Protoevangelium, what is that?

Protoevangelium is commonly referred to as the first gospel. The term of protoevangelium is a theological concept that is used to describe the first mention of the gospel, in the Old Testament no less. This profound doctrine is found early in the Biblical narrative of Genesis chapter 3. The actual word protoevangelium comes from the Latin word meaning, "first gospel." (Proto) This is where we get our word prototype from. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines prototype as, "An original model on which something is patterned." That is exactly the thought behind Genesis 3:15. It is the first foretelling of the gospel. It is a prophetic statement pointing to the divine sacrifice of Jesus Christ that would ultimately effectuate the end of Satan. Please note that Genesis 3:15 is a promise, and it is issued forth from the Lord Himself! The renowned theologian R.C. Sproul, in Speaking of the profundity of this statement remarks, "After pursuing Adam and Eve so that they might find repentance, the Lord next turns to the serpent. Yet the Creator offers Satan no opportunity to confess his guilt; rather, He immediately judges the one who attacked Him by tempting His image bearers." Notice that the once heralded angel Lucifer has now ostensibly fallen into the depths of wickedness. The depths of which he will never return, and his ultimate fate is spelled out in the book of Revelation! His ever impending doom will cast its weary shadow over him all of his days. So take heart today dear Christian for Jesus has overcome death, hell,  and the grave. And yes beloved, even Satan! 

For more on the doctrine of "Protoevangelium" read the centuries old sermon of George Whitefield entitled, "The seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent." It can be easily accessed via the internet.

Expectancy?

EXPECTANCY?

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7) 

What comes to your mind when you hear the word expectancy? If your like me, you might picture an "expectant" mother eagerly anticipating the long awaited arrival of her offspring. Some may think more along the lines of life "expectancy". One speaks of arrival (birth) and the other of departure (death). While these are weighty matters that are certainly worthy of our deliberation, there is another form of expectancy that requires our urgent attention. I am speaking of that form of expectancy that accompanies the christian life. As believers we must  constantly and consistently find ourselves on the edge of expectancy. You might be asking, "expecting, expecting what?" The obvious answer would be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the rapture (1 Thess. 4:17). After all, we should be on the edge of our seat awaiting the imminent return of the Lord for His bride. However, the expectancy that I want to address comes to us via the life of that great ship builder Noah. We read in Hebrews 11 that Noah brazenly proved his obedience to God by doing the unthinkable. For a more through account of the warning that God issued to Noah, read Genesis 6:5-22. In the context of Genesis chapter 6 we soon discover the our dear brother Noah faced monumental challenges. First of all, Noah had to stomach the idea that God was about to destroy virtually everything and everyone on the face of the earth. (No local flood here). 

Secondly, it was at the command of God that Noah began to build a boat that certainly would have  superseded anything known at the time. It is likely that Noah may have never even seen a boat. The construction of such a large vessel would take Noah 120 years to construct. It is worth our notice to observe that he was about 500 years old when he began to hammer away on this titanic vessel that would have to navigate the rough waters of the flood in order to deliver he and his family to safety. Thirdly, It seems reasonable to assume that Noah may have never even seen it rain, much less a flood of of this magnitude! However, Noah was a man of great faith. For God openly testified that, "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" ( Genesis 6:9). 

Obviously, Noah's faith separated him from all others, including those in his family. While 7 others were  also spared the watery grave of the flood, it was only Noah's faith that was spoken of in such exquisite terms. In short, he took God at His word. Noah truly expected God to do exactly what He said He would do. It was because of his faith that Noah moved into action. "In reverence he prepared and ark" (Hebrews 11:7). 

Beloved, when was the last time you exercised your faith in God? Can you  honestly say that you expected God to move or manifest Himself in some way as a result of your faith? So many arrive at church week after week, arguably to worship that King of Kings, yet they never really expect God to move. If you and I  anticipate that nothing will happen, then we should expect nothing to happen. Please understand me, I am just as convicted by this as you are. O' Lord, forgive us of our myopia. May our expectations increasingly rise as well as our arms in praise to the only ONE who can deliver us from destruction and set our feet on solid ground. 

Another year has come and gone!

Another year has come and gone! 

As another year dawns may we be mindful to count our days. James, the half-brother of our Lord stated,  "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away"(James 4:14). Solomon remarked, "Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1). Likewise Moses added, "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). Perceivably, we are well aware of our mortality. Statistics rightly affirm that 100 out 100 die. Barring the rapture of the church in our generation, we will all taste death. The question that lingers before us is, are we prepared to take our past breath. The Scriptures justly declared that it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). A day of judgement has been appointed when Jesus, the righteous judge will render judgment with justice and equity irregardless of our perceived self righteousness. Therefore, the Apostle Paul issues a stern warning, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves, or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test" (2 Corinthians 13:5). While our days are numbered, just like the hairs on our head, those who are in Christ should take heart, for our redemption draweth nigh! Never forget, even though we are mortal, Christ is Eternal! "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). 

John Witherspoon- True son of liberty, but foremost a son of the Cross!

 I  recently had the privilege of visiting the Princeton cemetery located in Princeton, N.J. This hallowed memorial ground resides along a quaint unassuming roadside located on the Princeton University campus. Over the centuries many great men of God have been laid to rest there. Former President Grover Cleveland and Vice President Aaron Burr are also buried there. While there, I visited the resting places of B.B. Warfield, Charles Hodge, and Samuel Davies, all great men of God. However, the primary reason I made this pilgrimage of sorts was to visit the grave of the great theologian and former Princeton president, Jonathan Edwards. His piety and preaching left an indelible imprint on the hearts and minds of many Christians during in his day and ours. His role in the great awakening of the eighteenth century can not be overstated or emphasized enough. 

          While there in the Presidents section of the cemetery I noticed the resting site of the Rev. John Witherspoon. Witherspoon was the sixth president of Princeton and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. I must confess, I wasn't as familiar with Witherspoon as I was with Edwards, Warfield and Hodge. Several days later I arrived home, and decided to remedy my oversight. It was then that I began to research the life of this distinguished American clergyman. I thought it would be proper and appropriate to share some insights about his life on Independence Day. I hope that this provokes you to pause and think about the Christian heritage that all Americans share and hopefully enjoy!

            John Witherspoon was born in Scotland in 1723. He was the son of a Presbyterian minister by the name of James Witherspoon. His mother was a descendant of the sixteenth century Scottish reformer John Knox. His mother taught him to read from the Bible by age four. Witherspoon entered Edinburgh University at the age of thirteen and graduated in three years with a Masters of Arts degree. After four more years of preparatory work he entered the ministry and accepted the pastorate at the Presbyterian church at Beith, Scotland. He spent eight years in Beith and then spent another eleven years as pastor of Laigh Kirk in Paisley, Scotland which seated 1,300 people. During his ministry, Witherspoon was a proud Calvinistic preacher who emphasized salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His sermons clearly reveal his zeal for the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He attracted several opponents because of his unwavering condemnation of sin.
       
          In 1768 Witherspoon left Scotland to become the sixth president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton University). He served the university well as president from 1768 to 1794. One writer has described John Witherspoon as, "the man who shaped the men who shaped America." This is obvious considering his twenty-six year tenure as president yielded 478 graduates from the prestigious College of New Jersey. Among those 114 became ministers; 13 became state governors; 3 became U.S. Supreme Court judges; 20 became U.S. State Senators; 33 became U.S. Congressmen, Aaron Burr Jr. became Vice President; and James Madison became President. Witherspoon was a strong advocate for liberty and independence, as president of Princeton he encouraged and emphasized this sentiment. His deep rooted conviction earned him a seat in the Continental Congress, serving as a congressional delegate from New Jersey from 1776-1782. During his time in the Continental Congress he wore his ecclesiastical garments to remind the other men of the importance role that God must play in the formation of this new country. He also took a lead role in the adoption of the Articles of Confederation. He is probably best known as one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence.

          Witherspoon left a legacy behind of patriotism and piety. He was a gospel preacher who believed in the depravity of man and the sovereignty of God. John Witherspoon was somewhat of a rarity in his day; how much more in our day? His friend and colleague John Adams described him as, "a true son of Liberty" but foremost he was a son of the Cross! Would to God that we had men in government today with this kind of conviction!

John Witherspoon

Worth Writing About

Before I began this blog, I asked myself, "Do I really have anything worth writing about?" After all, over the centuries a lot of ink has been spilled over, "much ado about nothing." The question immediately arose, what can I add to the blog-o-sphere?  I am reminded of the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "All my best thoughts were stolen by the ancients." Nevertheless, I estimate the discipline will do me much good. With that said, my earnest prayer is that the Lord Jesus might receive an immeasurable amount of glory from my inept and nearly insane ramblings. The Lord be magnified. Psalm 40:16