Bow-Ties

Nathan Finn and I somehow digressed in our conversation to talking about fashion (egads!), in particular bow-ties and searsucker suits. I know there are at least a few other people who read this blog that love a good bow-tie. In my not-always-humble opinion, there is one store (well actually two) in the world (Charleston and London) that make the grandest bow-ties known to man:

Ben Silver

With the miracles of the internet one does not have to travel to the Holy City nor skip across the pond to buy one of these fantastic pieces of cloth - he can now burn $70 on-line!

Remember, as you look - one glance is fine...more then one glance is lustful!

Putting the "T" in TULIP

Over on my group blog, One in Christ, there is a discussion on the "T" in the TULIP. Check it out.

God's Promises Always Bring Good News (Luke 2:1-21)

1. God arranges his promises (v.1-7)

- v.1 – every 14 years there was a census taken. It just so happened that one of these censuses were being taken about the same time that Jesus was to be born.

- v.2-3 – They took a census for two reasons: to see who existed and to see who was capable of military service. Jews weren’t subjugated to military service so Joseph was primarily going to Bethlehem to have his name marked ‘present.’

- v.4 – Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because that was his ancestors’ base town.

- v.5 – Mary was his betrothed and she was pregnant – this would not look good.

- v.6 – It was an 80-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a small town but many people had families from there so the town was most likely packed. Being that Mary was pregnant and probably riding on the back of a donkey, I imagine it took quite a long time to make it to Bethlehem.

- v.7 – There was no room at the inn for two reasons – 1) Because Scripture predicted it, and 2) Because Mary and Joseph were probably late getting there.

ILL: Who went to the Christmas cantata? Think about the lights, the props, the backdrops, the singing parts, the practices, the dress rehearsals. All of that had to put together and be arranged before people could watch and enjoy it.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 predicted that Jesus would be from the line of David. Micah 5:2 predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Isaiah 7:14 predicted that Jesus would be born of a virgin.

God arranges his promises of good news. He arranged how Jesus was going to be born. On the surface it looked like everything just fits together, and it does. But God has a reason for everything that he has arranged and put together. He had a reason for where Jesus was born and how he was born and he also has a plan for our lives. Even though we don’t get to see the behind-the-scenes work that God does in our lives, if we trust his guidance we’ll get to see the finished product which always is perfectly put together.

2. God announces his promises (v.8-14)

- v.8 – Shepherds were generally considered dirty people because they lived out “in the fields” and were most likely considered unclean by most orthodox Jews. They were the downtrodden, the outcasts because their job was to take care of dumb animals.

- v.9 – An angel of the Lord appeared to them while they were out in their workplace. Again, shepherd were probably the last group of people most would expect would be visited by angels.

- v.10 – The angel said ‘fear not’ so he must have been pretty astounding to look at. The news he was going to bring would be good news of great joy for all people…even shepherds.

- v.11 – Just like the prophecies predicted, Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

- v.12 – The sign for the shepherds would be that Jesus would be a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger…not an ordinary sight.

- v.13 – At that moment a multitude of angels appeared praising God.

- v.14 – They were giving all the glory to God.

ILL: Why do people give announcements? There is important information that we don’t want you to miss. Why do we not want you to miss the important information? Because we believe that this information will benefit your life.

God announced his promise of Jesus being in a manger to the shepherds because he 1) he loved them 2) there was someone who could save them, 3) all glory goes to God for salvation. Likewise, God loves you and sent someone to save you and all the glory goes to God for salvation.

3. God fulfills his promises (v.15-20)

- v.15 – When the angels left, the angels decided to go and see this sign which the Lord had made known to them.

- v.16 – They went with haste, meaning they went quickly, and saw the baby with Mary and Joseph just as the Lord had promised.

- v.17 – When they saw Jesus the told the people there what they had been told by the angel. They wanted to let them know that God fulfilled his promise to them.

- v.18 – All who heard wondered about what they were told, perhaps choosing on whether or not to believe that God would talk to mere shepherds.

- v.19 – But Mary treasured all these things in her heart. She was probably proud, amazed, humbled.

- v.20 – When the shepherds returned the fields they praised God and glorified him for all they had seen, as it had been told him

The main reason that God fulfills his promises to us is so that we will praise him and give him the glory and increase our faith in him.

4. God reinforces his promises (v.21) – When he was circumcised, he was finally given the name that the angel had told Mary his name would be, before he was conceived in the womb, Jesus.

And the bible tells us that by this name, Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord. God will reinforce his promise when we see him at the end

Pondering Fatherhood

This has been the first Christmas where I've been a father. As I daily watch my son grow and do more and more things for the first time, I often wonder how Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, must have felt knowing that he was chosen by God to raise and take care of the Son of God. How inadequate he must have felt. He probably thought, "What can I teach this boy that he already doesn't know or will know?"

I often feel the same way when I talk to my son and he starts to to "talk back." Just this week he has started stringing together vowels and consonants and is trying his hardest to talk as he wrinkles his eyes and makes facial expressions as if genuinely trying to tell me about his day. During these communication sessions I often wonder, "How am I going to teach this boy about God, life, or anything for that matter?"

Fatherhood is both amazing and frightening. And as I continue to spend time with my son and try to learn his ways, as he tries to learn mine, I wonder also in equal amazement and fear how our Heavenly Father sees us. Indeed, he must see us as babies that are 100% dependent on Him and daily needs his perfect guidance. What an extraordinary and mysterious relationship that is.

Merry Christmas

You thought that my next post would be on 1 Timothy 2:12, didn't you? You were wrong...that's the next one.

Should Women be Quiet in Church? (1 Timothy 2:11)

"Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness." (1 Tim. 2:11, ESV).

Paul continues his directions on what is proper for women in the church setting with a somewhat startling statement to let a woman learn quietly with submission. What is Paul saying here? As with all controversial statements there are numerous explanations. Here are a few:

1) This was instruction only to Timothy's church in Ephesus - if this is the case and this instruction has no purpose today then why do have it in Scripture? I believe that this conclusion invariably leads to a slippery slope that eventually undermines the reliability of Scripture.

2) That women should not speak in church - I also don't feel that the inflection in the Greek should be translated this way. Some people use this as an excuse to demean women so that they have no say in church matters. This is just unloving and unbiblical. Let's look at the different ways that scholars have translated this passage:

NIV - Women should learn quietly and submissively.

NAS - A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

NKJ - Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.

NLT - Women should learn quietly and submissively.

ESV - Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.

The Message - They (the women) should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else.

So it seems that Paul urges that women should seek to learn quietly and in submission to the leadership of the church. Why did Paul have to teach this? Obviously there were women (and are women) who do not act this way. We will look more into this issue in the next post. But before we do, I'll state the third option for this passage that I ascribe to:

3) Women should learn quietly under the authority of the leaders in the church.

The Benefits of Believing in God's Promises (Luke 1:57-80)

1. Belief in God’s promises leads us to joy (57-66) – When God declares something, it comes true.

a. Joy when we realize God’s mercy (v.57-58) – Elizabeth was a recipient of God’s mercy because she was old and didn’t think that she was able to bear children. Barren women now can go through procedures where they can have children if they were previously unable to. However, in Elizabeth’s time if a woman was barren, there was nothing she could do except have faith that God would do a miracle. Sometimes the best blessings from God come when we allow him to be merciful to us and when we are patient. We can have joy when we realize how God blesses us through his mercy.

b. Joy when we realize our mistakes (v.59-64) – The eighth day of birth was when the parents took the child and circumcised him and gave him his name. The people assumed John would be named after his father or a family name. Zechariah asked for the writing tablet, which he was probably very familiar with, and stated what John's name was going to be. When we realize our mistakes and repent and ask forgiveness, we realize joy, like Zechariah.

c. Joy when we realize God’s plan (65-66) – For the neighbors it was a reverent fear. But you can realize how joyful John’s parents were when everyone talked about that the hand of the Lord was with him. I remember after Jackson was born the doctor told me that he was smart. For the first time I realized what it felt like to be proud of my son. I had tremendous joy over this little comment about my child so I can only imagine the type of joy that John’s parents had in hearing what people were saying about their child and knowing that he was going to prepare the way for Jesus. They had joy when they realized God’s plan.

2. Belief in God’s promises leads us to praise (67-75)

a. Praise God because we are redeemed (v.67-68) – Zechariah is thanking God and these are the first words that he has uttered in 9 months. The redemption that Zechariah is talking about is the redemption from sin. What redemption is: God buying you back from a slave owner. Before we accept Christ, we are slaves to sin. Sin owns us and the only way we can break away from this owner is by Christ redeeming, or buying us back. Z was praising God because now that John was here, Jesus was soon to follow and he would redeem everyone who believes in Him.

b. Praise God because we are rescued (v.69-71) – God also rescues us when we accept Christ. This horn is a symbol for the horns of a great leader (military term) who has rescued us from our enemies. This leader is Jesus.

c. Praise God because we are able to serve (v.72-75) - The purpose of God’s rescuing us is so that we would truly serve him. The Jews couldn’t truly serve God at that time because they were being oppressed by the Roman Empire. Some Jews thought that the Christ was going to win a great war with Rome. Non-Christians cannot serve God. It’s impossible. We have to be rescued and delivered from the bondage of sin before it is possible to serve God.

3. Belief in God’s promises leads us to understanding (76-80)

a. We understand God’s forgiveness (v.76-77) – There had not been a prophet for 400 years. Now, Zechariah says that John will be the prophet of the Most High…that’s quite a prediction! Malachi 3:1, 4:5-6. John gave knowledge to his people by forgiveness of sins. John would preach that only through repentance can sinners find forgiveness.

b. We understand God’s guidance (v.78-80) – the sunrise that will visit us is God’s son coming down to the lowly earth. And by his light he gives light to those who are living in sin, sitting the darkness and cannot see. Then once we can see, his light guides our path into a way of peace. One attribute of accepting Christ is that he gives us peace in a world filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and turmoil.

No Pearls?! (1 Tim. 2:9-10)

"...likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works." (1 Tim. 2:9-10)

After urging that the men should pray and not quarrel, Paul turns his attention to women. I used to always wonder if this section of Scripture meant that women should not be wearing gold, pearls, or have braids in their hair. To say that today's women do not have to abide by this would make me guilty of selective literalism I used to think. However, my scholar of a wife wrote a research paper on these very verse. You can find the link to the first half of the paper here. The next half can be found here (scroll down to the end).

In short, Paul is saying that women need to not dress so outlandishly, instead when they are in church they should try to glorify God and not themselves. Furthermore, women who profess godliness should live the Christian life and not just flaunt their own external beauty.

Here is her main conclusion on this issue (which I agree with)

"Women in the worship service should not dress in extreme fashion with braided hair, gold, pearls or costly clothing. The reader can be aware of the fact that women, back in the time that Paul was writing, only had three dresses and often wore gold and pearls in their hair to draw attention to themselves (like many pagan women). However, the point Paul is making is in contrast to “moderation.” Paul says to dress in moderation or hidden truth, not in contrast to out of control fashion. If a woman comes to a worship service with jewelry to flaunt her wealth or draw attention to herself, then she is not honoring God. Women should be more concerned with her good works instead of her apparel."

On Prayer (1 Tim. 2:8)

"I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;" (1 Tim. 2:8)

Again, Paul stresses the importance of prayer. An interesting side note is that Paul calls on the men to pray, not the women. How do I know he is not giving this command specifically to women? Because in the next verse, he states, "likewise also that women should...." and gives a specific command to women, which we will visit later. What am I getting at, you may ask? Good question. Of course God desires women to pray, but it seems here Paul is stressing the importance of the men in the church praying and not causing conflict.

When a conflict arises in your life, what do you do? Do you deal with the conflict head on? Do you shy away from the conflict? Do you pray about the conflict?

I submit to you that, biblically, prayer should be our first action. If we are praying the way we are supposed to (without ceasing) then prayer will always be our first response to anything that arises in our life, whether good or bad. An interesting thing about prayer is that we can never pray enough. It's kind of like my golf game. No matter how well (or how bad) I play one day, I know that there is always the possibility of playing better the next time I tee it up. Prayer is similar in this in respect that no matter how much I pray or how meaningful I think my prayers are, I know there is the possibility that I could still pray more, for more people, and for more situations.

Because of this our prayer life will never be complete. Therefore, I've devised a daily prayer plan. Now, there are many of these types of plans available. What I have tried to come up with is a system for busy people. Have you ever gone an entire day and realized, "I haven't prayed at all today...." I'll admit to doing that. Therefore, in order to ensure that I at least have some prayer daily, I've had to give myself a schedule. Because we are instructed to pray for all people (1 Tim. 2:1) I've categorized my prayer list as follows:

Monday:

Family: Emily, my wife
Church: My pastor
Nation: President Bush
Congregation: I pick someone every day

Tuesday:

Family: My son, Jackson
Church: Music minister
Nation: Governor Sanford
Congregation: ditto

Wednesday:

Family: My parents
Church: Youth minister
Nation: Speaker of the House
Congregation: ditto

Thursday:

Family: My sister and her family
Church: A good friend in the ministry
Nation: Senate Majority Leader
Congregation: ditto

Friday:

Family: My in-laws and sister-in-law
Church: A good friend in the ministry
Nation: Presidents of SBC seminaries
Congregation: ditto

Saturday:

Family: Any extended cousins, etc. that come to mind
Church: A good friend in the ministry
Nation: South Carolina's football program (jk) SBC Missionaries that I know and don't know
Congregation: ditto

On Sundays, I'm selfish and ask God to be with me in my teaching, preaching, etc.

Now this list is pretty pathetic if you think about it. But even doing this little amount is better then none at all. And as you pray through this list specifically, God will place other people and situations on your heart and gives at least a little accountability with your prayer life. One of the biggest reasons our spiritual lives are not as good as they can be, is because we do not make ourselves accountable to anyone. Therefore, making yourself accountable to yourself may help just a little.

All Things are Possible With God (Luke 1:1-56)

Since there are a few people in my Sunday school class that read this blog, as well as a few that are not that visit as well, I thought I'd share with you my SS class notes as I go through the Gospel of Luke. This first outline was from last week:

All Things are Possible with God

Luke 1:1-56

1. The certainty of Jesus’ life is possible to those who accept Christ (v.1-4)

a. We can accept Christ because of the many accounts (v.1) – Luke says that many have undertaken the task to compile events of Jesus’ life.

b. We can accept Christ because of the many eyewitnesses (v.2)

c. We can accept Christ because of Luke’s exactness (v.3-4) – This section of Greek is widely considered the best, most precise Greek written in entire NT. Luke was a doctor and had an eye for detail. He desired to paint as accurate a picture of Jesus’ life as there was. He was a perfectionist. I imagine he had read all of these other accounts and probably thought that they all fell short.

2. The assurance of God’s plan is possible even to those who doubt Christ (v.5-25)

a. There will be good families who doubt God’s plan (v.5-7) – In this instance it was God’s plan that John the Baptist would pave the way for Jesus. It was also God’s plan that Jesus Christ would die for sinners. There are plenty of people who seem to be from good families, who go to church who will miss God’s plan for their life, which is to be saved.

b. There will be religious people who doubt God’s plan (v.8-20) – Zechariah was from a royal lineage and in order to see which priests would burn incense they would cast lots. Sometimes a priest would go his entire life without getting his name drawn. So, you can imagine him being “troubled" when he entered the temple and was greeted by Gabriel. He probably wandered if this sort of thing was normal. Despite having an angel of God reveal to him what would happen, Zechariah did not believe that God could open his wife’s womb. Likewise, there will be people who get a Word from God but still refuse to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and is the only way to eternal life.

c. There will be consequences when we doubt God’s plan (v.21-25) – The consequences for Zechariah’s unbelief was that he would not be able to speak until his son was born. The consequences for not believing in Christ will be eternal separation from God in Hell.

3. The promise of a Savior is possible to those who believe in Christ (v.26-45)

a. Those who believe in Christ are obedient (v.26-34) – They yield to God’s will in their lives. God’s will in Mary’s life was that she would carry God’s son. Mary did not act in unbelief like Zechariah. Mary simply asked how the conception would work out since she was a virgin. How is her statement different then Zechariah’s? Because Gabriel didn’t make her mute, the motives in her heart proceeding her question must have been evident.

b. Those who believe in Christ are humble (v.35-38) – What was Mary’s reaction after finding out that she would birth Christ? Did she go around boasting and bragging, “I’m going to be Jesus’ mother…”? No. She said she was the Lord’s servant and to let it all happen as according to his Word.

4. The salvation of all is possible to those who acknowledge Christ (v.39-56)

a. Salvation is available to those who acknowledge God’s promise (v.39-45) – Elizabeth stated how blessed Mary would be since she believed that which was spoken to her would be fulfilled. Likewise, if we acknowledge God’s promise of salvation in our life we will be blessed in this life and in the next. However we have to acknowledge this fact and that is what Baptism is - a public profession or acknowledgment.

b. Salvation is available to those who acknowledge God’s mercy (v.46-56) – The fact that we have a chance to have our sin atoned for is according to God’s grace and mercy.

Preacher, Apostle, Teacher (1 Tim. 2:7)

"For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." (1 Tim. 2:7)

For this, the fact that that there is only one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all...for this, Paul says is why he was selected for ministry. Paul states that he has been appointed to be three things:

1) A Preacher - literally a herald proclaiming the good news.

2) An Apostle - This term is debated in Christian circles as to if this position is still active today. In the Greek, apostolos literally means, "one sent forth." Some conclude that an apostle is one who starts new churches and oversees their progression. Paul definitely matched this definition. Clearly, Paul was sent forth to spread the Gospel to the nations and did so.

3) A Teacher - a teacher of the Truth that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Whether or not you agree that the biblical position of apostle is still active today, it would do a pastor well to heed to all three of these offices. To proclaim the Gospel as a preacher is a given. As far as being one who starts new churches, I've always been of the idea that once a church reaches a substantial amount of members (600-1000), 200 or so should break off and plant in a different part of town. We can reach more people for Christ by multiplying rather then just getting bigger. Finally, a pastor should also be a teacher who teaches the truth and instructs in sound doctrine. From my experience in ministry, teaching seems to be a major area of failure in churches. Hopefully, this trend is reversing.

One God, One Way (1 Tim. 2:5-6)

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time." (1 Tim. 2:5-6)

After urging Timothy to pray for all people because God desires all to be saved, Paul writes one of the most beautiful sections in all of Scripture that truly encapsulates the Gospel. He states:

1) There is one God - Make no mistake about it, there is only one God and that is the God of the Bible. Paul does not leave this up to debate.

2) There is one way to God - This one God, YHWH to the Jews, has provided one way to come to Him, and that is through His son, Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus Christ paid God the ransom, the fee, for mankind's sin, so that his Wrath (the penalty for sin) would not be poured out on us. Instead, it was poured out on His Son. This happened at the proper time, or the fullness of time - a time in which God, in his sovereignty and wisdom, chose.

The world oftentimes chides Christians for being closed-minded and bigoted because we claim that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. If we are really intellectually and reasonably honest with what we believe, we will stick by our claim that Jesus in the only way. This, indeed, was the purpose of Paul's letter to Timothy.

BLJ: Miller's Understanding of Sin (Part 2)

Chapter Two: Problems: What I Learned on Television

In typical postmodern fashion, Miller teleports the reader somewhere into in his past without warning. Tthe reader finds himself in the middle of a conversation between Miller and his friend Tony the Beat Poet. The conversation centers around a news story which Miller saw on ABC's Nightline about the atrocities in the Congo of Africa where more then 2.5 million people have been killed in acts of genocide over a three-year period.

After pondering the fact that how such evil could exist in any part of the world, evil where women had been raped numerous times, Miller remarks:

"I keep wondering how people could do things like that." Tony then asks Miller several times why he doesn't think that he is capable of doing any of those acts. Tony says, "I just want to know what makes those guys over there any different from you and me. They are human. We are human. Why are we any better then them, you know?" (16)

It is at this point that Miller realizes, correctly, that there is no difference between himslef and a man from the Congo.

"You believe we're capable of those things, don't you Tony?" asked Miller. "What you're really saying is that we have a sin nature, like the fundamentalist Christians say."
"I think so, Don. I don't know how else to answer the question," responds Tony.

First, I give Miller credit for using simple reason to figure out that mankind has a sin problem. Most of mankind can point to sin across the world, to places like the Congo, but are completely blind to the fact that we are all humans, and as Jesus said, murder does indeed start in the heart and not in act. (Matt. 5:21-22).

Also, after reading just two chapters of this book, I'm already starting to see a theme and that is the theme of spirituality as opposed to Christianity. Many postmoderns seem to divorce spirituality from organized Christianity. However, as David Wells states so eloquently in Above All Earthly Pow'rs spirituality is a self-started reaching up to God while organized Christianity is a God-initiated graceful bending down to his creation in need of a Savior.

This 'seeking' which many do is sinful in nature because what they are seeking is self-gratification because Scripture never states that man seeks God. In fact, man is in rebellion against God and God seek him first and draws him to Himself. Therefore, what and who are we seeking when we seek God? If God has not initiated the act, we seek ourselves.

Saving Truth (1 Tim. 2:3-4)

"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (v.3-4)

In the two verses preceding these, Paul urges Timothy to make supplications, intercessions, thanksgivings and prayers for all people, even the governing authorities. Why? Paul tells us the reason in verses three and four:

Because doing so is good and it is pleasing to God because He desires all his people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

Notice that Paul did not say that God desired all people to come to a knowledge of a truth. Rather, He is claiming that Christianity is the only truth. This kind of language is what gets a lot of Christians labeled as "intolerant" in today's postmodern culture. Critics say that, instead of claiming to have a monopoly on the only way to salvation, Christians should just accept other peoples' views as being "true to them." Unfortunately, while this idea smells like roses, it tastes like poison. This kind of logic is fallacious and evil. It's fallacious because it is not logical and it is evil because it does not care about the eternity of its fellow man.

The law of non-contradiction, a first principle of logic, states that x cannot equal y.

For instance a Muslim says that Jesus is a prophet who is not God...the Qu'ran says this. A Christian states that Jesus is God...the Bible says this. So, who is right? Well, we may deduce that either (a) Muslims may be right and Christians may be wrong, (b) Christians may be right and Muslims may be wrong, or (c) Muslims and Christians may both be wrong. However, the option that they both could be right is impossible because both religions make exclusive claims.

So the next time someone tells you that you are being intolerant, tell them in response that you are just trying to be logical and find the truth - of which there can only be one...and pray for them after that. Because doing so is pleasing to God who desires all to be saved and come to a knowledge of Him.

The Problems of West Africa

Here's a great article on bringing the Gospel to West Africa

here

Blue Like Jazz: A Review (Part 1)

Every few years a book is released into the Christian subculture that creates a stir, as well as a lot of reads. A few years ago, Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life book exploded all over the world. Soon entire congregations were studying Warren's premise that God has a plan for your life.

Over the last couple of years the movement (or conversation as its leaders refer to it as) of Emerging Churches has taken the Christian subculture by storm. By breaking with non-traditional forms of worship (both high-church and seeker sensitive), the Emergents have a curious draw on a large (albeit young) portion of Christianity.

One of the books at the forefront of this movement is Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller. Most college students and those in their twenties have read this book. Some people laud Miller's work with praise while others claim it is tantamount to heresy


As with any book that has had such a profound impact on Christian culture, it should be read and asked the question, "Why is this book popular?" I am going to begin a series (a looooong one) on Blue Like Jazz. I confess that it is one of the pieces of literature of the Emerging church that I have, for some reason, not read. A good friend of mine who is a Reformed University Fellowship staffer challenged me to read it so that we may converse about its premises. Therefore, I am prepared to offer and fair and balanced (not akin to FOX) critique of Miller's book, chapter-by-chapter. Keep reading if you're interested...

Note: I am going to try to approach Miller's work with as little presuppositions as possible. The only standard I will use to judge Blue Like Jazz will be its adherence to Biblical truths. With that, let's look at Chapter 1 which is entitled: Beginnings: God on a Dirt Road Walking Toward Me

From the very first page, a clue to Miller's style is discovered when he curiously dedicates the book to "David Gentiles."

Miller's first chapter deals with the doctrines of man and God (in sort of a round-about way). The way he has written it, is actually, pretty genius

Almost immediately into his body of work, Miller shares that he only saw and spent time with his biological father on three separate occasions. He says:

"My father left my home when I was young, so when I was introduced to the concept of God as Father I imagined Him as a stiff, oily man who wanted to move into our house and share a bed with my mother...I imagined God as a man who had a lot of money and drove a big car. (1)"

It's easy to see that Miller has a terrific sense of humor and a keen wit, but also a resentment towards his father (with probably a good reason). He continues:

"Today I wonder why it is God refers to Himself as 'Father' at all. This to me, in light of the earthly representation of the role, seems a marketing mistake. Why would God want to call Himself Father when so many fathers abandon His children?...I understood what a father did as well as I understood the task of a shepherd. All the vocabulary about God seemed to come from ancient history, before video games, Palm Pilots, and the Internet. (4)."

I have to admit when I first read this section, I gasped. I thought to myself, "Is Miller degrading how God has chosen to reveal himself to us by the simple fact that he had a lousy father?" Then, upon pondering this question, it seemed appropriate that someone would ask that kind of question who did indeed have a lousy father. It's a fair question, that, I hope, Miller answers later in the book, and does not just confuse and confound his readers with.

From this thought, Miller states an almost equally curious sentence:

"I started to sin about the time I turned ten. I believe it was ten, although it could have been earlier, but ten is about the age a boy starts to sin, so I am sure it was in there somewhere. Girls begin to sin when they are twenty-three or something, but they do life much softer by their very nature and so need less of a run at things. (5)."

I really hope that Miller is using his aforementioned keen wit and biting sarcasm at this point. It has also occurred to me that Miller might by telling this section from the eyes of a ten-year old boy. Being, that, he was ten years old when he first learned that he was a sinner and thought to himself that girls really didn't sin until much later...at least I hope so.

Miller then writes about how this realization of being a sinner led him to feelings of guilt which, in turn, led him to think that maybe religion would somehow cure his guilt. I think that Miller makes a great point with this thought process because this is exactly how people realize that they need a Savior. All people, eventually (10 years old for boys according to Miller), realize that they have done some bad things in their life. And everyone incurs guilt as a result. Likewise, we also all need some resolution to this guilt problem. How can we do that? Miller states that this thought process brought him closer to religion and in the next chapter he writes an excellent essay on the doctrine of sin....

Grading Scale: (out of 5 being the highest)


Keeps My Interest: 5

Sound on Doctrine: Not sure...

Easy to Understand: 3

Pray For Our Leaders (1 Tim. 2:2)

"...for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." (2:2, ESV)

In verse 1 of chapter 2, Paul urges that Timothy should pray for all men and in the next verse expands on this idea of praying for all men by specifically stating that we should pray for those in high positions.

Christians are often very active in politics. There is merit in being active in the law-making affairs of our country. However, when Christians start to place politics as equal or higher then God, they are committing idolatry in the name of religious freedom. It bothers me when I see African-American churches invite members of the Democratic party to come speak inside the church and to take over the sacred pulpit in order to rally the members to vote for them. It also equally bothers me to see Anglo-American churches invite members of the Republican party to come speak inside their churches and to take over the sacred pulpit in order to rally the members to vote for them.

We must never blur the lines of politics and God...remember, politicians want to help their country but they also need votes in order to keep their jobs.

So what can we do to maintain that we live in a safe and just country? Pray for our leaders. I think most Christians (including myself) believe that prayer works but actively live as if prayer cannot move mountains. We are called to pray with faith and so many times we fail to do so.

Let's pray for President Bush and his advisers that they will make right and just decisions. Let's pray for the Supreme Court in that they will also make wise decisions. Let's also pray for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Harry Reid that they will make careful and wise decisions and protect the sanctity of human life.

Let's thank God for the privilege it is to live in this country and let's pray for its leaders. Prayer is the one action that we can make in politics that will have the highest impact.

Pray For All Men (1 Tim. 2:1)

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men," (2:1)

The beginning of the second chapter in Paul's first letter to Timothy is also the beginning of his official pastoral advice. If we could give advice to a younger brother in the faith, I wonder where we would start? Paul starts with prayer. But Paul does not instruct Timothy to pray for himself, he instructs Timothy to pray for others - not just for believers either, but for ALL men.

Paul urges Timothy to do four things;

1) To make supplications for all men - Making a supplication means to ask God to do something in particular in one's life. Paul tells Timothy to make supplications for other people, thus perhaps asking God to bless other people. What, loving, pastoral advice to ask God to help other people.

2) To make prayers for all men - To pray for all men. Even though Timothy has no idea what other people's problems and issues are he is still instructed to pray for them.

3) To make intercessions for all men - Here is a tricky one. Paul is telling Timothy to intercede for other people on their behalf. God knows that most people (including ministers) do not pray enough. Therefore, it is Timothy's duty, as a minster of the gospel, to see to it that other people are prayed for.

4) To give thanks for all men - When was the last time you thanked God for putting someone who is good to you in your life? Now, when was the last time you (and I) thanked God for putting someone who is evil to you in our life? I have found that when people have criticized me or have been a general thorn in the flesh, it has drawn me closer to God and it has been a wonderful time of spiritual growth. God says to thank Him for putting these people in your life because God wants you to have His strength be made perfect in your weakness.

Let's take Paul's God-breathed advice and pray for all men.

Jack the Stud

My son...seems pretty happy, doesn't he?

Handed Over to Satan? (1 Tim. 1:19-20)

"having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." (v. 19-20)

After Paul charges Timothy to "fight the good fight" of faith, he states that one fights this battle by having faith and having a good conscience. Interestingly enough, Paul uses these same two words in verse 5 when he states that the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith.

Evidently, Hymenaeus and Alexander did not have a pure heart, a good conscience, or a sincere faith. Since these attributes can only be exhibited by believers who are being controlled by the Holy Spirit, we can conclude that either, (1) these men were not believers but thought they were or tried to disguise that they were, or (2) they had fallen away for a season of their lives.

Either way, Paul, somewhat shockingly, states that these men have suffered spiritual shipwreck, and therefore, he has handed them over to Satan because of their blasphemy. What does this mean?

Judging by Scripture's explanation of how church discipline should be carried out, I'm assuming that these men had been accosted previously by Paul, and were unrepentant. The only time Scripture even comes close to instructing in handing believers over to Satan is when Jesus remarks that if a brother refuses to listen, "let him be like a heathen." In other words, let him go his own way, or as Paul states, "hand over to Satan."

What is the reason for this treatment? If Hymanaeus and Alexander are truly believers and ministers of the Gospel, they will repent and rejoin the flock. Sometimes standing up for the faith involves making decisions that may shock or irritate people. However, in the long run it may be the most loving act you can do for both the church and the unrepentant brother who needs to be desperately reconciled to Christ.

Goofball

Jackson goofing off again...what a Wallace

The Testimony of C.S. Lewis

I love a good testimony. I love hearing how someone can to know Christ. One beauty of having brothers and sisters in Christ is that we all have a common thread in some type of testimony - the realization that Christ is who the Bible claims He is and our (sometimes begrudging) acceptance of this fact. Many people are familiar with Oxford and Cambridge scholar C.S. Lewis. However most are unfamiliar with his testimony; his story of how he went from atheism to theism:

"Early in 1926 the hardest boiled of all atheists I ever knew sat in my room on the other side of the of the fire and remarked that the evidence for the historicity of the Gospels was really surprisingly good...'It almost looks as if it had really happened once.' To understand the shattering impact of it (his remark), you would need to know the man (who has certainly never since shown any interest in Christianity). If he, the cynic of cynics, the toughest of the toughs, were not - as I would have put it - "safe," where could I turn? The odd thing was that before God closed in on me, I was in fact offered what now appears a moment of wholly free choice...I could open the door of keep it shut...The choice appeared to be momentous but it was also strangely unemotional. I was moved by no desires or fears. In a sense I was not moved by anything. I chose to open, to unbuckle, to loosen the rein." (C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy, New York: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1955, 223-224)

The thing that stands the most to me is the fact that Lewis did not have a highly emotional or passionate moment of conversion. His conversion started when he came to intellectually honest terms of who Jesus was and is.

As Norman Geisler states, "Jesus was especially concerned about bringing His contemporaries to an accurate conception of Himself." (Unshakable Foundations, 282).

Praise God that Lewis responded to the Call - all Christians everywhere have been blessed by his spiritual gifts.

Fight the Good Fight - (1 Tim. 1:18)

"This charge I commit to you , son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare." (v.18)

In the rest of this letter (after the next two verses) Paul proceeds to instruct Timothy on how to "wage the good warfare." The NLT translates this phrase, "fight well in the Lord's battles." The NIV says to, "fight the good fight."

No matter which translation you may prefer, the point of Paul's urging remains: Christian ministry is a battle. What is it a battle against? It's a battle against those who:

a) teach other doctrine (v.4, 11), and,

b) stray from keeping Christ the "main thing" (v.5-7)

Together, denying doctrine and denying Christ will be what leads a church astray. No doubt these types of fallouts happen in many churches. Paul knew this would happen and had seen it happen and spends the rest of the letter preparing Timothy on how to keep this from happening. More on this soon...

God - Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, Wise (1 Tim. 1:17)

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (v. 17)

Paul ends verses 12-17 with a doxology of sorts as he describes who God is. Many people ask questions such as, "What is God like?" Thankfully, Scripture gives us clues as to who God is. In verse 17, Paul reveals four attributes of God:

1) He is eternal - The question, "Who made God?" is nonsensical (or nonsense) because only finite and mortal beings are created. God is eternal, or infinite, thus meaning He has no beginning and no end. Therefore, to ask who made him is similar to asking, "What does the color blue taste like?" It is an impossible question to answer, because God exists outside the realm of finite creations. God is eternal.

2) He is immortal - God is immortal, meaning he can never be killed (despite Friedrich Nietzsche's claim that, "God is dead and we killed him"). We can take comfort in the fact that God has always and will always exist.

3) He is invisible - Some people claim that when we get to Heaven we will see God face-to-face. Biblically, they do not have warrant for this statement, because Scripture tells us that God is invisible. He is a Spirit that transcends space and time and cannot be beheld. However, Jesus Christ, is God in human form. What a wonderful day it will be when we see Jesus face-to-face. God the Father, however, is invisible

4) He is only wise - Finally, Paul states that God alone is wise. He is the only one who has perfect knowledge and perfect wisdom. He is the only God and the only one that is worthy to be praised.

For these four attributes, we are to give him alone all honor and glory forever and ever.

Rosie the Bully

Check out this interesting article on Rosie O'Donnell, who is completely out of control, from Baptist Press.

The Pattern of Paul (1 Tim. 1:16)

"However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." (v.16)

One of the reasons that Paul was called to be an apostle was so that Jesus Christ could use him as a pattern of how the Christian life should be lived. Paul, who many scholars say may be only second to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, in being one of the smartest people to have ever lived, was at the top of his class at Pharisee school. He would have been giving the valedictorian speech which I'm sure would be filled with why Christianity needs to be snuffed out. He had a tremendous zeal for Judaism (he murdered and tortured Christians) to match his superior intellect. In fact, this zeal is one of the reasons, I believe, that God picked Paul to be the apostle to the nations. God knew that if Paul was a Christian he would be perhaps the greatest evangelist to have ever lived. Paul pretty much did just that. He spread the gospel all over the Middle East, Asia and parts of Europe. His goal was to go to Spain! God knew that Paul would take His name to the nations so that other people may have a chance to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

However, God also chose Paul as a pattern of suffering. Paul suffered as much as any of the followers of Christ. Listen to his second letter to the church at Corinth:

"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches." (9:24-28)

A lot of times when we try to share Christ with people, we leave out the cost of the calling. To follow Christ, and to follow him well will equal persecution. Because we have freedom of religion in America, we may not be persecuted as Paul was persecuted. However, we will be labeled intolerant, bigoted, unloving, backwards, old-fashioned, weird, stupid, poor, and even crazy.

Are you suffering-long? Is the pattern of Paul being duplicated in your life? I suspect it is not and I can't say that it is in my life. However, if we are following Christ, we should experience some friction from this world. And suffering is good:

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)

Sufferings lead to endurance. Endurances produces character. Character produces hope (a bedrock faith). And our faith does not put us to shame because we have the love of God, his Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen!

Who Needs Saving? Everyone (1 Tim. 1:15)

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of who I am chief." (v. 15)

Paul freely admits that, in his opinion, he was the worst of all sinners. I feel like one of the primary reasons that the gospel is not accepted in the Western world especially is because most people do not view themselves as "sinners." Indeed, many unbelievers have said that they expect to be in Heaven when they die because they are a "good person." If everyone is good, then what need is there for a Savior?

This belief that people are good is unbiblical. The Bible says, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10). However, most people do not view themselves as sinners. Sinners, or evil people, are generally viewed as those who kill and rape. However, they do not know what Jesus said about murder. He said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment (Matt. 5:21-22). Jesus equates anger in one's heart as the same murder. Where does murder start? The plans for murder starts in the heart. Therefore, Jesus "ups the anty" and states that everyone is basically evil. He also mentions that if one looks lustfully at a woman he has already committed adultery in his heart.

Therefore, Jesus makes it quite clear that we are all sinners and in need of a savior. The world likes to believe that God is love. As Jesus showed, yes, God is love but he is also a god of justice and of truth. In this case, the truth is that we are all evil "sinners." Thanks to God for His grace!

New Year's Eve Baptism?

Here is an email I received from the South Carolina Baptist Convention today:

"Dear Church Leader,

New Year’s Eve falls on Sunday this year, and it’s quickly approaching. Have you planned your New Year’s Eve service? We are challenging every church in the South Carolina Baptist Convention to hold a baptismal service on December 31. What if you don’t have anyone to baptize that Sunday? We are praying that you will. But if you don’t, plan to emphasize baptism and the need to share the life transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Visit www.baptismcelebration.org to print or e-mail baptism invitation cards, read a model sermon, get ideas from several model worship services, download a church prayer guide, and view other helps."

Now, I don't want everyone to think that I am bad-mouthing the convention, but really, what is the point of this? This email states that they are 'challenging' every church in the state convention to hold a baptismal service on Dec. 31. Challenging? Just who are they challenging? Are they challenging the Spirit of God? Are they challenging His church to move in a way that may be against God's will?

Our church currently has several baptism candidates. We most certainly could talk one of them into being baptized on New Year's Eve if we wanted to do so. But what is the purpose of that?

"Hey, brother, we want you to be baptized on Dec. 31."

"Ok...why?"

"Um...I really don't know. The convention wants us to do this."

Maybe I'm missing something here. Sometimes I feel that the convention puts a little too much emphasis on baptism rather then salvation. The act of baptism is just that - it is an act. Is this some kind of final push to have good baptism numbers for 2006? Maybe they have looked at the baptisms and they are down this year. Since we all judge success in ministry by the number of baptisms (heavy sarcasm), we must make sure we get those numbers.

Anyone can see the problems associated with putting number goals on baptisms. The convention is filled with people who were baptized too early or baptized in ignorance who consequently, had to be baptized again when they realized that they were baptized the first time were not regenerate.

Baptism is a very important act. In fact it is one of the two ordinances that our convention recognizes. Because it is so important, and holy, I am going to let the baptismal candidate inform the church on when he would like to be baptized. If he is truly born-again, he will realize that the act of baptism is important and he will let us know when he feels comfortable professing his faith. And, guess what, maybe it'll be New Year's Eve. The state convention sure hopes so. Why? I have no idea.

The Greatest Gift (1 Timothy 1:14)

"And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love with are in Christ Jesus." (v. 14) NKJV

After explaining how he was formerly a persecutor of Christians and a blasphemer of Christ, Paul states that he obtained mercy from Jesus on account of his actions occurring in ignorance and unbelief. Likewise, before we come to know Christ as our Lord and Savior, we live our lives in ignorance and unbelief.

However, as Paul says, the grace of our Lord is exceedingly abundant. The NLT says, "Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus."

Indeed, how generous and gracious our Lord was. We were lost sinners living selfish lives, not knowing any difference because of the power of sin over us. However, because of the Lord's glorious and generous mercy and grace He has filled every believer with faith and love that only comes from Christ Jesus. The Lord seeks us and we choose to reject or accept his love. Being with Him in eternity will be the greatest love and goodness we could ever experience but being apart from Him in eternity will the greatest evil that we could ever experience. What a wonderful God we serve that keeps seeking his sinful and rebellious creation! Thanks be to God for the greatest gift we could ever receive - eternal life through repentance of sin and faith that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The Glory of God's Grace (1 Tim. 1:12-13)

"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." (1 Tim. 1:12-13)

After opening with a section on the importance of adhering to sound doctrine, Paul embarks on a praise thanking God for his mercy and grace. Paul first thanks Jesus, his Lord, who has enabled and given Paul the strength to do ministry. Indeed, there are times in a minister's life when he knows full well that God is enabling him to do what needs to be done. Paul knows this too well. For reasons that Paul did not deserve or understand, (as he mentions in the next verse), Christ counted Paul faithful and worthy of serving in the ministry of drawing others to Him.

Paul, like the rest of us, did not deserve this privilege. He notes in the next verse that Christ called him despite the fact that he was a "blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man." Paul not only used to blaspheme and curse Christ's name, he tortured and killed Christians. The world would think that someone with Paul's reputation would never be called by God and even probably deserved Hell more then any other. However, God does not see it that way.

Despite Paul's former life, Christ Jesus extended his grace and mercy to him because Paul acted in his former ways ignorantly because was not a believer. What a testimony that is to all of us! Many people think that they cannot become Christians because they have lived a bad life and done many horrible things. However, Paul makes it clear that it doesn't matter what you have done - you are forgiven for that if you call upon Jesus Christ as your Lord - and that is truly Good News.

The Problem of Answering the Problem of Evil

In Norman Geisler's work, Unshakable Foundations, he addresses the topic of evil. He notes that Pantheism denies the existence of evil and calls it an illusion but it affirms the real existence of God. Atheism takes the opposite approach and denies the real existence of God, but affirms the real existence of evil. Theism, however, affirms both God and evil so it is the only belief system of the three that must answer the question, "Why is there evil in the world?" He says:

"Atheists (and naturalists) must also explain why evil exists and why they consider it a problem that needs to be addressed. The very fact that evil is troubling to atheists or naturalists logically leads to a standard of good or justice beyond the world."

Geisler then quotes C.S. Lewis, the former atheist-turned-believer:

"My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?"

Geisler adds:

"Imagine once more a universe with no light (no ultimate standard of what is good or evil) and creatures without eyes (no inherent concept of what is good or evil); in this theoretical atheistic reality, the concept of darkness (evil or injustice) is ultimately meaningless. If, as atheists suggest, evil is ultimately meaningless, then what is the problem? If we are merely part of a blind molecular process, how is it that atheists can rise above that process and say that some aspects of it are evil and some are good? Atoms are simpy atoms; there are no evil atoms in the universe. Therefore, atheism cannot logically offer a definition of evil without appealing to an ultimate standard of good. If atheists try to do so, they end up affirming the very existence of that which they claim does not exist - the ultimate good (God)."

A Mirror and a Map (1 Tim. 1:11)

"according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust." (v.11)

Paul ends his urging to Timothy for his church's adherence to sound doctrine and the relationship between its teaching and the law with a praise to God. Paul states that the law is according to, or comes from the Good News, the Gospel. What Paul means is that the Gospel is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus Christ said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." (Matt. 5:17, NKJV). Our wonderful God knew that his created beings would not be able to live by the law. One gives a commndment to another because that person is prone to break it. For instance, when I worked at the YMCA I was contantly 'commanding' my kids to not do certain things. Why? Because, if I didn't they would do exactly what they did not need to be doing. The commandments are there because we need them.

Our relationship with God is a lot like the above example. He created us and He knows what is best for us and so he has given us a map to follow in His law. He has also given us a mirror in that when we look at the law we know that we cannot live up to it. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Therefore, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to our sinners' death so that we may have everlasing life (John 3:16). How 'blessed' and wonderful our Lord is!

Who Needs the Law? Everyone (1 Tim. 1:9-10)

"...knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine," (1 Tim. 1:9-10)

After instructing that Timothy much teach "no other doctrine," Paul lists a lengthy amount of actions that are contrary to sound doctrine. Before he lists these grievences, however, Paul states that the law is not made for a righteous person (i.e. someone who has never broken God's law). He then lists the actions that the law was made for which all mankind is guilty of:

1) the lawless - those who literally abide by no laws

2) the insubordinate - those who rebel against governing authorities

3) the ungodly - those who live their lives without regard to any of God's law

4) sinners - those who are constantly living against God's will

5) the unholy - those who defile what is sacred

6) the profane - those who defile what is holyand set apart

7) murderers of fathers, mothers, manslayers - those who kill mankind which was created in God's image

8) fornicators - those who are sexually immoral (sex outside of the marriage/covenant relationship)

9) sodomites - those who commit homosexual acts

10) kidnappers - some also translate this as 'slavetraders'

11) liars - those who are consistently deceitful

12) perjurers - those who break promises or the law.

To sum it all up, Paul adds, "or anything else that is contrary to sound doctrine." What are we to make of this? Who then can keep the law? No one can keep the law. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law in that he came to rescue mankind from breaking God's moral law because not one can keep it. "There is none righteous, no not one." (Rom. 3:10) Thank God for his choosing to send His Son to save mankind! Without the law we would not know that we are sinners and have attacked God's perfect character. Thank God for his law! Who needs the law? Everyone.

Russ Moore's "Prayer Partner"

The always theologically relevant and equally humorous Dr. Russ Moore has an interesting commentary of the subject of praying for our leaders, even if one is Nancy Pelosi.

Welcome!

If you are reading this then you probably have already read my latest (and last) post at From the Pulpit. Since I'm not regularly preaching right now, but am doing a myriad of other things, I have decided to rename my blog to Preach the Word. I believe that change can be a good thing and the former blog has been around for quite a while now. Plus, I got impatient for Blogger Beta to be made available to From the Pulpit and Blogger has promised that all of my previous posts will be imported to Preach the Word. Other then these changes, the scope of this blog will remain the same: to preach Christ crucified, buried, and risen (and to preach other things as well) in the hope that all may come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.