This is Ivan Kellogg. In the world’s words, he WAS a great man. In God’s, by grace, he IS a great man. Not as the World counts greatness, but as God does.  For he never sought human accolades all the days I knew him. At least never as much as I could tell. He was my brother-in-law, youth leader (when I was young and REALLY a pain), fellow quartet member, my co-elder, and the best friend in life and ministry one could ever hope to have as a gift from God – because he would tell me the truth. Even when it really hurt.  I loved him. And I can’t wait to see him again in glory. I will miss him everyday until then.

I wrote the following for him based upon: Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – 1 Cor. 15:51

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Our first grandchild arrived this morning a little before 8 am – 10 pounds 5 ounces and 22″.

Sky & I are now officially “Itsy” and “Big Daddy.”

How GOOD our God is!

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776 – The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, – When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

IN PUBLIC. July 5, 2009 – The considered Declaration of one man saved by Grace –

When in the course of human history, by God’s grace humankind is shown the dire state of their fallen condition outside of Christ Jesus our Lord, it becomes necessary for all men to dissolve the sinful bands which have connected them to self as supreme, the influence of the Prince of the Power of the air, and the Fallen World System, and to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ, restoring their right relationship as joyful and willing children and subjects of the Living God to which the Gospel entitles all who believe – a decent respect for the Truth and the the Glory of God requires that they should declare the realities which impel them to be reconciled to Him.

We hold these truths to be revealed by God, that all men are created by God and for God, and that He possesses absolute and unalienable rights over all things. That among these are the right to require perfect obedience; to judge all creatures according to His own holiness; to grant life both temporal and eternal; to grant forgiveness and liberty from the penalty, power and presence of sin; and to grant infinite and eternal happiness only to be found in Himself freely as He sees fit. — That to secure these grants and gifts, God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ acting without the consent of the governed, came to earth in the form of sinful flesh, endured God’s wrath against us, died in our place on the Cross of Calvary propitiating the Father and rose again from the dead 3 days later. —That whenever any Form of supposed Government either Institutional or Individual becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of God’s people to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free, and their Duty to challenge every yoke of sin and self-government in the Name of Jesus Christ, standing steadfast on the foundation of absolute dependence upon the mercy, love grace and goodness of their eternal Creator King – as this alone can guarantee their Safety and Happiness.

Prov. 7:21 “With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. 22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.”

One more observation on this passage needs to be made before we move on. It is to recognize Temptation’s “tipping point.” “All at once” verse 22 begins, and this is the key thought. Up until this moment, recovery is still available. But there is an indefinable point at which Temptation’s appeals have been listened to and entertained for so long – and the Believing heart’s objections denied for so long that it becomes a case of: “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing” (Pr 29:1).

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Life is funny. A few years ago I began the journey of going to seminary to fill in the holes in my autodidactic theological education. It is SLOW going.

I decided on Whitefield Theological Seminary for a number of reasons – among which was that I could do this as a distance learning program, self-paced to allow me to continue being a busy pastor without interruption. Like I said, its slow going. For a while now, not going at all.

When I made this decision, Dr. Ken Talbot, founder of the seminary and its President had me go to Florida for a 3 day round of exams to assess my placement. BRUTAL is the first word that comes to mind. And SUBLIME is the second word – due to the three days I got to spend with Dr. Talbot. They will always remain treasures to me. We formed a personal and spiritual bond that is a true delight to me upon every reflection upon it.

A number of months ago, Dr. Talbot and I were discussing my academic progress (or better, lack thereof) when he asked if I might – as one committed to a Believer’s Baptism model – be willing to read his upcoming book on the sacraments (pictured above). If possible, he wondered if I might be willing to say why it might be worth reading, even for us baptistic folk. I jumped at the chance.

After reading it, I was more than excited to send a positive response. I sent back my “endorsement” for what it is worth. (I don’t know if my name might lend more negative associations than positive.) And then I was most honored to find out Dr. Talbot had decided to use my appraisal as the forward to  “Confirming Our Faith: A Reformed Covenantal Theology of the Sacraments.”

I’ll let you see my reasons below for endorsing Dr. Talbot’s book. Here, is what I sent Dr. Talbot, which unedited appears now as the forward to this excellent work. Do I agree in every place? No. I remain a Credo-baptist. But the value here will become apparent in what I wrote.

Here is the Forward:

Why would a confessed credo-baptist want to recommend reading Dr. Talbot’s “Confirming Our Faith”? The answers are not hard to provide.

First, because so much confusion reigns between paedo & credo-baptist brethren on the issue of the sacraments. Misinformation and disinformation often lock us into unfruitful (and sometimes, most grievously) uncharitable conflict. There is no call here to erase genuine distinctives. There is instead a lucid, reverent, edifying and myth-destroying presentation of what is taught in the Westminster standards on these two vital means of grace. (Read the book before you throw stones at me for using that last phrase – means of grace.)

Second, because even in the paedo-baptistic branches of the Lord’s Body, the role and meaning of covenant baptism is often poorly understood, articulated, entered into and defended.

Third, because it is often the case (in my experience) that the majesty, mystery and wonder of the Lord’s Table is lost in a tradition of virtually tacking it on at the end of a worship service, rather than giving it a more prominent and important role, vital to the life of the Church and its true spiritual members.

Fourth, because a simple but all so important distinction between the concepts of “benefits” versus “privileges” (just read it and you’ll find out) could not only kick the stuffing out of an army of straw men, it could free us up to love one another more tangibly, really, and visibly, across some historically electrified lines.

Fifth, because Dr. Talbot loves the Church, both visible and invisible. Because his heart yearns for its members to share its common life truthfully, faithfully, passionately and joyfully.

We have three Biblically identified enemies: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Books like this will let us join arms in waging the battle on their soil, rather than taking potshots at one another across the aisle. May its influence range far and wide.

I did find one curious omission however. There is not a single word of anti-credo baptist rhetoric anywhere to be found. Not one. That may speak even more loudly than the text itself.

Please read it.

1 – John 1:1 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

RAF: In the beginning, the Word, already “was.” This Word, THE Word, was with God – without need for attachment to the created order about to come. This Word, THE Word – was in fact – both with, and was Himself – God. He is the ultimate and complete revelation and communication of – God. He became a man in the person of Jesus – taking to Himself a human nature that He might be among us, without destroying us. His body, was the “veil” the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies in the Temple. First, He but tabernacled himself. For some 33 years. Then, He came to dwell in His Temple at Pentecost. Now, He tabernacles in us in a sense – as indwelling us even though we are in a temporary state and not glorified yet. But when He returns, He will dwell in the New Temple. He will raise us from the dead in our glorified state. We will become the New Jerusalem. His people in glory. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, even with this much information we have not even begun to be able to imagine what He has prepared for those who love Him. Oh what a Christ we serve!

2 – John 1:4 (ESV) In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

RAF: Man’s original existence was a “lighted” one, wherein the life of man was was directly connected to Him as the giver and sustainer of life. In the Fall, we were plunged into the darkness of being severed from Him. Everything outside of Christ Jesus remains in darkness. Only when we comprehend the whole of existence in terms of His Creator-ship, His redemptive purpose and plan, can we live in the light of what is real. See: Colossians 1:15-17

3 – John 1:10 (ESV) He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

RAF: This is true darkness – a life void of all meaning and purpose, because it does not recognize the One who gave it life, nor does it enter into His heart and mind to know meaning and purpose. Apart from Christ, all is darkness, mystery and meaninglessness.

4 – John 1:11-13 (ESV) He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

RAF: He came to His own THINGS – the Kingdom, the people, the world that belonged to Him. But especially He came to His people, His own people – who as a “people” rejected Him, as their God, Messiah and King. Yet some believed. Those, who did believe, became “sons of God”. Those still who believe, become sons of God. This is the glory of the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ the Lord.

5 – John 1:14 (ESV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

RAF: If He had only come full of truth, we’d all be dead. Judgment would be, could ONLY be the outcome. But He came also full of GRACE. In grace, that in the light of the truth, God still sovereignly bestows unmerited favor.

6 – John 1:19-22 (ESV) And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²²So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

RAF: Let every man ask, and answer this question of himself – “What do you say about yourself?” And note well John’s response – for it informs our own. He identifies himself in terms of his relationship to Christ. This is the only way you can know who you truly are – by understanding who you are in relation to Jesus Christ.