C.S. Lewis

Gratitude in the Lowlands

November 23, 2019 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Introduction

C.S. Lewis once made a vivid observation that grumblers are on a path to becoming just a grumble: “[Hell] begins with a grumbling mood and yourself still distinct from it: perhaps criticizing it. And yourself, in a dark hour, may will that mood, embrace it. Ye can repent and come out of it again. But there may come a day when you can do that no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood, just the grumble itself going on forever like a machine.”

The Text

I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: I said in my haste, All men are liars. What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 116

Summary of the Text

This is a passover Psalm, likely composed by David, and was a regular fixture of that celebration. It opens with a declaration of love, firm footing for any expression of praise to the Lord. But this ain’t vague sentimentality. Rather, He loves God because God heard him (v1). His statement “I will call upon the Lord (cf. vs. 2b, 4a, 13b, 17b)” forms the spine of this hymn. God’s past kindness in inclining His ear to David stirs him up to make calling upon God his continual habit (v2). He had faced a recent trouble––death hunting him down (v3)––and we see his response: calling unto God for deliverance (v4). God’s grace and righteousness is the basis for David’s confidence in this request (v5), along with the reality that God doesn’t deliver on the grounds of the recipient’s merit, social status, or book-smarts (v6).

This reality brings rest, because God has blessed him bountifully in this undeserved deliverance from death (vs 7-8); but it also compels him to “walk before the Lord” (v9). Faith isn’t an anesthetic to his emotion; rather it allowed him to look affliction in the face, and call it what it is (v10). This also helps him see his temptations to sin against his neighbor (v11).

All this leads to a question of how to properly thank the Lord (v12). What should I give Him? I should take from Him. The cup of salvation is received, and God is once more called upon (v13). Furthermore, reviewing God’s deliverance elicits a response of tangible gratitude. The thanksgiving overflows in obedient execution of vows (v14, 18), humbly recognizing that being spared death was a precious gift from the Lord (v15). In other words, salvation compels service; deliverance from bondage binds us to obedience (v16). The sacrifice which a loving, faith-filled heart gives is thanksgiving––public obedience––in the midst of God’s people (vs17-19).

Black Swan Deliverance

While this is a very “first person” psalm, it isn’t a psalm of individualism. Remember that this is a passover hymn. The psalmist sees in that mighty, miraculous deliverance of God’s people a source of hope for his present difficulty. David draws hope from God’s past faithfulness to His people, to buoy his hope that God would perform another miraculous exodus for him. In essence, he sings about his present trial, while putting himself in remembrance of God’s mighty works of old.

God’s deliverance is always undeserved, and we see this in a few spots in this passage. First, as Spurgeon observed, God’s grace and mercy are a bejeweled sheath for the blade of justice (cf. vs5). Secondly, David had seen many perish, and knew that God sparing his life was a precious gift, not to be taken for granted.

Third, we also see that the Lord’s preservation of the simple is not the way corrupt systems of human justice works. There often seems to be one law for D.C. elites and Hollywood stars, and another set of laws for us simple folk. But God isn’t a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and he delivers whom He will regardless of their wealth, influence, power, prestige, or IQ. As David says in another Psalm, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (Ps. 34:6).” God saves those who call to Him in faith. And He continues to save them through “many dangers, toils, and snares.”

Gratitude and Duty

But deliverance is intended to lead us to love and thanksgiving. The sacrifices of Israel were always supposed to elicit gratitude from God’s people. They were both an expression and a reminder of the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise which we owe to God. The peace offering reminded the saint that the throat which should be slit was theirs, but instead, God graciously accepted the lamb in their stead. But this gratitude and faithful thanksgiving, wasn’t to be empty words. It is dutiful work. Notice the order of this psalm: love leading to loyalty, faith catalyzing good works.

How do you repay God for His salvation? You receive once more from Him a heart of thanksgiving, regardless of your circumstances. What does God want from you? He wants you to get more of Him and from Him. He wants you to overflow with praise. Praise for His blessings: life itself, rest, bounty, and all the other blessings. But also praise in the pit. Thanksgiving in all circumstances, for all circumstances.

Faith-filled hearts of gratitude don’t just thank God for keeping us safe during the flood, it thanks Him for the flood. Because the flood is what gave us another opportunity to call upon Him, look unto Him, and trust ourselves to Him alone.

Grumble or Gratitude

The grumbler wants to mutter and whine about everything, as he plods down the path to hell. He thinks he knows what his circumstances should be. He thinks a nice, comfortable life is his by right. He wants to pour his own cup, with his own choice of wine.

But the grateful heart knows that whether in blessed or burdensome times, whether on the mountain or in the low-lands, God delivers His people from all their troubles (cf. Ps. 34:6). The grateful pray to God about their problems. The grumbler prays to himself. And so his prayers for deliverance go unanswered.

Drink the cup which God set before you. Christ has already drunk the cup of God’s wrath, emptied it, and filled it up with the wine of God’s blessing. So don’t fear your trials, even the final trial of death. God’s deliverance is always a resurrection from the dead. For in Christ, even death has lost its sting (1 Cor. 15:55).

Book Review: “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis

May 17, 2018 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have a confession to make. I’m not proud of it, but it is true. I’m 30 years old. I’ve been reading lots of books on a regular basis since I was 9 or 10. It is only a few weeks ago that I finally got around to reading Mere Christianity. All that to say, I’ve known about this masterpiece from Lewis for a good while now, even quoted portions of it. Now, I can say, it was worth the wait, and yet I wish I’d read it sooner.

Lewis is as skillful as ever at explaining in laymen’s terms deep theological truths. Keep in mind, Lewis repeatedly reminds us that he is not a theologian. So don’t expect to get your systematics from him. That said, he shows us a great example of how to take deep theological truths and state them so almost anyone––of even average intelligence––”gets it.” He certainly has his moments where those who like their theology as punctiliar as a swiss watch will wince, but he would likely wince in return at their inability to state such precise theological notions in such a way as to make them understandable.

I think Lewis actually did something quite remarkable in Mere Christianity, which will be of immense profit to the church for ages to come. He may not be right on every point, but he gets to the heart of the fundamentals of what it means to be Christian. He contrasts it with various other religious and agnostic notions, and shows that Christianity is the best explanation for the world, and is most reasonable. He also drives home important devotional points for what it means to live like a Christian, and not only believe like a Christian.

Don’t be like me and live over half your life before getting around to reading Mere Christianity! If you haven’t read it yet, put it as the very next book you read.

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Book Review: “The Discarded Image” by C.S. Lewis

September 12, 2017 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It has been too long since I read C.S. Lewis, and this was one I hadn’t read yet. For those interested in understanding the medieval view of the cosmos, and who wouldn’t, this is such a helpful and colorful presentation of what that cosmology entailed.

When the ancients looked into the night sky, they had the perception that they were looking upward and inward into a vast dance of life. We humans were in a world full of variation and change, but the heavens were full of song, light, and life. Modern scientism has convinced us to view the universe as a cold expanse, where life is a rare exception to the rule of inorganic prevalence.

There is much beauty in the medieval model, and we would do well to remember that their explanation for the heavens was not as far fetched and “fairy tale-ish” as we might think. After all, we try to explain the universe in terms of mathematical equations, but this doesn’t get us any closer to actually understanding what the universe is. Lewis is wonderful in all of his writings, no less so here. He is the master writer that all of us other writers aim to mimic. I’d also recommend reading Michael Wards “Planet Narnia” after this. It will change your whole view of Narnia, for the better.

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Planes, Trees, Gunpowder

April 18, 2017 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

God’s aim in your redemption is you growing up to maturity in Christ. This is not to be thought of as independence from Christ, for that would be tantamount to the sinful folly of unbelief. Think of a passenger on airplane; if he is ever to overcome gravity the plane is his only hope. When it is 10 feet off the ground the consequences of exiting the plane are not quite so severe as when it is at cruising altitude. God is growing us up into greater dependence on Him, and this maturation process requires us to recognize how insidiously deceptive the sin of unbelief is.

Sin whispers to us that we’ve been a well-behaved Christian and deserve a little selfishness, self-indulgence, and self-pity. “Surely,” it opines, “all this time in the plane has equipped you for self-sufficieny.” Growing in maturity in Christ should result in a more pronounced understanding of our great need for Christ.

Good, as it ripens, becomes continually more different not only from evil but from other good. C.S. LewisNow, to change metaphors, saplings are much more endangered by frost, drought, and wind than a well-established tree; by nature, a full grown tree is more capable of enduring such trials. But it is because its roots are firmly enmeshed with the soil beneath it and its trunk has hardened to the severities of the changing winds around it. It doesn’t somehow need less soil, less air, less water, less sunshine; but by design it is made to endure these trials and temptations because of its growth in maturity.

C.S. Lewis points out that “ripening” goodness learns to not only differentiate from good and evil, but good and greater good. And R.M. M’Cheyne wisely reminds us to not become conceited to think that as we grow we gain immunity from sin, he says, One might as well speak of gunpowder getting by habit of resisting fire, so as not to catch spark. R.M. M’Cheyne“One might as well speak of gunpowder getting by habit of resisting fire, so as not to catch spark.” We need this reminder often, and true Christian maturity does not grow weary of such reminders.

The Better David & The Better Solomon

July 4, 2016 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Note: I had the privilege of preaching recently at Trinity Church in Coeur D’Alane (a lovely city here in Idaho). Here’s my sermon outline from it! The audio should be posted here soon.

Introduction

This was a glorious and godly era of Israelite history. Indeed, David and Solomon’s 80 year reign was the high water mark for the Old Testament people of God. It would have seemed that if God were to bring the Messiah along, this would be a great time to do it. Instead, though the glory of these two monarchs was bright, God would wait until Israel was at its bleakest point, and then He sent the Morning Star. The lineage of David would eventually bring One who “was born a child, and yet a king” and whose glory was like the Sun at midday. This passage presents to us two good and godly kings. But all their regal splendor is but a shadow and a type of the divine splendor and glory of Jesus, the Son of David: the Mighty Warrior and the true Prince of Peace.

The Text

1 Chronicles 28:8-10

Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

Summary of the Text

David summons all Israel to a farewell speech (v. 1). David reveals his heart’s desire of building a permanent house for God (v. 2). He also tells how God forbade him to undertake this task (v. 3). The speech emphasizes that God chose David to be king, and then Solomon to be king after him (vs. 4-5). We see also that David passes the scepter on to Solomon (1 Chr. 29:22-23) along with the responsibility to build the temple (vs. 6-7). This is an act of both establishing Solomon’s right to the Kingdom, and preventing a civil war or dispute over the rightful heir to the throne.

David then gives a very poignant exhortation to the people as to how they ought to behave themselves after his passing and in the building of the temple (v. 8). He then gives a specific commission to his son Solomon, as to how he ought to behave himself in building the House of God (vs. 9-10). These commands, promises and warnings, though given to Old Testament saints, are just as pertinent and instructive for us New Testament believers.

Commands, Promises, & Warnings

David gives a command and a promise for God’s people to “keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God (v. 8)”. Keep [shamar שָׁמַר] – to guard the maturation process of a garden or a flock/herd, to observe the forward progression of growth; same word used in Gen. 2:15. Seek [darash דָּרַשׁ] – to rub, beat, tread, or trample out a path. This exhortation still rings true today: we’re still to keep and seek for all the commandments of God (1 Jn. 3:23). Further, the motivation here is the promise of possessing the good land and leaving an inheritance for our children.

In David’s final commission to his son (vs. 9-10), he exhorts him to know the God of his father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and willing mind. To know God is the great aim of the believer’s life; and yet we are often content to just know about God. When this is the case, we will most certainly serve Him with imperfect hearts and unwilling minds. We can acknowledge Him with our lips, but our hearts are far from Him (Isa. 29:13). Notice that both to the people (v. 8) and to Solomon (v. 9), David is emphatic that they seek God. He is deeply concerned that their faith be a living faith and not a heartless religion.

At the end of verse 9, there is a fascinating word-play: “If thou seek him, he (the one who searcheth all hearts) will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”

If you seek God, you’ll find that God was the One who first sought you. If you love Him, you find that it was He who loved you first (1 Jn. 4:19).

However, the warning is: if you forsake God (cut off his bands, law, covenant), you’ll find that it is God rejecting you. You can break God’s law, but God will not break His law; He will fulfill it. If you refuse to obey His law (i.e. repent & believe the Gospel) He will honor the terms of His law, and you will be forsaken, left no defense.

You seek God, you find that He was the one who sought you. You forsake God, and you find that He is the one that has forsaken you. His presence is life, His judgement is death. His face is full of light, life and blessing; but when He turns His back, darkness, death and the curse of eternal wrath. And all this is entirely just (Rom. 9:14). Lewis once memorably said, “There are only two sorts of people, those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says, “Thy will be done.’” All get what they really want.

The Better David & The Better Solomon

The Gospel teaches us that none of us have perfectly kept God’s law. We have all forsaken it, and the wages of this sin is death. Christ is the Better David, and the Better Solomon. God is pleased to let His Son’s merit stand in our stead, and that His righteousness shall be the believer’s defense, hope and peace.

He, as the better David, has conquered our enemies, and He, as the better Solomon has perfectly kept the command to build the house of God, He was strong and has done it (v. 10). He has established the house of God, He dwells in the house of God (1 Cor. 6:19), to do the will of God; and the will of God is that we would seek after the God who seeks after us.

David won peace for Israel, Solomon administered this peace for God’s people to enjoy. Christ’s death showed Him to be the Better David, and His resurrection showed Him to be the Better Solomon. David could not build the temple because he had shed blood, but Jesus could not build it until He shed His blood. By rising again Christ showed Himself the Better Solomon whom God had chosen to eternally rule over the house of God with peace. Christ alone can build the house of God, and by His Spirit within us He enables us to be strong and do it as well. Think on this, and let this assure your heart, Christ is the only one who can conquer your sin. Christ is the only one whose reign and rule brings peace.

Jesus Wields a Sword

June 27, 2016 By Ben Zornes Leave a Comment

Not A Tame Savior

The book of Revelation, despite the many who would cast a haze upon it, plainly presents to us the Lord Jesus as being the Savior of the World; in John’s preface (Rev. 1:1-8) we see that this book is dedicated “unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5).” Furthermore, we see that a “lamb slain” is the whole theme of the book (Rev. 5:6).

We must be careful, however, to not miss the fact that this saving work of Christ is presented to us in a way as to make us understand that He is not only Savior of the World, but also Lord of the World. Jesus is repeatedly pictured in this book as wielding a sword. This goes agains the grain of the popular thought amongst today’s Christians that Jesus is all about love, grace, acceptance and cuddles. We see throughout the apocalypse of John, a Savior full of power, dominion being given unto him, and all rebellion being subdued by him. To riff on Lewis, this is not a tame Savior.

About as Cozy as a Sword

The reason I point this out is that the mindset of 21st century Christians is being coddled with unbiblical, and unhelpful, notions of the nature of Christ and the mediatorial role which He is now invested with by the Father. We believe that the world is to be won to Christ by embracing the sinful notions which are currently most treasured by the world. On one hand we have older evangelical leaders paying homage to the Nationalistic fervor which Trump has incited; they seem to be persuaded that to “win our country back” we must cooperate with our enemy’s enemy. In this case, we ought to see how that worked out for Nikabrik, and then high-tail it the other way; fighting evil with evil never works out well.

On the other hand, we see many Christians wanting to get cozy with the GQBLT community; endeavoring to show the tolerance and acceptance that has apparently been lacking for 2000 years of Christianity, which they alone have bravely chosen to show. This is nothing more than a lust to fit in with the hipsters of current social thought, and friendship with the world means you’re an enemy of God (Jas. 4:4). Truth happens to be much more rigid than we’d like it to be, and it happens to be far more tender than we thought it could be.

Cozying up to the world, by presenting Christ either as a nationalistic figurehead or else a euphoric synonym for tolerance quite mistakes how Christ is presented to us in scripture, and in particular John’s Revelation. He is shown to us as wielding a sword. Swords aren’t as cozy as quaint political slogans or safe spaces.

Cut to the Quick

Jesus, we are told, has a sword protruding from His mouth (Rev. 1:12, 2:12, 2:16), and later we are told that with it He “smites the nations” (Rev. 19:15) and rules the world. We are also shown Christ going forth on a white horse “conquering and to conquer” (Rev. 6:2); two of the three horsemen which follow the first (Christ certainly being figured as the rider of the white horse) are all shown to be “the instruments that [Christ] raised up” to accomplish His redemptive purposes for the world. Two of these three horsemen are given the sword of war (the other plagues), so that even the wicked wars of mankind are directed by the providence of Christ’s sovereign rule.

This said, we should not be so eager to befriend what Christ intends to destroy. His Word, which good, thinking Christians ought to understand by the sword of His mouth, is to go forth, unapologetically to rebuke, correct, and cut us to the quick. When Christians refuse to be cut to the heart by the Word of God, and surround themselves with “easy” teachings, apostasy is sure to arise. Christ is indeed the friend of the sinner, but He is also Lord of the World, whose Word is the binding rule for mankind.

Note that the New Testament presents to us the prophesied Messiah not as a well-manicured, JC Penny catalogue model, but as a fierce warrior who had conquered the greatest foe and before whom all other foes must submit. We live under a Savior who shed His blood, in order that He might conquer and rule the world. He is all love, all grace, all mercy, we affirm this as true; but we must not miss the glorious truth that He is a warrior, on the war-path to avenge His elect, defeat all foes, and establish His Kingdom in righteousness, truth, and glory. The sooner we get this picture in our head, the better. It’s actually the only way to save our nation, and the only way to show compassion to the hurting and lonely sinners.

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Sixteen Precious Words

August 12, 2014 By Ben Zornes

Luke 12:32- Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

These sixteen precious words are a sweet balm to the soul of the saint. In these words we see a gentleness and encouragement unrivaled; no other work of literature could, in so few words, offer encouragement so great. So, let us treasure these words, and make of them, as Spurgeon would say, a song which we might sing in the night. Indeed, this earthly sojourn must often traverse sorrowful, difficult, and dark paths. When all the lights goes out, will you (even with a faltering voice) have a song to sing? You must. It is imperative that you understand that right now truth might seem clear and your senses are not confounded. But there will come a day of testing in the not too distant future which will assail you and buffet you for all you’re worth. In that day the mettle of the saint is tested, and may it be said that when all around your soul gives way, Christ remains your hope and stay. Even though all the natural realm might imply that he has forsaken you, the saint clings to precious promises such as this one. [Read more…] about Sixteen Precious Words

A Composite god

July 22, 2014 By Ben Zornes

Every now and again, we like to whip out a fictional book and read it to the Ellerslie students. This semester, we are reading through Lewis’ “Screwtape Letters.” For those who haven’t read, you ought to; the basic premise is that Screwtape is a head demon who is counseling his nephew, Wormwood, on how to most effectively tempt a soul, and secure that soul to eternal damnation. This “opposite advice” tactic is really rich and insightful. One particular section really captured my attention. I’ll share it in just a moment.

First, however, I want to share why I think we are in danger of falling for this temptation. It is all too common for us to shape a mental image of God which we summon forth when we pray or worship or discuss God. This mental image, while different for everyone, is obviously shaped by numerous factors: goofy sermon illustrations, the Jesus film, father figures, and really any variety of contributing elements. Humankind is so prone to idolatry that we easily take this mental image of Him, and pray to the mental image of Him, worship the mental image of Him, and meditate upon the mental image of Him; rather than prayer, worship and meditation which is actually directed to Him, not a mental image of Him. [Read more…] about A Composite god