by Shanna Mallon

I’d been a mom for a few short days the first time it hit me. Sore and sleep-deprived, recovering from a long labor and emergency C-section that had the hospital suggesting I get a blood transfusion, I rode a wheelchair down to the parking garage, watched my husband, Tim, snap our barely six-pound newborn’s car seat into the backseat and then, moving slower than I’d ever moved before to get into my own seat, braced myself to be driven home. That was when I started to see what I continue to see now, months later with an active baby bouncing in the living room: Becoming a parent is bewilderingly sweet and undeservedly good. But, as every new parent would attest to, becoming a parent is also hard.

In those first few weeks tucked in at home, family members making our meals, days turning into nights as we planted ourselves on the sofa caring for our beautiful boy, it took all my effort to move from the living room to the bathroom, from the bathroom to our own bed. Tim had to pick up Rocco and bring him to me every few hours during the night; I couldn’t get up on my own. Tim had to change diapers for me; I couldn’t bend over. And without other people nearby to see what we were facing in the especially hard work of those early weeks, how much effort it took for us to get from one day to the next, that was when I first heard the temptation: If you’re sacrificing and serving and no one notices, what you’re doing must not matter at all.

Affirmation for Mothering

Jesus says to the disciples, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). Parenting has long been a practice that demanded unseen sacrifice. Who remembers all the times their parents changed their diapers, got up with them in the middle of the night, comforted hurts, cared for injuries? How many meals does a mother cook for her family throughout their lives? How many of the kind words and thoughtful conversations given from loving parents get logged permanently in a child’s memory bank?

But today, thanks to the world of social media, practicing the daily sacrifices of mothering doesn’t have to be hidden. It is easier than ever to share. And in the monotony of cleaning spit-up, cooking another meal, responding to another tantrum, we can unknowingly begin to resist entrusting our unseen service to the one who knows all things. We seek affirmation from one another instead of from God (John 5:44). Right at our fingertips is a way to post a status or picture and, right that moment, feel the satisfaction of reassuring likes.

Made to Delight in Jesus

The allure of immediate validation is obvious, especially to someone who’s facing new challenges at home. Motherhood can feel isolating and lonely and, with its constant demands, discouraging in ways a woman has never before experienced. In my short stint as a mom, I’ve already wondered, more times than I like, if I’m doing it right. But looking to the reward of others’ approval on social media is not the answer to my heart’s questions. When I find myself wondering if my days have value, how to have joy, there is only one source I can trust.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)

Because I was made to delight in Jesus, the one who demonstrated perfectly what it means to give up life for another, I don’t have to trade the temporal satisfaction of being noticed for the eternal glory that is to come. Instead of looking to hearts on Instagram to fill me up in quiet moments while the baby sleeps, I can look to the one who sees every momentary, little sacrifice and uses it for good. I can fight for faith that the hidden work of motherhood matters — because nothing we do or think is hidden to him. Nobody else has to see this moment; he does.

So as mothers, when we’re wiping another mess, making another meal, losing sleep, or wondering if this quiet work matters at all, we can take hold of delight — not just in the affection we feel for our precious children, but also in the truth that serving them matters to our God. This is why our humdrum, ordinary, simple days are important: Because we believe they are important to him. In every moment, he is with us. He is in us. He hears us. He sees us. He is, in our days at home as anywhere else, working out his purposes in a thousand ways we cannot see and like and comment on in this life.

On Sunday May 15th from 4pm-6:30pm we will be gathering for Summit #4.  (Child care will be available.) The goal of the Summit is not to debate theology but to define and describe the various positions along each continuum.[1]  The “x”  on the continuums below identify (approximately) where KHC currently stands. Eventually, it will be the responsibility of the elders to furnish position papers stating why we stand where we stand. Additionally we would identify as “Confessional Evangelicals” on the uppermost continuum.

When churches don’t pick one or the other end of a continuum, they are considered to be seeking to hold both in a (dynamic, prayerful, respectful, and studied) tension, which is where KHC has existed for many years.

Toward a definition of theological terms…

1. Moralistic – Moralism is the anti-gospel, seeking to achieve growth, sanctification, or “Christian maturity” through self-effort. The basic structure comes down to the belief that the Gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior. It is as if salvation is by grace but that growth in Christ is due to maintaining a (NT) moral code.
2. Fundamentalism – Baptist editor Curtis Lee Laws coined the term in 1920 to designate Christians who were ready “to do battle royal for the Fundamentals.” Laws borrowed the term from the title of a series of essays published between 1910 and 1915 called The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth, reacting to liberal theology and militantly asserted the inerrancy of the Bible. While the focus on the fundamentals is admirable, in the last 40 years Fundamentalism has come to be associated with moralism.
3. Evangelical – The religious movements and denominations that sprung forth from a series of revivals that swept the North Atlantic Anglo-American world in the 18^th and early 19^th Key figures associated with these revivals included the itinerant English evangelist George Whitefield (1715-1770); the founder of Methodism, John Wesley (1703-1791); and American Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). These revivals were particularly responsible for the rise of the Baptists and Methodists from obscure sects to prominent denominations.
4. Confessional Evangelicalism – Having a passion to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ at the center of all church life and ministry, a deep commitment to biblical truth as defined in the historic confessions of the faith, a sense of urgency to see lost persons hear the gospel, a commitment to the local church and to pursue personal holiness.
5. Liberal – The theology of liberal Christianity became prominent in the 19^th and 20^th The style of Scriptural hermeneutics[2] is not considered a collection of factual statements, but instead an anthology that documents the human authors’ beliefs and feelings about God at the time of its writing—within a historical or cultural context.
6. Dispensational – A 19^th-century theological development that sees God as structuring His relationship with humankind through several stages, or dispensations, of revelation. Dispensationalists believe that the nation of Israel is distinct from the Church and that God has yet to fulfill His promises to national Israel. As a system, dispensationalism is rooted in the writings of John Nelson Darby (1800–1882) and propagated through works such as The Scofield Reference Bible. Additionally, the theology consists of a distinctive “end times”[3] perspective, known as premillennialism[4] and a pretribulation rapture.[5] In other areas of theology, dispensationalists hold to a wide range of beliefs within the evangelical and fundamentalist spectrum.
7. Covenantal – Belief that God has structured His relationship with humanity by covenants rather than dispensations. Old Testament Covenants (OT) and the New Covenant (NT). These covenants are not new tests, but are rather differing administrations of the single, overarching covenant of grace. Adam sinned and broke the initial (old) covenant, and thereby subjected all humanity to the penalty for covenant-breaking – condemnation. God in His mercy instituted the “covenant of grace,” through Jesus Christ, which is the promise of redemption and eternal life to those who would believe in Him.
8. Charismatic – Describes the 20^th century and ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopted beliefs and practices similar to Pentecostals. Foundational to the movement is the belief that Christians may be “baptized in” the Holy Spirit as a second experience subsequent to salvation and that it will be evidenced by manifestations of the Holy Spirit including the “gift of tongues.”
9. Non-Charismatic – The belief that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a “second blessing” subsequent to conversion, but is inseparable from conversion and a once-for-all experience that involves one’s permanent identification with Christ and His Church.
10. Cessationist – The view that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, such as healing, tongues, and prophetic revelation, pertained to the apostolic era only, served a purpose that was unique to establishing the early church, and passed away before the canon of Scripture was closed.
11. Continuationist – The view that the miraculous gifts are normative, have not ceased, and are available for the believer today.
12. Calvinism – The theological system associated with the Reformer John Calvin that emphasizes the sovereign rule of God over all things as reflected in its understanding of Scripture, God, humanity, salvation, and the church. Calvinism refers to the Five Points of doctrine regarding salvation, which make up the acrostic T.U.L.I.P.[6]
13. Arminianism – A school of theology based on the teachings of Dutch theologian Jacob Arminius emphasizing free will, meaning our choices are free from the determination or constraints of human nature and free from any predetermination by God. “Free will theists” hold that libertarian freedom is essential for moral responsibility.
14. Complementarian – The theological view that men and women are created equal in their being and personhood through bearing the image of God, displaying physical and functional distinctives and are created to complement one another in biblically prescribed roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, and church leadership. Complementarians view women’s roles in church ministry as distinctive from men, holding to the “mystery” of mutual submission, male headship, and sacrificial love conveyed in Ephesians 5:19-33. Practically, this is expressed through the practice of male lead pastors and elders.
15. Egalitarian – The theological view that not only are all people equal before God in their personhood, but there are no gender-based limitations of what functions or roles each can fulfill in the home, church, or society – viewing Galatians 3:28 as a hinge-verse that changes the historical role of women in the Church.
16. “Hyper” Theological Positions – The prefix “hyper” may be applied to almost any theological position that falls outside what is generally viewed as orthodox (or mainstream). The term is generally regarded as a pejorative yet, as one might imagine, those who hold a “hyper” or extreme view would not regard their view as extreme but normative.

[1] A range or a scale.

[2] Interpretation of the Bible.

[3] Eschatology.

[4] Premillennialism teaches that the 2^nd Coming will occur before a literal thousand-year reign of Christ from Jerusalem upon the earth.

[5] The Church will be taken off the earth before the tribulation in preparation for Christ’s 2^nd Coming.

[6] Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, Perseverance of the saints.

Do we have a Cheerleader in Heaven?

Jesus’ intercessory prayer on our behalf serves as a source of comfort and assurance in (at least) four ways:

1. Jesus’ interceding on our behalf assures us of eternal life. Jesus “is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25). Philip Hughes comments on this passage, “How can we who draw near to God through Christ fail to be eternally secure in view of the fact not only that he always lives but also that as our ever living priest He never ceases to make intercessionfor us in the heavenly sanctuary? With Him as our intercessor, supporting us with His love, there is no force that can daunt or overpower us (cf. Phil. 4:3; Rom. 8:37).[1]
2. Jesus’ interceding on our behalf assures us of strength, even when we fail. When Jesus informed Peter that he would be sifted by Satan, He added, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32). Jesus comforts Peter with the assurance that though he may be tested by the power of hell, he will be strengthened to turn back. When Jesus prays for Peter, it is not a question of “if you turn back,” but rather of “when you turn back.” When we stumble and fall, Jesus does not turn away, but prays that our faith may not fail. Jesus’ intercession will be answered by the Father, who will strengthen us for life’s journey until we are safe at home with Him.
3. Jesus’ interceding on our behalf assures us of His love for us. If Aaron, in the Old Testament, bore the names of the sons of Israel upon his heart as he wore his breastpiece (Ex. 28:6ff.; 39:1ff.), then with greater delight our High Priest has our names upon His heart. We are remembered by our Lord as He prays to the Father for us. Jesus prayed for Peter by name during His earthly ministry. Is it too much for Him to remember us by name in His heavenly ministry? Jesus says He knows His own sheep by name (John 10:3, 14). When Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus, He called him by name (Acts 9:4). Surely our High Priest knows our name and prays for us. When we think that we are alone and no one cares about us, remember that our Savior knows us personally and prays for us by name.

As our High Priest, Jesus fully identifies with all that we face in life. He has suffered. He was tempted in every way. During His life on earth, “He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death” (Heb. 5:7). And so our High Priest is able to sympathize with all our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). He understands and has compassion for us. He knows, He feels, what we are going through, and so he prays for us.

4. Jesus’ interceding on our behalf assures us of intimate communion with God. His praying for us is not pleading with a displeased, angry Father. Rather, His intercession is in harmony with the Father’s will to love us and communicate all spiritual blessings to us as His children.

Communion with God

The culmination of blessing is to be in the presence of God, enjoying communion with Him. As our High Priest, Jesus has led the way in this communion, representing us before the Father. Because He has been made like us in every way, yet without sin, our humanity is in the presence of God and receives the fullness of blessing. Geerhardus Vos explains, “Through the priest the people enter representatively into the sanctuary of perfect communion with God. Thus the priest not merely works in their interest, but also receives and enjoys in their behalf the fruit of his own labors. He dwells with God as the first heir of the blessedness to which His ministry has opened the way.”[2] This blessing of being in the presence of God is now, and will be fully, communicated to us in Christ.

We are even now in the presence of God. We are exhorted to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16). And by faith we should recognize that “you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.  You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Heb. 12:22-24). An intimate communion with God is ours by faith. It will never be broken, because Christ prays for us before the Father.

And in the future, you will fully experience what is yours now by faith. Jesus is interceding on your behalf in order that what he experiences fully now will be fully experienced by you throughout eternity. The goal of Christ’s mediatorial work, then, is nothing less than the perfection of the covenant of grace. That goal is to be in the full presence of our God, that he might delight in us as his people, and that we might enjoy him forever as our God.

Adapted from William B. Kessler.  See the full article here.

[1] A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, pgs. 269-70.

[2] Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation, pgs. 137-38.

Last Thursday evening Pastor John Svendsen mentioned the late John Stott’s The Cross of Christ as one of the best books on the doctrine of substitution — and one of those books every Christian should read. The book is certainly a masterful treatise on the glories of the cross.

In chapter 7, Stott looks at the four principal New Testament images of salvation.

• The shrine (propitiation[1])
• The market (redemption)
• The court of law (justification)
• The home (reconciliation)

This beautiful chapter on “The Salvation of Sinners” ends with a masterful summary of the four images[2]:

First, each highlights a different aspect of our human need. Propitiation underscores the wrath of God upon us, redemption our captivity to sin, justification our guilt, and reconciliation our enmity against God and alienation from Him. These metaphors do not flatter us. They actually expose the magnitude of our need.

Second, all four images emphasize that the saving initiative was taken by God in His love. It is God who has propitiated His own wrath, redeemed us from our miserable bondage, declared us righteous in His sight and reconciled us to Himself. Stott shows that texts like 1 John 4:10; Luke 1:68; Rom. 8:33; and 2 Cor. 5:18 teach this precious truth.

Third, all four images plainly teach that God’s saving work was achieved through the blood-shedding, that is, the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. Again, Stott reminds us of the most important texts that make this point: Rom. 3:25; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:9;Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:20.

Both Testaments, then, confirm that judicial retribution from God awaits those whose sins are not covered by a substitutionary sacrifice: in the Old Testament, the sacrifice of an animal; in the New Testament, the sacrifice of Christ. He, the holy Son of God in sinless human flesh, has endured what Calvin called ‘the pains of a condemned and lost person’ so that we, trusting him as our Saviour and Lord, might receive pardon for the past and a new life in him and with him for the present and future.  –J.I. Packer

The chapter concludes with a much needed word for our day. Everyone who marginalizes the doctrine of substitution by calling it a “theory,” everyone who minimizes this doctrine by making it just one aspect of the atonement, everyone who shies away from this teaching in a misguided effort to rescue the love of God, everyone who undermines this essential truth by refusing to declare it confidently in plain, unambiguous terms, should pay careful attention to this concluding paragraph:

So substitution is not a “theory of the atonement.” Nor is it even an additional image to take its place as an option alongside the others. It is rather the essence of each image and the heart of the atonement itself. None of the four images could stand without it. I am not of course saying that it is necessary to understand, let alone articulate, a substitutionary atonement before one can be saved. Yet the responsibility of Christian teachers, preachers and other witnesses is to seek grace to expound it with clarity and conviction. For the better people understand the glory of the divine substitution, the easier it will be for them to trust in the Substitute.

Is there more than one thing to say about the atonement? Absolutely! Are there a variety of implications and applications that can be drawn from the cross of Christ? Of course! But none of them make sense if Christ did not die in our place to assuage the wrath of God. Substitution is not a theory — one suggested idea that may or may not be true. Substitutionary atonement is the hope of sinners, the heart of the gospel, and the good news without which all other news regarding the cross is null and void.

The above was adapted from a post on the Gospel Coalition website by Kevin DeYoung. You can view it here.

[1] Propitiation means the turning away of God’s wrath by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

[2] Pgs. 198-199.