Preservation

The Security of the Believer

The door of Christian assurance and perseverance turns on the hinge of preservation. Preservation rises up out of a text like John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”

Can you get anymore industrial strength of seat-belt security than the powerful and preserving work of the hands of the Son and the Father? Sit and spin, Christian. God holds fast His children where they will never perish. Never. In the 1970s Deep Purple sung of a threat:

Frank Zappa and the Mothers

Were at the best place around

    But some stupid with a flare gun

 Burned the place to the ground

But, uh-uh—the threat of a raging fire will the never happen to the “gambling house” of the Christian. No raging fire around the Lake Geneva of the life of the one who rests in God’s promises. Texts like John 10, conveyed by Calvin and Calvin’s Calvinism, teach security and comfort. No burning, no perishing of the Christian. Preservation.

The Christian’s perseverance turns on the hinge of preservation.

G. Mark Sumpter

Ever Had to Choose a Bible Study Guide?

Some Helps on How to Choose a Study Guide

Here’s my take; admittedly, I give focus to the guide’s content:

1. Each guide or help or commentary will have strengths and weaknesses.

2. Picking through the strengths and the weaknesses becomes a task.

3. It is work having to evaluate everything we read or hear. We wish we could relax about this.


4. It is a worthy goal to learn from brothers and sisters with whom we do not share every word and point of doctrine.

5. Maybe these are the top areas and questions to keep in mind (as I write these, I assume the author of the guide believes the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God):

a) Does the Bible Study guide or commentary show a fairly consistent approach to appreciating the unity of the Old and New Testaments? Does it show that the New fulfills the Old? The New builds off of the Old?


b) Does this appreciation for the unity of the Bible give a focus to the person and work of Jesus Christ? Does it work with the themes of God’s redemption? These themes are: God is at the center glorifying Himself—Father to Son, Son to Father, Spirit to Father and Son—by His power, wisdom and love in and with His creation and all His creatures; That His covenant and Kingdom show His rule and grace; That His Word calls for faith and trust in Him through an appointed leader, a representative (mediator); That Christ is being presented more and more from Genesis moving into the New Testament as the One who is the fulfillment of promises, hope and joy as the believer’s Mediator; That we, as believers, are bound together in Christ with privileges and responsibilities—to worship and serve as the Church; That God is the Judge over all; That the Gospel triumphs over sin, death, hell and the devil. Themes. Does the study guide help you to see themes?


c) Is there a consistent message that Jesus Christ is the way of salvation for sinners? That faith alone in Christ alone has focus? Is the study material following the doctrines of God’s grace—T.U.L.I.P.?


d) Is there a consistent reminder that believers are to live out of their spiritual union—their spiritual oneness—with Christ? Do you read or hear, “Christian, be who you are in Christ…….obey God’s commandments motivated by and supplied by the grace of God in Jesus Christ—that He is your life and strength and confidence”?

e) Is there an appreciation for the church being central as the primary form and example of God’s way of i) ruling, ii) providing for, and iii) being involved in the world? We know He is Lord over all men and things. One important way that we learn of this is through His dealings with His church. When we approach things this way, we grow in our appreciation for the local church. This is what is meant when we say that the church provides cues for the world. When the church is showing proper, faithful leadership, then the world has an example to follow. When the church is providing for and caring for one another, the world learns about providing for and caring for others. The church is a model of God’s kingdom. The church’s centrality is upheld.

f) Ethical application issues in a study guide—where am I weak? Proud? Troubled? Rebellious? Poor example? Making gains? Where is the church weak? Proud? Troubled? Rebellious? A Poor example? Making gains? Etc.

Studies and commentaries will move in and out of these points. We, as teachers and leaders, should aim to see these things in a Bible passage. When we use a study guide keeping these points in mind, we’ll be seeing more of a well-rounded approach to opening and using God’s Word.

G. Mark Sumpter

The Sequence of Narrative and Song

Lessons Based on Lyrics

The sequence of narrative story and then lyrical poetry, the songs of the saints, should get our attention in the Bible. There’s Exodus 14, narrative; Exodus 15, lyrics; then, Judges 4, narrative; Judges 5, lyrics. You get the same in Luke 1-2; likely you have it at Philippians 1:12-2:4 and Philippians 2:5-11, and then with Revelation closing out the New Testament, there is the lyrical emphases of 5:12-13; 7:12; 11:17; 14:3; 15:3.

Do you see the tag-you’re-it sequence? First, story and then song; the singing provides the interpretation, commentary and explanation of the story. Do you want to learn theology? Then learn to sing the songs of the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).

We have the tendency to see the narrative—and didactic—as the stopping place for theology. The Bible rightly points us to lyrics, poetry and figures in song to drive home the lessons of the story.

G. Mark Sumpter