thoughts and ruminations while in exile (1 Pet. 2:11)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:18-20).

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

---------------------------------

As you may or may not be aware, the "extraspective" nature of the Christian faith has been a topic that I find very interesting. In fact, I have thought about making it the topic of my doctroral dissertation. If that doesn't happen, I may consider writing a book on the topic in the future. I said in one of my other notes the complete title of the book is as follows: "The Extraspective Nature of the Christian Faith: Combating the Influences on Gnosticism and Pietism in the Contemporary Church."

When I talk about the "extraspective" nature of the Christian faith, I mean to say that, in Christianity, our theology, piety, and practice (to use the words of R. Scott Clark) is about what God does on the OUTSIDE of us. The word "Extraspective" is an antonym of the word "Introspective." So, yes, I am saying that ultimately Christianity is not an introspective faith. While it surely has an introspective component, by and large, Christianity is extraspective in nature--that is, it is about what God HAS ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED IN HISTORY OUTSIDE OF US. Consider the following:

1. God created the world WITHOUT our help (Gen. 1:1).

2. When Adam and Eve sinned, GOD INTERVENED and covered them with garments of skin (Gen. 3:21; more on God intervening on behalf of his people see Ps. 113:5-9).

3. Abraham was not volunteering to start a nation, indeed he was formerly a pagan (Josh 24:14), but God unconditionally elected him to be the father of many nations (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:7; Rom. 9).

4. Jesus came and lived a perfect life, died and rose again on behalf of his people. He did this outside of us, and before we were born.

5. The Lord's Day, which is a day of "rest," prefigures our eternal rest with the Triune God (Heb. 4). Observance of the Lord's Day is an external rite which orders our internal life.

6. The sacrament of baptism is something that takes place outside of us, which functions as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. Thus, it is not merely "an outward sign of an inward change." Baptism is not "our gift to God." It is not merely a sign of our commitment to Christ (though it is that in a sense), rather, it is God's promise to us! In baptism, "we are received into God's church and set apart from all other people and alien religions, that we may be dedicated entirely to him, bearing his mark and sign. It also witness TO US that he will be our God forever, since he is our gracious Father" (Belgic Confession, Art. 34, emphasis mine; also see Heidelberg Catechism Q. 66-73; WSC 94.6).

The Lord's Supper is something that takes place OUTSIDE of us. Contrary to how it is practiced in many contemporary churches, IT IS NOT SIMPLY TO BE A TIME OF INTROSPECTION. It is not a time to focus on our individuality. The Lord's Supper is a covenant meal between God and his family, the church. It is a picture of our corporate idenity in Christ. The Lord's Supper is not about our "quiet time with God." This list is by no means exhaustive, and indeed I have left many things out. I'm sure some of you could write me and take issue with some things I have said. I am certainly open to correction. My point, however, is to say this: The means by which we experience God is mediated through His Word and sacraments. Any attempt to usurp these means is bound to bring disappointment. I find that many in our day desire to experience God in an unmediated fashion. Many desire and are activiely searching for ways to experience God in ways he has not outlined in Scripture. They want a direct experience with the Holy Spirit.

However, if this direct experience with the Holy Spirit is not tied to the other Persons of the Trinity, then clearly we have a problem. Nowhere in Scripture do we find a verse that says the Holy Spirit leads believers to the Holy Spirit! We do find, however, the Holy Spirit saying He points people to Christ (John 16:14). We also find that the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to draw people to Christ (1 Pet. 1:23-25). As Timothy Brindle has said, "The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to reveal the Son [of God]." Thus, I take issue with those who separate Word and Spirit. As a simple definition "Pietism" is the theology and practice that began to develop during the North American revivals early in American history. At its heart, it downplays the ordinances of preaching and the sacraments. As R. Scott Clark defines it, "In all its forms then, for pietism, one's experience of the divine presence is ultimately more important than what one believes or knows or where one attends church or how often one receives the Lord's Supper."

All in all, the pietist chooses "experience." Pietists are dissatisfied with the ordinary.

I close with a question: What has the Lord used to cause you to grow most in your walk with Christ? What are your "spiritual disciplines?"