Why Am I Reformed? (Prologue)

Over the past 5 or more years, I've been drawn to embrace the classic Reformed Christian faith and doctrines, including covenant theology and Reformed piety and practice. To the point that when we moved to Lincoln last year and needed to find a church, we were only interested in Presbyterian and Reformed churches, and are currently part of Redeemer PCA here. There are a lot of reasons for this development in my doctrinal and ecclesiological views, and I'm planning to write a post about those reasons at some point. In short, I have come to believe that the Covenantal view of Scripture is the most faithful to the whole counsel of God in the Bible, and that the Reformed piety and practice are the most faithful expression of the church based on that view. More to come at some point on why I believe that, mostly as an explanation to many dear brothers and sisters in Christ from my previous church that may not understand these distinctions or why I've embraced them.

But I recently came across a discussion between a number of Reformed theologians and pastors about the differences between Dispensationalism and Covenantalism that outlines many of my thoughts. And while I never was comfortable with the Dispensational view or would have considered myself a Dispensationalist, and I'm not sure some of the Dispensational views are accurately reflected in this video, the description of Reformed theology given in the first few minutes by Sinclair Ferguson covers many of the reasons I have become Reformed.

Stay tuned for a future post on this subject...

In Whose Name?

"In Jesus name, Amen." You've heard it and said it a million times. That obligatory Christian formula that we tack on at the end of our prayers, especially public ones. Or sometimes, the mumbled "in your name." Which has always baffled me. But more on that later.

So is this just a formula to be used to denote the end of a prayer? Or does praying in Jesus name add some sort of special power or effectiveness to our prayers? In fact, what does it really mean to say, "in Jesus name"? If we're going to use this phrase as part of our speaking to God, we'd better have more than just a customary understanding of what it means and what we mean.

Let's take a look at how Jesus Himself used the phrase. Here's a sample of NT passages where Jesus uses the term "in my name."

• “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me" - Matthew 18:5
• "Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray." - Mark 13:6
• "And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;" - Mark 16:17
• "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." - John 14:26
• "In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." - John 16:23

Quite a variety of situations here. Receiving a child in Jesus name, false Christ's coming in His name, miraculous signs being performed in Christ's name, the Holy Spirit being sent by God the Father in Christ's name. And the promise that whatever Jesus' people ask of the Father in the name of Jesus will be given. 

This isn't the kind of language we use much today, so "in my name" sounds strange to us. But in middle eastern culture, especially in ancient times, this was a common expression. To do something in someone else's name was to essentially act on their behalf. To claim their authority for one's self, and to act in a manner that is consistent with their wishes. So when Jesus refers to doing or asking in His name, this is the idea. To act or ask in His name is to act or ask in His authority, to act or ask for things that He would want. When we pray "in Jesus name" - which in reality is the only way we can pray as Christians, whether we say so or not - we are saying that we are asking God the Father in His Son's authority, and for things that Jesus would want.

So how does this affect our prayers? It should shape the way we pray, our motives in prayer, and the things we request God to do in our prayers. If we truly are praying in Christ's name, we'll be first of all confident in His hearing and responding to our supplications, since He's promised this to us. Prayer offered truly in the name of Jesus will never go unheard or unanswered. Second, praying in His name should determine what kind of things we pray for. We'll be driven to seek the will of Christ so that we can pray to the Father for the things that He's revealed He desires. That He'd be glorified, that His will be done on earth as in heaven, that His gospel would go forth, that His church would be built and unified, that His enemies would be confounded, and so forth. 

I'd also add that if we aren't praying in this way, we in fact are NOT praying in Jesus name, regardless of whether we tack on the phrase or not. It's a serious thing to enter into prayer to the living God, through His risen Son. We dare not enter into it lightly.

And I'd also add that if we are claiming to pray in the glorious, powerful name of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and for His will and in His authority, then we should never end our prayers with an obligatory and vague "in your name," especially in public prayer and worship. Boldly proclaim the Name that is above all other names, the One we worship in spirit and truth.