The self-titled release by the Atlanta-based band, Theocracy first appeared in 2007 but has been out of circulation since that time. For several months, fans have long-awaited for the release of Theocracy’s original album – an album that has been remastered and remixed. On November 19, fans around the were thrilled to listen in to Matt Smith and the boys hammer out their unique style of Stryper meets Dream Theater heavy metal music.
Track by Track:
After an 80s-like keyboard intro, the album begins with a double-base drum anthem that celebrates victory in Christ. Here are a few lines from Ichthrus.
Forced into the catacombs unite to praise the King of kings they fear a revolution and the power that He brings heaven’s sons stand as one, as believers in the blood of Christ even in death we have true life
CENTURIES FLY
BUT THE FLAME IS STILL ALIVE
THE MAY HIDE IT, BUT IT WILL NEVER DIE
CARVED IN OUR SOULS,
SEE THE TWO HALVES OF THE SIGN
THROUGH THE AGES HIS GLORY WILL ARISE
FOR ALL TIME
The Serpent’s Kiss begins as a ballad and speaks candidly about the curse of sin that has been inflicted on the cosmos.
Born into the darkness thrown into the viper’s den the serpent in the cradle takes the child into its nest of sin slowly suffocating the souls of victims it has found into the vicious cycle on the path that only leads us down
Rat-race-fueled machinery this system of corruption have we become so cold and numb we’re blind to its destruction? We’re forging in the fires made of greed Our idols made of gold then bowing down before them with corrupt, adulterous souls opened eyes, realize…
WHAT WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HAS BECOME OF OUR LIVES CORRUPTED OUR DREAMS WHAT WE HAVE LOST AND WHAT REMAINS PARALYZED BY THE VENOM THAT RUNS THROUGH OUR VEINS THERE’S GOT TO BE MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS THE WORLD’S CARESS IS JUST THE SERPENT’S KISS
But the venom that has plagued mankind has been defeated by the power of the cross. So the song continues …
I stand before you as a child by this world I’ve been defiled stained and poisoned, burned and beaten bruised and wounded, sick and vile with hands reaching out to you, I run realizing what I’ve done you take me in your arms, a reunited father and son…
The song is not only a powerful reminder of the gospel but also leaves listeners with a permanent and painful warning:
And all illusion ceases to exist the world’s caress is just a serpent’s kiss
Mountain paints a vivid portrait of the journey that every Christ-follower faces.
Step by step the climb gets harder my being weakens as I struggle farther and farther flesh is weakness, darkness, sickness my dreams are shattered, my ambitions crumbled my will defeated, my spirit humbled once more I am hopeless, helpless without you
The tune resembles John Bunyan’s classic work, Pilgrim’s Progress and leaves listeners with hope as they plod their way through the Christian life:
Take me to the places I can’t go Transcending I’m sick of living in the status quo New Beginning And when it seems I’ve given up On eagle’s wings you lift me up again and this time I know, in the end …You carried me
The title track, Theocracy is a metal dream that challenges every listener with the direct claims of Christ’s lordship:
At the center of my heart there sits a throne That the rightful occupant’s not always free to call His own For how can I give the King His place of worth above all else When I spend my time striving to place the crown upon myself?
The chorus hammers the lordship theme with a holy vengeance:
I TAKE MY CROWN AND CAST IT DOWN CASTLES BURNING CASTLES BURNING LEARN TO GROW, GROW TO BE A FLESH AND BLOOD THEOCRACY TO TAKE THE LOSS AND BEAR THE CROSS RAISE THE KINGDOM RAISE THE KINGDOM BURN AWAY ALL I’VE BEEN TO RESURRECT THEOCRACY WITHIN
2 Corinthians 10:5 is employed to remind Christians to submit every thought to the lordship of Christ:
and the would-be rulers of my heart that I place upon the throne each leads the kingdom of my life to ruin to bring every thought into submission to tear the idols down is to break the chains, to rearrange, to give the king his crown
The Healing Hand is a powerful five-part masterpiece that begins with the prophecy of the Messiah – the hope of nations. The tune leads listeners from the cradle to the Cross of Christ where the “healing hand becomes the bleeding hand.”
His kingdom forever, the Lion of Judah in strength
everlasting redemption, atonement complete
resurrected in power, as King now he stands
FOR THE BLEEDING HAND HAS BECOME THE RULING HAND
Faith-born forever, a part of His kingdom become
Or reject him, stand back
and watch his kingdom come
Alpha and omega almighty is he
Christ reigns victorious for eternity
Eternity
Several more songs grace this stunning album. There is simply too much to share in a short review in this format. But suffice it to say, this piece of work by Theocracy is about as good as it gets. The music is tight, the production is crisp, and the vocals are spot on. Again, as I have noted elsewhere, Matt Smith is one of the premier songwriters of this day. For whatever reason, he has gone largely unnoticed – a tragedy in its own right. This young man should be commended for his God-given gifts. But as every God-fearing man recognizes, all the glory goes back to the Giver of every good gift.
Thanks to Matt Smith and the band for writing such God-honoring music; heavy metal music that truly honors the Lord Jesus Christ and magnifies his gospel!
We are children of postmodernity. The challenges before us may seem daunting. We live in a culture that relies heavily on hunches, intuitions, and feelings. The emphasis on the subjective has led many to deny biblical Christianity and reject any notion of truth. The witty British writer, G.K. Chesterton poetically described the plight of postmodern culture: “Once people stop believing in God, the problem is not that they will believe nothing; rather the problem is that they will believe anything.”
Given the dismal postmodern attitude toward authority, where are we to turn? Perhaps more than ever, we as disciples of Jesus need a solid rock to stand on or the waves of syncretism, pluralism, and false teaching may sweep us away. We must, therefore, begin and end with the Bible as the source of divine revelation from God.
The Word of God is our highest authority. Therefore, we also need to become acquainted with the supreme value of Scripture and the benefits it brings to our daily lives. Understanding the transcendent worth of God’s Word not only helps us grow more deeply in love with the Savior; it helps point our generation to the truth that can be found in Jesus Christ alone. Consider a few valuable qualities of God’s Word found in Psalm 19:7.
God’s Authoritative Word
First, the Word of God is perfect. Psalm 19:7 plainly says, “The law of the LORD is perfect.” The Hebrew word translated perfect means “complete, whole, or sound.” It is in accord with what is true. So we can confidently approach God’s Word with the full assurance that the truth presented corresponds to reality. God’s Word is not a trifle or a fad. It is perfect in every way and demands our unwavering allegiance.
Psalm 19:7 secondly reveals that God’s Word is the means of conversion. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.” In other words, apart from God’s Word, conversion is impossible. Calvin indicates that while God is revealed in general revelation, the “spectacles of faith” are needed to rightly perceive and receive God. “It is needful that another and better help be added to direct us aright to the very Creator of the universe . . . So the Scripture, gathering up the otherwise confused knowledge of God in our minds, having dispersed our dullness clearly shows us the true God.” Spurgeon adds force to the argument that God’s Word is the means of conversion:
The great means of the conversion of sinners is the Word of God, and the more closely we keep to it in our ministry the more likely we are to be successful . . . Try men’s depraved nature with philosophy and reasoning, and it laughs at your efforts to scorn, but the Word of God soon works a transformation.
So people everywhere must submit to God’s Word and recognize the biblical truth that salvation belongs to the Lord.
Third, the Word of God is reliable and trustworthy. “The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7b, NIV). “Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true” (Ps. 119:142). “O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised good things to your servant” (2 Sam. 7:28). God’s Word is the anchor of truth for believers who live in a world that balks at the notion of truth. It is the firm foundation where believers may confidently rest, knowing that the sacred Scriptures will never disappoint for they are utterly reliable and trustworthy.
When Luther stood before the Diet at Worms and was asked to repudiate his books and the “errors they contain,” he replied:
Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is held captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me, Amen.
May God grant us the rigor and courage of Luther as we hold the authoritative Word of God high in the unique culture where God has providentially placed us.
Tim Scott & Trey Gowdy, Unified (Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2018), 220 pp.
We may live in one of the most divided times in American history. The cultural climate is rising without any hope of resolution in sight. Senator Tim Scott and Congressman, Trey Goudy recognize the problems in our land. Yet, they both have a realistic outlook, which is laced with optimism. Their book, Unified invites readers to pursue racial reconciliation and restoration, which will strengthen the fabric of our fractured nation.
Unified is a very basic book that reads like a conversation between two lawmakers. These conservative thinkers, who have become the best of friends, bring their unique conservative perspectives to the table. Their mutual love and respect for one another are apparent from the outset. These two men, who are both committed Christ-followers model what friendship can and should look like.
Senator Scott and Congressman Gowdy steer clear of politics, however. Their aim is to promote an optimistic vision of hope for the future of our nation:
“We believe that our nation can be united and transformed by conversations and friendships that lead to reconciliation and understanding. As Americans, we must uphold the ideals of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity, even as we continue to work together to make those ideals a reality for all. We must come together, find solutions, and get to a point where we can see that our strength as a nation is rooted in all that is good in our world.”
There are no quick fixes here. The authors understand and acknowledge that legislation will not cure the illness in American culture. True and lasting change must take place in the lives of people. In what may prove to be the most important insight in the book, Senator Scott writes, “We will change the nation only by changing the condition of the human heart.” This change, undergirded by the gospel of grace has the power to change individuals and families. Then and only then, will our nation see a renewal.
Unified is a worthy read by two men of integrity; men who are striving to make America a better place. This is the first of many steps but it is a step in the right direction.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Lucy S.R. Austen, Elisabeth Elliot: A Life (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2023), 611 pp.
My late Aunt, Betty Steele used to urge me to read biographies, especially missionary biographies. In a strange irony, the latest biography on my reading list is Elisabeth Elliot: A Life by Lucy S.R. Austen. The ironic twist is due to my late aunt’s acquaintance with Elizabeth Elliot when she served at HCJB in Quito, Ecuador. Elliot is known best as the wife of Jim Elliot, one of the five men slain by Auca Indians, the people group they longed to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ. On January 8, 1956, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming were speared to death.
Nate Saint’s son, Steve Saint retells the tale of his father’s death in his book, The End of the Spear. Lucy S.R. Austen tells another story – the story of a young woman whose husband was abruptly taken in the early years of their marriage. Austen presents readers with a comprehensive biographical look at one of the most well-known Christian women of the twentieth century.
Elisabeth Elliot: A Life is an inside look at a woman who endured gut-wrenching tragedy, yet persisted in her dream of winning lost people to Christ. Austen does not spare any details. She helps readers understand what made Elisabeth Elliot tick. She recounts the full spectrum of faith in Elliot’s life – both struggling and resilient.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Elliot’s life was her commitment to complementarianism. Austen cites from Elliot’s book, Let Me Be a Woman: “God created male and female, the male to call forth, to lead, initiate and rule, and the female to respond, follow, adapt, submit … Within the Godhead, there is both the just and legitimate authority of the Father and the willing and joyful submission of the Son.”
Elliot’s views on marriage struck the proper biblical balance: “The man and woman who recognize that they are heirs together of the grace of life move in time to the rhythm, accepting their boundaries as do the waves, yielding their self-life to the Will of life Universal … moving always toward the final fulfillment and joy – the perfect Music – which is the will of God.”
Elisabeth Elliot: A Life is a riveting look at a remarkable Christian woman. She penned twenty-eight books, spoke around the world, and left a legacy that will stand the test of time. Elliot’s life was not perfect – not even close. She, like every follower of Christ, was a sinner saved by grace. Her life is a testament to the gospel of God and will continue to shine forth for generations!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
It has been said that one of the greatest problems that plagues contemporary people is unresolved guilt. Sin squeezes the life out of unwitting victims. Sins of omission, sins of commission, sins of regret, neglect, fear, ungodly anger, broken relationships, and insubordination pose a massive threat to the well-being of well-meaning people.
No one is excluded from this sinful parade. We have all committed sin. We are sinners by nature and by choice – and as a result, guilt rears its ugly head. Sometimes the guilt waits to surface until we’re all alone. For some of us, guilt is a constant note on the musical score sheet of our lives. For others, the only time we feel guilt is when we hear a preacher remind us about our sin.
Here is the problem: Apart from the grace of God, we all stand before the bar of God’s justice – and we stand condemned. Apart from the grace of God – we are guilty.
The sound of the gavel is unmistakable in a courtroom setting. When the gavel falls, it reminds us that a verdict has been reached. It announces the guilt or innocence of the defendant.
In 1 John 2, the apostle John ushers us into the celestial courtroom and answers the question, “What is the greatest need of sinners when the gavel falls?” As we enter the heavenly tribunal, I invite you to encounter the divine standard and the divine representative.
THE DIVINE STANDARD
If you ever have the opportunity to attend a trial in a courtroom one of the first memories you will have is when the Judge enters the courtroom. The bailiff announces, “All rise!” John the apostle introduces the presiding Judge of the universe in 1 John 1:5. He writes, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
The Presiding Judge of the Divine Standard
He is the majestic God of the universe. The psalmist proclaims, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens” (Ps. 8:1, ESV). Moses says, “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exod. 15:11).
He is the transcendent God of the universe. “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isa. 57:15).
He is the sovereign God of the universe. The psalmist reminds us, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3,). Daniel 4:34-35 says, “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?””
And he is the holy God of the universe. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). The psalmists adds, “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness” (Psalm 9:7–8). The heavenly Judge has the authority to issue the particulars of the divine standard. This is the divine standard we turn our attention to.
The Particulars of the Divine Standard
John gives his readers an inside look at the motivation for his writing: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin …” (v. 1). John calls his readers to live holy lives, what he refers to as “walking in the light.” Notice the particulars, then, of this divine standard.
First, the call to holiness began in eternity past. Scripture reveals that God chose his people before the creation of the cosmos: “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him …” (Eph. 1:4).
Second, we are called out of darkness to proclaim the excellencies of God. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
Third, we are called to conduct ourselves in a holy manner. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”” (1 Pet. 1:14–16).
The heart of the apostle John is to communicate the divine standard to Christians: “so that you may not sin.” Indeed, this is God’s standard – this is the divine standard. But there is a problem we must acknowledge: we do sin (1 John 1:5-10).
To sin means to miss the mark, specifically in our relationship to God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law God.”1 “Sin is disobedience to God’s revealed law,” writes Martyn Lloyd-Jones.2 And John Piper summarizes, “What does not come from satisfaction in God, and through the guidance of God, and for the glory of God, is God-less – it is sin.”3
Since we fail to the divine standard in every respect, John introduces the Divine Representative.
THE DIVINE REPRESENTATIVE
The apostle John presents three marks of the Divine Representative: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
First, Jesus is righteous. The author of Hebrews helps us understand that the Divine Representative is sinless: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Jesus is without sin. Jesus is righteous.
Second, Jesus stands face-to-face with the Father. In the Gospel of John, in the book that bears his name, the apostle writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The preposition translated “with” comes from the Greek term prós which means “face-to-face.” From all eternity, Jesus has been with the Father.
Third, Jesus is our Advocate. An advocate is a helper or an intercessor. An advocate acts as a representative for someone. In this case, the advocate stands before the Father and represents sinners like you and me. This Advocate stands in our defense. He pleads our case. Lloyd-Jones adds, “Unlike a defense attorney who may argue that his client is innocent of all charges, this defense attorney recognizes your guilt before God. The Advocate turns to the Father and says, ‘… I am here just to remind You that the law has been fulfilled, that the death has died, the punishment has been enacted; they are free because I died for them.”4
And so we fail to meet the divine standard. The Divine Representative stands in our defense. All these things clear the path for the divine accomplishment, which John unfolds in 1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
When the gavel falls, a verdict will be rendered. Will you bear the weight of your sin and thus, endure 10,000 degrees of white-hot wrath? Or will you trust Jesus to stand in your defense? When the gavel falls, will you stand condemned or will Christ’s sacrificial death pardon you, grant peace (Rom. 5:1), and welcome you into his presence where you will enjoy the pleasures of God forever (Ps. 16:11)?
Michael J. Kruger, The Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2022), 164 pp.
Spiritual abuse is one of the last topics that people want to discuss in the church. But it is imperative that this problem is explored and addressed. Better yet, the problem of spiritual abuse in the church needs to be rooted out once and for all. Michael J. Kruger tackles this challenge in his book, Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church.
Dr. Kruger documents several cases of spiritual abuse including men such as Ravi Zacharias, James McDonald, Bill Hybels, and Mark Driscoll. These examples are indicative of the kind of spiritual abuse that plagues the church. One of the problems that surfaces is that churches place a high priority on the competency of leaders, while neglecting the character qualities that Scripture commends and commands. This oversight tends to attract narcissistic pastors, which only perpetuates the problem.
The author defines spiritual abuse in clear and unambiguous terms:
Spiritual abuse is when a spiritual leader – such as a pastor, elder, or head of a Christian organization – wields his position of spiritual authority in such a way that he manipulates, domineers, bullies, and intimidates those under him as a means of maintaining his own power and control, even if he is convinced he is seeking biblical and kingdom-related goals.
The symptoms of spiritual abuse, according to Kruger, include various signs such as cruelty, threatening behavior, defensiveness, and being hyper-critical. Perhaps the most dominant quality of a spiritual abuser is manipulation.
Kruger surveys the long history of spiritual abuse in both the Old and New Testament, helping readers understand that his problem goes back to the Fall of man. It is a problem and sin, nonetheless, that needs to be addressed and uprooted.
The Bully Pulpit does not claim to have all the answers. But it does address the vexing problem in a straightforward and biblical way. Dr. Kruger describes the problem and offers helpful prescriptions for dealing with spiritual abuse and preventing it. He writes boldly and graciously, confronting sin and consoling those who have been sinned against. In short, The Bully Pulpit strikes a biblical balance that is much-needed in our day. May the church rise up and confront every spiritual abuser and may victims move down a path of wholeness and healing as they cling to the cross of Christ and his gospel.
The legacy of President Ronald Reagan is securely established in history. Liberals can scoff and moan but the fact remains; Ronald Wilson Reagan is one of the most influential Americans of all time. Indeed, Reagan is not only one of the loved and respected presidents in American history; he is also one of the most effective.
Most books focus on the life of President Reagan and work hard to establish his presidential accomplishments. Craig Shirley’s new masterpiece, Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan takes a different approach. Shirley sets out to help readers see Reagan in a different light and in a different context. This book serves as a lens for Americans to view President Reagan in his post-presidential days, including the days which followed his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Last Act begins with President Reagan on his deathbed. The author highlights Reagan’s life and legacy from different perspectives – including friends, family, and foes. One of the constant themes that weave through the book is the deep and abiding love that America has for the 40th president of the United States.
We would do well to listen to the words of Reagan’s old arch nemesis, Senator Ted Kennedy who offered these fitting words, upon hearing of Reagan’s death:
He brought a special grace to the White House and the country in everything he did. We often disagreed on specific issues, but he had an undeniably unique capacity to inspire and move the Nation. On foreign policy, he will be honored as the President who won the cold war. It was more than the fact that he was a superb communicator. Some attributed at least part of his success to the fact that he was a superb communicator. Some attributed at least part of his success to the fact that he had been an actor. But his deepest convictions were matters of heart and mind and spirit, and on them, he was no actor at all.
Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan bears the marks of a book which is informed by thorough research and careful study. Craig Shirley should be commended for his clear writing and respect for the 40th president of the United States. Last Act is not only a tribute to one of the most beloved leaders in American history; it is a gift to the American people.
The legacy of Ronald Wilson Reagan speaks for itself and will continue to reverberate throughout history. Antonin Scalia notes, “Ronald Reagan needs no one to sing his praises.” Justice Scalia may be on target. But the fact remains: History will not stand by in silence. The legacy of Ronald Reagan will endure for generations.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
I affirm the sovereignty of God in salvation and embrace a Calvinistic worldview where the glory and supremacy of God are the end of all things. Seven fundamental realities compel me to embrace Calvinism, what C.H. Spurgeon referred to as a “nickname for biblical Christianity.”1
Calvinism is rooted in Scripture. The sovereignty of God over all things, including the salvation of his elect is a pervasive theme in the Bible (Jonah 2:9; Isa. 46:9-10; Eph. 1:11).
Calvinism upholds the dignity of mankind and his total inability in proper tension (Gen. 1:27; 6:5; Ps. 8:5).
Calvinism upholds the sovereignty of God in all things (Ps. 115:3; Dan. 4:34-35).
Calvinism upholds the responsibility of mankind and God’s sovereign control over all things.
Calvinism upholds the joy of the Creator and the joy of the creature. This God-centered joy is captured in the popular acrostic, TULIP:
Total depravity is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy.
Unconditional election is how God planned, before we existed, to complete our joy in Christ.
Limited atonement is the assurance that indestructible joy in God in infallibly secured for us by the blood of Jesus.
Irresistible grace is the sovereign commitment of God to make sure we hold on to superior delights instead of the false pleasures that will ultimately destroy us.
Perseverance of the saints is the almighty work of God, to keep us through all affliction and suffering, for an inheritance of pleasures at God’s right hand forever.2
Calvinism underscores the five solas of the Reformation:
I believe that sinners are saved by God’s grace alonebecause apart from his grace we do not have the ability nor the desire to please him or earn his favor – Grace Alone (Eph. 2:1-5).
I believe that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone apart from any human merit, works or ritual. Genuine faith produces Christ-glorifying fruit in the people of God for the glory of God – Faith Alone (Eph. 2:8-10).
I believe that we are saved by Christ alone, who is fully God and fully man. Christ was our substitute who died for our sins on the cross and was raised from the dead on the third day – Christ Alone (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
I believe the Bible is God’s absolute truth for all people, for all times; it is our final authority for discerning truth – Scripture Alone (2 Tim. 3:16).
I believe in the triune God who exists in three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Spirit) who created, sustains and sovereignly rules over all things, and to whom belongs all the glory forever and ever – To the Glory of God Alone (Rom. 11:36).
7. Calvinism is God-centered. “A Calvinist is someone who has seen God in His majestic glory and has been overwhelmed.”3
The world may mock and the world may scorn. But the truth holds fast: I am a Calvinist.
I deny the notion of hyper-Calvinism which minimizes human responsibility, promotes passivity, and fails to proclaim the gospel to all peoples. ↩
John Piper, Cited in Tony Reinke, The Joy Project: The True Story of Inescapable Happiness (Minneapolis: Desiring God Ministries, 2015), 6. ↩
Ian Hamilton, What is Experiential Calvinsim (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2015), Loc. 202. ↩
The opening verses of Psalm 2 unveil the rebels who resist the authority of God. This passage reveals the posture of rebels who are poised to dethrone God. These rebels rage against God and plot against him (v. 1). They oppose the LORD and his anointed (v. 2). These rebels make autonomy their ultimate goal (v. 3). They want to be free from God’s demands. They want to be free from God’s laws. And these recalcitrant rebels seek freedom from God’s reign and his rule.
Here’s the fascinating irony: Every rebel who searches for freedom apart from God is in bondage, and will, in the final analysis, be subjected to the almighty wrath of God. When you flee from Christ to be free from Christ you build a self-imposed prison around your life. Stated another way, when you submit to Christ’s lordship, you will rest securely in your newfound freedom.
The essential message of Psalm 2:1-5 is this: We enter the danger zone when we resist God’s rule and reign in our lives. How then, should people live before God? Psalm 2:6-12 provides an important answer. We will learn that rebels must recognize Christ’s right to rule and respond reverently to his kingly authority. Then and only then, will we find ourselves in the safety zone.
RECOGNIZE HIS RIGHT TO RULE
God possesses royal authority. He is a transcendent and majestic God who deserves our unhindered reverence and obedience. Notice several aspects of his kingly reign.
The Components of God’s Kingly Reign
First, the installation of the King (v. 6). There is a crucial distinction here between the Father and the Son: “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, on my holy hill.” Note the exalted status of his kingly reign. To set someone in a particular place suggests a unique position.
Christ is presented as his enemies’ King. C.H. Spurgeon says, “What are all the mighty men, the great, the honorable men of the earth to Jesus Christ? They are but like a little bubble in the water; for if all the nations, in comparison to God, be but as the drop in the bucket, or the dust in the balance (Isa. 40:25), how little they must be the kings of the earth!”1 Christ is presented as his saints’ King. Christ rules “over their wills, over their affections, over their judgments and understandings, and nobody hath anything to do here but Christ,” writes Spurgeon.2 Christ is presented as his Father’s King. Christ not only rules in the hearts of his people; he rules over a “providential kingdom, by which he rules the affairs of this world, and so he is the king of nations.”3
Psalm 99:1-5 emphasizes this reign. Indeed, his reign is righteous, sovereign, and omnipotent. His is a just and holy reign. This is the kind of King you would want to serve. This is the kind of King you would want to submit to. This is the kind of King you can find refuge in!
Second, we learn about the position of the King (v. 7). The Son speaks of a decree: “God’s decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time.”4
The decree tells of the eternal begetting of the Son. The Nicene Creed (revised in 381) confesses faith in “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all time, Light from Light true God from true God, begotten not created.”
John Frame helps us understand the meaning of the term, begotten:
Among human beings, begetting normally occurs in a sexual relationship. It occurs in time so that a human being who did not exist at one time comes into existence at a later time. But eternal begetting is surely neither sexual nor temporal, nor does it bring into existence someone who otherwise would not have existed, for God is a necessary being, and all three divine persons share the attribute of necessary existence.5
Third, Psalm 2:8 describes the inheritance of the King: “As of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” The inheritance of Christ is absolutely comprehensive. There is nothing outside the scope of his sovereign control. That is, his kingly reign knows no bounds. He owns everything; he rules over everything and everyone. He is sovereign over the nations; he is sovereign over rulers; he is sovereign over our decisions; he is sovereign over our wills; he is sovereign over all. “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory, forever. Amen” (Rom. 12:36). Abraham Kuyper rightly observes, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’”
Fourth, Psalm 2:9 describes the judgment of the King. The focus on verse 9 is on them. The focus is on the rebels who resist God’s rightful rule and reign in their lives. The focus is on the rebels who refuse to recognize Christ’s right to rule. John Stott describes the judgment of God as his “steady, unrelenting, unremitting, uncompromising, antagonism to evil in all its forms and manifestations.”6
Are you numbered among the rebels who refuse to recognize Christ’s right to rule and reign in your life? There comes a time when every person is faced with a reality check. Christ has been installed as the King. He has a high and holy position. Indeed, he is exalted above everything and everyone. He will judge every person who resists his rightful rule and reign. His wrath will fall on every person who refuses to recognize his sovereign rule. With the reality before us, the psalmist helps rebels understand this important principle: We must not only recognize Christ’s right to rule; we must respond reverently to his kingly authority!
RESPOND REVERENTLY TO HIS KINGLY AUTHORITY
Pay careful attention! This passage is marked off by the words, “Now, therefore” (v. 10). The psalmist urges us to “be wise.” He urges us to “be warned.” Three responses, therefore, are appropriate from those who respond reverently to his kingly authority.
Three Responses
First, serve Christ. ”Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Ps. 2:11). The Hebrew term for serve means “to work; to toil; to accomplish something.” But the word also has the flavor of worship:
““And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” (Deuteronomy 10:12, ESV).
“You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.” (Deuteronomy 13:4, ESV)
“Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:2, ESV)
Serving Christ, according to Psalm 2:11 involves serving the LORD with fear. “Genuine faith is expressed in, and animated by, a reverential awe, and this is the basic meaning of the biblical idea of the fear of God. Unless there is personal awareness of the awesome and majestic sovereignty of God, it is impossible to have a meaningful faith existing in one’s heart.”7 God-centered fear is struck with the majesty of God, which expresses reverence to him. God-centered fear involves a mixture of rejoicing and trembling. When we come into his presence, we are filled with joy and Christ-exalting awe!
Second, submit to Christ. ”Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way …” (v. 12a). Remember, this King as been installed. His is a lofty position. And his inheritance includes all things. Our responsibility, then, is to kiss the Son. That is, we must submit to the One who is sovereign over all things:
We submit to him when he calls us to love our neighbors.
We submit to him when he calls us to love our enemies.
We submit to him when he calls us to put him first – above all things.
We submit to him when he demands us to repudiate our idols.
We submit to Christ by laying down our arms, turning from our rebellion, and by turning to him in faith.
We kiss the Son.
The consequences are terrible and traumatic for anyone who refuses to submit to God and kiss the Son, namely, the almighty wrath of God. This is a punishment that the unrepentant will endure eternally. John writes, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36, ESV).
Responding reverently to Christ’s authority involves serving him and submitting to him. But there is a third requirement, namely, satisfaction in Christ. The Bible speaks of the one who takes refuge in Christ. To seek refuge is to find safety. To find safety is to be satisfied and to find refuge under his wings (Ps. 36:7; Ruth 2:12). God is called a child for those who take refuge in him (2 Sam. 22:31). Over and over again, we are told in Scripture that the one who takes refuge in Christ will be blessed:
“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.” (Psalm 5:11, ESV)
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8, ESV)
“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7, ESV)
The sum total of service, submission, and finding satisfaction in Christ boils down to this: it involves living a repentant life; one that responds reverently to his kingly authority. You show me a person who refuses to serve Christ, submit to Christ, and find satisfaction in him and I’ll show you a person who has no clue about living a repentant life. Robert Letham says, “In short, the believer is a repentant believer or he is no believer at all.”
But you show me a person who recognizes Christ’s right to rule and responds reverently to his kingly authority, I’ll show you a person who is truly blessed; a person who is living in the safety zone.
What is the proper response to Christ’s kingly authority? We are to respond reverently by serving him, submitting to him, and finding our satisfaction in him. Each response is an act of worship.
Are you responding reverently to Christ’s kingly authority? Can you say that your service to God is a reflection of how you respond to him? Do you submit to his authority? Do you humbly submit to the authority of your employer? Wives, do you humbly submit to the authority of your husband? Children, do you humbly submit to the authority of your parents? Each of these questions is a snapshot of how you respond to the kingly authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
We must recognize Christ’s right to rule and respondreverently to his kingly authority. And we respond reverently to his kingly authority by serving Christ, submitting to Christ, and finding our satisfaction in Christ.
Recognizing Christ’s right to rule and responding reverently to his kingly authority is another way of saying that you are exercising faith in God. Several years ago, I served at a church that tore down a building that was packed with asbestos. We hired a firm to remove the hazardous material. Here’s what we were told: Anyone on the premises must wear a hazmat (hazardous materials) suit which is combined with a self-contained breathing apparatus.
Faith in Christ is the “hazmat suit” that shields us from the wrath of God. Don’t presume upon God’s grace. All rebels will face God’s almighty wrath. But everyone who believes in Christ and his triumphant work on the cross will know eternal life and stand secure in the safety zone!
We must recognize Christ’s right to rule and respond reverently to his kingly authority. And we respond reverently to his kingly authority by serving Christ, submitting to Christ, and finding our satisfaction in Christ. Then and only then, will we find ourselves standing in the safety zone.
Soli Deo Gloria!
C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David (Peabody: Hendrickson), 16. ↩
It takes 234 pages for Tony Jones to answer the central question in his new book, Did God Kill Jesus? The author is a self-described “theological provocateur,” so the question posed in his book should not surprise anyone. The answer that emerges on page 234 is crystal clear: “No, God did not kill Jesus,” says Dr. Jones. Readers will find that the path to this answer is paved with doubt and skepticism. Frankly, it is a path fraught with theological compromise.
Tony Jones has a knack for asking questions. He has an uncanny ability to question the theological status quo and force readers to decide, even re-evaluate their cherished views. Unfortunately, some of the answers that Jones provides do not match the biblical record or pass the test of orthodoxy.
The author sets out to examine the various views of the atonement which have been offered up throughout church history. The questions he fires at these theories are fair enough:
What does the model say about God?
What does it say about Jesus?
What does the model say about the relationship between God and Jesus?
How does it make sense of violence?
What does it mean for us spiritually?
Where’s the love?
Ultimately, none of the theories fully satisfy the author. But the one he finds the most repugnant is penal substitutionary atonement. Jones argues that this view, which he labels the payment model is currently in vogue “largely because it appeals to our sense of justice and our understanding of law and penalties.” And he is not particularly bashful about how he feels about penal substitutionary atonement. In his previous book, A Better Atonement: Beyond the Depraved Doctrine of Original Sin, Jones writes, “I’m on no quest to reject the penal substitutionary theory of the atonement (PSA). (I merely intend to dethrone it).” However, what he fails to see is this: when penal substitutionary atonement is dethroned, the gospel of Jesus Christ is thrown into the ash heap and the hope of every person perishes.
In his explanation of penal substitutionary atonement, the author assures readers that “God is holy, and we are less-than-holy.” This appears to be a strange starting point since all who hold to penal substitutionary atonement embrace the biblical idea of total depravity – which is quite a leap from “less-than-holy.” However, Jones’ starting point makes perfect sense (just not biblical sense) when one discovers that he has also discarded the doctrine of original sin:
“What I’ve come to realize is that the idea of original sin is not, in fact, God Eternal Truth. It is, instead, like so many other items of faith, historically conditioned.”
To be fair Jones’ acknowledges the existence of sin. However, he rejects the “notion that human beings are depraved from birth.”
Jones caricatures the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement by placing God the Father in an untenable position by “sending his perfect Son to Earth, then letting him – or making him – die as a substitute for the billions of human beings past and future who are incapable of paying off the debt incurred by their sin. That’s the Payment model” according to Tony Jones.
The biggest disappointment in this book is the repudiation of penal substitutionary atonement, the doctrine which contains the very core of the gospel message. As noted above, the path which leads to the ultimate question in the book is riddled with “rocks” and “weeds” and “branches” that careful readers should navigate in order to understand the position the author takes. Two of these stumbling blocks are noted below:
1. Dishonoring God
A.W. Tozer was certainly on target when he wrote, “What we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Yet what we find here is a view that has much in common with process theology. The author writes, “… We can surmise that in Jesus, God was learning.” He continues, “But on the cross, something else happened altogether, possibly something that even God did not expect.” The implication here appears to be a compromise of God’s comprehensive omniscience, a troubling turn of events to be sure.
Additionally, the author promotes what he refers to as the “weakness of God.” He adds,
Here is the guiding idea: God has forsaken power in order to give creation freedom. In other words, God’s primary posture in the world is that of weakness, not strength. This is a tough pill for many Christians to swallow – we’ve been taught to claim God’s power in our lives, to pray for power, and to trust God’s power and perfect plan for our lives …
A “tough pill” to swallow? You bet! Discerning readers would do well to keep that “pill” out of their mouths, especially when the testimony of Scripture points to a God who is completely sovereign and omnipotent over everything and everyone in the cosmos. Swallowing such a “pill” will leave readers spiritually sick.
2. Destroying the Heart of the Atonement
Jones makes it clear early in the book that he along with other liberals have “grown increasingly uncomfortable with the regnant interpretation of Jesus’ death as primarily the propitiation of a wrathful God.”
Yet, when one reduces the cross to a mere display of love and refuses to acknowledge that Jesus bore the wrath of God, the gospel is utterly stripped of its saving power. Such a move is to destroy the very heart of the atonement.
Summary
In the final analysis, the answer to the question of this book is not a simple yes or no answer. The Scripture makes it plain that both God and man killed Jesus Christ.
… let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. (Acts 4:10, ESV)
… for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Acts 4:27–28, ESV)
This is a book that should upset a lot of people. Frankly, I’m glad Jones wrote the book because it will rally conservatives around the truth of the gospel. This book should motivate pastors and scholars to go deeper into the reality of the gospel and prompt God-centered reverence and worship as they glory in the beauty of penal substitutionary atonement.
Evangelicals need to pay careful attention to books like this that grow more and more popular. Jones urges readers to participate in what he calls, “the smell test.” Unfortunately, something doesn’t smell right about this book.
Admittedly, Tony Jones stands in a theological stream that is more liberal-minded. One important distinction between Jones and many other liberals is that he actually affirms the bodily resurrection of Jesus. For this, we can be thankful. However, since he rejects penal substitution and as a result softens (or even eliminates) the wrath that Jesus bore on the cross, the scandal of the cross is blurred and even obscured. Indeed, as Jeffery, Ovey, and Sach have rightly written, “If we blunt the sharp edges of the cross, we dull the glittering diamond of God’s love.”
Whenever wrath is removed from the cross, something crucial is missing, which is to say, the gospel is at stake. For this reason, the view promoted here does not pass the “smell test.”
Readers are encouraged to explore the God-honoring doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement in three powerful and provocative books which include: The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross – Leon Morris, Pierced For Our Transgressions – Steve Jeffery, Michael Ovey, Andrew Sach, and It is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement – Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence.
The self-titled release by the Atlanta-based band, Theocracy first appeared in 2007 but has been out of circulation since that time. For several months, fans have long-awaited for the release of Theocracy’s original album – an album that has been remastered and remixed. On November 19, fans around the were thrilled to listen in to Matt Smith and the boys hammer out their unique style of Stryper meets Dream Theater heavy metal music.
Tim Scott & Trey Gowdy, Unified (Carol Stream: Tyndale, 2018), 220 pp.
Veritas et Lux 