{"id":2541,"date":"2007-02-21T01:13:00","date_gmt":"2007-02-21T01:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adrianwarnock.com\/2007\/02\/remote-blogging-the-resolved-conference\/"},"modified":"2007-02-21T01:13:00","modified_gmt":"2007-02-21T01:13:00","slug":"remote-blogging-the-resolved-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2007\/02\/remote-blogging-the-resolved-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"REMOTE BLOGGING – The Resolved Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/span><\/a>Tim Challies gets to live-blog more and more conferences. Soon it seems he will just live at a conference permanently. I have only ever done this with one conference \u2014 <\/span>Together On A Mission 06<\/span><\/a>. Live-blogging is simply sharing notes and reflections of the sessions. I have made it something of a tradition that I extract a few quotes from these posts. I call it \u201cremote blogging.\u201d Examples include <\/span>Together for the Gospel 06<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Worship God 06<\/span><\/a>. So here goes with this latest conference. I will report it in typical blogger\u2019s reverse chronological order, with the newest ones at the top. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Resolved Conference (Reflections)<\/span><\/a> <\/p>\n

Tim reflects on the conference in this post, and he seems pretty pleased. The following stood out to me:<\/span> <\/p>\n

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\u201cSteve Lawson is one of the most talented expositors (and truthfully, perhaps the<\/em> most talented expositor) of Scripture I\u2019ve ever had the privilege of hearing. When I take notes for his sermons, I often end up with 2,500 words or more. His teaching just resonates within my heart and mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/span>C. J. Mahaney has an amazing ability to draw deeply personal application. He never finishes a sermon without prodding the listener to examine his heart and to live a more godly life.<\/span><\/p>\n

John MacArthur is an excep-tional teacher and potentially the most skilled Bible teacher I\u2019ve heard. His knowledge and understanding of Scripture is almost unmatched.<\/span><\/p>\n

John Piper has the amazing ability to pursue theology to the ultimate. He pursues doctrine and theology far beyond the surface, and does not quit until he has traced it to its deepest purpose, deepest meaning, and deepest application.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for Rick Holland . . . well, unfortunately I have only heard him speak one time so have little knowledge of his teaching ministry. However, from what was evident at the conference, he is a talented leader and one who garners the love and respect of those who serve with him. His desire to communicate deeply and personally with young Christians is obvious, and his ability in doing this is shown in the lives of the young people who have been impacted by his ministry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Session 9 \u2014 John Piper<\/span><\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n

<\/span><\/a>The preacher in me was relieved that even the greats can get carried away and either not have time to finish their material or quite simply forget! I was somehow greatly encouraged by the following paragraph! So much so, that for material from the talk itself you are going to have to <\/span>go visit Tim<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPiper began by completing his address from the night before since he had forgotten the fifth point. Point five should have been that there is no gospel unless everything else gets you to God to enjoy Him forever. The other four won\u2019t be the gospel if there is no God to enjoy. This is why a lot of people think they are Christians when they are not. We need to get through the benefits of the gospel to the main benefit of the gospel. The main verse for last night\u2019s talk (1 Peter 3:18) had somehow never been referenced<\/span>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Session 8 \u2014 C. J. Mahaney<\/strong><\/span><\/a> <\/p>\n\n

C. J. spoke on 1 Corinthians 4. The following was what I noticed most from Tim\u2019s report: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGrace, he said, prepares us for suffering (verses 8-13). The Corinthians were not prepared for this paradox. <\/a>They considered themselves as already having arrived spiritually (see the two repetitions of \u201calready\u201d). Paul was going to introduce them to a new category: the \u201cnot yet.\u201d The nature of the Christian life takes into account \u201cthe already,\u201d but also the \u201cnot yet.\u201d Already there is regeneration, forgiveness, and so on, but there is also the category of the \u201cnot yet\u201d for the reality of sin and suffering and death remains. The Corinthians only had one category: \u201cthe already.\u201d They felt they already had what they needed and all they would have. Paul, though, redefines spirituality for them. He informs them of the harsh reality of suffering.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Session 7<\/span> \u2014 John Piper<\/span><\/strong><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Tim Challies begins his report of Piper\u2019s talk by a puzzling admission that I have heard before\u2014that he finds Piper hard to grasp. Other people I have spoken to have said a similar thing at times. I believe, though, that Piper is well worth any extra effort required. <\/span><\/span><\/a>In the meantime, what advice would I give to any who feel similarly? First, pray like mad and ask God to deal with any <\/span>spiritual deadness<\/span><\/a> that may remain, and to send His Spirit of revelation. Then get a hold of some of Piper\u2019s mp3s and try listening rather than reading. Finally, read his books very slowly\u2014if necessary a few lines at a time. If all else fails, there\u2019s an easy answer. Get a copy of Sam Storm\u2019s One Thing<\/em> which is a great easy-to-read introduction to many of the concepts that he shares with Piper. <\/span> <\/p>\n\n

Tim explains that Piper spoke about five stages of the Gospel: <\/span> <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are five elements to the gospel. First, there is an event (1 Corinthians 15:3) \u2013 the crucifixion of Christ. There must have happened in history this event for without it there is no gospel. The event is, of course, Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection. Second, the achievement of His death objectively outside of you. For example, the wrath of God absorbed for all the elect. The curse for our sin is averted by Christ. Third, the free offer. With no event and achievement there can be no offer. It is offered freely by faith alone. Fourth, the application of this in your experience. You must experience reconciliation, forgiveness, justification, and so on. For the gospel to be gospel to you, you must experience these things. And fifth? Well, I don\u2019t think he ever got to the fifth.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So anyone else who was there\u2014did Piper get to his fifth element of the gospel and if so what was it? I remember from my reading of Piper\u2019s book <\/span>God is the Gospel<\/span><\/a> (on which this talk was based) him saying, \u201cThe gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God.\u201d<\/strong><\/em> <\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n

Unless I am mistaken, that is the place where Piper would have been leading us. <\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

Session 6 \u2014 Steve Lawson<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n

Steve Lawson spoke on Luke 14:25-33 with the topic \u201cThe Cost of Discipleship (It Will Cost You Everything).\u201d Here are some quotes that stood out to me: <\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span><\/a>\u201cJesus never tried to induce the crowd to follow Him or to call people to make quick and easy decisions. He never softened the requirements.\u201d <\/span> <\/p>\n

\u201cIn order to become a true follower of Jesus Christ, one must love Him more than anyone or anything. There must be no competing allegiances. Following Jesus requires a lifetime, ongoing decision to do this. It is not a one-time decision or a one-time act. Verse 26 is the Lord\u2019s clarification of true saving faith. \u201cIf anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Session 5 \u2014 C. J. Mahaney<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

This session saw C. J. Mahaney speaking on Isaiah 53. He died as our substitute. He took our place. The following quote stands out to me: <\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/a>\u201cThe language of substitution is peppered through these verses: bore, carried, wounded, crushed, chastised, stripes, and the language culminates in \u2018laid on him.\u2019 He paid the penalty I owed. While I was still in my sin, He suffered the punishment that I so justly and richly deserve. Those who are limited to human observation could conclude in verse 4 that He was stricken and smitten by God for His own sin and, in particular, the sin of blasphemy. Many who watched this drama unfold drew this conclusion. Those who have been granted new eyes realize that He was stricken by God not for His sin, but for their sin. When we look at this deformed, disfigured, suffering servant hanging in agony and suspended between heaven and earth, we must realize that He is there as our substitute receiving the punishment that we deserve.\u201d<\/span> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Session 4 \u2014 John MacArthur on Luke 18<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n

In this session the talk from John focused on the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee from Luke 18. I love this description: <\/span> <\/p>\n

\u201cTheir whole religious system was based on the idea that a person can make himself righteous by his own morality and religion. Pharisees were the very archetype of this righteousness, but Jesus shatters this illusion. <\/span><\/span><\/a>Jesus\u2019 final words would have shocked the listeners. They would have been stunned. In one moment Jesus pronounces an extreme sinner righteous apart from any works, merit, worthiness, law-keeping, ritual, or ceremony. He is instantaneously justified. How can this be? We know because it unfolds in the rest of the New Testament. The key is that Jesus\u2019 righteousness was credited to this man\u2019s account. The sin problem was dealt with and propitiation was made. The man who pleaded for mercy was granted mercy while the man who depended on his own goodness was cast off.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Somebody needs to explain to me how the \u201c<\/span>New Perspectives on Paul<\/span><\/a>\u201d people interpret that parable. You see, according to them, there was no problem with legalism in Jesus\u2019 and Paul\u2019s day. We have just caricatured the Pharisees. It seems to me that\u2014far from Paul being the worst culprit in such a caricature\u2014that honor would go to our Lord. Seems to me Jesus was right and the modern scholars wrong, don\u2019t you think?<\/span> <\/p>\n

Session 3<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

John MacArthur spoke on 1 Corinthians 1-2. His main points were as follows: <\/span> <\/p>\n