Tuesday, June 21, 2005

THE MEANING OF FATHERHOOD

Our lesson for the evening was about certain traits and characteristics we all want to see in our biological fathers and using the acronym F-A-T-H-E-R. We have a perfect, heavenly Father and all the attributes, traits and characteristics we want to see in an ideal father are already being manifested by Him in how He has related with humankind since the foundation of the world.

The F is for faithful.

Fathers must be faithful husbands. They lose the moral ground in leading or attempting to lead their children to righteousness if their lives are characterized by unfaithfulness and infidelity. And sadly, most societies today have found both to be acceptable. In a gathering of men, nary an eyebrow is raised when talk goes around to or about someone having an affair with this and that woman. Whether it was a one night stand, anaffair or an open secret, nobody seems to be surprised anymore. What's even more surprising is that men who are prone to such escapades seem to be more admired and even idolized by their peers and other fellowmen.

Fathers must be faithful to their families. As husbands, they must always be faithful and devoted to their wives. There are certain companies now which are adopting certain policies in the hiring of applicants and other key personnel. They want to see if the people they want to get for certain positions are faithful to their wives. If they're not, they would likely be unfaithful to the company as well. The government bureaucracy should adopt the same policies.

The A stands for affectionate.

Today's fathers are probably more affectionate than those of the previous generations. Fathers from whatever generation are known not be demonstrative in showing affection to those they love. Hugging, crying, holding hands (whether with their wives or their children), and other similargestures and behavior are supposedly unmanly. Virile, macho fathers aren't supposed to show their feelings. They're supposed to be invincible and inscrutable. This mindset has alienated many children from their fathers and has caused countless problems in many families. Everyone needs to love and be loved. That's human nature and we were certainly made that way. So there's nothing wrong about fathers being more demonstrative and expressive about their feelings to those they dearly love. If you're a son and you feel so dumb, down and discouraged and your world seems to be crumbling and falling apart and the solution to your woes and grief is neither in cash or kind, wouldn't it be such a wonderful feeling if all of a sudden your dad comes along, puts his arm around you and gently tells you, "Don't worry son, whatever is your problem, I will always be your dad and I will always love you."

Wow! Wouldn't that be great? You're in a mess, in crisis, in the gutter and here's your dad telling you that? That's how the prodigal son must have felt when his own dad ran to him and embraced him when he went back home after going away to spend in wild abandon his own inheritance. If you're this kind of a father who will not hesitate to show affection to his loved ones especially in their hour of need, then blessed and happy are your children indeed!
Affection is not something you can buy or earn whether you graduatedsumma cum laude from UP or Harvard. It's what you are deep inside.Often we learn the hard way that it's always better to be kind thanto be right.

The T stands for trusting.

If teen-aged kids today were asked what one trait they would like to see more in their fathers, I think trust would rank high in the list. Many fathers, myself included, don't seem to trust their children too much in so manyareas of concern from the food they eat, (why McDonald's?) the clothes they wear (do they have to expose their navels?), the friends they choose (I should know them all) to the careers they will pursue. We tend to be critical and judgmental often thinking they're not old enough to know what they're doing. Often we forget that our children have feelings and are distinct human individuals with unique personalities of their own.

The bible tells us in Colossians 3:21 (NIV) "Fathers, do not embitter your children or they will be discouraged." Also in Ephesians 6:4 (NIV), "Fathers, do not exasperate your children…" is a clear command addressed to fathers. And there are many instances whereby us fathers exasperate and discourage our children, from our double standards in modeling and teaching the right examples, over and under discipline, insensitivity, bad or negative attitudes to lack of quality time spent with them. One pastor and author saidthat the term quality time is misleading. You need quantity time in order to have quality time with your kids. I agree. As I often say, no amount of success can compensate for failure in the home.

The H is for honorable.

Fathers are supposed to be men of honor, men of integrity. Their word is their bond. They keep their promises. They honor their wedding vows. Alas, more and more fathers today are honorable only on paper or in their eyes…an ocean of difference lies between what they say and what they do. Dying if not gone are the days when honor was most valued by men. They would choose death rather than lie or dishonor their names.

One Hebrew word for man is "zakar" which means covenant-keeper. The word is closely related to the Arabic word "dakar" which refers to the male sex organ. The verb form of zakar means "to remember". Hence, if you combine the meaning of the verb and the noun forms, what you get is the "man remembering the covenant". When God told Abraham that He was making a covenant between Him and Abraham's seed, circumcision was the sign God instituted to seal the covenant, requiring hence that every male Israelite be circumcised on the 8th day after birth.

If we look at it closely, a considerable amount of the Old Testament revolves around the theme "to remember". This means that clearly and in no uncertain terms, God wants His people to remember…His covenant, the commandments, His decrees. He keeps telling us to remember because we keep forgetting. It was true then, even more so now. And marriages, families and societies today are breaking apart because men are forgetting or worse, ignoring to keep the covenant.

During the old days, men used to carry salt in pouches (he forgot to locate the bible passage) as this was not only a precious commodity but a form of money as well. (In fact, there were times the Roman legionnaires were paid salt instead of coins.) When two men entered into a covenant, they would seal the agreement by getting some salt from their own pouches andmix it with the salt on the other's pouch. The contracting party that breaks the covenant is usually required to take away and separate the pieces or grains of salt that was mixed in his pouch to symbolize the breach of contract. What a pathetic sight that should be!

The E stands for energetic.

Fathers cannot afford to be lazy or slothful. Since they are divinely mandated to be the breadwinners and providers in the family, they have to work diligently in their chosen professions. Fathers have to be responsible providers especially when there are mouths to feed and bodies to clothe. Children feel secure, encouraged and inspired when they see their fathers consistently providing and looking after their needs.

They have to be more emphatic and energetic in performing this particular role and function considering that more and more wives today are earning a lot more than their husbands. When this is the situation in a particular family, problems (emotional, relational or otherwise) will not be far behind. When a wife earns more than the husband, she will directly or indirectly challenge or undermine his authority and leadership as head of the family. The consequences are often disastrous.

The R stands for Rewarder.

Fathers ought to be more affirming and rewarding when it comes to relating with their children. We are quick to point out their mistakes, impose the necessary disciplinary measures etc etc yet hardly ever give them praise when they do something good no matter how petty or trivial the deed may be. Dorothy Law Nolte wrote in one of her literary pieces that if children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If they live with hostility, they learn to fight. If they live with ridicule, they learn to be shy. If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence. If they live with tolerance, they learn to be patient. If they live with praise, they learn to appreciate. If they live with acceptance, they learn to love. If they live with approval, they learn to like themselves. If they live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

R can also stand for Rewarded. When fathers perform according to their God-given roles and functions, it is certain they will be rewarded.

Success in fatherhood lies not in the strength of your arms or in the volume of your cash but in the closeness of your heart to the heart of God.

I thus exhort all fathers reading this now to seriously consider the foregoing. In our hands and under our care is a tremendous trust and responsibility. There are certain roles and functions that God has clearly ordained for us to assume and perform. For His glory and for His honor. For our sakes and those of our children, there is no choice but to obey.

Disobedience breeds nothing but tears and sorrow. We will always reap what we sow.

Be good and faithful fathers. Be happy and content with what you have. Whatever your situation and circumstance, be grateful and thankful to God. He is always in control. May you all have a good and godly day! May God bless us all!

(From the June 16 meeting of the Sigma Rho Bible Study. Posted by Pastor Aloysius Cezar)

Monday, June 20, 2005

FOUNDATIONS OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY

THE CAMBRIDGE DECLARATION
of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
April 20, 1996

Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith.

In the course of history words change. In our day this has happened to the word "evangelical." In the past it served as a bond of unity between Christians from a wide diversity of church traditions. Historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church. In addition, evangelicals also shared a common heritage in the "solas" of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation.

Today the light of the Reformation has been significantly dimmed. The consequence is that the word "evangelical" has become so inclusive as to have lost its meaning. We face the peril of losing the unity it has taken centuries to achieve. Because of this crisis and because of our love of Christ, his gospel and his church, we endeavor to assert anew our commitment to the central truths of the Reformation and of historic evangelicalism. These truths we affirm not because of their role in our traditions, but because we believe that they are central to the Bible.

Sola Scriptura: The Erosion Of Authority

Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the church's life, but the evangelical church today has separated Scripture from its authoritative function. In practice, the church is guided, far too often, by the culture. Therapeutic technique, marketing strategies, and the beat of the entertainment world often have far more to say about what the church wants, how it functions and what it offers, than does the Word of God. Pastors have neglected their rightful oversight of worship, including the doctrinal content of the music. As biblical authority has been abandoned in practice, as its truths have faded from Christian consciousness, and as its doctrines have lost their saliency, the church has been increasingly emptied of its integrity, moral authority and direction.

Rather than adapting Christian faith to satisfy the felt needs of consumers, we must proclaim the law as the only measure of true righteousness and the gospel as the only announcement of saving truth. Biblical truth is indispensable to the church's understanding, nurture and discipline.

Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliche's, promises. and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God's truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God's provision for our need. The Bible, therefore, must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preachers opinions or the ideas of the age. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.

The work of the Holy Spirit in personal experience cannot be disengaged from Scripture. The Spirit does not speak in ways that are independent of Scripture. Apart from Scripture we would never have known of God's grace in Christ. The biblical Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth.

Thesis One: Sola Scriptura

We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.

Solus Christus: The Erosion Of Christ-Centered Faith

As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the center of our vision.

Thesis Two: Solus Christus

We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father. We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.

Sola Gratia: The Erosion Of The Gospel

Unwarranted confidence in human ability is a product of fallen human nature. This false confidence now fills the evangelical world; from the self-esteem gospel, to the health and wealth gospel, from those who have transformed the gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy, to others who treat Christian faith as being true simply because it works. This silences the doctrine of justification regardless of the official commitments of our churches.

God's grace in Christ is not merely necessary but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. We confess that human beings are born spiritually dead and are incapable even of cooperating with regenerating grace.

Thesis Three: Sola Gratia

We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life. We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.

Sola Fide: The Erosion Of The Chief Article

Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. This is the article by which the church stands or falls. Today this article is often ignored, distorted or sometimes even denied by leaders, scholars and pastors who claim to be evangelical. Although fallen human nature has always recoiled from recognizing its need for Christ's imputed righteousness, modernity greatly fuels the fires of this discontent with the biblical Gospel. We have allowed this discontent to dictate the nature of our ministry and what it is we are preaching.

Many in the church growth movement believe that sociological understanding of those in the pew is as important to the success of the gospel as is the biblical truth which is proclaimed. As a result, theological convictions are frequently divorced from the work of the ministry. The marketing orientation in many churches takes this even further, erasing the distinction between the biblical Word and the world, robbing Christ's cross of its offense, and reducing Christian faith to the principles and methods which bring success to secular corporations.

While the theology of the cross may be believed, these movements are actually emptying it of its meaning. There is no gospel except that of Christ's substitution in our place whereby God imputed to him our sin and imputed to us his righteousness. Because he bore our judgment, we now walk in his grace as those who are forever pardoned, accepted and adopted as God's children. There is no basis for our acceptance before God except in Christ's saving work, not in our patriotism, churchly devotion or moral decency. The gospel declares what God has done for us in Christ. It is not about what we can do to reach him.

Thesis Four: Sola Fide

We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice. We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.

Soli Deo Gloria: The Erosion Of God-Centered Worship

Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: our interests have displaced God's and we are doing his work in our way. The loss of God's centrality in the life of today's church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and rest too inconsequentially upon us.

God does not exist to satisfy human ambitions, cravings, the appetite for consumption, or our own private spiritual interests. We must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God's kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.

Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria

We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone. We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self- fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.

Call To Repentance And Reformation

The faithfulness of the evangelical church in the past contrasts sharply with its unfaithfulness in the present. Earlier in this century, evangelical churches sustained a remarkable missionary endeavor, and built many religious institutions to serve the cause of biblical truth and Christ's kingdom. That was a time when Christian behavior and expectations were markedly different from those in the culture. Today they often are not. The evangelical world today is losing its biblical fidelity, moral compass and missionary zeal.

We repent of our worldliness. We have been influenced by the "gospels" of our secular culture, which are no gospels. We have weakened the church by our own lack of serious repentance, our blindness to the sins in ourselves which we see so clearly in others, and our inexcusable failure adequately to tell others about God's saving work in Jesus Christ.

We also earnestly call back erring professing evangelicals who have deviated from God's Word in the matters discussed in this Declaration. This includes those who declare that there is hope of eternal life apart from explicit faith in Jesus Christ, who claim that those who reject Christ in this life will be annihilated rather than endure the just judgment of God through eternal suffering, or who claim that evangelicals and Roman Catholics are one in Jesus Christ even where the biblical doctrine of justification is not believed.

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals asks all Christians to give consideration to implementing this Declaration in the church's worship, ministry, policies, life and evangelism. For Christ's sake. Amen.

ACE Council Members:
Dr. John ArmstrongRev. Alistair BeggDr. James M. BoiceDr. W. Robert GodfreyDr. John D. HannahDr. Michael S. HortonMrs. Rosemary JensenDr. R. Albert Mohler Jr.Dr. Robert M. NorrisDr. R. C. SproulDr. G. Edward VeithDr. David WellsDr. Luder WhitlockDr. J. A. O. Preus, III