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Written by: Peter Brain

It’s New Year’s Day; 50 years since ordination next month and an article to write. What better time for me to consider and share some words that have helped me to follow Christ? It was Dr Larry Crabb in the 1980s who reminded us of the concept of ‘words of life and death’, from Proverbs 18:21, ‘the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit’. I was challenged then to consider how I spoke to others (bearing in mind the NT commentary on this in Matt 12:37; Eph 4:29-30; Col 4:6; Ja 3:1-12) and I have been so grateful to God for those who have spoken ‘life words’ to me over many years. The first three came as I was growing up and in my BC life. Unsurprisingly, they were all from the sporting field. ‘Keep your eyes on the ball’ were much-needed words spoken to me by my cricket coach after my getting out to another rash shot! It is too easy for me to lose my focus, especially when tired, distracted by too many balls in the air or tempted to be attracted by the latest quick fix for successful ministry. Keeping my eyes on the ball that I am facing, which has to played, on its merits and where it is, is always an opportunity to experience God’s grace (as strength, as sin-conquering or as Christ-affirming). In my experience this will only happen if I keep my eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2).

Closely related, but from the golf course, ‘keep your head down’ is the cardinal rule. I’ve been playing golf ‘on and off ’ for 70 years. Every time I play, especially the close- range chip shots, I must remind myself, ‘keep your head down Peter!’ So, too, in discipleship and ministry.

The temptation is to want to see the results immediately. I must remind myself that I have work to do (the outcome of which often depends on others who may or may not respond) and, more importantly, that my Heavenly Father who sees my work can be trusted for the outcome in His time. My responsibility is to keep my head down on what I must do and up in prayer for what he must do.

‘The pass always beats the man’, drummed into us at club and school rugby to make us into team players, has many counterpoints in our life together as believers. I have been grateful for the teams of Christians God has placed me in, teaching me the joy of fellowship, the privilege of learning from others and serving with encouraging brothers and sisters. The effort of team work is always worth it.

Following my conversion at age 17 in 1964 five words from local church team members helped transform my thinking. I cannot be sure who spoke the first two to me, but they were from young men in their twenties whose lifestyle as believers made commitment to Christ attractive. ‘Peter, we were glad to learn that you became a believer last Sunday, can I encourage you to try to read your Bible every day and expect God to speak to you as you do’. How good was this! No trace of legalism. Just love as he passed on the secret of his own commitment and contentment. It was an invitation too good to refuse and one I have proven true ever since. I had benefitted from sound teaching at youth group and Evening Prayer for almost 6 years, so I knew he was not speaking of audible voices from God, but his ‘expectation’ emphasis has kept me from the ever-present temptation to see Bible reading, or ministry preparation, as ends in themselves. Ours was a Scripture Union Parish and a SU chorus has become my prayer: Make the Book live to me O Lord/ Show me Yourself within Your word/ Show me myself and show me my Saviour/ And make the Book live to me.

It was on the following Sunday, as I recall, another young man remarked that, ‘since you have a job and still live at home, it will never be easier to form the habit of giving at least 10% of your pay to the Lord’s work’. The joy of giving was easily learnt through this advice, one layman to another. But not only a joy, it has served the same function as the valve on the old pressure cookers, that of keeping the accumulation of riches from blowing away my love for the Lord and His work. Mind you, it has to be re-embraced each year but I am so glad for that ‘lifeword’, so thoughtfully given. Saving me from the fatal traps of 1 Tim 6:6-10 by introducing me to the pleasures of 6:17-19, it has proven its worth as a life-word of lasting value.

I am ever so grateful to God that I grew up mainly praying the prayers of Morning and Evening prayer. Another ‘life word’ that shaped me, even before I became a Christian, was prayed by our Rector or Catechist every Sunday morning. ‘O God…Whose service is perfect freedom’ was affirmed in our prayer request and clearly answered, to my teenage eyes, in the way our elders served us. We were learning from their unmistakable consistency. Passages of Scripture (Matt 11:28-30, Luke 9:23-26, John 8:34-36; 10:10) were prayerfully lived out before our very eyes. In this I was doubly blessed. Coupled with clear calls to servant-heartedness, encapsulated in those memorable one-liners, ‘Lord of all or not at all’, ‘blessed to be a blessing’ and ‘he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose’, along with the regular ministry of visiting missionaries (and the reading of recommended missionary biographies), taught me that nothing given over to the service of our Saviour is anything other than the path of joyful freedom. Whoever claimed that rote liturgy does not have its place in discipleship formation and pedagogy, has in my judgement, done us, and our younger generations, a grave disservice. Life words take time to take root and then to sprout! Our Rector in the 1960’s, ‘Mr Ostling’, had many memorable life-words to offer, which over-flowed from his loving, Christ-saturated, pastoral heart. ‘Peter’, he said as he gave me a note with 2 Samuel 9:1 written on it, ‘Could you visit Geoff, who lives with his parents. He is about the same age as you, and I would like you to invite him to youth group.’ He added, ‘this would be a kindness you could show to him’. I had been a Christian for a year. There was no reason for me not to accept this invitation from Mr Ostling. After all, this was what he did. Geoff and I are still friends. He loves Jesus. He also has cerebral palsy, but still gets to church from his group home. He is one of my closest friends, who continues to pray for Christine and me. How kind God was to me, when I was asked to imitate King David in showing kindness to him. I need no other encouragement to know that serving the Lord is ‘perfect freedom’ since the call to serve others is always the promised way of blessing. Like a boomerang it returns, not to kill its prey, but to keep me from killing myself through self-interest. At about the same time we were encouraged to read Richard Wurmbrand’s ‘Tortured for Christ’. When he came to Sydney we found ourselves in the overflow crowd at St Paul’s Chatswood to hear this great man’s testimony. The following Sunday we asked ourselves whether we would be able to stand for Jesus if we were called to make the decision to own Him or be shot on the spot. Mr Ostling joined the circle, as we were talking about this. After a while, he offered a wise life-word, ‘It’s a good question you are discussing. If you are faithful to Jesus at school/work/uni/tech tomorrow and on the rugby field next Saturday you will likely be ready to stand for Christ if a gun is pointed at your head!’ In other words, practice makes permanent, or in the words of the hymn, ‘each victory will help you some other to win’! His answer, permeated with the aroma of Matthew 6:34 and Mark 13:11 and the exhortation of 1 Peter 3:15, were lifewords of encouragement.

Many life-words were spoken at Moore College, by fellow students and staff alike. Two that helped me were to do with preaching. The first, ‘Let the word do it!’ The context has escaped me, but its purpose was to remind us that it is God’s word, faithfully and humbly proclaimed and applied, that will bring about God’s purposes. It is simple enough, but easily forgotten in the cut and thrust, and the competing demands, of pastoral and evangelistic work. It was Dr Knox’s way of saying, ‘Let your theology of the Bible be shown in your patient, prayerful, week-in and week-out ministry. Here was the theological equivalent of my cricket coach’s ‘keep your eye on the ball’. The work still had to be done, pressures lived under and dealt with and priorities sorted, but this advice has helped me to rely upon God to bring real heart-change. Good theology is always pastorally beneficial, God-honouring and lifeaffirming. The second, from a lecturer in my first-year in 1971, who would later become Principal and then Archbishop of Sydney ran, ‘How you handle the Bible in the pulpit will determine how people will read it in private!’ If my preaching explains and applies the text carefully and clearly, my hearers may go home and think ‘I can see how (s)he came to that’. However, if there are flights of fancy, with the text serving only as a platform for my own ideas, my listeners are more likely to think ‘its too hard for me!’ It was good to be reminded that my role was to be a ‘reminderer’, not a novelist (2 Peter 3:1-2). To be ‘a workman who rightly handles the Word of truth’ is a labour of love, both to God for His gift of a public domain, Spirit-saturated Scripture, and to His children who come expectantly to hear His Fatherly voice of loving encouragement and timely exhortation. The pulpit is never a place for showing off my learning nor complicating the message with unnecessary details. My rare privilege and responsibility of teaching people, whom I am called to exegete as I serve among them, has been nurtured by this timely life-word.

To have colleagues who care enough to exhort, as well as encourage, is a great boon. ‘Peter, there is hardly a person over 50 in our congregations who is not carrying a great sadness’. I was just shy of 30 years old when this pastoral wisdom was given me by my Senior Pastor. He was in no sense rousing on me for insensitivity, just offering wise advice, given that my days were primarily spent in visiting. He trusted me to find out who these were, which I did in time, at least from those who wanted to share their burdens with me. It was, and remains helpful, encouraging me to listen (I hope). It has helped me admire the patient stickability of many, and to grow through their example. It is a rebuke to me when nursing thoughts of ‘why aren’t they doing more in the church?’ It helped me to remember that their turning up to church expectantly and considerately is an acceptable act of worship and a significant testimony. One of the greatest burdens that many in this demographic carry is the deep pain of seeing their children and grandchildren no longing walking with the Lord. Paul’s life-word decades ago helps me to be quick to encourage others gracefully and to find encouragement in their example.

‘Never move a fence until you know why it was put there!’ was a life-word I learnt from a farmer. Far from being a barrier to necessary change, it served as a reminder to make changes thoughtfully. It is possible that no one knows why, or even cares whether, it is there. Listening to reasons why the metaphorical ‘fences’ should not be moved has caused me to think carefully why I thought there should be change. I learnt, slowly, that better outcomes resulted from consultation. Bonhoeffer’s ‘the best gift we can give to others is to be a good listener’ proved to be as true in leadership as in personal relationships – lessons I am still learning.

‘Remember who is in your grandstand’ were wise words spoken by Dr Arch Hart at a pastor’s conference. They have helped me to remember that God, who sees all I do, is not only the only One whose praise I need, but is the One who honours faithfulness above popularity and substance above style. The praise of others can be heady and addictive, to the point of sinful covetousness or pride. This has led me to neither expect, look for or live for the praise of others, whilst seeking to offer genuine praise (but not flattery) to as many as I can.

The question, ‘I wonder why we (pastors) don’t seem to make much time to encourage each-other?’ became a life-word for me many years ago. It certainly made me appreciate those, like Gordon who asked the question, who did make time to encourage me. It helped me I trust not only to make time, but to make the best of the time when we were able to meet. Loneliness can easily become an occupational hazard, and along with John Stott’s observed ministerial hazards of ‘depression and discouragement’, can be ameliorated by our intentional care of each other. In my experience as a receiver of this ministry this is a great gift we can offer one another. Lifegiving indeed!

A brother whom I got to know well during the second half of my ministry used to ask me, ‘Peter, do you still love your bride and Peter, do you still love Jesus?’. I was grateful to John for these questions, since it is far too easy to take for granted those we love, and who love us. Both of these relationships began at a point of commitment. Both must be nourished in order to grow. My love for Jesus must remain my first love so that all other loves, not least that for my wife, can be as rich, realistic and Christlike as they are meant to be. Both are experiential loves. John’s life questions have, I trust, helped me to keep formalism far away by nurturing the friendship captured by the Puritan’s definition of marriage as, ‘a perpetual, friendly fellowship’ and the affirmation of that great hymn, ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus’ — a friendship amplified in its verses, experienced so richly in life, whether we are single or married and so essential for the richness of fellowship in our local churches. These life-words have encouraged me over many decades. Having been nourished by their fruit, I offer them as means of mutual encouragement and thank God for those who spoke them to me.

Peter lives in Perth and gives thanks for good health enabling him to be involved in locum ministry.

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Written by: Filidex Subsilva

Theology is a practical discipline.’ So says Amandus Polanus (1561-1610), a scholastic theologian of the Reformed Orthodox school with whom I have become acquainted through doing Master’s research. I imagine few of you have read much Reformed Scholasticism lately (or ever), and perhaps even fewer have heard of Polanus (let alone read anything he wrote). He was a Professor of Old Testament at Basel, and he also wrote systematic theology rather voluminously. Study of the Protestant Scholastic theologians is on trend at present in some circles, and they are not always quite as dry and logico-rational as you might imagine. Hence, I thought I might share a couple of his perspectives which I found striking, and that struck for me an existential and pastoral note.

First, Polanus argues that theology is aimed at action, so that human beings might reach the best and highest blessings possible for us. He says,

‘the purpose of theology is not bare and idle speculation or contemplation, but practice, but action. This is what humanity is fitted for by God, redeemed for by Christ, sanctified for by the Holy Spirit. This action is the glorification of God and the everlasting blessedness of humanity. […] So action is the purpose even of the most theoretical doctrines about the unity of the divine essence and the Threeness of the divine persons.’

The action at which theology is aimed is that we glorify God and are made blessed through having that faith in God that is expressed in the good works of love. He says,

‘For why does God make himself known to us unless that he be glorified by us, and that we might be made blessed by fellowship with him?’

To make the nature of this glorification and blessedness— and the way to it—more concrete, Polanus asks,

‘Now what are the means with which we strive towards this end? Are they not faith and good works? Surely we glorify God by faith and good works; by living faith effective through love, that is, which produces good works as its fruit, we obtain eternal blessedness.’

Polanus says God’s glory and our blessedness are in the actions of our knowing and believing the gospel of Jesus and the teaching of his apostles, and in living out this faith by doing the good works that spring from it. This proves that we’ve truly learned our theology. Polanus points to the Philippian jailer who, upon believing in Jesus as Lord, washed the wounds of Paul and Silas his captives (Acts 16:29-34). For Polanus, this jailer is the complete theologian, the whole package, because his theology produced action. When I encountered in Polanus this kind of simple, direct and practical analysis of the purpose and proper outcome of theological knowledge, it struck me. This was not least because Polanus took me to the earthy scene in the Phillippian jail where Paul and Silas sang songs, shared the gospel with the jailer and received his grateful ministrations. Faith taking hold of proclaimed theology, and actively expressing itself in good works is summed up in that vivid human story. Would that we were theologians like that jailer, day by day.

Next, and in this vein, Polanus has a practical, personal and pastoral take on the use of the Apostles’ Creed. When we say the Apostles’ Creed in church, service leaders sometimes introduce it by saying words like these: ‘This ancient statement of Christian faith has been said by believers for centuries. Let’s join with one another and with them in professing our common faith’. This communal use of the creed is well known. But for Polanus the creed should find a place in your individual Christian devotion as your watchword and your spiritual tonic, girding your loins for action in the everyday struggle of the Christian.

Polanus quotes and endorses a tradition that thinks of the creed as the watchword of the soldiers of Christ, the formula which identifies us as belonging to the Lord’s forces. More than that, recounting the creed to ourselves daily—and whenever we are afraid—orients and galvanises us for the spiritual war we are caught up in.

Polanus first quotes St Ambrose, who says,

‘The creed, too, especially, we should recite at the pre-dawn hour everyday as the seal of our hearts. It should be gone over in the mind, when, for instance, we dread anything. When, for instance, is the soldier in the tent, the warrior in battle, without the oath of military service?’

The soldier’s oath of military service told him who he was, to what he belonged and what his duty was. To recite it was to remind the soldier of all these things, to inscribe them on his heart and to focus him on what he must do, no matter the circumstances. Likewise, says Ambrose, the Apostles’ Creed should be used ‘at the pre-dawn hour everyday as the seal of our hearts’. It is not a mere list of orthodox beliefs, but a way of arming yourself for the spiritual battle the day will bring.

Polanus then continues, drawing inferences from Ambrose:

‘Therefore the Apostles’ Creed is to be professed and remembered everyday:

1. because it is our watchword given to us by God through Christ, with which we must be in daily and continuous warfare against Satan, the world, sin, the flesh and the Antichrist: For it is necessary that we be distinguished from our foes against whom we must fight, that it may be settled with which party we stand.
2. because it reminds us, by our examination every day, whether we are in the faith.
3. because it urges us towards fervent zeal in asking God for the growth and preservation of faith in us.
4. because it recalls into memory for us our baptism, in which we were baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in which we were bound to believe in this God and to serve him.
5. because it provides to us many consolations which we need everyday against so many temptations to which we are subject.
6. I commend this use of the Apostles’ Creed to you: It is there for you in the pre-dawn hour, and whenever you need a shot of gospel faith in the arm! ‘I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth…’

Filidex Subsilva has a mission to revive appreciation of Amandus Polanus von Polansdorf and his theology.

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Written by: Chris Porter

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Written by: Chris Porter

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Written by: Chris Appleby

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Written by: Rev Canon Dr Brian Rosner

 This essay was originally given as a farewell lecture at Ridley College  commemorating Brian Rosner’s time as principal of the college.

Today, as I bid farewell to my time as principal of Ridley  College, I want to tackle the purpose of Paul's Epistle to  the Romans and the hope that is found in the strength of  the Gospel.

Let's start with the purpose of Romans. There's been a  long-standing debate among scholars about why Paul  wrote this letter. Initially, during the Reformation, Romans  was read as “a compendium of Christian theology,”^[i]  often  citing Philip Melanchthon. He described it as a  compendium of doctrines such as total depravity,  justification, sanctification, election, and so on.  This view has been supplanted by the conviction that  Romans, like all Pauline letters, arose in response to  concrete historical circumstances. It is an occasional  epistle, just like 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, etc.

Read more: Strengthened by the Gospel