I am sure we have heard a lot on the "Lost Tomb of Jesus". The documentary which I have not seen myself has been upsetting some and not because it seemed to be true but the pathetic amateurish scholarship found there.
However, my gig is tangential to that. I am more and more getting convinced that in the same way that in Eph 2:8-9 says that faith is a gift, I am also convinced that believing in the testimony of Scripture alone.... is a gift too! What prompted me to entertain this idea is based on lessons I have learned from my friends who deny Sola Scriptura. However, today that idea got re-inforced when I listen to the excellent treatmeant of Pr. Tom Baker on his program Law and Gospel found here. In this program, Pr. (Dr.)Baker was reacting on the "Lost Tomb of Jesus". I highly recommend for your listening edification.
To jump ahead - the point is John 20:24-29. Pr. Baker says that he had no desire to appear rational to the world because our faith is foolishness to them, appealing to material evidence is a "milky" was of defending the faith. Rather, the lesson is found in Thomas' experience, in that passage there Jesus said to him - "blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe".
Come home now to where we live. We have no evidence that Jesus' death was for our sins, only Scripture says that. We were not there at that time and place. You find no proclamation of that except from Scripture. Hence, since believing the Gospel promise is a gift and since that promise is in Scripture alone and in no other evidence, then believing Scripture is a gift too, absolutely it is.
It is futile exercise to look for hope somewhere else or even withing what is in ourselves, if the Scripture promise does not suffice, nothing else will.
9 comments:
I discussed this a bit in a blog back in February - take a look at http://timstheologicaltoolbox.blogspot.com/2007/02/understanding-things-of-god.html when you have a chance.
Peace!
Thanks Tim,
I did visit and read. What you say there is insightful - thank you for blogging that piece.
Believing Scripture Alone becomes a necessary result when the Gospel has been apprehended. The heart of the Solas is indeed the Gospel - the Cross, all make sense only in the Gospel.
Thank God for his gifts!
The opposite of Scripture alone is the theory of evolution.
Yes Jim or doctrines not supported from scripture - ie opinions of men.
What's up Jim?b
Good post. An old confession I subscribe to, The 1689 London Baptist Confession, defines saving faith to include:
"By this faith a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God himself, and also apprehendeth an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world, as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations: and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed; and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come; but the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. (Acts 24:14; Psalms 27:7-10; Psalms 119:72; 2 Timothy 1:12; John 14:14; Isaiah 66:2; Hebrews 11:13; John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Galatians 2:20; Acts 15:11)"
I also think belief in the Scripute is a gift. Those that have gone before us believe the same.
J. K.
Thanks J.K,
I find that quote well in order. It seems to me that once the HS makes us realize that the work of Jesus Christ was for our behalf we then get directed to Scripture to believe what all it says using it as the source of faith and conduct.
I remember as a child I read the NT during Easter season ( I was an RC kid), never understood it because I was using it to gain favor with God.
Then after the Gospel, I returned to it with a different enthusiasm.
Lito,
did you see my blog?
www.declaredrighteousness.com
--Jim
Just got it now Jim, looking forward to some posts.
Numbers and letters are not unified.
Artificial inteligence goes no further than a decision tree program.
AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR
I am a scientist.
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