"Do You Really Mean It?"

I am, as so are many of you, fresh off of the T4G Conference. The conference was everything that I was anticipating it to be. I must say that the entire conference made me feel like the Norman Rockwell painting entitled, "I will do my best" (placed here for your viewing pleasure) in a certain way. That is, I felt like standing and making a pledge (or "cutting a covenant" if you prefer biblical terminology) with each speaker as they confessed Christ and admonished me to fight the good fight for the glory of God and the Church which is his body. R.C. Sproul was one such speaker who God used to both reprove and encourage me. He made it painfully clear that it is one thing to "believe", defend and proclaim justification by faith alone and it is totally another to "have it in your blood"! As R.C. spoke I was stunned at my own lack of faith in Christ's justifying work of grace. I was also strenghtened with that same sense of awe; God is marvelous and exceedingly kind.

Piper was certainly a spiritual "highlight" if I could phrase it in such terms. He brought a sense of blood earnestness that only Piper could do. What more can I say than, you know, Piper. His Godward sobriety puts all who stand in the pulpit nearly to shame. Even Ligon Duncan acknowledged that much during the answer and question time (who I might add was quite remarkable himself while preaching the whole Bible as Christian Scripture).

I must say this, each scholar represented (Sproul, Dever, Duncan, MacArthur, Piper, Mohler) had a pastoral heart and concern. Each referred to the joy of the pastorate as joy which cannot be experienced elsewhere. I found that humbling and encouraging.

Finally, the most "Rockwell" moment for me (and others I'm sure) was when Piper spoke to the "men in their twenties". He spoke of the current church with a pessimistic tone however, he spoke of the future generation with optimism, with reference to our theology. He said that he is seeing a trend in "little pockets" everywhere of men who love the glory of God. As he explained he said, "let me be clear" I mean "calvinism". Then he went on to add that worship is fueled by theology and admonished us to keep going. Perhaps now, you can most rightly understand how I felt like the boys in the Rockwell painting. I wanted to stand and tell each man, who commended himself to me through speaking at this conference, "I'll do my best". Specifically, John Piper I hear you loud and clear and "yes" I will continue to stand by the Spirits power for the glory of God in the Gospel!
Brothers, we must teach and preach calvinism, that is the articulation of the Gospel revealed in Scripture.