Author: Uri Brito

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The Kingdom and the Power

I have been working my way through Peter Leithart’s book: The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church. It is in a sense an exposition of the role of the church in the shaping of society. Leithart argues that while evangelicalism today is largely interested in changing this secular culture, evangelicalism in general lacks “an adequate appreciation of emphasis on the validity–in my judgment, the centrality–of the ecclesiastical or sacramental model of the kingdom (xi-xii).” Pastor Leithart indicates that there is a growing trend of evangelicals who want to be more political, but they are going about it the wrong way. They tend to think that in order for the church to be politically influential, “her first task is to become more political(xiii).” Though the church’s involvement in the political scenario is essential, the church cannot betray its proper identity by abandoning its ecclesiastical priorities.
Leithart concludes chapter one by summarizing the purpose of the book:

The book is not a summons to retreat from the world, but a rally cry to conservative Christians to engage the world–not as isolated Christians or as an interest group, but as the church. It is the burden of this book to stress the primacy of holy war, which, being translated, means the primacy of the church (22).

Peter Leithart’s blog can be found here.

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The Eucharist and its relationship to Transubstantiation

Alistair continues his series on Transubstantiation. Here is a quote from his excellent article:

One of the great insights in John Calvin’s Eucharistic theology (although the eschatological dimension of the Supper is generally muted in Calvin) is that it is our reality that is out of joint and needs to be reorientated to Christ, rather than vice versa. In the Eucharist it is not Christ who is brought down to us, but we who are raised up by the Holy Spirit to enjoy the presence of Christ in the heavenlies. Christ is at a distance from us because of the disjointedness of our reality. Both the time and the place in which Christ exists are removed from our own. However, the Holy Spirit is able to bring together things that are separated. Rather than Christ being brought down again into the structures of our broken world, in the Eucharist, by the work of the Holy Spirit we are given a foretaste of the world reorientated to His reality.

Read the series.

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Thumbs Up For “Mystic River”

In my 10 scale “Mystic River” gets an 8 for excellent acting and an intriguing story-line. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins (Gideon) brought an outstanding flavor to a suspenseful murder case. This is the story of three friends who through the murder of one daughter unite in search of truth. But truth has a tasteless end sometimes. This makes my top 50 list for sure.

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Part 3 – Summary of R.B. Kuiper’s The Glorious Body of Christ

Chapter thirteen begins with a masterful treatment of the indestructibility of the church. Here R.B. Kuiper deals briefly but carefully with the meaning of Matthew 16:18 which says that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.” The exegesis of such passages has been under considerable debate for centuries, but in Kuiper’s own words the answer is a conspicuous one:

The Christian church in its entirety will never perish. The body of Christ will never be destroyed. To the end of time will be a communion of true believers on earth. The answer to our Lord’s rhetorical question: “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) may very well be that He will find but little; it cannot be said that He will find none (87).

In defense of his position on Matthew 16:18 Kuiper quotes Geerhardus Vos in his little book called: The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church. Vos translates the familiar “the gates of hell shall not prevail” as “the gates of Hades shall not surpass it.” Vos elaborates further and concludes that “the church will not be excelled in strength by the strongest that is known.” In the final analysis Kuiper attributes the indestructibility of the church to God’s preservation thereof.

In chapters 19-24 Kuiper exposes the role of God’s people in the ministry of the church. He argues that as members of Christ’s church we have a fundamental role in maintaining its glory. He says: “In every age every living member of the body of Christ is undeniably a partaker of Christ’s anointing and hence a prophet, priest and king (131).” In a sense every member is an officer. Members minister to one another, console the sick and poor, and demonstrates grace to the weak, but nevertheless Christ’s church has also assigned specific duties that not every member can be a part of. These duties include that of a minister (known as a Teaching Elder), a deacon, and a ruling elder. Each of these offices is regarded as essential to the purity of the church and its furtherance in this present age. Even as each member is a prophet, priest, and king, God has ordained that certain officers partake of these roles in a specific fashion. These duties carried out by chosen members of the church take upon themselves a higher responsibility. Though the regular church member is an active participant in the duties of the church, the church itself has called certain men to be in certain offices. These offices may be called as Kuiper puts it, “Exalted Offices.” This exaltation is not a matter of degree, but of priority. Simply put, these men are called by God to be in these exalted offices, whereas not every member has been called. Kuiper summarizes their roles as follows:

The minister or teaching elder represents him (that is Christ)as prophet, the deacon represents Him as priest, and the ruling elder represents Him as King…precisely expressed, the special (or exalted offices) are rooted in the universal office (134).

In chapters that follow R.B. Kuiper develops the great responsibilities of the church. What exactly is the role of these officers is answered in chapters 25-36. In no uncertain terms the author declares the primary responsibility of the ekklesia:”So the task of the church is to proclaim salvation (165).” It is in the words of Richard Baxter: “dying men speaking to dying men.” The implications of this proclamation are many among which is the social implications of a changed heart. Kuiper affirms that the “gospel primarily concerns the salvation of individuals, but it undoubtedly has its social implications (167).” The works of mercy and deed serve to reinforce the gospel message. Far from the social gospel, Kuiper argues that all of life must be affected by the message of grace. The gospel affects the environment of a regenerated individual. With belief comes obedience to Christ’s commands. In those lines Kuiper reflects on the consequences of works after belief:“To believe in Christ and to obey Him are not two separate acts but two phases of a single act (193).” The Gospel does not end with belief, but only begins its work with belief and proceeds to enable men to live as a child of the King.

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The Sabbath and Spiritual Insights

From Luke chapter twelve the Rev. Mike Malone elaborated persuasively regarding the necessity of reading the times with spiritual insights. Jesus’ rebuke in Luke 12:56 serves as an immediate reminder of the confusion existing in the present Christian era. Jesus said: You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time (here the Greek “kairos” has a theological redemptive significance).
Rev. Malone carefully developed this point by noting that they (crowds) could read physical signs, but they could not read the spiritual signs. That is, they were unable to understand the times which transpired before their very eyes. The hubris of their abilities to understand the physical signs led them to foolishly miss the pictures of real spiritual power demonstrated in the signs of the birth of the Messiah (Galatians 4:4), the signs of Christ’s miracles, the storms being silenced and a myriad of other fantastic revelations of power and mercy from the Christ.
In God’s Holy Sabbath, are His people so devoid of spiritual insight that they are unable to see the greatness of worship and the greatness of Christ’s presence in the elements they partake so casually? Can they by faith see the realities of communal singing, prayers, adoration, confession, and thanksgiving? Perhaps Jesus’ words strikes the believer even more severely today, than the mixed mass in the first century.
The present spiritual manifestations of our Lord are not similar to an enigmatic novel; rather it can be understood because Christ desired that His people be not driven away or enamored easily by commonality (being the expressions of humanism) at the expense of spirituality (being the revelations of God to His people through the means of grace and other ordained means).As the text later reveals, those who were unable to understand spiritual realities in their very eyes came to a faltered approach to the theology of judgment. So too, in our day, the need to read the times with insight becomes an even greater task; since the signs are no longer in our presence (in flesh and blood), we are called to be even more cautious.
The insights usually do not come through flesh and blood anymore, but they do come in
the symbolic nature of the elements, the control of God over the affairs of men and through various means established by God to His church. Christ has not left us seeking hints to fill our spiritual gaps, but He showered us with both visible and invisible signs, with His presence among us in Sabbath worship, and through the faithful preached Word. The Sabbath is properly observed when realize these insights and it will be properly loved when God’s people understand the true signs of the times.

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Does Scripture Permit Us to Drink Alcoholic Beverages?

Kenneth Gentry has played a tremendous role in shaping my thinking on matters of eschatology and ethics. What follows is a summary article based on his book entitled: God Gave Wine, a book thoroughly analyzing the Biblical issues in the drinking question. It defends the practice of moderation in alcohol consumption.This article’s purpose is to review the three major positions on the issue and acquaint the reader with the topic and the debate. As I’ve said before, “you can’t know, unless you understand.” By God’s grace the church will no longer make the same mistakes made by the revivalist in the early part of the 20th century. I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., Th.D.
December 8, 2004

Few issues have generated more heated debate among Christians than that of the morality of alcohol consumption. The dispute has generated responses ranging from local educational temperance movements to federal amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Certainly there is evidence of widespread abuse of alcoholic beverages today; this few would deny. Furthermore, the Bible clearly condemns all forms of alcohol abuse, by binding precept and by notorious example. Yet the ethical issue before us is, Does the Bible allow for a righteous consumption of the beverage alcohol? The fundamental question is ethical, not cultural or demographical; it requires an answer from a Biblical, not an emotional, base.

Three Viewpoints
Among evangelicals, the fundamental approaches to alcohol use may be distilled (no pun intended) into three basic viewpoints. (1) The prohibitionist viewpoint universally decries all consumption of the beverage alcohol. Adherents to this position do not find any Scriptural warrant for alcohol consumption, even in Biblical times. (2) The abstentionist perspective discourages alcohol use in our modern context, though acknowledging its use in Biblical days. They point to modern cultural differences as justification for the distinction: widespread alcoholism (a contemporary social problem), higher potency distilled beverages (unknown in Biblical times), and intensified dangers in a technological society (e.g., speeding cars). (3) The moderationist position allows for the righteous consumption of alcoholic beverages. This position, while acknowledging, deploring, and condemning all forms of alcohol abuse and dependency, argues that Scripture allows the partaking of alcoholic beverages in moderation and with circumspection.

The Importance of the Question
Often, non-moderationist argumentation inadvertently and negatively affects certain aspects of the Christian faith. It can undercut the authority of Scripture (in that any universal condemnation of what Scripture allows diminishes the authority of Scripture in Christian thought). It may distort the doctrine of Christ (in that any universal censure of something Jesus did detracts from His holiness). It adversely affects our apologetic (in that any denunciation of that which Scripture allows sets forth an inconsistent Biblical witness).

My approach to the issue before us involves three presuppositions: (1) the Bible is the inerrant Word of God; (2) therefore, the Bible is the determinative and binding standard for all ethical inquiry; and (3) the Bible condemns all forms of alcohol abuse and dependence. The moderationist viewpoint in no way compromises any of these three fundamental commitments. Continue reading “Does Scripture Permit Us to Drink Alcoholic Beverages?”

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Part 2 – Summary of R.B. Kuiper’s The Glorious Body of Christ

As we continue our summary of Kuiper’s treatise on the glory of the church we will begin by exploring his views on the catholicity of the church. Kuiper affirms that there are two misinterpretations of catholicity. “There are those who take too narrow a view of it; on the other, there are those who view it too broadly (61).” One example of such is the Church of Rome that calls itself The Catholic Church. According to Rome, the universality of the church does not extend itself to any other institution except that of the Church of Rome itself. The author calls this “restricted universality.”
On the other hand, “many Protestants take far too loose a view of the catholicity of the Christian church (61).” These groups consider any group that call themselves “churches” to be part of the catholic church. This is in stark contrast to Rome, but nevertheless it commits another grotesque error. The error is a serious doctrinal one. Simply, any church that denies essential Christian dogma (Apostle’s Creed or Nicene) cannot be considered part of the universal church or Christ. They are in the words of Kuiper:” False churches.”
In his critique of National Churches such as the Church of England R.B. Kuiper writes:

In the past there have been several national churches, and some persist to this present day. The Church of England is an outstanding example. But if catholicity is an attribute of the Christian church, it follows that a national church is a contradiction in terms. It is not even correct to describe the church of Christ as international. It is supra-national. That is to say, it far transcends all nationalism (64).

In chapter 11 Kuiper speaks briefly on illumination. He writes concerning the error of the Anabaptists when he says that:

they stressed the right of private interpretation of the Word of God to the point of practically ruling out the illumination of the church by the Spirit of truth (71).

The fact that the Anabaptist ended with peculiar doctrines and scattered groups proves that their lack of emphasis on communal and ecclesiastical dependence for interpretation led them to heresies (some denied the Trinity). Though the body of Christ is no longer dependent on the church to interpret every jot and tittle in God’s Word, the Holy Spirit has left us with a grandiose history of scholars and theologians whose insights have greatly and must continue to aid the body of Christ in their endeavor to be truthful to Sacred Writ.

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Review of R.B. Kuiper’s The Glorious Body of Christ, Part I

Editor’s Note: One of my requirements for my class on Ecclesiology and the Sacraments with Professor Sinclair Ferguson, which will commence on the 24th of January, is to read R.B. Kuiper’s 367-page book entitled: The Glorious Body of Christ. What follows is a five-part series summary of this 53 chapter-book. In the end, I shall present a brief evaluation of this book.

The Glorious Body of Christ
By R.B. Kuiper

R.B. Kuiper was a professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary for many years. However, his interest for ecclesiology led him to this project, which we will discuss. The book is a contribution of many articles (precisely 53) from October, 1947, to February, 1952 to the Presbyterian Guardian on “The Glory of the Christian Church.”

Kuiper finds great delight in the expression of the Church as glorious. To him, “the Christian Church is glorious in its very nature (13).” Throughout his writing the author’s main focus is to draw back the attention of the Church to its centrality in the plans of God in redeeming His people. Professor Kuiper realizes that the Church has always been under assault from the evil one. “The struggle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent is not only perennial but perpetual (15).”

The underlying theme throughout this piece is to accentuate the extremes taken during the centuries of Church History and to minimize the abuses of some by offering helpful alternatives to extreme measures. For instance, in matters of membership there has been great tumult. Some, as John Nelson Darby, argued that a church member had to give a “glowing account of their conversion (28)” in order to be accepted into the Church. Kuiper argues that since only God is aware of the true condition of the heart, a profession of faith from a person is a sufficient expression to enter membership.

R.B. Kuiper is convinced that the well-known Reformed distinction leads to a more Biblical formation of the Church. He defends vigorously that the “visible church is glorious insofar as it resembles the invisible church (29).” He  argues that as long as there is impurity in the Church and false professions prevail, then the church is far from its sacred goal. But how this goal is to be accomplished is how he solves this dilemma. The visible Church needs to be a militant Church if it ever desires to resemble the triumphant Church which is the Church in heaven. The visible Church needs to oppose the evils of this present world both outside the Church and inside.

Kuiper argues that the Church is the most glorious of all of God’s institutions. Whether it is the institution of the family or the state, the Church is far superior to the previous two institutions. The Church itself is the guardian of God’s sacred nourishment found in the sacraments and it is the privileged means through which the Word must be preached faithfully.

In regards to the eschatological view of this glorious Church, the author sees that the “compromising ecumenism of our day is contributing to the hastening of that event (48-49).” He sees this as a strong possibility that will eventually lead to the “unification of practically the entire human race under Antichrist (48-49).” However, though unity in compromising the gospel is the trademark of the final stage of the Church, genuine unity in the body is a trademark of the glory of the Church. This is the fulfillment of Christ’ prayer in John 17.  “In John 17 Jesus is praying for the spiritual unity of believers (42).” Kuiper sees this unity possible in only one way: “… the one and only way in which true peace can come is by the destruction of false peace (52).” The body of Christ has introduced deception into its members and thereby breaking the unity of the body by polluting its members and causing further division. Rather, Christ’s prayer according to Kuiper is a call to true unity not based on the compromise of the gospel’s message, but on the furtherance of that message to the ends of the earth.

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Augustine on Faith

Augustine penned long ago that, “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” Has anyone considered the grandeur of faith? It is fair to say that as finite creatures we have not encountered the presence of God as the saints do now embrace. Hebrews eleven highlights a bit of that splendor in a litany of verses that stress the present and the future of faith. Augustine breathed that experience when he looked ahead to the promise result of faith (Gr.pistos).

Though we see grimly, not in its entirety, we as believers take real glimpses into the face of God. In mercy and deed, we experience a reality that is now at work. We practice what James calls “true religion.” Communal love, communal sacrifice for one another, the feeding of the poor are simple ways in which we explore the “rewards” of faith. Most illuminating though, is the faith we receive when we are nourished in the meal. Yes, a meal that ushers us into the very presence of God. There, faith is at work in a mighty way. For by faith we have been saved and by faith we will be saved until the day when faith will no longer be necessary for we shall see Him as He is. When faith is no longer a necessity, the manifestation and the Person of unfaltering faith will be our guide for all eternity and with Him we will cherish the rewards of faith.

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The Christian’s Role and the Role of the Law

In recent years my love for apologetics has grown immensely. I have dedicated many hours to studying ethics, logic, and apologetic methodologies. One person who has greatly influenced me by use of wit and theological precision has been Greg Koukl. He is president of Stand to Reason. This ministry has done tremendous service to the Kingdom. The ministry has a very qualified staff and focuses its attention on issues like homosexuality, abortion, and giving a reasonable answer in defense of the faith. Koukl has a tremendously affective way of reaching and communicating truth to people. Last year at the Evangelical Theological Society I had the opportunity to meet Greg and was elated to know that he was a gracious man with a heart for truth. I highly recommend their ministry and in fact, anyone can subscribe to their monthly newsletter called: Solid Ground.

In the latest edition of Solid Ground, Greg has written a piece on the role of morality in society. In the section entitled, The First Goal of Law, Mr. Koukl says that, “Laws are not primarily meant to change hearts, but behavior, and they accomplish that very well.” He elaborates further that laws can be a helpful tool in changing people’s hearts. As he puts it:

When someone tells me that laws can never change a fallen person’s heart, I ask them if they apply that philosophy to their children. Does the moral training of our children consist merely of preaching the Gospel to them? Wouldn’t we consider it unconscionable to neglect a child’s moral instruction with the excuse that laws can never change a child’s rebellious heart? Don’t we give them rules to obey, then threaten them with punishment for disobedience?

Koukl brings up an important point which is needful to discuss. The matter of morality and its application to society finds little time in modern pulpits. In fact, the truth of the matter is that some do not even believe we are called to proclaim God’s commandments. They have told us that morality only brings spiritual death and can cause no change whatsoever. In the Scriptures, of course, we discover that the law is our tutor to bring us to Christ, through whom our hearts can be transformed. But still the question arises: Can morality transform the heart? There are at least two ways to answer this question. First, laws can never bring redemption to the soul. The truth is the law is not intended to bring regeneration. The law (man-made law) will not be able to reach the heart of society with a message that brings life. Secondly, in a very real sense the law does bring life and sanctifies the heart. David speaks of the law as “perfect,” “lamp unto his feet,” “a light unto his path.” The law of the Lord is the law that changes the soul. It brings metaphysical conviction; one that shreds the human pride to misery for in the law of God people must live holy lives. The unbeliever must submit to the commandments of God and bow before Him. The law of God serves as a pre-evangelistic tool to bring depraved hearts to the mercy of God.

Greg Koukl speaks of the application of an active Christianity. He begins his article by noting that:

Since the Gospel alone transforms lives, some Christians wrongly conclude that political involvement is a waste of time. This myth of political passivity presumes that the Great Commission is our only responsibility. It’s not.

Greg is absolutely correct. Political passivity has caused the decline of many nations, including this one. In the 19th and 20th century, Christian inactivity in the face of utter injustice did not communicate that the church was pure because it didn’t get involved in politics, rather, it communicated an approval of slavery and racial prejudice. The same can be said of today while 30 million unborn babies die every year. Koukl states: “Our past unwillingness to be involved in ‘politics’ has been a blight on the Church ever since.” This unwillingness is the cause of so much damage and ungodliness in our society. The Great Commission demands that we teach “all things that I (Christ) have commanded.” This is not a reference to Jesus’ Sharing the Gospel 101 class, but directly and indirectly to the law of God. The law as it was exposed in the synagogues. The civil and moral sanctions required by our Lord to be observed and obeyed.

The law of God is not to be taught or proclaimed to believers alone, but to all in the world. The message of redemption is not separated from the message of the law. Both law and gospel are inseparable. They find fulfillment in the hearts of men and women who by God’s grace come to love their Creator. Further, they are also proclaimed to those who despise their Creator. Christians are looking for a distinctly Christian society (Societas Christiana), not an appearance thereof, but the very essence of Christian religion. The King is seeking to bring all His enemies under His feet (I Corinthians 15:24-26). They will come due to regeneration or due to submission to the law that shall encompass the whole world.

Christ as King of Kings is not entitled to a part of the land, but to all of the land (Romans 4:13). Both Church and State must submit to the requirements of the law of the King. There is no neutrality. One cannot love both God and mammon.

Greg Koukl’s call to Christian activity is a noble call and a Biblical call. However, it seems to me that he errs in limiting the rewards of this application. In the section where he speaks of the myth of “the separation of church and state,” he says that,

Freedom of religion is the goal, and non-establishment is the means. The only way to have true freedom of religion is to keep government out of religion’s affairs. This provides for what Steve Monsma calls ‘positive neutrality.’ This view ‘defines religious freedom in terms of a governmental neutrality toward religion in which no religion is favored over any other, and neither religion nor secularism is favored over each other.

Greg’s quotation falters in several ways here. First, as his approval of Monsma’s quotation states “Freedom of religion is the goal.” Here there can be no question that this is the majority of the Christian’s perspective on the matter (at least for those involved in the political sphere). This idea crumbles since pluralism is antithetical to the Scriptures. Freedom of religion assumes that other religions are to be in par with the Christian religion. It also assumes that the Kingship of Christ (Christ reigns now seated on the right hand of the Father) is to be shared with other Kings such as Buddha, Muhammad, Ceasar or any other. If the Christian message is exclusive by nature, then the church must proclaim the reign of one religion and of one King alone. As R.B. Kuiper so eloquently has stated:

It must require of men everywhere that they acknowledge Him as Head of all things, as King of every domain of their lives. It must insist on Christian marriage, Christian education, Christian Science, Christian industry, Christian labor, Christian relationships between labor and industry, Christian culture, Christian recreation, Christian politics, Christian internationalism, in short, on a Christian society as well as a Christian Church (The Glorious Body of Christ p. 276).

Kuiper states what God demanded of His people before and after the Fall: that man have dominion over all things. Calvin himself in his writings laid down very clearly the principle of the separation of the functions of Church and State. They are related and mutually supportive, but also independent of each other. Though Church and State operate in two separate arenas of society, yet they both must submit to the same God, and this is not the god proposed by some, but the God of Scriptures.

Secondly, the quote ends by stating that “…neither religion nor secularism is favored over each other.” Again, this same error indicates the idea of freedom of religion as an ultimate goal of Christian activity. However, this is not the desire of Christ when he stated that the “gates of Hell will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18).” If by religion the author refers to any religion (pluralism), then I agree that neither pluralism nor secularism will prevail over one another for both must submit to the Christian message of salvation in Christ alone (Solos Christus).

Greg Koukl ends the article with a revealing quote. He quotes Philip Yancey in his article entitled The Other Great Commission, written in Christianity Today (p.136) that:

We have no mandate to ‘Christianize the United States – an impossible goal in any case. Yet Christians can work simultaneosuly toward a different goal, the ‘moralization’ of society. We can help tether the values and even the laws of society to some basis in transcendence.

Ask yourself the question as the end of this article approaches: What is the goal of ‘moralizing’ a society if society will be doomed? Yancey is not in any way referring to the use of God’s law to moralize society, but he is probably referring to bringing back prayers to public schools and things of that nature. But in either way, the idea of tethering “the values and even the laws of society to some basis in transcendence” is utterly absurd. Theism may be a prerequisite to Christian theism, but transcendent morality with no Trinitarian morality is no morality at all. Notice also his initial assumption when he says that “We have no mandate to ‘Christianize’ the United States – an impossible goal in any case.” Yancey is correct in affirming that we have no mandate to Christianize the United States, we as Christians who believe in the Triune Sovereign God have a mandate to Christianize the world by the power of the Gospel and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Micah 4:2 says: “‘. . . that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’ For from Zion will go forth the Law Even the Word of God from Jerusalem.” May our hearts be encouraged that the Father has promised the nations as a gift to the Son and the end will not come until all his enemies are under His feet. In the words of the famous Advent song: Let earth receive her king!