Isaiah 1:18—"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
The sinful condition of men is terrible in the extreme... God himself interposes to produce a change. The proposal of peace is always from his side. He urges that a conference be held at once, "Come, and let us reason together."
GOD'S REASONS TO MEET WITH US
The one main ground of difference is honestly mentioned, "though your sins are like scarlet." God calls the most glaring sinners to come to him, knowing them to be such.
This ground of difference God himself will remove, "they shall be as white as snow." He will forgive, and so end the quarrel.
He will remove the offense perfectly, "as snow—as wool."
He will remove forever the guilt of sin.
He will discharge the penalty of sin.
He will destroy the dominion of sin.
He will prevent the return of sin.
He explains by his own Word how this is done.
Free forgiveness obliterating guilt.
Full atonement averting punishment.
Regeneration by the Spirit breaking the power of sin.
Constant sanctification forbidding its return.
See, then, the way of your return to God made easy.
Consider it carefully, and talk with God about it at once.
The popular mantra, “follow your heart,” assumes that we have inherent goodness deep inside us that we just need to express to others.
John Keats wrote: “I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affection and the truth of imagination.”
This is a modern version of the “Care Bear Stare” used to overcome “Dark Heart”—make sure to watch this video; you will not regret it.
Actually, Jesus has some bad news regarding what comes out of the human heart: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, false testimony, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly (Matt 15:17-20; Mark 7:20-22). He concludes, “All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (Mark 7:23).
In Galatians 5:17-21, Paul follows Jesus’ lead and tells us that inherent within us is sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.
The Fruit of the Spirit
After Paul makes his list of sinful desires, he follows it with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. The fruit of the Spirit is not inherent in us but worked into us by the Holy Spirit.
The natural human heart produces one kind of desires, and the Spirit produces another kind by giving us a new heart. And they are opposed to one another. Thorn bushes do not produce oranges. Weeds do not produce apples. And the human heart does not naturally produce the fruit of the Spirit.
Misconceptions
Unfortunately, some Christians treat the fruit of the Spirit like a new Law—expectations that we must strive to attain by our own effort. This is not Paul's point. The fruit of the Spirit is the work of the Spirit, not us. This is a message of great hope, not pessimistic resignation. The fruit of the Spirit is what we can ask and hope that God does to us. The fruit of the Spirit is hope for the work of God in us; not duty. The fruit of the Spirit is anticipation of what God may do to us; not moral expectation with the threat of punishment. The fruit of the Spirit is God killing parts of us to transform them—cutting in order to heal, destroying for the purpose of rebuilding. The fruit is not our dedication to our pious intentions.
If it is God who works in us to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13), then why do we begin with the Spirit but really try to attain our goals by human effort (Galatians 3:3)?
How do you conjure love when you hate your ex? Or the person who slanders you? Or your self-absorbed friend?
How do you make yourself joyful when you are paralyzed by fear and insecurities?
How do you summon peace when you are flooded by worries about your past, or present, or future?
How do you make yourself patient when your anxiety wakes you up at night or you can feel the anxiety in your body?
How do you invoke kindness when there are so many people who act like your enemy?
How do you strive for gentleness when you know that the meek are treated like doormats?
How do you stir-up goodness when badness erupts so naturally and feels more immediately fulfilling?
How do you enact self-control when your desire for quick pleasure is so out of control?
Transformation
Left on our own, we cannot do any of these because the fruit of the Spirit is the work of the Spirit, not our action plan for managing sin and achieving holiness (read Luther’s Bondage of the Will). What we need is not assistance by the Holy Spirit mixed with our spiritual effort. We need the Spirit to transform us. We need the Spirit to give us a new heart with new desires and affections: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).
The fruit of the Spirit is the fruit of faith and repentance, not spiritual self-determination. The fruit of the Spirit is the hope that God may do what he promises to do: to restore that which has been destroyed, to be faithful when you are faithless, and to show up in your weakness with his strength.
Isaiah 1:18—"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
The sinful condition of men is terrible in the extreme. This is set forth vividly in previous verses of the chapter. They are altogether alienated from their God.
God himself interposes to produce a change. The proposal of peace is always from his side.
He urges that a conference be held at once, "Come, and let us reason together."
That conference is to be held at once: "Come now" for the danger is too great to admit of a moment's delay. God is urgent; let us not procrastinate.
GOD INVITES YOU TO MEET
Sinful men do not care to think, consider, and look matters in the face; yet to this distasteful duty they are urged. If they reason, they rather reason against God than together with him; but here the proposal is not to discuss, but to treat with a view to reconciliation. Ungodly hearts also decline this.
They prefer to attend to ceremonial observances. Outward performances are easier, and do not require thought
Yet the matter is one which demands most serious discussion, and deserves it; for God, the soul, heaven, and hell are involved in it. Never was wise counsel more desirable.
No good can come of neglecting to consider it. It is one of those matters which will never drift the right way of itself.
It is most gracious on the Lord's part to suggest a conference. Kings do not often invite criminals to reason with them.
The invitation is a pledge that he desires peace, is willing to forgive, and anxious to set us right.
The appointment of the immediate present as the time for the reasoning together is a proof of generous wisdom. "Just as you are," come to God in Christ, just as he is. Love invites you in all your sin and misery.
Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes, which are in the public domain.
Not to be dramatic, but a little dramatic. This is the overwhelming feeling I have when I’ve been working all day, had a few hours to connect with my family in the evening, and am now sitting at my desk reading a 480-page pdf document (book) on the church, or slugging away at a 25-page paper till the wee hours. Amazing stuff, but the feeling is a bit overwhelming as the proverbial Re:Train is barreling down the tracks, and I’m stuck in the middle, staring at the oncoming lights and deafened by the blaring horn. How do I escape the wrath?
Re:Train has been a significant investment of time and energy, but it’s an investment that has been extremely beneficial and filled with the grace of God. This weekend was another testament to that as Dr. Gregg Allison lectured and answered questions for two days regarding ecclesiology and the missional church.
An ecclesiological man among boys
His wisdom, humility and love for the church was inspiring. He is a seasoned pastor, well-studied theologian, faithful husband, father and grandfather, elder in an Acts 29 church, and his daughter and son-in-law attend Mars Hill Bellevue. After a few moments with the Allisons, my wife said, “Wow, that’s the type of couple everyone wants in their church. Godly, stable, wise, humble, and encouraging.” As Pastor Tim Smith put it on Twitter, “Gregg Allision is an ecclesiological man among boys.” Here are a few takeaways that have left me pondering further.
These are a few reflections from Re:Train with Dr. Allison. The full impact of his teaching and friendship will have a long and sustained impact on the church planting taking place through Mars Hill and Acts 29.
1. Ask good questions before you leave your church.
Dr. Allison loves the local church, and he did a good job of distinguishing between true and false churches as well as less pure and more pure churches among those that are true. He had some good words and questions to ask yourself before moving from one true church to another:
Have I expended all of my opportunities to effect change in this church?
Will continued participation in this church exert a negative impact on my relationship with and worship of God, my ministry for Jesus Christ, the use of my spiritual gifts, etc.?
Do I have to compromise too much—essential doctrines and practices, a lifestyle in accordance with biblical values and principles—in order to remain in this church?
Do I have a legitimate reason for leaving? In a culture where church-hopping and shopping is the norm, I felt these were timely words for Christians to ask themselves before leaving their church so that we don’t flippantly move on from a place God may want us to persevere in.
2. Have something in your life you can finish.
Pastors and those in ministry need to have some outlet in their life that allows them to finish something. Ministry is never finished, and the pile of work continually grows. Paul told Titus to “put what remained into order” (Titus 1:5). Based on my experience, I don’t think Titus ever finished getting everything in order. As he appointed elders, it meant more training and leadership; as new people met Jesus, it meant more teaching and discipleship; as the church grew, it meant new systems and structures. The church is alive and therefore never finished.
This is why Dr. Allison recommended having something you can finish. It might be writing a book, refinishing your basement, or some other outlet for bringing something to full completion so that you can enjoy the work and rest upon its completion. He wasn’t legalistic about it, and didn’t attempt to prooftext any verses to support this position--it was just a piece of pastoral advice from a seasoned pastor.
3. Fight for unity.
The church begins at a place of unity. In Ephesians 4:3, Paul says, “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Wow, the church is unified because of the Spirit’s work, yet our sins of pride, envy, gossip, jealousy, dissention, and the like are actively working to destroy the unity of the Church.
Dr. Allison pointed out from Ephesians 4:2 that unity is maintained and achieved through the attitudes of gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love. He challenged all of us to dig deep into the places where we and our churches are not unified and accurately diagnose the root issue, which is nearly always sin of some sort. One of his closing lines on this topic was profound: “The will to maintain unity can overcome significant differences.”
In his stirring book David: Man of Prayer, Man of War, Walter Chantry contrasts the life and leadership of David and Saul. I’m not a big fan of moralistic character studies in the Bible. All too often, they are poor interpretations of Scripture. However, Chantry’s little book is an exception, packed with practical and gospel insights for leaders. I love his emphasis on the Spirit.
David vs. Saul: What’s the Difference?
Consider the following differences between two kings of Israel, David and Saul, taken largely from 1 Samuel 16-17:
David
Unimpressive stature
Inexperienced
Heart after God
Repentant
God-reliant
Spirit-filled
Saul
Impressive stature
Experienced
Hardened heart
Resistant
Self-reliant
Spirit-possessed
God uses the unexpected, unimpressive, and inexperienced to accomplish remarkable things. Saul was a head above most men. David was ruddy and smaller in stature. Saul was driven by an evil spirit and died a crazed, God-forsaken man. David drove an evil spirit from Saul with the sound of his lyre. Saul hid out in his tent when Goliath taunted the Israelites. David stood up for his people and God and defeated Goliath. What made the difference between these two leaders?
The Spirit of the Lord
The Holy Spirit made all the difference between these two men. The chronicler of Israel’s history reveals the primary difference between these two kings. He writes: “And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul…” (1 Sam. 16:13-14).
The ultimate contrast between these men was not their appearance or experience; it was their spirit. We’re told that the Spirit rushed upon David, while the Spirit departed from Saul. One man was Spirit-filled and led. The other was Spirit-devoid and distrusting. David would plead with God not to take his Spirit (Ps 51:11). God, on the other hand, would take his Spirit from Saul.
On March 23 and 24, 2007, Dr. Bruce Ware came to Mars Hill Church in Seattle to speak on issues related to the sovereignty of God. Here is all the media from that event:
Session 1: Uncertain Hands of God and Men: Providence in Process Thought and Open Theism – Bruce Ware
In Acts 19, we see that Apollos and some Ephesians became followers of John the Baptist and received his baptism. They knew that John pointed beyond himself to Jesus. They probably knew not only of Jesus' life and ministry, but also about his death and resurrection. D.A. Carson writes:
But apparently they knew nothing of Pentecost and what it signified of eschatological transformation. This ignorance could have developed because they (or the people who taught them) left Jerusalem (like tens of thousands of other diaspora Jews) shortly after the Passover feast—that is, they learned of Jesus' death and resurrection, but not of the coming of the Spirit.
(Showing the Spirit)
These people were in a salvation history time-warp. They are in the same situation as the believers of Acts 1. They are living in the section of time before the unfolding of salvation history.
This is a unique experience because it is rather abnormal to find someone who follows John the Baptist's teaching of Jesus, accepts Jesus' life, death, and resurrection as true, and is ignorant of Pentecost.
The tongues of Acts 19 do not serve as communication of glorious praise as in Acts 2, and they are not to authenticate a new group to the Jerusalem church. Rather, they serve as the attestation to the Ephesian believers themselves of the gift of the Spirit that transfers them as a group from the old era to the one in which they should be living (D.A. Carson, Showing the Spirit).
In Acts 10, the Spirit falls on Gentiles while Peter is speaking. This experience with the Holy Spirit is attested to by tongues and followed by water baptism. Again, note the lack of a particular sequence. It is no more normative than Acts 2 or Acts 8.
The Jewish believers with Peter are shocked that the Holy Spirit is poured out even on the Gentiles (Acts 10:45). They probably thought that Gentiles should become Jewish proselytes first. They knew the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles when they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God (Acts 10:46). Therefore, there was nothing to prevent the Gentiles from being baptized as Christians. Acts 10:47 quotes the Jewish believers, "They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." Peter uses this incident (Acts 11:15-17) to answer the challenge of the Jerusalem church concerning the necessity for a believer in Jesus to first be a Jewish proselyte.
God Can Make All Things Clean
The reference to Acts 2 is obvious. The same Holy Spirit who had been poured out on Jews had also been poured out on Gentiles. God can make all things clean. The conclusion, embraced by Peter and by the Jerusalem church, was that these Gentiles were fellow believers. Repentance unto life had been granted even to those who had not come under the Mosaic covenant (D.A. Carson, Showing the Spirit).
The tongues of Acts 10-11 do not serve to communicate God's glory to nonbelievers. They do, however, serve as authentication to Jewish believers that Gentiles are members of the messianic community apart from the institution of the law of Moses.
In Acts 8, the Samaritans believe the gospel that Philip preaches, and then they are baptized. However, they do not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John lay their hands on them. The discussion between charismatic and non-charismatic is whether the Samaritans were really believers. If they were believers, the charismatics make a case for reception of the Holy Spirit as a second stage experience. Some non-charismatics, possibly because of these implications, urge that the Samaritans were not true believers. If this were true, the reception of the Holy Spirit is the only salvation.
Missing the Point
This debate does not seem to be Luke's point or purpose. As Don Carson explains in Showing the Spirit:
The problem in part is that the debate has been cast in simple antithesis: either the charismatic insistence that the Samaritans were converted immediately upon hearing is correct, or the non-charismatic insistence that the Samaritans were not converted until after they had received the Spirit is correct. But we are not limited to those alternatives. It is far from clear, judging from the diversity of his approaches (see Acts 2:38; 8:12; 10:44-48) that Luke is particularly interested in the question of normative order of faith, water rite, experience of the Holy Spirit, and the like.
Half-Breeds
The Samaritans were considered "half-breeds," both racially and religiously, and they were operating from the Pentateuch of the Jerusalem Canon. In Acts 8, it appears as if the Spirit is withheld to draw a connection between the Jerusalem church and the Samaritans. If the order of events was different from this the Samaritans may have assumed autonomy from Jerusalem or Jerusalem may not have accepted them as full brothers and sisters in the family of God.
The experience of the Spirit on Pentecost is a fulfillment of the prophecy of John the Baptist concerning the one—Jesus—who would baptize in the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11, Mark 1:6, Luke 3:16, and John 1:33). This promise is also stated by Jesus Christ in Acts 1:5. In addition to this, the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost reveals a missional thrust.
Acts 1:4-5 is not an injunction to justify contemporary, post-conversion "waiting" experiences for a personal Pentecost. Rather, Pentecost in Luke's perspective is "first of all a climactic salvation-historical event" (D.A. Carson, Showing the Spirit). Peter's explanation of the pouring out of the Spirit on all people groups attests to this position (Acts 2 and Joel 2).
As J.I. Packer mentions in Keeping In Step With the Spirit, the point is that Pentecost is a salvation-historical event that fulfills what the prophets said (identifying Jesus as the Messiah). Luke's emphasis in Acts 2 is on the fulfillment of prophecy, not on paradigms for personal experience.
The Purpose of Tongues
If this is the case, then Acts 2 raises some questions for charismatics and non-charismatics. Many charismatics use this passage to affirm that all who are filled with the Holy Spirit should, as a normative practice, speak in tongues. The non-charismatics attempt to make the evangelistic use of tongues (of Acts 2) the normative and exclusive purpose of tongues.
A study of 1 Corinthians 12-14 shows that not all speak in tongues and that the tongues of Acts and 1 Corinthians are different. Luke is not concerned to establish a proper order among baptism, faith, and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Rather, Luke is introducing the missional ministry of the Holy Spirit as the gospel is beginning to spread.
The Resurgence is a movement that resources multiple generations to live for Jesus so that they can effectively reach their cities with the Gospel by staying culturally accessible and Biblically faithful.
