Communion Is Not for Self-Flagellation

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I am currently working on a chapter on the practice of communion in churches (I promise, Tom and Matt, I am chasing that deadline!). I recently found an older expression of a view of communion which I want to counter. Here then is an excerpt from my work at this stage:

J. M. Pendleton in his Baptist Church Manual states, “If ever the tragedy of Calvary should engross the thoughts of the Christian to the exclusion of every other topic, it is when he sits at the table of the Lord.”[1] He draws this conclusion from Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 11:26- “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (ESV). I think Pendleton has improperly applied this verse and the results of such application are widely seen. Very often people do in fact approach the Lord’s table in this way, focusing exclusively on the tragedy of Christ’s death. The sense is that the purpose of this exercise is for us to focus on our sin, to remember afresh the depth of our wickedness and how much this cost God. It is almost as if God is that mother who constantly reminds the family how much she has suffered for everyone and wants to make sure you never forget it! But this most certainly is not the point Paul is making. Pendleton (and others after him) unnecessarily infers the word “tragedy.” Yes, the table proclaims Christ’s death, but not simply- or even primarily- the tragedy of His death. Notice the point is that this is “proclamation.” Elsewhere in the New Testament what is being proclaimed when Christ’s death is in view? It is not tragedy, but hope! It is the fact that the death of Christ has made possible the forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with God, transference from being enemies of God to being children of God! What is proclaimed is good news, the gospel. We do wrong when our participation in communion is some sort of self-flagellating focus on tragedy. We do not gather to tell God we’re sorry He had to go through this. We are reminded of our sin, and the length to which the love of God went, but the focus is celebrating the grace of God and giving thanks to God for his amazing grace.

Pendleton goes on to say that communion is “a solemn celebration of his atoning death.” Here, I could not agree more. I simply think that the full weight of the word celebration was not allowed in his previous discussion and is often absent in our practice today. The taking of the elements is the tangible proclamation and reminder of the forgiveness of sins. It is one of God’s prescribed means of reminding His people that he has forgiven their sins. So, let us celebrate communion certainly with awe, amazed that God would do this for us, and with deep thanksgiving.

[1] J. M. Pendleton, Baptist Church Manual (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1966), 89.

Ken Myers on Titus and Cultural Engagement

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In the recent issue of Touchstone Magazine Ken Myers’ article “Waiting for Epimenides” draws from the letter to Titus lessons for cultural engagement. This is a good article both in its handling of Titus and in its observations of the current church scene. Here are some quotes:

“A passion for Christian maturity is easily obscured when church leaders become preoccupied with the church’s cultural relevance.” (9)

“Far from looking more like their neighbors in the interest of winsomeness, they are enjoined to live lives that put their neighbors to shame.” (11; commenting on Titus 2:1-10)

“St. Paul’s letter to Titus is a bracing rebuke to much of the vague talk about cultural engagement one hears in so many Christian settings….  It recognizes that cultural moods and styles can be enemies of faithfulness.” (11)

Noting that there are often secular voices pointing out the deadening effects of cultural trends, Myers goes on to say:

“But, all too often, these prophetic voices are ignored, as American churches have emulated the most popular trends of our time to attract people who want a spiritual supplement to the cultural status quo instead of a radical critique of the conventional wisdom. Christian leaders have assumed that “engaging the culture” means finding out what the majority wants and figuring out how to exploit those desires in the name of Jesus.” (11)

If you are not a subscriber to Touchstone, I would encourage you to try out the magazine.

Concordia Commentary

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I try to stay fairly well aware of commentaries and commentary series with my work at the Ryan Center for Biblical Studies and in writing an annual survey of Bible reference works for Preaching Magazine. However, I have recently realized that I had entirely missed a significant series. As part of the work for this fall’s article for Preaching Magazine, I have been perusing Reed Lessing’s volume on Amos in the Concordia Commentary. When I read the series description I was hooked. Here is the description:

Concordia Commentary: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture is written to enable pastors and teachers of the Word to proclaim the Gospel with greater insight, clarity, and faithfulness to the divine intent of the biblical text. This landmark work will cover all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, interpreting Scripture as a harmonious unity centered in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Every passage bears witness to the Good News that God has reconciled the world to Himself through our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection.

The commentary fully affirms the divine inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture as it emphasizes “that which promotes Christ” in each pericope. Authors are sensitive to the rich treasury of language, imagery, and themes found throughout Scripture, including such dialectics as Law and Gospel, sin and grace, death and new life, folly and wisdom, this fallen world and the new creation in Christ. Careful attention is given to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. Further light is shed on the text from archaeology, history, and extrabiblical literature. Finally, Scripture’s message is applied to the ongoing life of the church in terms of ministry, worship, proclamation of the Word, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, confession of the faith – all in joyful anticipation of the life of the world to come.

Close attention to original languages, Christo-centric reading, and an eye toward the life of the church. And that description is so well written! Of course writing a series description and fulfilling it can be two different things, but this Amos volume seems to accomplish the goals.

I have only seen one volume, but this is now certainly a series I will look for.

Carl Trueman on Oversight of Souls

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If you are not aware of Carl Trueman’s writings you ought to be. His latest essay in Themelios is a summary of what he says to students wanting to pursue a PhD. Along the way in the argument, though, Trueman makes a key point about the importance of church membership and the personal involvement of pastors in the lives of their members. In this Trueman echoes one of key concerns of this blog and lands on the same conclusion I do regarding church size. Here is the quote:

Second, church involvement brings with it a natural accountability at a very practical level. Here I guess I show my strong preference for smaller churches. I cannot prove from Scripture that a church should never consist of more than three hundred or so people, but I would argue that a church which is so big that the pastor who preaches cannot know every member by name, and something about their daily lives, needs, and struggles, is a church where the pastor cannot easily fulfill the obligations of a biblical shepherd of God’s flock. Put bluntly, I want to be in a church where my absence on Sunday will soon be noticed and where the pastor or elders can draw alongside me and ask the pertinent questions. I want to be in a church where the eldership takes note if my behavior towards my wife or children is sub-par on a Sunday (hinting at much worse in private). I want to be in a church where I pray for the leadership and where they pray for me – not just in a generic sense of being part of the membership, but informed prayer based on real relationships. In other words, I want to be in a church where my pastor is, well, my pastor and not just that guy who is preaching over there in the distance on a Sunday morning. Put yourself in a small, faithful church, and the pastor is more than likely to hold you accountable to the basics of Christian belief and practice.

Carl Trueman- “Minority Report: A Question of Accountability”

The Sword Bearer

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The Sword Bearer, John White
The Archives of Anthropos series
(IVP, 1986), pb., 294
Ages 8 or 9+

When I was in about the fifth grade I had read the Chronicles of Narnia and was “hungry” for more books in that vein. In a church library I stumbled across John White’s The Tower of Geburah. I don’t remember much of the plot now, but I remember that I loved it! I have for some time then looked for that book to read to my boys. Along the way I discovered that it was part of a six volume series. I wish I had known this as a boy. I am sure I would have read them all. The series was out of print for some time so I was delighted a couple of years ago to discover that IVP had reprinted the entire series. For my birthday this year, then, my wife and boys gave me the entire set. Since that time (March) my boys have been eager for me to begin reading them. This summer we finally had the opportunity to read this book, the first volume of the series. I was excited but also nervous or uncertain for a couple of reasons. First, I had not read this particular volume before. Second, books that seemed great as a child sometimes end up having significant flaws when you see them as a result. Nevertheless, we began the journey.

The beginning of the book really made me question it. In fact at one point (one or two days into reading) I considered not continuing. The story started slowly (which is not that unusual) but it also was weird and graphic. The description of the death of the grandmother of John (the main character) was unnecessarily graphic and creepy. I had to do some significant editing in this portion. However, we persevered and were glad we did.

John accidentally finds his way into another world (in a way similar to Narnia) which he discovers in called Anthropos. In fact he finds that the inhabitants of this world believe he is the Sword Bearer, a prophesied and long-expected person who will help to deliver them from the oppression of the Lord Lunacy and his minions. The story as it develops from this point is adventurous and compelling. My boys were engrossed and particularly liked the characters Aguila (a giant eagle) and Oso (a giant bear). These characters and others were joined in an effort to overthrow the powers of evil which were dominating their land. They were led by Mab, a powerful prophet. Mab spoke for and wielded power from the Changer, the God-figure of the story. Several times in the story people would refer to Mab as a wizard, but he would quickly correct them saying he was actually a prophet. He traffics in no secret arts but simply wields the power of the Changer as the Changer sees fit.

The author also makes intriguing plays on words for his names and titles. The allegorical points are typically clear. One fun title was certain “magic” stones which could be used to request help from the Changer. They were called “pross” stones, but we discover that the real name is “pross ecomai” stones. That is basically a transliteration of the Greek verb for “I pray.”

As the story progresses John has to battle his own guilt and the temptations of the Lord Lunacy. He has to deal with his own pride before being willing to drink the “wine of free pardon.” John’s struggles resonate clearly and provide good examples of our own struggle with sin. The story provides good examples of the folly of arrogance, stubbornness, the damaging results of sin, the power of forgiveness (as well as the humility needed to receive it), the power of God, and the privilege of playing a part in the advance of his kingdom.

Though the beginning was rough, in the end we really enjoyed this book and are already well into the second volume. It has a number of similarities with the Narnia series but is not simply an imitation. It is not as smooth as Narnia- for example there are times when the characters seem to be unnecessarily slow in figuring out a problem. However, it is a really fun story with good adventure and great illustrations of our own fight with sin, guilt and forgiveness. I think it does a good job as well in tapping into that desire to be a part of a work or fight with cosmic significance. I know my boys sense that longing and books like this help them to see that the kingdom of God is the place to invest themselves and to find such significance. And that that only comes from being made right with God.

Calvin on Trusting the Love of God

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In looking through the recently published new English translation of Calvin’s sermons on Luke’s infancy narratives, I came across this quote which connected with my previous posts on trusting the love of God despite our feelings or circumstances. This is another example of pastoral preaching, of which Calvin is a great example. He is known as a great intellect but his sermons show him to also be a true shepherd in tune with the struggles of his flock and the troubles of the soul. May we also be such shepherds.

“The word ‘knowledge’ thus arms us against such devilish errors. When God gives us proof of his fatherly love, he desires us to have full assurance, so that we are not left to murmur to ourselves, ‘I think . . . I assume . . . That’s how it seems to me . . .’ No, this is the judgment each of us must make: ‘God never disappoints those who look to him. So when my trust is firmly fixed on him, he will never let me down.’ In ourselves we are guilty creatures, condemned to perdition. But when God, by his word, calls us to himself, we rise so to speak from death to life, we emerge from hell and draw near to him, knowing that we do not come to him in vain.

Inevitably we will experience doubt and distress. In this world our faith can never be perfect. We must battle with our troubles which, like the waves of the sea, push us this way and that. Are we tempted to distrust God? Are we weak in the faith? Is our trust in God’s word less firm than it should be? We should not lose heart, but instead remember that, whatever happens, God will not fail us. That is what we must do when the devil seeks to unsettle us, when he reminds us of our sins and sorely tries us. We know that we cannot live free of distress. Angry winds will swirl around us. Yet we must always come back to this fixed point: since our Lord has spoken, let us simply accept what he has said, persuaded that he will fulfill all our hopes and much
more besides. His goodness goes far beyond all we can conceive or imagine.” 111-112
(John Calvin. Trans. by Robert White. Songs Of The Nativity: Selected Sermons on Luke 1 & 2. Edinburgh, UK: Banner of Truth Trust, 2008)

Introduction to The Heidelberg Catechism

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This is a great quote on the work of teaching our children the faith. I saw this in Patrick McGill’s work on a catechism for his church. It comes from the original introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism.

“For from the beginning of the Christian church all the godly have been diligent to instruct their children in the fear of the Lord, at home, at school and in the church. They did so undoubtedly for the following reasons which shall induce us also to do the same. In the first place they rightly took into consideration the fact that unborn wickedness would get the upper hand and then pervert churches and civil governments unless it were countered in time by salutary doctrine. In the second place they had the express command of God in Exodus 12 and 13 and in Deut. 4, 6 and 11 where the Lord says, ‘and these words (the Ten Commandments) which I command you this day shall be upon your heart and you shall teach them to your children, . . .’ Finally, just as the children of Israel, after circumcision and as soon as they were able to understand, were instructed in the mystery of this covenant sign, and also the covenant of God, so our children too are to be instructed.”

The Princess and the Goblin

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The Princess and the Goblin, George Macdonald
Reprint by Wordsworth Classics
pb. 221 pp.
Ages 7+

This was our first Macdonald story to read together. That fact, combined with the estimation by many that this is his best children’s story, led to high expectations- perhaps too high. Even though C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien mention Macdonald as a great inspiration to them, I did not think this story rose to the level of Tolkien or Lewis. The book starts a bit slowly, but in the end the boys and I enjoyed it.

This is a fun tale of a young princess, goblins which conspire to capture her and a common miner boy who rescues her. Along the way Macdonald emphasizes faith in the unseen, graciousness to others, patience wit those who cannot yet believe, and strongly critiques the then common idea that nobility of spirit was only to be found in those of “noble birth.” In spite of the disappointment mentioned above this was a fun story. At various places we laughed out loud or were held in suspense by the action or intrigue. I was particularly interested in how the evil goblins were held at bay by the use of poetry. Very interesting!

There seemed to be loose ends that were never tied up so that a few things remained unclear to me. However, we would commend this book as a fun story to share.