Eyes That See

This is a great letter from Pam Bloom to her husband Jon, the Executive Director of Desiring God ministries.

May we all learn from their examples!

Dr. Denny Burk, the new dean of Boyce College in Louisville, KY, has posted a blog about openly gay U.S. Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, asking “Who is the prophet in this picture?”

Robinson was heckled by a congregant as he rebuked those present for arguing about sexuality when, according to Robinson, there are more important social issues.  Then, this happened:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7503854.stm

You can also read about the story here.  After the heckler was escorted out of the church, Robinson proceeded to encourage the congregation to “pray for that man,” meaning the heckler.

I say “pray for that man,” meaning Robinson. 

However, this is somewhat to be expected when we toss our Bibles in the backseat.  In the article linked above, some of Robinson’s sermon was quoted.  It is impossible not to notice his series of statements that either began with “I think” or “I don’t think.”  Without the Bible, everything becomes subjective.  There is no longer one, true Gospel, as the Bible says there is, because everything depends on the interpretation of each individual.

What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” - Leviticus 18:22

“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” - Leviticus 20:13

However, as a former coworker recently pointed out, Leviticus also forbids eating hoofed animals.  So, what is the difference?  The New Testament gives instructions to disregard the Old Testament food laws in Acts 10, where Peter is told, “what God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 10:15).  Conversely, the New Testament confirms the teaching in Leviticus that homosexuality is an abomination:

“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” - Romans 1:26-27

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

However, there is indeed hope for homosexuals, as there is hope for all who have been guilty of the sins of sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness, revilement, and/or swindling in the next verse:

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

However, that hope is contingent on what the heckler was exhorting Robinson to do:

“Repent!  Repent! Repent!”

So, with regards to Gene Robinson, “pray for that man.”  Pray that he would repent and be washed, sanctified, and “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God!”

This is part two of what, Lord willing, will be a three-parter about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In part one, “The Centrality of the Resurrection,” I argued that the Resurrection is central to Christian faith, and therefore should be central to any Christianity vs. Atheism debate.  This second part will be on the ramifications if the Resurrection did happen.  The third part will be my argument that the Resurrection really did take place.

If Jesus Christ were indeed resurrected from the dead, as I believe that He was, what does that mean for you and I?  The Bible is full of accounts of miracles, but there are arguably none as great and/or significant as the Resurrection.  If we are convinced that the Resurrection happened, then it lends great credibility to the Bible as a whole, and most imporantly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here I would like to look at the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as what verses twelve and thirteen of Jeremiah chapter two have to tell us about sin.

The Bible tells us that God created all of us, and that He will one day judge all of us.  We have all sinned against God.  The Bible tells us that blood and death are the only means that effectively atone for sins and ransom sinners from the wrath of God.  In the Old Testament, God mercifully gave His people a way to have a substitute pay for their sins with its blood and its death in both the Passover and the sacrificial system.  In both of these cases, an animal was a “propitiation” for sins.  This simply means that God reckoned the sins of the sinner paid for by the blood and death of the sinless animal, while at the same time reckoning the sinner righteous by the sinner’s faith that God would be faithful to His promises.

The Bible tells us that the passover lamb, the animals without blemish that were sacrificed, and the scapegoat of the day of atonement all pointed forward to the Messiah that would be once and for all the passover Lamb and the Scapegoat, sacrificed to atone for the sins of all who would have faith in Him and faith that God will be faithful to His promises.  And this Messiah would ransom sinners from the wrath of God, by taking His wrath upon Himself, if the sinners would believe in Him.

This Messiah was and is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The apostle Paul tells us that, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).  The Bible teaches us that this “belief” that Paul mentions here is a belief that is obedient to the “law of the Lord” and the teachings of Jesus, and that perseveres until the end.  All who have obedient, persevering faith in Jesus and repent of their sins will be saved.

Let us now turn to the Word of God through Jeremiah the prophet in Jeremiah 2:12-13:

“Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

In the eyes of God, all sin is two evils.  All sin is both forsaking God and putting our faith in man-made “cisterns” that are “broken” and “can hold no water.”  Since the first sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all mankind has been forsaking God and foolishly putting their trust in man-made, broken cisterns.  God calls this evil, and says that the only reconciliation is by blood and death.  By faith in Jesus Christ, we become His, and the punishment for our sins is credited to Him.  He paid this penalty on the Cross, once and for all.  If we are His, then our sins are paid for and we receive His perfect righteousness:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21

If the Resurrection happened, then this is all true.  If it did not happen, then as the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:32, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’”

Douglas Wilson has this to say about whether or not Barack Obama is qualified for either the position he now holds or the one he is pursuing:

“I was watching Barack Obama talking about something or other on the news tonight, and two things struck me about it. First, given the history that America has with race issues, the fact that Barack could be occupying the position he occupies right now is really remarkable. And the second thought is the reason for the first one, and that has to do with Barack’s obvious readiness for prime time. As I watched him speak, huffing, twirling, and saying nothing, empty-suiting and bloviating, flopping and flipping, qualifying and nuancing, sailing close to the wind, the conviction settled in upon me — this man is right up there with any of our white guys.”

(Original post here)

Dr. Danny Akin, the President of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC has posted a list of questions to ask for a person interviewing for a ministry position.  For anybody pursuing a job in the ministry, these are great questions to look at.

However, I think these questions can assist a broader scope than just those pursuing the ministry.  Dr. Akin takes these questions from his theological understanding of the Scriptures.  If these are questions that a person who is interviewing to be a leader/pastor at a church should ask of the church, are they not also questions that all members should ask of their own churches?

These are three of my favorite sermons from my brother’s series through 1 & 2 Samuel, and all of his sermons on Daniel at Baptist Church of the Redeemer.  You can also download any of the sermons, hear the rest of his series on 1 & 2 Samuel, his two-part seminar on the local church, and his last sermon at Redeemer (Revelation 22:1-9) by clicking on either of the links at the bottom of this post.

1 & 2 Samuel
“Finding Jesus in 1 Samuel“ - 1 Samuel - May 13, 2007
“Absalom’s Revolt” - 2 Samuel 15 - October 7, 2007
“Mighty Men and Mount Moriah” - 2 Samuel 23:8-24:25 - January 27, 2008

Daniel
“Holiness in Shinar” - Daniel 1 - March 30, 2008
“Four Empires and God’s Everlasting Kingdom” - Daniel 2 - April 6, 2008
“To Bow or To Burn” - Daniel 3 - April 13, 2008
“He is Able to Humble” - Daniel 4 - April 20, 2008
“The Handwriting on the Wall” - Daniel 5 - April 27, 2008
“Daniel and the Lion’s Den” - Daniel 6 - May 4, 2008
“Daniel’s Vision of the Son of Man” - Daniel 7 - May 11, 2008
“The Breaking of the Little Horn” - Daniel 8 - May 18, 2008
“The Confession of Sin and the Slain Messiah” - Daniel 9 - May 25, 2008
“The Introduction to Daniel’s Vision” - Daniel 10 - June 1, 2008
“The Return From Exile” - Daniel 11 - June 8, 2008
“The End of These Wonders” - Daniel 11:36-12:1-13 - June 15, 2008

More sermons/download sermons here (BCRedeemer past sermons) & here (BCRedeemer sermons)

This is a great story about Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers’ outfielder who went from #1 draft pick, to crack addiction, and to clean and back in the majors.  Last night he set the record for most home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby as part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star festivities.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  It may not be crack, but we all have our own addictions to sin.  Just like crack, they all make promises that they don’t keep.  Let us take a lesson from Josh Hamilton and realize that we can’t win our battles alone.  However, with Jesus we can’t lose!

“Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.  Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men.  Thus He will sprinkle many nations, kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will understand. 

Who has believed our message?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.  He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.  Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.   But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.  All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. 

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.  By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?  His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.  But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.  As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.  Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.”

Monday is now a day to look forward to!  Douglas Wilson has written a fictional book called “Evangellyfish,” and he is posting a chapter a week here until he has posted all of the chapters.  I titled this post based on this paragraph:

So here he was, a day later, playing teeter-totter in his soul, going back and forth about what he ought to do. He was a humble man, and did not mind seeking forgiveness where necessary. He had done so many times in his life, most recently for calling a young man a buffle-headed young dope during a counseling appointment. But this thing was different. Asking Chad’s forgiveness would involve talking with him, and talking to Lester was about as much fun as fishing in an outhouse. Of course, Mitchell had what a strict recording angel would have called “ample grounds” for all this, but he was still worked over by the whole thing. He did know that his feelings for Lester went somewhat beyond the legal limits of righteous indignation. But after what Lester had done to Cherie years before . . . and to all the other women Mitchell knew about . . . and then factor in the ones he didn’t know about, and the end result was a stew that Mitchell felt to be quite beyond his capacities to eat. But there was email. He could email an apology.

Douglas Wilson has an interesting post on the comparative generosity of liberals and conservatives. 

(The account of Ananias and Sapphira is found in Acts 5:1-11)