Hodge, Machen, and Murray on Christian Education

I recently noticed that three seminary professors, A.A. Hodge, J. Gresham Machen, and John Murray, all wrote what proved to be their final journal articles on the same topic - Christian education.

The last article that A.A. Hodge, professor at Princeton Seminary, wrote before his death on November 11, 1886 was "Religion in the Public Schools" (published January, 1887).

J. Gresham Machen was professor at Princeton Seminary and then at Westminster Seminary. The last article he wrote for the Presbyterian Guardian was a plea for Christian education he wrote in Chicago on his way to North Dakota, where he would die on January 1, 1937. The article was published on January 9, 1937: “Shall We Have Christian Schools?”

John Murray was a professor at Westminster Seminary for about 36 years before moving back to his native Scotland. His last article published in the Presbyterian Guardian, written in 1973 and published in October, 1975 after his death on May 8, 1975, was “Christian Education.”

All three of these seminary professors, in three different generations, were thinking of the same thing shortly before they died - the problem of secularized education and the importance of Christian education.

Christian Education

What follows here is adapted from the first lesson of a lesson series I am teaching on Christian education. You can listen to the recordings here. The series looks at a Christian view of education and the various fields of study. This first lesson is an introduction to Christian education, giving an overview of some biblical principles for education.

Great are the works of the LORD,

        studied by all who delight in them.

Full of splendor and majesty is his work,

        and his righteousness endures forever.

He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;

        the LORD is gracious and merciful. (Ps. 111:2-4)

The works of God are great and are studied by all who delight in them. We delight in them, since they are wondrous works full of splendor and majesty, and therefore we study them.

The works of God include not only his work of redemption, which is an especially wondrous work, but also his works of creation and his works of providence in general. His world ought to be studied, as it is the work of God. It should be studied as his world, as our Father's world, in the light of his word. It should be studied to the glory of its maker and governor, for that is what we are doing in this psalm, saying, "great are the works of the LORD." One motive in education and study is simply to wonder and delight at God's glory displayed in his works. 

This would have been done quite easily in man's innocency before the fall. As Adam walked around the garden, he would have quickly noticed the wisdom, power, and goodness of God in creation. Sin has come into the world and hinders this realization and makes us more self-centered, neglecting our Maker. But we can still see it. We should preserve that sense of wonder, the wonder of children in their Father's creation, eager to investigate the world with that wonder and delight. 

We are to study God's word and his world, and his world in light of his word. After all, how can we study man and the world without considering God? How can we educate man to maturity while neglecting his chief end? This purely secular approach to education, an education without considering God and man's chief end - which is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever - is quite prevalent today. This approach is not only deficient. Its neglect of these things distorts education and gives it an atheistic bent. It promotes a view of the world and man that is practically atheistic. It ends up giving a distorted view of man and the world.

In the opening of John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, he notes that the study of God draws us to a better knowledge of ourselves, and the study of man also leads us to a knowledge of God, our Maker. These subjects are intertwined, we will not have a clear knowledge of the one without a knowledge of the other.

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:27–28)

One purpose of studying God's world is so that we might be good rulers over his earth and its creatures. Any good ruler should have a good knowledge of what is under his care. As Proverbs 27:23 says, "Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds..." We are set over the world as those who are made in God's image and set over the works of his hands. If we are to rule the earth, to subdue it, to cultivate it, to take care of it, we should study it and understand it. 

Notice also that this text says that we are made in the image of God. This reality is important for education, for a correct understanding of what man is and what it means for man to be brought up to maturity. Being made in the image of God includes being made in knowledge, as rational creatures, able to perceive, able to reason (Col. 3:10). Man was first made in true knowledge with a true knowledge of God. That has been distorted by human depravity, yet man remains a being who is able to know and reason. As we are restored in Christ, we should use that faculty rightly in the light of his word.

Our use of our senses and our reason to study God's world are supported by biblical teachings. Sometimes in apologetics, we might ask the unbeliever, why do you trust your senses? Why do you trust your reason? What is the foundation of your worldview? But we should be careful to not think that our senses and reason is useless. The unbeliever might not be about to account for it, but we can. We believe that God made man, that he fit us to know him and to have dominion over the work of his hands. We believe that God is a God of wisdom and knowledge and that we are made in his image, also able to think and to reason. Our senses and reason point to God's design of mankind. Being gifted in this way as rational beings, we should use God's gifts and use them rightly and well. 

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) 

First of all, this verse says to bring them up. This is of the essence of education, to bring humans up to maturity and to fit them for the responsibilities of adulthood. Education aims at the maturity of the whole person in knowledge, in virtue, in skill. It aims at fitting you to be a good member of a family, a good member of your community, a good member of your nation, and a good human, which also in this age means a good Christian, as grace restores and perfects nature unto the glory of God. To be a good human we need Christ to restore us, that we might be sanctified and truly live as we were made to live. 

The verse also says fathers. It is addressed to fathers. The family has a primary and basic responsibility for the education of children, and this is especially the responsibility of the father as head of the household. This is not to say that fathers, or even parents, must be the only the ones to teach children. They may make a wise use of other people and resources in the education of their children. But parents are the primary teachers and are responsible to oversee the process. They must bring them up.

Regarding religious instruction, not only do parents give this to their children, but both parents and children also receive it from ordained teachers of the church (1 Cor. 12:28, James 3:1, Acts 20:20). In one sense all education ought to be religious, done in the fear of God. By "religious instruction" I mean instruction in what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. The church has an educational ministry to teach Scripture, the whole counsel of God, to everyone, and especially to the whole people of God, which includes children. Christians ought to embrace this education and bring their children to it as well. The instruction is not meant to replace parental instruction, but ought to strengthen it and help equip parents. The very context of Ephesians 6:4 is Paul writing to the church, and his specific instruction to fathers is to bring up their children in the Lord, and his specific instruction to the children is to obey their parents in the Lord. 

The verse also speaks of the discipline and instruction of the Lord. In context, that especially means the Lord Jesus (cp. Eph. 4:4-6, 6:5-9, 23-24).

As man's chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever, and as this is now only done through the Lord Jesus, all education ought to be Christian education. All of life is to be done unto God's glory, in accord with his word, through Jesus Christ. All people should be given a correct understanding of the world and the way to fulfill their chief end in all things through Christ.

In addition to this, Christian households are uniquely bound by God's covenant to give their children a Christian education. Christian parents are bound to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, to lead their households in the ways of the Lord (Gen. 18:19). We say with Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15a). Our children are covenantally consecrated unto Christ as his disciples to be raised as such (Acts 2:28-29, 16:31-34, Matt. 28:18-20). They are directly addressed in Ephesians as fellow members of the household of God. They are to be raised up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus as his disciples who have been baptized and are now to be taught to observe everything that Christ has commanded. Christ is to be their teacher.

Lastly, notice the terms discipline and instruction. This process of bringing them up includes discipline and instruction. The two Greek words are translated differently in different translations (e.g. nurture and admonition). The two Greek words are paideia and nouthesia. Paideia is the word for training and education. It refers to the whole training and education of children, mind and morals, body and soul, both by instruction and correction (related to the word for child). Nouthesia refers to admonition and instruction (to “put in mind” or “call attention to,” often with a sense of warning). It can be proactive in the giving of instruction and reminders or corrective in the giving of admonition. 

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40) 

Disciple is not a uniquely religious or biblical word, but was the common word for a learner, a pupil, a student - someone who had a teacher and was being taught by a teacher. This verse teaches us that education aims at passing on the knowledge, skills, culture, wisdom, or character of the teacher to the disciple.

Thomas Sowell once said, "Each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late." Education involves the process of enculturation, the passing on of civilization from one generation to the next. Children must learn biblical doctrine and the language, heritage, and customs of their particular people, that they might live well as members of it. We begin as ignorant, foolish, and unskilled people, but we can benefit from the knowledge, skill, and wisdom of others as it is passed down to us. 

Of course, the Teacher that we should all be like without exception is the Lord Jesus. We should rejoice in ever greater conformity to him. 

This verse is also a warning. The verse right before this verse says, "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?" Being like your teacher might not be a good thing. A bad teacher can lead disciples astray. So parents should be sure they are not blind as they teach their children how to see. They should also be careful about the teachers and mentors that they give their children as they get older.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) 

The Lord our God is one. He deserves your single-minded devotion with your whole being. His words ought to be on your heart, and you ought to diligently teach them to your children, every day, throughout the day. You should apply them indeed to all of life - to the work of your hands, to the way you see the world with your eyes, to the life of the home (the doorposts), and to the life of the society (the gates of the city). God is one. His word ought to be on the inside and the outside all the day, in every area, as it is all under him. The one God is over all of life.

Deuteronomy 6:7 refers to the teaching of God's words. But those words that are taught diligently should inform all of life, all the rest of education, not quarantined from them. Things ought to be fit together as a system, a unified way of thought and life. So there is a need for theology and biblical ethics from God's Word to shape the rest, and for the rest to serve its proper ends unto the glory of God.

Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. (Genesis 4:20-22)

While "father" might refer here to a natural father or ancestor, it seems (with the reference to "all") that it means here someone who excelled with the field and taught it to others, as we might refer to Gregor Mendal as the "father of modern genetics." The Larger Catechism cites this verse as it notes that the fifth commandment has implications for how we treat all superiors, whether in age or gifts or authority (WLC 124). 

In Genesis 4:20-22, we see how human culture and education developed even among those who rejected God. We find here agriculture and music and technology. By God's common grace, rebellion against God did not mean a cessation of all human culture and advancement in education. Total depravity does not mean that unbelievers get everything wrong. They still live in God's world. They still are made in God's image, although it is now corrupt. God's common grace restrains the full development of sin. Unbelievers still have useful insights and studies on earthly things. As John Calvin wrote, 

What then? Shall we deny that the truth shone upon the ancient jurists who established civic order and discipline with such great equity? Shall we say that the philosophers were blind in their fine observation and artful description of nature? Shall we say that those men were devoid of understanding who conceived the art of disputation and taught us to speak reasonably? Shall we say that they are insane who developed medicine, devoting their labor to our benefit? What shall we say of all the mathematical sciences? Shall we consider them the ravings of madmen? No, we cannot read the writings of the ancients on these subjects without great admiration. We marvel at them because we are compelled to recognize how preeminent they are. But shall we count anything praiseworthy or noble without recognizing at the same time that it comes from God? Let us be ashamed of such ingratitude, into which not even the pagan poets fell, for they confessed that the gods had invented philosophy, laws, and all useful arts. Those men whom Scripture calls ‘natural men’ were, indeed, sharp and penetrating in their investigation of inferior things. (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.2.15)

Thus, Christian education does not mean you have to turn everything on its head, teaching the opposite of what pagans teach. We need not cast away what good has been done by non-Christians. We should ascribe to God the glory for his gifts given to them and put these developments to a right use, reforming what is amiss. Augustine compared this process to how the Israelites "plundered the Egyptians" when they left Egypt. The idea is that of receiving what is good and in accordance with the truth and putting it to the right use. Sometimes reform is simply that, directing something to the right end. Other times, man's sin has further distorted his culture, causing there to be greater need for reform. Discernment is needed.

"Plundering the Egyptians" is part of a biblical motif. The biblical model is that the treasures of the nations, both material and intellectual, are brought into the service of God as the kingdom advances (Hag. 2:6-9, Mic. 4:13, Rev. 21:24-27). This must be done with wisdom, not simply uncritically adopting everything, but neither simply rejecting things because they came from the pagans. Remember that the treasures received from Egypt went to the building of the golden calf as well as to the tabernacle. When done rightly, the treasures of the nations come in and glorify the house of God. As he extends his kingdom among mankind, Christ is taking human culture away from the service of the devil unto the glory of God.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7) 

The fear of the Lord is fundamental to a good education. Those who do not fear God will remain fools in a very important respect. Even if they are insightful on one thing or another, this is God's world and we must not leave him out of our calculations. To be ignorant of some very important factor is to be unwise. The most fundamental thing is God, the Creator of all things. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Education without the fear of the Lord will be deficient and distorted by this neglect. Speaking of the importance of an education in the fear of God, A.A. Hodge wrote,

The claim of impartiality between positions as directly contradictory as that of Jews, Mohammedans and Christians, and especially as that of theists and of atheists, is evidently absurd. And no less is the claim absurd and impossible that a system of education can be indifferent on these fundamental subjects. ... The physical as well as the moral universe must be conceived either in a theistic or an atheistic light. It must originate in and develop through intelligent will - that is, in a person - or in atoms, force, or chance. Teleology must be acknowledged everywhere or be denied everywhere. … I am as sure as I am of the fact of Christ's reign that a comprehensive and centralized system of national education, separated from religion, as is now commonly proposed, will prove the most appalling enginery for the propagation of anti-Christian and atheistic unbelief, and of anti-social nihilistic ethics, individual, social and political, which this sin-rent world has ever seen. (A.A. Hodge, “The Kingly Office of Christ,” Popular Lectures on Theological Themes (1887), p. 281-284) 

Likewise, those who fear the Lord will be teachable. If we fear the Lord, we will be humble. We will be eager to learn. We will be able to receive correction. We will prize wisdom and instruction enough to diligently seek it out and to endure correction, which is unpleasant. This is a theme that you will find throughout Proverbs. The one who is humble, who fears the Lord, will be ready to endure the hardship of education. Is it sometimes hard to do schoolwork? Can it be hard to press on? Yes, but if you love wisdom, if you love knowledge, if you delight in God's works, then you are going to be able to do the hard work of doing the study, writing the paper, getting corrections on your homework, and growing. 

Let us therefore be diligently to raise up our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. And may we all delight in God's works, and therefore continue to study them, unto his glory and for the good of ourselves and others. 

God's Reign Over Every Sphere of Life - A.A. Hodge

Shortly before his death in 1886, Archibald Alexander Hodge gave a series of popular lectures on theology. This series is available online as Popular Lectures on Theological Themes and are currently published by Banner of Truth as Evangelical Theology. Three of the lectures give attention to the reign and kingdom of Christ: "The Kingly Office of Christ," "The Kingdom of Christ," and "The Law of the Kingdom." I have quoted from the first one here and the second one here. Here I would like to share a couple quotes from the third of these lectures.

He begins by speaking of how the gospel of grace accords with the pursuit of the practice of righteousness in accord with God’s revealed will in the Holy Scriptures. Since our obligation to God is universal and absolute, Hodge goes on to note that God's law demands obedience in every sphere of a person's life. 

"This law, moreover, demands instant and absolute obedience, not only from all classes of Christians, but also in every sphere of human life equally. A Christian is just as much under obligation to obey God's will in the most secular of his daily businesses as he is in his closet or at the communion table. He has no right to separate his life into two realms, and acknowledge different moral codes in each respectively--to say the Bible is a good rule for Sunday, but this is a weekday question, or the Scriptures are the right rule in matters of religion, but this is a question of business or of politics. God reigns over all everywhere. His will is the supreme law in all relations and actions. His inspired Word, loyally read, will inform us of his will in every relation and act of life, secular as well as religious, and the man is a traitor who refuses to walk therein with scrupulous care. The kingdom of God includes all sides of human life, and it is a kingdom of absolute righteousness. You are either a loyal subject or a traitor. When the King comes how will he find you doing?"

He discusses the three uses of the law - to restrain the wicked for the good of society, to convince us of our sin that we might embrace Christ, and to be the rule and goal for the regenerated and progressively sanctified Christian who obey out of love and in the Spirit. Then he goes on to speak of the implications of this obligation for our social responsibilities. 

"Since the kingdom of God on earth is not confined to the mere ecclesiastical sphere, but aims at absolute universality, and extends its supreme reign over every department of life, it follows that it is the duty of every loyal subject to endeavour to bring all human society, social and political, as well as ecclesiastical, into obedience to its law of righteousness. It is our duty, as far as lies in our power, immediately to organize human society and all its institutions and organs upon a distinctively Christian basis. Indifference or impartiality here between the law of the kingdom and the law of the world, or its prince, the devil, is utter treason to the King of Righteousness. The Bible, the great statute-book of the kingdom, explicitly lays down principles which, when candidly applied, will regulate the action of every human being in all relations. There can be no compromise. The King said with regard to all descriptions of moral agents in all spheres of activity, 'He that is not with me is against me.' If the national life in general is organized upon non-Christian principles, the churches which are embraced within the universal assimilating power of that nation will not long be able to preserve their integrity."

What this looks like in practice will vary in accord with each one's place and calling, but it is a project and goal that Christians should share. With the respect to the last sentence of that quote, it might be objected that it is possible for churches to resist assimilation into a national life that is non-Christian. It is possible, but it is also a real challenge. It might be easy for us to underestimate this challenge and overestimate the church's ability to be able to resist these forces, especially if Christian give up the effort to apply Christian principles to their life and culture. The more the life of a community or society is organized upon Christian principles, the better it is for that society and for the spiritual welfare of the people living in it. National life has an assimilating power, and it is better when this is a force for good that encourages faith and obedience, rather than a force that encourages unbelief and unfaithfulness.

The Creation of the Cosmos

Q. 9: What is the work of creation?
Answer: The work of creation is, God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

This is how the Shorter Catechism summarizes the doctrine of creation, a fundamental Christian belief undergirding the worldview and message of the Bible. Not only is it taught in Genesis 1-2, but it is taught throughout the Bible (Ex. 20:11, Ps. 33, 104, John 1:1-4, Acts 17:24-31, Rev. 4:11). The Bible teaches that God alone is eternal and uncreated. It teaches that he created everything else, visible and invisible, merely by speaking them into existence. He went on to divide, unite, shape, and fill what he made, wisely designing each part with purpose as part of a harmonious whole.

The earth is therefore not a product of chance, nor of long ages of struggle and death. Rather, it is the product of a good and wise God. Death and misery were not an original part of this world, but came as a consequence of human rebellion. 

This unique work of creation took up six days. Did he need to take that long? No, he did not. Yet one purpose he had in doing it this way was to set an example for us, to work six days and rest one day (Exod. 20:11). 

This doctrine has many practical consequences. For example, it has implications for gender and social order (see here) and for how we interpret nature as a revelation of God (see here). Here is how Kevin DeYoung has summarized some of its worldview implications:

“The opening chapter of Genesis is a rejection of atheism (because there is a God), a rejection of polytheism (because there is only one God), a rejection of pantheism (because the creation is not God), a rejection of humanism (because man is not God), a rejection of naturalistic evolution (because the world and its creatures come into being by intelligent design), a rejection of materialism (because the physical world is not all that is really there), and a rejection of dualism (because both the spiritual and physical are not opposed).” (source)

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

There Is Only One God

Q 5: Are there more Gods than one?
Answer: There is but one only, the living and true God.

There is only one God. The God revealed in Scripture is one God and he is God alone. This fundamental truth is asserted by the law (Deut. 6:4), the prophets (Is. 45:5-7), Christ (Mark 12:29), and the apostles (1 Cor. 8:4-6). "I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God..." (Isaiah 45:5). Both Jeremiah 10:10 and 1 Thessalonians 1:9 describe God as the living and true God, as opposed to idols which are dead and false. Unlike false gods, the one true God speaks, hears, and acts sovereignly, having created all things, doing whatever he pleases, working all things according to his purpose.

Deuteronomy 6:4 states that “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” It goes on to remark on several consequences of this oneness in verses 5-9. 

"[5] You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. [6] And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. [8] You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. [9] You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." 

First, as verse 5 teaches, God deserves wholehearted love, with nothing held back. Your devotion is not to be divided among several gods. You and I are to be singleminded, serving one God with everything we have.

Second, as verse 6 teaches, God’s word ought to be on your heart. One God means one law - one consistent and unchanging moral standard - and one gospel - one way of salvation. His word is supreme. 

Third, as verse 7 teaches, you should teach God's word to your children and speak of it and consider it throughout the whole day. It should be the foundation for your worldview, shaping your view of all of life. 

Fourth, as verses 8-9 teach, God has a sovereign claim over your personal life (hand and eyes), your family life (house), and your social and political life (the city gates). All of life is to be lived to the glory of God in accordance with his word.

What Were You Designed to Do?

Today I am beginning a series of posts based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. This catechism is one of the doctrinal standards of our church and has been used for centuries by Presbyterians, Puritans, and others to give instruction in the Christian faith. I will still post other things as well, but you can count on a regular post from me on the Shorter Catechism for a while (there are 107 questions). Here is the first, and most famous, question of the Shorter Catechism: 

Q 1: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

First we need to appreciate that man has an end (that is, a purpose or goal). In a consistent evolutionary worldview, man has no intended end and has no design except that he is accidentally fitted for mere survival. We have no purpose in this worldview so we are left to determine our own identity and purpose out of nothing by mere choice.

But through a good reading of nature and especially through the word of God, we find that we were made by God with purpose and design. We were designed to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Everything else we were designed to do serves this chief end. 

First, "to glorify God," as his image, filling the earth with his glory as we reflect and represent him. We glorify him in worship (Mal. 1:6-8, 11) and by serving him in all of life. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31). 

Second, "to enjoy him," gratefully receiving his gifts and favor, communing with him, delighting in him, his blessings, and his image in one another. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden not only to serve God, but also to enjoy his fellowship and favor. Psalm 16 meditates on this reality and culminates by saying to God, “in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11).

And this verse also mentions the third point in our catechism answer: "for ever." We were not created as cheaply made toys, to be discarded after a time. We were designed to fulfill this end forever. And through Jesus Christ, God has restored us to our original end and given us an eternal life of fellowship with God unto the praise of his glorious grace.

Chrysostom on Wine

I recently came across the following passage from John Chrysostom (A.D. 347-407) in his 57th homily on the Gospel of Matthew on the topic of wine, drunkenness, and the use of God's creation. 

"For instance, I hear many say, when these excesses happen, 'Would there were no wine.' O folly! O madness! When other men sin, dost thou find fault with God’s gifts? And what great madness is this? What? did the wine, O man, produce this evil? Not the wine, but the intemperance of such as take an evil delight in it. Say then, 'Would there were no drunkenness, no luxury;' but if thou say, 'Would there were no wine,' thou wilt say, going on by degrees, 'Would there were no steel, because of the murderers; no night, because of the thieves; no light, because of the informers; no women, because of adulteries;' and, in a word, thou wilt destroy all.

"But do not so; for this is of a satanical mind [1 Tim. 4:1-5]; do not find fault with the wine, but with the drunkenness; and when thou hast found this self-same man sober, sketch out all his unseemliness, and say unto him, Wine was given, that we might be cheerful, not that we might behave ourselves unseemly; that we might laugh, not that we might be a laughingstock; that we might be healthful, not that we might be diseased; that we might correct the weakness of our body, not cast down the might of our soul.

"God honored thee with the gift, why disgrace thyself with the excess thereof? Hear what Paul saith, 'Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities' [1 Tim. 5:23]. But if that saint, even when oppressed with disease, and enduring successive sicknesses, partook not of wine, until his Teacher suffered him; what excuse shall we have, who are drunken in health? To him indeed He said, 'Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake;' but to each of you who are drunken, He will say, 'Use little wine, for thy fornications, thy frequent filthy talking, for the other wicked desires to which drunkenness is wont to give birth.' But if ye are not willing, for these reasons, to abstain; at least on account of the despondencies which come of it, and the vexations, do ye abstain. For wine was given for gladness, 'Yea, wine,' so it is said, 'maketh glad the heart of man' [Ps. 104:15]; but ye mar even this excellence in it. For what kind of gladness is it to be beside one’s self, and to have innumerable vexations, and to see all things whirling round, and to be oppressed with giddiness, and like those that have a fever, to require some who may drench their heads with oil?"

Chrysostom's arguments here are very similar to the arguments made later by John Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion (see here). Calvin wrote, "Let this be our principle, that we err not in the use of the gifts of Providence when we refer them to the end for which their author made and destined them, since he created them for our good, and not for our destruction." (3.10.2).

Describing Manhood and Womanhood

I once had a professor, very good in other respects, who told me that men and women were different but that we cannot (and should not) say how they are different beyond obvious biological differences. Any attempt to do so was, in his thinking, an unwarranted generalization, certainly one unwarranted by the Bible. This was in reaction, I believe, to the concept of biblical manhood and womanhood promoted by people like John Piper and Wanye Grudem. I found my professor's position unconvincing.

It was interesting that another professor at the same school strongly emphasized the importance of the fact that we are embodied beings. He taught that our bodies are essential to us. We are material beings who have been given life. This has implications for gender differences. I remember him making a point that LGBT advocates have been able to promote a low view of the body because many Christians already viewed humans as essentially souls. Looking back at my notes from his class, I find this note: "More work needs to be done on the content of gender differences. (We had quite a bit of discussion in the second half of class.)" 

Indeed, the physical differences between men and women can be too easily minimized, as if they didn't make much of a difference apart from reproduction. But God has made us in wisdom, intricately and purposefully designing men and women differently. Not only did he give them different responsibilities, but he gave them different physical designs to match those responsibilities. These differences are ingrained in our natures, not restricted to roles we play in certain contexts. 

Allan C. Carlson describes the traditional family as the "natural family" because it is not merely traditional, but rooted in nature (see his books, The Natural Family: A Manifesto and The Natural Family Where It Belongs). Men and women are designed to create the natural family and to build society in conformity to it, but our society continually suppresses and rebels against this design in the name of the unnatural ideology of egalitarian individualism. 

So contrary to what my professor taught, I believe the Bible teaches that men and women are different and that these differences are not a total mystery. The fundamental differences are taught in the biblical account of the creation and naming of man and woman (see Genesis 1-5). They can be found in other parts of Scripture. Furthermore, they can be observed in nature. The Bible treats this knowledge as common sense. When it says that a particular army became like women (Jer. 50:37, 51:30, Is. 19:16), it assumes you know this is not a compliment. When it asks if a woman can forget her nursing child or fail to show compassion on the son of her womb (Is. 49:15), it assumes you know that this is a rhetorical question. 

One passage where some of the characteristic strengths of men and women are described is 1 Thessalonians 2. There the apostle Paul compared himself, Silas, and Timothy to a mother and a father. This does show that men can and should have virtues like gentleness that are more characteristic of women, just as the whole congregation can be exhorted to "act like men" in 1 Corinthians 16:13, that is, to be courageous. But at the same time, it affirms that men and women have unique gifts and strengthens which particularly equip them for their place in life.

"But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." (1 Thessalonians 2:7–8)

A woman is uniquely designed be nurturing and tender. She is designed to compassionately share her self with her children. She carries them in her womb and even after giving birth keeps them alive with her body, giving them milk. A mother best exemplifies what it looks like to be gentle and affectionately desirous of someone. And while not all women become mothers, all women have the nature of mothers, engrained as it is into their embodied existence. And therefore this sacrificial care, personal affection, and gentleness is characteristic of femininity in general. 

"For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:11–12)

A man is designed to rule and to lead others to accomplish the mission. Note the words Paul uses. "Exhort" - a father calls his children to act. "Encourage" - a father motivates his children and gives them confidence. Without this, children get provoked to anger. "Charge" - a father entrusts responsibility to his children and holds them accountable. To see an example of what this fatherly exhortation looks like, read Paul's second epistle to Timothy. While a mother is best equipped to nurture and comfort a child, a father is best equipped to correct and direct the child unto maturity. Both of these elements are important for a child's upbringing. And again, while not all men become fathers (Paul, for example), all men have the nature of fathers. 

More could be said. If you are interested in more in this vein, you might listen to C.R. Wiley's talk "Toxic Matriarchy" here or read one of his books, Man of the House and The Household and the War for the Cosmos. I think this topic is particularly an important point for millennial men like myself. While older generations of men might have been more prone to be overly distant, workaholic, or harsh, my sense is that millennial men tend to turn away from these faults and are prone to become overly informal, lazy, or soft. While we should be accessible and loving, we must not neglect the fact that we are particularly designed to have gravitas and bear authority so that we might lead others onward.

While 1 Thessalonians 2 does not encapsulate everything about manhood and womanhood, it assumes a knowledge of gender distinctions which our culture is hesitant to admit. Our culture is hesitant to affirm that there is a natural order at all - this impinges on my freedom to be what I want. Instead, all these distinctions must be explained as mere social constructs, which can and should be challenged. But if a design deeper than a social construct undergirds traditional gender distinctions, then it would be wiser to make peace with the Creator and begin to learn how to live in the world he designed.

Thoughts on Christian Culture and Christendom

As a Christian, I desire to see the dominion of Christ over every area of life. Not content to see Christianity restricted to a private religious realm, with others I seek an entire way of life and thought which is subject to Christ and his word, a culture which is shaped by a Christian worldview.

We seek to develop Christian culture, but not as if there is only one cultural expression of Christianity, or as if it is something to be created out of thin air. We seek to develop Christian cultures, to put Christ at the heart of every culture. Christendom has been composed of various Christian cultures united by a common commitment to Christ and the Bible. This approach affirms national, cultural, and familial identities and loyalties as we express our faith and obedience as unique nations, cultures, and families. These distinctions are not obliterated in a single Christian monoculture, though they may be radically transformed by Christ just like the individual Christian. The commandment to honor father and mother teaches us to honor, receive, and build upon what is good in our cultural inheritance. 

Yet this approach also affirms the unity of the peoples and cultures of the world as they submit to Christ. It remind us that any particular Christian culture is one variation on a theme which it shares with others. Not only do we identify with our particular culture, but also with Christendom.

The primary instrument of Christendom’s growth, and the institutional expression of Christ’s kingdom, is the visible church of Jesus Christ and its ordinances (such as the word of God, sacraments, prayer, pastoral care and discipline, and worship). Christ has given his church a commission as well as the means to carry it out and his presence to make them effective. As Isaiah prophesied, the house of God and its instruction is central to the discipleship and transformation of the nations (Is. 2:1-5). Cultures become Christian as the gospel of Jesus Christ produces repentance and obedience in the hearts of men, changing the way they live their lives.

While human sin will continue to mar this process - all Christian cultures are in the process of being discipled - the goal of this process is not something ugly, barren, or harsh, which is how many imagine a Christian social order to be. Rather, a Christian way of life is a restoration of humanity and its culture, infusing it with renewed justice, wisdom, peace, and joy. When God’s ways are faithfully taught and demonstrated, they are capable of attracting admiration and imitation from unbelievers because these ways are inherently wise, beautiful, good, and true. It is for us to avoid obscuring their goodness by our sins and follies, to defend them from slander, and to put them on display in our lives.

Satan and the sin of man resists Christ, and we should be prepared to experience hostility and hinderances to our efforts to follow Christ in all our ways. Sinful habits are woven into the heart of man - ours included. So remember to rest on the power of Christ to subdue the raging of the nations. Ground your hopes on his gospel. And begin reformation with your own ways and the ways of your house. Be humble about your abilities and faithful in your particular calling - this is a vast project shared by the whole church from generation to generation. And even if others despise or slander you, remember your goal is to love them and to seek the good of your people and culture. And do so with hope. Though the church endures difficulty and trials, it shall be an instrument used by Christ to advance his reign, extend his blessings, and restore human culture in its diversity to the service of God.

Viewing the World as God's Creation

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith...who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”
1 Timothy 4:1-5

The truth that God is the Creator of this world has implications for us literally all over the place. Rather than rejecting marriage and certain foods, we can say that these earthly physical things are good. They have a purpose and definition from God. We are held responsible for our use of them. Our relation to the Creator is foundational to our relation to the world. If we are in rebellion to God, we will be frustrated in this world. We might then say with T.S. Eliot before his conversion:

“Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table.” 

But if we have been reconciled to the Creator as our Father, we look at the sunset as a glorious manifestation of His beauty for our enjoyment. We can receive it as it was intended to be received - with thanksgiving.

One of our Missouri sunsets

But from where does evil and suffering come? Unless we believe in the doctrine of creation, it will seem that suffering is natural to this world and that man is a victim. But believing that God created all things good, we see that evil is an intruder into the world, suffering being a result of this, and the responsibility for this is laid at our feet. Sin is not natural, but it became natural to us when we rebelled against God in Adam. Humanity’s relation to God, as covenant-keeper or covenant-breaker, determines the fate of the world. When humanity fell morally, the whole world was cursed. Evil is not nature’s fault. We can’t blame suffering on the fact that we are physical. Rather, our relation to God is central.

This leads us back to the creedal recounting of Christ’s life given in 1 Timothy 3:16, which immediately precedes 1 Timothy 4:1-5 (quoted above). Jesus did not save us from our flesh. He did not save us by forbidding things like food and marriage. Salvation is not defined as escape from creation. Rather, He saved us, body and soul, by becoming man and bearing the curse in His death. He restored our relationship with God. Humanity had become the source of the problem, therefore He created a new humanity. He rose again to new life and was taken up into glory. Those who participate in His work through faith are restored us to a life of godliness – a life that is just as human, but not under bondage to sin’s guilt and power.

This teaches us to see sin and suffering as invasive and unnatural. Christians learn to see their sin as repulsive and antithetical to their identity. We have died with Christ and have been raised with Him to new life, to a renewed creation, one which is alien to sin. We also groan with lament and expectation, knowing that suffering, death, and decay still abide in this world but will not be here forever. Yet we also can enjoy the goodness of creation that still exists. Marriage, food, work, art, and community can be pursued with joy. We have been restored to the good work of living in our Father’s world. Rather than being the out-of-tune instrument in the band, we have been repaired to join back in the song of creation. In other words, Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). Good doctrine leads us back to our callings in the world. God’s story leads us to godliness. Saturating in this truth should make it more and more natural to serve our Creator in all of life with thanksgiving for all He has given us.

John Murray on Church and Culture

A topic that has received a bit of attention in recent years is the mission of the church, especially the church as an organization. Some would restrict it to the proclamation of the gospel, narrowly defined, while others seem to broaden it to the point where the church is responsible to do a little bit of everything in society. John Murray (1898-1975) wrote an article “The Church – Its Identity, Function, and Resources,” found in the first volume of his Collected Writings. The article does an excellent job articulating the church's uniqueness without unduly restricting it. Here is what he had to say about the how the church's ministry of the word connects with culture:

“The second aspect of this proclamation is the declaration of the whole counsel of God as it bears upon every sphere of human activity. The church is not to discharge the functions of other institutions. It must not invade other spheres. But the church is charged to define the functions of these other institutions and the lines of demarcation by which their spheres are distinguished. It would be a travesty, for example, for the church to discharge the functions of the civil magistrate either locally or nationally. But the functions and duties of the civil magistrate do come within the scope of the church’s proclamation in every respect in which the Word of God bears upon the proper discharge of these functions and responsibilities. When the civil authority trespasses the limits of its authority, it is the duty of the church to condemn such a violation. When laws are proposed or enacted that are contrary to the Word of God, it is the duty of the church in proclamation and official pronouncement to oppose and condemn them. And it is also the obligation of the church to inculcate respect for and obedience to all enactments of civil authority that are the legitimate exercise of its function. It is misconception of what is involved in the proclamation of the whole counsel of God to suppose or plead that the church has no concern with the political sphere. The church is concerned with every sphere and is obligated to proclaim and inculcate the revealed will of God as it bears upon every department of life.” (John Murray, “The Church – Its Identity, Function, and Resources,” Collected Writings, vol. I, p. 241) 

Why Study Theology?

I love the study of theology. Theology is the study of God and His word, both by examining the meaning of specific texts of Scripture as well as examining a particular issue as it is covered in the whole of Scripture. Yet, I am aware that not everyone shares this love of theology. In fact, some people actually see theology as something detrimental. They would prefer to simply live out and experience their Christian faith without studying it. They might read their Bible, but mostly to gain inspiration rather than to grow in knowledge and understanding. Why do we need more than this? Why should Christians study Scripture and grow in their understanding of Christian doctrine? Here are a few reasons:

1. Christians Are Disciples
A disciple is a student, a learner. This is the primary term used in the book of Acts to describe Christians. The disciples were marked by the fact that they "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching" (Acts 2:42). Knowledge is necessary for faith and obedience. We cannot live the Christian life unless we understand the teachings of the Christian faith. A fundamental part of our identity is that we study God's truth, grow in understanding, and obediently apply this truth to our life. We see this expectation in the prayers of Paul: "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent..." (Phil. 1:9–10); and "we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord" (Col. 1:9–10). The source for growth in wisdom and knowledge is the Scripture as it is taught, explained, and applied (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Col. 3:16).

2. Theology Recognizes the Unity of Scripture 
God’s truth is consistent. It does not come from multiple, conflicting sources. It naturally forms a unified system. It is true that there are gaps in our knowledge and that the revealed system of truth is not comprehensive. Yet, the truth we do have, even if it has tensions, does form one worldview, one system of thought. Whenever we compare two verses to come to a conclusion, we are practicing theology. Theology enables us to brings the Bible’s truths together and benefit from the teaching of the whole. It can be argued that systematic theology is inescapable. We all think from a system, a worldview. The question is whether our systematic theology will be biblical or not.

3. Theology Reveals our Inconsistencies
Because theology follows the implications of our beliefs and seeks consistency, it reveals our inconsistencies and compromises. It is not uncommon for people to believe contradictory things - our systems of thought are usually compromised and confused, consisting of various ideas we have picked up in the course of life without examining or harmonizing them. Unless we study theology, unbiblical beliefs can take root and produce further unbiblical beliefs and actions. These weeds stifle the growth and practice of biblical truth. A self-conscious effort to be biblically consistent and to have one’s system of thought drawn from the Bible enables us to root out these dangerous weeds and to plant biblical ideas in their place.

4. Theology Furthers our Understanding of God
When we study theology, we are getting to know God better. His character and His ways are made known in the whole of Scripture. When we study the details of His law or the details of His work of redemption, we get a better understanding of His holiness, grace, and love. In this way, we also clear up misunderstandings we might have about God. Knowledge about God is essential to a relationship with Him. Otherwise, we are treating God as an imaginary friend, a personalized god fit according to our needs and feelings.

5. Theology Strengthens our Defense of the Faith
The gospel could be summarized in a short sentence such as “Christ died for our sins and rose again on the third day,” but this summery assumes a larger framework in which this statement makes sense and is correctly understood. Evangelism and the defense of the faith requires us to know, summarize, and explain what we believe. It requires us to evaluate the unbeliever’s system and to recognize where it differs from ours. If we neglect the study of theology, our summery of the gospel can be dismissed as unimportant or distorted to conform with the unbeliever's current beliefs.

6. Theology Draws in the Wisdom of the Historical Church
Lastly, the study of theology enables us to benefit from the teachings of the historical church. Christ set up His church to be the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15), to proclaim it with authority and to uphold it against all opponents (1 Tim. 4:11, Titus 1:9). Any teaching or preaching of the church will be theology – an attempted summery of biblical truth. It is true that the church has erred at times. It is still being discipled by Christ. But it would be foolish to start from scratch when Christians have worked together to understand Scripture for millennia. Not only is it beneficial to learn from others, and not only did Christ establish teachers in the church for the maturation of the church (Eph. 4:11-14), but teachers from other time periods help us transcend the pressures to compromise that we experience in the present.

Conclusion
My wish is that all God's people would have a desire for the truth and a love for the study of God and His word. It is glorious to see Christians filled with delight at learning more about God and His works and ways. Study is not the only part of the Christian life - things like work, prayer, eating, fellowship, and rest also take up time. Not everyone has the same intellectual gifts or training, and the teachers of the church are held to a higher standard than other Christians (James 3:1). Yet, it is a calling for all Christians to study theology and to grow more and more in the knowledge of God and His word. Take advantage of the opportunities you have. Prize the Christian Sabbath and the rest it gives you from work so that you might study God's word and be challenged and comforted by it and respond to it with faith and worship. Include study in your daily worship as individuals and families. In this way - by reading, listening, meditating, and conversing about God's truth - let the word of Christ dwell among you richly.

The Deadly Fruit of Darwinism

The following quote is taken from Robert L. Dabney's article, "The Influence of False Philosophies Upon Character and Conduct" (1896):

"The old saw, "Extremes meet," was never truer than it is of pantheism and atheism. The latter says: 'There is no God at all'; the former: 'Everything is God.' But the moral results of both are closely akin. In this, my indictment includes genuine Darwinism; for there is now no doubt that Dr. Darwin, like his most consistent pupils, Haeckel, Buchner, etc., believed that the doctrine ought to exclude both spirit and God. Their logic is consistent; for if all teleology is banished out of nature, and if that in man which thinks, feels, and wills is but an evolution of brute impulses, inherent in sensorial matter, there is no spiritual substance. We must have materialistic monism. Then every moral restraint arising out of the expectation of future responsibility, rewards, and punishments, is utterly swept away. Why should men conclude anything but. "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die?" To borrow Carlyle's rough phrasing: 'If mine is a pig's destiny, why may I not hold this 'pig philosophy'?' Again, if I am but an animal refined by evolution, I am entitled to live an animal life. Why not? The leaders in this and the sensualistic philosophy may themselves be restrained by their habits of mental culture, social discretion and personal refinement (for which they are indebted to reflex Christian influences); but the herd of common mortals are not cultured and refined, and in them the doctrine will bear its deadly fruit."

John Calvin on Singing and the Glory of God

From the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin,

"Hence it is perfectly clear that neither words nor singing (if used in prayer) are of the least consequence, or avail one iota with God, unless they proceed from deep feeling in the heart...Still we do not condemn words or singing, but rather greatly commend them, provided the feeling of the mind goes along with them. For in this way the thought of God is kept alive on our minds, which, from their fickle and versatile nature, soon relax, and are distracted by various objects, unless various means are used to support them. Besides, since the glory of God ought in a manner to be displayed in each part of our body, the special service to which the tongue should be devoted is that of singing and speaking, inasmuch as it has been expressly created to declare and proclaim the praise of God. This employment of the tongue is chiefly in the public services which are performed in the meeting of the saints. In this way the God whom we serve in one spirit and one faith, we glorify together as it were with one voice and one mouth; and that openly, so that each may in turn receive the confession of his brother’s faith, and be invited and incited to imitate it." (Book 3, Chapter 30, Section 31, emphasis added)

Every part of our bodies ought to display the glory of God! God has redeemed us and we are His, thus we should offer all that we are to the glory of God.

What is "Christ's Kingdom"?

"For the kingdom of God is…a matter…of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17)

I have recently realized that I have had this blog titled "For Christ's Kingdom!" for almost two years without ever really defining what this means. So here I will try to lay a foundation for doing this. It is very hard to summarize, but I hope this helps.

Christ's Kingdom is also called by other names, such as the "kingdom of heaven" and the "kingdom of God," that emphasize some aspect of the Kingdom, such as its source, the God in Heaven. It is called Christ's Kingdom to show His authority that He has been given to reconcile and redeem this kingdom to God. As Joe Morecraft has said, "This mediatorial kingdom was given to Christ in order to secure and apply the salvation of His people and to administer all the promises of the covenant of grace" (Authentic Christianity, vol. II, page 136). As God, Christ has always had sovereignty over all creation, but as our Redeemer He comes specially to put this sinful world into subjection to God. Thus the end of redemption is subjection. As R.J. Rushdoony has said, "The goal of atonement, of redemption, is the rule of God over a kingdom wholly subject to the law of the covenant, and joyfully so....Without the dimension of law, life is denied the meaning and purpose of re-birth."(Institutes of Biblical Law, page 73) See Revelation 5, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, Colossians 1:15-20, etc…

This Kingdom is not "from this world" (John 18:36), meaning that it does not derive its power from this world but from Heaven (thus it is called the Kingdom of Heaven). This Kingdom comes by the giving of the kingdom by the Father to the Son on the basis of His redemptive work, and is applied to us by the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Kingdom is a matter of "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 14:17), in other words, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:21-24). This Spirit works primarily by the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). Thus we advance Christ's Kingdom primarily by proclaiming God's Word, as well as the right use of the sacraments, prayer, etc…, relying on the Spirit's work in applying Christ's saving work, and manifesting the fruits of the Spirit in everything we do.

It is good to add that the visible Church has a vitally important (may we say, central?) role in the Kingdom (for example, its ministers hold the keys of the Kingdom, Matt. 16:19), although the Kingdom is not limited to the visible Church. As Louis Berkhof says,

"The visible Church may certainly be said to belong to the Kingdom, to be a part of the Kingdom, and even to be the most important visible embodiment of the forces of the Kingdom…In so far as the visible Church is instrumental in the establishment and extension of the Kingdom, it is, of course, subordinate to this as a means to an end. The Kingdom may be said to be a broader concept than the Church, because it aims at nothing less than the complete control of all the manifestations of life. It represents the dominion of God in every sphere of human endeavor." (Systematic Theology, page 570)

As for its extent and growth, look at the dream and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:31-45, especially with regard to the rock. The rock is the kingdom that God will set up in the days of the kings of the iron and clay (i.e. the emperors of Rome). It will shatter the kingdoms of man and will fill the earth. It will never be destroyed. The New Testament parables also tell of this irresistible growth and eventual universal impact (i.e. Matt. 13:31-33). And in the parables of the wheat and weeds (i.e. wheat and tares) in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, the field is the world at the beginning (vs. 38) and the wheat that is sown is the sons of the kingdom (vs. 38). The weeds will mix with the kingdom until the final judgement when the kingdom will be completely refined (13:41-43). But by the end, the field (that the wheat and weeds are taken from) is already the Kingdom (13:41).

For Christ's Kingdom!

Two Quotes from R. L. Dabney

I've been reading some of R. L. Dabney's Discussions and I thought I'd share two good quotes from him to whet your appetite for this very insightful man (he's not good on everything, but amazing when he's right).

From his essay The Standard of Ordination written in 1891, "In one word, if anything is made clear in the Bible concerning ministerial duty, this is clear: that Christ has appointed the pastors and evangelists of his church to be the teachers of religion to men, the appointed school-masters of the world in the one science of theology. But as Lord Bacon shows, this is the splendid apex of the whole pyramid of human knowledge. It is the mistress of all sciences to whom all the rest are tributary, history, ethnology, zoology, geology, literature, and especially philosophy, her nearest handmaid. The mistress must dominate all and rule all lest, becoming insurrectionary, they should use their hands to pull down the foundations of her throne. The teachers of the supreme science must not be ignorant of any other science. They ought to be strong enough to lead the leaders of all secular thought; for if they do not, the tendencies of the carnal mind will most assuredly prompt those secular leaders to array their followers against our King and his gospel.”

From his essay The Uses and Results of Church History written in 1854 (I'll probably use this sometime concerning food), "Those things which are the most operative elements of social, national and religious welfare are just the things which historians have been least careful to record. The knowledge of them has, in many cases, perished away for ever from our search. In secular history, battles, sieges, coronations, conquests, treaties; and in ecclesiastical history, councils and their canons, controversies and anathemas, have been the favorite themes of the story. But the food which nations ate, the clothing they wore, their domestic life, the state of domestic discipline, their arts, agriculture and amusements, the method of their devotions, their superstitions, the hymns they sang, the preaching to which they listened, the books they most read, the color of the national and social passions, the pecularities of the national spirit; all these every-day and homely influences are the causes which potentially form the character and compose that mighty current of the age on which kings, battles, conquests and conquerors are but the floating bubbles which indicate its motion. But all this historians have usually left to die with the passing time, as if it was unworthy of the dignity of their drama."

http://www.dabneyarchive.com/