Tried With Fire

The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden by Kevin DeYoung, illustrated by Don Clark, Crossway, 2015, 129 pages, ages 5-11. As a kid, I learned about the Old Testament as a collection of moral fables on how to be good. But the OT as a whole didn't make sense. There was no unifying thread that tied it all together let alone with the rest of the Bible. So as an adult, learning the Bible's storyline was eye-opening, specifically God's promise of the One who would crush the head of the serpent and restore all that had been lost. (Gen. 3:15) Well, you don't have to wait to be an adult to learn Biblical theology. Kevin DeYoung has written a book on the Bible's big story for children, The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher brings Us Back to the Garden . This overview covers Genesis to Revelation. This is quite a tall order, so many details are omitted given the intended audience. However, the main theme of God's promise of the Snake ...

Philosophy for Christians? You bet! I'm sharing a few mini-reviews at Out of the Ordinary of books/resources that can help Christians think and convey ideas more clearly. Read the post here .

The true Church of Christ is tenderly cared for by all the three persons of the blessed Trinity. In the economy of redemption, beyond all doubt, God the Father chooses, and God the Holy Spirit sanctifies, every member of Christ's mystical body. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three Persons and one God, cooperate for the salvation of every saved soul. This is truth, which ought never to be forgotten. Nevertheless, there is a peculiar sense in which the help of the Church is laid on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is peculiarly and preeminently the Redeemer and the Saviour. Therefore it is, that we find Him saying in our text, "I will build: the work of building is my special work." It is Christ who calls the members of the Church in due time. They are "the called of Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:6). It is Christ who gives them life. "The Son quickeneth whom He will." (John 5:21). It is Christ who washes away their sins. He "has...

An Ode to Sleep Deprived Parents: Words: Matthew Hodge Music: O Fortuna from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff ht: Rachel Miller

I am getting old enough to remember the good ol' days. It's fun to reminisce about life before personal computers, the Internet and smartphones. I remember when gas was less than 30 cents a gallon, and you could buy two pieces of Bazooka bubblegum with a penny. But it's also easy to romanticize the past. When you're a child, there are many things that go over your head, so childhood memories, while personally meaningful, may not be the best with which to assess society as a whole. If you go back to the days before those nasty feminists and pot-smoking radicals, what about segregation? What about civil rights for minorities? What about laws that protect women from domestic violence and give them legal rights apart from their husbands? If you step further back, what about child labor? What about slavery? What about the upper class that was terrified of teaching the lower classes to read let alone write for fear they would rise about their restricted sphere in life? Wha...

We have no right to expect anything but the pure Gospel of Christ, unmixed and unadulterated - the same Gospel that was taught by the Apostles - to do good to the souls of men. I believe that to maintain this pure truth in the Church, men should be ready to make any sacrifice, to hazard peace, to risk dissension, and run the chance of division. They should no more tolerated false doctrine than they would tolerate sin. They should withstand any adding to or taking away from the simple message of the Gospel of Christ. For the truth’s sake our Lord Jesus Christ denounced the Pharisees, though they sat in Moses’ seat and were the appointed and authorized teachers of men... For the truth’s sake Paul withstood and blamed Peter, though a brother. Where was the use of unity when pure doctrine was gone? And who shall dare to say he was wrong? For the truth’s sake Athanasius stood out against the world to maintain the pure doctrine about the divinity of Christ and waged a controversy wi...

ht: Reformed Baptist Fellowship and Theology Forum on FB

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you,let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9 In Sunday's sermon on this text, Pastor Ryan did not mince words about the serious responsibility of being true to the gospel. He said there are two ways it can be distorted - adding to it or taking from it. For example, the Roman Catholic Church, the New Perspective on Paul , and legalism in its many forms add to the gospel. Even if there is an acknowledgement of what Christ has done, it is not all sufficient to make us right with God. However, liberal theology takes...

It's my turn at Out of the Ordinary today. My family had the opportunity to visit Prince Edward Island, Canada for a day. In honor of the visit, I read two "new" books by L.M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables , and her biography. Read about my reading here .

“. . . if we would be kept from falling away into false doctrine, let us arm our minds with a thorough knowledge of God’s Word. Let us read our Bibles from beginning to end with daily diligence, and constant prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and so strive to become thoroughly familiar with their contents. Ignorance of the Bible is the root of all error, and a superficial acquaintance with it accounts for many of the sad perversions and defections of the present day. In a hurrying age of railways and telegraphs, I am firmly persuaded that many Christians do not give time enough to private reading of the Scriptures. I doubt seriously whether English people did not know their Bibles better two hundred years ago than they do now. The consequence is, that they are ‘tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,’ and fall an easy prey to the first clever teacher of error who tries to influence their minds. I entreat my readers to remember this counsel, and take h...

ht: Someone's wall on FB. Can't remember who.

In small group, we've been reading through Ordinary by Michael Horton. It's been a thought-provoking book that has led to some good discussion. We're also reading it after a sermon series on the ordinary means of grace - preaching of the Word, the sacraments, prayer, and fasting. You know, the things Christ Himself has instituted for the growth and health of the church that she often overlooks for what is a bit flashier and more touchy-feely. Tonight we will be discussing chapter 6, Practicing what we preach: No more super-apostles , which covers the issue of idolizing our leaders. I am trying to gather my thoughts about the chapter and the problem of the Christian celebrity culture for fear that I will embark on a lengthy rant in small group. If there is an edge to my writing "voice", you've read it right. On the one hand, I could chose to ignore my social media feed and avoid reports about the latest scandals. If this is your stance, I fully respect your ...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 If you asked me to define the sanctity of life, here it is: Since all human beings are made in the image of God, all human beings should receive dignity, respect, and the right to life. This applies to the born and unborn. This applies to male and female. This applies to all people regardless of their race or ethnicity. The sanctity of life is not based on the ability to function independently or even the value with which a person contributes to society at large. The sanctity of life is an issue of personhood  because identity is individual and never subsumed by another person regardless of the relationship. I think this definition covers what most evangelical Christians believe especially when it comes to defending the rights of the unborn. The gruesome videos exposing the horrific practices of Planned Parenthood only emphasize the fact tha...

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."—Philippians 2:15. We use lights to make manifest . A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for guidance . We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting-place. Men sometimes read their Bibles, and fail to understand them; we should be ready, like Philip, to instruct the inquirer in the meaning of God's Word, the way of salvation, and the life of godliness. Lights are also used for warning . On our rocks and shoals a light-house is sure to be erected. Christian men should kno...

ht: Grammarly in FB

There seems to be a standard cast of characters when a scandal breaks involving a celebrity Christian leader. This isn't about one particular situation but a general observation. (Of course, it isn't saying very much for the state of Christendom when you can take your pick of scandals.) 1. The celebrity. 2. The king or queen makers who endorsed in the past and those who continue to promote the celebrity. These may or may not be the same set of people. 3. The fan base. 4. The critics who have a platform, maybe not at the level of the celebrity but some name recognition. 5. The little people. These are the folks who were thrown under the bus whether by the direct action or inaction, e.g. covering up impropriety, of the celebrity. Whose voice should be heard the most and whose needs should be addressed first? In theory, it should be group 5 . In reality, it seems more like group 2 has the loudest voice and the celebrity's needs are addressed first. If my observat...

First of all, read this article by Hannah Anderson and take note of this statement: Complementarianism might be better understood as one expression of gender conservativism. As a response to evangelical feminism, complementarianism developed and flourishes in a specific cultural context, namely a western, white, middle-upper class context; because of this, it will reflect western, white, middle-upper class assumptions about work, economics, and home... Consider how the Danvers’ Statement positions complementarianism against “feminist egalitarianism” (which itself was influenced by 2nd-wave feminism).  Insofar as complementarians formed their identity in direct opposition to 2nd-wave feminism, they became a photonegative of it. None of us should be surprised, then, that complementarians are asking “what jobs can a woman do” because this is precisely the same question that 2nd-wave feminists asked. But even this question is loaded with assumptions about class, race, and agency....

These excerpts from Rosaria Butterfield and Francis Schaeffer are rather uncanny given the latest round of Christian scandals. I have no intention of discussing the scandals themselves. Neither do I intend to gloat over anyone's moral downfall. But I think it is worth taking a very hard look at the movements in the Christian subculture that all but guarantee the perfect Christian family. There are conferences and books galore which play off of fear, especially the fear that our kids will fall into sexual immorality. This is a legitimate concern for parents, which I do not want to make light of, but the solutions are often long on rules and short on gospel. Success is achieved and measured by external behavior, and shame is used to enforce the methodology. When a person falls, he/she needs to own that sin without shifting the blame. But I can't help but wonder if these systems set up their adherents for failure. Moralism never kept anyone from sinning. From Rosaria Butterfield...