Recovering Repentance In An Age Of Sinless Saints

Are we living in a day and age of innocence? Ask most people and the common answer will undoubtedly be “Yes, of course.” In fact, I, too, would say we do. The innocence I am thinking of, however, is probably far different from the type of innocence you have in mind right now. I am convinced that we live in a day and age of pervasive pseudo-innocence. Guilty men and women live and act as if they are 100% guiltless. With an aura of piety they parade around as if they do no wrong. Every angry outburst, every “white” lie is someone else’s fault or justified. They are innocent, but only in their own depraved minds. Of course Paul says in Romans 3:9-12 as he draws from Psalm 14 “For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one, no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” (italics mine) Did you catch that? No matter what you may think of yourself, you stand before God a guilty man or woman. In fact, we all do. Far from professing our innocence we must do something far more radical.

We need to proclaim our guilt before God. We must acknowledge that we have no righteousness of our own. The beauty of doing so is two-fold. First, we say exactly what God says. Our opinions of ourselves are no longer just our opinions. They are truthful statements because they mirror what is said by the very Truthgiver. Second, we ought to realize we need righteousness because we don’t possess it. Herein lies the beauty of Paul’s rhetoric. No one is good (Romans 3) but there is One who is (Romans 4). “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’” (Romans 4: 2-8) For all those who have trusted in Christ, they don’t stand before God with their own righteousness, they stand before God clothed in the righteousness of Christ!

Such a great undeserved transfer (our sin transferred to One who was sinless and Christ’s righteousness transferred to many who were unrighteous) ought to lead to an attitude of love and hate. Love for God and our neighbor. Hatred of sin and its vileness. Most of the time we have no problem seeing the validity of the first truth but abhor the second. Are you a hater of sin? Before you answer this question, think hard about this follow up question: Does repentance characterize your life? Herein lies the reason we live in desperate days. There are many who claim to love God but repentance does not characterize their lives. In hopes of helping those struggling to understand the nature and necessity of repentance I recently preached on this topic while my pastor was on vacation. Though a hard pulpit to fill (my pastor is an excellent preacher whose sermons you can access at http://shanekastler.typepad.com/), I hope that my sermon will bless the brethren. You can hear it by clicking here: http://shanekastler.typepad.com/Will_Douglas_Psalm_51.mp3

Teens and Alcohol: Getting To The Heart Of The Matter Part 3

Let me begin by apologizing for the long delay on this post. Between an earlier problem with one of my kidneys and seminary classes starting back I have been unable to contribute much to the blog. Thankfully, things have settled down now and returned to normal. I am back into the swing of poopy diapers, greek parsing, teaching youth, and t-rex rides. At any rate, here is my third installment of the teens and alcohol series.

When I oringinally conceived of this series of posts on teens and alcohol I intended to conclude with Post #3. The first post adressed the age old question of why we do what we do by showing how important it is to consider our motivations. The second post sought to show that our motivations flow from a worshipful heart, yet that heart has been twisted by sin so much so that its worship is often corrupted and not directed to the One who alone deserves it. I hoped that the third post would bring our short journey to a close by providing some suggestions for what a teen is likely worshipping instead of God when they "just have a couple of beers," and then offering some ways to best help them see their need to have their worship reoriented. It was while thinging deeply about this third post that I realized that more needed to be said.

Teens like Rick need help, but not just any help will do. They need the kind of help that is biblically faithful. Anything else may be intended or even percieved as help but will not acheive lasting change. It's my belief that most of the help extended to teens is not the kind of help that honors God. Again, such "help" may be well intended, but good intentions will quickly morph into frustration when the end result we hoped for is not achieved. This is why I sensed the need to postpone my original 3rd post in order to write this post. In good conscience I can only suggest genuine help once I have exposed some of the more common examples of pseudo help.

How would you help someone like Rick? If you are like most parents or friends, your approach might center on attempting to help a teen struggling with alcohol to just stop drinking. If their teen were to simply stay away from alcohol most parents would say that their child's drinking problem was solved. The trouble with such thinking, however, is that the teen's real problem is spiritual not behavioral. Remember they are internally worshipping something and that is in turn producing their destructive behavior. Their idolatrous worship is their real problem not their idiotic behavior. Never attempt to only change the behavior of your teen or settle for only a behavioral change. Others may think that what such teens need is a change in the location. So many parents are under the false assumption that moving from one town or city to another is all their wayward teen needs. If they had new and better friends to hang out with and more constructive activities to engage in then shouldn't it naturally follow that a rebel would eventually become less rebellious? Can you guess the fundamental problem with this assumption? You're right, such action addresses behaviorial but not heart issues.

Parents and friends, if your son or daughter or good buddy is ravaging their body with alcohol please don't settle for temporary fixes like behavior modification or locational/social change. Actions, interests, friends, and even one's zip code can all change for the better without ever getting to the real problem of a teen's struggle with alcohol. Let's offer such teens what they really need and what will most make a lasting difference. In the fourth and final post, I will attempt to provide help toward this end.

Teens and Alcohol Part 1
Teens and Alcohol Part 2

Running The Race Even When I'm Laid Up!

As many of you know, the past few weeks have been physically draining and at times painful for me. Despite doing much better now, the days and nights spent on my back in bed are still quite vivid in my mind. Just a few nights ago, as I was finishing the book of 2 Timothy, I came across Paul's oft quoted counsel to young Timothy in chapter 4. Though I am sure you have heard his words many times before, listen for a moment to how the apostle Paul describes his nearly finished life of ministry.

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of rigtheousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
(2 Timothy 4:6-8 ESV)

To my knowledge I am not coming to the end of my ministry as Paul was his when he penned these inspired words. However, his comparison of the ministry to an atheletic event is something I understand quite well. Pastoral ministry, like atheletics, requires a well-trained and continually conditioned man willing to finish well the race he started no matter what hurdles are placed before him. The question I have faced over the past few weeks is how a pastor can be considered an athelete running a race when he is lying in bed unable to move very well, much less run?

As I pondered this question, I began to reflect upon two realities. First, behind every ministry there is a minister, just like behind every race there is a runner. The ministry is not just about what is done by the minister but equally about what is effected within the minister! After all, a minister needs God's grace to work within him as much as he needs God's grace to work through him. Second, ministry takes place all the time. To think that ministry only consists of what is done by a pastor when he is in that official role is a colossal mistake. Whether it be responding to a letter from a youth, typing a post about a topic related to living the Christian life, or even praying for my youth while sick in bed, I am engaging in ministry.

As a result of these truths, I know that even though I may be in a leg of my race where I don't feel like an athlete I am still running and simultaneously being made into a better runner. This fact has revolutionized how I view those moments that may not seem like ministry but very much are. It also has revolutionized how I pray for my pastor. How about you? We must not pray solely for God to grant our pastors grace as they deliver their sermons. We must also pray for them even when they may be "on vacation" or engaged in some other activity that may seem more mundane than ministerial. I hope that I may never forget that I am always in the race that is the ministry and that when my ministry nears its close that I will be be able to say with Paul that "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Teens And Alcohol: Getting To The Heart Of The Matter Part 2

Rick is a 16 year old High School Junior living in rural South Carolina. Most of his free time is spent hunting, fishing, playing football, or hanging out with his friends. As for his home life, Rick’s situation can best be summed up by saying that he tries to avoid his parents as much as possible. His mom keeps to herself and would rather watch soaps than attempt to connect with her son. His dad is an alcoholic that Rick describes as an “angry drunk.” Most people would say that Rick is just a good ole boy with a not so good home life. On one Friday night in June several of Rick’s friends invited him over for a party they were having. Soon after arriving, Rick’s buddies began hounding him to have a beer. Pretty soon he had downed the first can and within a couple of hours had polished off a six pack. By 3:00 am Rick was toast, but he decided to drive home anyway. On his way home he rounded a turn too fast and slammed his truck into a tree. Though Rick was fortunate to escape the wreckage with only some bruised ribs and a broken collar bone, he lost his license, became further distanced from his parents, and was told that his upcoming football season was a no go. How had it come to this?

In this second post on teens and alcohol, Rick will serve as a fictional (though very true to life) example of a teenager whose life has been ravaged by a one night stand with alcohol. If we are to get at Rick’s real struggle and truly provide an answer to give to both Rick and those seeking to help him, we must begin by asking this simple but profound question -- What motivated Rick to take that first drink and subsequently get drunk? Some may say that the answer to this question lies in understanding that Rick’s father is an alcoholic. After all, isn’t there a biological link between an alcoholic parent and their alcoholic child? Others would say that the peer-pressure Rick experienced was too much to overcome. Or perhaps Rick’s problem is that he lives in a small town. Since the town offers nothing constructive for youth to do, Rick’s only option was to do something destructive. And the list goes on. Are these assessments of Rick’s problem accurate and helpful? If they are, then scripture should attest to their accuracy and helpfulness. Right? Yet, as these “answers” to Rick’s problem come under the searchlight of scripture their helplessness is exposed. Biological predispositions (if such a thing really exists and that is a BIG if), peer-pressure, living in a small town, and any other external factors should be acknowledged, but these factors are not what the Bible says is central, foundational, or helpful in pointing him in the direction of change.

The Bible says something radically different about Rick. The Bible gets to Rick as a real human being. It doesn’t make him simply a biological thing. It also doesn’t make him a reaction to a circumstance or a response to verbal cues. Rick is a real fella who is really struggling and he needs the real help that only scripture can give. So what does scripture say about Rick that is so genuinely helpful? The whole counsel of scripture gives us three important facts about Rick:
1. Rick is a worshipper.
2. Rick’s worship flows from within (the Bible calls this the heart, see Luke 6:43-45).
3. Sin has deeply twisted Rick’s heart and, therefore, corrupted his
worship.
Rick has a worship problem. He made a conscious decision to reject God’s law and became a law unto himself. Clearly, he is not worshipping God, but he is still worshipping. When we realize this, we begin to really get to the motivational level. Within his heart, Rick is adoring and honoring someone or something other than God. This is why he drank and got drunk. Some God-substitute (what the Bible calls an idol) has seized Rick’s heart and if he is not helped to see this reality and given guidance on how to change from within then he will not be lovingly helped and will most likely remain in his sin. Do you want to help Rick? Are you a little like Rick and want help yourself? Then we must get to the heart of the matter. In a soon to be written post (part 3 in the present series) we will look at unhelpful approaches to getting at the heart of a teen struggling with alcohol and later look (in part 4) at the help teens like Rick really need to change to the glory of God.

Teens and Alcohol Part 1
Teens and Alcohol Part 3

Teens And Alcohol: Getting To The Heart Of The Matter Part 1

Teenagers and alcohol. Many would have the world to believe that the former with the latter in hand is a very natural and harmless thing. Reality paints a far different picture. The truth is more akin to this -- when one meets the other a concoction has been created that is nothing less than nuclear. The reaction will be much like dropping a blowtorch into a barrel of lighter fluid. Families are destroyed, young bodies rot on the inside while their world crumbles on the outside, and short-lived lives are snuffed out in an instant. Is there a way out from such madness? Can numbed minds think clearly again? Can slurred angry speech become joyful singing? Can the teenage years be great without beer or hard liquor? In the coming days I hope to answer these questions with a resounding yes!

The post you have before your eyes is the first in a series of four posts aimed at helping teenagers and their parents better understand how to biblically view and address the epidemic of teenage drinking. The focus of this post will be simply to clarify and narrow our focus to that which is most important. My desire is not to hit every nuanced issue related to teen drinking. I want to pinpoint what is most pressing.

Having said that, I will not spend much time on the question of drinking in general (if you want a fuller treatment on this issue I invite you to check out a transcribed radio exchange by John MacArthur linked here). All that I will say regarding such a topic is that for teenagers the issue of whether to drink or not is moot. Drinking is illegal for teenagers and, biblically, we are to submit to our governmental authorities (Romans 13:1-6). Therefore, the answer to whether or not teens should drink is an unequivocal NO! Yet, we all know many teens still drink, despite being legally prohibited from doing so. Something more needs to be and will be said!

Not only is the question of drinking in general not of primary importance, but we will not concern ourselves either with asking “How can I stop drinking?” or if you are a parent “How can I stop my teen from drinking?” These questions are good and necessary but not primary. There is a greater question that must be posed first. Of utmost importance is “What motivates a teenager to drink and to get drunk?” Also, where do these motivations come from? When these questions are asked we move away from peripheral concerns and end results and begin to focus on what is fundamental. You do not teach someone to drain a three-point shot in basketball by showing them how a ball looks going through the net or by modeling the best defensive techniques. When the root of motivations is exposed and the motivations themselves are rightly acknowledged a great step has been made by both the teen steeped in alcohol and the parents hoping to help them.

In a (hopefully soon) forthcoming post we will look much closer at what truly motivates a teen to drink and discuss some of the most prevalent desires that reign supreme when teens and alcohol collide.

Teens and Alcohol part 2
Teens and Alcohol part 3

Bonhoeffer's Call To Familial Christian Community

Having just recently finished Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together, I could not help but think about the journey I have taken as I have worked my way through his small yet profound contribution to the subject of Christian community. I must confess that prior to beginning his work, I was somewhat skeptical at first. Though I do not doubt Bonhoeffer’s faith in Christ, I did question how much I could be helped to better understand a fundamental element of the Christian faith like community from someone not traditionally considered a conservative evangelical. As I read through Life Together, however, I quickly came to see the ignorance of such an error. Bonhoeffer helped me on many levels to see more clearly how essential and non-optional it is for all believers to function as builders of community within the body of Christ. Though there are many facets of this community building discussed by Bonhoeffer, one in particular has been most helpful to me.

On nearly every page of Bonhoeffer’s timeless work there is either a stated or implied assertion that upon conversion believers are given an invitation to live life within a family. This family can never be dissolved and the Head never deserts His children. This claim hit home with me for the simple reason that it seems to run so contrary to the trajectory of contemporary Christianity. I am convinced that this is not because Christians would take issue with Bonhoeffer, since his claim is biblically right on target. Instead, I believe the very concept of family has become severely eroded. So much so that most people, Christians included, no longer find it important, much less essential. To make matters worse, few attempts are being made within contemporary Christianity to teach and model the transcultural and transgenerational reality that believers are to live before the world as a family. There are “battles” being fought over alcohol consumption, the degree to which Christians should be culturally relevant, and a host of other issues; yet, rarely, is there a call to draw nearer to one’s brothers and sisters while at the same time drawing closer to the Father through His Son. If that were not enough, we live in a day and age when people are more and more self-absorbed and busy, and churches are more and more focused on numerical growth and fluff. This has led to a severe decline in the number of churches that are truly seeking to foster familial relationships. Whether it be within the home or within the church, true relational living as a family is sadly becoming nearly non-existent.

For all these aforementioned reasons and more, Bonhoeffer’s simple yet insightful Life Together ought to serve as a wake-up call to embrace anew the old truth that believers are brothers and sisters with the same heavenly Father. Just as a family eats together, prays together, reads the bible together, serves one another, cares for one another, confesses sin to one another, calls one another to account, and grows together, so must believers follow suit. When believers are confronted with this precious truth and begin to grasp what such a truth really means for the collective body of Christ, as well as the Christian as an individual, I am convinced that a great harvest of good fruit will result. Other than the word of God, I have yet to read a book more helpful as a call to and a guide for building genuine Christian community than Life Together. For this reason, I am very grateful that God, in His sweet providence, used Bonhoeffer to pen this excellent treatise. There is no doubt in my mind that his words will long be helpful to believers for many generations to come. May you, too, profit from this excellent work.

A Small Gift To Fathers

For the fathers who may visit this blog I want to wish you all a most happy Father's Day. To my dad, Milton, and my father-in-law, Joe, I want to say in particular that I am more thankful for the two of you than I could ever express. Larissa and I were and are enormously fortunate to have you as dads. We hope you two, in particular, have a most blessed Father's Day.

As one father to many other fathers, I want to offer up a small gift to all of you. Included in this post is a list of books that will be helpful to you as you labor to fulfill your role as a husband and father. I have made comments on some of the following recommendations and some I have not. I did this primarily because I am more familiar with some of the books than I am with the others. However, all of the books are highly recommended. If a book happens to interest you simply click on the book info and you will be directed to a link where the book can be purchased. As you read and hopefully enjoy these books remember that the truths they espouse were not conjured up by their authors. Instead they were gleaned from God's precious and perfect word. Feast on and savor the Bible, first and foremost. It is here where you will find the best guidance for your marriage and your family. Then take up and read the books listed here. You will not be disappointed.

Each For The Other by Bryan Chapell

Strengthening Your Marriage by Wayne Mack
This is an excellent book written by a seasoned husband, father, author, and biblical counselor. Mack is a very good writer -- throughly biblical and practical. Read this book with your wife and most definitely do not neglect his book recommendations or the helpful study guides at the end of each chapter.

The Exemplary Husband by Stuart Scott

Thoughts for Young Men by J. C. Ryle
Though written specifically for teenage boys, you would be foolish to think this book would not be helpful for you. Whether young or old, these thoughts will challenge you to be a man worthy to be so called.

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
This book is a classic! Much like Mack's work listed above, you should read this with your wife. Every page is full of sound wisdom for fathers (and mothers for that matter). Outside of scripture, I know of no book better able to guide parents in the most difficult but most important ministry they will ever have.

Don't Make Me Count To Three by Ginger Plowman
My wife loved this book. Though definitely written more for a mom than a dad, fathers do not overlook this book. Plowman has been heavily influenced by Tedd Tripp and Lou Priolo (two very wise and godly men). Read Tripp first but make Plowman a close second.

Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp
Paul Tripp is one of my favorite authors. If you have teenagers in your home get this book and read it right away! If you have young children soon to be teenagers put this book on your reading list and do not neglect to read it.

Peacemaking for Families by Ken Sande

Disciplines of a Godly Family by R. Kent Hughes and Barbara Hughes

Thoughts on Family Worship by J.W. Alexander
An excellent book by a 19th century pastor and seminary professor. Though it is an old book, it deals with subject matter that will never cease to be timely or important. I have no doubt that this book will spur you on to better more biblical leadership in your home.

Aim For Glory Not Glamour

As most of you know from Larissa's last post, I began my ministry at FCC Pleasanton as the Youth Pastor this past Sunday. I have spent a great deal of time recently reflecting upon the weighty role God has so graciously granted me. Though I am so thankful He has seen fit to place young souls under my care, I have been more aware than ever of the eternal nature of pastoral ministry. This has led to much contemplation about how one goes about engaging in ministry, in my case ministry to youth. As I began to think about this important question I realised how different I am from many Youth Ministers I have known in the past. Most have been far more hip and culturally connected than I. They have also typically been more focused on activities than I have ever desired to be. At this point I think it is necessary to say that for me I have felt some degree of pressure to fit this mould. It is when I feel this pressure, however, that my feelings collide with the word of God, and I am again reminded that if the trajectory of comtemporary Youth Ministry fails to be biblically sound then I must reject it. This is certainly not to say that being culturally aware is a bad thing or that engaging in activities is wrong, but when these things become front and center have we not departed from what is first and foremost? I will never be known as the coolest youth minister ever, nor will I ever be as up to date with cultural issues as many people are. I will also never love activities as much as I love teaching the word of God. But I am contented with that. Instead, I intend to strive, by God's grace, to labor for His glory by focusing on two things: 1. I want to tirelessly teach God's word with unction and accuracy and 2. I want my youth to know I love them. Certainly, youth ministry is more than this; but this is where I intend to begin and where I intend to remain. Others can have the glitz and glamour. I'd much rather see my Savior get the glory only He deserves!

Try Your Weekend Getaway...At Church?!

Summertime. It is a season of pools, tans, outdoor sports, boating, fishing, pretty much anything, with one exception - - corporate worship with other believers. Perhaps more than any other time of the year each one of us can think of a legion of activities that could be (and in some cases should be) done during the warm summer months. For the most part these activities are no doubt good and acceptable in and of themselves. The trouble comes when the pursuit of these activities becomes more important than gathering together with other believers to worship God. When this happens we tread on dangerous ground. The words of the writer of Hebrews are most pertinent here: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25) What will you be doing this Sunday, say around 10 AM? Will you be fishing on the local lake or playing in a softball tournament? Believer, please know that your church family needs you (not to mention the fact that you need them) infinitely more than you need that 10 lb. bass or championship trophy. This Sunday, instead of pursuing that which is temporal let us pursue the One who is eternal, and let us do it with a grateful heart in the presence of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I leave you with a quote from the puritan Richard Baxter. In his phenonmenal work entitled A Christian Directory , Baxter makes this wise statement: "O consider what it is for a sinner that must shortly die, to go with the servants of God to worship him; to pray for his salvation, and to hear what God hath to say to him by his minister, for the life of his immortal soul!" (616)

In Hopes Of Being Helpful

When Larissa asked me if I was interested in blogging with her, I admit I was somewhat hesitant. I honestly have niether the time nor the inclination to type. Perhaps though, that is due in part to the fact that I use only two fingers. At any rate, I warmed to the idea when I realized how much of a blessing it would be to my own soul to prepare and put out entries for this blog. My real hope, however, is that what is written might bless you also. For this reason, I have purposefully chosen to limit the scope of what I intend to write. Though I love academics, particularly when studying strenghtens my understanding of God's word, I will not be purely academic. Though I love simplistic practical truth, particularly when such truth strengthens my daily walk as a disciple of Christ, I will not be purely practical. What I desire to be more than anything is helpful. If I can help others see clearer how great and glorious the one and only Triune God is, than any time spent posting on this blog will be well spent. In an attempt to achieve this end, my postings will vary a great deal in subject matter and length, but never focus. Tonight I offer up a review of a book on the often neglected topic of humility. I hope after reading this review that you will be persuaded to use your lunch money to purchase this book. Your stomach may growl, but I assure you you will be richly fed.

Humility: The Forgotten Virtue by Wayne A. Mack, with Joshua Mack. Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed, 2005. Pp. 180.

In chapter 5 of the first epistle that bears his name, the apostle Peter warns the people of God that Satan is “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”(v. 8). Most Christians know that Satan’s relentless pursuit of their soul is futile, yet his temptations and attacks continue on and are as real as a believer’s security in Christ. There are many fronts upon which the Christian fights his greatest adversary but few if any are as challenging as the battlefront of pride. In fact, the Holy Spirit did not accidentally inspire Peter to warn about Satan only three verses after calling for God’s people “to be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility for ‘God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (V. 5). If humility fails to characterize a Christian’s life than they have little hope for achieving victory in the daily battle against the devil. For this reason, Wayne Mack’s Humility: The Forgotten Virtue is a welcome treatise on a sorely neglected but vitally important topic.
In Humility: The Forgotten Virtue, Dr. Mack begins his book by establishing the biblical mandate for humility. He then defines humility by defining pride and setting forth four qualities that describe a person who is genuinely humble.
Throughout the course of the next three chapters seventeen descriptions are given that paint a complete portrait of the humble. Ten of those descriptions are shown by Mack to be recognizable in the way a believer contemplates, interacts with, and responds to their great God. However, being humble in one’s relationship with God is only part of living as a humble Christian. One must also display humility in everyday interaction with their fellow man. For this reason, the remaining seven descriptions address this important reality.
As the reader comes to chapter 5, Mack’s focus shifts slightly. In this chapter his purpose is simple—explain the foolishness of pride. Pride not only “produces” things we should shun but it also “prevents” things we should embrace (pg. 111). Based on Mack’s condemnation of pride, which he shows from scripture is ultimately God’s condemnation of pride, the reader is lead to rightly conclude that no one is able to live a life pleasing to God while embracing pride. This fact is made all the more obvious in the final few paragraphs of this chapter, when Mack reminds his readers of the tremendous humility displayed by our Lord Jesus Christ.
As the reader digests the final two chapters in Mack’s book they are promised an answer to how a Christian can put into practice what has been asserted in the previous 5 chapters. His highly competent and biblically sound answer neither neglects God’s grace or man’s responsibility. He begins by reminding his readers that “humility begins with the new birth” (p. 123). No matter how much a man may work to achieve humility it will never be realized apart from the empowerment of a gracious God. Yet, as Mack points out, man must work to cultivate humility. As in all areas of the Christian life, humility comes when we diligently labor to practice the virtue while remembering that all action is grace enabled.
In the preface to Humility: The Forgotten Virtue Mack states that he intends to use a “four-D approach” in helping his readers better understand pride and humility in light of scripture (p. 14). This method consists of providing “a biblical definition” of what pride and humility are, discussing “how pride and humility display themselves” and explaining “how true humility can be developed and destructive pride can be diminished in our lives” (p. 14). As one can see from the analysis of his individual chapters, Mack has admirably achieved his purpose.
To say that the strengths of Mack’s book are legion would be an understatement. Perhaps the most impressive strength is Mack’s accurate assessment of man’s utter depravity, God’s sovereign and gracious character, and the impact these foundational truths have on any discussion relating to humility. Another strength is found in the overall practical nature of Mack’s work. Instead of technical analysis, you will find Bible soaked wisdom gleaned from nearly 40 years in the ministry. As if Mack’s godly counsel were not enough, peppered throughout this book are numerous quotes by men like C.H. Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Bridges. As the reader concludes each chapter, yet another strength becomes clearly visible. Mack had included study questions which encourage both review and reflection. This very useful feature helps to make this book an excellent choice for those seeking to do a discipleship class on humility in the local church. In fact, Mack acknowledges earlier on that the material for the book originated in a class taught at Grace Fellowship Church (p.15).
Before concluding a discussion of the strengths of this book, a few words must be said about the brilliant forward written by Joel Beeke. Aside from being a great introduction to and commendation for Mack’s work, the forward is an enormously rich goldmine of Puritan comment on pride and humility. Typically, forewords serve as appetizers for more fulfilling meals to follow. Beeke’s forward, however, is a feast all by itself. Whether it’s Richard Mayo, George Swinnock, Thomas Shepard or Cotton Mather, Beeke lets these spiritual giants speak and what they have to say is, in the opinion of this reviewer, worth the price of the book.
Despite being a commendable book in so many ways, there are a couple of desirable corrections worth noting. In a few places the reader will notice some minor grammatical mistakes. On page 15 Mack states that Joel Beeke is a “seminar professor.” This should in fact read “seminary professor.” Then on page 38 references to the Lord in a quotation from Jeremiah 17 are capitalized so they appear as “LORD.” However, the final reference appears as “LoRD.” A third grammatical mistake appears on page 157. His fourteenth point on decreasing pride and increasing humility should be italicized like the previous 13 points.
Wayne Mack’s Humility: The Forgotten Virtue proves that truly Christian literature both admonishes and encourages God’s people. He takes his readers on a journey through scripture that is painful at times, encouraging at others, but always faithfully honest. All of this is done in the hopes that the natural man’s heart is shown to produce only pride never humility; and that when humility is displayed it is solely because of the grace of God. In an age when fluff, which is not worth the paper it is printed on, is scoffed up by Christians in mass quantities, Mack’s faithful message is wonderfully refreshing. May God grant His people the ability to not only hear but also heed this timeless message.