The World's Ruined: November 2023

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Remembering Mac Laurie, Elder

Mac Laurie, as his son Craig wrote a year ago in an email, "joined the Church Triumphant on November 12, 2022." I think of him often. He was a mentor and elder to many in his years of service to the Lord. Also he was a dear and trusted friend, my elder, and co-elder with whom I served. Mac was 97 years old when he died and had served as an elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. You can read David Winslow's Memoriam for Mac in the December 2022 issue of New Horizon's Magazine on page 21 here.

I miss Mac. The Church misses Mac. And I say that because an elder is what he was, i.e. a faithful shepherd of the Lord's flock. He looked after the souls of those not only "officially" in his congregation but also of many other Christians he came to know and love over the years.

Soon after my wife and I began attending El Camino OPC in 2010 we joined in with the Sunday school class that Mac was teaching. We were not yet members and were taking things slow. One particular Sunday Mac's class concerned the topic of God's Law. I don't remember any comment I may have offered as we discussed the topic, but it apparently registered a concern with Mac. Later that afternoon he showed up at our home. Here's what I wrote to him years later, a few weeks before his death about that incident:

I have contemplated the prospect of your going home to the Lord more than a few times this past year. After all, you had already been blessed with many years beyond the "allotted" three score and ten. One memory that kept popping up was of you coming to visit for the first time, on a Sunday after church. Barb and I had just started attending El Camino. You had led a Sunday school class in which the topic of the Law had been discussed. Concerned about my understanding of how to think on the matter, you showed up unannounced with something written by Robert Godfrey for my consideration and help. Well, only true shepherds of the Lord's sheep do that kind of thing. I knew then I had a true shepherd for an elder; an elder who became a much beloved friend.

We weren't yet members but Mac was caring for our souls, two of Christ's sheep. Shepherds do that. That incident brought to mind a quote from the 16th century Reformer Martin Bucer:

Those who are ordained to the care of souls and pastoral ministry in the church are to serve our Lord Jesus, the chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, in his lambs, that is, all those elected to life, in such a way that through their minsitry everything is shown and provided that our Lord has promised in his office of Shepherd. This involves being concerned and through the word of God providing that Christ's lambs, who are still straying from his flock and sheep-pen, should be gathered in... [Barb and I were not yet sheep of the fold at El Camino] - (Concerning The True Care of Souls by Martin Bucer, p 69)

Over the next 12 years Mac and I had many conversations about many things such as the gospel of Christ, understanding the meaning of the law in various parts of the Bible, and covenantal theology. He impressed me with how deeply he cared about the truth of scripture in order to better safeguard the church from error and by his willingness to adjust his understanding when convinced to do so by God's Word. Always a learner, a disciple of Christ.

Even in his last year of life, six years after retiring from the El Camino OPC session and having moved over to the PCA, Mac was still involved, fighting battles for truth in Christ's church. Competing overtures over controversial issues regarding the qualifications for ordained ministers were being considered for the upcoming General Assembly. Mac shared with me his closing thoughts over these matters from an email he sent early in 2022 to a PCA pastor:

Dark days in the PCA, indeed, and destined to become darker, I fear. I find myself resentful that God has placed me in them. My heart cries "you've fought enough battles; you deserve to live out your remaining days free of strife." I'm not looking very good according to measure penned by Watts in his "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?"

Transparent and always ready to consider his inadequacy as a servant... When I read those words of his I thought, "no Mac... clear evidence you are indeed looking very good."

My sweetest memories are of the many times over the years that Mac, my wife and I got together for fellowship, discussions and prayer concerning our loved ones and Christ's Church. This became a regular part of our friendship. Most cherished was how Mac, in closing our times together and with pillows on the floor along side the sofa, would say,

"To our knees!"

... leading us into prayer.

Heavenly Father, we offer thanksgiving for Elder Mac Laurie who has departed this life in the certain hope of the resurrection. Amen.

_________________________________________

A post by Mac Laurie on The World's Ruined: Forsaken? More Thoughts on Abhorring and Loving The Sinner - Part 5

The Mere Mercy of God

This calling of Abram is a signal instance of the gratuitous mercy of God. Had Abram been beforehand with God by any merit of works? Had Abram come to him, or conciliated his favour? Nay, we must ever recall to mind that he was plunged in the filth of idolatry; and God freely stretches forth his hand to bring back the wanderer. He deigns to open his sacred mouth, that he may show to one, deceived by Satan's wiles, the way of salvation.

But this is done designedly, in order that the manifestation of the grace of God might become the more conspicuous in his person. For he is an example of the vocation of us all; for in him we perceive, that, by the mere mercy of God, those things that are not are raised from nothing, in order that they may begin to be something.

-John Calvin, Genesis, (Banner of Truth), p. 343

"Nor the faith also does not shut out the justice of our good works, necessarily to be done afterwards of duty towards GOD (for we are most bounden to serve GOD, in doing good deeds, commanded by him in his holy Scripture, all the days of our life): But it excludes them, so that we may not do them to this intent, to be made good by doing of them. For all the good works that we can do, be imperfect, and therefore not able to deserve our justification: but our justification doth come freely by the mere mercy of God..." (Thomas Cranmer - Homily of Justification)

Justification-Sanctification/Law-Gospel

In short, I affirm, that not by our own merit but by faith alone, are both our persons and works justified; and that the justification of works depends on the justification of the person, as the effect on the cause. (John Calvin, Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote)

The law guides, directs, commands, all things that are against the interest and rule of sin. It judgeth and condemneth both the things that promote it and the persons that do them; it frightens and terrifies the consciences of those who are under its dominion. But if you shall say unto it, “What then shall we do? this tyrant, this enemy, is too hard for us. What aid and assistance against it will you afford unto us? what power will you communicate unto its destruction?” Here the law is utterly silent, or says that nothing of this nature is committed unto it of God: nay, the strength it hath it gives unto sin for the condemnation of the sinner: “The strength of sin is the law.” But the gospel, or the grace of it, is the means and instrument of God for the communication of internal spiritual strength unto believers. By it do they receive supplies of the Spirit or aids of grace for the subduing of sin and the destruction of its dominion… (John Owen, A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace)