The Gospel in Judges & Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

Dear friends,

Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete (2 John 1:12 ESV).

It has come to my attention that a lot of the Christianity we experience in our church is not Christianity at all. It seems to be, rather, a moralistic therapeutic deism. A Christ-less Christianity, with zero regard at all for the how the whole Bible fits together in redemptive history.

• Here’s a short video with Michael Horton, explaining Moralistic Therapuetic Deism: 

Judge is a difficult book to preach. Yet, here is a helpful article at The Gospel Coalition, explaining how the gospel can be preached from the book of Judges: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/02/27/preaching-the-gospel-in-judges/

While Christ may not be explicitly present in the book of Judges or our sermons from this OT text, I hope & pray that we can arrive at the gospel somehow, whether Christ is named implicitly or explicitly as our source of hope.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

(Luke 24:27 ESV)

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

(Romans 15:4 ESV)

We all need gospel encouragement, week in and week out, and we need the hope of our Messiah-King daily. May we find such hope in the Scriptures through the Spirit Christ.

With brotherly affection in Christ,

Alex S. Leung

Christ: Our Final Reward

“Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”–Hebrews 13:13-14

He is God’s final revelation.He is the heir of all things.He is the creator of the world.He is the radiance of God’s glory.He is the exact imprint of God’s nature.He upholds the universe by the Word of His power.He made purification for sins.He sits on the right hand of the Majesty.He is God enthroned forever with the scepter of uprightness.He is worshiped by angels.His rule will have no end.His joy is above all other things in the universe.He took on human flesh.He was crowned with glory and honor because of his suffering.He was the founder of our salvation.He was made perfect in all his obedience by his suffering.He destroyed the one who has power of death, the Devil.He delivered us from the bondage of fear.He is a merciful and faithful High Priest.He made propitiation for sins.He is sympathetic because of his own trials.He never sinned.He offered up loud cries and tears with reverent fear and God heard him.He became the source of eternal salvation.He holds his priesthood by virtue of an indestructible life.He appears in the presence of God on our behalf.He will come a second time to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

From T4G’08 Session VII: John Piper – How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice (at ~57min mark)[audio:http://sgm.edgeboss.net/download/sgm/events/t4g08/t4g08-session7.mp3%5D

T4G’08: Day 2 & 3

Today was the last day of the T4G conference. I didn’t post last night since I was sick with some sort of cold/flu infection that has left me barely able to speak. I tried to get more rest last night, though I was tossing and turning, going to the washroom constantly in the middle of the night and sweating lots from the fever. I woke up in the morning feeling slightly more rested, but still I could barely speak. Nevertheless, I toughed it out and went to the last couple sessions of T4G to hear John Piper and C.J. Mahaney preach. The Lord blessed my soul through the words of these godly men of the Word: Piper exhorting us to suffer and go outside the camp of comfort; Mahaney calling us to joyfulness in our ministry and not just faithfulness.All the mp3s of the messages have been posted here. Visit Tim Challies’ blog for session summaries & photos. And check out these videos that T4G has produced already:From Day 1:

T4G’08: Day 1

I have few words to explain what happened today, especially tonight. My first time at a Pastor’s Conference, and I cried at least twice — on the first day. The Holy Spirit is certainly working through the speakers, enabling them to truly and clearly expound God’s Word to the 5,000+ of us men (and some women). Soli Deo Gloria!Here’s Challies on today’s sessions:

• Session #1 – Ligon Duncan
• First Panel Session
• Session #2 – Thabiti Anyabwile