Puritan Worship

Puritan Worship
A view of worship guided by the Regulative Principle, and other important matters.

There is a growing need to study the doctrine of the church and the doctrine of Worship.  Ignorance on this subject is not bliss since God commands the gathering together of His people for this express purpose (Heb. 10:25).  The Puritans knew worship very well.  Much of their writings were directed to this end.  Worship should be reflected in the entire life of the believer as his manner of glorifying God.  Without worship, men lose a sense of self.  That is why the lost try to fill the void that only worship to the Creator of the Universe is meant to hold.  They have a gnawing sense of emptiness when true worship is not being given to the sustainer of their being.  Worship and the church, then, even on that level alone, is one of the most important, if not the most important doctrine one could study.

The church is also having an identity crisis.  Since they do not know their Bibles, they have lost a sense of who they are before God.  Hopefully some, if not all of these articles will help the church find her identity again, and the people of God will remember again how to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Dr. C. Matthew McMahon, March, 2002

Cut from “A Puritan’s Mind” website

Perseverance of the Saints

“Perseverance of the Saints is a doctrine which states that the saints (those whom God has saved) will remain in God’s hand until they are glorified and brought to abide with him in heaven. Romans 8:28-39 makes it clear that when a person truly has been regenerated by God, he will remain in God’s stead. The work of sanctification which God has brought about in his elect will continue until it reaches its fulfillment in eternal life (Phil. 1:6). Christ assures the elect that he will not lose them and that they will be glorified at the “last day” (John 6:39). The Calvinist stands upon the Word of God and trusts in Christ’s promise that he will perfectly fulfill the will of the Father in saving all the elect.“

The Five Points of Calvinism by Jonathan Barlow

Irresistible Grace

“The result of God’s Irresistible Grace is the certain response by the elect to the inward call of the Holy Spirit, when the outward call is given by the evangelist or minister of the Word of God. Christ, himself, teaches that all whom God has elected will come to a knowledge of him (John 6:37). Men come to Christ in salvation when the Father calls them (John 6:44), and the very Spirit of God leads God’s beloved to repentance (Romans 8:14). What a comfort it is to know that the gospel of Christ will penetrate our hard, sinful hearts and wondrously save us through the gracious inward call of the Holy Spirit (I Peter 5:10)!“

The Five Points of Calvinism by Jonathan Barlow

Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption)

“Atonement is a doctrine offered in answer to the question, “for whose sins did Christ atone?” The Bible teaches that Christ died for those whom God gave him to save (John 17:9). Christ died, indeed, for many people, but not all (Matthew 26:28). Specifically, Christ died for the invisible Church — the sum total of all those who would ever rightly bear the name “Christian” (Ephesians 5:25).This doctrine often finds many objections, mostly from those who think that Limited Atonement does damage to evangelism. We have already seen that Christ will not lose any that the father has given to him (John 6:37). Christ’s death was not a death of potential atonement for all people. Believing that Jesus’ death was a potential, symbolic atonement for anyone who might possibly, in the future, accept him trivializes Christ’s act of atonement. Christ died to atone for specific sins of specific sinners. Christ died to make holy the church. He did not atone for all men, because obviously all men are not saved. Evangelism is actually lifted up in this doctrine, for the evangelist may tell his congregation that Christ died for sinners, and that he will not lose any of those for whom he died!“

The Five Points of Calvinism by Jonathan Barlow

Unconditional Election

“Unconditional Election is the doctrine which states that God chose those whom he was pleased to bring to a knowledge of himself, not based upon any merit shown by the object of his grace and not based upon his looking forward to discover who would “accept” the offer of the gospel. God has elected, based solely upon the counsel of his own will, some for glory and others for damnation (Romans 9:15,21). He has done this act before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4-8).

This doctrine does not rule out, however, man’s responsibility to believe in the redeeming work of God the Son (John 3:16-18). Scripture presents a tension between God’s sovereignty in salvation, and man’s responsibility to believe which it does not try to resolve. Both are true — to deny man’s responsibility is to affirm an unbiblical hyper-calvinism; to deny God’s sovereignty is to affirm an unbiblical Arminianism.

The elect are saved unto good works (Ephesians 2:10). Thus, though good works will never bridge the gulf between man and God that was formed in the Fall, good works are a result of God’s saving grace. This is what Peter means when he admonishes the Christian reader to make his “calling” and “election” sure (2 Peter 1:10). Bearing the fruit of good works is an indication that God has sown seeds of grace in fertile soil.“

The Five Points of Calvinism by Jonathan Barlow

Total Depravity (Total Inability)

“Total Depravity is probably the most misunderstood tenet of Calvinism. When Calvinists speak of humans as “totally depraved,” they are making an extensive, rather than an intensive statement. The effect of the fall upon man is that sin has extended to every part of his personality — his thinking, his emotions, and his will. Not necessarily that he is intensely sinful, but that sin has extended to his entire being.

The unregenerate (unsaved) man is dead in his sins (Romans 5:12). Without the power of the Holy Spirit, the natural man is blind and deaf to the message of the gospel (Mark 4:11f). This is why Total Depravity has also been called “Total Inability.” The man without a knowledge of God will never come to this knowledge without God’s making him alive through Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5).“

The Five Points of Calvinism by Jonathan Barlow

Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God

“Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone.”

Source: John Calvin’s “The Institutes of the Christian Religion”

My Graduation Testimony

It is a privilege to be used by God but it is more honored to be a minister of God’s Word. And I thank the Lord for this grand opportunity to be trained to become a mighty vessel in the expansion of His kingdom in the coming years.

The Lord has used Biblical Seminary of the Philippines (BSOP) as a pruning tool—the Lord has cleanse me from the ignoble things, so that I could be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Lord and prepared to do any good work. Moreover, BSOP is instrumental in imparting to me the importance of relationship, excellence, abilities, and practice.

Relationship. The inter-racial and inter-cultural community of BSOP was a challenge. Living together with people of different culture is challenging and a great opportunity to adjust and understand them in order to live harmoniously.

Excellence. The training that I underwent was tough. The assignments were thought-provoking and the exams pushed me to my limits. However, I never regretted these ordeals since the Lord made me realize again and again that He will continue to sharpen me so that I would become the kind of servant He wants me to be. As what Paul said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Abilities. The encouragement of the BSOP administrators and professors in each student’s unique ability allowed me to sharpen my God-given abilities and talents. The Lord has helped me discover some of my untapped potentials through the challenging tasks that I had engaged in.

Practice. As God’s shepherd, I have learned that we must live out servant hood and to practice what we preach. I have to lead the sheep that the Lord has entrusted me by example.

Through my four years of seminary training, the Lord has shown me my weak spots and that I had to depend on Him for wisdom, illumination and guidance.

It is my prayer that everything I learned in BSOP may be passed on to the churches or institutions where I will be serving. To God be the glory.

Good Advice vs. Good News

“At the core of just about every major religion is something we call advice, or a set of instructions intended to help you live a better life. But is that what lies at the heart of the Christian faith? Tips and instructions for personal transformation? Whatever happened to the Christian gospel?” - Michael Horton [Feb. 10, 2008] (http://whitehorseinn .org)

Indeed, more and more preachers are preaching “Good Advice” yet when they preach “Good News” people tend to go home and never come back until a new “good adviser” would come and touch their hearts on Sunday Worships.

Whose fault is it? The preacher’s? or The listener’s?

Singaporencore

Wow!!! Great experience, good food, nice people and the best Jazz music that I have heard so far… I truly thank Rev. Anthony Ang for inviting my wife and I to be his guest in the “Singapore Encore” January 31, 2008. The event was organized by Singapore International Foundation, in partnership with the Singapore Embassy in Manila at One Esplanade, Pasay City. The event was in celebration of the Singapore spirit through music, food and art. They were proud to present a night of enchantment, with performances by Singapore’s premier musicians. Reputed for its exponential growth, Singapore has an ever growing vibrant arts and cultural scene.

This premier musician made my night. I can only stare, listen and open my mouth in awe as I listen to their music. Mr. Jeremy Monteiro is a pianist, vocalist, composer, jazz educator - has won critical acclaims worldwide. He is dubbed as “Singapore’s King of Swings”. He is sooooo great. I love his composition. Indeed, music alone can talk. His quartet was also remarkable; Alemay Fernandez - vocals; Tama Goh- drums; Andrew Lim - guitar and Colin Yong - bass and flute. But their performance would never be as great without our very own filipino musicians: Tots Tolentino - saxophone and 75 years old, Sotero “Terry” Undag - trumpet.

Satay, Laksa, Chicken Rice and Nyonya Desserts were prepared by Chef Sunny Goh, the Executive Chef of the Heritage Hotel Manila.

With us as Rev. Anthony Ang’s guests were my favorite pastor Rev. Dr. David Cheung of ATS, brother Sam and sister Esther of UECP/CEF.

Meeting Singaporeans are like being in Singapore. The accent was there to stay and their hospitality will never be taken for granted. That was the place were I learned many things about Singapore, especially foods :). And the experience was unforgettable.

Mind you… the event was strictly formal…