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By In History, Politics, Theology

As Far As The Curse Is Found

“… and through him to reconcile all things to him, making peace through the blood of his cross, through him whether things upon earth or things in the heavens.”

~Colossians 1:20

The question of the extent of the effects of the atonement has been a point of debate in the church for quite some time. Did Jesus die to make salvation possible for everyone (general or universal atonement), or did Jesus die to secure salvation for God’s elect alone (particular or limited atonement)? This debate got hot and heavy in the seventeenth century when a group called the Remonstrants developed five articles concerning salvation that included universal atonement. The Synod of Dordt responded with what has come to be known as the five points of Calvinism, which includes limited, definite, or particular atonement. (Somewhere between these two were the Amyraldians, who were “four-point Calvinists” because they couldn’t buy into the limited atonement.)

Whenever the extent of the atonement is debated, the focus is usually on individuals’ salvation. But if we only think of the atonement and its effects in terms of individual salvation, what Paul says in Colossians 1:20 is quite confusing. Within Paul’s hymnic poem of Christ, “all things” consistently refers to the cosmic order, things upon earth and things in the heavens, visible and invisible, thrones, lordships, rulers, or authorities (see 1:16). Christ makes peace with the entire created order through the blood of his cross.

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By In Politics

Recipes and readings for Advent (2)

One of our members at Emmanuel in London, Lucie Brear, has compiled a fantastic collection of recipes and suggested Scripture readings for advent. If you want to discover a traditional English way to prepare for Christmas, then just read on! I’ll post them here one week at a time. Here’s the second:

A Medieval Christmas: Fast Days and Fish Days

Christmas conjures up images of a host of culinary delights. It is a time of feasting and merry-making, celebrating the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Medieval times, feasting at Christmas was commonplace, though there are striking differences in what was eaten and served at Christmas time then as compared to now. There was a version of Christmas pudding (or ‘Christmas porridge’, as it was then known) but generally speaking, there were not as many Christmas-specific foods as there are now. The same sorts of things were eaten at Christmas as during the rest of the year, though in greater abundance.

Fast and Feast by Bridget Ann Henisch is filled with detailed and fascinating information on food and feasting in Medieval society. Here is what the author has to say on Christmas:

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By In Culture, Politics, Theology

IS ISRAEL THE CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD?

THIS DISPENSATIONAL MOMENT

Every time a rocket is launched from the Gaza strip, a dispensationalist gets his wings. And by wings, I mean like Red Bull, in that he will receive a rather large boost of courage, enough, in fact, to crawl up and out of the hole he has been hiding in from his last failed prediction and to flood the internet with a panoply of reasons why the end times are really here this time and happening right before our eyes. This confusion is entirely unhelpful and could be cleared up if any of my former 28 articles and podcast episodes on the topic of eschatology were seriously engaged with. Shameless plug intended.

Along with this, I have also seen a litany of social media posts proclaiming solidarity with Israel in their current war with Hamas, because they are God’s chosen people and we do not want to be on the wrong side with God. For this reason, before getting on to our topic today, I thought it might be wise to mention a few things to consider regarding the covenantal status of modern-day Israel.

STILL GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE?

Perhaps the best place to start would be with what the word Israel means. From the Scriptures, the first time the word is used is when God wrestles with Jacob and then renames Him Israel, which means “the one who wrestles with God.” Knowing this, it is obvious that “Israel” is not a genetic term that is passed through bloodlines down through families in the same way “Egyptian” would be. To be a member of Israel was a spiritual activity, of knowing God and wrestling with Him in intimate fellowship, not just merely inheriting the right DNA.

We know this is true, because God calls all kinds of ethnic peoples “Israel.” For instance, when the Israelites leave the land of Egypt, escaping from the slavery to be a free people serving their covenant God, the text tells us that a “mixed multitude” went out with them (Exodus 12:38). Apparently, there was a contingency of Egyptians who were so impressed by Yahweh, that they abandoned the empire of the Pharaohs and joined themselves with Israel, becoming followers of Jehovah. Just like the ethnic born sons of Abraham, they too were accounted as Israel.

Moses also reiterates that Israel was a spiritual distinction, when he admonishes the people to “circumcise their hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16). All of the men of Israel had performed the physical sign of circumcision on their genitals, but there were many of them who were not true Israel in the heart (Romans 9:6). This is because being a member of true Israel was never about biology or physicality, but of spiritual allegiance to Yahweh.

Thinking also of the lineage of Christ, from the genealogies recorded in the Gospels, we can ascertain that Ruth the Moabite was a part of His lineage and was grafted into Israel. Along with Ruth, Rahab the Canaanite prostitute was a part of His line as well as Bathsheeba, who was the wife of Uriah the Hittite and could have been a Hittite herself (the text is unclear). Regardless, the Servant of the Lord, whom Isaiah calls “true Israel” was the one who assimilated people who were far off, and foreigners to His covenant promises, and brought them into Him as one people. This is why Paul says that there is neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians 3:28) because all are one in Christ, made one through His finished work (Ephesians 2:14-16), to be children of Abraham by faith (Galatians 3:29), and have been made into a new nation, the “Israel of God” which includes slaves and free, male and female, Jews and Gentiles together as one unified people of God (Galatians 6:16).

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By In Culture, Podcast, Politics, Pro-Life

KC Podcast – Episode 111: Rumble in Des Moines

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By In Culture, Podcast, Politics

KC Podcast – Episode 110: How To Make America Great Again

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By In Culture, Podcast, Politics

KC Podcast – Episode 109: Supreme Court Roundup 2023

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By In Culture, Podcast, Politics

KC Podcast – Episode 107: God, Caesar, and Idols

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By In Church, Family and Children, Politics, Wisdom

Authority’s Secrets

“The heavens for height and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.”

~Proverbs 25.3

Recently government classified documents are showing up frequently and in some odd places. Classified documents are those secrets to which only certain high-level government officials are privy. The intention of classifying documents is to protect people from the knowledge that they don’t need to have. The government may be protecting those who are working undercover or information that they have on other countries that concern our national security. Sometimes classified documents are a coverup for people who would be punished for crimes if the right people discovered what went on. Nevertheless, the government keeps secrets, and they don’t want those secrets to get out by someone wandering through a former vice president’s garage, his son’s laptop, or even wandering through a former president’s house.

Whatever you believe about the classification of documents and the secrets that they hold, the principle of authorities keeping secrets is a sound one. That is, the Bible teaches that there are some things that authorities will know that others don’t. This is not a gnostic-type special revelation given only to the upper-echelon Illuminati. This is a perspective that subordinates may not have along with information that may hurt them or other people.

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By In Politics

Political Pluralism is a Sham!

When I come back from these speaking engagements, I generally return with a sense of cheer, and this time is no different. My trip to Monroe, LA, was festive as always, and if you read my latest substack, published somewhere between 4:30-5:30 this morning, you already know. For everyone else, please take a look at the link in the comment section.

My talk was on ecclesial conservatism, the kind of thing you can expect me to say occasionally, frequently, well, practically always. But one of my points focused on this supposed cry for political pluralism within local churches. The argument states that congregations should be receptive to political diversity because churches ought to provide spiritual grounding but offer freedom on political decisions. Churches are okay with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents roaming their corridors and pews. if Machen had warrior children, so does Keller. And they look ripe for victim ideology. Sometimes they will even praise “drag-queen-story-hour” as a defense of freedom.

On the other hand, the right hand, that is, I offered an ecclesial vision that conserves creational norms on sexuality, morality, and labor. If we exercise our liturgical muscles in the rhythm of church life under the authority of the Bible, then we will produce conservative, political congregations. I am not saying we should always vote Republican, but I am saying we should always vote, not Democrat. I hope the negation had its effect on that last line.

Megan Basham summarizes a standard daily occurrence in D.C. to make my point:

“So many prominent Christian figures continue to pretend that the two political parties are roughly morally equal, & the way of Jesus is to strike a balance between them. We should stand against the GOP when it stands against Scripture, but this shows why 3rd wayism doesn’t wash.”

And what political event stirs so much precision in Megan’s thoughts? The House passed a bill requiring doctors to provide medical care after an abortion procedure. If a baby survives the massacre of abortion, some humans voted for medical care for those survivors, and others voted against it. Every Republican voted “yes,” while 99% of Democrats voted “no.”

This level of cognitive dissonance is expected, and any attempt to revive Kennedy’s party from its 1960 grave is futile. We can spend our days desiring and working for a better GOP, and they deserve the shared mockery when they abandon the good life. But we spank them like disobedient children, who are still children in the end. Then, we cover them with protection and encouragement.

Churches can disciple Democrat adherents, and they should be welcomed at our tables as those who need Jesus as much as we do, but what they cannot be is treated as ordinary in regular, Bible-believing churches. Healthy congregations conserve the truth and are regularly appalled at barbarism.

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By In Culture, Family and Children, Politics, Wisdom

Tyranny

“Tyranny” is thrown around in our culture much like the word “abuse.” Every time you make me feel uncomfortable, it is “abuse.” Every exercise of authority is “tyranny.” Because words are misused doesn’t mean that genuine abuses and tyrants don’t exist. They do. But we need to know where God draws these lines.

Solomon’s concern in Proverbs is to train his son to be a wise king and, therefore, to exercise authority properly, whether that authority is over his own appetites or the entirety of Israel. Authority is a right and responsibility granted by God to govern. Wherever God grants authority, that authority is real. When that authority is exercised in harmony with God’s authority, it must be obeyed. To disobey legitimate authority is to disobey God himself.

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