"Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone" (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT).
In many cases, people are attracted to Christ first by his followers. When they see Christians who care about others, who exhibit thankful and kind attitudes, who enjoy life, and who live honorably, they begin to wonder about what makes the difference in their lives. Eventually, many discover Jesus as the one who makes the difference.
However, these kinds of Christians also have a positive influence on their fellow disciples who are looking for a little encouragement and direction in their lives. When I lived in Oklahoma City as a college student, I attended a small church full of such Christians. They were among the best people I had ever known. Since nearly all of them used the New King James Version of the Bible, I bought a copy of the NKJV and used it almost exclusively for the next ten years. Subconsciously, I must have associated the attractiveness of their lives with the translation of the Bible that most of them read.
When Christians live good and kind lives, they influence the people around them in ways that they may never know and in ways that their friends may not take the time to recognize; the influence is still there and it can be very powerful.
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, July 18, 2011
Studying the Bible with Humility
During our vacation last month, my family and I visited Redeemer Community Church, a nondenominational Bible church in Little Rock, Arkansas. I have been listening to their minister Bob Lepine's online sermons and reading his blog for some time now. Although we were unable to meet Mr. Lepine during our visit since he was away on vacation at the same time, we enjoyed our time with the church. Our son Christopher loved it because the guest speaker was an Army chaplain.
A couple of Sundays ago, I was listening to Bob Lepine online as he was preaching through the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, a text focusing on the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory.
In the introduction to his multi-part lesson on this text, the preacher presented the four major views of the end times: historic premillennialism, dispensational premillennialism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. He explained that your view of the end times will influence the way you interpret Luke 21.
Then the pastor said something that I found extremely interesting. He warned the congregation to hold their views softly, with a large dose of humility, because there is a good chance that you are wrong.
He pointed out that many biblical doctrines are very clear and need to be held firmly. For example, every Christian would affirm that Jesus is the only Way to the Father. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). However, some biblical doctrines are less clear and more difficult to understand. Bob Lepine reminded the church that whether they chose to believe the historic premillennial view, the dispensational premillennial view, the postmillennial view, or the amillennial view, they had a 75% chance of being wrong. However, that is not an excuse to ignore difficult passages in the Bible. Mr. Lepine encouraged the assembly to wrestle with such passages, but to do so with humility.
I had not thought of it in such a way before, but I found Bob Lepine's advice to be wise. We should hold on to clear biblical teachings firmly, but hold on to less clear understandings of the Bible softly. We may be wrong, and we need to be open to correction.
A couple of Sundays ago, I was listening to Bob Lepine online as he was preaching through the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, a text focusing on the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory.
In the introduction to his multi-part lesson on this text, the preacher presented the four major views of the end times: historic premillennialism, dispensational premillennialism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. He explained that your view of the end times will influence the way you interpret Luke 21.
Then the pastor said something that I found extremely interesting. He warned the congregation to hold their views softly, with a large dose of humility, because there is a good chance that you are wrong.
He pointed out that many biblical doctrines are very clear and need to be held firmly. For example, every Christian would affirm that Jesus is the only Way to the Father. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). However, some biblical doctrines are less clear and more difficult to understand. Bob Lepine reminded the church that whether they chose to believe the historic premillennial view, the dispensational premillennial view, the postmillennial view, or the amillennial view, they had a 75% chance of being wrong. However, that is not an excuse to ignore difficult passages in the Bible. Mr. Lepine encouraged the assembly to wrestle with such passages, but to do so with humility.
I had not thought of it in such a way before, but I found Bob Lepine's advice to be wise. We should hold on to clear biblical teachings firmly, but hold on to less clear understandings of the Bible softly. We may be wrong, and we need to be open to correction.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
The Seasons of a Christian's Life
"Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
"He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:1-3).
As I read this Psalm, I noticed a phrase that I had not paid any attention to in the past: "yields its fruit in its season".
As I was considering those words, I thought about the pecan tree in our back yard. Every fall, we spend the months of October through December picking up pecans. In most years, we pick up hundreds of pecans from our one tree.
However, our tree does not produce pecans for us to harvest throughout most of the year. During the winter months, it is dormant. It rests. It survives the cold, the wind, the snow, the freezing rain, the hail, the sleet, and the ice. It does what it needs to do, but it does not produce.
In the spring and summer, our tree starts to grow. Leafs bud. Branches develop and expand. Pecans begin to develop. It starts to produce its fruit, but the pecans are not ready for the harvest. It still does what it needs to do, but we do not enjoy its fruit yet.
Finally, in the fall, our tree begins to give us its fruit. We are able to pick up the pecans and enjoy them.
A believer's life, according to Psalm 1, is much like our pecan tree. He avoids evil, loves God's law, thinks about the meaning and application of the Lord's words throughout his day, and lives his life according to his understanding of the Lord's message. He will go through seasons in which he is doing everything right; but like the tree in winter, he is not productive in yielding fruit. He will go through seasons in which he is developing; but like the tree in spring and summer, the fruit is not ready to be harvested and enjoyed. He will go through seasons of great productivity; and like the tree in fall, the fruit of his life has matured and has become available to be shared and enjoyed by others.
If you are a Christian who feels down because your life does not seem productive at the moment, you are not alone. We all go through it. It's biblical. Just keep avoiding evil, loving God's law, thinking about the meaning and application of the Lord's words throughout your day, and living according to your developing understanding of the Lord's message. Then someday, you will enter a season of fruitfulness, a season of harvesting as you bless many people around you. And the cycle will begin again.
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
"He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers" (Psalm 1:1-3).
As I read this Psalm, I noticed a phrase that I had not paid any attention to in the past: "yields its fruit in its season".
As I was considering those words, I thought about the pecan tree in our back yard. Every fall, we spend the months of October through December picking up pecans. In most years, we pick up hundreds of pecans from our one tree.
However, our tree does not produce pecans for us to harvest throughout most of the year. During the winter months, it is dormant. It rests. It survives the cold, the wind, the snow, the freezing rain, the hail, the sleet, and the ice. It does what it needs to do, but it does not produce.
In the spring and summer, our tree starts to grow. Leafs bud. Branches develop and expand. Pecans begin to develop. It starts to produce its fruit, but the pecans are not ready for the harvest. It still does what it needs to do, but we do not enjoy its fruit yet.
Finally, in the fall, our tree begins to give us its fruit. We are able to pick up the pecans and enjoy them.
A believer's life, according to Psalm 1, is much like our pecan tree. He avoids evil, loves God's law, thinks about the meaning and application of the Lord's words throughout his day, and lives his life according to his understanding of the Lord's message. He will go through seasons in which he is doing everything right; but like the tree in winter, he is not productive in yielding fruit. He will go through seasons in which he is developing; but like the tree in spring and summer, the fruit is not ready to be harvested and enjoyed. He will go through seasons of great productivity; and like the tree in fall, the fruit of his life has matured and has become available to be shared and enjoyed by others.
If you are a Christian who feels down because your life does not seem productive at the moment, you are not alone. We all go through it. It's biblical. Just keep avoiding evil, loving God's law, thinking about the meaning and application of the Lord's words throughout your day, and living according to your developing understanding of the Lord's message. Then someday, you will enter a season of fruitfulness, a season of harvesting as you bless many people around you. And the cycle will begin again.
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Denominational Loyalty
I've been thinking about denominational loyalty lately.
A few weeks ago, I was talking to one of my customers on my mail route. She was excited about her daughter's upcoming wedding. As my customer discussed her daughter's plans, she mentioned one regret. The daughter was marrying a young man from a different denomination, and the daughter had followed her future husband in joining his denomination. My customer sighed, "I don't know what is with kids these days. I would have never left the church of my parents. It would have broken their hearts. I wish they would stay with my church, but at least they are a great Christian couple."
This conversation prompted me to think about my son and his future choices. Would he someday leave the network of churches in which he has been raised?
As I thought more about it, I wondered about myself. Would I someday leave the churches (the Churches of Christ) with which I have been affiliated for decades?
I had to admit to myself that it was a legitimate possibility. I have seen trends among some of the leading preachers which concern me. Some of the most popular speakers among us have been teaching that the Bible cannot be fully trusted because of errors within it. Some have been teaching that a sinner does not necessarily need to place his faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Some have been teaching that God is not truly all-knowing since he cannot know the future.
In contrast, I believe in the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, the necessity of faith in Christ, and the omniscience of God. We are on different trajectories. Eventually, if the popular trends in teaching become the normative doctrine among my fellowship, I may not be able to stay. It would not be because I would want to go, but it would be because denominational loyalty (for lack of a better term) would be of lesser value to me than the desire to cooperate with other believers who hold to the central truths of the Scriptures and to the Savior revealed within those Scriptures.
I hope it never comes to that scenario, but I need to admit to myself that the possibility certainly exists. If it becomes necessary to choose, I hope that my family and I would make a conscientious choice to remain loyal to Christ despite the pain involved in the decision.
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).
A few weeks ago, I was talking to one of my customers on my mail route. She was excited about her daughter's upcoming wedding. As my customer discussed her daughter's plans, she mentioned one regret. The daughter was marrying a young man from a different denomination, and the daughter had followed her future husband in joining his denomination. My customer sighed, "I don't know what is with kids these days. I would have never left the church of my parents. It would have broken their hearts. I wish they would stay with my church, but at least they are a great Christian couple."
This conversation prompted me to think about my son and his future choices. Would he someday leave the network of churches in which he has been raised?
As I thought more about it, I wondered about myself. Would I someday leave the churches (the Churches of Christ) with which I have been affiliated for decades?
I had to admit to myself that it was a legitimate possibility. I have seen trends among some of the leading preachers which concern me. Some of the most popular speakers among us have been teaching that the Bible cannot be fully trusted because of errors within it. Some have been teaching that a sinner does not necessarily need to place his faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Some have been teaching that God is not truly all-knowing since he cannot know the future.
In contrast, I believe in the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, the necessity of faith in Christ, and the omniscience of God. We are on different trajectories. Eventually, if the popular trends in teaching become the normative doctrine among my fellowship, I may not be able to stay. It would not be because I would want to go, but it would be because denominational loyalty (for lack of a better term) would be of lesser value to me than the desire to cooperate with other believers who hold to the central truths of the Scriptures and to the Savior revealed within those Scriptures.
I hope it never comes to that scenario, but I need to admit to myself that the possibility certainly exists. If it becomes necessary to choose, I hope that my family and I would make a conscientious choice to remain loyal to Christ despite the pain involved in the decision.
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).
Over-Interpreting the Bible
Justin Taylor has posted a good parody of over-interpreting the Bible at the link below.
A Parody of Over-Interpreting the Bible
A Parody of Over-Interpreting the Bible
Friday, April 22, 2011
Kevin Durant Commits to Daily Bible Reading
Thunder's Kevin Durant commits to daily Bible reading | NewsOK.com
The Oklahoman carried a story today about Oklahoma City Thunder star basketball player Kevin Durant's commitment to read the Bible each day. (See the link above.) I have been very impressed with Kevin Durant. He and several of his teammates have been setting great examples for young people in our state.
"...his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Gender Inclusive Language in the Bible
While attending a Christian conference yesterday, someone asked my opinion of the revised New International Version (NIV) of the Bible and its use of gender inclusive language. I have not bought a copy of the latest NIV, but I have read portions of it online. I have not read enough of it to give an informed opinion about whether the NIV has been improved or damaged by the changes.
However, I read a couple of versions of the Bible that use gender inclusive language. The Message and the New Living Translation do a good job of capturing the general spirit of the text, but I'm not comfortable with relying on either when I'm engaged in a serious study of a biblical text. I'm not an expert in the original biblical languages, so I depend on essentially literal translations of the Bible to guide my studies. I want to study from a version of the Bible that places an extremely high value on accuracy.
I like the approach taken by the translation team of the English Standard Version (ESV):
"In the area of gender language, the goal of the ESV is to render literally what is in the original. For example, 'anyone' replaces 'any man' where there is no word corresponding to 'man' in the original languages, and 'people' rather than 'men' is regularly used where the original languages refer to both men and women. But the words 'man' and 'men' are retained where a male meaning component is part of the original Greek or Hebrew." (Preface to the English Standard Version)
It's important to get an accurate understanding of the Scriptures. Sometimes a more accurate understanding can be achieved with gender inclusive language, but sometimes it can't. Whatever the case may be, I want to be able to study from a Bible that gives me a highly accurate translation of the original words in a text.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sincerity as Evidence for the Christian Faith
A few nights ago, I was reading a portion of the Gospel of Luke to my son Christopher before bedtime. In that portion of the Scriptures, Jesus was healing men and women of various illnesses and afflictions.
At a break in the reading, my son asked, "How do you know that's true?" Puzzled, I responded, "What do you mean?"
Christopher said, "Those miracles. How do you know they happened? It sounds like someone's lying to us."
At that moment, I realized that our son was taking a huge step in his development. He was not believing something merely because his parents believed it. He was questioning it.
My wife Janet and I assured him that it was proper to question us and the Bible. He needed to know that he was not alone in his doubts; he needed to know that it was a part of spiritual growth to raise questions. After all, those kinds of miracles do not happen every day in our lives. We have seen some remarkable answers to prayers for healing, but we have not seen anything like someone walking on water or someone being raised from the dead. In fact, even the apostle Thomas did not accept the resurrection of Jesus until he saw the Lord for himself.
We explained to Christopher that we have not seen the miracles recorded in the Bible firsthand, but eyewitnesses to those miracles preserved a record of them for us.
A few nights later, we returned to the subject. I let my son know that those eyewitnesses spread the word about Jesus and his miracles to everyone they encountered for the rest of their lives. Even though they faced severe persecution and death for telling people about the resurrection of Christ, they never stopped spreading the good news that Jesus had died for their sins and had risen from the dead in order to save them.
If the apostles had not honestly believed what they were saying and what they were writing in the Scriptures, they could have changed their story very easily in the face of death. But they remained committed to their account of Christ's message.
Sincerity does not necessarily prove one's testimony to be true. However, when a man remains committed to his eyewitness testimony in the face of death, it's a strong indication that he truly believes his message. Something happened in his life that he cannot deny.
And that's one good reason to take seriously the message of the apostles and other early Christians who wrote the New Testament. We know that they were not lying.
"And they have conquered (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death" (Revelation 12:11).
(The picture above portrays the crucifixion of the apostle Peter)
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Aruamu: Transformed By God's Word
On July 2, 2005, the Aruamu people of Papua New Guinea celebrated the completion of the New Testament in their own language. With the support of Pioneer Bible Translators, missionaries Marsha and the late John Relyea spent nearly 20 years translating the New Testament into the language of Aruamu for the first time in their history.
"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near" (Revelation 1:3).
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Ordinary Christians
Sometimes it's good to notice the extraordinary impact of ordinary Christians around me.
These are the Christians who serve God faithfully without knowing how much of a difference they are making in the world around them.
They love and respect their husbands and wives. They honor their parents. They nurture, discipline, and instruct their children.
They show up to work on time and ready for the day. They approach their jobs with good attitudes. They care about their co-workers, employees, and customers. They take the time to listen to the concerns of others, sometimes offering helpful advice and sometimes offering a prayer. They are sincere in their gratitude when they are helped; and they are willing to help others whenever possible.
They spend time reading their Bibles and praying. They want to be close to their Lord. They want to know him better. They believe what they read in their Bibles; and they trust that God is listening to their pleas on behalf of the people for whom they pray.
They enjoy worshipping with their local churches. They participate in and teach Bible classes. They clean the church buildings. They mow the grass and shovel the snow on the church's property. They serve food when the church shares meals. They drive the vans to pick up people who want to worship with them.
They volunteer to help teachers at their local schools. They coach and support their children's sports teams. They are involved in their children's scouting programs. They e-mail and meet with their political leaders in support of just legislation or in opposition to unjust legislation. They raise money to fight diseases. They recycle paper, plastic, and aluminum products to help the environment. They get their pets from the local animal shelter.
They share the good news of Christ whenever an opportunity arises. They adopt children, volunteer for pro-life ministries, and sponsor children around the world through Christian relief organizations. They send money to organizations that fight global poverty and others that translate the Scriptures into native languages around the world.
They are ordinary Christians, but they are intentionally committed to doing good so that others are blessed and God is glorified.
"...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Monday, February 21, 2011
People Who Inspire Me: George Muller
George Muller (sometimes spelled Mueller) was a preacher in England during the 1800s. Born in modern Germany, Muller came to Christ from a background of lying, stealing, and drunkenness. Although raised as a Lutheran, he had no real faith in Christ until he came into contact with a small group of committed believers who met in a home. After turning to follow Jesus Christ and receiving an education in his native Germany, he immigrated to Great Britain where he became a preacher.
Why does George Muller inspire me?
1. He loved the Bible. As a seminary student, he had a strong preference for theological books. However, after seminary, Muller wrote, "God began to show me that His Word alone is our standard of judgment; that it can be explained only by the Holy Spirit; and that in our day, as well as in former times, He is the teacher of the people...The Lord enabled me to put it to the test of experience, by laying aside commentaries, and almost every other book, and simply reading the Word of God and studying it. The result of this was that the first evening I shut myself into my room to give myself to prayer and meditation over the Scriptures, I learned more in a few hours than I had done during a period of several months previously."
His love for the Bible and his dependence upon the Holy Spirit led him to adjust his practices as he discovered truth from its pages. For example, through reading the Scriptures, he came to the conclusion that believers should be baptized and that baptism meant immersion. After studying Acts 8:36-38 and Romans 6:3-6, Muller wrote, "I saw that believers only are the proper subjects of baptism, and that immersion is the only true Scriptural mode in which it ought to be attended to." Prompted by his faith and his new understanding of the Scriptures, Muller submitted to immersion as a believer.
2. He was compassionate. He saw the needs of the world and sought to meet them. His heart broke for the thousands of vulnerable orphans on the streets of England in those days. As a result, he started a small orphanage in which he and his wife worked to care for and to educate the children. At first, he and his wife cared for 30 orphaned girls. Eventually, they were able to build enough houses and hire enough workers to care for up to 2,050 at a time. By the end of his life, Muller had cared for 10,024 English orphans.
In addition, he sought to meet the spiritual needs of the world. During his lifetime, he distributed 285,407 Bibles and 1,459,506 New Testaments around the globe through his Scripture Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. He also supported a number of missionaries, including the well-known Hudson Taylor.
3. He was a man of prayer. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Muller's life was his prayer life. He had a deep trust in God. In fact, his ministry was completely dependant on prayer. He never asked anyone but God for the resources needed to care for the orphans or to support his ministry in any way. He wanted the Lord to receive all the glory for anything good that came through his ministry. Therefore, he asked no one else for support. Of course, the Lord provided the support through other people, but those people never received a request of support from him or his co-workers. (They did receive notes of gratitude and financial reports to let them know how the money was spent.)
George Muller was an incredible man of faith in Christ.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Heart of Christianity
"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8, NIV).
Christians can be passionate concerning many things. We love worship music. We are passionate about Bible study. We are driven to help the widows, the orphans, and the poor among us. We are passionate about pursuing justice, righteousness, and high ethical standards.
But above all, we are passionate about Jesus Christ. We love to hear about what he has done for us. We love to think about his character, his words, and his actions. We love to let other people know about him. And we look forward to his return above all other expectations.
Jesus Christ is the heart of Christianity.
Christians can be passionate concerning many things. We love worship music. We are passionate about Bible study. We are driven to help the widows, the orphans, and the poor among us. We are passionate about pursuing justice, righteousness, and high ethical standards.
But above all, we are passionate about Jesus Christ. We love to hear about what he has done for us. We love to think about his character, his words, and his actions. We love to let other people know about him. And we look forward to his return above all other expectations.
Jesus Christ is the heart of Christianity.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Saturday, September 04, 2010
The Inspiration of Scripture
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
As I have studied the Bible over the years, I have noticed at least three ways that God has used in inspiring the Scriptures.
1. Sometimes God dictates the words. For example, see Exodus 20:1-17.
2. Sometimes God communicates his message in dreams and visions that are recorded by prophets. For example, see Daniel 7:1.
3. Sometimes God leads the author of a biblical book through careful research. For example, see Luke 1:1-4.
God has chosen different methods, but still "all Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16). Those who gave us the Scriptures "were carried along by the Holy Spirit" as they communicated God's message to us (2 Peter 1:21). And those Scriptures can be trusted because they came from a God "who never lies" (Titus 1:2).
As I have studied the Bible over the years, I have noticed at least three ways that God has used in inspiring the Scriptures.
1. Sometimes God dictates the words. For example, see Exodus 20:1-17.
2. Sometimes God communicates his message in dreams and visions that are recorded by prophets. For example, see Daniel 7:1.
3. Sometimes God leads the author of a biblical book through careful research. For example, see Luke 1:1-4.
God has chosen different methods, but still "all Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16). Those who gave us the Scriptures "were carried along by the Holy Spirit" as they communicated God's message to us (2 Peter 1:21). And those Scriptures can be trusted because they came from a God "who never lies" (Titus 1:2).
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Inerrancy of Scripture
The ESV Study Bible contains several very good articles. This is an excerpt about the inerrancy of the Bible from the article "Biblical Doctrine: An Overview."
"The doctrine of inerrancy means that the Bible is entirely truthful and reliable in all that it affirms in its original manuscripts. Another way of saying this is that the Bible does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. Because God is the ultimate author of the Bible, and because God is always perfectly truthful, it follows that his Word is completely truthful as well: He is the 'God who never lies' (Titus 1:2). It would be contrary to his character to affirm anything false. God is all-knowing, always truthful and good, and all-powerful, so he always knows and tells the truth and is able to communicate and preserve his Word. 'O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant' (2 Sam. 7:28). 'Every word of God proves true' (Prov. 30:5; cf. Ps.12:6; 119:42; John 17:17).
"Inerrancy does not require twenty-first century precision or scientifically technical language. The following quotation from the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy summarizes what inerrancy does not mean:
"'We affirm the propriety of using inerrancy as a theological term with reference to the complete truthfulness of Scripture. We deny that it is proper to evaluate Scripture according to standards of truth and error that are alien to its usage and purpose. We further deny that inerrancy is negated by Biblical phenomena such as a lack of modern technical precision, irregularities of grammar or spelling, observational descriptions of nature, the reporting of falsehoods, the use of hyperbole and round numbers, the topical arrangement of material, variant selections of material in parallel accounts, or the use of free citations' (Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, Art. XIII).
"The inerrancy of Scripture gives the believer great confidence in the Bible as his sure foundation for understanding all God wants him to know and all that he needs for godliness and eternal life."
"The doctrine of inerrancy means that the Bible is entirely truthful and reliable in all that it affirms in its original manuscripts. Another way of saying this is that the Bible does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. Because God is the ultimate author of the Bible, and because God is always perfectly truthful, it follows that his Word is completely truthful as well: He is the 'God who never lies' (Titus 1:2). It would be contrary to his character to affirm anything false. God is all-knowing, always truthful and good, and all-powerful, so he always knows and tells the truth and is able to communicate and preserve his Word. 'O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant' (2 Sam. 7:28). 'Every word of God proves true' (Prov. 30:5; cf. Ps.12:6; 119:42; John 17:17).
"Inerrancy does not require twenty-first century precision or scientifically technical language. The following quotation from the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy summarizes what inerrancy does not mean:
"'We affirm the propriety of using inerrancy as a theological term with reference to the complete truthfulness of Scripture. We deny that it is proper to evaluate Scripture according to standards of truth and error that are alien to its usage and purpose. We further deny that inerrancy is negated by Biblical phenomena such as a lack of modern technical precision, irregularities of grammar or spelling, observational descriptions of nature, the reporting of falsehoods, the use of hyperbole and round numbers, the topical arrangement of material, variant selections of material in parallel accounts, or the use of free citations' (Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, Art. XIII).
"The inerrancy of Scripture gives the believer great confidence in the Bible as his sure foundation for understanding all God wants him to know and all that he needs for godliness and eternal life."
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Humble Orthodoxy
"The solution to arrogant orthodoxy is not less orthodoxy; it's more. If we truly know and embrace orthodoxy, it should humble us. When we know the truth about God--his power, his greatness, his holiness, his mercy--it doesn't leave us boasting; it leaves us amazed. It doesn't lead to a preoccupation with being right but to an amazement that we have been rescued.
"Genuine orthodoxy--the heart of which is the death of God's Son for undeserving sinners--is the most humbling, human-pride-smashing message in the world. And if we truly know the gospel of grace, it will create in us a heart of humility and grace toward others. Francis Schaeffer, a Christian writer and thinker from the twentieth century, modeled this kind of profound compassion. He genuinely loved people. And even as he analyzed and critiqued the culture, he did so 'with a tear in his eye.'
"That is humble orthodoxy. It's standing for truth with a tear in our eye. It's telling a friend living in sexual sin that we love her even as we tell her that her sexual activity is disobedient to God. It's remembering that angry, unkind opponents of the gospel are human beings created in the image of God who need the same mercy he has shown us. It's remembering that when we're arrogant and self-righteous in the way we represent orthodoxy, we're actually contradicting with our lives what we claim to believe.
"But while we shouldn't be mean and spiteful in representing biblical truth, neither should we apologize for believing that God has been clear in his Word. The humility we need in our theology is first and foremost a humility before God. As pastor Mark Dever puts it, 'Humble theology (is) theology which submits itself to the truth of God's Word.' This is a good reminder for me. Because I think it's possible for me, or anyone for that matter, to overreact to arrogant orthodoxy with a brand of squishy theology that believes others are arrogant if they think the Bible teaches anything clearly.
"But truth can be known. And what the Bible teaches should be obeyed. Just because we can't know God exhaustively doesn't mean we can't know him truly (Psalm 19:7-10; John 17:17). Just because there is mystery in God's Word doesn't mean we can pretend God hasn't spoken clearly in the Bible.
"'Christian humility,' Dever writes, 'is to simply accept whatever God has revealed in His Word. Humility is following God's Word wherever it goes, as far as it goes, not either going beyond it or stopping short of it...The humility we want in our churches is to read the Bible and believe it...It is not humble to be hesitant where God has been clear and plain'" (Joshua Harris, Dug Down Deep, pages 225-226).
"Genuine orthodoxy--the heart of which is the death of God's Son for undeserving sinners--is the most humbling, human-pride-smashing message in the world. And if we truly know the gospel of grace, it will create in us a heart of humility and grace toward others. Francis Schaeffer, a Christian writer and thinker from the twentieth century, modeled this kind of profound compassion. He genuinely loved people. And even as he analyzed and critiqued the culture, he did so 'with a tear in his eye.'
"That is humble orthodoxy. It's standing for truth with a tear in our eye. It's telling a friend living in sexual sin that we love her even as we tell her that her sexual activity is disobedient to God. It's remembering that angry, unkind opponents of the gospel are human beings created in the image of God who need the same mercy he has shown us. It's remembering that when we're arrogant and self-righteous in the way we represent orthodoxy, we're actually contradicting with our lives what we claim to believe.
"But while we shouldn't be mean and spiteful in representing biblical truth, neither should we apologize for believing that God has been clear in his Word. The humility we need in our theology is first and foremost a humility before God. As pastor Mark Dever puts it, 'Humble theology (is) theology which submits itself to the truth of God's Word.' This is a good reminder for me. Because I think it's possible for me, or anyone for that matter, to overreact to arrogant orthodoxy with a brand of squishy theology that believes others are arrogant if they think the Bible teaches anything clearly.
"But truth can be known. And what the Bible teaches should be obeyed. Just because we can't know God exhaustively doesn't mean we can't know him truly (Psalm 19:7-10; John 17:17). Just because there is mystery in God's Word doesn't mean we can pretend God hasn't spoken clearly in the Bible.
"'Christian humility,' Dever writes, 'is to simply accept whatever God has revealed in His Word. Humility is following God's Word wherever it goes, as far as it goes, not either going beyond it or stopping short of it...The humility we want in our churches is to read the Bible and believe it...It is not humble to be hesitant where God has been clear and plain'" (Joshua Harris, Dug Down Deep, pages 225-226).
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Truth in Blogging
If you have read my blog for very long, you will not be surprised by anything that I am about to share. But I thought it might be a good idea to write a few words about myself and my perspectives so that any reader would know where I'm coming from theologically and socially.
My Theology
I am a member of the Church of Christ. My theology can be best described as conservative evangelical. I don't try to be innovative in doctrine. I try to be accurate and biblically orthodox. For example,
I believe in the doctrine of the trinity. I believe that the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are (or is) God. (I'm not sure how to write that sentence in a grammatically correct way.) I believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, always present in his creation, and completely holy in his character.
I believe that God created the universe as it is revealed in Genesis. I believe that he prepared the earth for people in six days. I believe that he made Adam and Eve in his image from the dust of the ground on the sixth day.
I believe that Satan tempted Eve. I believe that the sin of Adam led to the corruption of a good universe and to the alienation between God and man.
I believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that he needed to die in my place in order to turn away God's just wrath against me and sinners like me. His resurrection gives me confidence that his Father accepted his sacrifice on my behalf.
I believe that I am saved by God's grace (as seen in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection) through faith (in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior) apart from any work on my part that could cause anyone to think that I deserved to be saved.
I believe that the Holy Spirit lives in God's church today. I believe that he is active in making believers more like Jesus.
I believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the words of the Bible. I believe that the Bible was given to humanity as God's completely accurate message to us...without error because God is completely honest and completely competent.
I believe that repentant believers in Christ need to be baptized, because we need to identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We need to be able to mark the end of our lives without Christ and the beginning of our lives with Christ.
I believe that Christ's church consists all repentant baptized believers who are committed to following Jesus Christ and glorifying God.
I believe that Jesus Christ will return and usher in new heavens and a new earth that will be the home of righteousness. The Day of Judgment will come. Heaven and hell are equally real and equally eternal.
My Social Concerns
This will be much shorter.
I am concerned about loving people. According to Jesus, it's the second greatest commandment (behind loving God).
I concentrate on loving the people around me first. I want to be a good husband, father, son, brother, employee, neighbor, citizen, and church member.
Then, I focus on broader social concerns that affect people. Many of my posts will reveal that I think a lot about abortion, adoption, caring for God's creation, poverty, racial harmony, and strengthening marriages and families.
If anyone was confused about where I'm coming from, I hope this helps. I try to be honest and open.
My Theology
I am a member of the Church of Christ. My theology can be best described as conservative evangelical. I don't try to be innovative in doctrine. I try to be accurate and biblically orthodox. For example,
I believe in the doctrine of the trinity. I believe that the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are (or is) God. (I'm not sure how to write that sentence in a grammatically correct way.) I believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, always present in his creation, and completely holy in his character.
I believe that God created the universe as it is revealed in Genesis. I believe that he prepared the earth for people in six days. I believe that he made Adam and Eve in his image from the dust of the ground on the sixth day.
I believe that Satan tempted Eve. I believe that the sin of Adam led to the corruption of a good universe and to the alienation between God and man.
I believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that he needed to die in my place in order to turn away God's just wrath against me and sinners like me. His resurrection gives me confidence that his Father accepted his sacrifice on my behalf.
I believe that I am saved by God's grace (as seen in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection) through faith (in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior) apart from any work on my part that could cause anyone to think that I deserved to be saved.
I believe that the Holy Spirit lives in God's church today. I believe that he is active in making believers more like Jesus.
I believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the words of the Bible. I believe that the Bible was given to humanity as God's completely accurate message to us...without error because God is completely honest and completely competent.
I believe that repentant believers in Christ need to be baptized, because we need to identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We need to be able to mark the end of our lives without Christ and the beginning of our lives with Christ.
I believe that Christ's church consists all repentant baptized believers who are committed to following Jesus Christ and glorifying God.
I believe that Jesus Christ will return and usher in new heavens and a new earth that will be the home of righteousness. The Day of Judgment will come. Heaven and hell are equally real and equally eternal.
My Social Concerns
This will be much shorter.
I am concerned about loving people. According to Jesus, it's the second greatest commandment (behind loving God).
I concentrate on loving the people around me first. I want to be a good husband, father, son, brother, employee, neighbor, citizen, and church member.
Then, I focus on broader social concerns that affect people. Many of my posts will reveal that I think a lot about abortion, adoption, caring for God's creation, poverty, racial harmony, and strengthening marriages and families.
If anyone was confused about where I'm coming from, I hope this helps. I try to be honest and open.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Why I Switched
A few months ago, I realized that my New International Version of the Bible was nearing the end of its life cycle. It was wearing out. Pages were close to falling out.
Since the publisher of the NIV planned to replace it with an updated translation in 2011, I decided against purchasing another NIV. I didn't want a Bible that would be out of print within the next year. However, I also did not want to wait to see whether I would like the updated NIV.
In addition, I had been thinking about switching to a version that would translate the original languages in a more word-for-word manner rather than in a thought-for-thought style. I considered the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version.
Eventually, I chose the ESV. I liked the philosophy of the translators (from the preface of the English Standard Version):
"The ESV is an 'essentially literal' translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on 'word-for-word' correspondence, at the same time taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original...
"Every translation is at many points a trade-off between literal precision and readability...and the ESV is no exception. Within this framework we have sought to be 'as literal as possible' while maintaining clarity of expression and literary excellence...As an essentially literal translation, then, the ESV seeks to carry over every possible nuance of meaning in the original words of Scripture into our language."
Therefore, the English Standard Version became my new primary Bible. However, I still enjoy reading other translations.
Since the publisher of the NIV planned to replace it with an updated translation in 2011, I decided against purchasing another NIV. I didn't want a Bible that would be out of print within the next year. However, I also did not want to wait to see whether I would like the updated NIV.
In addition, I had been thinking about switching to a version that would translate the original languages in a more word-for-word manner rather than in a thought-for-thought style. I considered the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version.
Eventually, I chose the ESV. I liked the philosophy of the translators (from the preface of the English Standard Version):
"The ESV is an 'essentially literal' translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on 'word-for-word' correspondence, at the same time taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original...
"Every translation is at many points a trade-off between literal precision and readability...and the ESV is no exception. Within this framework we have sought to be 'as literal as possible' while maintaining clarity of expression and literary excellence...As an essentially literal translation, then, the ESV seeks to carry over every possible nuance of meaning in the original words of Scripture into our language."
Therefore, the English Standard Version became my new primary Bible. However, I still enjoy reading other translations.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Evil Desires of Youth May Not Be What You Think
This is a passage from The Strength of a Man by David Roper. The Scripture quotations are from the New International Version of the Bible. His books are available from Discovery House Publishers at www.dhp.org.
"Most of us are biblically educated beyond our character, perhaps because we confuse the means with the end. We falsely assume that the purpose of Bible study is mere learning, a fallacy particularly characteristic of those of us who take the Bible straight.
"But mere orthodoxy is never enough. Even the demons are orthodox (James 2:19). They study the Bible too. They make their own prophetic charts and draw their own theological lines, but the Book doesn't alter their behavior. They're devilish to the end.
"In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he encouraged his young friend to be an approved workman 'who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth' (2 Timothy 2:15).
"The word here translated 'who correctly handles' means 'one who goes for a goal.' Classical Greek writers used the word of road builders who cut their way straight through a forest to a predetermined location. The Septuagint (the first Greek translation of the Old Testament) used the word in the last phrase of Proverbs 3:6. 'In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight (direct you to the goal)."
"Paul contrasted good Bible study with the flawed methods of those who were 'quarreling about words,' which he said, 'is of no value, and only ruins those who listen' (2:14). Further, 'godless chatter'--mere discussion of the Bible without the goal of godliness--will make one become 'more and more ungodly' (2:16). Ironically, God's Word, when misused, can make us less and less like God!
"Paul therefore warns Timothy to 'flee the evil desires of youth' (2:22), a command that in context has little or nothing to do with youthful sexual desires. Paul rather had in mind the wrong-headed passion of the young and the immature to argue about meaning--'word-fight' is the term he coins. Those who mishandle God's Word in this way are workmen who ought to be ashamed.
"Instead of arguing about meaning, Timothy was to 'pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart' (2:22). In other words, he was to seek God and his goodness through the Book. To do so is to handle the Word correctly--to go straight to the goal.
"The purpose of Bible study is clear. It ought to produce worship and make us more and more like our Lord. To the extent that we read the Scriptures for that reason our Bible reading is valid; to the extent that we do not, it's nonproductive. Worse, it's counterproductive, making us less and less like our Lord. Thus the hymnist prayed:
"Beyond the sacred page, I seek Thee, Lord,
My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word."
(Pages 70-71)
"Most of us are biblically educated beyond our character, perhaps because we confuse the means with the end. We falsely assume that the purpose of Bible study is mere learning, a fallacy particularly characteristic of those of us who take the Bible straight.
"But mere orthodoxy is never enough. Even the demons are orthodox (James 2:19). They study the Bible too. They make their own prophetic charts and draw their own theological lines, but the Book doesn't alter their behavior. They're devilish to the end.
"In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he encouraged his young friend to be an approved workman 'who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth' (2 Timothy 2:15).
"The word here translated 'who correctly handles' means 'one who goes for a goal.' Classical Greek writers used the word of road builders who cut their way straight through a forest to a predetermined location. The Septuagint (the first Greek translation of the Old Testament) used the word in the last phrase of Proverbs 3:6. 'In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight (direct you to the goal)."
"Paul contrasted good Bible study with the flawed methods of those who were 'quarreling about words,' which he said, 'is of no value, and only ruins those who listen' (2:14). Further, 'godless chatter'--mere discussion of the Bible without the goal of godliness--will make one become 'more and more ungodly' (2:16). Ironically, God's Word, when misused, can make us less and less like God!
"Paul therefore warns Timothy to 'flee the evil desires of youth' (2:22), a command that in context has little or nothing to do with youthful sexual desires. Paul rather had in mind the wrong-headed passion of the young and the immature to argue about meaning--'word-fight' is the term he coins. Those who mishandle God's Word in this way are workmen who ought to be ashamed.
"Instead of arguing about meaning, Timothy was to 'pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart' (2:22). In other words, he was to seek God and his goodness through the Book. To do so is to handle the Word correctly--to go straight to the goal.
"The purpose of Bible study is clear. It ought to produce worship and make us more and more like our Lord. To the extent that we read the Scriptures for that reason our Bible reading is valid; to the extent that we do not, it's nonproductive. Worse, it's counterproductive, making us less and less like our Lord. Thus the hymnist prayed:
"Beyond the sacred page, I seek Thee, Lord,
My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word."
(Pages 70-71)
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Difference A Bible Can Make
In the English edition of the communist China Daily a few days ago, a Christian college student in China tells the story of his conversion to Jesus Christ (www.chinadaily.com.cn/metro/2010-03/17/content_9602273.htm).
In the article, the young man says that he became a believer after he started reading a Bible which was given to him by a friend.
The Bible can change a life when it falls into the right hands, the hands of someone prepared by the Spirit of God to receive it.
If you have ever given away a Bible or donated to an organization that sends Bibles to others, you have provided someone with an important tool in finding God, finding one's purpose in life, and finding wisdom for living. Keep sharing. It can make a great difference in someone's life.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
(Thanks to the Desiring God blog for alerting me to the link to the news story.)
In the article, the young man says that he became a believer after he started reading a Bible which was given to him by a friend.
The Bible can change a life when it falls into the right hands, the hands of someone prepared by the Spirit of God to receive it.
If you have ever given away a Bible or donated to an organization that sends Bibles to others, you have provided someone with an important tool in finding God, finding one's purpose in life, and finding wisdom for living. Keep sharing. It can make a great difference in someone's life.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
(Thanks to the Desiring God blog for alerting me to the link to the news story.)
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