Van Til Biography

I look forward to getting a copy of the newest book in the American Reformed Biographies series, Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman (HT: Greenbaggins). The book will be out later this month. If you've never heard about Van Til, a lot of online resources are available here.

Image of God

We've just began a new sermon series, the Genesis of Gender, at Redeemer Church. The first sermon is available here. I'd also encourage anyone who is interested to read Bruce Ware's chapter “Male and Female Complementarity and the Image of God.” This chapter is taken from the book, Foundations of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, which is available here to read free online.

Diaper Checking Methods

I find that the one finger method is helpful. It's definitely better than the full hand method. (Though I've never personally tried that one.) Although it isn't listed, I find that the nose to the diaper method is quite faithful in determining if the foul odor is coming from your child's diaper or from some other source.

Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor

I recently put D. A. Carson's new book about his father, Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, on my wish list. And now after reading Challies review and the lengthly quote he included, I believe I will try to get a hold of the book a lot sooner. Here is the way Carson describes his father's ministry:

Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people … testify how much he loved them. He never wrote a book, but he loved the Book. He was never wealthy or powerful, but he kept growing as a Christian: yesterday’s grace was never enough. He was not a far-sighted visionary, but he looked forward to eternity. He was not a gifted administrator, but there is no text that says “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you are good administrators.” His journals have many, many entries bathed in tears of contrition, but his children and grandchildren remember his laughter. Only rarely did he break through his pattern of reserve and speak deeply and intimately with his children, but he modeled Christian virtues to them. He much preferred to avoid controversy than to stir things up, but his own commitments to historic confessionalism were unyielding, and in ethics he was a man of principle. His own ecclesiastical circles were rather small and narrow, but his reading was correspondingly large and expansive. He was not very good at putting people down, except on his prayer lists.

When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on the television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he had stopped breathing and would never need it again.

But on the other side, all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne-room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man—he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor—but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.”

Semper Reformanda

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12

As the Apostle Paul reminds us, none of us have perfect understanding. We do see in a mirror dimly. So, let us be semper reformanda--"always reforming"--as we meditate on the Word.

Father, by Your Spirit, encourage us to meditate on your precepts, move us so that we can fix our eyes on your ways, enable us to delight in your statues, sustain our minds so that we never forget your word, and teach us to number our days so that we may get a heart of wisdom.