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On April 24, 2014 By In Wisdom

Anatomy of Sin

In Prov. 6:16-19, Solomon presents us with an anatomy of sin. The entire body—eyes, tongue, hands, feet, all directed by the heart—is implicated in seven abominable postures:

There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.

Often this passage is read as a simple list of prohibited behaviors. But if we take a closer look at the structure of the text, we will discern that it reveals important truths about the source and scope of sin.

The litany of things God hates is structured as a chiasm:

A: haughty eyes

B: a lying tongue

C: hands that shed innocent blood

D: a heart that devises wicked plans

C’: feet that make haste to run to evil

B’: a false witness who breathes out lies

A’: one who sows discord among brothers

Note the connection between each pair (saving the outer pair for last): In the B pair, a lying tongue and lying witness correspond, and the latter is an intensification of the former. In the C pair, murderous hands complement feet running to evil—all limbs have become members of unrighteousness. At the center (D) is the heart, out of which are the springs of life (Prov. 4:23). Wicked plans take shape in the heart, which in turn directs all parts of the body in the service of sin. Evil doesn’t remain private—not only are these sins unconfined to the heart, they also necessarily involve other people as casualties.

Clear parallels can be observed here. We can see that sin issues from the heart, affects the whole body, and progresses in intensity. However, the link between the bookends of the passage is obscure. What is the relationship between haughty eyes (“a proud look”, in the KJV) and sowing discord among brothers?

A couple new testament passages illuminate the connection between these sins:

In Matt. 7:1-5, Jesus discusses eyes in the context of judgment among brothers. Eyes are the organ of judgment (Ps. 11:4). If they are clouded by pride, they will serve the cause of division, as opposed to fostering unity. We must be humble enough to acknowledge and remove the plank from our own eye before we point out the speck in our brother’s eye.

In Rom. 12:16, Paul connects humility with unity: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” By refusing to associate with the lowly, the haughty create division in the body. This mirrors Paul’s teaching on the church in 1 Cor. 12: no member of the body is to exalt itself above another. One member despising another rends the unity of the body.

Thus, by linking haughty eyes with sowing discord, Solomon is showing that pride is a divider and a destroyer.

The anatomy of sin sketched in Proverbs illustrates the pervasiveness of evil. But Proverbs also gives us an anatomy of holiness, echoing the path of wisdom God mapped for His people in the law:

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Prov. 4:23-27)

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deut. 11:18-19)

A Christian’s eyes, mouths, hands, and feet are to be used in service of righteousness, with all things guided by a heart that meditates on God’s law. In doing this, God is glorified in our bodies.<>регистрация а на google

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On March 27, 2014 By In Theology, Wisdom

Common as Bluegrass in Kentucky

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. I Corinthians 10:13

Most of the time the truth is painful. I Corinthians 10:13 contains several of these painful moments. We learn here that we can resist temptation. We learn here that God is faithful. It is not God’s fault we sin. We learn that God provides a way out for us every single time. One could leave this verse feeling like they have no excuse for sinning. And that would be correct.

But I want to focus on the very first clause of this verse. In this clause, the Holy Spirit through Paul says something amazing. All of our temptations are common. None of our temptations are special or unique. Millions of men, women, and children experience the exact same temptations you and I do. Abraham felt them. David did. Paul did. The peasant in the middle ages did. Your mom and dad did. Your brothers and sisters at church do.  Paul has just walked the church at Corinth through the wilderness wanderings (verse 1-10). He has told them how God was not pleased with Israel even though he delivered them. Why? They lusted (vs. 6). They worshiped idols (vs. 7). They committed sexual immorality (vs. 8). They tempted Christ (vs. 9). They complained (vs. 10). Then Paul says that all of this was written as an example to us. Then he warns the church to not get proud (vs. 12).  He closes with verse 13 where he reminds them that they are not special. The situation at Corinth was not a once in a lifetime experience. What they were going through was as common as the sand on the seashore.

We often excuse our sin by claiming that we are different or that our situation is unique. Sin feeds us the lie that we are special and therefore we can or must go ahead and sin. Of course, we would never say this out loud. But in our minds we directly contradict what Paul says here. We think, “My temptation is not common to men. I am going through something no one else has ever had to go through. Therefore my sin is excused.” There are at least two ways we do this.

First, we claim that our situation is special . If you had my parents you wouldn’t honor them. If you had the day I had you would yell at the kids too. If your wife was the ice block mine is you would look at porn also. If you had my husband you wouldn’t respect him either. All these “ifs” are code word for “My situation is special and therefore my sin is excused.” Or we talk about our upbringing and blame our parents. My parents did not train me right. Blame them for my sin. We can also blame the actual tempting situation itself. If that woman in a bikini had never shown up on my computer I would never have looked at porn. If that man in the red Corvette had not cut me off in traffic then I would not have gotten angry. If my boss gave me more work I would not waste my time. If the people at my church were kinder I could really love them. Over and over again we put ourselves in a special category the “I have an excuse for my sin” category. But our situations are not unique. They are common. No temptation we face is special to us.  Millions of men throughout history have experienced the exact same thing we are. We need to stop excusing our sin because we believe our situation is one of a kind.

Second, we claim that our personality gives us an excuse for sin. We don’t blame our situation, as we did under point one. Instead we blame a personality trait. We excuse our sin by saying, “I am just wired this way.” I am withdrawn (i.e. I am not kind). I am moody (i.e. I go into fits of rage). I am outgoing (i.e. I spend my day at work talking instead of working). I am generous (i.e. I blow my money). I am frugal (i.e. I refuse to share). I am a visual learner (i.e. I can’t sit still and listen to a sermon). My personality clashes with hers (i.e. I am mean to her).  We blame our personality for our sins. But again no temptation is unique. Your personality is not brand new in the history of mankind. Stop excusing your sin because of your personality.

Let me clarify a few things. People do have leanings toward particular sins. Our personalities draw us toward vices. And some people do have trying circumstances. All of this is true. But none of this unique or special.

One of Paul’s points here to the Corinthians and to us is that we are not special. Our situation is not special. Our personalities are not special. Our temptations are not special. Who we are and what we face each day is the common lot of all men.

Once we realize that our temptations are as common as bluegrass in Kentucky then we can start dealing with our sin and stop excusing it.  We can look to Christ for forgiveness. We can look to Christ for victory over our sin. We can look for the way of escape our faithful Father always provides us. We can gain victory over sin.<>заказ разработка апосмотреть позицию а

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On March 13, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children, Wisdom

Pursuing Hospitality: What About Non-Christians?

One of the great difficulties for many of us is that we have friends or family members that are non-Christians. How do we practice hospitality towards those who are not believers? Each situation is different and will require wisdom, but here are some basic guidelines. If you have questions about a specific situation then should to talk to your elders. In this post I am addressing inviting a pagan for dinner. I do not address a more complicated issue: should I allow a non-Christian to live with me (for example a wayward cousin who needs a place to stay) for a period of time.

First, showing hospitality to non-believers can be a good way to evangelize. There is no better picture of the gospel than eating and drinking with sinners. One of the best ways to show people Christ is by inviting them into your home and letting them see your daily living. This would include prayer before meals, family worship, discipline of the children, love for your wife, etc. In other words, if someone comes in to your home for an evening they should see Christ preached through the way you live. But do not use the meal as a way to “spring the gospel on them.” If you invite them over for a meal, invite them over for a meal. Don’t tell them it is a meal and the try to slide the gospel in the backdoor. That way they know what they are getting into and don’t feel duped. Of course, if the opportunity arises to talk about Christ take it.  And you could always tell a non-Christian you are inviting them over to tell them about Jesus. My point is be up front.  Don’t present it is a casual dinner and then put on the pressure.

Second, you should not generally invite someone into your home who claims to be a Christian, but is living in open unrepentant sin. Do not sit down at a table, pretending the person is a brother or sister in Christ, while they are engaged in high handed rebellion against God. I Corinthians 5:9-11 makes this clear. It can be difficult to determine how far to take these verses, especially in an age where churches do not practice discipline. It is possible for someone to be in full communion at your local church and be living in complete rebellion against God. If you have questions I would encourage you to talk to your elders.

Third, you should be careful when inviting over non-Christians who are promoting their non-Christian worldviews, especially if you have children. I would invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian. However, I would not invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian who wanted me to join them in their sexual immorality or worse was interested in getting my children to see things their way. Usually, this is not the case. Most non-Christians you invite into your home will know you are a Christian and will respect that. However, as our society becomes more anti-Christian do not be surprised if non-Christians try to persuade your children or you on your own turf. If the person is recruiting for the world, you should be cautious in inviting them in.

Jesus Eating With Sinners

Fourth, you should be cautious about going and eating dinner with non-Christians in their home. When you go into someone’s house you are subject to their rules. There may be occasions where this is okay. But I would normally advise against it, especially if the pagan is recruiting for the world. Try to invite them into your home or go to dinner with them at a restaurant instead. The exception here is if they are interested in Christ and invite you into their home to learn more. I think many examples we have of Christ going into the homes of sinners falls in this category. They wanted to hear from Jesus.  If people want to know more about who you serve by all means go to their home and tell them.

Finally, the priority in your hospitality should be Christians. These two verses make that point: John 13:35 and Galatians 6:10. If you can minister to non-believers you should. And don’t make the verses above an excuse to avoid non-believers. But if you have to make a choice, and some of us do, then invite over Christians. As John 13:35 points out, this is evangelism.<>генератор ключевых слов

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On March 11, 2014 By In Culture, Family and Children, Wisdom

Pursuing Hospitality: The Next Five Principles

Here are the next five principles for hospitality. For the first five you can see this post.

Sixth, practice makes perfect. Your first attempts at hospitality can be awkward. The food may not turn out. The conversation may fall flat. You might forget obvious things. But you will get better with practice. As you have more people over and different types of people, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. You will learn what you can handle and what you cannot handle. You will find ways to start conversations and direct them. You will learn how to make your guests feel comfortable. Hospitality, like most things, becomes easier the more you do it.

Seventh, if you have children, include them in the preparation. Let them help with cooking. Let them get out special toys for the children that are coming. Our boys have made name plates for each guest coming. Help them to see the sacrifices and joys that come with having guests over. This will give your children a vision for hospitality and serving. One word of warning though. Do not make your children work the entire time the guests are there. You enjoy time with the guests. Let them enjoy that time as well.

Eighth, don’t make excuses for not practicing hospitality. Hospitality is hard work. It is a lot easier to find “reasons” not to practice hospitality than it is to do it. You will not practice hospitality if you are not convinced that it is essential to your Christian life and witness. As I said in my previous, we all are at different phases in our lives and this can limit what we can do. However, there is rarely a reason to never practice hospitality.

Ninth, don’t grumble as you practice hospitality. I Peter 4:9 tells us to practice hospitality without grumbling. Peter knows that it is a great temptation to grumble before or after we invite people into our home. We complain as we get ready for our guests. We complain when our guests leave without a thank you. We grumble about the problems our guests bring into our home. Any good you might do with hospitality will be undone by a grumbling spirit.

Garden 1

Finally, don’t judge other people’s hospitality. At a hospitable church, it is easy to start giving sideways glances. We begin to wonder why one family rarely invites anyone over. Or maybe we wonder why another family seems to have everybody over all the time. We wonder why they have three children and we have three children, but they never invite families over and we always do. Jealousy, envy, and pride are constant temptations when we start to obey the commands of Scripture. Tend your own garden. Stop worrying about the garden across town.<>поддержка обслуживание ов google

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On February 19, 2014 By In Culture, Wisdom

Taking Lessons from Two Navy SEALs

I grew up reading books on the military. My father is a military history buff. The books I read focused on the experience of individuals as they went to war, like We Were Soldiers Once…and Young.  However, over the years I stopped reading war memoirs. Recently I dipped back into war stories by reading two accounts of Navy SEALs who were involved in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Paul and Christ often describe our life as one of battle. So it was not surprising that as I read those books I came across lessons that translate  easily to the Christian life.

Book Reviews

The first book I read was Marcus Luttrell’s Lone Survivor.   The initial part of the book is the account of Luttrell training to be a Navy SEAL. The second part is his account of a ill-fated recon mission where his three friends were killed. The book is excellent. There are things I disagree with, but it was well written. The reason for the training becomes clear in the second part of the book when they are attacked. His rescue by Afghan villagers was also fascinating. He showed the interplay between the Taliban and the local villagers. He explained a law in the villages that once you promised to protect a man the whole village is responsible for him. Thus it was a huge risk for the village to take Luttrell in. Overall it is a very good book to get insight into the training and mindset of America’s military elite.

The second book I read was American Sniper by Chris Kyle. I did not enjoy this one nearly as much. It suffered from a scattered narrative. Also there was a lot more machismo in this book. Kyle seemed to enjoy the bar fights he got into. Kyle is America’s top sniper. He has over 160 confirmed kills and probably killed over twice that many men. The most fascinating part of this book was his relationship with his wife. In the book he notes that over 90% of Navy Seals get divorced. It is not hard to see why. There are short sections of the book written by his wife that give insight into the difficulties of being married to Navy SEAL. Eventually, he refused to redeploy and stayed home. Kyle was killed in February 2013 by a fellow soldier at a shooting range in Texas.

Lessons Learned

Mental Toughness

Nothing stuck out to me when I was reading Marcus Luttrell’s book like his mental toughness. The Navy SEAL training, the firefight on the mountainside, the refusal to stop fighting despite three broken vertebrae, crawling across rocks and throwing himself down mountains all made me realize how easily I give up on things. As Americans, we are not very tough. We think we are. But most of us have not had to endure cold, hunger, deprivation, berating, and absolute physical exhaustion and then be asked to keep going. Yet toughness is an essential ingredient of the Christian life. The life of Paul, Peter, John, and Jesus all remind us that mental toughness, the ability to keep going and not give up, is basic to our spiritual walk. (See Hebrews 12:2)  Do I give up too easily on hard work? Do I complain about the labor the Lord has given me to do? After reading this book I found myself whining less and working harder.

Seal 2

Loyalty to Each Other

These men have a deep loyalty to each other. In Luttrell’s book, when he was MIA for several days, fellow SEALs gathered at his Mom’s housed and stayed there all week until they found out about whether he was alive or dead.    These men know what they went through to become SEALs. They know the hardships they endured and the lengths they would go through to save each other’s lives. This creates strong bonds of friendship and loyalty. This loyalty did not prevent disagreement.  But it did usually prevent a breach of fellowship.  I wish churches could display more of this mindset. We are bound, not by our training, but by our redemption.  This unity in Christ should give us a great loyalty towards our fellow Christians, yet so often we tear each other to pieces instead of fighting the enemy (Galatians 5:15).

Accountability is Good, but the Fear of Man is Dangerous

Throughout both books the men and their superiors were constantly asking the question, “What will the media think if we do that?” Accountability like this can be good.  Chris Kyle was very careful about who he shot. He had to have witnesses and the person had to be a threat.  He had to give a report on each kill.  Accountability like this can keep men from making foolish choices.

However, in Luttrell’s book you see the negative side of this. Luttrell and his men were on a recon mission when they came in contact with some goat herders. These men carried no guns, yet one of them had a long range radio. They were clearly Taliban, yet they posed no immediate threat. There was debate about whether or not they should kill them. In the end, they let them go, which I think most readers feel was the right decision. Luttrell indicates this decision was made in part because of the fear of what would happen if the media found out they killed unarmed men. But letting those men go cost the lives of three of his fellow soldiers on the ground and sixteen other military men who came and tried to rescue them in a helicopter. I think if he had to go back he would kill the goat herders thus saving the lives of numerous American soldiers.

As Christians, there is a need for us to be accountable to those around us. We need checks and balances, which members of our local church usually provide. People should be in our lives who know us and keep us from making bad decisions. However, there is also a need to have freedom to act in the way we see fit.  . We need to give the benefit of the doubt to our brothers and sisters who make different decisions. In some circles there can be a fear of man that paralyzes us from making the right decision.  That is not accountability. That is bondage.

Single Purpose

These men are good, very good at what they do.  There is a singular focus on their task that is worthy of emulation.  I am sure there is something about war that causes you to focus.  The threat of death will strip away all other concerns. As a Christian, especially as a pastor (II Timothy 2:4), the way the SEALs focus on their job was convicting. We are too often like  soldiers who forget we are in a war. We wander around spiritually fat and out of shape with our guns filled with sand and our minds on the pleasures of this world.   As Christians, we need to have a laser beam focus on the task  given to us by our Lord and we need to remember that we are at war.<>siteкопирайтинг для ов

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On January 24, 2014 By In Books, Culture, Politics, Theology, Wisdom

City of God: An August Enterprise

No man can be a good metropolitan if he loves his title but not his task

No man can be a good metropolitan if he loves his title but not his task

First Things contributor Collin Garbarino has started an admirable undertaking for the year ahead, and it’s not too late to join in the fun. Participants will be reading St. Augustine’s City of God over the course of a year. And a Facebook Page has been created for reading schedule updates, supporting commentary & readers’ notes, and group accountability. The group has amassed over 1300 participants to date.

Resources:

The Reading Schedule
http://collingarbarino.com/reading-city-of-god/

Translations & formats:

Book list from Amazon
(The moderator of the project is using the Penguin Classics translation)

A digital copy of the 1871 Dods Translation is in the public domain

As well as a Librivox audio version, if you’re into that sort of thing

On Augustine the Man:

An introduction

The Great Courses also has a course on Augustine: Philosopher & Saint (that periodically goes on sale)

There are also great lectures available at WordMP3 from Pastor Steve Wilkins‘ Church Fathers series and a lecture from Pastor Douglas Wilson to the ACCS

As well as Dr. George Grant on Augustine’s Theology of Wonder

Other Resources:

Dr. Peter J Leithart, Senior Fellow at New Saint Andrews College and President of of Trinity House Institute, has many articles about St. Augustine and his writings over at First Things

Mentalfloss will even help you fake your way through a conversation about St. Augustine

Augustine

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On December 3, 2013 By In Culture, Politics, Scribblings, Wisdom

The Tip That Keeps on Giving

Information does tend to flow in trends through the social media conduits. For sheer lack of time, I find myself being fed ideas on what to think about in a given day, or what book to put on the reading list for the new year. And that’s okay, we tend to see what’s in front of us by design. Such is our need for community.

Of late, a bit of chatter that seemed to be recurrent in my November social feed troughs are several stories about the behavior of members of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ at the table. Not the communion table, mind you, but the local eatery. Said stories regard the practice of tipping of food servers. One article even asked, “what would Jesus tip?”

My wife and I have a long history of a debate that I lovingly refer to as “The Tip”. The Tip Debate began back before our eleven-year marriage. It even threatened said-marriage from ever materializing at one point in time. It caused me to seriously question my life decisions and God’s will in my life (Lord, forgive me but it’s the truth). In an effort to preserve the union, the Tip Debate has caused me to black list certain establishments wherein my wife has formerly been employed due to the unbearable dining experience of trying to enjoy a meal and maintain rare adult conversation while she leaves mid-sentence to go find the maitre d’ in order to report an observed insufficiency in staff performance. Yeah. It was a dark time.

An old friend, with what some would refer to as a sense of the humorous, had a propensity for the charming habit of placing a stack of brand new one dollar bills on the table, in plain view of the desperately stressed, over-worked and under-appreciated server. As the attendee would approach the table, my friend’s keen gaze would intensify and his hand would hover over the meager  mound of moolah a. One wrong move, and he would swipe away one of the dollars with a relished drama. No tip for you!

I’m happy to report that today I am in a position to regard myself as somewhat of a good tipper, which is closer to where my wife wants me to be. All was well on that front.

But then these shysters in sheep’s clothing have to come along and stir up the coals of a long quelled discussion on proper tipping etiquette. The first to come to my attention was the story of Christian diners who left a “tip tract”. You’ve heard of these ingenious devices that turn the two-edged sword of the Word into a knife in the ribs? They consist of what appears to be a respectable tip – a tenner, a Jackson, a Benjamin, WHAT?!? – but once removed from the bill holder by the server, it is revealed to be a slight-of-hand Gospel witness all up in what was your momentarily excited face.

Stupid Human Tricks

Stupid Human Tricks

receipt

Another such instance of the golden tip was a tale circulating about Christian patrons who left no tip whatsoever. At least, not in monetary form. Rather, an explanatory note was left that read: Sorry, but I can’t tip as I do not agree with your lifestyle, Love you (emoticon winky, bemused, apologetic smileyface, tear). Treasures in heaven, y’all, which you will never enjoy because you won’t ever get there lest ye REPENT!!! And I’ll give you your pen back if you give me an extra mint (they’re wafer thin). Bill Maher couldn’t believe it b

The Internet Justice Brigade (IJB) wasted no time in exposing this story as false and discrediting the former Marine as a troubled soul with an instagram account and a history of conduct issues – reportedly. Wounded warrior indeed. Your chosen means can weaken your cause.

The story was then book-ended by a tale of the most bodacious tip ever left in the name of Christ. Customary gratuity is bush league to @TipsForJesus c. That’s one way to do that, steward. I hope you’re still giving thanks to YahWeh when the APR kicks in on that American Express. May we all aspire to such generosity at sports bars.

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You know the kind of tipping story I’d like to read? One that mentions the vocational courses in Europe that can last as long as two years or more before restaurateurs will allow be-gloved servers to hit the floor and represent their brand. And how no one is entitled to an income just for showing up, especially if they cannot fulfill their job role in a satisfactory way that is equal to or greater than their agreed upon compensation. And I say that as a person who has worked in kitchens and on wait staffs, and stunk at it. Your relationship with Jesus may get you a job, but it’s still up to you to see it done.

I personally like the stories of innovators in the food industry who have raised their pay scales, done away with Darwinian tipping system, and won lifelong loyalty in customers (and employees) in doing sod. Showing up again ought to be all the gratitude any of us require. A little extra expression of gratitude –  a manifestation of appreciation in tangible means? Well, that’s straight gravy. Serve your neighbor as you would be served. Judge your neighbors service as your would have your service judged.

A little Capon is appropriate, I believe:

‘O Lord, refresh our sensibilities. Give us this day our daily taste. Restore to us soups that spoons will not sink in and sauces which are never the same twice. Raise up among us stews with more gravy than we have bread to blot it with, and casseroles that put starch and substance in our limp modernity. Take away our fear of fat, and make us glad of the oil which ran upon Aaron’s beard. Give us pasta with a hundred fillings, and rice in a thousand variations. Above all, give us grace to live as true folk – to fast till we come to a refreshed sense of what we have and then to dine gratefully on all that comes to hand. Drive far from us, O Most Bountiful, all creatures of air and darkness; cast out the demons that possess us; deliver us from the fear of calories and the bondage of nutrition; and set us free once more in our own land, where we shall serve thee as though hast blessed us – with the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine’. – Robert Farrar Capon, 1925-2013 e

capon

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  1. from the Irish moll oir – pile of gold, Daniel Cassidy, How the Irish Invented Slang, 2007  (back)
  2. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/10/1254527/-MUST-SEE-Bill-Maher-BLASTS-selfish-Christian-hypocrites-who-don-t-tip-waiters#  (back)
  3. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/12/02/248245882/tipsforjesus-is-leaving-thousands-of-dollars-for-servers  (back)
  4. http://www.slate.com/articles/life/culturebox/2013/08/tipless_restaurants_the_linkery_s_owner_explains_why_abolishing_tipping.html  (back)
  5. The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection (Garden City: Doubleday, 1969), 278  (back)

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On November 9, 2013 By In Theology, Wisdom

Getting in the Ring: Faithfulness in Theological Debate

By Peter Jones

How do we debate with intellectual honesty as Christians?  Christians should be passionate about the truth. But often this passion can lead us to debate in ways that are intellectually unfaithful. We retreat into our monastery and declare that we are right and everyone else is wrong. We refuse to deal with the arguments of our opponents. This retreat mentality does not come from intellectual rigor and discipline, but from laziness and weakness. A true scholar is not afraid of getting in the ring.  But many Christians have not been taught how to think. Their minds are flabby and they get tired easy. So instead of getting in the ring and actually fighting they yell at their opponents at the weigh in, but refuse to show up for the match.  The reason for this is fear. We are afraid of losing. We afraid of getting knocked out.  So we don’t engage. Over the years, I have learned by experience and from other men how to try to engage in real, honest debate.  Here are some of the ways I have learned to be faithful in theses debates.

First, I must have a biblical hierarchy of sin and this hierarchy should include both practices and beliefs. I must know what is the importance of the point under debate. This will determine how I approach the debate. For example, good Christians disagree about the mode of baptism. That debate can be carried on with rigor, but understanding that souls are not at stake. But good Christians do not disagree about Modalism. If you believe in Modalism you are not a Christian.  Sometimes this can be hard. For example, baptism is not normally an issue of heresy, but if someone believes baptism automatically saves you or that all baptisms not done in their denomination are invalid there are serious problems. It may not be heresy, but it is starting to stink.  Many of the most grievous errors in debate come from making major sins, minor or minor sins, major.

Second, I read the best proponents of the opposing viewpoint.  A paedo-baptist who is studying the credo-baptist position should not go find the worst Anabaptist in history and read him. That is intellectually lazy and dishonest.  Who are the leading Christian thinkers who disagree  with you? Read them.

Third, I try to take on my opponents strongest arguments, not their weakest. (I think I learned this from Vern Poythress.) For example, it is lame for someone arguing against Dispensationalism to ignore all the passages that seem to point to deep discontinuity between the Old and New Covenants like II Corinthians 3. What is your opponent’s most convincing argument? That is where you want to begin the debate.

Fourth, we must not demonize those who disagree with us.  It is easy to treat everyone who disagrees with us like a wicked, evil heretic. And of course, they might be.  But slapping a label on someone before  evaluating their arguments is lazy and is often a way of shutting off honest debate..  Faithfully look at their arguments and then slap a label on them that is honest with what they believe and that you can prove is true. Labeling them prior to debate, unless they themselves accept the label, is failing to get in the ring.

Fifth, I must not assume that just because someone is wrong in one area they are wrong in another. For example, someone may be wrong on women’s roles and right on paedo-baptism.  A Pentecostal might be right about Genesis 1-3 and wrong about I Corinthians. We are lazy if we say, “They are wrong here so they must be wrong there.”  There are connections between certain teachings. I am not arguing against connecting the dots.  But we must not shut down our opponents on the point under debate because they are wrong on a separate issue.

Sixth, I have learned to not label someone unteachable just because they do not come to see things my way.  This is the last refuge of the intellectually lazy. They won’t listen to me so they must have a heart of stone and a head to match. Someone is right and someone is wrong, but do not impugn your opponents motives just because they don’t change their mind.

The upshot of this is that true theological debate requires hard work and patience. It requires long hours of thinking and processing ideas. It requires being quick to hear and slow to speak.  Our Lord requires faithfulness in all areas of life, including and maybe especially when we are debating others.
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On October 29, 2013 By In Culture, Politics, Theology, Wisdom, Worship

The KC Team: What’s in a Name? Abraham Kuyper

KuyperEtch
“On this day in 1907,” writes George Grant,  “the entire nation of the Netherlands celebrated the seventieth birthday of Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920). A national proclamation recognized that “the history of the Netherlands, in Church, in State, in Society, in Press, in School, and in the Sciences the last forty years, cannot be written without the mention of his name on almost every page, for during this period the biography of Dr. Kuyper is to a considerable extent the history of the Netherlands.”

To celebrate the birthday of this titanic figure in history, we, Kuyperian Commentators, would like to tell you briefly what we have learned from this giant of history who called us to see the Lordship of Jesus over all things.

Kuyper turned my world upside down! Not only did he engage every sphere of life with a joyful passion, but he provided the intellectual tools to develop a compelling narrative of the Christian Gospel. —Uri Brito, Founder of Kuyperian Commentary.

Kuyper was a man who refused to abandon God’s covenantal blessings in any area of life. We are the heirs of this Kuyperian vision of incarnational theology. That by Christ’s death salvation has come to all men, giving us dominion over death, and all creation has been made new. This is the Gospel. May we live as Kuyper describes here: ” instead of monastic flight from the world the duty is now emphasized of serving God in the world, in every position in life.” — Steve Macias, Kuyperian Commentary Contributor

“The spheres of the world may each have an earthly head, but those heads are all subject to the one sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Luke Andrew Welch, Contributor

Kuyper made me more conscious of my tendency to abstract spiritual matters, instead of applying them. A common problem, I know, but Kuyper was the kick in the pants that this guy needed. — Joffre Swait, Contributor

Abraham Kuyper’s life drives me to dream bigger than I feel I ought, and then take one step toward that goal, even if it’s a small one. And then another. And then another. He was a living, breathing, long-suffering, succeeding example of Calvinism at work: an unswerving faith in God’s good plan and an unrelenting struggle to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. —Marc Hays, Contributor

Some of my favorite Kuyper quotes and paraphrases:

“Never forget that all state relief for the poor is a blot on the honor of your savior. The fact that the government needs a safety net to catch those who would slip between the cracks of our economic system is evidence that I have failed t…o do God’s work. The government cannot take the place of Christian charity. A loving embrace isn’t given with food stamps. The care of a community isn’t provided with government housing. The face of our Creator can’t be seen on a welfare voucher. What the poor need is not another government program; what they need is for Christians like me to honor our savior.” ~ Abraham Kuyper, The Problem of Poverty

“If you see a thing, you are called to it.” a

“A Christian culture is established through the education of a Christian populace. You cannot teach mathematics apart from God because math implies order, and God is the creator of order.”

“In the midst of corruptions, your duty as an equipped disciple of Christ is to always seek to uphold that which is honorable, that which is lovely and that which is of good report among mankind.”

“Kuyper’s desire for the Netherlands was that the nation would revive and persevere in its Calvinistic heritage with its doctrine of limited government that respects the autonomy of all spheres of authority and thereby guarantees the freedom of its citizens. ” ~ James McGoldrick b
— Aaron W Eley, editor and contributor

What has the work of the Holy Spirit through Abraham Kuyper meant in your life?

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On October 24, 2013 By In Culture, Wisdom

Food and Holiness: The Final Post, I Think

By Peter Jones

This is the final post in a series. Part I is here. Part II is here.

Eleventh, it is easy in our culture to see exercise as a means of holiness. Men and women who exercise should remember I Timothy 4:7-8, which follows closely on the heels of the I Timothy 4:1-5. Paul says that physical exercise is of little value or it could be translated is only valuable for a short time. Paul is not saying exercise is wicked or unprofitable. But he is saying that we should keep it in perspective. Exercise is of limited value in this life and of no value for the next life. In our sports and super model saturated world it is difficult to keep our exercise in perspective. Go without exercise for a week or a month and see what that does for you spiritually. Did you feel guilty? If so, your perspective is off. Women, do you feel ashamed if you put on a few pounds? Then you need to adjust your thinking. Do you feel as ashamed about your gossip as you do about missing a workout?  Men do you feel as guilty about your flirting with women as you do about forgetting to run? Do you put as more thought into godliness than you do into exercise? (I Timothy 4:7) I am not saying stop exercising. Exercise is good. But keep it in perspective. Make sure you are known for your pursuit of holiness more than your pursuit of the perfect body.

Twelfth, our culture is obsessed with physical appearances. We spend billions each year on beauty and health, promoting items such as tanning, implants, hair dyes, gym memberships, organic food, etc.   The newspapers, magazines, billboards, commercials, and movies all have an agenda. They are not neutral observers, but preachers for a materialistic, Godless world, where what matters is being beautiful. Remember this any time you are tempted to belly up to the bar and drink what the world is pouring. We breath in this idea from birth, so it is easy for us to miss it in our thinking. How often do we judge those around based on whether or not they are lean and attractive? How do we feel if an overweight woman walks into church as opposed to a trim man?  Your mind has been affected by the constant focus on the physical in our culture. Be aware of the temptation to judge all things by physical appearance and fight against it.

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Thirteenth, remember for us pouring out our lives, including our bodies, is what we are here to do. (See Romans 12:1-2 and Matthew 10:38)  How many Christians try to save their bodies instead of pour them out? This point is not so much what you are doing, but why. Why do you eat healthy and exercise? Why do you want to be thin and attractive? Is it so you can pour yourself out for others? Are you spending your life, even when you are trying to be healthy? Or are you just being healthy for selfish reasons? When you are old will you have poured out your body on what was good, children, church, family, and the Kingdom? Or will you have worked hard to be healthy only to find that Like Scrooge in his counting room you sit there in front of the mirror with your fit, healthy body and nothing else. You have saved your body only to lose all that matters. When they lay you in the grave make sure your body is spent.

Fourteenth, our knowledge is partial and limited. I remember an old pastor friend of mine telling me that when he was growing up ice cream was a health food. Ah, the good old days!  The results of research and studies often contradict one another. One week coffee is like heroin. The next week  it might be the cure for Alzheimer’s.  One week eggs are a great heart attack risk. The next week they are the key to your good health.  Back and forth we go. This is not a call to ignore science or refuse to do research. But it is a call to be cautious. Our academies are driven by an agenda just like anyone else. Science departments are godless and driven by evolution. Research is driven by money and the government. (For example, I remember in college finding out that a company that sells car seats was trying to up the minimum age for being in a car seat.)  Health food gurus are neo-pagans who believe that the Earth is our mother. We can learn from these groups, but only with a healthy dose of skepticism . Their research may be true. It may not be. And it will probably take decades to find out.  If it is true it will probably come with strings attached or fine print at the bottom of the page. We should stay away from strong, dogmatic statements based on the latest research. We should also stay away from making others feel guilty based on the latest research.

The Lord's Supper 2

 

Last, but certainly not least, your view of the Lord’s Supper says a lot about your view of food. Is the Supper a banquet, where we feed upon the body and blood of Christ? Or is it a place where we do penance, where we hang our heads in sorrow?  A low, somber view of the Lord’s Supper can lead to a low view of the created world. This is a huge topic, but a brief word will have to do.  The only place outside the Gospels where the Lord’s Supper is explicitly mentioned is I Corinthians 11. There the picture is not one of somberness, but of so much food and drink people were getting drunk. Paul does not tell them to tone it down. But rather he tells them to wait on each other. The Lord’s Supper is a feast. (c.f. I Cor. 5:8) Once we see that, then I Timothy 4:1-5 makes perfect sense and the whole world becomes our banqueting table.<>контент для апроверить на вирусы онлайн

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