Common Grace & Imaging God

I’m just finishing up reading Michael Horton’s book “Where in the World is the Church?” and I’m one chapter into Berkouwer’s book Man: The Image of God. I love how Berkouwer quotes so many respected theologians as he makes his argument for how to understand the meaning and implications of the Imago Dei. I can’t say yet if I think Berkouwer agrees with Horton, but I can say that Horton connects two concepts (common grace and imaging God) when he discusses how Christians should view their vocation and work.

Here’s how Horton connects these two concepts at the end of the book on p. 199:

“But as God gave wisdom to Daniel to understand secular literature and philosophy, so He graciously gives His common grace to all men and women bearing His image. It is not saving knowledge or saving wisdom, but it is a gift of the Holy Spirit nonetheless. Apart from this work of the Spirit in creation and providence, the world would be ugly, tyrannical, unjust, and unhappy – with absolutely no insight, education, laughter, pleasure, delight, or singing.
By seeking the interests of our clients or constituents and not using our job or office as a bully-pulpit for our faith, we will win the respect of outsiders – and this, according to the apostle Paul, is a noble goal. By pursuing excellence in art and music, if that is our calling, and not using our crafts merely as a means of preaching, teaching, evangelizing, o rebuking, we bring a smile to the face of the God who created beauty and pleasure as acceptable in its own right.”
Michael Horton

I think that’s a great encouragement for laypersons like myself who need to be reminded from time to time that God is pleased by our work in this common grace era.

Common Grace Order

I just finished reading Lee Irons article outlining Meredith G. Kline’s biblical argument about Scripture’s cultural mandate in our post-fall era. It is amazing and so encouraging to me. I think what I’m most excited about as I write this post is that Kline and Irons lay out very clear reasons why it is a wonderful thing for me (or most anyone in most any job) to invest in my work. They do so in a way that theologically legitimizes what we do and also protects us from unrealistic expectations about the spiritual impact of any cultural work we may do. I think anyone can do with encouragement in that area.

If you’re not familiar with the Reformed Theology discussion about common grace vs special grace, two kingdoms vs one kingdom views I highly recommend you check out Irons article. It lays out clear biblical reasoning and is eminently practical in its application. Here’s a link: Meredith Kline’s View of the Cultural Mandate.

Belgic Confession Article II

“We know God by two means: First, by the creation, preservation and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: God’s eternal power and divinity.”
Belgic Confession, article II

I love this part of the Belgic Confession, especially after finishing J. V. Fesko‘s book Reforming Apologetics. To think of all creatures, great and small, as things that make us ponder God has increasingly become a foundation for how I understand the role attachment theory in clinical psychology can play in pointing people to the existence of God. Perhaps that is why studies show that therapy models based on attachment seem to work with anyone, regardless of culture.

I don’t pretend to believe that any secular theory will convey God’s undeserved mercy toward sinners through Christ, but I do now understand how a Christian of the Reformed tradition can defend the use of common knowledge to serve humanity in this era of common grace as well as combine this common knowledge (the book of nature” as theologians call it) with the only means by which anyone comes to faith in Jesus – hearing the gospel in Scripture.

I look forward to post more about this in more detail in the future.

J. V. Fesko on Light of Nature

I’m halfway through J.V. Fesko’s new book Reforming Apologetics and it is inspiring quite a few thoughts on why psychological knowledge is important for followers of Christ. As I work through that in future posts, I did want to post a link to a recent lecture by Dr. Fesko summarizing his book.

Dr. J. V. Fesko on Apologetics and the Light of Nature

I’m new to studying apologetics, so for me this was fascinating. I hope you like it too.

Great Commission

I was listening to Reformed Brotherhood Podcast – episode #122 and I loved it. I’ve heard plenty of sermons and messages about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20, especially during my college years. Usually the focus was on going. I don’t know if it mattered where. It seemed to just matter that you went and I certainly did just that. It was exciting to just go somewhere and share the gospel. It was also unsettling at times, almost like I was unmoored from the church and sometimes even my mission agency. I was young and so I didn’t mind the lack of oversight, but that also meant I was unknowingly more vulnerable to the pressures of mission work. I did mind that. Being out in the mission field and in my own head way too much was probably one of the lowest points in my life.

With that experience in mind, I really enjoyed Tony and Jesse’s discussion about this passage, especially how they contend that the passage should emphasize “making disciples.” The way Tony said verses 19 & 20 are best translated as “make disciples of all nations; do this by going, baptizing and teaching them.”

I found that very helpful and encouraging for me as one person who is now just part of an ordinary local church and serving his community in a common grace sort of way. I’m still seeking to do just what Christ told his disciples to do many years ago, but not quite like I did as a vocational ministry.

This is one of my favorite Reformed Brotherhood episodes so far.