How the Arminian and Calvinistic beliefs help shape the doctrine of salvation in the Southern Baptist Convention today? The Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has published its most recent edition of the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry (JBTM), on the theme of “Calvinist, Arminian, and Baptist Perspectives on Soteriology.”

In the first part of this edition of the journal a panel of scholars examine the work of one of Baptist’s earliest theologians. Last spring, the Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry sponsored a panel discussion on Thomas Grantham’s View of Salvation. The keynote speaker was Dr. J. Matthew Pinson, President of Free Will Baptist Bible College, who presented his paper, “Thomas Grantham’s Theology of the Atonement and Justification.” The panel respondents were Rhyne Putman (PhD Candidate, Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary), Clint Bass (D.Phil, Oxford), and James Leonard (PhD Candidate, Cambridge).

In the second half of this edition, four scholars discuss various aspects of Calvinism and Baptist soteriology. Dr. Kenneth Stewart makes an historical examination of the doctrine of regeneration from the Reformation to the nineteenth century. Heather Kendall builds a case for biblical storylines in relation to salvation. Dr. Glen Shellrude addresses issues surrounding traditional Calvinistic readings of the New Testament. And Dr. Eric Hankins proposes a middle path between Calvinism and Arminianism.

This edition also features ten book reviews and, in “Reflections,” a tribute to Dr. Alan Day.

Click on the link to access the complete new issue, or click on the articles and reviews below to read individual articles or book reviews.

Editorial Introduction

Calvinist, Arminian, and Baptist Perspectives on Soteriology
By Steve W. Lemke

Part I: Thomas Grantham’s View of Salvation

Thomas Grantham’s Theology of the Atonement and Justification
By J. Matthew Pinson

RESPONSE to J. Matthew Pinson’s “Thomas Grantham’s Theology of the Atonement and Justification”
By Rhyne Putman

RESPONSE to J. Matthew Pinson’s “Thomas Grantham’s Theology of the Atonement and Justification”
By Clint Bass

RESPONSE to J. Matthew Pinson’s “Thomas Grantham’s Theology of the Atonement and Justification”
By James Leonard

RESPONSE to Panel
By J. Matthew Pinson

Part II: Calvinist and Baptist Soteriology

The Doctrine of Regeneration in Evangelical Theology: The Reformation to 1800
By Kenneth Stewart

The Bible’s Storyline: How it Affects the Doctrine of Salvation
By Heather A. Kendall

Calvinism and Problematic Readings of New Testament Texts
By Glen Shellrude

Beyond Calvinism and Arminianism: Toward a Baptist Soteriology
By Eric Hankins

Joe McKeever’s Cartoon

Book Reviews
Allen, David L. and Steve W. Lemke, eds.

Return of Christ: A Premillennial Perspective.
Chester, Tim

Delighting in the Trinity: Why Father, Son and Spirit are Good News.
Echols, Steve F. and Allen England

Catastrophic Crises: Ministry Leadership in the Midst of Trial and Tragedy.
Forlines, Leroy

Classical Arminianism.
Goetz, Stewart and Charles Taliaferro

A Brief History of the Soul.
Harwood, Adam

The Spiritual Condition of Infants: A Biblical-Historical Survey and Systematic Proposal.
McCarthy, James G.

John Calvin Goes to Berkeley.
Reeves, Rodney

Spirituality according to Paul: Imitating the Apostle of Christ.
Williams, Clifford

Existential Reasons for Belief in God: A Defense of Desires & Emotions for Faith.
Wright, Bradley R. E.

Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites . . . and Other Lies You’ve Been Told: A Sociologist Shatters Myths From the Secular and Christian Media.

Reflections Dr. Alan Day

For free access to a list of the articles in all issues of the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry, click this link: http://www.baptistcenter.com/Journal-for-Baptist-Theology-and-Ministry.html. The next edition of the Journal for Theology and Ministry will be a festschrift in honor of Dr. Daniel Holcomb, Senior Professor of Church History at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

You are also invited to take advantage of other resources in the Baptist Center website, including white papers, Baptist confessions, historic Baptist documents, and other free resources for Baptists.

by the Contributing Editors of SBC Today

This is a list of recent blog posts which we found interesting.  That we found them interesting doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or endorse the ideas presented in the posts, but that we found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking.  (They are listed in no particular order of interest). Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link to sbctoday@gmail.com.

About Theology

• “The Love of God,” and “The Wrath of God,” by William Birch on his blog, with a careful reflection on God’s love and wrath as His attributes as described in the New Testament.
• “The Personal Invitation and Calvinism,” by William Birch in his blog, reflecting on the reluctance of some Calvinists to offer public invitations for Christ.
• “Answering Postmodernism: An Interview with David Wells,” interviewed by Jared Moore, with the Gordon-Conwell professor’s critique of postmodernism.
• “The Elephant Room: What Really Happened, and How Things Could Have Benn Different,” by Justin Taylor in the Between Two Worlds blog, with analysis of the controversial interview of T. D. Jakes in the Elephant Room.
• “Conditional or Unconditional?” by Stephen Garrett in the Old Baptist blog, pointing out the errors in the Primitive Baptist belief that salvation is absolutely unconditional on any human response.
• “Rethinking Christian Liberty: How Much Freedom Do We Really Have?” by Jeremy Craft in the Helwys Society Forum blog, with a thoughtful reflection on freedom and responsibility in the Christian life.
• “Reclaiming the Spirit,” by Matthew Bracey in the Helwys Society Forum blog, calling for a return to the robust Biblical truths about the Holy Spirit.

About the SBC, the Church, and Christian Ministry

• “Good News for Southern Baptists,” by C. J. Adkins in the For What It’s Worth blog, affirming the positive role that electing Fred Luter as the next President of the SBC could be.
• “Send North America: Who’s Coming to St. Louis? NAMB or Acts 29?” by Mary England in SBC Tomorrow, expressing concerns that many church plants in the St. Louis area are in the same immediate area as existing churches, and have Acts 29 connections.
• “Unity, Yes, But in the Truth,” by Malcolm Yarnell in the Theological Matters blog, with reflections on the theology voiced by T. D. Jakes in his Elephant Room interview.
• “Ten Leaders Who Influenced Me,” by Thom Rainer on his blog, with a list of leaders with their unique characteristics.
• “The SBC Name –Change Proposal: What’s Gonna Happen?” by Dave Miller in the SBC Voices, with speculation about the report of the SBC Name Change task force.
• “An Open Letter to Bryant Wright and the Name Change Task Force,” by Dave Miller in the SBC Voices blog, exhorting the SBC President to be gentle in pushing the convention name change.
• “I’m Shocked, Shocked by the Politics of the SBC!” by Howell Scott in the From Law to Grace blog, protesting the subterfuge he discerns in SBC politics.
• “Cooperative Program or Designated Offerings?” by William Thornton in the SBC Plodder blog, with concern that designated giving is diminishing Cooperative Program giving.
• “How to Serve ‘the Singles’ in the Local Church,” by Carolyn McCulley in the Gender blog of the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, with suggestions about how churches can minister more effectively to unmarried men and women.
• “What to Say to the Grieving,” by Ray Carroll in the Fallen Pastor blog, with pointers about how to minister in the midst of grief.
• “Can This Church Survive?” by William Thornton in the SBC Plodder blog, with reflections on the future of a small church.
• “What That Pastor Search Committee Is Looking For,” by Joe McKeever in his blog, with suggestions about what pastor search committees want.

About the Personal Devotional Life and Society

• “Tips for Watching the Super Bowl to the Glory of God,” by Eric in the Saved by Faith blog, with suggestions about how to “baptize” the Super Bowl.
• “An Unexpected Arrow,” by Brad Whitt on his blog, with a devotional thought based in 2 Chronicles 18:33.
• “The Most Common Request in the Church,” by Lynn Jones in the FBC Boothville blog, reflecting on the request of James and John to sit at the left and right side of Jesus and how we can do so today.
• “Revivalism, Evangelism, and the American Great Awakening,” by Chad Brand in the Brandishings blog, with an excerpt about the significance of George Whitefield in the Great Awakening, taken from Brand’s forthcoming book co-authored with Tom Pratt, Seeking the City: Christian Faith and Political Economy, A Biblical, Theological, and Historical Study.
• “Looking to God for Revival,” by Waylon Bailey on his blog, with a prayer for revival in America.
• “Life Is Worship,” by William Birch on his blog, affirming that worship should not be limited to expressions within church buildings.
• “Two Hours in Jail,” by Tobey Pitman in The Church Breaking Out blog, reminding us that alcoholism is often the result of deep personal pain in people’s lives, which can be healed through Christ.
• “Can Christians Vote for a Mormon?” by Fletcher Law in the Fletcher Law and Grace Ministries blog, with particular reference to the presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney.
• “Seekers or Finders?’ by George Weigel in the “On the Square” blog in First Things, reflecting on whether the wise men of the Christmas story should be thought of as seekers or finders.
• “Teaching and Positional Authority among the Church,” by Alan Knox in The Assembling of the Church blog, on how to teach effectively without positional authority.
• “The Weirdness of Commanding Love,” by Howard P. Kainz in the First Things blog, reflecting on the paradox of Jesus commanding us to love.

What happens when we die? The answer depends on who you ask. If you ask an atheist, you’ll hear a completely different answer than if you ask a Christian. These two worldviews are often polar opposites. That is especially true with this question.

On April 13 and 14, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is hosting the 8^th annual Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum, a dialogue between Dr. Michael Shermer and Dr. Gary Habermas. They will be debating “Is There Life After Death?” This event is open to the public; and kicks off on Friday night with the main debate followed by a book signing, and continues on Saturday with the presentation of a series of papers and responses on the subject.

For more information on the Greer-Heard forum and to register, click here.

DIALOGUE PARTICIPANTS

Dr. Michael Shermer (PhD, Claremont Graduate University) is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech, and Adjunct Professor at Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. Shermer has written several books that discuss where God, evolution, and science intersect:

• The Mind of the Market (2009)
• Why Darwin Matters: Evolution and the Case Against Intelligent Design (2007)
• Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown (2005)
• The Science of Good and Evil: Why People Cheat, Gossip, Share Care, and Follow the Golden Rule (2004)
• The Borderlands of Science (2002)
• How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God (2003)
• Why People Believe Weird Things (2002)

Dr. Gary Habermas is Distinguished Research professor at Liberty University. In the last 12 years he has given over 1,500 lectures in about 100 universities, seminaries, and colleges. He holds a PhD in History and Philosophy of Religion from Michigan State University as well as an MA in Philosophical Theology from the University of Detroit. He currently acts as ‘Distinguished Research Professor and Chair’ in the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University, where he has taught for the past 26 years. His main areas of research include the philosophical study of miracles, near-death experiences, the historical Jesus, and the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.

Dr. Habermas has authored or co-edited many books defending the Christian worldview, including:

• Did the Resurrection Happen? (with Antony Flew and David J. Baggett, 2009).
• C. S. Lewis as Philosopher (with Jerry Walls & David Baggett, 2008),
• The Secret of the Talpiot Tomb: Unraveling the Mystery of the Jesus Family Tomb (2007),
• Beyond Death: Exploring the Evidence for Immortality (with J.P. Moreland, 2004)
• The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (with Michael Licona, 2004),
• The Risen Jesus and Future Hope (1996),
• The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ (1996),

Other featured panelist include:

• Peter Kreeft,
• J.P. Moreland,
• Keith Parsons,
• and Victor Stenger

Plan to come early and experience the events leading up to the Friday night Greer-Heard Point Counterpoint Forum:

Friday Morning

• Apologetics Conference “Apologetics in the Local Church”
  • The featured panelists will hold a discussion and Q&A from the audience
  • This event is sponsored by the Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry
• A special chapel service featuring Bryant Wright
  • His sermon will model Apologetic Preaching

Friday Afternoon

• Pastors’ Lunch with the SBC President, Bryant Wright
  • This will include a Q&A time with the SBC President
  • Register quickly, there are only 200 seats available

Technorati Tags: life after death, Shermer, Habermas

Jared Moore is 31 years of age and has served in ministry in a Southern Baptist context for 12 years. Currently, he is pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in Hustonville, KY. He received his B.A. in Biblical Studies from Trinity College of the Bible, his M.A.R. in Biblical Studies from Liberty Seminary, and his M.Div. in Christian ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently completing his Th.M. in Systematic Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Besides his published book The Harry Potter Bible Study: Enjoying God Through the Final Four Harry Potter Movies, Jared can be found on several sites on the internet. He writes at his own blog jaredmoore.exaltchrist.com, and is also a regular contributor at sbcvoices.com, servantsofgrace.org, and churchleaders.com, and occasionally writes for speculativefaith.com, sermoncentral.com, credomag.com, and sbctoday.com.

The Walking Dead is a television show created by the American Movie Channel (AMC). If you haven’t heard about it yet, a preview is provided below.

Viewer discretion advised: zombies in this clip

Yes, this show is about a zombie outbreak that threatens to destroy humanity. The story is told by accompanying a local Sheriff, his family, friends, and several acquaintances as they seek safety and survival. The looming question throughout the series is “Will humanity survive the zombie takeover, or will humanity lose its human identity in its attempt to survive; thus, functionally becoming “the walking dead,” although not metaphysically?”

So, why would a Christian pastor argue that God’s grace is what draws him to this zombie television show? The answer is, since all humans are created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27) and all are sinners (Rom. 3:23), and since all forms of media are created by these fallen image-bearers (Gen. 3), it logically follows that all forms of media contain grace-mixed idolatry, The Walking Dead included. In other words, God’s fallen image-bearers mirror or image God through creativity while simultaneously marring this image with sin. The task of the Christian observer is to enjoy the grace and reject the idolatry.

Dr. Ted Turnau (PhD Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia) explains this reality well in his article “On Being Wise as Serpents,”

There is no piece of popular culture so banal or twisted that it does not contain some glimpse of God’s grace. And there is no piece of popular culture so pure and profound that it does not contain an invitation to idolatry. Popular culture appeals to non-Christians for a reason, namely, they sense some of God’s beauty, power and goodness in it. This is what theologians call ‘common grace’ – fragments of grace that God spreads to everyone – even those who will never come to believe. As Paul says in Acts, these gifts of God are ‘testimony’ to God’s being and character (see Acts 14:17). Popular culture contains such ‘fragments of grace’ woven into the very fabric of the popular cultural song, movie, television show, book, etc. But in non-Christian popular culture, these fragments of grace are bent to serve false gods. In fact, the idols presented in popular culture become persuasive for non-Christians (and sometimes Christians) precisely because of the attractiveness of those glimpses of God’s grace.

For example, James Cameron’s summer blockbuster Avatar (2009) won accolades for its stunning visual effects, and rightly so. The digital artistry created a beautiful and fascinating alien world filled with realistic and delightful creatures. It served to remind us of the real and delightful creatures God has made. In this way, the film served as a reflection of God’s creative artistry, and ultimately, the beauty and power of God Himself. But the film bends that fragment of grace into the service of pagan nature worship (the nature deity ‘Eywa’). Likewise, all meaningful and attractive popular culture succeeds by drawing its audience in with such reflections of God’s beauty, while putting those grace fragments into service to another god.

If you participate in any form of media: TV, movies, songs, books, etc., you participate in grace-mixed idolatry. Scooby-Doo, Sponge Bob, American Idol, Avatar, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Walking Dead, etc. all contain elements of God’s grace, but also elements of idolatry. Turnau argues, and I agree, that Christians should participate in such media while exercising discernment. This means that as Christians participate in media, they must extract God’s grace from the surrounding idolatry and turn it to the service of its rightful Owner: God. This is accomplished by qualifying this grace with the truth of man’s sinful condition and Christ’s redeeming work to save sinners and sinful creation. In other words, Christians should participate in pop culture; however, they should participate like Christians, not Atheists.

An atheist would merely enjoy The Walking Dead without considering the ultimate source of its excellence: God. Christians, however, if they participate in The Walking Dead, should seek to enjoy God through enjoying The Walking Dead (1 Cor. 10:31). So, as a reference point concerning the common grace present in The Walking Dead, look at the awards this show won and was nominated for due to the visual and audible excellence of its first season (only 6 episodes):

The first season of The Walking Dead won the Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation and was nominated for Best Actor on Television (Andrew Lincoln), Best Actress on Television (Sarah Wayne Callies), Best Guest Starring Role on Television (Steven Yeun), and Best Supporting Actress on Television (Laurie Holden). It also received a Director’s Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series’ — Night (Frank Darabont), a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series — Drama, and a Television Critics Association Award nomination for Outstanding New Program of the Year. In addition, The Walking Dead recently won the Emmy award for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special; and was nominated for Emmys in Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series.

In the creating fingerprints of humanity are the creating fingerprints of God. Without Him providing these directors, producers, and writers with the various gifts and abilities it takes to create The Walking Dead, these men and women could not have created this TV show. Without God’s common grace, there would not be excellent special effects, excellent story-telling, displays of morality, spiritual implications, etc. in The Walking Dead.

Without the excellent special effects, few people would want to watch The Walking Dead. The special effects are second to none. If there is ever a zombie-like outbreak, I have a good idea of what it will look like. It’s that good.

Furthermore, the suspense is amazing, and rivaled by nothing comparable on television today. You never know when a zombie may pop out, or when another cast member may succumb to or escape the grasp of the walking dead. This question looms in every episode, “Will humanity survive the zombie takeover, or will humanity lose its human identity in its attempt to survive; thus, functionally becoming ‘the walking dead,’ although not metaphysically?” And we do not know how the writers will answer this question from one episode to the next.

The moral implications and questions are far-reaching beyond anything else on television. (Morality and conscience come from God’s common grace; otherwise, mankind would be as evil as he possibly could be.) Here are some examples: 1) Does disease nullify human identity? If so, at what point? 2) If there is no cure for said disease, and the infected are dangerous, should they be eliminated for the sake of the human race; or, at the risk of infecting others or eliminating the rest of the human race, should the infected be quarantined until a cure is found? I realize the moral implications are hypothetical, but our children may indeed be forced to answer similar questions one day. At the very least, asking such questions will help Christian watchers apply a consistent Christian ethic to this fantasy world so that they may apply a thorough Christian ethic to the real world. I fear that such questions concerning the value of human life, although not to the extreme as presented in The Walking Dead, are being asked today; such questions as “If a human being merely “feeds” off of other human beings and provides nothing beneficial to the rest of society, should he or she be eliminated for the sake of the rest of the human race”? In other words, do the severely handicapped, those in the nursing home, and those in the womb deserve to be treated like those humans who are beneficial to the rest of the human race? Or, is the value of humanity based on a “What have you done for me lately” mentality? The biblical answer is easy: all humans are created in God’s image and are valuable based on His identity alone, not based on the arbitrary opinions of those humans who may be in power at the time (Gen. 1:26-27).

The spiritual implications are present explicitly and implicitly. Each character is battling evil, both without (zombies) and within (self-preservation vs. loving one’s neighbor as oneself). At times, there is a clear good and a clear evil; while at other times, evil is revealed in each human. Furthermore, there is the perseverance of faith and the questioning of faith. Some continue to trust in God through Christ while others question Him or live as if He doesn’t exist. Moreover, even though the zombie fantasy world present in The Walking Dead is hard to compare and contrast with our non-zombie world; nevertheless, allegorically, all humans are running from the walking dead. On the show, the walking dead are both inside (evil desires) and out (zombies). In real life, the walking dead are both inside and out, but we cannot escape them through mere moral willpower or a gun and athletic prowess. The Sherriff in the story reveals that regardless how much he wants to save others from death, he is incapable of saving everyone. The truth that must be added to the story is that humans need Jesus Christ for He is the only cure for what plagues humanity: sin (John 14:6). We must be born again in and through Him (John 3:3). The answer for both metaphysical and functional “walking dead syndrome” is Jesus Christ.

The list can go on and on. At the very least, everything in The Walking Dead that is true, is true because God created it true. Also, everything that is worthy of praise, is worthy of praise due to the gifting of God. Man is not the ultimate source, God is. Thus, as Christians recognize this reality, they can enjoy God through Christ through The Walking Dead. Furthermore, everything that is false in The Walking Dead is false because man created it “true,” not God. These things must be rejected.

*A brief note on conscience. If The Walking Dead violates your conscience, do not watch it. I must warn you that the gore is over the top. It’s just as bloody and gory as any movie I’ve ever seen. I actually don’t like the gore. I don’t know why anyone would like it? But, I reject the gore and every other evil, while qualifying the common grace with special revelation (the Bible). There is also foul language, misuse of the Lord’s name, and some sexual implications and innuendo. Since the 2^nd season is ongoing, and there is a 3^rd season already under contract, there may be more things I reject on the horizon in this series. You must practice discernment! At this point, I personally would allow my 14 or 15 year old child to watch this show with me for the purpose of teaching him or her to enjoy God while recognizing His common grace and rejecting the fingerprints of the Fall. The goal would be to send him or her running to Christ as the only answer for what plagues humanity: “the walking dead” within and without every human; AKA sin, self, and sinners, not zombies.

What are your thoughts?

Technorati Tags: Walking Dead, media

Rev. Fred Luter, Pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, announced to his congregation Sunday that he was willing for his name to be placed in nomination for President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Luter has served as Pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church for 26 years (since 1986). During that time, the church grew from 65 members to become one of the largest churches in Louisiana, with several thousand attending the New Orleans church, plus satellite campuses in Baton Rouge and Houston.

The Southern Baptist Convention will be holding its annual convention in Luter’s home town of New Orleans on June 19-20, 2012.

Click to read An Interview with Rev. Fred Luter.

Technorati Tag: Fred Luter

By Dr. Thomas Douglas, Pastor, Parkway Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS

This is the eleventh in a series of articles on sermon preparation for pastors and bivocational pastors with busy schedules. To see the earlier articles, click the links below:

Introduction article,
Principle #1: Bible Literacy
Principle #2: Know What You Believe
Principle #3: Know Your Audience—Exegeting Your People
Principle #4: Know Who You Trust—Trusted Sources
Principle #5: Know Your Text—You and the Scripture
Principle #6: Know What You Want People to Do—Application Points
Principle #7: Know the Right Story to Bring the Truth Home—Relevant Stories
Principle #8: Know How to Start Well with Good Introductions
Principle #9 – Conclusions

I will never forget my first coaching I received in the area of delivery. My recently acquainted friend from college invited me to visit his grandparents in rural Missouri. He said their preacher planned to have him preach in the Sunday evening service and that he would probably let me preach too. As we prepared for our back to back sermons, my friend offered one piece of advice. “Tom, whatever you do make sure to yell.” My friend, who had never heard me preach, radically changed my delivery forever. No, I don’t just yell all the time (I grew out of that faze), but before my friend I never gave a moment of thought to how my message sounded to others.

Now, a close second in importance to being biblical in the content of the message is how you share the message. Listen to what Stephen Rummage says about delivery. He states, “The truth is, no matter how careful you were in your exegesis and interpretation and no matter how skillfully you put together your message, your sermon will be evaluated on the basis of how you deliver it.”[1] Communication researcher Judee Burgoon developed a theory called “nonverbal expectancy theory.”[2] In essence, it states that people have presuppositions on how people should communicate. If your delivery falls below their expectations, you lose credibility because you have violated their expectations. That’s what my friend in college was trying to tell me. The people in rural Missouri will not listen if you do not yell. So, I yelled.

To all those introverted exegetes out there, I hear your objections and calls of unfairness, but speaking as an introvert I cannot ignore what scholars and experience teaches: a good delivery always helps in the communication of biblical truth, and a bad delivery hinders the communication of biblical truth. I know people should listen to the arguments, points, illustrations, and applications; and allow the truth to impact their soul, but reality is passion, emotion, and intensity warm hearers to the truth.

What style, how much passion, and how to display appropriate emotion depend on the text, the occasion, and the audience. Preaching on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus will sound different than preaching on a parable. Preaching on a psalm of repentance will differ from a psalm of praise. Each sermon may contain passionate moments, but some will be more text-driven than others.

The occasion for the message can also heavily influence the style and the display of passion. Sometimes the occasion restricts your normal delivery. Every Sunday morning I preach without notes and move quite freely around the platform. At a funeral, I stand still behind a podium and limit both my vocal range and mannerisms. Easter Sunday will be different than tithing commitment Sunday. Paying attention to the occasion will help in meeting the audience’s expectation.

Part of understanding the audience is surmising their delivery expectation. This doesn’t mean you turn into an entertainer, but you should be prepared to stretch yourself a little bit for the sake of communication. An effective communicator immediately accesses each speaking opportunity for potential hindrances and helps for his message. One of those is discovering the preaching atmosphere of the congregation. If you can discern that before you speak, you can deliver the message in a way that communicates more effectively for the particular audience.

When you are the pastor preaching to the same congregation week after week, I suggest what Rummage calls “finding your best voice.”[3] Bryan Chapell states, “Natural delivery now rules the day. The preachers most respected are those most able to sound like themselves when they are deeply interested in a subject.”[4] This requires establishing a normal, conversational tone that can rise in moments of passion and lower in moments of intensity. Beware of how you establish your preaching style when you begin your pastorate. Congregations will begin making assumptions (sometimes good, often times bad) when you deviate too much from it.

The only way to evaluate how you preach is to hear (and preferably watch) yourself preach. I have a habit of slowing my delivery down and turning a well-delivered sermon into a somewhat interesting lecture. Maybe you have a tendency to yell at unnatural times in the sermon. The only way to know is to listen. If you record your sermons, you can catch all sorts of nonverbal hindrances to communication. Your gestures, eye-contact, movement, and mannerisms that you unknowingly do are caught and can be corrected when you watch yourself. A good measuring stick is to ask, “If I were sitting listening to myself, would I turn myself off “ or “Would that movement, manner, or the way I hold my Bible distract me?” If so, work hard to change it.

Rex was a rough and tough born-again truck driver who was part of the Naval Combat Demolition Units during WWII (early Navy seal). Every Sunday Rex gave immediate grades on my preaching and as you might imagine he didn’t sweet coat his remarks. I came to find out that in order to get a good grade from Rex I had to accomplish two things in my sermons: at some point yell and go after the heathen that didn’t bother to come to church that day. Sometimes I let Rex down because my sermons usually focused on the people who did come to church on any given day; and other times I didn’t show enough passion in my delivery. I still focus my sermons on those who attend worship, but if I want to do what I can to make sure they hear God’s Word, then I better make sure my delivery shows the passion of one trying to persuade people to “escape the wrath to come.”

Technorati Tags: public speaking, sermon, sermons

Keven Newsome is a graduate student at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology. He is the author of supernatural thriller

SBC Today: How did you get into writing Christian fiction?

Keven Newsome: Fifth grade was a pivotal year for me, and looking back I can see how God was shaping me that year. That was the year I began my formal training in music, which is my first degree. It was the year I first put a pencil to paper to write a story. And it was also the year I gave my life to Christ. All the elements of what God had in store for my life came together that year.

Writing itself has been a journey and a process for me. Back in that fifth grade year my first attempt at a story was fantasy fan fiction based off a popular video game . . . complete with King James English, because after all that’s how they spoke in the game. My attention span wouldn’t suffer it. I took to drawing my stories instead. By junior high drawing stories wasn’t enough any more. There was too much to tell. I would tell these stories to my friends, and at some point I decided to write them down.

High school was when I became serious about writing. I wrote several short stories and began an awful fantasy novel full of teen angst and anachronistic dialogue. But something was nagging me. How could I do this for God? I gave up on that novel and went to college, discouraged with the direction of my writing. Thanks to the influence of a growing number of speculative Christian writers, I realized how I could make the stories I wanted to write glorify God. That’s when I began in earnest . . . learning the craft and writing constantly.

SBC Today: Would it be accurate to describe the genre of your writing as dark supernatural/paranormal Christian fiction? If not, how would you describe it?

Keven Newsome: That would certainly describe my style of writing, though the genre varies depending on the project. My style is a very edgy, intense, realistic portrayal of events. I want to write about life in all its grit and emotion. I’ve been called a Christian Horror writer by some, and I’m not opposed to that. I don’t do the slasher/bloody stuff … but life is horror. When life is portrayed properly, it comes out rather dark. Take a look inside the emotional state of most people, and you’ll see quiet despair, secret depression, and some very scary thoughts. The difference between my writing and the writing of secular writers of a similar nature is that I know where the Light is . . . and I make sure the Light pierces the darkness of the lives of my characters. By doing so, I hope to make the Light pierce through the darkness within my readers.

SBC Today: Are other supernaturalist authors like Anne Rice or Frank Peretti a model for you in any way in your fiction?

Keven Newsome: Anne Rice, not so much. I don’t go for the vampire thing. When I write about the supernatural, I want to write about it as biblically accurate as possible. Frank Peretti was a huge influence on me. During those first couple of years of college when I was searching for an answer to how I could write this sort of thing for God, a friend told me to read This Present Darkness. It opened my eyes to what a Christian could do with the darker side of writing. I have Lewis, Tolkien, and Robin McKinley to thank for my first love of fantasy, which I’m now getting a chance to return to. From a secular standpoint, Edgar Allen Poe was a big influence and some of the more psychological stuff from Stephen King. However, at this point in my career I’m learning to lean less on the influence of other authors and to develop my own unique style and voice. What you read from me won’t be like anything you’ve read from other authors. My publisher accuses me of not playing by the rules, and I’d like to keep it that way.

SBC Today: Describe Winter and your other writings that are available to the public.

Keven Newsome: Winter is the story of Winter Maessen, a Goth girl who is a new Christian. As she begins her freshman year of college she discovers she has the gift of prophecy. The story is told with two timelines. In the primary story, we see her adjusting to a new life in Christ and trying to figure out what her gift means. Her dark past and prophetic gift makes her uniquely qualified to take on a Satanic priest. In the secondary story, we see her first year of high school as she deals with the slow death of her mother and learning to live with her estranged father. Here we see her decline into the Goth subculture and experimentation with witchcraft. At the heart of Winter is the theme that no life is too broken to be used by God. All he requires is a willing vessel, not a perfect vessel.

Aquasynthesis is a short story anthology put together by my publisher. Within it I have three stories, one of which is a “deleted scene” from Winter. I also assisted with the narration story and my wife designed the cover.

Beginning January 2012, my novel Among Dragons will be serialized with monthly installments in Digital Dragon Magazine, after which they plan to publish it through their parent publishing arm. This is a fantasy story about a world plagued by dragons and two armies bent on mutual annihilation. The Creator gives a warning of fiery destruction. He sends three friends on impossible journeys to spread the warning and the message of the one hope to escape.

You can also find weekly(ish) articles on my website, ranging from life experiences to writing experiences to my theological research. www.KevenNewsome.com. Mind the E’s. And coming soon to YouTube . . . vlogging.

SBC Today: What additional book projects would you like to write?

Keven Newsome: My “to write” list is quite long. I think I have enough projects to keep me busy for at least the next twenty years, and that’s only if I don’t add to the list. In the next five or so years you can expect a few specific things from me.

Winter is a four book series. The second one is already written and in revision. We’re looking at an October 2012 release for it. The following two Winter books should come out in one and a half year increments after that . . . unless I get more time, God blesses me to be able to write full time, and/or my fans start beating down my door after the second book.

Among Dragons will be serialized starting January 2012 and will probably run in monthly installments for about two years. After that it will get a print release, maybe in 2014. Until then, though, you can catch each “episode” monthly at www.digitaldragonmagazine.net.

I also have a “secret project” I want to write, which is outlined and just begging for my attention. I’m very excited about it, as is most everyone I’ve pitched it to. At some point during all the other projects I’ve got, I want to write it too. Sooner rather than later. Look for it before the Winter series concludes.

That’s certainly enough projects to keep me very busy for at least five years. Beyond that, I’m not sure what I’ll work on. I’ll go to my list and see what shouts for my attention the loudest. I’d really like to do some sort of space/sci fi Christian horror. That idea has been marinating for a couple of months. Perhaps that’ll be next.

SBC Today: What are you trying to accomplish in writing Christian fiction? Do you attempt to embed a Christian message in it? Are you attempting to inform, inspire, entertain, or something else?

Keven Newsome: First and foremost, I want to write stories that God would be pleased with. Which means I want to be a good writer, excelling in the craft. Everything I write has a message in it. I have an entire approach to writing that’s built around developing the “take away” value of the story. But what I don’t want to do is cleverly disguise a sermon as fiction. That’s bad writing. Good writing doesn’t have to do that. Good writing can tell the story of a person in such a way that the message is portrayed rather than dumped into the text. Everything I write should also entertain the reader. Boring certainly isn’t a characteristic of good writing. With Winter I hope the reader will be inspired that God can use even them to do great things. But overall, I want to strive for excellence in this craft. Yes, I’m a Christian writer . . . but I don’t want to be a good Christian writer by just Christian writer standards. I want to be an excellent writer by anyone’s standards. I want a non-Christian to pick up one of my books and feel comfortable reading because it’s a good book, and maybe God will use the story to speak to them. Cleverly disguised sermons in Christian fiction are not as cleverly disguised as some might hope. Non-Christians see right through it and put the book down. It’s bad writing. Authors who do this wind up preaching to the choir. I don’t want to be that. I want to honor God with the very best and I want it to appeal to the largest audience.

SBC Today: Your recent book Winter deals with prophecy. How do you understand the New Testament teachings about the gift of prophecy?

Keven Newsome: The biggest thing people miss is that there is a difference between the gift of prophecy and being a prophet. I think the gift of prophecy is alive and well in every Christian church in the world. Prophecy happens from the pulpit every Sunday and most people don’t even realize it. How many times do people come up to their preachers and say something like, “How did you know what I was going through?” or, “That’s exactly what I needed to hear.” or, “I felt like you were preaching just to me.” That’s prophecy . . . speaking words of truth directly to someone without having the full knowledge of the truth behind the words. It’s God speaking through you to someone else. I don’t buy into all the future telling worldly definition of prophecy. That’s not strictly biblical. Sure there’s some instances of that, but it’s more the exception than the rule.

But what I’ve done in Winter is take an Old Testament view of prophecy. It’s more than just a spiritual gift, it’s an office. Old Testament prophets performed miracles, led armies, challenged kings, protected people, and delivered messages. I wanted to write a story that would show what an Old Testament prophet might look like today. I say that Winter has the gift of prophecy because it’s easy for the average person to understand. But she really is an Old Testament style prophetess. By the end of the four books she will become as great of a prophet as Elijah.

Perhaps you’ve seen the hole in this? Yes, the Bible tells us that Old Testament style prophets won’t return until the last days. You can rest assured that by the last Winter book there will be eschatological implications.

SBC Today: Who are your favorite authors and/or books?

Keven Newsome: My favorite books list includes Lord of the Rings, by Tolkien; Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by Lewis; Thr3e, by Dekker; This Present Darkness, by Peretti; Red, by Dekker; The Visitation, by Peretti; The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley; Perelandra, by Lewis; Harry Potter; and Alpha Redemption, by my friend P.A. Baines. Favorite authors whose books didn’t make my top ten list would be: Robert Liperulo, Edgar Allen Poe, Ursula K. LeGuin, Michael Crichton, and my friends Kerry Neitz, Diane M. Graham, and Kat Heckenbach.

SBC Today: What is your favorite book of the Bible? Why?

Keven Newsome: It’s really difficult to pick a “favorite” book of the Bible. Every book is a favorite for different reasons. But if I had to pick one book that I enjoy reading and studying the most, it would have to be Genesis. Being a story teller I’m partial to narrative passages. In fact, my favorite preaching style is to take an instructional passage from the New Testament and pair it with a narrative passage from the Old Testament as a running illustration. It plays to my strength of teaching through story. There are so many rich stories full of insight in Genesis. I’ve taught through that book several times and each time I learn something new. I think it’s fascinating to see how people interacted with God before formal religion came into the picture. I like to think this is the way God would prefer it, but humans need religious structure so we don’t get distracted. The Garden of Eden presents to me a picture of what the New Jerusalem might be like, so it gives me something to look forward to. Genesis chapter 6 is so rich (and controversial) that I never tire of digging into the implications of what life might have been like at that time. I’ve even developed a couple of book ideas from it. There are aspects about God that you learn only in Genesis, and the entire gospel message can be seen woven within the lives of the patriarchs. It’s an amazingly rich book that I feel doesn’t get enough attention.

SBC Today: How does writing fiction fit into your sense of calling?  What other things are you doing in Kingdom service?

Keven Newsome: In a big way writing is to me an offering to God. I think writing is the closest a person can get to imitating God. Jesus often told stories to teach people about God and life. In the same way I want my stories to be a portrait of life as it truly is, and in the process I want to reveal to them who God truly is. God is also the Creator of the universe. His creations are not only functional and not only reveal His character, but they’re beautiful to enjoy. He created this world as much for our pleasure as His. Through writing I have the opportunity to shape worlds and create beauty. Using words I can create something wonderful and enjoyable in the mind of my reader. It’s the closest I can come to trying to imitate my Father, and hopefully through my efforts I can point others to see the true beauty and awesomeness of the real Creator. I can’t make a tree, but maybe the way I paint the description of a tree with words can make you have a whole new appreciation for the real thing. So writing is my offering . . . my sacrifice to God first. I want it to be the very best it can be, and I want to draw others to God at the same time.

Other than writing, I am currently serving as Associate Pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church in Metairie, LA. It’s not exactly a position I ever saw myself doing, but I don’t feel it’s my place to refuse God with anything. I have never, and still don’t, feel a calling to be a pastor. But as associate pastor I get to assist the pastor in ministry, and I get opportunities to preach.

I am also working on a Master of Arts in Theology at the New Orleans Baptist Seminary with a “transcript double” in Biblical Studies, after which I plan to pursue PhD work. I am much more comfortable in a teaching role than a pastoring role, so my work preparing to be a teacher is very important to me. In my research I am studying Supernatural Theology. This is a unique specialization that focuses on all things where the supernatural is supposed to have interacted with the natural. The areas of this include angelology and demonology, afterlife, special knowledge, miracles, and cults. Not only does this specialization play into my writing career, but I feel like it is one of the most neglected areas of study for Christians. Our beliefs are very supernatural beliefs. The Bible is a very supernatural book. And our society is obsessed with all things supernatural. You can’t find a single television station that doesn’t have at least one supernatural themed program. But for some reason, we neglect studying supernatural things. The world is seeking answers and we’re not giving them anything adequate. We’re so quick to throw the “demon card” at everything, that the world has dismissed our opinions completely. We’re wrong for that. We need to spend some quality time studying the supernatural and providing truth seekers with sound Biblical answers. That’s what I doing with my research.

By Franklin L. Kirksey, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort, Alabama, and author of Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice.

These expositions by Dr. Kirksey are offered to suggest sermon or Bible study ideas for pastors and other church leaders, both from the exposition and from the illustrative material, or simply for personal devotion.

Introduction

Pleasing God is our primary concern. We read the words of Jesus Christ in John 8:29, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” Using the imagery of the theater, Dr. Jeremy Taylor (1613-1642) affirms, “God is the Master of scenes; we must not choose what part we must act; it concerns us only that we be careful to do it well, always saying, ‘If this please God, let it be as it is.’”[1]

If God is pleased, it doesn’t matter who is displeased; and if God is displeased, it doesn’t matter who is pleased. Sadly, multitudes are satisfied to placate the gods they make rather than to please the God who made them. Still others give no regard to religious expression. For example, I found this message by James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) in The Pennsylvania School Journal: Organ of the Department of Common Schools and of the State Teachers Association (1885). Allow me to share an excerpt. Lowell writes,

The worst kind of religion is no religion at all, and these men living in ease and luxury, indulging themselves in the amusement of going without religion, may be thankful they live in lands where the gospel they neglect has tamed the beastliness and ferocity of the men who, but for Christianity, might long ago have eaten their carcasses like the South Sea Islanders, or cut off their heads and tanned their hides like the monsters of the French Revolution. When the microscopic search of skepticism, which had hunted the heavens and sounded the seas to disprove the existence of a Creator, has turned its attention to human society, and has found a place on this planet ten miles square where a decent man can live in comfort and security, supporting and educating his children unspoiled and unpolluted; a place where age is reverenced, infancy respected, manhood respected, woman-hood honored, and human life held in due regard-when skeptics can find such a place ten miles square on this globe, where the gospel of Christ has not gone and cleared the way and laid the foundation and made decency and security possible, it will then be in order for the skeptical literati to move thither and then ventilate their views. But so long as these men are dependent upon the religion which they discard for every privilege they enjoy, they may well hesitate a little before they seek to rob the Christian of his hope, and humanity of its faith, in that Savior who alone has given to man that hope of life eternal which makes life tolerable and society possible, and robs death of its terrors and the grave of its gloom.[2]

Imagine a message like this in a public school publication today, highlighting the power of the gospel of Christ over the ill effect of sin in society.

From Hebrews 11:5-6 we read,

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (emphasis added).

We read in Proverbs 6:12-19,

¹² A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
¹³ He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
¹⁴ Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
¹⁵ Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;
Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
¹⁶ These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
¹⁷ A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

Our purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of those featured in our text and to learn more about pleasing God.

I. First, notice the outflow of malignity. (Proverbs 6:12-14)

According to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, the term “malignity” means, an “intense ill will or hatred; great malice.”[3]

We read in Proverbs 6:12-14,

¹² A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
¹³ He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
¹⁴ Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.

Dr. George Lawson (1749-1820) explains,

The mischievous person casts off the yoke of God, but he remains the willing and active servant of the devil. He rebels against God beyond his might, and beyond nature presses the members of his body into the service of iniquity. He not only speaks, but walks with a froward [lying] tongue, making a constant trade of slandering his neighbours, and spreading dissension.

His tongue is a world of iniquity, and yet it does not serve him sufficiently for expressing the wickedness of his heart. To supply its defects, therefore, he makes artificial tongues of his eyes, his fingers, and his feet. By winking with his eyes, by stamping with his feet, and by pointing with his fingers, he shews the scorn and the malice which he bears towards others, and conveys his instructions to his accomplices in wickedness.

It is the malice of his heart that employs all the members of his body, as the instruments of his unrighteousness. His heart overflows with malignity, and is still running over into the words and works of mischief. The greatest miser takes some rest to his body, from the toils by which he expects to enrich himself; but the heart of this profligate wretch takes no rest from the contrivances of wickedness. He is perpetually torturing his own brain, in devising methods for destroying the happiness and the peace of others.[4]

The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. Jesus explains in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” In Proverbs 4:23 we read, “Keep your heart with all diligence, / For out of it spring the issues of life.”

II. Second, notice the outrage of deity. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

We read in Proverbs 6:16-19,

¹⁶ These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
¹⁷ A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

Please note these detestable sins include thoughts, words, and deeds. We may further notice the description moves the head to the feet mentioning other parts of the body. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2,

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The phrase “seven deadly sins” came into use many years ago. However, it is interesting to note, how with the exception of one sin, pride, the list recorded by Solomon differs from the one proposed by Pope Gregory in the 6th century. The list proposed by Pope Gregory is pride, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, greed and sloth. We must remember all sin is deadly as we read in Romans 6:23a, “The wages of sin is death.” The sins listed in our passage are deadly to the spiritual health and welfare of individual Christians or local congregations.

Dr. George Lawson writes,

Every sin is hateful to God. The sins enumerated in this passage are not mentioned, because there are not others as hateful to God, but because they are nearly allied to that vice which had been last reprobated by the wise man, and are generally found in the character of the mischievous person. They are all abhorred by him who is the guardian of his creatures, and the avenger of injuries done to his saints.[5]

Therefore, we must avoid them if we would please God. We will briefly look at each of these seven detestable sins.

1. The first detestable sin is “a proud look.” This means to have “haughty eyes” looking down upon others and looking defiantly toward God. This “chief sin” of pride is illustrated in the face of the Pharisees, “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9). Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee who genuinely repented and believed, who became Paul the apostle. Mercifully, the Lord gave Paul “a thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7) lest this detestable sin gain a foothold in his life. Paul writes in Romans 12:3, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

From Proverbs 16:5 we read, “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; / Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.”

Daniel writes about a proud king named Nebuchadnezzar and how God humbled him. From Daniel 4:34 we read,

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.

In spite of the pain of humiliation, Nebuchadnezzar would tell you, “It was worth it.” In 1 Peter 5:5b we read, “be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, / But gives grace to the humble.’”

We read in Proverbs 3:32, “For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, / But His secret counsel is with the upright.” Remember, our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself when He came to earth (Philippians 2:5-11).

2. The second detestable sin is “a lying tongue.” A lie is an intentional deception. Men hate a lying tongue because it tears the fabric of society. Jesus said to the Pharisees,

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44).

You are like the devil when you lie and you are like God when you tell the truth. We read in Psalm 51:6, “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, / And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.”

Paul the apostle warns in 2 Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 we read,

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

From Isaiah 63:8 we read, “For He said, ‘Surely they are My people, / Children who will not lie.’ So He became their Savior.” We read about the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:27, “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Dr. Luke writes about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. Remember this happened under the grace of God. They lied to God about the sale of a piece of land. Be careful how you handle money, it reveals a lot about your character. “A lying tongue” is a most detestable evil to God, who is the God of truth. In Proverbs 8:13 we read, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; / Pride and arrogance and the evil way / And the perverse mouth I hate.”

3. The third detestable sin is “hands that shed innocent blood.” Cain was the first murderer (Genesis 4:5), as he killed his brother, Abel. We read in 1 John 3:10-15,

¹⁰ In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. ¹¹ For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹² not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
¹³ Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. ¹⁵ Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Jesus told the Pharisees, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44a). Saul of Tarsus was one of those Pharisees persecuting the church (Philippians 3:6). In fact, he consented to the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1). He held the coats of those who stoned a deacon named Stephen (Acts 7:54-60). After his conversion (Acts 9), he became an apostle renamed Paul with a glowing testimony (Philippians 3).

We read in Psalm 5:6, “You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; / The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.” In Psalm 51:14 David prays, “Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, / The God of my salvation, / And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.”

Here we remember, “There arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8), who commanded the death of all the Hebrew boys to control the population of that enslaved people in Exodus 1:15-22. The midwives feared God and did not play along with this wicked plan. We also think of King Herod’s wicked plan called “the Massacre of the Innocents” (Matthew 2:16-18). King Herod attempted to remove the threat of a rival to the throne. Since the United States Supreme Court decision in the Row vs. Wade case in 1973 over 50 million innocents lost their lives through the abomination of abortion.

4. The fourth detestable sin is “a heart that devises wicked plans.” Any sin is basically the execution of a wicked plan or scheme. Someone with “a heart that devises wicked plans,” desires to see others fail and develops schemes to make it happen. They are not satisfied until they cause pain to others. We read in Psalm 10:2-4,

² The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
³ For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
⁴ The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.

From Genesis 6:5 we read, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

In Hebrews 4:12 we read, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

David, known as a man after God’s own heart, prays in Psalm 139:23-24,

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Through the Word of God and prayer we can discern the condition of our heart. From Proverbs 4:23 we read, “Keep your heart with all diligence, / For out of it spring the issues of life.” Later, we read in Proverbs 11:20, “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, / But the blameless in their ways are His delight.”

5. The fifth detestable sin is “feet that are swift in running to evil.” Note the progression of sin in this list of seven detestable sins. These display the impulsiveness of a horse running to sin. Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:1-6,

¹ Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. ³ For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. ⁴ In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. ⁵ They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit (emphasis added).

Paul warns Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1-2a, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” We know from other Scripture passages the conscience can become “defiled” (Titus 1:15) or “evil” (Hebrews 10:22). In Acts 24:16 we read, “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.”

In Deuteronomy 32:35, we read, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; / Their foot shall slip in due time; / For the day of their calamity is at hand, / And the things to come hasten upon them.”

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe explains, “But the wicked use their feet to get involved in sin: meddling as busybodies (2 Thes. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:13), tempting others into sin (Prov. 5:5 and 7:11), and breaking God’s laws (1:10–16). If the saints were ‘on their feet’ and as eager to obey the Lord as sinners are to disobey, the lost world would soon be evangelized!”[6]

6. The sixth detestable sin is “a false witness who speaks lies.” We read in Deuteronomy 19:16-19,

¹⁶ If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, ¹⁷ then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. ¹⁸ And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, ¹⁹ then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.

In 1 Kings 21:8-14 we discover an example of this detestable sin, as the wicked Jezebel employed false witnesses to lie about Naboth, the vineyard owner. Bearing false witness is a clear violation of the ninth of the Ten Commandments. Jesus condemns it in Matthew 19:18. We read in 2 Kings 9:30-37 about the violent death of Jezebel, as God judged her. From Proverbs 21:28a we read, “A false witness shall perish.” This is a sin God hates.

7. The seventh detestable sin is “one who sows discord among brethren.” Dr. George Lawson writes,

The sowers of discord among brethren, are worse than those who set fire to the houses of their neighbours. They kindle flames which burn with unrelenting fury, and set on fire families and provinces, and sometimes even nations themselves. They not only sin, but, like Jeroboam the son of Nebat, they cause multitudes to sin, destroying that charity which is the soul of every commandment, and disseminating those corrupt passions, which prove incentives to all the works of mischief. The God whose commandments are all included in love, and who sent his Son to be our peace, cannot but abhor these sons of Belial.[7]

Linguistically, we understand the word belial breaks down into two thoughts, namely [beli - without / yaal - profit]. Therefore, it means without profit. This explains the use of the words “wicked” and “worthless” together in Proverbs 6:12. Thus, indicating that wicked thoughts, words, and deeds do not yield anything profitable.

David affirms in Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is / For brethren to dwell together in unity!” Paul the apostle writes in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” From Hebrews 12:14 we read, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” We do not desire unity at all costs, as some might propose. We must beware of those who cause discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:14b and 19b). From Job 5:19 we read, “He shall deliver you in six troubles, / Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.” Dr. John F. Walvoord (1910-2002) and Dr. Roy B. Zuck explain, “The purpose of this kind of numerical pattern (x and x + 1) is not to give a complete list. Instead it is to stress the final (x + 1) item, as the culmination or product of its preceding items.”[8]

Dr. Stephen F. Olford (1918-2004) shares, “It was Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian author and statesman, formulated the maxim, “Make division and get dominion.”[9] Simply put, “Divide and conquer.” We must beware because Satan is trying to do this in the church! Paul the apostle warns in Romans 16:17-18,

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

How many churches like the one in Corinth suffer at the hand of those who caused division and stirred up discord? Paul the apostle writes in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3,

¹ And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. ² I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³ for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

Oh, for a return to the days of the early church when they operated “with one accord” (Acts 1:14) and “they were all with one accord” (Acts 2:1)! Paul provides the prescription for such unity in Philippians 2:1-4,

¹ Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) explains,

This list of seven sins is like a mirror. We look into it, and we squirm because we see ourselves. May I ask you to take a good look at yourself in this mirror of the Word of God. After you and I see ourselves as we really are, let us go to God and make a confession of these things. Let us be honest with Him and ask Him for His cleansing.[10]

Dr. Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) wrote, “Those who do not think about their own sins make up for it by thinking incessantly about the sins of others.”[11] A servant is rightly concerned about avoiding what grieves and offends his master. How much more should we seek to please our Master? We read in 1 John 3:20-23,

²⁰ For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. ²² And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. ²³ And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

In 1 John 4:19-21 we read,

¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us.
²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹ And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Why would we want to displease the God who loved us first? As he exposes the acts of the apostates, Jude exhorts genuine believers, “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 1:21). We read in Proverbs 11:20, “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, / But the blameless in their ways are His delight.”

III. Third, notice the outcome of equity. (Proverbs 6:15)

From Proverbs 6:15 we read, “Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; / Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.” Later, in Proverbs 29:1 we read, “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, / Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

We read about the Lord in Psalm 98:9, “He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, / And the peoples with equity.” In Romans 2:11 we read, “For there is no partiality with God.” As he was in the house of Cornelius we read in Acts 10:34-35, “³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵ But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.’”

Dr. George Lawson writes,

Surely he will make their mischiefs to recoil with an awful vengeance upon their own heads. What will be the end of a fiend like this? He shall, while dreaming of success in his hellish plans, fall a prey to some unexpected calamity. He may possibly flatter himself with the intention of repenting of his misdeeds, before called to that war in which there is no discharge; but he is suddenly and irremediably broken. He lived like a devil clothed with flesh, and his soul shall be chased out of his body, to dwell with its kindred devils. He that does evil to others, does a thousand times greater hurt to himself.

O my soul! come not thou into the secret of such creatures. Blessed be God, who checks that corruption which abounds in the hearts of men, and makes the earth a habitable world. Who could live an hour in peace, if God did not provide for our safety, by his all-governing providence? To this must our safety be all ascribed, since evil spirits, numerous and crafty, constantly traverse our earth, and men whose hearts are filled with all iniquity, abound on the face of it.

The mischievous man is a compound of vices abhorred by the Lord.[12]

Conclusion

When we experience the malicious mischief of a person featured in our text in the church or in the world; we must remember the words of Paul the apostle to Timothy. He writes in 2 Timothy 2:3-4, “³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Rev. Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960) penned these words in 1917,

Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.”[13]

We read in Romans 4:5-8,

⁵ But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.

From Hebrews 13:20-21 we read the following benediction:

²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (emphasis added).

As believers in Jesus Christ, our primary concern is pleasing God.

Dr. Bailey has been the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Covington, Louisiana, since 1989.  He formerly served as Professor of Old Testament at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary from 1978 to 1995. He has authored five books: Step by Step through the Old Testament; Biblical Hebrew Grammar; Joshua: Courage for the Future; As You Go: Biblical Foundation for Evangelism; and (with Kenneth Barker) Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, and Zephaniah in the New American Commentary. He is the current President of the Louisiana Baptist Convention

God wants to grow us in our faith. This is the process of sanctification. He sanctifies us, and we work with Him in the process. When you read and study the Bible, pray, and serve, you are working with God in His work of sanctification in our lives.

Praying Scripture is a wonderful part of our growth in Christ.

Here’s why you should do so.

Praying Scripture means that you are praying in the will of God. Because we are praying according to His Word, we can be assured that we are praying in His Will.

Praying Scripture means that we are pleasing God. He gives us His Word. Our praying Scripture shows that we want to please Him (Ephesians 5:10).

Praying Scripture means that we can adequately praise Him. I often feel inadequate to praise God. When I pray the great words of praise to Him, my inadequacy is removed. I particularly pray Psalm 8:1: “O Lord, our LORD, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” I also often pray Psalm 103:1-2: “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul and forget not his benefits.”

Finally, praying Scripture means that you will access the power of God in your life. Instead of simply getting what you can do, praying Scripture means that you also receive what God can do to conform you to His image.

My Scripture prayer at this time is Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Praying that verse makes me conscious of what God wants me to be, and through prayer I receive the power of God to do what I cannot do.

Here’s a way to get started.

Simply select a passage of Scripture to pray. I suggest Philippians 2:5: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” who humbled himself and became obedient. You might pick Ephesians 4:32 as well.

Also, spend a few minutes with God to ask Him, “What do you want to change in my life?” Then, select a passage of Scripture to deal with the issue. You may have to read the verse to God first, but soon you will be able to recite it–another wonderful advantage of this new discipline.

This blog article was originally posted on WaylonBailey.com and is being reposted by permission of the author.

by the Contributing Editors of SBC Today

This is a list of recent blog posts which we found interesting.  That we found them interesting doesn’t mean we necessarily agree with or endorse the ideas presented in the posts, but that we found them to be intriguing and thought-provoking.  (They are listed in no particular order of interest). Please post your comments to discuss  any article that strikes your interest. If you have recent blog posts to nominate, please send the link to sbctoday@gmail.com.

About Theology

• “A. H. Newman on the ‘Radical Reformers,’ “ by Peter Lumpkins in the SBC Tomorrow blog, quoting the famous Church Historian on the balance between General Baptists and Particular Baptists in Baptist history.
• “Come Ye Sinners?” by Stephen Garrett in the Old Baptist blog, questioning whether a thoroughgoing Calvinist can sing this historic hymn.
• “The Old Testament Takes on Determinism and Compatibilism,” by William W. Birch on his blog, citing Old Testament texts which deny the Reformed doctrines of determinism and compatibilism.
• “Elephant Room 2: Live Blog Session 4,” by Trevin Wax in the Kingdom People blog, with notes with the gist of the interview with T. D. Jakes, some of which regarded whether or not he was Trinitarian.
• “Quick Thoughts about T. D. Jakes and Trinitarianism,” by Bart Barber in the PraiseGod Barebones blog, reflecting on whether Jakes in a Trinitarian or a modalist.
• “T. D. Jakes, the Trinity, and Truth,” by Ed Stetzer on his blog, commenting on Jakes’ comments on the Trinity in the Elephant Room
• “Quotable Quotes: Steve Lemke, Does Human Choice Contribute Anything to Salvation?” by Matthew Murphy in the SEA blog, recalling a Lemke quote comparing God’s healing of Naaman to God’s healing of our sin, that God provides the necessary and sufficient means for salvation.
• “Women in Ministry and 1 Timothy 2:12,” by Denny Burk in his blog, commenting on the Scripture that is most debated in the women in ministry issue.
• “Divorce and Remarriage in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 24:1-4): Establishing Grounds for Divorce,” by Dave Miller in SBC Voices, with an examination of the grounds for divorce in this Old Testament text.
• “The Humanity of Christ Matters,” by Russ Moore in his Moore to the Point blog, with an affirmation of the humanity of Christ and of Patrick Reardon’s new book The Jesus We Missed: The Surprising Truth about the Humanity of Christ.

About the SBC, the Church, and Christian Ministry

• “Calvinists React to the Jerry Vines Interview, Part 1” and “Part 2,” by Peter Lumpkins at the SBC Tomorrow blog, with reaction to the Jerry Vines interview in SBC Today this week.
• “Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention: Code Red,” by Bob Hadley in the new SBC Issues blog, citing a series of events which seem to support and establish Calvinism disproportionately to their membership of the SBC.
• “LifeWay Resources Pushes Calvinism in Latest Bible Study Curriculum,” by Peter Lumpkins at the SBC Tomorrow blog, voicing concerns about the imbalance of representation from a theological perspective of the committee framing the new “Gospel Project” curriculum.
• “Time to Give Up on GCR, Part 1,” and “Part 2,” by Chuck Lawless in a First Person post in Baptist Press, arguing that we cannot create renewal, but it must be sent by God.
• “People Matter: 3 Temptations Leaders Face,” by Perry Noble on his blog, with three mistakes that leaders can make in dealing with people.
• “Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah,” by Brad Lomenick on his blog, providing just what the title promises.
• “Why We Don’t Use Alcohol for the Lord’s Supper,” by David Brumbalow on the Gulf Coast Pastor blog, explaining why non-alcoholic elements may be preferred in communion.
• “The Most Important Part of Your Ministry,” by Waylon Bailey in his blog, highlighting the importance of the daily activities of the minister.
• “Here’s an Awesome Story of One Local Church Putting the Needs of Another Local Church above Their Own,” by Jason Dukes in the Cultivating Daily blog, focusing on how Christians can work together toward unity.

About the Personal Devotional Life and Society

• “7 Tips for Talking to Your Neighbors about Jesus,” by Tim Gaydos in the Resurgence blog, with some suggestions about how to impact your neighbors positively for Christ.
• “Americans Are Running to False Gospels at an Alarming Rate,” by Jared Moore at the SBC Voices blog, voicing concern about alcoholism and other forms of escapism as false gospels.
• “Are Christians Lousy Tippers?” by Dave Miller at SBC Voices, exhorting us to tip generously.
• “A Pattern for Prayer, Courtesy of O. S. Hawkins,” by Anthony Russo in the SBC Voices blog, with appreciation for Hawkins’ suggestions about how to pray more effectively.
• “If It’s True, It Isn’t New,” by Brad Whitt in his blog, with a devotional thought on the permanence of truth, based in 2 Cor. 4:2.
• “How to Lead when Your Leader Is Not Leading Well,” by Thom Rainer on his blog, with some suggestions about how to deal with this awkward situation prudently.
• “New Research: Nearly 70 Percent of American Voters take Religion into Consideration when Voting for a Candidate,” by Ed Stetzer on his blog, with evidence to support this claim.
• “The ‘Immobile Class’: On College and Work in the New America,” by Owen Strachan, with an intriguing reflection on the work status of recent college graduates who do not have workplace skills.
• “The Prodigal Son and Foster Children,” by Charlie Ray in A Family of Faith blog, applying the account of the prodigal son to the experience of some children in foster care.