Ian Hamilton Audio: Eastwood Bible Conference (October 2009)

In late October and early November I posted a series of blogs on Ian Hamilton's sermons at the Bible Conference held at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL).

• Reflections on Reformation Sunday (October 26)
• Recommended Audio on the New Perspective on Paul (October 27)
• Ian Hamilton on Propitiation (October 29)
  
• Ian Hamilton on Reconciliation (November 4)
• Ian Hamilton on Christian Assurance (November 5)

The audio from this conference including the afternoon chats, a Sunday School session, and a chapel message are now available.

Sunday School Message - Dr. Hamilton's Testimony

Sunday Morning Message
Presbytery Joint Reformation Service
Monday Family Study
Monday Reformation Study
Tuesday Family Study
Tuesday Reformation Study
Wednesday Family Study
Wednesday Reformation Study
Eastwood Presbyterian School Chapel Message

Also, it had been mentioned that Ian Hamilton had recently completed a new commentary on the Epistles of John. The Banner of Truth has kindly supplied me with a copy of this commentary, and I heartily recommend it to you.

Ian Hamilton, Let's Study the Letters of John (BOT, 2008), paperback. 130 pages.



The Let's Study series is written from a Reformed perspective and seeks to provide a thoroughly text-based approach to personal Bible study, as opposed to a heavily applicational and reflective approach common to many other Bible study series. Hamilton's comments in The Letters of John are lucid and pastoral, heart-probing and instructive. Unlike conventional Bible study guides, this series does not include lists of questions along with each chapter. Rather it is formatted like a commentary, however it is far more brief than a typical commentary. A "Group Study Guide" is made available as an appendix including instructions for leaders, a clearly stated aim for each lesson, and suggested questions to consider and discuss. The final section offers a list of recommended, full-length commentaries. They are as follows:

• John Stott, The Epistles of John. TNTC. (1988; IVP, 2007)
• David Jackman, The Message of John's Letters. TBST. (IVP, 1988; 2nd ed., 1992)
• Robert Candlish, A Commentary on 1 John. Geneva. (1866; reprinted by BOT, 1993)
• Robert Law, The Tests of Life (1909; reprinted by Baker Book House, 1982)

Here is a sample comment from this book:

God's love for us was not an empty sentiment. In order that we might have 'life', the Father sent his only begotten Son into the darkness and sin of our fallen world. God the Father gave what was most precious to him, his only begotten Son, to secure our everlasting good (see 2 Cor. 9:15).

The incarnation of God's Son was for a purpose, 'so that we might live through him'. He became one with us and one of us in order to rescue us from our sin and death and win for us eternal life (see Heb. 2:14-18). God did not spare his own Son (Rom. 8:32a) in his purposed desire to save us from the judgment and condemnation our sin against him deserved.

But John has not yet reached the height of God's love for us. This is seen, not in the glory of the incarnation, but in the glory of the crucifixion (verse 10). The God who 'did not spare his own Son', 'gave him up for us all' (Rom. 8:32). The incarnation was not an end in itself. The ultimate manifestation of God's love is not seen at Bethlehem, but at Calvary: 'In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins'. (16 God is Love, 1 John 4:7-12; pp. 59-60)

Ian Hamilton Audio: Eastwood Bible Conference (October 2009)

Ian Hamilton on Christian Assurance

Last week I attended a Bible Conference at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL). The speaker for these few days was the Rev. Ian Hamilton (see a brief introduction here), and the theme was the Glory of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday evening, Rev. Hamilton spoke on the doctrine of justification from Gal. 1 (see here).

On Monday evening, he spoke on the doctrine of propitiation from Romans 3:25-26 (see here).

On Tuesday evening, he spoke on the doctrine of reconciliation from Romans 5:1-11 (see here).

On Wednesday, the final evening of the conference, he spoke on the doctrine of Christian Assurance from Romans 8:31-39. I offer here a few thoughts from my notes on this message.

Hamilton began this sermon by arguing that he does not believe that the Epistle to the Romans is "a theological treatise, but a pastoral letter; a letter to struggling suffering, needy Christians." A major pastoral concern presented in this epistle is that "God wants all His children to know that they are His children." He also sought to make it clear that "Christian assurance is not for the favored elite, but for all believers." And, that "Lack of assurance is a spiritual sickness that needs to be cured."

It is a fact that the early Roman church taught that assurance was for the elite (see my post, "Reflections on the Eve of All Saints' Day," for more on this). However, Christian assurance "belongs natively to those who are justified in Jesus Christ."

What is the best remedy for a Christian who is lacking assurance? Hamilton argued that it is the consistent and clear presentation of doctrine that will increase the Christian's assurance. "Doctrine," he said, "is not simply for believing, but also for living. The greatest practical good is to unpack for them the great doctrines." This has not been the standard response of the Church. Rather there has been a disconnect between doctrine and life. What every Christian needs is to understand the implications of doctrine for living. (This part of the sermon caused me to consider John Piper's argument in The Supremacy of God in Preaching. See the quote Tim Ashcraft supplied in his post, "What's God Got to Do With It?")

What is the ground of Christian assurance?

We tend to look for comfort from within. Paul says, “all our comfort is from without—in Jesus Christ.”

In this passage Paul posed five questions:

1. Since God is for us, who can be against us?
• (Rom. 8:28f; Isa. 40:21; 1 Cor. 6—“Do you not know?” repeated often)
2. How will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
• The cross demonstrates the unbounded generosity of our heavenly Father.
3. Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?
• “I will,” says conscience and the Evil One.
• The heart of Christian assurances confesses, “It is Christ who justifies.”
• Every charge that could or would ever be laid against God’s children was laid upon Jesus. This is the great scandal at the heart of the Bible.
• Many lack assurance because they fail to understand this.
4. Who is to condemn?
• What about the final judgment?
• Christ Jesus died, was raised, and exalted for us.
5. Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
• The “us” refers to all who have been justified in Christ through faith alone.

Hamilton quoted Rabbi Duncan as having said, “For every look at self, take ten looks at Christ.” (This quote is accurate, but I can only find it attributed to Robert Murray McCheyne. However, McCheyne may have been quoting Duncan. I would be glad if anyone can locate this in the writings of Rabbi Duncan.)

Ian Hamilton on Christian Assurance

Ian Hamilton on Reconciliation

Last week I attended a Bible Conference at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL). The speaker for these few days was the Rev. Ian Hamilton (see a brief introduction here), and the theme was the Glory of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday evening, Rev. Hamilton spoke on the doctrine of justification from Gal. 1 (for a few notes on this message, see here).

On Monday evening, he spoke on the doctrine of propitiation from Romans 3:25-26 (see here).

On Tuesday evening, he spoke on the doctrine of reconciliation from Romans 5:1-11. I offer here a few thoughts from my notes on this message.

To begin his sermon, Hamilton posited that "The gospel of God's grace in Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Reformation." Today, the Evangelical church, if I may summarize his words, finds itself battered. What will keep us on course in our lives and in our churches is to be grounded in these doctrines (i.e. justification, propitiation, reconciliation, and assurance). "We can never hear these too often," he stated emphatically.

Alienation is the separation that keeps God from us.
Renewal is friendship restored; it is the overcoming of enmity.

At the heart of the drama of redemption (the message of the Bible), is a two-fold enmity: 1) Our alienation from God because of our sins, and 2) God's alienation from us because of His holiness. "It is not just that our sins have turned us away from God," Hamilton explained, "but our sins have turned God away from us. This God is against you for who and what you are in your sins."

"What did He do to overcome the alienation?" It is in the death of Jesus Christ that God overcomes this alienation. In this, "God effected a glorious exchange. All that was ours was exchanged for all that was Christ's. And, all that was Christ's was exchanged for all that was ours." At this point Hamilton introduced the illustration of Joseph bringing his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to his aged and sickly father, Israel (Gen. 48). This narrative states that Joseph took his two sons and place Ephraim at Israel's left hand and Manasseh to Israel's right hand. When they were brought near "Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn)" (Gen. 48:14 ESV). The great exchange is "God, as it were, with crossed hands. The well-beloved became the cursed one."

Hamilton offered us seven theses on the doctrine of reconciliation, which are as follows:

1. It was done for enemies
   
• Not one of us had any redeeming feature.
• The gospel ultimately rests in the inexplicable love of God.
2. It was effected at the cross by the death of God’s Son
• This is the centerpiece of the Christian faith.
• It is hard to fathom the depths of the cry of Jesus upon that cross: “Why have you forsaken me?” Surely the Father’s answer was along the lines of “For enemies, my Son, so that we may be friends.”
3. Reconciliation was accomplished to make us God’s friends
• Thomas Goodwin argued that “[God] could have created new friends cheaper” (Thomas Goodwin, The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume VI containing “The Work of the Holy Ghost in Our Salvation,” Edinburgh: J. Nichols, 1863. III: ch. IV, 148. Digitized Sep 24, 2007; Reprinted by Reformation Heritage Books, 2006)
4. Reconciliation is something we receive
• Salvation is all of grace, but it is received by faith.
• When God give grace He gives Himself.
• Faith receives Christ and all His benefits.
5. It is God, Himself, who takes the initiative to reconcile us
• The offended (injured) God who steps forward that we might become His friends.
6. The blessing of reconciliation
• The most basic of blessings—access to God.
7. The goal of reconciliation
• We tend to hyper-individualize the gospel.
• God’s ultimate purpose in the gospel is the glory of the Son.
• The ultimate goal of reconciliation is a reconciled God in the midst of a reconciled community (ultimately in the New Heaven and the New Earth). This is not just Eden restored, but Eden plus Christ.
• To reconcile us to Himself. To reconcile us to one another.

Conclusion: “The gospel makes enemies into friends.”

Ian Hamilton on Reconciliation

Ian Hamilton on Propitiation

This week I am attending a Bible Conference at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL). The speaker for these few days is the Rev. Ian Hamilton (see a brief introduction here), and the theme is the Glory of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday evening, Rev. Hamilton spoke on the doctrine of justification from Gal. 1 (for a few notes on this message, see here).

On Monday evening, he spoke on the doctrine of propitiation from Romans 3:25-26. In his introductory remarks, Hamilton quoted one of his favorite theologians, John Owen, who wrote:

Our greatest hindrance in the Christian life is not a lack of effort, but a lack of acquaintance with our privileges in Christ.

The Bible uses three different word pictures to help us understand the meaning of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Law Court - we are in the dock before God and we need to be acquitted
2. Slave Market - we need deliverance, redemption, rescue
3. Temple Sacrifice - the appeasement of God's wrath by the shedding of innocent blood

Hamilton offered the following definition of propitiation: "appeasement; turning away wrath or anger." From Romans 3:25-26, Hamilton developed the following four points:

1. It is God Himself who put forward His own Son to be the propitiation by His blood.
• God takes the initiative!
• Jesus did not come into the world to persuade the Father to love sinners.
• Rather, it was the Father’s love that sent the Son into the world.
• We never get beyond this, and we can never explain this.
2. Why do we need propitiation?
• Isn’t God love? Does he need to be propitiated?
• C. H. Dodd could not accept that God needed to be appeased. Thus, he argued for the use of the term expiation (the removal of sin) rather than propitiation.
• However, there is not linguistic argument to validate this claim.
• The cross answers both His love and His justice.
3. In what way is He a propitiation for our sins?
• By His blood.
• The marvel: God laid up His Son for us.
• He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
• God executes on the Son the wrath that is ours.
• Jesus Christ is the only covenant against the wrath of God.
4. How does the Lord Jesus Christ become my propitiation?
• Faith is a resting grace.

Conclusion - "Your greatest need is for the living God to be for us rather than against us."

Note: For an interesting study on the proper pronunciation of the word propitiation, see Phil Gons' three posts listed below.

1. The Proper Pronunciation of “Propitiation”
2. Update on the Pronunciation of “Propitiation”
3. The Pronunciation of “Propitiation”: The Mystery Solved

Ian Hamilton on Propitiation

Recommended Audio on The New Perspectives on Paul

Today, I joined a group of folks at noon at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL) for a time of discussion with Rev. Ian Hamilton (see here for a brief introduction). Prior to the formal session, a mother asked for a few book recommendations to help her know how to guide her teenage son with issues concerning covenant theology, the sacraments, and the New Perspectives on Paul.

Regarding critiques of the New Perspectives on Paul, Hamilton recommended the three lectures presented by D. A. Carson. Tim Ashcraft pointed these out to us one year ago today in his post "Critiques on the New Perspective on Paul." You can also find a couple other helpful posts under the label New Perspective on Paul.

Here, again, are links from The Gospel Coalition website:

Jan 1 2008	The New Perspective on Paul, Lecture 3	mp3
Jan 1 2008	The New Perspective on Paul, Lecture 2	mp3
Jan 1 2008	The New Perspective on Paul, Lecture 1	mp3

Recommended Audio on The New Perspectives on Paul

Reflections on Reformation Sunday

Today was the first time my family has ever had an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful heritage we have in the Protestant Reformation. This morning we worshiped at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, AL. My wife had the privilege of singing in the choir which entered the auditorium in procession behind men carrying six flags bearing watchwords of the Reformation (sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solo Christo, sola Dei gloria, and sola cruce). As they entered the auditorium the congregation triumphantly sang Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." The sermon was a topical message on Sola Cruce - The Cross Alone (1 Cor. 1:18; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 1:7; and Rom. 8:1). Praise the Lord for the cross of Jesus! On that cross Jesus appeased God's wrath against my sins, restored me to a place of friendship with God, cleansed my heart from the guilt and stain of my sins--all in my place.

For the evening service, the local PCA churches gathered together at Eastwood Presbyterian Church (Montgomery, AL) for a joint Reformation Day worship service. What a joy it was to see this large sanctuary filled with families from all across the area who had come to celebrate the gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The order of service was based upon John Calvin's Form of Church Prayers (included in Liturgies of the Western Church selected and introduced by Bard Thompson). Six local ministers participated in the different aspects of the service. The unity in the truth and fraternal love displayed by these ministers was commendable. The singing was also hearty and reverent (Psalm 100 and John Calvin's "I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art").

The speaker for the evening was the Rev. Ian Hamilton, pastor of Cambridge Presbyterian Church (Cambridge, England), a congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales. Rev. Hamilton is also a trustee of the Banner of Truth Trust. This was a pleasant surprise. I first heard Rev. Hamilton speak at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's Spring Theology Conference about 6 years ago (summary provided here). I was so blessed by his ministry then that I purchased the recordings of that conference and re-listened to his lectures at least a half-dozen times over the next year.

Rev. Hamilton spoke this evening on the doctrine of justification and it's importance for experiential Christianity. He began by stating two powerful reasons for considering this topic:

1. When the doctrine of justification disappears from the church, Christianity dies.
2. This biblical, reformed doctrine is being questioned and restated.

John Calvin spoke of justification as "the main hinge on which religion turns."
Martin Luther spoke of justification as "the head and cornerstone of the church."

In conclusion, Rev. Hamilton stated three reasons for being filled with evangelical rage over those who pervert the doctrine of justification:

1. The teaching of those who pervert the doctrine of justification dishonors Jesus.
2. The teaching of those who pervert the doctrine of justification imperils the lives of others.
3. Christian assurance is based upon the doctrine of justification

In summary, justification is "the cardinal doctrine of experiential Christianity."

(The transcript of a similar message titled "No Other Gospel" has been made available at the Banner of Truth website.)

Having visited the website of Cambridge Presbyterian Church and viewing the recent sermons page, I learned that Rev. Hamilton has been preaching on this grand theme for a number of weeks. I have begun to listen to these sermons, and highly recommend them to you! Rev. Hamilton is in town for the week and will be speaking at Eastwood Monday through Wednesday and then at Trinity next Sunday morning. I will link to the audio of these messages as soon as they are uploaded to the web.

UPDATE: The audio of these sermons and talks is available at the Eastwood Presbyterian Church website (here).

Reflections on Reformation Sunday