Bill Smith, Author at Kuyperian Commentary

On July 2, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology 2

The Church: The New Jerusalem

At the end of the Revelation, John sees a new heavens and a new earth with a New Jerusalem as its principal city. The fate of the old Jerusalem has been described in the previous chapters. The first Jerusalem became Sodom and Egypt (Rev 11.8), and like Sodom and Egypt fell under the wrath of God. But out of the rubble of the old Jerusalem, God is making a new city. This new city is described in Revelation 21–22.

I have heard many a sermon at funerals as well as other venues that seek to comfort mourning Christians with this vision. It will be taught that John’s vision is that of our final resting place in heaven. While we can be comforted with many promises from John’s vision, this vision is not of heaven. This city that John sees is distinct from heaven because it comes down “out of heaven” (Rev 21.2). The New Jerusalem is also as much a people as it is a place. John sees the New Jerusalem as a “bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21.2). Later, when the angel takes John to see the bride, the Lamb’s wife, he shows him a detailed vision of this holy city, the New Jerusalem (Rev 21.9-10). This vision is not of heaven, but it is of a heavenly city. That heavenly city is the church, the bride of Christ. (more…)

On June 25, 2018 By Bill Smith In Culture 1

Church Culture

Wherever two or three share a life together, there is a culture. Culture is an inexorable part of our human experience. Having been created as the image of a God who shares life eternally as Father, Son, and Spirit, man exists in relationships and, therefore, culture. We are not merely individual masses of flesh that happen to bump into one another. We come together and form a body that takes the forms of families, cities, states, and nations. These cultures, at whatever level, are places where we share a common language, law, morals, mores, story, symbols, and many other things. The longer we live together, our relationships are cultivated, growing and taking different, and sometimes, more formal forms. For instance, as a family grows into families, a village or city is formed that will seek to maintain the culture and pass it on to the next generation. Officials are put in place to make sure that the laws that govern the culture are enforced so that the culture doesn’t lose its fundamental identity.

The history of man is a history of cultures, good and bad. As man fulfills his image-bearing mission to be fruitful and multiply, cultures are formed. This was God’s intention. Man as individual-and-community is to share in the culture of the Divine Society. God’s own relationships, his culture, was to be the culture of the earth. (more…)

On June 18, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology Like

Ordination

Ordination changes a man; not in a way that changes his liver into a lung, nor in a way that gives him magical powers to do sacramental tricks, but he is changed nevertheless. The change is more like when a degree is conferred upon a graduate or when a man marries a woman. In neither case is the man physically transformed nor does he receive special powers. However, he is a changed man. No longer is the man a student. He is a graduate, possibly with a title attached to his name and all the clout that comes with his new status. No longer is the man a bachelor, but he is a husband, who now has the privileges and duties of marriage. The molecular structure in his body may be the same pre- and post-ceremony, however, in many ways he is not the same person. He stands in new relationships, and those new relationships with all of their attendant responsibilities make him a new man. (more…)

On June 11, 2018 By Bill Smith In Culture 1

The Conspiracy

I’m not a “tin foil” hat kind of guy. I don’t believe that there are conscious, concerted, deliberate government conspiracies behind everything that goes on in our society. However, the Western church has been the victim of a well-orchestrated conspiracy from at least the sixteenth century. The philosophical and cultural seeds that began to be sown almost five hundred years ago are bearing fruit in abundance today. This conspiracy was, no doubt, orchestrated by unseen forces; not merely the kind that meet in smoke-filled back rooms, but the demonic kind that empower those principalities and powers that pull the levers in government structures. All of these powers worked together to tame the church. A church that believes that the kingdom of Christ extends over every area of human existence–individuals as well as institutions–must be subdued. (more…)

On June 4, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology, Worship Like

Filled With All The Fullness Of God

One thing theologians like (especially Reformed theologians) is precision. Our theological statements must have fine points on them so that we are not accused of drifting into heterodoxy or heresy. There are several bloggers out there who will call you to task if you don’t say things just right or if you don’t say everything there is to say about everything every time you say anything.

Then there is Paul. When he prays for the church in Ephesus, he uses imprecise language when he states his desire for them. He wants them to be “filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph 3.19). What does that mean? (more…)

On May 7, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology 1

E Pluribus Unum

The human body is a marvelous nexus of organs. While each organ has its own distinctive character and function, no organ has life independently of the other organs. There is a beautiful interdependence. Our lungs are vital to our life, supplying oxygen to our body while expelling that which we do not need. But our lungs would not be able to function without our nose, mouth, brain, blood, heart, and other organs. So it is with the heart, liver, stomach, intestines, eyes, ears, and all of the other members of our body.

The fact that we are one body doesn’t destroy the individuality of our members. Our one body needs a diversity of members in order to be one body. That is, in order for the body to function as it was created to function, each individual member is needed. (more…)

On April 30, 2018 By Bill Smith In Worship Like

Living Sacrifices

Sacrifice has not ended. Certain types of sacrifices have ceased, but the way of sacrifice as the worship of the one, true, and living God has not ended. We are exhorted by command and example throughout the New Testament to offer ourselves and what we do to God as sacrifices to God. The fruit of our lips is a sacrifice of praise (Heb 13.15). Our good works and sharing with one another are sacrifices with which God is pleased (Heb 13.16). The gift the Philippian church sent to Paul was an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God (Phil 4.18). Our love for one another is to imitate Christ’s love for us, which was an offering and a sacrifice to God, a sweet-smelling aroma (Eph 5.2). The sacrifice of our lives gives off an odor to the world of life and death (2Cor 2.15-16). We are made a holy priesthood in order to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1Pet 2.5). Christian worship is sacrificial.

If we have a hang-up with understanding our worship in Christ as sacrifice, it is most likely because we think of sacrifice only in terms of atoning for sins. Since Christ has died, there is no other sacrifice for sin to be made. Therefore, sacrifice has ended. (more…)

On April 23, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology Like

The Church of the Gospel

How vital to the gospel is the church? Is the church just an addendum to the gospel, or is it vital to the message of the gospel?

I don’t know about you, but in much of the personal evangelism training I received through my years, the church didn’t play much of a role in the presentation of the gospel. What was stressed was leading a person to make a personal decision for Christ that secured his forgiveness of sins, a right standing with God, and heaven when he died. If the church was mentioned at all it was at the end when the deal was sealed. It would probably be a good idea to attend church so that the new convert could grow in his faith. However, the connotations were that what mattered was one’s personal relationship with Jesus whether he ever became involved in the church or not. (more…)

On April 16, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology, Worship Like

Food for the Body of Christ

Eating is amazing. From the smells, textures, and tastes that contribute to its enjoyment (or lack thereof) to how the food becomes a part of the eater, the whole activity of eating is a wonder. The food we consume doesn’t remain what it was. Not only does it change form in our mouths, as it moves through our bodies it becomes our body. Food is transformed into us. Proteins and amino acids become a part of our muscles. Carbohydrates are transformed into glucose energizing the body. Fats absorb and transport essential vitamins throughout the body. What we eat becomes us.

Until it doesn’t. There are times when what we eat doesn’t agree with our bodies. The mouth eats and swallows, the stomach receives, but the food never becomes the body. When this happens the body rejects it and we vomit. The food is in the body but it is not the body (Leithart, Peter, Revelation 1–11, 202). (more…)

On April 9, 2018 By Bill Smith In Theology, Worship 1

Unqualified Praise

When Jesus addresses the angel (pastor) of the church in Philadelphia (Rev 2.7-13), he has nothing negative to say about his ministry or the church. In a culturally influential city where position and power as measured by the world were important, the pastor had not capitulated to play the cultural games it would take to gain influence and avoid the haranguing of the “synagogue of Satan,” the unbelieving Jews. He had “little power” (Rev 2.8). But he had great faithfulness. Jesus has no charge to bring against him. There is praise without caveat.

We can understand better how Jesus deals with many of the other churches. “You have been steadfast in doctrine, but I have this against you: You have left your first love.” “You haven’t denied my name, but you have tolerated the teachings of Balaam or Jezebel.” We sympathize with this because we know ourselves and our churches. There is always something wrong. There is always a sin or sins that need to be addressed. We are sinners, and we know it. To have Jesus point to sin in our lives may be painful, but it is understandable. (more…)