.M. Support for Gladstone disestablishing Church of 
Ireland.
1869 Stockwell Orphanage 35, widow's £20000 gift. Smallpox, gout.
71 depression, 7 silent weeks instead of up to 10 sermons. Italy vacation.
1874 dispute on tobacco 40.
75 Lectures to my students. Supported Moody's first mission.
79 Zulu war. His jubilee, 66 institutions from his ministry
84 Ill in Mentone.
85 Gordon killed.
1887-9 Downgrade controversy over lack of doctrinal discipline with incipient 
 liberalism in Baptists. 53.
28.10.87 Withdrew from B.U. 53.
88 Weary worn and ill. July too weak to write, Mentone.
24,2,89 Back in London.
Oct. 90- Feb. 91 Mentone. 
1891, 6 June, last sermon in London. 6000 congregation, 14692 members added,
 20 million hearers there alone.
26 10.91 France.
1892, 31 Jan died Mentone, France 57.
50000 passed the coffin 5 funeral services no plain stone.
98 Met. Tab. burnt down.
May 1917 Last sermon published.

         

         
         
This is another talk given at our church.         

         
         
         
         

         
         
Is the Welfare State A Christian Responsibility?

         
         
If the government is not concerned about poverty they are denying people their
 human rights. So said Paul Goggins of Church Action on Poverty on Radio 4 this
 morning. Well that statement makes some bold assumptions, like the concept of
 human rights which I might tackle another night, but today it is poverty under
 examination. Whose responsibility is it? Do you support the idea of higher taxes
 to give more to the poor? Do you give to beggars?
         

         
         
An historical survey (Anglocentric)

         
         
	Pre- reformation gifts to church for charity and chantries
	Henry V111 had beggars whipped
1557 Mary had them branded V for vagabond. London later granted 1000
     licenses to beggars
1572 JPs to organise Overseers of the poor in every parish. Poor rate. Some
      houses of correction and workhouses.
1601 Poor Law revised and to last over 230 years  for unemployed, sick, aged
     and orphans. replaces private charity through church. But generous parishes 
	were a magnet.
1662 Act of Settlement Only one place where you can get help.
1697 Certificates of settlement legalised so migrant workers could be returned 
      to their parish of settlement if impoverished
18c  Pauper apprentices Later battles over their conditions of work.
	Some private workhouses were the worst.
1795 Berks justices used poor relief to supplement wages. Speenhamland 		
     system. Allowances to supplement low wages. Widespread use. Rise in
     rates. Total doubled in 8 years. Locally it rose 8 fold in one parish in 29 
	years. Dependency. Large families encouraged.
1834 Poor law amendment act. To last 80 years. Orphans, sick and old deserved
     help but the rest were idle. So discourage poor relief and the problem will
     vanish. Parishes grouped into unions. Elected Boards of Guardians 
	responsible to national Poor Law Commission. Able bodied not eligible for
     relief if in own homes. Workhouses to be less comfortable than the life of
     the poorest outside the system. Sexes separated so as not to encourage more
     dependants. An administrative success lasting to 1929 but much resentment
 	in industrial north where occasional unemployment was a hazard.
 	Commissioners stoned and the workhouse test had to be abandoned in
 	industrial areas. Allowances removed in rural parts.
1793,1829,1846 Acts to protect Friendly Societies. Weekly sub for unemployment, 
	sickness and death benefits. By 1850 25% of workers took part.
1835 Municipal corporations
1870 School Boards
1888 County councils
1894 Rural and Urban district Councils All took over much of the work of Boards of
     Guardians.
1908 Old age pensions
1911 Unemployment insurance, relief 15 weeks a year. 2x16 weeks in 1921
1929 Local Government Act gave duties of Guardians to county and borough 		
councils. Mass unemployment necessitated a change but by now guardians 	
    cared mainly for aged.
1931 Means tested Transitional payment to supplement the Dole.
1944 For the first time a government said that the first aim of economic policy
     should be the avoidance of unemployment. It was no longer to be seen as 	
     the fault of the idle.

         
         
How the Law cared for the poor

         
         
Exod. 23:11   but during the seventh year let the land lie unplayed and unused. 
Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat
 what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. 
Lev. 25:25    "If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his 
property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold. 
Lev. 25:35    "If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support 
himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can 
continue to live among you.
Obedience abolishes poverty but sin establishes it 
Deut. 15:4   However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD 
your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 
Deut. 15:7   If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the
land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tight-fisted to
ward your poor brother. 
Deut. 15:11   There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you
to be open-handed toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

         
         
Economic justice 

         
         
Deut. 24:14,15   Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, 
whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns.  Pay him
his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. 
Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. 
Prov. 19:17   He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him
for what he has done. 
Prov. 22:9   A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with 
the poor. 

         
         
Christian help

         
         
Acts 9:36   In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is
Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 
Acts 10:4   Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The 
angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial 
offering before God. 
Acts 24:17    "After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my 
people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. 
Rom. 15:26   For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the 
poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
 

         
         
Origins of centralised state

         
         
1 Sam. 8:6-22   But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased 
Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the 
people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected
me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt
until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now
listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will
reign over them will do. "Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who
were asking him for a king. He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you
will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses,
and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of 
thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plough his ground and reap his 
harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 
He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take 
the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his 
attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to 
his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your 
cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks,
and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for 
relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.
"But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us.
Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out 
before us and fight our battles. "When Samuel heard all that the people said,
he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a
king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town." 
         
So taxation, conscription, impoverishment but no promised help for the needy.
         

         
         
Question for your deliberation

         
         
We today accept concepts unknown to Scripture. Human rights. Scripture talks of 
charity. A State which cares for welfare, education and health. Does Scripture 
give a case to argue that these areas should not be primarily the responsibility 
of the state? Do people want these to be the state's responsibility because that 
is easier than personal responsibility? Has the state become an idol, i.e. in the 
place of God?
         
19/11/95

         
         

         
         Tax cuts

         
         
Dr. J Benton
Evangelicals Now
14 Silverleigh Road
Thornton Heath
CR7 6DU								30.10.94

         
         
 

         
         
Dear John,
         
So you feel sick of tax cuts and are keen to be a supporter of God's servant the civil government.
         
This might sound commendable to some, but do you not have a responsibility to consider in the light of Holy Scripture the purpose of civil government and therefore the limitations as to the areas for which it should demand taxes?
         
To my limited knowledge there seems to be a dearth of contemporary literature on this subject apart from that of the reconstructionists which seems simplistic.
         
Today the state has taken over and secularised provisions originally initiated on the basis of Christian charity. This is the case in health, education and social security. What was originally given graciously by Christians is now demanded as a human right which the state should provide. But should it?
         
Today the state is idolised in the place of God as the provider of the peoples' needs.
It refuses to make moral judgments to discern between worthy  and unworthy recipients of benefits. It has consistently moved away from giving fiscal advantage to those who live according to God's standards, e.g. in matrimony.
         
Christians have historically taken action against unjust taxation. Ship money for Charles I and George III's demands upon his transatlantic subjects were resisted and the course of history changed.
         
We have a duty to pay taxes but also a responsibility to speak prophetically concerning the limitations of civil governmental responsibilities. If the government gets it hands out of our pockets we would be free to use more of our money to the glory of God	. But perhaps too many Christians would rather continue to turn over responsibility, and money to the state.
         
Yours in the service of the King,
         
Graham J Weeks

         
         

         
         
									

         
         
The European Community and Xenophobia

         
         
30th June 1996
				 				
Dear John.
         
Sir Fred Catherwood should be able to distinguish between a hatred of The European Community and xenophobia. Most people I know are highly critical of the EC and the two European Courts. We believe that governments since 1970 have sold our national birthright for a mess of European potage, but we have no hatred for the citizens of the EC.
         
In the 1970 general election I had a choice of three candidates all of whom were pro Europe. For the only time in an election, local, national or European I deliberately abstained having been as effectively disenfranchised as when I went to live in Nigeria later that year.
         
After we were in Europe,  Wilson gave people a referendum about continuing in Europe. It was like a woman, having been forced into a shotgun wedding, being asked if she still consented, when the baby was a toddler. Not surprisingly the vote was for the status quo.
         
I do not understand how even a Europhile like Sir Fred can tell us that the continental beef industry has been damaged more than ours over the BSE fiasco. There are plenty of customers for British beef . I am even now digesting my Sunday roast beef dinner. Why should not the world be able to buy our beef? No one has established that it is anything other than wholesome.
         
The thing that upsets me the most about this whole sad affair is that there is no free market at all. The price of beef has not come down. Neither government nor the industry want a free market. The farmers want their guaranteed incomes, relying on the state rather than providence and good husbandry for their living.
         
A plague on the EC in general and the Common Agricultural Policy in particular. Let us get out of the EC, out of the European Courts. Let us reestablish a nation state of the United Kingdom.
         
Of course if the Scots or the Welsh want their own way, well some of us would be prepared to be gracious.
         
Yours sincerely, Graham J Weeks

         
         

         
         Establishment

         
         
Dr. J Benton
Evangelicals Now
14 Silverleigh Road
Thornton Heath
CR7 6DU			
								6 November 1993
         
Dear John,
         
I continue to enjoy and be stimulated by EN. I regret that I did not write before on the subject of establishment. 
         
First of all the treatment of the issue was anglo-centric. There is more than one such church even in this United Kingdom and others that would like to be established at least north of the Border!
         
Secondly and of primary importance is the practical effect of disestablishment of any church. The result would not be the "biblical" position advocated by Herbert Carson et al. The clear result would be the establishment of se