So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:27–28

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:21–23

Interestingly, when God made us in His image, He used dust to form us. He could have just spoken us into existence, as he did the waters, lights in the skies, plants and animals. But he chose to form us out of the stuff He has already created by His speech. But the formed material was animated by His breath – His Holy Spirit. We are, in our formed bodies, “very good.” We are, in our Spirit enlivened selves, fully image-bears that are empowered to represent our Father in this good world.

With this simple truth in mind – consider the fascinating art by Allison Cortson.

Dust paintings by Allison Cortson

She has taken the dust (including the dust substance of her subjects) of the ground to make images that are wonderfully thought provoking.

It makes me think about how we, as those formed and animated by God, have a place in His forming and filling work in the world. We too have the ability to impact and form one another. We too are Spirit breathers that speak to one another in life-giving (or destroying) ways.

Indeed, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and have power to do mighty creative works in other people’s lives.

I had the privilege of baptizing my nephew, Marcus Jasper Spears on Sunday.

Baptism of Marcus Jasper Spears

I’ve been reflecting a little on discipleship. Jesus commanded that the Apostles, and the church by extension of their mission, were to make disciples of all the nations – doing so by baptizing them in the Triune name, teaching them to observe all that our Savior has commanded us – knowing that He is with us always. Too often, I think, we tend to think of baptism as just the first thing we gotta do to get to the real discipleship work of teaching long obedience in the right direction. But it is far more – it places the name of God on us all. This is no small matter. It is God’s claim upon us and our children, and His call to follow Him into the world as one who is marked out as Christ’s possession. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in The Cost of Discipleship,

“Baptism…betokens a breach. Christ invades the realm of Satan, lays hand on his own, and creates for Himself His Church. By this act – past and present are rent asunder. The old order is passed away, and all things have become new. This breach is not effected by man’s tearing off his own chains through some unquenchable longing for a new life of freedom. The breach has been effected by Christ long since, and in baptism it is effected in our lives…The baptized Christian has ceased to belong to the world and is no longer its slave. He belongs to Christ alone, and his relationship to the world is mediated through Him” (pp. 256-257)

What Bonhoeffer says is no less true of our children as they are brought to the waters of baptism than with adult converts. Wholly passive in this act, sometimes tearfully screaming through it, they witness to the miracle of Christian discipleship – it is by grace alone that we are made children of God and enrolled in the ranks of the mighty hosts of Christ. And with each baptism of a child – the hosts of hell shudder in fear and defeat. For they know that the gates of hell cannot prevail against those who walk through life bearing the name of the Savior, and who, like Jesus, will conquer suffering and death by rising again and again and again throughout history to gloriously triumph over all of Christ’s enemies.

Autumn Lynn Hayes – Baptized Christian, January 22, 2012

We live in a world that is confused about a good many things. Years ago someone came to my door from Greenpeace or some other such group seeking money to save the babies seals, or baby whales or something. I stopped them and said that I wanted to ask them a question first: Do they agree with me that abortion is wrong. Oh, no clearly not – the choice of the mother cannot be violated. It told them that we could not continue in agreement about baby animals because our moral compasses were pointing to different True Norths. Until they could see that human babies are infinitely more valuable than baby animals, we have little to say to one another.

Sadly, for some today, there is more conviction that animals have more of a right to life than unborn children. One recognized ethicist has written that,

“The right to life is grounded in the ability to plan and anticipate one’s future. [given what he says next one wonders if he can anticipate the future] This extends the concept to non-human animals, such as other apes, but since the unborn, infants and severely disabled people lack this,” he states that “abortion, painless infanticide and euthanasia can be “justified” (but are not obligatory) in certain special circumstances, for instance in the case of severely disabled infants whose life would cause suffering both to themselves and to their parents.”

It is for this and many other reasons that we at RCC have set aside today as Anti-Abortion Sunday, to stand before the Lord in opposition to the disgraceful and abhorrent sin of abortion, calling upon Him to bring this horric practice to an end.

While its important to hate and actively oppose the sin of abortion, even more we must lovingly celebrate the children given to us, and raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord Jesus. And so with Christians all over our land, we also acknowledge what has been called the Sanctity of Humna Life Sunday. What more fitting way to do so than to welcome Autumn Hayes into the church of Jesus Christ through the waters of baptism – for the Apostle Paul declared that the children of believers are to be numbered with the holy, the sanctified people of God (1 Cor. 714).

Read the rest of this entry »

This article by Piper is so good, and so well expresses my own thoughts about this mysterious life we live under the sun, that I just have to pass it along.

The Sovereign God of “Elfland” (Why Chesterton’s Anti-Calvinism Doesn’t Put Me Off)

Ever since my days at Wheaton College, when I followed Clyde Kilby’s advice to read G. K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy, it has been one of my favorite books. I think it’s the only book I have read more than twice (except for the Bible).

This is strange. Not only was Chesterton a Roman Catholic, he also hated Calvinism. So what’s up with me and Orthodoxy? I still think at least half a dozen Roman Catholic distinctives are harmful to true Christian faith (e.g., papal authority, baptismal regeneration, transubstantiation, justification as impartation, purgatory, the veneration of Mary). And I think “the doctrines of grace” (“Reformed theology,” “Calvinism”) are a precious and healthy expression of biblical doctrine.

Common Ground (“Elfland”)

But I keep coming back to Chesterton’s Orthodoxy. The reason is that we see the world so similarly, and the Calvinism he hates is not the Calvinism I love. Read the rest of this entry »

Christ’s Body is both ancient and ever new. She is as diverse as every time, place, race, language and culture. She is at once free in her worship, and oppressed and persecuted. She is at peace, and yet struggles within and without. But she is one body, having one Spirit, one hope of her calling; “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [us] all” (Eph. 4:1-6).

How is it that Christ has permitted His body, at once Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant to become three separate churches or branches Christians, all having innumerable sects and subdivisions? A mystery to be sure! And yet, it has pleased our great Savior and Lord to allow it, for good and ill. In some way, this division of Christ’s Body, the Church, redounds to His glory still.

Too often we think of our own tradition, church or denomination as being the best representation of Christianity, past or present. Don’t get me wrong: our own traditions, churches or denominations are wonderful blessings from the Lord.  Read the rest of this entry »