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Speaking the Truth In Love May 2016

I recently attended a counseling conference at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on the topics of depression and hope in Christ.  I would venture to say that many members in our church wrestle with what Charles Spurgeon called, “the dark night of the soul.”  Christians become depressed. There is so much more to be said about this, but I want to encourage you that in the midst of your sadness it is possible to hope in Christ and strive for joy.

One of the speakers at this conference, Dr. Stuart Scott, gave an incredibly hopeful and practical lecture on seven biblical truths that help us remain steadfast in the midst of our depression.

1. Rehearse the gospel of Jesus daily. (Titus 3:3-7; 2 Timothy 1:12)

¨ There is nothing inconsistent with an unbeliever being depressed, but the Christian has the truth and hope of the Gospel to rely on.  Remind yourself of it daily.

2. “Believing” and “hoping” in God are verbs. (1 Peter 1:13)

¨ Our hearts will wander away from concentrating on God if we let them.  Actively pursue Him in belief and hope by getting to know Him through His Word.

3. This is a spiritual war - "fight the good fight of faith". (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

¨ The world, the flesh, and the devil are our enemies.  Fighting them requires extreme effort and endurance.  We will either make wise choices by God’s grace through faith or foolish choices by the flesh through unbelief.

4. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by renewing your mind one thought at a time. (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:4-9; Lamentations 3:1-20, 21)

¨ Knowing God’s Word is crucial to being able to renew your thoughts, your affections, and your actions.  Take each thought or feeling captive and seek to renew it with Scripture in the power of the Spirit.

5. Joy and sorrow are inseparable. (2 Corinthians 6:10; Philippians 4:4)

¨ We live in a world where joy and sorrow are completely inseparable.  To some extent, until Christ comes and renews the created world everyone will be affected by suffering and sorrow. But we have the power to rejoice in the Lord despite this reality.

6. We must be others-minded and not self-focused. (Proverbs 18:1; Philippians 2:3-4)

¨ The most depressing thing is to be self-focused.  Isolation is destructive and disastrous.  We must have the counsel of God’s Word because it is our daily bread. We should not starve ourselves from what we most need.  It is through the meditation of Scripture that we are led to pray and to know what to pray.  

7. We must have an eternal perspective. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Revelation 21:4)

¨ We must be focused on the long term and not only the short term.  Our ultimate hope is found in Christ and the hope for the new creation to come.

These truths can help equip you with hope to combat the sadness and sorrow that you might be experiencing.  “Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings; It is the Lord, who rises with healing in His wings; when comforts are declining, He grants the soul again, a season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.” (“Sometimes a Light Surprises” by William Cowper; ref. Malachi 4:2, 1 Peter 5:7)

Suggested Resources for Further Reading:

Robert B. Somerville, If I’m a Christian, Why am I Depressed?, 2014.

Ed Welch, Depression: Looking Up From a Stubborn Darkness, 2011.

Charles Hodge, Good Mood, Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar Disorder, 2012.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression, 1965

Speaking the Truth in Love,

Nick

April 2016 Speaking The Truth In Love By Nick Scott

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves… the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession.  Cheap grace is grace without discipleship… Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock… It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.”

This is a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship.  If you are unfamiliar with the life story of Bonhoeffer, I would commend to you Eric Metaxas’ biography Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.  From this above quote, Bonhoeffer emphasizes something about discipleship that is often lost in the current church culture at large.  Following Jesus is not simply an act of identifying with a movement.  As he says in his book, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” 

He makes this distinction by comparing “cheap” grace and “costly” grace.  Many in the American church have adopted a cheap understanding of grace by thinking that nominal Christianity is sufficient.  Cheap grace really isn’t even grace at all.  It’s a deception that people fall into by believing that salvation is more like an insurance policy than an active, vibrant relationship with the Savior.  Costly grace differs because there is a price that must be paid.  Christ paid this impossible price upon our heads by taking upon himself the burden that only we deserved to bear.  In response to this great cost that Christ bore, we as believers must die to our own desires, take up our cross, and follow after him (Matt. 16:24).  This concept is what is known as discipleship.  The terms Christian and disciple should be synonymous in our vocabulary.  Jesus never offered an alternative understanding to his followers.  He said, “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matt. 10:38)  The call to be a follower of Jesus is a costly one…

But praise be to God that he has already paid the cost and freely offers to carry our burdens throughout this life!!  His Holy Spirit indwells us as we go throughout life comforting, empowering, and guiding us along the way.  God does not leave us to our own devices as his disciples, but he guarantees our destiny and lavishly provides the means by which we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him.  The goal of discipleship is to look more like the one being followed after.  God progressively sanctifies us through our obedience to His will.  As believers, we should strive to look more like Christ each and every day. 

At Oakhill, we desire to see every follower of Christ active in their pursuit towards him.  As we move forward, we will be examining new ways to equip leaders and teachers who are being used by God in this church to help encourage and spur one another on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).  It will be a priority for us to continually better understand the content and context of Scripture and how it informs our understanding of God’s redemptive story, our theology, and the practical ways that we minister to others inside and outside the church.  These are exciting times at Oakhill!  I pray that in the coming future you will be encouraged by our church body to begin or continue actively pursue Christ as his disciple. 

Speaking His Truth in Love,

Nick Scott