waters to swim in

Congratulations to the Tea Party

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:31:00 +0000

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”

Patrick Henry

Speaking of signs

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:41:00 +0000

(Maybe just a short verse next time)

(So good it has to be fake)

(Nobody is really going to ask you about that)

(???)

(Good use of tithe money)

(Which one?)

(Napoleon Dynamite, Pastor)

Lord, give me a sign

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Lord, give me a sign.
That’s the prayer I pray
When I want something for myself
But need to explain it away.
Help me get one more thing
That brings pleasure to my life,
‘Cause I need to speak Christianese
To justify it to my wife.

I want a new Dodge Viper.
Christ, I think they’re cool.
The salesman at the dealership
Went to my high school.
If that’s not a sign, what is?
Then my old car’s tire went flat
On the way home from the dealership.
It doesn’t get clearer than that.

As with the Apostle Gideon,
The signage didn’t stop there.
In my mailbox was a credit offer:
“No interest for one year” (!)
I fell to my knees in praise.
I blubbered and I stammered.
It’s as if I were a nail
And the Lord Himself the hammer.

Lord, it’s really great
How when I want something bad
There are always signs around,
Always tea leaves to be read.
Signs are Your way of telling us
What we already want to hear;
They make faith quantifiable
And prove that You are near.

I’m sure there are better things to do,
And better ways to live.
But I wouldn’t buy the Viper, Lord
If it weren’t for the signs You give.
As I’m sure it says in John somewhere,
“You have to pay the piper.”
So give me credit, Lord, to join
The next generation of Vipers.

Happy 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:19:00 +0000

Here's a funny clip of history-illiterate Americans. There was probably less editing involved than you think. Marist just release a poll demonstrating that 26% of Americans don't know from which country we declared our independence. As Jay Leno says in the clip, "Now your kids are not homeschooled are they?"

This is your brain. This is your brain on government education.

What will happen when Christ comes back? (part 4)

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 29 May 2010 12:49:00 +0000

He will destroy the old creation

We learned in First Corinthians that the dead are resurrected “at his coming” (15: 23). The very next sentence says, “Then cometh the end” (15: 24). The end of what? After all God’s enemies are defeated, and all the dead are resurrected and judged, then what comes to an end?

To find out, we don’t need to consult prophecy “experts.” We only need to consult Scripture.

Peter sheds more light on this “end.” He tells us that the entire universe has a rendezvous with fire: “…the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3: 7). So in a great conflagration the universe will end. And when does this happen? At “the day of judgment,” which is a day of perdition (spiritual ruin) for ungodly men. In case the message was lost on anyone, Peter goes on to state it more explicitly: “…the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3: 10). This passage leaves no room for figurative interpretations. The stars and planets will literally pass away. The elements—the very foundational units of all matter—will dissolve. The earth and everything on it will be incinerated. This is the end of the old creation and it happens right after the resurrection and judgment. As Christ told his disciples, the judgment of the just and the unjust will occur “at the end of the world” (Matthew 13: 49).

God promised us He would create “a new heaven and a new earth.” But before He can do so He must do away with the old. “For, behold,” he told Isaiah, “I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65: 17). John recorded a vision of this promise being fulfilled in the next to last chapter of the Bible: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (Revelation 21: 1). In John’s account, just as in Paul’s and Peter’s, this occurs immediately after the resurrection and judgment. And, as we have seen stated clearly in Scripture, the resurrection and judgment occur at Christ’s second coming.

This presents an insurmountable problem for those who claim that Christ is going to return to be a political leader on our present sin-cursed earth for many centuries to come. If the universe is burned up and passes away on Judgment Day, and if Judgment Day occurs at His coming, there will be no Earth left to govern.

What will happen when Christ comes back? (part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 08 May 2010 09:10:00 +0000

He will judge everyone

The day of Christ’s return will be what Christians throughout the ages have called “Judgment Day.” Not only will all men be resurrected simultaneously, they will all be judged and sentenced to their eternal place of residence. Like the destruction of the wicked and the resurrection of the dead, the judgment ceremony occurs “at his coming.”

Christ Himself spells this out in language that is anything but cryptic:

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…..Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…… And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25: 31-46).

Notice this judgment is eternal. It’s not an earthly punishment but a permanent sentence to take effect immediately. Paul describes the same day of judgment in Romans:

“And thinkest thou this, O man…that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?...But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath” (Romans 2: 5-8).

Paul equates the “day of wrath” to the “revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” It will be a day of wrath for the wicked: a day of judgment for all. As with the previous passage it’s clear that this judgment is permanent. It will result in either “eternal life” or “indignation and wrath” (what Christ in the previous passage called “everlasting punishment”).

In Revelation, John paints another picture of Judgment Day:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books…and they were judged every man….And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20: 12-15).

Now as we look at the same event from different angles we notice unmistakable overlapping. In Matthew we read “When the Son of Man shall come in his glory,” then “shall he sit upon the throne” and “before him shall be gathered all nations.” From this passage in Revelation we see “a great white throne and him that sat on it” and “the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened” and “the dead were judged….” These are the same event.

Christ gave us yet another view of Judgment Day with this analogy:

“…the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just” (Matthew 13: 47-49).

There are few teachings in Scripture more obvious than the judgment of all men at the last day. No one should be able to say they didn’t get the picture. Yet, surprisingly, many Christian leaders teach that several centuries will separate the judgment of the just from the judgment of the unjust. Such a doctrine is found nowhere in Scripture. It would make all the above passages meaningless. If we remember to consult Scripture alone, however, then God’s simple plan remains clear and consistent.

What will happen when Christ comes back? (part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 01 May 2010 08:49:00 +0000

He will resurrect all the dead

Even this guy

Everyone who ever lived in history will be bodily resurrected and will ultimately fall into one of two classes. Christ made this crystal clear when He told His disciples “the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his [the Son of Man’s] voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5: 28, 29).

Remember the “shout” Paul wrote about when Christ descends? It immediately preceded the dead rising. Christ is here talking about the same event: the dead will hear His voice and come forth. How many of the dead does He say are resurrected? “All.” He then immediately divides “all” into two classes. Notice, too, that Christ says this happens at the same time—the same hour.

Paul makes reference to the same thing in a speech to Governor Felix: “…there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust” (Acts 24: 15).

There’s no ambiguity about who is raised up: both the just and the unjust. And how many resurrections will it take to achieve this? “A” resurrection (singular). The plain meaning of the sentence limits this to a single event.

In another passage, Christ tells His followers, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6: 40).

How many who believed will be raised up? “Every one.” And when will “every one” be raised up? “At the last day”; not centuries before the last day. Here Christ is addressing the topic of believers only, but as the previous verses make clear, the “just and unjust” are resurrected simultaneously.

In Revelation we get another vision of the resurrection: “I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God… the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them” (20: 12, 13). Are only some of the dead raised up? No. The phrase “great and small” implies everyone from the least to the greatest. Homeless beggars will stand next to pharaohs. Nameless slaves will stand next to presidents and kings. Are any of the dead left out? No. Even those buried at the bottom of the sea are not forgotten. The passage goes on to explain that this resurrection immediately precedes the judgment and the destruction of earth: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (20: 15; 21: 1).

All of the above passages, taken as a whole, suggest that there will be one general resurrection of all bodies at the last day.

What will happen when Christ comes back? (part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:03:00 +0000

Christ is not coming back merely to be seen and make a lot of noise. He has an agenda that is clearly stated in Scripture. It is important for every Christian--in fact every person on earth--to know what will happen at His return. If we learn nothing else about what the Bible says about the future, we need to learn what will transpire on the day of His second coming.

Scripture describes several momentous events that will coincide with the second coming. We'll look at four of these:

1) Christ will defeat all His enemies

2) Christ will resurrect all the dead

3) Christ will judge and sentence everyone

4) Christ will destroy the creation

We'll see that each event is inextricably tied to His return. As we look at these events individually, we'll notice a lot of overlap. A verse about Christ defeating His enemies may be tied in to the resurrection. A verse about resurrecting all the dead may also mention their judgment. A verse about the judgment may talk about the end of the world. God has a reason for this overlap. It proves the events are interrelated. Though the pieces of the puzzle are given "here a little and there a little," all the pieces together form a single composite picture of Christ's return. Some people might look at two pieces of the puzzle and pronounce them two separate events in history. But the continual overlap of these events makes that kind of approach unsustainable.

So I'll try to focus on these four events individually, but some overlap and repetition is inevitable--and ultimately will help us see the picture more clearly.

1. Christ's enemies will be defeated

When Christ returns He will take final vengeance on all His enemies. These enemies are physical and metaphysical: anti-Christian secular leaders and their followers, religious leaders who spread false doctrine, those who deny Christ, those who torment His followers, Satan himself, even Death itself. Christ's return will mark their last day of power.

Paul writes:

“But every man [resurrected] in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (I Corinthians 15: 23-26).

Notice this all happens “at his coming”: a resurrection, putting an end to the power of others, putting all enemies under his feet. Many think the phrase “he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet” means He will reign for centuries on earth. But it’s a clear reference to Psalms 110: “The LORD said unto my Lord [Christ], Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (v. 1). Christ is reigning right now in heaven at His Father’s right hand. And He will do so until the appointed day when all his enemies, including death itself, are to be completely destroyed.

How can anyone know when all the enemies have been defeated? Because he gives us a benchmark: “the last enemy is death.” The last enemy can’t be defeated before the other enemies. When the last enemy is defeated, then all the enemies will have been defeated. Death, we learn, is vanquished at the resurrection, when all mortals are given immortal bodies. Paul explains this in such a way as to leave no doubt:

“…the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15: 52-55)

This account comes from the same chapter that tells us “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” and that this occurs “at his coming.” If the resurrection occurs at his coming and signifies the ultimate defeat of death (as these passages make clear), then Christ cannot at that point begin to rule over sinful men on a sin-cursed earth. Such a scenario would leave in existence countless enemies after “the last enemy” had been put down.

John gives us another glimpse of Christ defeating His enemies in Revelation:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.…And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19: 11, 15).

Does “rule them with a rod of iron” mean He’s going to reside on earth as a dictator for an extended period of time after He returns? Not at all. That phrase is a direct quote from the second chapter of Psalms. All we have to do is turn there to find out what it means: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel” (v. 9). The same imagery is repeated earlier in the book of Revelation: “And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers” (2: 27). So it’s obvious the rod of iron is not a king’s golden scepter, as many suppose. The rod of iron is contrasted with pottery. What does the rod of iron do to the pottery? It destroys it. It is a symbol of Christ destroying all His earthly enemies at His return.

Revelation 19 goes on to tell us the fate of those subject to the “fierceness and wrath” of the rod of iron. The birds of the air will

“eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great….And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19: 18, 21).

They are all destroyed, both great and small; not even a remnant is left. No sinful men will linger in this world after Christ returns.

We also learn that “the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet….These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (v. 20). These represent the worldly leadership of God’s enemies. The parallel passage in Chapter 20 informs us that after these “armies” arrayed against Christ are defeated, “the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (v. 10). Immediately after this John describes the resurrection (wherein the “last enemy”—death-- is defeated) and the eternal judgment.

But when Christ appears will He strike some people dead only to resurrect them perhaps minutes later? Most likely He will. Although we can’t say with certainty over what time span these events will transpire, there’s no reason to believe Christ won’t expedite His plans. Death will be a reality up until the very second the general resurrection takes place. Many people will die a natural death just before the Day of the Lord; many will die at His coming. But all will be resurrected simultaneously, whether they died ten centuries earlier or ten seconds earlier. This is the next fundamental teaching we’ll look at.

Very effective video

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 08:34:00 +0000

Taking a break from the future to feature this video from the here and now: Remember November.

Suggested alternate title: Psalms 109:8.

#3: In what manner will Christ come back?

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 09:26:00 +0000

Some people teach that Christ will next return secretly and silently, invisible to the vast majority of mankind. But what does the Bible say?

We already read in Acts that He will come back "in like manner" as He ascended. So how did He ascend? As the apostles looked on "he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight" (Acts 1: 9). So His return will be a reverse of that: He will come down visibly in a cloud. This can't be stated more simply than when John tells us, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him" (Revelation 1: 7).

The apostle Paul, writing to the church at Thessalonica, gives a more expansive account of this event: "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17). Christ comes down; His chosen join Him in the clouds.

So the first thing we can say with certainty about the manner of Christ's return is that it will be a descent in the clouds that is visible to all.

In a separate letter, writing about the same event, Paul tells us, "we shall all be changed, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52).

So not only does Christ descend visibly in the clouds, He also comes with great fanfare. The above verse in First Thessalonians makes the same exact point. The sound of His coming will be unmistakably loud: "the trumpet shall sound"; "the last trump"; "the trumpet of God"; "a shout"; "the voice of an archangel." Does anyone doubt that "the trumpet of God" and "the voice of an archangel" will be thunderous and deafening? When God's Son returns from heaven with "a shout" will it be barely audible? Not likely. When God delivered the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, the Israelites heard "the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled" (Exodus 19: 16). How much louder will be "the last trump" of His second coming?

When it comes to the manner of Christ's return, then, Scripture leaves little room for debate: it will be a descent in the clouds, visible and exceedingly loud. There are no verses that suggest He is going to slip back unnoticed.

But won't He come "as a thief in the night"?

This is an oft-quoted phrase used to teach a clandestine return of the Messiah: Christ as cat burglar. But that is not the meaning of the phrase when read in context. The phrase "thief in the night" is used twice in the New Testament in association with Christ's personal return.

Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica that "the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." He then speaks of the "sudden destruction" of the wicked and adds, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." He explains, "they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober." (1 Thessalonians 5: 2-8).

The meaning of the phrase, then, is clear: only to those who dwell in darkness--those who are spiritually asleep--will Christ's return be completely unexpected and unwelcomed.

In a similar passage Peter states that "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." This follows a long discussion about the destruction of the wicked, who "willingly are ignorant" and scoff about "the promise of his coming" (2 Peter 3: 4, 5, 10). Like the wicked in Paul's description, they are figuratively "drunken in the night." To them Christ's return will be a moment of complete shock and anguish, akin to an invader kicking down the door at 3 a.m.

Christ uses the same metaphor for the same purpose when He says, "...if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up" (Matthew 24: 43). The "thief" analogy, therefore, is used to suggest not stealth, but sudden calamity for those whose eyes are closed.

So the cumulative picture painted by all these verses comes into focus: Christ will descend in the clouds, heralded by "the last trumpet," visible to all, and completely unexpected by the wicked.

#2: How many times will Christ come back?

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:15:00 +0000

Short answer: one.

To many Christians this might seem an odd question. Everyone's heard of the Second Coming--and everyone understands that to mean Christ is physically coming back once more. No one ever talks about a Third Coming, do they? But it's important to establish that He's only coming back one more time because there's a popular doctrine today that teaches otherwise.

Let's look at some sample verses that clearly speak of Christ's physical return:

"...those who are Christ's at His coming" (I Corinthians 15: 23).

"...blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing" (I Timothy 6: 14).

"...be patient brethren, until the coming of the Lord" (James 5: 7).

"...who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing" (2 Timothy 4: 1).

"...I will come again and receive you to myself" (John 14: 3).

"...that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 3: 13).

Notice all these verses speak of His "coming" or His "appearing"--never His "comings" or His "appearings." It is always a singular event. His return is never referred to in the plural. Christ Himself never suggests multiple physical returns, nor do any of the New Testament writers. They never hint at a Second Coming followed by a Third Coming. In fact, there is not a single verse in Scripture that refers to two or more personal returns. If two returns were planned we would expect to find at least one mention of this concept in Scripture. Yet there are none. We would expect to find at least one passage that plainly mentions both returns in the same discourse. Yet there are none. We only hear of one physical return: His second coming, when He leaves His Father's right hand in heaven to return visibly to earth.

4 Prophecy Questions

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:23:00 +0000

After listening to all the convoluted predictions on "End Times Radio" each morning as I drive to work, I decided I wanted to do a study on the Second Coming. The premise is this: what does the Bible clearly teach about the future? So I came up with 4 big questions and will do a separate post on each. I want the answers to the questions to come from Scripture only: not from seminary theses, bestsellers or news stories. If you have anything to add I'd be glad to hear it.

Here are the questions in advance:
#1--Is Christ coming back?
#2--How many times will He come back?
#3--In what manner will He come back?
#4--What will happen when He comes back?

That's not a comprehensive study of prophecy but it covers the Second Coming pretty well. I may add a fifth question, having to do with timing. But we'll see.

#1--Is Christ coming back?

This is probably the easiest prophecy question to answer. Hardly anyone who claims to be a Christian would deny that Christ is coming back. But we don't want to rely on the consensus of men; we want to rely on Scripture. So let's see what the Word of God has to say about this fundamental question.

At the Last Supper, Jesus made a clear promise to His disciples. "I go to prepare a place for you," He told them. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself" (John 14:2). This verse alone clearly answers our question. But since Scripture always repeats important doctrines let's look at another passage.

When Christ ascended into heaven after His resurrection, two angels suddenly appeared to the disciples and said to them, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1: 11). So here we have another clear statement that leaves no room for misinterpretation. Just as He left, He will return.

The promise and certainty of Christ's return is reiterated throughout the entire New Testament, just as the promise of His first advent was reiterated throughout the Old Testament. If we needed any more proof of this promise, we would find it in almost every book in the New Testament.

Jesus promised that "the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16: 27).

Paul spoke of "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1: 7), and urged Christians to "fight the good fight of faith...until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Timothy 6: 12, 14).

Peter encouraged his readers to remain faithful, "that the trial of your faith...might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1: 7).

So the first fundamental point we can establish from Scripture is that Christ is coming back.

Funny video

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Here's a funny video by Christian entertainer Tim Hawkins. Pretty much captures the zeitgeist in a lighthearted way.

This is the same guy who made the classic "A Homeschool Family."

Evolution of an icon

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:00:00 +0000

It started with this icon: an unimaginative combination of pop art and third world political propaganda.

Then reality set in. As the narrative changed, so did the posters....

And finally my favorite.....

Happy Birthday, John Calvin?

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:13:00 +0000

I've gotten several emails this summer from places like Vision Forum, the National Center for Family Integrated Churches, and American Vision urging me to join them in celebrating John Calvin's 500th birthday. Calvin's life, they suggest, marks the most important event in Christian history since the resurrection. Why? Apparently because Calvin rediscovered and promoted the concept of salvation by grace. While this is certainly an important doctrine, there are some serious problems with all of this Calvin worship.

One problem is the man himself.

As the de facto "Pope of Geneva," he brought about the execution of Miguel Servetus, a Spaniard with whom he had theological disagreements. "If he ever comes [to Geneva]," Calvin wrote to a friend, "I shall never let him go out alive." Servetus did come to Geneva seven years later and was arrested while listening to Calvin speak. Calvin brought charges against him and was the chief witness during the trial. "I hope the verdict will call for the death penalty," Calvin wrote; and it did. Servetus was burned at the stake for heresy (over a pile of half-green wood, to prolong the burning).

What was Servetus' great crime? The two primary charges against him were 1) denying the trinity (being a Unitarian), and 2) renouncing infant baptism. While the former doctrine is certainly misguided, it does not warrant execution; and the latter is actually a Biblically-sound indictment of the likes of John Calvin who continued the Catholic practice of pedobaptism.

Historian Leonard Verduin, author of "The Reformers and their Stepchildren," writes: "The burning of Servetus--let it be said with utmost clarity--was a deed for which Calvin must be held largely responsible. It was not done in spite of Calvin, as some over-ardent admirers of his are wont to say. He planned it beforehand and maneuvered it from start to finish. It occurred because of him and not in spite of him. After it had taken place, Calvin defended it with every possible and impossible argument" (p. 51).

In summary, John Calvin used civil authority to murder someone with different theological views. Imagine if the pastor of your church had done the same. How could you justify it? Did the disciples take this approach? Did Jesus ever teach it? Of course not. We do, however, have a modern equivalent of this kind of behavior: it's called Islam.

A second problem with Calvin worship is the man's provenance. Like Zwingli and Luther he came from the Roman Catholic tradition. We call them "reformers," but do we ever stop to think what they were "re-forming" or "remaking"? They were remaking the Catholic model--Satan's counterfeit church. They did not abandon the model or embrace a purely Biblical model; they just tinkered with a few of the Catholic doctrines and kept the basic blueprint in place (state churches, infant baptism, "universal church," persecution of opponents, etc.). A more apt name for the "reformers" would actually be the "redecorators." Baptists should think twice before incorportating these redecorators into their worship narrative. The Baptists, as Spurgeon famously said, "did not commence our existence at the reformation, we were reformers before Luther or Calvin were born; we never came from the Church of Rome, for we were never in it...."

A third problem with all this adulation is the "man-centered" nature of it: John Calvin as some sort of heart throb for egg-headed seminarians. We've already seen how terribly awry things can go when we elevate an individual over an idea, when we succumb to the cult of personality. We need no better example than our current president. How many of our fellow Americans are hanging their heads sheepishly because they thought they were electing Tiger Woods, only to find out they were duped into electing a radical Marxist with a good marketing scheme. I think many Baptist pastors would feel the same way if they actually had a chance to spend some time with the "Pope of Geneva." If "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10: 34) then why should we be?

A fourth problem is the reason given for the worship of Calvin. We hold him up because he purportedly rediscovered salvation by grace (as opposed to salvation by works). But that important doctrine had never died. It was taught by the Donatists, the Paulicians, the Waldensians, the Anabaptists--long before Calvin was born. This wasn't a "new" concept. It was in Scripture all along. Calvin didn't--as his fans claim--get Christianity back on track. He merely stumbled upon one of the doctrines taught by true churches for centuries; but sadly his followers persecuted those same churches while continuing to cling to the Catholic model.

So who's ready to join all those squeaky-clean salesmen and seminarians in celebrating Calvin's birthday? How about dressing up the kids like Reformers for Halloween? (I wish I were joking).

Paradox

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:43:00 +0000

I think a lot of people who reject the Bible do so because they can’t come to terms with its paradoxes.

A paradox is a seeming contradiction—the operative word being “seeming.” Two components that don’t jibe at first glance. And the Bible is full of these.

The same God that said “Thou shalt not kill” and “Turn the other cheek” encouraged Joshua to slaughter all the men, women and children of Jericho and showed no displeasure when David beheaded Goliath. The unthinking mind can’t reconcile such a disparity, so it writes it off: kind of like a teenager who doesn’t obey his parents because they seem to contradict themselves. It gives them an easy “out.”

We read “the powers that be are ordained of God” and “whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God” (Romans 13: 1, 2). But then we read how Daniel blatantly resisted the decree of Darius, which led to the whole lion’s den episode. So which example are we supposed to follow?

We know that we should “take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, etc.” (Matthew 6: 25). But then we see Joseph stockpiling seven years’ worth of food—not just for his family, but for his entire country. So which is the right way?

Of course none of the seeming contradictions are true contradictions. It just takes a little extra effort to reconcile the paradoxes and move on. By just opening a concordance we could see that there’s a difference between murdering and killing—and sometimes a holy judge requires the death of wicked men. So there is actually no contradiction at all.

We could learn that “take no thought” actually means “don’t be obsessed or anxious,” not “don’t prepare.”

We might even come to the conclusion that “the powers that be” doesn’t necessarily mean all dictators and bureaucrats (though it certainly suited King James to give us that impression).

But it takes a small amount of extra effort and study to explain these paradoxes to ourselves and others. They can’t always be summed up in a bumper sticker or a 30-second YouTube video. And I think the average person is not willing to get off the treadmill of life long enough to make that effort.

The unsaved who can’t come to grips with Scripture--and even professing Christians who never seem to grow--get mentally paralyzed by these paradoxes. Paradoxes either frustrate them or give them a convenient excuse for not pursuing the truth further. How many times have you heard, “If God is so loving and powerful, why is there evil in the world?” Classic paradox, where most people give up at the question itself because it seems so clever and irreconcilable. But there is actually an answer…which leads us to greater truths.

What Jesus said of parables could also apply to paradoxes:

“And the disciples came, and said unto him, 'Why speakest thou unto them in parables?' He answered and said unto them, 'Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, "By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive"'” (Mark 13: 10-14).

Anyway, just something I’ve been observing and thinking about. And yes, that’s the best picture of a paradox I could find.

Idiota

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:33:00 +0000

I can count on one hand the American politicians who favor limited government in the tradition of our founding fathers. Mark Sanford is one of them. He was on everybody's list of potential presidential nominees for 2012. But like an idiot he destroyed his opportunity to make any effective change in the course of our nation by having an overseas affair and clumsily trying to cover it up. More disappointing personally because he was a bright light from my home state--a state whose claims to fame are few and far between (let's see, we started the Civil War and then had the oldest living senator for a while). A few of my friends have worked for Sanford at various stages in his career and he seemed to be a rare exception to the rule of statist politicians.

I am now even more convinced that there will be no change in this country unless Christians rise up and take positions of power. I'm not even talking about revival; I'm just talking about preserving freedom. You could put Rush Limbaugh or Mark Sanford or Barry Goldwater in charge of everything and little would change because they lack true Christian values. Their lifestyle would always bring them down and negate their life's work. Sanford's life's work was limited government. But limited government only works when coupled with Christian morality.

All men need a god. At this point in our history we are watching the government-educated masses begging the state to be their god. Sanford seemed to stand against that trend. But like all non-Christian "conservatives," he had no moral compass--and as a result he leaves us with even more of an uphill fight to defend our basic liberties.

Oh well, did William Wallace give up when he was betrayed and the odds were against him? Heck no....at least not in the movie version.

Providence and perspective

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:24:00 +0000

"In spite of failures which I lament, of errors which I now see and acknowledge, or of the present aspect of affairs, do I despair the future? The truth is this, the march of Providence is so slow, our desires so impatient, the work of progress is so immense, and our means of aiding it so feeble, the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope."

Robert E. Lee

The Creation Museum: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 09 May 2009 09:25:00 +0000

The Creation Museum is situated right off Cincinnati’s “beltway,” but the first thing that strikes you is that there are no other commercial properties around. One day some smart entrepreneur will build a gas station or a McDonald’s across the street, but for now it’s only surrounded by small farms.

The admission fee was a little steep ($22 for adults), especially considering the whole complex was built by wheedling donations from the very families who patronize it. But it was in keeping with the prevailing doctrine of Professional Christians: “never proclaim God’s truth for free when you can overcharge for it.”

The museum itself had some memorable displays. There are plenty of dinosaurs for the kids and some impressive animatronics, including Methuselah talking to you inside his tent and Noah’s crew building the ark.

The general flow of the museum seems disjointed at first—a diorama of archeologists, a smattering of small fossils, some texts on the wall of an otherwise empty room, random posters depicting sin (drug addicts, war, starving children). Later it seems to find its rhythm as you proceed through chronological dioramas of the early chapters of Genesis.

There are some decent short films along the way and, at the end of the tour, a longer theatrical film called “The Last Adam” that presents the gospel message. Before you head to the gift shop, you’re encouraged to pick up a card, recite the cheesy “Salvation Poem” on it, and then sign and date it—thereby signifying that you are born again. This, of course, is the most shallow and fruitless type of evangelism and was the most disappointing part of the whole experience: kind of like hearing your pastor say, “Nod your head if you love Jesus. Now welcome to the club.” Maybe they will see fit one day to trash those cards.

Outside they have set up a new petting zoo which is a good addition. There is also a large, scenic garden by the adjacent pond with plenty of walking trails.

In short, the kids loved it; the adults thought it was okay. There is plenty of Ham and cheese, but it is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. If you understand ahead of time that this is not really a “Creation Museum”—as in a Christian alternative to the usual natural history museums—you won’t be disappointed. It does not really address in any meaningful way the science of the creation/evolution debate, but rather assumes that you already believe the creation model. A more proper name, then, would be “Bible Museum” or “Sunday School Museum” and it is definitely geared toward the “church youth group” crowd. Still, I admire the effort put into it and hope other museums with a Christian worldview are on the horizon.

Christians as sojourners

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:11:00 +0000

"Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language. [living in such places] as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers...They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives."

Written by an unknown Christian to Diognetus, tutor to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, around 150 AD

Rebellious Kids

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:19:00 +0000

The oldest two had to memorize this speech for their American history class.

...and some outtakes

Verse of the month

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:17:00 +0000

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3: 5, 6

Judge orders homeschoolers into government school

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:25:00 +0000

Here's the article out of North Carolina.

Probably just an isolated freak case, but still troubling. It's hard to get a handle on the facts of this story because the article is so poorly written. It sounds as if the parents are divorcing and the mother has custody of the children; in which case, why is the judge involved in a decision about the children's education? If the father wants a say in how his kids are educated, maybe he should stay with the family and fulfill his duties as a father.

I'm amazed that anti-homeschooling hasn't yet become a cause celebre of the mainstream media. You can easily see how that would play out: exposes on a couple families where the children are "abused," concern about children learning "mainstream science" (i.e., macro-evolution and global warming), etc. Liberal legislators will try to pass laws against homeschooling "for the welfare of the child." The actual education aspect--the fact that, for example, these particular children tested two grades higher than their public school counterparts--will be swept under the rug. Because in the end it's not about the actual education; it's about government control.

Here's another article that expresses surprise that homeschool families are still committed to homeschooling even during this economic depression. Some mothers are working and homeschooling. (I actually expect a rise in homeschooling as some families decide they can no longer afford private Christian schools; we're seeing it already in our town).

If our family was forced at gunpoint (which is what a law is, really) to send our kids to public school, we would probably obey the law. But it wouldn't stop us from continuing to homeschool at night. I would just tell our kids to zone out during the day and we'll do school at home later. Until we become a full-blown communist state, there are plenty of ways to say, "Don't tread on me." If you're a homeschool parent, what would you do?

Good Times, Bad Times II

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:28:00 +0000

So let’s recap: since Obama was elected the stock market has fallen over 30%. Drudge had a headline up over the weekend announcing that February—our first full month of “hope and change”--was the worst month for the stock market since 1933!

I alluded to the Weimar Republic in my last post. A few days later the Wall St. Journal ran a piece headlined “We’re heading toward a global Weimar.” The federal budget deficit is projected to rise to $1.75 trillion this year; our national debt is $10.8 trillion. And what does our president do? He proposes we spend trillions more on wasteful programs and print more paper dollars that aren’t backed by any real assets.

Even my ten-year-old son knows you don’t get out of debt by increasing your discretionary spending. But that logic seems to be lost on the Ivy League socialists we keep electing. Unfortunately, they are going to make things much worse—at least for while.

Here’s a funny infomercial that applies equally to our new leaders and the average American family.

via videosift.com

Good Times, Bad Times

noreply@blogger.com (A Dominion Family) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:21:00 +0000

The Obama Depression is upon us.

It will take another year before the media starts calling it that, but it’s here. The expansion of government intrusion in the private sector, coupled with the suicidal monetary policies of our Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, will lead to a deterioration of current living conditions.

I am not much of an alarmist or a conspiracy nut. I thought the Y2K scare was a joke. 9-11, though tragic, did not really cause me any anxiety.

But in the short-term future, I see rough times ahead—not the prancing unicorns and magical rainbows that Obama’s worshippers promised us. I see in the near future American leaders intentionally trying to nullify the Constitution and devalue the dollar, unprecedented unemployment rates, socialist government growing like a weed, Christian principles marginalized if not criminalized, civil unrest, and perhaps a war closer to home than we’ve had in a long time.

Of course I hope I’m wrong.

But look at the Weimar Republic—not recent American history--for some insight in where we are. Here are a few excerpts from Wikipedia:

“Since striking workers were paid benefits by the state, much additional currency was printed, fueling a period of hyperinflation. The 1920s German inflation started when Germany had no goods with which to trade. The government printed money to deal with the crisis; this allowed Germany to pay war loans and reparations with worthless marks and helped formerly great industrialists to pay back their own loans. This also led to pay raises for workers and for businessmen who wanted to profit from it. Circulation of money rocketed, and soon the Germans discovered their money was worthless.”

“After an unpopular bill to reform the Reich's finances was left unsupported by the Reichstag, Hindenburg established the bill as an emergency decree based on Article 48 of the constitution…”

“The Reichstag general elections on 14 September 1930 resulted in an enormous political shift: 18.3% of the vote went to the Nazis, five times the percentage compared to 1928. This increased legislative representation of the NSDAP had devastating consequences for the Republic. There was no longer a moderate majority in the Reichstag even for a Great Coalition of moderate parties, and this encouraged the supporters of the Nazis to force their claim to power with increasing violence and terror. After 1930, the Republic slid more and more into a state of potential civil war.”

So what to think about all this? What should be the Christian family’s game-plan during the Obama Depression and the probable unrest that will accompany it? I guess I’ll have to save that for the next post. But anyone who has read this blog knows I’m not a pessimist—I just think we have to go through these bad times in order to learn the lessons that will lead to good times. This is certainly not the beginning of the end of the world (as some Christians think)--and, regardless, it’s all part of God’s plan. We just don’t understand it all. But next time I’ll try to post some thoughts about living through bad times.