For the Womenfolk

This was on Justin Taylor's blog. I love C.J Mahaney, and have heard nothing but good things about his wife. As the saying goes behind every good and godly man there is a good and godly women pressing him onward!

Carolyn Mahaney's To Teach What Is Good: Wisdom for Women from Titus 2 has become something of a classic, encouraging and edifying countless women. The MP3s and PDF outlines are available for free download at the Sovereign Grace webstore.

The description and links are below:
Here is the updated series from Carolyn's classic messages to women based on Titus 2. Topics include self-control, purity, kindness, having a love for husbands and a tender affection for children, making your home your center of ministry—and more. Carolyn teaches about how these qualities in women glorify God and draw others to the gospel.

"In an unusually compelling series of eight lectures to women, Mrs. Carolyn Mahaney explains the significance of Paul's command to women in Titus 2:3-5 … Wives, mothers, singles, widows—all will benefit from the solid instruction, touching stories, and uncommonly clear and powerful exhortation contained in Wisdom for Women from Titus 2."
—review in the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's Update, June 2000


Message titles and speakers.

A Fresh Look at Titus 2
Loving My Husband
Loving My Children
Being Self-Controlled
Being Pure
Being Busy At Home
Being Kind/Doing Good
Being Subject to My Husband

Click the above link to download any or all the messages.

Some thoughts on the church

The Bible uses many rich metaphors to speak of the new covenant church, many of which show the continuity between the old covenant and the new. For example First Peter 2:9, which says: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…” is nearly a direct quote from Exodus 19:6. The church in the eyes of the apostle is a continuing, albeit new expression of the continuing people of God. The language Peter uses was used of the old covenant people in Exodus. The reference is appropriated by the New Testament writer as rightly defining the church, as it is composed of the spiritual Israel, both Jews and gentiles. Other references along this line of reasoning include Romans 9:6-13, Ephesians 2:11-22, and Philippians 3:3)

Tim Keller is right when he speaks of the church as a miniature nation within the greater society that shows the world what life under King Jesus looks like. This explains where the church fits in Gods Redemptive economy, namely the church is “the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.” This is the clear sense of Galatians 3:23 where NT believers are linked arm and arm with Abraham, the father, so to speak, of the faith of the OT. Thus there is one faith spanning both testaments.

The purpose or purposes of the church are vast and cannot be compassed by this short essay. An overview however will be helpful. The church exists, as all things do, to bring glory and honor to God, by displaying his wisdom. The church does this in many ways. First, Acts 2:42 gives a picture of some of the ways that the church displayed Gods wisdom, namely devoting themselves to apostolic teaching, to fellowship, to the Lords Supper, and to prayer. Verse 43 says that through this “awe came upon every soul…and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Through presenting themselves to the watching world as a counter culture, indeed another humanity, they presented a viable alternative to the false religions and political structures of their day.

The church is also called to take the gospel into the whole world. The great commission was given by Christ, to his disciples and throughout the centuries the Christian church has seen this verse as the very command of the risen Christ to spread the good news of the kingdom of God to all peoples. We see this understanding of the purpose of the church in the varied individuals who God uses to preach the gospel. Stephen (Acts 6) and Philip (8:5-8, 26-40), both who were not apostle, carry out evangelism in the early years of the faith. Indeed, as persecution arises believers from every sphere go out preaching the word (Acts 8:4). The church has the solemn responsibility to take the gospel as far as the ends of the earth.

The church is also called to uphold the truth of God in the midst of a false and often, if not always, deceitful context. This is why Paul writes to Timothy concerning the church that it is: “the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” The church which is the body of confessing saints, are those who are called to study, know, defend and proclaim the truth of God. God has established the church in part, to be a guardian and beacon of truth in the world of error.

The church is called to attack the gates of hell, or another way of saying this is that the church is to be in active warfare against the elements of this world that are wielded by Satan to destroy the lives of men. Jesus statement in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it” has often been misunderstood and applied by good men, to mean that as Satan attacks the church we cannot be overcome because its gates will stand up to hells toughest barrages. This has caused a bit of a defensive disposition and has led often times to retreatism. This error comes from a lack of understanding its original context. A city in ancient times was only as strong as its outer wall and the strength of its gates. In case of attack the gate was shut and barred, effectively keeping the enemy at bay. Jesus does not say, “I build my church and hell will not break down its gates”, but I build my church and when it attacks the gates of hell those gates will not be able to defend it. The church is an offensive force, established by Christ for the over through of the kingdom of hell.

The implications of this are vast. If the church is meant to attack the powers of darkness, namely those means by which hell brings the ruin of man, then every area the enemy works, the church must engage. In war, a country cannot claim victory until all areas of the rebels activity are subdued. The church must actively engage sickness, addiction, poverty, pornography, depression, political injustice, and a thousand other areas, as the living incarnation of the body of Christ. Christ says in John, “as the Father sent me, so I also send you”. As Jesus engaged so must the church. The gospel is good news for all of life, and part of that good news is that God has and is actively attacking and dismantling the kingdom of hells oppression.

The church is pan covenantal, spanning all the OT saints all the way to the last one saved at the escahton. The church is called to learn the word, declare the word, attack hell, fellowship together, and conquer all its adversaries.

Four Little Girls

A reflective post on the Birmingham Church bombing, which took place 45 years ago today.

ht: theologica

Self-Centered Worship

A satire that invites reflection.


ht theologica

A Private conviction about Murder

A very alarming post on an interview with Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden's views on abortion.

Moo on Colossians

Doug Moo's commentary on Colossians and Philemon is soon to release.

Here's a four-part sermon series from Moo on the book:

Part One - Col 1:3-14
Douglas Moo gives a broad overview of the book of Colossians of how they were trying to fit Christ into the worldview they'd already adopted. He homes on some key thoughts in the book, such as bearing fruit and growing and God's rescue and redemption, like that in Exodus.

Part Two - Col 1:15-20
This section of Colossians celebrates the supremacy of Christ in creation and the new creation. All you could possibly know about God is found in Christ. He is not some "blurry, impressionistic view" of God but the exact image of the Father.

Part Three - Col 1:21-23; 2:6-15
The message of Colossians is that you don't need to go running after spiritual truth in other places in the "religious marketplace" outside of Christ. What is a life lived in Christ look like? It's rooted in Him, built up in Him, strengthened in Him, and full in Him.

Part Four - Col 2:6-23
Doug tackles the difficulties surrounding the text concerning baptism and seeks to understand it in its context in the chapter. Baptism is a "last act of conversion" where it is more or less a "sealing" upon our conversion. "Your Christian life needs to be directed by the transforming work of the Spirit within," he underscores, "creating the mind of Christ in you, leading you to live a life that pleases Him and honors Him.

HT: Theopedia

Womanly Dominian

From Justin Taylors Blog:

Mark Chanski has a new book out: Womanly Dominion: More Than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit.

The false stereotype of a Christian woman being a helpless and frail mouse, who passively shades herself under the parasol of her soft femininity, and adoringly waits for her husband to do all the heavy lifting, is shattered by the Scriptures.

Yes, the godly Christian woman wears beautiful ornaments that are “precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4b). But her jewelry is not only the necklace of “a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4a), but also the bracelets of “strength and dignity” (Proverbs 31:17, 25).

Women, just like men, are called to the grand and challenging mission of subduing and ruling in their God-assigned spheres of life -- in personal godliness, in emotional resilience, in marital life, in motherhood, in the church, in the public square. That's what we explore in Womanly Dominion.

For all the young Restless and Reformed Women who seek to represent the Kingdom well, this sounds like a good read. For all the men who are hoping and praying for a god-fearing women, read and look, and pray.