Do You Beat Your Wife? - Reformation21 Blog

Church history theologian Carl Trueman calls it true, man.

Do You Beat Your Wife? - Reformation21 Blog

On the threshold of a new year...

Nathan Busenitz offers a thought-provoking and helpful approach to our new years resolutions from a Biblical, Christian perspective.

I invite you to read his thoughts here: A New Year’s Top Ten List

His name...

Wonderful Counselor.

Mighty God.

Everlasting Father.

Prince of Peace.

Resurrection Prophecies

There was an excellent question during a recent meeting of the Men's Bible Fellowship group at my church. We were looking at the importance of the resurrection of Christ and the question was raised if the resurrection of Christ was prophesied in a similar fashion as his birth. I was able to spend some time researching the question and found the answer to be quite interesting and an opportunity for my own personal growth in understanding God's Word. 

In general, Christ's resurrection is not prophesied in the same way we think of many of the details of Christ's life and work, which are attested to in multiple passages in the Old Testament, amounting to dozens of prophecies.There is a very small number of clear references to Christ's resurrection in the OT, and even those are not as direct as other prophecies we are used to.  However, there are numerous prophecies from the lips of Jesus in the New Testament, prior to the crucifixion, that are crystal clear.

In my personal studies, I've fallen into the habit of thinking of messianic prophecy in terms of OT predictions given hundreds of years in advance of their fulfillment. This approach is short-sighted at best. The near-term, crystal-clear predictions from Jesus of His own resurrection are solid ground to stand on and give us sure hope in the One who has conquered death and is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Clear Old Testament References

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:8-11)

Psalm 16:8-11 is the single clearest prophecy concerning the resurrection of the Messiah.  It is identified by both Peter and Paul as such, in the following passages respectively:

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, "'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' (Acts 2:24-28)

And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, "'You are my Son, today I have begotten you.' And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' Therefore he says also in another psalm, "'You will not let your Holy One see corruption.' For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. (Acts 13:32-37)

Implicit OT References

The following passages may be taken as implicit references to the resurrection of Christ.  "Implicit" means that the resurrection of Christ may be seen through or behind the text, but it is not spelled out in so many words.  It may prove helpful to look at these verses in concert with a sound Bible commentary to help draw out the implications in each passage.

• Psalm 22:22 (referenced in Hebrews 2:12)
• Psalm 118:22-24 (referenced in Matthew 21:42)
• Isaiah 53:10
• Hosea 6:1-2
• Genesis 3:15
• 1 Samuel 2:6

Clear NT References

The following passages are clear prophecy given by Jesus prior to the crucifixion. He was no reluctant or accidental savior, but the righteous servant and Lord over all.

• Matthew 12:38-40 (the sign of Jonah)
• Matthew 16:21
• Matthew 17:9
• Matthew 17:23
• Matthew 20:19
• Matthew 26:32
• Matthew 27:63
• Mark 9:9
• Mark 9:31
• Mark 10:33-34
• Mark 14:58
• Luke 9:22
• Luke 18:31-33
• John 2:19-21

And so it occured precisely as Jesus said.  The resurrection of the Savior is crucial to the Christian religion.  Without it, preaching and faith are futile and we are still in our sins.  But oh, brothers and sisters, the tomb is empty! There is real forgiveness to be had from the gracious hand of our God and Savior.

The Atonement

John Murray's book Redemption--Accomplished and Applied has helped me repeatedly over the years.  Here is a shorter treatment of the atonement for your benefit.

"The atonement springs from the fountain of the Father’s love; He commends His own love towards us. We must not think, however, that the action of the Father ended with the appointment and commission of the Son. He was not a mere spectator of Gethsemane and Calvary. The Father laid upon His own Son the iniquities of us all. He spared not His own Son but delivered Him up. He made Him to be sin for us. It was the Father who gave Him the cup of damnation to drink. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Here is love supremely demonstrated." - John Murray

Theology Proper

Christ the Center presents Professor Oliphint who shares some interesting thoughts on theology proper and how the Infinite One relates with finite us.  Click here to listen to the discussion.

Your real life now

Pastor Byron Yawn writes, "My duty as a pastor is not to provide a sufficient answer when the broken human heart is demanding it. My duty is to describe a God who can be trusted as good even when there are no satisfactory answers."

Amen.

Reading with them new fangled whatchamajiggers

I had been considering getting an e-reader for a few months. I kept struggling with my love for paper, highlighters, and the mobility a book offers. This set me to thinking about how I might use an e-reader. Should I approach it as a general replacement for my library? Should I use it for a subset of my reading? What kind of functions should I look for? Is this another piece of technology that will absorb my time and energy on the tool itself, distracting me from the discipline of reading?

An e-reader must be simple. This decision led me away from all of the android palmtop computing devices. Computers have whittled my life away one CPU clock-cycle at a time. The last thing I need is another sparkly 'efficient computer' to efficiently kill my soul with distraction and gee whiziness.

An e-reader must come from a solid vendor. This decision steered me away from bargain basement readers which will prove to have no legs and even fewer titles. In my eyes, we're only talking about two possibilities at this point.  Amazon' s Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook. In general I think Amazon has the stronger business model and financial position.  Even so, there are no guarantees that your technology purchase of today will be viable 10 years from now, which leads to the next point.

An e-reader is not a wholesale replacement for printed books. Especially academic publications which continue to be referenced and useful for decades. Both the volatility of electronic media and the need to reference several works simultaneously render the e-reader an incomplete replacement for the printed book.

Based on these decisions, I purchased a bottom-end kindle and several non-academic titles, as well as dirt-cheap (but valuable as diamond-encrusted gold bars) puritan works. It has proven to be a transparent, convenient, usable and non-distracting tool which gives easy access to works that will feed my soul and shape me for years to come. I've also purchased a couple longer academic works to try test the waters, wading into entended treatments of Biblical Theology. In light of the realistic encouragement to be found in another recent post, I'm no longer stressed out to remember everything, to highlight every word, or to read every book ever published.  In retrospect, the touch-based model might have been a better choice, but either would prove serviceable. I don't pretend that I've figured all of the assumptions or impacts out, but am thankful for the tool and recommend it for your consideration.

A couple of thoughts on reading and writing

I'm a reader. I've written a few things. Over the years, there have been discouragements to both found in the oddest of places. Urban legends surrounding evangelical super-heroes kill my desire to read and write.  How so? Al Mohler has the library of Congress in his study, has memorized every book, and can reason and quote freely from any chosen discipline. I can't remember where I left my car keys. James White can write 15-page single-spaced replies to anonymous emails he receives in about 15 seconds.  It takes me four months to compose a 15 word post.  Jonathan Edwards is such a passionate writer who, even though he has been dead for a very long time, is still writing books today. I'm still breathing and struggle to communicate conviction to my closest friends,let alone getting it down clearly in black and white. D.A. Carson absorbs entire books in 2 page snippets read in the 'downtime' between each breath. I read and re-read a single page of Carson in the space of a day and still can't understand what he's saying.

If you're still standing on the plain looking up longingly at the heights of the evangelical Kilimanjaro, don't give up.  It is heartening to see reflections in the evangelical community that, shall we say, lighten the load a little for us mere mental midgets.

Douglas Wilson, realist.

That's my King!

JT posted a very inspiring little video.


That's My King! from Albert Martin on Vimeo.

A Brief History of Trinitarian Thought

The Trinity is a great doctrine which evangelicals would do well to spend more energy on (including myself).  As an encouragement for you, the following link will take you to an hour-long discussion on the history of Trinitarian thought, hosted by Reformed Forum.  The dialogue includes Dr. Carl Trueman, Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Seminary. This is an academic introduction so is a bit of heavy lifting at times. 

A description of the program and the audio can be found here.  Or you can jump directly to the audio file by clicking here.

HT: FBH

Pat Robertson, Alzheimer's, and Words That Cut

I thank God for Dr. Moore's response to the public idiocy displayed by Pat Robertson.

http://www.russellmoore.com/2011/09/15/christ-the-church-and-pat-robertson/

Against Heresies: When the Gospel gets personal

Martin Downes; pastor, author, and blogger of Against Heresies; preaches on Acts 24:24-27. When the Gospel gets personal. Pastor Downes breathes personality and life into the historic account of Paul and Festus and brings it home to us today.

One caveat. You may want to simply listen but not watch the video. The video shuttles between camera angles in a rapid-fire and distracting manner.

Heaven is for real - a book review

Friends,
There are so many books to read.  Some are good.  Some, not so much.  One very popular book in Christian bookstores now is called Heaven is for Real.  Please, do not judge this book by its cover, but rather, by its content.  Kevin Miller gives a thought-provoking review of this popular work.

New Sunday School Series Begins

After a summer hiatus enabled by Pastor Kevin Miller taking the helm of the adult Sunday School class, I return to teaching this wonderful group of souls.  We will be focusing on various aspects of Christ, using Kris Lundgaard's book Through the Looking Glass. 

The first lesson will be September 11, 2011.  The series will run approximately 4 months, taking us through the end of 2011.  Please stop by First Evangelical Free Church at 9am on Sunday mornings and join us.  We would love to have you.

For Our Friends in Australia

Coming to Brisbane, Australia in October 2011, an important debate on the nature of God.  I hope you will be able to attend.  I have known Dr. James White for many years and have learned much from him.  You will benefit from attending, listening, and contemplating the great truth of the Biblical Triune God which James will present.

A Personal Note

Dear Friends,

I am hopeful that the clouds are lifting and the extended hours I have had to invest recently at work are starting to level off to a more normal level.  That said, I will be helping at my home church with the young men's small group, as well as adult Sunday School teaching. I believe I will also be able to engage in some good reading and some writing. This is a positive development for me and I look forward to returning to more regular posting here.

A note from the trenches

Dear Readers,
Is there peace to be found in the midst of a busy time when it seems, as it were, that God sets you aside?  When you have precious little energy to devote to focused study & prayer and even less time, does the light go out?  Has God forgotten you?

I remain convinced that God is faithful.  His grace and mercy never run dry.  While the desert might seem harsh, He guides you there for a purpose.  Challenges and failures are tools in the Master's hand, molding you as He sees fit, purposefully and with great care.

Eaten alive

My job is consuming my life again.  I regret not being able to write but don't even have time to read.  I should be able to return to semi-regular posting at the beginning of 2012.

How to be a discerning reader

Here is a model for you to follow. "Do I wear Biblical glasses when reading?"

http://fefcsc.org/blog2/2011/06/27/review-heaven-is-for-real/