The Unlearned

The Prosperity Gospel (Video)

2011-06-09T19:00:00.000-04:00

Adopt Without Debt

2011-06-07T22:50:00.000-04:00

In 2000, Julie and her husband, Mark, declared war on their debt – credit cards, student loans, cars and the house. Seven years later, as they wrote the check for their last mortgage payment, God called them to adopt two children from Ethiopia. A few months later, with their income unexpectedly cut by two-thirds, they wondered if they could finish the adoption without crossing back over into the red.

When they brought Wendemagegn and Beza home 12 months later, Julie and her husband proved debt-free adoption is possible!

Passionate about helping others achieve their adoption dream, Julie shares how to find extra money in your household budget, apply for grants, and fundraise in order to build your family without saddling it with debt. With over $65,000 worth of creative fundraising ideas from more than 25 adoptive families, Adopt Without Debt shows you how to fulfill your adoption dream without signing away your financial freedom.

(HT: ABBA Fund)

Why Young People Are Leaving the Church (Video)

2011-06-07T08:10:00.000-04:00

"...because our portrait of Jesus Christ is not compelling enough." "Fix your eyes on the cross and never get beyond it."

To The One Who Conquers...

2011-06-04T21:44:00.002-04:00

To the one who conquers:

1) "...I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Revelation 2:7

2) "...will not be hurt by the second death." Revelation 2:11

3) "...I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it." Revelation 2:17

4) "...I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star." Revelation 2:27-28

5) "...will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels." Revelation 3:5

6) "...I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name." Revelation 3:12

7) "...I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne." Revelation 3:21

And Paul tells us in Romans 8:37 that "...we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Those in Christ will conquer and receive these 7 gifts.

Legalism: Wanting More Holiness vs Wanting More of Christ

2011-05-26T19:21:00.000-04:00

They differ in their complaints. The legalist will complain more for want of holiness than for want of Christ; seeing he hath taken up with self-righteousness, it is his all, it is his happiness, it is his husband, it is his God. But the language of the evangelical Christian, who is dead to the law, is, O for Christ! O for a day of power! O to be wrapt up in the covenant of grace! to get an omnipotent power, determining me to comply with the gospel-offer.

Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), Gospel Truth, pp. 292-293

Via

Thoughts from Pastor Mark on Friendships

2011-05-24T19:55:00.000-04:00

Pastor Mark Driscoll has some helpful thoughts on what friendship is in his post titled "The Pastor and His Wife Get to Pick Their Own Friends"

He defines a friend like this: "A friend is a trustworthy peer with whom we mutually choose to lovingly live by pursuing intentionally, giving privileged access, and serving for God’s glory and their good."

Based on this definition he concludes that "we are to be friendly with all, but only friends with a few." He ends his post with this upshot:

...we only have a few true friends. A real friendship takes so much time, energy, emotion, and sometimes even money, that we can only have a few true friendships. Our nearest and dearest friend after Jesus is to be our spouse. After that, we may only have one or two truly close friends, as that is all we can handle. This explains why Jesus had only three close friends (Peter, James, and John), despite having a working relationship with the other disciples as well as fans numbering the tens of thousands who wanted to be his friend. Such people chose Jesus, but he never chose them as his friends or gave them the access he did the three.

It will be worth your time to read the whole post here.

St. Augustine and the Sovereignty of God in Salvation

2011-05-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

St. Augustine confesses this so beautifully back to God in his Confessions written in 397 AD:

Belatedly I loved You, O Beauty so ancient and so new. See, You were within and I was without, and I sought You out there. Unlovely, I rushed heedlessly among the lovely things You have made. You were with me, but I was not with You. These things kept me far from You, even though they were not at all unless they were in You. You called and cried aloud, and forced open my deafness. You gleamed and shone, and chased away my blindness. You breathed fragrant odors and I drew in my breath, and now I pant for You. I tasted, and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.

Saint Augustine, Confessions, p.281-282

Google Maps: Where the 12 Apostles Died

2011-05-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

This map shows where the 12 apostles are thought to have died, according to various traditions.

Click here to see the map.

(HT: JT)

Have We Made Parenting Too Complicated?

2011-05-11T12:11:00.000-04:00

Kevin DeYoung:

Does it seem like parenting has gotten more complicated? I mean, as far as I can tell, back in the day parents basically tried to feed their kids, clothe them, and keep them away from explosives. Now our kids have to sleep on their backs (no wait, their tummies; no never mind, their backs), while listening to Baby Mozart surrounded by scenes of Starry, Starry Night. They have to be in piano lessons before they are five and can’t leave the car seat until they’re about five foot six.

It’s all so involved. There are so many rules and expectations. Kids can’t even eat sugar anymore. My parents were solid as a rock but we still had a cupboard populated with cereal royalty like Captain Crunch and Count Chocula. In our house the pebbles were fruity and the charms were lucky. The breakfast bowl was a place for marshmallows, not dried camping fruit. Our milk was 2%. And sometimes, if we needed to take the edge off a rough morning, we’d tempt fate and chug a little Vitamin D.

Trial by Error

I don’t consider myself a particularly good parent. I was asked to speak a few years ago at some church’s conference. They wanted me to talk about parenting. I said I didn’t have much to say so they should ask someone else (which they did). My kids are probably not as crazy as they seem to me (at least that’s what I keep telling myself anyway), but if I ever write a book on parenting I’m going to call it The Inmates Are Running the Asylum.

There are already scores of books on parenting, many of them quite good. I’ve read several of them and have learned much. I really do believe in gospel-powered parenting and shepherding my child’s heart. I want conversations like this:

Me: What’s the matter son?
Child: I want that toy and he won’t give it to me!
Me: Why do you want the toy?
Child: Because it will be fun to play with.
Me: Do you think he is having fun playing with the toy right now?
Child: Yes.
Me: Would it make him sad to take the toy away?
Child: I guess so.
Me: And do you like to make your brother sad?
Child: No.
Me: You know, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. That means loving your brother the way he would want to be loved. Since Jesus loves us so much, we have every reason to love others–even your brother. Would you like to love him by letting him play with the toy for awhile?
Child: Yes I would daddy.

I try that. Really I do. But here’s what actually happens:

Me: What’s the matter son?
Child: I want that toy and he won’t give it to me!
Me: Why do you want the toy?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: What’s going on in your heart when you desire that toy?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: Think about it son. Use your brain. Don’t you know something?
Child: I guess I just want the toy.
Me: Obviously. But why?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: Fine. [Mental note: abandon "why" questions and skip straight to leading questions.] Do you think he is having fun playing with the toy right now?
Child: No.
Me: Really?! He’s not having fun? Then why does he want that toy in the first place?
Child: Because he’s mean.
Me: Have you ever considered that maybe you are being mean by trying to rip the toy from his quivering little hands?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: What do you know?
Child: I don’t know!
Me: Nevermind. [I wonder how my brilliant child can know absolutely nothing at this moment.] Well, I think taking the toy from him will make your brother sad. Do you like to make him sad?
Child: I don’t know.
Me: [Audible sigh.]
Child: He makes me sad all the time!
Me: Well, I’m getting sad right now with your attitude! [Pause, think, what would Paul Tripp do? Thinking . . . .thinking . . . .man, I can't stop thinking of that mustache. This isn't working. Let's just go right to the Jesus part.] You know, Jesus wants us to love each other.
Child: I don’t know.
Me: I didn’t ask you a question!
Child: [Pause.] Can I have some fruit snacks?
Me: No, you can’t have fruit snacks. We are talking about the gospel. Jesus loves us and died for us. He wants you to love your brother too.
Child: So?
Me: So give him the toy back!

Then I lunge for the toy and the child runs away. I tell him to come back here this instant and threaten to throw the toy in the trash. I recommit myself to turning down speaking engagements on parenting.

Growing What You Can

I want to grow as a parent–in patience and wisdom and consistency. But I also know that I can’t change my kids’ hearts. I am responsible for my heart and must be responsible to teach them the way of the Lord. But nothin’ guarantees nothin’. I’m just trying to be faithful, and then repent for all the times I’m not.

I have four kids and besides the Lord’s grace, I’m banking on the fact that there really are just a few non-negotiables in parenting. There are plenty of ways to screw up our kids, but whether they color during church, for example, is not one of them. There is not a straight line from doodling in the service as a toddler to doing meth as a teenager. Could it be that beyond the basics of godly parenting, that most of the other techniques and convictions are nibbling around the edges? Certainly, there are lots of ways that good parents make parenting a saner, more enjoyable experience, but even the kid addicted to Angry Birds who just downed a pack of Fun Dip and is now watching his third Pixar movie of the week (day?) still has a decent shot at not being a sociopath.

I remember years ago hearing a line from Alistair Begg, quoting another man, that went like this: “When I was young I had six theories and no kids. Now I have six kids and no theories.” I must be smart. It only took me four kids to run out of theories.

Getting a Few Things Right

I look back at my childhood and think, “What did my parents do right?” I watched too many Growing Pains reruns and played a lot of Super Techmo Bowl (LT could block every extra point and Christian Okoye was a stud). I never learned to like granola or my vegetables (kids, stop reading this post immediately!). But yet, I always knew they loved me. They made me go to church every Wednesday and twice on every Sunday. They made us do our homework. They laid down obvious rules–the kinds that keep kids from killing each other. They wouldn’t accept any bad language, and I didn’t hear any from them. Mom took care of us when we were sick. Dad told us he loved us. I never found porn around the house or booze or dirty secrets. We read the Bible. We got in trouble when we broke the rules. I don’t remember a lot of powerful heart-to-heart conversations. But we knew who we were, where we stood, and what to expect. I’d be thrilled to give my kids the same.

I worry that many young parents are a) too adamant about the particulars of their parenting or b) too sure that every decision will set their kids on an unalterable trajectory to heaven or hell. It’s like my secretary at the church once told me: “Most moms and dads think they are either the best or the worst parents in the world, and both are wrong.” Could it be we’ve made parenting too complicated? Isn’t the most important thing not what we do but who we are as parents? They will see our character before they remember our exact rules regarding television and twinkies.

I could be wrong. My kids are still young. Maybe this no-theory is a theory of its own. I just know that the longer I parent the more I want to focus on doing a few things really well, and not get too passionate about all the rest. I want to spend time with my kids, teach them the Bible, take them to church, laugh with them, cry with them, discipline them when they disobey, say sorry when I mess up, and pray like crazy. I want them to look back and think, “I’m not sure what my parents were doing or if they even knew what they’re were doing. But I always knew my parents loved me and I knew they loved Jesus.” Maybe it’s not that complicated after all.

Why Must We Work Out Our Salvation? (Phil. 2:12-13)

2011-05-06T12:39:00.000-04:00

This is the best exposition of Philippians 2:12-13 that I've ever read.

Should the Church or the Government be Leading the Way in Funding Adoptions?

2011-05-05T21:19:00.000-04:00

I count it a blessing that you can adopt for free through DSS and that the Federal government offers a refundable tax credit to adoptive parents ($13,170 in 2010) and that various states offer some form of adoption expense reimbursement. These incentives have enabled many parents to overcome one of the major hurdles to adoption - the cost. Typically, the adoptive parent can take advantage of these benefits with little worry that they won't qualify - it's only a matter of paperwork.

Lately, I believe, that God is moving within his church to care for orphans like we have not seen in a long time. There are adoption conferences, workshops, and local church ministries popping up everywhere. My hope is that one of the results of this is that the church begins to take the lead in funding adoptions. I know this is not something that will happen over night, but it's something that I would like to see over the next 10 years or so.

I know that certain denominational conventions and associations give money to orphanages and boys/girls homes and I don't think we should stop doing that. I do think that a percentage of the missions budget (at the convention level) should go toward funding domestic and international adoptions at the local church level. For example, the SBC or state conventions could have a fund that it's member churches would have access to in order to fund adoptions within their churches. Each member church could have an "adoption budget" funded each year based on church size. The member church would manage their adoption budget how they would see fit (i.e. giving small amounts to many parents or large amounts to a few parents). Of course there would be an application process administered by the member church (i.e. 2 or 3 years of active membership, recommendations and so on).

Adoption funds such as Lifesong, Abba Fund and others have been a great help and bridge, but ultimately I think the local church should be the primary funding source. Going forward Adoption Funds could help supplement what the church is doing and not the other way around.

I think this method is more effective than simply giving money to orphanages because we would be funding the placement of orphans into permanent christian homes.

As the church when have we ever let the government take the lead in something for which God has called us to do. Let's take back the lead on this one.

Advance 2011

2011-05-05T12:25:00.000-04:00

Advance 2011 is finishing up today. I'm sure the audio will be available soon. Among the speakers are Tim Keller, Eric Mason, Darrin Patrick, J.D. Greear, and Danny Akin.

Advance 2011 Promo from Vintage21 Church on Vimeo.

Entrusted with an Eternal Soul

2011-05-03T21:03:00.000-04:00

Most nights part of the bedtime routine with my son includes learning catechisms. The 20th question is "Do you have a soul as well as a body?" he responds with the answer "Yes, and my soul will last forever."

And C.S. Lewis says in The Weight of Glory "You have never talked to a mere mortal" (p. 46).

As a parent this scares me. Why? Because God has placed this eternal soul under my care and guidance. The question I find myself asking is: What am I doing with this soul? As parents our goals sound something like these: strive to give them a better life than we had, make sure they're always comfortable and in need of nothing, give them whatever will make them happy, help them succeed in sports or academics, ensure they turn out to be a "good/normal" people, etc.

Most of these are not bad goals in and of themselves, but when I think of the eternality of their souls these goals quickly become short sighted. Since I have been entrusted with an eternal soul I must take an eternal perspective on parenting. The best thing we can do as parents is point our children to the one thing that will give their souls eternal joy and that is God - through his Son Jesus Christ. We
should first be concerned with their heart and soul. Everything else should be secondary.

I know and understand this, but functionally more often than not I am a short sighted parent. I get so wrapped up in immediate obedience that I lose sight of their souls. I want them so bad to obey me (right away) that I lose sight of their heart and their real need. Because we live in a fallen world this is something with which all parents struggle and our only hope here is God. We should continually be in prayer for our children's souls and for our own perspective - that God will keep the eternal perspective always before us.

This also has implications for the adoptive parent as well. With an eternal perspective on parenting the line between biological and adopted children disappears. Adoption is just another vehicle by which God places an eternal soul under your care. To have biological children is great, but to be entrusted with an eternal soul (no matter the vehicle) is immeasurable.

Some Misconceptions About Adoption

2011-04-28T20:39:00.000-04:00

My wife answers some common misconceptions about adoption:

Adoption is something that comes with many questions by those on the outside. People really become inquisitive when they see a family that has a baby of a different race. I never mind answering questions- most times the person asking is either considering the idea of adoption or has themselves been adopted. I learned A LOT just going through our process with Noah! Below I have answered some misconceptions of adoption that people have:

1. "The birthparents can come back at anytime to take back their child."

** Signatures and termination of parental rights depends all on the laws of the state. In our case, once the birthparents signed, their rights were terminated. Also, something interesting we found is even though we adopted in PA, we can ask the birthparents to sign over to SC state laws, which meant that they had to adhere to the laws of SC on adoption.

2. "I just couldn't handle an open adoption."

** We have an open adoption with Noah's birhtmom only. Open means that you have some form of contact with one or both birth parents, whether it be phone calls, visits, letters. In our case, having an open adoption works well and we see it as an opportunity for witnessing.

3. "We feel called to adopt, but it is just impossible due to the high costs."

** I would agree that adoptions are crazy exspensive! The cost of going through a private adoption attorney varies depending on several things: the attorney fees, if the attorney goes through an adoption advertising agency, where the baby is from, medical and living exspenses of the birthmom, pre and post counseling for the birthmom and the saddest one, the race and age of the child also plays a big part in the cost. There are different attorney's out there who are great and charge lower fees and keep you well informed the entire time (Ray Godwin is who we used). There are also tax credits you can apply for. And, DSS is a great way to adopt and is free.

4. "I just can't handle any medical issues, and that is pretty likely when adopting a child."

** In some cases, the attorney can inform you of medical care that the birthmom has been receiving and of the medical background of the birthparents. Some cases they have no clue. At the birth, the hospital does a very thorough evaluation and exam and let you know of any concerns. There are also state agencies out there who can help assist, such as BabyNet. Also, having an open relationship with the birthmom here has helped us. I have been able to ask her questions. And keep in mind, if your family feels called to adopt, then God already has that child chosen for your family and nothing is impossible!

5. "I feel called to do a Transracial adoption but am not sure how to approach all the different issues that come along side it."

** Once again, God is not going to call you to something that you can't handle. There are yearly adoption conferences you can attend with breakout sessions on this topic. There are also great books available. Try building friendships or seek out those who have or are going through transracial adoptions- seek advice from them. Pray- alot of times some of our issues (as I found out) are issues within ourselves that need to be addressed.

6. "I am afraid my love for the child we adopt won't be as strong as my love for my biological children."

** Sometimes you do have to "grow" the love for your adopted child. This bonding comes as you care and love the child. Look for opportunities to bond with the baby. It might not come easy at first, but trust me, the baby will feel like one of yours and God will give you that special love to bond with the adopted child.

7. "The process of adoption is just too long and difficult."

** The process can be long. If you do a private adoption, find out how the attorney matches families with the children. Our attorney called us almost every other week with children and babies available. Also, most of the timing depends on the parental rights and then the state they are being adopted from.

8. "I feel called to adopt, but my husband doesn't feel that calling for our family."

** Just pray about it. Remember God's perfect timing is best and if He truly has called one then He will also call the other as well. Timing is the key-- it's not our timing but His! I had a heart for adoption but personally (if it ever worked out) that timing was later when my kids were older. Obviously God had his perfect timing for us!

9. "How will our extended family feel about us adopting?"

** First of all, if God calls your family to adopt then God will work out the rest. It was a process for us, but Noah fits right into our family and extended family just like all the other grandkids. God might have to work in the hearts of others and work out some issues to open their eyes to the importance of adoption.

Adoption and caring for orphans is something we are commanded to do. Caring for orphans takes place in many different ways, some families are called to really take care of the orphans through adoption or fostering. It has been an amazing 8 1/2 months for our family and our little Noah has truly blessed us beyong measure. There have already been some not so easy times, but God's hand has been in it from the beginning. There will also be more tougher times in the future as we have to answer questions and face issues, but God will still be there to help guide us in rearing Noah if we continue to keep focused on Him.

Holy Week: What Happened on Sunday

2011-04-24T21:36:00.000-04:00

Some women arrive at Jesus’ tomb near dawn, probably with Mary Magdalene arriving first.

Matthew 28:1
Mark 16:1-3
Luke 24:1
John 20:1

Mary and the other women, instead of finding Jesus’ body, are met by two young men who are angels; one of them announces Jesus’ resurrection.

Matthew 28:2-7
Mark 16:4-7
Luke 24:2-7

The women, fearful and joyful, leave the garden—at first unwilling to say anything to anyone about this but then changing their mind and going to tell the Eleven.

Mark 16:18
Matthew 28:8

Mary Magdalene likely rushes ahead and tells Peter and John before the other women arrive.

John 20:2

The other women, still en route to tell the disciples, are met by Jesus, who confirms their decision to tell the Eleven and promises to meet them in Galilee.

Matthew 28:9-10

The women arrive and tell the disciples that Jesus is risen.

Luke 24:8-11

Peter and John rush to the tomb (based on Mary Magdalene’s report) and discover it empty.

John 20:3-10
Luke 24:12

That afternoon Jesus appears to Cleopas and a friend on the road to Emmaus; later Jesus appears to Peter

Luke 24:13-35

That evening Jesus appears to the Ten (minus Thomas) in a house (with locked doors) in Jerusalem

Luke 24:36-43
John 20:19-23

(HT: JT)

Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus?

2011-04-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

(HT: JT)

Doubting Easter

2011-04-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

(HT: P&P)

Holy Week: What Happened on Friday

2011-04-22T12:32:00.001-04:00

Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the authorities (perhaps after midnight, early Friday morning)

Matthew 26:47-56
Mark 14:43-52
Luke 22:47-53
John 18:2-12

Jewish trial, phase 1: Jesus has a hearing before Annas (former high priest and Caiaphas’s father-in-law)

John 18:13-14, 19-24

Jewish trial, phase 2: Jesus stands trial before Caiaphas and part of the Sanhedrin

Matthew 26:57-68
Mark 14:53-65

Peter denies Jesus

Matthew 26:69-75
Mark 14:66-72
Luke 22:55-62
John 18:15-18, 25-27

Perhaps after sunrise, phase 3 of Jesus’ Jewish trial: final consultation before the full Sanhedrin; sent to Pilate

Matthew 27:1-2
Mark 15:1
Luke 22:66-71

Judas hangs himself

Matthew 27:3-10

Phase 1 of Jesus’ Roman trial: first appearance before Pontius Pilate; sent to Herod Antipas

Matthew 27:11-14
Mark 15:2-5
Luke 23:1-7

Phase 2 of Jesus’ Roman trial: appears before Herod Antipas; sent back to Pontius Pilate

Luke 23:6-12

Phase 3 of Jesus’ Roman trial: Jesus’ second appearance before Pilate; condemned to die

Matthew 27:15-26
Mark 15:6-15
Luke 23:13-25
John 18:28-19:16

Jesus is crucified (from approximately 9 AM until Noon)

Matthew 27:27-54
Mark 15:16-39
Luke 23:26-49
John 19:16-37

(HT: JT)

Holy Week: What Happened on Thursday

2011-04-21T17:00:00.001-04:00

Jesus instructs Peter and John to secure a large upper room in a house in Jerusalem and to prepare for the Passover meal

Matthew 26:17-19
Mark 14:12-16
Luke 22:7-13

In the evening Jesus eats the Passover meal with the Twelve, tells them of the coming betrayal, and institutes the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 26:20-29
Mark 14:17-23
Luke 22:14-30

After supper Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, interacts with them, and delivers the Upper Room Discourse

John 13:1-17:26

Jesus and the disciples sing a hymn together (probably from Psalms 113–118), then depart to the Mount of Olives

Matthew 26:30
Mark 14:26
Luke 22:39

Jesus foretells Peter’s denials

Matthew 26:31-35
Mark 14:27-31

Jesus gives his disciples practical commands about supplies and provisions

Luke 22:35-38

Jesus and the disciples go to Gethsemane, where he struggles in prayer and they struggle to stay awake late into the night

Matthew 26:36-46
Mark 14:32-42
Luke 22:40-46

(HT: JT)

Holy Week: What Happened on Wednesday

2011-04-20T17:00:00.000-04:00

Jesus continues his daily teaching in the Temple

Luke 21:37-38

With Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread approaching, the chief priests, elders, and scribes plot to kill Jesus

Matthew 26:3-5
Mark 14:1-2
Luke 22:1-2

Satan enters Judas, who seeks out the Jewish authorities in order to betray Jesus for a price

Matthew 26:14-16
Mark 14:10-11
Luke 22:3-6

(HT: JT)

Holy Week: What Happened on Tuesday

2011-04-19T12:32:00.000-04:00

Jesus’ disciples see the withered fig tree on their return to Jerusalem from Bethany

Matthew 21:20-22
Mark 11:20-21

Jesus engages in conflict with the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem

Matthew 21:23-23:39
Mark 11:27-12:44
Luke 20:1-21:4

The Disciples marvel at the Temple; Jesus delivers the Olivet Discourse on their return to Bethany from Jerusalem

Matthew 24:1-25:46
Mark 13:1-37
Luke 21:5-36

(HT: JT)

4 Views of the Sabbath

2011-04-19T06:00:00.001-04:00

A new book from B&H Academic: Perspectives on the Sabbath: 4 Views, edited by Chris Donato. Here are the contributors and the descriptions of their positions from the back cover:

Skip MacCarty (Andrews University) defends the seventh-day view, which argues that the fourth commandment is a moral law of God requiring us to keep the seventh day, Saturday, holy. It must therefore remain the day of rest and worship for Christians.

Joseph A. Pipa (Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) backs the Christian Sabbath view. He reasons that every since the resurrection of Christ, the one day in seven to be kept holy is Sunday, the first day of the week.

Charles P. Arand (Concordia Seminary) upholds the Lutheran view that the Sabbath commandment was given to Jews alone and does not concern Christians. Rest and worship are still required but are not tied to a particular day.

Craig L. Blomberg (Denver Seminary) supports the Fulfillment view: since Christ has brought the true Sabbath rest into the present, the Sabbath commands of the Old Testament are no longer binding on believers.

(HT: JT)

Holy Week: What Happened on Monday

2011-04-18T19:00:00.002-04:00

On Monday morning Jesus and the Twelve leave Bethany to return to Jerusalem, and along the way Jesus curses the fig tree

Matthew 21:18-19
Mark 11:12-15

Jesus enters Jerusalem and clears the temple

Matthew 21:12-13
Mark 11:15-17
Luke 19:45-46

In the evening Jesus and the Twelve leave Jerusalem (returning to Bethany)

Mark 11:19

(HT: JT)

My Own Prison

2011-04-18T18:15:00.000-04:00

Rob Yacoviello:

Disciplined people tend to annoy me. I just don’t get it. How does someone routinely go to bed early, eat grapefruit for breakfast, have a flat stomach, and a consistent workout routine? These people exist. I’ve seen them, but I will never understand them.

There are times when I’m able to summon a modicum of will power, and for a few short weeks or months, I make it to the gym or eat healthy meals. But for the most part, if I were given the choice of a grapefruit or a doughnut for breakfast, I would choose the doughnut every day. And if I ever make it to bed before eleven o’clock, it is out of sheer exhaustion from being awake till 3am the night before. I am also under the firm belief that, due to my addiction to Three Musketeers candy bars, I account for a third of the Mars Corporation’s annual income. I don’t list these failures in my resolution proudly; I’m just stating the facts.

It is for these reasons that most of the posts on this blog focus on the bondage of the will. I daily struggle as did the Apostle Paul with the fact the I don’t do the things that I would like to do, but the things that I hate are the things that I inevitably do. As Romans chapter seven comes to a close, Paul asks, “Who will deliver me from myself”? This is where the gospel breaks through for those like me who just cannot get it together. The gospel tells us that there is no condemnation for those fail to be who they would like to be, those who can only trust in Jesus who accomplished for them what they could not do on their own. The gospel has no conditions, no caveats. That’s what makes it the gospel. You don’t have to act a certain way or do a certain thing to be worthy of grace. The point is that you can’t. Quit trying. Accept that the work has been done for you.

I am not endorsing antinomianism. It is just a different perspective. If we are viewed by God as being completely sinless because of the work of Christ, then we can approach the law as something desired as opposed to something required. When we fail, as we always do, we can know that God isn’t standing over us in judgement, but in love.

This is comforting to an undisiplined person like me.

Radical Together

2011-04-15T15:28:00.000-04:00

(HT: Z)