Review: Redemption Accomplished and Applied — by John Murray

ISBN: 9780802811431 — Worldcat; Google Books
Publisher: Eerdmans (1955)
Genre: Systematic theology
Reading Level: college
Worthy read? Yes
Price: $9.75 @ WTS Books

What is this book about?

This book is about the atonement (6, 9) as it is viewed objective and subjectively, that is, the atonement seen both from the perspective of historia salutis (i.e. Christ’s once-for-all accomplishment of redemption) and ordo salutis (Christ’s application of redemption to his church). On the former, professor Murray treats the necessity, nature, perfection, and extent of the atonement; on the latter, he explains effectual calling, regeneration, conversion (faith and repentance), justification, adoption, sanctification, union with Christ, and glorification. Therefore, professor Murray treats succinctly the various topics that you may find in a larger dogmatics or systematic theology textbooks under the sections on the work of Christ and/or soteriology.

This little book’s great importance lies in how it introduces the reader to the big picture of Christ’s mediatorial work. Without understanding that Christ first accomplishes salvation for us and then dispenses his benefits to us (i.e. objective accomplishment, then subjective application; historia salutis, then ordo salutis) Christians are led into all manners of Pelagian heresies (i.e. most of what passes for American “Christianity” these days); for, without Christ’s full, objective mediatorial work, we are left in a sea of subjectivity, without a perfect law-keeper, without a perfect satisfaction, without an advocate before the Father, without a great High Priest in the heavenlies praying for us and ministering his Gospel benefits to us. In a word, then, this book is about the big picture of how the Gospel works: Christ accomplishes salvation for us; then, Christ applies salvation to us.

What is the book’s context?

John Murray (1898-1975) was a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. This book is primarily didactic, rather than polemic. Professor Murray sets forth his arguments plainly from Holy Scripture. The few polemical elements that enter into Murray’s purview are aimed at 20th century liberalism (31) and mysticism (77, 168). All in all the reader can expect a straightforward, humble explanation of the atonement from a Reformed perspective.

What is unique about the book’s content?

Readers will appreciate Murray’s keen ability to succinctly define theological terms, such as: propitiate (30), sin (32), faith (107), justification (119), et. al. Thus, Murray leads you along and teaches you along the way, rather than speaking over your head.

Also, Professor Murray is an organized and systematic thinker. His arguments proceed in outlined form and follow logical sequences. You may disagree at points with Murray’s argument; but, you will probably never complain of Murray being unclear or disorganized.

Furthermore, Reformed readers will appreciate Murray’s confessional sensibility and creativity. The Westminster Confession and Catechisms are always humming implicitly just below the surface, popping up explicitly at times in Murray’s thoughts.

Criticisms

The one aspect of Murray’s presentation I found odd is the chapter on “union with Christ” (ch. 9). I don’t mean odd in the sense of wrong, quite the contrary–This chapter was perhaps my favorite of the whole book! However, it seems odd in the sense of out of place in Murray’s line of thinking.

In Murray’s argument, the eternal aspect of redemption precedes and grounds the entire accomplishment and application of redemption (163-164). In other words, union with Christ “is in itself a very broad and embracive subject” which “when viewed, according to the teaching of Scripture, in its broader aspects it underlies every step of the application of redemption” (161). If the eternal grounds the temporal at “every step,” then it would seem more appropriate to move the chapter on union with Christ to the beginning of the book, allowing the eternal plan to ground both the accomplishment and the application of redemption. Such a re-arrangement of chapters would allow God’s glory to come into its own as, to use the Reformed dogmatics terms, the pactum salutis would precede and ground both the historia and ordo salutis (or, to use trinitarian concepts, the opera Dei ad intra precede and ground the ad extra).

Murray’s own comments at the start of ch. 9 indicate that he himself was not comfortable with how he arranged the placement of ch. 9. However, my contention is that the principles Murray was driving at when discussing the eternal union with Christ ought to be strengthened so as to come into their rightful place in relating the heavenly realm to the earthly, giving full priority and preeminence to the former. Such an effort to ground redemption fully in God’s eternal glory may require a new title as well: Redemption Planned; Redemption Accomplished; Redemption Applied.

“Resign the love of your youth to Christ” — Rutherford Thursdays No. 28

To Patrick Carsen

Dear and Loving Friend,

I cannot but, upon the opportunity of a bearer, exhort you to resign the love of your youth to Christ; and in this day, while your sun is high and your youth serveth you, to seek the Lord and His face. For there is nothing out of heaven so necessary for you as Christ.

And ye cannot be ignorant but your days will end, and the night of death shall call you from the pleasures of this life: and a doom given out in death standeth for ever — as long as God liveth!

Youth, ordinarily, is a post and ready servant for Satan, to run errands; for it is a nest for lust, cursing, drunkenness, blaspheming of God, lying, pride, and vanity. Oh, that there were such an heart in you as to fear the Lord, and to dedicate your soul and body to His service! When the time cometh that your poor soul look out at your prison house of clay, to be set at liberty; then a good conscience, and your Lord’s favor, shall be worth all the world’s glory. Seek it as your garland and crown.

Grace be with you.

Aberdeen, March 14, 1637

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction to the “Rutherford Thursdays” series of blog posts.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• Letters of Samuel Rutherford is a nice print edition of Rutherford’s letters for under $5.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

Rutherford Reads

“Happy is your soul if Christ man the house” — Rutherford Thursdays No. 24

To William Livingstone

My Very Dear Brother,

I rejoice to hear that Christ has run away with your young love, and that ye are so early in the morning matched with such a Lord; for a young man is often a dressed lodging for the devil to dwell in. Be humble and thankful for grace; and weigh it not so much by weight, as if it be true. Christ will not cast water on your smoking coal; He never yet put out a dim candle that was lighted at the Sun of Righteousness.

I recommend to you prayer and watching over the sins of your youth; for I know that missive letters go between the devil and young blood. Satan has a friend at court in the heart of youth; and there pride, luxury, lust, revenge, forgetfulness of God, are hired as his agents. Happy is your soul if Christ man the house, and take the keys Himself, and command all, as it suiteth Him full well to rule wherever He is. Keep Christ, and entertain Him well. Cherish His grace; blow upon your own coal; and let Him tutor you.

Now for myself: know that I am fully agreed with my Lord. Christ has put the Father and me into each other’s arms. Many a sweet bargain He made before, and He has made this among the rest. I reign as king over my crosses. I will not flatter a temptation, nor give the devil a good word: I defy hell’s iron gates. God has passed over my quarreling of Him at my entry here, and now He feedeth and feasteth with me.

Praise, praise with me; and let us exalt His name together. Your brother in Christ.

Aberdeen, March 13, 1637

(Livingstone was probably one of his Anwoth parishioners.)

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction to the “Rutherford Thursdays” series of blog posts.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• Letters of Samuel Rutherford is a nice print edition of Rutherford’s letters for under $5.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

Rutherford Reads

“while I live, temptations will not die” – Rutherford Thursdays No. 17

To Robert Gordon of Knockbrex – Seeing Christ more clearly through tribulation’s lens

My Very Worthy and Dear Friend,

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. Though all Galloway should have forgotten me, I would have expected a letter from you ere now; but I will not expound it to be forgetfulness of me.

Now, my dear brother, I cannot show you how matters go betwixt Christ and me. I find my Lord going and coming seven times a day. His visits are short; but they are both frequent and sweet. I dare not for my life think of a challenge of my Lord. I hear ill tales, and hard reports of Christ, from the Tempter and my flesh; but love believeth no evil. I may swear that they are liars, and that apprehensions make lies of Christ’s honest and unalterable love to me. I dare not say that I am a dry tree, or that I have no room at all in the vineyard, but yet I often think that the sparrows are blessed, who may resort to the house of God in Anwoth, from which I am banished.

Temptations, that I supposed to be stricken dead and laid upon their back, rise again and revive upon me; yea, I see that while I live, temptations will not die. The devil seemeth to brag and boast as much as if he had more court with Christ than I have; and as if he had charmed and blasted my ministry, that I shall do no more good in public. But his wind shaketh no corn. I will not believe that Christ would have made such a mint to have me to Himself, and have taken so much pains upon me as He has done, and then slip so easily from possession, and lose the glory of what He has done.

Nay, since I came to Aberdeen, I have been taken up to see the new land, the fair palace of the Lamb; and will Christ let me see heaven, to break my heart, and never give it to me? I shall not think my Lord Jesus giveth a dumb earnest, or putteth His seals to blank paper, or intendeth to put me off with fair and false promises. I see that now which I never saw well before.

(I) I see faith’s necessity in a fair day is never known aright; but now I miss nothing so much as faith. Hunger in me runneth to fair and sweet promises; but when I come, I am like a hungry man that wanteth teeth, or a weak stomach having a sharp appetite that is filled with the very sight of meat, or like one stupefied with cold under water, that would fain come to land, but cannot grip anything casten to him. I can let Christ grip me, but I cannot grip Him. I cannot set my feet to the ground, for afflictions bring the cramp upon my faith. All I dow do is to hold out a lame faith to Christ, like a beggar holding out a stump instead of an arm or leg, and cry, ‘Lord Jesus, work a miracle! ‘Oh what would I give to have hands and arms to grip strongly.

(2) I see that mortification, and to be crucified to the world, is not so highly accounted of by us as it should be. Oh how heavenly a thing it is to be dead and dumb and deaf to this world’s sweet music! As I am at this present, I would scorn to buy this world’s kindness with a bow of my knee. I scarce now either see or hear what it is that this world offereth me; I know that it is little that it can take from me, and as little that it can give me.

(3) I thought courage, in the time of trouble for Christ’s sake, a thing that I might take up at my foot. I thought that the very remembrance of the honesty of the cause would be enough. But I was a fool in so thinking. Christ will be steward and dispenser Himself and none else but He; therefore, now, I count much of one dram weight of spiritual joy. Truly I have no cause to say that I am pinched with penury, or that the consolations of Christ are dried up. Praise, praise with me.

Remember my love to your brother, to your wife, and G.M. Desire him to be faithful, and to repent of his hypocrisy; and say that I wrote it to you. I wish him salvation. Write to me your mind agent C.E. and C.Y., and their wives, and I.G., or any others in my parish. I fear that I am forgotten amongst them; but I cannot forget them.

The prisoner’s prayers and blessings come upon you. Grace, grace be with you.

Your brother, in the Lord Jesus.

Aberdeen, Feb. 9, 1637

Who is Robert Gordon of Knockbrex?

Robert Gordon lived in the next parish to Anwoth. He was a prominent figure in Church life in Scotland.

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• Letters of Samuel Rutherford is a nice print edition of Rutherford’s letters for under $5.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

“a sufferer for Christ will be made to know himself” – Rutherford Thursdays No. 15

To Lady Boyd – Knowing One’s Self in Suffering

Madam,

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you.

The Lord has brought me to Aberdeen, where I see God in few. This town has been advised upon of purpose for me; it consisteth either of Papists, or men of Gallio’s naughty faith. It is counted wisdom, in the most, not to countenance a confined minister; but I find Christ neither strange nor unkind; for I have found many faces smile upon me since I came hither.

I am heavy and sad, considering what is betwixt the Lord and my soul, which none seeth but He. I find men have mistaken me; it would be no art (as I now see) to spin small and make hypocrisy a goodly web, and to go through the market as a saint among men, and yet steal quietly to hell, without observation: so easy is it to deceive men. I have disputed whether or no I ever knew anything of Christianity, save the letters of that name. Men see but as men, and they call ten twenty and twenty an hundred; but O! to be approved of God in the heart and in sincerity is not an ordinary mercy.

My neglects while I had a pulpit, and other things whereof I am ashamed to speak, meet me now, so as God maketh an honest cross my daily sorrow. Like a fool, I believed, under suffering for Christ, that I myself should keep the key of Christ’s treasures, and take out comforts when I listed, and eat and be fat: but I see now a sufferer for Christ will be made to know himself, and will be holden at the door as well as another poor sinner, and will be fain to eat with the bairns, and to take the by-board, and glad to do so. My blessing on the cross of Christ that has made me see this!

Oh! if we could take pains for the kingdom of heaven! But we sit down upon some ordinary marks of God’s children, thinking we have as much as will separate us from a reprobate; and thereupon we take the play and cry, ‘Holiday!’ and thus the devil casteth water on our fire, and blunteth our zeal and care. But I see heaven is not at the door; and I see, howbeit my challenges be many, I suffer for Christ, and dare hazard my salvation upon it; for sometimes my Lord cometh with a fair hour and O! but His love be sweet, delightful, and comfortable.

Madam, I know your Ladyship knoweth this, and that made me bold to write of it, that others might reap somewhat by my bonds for the truth; for I should desire, and I aim at this, to have my Lord well spoken of, and honored, howbeit He should make nothing of me but a bridge over a water.

Thus recommending your Ladyship, your son and children, to His grace, who has honored you with a name and room among the living in Jerusalem, and wishing grace to be with your Ladyship.

Aberdeen

Who is Lady Boyd?

Lady Boyd, whose maiden name was Christian Hamilton, was the daughter of a distinguished lawyer and inherited his abilities and strength of character. She was a trusted friend of many of the leading ministers of the Church of Scotland in her day. When she died the whole Scottish Parliament suspended its sitting to attend her funeral. See also letters LVII [57], LXII [62] and LXV [65].

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

On the Perils of Rank and Prosperity – To Lady Kenmure – Rutherford Thursdays No. 9

Letter #9: “Give Christ Jesus His own court and His own due place in your soul”

Madam,

I determined, and was desirous also, to have seen your Ladyship, but because of a pain in my arm I could not. I know ye will not impute it to any unsuitable forgetfulness of your Ladyship, from whom, at my first entry to my calling in this country (and since also), I received such comfort in my affliction as I trust in God never to forget, and shall labour by His grace to recompense in the only way possible to me; and that is, by presenting your soul, person, house, and all your necessities, in prayer to Him, whose I hope you are, and who is able to keep you till that Day of Appearance, and to present you before His face with joy.

I am confident your Ladyship is going forward in the begun journey to your Lord and Father’s home and kingdom. Howbeit ye want not temptations within and without. And who among the saints has ever taken that castle without stroke of sword? The Chief of the house, our Elder brother, our Lord Jesus, not being excepted, who won His own house and home, due to Him by birth, with much blood and many blows.

Your Ladyship has the more need to look to yourself, because our Lord has placed you higher than the rest, and your way to heaven lieth through a more wild and waste wilderness than the way of many of your fellow-travellers – not only through the midst of this wood of thorn, the cumbersome world, but also through these dangerous paths, the vain-glory of it; the consideration whereof has often moved me to pity your soul, and the soul of your worthy and noble husband.

And it is more to you to win heaven, being ships of greater burden, and in the main sea, than for little vessels, that are not so much in the mercy and reverence of the storms, because they may come quietly to their port by launching amongst the coast. For the which cause ye do much, if in the midst of such a tumult of business, and crowd of temptations, ye shall give Christ Jesus His own court and His own due place in your soul.

I know and am persuaded, that that lovely One, Jesus, is dearer to you than many kingdoms; and that ye esteem Him your Well-beloved, and the Standard-bearer among ten thousand (Song of Sol. 5.1O). And it becometh Him full well to take the place and the board head in your soul before all the world. I knew and saw Him with you in the furnace of affliction; for there He wooed you to Himself, and chose you to be His; and now He craveth no other hire of you but your love, and that He get no cause to be jealous of you. And, therefore, dear and worthy lady, be like to the fresh river, that keepeth its own fresh taste in the salt sea.

Madam, many eyes are upon you, and many would be glad your Ladyship should spill a Christian, and mar a good professor. Lord Jesus, mar their godless desires, and keey [sic. keep?] the conscience whole without a crack! If there be a hole in it, so that it take in water at a leak, it will with difficulty mend again. It is a dainty, delicate creature, and a rare piece of the workmanship of your Maker; and therefore deal gently with it, and keep it entire, that amidst this world’s glory your Ladyship may learn to entertain Christ. And whatsoever creature your Ladyship findeth not to smell of Him, may it have no better relish to you than the white of an egg.

Madam, it is a part of the truth of your profession to drop words in the ears of your noble husband continually of eternity, judgment, death, hell, heaven, the honorable profession, the sins of his father’s house. He must reckon with God for his father’s debt; forgetting of accounts payeth no debt. Nay, the interest of a forgotten bond runneth up with God to interest upon interest. I know he looketh homeward, and loveth the truth; but I pity him with my soul, because of his many temptations. Satan layeth upon men a burden of cares, above a load (and maketh a pack horse of men’s souls), when they are wholly set upon this world. We owe the devil no such service. It were wisdom to throw off that load into a mire, and cast all our cares over upon God.

Look for crosses, and while it is fair weather mend the sails of the ship. Now hoping your Ladyship will pardon my tediousness, I recommend your soul and person to the grace and mercy of our Lord, in whom I am your Ladyship’s obedient.

ANWOTH, Nov, 15, 1633

Who is Lady Kenmure?

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.

Rutherford Thursdays #7: To Lady Kenmure, Your Hidden Hope Will Be Revealed

Letter #7

MADAM,

I would not omit the opportunity of remembering your Ladyship, still harping upon that string, which in our whole lifetime is never too often touched upon (nor is our lesson well enough learned), that there is a necessity of advancing in the way to the kingdom of God, of the contempt of the world, of denying ourself and bearing of our Lord’s cross, which is no less needful for us than daily food. And among many marks that we are on this journey, and under sail toward heaven, this is one, when the love of God so filleth our hearts, that we forget to love, and care not much for the having, or wanting of, other things. For this cause God’s bairns [children] take well with spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they have in heaven a better and an enduring substance (Heb. 10.34).

That day that the earth and the works therein shall be burned with fire (II Pet. 3.10), your hidden hope and your life shall appear. And therefore, since ye have not now many years to your endless eternity, and know not how soon the sky above your head will rive, and the Son of man will be seen in the clouds of heaven, what better and wiser course can ye take, than to think that your one foot is here, and your other foot in the life to come, and to leave off loving, desiring, or grieving, for the wants that shall be made up when your Lord and ye shall meet. Then shall ye rejoice ‘with joy unspeakable and full of glory — and your joy shall no one take from you.’

It is enough that the Lord has promised you great things; only let the time of bestowing them be His own. It is not for us to set an hour-glass to the Creator of time. It will be; for God has said it, bide His harvest. His day is better than your day; He putteth not the hook in the corn, till it be ripe and full-eared. The great Angel of the Covenant bear you company, till the trumpet shall sound, and the voice of the archangel awaken the dead.

Ye shall find it your only happiness, under whatsoever thing disturbeth and crosseth the peace of your mind in this life, to love nothing for itself, but only God for Himself. Our love to Him should not begin on earth as it shall be in heaven; for the bride taketh not, by a thousand degrees, so much delight in her wedding garments as she does in her bridegroom; so we, in the life to come, howbeit clothed with glory as with a robe, shall not be so much affected with the glory that goeth about us, as with the Bridegroom’s joyful face and presence. Madam, if ye can win to this here, the field is won.

Fearing to be tedious to you, I break off here, commending you (as I trust to do while I live), your person, ways, burdens, and all that concerneth you, to that Almighty who is able to bear you and your burdens. I still remember you to Him who will cause you one day to laugh.

ANWOTH, Jan. 14, 1632

Who was Lady Kenmure?

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.

 

Review: Reforming Pastoral Ministry, ed. John H. Armstrong

Reforming Pastoral Ministry is a collection of essays written by (mostly) Reformed baptist pastors with the goal of encouraging younger pastors toward Scriptural reformation and revival. The book is supposed to be a modern rendition of Richard Baxter’s classic work, The Reformed Pastor. As a third year Presbyterian seminarian looking to enter the pastoral ministry, I thought the essays by Beeke, Marcellino, and Elliff were the most penetrating and helpful.

While it is always beneficial to learn from the wisdom of experienced pastors, overall, the book has a Baptistic, Puritan feel. The lack of a robust covenantal hermeneutic is evident throughout. Thus, at times throughout the book I was left wondering whether the authors had failed to consider the implications of Christ’s active obedience. (I have in mind here Kline’s covenantal critique of Fuller’s Unity of the Bible.)

The subtitle, “Challenges for Ministry in Postmodern Time,” is a little misleading; for, the book does not discuss postmodernity (i.e. tribalism, pluralism, etc.) as much as modernity (i.e. consumerism, pragmatism, industrialization, personal-public dichotemy). If the book is about postmodernity, then some of the essays are slightly outdated, quoting sources and dealing with issues from the ’70s, ’80s, and 90s (see Newton’s essays on church growth); this is not to say the essays are unhelpful, but would be perhaps more accurately labeled modern instead of postmodern.

Overall, I think there are better books worth reading on pastoral ministry. Instead of spending your time and money on this modern book, perhaps pursuing Baxter’s classic is a more rewarding investment.

Hearing Hosea’s Proleptic New-Covenant Call to Repentance

Overview: When Hosea says, “Repent!” is he talking to me?

In this paper I attempt to unpack the covenantal dynamics of Hosea’s call to repentance in Hosea 14. My goal is to help modern readers of Hosea apply the call to repentance within today’s dispensation of the covenant of grace: the church age, or the time between Christ’s first and second advents.

Read and Respond

• Read the paper online,
• or download the PDF.

I welcome any critiques, comments, suggestions, etc., as I seek to study Hosea’s prophecy further with the particular goal of making plain the application of Hosea’s message for today.

(Art of Hosea from the Web Gallery of Art.)

Review: The Cry of the Soul by Dan Allender & Tremper Longman

The Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Out Deepest Questions About God by Dr. Dan Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman, III
NavPress, 1999; 270 pages; ISBN 1576831809

A Welcome Surprise To My Low Expectations

Though I had pretty low expectations for reading a Christian book on emotions, I was encouraged by the reassuring word in the foreword that the book is not just one more partner in the orgy of anthropocentric subjectivism that sadly seems to dominate the so-called “Christian” psychological self-help world:

These men are provocative, creative thinkers, bound by their unswerving commitment to biblical truths and by their zeal to lead lives that reflect an intimate dependence on Christ. This book is not another manual on emotions: what causes them and how we can handle them. It is not a book filled with techniques for getting over anger or relieving fear. It is not a book that lists a verse for dealing with every troubling emotion. We have enough of those books already (11).

Amen and amen! Pelagian self-help is robbing God’s people of Christ’s joy, and we don’t need any more of those kind of books. By mentioning dependence on Christ, the forward foreshadows the authors’ approach to applying Christ’s Gospel to Christians’ emotional life: the objective reality of God and His accomplishment of salvation sets the context for subjectively applying the benefits of salvation to believers. Such a Scripturally faithful approach which weds the objective realities about God and His Gospel to the subjective inner life of Christians is hard to find today, and accordingly readers ought to appreciate fully the strength of this book.¹

Thesis: Our emotions are windows into God’s revelation of Himself

So, then, what does The Cry of the Soul have to say that Christians need to hear? Forgive another quote from the forward, but it summarizes well the purpose of the book:

Rather than explaining our emotions in order to help us gain control over them, Drs. Allender and Longman take us into new country. Their central idea . . . is that our emotional life, including those emotions we shouldn’t feel, forms a window that lets us see deep into the heart of God. Their rather surprising suggestion is that we explore our emotions not to get rid of the bad ones and replace them with good ones but rather to know God more fully (10).

Strength: Finding our story in God’s

A further strength drives the success of this powerful book: the authors’ theologically-informed presuppositions (14-18).

1. First, they believe emotions are not neutral (amoral), rather emotions speak the inner workings of humanity’s depraved hearts.
2. Second, the purpose of looking inward is not merely to better yourself, but to reveal your heart’s relation to God and others.
3. Third, the Psalter is a key section of divine revelation for looking into hearts.
4. And fourth, all emotions reveal the character of God.

Notice that these presuppositions join together God’s objective self-revelation and the subjective human experience and knowledge of God via this objective revelation. The strength, then, of The Cry of the Soul is that it seeks to tell humanity’s story in the context of God’s story; the distinction between Creator and creature is maintained while explaining the partners’ respective roles in redemption’s dance.

Chapter Highlights

Ch. 1: Our souls talk

The power of explaining the nature and purpose of emotions to be our soul’s cry helped me to see that my ups and downs, rages and joys are not mere feelings to be controlled, managed, ignored, or denied. Rather, my “insides” are constantly telling me what I am believing about God, myself, and the world. Accordingly, if I can learn to patiently listen to my heart instead of running from it, drowning its voice, or deadening its promptings, I will be more fully able to glimpse God’s glory of how He is redeeming the whole of me (inside and out), giving me back my dignity, allowing me to become fully human (delighting in God’s truth both in my inner world and my outer context). Such a view frees me from the doldrums of dead emotions; for, God created me both able to smile and to frown, and the emotions behind both actions reveal God to me. Furthermore, the glorious freedom of knowing God is that I am freed to more truly know myself, even through my emotions!

Ch. 2: Our souls sing the Psalter

Not only is it revolutionary to understand (ala chapter 1) that God “chooses to reveal His perfect heart by analogy with human emotion that is stained by depravity” (39); it is further amazing how God reveals his heart through ours: according to His self-revelation in Scripture (especially in the Psalter).

In the Psalms we are invited by God “to comprehend more richly the heart of God” as we “seek to understand our internal world” (39). Rightly understood in the context of God the Creator and man the creature, the fact that man’s knowledge of God is covenantally bound to man’s knowledge of the self is a glorious mystery replete in the Psalms. John Calvin speaks of this mystery in the opening lines of chapter 1 of his Institutes of the Christian Religion:

Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.

Certainly, the chief “tie” that binds together our double knowledge of God and self is God’s revelation through His Scriptures. Accordingly, Allender and Longman explain well how the Psalms disturb us into facing our heart’s idolatries in the light of God’s strange love. The Psalms shock us into the light, both by inviting us to rage, cry, mourn, call down revenge upon our enemies, question God, etc., and by constantly calling us to believe in God’s everlasting covenant love (hesed). Through the Psalms God teaches us to sing His strange song of redemption, even when we can’t hear the music or see the Conductor.

Chs. 3-15: Our souls cry through the whole range of human emotion and always within our covenantal/relational union with God

It is precisely in the long moments of not hearing the music (the “how long?” of chapter 3) that God invites us into the depths of our covenantal union with Him. The “how long, O Lord?” challenges our hearts through the whole range of human emotion. Allender and Longman focus on anger, fear, envy, despair, mockery, and shame, showing both the idolatrous and the glorious sides of these windows into God’s heart. Each of these emotions invites us to wrestle with the question “how long?” in a way that reveals God’s faithfulness more fully to us, thus enabling us to be more faithful, specifically with that emotion, in our faithfulness to others.

Chs. 16-17: Though He is mysterious, God is good

Allender and Longman set the soul’s cry in the context of God’s mystery and God’s goodness. God is mysterious because He seems to hide his presence at the very times we need it most. He seems to let the unjust prosper at the very time the just are being abused. He seems to allow us to hurt and suffer at the very times that we desire relief most earnestly. Though God’s goodness is mysterious, it is truly good.

God’s faithfulness never fails! He never breaks His covenant promises! He leads us from the dark valley to the top of Mount Zion! He turns our mourning into dancing, even making our dancing more deep and joyful because of the mourning. Just as suffering Job received much more blessing than he had suffered, so our suffering Christ received all blessing as His reward for suffering. And Christ passes on those blessings to His children, even though He himself calls us to wander as pilgrims.

Suggestion for Improvement

This wonderful book could be even better by by adding some material on what it means for one’s soul to cry corporately, in the communion of the saints. The subtle undertone of individualism latent throughout the book (i.e. an “it’s just me and Jesus” spirituality) needs to be met with further thinking on the individual’s relation to the body of Christ (i.e. ecclesial praxis). Perhaps some interesting questions along this line could be explored, such as:

• Do we ever read, sing, recite, or reflect on the Psalms in corporate worship?
• Does the liturgy of corporate worship allow time for the worshipers to pour out the cries of their souls in quiet?
• Does our pastor ever lead a corporate cry, perhaps reading or praying one of the “dark” Psalms in worship?
• Does our congregation sing exclusively “happy-clappy” songs, or do we also sing sorrowful laments?
• Does my family worship time allow my family to voice the cry of their souls?

Conclusion

The Cry of the Soul truly leads us to God by honestly taking us through the whole spectrum of our hearts’ idolatries and the full context of God’s cosmic redemption, including how God redeems our emotions by using them as a window through which to shine His Light into our souls. This book helps us to see all our hearts’ stupid idols, all of the dry breasts we so stupidly fondle as we seek for life-giving milk that only God Himself can give even as He has already done so by sending His own Son to redeem us, body and soul.

Notes

1. In this specific regard, The Cry of the Soul evidences a vast improvement over Dr. Allender’s solo publication, The Healing Path. Perhaps this improvement reveals the balancing strength that comes from uniting a professional Christian psychologist (Allender) with a professional theologian (Longman) as is the case with The Cry of the Soul.

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