Book Review: Are We Together? #RomanCatholicism

Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism. By R.C. Sproul. Sanford, Florida: Reformation Trust Publishing. pp. 125. 2012. ($17.00 Hardcover)

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Five Stars | Highly Recommended!

The Roman Catholic Church claims more than one billion adherents. As a Protestant, that’s not something I can overlook. Are we all of one faith, with our own particular differences and idiosyncrasies, but a common gospel? The Reformers who birthed Protestantism came to the conclusion that Rome had departed from the biblical gospel. Are things different today?

R.C. Sproul sets out to answer that question with his book Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism. It’s no surprise that Sproul doesn’t think we are together, and each of his chapters address the six main points of difference between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. This is probably his biggest service to readers, focusing on the main issues and not addressing each and every point of difference ad nauseum.

His chapters are:

1. Scripture
2. Justification
3. The Church
4. The Sacraments
5. The Papacy
6. Mary

It is in the chapter on Mary (which was also the most interesting chapter) that Sproul summarizes the greatest difference between the Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism:

The biggest issue in the whole Mariology debate is the sufficiency of Christ. In truth, this is the issue with Roman Catholic theology from beginning to end. It is the issue with Rome’s doctrine of Scripture, its doctrine of justification, and even here, with its doctrine of Mary. Is Christ alone our perfect sacrifice? Does He offer Himself for the sins of His people or is He offered by His mother? Does He alone achieve our redemption or does He have to depend upon the cooperation of His mother? Protestants believe that Christ alone is our justification. (p.115)

It is vitally important that Protestants like myself really understand what the sufficiency of Christ really means and how this differs from Roman Catholic teaching. Although any random person who self-identifies as Roman Catholic may or may not know or believe the official doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants should be aware of what they themselves believe. This is a good introduction to this very important issue, and I highly recommend it, especially for those who work with and minister to those who claim to follow Rome.

I received this book from the publisher for purposes of review.

Book Review: Jesus + Nothing = Everything

Jesus + Nothing = Everything. By Tullian Tchividjian. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books. pp. 224. 2011. ($18.99 Print | $16.99 Kindle | $13.99 Audio)

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Jesus + Nothing = Everything is a very simple equation, yet its truth is an essential aspect of the Christian faith with many diverse applications. Tullian Tchividjian, a Presbyterian pastor with an unpronounceable last name, tackles this equation from back to front and from front to back.

Tchividjian was facing a challenging and discouraging situation in his ministry that brought him to reflect on his motivations and discovered that he was tying his own identity and self-worth into what others thought of him. Yet, as he reflected on the letter to the Colossians, he recommitted himself to the truth the Jesus is the source of his identity and self-worth because Jesus is the source of everything, especially our salvation.

What follows is a look at each aspect of the equation, Jesus + Nothing = Everything, followed by detailed look at some key passages from Colossians and their relevance today. It’s a bit of a chiasm (A-B-C-C’-B’-A’), which is not a common format, and thus can be bothersome to work through. Personally, I most benefitted from Tchividian’s explanation of the Bible passages, since I want my beliefs and practices to be based on what the Bible says.

The narrator reads the book like you would expect it to be spoken, adjusting his tone, pitch, and inflection. It’s a good compliment to an overall encouraging book.

I received this audio book from christianaudio for the purpose of review.

Talking about God at Work

At work this week I got into a conversation with quite a few of my coworkers about religion. I'm not sure how the conversation got started, but my coworkers were discussing praise dancers. I'm not quite sure what to think of the phenomenon myself, but I believe dance is an acceptable form of worship and that in the church we are to do everything "decently and in order." Since the majority of my coworkers thought it was odd and didn't like it, I thought I'd share what I don't like about some churches.

One person's version of church was waking up on Sunday morning, watching Joel Osteen speak on the television for a half hour, and falling back to sleep. I said, "What I don't like about Joel Osteen is that he doesn't get to the gospel. He doesn't get to the central message of the Bible. I get that we need to live contently with our life situation, but anybody can do that."

My coworker didn't quite follow what I was saying, so I asked her, "You watch Joel. Answer me this: What must I do to be saved?" She's grown up with enough of a Christian influence to say something about praying a prayer, and a "Catholic" coworker said, "Yeah, and they say it doesn't matter what you do so long as you pray that prayer." In general, the people didn't seem to like that idea, which I would agree is wrong, but probably for different reasons than they would.

I'm currently listening to an audio book from Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears that touches on this. I'm praying for more opportunities to talk about the gospel with my coworkers, and I hope to bring up Romans 10:9 in that conversation.

Being a Christian means that you “confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” (Rom. 10:9). Ask yourself, “Am I trusting the truth of the gospel?”

… Many people emphasize the moment when you prayed to accept Jesus. Some go so far as to declare that if you can’t remember the moment you prayed, then you cannot even be a Christian. But if you look in the Bible, that kind of statement is never made. Conversely, 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” It is real belief and not a magical prayer that saves a Christian. In fact, many who grew up in Christian homes never remember a time when they prayed a prayer or made a decision for Jesus, but they lovingly confess Jesus all the same.

Vintage Church, pg. 31

The Boldness of Micah

Micah was an unpopular prophet. Even in our day, as a member of the “Minor Prophets,” his book is often glossed over in favor of something more exciting and dramatic like Isaiah or Jeremiah. If it weren’t for Micah 5:2 in which Bethlehem is singled out as the birthplace of the Messiah, it is likely few of us would come into much contact with this book.

Micah’s unpopularity stemmed from his message. Although his detractors are nameless, even to this day, at the time they were the kings of cool. For a fee they would say the most wonderful things about their listeners—stating that their message was coming directly from God. Micah also claimed his message was from God. But unless God is guilty of doublespeak (Titus 1:2 says He’s not), that would mean that either Micah or his opponents were lying.

Micah’s message did not come with a price tag, and it didn’t contain the most positive words for his hearers. He recognized that his opponents were popular, but he argued their message was false—flattering compliments in exchange for a full belly and comfortable clothes. Micah’s message was entirely unflattering and he likely suffered for it. In comparison to the false prophets, he said,

As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the Lord, with justice and courage, to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin. [Micah 3:8 HCSB]

In our day, a message about sin and rebellion is not popular. Instead preachers are encouraged to proclaim a message about the power of positive thinking. That kind of thinking will not lead to true repentance and faith that our righteous and holy God demands from us rebels and sinners.

We must stand firm to proclaim the gospel—all of it. Without recognition of our sinful condition, we can never trust in Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. There is no grace where there is no acknowledgment that it is needed.

The false prophets required food and drink, money and material things, before they would share their message. Micah required one thing—the Spirit of the Lord. It was the Spirit of God that gave him power, justice, and courage to stand firm with the message that Judah and Israel were under the condemnation of God for their sin.

Pornography is Not a Turnaround, Repentance is.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

—John 1:1-5; 3:19

I was looking at an article on CNN and then followed a link to an article on People Magazine’s website about Hugh Hefner and Lindsay Lohan. Apparently she posed nude for Hefner’s Playboy Magazine. I don’t read People Magazine, and rarely do I visit the website except to read a specific article mentioned on CNN. I figured any photos with the article wouldn’t be graphic, so I clicked through and read.

The gist of the article is this: Hefner was at first a little uncertain about having Lohan pose for his magazine given her personal issues that are all over the news media every few weeks, but is pleasantly surprised that the magazine issue is selling so well.

A few observations:

1. I find it ironic that the head of a company that specializes in the mass distribution of pornography and the objectification of women would be wary of controversy. Lest we attribute this uneasiness to a burdened conscience, we should remember that Hefner’s main purpose in having celebrities featured in his magazine is primarily to increase market share and make money. He was concerned about Lohan because her appearance could be bad for business.
2. Hefner stated that Lohan’s appearance in the magazine “is intended as a turnaround.” It may well be that Lohan again rises to stardom and makes millions of dollars, gets involved in a somewhat stable, cohabitating relationship, and maybe even has a few kids. But that is only a Hollywood turnaround. In relation to God, repentance and faith is the only turnaround that matters. Lohan’s most recent public act is merely one step further in the direction of depravity and despair.
   
3. Hugh Hefner also said “this is a born-again beginning for Lindsay.” Again, repentance and faith is what makes a man or woman born again. The cheap substitute experience that Hefner offers is merely a shadow and a perversion of the image of God present in every human being.

Book Review: Just in Case You Ever Wonder

A review by Hannah

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Just in Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado is a beautifully illustrated, creative book that tells children how special they are to their parents and to God. It tells children that God created them like no one else, which makes them special—an important lesson in today’s culture. As the child in the story grows, the parents promise to always love them and be there for them.

The book provides parents with the opportunity to express love and protection to their children. The words are simple and reassuring. The illustrations are done in comforting, muted colors with expressive people and fill the entire page spread.

My only concern was the ending discussion on heaven. The parent tells the child that “God wants me to make sure you know about heaven,” but does not explain how to get there or who goes to heaven. Without explanation from the reader, it could sound like a universal promise to all children. Still, the book is worth reading with some guidance because of the positive message paired with quality illustrations.

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I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze book review program. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are mine.

Reading Together: When a Christian Sins

On Thursday our small group got together for our discussion of the book What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers. Here are a few highlights on chapter 4—Every Christian Ought to Know What Happens When a Christian Sins:

This chapter was a great follow up to the previous week’s chapter. After affirming that a Christian will not lose his salvation, the next logical question is “What happens when a Christian sins?”

Rogers doesn’t beat around the bush—if we are enjoying sin, getting into a habit of sinning, or excusing our sin, we need to reevaluate whether or not we’re really saved.

The chapter develops from a close inspection of Psalm 51, the psalm David wrote after he had sinned with Bathsheba, getting her pregnant and having her husband killed. He really committed a wicked act.

The book points out many of the consequences of sin in the life of a believer, giving a major emphasis to the disconnect that exists between the believer and God and a loss of joy and peace. Shame and disgrace follow, as well as a gnawing conviction from the Holy Spirit that won’t let us forget.

Fortunately, there’s healing. God will cleanse His children who humbly come to Him asking for grace and forgiveness. The promise of 1 John 1:9 stands true: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Our group conversation took us into entirely different territory as we discussed what to do with sin in the church and whether or not it is biblical to differentiate between sins. The old adage “All sins are equal before God” is a true statement, but are we saying it to minimize a sin or to amplify a sin? We all agreed that most of the time it is an attempt to minimize or trivialize sin.

Some time in Matthew 18:15-17 would benefit anyone with questions about what this means in the church, as well as 1 Corinthians 5.

For additional resources that will help you recognize the severity of our sin and the wonderful grace of God, check out R.C. Sproul’s The Holiness of God (in Spanish) or John Piper’s Desiring God (in Spanish).

To join us in our readings, get the book in English or Spanish and download the reader guide (in English or Spanish) to fill out for each chapter. Then stop by next week Saturday when we discuss chapter 5—Every Christian Ought to Know How to Handle Temptation.

Book Review: God Wins

3 STARS

God Wins by Mark Galli is one of the earlier book responses to Rob Bell’s Love Wins. There’s much to praise in this book. For one, Galli focuses on the arguments in the book and avoids talking about Bell hardly at all. Additionally, he doesn’t limit his focus to hell, but instead covers the full range of topics from the question about who God is, the biblical concept of atonement, and the importance of faith. It is only at the end of the book that he addresses hell and judgment and a defense against universalism.

I was most surprised by Galli’s explanation of salvation. His commitment to historical Christian belief shines through in all of his chapters, but I didn’t realize he’d hold to monergism as well (the Holy Spirit revives us apart from our effort or will). That is definitely a plus!

Galli is a “big-tent” evangelical. His positive attitude and desire for dialogue is a great addition to the discussion, yet he’s much more generous in his personal assessment of Bell than Bell’s own statements deserve. At one point Galli says that even though Love Wins would indicate Bell is a universalist, since Bell says he’s not, Galli takes him at his word. This kind of “big-tented-ness” is prevalent throughout.

God Wins is a kind and compassionate response to the claims of Love Wins, but it stands on its own merits. Still, some slippage regarding important teachings from the Bible makes me wonder if another book might be worth considering.

To buy the audiobook from christianaudio, click here.

To buy the print version from Amazon, click here.

I received this book free from christianaudio as part of their book review program. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are mine.

Reading Together: The Assurance of Salvation

On Thursday our small group got together for our discussion of the book What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers. Here are a few highlights on chapter 2—Every Christian Ought to Know the Assurance of Salvation:

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In this chapter Rogers demonstrates that we can know whether or not we are saved and explains how to know so. He first speaks of doubt, saying, “Doubt is to your spirit what pain is to your body” (pg. 28). Many Christians experience periods of doubt about whether or not they are saved. Instead of being alarmed by this, Christians need to be aware that doubt should come across as a signal that all is not right, and a little time in prayer and God’s Word can help bring clarity and healing.

Salvation is experienced when the Word of God and the moving of the Holy Spirit combine in the life of a person and they place their hope in Christ. Working through the first seven verses of John 3, Rogers gives a brief explanation of the process of salvation. The means, as he mentions earlier in the chapter, is through Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross in our place. Citing Ephesians 2:8-9, Rogers points out that salvation is a gift—it is not something we earn with our works.

For most believers, the issue isn’t what they need to believe, but what can confirm their salvation. Rogers offers three marks that follow in the life of a believer:

1. Following God’s commandments
2. A love for God’s people
3. Confidence produced by the Holy Spirit and the Word

As we worked through this chapter, each person in our group shared a little about what he had thought and what God had been doing in his life.

One lady in our group shared that she prayed for her father and planned on taking him through this chapter because in the religion he grew up in, the only way to be saved was to earn it, and one could never be sure if he had arrived or not.

Another person shared that he, though a newer believer, had not really experienced any times of doubting his faith. He confessed that his life had changed so much from the time before he was a Christian that there was no doubt in his mind what God had done for him.

Both another man and I shared that 1 John 5:13 was a strong comfort in times of doubt.

There may come times of doubt in our lives, but God’s Word is clear: we can know if we are saved. Do you carry the marks of a true believer?

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For a more in depth look at the issue of the assurance of your salvation, I suggest checking out Am I Really a Christian?.

To join us in our readings, get the book in English or Spanish and download the reader guide (English or Spanish) to fill out for each chapter. Then stop by next week Saturday when we discuss chapter 3—Every Christian Ought to Know about Eternal Security.

Book Review: Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love

This book review is provided by my wife, Hannah, who has an elementary education degree and is just a few weeks shy of her due date.

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3.5 STARS

“Attractive, entertaining, but theologically unclear”

Smack-Dab in the Middle of God’s Love is a beautiful book that teaches children about God’s love for them using the catchy phrase, “smack-dab in the middle”. As neighborhood children and animals crowd into Willie Juan and Ana’s Mexican home, they enjoy homemade sopapillas and discuss God’s love. Willie Juan asks the children what God will ask them in heaven. Several children say He’ll ask if they completed certain acts of kindness. Willie Juan reassures them that even if they fail, God will still love them.

Although I enjoyed the book, I was concerned that it portrays a works-based salvation. Most evangelical Christians would say God will ask us if we have trusted in Jesus and good works should flow out of that love. Willie Juan could have explained how we show love because God loved us. Instead, the book does not qualify the children’s comments at all.

The bright watercolor illustrations show children of all colors and sizes in a realistic way. Each picture complements the words and adds details like animals, food, emotions, or flowers to the scene. The faces are particularly interesting and varied. Overall, the book was attractive, multicultural, and entertaining, but the sketchy theological views make me hesitant to recommend it for children.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of their book review program, Booksneeze. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are mine.

Revealed in Romans

Look at the beginning of Romans 1:17 and 1:18:

For the	righteousness	of God is revealed	in the gospel…
For the	wrath	of God is revealed	from heaven…

Two different things are revealed from two different sources.

In verse seventeen the righteousness of God, that is, the justification that God provides for sinners, is revealed in the gospel. The way of salvation is made known to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is specifically the death of Christ in our place that paid our sin debt and gives us a right standing before God.

In verse eighteen the wrath of God, that is the just condemnation that God pronounces over sinners, is revealed from heaven, that is, at God’s divine appointment. This would most certainly include destructive natural events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis, but also includes the law that is written on our hearts which testifies against us (Romans 2:15).

The wrath of God is already made known to us. Our only hope is in the righteousness provided through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. It is to the gospel, not the world around us, that we must turn for salvation and peace.

A New Believer, a New Baptism

I’ve written about my concerns that our Hispanic ministry has been more like Martha than Mary. This past weekend I was given another anecdote to share. I write this not to criticize our church, since I’ve been on this bandwagon, but because I believe we are at the point of moving forward.

Saturday night after service I received a phone call from one of my friends, “Hey, we’re all going over to so-and-so’s for a cookout. Want to go?” This is one of the things I love about our Hispanic group. We can have a party almost anytime completely at random. Hannah and I were among the first to get there (since these things typically start late), which allowed us to be among the first to leave, around midnight.

One couple there has been fairly regular in attending services. I remembered the wife had filled out one of our connection cards asking for information on how to be baptized. This occurred a while ago, and since I’ve been thinking a lot about our priorities and focus in ministry, I seriously questioned whether or not someone had contacted her about this important question.

After thinking about it for a while and going in and out of the house, I finally mustered the courage to ask. I said, “I heard you had asked about baptism on your connection card. Did anyone ever followed up with you?” She gave me a look of relief mixed with a weariness, “I have been waiting two months for someone to talk to me about it!”

Ouch!

Fortunately, she was very gracious and we were able to sit around a table together: her, her husband, the pastor’s wife, my wife, and I. Not having spoken with a candidate for baptism before, I started with Matthew 28:18-20 and explained that we baptize because Christ commands us to.

Since Jesus said to make disciples and then baptize them, I explained how we become disciples. I wasn’t sure if she was a Christian or not, but after explaining the gospel, she was able to articulate her faith in Christ, which she says happened about two months ago. If we had followed up with her two months ago we could have learned this and rejoiced with her. We could have helped her work through some basic doctrines, including baptism.

Once we were sure of her confession, talking about baptism was a joy. We covered Romans 6:4 and explained the significance of baptism. She grasped this quickly, and after some discussion about how baptism is a celebration and a witness to others, we set a date and encouraged her to invite friends and family to see and rejoice with us when she goes under and come up in a beautiful picture of our identification with Christ.

We’re having a leadership meeting soon, and this topic will definitely be out on the table. Then Hannah and I will meet with this lady and her husband one more time before her baptism to reinforce what she’s learned and to share some encouragement and fellowship together.

Praise God for another sister in Christ!

Love Wins?

If I were to do a video response to Rob Bell's Love Wins, I think the script would run something like this:

Several weeks ago I was looking over various blogs and articles in my feed reader. And there was an article linking to a video about a book that lots of people found compelling. They’d stop and leave comments, post blog articles, and preorder on Amazon. But not everybody found it that compelling. Somewhere in the course of the blogging somebody wrote something critical of the Rob Bell’s stance on hell.

Rob Bell has a stance on hell? He does? And he wrote about it and felt the need to let the rest of us know? Does everybody get to go to heaven? And will no one spend forever in hell? And if that’s the case, why do we need to believe anything about Jesus? If what you believe, what you say, what you do, or who you know doesn’t matter, why even bother believing in Jesus anyway? And what’s it matter what you believe about him?

And then there is the question behind the questions, the real question: What is God like? Because thousands or millions of people are going to be taught that the primary message—the center of the Gospel of Christ—is that we will all be saved. And so, what gets subtly sort of taught from Rob Bell is that God is not holy and just. But what kind of God is that; that He wouldn’t show Himself holy or just? How could that God ever be good? How could that God ever be trusted? And how could that ever be good news?

This is why Bell’s teachings won’t stand the test of time. It is an endless list of absurdities and inconsistencies; and they say: “If I’m going to heaven anyway, why would I ever want to be part of that?” See, what we believe about heaven and hell is incredibly important because it exposes what we believe about Who God is, and what God is like. What you discover in the Bible is so surprising, unexpected, and beautiful, that whatever we’ve been told or taught by Rob Bell, the good news is actually better than that; better than we could ever imagine.

The good news is that God is holy and just and has provided a way of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf.