Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q14: The Creation of Man

Q. 14. How did God create man?
A. God created man male and female, after His own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. (Gen. 1:27; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; Gen. 1:28)

Scripture Proofs

So God created man in his own image,
     in the image of God he created him;
     male and female he created them. (Gen. 1:27)

Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Col. 3:10)

Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:24)

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

I want to start by saying that, when I first read this question, I thought the answer would be something along the lines of "With dust." But then I realized that the question isn't asking what God did to create man. It's asking what God created man to be like. But that's still a bit of an inadequate explanation, because the idea isn't just what purpose or way God created man to be, as if he created man and said, "Now, attain to this;" it's how man actually was when God created him. When God created man, he "created man male and female, after His own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures." As with all of the questions we've covered so far, this answer is easily verifiable with Scripture. Like the last answer, I think the best way to go about this is to go one phrase at a time.

The first part says that "God created man male and female." Although several feminists would object, the answer is clear: humankind, both male and female, are, in fact, collectively referred to as "man." I'm not trying to make a massively significant point when I say that; I just think it's amusing, but I digress.

The big point here is that God created both man and woman. In the creation account, we can see that they were both created with specific purposes: man was to work, and woman was to help man. They have specific, differing, and complementary purposes. Now, along with this, they are both equals in terms of standing with God; that is - contrary to the popular mischaracterization of Christianity by the world - Biblically speaking, woman is not inferior to man. Paul says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). Paul is not saying that men and women are exactly the same; we've already seen that they are not, and the verse also compares Jews with Greeks and slaves with freemen, each very different classes of people when compared to the other. What he is saying is that, in God's eyes, men and women are equals. Men are not more saved than women, nor are women more saved than man. Both men and women are created in the image of God; neither bears more of God's image than the other. Husbands are called to lead and love and women are called to submit, but that does not imply inferiority or superiority; it shows difference.

So what does it mean that God created man in his image? Paul answers when he speaks of God's plan for his elect: "those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Rom. 8:29). In other words, God made man to be like him. When you think about it, you realize that Satan offered Adam something he already had; "you will be like God" (Gen. 3:5). This doesn't mean that Adam was perfect or omnipotent or eternal or anything like that, but he was, as the catechism states, knowledgeable, righteous, and holy. Man was made to be good and holy. Man was good and holy when he was initially created because he was made to be like God. Ultimately, that's what God plans for his elect; "we know that when [Jesus] appears we shall be like him" (1 John 3:2). I personally like the metaphor of the sun and the moon. The moon has no light in and of itself; it's just a floating hunk of space rock. But it reflects the light of the sun to the earth. That's what man was made to do: reflect the light of God on the earth.

The next phrase says that God created man "in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness." This refers specifically to man's knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, as the verses given demonstrate: "Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness . . . . which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). Interestingly, the passages these verses come from parallel each other; they both address this idea of the new self. The idea is that, presently, God is restoring redeemed man to the condition he was in before the fall, that state of knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. Before the fall, man was already there. Man was knowledgeable, man was righteous, man was holy. The knowledge is of particular interest to me because we don't often think about it. Every genuine Christian will acknowledge that man is radically corrupted morally. But if every part of a man's being is corrupted by sin, and his mind is part of his being, then his mind is also corrupted by sin! It is occupied and infested with sinful thoughts! We can still think and reason, but we are imperfect and fallible in such ventures. That is why Paul, when speaking of our sanctification, tells us to "be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:2). I've heard it said that the two clearest thinkers in all of history were Adam (before he fell) and Jesus, because neither of them were corrupted by sin. Before the fall, when man was in the state God created him in, he could think clearly. He did righteously, and he could discern what was the will of God. When you think of that, however, you realize just how bad the fall was; Adam knew it was wrong and he did it anyway. He was knowledgeable and righteous and holy, but not enough to keep from sinning against God.

Lastly, God created man "with dominion over the creatures." That's an easy one; God rules the earth and has given it to us to rule over. His first command was for man to "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth" (Gen. 1:28). Man has a duty to fill the earth, which involves being fruitful and multiplying. Man has a duty to rule the ground and make it flourish. Man also has the right to use the ground and the resources of the world to make progress, such as building houses and roads and things to make life easier. Man is called to care for animals, but animals are not to take priority over man; if one is driving on a road and sees a human baby and a baby koala ahead, and there is no way to avoid hitting one of them, say goodbye to the bear and rejoice that a human baby is still alive. Then try to find the baby's parents, of course, because clearly someone wasn't paying attention.

This is not all the catechism has to say about man's creation and purpose; there is a lot more to come.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q13: The Work of Creation

Q. 13. What is the work of creation?
A. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the Word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good. (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Ex. 20:11; Gen. 1:31)

Scripture Proofs

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen. 1:1)

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Heb. 11:3)

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Ex. 20:11)

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Gen 1:31)

In the last post, we covered that God's decrees are executed in his works of creation and providence. Today we'll discuss his work of creation. I think the answer given covers the topic more than adequately: "The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the Word of His power, in the space of six days, and all very good." Each of these statements are easily backed up by Scripture.

God made all things out of nothing; well, when the Bible says "God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), it's easily implied that nothing existed before that moment except God. Note that the verse does not state that God himself was created in the beginning; he was already there. God has always been around. This is not illogical; a being with the power of being within himself does not need a cause. He, unlike us, does not need someone to grant him the ability to be. He has always been there. We can't grasp that; everything we can think of has some kind of beginning in time. But even time didn't exist until God created it, so how can he have a beginning in time?

The next phrase refers to his creating by "the Word of his power." The author of Hebrews says this very thing: "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God" (11:3). Genesis also attests to this when it says, multiple times, that "God said" and what he said happened. (1:3, 6, 9 ,11, 14, 20, 24, 26). There is no mention of God taking some kind of pre-existing material and creating something with it except in the case of man, who was formed out of dust (2:7). No, God simply spoke and it came to be. What power!

The next phrase, "in the space of six days," is a hotly-contested issue for some reason or another. Some people say it means six literal days. Others claim it means six ages or indefinite spans of time, citing the fact that, since the sun and moon were not created until day four, there was no such thing as a literal, 24-hour day before then. I tend to fall in the first camp: the Bible affirms that "in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day" (Ex. 20:11). In fact, in context, that verse is the reason God instituted a six-day work week with a Sabbath; it is the last verse in the fifth commandment itself (20:8-11). The work week and Sabbath are intended to model God's work of creation! I don't really see why people argue against it or what the big deal is. However, this isn't a mountain I'd die on; if someone wants to argue with me about this, they won't get a response, as I don't think it's a live-or-die, you're-not-saved-if-you-don't-believe-this issue.

The last phrase, "and all very good," is not one that Christians argue about. It's very clear that God made creation good. "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen 1:31). Paul agrees: "For everything created by God is good" (1 Tim. 4:4). In fact, the only thing that was not good is that man was initially alone, and God quickly fixed that problem, making it good (Gen 2:18-25). It is only because of man that things went bad, but we'll get to that later.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q12: Executing His Decrees

Q. 12. How does God execute His decrees?
A. God executes His decrees in the works of creation and providence. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 6:26; Acts 14:17)

Scripture Proofs

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen. 1:1)

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

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matt. 6:26)

Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:17)

Compared to the previous question, this one is a breeze. "God executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence." We talked a bit about providence in the last post. Today we'll discuss both providence and creation. To be honest, I don't see this being a very long post; I can't really discuss precisely what God's works of creation and providence are because those answers are covered later in the catechism.

So we learn from this answer that we can define anything that God commands to be a decree. "Well duh," you say. Of course, that makes sense. But I wonder if we often think about how God commanded creation itself to exist? When "God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), he used his words. He told creation to exist. He may as well have said, "Creation, exist now," and creation, which didn't exist before, came into existence out of obedience. It's a philosophical mind-twister, because something that doesn't exist can't obey or disobey anything. But then God, who has the very power of being within his nature, commanded that Creation be, and it had to be. "For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm" (Ps. 33:9). It's pretty crazy to think about, but there you go.

God's works of providence is another thing. This basically refers to God determining what will happen in time. Again, we covered that earlier and will cover it more later.

I think one thing that we should remember when we think of God's decrees is just how sovereign he truly is, and how protected we are as a result.. For one thing, the Bible frequently refers to Creation as a reason to listen to, obey, and praise God (see Job 38:4-7; Ps. 33:6; 136:5; Isa. 42:5; 45:18; Acts 14:15; 17:24; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:10; 11:3; Rev. 4:11). We should praise him as well because he is our Creator. That simple thought ought to be overwhelming to us. As for our protection and provision, just read these two verses: "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matt. 6:26), and "he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:17). God has decreed that his people be provided for! Lastly, as an aside, these decrees testify to his existence and character; "he did not leave himself without witness." That affirms even more his sovereignty and faithfulness in provision.

In the next post, we'll consider God's work of creation.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q11: The Decrees of God

Q. 11. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 11:36; Dan. 4:35)

Scripture Proofs

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. (Eph. 1:11)

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Rom. 11:36)

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
     and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
     and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
     or say to him, “What have you done?” (Dan. 4:35)

The idea of God's decrees and fore-ordinance is a very interesting one. Philosophically speaking, the idea that God ordains everything that happens makes a lot of people very uncomfortable, especially when they witness the horrors of evil. (This is usually called the Problem of Evil.) But the idea is Biblical, so we as Christians must accept it to be true.

The answer given, that "the decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass" is somewhat of a direct quote of Ephesians 1:11, which says that God "works all things according to the counsel of his will." The key words for our purposes are "all things." God very literally brings about all things that come to pass.

The next Scripture proof given says that "From him and through him . . . are all things" (Rom. 11:36). All things are from him and through him. It couldn't be much clearer than that.

The Bible also flies in the face of anyone who would say that mankind can defeat, or even stall, God's purposes. "He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him 'What have you done?'" (Dan. 4:35). This verse emphasizes God's total sovereignty over the whole universe; he works all things in heaven among the angels and on earth among man. Not only that, but God is so sovereign and great that man has no right or reason to question what he does. Paul echos this idea - with particular emphasis on God's sovereignty over man - when he says, "Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" (Rom. 9:20, 21).

So, does this mean that God wills that which goes directly against his commands? In one sense, yes, but in another sense, no. Theologians have distinguished between God's precepts (his laws and commands) and his decrees (that which he causes to happen). In some way, despite the fact that God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree in the garden, he sovereignly ordained that he would do so. But we must remember that, while God does this, he does it in such a way that he is not the author of sin¹. "God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one" (James 1:13). God did not create sin. How this all works out is not fully explained in the Bible so far as I know; it remains in the hidden counsel of God. We must simply trust him in this.

Footnotes

¹ 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith, 3.1. http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1689lbc/english/Chapter03.htm

To read the full catechism, click here.

Just Two Things About Our Music Need Fixing

The way I see it, there are two things that we need to fix about most Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) that comes out these days: the lyrics and the music.

The reason we need to fix the lyrics is obvious. Lyrics communicate exactly what idea the artist is trying to get across. The problem here is that most of the lyrics that one hears in CCM are overly simplistic, repetitive, vague, self-centered, and irreverent of the God the artist claims to be worshiping. The most important thing, says the CCM industry, isn't worship, or even God; it's "encouragement" and being "uplifting." Not that there's anything wrong with being uplifting or encouraging, but that should not be the ultimate point of Christian music.

I'm not saying that the lyrics have to be overly technical, using words like "propitiation" and "penal substitutionary atonement" to be good. But they should be truthful, Scripture-inspired, and God-centered. They don't even need to be direct quotes of Scripture, but they at least should communicate real Gospel truth. In my opinion, a vast majority of what passes for Christian music these days speaks very little about the Gospel, or has very little to actually do with the God of the Bible. So, yes, we need to fix the lyrics.

I would also say, however, that we need to fix the music as well. I got into a short discussion one time about what genres of music are more inherently worshipful. My friend said that what matters most is the heart of the worshiper, not the style of music. I agree with that. But after giving it some thought, I think the music still matters a lot.

What are we, as the church, called to do? We are called to take the message of the Gospel around the world. We are called to be God's ambassadors on the earth. In other words, we are called to represent him to others. We are to reflect the image of God to others so that they see his glory and turn to worship him. Now, think about that for a moment: we are called to reflect the image of the first and best of beings, as Keach's Catechism puts it. God, we agree, is the most greatest and most beautiful being in all the universe. So it seems, to me at least, to follow that the music we use to worship and represent him should be the greatest and most beautiful music we can possibly compose.

In contemporary Christian culture we hear a lot about "redeeming the culture," the idea that we should take things in our local culture and use them for God's glory. This includes the culture's music (along with brewing beer, but that's something else). One can hear this idea in the CCM industry, and the results are not always that good. It seems like what they do is take the same music that the culture listens to, subtract worldly lyrics, and add Christian lyrics. The result is that the songs are indistinguishable from the culture's songs, which is sort of the goal. It's either that or they decide that all that matters is the lyrics, so they write a few verses, throw in four chords and a three-note melody and hey! You have a song! Now let's sell it!

Neither is the right approach in my opinion.

When God created the world, he didn't just throw in a few trees, a lake, and a patch of grass and call it passable. He created a world so amazing that he called it "very good." He gave Adam and Eve a garden full of their choice of fruit, not just one tree that only produced enough to feed them one day at a time. God makes the most beautiful art ever, and he puts everything he has into it.

So it seems to me like, if we really want to redeem the culture, we shouldn't just take its music and Christianize it. We should take its music and make it a whole lot better. You want to write Christian rock music? Great. Take what you know about rock music and make it the best rock music that anyone has ever heard. Christian funk? Make it the best funk ever. And so on with blues, jazz, classical, pop, R&B, metal, and whatever else. If we're called to worship and represent the best of beings, shouldn't our music be the best of music? Shouldn't the church be producing music so great that the world takes a listen and thinks, "Wow, this is better than all that other stuff, this God must be real"?

Also, if God is the best of beings, doesn't he deserve our absolute best? Shouldn't we be producing the most beautiful music we can produce for him?

I should say that the point of all that I'm saying is not merely bringing in more numbers to the church. Of course our music should be used to evangelize, but that's not the only purpose of our music. It should be ultimately to worship and bring glory to God.

Of course, our music falls short of the beauty of God. It will always fall short. Everything we ever do for God will always fall short! But I fail to see why that's a reason we shouldn't still give it our all. Our music doesn't save us, but God deserves our all in all that we do. If you really believe that making the bare minimum of what might be considered a passable song is the best way to worship God, well, okay. But I heartily disagree with you. If that actually is the best song you can write, however, then great! It's still giving God your best. But I would encourage you to practice, practice, and practice and get better, because God always deserves better.

And before anyone asks, I don't know exactly what would constitute making music better or more beautiful. There are volumes of philosophy books out there dedicated to those questions. I just want to get people thinking.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q10: Persons in the Godhead

Q. 10. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. (1 Cor. 8:6; John 10:30; John 14:9; Acts 5:3,4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)

Scripture Proofs

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Cor. 8:6)

I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?" (John 14:9)

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” (Acts 5:3, 4)

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. (Matt 28:19)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Cor. 13:14)

At the end of the last post, I asked the question of how both Jesus and the Father could be God if there is only one God. Well, we see in this question and answer that the dilemma is further complicated by a third person being in the mix: the Holy Spirit, who is apparently also God.

First, let's recall that the Bible is emphatically clear that there is only one God. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6:4). No one doubts that Christianity is a monotheistic religion except those who gravely misunderstand this doctrine. However, the Bible is also clear that the Father is God (1 Cor. 8:6), Jesus is God (John 10:30), and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3, 4). Indeed, it also places the three in equal standing with one another (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14). That seems to be a contradiction, doesn't it?

Well, if the Bible really is the Word of God, then it can't be. God is the God of truth. He cannot lie and he tells no lies. If he tells us there is one God, that settles it. If he also tells us that three people are God, that settles it, too.

But how on earth does that work? Let's look at the answer given: "There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory." All three of these people are one God. I've heard it explained like this: God is three in person and one in essence. He is not three in person and one in person, or three in essence and one in essence, for those would be contradictory. Rather, God has one essence and three persons who embody that essence. If that's hard to wrap your mind around, don't worry; it really, really is. We have no idea what that could possibly look like. How can three people be the same being at the same time? It's a mystery, but it's certainly not a contradiction.

I think one thing that sums this doctrine up very well is Chapter 2, paragraph 3 of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, which this catechism is based on:

In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him.

Don't be boggled by the archaic language; it's not that hard to understand if you read it closely. "In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences (referring to the persons of the Trinity), the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity." In other words, each of these beings possess all the attributes of God we discussed a few weeks ago. Continuing from this, we must also remember that each of these beings have "the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided," which means that each of these beings is fully God. They aren't each one-third of God, making one whole God together; each of them is fully and completely God. Someone - I don't remember who - once said that anything that can be stated about one person of the Trinity can be stated of the others. I wouldn't go quite that far; the Father didn't die on the Cross, for example. But when we say that Jesus is holy, or good, or loving, we can say the same about the Father and the Holy Spirit as well. Because they are all the same God, it's the same holiness, the same goodness, the same love.

It's important that we don't fall into the heresy of modalism; the heresy that teaches that God, who is one person only, manifests himself in three different ways at different times. The general belief, to my knowledge, is that God manifested himself as the Father in the Old Testament, Jesus during his earthly ministry, and now manifests himself as the Holy Spirit. Rather than being three distinct persons, God is one person who appears in three different ways. But that doesn't square with the Bible. Who exactly was Jesus praying to (Matt. 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; John 17)? What about John 1:1, which says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"? If modalism is true, there's no way the Word can be both God and with God at the same time; the verse may as well read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God." But it doesn't. And what about how Jesus says he will send the Helper (the Holy Spirit) in John 15:26 and 16:7? If Jesus simply became the Holy Spirit, he's not exactly sending the Spirit. And in 16:7 especially, Jesus says he is going away and will send the Helper. If modalism is true, he would be going away and then coming back, not going away and sending someone else. So modalism doesn't pass the test of Scripture, and must be avoided.

This is our God, the three-in-one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all of whom are fully God, all of whom are one in essence. May we worship our true, trinitarian God.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Any Time the Ground Yields

Many of you probably know that I have a baby on the way. In fact, not only is she on the way, but she only has a couple months until she’s born! It’s hard to believe she’s arriving so soon, but it’s true, and I’m very excited about it.

Also, as I’m sure most young parents would, I find myself wondering and worrying about how we will be able to support her. Right now my wife and I both work full-time. Pretty soon my wife will be on maternity leave, meaning that we’ll only have my paycheck coming in, which doesn't seem like enough to provide for a family by itself. Now, some people I know would read that and instantly categorize me as a bad husband, as if income is the only measure of how well someone meets the standard of “husband material,” but that’s an issue that I think is worth its own post.

So, like I previously said, I keep wondering about, and even being anxious over, this question of where the money to support our child will come from. Mathematically, it makes no sense to me. I know how much I make a month. I have a general idea of how much we pay in bills per month. Add a baby onto that and we’re in the red. Right?

Well, not necessarily.

Doesn’t the Bible say that God will provide (Gen. 22:14)? Didn’t Jesus command us to pray for God to give us our daily bread (Matt. 6:11)? And didn’t Jesus feed thousands of people with only a few pieces of food on more than one occasion (Mark 6:30-44; 8:1-9)? Compare that with my salary providing for three people and suddenly I find that I have absolutely no excuse to be worried.

I also need to remember that, no matter how much money I make per month, our provision ultimately cannot and does not come from me. The ground is cursed because of the fall, and it will refuse to yield to me no matter how much I work it. But I know exactly who takes care of us. Any time the ground does yield, it is only because the Father who created it commands it to do so. It is only due to the blessing of God in the life of my family. I’m not saying I should just kick back and do nothing, for to do that would mean directly disobeying my Lord (2 Thess. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:8). God provides through my work. God takes care of his people far more abundantly than they can imagine. And ultimately, no matter how much money or stuff we have, God works all things in order that we be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28).

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matt 6:25-33)

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q9: More Gods?

Q. 9. Are there more gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living and true God. (Deut. 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10)

Scripture Proofs

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deut. 6:4)

But the LORD is the true God;
      he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
      and the nations cannot endure his indignation. (Jer. 10:10)

After the last question, question 9 of the Baptist Catechism is a very easy one to answer. "Are there more gods than one?" The simple answer is "no." So why does this catechism not just say "no" rather than give the answer it gives? One answer is that it's a catechism, so it must give longer, more detailed answers than just "no." But I think the better answer comes in the wording used: God is the living and true God, as opposed to a living and true God. Not only does this mean that God is the only God, but it flies directly in the face of all others who would make claims to deity: they are non-existent and false.

Paul makes this clear when he says to the Corinthians:

We know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Cor. 8:4-6)

Note the phrase "so-called gods." Paul is stating that they are not real gods, but that people treat them that way and call them gods. Despite this, though. they have no power, they have "no real existence." They "by nature are not gods" (Gal. 4:8; cf. 2 Chr. 13:9; Isa. 37:19; Jer. 2:11; 5:7; 16:20). In contrast, there is "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:6), "from whom are all things and for whom we exist" (1 Cor. 8:6), and "there is no other besides him" (Deut. 4:35).

The entirety of Scripture is very adamant about this. There are only two Scriptures given in the catechism as proof, but they are so clear and to the point that it hardly needs more. As Deuteronomy 6:4 says, "The LORD is one." I always thought that meant that God himself is one God, but this context makes sense to me; it refers to the fact that he really is the one God of all. Jeremiah affirms this when he says, "The LORD is the true God" (10:10). Note that he does not say "a true God" but "the true God." He is very specific that Yahweh is the only true God.

Now, one may wonder at this point how Paul can affirm that there is only one God, the Father, and also call Jesus Lord. Isn't there only one? Well, that's the next question, which directly addresses the doctrine of the Trinity.

May we worship our one true God and him only.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q8: God, Part 2

Q. 8. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

Scripture Proofs

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
      his understanding is beyond measure. (Ps. 147:5)

Before the mountains were brought forth,
      or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
      from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Ps. 90:2)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
      who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
      steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. (Ps. 89:14)

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Ex. 34:6, 7)

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim. 1:17)

Last time I talked about the fact that God is Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. Today I plan to go over the remaining attributes: his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. The reason I chose to separate the question at this spot is because, from the way the answer is worded, it seems to me like Keach was trying to apply the attributes of eternality, infinitude, and unchangeability to the remaining attributes; that is to say, his being is an eternal, infinite, and unchangeable being. His holiness is an eternal, infinite, and unchangeable holiness. His justice . . . well, you get the idea.

Being

I feel like God's being has already been adequately covered, to be honest. All the attributes are part of his being. I mainly just included this header so people wouldn't say "Hey, wait a minute."

Wisdom

I think that Psalm 147:5 is a really good statement of just how wise God is: "His understanding is beyond measure." He is so wise that we literally cannot measure his wisdom. That seems to square pretty well with his infinitude, doesn't it? Paul also points out that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men" (1 Cor. 1:25). Not that God can ever been foolish; I think his point was that, even at his wisest, man cannot even begin to remotely compare to God.

Power

A while back I did some number-crunching about the universe that God created and was overwhelmed by just how awesome in power God truly is. God created all things. He "formed the earth and the world" (Ps. 147:5). I honestly think that the greatest statement of God's power is Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." We often take that for granted, but think about it: God created everything. Can you even imagine how much power that takes? We cannot create anything from nothing; all our inventions are just that: inventions made from the palette of materials God created out of nothing. Isn't that incredible?

Holiness

I've said this before, but R.C. Sproul wrote an entire book on the subject of God's holiness, so I will not even be deluded into the idea that I can adequately cover it in a paragraph or two. I will say, however, that God's holiness is the only attribute of God that is repeated three times in succession, in more than one place in the Bible (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8). In Hebrew, repetition was how they emphasized something. If we English speakers want to say something is really great, we say it's "really great," or we may compare it to something else by saying it's "greater." In Hebrew, to my understanding, they would say it's "great, great." But God's holiness is repeated not twice, but three times. That puts it in a category all its own. The Bible does not say that God is "love, love, love" (as our overemphasis on God's love in Contemporary American Christianity might lead you to believe). God's holiness is "great, great." It's far greater than that.

Justice

I don't think we think of God's justice a lot in our culture. We tend to see God as this big, loving guy who should never punish people when they sin. But the Bible says that God "will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation" (Ex. 34:7). God is very concerned with justice; he is the perfect judge of the world. This thought should cause us to tremble like Isaiah did when he beheld the Lord (Isa. 6:5), because we are all just as guilty before God as he was. But we must also remember that, in the same passage in Exodus God declares that he is "a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Ex. 34:6, 7). God's justice and mercy may seem to be contradictory, but they are not. Rather than simply overlook sin, God has provided a substitute to pay for them. "so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26).

Goodness

Jesus makes this point in the Sermon on the Mount when he says, "Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:9-11). The contrast is between people "who are evil" and "your Father who is in heaven." Jesus is comparing between evil man and good God. If evil man gives good gifts, then a good God will give even more. Jesus also bluntly says that God is good when he says, "No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18).

We often don't think of God as being good when he is being just. I don't understand why this would be. If an earthly judge punishes a bad person, we think of him as a good judge, and so we should. If he lets a criminal go despite compelling evidence that he committed the crime, we think of him as a bad judge, and so we should. But if God punishes a sinner, we think of him as cruel. And if God doesn't immediately punish someone we think of as bad, we call him a bad judge. We don't give God much credit, do we? But God is a good judge; his justice is as good as he is.

Truth

Even a cursory reading of Scripture should reveal that God is the God of truth. Paul is so concerned that God be shown true that he says, "Let God be true though every one were a liar" (Rom. 3:4). John says of the Holy Spirit, "The Spirit is the truth" (1 John 5:6). Jesus says of himself, "The one who seeks the glory of him who sent him [the Father] is true, and in him there is no falsehood" (John 7:18). As a result, God hates falsehood. He says of the land of Gilead, "Falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:3). He also calls the enemy, Satan, "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). As a result, "everyone who loves and practices falsehood" will be "outside" New Jerusalem in the end (Rev. 22:14, 15). God is a God of truth!

When I separate these attributes into a list, by no means am I trying to say they are mutually exclusive; God's attributes can be stated of each other. What I mean by that is that we can say that God's holiness is a good, true, and just holiness. His justice is a true, good, wise, holy justice. He has the power to execute his justice. He also has the power to be merciful and to provide atonement for sins. His Word, the truth, has power to save and to condemn. They are all interconnected.

These past two posts barely scratch the surface of the depths of God. If you want to know more about God, I know of a book you can read.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q8: God, Part 1

Q. 8. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

Scripture Proofs

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
      his understanding is beyond measure. (Ps. 147:5)

Before the mountains were brought forth,
      or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
      from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Ps. 90:2)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
      who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
      steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. (Ps. 89:14)

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Ex. 34:6, 7)

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim. 1:17)

I will admit I was a little reluctant to try to tackle this question. I have no idea why; I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that "What is God?" is a question that took over 1,500 years to answer so far as humanity can understand it, and I'm definitely sure it's not because God is infinite, meaning we as finite beings can never fully comprehend him anyway. And I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that whole libraries of books have been written on the topic and my task is to compress it into one or two blog posts. Or, you know, it could be exactly because of those things.

That said, I think that this question gives about as adequate a summary as one could find in a single sentence. It's basically a list of God's attributes. I think I'll go through them one-by-one.

Spirit

"God is spirit" (John 4:24). I tried to find out what this means, and the best I could figure is that it means that God is not a physical being. Jesus said, "A spirit does not have flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39). Now, I suppose one could say that this means that Jesus cannot be God because he does have flesh and bones, but that argument doesn't stand up to Scripture, which clearly affirms that Jesus is both God and man (Col. 2:9).

Infinite

I don't think that we as finite humans can even comprehend infinitude. It seems to me that no matter how much of something we can think of, we can always think of more, and any amount of anything we think of will always have some limit. In contrast, God is infinite. Scripture repeatedly affirms that God's ways are unsearchable (Job 59; 9:10; Isa. 40:28). Psalm 147:5 says that God's "understanding is beyond measure." And as Zophar said to Job, "Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?" (Job 11:7). Our God is infinite. This doesn't mean we can't understand or comprehend him at all; it only means we can't do so fully.

Eternal

God is also eternal. The Biblical concept of this is that God had no beginning and has no end; that is, he has always been and always will be. There never was a time when God wasn't around. "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God" (Ps. 90:2, emphasis added). Job 36:26 says, "The number of his years is unsearchable." The Psalmist says to him, "Your years have no end" (Ps. 102:27). God also calls himself the first and the last (Isa. 41:4; 48:12). By implication, he has the power of being in and of himself, and was not caused by anything else; otherwise, whatever brought God into being, rather than God, would be the eternal thing. Just for information's sake, the theological/philosophical term for this is aseity. If all this is hard to wrap your mind around, then you know exactly what I was talking about in the last paragraph about God's infinitude.

Unchangeable

The theological term for this is immutability. We as humans change, we mutate. We are mutable. God, in contrast, does not change. He does not mutate. He is immutable. But I digress.

As the Bible puts it, with God "there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). What James is saying is that we can trust God fully because he does not change. He doesn't say he's going to do something and then not do it. He doesn't make a promise he can't and won't fulfill. And all those other attributes we haven't even covered yet, his "being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth"? Those never change either. He doesn't become less holy, just, or good. He never becomes less wise. He never becomes more of those either, since he is also infinitely and eternally good, just, and so forth.

In the next post, we'll take a closer look at those attributes, his "being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth."

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q5: Is the Bible God's Word? Part 2

Q. 5. How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?

A. The Bible evidences itself to be God's Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, its power to convert sinners and to edify saints; but the Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God. (1 Cor. 2:6,7,13; Ps. 119:18, 129; Acts 10:43, 26:22; Acts 18:28; Heb 4:12; Ps. 19:7-9; Rom. 15:4; John 16:13,14; 1 John 2:20-27; 2 Cor. 3:14-17)

Scripture Proofs

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory . . . . And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Cor. 2:6, 7, 13)

Open my eyes, that I may behold
     wondrous things out of your law. (Ps. 119:18)

Your testimonies are wonderful;
     therefore my soul keeps them. (Ps. 119:129)

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (Acts 10:43)

To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass. (Acts 26:22)

For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. (Acts 18:28)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4:12)

The law of the LORD is perfect,
     reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
     making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
     enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
     enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
     and righteous altogether. (Ps. 19:7-9)

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Rom. 15:4)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:13, 14)

But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (1 John 2:20-27)

But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor. 3:14-17)

In the last post we covered the first part of this answer. Now, we come to the second part: "The Spirit of God only, bearing witness by and with the Scriptures in our hearts, is able fully to persuade us that the Bible is the Word of God." This is the reason why, despite the evidences given in the first part, people still disbelieve: because only God's Spirit can break through our inherent depravity and tendency to "suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18 NASB).

Again, the Bible itself testifies to the fact that God teaches people through it. Paul talks about how God's Word is "not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit" who "interpret[s] spiritual truths to those who are spiritual" (1 Cor. 2:13). God's Word cannot be fully and truly understood by flesh, but it requires the Spirit who came to "guide [us] into all the truth" and to "take what is [Christ's] and declare it to [us]" (John 16:13, 14). Not only that, but the Spirit only "interpret[s]" spiritual truths to those who are spiritual." Elsewhere Paul states that believers "are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." Thus, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells are those who are spiritual, and are those for whom the Holy Spirit interprets spiritual truths. Flesh - that is, those who don't have the Holy Spirit - read the Bible and see only intellectual truths. They are not persuaded of its truth and will not be unless the Spirit, through the Word, teaches them.

To expand on this a little bit, the apostle John even goes so far as to say in 1 John 2, "the anointing that you received from him [the Holy One, v. 20] abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you" (v. 27). We have no need that anyone should teach us. This doesn't mean we should never listen to pastors and theologians who have been studying for decades, or that we should ignore the great titans of church history. It only means that the Holy Spirit teaches us, so that we have no need to be taught by others. I think we should learn from others because they often have great insight. But we don't need to.

The Psalmist petitions to God: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law" (Ps. 119:18). He wants to behold those wondrous things, so he comes to God, knowing that he is the only one who can show him. Paul expands on this when he speaks of the Israelites, "To this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed" (2 Cor. 3:15-16). Not only does the Lord remove the veil, but Paul is very clear that "only through Christ is it taken away" (v. 14, emphasis added). God is the only one who can reveal the true meaning of Scripture.

However, he often chooses to do this through human teachers. These teachers, like all believers, ultimately learn from the Spirit. Paul said, "To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass" (Acts 26:22). Paul preached from God's Word, and he had God's help. Had not God used Paul, all of Paul's preaching would have resulted in nothing. Instead, however, God worked with his Word through him to reach many and change the face of the world.

So, despite all the evidence that the Bible is God's Word, we will never believe this unless God himself reveals it to us. God alone, through his Word, is able to work his mighty works. If that is true, we need to be in the Bible daily, earnestly desiring to know his will.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q3: How Do We Know?

Q. 3. How do we know there is a God?

A. The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal Him unto us for our salvation. (Rom. 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; 1 Cor. 2:9,10)

Scripture Proofs

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Rom. 1:18-20)

The heavens declare the glory of God,
     and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
     and night to night reveals knowledge. (Ps. 19:1, 2)

...and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:15)

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 1:21-24)

But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
      nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Cor. 2:9, 10)

I actually addressed this question not that long ago in a way. Granted, my argument was more philosophical than anything else, but it still was my attempt to give an answer to the question: How do we know there is a God? I think, since I already recently wrote about it, I'm not going to give the same argument a second time; if you're interested, go back and read the post I linked to. My purpose in this series isn't really to discuss purely philosophical ideas or arguments anyway, but rather to examine the questions of this catechism in light of the Scriptures and see how it stands up. This question, in my opinion, stands up just fine.

The first two verses address the first part of the answer: "The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declare that there is a God." I think that addresses a few things: first off, as Keach himself gives Romans 1:18-20 as a proof of what he states, he clearly means that nature is proof of God's existence. And indeed, "the heavens declare the glory of God" (Ps. 19:1) and "his righteousness" (Ps 50:6). Not only that, but "day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge" (v. 2). The 1599 Geneva Bible gives this commentary on the second verse: "The continual success of the day and the night is sufficient to declare God’s power and goodness." Basically, that day and night come and go testify to God's goodness and power. We are surrounded by testimony of his existence all the time!

But the words "in man" remind me of another passage: "When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them" (Rom. 2:14-15). God has literally written his law, the absolute standard of right and wrong, on the hearts of all people. When people declare that something is morally wrong, they are appealing to some standard of good and evil. That standard, and that we know that standard, is proof of God's existence. People skew and ignore that standard all the time, however; men "by their unrighteousness suppress the truth" (Rom. 1:18). Men suppress it. They still have it, but they pretend they don't. They also suppress the truth of God's existence proclaimed in nature; when they see it, even though it clearly testifies of him, they act as if it doesn't and even delude themselves into believing it doesn't.

So how can the truth penetrate the veil? Keach answers, "His Word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal Him unto us for our salvation." The key word here is "only;" God's Word and Spirit are the only things that reveal God in a saving way to people. Fallen human reason cannot get us to God by itself; our bias towards evil keeps us away from that. Also, the idea that our Savior is someone who was killed on a cross is "a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles" (1 Cor. 1:23). That's not to say reason has no place in discussing salvation, but rather that without God's Spirit moving, it won't save anyone. But salvation, which "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him . . . God has revealed to us through the Spirit" (1 Cor 2:9, 10). And through the Spirit, we can understand "the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 3:15).

Even though we are surrounded by evidence of God's existence day by day, we in our wickedness suppress the truth and pretend it does not exist. Only God, through the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, can open our eyes and bring the truth to light.

To read the full catechism, click here.

Elect, Raise Up Your Voice to God

Before Creation, God ordained
To save His Son’s dear bride
Then Jesus came and died for her
To make her purified

[REFRAIN]
Elect, raise up your voice to God
Who Sov’reignly decreed
To heal your heart and make you new
From sin to set you free

Though we are undeserving fools
Unworthy and disgraced
He met God’s justice on the cross
And poured on us His grace

The sheep the Father gives to Him
Will come to Him one day
And all who rest inside His hand
Shall ne’er be cast away

No, not by works nor merit earned
Have Christians been restored
But we can rest assured in
The mercy of our Lord

I'm particularly happy about this song because it's essentially the Five Points of Calvinism set to song. That was the goal: to word the Five Points in a way that every person who calls himself a Christian would have to agree with them. We were undeservedly saved by a sovereign God who keeps us in his hand for all eternity and sanctifies us every day. What's wrong with that? If you ask me, it sounds like orthodox, historical, Biblical Christianity. And, in the humble opinion of this blogger, that's exactly what it is.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q2: The Chief End of Man

Q. 2. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. (1 Cor. 10:31; Psalm 73:25-26)

Scripture Proofs

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31)

Whom have I in heaven but you?
     And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
     but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Ps. 73:25, 26)

This is the second question of this catechism, but it is based on the first question of the Westminster Catechism. Personally, I think that this catechism gets it right by putting man as the second question and God as the first. However, I think both of them get right the fact that man's very purpose and reason for existing is for the glory of God.

Like the first question and answer, the answer given is well-supported by Scripture. Paul says that "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31, emphasis added). It doesn't say "do some things" or even "most things," but quite literally, that absolutely everything we do should be for God's glory. Paul says the same thing in Colossians 3:17: "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Paul wants "whoever speaks [to speak] as one who speaks oracles of God" and "whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." Everything we do, we must do for God's glory. This reminds me of another passage of Scripture:

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. (Eph. 6:5-8)

In other words, when we do work, we are working for God himself. That makes sense; anyone in a position of authority ultimately had that authority delegated to him by God (Rom. 13:1), which means that our bosses are put over us by God. So when we do our work well, we are glorifying God through it!

But what about enjoying God? I wonder if we often think of that? I know that people outside of the faith don't; they tend to see God as a cosmic killjoy who only wants to squash everyone's fun. But that's not Biblical at all; in fact, God wants us to take part in a greater joy than any earthly, temporal pursuit can give us: his joy, the joy of being his. Look at the language the Psalmist uses in the verse above: "There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you . . . God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." This is a deep longing that nothing on earth can satisfy, and a satisfaction that nothing on earth can bring. Other Psalms portray the desire for God as a deep thirst for water in a dry place (Ps 42:2; 63:1; 143:6).

How does this work itself out? It's one thing to talk about enjoying God, but how do we actually do it? Paul talks about it in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

What Paul is saying is that all the sadness and grief we face on earth should not ultimately kill our joy. It's all temporal. In contrast, God has given us an "eternal comfort and good hope through grace" in salvation and sanctification (2 Thess. 2:16). Someday, we will behold the God who is beautiful beyond all comparison, and "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4).

This doesn't mean we should just traipse through life as if it means nothing; this should affect how we live now. The writer of Hebrews speaks of Moses, who chose "rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward" (Heb. 11:25, 26). Moses, looking forward to the reward of Heaven, made a conscious choice not to take part in sin and chose rather to be mistreated for his faith. We should do the same, but we need to remember that this is not because we are trying to earn our salvation; our enjoyment of God is a response to his already having saved us. Paul said, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:2, 3). Our lives are already hidden in Christ, and because of this we must set our minds on things that are above.

What more could we possibly ask for? What on earth is worth our enjoyment more than a perfect, loving, holy God who has granted us a perfect and merciful salvation despite our sin? God wants us to rejoice in him and glorify him! This is the reason we exist!

To read the full catechism, click here.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q1: The First and Best

Q. 1. Who is the first and best of beings?

A. God is the first and best of beings. (Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 97:9)

Scripture Proofs

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
     and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last;
     besides me there is no god." (Isa. 44:6)

O Lord, our Lord,
     how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory above the heavens. (Ps. 8:1)

For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
     you are exalted far above all gods. (Ps. 97:9)

The first question of the Baptist Catechism, like the first question of most catechisms, is a simple one. God is the first and best of beings. I know of no genuine Christian, even one who has only read part of the Bible, who would dispute this. This is a fact well attested to in Scripture, as the Scripture proofs indicate.

So what does it mean for God to be first and best? The Bible says that God is, quite literally in terms of chronology, the first being; "My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together" (Isa. 48:13). God being first and best also indicates his status as king over all other beings: "Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven" (Ps. 148:13). His name alone is exalted. His majesty is above earth and heaven. Psalm 83:18 say that he "alone...[is] the Most High over all the earth." God is first in time and first in command.

I think that Keach (the framer of this particular catechism) meant "best" simply as a synonym for "first." It seems to have similar, if not the same, implications, doesn't it? But we must remember that God is literally the best of all beings. He is perfectly good, perfectly holy, perfectly just. He is perfectly perfect.

Our God, Yahweh, is indeed the first and best of all beings.

To read the full catechism, click here.

1813 Baptist Catechism, Q2: Ought Everyone to Believe?

Q. Ought every one to believe there is a God?

A. Everyone ought to believe there is a God (Heb. 11:6); and it is their great sin and folly who do not (Ps. 14:1).

Scripture Proofs

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Heb. 11:6)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
     They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
     there is none who does good. (Ps 14:1)

This is another easy question, although I would say that it is probably harder than the first one, particularly because of the second half of the answer. We're only on the second question and we're already face-to-face with the harsh reality of sin. But we'll get to that.

So, since the catechism doesn't seem to answer the question I'm about to pose, I will pose it: why ought we to believe there is a God? I'm not talking about evidentiary proof, though I think it is abundant (not to mention a different question in the catechism); I'm talking about a different kind of why: why does it matter if we believe there is a God or not? I think a lot of Christians would answer, "Because you'll go to hell if you don't." Now, that is true. But it's an answer that simply brings up another question: why will you go to hell? The implicit question here is, "What gives God the right to send people to hell, especially over something like whether you think he exists or not?"

To answer this question, we have to remember that the world and humanity were here, God came along, and he imposed his will on both of them. That makes sense, right? Of course not! If that really were true, I would question very much if God had the right to rule or to judge. He certainly could; he is all-powerful, after all. But that wouldn't give him the right.

So how does it really happen in the Bible? "God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). God, remember, is the first and chiefest being. He was before anything else was. He caused everything else to come into being. Now, if that really is the case, it seems to me like he would have the right to do anything he pleases with everything he created. It's similar to what Paul says, "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" (Rom. 9:21). In context, Paul is talking about God creating and predestining man, but it follows that since he created everything else as well, he can do what he wants with it. The potter has every right to mold clay into a beautiful vase or a simple garbage can. God has every right to be king over all he created.

This may sound difficult to accept, but this, I believe, should make it easier: God is perfectly good, holy, righteous, and just, and he knows all things. He does not arbitrarily decide anything. Everything he does is for the ultimate good.

Now, if God has every right to be king, then it follows that we should want to please him, especially since "the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought" (2 Chron. 28:9). How do we do this? We do this by faith, as Hebrews 11:6 says and further adds, "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." I particularly like the wording of the 1599 Geneva Bible, which says that we "must believe that God is." Do you hear that? God is. It harkens back to Exodus 3:14, where God says his name: "I AM." It's powerful.

But is it really that bad to think that God doesn't exist? It doesn't sound so bad, but look at how the Bible words it; those who say there is no God "are corrupt [and] they do abominable deeds" (Ps. 14:1). The implication is that those who deny God's existence are evil, and their denial either leads to such evil or is the result of it. Also, by denying God's existence, they deny his right to rule and his standard of good. This is because they want to excuse their evil actions by saying there is no such standard. No standard of good, no such thing as evil. They mock God: "[T]he enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name" (Ps 74:18). The foolish both deny God's existence and scoff in the face of the God they refuse to believe in. What sense does that make? They are also prideful and wicked: "In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, 'There is no God'" (Ps 10:4). In other words, this is not a well-meaning skepticism; this is outright rebellion against the rightful ruler of the world. To deny him is to actively and willingly scoff in his face. To not expect retribution in that case is foolishness. We must remember that God will answer the call of Psalm 74: "Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!" (v. 22).

So everyone ought to believe in God, and those who do not are willingly engaging in foolish sin. They are actively rebelling against the rightful Creator-king of all, the first and chiefest being. Now we know the reason why he will send them to hell: it will not be an arbitrary, wistful thing; it will be well-deserved justice from a perfect and righteous judge. Maybe that sounds harsh, but it is the reality that we must all be warned of.

I don't say this out of a spirit of hate, but of love. I was once glad to scoff in the face of God. I am in the process of repenting of such actions, but I still do so with my thoughts, words, and deeds, though a bit less gladly. He is still in the process of sanctifying my rebellious heart. But God has provided the Lamb, Jesus Christ, to cover my sins, to cover the sins of all who would turn to him in humble repentance and ask for his forgiveness. To say that you don't need forgiveness is to be full of pride and to depend on your own imperfect actions to get you in the good graces of a perfectly good God whose standard of goodness is perfection. Only Jesus fulfilled that perfect standard, and God is more than willing to exchange your sin for Jesus' righteousness if you would turn to him. I ask you, in the words of Jesus: "Repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15).

1813 Baptist Catechism, Q1: The First and Chiefest Being

So I discovered that I have been writing posts about the wrong catechism for the past few days. Well, sort of. I found out that there is a catechism that is specifically tailored to the 2nd London Baptist Confession, whereas the catechism I had chosen was something a bit different, written over a century after the Confession. Since I discovered this shortly before this was scheduled to post (meaning I have no time to revise it), and seeing as I particularly enjoyed writing and studying for today's and Friday's posts, I have decided to let them post and keep them up. Starting next week, however, I'll switch to the right catechism, known as Benjamin Keach's catechism, or more informally, "The Baptist Catechism." Sorry for the confusion!

Q. Who is the first and chiefest being?

A. God is the first and chiefest being (Is. 44:6; 48:12; Ps. 97:9).

Scripture Proofs

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god." (Isa. 44:6)

Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. (Isa. 48:12)

For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. (Ps. 97:9)

This is definitely one of the easiest questions in the entire catechism - or the whole of Christian doctrine - to answer. No truly regenerated follower of Jesus would ever deny the answer given: God is the first and chiefest being. Quite literally, God being the chiefest being means that he is highest over all things. He is first, he is sovereign. David says that "all that is in the heavens and in the earth" belongs to him and exalts him as "head above all" (1 Chron. 29:11). According to Paul, God is also the source and granter of all authority: his exact words say, "There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Rom 13:1).

Another verse that states this idea of God being first and chiefest is Isaiah 43:10: "Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." In other words, God is the only God; there is no other god, and all claims to deity other than the one made by God himself are false. All man-made gods are no gods at all, and to worship them is folly; Isaiah 2:8 condemns the Israelites for "bow[ing] down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made." Doesn't that sound ridiculous? In contrast, God made us with his own hands, and we, the creation, must worship him, the Creator.

So God is the first and chiefest being. That's a very simple statement with a whole lot of depth and truth to it. It should remind us who is truly in charge, and that he is totally sovereign. And it is cause for us to fall on our faces and worship he who is first and chiefest.

Fatherly Discipline

We have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (Heb. 12:9 ESV)

This verse stuck out to me the other day, mainly because it just makes sense. It causes me to think not only of myself, but also of the world.

It causes me to think of myself because I have found myself under what I would call God's discipline at times. Thanks be to God for those times, especially when I recognize what is happening. I realize I have been sinning in some way or have some particularly un-Christ-like attitude that needs to be done away with, and I begin to pray about it. I see it in myself and, by God's power, resist the urge to indulge in it. I think of God's discipline as one of the ways in which he sanctifies us. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Rom. 8:28, 29). "All things" includes the things we would see as bad. Those things are meant to conform us more and more to the image of Christ. In other words, they are meant to sanctify us.

On the other hand, the verse makes me think of the world because the world, despite its general unbelief, so often blames God when bad things happen. What strikes me about this verse is the contrast between our reactions to our earthly fathers and our Heavenly Father; when the earthly father disciplines his son, his son respects him more. When an earthly judge punishes a murderer for his crime, we call him a just judge. When God disciplines people or brings punishment that they deserve on them, we spit on his face and call him evil. What sense does that make?

"God's kindness is meant to lead [us] to repentance" (Rom. 2:4), yet we think that, since he hasn't disciplined us, it's all good. There's no need to repent because he's so kind. But when he does discipline us, we yell at him and refuse to acknowledge that we deserve it. There's no need to repent because he's so cruel. How fallen are we?

Creation is Proof

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about truth and the fact that we can know full well that our faith is true. This is not a new or revolutionary idea; this was the general consensus of the church for a very long time. St. Thomas Aquinas is widely known for his advocacy of natural theology, or the idea that we can know God through nature and reason. It was only more recently that the church generally abandoned this view in favor of saying, "We can't know, it's all just blind faith." I don't know for sure, but I personally believe this is because the church wound up being influenced by skeptics who said the same thing.

Aquinas' view that man can, and does, know God through nature wasn't really new when he espoused the idea either. In fact, this idea goes all the way back to the Apostle Paul:

[W]hat can be known about God is plain to [men], because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. (Rom. 1:19, 20 ESV)

In other words, we can be certain of our faith because of the world around us. We can look at trees, rocks, and birds and be reminded of the ultimate Cause of their existence. In fact, R.C. Sproul puts it this way: because his shoes exist, God exists. His argument is that, if there ever was a time when absolutely nothing existed, not even God, there would still be nothing, because nothing cannot create anything. Therefore, if anything exists, then something has to have always existed.

From there there is the argument from design; the world, one could argue, displays far too much intentional design to have been created randomly. We happen to be on a planet that is perfect for supporting our existence. We have water and food, we have the means to replenish all of our essential nutrients so we don't die. These nutrients can be found easily in parts of nature that are not human, such as in fruits and vegetables; in other words, it's almost as if food was made specifically to for us to consume and replenish nutrients with. Nature, for the most part, cooperates with itself; bees taken pollen from flowers and pollinate other plants, and without this process plants would die. Our world is far too orderly for us to reasonably say it was created randomly!

So if this is true, if we can know God through creation, why doesn't everyone know the Gospel? Well, as Aquinas put it, natural revelation, though true, is incomplete and indirect. In the Bible, God reveals everything he wants us to know directly, in clear terms. In nature, however, God reveals himself indirectly, and nature does not tell us of the Gospel. On the other hand, the Bible tells us nothing about photosynthesis. However, natural revelation is still true, and should still cause all people to fall on their faces in worship.

To tie this to the older post about truth, I'll point out that Paul says this clearly and with absolute certainty. In other words, the created order is not merely evidence of God's existence, but proof of it. In fact, he finishes verse 20 with this statement: "They are without excuse." In context, he is talking about the unrighteous and ungodly who refuse to acknowledge God's existence and lordship. But because they have seen the proof in creation and have chosen to ignore it, they have no excuse to do such a thing. There is no reason we should not all worship God every time we step outside and behold creation, or even every time we wake up to a new day.

So if this is all so clear, why doesn't everyone believe? Why doesn't everyone worship God and pray to him and ask for his mercy? Well, this post is getting pretty long, so I'll talk about that in a later post. But for now, remember that faith is based in truth. Whenever you look at nature, whenever you see existence surrounding you, remember that there is a God who created it, and remember that creation is proof.

Revealing His Secrets to the Prophets

Observations From My Study (Amos 3:7)

At the beginning of the year I started working my way through Tabletalk magazine, a magazine of daily devotionals (which I'll write more about later). Along with the devotionals, the writers give a verse to meditate on during the week. This week, the verse was Amos 3:7:

For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. (ESV)

At first I thought, "What on earth am I supposed to learn from this?" But as I thought about it, I realized that this verse gives a reason for great joyfulness, thankfulness, and worship.

Let's think about this for a minute. What is a prophet? We tend to think that a prophet is no more than a fortune-teller, someone who predicts future events. But in the Bible, a prophet is really a spokesperson for God. A prophet's function is to relay the words of God to his people and the world. This does involve predicting the future at times, but that's only because God himself tells them what will happen in the future. But that's not all that God talks about.

What is the Bible? The Bible is the Word of God. God breathed out his word (revealed his secret) to people to write down for the world to read (to his servants the prophets, his spokespeople to the world). In other words, because God revealed his secrets to the prophets, we have the Bible! God, through the prophets and apostles, wrote the various books of the Bible that have been preserved and passed on through history to us, that we may read them and know his Gospel.

I don't know about you, but if you ask me, the fact that God has given us his Word and preserved it so we can read it today is cause for great joy, thankfulness, and worship.