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Monthly Archives: May 2011
Slavery in the New Testament
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Dear Zion,
In our sermon series looking at God’s transforming grace in the book of Colossians, we note in chapter three, verse twenty-two: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything… Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly…” (Colossians 3:22; 4:1). Slaves?! Reading along about how the Lord wants us to live in the power of Christ’s resurrection (Col. 3:1-4), and how that power should transform our families (Col. 3:18-21), it can be jarring to come to these verses and hear the Apostle Paul talk about slavery. Why doesn’t Paul scream out against slavery? Is he condoning it? Why does Scripture speak this way? Continue reading
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Just In Case You Missed ‘Em
With the overwhelming influx of information available, discerning readers must become selective in what they give their time to read. Just in case you missed ’em, here are some links I found valuable, and hope you will also.
NYT: The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries
Being the husband of an amazing teacher, this issue strikes close to home. Why does the entertainment business (pro sports, musicians, Hollywood) command multi-billion dollar industries, but our most formative is nearly broke? I think R.C. Sproul once argued that educators’ compensation reveals a culture’s priorities.
Ligonier: What about “Church is boring?”
When we come into the presence of the Almighty, we come as embodied souls, and there is nothing boring about meeting with the Ancient of Days.
Michael Gerson critiques Ron Paul’s Libertarianism Continue reading
Calvin: Benefits from Justification for Children
Calvin wanted Christ’s little lambs to know the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and he wanted them to know that justification also provided:
- Sanctification – as distinguished from, but – inseparable with it
Master.But can this [imputed] righteousness be separated from good works, so that he who has it may be void of them?
Scholar. That cannot be. For when by faith we receive Christ as he is offered to us, he not only promises us deliverance from death and reconciliation with God [i.e., justification], but also the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which we are regenerated to newness of life [i.e., sanctification]; these things must necessarily be conjoined so as not to divide Christ from himself.
- Assurance of salvation
M. What advantage accrues to us from this forgiveness [which is, of course, included in justification]? Continue reading
Listening to Behold Our God and ready to dive into Bonhoeffer before bed
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Listening to Behold Our God and ready to dive into Bonhoeffer before bed!
After Prayers, Lie Cold
Arise my body, my small body, we have striven
Enough, and He is merciful; we are forgiven.
Arise small body, puppet-like and pale, and go,
White as the bed-clothes into bed, and cold as snow,
Undress with small, cold fingers and put out the light,
And be alone, hush’d mortal, in the sacred night,
-A meadow whipt flat with the rain, a cup
Emptied and clean, a garment washed and folded up,
Faded in colour, thinned almost to raggedness
By dirt and by the washing of that dirtiness.
Be not too quickly warm again. Lie cold; consent
To weariness’ and pardon’s watery element.
Drink up the bitter water, breathe the chilly death;
Soon enough comes the riot of our blood and breath.
C.S. Lewis, Poems (1964)
Harold Camping?
Here are some resources for thinking about Harold Camping’s “prediction” of the rapture on May 21, 2011, and the end of the world in October, 2011.
Godfrey – “The problem with Harold Camping is that he’s lost the Gospel. He’s lost Christ.”
Mohler: The End Is Near? The False Teaching of Harold Camping
Michael S. Rosenwald, “This Time, It’s for Real, Believers Say: Doomsday Coming This Month,” The Washington Post, Thursday, May 5, 2011.
Sproul Jr: Not a False Prophet, Just a Bad Exegete
“A Conversation with Harold Camping, Prophesier of Judgment Day,” New York Magazine, Wednesday, May 11, 2011.
Godfrey – Harold Camping and the End of the World – WSCal Valiant for Truth series
Riddlebarger – Old Issues with Camping
Needless to say, I’m not going to stop preparing my sermon for Sunday, May 22. I’ll try to get a comment here on Monday, just to check in!
Trees Don’t Weep or Ache or Shout
Don Paterson “Two Trees”
One morning, Don Miguel got out of bed
with one idea rooted in his head:
to graft his orange to his lemon tree. Continue reading
Brian J. Lund 