Sanctified By God - Dan Horn

I just finished reading Dan Horn’s book “Sanctified by God: A call to keep the Christian Sabbath" and it is a book that I would recommend to others. Truly not much is written today on the Christina Sabbath as it appears that many try and steer clear of such a controversial issue. But to avoid the subject is to miss out on the joy and blessing God has given us in the Sabbath He has called us to observe. I heard Dan speak on this subject at the Sufficiency of Scripture Conference last month in Western Kentucky and that was what instigated the reading of his book. You can read my summary of his talk here.

Obviously from the title you know up front that Dan holds to the need to observe the Christian Sabbath today. What was so useful and profitable about this book is that it covered all aspects of the Sabbath and not just that we need to keep it. The overarching theme, I felt, was that to not observe the Sabbath as God intends today is to miss out on the joy God intended in setting aside a day for His people to delight in Him. So Dan deals with the various issues that come about when dealing with the Sabbath so as to help us see that God’s call to obey the Sabbath in the 4th Commandment is not one of burden but delight. All too often the talk on the Sabbath revolves around if it is legalistic or not and if the Sabbath is even required today for the New Testament Christian. What is often not dealt with as much are the other aspects that revolve around the topic of the Christian Sabbath such as: Why, How, When, What For and all those questions entail.

Yes this book will be convicting to some but anything that deals with areas we have been negligent in will be such. It is what we do with the conviction that is important. Do we brush it aside or do we truly turn to scripture and deal with the issue so as to please and honor God. I think Dan has helped in this area as this book is not merely a defense of the Christian Sabbath and the need to observe it but it also gives practical examples of how this all works out. Also included in the appendix of this book is Jonathan Edwards defense of the continuation and the change of day of the Sabbath. The following are the chapters included in this book:

1) The Need
2) The Sanctification
3) The Defense
4) The Judgment
5) The History
6) The Day
7) The Rest
8) The Mercy
9) The Delight
10) The Practice
11) The Exhortation
12) Appendix: Jonathan Edwards on The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath

We live in a time that has made the Christian Sabbath difficult to keep. By this I mean the world offers all sorts of baubles for us to reach for when God has placed a magnificent gift right before us in the Christian Sabbath. We need to realize this great gift is before us and partake of it and not just for a couple hours a day but to put aside the entire day for God and His people to delight in Him together. Let us seek to glorify God and delight in Him on the day He has set aside for us. Yes we need to worship Him daily in all we do but that does not negate the one day God has pointed to since creation.

Sufficiently of Scripture Materials

The Sufficiently of Scripture MP3s and CDs are now available at Vision Forum. Until January 27th the price for the MP3s (32 Messages) and CDs (22 Messages) are $95 There is also a 10-DVD collection of sermons from the conference also for $95. There is a combo set of the 10-DVD collection and the CDs also available.

10- DVD Collection:

1. Woe to Those who go Down to Egypt for Advice — Scott Brown
2. Scripture is Sufficient for Ministry to Youth — Scott Brown

3. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Biblical Manhood — Voddie Baucham

4. The Sufficiency of Scripture in the Disciple-Making Ministry of the Church and the Home — Voddie Baucham
5. The Defining Battles in the War Against the Sufficiency of Scripture — Doug Phillips
6. The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Heart of the NCFIC — Doug Phillips
7. Scripture is Sufficient for Your Educational Decisions — Kevin Swanson
8. The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Gospel — Paul Washer
9. The Genesis Three Attack in our Era of History — Ken Ham
10. Is the Sufficiency of Scripture a Biblical Doctrine? — Dr. Joe Morecraft

MP3 Collection:
1. Do Not Learn the Way of the Gentiles — Scott Brown
2. The Defining Battles in the War Against the Sufficiency of Scripture — Doug Phillips

3. Our Declining Church and Culture: The Genesis Connection and How to Continue a Godly Heritage — Ken Ham

4. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Manhood and Womanhood — Voddie Baucham

5. The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Heart of the NCFIC — Doug Phillips

6. The Regulative Principle of Worship in the Old Testament — Joe Morecraft

7. The Inerrancy of Scripture — R.C. Sproul, Jr.

8. English Bibles and the Sufficiency of Scripture — Bill Einwechter
9. Scripture is Sufficient for Women’s Ministry Part 1: Teachers of Good Things — Jeff Pollard
10. The Sufficiency of Scripture for the Laws of Nations — Doug Phillips
11. Scripture is Sufficient for Child Discipline — Steve Breagy
12. But How Could a Loving God Say...? — Dan Horn

13. Scripture is Sufficient for Personal Evangelism — Paul Washer

14. Applying the Sufficiency of Scripture in the Botkin Family — Geoff Botkin
15. The Regulative Principle of Worship in the New Testament — Joe Morecraft
16. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Family Life — Kevin Swanson
17. God’s Law or Chaos — Bill Einwechter
18. Scripture is Sufficient for Women’s Ministry Part 2: Keepers at Home — Jeff Pollard
19. Is the Sufficiency of Scripture a Bible Doctrine? — Joe Morecraft
20. Scripture is Sufficient for Ministry to Youth — Scott Brown
21. The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Gospel — Paul Washer
22. The Sufficiency of Scripture and Family Integration — Kevin Swanson
23. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Evangelizing the Nations — Paul Washer
24. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Church Discipline — Joe Morecraft
25. Youth Ministry — Voddie Baucham
26. Scripture is Sufficient for your Educational Decisions — Kevin Swanson
27. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Culture and Aesthetics — Doug Phillips
28. Scripture is Sufficient to Define and Govern the Church — Dan Horn
29. Scripture is Sufficient for Times of Spiritual Decline — Bill Einwechter
30. The Importance of Biblical Family Life for the Spread of the Gospel — Paul Washer
31. The Sufficiency of Scripture in the Disciple-Making Ministry of the Church and the Home — Voddie Baucham
32. Closing Charge — Scott Brown and Doug Phillips

CD Collection:

1. The Regulative Principle of Worship in the Old Testament — Joe Morecraft

2. The Inerrancy of Scripture — R.C. Sproul, Jr.

3. English Bibles and the Sufficiency of Scripture — Bill Einwechter
4. Scripture is Sufficient for Women’s Ministry Part 1: Teachers of Good Things — Jeff Pollard
5. The Sufficiency of Scripture for the Laws of Nations — Doug Phillips
6. Scripture is Sufficient for Child Discipline — Steve Breagy

7. But How Could a Loving God Say...? — Dan Horn

8. Scripture is Sufficient for Personal Evangelism — Paul Washer

9. Applying the Sufficiency of Scripture in the Botkin Family — Geoff Botkin

10. The Regulative Principle of Worship in the New Testament — Joe Morecraft

11. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Family Life — Kevin Swanson

12. God’s Law or Chaos — Bill Einwechter

13. Scripture is Sufficient for Women’s Ministry Part 2: Keepers at Home — Jeff Pollard

14. The Sufficiency of Scripture and Family Integration — Kevin Swanson
15. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Evangelizing the Nations — Paul Washer
16. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Church Discipline — Joe Morecraft
17. Youth Ministry — Voddie Baucham
18. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Culture and Aesthetics — Doug Phillips
19. Scripture is Sufficient to Define and Govern the Church — Dan Horn
20. Scripture is Sufficient for Times of Spiritual Decline — Bill Einwechter
21. The Importance of Biblical Family Life for the Spread of the Gospel — Paul Washer
22. Closing Charge — Scott Brown and Doug Phillips

You can see a list of summaries from the sessions I went to at the conference here:  Sufficiency of Scripture 2009 Conference Wrap-up

The Law and Us

Often when speaking on the law I think there is a misunderstanding with regards to the law and the believer today. This misunderstanding comes from seeing the law monolithically, that is as only relating to the unbeliever but that misses God’s full intent for the law. We need to see that the law is eternal and is applicable to all people at all times but it’s relationship is different for the unbeliever than the believer.

First let me say that I agree that we are not under the law, as it relates to salvation. We are saved by grace alone and not by our works thus the law does not save us by following it. When we see the law spoken of as a school master (Gal 3:24) or in other such terms it is in relation to us before we become a child of God. It is the law that reveals our great need for the atonement provided by Christ on the cross. So, again as the law relates to us before we believe we are under it but that relationship does change once we believe.

After salvation God’s law is our guide to the life that most glorifies God and is empowered by His spirit. Paul in 2 Tim 3:16-17 speaks of the whole council of scripture being useful, not just some of it, and this would first relate to the Old Testament that Paul would have taught from. Of course it also applies to the New Testament but all too often the relevance of the Old Testament to the New Covenant believer is overlooked. This comes, I believe, from a wrong understanding of our relation to the law after salvation. God has given us His law word as a guide for the path we are to follow, a path that most glorifies Him. We follow the law not for ourselves, primarily, but to worship Him magnify His name in all the earth as we realize the sanctification God works in our lives.

Matthew 28:19-20 an oft quoted section of scripture says:

(19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The call here is to teach the nations God’s commands that at the time of the writing of this passage would have been contained in the Old Testament and would also, necessarily, include what is in the New Testament as it came about. But, the call is not to simply teach about the commands but to teach to observe or follow them. The great glory in this is that as believers we are empowered by God to do just that. We may fail and struggle but by studying His word and by the power of His Spirit we are enabled to follow all God calls us to do in all His word, again, for His glory and His purposes.

It would be rightly called legalism to try and follow God’s law by our power. But to do so by His power is not legalism but is obedience to our Lord and Savior. We need to recognize this distinction with regards to position with the law if we are to correctly understand how we are to relate to it as believers today. The struggle should not be about what laws we are to follow but how can we follow all of God’s law, of course not the ceremonial law that pointed to Christ, for His glory

Charles Spurgeon in his sermon on The Allegories of Sarah and Hagar (Sermon 69) speaks on this distinction in how the law relates to us both before salvation and after and I think his words are helpful.

On the Law prior to Salvation
“The law is, so to speak, Jesus Christ's dog, to go after his sheep, and bring them to the shepherd; the law is the thunderbolt which affrighteth ungodly men, and maketh them turn from the error of their ways, and seek after God. “

On the Law after Salvation:
“What is God's law now? It is not above a Christian—it is under a Christian. Some men hold God's law like a rod, in terrorem, over Christians, and say, "If you sin you will be punished with it." It is not so. The law is under a Christian; it is for him to walk on, to be his guide, his rule, his pattern. "We are not under the law, but under grace." Law is the road which guides us, not the rod which drives us, nor the spirit which actuates us. The law is good and excellent, if it keeps its place.”

The law does not disappear once one is a believer but is simply in a different relationship to us. It is for the believer a path unto our feet and a path that we need to seek to follow diligently since it is a path set out by God first for His glory and secondly for our good.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (1/11/09)

If you have questions about Theonomy, here is a great site with many resources: Theonomy Resources: A database for resources for applying the law of God to every area of life.


Another new blog with much useful information is Biblical Soteriology.


If you have heard of J.C Ryle you may interested in J.C. Ryle Quotes. You can also have them sent to your daily in a number of formats including email and on Facebook. If you have not heard of J.C. Ryle check out this site.


A couple years ago I joined in a challenge to read the puritans for the year. Well this year you can join in and read A Year with Baptist Classics. To help in the cost Solid Ground Books is offering discounts on each book as well as the entire set. The list price for the entire set is $185 but it is on sale for $79.95 as of today and for at least right now there is free shipping. Here is the link to the books offered – SGB-Year with Baptist Classics.

Here are the books for the year and descriptions:

JANUARY - Benjamin Keach The Travels of True Godliness This is a work, written in the style of The Pilgrim's Progress, tracing the growth, struggles and temptations faced by 'True Godliness.' It is an enjoyable journey depicting the path of growth in holiness.

FEBRUARY - Andrew Fuller: A Heart for Missions (Pearce Bio) One of the best Christian biographies ever written! Samuel Pearce was the Baptist version of Robert Murray McCheyne--a young pastor known for godliness and zeal whose life was brief but impact was profound.

MARCH - Hercules Collins Devoted to the Service of the Temple A mighty man of God, Hercules Collins was a pastor of a very large London Congregation during the 17th century. This little book very helpfully collects some of his wonderful doctrinal and devotional writings.

APRIL - Adoniram Judson On Christan Baptism The Congregational Missionary Society was shocked when its first missionary, Adoniram Judson, adopted credobaptist views while on his way to serve in India. In this book, Judson demonstrates the nature of Christian baptism.

MAY - Southern Baptist Sermons on Sovereignty and Responsibility American Baptist history is full of great preachers. Here is a collection of sermons by Southern worthies, expounding vital topics; by Basil Manly, Sr., W.B. Johnson, R.B.C. Howell & Richard Fuller.

JUNE - John Broadus: Jesus of Nazareth Our Lord Jesus is wonderfully presented by another great Southern preacher, John Broadus.

JULY/AUGUST - Benjamin Beddome's Exposition of the Baptist Catechism Here is a gem, long out of print, but recently reprinted. Theology is made practical by this pastor from the village of Bourton-on-the-Water in the English Cotswolds.

SEPTEMBER - Andrew Fuller: The Backslider Christians struggle with sin--this is a fact. We need to consider this truth, learn about its dangers, and find the right method of recovery. This book will help.

OCTOBER - John Bunyan: Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ We can't neglect Bunyan! In this book, he calls us to find our full satisfaction in Jesus Christ.

NOVEMBER - Benjamin Keach: The Marrow of True Justification We live in a day when the doctrine of justification by faith alone is under attack. One of our fathers, Benjamin Keach, ably explains this doctrine here. This is the heart of the gospel.

DECEMBER - Charles Spurgeon: Sermons on Men or Women of the Bible What a great way to conclude the year! As always, Spurgeon shows us how the men and women of the Bible point us to Jesus Christ.

Sufficiency of Scripture 2009 Conference Wrap-up

I did not do a summary of the last session as it was more of a reflection on the conference with Scott Brown and Doug Phillips.  They shared their thoughts on the conference as well as what was ahead.

If you want the audio from this conference you can get them in CD or MP3 format here:  Sufficiency of Scripture 2009 Conference.

Here is a list of the Sufficiency of Scripture 2009 Conference summaries:

Session 1 - Scott Brown (12/10/09)

Session 2 - Doug Phillips (12/10/09)

Session 3 - Ken Ham (12/10/09)

Session 4 & 5 - Voddie Baucham and Doug Phillips (12/10/09)

Sessions 6 & 7 - Bill Einwechter and Doug Phillips (12/11/09)

Sessions 8 & 9 - Joe Morecraft (12/11/09)

Sessions 10 & 11 - Scott Brown and Paul Washer (12/11/09)

Sessions 12 & 13 - Kevin Swanson and Dan Horn (12/12/09)

Sessions 14 & 15 - Dan Horn and Voddie Baucham (12/12/09)

Sufficiency of Scripture Conference - Summary of Sessions 14 & 15 (12/12)

The Sufficiency of Scripture to Define and Govern the Church – Dan Horn

This was a second break out session where Dan Horn covered the topic of scriptures being sufficient to define how the church is to be governed.  He began by asking the simple, yet often argued over question,  “what is the church and who is the church.”  The church is not like any other institution as it is unique in the world. The church is not a building or a club as often seems to be what it ends up being in a large part of the professing church.  Dan shared how the church is led by Elders who are as Eph 4:12 says to “equip the saints” for the work that God has for them.

Dan then spoke on three aspects of the church.  The first aspect covered was the church as a biblical institution.  He spoke on the three institutions or spheres of authority God has set up: the family, the state and the church.  The church is to be the light to the world while the state has been given the word and the family the rod; again each has its area of authority.  The church and it’s members are responsible to proclaim God’s word to the nations.  Romans 10:13-15 reveals this responsibility with the preaching that is spoken of not simply being just to speak the word but to publish His word in all activates of life so as to proclaim to the world the glories of God.  Dan also shared how the church is spoken of as the Bride of Christ (Eph 5:22-32) and how we need to love the church as Christ loves the church.  Also, the church is spoken of as a holy nation (1 Peter 2:7-9) such that in a sense we are like a nation as we are a people chosen by God, a people set apart.  As a set apart people we have the authority God has given us apart from what He has given the family and state.  Yet another metaphor God uses of the church in His word is as a household of God (Matt 22:30).

In still dealing with the church as a biblical institution Dan Horn spoke on how often the place of the church is commingled with the other institutions God has instituted.  Thus one result is that many churches have become creatures of the state.  Another area that is often blurred is the relationship between the church and family with often going to the extremes of either minimizing the family or maximizing it rather then seeking to finds its true area of authority as set out in scripture.  One last aspect with regards to the church as in institution set up by God Dan deal with was that of the error in far too many church of not having a plurality in leadership.

Dan then spoke on how the church is also universal in that it includes all the elect of God.  That all the elect are in the universal aspect of the church the bride of Christ (Matt 16:16-18; Heb 12:22-24).  Thus when we speak of the body of Christ in a universal manner we speak of the body of Christ as all those that have and will believe. 

The last aspect Dan spoke on was the church as a local body meeting together.  This is also known as the visible church.  This gathering is for more than simply to gather but is about building up people to do the work of God.  As the visible/local church gathers it does so with a dual purpose, first being to worship God corporately and to glorify Him in that gathering.  Secondly the church gathers to teach men and women to glorify God.  As part of this look at the local church, which was too short due to time, was to ask the question: When is a Church a Church.  As part of an answer Dan shared what Calvin had said:  There is the preaching of the word, the sacraments are rightly administered and discipline is carried out.  I would personally add, and Dan may have gone here if time had allowed, that the church is governed as God’s word defines.

This was a good talk and much more could have been said.  We live in a day and age where it seems more and more what the church is and how it is to function is defined more by the culture it is within than what God’s word declares.  We need to return to the sufficiency of scripture to define what and how the church is.

The Sufficiency of Scripture in the Disciplemaking ministry of the church and the Home – Voddie Baucham

This last talk, not including the closing comments by Scott Brown and Doug Phillips, looked at the synergy of the church and home in disciplemaking. To look at this Voddie Baucham looked at Titus 1 and 2 to see that God has given us; godly mature men and women in the church, godly manly elders, and godly biblically functioning homes.

The first of these he looked at was that of godly mature men and women in the church and focused on Titus 2:1-5. Verses 2 and 3 speak to godly men who have walked with God over time.  It is not just about age, but age and action in character formed over time.  Verse 2 gives the character traits of older men that are sanctified by His spirit over time.  Traits such as self control which is actually being controlled by God and thus yielding to the control of God.  Another trait is that of being sound in faith.  This is a man that is to lead others but sadly this all to often does not happen unless a person thinks they are called ministry.  Other traits that are found in V2 are to be sound in love and being steadfast.

Voddie then turned to looking at V3-5 of Titus 2 which says much the same about women.  According to this section of scripture women are to be reverent in behavior through their time with God and their words are not to be slanderous.  Among other characteristics women are not to controlled by outward influences such as wine  and is to speak so as to impart biblical wisdom – “teach what is good.”  The women of the church are also to teach younger women which while followed with many things is tied to the end of V5 – so that the word of God will not be reviled.

Having godly mature men and women in the church is just the first aspect of discipling in the church.  This aspect is to be such that it raises up godly men and women in the church who will in turn raise up others that will be godly and mature.  Based on this we need to do what we can to be around God’s people in His church even if it is to move or start a church.

Next, Voddie dealt with the issue of godly, manly elders by looking at Titus 1.  Voddie shared that Titus 2:2 does not give a list of characteristics as were given for women in 2:3-5 because the Titus 1 list for elders in essence is a list for all men and thus no list is needed in Titus 2.  We also see that in 1 Peter 5 elders are to be examples to the flock so again whatever list is given for elders is applicable to the men of the church.  In Titus 1:5-9 gives us some of those characteristics such as needing faithful children since leadership starts in the home.  The list of characteristics then moves to those of character such as being above approach.  Again, these characteristics given are a picture of not just a godly manly elder but also are the same characteristics men are to seek after in general.

The last area covered was that of a biblically functioning home (Titus 1:10-11).  What is stressed is that of protecting the home as the importance of the home to the church is critical.  The home is to be a place to saturate with the word of God so that when they come to the corporate gathering of the church they are ready to be equipped.

These three aspects of the disciplemaking ministry of the church build up continuously so that there is complete saturation.  We need all three aspects so as to build a healthy family and a healthy Church and to have families and churches that most glorify God.  As usual Voddie reveals his passion in his sermons and that passion for God’s church needs to be a passion we all have.