“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
(Psalm 16:11)

What pleasures are found in God? Of course, we say ‘joy’. Rejoice in the Lord!

But the verse above says pleasures, plural. So there must be more than one, or at least more than one form. What forms does it take? Here are my thoughts…

1. Gratitude – One pleasure is gratitude to God for what he has done, is doing, and will do. Anyone who has been grateful to someone knows that this is certainly a pleasure!

2. Awe – marvelling at how amazing God is in His glory, also at God’s glory as expressed in relationship to us (His grace to us, His strength in us, His love for us). The pleasure of seeing a breathtaking sunset is similar, but a tiny reflection of the real thing.

3. Gladness – I think this is usually what is meant when the Bible tells us to rejoice. Whenever we enjoy thinking about something, when we feel good about an experience, a fond memory, a piece of news, we are glad. Our hearts are filled with gladness, a sense of “this is good, this is right, I am happy”, as we reflect on what God has done, is doing, and will do for us; and on our relationship with him.

4. Love – Nat King Cole sang, “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return.” We are filled with love for God.

There may be other pleasures. For example, being comforted is surely a great pleasure for someone in distress. But I think these 4 are the most powerful, most significant pleasures of knowing God.

And these pleasures lead to:

1. Satisfaction – a deep contentment, because you have God you need nothing else. (Is this a pleasure in its own right, or a result of the other pleasures?)

2. Praise – the ultimate expression and consummation of pleasure:

“ I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise… The world rings with praise – lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game – praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians of scholars. …
I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.” (C.S. Lewis)

I love to read David’s rejoicing in the Lord!  But often I find it troubling.

Here, David rejoices because he knows God will protect him. But where does he get that confidence? Can I share that confidence? Surely not! Romans 8:36 says “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

So how come David is so sure of God’s protection? And how can I share in his rejoicing? I feel kind of fake…

I was thinking about this, and came up with this answer:

How can David be sure of God’s protection?
Because he is the King of God’s people, living in the land God promised that they would forever possess and prosper in.

One of the promises God made to Abraham was land, forever: “And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” (Gen 17:8) As the Israelites drive out the inhabitants of that land, and settle in, there is a sense of arriving home, fulfilment. Here, they will be established as God’s people in peaceful prosperity forever.

David, then, understands that God has promised to be their protector – otherwise there cannot be lasting peace and prosperity. So David is rejoicing in the promised salvation of the Lord!

The people broke their covenant with God, and brought on themselves the curse instead of the blessing. But through Jesus’ death, God has made a new covenant with us, promising that we will live and prosper with Him forever in His land (the real promised land, the new heavens and new earth).

The promised salvation now is deliverance of a different kind. Not the physical protection needed for peace in a physical land, but spiritual deliverance from His anger, and protection from any spiritual threat that would prevent us entering that spiritual promised land.

David did see corruption, eventually, in the sense that he eventually died. Thus the Psalm points to another Holy One, one who will not be abandoned to the grave.

Jesus was not abandoned to Sheol nor did he see corruption. He was raised from the grave, and with Him will come David and all believers.

Let us rejoice in the promised salvation of the Lord!

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.” (Psalm 16:9-10)

Confused, Ima says, “But I think that if it’s true, its true for *everyone*.”

Al shakes his head, ready to enlighten her. “That’s true for you…”
“Then its true for everybody” Ima interrupts. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I think that “true statements are true for everybody”. You just said that was a true statement, for me. If its a true statement, then its TRUE that its true for everybody. And if you don’t think it’s true for everybody, then what you’re saying is that I’m wrong. Which means that it’s NOT true for me. You can’t have it both ways. Do you see what I mean?”

“Another way you could put it:
1. Say person A believes “true statements are true for you”
Person B believes “true statements are true for everyone.” (all TS are true for all People)

2. According to Person A, person B’s belief is a true statement. Since “all TS are true for all people”, and since it is a true statement and A is a person, it is true for A. So it is true for A that “TS are true for all people”.

3. But Person A doesn’t like this. They say, person B is wrong. But this means that Person B’s belief is NOT true for them, so Person A doesn’t really believe that ‘if its true for you its true for you’. It just doesn’t work.

 
L, a guy who came to a Bible Study for the first time in week 1 this year, who got saved that week and has been regular at church ever since,
 
we got a box of Essential Jesus books from Barney’s church
this week we’ve door knocked nearly every door in college
anyway
i asked him this morning if he wanted to help
he said, sure
 which is cool
so we’ve handed out these books
hundreds of them
very positive responses
its such good evangelism
God’s word (powerful) in a gift (friendly)

additionally, next week we’re starting Simply Christianity course
on Tuesday nights
1 girl who came to college this year and who, in her words, ‘wants to become a born again Christian’
looked me up on facebook to tell me she was keen
another girl, who says she is christian, and might be, but doesn’t have much knowledge at all; she is coming
another girl, who isn’t Christian but has a desire to understand and who, once after coming to a Bible Study on John, went back to her room and read the whole book
she’s coming

just had inter-college prayer with
people from
my college
a boys college
a girls college
the uni village
arundel house
glebe
moore college residence
and the newtown terraces
about 40 people praying, sharing what God’s doing at each college, singing

I don’t know that there has been an intercollegiate fellowship like it in a very, very long time
but i’m stoked for what it means for mutual encouragement

but
craziest thing just happened
door knocking to give an essential jesus
door opens
i do my spiel

he says
“oh, I’m already reading the gospel of luke”
me: “really? sweet, how come?”
him: “well I actually became a Christian 2 weeks ago”
(this is a guy who has only just moved in this semester)
apparently he was reading about one of his favourite guitarists (he’s a muso), who is a christian, and it just hit him
how cool is that
 

earlier this week i was a bit bummed out
felt like as a group the Christians were wearing out
there was a bit of tension
i think general discouragement
but right now I’m so encouraged
one of my friends, a Christian at college
was really down on Tuesday
we spent a few hours chatting, just unloading
then on Wednesday she and D did ‘Essential Jesus’ handing out together

i asked her today how it was
face lit up
GREAT!
apparently she got into a 45 minute chat with someone
I feel like all this is such a case of Galatians 6:9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Loved it. Definitely going to lead to some interesting conversations next week.

But, one of the brochures used proved God with this sort of argument:

All we perceive depends for its existence on something else, which in turn depends on still another thing, ad infinitum, or else derives its existence from something that exists uncaused. The first alternative is false because it implies what is referred to as an infinite regression, which is impossible.

Which renewed my interest again in this question:
“Could the state of the world as we know it have arisen by an infinite chain of causes?”

Discuss.

Phillip Jensen and Kel Richards – Reformed charismatics? from Audio Advice on Vimeo.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Confused Redefinitions

Jensen’s basic thesis is that you can put any two words together, that’s easy, but the two words reformed charismatic can’t be combined without confusion – the two systems are incompatible – much like Catholic Evangelical.

The only way to combine them, says Jensen, is to redefine them. But is that correct? Well, what is meant by Charismatic? Let’s take Phillip’s own definition – it takes him more than 3 minutes to explain it (start at 10:50), during which time he covers 3 separate ‘waves’, so diverse as to cause the interviewer, Kel Richards, to search for ‘something common to put under that label of Charismatic’:

“It’s to do with gifts of the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders… by and large the people who see that as the work that the Holy Spirit does”

Phillip agrees, its the emphasis on the gifts. And that’s their definition.

Already we learn two things. Firstly, we see that the definition of charismatic is broad and difficult to pin down. So, far from having two clearly defined and demarcated nouns, we actually have two, slightly blurry adjectives. Very little, if any, redefining is needed when definitions are so slippery in the first place.

But the second lesson is more important: even as given, the definition is not incompatible with reformed theology.

Emphasis on gifts

Well, it is if such an emphasis is exclusive, taking the Holy Spirit’s role to be exclusively signs and wonders, then of course it is impossible to be both reformed and charismatic. The Bible’s clear and indisputable teaching is that the Holy Spirit’s crucial work is inspiration, illumination, regeneration, and sanctification (to list a few).

Yet is the emphasis exclusive? Not at all! No charismatic denies any one of the above works. I think this is where Phillip goes wrong – he incorrectly assumes that Charismatics limit their understanding of the Spirit’s work to His extraordinary work. It may be that some charismatics err in practice and limit their focus to these, but that is a fault of fact rather than a fault of principle – one can be Charismatic without committing any such error.

Everything reformed theology teaches to be the work of the Spirit, a Charismatic can affirm without becoming one whit less Charismatic, for the emphasis is not exclusive of these teachings.

Moreover, the emphasis need not even steal the limelight from any important doctrine or practice. The emphasis does not challenge a single one of the five solas, nor any of the TULIP.

Christ is supreme, the cross is central, you must be born again by the Spirit, salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as revealed in the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone. Humans are totally depraved and elected unconditionally, the atonement is limited, grace is irresistible, the saints perservere. And God gives gifts to His church.

No emphasis on gifts need detract from any of these doctrines. Charismatics restore the gifts from the position of neglect they were given by our functionally-atheist tradtions and rationalisations of the Bible’s harder teachings. They are returned to where they should be, and no higher. That is the emphasis.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Are there incompatibilities?

When you really listen hard, what does Phillip Jensen actually offer as incompatibilities?

As hard as I tried, I could only find two: Second Baptism, and the Authority of the Scriptures.

Baptism of the Spirit

On this issue, I’m with D. A. Carson, who says “Although I find no biblical support for a second-blessing theology. I do find support for a second-, third-, fourth-, fifth-blessing theology.” (Also on this team: Stott, Piper, Lloyd-Jones, D. L. Moody, Jonathan Edwards and so on)

Phillip Jensen asserts that there are 7 references to baptism of the Spirit in the Bible and that all refer to regeneration, so any second (third, fourth) blessing theology is fundamentally at odds with reformed views on regeneration.

Here are all 7. I’d argue, actually, that only one refers to regeneration.

Jesus says in Acts 1:5, “for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” What event happened just days after Jesus said this? Pentecost, where the already regenerate disciples (see John 15:3-4) who already had the Spirit (see John 20:21-22), were filled, baptised in the Spirit. And this is something subsequent, quite apart from the work the Holy Spirit has already done in regenerating them.

The first 6 references clearly all refer to that baptism. The 7th, 1 Corinthians 12:13, is not concerned with the Baptism of the Spirit at all, but rather with regeneration. I’ve argued this elsewhere.

So the charismatic position is that the Holy Spirit is essential in regeneration (and is thus compatible with reformed theology) and also that the baptism of the Spirit is subsequent to that regenerating act. There is no incompatibility.

Authority of the Scriptures

This is a tired argument: the work of the Spirit is preaching the gospel, teaching about Jesus through the inspired Word. Any charismatic idea of prophecy being God speaking today tends to push us away from the Scriptures.

Well, that is certainly a temptation… which is why the Bible clearly instructs us to test prophecies and only hold on to what is good (1 Thes 5:19-21). Of course the work of the Spirit is preaching the gospel, teaching about Jesus through the inspired Word. No charismatic gift can replace that; nor is any necessary. And that perfect, inspired Word is precisely the means by which all prophecy is tested.

Yet God still blesses the church with prophets in grace that goes beyond what is merely necessary, whose authority is less than the Bible. And we are told not to despise them (1 Thes 5:20).

What Phillip is identifying here is not a disagreement, but rather a danger. The danger is that we might forget that Scriptures are the highest authority. Yes, it is a danger, but it is not a disagreement.

(Just like non-Charismatics face the same danger from reason and experience.
The topic of prophecy is a good example. Even though Paul talks about prophetic powers of understanding all mysteries (1 Cor 13:2) and lists it with healings, miracles, tongues, and distinguishing Spirits (1 Cor 12:9-10),  Phillip has no experience in such extraordinary prophecies. Therefore, he interprets Scripture under the authority of his experience and so redefines prophecy to mean the preaching of Christ. So we’re all prophets, we all teach about Christ. He justifies this with Revelation 19:10, arguing it equates testimony about Jesus with prophecy. It doesn’t, it merely says that prophecy is to testify to Jesus, and so John is a fool to worship the angel.)

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

We Believe the Bible

We’re sick of ‘explaining away’ the Bible’s incredible promises to make a more ‘rational’ faith We’re sick of reading down Scripture to fit our experiences.

Oh yes, I meant that.

Want an example? Watch the video from 5:20. To illustrate the difference between reformed and charismatic theology, Kel Richards and Phillip Jensen discuss John 14:12:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

And they say, good grief, look at the things Jesus did! He walked on water and rose the dead! And then Phillip says, “If you’re going to say that you’re going to do greater works than they, well, frankly, no-one is… the cemetaries are full.” Even the apostles did not do greater works. So it must refer to some other kind of work than miracles: preaching the gospel.

Do you see? Jesus says something, and we say “That does not fit my experience, I must be reading it wrong” rather than “That does not fit my experience. Perhaps my experience is wrong.” There are many people today who claim to be healing the sick and raising the dead. Maybe this scripture refers to their experience.

Now, to be fair, they then go on to justify another interpretation from the Scriptures itself. They say, these greater works will be done because Jesus is going to the Father. What can we do now because Jesus went to the Father that he couldn’t do? Preach the gospel of His death and resurrection.

(Well, that’s slightly fallicious – he preached that gospel before he went to the Father. I wonder whether the reason Jesus needed to go to the Father was “for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16:7) – the greater works are dependent on the Spirit, who would not come unless Jesus went away. Incidentally, the apostles did do some pretty amazing stuff. Is it significant that the very next verse after that one is “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”?)

But regardless of which interpretation is correct, the process is flawed. We must not interpret Scripture by our experiences. If the Scriptures say we should desire to prophesy, we will desire to prophesy.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Conclusion
Jensen and Richards conclude their interview by discussing the difference between what God can do, and what God does do. They say He can speak however He wants, but He promises to speak through His word.

I agree whole heartedly with that.

But He also promises to speak through prophecy. “even on my male servants and female servants, in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:18)

Therefore, the difference is not between what God can do and what He promises to do. The difference is between what God promises to do usually and what God promises to do occasionally.

Reformed Charismatics are sick of these promises of God being neglected. We don’t want to detract from the five solas and the TULIP. We love them. We love and expect and pray for the usual work of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives as they come to Christ and grow in him. And we also love the extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit as He enables us to love one another and glorify Him.

We Want It All

What is causing young reformed Christians to flock to charismaticism? It is not that it differs theologically from so-called ‘reformed non-cessationists’. The difference is that the theology makes its way into practice. Both believe in the one all-powerful God who promises to give gifts to the church for it’s building up, but only one actively seeks and expects those gifts – so that they might better love one another and glorify Christ. We don’t want to have to choose between these, we want it all.

Reformed Charismatics: Is it possible?

• Part I: Introduction
  
• Part II: Definitions and Emphasis
• Part III: Incompatibilities
• Part IV: We Believe the Bible
• Part V: We Want It All

Flew begins with the story of ‘the creation of an atheist’, the success of his papers and the influence of his fresh and stinging critique of theism and theology. Along the way he admits to being wrong in a number of areas – something that struck me as a very humble thing to do. The emerging picture is one of a man who is not prepared to adjust his views when they are shown to be wrong – he identifies with Socrates’ mantra of following the evidence where-ever it leads. (There’s a lesson there for all of us.) And then Flew spends the rest of the book telling of how this mantra took him to the divine.
His ‘discovery’ hinges on four key areas of science: the laws of nature, the fine-tuning of the universe (It’s almost like it knew we were coming), the existence of life, and the existence of the universe. Notably, though, Flew doesn’t rely on any God-of-the-gaps argument (‘Science doesn’t know, so it must be God’.) Instead, he finds these four areas conceptually incompatible with materialism.
For example, he doesn’t say “Science doesn’t know what caused the Big Bang, therefore God did it.” Instead, he shows that conceptually something cannot come from nothing, so you are forced to choose between God and an alternative cause. Whatever the alternative is, it cannot be dependent on a prior cause because an infinite series of dependent causes cannot produce an effect. So you end up believing in an un-caused causer. The question then becomes, why does this thing exist – why is there something rather than nothing? Flew thinks it more likely that a God would exist uncaused than that a universe would exist uncaused.

This is something I particularly enjoyed about the book – the subjects (life, fine-tuning etc) were familiar but the treatment was new. Unfortunately this also meant that the book was deeply philosophical (I’d call it ‘philosophy informed by science’), and I had a hard time keeping up. It’s a worthwhile read even if you (like me) miss the main point a lot of the time – interesting arguments, facts and parables are scattered throughout – but sadly only someone well-read in philosophy would really get the full force of the book, I think.
But if you’re up for a challenge, I recommend it.
One unexpected highlight is Appendix B – a dialogue (to use the term loosely) between Flew and leading New-Testament scholar Bishop N. T. Wright. In it, Wright makes the case for “The Self Revelation of God in Human History”, focussing on Jesus’ deity and resurrection. The case presented, a summary of his very long book “The Resurrection of the Son of God”, was completely new to me, and very powerful. Flew agrees, saying “Bishop Wright presents by far the best case for accepting Christian belief that I have ever seen.” Now I’m keen to read that book!