Here is the transcript from dinner tonight.
Dad: “A Triceratops has 3 horns. A tricycle has three wheels. Both start with TRI. What does that tell us?”
Son: “Oh, I KNOW! A tricycle is a dinosaur!!”
I thank God for the joy of raising little boys!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Dinner Conversation
Here is the transcript from dinner tonight.
I thank God for the joy of raising little boys!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Smile from God's Face
“There is a time coming shortly, when a smile from God’s face will be infinitely better than all the applause of men.” Thomas Watson
Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Climate of Death: The result of common place abortion
This is a disturbing story, so be careful if you choose to read on.
The Philadelphia Horror: How mass-murder gets a pass by Michelle Malkin
Is anyone surprised that a man whose job was to kill babies in the womb took the next step to kill them out of the womb?
The Philadelphia Horror: How mass-murder gets a pass by Michelle Malkin
Is anyone surprised that a man whose job was to kill babies in the womb took the next step to kill them out of the womb?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
How do you stand?
“This is my depressed stance. When you're depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand. The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you'll start to feel better. If you're going to get any joy out of being depressed, you've got to stand like this.”
How do you stand? God's people stand on much surer, safer, and happy ground. How and where do you stand?
In the Grace of God
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
In the liberty of Christ?
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Fast in the Lord?
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Christians, of all people, should not be in a continual "depressed stance". Why art thou cast down, oh my soul? Why? Rejoice because you stand in Christ, and rejoice that you will not stand here...
Revelation 20:12-14 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Happy Christians
Octavious Winslow
“Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prison house, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for the mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. I s not this joy? The believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The Child of God is essentially a happy man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality his future is a heaven of inconceivable, unthought-of, untold, and endless blessedness. With such a God, with such a Saviour, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not, to be a joyful man?”
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Greek Dodge and Shuffle
Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
I recently read an Arminian defend his view point by saying that Romans 9:13 was mistranslated, that God loved Esau too, but “rejected” him. He said that "hated" could be and should have been translated “rejected”. It was a Greek dodge and shuffle. The Greek shuffle is saying "the Greek says" to English speaking people, reading an English Bible and saying something that most, if not all the listeners can immediately verify (However, in the these days of i-pads and i-phones with Greek texts and lexicons apps, many could have their lexicons at church with them) and to significantly change the meaning of the words.
This is a clever tactic, and one that is used quite often. I have heard many messages about the Greek “root” word. And the whole message was on what the Greek word meant. I went home and checked in the concordances and lexicons, and it did NOT say what the preacher told me it said, in ANY of a number of lexicons.
So, let’s check to see if what that preacher said was so.
The Greek word translated hated is μισέω
Thayer Definition:
1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest
2) to be hated, detested
That Greek word is found 42 times in the New Testament. It is translated "hate, hated, or hateth" every single time. The Greek word translated in the NT for rejected is adokimos, but it is also translated "reprobate". That Greek word is never used "rejected".
Or you could try Malachi 1:3, where Paul quoted. "And I hated Esau".. but the Hebrew word שׂנא translated 'hated' there also means, according to Brown - Driver- Briggs : To hate, to be hated, enemy
In the OT, that Hebrew word is found 146 times.
139 times it is translated "hate, hated, hating, hateth"
Translated "odious" 1 time
"Enemy" 5 times
"Foes" 1 time
I recently read an Arminian defend his view point by saying that Romans 9:13 was mistranslated, that God loved Esau too, but “rejected” him. He said that "hated" could be and should have been translated “rejected”. It was a Greek dodge and shuffle. The Greek shuffle is saying "the Greek says" to English speaking people, reading an English Bible and saying something that most, if not all the listeners can immediately verify (However, in the these days of i-pads and i-phones with Greek texts and lexicons apps, many could have their lexicons at church with them) and to significantly change the meaning of the words.
This is a clever tactic, and one that is used quite often. I have heard many messages about the Greek “root” word. And the whole message was on what the Greek word meant. I went home and checked in the concordances and lexicons, and it did NOT say what the preacher told me it said, in ANY of a number of lexicons.
So, let’s check to see if what that preacher said was so.
The Greek word translated hated is μισέω
Thayer Definition:
1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest
2) to be hated, detested
That Greek word is found 42 times in the New Testament. It is translated "hate, hated, or hateth" every single time. The Greek word translated in the NT for rejected is adokimos, but it is also translated "reprobate". That Greek word is never used "rejected".
Or you could try Malachi 1:3, where Paul quoted. "And I hated Esau".. but the Hebrew word שׂנא translated 'hated' there also means, according to Brown - Driver- Briggs : To hate, to be hated, enemy
In the OT, that Hebrew word is found 146 times.
139 times it is translated "hate, hated, hating, hateth"
Translated "odious" 1 time
"Enemy" 5 times
"Foes" 1 time
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Why Write?
Thomas Brooks in The Mute Christian, begins his work with a few reasons why he wrote tracts and books.
A very good thought, indeed. What is read, can be read again, so in that way, the writer's words are like a tool, can be used over and over again. Countless books, articles and blog posts have had a profound impact on my life, and I am thankful to God for the authors. If you can write, and you have something to say, then write and pray the Lord uses it in some way.
What is written is permanent; litera scripta manet, and spreads itself further by far, for time, place and persons, than the voice can reach. The pen is an artificial tongue; it speaks as well to the absent to present friends; it speaks to them afar off as well as those that are near; it speaks to many thousands at once; it speaks not only to the present age but also to succeeding ages. The pen is a kind of image of eternity; it will make a man live when he is dead. Am man’s writings may preach when he cannot, when he may not, and when, by reason of bodily disptempers, he dares not; yea, and that which is more, when he is not.
A very good thought, indeed. What is read, can be read again, so in that way, the writer's words are like a tool, can be used over and over again. Countless books, articles and blog posts have had a profound impact on my life, and I am thankful to God for the authors. If you can write, and you have something to say, then write and pray the Lord uses it in some way.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Tragedy of the Tucson Massacre and the Solution for America
The shooting in Tucson, AZ was a terrible tragedy. My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones.
It is interesting to note that political pundits, the news media, and much of America is trying to find something to blame; and I believe that is significant. You see, it was Jared Lee Loughner who killed, but, according to the conventional wisdom, someone or something had to drive him to kill. Some are crying out for more gun laws, some are crying out for laws to restrict speech while others are pointing to mental illness as the OUTSIDE cause of this mass murder.
The real problem here is not outside influences, but inward sin. No doubt, there are many outside influences that contribute to the detriment of society, however, these outside elements do not start a fire, but merely fan the flames of the already present and powerful inward depravity. Sin was conceived in a wicked heart was manifested in wicked actions. Unless we as a society look to the true cause of this tragedy, we will never seek the only remedy. Romans 3 speaks to the true cause of this tragedy.
God has given us an accurate description of the human heart. We are born naturally depraved sinners with our hearts warped toward wickedness. No one needs to teach children to sin and do wrong, but we have to teach them to do right. Children naturally lie, parents must teach them to tell the truth. It is part of God’s common grace to man that the many wicked thoughts and intents of the heart remain in the heart and are not carried out into action, like unfortunately happened this weekend. The boiling rage some feel when they are cut off in traffic is the inward hatred of the heart, and allowed to be carried out, would result in murder.
We only have to look at the political rhetoric this week to understand this. There is indeed, hatred between many on both the left and right side of American politics. This is nothing new to our era, and in fact, is quite tame compared to earlier times of our nation. Don’t misunderstand here, I am not saying that the political speech contributed to this crime. What I want to illustrate here, is the self-righteous, sanctimonious vitriol that is spued at political enemies is the same HEART sin of murder. The same anger that causes a person to liable and slander another person comes from the heart and is the same root sin that if carried out, ends in murder. Obviously we know when someone speaks with hyperbolic language. My thoughts here comes to the hatred. There is nothing wrong with strong debate, and vehemently opposing your political opponent, that is the nature of our government. Sarah Palin did not contribute to this shooting, and those that are blaming her know this, and that is the point here. You can hear the underlying jealousy, and personal dislike of their ideological enemies disguised as "concern" for the country and are taking any opportunity to destroy them. The sad irony here is that those seeking to blame a murder on a political enemy because their hatred for their enemy, is the same sin that was first conceived in the actual crime.
So while many in the media are looking for outside sources or other people to pin the blame on, they are illustrating the inward problem of sin in themselves.
So, on the note of speech for Christians, the Bible tells us that we must give an account for “every idle word” that we speak, so that does play a factor. Whether or not words are wise or not, that is a different discussion. However, the speech isn’t the real problem in our situation now, it is a symptom of the SAME problem that is found in all people. Any words we speak are the overflow of our heart. When someone speaks hateful words, they are coming from a hateful heart.
Let’s suppose that we regulate the speech of Americans, will that solve the problem? No, because we have not yet gotten to the source of the problem, we haven’t gone deep enough. The problem is not the words, but where those words come from, the heart. The root of the problem is still active and working. If we get to the root of the problem, the heart, then the symptoms will be cured.
Jesus said murder first starts in the heart. If we ban guns, will that stop murder? No, because that is not the root cause of murder, the wicked heart is the root cause. Unless the heart is remedied, the outpouring of the heart will still be wicked. You will only change the tool of the sinner to sin. Society is always looking to second causes and trying to cure the symptom instead of the disease.
This is where the Christian MUST step in and speak up. We have the cure. It does, and is a quite hopeless situation. When the secularist looks at the problem, they are exasperated because the reality of this tragedy strikes home, there is nothing that we can do to stop men from evil. When the secularist looks to make laws, and ban certain freedoms, they do so because they have nowhere else to turn. There has to be (in their mind) some outside reason for this tragedy, because if there is not, then that means that there is evil.
Stopping speech only will stop the mouth, not the thoughts and the source of the speech. Banning guns would only make is somewhat more difficult to obtain a weapon to kill, it would not stop murder (Genesis 4) and it certainly would not cure the heart.
The ultimate solution to the problem is not to treat the symptoms but the disease. We don’t need new laws, but we need new hearts. First, you must realize that what the Bible says about you and your heart is true, it is hopelessly and fully bent towards sin and desperately wicked. We all are sinners. You are just as much a sinner as Jared Lee Loughner. Though you have not carried out you sin as fully as you could, you have none the less broken God’s law. By God’s grace, you are not as bad as you could be, you are lost with a heart that is the enemy of God.
If that is your view, praise God, because there is hope. The hope lies not within ourselves, but in Christ Jesus the Lord.
We don’t need reform, we need a new heart. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to change our hearts, to change our loves and desires in regeneration. We are not “reformed” we are “reborn”. New hearts, new creatures in Christ. Jesus saves us from our sins and the old things of the natural heart pass away and all things become new. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, those penitent believers, who come to the Saviour are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are cleansed from our unrighteousness and saved from our sin.
The answer is the gospel of Christ. Salvation, the new birth, regeneration, Jesus Christ; He is answer to the problem. There is no government solution to rid a heart of sin.
It is interesting to note that political pundits, the news media, and much of America is trying to find something to blame; and I believe that is significant. You see, it was Jared Lee Loughner who killed, but, according to the conventional wisdom, someone or something had to drive him to kill. Some are crying out for more gun laws, some are crying out for laws to restrict speech while others are pointing to mental illness as the OUTSIDE cause of this mass murder.
The real problem here is not outside influences, but inward sin. No doubt, there are many outside influences that contribute to the detriment of society, however, these outside elements do not start a fire, but merely fan the flames of the already present and powerful inward depravity. Sin was conceived in a wicked heart was manifested in wicked actions. Unless we as a society look to the true cause of this tragedy, we will never seek the only remedy. Romans 3 speaks to the true cause of this tragedy.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
God has given us an accurate description of the human heart. We are born naturally depraved sinners with our hearts warped toward wickedness. No one needs to teach children to sin and do wrong, but we have to teach them to do right. Children naturally lie, parents must teach them to tell the truth. It is part of God’s common grace to man that the many wicked thoughts and intents of the heart remain in the heart and are not carried out into action, like unfortunately happened this weekend. The boiling rage some feel when they are cut off in traffic is the inward hatred of the heart, and allowed to be carried out, would result in murder.
We only have to look at the political rhetoric this week to understand this. There is indeed, hatred between many on both the left and right side of American politics. This is nothing new to our era, and in fact, is quite tame compared to earlier times of our nation. Don’t misunderstand here, I am not saying that the political speech contributed to this crime. What I want to illustrate here, is the self-righteous, sanctimonious vitriol that is spued at political enemies is the same HEART sin of murder. The same anger that causes a person to liable and slander another person comes from the heart and is the same root sin that if carried out, ends in murder. Obviously we know when someone speaks with hyperbolic language. My thoughts here comes to the hatred. There is nothing wrong with strong debate, and vehemently opposing your political opponent, that is the nature of our government. Sarah Palin did not contribute to this shooting, and those that are blaming her know this, and that is the point here. You can hear the underlying jealousy, and personal dislike of their ideological enemies disguised as "concern" for the country and are taking any opportunity to destroy them. The sad irony here is that those seeking to blame a murder on a political enemy because their hatred for their enemy, is the same sin that was first conceived in the actual crime.
Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matthew 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
So while many in the media are looking for outside sources or other people to pin the blame on, they are illustrating the inward problem of sin in themselves.
So, on the note of speech for Christians, the Bible tells us that we must give an account for “every idle word” that we speak, so that does play a factor. Whether or not words are wise or not, that is a different discussion. However, the speech isn’t the real problem in our situation now, it is a symptom of the SAME problem that is found in all people. Any words we speak are the overflow of our heart. When someone speaks hateful words, they are coming from a hateful heart.
Let’s suppose that we regulate the speech of Americans, will that solve the problem? No, because we have not yet gotten to the source of the problem, we haven’t gone deep enough. The problem is not the words, but where those words come from, the heart. The root of the problem is still active and working. If we get to the root of the problem, the heart, then the symptoms will be cured.
Jesus said murder first starts in the heart. If we ban guns, will that stop murder? No, because that is not the root cause of murder, the wicked heart is the root cause. Unless the heart is remedied, the outpouring of the heart will still be wicked. You will only change the tool of the sinner to sin. Society is always looking to second causes and trying to cure the symptom instead of the disease.
This is where the Christian MUST step in and speak up. We have the cure. It does, and is a quite hopeless situation. When the secularist looks at the problem, they are exasperated because the reality of this tragedy strikes home, there is nothing that we can do to stop men from evil. When the secularist looks to make laws, and ban certain freedoms, they do so because they have nowhere else to turn. There has to be (in their mind) some outside reason for this tragedy, because if there is not, then that means that there is evil.
Stopping speech only will stop the mouth, not the thoughts and the source of the speech. Banning guns would only make is somewhat more difficult to obtain a weapon to kill, it would not stop murder (Genesis 4) and it certainly would not cure the heart.
The ultimate solution to the problem is not to treat the symptoms but the disease. We don’t need new laws, but we need new hearts. First, you must realize that what the Bible says about you and your heart is true, it is hopelessly and fully bent towards sin and desperately wicked. We all are sinners. You are just as much a sinner as Jared Lee Loughner. Though you have not carried out you sin as fully as you could, you have none the less broken God’s law. By God’s grace, you are not as bad as you could be, you are lost with a heart that is the enemy of God.
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
If that is your view, praise God, because there is hope. The hope lies not within ourselves, but in Christ Jesus the Lord.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
We don’t need reform, we need a new heart. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to change our hearts, to change our loves and desires in regeneration. We are not “reformed” we are “reborn”. New hearts, new creatures in Christ. Jesus saves us from our sins and the old things of the natural heart pass away and all things become new. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, those penitent believers, who come to the Saviour are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are cleansed from our unrighteousness and saved from our sin.
The answer is the gospel of Christ. Salvation, the new birth, regeneration, Jesus Christ; He is answer to the problem. There is no government solution to rid a heart of sin.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Christian Contentment
In The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment Jeremiah Burroughs defines contentment as:
again Burroughs says contentment is
Christian contentment is a heart issue and is opposed to the contentment of the ungodly. Godliness and contentment is living by faith, faith in God's goodness, faith in God's wisdom and faith that God will watch over and protect His children. It is abandoning the idea that we deserve something from God and realizing that everything we have is a gracious gift.
The ungodly may show signs of contentment, but it is different that Biblical, Christian contentment. Some are pacified, but not content. That means they have enough to satisfy their flesh at the moment to prevent murmuring. When you give a pacifier to a baby, it is not what they really want, but it will do for the time being.
The ungodly my show signs of contentment, but it is not contentment, but resignation or fatalism. Many people give up and resign to the fact of their misery because there is no hope of relief. That isn't Christian contentment. like the reply when someone asks "how are you doing" and you say "I can't complain, because no one will listen, and it won't do any good."
Godly contentment rejoicing in God, rejoices in Christ Jesus. No one desires to loose a family member, to be poor, to have a debilitating illness. No one wants to live in hopeless despair. Contentment rejoices in God and enjoys God and resigns that God is GOOD and His will is GOOD and that what God has in store for the elect can't be compared to present sorrows.
Christian contentment says "If God is satisfied with His will(which I know He is, it is His will) then I am satisfied in God's will."
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and Fatherly disposal in every condition."
again Burroughs says contentment is
"taking pleasure in God's disposal."
Christian contentment is a heart issue and is opposed to the contentment of the ungodly. Godliness and contentment is living by faith, faith in God's goodness, faith in God's wisdom and faith that God will watch over and protect His children. It is abandoning the idea that we deserve something from God and realizing that everything we have is a gracious gift.
The ungodly may show signs of contentment, but it is different that Biblical, Christian contentment. Some are pacified, but not content. That means they have enough to satisfy their flesh at the moment to prevent murmuring. When you give a pacifier to a baby, it is not what they really want, but it will do for the time being.
The ungodly my show signs of contentment, but it is not contentment, but resignation or fatalism. Many people give up and resign to the fact of their misery because there is no hope of relief. That isn't Christian contentment. like the reply when someone asks "how are you doing" and you say "I can't complain, because no one will listen, and it won't do any good."
Godly contentment rejoicing in God, rejoices in Christ Jesus. No one desires to loose a family member, to be poor, to have a debilitating illness. No one wants to live in hopeless despair. Contentment rejoices in God and enjoys God and resigns that God is GOOD and His will is GOOD and that what God has in store for the elect can't be compared to present sorrows.
Christian contentment says "If God is satisfied with His will(which I know He is, it is His will) then I am satisfied in God's will."
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Read the Bible in 2011
It's still not too late to start a Bible reading plan for 2011 and today would be a good time to start.
Before you get started, here are some things to think about.
1. Pray and ask God for assistance in reading the Bible.
2. Expect to read things and not understand them.
3. Come back later.
4. Don't give up.
5. Pick a plan or a guide that will be a servant to you, not a master.
Read the Bible knowing it is God's Word, pray that God will help you to read, that He will teach you, that He will bless you and enjoy the fruits of the Promises of God.
Before you get started, here are some things to think about.
1. Pray and ask God for assistance in reading the Bible.
2. Expect to read things and not understand them.
One of the benefits of reading through the Bible is often what you don't understand will be revealed in another portion of scripture as you read on. Don't get bogged down by trying to study every single word that you don't know. Write it down, and come back to it later. You goal is to become familiar with the Bible.
3. Come back later.
Read with pen and paper handy and when you come to an unfamiliar word, write it down and come back later, but don't forget to come back later. This is one of the profits of reading through the whole Bible, you become familiar with the Bible. When you have time to study, go back and study those words and passages you didn't quite understand.
4. Don't give up.
When you pick a plan that tells you on this day, read these verses, once you get behind a day or two, you can easily get discouraged. You are going to get sick. Something is going to happen that you go to the Word for help, comfort and instruction, and the daily reading will be set aside. So when you get two or three days behind, the feeling of being overwhelmed comes over you and that will pretty much end it, and usually around Leviticus. But don't give up. Pick a plan that works for you and don't quit. Maybe it takes you 13 months instead of 12. So what? Take 24 months if you have to, but I recommend that all God's people read through the Bible.
5. Pick a plan or a guide that will be a servant to you, not a master.
Don't be put into bondage by a plan, but use the plan to help you. There is nothing wrong with plans, God planned all things according to His will. Don't let the plan be your master, but find one that will help you out. Or, just read about 4 or 5 chapters a day. When you reach short chapters read more, longer chapter read less and you will read through the Bible.
Read the Bible knowing it is God's Word, pray that God will help you to read, that He will teach you, that He will bless you and enjoy the fruits of the Promises of God.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A plain book for plain people
I would like to share with you a devotional from Grace Gems. This is from the Letters of John Newton.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
A few minutes of the Spirit's teaching will furnish us with more real, useful and experimental knowledge--than toiling through whole folios of commentators and expositors! It will be our wisdom to deal less with the streams--and be more close in applying to the fountain-head. The Scripture itself, and the Spirit of God--are the best and the only sufficient expositors of Scripture. Whatever men have valuable in their writings--they got it from Scripture; and the Scripture is as open to us--as to any of them. There is nothing required but a teachable, humble spirit; and academic learning, as it is commonly called, is not necessary in order for this.
As a minister, I endeavor to avoid all panaceas, singularities, 'hidden truths' and 'new discoveries' in Scripture. I wish to advance nothing which I cannot maintain upon the authority of the Bible in our English language--which I deem sufficient to make us and our hearers wise unto salvation.
The New Testament is a plain book designed for plain people. The gospel is to be preached to the poor and simple, who are just as capable of receiving it as the educated--and in some sense more so. I therefore lay little stress upon any academic learning--which depends upon a knowledge of original Greek and Hebrew languages, or requires a larger degree of capacity and genius to be understood.
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Grace abounded
Excerpts from the sermon Grace Abounding Over Abounding Sin by C.H. Spurgeon
"The law of God is the [mirror] in which a man sees the spots upon his face. It does not wash you – you cannot wash in a [mirror]; but it prompts you to seek the cleansing water. The design of the law is the revealing of our may offences, that , thereby, we may be driven out or self-righteousness to the Lord Jesus , in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.
The law enters to strip us of every cloak of justification, and so to drive us to seek the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
The law stirs the mud at the bottom of the pool to show how foul the waters are.
But the great Christ, the free gift of God to us, when He bare our sins in His own body on the tree, took all those countless sins away. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”! Here is infinite grace to pardon immeasurable sin! Truly the “one man’s offence” abounded horribly; but the “one man’s obedience,” the obedience of the Son of God, hath superabounded. As the arch of heaven far exceedeth in its span the whole round globe of the earth, so doeth the grace much more abound over human sin." -- Charles Spurgeon
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Godliness is a permanent thing
The following is from the book The Godly Man's Picture by Thomas Watson.
Douglas Newell IV
"Godliness is a fixed thing. There is a great deal of difference between a stake in the hedge and a tree in the garden. A stake rots and molds, but a tree, having life in it, abide and flourishes. When godliness has taken root in the soul, it abides to eternity: “his seed remaineth in him” (I John 3:9). Godliness being engraved in the heart by the Holy Ghost, as with the point of a diamond, can never be erased."
Douglas Newell IV
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Sermon Preparation Maxim
Here is a quote from Christ Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell to remember for the preparation of every sermon.
Douglas Newell IV
"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
Douglas Newell IV
Friday, December 10, 2010
The God of the Overwhelmed: An Exposition of Psalm 61
We are weak and needy creatures. Anyone who would observe mankind for a few moments would see how fragile and weak we are. I think that sometimes we are blind, or at least forget, how needy and how weak we really are. In a world filled with sin and the results of sin, we reap the sorrows of our rebellion against God, but all too often forsake the only real comfort we have. Some teach a prosperity gospel that equates possessions with God’s love and trials with sin (they need to read the book of Job). Trusting in Christ for the salvation of your soul does not remove all problems from your life. We are saved, but we are still in this world, and in this world we will have tribulation. The question is how do we live in this present life, facing sore trials? In the 61st Psalm, we find a psalm of David when he was facing such a time in his life. David was a man after God’s own heart, but was no stranger to problems in his life. Many of his problems were the results of his sin, but many of them were not. The pain was real, the sorrow was heavy and the cry was from the depth of his soul. Where did David turn? Where do the children of God go in such times? In this passage we see the overwhelmed go to the God of the overwhelmed and the benefits that are received there. There are two sections of this psalm, and we will see a change from the first part to the second. What was the change, and how did the change occur?
First, David said hear my cry, O God. The saints of God do not escape the sorrows of this life. I may say that not only do we not escape life’s sorrows, but I believe that we also experience deeper sorrow. We experience true joy, but having faced true joy in salvation, we experience deeply the grief of sin. The gospel of the world teaches that Godliness is gain, that true believers do not experience grief. The prosperity gospel teaches that God will give us all that we desire, money, health, possessions to fulfill our lives completely on this earth. No one has the promise of a life of ease, but in fact the Christian will have problems. It says in 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Not only will we not be permitted to pass through life on flowery petals of repose, but we are to expect persecution in this life. Jesus encouraged his disciples, not by telling them they will never experience pain or trial in this life, but to expect it. The comfort came not from taking away all trials, but having peace in Him, that in Christ we will overcome this world. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Paul, who was no stranger to the blessings of God as the great servant of God, also was no stranger to problems. Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. There is no question that the saints of God will cry, but notice what the cry was. David’s cry was not “woe is me” but his cry was to His God. He was not a stoic, nor should we be, but his cry was unto God. Hear David as he is in deep sorrow, Hear my cry O God! Hear me Mighty Father, attend unto my prayer. When we cry, let us cry unto our Father. When we are in such despair that we can’t pray, but only cry out unto God, He will hear us. When we don’t know what to say, our heart is heavy with grief and all that can proceed from our weary mouth is a desperate cry unto God, does not our loving Father attend unto our prayers? If our earthly fathers can attend unto a child’s weeping, how much more so will our perfect Heavenly Father hear our prayer? We come to a loving Father hurt, knowing He knows what is best, and that he will attend for our good and His glory.
Where do we cry? From the end of the earth. So many Christians, when they cry, do so unto the world. There is no true comfort here, not for one who has been enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Once we have tasted of that sweet fellowship with the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Spirit, one could travel every inch of this world, and not find the peace and comfort of soul that is found in Christ. Oh, the vanity of life when we are downcast! We don't need to despair, for where ever we are found, from the ends of the earth, we are never too far from the Masters ear. We are never too far from the love of God. Whether under the depths of the sea, to the farthest reaches of the plains, God will hear our cry. We may be far from friends and family, we may be alone and afraid, but we are never truly alone if we have Christ. He who bore our sins will never leave nor forsake us. David said "when my heart is overwhelmed". Browns Driver Briggs defines the Hebrew word here ataph translated overwhelmed as 'to cover, to envelop ones self, or to be feeble, faint, growing weak.' The heart is weak, feeble, overcome by sorrows. As if shipwrecked at sea, with the waves of grief shrouding the soul. How many times have the children of God been overwhelmed? Our hearts are feeble. Even the most hardened soul, at some point has been overwhelmed. How much more so for the children of the most high? We see our families away from God, our neighbors leaving this world with out Christ, we suffer persecutions and are attacked by our enemy, the Devil, looking about this world which waxes worse and worse each day. Sometimes the saints of God, we once had sweet fellowship with, now forsaking the assembly of our great God. The grief, the pain, the sorrow is overwhelming. That doesn't even take into consideration the sorrow of our hearts over our own souls for our own sin. How we fail our Lord! Oh how oft we sin against our Saviour! Are not our hearts grieved and overwhelmed at our failures, the sin in our lives? Are we not overwhelmed at times from the great work we have been commissioned to do, and yet it seems we spin our wheels, and toil and labor, with seemingly no results? I cry unto God when my heart is feeble. When I am filled with doubts and fears. When I don't understand, and strive to serve my God. I cry unto my God when I am alone, when my faith is weak and I'm sorely tried. The children of God have and truly know what it is like to where the cloak of despair, and to languish in the depths of grief, and to have the heart overwhelmed, beyond the ability to express the emotion of our fainting fits of despondency. We will have a heart that is overwhelmed.
But if that was the end of our walk with Christ, we would be of all men most miserable. All the sons of Adam experience such woe, but the joy of the Christian is we do not remain. The world will seek comfort in self, pleasures and other futile attempts of merriment, but we have such a blessed treasure, for when we are weak, He is made strong. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Jesus is the Rock that is higher than I. When our hearts are overwhelmed, it is Christ in which we find safety and refuge. When we are overcome we are as is we were lost at sea, shipwrecked with no hope of recovery, no hope of making it to shore, with drowning in despair our only conceivable hope. Jesus Christ is the Rock that is higher than I. He is the safety when our hearts are overwhelmed, He is the mighty Rock of refuge, and of our salvation. He is higher than I, higher than our troubles, higher than we could ever get ourselves. Psalm 18:2 says The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. When we are overcome by grief and sorrow, Christ is where we must flee. Jesus is the solid, secure, and safe refuge. Through the blood of Christ, we have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Lead me to the Rock, for I can't go on my own. I am too distraught to find my own way, to weak to see, lead me, Holy Spirit, in my distress, to the Rock. Let me never look for refuge in any other. Lead me, take me, help me! I cry out when I can't help myself, but not to my own devices, not to my own works, but to the Rock, the solid rock, that is higher, loftier, mightier than I, that has hope and life for all who cling to Him.
O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I
For thou hast been a shelter for me. Jesus is our protection from danger. When do you seek shelter? When we need a hiding place from storms or danger. A shelter is a place of refuge, a place of comfort. Though the winds howl and the rains beat down, the thunder roars, we are secure in the shelter we seek. Jesus is our shelter. He is our hiding place. The child of God runs to Christ to find a refuge, to find comfort, to find a hiding place. We are secure in Christ. When all the world forsakes us, He never will. When we are being tormented on every side, we go to God in prayer, and there, in the shelter of Christ, we are reminded of His love, mercy, kindness to us and are strengthened. The storm is never as bad when viewed from a shelter.
Jesus is our strong tower from the enemy. He is our strong defense from certain danger. When in battle, a fortress will make the weak and the outnumbered safe. A strong tower provides protection. If the odds were 1000 to 1, it's not the power of the one that would protect, but the strong tower. Jesus is our confident strong hold. He has won the victory over any enemy we may face. Jesus came in the flesh that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. 1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Notice in First Corinthians 15:55-58 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. He is our strong tower, even in death. What greater enemy could there be? Even in our greatest hour of trial, and our weakest moment in the flesh, Jesus is promised not only to be there, but to give us victory.
I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever. The joy we have abiding in Jesus is unspeakable. To be with Him, to have fellowship with Him, what joy there is in Christ. It could seem a contradiction to those who do not know him, how we could joy in tribulation, have fellowship in suffering, be blessed in persecution because they know nothing of the peace of Christ, or the indwelling of the Comforter. God is the God of peace, and when we are overwhelmed, we abide with Him because he will see us through. How often the saints, when they are troubled say they are too troubled to be in God's house? Why forsake such a blessing? The television, the lake, the golf course are sought to find rest for their soul. Do we not believe that God speaks to us through His word, and when we are in need, what better place to hear than in the house of God? To dwell in God's house, to be where God is, to be where God receives glory, to hear praises to His name, and His word expounded, with our brothers and sisters in Christ, there will we find comfort. Coming in from the battle, weary and down, to hear of the grace of God, the goodness of our Lord is what we need to get ready for what ever may come.
I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Fear, sadness, danger, these things send children to their fathers. During the night, when a thunderstorm blows in, a child may become scared of the wind, the lightning and thunder, and run to the safety of fathers arms. The little birds will find comfort under the wings of the hen. How much more will our Heavenly Father give us what we need? The storm is still there, the danger is still present, but how different it seems under His wings. We see in this metaphor the trust of the child in the Father, that under His wings is place to be. Where do you find the disciples of God when faced with doubt and fear? John 13:22-23 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Could there be a more comforting place for the hurt and broken hearted?
Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded, sweetly my soul shall rest.
Hark! tis the voice of angels, borne in a song to me.
Over the fields of glory, over the jasper sea.
Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations, sin cannot harm me there.
Free from the blight of sorrow, free from my doubts and fears;
Only a few more trials, only a few more tears!
Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge, Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages, ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience, wait till the night is over;
Wait till I see the morning break on the golden shore.
Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast
There by His love o’ershaded, sweetly my soul shall rest.
This is the consistent feeling and action of the child of God. Psalm 57:1 is the Psalm of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Notice in David's despair he cry's Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be past. The hope of the worried soul is in Jesus. Even amongst the worst of calamities, we have faith in God that they will pass. We flee to Almighty God, and rest in Him during the midst of the engulfing ruin of life’s ordeals. Even if the catastrophe results in our death, we will leave this earth clinging to Christ, and then spend eternity clinging to Him! What can separate us from the love of God? Nothing. The loving kindness of Christ our Lord, as it were, stretching out His wings of love, to comfort, protect, keep His beloved. It will be He that faces the trials, He that gets us through, He that sees the end, and guides us safely on. While the tempest rages, and the storm blows, it is our loving master that says, Peace, be still. Oh that we will find peace in the covert of thy wings of our Heavenly Father.
As the child goes to God, and seeks refuge, shelter, protection in Him, we find that there is a change in the tenor of the psalm. We find that something drove him to despair, which drove him to Christ. Now see God's benefits to the overwhelmed. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows. God hears our prayers. These were not empty words in the night, but prayers unto the Most High God. The pouring our of our souls to the Lord is not a exercise in futility, but God hears us. He hears our words, He hears our pleas. Even when don't know how to pray, or what to pray for us, the Holy Spirit helpeth our infirmities. When we don't know what to pray for as we ought, the Holy Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings that can not be uttered, He searcheth the hearts.
Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. Not only does God hear our prayers, and give us refuge, but we are the children of God. We have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Abba is the Aramaic word for father, a more tender way of address, like daddy. We are the children of God and not only do we have experience this filial love, but consider the benefits of being son’s and if son's and heirs of God through Christ and joint heirs with Christ, if so that we suffer with him, we may be glorified together. Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations. We know that we are eternally secure, and have comfort in that, but we also trust that God answers our prayers. Is there any sick? Pray. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The benefit of God toward the overwhelmed child is that He answers prayers. No matter what happens, we will be OK, but God may see fit to remove the sore trial that we are in the midst of, whether persecution, sickness, or any other distress. Believe that God is able to deliver us, not only eternally, but here and now.
He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. God will preserve us. God is going to keep us. There may be thorns of the flesh that remain with us, even unto death, but God may be pleased to show His power by removing the distress in our lives. This trial may be a preparatory work, that you will be a great help to some other pilgrim down the way. Second Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. So if we do not have the result that we desired, God will give us grace and help in our time of need. The result God has for us is much better than what we think we want. God will keep us by His mercy. God is merciful, and He will always to what is right, and what is truthful. Praise Him who deals with mankind mercifully and truthfully!
So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. We find the psalmist different at the end than when we found him at the beginning. He started the psalm in despair, but ends it in song. He started crying in pain, and left singing in Christ. He started declaring vows, and left fulfilling them. Can't you see the difference when we go to Christ? How pitiful the Christian who will stay in sorrow, and wallow in misery and not flee to Christ. Daily we should go to Him. The longer we are away, the longer we stay in our misery. The longer we are away, the longer we remain in darkness. The more we stay from our refuge, the more we forget about the joy of our salvation. We can praise God in our troubles because God will always give us comfort. We are always protected by God. The Father will hear our prayers, the Holy Spirit will lead us to Refuge, and we will always have the help and grace which is sufficient for us. Will go through this life, never bearing more than God know we are able to, and God helping us to bear what we are given.
When, not if, but when we face these problems, no matter how dreadful they seem, we have peace in Christ Jesus. We will go to our prayer closets overwhelmed, and leave singing. The problem may still be there, but how sweet to cast ALL our care, ALL our anxieties, ALL our problems upon Him, because He cares for His own. We see in this psalm, that God is sovereign, God is in control and we must trust in Him. Prayer doesn't change God, prayer changes us. First Peter 5:10-11 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sarah Palin a feminist? You Betcha!
Sarah Palin is tiresome, and I really hope she doesn't run for President.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
The unbiblical practice of infant baptism: Why I won't baptize babies
Some hold infant baptism as a non-issue and a matter of conscience, but I hold that the practice is not only unscriptural, but has brought great harm to God’s people. Amazingly, some Baptist are not finding the practice as appalling as our forefathers did, and will stand in ecumenical unity with those who practice infant baptism. There are, no doubt, good brothers who are deceived about this issue, and some not so good wolves as well. As for me, this chapter is the reason why I do not baptize babies, and why I believe it to be not only unscriptural, but dangerous, and why I cannot fellowship, in church capacity with false churches or recognize their baptism. Baptist were called Ana-Baptist long ago, or RE-Baptizers, but actually they truly never “re”bapized anyone. We believe those who have false baptism were not really baptized to start with.
First of all, the premise that the infant baptizers hold to, is flawed. Baptism and circumcision are not the same thing. No reasonable person could say that the intention of circumcision was to make the way for baptism. Not even the Judiazers in the New Testament believed that. The difficulty with discussing baby baptism with someone who holds to that teaching is it’s not just a matter of the way they look at baptism, but the way they read the bible.
Those that hold to covenant theology read the bible through the glasses of their theology. Notice the following points made by J.I Packer concerning covenant theology.
Those that read the bible and believe what it says are flawed, apparently, due to their lack of understanding the ‘covenantal frame’. Anyone can clearly see that baptism and circumcision are not the same thing. The only similarity that they share is the fact that they are tokens. They are different in their manner, candidates, purpose and meaning. Baptism is an act of obedience, whereas circumcision was required by the law. Baptism was given only to professed believers whereas circumcision was given to male Jews and Jewish citizens. Baptism is the answer to a good conscience given to one who is a child of God whereas circumcision was given so the boy may gain inheritance as a Jewish citizen, and not be cut off from their family. All believers are required to be baptized, but only males can be circumcised. Baptism signifies what God DID do for that person, being buried with Christ and raising in newness of life, to which an infant cannot declare, while circumcision shows what a Jew MUST be to be saved, circumcised in heart, which could be given to an infant in symbol. It is not necessary to be baptized to be saved, but it was necessary for one to be circumcised to be a citizen of Israel. So just a brief look at the two tokens, it is plain to anyone who wants to see it that baptism and circumcision are not the same thing, and anyone who tries is attempting to justify their belief by wresting the scripture. If baptism is a seal, and took the place of circumcision for the same purpose, then circumcision was a picture of a picture or a sign of a sign. God didn’t give a picture of a picture of the work of Christ. Circumcision was a token, so is baptism, but one didn’t replace the other. As J.R Graves stated “A SHADOW DOES NOT CAST A SHADOW!”
Another problem with baby baptism view of combining circumcision with baptism is not only does it contradict the bible, but you either have to believe in baptismal regeration, or contradict yourself. Notice the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 28 of Baptism.
Do you see the contradiction? First it is a sign and seal of regeneration and the remission of sins, but then it is given to infants. A walk in newness of life in his church, but then given to babies? There is one meaning of baptism for the baby, another meaning for the adult, which makes two baptism.
The efficacy (Power to produce effects; production to the effect intended definition inserted by author, dpn)of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited (shown, displayed, when AT THE TIME OF BAPTISM, dpn) and conferred (Given; imparted; bestowed, dpn) by the Holy Ghost, to such whether of age or infants as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his appointed time.
There is really no way around this contradiction. Those that hold to baby baptism and this confession say, in their own words, there is grace imparted and shown to the recipient of that baptism and that by baptizing, God will save them, but then go on to speak of justification by faith.
Douglas Newell IV
First of all, the premise that the infant baptizers hold to, is flawed. Baptism and circumcision are not the same thing. No reasonable person could say that the intention of circumcision was to make the way for baptism. Not even the Judiazers in the New Testament believed that. The difficulty with discussing baby baptism with someone who holds to that teaching is it’s not just a matter of the way they look at baptism, but the way they read the bible.
Those that hold to covenant theology read the bible through the glasses of their theology. Notice the following points made by J.I Packer concerning covenant theology.
“First, the gospel of God is not properly understood till it is viewed within a covenantal frame. Second, the Word of God is not properly understood till it is viewed within a covenantal frame. Third, the reality of God is not properly understood till it is viewed within a covenantal frame.”In other words, if you do not first understand this theological system, you can’t properly know God, His word, or the gospel.
Those that read the bible and believe what it says are flawed, apparently, due to their lack of understanding the ‘covenantal frame’. Anyone can clearly see that baptism and circumcision are not the same thing. The only similarity that they share is the fact that they are tokens. They are different in their manner, candidates, purpose and meaning. Baptism is an act of obedience, whereas circumcision was required by the law. Baptism was given only to professed believers whereas circumcision was given to male Jews and Jewish citizens. Baptism is the answer to a good conscience given to one who is a child of God whereas circumcision was given so the boy may gain inheritance as a Jewish citizen, and not be cut off from their family. All believers are required to be baptized, but only males can be circumcised. Baptism signifies what God DID do for that person, being buried with Christ and raising in newness of life, to which an infant cannot declare, while circumcision shows what a Jew MUST be to be saved, circumcised in heart, which could be given to an infant in symbol. It is not necessary to be baptized to be saved, but it was necessary for one to be circumcised to be a citizen of Israel. So just a brief look at the two tokens, it is plain to anyone who wants to see it that baptism and circumcision are not the same thing, and anyone who tries is attempting to justify their belief by wresting the scripture. If baptism is a seal, and took the place of circumcision for the same purpose, then circumcision was a picture of a picture or a sign of a sign. God didn’t give a picture of a picture of the work of Christ. Circumcision was a token, so is baptism, but one didn’t replace the other. As J.R Graves stated “A SHADOW DOES NOT CAST A SHADOW!”
Another problem with baby baptism view of combining circumcision with baptism is not only does it contradict the bible, but you either have to believe in baptismal regeration, or contradict yourself. Notice the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 28 of Baptism.
1. Baptism is a sacrament of the NT, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in his Church until the end of the world. 3. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized.5. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.
Do you see the contradiction? First it is a sign and seal of regeneration and the remission of sins, but then it is given to infants. A walk in newness of life in his church, but then given to babies? There is one meaning of baptism for the baby, another meaning for the adult, which makes two baptism.
The efficacy (Power to produce effects; production to the effect intended definition inserted by author, dpn)of baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited (shown, displayed, when AT THE TIME OF BAPTISM, dpn) and conferred (Given; imparted; bestowed, dpn) by the Holy Ghost, to such whether of age or infants as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his appointed time.
There is really no way around this contradiction. Those that hold to baby baptism and this confession say, in their own words, there is grace imparted and shown to the recipient of that baptism and that by baptizing, God will save them, but then go on to speak of justification by faith.
Douglas Newell IV
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Baptism by Baptism
Among those that profess Christianity and throughout the different denominations there has been, for hundreds of years, constant strife and debate throughout the different denominations over what mode of baptism is acceptable and proper. Some baptize by immersion, some by sprinkling and some by pouring. The bible declares that there is “one faith, one Lord and one baptism” so only one of these ways can be correct. Some time ago, a popular cliché was oft repeated amongst Christians “what would Jesus do?” The idea was that by imagining what Jesus would do in a certain situation, we could better guide our lives. It sounds good, but not really very helpful. The question should not be “what would Jesus do?” but rather “what DID Jesus do?” How do we know? By the authority and sufficiency of scripture. I people asked the question “how WAS Jesus baptized?” they would know the answer to the question “what would Jesus do.” But don’t stop there, search the Word of God and ask how were the apostles baptized and how did the apostles baptize? What was the New Testament understanding of baptism? Once you have answered these questions, you will know for a fact the proper mode of baptism.
Baptism doesn’t save, and baptism doesn’t wash away sins, but it is important. It is the first command after salvation for the believer to follow; repent and be baptized. There is specificity in baptism, yet the religious world differs so widely on baptism and false teachers have “muddied” the waters of baptism for many, obscuring the plain teaching, making the simple complex. Some sprinkle water, some pour water, some dip under the water. There are some for baptisms given for salvation, others only for believers, while some baptisms are given to confer privilege; some to adults only, some to newborn infants. So who is right?
When we come to this subject, and all subjects, we should go to the Word, and go to our Lord. Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ was baptized, we are exhorted in scriptures to be baptized, Christ commanded baptism, so it only stands to reason that we should be baptized just as He was baptized. The imperative to be baptized is meaningless if we do not know HOW we are to be baptized. We should follow our Lord, as commanded, in the baptismal waters. By following the example of Jesus Christ and by examining the baptism of Jesus Christ, we will know what is the proper mode Christians are to be baptized, the pictures that baptism illustrate and the importance of the baptism of John and his authority to baptize.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. The mode of baptism has been a long discussed topic for churchmen. The idea was absurd in the days of the apostles. The idea of a mode of baptism itself is a misnomer because Jesus was baptized by baptism. I once heard a wonderful sermon by Joe Wilson he entitled baptism by baptism. This may seem illogical; however, few things can be so clear. John was baptized by baptism because the word baptize is a transliteration. It is an English word that was made to reflect the Greek word in the original text, not a translation of the word. The word βαπτίζω (baptizō) was transliterated “baptism” instead of translated. If baptizō was translated there would not even be a debate. Baptizō means to dip, to immerse, to submerge or to fully whelm. That is what I mean when I say that He was baptized by baptism, Jesus was immersed by immersion. The word itself means to go all the way under. Christ was not sprinkled, He was not poured upon but was put under the water.
“The Greek word baptize, which we borrow, was of very common use, as is seen in every period of Greek literature and was applied to a great variety of matters, including the most familiar acts of everyday life. It was thus a word which every Greek speaking hearer and reader in apostolic times would at once and clearly understand. It meant what we express by ‘immerse’ and kindred terms, and no on e could then have thought of attributing to it a wholly different sense, such as ‘sprinkle’ or ‘pour’ without distinct explanation to that effect…..Luther and Calvin both explicitly declared that the primitive baptism was immersion and the former said it ought to be restored; but they allowed the existing practice to remain undisturbed. In the course of time many Protestants came to perceive that it was very awkward to rest their practice in this respect on the authority of the Church of Rome, and being accustomed and attacked to the practice they very naturally sought countenance for it in scripture. Such are the unavoidable defects of language, that strongly biased and ingenious minds can always cast some apparent doubt over the mean of the plainest words.” John Broadus
There would have been no question in New Testament times what baptizo meant, dipping, immersing. JR Graves, in his study of the Greek word baptizo in his book John’s Baptism found that “sixty-two standard Greek Lexicons giving only to dip, to immerse, as the literal primary meaning, which is the real meaning, of the work in Greek, corroborating the declaration of Dr. Charles Anton (Episcopalian), [then] President of Columbia ‘The primary meaning of the word [baptizo] is to dip, to immerse; and its secondary meaning, if it ever had any, refers to the same leading idea. Sprinkling and pouring are entirely out of the question.” As Oscar Mink well said in his book The Baptist Bride
You do not have to be a Greek scholar to understand this; you don’t even have to know that the word baptize means immersion to understand this. Reading your Bible makes it abundantly clear. First, Jesus went into the water to be baptized in the river. Jesus was not baptized of the river Jordan, by the river Jordan but IN the river Jordan. Secondly, Jesus went up straight way out of the water. Christ was in the water and when He was baptized, He had to come up out of the water. This is baptism and if you did not go into the water, and if you did not come up out of the water, you were not baptized. Or, as J.R. Graves illustrated in John’s Baptism, you could replace the word baptism with your mode and see which one is even possible. “And Jesus, when He was Baptized” is the text, so let us put the modes to the test. And Jesus, when He was sprinkled. Was Jesus sprinkled? How can you sprinkle a man? If you sprinkle salt on your food, you take the salt and distribute it all over, the salt is sprinkled out. How can you “sprinkle a man?” No, if baptism were by sprinkling, he would have to had water sprinkled upon Him. And Jesus, when He was poured. Was Jesus poured out in the river? No, the river would have had to been poured upon Him. So the word poor cannot be synonymous with baptism. And Jesus, “when He was immersed” is the only possibility. Sprinkling and pouring are things you do upon a person; only immersion is something that you can do to someone.
Baptism can be understood to be by immersion by what it pictures. Christ’s baptism was a picture, and New Testament baptism is a picture. The baptism of Jesus was not for salvation, for He was the Saviour; nor was it to wash away sin, for He was sinless. It was to “fulfill all righteousness” Matthew 3:15, Jesus submitted to baptism because it was to do the Father’s will. Afterward, all God’s people are to be baptized upon repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:36-37). Had the eunuch needed baptism for salvation, Phillip erred in not sending him straight to the water. Examine every case of baptism in the New Testament, and you will find believers baptism.
Christ fulfilled all righteousness in type. Christ fulfilled the necessary work of salvation on the cross, He died and rose from the tomb, thus He showed what He would do on the cross and from the tomb in the water. Baptism pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:3-5). What great importance the mode of baptism brings picturing the death of Christ. Baptism by immersion shows the burial, under the water, and shows the resurrection, out of the water. For us, it shows and symbolizes our death to sin and our rising to walk in newness of life. Baptism is a burial (Romans 6:3-5) and it wound not take long for a funeral home to go out of business if they were in the practice of burying by sprinkling.
SO, I believe in baptism by baptism, since the word means immersion.
Douglas Newell IV
Baptism doesn’t save, and baptism doesn’t wash away sins, but it is important. It is the first command after salvation for the believer to follow; repent and be baptized. There is specificity in baptism, yet the religious world differs so widely on baptism and false teachers have “muddied” the waters of baptism for many, obscuring the plain teaching, making the simple complex. Some sprinkle water, some pour water, some dip under the water. There are some for baptisms given for salvation, others only for believers, while some baptisms are given to confer privilege; some to adults only, some to newborn infants. So who is right?
When we come to this subject, and all subjects, we should go to the Word, and go to our Lord. Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ was baptized, we are exhorted in scriptures to be baptized, Christ commanded baptism, so it only stands to reason that we should be baptized just as He was baptized. The imperative to be baptized is meaningless if we do not know HOW we are to be baptized. We should follow our Lord, as commanded, in the baptismal waters. By following the example of Jesus Christ and by examining the baptism of Jesus Christ, we will know what is the proper mode Christians are to be baptized, the pictures that baptism illustrate and the importance of the baptism of John and his authority to baptize.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. The mode of baptism has been a long discussed topic for churchmen. The idea was absurd in the days of the apostles. The idea of a mode of baptism itself is a misnomer because Jesus was baptized by baptism. I once heard a wonderful sermon by Joe Wilson he entitled baptism by baptism. This may seem illogical; however, few things can be so clear. John was baptized by baptism because the word baptize is a transliteration. It is an English word that was made to reflect the Greek word in the original text, not a translation of the word. The word βαπτίζω (baptizō) was transliterated “baptism” instead of translated. If baptizō was translated there would not even be a debate. Baptizō means to dip, to immerse, to submerge or to fully whelm. That is what I mean when I say that He was baptized by baptism, Jesus was immersed by immersion. The word itself means to go all the way under. Christ was not sprinkled, He was not poured upon but was put under the water.
“The Greek word baptize, which we borrow, was of very common use, as is seen in every period of Greek literature and was applied to a great variety of matters, including the most familiar acts of everyday life. It was thus a word which every Greek speaking hearer and reader in apostolic times would at once and clearly understand. It meant what we express by ‘immerse’ and kindred terms, and no on e could then have thought of attributing to it a wholly different sense, such as ‘sprinkle’ or ‘pour’ without distinct explanation to that effect…..Luther and Calvin both explicitly declared that the primitive baptism was immersion and the former said it ought to be restored; but they allowed the existing practice to remain undisturbed. In the course of time many Protestants came to perceive that it was very awkward to rest their practice in this respect on the authority of the Church of Rome, and being accustomed and attacked to the practice they very naturally sought countenance for it in scripture. Such are the unavoidable defects of language, that strongly biased and ingenious minds can always cast some apparent doubt over the mean of the plainest words.” John Broadus
There would have been no question in New Testament times what baptizo meant, dipping, immersing. JR Graves, in his study of the Greek word baptizo in his book John’s Baptism found that “sixty-two standard Greek Lexicons giving only to dip, to immerse, as the literal primary meaning, which is the real meaning, of the work in Greek, corroborating the declaration of Dr. Charles Anton (Episcopalian), [then] President of Columbia ‘The primary meaning of the word [baptizo] is to dip, to immerse; and its secondary meaning, if it ever had any, refers to the same leading idea. Sprinkling and pouring are entirely out of the question.” As Oscar Mink well said in his book The Baptist Bride
“Sprinkling is sprinkling, no matter how many people call it baptism. It is still what it was, and that is sprinkling. Rantizio (Greek word for sprinkling) will never become baptizio in any language.”
You do not have to be a Greek scholar to understand this; you don’t even have to know that the word baptize means immersion to understand this. Reading your Bible makes it abundantly clear. First, Jesus went into the water to be baptized in the river. Jesus was not baptized of the river Jordan, by the river Jordan but IN the river Jordan. Secondly, Jesus went up straight way out of the water. Christ was in the water and when He was baptized, He had to come up out of the water. This is baptism and if you did not go into the water, and if you did not come up out of the water, you were not baptized. Or, as J.R. Graves illustrated in John’s Baptism, you could replace the word baptism with your mode and see which one is even possible. “And Jesus, when He was Baptized” is the text, so let us put the modes to the test. And Jesus, when He was sprinkled. Was Jesus sprinkled? How can you sprinkle a man? If you sprinkle salt on your food, you take the salt and distribute it all over, the salt is sprinkled out. How can you “sprinkle a man?” No, if baptism were by sprinkling, he would have to had water sprinkled upon Him. And Jesus, when He was poured. Was Jesus poured out in the river? No, the river would have had to been poured upon Him. So the word poor cannot be synonymous with baptism. And Jesus, “when He was immersed” is the only possibility. Sprinkling and pouring are things you do upon a person; only immersion is something that you can do to someone.
Baptism can be understood to be by immersion by what it pictures. Christ’s baptism was a picture, and New Testament baptism is a picture. The baptism of Jesus was not for salvation, for He was the Saviour; nor was it to wash away sin, for He was sinless. It was to “fulfill all righteousness” Matthew 3:15, Jesus submitted to baptism because it was to do the Father’s will. Afterward, all God’s people are to be baptized upon repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:36-37). Had the eunuch needed baptism for salvation, Phillip erred in not sending him straight to the water. Examine every case of baptism in the New Testament, and you will find believers baptism.
Christ fulfilled all righteousness in type. Christ fulfilled the necessary work of salvation on the cross, He died and rose from the tomb, thus He showed what He would do on the cross and from the tomb in the water. Baptism pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:3-5). What great importance the mode of baptism brings picturing the death of Christ. Baptism by immersion shows the burial, under the water, and shows the resurrection, out of the water. For us, it shows and symbolizes our death to sin and our rising to walk in newness of life. Baptism is a burial (Romans 6:3-5) and it wound not take long for a funeral home to go out of business if they were in the practice of burying by sprinkling.
SO, I believe in baptism by baptism, since the word means immersion.
Douglas Newell IV
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Monday Morning QB
- Now I'm conflicted. First President Obama. And then Oprah too?
- On the sports scene, on Thursday, the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat; again. I think it is interesting that will all the hype around Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, they still can't beat the Celtics. The Celtics are an older, veteran team that plays good team basketball. Sometimes it is better to have a good cohesive group than to have several talented individuals.
- If you are going to say something controversial, and say it in a combative way, don't be surprised if people get upset.
- I received a book in the mail this week, but I don't know who bought it for me. So if you are reading it, thanks!
- After a lot of thought, I deactivated my Twitter account this week. I had really gotten into using it and I did find a lot of redeeming value in the applications when it came to businesses and ministries sending out devotional links. But I felt like there were more problems than benefits. One, too much snark. I like a good one-liner as well as the next guy, but there is only so many snide comments you can take before it starts to affect you. Secondly, I didn't really know most of the people I was following and who were following me. Those are not real relationships and it doesn't make a good substitute. Finally, I was getting SO MUCH information, links, news, updates, but at the end of the day, when I thought about what I read, it was all pretty much useless information and I would have been better served reading a book than a poorly phrased quote in 140 characters or less.
- A couple of albums to be excited about if you are a Bluegrass fan. Two digitally remastered albums by Del McCoury and the Country Gentlemen. You can read about it here.
Sunday morning I preached from II Kings 5:1-5 on "A little girl who saved a general." She was a godly little heroine. We studied her faith, her compassion and her influence. I believed the Lord blessed.
Sunday evening I preached on day 5 and 6 of creation. It is a awe-inspiring study considering the Biblical account of creation.
Lord willing, we will continue our study Wednesday night on "Things Paul was thankful for."
And to sing us home, a beautiful Stephen Foster song sang by Allison Krauss with some classical accompaniment.
Douglas Newell IV
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Monday Morning QB
Here we go, our first addition of the Monday Morning QB, and on Sunday night to boot! An look at the past week, some random thoughts and a look to the week to come.
- Isaiah 3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. I am not sure if we are being governed by the naive, the childish, or just the arrogant. I told someone this week, that by suffering through poor governments now, we will better appreciate the rule of Jesus in the millennial reign. But, we still live in the greatest nation on Earth, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
- Speaking of being ruled by the childish, election coverage has become ridiculously absurd reporting elections as if it were a sporting event. I can't remember now which station (I was watching the networks) but if memory serves, it was an ABC pundit who, said "As Shakespeare said, 'it rains on the just and the unjust alike." Shakespeare? Really? Then the 'smart people' on the panel chuckled is an air of intellectual superiority. Shakespeare did say it, but he was QUOTING the Lord Jesus Christ, from THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. That 15 second moment sort of summed up for me what is wrong with our country.
- I usually start my Bible reading through the year in November. Something about starting January first always hindered me. When I start in November, it makes me think that I have an extra two months to read through the Bible for the next year. Which is kind of silly, but it works for me.
- Now HERE is a COEXIST sticker I can agree with.
- When we like the command, it isn’t really displaying great obedience; it is more that we agree with the command. Obedience is shown when we do not agree or do not understand the command, but do it anyway.
- There has been some discussion concerning the King James Bible in the Lord's churches recently, and I have found some good reading on the subject. Milburn Cockrell wrote a good article on why he preached from the KJV.
- JC Philpot wrote an good defense of the KJV here.
- Dishonest Dealings. It really bothers me when men, in defending their position, misrepresent the other side, intentionally to make their side better. That is nothing more than a false witness. If you can't make your case without lying about it you either need to reexamine your position, or let someone who has a better grasp of the issue defend your position.
- Sunday recap. In the morning service, I preached on "Practical thoughts on the Doctrine of Election." We need to make sure that the doctrine is in the head, but also live with the doctrine in our heart.
- Sunday evening was continuing on our study of the first 11 chapters of Genesis. We took up days 2-4. We have sickness running through the church, pray the Lord blesses with strength and grace.
- With God's marvelous design in mind, here is a great video about seed dispersal. How anyone could deny creation and design after thinking about the following video is beyond me.
- This week:
Looking forward to continuing our Wednesday night study on things Paul was thankful for. I was really blessed last week in the study of having a thankful heart. Lord willing we will tackle Day 5 of creation next Sunday evening, and praying that God will strengthen the saints during the week. We need God every second, every hour! Let's not forsake prayer, and go to God this week needy, confident and thankful in Christ.
Douglas Newell IV
Monday, November 1, 2010
State of the blog
I’ve been thinking about the blog, since I haven’t been posting recently. I have been neglecting posting original content, even though I have it on the PC. It just stopped being fun. So I have decided to keep it simple, reduce the number of posts and try to have some continuity here.
Monday’s will be the Monday Morning QB, a reflection of the past week, the coming week, the Sunday sermons, and some random thoughts on current events.
Once or twice a month, I hope to write an article. Maybe more, but I think right now, one or two will be what we are looking at.
I started the blog as a hobby, so I could mess around with basic HTML, get some biblical truth on the interwebs, and have some fun. I enjoy writing, and most of my posts are either articles I am writing, or I am thinking through something, and it helps me to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Writing helps the thought process and I believe writing helps make better preachers. Somewhere along the line, the blog became a burden, it stopped being fun, productivity slowed, then it stopped. I have some regular readers, and I appreciate you, but I think you deserve SOME expectation of content. And, lets face it, there are A LOT of blogs to keep up with, if you keep up with blogs. Hopefully this will give a little structure, and I can get back to enjoying keeping up with it.
Lord willing, we’ll have regular Monday posts, and original posts every other week.
Unless it changes.
Because it might. Because it usually does. 8^)
______________________________________________________________________
Douglas Newell IV
Monday’s will be the Monday Morning QB, a reflection of the past week, the coming week, the Sunday sermons, and some random thoughts on current events.
Once or twice a month, I hope to write an article. Maybe more, but I think right now, one or two will be what we are looking at.
I started the blog as a hobby, so I could mess around with basic HTML, get some biblical truth on the interwebs, and have some fun. I enjoy writing, and most of my posts are either articles I am writing, or I am thinking through something, and it helps me to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Writing helps the thought process and I believe writing helps make better preachers. Somewhere along the line, the blog became a burden, it stopped being fun, productivity slowed, then it stopped. I have some regular readers, and I appreciate you, but I think you deserve SOME expectation of content. And, lets face it, there are A LOT of blogs to keep up with, if you keep up with blogs. Hopefully this will give a little structure, and I can get back to enjoying keeping up with it.
Lord willing, we’ll have regular Monday posts, and original posts every other week.
Unless it changes.
Because it might. Because it usually does. 8^)
______________________________________________________________________
Douglas Newell IV
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Did they die in vain?
W.N. Nevins in his book Alien Baptism:
“Under bloody Mary, blood flowed from Baptist veins, and Queen Elizabeth followed the example of her wicked father, and like him, banished Baptists, giving them twenty days to leave the realm. For two hundred years, [after the reformation] according to court records, Baptist were persecuted in England.” “Catholics might persecute Episcopalians, and Episcopalians, when in power, persecuted the Catholics, but both joined in their animosity and persecution of the Baptists.... Did they die in vain? You, who call yourselves Baptist today, will you throw away this priceless heritage that they preserved for you at the price of persecution, martyrdom and death? When you do this, you not only brand them as fanatics, but you surrender the principles that differentiates us, and Baptists become on branch of the Universal Church, with no more authority to administer the ordinance than apostate Rome or her daughter, the Church of England.”
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A Day is a Day
When is a day not a day? When someone is trying to discredit the Word of God. Genesis is clear that the universe was created in 6, 24 hour days. Here is another good quote from John MacArthur from his book Battle for the Beginning.
“But the order of creation itself rules out the possibility that the “days” of Genesis 1 were really long ages. For example, plant life was created on day three (Gen. 1:12), including flowering plants and seed production trees. But birds didn’t appear until the 5th day (Gen 1:21), and earth-bound animal creatures—including insects (creeping things Gen. 1:24) – were not created until the 6th day. As every gardener knows, there is a necessary symbiosis between most flowering plants and the insect kingdom that utterly rules out the existence of one apart from the other. All these different, interdependent life-forms could not have evolved together simultaneously; neither could the flowering plants have been created thousands of years before the insects and birds.”
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Wife Beating Rules from the Religion of Peace
Religion of peace huh? Yeah. Prove it to us instead of telling us about it. That should be our reply to "religion of peace" statements from nitwits who are blinded to the true nature of Islam and the Koran. Show us your peace. Prove it to us, don't tell me about it, show it to us in action, in deed, in message, in your followers.
He made a great point about that it comes down to with Jesus or against Him.
The Religion of Evolution
"Consider the dogma of evolution for example. The notion that natural evolutionary processes can account for the origin of all living species have never and never will be established as fact. Nor is it “scientific” in any true sense of the word. Science deals with what can be observed and reproduced by experimentation. The origin of life can be neither observed nor reproduced in any laboratory. By definition, then, true science can give us no knowledge whatsoever about where we came from or how we got here. Belief in evolutionary theory is a matter of sheer faith. And dogmatic belief in any naturalistic theory Is not more “scientific” than any other kind of religious faith.”
John MacArthur Battle for the Beginning.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Frustrating the Grace of God
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Paul, Barnabas and Titus (a gentile) went up to Jerusalem and preached the same gospel to the Jerusalem church as he had among the Gentiles. Titus, the Greek Christian, was not forced to be circumscised to be among the predominantly Jewish church.
There were some false preachers who had slipped into the church, to spy out the liberty in Christ the believers had, intending to enslave them again into the bondage of the law.
Gal. 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. (in other words: Didn't yield for even an hour for the truths sake)
These men seemed to be influential among the brethren. Paul didn't care who they were, and whatever they were didn't make a bit of difference to Paul because God isn't a respecter of persons and doesn't show partiality, so he didn't care what they thought of him or said. And Peter James and John saw that Paul's gospel and ministry were of God, they gave them the hand of fellowship.
When Peter later on, went to the church at Antioch, he ate with the Gentiles, until these so-called influential Jews showed up, and then Peter separated himself again. Paul saw that Peter was afraid of these Jews, or at least was so concerned about what these influential men thought that Peter bowed to them, and in order to appease the false teachers he fell under their influence. The situation was so bad that even Barnabas followed with these false teachers. Peter went back to the separation and dietary laws, that said the Jews and Gentiles couldn't eat together. Peter fell to these so-called important men, even after God himself had explicitly told Peter in Word, showed Him in both vision and in practice that ...What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. [Acts 10:15].
Paul confronted Peter face to face before everyone and told him he was wrong. ..."I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" Gal 2:14
This brings us to our text. I think that Paul gave this message at Antioch, and is giving it again to the churches in Galatia. They were having the same problems. There were false teachers about who would sneak into churches and try to put men back under the law in order to be saved.
Galatians 2:14-21 is a logical and theological proof that we must be saved by Grace or we won’t be saved at all. The only hope of salvation, forgiveness and pardon to guilty sinners is by faith in Jesus Christ; all other ways will break down and ultimately fail, resulting in eternal punishment for sins.
Frustrate means, to break or interrupt; hence, to defeat; to disappoint; to balk; to bring to nothing.; or to abrogate. Christ abrogated the ceremonial law by fulfilling it in full. Christ frustrated the law, I am not going to frustrate the grace of God.
We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ
i. Substitution - took our place on Calvary, paid the penalty
ii. Imputation of sin to Christ -- our sin became His, He paid it
iii. Imputation of righteousness to us – His right. Is ours, we are righteous
iv. Satisfaction – Father’s wrath, law’s penalty satisfied on the cross
v. Justification – as if we had never sinned. Our sin is paid for and we are hidden in Christ, clean, forgiven and righteous.
Paul, Barnabas and Titus (a gentile) went up to Jerusalem and preached the same gospel to the Jerusalem church as he had among the Gentiles. Titus, the Greek Christian, was not forced to be circumscised to be among the predominantly Jewish church.
There were some false preachers who had slipped into the church, to spy out the liberty in Christ the believers had, intending to enslave them again into the bondage of the law.
Gal. 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. (in other words: Didn't yield for even an hour for the truths sake)
These men seemed to be influential among the brethren. Paul didn't care who they were, and whatever they were didn't make a bit of difference to Paul because God isn't a respecter of persons and doesn't show partiality, so he didn't care what they thought of him or said. And Peter James and John saw that Paul's gospel and ministry were of God, they gave them the hand of fellowship.
When Peter later on, went to the church at Antioch, he ate with the Gentiles, until these so-called influential Jews showed up, and then Peter separated himself again. Paul saw that Peter was afraid of these Jews, or at least was so concerned about what these influential men thought that Peter bowed to them, and in order to appease the false teachers he fell under their influence. The situation was so bad that even Barnabas followed with these false teachers. Peter went back to the separation and dietary laws, that said the Jews and Gentiles couldn't eat together. Peter fell to these so-called important men, even after God himself had explicitly told Peter in Word, showed Him in both vision and in practice that ...What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. [Acts 10:15].
Paul confronted Peter face to face before everyone and told him he was wrong. ..."I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" Gal 2:14
This brings us to our text. I think that Paul gave this message at Antioch, and is giving it again to the churches in Galatia. They were having the same problems. There were false teachers about who would sneak into churches and try to put men back under the law in order to be saved.
Galatians 2:14-21 is a logical and theological proof that we must be saved by Grace or we won’t be saved at all. The only hope of salvation, forgiveness and pardon to guilty sinners is by faith in Jesus Christ; all other ways will break down and ultimately fail, resulting in eternal punishment for sins.
Frustrate means, to break or interrupt; hence, to defeat; to disappoint; to balk; to bring to nothing.; or to abrogate. Christ abrogated the ceremonial law by fulfilling it in full. Christ frustrated the law, I am not going to frustrate the grace of God.
We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ
i. Substitution - took our place on Calvary, paid the penalty
ii. Imputation of sin to Christ -- our sin became His, He paid it
iii. Imputation of righteousness to us – His right. Is ours, we are righteous
iv. Satisfaction – Father’s wrath, law’s penalty satisfied on the cross
v. Justification – as if we had never sinned. Our sin is paid for and we are hidden in Christ, clean, forgiven and righteous.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Psalms 8:3-5 When I consider thy heavens...
Psalms 8:3-5 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
I saw this second video at the Creation Museum. Awesome.
I saw this second video at the Creation Museum. Awesome.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Logical Conclusion of Abortion
If you can kill a child in the womb, why not outside it? This is where the culture of death ends when carried out to its logical conclusion.
The host is genuinely shocked, so is the other guest. She goes on explaining as if they didn't understand what she was trying to say. No, we understand what you said, you have no problem killing a baby because it was suffering. You consider human life a bunch of cells (her words, not mine) and that the picture of love is killing something that doesn't experience pleasure.
Then at 0:12 she clarifies, ANY suffering thing. This illustrates that abortion has nothing to do with "choice".
The host is genuinely shocked, so is the other guest. She goes on explaining as if they didn't understand what she was trying to say. No, we understand what you said, you have no problem killing a baby because it was suffering. You consider human life a bunch of cells (her words, not mine) and that the picture of love is killing something that doesn't experience pleasure.
Then at 0:12 she clarifies, ANY suffering thing. This illustrates that abortion has nothing to do with "choice".
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Potentates, princes, priests and people
Jeremiah 1:17-18 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
God told Jeremiah to gird up his loins, or as we might say now "man up." Jeremiah earlier said that he couldn't speak because he was a child. By himself, he was right, he had no strength. God didn't plan on sending him out in his own strength.
Potentates, princes, priests and people stand against God's people, we are like a defensed city, iron pillar and brazen wall in Christ.
Jeremiah 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
Yes, they will fight against you and they will not listen, but they did not send Jeremiah, did they?
God sent, God gave the message and God would be with Jeremiah in the fire. They fight against you Jeremiah, but I, Jehovah, am there to deliver you. Christ, the deliverer had promised. Christ the deliverer HAS promised. Trust Him.
God told Jeremiah to gird up his loins, or as we might say now "man up." Jeremiah earlier said that he couldn't speak because he was a child. By himself, he was right, he had no strength. God didn't plan on sending him out in his own strength.
Potentates, princes, priests and people stand against God's people, we are like a defensed city, iron pillar and brazen wall in Christ.
Jeremiah 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
Yes, they will fight against you and they will not listen, but they did not send Jeremiah, did they?
God sent, God gave the message and God would be with Jeremiah in the fire. They fight against you Jeremiah, but I, Jehovah, am there to deliver you. Christ, the deliverer had promised. Christ the deliverer HAS promised. Trust Him.
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Day Lincoln Was Shot by Jim Bishop
The Day Lincoln Was Shot tells the hour by hour account of the day President Lincoln was assassinated. Each chapter covers each hour in the 24 hour period, and detailing what happened with all the major players during that time during the course of that infamous day. You follow Lincoln, Booth, Grant, Seward and many others throughout there day.
It was a heartbreaking book, but it was quite thought provoking. The author points out many instances where the plot could have been stopped, and details many small, seemingly insignificant circumstances, that made the assassination possible. What came to my mind was the workings of God's providence.
Without a doubt, the book is painstaking researched and the author did a great job putting the pieces of the puzzle together. How difficult it must have been to piece together history? Yet what is even more amazing that God ordains all things to come to pass. Our minds marvel at the events of a past event, while God has planned all things and ordains all things to come to pass, for every person, place and thing, in all the universe, for all eternity!
I recently read a sermon by D. James Kennedy giving an account of Mr. Lincoln's salvation. Lincoln was not a Christian for most of his life, but, according to his research, Lincoln had repentant faith in Christ alone for salvation.
(Job 14:5) Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
Douglas Newell IV
It was a heartbreaking book, but it was quite thought provoking. The author points out many instances where the plot could have been stopped, and details many small, seemingly insignificant circumstances, that made the assassination possible. What came to my mind was the workings of God's providence.
Without a doubt, the book is painstaking researched and the author did a great job putting the pieces of the puzzle together. How difficult it must have been to piece together history? Yet what is even more amazing that God ordains all things to come to pass. Our minds marvel at the events of a past event, while God has planned all things and ordains all things to come to pass, for every person, place and thing, in all the universe, for all eternity!
I recently read a sermon by D. James Kennedy giving an account of Mr. Lincoln's salvation. Lincoln was not a Christian for most of his life, but, according to his research, Lincoln had repentant faith in Christ alone for salvation.
(Job 14:5) Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
Douglas Newell IV
Friday, September 24, 2010
Triumphantly into harbour!
Martyn Lloyd-Jones from His book Spiritual Depression.
"For so,' he says (2 Peter 1:11) 'an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.' He is not talking about salvation here because these people are already saved; he is talking about the ultimate entrance into glory ... 'if you do these things', says Peter, 'if you discipline your life, if you order your life and furnish out your faith in this way and with these various other qualities', he says, 'you will never fall' in the present, you will have great joy and happiness resulting from your assurance, and when the end comes you will go out of this life into the next with your sails filled with the glorious breezes of Heaven. There will be no hesitation about it, it will not be an entrance with torn sails; rather an 'abundant entrance' will be ministered unto you ... For it will not be a putting out into some unknown sea, but rather an ending of the storms of life and a triumphant entry into the haven of our eternal rest and glory in the presence of God.
If we are unhappy and depressed Christians it is more than likely that it is all due to that lack of discipline. Let us therefore be up and doing, and giving all diligence, let us supplement our faith and not be afraid. Let us get our ideas clear and then put them into practice, and supplement our faith with this strength and vigour, with this knowledge, with this temperance, with this patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Let us begin to enjoy our Christian life and to be useful and helpful to others. Let us grow in grace and knowledge and so be an attraction to all who know us to come and join with us in the like precious faith, and to experience the blessedness of these exceeding great and precious promises which never fail."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Rational, Logical Pro-Life Arguments
The following is a portion from an article written by By Scott Klusendorf of the Life Training Institute. His article How to Defend Your Pro-Life Views in 5 Minutes or Less was very good, but I particularlly liked this acronym SLED for discussing pro-life issues.
Size
Level of development
Environment
Degree of Dependency
Pro-abortion advocates spend great time, carefully crafting soundbites and slogans that deter from the real issue. Case in point, "pro-choice" was adopted to take the issue from life to choice of the mother. Don't yield the language.
______________________________________________________________________
Douglas Newell IV
Size
Level of development
Environment
Degree of Dependency
Think of the acronym SLED as a helpful reminder of these non-essential differences:4
Size: True, embryos are smaller than newborns and adults, but why is that relevant? Do we really want to say that large people are more human than small ones? Men are generally larger than women, but that doesn’t mean that they deserve more rights. Size doesn’t equal value.
Level of development: True, embryos and fetuses are less developed than you and I. But again, why is this relevant? Four year-old girls are less developed than 14 year-old ones. Should older children have more rights than their younger siblings? Some people say that self-awareness makes one human. But if that is true, newborns do not qualify as valuable human beings. Six-week old infants lack the immediate capacity for performing human mental functions, as do the reversibly comatose, the sleeping, and those with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Environment: Where you are has no bearing on who you are. Does your value change when you cross the street or roll over in bed? If not, how can a journey of eight inches down the birth-canal suddenly change the essential nature of the unborn from non-human to human? If the unborn are not already human, merely changing their location can’t make them valuable.
Degree of Dependency: If viability makes us human, then all those who depend on insulin or kidney medication are not valuable and we may kill them. Conjoined twins who share blood type and bodily systems also have no right to life.
In short, it’s far more reasonable to argue that although humans differ immensely with respect to talents, accomplishments, and degrees of development, they are nonetheless equal because they share a common human nature.
3) Challenge your listeners to be intellectually honest. Ask the tough questions. When critics say that birth makes the unborn human, ask, “How does a mere change of location from inside the womb to outside the womb change the essential nature of the unborn?” If they say that brain development or higher consciousness makes us human, ask if they would agree with Joseph Fletcher that those with an IQ below 20 or perhaps 40 should be declared non-persons? If not, why not? True, some people will ignore the scientific and philosophic case you present for the pro-life view and argue for abortion based on self-interest. That is the lazy way out. Remind your critics that if we care about truth, we will courageously follow the facts wherever they lead, no matter what the cost to our own self-interests.
Pro-abortion advocates spend great time, carefully crafting soundbites and slogans that deter from the real issue. Case in point, "pro-choice" was adopted to take the issue from life to choice of the mother. Don't yield the language.
______________________________________________________________________
Douglas Newell IV
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Books, books, and more books
LIBRARY BOOK SALE! Happy day for a book lover, the Youngsville, NC book sale. The Friends of the Library and community members donate used books to the library, who in turn, sale the books at a ridiculously low price; hardback $1 and paperback $0.50. Great deals on some good books.
This is the second sale this year, and I made out pretty good, if I must say. The Christian books represent well this time around, but I did pretty good on the non-fiction books.
I got my boys several paperback classics like The Time Machine, Red Badge of Courage, Three Musketeers and Robin Hood.
I am excited about two books in particular that fall in the non-fiction category. The first is The Day Lincoln was Shot by Jim Bishop. It is an hour by hour account of that infamous day that, well, the day Lincoln was shot (I love the title, not fancy, not "clever" or deceptive. You know what your getting). The second book I look forward to is American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur by William Manchester. Sadly and to my shame, I don't know what I should about the World Wars. In all the years of public schooling, not once did any of my teachers talk about WWI or WWII. Sad. That is one reason (howbeit a small reason) my wife and I are homeschooling. How could you not teach about WWII?
One funny observation. I arrived at the sale at 8:45am. The sale started at 9:00am. The place was packed already. I stopped for a moment and looked around; it was like a swarm of ants. Every man, woman and child for themselves.
Manners? Politeness? Fairness? Come, these are books after all. I suppose when people see books for a $1 and then see you taking the book that they would have if they had gotten there first, it stirs our little sinful hearts up. Fortunately, no one was injured; well, seriously injured anyway. 8^)
This is the second sale this year, and I made out pretty good, if I must say. The Christian books represent well this time around, but I did pretty good on the non-fiction books.
I got my boys several paperback classics like The Time Machine, Red Badge of Courage, Three Musketeers and Robin Hood.
I am excited about two books in particular that fall in the non-fiction category. The first is The Day Lincoln was Shot by Jim Bishop. It is an hour by hour account of that infamous day that, well, the day Lincoln was shot (I love the title, not fancy, not "clever" or deceptive. You know what your getting). The second book I look forward to is American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur by William Manchester. Sadly and to my shame, I don't know what I should about the World Wars. In all the years of public schooling, not once did any of my teachers talk about WWI or WWII. Sad. That is one reason (howbeit a small reason) my wife and I are homeschooling. How could you not teach about WWII?
One funny observation. I arrived at the sale at 8:45am. The sale started at 9:00am. The place was packed already. I stopped for a moment and looked around; it was like a swarm of ants. Every man, woman and child for themselves.
Manners? Politeness? Fairness? Come, these are books after all. I suppose when people see books for a $1 and then see you taking the book that they would have if they had gotten there first, it stirs our little sinful hearts up. Fortunately, no one was injured; well, seriously injured anyway. 8^)
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