Foundations

So this week I got a call on my day job at the post office substation I work at. The lady explained that she had sent a package to be delivered in North Carolina and it had been misdelivered to Philadelphia. She informed me that our office had mistakenly entered the wrong zip code into our computer.

After listening to her explain this, I replied that typing the wrong zip code into the computer would make no difference.

Our computer is an old DOS computer that basically just runs the USPS program off of a 3&1/2 floppy disk. It is connected to a scale, and basically the point the computer serves is to record amount totals and work in conjunction with the scale to provide prices for letters and packages. We do not print off labels or enter anything into the post office online database. Our computer is not connected to the internet. I'm explaining this so that you understand that there is no possibility that we could have made an error that would cause the result this lady described.

Now, I attempted to explain all this to her and she edited her story slightly by explaining that the delivery confirmation was entered with the incorrect zip code.

The delivery confirmation is a bar code sticker that goes onto the package and is supposed to be scanned in at different points along the way, but rarely is. The customer keeps a receipt with the corresponding number so that they can either call the toll free number or look it up on usps.com. When we add a delivery confirmation onto a package, we enter the number onto the computer. This does not enter it into the post office database, because our computer is not connected to the internet (see above). That information does not get saved by the computer to be sent to the post office on a hard copy receipt. Entering the number onto the computer simply adjusts the price total for the item.

I reiterated that again, this could not have caused the package to be delivered incorrectly. The post office looks at the label to see where to deliver it. What the label says is where it is delivered to.

She then explains that I was training someone else that day and it was actually the trainee who made the mistake since I was signing for something in the back.

I felt a little silly repeating the same thing another time: Nothing we enter into the computer affects where the package is delivered. The only way for the package to end up in the wrong city is if it is addressed to the wrong city. It doesn't matter who in our office handled the transaction. It doesn't matter whether we entered the wrong zip code. It doesn't matter if the delivery confirmation was entered incorrectly. The additional information is irrelevant if the basic cause and effect argument is faulty.

She still didn't get it and hung up. Oh well.

Thinking back on it later, it reminded me again one of the reasons I simply can't take evolution seriously: In the beginning, either there was nothing or something has always existed. If there was at some point nothing, then something must have been created out of nothing. I find that logic wanting. Atheists and agnostics can prattle on all they like about the certainty of evolution based on science - a weak argument on its own merits - at the end of the day, they're left with an unsupportable proposition.

Whatever other evidence you want to bring up (and evolution is far from free of chinks in its armor), that one fact is still sitting there like the stray cat that keeps showing up for free meals and you wish would go someplace else to freeload: How could something come from nothing, or how could something always exist.

To the Christian, it's an easy answer: God has always existed. God alone had the wisdom and power to create something else out of nothing. But as long as mankind refuses to acknowledge the possibility of a Creator and refuses to acknowledge the elephant in the room - that something could not come out of nothing, they will continue down the path to destruction.

The foundation truths affect everything. If you have a weak foundation, you are left with a house of cards that sooner or later will fall.

SDG

Grace 'n the Gospel

So I mentioned in my last post that I saw "180". I liked it. I do agree, though, with the critique that suggested a better explanation of the Gospel might be in order. Friday night, after 9 holes of golf - I did poorly, thanks for asking, though I still got less than 6 strokes a hole, so it could be worse... - Dad, Mom, Kevin and I went to see "Courageous", the latest flick from Sherwood Church.

I liked it. I had a few minor qualms with it, but overall it was good. And while admittedly the subject matter wasn't the Gospel; and while it was being pushed towards professing believers to exhort them to improve in a particular way, I still wish they could have managed to work in more of the Gospel into it. It's sometimes said that Christians often don't present the Gospel well enough for the non-elect to reject it. That is to say, we present such a shallow version of the good news that anyone would accept it, even those who would never commit to the true good news of salvation.

I wouldn't go that far in either of these two films. The Gospel is shared in both - and clearly enough - so that an unbeliever watching hears enough to be saved from it. But, if I may presume to paraphrase a statement from "Courageous": I don't want it to be simply 'good enough'. The Gospel is such a great and beautiful thing that it deserves to be richly declared for all its wonder and majesty.

How many Christians in the world today can even articulate the Gospel clearly, let alone truly understand the full majesty that Paul was pointing to in Ephesians 1:17-23:

Paul's desire was,

"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

The 'riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints'. Too often, we're fortunate to even hear the true Gospel. The majesty is far too often forgotten.

That's why I'm especially grateful when I encounter the Gospel when it is truly shared well.

Two examples of this:

       1. A song:
The folks over at Church Works Media have written a number of good songs. One in particular I'm sure some of you are unfamiliar with, though I think there may be some who are aware of it: "His Robes for Mine".

"His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.


Chorus:
I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise-my all-shall be for Christ alone.


His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.


His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “‘Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.


His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!"

You can hear the song performed by Soundforth's choir over at Grooveshark, if you are interested. Yet, a song is kind of limited in it's message by the very nature of the medium. And as much as I like this song and recommend you to listen to it, I'd like to recommend even more the second thing I spoke of above:

        2. A book:
Some of you may have heard my mention my recent enjoyment of the podcasted sermons of Sinclair Ferguson, the Scottish preacher/theologian. I tell you frankly, I'm not sure I know of anyone else living who speaks of grace so beautifully as Sinclair Ferguson. It is both convicting and incredibly encouraging to hear him tell of God's wonderful grace towards us. Ligonier Ministries has what they call "$5 Fridays" on their website store. Some weeks ago, Dr. Ferguson's book, "By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me" became available on a certain Friday. Dad was getting a copy for himself, in addition to several other books. Now ordinarily Dad and I try not to buy the same books. On this particular one, though, I asked him to get me a personal copy as well.

Before reading it, I had some momentary concerns that perhaps Dr. Ferguson's Spirit gifted ability to speak on grace extended only to preaching and that it might not carry over as well to written works. Having finished the book, I can say without any hesitation that I had no cause for worry. I not only enjoyed the book, I am already looking forward to reading it again the next time (though I will hold back from doing so immediately...while I read another of his books, "In Christ Alone" :-D ).

The book is composed of seven chapters, each one somewhat centered around the themes of the seven verses of the song, "Oh How the Grace of God Amazes Me".

"O how the grace of God
Amazes me!
It loosed me from my bonds
And set me free!
What made it happen so?
’Twas His will, this much I know,
Set me, as now I show,
At liberty.


My God has chosen me,
Though one of nought,
To sit beside my King
In heaven’s court.
Hear what my Lord has done
O, the love that made Him run
To meet His erring son!
This has God wrought.


Not for my righteousness,
For I have none,
But for His mercy’s sake,
Jesus, God’s Son,
Suffered on Calvary’s tree -
Crucified with thieves was He -
Great was His grace to me,
His wayward one.


And when I think of how,
At Calvary,
He bore sin’s penalty
Instead of me.
Amazed, I wonder why
He, the sinless One, should die
For one so vile as I;
My Saviour He!


Now all my heart’s desire
Is to abide
In Him, my Saviour dear,
In Him to hide.
My shield and buckler He,
Covering and protecting me:
From Satan’s darts I’ll be
Safe at His side.


Lord Jesus, hear my prayer,
Your grace impart;
When evil thoughts arise
Through Satan’s art,
O, drive them all away
And do You, from day to day,
Keep me beneath Your sway,
King of my heart.


Come now, the whole of me
Eyes, ears and voice,
Join me, creation all,
With joyful noise:
Praise Him who broke the chain
Holding me in sin’s domain,
And set me free again!
Sing and rejoice!"

While these verses are used as a sort of centering point around which each chapter circles, make no mistake: It is unrelentingly Biblical. For instance, chapter two uses the three (or one, depending on how you interpret the passage) parables of Luke 15 as his basis. Chapter 5 primarily answers the questions found in Romans 8:31-35. Much of chapter 6 is devoted to an examination of the story of Job, particularly focusing on Job 9-10. The final chapter is a beautiful examination of Romans 6.

The seven chapters are titled:

1. My Chains Fell Off
2. Unconditional Love
3. At God's Expense
4. A Great Exchange
5. Guaranteed Security
6. Delivered From Evil
7. True Freedom

The book is rich, but simple. Theologically strong, yet incredibly approachable. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Get it. Read it. Pass it to someone else to read. When they're done, read it again. Seriously: It is tremendous stuff.

This post is long, so we'll end here.

SDG