Understanding the Times R T Kendall and His Own Brand of Reformed Theology

'My brand of Calvinism sets me free to win the lost' claims Dr R T Kendall, the maverick pastor of Westminster Chapel, in a recent interview.  'I don't accept Limited Atonement' he explains, '... That way you can say to anybody, 'Christ died for you' and be telling the truth'.'

Limited atonement and evangelism

The argument is an old but persistent one. If we do hold that Christ died only for the elect, does that not make evangelism much more difficult? Would we not be more successful if we took the view that Christ died for all? However, Dr Kendall himself has to admit, 'We are doing our best within the area but we are only having modest success.' He is hardly unique amongst his contemporaries there, of course, but it is obvious that the rejection of Limited Atonement is no panacea for lack of success in evangelism.

Historically, of course, there is no difficulty in giving examples of five point Calvinists who were remarkably successful evangelists. C H Spurgeon in the 19th century and George Whitefield in the 18th century spring readily to mind.

Whitefield once wrote to Wesley

Universal redemption, as you set it forth, is really the highest reproach upon the dignity of the Son of God, and the merit of His blood ... Universal redemption, taken in a literal sense, falls entirely to the ground. For how can all be universally redeemed if all are not finally saved?

Spurgeon said once in a sermon,

Some say that all men are Christ's by purchase. But, beloved, you and I do not believe in a sham redemption which does not redeem. We do not believe in a universal redemption which extends even to those who were in hell before the Saviour died, and which includes the fallen angels as well as unrepentant men. We believe in an effectual redemption, and can never agree with those who would teach us that Christ's blood was shed in vain.

There is no reason at all why accepting the doctrine of Limited Atonement should make anyone less evangelistic. More humble yes, but' not less evangelistic. If it does, that person has misunderstood the Word of God. A recent publication, A Price for a People by Tom Wells, deals very well with this issue in short and clear compass.

Appeals

In the interview, Dr Kendall goes on to defend his practice of closing evangelistic services with an appeal to come to the front by saying that Dr Lloyd Jones had no difficulty with his practice when he did it following sermons preached by 'The Doctor' in Upper Heyford in the seventies. More pertinent is the fact that in a long and evangelistically successful ministry of over forty years Lloyd Jones never advocated or practiced 'giving an appeal'. His opposition to the practice is very clear from the helpful chapter entitled 'Calling for decisions' in his widely known Preaching and Preachers. 

'People deserve an opportunity to respond to the gospel' argues Lloyd Jones' successor at Westminster Chapel, 'and giving them that opportunity is to allow them to do what they want.'

However, this relatively modern practice is never found in the New Testament. In an appendix to his 1986 book The Great Invitation, Erroll Hulse answers all 22 of Dr Kendall's arguments in favour of this unhelpful practice.

Gifts of the Spirit

Towards the end of the interview, Dr Kendall reiterates his view that the 'Gifts of the Spirit' (ie the supernatural gifts we read of in the New Testament) can be known today. Offending all sides he says, on the one hand, 'How many have the true gift, healing or tongues or prophecy, is in my view questionable.' (Whether he considers Paul Cain, a member of Westminster Chapel, to be a true or false prophet is not stated). On the other hand, he adds, 'I'm certainly open to them. What we'd like to see more is their genuine operation.'

Once again, Dr Kendall is out of step both with the New Testament and the Reformed Theology to which he lays claim. The appendix to Walter Chantry's Signs Of The Apostles, first published in 1973, cites some 15 eminent Christian teachers, from John Chrysostom to A W Pink, all of whom taught quite clearly, from Scripture, what has been the historic Christian view, that the supernatural sign gifts operated only until the completion of the canon of Scripture and have now ceased. Chantry's brief book is still a competent rebuttal of the notion that supernatural gifts are for today. And it does not all hinge on 1 Corinthians 13 by any means!

(The original interview appeared in Christian Lifestyle Vol 2, No 2, 1993 Ed. Andrew Saunders)

This article originally appeared in Grace Magazine

Praying to the Almighty

Prayer and the sovereignty of God

Every thoughtful person who prays has to face certain inevitable questions. These have to do with the biblical doctrine of the sovereignty of God. According to his eternal purpose, God has decreed all that comes to pass. This is clear from such verses as Daniel 4:35 and Ephesians 1:11. Now, if God is sovereign, why should I pray? Similarly, what does prayer actually do? Is it true that prayer changes things? Does it move the hand that guides the world?

TOO NARROW

Perhaps the first thing that needs to be said about such questions is that they presuppose too narrow an idea of prayer. Prayer is more than simply asking for things. It is communion with God and includes confession of sin, adoration of the triune God, praise and thanksgiving. These vital elements of prayer ought not to be forgotten. The apparent problem of the sovereignty of God is strictly confined to intercession and supplication.

SIMPLEST ANSWER

The simplest answer to anyone who questions whether they ought to pray, even though God has decreed all that will come to pass, is that this is the plain command of God's word. 'And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers', writes Paul (Ephesians 6:18). The Lord himself was constantly in prayer whilst on earth. He is to be our example. For Samuel Storms, 'The fact is that God has commanded that I pray, therefore that is what I must do.'

This is a good place to start but more can be said.

CONDITION, NOT CAUSE

A A Hodge points out that the great mistake many make when it comes to God's decree is concentrating on parts instead of the whole. A common but superficial argument against belief in election is that it will stifle evangelistic fervour. Many, by their words and actions, have demonstrated this to be untrue. The God who elects sinners also provides the means whereby they are converted. In a similar way, we must see that our prayers are as much under God's sovereignty as any answers to them. The same God who has decreed the end has also decreed that this end shall be reached through his appointed means and one of them is prayer (Pink). Hodge shows the shallowness of thinking some show when they ask, on their reasoning, 'If God has eternally decreed that you should live what is the use of your breathing?' In order to teach us, the Lord has so arranged things that we either use the means or go without the ends. Prayer is a condition of blessing not its cause.

This is confirmed in the Scriptures. In Ezekiel 36 blessing is prophesied for Israel, then in verse 37 we read, 'This also will I let the House of Israel ask me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock' (NASB). Prayer is clearly part of God's sovereign purpose. Similar things are found in Jeremiah 29:11,12 and Zechariah 10:6, 13:9. We also have the reactions of Daniel and Elijah recorded when they realised God's word was about to be fulfilled. They did not sit back, they earnestly prayed! (see Daniel 9:2,3 and 1 Kings 18:42). The design of prayer is not that God's will may be altered but that it may be accomplished (Pink).

'INSPIRER AND HEARER'

A further point to remember is that the desire to pray is itself God's gift. The initiative comes from on high. Effective prayers start in heaven and are sent down by God himself (Kelly). The Holy Spirit stirs us up to pray and seek our Father's face. He gives us the spirit of supplication to begin with.

PURPOSE OF PRAYER

Such considerations enable us to put the purpose of prayer into a proper biblical perspective. The purpose of prayer is not to inform God, much less to instruct him. How absurd! Rather, we are confessing our sense of need. It is for our sakes we pray, not for God's. He knows what is in my mind and I have the privilege of articulating to him what is there (Sproul).

Calvin lists six purposes:

1. It fires us with desire to seek, love and serve him. 'We flee to him as a sacred anchor.

2. It purifies those desires as we pour out our whole hearts.

3. It leads to true gratitude. We recognise where our blessings come from.

4. When prayers are answered we are led to meditate on his kindness more ardently.

5. We embrace with greater delight those things which we acknowledge to have been obtained by prayers.

6. It reminds us that God is ever present to help and defend us.

James Hastings maintains: 'Our wants are for the sake of coming into communion with God, our eternal need ... That we should receive what we ask in respect of our lower needs is not God's end in making us pray, for he could give us everything without that. To bring his child to his knee, God withholds that man may ask.'

'Prayer is a confession of creature weakness. Yea, of helplessness ... the acknowledgement of our need' (Pink). As in all things God's honour and glory is the chief thing and this means submission on our part.

Our Lord taught us to pray: Your will be done and left us the example of Gethsemane. We know God's revealed will in his word but his secret will, his decree, we do not know. The promise of 1 John 5:14 refers to the secret will. It cannot mean that anything a believer asks that is in line with Scripture will be done. It is when we ask according to God's secret will that he hears us. Strictly speaking, every true prayer in faith receives an answer. However, the answer is not always what we would wish or expect. Paul's prayers seemed to go unanswered until he learned: My grace is sufficient. We do not tell the Lord what to do but we express our needs, confident the Father knows what you need before you ask.

ARGUING WITH GOD

In emphasising the reflex benefits of prayer to the worshipper, there is the danger of accepting the psychologist's view that prayer does you good. B M Palmer warns: If prayer is nothing more; than offering good advice to oneself then it is a mockery to offer it to God ... If the attention be drawn from (God) to consider what effect the exercise is to produce on ourselves, in that instant it ceases to be prayer and resolves itself into pious meditation'. 

It is nothing short of tragic when a supposed fidelity to the doctrine of God's sovereignty serves only to paralyse a man's praying. Jeremiah 15:1 makes abundantly clear that prayer, in and of itself, cannot avail. But elsewhere it is made clear that fervent pleading is of great worth in God's sight. Abraham, Jacob, Moses and others stand as beacons to us pointing to the need of earnest supplication. Douglas Kelly emphasises how such men argued for God to act in line with his character and show mercy. Surely God honours such prayers still today .... He does not change.

CONCLUSION

We do not come to some fickle deity who changes like the wind but to the omnipotent and immutable God. 'Prayer', said Luther, 'is not overcoming God's reluctance but laying hold of his willingness'. 

Thou art coming to a King,

Large petitions with thee bring;

For his grace and power are such

None can ever ask too much. (John Newton)

Pro Sabbatica

Coronation Street is not my personal TV addiction but I caught a piece of "street wisdom" the other day to the effect that the only people who take sabbaticals are "They as don't do owt in the first place". Having just completed a month's hardworking sabbatical I was understandably put out. It was of some comfort, therefore, to read David Fountain, in an interview in Grace, speaking up for the sabbatical, especially as a means to sustaining a long pastorate. My own recent experience has certainly removed any initial cynicism about the idea. I'm sure this can be something of great benefit to pastor and people alike.

The immediate advantages are obvious,

1. It gives the opportunity for some extended project - reading or some more specific study; a visit to the mission field; a pulpit exchange etc.

2. It means a break for both preacher and congregation, banishing staleness.

3. It gives the pastor time to step back for a moment and reassess his work.

4. It reminds the pastor that he is not indispensable, and encourages the people to look to the Great Shepherd, not the under shepherd.

5. There is a temptation in the pastoral ministry to neglect relaxation, the family and even one's personal walk with the Lord. A temporary removal of day to day responsibilities can often give the opportunity to correct any imbalance.

Of course some will ask, "Where is the Scriptural mandate for all this?" I would have thought that even a superficial knowledge of the Levitical Law or, more significantly still, Jesus's attitudes to rest, would demonstrate clearly how important such things are. It does not have to be a "Sabbatical" after seven years. It is apparent from the new biography of Dr. Lloyd-Jones that he had an extended time of leave every summer, into which he fitted not only his family holidays but also his frequent trips abroad, his major reading and the preparation of his sermons for the press.

One is arguing here for a principle, not a method. However, let me finish on a highly practical note. There are, I suggest, a number of essential ingredients to a successful sabbatical.

1. A relatively stable church situation. There are some situations where, for one reason or another, there is tension or the church is weak or not yet formed. These men cannot even contemplate a sabbatical. We ought to be praying for such, and seeing if there is anything we can do to lessen the strain they are under.

2. A sympathetic church. Even where a situation is relatively healthy and strong the "Coronation Street" attitude mentioned above can mean a man will not be given opportunity for leave. He ought to try raising the issue - he may be pleasantly surprised! The best scenario is where the church raises the subject first.

3. Money. We may not like to mention this but we need to reckon with it. Pulpit supply (as it is quaintly put in some circles), travel, alternative accommodation. All this will have to come from someone's pocket. (A sabbatical on-site would be well nigh impossible).

4. A worthwhile project. Whether it is a course of study, a visit to the church missionary or simply to "get to know the family" a definite goal is advisable for all concerned. Aim at nothing ...

5. A place to stay. Access to libraries or whatever needs to be thought out. It is important that something is planned for the rest of the family. What are they expected to be doing while the man of the house burrows through long forgotten folios?

I am thankful to God and to my congregation for my recent month away and to our families in Wales who put up with us descending on them. It was a most valuable time. My hope is that this brief article will lead to it happening for other pastors who would much appreciate such an opportunity.

Never mind the width, feel the quality (on readiing)

Considering the number of books which many of ns own, shouldn't we be better Christians? Gary Brady takes a fresh look at reading habits.

More is not necessarily better is an oft forgotten adage when it comes to the subject of books. If Solomon wrote, 'Of making many books there is no end,' and 'much study wearies the body', nearly three thousand years ago, what would he say today! What is the result of our embarrassment of riches? Does the number of books currently available to the average British believer - way in excess of anything previous generations have known - make him a better Christian? With more books on prayer, do we pray any better? With more books on holiness, are we any holier? With far more teaching available, are we any wiser?

Honesty compels us to answer in the negative. How often do the lives of Christians from less affluent cultures, or less affluent times, put us to shame? Where are we going wrong?

UCCF and IVP have recently expressed concern about a rising generation of students who do not read! Obviously, all the books in the world will be of no help if no-one buys them, or if we buy them but do not read them. Back in the sixties, the author Anthony Burgess noted that the owning of a book had become a substitute for reading it. A recent magazine for serious Christians had an article entitled Making an Assault on those Unread Books. Undoubtedly, some Christians are guilty of treating books like ornaments rather than resources, but I believe there is a more subtle problem which needs tackling.

TASTERS, SWALLOWERS OR CHEWERS?

In one of his Essays the Renaissance philosopher Francis Bacon made an oft quoted remark: 'Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested'. The problem, it seems to me, is that there is far too much tasting and swallowing, but very little chewing and digesting. In days gone by many believers, and some ministers, had very few books - The Bible, Pilgrim's Progress and Foxe's Book of Martyrs formed the complete Library for some. (This was the reason for Mrs Spurgeon's Book Fund. A tradition carried on by the Banner of Truth and others, especially overseas where similar circumstances still prevail.)

When you have slender means you usually take greater care over purchases, and make greater use of what you have. This means that in the past people often bought the best books they could and read them again and again. Books like Luther's Bondage of the Will, and Matthew Henry's Commentary, got into the blood of devout believers, strengthening and blessing them enormously. They, in turn, were a great blessing to others. Yes, previous generations (and our contemporaries in certain parts of the world) did miss out on the tasting and the swallowing leading to greater breadth, but what about the depth? Surely they excelled (and do excel).

COLLECT THE CLASSICS

Ruskin divided books into two classes, 'Books of the hour' and 'Books of all time'. Christian publishers confirm that newly written works tend to sell well for the first six months or so, then fade. A few classics go on selling month after month, year after year. This is encouraging - the classics continue to sell. The important thing, however, is that they are thoroughly read.

How can we ensure that we are not guilty of substituting ownership for readership? What about the following procedure:

1. Draw up a list of 10 'classics,' that all believers should read at least once. Some candidates for inclusion: Augustine's Confessions; Pilgrim's Progress; The Mystery of Providence; John Owen on Mortification; The Autobiography of Spurgeon, or someone similar; D'Aubigne on The Reformation; Ryle on Holiness; The Screwtape Letters, Hallesby or Bounds on Prayer; Packer's Knowing God.

2. Make a specific reading plan that will get you through those books on your list of classics, but which you have not yet read, in two years.

3. Once they are all read, re-read one every six months

4. Read a small portion of one of these classics every day.

5. Ration yourself to just one or two new books every six months. Remember that some new books will become classics, and others are reprints of those that already are. Packer's new book on the Puritans and Volume 2 of the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones look like being contenders. Be flexible.

When taking up a new book, try to decide if it is for tasting, swallowing or chewing. We are too civil to books. 'For a few golden sentences we will turn over and actually read a volume of four or five hundred pages' (Emerson). How much time is wasted trying to chew what is only fit for swallowing or trying to digest what was only intended to tickle our taste buds. Publishers, how about labelling your books, taste, swallow or chew?

PRUNE YOUR COLLECTION

My wife is welcome to make any new addition to her wardrobe, provided it replaces something already owned. In fairness, I ought to do the same thing with my library. Pepys, the diarist, determined the size of his library and, once it was full, bought no more. He was obviously more interested in the look of his shelves than in the state of his mind. His policy could be adapted, however. Set a size for your library and determine, once that size is reached, to get rid of a book you already own every time you purchase a new one. This will refine your collection. There may be some regrets perhaps but deal slowly with the tasters, and eventually the volumes only meant for swallowing, will give way to those you will want to return to again and again. Less can have more value and small can be exquisite. Time, money and energy are God-given resources and our books consume large amounts of each. We have a responsibility to ensure that these resources are invested wisely and not just frittered away.

An Unchanging Saviour for Changing Times

A modern writer says, 'More sermons have been preached on this text than any other verse in Hebrews, so that this verse has attained confessional status in the church'. It is a verse many know, even if unsure where to find it. It has been a source of strength and encouragement to Christian believers in every generation. It ought to be for us.

This verse looks back to verse 7: Your leaders have died but remember their example and keep looking to the unchanging Christ. When Christian leaders die there is a sense of foreboding. How will we manage without them? But such deaths serve to remind us where our true focus should be - on Jesus himself. This verse introduces verse 9. If we keep looking to Jesus we will not be 'carried away by all kinds of strange teachings'. There were all sorts of strange teachings around in those days and in these days there are perhaps more than ever. What is the antidote? In many cases they have to be carefully answered, of course, but the fundamental need is that we look away from men, who constantly follow this or that fad, and instead focus on Jesus, who is constant and unchanging. This is a good text for the start of a new year.

THE WORLD CONSTANTLY CHANGES

We live in a world where time is always going forward. The change of the year reminds us of the relentless march of time. People do not live forever. It is, as we often say conscious of the irony, a fact of life. It is because of death, and other factors that, leadership changes. Prime Ministers come and go. In churches there are changes too. If it is not death then something else will call a man away - retirement, ill health, a need elsewhere. Sadly sometimes there are moral falls or doctrinal failings that force removal.

JESUS CHRIST NEVER CHANGES

Although as far as leadership and many other things are concerned there is constant flux, nevertheless Christ never changes. He is constant.

Change: There are obvious differences between Old and New Testament times. Looking forward to Messiah gives way to Messiah's actual coming. There are other differences: before the flood and after; before the Law is given and after; before and after the resurrection; before and after the pouring out of the Spirit; the time when the Scriptures were being written and the apostolic gifts were in evidence and the days that have followed. It is no good simply finding something in the Bible and saying. 'That's what they did then, so it must be right now'. No, there have been changes over the years, different dispensations of God's grace, and the verse is not contradicting that. Christ has existed in different states. Think of his pre-incarnate state in glory, his humiliation (conception, birth, life, death and burial), his exaltation (resurrection, ascension, and session at God's right hand), and his coming return in glory to judge the world and to reign.

No change: Having said all this, as for his attitude of grace towards his people, Jesus Christ never changes. He never needs replacing. If a player in a football team cannot play, he is replaced. Sometimes the replacement is worse, sometimes better. Now with Jesus not only can he never be replaced - no-one is good enough - but he never needs to be replaced. Why? Because he is the same yesterday, today and forever! Even though he died, he lives forever. He is always there. People die. Great leaders go and are missed. We try to replace them. But Jesus will never need replacing. Once you put your faith in him he will be yours forever. What a comfort! Don't forget it. Nothing can be added to his perfect work. Nothing more needs to be done. He has completed the work, Hebrews 10:11-14 makes that clear. Do you realise that he has done it all? There is no need for anything more from us. What a glorious thing is the finished work of Christ!

TRUST ONLY IN HIM TODAY AND FOREVER

The conclusion is obvious.

Negatively, do not look to men. On John Wesley's memorial in Westminster Abbey, it says, 'God buries his workmen but he carries on his work'. We must keep looking to the unchanging Christ and not to men. The best way to think of Christian leaders you admire is to imagine them saying, 'Look to the One who cannot fail, who never needs to be replaced and who is permanently available to his people'.

Positively, look to Christ. That is the obvious lesson. Whatever the situation personally, nationally or in the churches, we must look to Christ. He is the same divine person with the same divine purposes in all generations. Look to Christ for ... help and support in your inadequacy. He will uphold you. He will always be true to himself. power and protection in your weakness. He is always there to defend and protect his people. What an encouragement in every difficulty this is. grace and deliverance in your failure. We fall and fail but he is always there to forgive us and raise us again. He is Alpha and Omega, faith's beginning and end. guidance and consolation in your ignorance. If you go to him you can be sure of finding all the help you need. From the world's beginning it was God's purpose that sinners should only ever trust in one person - Jesus Christ. His will on this has never changed and can never change. Keep looking to the eternal one who never changes. He is worthy of all faith.

"Quit my job, I'm off on my Harley" (Midlife Crisis, causes and cures)

My father claims that no one can know when he is middle-aged as he cannot know when he will die. He has a point. Speaking in biblical and common sense terms, however, we can say that in a post-Eden, post Flood world, when life expectancy is around 70 or 80, the years from 35 to 55 should be considered as our middle ones. These years can often be difficult. The purpose of the three main articles in this month's magazine is to explore the theme a little in order to help both those who may feel they are in - or could soon be entering - a mid-life crisis and their nearest and dearest who would like to help them in some way. We begin with a medical approach.

Nat Davies is a retired doctor and missionary leader and we are very thankful to him for his contribution. The second article is an expository one dealing with one central aspect of mid-life crises - the temptation to be unfaithful. For this we are indebted to Jonathan Wood. The third article is from myself and is of a more general nature, dealing chiefly with cause and cures. Obviously it has been possible only to introduce the subject here. If any readers have something worthwhile to add, we would love to hear from you. ...

'What is a mid-life crisis (MLC)? One dictionary definition states that it is 'a period of psychological doubt and anxiety that some people experience in middle age'. With black humour Barbara Sher quotes a friend's paraphrase of Gertrude Stein 'It's when you finally get there and find out there's no there there.'

Condition

The idea is from secular psychology and was popularised in the sixties and seventies. Originally applied to women, it was soon applied to men too. In the eighties a series of books on the subject by former pastor Jim Conway appeared in America. He speaks of men entering a 'second adolescence' and being confronted by four apparent enemies - their bodies (losing looks, hair, etc); their work (boredom, etc); their families (feeling trapped by responsibility); their God.

More than one website is devoted to MLC and talk of such things is common. Nobel prize winner Sir Paul Nurse, for example, passed off spending part of his prize money on a Norton motorcycle as a symptom of it. The phenomenon is blamed for all sorts of things from peculiar fashion statements, crazy diets, fitness drives and nostalgia-driven CD purchases through to reckless or juvenile behaviour, ill-advised career changes or house moves and acts of adultery.

The basic idea is that by our middle years situations that may earlier have caused little consternation begin to lead to dysfunction and paralysis. It is difficult to know how genuine such a phenomenon is. Sometimes it is simply that a middle-aged person loses his job, is divorced or is seriously ill - things that can happen at other times.

Some are sceptical about the whole idea of MLCs. If we simply seek to excuse bad behaviour by using a fancy label that is unacceptable. Sin is sin, whatever its cause. However, anyone who feels that they or someone they love is going through such a crisis will inevitably ponder the cause and cure.

Causes

The first thing to recognise is that in many ways life is a series of crises, more or less difficult to cope with. Even children surrounded by love and protection can face crises. They seem trivial from the vantage point of adult years, but at the time can be traumatic. Puberty is a well-known breeding ground for quandaries and calamities, when lack of judgement, rebellion and evil desires can cause havoc.

All of adult life is marked by various crises. Man is born to trouble as surely as the sparks fly upward and our few days are often marked by trouble (Job 5:1,14:1). What exacerbates crises that come in the middle years is the timing. There is a certain optimism about youth. There is an ability to shake off our troubles and bounce back that seems to fade with increasing years.

As years advance, we can be like Israel of old, having our strength sapped without realising. Our hair is sprinkled with grey, but we do not notice (Hosea 9:7). We are less able to cope with setbacks and disappointments, failures and falls. Midlife is often life's busiest time and that brings extra pressure. Some are so bitten by the bug of ambition that, whereas their thirst for greater things has sustained them to this point, it is now a menace as they take on more and more responsibility to a point where they cannot reasonably expect to cope. With this, there is the realisation that the years are passing by and the time for doing anything is increasingly limited. In youth 'Life with its path before thee lies' but suddenly 'the crowning day' that's coming looms near. By midlife, the shape of our lives is half-formed. There is less room for manoeuvre and that can be an unwelcome and daunting fact to live with. There is evidence to say that those with unrealistic views of themselves cope least well with midlife. Waking up to the fact that I am not the next Lloyd-Jones, Mrs T, Victoria or David Beckham, can be a shock for some. Perhaps another reason why MLCs are more conspicuous is because of their ability, at their worst, to affect others. The crises of teenagers and the elderly can often be confined in their effects in a way that those of, say, a school teacher and deacon who has a wife and three children, cannot.

Cures

As for curing people or rather getting them through such crises what can we say? The evangelist Luis Palau helpfully recommends a study of 2 Timothy with its calls to fan into flame the gift of God; not be ashamed to testify about our Lord; be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, etc (1:6,8; 2:1,22, etc).

Humility is always important. Accepting our limitations will go a long way to sparing us the ravages of a MLC. Certainly remembering that no temptation has seized you except what is common to man is important. Christians go through MLCs and survive without dishonouring the Lord. God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear though you may feel otherwise at times. Paul assures us (1 Corinthians 10:31) that when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. It is only a matter of finding the honourable way out. That may involve sharing your burden with others, reminding yourself of your limitations, accepting life's imperfections or some of the other things we want to mention here.

Then note two good Proverbs. Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained by a righteous life (16:31). Your later life, should God spare you, and your death bed, will be made easier if you can keep from falling into life-dominating sins and shameful acts in your middle years. Then in 20:29 there is a timely reminder that The glory of young men is their strength, grey hair the splendour of the old. A wise man in middle age recognises that he is leaving behind the glories of youth and entering the splendours of old age. The blinding revelations in the emotional crises of youth must give way to the slowly dawning adaptive insights of middle and old age. This begins with a recognition of our growing limitations as far as strength is concerned and ends with a recognition of our increasing grey hairs - the marks of experience and wisdom.

Transitions are never easy. There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip. Precocious children grow up, old men who want to show off their strength are humoured but the middle aged who do not know what they are can be embarrassing and dangerous. Look to the Lord to bring you through. Remember his promise in Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Weakness - The way to perfection

Scripture often celebrates Israel's victory over Midian. Before it, God tells Gideon he has too many men. So that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, changes are needed. Judges 7:2 highlights important principles.

Universal tendency

God speaks and acts as he does because of our tendency to boast. For unbelievers, pride is their necklace. Boastfulness is typical of these last days. How readily we boast. A sure sign of worldliness is boasting of what we have and do (Psalm 73; 2 Timothy 3; James 3; 1 John 2). It is somehow instinctive with us. Gresham Machen describes tourists boasting of conquering summits when they have simply followed guides equally able to get sacks of corn to the top!

Children brag about themselves. Adults blow their own trumpets. Even octogenarians crow about how young they look. Do you tell stories lionising yourself? We are subtle sometimes but the propensity is continual. Denying it is only another brag - 'others boast, I don't'! Are you aware of this proclivity?

God hates

Judges 7 proves God hates boasting. Recall his response when Nebuchadnezzar bragged that he had built Babylon by his mighty power and for the glory of his majesty. That arrogant man was soon eating grass like a cow. 1 Peter 5:5 urges us to clothe ourselves with humility ... because Cod opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. God esteems the humble and contrite in spirit and pronounces the meek blessed. He warns the wise not to boast of their wisdom, the strong of their strength, the rich of their wealth. Rather, if he must boast, let him boast that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight (Isaiah 66:2; Matthew 5:5; Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Undeniably, God hates all boastfulness and pride. Reject it and humble yourself. Ephesians 5:17 says find out what pleases the Lord. God abhors boasting and demands all the glory for himself. The only glory we can know is reflected glory. He must have the praise. To covet it for ourselves brings wrath. Certain famous prima donnas want everything to revolve around them, taking credit for everything. How mean-spirited and arrogant. God takes the credit because it is due. He is responsible for everything. Do you see that? Then honour him.

Avoid boasting

Clearly, we must do all we can to avoid self-promotion. Jesus says, when giving to the needy, not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give, but avoid drawing attention to yourself. Similarly, avoid praying standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. ...go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen .... Pray, even in public, as if it is just the Lord and you. And when fasting avoid looking sombre as the hypocrites do. They disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. ... rather put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men ... but only to your Father, who is unseen .... (Matthew 6:3,5,6,16-18). Philippians 2:3: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. We have a bent for boasting but God loathes it. Do all you can to eliminate it. Self-flagellation and prolonged fasts will only tempt us to boast. Deliverance comes from doing what God requires.

God's work

One of the wonderful truths of the Bible is that God himself helps us avoid boasting. The very way he saves us shows this. It is not a matter of intelligence or beauty, nationality or family nor how good we are in men's eyes. Rather, it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of Cod - not by works, so that no-one can boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9). As we look from ourselves to Christ, he saves. Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Corinthians 4:7). Are you cleverer, better looking, abler than others? If you fail to see it is God's gift, you are a boaster.

Prayer is something else God uses to teach humility. How incongruous to brag about answered prayer. All the glory is God's. Think of Paul's thorn in the flesh. Whatever it was this Messenger of Satan was highly unpleasant. Paul wanted it gone but instead God enabled Paul to cope. Suffering can help us. It can promote maturity in Christ if we are teachable.

God whittles down Gideon's army in stages. First, he removes the fearful, as Deuteronomy 20 demands. Over two thirds depart. The rule was to counteract low morale but it must have been hard to see 22,000 depart! Nevertheless, God was determined to prevent boasting. Cut backs were essential. What is it about numbers? Numbers spell prestige and power. There is safety in numbers. We sometimes think they are the key to everything. Smaller churches envy larger ones; low numbers dishearten us. However, God sometimes wants a decrease. He has his chosen few. Many are on the broad road, few on the narrow road to heaven. We must give up worldly thinking and see that (as E F Schumacher put it in another context) 'small is beautiful' or, to use another slogan, 'less is more'. If God is to use us, we must 'think small'.

Even then, there were still too many. Gideon must take them down to the water for further sifting. Perhaps you learned in Sunday School that God chose the final three hundred for their superiority but it does not say that. Rather, if God said this one shall go with you, he went. And if he said this one shall not ..., he stayed. The division, however we understand it, is arbitrary. And, so it seems, is the kingdom. God appears to bless a preacher, a church, an individual. We seek explanations. Sometimes we think we know why. Often we are baffled. It seems capricious, nonsensical. Eloquent preachers with small churches, ordinary preachers with large ones; the godly forgotten, the worldly acclaimed. The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Accept the way it is and recognise how God thus subverts boasting and glorifies himself, doing as he chooses. We must learn humility.

Success through weakness

Gideon's experience shows how mysterious success is. We dare not excuse laziness or neglect but we must learn to give God glory. We must somehow learn with Paul not to boast about ourselves except, as it were, of our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12). To know what Gideon and Paul knew we must ponder God's words, my power is made perfect in weakness. We must gladly boast of our weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on us. For his sake, delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties convinced that when I am weak, then I am strong.