"... Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass the on to others" (2 Tim. 2:2, NLT).
What is the chief function of the gospel but it to spread to all the world? (When it is preached to all the world, then the end shall come according to Matt. 24:14.) We all must do our part in exercising our specialized gift in the organism of the local church as it corporately fulfills the Great Commission (the chief function of the church and believer), as well as the fact that we have individual responsibilities due to our gifting. If we want to keep our faith, we must let it shine and be willing to make it known to others. Billy Graham says we must "give it away!" NB: In God's economy we keep it by giving it away! We must be people on a mission! Some sow, some water, some reap; but God gives the increase. We must be ever aware of the fact that it's God working in us and through us and we are just vessels or tools of honor doing God's good pleasure and will, to which we are the called according to His purpose (per Romans 8:28).
Before service comes prep. The key to discipleship is discipline and experience or on the job training in the trench warfare of real-life--Reality 101, the divine curriculum. Only battle-tested warriors for Christ can defeat Satan in the angelic conflict because they know the full armor of God and are not ignorant of the schemes of the devil. His chief strategy is to divide and conquer and that's where party-politics can divide a church if not done according to the Christian worldview. "They do not reckon God in their worldview"(cf. Romans 10:4). Literally, "there is no fear of God before their eyes" (cf. Psalm 36:1; Rom. 3:18, NIV). Example: the principles of the rule of law, and the concept of liberty and justice for all are paramount (the church has a duty to teach these core values as taught in Scripture).
NB: the Bible endorses no political party or type of government just so that the rule of law is observed and people's God-given rights protected. By the rule of law we must agree that no one is above the law and we are not governed by the arbitrary whims of men, but of duly passed legislation and consent of the people. This was first delineated in 1644 by the Rev. Samuel Rutherford in Lex Rex, which means "the law is the king," [the king is not the law]. And so, true and ready discipleship includes familiarity with the Christian worldview. There should be unity concerning what the Bible does teach and note that God isn't partisan and that means we shouldn't be either (He is no respecter of persons and shows no partiality).
Paul taught the one-on-one principle or that we should invest ourselves individually into the life of someone and teach them what the Lord has taught us. There are no shortcuts or easy formulas, just hard work, faithfulness, and discipline. We must be gung-ho for the Lord--spiritual lukewarmness will not do. We must follow the Lord wholeheartedly and single-minded so as not to be distracted by the world's temptations and what the devil has to offer--"Love not the world." So, this means a full commitment or surrender is necessary without reservation, full relinquishment and I say this because most believers haven't really had their wills tested yet to see just how far they are willing to go with the Lord or how close to walk with Him. It may turn out that we may have no friends but the Lord, and we must know how to cope spiritually with that relationship intact.
If the above principle were actually practiced, the world would be evangelized in one generation; all it takes is for everyone to commit to someone and then that person returning the favor to the Lord by doing likewise. In discipleship, one thing is important: keep it simple and put into practice what you learn realizing what you are or are not good at--don't get in over your head but be patient with the small responsibility God has granted you by grace. Remember, the goal is to spread the gospel and that entails knowing the gospel (and most believers don't) and how to present it should someone ask them how to be saved.
If they don't know how to help someone else to salvation or show the way, how can they be assured themselves? If they do get saved, we must never offer false assurance for it's not our job to grant it, but God's; we only offer reassurance. Assurance comes solely by the Word of God coupled with the testimony of the Holy Spirit per Romans 8:16 ("The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God.") and this is done by searching one's heart and examining one's fruit. This is vital to know because the believer's assurance is a key to his witness and if he has any doubts it will stifle, cripple, paralyze, or disable his witness or it may even jeopardize or compromise his testimony and he will be neutralized as a witness and paralyzed in growth. "Our lives are known and read by all men," (cf. 2 Cor. 3:2, NKJV)."
Confidence breeds confidence! Love begets love; faith, faith! Faith is not conjecture but certitude and confidence about our salvation and we need not be stunted by doubts. Doubt is an element of faith, not its opposite! No one has perfect faith; the best we can have is sincere, honest faith (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5). But being honest with them takes fortitude and courage and one step to growing in faith is to admit them and not repress them. It's our duty to be assured and this is not a sin of presumption (it's commanded in 2 Pet. 1:10), it's faith! We all live on the doubt-faith continuum and must overcome our fears and questions as we grow in the faith; little faith is still faith! We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18). We go from "faith to faith in a continuum (cf. Rom. 1:17). Doubt is an element of faith, not the opposite of it, and must be dealt with. So, the chief duty of the mentor is to build this confidence in their gift and salvation itself and prepare them to pass the baton or carry on this work of spreading the Word.
The main error of evangelism is lack of follow-up (too many evangelists count heads and end there). One must realize that it takes commitment and faithfulness to the person wherever needed. We can accomplish little without a firm foundation in the Lord and this begins with the boldness to confess Christ before men, not to be ashamed of our Lord but to look for opportunities as He opens or shuts doors. Timothy was taught that he does the addition and God the multiplication (2 Tim. 2:2). Remember, investment will pay dividends.
But don't forget that the word disciple means learner and that means we are all learners and matriculated in the school of Christ and never stop learning, also that we only need be a step ahead of the learner to teach or mentor. Anyone can do it; availability, not ability is the key, for the filling of the Spirit is what's needed and one's dependence on God for guidance, not human wisdom or fancy gimmicks to teach. When we have been discipled, we owe a debt of gratitude to that person and are eager to pass it on and share what we have come to experience in Christ--to know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge. Our mission doesn't end with making disciples, but to contend for the faith, defending it in the open marketplace of ideas in the public square. This entails the ideals of 1 Peter 3:15 and 2 Tim. 2:25: being prepared to defend our faith and making an effort to know the Scriptures via study or other means available
CAVEATS: DO NOT TEACH OVER SOMEONE'S HEAD, FASTER THAN THEY CAN LEARN, OR ASSUME TOO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OR BACKGROUND INFO, BUT DON'T INSULT THEIR INTELLIGENCE EITHER. KEEP IT SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT MORE SO! DON'T GET AHEAD OF YOUR STUDENTS BUT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY. WE DARE NOT GO IT ALONE AS A SPIRITUAL LONE RANGER OR LONE WOLF, BUT MUST GO ONE ONE ONE AND BE ACCOUNTABLE SUBMITTING TO AUTHORITY. TOO MANY OF US BELIEVE OUR DOUBTS AND DOUBT OUR FAITH; WE SHOULD DOUBT OUR DOUBTS AND BELIEVE OUR FAITH! FINALLY, KNOW, RESPECT, AND SET PERSONAL BOUNDARIES. Soli Deo Gloria!
To bridge the gap between so-called theologians and regular "students" of the Word and make polemics palatable. Contact me @ bloggerbro@outlook.com To search title keywords: title:example or label as label:example; or enter a keyword in search engine ATTN: SITE USING COOKIES!
About Me
- Karl Broberg
- I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.
Showing posts with label Teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teaching. Show all posts
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Good Preacher/Bad Preacher
"So they said to each other, 'Weren't our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:32, HCSB).
You've heard of good cop/bad cop stories, but this applies to all professions. Jesus was a preacher par excellence and had no peers. "When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes" (Matt. 7:29, HCSB). There was something different about the way he taught that even the common man heard Him gladly. Jesus knew how to make that "connection" (to be on the same page) as if He were one of them--the Jews. And He identified with the issues of the day, the problems and burdens of the Jews, and the message of grace itself--the good news.
But Jesus didn't just tell them what was on His mind, for telling isn't teaching any more than hearing is listening. Good teachers illustrate and make their point clear, often repeating it for emphasis. A good teacher must do certain basics to drive home that point he wants to make without losing focus: introduction and attention-getting method, points he wants to make, illustrations of those points, and repetition or summary of what was said. You tell them what you will say, say it, and tell them what you said.
Jesus had a revolutionary style! He used figures of speech in His teaching and more specifically told stories, especially parables about familiar events or circumstances that drove home the point. Jesus also used epigrams, or short, wise statements seeming like a paradox, and He also used object lessons from some accessible item or circumstance. He also was known for how He framed questions in a Socratic manner that elicited a desired or obvious response. He would readily turn a question into another question. He skillfully made use of metaphors people could relate to and likened Himself to familiar things in order to make the point clear. The good preacher doesn't lose his listeners due to boredom or belaboring a point either. He must be aware of where the flock is and sensitive to their attention span and how well he's keeping it, not getting lost or off on some tangent--stay on subject.
A sermon isn't a lecture or Bible study, it's an outreach to all the members of the body and even attendees and visitors. A good pastor knows the difference between teacher mode and preacher mode! There is a place for teaching in a sermon, but it's primarily preaching just like there's a place for preaching in a Bible study or teaching session. But good preaching speaks to the heart, not just the mind; it doesn't just inform but enlightens and illuminates Scripture. Going forward one should feel inspired, convicted, motivated, and above all, especially edified. There is a difference between being informed and being educated.
A good sermon isn't just "interesting" but it should be "challenging." We seek to be enlightened in the Word and see Jesus come alive in it. Just presenting facts will inform, but showing how to apply them will enlighten and illumine us. We must not see the Word as merely something to be well-informed about; we can know the Bible and a lot about it, without knowing the Author. The preacher can lecture on the nature of Christ quite eloquently and not even be aware of His presence and maybe not even know the Lord much personally.
We need our eyes opened to wonderful things in the Word, and all Scripture surely is profitable for doctrine, but also for instruction in righteousness (application). If we don't go away with any application the preacher really hasn't done a complete work. Yes, we must all preach sound doctrine, but sound preaching is more than just preaching doctrine. Jonathan Edwards said that his doctrine was all application and his application was all doctrine. His sermons were meant to start revivals not lecture in theology (everyone knows him for "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"). One's passion must be in the preaching to show that it affects you before it can affect others, especially the lost. Good preachers preach the Word, in season and out, and comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable!
When the preacher actually makes contact with the flock, they feel he's one of them and can put himself in their shoes. They identify with the preacher and know where he's coming from. That's why Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me." "... The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger, instead, they will run away from him, because they don't recognize the voice of strangers" (cf. John 10:4-5, HCSB). Sheep know their shepherd! Soli Deo Gloria!
You've heard of good cop/bad cop stories, but this applies to all professions. Jesus was a preacher par excellence and had no peers. "When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes" (Matt. 7:29, HCSB). There was something different about the way he taught that even the common man heard Him gladly. Jesus knew how to make that "connection" (to be on the same page) as if He were one of them--the Jews. And He identified with the issues of the day, the problems and burdens of the Jews, and the message of grace itself--the good news.
But Jesus didn't just tell them what was on His mind, for telling isn't teaching any more than hearing is listening. Good teachers illustrate and make their point clear, often repeating it for emphasis. A good teacher must do certain basics to drive home that point he wants to make without losing focus: introduction and attention-getting method, points he wants to make, illustrations of those points, and repetition or summary of what was said. You tell them what you will say, say it, and tell them what you said.
Jesus had a revolutionary style! He used figures of speech in His teaching and more specifically told stories, especially parables about familiar events or circumstances that drove home the point. Jesus also used epigrams, or short, wise statements seeming like a paradox, and He also used object lessons from some accessible item or circumstance. He also was known for how He framed questions in a Socratic manner that elicited a desired or obvious response. He would readily turn a question into another question. He skillfully made use of metaphors people could relate to and likened Himself to familiar things in order to make the point clear. The good preacher doesn't lose his listeners due to boredom or belaboring a point either. He must be aware of where the flock is and sensitive to their attention span and how well he's keeping it, not getting lost or off on some tangent--stay on subject.
A sermon isn't a lecture or Bible study, it's an outreach to all the members of the body and even attendees and visitors. A good pastor knows the difference between teacher mode and preacher mode! There is a place for teaching in a sermon, but it's primarily preaching just like there's a place for preaching in a Bible study or teaching session. But good preaching speaks to the heart, not just the mind; it doesn't just inform but enlightens and illuminates Scripture. Going forward one should feel inspired, convicted, motivated, and above all, especially edified. There is a difference between being informed and being educated.
A good sermon isn't just "interesting" but it should be "challenging." We seek to be enlightened in the Word and see Jesus come alive in it. Just presenting facts will inform, but showing how to apply them will enlighten and illumine us. We must not see the Word as merely something to be well-informed about; we can know the Bible and a lot about it, without knowing the Author. The preacher can lecture on the nature of Christ quite eloquently and not even be aware of His presence and maybe not even know the Lord much personally.
We need our eyes opened to wonderful things in the Word, and all Scripture surely is profitable for doctrine, but also for instruction in righteousness (application). If we don't go away with any application the preacher really hasn't done a complete work. Yes, we must all preach sound doctrine, but sound preaching is more than just preaching doctrine. Jonathan Edwards said that his doctrine was all application and his application was all doctrine. His sermons were meant to start revivals not lecture in theology (everyone knows him for "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"). One's passion must be in the preaching to show that it affects you before it can affect others, especially the lost. Good preachers preach the Word, in season and out, and comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable!
When the preacher actually makes contact with the flock, they feel he's one of them and can put himself in their shoes. They identify with the preacher and know where he's coming from. That's why Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me." "... The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger, instead, they will run away from him, because they don't recognize the voice of strangers" (cf. John 10:4-5, HCSB). Sheep know their shepherd! Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Proper Teaching Style
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1, ESV).
"But even if I'm uneducated in public speaking, I'm not uneducated in knowledge" (2 Cor. 11:6, CEV).
There is hardly a comparison between teaching and preaching, and between a Bible study or class and a sermon--viva la difference! In Bible studies or Sunday school, there is an encouragement of student involvement and participation, while people are basically passive and attentive during a sermon, though they can take notes. The two are separate gifts and all teachers don't necessarily make good preachers and vice versa. Teaching is not a performance where one is judged by his dramatics or personal style. Reading is usually considered a no-no by professors of homiletics, but some preachers are such good readers and know their material so well they get away with breaking the so-called rules--on the other hand, reading notes and hand-outs for listeners are practically always appropriate for Bible studies.
God is able to work through personalities and use them accordingly--Scripture was even written respecting individual personality and style. Paul was known for being "bold from far away" or in letters, but "timid in person" (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1, NLT). He probably wasn't your typical type A personality or mover-and-shaker spokesman like Peter most likely was. We must be careful in judging teachers and/or preachers by their personality or charisma, for false teachers shall arise and deceive many--we are to test the Spirit, and to hold them accountable to true doctrine, exposing heresy. Truth does matter and we are sanctified by the truth. When the preacher is done, he doesn't want to hear, if he knows the Lord, that he did a good job, or that he's a good speaker, he wants to know if God spoke to their hearts, touched, and convicted them! There are many good speakers out there who are characters and heretics, but people are nevertheless fooled and deceived.
One of the biggest lies today in the church is the presence and dissemination of prosperity theology, or that it's always God's will to prosper believers financially and they should cash in on the spiritual lottery. The Bible makes it clear that some people's reward is in this life, and that the wicked to indeed prosper. Prosperity is no sign of God's blessing nor a litmus test that He is delighted in you. Obedience is the only measure of faith, not even ecstasies, experiences, or achievements.
Just because a church has become a megachurch doesn't mean we can infer that it's doing God's will, and some pastors are simply great entrepreneurs and businessmen, not spiritual leaders. Religion was never meant as a means of getting rich or to cash in on one's faith. We must have a quest for the truth and being ever vigilant to heresy in the church, for when we become blase to it, we lose the focus and aren't keeping the main thing the main thing. You're better off in a church with an expositor of the Word, or great biblicist of the first order, or even old-fashioned exegete than one who knows how to gather crowds by preaching what's popular, like eschatological themes, i.e., prophecy and end times. We aren't looking for great leadership ability, because the preacher and teacher are basically servants of all the church members in toto and should be dedicating his time to study and disseminating the Word.
The studious preacher or teacher doesn't spoon-feed the flock of God, but feeds the sheep as well as the lambs, giving meat in due season, and not neglecting the milk of the Word for those not ready for solid food--there's something for everyone, with no one going away unspoken to through the ministry of the Lord's anointing. The wise preacher knows where the sheep are spiritually, and doesn't ever preach over their heads, nor talk down to them either, but meets everyone's needs and God is able to speak to their hearts so they will know to recognize the voice of the Lord.
Note that the exhortation is to teach sound doctrine, not to teach with the homiletic devices of charisma, histrionics, or personality--it is of utmost value that the preacher/teacher knows his way around the block theologically and not to ever bail out theologically either, but to be ever vigilant to heresy creeping in and defiling many through false teachers, who may be personable and have magnetic personas. It is much more important than the disseminator of truth use sound, biblical interpretive techniques that he is trained in public speaking or oratorical skill. The faith must be in the Word of God not in some show the preacher puts on or exercise of his brilliance or scholarship that is intended to impress and wow the listener.
In the final analysis, God rewards faithfulness more than sheer skill or natural talent, or even education (D. L. Moody never went to a seminary, yet God just chose to anoint him to preach the gospel, not to mention the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon!). Before preaching we ought to have done our homework, prepared ourselves spiritually, and have faith God will use us. Always "Preach the Word (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2), and do not give in to "itching ears," giving people what they crave or are curious about. Consequently, we ought to make it our aim to preach, not like we have studied preaching and know the art, but that it be demonstrated we know the Lord. Above all, aim to be praised by God, not man! Soli Deo Gloria!
"But even if I'm uneducated in public speaking, I'm not uneducated in knowledge" (2 Cor. 11:6, CEV).
There is hardly a comparison between teaching and preaching, and between a Bible study or class and a sermon--viva la difference! In Bible studies or Sunday school, there is an encouragement of student involvement and participation, while people are basically passive and attentive during a sermon, though they can take notes. The two are separate gifts and all teachers don't necessarily make good preachers and vice versa. Teaching is not a performance where one is judged by his dramatics or personal style. Reading is usually considered a no-no by professors of homiletics, but some preachers are such good readers and know their material so well they get away with breaking the so-called rules--on the other hand, reading notes and hand-outs for listeners are practically always appropriate for Bible studies.
God is able to work through personalities and use them accordingly--Scripture was even written respecting individual personality and style. Paul was known for being "bold from far away" or in letters, but "timid in person" (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1, NLT). He probably wasn't your typical type A personality or mover-and-shaker spokesman like Peter most likely was. We must be careful in judging teachers and/or preachers by their personality or charisma, for false teachers shall arise and deceive many--we are to test the Spirit, and to hold them accountable to true doctrine, exposing heresy. Truth does matter and we are sanctified by the truth. When the preacher is done, he doesn't want to hear, if he knows the Lord, that he did a good job, or that he's a good speaker, he wants to know if God spoke to their hearts, touched, and convicted them! There are many good speakers out there who are characters and heretics, but people are nevertheless fooled and deceived.
One of the biggest lies today in the church is the presence and dissemination of prosperity theology, or that it's always God's will to prosper believers financially and they should cash in on the spiritual lottery. The Bible makes it clear that some people's reward is in this life, and that the wicked to indeed prosper. Prosperity is no sign of God's blessing nor a litmus test that He is delighted in you. Obedience is the only measure of faith, not even ecstasies, experiences, or achievements.
Just because a church has become a megachurch doesn't mean we can infer that it's doing God's will, and some pastors are simply great entrepreneurs and businessmen, not spiritual leaders. Religion was never meant as a means of getting rich or to cash in on one's faith. We must have a quest for the truth and being ever vigilant to heresy in the church, for when we become blase to it, we lose the focus and aren't keeping the main thing the main thing. You're better off in a church with an expositor of the Word, or great biblicist of the first order, or even old-fashioned exegete than one who knows how to gather crowds by preaching what's popular, like eschatological themes, i.e., prophecy and end times. We aren't looking for great leadership ability, because the preacher and teacher are basically servants of all the church members in toto and should be dedicating his time to study and disseminating the Word.
The studious preacher or teacher doesn't spoon-feed the flock of God, but feeds the sheep as well as the lambs, giving meat in due season, and not neglecting the milk of the Word for those not ready for solid food--there's something for everyone, with no one going away unspoken to through the ministry of the Lord's anointing. The wise preacher knows where the sheep are spiritually, and doesn't ever preach over their heads, nor talk down to them either, but meets everyone's needs and God is able to speak to their hearts so they will know to recognize the voice of the Lord.
Note that the exhortation is to teach sound doctrine, not to teach with the homiletic devices of charisma, histrionics, or personality--it is of utmost value that the preacher/teacher knows his way around the block theologically and not to ever bail out theologically either, but to be ever vigilant to heresy creeping in and defiling many through false teachers, who may be personable and have magnetic personas. It is much more important than the disseminator of truth use sound, biblical interpretive techniques that he is trained in public speaking or oratorical skill. The faith must be in the Word of God not in some show the preacher puts on or exercise of his brilliance or scholarship that is intended to impress and wow the listener.
In the final analysis, God rewards faithfulness more than sheer skill or natural talent, or even education (D. L. Moody never went to a seminary, yet God just chose to anoint him to preach the gospel, not to mention the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon!). Before preaching we ought to have done our homework, prepared ourselves spiritually, and have faith God will use us. Always "Preach the Word (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2), and do not give in to "itching ears," giving people what they crave or are curious about. Consequently, we ought to make it our aim to preach, not like we have studied preaching and know the art, but that it be demonstrated we know the Lord. Above all, aim to be praised by God, not man! Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Natural Theology
"Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind" (1 Cor. 14:20, NLT).
Theology is called the queen of sciences and is not an abstract study nor a so-called "fool's errand of speculation", but down to earth, systematic, and relevant; it is in the application that the power is apparent. All Scripture has theological undertones and significance (Note 2 Tim. 3:16, KJV, emphasis added, "All Scripture is given inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine..."). Childish faith balks at in-depth study, and thrives on the milk, without ever maturing to solid food!
Charles Darwin attempted to become a preacher, before becoming embittered by the death of his father and was quite impressed with a book by William Paley, called Natural Theology. In it, there is proof of God's existence, including the "argument from design." For example, if you found a watch in the middle of a forest, you'd assume someone put it there, and even that someone made it and designed it, due to a design--voila--a Designer! Now we've proved God's existence indirectly. Men have no excuse for disbelieving in Him, there is ample evidence for anyone willing to do His will. Even Bertrand Russell, the most famous atheist of the UK and of the twentieth century probably, was asked if he found out there was a God, what he'd tell Him: "Why didn't you give us more evidence?" There is never enough evidence for the skeptic; note that Russell admitted that there was indeed evidence!
There is great inherent value in doctrine because it essentially means teaching; we are to disseminate sound doctrine according to Titus 2:1. You can have a sound theology, though, and not a sound spiritual life; however, without sound theology, in its essential and non-negotiable aspects, you cannot have a sound Christian life. It's not a matter of being good at theology or thinking that if you know some theology, you are better, and others are poor specimens of the faith. We are all theologians by any definition of the term; it's not a matter of semantics--all Christendom should be on the same page here!
We need to know the scoop or the lowdown in order to live right. Our actions and beliefs are interrelated and correlated. Scripture says that in the latter days, some will bail out theologically, and no longer listen to sound teaching (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3). Nonbelievers are defined as those who reject the truth in Romans 2:8, but God is able to open their eyes and show them the light when the day dawns and the morning star arises in their hearts (cf. 2 Pet. 1:19). There is no "secret knowledge" like the Gnostics (those in the "know") taught, but everything God wants us to know and all we need is written in the Word. The things hidden are not in the Apocrypha ("hidden"), but they don't belong to us at all (cf. Deut. 29:29).
Theologians, or those who make theology their pursuit, are an unpopular breed. They get a bad rap and this is with all due respect because there are so many false teachers out there. We cannot reject theology, for that would be spiritual suicide in rejecting the knowledge of God--it's no option! One of the signs of the last days is the rise of false prophets and/or teachers saying what the people want to hear with their itching ears.
There is also natural law (sometimes called transcendent law from God) that all men are aware of in their God-given conscience, and they have no excuse for not knowing basic right and wrong--it's not social custom nor inherited by genes, but granted by God's common grace to all men. Paul says to look to creation and you will see that man has no excuse (Romans 1:20, NLT, says, "... So they have no excuse for not knowing God"). However, though there are many "proofs" for God, it cannot be done scientifically, for those who will only believe what science posits: God is outside the domain of science, because He is unseen, immeasurable, and infinite, meaning you cannot define nor confine Him for experimental research with laboratory conditions. God demands faith, and so the only absolute proof of God is by experience, knowing Him personally by invitation. You cannot know without any reservation that there is a God, except that He came to earth and revealed Himself to us--Jesus is all the theology we need (i.e., knowing Him is where it's at).
Just because there is bad theology, doesn't mean we can avoid it or reject it. There is also good theology and you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! Bad theology needs to be answered. We do have the option to reject biblical knowledge as believers, for this is ultimately rejecting God. The wise are hungry for the truth (cf. Prov. 15:14), and knowledge is found on their lips since they store it up. We are commanded to "study to show yourself approved unto God," and this implies we are to become students of the Word and ready apologists for the Lord. The elders and deacons are to have the ability to refute false doctrine and defend the faith (cf. Titus 1:9, NKJV, which says, "[Holding] fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict").
And so, it's not "those theologians!" It's "what kind of theologian are you?" Just like we are all preachers and Good Samaritans, even if it's not our gift, we are to study the Word systematically, if possible, and to learn to discern truth from error and discern the solid food of the Word, not surviving solely on the milk of the Word. All theology was designed to be understood with the mind (we have the mind of Christ and illuminating ministry of the Spirit), and theology is said to enter the heart via the mind, not vice versa.
And in conclusion, doctrine or theology is necessary for healthy spiritual growth, but not sufficient: the fact that our hearts be right is more important than what school of theology we subscribe to. Our doctrine doesn't need to be impeccably correct, but our heart needs to be in the right place! Scripture, however, does teach both the primacy of the heart and of the mind--God wants us to understand the Word! The mere presentation of doctrine can leave a person cold and seem farfetched to the spiritually naive because it must be enlightened by the Spirit and done in the right way, not just as an intellectual exercise! We are not called to make converts to our school of theology, and God won't even ask us what we held so dear doctrine-wise, but to be held accountable for our works, when the final audit of our life's work is done. Soli Deo Gloria!
Theology is called the queen of sciences and is not an abstract study nor a so-called "fool's errand of speculation", but down to earth, systematic, and relevant; it is in the application that the power is apparent. All Scripture has theological undertones and significance (Note 2 Tim. 3:16, KJV, emphasis added, "All Scripture is given inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine..."). Childish faith balks at in-depth study, and thrives on the milk, without ever maturing to solid food!
Charles Darwin attempted to become a preacher, before becoming embittered by the death of his father and was quite impressed with a book by William Paley, called Natural Theology. In it, there is proof of God's existence, including the "argument from design." For example, if you found a watch in the middle of a forest, you'd assume someone put it there, and even that someone made it and designed it, due to a design--voila--a Designer! Now we've proved God's existence indirectly. Men have no excuse for disbelieving in Him, there is ample evidence for anyone willing to do His will. Even Bertrand Russell, the most famous atheist of the UK and of the twentieth century probably, was asked if he found out there was a God, what he'd tell Him: "Why didn't you give us more evidence?" There is never enough evidence for the skeptic; note that Russell admitted that there was indeed evidence!
There is great inherent value in doctrine because it essentially means teaching; we are to disseminate sound doctrine according to Titus 2:1. You can have a sound theology, though, and not a sound spiritual life; however, without sound theology, in its essential and non-negotiable aspects, you cannot have a sound Christian life. It's not a matter of being good at theology or thinking that if you know some theology, you are better, and others are poor specimens of the faith. We are all theologians by any definition of the term; it's not a matter of semantics--all Christendom should be on the same page here!
We need to know the scoop or the lowdown in order to live right. Our actions and beliefs are interrelated and correlated. Scripture says that in the latter days, some will bail out theologically, and no longer listen to sound teaching (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3). Nonbelievers are defined as those who reject the truth in Romans 2:8, but God is able to open their eyes and show them the light when the day dawns and the morning star arises in their hearts (cf. 2 Pet. 1:19). There is no "secret knowledge" like the Gnostics (those in the "know") taught, but everything God wants us to know and all we need is written in the Word. The things hidden are not in the Apocrypha ("hidden"), but they don't belong to us at all (cf. Deut. 29:29).
Theologians, or those who make theology their pursuit, are an unpopular breed. They get a bad rap and this is with all due respect because there are so many false teachers out there. We cannot reject theology, for that would be spiritual suicide in rejecting the knowledge of God--it's no option! One of the signs of the last days is the rise of false prophets and/or teachers saying what the people want to hear with their itching ears.
There is also natural law (sometimes called transcendent law from God) that all men are aware of in their God-given conscience, and they have no excuse for not knowing basic right and wrong--it's not social custom nor inherited by genes, but granted by God's common grace to all men. Paul says to look to creation and you will see that man has no excuse (Romans 1:20, NLT, says, "... So they have no excuse for not knowing God"). However, though there are many "proofs" for God, it cannot be done scientifically, for those who will only believe what science posits: God is outside the domain of science, because He is unseen, immeasurable, and infinite, meaning you cannot define nor confine Him for experimental research with laboratory conditions. God demands faith, and so the only absolute proof of God is by experience, knowing Him personally by invitation. You cannot know without any reservation that there is a God, except that He came to earth and revealed Himself to us--Jesus is all the theology we need (i.e., knowing Him is where it's at).
Just because there is bad theology, doesn't mean we can avoid it or reject it. There is also good theology and you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! Bad theology needs to be answered. We do have the option to reject biblical knowledge as believers, for this is ultimately rejecting God. The wise are hungry for the truth (cf. Prov. 15:14), and knowledge is found on their lips since they store it up. We are commanded to "study to show yourself approved unto God," and this implies we are to become students of the Word and ready apologists for the Lord. The elders and deacons are to have the ability to refute false doctrine and defend the faith (cf. Titus 1:9, NKJV, which says, "[Holding] fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict").
And so, it's not "those theologians!" It's "what kind of theologian are you?" Just like we are all preachers and Good Samaritans, even if it's not our gift, we are to study the Word systematically, if possible, and to learn to discern truth from error and discern the solid food of the Word, not surviving solely on the milk of the Word. All theology was designed to be understood with the mind (we have the mind of Christ and illuminating ministry of the Spirit), and theology is said to enter the heart via the mind, not vice versa.
And in conclusion, doctrine or theology is necessary for healthy spiritual growth, but not sufficient: the fact that our hearts be right is more important than what school of theology we subscribe to. Our doctrine doesn't need to be impeccably correct, but our heart needs to be in the right place! Scripture, however, does teach both the primacy of the heart and of the mind--God wants us to understand the Word! The mere presentation of doctrine can leave a person cold and seem farfetched to the spiritually naive because it must be enlightened by the Spirit and done in the right way, not just as an intellectual exercise! We are not called to make converts to our school of theology, and God won't even ask us what we held so dear doctrine-wise, but to be held accountable for our works, when the final audit of our life's work is done. Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Stewards Of The Mysteries Of God
"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy" (1 Cor. 4:1-2, ESV).
God has revealed to us believers a quota or portion of divine truth to be used for His glory, and in His name. We are all stewards of it and will give account for what has been revealed to us--we are not judging God's truth, but it is judging us! If we have come up with some strange idea or a truth no one else realizes, it is not of God. Remember what Jesus said: "To whom much is given, much is required." We are never to make light of the revelations and insights God has granted us by grace. Truth with a capital T can be ascertained and we are in the Great Quest to find it and apply it to our lives the best we know; for to know the right thing or duty to do and be remiss or derelict in it is sinful. Jesus said, that we shall know the truth (which is in Jesus per Eph. 4:21) and it shall set us free per John 8:32.
God only reveals mysteries to us so that they may benefit the body as a whole, not to give us inflated egos or that we might become conceited or arrogant, even condescending in our fellowships and relationships. When we pass along the truths God has revealed to us, He grants more and illumines us to a higher degree. Illumination is not salvation, but we grow in illumination and enlightenment as we mature in Christ--sharing in the mind of Christ Himself. The complete mind of Christ is manifest in Scripture for us to study for all eternity since we are incapable in our finite mind to apprehend the infinite mind of God. His mind is called the Ultimate mind, and this means there is more to the cosmos than matter and energy--there are spirit and mind, or what we might term the Logos, as Jesus is called in John 1:1.
No man has a monopoly on knowledge of the truth and is an island or rock in himself, but must learn from the body of Christ, as all share gifts for the benefit of the body. To be a spiritual Lone Ranger (one who doesn't submit to any authority other than himself or is unbowed), or a spiritual lone wolf is in danger of going astray and doing his own thing, which is another name for sin per Isaiah 53:6 (ESV), which says, "All we like sheep have gone astray...." People who are not sheep, or have no shepherd guiding them, are like goats in Jesus' analogy and goats do not act like sheep, who are helpless, but can fend for themselves.
If a Christian thinks he's a shepherd and not a sheep, he must be a sheep first, and he never really stops being a sheep, even though he's a shepherd; He can tell if he's a shepherd by seeing if anyone is following him or if he exhibits leadership ability. If he thinks people should listen to him, he should see if they do first!
In summation, the student is not above his teacher, according to the Word, and God is judging how good and faithful of a student one is, as well as how good and faithful a teacher the shepherd is--whether he teaches the truth and practices what he teaches, that is. Soli Deo Gloria!
God has revealed to us believers a quota or portion of divine truth to be used for His glory, and in His name. We are all stewards of it and will give account for what has been revealed to us--we are not judging God's truth, but it is judging us! If we have come up with some strange idea or a truth no one else realizes, it is not of God. Remember what Jesus said: "To whom much is given, much is required." We are never to make light of the revelations and insights God has granted us by grace. Truth with a capital T can be ascertained and we are in the Great Quest to find it and apply it to our lives the best we know; for to know the right thing or duty to do and be remiss or derelict in it is sinful. Jesus said, that we shall know the truth (which is in Jesus per Eph. 4:21) and it shall set us free per John 8:32.
God only reveals mysteries to us so that they may benefit the body as a whole, not to give us inflated egos or that we might become conceited or arrogant, even condescending in our fellowships and relationships. When we pass along the truths God has revealed to us, He grants more and illumines us to a higher degree. Illumination is not salvation, but we grow in illumination and enlightenment as we mature in Christ--sharing in the mind of Christ Himself. The complete mind of Christ is manifest in Scripture for us to study for all eternity since we are incapable in our finite mind to apprehend the infinite mind of God. His mind is called the Ultimate mind, and this means there is more to the cosmos than matter and energy--there are spirit and mind, or what we might term the Logos, as Jesus is called in John 1:1.
No man has a monopoly on knowledge of the truth and is an island or rock in himself, but must learn from the body of Christ, as all share gifts for the benefit of the body. To be a spiritual Lone Ranger (one who doesn't submit to any authority other than himself or is unbowed), or a spiritual lone wolf is in danger of going astray and doing his own thing, which is another name for sin per Isaiah 53:6 (ESV), which says, "All we like sheep have gone astray...." People who are not sheep, or have no shepherd guiding them, are like goats in Jesus' analogy and goats do not act like sheep, who are helpless, but can fend for themselves.
If a Christian thinks he's a shepherd and not a sheep, he must be a sheep first, and he never really stops being a sheep, even though he's a shepherd; He can tell if he's a shepherd by seeing if anyone is following him or if he exhibits leadership ability. If he thinks people should listen to him, he should see if they do first!
In summation, the student is not above his teacher, according to the Word, and God is judging how good and faithful of a student one is, as well as how good and faithful a teacher the shepherd is--whether he teaches the truth and practices what he teaches, that is. Soli Deo Gloria!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Knowing What To Believe
Someone has remarked that people get their beliefs like they catch colds (probably referring to The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, where he alleges that "faith is caught" and religion is a "mental virus"), and they get faith from hanging around certain people and becoming infected--they don't think independently, but get easily persuaded by the loudest and most vociferous voices heard. You can predict what these people think of the crowd they hang around. They have not learned the science of critical thinking and know nothing of being skeptical when it does matter.
Consider the source! Who is saying what and what is the authority of that source? They have not thought it out or been challenged in their thinking. Do they know what the person means by their terminology, sometimes there may be a semantic problem or a simple misunderstanding of definitions that can cause quarrels and misunderstandings? Knowing what you believe is only the prelude to knowing why and defending and contending for the faith and your position as commanded. People have to come to the realization and awakening that it doesn't matter what people believe, but what matters is the truth and we must find it and defend it.
We often agree more than we disagree and it is vital to find commonality and not stress our differences, yet we are prone to disputations because of our human nature. Not knowing what you believe can be disastrous to keeping the faith. You become susceptible to influence and persuasion by those more educated if you have no foundation and don't know the rules of the game or of engagement. The unschooled, unseasoned believer is "tossed to and fro ... by every wind of doctrine," according to Ephesians 4:14, ESV. Scholars can sometimes take advantage of the unskilled in the Word (especially those skilled in the Koine Greek or Hebrew) and naive students are easy prey. People who are skilled at the technique and art of debate and polemics know that you should be able to argue both sides of a case to be able to be in a position to judge the merit of it.
Keep your mind open till you have considered the relevant verses, such as proof texts. The reason is that you need a frame of reference and viewpoint to interpret reality and God's truth. Sound doctrine is foundational--the building block on which all other knowledge, discernment, and wisdom rest, the simple basics and starting point. Doctrine cannot be avoided without committing spiritual suicide; it is the infrastructure of Bible knowledge and it's mandatory to learn the ABCs You shouldn't just be able to converse on the subjects, but know where you stand and be ready to defend (cf. 1 Timothy 2:15) your convictions (you hold beliefs, by the way, but convictions hold you!). This is rudimentary and not subject to compromise!
You cannot be biased at the beginning and must be willing to go where the evidence leads, even if it is against your gut instinct and presuppositions, which may become shaken up a little and shock you out of your comfort zone. Flannery Connor said that truth doesn't change according to our ability to stomach it! You will never arrive at the truth if you are unwilling to go there, or even consider it as an option! You should know why you believe something, and not just because you accept someone's word for it or you accept someone's authority as a teacher. For instance, Roman Catholics don't believe they have the individual authority to interpret Scripture, but that it is the domain of the clergy. This is why they swallow the belief that tradition is of equal authority with Scripture--they've never checked things out for themselves.
We are to follow the example, the Berean Jews who searched the Scriptures to see if these things that Paul taught were so (cf. Acts 17:11). This is a dangerous presumption to forego our responsibility to interpret Scripture because you are literally blindly putting the fate of your soul into someone's hands. This is literally coming full circle from the Reformation! The Bible is the sole and final authority (sola Scriptura, or Scripture alone, as authority was a battle cry of the Reformation), and God has given each of us the privilege to interpret it, but also the responsibility to do it right. God wants us to read the Word, and if we don't believe we can interpret the Bible, we will be less likely to do this.
There are a few critical questions (this is not original of mine) one needs to ask if one is to be skeptical and doubt someone at their word: Where do they get their information? Is there evidence? Do they footnote it or do they assume you accept their authority? Be vigilant about the meaning of terms and words, because they may mean something you don't understand. Ask them to literally tell you what they mean by the words in question--this will reveal a lot. Don't take words for granted! Always ask them what they mean by their proposition. And most importantly, you must consider the issue of how they know it's true--is there evidence? Some people confuse belief with truth and "feel" in their hearts something as true and that is "evidence." Believing something doesn't make it true!
Are they mystical and relying on their own experience (you'd be surprised how many people just "feel" something is true in their hearts!), or are they mere scholars (not that scholars are to be avoided--they are needed too!) who quote so and so? The authority of the source is vital and one should weigh in on the validity of this source--for instance, do you have a Bible verse for that or are you just theorizing this for yourself? For example Martin Luther said he would only be persuaded by Sacred Scripture or evident reason, otherwise, he would not recant (not the papal authority either) at the Diet of Worms. Remember, "no Scripture [cf. 2 Pet. 1:20] is of any private interpretation," and this means no one can come up with some newfangled meaning, secret or esoteric knowledge, or "spiritualization" no one else will realize or apprehend.
John MacArthur has rightly said, that not knowing what you believe is a sort of non-belief! We are not to waver in limbo not knowing anything for sure, but to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior and to study to show ourselves approved unto God, as workmen, not needing to be ashamed, but rightly diving or handling the Word of Truth (cf. 1 Timothy 2:15). Not knowing what you believe will only make you susceptible and vulnerable to false doctrine and even doctrines of demons and, when people attack the faith, you will have no basis to answer them or defend the faith (contending for the faith is not the option, but commanded in Jude 3).
The childish believer balks at learning the things of God in depth (cf. 2 Tim. 3:9) and isn't able to distinguish good from evil (cf. Heb. 5:14), therefore he tends only to the milk of the Word and is unskilled in the Word of Righteousness and isn't ready to digest the meat of the Word. The more you are aware of what you believe, the better equipped you are to battle the forces of evil which attack us with ideas from the devil himself in an onslaught. There is a false religion, false doctrine, and false mysticism out there that must be revealed and brought to light so that we are not influenced by it.
Knowing what you believe is the very foundation of living in faith and should also be a building block to the truth. Never assume you have arrived or have monopolized the truth. No one has cornered the market and we all need each other in the body to share insight and enlightenment. We are to think in terms of doctrine as a vocabulary of the Spirit, not experience, and we need to learn how to think in a godly manner and be doctrinally correct to root out misconceptions and error from our thinking--we all need to get our thinking straightened out!
Consider the source! Who is saying what and what is the authority of that source? They have not thought it out or been challenged in their thinking. Do they know what the person means by their terminology, sometimes there may be a semantic problem or a simple misunderstanding of definitions that can cause quarrels and misunderstandings? Knowing what you believe is only the prelude to knowing why and defending and contending for the faith and your position as commanded. People have to come to the realization and awakening that it doesn't matter what people believe, but what matters is the truth and we must find it and defend it.
We often agree more than we disagree and it is vital to find commonality and not stress our differences, yet we are prone to disputations because of our human nature. Not knowing what you believe can be disastrous to keeping the faith. You become susceptible to influence and persuasion by those more educated if you have no foundation and don't know the rules of the game or of engagement. The unschooled, unseasoned believer is "tossed to and fro ... by every wind of doctrine," according to Ephesians 4:14, ESV. Scholars can sometimes take advantage of the unskilled in the Word (especially those skilled in the Koine Greek or Hebrew) and naive students are easy prey. People who are skilled at the technique and art of debate and polemics know that you should be able to argue both sides of a case to be able to be in a position to judge the merit of it.
Keep your mind open till you have considered the relevant verses, such as proof texts. The reason is that you need a frame of reference and viewpoint to interpret reality and God's truth. Sound doctrine is foundational--the building block on which all other knowledge, discernment, and wisdom rest, the simple basics and starting point. Doctrine cannot be avoided without committing spiritual suicide; it is the infrastructure of Bible knowledge and it's mandatory to learn the ABCs You shouldn't just be able to converse on the subjects, but know where you stand and be ready to defend (cf. 1 Timothy 2:15) your convictions (you hold beliefs, by the way, but convictions hold you!). This is rudimentary and not subject to compromise!
You cannot be biased at the beginning and must be willing to go where the evidence leads, even if it is against your gut instinct and presuppositions, which may become shaken up a little and shock you out of your comfort zone. Flannery Connor said that truth doesn't change according to our ability to stomach it! You will never arrive at the truth if you are unwilling to go there, or even consider it as an option! You should know why you believe something, and not just because you accept someone's word for it or you accept someone's authority as a teacher. For instance, Roman Catholics don't believe they have the individual authority to interpret Scripture, but that it is the domain of the clergy. This is why they swallow the belief that tradition is of equal authority with Scripture--they've never checked things out for themselves.
We are to follow the example, the Berean Jews who searched the Scriptures to see if these things that Paul taught were so (cf. Acts 17:11). This is a dangerous presumption to forego our responsibility to interpret Scripture because you are literally blindly putting the fate of your soul into someone's hands. This is literally coming full circle from the Reformation! The Bible is the sole and final authority (sola Scriptura, or Scripture alone, as authority was a battle cry of the Reformation), and God has given each of us the privilege to interpret it, but also the responsibility to do it right. God wants us to read the Word, and if we don't believe we can interpret the Bible, we will be less likely to do this.
There are a few critical questions (this is not original of mine) one needs to ask if one is to be skeptical and doubt someone at their word: Where do they get their information? Is there evidence? Do they footnote it or do they assume you accept their authority? Be vigilant about the meaning of terms and words, because they may mean something you don't understand. Ask them to literally tell you what they mean by the words in question--this will reveal a lot. Don't take words for granted! Always ask them what they mean by their proposition. And most importantly, you must consider the issue of how they know it's true--is there evidence? Some people confuse belief with truth and "feel" in their hearts something as true and that is "evidence." Believing something doesn't make it true!
Are they mystical and relying on their own experience (you'd be surprised how many people just "feel" something is true in their hearts!), or are they mere scholars (not that scholars are to be avoided--they are needed too!) who quote so and so? The authority of the source is vital and one should weigh in on the validity of this source--for instance, do you have a Bible verse for that or are you just theorizing this for yourself? For example Martin Luther said he would only be persuaded by Sacred Scripture or evident reason, otherwise, he would not recant (not the papal authority either) at the Diet of Worms. Remember, "no Scripture [cf. 2 Pet. 1:20] is of any private interpretation," and this means no one can come up with some newfangled meaning, secret or esoteric knowledge, or "spiritualization" no one else will realize or apprehend.
John MacArthur has rightly said, that not knowing what you believe is a sort of non-belief! We are not to waver in limbo not knowing anything for sure, but to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior and to study to show ourselves approved unto God, as workmen, not needing to be ashamed, but rightly diving or handling the Word of Truth (cf. 1 Timothy 2:15). Not knowing what you believe will only make you susceptible and vulnerable to false doctrine and even doctrines of demons and, when people attack the faith, you will have no basis to answer them or defend the faith (contending for the faith is not the option, but commanded in Jude 3).
The childish believer balks at learning the things of God in depth (cf. 2 Tim. 3:9) and isn't able to distinguish good from evil (cf. Heb. 5:14), therefore he tends only to the milk of the Word and is unskilled in the Word of Righteousness and isn't ready to digest the meat of the Word. The more you are aware of what you believe, the better equipped you are to battle the forces of evil which attack us with ideas from the devil himself in an onslaught. There is a false religion, false doctrine, and false mysticism out there that must be revealed and brought to light so that we are not influenced by it.
Knowing what you believe is the very foundation of living in faith and should also be a building block to the truth. Never assume you have arrived or have monopolized the truth. No one has cornered the market and we all need each other in the body to share insight and enlightenment. We are to think in terms of doctrine as a vocabulary of the Spirit, not experience, and we need to learn how to think in a godly manner and be doctrinally correct to root out misconceptions and error from our thinking--we all need to get our thinking straightened out!
Caveat: Don't allow teachers or authorities to be the arbiters of truth--they often contradict each other--God alone is the arbiter of all truth based on what is revealed to us in Scripture (cf. Deut. 29:29, ESV, which says: "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.").
In the final analysis, it is far more important to live out your beliefs, put them into action, and turn your creeds into deeds, than to be impeccably correct in all your doctrine. You cannot have a sound life without sound doctrine, according to R. C. Sproul, but you can have sound doctrine without a sound life--both are necessary and we shouldn't downplay either one. Faith is only valid when it is acted upon, it is knowledge put to work to glorify God. We will be judged by our deeds, not our beliefs; God isn't going to ask us what doctrinal position we hold on such and such or what church we went to, either--we aren't saved by our theory of the atonement, for instance!
In the final analysis, it is far more important to live out your beliefs, put them into action, and turn your creeds into deeds, than to be impeccably correct in all your doctrine. You cannot have a sound life without sound doctrine, according to R. C. Sproul, but you can have sound doctrine without a sound life--both are necessary and we shouldn't downplay either one. Faith is only valid when it is acted upon, it is knowledge put to work to glorify God. We will be judged by our deeds, not our beliefs; God isn't going to ask us what doctrinal position we hold on such and such or what church we went to, either--we aren't saved by our theory of the atonement, for instance!
It is not that we will make assumptions (this is unavoidable), but the crux of the matter is on what evidence they rest! Remember: To gain any knowledge you must first admit your ignorance (be teachable!), according to Socrates. You cannot avoid doctrine by claiming it is too arcane or only has academic value.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Let God Be True
"The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17, ESV).
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18, ESV).
This is the name of the primary Watchtower Bible & Tract Society book which denies the Trinity as being the doctrine invented by Satan himself. Actually, the church father Tertullian coined the word, and even though it isn't a biblical word, it is taught throughout Scripture from creation, where God is in the plural (Elohim--"Let us create ...") to the Great Commission where we are to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All members of the Godhead are equally God and equally divine, sharing all attributes of deity alike.
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18, ESV).
This is the name of the primary Watchtower Bible & Tract Society book which denies the Trinity as being the doctrine invented by Satan himself. Actually, the church father Tertullian coined the word, and even though it isn't a biblical word, it is taught throughout Scripture from creation, where God is in the plural (Elohim--"Let us create ...") to the Great Commission where we are to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All members of the Godhead are equally God and equally divine, sharing all attributes of deity alike.
The reason Charles Taze Russell denied the Trinity was because he thought it was irrational--what made him presume God is able to be comprehended by man (The philosophers of antiquity said, "The finite cannot grasp the infinite") or in Latin: "finitum non capax infinitum"). The more one contemplates this truth, the more one realizes it is from the revelation of God, and not man's invention. Truth is that way, it is not something we would've guessed! Christianity is a revealed religion and we know it by special revelation, personal visitation, and encounter by God Himself in the person of His only Son, our Lord.
There is one God, though manifested in three personas as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All of one essence, but having different self-distinctions or consciousnesses. What trait, characteristic, or attribute of one can be said of the others. They always act in harmony and concurrence of will (there is no conflict of interest, disharmony, ill-will, or disagreement). If the members of the Trinity disagreed they would be lying by definition of the law of noncontradiction. They work according to the role and domain they have, such as the Father purposing or proposing salvation, the Son accomplished it, and the Holy Spirit executing and making it known and real in the believer.
The Father also authored and planned it, the Son did the work of redemption, and the Holy Spirit applied it. They also worked in concert in creating heaven and earth. Jesus is known as the logos or logic of God and is called the Word (expression or icon) of God (cf. John 1:14). Jesus was the incarnation and manifestation of truth itself, proving we can know and grasp it (cf. John 14:6). He pronounced: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (cf. John 8:32).
One thing that is impossible for God to do is lie; while man is a liar and lies from the womb according to the Psalms. Lying isn't just saying something that is contrary to fact on purpose: not saying the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; misspeaking; giving someone a line; making up something as you go along for impression's sake; saying something to gain the upper edge or advantage; false compliments; insincere flattery; any half-truth; misleading statements; exaggeration for effect; saying something to gain advantage; deceptive practices; giving off a false impression; jumping to the conclusion; misrepresentations; saying something that hurts; bearing false witness against your neighbor; disinformation; contradicting yourself; propaganda; not being honest in niceties or pleasantries, such as in greetings and saying you're feeling fine, when you're not; not telling the whole story; leading astray; acting the con man; flirting; buttering up someone; creating a false impression or going along with one; fooling someone; putting spin on something; saying something with bias or subjectivity; pre-judging someone or something; gossip; slander; judging; false portrayal of situations or events, etc.
Face it: We all stand guilty as charged when we realize all this encompasses and more to boot, including omitting the truth as a sin of omission, and anything God wouldn't say. Remember, telling one lie makes you a liar! But God cannot lie according to Titus 1:2. If God could lie, what kind of God would he be? President George Washington claimed that he couldn't tell a lie; actually, that's a lie--he could, but chose not to on intentionally. The Bible calls all men liars (cf. Romans 3:4). President Jimmy Carter told us he wouldn't lie to us, but this was an impossible task as Chief Executive.
Face it: We all stand guilty as charged when we realize all this encompasses and more to boot, including omitting the truth as a sin of omission, and anything God wouldn't say. Remember, telling one lie makes you a liar! But God cannot lie according to Titus 1:2. If God could lie, what kind of God would he be? President George Washington claimed that he couldn't tell a lie; actually, that's a lie--he could, but chose not to on intentionally. The Bible calls all men liars (cf. Romans 3:4). President Jimmy Carter told us he wouldn't lie to us, but this was an impossible task as Chief Executive.
Philosophically, Thomas Aquinas believed and affirmed what Augustine had said in that all truth is God's truth and concluded that all truth meets at the top. Francis A. Schaeffer said the Bible is "true truth." Jesus said that God's Word is truth and sanctifies us (cf. John 17:17). Jesus said that the Father is the "only true God" (cf. John 17:3). Truth is what transforms and doesn't just inform or reform. Truth changes lives and is alive and powerful and fills us then makes us hungry. It reads you as you read it!
God judges those who practice deceit and lie on purpose or deliberately like false teachers or prophets, and they will not enter the kingdom of heaven (cf. Rev. 22:15, ESV: "... [T]hose who love and practice falsehood"). Satan is a liar and the father of lies, the father of all men before salvation, and when he speaks a lie he is speaking naturally, for this is his nature. The man who insists he's telling the truth and swears in God's name is probably the most insecure of his integrity. Like Shakespeare writes: "Methinks thou dost protest too much!"
Note that the Bible records Abraham as having lied about Sarah. When I say someone is a liar I am delineating someone who practices the sin intentionally and loves or approves of it--not some besetting weakness that is confessed. After conversion we have a new nature able, to tell the truth, and overcome the sin of lying--we are no longer prone to lie; however, the flesh is still tempted. People generally associate liars as those who got caught; however, we are all liars, we all just didn't get caught! Don't strive to be the ideal man with unrealistic expectations, but to be a real man with ones in touch with reality and needing God to overcome sin--always a battle till glorification.
To claim that you don't lie is a lie and a claim to divinity because only God can claim this: "... Let God be true and every man a liar" (cf. Rom. 3:4, ESV). In essence, this is blasphemy (which is a lie by definition) and a direct insult to God's holiness, as He is a jealous God and will tolerate no rivals or someone asserting deity or divinity. If you've never realized what a liar you were before salvation or that you still are prone to do it because of the resident old sin nature, you have never been convicted of sin and don't know what the word really means or its connotations--the more you realize lies and the more sensitive you become, the more honest you become, the closer to the truth you get, the more aware you become of sin, and then the less sin!
The sad fact is that people aren't concerned with whether an idea is true anymore, but just whether it works, and works for them in particular. There is no Truth with a capital T and all truth is relative now, especially the ones relating to Christianity. Christians are to proclaim the truth incarnate and that it is knowable, relevant, and profitable. New Age adherents believe something is true if it feels right. Morality is always based on transcendent truth that we all should know and appeal to, not personal opinion, feelings, or conjecture. Unbelievers are those who reject the truth (cf. Romans 2:8). People today deny universal truth that is valid for everyone but insists that it might be true for you, and not for them.
Objective truth is true whether believed or not. (Note: Even the Greeks sought and loved the true, the good, and the beautiful.) Two contradictory ideas cannot simultaneously both be true. What they tend to believe is that there is no truth and it is vain to search for it or claim you've found it. Just like Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38 what truth was, but didn't stick around for an answer. If you seek the truth with your whole heart you will find it and it will set you free--then you can speak forth truth, and not the lies and deceptions of Satan. Soli Deo Gloria!
The sad fact is that people aren't concerned with whether an idea is true anymore, but just whether it works, and works for them in particular. There is no Truth with a capital T and all truth is relative now, especially the ones relating to Christianity. Christians are to proclaim the truth incarnate and that it is knowable, relevant, and profitable. New Age adherents believe something is true if it feels right. Morality is always based on transcendent truth that we all should know and appeal to, not personal opinion, feelings, or conjecture. Unbelievers are those who reject the truth (cf. Romans 2:8). People today deny universal truth that is valid for everyone but insists that it might be true for you, and not for them.
Objective truth is true whether believed or not. (Note: Even the Greeks sought and loved the true, the good, and the beautiful.) Two contradictory ideas cannot simultaneously both be true. What they tend to believe is that there is no truth and it is vain to search for it or claim you've found it. Just like Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38 what truth was, but didn't stick around for an answer. If you seek the truth with your whole heart you will find it and it will set you free--then you can speak forth truth, and not the lies and deceptions of Satan. Soli Deo Gloria!
Monday, June 20, 2016
"How Does This Man Know ..?"
They really wondered how Jesus could be so wise, having never learned (been taught)--He was self-taught by God. Some people have only second-hand knowledge of God and not a first-hand experience from walking with Him. 1 John 2:27 (ESV) says: "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything--and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you--abide in him." Psalm 119:99 (ESV) says, "I have more understanding than all my teachers...."
Christians are not meant to be dependent on teachers forever but come of age spiritually enough to learn to be noble enough like the Bereans, who searched these things out for themselves what Paul taught. Some believers that aren't even teachers are mighty in the Scriptures because they have learned to abide in the Word--it doesn't take high intelligence or any arcane knowledge. When you meet a genuine believer, you will find out that he has had first-hand encounters in the Word and has learned to attend to it to hear God speaking to him.
There is nothing to be privy to except a basic reading skills and good study techniques. We are not Gnostics claiming a secret knowledge that is necessary for salvation, but when we are able to discern good and evil (cf. Heb. 5:14) we can then be ready for the meat of the Word. The childish believer balks at learning the things of God in depth and remains an infant in the faith. Deacons are called to "hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience [not reluctant to study the deeper truths]" (cf. 1 Tim. 3:9, ESV). The Bible is not abstruse and its basic message of salvation can be comprehended by children.
The simplicity of Scripture is a mystery and inscrutable to unbelievers who don't have the Spirit to enlighten them and show them the way. The way of salvation is not complicated nor a mystery to unravel, but the wise in this world, don't see its wisdom. 1 Cor. 1:25 ESV, says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men"). God makes the world's wisdom foolishness. All it takes is to be teachable and receptive, having a willing spirit, an open mind, and a needy heart.
When we are in heaven we will know what we cannot know in the flesh and every question will be answered to our satisfaction (Jesus said that "in that day" we "shall ask [Him] nothing"). We cannot know the secret things of God because they are none of our business, but that which is revealed in Scripture belongs to us forever (cf. Deut. 29:29). As Jesus quoted the prophet in John 6:45 (ESV): "They shall all be taught of God"
No prophecy is of any private interpretation and that means we have the privilege to interpret Scripture, but not to fabricate our own truths--God is not going to give us a personal revelation of the meaning of a passage or prophecy that He doesn't give to others--we are to avoid strange teachings and people claiming special links to God that makes them infallible like the pope does. It is the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit that shows us the light in the Word and opens the eyes of our hearts. We must learn to depend upon the leading of the Spirit and not depend on our own wits.
In summation, the aim of the teacher is to teach others and equip them to be able to pass on that which is committed unto them and spread the Word, and ultimately and hopefully so that they can also teach others and exponentially increase the ministry, rather than arithmetically. When they believe they don't need you anymore, that is good news and a blessing--the fulfillment of a ministry; we don't want them to become dependents! 2 Timothy 2:2 says to entrust these things to faithful men who will be able to pass them on to others. Soli Deo Gloria!
Christians are not meant to be dependent on teachers forever but come of age spiritually enough to learn to be noble enough like the Bereans, who searched these things out for themselves what Paul taught. Some believers that aren't even teachers are mighty in the Scriptures because they have learned to abide in the Word--it doesn't take high intelligence or any arcane knowledge. When you meet a genuine believer, you will find out that he has had first-hand encounters in the Word and has learned to attend to it to hear God speaking to him.
There is nothing to be privy to except a basic reading skills and good study techniques. We are not Gnostics claiming a secret knowledge that is necessary for salvation, but when we are able to discern good and evil (cf. Heb. 5:14) we can then be ready for the meat of the Word. The childish believer balks at learning the things of God in depth and remains an infant in the faith. Deacons are called to "hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience [not reluctant to study the deeper truths]" (cf. 1 Tim. 3:9, ESV). The Bible is not abstruse and its basic message of salvation can be comprehended by children.
The simplicity of Scripture is a mystery and inscrutable to unbelievers who don't have the Spirit to enlighten them and show them the way. The way of salvation is not complicated nor a mystery to unravel, but the wise in this world, don't see its wisdom. 1 Cor. 1:25 ESV, says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men"). God makes the world's wisdom foolishness. All it takes is to be teachable and receptive, having a willing spirit, an open mind, and a needy heart.
When we are in heaven we will know what we cannot know in the flesh and every question will be answered to our satisfaction (Jesus said that "in that day" we "shall ask [Him] nothing"). We cannot know the secret things of God because they are none of our business, but that which is revealed in Scripture belongs to us forever (cf. Deut. 29:29). As Jesus quoted the prophet in John 6:45 (ESV): "They shall all be taught of God"
No prophecy is of any private interpretation and that means we have the privilege to interpret Scripture, but not to fabricate our own truths--God is not going to give us a personal revelation of the meaning of a passage or prophecy that He doesn't give to others--we are to avoid strange teachings and people claiming special links to God that makes them infallible like the pope does. It is the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit that shows us the light in the Word and opens the eyes of our hearts. We must learn to depend upon the leading of the Spirit and not depend on our own wits.
In summation, the aim of the teacher is to teach others and equip them to be able to pass on that which is committed unto them and spread the Word, and ultimately and hopefully so that they can also teach others and exponentially increase the ministry, rather than arithmetically. When they believe they don't need you anymore, that is good news and a blessing--the fulfillment of a ministry; we don't want them to become dependents! 2 Timothy 2:2 says to entrust these things to faithful men who will be able to pass them on to others. Soli Deo Gloria!
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Watch Your Doctrine!...
Verses to ponder and reflect on:
"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching [i.e., doctrine]" (1 Tim. 4: 13, ESV).
"Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and go on to maturity ..." (Heb. 6:1, ESV).
The body of Christ is one no matter where you go and you can have fellowship with a believer no matter what church he attends (fellowship actually could mean two fellows in the same ship). We truly are "one in the Spirit." But there must be commonality and unity (not necessarily uniformity) to have fellowship and you can fellowship with someone of a different denomination or doctrinal persuasion, but never think this implies doctrine is not important and that God doesn't expect us to learn the truth and be dedicated to its dissemination. You don't have to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand--you can agree to disagree and find common ground to fellowship on--All Christians have Jesus in common and should not get so sectarian that they don't love the brethren, regardless of affiliation.
The Bible refutes the notion that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere--the common fallacy of today's worldview. Paul exhorted Timothy to "Keep a close watch on [himself] and on the teaching [literally, doctrine]. Persist in this, for by so doing [he] will save both [himself] and [his] hearers" (1 Tim. 4:16, ESV). You can be sincerely wrong, though sincerity is important. We can be singing kumbaya around a campfire and learn to get along because we're all Christians (members of one church should have no internal dispute--yes--but cross-town rivals might!).
Timothy was told not to neglect the gift he had--he reportedly was a church troubleshooter, and I believe this is a sort of theologian. Mainstream denominations are highly ecumenical in that they believe in interdenominational cooperation despite differences of doctrine. Sure, there are major doctrines we should not compromise, but we should never major on the minors and divide Christ. This was the mistake of Corinth that had become highly sectarian. There is a place for forgetting our differences and let love be the rule of the day, like when we translate Bibles and don't want to have a sectarian bias, or charitable and outreach programs that they can concur on. But nowhere does the Bible authorize that we neglect doctrine or its value to make us grow up in the Lord. "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine ..." (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16).
Ignorance is not bliss and God puts no premium on it and expects believers to responsibly study according to their abilities and become genuine students of the Word: "... If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples" (John 8:12, ESV). What is implied is this: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free [Jesus called God's Word Truth and said we are sanctified by it in John 17:17]." We are not born free as humans, but in bondage to sin and must be set free by Christ ("If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed," cf. John 8:36).
Paul exhorts Titus: "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1, ESV). Notice that Paul says in v. 1 that the knowledge of the truth accords with godliness--there's a correlation! It is by the acquisition of truth that we become sanctified as I quoted in John 17:17. He also says, "... give instruction in sound doctrine ..." (Titus 1:9, ESV). We need to know doctrine, according to Paul in Ephesians 4:14 so that we will not "be tossed to and fro ... by every wind of doctrine ...."
I don't know if there is a gift of being a theologian or if some people just have the knack for it and seem to excel in organized, systematic thinking and analysis of Bible teaching or doctrine. But no one in the body is superfluous and unnecessary--the body needs theologians too, no matter what the gift may be. A good theologian can identify a false doctrine a mile away and organizes his teaching and be thinking so as to be able to categorize it and disseminate it in an orderly way--let everything be done decently and in order according to 1 Cor. 14:40. Theologians have a viewpoint because they usually belong to a certain school of thought and tend to interpret things partially--remember, there is no such thing as perfect objectivity, except with God.
It has its limits: For instance, you aren't going to convince a devoted Arminian that he can't lose his salvation--he has interpreted the whole Bible while denying that premise. I remember that when God opened my eyes to the truth of eternal security it seemed like scales came off my eyes and the whole of Scripture was opened in meaning to me with a viewpoint (I previously had no opinions or didn't know what to believe or even who to believe). Soli Deo Gloria!
"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching [i.e., doctrine]" (1 Tim. 4: 13, ESV).
"Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and go on to maturity ..." (Heb. 6:1, ESV).
The body of Christ is one no matter where you go and you can have fellowship with a believer no matter what church he attends (fellowship actually could mean two fellows in the same ship). We truly are "one in the Spirit." But there must be commonality and unity (not necessarily uniformity) to have fellowship and you can fellowship with someone of a different denomination or doctrinal persuasion, but never think this implies doctrine is not important and that God doesn't expect us to learn the truth and be dedicated to its dissemination. You don't have to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand--you can agree to disagree and find common ground to fellowship on--All Christians have Jesus in common and should not get so sectarian that they don't love the brethren, regardless of affiliation.
The Bible refutes the notion that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere--the common fallacy of today's worldview. Paul exhorted Timothy to "Keep a close watch on [himself] and on the teaching [literally, doctrine]. Persist in this, for by so doing [he] will save both [himself] and [his] hearers" (1 Tim. 4:16, ESV). You can be sincerely wrong, though sincerity is important. We can be singing kumbaya around a campfire and learn to get along because we're all Christians (members of one church should have no internal dispute--yes--but cross-town rivals might!).
Timothy was told not to neglect the gift he had--he reportedly was a church troubleshooter, and I believe this is a sort of theologian. Mainstream denominations are highly ecumenical in that they believe in interdenominational cooperation despite differences of doctrine. Sure, there are major doctrines we should not compromise, but we should never major on the minors and divide Christ. This was the mistake of Corinth that had become highly sectarian. There is a place for forgetting our differences and let love be the rule of the day, like when we translate Bibles and don't want to have a sectarian bias, or charitable and outreach programs that they can concur on. But nowhere does the Bible authorize that we neglect doctrine or its value to make us grow up in the Lord. "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine ..." (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16).
Ignorance is not bliss and God puts no premium on it and expects believers to responsibly study according to their abilities and become genuine students of the Word: "... If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples" (John 8:12, ESV). What is implied is this: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free [Jesus called God's Word Truth and said we are sanctified by it in John 17:17]." We are not born free as humans, but in bondage to sin and must be set free by Christ ("If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed," cf. John 8:36).
Paul exhorts Titus: "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1, ESV). Notice that Paul says in v. 1 that the knowledge of the truth accords with godliness--there's a correlation! It is by the acquisition of truth that we become sanctified as I quoted in John 17:17. He also says, "... give instruction in sound doctrine ..." (Titus 1:9, ESV). We need to know doctrine, according to Paul in Ephesians 4:14 so that we will not "be tossed to and fro ... by every wind of doctrine ...."
I don't know if there is a gift of being a theologian or if some people just have the knack for it and seem to excel in organized, systematic thinking and analysis of Bible teaching or doctrine. But no one in the body is superfluous and unnecessary--the body needs theologians too, no matter what the gift may be. A good theologian can identify a false doctrine a mile away and organizes his teaching and be thinking so as to be able to categorize it and disseminate it in an orderly way--let everything be done decently and in order according to 1 Cor. 14:40. Theologians have a viewpoint because they usually belong to a certain school of thought and tend to interpret things partially--remember, there is no such thing as perfect objectivity, except with God.
It has its limits: For instance, you aren't going to convince a devoted Arminian that he can't lose his salvation--he has interpreted the whole Bible while denying that premise. I remember that when God opened my eyes to the truth of eternal security it seemed like scales came off my eyes and the whole of Scripture was opened in meaning to me with a viewpoint (I previously had no opinions or didn't know what to believe or even who to believe). Soli Deo Gloria!
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Reading/Teaching With A Purpose
It is vain to read Scripture like you would a novel to only get the storyline and not let God speak to you in a personal way--which only happens when you know the Author! You do apply all the normal rules of reading books to reading the Bible, but so much more. You cannot make illogical deductions or infer nonsense or fabrications. It is dangerous to get into subjectivism and listen to the "inner voice" as Quakers like to call it, the "burning in the bosom" as Mormons term it, or the "God within" as New Agers term it. No Scripture is of any private interpretation (cf. 2 Pet. 1:20). We can also know so much or be so educated that we miss the point! This is called being educated beyond our ignorance (or being so smart we're dumb), and we must also beware lest we become eggheads, who just want to know all the answers or be more informed than the next guy. We can indeed have an existential encounter with the Word, but it does not become the Word upon the encounter--it always was and is the Word of God, whether we understand and relate to it or not. God can speak through any passage and doesn't need for us to be educated or in the know to get a Word from Him.
What I'm hinting at without being too obvious is that some believers take an academic or textbook approach to reading and are attempting to get info or be informed, without being spoken to with a message from the Lord. "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land--not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it" (Amos 8:11-12, ESV). An academic approach is akin to reading a textbook for information and is something an unbeliever can do--real spiritual perusal can only be done in the Spirit and with His guidance and illuminating power. God enlightens the open mind, willing spirit, and needy heart if he is teachable, obedient, and receptive!
Let me mention in passing that Bible teaching is not like being in a lecture hall, or a military classroom. where one is forced to listen up! There are more variables and types of people to cater to and accommodate. There is no one-size-fits-all way to teach and one has to realize his purpose and make it known. I do not agree with outlines of the Bible in general, though there are exceptions, simply because they can give too much detail and discourage some students. There is a danger in overwhelming or going over their heads--one certainly doesn't want to "wow" them with your scholarship either. If one really believed in outlines he would outline everything and the student would get into the habit of doing it whenever he reads and not just for curiosity sake. If one does resort to outlines he should keep them simple and to the point; however, it is better to just make introductions and summarize what one desires to teach, sparing unnecessary details.
Let me mention in passing that Bible teaching is not like being in a lecture hall, or a military classroom. where one is forced to listen up! There are more variables and types of people to cater to and accommodate. There is no one-size-fits-all way to teach and one has to realize his purpose and make it known. I do not agree with outlines of the Bible in general, though there are exceptions, simply because they can give too much detail and discourage some students. There is a danger in overwhelming or going over their heads--one certainly doesn't want to "wow" them with your scholarship either. If one really believed in outlines he would outline everything and the student would get into the habit of doing it whenever he reads and not just for curiosity sake. If one does resort to outlines he should keep them simple and to the point; however, it is better to just make introductions and summarize what one desires to teach, sparing unnecessary details.
I've seen teachers who painstakingly outline the books of the Bible as if it can be done and God's Word can be analyzed mechanically--one needs to delimit and show restraint and reservation. This seems to be a very dry approach to me and bores me rather than spares me the details I am unconcerned with and don't relate to or are pertinent to me as an individual. Socrates said, "Woe to the teacher who teaches faster than his students can learn."
When we try to learn too much we end up learning less because true learning is purpose-oriented, and puts the person in focus so that he sees a reason for reading for his personal delight and insight. The fewer facts (not ideas, though) you present and the more you put the person into the text, the better a teacher you are and the student learns to study on his own and not get bogged down with the details. Getting back to outlines, there is no perfect or inspired one. and they can be misleading and give false confidence that you understand the passage. Remember, the goal is to get the student to risk a personal encounter in the Word, getting his own experience in the Word, not yours.
When we try to learn too much we end up learning less because true learning is purpose-oriented, and puts the person in focus so that he sees a reason for reading for his personal delight and insight. The fewer facts (not ideas, though) you present and the more you put the person into the text, the better a teacher you are and the student learns to study on his own and not get bogged down with the details. Getting back to outlines, there is no perfect or inspired one. and they can be misleading and give false confidence that you understand the passage. Remember, the goal is to get the student to risk a personal encounter in the Word, getting his own experience in the Word, not yours.
The more generalized the interpretation, the more effective: In other words, a good quick summation of the main point of the book to introduce the points of study is highly recommended because it sticks, and the student can focus on it without getting in over his head. We ought to make things as simple as possible, but not more so (Einstein)! The principle I learned in the Army stands true and making things unnecessarily complicated defeats the purpose: Keep it simple, stupid! If you cannot make it simple, you probably don't understand it yourself--what is it saying in a phrase; can you put it in a nutshell? What's the gist of it all and how does it apply to your personal life--no application infers no reason to study! Soli Deo Gloria!
Friday, July 1, 2011
What Is The Place Of The Law?
The moral code has not been rescinded which is summarized by the Ten Commandments, except for the Sabbath requirement which is a principle more than a legalistic burden (cf. Romans 14:5; Col. 2:16). The law was made for lawbreakers and rebels according to 1 Tim. 1:9. We obey the law out of gratitude and not out of obligation: because we "want to" not because we "have to." Obedience is a "therefore" not an "in order to." The law is holy, righteous, and good if one uses it righteously. So, we don't have to become somewhat "Jewish" to be good Christians. Judaizers are wrong missing the point and want to burden themselves with the law.
Does the law of Moses serve any purpose today? There were 613 laws in the books of Moses. They were of three classifications: ceremonial (ritual); governmental; and moral. Only the moral laws are still in effect and are fulfilled in the command to love our neighbor as Paul said. "The entire law is summed up in one single command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Gal. 5:14). We are under a higher law: the law of love The law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ as Paul said in Galatians 3:25. "If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law." "Cursed is everyone who relies on the law for righteousness" (Gal. 3:10). Paul said in Rom. 6:14, "...You are not under the law but under grace."
The law has been set aside as a way of life, either justification sanctification, or obedience. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for those who believe" (Rom. 10:4). "For if justification were through the law, Christ died for nothing" (Gal. 2:21). "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming not the realities themselves..." (Heb. 10:1). The law is obsolete for Christ "by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and ordinances" (Eph. 2:15) has made it irrelevant to us as a way of life, except for the moral code (it is still wrong to murder, for example).
Our relationship to the law is like a husband and wife and when one dies the other is free from the union. We are free in Christ and shouldn't be yoked again in bondage. The Law adjudicates or declares a man to be a sinner and does not exculpate him or free him from guilt. Only in Christ can we be free even though we say, "Mea Culpa" (I am to blame).
Romans 3:20 says that by the Law is the knowledge of sin. Paul wouldn't have known himself as a sinner unless he heard that he shouldn't covet. It is by the Word of God that the Holy Spirit convicts and it is His job to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Isaiah 55:11; cf. John 16:8). One law that is not repeated in the New Testament is the Sabbath law (cf. Neh. 9:14). This law was given as a sign (cf. Ezek. 20:20) to Israel that they were His people and comparing Rom. 14:5 and Col. 2:16 we see that this is not commanded or re-instituted in the New Testament. Finally, we serve not in the old written code of the law but in the new way of the Spirit (cf. Rom. 7:6). Watchman Nee said that the day he was delivered from the law was like heaven on earth.
The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the law: To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large, and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ. (this is according to R. C. Sproul). On the other end of the spectrum is Martin Luther's Against the Antinomians which refuted those who thought the law had no purpose (literally "against the law"). Sproul says that the law (here the moral law) does not sanction the idea that everyone has the right to do as they please in their own eyes or the right to do wrong just because we are not "under the law."
The law prepares us for grace and if we love Jesus we will do His commandments. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The law is a mirror according to Luther that shows us our true selves. The Hebrews, upon receiving the law, didn't pray for mercy but said they would obey it--what a mistake! Legalism is mainly adherence to the letter of the law and exclusion of the spirit of the law according to Sproul. He says, "The antidote to legalism and antinomianism is a serious study of the Word of God."
The law should be used in witnessing because the "law is perfect, converting the soul" (Psalms. 19:7). Billy Graham says that the law is not a panacea but a diagnosis. "It condemns but does not convert, it challenges but does not change." Charles Finney says, "By a convicted sinner, I mean one who feels condemned by the Law of God as a guilty sinner. I remark that this [the Law] is the rule and the only just rule by which the guilt of sin can be measured." Psalm 19:7 says, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the sinner."
D. L. Moody says, "God, being a perfect God, had to give a perfect law, and the law was given not to save men, but to measure them...They try to save themselves by trying to keep the law, but it was never meant for men to save themselves by...This, then, is why God gives us the law--to show us ourselves in our true colors." John Wesley says, "The first use of [the Law], without question, is to convince the world of sin." Yes, when He comes He will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (cf. John 16:8). John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the law does not know the nature of sin. The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse.
Does the law of Moses serve any purpose today? There were 613 laws in the books of Moses. They were of three classifications: ceremonial (ritual); governmental; and moral. Only the moral laws are still in effect and are fulfilled in the command to love our neighbor as Paul said. "The entire law is summed up in one single command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Gal. 5:14). We are under a higher law: the law of love The law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ as Paul said in Galatians 3:25. "If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law." "Cursed is everyone who relies on the law for righteousness" (Gal. 3:10). Paul said in Rom. 6:14, "...You are not under the law but under grace."
The law has been set aside as a way of life, either justification sanctification, or obedience. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for those who believe" (Rom. 10:4). "For if justification were through the law, Christ died for nothing" (Gal. 2:21). "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming not the realities themselves..." (Heb. 10:1). The law is obsolete for Christ "by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and ordinances" (Eph. 2:15) has made it irrelevant to us as a way of life, except for the moral code (it is still wrong to murder, for example).
Our relationship to the law is like a husband and wife and when one dies the other is free from the union. We are free in Christ and shouldn't be yoked again in bondage. The Law adjudicates or declares a man to be a sinner and does not exculpate him or free him from guilt. Only in Christ can we be free even though we say, "Mea Culpa" (I am to blame).
Romans 3:20 says that by the Law is the knowledge of sin. Paul wouldn't have known himself as a sinner unless he heard that he shouldn't covet. It is by the Word of God that the Holy Spirit convicts and it is His job to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Isaiah 55:11; cf. John 16:8). One law that is not repeated in the New Testament is the Sabbath law (cf. Neh. 9:14). This law was given as a sign (cf. Ezek. 20:20) to Israel that they were His people and comparing Rom. 14:5 and Col. 2:16 we see that this is not commanded or re-instituted in the New Testament. Finally, we serve not in the old written code of the law but in the new way of the Spirit (cf. Rom. 7:6). Watchman Nee said that the day he was delivered from the law was like heaven on earth.
The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the law: To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large, and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ. (this is according to R. C. Sproul). On the other end of the spectrum is Martin Luther's Against the Antinomians which refuted those who thought the law had no purpose (literally "against the law"). Sproul says that the law (here the moral law) does not sanction the idea that everyone has the right to do as they please in their own eyes or the right to do wrong just because we are not "under the law."
The law prepares us for grace and if we love Jesus we will do His commandments. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The law is a mirror according to Luther that shows us our true selves. The Hebrews, upon receiving the law, didn't pray for mercy but said they would obey it--what a mistake! Legalism is mainly adherence to the letter of the law and exclusion of the spirit of the law according to Sproul. He says, "The antidote to legalism and antinomianism is a serious study of the Word of God."
The law should be used in witnessing because the "law is perfect, converting the soul" (Psalms. 19:7). Billy Graham says that the law is not a panacea but a diagnosis. "It condemns but does not convert, it challenges but does not change." Charles Finney says, "By a convicted sinner, I mean one who feels condemned by the Law of God as a guilty sinner. I remark that this [the Law] is the rule and the only just rule by which the guilt of sin can be measured." Psalm 19:7 says, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the sinner."
D. L. Moody says, "God, being a perfect God, had to give a perfect law, and the law was given not to save men, but to measure them...They try to save themselves by trying to keep the law, but it was never meant for men to save themselves by...This, then, is why God gives us the law--to show us ourselves in our true colors." John Wesley says, "The first use of [the Law], without question, is to convince the world of sin." Yes, when He comes He will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (cf. John 16:8). John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the law does not know the nature of sin. The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse.
The Law was given to convince us we cannot keep it! Soli Deo Gloria!
What Is The Place Of Doctrine?
That is a loaded question since most people have a preconceived
Doctrine isn't just for intellectuals. You don't commit spiritual or intellectual suicide when you join a ministry or church. You are committing spiritual suicide if you ignore doctrine: It is a given and we are all theologians in a sense. We cannot avoid doctrine: "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine..." (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16). "Those who are wayward in spirit shall gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction [doctrine, as it were]" (cf. Isa. 29:14).
There is value in knowing the scoop, as it were, or being "clued in," because this gives us confidence and these two, according to Charles Swindoll, are like Siamese twins. Doctrine feeds the soul and is the spiritual bread that Christ referred to when He said, "You shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (cf. Matt. 4:4). Just because we are privy to some doctrine doesn't make us a cut above other Christians. " The mere presence of doctrine can leave us cold, even if it is sound doctrine." It is necessary for spiritual wellness but not sufficient.
We don't have the right to believe what we feel is right but must obey rules of hermeneutics and logic that apply to any other book as well. Avoiding controversy is un-Christlike because Christ didn't shy from controversy: "to avoid controversy is to avoid Christ" (see John Stott's book Christ the Controversialist) The early disciples were devoted to the apostles' doctrine or teaching. Remember, God wants us to be "mature in our understanding." Ignorance is not bliss! It is a childish faith that balks at learning Scripture in depth. The meat of the Word is for those who "have their senses trained to discern good and evil" (cf. Heb. 5:14). Soli Deo Gloria!
Doctrine isn't just for intellectuals. You don't commit spiritual or intellectual suicide when you join a ministry or church. You are committing spiritual suicide if you ignore doctrine: It is a given and we are all theologians in a sense. We cannot avoid doctrine: "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine..." (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16). "Those who are wayward in spirit shall gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction [doctrine, as it were]" (cf. Isa. 29:14).
There is value in knowing the scoop, as it were, or being "clued in," because this gives us confidence and these two, according to Charles Swindoll, are like Siamese twins. Doctrine feeds the soul and is the spiritual bread that Christ referred to when He said, "You shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (cf. Matt. 4:4). Just because we are privy to some doctrine doesn't make us a cut above other Christians. " The mere presence of doctrine can leave us cold, even if it is sound doctrine." It is necessary for spiritual wellness but not sufficient.
We don't have the right to believe what we feel is right but must obey rules of hermeneutics and logic that apply to any other book as well. Avoiding controversy is un-Christlike because Christ didn't shy from controversy: "to avoid controversy is to avoid Christ" (see John Stott's book Christ the Controversialist) The early disciples were devoted to the apostles' doctrine or teaching. Remember, God wants us to be "mature in our understanding." Ignorance is not bliss! It is a childish faith that balks at learning Scripture in depth. The meat of the Word is for those who "have their senses trained to discern good and evil" (cf. Heb. 5:14). Soli Deo Gloria!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Value Of Knowing the Scoop
Chuck Swindoll writes of the value of "knowing the scoop." Presumably, people think that ignorance is bliss. Contrariwise, it is the knowledge that gives power and freedom. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." We must strive to know our "way around the block theologically speaking." "Tunnel vision" is when we don't see the BIG PICTURE, and that is why knowing all the basic Bible doctrine is important. The Bible is not written out as theology or systematic theology, but one is expected to study it here and there. Also, God never teaches us something just for ourselves. The more we pass on the more He gives us.
The Bible was not meant to increase our knowledge so much as to change our lives. Knowledge can indeed be dangerous, as Swindoll maintains, and especially when not mixed with love and grace. We can become intolerant of those not as informed as we are and think we are superior and they are "poor specimens." "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1) Apollos was a great man in the Word and it is said that he had his theology "honed to perfection" so that he could "deliver the goods." We become balanced by seeing the big picture and being educated in the deeper things of God. God doesn't want us to be ignorant nor infants in Christ who balk at learning the deeper truths--which is childish.
Remember that it says in Scripture, "what Jesus began to do and to teach." They are linked together: Theory and practice; doctrine and ethics; orthodoxy and orthopraxy (right action); idealism and pragmatism; thinking and praxeology (right behavior). I never said that doctrine would be entertaining, but it is necessary. We can never get enough because we will never fully comprehend God; though we can know Him personally.
Beware of the temptation of "doctrinal indifferentism," since in the last days many will "bailout theologically" (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1). It was Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam that thought theology was the bugbear of the Church's life. It is ignorance that binds us, not knowledge. In summary, Swindoll says that knowledge and confidence are like Siamese twins, they are forever linked--like Sir Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power" (cf. Prov. 25:4). Soli Deo Gloria!
The Bible was not meant to increase our knowledge so much as to change our lives. Knowledge can indeed be dangerous, as Swindoll maintains, and especially when not mixed with love and grace. We can become intolerant of those not as informed as we are and think we are superior and they are "poor specimens." "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1) Apollos was a great man in the Word and it is said that he had his theology "honed to perfection" so that he could "deliver the goods." We become balanced by seeing the big picture and being educated in the deeper things of God. God doesn't want us to be ignorant nor infants in Christ who balk at learning the deeper truths--which is childish.
Remember that it says in Scripture, "what Jesus began to do and to teach." They are linked together: Theory and practice; doctrine and ethics; orthodoxy and orthopraxy (right action); idealism and pragmatism; thinking and praxeology (right behavior). I never said that doctrine would be entertaining, but it is necessary. We can never get enough because we will never fully comprehend God; though we can know Him personally.
Beware of the temptation of "doctrinal indifferentism," since in the last days many will "bailout theologically" (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1). It was Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam that thought theology was the bugbear of the Church's life. It is ignorance that binds us, not knowledge. In summary, Swindoll says that knowledge and confidence are like Siamese twins, they are forever linked--like Sir Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power" (cf. Prov. 25:4). Soli Deo Gloria!
Theology's Importance
Since we are talking about doctrine we should define theology, the most important doctrine, since it is the study of God. C. H. Spurgeon said that the highest thing man can do is contemplate the Godhead--it would blow his mind indeed! God is the highest thought possible. Actually, theology has been called "God-talk." In the 17th century, it was the past-time of every gentleman to discuss theology and most were well studied on the subject.
Of course, Theos means God, and logy refers to the study of. Theology is the queen of the sciences since it is really the original science if you call the attainment of truth a scientific endeavor. Theology is more than a philosophy which is just speculation, conjecture and hypothesis. Theology is based on revelation, not rationalization. We could only know God if He were to reveal Himself to us. "Canst thou by searching find out God?" Zophar asked Job. Only as God takes the initiative and reveals Himself to us. This is either mediate or immediate revelation. There is general revelation such as the heavens declaring the glory of God, and there is special revelation such as God's Word. (Erasmus of Rotterdam, the unsurpassed scholar of the 16th century who debated Luther, thought theology was the "bugbear" the Church's life.)
We are not to be debating theology for theory's own sake, or to keep it theoretical; we are to live it out. The purpose of studying God is to be led to God and know Him personally. However, the case is sad today, for in the last days some will "bailout theologically" as Swindoll couches it. We are seeing orthodox theology less and less tolerated in the name of tolerance. One day we tolerate as they define the term and then we are embracing. We should never give up on sound doctrine and theology. "Teach sound doctrine." "Adorn the doctrine of God." "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine...."
Theology is not a "fool's errand of speculation," nor an "abstract science," according to R. C. Sproul, but self-attesting truth. If the Bible appealed to anything else such as human logic or reason then it would be inferior to it--we must take that leap of faith to begin our knowledge of God. Sproul calls us all theologians; the question is whether our theology is sound or not. We can have a sound theology without a sound life, but not a sound life without a sound theology.
C. H. Spurgeon said, "No subject of contemplation will tend to humble the mind than thoughts of God." "Nothing will so enlarge the intellect." God wants us to see the world through the spectacle of God's Word. "We develop a taste for spiritual things," someone has said. "Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good...." Ps. 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." I was hoping to "whet your appetite."
As we learn we get PROGRAMMED with the Word of God. Remember the principle "GIGO" and apply the flip side which would be "the Word in = the Word out." (Not "garbage in = garbage out".) We see the world through the spectacles of God's Word we will have divine viewpoint instead of human viewpoint. Soli Deo Gloria!
Of course, Theos means God, and logy refers to the study of. Theology is the queen of the sciences since it is really the original science if you call the attainment of truth a scientific endeavor. Theology is more than a philosophy which is just speculation, conjecture and hypothesis. Theology is based on revelation, not rationalization. We could only know God if He were to reveal Himself to us. "Canst thou by searching find out God?" Zophar asked Job. Only as God takes the initiative and reveals Himself to us. This is either mediate or immediate revelation. There is general revelation such as the heavens declaring the glory of God, and there is special revelation such as God's Word. (Erasmus of Rotterdam, the unsurpassed scholar of the 16th century who debated Luther, thought theology was the "bugbear" the Church's life.)
We are not to be debating theology for theory's own sake, or to keep it theoretical; we are to live it out. The purpose of studying God is to be led to God and know Him personally. However, the case is sad today, for in the last days some will "bailout theologically" as Swindoll couches it. We are seeing orthodox theology less and less tolerated in the name of tolerance. One day we tolerate as they define the term and then we are embracing. We should never give up on sound doctrine and theology. "Teach sound doctrine." "Adorn the doctrine of God." "All Scripture is profitable for doctrine...."
Theology is not a "fool's errand of speculation," nor an "abstract science," according to R. C. Sproul, but self-attesting truth. If the Bible appealed to anything else such as human logic or reason then it would be inferior to it--we must take that leap of faith to begin our knowledge of God. Sproul calls us all theologians; the question is whether our theology is sound or not. We can have a sound theology without a sound life, but not a sound life without a sound theology.
C. H. Spurgeon said, "No subject of contemplation will tend to humble the mind than thoughts of God." "Nothing will so enlarge the intellect." God wants us to see the world through the spectacle of God's Word. "We develop a taste for spiritual things," someone has said. "Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good...." Ps. 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." I was hoping to "whet your appetite."
As we learn we get PROGRAMMED with the Word of God. Remember the principle "GIGO" and apply the flip side which would be "the Word in = the Word out." (Not "garbage in = garbage out".) We see the world through the spectacles of God's Word we will have divine viewpoint instead of human viewpoint. Soli Deo Gloria!
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