In Living Color: Images of Christ and the Means of Grace [Paperback]

Daniel R. Hyde (Author), Joel R. Beeke (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2009

While man has universally and perpetually desired the visual in his relationship with God, God has given his people the Word and sacraments as manifestations of his presence until Christ comes again, visibly and corporeally___in living color. This is the classic Reformed exegesis of Scripture as expressed in its confessions. __________ "Danny Hyde has written an excellent piece on a very misunderstood subject. Through effective combination of biblical, theological, and confessional discussions, he has presented the Reformed view of the second commandment winsomely and attractively. He helpfully emphasizes not the negative prohibition of making images of God but the positive facts that God has revealed himself now so generously in Word and Sacrament and will one day reveal himself visibly in the most perfect and authentic way." -David VanDrunen, Robert B. Strimple Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics, Westminster Seminary California

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Reformed Fellowship, Inc. (2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979367735
• ISBN-13: 978-0979367731
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,758 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rev. Daniel R. Hyde is the pastor of the Oceanside United Reformed Church (United Reformed Churches in North America) in Carlsbad/Oceanside, California. He has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Vanguard University, Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Westminster Seminary California, and a Master of Theology (Th.M.) from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. His Th.M. thesis was entitled, "Of Great Importance and of High Concernment: The Liturgical Theology of John Owen (1616-1683)," and was read by Drs. Joel Beeke, Derek W. H. Thomas, and Mark Jones.

Some of Danny's favorite authors and books are John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion), J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit), the poetry of John Donne, the writings of John Steinbeck, the writings of Hughes Oliphant Old on worship (e.g., The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship), Michael Horton (e.g., In the Face of God), and John Williamson Nevin (e.g., The Anxious Bench).

Customer Reviews

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In For More Than A Sign: God Gave Two, May 28, 2009

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This review is from: In Living Color: Images of Christ and the Means of Grace (Paperback)

Through the mediation of Christ we become holy. We further assert that Christ rules His church through His Word and by His Spirit. Yet perhaps the most typical response to how Christ communicates that holiness to us 'by and with the Word' and administration of the sacraments suggests a serious lack of understanding. How Word-and-sacrament claims to exclusivity fare in a day and age wherein the church is now capitalizing on the entrepreneurial spirit, has become increasingly more difficult to affirm amongst the creativity of church activities which unguardedly permit a mixed medium. Hyde specifically charges us to recall the Second Commandment, and to re-affirm the Reformed keeping of it.

'...these means of grace do not work, as Roman Catholic theology contends, ex opere operato. Nor does the Word have in itself the intrinsic power to convert men and to produce holiness in them, as Lutherans contend. To the contrary, God and God alone is the efficient cause of all salvific grace.' Professor Robert L Reymond, A New Systematic Theology Of The Christian Faith p 913 Reymond does certainly not mean to deny that God works through His appointed means. Happily, Richard Muller also posits the distinction when describing the efficacy of such media: '(given or received means) in the justification of the sinner, the means of grace given by God - Word and sacrament - as distinct from faith, the medium or receiving means.' Dictionary of Latin & Greek Theological Terms p 187

In reality then, Hyde identifies that 'Man's Media:Images' has become acceptable and inclusive in evangelical circles. His sincere inquiry asks, 'Should we, or should we not, rely on the world's methods of advertising and entertainment?' p 16 Hyde's reply comes in the form of a minority report: 'In many Reformed churches across the US, like my own, the precious heritage of the Reformed church has opened the eyes of many from the man-centered theologies and churches marking the landscape.' p 17 Foundational to our mission statement (how God has been pleased to reveal Himself) he expresses regret at the transformation of 'what was once a word-based culture into an image-based culture'. p 41 Hyde surveys the biblical teaching against created images, and especially the idol industry as encountered by Paul in Athens, is antithetical to those who through obedience to Scripture walk by faith and not by sight, with Hyde attentively re-stating this truth as demonstrated more by revelation than by reason.

Hyde pays regular visits to the history vaults, sourcing unrivaled theologians. 'The Reformed churches, as churches, have spoken in their confessions and catechisms and have rejected images.' p 70 Heinrich Bullinger removed any element of doubt and provided us with a God-fearing and vastly more accomplished answer: 'And seeing that He abideth in us by the Spirit, we 'are therefore the temple of God' (1 Cor 3:16); but 'what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?' (2 Cor 6:16).' Also referred is Calvin's 'Inventory of Relics' whereby the Roman church made herself guilty of relic and saint worship.

In the new covenant Christ effected eternal forgiveness, the remissions of our sins, through the shedding of His blood; therefore, the blood-signs, and by association the sacrifices, should now cease. The NT sacraments (as administered by the ordained) are the evangel in visible form and Hyde competently argues for their disclosure as an indivisible part of special revelation, especially as covenantally 'God's Media'. At stake now are the historical means of grace, as the future existence of either depends on both their surviving the media-centered onslaught.

In a church saturated with scriptural neglect, Daniel Hyde counsels a studied return to 'how He has promised to work. In a word, we must attempt to be a people who are faithful to the Scriptures since they are God's revealed will to us.' p 18 Hyde authoritatively cites Warfield that catechetical preaching to adults and the catechetical instruction of its youth has been the preservation of the Reformed church, p 124. This allows for Christ-centered preaching and teaching that glorifies God, which Hyde terms 'Man's Media:Preaching'. As this is the primary means of grace, the development of this means of special grace is treated with the necessary scriptural diligence. Especially Hyde's conditioning of preaching through the historical handling of Gal 3:1 is exceptional. Finding common ground with the Canons of Dort, Hyde cites it to say that it is by the means of preaching that the Holy Spirit does a 'supernatural work...not inferior in efficacy to creation and the resurrection from the dead.' p 131

Question 24 of The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks 'How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?' Answer: 'Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.' To the chorus of faithful voices Hyde adds his: 'As such, preaching is not merely about Christ, but it is the voice of Christ, despite the lowly means and manner. In this, though, the Spirit demonstrates the power of God, for His glory, our comfort, and the humbling of human pride.' p 133 Ordinary as it may seem, revealing the value of the means of grace means revealing the mercy of God, and in that we 'rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory' (1 Pet 1:8).