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A Plain Theology of Christian Living

2/25/2020

The Bible Is Practical And Theological
The Bible is often treated in one of two ways. Some treat it as a sanctified self-help manual that gives them all of the best tips and life hacks on how to be a better person. The phrase, “doctrine divides” is used frequently in their vocabulary to dissuade people from a rigorous study of its contents. Their concordance is well worn and their prooftexts are often cited to explain why their actions are biblically verified.

Others treat the Bible as a glorified religious textbook. They claim inspiration, authority, sufficiency, and much more about the Bible, and they take it seriously! They use the -isms, -ologies, -ousias, and other sophisticated jargon to explain the Bible and the deep truths that are found within it. Their study notes are well-read—sometimes more than the Scripture itself in order to explain why their doctrinal stances are biblical indeed.

Charles Octavius Boothe shows how both theology and practice meet when we study the Word of God in order to know Him and live Him as our reasonable service (Romans 12:1-2). Rather than a self-help manual or a theological treatise, Boothe reminds us that “the Bible is given to us to teach us how to make the most of the short lives we are to spend in this world”. We are not our own, so we must take our cues from the God who made us by “doing promptly, diligently, and faithfully” what God wants us to do.

The Obedient Christian Life
Boothe has already shown that good works can’t get us into the fold of God. We don’t become children of God through obedience. Rather, through faith, we become united with Christ and the Holy Spirit begins to transform us. What are some of the most important ways the Spirit teaches us obedience in the Christian life? Boothe shows us several:

Baptism
We ought to get baptized without long delay, for this is the example found throughout the book of Acts. As baptism points to our burial and resurrection with Christ, we ought to “go down into the water” through full immersion when able.

The Local Church
Acts 2:41-42 don’t picture isolated saints—neither does Jesus’ high priestly prayer (John 17). Spiritual gifts are given to edify the body of Christ (1 Cor. 14:12).This is vital, for “by unity the saints are strengthened, comforted, instructed, and edified”.

Lord’s Supper
As a part of the local church, Christians should partake of the Lord’s Supper to commemorate the death of Christ (Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). This practice was “handed down by the apostles”, but Boothe doesn’t belabor the specific points of agreement or disagreement often found in churches. He simply calls for the faithful observance of this God-given ordinance.

Building up the saints
The church is often pictured as a building (Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 4:7,8,11,12) and every Christian has gifts to help “promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, [and] blessedness”. It is our great privilege to partake in this great work among other saints.

The Great Commission
Jesus left us with this message: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

This commission is for every Christian, not just pastors, evangelists, or super-Christians (if there is such a thing!). Remember, saint, “a thing may seem to be little, but in the course of time it may lead on to very great results”. God gives the growth, but He calls us to sow the seeds (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). We need to be intentional and search for opportunities to share Christ with the lost.

Holy Living
As we see the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, we are reminded of how powerfully a “pure and spotless” life can impact the world around us. This begins on the inside through a work of the gospel and manifests itself through our actions. They don’t perform for the praise of men, but they do let their light shine so that God gets the glory (Matthew 5:16). In this section, Boothe gives an excellent, though brief, exposition of the beatitudes.

Praying For Missions
When Jesus saw a full harvest with few laborers, He called His disciples to pray for more laborers to do the work of the gospel (Matthew 9:36-38; John 4:35-36). The disciples prayed for this in the upper room, and shortly after praying, the answer came to them at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-12).

Boothe exhorts us, saying, “The gracious Lord who answered their prayer is ready to answer similar requests from all his obedient servants”. Thousands of converts were made and the gospel burst into the world with unstoppable power in Acts 2. This ought to give us a hunger for missional praying!

Generosity
When people hear of giving these days, Creflo Dollar and Joel Osteen come to mind. However, Scripture is clear that we are to give for the advancement of the gospel (Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). For some of us, that means being generous with our time and our lives on the local or foreign mission fields.

For others, this means supporting missionaries with their time, talents, and treasures from where we are right now. If we don’t do this, Boothe says, “it goes directly to show that [we] have not His Spirit”. Boothe asks a jarring question:

"who but the churches shall send and publish this word of reconciliation to souls still in rebellion?"

Love
Boothe is correct in saying that “it is to be feared that the cultivation of love in the heart does not command as it should the earnest and constant efforts of the followers of Christ”. Paul shows that love is a “more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3; Romans 12:9-10; Romans 13:8-10). Jesus even called the commandment to love as He loved a “new commandment” and followed that up by saying, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (John 13:34-35; John 14:15,21-24; John 15:9-19; Mark 12:28-34).

Peter call us to love one another fervently above all (1 Peter 1:22-23; 1 Peter 4:8; 2 Peter 1:5-11). This love toward God and one another grow together as we become more like Christ. When we fervently love God and others, the world will be rocked by what God is doing in us! Let Boothe’s words resound in your heart as you read them:

“What a power the believers in Christ will be in this world, where such multitudes are hateful and hating one another, when they all come to abound in deep, pure, fervent love to God and to their neighbors!”

Respond
Which of these areas have you neglected in your walk? Maybe you’re neglecting the local church and can’t partake in the celebrations of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and building up the local church. Maybe for you holy living has been put on the back burner because you’re too busy or are walking in active sin. There’s not a single one of us who can honestly say we are living a sinless and spotless life. Perhaps, like me, you’re convicted by your lack of praying for global missions. Are you hoarding all of the gifts God has given you? Have you, like the Ephesian church, left the love you had at first (Revelation 2:4)?

Whatever it is, don’t buy the lie that you can just try harder and do better. Apart from grace, you’ll be a failure. You’ll be hopeless. Worse, you may prove that you’ve never actually trusted in Christ. Just as we started the race of the faith by trusting in Jesu and laying our burdens down (Matthew 11:28), we grow and continue in the same way. Pursue obedience with fervency and zeal, but never fail to do it in the power of Christ.

If you're reading through, let me know what you think!

Be sure to check out the rest of the series here! I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book* and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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The Doctrines of Grace for Plain People

2/21/2020

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God’s Electing Grace
When Boothe considered the grace of God, he knew that he would have to go back before the beginning of time to the election and sovereign grace of God. Rather than stirring up feelings of hostility, “it is a wonderful thought” that God graciously elected to carry out the salvation of those who believe in Him (Ephesians 1:3-12; Romans 8:28-39). God’s election “gives no encouragement whatever for anyone to continue in sin” for His ultimate aim is to conform us to the image of His Son.

Regeneration
This grace of God comes through a statement that “startled” Nicodemus—namely that one must be “born again” to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3-8). This means that “no sinner can by any means work out a salvation for himself”. It is God who makes alive (Ephesians 2:1,4-7). The God who raised Lazarus from the dead must also raise our spiritually dead souls. Rather than be busy wondering how or why God has done all of this, we should busy ourselves with offering thanksgiving for such marvelous grace.

The Grace of Repentance
Too often in our day, repentance is thought to be the sole work of man in his free will. However, true sorrow for sin comes by the gracious conviction of the Holy Spirit. We see this sort of repentance in David when He confesses his sin in Psalm 51. True sorrow acknowledges the wrong done to others but primarily focuses on the wrong done toward the “majesty and glory of God”. True confession, according to Boothe, is saying of ourselves and our sins “exactly what God says about them” as seen in 1 John 1:9.

The Gift of Faith
Without faith, how can we be saved? We can’t. We must call on God (Romans 10:13-14). Calling upon God means running to Jesus and confessing that He alone can save us from the sin and death which plague us. Boothe says “that earnest and honest calling on the Lord means that all dependence on anything else than what Christ Jesus has done is utterly renounced and that in Christ is all his desire, all his trust, all his hope.”

Justification
It is this gift of faith that allows a sinful person to be counted as righteous in the sight of God. Boothe reminds us that the only way a sinner can be just with God is if God provides a way Himself. The Scriptures are clear that justification can’t be mixed with our works, for “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:27-28). If works are included it is no longer of grace, says Paul (Romans 11:6). It is hearing and believing that justify so that we may boast in God alone (John 5:24; Romans 5:1-2).

Growing In Holiness
Sanctification is the process of being made holy, and salvation is brought to its fullness as the Spirit makes us more and more Christlike. God justifies and sanctifies us by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Christ is also active in presenting the church as a glorious, spotless, holy bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Boothe reminds us that Christ prayed specifically for our sanctification and that “without holiness, there is no salvation”. Therefore, we should be earnest to pursue holiness and flee from sin (Hebrews 12:14-15; Titus 2:11-14).

Preservation of the Saints
Boothe prefers to use “preservation of the saints” because “it draws attention directly to God, who is the Preserver of his people”. Scripture brings out the fact that God does indeed preserve His saints in His “gracious and unalterable purpose”. Romans 8:28-30 show a chain of salvation so glorious that Paul speaks of present tense saints with past tense glorification. We are kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:2-5), confirmed until the end (1 Corinthians 1:3-9), safe sheep in the hands of God (John 10:27-30), and awaiting Jesus’ promise to come again (John 14:1-3).

Respond
Take a moment to just thank God for His active work in salvation. He didn’t leave us to ourselves. He didn’t hand us a ladder and say, “climb as high as you can, and if you make it, I’ll let you in.” He also didn’t say, “Climb as high as you can and I’ll grab you when you can’t keep going”. Rather He came to the bottom of the ladder, resurrected us, and is carrying us to the top, by His grace. Does this negate our responsibility, not at all. Trust Christ. Pursue godliness. Chase after holiness. Boast in Him alone. Never forget that the God who saved us is the God who will keep us.
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If you're reading through, let me know what you think!

Be sure to check out the rest of the series here! I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book* and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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The Whole Armor of God (Review)

2/19/2020

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Some of the books we read are immensely practical but not deeply biblical. Others are biblically weighty but aren’t very practical. As Christians, we need both. This doesn’t mean that every book needs to strike this balance, but it's helpful when they do.

Iain Duguid’s The Whole Armor of God does a great job of striking that balance in one volume. He tackles the well-known “armor of God” section in Ephesians 6 with an emphasis on the various pieces of the armor. Duguid shows how the Christian bears that armor in the spiritual warfare we inevitably face as children of God.

Far from the superstitious, overly charismatic demon behind every bush, Duguid paints the picture of spiritual warfare in everyday life. Rather than over-spiritualizing the armor and missing the whole point of what Paul was teaching, Duguid points to the work of Christ as our armor. He says boldly that “ Jesus has himself worn the armor and won the victory” (p. 17). With this as the foundation, we can rest assured and confident as we battle each and every day.

The Whole Armor of God is doctrinally-sound, practical, and accessible. It can be useful for the pastor preparing a sermon or series on Ephesians 6. I actually used it in preparation to preach my first revival, and it was very helpful! However, it is also useful for a small group study or even daily devotional times. This book is written for Christians of all levels of maturity.

If you haven’t studied spiritual warfare or spent some time in Ephesians 6, reading through The Whole Armor of God will be time well-spent. I highly recommend it!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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A Plain Christology

2/17/2020

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Christ the Prophesied Messiah
The redemption story “begins with the love of God, in his giving his only begotten Son”. A thorough knowledge of the person and work of Christ would do our souls great good as we seek to grow in and dwell with Him.

From the first book of the Scriptures to Jesus’ first coming, we see prophecies pointing to our Lord’s arrival (see Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 7:14, and Daniel 9:24-27 for example). God didn’t say, “oops, creation was more sinful than I expected so I better go fix the problem!” He promised the coming of His Son “long ago” (Hebrews 1:1).

Just before Jesus arrived, John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus. He, too, was prophesied to come (Isaiah 11:3-5; Malachi 3:1-4). His successful ministry was spoken beforehand and proved to be just as God had promised. John was the candle who would make way for the floodlight of God’s glory in Christ (John 3:30)!

Christ— God With Us
Boothe doesn’t exaggerate when he says, “In the whole history of the world there was no event of such vast importance as the Incarnation of the Son of God.” Without the incarnation, we have no Good Friday and no Resurrection Sunday. However, Jesus burst on the scene brighter than a glimmering fourth of July grand finale. His going forth was from of old (Micah 5:2).

The fact that God has come in the flesh is a great mystery, but we know for sure that Jesus is the Son of God (John 1:1-4,14). We don’t know how, but we know that He has both a divine and human nature, and humanity’s greatest need and longing is for Immanuel—God with us. This mystery could occupy the greatest minds for eternity, yet even young children can grasp this truth when it is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Christ the Righteous Substitute
Jesus didn’t just come to be a good teacher or a cuddly friend catering to all the desires of a rebellious society which believes in relative truth. Rather, “the first work of Jesus in his mission of restitution was to fulfill all righteousness” (see Isaiah 42:21; Matthew 5:17-19; 3:13-17; Hebrews 4:15). He “fulfilled both the letter and the spirit of all of the law’s requirements” while being obedient even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus’ righteousness was not for Himself—He was righteous from eternity. Rather, Jesus came to be the Great High Priest (Leviticus 16:33, Hebrews 7:26-28). Unlike the high priests of Israel who need to shed blood for their own sins, Jesus was the spotless sacrifice who paid for sin once and for all
(Leviticus 16:15,20-22; Isaiah 53:1-12). Isaiah’s prophecy was perfectly fulfilled and Jesus, as He promised, “He offered himself as a willing sacrifice, thus completing his earthly work”.

Christ the Risen Savior
Jesus didn’t just die like any ordinary Jew or so-called good person. If He simply died, stayed in the tomb, and rotted as we all do, He would have been no Savior at all. Without the resurrection, we have no hope whatsoever! If there is no resurrection, then all of our ministry and missionary work is in vain. The apostles knew this fact and emphasized the importance of the resurrection in their gospel preaching (see Acts) as well as their writing in the New Testament.

Jesus foretold His resurrection, and His tomb was heavily guarded to prevent stealing His body and claiming that such a thing happened (John 2:18-22; Matthew 27:62-66). There was no man, kingdom, or spiritual power that could stop Jesus from rising from the dead. God is unstoppable, and the resurrection proved that Jesus was indeed the Son of God with power (Romans 1:4). Praise be to God that our Savior is no longer in the grave! He defeated sin, death, and Satan! He proved that He is more than fit to be our Lord and Savior!

It is important to note that Jesus rose bodily. Some scholars and bible critics have argued that Jesus’ resurrection was merely spiritual. However, Jesus “showed [His disciples] his feet and his hands, and did eat before them, in order to prove that he was not a spirit, but their risen Lord”. There is a great need to guard even this significant piece of information from the tampering of the liberal church and skeptical world of biblical scholarship. Again, if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, there’s no point in calling yourself a Christian. Our faith would be in vain.

Christ the Ascended High Priest
Even in the fear and weakness of His disciples, Jesus showed compassion for them after His resurrection. When they didn’t believe, He proved Himself. Before He left, He assured them of His unlimited authority and power. He also sent us His Holy Spirit to be with us as we await His return.

Jesus didn’t ascend, change forms, and then return to earth as the Holy Spirit as some claim. Rather, He is currently in heaven as our present tense High Priest sitting at the right hand of God (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is not only the Author of our faith but also the Perfecter or Finisher of it. This truth “directs their eyes to him, not only on the cross, but also to him in heaven at the right hand of the throne of God as their High Priest, performing there his gracious and effectual work on their behalf”.

The book of Hebrews has a lot to say about the priestly work of Jesus. Jesus’ priesthood is unlike the priests of this earth. Every earthly priest is sinful and needs atonement for their own sins. Jesus’ priesthood comes from God and is not ordained or passed down through men. His priesthood is before and beyond Aaron’s priesthood. He can save to the uttermost while priests of the earth could only give temporary satisfaction for sin until the next time. Jesus is the High Priest who offered the perfect, eternal, once-for-all sacrifice—Himself. Earthly priests kept offering the blood of goats and bulls. He entered the holy place once and only once to put away Sin. Most importantly, He ever lives to intercede for us.

What a High Priest we have! Jesus is beyond comparison! We ought to worship Him!

Christ the Heavenly King
Not only is Jesus the High Priest in heaven, but He is also the King of the world. He has also been appointed the heir of all things and runs an upright and righteous kingdom (Hebrews 1:1-14). He has all things under His feet (Ephesians 1:15-23). He has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). He is the Lord and King of all the universe, but especially over His church who willingly and joyfully submits to His lordship and reign. We see this reign “extending down to the end of the world” through “the members of Christ’s church still scattered among the nations”.

Respond
There are no pithy or cleverly alliterated applications for you today. There are many ways to respond to all the truth and doctrine we’ve packed in. I want to exhort you to do one thing: abide. The sole purpose of Dwell With Christ is to help you abide (or dwell) in Christ. We could spend an eternity meditating on these truths and never exhaust the person and work of Jesus. There is a fullness of joy in slowing down and gazing at Christ. Do that. We all need it.

If you're reading through, let me know what you think!

Be sure to check out the rest of the series here! I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book* and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Image Credit: Amazon

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A Plain Theology of Sin and Redemption

2/13/2020

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“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned”
-Romans 5:12

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
-Romans 6:23

Humanity: Fallen
We can look at the world around us and see that sin is embedded in the fabric of humanity. How did we get here? The Bible teaches that man was created in the image of God and given the breath of life (Genesis 1:26). Being created in the image of God means that humans were created with “a spiritual essence, after the nature of God”. This is why humans have a moral compass unlike the beasts of the field or the birds of the air.

God made humanity and prepared us for fellowship with Him, and His laws were given to prevent breaking that fellowship. Commanding Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree was given to “teach and enforce” God’s authority over Adam. Though we may ask why God didn’t restrain Adam, we must never question God’s goodness in giving him the command not to eat from the tree.

Sin and Death For All
We know the rest of the story. Adam and Eve ate the fruit, and sin entered the world (Genesis 3). Death is not merely the absence of physical life but also separation from God, thus “to leave God is not to be with him, and he only is the Life, as well as the Father of spirits.” Adam and Eve followed the path to death. Boothe says, poignantly:

“There is but one unlocked ‘trapdoor’ to hell, and that is unbelief in the true God. Eve and Adam fell through this door. All who have fallen in all ages have fallen through this door. This still is the direct route to the ‘outer darkness where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.’”

Through their sin, sin and death spread to all people. The situation following Genesis 3 seems very bleak. Yet God was already working on a plan to conquer sin and death through His son. Boothe reminds us that “before the Lord God compels them to go [out of the garden] he graciously set a star of hope in their dark skies”. He promises that Eve’s seed will bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). He also gives them skins to cover themselves (Genesis 3:21).

Hope In A Dark World
Boothe makes the connection between the animal skins and a sacrifice for sin. Where Adam and Eve covered themselves with leaves that wither, God took the life of a beast. He hints at the possibility of a previous preparation of the animal skins to cover Adam and Eve. Even apart from this speculative meditation, he points to God’s sovereign plan of redemption from before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:3-9; 1 Peter 1:18-20; 2 Timothy 1:9; Revelation 13:8; John 17:24). The Scriptures speak for themselves regarding these deep matters in the mind of God.

God’s previous plan of redemption may seem offensive to some of us, but we ought to respond with reverence, for “the more we think of the sinfulness of sin, the more wonderful the love of God will appear to us.” We don’t know why God would love such sinful people, but we ought to be very thankful that He did (1 John 4:9-11)!

The work of redemption is complex, for God desired to show His perfect love while also being perfectly just and righteous. In humility, we can say with Boothe that “perfect is the plan of salvation.” God sent His Holy and innocent Son to die a gruesome death and endure much suffering in order that we should be saved (Philippians 2:7-8). Only the Son of God, in the flesh, could come and pay for our sin. This is a glorious plan that upholds the glory of God (Acts 2:23).

Humanity: Redeemed
Who can receive such a great salvation? All who believe (John 3:16). Every man or woman who has ever lived, other than Jesus Himself, needs salvation, and “no one who really desires to be made a partaker of its blessings shall ever be turned empty away.” Those who think they can work their way to God won’t make it, and neither will those who think they’re too far gone.

We must believe and preach justification by faith alone (Galatians 2:15-16), for “without the salvation that God has provided they must inevitably perish.” Romans 3:9-12 is emphatic that there are no righteous people in the universe, and we have nothing to offer God for our salvation. The only person fit for salvation is the one who can cry out for the grace and forgiveness of God in Christ alone. Only when we know we need Jesus can we be saved.

Saved from what? Eternal death. Boothe says that spiritual death is “the end of everything that can make existence desirable. It is total and final separation from God...” He doesn’t mean the end of God’s presence, for we have already seen that God is everywhere. Rather it is a final separation from anything remotely good or gracious from God toward men. He drives the picture of death home with this painful, but true statement:

“To be left forever, with all the love of sin and hatred of holiness and enmity to God that belong to the carnal heart, working within—that is a bottomless pit of utter misery. That is what it is to perish.”

Meditate On The Blessings Of Salvation
There are at least 4 blessings of salvation for us to consider and meditate on:

1. Salvation frees us from dirtiness, slavery, and penalty of sin (1 John 1:9).
2. Salvation brings us reconciliation with God, for apart from the gospel, we are enemies and rebels against Him (Romans 8:7, Colossians 1:21-22).
3. Salvation brings us into fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are also in fellowship with the worshiping angels and all believers throughout all time. We get to join together in communion with and worship of God.
4. Salvation brings adoption into a new family (Romans 8:14-17).

We’ve covered a lot of ground today, but as you can see, Boothe takes two massively complex biblical and theological doctrines and lays them out with simplicity and brevity. We gain an understanding of the doctrines—even very deep doctrines—without wading too deep for the average Christian. Packed with plenty of Scripture, Boothe gives us plenty of rich doctrine to help us worship God as we chew on and apply what we’ve read.

Leave a comment with some of your thoughts and meditations on this deep theology!
Be sure to check out the other posts in this series if you haven’t yet! It’s not too late to purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

If you're reading through, let me know what you think!

Be sure to check out the rest of the series here! I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book* and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Image Credit: Amazon

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A Plain Theology of the Trinity

2/10/2020

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“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
-Deuteronomy 6:4

“I and the Father are one."
-John 10:30

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
-Romans 8:26

Throughout Scripture, we see that God is one and that He alone is to be worshiped and exalted. We see clearly that God does not allow the worship of other gods—it’s the first commandment! God inflicted His greatest punishments for idolatry. This is a serious matter to any faithful student of Scripture.

For this reason, Charles Octavius Boothe spoke with “more fear than usual” regarding the “God, who is one in substances and one in character, [and] exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”. We should likewise speak most reverently of matters which are the most difficult for us to grasp. Humility is a path we must follow closely.

Cautious Treatment of Scripture

On this side of the New Testament, it is easy to say that we see the Trinity throughout all of Scripture. Boothe is cautious not to use Scriptures that don’t provide definitive evidence of the Trinity. Rather, he runs straight to the clear New Testament passages which teach us that God is, in fact, three-in-one.

For example, Matthew 3:16-17 shows that when Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove, and His Father spoke of being well pleased with His Son. Jesus also points to the triune nature of God when he calls His disciples to make disciples, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

These passages—and many more—forbid us from ever calling the Holy Spirit a “mere influence”. Furthermore, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as a person rather than something impersonal (John 16:26). We also see Paul refer to the grace of Jesus, the love of the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). Finally, it is through Jesus that we have access to the Father, by the “one Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18; John 14:17,26; 16:7-15).

In Scripture, we see each person of the Trinity, in union with each other, carrying out tasks according to their various roles. We see the Father sending Jesus into the world (John 17:18; 20:21; Isaiah 9:6). We see Jesus cleansing us from sin through His redemptive work on the cross (Hebrews 1:3). Finally, we see the Holy Spirit, sent in the Son’s name, teaching all things, bringing them to remembrance, and comforting the waiting church (John 14:26; 16:7; 3:8).

This only scratches the surface of such a vast doctrine, but what is clear is that God exists in three distinct persons who are united in substance and purpose.

Plain Theology, Pure Devotion

Boothe is confident that “No doctrine of the Christian faith is more plainly taught than that there are three persons in the Godhead.” This is not to say that there aren’t other doctrines that are easier to grasp. However, we see from Genesis to Revelation that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in every aspect of history from the creation to the second coming of Christ. Boothe is also humble enough to admit that “we cannot comprehend [the doctrine of the Trinity], but we can accept it as the truth, and wonder, worship, and wait for the time in which we shall know as we are known.” Notice the two elements of his call to respond to this rich doctrine:

1. We must accept it as truth. Some truths are difficult to grasp but must be humbly believed in our lack of knowledge. Some difficult truths prove to be extremely repulsive to the unsaved soul. The doctrine of a triune God will repulse those who refuse to acknowledge the deity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit due to a faulty reading of the Old Testament. They will claim the doctrine is man made, though we have seen verse after verse prove this claim to be false. While the Bible doesn’t use the term Trinity, the triunity or three-in-one nature of God is undeniable.

2. We must respond in worship. Boothe says we should “wonder, worship, and wait” until we know God as we are known by Him. To worship a god other than He who has revealed Himself in Scripture is idolatry. The fact that God exists in three-in-one fellowship and has done so for eternity is awe-inspiring. We ought to lament our human knowledge. Who are we to think we can fully grasp such a mighty, holy, and all-wise God? Yet who are we to deny what is plainly revealed in God’s Word?

Who Can Know The Mind Of God?

As we read through Scripture, we will inevitably run into passages which challenge our faith and stretch our minds. We may find ourselves asking, “How can this be?!” At this point, we must pray for deeper faith to believe God as He revealed Himself. We must say with Paul in Romans 11:33-36:

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

If you're reading through, let me know what you think!

Be sure to check out the rest of the series here! I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

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A Plain Theology of God (Part 2)

2/7/2020

1 Comment

This month, my goal is to briefly and simply walk through some of what Charles Octavius Boothe taught in A Plain Theology For Plain People. I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

The purpose of these posts is to provide some brief thoughts and insights for meditation. If you find something thought-provoking, please feel free to comment and start some dialogue. I look forward to working through A Plain Theology for Plain People with you this month.

Be sure to check out part 1 of A Plain Theology of God here!

What May Be Known of God (Continued)

6. God is all-powerful.
God displays His power:

In creation. God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). It is impossible to fathom a mere man speaking creation into existence. God spoke and the universe was created. We need no more evidence of Almighty power!

In governing creation through His providence. The creation has been upheld and is moving as God has willed it. The seas and the skies have stayed within their limits, and so have the animals. Scripture is clear, in the case of Daniel and the Three Hebrew boys, that even “the lion’s jaws are locked, and the heated furnace cannot burn against his will.”

In control of men and evil forces to bring about His plan. One example is with Nebuchadnezzar whom God used to receive glory and yet humbled him when he grew proud (Daniel 3:28, 4:37). God uses even ungodly people for His work.

7. God is all-wise.
Boothe says that, “wisdom consists in the ability to apply the various items of our knowledge, in such a way as to accomplish a desired end…” In other words, God has both the knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge to achieve His ultimate, perfect ends. We see this especially in nature, God’s providence, and in the purposes and plans of His sovereign grace (Romans 11:33).

8. God is infinitely holy and perfectly just.
In His Holiness (Isa. 6:1-3, Rev. 4:8, Ex. 15:11,1 Chronicles 16:29; 2 Chronicles 20:21; Psalm 29:2): Boothe is right in saying that “The perfect holiness of God is seen in the rectitude (righteousness) of the divine character; it is the sum of all supreme, moral excellence.”

In His Justice (Psalm 145:17): Boothe rightly asks, "Can perfect holiness and infinite wisdom give birth to unrighteous laws and unequal administrations?" Certainly not! God is holy and He must govern the world with perfect justice. It is thus true that “God’s judgments are always righteous.”

9. God is faithful and true.
Everything God says is true, and God Himself is truth (John 17:17, Deuteronomy 32:3-4, Jeremiah 10:10, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Joshua 23:14). From the fall of Adam and Eve to the coming of the Savior, God has been faithful to give salvation to those who trust in Christ. He spoke it, and it has come to pass. There is not a soul who repents and trusts Jesus that won't receive the eternal life promised in the gospel!

10. God never changes.
Boothe, in his simple and punchy way, says, "Change belongs to man, not to God, who is perfect." We change our minds, alter our plans, and respond in light of newly revealed knowledge, wisdom, and holiness. God isn't like us. He isn't subject to change (Psalm 102:25-27, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Numbers 23:19). This is clearly seen in the unchanging moral law which has been true and righteous since the days of Adam, Moses, and Daniel. God is still unchanging and so is His holy standard.

11. God is good and merciful.
God displays His mercy:

In the works of creation. Everything God made was good (Genesis 1:31, 2:9, 2:18)

In His providence. God is good to the just and the unjust by providing all with sun and rain (Matthew 5:45). He is a God full of mercy and steadfast love, and He is good to all and merciful over all of His works (Psalm 145:8-9).

In the work of redemption. He loved the world—those who were His enemies—so much that He "made this matchless, amazing sacrifice to open to us again the gates of life!" He didn't spare His own Son, but rather showered us with love in order that we could be called His sons and daughters. What goodness and mercy we have seen!

Respond:
As we continue to mine the depths of these attributes of God, we should be drawn to humility and worship. Let these truths continue to sink in. Read and re-read some of the Scriptures from above. Most importantly, let these truths lead you to deeper faith. God, who is the self-existent, life-giving, eternal, ever-present, all-knowing Spirit loved us enough to save us. He did this through Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Knowing that we would fall into sin and death, God devised a redemption plan that is beyond understanding! This is cause for worship and thanksgiving!

Share any thoughts or comments!

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Image Credit: Amazon

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A Plain Theology of God (Part 1)

2/3/2020

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This month, my goal is to briefly and simply walk through some of what Charles Octavius Boothe taught in A Plain Theology For Plain People. I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

The purpose of these posts is to provide some brief thoughts and insights for meditation. If you find something thought-provoking, please feel free to comment and start some dialogue. I look forward to working through A Plain Theology for Plain People with you this month.

What May Be Known of God

Boothe lays out 11 attributes of God as laid out in Scripture. It is vital that we know what God says about Himself. None else truly matters when life and death are on the line. Whether we like what He reveals or not, we are called to believe and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37).

1. God Is Spirit.
He is not made of flesh and bones like men, though He appears to us in forms that can be heard and seen. Only in the Jesus is the God made manifest as flesh and blood (John 1:14). Since God is Spirit, He is to be worshiped in Spirit and truth, not figures and forms (John 4:24, Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 4:15-16). Boothe understood the difficulty of comprehending an invisible, spiritual God, and he offers the following encouragement:

“As the creature-life is one of matter and forms, it is hard for us to understand a higher order of life—a life that has no body and that needs no forms. However, we perceive dimly the truth that God is a spirit, and believe it, waiting for eternity to bring us more light.”

2. God Is Self-Existent.
God’s name—YHWH—means “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Everything with life and power draws from God. However, He draws life and strength from no one. The God who existed before all created things needs nothing else to continue living or else His life would be derived from somewhere else. This ought to humble us because we realize that life “comes from the Living God, the Fountain of Life; it is sustained by his food, his drink, and the air round about him.”

3. God is Eternal.
Before creation, God has been God (Psalm 9:1-2). If you try to think back millions and millions of years, you’ll still end up in the “midst of the life of God”, says Boothe. It would exhaust us to go as far back as we could imagine. Then we would have to stretch our minds to fathom as far into the future as we could. After sapping our minds and imaginations completely, we would need to say, “He is, ever has been, and ever shall be.” Since life originates with God, how can He not be eternal?

4. God is Everywhere.
God is present in the deepest depth, the highest height, the brightest light, and the darkest pit—even in the place of the dead, filling heaven and earth (Psalm, 139:7-11, Jeremiah 23:23-24). We see the presence of God in nature, providence, the conscience, and every pursuit of righteousness. We know that God sees and we should tremble under the knowledge that God will judge us someday.

5. God is All-Knowing.
God knows the heart, for His eyes are in every place beholding good and evil (Proverbs 15:3,11). We can’t hide from the Lord. Everything is before Him and all things opened to Him (Jeremiah 23:24, Hebrews 4:13). God declared all things in His mind before they ever came to pass, and He is not caught off guard by anything that happens (Isaiah 49:6,10). In God’s sight, even “hell has no covering and the future has no secrets”. Our consciences feel the presence of God and His knowledge of us.

Respond:
As we ponder the depth of these attributes of God, we should be drawn to humility and worship. Let these truths sink in. Read and re-read some of the Scriptures from above. Most importantly, let these truths lead you to deeper faith. God, who is the self-existent, life-giving, eternal, ever-present, all-knowing Spirit loved us enough to save us. He did this through Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Knowing that we would fall into sin and death, God devised a redemption plan that is beyond understanding! This is cause for worship and thanksgiving!

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Image Credit: Amazon

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A Plain Theology of God's Existence

2/2/2020

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Read With Me
Charles Octavius Boothe (1845-1924) was a slave who was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1865. He worked tirelessly to improve the plight of black people following the Civil War. He knew that one powerful way to do this was to plant churches and promote biblical literacy among those who had once been fed false teaching at the hands of their former slave masters.

Boothe cooperated with white Christians who worshiped with him to help advance black people and fight the oppression they still faced heavily following the Civil war. Though he is described as a “reluctant teacher”, Boothe wrote A Plain Theology for Plain People* to help the average sharecropper know the Word of God and the God of the Word.

He felt that theology ought to be studied but that it should be done with as much simplicity as possible. He knew of the many deep matters and theological conundrums that come from studying Scripture, but his aim in this work was to provide a simple theological framework for the people he ministered to.

This month, my goal is to briefly and simply walk through some of what Boothe taught. I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

The purpose of these posts is to provide some brief thoughts and questions for meditation. If you find something thought-provoking, comment and start some dialogue. I look forward to working through A Plain Theology for Plain People with you this month.

God Revealed To Mankind
Knowing theology is necessary for knowing God. However, we must be humble in our search for knowledge about God because He “is found of the lowly, but hides himself from the proud and self-sufficient man.” We don’t master God when we come to the Word, we let God master us as we grapple with His Word.

Boothe opens with God’s revelation of Himself to humanity. God shows Himself in creation, providence, and prophecy.

God Revealed In Creation And Providence
In creation, we see evidence of God in the things created (Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:20). Boothe says, “A human track in a desert would be to me conclusive evidence that a human foot had trodden that desert. Thus Paul argues that the things which are seen and handled are proofs of the unseen things.”

In providence, we see God orchestrating events, both grand and small, for the good of His people and for His glory (Romans 8:28). It is true that “the vulgar will call it luck, unbelievers will call it chance, but deep down in each heart there remains the feeling that in verity there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in common philosophy.”

God Revealed in Scripture
In Scripture, God reveals Himself in 3 ways:

1. In harmony with His creation; We sense God in His creation and providence, and God tells us that He indeed created and upholds the world (Gen. 1:1, Jer. 10:23, John 1:1, Hebrews 1:3).

2. In the moral law; “This law demands that men shall worship God and love one another, neither of which principles have origin in the depraved nature of man. Hence the source of this law, like the works of creation, starts higher than the mind of man, and declares the presence of a heart that is pure and holy.”

3. In prophecy; When God prophesies events, they come to pass. For example, God prophesied Israel’s exile, their subsequent return home, and the devastation of Babylon. (Jer 29:10, Ezra 1:1-4, Isaiah 13:19-22). The grandest display of God's prophetic work pertains to Jesus:

“Whoever traces the development of this Christ-thought in the Bible, from Genesis 3:15, through all its forms, down to the manger at Bethlehem, and thence to the cross, through the tomb, and on to the ascension—whoever traces this idea, with humble purpose to be informed, must of necessity perceive that it is but the unfolding of an eternal purpose, involving not only all of man’s earthly history and mortal career, but having in view his interests in the world to come.”

How I’m the world can we see all of the Scriptures point to Jesus and not stand in awe of God grand design and divine mind?

That’s a lot of rich theology packed in only a few pages! However, Boothe’s logic is clear and his words are simple and biblical. We could probe the depths of Scripture and theology for the rest of our lives and never find everything. Yet, Boothe offers us a plain bit of theology to meditate on. Let it lead you to prayer and worship!

Share any thoughts or comments below!

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Image Credit: Amazon

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A Social Media Fast May Be Good For Your Soul

2/1/2020

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The Social Media Experiment

I’m part of the experiment we call social media. You probably are, too. I’ve opened my fair share of social media accounts on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+, and more. They’ve tweaked algorithms, sold our private information, and pushed us ads for items that we’ve simply mentioned in everyday conversation. They’ve also allowed me to stay in touch with friends, family, and fans of my music. I’ve made new friends and even became a part of Christcentric through a contest in a social media group.

I’m no Scrooge, though. I’ve been a social media junkie for the better part of 15 years. On rare occasions, I have deactivated my accounts because I hate being hooked to a glowing light box. It doesn’t usually last long, though, because I have to be connected to the 3000+ “friends” I’ve added.

How else am I supposed to know what’s going on in my friend’s lives? Is there another way to know what’s going on in the world? If I don’t get on Facebook or Twitter, it’s nearly impossible to share my music and writing in our digital age. If I don’t achieve maximum tweetability, won’t I squander the opportunities God has given me?

Maybe. But maybe not.

Jesus Wasn’t Restless

Jesus is the most relevant man in all of history, but He wasn’t restless like me. His reach surpasses understanding. He was holier than me, wiser than me, and more powerful than me. Yet what do the Scriptures teach about Him? He did a lot while on earth—so much that all the books in the world couldn’t contain all that He did (John 21:25). Surely, then, He was preoccupied with the scope of his ministry and networking, wasn’t He?

It doesn’t seem that way. Jesus had His 3 very close disciples, a cohort of 12 apostles, 72 disciples that He sent out, and a broader group of 120 or so followers. Crowds thronged to many of the places Jesus went. Yet, we find something somewhat strange. Jesus Himself would “often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:16). You could find him in the mountains praying (Matthew 14:23).

Jesus took time to rest and be alone. He stole away to be with His Father. This is something to imitate. Instead of viewing “quiet time” as an individualistic, man made, and legalistic interruption in our schedules, maybe we should view it as a blessed time to experience God as Christ did.

I’m no mystic. I just know I need a break sometimes. You do, too.

A Timely Break

I stepped away from social media for the month of January. I wish I could say it was the magic bullet to solve all of life’s problems. It wasn’t. I still used my phone more than I wanted to. I didn’t feel satisfied with the time I spent in prayer. I didn’t write as many articles, study as much Scripture, or memorize as many verses as I wish.

But it was very beneficial.

I learned how easy it is to be more intentional with my family. I could put my phone down and not look like a mosquito drifting toward that enamoring blue light. I found that time to pray, study, and meditate that I would’ve sworn was in the abyss with Big Foot and the Loch Ness. It wasn’t lost at all, though. It was squandered away like the prodigal son’s precious inheritance.

The greatest benefit of being off social media is the clarity of mind that I have.There are days that I would literally scroll until I was dizzy and motion sick. I was taking in so much new information that I couldn’t stand to see another post, comment, article, or video. Not anymore. I haven’t been reading the slanted news articles or seen Babylon Bee posts passed off as truth. I’m no longer angry at people who disagree with me because I don’t know their opinions and they don’t know mine.

God said, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” (Prov. 29:11). It’s hard not to eat cookies if I’m staring at them on the counter. It’s even harder to hold back my spirit when I scroll past thousands of posts and comment wars.

Here’s another quote from God: “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (Prov. 18:2). I sure have acted like a fool on a good amount of days in the past 15 years. It’s impossible to process and understand something that I read two seconds ago if my immediate response is to express my opinion—or simply react with a click of a button and move on.

Dominated By Nothing

I don’t plan to quit social media forever.

I still plan to use it with intentionality to post articles like this one, check in on friends and family, and interact with readers and fans of my music. It’s always a joy for me to connect with my favorite artists and producers. I want to do the same with the people who support my music and ministry.

Even during my fast, I shared a couple of articles, checked in on some people after seeing some shocking and sad news in my community, and clicked a few tweets from Google regarding Kobe Bryant’s death. The difference, though, is that I used social media rather than letting it use me. It became a tool rather than a distraction. There was no scrolling or notification checking. I can count on one hand how many minutes I spent.

My aim is like Paul’s. In response to someone’s statement that “all things are lawful”, Paul said, “I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). That’s where I desire to be with social media. It is only by grace, not willfully abstaining, that I can fight being enslaved to anything in this world. To put it bluntly, I can fast from social media and still be in hell if I don’t believe the gospel.

When Jesus becomes more appealing than social media, He will have my heart. Fasting from social media has reminded me of this truth. The world is full of tantalizing morsels vying for time, attention, and affections. Only when God’s Word becomes a feast for my soul and my whole being is captivated by the Lord and His glory will I fully walk in the freedom granted through the gospel.

That day will come. Until the bridegroom returns, I will fast from various things at various times. It’s vital.

I await the day when I will be glorified with Christ. Until then, I will strive with all God’s energy to keep my eyes on things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 1:29; 3:1-2). When I fail, Christ is my only hope. When I succeed, all the glory is His.

What about you? When’s the last time you took extended time away from your favorite sites to spend time with the Lord? Perhaps February or March would be a good time to take an intentional break. Leave a comment and let me know how you feel about social media and the importance of fasting from it!

Image Credit: Lisa Fotios from Pexels

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A Plain Theology of Christian Living

The Doctrines of Grace for Plain People

The Whole Armor of God (Review)

A Plain Christology

A Plain Theology of Sin and Redemption

A Plain Theology of the Trinity

A Plain Theology of God (Part 2)

A Plain Theology of God (Part 1)

A Plain Theology of God's Existence

A Social Media Fast May Be Good For Your Soul