John Hall was the final speaker. He took us to Isaiah 66 and especially verse 2. Again exploring this matter of the sovereignty of God he reminded us that what matters in the end is what God thinks of us.
He began by instancing the poor examples of the man on the king's arm in 2 Kings 6, Nadab and Abihu, King Saul and Ananias and Sapphira. He moved then to the Lord Jesus Christ who spoke only what the Father commanded in the way he commanded and to the matter of obedience - not an optional matter for us but a heart matter and a salvation matter.
Right at the end of Isaiah he noted is the theme of the new heavens and the new earth. It does not end there , however, but with the question he began with - obedience and disobedience.
He then made three points
1. The foundation for humbling oneself and trembling at God's Word.
It is crucial to see the sovereignty of God and the fact that he is the Creator. These themes are very clear in the chapter.
2. What or who it is that the sovereign Creator God esteems or looks upon
John then spoke about the difficulties of humility and obedience but that we must be determined to seek. Conscious of sin in our lives we should seek to tremble at the Word. If we merely listen to the Word it will only condemn us. It must rather change us. Self-assertion is not the answer. That leads only to misery. Rather, it is the blood of Christ that saves us. Through him we become humble, contrite and yet joyful. Sovereign grace experienced in the heart is the key to obeying God rather than man. People see this as a miserable worm theology but in fact anything self-centred will lead to misery in the end and the only hope for us is the sovereign power of God. What a thing the love of God is. It enables us to see our lameness and the need to cast ourselves on the Lord. If we have never trembled we are not converted. If we are getting older and have trembled we need to keep trembling.
3. The contrast between formalists and compromisers and the one who truly trembles
Choosing our own ways is offensive to God as is ignoring his Word. We see that in evangelical churches today. It's not the beat we need but the Word.
People will not love us for trembling at God's Word but we must be faithful. What joy lies ahead for such in God.
John is a blunt northern Baptist appalled at evangelicalism today and eager to urge preachers to preach the Word with honesty and power. It was good to hear him.
Right at the end of Isaiah he noted is the theme of the new heavens and the new earth. It does not end there , however, but with the question he began with - obedience and disobedience.
He then made three points
1. The foundation for humbling oneself and trembling at God's Word.
It is crucial to see the sovereignty of God and the fact that he is the Creator. These themes are very clear in the chapter.
2. What or who it is that the sovereign Creator God esteems or looks upon
John then spoke about the difficulties of humility and obedience but that we must be determined to seek. Conscious of sin in our lives we should seek to tremble at the Word. If we merely listen to the Word it will only condemn us. It must rather change us. Self-assertion is not the answer. That leads only to misery. Rather, it is the blood of Christ that saves us. Through him we become humble, contrite and yet joyful. Sovereign grace experienced in the heart is the key to obeying God rather than man. People see this as a miserable worm theology but in fact anything self-centred will lead to misery in the end and the only hope for us is the sovereign power of God. What a thing the love of God is. It enables us to see our lameness and the need to cast ourselves on the Lord. If we have never trembled we are not converted. If we are getting older and have trembled we need to keep trembling.
3. The contrast between formalists and compromisers and the one who truly trembles
Choosing our own ways is offensive to God as is ignoring his Word. We see that in evangelical churches today. It's not the beat we need but the Word.
People will not love us for trembling at God's Word but we must be faithful. What joy lies ahead for such in God.
John is a blunt northern Baptist appalled at evangelicalism today and eager to urge preachers to preach the Word with honesty and power. It was good to hear him.
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