Jeff Ling

“Doing justice means not showing partiality, not stealing, not swindling, not taking advantage of the weak because they are too uninformed or unconnected to stop you. We dare say that most Christians in America are not guilty of these sorts of injustices, nor should they be made to feel that they are. We are not interested in people feeling bad just to feel bad, or worse, people thinking there is moral high ground in professing most loudly how bad they feel about themselves. If we are guilty of injustice individually or collectively, let us be rebuked in the strongest terms. By the same token, if we are guilty of hoarding our resources and failing to show generosity, then let us repent, receive forgiveness, and change. But when it comes to doing good in our communities and in the world, let’s not turn every possibility into a responsibility and every opportunity into an ought. If we want to see our brothers and sisters do more for the poor and the afflicted, we’ll go farther and be on safer ground if we use grace as our motivating principle instead of guilt.”

- Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert

I have always enjoyed J. Sidlow Baxter’s (1903 – 1999) material. I regularly still use his classic “Explore the Book”, a complete Bible survey course that is outstanding. It’s still in print and there’s also a Kindle edition.)  His devotional writing style, reverent approach to scripture and keen insights into God’s Word, make him a joy to study. In 1974 he released a book entitled “Rethinking Our Priorities: The Church, It’s Pastor and People.” It covered a wide range of subjects and while much in it was very helpful, it also reflects the values and upbringing associated with a man born in Australia in 1903 and raised in Lancashire, England. Baxter’ like all of was a product of his time. He attended Spurgeon’s Theological College in London and was a pastor in Scotland and England. Even so, some principles and priorities are timeless and deserve to be revisited.

What struck me when I read the following was just how true the statement is that “the more things change, the more things remain the same.”  What many perceive as a problem now, Baxter did then.

Preachers and Sex – From “Rethinking Our Priorities” by J. Sidlow Baxter

(I’ve abbreviated the article. If you’d like to read the rest, click here.)

“That you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

God has been graciously pleased to appoint His church the great conservator of His truth, and His truth the especial medium of sanctification to His church; there is a close and beautiful relation between the two.

The church may be compared to the golden lamp which contains the sacred oil, which, in its turn, feeds the flame of its light and holiness. The church is to guard with a jealous and vigilant eye the purity of the truth, while the truth is to beautify and sanctify the ark which preserves it. Thus there is a close relation, and a reciprocal influence, between the church of Christ and the truth of God.

Every individual believer in Jesus is himself a subject, and therefore a witness, of the truth; he has been quickened, called, renewed, and partially sanctified through the instrumentality of God’s revealed truth: “Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth.” “For the truth’s sake which dwells in us.” “You are my witnesses, says the Lord.”

Here is unfolded one of the most solemn and affecting truths touching the character and individual responsibility of a child of God. He is a subject of truth, he is a repository of the truth, and he is a witness for the truth; yes, he is the only living witness to the truth which God has on earth. The world he lives in is a dark, polluted, God-blaspheming, Christ-denying, truth-despising world. The saints who have been called out of it according to His eternal purpose and love, and by His sovereign, distinguishing, and free grace, are the only lights and the only salt in the midst of this moral darkness and corruption.

Here and there a light glimmers, irradiating the gloomy sphere in which it moves; here and there a spot of verdure appears, relieving the arid and barren desolation by which it is surrounded. These are the saints of the Most High, the witnesses of the Divine character, the omnipotent power, and the holy tendency, of God’s blessed truth.

Let the saints of God, then, solemnly weigh this affecting fact, that though the written word and the accompanying Spirit are God’s witnesses in the world, yet they are the only living exemplification of the power of the truth, and, as such, are earnestly exhorted to be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Let them be careful to maintain good works, and so walk in all the holiness of the truth they profess; let them see that by no carelessness of deportment, by no want of integrity, by no worldly conformity, yes, by no inconsistency whatever, they bring a slur upon the holy doctrines they avowedly maintain and love; but let them show that, with the truth in their judgments, they possess grace in the heart, and unspotted holiness in the life.

Click for a better view.

70 people gathered by a lake on the outskirts of Siem Reap for a baptism service. The NEI church plant in the village had been yielding fruit to the glory of God and now 31 new believers were going to be baptized. After a song of praise, the pastor introduced me to speak. I shared with them of our partnership in the gospel from Philippians 1, encouraging them not to rely heavily on the pastor to share the gospel but to recognize their calling to take the gospel to family and friends.

Afterwards, Johnny Buckner addressed the group to explain the significance of baptism. “How many of you have seen a baptism?” he asked. Four hands went up. Four. This was a completely brand new thing for them. As Johnny explained the idea of being buried and raised with Christ, excitement grew. By the time he was finishing, they were cheering! The group joyfully made their way down to the water where the “bowling Cambodian” was waiting in the water to do the honors.  One after another they entered the water and after confessing their faith they went under.  It was a bit funny because they weren’t certain when to come up! Seems they were waiting on the pastor and he was waiting on them. Some folks were under for a bit… like with bubbles breaking the surface.  After they were baptized, they made their way to the shore where Johnny, Robert Yusi and myself laid hands on each of them to impart a blessing. What an incredible honor to be a part of the celebration.

Click for a better view.

After we finished baptizing and praying for everyone, we began to praise the Lord as we looked up we were surprised to see a perfect rainbow circling the sun. It was just beautiful. Tim Boden reminded us of a passage in Revelation:

And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. - Revelation 4:3 (ESV)

Later I looked in the scripture for another reference and this one said it well:

“Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal….  Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground…”  - Ezk. 1:22; 26-28 (NLT)

I’m sure many could explain it as a natural phenomenon but we had no doubt that God was giving us a glorious sign of His pleasure.

Afterwards we all had a marvelous lunch by the lake. There was joy. There was peace. You could cut it with a knife.

Some video from the day:

Baptism Preaching from Jeff Ling on Vimeo.

Baptism of Khmer Army Officer from Jeff Ling on Vimeo.