Our church recently had a visiting pastor from another reformed church share with us on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. I greatly enjoyed what he had to say and it was very refreshing. He handed out some literature that he wrote that, while it is certainly not anything new, and not earthshaking, and while it is what I believe and have believed for a little while, I thought it would be profitable to post it here on my blog. I will post it by bits at a time so it will be over the next few days.

The Rallying Cries of the Reformation
Rev. Marcus J. Serven, TH.M.

It is appropriate for Christians to remember the significant heroes of the past. This is especially true for Protestants, since there have been so many truly great champions from the Reformation era (c. 1517-1650) who made a major impact upon the present day church. Men such as:

Theodore Beza, Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, John Hus, John Knox, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Pierre-Robert Olivetan, Caspar Olevianus, Nicolas Ridley, Samual Rutherford, Menno Simons, William Tyndale, Zacharias Ursinus, John Wycliffe, Ulrich Zwingli, and many other lesser known persons. Each of these Reformers, despite some of their individual differences, greatly influences the Church in their own particular region to hold to right doctrine (orthodoxy). This is why taking the time to remember these men on reformation day (October 31st), the very day that Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral, is good and right and proper. Consider the following “rallying cries” as hard won blessings which have been “bought with blood” for the benefit of Christ’s Church during this current era in which we live.

1. “By Christ Alone” (Solus Christus): Jesus Christ is the only name by which we may be saved (Isaiah 53:1-12; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
2. “By Scripture Alone” (Sola Scriptura): The Bible alone is the source of God’s revelation; it contains the Law, the Gospel, the principles for how we should live and worship and think (John 10:35; II Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 4:12-13).
3. “By Grace Alone” (Sola Gratia): God’s grace alone is the ground of our salvation, and this is received by faith alone (Psalm 31:1; Ephesians 2:4-10; Titus 2:11-14).
4. “By Faith Alone” (Sola Fide): God-given faith is the only way to receive the imputed righteousness of Christ, which results in our justification (Romans 1:16-17, and 3:28; Ephesians 2:8-9).
5. “In the Presence of God” (Coram Deo): Christians are exhorted by the Bible to live all of life in the presence of God. This implies that there is no area of life where we do not “business with God” [Negotium Cum Deo] (Proverbs 15:3; Ephesians 5:1-14; Colossians 3:1-17).
6. “To God Be the Glory” (Sola Deo Gloria): God alone is the proper recipient of our gratitude in the matter of salvation and the Christian life (I Corinthians 10:31; Titus 3:5-7; I Peter 4:10-11).
7. “The Priesthood of Every Believer” (Communio Sanctorum): Every Believer is exhorted by God to live out the Christian life as a “holy venture” that pleases God (I Peter 2:9-10). Our sanctification and assurance of salvation are based solely upon the finished work of Christ on the cross (Romans 12:1-2; I John 1:9; I Peter 2:21-25).
8. “After Darkness Light” (Post Tenebras Lux): This was the motto of Geneva, Switzerland during the time of the Reformation. It reflects the wonderful deliverance from their former way of life that the local population came to feel as they lived by the doctrines of the Bible (John 3:19-21 and 8:12; Colossians 1:13-14).

It seems to me that people have a mixed up perception of vows these days and so they have a mixed up perception of baptism. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe people have a mixed up perception of vows because they have a mixed up perception of baptism. Allow me to explain.

You see, when someone is baptized, there is a vow made to the Lord. But somehow we think that if the person’s heart wasn’t right with God that that vow was not valid. To make my point, I am going to use an illustration.

Suppose I decide to buy a house. I meet with the realtor, I meet with the owner of the house, I sign a contract. I have now made a vow saying that I will buy the house. If I now decide a day or so later that I wasn’t sincere when I signed the contract (made that vow) that I am somehow not obligated to that contract? Of course this not the case. I am still obligated to that vow. Now suppose that the person who sold you the house decided that they weren’t sincere. Does that make the contract any less valid? Of course it does not. THAT IS WHAT A CONTRACT IS ALL ABOUT. To say a contract can be broken because a party is not sincere DEFEATS the purpose of the contract.

Now lets apply this to baptism. Suppose I become a Christian, and decide to be baptized (buy a house). I repented of my sins, and now I go to an elder of a Church and say I would like to be baptized (meet with the realtor and owner of the house. Of course in a perfect world I would already have had explained to me that I am by my baptism entering into a Covenant/Vow, and become a part of God’s covenant people). So I am now baptized. I have become a member of God’s visible Church here on this earth, A visible member of God’s covenant people (signed a contract). Suppose I decide that I was not sincere when I made that vow and become baptized. Does that make my vow, and thus my entry into the visible Church of God invalid? I should think not. I have obligations now. To whom much is given, much is required, and I now have much given to me. Now suppose the person who baptized me turns out to be a fraud in some way, or has decided that he is not sincere in his faith. Does that make my part in the vow of none effect? Not even. And why is this? Because he was a visible part of God’s church and he also had that obligation. It all goes back to what a vow is. A vow is just that, a vow.

All this is not to say that vows can’t be broken. But that they apply and are obligatory. If I break my vow, there are consequences.

Now, I would also like to point out a problem with today’s thinking of vows in regards to who can make them, and for whom. Take Samson for instance in the Bible. Consecrated from birth. He had no choice in the matter. He couldn’t grow up and simply say, I had no choice in my vow, therefore it doesn’t apply to me. The same way, that no Israelite in the Old Covenant could say, I didn’t choose to be born an Israelite, or to be circumcised therefore I am not obligated to the Covenant God has made with His people (Israel at that time). There is no way that could happen. If he did that there were consequences to his breaking of the Covenant. A vow he had no control over.

If you are a Christian, your children are YOUR children. They have no choice in the matter. And as such, they are disciples of Christ. They are members of God’s covenant. How do we know this. Because Peter said in Acts that the promise was unto us and our children and to them that are afar off. Well wait, he said “the” promise. He didn’t say “the new promise” It is obviously a continuation, a promise that is referred to. A promise that has been and is being fulfilled.

As circumcision in the Old Covenant, which the apostle Paul references, so baptism in the New Covenant is the means by which we, and our children visibly enter in to the Covenant. And just because our children didn’t make a choice doesn’t mean that they are not obligated. They can certainly fall away, but they will receive greater condemnation. And that puts more weight on the parents shoulders. You add to your child’s condemnation if you do not raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This does not, as some like to say to me, negate God’s sovereignty. It does not preclude God’s election. Rather, I think it enhances God’s sovereignty. He is so sovereign, he determines which parents will raise his elect and which will not. But it still does not take away from our responsibility in the slightest.

Okay, I am sure I have gone enough different directions as to confuse my readers, so I will stop. I hope this makes some measure of sense.

Rachel and I just got back last night from our visit in Illinois. We had a great time. I also got to see my grandma who is doing better. I mean she is at least walking by herself with her walker (slow as she can be but she’s doing it).

I am a little tired this morning, but I’m sure I’ll get over it. Franklin Films is in the process of occupying a new office to go along with the current one so I need to get back to work.

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while. If anybody is still checking this blog (which is not likely since I haven’t posted in, like forever) I have just been really busy. And it will probably get worse before it gets better unfortunately.

Rachel and I are in Illinois for Labor Day weekend. I don’t have to go back to work until Wednesday, so we won’t be leaving here until Tuesday.

Anyway, just wanted to post something.

Okay, I found this article through a forum that I visit often and thought it was interesting. Please feel free to comment on this article. I mean, should those of us who go to Star Bucks boycott it or not? It is pretty distressing stuff, assuming it is true.

I went up to see my Grandma in the nursing home last weekend. We left Friday afternoon (I was able to get the afternoon off of work) at 3:00 from my dad’s place in Lobelville. It was Dad, Elise, Levi, Rachel and myself in dad’s car. The trip wasn’t too bad for me at least because I brought my laptop with me and worked on the re-designing of my website that I had started a couple of days ago. It’s amazing how much time that sort of thing takes. I spent hours in Photoshop and Dreamweaver. And it’s not a complicated site by any means. I can see how web design would be a full time job. But I’m getting side tracked.

My Grandma fell 2 weeks ago sometime during the night and broke some bones in her face. She then went to the hospital for a couple of days, and is now in a nursing home for rehabilitation. She DOES NOT want to be there, and that is one of the reasons we went up to see her. She needs a lot of love from all of us right now. It’s sad because she is completely with it, but has a hard time talking. Anyway, those of you who read my blog, please pray for her.

Also, Rachel and I went to visit her Grandma Price in the nursing home in Pekin, IL. She seemed to be doing okay for the most part, though she had lost her glasses. But she had found them again by Sunday so she was in a better mood then.

Okay, so I don’t have much more to say, but I just felt like I needed to post something on my blog. Seems I am too busy to post on it very much.