Sharing the Gospel with My Son

As anyone who reads this blog at all (or who can look at the counter on the top-right of the blog) will know, my wife and I are expecting our first child in December. My son will begin his life outside the womb sometime around the first or second week of December. I’ve been reading lots of books (and blogs) and talking to lots of people to understand my responsibilities as his father. I’ve come to understand my main responsibility, and the one that intimidates me the most, is to raise him to have faith in Christ.

There are many challenges associated with this responsibility. I am called to lead my family in a way that glorifies Christ, including prayer, devotions, etc. These are things that, in a family context, are quite foreign to me. I’m learning what it looks like to lead in this way, but it’s still uncomfortable and difficult.

I will also be called to instruct my son (and his siblings should God give him some) in knowledge of God and Christ. I will need to articulate the biblical gospel to him so that he understands what Christ has accomplished. I will need to give him a foundational knowledge so that the faith he learns from me will be able to transform into his own personal faith in Christ. There is truly nothing I will want more for him than to obtain this faith.

While there are many things about becoming a parent for the first time that are a little overwhelming (lack of sleep, lack of freedoms, lack of quality time with Leah, the responsibility of providing), this is the one from which I feel the most weight on me. How can I be sure that my son will know Christ? What can I do to make sure he “gets it”?

With these things rolling around in my head, I found this post by Tim Challies particularly helpful today. In it, Tim responds to a parent struggling with Election and his responsibilities as a father. What if his child isn’t chosen, he asks? Tim does a great job outlining the basics of biblical election (total depravity, unconditional election, etc.). He closes with this:

Too often, I think, we approach this subject from the point-of-view that every person deserves a chance to go to heaven. We see our sweet children and are unable to believe that they justly deserve an eternity of separation from God. And so we deem it unfair that they may not be among the elect and hence can never turn to Christ. But Scripture tells us that all men, even children, have turned away from Christ. All men have committed an act of cosmic treason and deserve to be punished for it. God chooses to extend grace to some, but not all. But the very fact that it is grace tells us that it is not deserved; it is a free gift.

I conclude by pointing again to the goodness (Psalm 107:1, James 1:17, Psalm 84:11) and sovereignty (1 Samuel 2:6-7, Psalm 135:5-6, Proverbs 16:9) of God. God is good and does only what is good. This is as true in election as in any other area. When the Lord calls us home and when we stand before him, we know that none of us will question God’s wisdom; none of us will deem him unfair or unkind. We will rejoice in his goodness and will rejoice in his sovereign choice.

It is a comforting thought to realize that my child’s salvation does not depend on how well I do instructing and teaching him. It doesn’t depend on his intelligence, ability, or anything in himself. It depends on God. This doesn’t negate my responsibilities as his father, but I can rest knowing I’m not ultimately responsible for his soul.

I like Mark Driscoll’s perspective on this: “Work like an Arminian, but sleep like a Calvinist.”

Sharing the Gospel with My Son

As anyone who reads this blog at all (or who can look at the counter on the top-right of the blog) will know, my wife and I are expecting our first child in December. My son will begin his life outside the womb sometime around the first or second week of December. I’ve been reading lots of books (and blogs) and talking to lots of people to understand my responsibilities as his father. I’ve come to understand my main responsibility, and the one that intimidates me the most, is to raise him to have faith in Christ.

There are many challenges associated with this responsibility. I am called to lead my family in a way that glorifies Christ, including prayer, devotions, etc. These are things that, in a family context, are quite foreign to me. I’m learning what it looks like to lead in this way, but it’s still uncomfortable and difficult.

I will also be called to instruct my son (and his siblings should God give him some) in knowledge of God and Christ. I will need to articulate the biblical gospel to him so that he understands what Christ has accomplished. I will need to give him a foundational knowledge so that the faith he learns from me will be able to transform into his own personal faith in Christ. There is truly nothing I will want more for him than to obtain this faith.

While there are many things about becoming a parent for the first time that are a little overwhelming (lack of sleep, lack of freedoms, lack of quality time with Leah, the responsibility of providing), this is the one from which I feel the most weight on me. How can I be sure that my son will know Christ? What can I do to make sure he “gets it”?

With these things rolling around in my head, I found this post by Tim Challies particularly helpful today. In it, Tim responds to a parent struggling with Election and his responsibilities as a father. What if his child isn’t chosen, he asks? Tim does a great job outlining the basics of biblical election (total depravity, unconditional election, etc.). He closes with this:

Too often, I think, we approach this subject from the point-of-view that every person deserves a chance to go to heaven. We see our sweet children and are unable to believe that they justly deserve an eternity of separation from God. And so we deem it unfair that they may not be among the elect and hence can never turn to Christ. But Scripture tells us that all men, even children, have turned away from Christ. All men have committed an act of cosmic treason and deserve to be punished for it. God chooses to extend grace to some, but not all. But the very fact that it is grace tells us that it is not deserved; it is a free gift.

I conclude by pointing again to the goodness (Psalm 107:1, James 1:17, Psalm 84:11) and sovereignty (1 Samuel 2:6-7, Psalm 135:5-6, Proverbs 16:9) of God. God is good and does only what is good. This is as true in election as in any other area. When the Lord calls us home and when we stand before him, we know that none of us will question God’s wisdom; none of us will deem him unfair or unkind. We will rejoice in his goodness and will rejoice in his sovereign choice.

It is a comforting thought to realize that my child’s salvation does not depend on how well I do instructing and teaching him. It doesn’t depend on his intelligence, ability, or anything in himself. It depends on God. This doesn’t negate my responsibilities as his father, but I can rest knowing I’m not ultimately responsible for his soul.

I like Mark Driscoll’s perspective on this: “Work like an Arminian, but sleep like a Calvinist.”

Some of the Best Criticism You Can Get

Tim Challies posted this on facebook:

Here is just a small portion from a long email in which a reader of my blog took issue with my review of The Shack. In doing so, she paid me what I consider a great compliment.

*****

“I guess I just feel that when I read your website about the shack I saw you sitting at a table with the bible on one side and the shack on the other. Reading both at the same time and if it didn’t say it like the bible then it is a wrong message.”

The is the best criticism a christian book reviewer could possibly hope for. Great job, Tim.

Some of the Best Criticism You Can Get

Tim Challies posted this on facebook:

Here is just a small portion from a long email in which a reader of my blog took issue with my review of The Shack. In doing so, she paid me what I consider a great compliment.

*****

“I guess I just feel that when I read your website about the shack I saw you sitting at a table with the bible on one side and the shack on the other. Reading both at the same time and if it didn’t say it like the bible then it is a wrong message.”

The is the best criticism a christian book reviewer could possibly hope for. Great job, Tim.

Game Day for the Glory of God

I was a sports fanatic growing up. I played basketball, baseball, football, soccer, tennis, ran cross-country and track…I love every sport and played most of them well enough to be successful at them. I got most serious about basketball, having a pretty decent high school career and even playing a couple year’s at Transylvania University, a D3 school in Lexington, KY.

Sports dominated my life, and how that related to my faith was a question I rarely, if ever, asked myself. Sports was my god, and I worshiped often and passionately. I lived for the competition and was quite a bad loser. Since I’ve grown a little more in my faith over the years, I’ve attempted to figure out how to play sports, even for recreation as I do now in leagues here and there, and do so in a way that glorifies God. I haven’t always been successful at doing so, and I’ve even considered not playing at all anymore since I can’t seem to compete in a godly way consistently.

All of this to say I’m pretty excited to read Stephen Altrogge’s book, Game Day for the Glory of God. Tim Challies reviewed it on his site today:

At a time when sport supplants religion and athletes are reverenced as heroes, it does us good to consider if and how we can use sports to bring honor to God. In Game Day for the Glory of God, Stephen Altrogge does just that, exploring both the benefits and challenges that await those of us who enjoy the action and drama of sports. Stephen relies on the Bible’s timeless wisdom to guide us to a deeper appreciation of God and a deeper abiding in the truths of the gospel on game day and every day.

And Justin Taylor posted some videos of Stephen on his site Sunday:

As a sidenote: I actually lived the above situation (with some slight differences) in high school. My senior year, we were playing in the state finals and we had battled back from being down about 15 in the 2nd half to close the lead to 3 in the final seconds. We had the length of the floor to go, but somehow I managed to break free and get off a decent 25-footer at the buzzer…only to see the ball clang off the rim. We lost 73-70.

Game Day for the Glory of God

I was a sports fanatic growing up. I played basketball, baseball, football, soccer, tennis, ran cross-country and track…I love every sport and played most of them well enough to be successful at them. I got most serious about basketball, having a pretty decent high school career and even playing a couple year’s at Transylvania University, a D3 school in Lexington, KY.

Sports dominated my life, and how that related to my faith was a question I rarely, if ever, asked myself. Sports was my god, and I worshiped often and passionately. I lived for the competition and was quite a bad loser. Since I’ve grown a little more in my faith over the years, I’ve attempted to figure out how to play sports, even for recreation as I do now in leagues here and there, and do so in a way that glorifies God. I haven’t always been successful at doing so, and I’ve even considered not playing at all anymore since I can’t seem to compete in a godly way consistently.

All of this to say I’m pretty excited to read Stephen Altrogge’s book, Game Day for the Glory of God. Tim Challies reviewed it on his site today:

At a time when sport supplants religion and athletes are reverenced as heroes, it does us good to consider if and how we can use sports to bring honor to God. In Game Day for the Glory of God, Stephen Altrogge does just that, exploring both the benefits and challenges that await those of us who enjoy the action and drama of sports. Stephen relies on the Bible’s timeless wisdom to guide us to a deeper appreciation of God and a deeper abiding in the truths of the gospel on game day and every day.

And Justin Taylor posted some videos of Stephen on his site Sunday:

As a sidenote: I actually lived the above situation (with some slight differences) in high school. My senior year, we were playing in the state finals and we had battled back from being down about 15 in the 2nd half to close the lead to 3 in the final seconds. We had the length of the floor to go, but somehow I managed to break free and get off a decent 25-footer at the buzzer…only to see the ball clang off the rim. We lost 73-70.

Our Introduction to Sarah Palin

(This will hopefully be the last post on Palin for a while…kind of dominating right now.)

Tim Challies has a great post wrapping up a lot of the coverage of Sarah Palin over the past week. A lot has happened, a lot of people have given their opinions, and many things have been exposed (about Palin, about the media, about most people as they respond). Tim does a great job of summing up some of the issues and what they will mean going forward.

A good portion of the post centers around the feminist (and liberal) reaction to a mother of five running for VP versus the Evangelical reaction. Interesting discussion going on about whether or not it’s ok for a woman to run for VP. You have feminst liberals saying she’s neglecting her children and should stay at home, while Christian leaders are defending her decision to run…

Challies’ conclusion:

While Christians do want to maintain the focus on the family we have to be careful about stating categorically that a woman has no business running for Vice President. Palin’s decision is one to be made with her family and with counsel from her local church. Beyond that we, as Christians, have to trust her judgment in this kind of disputable matter. Far be it from us to declare that she cannot do both and that she cannot do both with excellence.

Our Introduction to Sarah Palin

(This will hopefully be the last post on Palin for a while…kind of dominating right now.)

Tim Challies has a great post wrapping up a lot of the coverage of Sarah Palin over the past week. A lot has happened, a lot of people have given their opinions, and many things have been exposed (about Palin, about the media, about most people as they respond). Tim does a great job of summing up some of the issues and what they will mean going forward.

A good portion of the post centers around the feminist (and liberal) reaction to a mother of five running for VP versus the Evangelical reaction. Interesting discussion going on about whether or not it’s ok for a woman to run for VP. You have feminst liberals saying she’s neglecting her children and should stay at home, while Christian leaders are defending her decision to run…

Challies’ conclusion:

While Christians do want to maintain the focus on the family we have to be careful about stating categorically that a woman has no business running for Vice President. Palin’s decision is one to be made with her family and with counsel from her local church. Beyond that we, as Christians, have to trust her judgment in this kind of disputable matter. Far be it from us to declare that she cannot do both and that she cannot do both with excellence.

Learning about God from Creation

Tim Challies has a great post about what we can learn about God from creation. His observation came from watching the documentary “Planet Earth.” This is a great documentary, and Tim’s observations are a great reminder of what the beauty of creation should lead us to.

Great stuff.

Learning about God from Creation

Tim Challies has a great post about what we can learn about God from creation. His observation came from watching the documentary “Planet Earth.” This is a great documentary, and Tim’s observations are a great reminder of what the beauty of creation should lead us to.

Great stuff.

Still Growing (Pains)

Tim Challies reviews Kirk Cameron’s book, Still Growing. Might be worth the read to hear how God called “Mike Seaver” from a life most would consider perfect to use those blessings to reach others with the gospel.

Still Growing (Pains)

Tim Challies reviews Kirk Cameron’s book, Still Growing. Might be worth the read to hear how God called “Mike Seaver” from a life most would consider perfect to use those blessings to reach others with the gospel.

The Trinity and The Shack

If you are a Christian and read a lot, or if you are “Emergent” and want your faith to be hip and cool, you’ve probably at least heard of the book called “The Shack” by William P. Young. The book, a work of fiction, presents a man named Mack and his “conversation” with the Trinity at a shack where a tragedy happened earlier in his life. Young attempts, I think, to explain the Trinity in a new, challenging way that will cause people to think and reconsider the entire concept of the Trinity.

While the desire to understand the Trinity is admirable, the results are not, and this book is dangerous in large part because of the audience at which it is aimed. Young people, likely still fairly shallow in their faith and undeveloped in their discernment. I include myself in this category, which is why I read guys who know MUCH more than me.

One such person is Tim Challies, who has a great review of the book at his site. He is an amazing reviewer who also wrote a book called The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment.

Also, pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, in his latest sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity, contributed his critique of The Shack as well. Many of his points appear to be borrowed from Challies’ review, but they are both worth the time.

The Trinity and The Shack

If you are a Christian and read a lot, or if you are “Emergent” and want your faith to be hip and cool, you’ve probably at least heard of the book called “The Shack” by William P. Young. The book, a work of fiction, presents a man named Mack and his “conversation” with the Trinity at a shack where a tragedy happened earlier in his life. Young attempts, I think, to explain the Trinity in a new, challenging way that will cause people to think and reconsider the entire concept of the Trinity.

While the desire to understand the Trinity is admirable, the results are not, and this book is dangerous in large part because of the audience at which it is aimed. Young people, likely still fairly shallow in their faith and undeveloped in their discernment. I include myself in this category, which is why I read guys who know MUCH more than me.

One such person is Tim Challies, who has a great review of the book at his site. He is an amazing reviewer who also wrote a book called The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment.

Also, pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, in his latest sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity, contributed his critique of The Shack as well. Many of his points appear to be borrowed from Challies’ review, but they are both worth the time.