Tag: Bible reading

  • Body of Divinity: Why Sound Doctrine Still Matters 

    I have been doing some reading in Thomas Watson’s “Body of Divinity”. Watson was a Puritan, and the “Divinity” is from his sermons on the Heidelberg Catechism, published after he died in 1776. It’s readily available for free from many sources online, including https://digitalpuritan.net/

    I’m not affiliated with them in any way and can’t endorse everything on their shelves, but they are a great source of free Puritan works. The Puritans get a bad rap in the world today, but they have much godly wisdom to impart.

    Spurgeon said,

    “Thomas Watson’s Body of Practical Divinity is one of the most precious of the peerless works of the Puritans; and those best acquainted with it prize it most. Watson was one of the most concise, racy, illustrative, and suggestive of those eminent divines who made the Puritan age the Augustan period of evangelical literature. There is a happy union of sound doctrine, heart-searching experience, and practical wisdom throughout all his works, and his Body of Divinity is, beyond all the rest, useful to the student and the minister.”

    Unlike some, I am a fan of catechisms and statements of faith. They should not in any way replace Scripture, and where they conflict, Scripture should always be trusted over them. They help articulate what the Scriptures teach. 

    In his introduction, Watson says,

    “It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well-grounded”

    I have to agree. It is, of course, possible for someone to be so theologically minded that they miss out on God’s love and grace in their lives. For the vast majority of Christians, this isn’t a risk at all.

    The Bible is clear that we need to know what we believe, why we believe it, and why it matters.

    Our doctrine matters because our faith is grounded in a very specific message.

    For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV

    Our destiny is grounded in truth.

    In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13 ESV

    But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits[a] to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 ESV

    We’re called to share the truth in a world of competing views and false teachers. We need to do our best to proclaim the truth and that requires understanding.

    The gospel is a sacred trust. We don’t often think of the gospel in those terms, but it is true.

    Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Jude 1:3 ESV

    Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 ESV

    How well have you been guarding the truth entrusted to you? We can all use improvement.

    Read the Word. Study the Word. Apply the Word.

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    Reading Thomas Watson’s Body of Divinity reminded me that doctrine matters. My faith rests on one unchanging message I’m called to guard and pass on.

     

    TAKEAWAY

    Your faith doesn’t rest on a feeling. It rests on a fixed message: Christ died, was buried, and rose again, exactly as Scripture said.

    The gospel isn’t yours to reshape. It’s a sacred trust, and you’re called to guard it and pass it down intact.

    You won’t get settled in what you believe by accident. Being well grounded means knowing what you believe, why you believe it, and why it matters.

    Check these posts out

    Right belief or right living?

    Read the Word

    Whirlymagigs and the importance of Bible reading

    Celebrate your identity in Christ

    In between born again and glory

  • Meditations of a forest walk

    Thoughts on the Psalms

    Scene from a forest walk that had me thinking about the Psalms

    I recently came across an obscure English word that I had to look up: nemophilist. A nemophilist is a person who is fond of forests, woodland scenery, or spending time in the woods—literally, a “haunter of the woods.” That’s me to a large degree; I love to walk in forests and glades.

    Well, walking in the woods might be a bit of a misnomer. Certainly, you can’t call what I do “hiking”. I will take a slow ramble through the woods, a saunter through the woods, a wander. The destination is typically secondary at best. I stop and look at fungi and flowers. I check out trees that have character and look for critters. 

    The forests are great. For me, they calm my mind and let me think of God without distraction. I see His hand at work in the marvel of all he has created. 

    Recently, while going for a “walk,” parts of a lesser-known Psalm came to mind.

    Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
    Praise befits the upright.
    Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
    make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
    Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

    For the word of the Lord is upright,
    and all his work is done in faithfulness.
    He loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

    By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
    He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
    he puts the deeps in storehouses…

    Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.     Psalm 33:1-7,20-22 ESV

    It’s a marvelous psalm of praise that captures the character of the Lord. He is faithful, loves justice, is righteous, and his love is faithful and steadfast. Those are things worth pondering on.

    A familiar line from Psalm 24 asks, “Who is the King of glory?” Psalm 24 is clearly attributed to King David, but Psalm 33 doesn’t say who wrote it. Traditionally, though, it too is attributed to David. I have to wonder, in some ways, if His thoughts were on the same topic both days.

    I can see Him sitting in the fields with His flocks or in one of the many forests (the land of Israel was once heavily forested, although it had its deserts, to be sure) and seeing the hand of God. Perhaps that is simply a flight of fancy on my part, but I can see it happening.

    When I do one of my forest rambles, I often think of questions about God and rejoice in my heart.

    I don’t know if you are a nemophilist like me, but wherever you feel God’s presence, may it move you to praise. From the depths of despair to the heights of rejoicing, He walks with us, and His love and mercy are worthy of praise.

    May you feel His presence and sing His praises today.

    Kevin

    SUMMARY

    Walking in the woods isn’t hiking for me, it’s a slow ramble that quiets my mind and lets me see God’s hand in everything He’s made. On a recent walk, part of Psalm 33 came to mind, a psalm that captures who God is, and a reminder to praise Him.

    TAKEAWAY

    I recently learned there’s a word for people like me: nemophilist, someone fond of forests and woodland scenery, and that’s me down to the ground. 

    My slow forest rambles quiet my mind and let me see God’s hand in creation without distraction. 

    Wherever you feel God’s presence, whether in a forest or anywhere else, that’s an invitation to praise Him, from the depths of despair to the heights of rejoicing.

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