Today, we’ll be watching a video of various ministers discussing the role of Music in Worship. I came by this link via WWUTT Facebook status update. This video is the final part of a 5-part series entitled “The Family that Worships Together”. The series is made freely available online at the National Center for Family Integrated Churches (NCFIC) here.
The Family that Worships Together | Music in Worship
I’m providing a link to a version of this film uploaded to YouTube because it works better in this blogging format; however, the individual who uploaded the video attributed the work to Paul Washer, when it is actually produced by Scott T. Brown, the Director of NCFIC and an elder at Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forrest, NC. Paul Washer is in this video.
[youtube https://youtu.be/XeDQ58OXle8]
Intro: 0:00 – 11:50
Vain Repetition: 11:50 – 17:30
Mind and Emotion in Worship: 17:30 – 33:30
Scott T. Brown closes the video out by posing 8 questions we should ask ourselves when considering music in our worship service.
8 Questions to ask
Is the music emphasizing the teaching, or does the music become most prominent? Col 3:16-17
Does the music deliver accurate instructions?
Does the music come from a wrong motive? 1 Kings 1:26
Does the music worship the right God in the wrong way? (Nadab and Abihu?)
Does the music foster reverence? Malachi lame/blind sacrifices
Does the music foster holiness or sensuality? (style of the music, how it is lead, etc.)
Does the music foster orderliness? (1 Cor 14)
Does the music foster love? (summary of the Law)
Closing Thoughts
Some of the individuals in the video were pushing hard for the older hymns as a means for connecting to the church of yesteryear. We’ve addressed that notion here in a couple of posts. While I fully acknowledge the doctrinal focus of the older hymnals, there is still a need to modernize the accompaniment and even the language of the older hymns. When a church has to devote time to teaching what a song meant for those who spoke archaic forms of English, the time has come to either update the language of the song, or rewrite the song. If we can rightly move to Scriptures written in modern English (ESV, NASB, CEV, etc.) then we can certainly update the language of a song or a hymn. On all other points, I found myself in full agreement with this video presentation.
Psalm 150 (ESV) | Let Everything Praise the Lord
1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Last week, we took a look at Matthew 11, where we saw Jesus identifying Himself by means of reminding the crowd of who it was they went out to see in the wilderness, John the Baptist. Jesus clearly identified who John the Baptist as the great prophet (and more) prophesied in Scripture to come as the forerunner of the Messiah, Jesus. We closed with Jesus offering rest that only He can provide.
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Beginning here, to what is Jesus comparing His yoke and His burden? What is Jesus offering for those who come to Him? Remember who His audience is, Jesus is speaking to Jews. Jesus is declaring Himself to have authority over all things because His Father, God the Father, has handed all things over to Jesus. That’s monumental, and worth taking a moment to ponder. Furthermore, Jesus is declaring that He alone knows the Father, and that Only the Father truly knows who Jesus is. In this statement, who is Jesus refuting? The Pharisees, the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes who have (and will) rejected Jesus. They hold themselves to be the knowledgeable ones, the teachers, the keepers of the keys to the Kingdom (where the Scriptures are kept). Jesus was offering rest to those who would come to Him. Coming to Jesus meant walking away from the Earthly Temple and its priests, the yoke of the Law and the burden of sin. Jesus the Messiah had come, to fulfill the Law and to take away the sin of the world, so that by His blood we might be made the righteousness of Christ, adopted as heirs to the Kingdom of God. His yoke is indeed easy and His burden is light, for only by Him can we find Life. With this in mind, let us continue into Chapter 12.
Matthew 12:1-21 (ESV) | A Rest Greater than the Sabbath
Matthew 12 | Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
The Pharisees accused the disciples of profaning the Sabbath by plucking the heads of grain and eating them on the Sabbath. Was their accusation valid? Not according to the Law. The Law stated that no one was to do any work on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were not judging by the Law; rather, they held to their own law, the oral tradition that they held equal to the written Scripture. Their oral tradition became the means by which the religious leaders would add definitions, restrictions, and ceremony to the Law of Moses so that they would be the ones who decided on all matters. They added so many rules and regulations to define what constituted “work” and what didn’t so that it was extra difficult and complicated to keep the Sabbath externally. They decided how far you could walk (a Sabbath day’s journey) and the maximum size something you could carry on the Sabbath without it being considered work. Jesus doesn’t blast them outright in this just yet; rather, He points out in Scripture that would constitute greater offenses of the Sabbath if the Pharisaical assertion were kept. David and his men ate the bread of the Presence (1 Samuel 21:1-6 ESV), which was not lawful for anyone but Priests to eat. But if you’ll read the text that I linked, David was in a time of great need and the Temple did not have any other food to provide, no common bread. Thus the ceremonial law of the bread was set aside to meet David’s (whom God had chosen as King to replace Saul whom God now rejected) need. Jesus is greater than David, and His disciples were hungry. But Jesus didn’t stop there, He also points out that the blanket prohibition from work on the Sabbath is set aside for the priests fulfilling their duties in the Temple on the Sabbath. This is huge, for there is simply no way for the Pharisees to wriggle out of this one, everything they did in the Temple is by any measure work. Now something greater than the Temple (Jesus) is here. The earthly temple is a foreshadow of Jesus. His disciples are serving a greater Temple, they serve the Messiah, the Son of God. So not only were the Pharisees wrongfully accusing the disciples of breaking the Sabbath according to the Law, their standards of Sabbath observance didn’t pass the test of Scripture. Their attempt to ensnare Jesus and His disciples in breach of the Sabbath falls flat because the authority of their oral tradition paled in comparison to the Authority of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Matthew 12 | A Man with a Withered Hand
9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue.10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him.11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
The Pharisees didn’t get it, and persisted in their attempts to ensnare Jesus. Their man-made definitions of work now pitted God’s miraculous works of healing against their own laws of the Sabbath. They didn’t get it. They attributed miraculous healing to being a work performed by men, rather than God. Check out the evil scenario that has unfolded… within the synagogue of the Pharisees who wrongly accused them of breaking the Sabbath already, there was a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees then ask Jesus if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath… imagine what is going on in this man’s heart? Dare he hope for Jesus to heal him? And what if Jesus does, would that act condemn Him under the Law? Where you and I can only imagine what was stirring in this man’s heart, Jesus knew. I read Jesus’ response with a very hard tone of rebuke… I’m surprised we don’t get a “you hypocrites!” here. But I think His concern moved more toward the man with the withered hand than the Pharisees. Jesus looked at the man and told him to stretch out his hand. Praise the Lord. And these Pharisees… so blinded by their sin, their power, their position, they completely missed both the lesson of the Sabbath and the testimony of the Messiah standing in their midst… a man was healed miraculously, in a way that we do not see to this day, and they conspired against Him in how to destroy him.
Matthew 12 | God’s Chosen Servant
15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all16 and ordered them not to make him known.17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
At first it might seem odd that Jesus would so plainly demonstrate who He is yet order those whom He heals not to make Him known. The Jews didn’t understand the prophecy of the Messiah, Who He was or what He planned to do. So, Jesus made known to many Who He was, but ordered them not to make it known. Jesus came first to fulfill the Law, then to suffer and die in our place as the sacrificial Lamb of God, to be raised again on the 3rd day, to ascend into Heaven and send His Holy Spirit to all who believe in Him. The next time He comes to Earth… will be a lot different. He will come in Glory, and in Power, ready to judge both the Living and the Dead. Amen.
Until Next Week…
Matthew’s account takes a shift here in the middle of the chapter. Matthew has made a clear case for who Jesus is, by sharing who Jesus claimed to be. Now we will start seeing more focus on His teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven, on Salvation, and we will also see increased confrontation with the Pharisees and those plotting to kill Him. Until then, be faithful stewards of the Gospel of Grace, and preach the Word. Pray for wisdom and for boldness to speak the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even when it isn’t politically correct or socially acceptable.
May 19, 2015. Today we’ll be taking a look at “Who I Am” by Blanca which currently sits at #15 at 20theCountdownMagazine.
We’ll continue using this top 20 song list until I find a better list. Your feedback in this would be greatly appreciated.
I hadn’t planned on reviewing this song for this week, because I was certain that we’d be looking at a song from NeedtoBreathe. However, with this week’s chart update, Bianca’s song came out above the other song, so it will have to wait. Let’s begin today with an Air1 interview of Blanca to see what the meaning behind the song might be:
Behind the Music
Well, that wasn’t very encouraging. Empowerment is clearly the theme. This is about giving yourself a pep talk to do what you want to do without fear. Not a single reference to Scripture, not even a proof text. It comes from a place of empty sloganeering, “when I know whose I am, I know who I am”… /sigh. I hear this sort of emotional elevation of self all of the time whenever I watch contestants on the Voice, America’s Got Talent, and American Idol wax eloquent about their “struggle to overcome doubt and to believe in themselves” to get onto the show. The frustrating thing about this interview is that there doesn’t even seem to be an attempt to point to God, the artist is perfectly comfortable taking a moment to talk about herself, her emotions, her “struggle” to write this first song. Why is that? Because Air1 isn’t expecting that sort of answer, and popular evangelicalism no longer requires it. Let’s move on to the song and its lyrics.
Another voice, another choice
To listen to words somebody said
Another day
I replay
One too many doubts inside my head
Am I strong
Beautiful
Am I good enough
Do I belong
After all
That I’ve said and done
Is it real
When I feel
I don’t measure up
Am I loved
CHORUS
I’m running to the One who knows me
Who made every part of me in His hands
I’m holding to the One who holds me
‘Cause I know whose I am, I know who I am
I am sure I am Yours
Turning down
Tuning out
Every single word
That caused me pain
Unashamed
And unafraid
‘Cause I believe You mean it when You say
I am strong
Beautiful
I am good enough
I belong
After all
‘Cause of what You’ve done
This is real
What I feel
No one made it up
I am loved
CHORUS
I am sure I am Yours
I know who I am
I am sure I am Yours
Fearfully
Wonderfully
Perfectly
You have made me
I’m running to the One who knows me
I’m holding to the One who holds me
Who is the intended audience for this song, believers or unbelievers? We’re going to continue our review assuming the intended audience is believers because there is no Law or Gospel to be found in the song. None. So if this song is intended for believers, what is the message to the believer? Well, let’s work through the lyrics.
The song begins with doubts and questions in the first verse. What are the doubts in the singer’s head?
Am I strong?
(Am I) Beautiful?
Am I good enough?
Do I belong, After all, That I’ve said and done?
Is it real, When I feel, I don’t measure up?
Am I loved?
The song then answers these questions by simply rephrasing the questions into declarative statements.
I am strong
(I am) Beautiful
I am good enough
I belong, After all, ‘Cause of what You’ve done
This is real, What I feel, No one made it up
I am loved
So what changed? Who is the “You” in the 4th answer and what did “You” do? How does the 5th answer resolve its question? Let’s look at the chorus to see if it clarifies anything
I’m running to the One who knows me
Who made every part of me in His hands
I’m holding to the One who holds me
‘Cause I know whose I am, I know who I am
I am sure I am Yours
Is this the Gospel? That God knows us and He made us? No. It is true that He made us and knows us, but that doesn’t make it Gospel. How does the singer know for sure that she is God’s? She doesn’t share that in this song. Later, in the bridge, there is a reference to being fearfully and wonderfully (and perfectly?) made by God. So what is the message of this song?
I am exactly what God made me to be, He loves me as I am, the only thing about me that needs to change is how I talk about myself in my head.
What a tragic message, even for Christians.
The Call to Repent is for the Christian, too
There is a misconception in modern-day evangelicalism that anything that feels negative is of the devil and all things positive are godly. Discipline is negative, but necessary for godliness. Repentance is a turning away from sin, going the opposite direction from what your fleshly desires and temptations are leading you. In the moment, it feels very negative. That Law of God convicts us of our sin and kills our flesh. Let’s look at how the Apostle Paul explains this dynamic in Romans 7:
Romans 7:7-24 (ESV) | The Law and Sin 7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Paul makes clear “who I am”, even as Christians, we are wretched and sinful. Our flesh is sinful. By faith, we have joined in Christ’s death in baptism and in His resurrection to new life (Romans 6). We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of Resurrection, when we will at-last put off this mortal flesh of sin and be given new bodies in the Kingdom of Heaven. Until that great and glorious day, by faith we must repent of our sins daily and crucify our flesh and walk in the Spirit of the Living God. We walk in the already and the not yet. We Christians walk on this earth simultaneously sinners (by flesh) and justified (by faith in Christ).
Romans 8:1-4 (ESV) | Life in the Spirit
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-26 (ESV) | Keep in Step with the Spirit
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Having been reminded of the who we are and who Christ is and the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, let us revisit the questions posed in this song, and give real answers to them.
Am I strong? No child, you are weak in the flesh. Christ is our only strength, look to Him, not yourself.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV) 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(Am I) Beautiful? By what measure? Set your heart and mind on things above.
1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV) 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. Romans 10:14-15 (ESV) 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Am I good enough? No, you aren’t. There has only ever been One who is good enough, and He laid down His life on the cross, so that by His Blood, you might be saved.Romans 3:21-26 (ESV) | The Righteousness of God Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Do I belong, After all, That I’ve said and done? If your place in the Kingdom of God, in the Body of Christ, were dependent upon what you’ve said and done, you wouldn’t belong, no. Praise be to Our God and Father that it isn’t about what we’ve said and done, but upon Christ’s finished work on the cross. Now humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and repent of your sins and be forgiven, in Jesus’ Name.1 John 1:8-9 (ESV) 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Is it real, When I feel, I don’t measure up?
Our hope is not in what we see or feel; rather, it is by faith that we hold onto the promise of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ Our Lord. Of your own, you don’t measure up; however, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ by faith.Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Am I loved? Absolutely. Your are loved. God loved you even when you were dead in your sins and trespasses, so much so, in fact that He gave His Only Begotten Son so that you might have eternal life.John 3:16-18 (ESV) | For God So Loved the World 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
The song doesn’t share the gospel, not for the unbeliever nor for the believer. Some readers might argue that “running to the one who knows me” is code for repentance. While I disagree with that notion, if that is truly what you think when you hear the line, then God bless you for having the proper response to this song. My concern is for those less grounded in their faith to have a better footing in the Word of God.
In the end, I cannot endorse this song fully. It is my prayer that at least whenever the song plays on the radio, your mind will focus on the Truth of God’s word rather than on empty “empowerment”.
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Ask an evangelical Christian what distinguishes his/her church from the Roman Catholic Church and you may get a wide range of possible answers. These days, “I don’t know” might be the most honest and accurate response, based on what we are seeing among popular evangelical teachers/preachers/musicians. But there are still enclaves of protestant denominations where you’ll hear the answer, “Catholics believe in salvation by works, and we believe Salvation is by Grace Alone”. Though that answer is true, doctrinally, the phrasing is overly simplistic and might actually set up the young protestant for an ill-prepared defense of the Gospel of Grace from a studied Roman Catholic.
Roman Catholic Church Affirms Salvation (Being Born-Again) by Grace
While the Roman Catholic Church does have 7 Sacraments, Pergatory, Indulgences, etc. it does not teach that any of works can earn a sinner his salvation. They teach that we are all born sinners, dead in the sin of Adam, and thus are incapable of earning salvation or getting any credit for any of our so-called good works. Let’s look at some of the canons of the Council of Trent (the very council that anathematized Protestant teaching). We’ll just look at the first 3 canons:
CANON I.- If any one saith, that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the teaching of human nature, or that of the law, without the grace of God through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema.
CANON II.- If any one saith, that the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, is given only for this, that man may be able more easily to live justly, and to merit eternal life, as if, by free will without grace, he were able to do both, though hardly indeed and with difficulty; let him be anathema.
CANON III.-If any one saith, that without the prevenient inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and without his help, man can believe, hope, love, or be penitent as he ought, so as that the grace of Justification may be bestowed upon him; let him be anathema.
So you see, this is why the aforementioned statement is overly simplistic. Their doctrine does have a role for the free Grace of God. Is it correct? Not really, but you have to follow the doctrine further on down the line to discover the error.
CANON IV.- If any one saith, that man’s free will moved and excited by God, by assenting to God exciting and calling, nowise co-operates towards disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of Justification; that it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate, it does nothing whatever and is merely passive; let him be anathema.
This canon specifically targets the teaching that is now considered the “I” in TULIP for those of the Calvinist framework. The teaching that God’s election of an individual to receive Salvation is irresistible, that man is just as incapable of denying saving grace as he is incapable of earning it. While some of the wording in this cannon also rubs against Lutheran and Arminian doctrines, I think the target with this one is pointedly Calvinist. We’re going to skip a few canons and get to the heart of the distinction between protestant and Catholic doctrine:
CANON IX.- If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.
CANON XI.- If any one saith, that men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ, or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and is inherent in them; or even that the grace, whereby we are justified, is only the favour of God; let him be anathema.
CANON XII.- If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.
CANON XIII.- If any one saith, that it is necessary for every one, for the obtaining the remission of sins, that he believe for certain, and without any wavering arising from his own infirmity and disposition, that his sins are forgiven him; let him be anathema.
CANON XIV.- If any one saith, that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified, because that he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified; or, that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified; and that, by this faith alone, absolution and justification are effected; let him be anathema
Whoa. The Catholic Church has declared anathema (accursed) any who would hold to these doctrines (and more). So, the trick here is to recognize the forced synergy in the theology. While they have a category of God’s Grace, it does not do the full work of salvation, man must do his/her part. Did the Roman Catholic Church invent this? No. The first form of this synergistic approach to the gospel is the central teaching that the Apostle Paul was confronting with his letter to the Galatians (interestingly enough, it is Paul’s writing that the Council of Trent emulates when it declares teaching to be anathema).
Galatians 3:1-9 (ESV) | By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatians 5:1-15 (ESV) | Christ Has Set Us Free
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
So, what we see happening in Galatians is a group of Judaizers came to the Galatians and gave verbal ascent to the Gospel of Grace as preached by Paul, but they would hijack the Gospel by insisting that in order to “truly live the Christian life” one would have to submit to keep the Law of Moses. Paul called this out plainly as submitting again to a yoke of slavery. The Catholic Church has shuffled around words and definitions but has done essentially the same thing, only instead of the yoke of slavery belonging to the Mosaic Covenant, they’ve instituted their own church doctrines and their own list of sacraments. So, even though the first 3 canons seem to proclaim Gospel truth, the remaining list of canons are a return to Law and an all-out rejection of assurance of salvation. The Catholic church elevates “uncertainty” of one’s salvation to a level of virtue and a measure of piety. It is in this sense, that the Catholic Church indeed teaches Salvation by Works.
If Only it were limited to the Catholic Church
A lecture by Dr Rod Rosenbladt we shared recently took a hard look at where bad preaching even within Lutheran and Reformed churches has run afoul of this phenomenon. If you haven’t watched that lecture, I strongly encourage you to find some time to do so.
There is also a surprisingly strong connection to this works-based theology of the Catholic Church within the Pentecostal/Charismatic camp, where I grew up. Pentecostalism is emphatic in man’s synergistic role in salvation, as evidenced by the generic altar-call (every head bowed, every eye closed, no one looking around… raise your hand and then come forward), give your live to Jesus, give Jesus a try, just say the sinner’s prayer through the airwaves, etc. But these are not the major problem of works… it’s what happens after they’ve become members of that church… do they hear the Gospel preached to them? Not really, it become something that is recited for an altar call or summarized as “the day you were born again”, and from then on the focus is on being “baptized in the Holy Spirit” or “operating in the Gifts of the Spirit”, which then becomes a series of unofficial sacraments of Pentecostalism. Are you hearing from God in a still, small, voice? Are you experiencing life change? Are you walking in victory? Are your prayers being answered? Are you receiving healing? Are you in transition? Are you practicing spiritual warfare? Are you severing soul ties? Are you pressing into the Presence of the Holy Spirit?…
Even in the diluted Pentecostal churches who’ve dropped the Pentecostal affiliation and focus more on “churching the unchurched”, there is a hyper focus on good works. Are you progressing in your Christian walk steadily eliminating sin from your life? Is your marriage healthy/fulfilling/satisfying/exemplary? Do people look at your life and wonder what it is you have that they don’t? When the world looks at you do they see Jesus? Would your closest friends say that you have a heart that is after the things of God?
I’m not saying that each of these things is bad on their own, but we have become fixated on the externals of Christian living at the expense of the Gospel. We’ve become rather dismissive of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as merely a “step 1” to becoming saved and then we spend the rest of our energy trying to be perfected by the Law (3 principles to living a victorious life, 1 discipline to make your marriage fireproof, 5 fundamentals to financial freedom, etc). Stop. We are to lead in with the Law of God at full volume, so that it exposes sin in our lives, leading us to repentance… and then we are to be reminded of the Gospel of Grace, so that when we repent we KNOW with full assurance that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1 John 1 ESV).
Philippians 3 (ESV) | Righteousness Through Faith in Christ
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Today, we’ll visit TruthforLife.org for a sermon by Alistair Begg. Today’s sermon aired yesterday (May 14th, 2015). I found it a good way to bring this week’s theme to a close. We’ve been focused on Resting in Christ, in His Saving grace, by faith. The occasion of Nicodemus sneaking in the night to speak to Jesus gives us an opportunity to recognize that works of the Law are not where we find our rest, our peace, nor our assurance. Rather, it is in believing in faith the work that He has done for us.
Nicodemus was a law-abiding, religious man. But when he encountered Jesus, Nicodemus was surprised to learn how little he actually knew about entering the Kingdom of God. Sincerity, and even following all the rules, was not enough to qualify.
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you dounless God is with him.”3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”10 Jesus answered him,“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,15 that whoever believes in himmay have eternal life.
For God So Loved the World
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way.5 And the peoplespoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
May God bless you and keep you, In Christ Jesus, Jorge
Today, we’ll be watching a video of various ministers discussing the role of Music in Worship. I came by this link via WWUTT Facebook status update. This video is the final part of a 5-part series entitled “The Family that Worships Together”. The series is made freely available online at the National Center for Family Integrated Churches (NCFIC) here.
Faithful Stewardship 
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