Tag: Doug Wilson

Hitler, True Evil, and Post-War Consensus

I admit that I struggled with the idea of post-war consensus. When I first heard the term, I was baffled.

Fortunately, Doug Wilson connected the dots for me. Post-war consensus is the idea that we need to proceed in society, after World War II, without any absolute beliefs. Those who put this forth, did so with the idea that it was hard-core beliefs that got us into the mess of World War I and World War II.

In moving away from this mistake, as they saw it, they made a play for the definition of true evil. Instead of looking to Scripture for that definition, they looked to Hitler. They set Adolf up as the standard for the greatest of all evil beings. This was, to warp what God’s word had said about that which is most evil. For Christians, the heart of unbelief in God, and His word, is the height of all evil. Not Hitler. Not Polpot. Not even Donald Trump, or even Douglas Wilson (for those of you who suffer from Wilson Derangement Syndrome). It is simply unbelief in God’s word.

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13.

True evil is the simple heart of unbelief. While we can look to Hitler as the embodiment of unchecked evil, then we can fool ourselves into thinking we are not that evil, so we must be pretty good. But Hitler, while evil, is not the standard of evil. Unbelief is the standard.

I admit, that I bought into their definition for a number of years. It wasn’t until I was preaching through the book of Hebrews that I realized my mistake and repented from thinking error. Hitler was evil. But so is the sweet little old lady who sits in the pews, week after week, with a heart of unbelief.

By the way, just so I’m clear, Hitler was in no way, shape, form or fashion a Christian. He sent enough Christian pastors to the concentration camps as well as Jews. His religion was was based on himself. He was a god to himself, and the Triune God gave him, and those who followed him, over to themselves.

Wilson’s Post Here

Other thoughts on Hitler and World War II can be read here.

Baptism for the Dead

Here are some of the things discussed in this sermon:

Just to Be Clear

Since baptism is such a controversial topic…some thoughts on baptism.

First, Doug Wilson writes:

Of course this baptism does not automatically save the one baptized; there is no magical cleansing power in the water. We reject the Roman Catholic notion that saving grace goes in when the water goes on. We deny any ex opere operato efficacy to the waters of baptism. We also deny the modern Protestant reductionism that says that when the water goes on, somebody gets wet.

Let me put it this way: our baptism has meaning. It is used by God in our lives. It is not just an empty ritual that we do because Christ told us to do it. It has a real effect in our lives.

  • The sacraments do not depend on the godliness of the minister. This refutes the false notion of sacerdotalism, in which it was believed the priest had special powers. The effectual nature of baptism comes from the word of God and the Holy Spirit.
  • The sacraments confirm the Word, though they are ineffective without the Word, but the word cannot have its full effect without the sacraments. The refutes the notion that the sacraments are sacerdotal as well.
  • The sacraments are covenantal and relational.
  • The sacraments are performative acts. They do something. Just like a man saying “I do” in a wedding ceremony. It means something.
  • Baptism admits a person to the covenant community, regardless of faith. Just as a man who says “I do” is still a husband in a marriage, and may be a faithless husband, so too can one be baptized and be a faithless Christian.
  • Sacraments bring both blessings and curses, just as they did in the old covenant. Blessing come to those who come to the sacraments in true faith, and curses to those who don’t believe.
  • The non-elect do not receive what the sacraments signify for blessings.
  • We deny that the sacraments automatically save. We deny ex opera operato.
  • We deny Protestant reductionism… that it simply means someone gets wet. Far more than that.
  • Baptism accomplishes something. “I do.”

The first part of the sermon deals with what was probably meant by being baptized for the dead.

 

 

The New Heavens and New Earth — A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 2:1-9

Preached May 15, 2022.

Heidi and I were sitting, listening to Doug Wilson one evening when he made the comment that we are now living in the new heavens and the new earth.

I couldn’t believe my ears. How could he say such a thing? How could he not see that God was going to completely melt away this earth like it says in 2 Peter and start completely over again. I was angry with Doug. He was wrong!

What I didn’t realize is that it was already too late. This particular battle was already over. The seed had been planted, and like many of the deeper truths of theology, it began to grow in my mind and before long, I understood the position, embraced it, and now I putting it forth for you.

Once I had come to accept post-millennialism, the ground work had already taken place, and my understanding of Scripture not only changed, but blossomed. Things that had no answer, as an amillennial, now made sense in God’s redemptive plan.

My understanding of the gospel changed. God isn’t just saving us. He is re-creating us, and re-creating the heavens and the earth. He is making them new again, under the New Covenant.

Remember what took place in Genesis. God created the heavens and the earth, along with everything else, including Adam and Eve, and declared it very good.

If God, the Almighty of creation, spoke light and everything into existence, and then declared it all good, should we not believe Him?

It is true that sin entered to the world and God immediately set about to redeem fallen mankind. But is that all He is going to redeem. Wasn’t it all declared good?

To think that Jesus came just to save people, is once again, man-centered and fails to see the greater plan of God. He came to redeem all of creation, to redeem all that He declared good.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:7-8).

Think through that for a moment. The devil didn’t just come to destroy that crowning glory of God’s creation, but all of creation, for he desired to be God. He wanted to sit on God’s throne, not share it with God. That meant he wants to wreck everything.

But Christ came to destroy what the devil set out to do. Christ came to redeem not only us, but the world as well.

Listen to the rest of the sermon below…