Just ordered a personalized self-inking stamp using this image. It’s coming in the mail.
I feel so legit.
-Riley
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leave comments on the Mere blog, not here please. -Riley My current reading list is getting kind of overwhelming. The books I’m actually currently “reading” (although some I haven’t opened in weeks):
I would ask for recommendations but I’m a little afraid since I have so much to do! Although I will go ahead and ask for recommendations and comments. Bring em! -Riley Well, hey. I haven’t posted in a long time, I know. Part of that has to do with the fact that I kind of dropped off the face of the earth after the accident and never really got back into the swing of things. But alas, here we are. Back in the swing of things. Feels good. So, YRRs. What are they and why should we care? YRR is a name given to a particular ‘classification’ (if you will) in the modern evangelical scene. These would be the Young, Restless, and Reformed. These are the guys that nitpick bad theology, dig being indie, often bash religion, enjoy being edgy, but are for the most part more doctrinally sound than many. I’ll avoid naming names here, but you can probably pick one out of a pack at your church (assuming you live in the bible belt). But enough of the biting jokes. This group is a curious breed. The original YRRs aren’t as bash-y, but the newer ones are. These new ones are curious. They’re like reformed, more intense Emergents. An evangelical wild card. So what’s the big tada? Why don’t I want to be YRR? Well, part of me being YRR is being young (obviously), restless (naturally) and reformed (ecclesiastically). So why would I not want to be what I already am by being young, restless, and theologically reformed? Typically (and I say typically as a generalization), YRRs are often characterized by self-righteousness, pride, for-reals-debunkingness (with little to no jest), and the like. These characteristics are all things that I struggle with. Thinking I know everything, thinking I know the right way how to do something, thinking I’m above those much more mature than I am. These are all mistakes often evident in the YRR scene. One could even argue that this post about YRRs is in the spirit of YRRs. Where did they come from? Most usually they came from the System. I use that word to describe American religion at its finest. I know that comes with a negative connotation, but I hope it is not taken that way. I’m not a System-lover, don’t get me wrong, but generally the YRR scene can trace their roots to disillusionment in a faith built on religion (rather than religion built on faith). What irks me sometimes thinking about this is the seemingly not full picture these guys take when they look at religion. They saw the gospel inoculation in their churches. They saw the need for evangelism in other areas. They saw people worshiping morality and praising empty rituals. Then they abandoned it with disgust. I struggle to not be a hypocrite here by judging without knowing, but I can’t help but make observations. A lot of these guys were fed up with the System, whether it be denominations, affiliations, conventions, etc. that they kicked it to the curb not only as undesirable for them but also undesirable for others. They saw corruption and sin and empty religion and (I can’t help but wonder) blamed the religion instead of the religious. They blamed the denomination instead of the depravity. They blamed the System instead of sin. They abandoned traditional congregations in search of the truth, simultaneously abandoning the people. “Surely,” says the spirit of the young, restless, disenchanted man, “I’ve discovered the truth! These people follow this empty religion and worship it instead of Christ!” They leave this real observation of sin then go to flirt dangerously with the danger of another: worshiping the absence of religion. Glorying in being independent is just as dangerous to the fallen human as glorying in empty religion. And yes, while empty religion and rituals can confuse people to believe that they are close to God, restless independence can convince people that they don’t need to be. The danger is two-fold. I am YRR. While I have some respect for the System, I struggle with speaking my young, immature, prideful mind that so often gives evidence to itself on this blog and with others. The danger of the YRR that entraps me most — rather, and more correctly, the danger of sin that entraps me most (because blaming the sin of self-righteousness on the YRR would be like the YRR blaming the sin of morality-worship on the religious) — is thinking I know the right way to do things. I desperately need the Spirit to continue to work in me to develop a sense of immaturity that I would seek and hunger for spiritual growth instead of relishing in my so-called discoveries and waving them as prideful banners over my brothers and sisters. What am I doing about it? Well, I’ve been really digging John Piper. I know his name gets thrown around a lot around here, but I have tremendous respect for the guy. He’s a guy who knows religion and morality, even sees its merits, but glories solely in the Gospel of Christ. This may be through tradition at times, but the God-glorifying, Christ-exalting goals of his ministry (in writing and speech, actually) are almost always made evident. He’s definitely not young, he’s definitely not restless, but he is reformed. And he’s wise. I would recommend any of his stuff to you. And, lest we forget and become obsessed with the works of uninspired man, the Word is the one-stop-shop for Truth, avenues for the Spirit to work in mending a prideful heart, and Christlike methods for learning humility. I need more of it every day. So, that’s about it. I’m a prideful, self-righteous young person who can often find pleasure in glorying in others’ issues, therefore creating my own. Welcome to being a stereotypical YRR. It’s okay though. They know me here. -Riley From This article on desiringgod.org
Read the article on www.desiringgod.org. I know we’ve discussed this some, but Grudem has some good thoughts on it. The article is adressed to John Piper as a response to Piper’s use of offensive langauge at a Passion conference. Piper had said something along the lines of “Sometimes God kicks our ass” (see here). -Riley Just thought my readers would find this interesting. It’s good stuff, from the Abstract of Principles of Southern Baptist. I. The Scriptures.The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. II. God.There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. III. The Trinity.God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. IV. Providence.God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures. V. Election.Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life — not because of foreseen merit in them, but of his mere mercy in Christ — in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified. VI. The Fall of Man.God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. VII. The Mediator.Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the Law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose hand He ever liveth to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe. VIII. Regeneration.Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickeneth the dead in trespasses and sins enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone. IX. Repentance.Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein a person being, by the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbleth himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. X. Faith.Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness. XI. Justification.Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith. XII. Sanctification.Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified, by God’s word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ’s commands. XIII. Perseverance of the Saints.Those whom God hath accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. XIV. The Church.The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all his true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to his commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies or churches; and to each of these churches he hath given needful authority for administering that order, discipline and worship which he hath appointed. The regular officers of a Church are Bishops, or Elders, and Deacons. XV. Baptism.Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It is prerequisite to church fellowship, and to participation in the Lord’s Supper. XVI. The Lord’s Supper.The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by his churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate his death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with him, and of their church fellowship. XVII. The Lord’s Day.The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, resting from worldly employments and amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted. XVIII. Liberty of Conscience.God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful thing commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. XIX. The Resurrection.The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God — the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. XX. The Judgment.God hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when every one shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life.
-Riley So, let’s lay some stuff down here to add to my last post.
The reasons for leaving a church are fewer than we think, as III has observed before. Be on the lookout for Be the Gospel Part 2: Take to the World. In pursuit of a brokenness for the world’s brokenness, and a burden to see redemption, regeneration and the name of Christ proclaimed. -Riley
Okay, interesting concept #2. Were the disciples saved? They evidently left everything to follow Jesus, trusting Him with their lives. But this scripture passage leads us to believe that the Gospel had not yet been revealed to them. They didn’t get it, even after hearing it. In our culture today, we sometimes group this with a possibly unregenerate heart. So, if the disciples were following Jesus, were they eternally secure even if they didn’t get what Jesus was going to do, and furthermore, we are led to believe the Spirit had not unblinded them to the Gospel. It seems easy to say they were ’saved’, if you will, and I go with that. Obviously, can’t judge a heart, but whether they were or weren’t, the prospects of them either trusting Christ with saving faith and being remaining Spirit-purposely blinded to the Gospel, or following Christ with everything and not believing in the Gospel are both puzzling.
Thoughts? -Riley
What an interesting concept. So the question is, did Jesus’ 100% flesh imply a nature of sin? Not of the action of sin, but of a nature. This scripture passage seems to imply that. Obviously Christ was perfect, but his perfection was only due to his being fully God. His own words seem to imply that his existence did not merit the ‘Good’ status of the Father. ‘Good’ here could be used to describe authority, which the Father obviously did have over the Son. But the question’s intent in the word ‘good’ and Jesus’ response’s use of the word ‘good’ ostensibly imply something different. Thoughts? Interesting, interesting idea. -Riley I may have just inadvertently made a website… http://bethegospel.org/ -Riley |
 Reading (bible):
Luke Reading (other):  The Cost of Discipleship - Dietrich Bonhoeffer Listening:  David Crowder Band - Church Music  Bethany Dillon - Get Up and Walk  Derek Webb - Stockholm Syndrome |
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