In this case, the adage could say, “Those who ignore history are doomed to revise it.” Consider the Old Testament story of Esther as told in Persia today.

IsraelToday writer, Ryan Jones, offers this insight into the Iranian revision of Esther’s heroic story.

Iran revises story of Esther, labels Purim a day of mourning

[On March 7 at sundown], Israelis and Jews around the world will celebrate Purim, marking the deliverance of the Jews of the Persian Empire from extinction 2,300 years ago. In Iran, the center of the ancient Persian Empire, the date will be marked with mourning and anger.

 

For years already, Iran has been teaching schoolchildren that Purim marks the massacre of 75,000 Persians by the Jews under the command of Queen Esther. It is presented today as an ancient Iranian holocaust perpetrated by the Jews.

 

The Iranian version leaves out the part where Haman, the royal advisor, convinces the Persian king to sign a decree permitting the wholesale slaughter the Jews of the empire. When Esther reveals her Jewish background to the king and reveals that Haman was tricking him, the king issues a second decree, allowing the Jews to defend themselves. By God’s grace, the Jews are largely spared, while their enemies are slaughtered.

 

This year, Iran may go further than simply revising the biblical account. Iranian authorities have decided to downgrade the status of the “Tomb of Esther and Mordechai the Jews” in the city of Hamadan in central Iran. The tomb had previously enjoyed that status of an official pilgrimage site.

Following the downgrading, the Iranian news agency Fars began pushing the idea that Esther and her uncle Mordechai were responsible for a massacre of Iranians, and that their burial place had merely been tolerated until now.

 

The Iranian news agency MEHR reported that a couple of weeks ago, a group of 250 militant Iranian students gathered at the tomb and threatened to tear it down.

Could you tell the real story if someone showed you Iran’s “news” article? How do you keep from revising Biblical truth when others around you change it so freely?

Related posts:

1. The irrationality of sin
2. Sarah Palin: modern-day Esther or David?

In a previous post, I gave two reasons for why studying biblical theology is necessary: because you learn what God says about himself, and because it is God’s will for every Christian.

Let me give you a third one: a biblical theology saves you from a cut-and-paste theology.

What is “Cut-and-Paste Theology?” In Bible college, we called it “proof-texting” – finding the Scripture passages that supported your belief and made you seem to be correct.

The internet has made this so much easier. A quick search can provide us with thousands of websites dedicated to various factions of just plain bad theology. Armed with those, we can, like my email friend, argue any heretical idea we want, simply by copying someone else’s bad theology and pasting into an email or blog post.

Even more dangerous, though, is when we paste it into our minds and hearts in place of the truth.

So, how do we know if we’re dealing with a Cut-and-Paste Theologian (or if we are becoming one)? Here are four characteristics that I have found to be common in people I’ve debated before and in the man I am emailing with right now:

1. Cut-and-Paste Theologians focus on a short list of favorite passages, sections, or doctrines. They refuse to go outside of a very confined selection of Scriptures that seem to support their beliefs. Regardless of your response, they will keep going back to the same place.

2. Cut-and-Paste Theologians almost always ignore the context of the passages they cite. The whole chapter or book may go against what they believe, but if they can find a verse (or sometimes even just a phrase!) to “support” them, they will blindly ignore everything around it.

3. Cut-and-Paste Theologians often get very defensive if someone tries to correct them. Now, none of us likes to be corrected, but in my experience, nearly every Cut-and-Paste Theologian I have come across eventually gets belligerent if the conversation goes on long enough. They are simply not open to anyone who disagrees with them. This often results in them name-calling and making disparaging remarks about the other person. (My current email friend has questioned my salvation and called me a “blind guide,” a “blind fool,” the “devil’s kid,” and “biblically stupid.”)

4. Cut-and-Paste Theologians like to pick fights, under the guise of humility. Nearly every discussion I’ve had like this has been initiated by the other person who just wanted to argue. In my current email case, the man contacted me through our church website asking me to read his email and tell him where his thinking was not “biblical truth.” Knowing what was coming, I took the bait anyway. (I actually like it because it drives me back to the Scriptures and helps me stay sharp.)

God does not look kindly on those who misrepresent him. His condemnation of Cut-and-Paste Theology is a common theme in both the Old Testament (false prophets) and the New Testament (false teachers). Fortunately, the solution is very simple.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18

What safeguards have you placed into your life to keep your Biblical Theology from becoming Cut-and-Paste Theology?

Related posts:

1. The purpose of theology

“We’re leaving the church.”

“I got a detention.”

“The doctor just called, and it’s not good.”

One that really gets me is when a Christian says: “Yeah, well, I’m just not a theologian. You study the theology. I just want a relationship with God.”

Here’s the truth: If you are alive, you are a theologian; that is, you have beliefs about God. Now, your theology may not be specialized (Systematic, Reformed, Historical, etc.). Your theology might even be “God doesn’t exist.” But you are a theologian, and that means that theology is important for you and it should be important to you.

Let me give you just two reasons for why studying/learning biblical theology is a good thing. The first I’ll take from another writer. The second will come from Scripture.

1. Learning biblical theology is learning what God said about himself.

“Theological categories enable us to more fully and more deeply rejoice in God’s glory. Simple truths are wonderful. It is good for us to sing simple songs like “God is good. All the time!” If you sing that in sincere faith, the Lord is very pleased. But he is also pleased when we can sing and pray about how exactly he has been good to us in the plan of salvation and in the scope of salvation history. He is pleased when we can glory in the completed work of Christ, and rest in his all-encompassing providence, and marvel at his infinity and aseity, when we can delight in his holiness and mediate on his three-ness and one-ness and stand in awe at his omniscience and omnipotence. These theological categories are not meant to give us bigger heads, but bigger hearts that worship deeper and higher because of what we’ve seen in God.”

 

Kevin DeYoung, “Why We Must Be Unapologetically Theological”

 

For me, sitting down and reading the Bible (not for study or teaching prep, just reading) is like having coffee with an old friend. There’s just something “good” about it. But part of a strong, growing friendship is probing each other for knowledge and insight into each other’s worlds. You can have coffee with an acquaintance; a friendship takes much more.

God wants to be far more than just your acquaintance or Savior or God. A strong relationship with God does not happen without learning biblical theology at some level. Knowing him better leads to loving him more.

2. Studying biblical theology is God’s will for every Christian.

“[God] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

 

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor both now and on that eternal day.” 2 Peter 3:18

In case the practical side didn’t quite do it for you, here’s the other side. God not only wants a strong friendship with you, he wants you to want a strong friendship with him. So, by command, he encourages us, “Learn about Me. Grow in your knowledge about Me.”

And just to make sure that we had no excuses, he gave us 1) the written Bible to read and study on our own; 2) the Holy Spirit to provide insight and cause growth; and 3) human teachers to teach us directly and answer our questions.

So, what’s holding you back from being the theologian that God wants you to be?

Related posts:

1. Cut-and-Paste theology

Bill Mounce has one of those blogs that is worth reading. Although many of his posts have to do with the Greek New Testament (his Basics of Biblical Greek is one of the most widely used teaching tools right now), he has a lot of good thoughts about other things as well.

A couple of days ago, Mounce shared an essay he wrote in For the Fame of God’s Name, a book in honor of John Piper’s long, faithful ministry. As part of his essay, Mounce tackles the argument that a “pastor” (who spends more time with his people) loves his church more than a “preacher” (who spends more time in his study).

I found this especially appropriate, since I struggle trying to balance these, even when it goes against my personality and preference.

You can read the whole post on his blog, but here is the quote from his essay. I emphasized one part that I agree with very strongly.

We often characterize a person as being a “pastor” (warm, friendly, relational, available), a “rancher” (a successful pastor who now has too many people to spend time with), or a “preacher” (speaker, powerful, teacher, removed). How many times have you asked somebody about their pastor; their response is something like, “He’s a great guy, we love him, but he’s not much of a speaker.” Or, “He’s a dynamic speaker, challenging, but removed from most people.” As the stereotypes often go, the “pastor” is viewed as a friendly person and the “preacher” as not friendly.

 

After seven years in pulpit ministry I understand how this happens. There is so much to do, staff to manage and encourage, elders to train, people to visit, parking lots to plow, and lawns to mow. The pastor spends his energies loving people one-on-one, and come Saturday night he takes long hot baths trying to think of something to speak on the next day (true story I heard).

 

The “preacher” on the other hand is committed to his craft, spends time in his study, rehearsing Greek paradigms, reading generally, staying up on culture, pushing his way through exegesis, crafting the sermon, and trying to determine how he is going to be misunderstood so he can massage the message and avoid foreseen pitfalls. But then the assault on his time comes. He’s not available as much for counseling. He is focused on his sermon between services, and so he is criticized for not being friendly. He wouldn’t sit by the bedside of a person nursing the latest hangnail. And he doesn’t have time to argue about the color selection for the bathroom. And when he suggests that a person go to his or her small-group leader for support and encouragement, the preacher is labeled uncaring and the gossip starts.

 

But I would like to suggest that the preacher is as loving as the pastor, and my hope is that this will encourage you to study. What is the most important thing you can do? What are the most significant obstacles that need to be overcome in people’s lives? I submit that regardless of the size of a church, the mission of the pastor-preacher is to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Nothing is as important as that. Not the territorial thinking in the missions committee, not the latest disagreements among parishioners, and not the latest board controversy.

 

Some of these may be (or may not be) important, but when the music has led people to take their eyes off themselves and train on God, when the responsive reading has drawn people into dialogue, when the announcements have reminded people that they are family, and when you stand before your people to preach, there is nothing more important than what you did in the quiet of your study. All of the preparation, from the first day in Greek class to your rehearsing the sermon to an empty room Saturday morning, all your hard work comes to the forefront, and with confidence and humility you stand before the expectant people and proclaim the glory of God. At that moment, you aren’t the church’s plumber. You aren’t the person who has to go to the store to buy more paper for the copier. You are the herald of the king, proclaiming clearly and truthfully the wonders of God. If you have done your work, and if God’s Spirit is so inclined to move, your words will encourage the downtrodden and chasten the sinners. If you are faithful to your king’s decree, you will love your people the most important way, because there is nothing more important than the clear, powerful, rooted-in-truth, Spirit-inspired proclamation of a vision of the glory of God. Nothing. Preachers love their people every bit as much as do pastors. Their love is just shown differently, but it is just as real and just as powerful.

Have you thought about this before? Do you prefer one type over the other? Or would you like both to be available in your church?

No related posts.

I have been thinking a lot about Daniel 2:21 and Romans 13:1, especially in light of certain world events that have happened this year.

“He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others.” Daniel 2:21

“There is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1

It’s amazing to me how often things don’t work out the way we planned them.

After watching an obscure Senator, with no previous business experience, try to lead America through a world-wide economic situation for the past three years, I’m convinced that the President knows almost nothing about good domestic policy and even less about good foreign policy. I don’t think he understands what role the government is supposed to play in a democratic republic or how many limitations our Constitution places on government.

There are people in every political party that want him out of office, and there are a few across the board that think he’s exactly what we need.

Now, to be fair, I also don’t think he’s insincere. I believe that he truly thinks his plan is best for this country, whether it’s jobs, stimulus, military, or anything else. I also don’t think he’s intentionally trying to destroy our country. He has a lot of voices around him, saying a lot of different things, and he has to decide which path to take. And he will certainly be accountable to God one day for the decisions he made.

So, in light of all of that, here’s where I find this fascinating, and, back to my main thought, completely unexpected.

From the very beginning, our President has done everything in his power to cause foreign leaders and people to look at America in a different light. He wanted them to see us in a kinder, gentler light. No longer the warmongering nation of past decades, President Obama’s America is tolerant of Islam, gives away everything we own to the poor, and aims for world peace within “the international community.”

Yet, it was during this President’s understanding and tolerant administration that two of the world’s most famous and meanest Muslim leaders were killed: Osama bin-Laden and Muammar Qaddafi.

bin-Laden, of course, was taken out by a Navy Seal Team on the President’s order in May. And just yesterday we heard that Qaddafi was killed, albeit not by American military.

Now, Republicans and Democrats alike will spin these events their ways. Republicans will say that the President’s accomplishments are because he did not give up on President Bush’s policies. Democrats will say that this is just proof that the President should be re-elected.

One of the few things that both parties have in common is that they want to make the world a better place. Neither wants war, famine, or poverty. We all want these to be eradicated so we can live in harmony.

But here’s the truth.

The truth is, God is sovereign, and he said that this world will get continually worse until Christ returns for his Church (see 2 Timothy 3). Then it will be immeasurably even worse during the Tribulation when God and Satan both pour out their wrath on this planet. Only when Christ returns again to banish evil and set up his kingdom will things finally be the way we have always wished.

Today is not the end of the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s not coming. American government can’t stop it. The Church won’t stop it. All we can do is live like citizens of Heaven on Earth.

And be amazed when God does the unexpected.

Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges and saying, “Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.”

…

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

…

Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence. And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him

2 Peter 3:3-4, 9, 14-15

No related posts.

OK? Ready…set…go!

Imagine yourself as a technician or trade worker in a long-standing, well-respected industry. (Any industry is fine; it’s your imagination.) You may be brand new to this work, a well-seasoned master, or somewhere in between.

Obviously, in order to do your job well, you must have the right tools. Now imagine that a long time ago, someone invented a tool for your particular line of work. This type of tool has been used by hundreds or thousands of others before you, and you were taught to use it as well.

However, over time, you noticed that there are some defects in the tool, some things that could have made it a lot better originally and now. You also notice that, while the tool probably worked really well on the older models of equipment, it doesn’t fit the newer models as well without some work (sort of like trying to use standard and metric together).

Now imagine that over the years, there have been improvements made to that tool. Newer versions work much better on newer equipment and have had some of the original defects corrected. (Some defects still remain, though, because people got so used to them that correcting them would have actually made them feel “wrong”.)

Here’s my question: Do you keep using the favorite well-worn model, even though it’s not nearly as efficient any more and actually has a few problems, and keep training your apprentices with it? Or do you switch to one of the newer models that you’re not quite as familiar with, knowing that it’s much better and can do a better job than the “comfortable” one?

Once you’ve answered for yourself, you can finish reading after the picture.

Photo by Michael Hartford

OK, this can be applied to any number of issues (customs, traditions, methods, etc.), but here is my point today. The number one tool for the Christian life is the Bible. God has told us over and over that the Bible is his hands-on tool to grow his people (see, for example, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:3).

That being the case, why do people continue to insist on using the King James Version of the Bible? Yes, it has been in use for a long time (400 years). Yes, many people have used it successfully for salvation and godliness. Yes, it is an acceptable English translation.

But it’s not the best translation (some “defects” in the translation), and it certainly doesn’t work as well in the 21st century as it once did (old tool, new equipment).

If you would upgrade your tools to the best available for a trade or industry… If you would insist that your apprentices and new hires were trained on the latest tools… Why would you not do the same for your spiritual life?

Why are we still requiring children and students to memorize passages from the KJV? Why do some insist on forcing them to learn dozens (possibly hundreds) of archaic words they will never use outside of a church setting?

Why are we still trying to adjust our lives with a 400-year-old tool, when there are so many other, better tools available?

In the early ’90s I switched from the King James to the New American Standard Bible when I began studying New Testament Greek. It was like working with a brand new tool. Not only did it “feel” better in my hands, it worked better in my personal study, teaching, and preaching. A few years ago I switched again, to the NET Bible, for the same reasons. As language changes and translation scholarship gets better, I’ll probably switch again in the future.

If you want to do your best work, you have to have the best tools. It’s time to retire the KJV for good.

(On a side note, if you’re interested in learning how to read New Testament Greek so you can use commentaries and Bible study materials that reference the original language, you can learn through our church’s Learning Center. Contact me for more information.)

OK, my rant’s done. It’s your turn. The comments are open.

Do you still use the KJV? Have you switched to something else? Why?

No related posts.

“JODT” stands for “Journal of Dispensational Theology,” Tyndale’s seminary publication. Yes, this is a theological conference.

Dispensational Theology has three primary tenets that Oak Tree, Tyndale, and I (personally) hold strongly in our teaching:

1. There is a clear distinction between Israel and the Church. Israel is still God’s people and will still receive the many promises that God has not yet fulfilled. This is key in our End Times theology.

2. The only valid meaning of the Bible is found through a consistently literal interpretation. The Bible was written to be understood literally. We don’t have to search for deep meanings or find hidden truths. God did not write a “word search” book to stump us.

3. God’s own glory is the overarching, central theme of God’s work and of the Scriptures. The Bible is not about you and me, not about salvation, not about prophecy or end times — even though all of those things are in there. The Bible is about God. You and I are about God. Salvation is about God. Prophecy is all about God. When we read and study the Scriptures, no matter the topic or story, we are ultimately reading and studying about God and his glory.

For more information about how Dispensationalism approaches specific topics or passages, check out Dispensationalism: Tomorrow & Beyond by Tyndale Seminary Press. This collection of teachings by several well-known authors is a tribute to Charles Ryrie, one of the greatest advocates of Dispensationalism.

For the next couple of days, we’re going to be studying with men and women who hold this highest regard for God and his Word. It’s going to be a great time!

I’ll post notes and thoughts about some of the sessions as I can, so stay tuned to increase your understanding of the Scriptures along with us.

P.S.: We will be back to kick off our new series this weekend at Oak Tree Church – “Fruit of the Spirit”, honoring God in our day-to-day lives. Don’t miss it!

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1. IFRBC Annual Conference

Squire Rushnell, Louise DuArt

(Note: This book was provided free for review by the publisher. This did not affect the review in any way.)

As a part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze book review program, I get to choose books that the publisher will send me to read and review here on my blog. I thought that Couples Who Pray would be good for both my wife and me and as a resource to offer to other couples.

I was wrong.

To be honest, I was pretty disappointed in this book. It wasn’t at all what I had expected. In fact, there were several places it fell short.

1) A big letdown had to do with the claim on the top of the cover: *Includes the 40 Day Prayer Challenge*.

“That would be great!”, I thought. Unfortunately, the “40 Day Prayer Challenge” is little more than, “We challenge you to pray for 5 minutes a day for 40 days.” Didn’t need a book for that!

2) The whole premise of the book seems to be, “If you pray for just 5 minutes a day with your spouse, everything will just be better.”

There is no question that prayer is important or that it can solve marriage and home problems, but it doesn’t just magically happen. Of course, they don’t claim that exactly, but the stories they recount of their famous connections seem to make that case.

3) And that’s the other thing. I don’t mind hearing stories from other people, especially people who I admire or respect for one reason or another.

And this book is full of them (Denzel & Pauletta Washington, Scott & Tracie Hamilton, and Gavin & Patti MacLeod to name a few). But when you put too many of them together, one right after the other, it quickly turns into a bad late-night commercial: “These pills/steps/programs worked for us, and they can work for you, too!”

Overall, this book didn’t come across as a book about prayer as much as a self-help book that happened to feature prayer. Because of this, I can’t give it more than 2 stars.

If you are interested in reading it for yourself, you can find out more about Couples Who Pray at Thomas Nelson or Amazon.com.

Related posts:

1. Book Review: Start! The Bible for New Believers
2. Book Review: This is Your Brain on Joy
3. Book Review: Primal

Haldor Lillenas wrote an estimated 4,000 songs, including one of my personal favorites, “Wonderful Grace of Jesus.” (Follow the link to hear the best version of this as sung by my all-time favorite group, The Cathedrals.)

In 1917, Lillenas wrote what has come to be a favorite hymn for many traditional Protestants, “The Bible Stands.”

In this age when absolutes are ignored and truth is no longer searched out; when churches are teaching everything except the Bible in order to “earn a hearing;” when even so-called pastors are to redefining the message of the Scriptures, may God’s people return to the only source of truth and absolute authority in this world.

Enjoy!

1. The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
Mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal,
And they glow with a light sublime.

 

2. The Bible stands like a mountain towering
Far above the works of men;
Its truth by none ever was refuted,
And destroy it they never can.

 

3. The Bible stands and it will forever,
When the world has passed away;
By inspiration it has been given,
All its precepts I will obey.

 

4. The Bible stands every test we give it,
For its Author is divine;
By grace alone I expect to live it,
And to prove and to make it mine.

 

Refrain:
The Bible stands though the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
For the Bible stands.

Related posts:

1. Online Bible study tools

The Pastoral Team

There is one last point we must not overlook when it comes to the pastorate: it is a team effort. Unlike the structure of many churches today which have either a single / solo pastor or a Senior Pastor with Assistant / Associate Pastors, the New Testament always refers to “elders” in the plural, even in the context of the local assembly. For instance, consider Paul’s greeting in his letter to the church at Philippi:

From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons. Philippians 1:1

Paul wrote to the “overseers and deacons”, both plural, not to “the Elder and Deacons”. How did Paul know that there would be multiple elders leading the church at Philippi? Because that was how he structured it personally. Toward the end of their first church-planting circuit, Paul and Barnabas indicated how local church leadership should be set up.

When they [Paul and Barnabas] had appointed elders for them [the saints] in the various churches, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them [the elders] to the protection of the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:23

There are two important points here. First, there were multiple elders in the various churches. Not “an elder in each of the churches,” but literally, “having appointed for them, according to [or per] church, elders”. Multiple elders were appointed for each church.

Second, the elders were “appointed” by Paul and Barnabas. The congregation did not select, elect, ordain, or vote for (or against) them. Just as sheep do not choose their shepherds, children do not vote on their parents, and students do not elect their teachers, local church congregations are not to select their own elders.

As we have already seen, pastors are Christ’s gift to his Church. This means that the elders are Christ’s representatives before the people, not the other way around. This is a common error in most American churches, which pattern their churches after our Democratic Republic, rather than after the teaching of the New Testament. Christ, not the congregation, selects, gifts, and appoints elders to lead.[1]

Now, to be sure, if a congregation does not or cannot respect or follow a certain man, or if there are several witnesses within the church to the fact that he is not qualified, then, of course, that input must be weighed carefully. This is not to say that the people can have no opinion regarding their leadership. But it is the current eldership that must evaluate and decide whether a man is qualified and should be appointed to this task.

In summary, elders are given to local churches by Christ himself for the purpose of using the Scriptures to grow and train God’s people to do God’s work. Functioning as a team, they are to feed, equip, and guard those people God has placed into their care, all the while remembering that they are ultimately responsible to Christ for their work.

Related posts:

1. Biblical pastoring: Definitions
2. Biblical pastoring: A unique role