violence

"There are people in this world who go about demanding to be killed. You must have noticed them. They quarrel in gambling games. They jump out of their automobiles in a rage. They humiliate and bully people whose capabilities they do not know. These are people who wander through the world shouting, kill me. And there's always someone ready to oblige to them." ~ Vito Corleone

absorbed wrath

"If God were not just, there would be no demand for His Son to suffer and die. Yet, if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for His Son to suffer and die. But, God is both just and loving. Therefore, God's love is willing to meet the demands of His justice." ~ John Piper based on Gal 3.13; Rom 3.28; 1 John 4.10

While I appreciate penal substitution deniers for helping me see that not all I thought supported the idea was correct, they have failed (in my mind) to deal with explicit Scripture dealing with this. And more so, the beauty of how this fits with the whole of who I understand God to be.

hate

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment. " ~ Michael Corleone

Pluralism

Pluralism by Greg:

The modern pluralist claim that "all religions are basically the same" might be rephrased thus:

“When you remove all of the differences, they all say the same thing.”

It's not the similarities that matter, it's the differences. Classical pluralism implores us to show respect to those with whom we have disagreements without ignoring those differences.

He's right, under the guise of a false sense of "inclusion" today's postmodern innovators would have us believe that differences are not important or at least not as important as "getting along". The latter may be true depending on the particular difference but of course that would never be recognized if we ignore differences or do not define our core.

not just for individuals

The gospel, you see, is not just a message for individuals, telling them how to avoid God’s wrath. It is also a message about a kingdom, a society, a new community, a new covenant, a new family, a new nation, a new way of life, and therefore, a new culture. God calls us to build a city of God, a New Jerusalem.

Remember the cultural mandate. Sin does not abrogate it..

The gospel creates new people, who are committed to Christ in every area of their lives. People like these will change the world. They will fill and rule the earth for the glory of Jesus. They will plant churches and establish godly families and they will also establish hospitals, schools, arts, and sciences. That is what has happened, by God’s grace. And that is what will continue to happen until Jesus comes.

~ John Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life, pp.861-862)

HT:DD

polemic

We are flooded with instant information these days via the internet and it seems most of it is worth what we pay for it - nothing. With this spate of information comes an overwhelming source of unqualified critics - especially among Christians. While I understand some of the motivation, I like DA Carson's words on Polemical Theology.

... there is something wrong-headed about making polemical theology the focus of one’s theological identity. This can be done in many ways. There are well-known scholars whose every publication has an undertone of “everyone-has-got-this-wrong-before-me-but-here-is-the-true-synthesis.” Some become far better known for what they are against than for the overflow of their worship or for their generosity to the needy or even for their affirmation of historically confessed truth. Still other Christians develop websites and ministries whose sole aim is to confute error. God knows there is plenty of error to confute. To make the refutation of error into a specialized “ministry,” however, is likely to diminish the joyful affirmation of truth and make every affirmation of truth sound angry, supercilious, self-righteous—in a word, polemical. In short, while polemical theology is just about unavoidable in theory and should not, as a matter of faithfulness, be skirted, one worries about those who make it their specialism.

Amen. On the other hand, ultimately, as much as postmoderns would like otherwise, the Kingdom of God is not all inclusive. In the end, there will be some that Jesus didn't know and who will be separated from God for eternity. Our joy, like God's, is not to exclude, but in the light of this knowledge, our heart is to include on the basis of Truth.

Carson notes:

. . . any robust theology that wounds and heals, that bites and edifies and clarifies, is implicitly or explicitly engaging with alternative stances. In a world of finite human beings who are absorbed in themselves and characterized by rebellion against God, polemical theology is an unavoidable component of any serious theological stance, as the Bible itself makes clear.

Re-read Galatians. Within the space of six short chapters, Paul can be indignant with his readers, but he can also plead with them. He openly admits he wishes he could be present with them so he could better judge how he should adjust his tone. He can be scathing with respect to his opponents, precisely because he wants to protect his readers; he can devote several paragraphs to clarifying and defending his own credibility, not least in demonstrating that his core gospel is shared by the other apostles, even though he insists he is not dependent on them for getting it right. He happily connects his theological understanding to ethical conduct. All of this suggests that a mature grasp of the potential of polemical theology wants to win and protect people, not merely win arguments.

Amen again. Running from arguments is wrong. At the same time making the winning of arguments our objective is equally wrong. We desire to participate in God's redemptive work and in that we must demonstrate and proclaim the truth of the Gospel.

HT for Carson's words:JT

zion & babylon

Zion & Babylon
by Josh Garrels

Oh great mammon of form and function
Careless consumerist consumption
Dangerous dysfunction
Described as expensive taste
I’m a people disgraced
By what I claim I need
And what I want to waste
I take no account for nothing
If it’s not mine
It’s a misappropriation of funds
Protect my ninety percent with my guns
Whose side am I on?
Well who’s winning?
My kingdom’s built with the blood of slaves
Orphans, widows, and homeless graves
I sold their souls just to build my private mansion
Some people say that my time is coming
Kingdom come is the justice running
Down, down, down on me
I’m a poor child, I’m a lost son
I refuse to give my love to anyone,
Fight for the truth,
Or help the weaker ones
Because I love my Babylon
I am a slave, I was never free
I betrayed you for blood money
Oh I bought the world, all is vanity
Oh my Lord I’m your enemy
Come to me, and find your life
Children sing, Zion’s in sight
I said don’t trade your name for a serial number
Priceless lives were born from under graves
Where I found you
Say, my name ain’t yours and yours is not mine
Mine is the Lord, and yours is my child
That’s how it’s always been
Time to make a change
Leave your home
Give to the poor all that you own
Lose your life, so that you could find it
First will be last when the true world comes
Livin’ like a humble fool to overcome
The upside-down wisdom
Of a dying world
Zion’s not built with hands
And in this place God will dwell with man
Sick be healed and cripples stand
Sing Allelu
My kingdom’s built with the blood of my son
Selfless sacrifice for everyone
Faith, hope, love, and harmony
I said let this world know me by your love
By your love
Oh my child, daughters and sons
I made you in love to overcome
Free as a bird, my flowers in the sun
On your way to Mount Zion
All you slaves, be set free
Come on out child and come on home to me
We will dance, we will rejoice
If you can hear me then follow my voice

deeds

Deeds of love allow us to sneak into the hearts of those we serve. ~ Steve Sjogren

amillennialism

I'm finally making progress again studying eschatology and to quote Kim Riddlebarger:

I remain satisfied that only the amillennial interpretation of Revelation 20.1-10 lets John speak in the light of his own thought world, and that, of course, is the Old Testament now fulfilled by Christ. John was not describing an earthly scene at all. The scene takes place first in the abyss (vv. 1-3) and then in heaven (vv. 4-6) before shifting to earth in verses 7-10. John was not describing a time of universal peace and brotherhood, although he did describe a time when Satan's ability to deceive the nations is curtailed. Instead, John is describing the present reign of Christ's saints and the final consummation of all things when, in the end, the ultimate enemy of Christ and his people, Satan, finally gets everything that is coming to him.

Technorati Tags: eschatology

eternal life

The implications of the present possession of eternal life are brought out in the assurance that its possessor "will not be condemned" or, more accurately, "does not come into judgment." This is the usual Johannine thought that judgment takes place here and now. People who accept the way of darkness and evil have already been judged. Their judgment lies in that very fact. So with those who have already passed right out of the state of death, and have come into life. ~ Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, pg 280

calvin comments

From Calvin: Commentaries, Introductory Selections from Calvin, pages 66, 69;

Without the gospel everything is useless and vain; without the gospel we are not Christians; without the gospel all riches is poverty, all wisdom folly before God; strength is weakness, and all the justice of man is under the condemnation of God. But by the knowledge of the gospel we are made children of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, fellow townsmen with the saints, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, heirs of God with Jesus Christ, by whom the poor are made rich, the weak strong, the fools wise, the sinner justified, the desolate comforted, the doubting sure, and slaves free. It is the power of God for the salvation of all those who believe.

It follows that every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; he was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune. For all these things which were to be the weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn to our profit. If we are able to boast with the apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? it is because by the Spirit of Christ promised to the elect, we live no longer, but Christ lives in us; and we are by the same Spirit seated among those who are in heaven, so that for us the world is no more, even while our conversation [life] is in it; but we are content in all things, whether country, place, condition, clothing, meat, and all such things. And we are comforted in tribulation, joyful in sorrow, glorying under vituperation [verbal abuse], abounding in poverty, warmed in our nakedness, patient amongst evils, living in death. This is what we should in short seek in the whole of Scripture: truly to know Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches that are comprised in him and are offered to us by him from God the Father.

where is the kingdom

One postmodern innovator writes, "It seems to me the primary narrative of the Bible is this exile, this disconnect – we are always trying to come home, always struggling to find the Kingdom and yet most the time remain as Moses looking into the Promised Land we can see it but not quite enter." I'm not quite sure what the author meant but it seems inconsistent with the message of Christ.

John Piper writes the following:

“My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus said. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting” (John 18:36). The way of the cross is the way of suffering. Christians are called to die, not kill, in order to show the world how they are loved by Christ. True Christian love humbly and boldly commends Christ, no matter what it costs, to all peoples as the only saving way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

In John 3 it is recorded that Jesus said if we are born again we can see and enter the Kingdom of God. In one sense, the postmodern innovator is correct in that we do not always see and experience the Kingdom. At least I agree in terms of "experience" in our limited senses. On the other hand, I find "we are always struggling to find the Kingdom" and "we can see it but not quite enter" to be sad confessions of a failed faith - a result of the absence of truth stirred to life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet many embrace these sentiments in a false humility disguised in the code word "brokenness".

meant for good

John Piper in Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die:

The Hebrew prophet Isaiah, centuries before Christ, said, “It was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief” (Isaiah53:10). The Christian New Testament says, “[God] did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). “God put [Christ] forward . . . by his blood, to be received by faith”(Romans 3:25). But how does this divine act relate to the horribly sinful actions of the men who killed Jesus? The answer given in the Bible is expressed in an early prayer: “There were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus . . . both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:27-28). The scope of this divine sovereignty takes our breath away. But it is also the key to our salvation. God planned it, and by the means of wicked men, he accomplished it. To paraphrase a word from the Jewish Torah: They meant it for evil, but Godmeant it for good (Genesis 50:20).

sin

Ed Stetzer on Secret Sins (worth reading his full post):

The lie: Secret sin in your life and in the church will not hinder the mission of God.

The answer: Live a gospel-centered, repentance-filled life.

Technorati Tags: sin

false doctrines

If doctrine isn't important, I wonder why Scripture would contain so many warnings against those who would bring false doctrines. I think a key false doctrine is the notion that doctrine is not important.

Matthew 7:15-16 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits."

Matthew 24:4-5 "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray."

Romans 16:17-18 "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough."

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness."

Galatians 1:6-7 "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ."

Ephesians 4:14 "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

Colossians 2:4 "I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments."

Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 "Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way."

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 "The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

1 Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared."

1 Timothy 6:20-21 "O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith."

2 Timothy 3:5 "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power."

2 Timothy 3:12-13 "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived."

2 Peter 2:1-3 "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words."

2 Peter 2:13 "They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you."

1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world"

2 John 7 "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist."

Revelation 2:2 "I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false."

Revelation 13:11 "Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon."

Technorati Tags: Scripture

boldness

“When we preach Christ crucified, we have no reason to stammer, or stutter, or hesitate, or apologize; there is nothing in the gospel of which we have any cause to be ashamed.”

—Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon Quotes on the Gospel

HT:OFI

doctrine is the enemy?

I don't know why I continue to by surprised by the number of people that fall for the timeless lie that doctrine (or right belief) is the enemy of freedom, relationships, (fill in the blank). The current world thinking is that if we are to truly love we must include everyone, we must accept the doctrines of all around us. Contrary to Scripture, they think all will be included and anything else is exclusion. They fail to see that in the end, Christ Himself will reject some.

A Facebook friend wrote, "To jump off the cliff, with arms wide and smiling face toward the sky, is the essence of faith. It's not rational - it never will be." I find that said. This is not faith, this is foolishness and a sure path toward destruction. Our faith is based on revealed truth. It has content but is more than information thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit. The following analogy (which like all analogies falls apart at some point) is a better representation of faith and freedom.

Two guys jump out of an airplane; one has a parachute and one does not. The one without the parachute mocks to the other bragging that he is free from the encumbrance of the parachute.

Which man is really free? Which one understands that laws of gravity and physics? Which one is truly free to enjoy the event with the assuredness of safety in the end?

Sometimes we fail to understand what true freedom really is.

I completely get it when Nakedpastor presents the following:



We can add to God's truth and in doing so destroy our relationship with God and with each other.

At the same time, the solution is not to reject truth. Homosexuality has become a key issue for many postmodern innovators. They have reacted to the distain presented by those who claim to know truth in such a way that they brag about including practicing homosexuals in the community of believers. They have jettisoned Biblical truth for their works based idea of salvation.

redemption of what

“The object of the work of redemption is not limited to the salvation of individual sinners, but extends itself to the redemption of the world, and to the organic reunion of all things in heaven and on earth under Christ as their original head.

The final outcome of the future, foreshadowed in the Holy Scriptures, is not the merely spiritual existence of saved souls, but the restoration of the entire cosmos, when God will be all in all under the renewed heaven on the renewed earth.”

—Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism

HT:OFI

respect

In outreach and life respect is owed not earned. ~ Steve Sjogren on Facebook

soda scriptura

Technorati Tags: Calvinism, humor