tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159677122024-03-13T14:09:41.835+11:00Extra Nos<br>
<br>
it is outside us<br>
<br>
<br>
recommended reading: try the devotionals first<br>
First time visitor? Click <a href="http://extranos.blogspot.com/search/label/for%20the%20visistor"> here first</a>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.comBlogger623125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-21625842528969558052024-02-20T19:00:00.007+11:002024-03-09T19:34:34.561+11:00Is There A Middle Way With UOJ?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1NL54vbjxuV7gSn5BZmnVFlzvn7wV3E2k0ImZNbwv1QhMvEF9U8n4IaHNXqiT3TrFRustegsL8xnMeN5U-eP9L2VZYUdCZBOEPoTNRRPCZAc5047H-mTFyKKzOMVhiEpndeXo_03FJqiIz7hASFNrD0T0TmlqBvYyNc97MafrmJm2IAu6sOdYnQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="249" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1NL54vbjxuV7gSn5BZmnVFlzvn7wV3E2k0ImZNbwv1QhMvEF9U8n4IaHNXqiT3TrFRustegsL8xnMeN5U-eP9L2VZYUdCZBOEPoTNRRPCZAc5047H-mTFyKKzOMVhiEpndeXo_03FJqiIz7hASFNrD0T0TmlqBvYyNc97MafrmJm2IAu6sOdYnQ" width="242" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>A few weeks ago, Pr Paul Rydecki (<a href="https://clministerium.org/" target="_blank">Confessional Lutheran Ministerium</a>) alerted me to his response to Pr Magnus Sørensen's (<a href="http://coelc.org/">COELC Superintendent</a>) paper of 2017 entitled "The Justification of Christ as the Efficient Cause of Our Justification - The Narrow Lutheran Middle in the Controversy on Universal Objective Justification". </p><p>Pr Magnus' associate, Pr Jake, a minister of COELC, gave me a link of this paper the first time it came out in 2017. Click the link <a href="https://www.academia.edu/34121363/The_Justification_of_Christ_as_the_Efficient_Cause_of_Our_Justification_The_Narrow_Lutheran_Middle_in_the_Controversy_on_Universal_Objective_Justification_2017_" target="_blank">here</a>. I had a read of this paper and shared it with other ones who also reject UOJ. There Magnus believe that the UOJers are wrong and the JBFA people who are anti-UOJers are wrong too. Somewhere there is a middle view that avoids the two oppossite views. Frankly, the only word that came out of me after reading it was the word - mixed up. I apologise for this word that seems unkind, but I only use it for lack of better word I could find. Now this opinion will not surprize, Magnus. He and I both know that we disagree in many issues and I was one time overjoyed when there were a couple of issues we agreed. In his paper, we will find a lot of historical context which traces how UOJ meant to be a good thing became bad. So many words have been invested to salvage a problematic teaching in the first place.The crux I think is in the use of this paper of Gerhard (and some from Calov). Specifically, this passage</p><p><span class="fontstyle0">͞</span><span class="fontstyle0"></span></p><blockquote><span class="fontstyle0">With respect to </span><span class="fontstyle2">the actual absolution from sin</span><span class="fontstyle0">. By delivering Christ into death for the sake of our sins, the </span>heavenly Father condemned sin in His flesh through sin (Rom. 8:3). He condemned it because it had sinned against Christ by bringing about His death, even though He was innocent, and so He withdrew from sin its legal right against believers so that it cannot condemn them any longer. He also condemned it, in that He punished our sins in Christ, which were imposed on Him and imputed to Him as to a bondsman. So also, by the very act of raising Him from the dead, He absolved Him from our sins that were imputed to Him, and consequently also absolves us in Him, so that, in this way, the resurrection of Christ may be both the cause and the pledge and the complement of our justification. The following passages pertain to this: 1 Cor. 15:17, 2 Cor. 5:21, Eph. 2:5, Col. 2:12-13, Phil. 3:8-10, 1 Pet. 1:3.</blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: red;">(<span class="fontstyle0">Gerhard, Johann, Paul A. Rydecki, and Rachel Melvin. </span><span class="fontstyle2">Annotations on the first six chapters of St. Pauls Epistle to the </span>Romans: in which the text is stated, troublesome questions are answered, observations are made, and passages that appear to be in conflict are reconciled as concisely as possible: with preface and general prolegomena on the Pauline <span class="fontstyle2">Epistles by the same author</span></span><span class="fontstyle0"><span style="color: red;">. Malone, TX: Repristination Press, 2014.</span>)</span></span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0">Pr Paul and I are known to each other through the Internet and it is of no mystery of course, that we agree with the judgement that UOJ is not in Scripture. Click his response<a href="https://www.godwithuslc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Response-to-Magnus-Sorenson-UOJ.pdf"> here</a>. On the side other resources are available to the reader <a href="https://www.godwithuslc.org/documents/">here</a></span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Pr Rydecki relayed in his paper the great analogy of how OT atonement worked and how in the NT this is exactlty the same as what happens to Christ! I thought this was very insightful, useful and quite edifying. I suggest the reader take a good cue from that exposition.</li><li>As normally happens in Modern Lutheranism, people appeal to an authority and in this case the authority chosen is Gerhard. I note that Gerhard was not a BoC author, in fact, he was post-Concordian. Meaning, he came to the scene after the BoC. So, what is left when people argue by authority and not by Scripture as prima facie evidence? People wind up spending tons of energy exegeting what the "authority" said - energy meant for the Bible is diverted to energy finding support for one's theory from what an authority said. <a href="https://extranos.blogspot.com/2014/02/c-f-w-walther-uoj-theologian-with-no.html">This is a very Waltherian tradition. Walther was a citation theologian.</a></li><li>In the quote above of Gerhard, just by reading, he was addressing the believers, is this not correct? So, how does one take those possessive pronouns like our there? Is this for the whole world? In fact Gerhard used the word 'believer' you can read it there. </li><li>Some try to defend the Sørensen paper's UOJ by appealing to Hebrews 7 and 8. This is like grasping at the straws, a kind of hallugenic exegesis, ie seeing things that are not there.</li><li>The paper in my mind, upholds the authority of Scripture versus popular so-called Lutheran Fathers. <a href="https://extranos.blogspot.com/2023/12/first-argue-form-scripture-not-boc.html">See here and realize even the BoC says this</a>. I side with Rydecki, Gerhard's use of bondsman is not an analogy found in Scripture. The bondsman concept is not found in Romans 4:25. Gerhard was of course trying to be helpful but importing a concept not even in the text does not honor the text but obscures it. In the OT atonement, the sacrificial animal is never treated and does not even come to view, of it being a guarantor. We should not be surprized if a Lutheran theologian in the past, mis-speak, after all they were humans too. Besides who has declared them to be infallible? </li></ol><div>Personally I find Pr Paul Rydecki's paper a great service. I am glad he wrote it. </div><div>So, the answer to the question, is there a middle way with UOJ? Answer: NO</div><div>I join Pr Paul in prayer that Pr Magnus might abandon the project of trying to prop up a problematic language on justification. It is not worth it because, its Biblical evidence is weak if not missing.<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-small;"><i>(I heard Pr Magnus has got a modification of his 2017 paper - I'd rather hear it retracted)</i></span></div><p></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><br /></span></p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-80903796588082173902024-02-05T12:55:00.003+11:002024-02-05T12:55:47.097+11:00Semper Virgo and Confessional Commitment<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibwAL66p1BEX4nDeRmhN_lFk4QrvTpnPi4JCv1Sk6U_6aQVsS7nP1Pn0d-hDezsu9WHojy4jlb3JRnskgQ6H_q_SBP86RTf5gf1hsyLmQPhdxWvgI1OZfrfInm738xWeGW_A_nqUv5Fq6yZmDuOOdyFQxJMgntRN_WOO64oH8fb3spYKXpoqkiug" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="760" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibwAL66p1BEX4nDeRmhN_lFk4QrvTpnPi4JCv1Sk6U_6aQVsS7nP1Pn0d-hDezsu9WHojy4jlb3JRnskgQ6H_q_SBP86RTf5gf1hsyLmQPhdxWvgI1OZfrfInm738xWeGW_A_nqUv5Fq6yZmDuOOdyFQxJMgntRN_WOO64oH8fb3spYKXpoqkiug" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br />Sempler
Virgo</i> (Latin for always virgin) is the teaching that the Virgin Mary was a
virgin, before, during and after giving birth to Jesus all the way to heaven. Some
think this is founded on Scriptural text. Others admit that the Scripture
evidence is not decisive, and to believe she maintained her virginity until her
death, can be tolerated as pious belief. No doubt, one’s belief in this
assertion has nothing to do with one’s justification or salvation. Your eternal
destiny has nothing to do with your belief or not in the semper virgo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is peripheral to one’s discipleship as a Christian.
<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It may
however impact one’s commitment to a denomination’s hollowed confessional
document. I will get to this below but first let’s deal with Scriptural arguments
for pro semper virgo and the contra semper virgo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Pro</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is no
doubt readily available to the reader of the NT, that the Gospels speak of
Jesus as having brothers and sisters. The NT Greek used is </span><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">(</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Greek language"><span style="background: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Greek</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">: </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text">ἀδελφοί</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Greek" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Romanization of Greek"><span style="color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">translit.</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language romanization">adelphoí</span></i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literal_translation" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Literal translation"><span style="color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">lit.</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> "of the same womb")</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. We see this suggestion in the
sample verses: Mk 6:3, Mt 13:55, Mk 3:35, Mt 12:46, Mk 3:31-35, Mt 12:46-50, Lk
8:19-21, Acts 1:14 and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Pro camp
has explained that this usage of <i>adelphoi </i>did not mean the literal
physical brothers/sisters of Christ, but they are next of kin, and it is a
figurative usage. It is even suggested that these people were cousins of Jesus.
Some also suggest that they were stepbrothers of Jesus from Joseph’s previous
wife who was then deceased prior to him meeting Mary. For a good summary of the pro position, see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_of_Jesus" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Con</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Historians
have noted that the suggestion of the perpetual virginity of Mary was first
observed in a document called<span style="background-color: red;"><i> proto-evangelium of James</i></span>, or the Gospel of James (2nd Century).
Prior to the papacy, this idea was condemned by Pope Innocent I and Pope Gelasius
of the Roman Church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The argument
that Jesus’ “brothers” were actually stepbrothers/sisters of Jesus has to find
its justification extra-biblically so, most likely this line of argument will
be deemed by critics as something that can be laid aside. The only one standing
strongly for the semper virgo is that Jesus’ brothers are his cousins.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now, here I
bear my research out. I believe the weight of Scripture evidence is against semper
virgo for the following reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No
one in the pro position, as far as I have not seen, any exposition on what it
was for Joseph to ‘know’ Mary in Mt 1:25 - </span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">and </span><sup data-fn="#fen-NKJV-23170i" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-23170i" title="See footnote i">i</a>]" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt+1&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23170i" style="box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;" title="See footnote i"><span style="color: #4a4a4a;">i</span></a>]<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">[he] </span></span></sup><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">did not know her till she
had brought forth </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">her</span></i><i><sup data-fn="#fen-NKJV-23170j" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-23170j" title="See footnote j">j</a>]" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt+1&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23170j" style="box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;" title="See footnote j"><span style="color: #4a4a4a;">j</span></a>]</span></sup></i><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> firstborn Son. And he called His name </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Jesus</span></span></span></span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span> Here to <b>know</b> is not a stand-in for
information. Bible translations that follow the KJV tradition mean to imply knowing
a person, is to know that person intimately. We can see this how the people of Sodom and Gomorrah urged
Lot to bring out his guests so they might “know” them. Gen 19:5.<b><sup> </sup></b><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men
who came to you tonight? </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Bring them out to us that we </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">may <b>know</b> them </span></i></span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">carnally</span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">.</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">In other
words, using this euphemism, it suggests that Joseph did have intimate
relationship with her after Jesus was born, not before birth of Jesus for sure
but after his birth, thus making the mention of brothers of Jesus as half-brothers,
ie children of Joseph and Mary, sensible. This verse is skipped by the pro position
or ignored.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">The brothers as cousins idea does not cut it too.
The word for cousin in NT Greek is </span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Palatino Linotype",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ἀνεψιός</span>, <i>anephios. </i><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Scholars believe that to name a person a cousin
of so and so, NT Greek speakers can also say ‘<i>so and so, the son of …</i>’.
This phrasing is readily available to be used but this was not used to describe
these relatives of Jesus, <i>anephios</i> was never used</span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Palatino Linotype",serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">Another
idea is the way the KJV translates </span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Palatino Linotype",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">συγγενεῖς</span> -<i>syngeneis</i><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Palatino Linotype",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – </span><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">relatives as cousins. This word again is
readily available – St Luke’s Gospel used this word a couple of times, but did not use it if the
truth is that these are Jesus’ cousins. Yet, St Luke used brothers – see Luke 8:20-21.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">Because of the above couple of points and the
balance of probability of language usage, they mitigate against the belief that
the Virgin Mary remained a virgin after Jesus was born.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So now we come to the issue of one’s
confessional subscription. What is its implication to you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Aptos; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you are Lutheran, then you must
contend with this issue. If you believe in <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessional_Lutheranism">quia</a></i> subscription to the Book
of Concord, it includes the Smalcald Articles and there in Luther’s own writing
in Latin – Part I, Article 4, <i>and (the Son) was born of the pure, holy, and
ever Virgin Mary.</i> Some Smalcald translations do it his way:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: #FAEBD0; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">and was born of the pure, holy
[and always] Virgin Mary</span>. <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I do not know why they have to bracket this part, is it because there is
a German version of Smalcald that does not have this?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Aptos; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If
you are Calvinistic/Reformed, your confession says this as well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2<sup>nd</sup> Helvetic Confession, Chapter XI
has this part referring to our Lord …</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">but was
most chastely conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the </span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: red; line-height: 115%;">ever-virgin
</span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">Mary</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">. Calvin also believed in the semper virgo, in fact, this statement is just an echoing of his Mariology. Calvin believed in the cousin argument.</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>During the Reformation, the Reformers were dealing with the major reform issues at that time - it is Justification and so they did not have enough time to bother with and re-visit secondary issues. They went along with some unquestioned (at that time) side beliefs. They had a bigger fish to fry - how is a man made right with God.</span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a constant challenge to a person who is following Jesus and this is right there until he is taken home by his Lord - will he follow His Word where ever it may lead him?</span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-66010580056692552332024-01-03T14:24:00.000+11:002024-01-03T14:24:16.244+11:00What a Christian Disciple can learn from Mathematicians<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1219382595/vector/math-equations-written-on-a-blackboard.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=ShVWsMm2SNCNcIjuWGtpft0kYh5iokCzu0aHPC2fV4A=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="612" height="382" src="https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1219382595/vector/math-equations-written-on-a-blackboard.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=ShVWsMm2SNCNcIjuWGtpft0kYh5iokCzu0aHPC2fV4A=" width="326" /></a></div>My real formal training was in Math. I do have an earned PhD in it and I must say from a reputable university too ( it is now in the top 50 of world rankings). I did have some theological education from a university (not seminary) on Religious Studies where I configured my program to study the Biblical Languages. However, this is only for 2 years or so. <div><br /></div><div>I have more years doing computer science and math studies; probably more than 10+ years all together.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mathematicians build models. A model is a mechanism, ie a structure whose aim is to describe a phenomena that happens in the world. These models may be composed of objects and if you are an applied mathematician (there are two types, applied and pure - I belong to the latter), it has systems of equations. For pure mathematicians, our models are varied and we use the word 'model' more fluidly. In a nutshell - it will have objects, some rules, it is more abstract - so we have theories - like set theory/number theory/algebraic theory etc etc. What we can do with a model is ask it to predict or we can interrogate it and reason with it and it comes back with an answer.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let say there is a phenomena P we want to model the said phenomena. Now various mathematicians will approach P in their own style and insight and they will come up with various models. So, we can have several models - we can call them M<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1, </span>M<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2, </span>M<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3 </span>etc. Now which one should we choose?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, the one you MUST/SHOULD choose is the model that has the most explanatory power. In other words it is the model which is a depiction of the world that explains and reasons about as many questions you can make on it.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a famous Christian mathematician from Britain, named Prof Dr John Lennox of Oxford. You can hear Lennox saying you should believe in God, why? Because to posit the existence of God explains our world, our life, death, existence etc It provides the highest explanatory power besides it also common sensical to believe God exists too.</div><div><br /></div><div>We can apply this in theology. For example we have the Bible and the world. We draw theology from the Bible - these theologies work like the mathematician's models. We can look at these theologies as models - they offer an explanation what is being described by the Bible in relation to the world.</div><div>So, which theology should we work from? Well, the one that offers the highest explanatory power within the confines of Scripture. In Christianity there are many schools of thought, Calvinism, Arminianism, Lutheranism, those w no school name, Covenantal Theology, Testamental Theology etc - you name it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which one should one take seriously? The one that produces and describes extensively the Biblical data.</div><div><br /></div><div>But note, Justification By Faith Alone - is the hub all of one's theology. When the central article of the Christian faith is weakened or results in an assault, something went wrong. </div><div><br /></div><div>Personally, I worry less on Systematic Theology, I prefer and give priority to Biblical/Exegetical Theology. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-86256978109074076262023-12-25T20:54:00.002+11:002023-12-25T20:54:38.060+11:00Sometimes Christmas is “boring”.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Adoration_of_the_sheperds_-_Matthias_Stomer.jpg/330px-Adoration_of_the_sheperds_-_Matthias_Stomer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="330" height="223" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Adoration_of_the_sheperds_-_Matthias_Stomer.jpg/330px-Adoration_of_the_sheperds_-_Matthias_Stomer.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I am sure you got a bit of shock at me, a confessing
Christian saying that. That sounds unbecoming, doesn’t it? Further my family
will be surprised too at me saying this – because I taught my kids some Christmas
traditions which I got from my mother and grandparents. As young boy, I looked
forward to Christmas Eve the time we celebrate it because where I grew up, I
was surrounded by cousins, and it was a lot of fun when the older ones help in
what mom and grandma were cooking – and we did have plenty of food. Some of our
dishes we only cook exclusively during Christmas Eve, and you do not have them
unless it is Christmas or very special occasion. So, wait – do not judge the blog
post by its title. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yeah, it is strange for me to say Christmas is “boring”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I get bored with the commercialization of Christmas and how
the world pushes us to focus on the buying of products so that we can give
gifts. In a sense of course, giving is part of Christian virtue. However, today
in the West, we are driven to buy many products which are probably going to be
kept in the closet unused. It becomes a problem as to what gift you think you
should buy for your relatives and friends because you wonder what it is, they still
do not have. Also, feasting produces stress and pressure too, the preparation heightens
tiredness and thins the patience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, all of these are FB photo opportunities to post on our FB, but if we be
honest – it feels empty. At least that is how I sometimes feel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It feels empty because we allowed the commercial companies
to high jack our precious meaning of OUR Christmas. Did you know that retail
companies obtain 30% of their yearly revenue at Christmas time. Try taking away
Christmas and you got a fight in front of you, these companies will side with
Christians, I can predict – and it is because they get money out of Christmas.
Just imagine if we stop celebrating Christmas like we do now – how many tree
planters go out of business, how many groceries will struggle, how many
butchers will have a dull year, how many people will not have a job! We have
allowed the commercial world to dictate to us how we ought to celebrate Christmas
and I rebel against that. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can tell you this was not how the early Christians
celebrated Christmas. To them Christmas was the birth of their King.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 2:11<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto;">Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ
the Lord!</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christmas to the
early Christians had to do with Sin and Salvation. I read they spend time
reflecting and repenting. Repenting? That is something the companies don’t know
about – focus on the products and the good time. Careful what we teach our
children, we might be building the character of entitlement in them by leading
them to expect presents and tons of them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The early Christians celebrated the simplicity of the gift –
the Lord in the flesh – It is all about Jesus. It is not about the presents –
it is about the person – Jesus. The real gift of God to us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JyiVsMOBv24" width="320" youtube-src-id="JyiVsMOBv24"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-23113513157706705042023-12-14T17:50:00.003+11:002023-12-16T10:26:44.525+11:00If you are an anti-Calvinist, you must be Arminian? Huh?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/James_Arminius_2.jpg/220px-James_Arminius_2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="220" height="285" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/James_Arminius_2.jpg/220px-James_Arminius_2.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div><span style="color: red;">[Updated - Dec 16, 2023]</span></div><div><br /></div>There is a common misconception in Evangelicalism that when you write or say something against Calvinism - aha, you must be an Arminian.<p></p><p>Calvinists assume this to be so. In fact, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arminianism">Arminians</a> think this to be so too! They think you are one of them when you oppose Calvinism.</p><p>What a false dichotomy fallacy! </p><p>This post is meant to correct this impression - by tracing the situation via history.</p><p>Calvinists are quite quick to assume that there is no one else who opposes them except Arminians. Arminius we can recall was the Reformed minister who kicked back against 5 points of Calvinism.</p><p><br /></p><p>For example, let's take R. H. Lenski - a famous Lutheran NT Scholar well respected by other non-Lutheran who wrote a compelling commentary on Romans 9, which rejects and assails the way Calvinists interpret this to support their decretal/unconditional predestination. Many recognize the formidability of Lenski as an NT Exegete that even the Calvinist Apologist Dr. James White had to write a rebuttal of Lenski's exegesis proving Calvinists exegesis wrong <a href="https://www.aomin.org/aoblog/reformed-apologetics/a-reformed-response-to-the-comments-of-r-c-h-lenski-on-romans-9/">here</a>. </p><p>Some Calvinist mis-identity Lenski as Arminian - see that <a href="https://www.puritanboard.com/threads/what-arminian-authors-do-you-respect-the-most.2035/">here</a></p><p>Furthermore, Arminians love to take Lenski as their own, since he fought Calvinism. In fact even US Synodical Lutherans from LC-MS/WELS/ELS etc who hate Lenski because he rejects their<b> Universal Objective Justification</b>, label him to be Arminian too, not Lutheran! </p><p>Arminianism is a boogey man word. If you want to denigrate a theological opponent, just identify the person as Arminian! Calvinists often resort to straw-man propaganda labelling them as Pelagians or Semi-Pelagians which Arminius, a highly researched theologian, was unlikely to be unfamiliar with these positions. </p><p>Needless to say, Lenski a well respected NT Exegete from the Lutheran camp is loved by Arminians to point as their champion too. See the Theology section of the Wiki article about Lenski <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_C._H._Lenski">here</a>, where there are those who identify him as Arminian.</p><p>I read most of R H Lenski's commentary and I don't think he will appreciate being mislabeled and not thought about as Lutheran.</p><p>I had a discussion with someone of an Arminian persuasion and I was puzzled why by history and shear evolution of thought why there is reluctance to give credit to where credit is due - that Arminius must have been influence of those who went before - the Lutherans.</p><p>Thankfully, I was helped by Arminians who do credit the Lutherans who influenced Arminius with proofs I link below. HT: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2415913188630276/user/554100189/">Andrew David</a></p><p>If you are one of those who would like to make Arminius as an original thinker, here are the facts:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Lutherans have been opposed to Calvinism even before the Arminians came to the scene. The earliest opposition from Lutherans that can be traced is from 1570.</li><li>The Lutherans wrote about Calvinism even before the Book of Concord was signed - 1580.</li><li>Jakob Andrea, a co-editor of the BoC cross "swords" with Theodore Beza, who was Arminius' senior in the university where Arminius studied.</li><li>Jacob Arminius came to the scene in 1610, that is 1 generation away from 1570.</li><li>Jacob Arminius claimed that he was influenced by a Danish Lutheran - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niels_Hemmingsen">Neils Hemmingsen</a> and read the writings of Melanchton the author of Augsburg Confession. Here are references to this connection:</li><ol><li> <a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2014/05/something-for-arminius-geeks/?fbclid=IwAR0jbpTF-2TAJA3-wvlH_bcVMTbR2iH5H2lDojtU3XPJvmEY0fl_BVRbBHY">Something for Arminius Geeks</a></li><li><a href="https://evangelicalarminians.org/abner-f-hernandez-prevenient-grace-jacobus-arminius/?fbclid=IwAR1vTbTSxk3ddMWAV3xyv2ScBFjg1YFxN9FqJQWquOuOMit_YlUdfYTznnY"> The Doctrine of Prevenient Grace in the Theology of Jacobus Arminius</a></li></ol></ol><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-64621164350200906322023-12-11T10:13:00.002+11:002023-12-11T14:41:46.580+11:00First, argue from Scripture not from your Confession<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Concordia%2C_Dresden_1580_-_fba.jpg/220px-Concordia%2C_Dresden_1580_-_fba.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="220" height="352" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Concordia%2C_Dresden_1580_-_fba.jpg/220px-Concordia%2C_Dresden_1580_-_fba.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>I spoke to a prominent pastor the other day. He said that he does not go anymore to those FB discussion forums and do not engage in those forums anymore. The reason? He said, they do not prove their position from Scripture. Rather, they quote what some Reformation Fathers said and so on. Thus, no exposition from Scripture as to why their position is sound and reasonable. This is a fallacious position to be in, because this is arguing from authority as if that authority is not human and infallible like us. In Latin, it is called <i>argumentum ab auctoritatis</i>.<p></p><p>This is frustrating because it is no trying to convince you of what Scripture directly says but rather what some teacher in the past that enjoyed respect says. Hence, the argument goes this way - <i>he ( the so called Father) believed so and so, therefore, you should believe in so and so, like me</i>.</p><p>In the Book of Concord (BoC) we have this in FC, SD X, </p><p><br /></p><p>Comprehensive Summary, Foundation, Rule and Norm (Source: https://bookofconcord.org/solid-declaration/rule-and-norm/ )</p><p><br /></p><p>1.<b> First [, then, we receive and embrace with our whole heart] the Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the pure, clear fountain of Israel, which is the only true standard by which all teachers and doctrines are to be judged.</b> (Source: https://bookofconcord.org/solid-declaration/rule-and-norm/#sd-ruleandnorm-0003 )</p><p><br /></p><p>If you are true to your so called confession, that you confess the BoC, then quoting the BoC first is something you should not do, rather you need to prove from Scripture first and judge it from all teachings and doctrines. By this, the BoC writers submitted themselves under the authority of Scripture. So, should you.</p><p>Yet some hold their confession like the BoC as another "scripture" as another Talmudic book. It is a misuse of this document and an abuse as well.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-45384781671031952792023-10-24T23:44:00.003+11:002024-01-06T18:05:20.438+11:00Intuitu Fidei, once more<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Johann_Gerhard.jpg/220px-Johann_Gerhard.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="220" height="259" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Johann_Gerhard.jpg/220px-Johann_Gerhard.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><p>In this post, we will have some more clarifying statements as to what this phrase further means. To get the Scriptural context why this blog agrees with the ideas embedded in this phrase, you can find the justification in this post <a href="https://extranos.blogspot.com/2019/03/intuitu-fidei-is-just-alright-with-me.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Aside from <span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-size: 13.524px;">2 Thes 2:13-14</span> </p><p><span class="versenum" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">13 </span><i><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">But we are </span><span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-29675a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-29675a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thes+2%3A13&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-29675a" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">from the beginning </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">chose you for salvation </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">through </span><span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-29675b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-29675b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thes+2%3A13&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-29675b" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth</span></i></p><p><br /></p><p>We have also 1 Peter 1:2 </p><p><i><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">elect </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">in sanctification of the Spirit, for </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">obedience and </span></i><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i>sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ</i>:</span> </p><p><br /></p><p>We have a curious phrase here which is both used by St Peter and St Paul in their writings - <i>through sanctification of/by the Spirit</i>. What could this mean? I suggest that to be sanctified in the Spirit is to have faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins - John 15:26 says He is the spirit of truth and Jesus says sanctification is by God's Truth - the Word - John 17:17 and faith only comes through the word of Christ ie Law and Gospel.</p><p>Intuitu Fidei (IF) stand for <i>in view of faith</i>. This is a quick thumb slogan which sometimes is bound to be misunderstood. This position says God elects us <i>in view of faith. </i>Some Arminians think that this means we are elected for the sake of faith ( faith per se or itself as a thing). This is not what Evangelical Lutherans mean, ie the Old Orthodox Lutherans. Properly speaking they actually want to say <i><b>in view of Christ's merit apprehended by faith</b></i>. By this they mean to say that we are not elect by virtue of faith itself, but that which faith hangs on which is the merit of Christ ie the work and person of Christ to which faith grasps. They want to say that faith is not a meritorious property in us, but it is an instrumental cause, it grasps what is promised by the Gospel in which it addresses the demands of the Law. This is the same as what happens in Justification happens in Election/Predestination.</p><p>Because Justification and Predestination are two sides of the same coin of Salvation, we cannot have the first to be by faith and the latter to be without faith, meaning without condition ie by decree or decreetal unconditional election. The two will contradict and will rob us of the comfort of the Gospel. If it happens to be illogical only because it is contrary to the whole teaching of Scripture on the subject. IF thus say that means Election in this sense is conditioned on faith in Christ. Thus this negated decreetal/unconditional election. The best passage alluded by Calvinists for this unconditional election is in Romans 9, yet the whole argument of St Paul there pertains to the people of Israel not for every individual per se. In fact we never see in Scripture Esau serving Jacob, in fact it was reverse in that Jacob prepared gifts to his brother Jacob, even referring to himself as his servant. We see Edom, the descendants of Esau indeed subservient to Israel. Clearly as given above 1 Peter 1:2 along w Romans 8:28-29, God's foreknowledge comes first prior to predestination/election. This is something that is missed in the study of this subject.</p><p>Incidentally, many out of ignorance and specially Calvinists themselves and modern Evangelicals today think that if someone opposes Calvinism, he/she must be an Arminian. Let's correct this ignorance. For example, the famous Lutheran NT Scholar and respected Exegete - R H Lenski who was definitely anti-Calvinist, is often mis-identified as Arminian, of which of course, Arminians love to own him too. Not true.</p><p>Arminianism sprouted as a reaction to Supralapsarian Calvinism of Besa roughly 1610. The Lutherans have been rejecting Calvinism much earlier than that about 1550. In fact Arminius gave a hint that he might have been influenced in his ideas by a Danish Lutheran, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niels_Hemmingsen" target="_blank">Niels Hemingsen</a>. This is the reason why I often suggest that Arminius must have picked up much of the critique of Calvinism from Lutherans.</p><p>The point of IF is that election is IN Christ, or if you will the Lord Jesus is the Elect One/ the Chosen One. That is where it happens. Since no one is in Christ unless we have faith IN Him then faith is the instrument of Election as it is the same instrument for Justification.</p><p>This is best articulated by Johann Gerhard (emphasis mine).</p><p></p><blockquote><p>The good pleasure of the will of God according to which election took place, does not exclude Christ. Because Christ does not become ours except <i>through faith</i> (<i>in his Gospel</i>) therefore, the consideration of faith is a constituent part of election.</p><p>...</p><p>...</p><p>To teach that the view of faith is a constituent part of the decree of election is not Pelagianism, for the Pelagians taught that election took place according to foreseen faith as <i>a certain merit</i> and <i>as a work of natural powers of freewill</i>, in which sense our pious (<i>Lutheran</i>) fathers when disputing with Pelagians justly <i>denied</i> that election took place <i>for the sake of faith or from faith</i>. But we teach that faith is a gracious gift of God and not a merit <i><b>but a means through which we appropriate Christ for whose sake election took place</b></i></p></blockquote><p><i><b></b></i></p><p><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-small;"><i>Reference: I believe I took this from R H Lenski's part of Errors in Missouri book. Apologies for not tracking the specifics of this.</i></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-78588862680899359782023-10-10T15:28:00.000+11:002023-10-10T15:28:26.541+11:00Reformed, did you know the origin of this term?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/John_Calvin_Museum_Catharijneconvent_RMCC_s84_cropped.png/220px-John_Calvin_Museum_Catharijneconvent_RMCC_s84_cropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="220" height="306" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/John_Calvin_Museum_Catharijneconvent_RMCC_s84_cropped.png/220px-John_Calvin_Museum_Catharijneconvent_RMCC_s84_cropped.png" width="220" /></a></div>Did you know that the word "<b>reformed</b>" was used by the BoC as another label meant to describe the original Evangelical reformers?<p></p><p>Yes, if we look into the Book of Concord we will see it being owned by the Evangelicals (and by this term, the Lutherans, who in the first place did not call themselves, Lutherans, but Evangelicals).</p><p>This is taken from the Triglota version of the BoC. Namely, in the chapter named - Formula of Concord - Solid Declaration, Rule and Standard look at paragraph 5]3...</p><p><span class="fontstyle0">"...we confess also </span><span class="fontstyle2">the First</span><span class="fontstyle0">, </span><span class="fontstyle2">Unaltered Augsburg Confession </span><span class="fontstyle0">as our symbol for this time, not because it was composed by our theologians, but because it has been taken from God’s Word and is founded firmly and well therein, precisely in the form in which it was committed to writing, in the year 1530, and presented to the Emperor Charles V at Augsburg by some Christian Electors, Princes, and Estates of the Roman Empire as a common confession of the <b>reformed</b> churches, whereby<b> our reformed churches </b>are distinguished from the Papists and other repudiated and condemned sects and heresies, after the custom and usage of the early Church, whereby succeeding councils, Christian bishops and teachers appealed to the Nicene Creed, and confessed it [publicly declared that they embraced it]".</span><br style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /></p><p><span class="fontstyle0">The word Reformed was referred by Lutherans to themselves. Now I wonder what happened that they lost that label? By history then, this is the first label high jacked from them. Looks like there is always a habit of originating helpful concepts in theology and then relinquishing them to those who disagreed with them.</span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0">For example, the "<i>solas</i>" were coined by Lutherans first. Then the others who rally against RCC, have adopted these "<i>solas</i>", though badly mis-applied and mis-understood. <br /></span></p><p>The last one, the word Evangelical. This is now lost out of the Lutherans. Yet, this is the preferred term they self-identified with. Today, Lutherans now negate and deny they could have happened if the Lutherans in an irenic manner, engaged with non-denominational Christians who identified themselves as "Evangelicals" and taught them what that means. Unfortunately they are not looked at by Lutherans as Christians that need to work with. Rather, the Lutherans blame and demonize them. Rather than influencing them, Lutherans, retreated into their mud puddle. This a bit sad, because like an Older/Big Brother, Lutherans could have been a great lead in the growth of Western Protestant movement. To go back to the "solas", we all know non-Lutherans are puzzled why Lutherans can teach "sola fide'" and yet assert "baptism saves". They do not know how these two are compatible. Perhaps had the Lutherans been out going to modern-day "evangelicals" by first considering them as Christians needing leadership and understanding, something like what the first disciples through Priscilla and Aquila (see Acts 18:26) did to Apollos, perhaps things would have been different.</p><p>Thanks for hearing me talk out loud.</p><p><span style="color: #7f6000; font-size: x-small;"><i>Heads-Up: In the next posts, the Lord willing - I will do a series of clarification on "Intuitu Fide" and further critique of Walther/Waltherianism.</i></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-37421562887124086932023-09-06T11:57:00.001+10:002023-09-06T12:04:51.109+10:00Being infected by Neo-Lutheranism<div class="separator"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/CFWWaltherCutout.JPG/220px-CFWWaltherCutout.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-indent: -24px;">N</a><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/CFWWaltherCutout.JPG/220px-CFWWaltherCutout.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="220" height="271" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/CFWWaltherCutout.JPG/220px-CFWWaltherCutout.JPG" width="220" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Neo-Lutheranism,
which we will define later, is still going on in those who identify themselves
as Lutheran today. To know if you have been infected by it, it is more
interesting to test yourself honestly how you would answer the checklist
questions below.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you/your pastor, romanticize the
past? Is there nostalgia, the longing, the sigh that everything good about Christianity
happened in the past? This is akin to thinking of the life of your parents when
they lived the happy days of 1930-1960 when things were pristine and simple but
do this now to your faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you/your pastor, get into vestment
debates? Is there quibbling when it came to the proper attire to use when
mounting the pulpit or taking the divine service? Is the alb to be preferred
over the Geneva gown?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you/your pastor treat the Book of
Concord as another authoritative Scripture? Yet your pastor confesses more than
what is in the BoC eg like getting into the proper view of church fellowship w
other Lutherans or non-Lutheran Christians?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you/your pastor rally over the
proper form of the liturgy? Do they quibble with the way a section of it is
worded or sequenced ie the concern for the form/formality rather than what is
going on in the heart? Another example of this is arguing or insisting what is
clearly Scripturally an adiaphora, a non-adiaphora.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you/your pastor emphasize the
Sacraments over the exposition of the Word? Normally this happens when the
pastor preaches on a text that speaks no where of Baptism or the Lord’s Supper
and then suddenly, he inserts either of these in his sermon. Another, are you
ok with your pastor preaching abysmal sermons (or no sermons at all) so long as
you get the Lord’s Supper for Sunday?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you/your pastor treat your Synod
as the visible church? Is there comfort/confidence you are in the right group? Do
you think the distinction between visible and invisible church is not important?
This is demonstrated in not emphasizing conversion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Additionally, as my observation, do
you/your pastor emphasize Universal Objective Justification – the belief that
all (whatsoever) are already declared forgiven/justified in Christ 2000 years
ago, without reference to repentance/faith etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you have been brutally truthful in answering these questions with a “YES”,
then I am afraid you have been infected by Neo-Lutheranism to a smaller or
greater degree. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Is it bad? Look at the above questions, are they Biblical positions to
stand on? The Bible tells us to pick the good and throw the bad but anything
that seemed good done in extreme to the detriment of other good things becomes
excessively bad too. Scripture should limit how far we go. St Paul says to test
everything and hold fast to what is good, which implies drop what is bad, see 1
Thes 5:21.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Lutheranism">Neo-Lutheranism</a>
is a movement back in 19<sup>th</sup> century which is a reaction to
rationalism and pietism. Sometimes this is called <b>German-Puseyism</b>. What
happened to Anglicanism has happened to Lutheranism when the Oxford Movement
came to the first. It is still happening as we speak.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Movement">The Oxford
Movement’s</a> aim is to align Anglicanism to the Roman Catholic Church because
it has become too plain or ordinary, the famous proponent of this is John Henry
Newman, which as we have seen eventually went to being a Roman Catholic cleric.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In this movement, we see prominent characters, the one leading the way
is C. F. W. Walther with well-known ones like Adolf Hoenecke and Johann </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Löhe.
There were more, see the link.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am sure those in the
Neo-Lutheranism did not willingly know or advocate going to Rome or Eastern
Orthodoxy but the above leads to those camps eventually. If you have known
ministers who went to those bodies perhaps, they carried their Neo-Lutheranism
to one of these results. Ideas do have consequences. There is a way the seems right to a man but the end of
it is death Prov 14:12.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Any man, no matter how he has been
respected by others can never be more respected than Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-22324356707092467722023-08-30T11:24:00.001+10:002023-08-30T11:24:07.072+10:00The Rationalizing and Speculative Calvin<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz3GhzTclJmufQgB2WFjCVfChKQgw8JkrjcfDLqXdiz6sB3CPVw1WIN6gl2XPhsYStjh1PdF0pHRf8aJ9rhtnJIfnhwNmaNVEzf_BrWeRdgQ-yZfL6wLezKGchwEmaO648LpOWgdPt_6-_L4fWCjAXK0WFC9eVKA_9uOxu9np4HJdydNNKkTyAhg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="330" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz3GhzTclJmufQgB2WFjCVfChKQgw8JkrjcfDLqXdiz6sB3CPVw1WIN6gl2XPhsYStjh1PdF0pHRf8aJ9rhtnJIfnhwNmaNVEzf_BrWeRdgQ-yZfL6wLezKGchwEmaO648LpOWgdPt_6-_L4fWCjAXK0WFC9eVKA_9uOxu9np4HJdydNNKkTyAhg" width="173" /></a></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><blockquote>"John Calvin, he was much more engrossed in speculations concerning God than in the observation of mankind. God is, so to say, the fixed center and starting-point of all his thoughts. He meditates and imagines, and if I dared, I would say that he <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a>presents God to us, and describes Him as if he knew Him thoroughly, and had exclusive possession of Him. He then summons man into the presence of God, and denies or calmly rejects everything in him which does not accord with or cannot be adjusted to the God whom he has conceived and depicted. He denies free-will of man and affirms his predestination, because he imagines that man's free-will is opposed to the idea which he has formed of the omnipotence and omniscience of God, and that his predestination is necessary to it. Calvin had a very imperfect knowledge and understanding of man because he professed to know and understand too much about God".</blockquote></div></div><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">-- M. Guizot</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Quoted by <a href="https://www.lutheranlibrary.org/pdf/ctm11-columbus-theological-magazine-facsimile.pdf#page=176&pagemode=bookmarks">P.A. Peter, The Tendency of the Calvinistic Doctrine of Absolute Predestination To Vitiate Some Doctrines of the Christian Religion -Columbus Theological Magazine Volume 11 (1891)</a></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It is never good to impose your speculation about God over Scripture. We cannot rely unskeptically on our rationalizing mind on how we understand God to be. It should be reverse, we allow Scripture to tell us who and how is God in his being not the otherway around.</li><li>There is arrogance in Calvin in thinking he knows beyond the shadow of a doubt who is God in his being.</li></ul></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-89022955332968846742023-08-24T08:52:00.003+10:002023-08-24T08:55:41.384+10:00Your personal faith or how the Holy Spirit DOES NOT BELIEVE for you.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKBeFdb64DpG5WRaLm1QmV1V8Vohtqzy972iX6ez24ZvhNTKJec94XRwVstywEpJRVRwNODczbmI97zRnwR0--rz6Gi8mKaCme71hl3Okm7S8SJHDjwxoLoxvYrzXbmPRepVxbAg-Gi63VT8bpNWhTTuor-2vtYips6_0n7i_JS4UHGTtz4s3i7g" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="303" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKBeFdb64DpG5WRaLm1QmV1V8Vohtqzy972iX6ez24ZvhNTKJec94XRwVstywEpJRVRwNODczbmI97zRnwR0--rz6Gi8mKaCme71hl3Okm7S8SJHDjwxoLoxvYrzXbmPRepVxbAg-Gi63VT8bpNWhTTuor-2vtYips6_0n7i_JS4UHGTtz4s3i7g" width="283" /></a></div>HT: <a href="http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2023/08/daily-luther-sermon-quote-trinity-12_23.html" target="_blank">Pr Dr Gregory Jackson - The Ichabod</a><p></p><p>Many Synodical Lutherans what my associates call Waltherians love to quote Luther's Small Catechism's Article II.III, namely...</p><p><span class="bocanchor" face="sans-serif" id="sc-creed-%!d(string=003c)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.6rem; padding-top: 0.2rem; scroll-margin-top: 40vh; vertical-align: bottom;"><span class="bocanchor-content" id="sc-creed-%!d(string=003c)-acontent" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16.272px;">🔗</span></span><span face="sans-serif" id="sc-creed-%!d(string=003c)-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 20.4304px; text-decoration-line: underline;">I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; </span></p><p>They stop there, to emphasize Sola Gratia. Did you notice, there is more continuing sentences after that? In fact Luther tells us what the HS does in turning us to become believers. Emphasizing Sola Gratia to the point of excluding or minimizing Sola Fide is like falling on the other side of the horse. It skews the facts and misleads - the one teaching it and the one following it.</p><p>Scripture taught a lot about personal faith, see this as examples...</p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Then Jesus said to him, “Receive </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">your</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> sight; </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">your</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">faith</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> has made you well - Lk 18:42</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">When Jesus saw <b>their</b> </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">faith</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, He said to the paralytic, “Son, </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">your</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> sins are forgiven you. - Mk 2:5</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;">is</i><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> empty and </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">your</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder;">faith</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;">is</i><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> also empty. - 1 Cor 15:14</span></p><p><br /></p><p>In my mind, I am ready to abandon respect for Luther if he did not teach what Jesus and the Apostles taught. Thankfully he taught the same - he taught of personal faith of the sinner...</p><p>This is from Luther's Sermon </p><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/04/luthers-sermons-mark-731-37-twelfth_20.html" style="color: #dd2aaa; text-decoration-line: none;">Luther's Sermons - Mark 7:31-37. Twelfth Sunday after Trinity</a></span></h3><div>(Emphasis: Dr Greg Jackson and mine)</div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 17.6px;">11. Now this I say, that you may know how far the faith of others may be of use to us, and how your own faith can help you. Other people’s merits will help you to attain a merit of your own, and nothing more. </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">And though all the angels, yea, the mercy of God itself, were ready to stand for you, it would avail you nothing, unless you cleave unto it with a faith of your own.</span></b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #222222;"> But it may effect this, that it will assist you to </span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">obtain a faith of your own</span></b><span style="color: #222222;">, which will help you. Furthermore, even if Christ did die for us, and pledged and gave his body and life, blood and flesh for us, and became our advocate; yet it would avail nothing, unless </span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">we believe in him</span></b><span style="color: #222222;">. But he can assist us in this way, that he appears before the Father and says: “O Father, this have I done for mankind; do thou give them faith, in order that they may enjoy it.” This then, will help us, if we feel assured that his works and merit are our own. In the same manner one should also speak of the other saints, </span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">that no saint’s intercession and merit avail unless we ourselves believe</span></b><span style="color: #222222;">. You observe this also in our lesson. There lies the poor man, unable either to speak or to hear. They who bring him to the Lord can speak and hear. But they cannot make him speak by their hearing and speaking, and even though they all had come near him and said: “We will speak and hear for you”; yet he would, in spite of this, have remained speechless and deaf continually, and would never have been able to speak.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div>further...</div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #222222;">13. Therefore say: I must neither rely upon your works nor you upon mine; but I will, by </span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">my own faith</span></b><span style="color: #222222;">, pray God to give </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">you a faith of your own</span><span style="color: #222222;">. <i>This is what is said, that we all are priests and kings, that we, like Christ himself, may intercede for one another before God, praying for personal faith.</i></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #222222;">Thus, if I happen to notice that</span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> you have no faith of your own</span></b><span style="color: #222222;">, or a weak faith, </span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I go and ask God to help, you to obtain faith, not by giving you my faith and my works, but your own faith and your own works;</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> so that Christ may give him all his works and salvation through faith, as he hath given them to us by faith.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">---</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">Likewise my friend, I am not here just to sermonize but to serve you in prayer - let me know what interecession you need. God bless.</span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-38607287598796644532023-04-08T00:35:00.004+10:002023-05-29T09:32:16.721+10:00We cannot put new wine into old wine bottles<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXXCAufG8SsD1ggcsQ2Xu1TQ7I8doGrapL7P4gkZRxsLhDx9pp1AVZTcaOy6AakorDDW45BjTTDV3hDGclsppi0n5Th3S6JGbfvyuOc0v3Wa2uXfpDlSHkQeOE-Y18OJs19ehhfzSVXjtfuKPfq90dkne2KGFhM7XvFssR4JWrH6rRyZMHNc/s4000/20230313_161603.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXXCAufG8SsD1ggcsQ2Xu1TQ7I8doGrapL7P4gkZRxsLhDx9pp1AVZTcaOy6AakorDDW45BjTTDV3hDGclsppi0n5Th3S6JGbfvyuOc0v3Wa2uXfpDlSHkQeOE-Y18OJs19ehhfzSVXjtfuKPfq90dkne2KGFhM7XvFssR4JWrH6rRyZMHNc/s320/20230313_161603.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is a
reason why traditional churches are closing. It is not mainly because the world
around the church has been hostile to it. There are dozens of reasons I can nominate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For example,
traditional churches fit elderly people who are probably frail already and not
as energetic as before. They likely have lots of personal issues - it is time for them to sit back. Jesus said - pray to God for laborers to come to the harvest, night time comes when no one can work - and night time has come upon them, John 9:4. What would be the motivation for them to reach out to
others and minister to them when in fact, they themselves need ministry? They
cannot be bothered anymore. That is why the job of the pastor is to inculcate
to his congregation the mission of the church in the Great Commission (Matt 28:
19:20). When the members of a church have no conscious duty to share the Gospel
to their neighbors the congregation will soon die and close. They may as well, because
as Jesus said – they have lost their saltiness. See Lk 13:6-9.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When a congregation
sees that it is either their way or the highway, they get what the want, they get
left alone. When the congregation does not reach out to the young, they get
what they want, they become happy in themselves, happy in their ways as the Lord
takes them one by one until they close their doors since their hearts have been
closed to others. It is sad when a congregation is more attentive for people to
follow their tradition rather than serving the needs of others – serving the
Gospel and offering spiritual care. When the congregation thinks (and the
pastor allows it,) that it is not their job but the pastor’s to win souls, then
the days of that congregation are numbered, and so is the time of the pastor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">However, I
have seen when the old members of the congregation mix with young people, when
both can sing using traditional hymns and modern Christian choruses, that sight
spells health and wholeness. It does not have to be an either/or
situation but both/and. A congregation can have both the old and the new
together. I have seen this in action, and it is wonderful when the mixture can
coordinate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you
notice, I do not go to worship wars. I have stopped my delusion that God has anointed
me to be fides defensor. When something is an adiaphoron – it remains a matter
of indifference. The unchurch could care less if you allow communion by
intinction or give communion on a Good Friday. They are not even there yet so
such subjects are irrelevant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it laughable when someone wrote in an
article that she has seen young people have their mouths opened as they
listened to organ music - suggesting that the young are enamored with church organ
music. I do not see evidence of this. I can believe some handful of them are like this, but
not as a trend. I am surrounded by traditional blue stone churches, I do not
see young people lining up to enter them. I have experienced and seen
that in my street evangelism it is the young teenagers who are interested in the
tract I hand out. People even young people need a community – when their hearts
are turned towards the old because the old have welcomed and were kind to them,
they will minister in return. We reap what we sow especially when we sow kindness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The congregation
does not have to choose either to stick with tradition or abandon it, there can
be open understanding and both the old and the new can co-exist in the church –
just like in a family. In a family uncles/aunts and nephews/nieces, grandparents/parents
and children and grandchildren can go together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Put it this
way, everyone needs the love of Christ be they young or old. A Christian should
always be Christ to the other person. Thus that should be our disposition
towards strangers, our neighbors. Unfortunately when the congregation has its
foot at the back, as Jesus said, night time comes and no one can work and
sadly, night has come already for some congregations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-52738085111309005542023-02-13T10:43:00.001+11:002023-02-13T10:43:36.219+11:00Church Calendar and/or Word Fitly Spoken?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Fw7qhlp-Dp6g0hQ7SQ17pNHMa9X0DaO0KZQqali9dJkX33rLjS2-1ftujuU0Qx8osNLEl2aMr7fZ4YQqBcn9z9Ageag4QhaWwY8IG90gz2UaFnjQnMLCaUSf86HscAX4YUh6p95ZP_0L0AaCZN2wNhA6t-FRL0EQ48c-EjqPNTkxgNq7KOY/s287/Church%20Calendar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="287" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Fw7qhlp-Dp6g0hQ7SQ17pNHMa9X0DaO0KZQqali9dJkX33rLjS2-1ftujuU0Qx8osNLEl2aMr7fZ4YQqBcn9z9Ageag4QhaWwY8IG90gz2UaFnjQnMLCaUSf86HscAX4YUh6p95ZP_0L0AaCZN2wNhA6t-FRL0EQ48c-EjqPNTkxgNq7KOY/s1600/Church%20Calendar.png" width="287" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is based
on my research. The Christian practice of having a church calendar was said to
have developed fully in 600 AD. This is the splitting the 12-month period into
church seasons. Many church practices we know today would usually originate in
one local section of the Church and then gets adopted by the other region in
the Church. Then it becomes a practice of the many groups in Christianity as a standard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Part of the
church calendar are the readings which revolve about the life of the Lord, his
teachings, and the life of the people of God. Thus, we call them lessons for
the day. These readings were used by Christian leaders as part of discipleship training
for believers who mostly have no access, obviously, to the text of Scripture
and mostly could not read. It is no wonder why icons and statues were used to
remind believers of characters that relates to their faith. Praise the Lord for
the printing press, we now have Bibles all over the place and many can read or
can learn to read.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Having a
set of readings for the pastor to preach on is good but it can be a ritual
performance too. The pastor can say, he has done his job, he spoke on the text
even though there is no exposition of the text and as if he was preaching to
kids. The job of the pastor is to feel the heart of his people, to know their
spiritual needs and find a way to apply the text to their needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The sheep
needs food. Jesus said to Peter, John 21:15-19, “if you love me, feed my sheep”.
The pastor, if he is true to his calling, should have concern for the
nourishment of his sheep. He would know or try to learn at least, what spiritual
diet the sheep should receive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is
where ritualized sermons are not so helpful. It becomes going-through-the-motion
event on a Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is why
I admire, the pastor who once invited me to preach in his congregation. He
said, you know we have these readings for that Sunday, but you do not have to
preach on them. We can read them, but take your text anywhere you feel the HS
is leading you for what we need. This I did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In Proverbs
25: 11 </span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">A word fitly spoken</span> is like apples of gold
in settings of silver</i></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Word of
God fitly spoken, appropriate for the need, for the present hunger becomes food
for the soul, producing faith and edification.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-81247357970189039352022-11-23T18:26:00.000+11:002022-11-23T18:26:04.808+11:00Never tell God, what you will never be<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0B70PUgMsEyMwm4q6pNKLlFqR65zrG20k8Ziatr3FDTP3eA49007wfzpG6J06fS3H93-ZmSEl1goKXFHEwdHv8KsshT_w6-4YBBYo2Gq09xGQvBglM6dta51-6euEW4i7SFrgA05l-ikhmbRM5f33Swha5u6_GifCrTnM4Jw2vf-mLZ6kGE/s400/Sower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0B70PUgMsEyMwm4q6pNKLlFqR65zrG20k8Ziatr3FDTP3eA49007wfzpG6J06fS3H93-ZmSEl1goKXFHEwdHv8KsshT_w6-4YBBYo2Gq09xGQvBglM6dta51-6euEW4i7SFrgA05l-ikhmbRM5f33Swha5u6_GifCrTnM4Jw2vf-mLZ6kGE/s320/Sower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Many years ago as a young atheist man, I remember coming out of my university library where a young man was giving gospel tracts who handed me one. I took it and gave it a quick glance, and I threw it on his face and said with so much confidence - <i>I will never be like you.</i> (You may not know, I could be a nasty slob).<p></p><p>What I said I would never do? I do. Nowadays, I give out tracts in the heart of my city each weekend that I get a chance. <a href="https://extranos.blogspot.com/2022/05/my-kind-of-lutheran-christian.html" target="_blank">I am inspired by this man who was a soul winner himself.</a> I get so much joy laboring with young people from other Christian groups handing out gospel reading materials that speak about Christ and the forgiveness of sins.</p><p>Why do I do this? It has no benefits for me. I won't establish a congregation by doing this. </p><p>I do it because of stories like this...</p><p>You see while I and the others pass out tracts, There would usually be a young man from the team who would stand up on a milk box and preach. One day, after I finished handing out my tracts I went to stand around with some people to listen to the preaching. One lady with her dog decided to chat a bit with me as the preaching was about to end. We started talking to each other, and I detected she was using Christian terminology as she speaks.</p><p>I said "You sound like a Christian to me, are you a believer"?</p><p>"Yes, but you have to excuse me" as she pointed to her wobbling head. "My mind has been affected by methamphetamines". "I was addicted to drugs and one day in the height of my addiction I happened to walk by this street like where you guys are now". "One person handed me a tract, I took it and read it and read it. To cut the long story short yes, I believed and I became a Christian and I belong to a church", as she started to lead her dog out of my space. I accompanied her as she walked away, she said "God used that tract to change me". </p><p>Processing this in my head, I marveled at this story. She looked well, her demeanor had no trace of walking the streets. She dressed well, not lavish, simple yet decent. I would have had a hard time believing this if not me witnessing her wobbling head whenever she spoke.</p><p>This is the reason why I give out tracts. I am expecting that God will use the words in those tracts as seeds to be sowed into good soil, hearts.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-48912906385799526052022-10-11T11:11:00.001+11:002022-10-11T11:13:20.643+11:00The Eternal Debate: God's Sovereignty VS Man's Responsibility<p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9W1_qo3mRtmPt0VcP2junZ9fNiYqDraTQdEGNz6LzazldduaHLrbIHRRXWIxj4W3bwcWuO3Og_DARIXulY2_bb2UoqSD0G4DGM9v3VOprYrcGePn-VVaKYrgDGMJ5kW53OjMn63XS_8SRE7z_UbxZbOsO07wdhsYGM6jlnSTWXTsFspx2HWw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="850" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9W1_qo3mRtmPt0VcP2junZ9fNiYqDraTQdEGNz6LzazldduaHLrbIHRRXWIxj4W3bwcWuO3Og_DARIXulY2_bb2UoqSD0G4DGM9v3VOprYrcGePn-VVaKYrgDGMJ5kW53OjMn63XS_8SRE7z_UbxZbOsO07wdhsYGM6jlnSTWXTsFspx2HWw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Another title for this debate is the so-called Compatibilism debate. A lot of Calvinists are into this debate in which it justifies God's double predestination of humans.</p><p>This debate actually extends many years before Christianity. This has been debated by Aristoteleans and Platonists. You do not have to be a Christian to talk about this because this has been a philosophical discussions by philosophers long before Christ came along.</p><p>For the first 400 years, this was not a debate amongst Christian, not until Augustine came along.</p><p>Augustine was a Manichaean before he became a catholic Christian. Manichaeanism started 300AD and Augustine was born in such an environment. It is a dualistic gnostic religion that combined many major religious teachings. To them, since man has a material being and since matter is evil, man is evil too. Another one of their beliefs is the notion of fatalism.</p><p>Needless to say, if you believe in unconditional election, then there is also unconditional reprobation and no one can change that, thus, eventually, life becomes a fatalistic conclusion and condition too.</p><p><br /></p><p>In some sectors, there is a notion that the God of Scripture should conform to the God of Philosophy.</p><p>Though Luther can be dramatic and rhetorically forceful in his arguments he redeems himself when he said:</p><h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote>Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God.</blockquote></h1><p>By reason, I take it he means philosophical reasoning.</p><p>When it came to man, are we a lump of sin? There should be some care in the way we use our language specially when Christians argue about words (which Scripture said we should avoid).</p><p>In a way, it is good that the Lutheran BoC authors tamed their Augustinianism and even spoke against over the top language that are clearly Manichaean in position. Read this on their Formula of Concord - Article I - Original Sin. Worth nothing the distinction they made of our nature and the sin that corrupts it.</p><p>Luther again redeems himself when he said that pursuing the inscrutable will of God is demonic and a distraction that leads us away from Christ, he said (thanks<a href="https://www.lutheranlibrary.org/" target="_blank"> Alec, the Lutheran Librarian</a>)</p><p></p><blockquote><p> “We should with all diligence guard against arguing predestination; for this, through Satan’s influence, leads men to pay no regard to God and the sacraments, and to look upon Christ rather as a cruel tyrant and hangman, than a Savior.”</p><p><br /></p><p>“By no means dispute about predestination. Dr. Staupitz advised me and said: If you would argue about predestination, begin at the wounds of Christ and all disputation about predestination will cease at once. For if we give way to it, and argue about it much, Christ, His Word and Sacrament, must give way: I will forget Christ and God. By indulging in these thoughts I will regard God as wicked and cruel… . In predestination we will forget God — the cantate will cease and the blasphemate begin.”</p><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>From Columbus Theological Magazine, Vol. 3. “Missouri’s Infatuation By Rev. P. Eirich, Hoboken, N. J. Third And Last Article.”</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-3366629726981773132022-08-15T09:41:00.002+10:002022-08-15T09:44:32.828+10:00Did Jesus Commend the Unjust Steward?<blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYfawEYwts6JkvyG8lY7p_KDpDiyQEdGlglqtEK3MwI6PAD6xsb6vfVT-FbcjsaQJlxAsTy9q26iOEjuO1rhw8CGYtbbx-YnwgDGyNpglfnX4YzAq724jSNJ-0azUsd4l3ZVGLrvVYvOlZUMcsSPDHVNnb6WeoXGcmBZt1k22TO6PRTBtpWE/s512/M130852-88_The-Unjust-Steward.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="393" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYfawEYwts6JkvyG8lY7p_KDpDiyQEdGlglqtEK3MwI6PAD6xsb6vfVT-FbcjsaQJlxAsTy9q26iOEjuO1rhw8CGYtbbx-YnwgDGyNpglfnX4YzAq724jSNJ-0azUsd4l3ZVGLrvVYvOlZUMcsSPDHVNnb6WeoXGcmBZt1k22TO6PRTBtpWE/w154-h200/M130852-88_The-Unjust-Steward.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br /> The passage in Luke 16:1-13 we have these words of our Lord:<p></p></blockquote><p class="chapter-2" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-1"><span class="chapternum" style="bottom: -0.1em; display: inline; font-size: 2.4rem; font-weight: 700; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;">16 </span>He also said to His disciples: <span class="woj">“There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was</span> <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-25622a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-25622a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25622a" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span><span class="woj">wasting his goods.</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-2" id="en-NKJV-25623"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">2 </span><span class="woj">So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an</span> <span class="woj">account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-3" id="en-NKJV-25624"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">3 </span><span class="woj">“Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-4" id="en-NKJV-25625"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">4 </span><span class="woj">I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-5" id="en-NKJV-25626"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">5 </span><span class="woj">“So he called every one of his master’s debtors to <i>him,</i> and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-6" id="en-NKJV-25627"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">6 </span><span class="woj">And he said, ‘A hundred</span> <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-25627b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-25627b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25627b" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span class="woj">measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-7" id="en-NKJV-25628"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">7 </span><span class="woj">Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred</span> <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-25628c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-25628c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25628c" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote c">c</a>]</span><span class="woj">measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-8" id="en-NKJV-25629"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">8 </span><i><span class="woj">So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than</span> <span class="woj">the sons of light.</span></i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-9" id="en-NKJV-25630"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">9 </span><span class="woj">“And I say to you,</span> <span class="woj">make friends for yourselves by unrighteous</span> <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-25630d" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-25630d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25630d" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote d">d</a>]</span><span class="woj">mammon, that when</span> <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-25630e" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-25630e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25630e" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote e">e</a>]</span><span class="woj">you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-10" id="en-NKJV-25631"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">10 </span><span class="woj">He who <i>is</i> faithful in <i>what is</i> least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in <i>what is</i> least is unjust also in much.</span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-11" id="en-NKJV-25632"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">11 </span><span class="woj">Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true <i>riches?</i></span> </span><span class="text Luke-16-12" id="en-NKJV-25633"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">12 </span><span class="woj">And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your</span> <span class="woj">own?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-13" id="en-NKJV-25634"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">13 </span><span class="woj">“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-14" id="en-NKJV-25635">The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom</span></h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-14"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">14 </span>Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-25635f" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-25635f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-25635f" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote f">f</a>]</span>derided Him. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-14">------------------------</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-14">This is indeed a hard passage. I highlighted the passage that needs a lot of unpacking. In fact, in the KJV tradition, the word used is in v. 8 "<i>for the children of this world are in their generation much wiser than the children of light</i>". This can give the impression that Jesus is favoring the children of the world compared to the children of the light. What is at play here is the translation "master" too, did this refer to our Lord? This is why I took the NKJV to show how that word can be rendered "wise" to "shrewd". In my mind to understand this story, the <b>key is v.14</b>, that is why I included it here.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Luke-16-14">We must note the reaction of the Pharisees to this story, they recognized that it was about them, how they behave. Thus, this is another story against the Pharisee! The Lord was saying, this is what they do. But to the disciples, this is exactly what you must not do. This boils down to ethics. The unjust steward used his influence to save himself from being mistreated when he is put out of stewardship. He did this by stealing more from his master, giving more away his master's possessions for his own advantage. Jesus is telling us the opposite, that we should be faithful to our work even if we are serving an unrighteous master. In this story, both the master and the steward had the same value and ethics. But for the Lord, it should not be so - we do not have the right to steal from our masters even if our master is unjust - in this case our employers. We do not steal from our employers even if the source of their possessions came from unrighteous means. See v. 11-13. We do not follow the shrewd ethics of this servant, in fact, we do the opposite. We are to be faithful with another man's richest. The servant loved mammon and by his actions hated his master, who himself might be unrighteous. The Lord is saying to us, do not love mammon, but rather love God, for in loving God, we will put His principles first, ie honest and true dealing, we will not steal from our neighbor but will be faithful to what has been entrusted to us. That is our ethics - so, to answer the question, NO, the Lord is not commending, rather, he was describing the Pharisees' love for money that destroys ethics.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-54493111737954669942022-05-31T11:09:00.000+10:002022-05-31T11:09:12.140+10:00My kind of Lutheran Christian<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg17YlSmkJ4fKbrKZFQ4FTR5eWmiP2BcmQn9qAZmNb-P42NVUGKke-DnemQHSnn6Y2ZXYPrSbrnNDt54x6KsmVsZjzBRAeUzGEN9A12m7gXMw017xawaYzFoX6YywMu_cKzebJ2wHOTuVU61GNLwN0j99wj4ltZsgtOLKLmndkKuXztCxMgXs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="698" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg17YlSmkJ4fKbrKZFQ4FTR5eWmiP2BcmQn9qAZmNb-P42NVUGKke-DnemQHSnn6Y2ZXYPrSbrnNDt54x6KsmVsZjzBRAeUzGEN9A12m7gXMw017xawaYzFoX6YywMu_cKzebJ2wHOTuVU61GNLwN0j99wj4ltZsgtOLKLmndkKuXztCxMgXs=w640-h304" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-16231701697048929372022-04-19T11:14:00.001+10:002022-04-19T11:14:17.954+10:00Because He Lives<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD8XuipJ4CSpPxpMYqSn31tn3ZcQMzRdW0ScoMaL5F_hFNtGdml8oTA2D_GNXzlYN2RyDd7V-_fg6FXvNkEoNRYG89_ccMF1HsEmx_dJ4HQ6narg1SH4AoZ9gto4zTPybN1V7xFYsNi_WjEBfQX7KH4KBgCBa0HLgK9aghLpS0whWuUYqqO4/s360/DSCF0496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD8XuipJ4CSpPxpMYqSn31tn3ZcQMzRdW0ScoMaL5F_hFNtGdml8oTA2D_GNXzlYN2RyDd7V-_fg6FXvNkEoNRYG89_ccMF1HsEmx_dJ4HQ6narg1SH4AoZ9gto4zTPybN1V7xFYsNi_WjEBfQX7KH4KBgCBa0HLgK9aghLpS0whWuUYqqO4/s320/DSCF0496.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;">John 14:19 Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more. But you will see Me. <b><i>Because I live, you will live also.</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">I for one took this Resurrection Sunday celebration for granted. As I pause to think about this promise, I realize we cannot be indifferent about this tremendous statement of the Lord Jesus.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">This destroys the treat of death which comes from the enemy of our souls. May this promise be a source of hope and joy that when we see our failing health and we know the day of our departing gets near each day, may this promise raise our spirits up and know that this promise is personal and true. The YOU there in that statement is me/you, personally.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-54429464585880458972021-11-19T11:07:00.001+11:002021-11-19T13:31:59.346+11:00How I got convinced by the Textus Receptus<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/TextusReceptus1633.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="800" height="153" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/TextusReceptus1633.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The Textus Receptus aka Received Text is the basis for the NT part of the KJV and those translations that follow its tradition.<p></p><p>Now, what convinced me that I should standardize on this text?</p><p>It was the NKJV!</p><p>Yes, that is what happened to me. The NKJV helped me to determine that the TR holds the orthodox teaching of early Christians.</p><p>I have heard a lot of conspiracy theories against NKJV because it has these myriad of footnotes about the text. The assertion is that these textual comments lead the reader away from the Received Text. Yet, that is not what happened to me. What happened to me was the reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p>Many years ago, I bought a leather bound NKJV NT (nice leather actually, you cannot find this anymore, unfortunately, I believe I gave it away to a relative). </p><p><br /></p><p>It had of course, some footnotes, but I focus for you only the one that caused me to think.</p><p><br /></p><p>This NKJV comment here:</p><p><i>NU omit</i> - meaning the Nestle-Aland Union Greek collection omits this word or phrase or passage.</p><p><br /></p><p>What I did was to highlight all occurrences of these comments, even using a marker.</p><p>I discovered that if you follow the said comment, you will miss out in explicit terms some orthodox teachings of Christianity.</p><p>An example of this is Mk 16:9-20 being reportedly omitted in the Nestle-Aland.</p><p>That involved a support for the Great Commission, the teaching on faith and baptism and signs and charismatic gifts which St Paul experienced.</p><p>Another is 1 John 5:13, this is a verse which powerfully supports the promise we now have eternal life for us who believe in Christ.</p><p><br /></p><p>After this discovery, I seemed to have neglected it. I got affected with Bible translation trends and fell into considering other translations like the NASB, the NRSV and ESV. I used the NRSV a lot. Funny but I got into these translations because the pastor who had an influence on me used the RSV. We should really double check the person we look up to and respect, for after all they are like us, human beings too.</p><p><br /></p><p>Some maybe 10 years ago, I read that you can re-construct the TR passages from the quotation of the Church Fathers.</p><p>This fact and my discovery experience with NKJV led me to conclude - I should stick to the TR. I still have these other translations, as a reference, but I do not use them for my personal Bible Study or personal devotion.</p><p><br /></p><p>That is what happened.<br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-1924813850121956472021-10-10T11:39:00.000+11:002021-10-10T11:39:14.411+11:00Heroes<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/q:60/37/199237-131-2785A71A/fresco-St-Paul-the-Apostle-church-beginning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/q:60/37/199237-131-2785A71A/fresco-St-Paul-the-Apostle-church-beginning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I have been thinking about heroes lately. I was asking myself the question, who is my hero, my example for faith. I have to confess, there was a time when Luther indeed was my hero. Don't get me wrong, I still to this day, respect and appreciate his insights but in all honesty, when I read the writings of St Paul, when I see his meekness, tenderness and gentleness on how he treated those who were straying away from the faith, and how he rebuked false teachers, in love. St Paul was like his Master, Christ. Luther is admirrable but I think he and I would have St Paul as our hero. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the academic training I obtained they gave us an unspoken culture that we are to be 'a scholar and a gentleman' - I knew we were being taught how to be one by the way we were to deal and behave ourselves in discussion that involve argumentation. That means, we will only accept as arguments coming from ourselves, and from others, comments with no fallacies allowed.</p><p><br /></p><p>Today, social media is helping us give in to the works of our flesh. It seems it is a lot more easier today to be impatient and attack those whom we disagree. Most of the comments I see in social medial platforms are down right ad hominem personal attacks rather than addressing the point on the table. Slurs, disdain and sarcasm are promoted and apllauded even by those who claim to be "ordained Ministers of the Word". They do not really give their audience help because these communication devices are so far off from rebuking the false. False is only countered by the True based on evidence, data, facts.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am for sure am guilty of the same bad form and this blog post is a way of saying, I am sorry at the times I displayed the same things of which I am rebutting now. I apologise.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is an example </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jrnb7PUmOyM" width="320" youtube-src-id="jrnb7PUmOyM"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>wherein snarkyness is even justified. Examples and allusions to Jesus and Luther are made. One choice verse to even say that Jesus used snark is in Matthew 23 - read all the reference to Scribes and Pharisees there.</p><p><br /></p><p>My reply:</p><p><br /></p><p>1. The preacher assumes too much, and is anachronistic in justifying his style. Pretext IMO.</p><p>2. Jesus did no such thing, he did not need to insult, rather he was pronouncing judgement on the Pharissees and Scribes - and he has the right to do so because he is the Judge of the Whole Earth, The Lord. It is his assessment of them, no insult but truth. It is argument backed up with facts. Christ weighed their works and he declared their works to be wanting. No snark required.</p><p>3. At anyrate, you ain't Jesus.</p><p>Well what about Luther - did not Luther use such devices? I think he did. But again, you ain't Luther and I am also embarassed for him at the times he did exhibit the said lowly form.</p><p>In actuality, engagement in such poor communication rhetorics prove that the minister is impoverished and poor. We are wiser to admit it in ourselves. I heard some call them "<i>losers</i>" but this maybe a very strong term which I dare not use.</p><p>In 1 Peter 3:15 - we are to communicate our position in gentleness and respect. If we look more, this is something very evident in the writings of St Paul and other NT writers, the other Apostles.</p><p>All of them preached like their Master, Christ. 1 Peter 3:15 mentions meekness and respect - these are not the works of the flesh but rather they are work of the Spirit - Gal 5:22.</p><p><br /></p><p>I thank Luther for his wisdom and insights but if I need a human as a role model, a Christian who made it, a person who lived life characterized by love, joy, patience with those in whom he opposed - a Christian who lived the teachings of Christ, I say we got one right there - St Paul. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-13700874089062162182021-08-23T16:55:00.001+10:002021-08-23T16:55:59.459+10:00We must believe, in Christ we have a gracious God<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARNJN7xhwo0/YSNCH-thxXI/AAAAAAAAAlE/Hmmg0g1cXKsmEfvAE2f6j8kIRbjp_B4FgCNcBGAsYHQ/s728/Gracious.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="728" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARNJN7xhwo0/YSNCH-thxXI/AAAAAAAAAlE/Hmmg0g1cXKsmEfvAE2f6j8kIRbjp_B4FgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Gracious.png" width="320" /></a></div>We must trust and believe we have a gracious Father because of Jesus. No matter what trouble God allows to come we must believe He is good. <p></p><p>Why?</p><p>We are sinners there is no requirement for God to be gracious to sinners yet because we know he sent and gave his best, his Son, to die and pay for our sins God can be gracious and is faithful to sinners who believe in the Lord. </p><p>Our prayers in many cases are mixed with our tears, yet, we must look at Jesus, the Gift of God on the cross and we can be convinced - God can be gracious to us.</p><p>Watch this promise below. It is so magnanimous our mind find it hard to wrap around it; but it is there, we did not write it, the HS did. It is for us, sinners begging for mercy from an Almighty God. Look at the things you have been provided, food on the table, roof above your head, alive today reading this post. Things could be worst, but if this is not what you are experiencing, turn to God and ask him to be gracious to you on account of Christ. He will and has, you will see all things will work together for your good.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Rom-8-31"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Rom-8-31"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">Romans 8:31 </span><i>What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? </i></span><span class="text Rom-8-32" id="en-NKJV-28149"><i><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">32 </span>He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? </i></span><span class="text Rom-8-33" id="en-NKJV-28150"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">33 </span>Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? <i>It is</i> God who justifies. </span><span class="text Rom-8-34" id="en-NKJV-28151"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">34 </span>Who <i>is</i> he who condemns? <i>It is</i> Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. </span><span class="text Rom-8-35" id="en-NKJV-28152"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">35 </span>Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? <i>Shall</i> tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? </span><span class="text Rom-8-36" id="en-NKJV-28153"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">36 </span>As it is written:</span></p><div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;"><p class="line" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Rom-8-36" style="position: relative;"><span class="oblique">“For Your sake we are killed all day long;</span></span><br /><span class="text Rom-8-36" style="position: relative;"><span class="oblique">We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”</span></span></p></div><p class="top-1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-top: 1em; min-width: 0px;"><i><span class="text Rom-8-37" id="en-NKJV-28154"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">37 </span>Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. </span><span class="text Rom-8-38" id="en-NKJV-28155"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">38 </span>For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, </span><span class="text Rom-8-39" id="en-NKJV-28156"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">39 </span>nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.</span></i></p></blockquote><p class="top-1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-top: 1em; min-width: 0px;"><span class="text Rom-8-39" id="en-NKJV-28156"></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-57116038425092145992021-04-05T11:01:00.000+10:002021-04-05T11:01:07.313+10:00Thank you, Pietists! I mean it!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OlP6TaHbsc0/YGphCMU1vHI/AAAAAAAAAi8/HGPNDpPfF9AM6hzysL5GKOGafsjw_3xegCNcBGAsYHQ/s660/pharisee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="373" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OlP6TaHbsc0/YGphCMU1vHI/AAAAAAAAAi8/HGPNDpPfF9AM6hzysL5GKOGafsjw_3xegCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/pharisee.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Many so called “confessionals” are offended with Pietism.
Many pastors who claim to being “confessional’ deem them to be the enemy of “the
faith”. The pietists emphasized life more than doctrine, it is behaviour over theology.
They hate it with vigorous hatred. Indeed, it is to your doom once you are
labelled a “pietist”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many bad
words amongst “confessionals” you dare not get pinned on you. This probably
takes the cake.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whereas to the extreme, some of the Pietists value much,
living the faith, that it deteriorates Christianity to a work-based religion,
there are some things I respect and learn from Pietism.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I must remember that Pietism is a reaction to <b>dead
orthodoxy</b>. Hence, if you do not want pietism to rise in your midst, stop
being dead in your faith.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dead orthodoxy, stinks like a dead church mouse. Pietism is
a rightful rejection of it. Pietism did not rise from a vacuum; it arose out of
human reflection on one’s life in line with Christ’s teaching in comparison to
believing versus the doing. You do not need to look away from you to others,
you just look at your own life, and you will agree, it is stale like bland
bread. Faith produces works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faith
without works is dead. Even James 2:14-26.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What I observe with dead orthodox people is that in the
main, there is lack of love, when in fact this is what faith is supposed to
produce. In the NT, the Pharisees valued observance of rules over love and
compassion for the people in need. Jesus’ very actions rebuked this proud idea
- we see this encounter in Matt 12: 1-14. For the Lord, doing something compassionate
for a person in need, is more important than following the rules.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dead orthodoxy, does not have faith that leads to love, it
just has rules. It prides itself with following rules from tradition. Mk 7:7-13.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dead orthodoxy does not like talking about demonstrable expressions
of faith; when you get emotional with Jesus, that is a no-no. It denies that
faith that produces love for God and fellowman does not have to affect you.
Correct, I said, affect. It is impossible to say we love Christ and we are
indifferent towards him, or to say, we love our brothers and sisters in the
faith and not feel their sorrow nor feel their joy. Affection, people who claim
“orthodoxy” don’t have this. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In dead orthodoxy, affirming sets of assertions, thus
doctrines, is much easier than working on repenting of your behaviour. It is a
great substitute for being accepted by your circle and even transposing it to
think you are being accepted by God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To me pietism is really a reaction against hypocrisy. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This love that faith produces according to St Paul in Gal 5:6,
he also defines, in 1 Cor 13:1-13. This is the character of this love. He even
says, even if I have understanding of all knowledge and have no love, I am
still nothing. Even if I have faith to believe the impossible to happen, and
yet have no love, I am still nothing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This love combines mercy and truth together – it is found in
our Lord Jesus who is described by St John where grace and truth are found John
1:17. The Psalmist said the same Ps 85:10. Dead orthodoxy has one but does not
have the other, which is fake after all because love is not found nor evident
in it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus and his disciples like Paul and John talked about love.
If we miss this important issue, we miss the whole point of the Lord’s
teaching. St John even says God is love. It is the fruit of the HS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You want rules? Only one rule Gal 5:14. All laws are
fulfilled in with one word – love.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Love to many is not interesting – having a theological brawl
is more exciting. People are bored by this teaching about having love for our
neighbour and even our enemies. It is less attractive because it is hard.
Indulging in believing this or that is a lot easier, you can do it on the couch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What the Good Samaritan did was hard. It involved his time,
his money and his energy, but it was he who showed love not those who claim orthodoxy
such as the scribe who passed by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To miss a faith in Christ that has no love is to miss the
whole point of the Christian faith.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Actually, maybe I should have changed my title of this post.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe it should be -- Thank you, Pharisees! I mean it!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-4786220138256822352020-12-24T11:34:00.002+11:002020-12-24T11:34:57.289+11:00Christianity is Word based<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xSkaY7EwKVM/X-PcIL1_iPI/AAAAAAAAAg8/L_-ph5lYROAwX_0W0G4g7qQn1vDkdmocQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DSCF0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xSkaY7EwKVM/X-PcIL1_iPI/AAAAAAAAAg8/L_-ph5lYROAwX_0W0G4g7qQn1vDkdmocQCNcBGAsYHQ/w200-h150/DSCF0058.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This year, I met a new friend. Much younger than me who sponsors my technical seminars I do in a Meet Up group. We discovered we got the same skepticism with what we hear from the MSM. He is very concern with the loss of freedom people in the world are experiencing. </p><p>His ancestry came from East EU background, I detected it through his name. He said, his family came from Russia and they came from a Jewish background. We got to talk about Christianity and how I know about his faith, though he said he is none conformant and follows their ways out of tradition.</p><p>In the discussion, I said to him, well you see Christianity, many people do not see is a WORD based religion. He was shock when I said that. He said "hmmmm, that is interesting, with us (Judaism), it is always <b>action</b> based" - I said, I know. I said, we do not deny the need for action, but we do affirm the supremacy first of WORDS.</p><p>For example, for how does one become a Christian? We have words, we use our message to tell and that message is the message of Christ, how he answered the Law on our behalf and that faith in his person and work obtains for us, forgiveness of sins.</p><p>This is not something you can arrive at through your imaginings and rational reflection. It has to be delivered to you, from another side, outside you. Where as I returned to theism after being an atheist in college through looking at the sky, I would have not known the meaning of Jesus' coming until I heard it preached to me, the meaning of that coming of Christ.</p><p>Whenever I read Luther, I come out convinced, he absolutely believed in the transforming power of the Word, of Scripture.</p><p><span class="text Ps-19-7" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">John 6</span></p><p><span class="text Ps-19-7" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">63 </span>It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.</span></p><p><span class="text Ps-19-7" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">Psalm 19: 7</span></p><p><span class="text Ps-19-7" id="en-NKJV-14176" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">The law of the <span class="small-caps divine-name" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> <i>is</i> perfect, <span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NKJV-14176a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-14176a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="display: inline; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2019%3A7-10&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-14176a" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #517e90; min-width: 0px; vertical-align: text-top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span>converting the soul;</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Ps-19-7" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">The testimony of the <span class="small-caps divine-name" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> <i>is</i> sure, making wise the simple;</span></p><p><span class="text Ps-19-7" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">2 Cor 4</span></p><p><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">13 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;">And since we have </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;">the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, </span><span class="oblique" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;">“I believed and therefore I spoke,”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"> we also believe and therefore speak,</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-23191419276654972982020-10-22T19:54:00.002+11:002020-10-22T19:54:45.239+11:00Tribal Triumphalism<p> We know we belong to some tribe of some category with some name. What do I mean by this. Well, we know we belong to some way of thinking, some school of thought or some form of world view. It will have a label, a name we identify with.</p><p>That is the tribe we consider we belong so, the group we gather with.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmiiVpx3LVs/X5FGoCr-9xI/AAAAAAAAAgE/9aPF0lFBDzonJQUc4j_0P57tk25TixW0wCNcBGAsYHQ/s313/proud.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmiiVpx3LVs/X5FGoCr-9xI/AAAAAAAAAgE/9aPF0lFBDzonJQUc4j_0P57tk25TixW0wCNcBGAsYHQ/s0/proud.jpeg" /></a></div><p></p><p>I mentioned that tribalism has a name. Politically, in the US it can be the GOP or the Dems. Name it in your country, you who are reading this is likely to identify with some grouping of some type.</p><p>Here we like to talk about the tribalism applied to religion, particularly in the Christian faith.</p><p>It has been said that the denominations where we belong are like tribes in a federation under the Christian banner.</p><p>In Lutheranism, it is the synod where one belongs.</p><p>Now tack into this the triumphalism. Triumphalism is the idea that you are triumphant above all else, so a supremacist in a sort of way.</p><p>Get the two concepts together, you get tribal triumphalism that works this way, your group holds the pure body of truth about faith and practice exclusively and to the exclusion of others.</p><p>In other words, your tribe has arrived, you and your group has reached the top, no more need to learn.</p><p>This can be observed through pride and often rejects any fair points emanating from groups that don't have the same label as yours. In fact tribal triumphalist ministers reply back with put downs when discussing groups not aligned with their views.</p><p>Tribal triumphalists are doomed to disintegrate and to be no more. Christianity will survive but your group you are proud off can disappear.</p><p></p><blockquote>Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Tribal triumphalists are smug and insult St Paul who never claimed such a thing.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote>Phil 3: 12 Not that I have already attained,[c] or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [d]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Tribal triumphalists can see without glasses so they know all and can explain all why they are the singularly kingdom of God.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote>1 Cor 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Tribal triumphalists by its very nature cannot be catholic (small c, not big C - because big C are tribal triumphalists themselves) Christians no matter how much they claim to be. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote>1 John 3:14 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.</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>The cure for this disease, is to stop over estimating one's position in comparison to others. We can still learn from people who are mistaken, at least how not to do it their way </p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote>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.</blockquote><p>A very long time ago, I went to a seminar conducted by a minister who experienced burn out in the ministry. It was Pr Jerry Cook. He was selling his book entitled -<i> A Few Things I Learned Since I Knew it All.</i></p><p>In my journey with my Christian faith I often think about the title of this book, the attitude of knowing it all and arriving always spells, you have to stop and stopping to no longer learning, leads to disaster and disappointment. May God help us not to overrate ourselves.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15967712.post-78995618362644522682020-05-31T09:50:00.002+10:002020-05-31T09:50:34.084+10:00The problem with Evangelicals, Pentecostals and Charismatics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NT_-zW0Om_I/XtLp6WvBu5I/AAAAAAAAAdg/uzY7zTRjoFETSdBUQLVFQo2F_5YA4qsUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Zhromko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NT_-zW0Om_I/XtLp6WvBu5I/AAAAAAAAAdg/uzY7zTRjoFETSdBUQLVFQo2F_5YA4qsUwCNcBGAsYHQ/s200/Zhromko.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The problem with the brothers and sisters in the Evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatics movement is not that they don't believe. They do.<br />
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In fact, they are sincere and they easily believe in the power of God to alter human and individual historical trajectories. I have been there and I know and have sympathies for their sincere and tender hearts.<br />
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The problem is not that they do not believe, the problem is that they BELIEVE EASILY so much so that they become fodder for false teachers who make merchandise of their faith.<br />
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False teaching and false teachers thrive in an environment where the spiritual guard of the Christian is not up but down. But we should separate the sheep from the wolves that devour them. Some of their preachers and teachers do not know themselves that they are already abusing Scripture. For sure they are subject always to spiritual seduction. Yet this state of affairs are not only present in this movement, it is also present in old time mainstream denominations and synods. This is not entirely exclusive to the evangelical, pentecostal, and charimatic Christians.<br />
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If we be honest not entirely what they practice are not with Scriptural support, like praying and laying hands on the sick, raising their hands in worship, having quiet time for devotions etc. They are found in Scripture.<br />
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2 Peter 2: 1-3<br />
<div class="chapter-1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;">But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not</span></div>
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The teleevangelists do make use of them for monetary gains because of their gullibility.<br />
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However, though some doctrines are abused it does not mean they should not be use, but rather the corrective is to stay on the track of their proper use.<br />
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<b style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia - Abusive use does not preclude proper use. </b><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">The TRUTH is outside us</div>LPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11352627830833515548noreply@blogger.com0