The Discipline of Meditation

Guide Questions

1. Give the four meanings of meditation based on two Hebrew words. What is the main emphasis in all these meanings of meditation?

2. What is meditation? Can you give the overview of its biblical foundation?

3. Explain in your own words the purpose of meditation.

4. What are the four common misconceptions about meditation. Briefly explain each.

5. What is the primary obstacle in meditation?

6. What are the three practical things to prepare in meditation?

7. What are the four forms of meditation can we learn from Christians throughout the centuries?

Excerpt from Celebration of Disciplines

True contemplation is not a psychological trick but a theological grace. —THOMAS MERTON

In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in “muchness” and“manyness,” he will rest satisfied. Psychiatrist Carl Jung once remarked, “Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil.”

If we hope to move beyond the superficialities of our culture, including our religious culture, we must be willing to go down into the recreating silences, into the inner world of contemplation. In their writings all the masters of meditation beckon us to be pioneers in this frontier of the Spirit. Though it may sound strange to modern ears, we should without shame enroll as apprentices in the school of contemplative prayer.

Biblical Witness

The discipline of meditation was certainly familiar to the authors of Scripture. The Bible uses two different Hebrew words to convey the idea of meditation, and together they are used some fifty eight times. These words have various meanings: listening to God’s word, reflecting on God’s works, rehearsing God’s deeds, ruminating on God’s law, and more. In each case there is stress upon changed behavior as a result of our encounter with the living God. Repentance and obedience are essential features in any biblical understanding of meditation. The psalmist exclaims, “Oh, how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day…. I hold my feet from every evil way, in order to keep thy word. I do not turn aside from thy ordinances, for thou hast taught me” (Ps. 119:97, 101, 102). It is this continual focus upon obedience and faithfulness that most clearly distinguishes Christian meditation from its Eastern and secular counterparts.

Those who walked through the pages of the Bible knew the ways of meditation. “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening” (Gen. 24:63). “I think of thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the watches of the night” (Ps. 63:6). The Psalms virtually sing of the meditations of the people of God upon the law of God: “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate upon thy promise” (Ps. 119:148). The psalm that introduces the entire Psalter calls all people to emulate the “blessed man” whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).

Hearing and Obeying

Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word. It is that simple. I wish I could make it more complicated for those who like things difficult. It involves no hidden mysteries, no secret mantras, no mental gymnastics, no esoteric flights into the cosmic consciousness. The truth of the matter is that the great God of the universe, the Creator of all things desires our fellowship. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve talked with God and God talked with them—they were in communion. Then came the Fall, and in an important sense there was a rupture of the sense of perpetual communion, for Adam and Eve hid from God. But God continued to reach out to his rebellious children, and in stories of such persons as Cain, Abel, Noah, and Abraham we see God speaking and acting, teaching and guiding.

Moses learned, albeit with many vacillations and detours, how to hear God’s voice and obey his word. In fact, Scripture witnesses that God spoke to Moses “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exod. 33:11). There was a sense of intimate relationship, of communion. As a people, however, the Israelites were not prepared for such intimacy. Once they learned a little about God, they realized that being in his presence was risky business and told Moses so: “You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.” (Exod. 20:19). In this way they could maintain religious respectability without the attendant risks. This was the beginning of the great line of the prophets and the judges, Moses being the first. But it was a step away from the sense of immediacy, the sense of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

In the fullness of time Jesus came and taught the reality of the kingdom of God and demonstrated what life could be like in that kingdom. He established a living fellowship that would know him as Redeemer and King, listening to him in all things and obeying him at all times. In his intimate relationship with the Father, Jesus modeled for us the reality of that life of hearing and obeying. “The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise” (John 5:19). See also John 5:30 and John 14:10.

In the book of Acts we see the resurrected and reigning Christ, through the Holy Spirit, teaching and guiding his children: leading Philip to new unreached cultures (Act 8), revealing his messiahship to Paul (Acts 9), teaching Peter about his Jewish nationalism (Acts 10), guiding the Church out of its cultural captivity (Acts 15). What we see over and over again is God’s people learning to live on the basis of hearing God’s voice and obeying his word.

This, in brief, forms the biblical foundation for meditation, and the wonderful news is that Jesus has not stopped acting and speaking. He is resurrected and at work in our world. He is not idle, nor has he developed laryngitis. He is alive and among us as our Priest to forgive us, our Prophet to teach us, our King to rule us, our Shepherd to guide us.

All the saints throughout the ages have witnessed to this reality. How sad that contemporary Christians are so ignorant of the vast sea of literature on Christian meditation by faithful believers throughout the centuries! And their testimony to the joyful life of perpetual communion is amazingly uniform. From Catholic to Protestant, from Eastern Orthodox to Western Free Church we are urged to “live in his presence in uninterrupted fellowship.” 

The Purpose of Meditation

In meditation we are growing into what Thomas à Kempis calls “a familiar friendship with Jesus.” We are sinking down into the light and life of Christ and becoming comfortable in that posture. The perpetual presence of the Lord (omnipresence, as we say) moves from a theological dogma into a radiant reality. “He walks with me and he talks with me” ceases to be pious jargon and instead becomes a straightforward description of daily life.

What happens in meditation is that we create the emotional and spiritual space which allows Christ to construct an inner sanctuary in the heart. The wonderful verse “I stand at the door and knock …” was originally penned for believers, not unbelievers (Rev. 3:20). We who have turned our lives over to Christ need to know how very much he longs to eat with us, to commune with us. He desires a perpetual Eucharistic feast in the inner sanctuary of the heart. Meditation opens the door and, although we are engaging in specific meditation exercises at specific times, the aim is to bring this living reality into all of life. It is a portable sanctuary that is brought into all we are and do.

Understandable Misconceptions

Whenever the Christian idea of meditation is taken seriously, there are those who assume it is synonymous with the concept of meditation centered in Eastern religions. In reality, the two ideas stand worlds apart. Eastern meditation is an attempt to empty the mind; Christian meditation is an attempt to fill the mind. The two ideas are quite different.

Eastern forms of meditation stress the need to become detached from the world. There is an emphasis upon losing personhood and individuality and merging with the Cosmic Mind. There is a longing to be freed from the burdens and pains of this life and to be released into the impersonality of Nirvana. Personal identity is lost and, in fact, personality is seen as the ultimate illusion. There is an escaping from the miserable wheel of existence. There is no God to be attached to or to hear from. Detachment is the final goal of Eastern religion.

Christian meditation goes far beyond the notion of detachment. . . No, detachment is not enough; we must go on to attachment. The detachment from the confusion all around us is in order to have a richer attachment to God. Christian meditation leads us to the inner wholeness necessary to give ourselves to God freely.

Another misconception about meditation is that it is too difficult, too complicated. Perhaps it is best left to the professional who has more time to explore the inner regions. Not at all. The acknowledged experts in this way never report that they were on a journey only for the privileged few, the spiritual giants. They would laugh at the very idea. They felt that what they were doing was a natural human activity—as natural, and as important, as breathing. . .

A third misconception is to view contemplation as impractical and wholly out of touch with the twentieth century. There is a fear it will lead to . . . a rigid, selfrighteous person who, by sheer effort, delivers himself from the world and then calls down curses upon it. Many people believe that at its very best meditation leads to an unhealthy otherworldliness that keeps us immune to the suffering of humanity.

Such evaluations are far from the mark. In fact, meditation is the one thing that can sufficiently redirect our lives so that we can deal with human life successfully. . . Historically, no group has stressed the need to enter into the listening silences more than the Quakers, and the result has been a vital social impact far in excess of their numbers. . .

Often meditation will yield insights that are deeply practical, almost mundane. Instruction will come on how to relate to your wife or husband, or how to deal with this sensitive problem or that business situation. It is wonderful when a particular meditation leads to ecstasy, but it is far more common to be given guidance in dealing with ordinary human problems. Meditation sends us into our ordinary world with greater perspective and balance.

Perhaps the most common misconception of all is to view meditation as a religious form of psychological manipulation. It may have value in dropping our blood pressure or in relieving tension. It may even provide us with meaningful insights by helping us get in touch with our subconscious mind. But the idea of actual contact and communion with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sounds unscientific and faintly unreasonable. If you feel that we live in a purely physical universe, you will view meditation as a good way to obtain a consistent alpha brain-wave pattern. But if you believe that we live in a universe created by the infinite-personal God who delights in our communion with him, you will see meditation as communication between the Lover and the one beloved.

Desiring the Living Voice of God

. . . But those who meditate know that the more frequent reaction is spiritual inertia, a coldness and lack of desire. Human beings seem to have a perpetual tendency to have somebody else talk to God for them. We are content to have the message secondhand. One of Israel’s fatal mistakes was their insistence upon having a human king rather than resting in the theocratic rule of God over them. We can detect a note of sadness in the word of the Lord, “They have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Sam. 8:7). The history of religion is the story of an almost desperate scramble to have a king, a mediator, a priest, a pastor, a go-between. In this way we do not need to go to God ourselves. Such an approach saves us from the need to change, for to be in the presence of God is to change. . .

That is why meditation is so threatening to us. It boldly calls us to enter into the living presence of God for ourselves. It tells us that God is speaking in the continuous present and wants to address us. Jesus and the New Testament writers clearly state that this is not just for the religious professionals—the priests—but for everyone. All who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord are the universal priesthood of God and as such can enter the Holy of Holies and converse with the living God.

To bring people to believe that they can hear God’s voice seems so difficult. . . Why not? If God is alive and active in the affairs of human beings, why can’t his voice be heard and obeyed today? It can be heard and is heard by all who will know him as present Teacher and Prophet.

Preparing to Meditate

It is impossible to learn how to meditate from a book. We learn to meditate by meditating. Simple suggestions at the right time, however, can make an immense difference. The practical hints and meditation exercises on the following pages are given in the hope that they may help in the actual practice of meditation. They are not laws nor are they intended to confine you.

Is there a proper time for meditation? When a certain proficiency has been attained in the interior life, it is possible to practice meditation at any time and under almost every circumstance. Brother Lawrence in the seventeenth century and Thomas Kelly in the twentieth both bear eloquent testimony to this fact. Having said that, however, we must see the importance for beginners and experts alike to give some part of each day to formal meditation.

Once we are convinced that we need to set aside specific times for contemplation, we must guard against the notion that to do certain religious acts at particular times means that we are finally meditating. This work involves all of life. It is a twenty-four-hour-a-day job. Contemplative prayer is a way of life. . .

We must come to see, therefore, how central our whole day is in preparing us for specific times of meditation. If we are constantly being swept off our feet with frantic activity, we will be unable to be attentive at the moment of inward silence. A mind that is harassed and fragmented by external affairs is hardly prepared for meditation.

What about a place for meditation? . . . Find a place that is quiet and free from interruption. No telephone should be nearby. If it is possible to find some place that looks out onto a lovely landscape, so much the better. It is best to have one designated place rather than hunting for a different spot each day.

What about posture? In one sense posture makes no difference at all; you can pray anywhere, any time, and in any position. In another sense, however, posture is of utmost importance. The body, the mind, and the spirit are inseparable. Tension in the spirit is telegraphed in body language. I actually have witnessed people go through an entire worship service vigorously chewing gum without the slightest awareness of their deep inner tension. Not only does outward posture reflect the inward state, it can also help to nurture the inner attitude of prayer. If inwardly we are fraught with distractions and anxiety, a consciously chosen posture of peace and relaxation will have a tendency to calm our inner turmoil.

There is no “law” that prescribes a correct posture. The Bible contains everything from lying prostrate on the floor to standing with hands and head lifted toward the heavens. I think the best approach would be to find a position that is the most comfortable and the least distracting. 

The Forms of Meditation

Christians throughout the centuries have spoken of a variety of ways of listening to God, of communing with the Creator of heaven and earth, of experiencing the eternal Lover of the world. The accumulated wisdom of their experience can be immensely helpful as we, like them, seek intimacy with God and faithfulness to God. For all the devotional masters the meditatio Scripturarum, the meditation upon Scripture, is the central reference point by which all other forms of meditation are kept in proper perspective. Whereas the study of Scripture centers on exegesis, the meditation of Scripture centers on internalizing and personalizing the passage. The written Word becomes a living word addressed to you. This is not a time for technical studies, or analysis, or even the gathering of material to share with others. Set aside all tendencies toward arrogance and with a humble heart receive the word addressed to you. . .Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “…just as you do not analyze the words of someone you love, but accept them as they are said to you, accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart, as Mary did. That is all. That is meditation.” When Bonhoeffer founded the seminary at Finkenwalde, a one-half hour silent meditation upon Scripture was practiced by everyone.

It is important to resist the temptation to pass over many passages superficially. Our rushing reflects our internal state and our internal state is what needs to be transformed. Bonhoeffer recommended spending a whole week on a single text! Therefore, my suggestion is that you take a single event, or a parable, or a few verses, or even a single word and allow it to take root in you. . .

Another form of meditation is what the contemplatives of the Middle Ages called “re-collection,” and what the Quakers have often called “centering down.” It is a time to become still, to enter into the recreating silence, to allow the fragmentation of our minds to become centered.

A third kind of contemplative prayer is meditation upon the creation. Now, this is no infantile pantheism, but a majestic monotheism in which the great Creator of the universe shows us something of his glory through his creation. The heavens do indeed declare the glory of God and the firmament does show forth his handiwork (Ps. 19:1). Evelyn Underhill recommends, “…begin with that first form of contemplation which the old mystics sometimes called ‘the discovery of God in his creatures!’”

So give your attention to the created order. Look at the trees, really look at them. Take a flower and allow its beauty and symmetry to sink deep into your mind and heart. Listen to the birds—they are the messengers of God. Watch the little creatures that creep upon the earth. These are humble acts, to be sure, but sometimes God reaches us profoundly in these simple ways if we will quiet ourselves to listen.

There is a fourth form of meditation that is in some ways quite the opposite of the one just given. It is to meditate upon the events of our time and to seek to perceive their significance.

We have a spiritual obligation to penetrate the inner meaning of events, not to gain power but to gain prophetic perspective. Thomas Merton writes that the person “…who has meditated on the Passion of Christ but has not meditated on the extermination camps of Dachau and Auschwitz has not yet fully entered into the experience of Christianity in our time.”

This form of meditation is best accomplished with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other! You must not, however, be controlled by the absurd political clichés and propaganda fed us today. Actually, newspapers are generally far too shallow and slanted to be of much help. We would do well to hold the events of our time before God and ask for prophetic insight to discern where these things lead. Further, we should ask for guidance for anything we personally should be doing to be salt and light in our decaying and dark world.

Source: Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 1997, pp.15 -32

Note: Some sentences and paragraphs that the blogger consider unnecessary, repetitive, and controversial are removed. 

Door to Liberation Guide Questions 3

Guide Questions

11. What are the three paths to spiritual growth? 

12. Explain the connection of each of the three paths to careless words and unguarded moments.

13. In what way spiritual disciplines can be changed into the path of death? What will be its results? 

14. What is the natural human inclination we must give up if we are to progress in the path of disciplined grace?

15. Is Leo Tolstoy's observation that “Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself” correct?

Excerpt from Celebration of Disciplines

It might be helpful to visualize what we have been discussing. Picture a long, narrow ridge with a sheer drop-off on either side. The chasm to the right is the way of moral bankruptcy through human strivings for righteousness. Historically this has been called the heresy of moralism. The chasm to the left is moral bankruptcy through the absence of human strivings. This has been called the heresy of antinomianism. On the ridge there is a path, the Disciplines of the spiritual life. This path leads to the inner transformation and healing for which we seek. We must never veer off to the right or the left, but stay on the path. The path is fraught with severe difficulties, but also with incredible joys. As we travel on this path, the blessing of God will come upon us and reconstruct us into the image of Jesus Christ. We must always remember that the path does not produce the change; it only places us where the change can occur. This is the path of disciplined grace.

There is a saying in moral theology that “virtue is easy.” But the maxim is true only to the extent that God’s gracious work has taken over our inner spirit and transformed the ingrained habit patterns of our lives. Until that is accomplished, virtue is hard, very hard indeed. We struggle to exhibit a loving and compassionate spirit, yet it is as if we are bringing something in from the outside. Then bubbling up from the inner depths is the one thing we did not want, a biting and bitter spirit. However, once we live and walk on the path of disciplined grace for a season, we will discover internal changes.

We do no more than receive a gift, yet we know the changes are real. We know they are real because we discover that the spirit of compassion we once found so hard to exhibit is now easy. In fact, to be full of bitterness would be the hard thing. Divine Love has slipped into our inner spirit and taken over our habit patterns. In the unguarded moments there is a spontaneous flow from the inner sanctuary of our lives of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22, 23). There is no longer the tiring need to hide our inner selves from others. We do not have to work hard at being good and kind; we are good and kind. To refrain from being good and kind would be the hard work because goodness and kindness are part of our nature. Just as the natural motions of our lives once produced mire and dirt, now they produce “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). Shakespeare observes that “The quality of mercy is not strained”—nor are any of the virtues once they have taken over the personality.

The Way of Death: Turning the Disciplines into Laws

The Spiritual Disciplines are intended for our good. They are meant to bring the abundance of God into our lives. It is possible, however, to turn them into another set of soul-killing laws. Law-bound Disciplines breathe death. 

Jesus teaches that we must go beyond the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20). Yet we need to see that their righteousness was no small thing. They were committed to following God in a way that many of us are not prepared to do. One factor, however, was always central to their righteousness: externalism. Their righteousness consisted in control over externals, often including the manipulation of others. The extent to which we have gone beyond the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees is seen in how much our lives demonstrate the internal work of God upon the heart. To be sure, this will have external results, but the work will be internal. It is easy in our zeal for the Spiritual Disciplines to turn them into the external righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees.

When the Disciplines degenerate into law, they are used to manipulate and control people. We take explicit commands and use them to imprison others. Such a deterioration of the Spiritual Disciplines results in pride and fear. Pride takes over because we come to believe that we are the right kind of people. Fear takes over because we dread losing control.

If we are to progress in the spiritual walk so that the Disciplines are a blessing and not a curse, we must come to the place in our lives where we can lay down the everlasting burden of always needing to manage others. This drive, more than any single thing, will lead us to turn the Spiritual Disciplines into laws. Once we have made a law, we have an “externalism” by which we judge who is measuring up and who is not. Without laws the Disciplines are primarily an internal work, and it is impossible to control an internal work. When we genuinely believe that inner transformation is God’s work and not ours, we can put to rest our passion to set others straight. 

We must beware of how quickly we can latch onto this word or that word and turn it into a law. The moment we do so we qualify for Jesus’ stern pronouncement against the Pharisees: “They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger” (Matt. 23:4). In these matters we need the words of the apostle Paul embedded min our minds: “We deal not in the letter but in the Spirit. The letter of the Law leads to the death of the soul; the Spirit of God alone can give life to the soul” (2 Cor. 3:6, Phillips).

As we enter the inner world of the Spiritual Disciplines, there will always be the danger of turning them into laws. But we are not left to our own human devices. Jesus Christ has promised to be our everpresent Teacher and Guide. His voice is not hard to hear. His direction is not hard to understand. If we are beginning to calcify what should always remain alive and growing, he will tell us. We can trust his teaching. If we are wandering off toward some wrong idea or unprofitable practice, he will guide us back. If we are willing to listen to the Heavenly Monitor, we will receive the instruction we need.

Our world is hungry for genuinely changed people. Leo Tolstoy observes, “Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.” Let us be among those who believe that the inner transformation of our lives is a goal worthy of our best effort.

Source: Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 1997, pp.8-11.

Door to Liberation Guide Questions 2

Guide Questions

6. What is the common approach to fight the ingrained habits of sin? 

7. What do Emmet Fox and Heini Arnold said about will power as a way to fight against ingrained habits of sin? 

8. If will power cannot succeed, then what can help us in our fight against ingrained habits of sin?

9. If freedom from ingrained habits of sin is due to the grace of God, what is the role now of spiritual disciplines? 

10. How do you understand Dietrich Bonhoeffer's expression that "grace is free, but it is not cheap?"

Excerpt from Celebration of Disciplines

The Slavery of Ingrained Habits

We are accustomed to thinking of sin as individual acts of disobedience to God. This is true enough as far as it goes, but Scripture goes much further.* In Romans the apostle Paul frequently refers to sin as a condition that plagues the human race (i.e., Rom. 3:9–18). Sin as a condition works its way out through the “bodily members,” that is, the ingrained habits of the body (Rom. 7:5ff.). And there is no slavery that can compare to the slavery of ingrained habits of sin.

Isaiah 57:20 says, “The wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.” The sea does not need to do anything special to produce mire and dirt; that is the result of its natural motions. This is also true of us when we are under the condition of sin. The natural motions of our lives produce mire and dirt. Sin is part of the internal structure of our lives. No special effort is needed to produce it. No wonder we feel trapped.

Our ordinary method of dealing with ingrained sin is to launch a frontal attack. We rely on our willpower and determination. Whatever may be the issue for us—anger, fear, bitterness, gluttony, pride, lust, substance abuse—we determine never to do it again; we pray against it, fight against it, set our will against it. But the struggle is all in vain, and we find ourselves once again morally bankrupt or, worse yet, so proud of our external righteousness that “whitened sepulchers” is a mild description of our condition. In his excellent little book entitled Freedom from Sinful Thoughts Heini Arnold writes, “We…want to make it quite clear that we cannot free and purify our own heart by exerting our own ‘will.’ ”

In Colossians Paul lists some of the outward forms that people use to control sin: “touch not, taste not, handle not.” He then adds that these things “have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship” (Col. 2:20–23, KJV, [italics added]). “Will worship”—what a telling phrase, and how descriptive of so much of our lives! The moment we feel we can succeed and attain victory over sin by the strength of our will alone is the moment we are worshiping the will. Isn’t it ironic that Paul looks at our most strenuous efforts in the spiritual walk and calls them idolatry, “will worship”?

Willpower will never succeed in dealing with the deeply ingrained habits of sin. Emmet Fox writes, “As soon as you resist mentally any undesirable or unwanted circumstance, you thereby endow it with more power—power which it will use against you, and you will have depleted your own resources to that exact extent.” Heini Arnold concludes, “As long as we think we can save ourselves by our own will power, we will only make the evil in us stronger than ever.” This same truth has been experienced by all the great writers of the devotional life from St. Augustine to St. Francis, from John Calvin to John Wesley, from Teresa of Ávila to Juliana of Norwich.

“Will worship” may produce an outward show of success for a time, but in the cracks and crevices of our lives our deep inner condition will eventually be revealed. Jesus describes this condition when he speaks of the external righteousness of the Pharisees. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…. I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter” (Matt. 12:34–36, [italics added]). You see, by dint of will people can make a good showing for a time, but sooner or later there will come that unguarded moment when the “careless word” will slip out to reveal the true condition of the heart. If we are full of compassion, it will be revealed; if we are full of bitterness, that also will be revealed.

It is not that we plan to be this way. We have no intention of exploding with anger or of parading a sticky arrogance, but when we are with people, what we are comes out. Though we may try with all our might to hide these things, we are betrayed by our eyes, our tongue, our chin, our hands, our whole body language. Willpower has no defense against the careless word, the unguarded moment. The will has the same deficiency as the law—it can deal only with externals. It is incapable of bringing about the necessary transformation of the inner spirit.

The Spiritual Disciplines Open the Door

When we despair of gaining inner transformation through human powers of will and determination, we are open to a wonderful new realization: inner righteousness is a gift from God to be graciously received. The needed change within us is God’s work, not ours. The demand is for an inside job, and only God can work from the inside. We cannot attain or earn this righteousness of the kingdom of God; it is a grace that is given.

In the book of Romans the apostle Paul goes to great lengths to show that righteousness is a gift of God.* He uses the term thirtyfive times in this epistle and each time insists that righteousness is unattained and unattainable through human effort. One of the clearest statements is Romans 5:17, “…those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness [shall] reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ [italics added].” This teaching, of course, is found not only in Romans but throughout Scripture and stands as one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith.

The moment we grasp this breathtaking insight we are in danger of an error in the opposite direction. We are tempted to believe there is nothing we can do. If all human strivings end in moral bankruptcy (and having tried it, we know it is so), and if righteousness is a gracious gift from God (as the Bible clearly states), then is it not logical to conclude that we must wait for God to come and transform us? Strangely enough, the answer is no. The analysis is correct—human striving is insufficient and righteousness is a gift from God—but the conclusion is faulty. Happily there is something we can do. We do not need to be hung on the horns of the dilemma of either human works or idleness. God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.

The apostle Paul says, “he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8). Paul’s analogy is instructive. A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain. This is the way it is with the Spiritual Disciplines—they are a way of sowing to the Spirit. The Disciplines are God’s way of getting us into the ground; they put us where he can work within us and transform us. By themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done. They are God’s means of grace. The inner righteousness we seek is not something that is poured on our heads. God has ordained the Disciplines of the spiritual life as the means by which we place ourselves where he can bless us.

In this regard it would be proper to speak of “the path of disciplined grace.” It is “grace” because it is free; it is “disciplined” because there is something for us to do. In The Cost of Discipleship Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes it clear that grace is free, but it is not cheap. The grace of God is unearned and unearnable, but if we ever expect to grow in grace, we must pay the price of a consciously chosen course of action which involves both individual and group life. Spiritual growth is the purpose of the Disciplines. 

Source: Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 1997, pp.5 -8

Door to Liberation Guide Questions

Guide Questions:

1. What is the primary spiritual problem today, and what is the remedy?

2. What can help us to attain a deeper kind of life?

3. What are the two misconceptions about spiritual disciplines?

4. What is the primary requirement to qualify in practicing spiritual disciplines?

5. What are the two major difficulties to overcome in practicing spiritual disciplines?

Excerpt from Celebration of Disciplines

I go through life as a transient on his way to eternity, made in the image of God but with that image debased, needing to be taught how to meditate, to worship, to think. —DONALD COGGAN

Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.

The classical Disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They invite us to explore the inner caverns of the spiritual realm. They urge us to be the answer to a hollow world. John Woolman counsels, “It is good for thee to dwell deep, that thou mayest feel and understand the spirits of people.”

We must not be led to believe that the Disciplines are only for spiritual giants and hence beyond our reach, or only for contemplatives who devote all their time to prayer and meditation. Far from it. God intends the Disciplines of the spiritual life to be for ordinary human beings: people who have jobs, who care for children, who wash dishes and mow lawns. In fact, the Disciplines are best exercised in the midst of our relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbors.

Neither should we think of the Spiritual Disciplines as some dull drudgery aimed at exterminating laughter from the face of the earth. Joy is the keynote of all the Disciplines. The purpose of the Disciplines is liberation from the stifling slavery to selfinterest and fear. When the inner spirit is liberated from all that weighs it down, it can hardly be described as dull drudgery. Singing, dancing, even shouting characterize the Disciplines of the spiritual life.

In one important sense, the Spiritual Disciplines are not hard. We need not be well advanced in matters of theology to practice the Disciplines. Recent converts—for that matter people who have yet to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ—can and should practice them. The primary requirement is a longing after God. “As a hart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God,” writes the psalmist (Ps. 42:1, 2).

Beginners are welcome. I, too, am a beginner, even and especially after a number of years of practicing every Discipline discussed in this book. As Thomas Merton says, “We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life!”

Psalm 42:7 reads “Deep calls to deep.” Perhaps somewhere in the subterranean chambers of your life you have heard the call to deeper, fuller living. You have become weary of frothy experiences and shallow teaching. Every now and then you have caught glimpses, hints of something more than you have known. Inwardly you long to launch out into the deep.

Those who have heard the distant call deep within and who desire to explore the world of the Spiritual Disciplines are immediately faced with two difficulties. The first is philosophic. The materialistic base of our age has become so pervasive that it has given people grave doubts about their ability to reach beyond the physical world. Many first-rate scientists have passed beyond such doubts, knowing that we cannot be confined to a space-time box. But the average person is influenced by popular science, which is a generation behind the times and is prejudiced against the nonmaterial world.

It is hard to overstate how saturated we are with the mentality of popular science. Meditation, for example, if allowed at all, is not thought of as an encounter between a person and God, but as psychological manipulation. Usually people will tolerate a brief dabbling in the “inward journey,” but then it is time to get on with real business in the real world. We need the courage to move beyond the prejudice of our age and affirm with our best scientists that more than the material world exists. In intellectual honesty, we should be willing to study and explore the spiritual life with all the rigor and determination we would give to any field of research.

The second difficulty is a practical one. We simply do not know how to go about exploring the inward life. This has not always been true. In the first century and earlier, it was not necessary to give instruction on how to “do” the Disciplines of the spiritual life. The Bible called people to such Disciplines as fasting, prayer, worship, and celebration but gave almost no instruction about how to do them. The reason for this is easy to see. Those Disciplines were so frequently practiced and such a part of the general culture that the “how to” was common knowledge. Fasting, for example, was so common that no one had to ask what to eat before a fast, or how to break a fast, or how to avoid dizziness while fasting—everyone already knew.

This is not true of our generation. Today there is an abysmal ignorance of the most simple and practical aspects of nearly all the classic Spiritual Disciplines. Hence, any book written on the subject must provide practical instruction on precisely how we do the Disciplines. One word of caution, however, must be given at the outset: to know the mechanics does not mean that we are practicing the Disciplines. The Spiritual Disciplines are an inward and spiritual reality, and the inner attitude of the heart is far more crucial than the mechanics for coming into the reality of the spiritual life.

In our enthusiasm to practice the Disciplines, we may fail to practice discipline. The life that is pleasing to God is not a series of religious duties. We have only one thing to do, namely, to experience a life of relationship and intimacy with God, “the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

Source: Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 1997, pp.1-4.

A More Serious Theological Crisis than Dispensationalism Guide Questions

R. C. Sproul is among those who believe in the continuous use of the term "covenant of works". I found two articles written by him about this doctrine. In the first article, he talks about five basic truths concerning the covenant of works. In the second article, he explains the importance of the covenant of works in relation to a serious theological crisis within evangelicalism. 

The five basic truths are about the suitability of the term to describe the relationship between God and Adam as stated in Genesis 2:16-17, the fact that all men are under this covenant and are violators of it by virtue of natural relationship to Adam as the head or representative of humanity, that none is able to comply to its terms except Christ, and that the blessings of Jesus' obedience to this covenant can only be obtained by faith in Him. 

In the second article, before explaining the importance of the covenant of works in relation to a serious soteriological crisis within evangelicalism, R. C. Sproul mentioned first a lesser theological crisis, which is dispensationalism. For Dr. Sproul, dispensationalism is mistaken in its idea of the basic structure of biblical revelation. He finds dispensationalism's diversified view of redemptive history problematic. He believes that the answer to this crisis is found in the unified view of redemptive history offered by covenant theology.

The second crisis is far more serious than dispensationalism for it touches not the history, but the content of redemption. This crisis reminds of the struggle between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism in the 16th century. This time it is a crisis within evangelicalism. 

This theological crisis is about the place of Christ's imputation of his perfect obedience upon those who believe in him. In short, it is about the place of imputation in justification. And so this crisis therefore affects one's view of the gospel and salvation. And according to Dr. Sproul, the heart of this crisis is the rejection of the covenant of works. 

Historic covenant theology maintains the distinction between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. The covenant of works refers to Genesis 2:16-17 where we can read the elements of the covenant established by God in relating to Adam, the head or representative of humanity. The covenant of grace refers to Jesus' perfect obedience to the covenant of works and as a result, not only delivers His people from the punishment due to Adam's disobedience, but also inherits blessing to be imputed upon His people. 

Theologically, Christ's perfect obedience is understood in two ways: passive and active. His obedience is described as passive by bearing the punishment of "those who violated not only the law of Moses, but also the law that was imposed in Paradise." These two laws are one and the same. The law in Paradise where theologians got the idea of the covenant of works was republished later in the law of Moses. 

On the other hand, Jesus' active obedience is described as the gaining of the blessing of the covenant of works, which is perferct righteousness that he imputed upon His people. Dr. Sproul captures the important role of the covenant of works in salvation: 

"If we take away the covenant of works, we take away the active obedience of Jesus. If we take away the active obedience of Jesus, we take away the imputation of His righteousness to us. If we take away the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us, we take away justification by faith alone. If we take away justification by faith alone, we take away the Gospel, and we are left in our sins. We are left as the miserable sons of Adam, who can only look forward to feeling the full measure of God’s curse upon us for our own disobedience. It is the obedience of Christ that is the ground of our salvation, both in His passive obedience on the cross and His active obedience in His life. All of this is inseparably related to the biblical understanding of Jesus as the new Adam (Rom. 5:12–20), who succeeded where the original Adam failed, who prevailed where the original Adam lost. There is nothing less than our salvation at stake in this issue."

Guide Questions:

1. What are the five basic truths about the covenant of works?

2. What are the two theological crises within evangelicalism described by Dr. Sproul in his second article?

3. What is the basic mistake of dispensationalism? Distinguish dispensationalism from covenant theology in their views of redemptive history.

4. What is the nature of the second crisis?

5. Distinguish the covenant of works from the covenant of grace.

6. What are the two aspects of Christ's perfect obedience? Define each. 

7. Cite the paragraph from Dr. Sproul that summarizes the important role of the covenant of works in salvation. 

Is the Covenant of Works biblical?

Is the covenant of works biblical? For many western Reformed theologians, this is an old question. But for a young thinker like the blogger, I find time to explore this question only just now.

And so I read several articles on the subject written by Dr. J. Faber, R. C. Sproul, Wayne Grudem, Charles Hodge, Robert L. Dabney, Louis Berkhof, John Murray, and Shane Lems. I realized that these Reformed thinkers are divided on the issue particularly wether its continuous use is really consistent to the teaching of the Bible. 

I am done reading Dr. Faber's article. However, I intend to continue my survey of the subject. And so before I proceed to R. C. Sproul's articles, I want to use as an introduction the article from Monergism, which answered this specific question. 

The article does not deny the absence of the term "covenant of works" to describe God's relationship with Adam in the Garden of Eden. However, the anonymous writer believes that the idea is indeed biblical, and this is for five reasons:

"First, creation itself is portrayed in the scriptures as existing in a covenantal relationship with God (Jeremiah 33:20-26); and if creation in general is established in covenant with God, how much more must the climactic figure of creation, the man created in God's own image, necessarily be in covenant with God from his very creation?"

"Second, the account of man's creation in Genesis very clearly displays all the elements that characterize later covenants."

Third, the existence of a sacrament considered as a covenant sign, the Tree of Life.

Fourth, if the translation of Hosea 6:7 is accepted, it is clearly indicated there that a covenant was made with Adam.

Finally, the most weighty arugument is Romans 5:12-21, which the apostle Paul clearly stated that both Adam and Christ are covenant head or representatives.

Concerning the elements of the covenant, the article identifies four. These are the preamble, stipulations, negative sanction for disobedience, and reward for obedience. 

Those who are stumbled by the use of the term "Covenant of Works," the articles states that they prefer to use other terms like “Covenant of Nature,” “Covenant of Life,” “Covenant of Creation,” and “Covenant of Eden”. 

Guide Questions:

1. In what sense can we say that the "covenant of works" is biblical?

2. Based on the Monergism article, what are the basis for the biblicality of the covenant of works?

3. What are the four elements of the covenant?

4. What other terms prefer by those who dislike the use of the term, "covenant of works"? 

The Seed of the Woman Guide Questions

I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.— Gen. iii. 15. 

Photo Source: http://www.goodsoil.com/projects/100-images

Genesis 3:15 is considered the "first gospel", and within this one verse is contained, as in the bud, the embryo flower, which the Lord hath planted, and not man. It is an epitome of the whole plan of Redemption, and contains truths of the first importance. The prophecy declares there shall be enmity between the seed of the woman and the serpent.

We shall do well to consider them in reference to Jesus of Nazareth. The incarnation and birth of Jesus have, by the Evangelists Matthew and Luke, been so fully stated, that none but a strongly prejudiced mind can deny that he was the son of Mary, then a virgin, and that Joseph was only his supposed father, because he married his mother. 

The old serpent, or as he is frequently called , Satan, discovered his enmity towards Jesus from his birth; he stirred up the mind of Herod to destroy the holy child, Jesus, and thus originated the massacre of the infants of Bethlehem. Though disappointed, he personally attempted his destruction , and for forty days and nights did he try the force of his arts to tempt Jesus to sin. And, though foiled, he again resumed the attack, and suggested to the minds of the Scribes and Pharisees, priests and people, to persecute the man "who spake as never man spake." It is said he entered into, i.e. took full possession of, the mind of Judas, who betrayed Jesus, and also acted as guide to those who took him. Was not Satan the ringleader of those who crucified him, in whom his Judges declared, they could find no fault worthy of death?

Let us now behold the opposition displayed by Jesus towards the serpent and his seed. A great part of his life appears to have been spent in casting out and dispossessing devils from the minds and bodies of men; and in rebuking and threatening them, he proved that he came to destroy the power and works of darkness. His was an avowed and constant war, and the devils knew him as their greatest foe, and the destroyer of their power. Although the heel, i.e. the human nature of Jesus, was bruised in the contest, yet , by his death, (in which Satan for the moment appeared triumphant,) he gave a mortal blow to his power and authority, by delivering the captives of the mighty, and the prey of the terrible one. 

The cross, designed to display their scorn and abhorrence, is become the praise and glory of all the children of God, to whom, as unto their Lord and Master, the old serpent and his seed continue to manifest the same spirit of enmity and persecution. Did devils confess Jesus to be the Son of the most high God, and shall not we acknowledge him to be the seed promised at the fall of man, and that he is, at the same time, Mary's son, and the Son of God? 

The prince of the fallen spirits, the old serpent, or Satan, discovered his enmity to the human race in the garden of Eden; the woman was the first whom he deceived by his arts; but it was Jesus, her seed , who, in the after ages of the world, in the garden of Gethsemane, bruised the serpent's head, and at his resurrection, led captivity captive, and will eventually consign to utter darkness and perdition , this foe to God and man. 

Source: Anonymous. Jesus, The Messiah; or, the Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in the New Testament Scriptures (Kindle Locations 245-273).

Note: The first two paragraphs were rewritten.

Guide Questions

1. How is Genesis 3:15 described in the article? Who is the seed of the woman?

2. Who is the serpent? Identify five instances in the life of Jesus that Satan expressed his enmity.

3. How did Jesus oppose the serpent and finally bruised its head?

4. In what way this truth about Jesus' destruction of the serpent's head affect the way you view your Christian life?

Guide Questions - Unbroken Love from a Broken Heart

Basahin ang artikulong ito at sagutin ang sumusunod na mga katanungan: 

1. Anu-ano ang napansin niyong kaibahan sa tatlong mga bersiyon ng kuwento ng pag-ibig ni Hosea?

2. Paano isinalarawan ni Preston Sprinkle ang pag-ibig ng Diyos?

3. Sa magkanong halaga nabili ni Hosea si Gomer? Ano ang ibig sabihin ng halagang ito?

4. Ano ang tugon ni Hosea sa ginawang panlalait ng mga tao?

5. Ano ang pangunahing mensahe ng aklat ng Hosea ayon kay Preston Sprinkle?

6. Anong bahagi ng kuwento ni Ray c. Stedman ang hindi kapani-paniwala? Sang-ayon ka ba sa kaniyang pagkaunawa sa kahulugan ng pag-ibig?

7. Paano tinapos ni Stedman ang kaniyang kuwento?

8. Ano naman ang binigyan diin ni Richard L. Strauss sa kaniyang bersiyon?

9. Sa inyong palagay, ano ang mga pangunahing dahilan ng paglalayo ng damdamin ng isang mag-asawa?

10. Bilang mag-asawa, ano ang mga bagay-bagay na pareho ang inyong interes? Ano ang maaari mong gawin upang mapagtibay ang inyong relasyon?

11. Paano mo tuluyang maaalis ang pabalik-balik na alaala ng pagkakasalang nagawa sa yo na gumagambala sa iyong matiwasay na pag-iisip?

12. Ano ang mga positibong hakbang na maaari niyong gawin bilang mag-asawa upang hindi na muling maulit pa ang pagkakamali sa nakaraan?

Guide Questions - Apat na mga Layunin ng Pag-aasawa at ng Pamilya

Basahin ang artikulong ito at sagutin ang sumusunod na mga katanungan:

1. Saan hinango ang mga ideya sa artikulo?

2. Anu-ano ang mga apat na dahilan ng higit na kahusayan ng pag-aasawa kaysa sa pamumuhay ng nag-iisa?

3. Ano ang ibig sabihin na ang pag-aasawa ay “lugar-anakan” ng lipunan?

4. Anu-ano ang mga apat na layunin ng pag-aasawa at ng pamilya?

5. Ano ang dalawang kamalian na dapat iwasan ukol sa layuning pagpapadami ng tao?

6. Ipaliwanag sa iyong sariling pagkaunawa ang kahulugan ng layunin na may kinalaman sa pagdami ng “banal na binhi”?

7. Buudin ang sinabi ni Greenham ukol sa magiging resulta ng pagpapabaya sa layuning pagpapadami ng “banal na binhi”.

8. Magbigay ng dalawa o tatlong mga hakbang na dapat gawin ng isang magulang upang maisakatuparan ang layuning nabanggit?

9. Ano ang dalawang kahatulan na mararanasan ng magulang bunga ng kapabayaan na tuparin ang tungkuling itinakda ng tipan ng pagpapamilya?

10. Ayon kay John Flavel, ano ang tatlong mga dahilan bakit kailangang sanayin ang mga anak sa kabanalan?

11. Ayon kay Perkins, ano ang tatlong mga prinsipiyo na ibinigay ng Diyos sa pagganap ng tungkuling ito?

12. Ano ang dalawang kalabisan na dapat iwasan sa pagdisiplina sa mga anak? Paano maiiwasan ang mga kalabisang ito?

13. Ano ang dalawang prinsipiyo na may kinalaman sa pagtatalik?

14. Ipaliwanag sa iyong sariling pananalita ang iyong pagkaunawa sa ikatlong layunin?

15. Anu-ano ang mga praktikal na pagsasabuhay ng pagtuturo ukol sa pagiging Kristiyanong asawa o ama?

16. Ano ang tagubilin ni Thomas Gataker na may kinalaman sa pagsasanay ng anak na babae?

17. Papaano sumamba ang puritanong pamilya?

18. Paano ipinakita ng mga puritano ang kaseryosohan ng pamilyang pagsamba?

19. Paano ipinagdiriwang ng mga puritano ang araw ng Panginoon?

20. Para sa mga puritano, ano ang batong saligan ng pagbabago ng lipunan?

Guide Questions about Predestination

Another question was raised to me. This time it's about "predestination". Actually, I am glad that someone is asking this kind of questions for it helps me locate my forgotten papers.

I wrote this paper in January 9, 2007 for a Reformed Theology seminar. I apologize that at this point, due to limitation, I could not provide the necessary references in this article. And you will also notice some missing space in tracing the Hebrew etymology of predestination. This is because I do not know of any specific keyboard command related to half or raised vowels.

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In presenting the doctrine of predestination, this formulation recognizes the impossibility of collating all the Scripture passages related to the subject due to the limitation of the article. The best that the blogger can do is to offer a survey of this doctrine.

With this aim in mind, the writer would like to introduce the subject containing three major points: the etymology of the word, the development of the concept in biblical history, and the conclusion that predestination even though neglected in current day evangelicalism, remained to be a recognized biblical doctrine by those who adhere to the principles of Reformation.

Etymology

The word does not appear in Hebrew Old Testament for this language refuses to accept any compound words. However, there are numerous Hebrew words, which can be used to trace the origin of “predestination.” These words are related to the acts of “purposing, determining, and ordaining.” One important context to bear in mind in these action words is the “previousness” of the action. The Hebrew words are the following: yasar, ya‘as, ‘esah, mah savah, hasav, g zerah, hq, zamam, m zimmah, hafes, hefes, ha rs, hatakh, ho‘il, bahar, bahir, ya d‘, and hivdil.

The words related to predestination in the Greek New Testament are the following: prooridzo, protasso, protithemi, prothesis, proetoimadzo, problepo, proeidon, progiguosko, prognosis, procheeridzo, procheirotoneo, oridzo, boule, boulema, boulomai, thelema, thelo, eodokia, eodokeo, eklegesthai, eklektos, ekloge, and airomai. The two most important concepts from the study of Greek words related to predestination is the idea of “providential pre-arrangement” and “God’s sovereign choice of his people.” 

The history of the incorporation of the term in the English Bible underwent a complex process. The old English equivalent of “predestination” is “forestihtian.” The words “predestine” and “predestination” were of French origin, whereas “predestinate” was of Latin origin, “proedestino.” The noun form of the word has never had a place in the English Bible, but the verb appeared beginning from Tyndale to the Authorized Version. Two examples of variant translations are the Wycliffe, which used “before ordain,” while the Revised Version employed “foreordained.” One interesting observation at this point is that both the words “foreordination” and “predestination” are used synonymously. 

Development of the Concept in Biblical History

Beginning from the Old Testament background, we find the threefold foundations of predestination in the doctrine of an omnipotent and personal God, in an all-inclusive perfect plan of God called providence, and in religious consciousness and worldview of the Jews. Warfield in his study of the concept presented two aspects of predestination, which are cosmical and soteriological. Cosmical predestination is all about God’s plan, which is “broad enough to embrace the whole universe of things, minute enough to concern itself with the smallest details, and actualizing itself with inevitable certainty in every thing that comes to pass.” Soteriological predestination refers to the gracious, sovereign, discriminating electing love that He bestowed upon his chosen people. The two Hebrew words referring to this kind of love are yadah (know) and bahar (choose).

The tendency among the Jews during the period between the two testaments was leaning away from the Old Testament concept of predestination and opening the way for the assertion of human will. We find indications in the writings of the Jews during this time about the upholding of both total dependence on God and the importance of the human will. 

In the writings of Josephus, we find three varying schools of thought on predestination. The first one was represented by the Essenes, which was fatalistic in outlook. The second school was advocated by the Sadducees who denied the existence of fate and emphasized the role of the human will as the determiner of good and evil. And the last one, the Pharisees offered a mediating position that affirmed that some actions of men are result of fate, while others are product of the human will.

In the New Testament, Warfield started his study on predestination beginning with the concept of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The view of the Lord is a continuation of the Old Testament view. The father’s will is seen as all-inclusive and all-powerful that leaves no room for a predestination that accommodates the foreseen actions of men or a decree that could be frustrated by men or an election that is determined by the human choice. In Warfield’s study of New Testament, he finds that the election of the elect is included “in the idea of the kingdom of God, in the idea of eternal life, in the idea of fellowship with Christ, and in the idea of participation in the glory, which the father has given his Son.” Even the choice of the elect and the overall development of their history are perceived to be the loving work of the Father. 

The early disciples followed after the footsteps of Jesus in upholding the doctrine of predestination even though not in the same expressions of terminology. James’ designation that “God is light” shows a highest conception of God’s perfection. In such a God, total dependence is given. In Acts, the grace of God is presented as the root cause of faith. Increase in the church is described as the product of God’s direct act. We also find there a philosophy of redemptive history where the realization of events in time is rooted in an eternal counsel. This definite purpose in human history is also evident in other historical books of the New Testament, which embraces both the largest event and even the minutest details in human existence. The apostle Peter, in his speech on the day of Pentecost ascribed the crucifixion to the counsel of God. His employment of the terms “foreknow” and “foreknowledge” Warfield asserts must be understood as a “loving, distinguishing regard, which assimilates them to the idea of election.” 

Among the New Testament witnesses, the epistles of Paul supplied the strongest bases for predestination. The apostle Paul held the same conviction as that of his predecessors regarding the interrelation between predestination and a high view of God. He also affirmed the correlation between the doctrine of election and the doctrine of God’s decree. He is even a predestinarian in the two senses of the word: cosmical and soteriological. Among numerous passages written by Paul, three stands out teaching clearly the doctrine of predestination: Romans 8:29-30; Romans Chapters 9-11; and Ephesians 1:1-12. The three chapters of Romans require long pages to exegete. It is sufficient for us to see that the first passage speaks about the universal government of God and the assured position of believers within the fatherly care of God. The Ephesian passage informs us about the blessings of those in Christ in the context of “the all-embracing decree of God that underlies total cosmical activity.” 

Predestination as a Biblical Doctrine

Let me conclude this presentation with a long quotation from Warfield concerning the sum of predestination. He said:

"The whole Bible doctrine of the decree revolves, in a word, around the simple idea of purpose. Since God is a Person, the very mark of his being is purpose. Since he is an infinite Person, His purpose is eternal and independent, all-inclusive and effective. Since he is a moral Person, His purpose is the perfect exposition of His infinite moral perfections. Since he is the personal Creator of all that exists, His purpose can find its final cause only in Himself."

Within the general backdrop of God’s decree mentioned above, the doctrine of election occupies a prominent position. Since both the doctrine of God’s decree and election are to be understood in connection with the lofty conception of God, it follows that election is characterized with absolute sovereignty of God, special providence, supreme act of grace, and particularity. Furthermore, the doctrine of election cannot escape but accept its corresponding doctrine, preterition, which teaches that “others are pass by and left without the gift of salvation.” 

Guide Questions

1. What are the three major points explained in the article about predestination?

2. What is the important context to bear in mind in tracing the Hebrew etymology of predestination related to the acts of "purposing, determining, and ordaining"?

3. How about in tracing its Greek etymology? What are the two most important concepts in studying the Greek words related to predestination?

4. For Dr. Benjamin B. Warfield, what are the two important aspects of predestination? Briefly explain each.

5. What was the tendency among the Jews during the period between the two testaments? What three diverse schools of thought on predestination do we find in the writings of Josephus?

6. Based on Dr. Warfield's study of the New Testament, how did he perceive the view of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning predestination? How did Dr. Warfield see the importance of the election of the elect in relation to other basic biblical teachings such as the kingdom of God and eternal life?

7. What's the idea of the early disciples about predestination? What was James' idea? Luke's? Peter's? and Paul's? What three important passages in the New Testament that contain the clear teaching of the apostle Paul about predestination?

8. State Dr. Warfield's summary of predestination.

9. What is the corresponding doctrine of election? Define it. 

Ang Pagtitiis ng mga Hinirang Hanggang sa Wakas

Kahapon ay may nagtanong sa akin kung ano ang pananaw ko ukol sa kaligtasan lalo na yong may kinalaman sa aral na "Once Saved, Always Saved" (OSAS). Natuwa ako sa katanungan at ito ay nagpaalala sa akin sa lesson na ginawa ko base sa Westminster Confession of Faith.

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Ang araling ito ay tumutukoy sa pagtitiis ng mga hinirang hanggang sa wakas. Ilan sa mga kaisipan na ating sasaklawin sa araling ito ay may kinalaman sa buod ng katuruang ito, mga batayan ng pagtitiis, pasubali ng karanasan, at ang tunay na turo ng Biblia ukol sa “pagtalikod”.

Buod ng Katuruan

Ang mga tinawag at binabanal ng Diyos ay hindi maaaring ganap na mahulog palayo o tumalikod sa biyaya ng Diyos. Sa halip, sila ay tiyak na magtitiis hanggang sa wakas at maliligtas (Jeremias 32:40; Juan 3:36; 5:24; 10:28; Filipos 1:6; 1 Pedro 1:5; 1 Juan 2;19). 

Ang pagtitiis ng mga hinirang hanggang sa wakas ay hindi nangangahulugan na ang kaligtasan ay tiyak dulot ng “minsan” kundi ng “tunay” na pagsampalataya. Hindi nito itinuturo na hindi na kinakailangang magsikap. Sa halip, ang pagsisikap ay patunay na “ang Diyos ang nagbibigay ng pagnanasa at kakayanang maisagawa ang kaniyang kalooban” (Filipos 2:13). 

Ang pagtitiis ng mga hinirang ay nagpapakita na ang tunay na larawan ng buhay Cristiano ay hindi isang “palaruan” kundi isang “digmaan”. Isang pandaraya ng kaaway na isipin na ang buhay ay magiging simple at madali sa oras na ang isang tao ay magbalik-loob sa Diyos lalot higit sa pagharap sa mga suliranin at pagsubok ng buhay. Ang buhay Cristiano ay isang digmaan sa pasimula hanggang sa huli. (Mga Awit 38:9, 10, 12, 16, 17; Mateo 24:13). 

Batayan ng Pagtitiis

Ang pagtitiis ng mga hinirang ay nakabatay sa mga sumusunod:

• Sa plano ng Diyos para sa mga hinirang udyok ng hindi nagbabagong pag-ibig ng Diyos

• Sa bisa ng katuwiran at pamamagitan ni Jesus

• Sa pananatili ng Espiritu at ng binhi ng Diyos, at

• Sa pagtustos na laan sa tipan ng biyaya

Pasubali ng Karanasan

Subalit, para bagang pinasusubalian ng ating karanasan ang aral na ito ng Banal na Kasulatan. Dito masusubok natin kung ano ang mas higit na matimbang sa ating paniniwala. Ang atin bang paniniwala ay nakasalig sa karanasan o sa Banal na Kasulatan?

Itinuturo ng 1 Juan 2:19 na maaaring magkaroon ng tinatawag na huwad na pananampalataya o paglilingkod. Ang ganap na paglisan ng mga dating nagsipaglingkod ay tiyak na palatandaan na sila ay nagkaroon lamang ng anyo ng pananampalataya at hindi kabilang sa mga hinirang.

Uri ng “Pagtalikod” na Itinuturo ng Biblia

Ang uri ng “pagtalikod” sa pananampalataya na itinuturo ng Biblia ay ang pagkahulog ng mga mananampalataya sa isang kalunus-lunos na kasalanan at sa loob ng ilang panahon ay maaaring manatili sila sa ganiitong kalagayan. Ang katuruang ito ay hindi kumukunsiti upang magkasala. Sa halip, ito ay nagsisilbing seryosong babala laban sa “pakikipaglaro” sa kasalanan. Layunin ng aral na ito na alisin ang huwad na kaseguruhan.

Ang pagkahulog ng mga hinirang sa kalunus-lunos na kasalanan ay bunga ng mga sumusunod:

• Tukso ng Diablo at ng sanlibutan (1 Juan 2:15; Marcos 1:13; Mateo 26: 70, 72, 74).

• Pananatili ng kabulukan sa ating mga laman (Santiago 1:13-14), at

• Pagpapabaya sa paggamit ng mga kasangkapan upang mapangalagaan ang ating mga sarili (Hebreo 10: 24-25). 

Ang pagkahulog sa kasalanan ng isang mananampalataya ay magbubunga nga mga sumusunod:

• Pagdalamhati sa Diyos (2 Samuel 11:27).

• Paglapastangan sa Diyos (2 Samuel 12:14)

• Pagkawala ng katiyakan at kaaliwan (Awit 51:8,10,12)

• Pagtigas ng puso at sugat sa budhi (Awit 32:3-4).

• Sakit ng damdamin sa kapwa, at

• Hatol sa sarili

Bunga ng kaseryosohan ng aral, hindi ito maaaring gamitin para sa huwad na katiyakan ng kaligtasan. Ang pagwawalang bahala sa seryosong babalang ito ay maaaring magdulot ng matinding dalamhati hindi lamang sa Diyos kundi sa mananampalataya mismo, sa kaniyang mga mahal sa buhay, mga kaibigan, at mga kakilala. Ito ay maaaring magdulot ng malaking kahihiyan. Ang tamang tugon sa aral na ito ay maglalayo sa isang mananampalataya sa hindi kinakailangang pagdadalamhati at sa halip ay buhay na tiwasay at payapa. Sa bandang huli, ang tamang pagkaunawa sa aral na ito ay nagbibigay ng katiyakan na ang Diyos ang may hawak ng ating kaligtasan. 

Mga Gabay na Katanungan

1. Ang "minsan" bang pagsampalataya ay garantiya ng katiyakan ng kaligtasan? Inaalis ba nito ang pangangailangan ng pagsisikap na maisagawa ang kalooban ng Diyos?

2. Tama bang isipin na tapos na ang lahat ng mga suliranin ng isang taong nagbalik-loob sa Diyos? Ipaliwanag.

3. Saan nakabatay ang katiyakan na ang mga tunay na mananampalataya ay magtitiis hanggang wakas? Paano mo ipaliliwanag ang pasubali ng karanasan na hindi lahat ng "nagsisampalataya" ay nagtitiis hanggang wakas?

4. Ayon sa Banal na Kasulatan, anu-ano ang mga sanhi ng "pagtalikod" o pagkahulog ng mga mananampalataya sa isang kalunus-lunos na kasalanan?

5. Anu-ano ang mga resulta ng pagkahulog sa kasalanan ng isang mananampalataya? 

The Covenant of Works by Dr. J. Faber Guide Questions

All these years I thought the covenant of works is an established doctrine within Reformed theology. However, as I study the subject, I just recently realized that the Reformed community is actually divided about the subject. Many have been challenging the biblicality of this doctrine. Read Dr. J. Faber's article and see a glimpse of this controversy. 

For those who will spend time to read Dr. Faber's article, I prepared six questions to assist in navigating its content:

1. Based on the Clarion quotation, what was the charge against Prof. Norman Shepherd? 

2. Briefly explain the theological basis of those who oppose the position of Dr. Shepherd.

3. According to Dr. Shepherd's critics, in what way did he reduce the contrast between the two covenants?

4. According to Dr. J. Faber, what is the position of Rev. C. Vonk in this controversy?

5. What is the position of Dr. J. Faber in this contention? 

6. Are you in favor of Prof. Shepherd's position as presented by Dr. J. Faber? How about Dr. J. Faber's position? Why? 

Covenant and the Unity of Scripture Guide Questions

In Covenant and the Unity of Scripture, John M. Frame described how Reformed theologians have used the covenant motif to demonstrate the unity of the Bible. It is interesting how Dr. Frame summarized the entire Bible in just seven sentences using this motif. And then he introduced Meredith G. Kline's thesis about covenantal elements, claimed that Kline found the origin of covenantal model of canonicity, elaborated its helpfulness, and provided three arguments to prove how those elements show the unity of the Bible. 

Here is John Frame's covenantal summary of the Bible:

"On this understanding, the whole Bible, diverse in content as it may appear at first sight, can be seen as a story of God making covenants and man responding to them. The books of law show what God expects of his covenant people. The books of history indicate man’s actual response. The Psalms contain the praise, the laments, the questionings, the blessings and cursings which should be on the lips of a covenant people. The wisdom books contain applications of the covenant law to human problems. The prophets bring God’s covenant lawsuit against the covenant breakers while at the same time promising covenant renewal. The Gospels and Acts present the history of the New Covenant, which is applied to believers and to world history in the epistles and Revelation."

You can find the entire article here:

After reading, you can use these questions to guide you to have an overview of the article:

1. Explain the way Reformed theologians have used the covenant motif to demonstrate the unity of the Bible. Briefly explain the two major covenants.

2. State Dr. Frame's summary of the whole Bible using the covenant as the unifying motif. 

3. Enumerate the elements of the covenant based on the thesis of Dr. Meredith G. Kline and briefly explain each of them.

4. Elaborate how Dr. Kline's covenantal idea of the Decalogue and the Book of Deuteronomy serves as the origin of the covenantal model of canonicity.

5. Clarify the usefulness of Dr. Kline's thesis in seeing the unity of the Bible.

6. Finally, what are the three arguments used by Dr. Frame to show that Dr. Kline's covenantal elements prove the unity of the Bible? Concisely explain each of them.