Spring is in full bloom here in Wilmington! Sunny skies and 70-degree weather is the norm once again, and I am trying to enjoy every last minute of it as I prepare to move forward.
I have officially decided to go to Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri! It was a weight off my shoulders once I finally decided, and now I am excited to start classes. Currently I am working at finding and raising the needed funds to go. Praise God that I have been provided with around $23,000 for my first year's tuition and living expenses, and only need about $7,000 more to afford my first year! It has been amazing to see the Lord's faithfulness and provision, and a real encouragement to any doubt that remained about my calling to ministry. If you would like to continue to support me throughout my seminary, please call me at 814-571-6688 or email me at jason.m.pogue@gmail.com.
I will be getting my Masters of Divinity which is a 3-4 year program at Covenant. My hope is to complete it in 3 years in order save on some financial expenses, but I hear that completing the degree in 3 years is a big undertaking! To get a head start, I will be taking my first classes this summer. Classes start on June 5, which means in a little over 5 weeks I will be sitting in a new place, with new people, and (unfortunately) a new climate! Crazy.
I am definitely excited to get started, but I must admit I am a little anxious of all the unknowns in the equation. I've never really moved to a new place where I had to find an entire new community of friends (when I moved to Wilmington, I was blessed to have a great friend of whom I absorbed a community...thanks Britt!). I will be a graduate student. What?! I will be studying all the time, while trying to work and pay my bills, I will be very broke all the time and will have to learn to budget my money very carefully, I will have 8 new roommates to learn how to live with, and probably most difficult, I will have to find a new church family. These things will all be good for me, but it is a lot and all at once. I'll be jumping in with both feet, and I know it will call for much leaning on the Lord and His love and faithfulness to me.
I am so thankful for all of you. I am thankful to you for financial support that has enabled me to learn and serve all this year. I just got to attend a great conference called The Gospel Coalition in Chicago where I sat under some amazing teachers and dialogued with many great pastors and church leaders across the country and even the world all thanks to your generous giving. I am thankful for the encouraging conversations I've had with some of you over this year, and the way you have cared for me and prayed for my discernment and growth. I am thankful for the way in which each of you have invested in my life from my birth until today. God has used all of you to shape me into the man I am today, and he continues to use you along with His Word to mold me everyday.
This will be my final post on this blog. I will likely start a personal blog once I get settled in at Covenant to stay in touch. If you would like to continue to receive updates on my time at Covenant please email me at jason.m.pogue@gmail.com and let me know.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
Jason
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Reformed Theology
Okay, I promised to make a post explaining what Reformed Theology since I am primarily looking at reformed seminaries and Reformed Theology isn't exactly something you use in regular conversation.
I didn't know what Reformed Theology was until I started attending Christ Community Church in Wilmington, NC three years ago. I was initially attracted to the church by the high emphasis on teaching from the Bible. I had never been to a church where the preacher took the text and literally just explained line by line what the Bible was saying. It was so refreshing to hear the Bible preached instead of some man's life thoughts with scripture mixed in. This is a characteristic common in Reformed Theology. I will try to explain concisely, and will borrow heavily from Reformed Theological Seminary's article found here.
Reformed Theology (RT) is rooted in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Many believers in the church protested against some false teachings and unethical practices. Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and other reformers lead the movement back to the true gospel found in the Bible alone.
The central commitment that came out of the reformation can be summarized in the three doctrines of Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, and Sola Fide.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) "expresses [Reformed Theology's] strong commitment to the unquestionable authority of the Bible. The early Reformers saw many errors in the church of their day. Many of these false teachings stemmed from a denial of biblical authority. The outlooks of human leaders in the church had risen to a level of authority equal to the Word of God. These human traditions led the church away from truth, and Protestants countered these false views by affirming the unique and supreme authority of the Bible."
"We believe it is very important to reaffirm the Bible as the final authority for God's people. In many circles, the place of Scripture has been usurped by human traditions once again. Modern science, philosophy, and popular opinion have led many to deny the authority of Scripture. In response to these current problems, [Reformed Theology] affirms with the Reformers that the Bible is the only unquestionable authority. The apostle Paul told Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). In line with this apostolic witness, we affirm that the original manuscripts of the Bible are the inspired Word of God, without error. They stand as the final judge of truth in all areas of life. We have but one unquestionable rule of faith and life - the Scriptures."
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) "declares the Reformers' belief that the entirety of salvation is God's gracious gift through Christ. The Reformers encountered the false teaching that human beings could contribute to their own salvation. Believers were taught that they had to add their own merit to the work of Christ in order to receive eternal life. In response to this view, the Reformers insisted that salvation is by grace alone. As the Scripture teaches, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). We are without any hope in ourselves; redemption is a gift freely given by God through grace alone."
"In our day, we need to hear this message of grace as never before. Many seminaries today teach that redemption is a mixture of divine help and human effort. Some schools teach their students a social gospel: deeds of kindness and charity will bring us salvation. Others teach that God's gracious favor is found through a system of legalism: do this... don't do that. In one way or another, good moral living becomes a way for us to earn God's grace and contribute to our own salvation. [Reformed Theology] is committed to resisting any idea that diminishes the wonder of God's grace in salvation. The apostle Paul tells us that the eternal promises of God belong to those who "put no hope in the flesh" (Phil. 3:3). We will not turn away from complete reliance on God in order to put hope in human strength. We look to Christ, and Christ alone, to overcome the ravages of sin in our lives and in the world."
"There isn't one of us who is not in need of a lot of patience and mercy - both human and divine. God stooped low, really low, to scoop us up. He went to immeasurable lengths to give and forgive. How then can we not respond with grace toward the others in our seminary community? Indeed, freely we have received; freely we must give (Matt. 10:8)."
"[Reformed Theology teaches] that biblical obedience comes as a response to God's grace, not as a prerequisite for receiving it. We are to be motivated by love for God and gratitude for all He has done. We have no greater honor than to submit ourselves fully to the commands of a good God and let Him conform us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). At the same time, we avoid all forms of legalism that insist on life habits which go beyond the teachings of Scripture. Instead, we promote Christian liberty and affirm the dignity of the believer's conscience in applying the incontrovertible truths of Scripture. [Reformed Theology] stands with the Reformers and relentlessly affirms that we are saved by grace alone."
Sola Fide (Faith Alone) "teaches that justification before God is a one-time event that takes place through faith alone. The early Reformers protested against a church that believed the people's eternal standing before God varied moment by moment. No one could be confident of eternal salvation. Doing good gained the favor of God; doing evil earned His anger. In response, the Protestants reaffirmed the biblical perspective: "to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Rom. 4:5). In assuring believers of their unchangeable status with God, Paul goes on to say, "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Rom. 8: 33-34). Everyone who trusts in Christ by faith for salvation receives immediate and full forgiveness of all their sins. God's declaration of righteousness is the complete and final verdict for all who have genuine faith in the Savior."
Theological Convictions
Out of these central commitments was born a theology, or understanding of God and the Bible, somewhat homogeneous throughout the early Reformers. Basically, it is the interpretation of Scripture born out of looking at the Bible with those three commitments in mind that can be characterized by the following tenets:
1. Total Depravity:
"We stress the pervasive corruption of sin. Sin reaches every aspect of human personality and leaves no nook or cranny untainted. The prophet Jeremiah writes, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9). For this reason, all people are spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1) and unable, apart from the inward stirrings of the Holy Spirit, to respond in faith to the offer of the Gospel. We must depend on a sovereign act of God to break the grip of sin."
2. Unconditional Election:
"We believe that the eternal, unconditional love of God for us is the ultimate basis of our salvation. Believers do not establish their own redemption; they utterly depend on God's sovereign, everlasting love in Christ as the ground of their salvation. As Paul wrote, "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy" (Rom. 9:16)."
3. Particular Redemption:
"We emphasize that Christ's atoning death did not simply make salvation possible. Rather, His sacrifice on the cross completely accomplished the salvation of believers. Christ died for "His sheep" (John 10: 11, 15), "His Church" (Acts 20:28), and "His people" (Matt. 1:21) to give them eternal life. God sovereignly ordained Christ's death as the full payment for our sins. Thus, it fully satisfied the judgment of God for those who believe."
4. Irresistible Grace:
"We recognize that salvation comes to sinful people because the Holy Spirit sovereignly changes their rebellious hearts. He gives them the spiritual ears with which to hear the call of God. The sheep hear the voice of Christ, are known by Him, and follow Him (Jn. 10:27). We depend on His powerful grace to transform us into new creations and to draw us to our Savior."
5. Perseverance of the Saints:
"We stress that God's power will keep true believers in Christ to the end. While we recognize our responsibility to "work out our salvation" with great seriousness (Phil. 2:12), we also affirm that it is God who is at work within us both "to will and to do His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). Thus, we persevere in faith with the assurance of eternal life because God sovereignly works all things for our good (Rom. 8:28)."
Several of these points are often difficult to accept and I and many others admit that they raise more questions than give answers, but they have been arrived at by looking at the Scriptures alone to allow God to speak clearly without human emotion affecting His revelation. This is not to say that these aren't fallible. Reformed Theology is not the Bible itself, and therefore is subject to the corruption of our broken nature.
One of my favorite things about the Reformed tradition is that the Reformer's believed that we should truly be always reforming...there's a sense in that we are always looking ahead to our hope of Christ's return and glorification of our bodies where sin will no longer exist and we will live in perfect union with our God. Until that day, we must remember we have not arrived. In order to stay committed to the Scriptures we must always be looking at our lives through the lens of Scripture to see where we may grow in our knowledge and understanding of the Most High.
No theological position is perfect (that doesn't mean there aren't some you should completely stay away from), but I hold to Reformed Theology because of its emphasis on the authority of God's Word over man's opinion. If I really believe that Jesus Christ was sent as God in the flesh to die for my sins, and that I have received the benefits of His work, AND that the very disciples Jesus taught for 3 years did not quite understand what He was doing, then I cannot be confident in any explanation of who God is outside of the inspired Holy Scriptures.
And that is my not so concise nor complete explanation of Reformed Theology. Feel free to contact me with any questions I've raised.
Recommended Reading:
-Knowing God, by J.I. Packer
A great concise explanation from Scripture of God, man, and salvation for everyday reading. This is the first book I read that explained the Scriptures from a Reformed perspective. Excellent read to help you understand God and His Word.
-What is Reformed Theology?, by R.C. Sproul
The best read if you really want to understand the what and why of Reformed Theology. Sproul has been a leading teacher within the Reformed Tradition for many years.
-The Pleasures of God, by John Piper
An exciting read. Piper is a leading pastor within the Reformed Tradition and an excellent communicator of how to enjoy God and in doing so glorify Him.
I didn't know what Reformed Theology was until I started attending Christ Community Church in Wilmington, NC three years ago. I was initially attracted to the church by the high emphasis on teaching from the Bible. I had never been to a church where the preacher took the text and literally just explained line by line what the Bible was saying. It was so refreshing to hear the Bible preached instead of some man's life thoughts with scripture mixed in. This is a characteristic common in Reformed Theology. I will try to explain concisely, and will borrow heavily from Reformed Theological Seminary's article found here.
Reformed Theology (RT) is rooted in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Many believers in the church protested against some false teachings and unethical practices. Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and other reformers lead the movement back to the true gospel found in the Bible alone.
The central commitment that came out of the reformation can be summarized in the three doctrines of Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, and Sola Fide.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) "expresses [Reformed Theology's] strong commitment to the unquestionable authority of the Bible. The early Reformers saw many errors in the church of their day. Many of these false teachings stemmed from a denial of biblical authority. The outlooks of human leaders in the church had risen to a level of authority equal to the Word of God. These human traditions led the church away from truth, and Protestants countered these false views by affirming the unique and supreme authority of the Bible."
"We believe it is very important to reaffirm the Bible as the final authority for God's people. In many circles, the place of Scripture has been usurped by human traditions once again. Modern science, philosophy, and popular opinion have led many to deny the authority of Scripture. In response to these current problems, [Reformed Theology] affirms with the Reformers that the Bible is the only unquestionable authority. The apostle Paul told Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). In line with this apostolic witness, we affirm that the original manuscripts of the Bible are the inspired Word of God, without error. They stand as the final judge of truth in all areas of life. We have but one unquestionable rule of faith and life - the Scriptures."
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) "declares the Reformers' belief that the entirety of salvation is God's gracious gift through Christ. The Reformers encountered the false teaching that human beings could contribute to their own salvation. Believers were taught that they had to add their own merit to the work of Christ in order to receive eternal life. In response to this view, the Reformers insisted that salvation is by grace alone. As the Scripture teaches, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). We are without any hope in ourselves; redemption is a gift freely given by God through grace alone."
"In our day, we need to hear this message of grace as never before. Many seminaries today teach that redemption is a mixture of divine help and human effort. Some schools teach their students a social gospel: deeds of kindness and charity will bring us salvation. Others teach that God's gracious favor is found through a system of legalism: do this... don't do that. In one way or another, good moral living becomes a way for us to earn God's grace and contribute to our own salvation. [Reformed Theology] is committed to resisting any idea that diminishes the wonder of God's grace in salvation. The apostle Paul tells us that the eternal promises of God belong to those who "put no hope in the flesh" (Phil. 3:3). We will not turn away from complete reliance on God in order to put hope in human strength. We look to Christ, and Christ alone, to overcome the ravages of sin in our lives and in the world."
"There isn't one of us who is not in need of a lot of patience and mercy - both human and divine. God stooped low, really low, to scoop us up. He went to immeasurable lengths to give and forgive. How then can we not respond with grace toward the others in our seminary community? Indeed, freely we have received; freely we must give (Matt. 10:8)."
"[Reformed Theology teaches] that biblical obedience comes as a response to God's grace, not as a prerequisite for receiving it. We are to be motivated by love for God and gratitude for all He has done. We have no greater honor than to submit ourselves fully to the commands of a good God and let Him conform us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). At the same time, we avoid all forms of legalism that insist on life habits which go beyond the teachings of Scripture. Instead, we promote Christian liberty and affirm the dignity of the believer's conscience in applying the incontrovertible truths of Scripture. [Reformed Theology] stands with the Reformers and relentlessly affirms that we are saved by grace alone."
Sola Fide (Faith Alone) "teaches that justification before God is a one-time event that takes place through faith alone. The early Reformers protested against a church that believed the people's eternal standing before God varied moment by moment. No one could be confident of eternal salvation. Doing good gained the favor of God; doing evil earned His anger. In response, the Protestants reaffirmed the biblical perspective: "to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness" (Rom. 4:5). In assuring believers of their unchangeable status with God, Paul goes on to say, "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Rom. 8: 33-34). Everyone who trusts in Christ by faith for salvation receives immediate and full forgiveness of all their sins. God's declaration of righteousness is the complete and final verdict for all who have genuine faith in the Savior."
Theological Convictions
Out of these central commitments was born a theology, or understanding of God and the Bible, somewhat homogeneous throughout the early Reformers. Basically, it is the interpretation of Scripture born out of looking at the Bible with those three commitments in mind that can be characterized by the following tenets:
1. Total Depravity:
"We stress the pervasive corruption of sin. Sin reaches every aspect of human personality and leaves no nook or cranny untainted. The prophet Jeremiah writes, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9). For this reason, all people are spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1) and unable, apart from the inward stirrings of the Holy Spirit, to respond in faith to the offer of the Gospel. We must depend on a sovereign act of God to break the grip of sin."
2. Unconditional Election:
"We believe that the eternal, unconditional love of God for us is the ultimate basis of our salvation. Believers do not establish their own redemption; they utterly depend on God's sovereign, everlasting love in Christ as the ground of their salvation. As Paul wrote, "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy" (Rom. 9:16)."
3. Particular Redemption:
"We emphasize that Christ's atoning death did not simply make salvation possible. Rather, His sacrifice on the cross completely accomplished the salvation of believers. Christ died for "His sheep" (John 10: 11, 15), "His Church" (Acts 20:28), and "His people" (Matt. 1:21) to give them eternal life. God sovereignly ordained Christ's death as the full payment for our sins. Thus, it fully satisfied the judgment of God for those who believe."
4. Irresistible Grace:
"We recognize that salvation comes to sinful people because the Holy Spirit sovereignly changes their rebellious hearts. He gives them the spiritual ears with which to hear the call of God. The sheep hear the voice of Christ, are known by Him, and follow Him (Jn. 10:27). We depend on His powerful grace to transform us into new creations and to draw us to our Savior."
5. Perseverance of the Saints:
"We stress that God's power will keep true believers in Christ to the end. While we recognize our responsibility to "work out our salvation" with great seriousness (Phil. 2:12), we also affirm that it is God who is at work within us both "to will and to do His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). Thus, we persevere in faith with the assurance of eternal life because God sovereignly works all things for our good (Rom. 8:28)."
Several of these points are often difficult to accept and I and many others admit that they raise more questions than give answers, but they have been arrived at by looking at the Scriptures alone to allow God to speak clearly without human emotion affecting His revelation. This is not to say that these aren't fallible. Reformed Theology is not the Bible itself, and therefore is subject to the corruption of our broken nature.
One of my favorite things about the Reformed tradition is that the Reformer's believed that we should truly be always reforming...there's a sense in that we are always looking ahead to our hope of Christ's return and glorification of our bodies where sin will no longer exist and we will live in perfect union with our God. Until that day, we must remember we have not arrived. In order to stay committed to the Scriptures we must always be looking at our lives through the lens of Scripture to see where we may grow in our knowledge and understanding of the Most High.
No theological position is perfect (that doesn't mean there aren't some you should completely stay away from), but I hold to Reformed Theology because of its emphasis on the authority of God's Word over man's opinion. If I really believe that Jesus Christ was sent as God in the flesh to die for my sins, and that I have received the benefits of His work, AND that the very disciples Jesus taught for 3 years did not quite understand what He was doing, then I cannot be confident in any explanation of who God is outside of the inspired Holy Scriptures.
And that is my not so concise nor complete explanation of Reformed Theology. Feel free to contact me with any questions I've raised.
Recommended Reading:
-Knowing God, by J.I. Packer
A great concise explanation from Scripture of God, man, and salvation for everyday reading. This is the first book I read that explained the Scriptures from a Reformed perspective. Excellent read to help you understand God and His Word.
-What is Reformed Theology?, by R.C. Sproul
The best read if you really want to understand the what and why of Reformed Theology. Sproul has been a leading teacher within the Reformed Tradition for many years.
-The Pleasures of God, by John Piper
An exciting read. Piper is a leading pastor within the Reformed Tradition and an excellent communicator of how to enjoy God and in doing so glorify Him.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
FOILED!
Currently I'm visiting Reformed Theological Seminary - Orlando. I would love to give you a beautiful sunny full campus shot like this one from the website:
Problem is it is currently monsooning outside as a tornado warning danced around us all day (don't worry Mom, no serious danger). From my seat, the view looks more like this:
Problem is it is currently monsooning outside as a tornado warning danced around us all day (don't worry Mom, no serious danger). From my seat, the view looks more like this:
I have to admit, though, that I do enjoy thunderstorms so I'm not really complaining. However, it was amusing the first 2 hours I was here yesterday when everyone I met with ended our conversation with, "And nothing beats the weather here in Orlando." The severe storms have not stopped since. Now everyone says, "Too bad you chose this week to visit." Love it.
Speaking of my visit, I do love it. This is frustrating. I came to RTS Orlando pretty confident that I would be going to Covenant Seminary, but wanting to be thorough and certain of my decision. In my head it went something like this:
After visiting Covenant: "Covenant rocks!...RTS Orlando can't be as good is this so I'm going to Covenant."
Visit RTS Orlando: "This place stinks compared to Covenant. Good thing I made that decision!"
Well, the problem has arisen that RTS Orlando doesn't stink (duh, I really didn't believe it would but one can hope). In fact, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Particularly I love that Covenant and RTS-Orlando are both steeped in the reformed tradition yet more concerned with being a follower of Christ than with creating Christian factions. You may or may not know what I mean by "reformed" (maybe I will do a short post soon explaining what being reformed means), but often the reformed camp of theology can make people very "heady", isolated from the world, and Pharisaic. I am not interested in a seminary that is seeking to develop this type of person, and am very pleased with both Covenant and RTS-Orlando's position on this matter.
This morning I spent some time with Dr. John Frame asking him about this very thing and he said, "Yeah, I try to beat that out of them pretty good when they get here." Good stuff. I need someone to beat a few things out of me!
So, there you have it. RTS-Orlando has ruined my perfect plan of choosing a seminary. I'm now waiting anxiously for Britt and Kyle Osborne to come pick me up and take me to Tampa to hang out for a few days! Please be praying for me this coming week as I wrestle through which of these great seminaries to attend, and making a decision.
Love,
Jason
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The King of Glory
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| Edwards Hall - guest rooms where I'm staying, and student lounge/eating areas |
In November, I posted a journal entry from my day of solitude called Who Shall Ascend?. It was the reflection of my thoughts on Psalm 24:
The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of Glory!This morning I happened to pray through this Psalm. As I was reading through it, I noticed that when I wrestled with this Psalm several months ago I really focused in on verses 3-6 (the second paragraph above) and separated them from the Psalm as a whole. I realized today that the overarching theme of this Psalm is clearly God as the King of Glory. So I went back and reinterpreted this passage looking at my previous conclusions.
Previously, I was wrestling with how to ascend the hill. I noted that apart from Christ I can do nothing, but that Scripture calls me to strive for personal holiness and through such I come closer and closer to the Almighty. I am not minimizing the call of a Christian to pursue holiness. After all, in 1 Timothy 4:7 Paul (the master of justification by faith alone) says "train yourself for godliness." Rather, what I have realized this morning is that I tend to read scripture always thinking "What does this mean for me?" Certainly looking for personal application in Scripture is good, but the Bible is not about each of us individually. The Bible is about God and man (corporately). It is a beautiful story from Genesis to Revelation of God's redemption of all Creation to bring glory to Himself. It is easy to put blinders on and read Scripture only seeking personal application when our culture (and our messed up hearts) tell us constantly that the world revolves around us.
As I read this Psalm again with this individual perspective, I struggled as to understand what v. 1-2 and 7-10 meant. All this talk about the King of Glory, what does that have to do with my personal pursuit of holiness? As I prayed through the portion about ascending the hill through clean hands and a pure heart, without lifting your soul up to what is false I could not stop thinking,
'This is impossible! Every step I take towards God the next step seems to be away from Him, chasing some false idea down a dead-end alley. If clean hands and a pure heart and never lifting my soul up to what is false is how to ascend the hill to see the face of God, I will never get one foot above sea-level!'That is the point at which the LORD gently confirmed my conclusion, yet opened my eyes to realize that is why all this talk about the King of Glory means everything in this Psalm. "Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty...mighty in battle!"
The only way we can ascend the holy hill and see the face of God is through perfect obedience, by never stepping astray, and never once lifting our souls up to anything other than Him. If I ever think I could do that for one second, I am fooling myself. But I have not need for despair, because the King of glory, strong and mighty, picks me up and carries me up the hill Himself! The King of glory, mighty in battle, fights my battles for me. That is why this Psalm is saturated with talk about how mighty God is, and how He has established the earth!
This Psalm is first and foremost about God; about His incredible dominion over all things, and His immense desire to fight our battles for us. He has already won the war over death. He has already defeated our enemy, and the way to ascend the hill and see the beautiful face of the God of Jacob is to lay hold of the victory won through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Who is this King of Glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!
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| Rayburn Chapel (named after Robert Rayburn, founder and brother of Jim Rayburn - founder of Young Life) and Founders Hall - home of the majority of classes, recently built in 2008 (built on a hillside, so it is actually 3 stories) |
Thursday, February 24, 2011
How Do You Respond When Your 12-Year-Old Dies? "Everybody Dies, But Not Everybody Lives"
Check out this powerful testimony over at the Gospel Coalition. It is worth five minutes to read the entire thing.
Currently I am visiting Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Besides being awake since 3:30am it has been an amazing first day. I will post about my trip next week after I return.
Love you all,
Jason
Currently I am visiting Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Besides being awake since 3:30am it has been an amazing first day. I will post about my trip next week after I return.
Love you all,
Jason
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wisdom from Above
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13).
In January I joined a Community Group here at Christ Community Church. Community Groups are co-ed small groups. They vary in how they are run, but ours meets just about every week to share a meal, discuss Scripture, and pray for each other. It has probably been the sweetest addition to my life this new year. I get to witness God's grace working in other people's lives through all of our struggles and triumphs. My favorite part of being together is serving each other. Whether it is preparing the meal, praying for someone's need, or just listening to their life, Christ is truly present in our interaction as we labor to love one another.
We have begun making our way through the book of James every week, and the Lord has been using these words to open my eyes. The book of James is such a practical outworking of our faith in Christ that it is incredibly helpful to helping the Christian know how to live, but it is also incredibly difficult as you are faced with your failures before God.
The monotony of my part-time internship at a local retailer (not my CCC internship) has begun to erode my attitude while I'm there. I have definitely noticed how my attitude has gone from being purposely engaged in trying to relationally win people to the Lord to chugging along to my next paycheck. I still work just as hard and well, but instead of stepping out to serve and love my coworkers I tend to grow in resentment and bitterness towards them.
James speaks directly to this when he says:
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:14-18).It has been blatantly obvious to me that I am relying on earthly wisdom through my days at work and in many areas of my life. My reliance on my own natural wisdom instead of God's wisdom has resulted in a general selfishness and pride within my heart. It is painful when the Lord really lays your sin before you, but I am so thankful as I grow in my understanding of my brokenness as it leads to a greater understanding of how great God's mercy and grace is that has given my life and continues to sustain me.
I am thankful that my trials are producing steadfastness in my faith, and that out of that faith will increasingly come good works for the LORD! Praise Him who gave me faith to believe in the redeeming work of Christ, and praise Him who continues to give me faith which refines my soul and brings me ever so closer to the Mighty King, Suffering Servant, and Great High Priest!
Life Update
I have officially accepted that I will never be an avid blogger...let me try to catch you up as briefly as I can:
Fall semester ended pretty well (yes, I work with high schoolers so I still think in terms of semesters), but I was definitely ready to go visit home. I went up to PA to be with my family for a couple weeks. It was so good to see them all and spend lots of time. I'm so thankful for my parents and my brother. Although I'm not the best at talking on the phone with them, my heart wells up with affection for them that makes the distance between us frustrating at times. It was also a great time to see a good bit of my extended family that I have not seen in at least a year (some much longer!). Most memorable experience while home: lacing up my skates with my Pop and playing some pickup pond hockey with about 20 Amish kids in the middle of nowhere. All in all, great and restful time with family and friends while home!
From January 3-7 I was staying in Charlotte with Stewart Neely and his family. Stewart and I, as well as Margaret Lee, all took a week intensive seminary course at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. The class was Acts/Romans, and was definitely one of my favorite experiences thus far in my internship. It was so overwhelmingly fruitful to spend a week studying and learning the books of Acts and Romans with a handful of brothers and sisters! I love learning, and I especially love learning when the subject is the word of God and how we can know Him! Outside of class I got to know Stewart and his seminary buddies pretty well and really get a feel for the culture at RTS Charlotte. I also had the opportunity to grab lunch with our professor and fire loads of questions at him as well as grab lunch with the Dean of Student Development Rod Culbertson. What a sweet time it was in Charlotte to soak up the Word as well as wisdom from many men and women around me. I left Charlotte really feeling like I squeezed every ounce I could out of my time there, and the Lord has been using it to teach and guide me since then.
Things in Wilmington have been interesting since then. Although the lectures for the Acts/Romans class ended when I left Charlotte, I still had an exam to take and paper to write. Add this to two jobs and things begin feeling a little overwhelming. I am thankful for the grace I was given by Christ Community staff in allowing me to really focus on this monster of an exam/paper. If you know anyone who is taking seminary classes in their "spare time," slowly working toward a degree while holding a job and managing a household, stop and encourage them. I had a hard enough time, and one of my jobs basically allowed me to forego all responsibilities but working on my coursework.
The content of this class has really been continuously reverberating in my life. We started up the small group I lead for high school guys again, and we are going through the book of Acts with a focus on what Acts teaches us about evangelism and the importance of the word of God within it. In my community group and other conversations, I continuously find understanding of Scripture and life by recalling what Romans has taught me about my need for God, and how He has met my need for Him through His Son, and how He continues to meet my needs through His Spirit. I will also be teaching the Adult Sunday School Class for the month of June, likely on the topic of evangelism in Acts (so pumped for this learning experience!).
Finally, my experience in Charlotte really felt like the Lord was prompting me to move forward in pursuing seminary. I have applied to several seminaries, and am in the process of visiting them to decide where I feel called. In two weeks I will visit Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. That will be wonderful both to see and meet many people connected to that seminary, and to see my friends the Gayle's who are currently living there! Hopefully I will have the opportunity to visit Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando sometime in March or April.
Although I feel the call, a big question is how I will financially make it through seminary. Part of my visits is to practically sit down with a financial aid counselor and see what kind of aid I am eligible for. Because of my educational debt, I will postpone attending seminary until I can gain enough financial support from seminaries, the church, and elsewhere to responsibly make such a big financial decision. I do sense the call to ministry, and trust God will provide for His will to be done. Whether that is at a seminary, in Wilmington, in international missions, or anywhere else come Fall 2011, only He knows for now!
I will continue to update you on my coming plans. Please be praying for these finances to come through to enable me to attend seminary, but above all that God's will would be done in my life.
Thanks for supporting me in many different ways! I am so thankful for you all, and would love to hear from you! Feel free to email me updates on your life, questions, concerns, prayer requests to jason.m.pogue@gmail.com.
Things Coming Up:
February
Visit Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis
Discussing possible international missions work for this summer
March
Visit RTS Orlando?
High School Jr/Sr Backpacking Trip
April
Gospel Coalition National Conference - Chicago
High School Spiritual Disciplines Retreat - teaching meditation
Fall semester ended pretty well (yes, I work with high schoolers so I still think in terms of semesters), but I was definitely ready to go visit home. I went up to PA to be with my family for a couple weeks. It was so good to see them all and spend lots of time. I'm so thankful for my parents and my brother. Although I'm not the best at talking on the phone with them, my heart wells up with affection for them that makes the distance between us frustrating at times. It was also a great time to see a good bit of my extended family that I have not seen in at least a year (some much longer!). Most memorable experience while home: lacing up my skates with my Pop and playing some pickup pond hockey with about 20 Amish kids in the middle of nowhere. All in all, great and restful time with family and friends while home!
From January 3-7 I was staying in Charlotte with Stewart Neely and his family. Stewart and I, as well as Margaret Lee, all took a week intensive seminary course at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. The class was Acts/Romans, and was definitely one of my favorite experiences thus far in my internship. It was so overwhelmingly fruitful to spend a week studying and learning the books of Acts and Romans with a handful of brothers and sisters! I love learning, and I especially love learning when the subject is the word of God and how we can know Him! Outside of class I got to know Stewart and his seminary buddies pretty well and really get a feel for the culture at RTS Charlotte. I also had the opportunity to grab lunch with our professor and fire loads of questions at him as well as grab lunch with the Dean of Student Development Rod Culbertson. What a sweet time it was in Charlotte to soak up the Word as well as wisdom from many men and women around me. I left Charlotte really feeling like I squeezed every ounce I could out of my time there, and the Lord has been using it to teach and guide me since then.
Things in Wilmington have been interesting since then. Although the lectures for the Acts/Romans class ended when I left Charlotte, I still had an exam to take and paper to write. Add this to two jobs and things begin feeling a little overwhelming. I am thankful for the grace I was given by Christ Community staff in allowing me to really focus on this monster of an exam/paper. If you know anyone who is taking seminary classes in their "spare time," slowly working toward a degree while holding a job and managing a household, stop and encourage them. I had a hard enough time, and one of my jobs basically allowed me to forego all responsibilities but working on my coursework.
The content of this class has really been continuously reverberating in my life. We started up the small group I lead for high school guys again, and we are going through the book of Acts with a focus on what Acts teaches us about evangelism and the importance of the word of God within it. In my community group and other conversations, I continuously find understanding of Scripture and life by recalling what Romans has taught me about my need for God, and how He has met my need for Him through His Son, and how He continues to meet my needs through His Spirit. I will also be teaching the Adult Sunday School Class for the month of June, likely on the topic of evangelism in Acts (so pumped for this learning experience!).
Finally, my experience in Charlotte really felt like the Lord was prompting me to move forward in pursuing seminary. I have applied to several seminaries, and am in the process of visiting them to decide where I feel called. In two weeks I will visit Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. That will be wonderful both to see and meet many people connected to that seminary, and to see my friends the Gayle's who are currently living there! Hopefully I will have the opportunity to visit Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando sometime in March or April.
Although I feel the call, a big question is how I will financially make it through seminary. Part of my visits is to practically sit down with a financial aid counselor and see what kind of aid I am eligible for. Because of my educational debt, I will postpone attending seminary until I can gain enough financial support from seminaries, the church, and elsewhere to responsibly make such a big financial decision. I do sense the call to ministry, and trust God will provide for His will to be done. Whether that is at a seminary, in Wilmington, in international missions, or anywhere else come Fall 2011, only He knows for now!
I will continue to update you on my coming plans. Please be praying for these finances to come through to enable me to attend seminary, but above all that God's will would be done in my life.
Thanks for supporting me in many different ways! I am so thankful for you all, and would love to hear from you! Feel free to email me updates on your life, questions, concerns, prayer requests to jason.m.pogue@gmail.com.
 |
| Just in case you were wondering what I do when my host family is out of the house. |
Things Coming Up:
February
Visit Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis
Discussing possible international missions work for this summer
March
Visit RTS Orlando?
High School Jr/Sr Backpacking Trip
April
Gospel Coalition National Conference - Chicago
High School Spiritual Disciplines Retreat - teaching meditation
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