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The American Vision has had a nice string of articles recently. We have soaked in it so long...
Footnotes or Flowers? By Erich Rauch
...I have claimed previously that modern Christianity has two public faces: highly intellectual (which we have already discussed) and highly anti-intellectual (which we are preparing to discuss). I have also previously recommended that you take a field trip to the local Barnes and Noble bookstore and have a look-see at the religion section to find a representative sample of these two extremes. Now, I recommend that you make another trip, this time to the local Christian bookstore (if your community is lacking one, consider yourself lucky). If you can make it through the store without being choked by the perfumy scents that are inexplicably permeating the air, past the greeting cards, past the music CDs, past the jewelry and breath mints, past the t-shirts, and past the Bible covers and car-bumper ornaments, you will actually find a few books...kind of. At this point, you are literally trapped in the store, so you might as well take a look and wait for one of the ladies that work there to ask if you are looking for anything in particular (they're always ladies and they're always really nice). This is where it gets fun (and sad). Ask for a copy of any of the Christian responses to the New Atheists. Blank stare. Ask for a copy of a conservative commentary on the book of Acts. Another blank stare. Ask for anything by C.S. Lewis and when she brings you the Chronicles of Narnia tell her that you meant one of Lewis' nonfiction works. A really blank stare. Now ask for a copy of Joyce Meyer's newest book and her eyes will light up. She'll take you to a shelf containing every Meyer book written in the last ten years. She'll further tell you that she can order any of the other 453 books that Joyce has written and that she can have them by Friday. At this point you can thank her for her time and walk briskly to the exit, leaving without guilt and any intention of ever returning.
Such is the state of Christian "bookstores," bastions of anti-intellectual drivel and highly emotional, experiential trinkets to encourage you on your "Christian journey." It is this type of nonsense, which is being substituted for biblical Christianity, that is having the "influence" that R.C. Sproul rightly laments. Christianity is influencing America, but it's the wrong kind of Christianity that's having the influence. It is a feminine one. Most Christian bookstores are not designed with men in mind because it is women who do the majority of the buying. It has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Any man that unwittingly enters a Christian bookstore will quickly find his way out, thinking that he must have entered the Hallmark store instead. This would be funny if it wasn't so serious. The anti-intellectual, public-face of Christianity is a feminized, pastel-colored wall-hanging with a witty saying (maybe even a Bible verse) embroidered on it. It is a religion of feelings and emotions. It has nothing to offer besides happy thoughts. It is an emasculated, man-centered gospel of warm-hearted niceness...just like Grandma's cinnamon rolls....
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
So entrenched in their pietistic mindset
I think these observations are dead on...
Righteousness and Justice Go Together
....Some of the criticism was not very informed, like the comments that I should go there and do it myself: I’ve been there, done that, and I keep doing it. Some of it raised an important objection: We should first preach to save souls, and then hopefully in the future the saved souls will change the culture.
While this objection sounds reasonable, it is unrealistic. In my many years of missionary work I have never seen a convert moving naturally from a personal, pietistic mindset to do culture-changing work. Where new Christians have been evangelized with the truncated gospel of “saving souls” they have never by themselves moved up to challenge the evil practices of their society and its institutions. I takes a new effort of presenting to them the comprehensive message of the Bible in order for them to start practicing it. And by that time they are already so entrenched in their pietistic mindset that it takes almost a new conversion experience to grasp the Biblical worldview....
Righteousness and Justice Go Together
....Some of the criticism was not very informed, like the comments that I should go there and do it myself: I’ve been there, done that, and I keep doing it. Some of it raised an important objection: We should first preach to save souls, and then hopefully in the future the saved souls will change the culture.
While this objection sounds reasonable, it is unrealistic. In my many years of missionary work I have never seen a convert moving naturally from a personal, pietistic mindset to do culture-changing work. Where new Christians have been evangelized with the truncated gospel of “saving souls” they have never by themselves moved up to challenge the evil practices of their society and its institutions. I takes a new effort of presenting to them the comprehensive message of the Bible in order for them to start practicing it. And by that time they are already so entrenched in their pietistic mindset that it takes almost a new conversion experience to grasp the Biblical worldview....
Thursday, September 24, 2009
History and tattoos
A clarification, when I wrote…. The modern church has not had a vision of where she should be going or engaging in. So most of the church , as if connected by gravity, is in a low altitude orbit just above the pagan culture.
I did not mean that they are at this place as an act of rebellion, maybe, maybe not. For the most part they are there as it is completely outside of their worldview to imagine, that there is anyplace else. They have been taken captive. They believe culture itself is neutral. Just like I used to. Talk of Christians submitting to Gods Law does not make sense to most. “that sounds legalistic ,We are free in Christ bro,”…..and the classic….” We just need to love Jesus and one another”
2nd item, to clarify, historical perspective and I am gonna chew with my mouth open, pondering out loud….
If we can see that it is only in the last 100yrs that Christians thought that drinking alcohol was sinful, it should give us pause to stop and think. The Puritans loved their beer and were some of the most joyful people in England. but they were not drunkards. There were resented for it. So, what does Gods word say on this subject?
Christians did not study the word and see that God wants us to split up the family and minister to the individual pieces for his glory. Christian’s did not study their word and come to a biblical conclusion that they should earn as much as they can, and retire as early as they can for Gods glory. Christians did not exegete Gods word and find out that his commandments only pertained to Israel, so God wants the government to decide…. that which is good, and that which is evil. Someone, not using Gods word discipled us.
with an eye on history I wrote….
…..Anywhere in the world that has been pagan, no gospel light shining, those disciples will be tattooed up and will be cutting the flesh, life will have no value etc. Paganism is consistent, it will lead to a death culture. (It is a historical aboration that here, even with the gospel light, believers are being tatted up?!?)
What I am noting is that all through history when Christianity has encountered Pagans and they were converted. The missionaries did not start taking off their clothes, cutting crosses on their bodies and getting tattoos of john 3:16. They understood that culture was not neutral, God defines you as naked, you need to put on clothes, God has ordained only one wife, keep one and let the others remarry. Your body is made in the image of God, stop disfiguring it, you belong to him now. Etc
But For the first time ever in history, Christians think that this behavior has a place as an expression of Christ. Why is that?
Have Christians today, by the light of his Word found out that tattoos or branding with Christian symbolism are something that pleases the Lord? Or is it that they believe, it does not matter to God? Who is discipling who, and are they using the Word?
And thus my noting of……..Douglas Wilson remarked something to the effect that we must bring in the refugees from our culture. But no one should be an apostle for the culture.
Is something good and pleasing to the Lord, because we do it passionately and with all of our strength for him? I submit that there are many, many in that low altitude orbit that believe they are in the center of Gods will because they know that with all their hearts, they just want to please God and reach others for Christ. Is that the standard, the zealousness of our hearts? Is that what God will reward with “well done, good and faithful servant?”
All this said, I still note that History is not the standard either, but God moves through his people providentially, in history. By noting and honoring the faith of our fathers it shows us a path that we can compare to the word, and seek to discern by the word if it’s a path we too, should be on. If we are on a different path, is it because we discerned from the word that “they” mixed up traditions of men into the faith, or is it us who have been influenced by the traditions of men?
At some point I will forward some links to Wilson, over there, they have been deep into the issues of “body art.”
I did not mean that they are at this place as an act of rebellion, maybe, maybe not. For the most part they are there as it is completely outside of their worldview to imagine, that there is anyplace else. They have been taken captive. They believe culture itself is neutral. Just like I used to. Talk of Christians submitting to Gods Law does not make sense to most. “that sounds legalistic ,We are free in Christ bro,”…..and the classic….” We just need to love Jesus and one another”
2nd item, to clarify, historical perspective and I am gonna chew with my mouth open, pondering out loud….
If we can see that it is only in the last 100yrs that Christians thought that drinking alcohol was sinful, it should give us pause to stop and think. The Puritans loved their beer and were some of the most joyful people in England. but they were not drunkards. There were resented for it. So, what does Gods word say on this subject?
Christians did not study the word and see that God wants us to split up the family and minister to the individual pieces for his glory. Christian’s did not study their word and come to a biblical conclusion that they should earn as much as they can, and retire as early as they can for Gods glory. Christians did not exegete Gods word and find out that his commandments only pertained to Israel, so God wants the government to decide…. that which is good, and that which is evil. Someone, not using Gods word discipled us.
with an eye on history I wrote….
…..Anywhere in the world that has been pagan, no gospel light shining, those disciples will be tattooed up and will be cutting the flesh, life will have no value etc. Paganism is consistent, it will lead to a death culture. (It is a historical aboration that here, even with the gospel light, believers are being tatted up?!?)
What I am noting is that all through history when Christianity has encountered Pagans and they were converted. The missionaries did not start taking off their clothes, cutting crosses on their bodies and getting tattoos of john 3:16. They understood that culture was not neutral, God defines you as naked, you need to put on clothes, God has ordained only one wife, keep one and let the others remarry. Your body is made in the image of God, stop disfiguring it, you belong to him now. Etc
But For the first time ever in history, Christians think that this behavior has a place as an expression of Christ. Why is that?
Have Christians today, by the light of his Word found out that tattoos or branding with Christian symbolism are something that pleases the Lord? Or is it that they believe, it does not matter to God? Who is discipling who, and are they using the Word?
And thus my noting of……..Douglas Wilson remarked something to the effect that we must bring in the refugees from our culture. But no one should be an apostle for the culture.
Is something good and pleasing to the Lord, because we do it passionately and with all of our strength for him? I submit that there are many, many in that low altitude orbit that believe they are in the center of Gods will because they know that with all their hearts, they just want to please God and reach others for Christ. Is that the standard, the zealousness of our hearts? Is that what God will reward with “well done, good and faithful servant?”
All this said, I still note that History is not the standard either, but God moves through his people providentially, in history. By noting and honoring the faith of our fathers it shows us a path that we can compare to the word, and seek to discern by the word if it’s a path we too, should be on. If we are on a different path, is it because we discerned from the word that “they” mixed up traditions of men into the faith, or is it us who have been influenced by the traditions of men?
At some point I will forward some links to Wilson, over there, they have been deep into the issues of “body art.”
Shape shifter Christianity
:…love His laws and work to understand their beauty - while at the same time giving grace to those around us working out their faith as we all struggle in different areas. ..
We have to face it, we are acustomed to a Christianity that is almost formless, like a shape shifter from some sci fi movie. We have such a distorted perception, that if we saw someone actually discipling a new believer, would we think, legalism? But this is what we are commanded to do. Paul wrote… The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:9 It sounds ok on paper, but if you heard an elder speak this way, what would you think?
Unfortunately too many times, when there has been a more solid shape to modern Christianity, it has been from a moralistic tradition of men and not shaped by Gods commandments. This might fit in with Gregs sub points from the other day. Maybe all the ladies with the same hairdo, the men throwing Jesus out on his ear for making wine…"the nerve of that guy..."
Kingdom of God, kingdom of man, both sides will make disciples. Both sides are consistent. But only one side has been consistent with its declared faith. Anywhere in the world that has been pagan, no gospel light shining, those disciples will be tattooed up and will be cutting the flesh, life will have no value etc. Paganism is consistent, it will lead to a death culture. (It is a historical aboration that here,even with the gospel light, believers are being tatted up?!?)
From the Kingdom of God side, we have been about 150 yrs or more minus Gods sovereignty and His Law and that has left us without something to disciple people towards. The new, (or old) typical Christian does not really have his pagan thought process’s disturbed at the core. The modern church has not had a vision of where she should be going or engaging in. So most of the church , as if connected by gravity, is in a low altitude orbit just above the pagan culture. After wanting to see men saved, it quickly becomes a hodge podge commitment to ideas that have half the calories of the world at large. Less filling, but still tastes great.
All this to say, Amen, yes we need to be gracious with those working out their faith, but they should not be told to listen to their hearts. It did not work for Eve. And she was sinless. "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jer 17:9
Just like I hope that no one is raising their children this way. We are given clear instructions to raise children to love and fear God, to teach his commandments to them. This is where God has said to start. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. Eccl 12:13 So it should always be.....What does Gods word say?
At some point new believers need to know that they have some makeup work to do. It might not be the starting place. It is those Christians who have spent a lot of time in the evangelical amusement parks that may have a harder time with it. We all have believed the myth that the law was given so people could try and work out their salvation. (So who wants to touch that failed mess?)
The fact that most believing Christians might respond negatively to Gods Law should not lead us to set it aside or hide it. It is not meant for beating people over the head with either. Even though many of us older believers are scrambling to learn what has been ignored and are now, like my friend, on our hands and knees in the dark trying to find the bullets to put into the gun as the thief is trying to break in.
It is healthy that today, we can read about what the reformation led too. And have speakers from all manner of denominations, and we can hear them paint a picture of Christian culture and we can look at each other and go “hey that’s where we are going!” And it is not into a lower orbit. A common denominator is acknowledging Gods Sovereignty and His law. He is Lord!
We don’t have it all figured out, but what does Gods word say? Lets start there.
Douglas Wilson remarked something to the effect that we must bring in the refugees from our culture. But no one should be an apostle for the culture.
We have to face it, we are acustomed to a Christianity that is almost formless, like a shape shifter from some sci fi movie. We have such a distorted perception, that if we saw someone actually discipling a new believer, would we think, legalism? But this is what we are commanded to do. Paul wrote… The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:9 It sounds ok on paper, but if you heard an elder speak this way, what would you think?
Unfortunately too many times, when there has been a more solid shape to modern Christianity, it has been from a moralistic tradition of men and not shaped by Gods commandments. This might fit in with Gregs sub points from the other day. Maybe all the ladies with the same hairdo, the men throwing Jesus out on his ear for making wine…"the nerve of that guy..."
Kingdom of God, kingdom of man, both sides will make disciples. Both sides are consistent. But only one side has been consistent with its declared faith. Anywhere in the world that has been pagan, no gospel light shining, those disciples will be tattooed up and will be cutting the flesh, life will have no value etc. Paganism is consistent, it will lead to a death culture. (It is a historical aboration that here,even with the gospel light, believers are being tatted up?!?)
From the Kingdom of God side, we have been about 150 yrs or more minus Gods sovereignty and His Law and that has left us without something to disciple people towards. The new, (or old) typical Christian does not really have his pagan thought process’s disturbed at the core. The modern church has not had a vision of where she should be going or engaging in. So most of the church , as if connected by gravity, is in a low altitude orbit just above the pagan culture. After wanting to see men saved, it quickly becomes a hodge podge commitment to ideas that have half the calories of the world at large. Less filling, but still tastes great.
All this to say, Amen, yes we need to be gracious with those working out their faith, but they should not be told to listen to their hearts. It did not work for Eve. And she was sinless. "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jer 17:9
Just like I hope that no one is raising their children this way. We are given clear instructions to raise children to love and fear God, to teach his commandments to them. This is where God has said to start. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. Eccl 12:13 So it should always be.....What does Gods word say?
At some point new believers need to know that they have some makeup work to do. It might not be the starting place. It is those Christians who have spent a lot of time in the evangelical amusement parks that may have a harder time with it. We all have believed the myth that the law was given so people could try and work out their salvation. (So who wants to touch that failed mess?)
The fact that most believing Christians might respond negatively to Gods Law should not lead us to set it aside or hide it. It is not meant for beating people over the head with either. Even though many of us older believers are scrambling to learn what has been ignored and are now, like my friend, on our hands and knees in the dark trying to find the bullets to put into the gun as the thief is trying to break in.
It is healthy that today, we can read about what the reformation led too. And have speakers from all manner of denominations, and we can hear them paint a picture of Christian culture and we can look at each other and go “hey that’s where we are going!” And it is not into a lower orbit. A common denominator is acknowledging Gods Sovereignty and His law. He is Lord!
We don’t have it all figured out, but what does Gods word say? Lets start there.
Douglas Wilson remarked something to the effect that we must bring in the refugees from our culture. But no one should be an apostle for the culture.
More biblical womenhood
Here is a basic kingdom of heaven principle. Saying no to your flesh in order to harvest a more important result later, as a result of obedience. Dying to yourself.
Same principle, but a different application. Saying no to present consumption in order to accomplish more in the future. Accumulated capital is more likely to occur, when a people have a future oriented perspective.( As a nation we are so present oriented that we have already consumed everything we will produce for the next 3 yrs)
Now, here comes the same principle, but harder to see….
Most of our wives have been through the worlds buffet line with heaping plates filled up with ideas of what it really means to be a women and just what kind of a life is worth living.
So It is always a joy when I read things like this article from Chalcedon By Reginna Seppi Kingdom Driven Daughters (My wife sent around a link to this article last week)
…A wise woman, Proverbs says, builds her house, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. This building not only affects families, but cultures and nations.
..This building not only affects families, but cultures and nations…
Families are the foundation for cultures and nations. This family gets it. These daughters understand that they are building the Kingdom of God, one child at a time, one relationship at a time. What the culture says to them, has no allure. They are not going to be angry at God for how he has ordained life. They are too busy attending to their masters house and taking delight in, what God delights in.
This is the “city of God” being built at a foundational level. If done with present oriented eyes, it can be drudgery. But with future oriented eyes, like the pilgrims, as stepping stones for future generations, one can rest and take glory in being a part of his kingdom, bringing our Lord glory, being faithful in the little things. Though you cannot tangibly hold it, or eat it, it is as real as it gets.
When she said….Our world has no comprehension of this dynamic. That is the understatement of the year.
Like the Botkin daughters book, So Much More.
…This building not only affects families, but cultures and nations….
Whether we build up or tear down, it affects cultures and nations, towards one direction or another.
Like David accumulating as much as he could of all of the supplies for the next generation to do what he couldn’t, build the temple. Future oriented.
The Terror to Triumph DVD series can also help as it is another tool to help a person to see outside themselves and their time period. Its not about you and your salvation and hanging out with Jesus. Its about building His Kingdom for His glory. By design it is a multigenerational task, and we are just stewards, trustees of gifts, talents, children, and families and he expects us to bring him increase. (see any of the talent or mina parables about the kingdom of God) Our children will become trustees of what is passed on to them, this will include a vision for life and different types of capital.
At the very time the humanists should be shouting triumphantly that they succeeded with their government schools in turning the family into self absorbed and frustrated individuals (even within the very church!) God all over this nation is fanning a flame of his design and understanding for families! Yes individuals will be blessed, but that is a secondary side affect that comes from obedience to Gods word. Cultures and then Nations will be discipled. But this cannot happen without our women. Their part is as high of a calling as that any man can have. Technology, the church, teams of specialists , no Washington Department of the family, or even men can take their place.
Good stuff for us, our wives, sons and daughters. The gates of hell cannot stop it, so its best to be obedient and get on board …. For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea. Hab 2:14
This is concerned with an over arching picture and theme, if you just focus on any one thing and go “yeah but….” You will probably be right, but you may miss what it is that I am trying to communicate. We so badly need to see the big picture. We are a part of it. But when understood that our Lord calls each of the trillions and trillions of stars by their name….we can see that it really isn’t about us.
Kingdom Driven Daughters
Same principle, but a different application. Saying no to present consumption in order to accomplish more in the future. Accumulated capital is more likely to occur, when a people have a future oriented perspective.( As a nation we are so present oriented that we have already consumed everything we will produce for the next 3 yrs)
Now, here comes the same principle, but harder to see….
Most of our wives have been through the worlds buffet line with heaping plates filled up with ideas of what it really means to be a women and just what kind of a life is worth living.
So It is always a joy when I read things like this article from Chalcedon By Reginna Seppi Kingdom Driven Daughters (My wife sent around a link to this article last week)
…A wise woman, Proverbs says, builds her house, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. This building not only affects families, but cultures and nations.
..This building not only affects families, but cultures and nations…
Families are the foundation for cultures and nations. This family gets it. These daughters understand that they are building the Kingdom of God, one child at a time, one relationship at a time. What the culture says to them, has no allure. They are not going to be angry at God for how he has ordained life. They are too busy attending to their masters house and taking delight in, what God delights in.
This is the “city of God” being built at a foundational level. If done with present oriented eyes, it can be drudgery. But with future oriented eyes, like the pilgrims, as stepping stones for future generations, one can rest and take glory in being a part of his kingdom, bringing our Lord glory, being faithful in the little things. Though you cannot tangibly hold it, or eat it, it is as real as it gets.
When she said….Our world has no comprehension of this dynamic. That is the understatement of the year.
Like the Botkin daughters book, So Much More.
…This building not only affects families, but cultures and nations….
Whether we build up or tear down, it affects cultures and nations, towards one direction or another.
Like David accumulating as much as he could of all of the supplies for the next generation to do what he couldn’t, build the temple. Future oriented.
The Terror to Triumph DVD series can also help as it is another tool to help a person to see outside themselves and their time period. Its not about you and your salvation and hanging out with Jesus. Its about building His Kingdom for His glory. By design it is a multigenerational task, and we are just stewards, trustees of gifts, talents, children, and families and he expects us to bring him increase. (see any of the talent or mina parables about the kingdom of God) Our children will become trustees of what is passed on to them, this will include a vision for life and different types of capital.
At the very time the humanists should be shouting triumphantly that they succeeded with their government schools in turning the family into self absorbed and frustrated individuals (even within the very church!) God all over this nation is fanning a flame of his design and understanding for families! Yes individuals will be blessed, but that is a secondary side affect that comes from obedience to Gods word. Cultures and then Nations will be discipled. But this cannot happen without our women. Their part is as high of a calling as that any man can have. Technology, the church, teams of specialists , no Washington Department of the family, or even men can take their place.
Good stuff for us, our wives, sons and daughters. The gates of hell cannot stop it, so its best to be obedient and get on board …. For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea. Hab 2:14
This is concerned with an over arching picture and theme, if you just focus on any one thing and go “yeah but….” You will probably be right, but you may miss what it is that I am trying to communicate. We so badly need to see the big picture. We are a part of it. But when understood that our Lord calls each of the trillions and trillions of stars by their name….we can see that it really isn’t about us.
Kingdom Driven Daughters
He meant it
1Cor 6:17 I see the word plainly saying here, and until someone can show me otherwise from the Word, that 1cor7:19 is one more reinforcement of what Jesus layed out to be taught in Deut 6, and then reiterated in the gospels. I did not mean that it is only the OT law, but on what exegetical basis would we say….. it doesn’t include it? One more to put alongside all the others.
Two points.
First point, Paul himself said in the verse… Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1 Cor 7:19
....Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing,..... rituals, ceremonies are not what he is talking about. That’s a given.
Second point
Jesus uses the same Greek word for commandments here, that Paul used in Corinthians…
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:18-19 If you have been called, then you are a soldier in kingdom of heaven. What are you doing & teaching? We are told, you will be called great (doing what?) ….as an encouragement to do it! Maybe even....“well done, good and faithful servant! Side tracked, sorry. Not really.
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1 Cor 7:19
Can anyone biblically show that God did not mean for Paul to include the OT law as part of keeping the commandments of God, in 1cor6:17? ( this is the same Paul who said…. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:31
For giggles. If anyone can do this exegetically, show that these references to the commandments in the NT, do not include the OT commandments, please call Westminster Seminary. They will make you a department chair. Greg Bahnsen was given his docterate by Westminster for making the positive case. Its only 560 pgs long. But he was not hired by them becasue they were did not want to accept it. Their entire faculty spent 14 yrs trying to put together a case that showed he was wrong, and that the Bible didnt mean what it said. They couldn’t do it.
We can be skeptical and be a Berean. But that skeptiscism cannot be equated as being a Berean. You can either show from the word that something is, or you cant.
Two points.
First point, Paul himself said in the verse… Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1 Cor 7:19
....Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing,..... rituals, ceremonies are not what he is talking about. That’s a given.
Second point
Jesus uses the same Greek word for commandments here, that Paul used in Corinthians…
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:18-19 If you have been called, then you are a soldier in kingdom of heaven. What are you doing & teaching? We are told, you will be called great (doing what?) ….as an encouragement to do it! Maybe even....“well done, good and faithful servant! Side tracked, sorry. Not really.
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1 Cor 7:19
Can anyone biblically show that God did not mean for Paul to include the OT law as part of keeping the commandments of God, in 1cor6:17? ( this is the same Paul who said…. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:31
For giggles. If anyone can do this exegetically, show that these references to the commandments in the NT, do not include the OT commandments, please call Westminster Seminary. They will make you a department chair. Greg Bahnsen was given his docterate by Westminster for making the positive case. Its only 560 pgs long. But he was not hired by them becasue they were did not want to accept it. Their entire faculty spent 14 yrs trying to put together a case that showed he was wrong, and that the Bible didnt mean what it said. They couldn’t do it.
We can be skeptical and be a Berean. But that skeptiscism cannot be equated as being a Berean. You can either show from the word that something is, or you cant.
Keeping the commandments
Where did this verse come from? How come I couldn’t see it before? 1cor7:19
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1 Cor 7:19 (NKJV)
For us who are homeschooling it is another (!) reminder to what God told us was most important concerning education. His law!
Our education should make a distinction , knowing what counts, is more important than, knowing how to count. Some wise man said that.
I was Government schooled and taught to walk…… according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them," Jer 9:14 (NKJV)
This is the default setting in all of our hearts if we are not taught to embrace Gods Law. This by itself should cause all Christians to get their children out of Caesars hands. But we have been firmly taught a new faith, to believe in neutral areas of life.
…Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; So what wisdom do they have? Jer 8:9 (NKJV)
Without the holy spirit in dwelling in them , the Israelites were told they could know God…..
...But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the Lord. Jer 9:24 (NKJV)
In a radio interview I heard the Botkin girls say that when they were 13 they were given Rushdoonys institutes to read. Vol 1 exposits and shows applications of Gods Law in a book that is itself the size of the bible. With His law you can see Gods judgment, and righteousness in the earth it is all a part of him exercising lovingkindness.
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 1 Cor 7:19 (NKJV)
For us who are homeschooling it is another (!) reminder to what God told us was most important concerning education. His law!
Our education should make a distinction , knowing what counts, is more important than, knowing how to count. Some wise man said that.
I was Government schooled and taught to walk…… according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them," Jer 9:14 (NKJV)
This is the default setting in all of our hearts if we are not taught to embrace Gods Law. This by itself should cause all Christians to get their children out of Caesars hands. But we have been firmly taught a new faith, to believe in neutral areas of life.
…Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; So what wisdom do they have? Jer 8:9 (NKJV)
Without the holy spirit in dwelling in them , the Israelites were told they could know God…..
...But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the Lord. Jer 9:24 (NKJV)
In a radio interview I heard the Botkin girls say that when they were 13 they were given Rushdoonys institutes to read. Vol 1 exposits and shows applications of Gods Law in a book that is itself the size of the bible. With His law you can see Gods judgment, and righteousness in the earth it is all a part of him exercising lovingkindness.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Piercings
Doug Wilson has been doing a number of tattoo and body piercings postings
....I also recognize that the besetting sin of pastoral ministry in America today is under-reaching. And as a result we are rapidly approaching the time when the people of our nation look a lot more like the natives of New Guinea than they used to. A resurgent paganism, presiding over by a Christian ministry taking too much care not to overreach.
....I also recognize that the besetting sin of pastoral ministry in America today is under-reaching. And as a result we are rapidly approaching the time when the people of our nation look a lot more like the natives of New Guinea than they used to. A resurgent paganism, presiding over by a Christian ministry taking too much care not to overreach.
Monday, September 7, 2009
It wasnt always this way
Without God There is No Law by Gary Demar
...But there are millions of Christians who do not believe the Bible addresses the broader world. Over time, Christianity has ceased to be a comprehensive, world-changing religion. “[W]here religion still survives in the modern world, no matter how passionate or ‘committed’ the individual may be, it amounts to little more than a private preference, a spare-time hobby, a leisure pursuit.”[2] Theodore Roszak used an apt phrase to describe much of modern-day Christendom: “Socially irrelevant, even if privately engaging.”[3] It wasn’t always this way:
The Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, comes out of the background of a Hebrew mindset. The basic idea behind the Hebrew mindset is that God and accompanying spiritual principles permeate all of life here on earth. . . . I believe one of the causes of [cultural disengagement is a Greek mindset], which tells us Christians should be concerned about saving souls and going to heaven rather than paying much attention to material things like transforming our societies.
[James Davidson] Hunter, to the contrary says, “Most Christians in history have interpreted the creation mandate in Genesis as a mandate to change the world.”[4]...
All of this was brought to mind the death notice of attorney W. Jack Williamson in World magazine. He was described as “an enthusiastic backer of Christian worldview thinking. He told the story of sitting in late 1973 in the front seat of his car with Francis Schaeffer, discussing the crisis in the church and the devolving state of American culture. ‘Why did you let this happen?’ Schaeffer asked Williamson. ‘What do you mean, why did we let it happen?’ Williamson asked. ‘You’re a lawyer, aren’t you?’ Schaeffer replied pointedly. ‘Why did your profession let things get away so badly?’”
“‘He wasn’t just blaming the legal profession,’ Williamson stressed. ‘He was saying that each of us Christians has a responsibility, not just in our church relationships, but in the specific context of our various vocations, to define issues in a God-centered manner....
...But there are millions of Christians who do not believe the Bible addresses the broader world. Over time, Christianity has ceased to be a comprehensive, world-changing religion. “[W]here religion still survives in the modern world, no matter how passionate or ‘committed’ the individual may be, it amounts to little more than a private preference, a spare-time hobby, a leisure pursuit.”[2] Theodore Roszak used an apt phrase to describe much of modern-day Christendom: “Socially irrelevant, even if privately engaging.”[3] It wasn’t always this way:
The Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, comes out of the background of a Hebrew mindset. The basic idea behind the Hebrew mindset is that God and accompanying spiritual principles permeate all of life here on earth. . . . I believe one of the causes of [cultural disengagement is a Greek mindset], which tells us Christians should be concerned about saving souls and going to heaven rather than paying much attention to material things like transforming our societies.
[James Davidson] Hunter, to the contrary says, “Most Christians in history have interpreted the creation mandate in Genesis as a mandate to change the world.”[4]...
All of this was brought to mind the death notice of attorney W. Jack Williamson in World magazine. He was described as “an enthusiastic backer of Christian worldview thinking. He told the story of sitting in late 1973 in the front seat of his car with Francis Schaeffer, discussing the crisis in the church and the devolving state of American culture. ‘Why did you let this happen?’ Schaeffer asked Williamson. ‘What do you mean, why did we let it happen?’ Williamson asked. ‘You’re a lawyer, aren’t you?’ Schaeffer replied pointedly. ‘Why did your profession let things get away so badly?’”
“‘He wasn’t just blaming the legal profession,’ Williamson stressed. ‘He was saying that each of us Christians has a responsibility, not just in our church relationships, but in the specific context of our various vocations, to define issues in a God-centered manner....
Sunday, September 6, 2009
A religious fact
From Chalcedon The Establishment of Religion
by Christopher J. Ortiz
“Justice or righteousness is moral order and is a religious fact. Laws express views of justice or moral order and are thus an establishment of religion. Laws do not per se establish a church but rather a religion …”1 ~ R. J. Rushdoony
If I were to ask, “What is the chief end of man,” most Reformed Christians would respond with, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” So why are many Reformed Christians opposed to Christian dominion? Wouldn’t it glorify God more to see this world brought into subjection to Christ? Or is Christian piety only a matter of eating and drinking to the glory of God?...
by Christopher J. Ortiz
“Justice or righteousness is moral order and is a religious fact. Laws express views of justice or moral order and are thus an establishment of religion. Laws do not per se establish a church but rather a religion …”1 ~ R. J. Rushdoony
If I were to ask, “What is the chief end of man,” most Reformed Christians would respond with, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” So why are many Reformed Christians opposed to Christian dominion? Wouldn’t it glorify God more to see this world brought into subjection to Christ? Or is Christian piety only a matter of eating and drinking to the glory of God?...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Buy a vowell,Central Bank what?
From Gary North
Assessing What Ron Paul Has Accomplished
....The only other reference to central banking in the textbooks is the story -- carefully sanitized -- of the establishment of the Federal Reserve System, a victory described, though never explained, as a triumph of the American people over the political control of money. It was, of course, a triumph of the big bank cartel over competitive banks that offered greater safety. The bankers feared bank runs on overleveraged banks, meaning large New York City banks.
As an historian by training, I can think of no cartelization of any industry that has been more successfully concealed by academia. This is by far the largest, richest, and most successful cartel in American history. Yet there is almost no criticism of the system and its enforcement tool, the Federal Reserve System. Whatever mild technical quibbles the academic community has had with the FED, the central issue of central banking is never even mentioned, let alone refuted. What is the central issue? That all central banking is a government-licensed enforcement arrangement of a well-organized, well-funded cartel. As with all cartels, it operates at the expense of competitors who would otherwise offer better opportunities to the public....
Go catch the 42 minute video on this topic.
Assessing What Ron Paul Has Accomplished
....The only other reference to central banking in the textbooks is the story -- carefully sanitized -- of the establishment of the Federal Reserve System, a victory described, though never explained, as a triumph of the American people over the political control of money. It was, of course, a triumph of the big bank cartel over competitive banks that offered greater safety. The bankers feared bank runs on overleveraged banks, meaning large New York City banks.
As an historian by training, I can think of no cartelization of any industry that has been more successfully concealed by academia. This is by far the largest, richest, and most successful cartel in American history. Yet there is almost no criticism of the system and its enforcement tool, the Federal Reserve System. Whatever mild technical quibbles the academic community has had with the FED, the central issue of central banking is never even mentioned, let alone refuted. What is the central issue? That all central banking is a government-licensed enforcement arrangement of a well-organized, well-funded cartel. As with all cartels, it operates at the expense of competitors who would otherwise offer better opportunities to the public....
Go catch the 42 minute video on this topic.
Gun control and Teddy,some for me,none for you
HT to Lew Rockwell By Massad Ayoub
GUN LOCKS, GUN LAWS, AND THE PASSING OF TED KENNEDY
...As you remember the last of the Generation of Princes in America’s Royal Family, remember him whole. His commitment to civil rights seemed to be limited to the ones he approved of. I recall Ted Kennedy’s private bodyguard being arrested for attempting to carry a fully automatic Beretta machine pistol into a Government building. Apparently, the guns he didn’t want the peasants to have were OK for protecting the Royal Family, whose immense wealth allowed them to hire high-priced private Praetorian Guards...
GUN LOCKS, GUN LAWS, AND THE PASSING OF TED KENNEDY
...As you remember the last of the Generation of Princes in America’s Royal Family, remember him whole. His commitment to civil rights seemed to be limited to the ones he approved of. I recall Ted Kennedy’s private bodyguard being arrested for attempting to carry a fully automatic Beretta machine pistol into a Government building. Apparently, the guns he didn’t want the peasants to have were OK for protecting the Royal Family, whose immense wealth allowed them to hire high-priced private Praetorian Guards...
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
End times,seeing how it fits
At legacy, wading through Luke, we have been working with some end times passages the last three weeks.
Looking at the Word and history and not at what’s happening in the news.... it’s the heritage of Gods people to be the head and not the tail.
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:17
And as servants of the lord. This is our heritage too.
Now I will grant you that this was spoken to his stiff necked children of Israel. But since we do have a better covenant, and as we are His servants , and we have become children of Abraham too, how can it not be, our heritage and history too.
"Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, Deut 11:8 (NKJV)
No man shall be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you. 26 "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today Deut 11:25-27 (NKJV)
And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. Deut 28:13
One can argue whether the church is the tail today. But no one can make the case that the church is the head. The most turbulent internal events and issues that the nation has faced and the church is pretty silent. Contrast with the birth of the nation, and it was the church, that led the way.
Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened." Matt 13:33
You cannot stop the leaven, His word will accomplish what he has decreed.
you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. Deut 15:6 Does not Jesus continue along these lines when he says….. go and make disciples of every nation. I do not think the normal scenarios for premill viewpoints ever have the believers reigning over anything until its the overtime portion of the game.
And that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken." Deut 26:19
Eleven of the twelve apostles died as mrytr's as the early church was persecuted, but the church was triumphant against Rome. And then the barbarians whom the might of Rome couldn’t beat, fell before Gods people. That’s only about 800yrs of leavening. But it is, 100’s of years, for the leaven to do that much work.
In the same way that God did not remove all of the enemies and wild beasts from the promised land, but made his people walk it out and take dominion. And he didn’t snap his fingers and defeat Rome or the barbarians in the twinkling of an eye, his people had to walk it out.
When the church was being swept up with the enlightenment, God birthed the Reformation, it took generations, but it moved forward. Right now we are seeing what happens when Gods people stop reforming (discipling if you will ) and turn inward with the faith.
All humanist systems will crumble eventually, because they are built on systems that are apart from God, which means Gods people need to just show up and do what Jesus said, disciple the Nations. ( ok,ok so a lot of us will need to die along the way) but at the end of the day only one team will be standing and I don’t think it will be theirs.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
The gates of hell shall not prevail….. He is the same yesterday , today, and forever( Heb) Yes this doesn’t exegete to an absolute no premill rapture scenario, but there is a pattern from history, that matches a pattern in the word.
Looking at the Word and history and not at what’s happening in the news.... it’s the heritage of Gods people to be the head and not the tail.
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:17
And as servants of the lord. This is our heritage too.
Now I will grant you that this was spoken to his stiff necked children of Israel. But since we do have a better covenant, and as we are His servants , and we have become children of Abraham too, how can it not be, our heritage and history too.
"Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, Deut 11:8 (NKJV)
No man shall be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you. 26 "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today Deut 11:25-27 (NKJV)
And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. Deut 28:13
One can argue whether the church is the tail today. But no one can make the case that the church is the head. The most turbulent internal events and issues that the nation has faced and the church is pretty silent. Contrast with the birth of the nation, and it was the church, that led the way.
Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened." Matt 13:33
You cannot stop the leaven, His word will accomplish what he has decreed.
you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. Deut 15:6 Does not Jesus continue along these lines when he says….. go and make disciples of every nation. I do not think the normal scenarios for premill viewpoints ever have the believers reigning over anything until its the overtime portion of the game.
And that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken." Deut 26:19
Eleven of the twelve apostles died as mrytr's as the early church was persecuted, but the church was triumphant against Rome. And then the barbarians whom the might of Rome couldn’t beat, fell before Gods people. That’s only about 800yrs of leavening. But it is, 100’s of years, for the leaven to do that much work.
In the same way that God did not remove all of the enemies and wild beasts from the promised land, but made his people walk it out and take dominion. And he didn’t snap his fingers and defeat Rome or the barbarians in the twinkling of an eye, his people had to walk it out.
When the church was being swept up with the enlightenment, God birthed the Reformation, it took generations, but it moved forward. Right now we are seeing what happens when Gods people stop reforming (discipling if you will ) and turn inward with the faith.
All humanist systems will crumble eventually, because they are built on systems that are apart from God, which means Gods people need to just show up and do what Jesus said, disciple the Nations. ( ok,ok so a lot of us will need to die along the way) but at the end of the day only one team will be standing and I don’t think it will be theirs.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
The gates of hell shall not prevail….. He is the same yesterday , today, and forever( Heb) Yes this doesn’t exegete to an absolute no premill rapture scenario, but there is a pattern from history, that matches a pattern in the word.
Let the dead bury their dead
Enjoying two more books.....
From Douglas Wilson one is called Black and Tan, and you know a book will be good when you mark up the introduction hot and heavy. He notes in the intro..." that the boundaries of the acceptable are always vigoriously policed......and when you differ..." from the reigning orthodoxy, whatever that orthodoxy may happen to be (and there always is one)...." wilosn is talking about history, but this truth easily transfers to our churchs, politics, anything.
As was recently noted, when something has been accepted for a long time......it becomes the orthodox, and anyone differing with it, even using scripture, becomes the heretic. Voddies line about..."I dont write it, I just deliver the mail", comes to mind.
I asked Voddie early that Sunday am on what he was seeing when it came to these messages that he had delivered at the convention, whether people could bring back truth and it be received in their Church’s? Voddie, with just a deadpanned look on his face shook his head, no.
Old wineskin. Sometimes you have to let the dead bury their dead, and you come follow me.
I meant to mention this book after my camping trip. Doug Wilson's book Easy Chairs, Hard Words has been great for me. I have lead a sheltered Christian life. Thomas Kinkade Christianity, find a snugly little cabin to wait in until the lord returns.
This has been the best little book to help some truths slide deeper into place. The subtitle is “discussions on the liberty of God”
I am three chapters into it and I think I will use it to read to the whole family. It has been the best at laying out in such an easy to see fashion, the truths John Calvin brought to the faith. Wilson being a former full blown evangelical like me knows how to discuss these absolutely foreign, but biblical truths, in a manner that goes down as easy as these truths can.
You can also find the book for about $4 at half .com
From Douglas Wilson one is called Black and Tan, and you know a book will be good when you mark up the introduction hot and heavy. He notes in the intro..." that the boundaries of the acceptable are always vigoriously policed......and when you differ..." from the reigning orthodoxy, whatever that orthodoxy may happen to be (and there always is one)...." wilosn is talking about history, but this truth easily transfers to our churchs, politics, anything.
As was recently noted, when something has been accepted for a long time......it becomes the orthodox, and anyone differing with it, even using scripture, becomes the heretic. Voddies line about..."I dont write it, I just deliver the mail", comes to mind.
I asked Voddie early that Sunday am on what he was seeing when it came to these messages that he had delivered at the convention, whether people could bring back truth and it be received in their Church’s? Voddie, with just a deadpanned look on his face shook his head, no.
Old wineskin. Sometimes you have to let the dead bury their dead, and you come follow me.
I meant to mention this book after my camping trip. Doug Wilson's book Easy Chairs, Hard Words has been great for me. I have lead a sheltered Christian life. Thomas Kinkade Christianity, find a snugly little cabin to wait in until the lord returns.
This has been the best little book to help some truths slide deeper into place. The subtitle is “discussions on the liberty of God”
I am three chapters into it and I think I will use it to read to the whole family. It has been the best at laying out in such an easy to see fashion, the truths John Calvin brought to the faith. Wilson being a former full blown evangelical like me knows how to discuss these absolutely foreign, but biblical truths, in a manner that goes down as easy as these truths can.
You can also find the book for about $4 at half .com
How is it, that they too, are not then fulfilled in Christ?
Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, And teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked. Psalms 94:12-13 (NKJV)
Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments. Psalms 112:1 (NKJV)
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:1-2 (NKJV)
Oh never mind,
I thought I saw a pattern forming.
(Please, please, please note: nothing that follows has anything to do with meriting righteousness.)
At the end of Gary North’s book,Westminsters Confession, he has some appendix sections. One of them is a 33pg response to a big article that Christianity Today did in 1987,it was a deliberate hatchet job to discredit and dismiss, rather than answer men like Rushdoony, Bahnsen, North. That the author admitted to not even reading one book from any of these men was sad. The fact that this was the magazine that claimes to have its hand on the pulse of Christianity is both heart breaking and sickening as to what was happening, or was it, what had happened, to the mainstream church.
North’s response exposes that about 90% are straw men accusations, things never advocated, by them. It was an effective smear. As I have heard every one of these as late as the last couple of years. A lie will travel around the world before the truth even gets it shoe’s on, or something like that. That this happened within the context of the Church, ouch. We cannot be surprised at the lying and distorting of our politicians when the very bride of Christ needs to repent of it.
Has this not been a constant plea of Doug Phillips, that we in the church would at least be honest about the positions of those we disagree with.
In his, North’s response, he notes that he himself has “written thousands upon thousands” of pages on how relevant OT law is to economics today and makes this statement of the other side…”they have not done their homework. They have not shown just exactly how Gods laws against theft, debt, inflated fiat money, false weights and measures, and similar evils have been annulled by the gospel of Christ….”
That would be exegetically. Emphasis was mine. This too is the crux of his book. That no one, not the professors or the president at Westminster even tries to make an exegetical case for their positions.
Wilson would use a line like…"lets get our flashlights and crawl under the floor boards and take a look what presuppositions we are standing on."
And then see what happens if we are consistant with them.
In a way, the very name of Jesus is used as a rubber stamp to just dismiss his very own words? That if we just step inside his name, pin it to our statements , it is no longer that we...live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God...and... if you love me keep my commandments...and...why do you call me Lord,lord and do not do the things I say...and Paul saying...Yea,but we establish the law...or Jesus again speaking of HIS law...not one jot or title will disappear...because in Jesus, he has accomplished it all.
Now, even if you could exegete to the above conclusion,how do you again, by exegeting, turn it off, so it doesn’t include..I don’t have to give someone that’s thirsty a drink of water, because its already done in Jesus...or honor my mother and father, because that too, is done in Jesus, or take car of the widow and orphan....
For if we can take Paul’s statement about” yea, but rather we establish the law” and say its done in Jesus, then, these other statements of Paul’s, that “we should not forsake the gathering of believers” and the principle of “do not muzzle the ox” (supporting those who labor in the word for us). how is it, that they too, are not then fulfilled "in Christ"?
Somewhere Paul used a statement like… I must be crazy to speak like this.
Enjoyed the book, appreciated North’s broad and deep view of church history too.
Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments. Psalms 112:1 (NKJV)
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:1-2 (NKJV)
Oh never mind,
I thought I saw a pattern forming.
(Please, please, please note: nothing that follows has anything to do with meriting righteousness.)
At the end of Gary North’s book,Westminsters Confession, he has some appendix sections. One of them is a 33pg response to a big article that Christianity Today did in 1987,it was a deliberate hatchet job to discredit and dismiss, rather than answer men like Rushdoony, Bahnsen, North. That the author admitted to not even reading one book from any of these men was sad. The fact that this was the magazine that claimes to have its hand on the pulse of Christianity is both heart breaking and sickening as to what was happening, or was it, what had happened, to the mainstream church.
North’s response exposes that about 90% are straw men accusations, things never advocated, by them. It was an effective smear. As I have heard every one of these as late as the last couple of years. A lie will travel around the world before the truth even gets it shoe’s on, or something like that. That this happened within the context of the Church, ouch. We cannot be surprised at the lying and distorting of our politicians when the very bride of Christ needs to repent of it.
Has this not been a constant plea of Doug Phillips, that we in the church would at least be honest about the positions of those we disagree with.
In his, North’s response, he notes that he himself has “written thousands upon thousands” of pages on how relevant OT law is to economics today and makes this statement of the other side…”they have not done their homework. They have not shown just exactly how Gods laws against theft, debt, inflated fiat money, false weights and measures, and similar evils have been annulled by the gospel of Christ….”
That would be exegetically. Emphasis was mine. This too is the crux of his book. That no one, not the professors or the president at Westminster even tries to make an exegetical case for their positions.
Wilson would use a line like…"lets get our flashlights and crawl under the floor boards and take a look what presuppositions we are standing on."
And then see what happens if we are consistant with them.
In a way, the very name of Jesus is used as a rubber stamp to just dismiss his very own words? That if we just step inside his name, pin it to our statements , it is no longer that we...live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God...and... if you love me keep my commandments...and...why do you call me Lord,lord and do not do the things I say...and Paul saying...Yea,but we establish the law...or Jesus again speaking of HIS law...not one jot or title will disappear...because in Jesus, he has accomplished it all.
Now, even if you could exegete to the above conclusion,how do you again, by exegeting, turn it off, so it doesn’t include..I don’t have to give someone that’s thirsty a drink of water, because its already done in Jesus...or honor my mother and father, because that too, is done in Jesus, or take car of the widow and orphan....
For if we can take Paul’s statement about” yea, but rather we establish the law” and say its done in Jesus, then, these other statements of Paul’s, that “we should not forsake the gathering of believers” and the principle of “do not muzzle the ox” (supporting those who labor in the word for us). how is it, that they too, are not then fulfilled "in Christ"?
Somewhere Paul used a statement like… I must be crazy to speak like this.
Enjoyed the book, appreciated North’s broad and deep view of church history too.
A fully functioning Faith
I heard just a great conversation between Botkin and Swanson from the family camp in New Mexico. This is real full orbed Christianity. It is titled culture changers. And dont miss this follow up.
This conversation only makes sense in light of passages like...eph1:20-22 He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, phill1:10 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, Col1:9,10 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
If you are comfortable with your children being swept along with the culture so they can "let their light shine." Just skip it.
This conversation only makes sense in light of passages like...eph1:20-22 He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, phill1:10 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, Col1:9,10 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
If you are comfortable with your children being swept along with the culture so they can "let their light shine." Just skip it.
What do you expect?
Modern Christianity has all the enthusiasm that the Pharisee’s had when Jesus told them that their man made traditions had made null the Law of God.
Let’s Kill him…..
Many want, what God wants.
But most, have been taught, to expect that what God wants, is to manifest a greater degree of his Love.
And we do expect, that if God reveals something new to us….it will fit inside our existing context and paradigm. When it doesn’t, it exposes our brittleness. ….”and it seemed odd that people calling themselves prophets should denounce the practice…”
Even when many of us have broken out of the old church mold , we will continue to react to scripture, not by the verse and its context, or whether it harmonizes with grand themes from Gods word, but rather by whom we have known to hang around with those verses. Everyone knows that good scripture, will not hang out with people like that.
May God give us grace to be as new wine skins. Or we will make a mess, and burst.
Let’s Kill him…..
Many want, what God wants.
But most, have been taught, to expect that what God wants, is to manifest a greater degree of his Love.
And we do expect, that if God reveals something new to us….it will fit inside our existing context and paradigm. When it doesn’t, it exposes our brittleness. ….”and it seemed odd that people calling themselves prophets should denounce the practice…”
Even when many of us have broken out of the old church mold , we will continue to react to scripture, not by the verse and its context, or whether it harmonizes with grand themes from Gods word, but rather by whom we have known to hang around with those verses. Everyone knows that good scripture, will not hang out with people like that.
May God give us grace to be as new wine skins. Or we will make a mess, and burst.
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