J. C. Ryle on Assurance of Salvation

I would lay it down fully and broadly, that a true Christian, a converted man, may reach that comfortable degree of faith in Christ, that in general he shall feel entirely confident as to the pardon and safety of his soul, — shall seldom be troubled with doubts, — seldom be distracted with hesitation, — seldom be distressed by anxious questionings, — and, in short, though vexed by many an inward conflict with sin, shall look forward to death without trembling, and to judgment without dismay. (J. C. Ryle, Faith and Assurance, http://www.the-highway.com/assurance_Ryle.html)

C. H. Spurgeon on Assurance of Salvation

“…A man may know Christ in his heart, and yet at certain seasons, through weakness of judgment, or stress of temptations, he may be cast into doubts as to whether he has any saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus at all; but he alone is happy, who, building upon the sure foundation of God’s promise, gives all diligence to make his calling and election sure, and enjoys an assured confidence of his interest in Christ.” [Spurgeon, C. H. (1998). Vol. 10: Spurgeon's Sermons: Volume 10 (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; Spurgeon's Sermons. Albany, OR: Ages Software.]

The Negro Leagues, Buck O'Neil and Overcoming Evil With Good

For years I have been drawn to the stories of Negro League Baseball  —the 'colorful' characters, the level of excellence, the endless slogans and nicknames. The context of all this, of course, was racially divided America of the early 20th century. If you take the time to read about this era you will read with tears the stories of profound injustice toward the black players (i.e., no food, nor lodging in certain cities) and will celebrate the eventual integration of baseball embodied by Jackie Robinson. It all seems like a parable — imperfect of course— of the highs and lows of race relations in America at the time.

While on sabbatical, I visited the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO. The Museum, as I understand it, owes it's existence to a former player and coach of the Kansas City Monarchs, Buck O'Neil.  Over the years he came to be seen both as the memory of the negro leagues and its ambassador.  When one of my sons contacted Buck O'Neil for a school assignment, Buck responded with a signed poster, a replica baseball hat from the "Greys", pamphlets, and a letter.

The year before he died, when O'Neil was 93 years old, he toured the nation's Major League Baseball stadiums (including the Metrodome in Minneapolis) representing the Negro League Museum and it's mostly forgotten players. My wife gave me a book about that tour, "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America" by Joe Posnanski. One of the stories that sticks with me from the book was an account when Buck reflects back on visiting North Dakota as a ball player:

     "Buck often remembered a white boy staring at him across a quiet street in North Dakota. Suddenly, without betraying any emotion, the boy shouted out the word Buck hated more than any other. The boy did not shout it out with malice or anger in his voice, but with a peculiar playfulness.... The boy looked at Buck with a curious expression. He wanted to know what would happen next.
     "Come here, boy." Buck said.
     The boy walked over. Buck looked him hard in the eye.
     "Why did you say that word?"
     "I don't know." the boy said.
     "That's a hurtful word."
     "I'm sorry."
     "Don't be sorry. Don't say it no more."
     "Okay."
     Then Buck remembered smiling and giving the boy tickets for the baseball game that afternoon. He remembered the boy's eyes lit up, and he looked up at Buck, and across the years Buck never forgot that gaze of spirit and awe. "He came to the game that night and waved to me," Buck would say. "That boy had probably never seen a black man in all his life." (p. 129-130).

This kind of straight talk and love — empowered by the grace of Christ —  is a snapshot of the kind of gutsy love that will advance racial harmony in the church and racial justice in the world for the glory of Christ. As Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but over come evil with good."

Ancestry and the Gospel: Who Am I?

During my Sabbatical,  I have spent considerable time on my genealogy. I suppose I reflect a growing interest in many across America.  For decades I have had a nagging curiosity to find out who my ancestors were. That interest continued to build after I saw the PBS series "African American Lives" several years ago and was also fueled by the current PBS series "Faces of America" and an NBC series "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Contrary to the NBC series title, I really don't trace my lineage to find out 'who I am'. To root my self identity in my family tree would yield a weak and man-centered, idolatrous sense of identity with very little hope. It would be a broken cistern, a leaky cup which would fail to satisfy my need to know who I am. Rather, I do this research with a settled sense of my identity in Christ and the gospel. God is my Heavenly Father (Galatians 3:26). I belong to his chosen people in Christ (1 Peter 2:9). My hope for my family and my descendants is in God's steadfast love to a thousand generations of his people (Deuteronomy 7:9).

So, as I hope in the redeeming steadfast love of the Lord for my life and my generations to come, I am on a quest to document my ancestry. A great tool has been the website Ancestry.com. And in looking back, I am hoping— even expecting—  to discover breakthroughs of the steadfast love of Christ at work among others in my family tree.

I know who I am. I just want to find out who my ancestors were.

Three of God's Purposes For Sabbatical

It's a little odd to read about the Sabbath in the Old Testament while I myself am on a 3-month sabbatical. Normally, I think, I might be inclined to push off the teaching as "Old Covenant" with no implications for me. However, I believe that would be a misapplication of the New Testament teaching. 


Among other things, the NT teaches that Christ is Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5), all days are holy to the Lord (Romans 14:5), and the sabbath is given to serve people, not the other way around (Mark 2:27). We are always be ready to engage to do good on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:12), to love other Christians with differing sabbath views (Romans 15:1) and not to judge one another about sabbath keeping (Col. 2:16-17). 

Even still, from Exodus 31, I believe I see three of God's purposes for my present sabbatical in particular, and more generally for a rhythm of life that reflects that is for my benefit and honors him. 


1. In Sabbath, God aims that my life reflect, not the pattern of his unceasing sovereign work, but the pattern of his creative work. It seems too easily I can slip into being 'always' at work. When I relax, I feel guilty— there are so many good things are yet to be done. The Lord gave us the Sabbath to confront this. While God is always at work (John 5:17), that is not the pattern of life his people are to reflect.  Rather, he calls us to pattern our work habits after his work at creation. Exodus 31:17,

"It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed."

2. In Sabbath, God aims that I remember that, by his grace in Christ, he has sanctified me as his own.  God gave the sabbath "... that you may know that I , the Lord, sanctify you" (Exodus 31:13, ESV). In my rest from my work, I am to rest in God's work. My rest from work — even pastoral work —  should work to exterminate sinful thoughts of my working to earn God's grace and favor. Sabbath rest is given to ground me in the gospel reality that God sanctifies and saves me in Christ, not the other way around. I can, and should rest, because I trust that in Christ the saving work is done. Christ loves me, and died to save and sanctify me (e.g., Hebrews 13:12; Ephesians 5:26).


3. In Sabbath, God aims that I be refreshed. God, after 6 days of work creating everything in the universe, ceased his creative work and on the seventh day, "... he rested and was refreshed." (Exodus 31:17, ESV). I understand when the text says God "rested" because it means that he ceased working. But I'm not sure I really understand when the text  says that God was "refreshed." The word means, 'to catch your breath'. Perhaps, for God it parallels his enjoyment of creation and his own praise of the glory of his goodness when, after each day of creation, he stepped back and said, "It is good".


While it is unclear what this anthropomorphism means in reference to GOD, it is clear what it means to me (cf. Exodus 23:12). It means, God gave me the Sabbath teachings in order that I would rest and catch my breath. It also points to a final future eternal rest which is yet to come for us in Christ  (Hebrews 4).


May God give me grace to benefit from the sabbath teaching in Exodus 31 by living a life that more reflects God's creative pattern of work and rest, by resting by faith in God's saving work for me through Christ, and by finding a rhythm of not only rest in the sense of refraining from work, but also refreshment.