Profiting from the word - Pink - II - Chapter 2

Required reading

Profiting from the Word by A. W. Pink (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 2, 'The Scriptures and God'. 

My notes and thoughts

Today Pink examines how we profit from the Scriptures when they teach us about our supernatural God.  Through Studying the scriptures we have: (i) a clearer recognition of God's claims; (ii) a greater fear of God's majesty; (iii) a deeper reverence for God's commandments; (iv) a firmer trust in God's sufficiency; (v) a fuller delight in God's perfections; (vi) a larger submission to God's providences; and (vii) a more fervent praise for God's goodness. 

Pink also gave us a good definition of conversion: 'This is what a true conversion is; it is a tearing down of every idol, a renouncing of the empty vanities of a cheating world, and taking God for our portion, our ruler, our all in all.' 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Don't forget to vote - Venning vs Watson

Just a reminder to vote for which title we will read after Spiritual Depression by Lloyd-Jones.

You can choose from either Sinfulness of Sin by Venning OR Doctrine of Repentance by Watson.

Go to the side bar on the right hand of the site to vote: http://reformedbookclub.blogspot.com/

Profiting from the word - Pink - I

Required reading
Profiting from the Word by A. W. Pink (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 1, 'The Scriptures and Sin'. 

My notes and thoughts
Today we begin A. W. Pink's work, 'Profiting from the word'. 

Initially Pink opens the chapter outlining bad reasons for reading the Bible: literary pride, respectability, popularity, curiosity, sectarian pride and to argue successfully.  Pink then suggests seven ways that reading the Scriptures can profit a man: when it (i) convicts him of sin; (ii) makes him sorrow over sin; (iii) leads to confession of sin; (iv) produces in him a deeper hatred of sin; (v) causes a forsaking of sin; (vi) fortifies against sin; and (vii) causes him to practise the opposite of sin.

Pink finishes the chapter with a brilliant series of questions to convict the reader: 'Has your study of the Bible made you more humble, or more proud - proud of the knowledge you have acquired?  Has it raised you in the esteem of your fellow men, or has it led you to take a lower place before God?  Has it produced in you a deeper abhorrence and loathing of self, or has it made you more complacent?  Has it caused those you mingle with, or perhaps teach, to say, I wish I had your knowledge of the Bible; or does it cause you to pray, Lord give me the faith, the grace, the holiness Thou has granted my friend, or teacher?' 

Particularly challenging words for anyone involved in ministry.  It doesn't take long to surpass the knowledge of Scripture of most of those sheep under your care and with that comes pride and a desire to continue studying Scripture to exalt yourself even more.  Pink does well to remind us to study Scripture to know more of your sin, not to increase your sin. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - XIV

Required reading

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read the rest of chapter VII, The church. 

My notes and thoughts
Machen closes the book with an appeal to rid the liberals from the confessional churches.  He calls on the Christian officers in the church to (i) encourage a defence of the faith; (ii) make sure pastoral candidates are 'For Christ'; (iii) be loyal members of congregations; and (iv) renew Christian education. 

Machen closes his work brilliantly - his hope is still firmly placed in God: 'God has not deserted His Church; He has brought her through even darker hours than those which try our courage now, yet the darkest hour has always come before the dawn.  We have to-day the entrance of paganism into the Church in the name of Christianity.  But in the second century a similar battle was fought and won.  From another point of view, modern liberalism is like the legalism of the middle ages, with its dependence upon the merit of man.  And another Reformation in God's good time will come.' 

Final verdict
If anyone believes that liberal Christianity is Christian ,then this is the book to set you straight.  Machen shows that on core doctrines the liberal is feeding from a different root than that of historic Christianity.  To allow liberals to be members and pastors of the churches is inviting wolves to support and teach the sheep.  If we wish to remain faithful to our Lord, we cannot allow paganism to infect the church and would do well to heed Machen's teaching and counsel. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - XIII

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin reading chapter VII, the Church, up to the paragraph beginning 'But how shall so anomalous a situation be brought to an end?  The best way would undoubtedly be the voluntary withdrawal of the liberal ministers from those confessional churches whose confessions they do not, in the plain historical sense, accept.' 

My notes and thoughts
Machen's last chapter concerns the weakening effect of liberalism on the visible church: 'But what is the trouble with the visible Church?  What is the reason for its obvious weakness?  There are perhaps many causes of weakness.  But one cause is perfectly plain - the Church of to-day has been unfaithful to her Lord by admitting great companies of non-Christian persons, not only into her membership, but into her teaching agencies.' 

I found it very interesting that Machen said that the uniting of liberals with Christians is as absurd as suggesting the uniting of Roman Catholics and Protestants.  Machen tries to show how it would be impossible to see Catholics and Protestants unite in Christian work while holding their differing doctrines: '...the Roman Catholic could not possibly both hold his doctrine of the Church and at the same time reject it, as would be required by the program of Church unity just suggested.'  But since Machen wrote his book, this is precisely what has happened.  Protestants are regularly encouraged to unite with Roman Catholics for 'Christian' work while still holding opposing doctrines.  The concept is no longer as absurd as Machen first thought.  Unfortunately, Machen, your illustration is dated. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - XII

Required reading

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Finish reading chapter VI, 'Salvation'. 

My notes and thoughts
In today's reading Machen affirms the Christian doctrines of regeneration, justification, faith and hope.  He then closes the chapter with a discussion of the differences between liberals and Christians in regards to their goals for communities. 

Because the liberal does not believe in the resurrection he is only concerned with this world: 'And, practically, the liberal preacher has very little to say about the other world.  This world is really the centre of all his thoughts; religion itself, and even God, are made merely a means for the betterment of conditions upon this earth.' Machen gives several examples of the goals that liberals try to achieve using religion: 'Christian Americanization' of immigrants; improved industrial relations; international peace; and healthy community life.

The stark contrasts made between Christianity and liberalism in the last paragraph is pure gold: 'The modern liberal believes that human nature as at present constituted can be molded by the principles of Jesus; the Christian man believes that evil can only be held in check and not destroyed by human institutions, and that there must be a transformation of the human materials before any new building can be produced...The missionary of liberalism seeks to spread the blessings of Christian civilization (whatever that may be), and is not particularly interested in leading individuals to relinquish their pagan beliefs.  The Christian missionary on the other hand, regards satisfaction with a mere influence of Christian civilization as a hindrance rather than a help; his chief business, he believes, is the saving of souls, and souls are saved not by the mere ethical principles of Jesus but by His redemptive work.'  The saving of souls is what we're about, not making lives more comfortable in this world! 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - XI

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue reading Chapter VI, Salvation, and read to the paragraph that begins: 'Many are the passages and many are the ways in which the central doctrine of the new birth is taught in the Word of God' (page 117 in the new edition). 

My notes and thoughts
Now Machen answers a fourth objection to the substitutionary atonement: that it gives a degraded view of God. 

This objection is due to a liberal view of sin: 'If sin is so trifling a matter as the liberal Church supposes, then indeed the curse of God's law can be taken very lightly, and God can easily let by-gones be by-gones.' 

Furthermore, Machen shows that such a view of seeking joy in God by ignoring the seriousness of sin (i) doesn't work and (ii) isn't true.  Great quote about how it doesn't work: 'Yet men are strangely ungrateful.  After the modern preacher has done his part with all diligence - after everything unpleasant has carefully been eliminated from the conception of God, after His unlimited love has been celebrated with the eloquence that it deserves - the congregation somehow persistently refuses to burst into the old ecstasies of joy.  The truth is, the God of modern preaching, though He may perhaps be very good, is rather uninteresting.' 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - X

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin chapter VI, Salvation, and read up to the paragraph beginning 'But still another objection remains against the Christian doctrine of the Cross.  The objection concerns the character of God.  What a degraded view of God it is...' (page 109 in the new edition). 

My notes and thoughts
Now Machen turns his attention to the liberal view of salvation.  After setting up the fact that Jesus death must be more than an example of self-sacrifice, an example of how much God hates sin or even an example of how much God loves us, Machen answers three liberal objections to the substitutionary death of Christ: (i) its dependence on history; (ii) its narrow nature; and (iii) its belief that one person can suffer for another. 

I loved the section at the beginning that says that the vicarious atonement is not the puzzling part, rather the fact that the liberals won't accept it is the puzzling thing: 'And this Bible doctrine is not intricate or subtle.  On the contrary, though it involves mysteries, it is itself so simple that a child can understand it.  "We deserved eternal death, but the Lord Jesus, because He loved us, died instead of us on the cross"-surely there is nothing so intricate about that.  It is not the Bible doctrine of the atonement which is difficult to understand-what are really incomprehensible are the elaborate modern efforts to get rid of the Bible doctrine in the interests of human pride. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - IX

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Finish chapter V, 'Christ'. 

My notes and thoughts
Machen ends the chapter with a discussion of miracles and what is meant by calling Jesus 'God'.

Machen is certain that miracles are integral to the Christian message, despite the tendency they have to encourage unbelief: 'Without miracles, the New Testament might be easier to believe.  But the thing that would be believed would be entirely different from that which presents itself to us now.  Without the miracles we should have a teacher; with the miracles we have a Saviour.'

To finish the chapter Machen points out the liberal pastor's deliberate deception of the 'plain' man when he makes the claim 'Jesus is God': 'The liberal preacher, it may be said, is often ready to speak of the "deity" of Christ; he is often ready to say that "Jesus is God."  The plain man is much impressed.'  But, 'God, at least according to the logical trend of modern liberalism, is not a person separate from the world, but merely the unity that pervades the world...Such an assertion is diametrically opposed to the Christian belief in the deity of Christ.'  The liberal has re-defined the terms but then acts as though he hasn't.  Such blatant lying to win over the faithful Christian is a disgrace. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - VIII

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read to the paragraph beginning 'It is sometimes said that the actuality of miracles would destroy the basis of science.  Science, it is said, is founded upon the regularity of sequences...'

My notes and thoughts
Machen continues defending the Christian view of Jesus Christ.  He answers two objections (the humanity of Jesus; the example of Jesus) then discusses what it means that Christianity affirms Jesus as a supernatural person (particularly in contrast to Deism and Pantheism). 

I was pleased to see Machen affirm Jesus' example for us as Christians: 'The imitation of Jesus has a fundamental place in Christian life; it is perfectly correct to represent Him as our supreme and only perfect example.'  Finishing where we did yesterday left the argument a little lopsided.  But today we see clearly that Machen is not suggesting Jesus isn't an example for us, rather Machen's concern is that liberals say Jesus is ONLY an example.  If this is the case, then Jesus is no example at all: 'But the example of Jesus is a perfect example only if He was justified in what He offered to men.  And He offered, not primarily guidance, but salvation; He presented Himself as the object of men's faith.' 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - VII

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin chapter V, 'Christ', and read up to the paragraph that begins 'This conclusion needs to be guarded against two objections.  In the first place, it iwll be said, are we not failing to do justice to the true humanity of Jesus...' (page 78 of the new edition). 

My notes and thoughts
Machen now seeks to show how the liberals are wrong in their understanding of Christ (Machen admits that there is some overlap here with chapter 2 on 'Doctrine', but there are important distinctions made here that were not made in chapter 2).   

Jesus for the liberals is merely an example of faith whereas for the early church he was primarily the object of faith: 'The Jesus spoken of in the New Testament was no mere teacher of righteousness, no mere pioneer in a new type of religious life, but One who was regarded, and regarded Himself, as the Saviour whom men could trust.  But by modern liberalism He is regarded in a totally different ways...Jesus for him is an example for faith, not he object of faith.  The modern liberal tries to have faith in God like the faith which he spposes Jesus had in God; but he does not have faith in Jesus.' 

Machen provides two reasons why Jesus is a terrible example for Christians to follow, if an example is all he is:
(i) We cannot imitate him in his Messianic consciousness;
(ii) We cannot imitate him in his sinlessness: 'If Jesus is separated from us by his Messianic consciousness, He is separated from us even more fundamentally by the absence in Him of a sense of sin.' 

Therefore Jesus was not the first Christian for us to follow as a mere example: 'but if Christianity is a way of getting rid of sin, then Jesus was not a Christian; for Jesus, so far as we can see, had no sin to get rid of.'  Excellent point!  If Jesus is merely an example for us to follow, liberals should be despairing in a corner - not teaching their heresy. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Christianity & liberalism - Machen - VI

Required reading 

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read chapter IV, 'The Bible'. 

My notes and thoughts
Now Machen turns his attention to liberalism's view of Scripture. 

Firstly, Machen demonstrates that liberalism is wrong to disconnect Christian experience from Scripture: 'Christian experience is rightly used when it helps to convince us that the events narrated in the New Testament actually did occur; but it can never enable us to be Christians whether the events occurred or not.  It is a fair flower, and should be prized as a gift of God.  But cut it from its root in the blessed Book, and it soon withers away and dies.'

Secondly, Machen demonstrates that liberalism is wrong to affirm that there are errors in the Bible when it comes to the message of the cross: 'A Bible that is full of error is certainly divine in the modern pantheizing sense of "divine," according to which God is just another name for the course of the world with all  its imperfections and all its sin.  But the God whom the Christian worships is a God of truth.'

On the point about Scriptural inerrancy Machen made a helpful clarification: 'There are many who believe that the Bible is right at the central point, in its account of the redeeming work of Christ, and yet believe that it contains many errors.  Such men are not really liberals, but Christians; because they have accepted as true the message upon which Christianity depends.'  Although such Christians do make me nervous by their obvious spiritual immaturity, Machen is right that we must accept them as brothers and sisters if they do not believe there is any error in the testimony of the cross. 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.