I was sick this week and didn’t post yet (whine?). Today I’ll just mention an interesting post on another blog on the subject of wine:
Does God Drink Wine?
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not two-faced, not given to excessive drinking,
1 Timothy 3:8 NET
This is bound to offend many but I thought I would throw it out there.
Certainly, Scripture does not claim to be a thorough textbook on medicine, or physics, or any of the sciences. But psychology differs from these in two important regards. First, psychology is not a true science…. Second, and most significant, psychology, unlike medicine and physics, deals with matters that are fundamentally spiritual. In fact, the word psychology literally means, “study of the soul.” What are the deep psychological needs if they are not the spiritual issues the gospel is concerned with? And Scripture certainly does claim absolute sufficiency in addressing those needs: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17, emphasis added). “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Ps. 19:7). Scripture itself promises believers the most comprehensive spiritual resources: “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
–John MacArthur
In other words, while the Bible was never intended to be a textbook for disciplines such as math or physics, it does claim to be an all-sufficient guide for godly living. Therefore, if the goal of Christian counseling is godliness in the life of the counselee, the counselor need not look beyond the wisdom found in the pages of Scripture to be equipped for his task. For if the counselee’s problem is spiritual in nature, Scripture is sufficient to meet the demand. On the other hand, if the problem is the inability to bake tasty muffins, a cookbook might be a better place to look.
–Matt Waymeyer
From:
2+2=4 and the Sufficiency of Scripture
Jay Adams is an author of books that deal with true Christian counseling. If you look at the table of contents (PDF file) of his book A Theology of Christian Counseling among others you’ll find that it’s about spritual maturity through Biblical principles.
Ligonier Ministries has a new blog. Of particular interest is an interview with Sinclair Ferguson which has some insight into Calvin, who Jesus is, doctrine, salvation etc.
HT: Challies.com
I don’t like writing about myself but thought this might be a good way to describe the purpose of this blog for those who are too lazy to read the About page. <smiley would go here>
This subject has been going around the biblioblogosphere.
Rule 1) List three reasons for your blogging.
This may sound the oppostite of altruistic and it is, partly because I don’t claim to be able to offer any new scholarly insights.
I would love to learn from others by their posting comments to this blog. The problem with that is my blog is a “tween-er”. I’m not a scholar and am not scholarly enough for scholarly people to want to read and post to this blog. (Although I do get an occasional gem from Estaban and others.) And this blog may be a little much for those who are casual Bible readers but come across it doing a search for something like Jeremiah 29:11 (link) or free will.
I’m so blessed in that God has given me a zeal for Him and His Word. I want to learn and grow more and more* in all spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Colossians 1:9 b NRSV
*possibly a future post
I write this post with fear and trembling. This verse is a favorite for a lot of people and I have had it memorized for many years.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
But looking at it in the context of the whole paragraph puts it in a new light.
Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD , “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD , “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
God is speaking here to Jeremiah regarding Israel. I don’t know if this necessarily means the premise is invalid but I think there is other Scripture that may be more appropriate like Habbakuk 3:17-19, Matthew 6:33-34, Romans 8:28, Romans 15:13 etc. We need to “be prepared to endure everything with patience while joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light” which may be subject matter for a future post. (Colossians 1:11-12)
During my hesitation to post this I came across this review of The Purpose Driven Life which gives further perspective. I try to stay away from direct criticism of others on this blog because I want to stick to Scripture and because there are a ton of other blogs for that stuff. But I think this quote is beneficial.
‘First we will examine promises Warren says apply to all Christians. One clear example of this is Jeremiah 29:11 which he uses multiple times in the book. On page 31 we read “Wonderful changes are going to happen in your life as you begin to live it on purpose. God says “I know what I am planning for you…’I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future’.” When read in context we see that this verse is not written to apply to all Christians. It is a promise given specifically to the Israelite exiles. By Warren’s logic Jeremiah 44:27 should also apply to all Christians. It reads, “I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will meet their end by the word and by famine until they are completely gone.” A pastor once told me “that verse wouldn’t sell as many plaques at the Christian book stores.”’
http://www.discerningreader.com/review/the-purpose-driven-life/
An addendum to yesterday’s post.
Here is an article dealing with the same topic:
Applying the Old Testament Law Today
HT: Expository Thoughts
Both today’s Pulpit Magazine article and the article noted above mention that, “The distinctions between the moral, civil, and ceremonial laws are arbitrary, imposed on the text from outside the text.”
I always divided the Law into these three categories so this is new and interesting for me.
I don’t have time or content for a post today so I will suggest a series that will be starting at Pulpit Magazine that I’m very eager to read over the next two weeks:
You, Me, and Moses
The NT Christian’s Relationship to the OT Law
Proverbs 8:17 NRSV I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
Lamentations 3:25 NIV The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
John 14:21 NRSV “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”
Additional reading:
Seeking Richly Rewarded by Charles Spurgeon at The Spurgeon Archive
There has been a lot of buzz in the biblioblogosphere about the book Commentary on the New Testament use of the Old Testament, D. A. Carson & G. K. Beale.
Some blog examples:
etc.
Here is an interview in Christianity Today with the editors of the book:
Two Testaments, One Story
Top evangelical scholars team up for landmark commentary on New Testament use of Old Testament.
There are so many web sites devoted to tips for almost anything you can think of–tips for using computers, getting stains out etc. Here is a blog post with tips for spending time with God. I know that sounds trite but I believe this is a very important message for the majority of of the people in the Church.
“I was basically getting spiritual crumbs from books, podcasts and my pastor. I was living vicariously through others’ relationships with God… While it’s good to learn from others, Jesus calls us to follow Him (not follow others who are following Him).”
Some people say that the Bible is our owner’s manual. I think it’s much more than that and thinking of it in that way devalues what the Bible is. However I think of commentaries as owners’ manuals for the Bible. Not that they are a necessity. After all, many Christians in the past and in some cultures now don’t even have a Bible in written form. And the Holy Spirit teaches us as we read God’s Word.
But commentaries can give us insight that we normally wouldn’t find and informs us of ancillary information pertaining to history, culture, society, politics, literary style etc. which help us to better understand why something was written the way it was. They can also teach us how to read and interpret the Bible by following their model of using Scripture to interpret Scripture, looking at context etc.
Here is a two part blog post I came across that I want to pass along.
Using commentaries in Bible study
Tips on using commentaries to study the Bible
HT: Using Commentaries in Bible Study
There are a couple of past entries on this blog related to commentaries:
Spurgeon In Defense of Commentaries
Bible commentary reviews
In November I started reading one Psalm a day.
In many of our evangelical circles, people put on a happy face and sing happy worship songs. There isn’t always a lot of “realness” or honest expression of doubt, fear, frustration etc. So I wanted to turn to the Psalms as a model for worship, praise and prayer. It also gives me a dose of the Old Testament as I concentrate on the New Testament for a while.
Although I’m not studying the Psalms–just reading, pondering and praying with them, I was looking for something short to read as a good overview and to give me a little more insight into them. I came across this and want to pass it along.
Hermeneutical and Homiletical Musings on the Psalms by Randy McKinion at Expository Thoughts
Be sure to notice the link to Part 2 at the bottom of the page.
I’ve come to enjoy and look forward to my time with a Psalm each day. I highly recommend it.
Here are transcripts from a sermon by John MacArthur:
Children and the Kingdom of God, Part 1
Children and the Kingdom of God, Part 2
What I mean by that is when an infant dies, or a child dies before reaching the condition of accountability, I think Scripture gives us enough insight to be sure that they are saved, they are gathered together by God into His presence, just as God in Isaiah 40 gathers the little lambs and carries them. I think God has a special affection for them and when they die He gathers them into His presence. And I want to show you how I think the Scripture lays that out for us.
Luke 18:15-17
[pruh-pish-ee-ey-shuhn] or [pro-pish-ee-ey-shuhn]
Propitiation: peace with God forever at CAMPONTHIS
Be sure to listen to the excellent Podcast which lasts about 15 minutes.
Some translations use “atoning sacrifice”, “sacrifice of atonement” or “expiation” (RSV) among others. If you want to read more about why different terms are used you can find plenty on the web by using Google.
These are the four instances the term is used.
Romans 3:25
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Hebrews 2:17
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
1 John 2:2
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Something I’ve wondered about.
Christians and Cremation at Pulpit Magazine
The faithful pastor, and all other faithful believers, love to learn God’s Word because they love the God of the Word.
–John MacArthur
From Why Preach the Word?
Reasons to Get Reading, Reloaded
This is a great list and I have experienced nearly every one of them.
This goes along with:
Reading Better with Richard Baxter
(I’m having computer problems and am doing some short posts.)
‘I can’t resist watching Kirk Cameron because it’s, well, just so intense to see Mike Seaver “bring it”.’
For those of you old enough to have seen the TV show Growing Pains (USA) this quote was priceless.
But that’s beside the point. Please read the post:
Beginning a Conversation about Christ
Acts 17, Acts 13:16-42
Scripture Zealot
Bible Commentary Lists and Reviews (Updated)
This is an update to an earlier post.
New Testament Exegesis Bibliography - 2007
Annotated Old Testament Bibliography - 2007
Parable Man Commentary Reviews (follow the links)
Westminster Bookstore - Commentaries
Favorite NT Commentaries - Biblical Foundations
Commentary Set - LeStourgeon Online
What commentaries does DG recommend? - desiringGod
My Commentary Recommendations - wordandspirit
Building a biblical commentary library: commentary recommendations - New Epistles
NT Commentary Recommendations - CROSS-eyed
BestCommentaries.com
How to Begin a Commentary Collection - Challies.com
Five Rules for Choosing a Commentary - The Road To Emmaus
HT: Challies.com
If you would like free commentaries on the whole Bible and haven’t gotten a hold of them, I would recommend Matthew Henry, John Gill and John Calvin. One way of doing this is to download e-Sword and install Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible and John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible from the Commentaries download page. I can’t remember how I got Calvin’s commentary into e-Sword but it can be found online here.
Also see previous posts:
Bible Commentaries
Spurgeon In Defense of Commentaries
Photo © Scripture Zealot
Updated: 8/14/08