“Perhaps more than any previous generation of Christians, our generation needs to be saturated in the wisdom, grace, goodness, and health-giving clarity of God’s truth. We need our minds decluttered and then refreshed by the ‘wisdom that comes down from above’ (James 3:15). We live in a world of deceptive illusions—powerful, seductive illusions—that are out to ensnare us and kill us. Calvin was absolutely right: we need every given opportunity to hear God’s living, clarifying, deception-scattering word. So my question to you is this: Do you prize every given opportunity to hear God’s Word? You could read this as a rebuke, and in a measure you might be right in doing so. But, rather, see this question as a loving exhortation to hunt out every opportunity to sit under the ministry of God’s Word. Not because quantity matters more than quality; but because God Himself speaks to us by His Spirit through His Word every time it is faithfully proclaimed. I have a good friend in the USA who was accused by some church members of being ‘legalistic’ because he encouraged them not to be satisfied with coming to worship once a week. His encouragement was not legalistic, it was the kind, thoughtful, caring encouragement of a pastor set apart to care for Christ’s sheep. May we all be like the Psalmist who wrote, ‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”’ (Ps. 122:1).”
– Ian Hamilton in The Gospel-Shaped Life
This is one of my favorite responses to hear from a couple during premarital counseling: “The worst part about dating or being engaged is the fact that you have to go home separately each night.” That is always a good sign–for numerous reasons. But the primary reason that this encourages me is the fact that the couple is sad when they must be apart from one another.
You do not have to convince those who truly love each other to spend time together. In a loving relationship, the hard part is times apart. It is true, loving relationships go through seasons. Interestingly, those who truly love each other can often feel certain levels of conviction that they could be doing more to love that person better. Sometimes this can be true but other times it is frankly just a longing to have more capacity to love someone more.
It is not legalistic to tell a couple who loves each other to make sure they make time to be with each other. It is part of what will only strengthen their relationship and help them to delight in their relationship. Why would it be different when it comes to loving the infinitely holy and eternally good God?
After Peter’s Pentecost sermon, the Word says in Acts 2:41, “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” Now, it is helpful to remember that when the Book of Acts was written there were no chapter or verse numbers. Yes, there are units of thought and structure—which we must not ignore—but it was written to naturally flow from one section to another. This means that verse 42 is the natural overflow of what a normal Christian life ought to look like. “And they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Yes, this was a special revival. Yes, revival is a time of intensifying the experiences of faith. But this section of Scripture is not merely describing the effects of revival. It describes for us the properly biblical philosophy of ministry for a local church and thus, the regular rhythms of a Christian’s life.
To be “devoted” means to attach oneself to something or to constantly be engaged in something. Moisés Silva remarks that the Book of Acts uses this word “to denote the spiritual attitude of the early church.” This term occurs in other places throughout the Book of Acts to talk about the Christian culture of the early churches. Silva continues, “The small flock of disciples persevered together in constant prayer before Pentecost, in preparation for the promised filling of the Spirit (Acts 1:14). Similarly after Pentecost ‘they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer’ (2:42). In the early church the experience of Pentecost produced Christians of great constancy and purpose who continued with one accord in the temple (2:46). And the apostles saw it as their function to devote themselves to the ministry of the word and to prayer (6:4).”[1]
Psalm 122:1 could be used to describe the attitude of these early churches. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” The question is: Does this describe us today? With all our Bibles, podcasts, blogs, books, and social media accounts, have we gained the whole world of resources yet lost our first joy? Why would it be scandalous to say that it is good for us to meet regularly and frequently with God’s people over the means of grace?
Legalism is lethal. But lovingly wooing someone to the means of grace is not legalism. We need to remember that there are two senses to the word “salvation.” It is true that salvation can refer to that blessed moment of conversion when God grants faith and repentance to us for the first time (Acts 16:30-33; Rom. 10:9; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). It is also true that salvation is used in Scripture to describe all the stages of the Christian life—regeneration (Eph. 2:5; Titus 3:5), conversion (Acts 2:21, 47), faith (Rom. 10:9-10) and repentance (Acts 2:37-41), justification (Rom. 5:9; Titus 3:5-7), adoption (Rom. 8:23-24), sanctification (Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:9; 2:2), perseverance (1 Cor. 15:2), and glorification (Heb. 11:!6; 1 Jn. 3:1-3; Rev. 12:10).
To say that the means of grace are for your salvation is not, and must not, be to say that they accomplish your salvation/conversion. It is true to say that the means of grace are for your salvation in that they communicate to us the benefits of Christ’s mediation (WLC 153). The means of grace are means of salvation. It is not in the strict sense or legalistic sense of “Jesus + Effort in the Means of Grace = Conversion”. We are not Roman Catholic! Rather, how do we receive the benefits of Christ’s perfect and all-sufficient mediation which enables us to grow in salvation? The means of grace. Therefore, it is right and proper (and lovingly pastoral) to communicate to our people their need for the means of grace. It is for their growth in faith, assurance, holiness, love, identity in Christ, doctrine, service, fellowship, missions, evangelism, biblical worldview, and much more. To downplay the means of grace is to neglect someone’s growth and joy in Christ—and that is a serious error.
[1] Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 630–631.
