But it's the most efficient stable in the country...

Where there are no oxen the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

Proverbs 14:4 (ESV) 

Saying without being heard

But in the meantime, it does make a difference how things are put. For instance, if it were even whispered that the NICE wanted powers to experiment on criminals, you'd have all the old women for both sexes up in arms and yapping about humanity. Call it re-education of the mal-adjusted, and you have them all slobbering with delight that the brutal era of retributive punishment has at last come to an end. Odd thing is–the word "experiment" is unpopular, but not the word "experimental". You mustn't experiment on children; but offer the dear little kiddies free education in an experimental school attached to the NICE and it's all correct!

C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength

Don't forget the origins

However, public education in our country is only a few hundred years old. In fact, only with the spread of Christianity, particularly of a Calvinistic bent, has there been an increase in literacy and education, because Christians wanted their children to be literate so they could read the Bible. But as non-Christians grew wary of having their children attend Christian schools, public education was birthed by atheists such as John Dewey and Horace Mann. In conjunction with their erroneous beliefs in sinless human nature and the propensity of children to behave out of their intrinsic goodness, public schools give permission, freedom, encouragement, and esteem to small sinners who now have high self-esteem and low test scores. Even the focus has changed, as students are less inclined to write papers about people they admire than they are to write about themselves.

Mark Driscoll, Pastor Dad

Liberalism's One Way Street

For some extraordinary reason, there is a fixed notion that it is more liberal to disbelieve in miracles than to believe in them. Why, I cannot imagine, nor can anyone tell me. For some inconceivable cause a "broad" or "liberal" clergyman always means a man who wishes at least to diminish the number of miracles; it never means a man who wishes to increase that number. It always means a man who is free to disbelieve that Christ came out of His grave; it never means a man who is free to believe that his own aunt came out of her grave.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Not knowing how to be men

Men are bewildered with the world around them and with the responsibilities that a man of God should bear in such a world. Some meekly submit to our cultural rebellion against masculinity; others silently fume, not knowing what to do; others pay lip-service to the concept of equality as a means of exercising ungodly power over women; still others settle for the scraps they are tossed. They do not think they have given up their masculinity, all because they consume a considerable amount of time with sports, cars and tractor pulls. But masculinity must be genuine, and it must be poured into the home.

Douglas Wilson, Reforming Marriage

Fathers, Be Delighted

Before any father disciplines his children, he is commanded to delight in them. Practically, this means that most of a father’s time is spent enjoying his children, encouraging his children, laughing with his children, being affectionate with his children, and enjoying his children so that there is a deep bond of love and joy between the children and their dad.

Mark Driscoll, Pastor Dad

Forward?

We have mixed up two different things, two opposite things. Progress should mean we are always changing the world to suit the vision. Progress does mean (just now) that we are always changing the vision. It should mean that we are slow but sure in bringing justice and mercy among men: it does mean that we are very swift in doubting the desirability of justice and mercy [...] Progress should mean we are always walking towards the New Jerusalem. It does mean that the New Jerusalem is always walking away from us. We are not altering the real to suit the ideal. We are altering the ideal: it is easier.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Discipline comes from Delight

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
for the LORD reproves him who He loves,
   as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV)

The Strange Relief of Confrontation

The passage is a beautiful instance of the mingled wisdom and tender consideration of our Lord’s teaching. What a knowledge it shows of human nature! Nothing does so much harm to the cause of religion as the quarrels of Christians: no stone should be left unturned, no trouble spared, in order to prevent their being dragged before the public. What a delicate thoughtfulness it shows for the sensitivity of poor human nature! Many a scandalous breach would be prevented if we were more ready to practice the rule of “between thee and him alone.” Happy would it be for the church and the world if this portion of our Lord’s teaching was more carefully studied and obeyed! Differences and divisions there will be, so long as the world stands; but many of them would be extinguished at once, if the course recommended in these verses was tried.

J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew 

Right in all its complexity

This is why the faith has that elaboration of doctrines and details which so much distress those who admire Christianity without believing in it. When once one believes in a creed, one is proud of its complexity, as scientists are proud of the complexity of science. It shows how rich it is in discoveries. If it is right at all, it is a compliment to say that it's elaborately right. A stick might fit a hole or a stone a hollow by accident. But a key and a lock are both complex. And if a key fits a lock, you know it is the right key.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

And let's not forget how fun it is!

Kids should have predominant memories of enjoyable times with their dad. Which means when your kids are little, you have to be silly. You’re going to wear some outlandish outfits. You’re going to sit in on some tea parties. You’re going to wrinkle your clothes during living room wrestling matches.

Mark Driscoll, 7 Ways Fathers Provoke their Children

So why does this lead to that?

A sentimentalist might shed tears at the smell of apple-blossom, because, by a dark association of his own, it reminded him of his boyhood. So the materialist professor (though he conceals his tears) is a yet a sentimentalist, because, by a dark association of his own, apple-blossoms remind him of apples. But the cool rationalist from fairyland does not see why, in the abstract, the apple tree should not grow crimson tulips; it sometimes does in his country.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

The Joy of Confession

In this teaching of confession it is important to emphasize that at conversion, our sins are forgiven, and we are completely justified. Our justification, our standing as forgiven men and women, is never altered by anything we do or do not do, including whether or not we confess our sins. A true child of God is perfect in Christ regardless of his behavior. But refusal to confess sin does affect the quality of a person's enjoyment of his justification. When David fell into his grievous sin of adultery and murder, he was a justified man the entire time. But he certainly was not walking in the joy of his salvation. "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation..." (Ps. 51:12). The fact of his relationship to God was not threatened, but his experience in that relationship was one of misery until he confessed his sin.

Douglas Wilson, Reforming Marriage

Rebellion without a purpose

In short, the modern revolutionist being an infinite sceptic, is always engaged in undermining his own mines. In his book on politics he attacks men for trampling on morality; in his book on ethics he attacks morality for trampling on men. Therefore the modern man in revolt has become practically useless for all purposes of revolt. By rebelling against everything he has lost his right to rebel against anything.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

The Eschatos is Important

Truly God is good to Israel,

    to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

    my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

     when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

But when I thought how to understand this,

    it seemed to me a wearisome task,

until I went into the sanctuary of God;

     then I discerned their end.

Psalm 73:1-3, 16-17 (ESV)

No pleasure in the past

The theory of a complete change of standards in human history does not merely deprive us of the pleasure of honouring our fathers; it deprives us even of the more modern and aristocratic pleasure of despising them.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Finding joy in the True God

As the Lord sums up all the curses He would bring upon the people for disobedience, He tells them in effect that they will be expelled from the land for not having a good enough time there. The godly have learned that idolatry is a sin; they have not fully learned that idolatry is a drag. "For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all other gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place" (1 Chron. 16:25-27). Glory and honor, strength and gladness. 

Douglas Wilson, Angels in the Architecture

God reveals Himself in non-sensational ways

Beware of assaulting incarnation and inspiration. To scorn the hard mental work of reading and thinking about what we read is an assault on God's methods of incarnation and inspiration. We believe that God humbled himself. Not only in the incarnation of the Son, but also in the inspiration of Scripture. The manger and the cross were not sensational. Neither is grammar and syntax. But that is how God has chosen to reveal himself.

John Piper, The Pleasures of God

We can never stop preaching

In this passage of Ephesians, Paul tells us that husbands in their role as head, provide a picture of Christ and the church. Every marriage, everywhere in the world, is a picture of Christ and the church. Because of sin and rebellion, many of these pictures are slanderous lies concerning Christ. But a husband can never stop talking about Christ and the church. If he is obedient to God, he is preaching the truth; if he does not love his wife, he is speaking apostasy and lie – but he is always talking. If he deserts his wife, he is saying that this is the way Christ deserts His bride – a lie. If he is harsh with his wife and strikes her, he is saying that Christ is harsh with the church – another lie. If he sleeps with another woman, he is an adulterer, and a blasphemer as well. How could Christ love someone other than His own bride? It is astonishing how, for a few moments of pleasure, faithless men can bring themselves to slander the faithfulness of Christ in such a way.

 Douglas Wilson, Reforming Marriage

Revealing our Theology

You can tell a lot about someone's theology from what they do in church.  Involve Kenny G's music in your worship service, and I can tell not only that you have no taste in music but also that you have nothing to offer theologically to those who come through the church doors; indeed, what you do have can probably be found better elsewhere.  Why certain academics hanker for the approval of the people who, when they leave the lecture theatre also abandon any semblance of adulthood or intelligence, beats me.  More seriously, however, why certain orthodox churches strive to look like them, worries me intensely.  Look, it's rubbish.  So let's just call it rubbish, shall we?

Carl Trueman, Look, It's Rubbish

Whether they do is hardly the point

Free men don't want a government that doesn't get into your email. Free men want a government that isn't in any position to get into your email.

Douglas Wilson, Not Enough of a Chump

Who is the King?

Who is this King of glory?
    The LORD, strong and mighty,
    The LORD, mighty in battle!

 Psalm 24:8 (ESV)

Peek behind the veil

Whatever the causes, the antidote to Christian coyness is a renewed vision of Christ's lordship over all: as Peter says, setting apart Christ as Lord. Our bosses, professors, parents, friends, politicians and the media do not rule heaven or earth. If for just a moment we could lift the curtain of heaven and see "the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55), all causes of Christian embarrassment would vanish in an instant. We would see things as they really are, with God and his Messiah at the helm. One day, this curtain will be lifted for everyone to see. Until then believers are to live as those who know what lies behind the veil.

John Dickson, Promoting the Gospel

God who fights for us

Whether the victory is Grendel falling before Beowulf, or Satan crushed beneath the heel of Christ, God is the only One to bestow any victory. The psalmist asked the God of Israel to rise up and scatter His enemies; whenever the Power of His right hand is pleased to do so, those enemies are driven before Him like smoke in a gale. The Church today is a stranger to victories because we refuse to sing anthems to the king of all victories. We do not want a God of battles, we want sympathy for our surrenders. We need to be taught to sing as Alfred the Great taught his men before going into battle – "Jesu, defend us."

Douglas Wilson, Angels in the Architecture 

Not more important, but significant

If Paul had believed that Christians in general ought to proclaim the gospel in the same way as himself, Colossians 4:3-6 would have been the perfect occasion for him to have said so. In no other passage in his letters does Paul turn from discussing his own missionary speech to his readers' missionary speech. All he had to do was say something like, "let your word be always with grace so that you too may proclaim Christ as you should". But he doesn't say anything like this. Instead, he attaches missionary significance to the Christian's daily answers just as he does to his own evangelistic proclamation.

John Dickson, Promoting the Gospel

A Confession for many young men

I did, like all other solemn little boys, try to be in advance of the age. Like them I tried to be some ten minutes in advance of the truth. And I found that I was eighteen hundred years behind it.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

After all, you may hit them in the eye

Good deeds must never be thought of as a missionary tactic, a means of getting people onside before hitting them with the gospel ('throwing cakes to children', as Emperor Julian would say). Rather they are the essential fruit of the gospel. Good works must be done for their own sake, in obedience to the Lord. God's grace proclaimed in the gospel finds its essential outcome in the godly life of those who believe the gospel.

John Dickson, Promoting the Gospel

The Curses of Covenant

Take the example of marriage. A theological liberal in a mainstream denomination should be considered covenantally a Christian, even though he denies the virgin birth, the substitutionary death of Christ, the resurrection, and the final judgement. He is a Christian in just the same way that an adulterous husband is a husband – even though he has slept with Suzy, Sally, Shirley et al. The fact that a man is a husband compounds his guilt; it does not lessen it in any way. If we knew that a man was promiscuous, and then found out he was married, we wouldn't say, "Well, at least he's married!" His covenant vows make his sin worse. When a single man sleeps around, his sin is great. When an infidel says that God didn't create the world, his sin is great. When a married man is sexually treacherous, his sin is multiplied many times over. And when a liberal bishop says that Christ was merely a man, he is more than wrong. He is treacherous, and an antichrist. But he does belong to that which he betrays.

Douglas Wilson, A Primer on Worship and Reformation

Ask the Lord of the Harvest

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

 Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)

A Sometime Hidden Mission

Not all of us will feel confident speaking to others about the message of salvation, but all of us can feel confident speaking to God about the salvation of others. Doing so is a fundamental expression of both dependance upon God and commitment to his mission; it is a hidden but glorious promotion of the gospel.

John Dickson, Promoting the Gospel